The John Darnielle-led Mountain Goats earlier this year released a concept album called Goths that was preceded by the first single “Andrew Eldritch is Moving Back to Leeds,” a notably un-gothlike song about the lead singer of The Sisters of Mercy. This week, they covered the Sisters’ 1987 classic “Lucretia My Reflection”
For this week’s installment of Vintage Video, we flash back to 1986, and this clip of Oingo Boingo performing on the network TV broadcast “Disneyland’s Summer Vacation Party” on a bill that also included Kenny Loggins, Adam Ant, Miami Sound Machine, The Bangles, Chubby Checker and more. Watch it here.
First announced last year, Bauhaus drummer Kevin Haskins’ visual history of the pioneering goth-rock act — a 315-page coffee table book stuffed with recollections and flyers, ticket stubs, personal photographs and more — will be published in early 2018 by Cleopatra Records. See images from the book here.
The reunited Norwegian pop trio a-ha has begun rolling out summer 2018 tour dates, including a half-dozen shows in the U.K. that will find the group playing football stadiums and cricket grounds with all-star synthpop support from OMD and Tom Bailey of the Thompson Twins. See full dates here.
Nearly 1,000 fans of The Cure contributed video and photos to a project by a Polish fansite to stitch together an enormous amateur multicam of the band’s Oct. 20, 2016, concert in Łódź, Poland — and they’re now offering the nearly 3-hour film as a free download to fellow fanatics. Download it here.
Classic synthpop outfit Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark will cap off the year with the release of a new 10-song compilation of the B-sides and remixes that accompanied the three singles released this year to promote the group’s latest album The Punishment of Luxury.
Record Rack: A round-up of the week’s new albums, expanded reissues and/or box sets, appearing each Monday on Slicing Up Eyeballs. All releases due out this Friday unless noted. This week’s new titles include Morrissey’s latest solo album, ‘Low in High School’ and a new Madness best-of.
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 