ERASURE frontman ANDY BELL has contributed vocals to a new track 'Will I Ever' from up and coming dance act In_Vox. The single precedes the release of ANDY BELL's debut solo album which is expected to be released in 2005 once he has finished promotional and touring duties for the new ERASURE album 'Nightbird'. The currently untitled album is expected to be in a more dancey vein to Erasure's usual output and will feature 'a duet or two' with PROPAGANDA / ONETWO singer CLAUDIA BRUCKEN...
KD LANG will be undertaking a short UK tour in November, The groundbreaking alt-country singer will play five shows starting in Manchester on November 26th and finishing in Glasgow on December 3rd.
THE B-52's are working on a new remix album, featuring new mixes of their classic hits, for release in 2005. The band have also promised an album of new material for next year which they expect to tour extensively.
BROS are rumoured to be in talks about reuniting for a one-off gig. The trio consisting of brothers MATT and LUKE GOSS and CRAIG LOGAN are said to have been offered a six-figure sum to reform for one show in London's Hyde Park this summer. However if the show does go ahead there will be no more reunion activity from Bros according to Matt who is reported as saying "I know for a fact we'll never reform, that will never happen, never in a million years. I know that I'm not for that, Luke's not up for it and I know Craig isn't"...
DEAD OR ALIVE are to be the subject of a forthcoming tribute album 'Rocket' as we reported last week, however we have been contacted by the compilation organisers, Irish electro-popsters Empire State Human, who are organising a competition to find the final track for the album. Artists are invited to submit their own versions of one of two Dead Or Alive tracks, either Hooked On Love' or 'Black Leather' and the winning entry will find a place on the album. For more information email Empire State Human.
ALISON MOYET will release her new album 'Voice' in September. The eleven track album, produced by THE ART OF NOISE's ANNE DUDLEY will feature a mixture of cover versions and new material and is expected to include versions of a number of classic songs including 'Cry Me A River' and Jacque Brel's 'La Chanson des Vieux Amants'. A UK tour to coincide with the album release is expected to be announced shortly.
A-HA will be the subjects of a new book which is expected to be published later this year. 'The Swing Of Things - 20 years With A-Ha' has been written by journalist Jan Omdahl and is promised to feature many new photographs as well as using interviews with all the band members to paint a real picture of the band and the tensions within.
SHEENA EASTON has provided the voice of Professor Fiona Pembrooke in the new Scooby Doo movie 'Scooby Doo & The Loch Ness Monster'. The film was released on DVD and video last week.
PET SHOP BOYS are to perform a very unusual free gig in London's Trafalger Square. The duo have written a soundtrack to the classic 1925 silent movie 'Battleship Potemkin' which they will perform in full at the gig while the movie plays. Although the score is mainly instrumental, three new songs are thought to have been written for soundtrack, but it is currently unknown who the vocalists will be. The show will take place on September 12th.
DURAN DURAN have finally signed a new record deal after months of negotiating. The band, in their classic eighties line-up will release a new album on Sony's Epic label in October. The album is currently untitled but it is expected that it will include the tracks 'Sunrise', 'What Happens Tomorrow', 'Bedroom Toys' and 'Still Breathing' some of which the band have already been performing live. The album will be the first new material from this line-up of the band since 1983's 'Seven & The Ragged Tiger' album! Limited quantities of the new album are expected to feature a bonus DVD disc of live footage shot at the band's London shows earlier this year.
BOY GEORGE features on a track on DJ Erick Morillo's forthcoming album. The album will be released during the summer on the Subliminal label and features the track 'Who Am I Today' which features George on vocals.
ANNIE LENNOX has been talKing about wanting to reform the EURYTHMICS with DAVE STEWART. The duo are on good terms after reforming for their 'Peace' album and tour in 1999 and performed together at Nelson Mandela's 46664 fundraiser in South Africa last year. Lennox is about to start an extensive US tour with STING and will have a solo hits compilation released later this year.
SHAKESPEAR'S SISTER are to release a best of album on August 30th this year. At this stage a tracklistin g hasn't been announced but it is understood that both SIOBHAN FAHEY and MARCELLA DETROIT are co-operating on the release.
SCRITTI POLITTI are to have a retrospective album featuring their early work released on Rough Trade Records later this year, meanwhile mainman GREEN is working on new material, although there is currently no release date scheduled.
THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH are to release an album of cover versions... there is no release date scheduled but the album is rumoured to contain The Beautiful South's takes on songs by The Bee-Gees, S Club 7 and Womack & Womack!
PETE WYLIE is working on a new record that he is calling 'Pete Sounds'. THE MIGHTY WAH! frontman is working towards a release towards the end of this year or early 2005. Wylie also features on The Farm's 'All Together Now' which has been remixed and made the official England song in the European Championships.
REM frontman MICHAEL STIPE has produced a new film... 'Saved!' revolves around a group of "Jesus-centric" kids at a Christian school in suburban Baltimore, and is described as an alternative high school comedy. "I would not work on a film that I thought might insult the people in my life," says Stipe, who comes from a long line of church ministers. "I think it challenges certain ideas that are put forward. But anyone, Christian or otherwise, I believe, who is secure enough in their beliefs, who can laugh at themselves, they will like this movie."
