Recent Dark Wave Playlists

‘120 Minutes’ Rewind: 120 X-Ray on The Primitives with host Kevin Seal — Aug. 21, 1988

‘120 Minutes’ Rewind: 120 X-Ray on The Primitives with host Kevin Seal — Aug. 21, 1988

For this week’s “120 Minutes” Rewind, we highlight another “120 X-Ray” segment, this time a clip from the Aug. 21, 1988, broadcast featuring host Kevin Seal — bathed, as seemingly always, in chintzy special effects — introducing interview segments with Tracey Tracey of The Primitives.

Free MP3: Jah Wobble & Keith Levene, 'Yin & Yang' — off ex-PiL members' new album

Free MP3: Jah Wobble & Keith Levene, ‘Yin & Yang’ — off ex-PiL members’ new album

Not only is Public Image Ltd. back in action these days, but two of that band’s key early members — bassist Jah Wobble and guitarist Keith Levene — have reunited to record their first full-length collaboration since PiL’s classic 1979 album ‘Metal Box.’ You can stream and/or download the set’s rather profane opening track here.

Video: Redd Kross live in Portland during MusicfestNW — watch full 40-minute set

Video: Redd Kross live in Portland during MusicfestNW — watch full 40-minute set

Last month we posted a great Dinosaur Jr live set from Seattle’s KEXP that was recorded at the Doug Fir Lounge in Portland, Ore., during MusicfestNW, and here’s another one: a full 10-song, 40-minute set from the reunited Redd Kross, touring in support of their first album in 15 years, ‘Researching the Blues.’

Dead man's party: Watch 3 of Oingo Boingo's epic Halloween concerts from 1987 and 1990

Dead man’s party: Watch 3 of Oingo Boingo’s epic Halloween concerts from 1987 and 1990

For those of us living in Southern California in the late ’80s and early ’90s, Halloween meant one thing: Oingo Boingo’s epic “Dia de los Muertos” concerts in Los Angeles and San Diego. We’ve posted this 1990 show before, but now we’ve got two full sets from 1987 — Oct. 30 and 31 at Irivne Meadows.

Johnny Marr of The Smiths to release solo debut 'The Messenger' in February

Johnny Marr of The Smiths to release solo debut ‘The Messenger’ in February

Since quitting The Smiths in 1987, guitarist Johnny Marr has played with a wide variety of acts, from Talking Heads and The The to Electronic, Modest Mouse, The Cribs and even his own short-lived band, Johnny Marr + The Healers. Early next year, though, he’ll finally release his first proper album under his own name.

Stream: The House of Love, 'Hold On Me' — previously unreleased demo off new reissue

Stream: The House of Love, ‘Hold On Me’ — previously unreleased demo off new reissue

Cherry Red Records continues to build up toward its upcoming 3CD expanded reissue of the self-titled 1988 debut from The House of Love, today offering up a second stream of a previously unreleased demo to be included in the upcoming release. The track was later recorded by frontman Guy Chadwick.

Stream: Dead Milkmen, 'Dark Clouds Gather Over Middlemarch' 7-inch — 3 new songs

Stream: Dead Milkmen, ‘Dark Clouds Gather Over Middlemarch’ 7-inch — 3 new songs

The Dead Milkmen are celebrating Halloween today by debuting three new songs off the first in a new series of 7-inch singles online — but only until midnight. The tracks include “Dark Clouds Gather Over Middlemarch” and “Ronald Reagan Killed the Black Dahlia,” off the 7-inch itself, and a bonus digital track.