Kris Kross in NYC - 1992
Photo: Steve Eichner/WireImage

When it comes to high-profile band reunions, 2007 was one heck of a year. There were the unexpected returns of rock giants like Rage Against the Machine, Led Zeppelin, the Police, Van Halen, the Sex Pistols, Genesis, and the Jesus and Mary Chain. For pop fans, there was, er, the Spice Girls. And metal fans rejoiced at the announcements of Carcass' and At the Gates' respective reunions. But there were a number of quieter reunions that happened in '07 that probably had at least a couple of fans, somewhere, smiling.

10. Squirrel Nut Zippers
The swing band responsible for "Hell," that infectious little number from 1996's Hot, announced early this year through their MySpace blog that they'd tour, with several of the band's founding members returning to the fold. The group performed gigs throughout the U.S. and Canada during the spring and summer, and the Zippers plan to record a new album for release in 2008.

9. Finch
The emo rockers broke up in 2006, claiming their "individual priorities lie in different places," but re-formed in 2007 for a couple of West Coast gigs. They're also booked for the 2008 Bamboozle festival, along with Chiodos and Mindless Self Indulgence.

8. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
They've been on hiatus since 2003, but in 2007, the kings of ska-core returned, announcing that they'd be performing together for the first time in four years at the 10th annual Hometown Throwdown at Cambridge, Massachusetts' famed Middle East club on December 26-30. While the band hasn't elaborated on its future plans, it has tracked three new songs that will be released on a forthcoming rarities and B-sides collection called Medium Rare.

7. Aqua
Those Danish-Norwegian dance-poppers, responsible for 1997's "Barbie Girl," announced in October that they had reunited for a 25-concert tour, set to commence in summer 2008. They've even threatened to release a "best-of" collection sometime late next year.

6. Crazy Town
The dudes who rocked 2001's "Butterfly" mended fences in 2007 and will release a new album in 2008. Frontman Seth Binzer also revealed that he's working on another album, Crazy Town Is Back, which will include the cuts "Hit That Switch" and "Hard to Get."

5. White Lion
Heavy-metal dinosaurs White Lion re-formed, again, in 2007, for a spate of reunion gigs in New York. The band is said to be crafting a new album, called Return of the Pride, and was one of the major draws for this year's Rocklahoma in Pryor, Oklahoma, alongside Poison, Ratt, Quiet Riot, Slaughter, Y&T, Dirty Penny, Greg Leon Invasion and Zendozer.

4. Eve 6
Following a three-year break, Eve 6 got back together and started writing material for a new album. No word yet on when it will be available, but the band did perform October 20 at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia. A handful of other shows have also been scheduled.

3. EMF
The British dance-rock combo, best known for their hit song "Unbelievable," got back together in 2007, giving EMF fans, er, "what [they've] been waiting for," according to a statement. The guys are set to perform in London on December 18 — whether they've got another album up their sleeves remains to be seen.

2. Extreme
The New England rockers responsible for the massive (in 1991, anyway) acoustic ballad "More Than Words" recently announced that they'll head out for a world trek in the spring, and that there's an album — produced by guitarist Nuno Bettencourt — in the works. It's unknown at this point whether the LP will see the light of day in 2008.

1. Kris Kross
That backward-clothes-wearin' teeny-bopper hip-hop duo from the 1990s are all grown up and back together to make us all "Jump" again. Chris "Mac Daddy" Kelly, now 29, and Chris "Daddy Mac" Smith, 28, have reached out to Jermaine Dupri to produce their comeback opus, according to rumors.

• Kris Kross
• Crazy Town
• EMF
• Extreme

Beyonce in "Irreplaceable"
Photo: Columbia

Beyoncé's planned concert in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, has been canned amid protests by local Muslim groups, Billboard reports. The groups are reportedly upset that the singer has refused to obey the country's strict dress code for performers, although the November 1 concert's promoter, Pineapple Concert, did not give a reason for the cancellation in a statement issued Friday (September 28). Female performers are not allowed to show skin from the tops of their chests to their knees. In August, Gwen Stefani's concert in the country was also preceded by protests for the same reason — but she reluctantly abided by the guidelines, saying in a press conference before the show that she had made a "major sacrifice." ...

