Search This Blog

Tuesday 31 March 2015

A Hard Rain at Sunshine Corner - Jon Zip featuring Mescaleros Pablo and Smiley.

The future is certainly unwritten.
Jon Zip can attest to that as I doubt in 2002 when the word came in of Strummers demise that he would have considered that all these years later he would be releasing an ep with the support of a couple of Mescaleros.
Or that in many ways he would be carrying the torch for those who gravitated towards the Guthrie-esque ‘this guitar kills fascists’ angle that uncle Joe was so fond of.
And yet here he is doing both, and with suitable agit-folk aplomb.

In hindsight some may claim they could have second guessed that this was on the cards after the Zips collaborated with the Strummerville charity to release the critically acclaimed ‘Road to Strummerville’ but hindsight claims are often easy to drop into the present with the ring of faux veracity applied.
So I call bullshit on them, but thankfully that’s the only hint of bullshit that is lurking around the arrival of this release.

With ‘Left Of Your Rights’ Jon, with Pablo and Smiley, starts of strong with a soft busking delivery of a song with a strong message.
In many ways it is a timely reminder that the establishment never sleeps when it comes to the erosion of civil liberties and we shouldn't just be vigilant, but proactive in protecting them.
Just when people in some quarters were considering that there is nothing musical out there with a message attached to it, and the protest singer was riding off into the sunset, Jon Zip softly slaps this one about your face in the nicest way possible.
He appears to instinctively understand that sometimes the voice of protest doesn't have to be a roar, and that a thought provoking lyric can do the job just as well as a rousing call to arms.

‘Kill Your Darlings’ is the quintessential mature punks response to the lacklustre nothing to say tired old template that modern pop music has become.
The autotuned era of vacuous and repetitive drivel that the mainstream has been pushing must die.
It’s been shovelled at us for so long now that it has become nothing more than an indistinguishable background of aural wallpaper that we barely register hearing.
A sound that has a sell by date that is long expired and no one got the memo.
We can’t kill our idols any more as the current crop of stars fall short of being able to carry the weight of being one, but turning our backs on the media darlings is probably a good call.

With ‘Wrong Door Raid’ the ghost of Bo Diddley is given a nudge as the guys have a bit of a laugh with mistaken identity issues.
It doesn't take a great deal of imagination to see this as a future live favourite with a bit of rollicking audience accompaniment added.
The piece de resistance is however left to last with the inclusion of ‘1919 (Battle of George Square).
I wouldn't be surprised if the song draws some misguided criticism as some may want to claim it to be rooted in some sort of nationalistic fervour.
A hangover from the Scottish referendum perhaps?
More fool them as this is no more and no less an anti war song and its power cannot be denied.
Here were men returning from the trenches to abject poverty rather than a welcome fit for heroes.
No jobs, rents artificially inflated, and then as a response to the Red Clydesiders strikes Churchill puts the tanks on the streets and machine gun posts on the roofs.
This was their reward.
The payment for daring to survive what must have felt like Armageddon.
A betrayal, and one that is rarely mentioned in the history books.
We will fight them on the beaches and our own people on George Square if it comes to that.
It is simply in my opinion the best song that Jon Zip has penned and he should be rightly proud of how it is constructed, the message that it carries and the eloquence of its intent.

The pen is indeed mightier than the sword.

A hard Rain At Sunshine Corner is available from NHC Music.
Jon Zip will be playing an instore set at the New Hellfire Club on the 3rd of May at 5pm.
The Zips on Facebook.

For the love of Katie.

Once again the news feeds of social media are ablaze with righteous indignation at the latest tweets from Katie Hopkins.
Excuse me while I yawn.
What’s that Mr Barnum?
There’s a sucker born every minute?
Really?

I mean all that hate, all that scorn.
Not from Ms Hopkins, but rather the deluge of bile laden regurgitated responses from the masses.

Pavlov is spinning in his grave with glee at this.

I wonder if those who pay Hopkins for her television appearances and newspaper columns are rubbing their hands together in ecstasy at all this promotion that they are getting.
Well of course they are.
The kinetic energy they are building up would provide all the energy needs for a small town like.....London.

It’s been oft promoted that people should just ignore her, and while that’s an option we have to be honest and accept that as she disappeared over the horizon another hate figure would appear.
The name doesn't really matter.
Neither does the gender.

I will admit that she used to annoy me, but then I decided that life was too short to indulge in being so very obviously manipulated.
So I excused myself from the party and just let her nonsensical click bait comments wash over me.

Then I read a rather frank interview with Hopkins and my semi loathing disappeared entirely as I began to pity her.

She wouldn't want my pity - and I would guess that she would rage at the merest hint of it - but when we become aware of her background of being punted to a public school early, of how there was apparently little parental contact never mind love, and how she joined the army only to fail on medical grounds just short of beginning a career path that she desperately wanted, and then as if that wasn't enough how she was betrayed horribly by her husband who thought marital vows were optional then it is difficult not to feel pity begin to flower.

And then there is her epilepsy that apparently has had her in hospital frequently as during her seizures she can dislocate both arms.

It’s all a bit dark isn't it?

If it was a Disney film this would be when the knight in shining armour would arrive, but no one swept her off her feet and provided a light to banish the darkness of her former existence.
Instead what happened was that she did a stint on the apprentice and displayed her abrasive and over confident easy to loathe self to the world, and then someone somewhere had a light bulb spark into life above their head and thought ‘hold on a minute. There’s money in this’ and low and behold the troll queen was created.

So who is to blame really?

As would be usual it is not one single person.
She herself has to shoulder some responsibility as instead of seeking some support she dived right in and took the cash for being the current panto villain for the nation.
Then there are those who profit from her.
The very obviously ugly and manipulative parasitical individuals who collude in exploiting her failings to make a buck.
If we were to apportion blame then how much should they be handed?

And then finally we have to consider our own role in her existence.
We love a villain don’t we?
So how much blame should we embrace?

Maybe we should just stop jumping through the hoops and give Katie a hug and refuse any further participation in a game that does nothing more than raise the blood pressure.

There just seems to be so many others things that we could get our knickers in a twist over.
Legitimate issues that impact on us all.

Or possibly we should just keep our focus on Katie like good little hate filled citizens.


In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act. (George Orwell)

Monday 30 March 2015

The night before the morning after. Sunday night gigs.

Sunday night gigs are the underdog on the weekend fight card.
Barely anyone would lay a wager that they will succeed in delivering an entertaining knockout blow to the gig heavy week that they hang onto the tail of.

Handicapped by the working week beginning the next morning the night is already up against the odds.
And then there are the poor public transport options to consider.
Oh dear. The last train was when?
All in it is probably only winning if the competition is for an award for worst night of the week to play on.

And yet people do.

God bless them.

They get all their gear ready and march off to venues in the city and take to the stage to entertain the two or three people who are either ultra dedicated to the cause, shift workers, or simply those who are unaware that the party ended the night before.

Normally the gig will either be a venue arranged night for solo acoustic troubadours to play a showcase gig (sic) where their talents can be picked up on, or a pay to play promoters night for solo acoustic troubadours to play a showcase gig (sic) where their talents can be picked up on.

Spot the glaringly obvious problem here.

Anyway, the effort put in to promoting them is often minimal, the equipment required to accommodate the six acts booked equally minimal, and if there is going to be a night doomed to failure then a Sunday night is always up to the challenge.

That’s not to say that there is a problem with the entertainment being provided.
Very often there are diamonds to be found on any night, and on any stage, in Glasgow.
It’s just that on a Sunday barely anyone is engaging with the talent.

So there can only be one thing that is even more disheartening than playing on the night, and that’s if the night itself falls to pieces around the heads of the performers.

