NME is reporting that BJORK has rejected a number of recent rumors about her career that have been circulating in the press. According to the NME report, Bjork denies that she is thinking about retiring from releasing music as a result of her repeated run-ins with stalkers. She is also denying reports that she will release a side-project album during 1999 consisting entirely of love songs.

The MANIC STREET PREACHERS have a new U.S. home on Virgin America. Their current album, "This Is My Truth, Tell Me Yours," released several months ago in the U.K. will get an overdue U.S. release on March 23, 1999. The band may also be touring the U.S. in support of the album.

Mark Morriss of THE BLUETONES will be answering questions on the Message Board at the Official Bluetones site around 3pm UK time tomorrow, 12/4/98. Go there by clicking here.

CATATONIA are set to return to the U.S. in February for a promotional jaunt, and may play a few shows while they are here. Excellent Online will let you know the details as soon as they are available.

We've been waiting for the past week to hear some sort of official confirmation (which still hasn't been announced,) but it's now becoming painfully obvious that DEAD CAN DANCE have split up. The band had all but completed their next album, European tour dates had gone on sale and an American tour had been announced -- when suddenly the tour was abruptly cancelled. Many of the European gig promoters were told it was due to the band splitting. However, nothing has appeared as of yet on 4AD's official website.

THE BOO RADLEYS have found a new home in the U.S. on Never Records. Their latest album "Kingsize" is set to be released by the fine folks at Never in late January.

Tour news: LOVE AND ROCKETS are set to embark on a series of U.S. dates in December. Looking ahead to next summer, a couple of interesting rumors are already surfacing, including another "Big Rewind" style tour, this time featuring THE GO-GO'S and HOWARD JONES and the possibility of a electronia tour featuring ORBITAL and UNDERWORLD.

"The Untitled RADIOHEAD Project" is a play being performed in Los Angeles which is based on Radiohead lyrics. EMI claims that the producers and directors are making illegal use of the band's lyrics and music. The play's creator said that he already received permission from the band's spokesperson and informed the band that EMI was trying to close the play. Radiohead met with EMI to inform them that they would "supersede" the record company and allow the play to run uninterrupted.

A Welsh newspaper is reporting that RICHEY MANIC could be alive and well and in the Canary Islands. According to NME, The South Wales Echo ran a story this week that Richey had been spotted by a British barmaid working on the remote island of Fuerteventura. Apparantly the barmaid and another customer noticed a "thin man" resembling the missing guitarist at the back of the bar. The customer confronted the man, who then ran out of the bar without saying a word. Both the barmaid and the customer are convinced that the man was the presumed dead Richey Edwards.

The obvious highlight of the MTV Europe Video Music Awards, held this past week and broadcast in America this past Friday, had to be MASSIVE ATTACK accepting the award for Best Video from none other than Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York. After the Duchess botched the announcement and stumbled over their name, not only did 3-D and the Attack virtually ignore Fergie (refusing to shake her hand,) but also left the stage with a mumbled, "F**k you very much." Classic.