THE HITMAKERS TOUR promoters have cancelled three shows in the upcoming tour. The shows in Oxford, Sheffield and Newcastle have been pulled despite all three artists - ABC, TOYAH and HOWARD JONES - wanting to play the dates anyway... see the GIGS section for the updated gigs.

JOHNNY MARR will play his first live show with Modest Mouse at London's Koko on November 21st.

AZTEC CAMERA's RODDY FRAME will headline the ICA in London on October 28th, the show is under the banner 'C86 Still Doing it For Fun' and it's a celebration of independent music in the UK since 1986. Also on the bill are THE JUNE BRIDES' Phil Wilson and THE WOLFHOUNDS, while THE PASTELS will DJ.

TOYAH's recently released 'Take The Leap!' album has been reviewed in the REVIEWS section.

THE SISTERS OF MERCY have confirmed that they are working on a new album, although plans for the release of a series of singles - starting with a track called 'Summer' - before the album release have been abandoned.

JOHN FOXX is mounting an audio-visual presentation of his 'Cathedral Oceans' project at the Leeds Film Festival on November 3rd, the show will involve projections, a new surround sound mix of Cathedral Oceans 3 and improvised live vocals.

PRINCE has contributed a brand new track, 'Song Of The Heart', to the soundtrack of a new animated film 'Happy Feat'. The soundtrack also features a version of Prince's 'Kiss' from Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman who voice characters for the movie.

DEACON BLUE's single 'Real Gone Kid' has entered the Commercial Pop Top 20 Chart this week in a remixed version from Shanghai Surprise.

U2 will release 'The Saints Are Coming', their recent collaboration with Green Day, and another new song in November as part of a new sixteen-track 'best of' compilation due for release on November 20th.

ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN are to play a one-off gig at London's Roundhouse next year where, backed by an orchestra, they will perform the entire 'Ocean Rain' album as well as a selection of other songs from their catalogue.

CAPTAIN SENSIBLE has started his own political party, The Blah! Party, as a way of giving dissatisfied voters the chance to register their feelings with a protest vote. The Captain, who is predicting a Blah! PArty membership of up to 300,000, went on record to say 'We believe that voting is an important part of the democratic process, and we want the Blah! Party to be the party of protest'.

GENESIS are set to reform according to press reports this week. PHIL COLLINS, MIKE RUTHERFORD and TONY BANKS will reunite for shows in the UK, Europe and the USA. Original singer PETER GABRIEL was also in the reunion talks but passed on the opportunity as his schedule doesn't allow him sufficient time for the tour until 2008!

LLOYD COLE has announced tour dates in support of his new album 'Anti-Depressant'. The dates, in the UK, Denmark, Sweden, France, Belgium, Spain, Norway, USA and Canada are all listed in the GIGS section.

Many thanks for this news goes to: http://www.remembertheeighties.com/