Sunday is the night that the sound engineer fails to turn up.
Sunday is the night when the venue decides due to a lack of custom to shut at five, but not tell the performers who are due to start arriving at six.
And Sunday is the night when the chances that the independent promoter decides that a rep isn’t required becomes the bookies favourite.

The last one is pertinent as it allegedly happened last night to six acts that were playing in the 13th Note in Glasgow. (Not that this was anything to do with the venue itself as the 13th Note run a tight ship and provided support to the artists in their hour of need)

With show time hanging like the sword of Damocles above the performers heads the people who had arranged and booked the event were nowhere to be seen.

Of course there may be solid reasons for that, but a plan B didn’t materialize, nor a plan C.

It’s possible that someone somewhere was just simply taking the Lords suggestion that Sunday is a day of rest too literally.

So those participating in the night took control and made it a free entry gig, and if there were any costs needing met then they would bite the bullet and cover whatever was required.

This in practical terms means that they had to liaise with the venue and the sound engineer, sort out set times, stage manage the event and arrange to get the word out about the change of circumstances as well as actually performing.  

Of course the show must go on is an admirable position to take on this, and full support should be given to those who performed for adhering to that age old adage, but it’s not very fair that they had to jump into the deep end like this.

Maybe reasons, valid ones, will be forthcoming as to why they were left carrying the can in this situation, but regardless of that it would be nice if people could show some support for the artists who managed to salvage the night.

Taking some time out to listen to them and clicking on ‘like’ on their facebook/Soundcloud page isn't much to ask for from the music loving community to do.
A few words of encouragement would be nice, and even better would be the offer of gigs to them as they have all shown themselves to be professional enough in how they conduct themselves. Below are some links. Go on. Do the right thing by them.

Joy Kerr. Simeon Wilkie. Rory Cowan and Chris Day. Edward R Cane, Caitlin McKenna and Emma Kelly who hopefully a link will be forthcoming. 



Saturday 28 March 2015

Coming out of the closet.

I am ahead of the curve.
For what feels like the first time ever I am way ahead of the curve.
Everyone else is playing catch up.

What am I talking about?

I am talking about colouring in.

I've always done it. I've always found it relaxing.
And now it is the latest thing.

There has of course been colouring books for adults for quite some time.
I've seen novelty ones featuring rock stars and iconic horror movies, but they have never really interested me.
I am more a pattern girl.
The intrinsically complicated patterns laid out in black and white ready to blossom into colour.
That’s my thing.

While I was shading away over the years the practice was predominately seen as something for kids, but here it is kicking at the door and asking to be let in to the adult party and I think that’s great.

I have always been able to sit for hours looking at the patterns and thinking about what colours are best suited to go where.
I never really thought of it as anything more than that, but it’s really a bit Zen, meditative I suppose.
A down time for the brain to just idle for a while, and who doesn't need that?
It’s something I did in the comfort of my own home, on a night-shift, or as I got more comfortable I did it at my partners.
I wouldn't shout about it publicly and in some ways maybe deep down I thought it was an immature activity as that’s how it has always been portrayed, but no longer is this my little secret as recently there have been a few articles starting to surface in the mainstream media with a push on promoting it as an adult interest.

In fact a quick google highlights that colouring in books are have even appeared in the top ten selling items on Amazon.
I am no longer alone in my love for the colouring in book.

Elsewhere Tracey Emin - she of the unmade bed - has jumped on the bandwagon and you can buy a book and colour in her little drawings.
Most recently is the release of a magazine called ‘Art Therapy’ that is coming at it all from a broader angle.
It’s a sort of cross between a craft magazine and a self help one with it looking to promote, creativity, positivity and relaxation.

At 99p for the first issue it’s cheaper than a massage or a colonic irrigation treatment and probably as beneficial. (It jumps to £2.99 from issue 2 though.)

Obviously this rise in popularity of colouring-in is being embraced by the big businesses as they see some money in it.
The same thing has happened with every underground activity.

This time I'm not that bothered about it.
They can go to town on releasing colouring-in books.
The more who join in on this pastime the better in my opinion.

It’s not necessarily a solo activity either.
Years ago I used to sit with my daughter and we would take a page each and that was nice.
It was a positive bonding experience.
For the life of me I can see no downside to colouring in.

My name is Kelly and I colour in.

I can now say it loud and proud.

You should join me.

Kelly Conway. 

Wednesday 25 March 2015

The sliding scale of entitlement.

Oh dear. Jeremy Clarkson has not had his contract renewed by the BBC. (Not sacked)

Not for breaching some politically correct unwritten rule as some may think.
The sort of people who read a headline and fail to reach the end of it.
No. It wasn't that at all.
It wasn't because he let slip nigger, or slanty eyed whatever, or because he thought working people striking deserved to be shot as it inconvenienced him.

Nope. It was none of those things.
Instead his contract was not renewed as he assaulted a colleague.
I will say that again.
His contract was not renewed because he assaulted a colleague.

That probably needed repeating as on social media the majority of people commenting seem to have missed that.

His contract was not renewed because - and he accepts this as to be true - he verbally harangued a colleague for twenty minutes and then physically assaulted him.

Is that sinking in yet?
He wasn't sacked and he was guilty of an incident involving a workplace assault.

So in reality he is the abusive bully with entitlement issues that most sane people thought he was.
Not the loveable salt of the earth mate in the pub that some would claim.
Unless of course you are David Cameron popping out for a pint in your Chipping Norton local.
Or maybe Farage.

I have already seen a comment stating that the producer deserved it.

Really?

A guy doing his job deserved to have someone scream in his face - and part of that screaming was to make some dodgy comments about his country of birth - and deserved to have his lip split requiring a visit to accident and emergency?

That's funny because in the world I live in that's not really something that is considered acceptable.

Strange that so many think it is.

When anyone does this in a workplace then I sort of assumed that they could expect that a P45 will be hovering on the horizon and they could very well expect a visit from the boys in blue to.

The people who claim it is no big deal are simply willing to set aside what is right and wrong because they like him and the show.
I doubt they would be so supportive if it was their wife, husband, son or daughter who was verbally and physically abused.
Nor would they be too chuffed about an employer who did little about the incident.

So in this instance the BBC have called it correctly.
Well partially correct as he should have been sacked.

A suspension, an investigation and a semi fair outcome I suppose because no matter what anyone thinks it is Clarkson at fault here.
Not the BBC, or the producer.
He alone has to shoulder the responsibility for his actions.

And this leads me to the point of writing this.

The Clarkson incident in itself is a simple one.
He was in the wrong.
Similarly the cases we have seen where football players have abused young woman are simple issues of right and wrong..
The same again with the abuse cases that the establishment are dragging their heels to address.

What they all have in common is that they are people who - while blatantly in the wrong - enjoy some insulation from their actions due to the money they have and their position in society.
They exploit a two tier system of justice, and they do this because apart from the cash and power, they have they also have the support of a portion of the public.

This is no longer acceptable.

We are all equal.
There should be no sliding scale of responsibility applied.
So if you are in the position of supporting Clarkson then get a grip and open your eyes.

The point is not about whether someone likes Top Gear or not.

It's about equality.

Monday 23 March 2015

Sale of original artwork - The Notorious Gasoline Company.

Some people may know that recently NHC Music has started stocking artwork.
One of the first artists to sign up to us was Marcus aka The Notorious Gasoline Company.
That was an interesting day as one by one members of the team came in and oohed and aahed at the prints and started buying them.
In the first few days we were very pleased that we could shift a few for him.


In fact I was lucky enough to have a girlfriend who gifted me a rather excellent Iggy Pop print that caught my eye.
I have dubbed it St Ignatius of Pop, Patron Saint of Second Chances.
As I sit here and type he is gazing down at me with a steely glare and daring me to fuck up, or at least that's what I'm taking from it.
In return I bought her a rather fetching Alice Cooper one.
Not content with that she has just went and got the original painting that inspired the print.


