Ex-Saints and Laughing Clowns trailblazer Ed Kuepper's 50th (!) album “Lost Cities” is on its way and available for pre-order.

“Lost Cities'' will be released on December 20 on CD only and we reckon it would be the ideal Xmas gift. You can place your order with Ed's own Prince Melon Records webmaster James Last here.

Copies purchased before the official release date will be personally signed by Ed and cover artist Judi Dransfield Kuepper.

The album features nine new songs recorded in August following the successful Nostalgia for the New Australian mini-tour by Ed. Titles are ''Pavane'', ''Friends with the Leader'', "Free passage to Mars'' ''[It's] Never too Late'', ''The Ruins'', ''Fever Dream'', ''What can I leave you'', ''Some said....'' ''Queen of the Vale [that's V.A.L.E]''.

 Legendary garage rock icons The Mummies are almost certainly going to be making just two Australian appearances.

The Mummies play Max Watts (formerly the Hi Fi Bar) in Melbourne on Wednesday, March 9 with the mighty Mesa Cosa and Midnight Wolfe supporting. Tickets are available here. On March 13 they're billed to appear at Adelaide's Kustom Kulture Show. 

We're told that organisers will put on a Sydney date only if Melbourne doesn't sell - which seems highly unlikely - and there's no thought to playing anywhere else. 

In typically random style, those Kings of Budget Rock, The Mummies, have announced an Australian gig.

The mysterious Californians, who play their shows swathed in bandages, will visit Australia for the first time in 2016, with only one date announced so far: March 9 at Melbourne’s Max Watts. More news as it comes to hand.

His old band-mates might be attracting attention on tour as Dictators NYC but ex-Dictator Andy Shernoff isn’t letting the grass grow under his feet.  He’s been recording, producing and playing solo with a couple of formidable EPs under his belt recently, which you can buy here. This week bought into the streaming debate with a lengthy online rant – plus a new song.

Says Shernoff: “I’ve been a professional musician and songwriter for over 40 years. I live and breathe music. I also own thousands of albums and CD’s … but they sit in my closet because…I prefer to STREAM MUSIC!!!!

The re-tooled line-up of The Dictators is touring Europe right now - on the back of a new single. Now billed as Dictators NYC, the band’s “Supply and Demand” b/w “Kick Out The Jams” is available as a limited edition 45 or download.

The new line-up formed five years ago without founding Dictators member Andy Shernoff and is Handsome Dick Manitoba (vocals), Ross “The Boss” Friedman (guitar), J.P. “Thunderbolt” Patterson (drums) and Dean Rispler (bass.) It’s the first studio recording by any form of the band in 15 years.

The A side was written by Handsome Dick Manitoba, Ross The Boss and Jake Manitoba and is backed by a live take on the MC5 nugget, recorded in San Francisco. You can order the digital download here  and the seven-inch from label Striped Music here. And while on the subject of all things Dictators, an expanded edition of “Go Girl Crazy!” is in the wings. More info on that soon.

Died Pretty have added a Brisbane date to their run of select club sideshows to go with their A Day On The Green commitments:

Friday 4th March, 2016
The Factory, Sydney NSW
Tix: Ticketek and SABO

Friday 11th March 2016
The Triffid, Brisbane QLD
Tix: http://tickets.thetriffid.com.au/?Event=57714

Friday 18th March, 2016
Max Watts (formerly The Hifi), Melbourne VIC
Tix: Oztix.com.au and Ticketscout