The Fat Angel Sings

Jethro Tull’s ‘Benefit’ tour was 107 gigs in 1970. This lovely concert poster for a show at Tanglewood Music Center, Lenox, MA was with The Who and It’s A Beautiful Day.

13 UK shows plus the Isle Of Wight festival starting at Sheffield City Hall, Sheffield with Procol Harum and Tír na nÓg.

85 USA gigs started at Mammoth Gardens, Denver, CO with Zephyr and ending at State University of New York College at Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh, NY,

A new video featuring scenes from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers’ iconic 1997 residency at the Fillmore has been released under the title ‘The Fillmore House Band – 1997 (Short Film 2)’. The 12-minute mini-feature includes scenes from the 20-night stand along with band members looking back at the experience of being there. It follows the release of an earlier video & a box set of performance audio.

“You feel the history; you feel the ghosts,” guitarist Mike Campbell says in the clip. “And you feel the magic that’s happened – it’s sort of dripping on the walls.” Keyboardist Benmont Tench adds, “Being that close to the fans was better. I think the stage was a little lower; I think the fans were a little closer. … When you’re in a smaller space that’s enclosed like that, then the concentration of the energy, the concentration of the band, the focus, is different. That’s got a really serious kind of magic.”

Speaking soon after the run ended, Tom stated, “I love it. I’ve had a ball. This may be the best time we’ve ever had: musically, we’re all getting along real well. … It’s maybe the best time of our lives really…”

Wishbone Ash achieved considerable success in the 1970s, during which they were among England’s most popular hard rock acts, achieving an incredible eight top 40 albums. Often regarded as one of the premiere UK live acts of the 1970s, the band toured throughout this period and into the following decades.

1972 was one of rock music’s most memorable years for regal releases – a golden age of classic albums – Exile on Main Street, Machine Head, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, All the Young Dudes, Roxy Music, Can’t Buy a Thrill, Sailin’ Shoes, Foxtrot, Demons and Wizards, Transformer and Barnstorm – by rock royalty – The Rolling Stones, Deep Purple, Davie Bowie, Mott the Hoople, Roxy Music, Steely Dan, Little Feat, Genesis, Uriah Heep, Lou Reed and Joe Walsh. Not least among these amazing artists and records was Wishbone Ash – and their award-winning ‘Album of the Year’ – “Argus”. 

Undoubtedly the most famous of the bands’ 1970s canon, “Argus” is not only the biggest selling album of Wishbone Ash’s career – featuring the beloved fan-favourite ‘Blowin’ Free’ – but also full of memorable and timeless tunes such as ‘The King Will Come’, ‘Time Was’, ‘Warrior’ and ‘Throw Down The Sword’. 

Featuring a heady blend of prog rock, folk and hard rock, “Argus” is widely considered a vital moment in the progression of twin-lead guitar harmonisation.

As they reigned supreme through the 1970s, Wishbone Ash was centred on inspired musicianship, joyful spirit and inventive songs. Their concerts were uplifting and their recorded work sublime. “Argus” remains a stunning highpoint in the band’s startling repertoire. 

This is a vital addition to the Wishbone Ash catalogue.

Wishbone Ash celebrate the 50th anniversary of their classic album “Argus” with a 7-Disc multi-format box set.

The set includes:

3 CDs comprising Martin Turner’s Argus remaster, “Live at The Alexandra Palace” 1973, “Live in Memphis” 1972, 4 previously unreleased early version demos.

2 LPs – An original “Argus” replica (remastered for this release) and “Argus” Live on yellow vinyl (selected recordings from Alexandra Palace and Memphis). 

A DVD including French and Swiss TV footage, “Live from the Rainbow” 1973, and an RTS Broadcast from 1974.

A 7” Single of ‘Blowin’ Free’.

