A-HA have recruited the vocal talents of Crosby, Stills & Nash's Graham Nash for a track on their forthcoming and currently untitled album. A-Ha are currently in London mixing their new studio album with sometime DEPECHE MODE and U2 producer, Flood.

KIRSTY MacCOLL will release a special download single 'Sun On The Water' on July 18th to coincide with the forthcoming 'Best Of Kirsty MacColl' collection which will be released on August 1st.

DURAN DURAN will be the subject of a new book from music journalist Steve Mallins later this year. 'Notorious - The Unauthorised Biography' will be published on September 9th and features interviews with over fifty people involved in the Duran Duran story including NICK BEGGS, HAZEL O'CONNOR, STEPHEN DUFFY, MARTYN WARE and JOHN FOXX.

EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL's TRACEY THORN has recorded vocals for 'Damage', a new track from German??act Tiefschwarz which will feature on their forthcoming album due for a July 2005 release.

JESUS JONES have announced some dates in the UK in August. The band have announced three shows - in Manchester, Birmingham and London.

MADONNA has said that her forthcoming album, rumoured to be called 'Defying Gravity' will be an album of dance tracks which she also intends to take on tour in 2006. Meanwhile the long-awaited DVD of Madonna's 2004 'Re-Invention Tour' is expected later this year.

BILLY IDOL, THE CURE, SPANDAU BALLET and the PET SHOP BOYS are among artists covered by legendary crooner Paul Anka on his new album 'Rock Swings' which will be released on June 13th.

WET WET WET, ANNIE LENNOX and THE PROCLAIMERS will appear on MIDGE URE's Scottish bill of the forthcoming Live 8 series of concerts. The concert - the sixth Live 8 event - which will take place at Murrayfield on July 6th to coincide with the G8 Summit will also feature Travis, Texas and Damon Albarn.

DURAN DURAN will start work wrtiting a new album, the follow-up to their reunion set 'Astronaut', in August. The band will then start recording in January for release later in 2006.

FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD have put four UK concerts on sale. The shows, in Birmingham, Nottingham, Bristol and London are part of a new era for the band who will also be appearing at summer festivals in Europe.

DEPECHE MODE have been talking about their forthcoming album which may be released as soon as October. The currently untitled album is said to be the band's 'darkest' album yet and song titles are expected to include 'Pain', 'Suffer Well' and 'Sinner in Me'...

ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN have been added to the bill of London's Wireless Festival which will take place in Hyde Park on June 29th...

TOYAH has begun to line-up live shows for 2006... the singer has seven shows scheduled for 2005 including a gig with NICK HEYWARD and LIMAHL at the South Shields Cookson Festival, and has announced a further four for 2006.

JASON DONOVAN has confirmed that he will return the London's West End on June 21st to rejoin the cast of the musical 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'. Donovan will remain in the show until it closes in the West End on September 4th.

THE HUMAN LEAGUE and FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD have both been added to the bill of London's Big Gay Out which will take place in Finsbury park on July 23rd.

JOHN FOXX will release a new album 'Cathedral Oceans III' on August 8th. The former ULTRAVOX singer will releasse this third part of his 'Cathedral Oceans' series through his own Metamatic label.

VISAGE will release a new single - thir first since 1984 - entitled 'In The Dark' this summer.

HOWARD JONES has been a last-minute addition to the line-up of the US version of the TV show 'Hit Me Baby One More Time'. The show featuring Howard will air on the NBC network this thursday and will feature him performing 'No One Is To Blame' as his hit and Dido's 'White Flag' as his cover version.

SIMPLY RED will release a new album 'Simplified' on October 17th with a new live DVD to follow.