Pet Shop Boys Announce New Album 'Electric', Produced by Stuart Price: VIDEO

The Pet Shop Boys today announced their 12th studio album, coming in June, called Electric.

Pet Shop Boys have left Parlophone Records after a ground-breaking 28 years and have signed their forthcoming studio album “Electric” to Kobalt Label Services in a global deal.

Their new album “Electric” is produced by Stuart Price and will be released in June 2013. Further information about the album will be announced soon.

Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe said today: “We are hugely proud of the new album and are very pleased to be working in conjunction with Kobalt. We’d like to thank everyone we’ve worked with at Parlophone over the last 28 years both in the UK and abroad. When we signed to the label in 1985 we had no idea how long and successful a relationship we were embarking on. However it is also exciting now to commence a new phase working with a new team in a new business structure and we look forward to a creative and equally fulfilling relationship with Kobalt.”

Paul Hitchman, Managing Director of Kobalt Label Services, said today: "The whole global Kobalt Label Services team is hugely excited to be a part of the forthcoming Pet Shop Boys release. We look forward to working in partnership with Neil, Chris, and the Becker Brown team to maximise the potential of the record, which is already sounding like a classic.”

Price, as you may know, has worked with Madonna (Confessions on a Dance Floor), The Killers (Day & Age), Seal, the Scissor Sisters, Kylie Minogue, and Keane.

Watch a teaser for the new album, AFTER THE JUMP...

'Denver Post' Surveys Readers on Decision to Run Photo of Gay House Speaker Kissing Partner After Civil Union Bill Passage

The Denver Post is polling its readers about running the above photo by their photographer Craig Walker of House Speaker Mark Ferrandino kissing his partner Greg Wertsch after passage of the civil unions bill in Colorado.

But getting even more commentary than the poll is the headline they originally accompanied the survey with, which now reads:

"Picture of Mark Ferrandino kissing partner shows the truth, even if it offends some"

Here's how the questionnaire was originally positioned:

Update 3:28 p.m.: After reading the comments, I’m altering the headline from “no matter how objectionable,” to “even if it offends some.” I’ve certainly dealt with some callers who are upset with the use of the photo, but my intent was not to label the photo (or the act) objectionable. As I’ve often said, everyone needs an editor, and I appreciate the comments. — Lin

Kudos to the Director of Newsroom Ops for changing it. Folks will also be happy to know that the comments are overwhelmingly in support of the photo, the couple, and pro-equality.

NY Attorney General Calls on NFL to Investigate Whether Draft Picks Were Asked, Illegally, About Sexual Orientation

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is calling on the NFL to investigate whether potential recruits at the recent NFL Combine were asked, illegally, about their sexual orientation, the AP reports.

"We ask that the league immediately issue a statement that any form of discrimination or harassment on the basis of sexual orientation by league teams or players against potential recruits or players constitutes a violation of state, local and, in some cases, contractor law and will not be tolerated," Schneiderman said in a letter dated Thursday and released to news organizations.

Schneiderman asked NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to call him by next Wednesday to schedule a meeting on the matter.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league was already looking into the issue and would discuss it at its meeting next week in Phoenix.

The request comes following remarks in late February by prospect Nick Kasa, a senior at the University of Colorado, to ESPN radio. Kasa said that recruiters at the NFL Scouting Combine asked him questions like, ‘Do you have a girlfriend?’ Are you married?’ Do you like girls?’.

The NFL released a statement at the time:

“Like all employers, our teams are expected to follow applicable federal, state and local employment laws. It is league policy to neither consider nor inquire about sexual orientation in the hiring process. In addition, there are specific protections in our collective bargaining agreement with the players that prohibit discrimination against any player, including on the basis of sexual orientation. We will look into the report on the questioning of Nick Kasa at the Scouting Combine. Any team or employee that inquires about impermissible subjects or makes an employment decision based on such factors is subject to league discipline.”

Said Hudson Taylor, Executive Director Athlete Ally, in a response to Schneiderman's letter:

“We have seen how important leadership from the Commissioner's Office is when it comes to gay inclusion in sports. It was former commissioner Paul Tagliabue who worked diligently behind the scenes to include an anti-discrimination clause based on sexual in the collective bargaining agreement. Now, with the call for the league's policy to be more fully articulated, we are confident Roger Goodell, who maintains a public track record supporting gay rights issues like anti-bullying, will make this part of his legacy as commissioner.”

Homophobes Raise Stink About Drag Show in Wisconsin So Dan Savage Ensures it Sells Out: VIDEO

The University of Wisconsin Fox Valley is holding a drag show tonight featuring Shangela from RuPaul's Drag Race and local homophobes are raising a major stink about it, John Becker reports.

So much so that their bigotry is getting covered by the local news.

When Becker posted about it on Facebook it caught the attention of Dan Savage, who reportedly helped the show sell out by purchasing all the remaining tickets and donate them to the school to give away to students and community members.

Watch the local news report on the show, AFTER THE JUMP...

GOP Senators Try to Destroy Marriage Equality Bill in Minnesota, Fail

Minnesota's marriage equality bill, which was advanced by committee on Tuesday along with a similar bill in the House, survived attempts by Senate Republicans to destroy it on Wednesday, the Post Bulletin reports:

Both on the Senate floor and in a Rules Committee meeting, Democrats who control the chamber defeated a series of Republican motions to postpone its progress. Republicans said they were simply seeking more information about whether it would cost tax money to allow gay couples to marry — in court costs, state employee benefits and other areas.

While the votes were procedural, Republicans portrayed a final floor vote as a functional vote on gay marriage. That motion, which adds the bill to a long list of bills awaiting action on the Senate floor, passed 35-31. One Republican senator joined all but four of the chamber's Democrats to keep the bill moving.

Sen. Branden Petersen, R-Andover, sided with Democrats after previously revealing he supports legalizing gay marriage. The Democrats who went against the majority of their party all represent largely rural districts where last fall's election results, as well as more recent polls, show support for legalizing gay marriage is considerably lower than in the Twin Cities area.

Minnesota Public Radio has more:

The maneuvering began on the Senate floor, when Republican Sen. Warren Limmer objected to a routine motion to adopt a report from the Senate Judiciary Committee, which approved the same-sex marriage bill a day earlier on a party-line vote. The objection forced a recess of the floor session and sent the matter to the Senate Rules Committee, where Limmer explained that he had received information showing the bill could cost the state $688,000 in added insurance benefits to state employees.

...The debate was repeated on the Senate floor. But when it was time to vote on adopting the committee report, Republicans were no longer arguing about the need for more fiscal analysis.

GOP Senate Minority Leader David Hann emphasized what he believed to be the meaning of the vote. Hann read from the parliamentary manual to make his point.

"When we adopt a committee report we are in effect endorsing -- and this is the quote: '...the statement or expressing its approval by the body' of the substance of the report," said Hann. "And it has the effect of 'expressing approval or endorsing the findings or recommendations' of the report. So members, what we're doing by adopting the report that is before us is we're adopting same-sex marriage in Minnesota."

Shia LaBeouf is Now Extremely Buff: PHOTO

WBO Middle weight Champ Peter Quillin tweeted this photo of actor Shia LaBeouf yesterday: "My new homie Shia @thecampiagnbook LeBeouf is really buffed (pause) @ Trinity Boxing Club"

(via popbytes)