A 48-page book with rare photographs and extensive liner notes featuring contributions from Andy Powell, Martin Turner and Steve Upton. “Argus” – a 50th Anniversary multi-format Box Set will be released by @Madfishlabel on 14th April 2023 to celebrate one of the most pivotal entries in the history of great British rock and prog albums.

A numbered certificate of authenticity. The band’s ultimate statement given the deluxe treatment it richly deserves.

Peter Buck’s musical collaboration with Luke Haines began as so many of them do: with a random connection. The former R.E.M. guitarist bought a painting of Lou Reed by Haines, and it sparked the thought that perhaps the two of them should work together.

Quarantine scuttled plans for the pair to play shows in support of their debut, 2020’s “Beat Poetry for Survivalists”. But, as Buck details below, the songs kept flowing. “All the Kids Are Super Bummed Out” is the sprawling double-album “monster-piece” manifesto that emerged from their efforts.

It’s a conceptual project that will leave you hoping for a sequel – although perhaps one with a less dismal subject matter. Buck shared some of the highlights from the time they spent working on the new album with UCR. The Auteurs frontman and R.E.M.’s guitarist reteam for a fever dream double LP that betters their debut

This stuff that you’ve been doing with Luke Haines feels like it completes the cycle of what you started with the initial albums that you did solo. My solo records, I just wanted to prove a point to myself. This is something I’ve never done; I’m just gonna do it. I can’t sing, fuck it. You know what? I’m not worried about it. [Laughs] I’m going to make these records – and you know, they were written and recorded, I don’t think I spent more than five days on any of those records. Yet, they have something. You don’t go through those records looking for good singing, but the songs are good and the playing is pretty amazing. With Luke, I don’t know, I [just] started sending him stuff.

The first couple of things I sent him were just things I’d written that day. “Here’s three guitars and a drum machine and a synth and a bass.” At a certain point, I kind of realized there weren’t any boundaries there. Anything I send him, he’s going to finish. Particularly with this record, my feeling was, “It’s the summer of 2021, and do I really need to write a pretty song in E Minor with a nice guitar riff?” It wasn’t what I was feeling. It wasn’t what I was experiencing. I mean, out here in Portland, we had the fires, the heatwaves, the protests when they sent the feds in and the feds turned them into riots. It was just hellacious out here, in some ways. I was just like, “Yeah, writing a song with a structure? Fuck that!” Something like “Exit Space,” it was like, “Here’s just a template of what I’m feeling like right now, and it doesn’t make sense. Here you go, Luke!”

This is a great headphone album. We were talking about “Exit Space” earlier and it’s got what sounds like a psychotic, laughing monkey. It seems like it would have been fun to conjure things like that and make them a reality. At one point, that song was like nine minutes long. Luke cut it down. He said, “I don’t know, there’s only so much of that monkey stuff that I think people can take.” And I’m like, “I don’t know, I’m always down for more monkeys on the record!” But that one, I was talking to my next-door neighbour, who is a doctor and I was like, “So, how are you doing with this COVID thing?” She said, “Oh, I’m fine. I’ve been around infectious diseases my entire life.” But she goes, “All the kids are super bummed out.” I said, “Hey Luke, I think this one might be called “All the Kids Are Super Bummed Out.” So that’s the record title and that was just purely an adult thing, how tough it is for not just her kids, but all of the kids that aren’t able to get together, aren’t going to school.

The album should really be also attributed to Scott McCaughey, Buck’s frequent collaborator (going back to ’90s R.E.M.) who was also part of Beat Poetry for Survivalists and co-wrote every song here and co-produced as well. Linda Pitmon, who is Buck and McCaughey’s bandmate in Filthy Friends, is back to play drums, too. Both of these albums are great, and you can tell everyone involved is having a good time, so can they just become a real band already?

Cherry Red Records

One of the most legendary live concerts of all time. Wish I could have been there, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard surprised fans on Wednesday with the release of a new live album featuring recordings from the band’s milestone shows at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Entitled “Live At Red Rocks ’22”, the album includes a staggering 86 tracks from KGLW’s first-ever shows at the iconic Colorado venue, where they played three-hour marathon sets on October 10th and 11th and November 2nd, 2022.

