BLANK & JONES have released the fourth part of the popular So80s series of remix albums. SO80S4 follows the format of the previous three volumes and will consist of 3 CDs: one disc featuring a continuous DJ mix of remastered 80s remixes - including tracks from SOFT CELL, THE CURE, FGTH, OMD, HOWARD JONES, TEARS FOR FEARS, PIL and SAMANTHA FOX among many others - while the other two discs contain the originals of all the remixes featured on the first CD plus loads of other tracks including original remixes from bands including ABC, THE BELLE STARS, SISTERS OF MERCY, THE BELLE STARS and ALISON MOYET. See NEWS for the full album tracklisting.

OMD have announced US dates for March in support of their current album 'History of Modern', see GIGS for details.

ADAM ANT has lined up more club shows around London this month, with concerts confirmed on January 17th at Madame Jo-Jo's and two nights at the 100 Club on January 26th and 27th. Meanwhile Adam's recent show at London's Garage has been reviewed in the REVIEWS section.

THE HUMAN LEAGUE are in the process of confirming a run of European shows and have so far announced gigs in France, the Netherlands and Germany with more expected to be announced shortly. See GIGS for all the dates.

GANG OF FOUR have added three German shows to their upcoming schedule with gigs announced in Cologne, Berlin and Hamburg. See GIGS for all the dates.

HERE AND NOW have announced a special one-off show in Dubai on April 7th. The show, at Meydan Racecourse, will feature BOY GEORGE, BELINDA CARLISLE, KID CREOLE & THE COCONUTS, PAUL YOUNG, THE REAL THING and CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT.

CLAUDIA BRÜCKEN will release her much anticipated compilation 'Combined' on February 7th. The collection includes work recorded in collaboration with artists like ANDY BELL, MARTIN GORE, ANDREW POPPY and STEPHEN HAGUE as well as key recordings from all stages of Brucken's career including PROPAGANDA, ACT, ONETWO and her solo releases. The collection also includes a previously unreleased track from the OneTwo project plus a further four brand new songs: two co-written and produced by Stephen Hague, a new version of DAVID BOWIE's 'This Is Not America' recorded with FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD's PAUL RUTHERFORD, and a cover of ROY ORBISON's 'In Dreams' in collaboration with Andrew Poppy. See NEWS for the full album tracklisting.

DURAN DURAN will play a free show at London's Roundhouse on July 16th as part of the annual iTunes Festival. Ticketing details are available from the festival website.

HOWARD JONES is planning a 2-CD set for February or March, compiling his '12" Album' remix collection with the US-only release 'Action Replay' which features an additional number of remixes done for the US market.

COCK ROBIN have German shows lined up in May, see GIGS for all the details.

DEPECHE MODE's ANDREW FLETCHER will undertake a DJ tour in late January, February and March that will see him play in some of the places that Depeche Mode were unable to visit on their last tour, and has promised that he will be 'playing a lot of new remixes, as well as many of my old favourites'. See GIGS for all the dates.

THE DANSE SOCIETY have reformed 25 years after their original split and are currently recording a new album scheduled for release later this year.

ZTT RECORDS will release a 2-CD box-set of remixes from the innovative label's vaults, including classic and rare remixes from artists including FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD, PROPAGANDA, THE ART OF NOISE and 808 STATE on February 7th. Entitled 'The Definitive 80s 12" Remix Album!' the label promises '150 minutes of rarities, vanities and mysteries'. See NEWS for the full album tracklisting.

DAF have announced a one-off UK date at London's Islington Academy on march 20th, part of a short European tour that will also see the electronic pioneers play shows in Germany and Slovakia. See GIGS for all the dates.

IMAGINATION's LEEE JOHN will play a special show at London's Leicester Square Theatre on February 26th to celebrate 30 years of Imagination, with support coming from JUNIOR GISCOMBE.

REM will release their new album 'Collapse Into Now' on March 7th, and will be offering 'Discoverer', a track from the record, as a free download before the release. The album features a number of special guests including Patti Smith, Eddie Vedder and Peaches. See NEWS for the full album tracklisting.

KAJAGOOGOO fans are campaigning to get EMI to release a live recording of the band's 1983 show at London's Hammersmith Odeon on DVD for the first time. The campaign is being co-ordinated by the Kajafax fansite and you can get more details in the NEWS section on the website.

EDIE BRICKELL will release two new albums this month, one a new solo album 'Edie Brickell' and the other with a new band, The Gaddabouts.

HERE AND NOW have announced their annual show at Ascot Racecourse and are promising a very special event to mark their tenth anniversary. Performers include JASON DONOVAN, KID CREOLE & THE COCONUTS, JIMMY SOMERVILLE, PAUL YOUNG, TOYAH, CHINA CRISIS, ODYSSEY, ALTERED IMAGES, BROTHER BEYOND and VISAGE. The show will take place on August 6th.

FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD will see their second album, 'Liverpool', re-issued on February 7th in a 2-CD deluxe edition, part of ZTT's impressive series of expanded reissues. Almost twenty-five years after the release of the original album this edition will include a hundred minutes of bonus material alongside a remastered version of the original record, including the 20-minute (previously cassette-only) remix expansions of 'Watching The Wildlife' and 'Warriors of the Wasteland', 'Rage Hard' in standard and previously-unreleased Montreux and Voiceless variants plus b-sides, out-takes and previously unreleased material. See NEWS for the full album tracklisting.

ABBA may reunite this year according to rumours that started in a recent interview with singer AGNETHA FALTSKOG - the member of the band formerly most opposed to such a reunion - during which she admitted that she would consider reuniting with the band for a special performance, although not for a full tour...

THE DAMNED have announced a special UK tour at which they will perform both their 'Damned Damned Damned' and 'Black Album' releases in their entirety alongside 'a few extra surprises'. See GIGS for all the dates.

T'PAU are in the process of firming up the release of their 'Story Behind The Tracks' album and have confirmed a 20-track release featuring eleven demo versions of the band's key songs, plus a further nine tracks. The album is currently scheduled for a March release. See NEWS on the website for the full tracklisting.

ANNIE LENNOX is among those named in the Queen's New Year's Honours list this year. Lennox will receive the OBE for her charity work in the fight against AIDS in Africa, alongside producer TREVOR HORN who will receive a CBE for his services to music.

Thanks to: www.remembertheeighties.com