Night Ranger: Hole in the Sun

It's been more than 20 years since they first proved -- nearly scientifically -- that you could still rock in America. And with their new album "Hole in the Sun," Night Ranger is intent on showing their original theorem hasn't faded with time.

Know this up front: The 12-cut CD is heavy with head-banging, fist-thrusting explosions. If you're looking for the softer side of the band that cranked out 80s classics like "Four in the Morning" or "Sister Christian," you're better off grabbing a "best-of collection." For the most part, the band seems to have put its pop-rock sound on the shelf this go around.

"It's new Night Ranger, but in a lot of ways it's classic Night Ranger," singing/bassist Jack Blades says in the official release announcement.

Credit guitarist Brad Gillis with flexing his sizable guns on the work here. "Brad brought in a lot of great ideas, some more modern-sounding things," explains drummer Kelly Keagy. "We wanted a lot of songs like 'Drama Queen' -- great, gritty songs that establish our roots in hard rock."

Here are the highlights:

TOP HEAVY: Like a lot of CDs I've heard lately, the best tunes are right up front. "Tell Your Vision" and "Whatever Happened" make for a fast start.

SOUNDS FAMILIAR: "There is Life" is the closest thing to a "Sister Christian" sequel. I got chills from the opening notes on the piano and found it easy to connect with the lyrics:  "It's never all for nothing. If we have hope, then we gotta try." There's something to be said for a message you can understand.

OLD, OLD SCHOOL: "Revolution 4AM" has almost a '70s southern rock anthem feel to it. You half-expect to evolve into "Free Bird." It's the last thing you'd expect from a San Francisco band, but it works.

NOD TO THE CLASSICS: The review copy of "Hole in the Sun" includes two surprise bonus tracks -- acoustic versions of "Don't Tell Me You Love Me" and "Sister Christian." It's a nice way to mellow out after the guitar fiesta of the first dozen songs. And "Christian" on a simple acoustic guitar is a simple and satisfying pleasure. It's clear that Jack, Kelly and Brad still enjoy playing their signature tune.

BUY OR NO BUY?: Hard-core Night Ranger fans will love the album; the import version from Japan sold well since its 2007 release. Casual fans looking for the next VH1-friendly hit won't find much here outside of "There Is Life" and the two classics redone acoustically. One you figure out which group you fit into, the answer is obvious.

[Photo by Scott Harrison]

We cried more, more, more...

Don't make that face, William. We're just glad to see you!

Billy Idol is back -- at least with a compilation CD/DVD.

"The Very Best Of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself" is set for release June 24 and will include two new songs "John Wayne" and "New Future Weapon."

Longtime partner and guitarist Steve Stevens and songwriting collaborator Brian Tichy are back on board for "Idolize Yourself" as well, which is good news for Billy's fans from the 80s.

The combination CD/DVD also has 18 other tracks from his career. The DVD adds 13 music videos, including two alternate video edits previously unreleased.

TOP 5 MOST UNDER-RATED BILLY IDOL SONGS:

5. BABY TALK: "Don't stop, the blood rock"

4. (DO NOT) STAND IN THE SHADOWS: "We'll cut our cards, drive out bars. All for one, one for all"

3. THE DEAD NEXT DOOR: "One error, silent terror. And we're the dead next door."

2. BLUE HIGHWAY: "Yes there's a time ... a time for love."

1. UNTOUCHABLES: "We laughed and cried, split our sides."

[AP photo]

Madonna fans are suckers

Madonna celebrates the release of "Hard Candy" with the usual moronic bunch of robotic dancing dweebs Wednesday In New York. [AP photo]

I'll never understand the enduring attraction to Madonna. And after this blog item, I might stop trying. (Even though her apologists will never go away.)

Madonna threw a free concert Wednesday night at New York's Roseland Ballroom, a quaint 2,000-person venue. According to the New York Times, fans waited in line as long as 60 hours for a chance to see her perform -- for 30 ... whole ... minutes.

Plus, if you believe at least one celeb gossip website, she may have been lip-syncing or music-syncing portions of the show. "What Would Tyler Durden Do" -- easily one of the most profane (ie. hilarious) websites out there, posts a short video of the show with this helpful hint: "Just let this clip load all the way then skip to 1:50 because that's when Madonna awesomely stops singing yet you can still hear her singing."

Nice "live" show. From the "Material Girl" to the "Artificial Filler Girl" in just 20 years.

The excommunication of Madonna

How many more mind-numbing, techno-laden albums must we endure from Madonna before we come to this painful realization: The Material Girl we knew and loved from the '80s is long dead and buried. She's no longer one of us.

Her latest disc -- "Hard Candy" -- bears more resemblance to a Britney Spears collection of b-sides than anything else. Perfect for the booty-bumping, Red Bull-saturated twenty-something crowd -- but total heresy for the older set of us who prefer to remember the subtle but surreal pleasures of tunes like "Live to Tell" and "Crazy for You."