Pulled from their three shows at the iconic Colorado venue last fall, a live album featuring every song the Australian rock band played at the iconic Colorado venue last fall. The live album follows their six releases in 2022: Butterfly 3001; Made In Timeland; Omnium Gatherum; Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms And Lava; Laminated Dream; and Changes.

In addition to band members Ambrose Kenny-Smith, Cook Craig, Joey Walker, Lucas Harwood, Michael Cavanagh, and Stu Mackenzie, the album also features a guest appearance from vocalist Leah Senior, who opened the shows and sat in with the band, on tracks 21–23, 46–51, and 84–85. The three concerts were three-hour “marathon sets” consisting of material from throughout the prolific band’s career. King Gizz was originally supposed to make their Red Rocks debut in May of 2020. However, the pandemic led to numerous postponements.

The collection is available via Bandcamp as part of the group’s bootlegger program, meaning fans are free to distribute the audio in physical formats if they provide copies for the band to sell on Gizzverse.com (official audio master files and cover art are available here). Scroll down to listen to “Live At Red Rocks ’22” 

“Live At Red Rocks ’22” arrives one day after King Gizzard shared a music video for the “Changes” song “Astroturf” featuring footage of the band tracking the song live in-studio. The band comment, “We filmed this live then overdubbed the fuck over it. Recording is fun.” 

King Gizzard’s long awaited Red Rocks debut featured nine hours of ‘no repeats’ over the course of the three nights, even with a repertoire as deep as Gizz’s, it was truly an epic feat. With an impressive total of eighty-six different songs, now available to stream is the just released compilation album featuring the full shows from the famed venue.

Live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO, USA, Oct 10th, Oct 11th and Nov 2nd 2022

Recorded by: Sam Joseph, Nico Wilson, Gaspard Demulemeester and Gabe Nardin
Mixed by Stu Mackenzie
Cover design by Jason Galea

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard returns to Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado for three shows this June as part of an upcoming North American tour.

The mockup here is a preliminary design – the final album package will feature Jason Galea’s original artwork + mind melting op art and video feedback artwork in the spirit of the band’s live visuals. Vinyl colors are accurate, splatter colors may change.

– Limited to 1000 Splatter Vinyl Box Sets featuring 86 Tracks over TWELVE 12″ LP’s!
– Custom Numbered Collectors Box w. shrink-wrap + hype sticker 
– Each 12″ in a custom photo board inner-sleeve
– A unique hypnotic op art inner label for each 12″
– Bonus “Mega” Double-Sided Poster 

Ambrose Kenny-Smith: Harmonica, Keys, Vocals, Saxophone, Percussion
Cook Craig: Guitar, Keys, Vocals, Synthesiser
Joey Walker: Guitar, Vocals, Synthesiser
Lucas Harwood: Bass
Michael Cavanagh: Drums
Stu Mackenzie: Guitar, Vocals, Flute, Keys

Leah Senior: Vocals track 21-23, 46-51, 84-85

Ten years ago The Lone Bellow emerged onto the Nashville scene and cast a musical spell with their finely crafted songs, delivered in hypnotic three-part harmony.

The Lone Bellow (Trio) is Zach Williams, Brian Elmquist and Kanene Donehey Pipkin, whose 2020 chart-topping “Half Moon Light” album spawned the Triple A radio hits “Count On Me” and “Dried Up River,” both of which hit #1 on the Americana Singles chart.

Critically-acclaimed as recording and performing artists, the band toured with Grammy and CMA award-winners Maren Morris and Kacey Musgraves. Their albums have been produced by the iconic Dave Cobb as well as Aaron Dessner of The National.

