"Older and wiser" is how guitarist Roy Hay describes his Culture Club bandmates on the eve of their much-anticipated reunion tour, scheduled to kick off tomorrow in Atlanta. |

"We've all been through some good and bad times since the band," Hay told JAMTV, "and I think we've all grown up a bit."

Culture Club will play live together this summer for the first time in 13 years, and Hay says this tour is as much about healing old wounds as it is about creating new music together.

"Hopefully, it's not about ego anymore, hopefully it's just about enjoying ourselves ... and getting the opportunity to enjoy the songs rather than deny them."

The band came to an abrupt end in 1986 in the wake of the breakup of flamboyant frontman Boy George and drummer Jon Moss, and amid reports of George's increasing heroin use.

George has credited his relationship with Moss as the driving force behind Culture Club's string of Top 10 hits in the early '80s, including "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me," "Karma Chameleon" and "Church of the Poison Mind."

"There was obviously a bit of a healing process that needed to happen between Jon and George," says Hay of the reunion. "They hadn't really spoken to each other in quite a while."

Hay says Culture Club fans can expect "new rockin' versions of the old songs and a few new songs," on tour this summer. "George is in fine form. He's singing like a bird. He's singing better than I've ever heard him sing."

George, Hay, Moss and bassist Mikey Craig got a chance to run through their material during a taping of VH1's "Storytellers" earlier this spring, and Virgin Records is planning to release a two-CD set, VH1 Storytellers/Greatest Hits, to commemorate the band's reunion. The set will contain one disc of the "Storytellers" performance and one disc of Culture Club's greatest hits, with a few new songs thrown into the mix.

Look for the Culture Club album to hit stores on August 11. (Christina Cramer)

Here's where you can catch Culture Club on tour with the Human League and Howard Jones:

• July 23 - Chastain Park, Atlanta
• July 24 - Walnut Creek Amphitheater, Raleigh, N.C.
• July 25 - Blockbuster Pavilion, Charlotte, N.C.
• July 26 - Virginia Beach Pavilion, Virginia Beach, Va.
• July 29 - Nissan Pavilion, Manassas, Va.
• July 30 - Radio City Music Hall, New York, N.Y.
• Aug. 1 -- Jones Beach Music Theater, Wantagh, N.Y.
• Aug. 2 - PNC Bank Arts Center, Asbury Park, N.J.
• Aug. 5 - Mann Music Center, Philadelphia
• Aug. 6 - Oakdale Theater, Wallingford, Conn.
• Aug. 7 - Harborlights, Boston
• Aug. 8 - New Hope Farms, Port Jervis, N.Y.
• Aug. 10 - Saratoga Springs Art Center, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
• Aug. 12 - Pine Knob Music Theater, Clarkston, Mich.
• Aug. 13 - Market Square Arena, Indianapolis
• Aug. 14 - Coca Cola Star Lake Amphitheater, Pittsburgh
• Aug. 15 - Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, Ill.
• Aug. 16 - Wisconsin State Fair, Central Park, West Allis, Wis.
• Aug. 18 - Starwood Amphitheater, Nashville, Tenn.