The Cure’s penchant for topping festival bills continues as Robert Smith and Co. were announced this evening as the headliners of all three Riot Fests — set for Toronto, Chicago and Denver this September — joining the band’s appearance at Bottle Rock in Napa Valley, Calif., this month.
This week’s new releases include the first new studio album from The Afghan Whigs in 16 years, plus a box set of Dead Kennedys 7-inch singles, a live CD/DVD package from Billy Bragg, an anthology of Ski Patrol’s recorded output and a vinyl reissue of The Stone Roses’ legendary debut.
This week’s new releases include box sets devoted to Tears For Fears and Waterboys albums, plus a new Morrissey concert film, a reissue of Billy Bragg’s debut, a box set collecting six Boomtown Rats albums, an audiophile CD pressing from the Pixies and live sets from The Mission and The Wedding Present.
Billy Bragg will celebrate the 30th anniversary of his debut album Life’s a Riot with Spy vs. Spy — featuring the singer-songwriter’s classic “A New England” — next month with a new reissue that features a newly remastered version of the original record plus a live solo version of the full album recorded in London.
Seattle’s KEXP continues to post video footage of sets by bands that played live on the air for the radio station during South By Southwest last month, and the latest is a six-song, 33-minute set by Billy Bragg, who treated fans to four songs off his just released album Tooth & Nail, plus two old favorites.
As one of our readers noted this morning, Morrissey finally got the answer to the question he posed of Margaret Thatcher in his controversial Viva Hate closer “Margaret on the Guillotine”: “When will you die?” The former British prime minister passed away today at age 87.
The lineup for this summer’s Glastonbury festival was announced today, and it’s an utter monstrosity, with headliners The Rolling Stones, Arctic Monkeys and Mumford & Sons joined by a seemingly endless list of bands, including Primal Scream, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Elvis Costello, Billy Bragg and more.
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 