Everything Does Indeed Count.

"Without Depeche Mode, electronic dance music as we know it would be a very different beast indeed," say the writers at beatportal. So they asked some top producers and DJs to share their favorite Depeche Mode songs and here is what they had to say.

BUT WHO WANTS TO READ BORING OLD CHARTS OR LISTEN TO LONG PLAYLISTS WHEN YOU CAN WATCH Dicken Schrader and his kids Korben and Milah do their own cover of "Everything Counts."

Photo: wired.com

Midge Ure Is Now On Facebook.

Saying that he has slowly dragged himself into the 21st century - serial multi-tasker Midge Ure has joined Facebook. You can also find Midge at midgeure.com and on his official Twitter page.

Photo: Midge Ure

But When You're Young, Lyrics Are Like Horoscopes...

Bored and lonely, struggling to fit in amongst a group of boarding school pupils whose main ambition seemed to be to become worthy estate agents, powerful lawyers and wealthy city brokers, Wyndham Wallace reflects on how John Lydon's arrival in his life with PiL's fifth studio release Album was immaculately timed.

Do you remember the first time you heard "Rise"?

Paul Weller Welcomes Twins Bowie And John Paul.

Paul Weller and his wife Hannah announced the birth of their twins John Paul and Bowie on Saturday:

Both boys are healthy and doing well following the birth and Paul and Hannah are thrilled and over the moon. Paul would like to thank his fans for all their well wishes over the last few months.

Weller, who has said that The Beatles changed his life, told MOJO in 2008 that he is also, "a born-again Bowie freak."

53-year-old Paul Weller, whose new album Sonik Kicks is set to be released in March, now has seven children.

Photo: David Levene via guardian.co.uk

Original MTV VJs Sign Book Deal.

Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, announced today that it has signed a deal with the four remaining original MTV VJs Alan Hunter, Martha Quinn, Nina Blackwood, and Mark Goodman for an uncensored oral history of MTV. The book currently has no title and no release date has been set.

The fifth original VJ, the great J.J. Jackson, died in 2004.

According to Atria, the VJs will, "talk about everything from partying with Van Halen to a disastrous 'Paint the Mutha Pink' contest with 'Pink Houses' singer John Cougar Mellencamp. The VJs also participated in an MTV oral history published last fall, but Atria spokesman Paul Olsewski said today that they have saved their 'best stories' for their own book."

Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/WireImage.com via grammy.com

Have You Gone Back To "1983" Yet?

Yesterday was release day for Limahl's new single "1983" and it is generating a lot of buzz - and as of this writing is at #6 in the Amazon (UK) Hot New Releases in Dance & Electronic chart. The lyrics for "1983" talk of the rise of new wave music and celebrate what we celebrate every day here at this fine website!

"1983" is one of the best singles I've heard in a while - and it's on repeat right now. Go see what "1983" is all about on itunes, Amazon, 7digital and play.com.

Photo: 1983 by Limahl

Limahl To Release "1983."

Limahl wants to go back in time; to the heyday of the new romantic style and when electro pop was all the rage. With synthesizers, 12-inch vinyl, and cassettes. Join us on Jan. 10th (2012) when we go back to 1983!

29 years to the day after the release of Kajagoogoo’s "Too Shy" comes Limahl’s brand new song "1983," set to be available in all digital formats via Dig Music.

On the day of the release Limahl is confirmed to appear on Larry Flick's The Morning Jolt on SIRIUS XM at 1 p.m. London time and 8 a.m. E.S.T.

Let Limahl January 2012 begin!

Material & photo: 1983 by Limahl

The Weekend 91X Screwed Up.

In an excerpt from his memoir The One You Get: Portrait of a Family Organism Jason Tougaw describes the time 91X, a hard rock radio station, screwed up and played Berlin's "Sex (I'm A...)."

And so was born San Diego’s first New Wave station.

Go have a read, it's a beautiful thing: "I’m swirling in the intro to Peter Godwin’s 'Images of Heaven,' an extended sound sculpture, its precise, mechanical beat garnished with flourishes of robot strings, synthetic bells, and drum fills calculated to sound as inhuman as possible, like they come from something bigger than a flesh and blood drummer sweating his guts out. There is no need for sweat or guts when you’re part of a new revolution, isolating and making audible the hidden sonic framework of the universe."

Words Are Very Unnecessary.

Rockabye Baby, which has given Depeche Mode the instrumental lullaby treatment, is set to release Rockabye Baby: Lullaby Renditions of Depeche Mode on Feb. 7 - their first release of 2012.

Guitars and drums are traded for soothing mellotrons, vibraphones and bells, and the volume is turned down from an eleven to a two. Rockabye Baby is the perfect way to share the music you love with the littlest rocker in your life. Just can't get enough sleep? Babies are babies but why should it be that you get no peace. Rockabye Baby answers your prayer for a night of joyous silence. The next time your little one plans on being up all night, try spinning our lullaby renditions of these Depeche Mode favorites. It's all the baby ever wanted and all they've ever needed.