Times pop music critic Sean Daly reviewed "Hard Candy" on his blog yesterday, and it's not hard for 80s fans to read between the lines: "Justin Timberlake, Kanye West, Timbaland and Pharrell bring their synthy booty beats and marching-band samples, Madonna purrs out every dumb 'give it to me' cliche, and we all dance naked," he writes.

Meanwhile, I writhe in agony. Timbaland again? Isn't it enough he destroyed the latest Duran Duran album? How much longer must we be subjected to his Vanilla Icing of the pop music scene?

The only song I could come close to enjoying was "Incredible," a six-minute-long lamentation about  ... hell, I have no idea. The message goes back and forth, but one verse stood out:

"You don't know what you got 'til it's gone.
And everything in life just goes wrong.
Feels like nobody's listening
And something is missing."

I'll tell you what's missing, Madonna ... It's you.

[AP photo]

If you leave? Wait, they're back

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark -- oh please, just call them OMD -- is heading out on the road again.

The band is planning a UK tour for the fall, to be followed by more dates in Europe. No word on whether they'll hope a plane a play a few other continents, according to OMD's official website.

OMD also is set to release a CD and DVD recorded during their live concerts from 2007, when they were playing their classic 1981 "Architecture and Morality" album again. The CD version of "OMD Live" is out already, while the DVD will debut within the next few months. All the tracks were recorded live at the Hammersmith Apollo in London in May 2007.

"Those summer nights are calling..."

This could be a big summer for die-hard Journey fans -- both of them. No, just kidding. Though I was mocked via e-mail last week by a new friend who is completely baffled with my love affair with the band: "I really, really hate Journey. Do you now rescind your friendship?" she asked.

It's Journey, baby! Love means never having to sing "I'm sorry" in falsetto.

Things seem to be clicking again for our San Fran friends. The band just unveiled a redesigned website, a brand new singer, a new album is coming in June and a U.S tour begins in July.

The new album is "Revelation" and is set for release June 3. Don't expect any advance reviews; the band's management says no copies will be made available to critics before the release date.

"Revelation" is actually planned as a three-disc set. The first disc will have 11 re-recorded Journey classics, presumably with Arnel Pineda now on vocals instead of Steve Perry. The second disc has 11 new songs. The third disc is a concert DVD.

Journey will back up "Revelation" with a tour, set to begin July 9 in Denver. For Tampa Bay fans, Journey is is set to play Tampa's Ford Amphitheatre with Heart and Cheap Trick on July 30. Still no word on when tickets go on sale. I'd gladly pay double to sit an ice chest instead of a regular seat. Outdoor shows in July? Who's cryin' now!

Asia's 'Phoenix' is an odd bird

Just a year after drummer Carl Palmer told the Stuck in the 80s podcast that "the world is not waiting for an Asia album," that's exactly what we have.

"Phoenix" hits store shelves today, but Asia fans might be surprised to hear that buying it isn't a no-brainer decision.

"Phoenix" is a prog-rock masterpiece in many respects, but in achieving that, it sets aside a lot of what made Asia such a guilty pleasure to some of their fans.

Don't look for many FM-friendly hits here. There are no worthy descendants to "Heat of the Moment" or "Don't Cry." Instead, you'll hear 12 tracks -- many slowly paced as ballads -- that are beautifully composed and performed by four artists who finally seem comfortable showing off their musical roots.

Hard-core music critics who appreciate each of the four members' long-steeped history in legendary prog-rock acts will absolutely treasure this disc. But some Asia fans are going to wonder where the fun, catchy melodies went. Here are some other thoughts:

CHEER UP, JOHN: Bassist and vocalist John Wetton often turns to sadder personal moments for inspiration ("The Smile Has Left Your Eyes," "Don't Cry"). The misery continues in "Heroine" and "Alibis."

A SEQUEL: Listen carefully to "Never Again" and it's like you're hearing "part 2" to the pessimistic  war-anthem "Wildest Dreams" from the band's debut album. "Never again will I bear arms against my brother ... Never again will I spill blood of any mother's son."

'YES' FANS WILL BE HAPPY: Guitarist Steve Howe's imprint is much bolder on "Phoenix" than any previous Asia album. His guitar work finally breaks free of the swirling keyboarding of Geoff Downes, and the pair of songs Howe writes -- "Wish I'd Known All Along" and "Over and Over" -- are two of the most memorable.

A TASTE OF ALPHA: Looking for a tune that reminds you of "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes?" Try out "I Will Remember You," a more mellow cousin of the tune that highlighted the band's last group effort. "Locked in my memory, your silhouette. The only face I see, I can't forget."

AN 'EXTRAORDINARY' FINALE: The disc's last song -- "An Extraordinary Life" -- was written by Wetton after his heart bypass surgery last year. Finally here (and in "Nothing's Forever") you get a taste that John -- and maybe the whole band -- is happy, healthier and having fun again. "So, seize the day. Wake up and say, this is an extraordinary life. Enjoy today, come what may."

If there's an echoing refrain and message from "Phoenix," surely this is a worthy one.

More Thompson Twins please!

Rabid fans of The Thompson Twins have started an online petition in hopes of getting a rarities collection released by the band's record company. (Click here to see the petition and sign up.)

