News editors: Mikael Kahrle & Johan Carlsson

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The Cure: new album and re-issues this summer
• The month of June will see the as-yet untitled 13th album by The Cure (on June 21 in Europe and June 22 in the US/Canada). The album has been produced by Ross Robinson (Korn) and will be released via Robinson's label, I Am. According to the band, they have signed a three album deal with the label. A massive North American tour is planned for July but no dates have yet been announced.
In other Cure news, four of their early albums are planned for an August 17 re-release with numerous bonus tracks to be included on each album. The remaining albums will follow this arrangement over the next 18 months. About this flurry of activity, Robert Smith notes:
- The Cure vaults contain more than 4 000 tapes of scrapped output spanning the our 25-year history. /Peter Marks

Double treatment from Apoptygma Berzerk on June 1

Photo by: Olaf Heine

• June 1 will be like a second Christmas for Apoptygma Berzerk fans. The delayed "Unicorn" single will finally see the light of day, and the release comes as a double package. The first 11 track disc offers new "Unicorn" versions by Hocico, Fairlight Children, T.O.Y. and others, a The Cure cover - "A Strange Day", a new song called "114 BPM" and live material. The second disc is a DVD holding "The Making of Harmonizer" with nearly two hours of video - documentary, videos, a part including Ronan Harris from VNV Nation and more.
"Harmonizer", the latest album from the Norwegian futurepop stars, has been their by far most successful one. The limited and Norwegian versions offered "Unicorn (Original Version)" as extra track (and the normal album "Duet Version"). The CD was released in February 2002, so the band chose to release a single off this release over two years later. A new Apoptygma Berzerk album is in the works and might be released late this year, if all goes according to plan. Which it obviously didn't with "Unicorn".
Pop side project Fairlight Children's debut album, released a while ago, has received a rather soft welcome in the media. /Mikael Kahrle

More London EBM from Inertia

• "Black Ice Implant" (on their own label Cryonica) is the ninth studio album by the London-based EBM act Intertia and is out April 29. Intertia has spent the last two years working on this album and states that "Black Ice Implant" runs the gamut from harsh EBM to electronic pop. Inertia are touring Europe, the UK and also the United States in support of their new work. /Peter Marks

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Throbbing Gristle move final concert
• The RE~TG event that was to take place on May 14-16 has been cancelled due to unexpected cost rises and scheduling complications, although ticket sales has been good (over 1 600 tickets sold). Ticket owners can get a full refund or can attend the same venue next year where Throbbing Gristle has agree to play their last ever gig on April 15-17.
If you have a ticket, you are also invited to a private recording session at a secret location in London on the afternoon of May 16 – the same day that the main event would have taken in place. Read more here. /Johan Carlsson

Fixmer/McCarthy's "Between the Devil" on June 21



• As you might have guessed, the title of the debut album of the Fixmer/McCarthy constellation is called “Between the Devil”. And as you probably know, this is the new project of techno man Terence Fixmer and body legend Douglas McCarthy from Nitzer Ebb. Street date is now June 21 on SPV. The tracklisting of album is: “Freefall”, “Come inside”, “Splitter”, “Through a Screen”, “I Run”, “By Any Other Name”, “You Don't Know Me”, “Tight Fit”, “Destroy”, “Nut Split”, “Spinner”, “You Want It”. /Johan Carlsson

Pet Shop Boys: no tour but new releases

• Unfortunately the recently announced “In Concert” tour in Japan, Dubai, Brazil and Mexico is cancelled. The Japanese promoters have been unable to meet the financial commitment agreed upon. The Pet Shop Boys themselves hope they can reschedule to sometime later in the year, and they send an apology to their fans on their website.
In further news, the “Performance” film will be released on DVD soon, and the “Nightlife” album will be re-released with a bonus “Further Listening” disc, just like all their other albums. No dates are set yet. /Johan Carlsson

Old entertainment from Ausgang Verboten
• Ausgang Verboten (Exit Forbidden) is an old Scandinavian synth band from the eighties. Last year, a German bloke found an old demo tape with the band after some hard detective work, and that material is now seeing the light of day via the Genetic Music label. It’s out now, and it’s called “Entertainment”. /Johan Carlsson

