Now that we’re back from vacation, this is a special two-week edition, with headlines about Depeche Mode, Morrissey, Lloyd Cole, Dinosaur Jr, The Pogues, Simple Minds, Peter Murphy, PiL, Sonic Youth, Crime & The City Solution, Vince Clarke and Martyn Ware, Midnight Oil and much more.
Less than a week after postponing this week’s concerts, Morrissey today pulled the plug on the rest of his U.S. tour in order to stay in England with his ailing mother — but insists the concerts are not canceled, only postponed, and will be rescheduled “shortly.”
For this week’s “120 Minutes” Rewind, we spotlight another “120 X-Ray” segment, this time a 1987 clip featuring host Kevin Seal discussing the 4AD label’s compilation album Lonely Is An Eyesore, which featured tracks from Cocteau Twins, Throwing Muses, Clan of Xymox, Dead Can Dance, This Mortal Coil and more.
Lloyd Cole is once again reaching out to his fanbase to help finance the recording of his next album, a project that finds the singer-songwriter reuniting with part of the team — Matthew Sweet on bass and co-producer/drummer Fred Maher — behind Cole’s 1990 self-titled solo debut, the so-called “X” album.
The Pogues next month will release a special 30th anniversary live package in multiple audio and video formats, a set recorded at the band’s concerts in Paris last month and dubbed, naturally, “The Pogues in Paris: 30th Anniversary Concert at the Olympia.” Check out the trailer for the video release.
The reunited Dinosaur Jr will celebrate the 25th anniversary of ‘You’re Living All Over Me’ this December with a concert in New York City that will feature a meeting of the six-string minds, with legendary Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr set to trade licks with J Mascis on “a song or two,” according to the band’s website.
After focusing much of this year on performing cuts from the band’s first five albums, Simple Minds next March will release a new best-of collection — featuring two new songs —and then embark on a huge, 28-date greatest-hits tour of the U.K. featuring a career-spanning, two-set show with no opening acts.
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 