Excellent Online

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 Candyskins have had a tough go at it. Debuting in 1991 with their album, "Space I'm In," the Oxford 5-piece created a sound that was Britpoppius Rex -- a wonderful pop sensibility unfortunately about four years ahead of its time for success. Mocked by the press and dropped by labels, most bands in the same boat would surely abandon ship. But the Candyskins are no Jurassic beasts -- they rode the storm to an unexpected UK Top 40 hit with 1996's "Monday Morning." Now, with the release of their fourth album, "Death of a Minor TV Celebrity," currently out in the States on the astounding Velvel label, the band are trying once again to conquer our side of the pond, drumming up grass roots support by mounting a massive tour of some less-than-massive venues throughout the US. On October 11th, the band took to the stage at Chicago's Schubas, and Excellent Online was front row center. Delivering a blinding set to a packed house of both old fans and new, this was the sound of a band in the middle of an energized rebirth, a band taking baby steps to greatness.

After the show, we had a chance to sit down with Candyskins frontman Nick Cope

Interview by Shane Brown and Stuart Forrest Reid

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.

GOMEZ make their U.S. network television debut tomorrow night, November 10th, on "Late Night with Conan O'Brian." The U2 best of 1980-1990 compilation on sale now includes a 2nd disc of notable b-sides from that era. However, only the initial shipments of 1980-1990 include the 2nd disc, so if you're intending to pick up a copy, you ought to do so promptly. (Lord knows they need the cash.) Also, the first disc includes a secret track at the end.

Yo La Tengo are one of the few selected bands to re-record the theme song from the Simpsons television show. Apparently one of the writers is a Yo La Tengo fan and requested they cover the tune. It was recorded last year in October and will finally be broadcasted on the November 15 episode where Homer turns into a hippie like his late mother.

IAN BROWN is singin' those jailhouse blues again, after his appeal from a four-month sentence for threatening behavior on an airplane was denied. His UK tour, scheduled for November, has now been rescheduled for after his release. In the U.S., his long-delayed "Unfinished Monkey Business" album has been pushed back yet again, this time to early 1999. It is doubtful he could tour the U.S. until around April or May of 1999. Meanwhile, OASIS frontman Liam Gallagher had another run-in with "The Man" earlier this week after reportedly smashing up a photographer's camera.