The Fat Angel Sings

To celebrate the 50th Anniversary Ace Records are delighted to offer a three-LP limited edition compilation of where it all started – Chiswick Records.

Back in November 1975, Ted Carroll finally made his dream of starting an independent label a reality when Chiswick released their first single – The Count Bishop’s “Speedball” EP.

Flanked by Roger Armstrong and Trevor Churchill, Chiswick were in the right place at the right time. They were soon releasing singles that dropped anchor in pub rock, punk, metal, pop and rockabilly by the likes of the 101’ers, Motörhead, the Gorillas, the Radio Stars, the Radiators, the Stukas and many more.

There were also big names before they got bigger. Joe Strummer led the 101’ers. Johnny and the Self Abusers later morphed into Simple Minds whereas Riff Raff featured a young Billy Bragg. Solo artist Jakko became a mainstay of a later incarnation of King Crimson.

Over seven years, Chiswick singles not only sold well but the label even managed score chart singles with artists as diverse as the Radio Stars, Sniff ‘n’ the Tears, Rocky Sharpe & The Replays and the Damned.

Compiled by Roger Armstrong this 3-LP set pulls together some of the finest 45rpm output from Chiswick issued between 1975 and 1982. From the well-known to Minor Classics.

Roger Armstrong and Ted Carroll have also penned the informative line notes with stories ranging from hiring an aeroplane to take a promoter to see a gig in France in those early days, how a brief piano part was added to the Damned’s ‘Smash It Up’ and Thin Lizzy’s Phil Lynott came to produce Terry Woods ‘Tennessee Stud’.

SIDE ONE
1. TEENAGE LETTER – THE COUNT BISHOPS
2. KEYS TO YOUR HEART – THE 101’ERS
3. TRAIN TRAIN – THE COUNT BISHOPS
4. GATECRASHER – THE GORILLAS
5. DIRTY PICTURES – THE RADIO STARS
6. TELEVISION SCREEN (single version) – THE RADIATORS FROM SPACE
 
SIDE TWO
1. MOTORHEAD – MOTÖRHEAD
2. DO IT 77 – TWINK AND THE FAIRIES
3. NO ONE – JOHNNY MOPED
4. SAINTS AND SINNERS – JOHNNY AND THE SELF ABUSERS
5. NIGHT OF THE WEREWOLF – LEE KRISTOFFERSON
6. HANG LOOSE (I’VE GOTTA ROCK) – WHIRLWIND
 
SIDE THREE
1. I WANNA BE FREE – THE RINGS
2. I WANT YOU TO DANCE WITH ME – JEFF HILL
3. COMMON TRUTH – AMAZORBLADES
4. NERVOUS WRECK – THE RADIO STARS
5. ROMFORD GIRLS – RIFF RAFF
6. KLEAN LIVING KIDS – THE STUKAS
 
SIDE FOUR
1. I WANT CANDY – THE BISHOPS
2. RAMA LAMA DING DONG – ROCKY SHARPE & THE REPLAYS
3. DRIVER’S SEAT – SNIFF ‘N’ THE TEARS
4. SONG OF THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED – THE RADIATORS
5. HEY BABY – DISGUISE
6. I TAKE WHAT I WANT – THE BISHOPS
 
SIDE FIVE
1. LOVE SONG – THE DAMNED
2. SMASH IT UP – THE DAMNED
3. RADIOACTIVE KID – THE METEORS
4. TOMAHAWK CRUISE – T V SMITH’S EXPLORERS
5. THAT DRIVING BEAT – RED BEANS AND RICE
6. AUTOMOBILE – THE STICK SHIFTS
 
SIDE SIX
1. HEART – ROCKY SHARPE & THE REPLAYS
2. SIGN LANGUAGE – MINOR CLASSICS
3. TENNESSEE STUD – TERRY WOODS
4. GO GO GO – ALBANIA
5. KWAGAYO – TWO TWO Chiswick
6. GRAB WHAT YOU CAN (BIEZ CO MOZESZ) – JAKKO

Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me is a 2012 documentary film about American rock band Big Star, directed by Drew DeNicola and Olivia Mori.

Exclusively premiered by Rolling Stone, the final episode of the Memphis Masters series focuses on quintessential power pop band Big Star and their influential 1972 debut album, “#1 Record”, as well as the 1974 follow-up, “Radio City”, both considered rock ’n’ roll milestones by critics and musicians alike. The episode features interviews with sole surviving Big Star member, drummer Jody Stephens, recording artists Mike Mills (R.E.M.), Van Duren (Loveland Duren & Baker Street Regulars), Steve Selvidge (The Hold Steady), Chris Milam, and producer Boo Mitchell.

“Vitriol,” released in 2025, is Cloning’s debut full-length album, running approximately 35 minutes. The production is noted for being cleaner and more refined than previous releases, with a deeper, more immersive sound that enhances the listening experience. The album blends indie rock and pop elements, with some reviewers noting a subtle resemblance to Tame Impala, though many consider Cloning’s approach more compelling and original

The album features a mix of laid-back tracks and harder rock songs, showcasing versatility across the indie and punk rock spectrum. The addition of a female vocalist on select tracks adds texture and lifts the overall sound. The instrumentation carries a confident, swaggering energy, reminiscent of Australian punk rock aesthetics, with lyrics delivered with intensity and presence

Critics have praised “Vitriol” for its cohesive flow and engaging quality, noting that the album feels longer than its runtime due to its immersive nature. It has been described as an easy listen with no weak tracks, making it a strong debut effort. 