Photo and material: Amazon

George Michael Thanks Doctors For Saving His Life.

TelegraphTV has the video of George speaking to reporters outside his London home on Friday.


Photo: telegraph.co.uk

JoBoxers' Like Gangbusters To Be Reissued.

An expanded edition of JoBoxers 1983 debut album Like Gangbusters is set to be released by Cherry Red Records in January. The reissue features a 12" mix of "Jealous Love," "Boxerbeat," and the 12" mix of "Just Got Lucky," which was the second single from Like Gangbusters and the song that I just could not get enough of that year.

"Just Got Lucky" went to #7 in the U.K. and #36 in the U.S.

The full JoBoxers history can be found here, and to order JoBoxers' Like Gangbusters - Expanded Edition go here.

For The Phantasmagoria Lover In You.

Rat Scabies is selling an original autographed Rat Scabies Phantasmagoria Bass Drum skin which is part of the Rat Scabies "Under the Bed Collection."

A perfect Christmas gift for the Damned fan in your life. Bogoff Special Offer - up for grabs is the original Phantasmagoria logo bass drum skin which used to adorn the front of my kit throughout the 1980's.

There was only ever one of these made for me and the head itself is a 22' Remo Weatherking and is in good condition except for a bit of a dent and some missing paint where I kicked it one night during a fit of pique. I'm also including an Anything tour set list that was written on to one of my floor tom skins. The set list is elegantly drawn on to an 18" Premier TS head by none other than top pop chimp Slouch, which he signed and dated (BSA 1986). There is a fun play on words as he wrote out the song titles in a somewhat pithy manner expecting me to enjoy the decoding process while performing.

The front skin features in most of the MCA video's ("Shadow of Love," "Is It a Dream," etc.) as well as many of the TV performances that the band gave during the period (Top of the Pops, Rock Around the Dock etc. etc. etc). I will of course provide a letter of provenance to the lucky winner.

Bids are now at £201.99.

Photo and material: Rat Scabies via ebay.co.uk

The Continuing Saga Of Kung Pao Kitchen.

From Nu Shooz Music: We want to take a moment to apprise you of our most recent project Kung Pao Kitchen! The upcoming full-length record, set to be released in early 2012, features a compilation of 9 un-vaulted, re-mastered tracks written between 1988 and 1992. For those who want to know what happened to The Shooz after "Should I Say Yes," we are proud to present this collection of songs that have never seen the light of day.

Check out our blog over the next few months for updates, which we will keep fully stocked with news, video snippets, musical appetizers and tidbits on the making of KPK.


Photo: Nu Shooz Music

"God Save The Queen" - Original A&M Issue - On Sale For $15,500.

"Withdrawn after the label released the band from their contract due to their bad behaviour and subsequent negative publicity surrounding all things 'punk' at the time," a rare unplayed copy of the Sex Pistols classic "God Save the Queen" is for sale online and is said to be in mint condition; obtained from an "ex-industry source with impeccable credentials."

The high price of this 34 year-old record results from all the other copies being destroyed when A&M Records terminated the band's contract before its release.

"God Save the Queen," released May 27, 1977, was the band's second single from their only album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols and when it was first released it went to #2 on the official UK Singles Chart (used by the BBC) and #1 on the unofficial NME singles chart.

Suspicion continues to exist that authorities manipulated the charts to keep the song out of the #1 spot as 1977 was the Queen's Silver Jubilee and the song clearly "desecrated the Sovereign." John Lydon says however that the song had never been anti-monarchy.

Photo: 991.com

The Spirit Of Talk Talk.

A website has been set up to gauge interest in a book that will celebrate the art and music of Talk Talk.

The Spirit of Talk Talk will feature all of the iconic artwork by award winning author and illustrator James Marsh who has chronicled all of pieces that he produced for the band during their time together from 1981-1991.

The main essay of The Spirit of Talk Talk, which is set to be published in the spring of 2012, will be written by rock writer and huge Talk Talk fan Chris Roberts and will include 80 more contributions all from those who have been influenced by the art and music of the band including Alan Wilder, Guy Garvey, and Richard Wright.

Soon to be the "definitive visual companion to the Talk Talk legend," The Spirit of Talk Talk

will contain:

A cloth cover featuring one of James Marsh’s artworks

High quality heavyweight art paper

Hand written lyrics from Mark Hollis

Full color throughout

Roll of Honour listing the names of readers who pre-order the book

Original cover concept sketches

Unseen photos of the band from 3 sessions with photographer Richard Haughton.

The projected price of The Spirit of Talk Talk is £40 ($62). To register your interest go here.

Photo: spiritoftalktalk.com