What are the odds of success? Well, there are only 48 signatures on it to date. Still you have to admire the passion. There's even a MySpace page devoted to the cause. The petition claims to have the support of band leader Tom Bailey.

Though the Brit act had a relatively short career (lasting from 1977 to 1993), more than 20 compilations of their work are floating around in various forms, including 2007's "Love On Your Side - The Best of the Thompson Twins."

Two of the band's best-known albums -- "Into the Gap" and "Quick Step and Side Kick" -- were re-released last month as 2-CD packages, including remixes, extended cuts and tunes that that didn't make the original albums.

Rarities aside, you know you're not leaving this item without a top 10 list, right?

R.E.M.'s glorious return to the past

Once upon a time, R.E.M. was called "America's greatest rock band of the '80s." From 1983 to 1987, album after album, they cranked out pure genius -- from "Murmur" through "Document." Trouble is, they left their songwriting skills back in that decade as well.

But if you believe the critics, the band's new disc -- "Accelerate" -- is a return to their old-school form. (Of course, they've said that about every one of their discs since '91.)

So what's the deal? Has R.E.M. finally found the Fountain of Youth? Surprisingly ... yes.

Here's a quick first impression of the new disc.

MOST RADIO-FRIENDLY TUNE: That'd be "Supernatural Superserious" -- catchy, clever, with a melody that's hard to resist. The lyrics wrap around you like a warm blanket: "No one cares if your fantasies are dressed up in travesties. Enjoy yourself with no regrets." [Watch the video]

PLAY THIS ONE IN CONCERT: "Hollow Man" has the potential to be a great live song, starting gently with just Michael Stipe and a piano before building slowly into a powerful anthem: "Believe in me. Believe in nothing. Corner me and make me something." [Listen]

SHORT AND TO THE POINT: Nearly half the songs on the disc come in under 3 minutes. Since when did R.E.M. morph into The Ramones? At 138 seconds, I can almost hear Joey singing along to "Horse To Water." Laugh, but it usually works. [Listen]

THE GOOD OLD DAYS: "Until The Day Is Done" sounds straight off the album that I consider their best -- "Life's Rich Pageant." [Listen]

WAIT FOR TIMOTHY DALTON'S RETURN: The title track -- "Accelerate" --  sounds like the theme song to the next James Bond movie. Not that this is a bad thing, but think how badly it worked out for Duran Duran. [Listen]

CLICK SKIP: There are still some throwaway tunes. "Living Well is the Best Revenge" and "Houston" are forgettable. "Mr. Richards" is one key and sex change away from a dreary "Mrs. Robinson." (Neither Simon nor Garfunkel is whistling along.)

The final verdict? It's nice to see a band remember why its fans loved them in the first place. Let's hope "Accelerate" is the first step forward -- to their lovable past.

[Getty Images]

CD toss-up: George Michael vs. R.E.M.

Hey, 80s fans. Big day today. TWO new albums of interest to us just hit store shelves: R.E.M.'s "Accelerate" and George Michael's "Twenty-Five."

But in these times of devastating economic depression, it's probably wise to just pick one to buy for now. But which one? Let's break it down.

COOLNESS FACTOR:
George Michael: He's cooler now than he's been in a long time, thanks to his appearances on TV's "Eli Stone" -- and because he's managed to stay off the tabloid pages for a while now.
R.E.M.: These cats from Athens, Ga., are the epitome of cool. You're not going to see Michael Stipe being arrested in a public bathroom or getting odd brow lifts.
Edge: R.E.M. by a shiny, happy margin.

THE TUNES:
George Michael: "Twenty-Five" is essentially a greatest-hits double disc. So at least you know you're getting the best tunes of his career. And thankfully, no "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go."
R.E.M.: They're getting good reviews so far, but R.E.M. hasn't put out a decent, complete album since "Charles in Charge" was still on TV.
Edge: Even Scott Baio digs George Michael.

WORD OF MOUTH:
George Michael: Let's face it -- nobody but 80s bloggers are writing about his new album. But the guy sold out nearly 100 cavernous concert venues in Europe during his just-completed tour. He's still somebody worth listening to.
R.E.M.: Any act inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame is going to get intense press coverage of a new album. Peter Buck could have composed it using Guitar Hero III, and it'd still sell well enough to go gold.
Edge: R.E.M. (They are Supermen, and they know what's happening.)

What Would Stuck in the 80s do? Personally, I'm forking over for the George Michael set -- and I'm borrowing Times music critic Sean Daly's copy of "Accelerate." ... It's good to be the king.

Still they ride: Journey has a new album

The retooled and reformed version of Journey is planning its next departure to a Wal-Mart near you. The band announced this week that it will release "Revelation," a three-disc CD and DVD, on June 3.

The first CD will have 11 re-recorded classics, featuring new vocalist Arnel Pineda. The second CD has 11 new tunes, also with Arnel, guitarist Neal Schon, keyboardist Jonathan Cain, bassist Ross Valory and drummer Deen Castronovo. The last disc is a live, in-concert DVD.