Ludacris, Yung Joc, Angels & Airwaves, Fabolous, Keyshia Cole, the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and Busta Rhymes will hit the stage October 6 at Radio City Music Hall in New York for the Boost Mobile RockCorps volunteer show, to be hosted by Nick Cannon. The concert will act as a reward to 5,000 Big Apple volunteers who have carried out at least four hours of service in their community. Earlier in the day, Luda, along with pro skateboarder Terry Kennedy and snowboarder Keir Dillon, will join 100 NYC volunteers to revitalize Manhattan's DeWitt Clinton Park. ...

R. Kelly's child-pornography trial, which was to have started September 17 in Chicago, doesn't have a new start date in sight. In a status hearing on Friday, the only thing that was determined, according to the state's attorney's office, is the next status hearing date, for November 2. ... Owen Wilson is "doing really well," Ben Stiller told Ellen DeGeneres on her talk show on Friday. "I sort of like to protect his privacy, 'cause I feel like it's his own thing. But he's a really good friend of mine. He's an incredible guy, and I wish him as everybody does, all the best." The two actors were due to begin shooting "Tropic Thunder" this month, but Wilson dropped out of the flick following a suicide attempt in late August. His role has since been filled by Matthew McConaughey. ...

Nicole Richie has enrolled in an alcohol-education program that will last 18 months, according to People. The socialite, who was arrested for driving under the influence in December, reportedly signed up for the SB 38 Alcohol Program on Wednesday. The program involves 52 hours of group counseling; in-person, biweekly interviews; and 12 hours of alcohol education. ... Richie probably won't be too happy to hear about Think Skateboards' fall line of decks. The line's "Jailbaits" series feature her mug shot — and Lindsay's and Paris' — with a thought bubble hovering over each of their heads: Inside the bubble is the phrase, "If only I could Think." ... Joey Fatone, no stranger to Britney Spears, has some words of advice for the troubled singer. "Britney, call me, come over to my house, come to Orlando [Florida], get way from it all ... it's a good thing to get out of L.A.," he recently told "Extra," adding that Spears needs "some time to really heal." Fatone admitted he hasn't seen her in a while, but all the same, he said, "I'm here for you, sweetheart." ...

With Jamie Foxx's "The Kingdom," a flick about a series of terrorist bombings in the Mideast, hitting theaters this weekend, it seems it was only a matter of time before the outspoken actor piped up with his views about U.S. intervention abroad. While promoting the film, he told MSNBC that he doesn't see an end in sight to the Iraq war — and that President Bush's big problem is that he lacks "charisma." "It's not the way America has handled the war, it's the way George Bush has handled it," the actor said. "I think George Bush and the guys that are there just don't have the charisma to pull off the things that they're trying to do. I can understand if you want to go to war, but how do you go to war? They go to war in a high-risk, high-return or high-risk, no-return ... situation. You'll be in Iraq for another 30 years. You can't get out." Foxx added that he's supporting presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama, but that he'll support whoever wins the Democratic nomination. ...

Uncle Kracker (real name: Matthew Shafer) was given a 60-day suspended sentence, 12 months of probation and a $1,500 fine after pleading guilty to an assault charge in a Wake County, North Carolina, court on Friday, local TV station NBC17 reports. He must also complete a substance-abuse assessment as part of the plea deal. Kracker was arrested in August on a second-degree forcible-sex-offense charge after an alleged incident at a downtown Raleigh nightclub called the Ess Lounge. He wound up facing a lesser charge in light of the plea deal. ... Kiefer Sutherland was formally charged with two misdemeanor drunk-driving counts on Friday in Los Angeles. The actor, who is on probation for a drunk-driving charge in 2004, could face up to a year and a half in jail. Sutherland was arrested Tuesday morning in Hollywood after police pulled him over for making an illegal U-turn. ...

