THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

The Pet Shop Boys have announced the release of remastered versions of their first six studio albums ( Please, Actually, Introspective, Behavior, Very and Bilingual ) sometime in June. Each newly remastered offering will include a bonus CD titled "Further Listening" featuring rare songs, B-sides and remixes of their material, from each era that the record was originally released. Look for the albums to be accompanied by a 36-page booklet containing lyrics, photographs and interviews with the band about each individual song.

BT and William Orbit are issuing a collection of remixed Sarah McLachlan tunes, called, appropriately enough, Sarah McLachlan Remixed. The Canada-only release will also feature the remixing talents of Rollo, Fade and Rabbit in the Moon. The reasoning behind the limited release of the CD, according to the singer's manager in an interview with sonicnet.com, "It's not a mainstream U.S. release. She's not going to release singles from it or tour behind it. I don't want any confusion. It's made for the dance floor."

Stephen Gately, the gay one from the now-defunked Boyzone, has told the British press that he wants be cast in the second Harry Potter film ( the first one is already in production. ) "I really want to be in it, even if I'm just an extra or something. I've seen the trailer for the first one and it looks amazing. I'm getting my book signed by JK Rowling next week and I'm so excited," squeaked the young cutie, to Worldpop. Gately also says that he has been granted a role in the newly resuscitated Absolutely Fabulous ... .

It's no big surprise, but, yep he's gay: by now you've heard that Michael Stipe has finally deemed himself a "queer artist" and admits that for the last three years he has been in a relationship with a male, to an interviewer from Time magazine. He credits George Michael's declaration of homosexuality on CNN as an inspiration for his disclosure. Look for Stipe to make cameos on new albums by MC Kool G Rap's and The Utah Saints.

Random notes: The bootleg remix of Eddy Grant's Electric Avenue has been signed by Warner Bros. and the ( Ringbang remix ) hits the streets May 28, though in the states you may have to purchase it as an import. The remix, which was a monster hit at the Miami Winter Music Conference, was originally remixed in Los Angeles by producer Peter Black ... . Janet Jackson hits Chicago July 26 to back up her "All For You" CD. The next single off the album will be "Someone to Call My Lover" and the video for the song is to be shot in Hawaii ... . The new Garbage album is called "Beautiful Garbage" and will be released late this summer. Go to Shirley's Web site, ( www.garbage.com ) and you can read her online diary about the making of the record, which will include songs with titles like "I Just Don't Care" and "Over a Cup of Coffee" ... . Moby says he has over 100 songs already written for his new album and that he is trying to crop the list down to a few precious selections ... And finally, a sad goodbye to one of the fiercest gay clubs in the world, New York City's Twilo, which has been forced to shut its doors because of missing and invalid building permits, according to The New York Times. A court date has been set for June 21, but city officials say the club will remain closed until the club's licenses have be reinstated. The city has tried to close Twilo for the past three years, during which two clubgoers have died of alleged drug overdoses.

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