To get to the point though,
SOLD

Guess who is having a sale.

Not of prints, but of the original art pieces.
With prices ranging from £70 this is an opportunity to grab some great art.
I think it is what the critics call 'the good shit.'
There's a great deal of pop culture references, but it's not all about the music.
You can check the Notorious Gasoline Company here.

Marcus is also open to doing commissions to.
So please feel free to get in touch on facebook to discuss literally anything you want done.

Apart from the art he has on offer at the moment we have a selection of his prints instore that you can check out by visiting us.
NHC Music.


So if the idea of owning some original art is on your bucket list then here's the opportunity to tick it off.


Wednesday 11 March 2015

The Mojo Cams - Biscuits in Bermondsey

Sublime is a word that you will find liberally sprinkled throughout reviews.
Everything is now sublime.
From the latest perfume that the current pop chanteuse is selling to the running shoes that empire building rap stars wants you to wear.
Open a music magazine and shake the pages hard enough to loosen the print from the paper and watch it all fall to the floor like confetti and soon enough you will be knee deep in sublimes.
It’s used so often that in many ways it is losing its meaning.
Is everything they claim to be sublime really impressing the mind with a sense of grandeur or power as it is supposed to?
Are we honestly awe inspired by everything that has the term tagged onto it?
Of course we aren't, but thankfully, just in time, The Mojo Cams have come along with their Biscuits in Bermondsey ep and are wresting the word from the lips of the abusers of it and delivering something that really is factually and literally sublime.

With the opening track ‘Whose better than you’ they take the very best of the brit-pop years and use it as a springboard to jump right into the present with a song that could be an advert for summer festivals.
Close your eyes and you can feel the heat of the sun on your face and easily imagine swaying in a very large crowd as the band holds thousands listening in the palm of their hands.
Show footage of any festival and overlay it with this song and no one would bat an eyelid.
This tracks natural habitat is the main stage of the biggest festivals around.

‘When I see you again’ is also rooted in the era when melodic indie rock was king, but similarly while it is wearing its influences on its sleeve it isn’t being defined by them, and as a bonus the guitar work is more reminiscent of the years when punk started to rub up against the joys of the Jamaican upstroke.
If the guys in Hard-Fi and Ordinary Boys heard this they would weep as it probably sounds exactly like what they couldn't master.

Then with ‘no end in store’ the band knocks it out of the park.
Just as some acts would be struggling to keep the quality level up they effortlessly bring it all home.
This is a song that has harmonies to kill for, and some bands probably would actually kill someone just to be able to have this option available to them.
The addition of them is the thing that take an already great song and makes it all the better again.
To be able to craft material like this isn't something that can be just conjured up out of the ether.
It takes time to blend all the notes together and then when the vocals are used so well it just lifts it all to a whole other level.

There’s a word that is on the tip of my tongue that would fit this perfectly.
Oh right. It’s sublime.


The EP can be purchased directly from the band, is available on i-tunes, google play and is also stocked in NHC Music.

Record Store Day 2015. Full release list.

A

A Pregnant Light – St Emaciation (7″)
a-ha – Take On Me (10″ picture disc)
A$ap Rocky – lpfj3 / multiply (7″)
Abbott, Luke – Music For A Flat Landscape (12″)
Acklin, Barbara / Sam Dees – Same Girl 2015 / Child of the Street 2015
Ad Libs, The – You’ll Always Be In Style / The Boy From New York City (7″)
Adam And The Ants – Kings Of The Wild Frontier / Antmusic (7″)
Adams, Ryan – Come Pick Me Up (7″)
Added, Jeanne – A War Is Coming EP (10″)
Adonis – No Way Back (Azari & III / Mixhell Covers) (12″)
Air – Playground Love (7″ coloured vinyl)
Alexander, Amir presents Richie Ratchet – The Infinity! EP (12″)
Allman, Greg – TBC (10″)
Angelic Upstarts – Last Tango In Moscow (2LP)
Animal Collective – Prospect Hummer (LP)
Animals, The – We’re Gonna Howl Tonight (LP)
Annabel (lee) – If Music presents: By the sea… and other solitary places (LP + CD)
Antorchas – Antorchas (7″)
Art (a.k.a. Spooky Tooth) – What’s That Sound (For What It’s Worth) / Rome Take Away Three (7″)
Automat / Camera – Automat / Camera (12″)

B

B-Movie – They Forgot / Trash And Mystery (7″)
Baby Godzilla Vs God Damn – Greedy Pete / We Don’t Like You (10″)
Badbadnotgood Feat. Ghostface Killah – Stone Sour (Instrumentals) (LP)
Ballin, Chris – Endlessly (12″)
Bardo Pond – Is There A Heaven (12″)
Barnett, Courtney – Kim’s Caravan (12″)
Barrett, Syd / R.E.M. – Dark Globe (Side by Side 7″)
Beat, The – 7″ Singles Box Set (13×7″)
Bee Gees – Extended EP (12″)
Bell, Becky / The Underground Band / Sweet Talks & Shelbra Deane – Under the Influence Sampler 2015 ft DJ Red Greg & Joey Negro Edits (12″)
Berry, Matt and Mark Morriss – This Is The Lie / October Sun (7″)
Better Than A Thousand – Just One (red vinyl LP)
Biffy Clyro – Puzzle (2LP)
Bis – I Love Bis (7″)
Black Keys, The / Junior Kimbrough – Meet Me In The City (7″)
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Weapon Of Choice / Need Some Air (7″)
Black Tambourines, The – No Action (7″)
Blackberry Smoke – Wood, Wire and Roses (10″ / 7″)
Blacker, Henry – Summer Tombs (LP)
Blackman, Don / Luther Vandross – Heart’s Desire / Better Love (7″)
Blancmange – I Want More (Extended Version, 12″)
Blue Mountain Eagle – Blue Mountain Eagle (12″)
Blue Oyster Cult – Bad Channels (2LP)
Blunt, Doug Hream – Gentle Persuasion (remix) (12″ and magazine)
Bonamassa, Joe – Record Store Day Exclusive Pressing (12″)
Bowie, David – Changes (7″ picture disc)
Bowie, David – David Bowie (1966) (LP)
Bowie, David / Tom Verlaine – Kingdom Come (Side by Side 7″)
Bratley, Craig – Mannequin (Ewan Pearson Remixes) (10″)
Briggs, Anne – Anne Briggs (LP)
Brown, Barry – The Thompson Sound 1979-82 (7×7″)
Built To Spill – Untethered Moon (LP + CD)
Burgess, Mark – View from A Hill (book + download)
Burgess, Tim – Track Of My Life / I Already Do (12″)

C

Camouflage – Shine + Remixes (LP)
Carina Round – Tigermixes (7″)
Carlisle, Belinda – Heaven On Earth (Picture Disc)
Carthy, Martin – Martin Carthy (LP)
Cash, Johnny – Koncert v Praze – Live In Prague 1983 (LP)
Cash, Johnny – Man Comes Around / Personal Jesus RSD (7″)
Cathedral – VIIth Coming (2LP)
Charlatans, The Sinkane with The Charlatans / Laura Cantrell with The Charlatans (7″)
Chelsea – Right To Work: The Singles (2LP)
Chilton, Alex – Jesus Christ (7″)
CHVRCHES – Get Away / Dead Air (7″)
Cinerama – Torino (2LP)
Clark, Chris / Frank Wilson – Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) (7″)
Clinton, George – Chocolate City: London | P-Funk Live at Metropolis (DVD+ vinyl)
Close Lobsters – Firestation Towers: 1986 – 1989 (3LP)
Clutch – From Beale Street To Oblivion
Coachwhips, The – Bangers Vs Fuckers (LP)
Cole, Nat “King” – Unforgettable / The Magic Window (10″)
Collins, Shirley – English Songs EP (7″)
Continuum – TBC (7″ + DVD)
Coombes, Gaz – Detroit (10″)
Cooper Clarke, John – Gimmix EP (7″)
Copper, Bob and Ron – Traditional Songs from Rottingdean (LP)
Crispy Ambulance – Compulsion (LP)
Czukay, Holger – 11 Years Innerspace (2×10″)
Czukay, Holger – Hit/Flop (2×10″)

