British pop act Republica is currently working on the follow-up to their 1996 self-titled debut, which brought the group stateside success with the singles "Ready to Go" and "Drop Dead Gorgeous."

After a year of touring both the U.S. and abroad, the band has been holed up in a U.K. studio for some time writing and recording their new album, which hasn't been hindered by the recent turnover in personnel.

A source in the Republica camp says that drummer Dave Barbarossa -- the man who brought Burundi rhythms to Bow Wow Wow -- is no longer with the group and that they are currently working with new drummer Pete Riley.

According to the band's official website (www.republica.com), co-founder Andy Todd also left the group at the end of last year to pursue other recording projects, but a replacement for him has not been named.

Republica hopes to have the new record out by the end of '98, but no official date has been set.

• Republica

May 20 [10:00 EST] -- When the Prodigy's "Fat of the Land" album hits stores later this year, fans may notice a familiar voice helping out on an equally familiar tune.

"I've just done some backing vocals on the new Prodigy album, on a track with Keith (Flint)," Republica singer Saffron told the MTV Radio Network recently. "They're very good friends, and I'm very honored that they asked me to do that."

So what track brought the two British chart titans together?

"We did a cover version of L7's 'Fuel My Fire,'" [215k Audio File] Saffron told MTV.

The voice behind the songs "Ready To Go" and "Drop Dead Gorgeous" has also been busy with the rest of Republica reworking a vintage Gary Numan nugget for an upcoming tribute album to the synth pioneer.

"We got do 'Are Friends Electric?' with him, so that's a great honor to be asked to do that," [149k Audio File] Saffron told MTV.

The Republica track will appear with contributions from Bis, Magnetic Fields, The Orb, Pop Will Eat Itself, St. Etienne, and Jesus Jones on the collection, due this month.

• L7
• Gary Numan
• The Prodigy
• Republica

MTV NEWS: Finally, rock takes over the fashion runway this Monday night, on MTV's second annual "Fashionably Loud" blowout. Making the music this time around are Prodigy, Tricky, and Republica, and here's a preview.

MTV: The worlds of fashion and music came together again for House of Style's Second Annual Fashionably Loud. Models sashayed down the runway to showcase Spring '97 collections by four hot designers to the live sounds of 3 of Britain's most buzzing acts.

ANDRE LEON TALLEY, Vanity Fair Fashion Editor: I love the whole feeling of it. The mix of the music and the girls walking on this sort of industrialized Blade Runner catwalk, it's brilliant.

JON LOVITZ, Comedian: I'm trying to become one of the dressers of the models, but, you know, I'm not a pervert, but just the bras. Bra off, bra off...

DAVE NAVARRO: The fashion's great, the music's loud and we're all having a really good time.

MTV: Italian designer Anna Molinari's ready-to-wear was ready to go down the catwalk to tunes by Republica... Gianni and Donatella showed off their Versace and Versus lines to the sounds of trip-hop pioneer Tricky.

CLAUDIA MASSON: So Tricky, have you ever seen a fashion show before?

TRICKY: On TV, I've never been to one though. My knowledge of fashion is limited, very limited, very limited.

TODD OLDHAM: I know you've dressed so many rock stars, so how do you think music and fashion tie together?

GIANNI VERSACE: They're born together I think, why, even in the renaissance they use to dress up to play.

MTV: British designer Vivian Westwood, who's music connection goes all the way back to the Sex Pistols, hasn't shown her clothes in the U.S. in over 10 years, but her Red and Gold label lines seemed right at home to the fiery techno beats of The Prodigy.

KEITH FLINT, Prodigy: Prodigy music is buzz music you know, it stirs you up. If a model's out there and she's wearing something with a bit of guts behind it, if she's walking out there to something that's really tough, it probably gives her a nice strong attitude, that's what the music's about.

MTV NEWS: "Fashionably Loud" 1997, premiering on MTV Monday night at 10 PM, and don't forget that Sunday at 10:30 PM we'll have a wrap-up on this year's Sundance film festival, on the "MTV News presents" special called "alt.film@mtv."

• Republica