This is a round-up of the week’s new albums, expanded reissues and/or box sets, appearing each Monday on Slicing Up Eyeballs. All releases due out this Friday unless noted. May also include some other titles released in recent weeks but not previously featured. This week: Cocteau Twins, Game Theory, Heaven 17 and more.
Main Man Records this spring will release Hero: A Tribute to David Bowie, an ultra-limited white-vinyl LP — the label says just 300 copies are being pressed — that features The Alarm and members of Blondie, Sex Pistols, The Damned, Heaven 17 and more honoring the Thin White Duke. Full details right here.
British synthpop pioneers Heaven 17 failed to appear at last night’s Violent Femmes-headlined ’80s Weekend #9 concert in Los Angeles, but promised fans today that the visa troubles that kept them away won’t derail their first-ever U.S. tour planned for this May. Full details and tour dates here.
Pioneering British synthpop outfit Heaven 17 — originally a studio-only entity that didn’t perform live until nearly two decades after its founding — will stage a short North American tour this May that the duo of Glenn Gregory and Martyn Ware are calling “our first proper U.S. tour.” Full dates and details right here.
This past week saw pioneering British synthpop group Heaven 17 do something it never had done before: perform a live concert in the United States. Specifically, Martyn Ware and Glenn Gregory brought their live show to New York City’s Highline Ballroom on Wednesday night. Check out the setlist and video.
Heaven 17 has long been more of a studio entity than a live vehicle. The group, which formed in 1980, didn’t perform live until 1997. And now, 36 years after the release of their debut Penthouse and Pavement, Martyn Ware and Glenn Gregory finally will bring H17 to America for a pair of long-awaited concerts next month.
This week’s new releases include expanded reissues of Peter Gabriel’s ‘So’ and Heaven 17’s ‘The Luxury Gap,’ plus a new live CD/DVD set from The Mission, the previously unreleased original demo tape from Rites of Spring, a new album from XTC’s Andy Partridge and Peter Blegvad, and vinyl release from The B-52s and Ultravox.
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 