BLANCMANGE will release a new album 'Blanc Burn' on February 28th and will mark the release with a series of UK dates in March, see GIGS for all the dates.

HAIRCUT 100 have announced a special one-off reunion show next year, at which they will perform their debut album 'Pelican West' in its entirety. The show will take place on January 28th at the IndigO2 in London with tickets onsale now.

RUSTY EGAN, formerly of VISAGE and THE SKIDS and founder of the legendary Blitz Club, has released a collaboration between himself and RICHARD JAMES BURGESS, producer and one-time member of LANDSCAPE, that was originally recorded in 1980. The instrumental track, 'Shock', is credited to R.E.R.B and is out now on Egan's own Blitz Club Records label. The release features two versions of the track; the original 1980 version; and an updated 2010 remix by Egan himself and is available as a download or on 12" vinyl.

HOLLY JOHNSON will release a three-disc edition of his 1989 solo album 'Blast' on November 22nd. The new edition will feature two CDs containing the original album, the 'Hollelujah' remix album, and a selection of other remixes, b-sides and rarities, plus a DVD of promotional videos. See NEWS for the full album and DVD tracklisting.

THE CURE's ROBERT SMITH has provided vocals for a new version of 'Not In Love', the new single from Crystal Castles, which will be released on December 6th.

FIVE STAR will release expanded editions of their 'Silk & Steel' and 'Luxury of Life' albums on November 15th. Both reissues will include a number of bonus tracks including remixes and rare tracks. See NEWS for the full tracklisting of both albums.

THE CARS are working on new material, their first for over twenty years, and have previewed one track - 'Blue Tip' - on their Facebook page. The reunited band have also hinted that they will support the release with a full tour.

BRYAN FERRY will release his new album 'Olympia' next week. The album will feature eight new songs - including the single 'You Can Dance' - alongside covers of Tim Buckley's 'Song to the Siren' and Traffic's 'No Face, No Name, No Number'.

BANANARAMA have written and recorded a Christmas song entitled 'Baby, It's Christmas' and will be announcing release details shortly.

JAKI GRAHAM will release a new compilation 'Absolute Essential' on October 25th featuring 2-CDs of material covering her eighties success and beyond. Meanwhile Jaki Graham is working on a new album with artist turned producer Patrice Rushen. See NEWS for the full album tracklisting.

GO WEST have delayed the release of the second of their three-part '3D' release to November 2nd. The EP, part of the band's 25th anniversary releases, will feature four new tracks plus a new version of 'We Close Our Eyes'.

SALT-N-PEPA have released two new songs - 'Big Girls' and 'She's Killin' Me' - via download and have US dates lined up in February and March under the banner 'Salt-N-Pepa presents Legends of Hip Hop 2011'.

THE BELLE STARS will release a 2-CD retrospective '80s Romance - The Complete Belle Stars' on October 25th. The compilation will feature some of the band's best known songs alongside video, rare tracks, remixes and b-sides and the sleeve notes will include new interviews with all seven of the band members. See NEWS for the full album tracklisting.

U2 will release an early album in the early part of next year. The release, currently with the working title of 'Songs of Ascent', will be out in time for the band's US dates in May next year and will include a number of tracks that band have already previewed during their recent dates.

With thanks to: http://www.remembertheeighties.com

A GLIMPSE OF STOCKING
Hello all,

After locking ourselves away for six weeks in deepest Surrey, on a diet of glogg and cheese footballs
to get us in the spirit, we can announce that our long promised Christmas album A GLIMPSE OF
STOCKING is finally ready. It will mix eight old (some very rare) songs with seven brand new ones.
All of the new ones are written by us except for WINTERTIME LOVE which was written by proto-goth
legends The Doors.

Other treats to accompany a feast of port and stilton include the saucy UNWRAP ME, the Daft Punk
meets Lieutenant Pigeon rave-up GONNA HAVE A PARTY, and the Rea-in-reverse WELCOME HOME,
ready made for a Woolworths ad that will sadly never be. Pete has also written a cracking uptempo
melancholy track with an Ennio Morricone/New Order feel that is so new it doesn't have a title yet.

Now, not everyone feels quite the same way about Christmas as we do (especially birthday boy Bob,
who thinks he owns it) so this will be a limited edition of 3,000 numbered copies, available for the 2010
festive season only. And unlike FOXBASE BETA it won't be available in the shops.

A GLIMPSE OF STOCKING will be available to pre order for a limited period between 7pm (UK time) on
Wednesday 3rd November and Midnight (UK time) on Saturday 20th November. After that, the shop
doors will shut as we'll have to get them in the post. We'll mail out details of the link from which you
can buy it a few hours before the on-sale time next Wednesday.

The album will be available to buyers all over the world at three price levels:
i) £12 for the numbered CD album
ii) £16 for the numbered CD album with a Christmas card signed by all three band members
iii) £150 for the numbered CD album, a personally dedicated Christmas card signed by the band,??
??plus an extra CD with a PERSONALLY DEDICATED CHRISTMAS SONG, sung by Sarah,
not available on the main album.
This is the only way you'll be able to get this song! And your name will be in the lyric!

Albums will be shipped between 26th-29th of November so they should, postal workers willing,
reach everyone well in time for Christmas. The maximum number you can order is three copies.

