The Cure, Pixies, Japanese Breakfast, Swervedriver, R.E.M.
A curated weekly digest of punk rock, alt rock and indie music news and writing
This issue also includes: Sleater-Kiney, Militarie Gun, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, AFI, Interpol, and more
Welcome to instalment number one of Fire Red Sky’s new weekly digest of punk rock, alt rock and indie music news and writing.
It’s the first of several additions to the newsletter as it approaches its first anniversary and this one’s meant to be a light read, a quick catch up on the week that lands with you every Saturday morning.
The links are mainly taken from my social media feeds, so if you want more of this sort of thing than you can follow me on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky and Mastodon (I’m also on Instagram).
Before you peruse the stories below here’s a few extra updates:
A newly edited version of the Salad Days: A Decade of Punk in Washington, DC documentary is on the way, watch out for that in the Autumn
The Cocteau Twins’ unusually ethereal, even for them, and largely instrumental collaboration with ambient pioneer Harold Budd has been reissued – order here
Swervedriver's demos and outtakes collection Doremi Faso Latido has been given a limited edition vinyl release – more information
Headlines
The Cure are set to release two new songs on eco-vinyl (The Guardian)
Godspeed You! Black Emperor announce new album, share “GREY RUBBLE – GREEN SHOOTS” (Brooklyn Vegan)
Henry Rollins drops a few more details about his secret project (Punk News)
Morrissey says he accepted offer to reunite The Smiths in 2025, but Johnny Marr turned it down (Consequence of Sound)
Interpol are at work on their next album, with whose drummer Sam Fogarino recovering from surgery (NME)
New releases
The newest song from the Pixies (pictured above with latest bassist Emma Richardson, seated) is called “Oyster Beds” and was inspired by Black Francis’ paintings (Consequence of Sound)
Michelle Zauner teases “gloomy”, guitar-heavy new Japanese Breakfast album in first Korean language interview (Stereogum)
AFI to release 25th anniversary vinyl edition of All Hallow's EP (Scene Point Blank).
Tik-Tok success story Duster surprise new album In Dreams (Stereogum)
Laura Jane Grace and the Mississippi Medicals release video for Sidekicks cover (Punk News)
Listen/Watch
R.E.M.'s Mike Mills on the band's recent induction into & performance at the Songwriters Hall of Fame, their creative process, his work with The Baseball Project and Big Star, plus the prospect of a Reveal reissue - podcast (R.E.M. HQ)
Christine and the Queens Performs at Paris 2024 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony (Pitchfork)
Long reads
‘I’m intrigued by failure’: Kim Deal on death, addiction – and releasing her debut solo album at 63 (The Guardian)
H.R. of Bad Brains on the Best Concert of the ’80s (Spin)
GIFT on how Madonna, Andrew Weatherall, Spiritualized & more influenced their new album ‘Illuminator’ (Brooklyn Vegan)
Daryl of the Bollweevils talks the bands new LP, T1 Fest, and Steve Albini (Punk News)
Militarie Gun on friendship with Post Malone and plans for a new album at Reading Festival 2024 (NME)
Elsewhere on Substack
And finally…
Kamala Harris once took her cousin to a Bad Religion concert (Consequence of Sound)
Do you have a Substack article, news tip or other piece of writing you’d like to be considered for the digest? Send it to tangleofwires@gmail.com (same goes for press releases etc.)
