The details for the seventh Virtual X-Mas-festival in Lund, Sweden, are set. VNV Nation is the last to join the festival where Das Ich, Elegant Machinery and Statemachine are already booked. Front 242 will not visit Sweden (and Virtual X-Mas) in December as planned. As usual a free sampler will be given to the visitors. The date to remember is December 12.

Statemachine has now delivered their updated version of the debut "Avalanche Breakdown", simply called "Breakdown", as well as the new single "Thermal Noise".

November 18 we will release the complete live program for Swedish Electronic Music Awards 99 as well as other details. Release On Line will be the first media to announce this.

"The Black Bible" is here from Cleoptara Records: a mega collection consisting of four CD:s with over 60 tracks and an extensive booklet - all packed in a good-looking book format. Some of the more famous acts included are Ministry, Delerium, Fields of the Nephilim, Bauhaus and Die Krupps. The fourth CD ends with previously unreleased interviews with Siouxsie Sioux and Robert Smith. Lots of tracks are exclusive for this compilation and some are remixed by bands like Marilyn Manson and The Sisters of Mercy.

Robert Smith is also included on the soundtrack for the brand new film "Orgazmo". Together with Jason Cooper (also from The Cure) and Reeves Gabrels (Bowie guitarist) they have formed the project COGASM (COoper, GAbrels, and SMith). A song called "A Sign from God" features heavily on the soundtrack. The soundtrack CD with a mix of the song came out on October 6 on The Dust Brothers' Nickelbag Records.

Another soundtrack note: The rock band Yvonne's "Drifter" is included in the Swedish smash hit film "Fucking Åmål" - and of course on the forthcoming soundtrack CD.

The Swedish synthpop legends Nasa made their first live appearance in eleven years on the 7th of November. The event took place in Lund or more specifically at the local Club Arnold. Of course the audience got their share of nostalgia as the band delivered all of their old hits. But they also played some new material from their upcoming album. The concert was much appreciated and expect to hear more from Nasa in the nearest future. /Erik Almgren

Raymond Watts of Pig has entered his Ranch Apocalypse studio to finish a new album. The recordings were started early this year, but Watts has not felt the urge to complete them until now. Watts wants the new music to have more space and be slower than his previous material, but also plans on using orchestral samples in the same vein as on earlier albums like "Praise the Lard" and "The Swining".
- This time I intend not to try and squeeze the whole universe into an egg cup, Raymond Watts says on the phone from his studio, and rather focus on the space BETWEEN the stars. But I know myself: I start doing sketches, and all of a sudden I've made a slobbering, two-headed, seven-legged monster, when all I wanted to do was a little puppy.
The album is planned to be released on Wax Trax! next March or April. Among the featured guests is John Gosling, a k a Sugar J. Watts has known him since his time with experimental collective Psychic TV.
- That was a hysterical time, Watts laughs. It was in 1993 and my dad had a house in this real middle class London suburb. I borrowed it and set up my recording equipment, and then people like Genesis P. Orridge, parts of Einstürzende Neubauten and some other crazy people would come there. They looked like total maniacs, and we could see the anxious old housewives staring terrified at us from behind their curtains. Once we were arrested just because of our looks. Hysterical!
Raymond Watts and John Gosling released a few records together under the name Zos Kia, but went separate ways after that. In 1997 Gosling released the album "Welcome to Tackletown" under the name Mekon on dance label Wall of Sound.
- I helped him with a couple of remixes recently. We're actually thinking of making a new record together as Zos Kia, Watts says. That could be interesting considering how differently we've evolved.
Watts is also trying to buy the rights to his old Pig recordings back, making it possible to rerelease them. And he is planning on collecting all the Pig videos and some live clips on a video cassette. /Kristoffer Noheden