June 2 [14:00 EDT] -- While Natalie Merchant prepares to play New York City's upcoming Guinness Fleadh, her former band, 10,000 Maniacs, are pressing on with a new singer and a new album.
Merchant split with the band in 1993, and now the remaining members (John Lombardo, Robert Buck, Dennis Drew, Steve Gustafson, and Jerome Augutyniak) have teamed up with Mary Ramsey to record "Love Among the Ruins."
Original member Lombardo left the group in 1985, but returned in 1994 for the band's performance on MTV's "Unplugged."
During his time away from the group, he teamed with Ramsey in the duo John and Mary.
Ramsey went on to sing backup on the group's 1992 release "Our Time in Eden" and during the Maniacs set on MTV's "Unplugged."
The new Ramsey-fronted 10,000 Maniacs will debut when "Love Among the Ruins" arrives in stores on June 17.
