Welcome to the Week in Rock, where we round up all of the headlines posted on this site over the past week. This edition includes news about Jah Wobble and Keith Levene, The Cure, The Pogues, The Smithereens, World Party, Bronski Beat and Communards, The Waterboys’ Mike Scott and much, much more.
The Pogues will embark on a short run of European dates later this summer, culminating with a pair of back-to-back concerts in Paris this September that are being billed as a 30th anniversary celebration that will be filmed and recorded for both a future live CD and DVD release.
This latest round of links and such includes a story on Johnny Marr’s plans to record two solo albums, a look back at Talk Talk, a podcast featuring an interview with Gang of Four, and news that the Pogues’ U.S. tour will be their last.
The Pogues today announced a short 10-date, six-city U.S. tour next March dubbed ‘Parting Glass with The Pogues’ — which follows up next month’s ‘Farewell Christmas Tour’ of the U.K, a trek that, when announced, was widely interpreted as marking the end of the band.
Last night, a host of musicians — including Alison Moyet and Billy Bragg — gathered at London’s O2 Sheperd’s Bush Empire to remember the life and musical legacy of Kirsty MacColl on what would have been the late singer’s 51st birthday.
The Pogues today announced a ‘Farewell Christmas’ tour of the U.K. and Ireland this December, which band co-founder Peter ‘Spider’ Stacy declares will be ‘the last Christmas tour for the foreseeable future’ — although there’s disagreement even amongst the band about that.
Danish duo The Raveonettes has covered The Stone Roses’ classic ‘I Wanna Be Adored’ for Dr. Martens’ 50th anniversary; check out the video, a making-of clip and download a free MP3 of the track.
The life and musical legacy of Kirsty MacColl will be celebrated this fall at an all-star concert in London featuring the likes of Alison Moyet, Billy Bragg, Johnny Marr and Shane MacGowan, who famously duetted with the late singer on the Pogues’ classic ‘Fairytale of New York.’
In some ways it’s the antidote to the schmaltzy, celeb-soaked remakes of “We Are the World” and R.E.M.’s “Everybody Hurts”: a new Haiti benefit single recorded by iconic punk and post-figures such as The Pogues’ Shane MacGowan, Nick Cave, Mick Jones of The Clash, the Sex Pistols’ Glen Matlock, Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders and Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie.
Tweet Here’s a new take on a Christmas classic: Billy Bragg and UK indie sensation Florence and the Machine performing “Fairytale of New York,” the […]
Stadium headliners U2 did something pretty unusual last night: Bono and Co. served as a backing band for longtime friend Gavin Friday at the Irish […]
Record Rack: A weekly round-up of the pertinent new releases hitting stores this Tuesday. ARTIST: The Popes RELEASES: Outlaw Heaven BACKSTORY: With Shane MacGowan having […]
Boozy Celtic punk act The Pogues — including once-ousted frontman Shane MacGowan and his new teeth — will embark on a 12-date tour of the […]
Q&A: Daniel Ash on Love and Rockets’ reunion, his new band — and figuring out how to play “So Alive” 
Q&A: Chris Frantz talks Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club and new book ‘Remain in Love’ 
Q&A: Hifi Sean on life after The Soup Dragons and the quest to make the perfect 7-inch 
Q&A: Steve Wynn on The Dream Syndicate’s first new album in nearly 30 years 
Q&A: Echo & The Bunnymen’s Will Sergeant on new instrumental trio Poltergeist 
Q&A: Steve Wynn on The Dream Syndicate reunion, upcoming tour — and new music 
Q&A: Bauhaus’ David J on his ‘accidental’ concept album ‘Not Long For This World’ 
Q&A: Howard Jones on revisiting ‘Human’s Lib,’ ‘Dream Into Action’ — and future plans 
Q&A: Peter Murphy on ‘Ninth,’ the break-up of Bauhaus, reuniting Dalis Car 
Q&A: Joey Santiago on Pixies’ ‘Doolittle’ tour, possible ‘Surfer Rosa’ shows, new album talk