D

D’Angelo – The Charade / Thousand Deaths (7″)
Dag Nasty – Minority Of One (Translucent green vinyl LP)
Daughter/ Warpaint – Winter / Feeling Alright (12″)
Death By Stereo – If Looks Could Kill, I’d Watch You Die (LP)
Death Cab For Cutie / Freddy Johnston – Bad Reputation (Side by Side 7″)
Deep Purple – Out Of Hand (10″)
Deep Purple – Black Night / Speed King (7″ blue opaque vinyl)
Deep Purple – Live With Orchestra: Montreux 2011 (3LP)
Deep Purple – The Book of Taliesyn (Mono, white vinyl LP)
Dees, Sam / Barbara Acklin – Child of the Street 2015 / Same Girl 2015
Dells, The – It’s All Up To You / Wear It On Your Face (7″)
Demob Happy – Young And Numb EP (10″)
Dettinger – Intershop (LP + CD)
Dexys Midnight Runners – Don’t Stand Me Down (Purple vinyl LP)
Dilla, J – Love (7″)
Dils, The – I Hate The Rich (7″)
Dire Straits – Honky Tonk Demos (2×7″)
Dirty Three, The – The Dirty Three (2LP)
Disorder – Total Disorder (2LP)
DJ Vadim – Black Is The Night (7″)
Django Django – Beginning to Fade (7″)
Doors, The – Strange Days (Mono LP)
Down N Outz – Down N Outz EP (12″)
Dr Strangely Strange – Kip of the Serenes (LP)
Dunlap, Slim – The New Me / Times Like These (LP)
Dury, Ian – New Boots and Panties!! (2LP + popup)
Dylan, Bob – The Night We Called It A Day / Stay With Me (7″)

E

El Khatib, Hanni – Devil’s Pie (7″)
Eno, Brian – My Squelchy Life (2LP)
Erasure – The Violet Flame Remixes (12″)
ESG – The Moody EP (12″)
Eyedea & Abilities – A & E (Picture disc LP)
Ezra, George – Wanted on Voyage (LP)

F

Faccini, Piers – Work Songs (LP)
Fame, Georgie – R&B From The Camden Theatre (LP)
Fame, Georgie – The Soul EP (7″)
Family – Scene Through The Eye Of A Lens / Gypsy Woman (7″)
Fever The Ghost / Temples – Keep In The Dark / Calico (7″)
Field Music – Drifters (LP)
Fields Of The Nephilm – Fallen (LP)
Finitribe – Side A: 101 (Timothy J Fairplay remix) / Side B: 101 (Scott Fraser 2015 re-shuffle) (12″)
Five Or Six – Cantame Esa Cancion Que Dice, Yeah Yeah Yeah (LP)
Flaming Lips, The – Bad Days (10″)
Flaming Lips, The – Brainville (10″)
Flaming Lips, The – This Here Giraffe (10″)
Flipper – Love Canal (7″)
Florence And The Machine – TBC (blue vinyl 12″)
Flynn, Johnny – Detectorists (OST) (7″)
Foo Fighters – Songs From The Laundry Room (10″)
Ford, Sheila – Here You Are / The Best of My Love (7″)
Fotheringay – Bruton Town / The Way I Feel (7″)
frnkiero andthe cellabration – Live At BBC Maida Vale (12″)

G

Gallagher, Noel ['s High Flying Birds] – In The Heat Of The Moment (remixes) (12″)
Gallagher, Rory – City Hall In Session (10″)
Gameface – Every Last Time (Translucent gold vinyl LP)
Garbage – TBC (10″)
Garnett, Carlos – Mystery of Ages – Anthology (2LP)
Garwood, Duke / Mark Lanegan – Fresh As A Sweet Sunday Morning / Needle of Death (7″)
Gaye, Marvin – Once Upon A Time (7″)
Genesis – From Genesis To Revelation (LP + 7″)
Ghostface Killah / Jay-Z – Whip You With A Strap / U Don’t Know (7″)
Germs, The – Forming (7″)
Giant Sand – Beyond the Valley of Rain (2LP with download card)
Gibbs, Joe and The Professionals – African Dub Chapter Two (LP)
Glass Animals – The Remix EP (12″)
Go! Team, The – Ye Ye Yamaha / Till We Do it Together (7″)
Goblin – Chi? 7″)
God Damn Vs. Baby Godzilla – We Don’t Like You / Greedy Pete (10″)
Gods, The – Genesis (Mono, splattered coloured vinyl LP)
Goodwin, Jimi / Pete Wiggs – Didsbury Girl (Tear Down Dub) / We’ve Got The Moves (7″)
Gorgon City – Sirens Remixes (12″)
Grant, John – John Grant and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra : Live in Concert (LP/CD)
Grateful Dead, The – Wake Up To Find Out: Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale NY 3/29/90 (5×12″)
Grizzly Bear – Horn Of Plenty (LP)
Grotesque – In The Embrace Of Evil (2LP)
Gut Und Irmler / Moebius Story Liedecker – Gut Und Irmler / Moebius Story Liedecker (12″)

H

H Hawkline / TOY and Jane Weaver – It’s A Drag / Fell From The Sun (7″)
Half Japanese – Volume 3: 1990-1995 (3LP + download)
Happy Mondays – Live Brixton (2LP)
Happy Mondays – Pills Thrills n’ Bellyaches (coloured vinyl LP)
Harper, Nick – Wilderness Years Vol. 1 (LP)
Harris, Calvin – Motion (2LP)
Harrow, Richard – ∆ÇÎ∂ H∆MM€R (12″)
Harvey, Alex – Midnight Moses / Jumping Jack Flash (7″)
Hawklords – 25 Years On (2LP)
Hawkwind – Back On The Streets (7″)
Hawkwind – Hawkwind (Orange vinyl LP)
Hawkwind – Live Seventy Nine (2LP)
Hawkwind – Quark Strangeness And Charm (2LP)
Hayes, Gemma – Palamino (7″)
Heads, The – Nobody Knows (2LP)
Heartbreakers – Live At Max’s Kansas City volumes 1 & 2 (2LP)
Hendrix, Jimi – Purple Haze / Freedom (7″)
Hersh, Kristin Hersh – Sundrops/The Cuckoo (7″)
Hinds ♥ Parrots – Split 7″
Hollins Gospel Singers – Live From Heaven (CD)
Honeyblood – No Big Deal / The Black Cloud (7″)
Hooton Tennis Club / Wytches, The – Barstool Blues / Wastybois (7″)
Hooverphonic – Blue Wonder Powder Milk (LP)
Hopkins, Jon – I Remember (10″)

I

I-Robots Present: Gene Hunt – Gene Vs Gene Part. I (12″)
I-Robots Present: The Stupid Set – Psychodisco (The I-Robots Edits) (CD/LP)
Icky Blossoms – Living In Fiction (7″)
Icons Of Filth – The Mortarhate Projects (2LP)
Iifman – Big Bad Wolves OST (LP)
Imagine Dragons – I Bet My Life (Bastille Remix) (7″ picture disc)
Inca Babies, The – Panthers (7″)
Infa Riot – The Best Of (2LP)
Isaac, Jake – Where We Belong (7″)