The new release will be sold exclusively at Wal-Mart in North America.

Journey plans to tour the United States beginning in July to support Revelation. Expect the exact dates and locations to be announced in the next couple weeks.

The band also redesigned its official website. Click here to check it out.

Ready to Walk the Dinosaur again?

Eighties funksters Was (Not Was) are back. It's been 20 years since their biggest hit -- 1988's "Walk the Dinosaur (video)" -- but Don and David Was are plotting a return to the music biz.

The Detroit-based act has a new album -- "Boo!" -- set for release on April 8. The band, which also includes Sweet Pea Atkinson and Sir Harry Bowens, performed the new material during a Valentine's Day show in Los Angeles (with Kris Kristofferson and Brian Wilson) and has their eyes set on SXSW in Austin.

Though the band stopped touring and recording in 1992, the Was brothers have kept themselves busy. Don Was did producing work for artists including Bonnie Raitt, the B-52s and Elton John. David went to Hollywood and produced movie and TV soundtracks.

What are their prospects for a total rebound? Pretty good, if you read between the lines of the LA Times review of their February show. "It was chaos. Good chaos," Ann Powers wrote. "The kind that happens in that mythical Detroit, the one Was (Not Was) still brings to town."

[From left, Sir Harry Bowens, David Was, SweatPea Atkinson and Don Was. Photo by Ellen Stone]

Don't you ... forget about them

Admit, you have forgotten about Simple Minds. That's OK. They only cranked out one of the '80s most signature anthems. But the good news is that they're back.

The Scottish group, still fronted by charismatic Jim Kerr, is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a new album and tour.

"Thirty years in music is a big deal after all, or is it not so!" Kerr writes on the band's official website. "Don't tell me you don't agree with me on this unless your name happens to be Dylan, Bowie, Lou Reed, and Jagger etc. If so then yes, you're right."

Right now, the tour just has U.K. and European dates on it. But the interesting news is that Simple Minds also announced they'll perform their 1982 album "New Gold Dream" in its entirety on this tour. That record includes staples such as "Promised You a Miracle," "Glittering Prize" and "Someone, Somewhere In Summertime." Other hits from later years will comprise the show's second half.

The six-date tour begins in April, and there is no plan to extend the tour into the United States.

According to the band's publicist, the new studio album is planned for a 2009 release.

I like the trend of bands playing the entirety of classic albums. But if I could pick a Simple Minds that I want to hear in full, I have another one in mind.

FOUR GREAT SIMPLE MINDS ALBUMS:

4. Street Fighting Years (1989): "Belfast Child" and "Soul Crying Out."

3. Sparkle in the Rain (1984): Features "Up on the Catwalk" and "Waterfront."

2. New Gold Dream (1982): "Promised You a Miracle." "Glittering Prize," and "Someone, Somewhere In Summertime."

1. Once Upon A Time (1985): "Alive and Kicking," "Ghost Dancing," "Sanctify Yourself" and the title track.

[Photo from Bob Thacker]

They Might Be Giants class photo ... circa 2008

They might wear glasses. They might be wearing the same clothes they wore to a Mac users group meeting today. And they might dress up as a tree stump and wolverine in a leisure suit for album covers.

But don't make the mistake of thinking They Might Be Giants might also be geeks.

"We never really identified with that characterization. We don't feel [like geeks]. I don't even know what that is exactly," Giants co-founder John Linnell said. "I feel like culture has changed a lot since we started. It seems really mainstream now to know something about technology."

Linnell -- the wolverine in that photo, I'm guessing? -- is this week's guest on our Stuck in the 80s podcast as the band slowly heads south for their March 11 show at St. Petersburg's Jannus Landing. Here are some highlights from our interview.

On the public's reaction when they first started playing live: "Originally when we started out, we were playing in the safety of the Lower East Side in New York. We started out playing for friends of ours. Mostly we were performing in clubs and rooms that hosted performance art so we were often the most normal thing that was happening. We fit right in."

On why they rework their classics during live shows: "I think we just forget how they go. We try to make it interesting each time, but we're really just trying to do a good show. We're not really making a statement about rejecting an old arrangement."

On their move into children's music: "We just felt it'd be fun. It seemed like a break from stuff that was more high pressure. What we didn't expect was that the kid's record was going to be a big seller. Suddenly, it seemed like it was a career move. We weren't thinking rock critics were ever going to hear it or talk about it. So maybe that was part of what was good about it."

On winning a Grammy in 2001 for the theme song to Malcolm in the Middle: "It was very weird. I think we felt like we were imposters. We'd always made fun of the Grammys. The whole thing was very dream-like. And we pretty much stopped making fun of the Grammys after that, I'm embarrased to say. It kind of shut us up, which was maybe the point. They give you one so you'll stop mocking them."

Click here to listen to this week's show. Or just click here to download all our shows for free on iTunes.

Eddie Money goes country

Give me some water! Actually make it something stronger, because this is a shocker: Eddie Money is remaking his hits from the '80s as country tunes for his next album.