U2's Bono accepted the Liberty Medal for his humanitarian work in Africa on Thursday night in Philadelphia, according to The Associated Press. Bono urged Americans to work toward solving the world's problems and spoke of those who are without freedom. "When you are trapped by poverty, you are not free," he said. "When trade laws prevent you from selling the food you grew, you are not free. When you are a monk in Burma this very week, barred from entering a temple because of your gospel of peace ... well, then none of us are truly free." Bono was presented with the award by last year's co-recipient, President George H.W. Bush, at the National Constitution Center. The award carries a $100,000 prize, which the rocker plans to donate to humanitarian organizations. ...

A new Radiohead Web site has popped up hinting that they might be planning a big announcement this weekend. Radioheadlp7.com is displaying a countdown clock, set to expire Saturday morning. Given that the lads have been leaving several coded messages on their Web site regarding their forthcoming seventh set, which they recently finished, some are speculating the new site will spill all of the beans on the outing. Only time will tell. ... Cat Power is blanketing her fans with cover songs again. The indie starlet has lumped together a sequel to her noted 2000 collection, The Covers Record, according to Billboard. The track list has yet to be revealed for Covers II which is due January 22. ...

Ryan Adams reportedly threw another in-concert tantrum, this time at a show Thursday night in Minneapolis, according to AP. The singer/guitarist was reportedly complaining throughout the evening about the sound monitors, at one point moving two of them and other equipment. About an hour and 10 minutes into the show, Adams said he'd be playing his last song and didn't come back for an encore, spurring concertgoers to boo. Four years ago, Adams gave an even more tumultuous performance, during which he also complained about the sound, at the city's First Avenue venue. ...

Evanescence have tapped Australian rockers Sick Puppies as the support act for their upcoming tour, which is scheduled to launch October 23 in Miami and run through December 4 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. ... The reunited Sex Pistols have booked an invite-only gig in Hollywood. The band will take the stage at the Roxy Theatre on October 25 for a show that's being co-sponsored by Indie.103.1, the radio station Steve Jones DJs for, and "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock," which includes a newly re-recorded version of the Pistols' "Anarchy in the U.K." ...

Remember EMF? Well, as "Unbelievable" — or "crumbelievable" (so goes the Kraft commercial knockoff of the band's song) — as it may sound, the band will reunite for a London gig set for December 18. It will be the first time in five years the boys have performed together in a public forum. The band announced on its Web site that Pop Will Eat Itself's Richard March will take over on bass for original member Zac Foley, who died in 2002 from a drug overdose. ...

According to former Offenders drummer Pat Doyle, his former bandmate, bassist Mikey Donaldson, died in his sleep on Saturday in Barcelona, Spain. He was 46. An official cause of death has yet to be determined. "Mikey is universally regarded as one of the most innovative and inimitable masters of the bass guitar," Doyle said. "He played his Rickenbacker like it was an outsized rhythm guitar. Mikey pioneered an aggressive speed-picking style and liberal employment of bass chords that few have been able to emulate in the past 20 years. He will be sorely missed."

09.27.07

Word to Mike Seaver and Boner: Mary J. Blige has some Growing Pains of her own. The singer has settled on that as the title for her new album — and has bumped its release by a week, from November 20 to November 27. The first single is called "Just Fine" and will be released to radio on Thursday (September 27). The track was produced by Jazze Pha and Tricky Stewart (Britney Spears, Mya), and is an uptempo party record with a dance/disco sound. On the track, Mary expresses the joy of having high self-esteem. "No time for moping around/ Are you kidding?" she sings. "And no time for negative vibes, 'cause I'm winning ... Got my head on straight, got my vibe right, ain't gonna let you kill it/ See, I wouldn't change, my life's just fine." ...

Is Kanye West the next MLK, Gandhi or Jesus? His mother, Donda West, didn't shy away from such comparisons in a recent interview with the Baltimore Sun — she was in town to promote her recent book, "Raising Kanye." "Kanye keeps it real," she said. "He touches the people. You never know how words can save a person's life, physically or otherwise. People like Martin Luther King or Mahatma Gandhi or, in my view, Barack Obama, or Jesus Christ — people whose job it is to tell the truth — I see that in Kanye. Now, people like you are gonna go, 'Oh, Kanye's mom said he's like Jesus!' but ... when you have a gift, you didn't get it by yourself. ... Your truth is your truth." ...

