The Fat Angel Sings

Effectively the album that “The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars” could have been had David Bowie not decided to drop four tracks in favour of the songs “Starman”, “Rock’n’Roll Suicide”, “Suffragette City” and a cover of Ron Davies’ “It Ain’t Easy”, “Waiting In The Sky (Before The Starman Came To Earth)” significantly redraws the blueprint for the breakout Bowie album fans already know and love.

On Side One, in place of “Starman” (one of the last three tracks recorded for the album, in February 1972), is “Round and Round”, a cover of the Chuck Berry classic, which Bowie eventually put on the B-side of “Drive-In Saturday”, in 1973. Instead of “It Ain’t Easy”, “Waiting For The Sky’s” first side concludes with Bowie’s dramatic version of Jacques Brel’s “Amsterdam“, which would later appear as the B-side of “Sorrow”, the sole single lifted from Bowie’s covers album, “Pin Ups”.

Side Two of this original, 15th December 1971 track-list of “Ziggy Stardust” also featured two long-time non-LP fan favourites, “Holy Holy” and “Velvet Goldmine”. The version of “Holy Holy” that features here is The Spiders From Mars’ re-recording of Bowie’s 1971 standalone single – a take that didn’t officially surface until it became the B-side of the “Diamond Dogs” single, in June 1974, by which time Bowie had long since jettisoned his Ziggy Stardust alter ego.

The cover of “Waiting In The Sky (Before The Starman Came To Earth)” features a photo of David taken at an early Ziggy Stardust period session by Brian Ward, and the two sides of the inner bags are the fronts of the two Trident Studios tape boxes. The album’s title comes from the lyrics of ‘Starman’, which, along with ‘Rock ’N’ Roll Suicide’ and ‘Suffragette City’, had not yet been recorded when this variation of the album was compiled.

DAVID BOWIE – ” Waiting in the Sky (Before the Starman Came to Earth) “ Record Store Day 2024

First time on vinyl; breakout of live material from Tim (Let It Bleed Edition) featuring the original lineup performing in January 1986 the week of their infamous performance on Saturday Night Live (hence the title).

“Not Ready For Prime Time” was recently released in its entirety as part of the exhaustive deluxe box set edition of The Replacements’ classic album “Tim”. However, with copies of that multi-disc collection retailing for around the £100 mark, this new standalone vinyl edition of this fantastic live show from January 1986 is a positive boon for all serious ’Mats fans.

Featuring 28 tracks in all, it captures a suitably passionate performance from the band’s classic, Bob Stinson-era line-up, with the track-list offering tunes from all the group’s albums, from their debut, “Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash£, up to and including “Tim”, in addition to inspired covers of songs such as The Beatles’ “Nowhere Man”, The Cramps’ “The Crusher” and KISS’ “Black Diamond“. Edgy, tanked-up and just the right side of sloppy, 

“Not Ready For Prime Time” captures The Replacements’ live experience in excelsis.

Nine tracks in length, “Fu##in’ Up” captures a secret, surprise set at Toronto’s Rivoli that Young and Crazy Horse performed last November, reportedly hosted by Canada Goose CEO Dani Reiss.

Sure enough, Reiss appears in album credits hosted on the artist’s Neil Young Archives website, which also point to additional guitar, piano and vocals from Micah Nelson — the youngest son of Willie Nelson, who performs and records as Particle Kid.

At the Rivoli that November evening, Young and the Horse were said to have performed their 1990 album “Ragged Glory” in its entirety. “Fu##in’ Up’s” track-list, found below, largely stays true to that LP’s track sequence, though closer “Mother Earth (Natural Anthem)” is absent. Save for the band’s cover of “Farmer John,” the new release’s songs have been retitled using fragments of their lyrics.

“In the spirit it’s offered…made this for the Horse lovers,” Young shared of the album in a statement. “I can’t stop it. The horse is runnin’. What a ride we have. I don’t want to mess with the vibe. I am so happy to have this to share.”