Most recently the trio completed their first self-produced album “Love Songs for Losers,” marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter in the band’s journey.

released January 26th, 2023
Written by Zach Williams, Brian Elmquist, and Kanene Pipkin

Ground breaking doesn’t even start to describe PiL’s album from 1978. Surrounded by polemic on its release, this is arguably where post-punk started. Released in December 1978 after the Sex Pistols’ break-up, “First Issue” is considered by many to be the first post-punk album. After the punk hangover, John Lydon set out to create a new sound that would stand apart from what other contemporary bands were doing, fully aware that it wouldn’t be understood by many of his old followers. For this he counted on the help of ex-Clash guitarist Keith Levene, first-time bassist Jah Wobble and Canadian drummer Jim Walker.

“First Issue” has been lovingly reproduced from the original UK 1978 release and this special reissue also comes with a clutch of post-punk era treasures.

The 2023 LP edition includes an expanded gatefold jacket, an archive replica fold-out poster, a Pil sticker, insert, and download card for the album, the archival BBC interview, and “he Cowboy Song.” all of which were approved and coordinated with John Lydon and his personal management. in 1976 Then Johnny Rotten and the Sex Pistols set the agenda for punk’s year zero with ‘Anarchy in the UK’, a song that summed up the spirit, sound and attitude of the band in one shocking package.

Two years later, the Sex Pistols were in tatters, but Rotten was as unsentimental as you’d hope. he reverted to his real name – John Lydon – and set about forming a band whose very identity kicked against press and media manipulation. featuring bassist Jah Wobble, drummer Jim Walker and guitarist Keith Levene, his new group was called Public Image Limited. the Public Image would be limited.

PiL were a very distinct prospect from the Pistols, founded with a greater thought for rhythm, and with a sound that turned the page from snarling punk to a more experimental sound fusing rock, dance, folk, ballet, pop and dub. but that’s not to say Lydon’s new outfit lacked vitriol. ‘Public Image’ hits out against the notorious british tabloid press, who never gave Lydon an easy ride, and against his own Sex Pistols Public Image – “you only saw me for the clothes i wore”. the debut single (and the album that followed) operated as a theme song and a manifesto: “…my entrance/my own creation/my grand finale/my goodbye,” as the lyrics had it. it is, essentially, the sound of four people letting loose in a studio – and not caring what anyone else thought. the album was never officially released in the USA back in the day, its sound considered too un-commercial by major labels for an american release.

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart’s 2009 self-titled debut album was truly an out-of-nowhere smash, garnering widespread acclaim from the likes of The New York Times (“sensitive and sublime, Best of 2009), Pitchfork (Best New Music, Best of 2009) and NME (“pure indiepop to hold close to your heart,” Best of 2009) to countless indiepop forums and blogs, and landing the band a dedicated following that endures to this day.

It’s no mean feat for a young band under the spotlight and the weight of expectations to create a second album that retains the qualities of the debut that so charmed the fans and press in the first place, but against tall odds The Pains succeeded.

It’s long been one of our most-requested reissues, so we’re *super* excited to announce that we have a new pressing of The Pains of Being Pure At Heart’s second album “Belong” coming in just a few weeks! On gorgeous ice blue/royal blue splatter vinyl, and initial direct copies with bonus print while supplies last.

The 2011 follow-up “Belong” aimed for the stars and hit the mark resoundingly, full to the brim with monster tunes and polished to powerful perfection by the production and mixing team of Flood (Depeche Mode, U2) and Alan Moulder (Smashing Pumpkins, Jesus and Mary Chain, Ride). The combination was a resounding success, vaulting the Pains to a spot in the alt-rock firmament rarely reached by indiepop bands and cementing their status as one of the seminal guitar-pop bands of the era.

Originally released March 29th, 2011

Pains Of Being Pure at Heart:
Kip Berman: Vox, Guitars Peggy Wang: Keyboards, Vox
Alex Naidus: Bass, Backing Vox Kurt Feldman: Drums, Percussion
Additional Guitars Performed By Christoph Hochheim