Morrissey, as he’s wont to do, made headlines this week with a typically acerbic attack on his native England, this time blasting the London Olympics over “the blustering jingoism that drenches the event” and suggesting that the “spirit” of Nazi Germany no pervades modern-day Britain. Billy Bragg disagrees.
Our latest collection of links includes a report The Stone Roses will release a new album in 2013, plus interviews with former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, frontman Robbie Grey of the recently reunited Modern English and members of Mission of Burma, who just released a new album, ‘Unsound.’
Last night at the famed Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, producers and musicians Nile Rodgers and Mark Ronson enlisted Johnny Marr and Alison Moyet, who joined the Rodgers-led Chic on stage to perform Ronson’s arrangement of The Smiths’ “Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before.”
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 Midnight Oil, The Stone Roses, John Lydon, This Mortal Coil, The Specials, Pet Shop Boys, World Party, Mission of Burma, The Smiths and more — plus the latest Auto Reverse mixtape.
Fans of The Smiths who’ll be in Barcelona this month take note: The FNAC Triangle Photo Gallery is hosting an exhibit called ’25 Years Without The Smiths,’ featuring a fan’s private collection of vintage Rough Trade promotional posters advertising the release of the band’s classic albums and singles.
After an ‘instant sell-out’ of Morrissey’s October date at the famed Radio City Music Hall, the former Smiths singer today announced two more New York City concerts at the smaller Terminal 5 venue. Moz will now follow his Oct. 10 date at Radio City with concerts on Oct. 12 and 13 at Terminal 5.
With Morrissey’s libel case against the NME slated to go to trial in a month, the music weekly today apologized to the singer, writing, ‘We wish to make clear that we do not believe that he is a racist; we didn’t think we were saying he was and we apologise to Morrissey if he or anyone else misunderstood our piece in that way.’
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 