Musicians and fans from around the world are standing in solidarity today with the people of Manchester, site of an Islamic State-claimed suicide bombing that killed at least 22 fans leaving an Ariana Grande arena concert last night. We’ve rounded up reactions from Johnny Marr, Peter Hook, Alison Moyet, Pet Shop Boys and more.
As part of the promotion for its new album and tour, Depeche Mode has been letting a different fan take over the band’s Facebook page each day for a year, and, well, some of those fans — like skateboard legend Tony Hawk — are more well-known than others.
Morrissey has announced, through his customary outlet, the quasi-official fansite True To You, that his 30-year publishing deal with Warner-Chappell Music “has come to an end” — and that he’s now shopping his solo catalog and The Smiths’ catalog to any new publishers that might be interested.
On this holiest of holy days — Record Store Day, of course — Johnny Marr took to Facebook to lament the ongoing loss of record stores, calling them “a very important kind of shop,” and blaming greedy landlords for pricing music more and more retailers “out of their premises and livelihoods, and our culture.”
Warner Music UK today launched a new official website for The Smiths, an timeline dubbed “The Interactive Sound of The Smiths: 1982-1987” that lets visitors scroll through the history of the band as presented through its discography, with each single and full album available to stream via Spotify.
Friends of Devo’s Robert “Bob 2” Casale — who died unexpectedly two weeks ago from heart failure — are trying to raise $100,000 to support the late musician’s wife and children, with Casale’s brother and bandmate, Gerald Casale, noting that the 61-year-old “had no will or insurance” at the time of his death.
Ministry’s Al Jourgensen has decided to check himself into rehabilitation for alcohol issues, his label 13th Planet confirmed tonight, after the legendary industrial-metal frontman let the cat out of the bag himself on Facebook, writing, “Kicked dope and crack by myself… but I need help on this one.”
Morrissey’s year of medical maladies continues, with the former Smiths frontman today announcing that he was treated and discharged from Los Angeles’ Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for a concussion (his second in a year), whiplash and an arm injury — although Moz didn’t bother to explain what happened to him.
Peter Murphy avoided jail time last week when he pleaded guilty to meth possession and no contest to hit-and-run driving in connection with a Southern California car crash, for which he was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to attend 45 days of Narcotics Anonymous meetings.
What appears to be a treasure trove of aging tapes recorded by legendary postpunk producer Martin Hannett — including material by Joy Division, New Order, The Psychedelic Furs and Magazine — have been “rescued” from a garbage bin and are now being put up for sale by Hannett’s former personal assistant.
In an effort to create a synthesizer version of the ever-popular air guitar, Erasure’s Vince Clarke is asking fans to enter his First International Synth Gurning Competition by filming themselves making synth sounds with their mouths “whilst pulling a funny face.” To help get things started, he’s offered up his own video.
Peter Murphy and the Burning Shed label are honoring late Japan and Dalis Car bassist Mick Karn on what would have been his 55th birthday Wednesday with a “Download Day,” urging fans to buy Karn’s music in tribute to musician and to show that there is demand for it as a way of keeping his CDs in print.
Two years after he sold a huge collection of Depeche Mode memorabilia — including platinum records, vintage musical equipment and his leather stage trousers — former bandmember Alan Wilder is now offering fans the chance to buy his wheels: The musician is taking bids on his 1991 Mercedes 300SL convertible.
Following a Labor Party shakeup today that ousted Australia’s first female prime minister, former Midnight Oil frontman Peter Garrett has announced he is leaving government, as he resigns his position as Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth and won’t seek re-election.
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