J

Jackson, Python Lee – In A Broken Dream (7″)
Jagaara – In The Dark (7″)
James – Curse Curse Remixes (12″)
James , Brian – The Guitar That Dripped Blood (LP)
James, Jose – The Dreamer (LP)
Jansch, Bert – Bert Jansch (LP)
Jansch, Bert – Needle Of Death EP (7″)
Jay-Z / Ghostface Killah – U Don’t Know / Whip You With A Strap (7″)
Jean-Paul Sartre Experience – I Like Rain: The Story of The Jean-Paul Sartre Experience (3LP)
Jehst x Strange U – Dolph Lundgren (7″)
Jesus And Mary Chain, The – Psychocandy. Live. Barrowlands. (LP)
Jethro Tull – Live at Carnegie Hall (2×12″)
Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson – Thick As a Brick Live In Iceland (3LP)
Jinski – Live Long EP (10″)
Johnson, Robb And The Irregulars – Cheep And Cheerful / The Top Of This Wheel (7″)
Johnston, Freddy / Death Cab For Cutie – Bad Reputation (Side by Side 7″)
Jones, Grace – I Need A Man (12″)
Jones, Linda – Hypnotized (LP + 7″)
Jones, Sharon And The Dap-Kings – Little Boys With Shiny Toys (7″)
Jones, Tom – Chills And Fever / Breathless (7″)
Julius, Orlando and his Modern Aces – James Brown Ride On (7″)

K

Kagoule – The Bastard / Monarchy (7″ dirty gold vinyl)
Kaleidoscope – Unreleased Mixes (7″)
Karizma – Beats And Bobs (10″)
Kasher, Tim / Chris Farren – You Be Me For A While (7″)
KC And The Sunshine Band – I Get Lifted (Todd Terje Edit) (10″)
KC And The Sunshine Band – I’m Your Boogie Man (Todd Terje Edit) (10″)
Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band – A Little Something From The Road – Vol. 1 (12″)
Khruangbin – History Of Flight (12″)
Kiasmos – Looped EP (12″)
Kid Wave featuring Ben Romans Hopcraft / Caitlin Rose – Listen To Her Heart / Been Thinking About You All The Time (7″)
Killing Joke – Live At Hammersmith Apollo 16.10.10 Part 1 (2LP)
Killing Joke – Live At Hammersmith Apollo 16.10.10 Part 2 (2LP)
Kimbrough, Junior / The Black Keys – Meet Me In The City (7″)
Kinks, The – Kinksize Sessions (7″)
Kitty, Daisy And Lews & Slimkid3 – Bye Bye Bye (12″)
Koes Barat – Koes Barat (12″)
Kolstø/Atlanter/Frøkedal – Stand Still/Temple (7″)

L

Lamb – TFA / SH09 Is Back (10″)
Lanegan, Mark / Duke Garwood – Needle of Death / Fresh As A Sweet Sunday Morning (7″)
Last, James – Everyday People / Here Comes The Sun (7″)
Late Nite Tuff Guy – Party Time / Hands Up (12″)
Lazarus Clamp – The Bird Is Not The Metaphor (2LP)
Lazarus, Damian and The Ancient Moons – Vermillion (7″)
Leatherface – Razor Blades and Aspirin: 1990-1993 (3LP)
Lees of Memory, The – Soft Places / Within A Dream II (7″)
Leisure Society, The – The Fine Art Of Hanging On (LP)
Lemonheads, The – Bored on the 4th July (12″)
Lemonheads, The / Gram Parsons – Brass Buttons (Side by Side 7″)
Len Price 3, The – Walking On Your Head (7″)
Levitation – Never Odd Or Even EP (12″)
Liminanas, The – Time Will Tell (7″)
Little Boots – Business Pleasure (12″)
Lonely The Brave – Call Of Horses (12″)
Lonesound -Fallen Leaves / One For Jo (7″)
Loose Joints – Pop Your Funk (7″)
Lord Sitar Lord Sitar (Stereo, green vinyl)
Lost Midas / The Seshen – Reworked (7″)
Lovely Eggs, The – This Is Our Nowhere (LP)
Luv Jam, Cottam, Jasha Hagen & Ruf Dug – Gott Ep 2 (12″)

M

Maccabees, The – Colour It In (LP)
Machinedrum -Vapor City Remixes (12″)
Madness – Lovestruck / Le Grand Pantalon (pop up 7″)
Magic in Three’s – Beatin’ Tha Breaks (10″)
Major Accident – Clockwork Heroes: The Best Of (2LP)
Makovetskaya, Olga featuring Incognito – Got To Keep Moving On (12″)
Man Made – Carsick Cars / TV Broke My Brain / All Mine (12″)
Manic Street Preachers – The Holy Bible (LP)
Marley, Bob – The Early Years Collection 1960 – 1971 (12 x 7″ + poster)
Marling, Laura – False Hope (7″)
Marnie – Wolves (7″)
Marr, Johnny – I Feel You (7″)
Marsicans – Gone In A Second / Something English (7″)
Martyn, John – Cocaine / London Conversation (7″)
Mastodon – Atlanta (12″ picture disc)
Mbulu, Letta / Dexter Wansel – Nothin’ Wrong / Life On Mars (7″)
McDowall, Rose – Don’t Fear The Reaper (12″)
McLusky – McLuskyism (LP)
Meijer, Lavinia – Voyage (LP)
Membranes, The – Do The Supernova (7″)
Metallica – No Life ‘Til Leather (cassette)
Midlake – Live In Denton (12″ + CD + DVD)
Milky Wimpshake – Encore, Un Effort! (7″)
Miller, Graeme And Steve Shill – The Moomins Theme (7″)
Mimms, Garnett – Prove It To Me / Looking For You (7″)
Ministry – Trax Box! (7CD + LP + Book)
Mission of Burma – Signals, Calls and Marches EP / Academy Fight Song (12″ + EP)
Misty, Father John – I Love You, Honeybee 7″
Modestep – Machines (12″)
Momrelle, Tony ft Chantae Cann – Back Together Again (7″)
Monte Cristos The – Love Missile F1-11 (7″)
Monty Python – Galaxy Song (Stephen Hawking Version) / Galaxy Song (7″)
Moody Blues, The – Magnificent Moodies (LP)
Morbid Angel – Juvenilia (LP)
Morricone, Ennio – Il mio nome è Nessuno (My name is Nobody) (LP)
Morris, Sarah Jane – I Shall Be Released (7″)
Moses, Bob – All In All (LP)
Moulin, Marc – Placebo Years (LP)
Mull Historical Society – The Best Of (2LP)
Mumford And Sons – Believe / The Wolf (7″)
Mungo’s Hi Fi ft General Levy / Mungo’s Hi Fi – Gideon Boot / Belly Skank (7″)
Mungo’s Hi Fi Marina P/ Mungo’s Hi Fi ft Ranking Joe – Divorce a I’italienne / I Love Jah (7″)
Mungo’s Hi-FI – Belly Ska #1 (7″)
Mungo’s Hi-FI – Belly Ska #2 (7″)
Muro, Don – As Long As Ive Got You (7″)

N

Nelson, Willie – Teatro (2LP)
Neon Judgement, The – Time Capsule 1980 -2015 (box set)
Nicholas, Grant – Everyday Socuety (7″)
Nicholls, Billy – Would You Believe / Girl From New York (take 2) (7″)
Nocturnal Sunshine – Take Me There (12″)
Nu Frequency Ft Ben onono – Fallen hero (MCDE / Mark E remix) (12″)

O

Ocean Colour Scene – Live at the Bridgewater Hall with Q Strings (12″)
Off! – Live From The BBC (10″)
Okkervil River – Sleep & Wake Up Songs (12″)
Oneohtrix Point Never – Commissions II (12″)
Onyeaborm, William – Atomic Bomb (12″)
OPM – In and Out of Love / City Life (12″)
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Julia’s Song (Dub Version) / 10 To 1 (10″)
Our Daughter’s Wedding – Lawnchairs (7″)

