This week’s new releases include the first new album in 27 years from Dexys Midnight Runners (now named Dexys), plus reissues from David Bowie (‘Ziggy Stardust’), Propaganda (‘Wishful Thinking’), Germs (‘GI’) and Bob Mould’s Sugar (‘Beaster’), as well as a new collection of Ministry remixes and covers.
Morrissey recently wrapped up a run of dates in the Far East and in the western U.S. and, as he’s known to do, today released a statement in which he ranks his Top 10 tour stops (Jakarta’s No. 1) and once again bemoans his lack of a record label, indicating his finished album is no closer to being released.
Welcome to the Week in Rock, where we round up all of the headlines posted on this site over the past week. This edition includes news about Jah Wobble and Keith Levene, The Cure, The Pogues, The Smithereens, World Party, Bronski Beat and Communards, The Waterboys’ Mike Scott and much, much more.
Last night, Britain’s BBC Four aired the first installment of the new three-part ‘Punk Britannia’ documentary series, billed as a look at the ‘historic cosmology, meteoric impact and smouldering aftermath of the most genuinely transformative force in British popular music history.’ Watch Part 1 here.
The Cure played a 36-song set at Barcelona’s Primavera Sound 2012 peppered with surprises, including the first performance of ‘Fight’ since the ‘Kiss Me’ tour, only the third-ever performance of ‘The Caterpillar,’ a rare airing of ‘Dressing Up’ and the first-ever performance of B-side ‘Just One Kiss.’
Two members of Public Image Ltd.’s most famous lineup — bassist Jah Wobble and guitarist Keith Levene — have reunited after 30 years, playing a handful of ‘Metal Box in Dub’ shows in the U.K. this year that spotlight PiL’s classic 1979 sophomore album. John Lydon takes issue: ‘It’s very unfair.’
The Pogues will embark on a short run of European dates later this summer, culminating with a pair of back-to-back concerts in Paris this September that are being billed as a 30th anniversary celebration that will be filmed and recorded for both a future live CD and DVD release.
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 