The first single from "The Other Side of Money" -- his first album of new material since 1999 -- will be "Give Me Some Water." Country crooner Vince Gill supplies the background vocals for the song, which is set for release this weekend.

Other hits set for remake include "Two Tickets to Paradise" and "Hard Life," according to the Associated Press.

[Publicity photo]

Here's the new Asia album

Asia's official website has released the album art for the band's upcoming disc -- "Phoenix."

The artwork was designed by Roger Dean, who handled the iconic art for six of the Asia's earlier albums. The album -- the first one by the band's original members since "Alpha" in 1983 -- is set for release on April 11.

Meanwhile, drummer Carl Palmer is recovering after a heart operation performed very recently. A stent was inserted into an artery in his heart to help prevent any narrowing of the vessel.

"I am happy to say the procedure was a complete success and I am already feeling better each day," Palmer said in an announcement on the band's official website. Asia's world tour begins in March.

For those about to record, we salute you

The boys are heading back to work - at last. AC/DC is all set to return to the studio to record their first album since 2000.

Bassist Cliff Williams told StarPulse.com that a new album and world tour are in the works.

"We're going to get together and get in the studio and I fully expect we will (tour)," Williams said.

Though the Aussie rockers have re-released and re-mastered some of their classic LPs in recent years, there hasn't been a new studio disc since "Stiff Upper Lip."

Singer and frontman Brian Johnson told Stuck in the 80s last summer than the Young brothers -- Malcolm and Angus -- were working on new material. In the meantime, Johnson and Williams have been performing together and separately to keep in shape.

"I'll get up and sing with a band, maybe do a song. That's nothing compared to belting it out, full-tilt boogie," Johnson said. "With AC/DC, [shows lasted] two hours, 25 minutes and it was a killer because we didn't have drum solos. ... When I look back on it now, how the hell did I do that?"

[Times file photo]

Call Barry ... whenever you wanna grind

He may write the songs that make the whole world sing. But if Barry Manilow records the songs that makes the 80s nation sing, he should be dragged out onto "Electric Avenue," beaten "Time after Time" and then left for dead in the "Love Shack."

Manilow has already recorded best-of albums for hits from the '50s, '60s and '70s. And it seems an '80s collection is up next.

"We're beginning to put a list together of what I would try for the '80s," Manilow recently told the Cox News Service. "When I looked up the No. 1 songs, there were some really melodic songs, like (Wham!'s) 'Careless Whisper' or 'Time After Time' by Cyndi Lauper - that's a beautiful song - and I thought 'I could handle those.' "

Paul Anka recorded an album of '80s pop and rock classics in 2005, including tunes like "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor and "Jump" by Van Halen. Seemingly more tongue-in-cheek, the album surprisingly wasn't slammed by critics. I'm not sure Manilow should get the same courtesy.

FIVE 80s SINGS I'D PICK FOR MANILOW TO RECORD:

5. ROCK ME AMADEUS (Falco): He has the wig already. Just powder it up.

4. OUR LIPS ARE SEALED (The Go-Go's): It's all that botox, Barry!

3. FIGHT THE POWER (Public Enemy): Somewhere, Flavor Flav just screamed out in terror and was suddenly silenced.

2. MR. ROBOTO (Styx): "So if you see me singing strangely, don't be surprised!"

1. DARLING NIKKI (Prince): "Thank you for a funky time, Barry. Call me, whenever you wanna grind."

[AP photo]

B-52s keep the party going

Booty-bots! Jelly-bones! Spandex-spiral vortex! Making space love in zero gravity!

Ah yes, all that sexy talk means the B-52s must finally be back. Our favorite Athenians (sorry, REM) have a new album to reward their fans who have waited since 1992's "Good Stuff" for new danceable tracks.

The new disc -- "Funplex" -- sounds like it could easily be the soundtrack of your local swinger's club. I'm just theorizing, of course. But throughout the 11 tracks, you just get an overwhelming urge to strip down to just a wide smile and jump into a steaming mass of guilty lovin' -- with a dozen strangers all grooving and grinding to the same beat.

The band's sound has been modernized with touches of electro and saw-buzzing guitars, but it doesn't dampen or overpower the irresistible vocal give-and-take of Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson. The trio sound as fresh today as they did on "Rock Lobster" or "Planet Claire" in the late 70s.

It's hard to spot a radio-friendly or top 40 hit among the tunes, but "Pump," "Funplex" and "Keep This Party Going" are good downloads to start with. (You'll have to wait until March 24 to buy the whole album anyway.)

Want the full-power sex-attack? Try "Love in the Year 3000." Just queue it up, lay back and enjoy. Clothing is optional.

Actually, they can get there from here

Finally, R.E.M. has announced some tour details in support of their new album, "Accelerate," which is set for release April 1.

A North American tour is in the works with dates set for May and June, according to their official website. The Athens, Ga.-based band will start May 23 in Vancouver. [Click here for more dates as they're announced.]

Touring with R.E.M. will be Modest Mouse and The National.

The band also has launched a new website to promote the new album -- Ninetynights.com. According to Pitchfork.com, the new album is "fast."