Amy Winehouse isn't one to hold back either — the troubled U.K. starlet has named her new DVD "I Told You I Was Trouble," according to Uncut magazine. Packed onto the disc is a documentary, a full concert she played in April at London's Shepherds Bush Empire, her "Rehab" performance from the Brit Awards, an early acoustic version of "There Is No Greater Love" and more. "I Told You I Was Trouble" will drop November 13, her publicist confirmed to MTV News. ...

Paul Wall's next album is going to have more of a rock edge, now that Travis Barker is producing it. "Paul usually stays around the same element," Barker told MTV News in Las Vegas while he was in town for the VMAs. "Most of the Houston stuff is slow and real feel-good. This has faster tempos. Still feel-good, but it'll be different for Paul." ... Before he took his wild imagination to the big screen with "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," French director Michel Gondry was best known for his frequent collaborations with Björk, perhaps most memorably on the video for her song "Human Behaviour." Now the two are at it again. Gondry revealed to MTV News that a month from now, he will be directing the music video for "Declare Independence," from the Icelandic singer's latest album, Volta. ... Dave Grohl is getting axed — Gibson Guitar has come up with a new specialized model, the DG-335, for the Foo Fighters frontman. The instrument — which has a rare Pelham blue finish and looks like Grohl's signature guitar — will be available October 4. The price tag for the blue model is $4,468, while the ebony version is a bit cheaper at $3,880. ...

Evan Rachel Wood apparently isn't too afraid of boyfriend Marilyn Manson's fans. "I do feel [some of] his fans like me," she told People for its new issue, which streets Friday. But the actress revealed that she was a little more nervous about Manson seeing her sing onscreen in the new flick "Across the Universe." "I was shy because I didn't want to scare him off," she said. "I'm a singer too! Listen to me! But he's been really supportive, it's great. He's encouraged me about my singing more than anybody." The shock-rocker wasn't the only one who inspired Wood to sing, however — she also name-dropped David Bowie and let it be known that she has a tattoo of his Aladdin Sane lightning bolt. She also has matching tattoos with Manson. "We both got black hearts," she said. "It represents mad love." ...

The Smashing Pumpkins have issued a statement regarding the death of a man at their concert in Vancouver, British Columbia, Monday night, in what police believe was a crowd-surfing accident. "The Smashing Pumpkins were deeply saddened to learn about the passing of a young man who attended their Vancouver show Monday night," read the statement, which was posted on their Web site. "As they and everyone else await news from the investigation into the nature of his passing, the band wants to express their sincerest condolences to his family and friends." ... Vivica A. Fox pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor counts of drunk driving on Thursday, The Associated Press reports. The actress, who was arrested after being caught speeding in March, could face up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine if convicted. ...

Paris in Rwanda: Hilton is making good on her promise to engage in philanthropic efforts by traveling to the impoverished African country, according to "Access Hollywood." The heiress will travel with a member of Playing for Good, a group that connects celebrities with charity organizations, and she is expected to make a financial contribution as well. According to TMZ.com, Hilton will go to Rwanda in November after she finishes filming her horror rock opera "Repo! The Genetic Opera." ... Will Ferrell's charity auction has been won by a Dallas man, and his 10-year-old son will get the chance to play an extra in Ferrell's upcoming "Step Brothers" flick, People reports. The man, who has chosen to remain anonymous, put in a winning bid of $47,000, which will go to the Cancer for College foundation run by Ferrell's friend Craig Pollard. ...

Looks like it's almost Tool time again: The indefatigable heavy-rock band is putting together yet another stretch of dates in support of 10,000 Days, which came out way back in May 2006. Dates have yet to be confirmed, but according to Tool's site, they're stirring up a stretch across the West Coast that will begin in mid-November and last until Christmas. ... Lollapalooza founder Perry Farrell recently told MTV News' Tim Kash that he wants to see the fest travel across the world "before I die," but while those plans haven't come about yet, the dates are in place for next year's annual Chicago installment. Lolla will go down August 1-3, once again at Grant Park. ...

