Midge Ure today announced a rare North American solo tour that’s set to take place this coming January — featuring, “so far,” 12 dates confirmed across the U.S. and a single Canadian concert —that he says “is to pave the way for the possibility of bringing Ultravox over later in the year.”
Blondie performed a 45-minute concert in New York City today that was webcast as part of the YouTube Presents series — and the video is still up at YouTube, so feel free to relieve the experience right here. As an added bonus, the band released three brand-new studio tracks that are free for the downloading (or streaming).
The Stone Roses reunion will roll into 2013 as the band this week confirmed it will join the five-date, traveling Future Music Festival in Australia next March, performing concerts in Brisbane, Perth, Sydney and Melbourne along with The Prodigy, Dizzee Rascal, Bloc Party and, uh, that “Gangnam Style” guy.
Morrissey continued his American media tour Tuesday night, following up last week’s appearance on “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” with a highly entertaining visit to “The Colbert Report,” during which Moz withstood ribbing from Stephen Colbert on topics such as the British monarchy, vegetarianism and, of course, The Smiths.
Tonight’s Slicing Up Eyeballs Music Hour on Strangeways Radio featured music by Gang of Four, The Ocean Blue, Guadalcanal Diary, The Pogues, Love Tractor, The Smithereens, INXS, The Cure, Morrissey, Close Lobsters and more. Full replay at 2 p.m. EDT on Friday.
Dinosaur Jr will follow up its just-released studio album I Bet On Sky with a limited-edition live album recorded in 1987 and released as a vinyl-and-download combo, according to listings at online retailers. The Chocomel Daze LP will be released Nov. 19 by Merge Records on 150-gram vinyl and limited to 2,000 copies.
The Ocean Blue — best remembered for its Echo & The Bunnymen-like debut single “Between Something and Nothing” — will release their first new album in 13 years this January on a new record label started by the band’s David Schelzel and some friends, the group announced today.
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 