Boy George & Jack Black - Hello I Love You

Teasers From New Culture Club Album

Boy George has posted two teasers from the coming Culture Club reunion album, which will be supported with a US and UK tour. This will be their first album in 26 years unless you count the 1999 flop Don't Mind If I Do, which was not sold in America. The new album is produced by Killing Joke bassist Martin Glover, who under the moniker Youth produced for Erasure and The Verve.

It's a shame as I would have preferred a deep tissue massage and a manicure! pic.twitter.com/Jn9KQzpl23
— Boy George (@BoyGeorge) October 14, 2014

Boy George Talks 1984 Pop Music

Via Rolling Stone:

While we were working on our list of the 100 best singles of 1984, Boy George popped by the Rolling Stone offices and offered his thoughts on a few of our selections. Watch the "Karma Chameleon" (Number 22!) singer remember hits like Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A." – "It was so American and so rousing!" – and U2's "Pride (In the Name of Love)" – "They were just amazing, amazing." He also tells us of the time he went to Radio City Music Hall to check out Madonna's first major tour and ends by explaining why the success of some of these records could never be repeated. Later, he discussed why 1984 was "the year of more" and how Culture Club was also in competition with bands like Wham! and Duran Duran. "I think all artists have a nemesis," George said. "When George Michael came along I was like, 'He's called George? That's not allowed!"

(Tipped by JMG reader Mike)

Culture Club To Reunite For UK Tour

The Birmingham Mail has the details:

The 11-date UK tour will be the band’s first shows for more than 15 years and will feature the original line-up, including Jon Moss (drums), Mikey Craig (bass) and guitarist Ray Hay. Prior to the live dates Culture Club, who sold millions of singles with songs such as Do You Really Want To Hurt Me, Vicitms and Karma Chameleon, will be going into the studio to record new material with top producer Youth for an album to be released early in 2015. Joining Culture Club on tour will be special guest Alison Moyet, who has sold 20 million records worldwide as a solo artist and half of the duo Yazoo.

Tickets go on sale this Friday.

NEW YORK CITY: Kylie Minogue Leads Audience Singalong At GLAAD Awards

I'll have tons of photos tomorrow. You can almost hear me singing. Except for the high parts.

This Is An Ad For Something

(Tipped by JMG reader Robbie)

Boy George & Black Lips -Bang A Gong

Boy George joined Black Lips for a free concert today in Philadelphia. From WXPN:

Having just collaborated with co-headliners Black Lips on a cover of T. Rex’s “Bang A Gong (Get It On)” (watch it here), George headed downstairs to treat the audience with a set pulled mostly from his 2013 LP This Is What I Do; though the classic he performed with Culture Club, “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me,” was in the mix, along with “Everything I Own” from his 1987 solo debut Sold and a cover of Bob Dylan’s “It Ain’t Me Babe.”

Listen to the full Boy George set here.

Tweet Of The Day - Boy George

I'm not sure I get this.

Boy George - My God

This is his second single from October's This Is What I Do, which won a four-star review from the Guardian and returned him to Britain's top 40 albums chart after an 18-year absence. The first single, King Of Everything, was my second-favorite track of 2013.

JMG Top Ten Tracks For 2013

Culled from my Spotify favorites playlist, here's my annual roundup of the tracks that got the most play this year at Casa JMG. Some of them appeared here during the year, some did not.

1. John Grant - Pale Green Ghosts
(Openly gay, openly HIV+, very Dead Can Dance.)
2. Boy George - King Of Everything
(One of his loveliest ballads ever.)
3. The Knife - Full Of Fire
("Liberals giving me the nerve itch.")
4. David Bowie - Love Is Lost
(Hello Steve Riech Mix by James Murphy.)
5.  Nine Inch Nails - Copy Of A
(And the title track from Came Back Haunted.)
6. Brandon Maclean - Stupid
(Plus the Stereogamous remix on Spotify!)
7. Holy Ghost! - Dumb Disco Ideas
(Delicious nu-disco out of Brooklyn.)
8. Young Galaxy - Pretty Boy
(The Peaking Lights remix is very New Order-y.)
9. BT - Skylarking
(Glorious trance that evokes the mid-90s.)
10.  Lindstrøm - Lanzarote
(Instrumental retro Italo featuring Todd Terje.)

MORE FAVORITES:
FKA Twigs - Water Me
Bright Light Bright Light - In Your Care 
Purple Crush - Thirsty
Chicane - One Thousand Suns

Boy George - This Is What I Do

Boy George today posted his coming album, This Is What I Do, in full on YouTube.  The album opens with the truly lovely first single, King Of Everything.

Boy George - King Of Everything

Lovely.

Boy George - Coming Home

Boy George has made a string of really lovely tracks in the last few years. You might also enjoy his 2010 single Amazing Grace, which I still play often.

(Tipped by JMG reader Bill)

Boy George: I Am A DJ

Boy George explains his 30+ year progression from pop star to a DJ who plays massive events all over the world.

Supreme Fabulettes - You Ruined My Xmas

Directed by Boy George and Dean Stockings.

Bleach - No Ambition

I haven't learned much about this act except that the singer is named Lloyd Dixon and is "presented" by Boy George.

Boy George - Video Games

A lovely cover of Lana Del Rey's hit.

Boy George Covers Lana Del Rey

I really like this. Allure Of Sound notes: "Boy’s version was produced by Tony Award and Drama Desk Award nominated composer, musician, and record producer Kevin Frost."

Tweet Of The Day - Boy George

Boy George - Turn To Dust

Thirty years later, the Boy still has it. There are lots of remixes of this, with varying results.