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."

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

The Lyrics Of Gary Kemp – Exclusive Book Offer.

 

A limited edition run of signed books presented bound in a cloth cover of Gary Kemp’s song lyrics are being published this week and are available exclusively through garykemp.com.

The collection, entitled The Lyrics of Gary Kemp features all of the works that Gary has published in an illustrious songwriting career that has spanned 4 decades.

All of the lyrics from all of his songs for Spandau Ballet and his solo album Little Bruises make up this anthology of 60 tales of love loss and, of course London!

From early lyrics about growing up in Soho in the 1970s "Chant No.1" to the global smash hit about unrequited love "True" through to the bittersweet "An Inexperienced Man," Gary is widely acknowledged as one of Britain’s finest songwriters, and definitely the voice of his generation.

Fans and critics alike will find this collection of lyrics a touching read as they relive their memories of hearing the songs on the radio and seeing Spandau on TV and in concert for the first time.

Photo: mirror.co.uk

Material quoted directly from: Gary Kemp

Happy Mondays To Reform With Original Lineup?

 

The Sun is reporting that Paul and Shaun Ryder have buried the hatchet and are planning a tour, but a spokesperson for the band has said that they have no immediate plans to reform.

From NME: The band have reunited twice before, most recently in 2004, but without founding members Mark Day, Paul Davis, Rowetta Satchell and Paul Ryder, the latter of whom had sworn he wanted nothing to do with the band again when they split for a second time in 2000.

However, according a report in The Sun, a reunion of the band's original line-up and a full tour is being planned, with a documentary also set to be filmed about the band’s reunion.

A source told the paper: "After the success of The Stone Roses reunion, there's a real clamour to get the group back on the road and document it properly. Shaun and his brother Paul have a notoriously patchy relationship but they're willing to sort things out for the sake of the band."

They continued: "Happy Mondays have had offers from film companies, including Film4 and Sky, who want to follow them for the reunion. There will be gigs next summer and a re-release of their classic album Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches. A DVD will also be released of the comeback shows and the documentary."

In case you forgot, here's what happened that time Tony Wilson met God.

Photo: Elektra Records via starpulse.com

Jimmy Somerville's Brand New Website Is Up And Running!

 

So says the Webmaster: We thought it was time it had a slightly new structure and layout and here it is...We hope you find it easy to use. You can also keep up with what Jimmy is up to on an even more regular basis by LIKING Jimmy's Facebook page. Jimmy is just finishing a new EP which will be released at the start of 2012 - we hope to bring you a sneak preview of some of the tracks soon!! 

Photo: Jimmy Somerville International Fanpage