This week’s new releases include brand new studio albums from Prefab Sprout, Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo with his new band The Dust, and Steve Nieve of Elvis Costello & The Attractions, plus reissues and best-of sets from The Stranglers, Madness, Pop Will Eat Itself and Propaganda.
Tonight’s edition of “Dark Wave” on Sirius XM’s 1st Wave featured music from Tones on Tail, The Church, KMFDM, Skeletal Family, The Wolfgang Press, This Mortal Coil, Bauhaus, Tubeway Army, Skinny Puppy, The Cult, Front 242, Swans, Love and Rockets and much, much more.
There was much consternation last month when This Charming Charlie, the Tumblr that so brilliantly mashes up panels from old “Peanuts” comic strips with The Smiths lyrics, announced it had received demands from Universal Music Publishing Group that it take down posts over unauthorized use of the band’s lyrics.
Welcome to the Week in Rock, where we round up all of the headlines posted on this site over the past week. This week featured posts about The Jesus and Mary Chain, Peter Hook, Gary Numan, Kitchens of Distinction, Morrissey, The Fall and much more — plus The Cure topped the 1987 readers poll.
Peter Hook’s current tour — on which he’s performing New Order’s first two albums, 1981′s Movement and 1983′s Power, Corruptions & Lies — pulled into Sao Paulo, Brazil, last night, and, like Peter Murphy before him, Hooky took the opportunity to bring local rock dignitary Wayne Hussey of The Mission onstage.
Demon Music Group will mark the 30th anniversary of The Jesus and Mary Chain with The Complete Vinyl Collection, a deluxe box set featuring 11 LPs that includes all six of the band’s studio albums, plus a 2LP set of BBC sessions, a live album and a “fan-selected B-sides and rarities LP.”
KEXP continues to post stellar video filmed at its Bumbershoot Music Lounge during the Seattle music festival, this time coming up with a 30-minute set from Gary Numan. As you can see here, Numan plugs in for a trio of songs from his new album, plus a couple tracks from the early 2000s and his classic “Cars.”
Q&A: Daniel Ash on Love and Rockets’ reunion, his new band — and figuring out how to play “So Alive” 
Q&A: Chris Frantz talks Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club and new book ‘Remain in Love’ 
Q&A: Steve Wynn on The Dream Syndicate’s first new album in nearly 30 years 
Q&A: Bauhaus’ David J on his ‘accidental’ concept album ‘Not Long For This World’ 
Q&A: Peter Murphy on ‘Ninth,’ Bauhaus’ break-up, reuniting Dalis Car 
Q&A: Joey Santiago on Pixies’ ‘Doolittle’ tour, possible ‘Surfer Rosa’ shows, new album talk 
Q&A: Prefab Sprout’s Paddy McAloon on new album, changing the world with music 
Q&A: Peter Hook talks ‘Unknown Pleasures’ tour, re-recording Joy Division 