NIK KERSHAW is working towards a May release for his new album which he will release on his own, newly-formed Musicola label.

A-HA will play special instore set and do a signing session at London's Oxford Street HMV on January 30th to mark the UK release of their new album 'Analogue' which is released on the same day.

KIM WILDE has signed a new record deal with EMI and is set to start working on new material in the early part of this year.

ADAM AND THE ANTS will release their long-overdue DVD, 'Digital Tenderness' in March.

PET SHOP BOYS have remixed the new MADONNA single, 'Sorry', featuring additional vocals from Neil Tennant, which will be released in February. It is currently undecided whether the mix will be used promotionally in the clubs or will feature on one of the single's commercial formats.

JOHNNY MARR is to release a new album, the former SMITHS guitarist's second album with The Healers, in March.

DEAD OR ALIVE frontman PETE BURNS is the latest artist to be rumoured to be one of the contestants in the forthcoming UK TV reality show 'Celebrity Big Brother'.

IAN MCNABB will celebrate the 25th Anniversary of his former band THE ICICLE WORKS with a tour dedicated to the band's catalogue and a new Icicle Works album, however none of the other members of the original band will be involved.

NITZER EBB are in talks with their former label, Mute, about a major retrospective - 'Body of Work' - which will be released later this year. The package looks likely to be a triple disc package featuring 2 CDs and a DVD which will be followed by a separate double CD remix package 'The Remixes' featuring old and new remixes and previously unreleased material.

OMD are to reform this year to tour and to record a new album - the reunion will feature ANDY MCCLUSKY, PAUL HUMPHREYS, MAL HOLMES and MARTIN COOPER and is expected to kick off with a UK tour in September which may expand internationally in the lead up to the release of a new album in Spring 2007. The band are also expected to announce special showcase performances which will see them perform their 'Architecture & Morality' album in its entirety.

Additionally, ONETWO - PAUL HUMPHREYS project with former PROPAGANDA singer CLAUDIA BRUCKEN - will finish their debut album in the first part of this year and will play some live shows in April and May.

SCRITTI POLITTI will release their much-anticipated new album in March with one (excellent!) track 'Boom Boom Rap' having already been played on the radio.

CYNDI LAUPER will make her Broadway debut in April next year when she joins tha cast of the musical 'The Threepenny Opera'. Previews will take place in March for an April 20th opening.

MORRISSEY's duet with Nancy Sinatra, 'Let Me Kiss You', will feature on the forthcoming Nancy Sinatra album 'Nancy Sinatra'.

BILLIE RAY MARTIN LIVE: COWBOYS VERSUS ROBOTS

Billie Ray Martin first came to prominence leading the acclaimed deep house act Electribe 101, her unique voice leaving critics struggling to find words to match its beauty. Electribe 101 scored a brace of hits including the classic “Talking With Myself” before Billie departed to continue exploring fusions of electronic music and soul.?? After releasing the thoroughly scary “Persuasion” and the monumentally beautiful “Four Ambient Tales”, Billie found herself with a worldwide number 1 in “Your Loving Arms”. Three more hits and the album “Deadline for My Memories” followed.

Since then Billie has worked with Al Green, Ann Peebles, Carla Thomas and members of Aretha Franklin's band on her album "18 Carat Garbage", and has continued to release cutting edge electronic productions, such as the current 'No Brakes On My Rollerskates' and 'Dead Again' singles, as well as her current collaborations with DJ Hell and Slam. She is currently working on her new album.