THE SPECIALS are to reform for a tour later this year according to singer TERRY HALL talking to the BBC this week. Dates are still to be announced but are expected to take place in September or October. Meanwhile the band release a CD & DVD set 'The Best Of The Specials', featuring all their hits and videos, this week. See NEWS for the full album tracklisting.

YAZOO have announced another US tour date at Los Angeles' Orpheum Theatre on July 8th. See GIGS for the full list of reunion concerts.

ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN will perform their 'Ocean Rain' album in its entirety at a special hometown show at the Liverpool Echo Arena on November 27th. The album will be performed alongside other material including tracks from the band's forthcoming new album.

MADONNA is rumoured to be lining up a world tour after a US show was briefly advertised online. Further rumours have the singer playing one-off shows in London, Paris and New York in the coming months.

JOHN FOXX will release a new live album 'A New Kind Of Man' on April 28th. The seventeen track album was recorded on last year's 'Metamatic' tour. See NEWS for the full album tracklisting.

THE STRANGLERS and BLONDIE will play a show together on July 22nd as part of the Liverpool Summer Pops series of shows which this year also includes shows from MICK HUCKNALL, MEATLOAF, CROWDED HOUSE and DEF LEPPARD.

THE B-52s, PAULA ABDUL and DONNA SUMMER are among the artists playing shows for the forthcoming US 'Today' show's annual series of concerts.

ALL ABOUT EVE singer JULIANNE REGAN is working on a new project called iShado which will see her perform a variety of roles including producing, co-writing and keyboards. See NEWS for the link to listen to some early music at their MySpace page.

LLOYD COLE has added more shows to his forthcoming solo acoustic tour. See GIGS for all the dates.

BLONDIE will headline the saturday night of this year's Guilfest Festival on July 5th. The other nights will be headlined by The Levellers and The Australian Pink Floyd Show. Other band's already announced for the weekend bill already include FROM THE JAM and Kula Shaker.

YAZOO, HALL AND OATES, THE GO-GOs and TOM PETTY are among artists whose songs have been covered on the forthcoming new album from US rock act Everclear. 'The Vegas Years' will be released on April 15th and will feature Yazoo's 'Bad Connection', Hall & Oates' 'Rich Girl', The Go-Gos' 'Our Lips Are Sealed' and Tom Petty's 'American Girl' alongside tracks orginially recorded by Van Morrison, Cheap Trick and Thin Lizzy.

CROWDED HOUSE - currently at work on a new album - have an announced a US tour where, instead of playing single shows at large venues, they will play a number of nights at more intimate club venues. The tour starts in late April, see GIGS for all the dates.