The gorgeous artwork, and the card, are both designed by Lora Findlay, who designed the sleeve for
Tales From Turnpike House.

A Glimpse Of Stocking. It's the perfect Christmas present to yourself!

Love Sarah Bob and Pete xxx

ANDY BELL LIMITED EDITION 'NON-STOP' BOXSET
Following many requests for CD editions of Andy Bell's singles from the 'Non-Stop' album, Mute Records and the EIS are pleased to announce a very special limited-edition 'Non-Stop' boxset exclusively available from the Official Erasure Shop at Lexer Music. The box will contain 2 CDs featuring the 'Running Out', 'Will You Be There?' and 'Non-Stop' single tracks and remixes previously only available via download, plus a number of previously unreleased tracks and remixes. Limited to just 500 copies the boxset will be shrink-wrapped and will ship containing both CDs, however the box will also contain space for the 'Non-Stop' album CD and the 'Call On Me' single CD, collecting together all the physical formats available across the 'Non-Stop' project in one special collector's package. See Andy's website for more details and the full tracklisting, and Lexer Music to pre-order.

VINCE CLARKE'S 'SYMPHONY' FILM CHALLENGE
We've already put a few of the entries to Vince's 'just for a laugh' video competition online, which you can see on his website. We'll be adding some more of the entries shortly, but if you still fancy making a video for the unreleased instrumental Erasure track 'Symphony' then you still have a few days to do so. The downloadable track and all the details are available on Vince's??website!

ANDY BELL DJ DATE THIS FRIDAY
Andy Bell will return to the DJ booth at London club The Eagle this coming friday, October 29th. See the news section on Andy's website for more details. There's also a DJ date (including a PA performing a couple of songs) coming up at The Ritz in New York City in November (probably the 9th or 10th), more details on that as soon as everything is confirmed!

VINCE CLARKE ON MUSIC, FASHION AND STYLE
Vince Clarke was recently interviewed by FullFrontalFashion.com ‘about style, fashion — and, of course, his decades of making music’ for a short two-part feature entitled 'Conversation with an Icon'. You can read the pieces by clicking here and here.

Thanks to: www.erasureinfo.com

BOY GEORGE will headline the tenth anniversary HERE AND NOW tour which will take place in June next year, topping a bill that will also include JASON DONOVAN, JIMMY SOMERVILLE, BELINDA CARLISLE, MIDGE URE, PEPSI & SHIRLIE, and A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS. See GIGS for all the dates.

OMD will release a second single from their 'History of Modern' album on November 15th. 'Sister Marie Says' will be released with b-sides and a number of remixes including reworkings by Monarchy, kinky Roland and Mirrors.

DURAN DURAN have announced that their new album, scheduled for release in the first half of next year, will be entitled 'All You Need Is Now'.

CULTURE CLUB will reunite in 2012 to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the release of their first single 'White Boy'. Details are still to be confirmed but it is thought that the band will record a new album with producer Mark Ronson before undertaking a reunion tour.

RED BOX have released a new album this week. 'Plenty' is their first new album since 1990's 'Motive'. See NEWS for the full album tracklisting.

REM have announced that their new album, due to be released in the first half of next year, will be entitled 'Collapse Into Now'.

RE-FLEX have launched a new website where they are selling CD editions of the band's back catalogue as individual CDs or in a special limited-edition boxiest with a bonus CD unavailable elsewhere. See NEWS for more details.

KILLING JOKE have announced twelve US dates to take place in December in support of their new album 'Absolute Dissent' which is released in the US on November 16th. See GIGS for all the dates.

HOWARD JONES will be releasing digitally remastered editions of his 'Human's Lib' and 'Dream Into Action' albums on November 6th. The two albums will also be available together in a special boxset which will also include a bonus disc of early live recordings. The boxset will be available from Howard Jones' upcoming 'Human's Lib' / 'Dream Into Action' concert at London's IndigO2 on November 6th and then from his webstore from November 8th.

GO WEST will release the second part of their three-part '3D' release on October 25th. The EP, part of the band's 25th anniversary releases, will feature four new tracks plus a new version of 'We Close Our Eyes'.

JASON DONOVAN has covered a number of 80s hits on his new album 'Soundtrack of the 80s' which was released this week. The album features cover versions of Donovan's favourite hits from the 80s, as well as two new songs written by him. See NEWS for the full album tracklisting.

T'PAU are planning a special limited-edition double CD focussing on the making of their multi-platinum 1987 album 'Bridge of Spies'. The release will feature demos from the making of the album plus the band's CAROL DECKER and RON ROGERS telling the story of the album, and each copy will be signed by the duo. See NEWS for more details.

HEAVEN 17 will see their classic 'Penthouse and Pavement' album reissued in an expanded 'Collector's Edition' to coincide with their thirtieth anniversary 'Penthouse and Pavement' tour dates in November. The three disc package will include a digitally remastered version of the original album, previously unreleased demos from the recording of the album, perviously unheard tracks and a DVD featuring the 'Penthouse And Pavement' promotional video and the recent hour-long documentary o the band and album. The band will also release a live double DVD, 'Penthouse and Pavement Live in Concert' on November 15th featuring the band's hometown show recorded earlier this year.

SADE has announced UK & European dates for next year, see GIGS for all the dates.

Thanks to: www.remembertheeighties.com