Recent Dark Wave Playlists

New releases: Morrissey, Ministry, Midge Ure, Blondie, Madness, a-ha, The Undertones

New releases: Morrissey, Ministry, Midge Ure, Blondie, Madness, a-ha, The Undertones

This week’s new CDs include reissues from Morrissey (‘Bona Drag’), Midge Ure (‘The Gift,’ ‘Answers to Nothing’) and Madness (‘Mad Not Mad’), plus a live disc from Blondie (‘Blondie at the BBC’), a new compilation of hits and covers from Ministry (‘Every Day is Halloween’) and collections from a-ha (’25: The Very Best Of’), The Undertones (‘Teenage Kicks: The Very Best Of’) and Stiff Records (‘Born Stiff’).

Playlist: Sirius XM’s ‘Dark Wave,’ 10/03/10

Tonight’s episode of ‘Dark Wave’ — the weekly Sunday night show on Sirius XM’s classic-alternative station 1st Wave — managed a nice selection of lesser-played album cuts from a host of big-name players, including Depeche Mode (‘Sacred’), Siouxsie and the Banshees (‘Night Shift’), Morrissey (‘Disappointed’), The Jesus and Mary Chain (‘Teenage Lust’) and The Cure (‘Disintegration’).

Milestones: Sinead O'Connor tore up pope's photo on 'SNL' 18 years ago today

Milestones: Sinead O’Connor tore up pope’s photo on ‘SNL’ 18 years ago today

Eighteen years ago tonight, Sinead O’Connor largely derailed what had been a promising career when she appeared on ‘Saturday Night Live,’ sang Bob Marley’s ‘War’ and tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II while urging viewers to ‘fight the real enemy.’ Watch the whole performance here.

Video: Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe play '(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding?' in San Francisco

Video: Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe play ‘(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding?’ in San Francisco

Last night, San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall hosted a pair of special charity concerts dubbed ‘Costello Sings Lowe/Nick Sings Elvis,’ a benefit for the Richard de Lone Special Housing Fund that featured Elvis Costello performing songs written by his onetime producer and collaborator Nick Lowe, and vice versa.

Video: Peter Buck’s Tired Pony plays ‘Dead American Writers’ on Letterman

The latest side project from R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck — the country-tinged Tired Pony, fronted by Snow Patrol singer Gary Lightbody — stopped by the ‘Late Show with David Letterman’ last night to perform ‘Dead American Writers,’ off the band’s just-released debut ‘The Place We Ran From.’

Video: The Vaselines play ‘Sex With an X,’ ‘Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam’ on Fallon

The Vaselines made their American TV debut last night, playing the title track to their new album, ‘Sex With an X,’ on ‘Late Night With Jimmy Fallon,’ as well as a web-only performance of ‘Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam,’ the song made famous by Nirvana’s ‘MTV Unplugged in New York’ cover version.

The Godfathers to release 'Shot Live at the 100 Club' concert CD/DVD set this fall

The Godfathers to release ‘Shot Live at the 100 Club’ concert CD/DVD set this fall

With a new album still in the works, The Godfathers this fall will commemorate their 25th anniversary concert at London’s famed 100 Club with a 24-track live CD/DVD combo that features at least two brand-new songs.