BOY GEORGE has announced a gig in London's Bush Hall in June, the set will consist mostly of new material from a forthcoming album but is also expected to include some solo and CULTURE CLUB favourites.

EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL singer TRACEY THORN has announced that she is working on a new solo album for possible release in February 2007, in the meantime a track 'Damage', recorded with Tiefschwarz, will be released as a single in mid-May.

CYNDI LAUPER's planned True Colors' US tour with ERASURE and THE B-52s is apparently no longer going ahead.

DURAN DURAN follow in the footsteps of MADONNA by announcing the first festival appearance of their career. Madonna recently headlined the dance stage at the US Coachella Festival and Duran Duran will headline the closing night of New Orleans' Voodoo Music Festival in October.

THE SMITHS, THE CURE, NEW ORDER, REM and THE PIXIES are among artists who have had claasic tracks covered by US singer Grant-Lee Phillips (formerly with Grant Lee Buffalo) on his new album 'nineteeneightees' which will be released on June 27th. Phillips describes the acoustic and semi-acoustic collection as 'my personal mix tape, just as it's reeled around in my head for decades'.

CHINA CRISIS mainman GARY DALY has announced a short tour with his new MUDDYHEAD project. The band will play eight shows across the UK at Living Room venues.