Young has shared that “Fu##in’ Up” will first see release as a limited edition, clear vinyl 2LP set as part of Record Store Day 2024, complete with a lithograph print of the album art. This edition will also be available on April 20th via Young’s own Greedy Hand Store, ahead of black vinyl, CD and digital editions arriving widely on April 26th.

Fu##in’ Up:

1. City Life (Country Home)
2. Feels Like a Railroad (River of Pride) [White Line]
3. Heart of Steel (Fuckin’ Up)
4. Broken Circle (Over and Over)
5. Valley of Hearts (Love to Burn)
6. Farmer John
7. Walkin’ in My Place (Road of Tears) [Mansion on the Hill]
8. To Follow One’s Own Dream [Day That Used to Be]
9. A Chance on Love (Love and Only Love)

2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Ramones. This collection includes their earliest known studio recordings for Sire Records, 

Housed in a sleeve featuring a fantastic photo of “Da Bruddas” riding the New York City subway, the self-explanatory “1975 Sire Demos” includes Ramones’ earliest-known studio recordings, helmed either by Tommy Ramone or Red Star Records’ mogul, Marty Thau. Most of the songs “53rd & 3rd”, “Loudmouth”, “I Don’t Wanna Walk Around With You”, “Chainsaw” would shortly feature in official form on The Ramones’ game-changing self-titled debut album, but even these early takes of the songs fizz with a barely controlled excitement, suggesting something new and extremely seismic would soon be blowing up on a much wider scale.

“The Spotlight Kid” is the sixth studio album by Captain Beefheart. Originally released in 1972, it is the only album credited solely to Captain Beefheart rather than Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band, although every member is featured, and its material is considered part of the band’s repertoire. Released for RSD 2024 as a 2LP in gatefold jacket with milky clear coloured vinyl.

Captain Beefheart’s sixth album, “The Spotlight Kid”, is often referred to as his “commercial” album. Admittedly, such a claim is easier to make when one considers that it arrived in the slipstream of such courageous titles as “Trout Mask Replica” and “Lick My Decals Off, Baby”, but even allowing for that, 

“The Spotlight Kid” is atypically linear and accessible by Beefheart’s usual arcane standards. Despite lacking an official credit for The Magic Band, Don Van Vliet’s usual crew were all present and correct for the recording, which includes numerous highlights – not least “I’m Gonna Booglarize You Baby”, “Grow Fins” and the splendidly titled “Alice In Blunderland”. Taking its place among the best Record Store Day 2024 vinyl releases, “The Spotlight Kid” now returns to the limelight on “milky clear” double vinyl and in a smart gatefold sleeve.

Live soundboard recording of “Yes – Live At The Yale Bowl 1971” and is from July 24, 1971 during the “YES” album tour. It was recorded at the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut.

Yes were riding high in 1971 following the release of their third album, “The Yes Album”, which brokered the band’s commercial breakthrough in both the UK and the US. Consequently, stateside demand for the prog-rock legends-in-waiting was high, and the band didn’t disappoint when they crossed the Atlantic for a series of shows in Canada and North America in the summer of that year.

Indeed, the jubilant atmosphere of those shows was captured by this excellent soundboard recording of the group’s final US gig of the year, at the cavernous Yale Bowl, in New Haven, Connecticut, on 24th July 1971. Imperious versions of “The Yes Album” highlights such as “Yours Is No Disgrace”, “I’ve Seen All Good People” and “Perpetual Change” ensures the release’s spot among the best Record Store Day 2024 vinyl releases.