"The lethargic (read: forgettable) touch of 2004's 'Around The Sun' is nowhere to be found, replaced with what band manager Bertis Downs calls 'rockers,' Pitchfork writes. [Click here for the full article.]

FIVE R.E.M. TUNES THAT DON'T GET ENOUGH PLAYTIME:

• Can't Get There From Here
• Just a Touch
• (Don't Go Back To) Rockville
• Radio Free Europe
• Cuyahoga

[AP photo]

Joe Jackson is steppin' out again

Joe Jackson is setting off on a world tour that will bring him to North America in the spring. The tour supports Jackson's new album -- "Rain" -- set for release on Jan. 28.

His website says the new disc's sound reflects the work from 1982's "Night and Day" album, Jackson's best-selling piece of work and home to hits including "Steppin' Out" and "Breaking Us In Two." Many of the songs have appeared live in recent tours, so they won't be surprises to his longtime fans.

"I wasn't in a hurry to make a new album," Jackson says on his website. "I used to be a bit of a workaholic, but I am now much more patient. The quantity has gone down, but the quality has gone up."

Jackson (real name: David Ian Jackson) hasn't been hibernating since the 80s. He's scored five Grammy nominations from 1979 to 2001. Lately, he's been in the news a lot of his campaign against smoking, even penning a pamphlet called "The Smoking Issue" in 2005.

TOP 5 JOE JACKSON TUNES:

5. Be My Number Two: "Don't try to play your funny games on me."

4. Happy Ending: "Do I think about the end when it's only just the start?"

3. Breaking Us In Two: "We could stay at home and stare into each other's eyes."

2. Steppin' Out: "Look and dry your eyes."

1. Is She Really Going Out With Him: " 'Cause if my eyes don't deceive me, there's something going wrong around here."

Yes, I know. That last tune was recorded in '79. But it charted in the 80s too. And you try picking out another Joe Jackson song you recognize!

[Publicity image provided by joejackson.com]

Def Leppard needs a new album title

It must be a good day for album announcements. Shortly after Asia's news of their first disc in 25 years, Def Leppard said today they have completed work on a new studio album, which is expected to be released early this year.

The disc -- the band's first since 2002's "X" -- has the tentative title of "Songs from the Sparkle Lounge," according to Pollstar.com.

In addition, the band will support the album with a world arena tour with supporting acts Styx and REO Speedwagon. Presale for tickets begins today. More information is available on the band's official website.

The tour kicks off March 27 in Greensboro, N.C. (the same spot Van Halen chose for their reunion tour). Their second stop -- March 29 at the Hard Rock in Hollywood -- is the band's only Florida stop scheduled so far. (Click here for full list of dates.)

[Publicity photo]

25 years later, a new Asia album

There's finally a name and release date for a brand new studio album by the four original members of Asia. The new disc will be called "Phoenix" and it's set for stores in April, the band announced on its website today.

Phoenix (yeah, yeah, we get it -- the band rises from the ashes) is the first album by the group's original lineup since "Alpha" back in 1983. Geoff Downes, John Wetton, Steve Howe and Carl Palmer did record and release a live album and DVD -- "Fantasia" -- last year after their reunion tour.

The album might catch some fans by surprise. Last spring, drummer Carl Palmer told Stuck in the 80s that "the world is not waiting for an Asia album -- we all know that." However, when singer/bassist John Wetton had to take an unexpected break from touring to undergo heart surgery in the fall, the band used the time to write the new tunes.

In addition, artist Roger Dean -- the artist behind the band's signature album art in the early 80s -- will return to create the Phoenix cover.

Click here to hear the full interview with Carl Palmer on our podcast.

[Publicity photo]

Welcome back, Bauhaus ... now get lost

Here's some bizarre music news: Bauhaus, everyone's favorite doom-and-gloom group from the 80s, is reuniting to record its first new album since 1983. And then it's calling it quits again.

"Going Away White" is expected to be released March 4, according to Billboard.com, but the band won't tour to support it.

"We were getting along really well, but there was an incident that occurred," drummer Kevin Haskins told Billboard. "Some of us just felt that we didn't want to carry on as a working unit."

One of the first goth bands, Bauhaus was formed in Northampton, England, in 1978 by Haskins, Peter Murphy, Daniel Ash and David J. The band broke up in '83 when Murphy went solo. The other Bauhaus members continued on as Love and Rockets. The band was probably best known for their nine-minute-long opus,  Bela Lugosi's Dead.

Another "Thriller" coming soon

Michael Jackson is releasing a 25th anniversary edition of his 1982 opus "Thriller" on Feb. 12. The new disc will include eight new tracks and a DVD featuring videos of the big hits and his infamous "Billie Jean" performance on the Motown TV special.

According to Variety.com, five of the bonus tracks have never been released. They include a "Billie Jean" remix by Kanye West, a new versions of "Wanna Be Startin' Something," "The Girl Is Mine" and "P.Y.T." A tune called "Carousel," which was supposed to be on the original album, is also on the new disc.

Remember, you can listen to our Thriller podcast by clicking here to learn everything you want to know about the disc and Sean Daly's dysfunctional friend who did a special Michael Jackson tribute dance back in school. Classic story.

