80s Nuts

A few highlights from this week's 80s Nuts newsletter:
(my comments in red)

A bus owned by Crystal Gayle was stolen and used as an escape vehicle by prison inmate Christopher Daniel Gay. Gay escaped from a prisoner transport in South Carolina and evaded a 5-state manhunt by taking a pickup, a big rig and Gayle's bus. The bus ended up in Lakeland, Florida, and Gay was arrested late Friday in Daytona Beach. He is being charged with grand theft auto and 3 outstanding warrants.
It's common to see Gay and Crystal Gayle in the same sentence. The guy must have been on Crystal.

Dead Or Alive vocalist Pete Burns has filed a £1million lawsuit against London plastic surgeon Dr. Maurizio Viel for a lip augmentation that left considerable swelling, blistering, discharge and impaired his ability to eat, drink or talk. Burns claims that the damage was so extreme that at one point it looked like his lips would need to be surgically removed. He eventually found a doctor in Italy who knew the lip implant product and said he could remove it. The singer alleges that he has had 17 months of procedures with more planned. Burns claims that the disfigurement hurt his career as he was about to record with the Pet Shop Boys, pursue a number of solo projects including a greatest hits album.
"All I really need to do is find myself a brand new doctor..."

The Amsterdam prosecutor's office announced, "The pop singer Madonna will not be prosecuted for blasphemy and insulting faith." Conservative Protestants had called for her to be prosecuted after her two concerts in September where she knelt and took off a crown of thorns while a crucifix was projected behind her. The plaintiffs are able to appeal the decision.
Would these people just get over it?!

The Van Halen reunion is on. David Lee Roth reportedly entered Eddie Van Halen's Hollywood home studio in December to rehearse 14 of the band's biggest hits. Negotiations are currently underway for the first Roth-fronted Van Halen tour since 1984.
They should make this a reality show. I can just imagine the drama.

Erasure have finished work on their next studio album, A Light At The End Of The World, which is due out in North America on May 22nd. The first U.K. single to be released from the album, "I Could Fall In Love With You," is due out Apr. 2nd.
It's going to go "dum. dum dum... dum.dum...bleep bleep bleep"

Michael Jackson has reportedly been urged to convert to Islam by his older brother Jermaine. David Gest recently said that his friend Michael has been closely following the U.K. version of Celebrity Big Brother, where Jermaine is a housemate.
Michael Jackson has also been urged to convert to human form.

Robbie Williams newest single, "She's Madonna," is a collaboration with the Pet Shop Boys which was taken from the Rudebox disc released last year.
Love this song.

In an official statement from singer/songwriter and Crowded House founder Neil Finn, "After spending most of last year making music and hanging out with my friend Nick Seymour, we are now announcing our intention to reform Crowded House with a new record entitled Time On Earth." Finn's brother Tim Finn who joined the band from their third album on will not be part of the reunion.
Looking forward to the album.

Reba McEntire's new compilation, 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection, will go on sale exclusively at Walmart next month. The set will head to other retail outlets in March. Meanwhile, the Reba Wear Spring Season clothing line is now available at www.RebaWear.com.
#1 clothing item in her line: The Mom Jeans - Above the belly elastic waistline, full in the hips, and tapered at the ankle.

"So Not Over You" will be the first single from Simply Red's upcoming studio album, Stay, which is due out in March.
Wonder who this is about? Okay, Okay... We get it already!

Some Bizarre has released a collection of demos from the sessions of Soft Cell's debut, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, entitled Demo Non-Stop.
I hope they were allowed to do Soft Cell research.

Peter Gabriel is asking people to send in their amateur video documenting human rights abuse for his new venture named Witness. "With the phone and Internet, anyone, any place, can tell their story. You have seen the trend to citizen journalism." Meanwhile, two venture capital trusts of London-based Ingenious have invested nearly $4 million in supporting the North American release of Gabriel's next solo album.
Does this include any footage of the President delivering a speech in a public setting?

Former Roxy Music member Brian Eno recently told BBC Radio Four that he is producing Coldplay's 4th album. According to Eno, the results have been "very original and very different from what they've done before."
Finally; they're going to use a different drumbeat!

Former Blow Monkey's vocalist Dr. Robert has recorded a new studio album of duets with PP Arnold entitled Five in The Afternoon with a summer release date planned.
One duet with be with Bubbles.

Paul Robb of Information Society mentioned that they will be releasing their new EP, Oscillator, via iTunes on Mar. 19th during the Talking 80s Music podcast. Their new album, Synthesizer, is expected later this year. Their new work features new vocalist Christopher Anton butdoesn't entirely disregard former vocalist Kurt Harland (who has contributed to several new songs.)
Oh.

Kim Wilde has recorded a cover of Elton John's "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word" as a duet with her father Marty Wilde which will appear on his new compilation, Born To Rock N Roll: The Greatest Hits, due out in the U.K. on Mar. 5th.
I love when pop acts refer to their music as "rock".

Upcoming Releases:

Dave Koz - At The Movies
Grace Jones - Inside Story
Grace Jones - Bulletproof Heart
Chic - Believer
Chic - Take It Off
Chic - Chic-Ism
Thomas Dolby - The Gate To The Mind's Eye
Queen Latifah - All Hail The Queen
Queen Latifah - Nature Of A Sista'
Marilyn Martin - This Is Serious
Juice Newton - Juice/Quiet Lies
Duran Duran - The Essential Collection
Level 42 - The Love Collection
Natalie Cole - Love Songs
various - Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of The Ramones
various - Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of U2