This week’s new releases include brand-new albums from Pet Shop Boys, David Byrne and St. Vincent and Tom Tom Club, plus reissues from The Stone Roses and Aztec Camera, a live CD/DVD of The English Beat’s US Festival performances, and best-ofs from Duran Duran and Propaganda.
As we wait for the release of the delayed “US Generation” documentary — not to mention next week’s English Beat CD/DVD combo Live at the US Festival — it’s worth marking today’s 30th anniversary of the first of two giant multi-day US Festivals, envisioned by their organizer, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, as “Woodstock West.”
This week’s new releases include a new 5CD box set and single-disc best-of from The English Beat, a new album from Mission of Burma (‘Unsound’), a single from Ride’s Mark Gardener and Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins, a new Bananarama CD/DVD best-of and the U.S. release of Duran Duran’s ‘A Diamond in the Mind.’
Beacon Audio recently launched a new video interview series and one of their latest installments features Dave Wakeling of The English Beat, who, in this five-minute clip, discusses the longevity of the Beat, how he learned to play guitar completely wrong (he’s right-handed, but plays as a lefty) and his favorite part of a concert.
Welcome to the Week in Rock, where we round up all of the headlines posted on this site over the past week. This edition includes items about Dinosaur Jr, XTC, The English Beat, The Dream Syndicate, The Cure, Peter Murphy, The Stone Roses, The Replacements, Dead Can Dance, Elvis Costello and more.
First announced as a bonus for pre-ordering the ‘Complete Bea’t box set, a package documenting The English Beat’s appearances at the two massive US Festivals in 1982 and 1983 — with both sets in full on DVD, and a CD featuring highlights from each appearance — will be released separately this September.
This week’s new releases include expanded reissues of all three of The Beat’s original albums, plus a new CD of Duke Ellington interpretations from Joe Jackson (‘The Duke’), an alleged expanded reissue of Ministry’s 1983 synthpop debut ‘With Sympathy’ and the CD and digital releases of ‘The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends.’
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 