Better known as the half of the Pet Shop Boys that wears hats and stands motionless behind banks of keyboards, Chris Lowe takes a rare vocal turn on a new cover of New Order’s ‘Subculture’ by Finnish DJ/producers Jori Hulkkonen and Alex Nieminen, performing under the name Stop Modernists.

Twenty-five years ago today, The Cure released ‘Standing on a Beach: The Singles,’ a seminal compilation — and yes, we’re talking about the cassette here, not the ‘Staring at the Sea’ CD — that stands alongside New Order’s ‘Substance’ and ‘Catching Up With Depeche Mode’ as one of the signpost compilations of the ’80s college rock era.

The classic second album from New Order — 1983’s ‘Power, Corruption & Lies’ — was released exactly 28 years ago today, and to commemorate that release, here’s an equally classic five-song performance by the band filmed 18 months later, on Aug. 25, 1984, in the BBC Basement Studio.

Martin Hannett help craft the sound of a generation, most notably through his sparse, reverb-heavy production of Joy Division — plus work with other acts from Manchester and beyond, including landmark tracks by OMD, U2 and New Order, as well as the debut single by The Stone Roses.

There’s less than a week left before that holiest of holy days for vinyl junkies: Record Store Day 2011, which, this year, will see special releases in the U.S. and the U.K. by R.E.M., The Smiths, New Order and Joy Division, Kate Bush, Sonic Youth and many more.

Duncan Sheik will reinterpret a dozen ’80s alternative and synthpop classics this June with the release of ‘Covers 80s,’ which will include new takes on old favorites by The Cure, Depeche Mode, New Order, Love and Rockets, The Smiths and more.

Last week’s news that troubled pop star George Michael would be covering New Order’s late-’80s smash ‘True Faith’ as a charity single for Comic Relief was met with the appropriate derision — which turns out to be totally appropriate, now that we can hear the Auto-Tuned bastardization that the ex-Wham! singer has churned out.

To promote the release of its new ‘Twist of Fate’ digital remix bundle, Bad Lieutenant — featuring New Order frontman Bernard Sumner — is offering up a free download of a bonus mix not included on the five-track EP: Mark Reeder’s No Fate Radio Remix

Peter Hook — he of the impossibly low-slung four-string — turns 55 today, and to mark the occasion, we present Joy Division’s long-out-of-print VHS concert film ‘Here Are the Young Men,’ released in 1982 and filmed primarily at the Apollo Theatre in Manchester on Oct. 27, 1979.

Today’s collection of interesting stuff, including interviews with The Smiths’ Andy Rourke, Lou Barlow of Sebadoh and Dinosaur Jr and Gang of Four’s Jon King, plus some stripped-down, a capella New Order.

Today’s roundup of interesting stuff, featuring a look at The Cure’s ‘Disintegration,’ a new R.E.M. interview, a downloadable 17-song intro to The Fall, and a look back at New Order’s rare cover of the reggae track “Turn the Heater On.”

Exactly 28 years ago today, The Smiths took the stage for only their third concert — and only their second with the final Morrissey/Johnny Marr/Andy Rourke/Mike Joyce lineup — opening for Factory Records funk band 52nd Street at New Order’s infamous Manchester club The Hacienda.

It’s Bernard Sumner’s birthday today — he’s turning 55 — and to celebrate, we present this somewhat rare New Order concert film called ‘Pumped Full of Drugs’ that was released on VHS in the U.K. in 1986.