The Fat Angel Sings

Esoteric Recordings is proud to announce the release of a new re-mastered limited edition boxed set of the classic debut album by VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR, “The Aerosol Grey Machine“.

Van Der Graaf Generator were true pioneers of so-called Progressive rock, and their impressive career spanning five decades features many ground-breaking works. Always progressing stylistically in the true sense of the word, Van Der Graaf Generator’s music remains inspirational. Formed in Manchester University in 1967, VDGG initially featured Peter Hammill (vocals, guitar), Chris Judge Smith (drums, vocals) and Nick Pearne (organ). The band signed to Mercury Records in May 1968 after the submission of a two-track demo tape. Nick Pearne departed the fold and Hammill and Smith relocated to London recruiting keyboard player Hugh Banton.

By the Autumn of 1968 the band had signed a management contract with Tony Stratton-Smith and had recruited drummer Guy Evans and bassist Keith Ellis into the group. This line-up recorded the single ‘People You Were Going To’ & ‘Firebrand’ in 1968 and a session for BBC Radio One, before Chris Judge Smith departed. The ‘People You Were Going To’ single, issued in January 1969, was withdrawn just days after release due a contractual dispute with Mercury Records.

After several months of touring, including a support spot for the Jimi Hendrix Experience at the Royal Albert Hall, the band broke up after the theft of their equipment and on-going contractual difficulties. The Aerosol Grey Machine sessions began life as an intended solo album for Peter Hammill, featuring Banton, Evans and Ellis as session players. However, the album appeared in September 1969 in USA only credited to Van Der Graaf Generator as part of a contractual settlement which enabled the band to sign to Tony Stratton-Smith’s newly formed Charisma Records label later that year (for whom they would record a series of classic albums). A planned UK release by Mercury of “The Aerosol Grey Machine” (which featured a different and lavish gatefold sleeve design) was shelved after a handful of test pressings were made.

This deluxe set celebrates the 50th anniversary of the very first Van Der Graaf Generator release and features the re-mastered album, an additional CD of rare & previously unreleased tracks including two previously unreleased demos from 1967, the complete BBC Radio Top Gear session from 1968 (including the “lost” previously unreleased version of ‘Octopus’) & the single tracks ‘People You Were Going To’ and ‘Firebrand’, a facsimile 180 gram vinyl LP of “The Aerosol Grey Machine” (cut at Abbey Road Studios) housed in the impossibly rare unreleased British gatefold sleeve design, a 7-inch single of the very rare withdrawn release ‘People You Were Going To’ b/w ‘Firebrand’, a lavish book with many previously unseen photos and cuttings and an essay by Sid Smith featuring an exclusive interview with Peter Hammill and a replica 1968 poster designed by Peter Hammill.

• A RE-MASTERED SPECIAL 50th ANNIVERSARY DELUXE 2CD, 1 x LP AND 1 X 7-INCH SINGLE LIMITED EDITION BOXED SET OF THE CLASSIC 1969 DEBUT ALBUM BY VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR… FEATURING:
• A CD OF RARE & PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED TRACKS INCLUDING TWO PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED DEMOS FROM 1967, THE BBC TOP GEAR SESSION FROM 1968 (INCLUDING THE “LOST” PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED VERSION OF “OCTOPUS”) & THE SINGLE TRACKS ‘PEOPLE YOU WERE GOING TO’ & ‘FIREBRAND’
• A FACSIMILE 180 GRAM VINYL LP OF “THE AEROSOL GREY MACHINE” HOUSED IN THE WITHDRAWN UK GATEFOLD SLEEVE DESIGN (CUT AT ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS)
• A 7-INCH SINGLE OF THE VERY RARE WITHDRAWN RELEASE “PEOPLE YOU WERE GOING TO” b/w ‘FIREBRAND”
• A BOOK WITH MANY PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN PHOTOS AND CUTTINGS AND AN ESSAY BY SID SMITH FEATURING AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH PETER HAMMILL
• A 1968 POSTER DESIGNED BY PETER HAMMILL

Narrated by the legendary poet and musician John Cooper Clark, “Anarchy in Manchester” showcases the vibrant music scene of the late 1970s by recovering the unique – and largely unseen – performances filmed for Granada TV’s series “So It Goes“. This is a nostalgic feast of great music from one of the most creative moments for rock music in Britain. “So It Goes” was a music magazine series fronted by the legendary Tony Wilson, later co-founder of Factory Records and founder and manager of The Hacienda nightclub. In two series screened in just three of the ITV regions in 1976 and 1977, “So It Goes” featured the first television performance by The Sex Pistols, showcased Iggy Pop, Elvis Costello and Van Morrison, and filmed in the studio and at Manchester clubs all the greats of early British punk: The Jam, The Clash, XTC, The Buzzcocks, The Stranglers and Siouxsie and the Banshees. All of these musicians appear in the six-part series.

• In six half-hour programmes presents the very best of So It Goes, Granada Television’s music show presented by the late Tony Wilson of Factory Records and Hacienda fame.