P

Pablo -Feels Like (OPOLOPO Remix ) (10″)
Pagans – Pirate’s Cove 9/24/79 (LP)
Pal Joey – Between The Lines (12″)
Parks, Tess and Anton Newcombe – Cocaine Cat (10″)
Parsons, Gram / The Lemonheads – Brass Buttons (Side by Side 7″)
Peace – Peace (12″)
Pearlfishers, The – The Strange World Of Tall Poppies (LP)
Pere Ubu – Elitism for the People Pere Ubu 1975-78 (4xLP)
Perry, Lee – Back on the Controls – The Session Reels (5×7″)
Perry, Lee – BlackBoard Re-Vision (12″)
Perry, Lee – Holiness Righteousness (LP)
Persson, Nina – Animal Crossbreed (12″)
Phillips, Anthony – The Geese And The Ghost (LP)
Placebo – Placebo (Red vinyl LP)
Plant, Robert – More Roar (10″)
Poison Idea – Just To Get Away / Kick Out The Jams (7″ picture disc)
Police Dog Hogan – Moutarde (10″)
Pop Group, The – Versions Galore (12″)
Pop, Iggy – Shot Myself Up (LP+7″)
Porter, N.F. – If I Could Only Be Sure / Keep On Keeping On (7″)
Power Glove – EP1 (12″)
Pre New, The – Speed Queen (7″)
Presley, Elvis – Elvis Sings (2LP)
Pretty Things, The – The Pretty Things EP (7″)
Procol Harum – Homburg EP (7″)
Prodigy, The – Ibiza (7″)
Psychedelic Furs, The – Mirror Moves (LP)
Public Image Ltd – Alfie 2009 Part 1 (2LP)
Public Image Ltd – Alfie 2009 Part 2 (2LP)
Public Image Ltd – Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 2011 (2LP)
Pulled Apart By Horses – One Night In Heaven (LP)
Pullman – Turnstyles And Junkpiles (LP)
Pullman – Viewfinder (2LP)
Pulp – Dogs are Everywhere (12″)
Pulp – Freaks (LP + download)
Pulp – It (LP + download)
Pulp – Little Girl (With Blue Eyes) (12″)
Pulp – Separations (LP + download)
Pulp – They Suffocate at Night (12″)

R

R.E.M. / Syd Barrett – Dark Globe (Side by Side 7″)
Rainbow Ffolly – Sallies Fforth (Mono, LP splattered vinyl)
Real Friends – More Acoustic Songs EP (12″)
Red House Painters – Box Set (6xLP)
Redding, Otis – Otis Blue (2×12″)
Reich, Steve – Music For 18 Musicians (2LP)
Reitzell, Brian – 30 Days Of Night OST (LP)
Replacements, The – Alex Chilton (10″)
Residents, The – Satisfaction (7″)
Residents, The – Intermission (12″)
Restriction, Action EP (12″)
Reykjavik Kids – Reykjavik Kids (12″)
Riddles – Psychedelic Power Engine Iron Claw Thunder Mistress (7″)
Ride – OX4 (red vinyl LP)
Rival Sons – Black Coffee / Long As I Can See The Light (7″)
Roberts, Sam – Counting The Days (12″)
Rose, Caitlin / Kid Wave featuring Ben Romans Hopcraft – Been Thinking About You All The Time / Listen To Her Heart (7″)
Roxy Music – Ladytron (Previously unreleased unedited version) / The Numberer (Steven Wilson Stereo Remix) (10″)
Rubaiyats, The / John Williams & The Tick Tocks – Omar Khayyam / Do Me Like You Do Me (7″)
Run The Jewels – Bust No Moves EP (12″)
Rundgren, Todd, Hans-Peter Lindstrøm and Emil Nikolaisen – Put Your Arms Around Me (12″)

S

Saints, The – Eternally Yours (coloured vinyl, 12″)
Sakamoto, Ryuichi and David Sylvian – Bamboo Houses / Bamboo Music (7″)
Schneider, Roedelius – Schneider Kacirek (12″)
Section 25 – Mirror (7″)
Sex Pistols – Never Mind The Bollocks (Picture disc LP)
Sex Pistols – Spunk (LP)
Shocking Blue – Lovebuzz (7″)
Shockwave – The World Is Ours: The Complete Recordings (2LP)
Shura – Jungle (Indecision Remix) (12″)
Sic Kids – Rhythm Gurl (7″)
Side By Side 7″ – Mystery Artists
Side by Side 7″: David Bowie / Tom Verlaine – Kingdom Come (7″)
Side by Side 7″: Death Cab For Cutie / Freddy Johnston – Bad Reputation (7″)
Side by Side 7″: Dionne Warwick / The Stranglers – Walk On By (7″)
Side by Side 7″: Gram Parsons / The Lemonheads – Brass Buttons (7″)
Side by Side 7″: Syd Barrett / R.E.M. – Dark Globe (7″)
Sigmatropic – Every Soul Is A Boat (12″)
SikTh – The Trees Are Dead And Dried Up Wait For Something Wild (2LP)
Simon And Garfunkel – Homeward Bound
Simple Minds – Celebrate – Live From the SSE Hydro Glasgow (2LP
Simple Minds – Waterfront (7″ picture disc)
Sinatra, Frank – Songs For Young Lovers (10″)
Siouxsie And The Banshees – Join Hands (LP)
Slayer – When The Stillness Comes / Black Magic (Live At Wacken 2014) (7″)
Sleaford Mods – Tiswas EP (12″)
Sleazy McQueen / Luvless / Jkriv / Riccio / The Noodleman & more – Editors Kutz RSD (2×12″)
Slow Club – I Swam Out To Meet You (LP)
Slowdive – Blue Day (LP)
Sly And The Family Stone – Live At Filmore 1968 (LP)
Small Faces, The French EP Box (5×7″ set)
Small Faces, The – Afterglow Of Your Love (Alternate Single Mix) / Up The Wooden Hills To Bedfordshire (7″)
Small Faces, The – Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake (LP)
Smile Down Upon Us – Smile Down Upon Us (LP + download)
Soft Machine – Wonderland (LP)
Soko – Ocean Of Tears (7″)
Solyst / Tarwater – Solyst / Tarwater (12″)
Somerville, Jimmy – 12 Inches Of Homage (2×12″)
Soul Stirrers, The – The Darjeeling Limited (LP)
Sound, The – Propaganda (2×10″)
Spaceape, The (Ft Kode9 & The Bug) – Ghost Town / At War With Time (7″)
Springfield, Dusty – What’s It Gonna Be / Spooky (7″)
Springsteen, Bruce – Born In The USA (LP + download)
Springsteen, Bruce – Nebraska (LP + download)
Springsteen, Bruce – The River (LP + download)
Springsteen, Bruce – Darkness On The Edge Of Town (LP + download)
Springsteen, Bruce – The Wild, The Innocent And The E Street Shuffle (LP + download)
Springsteen, Bruce – Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ (LP + download)
Springsteen, Bruce – Born To Run (LP + download)
St Paul & The Broken Bones – Live From the Alabama Theater (7″)
Stackwaddy -Bugger Off Two (The Strawberry Studios Out-Takes) (LP)
Stalin, Cecilia and Khari Cabral Simmons – The Story Of Love LP)
Starvue / Ruben Wilson – Body Fusion / Gotta Get Ya Own (7″)
Stealing Sheep / The Voyeurs – Murmur Earth / Rhubarb Rhubarb (Third Webb Rhubarb and Custard mix) (7″)
Stone Sour – TBD (black/white marbled vinyl LP)
Stooges, The – Live at Ungano’s (2×12″ grey/white spattered vinyl, plus poster)
Stranglers, The / Dionne Warwick – Walk On By (Side by Side 7″)
Subways, The – Taking All The Blame (7″)
Suede – Dog Man Star. Live. Royal Albert Hall (2LP)
Summer, Donna – Another Place And Time – The UK 12” Singles (5×12″)
Sun Dial – Other Way Out (LP)
Sun Ra – Planets Of Life Or Death: Amiens ’72 (LP)
Sunshipp, Leo / Tavasco – Give Me The Sunshine / Love Is Trying To Get A Hold On Me (7″)
Supergrass – Sofa (Of My Lethargy) (7″)
Swans – Swans EP (12″)
Swift, Richard – Ground Trouble Jaw (12″)