The Blow Monkeys are back!

Hey, Blow Monkeys fans! (All three dozen of you ... just kidding! I love those squirrelly little guys.) Eighteen years after their last album, the band is reforming and recording a new studio album. A tour is expected to follow.

The reunion includes all four original members of the band -- Dr. Robert, Mick Anker, Neville Henry and Tony Kiley. The British "sophisti-pop" band was best known for its 1986 hit "Digging Your Scene." The band originally broke up in 1990.

But here's the odd twist: According to the band's new website, fans are being asked to buy the record in advance so the Blow Monkeys can offset the production costs. In return, fans get a signed, numbered edition of the disc, a thank-you letter from the Monkeys and entry into a drawing for free concert tickets.

"We want to make an album free of record company executives and PR spin," the band writes on its blog. "An album for the fans. Raw and funky. Essential Blow Monkey music. Simian Soul. Primate Punk. Delicious melodic Glam Jazz that only Blow Monkeys know how ... but this time with your input and backing."

Interesting strategy. Anyone out there a fanatic enough to pony up the money in advance for a Blow Monkey disc? Come on, I know you're out there.

A short Hall & Oates tour (I can't go for that)

The soulful pop duo Daryl Hall & John Oates is ready to hill the road again. Our hirsute heroes will play a short slate of gigs in December to promote the re-release of their "Home For Christmas" disc.

This is no cookie-cutter project. One of the tunes -- "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" -- hit No. 1 on the Christmas charts last year. Click here to read more about it from the duo's official website.

The December tour won't reach Florida, but fans in the Northeast -- you're in luck. Most of the gigs are in your neighborhood. Click here for the dates.

However, this is some good news for all fans: Hall & Oates is starting a monthly webcast called "Live from Daryl's House." Right now, it's available only at this website. (Guys, add it to iTunes! Then you'll be sittin' in butter.)

In the meantime, we'll cross our fingers and hope for a larger scale tour next year. I caught Hall & Oates back on their "H2O" tour back in '83 at St. Petersburg's old Bayfront Center Arena. So long ago, Oates still had that great 'stache. Fantastic night. The kind where you end up buying their entire back catalog the next day. Including, of course, today's top 5 list...

TOP FIVE HALL & OATES SONGS:

5. Rich Girl: "It's so easy to hurt others when you can't feel pain."

4. She's Gone: "I'd pay the devil to replace her."

3. I Can't Go For That: "You've got the body, now you want my soul."

2. Private Eyes: "You play with words, you play with love."

1. You Make My Dreams: "What I've got's full stock of thoughts and dreams that scatter."

The 'massacre' of the Duran Duran we loved

After listening to Duran Duran's new "Red Carpet Massacre" CD a couple times, I'm forced to make this observation: Now the lads from Birmingham know how KISS felt after making the ill-fated "Dynasty" album back in '79 -- inappropriate, out of place and shameful.

Producers Timbaland and Justin Timberlake have drowned our heroes in a deluge of house-mix techno-horror so thick with computerized beats that it's no wonder guitarist Andy Taylor went sprinting away from this project. (Drummer Roger Taylor should have done the same. You can't make him out on many of the 12 tracks.)

Times pop critic Sean Daly gave "Red Carpet Massacre" a B-minus in his review. My reliable and sexually gregarious podcast co-host admittedly hated the Timbaland influence but still calls it "one of their most interesting" albums, tagging the song "Tempted" as a tune that "would have been a hit back in '85). God, I hope not. (Click here to read his full review.)

Let's start the hating with "The Valley," the first tune on the disc. So evil to the core, the song should be jettisoned into deep space -- with only a nuclear explosion capable of freeing it from an eternal prison. (Just like General Zod and his cronies in Superman II ... or Gil Gerard in Buck Rogers, for that matter.)

It's certainly not the only painful track: the title track is beyond such poetic description, and "Nite Runner" sounds like a B-side from Arcadia or Power Station (which is the closest I can come to damning praise.) "Skin Divers" stinks of circa 1978 disco effects -- were they sampling "I Was Made For Lovin' You"? -- and mid-90s boy-band rap choruses. 

The bright moments? Maybe "Falling Down" and "Box Full O' Honey" will make it onto my iPod playlists. And if someone could strip the overproducing from "Tempted," it'd make for a great live song. And in all fairness, Simon Le Bon's voice -- when you can hear it over the robotic thumping -- is near perfect. (Simon, turn "She's Too Much" into an acoustic piece and you're sittin' in butter, my friend.)

I can understand DD's temptation to modernize their sound. But while they were busy surrendering their souls to today's peddlers of monotonous music, the rest of the industry went retro. Come on, guys! Bands like Scorpions, REO Speedwagon and Loverboy are putting out new discs that are true to their roots -- and they sound great.

Duran Duran, you should have done the same.

Simple Minds: Still alive and kicking

Simple Minds has inked a record deal with new label W14/Universal and plans to have a new album out in 2008. The band's official website also says to expect a tour next year.