The show’s first series, produced by Chris Pye, gave the Sex Pistols their first ever TV appearance, and featured performances by Patti Smith. It also included occasional non-punk guests such as journalist Clive James and comedian Peter Cook (hosting a ‘Riff of the Month’ competition). The second series, produced by Geoff Moore, featured performances by the Jam, the Clash, Buzzcocks, The Stranglers, and Siouxsie and the Banshees. An expletive-strewn appearance by Iggy Pop proved too much for Granada bosses, leading to the cancellation of a third series.

• Episode One: John Cooper Clarke Intro Sex Pistols – Anarchy In The Uk John Cooper Clarke – Majorca Buzzcocks – What Do I Get? Malcolm Mclaren – Interview Penetration – Don’t Dictate The Jam – Slow Down
• Episode Two: John Cooper Clarke Intro The Stranglers – Something Better Change John Cooper Clarke – You’ll Never See A Nipple In The Daily Express Nick Lowe – Shake An Pop The Clash – Capital Radio The Clash – Janie Jones Ian Dury – A Bus Driver’s Prayer Elvis Costello – Lip Service Episode Three: John Cooper Clarke Intro Elvis Costello & The Attractions – I Don’t Want To Go To Chelsea Magazine – Motorcade Siouxsie & The Banshees – Make Up To Break Up Mink Deville – Little Girl Magazine – Shot By Both Sides
• Episode Four: John Cooper Clarke Intro The Pirates – I Can Tell Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers – Interview Tom Robinson Band – 2-4-6-8 Motorway Iggy Pop- Interview Iggy Pop – The Passenger Iggy Pop – Lust For Life
• Episode Five: John Cooper Clarke Intro Elvis Costello & The Attractions – No Dancing Poly Styrene – Interview The Jam – In The City The Jam – All Around The World Elvis Costello & The Attractions – Watching The Detectives Tom Robinson Band – Glad To Be Gay
• Episode Six: John Cooper Clarke Intro Steel Pulse – Macka Splaff Xtc – Neon Shuffle Muddy Waters – The Blues Had A Baby The Clash – What’s My Name The Clash – Garageland

Neil Young and Crazy Horse were deep into a blistering set on Central Parks Great Lawn when Young made an announcement: We re joining forces up here for you. Dave Grohl and Dan Auerbach then took to the stage with their guitars to tear through a ten-minute version of “Rockin in the Free World”, slashing power-chords while reverently watching the master take over, Young wrenching hazy, piercing, dissonant squeals from his Les Paul and shaking violently. Young;s feedback-soaked set – which ranged from “Powderfinger” to new cuts like the autobiographical “Born in Ontario” and the spooky jam “Walk Like a Giant” was an epic finale to the Global Citizen Festival, which drew more than 60,000 people to Central Park on 28th September 2012, included were the Black Keys, the Foo Fighters, Band of Horses, and others.

Organized by the Global Poverty Project to raise awareness about extreme poverty, the concert incorporated films about malaria, polio and other tragic diseases, played between performances while speakers dropped sad statistics ( every minute we lose a child under five to preventable diseases; 300,000 women die every year of poverty ). This didn t exactly get the vast audience in the mind-set to rock, but the mission was clear. Most tickets were free, with fans earning them by sharing information about extreme poverty on social media. Young was focused on the present, playing several new songs in a set that featured only two tracks released before 1989. It began with a heavy, nearly fifteen-minute jam on “Ragged Glory’s” “Love and Only Love”, with Young and guitarist Frank Poncho Sampedro facing each other, playing blistering solos with punk attack. Young quickly then launched into “Powderfinger”, full of twin-guitar mastery. He also went acoustic for moving versions of “The Needle and the Damage Done” and the new “Twisted Road“. I’m remembering the first time I ever came here for an audition, Young said of New York City before the twangy new “Born in Ontario“. It s a great place, even though I didn’t get it.

The set contains just eight songs with some great extended solos and Neil is on great form. Although its an electric set, there are a couple of acoustic songs, The version here of ‘Born In Ontario’ is just superb. The heavy rock side along with the more easy style make this overall a hugely enjoyable set, but the cherry on the musical cake is the version of ‘Rocking I The Free World’ .

For those who like electric, high energy Neil Young and Crazy Horse this is a great 70 minutes of live music from New York’s Central Park. From the opening chords of Love and Only Love, Neil and Poncho Sampedro sound energised. The concert includes previews of tracks from “Psychedelic Pill” as well as an acoustic “The Needle and the Damage Done“, and the grunge classics “Powderfinger”, “F***** Up” .

