Forever Young? ..you wish!

So much for The Human League being shut up in the studio working on new album / material. Dates for the Swedish Forever Young 2010 tour have been announced, another 80s nostalgia live tour thing with Alphaville, um..Reeperbahn, and . .you've guessed it The Human League.
Always good to see the boys and girls 'on the road' doing Don't You Want Me, Love Action, etc etc etc but the 80s nostalgia tour context does not bode well for the long awaited new stuff, does it?
Ah well.. du minns väl all den magiska musiken från 80-talet? add your voice!


The Human League announce catering plans for the summer tour of Sweden

New Nouvelle news

Well love em or hate em Nouvelle Vague are back with a new album of their off-beat versions of various punk and new wave songs, making this their third so far. The new album - appropriately entitled '3' - differs from the band's previous albums however in that it actually features the original singers on some of the songs - Ian McCulloch on the Bunnymen's All My Colours, Terry Hall on Our Lips Are Sealed and Martin Gore on Master & Servant among them.
Other songs covered include laid back versions of Gary Numan's Metal, Psychedelic Furs' Heaven, The Sex Pistols' God Save the Queen and Simple Minds' The American.
Nouvelle Vague, led by producer/arrangers Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux and a revolving cast of chanteuses, embark on an extensive world tour this weeks rating in New York taking in much of Europe up until December.

NV on my space
NV offical site


Nouvelle Vague: il sont fous ces francais . .mais très aimables.

On the Mode again

and then....
..the DM official announcement did duly come yesterday. Fans who bought tickets for the concert in Leipzig, Germany on June 8th can breathe a sigh of relief as the Tour of the Universe will re-start from there. Dave Gahan has had an operation to remove a 'low-grade malignant tunour' from his bladder.
Cancelled dates have been or will soon be re-scheduled. see depechemode.com


the good burgers of Leipzig in a celebratory mood, yesterday

The Universe can wait

Ticket holding Depeche Mode fans in the UK are anxiously waiting to know whether they should abandon homes and loved ones to reach the capital for the scheduled DM concert at the O2 Arena on Saturday.
So far a total of nine concerts of the much anticipated Tour of the Universe have been cancelled due to singer Dave Gahan's ill health.
An announcement as to whether London or other gigs will also be cancelled is expected later today.
Gahan was rushed to hospital just minutes before the concert in Athens earlier this month, allegedly due to 'a severe bout of gastroenteritis'.

Lost in Music asks: couldn't Gore do all the singing?




Dave Gahan : not a well man.

Pleasure Circuit

Gary Numan is said to be preparing a special concert in Manchester in November to celebrate the 30th anniversary of his first solo album 'The Pleasure Principle' and seminal synth-rock/pop single 'Cars'.
Nuworld also states that "It's possible that other Pleasure Principle shows will be added around this Manchester gig to create a Pleasure Principle mini tour."
Numan recently performed anniversary tours of both his Telekon and Tubeway Army's Replicas albums, although towards the end of the latter the performer expressed in typical style that he was tired of 'nostalgia' tours and wished to concentrate on new material only.
Numan's schizophrenic attitude towards avid fans and touring is not unknown: his songs Sleep By Windows and Remind Me to Smile and general 'stand-off' attitude are testament to that. In 1980 he also announced his decision to 'retire' from performing live. After the 'farewell' shows in 1981, he returned to the live circuit in 1983. Numan is married to long-time fan Gemma O'Neill, and they have two children.




Gary Numan: he's got Asperger syndrome

OMD radio interview

Andy McCluskey of OMD has given an exclusive radio interview to Dave Charles on Midlands station Harborough FM. In the interview McCluskey goes over his 34 year career with Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and reveals that the new album will be out "next year".
The support slot on the Simple Minds tour later this year is also discussed. Although the role as support band has been derised by many fans McCluskey sees the tour as a way of playing 'arenas' rather than theatres. McCluskey reveals that the set will be very much a 'greatest hits' package although denies the '80s revival' type aproach.
The two bands also share a similar history coming from the respective post-punk scenes in Glasgow and Liverpool, both eventually signing to Virgin and achieving mainstream success in the early 80s. Despite internal divisions over the intervening years both bands have remained active continuing to release albums and perform live.
Simple Minds' new album Grafitti Soul is out on 25th May.

Simple Minds : alive and kicking so don't you forget about them.

Spring electro-pop news

Greek electro-pop Goddesses Marsheaux have announced that their new album entitled "Lumineux Noir" will be out soon. Tracklisting here

More Continental electro-news from Ladytron who have a catchy new single 'Tomorrow' out, have also announced new shows in the Spring in Russia, Greece and Italy, partly as support to Depeche Mode.


Marsheaux : it's all Greek to them.

Aylesbury Friars, 1979

full interview with Andy MCluskey of OMD here

Yes Ure Cann! (and Currie and Cross..)

After much gossip, rumours and speculation the news if finally official...an ULTRAVOX reunion has been confirmed. The 80s band line-up of Ure, Currie, Cann & Cross will be playing a series of concerts in the UK next year. The tour will take in 14 dates across the length and breadth of the nation starting in Edinburgh on 14th April and ending up in Portsmouth on the 28th.

Can't say I'm particulalry excited about this one, but credit for all this must surely go to the die-hard fans who have stuck with them over the past 25 years or more, also thanks to a very fine 'official' website and forum.

The band have also jumped on the 'remasters' bandwagon with the release of double disc 'definitive' versions of classic albums Vienna and Rage In Eden. Again much merit goes to the fans for making these possible.

Ultravox official site