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's Magic isn't happening until Tuesday, but they snuck out a vinyl version of the release on Wednesday that will allow it to be considered for the Grammys, according to the Los Angeles Times. ... The Wu-Tang Clan's Killah Priest has been added to several dates on Bury Your Dead's upcoming headlining run. Look for him to take the stage in Richmond, Virginia (October 17); Wilmington, North Carolina (October 18); Jacksonville, Florida (October 19); and Tampa, Florida (October 20). ... Bad news for fans of hardcore hip-hoppers Twiztid: The band's upcoming Toxic Terror Tour, featuring openers Mower, has been nixed following a recent car accident involving Twiztid's Monoxide. He suffered a torn ACL muscle in his knee, which will require he stays off it for the next month or so. ...

While System of a Down's members go off and do their own things — what with the band on hiatus — drummer John Dolmayan has firmed up plans for his new comic book site, TorpedoComics.com. The Internet retail shop goes live November 1 and will boast some 15 million items, including comics, toys, graphic novels, trade paperbacks, superhero action figures and other related memorabilia. Dolmayan has also teamed with guitarist Daron Malakian for a new project, Scars on Broadway. ... Former Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee, former Anthrax frontman Joey Belladonna, ex-Megadeth bassist Dave Ellefson and Sevendust singer Lajon Witherspoon are among the celebrities who'll appear at the Morgan Rose Celebrity Golf Classic, scheduled for November 15-16 at the Heritage Golf Club in Tucker, Georgia. Proceeds from the event will help support the Atlanta Children's Shelter. ...

Mudvayne will release their latest LP, By the People, for the People, on November 27. The disc will boast several live recordings, rarities, demos and two new studio tracks, "Dull Boy" and a cover of the Police's "King of Pain." The album will be entirely fan-generated; the band is asking its fans to participate in creating the album's contents. Fans can visit the band's Web site and MySpace pageMySpace page to help pick the track list, submit fan-generated album artwork and participate in creating the video for "Dull Boy," the first single. ...

Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth," which has been shown in some college and high school classrooms, got blowback earlier this year when a Washington school put a moratorium on the global-warming movie. Now a British school governor is taking an even stronger measure by suing the British government for distributing the movie to more than 3,500 secondary schools, according to AP. Paul Downes, a lawyer for Stewart Dimmock, said, "Given the serious inaccuracies in the film and the misrepresentations it contains, the film is irredeemable." The lawyer added that even though the movie has already been shown to some students, the High Court could still rule that the government had acted unlawfully and cease distributing it. ...

There's no stopping the Martin Scorsese rock-doc train. The esteemed director, who has directed films about the Rolling Stones, the Band and Bob Dylan in the past, will focus his lens next on the life of George Harrison, according to Variety. Scorsese will produce the yet-untitled picture with Harrison's widow, Olivia, and the late guitarist's former Beatles bandmates Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr will also participate. The flick will revolve around Harrison's time in the Beatles and his later years, and also touch on his involvement with Eastern spirituality as well. In related news, McCartney and Starr are participating in Liverpool, England's European Capital of Culture celebration. Macca will perform at the Anfield soccer stadium on June 1. Starr will return to the city — where the Beatles hailed from — for a ceremony at St. George's Hall on January 11, and he will also appear at the Echo Arena on January 12.

• R. Kelly's Unstoppable Career

• Beyoncé
• R. Kelly
• Britney Spears
• Evanescence
• Radiohead

Jennifer Lopez got nothing but J. Love Tuesday night as Foxy Brown, Kelis, the Cash Money Millionaires, Angela Bassett, Ananda Lewis and Tyson Beckford all hit the New York City premiere of her new movie, "Enough," at the Sony Theater in Lincoln Center. Post-flick, everyone headed to the Roseland Ballroom to celebrate at the afterparty. (Click here for photos from the event). ... Ricky Martin will follow up 2000's Sound Loaded with two albums, one in English and one in Spanish. The Latin pop star, who was recently added to Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee concert June 3, is recording the new material now, which is expected to be released in the fall. ...