Shape-shifting UK post-punk/art-rock Squid continue their evolution with their third album “Cowards”, which follows 2023’s O Monolith. The album features a number of guest collaborators, including their Warp labelmate, singer/songwriter Clarissa Connelly, as well as chamber strings group Ruisi Quartet. The singles they’ve released thus far find them embracing a densely layered, krautrock-inspired psychedelia, and both sound great. Also: fantastic album art. 

releases February 7th 2025 on Warp Records

Jeannie Piersol is one of the enigmas of the mid-1960s San Francisco rock scene. Though little known, the distinctive singer emerged from the same community to the south of San Francisco that nurtured the principals of the Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead, Big Brother and other enabling constituents of the city’s future rock meritocracy.

Close friends with Grace Slick and her brother-in-law Darby Slick, Piersol duetted with Grace in an embryonic line-up of pathfinding early SF outfit The Great! Society, before leaving to front her own band, The Yellow Brick Road, 

In 1968, singer Jeannie Piersol released her first single, “Gladys,” which featured backing vocals from then-up-and-coming soul legend Minnie Riperton. Piersol was making in-roads in the San Francisco music scene, but she never broke out the way many of her peers like Grace Slick did. Instead, Piersol walked away from the music industry, leaving behind only a handful of singles. “The Nest” is the first album-length collection of Piersol’s songs, cobbled together from old singles, studio outtakes, and live performances. It’s an entrancing little time capsule, a glimpse into a future that never came to be.

Jeannie Piersol’s hip hybrid of rock, soul and Indian flavors is revealed for the first time in this unprecedented collection that features both of her sought-after Cadet singles, never-before-heard studio recordings, demos, and live performances from the legendary Matrix nightclub!

Deafheaven have announced a new album. “Lonely People With Power is the metal band’s follow-up to 2021’s “Infinite Granite”, with Justin Meldal-Johnsen returning as producer. Lead single “Magnolia” is also out now. Watch the Chelsea Jade and Sean Stout–directed music video for it below.

‘Magnolia’ sees the American post-metal band return to their hardcore roots, featuring thrashing drums, heavy and gritty guitars and George Clarke’s screeching and powerful vocals as he sings: “Warm winds blow / Secrets we die with / Trembling weakness is what haunts us now.” 

“Lonely People With Power” is out March 28th. It’s Deafheaven’s first album for Roadrunner Records; their previous albums arrived via Deathwish, Anti-, and Sargent House.

The band—featuring vocalist George Clarke, guitarists Kerry McCoy and Shiv Mehra, bassist Christopher Johnson, and drummer Daniel Tracy—invited Interpol’s Paul Banks and Boy Harsher’s Jae Matthews to guest on the new album.

A press release has described ‘Lonely People With Power’ as the band’s “most ambitious release yet.”

Garage-Punk sensation Sprints from Dublin, Ireland signed to City Slang and are releasing this session through bandcamp.

It’s a testament to their explosive live show, and further evidence that they are one of the most ferocious and exciting acts to emerge in recent years. 

released May 2nd, 2024

Madeline Link, who makes music under the moniker Packs, has always found inspiration in her surroundings. When it came to newest effort “Melt the Honey” which is her second full-length release in the space of a year, she wanted to look beyond the mundane spaces that had informed much of her previous work. Over the course of 11 days last March, Link and the rest of her band Dexter Nash [guitar], Noah O’Neil [bass] and Shane Hooper [drums]) gathered in Mexico City, a city that already held a special place in her heart as an artist-in-residence at Casa Lü in 2020). Packs practiced new songs in a rented studio space, with each member bringing their aesthetic sensibility to the table. From there, they took a bus to Xalapa where they spent the remainder of their time abroad working at a house known as Casa pulpo, an architectural feat removed from the bustle of city life, owned and operated by Wendy Moira.

The making of “Melt the Honey” was a communal experience, with the same group of musicians who have joined her since her “Take the Cake” debut in 2021 taking part once again. Part of the vibrancy of the recording also comes from an underlying emotional shift in Link’s life: falling in love. After doing it alone for so long, Link is finally embracing the sense of ease that comes with knowing you’re cared for. “These songs are happier, or more optimistic, than any I’ve written,” Link says. “I was feeling generally less horrible than I have in the past,” she laughs. The album’s title draws from the single “Honey,” written in a Chilean beach town where Link briefly lived ensconced in these feelings, sharing a home with her romantic partner and allowing herself to experience life in an easier way, through the lens of having someone by her side. While Link is in a happier state-of-mind, “Melt the Honey” still finds a way to dig into the grit of her emotions, exploring new sonic territory as she goes. From the scuzzy shoegaze of “Pearly Whites” to the psych-textured interlude of “AmyW,” “Melt the Honey” is the band at their most fully-formed yet; unafraid to experiment while simultaneously doubling down on their signature quirky earworms that reverberate with universal appeal. 

released January 19th, 2024

Bass: Noah O’Neil
Drums, tambourine, shaker: Shane Hooper
Lead Guitar, keys on Honey, Take Care: Dexter Nash
Rhythm and acoustic guitars, vocals, rusty nail: Madeline Link
Spanish vocals on Missy: Lupita Rico
Keys on Honey, AmyW: Diego Parragué

All songs written by Madeline Link