T

T D Q (Royal-T, DJ Q and Flava D – Day and Night (12″)
T.Rex – Light Of Love (picture disc LP)
Talk To Angels – TBC (7″)
Tamikrest – Taksera (LP)
Tavasco / Leo Sunshipp – Love Is Trying To Get A Hold On Me / Give Me The Sunshine (7″)
Taylor, Joanne Shaw – Feels Like Home (12″)
Taylor, Maria – 11.11 (LP)
Taylor, Maria – Lynn Teeter Flower
Tears For Fears – Shout (12″)
Tegan And Sara – Live at Zia Records (coloured vinyl 12″)
Temples / Fever The Ghost – Calico / Keep In The Dark (7″)
Test Department – Tested Product (12″)
Thompson, Linval – Dub Vocal Meet Version (LP)
Thorn, Tracey – Songs from The Fallin’ EP (7″)
Thunder – When The Music Played (10″)
Thunders, Johnny and the Heartbreakers – L.A.M.F (LP)
Tierra Blanca – Shadowlands (12″)
Tobin, Amon – Dark Jovian (2×12″ box set)
Tomcats / Los Juniors – A Tu Vera / Te Fuiste (7″)
Tomorrow – Tomorrow (Mono, splattered coloured vinyl)
TOY and Jane Weaver / H Hawkline – Fell From The Sun / It’s A Drag (7″)
Trembling Bells – Hallelujah / Wah Wah (7″)
Trey Anastasio Band – Bounce/Never
Turbowolf – Solid Gold (10″)
TV On The Radio – TBC (12″)
Two Bears – Bears In Space (12″ + CD + art print)
Typheni / Melissa B & Sheila Ford – Danny Krivit Edit & John Morales Mix & DJ Spen Rmx (12″)

U

U2 – Songs Of Innocence (2×10″)
UK Decay – Rising From The Dread (12″)
UK Subs – Huntington Beach (2LP)
UK Subs – Japan Today (LP)
UK Subs – Mad Cow Fever (LP)
UK Subs – Normal Service Resumed (2LP)
UK Subs – Universal (2LP)
Ukrainians, The – A Short History of Rock Music in Ukrainian (LP)
Unity – You Are One (7″)
Urges, The – Passing Us By / Corners Of Her Mind (7″)
Used, The – Shallow Believer (coloured vinyl LP)

V

Vampire Weekend – Step (12″)
Van Vliet, Don and The Magic Band – Rough Raw and Amazing (LP)
Vandross, Luther / Don Blackman – Better Love / Hearts Desire (7″)
Vanilla Pod – Seeing Out The Sunrise (LP)
Varukers, The – Another Religion, Another War: The Riot City Years (2LP)
Venetian Snares – 2370894 (2LP)
Venetian Snares – Huge Chrome Cylinder Box Unfolding (2LP)
Venetian Snares – Rossz Csillag Alatt Szuletett (2LP)
Venetian Snares – Winter In The Belly Of A Snake (2LP)
Venetian Snares & Speedranch – Making Orange Things (2LP)
Venom – From The Very Depths (2LP)
Verlaine, Tom / David Bowie – Kingdom Come (Side by Side 7″)
View, The – Marriage (7″)
Vinalog Vs Ben Sims – Fuck Me / In the Middle (12″)
VKNG – EP (10″)
Voyeurs, The / Stealing Sheep – Rhubarb Rhubarb (Third Webb Rhubarb and Custard mix) / Murmur Earth (7″)

W

Wake, The – Clouds Disco (7″)
Wansel, Dexter / Letta Mbulu – Life On Mars / Nothin Wrong (7″)
Warpaint / Daughter – Feeling Alright / Winter (12″)
Warwick, Dionne / The Stranglers – Walk On By (Side by Side 7″)
Waterboys, The – Puck’s Blues EP (10″)
We Are Scientists – TV En Français Sous La Mer (12″)
Wedding Present, The – Plugged In (LP)
Wedding Present, The – Take Fountain (2LP)
Wedding Present, The – The Hit Parade (2LP)
While She Sleeps – Four Walls (7″)
White Stripes, The – Get Behind Me Satan (2LP)
Who, The – Be Lucky (Coloured vinyl 7″)
Wibbley Brothers, The – Go Weird (LP)
Wiggs, Pete / Jimi Goodwin – We’ve Got The Moves / Didsbury Girl (Tear Down Dub) (7″)
Wilden, Gert – Schulmadchen Report (7″)
Wilkinson And TC – Hit The Floor (12″)
Williams, John & The Tick Tocks / Rubaiyats, The – Do Me Like You Do Me / Omar Khayyam (7″)
Wilson, Brian – New single (7″)
Wilson, Frank / Chris Clark – Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) (7″)
Wilson, Ruben / Starvue – Gotta Get Ya Own / Body Fusion (7″)
Winter, Johnny – It’s My Life Baby: The Best Of The Alligator Years (LP)
Witchfinder General – Friends Of Hell (LP)
Wobble, Jah – Merry Go Round / Lets Go Psycho (10″)
Wombats, The – Greek Tragedy (7″)
Wonder Philharmonic, The – Shogun Assassin 1990 OST (LP)
Wright, Betty – Man Of Mine (7″)
Wright, Sandra – Wounded Woman (LP)
Wytches, The / Hooton Tennis Club – Wastybois / Barstool Blues (7″)

X

X- Adult Books (7″)

Y

Yardbirds, The – Rarities EP (7″)
Yardbirds, The – Roger The Engineer (picture disc LP)
Yorkston, James – The CRAWS Demos (LP)
Young Knives, The – Something Awful (10″)

Z

Zombies, The – She’s Not There (7″)

#

!!! – All U Writers / Gonna Guetta Stomp (12″)
101ers, The – Elgin Avenue Breakdown (Revisited) (2×12″ red vinyl)
16 Horsepower – Folklore (LP)
16 Horsepower – Olden (2LP)
1975, The – Facedown EP (12″)
1975, The – IV (12″)
1975, The – Music For Cars EP (12″)
1975, The – Sex EP (12″)
999 – Biggest Prize In Sport / Biggest Tour In Sport (2LP)

ORIGINAL CAST RECORDING

Original Cast Recording – Hedwig & The Angry Inch (Pink vinyl LP)
Original London Cast Recording – The Rocky Horror Show (LP)

ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK

Original Soundtrack – Frank (LP)
Original Soundtrack – Nightsatan And The Loops Of Doom (LP)
Original Soundtrack – Psycho (7″)
Original Soundtrack – Utopia Series 2 / Cristobal Tapia De Veer (2LP)
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Various Artists – Electroconvulsive Therapy Vol 3 (LP)
Various Artists – An On-U Journey Through Time And Space (10″)
Various Artists – Northern Soul – The Soundtrack (2LP)
Various Artists – Soul Jazz Records Presents Down Beat Special – Limited Edition Studio One (5×7″ box set)
Various Artists – Cinevox 5 (5 x 7″ boxset)
Various Artists – Compiled by Amorphous Androgynous: A Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble (Exploding In Your Mind) (2LP)
Various Artists – Creation Records Artifact (10×7″)
Various Artists – Drum & Bass Arena 2015 (2x yellow vinyl 12″)
Various Artists – Eclectic Journeys (12″)
Various Artists – Genius of Time – Larry Levan sampler (12″)
Various Artists – Gods Of Grind (Cathedral, Carcass, Entombed , Confessor) (2x neon yellow vinyl)
Various Artists – Guitar Safari (LP)
Various Artists – Lows In The Mid Sixties Volume 54: Kosmic City Part 2 (LP)
Various Artists – Moton Records Inc (3×7″ box)
Various Artists – MTR RSD 2015 (12″)
Various Artists – Next Life (3LP)
Various Artists – Now! 1 (2LP)
Various Artists – Ork Complete Singles (16×7″)
Various Artists – Party After Hours (10″)
Various Artists – Polyvinyl 4-Track Single Series Vol 1 (LP)
Various Artists – R&B Hipshakers Vol. 3 (2LP)
Various Artists – Sensible Record Labels (LP + download)
Various Artists – Shirley Inspired (3LP Gatefold + download)
Various Artists – Soho Scene ‘62 – Jazz Goes Mod (LP)
Various Artists – Texas Soul 64 (LP)
Various Artists – Thai Pop Spectacular 1960s – 1980′s (2LP)
Various Artists – The First Rock n Roll Record (4LP + 7inch + 3CD + download)
Various Artists – Thing Leaves The House (7″)
Various Artists – Trashmouth Records’ Record Store Day EP (12″)
Various Artists – Truth & Soul 2015 Forecast (LP)
Various Artists – Continuum (7″+DVD)

Wednesday 4 March 2015

Ethical promotion? Can it be done.

The Bellfield Tavern, situated in Kilmarnock, may seem at first glance to be the last place where revolutionary ideas would be nurtured, but with the planting small acorns approach to the music business the proprietors Amanda Robinson (former band manager and event booker) and Bill Gilchrist (musician) are looking to change the perception of how live events can be delivered to the public one step at a time.

Amanda - It’s time for a change to how the business is done.
I mean no one is really open to looking at an event as a whole. Musicians aren't really interested in how a venue is run, the financial implications, and to be fair many venue owners have no artistic opinion on the acts that play either.
On the surface it might look like everyone is working towards a common aim, but that’s not normally the case.
Everyone has different agendas.

Bill - Amanda is right. As a musician with many years of experience I can say that we often don’t take into consideration the costs involved and likewise those booking bands are reluctant to take on board that there are also financial implications for the bands.
On one side we have those who think that bands just turn up and play and drink and go home laughing.
Years of practice, the late night rehearsals, wringing songs out, buying instruments and equipment, repairing both and then replacing them, leaving a paid job early to accommodate a gig that doesn’t pay to return home in the early hours of the next morning to grab a few hours sleep before heading out to the full time paid job again. That’s the real life of most musicians.
And then on the other there is the bar owner who is covering tax, utilities, wages, keeping an eye on the competition, waking up before everyone else and going to bed later than them to, and all for less than what they may be paying their staff.
None of it is easy.

Amanda – And then when you sit back and think about it you have to consider that there must be a way to do it better.
Some way that benefits everyone involved.

Bill – So that’s what took us to where we are.
We looked at the problems the bands have and the issues that a venue owner has and started thinking how it can be done better.
The answer was literally screaming at us and it’s not complicated.

Amanda – It’s just really about working together. No one should be looking to take a greater slice of the pie than anyone else.
And neither should anyone be carrying the responsibility of all the financial risks either.
When we put our minds to it we came up with the idea of providing the space, a PA and backline and we will assist with promotion.
All of that minimizes what the bands have to cover.
No hire fees for the venue, no equipment hire fees and even travelling costs are bitten into as they could conceivably all just jump in a car and come here to play rather than hire a van to carry everything with them.

Bill – and the first thing that I would expect people to say to that is ‘that’s great, but how do the acts get paid?’
It’s a fair question.
The answer is that they keep all the money from ticket and door sales.
The more people they attract the more money they make.
It’s cutting out the middle men to an extent I suppose.

Amanda – and the next question is what’s in it for you?
That’s not complicated either. We get the bar sales, and not bar sales plus a hire fee for the space and all those other additional costs that seem to be slipped in.

Bill – When I put my musicians hat on I find it hard to see a flaw in this. On a good night everyone benefits and on a bad night everyone suffers.
That’s just more balanced.

Amanda – We stand or fall together.
We are just starting out on this. At the moment we have covers bands playing more regularly than original acts and our patrons are comfortable with that, but we want to move forward and accommodate both.
We think it’s doable with the support of the community.

Bill – It’s certainly doable. We have already reached out to those who have similar ideas. We looked at NHC Music in Glasgow and liked what they were doing and sponsored them.
They now have an event sorted out with Dixie Fried, Matt Scott, Steady State Regime and John Strachan playing on Saturday the 7th of March.
It’s part of a run of shows across Glasgow that is providing an alternative to the pay to play system and we are the only venue outside the city to be participating.
All of the bands featured are experienced and have played all over the country.

Amanda – Matt Scott and John Strachan are Ayrshire guys who have both done very well. Matt played in front of thousands in George Square recently and was featured on the riverside show (STV) while John has been a festival mainstay across the UK as front man for his band Jiezuberband.

Bill – And Dixie Fried are well established. There’s not many blues festivals they haven’t played. Steady State Regime are coming from the East Coast for this and are making waves as a yet another credible Scottish indie rock act.

Amanda – We have already booked XSLF for the 5th of June. This is Henry Cluney and Jim Reilly who are formerly of Stiff Little Fingers band. They play all the material they were involved in recording and have just released new material. We are a bit excited about that and tickets are going very fast.
The supporting line up is strong as well.
Modern World have the Jam era covered and always pull a good hometown crowd, while both Reaction, The Sux Pastels and Semtex will no doubt impress.

Bill – In Kilmarnock there are many people doing a great job in keeping live music alive. I’m hoping we can be a part of that.


Amanda – Tiny steps just now, but things are coming together. Kilmarnock is well served with public transport and we are hoping that we are not only going to serve the people of the town, but Ayrshire as a whole. 

Facebook links.

Reviews.


Monday 2 March 2015

Music through the ages - Abraham Lincoln.

Most people consider that the murder of Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth - a little known actor and Confederate spy - was politically motivated.
However what is not commonly known about Booth is that he also had a sideline job promoting young musicians whom he would exploit by enlisting their help in selling tickets and performing at events he would arrange.
These young men and women were clearly being exploited as they would receive no monetary compensation for their efforts, and instead Booth would only make vague promises about future opportunities where they may perform alongside a rising star of the time.
These promises were of course never delivered on, and due to his failure to follow through with what was in many ways a verbal contract a young woman called Elsie Walker contacted President Lincoln and informed him of her disappointment in Booth and claimed that his actions were ‘far from what would be expected from a gentleman.’
Lincoln agreed, and in return publicly stated that he would not rest until these practices were stamped out prior to going on record to say that ‘the music business is a swamp where the scum always seems to float to the top.’

Booth was allegedly then informed of this while drinking heavily in a local tavern.

Eye witnesses questioned later claimed that in response he criticized Lincoln at length and shouted ‘no man steals the money from my pockets. I party hard on that money’ prior to him overturning a table and storming out gesticulating wildly and heading in the direction of Ford’s Theatre.

The rest is as they say history.

In her memoirs Mary Lincoln (nee Todd) spoke fondly of her husband and his achievements, but expressed some regrets that Abe mistakenly thought that after challenging the slave trade he could do something about the music business.

From the 5th of March, in honour of Honest Abe, and his attempts to change the fortunes of struggling artists The New Hellfire Club have a run of live events arranged under the banner of the big band pay day.
All the money taken from ticket sales will be - after outgoing costs* - split evenly with the artists involved.
Please do support the cause.
Honest Abe wants you to.

* All outgoing costs are basic and the artists participating in the events can be made aware of them.