Busta Rhymes celebrated his birthday Tuesday by going on New York radio station Hot 97 and announcing that he will be a part of Summer Jam, the station's biggest event of the year. Later he hit the Circa Tabac tobacco lounge in Soho, where Tweet and Cormega were also present. ... Havoc from Mobb Deep also turned another year older on Tuesday, which would have marked the 30th birthday of Notorious B.I.G. ... Volume six of the Plastic electronic music compilation series is due July 23 and will feature new remixes of Fatboy Slim's "Drop the Hate," Felix Da Housecat's "What Does It Feel Like?" and the Chemical Brothers' "Star Guitar." Area2 artist DJ Tiesto's "In My Memory" is also included. ...

Ice Cube, the Cash Money Millionaires, Timbaland and Lil' Jon appear on Mack 10's new release, Mack 10 Presents Da Hood, due July 23 on his own Hoo Bangin Records. The first single, "LA Fo Ya," features the album's central vocalists, K-Mac, Deviossi, Skoop, Cousteau and Techniec. ... Bleak electronic/industrial pioneers Skinny Puppy have reformed after six years apart. While vocalist Nivek Ogre was already playing with Puppy programmer Cevin Key in the less death-obsessed Ohgr, the two have reunited with longtime producer Dave "Rave" Ogilvie to work on new Puppy treats and plan to release Ohgr's second album this winter. ... A U.K. pathologist investigating the death of EMF's Zac Foley attributed his demise to a lethal combination of heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, barbiturates and alcohol. The bassist was found dead January 2 in Camden, England. ...

Machine Head guitarist Ahrue Luster left the band on the eve of their upcoming European tour. ... Nile have completed In Their Darkened Shrines, which hits on August 20. The band will hit the road with Arch Enemy, Hate Eternal and Origin starting July 6 in Atlanta. ... Bouncing back from a missed tour with now-broken-up Godflesh, High on Fire are going out on their own in support of their new album, Surrounded By Thieves. The tour starts June 6 and features Mastodon as the opener. ... Warhammer's new album, Curse of the Absolute Eclipse, arrives on July 9. ... Christian noisecore group ZAO plan to break up after embarking on a farewell tour this summer. ...

05.21.02

Ja Rule's group, Cash Money Click (CMC), along with Naughty By Nature, Lil' Jon & the East Side Boyz and others, will perform at an afterparty for the Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis title fight June 8 in Memphis. Tyson is apparently counting on a victory, as he is co-sponsoring the event and planning on attending. ... British producers the Space Monkeyz will release a collection of dub mixes of songs from the Gorillaz' debut album. Due July 16, Space Monkeyz Vs. Gorillaz: Laika Come Home features a version of "Clint Eastwood" called "A Fistful of Peanuts" among its 12 listed tunes and one hidden track. ... David Bowie will join the ranks of Neil Diamond, Elton John, Don Henley and others when he performs on A&E's "Live By Request." The June 15 performance will be filmed at Sony Music Studios in Manhattan.

• Jennifer Lopez
• Ricky Martin
• Busta Rhymes
• EMF
• Ice Cube

EMF's Zac Foley
Photo: MTV

Bassist Zac Foley of dance-rock group EMF, who had a #1 hit with "Unbelievable" in 1991, died Thursday at age 31.

He was visiting a friend in the Camden section of London when he collapsed, and police say that by the time they arrived he was already dead. Scotland Yard determined there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding Foley's death and are not treating it as a criminal matter, a department spokesperson said.

An inquest into Foley's death was opened Tuesday (January 8) on behalf of his family. The post-mortem examination was inconclusive, a coroner's spokesperson said. Toxicology tests were taken, but results are not expected back for about 12 weeks.

"He had sort of regressed a bit, fell down," Jerome Foley said of his younger brother's struggle with substance abuse. "But he was doing well and over the worst of it. This shouldn't have happened.