Drums, Percussion: Bill Bruford Bass, Vocals: Chris Squire Percussion, Vocals: John Anderson Acoustic Guitar: Steve Howe Electric Guitar: Portuguese Guitar: Vocals: Moog, Organ, Piano: Tony Kaye

Excited to announce the upcoming reissue of Lowell’s  only solo album by rock and roll singer-songwriter his debut solo effort. “Thanks, I’ll Eat It Here” by Lowell George is to be released as a “Deluxe Edition”, A 2 record set for Record Store Day on Saturday, April 20, 2024. While George is best known for his work with the band Little Feat, by 1977 Lowell felt that they were moving increasingly into jazz-rock, a form in which he felt little interest. As a result, he began working on his own album. “Thanks I’ll Eat It Here” is an eclectic mix of styles reminiscent of Little Feat’s earlier albums – in particular “Dixie Chicken”, on which the track “Two Trains” originally appeared.

The release will be 3,500 units, only available on vinyl for now. A CD release will only be considered if there is a demand for it and this package sells out immediately. . Released weeks before his untimely death in 1979, this exclusive Record Store Day reissue Includes the original album cut from the original master tapes and a bonus album including previously unreleased alternate versions and outtakes from the recording sessions plus liner notes from the George family.

Originally released on Warner Brothers Records, this Rhino Records release looks to be very nice. Darryl Norsen did the layout, cleaning up the cover art by Neon Park, adding the additional outtake and alternate takes to the track listing on the back cover while maintaining the original design elements. He also gave the sleeve inserts a facelift. Huge props go out to Jason Jones, Director of A & R and Mark Pinkus, President of Rhino Entertainment Company

Mudhoney’s major-label-released 90s recordings previously snuck out together on CD as “Real Low Vibe: The Reprise Recordings”, in 2020, but this reissue of that collection, under the new name of “Suck You Dry: The Reprise Years“, marks the first time the material has been issued in a vinyl box set. Easily one of the best Record Store Day 2024 vinyl releases, the collection again frontloads the Seattle grunge icons’ three Reprise albums, “Piece Of Cake”, “My Brother The Crow” and “Tomorrow Hit Today”, but it also includes two bonus LPs of live tracks; liner notes by Keith Cameron, author of the book Mudhoney: The Sound And The Fury From Seattle; and fresh artwork by illustrator Edwin Fotheringham.

New 5LP box set featuring the Godfather’s of Grunge’s three Reprise studio albums and an EP as well as two bonus LPs of live tracks, B-Sides and unreleased demos all making their debut on vinyl. This limited set includes the first North American pressing of their Reprise debut: “Piece Of Cake”

Originally aligned with the legendary 2 Tone label, Birmingham ska-pop heroes The Beat established their legend with their brilliant 1980 debut album, “I Just Can’t Stop It” an infectious hits-stuffed affair which climbed to No.3 in the UK. Musically wider in scope, the group’s 1981 follow-up, “Wh’appen?”, embraced reggae, dub and African influences on gentler tracks including “Drowning”, “Doors Of Your Heart” and “Dream Home In New Zealand“, although the hard-hitting social commentary inherent in songs such as “Cheated” and “Get A Job” showed that Dave Wakeling, Ranking Roger and company remained as politically aware as ever. 

“Wh’appen” went Top 5 following its original release, and it now returns with an additional disc’s worth of non-album singles and remixes, making for a real highlight among the best Record Store Day 2024 vinyl releases.

After Ian McCulloch left Echo And The Bunnymen in 1988, he launched a solo career, releasing two solo albums, “Candleland” and “Mysterio”, while his former bandmates continued under the Echo And The Bunnymen moniker, recruiting new frontman Noel Burke and releasing the underrated “Reverberation” in 1990. The split was less than harmonious, but McCulloch and guitarist Will Sergeant later buried the hatchet and teamed up to form Electrafixion in 1994, along with bassist Leon De Sylva and drummer Tony McGuigan.

Released that same year, the group’s lone album, “Burned”, ultimately acted as a bridge to The Bunnymen’s full-blown 1997 reunion record, “Evergreen”; but as the likes of “Zephyr”, “Sister Pain” and the Johnny Marr co-write, “Lowdown”, reveal, it was a quality release on its own terms.