This is great news for long-suffering fans of the Glasgow, Scotland, band who can't seem to get enough of Jim Kerr and his supporting cast. Simple Minds hasn't toured the U.S. since 2002, but recently completed a short tour of Australia and New Zealand.

If you're never seen them live, you're missing out. I caught their 1986 tour at Tampa's now demolished Curtis Hixon Hall after their "Once Upon a Time" album and it's easily one of the top 3 shows I've seen live. I only knew two songs beforehand, but went out and bought their entire catalog afterward.

The band celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, though it has been 22 years since their only No. 1 single in the U.S. -- "Don't You (Forget About Me)." As many hard-core fans know, the song wasn't even written by the band, but instead by soundtrack composer and Billy Idol producer Keith Forsey. (In fact, Billy Idol and Bryan Ferry both turned down the song before it landed in the lap of Simple Minds.)

But is that truly their greatest tune? Not even close.

TOP 5 SIMPLE MINDS TUNES OF THE 80s:

5. Don't You (Forget About Me): "It's my feeling we'll win in the end."

4. Someone, Somewhere in Summertime: "Somewhere there is some place, that one million eyes can't see."

3. Waterfront: "Come in, come out of the rain."

2. All the Things She Said: "Take me in your arms and I'll fade away."

1. Alive and Kicking: "You lift me up, don't you ever stop, I'm here with you."

Boys on film ... (two minutes later)

If I posted a new photo of Duran Duran every day, it wouldn't be enough for some of you fans out there, I'm guessing. So here's a shot of John Taylor and Simon Le Bon performing their "Red Carpet Massacre" tour at Broadway's Barrymore Theater on Nov. 3.

Rolling Stone has posted its review of the new album, but I can't tell if it's good or bad. (I never can tell with their "too-smart-for-you" reviews). "...'Skin Divers' and 'Zoom In' are classic Durannie funk a la 'Notorious'," writes Rob Sheffield, who seems uncomfortable with the realization that the lads are now eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (Hey, at least they play instruments and rock music -- unlike, say, Madonna!)

Meanwhile back to the show. Stuck in the 80s fans who've seen the Broadway concert are giving it raves:

• "I thought it was brilliant. Playing a whole album live should be a treat to fans and those who were attending (and frankly those attending should have known WHAT they were attending)." -- Trent
• "I attended the first Broadway show and was pleasantly surprised by the material. ... The crowd energy and 2 hour show the band put on was very entertaining" -- Candace
• "Speaking as one of those old age long term DD fans who has been scratching their heads at the whole Timbaland/Timerlake thing, I must say that what I've heard so far -- a bootleg of the first show -- has made me feel really excited for the band." -- Braveapollo

Hey, color me convinced. Just a week left til "Red Carpet Massacre" hits store shelves. (Who am I kidding -- we're all just buying it on iTunes, right?)

[Photo by Getty Images]

B-52s ready to debut 'Funplex'

Sixteen years later, isn't it time for a new album from the world's greatest party band? Hell yeah! And here's the scoop on it.

The B-52s' new disc is called "Funplex" and it's due for release on Feb. 26. "Pump," the first track on the album, is set to be the first release, according to rumors around the web.

The band has also announced a few dates for a forthcoming tour. They play New York's Roseland Ballroom on Halloween night, the Roxy in LA on Nov. 16, Salt Lake City on Nov. 17 and the Florida Theatre in Jacksonville on Feb. 15.

Will Stuck in the 80s make a pilgrimage to the city it hates most to catch that February show? It's a distinct possibility. Just promise us they'll be no Lynryd Skynyrd on the radio on the trip up!

Check the band's official website for the latest news.

The kids are still hot tonight

Just when you needed another fresh injection of 80s rock, Loverboy is here with a new album.

"Just Getting Started" is the name of the new album -- the band's first is more than 10 years. It will be released Nov. 6 initially in an exclusive deal with Wal-Mart.

I've been listening to the new disc for a couple weeks now, and it's a much-overdue blast of pure Canadian 80s rock. Vocalist Mike Reno's voice sounds fully recharged and he really seems energized by the new material.

The first song the band recorded -- "Stranded" -- is actually the last song on the disc. The song is written as an ode to Scott Smith, the band's former bassist who was lost at sea while sailing in 2000.

The 10 songs still feature the guitar-and-keyboards barrage and working class lyrics that made the band so accessible to fans during their hey-day. Highlights on the disc include the hard-rocking title track and the 9-to-5 anthem "One Of Them Days."

"I love the way it sounds. I love the album cover. I love the fact that we're almost giving it away," vocalist Mike Reno told a Canadian newspaper. "I love the fact that we're giving half-price downloads on most of the download systems. And I'm perfectly aware that more than half of the people in the world will steal it. I'm happy with all of that."

LOVERBOY PLAYS TAMPA BAY: Speaking of Loverboy, the band plays Oktoberfest in St. Petersburg's Vinoy Park on Saturday, Oct. 27. $5 advance at Albertson stores (with proof of purchase), $10 Ticketmaster; $20 at gate. (727) 579-2026