Stepping Out

09/18/2026

New Order keyboardist and guitarist Gillian Gilbert has revealed she's "seriously ill" with cancer.

Gilbert released a statement today clarifying comments her husband and New Order bandmate Stephen Morris made in a recent interview.

Explaining why he's not travelling to Los Angeles in November for New Order and Joy Division’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, Morris told Rolling Stone: "I've got a bit of a health problem at the minute, which precludes leaving the country for any length of time."

When asked if he’ll ever play the US again with New Order, Morris replied: "I don’t know. I really don't want to dwell on what this illness is, but it’s pretty serious. It’s not something that someone’s going to come up with a cure for."

Shedding more light on Morris' comments, Gilbert wrote today: "Thank you everyone who has reached out following Stephen’s recent interview with Rolling Stone.

"We have both been incredibly touched by all the kind words and well wishes.

"I would like to gently clarify a misunderstanding from the interview, in the course of which comments were misinterpreted leading people to believe that Stephen is seriously ill.

"Thankfully, he is well. It is in fact me, who like many other people, is living with cancer.

"We completely understand how the misunderstanding arose and simply wanted to ensure that the correct information was shared.

"We are enormously grateful for everyone’s kindness and support and would appreciate some privacy as I continue with my treatment."

Back in June, New Order confirmed that Gilbert and Morris won’t be hitting the road for the “foreseeable future” because of "personal health reasons".

Gillian Gilbert joined New Order in late 1980 just a few months after Joy Division's Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook and Stephen Morris formed the band.

Everyone at Absolute Radio wishes Gillian the best with her ongoing treatment 💜

09/15/2026

Happy Birthday Lauren from All of us in El Paso, Texas. 🌹🌹🌹

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAUREN!!! HELP US WISH HER A HAPPY DAY! xoBoL

Photo by Michael Halsband, 1986

09/06/2026

Labor Day Weekend:
Join Church Fire on Sunday, September 6, 2026! w/ Cruel Mourning, Academy Order.
ALSO DJ sets by DJ Ordo Amoris and DJ Zombiefied Giovanna. @ 101 - 4151 N Mesa

#101

09/03/2026

Mexican rock band The Warning will headline the halftime show during the 2026 NFL Mexico City game on Nov. 22 at 8:20PM ET! 🇲🇽

La banda mexicana de rock The Warning encabezará el show de medio tiempo durante el Mexico City Game 2026 el 22 de Noviembre a las 7:20pm!! 🇲🇽

08/27/2026

Dolly Parton tried to withdraw from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame because she thought an actual rock musician deserved the spot more.

When Parton was nominated in 2022, she publicly asked to bow out, explaining that she did not feel she had "earned that right" and worried her nomination might take votes from artists who had devoted their lives to rock. The Hall declined to remove her, explaining that induction recognized musical influence beyond strict genre boundaries. She was ultimately elected.

Dolly accepted, but apparently decided there was only one proper response.

She would earn it.

In 2023, at 77, she released Rockstar, the first full rock album of her career. The enormous 30-track project featured Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Elton John, Stevie Nicks, Debbie Harry, Joan Jett and other rock legends. Parton later explained that her Hall of Fame induction was what finally pushed her to make it.

Most people celebrate getting into a Hall of Fame.

Dolly Parton gave herself homework.

08/26/2026

Tim Curry has passed away at 80. 💔

“Don’t Dream it. Be it”

Photo by Mick Rock

08/25/2026

This show was in El Paso, Texas. The flyer says “The Ramones direct from England.” 🤣

This was a great night... Teenage Popeye opening for The Ramones...yep, great night.... (thanks Mike for the pics👊

08/22/2026

“People assume that when you do music, suddenly you’re in a club, and you all get together and talk about music and guitars and synths and stuff,” Vince Clarke says. “It’s not like that. Most bands in the ’80s hated each other. This is very general, but I think most musicians from my era were very shy. It wasn’t a social thing. When you start making music, and if it becomes slightly successful, suddenly you think you’re the bee’s knees. But then you get a bit older and you realize, ‘That person’s ideas are quite good as well. Should we try and do something together?’ That happens much more as I’ve gotten older. Collaborations happen later in life because you’re open to it more.”

Neil Arthur is an exception. Vince says he really likes him and actively maintained a friendship with Neil. “This is me being guru-ish, but as you get older, the people you’re close to, maybe they’re not here anymore,” says Vince. “It’s not like you can make those relationships again when you’re older. It’s harder. If you’re incredibly shy—and I was when I was younger and found it very hard to make friends—you still made friends much easier than I can now. When you have something in common, like music, if you do a collaboration, then maybe there’s a chance you can make up those friendships.”

Vince solidified his relationship with Neil as they worked on what eventually became the self-titled Doublespeak album. A collection of covers, the songs range from David Essex’s “Rock On” and ABBA’s “The Visitors” to the Carpenters’ “Goodbye to Love,” Fad Gadget’s “Back to Nature,” and the Magnetic Fields’ “Smoke and Mirrors.”

“Benge and Vince didn’t know some of the songs that I suggested,” Arthur says. “Some of the choices are slightly obscure, some are very obviously not. But these covers were never going to be copies of the originals. You put your own stamp on them because you have to inhabit the song. If you don’t believe it, how can you expect anybody else to?”

“Maybe 50% of the songs Neil sent me, I’d never heard before, or the bands I didn’t know,” says Vince. “It made it much more interesting for me to work on because there weren’t expectations. You weren’t particularly trying to better something. I was approaching it from almost a remix angle. These were like brand new songs to me, and I could do whatever I wanted to do with them.”

Read our full feature at the link in the comments.