Pixies reunion tour begins

Pixies live in Minneapolis, USA
Photo by: Tamara Obscura Photography

• As promised, all four members of The Pixies began their reunion tour "warm up" dates enroute to the May 1 Coachella Valley Music Festival tour leg finale. The current 13 North American warm up performances are being recorded for a set of special limited edition CD:s titled "Pixies Live" sold at gigs and at disclive.com.
The new Pixies DVD arrives in stores on April 27. A promo trailer of the vintage DVD content can be seen here showing their early driving spirit. In the band's hiatus, compilations were released and we now have a new cash grab or fan treasure in "Wave of Mutilation" (4AD Records/Beggars Banquet), yet another best of CD.
Further European dates have been announced for Pixies live at Quart in Norway's Kristiansand (July 8), T in the Park, Scotland (July 11) and V festival 2004 in later August. Key North American tour dates take place from September to November.
For earlier Pixies news from Release check here. /Alex Veronac

"Holy" artwork offends puritans

• In Strict Confidence's lastest album, "Holy", apparently has offended some in the US with its cover featuring... an exposed female breast. The band were asked to change their artwork for one outlet in the States (Hot Topic), but have refused to do so. "Holy" remains ISC's best-selling album yet in America. /Peter Marks

The new Suicide Commando single out in one month
• May 24 will see the release of the second single lifted from "Axis of Evil". "Cause of Death: Suicide" will feature remixes from Assemblage 23, Converter, Hocico and others with initial copies sporting a limited single for "One Nation under God". Two new, unreleased tracks are contained within this double single. /Peter Marks

Cranes are making particles and waves
• After a three year hiatus, ethereal pop veterans Cranes are back with a new album called "Particles and Waves", which will be available in May on their own record label Dadaphonic. This coincides with a European tour starting in Helsinki in May 11 (see On Stage for more information). The Scandinavian dates were organized in a rather unusual
way, with the band posting a notice on their website asking people to contact them if they had contacts with local venues. This resulted in four gigs in Finland, two in Denmark and none in Sweden or Norway. Well, it is only a cheap boat ride away... /Mattias Huss

Peter Hook release live album
• New Order bassist Peter Hook’s own band Revenge will have a live album out this September. Peter is busy right now listening to different recordings, then choosing the right one to release. /Johan Carlsson

Daft + Alfa-Matrix = true

Dirk Ivens takes help from Alfa-Matrix.
Photo by: Sören Jensen (Release)

• The two Belgian electronic music labels Alfa-Matrix and Daft join hands. The Side-Line Music Magazine related label Alfa-Matrix will take care of Daft's distribution and marketing in the future. Alfa-Matrix are known for their aggressive presence on the net (extensive mailings, forum posts, banners etc).
Daft is run by Dirk Ivens (Klinik, Sonar, Dive). A new Dive album will see the light of day this summer. /Mikael Kahrle

Wilt back with more dark ambient
• James Keeler is the man behind Wilt, and he has now returned with a new album called “As Giants Watch over Us”. Said to include more modern electronics and lots of different instruments, it’s just been released on Ad-noiseam. /Johan Carlsson

Rhys Fulber to produce L'ame Immortelle

• Long time electro pioneer Rhys Fulber is in the UK producing some songs for German darkwave band L’ame Immortelle’s new album. After that, he’s going to produce the new Paradise Lost album. On top of that, he’s hoping that his next Conjure One album will be finished this fall. /Johan Carlsson

Ch-check it out; Beastie Boys are back
• Six years after their latest record "Hello Nasty", the alternative rap group Beastie Boys that have used more weird sounds and analogue synthesizers in their music than many electronica acts, releases their sixth album "The 5 Boroughs" on June 16. A taster, in the form of the first single "Ch-Check It Out", is due for radio release in one week, on April 28, and is to be released in stores on May 31. /Kalle Malmstedt

Digital Hardcore across London
• Those of you of a hardcore industrial persuasion and living within easy reach of London, pay attention. The legendary label Digital Hardcore Recordings will be holding a special evening of noise in the centre of London tonight, April 21. The night is being held as a Panic DHH album launch party, and the band will play some new material live. 2nd Gen will perform live as well, and furthermore, Alec Empire, DJ Scud, Alex B, Zan Lyons and Control V-Proc will DJ. /Mike Whyte

Bodies without Organs single debut in May

Bard, Rolinski, Schiptjenko.
Photo by: Calle Stoltz

• After forming in the autumn of 2003, pop trio Bodies without Organs played their first gig at the Scandinavian Alternative Music Awards a couple of weeks ago. The first single is “Living in a Fantasy”, which is out on May 19, EMI. The debut album is due this fall. A&r legend Klas Lunding (Stranded, Virgin, EMI) handled the signing.
The band consists of Marina Schiptjenko (ex-Page and Vacuum), Alexander Bard (ex-Vacuum and Army of Lovers) and Martin Rolinski (from Swedish docusoap TV-show Popstars). /Johan Carlsson

Tweaker supports Skinny Puppy US tour

Vrenna - will he drum for Puppy live as well?

