MORRISSEY has confirmed that he has been contacted about reforming THE SMITHS for a reuinon tour but has turned down the offer which is thought to have been worth around £40 million. He also revealed that the offer involved just himself and JOHNNY MARR and wasn't dependant on the involvement of either MIKE JOYCE or ANDY ROURKE. Morrissey has also said that he will stop playing after his current tour although he has announced a series of US residencies which are expected to be his farewell concerts. See GIGS for a list of dates.
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SOFT CELL are working on a remix album, 'Heat - The Remixes', which is expected to be released in late October and will feature classic Soft Cell tracks remixed by the likes of Manhattan Clique, Richard X, Ladytron and Mark Moore. The band's albums 'Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret', 'Non- Stop Ecstatic Dancing' and 'This Last Night In Sodom' are also scheduled to be reissued in expanded packages over the next few months.
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ERASURE will film the last date of their current UK tour for a live DVD in the new year. The show will also be available on CD as a 'Live Here Now' release in November.
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OMD will release a live DVD 'Architecture & Morality & More' on November 5th. The release will feature live footage from two of the band's recent reunion shows alongside interviews and backstage footage.
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THE CURE have postponed all their US shows planned for September and November. The shows, across the US, will now take place in April and May next year and have been moved to coincide with the new release date of the band's forthcoming album.
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BELINDA CARLISLE has announced a short run of UK shows for December. See GIGS for all the dates.
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SIMPLY RED are set to publish an official biography 'If You Don't Know Me By Now' on September 10th and frontman MICK HUCKNALL will be doing a number of signing sessions to promote the book. Simply Red will also release a live DVD 'Stay – Live At The Royal Albert Hall' on October 22nd.
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SIOUXSIE SIOUX will play a one-off show at London's Roundhouse on November 5th.
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KYLIE MINOGUE is expected to join her sister Dannii for a one-off appearance on TV reality show 'The X Factor', Simon Cowell's talent search show for which Dannii appears as one of the regular judges.
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JANET JACKSON, MANTRONIX, KOOL AND THE GANG, NWA and THE POINTER SISTERS are all featured on the latest 12"/80s release from Family Recordings. 12"/80s/Grooves will be released as a three CD set on September 24th and will feature thirty-seven original 80s remixes of some of the biggest soul, funk, rap and groove hits from the era. See NEWS on the website for the full tracklisting.
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THE WATERBOYS have announced US dates for November, their first full-band shows for over five years, and will play eight shows in support of their new album 'Book Of Lightning' which was released in the USA this week. See GIGS for all the dates.
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JOY DIVISION are the subject of a new documentary, simply entitled 'Joy Division', which will have a cinema release on September 24th, shortly before the Anton Corbijn's biopic of the band, 'Control', hits the screens on October 5th.
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DEACON BLUE and THE PROCLAIMERS' recent performances at The World Fleadh have been reviewed in the REVIEWS section along with recent albums from NIK KERSHAW, JOE JACKSON and LATIN QUARTER's STEVE SKAITH.
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Special Thanks to http://www.remembertheeighties.com for this weeks news
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On October 16th, R.E.M. will release its first ever live CD/DVD in a career that has spanned 27 remarkable years. The dual package, titled R.E.M. Live, features 22 songs from the group's memorable performance at the Point Theatre in Dublin on February 27th, 2005. R.E.M. Live was filmed by acclaimed director Blue Leach (Depeche Mode, Snow Patrol) who accompanied R.E.M. on their 116-date tour into 33 countries in support of Around The Sun. Just two years earlier, Leach's deft camera work and artistic video mix during R.E.M.'s Manchester Move Festival performance made a strong impression on the band. Here, Leach skillfully brings together his signature techniques to capture R.E.M. doing what they do best at one of the most celebrated venues on their 2005 worldwide tour.