"It was quite a shock, obviously, to all of us," he added. "He had just come down for Christmas, and he was so fit and healthy. It's such a waste. What is that they say about the light that burns twice as bright? That was Zac."

"All I can say is I am numb with the loss of such a dear friend," EMF drummer Mark de Cloedt wrote on the band's Web site. "And remember, he's at peace now."

Foley was born in Gloucester, England, on December 9, 1970, to Rex and Anne Foley. He was a founding member of EMF. The bandmembers — Foley, de Cloedt, vocalist James Atkin, guitarist Ian Dench and keyboardist Derry Brownson — met in Cinderford, England, and formed the group in October 1989.

Two months after they formed, EMF — Epsom Mad Funkers — played their first gig, and shortly after the band was signed to EMI. At the end of 1990, "Unbelievable" was climbing the U.K. charts. In addition to being an instant sensation, the song had relatively long shelf life and in later years was featured in the soundtrack to the film "Coyote Ugly" and on numerous compilations including Millennium Party, ESPN Jock Jams and Red Hot + Dance.

EMF played propulsive pop music that blended throbbing dance beats, melodic vocals and sturdy rock rhythms. The group's first album, Schubert Dip, was certified platinum by the RIAA, but the band's follow-ups, the Unexplained EP (1992), Stigma (1992) and Cha Cha Cha (1995) didn't fare nearly as well. In 1996 EMF broke up, but last year they embarked on a reunion tour.

At press time, Atkin was organizing an intimate memorial for Foley, who leaves behind his parents, his brother, and a sister, Anne Marie.

• EMF

EMF's James Atkin
Photo: MTV

It's unbelievable! British electro-rockers EMF are reuniting to promote their new greatest-hits collection.

The group behind the perennial 1991 #1 hit "Unbelievable" will play its first shows in five years June 4 at the Junction in Cambridge, England, and June 5 at the Astoria in London.

A week later, on June 11, EMF will release in the U.K. Epsom Mad Funkers — The Best of EMF, setting straight the debate over the origins of their moniker, which many believed stood for "Ecstasy Motherf---ers." (They added fuel to the fire when they worked that phrase into a cheer on a B-side, called, appropriately, "EMF.") The greatest-hits collection also will include two new tracks, "Incredible" and "Let's Go," which the group recorded recently, according to an EMI Records spokesperson in the UK. The album will be released internationally, including in the United States, but details are still being worked out.

A bonus disc of remixes, including one by Beastie Boys producers the Dust Brothers, will be included with Epsom Mad Funkers — The Best of EMF, the spokesperson said. EMF are still finalizing the track listings of both albums and taking input from fans on their official Web site (www.emf-theband.com).

EMF — vocalist James Atkin, guitarist Ian Dench, bassist Zachary "Zac" Foley, drummer Mark Decloedt and keyboardist Derry Brownson — formed out of the music scene in Forest of Dean, England, in 1989.

Within a year, they were on the top of the chart in the U.K. with "Unbelievable," which later hit the States. It's remained a compilation standard, appearing as recently as on last year's "Coyote Ugly" soundtrack.

Along with "Unbelievable," 1991's Schubert Dip, EMF's debut album, also included the moderate single "Lies." That year the band also released a video compilation, "Smoke the Banger." Stigma and the EP Unexplained followed in 1992. 1995's Cha Cha Cha was never released in the States.

But EMF have kept a steadfast fanbase over the years, according to 25-year-old Ohio native Cara DeCarlo, who has maintained their official Web site since 1996.

"After the official demise of EMF in 1996, the bandmembers went off to pursue other things," DeCarlo said. "They all had bands that had moderate success in the U.K. but never stayed together very long. Through all this, the fans kept saying they should just get EMF back together, even for a one-off reunion show. But nobody ever thought it would happen." DeCarlo, who is flying to England for the shows, said determined EMF fans definitely played a role in prompting the reunion.

"EMF proved that it was OK to mix rock, pop and dance all together in one nice little package," DeCarlo said of EMF's mark on the music world. "EMF helped bring to the front a genre that was very innovative in the early '90s but was unfortunately quickly washed away by grunge."

• EMF