• Chris Vrenna's long time solo studio project Tweaker has been confirmed as support for Skinny Puppy's USA live shows, before they embark on to Europe. More live dates are to be announced next week as a full American tour is now planned. No Canadian dates will be played before their tour of Europe.
Tweaker's new twelve track "2 a.m. Wakeup Call" CD comes out next week on Waxploitation Entertainment (US) and Playground Music in Scandinavia on April 19. Guest vocalists on the record include David Sylvian (Japan) and iMusic labelmate Robert Smith (The Cure) for one song each. Guitarist Johnny Marr (The Smiths) makes his presence felt on track "The House I Grew Up In". /Alex Veronac

Ministry rock against Bush

• The forthcoming Ministry album “Houses of the Molé” has been delayed slightly, and is now due out June 22 (Sanctuary). If you’re eager to hear a preview, the band has contributed an alternate version of album track “No W” to the Fat Wreck Chords compilation “Rock Against Bush”, where they appear alongside a host of American punk bands like The Ataris, Jello Biafra with D.O.A. and Pennywise. /Kristoffer Noheden

Paul van Dyk tells young people to vote
• German techno star Paul van Dyk is going on a tour in association with Rock the Vote. This is an organisation aiming at getting more young adults to vote. The tour is on right now, and goes on to May 2. /Johan Carlsson

And One’s "Aggressor" is out in America

Photo by: Jens Krause

• The latest album “Aggressor” by German electropop band And One is now out in America, via Metropolis. The US edition is similar to the European one. /Johan Carlsson

Two Lone Swordsmen communicate from the chapel
• Electro duo Two Lone Swordsmen are about to return with their first album of new material since 2000’s “Tiny Reminders”. “From the Double Gone Chapel” is due out on May 17 (Warp), and will allegedly present a more live-sounding band, with live drums and bass, and even vocals by Andrew Weatherall. /Kristoffer Noheden

More live dates for Skinny Puppy

Ogre and Key at backstage press conference 2000, Dresden.
Photo by: Alex Veronac (Release)

• To follow up on earlier reports at Release, more Skinny Puppy live dates have been confirmed for Europe. They will perform club gigs in Paris on July 11 and in Amsterdam on July 13. A Dour, Belgium, gig is confirmed during the July 15-18 festival. The London date earlier reported is now set for July 19 (not the 20th). This info might affect some people's travelling plans, we guess.
Some dates in America will precede these festival dates with Chicago on June 16 and Philadelphia on June 23. The North American release date for "The Greater Wrong of the Right" on SPV America is scheduled for May 25, 2004. /Alex Veronac

Belgian EBM veterans Insekt return

• The old-school Belgian EBM unit Insekt have just signed to Alfa-Matrix and plan to release a new studio album later in the year. Insekt has been inactive since 1994, one year after the release of their last album "In the Eye". Both members of Insekt were once upon a time members in another Belgian act you might have heard of: The Klinik. A live album of Insekt's recent appearance at the BIM festival (along with The Klinik... notice a pattern here?) is currently due for release on Alfa-Matrix as well. /Peter Marks

Romo Night celebrates eight with Johan Kinde
• Release' second home, Gothenburg club Romo Night plan to celebrate their eight years of happy existance together with true entertainer Johan Kinde (Lustans Lakejer) and a piano in the dining hall of venue Trädgår'n on May 28. Expect "unexpected pearls and classics". Limited tickets; club night as usual in the rest of the house.
On April 23, Romo related alternative music club Electric Ballroom premiers, also at Trädgår'n.
As previously reported, Human League and Mobile Homes side project Sapporo '72 visit Romo Night on April 30.
June 18 marks the second "One Night in Gothenburg" fest at Trägår'n and its huge back garden, with six bands on one indoor and one outdoor stage. /Mikael Kahrle

Double album now out from Portion Control
• The 27 track and 135 minute album "Wellcome" (with the two discs called "Fat" and "Liver") is now available exclusively from electronic weirdos Portion Control's rather cryptic web site, where also some music clips can be heard. This is the first new album by by the band in well over 15 years. Another new work entitled "Headstorm" is already in preparation, it seems. Tour dates as of yet unknown. /Peter Marks

Free web single from the Poplab

• What defines a single? The third single from Swedish pop duo Universal Poplab, Morrissey cover "We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful" (with successful friend and Swedish superstar Håkan Hellström in the background somewhere) is available (only) for download from the label and band sites - for free we might add. Just this song, no extras. There is artwork too. It is green. /Mikael Kahrle