This week’s installment of The Week in Rock features news about Pet Shop Boys, Elizabeth Fraser, They Might Be Giants, David Byrne, Peter Buck, The Birthday Party, Peter Murphy, Ministry, Morrissey, The Stone Roses, Dinsaur Jr, Robyn Hitchcock, The Jesus and Mary Chain and more.
Last night, Britain’s BBC Four aired the third and final installment of the new “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 the full, three-hour series right here.
Elizabeth Fraser this week announced she will precede her two sets at the Antony-curated Meltdown festival with an August concert in Bath, England, that will be her first full performance in 14 years and which will find the singer debuting new material and ‘performing re-interpretations of Cocteau Twins songs.’
Last November, They Might Be Giants stopped by Hollywood behemoth Amoeba Music to celebrate the release of their second album of 2011, the compilation ‘Album Raises New and Troubling Questions.’ The group jammed out an 8-song, 22-minute set that the record store recently posted on its website
In the works for nearly three years, ‘Love This Giant’ — the joint album by former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne and singer-songwriter/guitar ace Annie Clark, better known as St. Vincent — will be released in September, after which the two will embark on a 25-date fall North American tour.
R.E.M. fans got their very first taste of guitarist Peter Buck’s debut solo album today when former Dream Syndicate frontman — and frequent Buck collaborator — Steve Wynn world-premiered the song ’10 Million BC’ during a guest DJ stint on Diane’s Kamikaze Fun Machine on New Jersey’s WFMU.
4AD and reissue imprint Beggars Archive this week announced a new special-edition 30th anniversary reissue of ‘Junk Yard,’ the second album from Nick Cave’s pre-Bad Seeds outfit The Birthday Party. The set will feature the album on 12-inch, the ‘Release the Bats’ single on 7-inch and a CD combining both.
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 