While U2 hasn’t yet unveiled the tracklist for its next fanclub CD, called ‘U2: Duals,’ the band today offered U2.com members a sneak peak in the form of ‘Amazing Grace/Where the Streets Have No Name,’ a track featuring Bono and Co. and the Soweto Gospel Choir that was created last summer for the World Cup. Hear it here.
Fans of The Smiths are reveling in an unexpected Christmas gift this week with the appearance of a bootleg LP featuring 16 unreleased studio outtakes, including the scrapped original recording of ‘Sheila Take a Bow,’ a reggae-like take on ‘Girlfriend in a Coma’ and two previously unheard instrumentals.
The release of R.E.M.’s new album ‘Collapse Into Now’ is still more than two months away, but the band is in full pre-Christmas promotional mode, not just offering up free tracks but now releasing a 2-minute trailer for the record that features the band performing many of the new tracks live in the studio.
Exploring the legacy of ’80s college rock, ‘Slicing Up Eyeballs’ airs every Tuesday at 10 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Pacific on Strangeways Radio. This week’s show featured tracks by R.E.M., Paul Weller, The Sisters of Mercy, Midnight Oil, A Certain Ratio, Lloyd Cole and more.
Twisted troubadour Robyn Hitchcock is opening his vaults slightly to fans, this week posting a streaming collection of a dozen covers — recorded both live and in the studio recently — of songs by David Bowie, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Johnny Cash, the Grateful Dead and Nick Drake.
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark are treating their fans to a special gift each day leading up to Christmas as a thank-you for their support this year, beginning with a free MP3 of ‘Sister Marie Says’ (Soil In The Synth Remix), a new mix of the ‘History of Modern’ single.
With Duran Duran’s first album in three years — ‘All You Need Is Now’ — now available via iTunes, it should come as no surprise that the original music-video band has, in fact, released a new music video to promote lead-off single ‘All You Need Is Now.’ The clip, seen above, premiered Monday night on Yahoo Music.
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 