As Bob Dylan nears UK shores once more and a box set of his extraordinary 1976 shows emerges, MOJO digs in, and reflects on Dylan’s other ground-breaking tours, including 2026’s, with its mysterious rotating cast of guitarists.

Also in this issue: back to Amy Winehouse’s “Back To Black” 20 years on; inside Roxy Music’s “For Your Pleasure“; Hail! Hail! Chuck Berry’s rock’n’roll legacy; Queens of the Stone Age return from the brink; Fela Kuti against the world; and new roots radicals Twisted Teens!

Plus: Fontaines D.C.; Alice Cooper; Bernie Taupin; Simple Minds; Brian Epstein; Tony Iommi; Jimmy Webb; Soft Machine; Willis Alan Ramsey; Dhani Harrison; Swervedriver; neo-soul; all back to Johnny Clarke’s; and more!

This month’s covermount CD is Mystical Children: The Men And Women Of Rolling Thunder. 15 tracks by Dylan’s all-star cohorts on his landmark tours, ’75-’76. Includes: Joan Baez, Scarlet Rivera, Kinky Friedman, T Bone Burnett, David Mansfield, *AND* an exclusive track from Dylan’s upcoming 1976 live box set!!!

The new issue of MOJO is on UK newsstands from Tuesday October 13th

The Dukes of Stratosphear were the alter ego of XTC in the mid ’80s, a time when psychedelic music was seemingly confined to the dustbin of history despite slowly emerging scenes in the UK and the US. The band adopted pseudonyms in order to make music more obviously in thrall to the 60s psychedelic experiences they’d had as youths, and strangely enough, the Dukes started to sell more records than their parent band. Indeed, producer John Leckie was chosen by The Stone Roses after they’d heard his work on “25 O’Clock” and “Psonic Psunspot“, the two albums collected here.

Remixed in Dolby Atmos from the original multi-track master tapes by Steven Wilson, with the band’s approval. The collection also includes Wilson’s acclaimed 2019 stereo mixes of “25 O’Clock” and “Psonic Psunspot”, plus two additional tracks. A Blu-ray edition expands the set with Atmos, 5.1 surround, the original stereo mixes and the complete album demos in high-resolution audio.

In 2025, to commemorate 30 years since the release of his second solo album, “Teenager of the Year”, Frank Black undertook an anniversary tour of the USA and Europe which culminated in an incredible final show at the London Palladium, recorded for this release.
The album “Teenager of the Year” was played in full and in sequence and was topped and tailed by five live cuts from his self-titled debut solo album. “Teenager of the Year” was referred to as “the best album Pixies never made”, and the show includes blistering live versions of many of the most loved Frank Black solo tracks including ‘Headache’, ‘Calistan’, ‘Speedy Marie’ as well as ‘Los Angeles’ and ‘I Heard Ramona Sing’.

This RSD Black Friday release is a brand new unreleased live album, with exclusive new artwork, pressed on gold, green and red vinyl.

Jefferson Airplane “Takes Off” 60th Anniversary Edition celebrates the debut album from Jefferson Airplane. For the first time, the expanded edition is presented on vinyl as a 2-LP set, featuring nine bonus tracks. Originally released in August 1966, the album includes the classics “It’s No Secret” and “High Flying Bird.”

Often hailed as one of the greatest debut albums by an American band – and a crucial chapter in the story of the San Francisco music scene, Jefferson Airplane “Takes Off” in some ways is the most consistent and unencumbered of the Airplane’s studio albums: the raw sound of a new band, full of fire and energy, not having a clue what is right around the corner. Jefferson Airplane ultimately became one of the most important bands in rock history and a significant cultural force. Their music made a difference. And this is where it all began.

Jefferson Airplane “Takes Off” 60th Anniversary Edition celebrates the debut album from Jefferson Airplane. For the first time, the expanded edition is presented on vinyl as a set, featuring 9 bonus tracks. Originally released in August 1966, the album includes the classics “It’s No Secret” and “High Flying Bird.” Often hailed as one of the greatest debut albums by an American band – and a crucial chapter in the story of the San Francisco music scene, Jefferson Airplane “Takes Off” in some ways is the most consistent and unencumbered of the Airplane’s studio albums: the raw sound of a new band, full of fire and energy, not having a clue what is right around the corner. Jefferson Airplane ultimately became one of the most important bands in rock history and a significant cultural force. Their music made a difference. And this is where it all began. Previously available as a 2003 expanded CD edition, this anniversary release is now available for the first time on vinyl including alternate versions, liner notes, and rare photos, offering a deeper look at the album and the band’s early years.

Available exclusively at independent record stores for RSD Black Friday, this 2-LP set pressed on blue marble vinyl marks the expanded edition’s first appearance on vinyl.

Tracklist
SIDE A
1. Blues From An Airplane
2. Let Me In
3. Bringing Me Down
4. It’s No Secret
5. Tobacco Road
SIDE B
1. Come Up The Years
2. Run Around
3. Let’s Get Together
4. Don’t Slip Away
5. Chauffeur Blues
6. And I Like It
SIDE C
1. Runnin’ ‘Round This World (Mono – Uncensored Single Version)
2. High Flying Bird
3. It’s Alright
4. Go To Her (Early Version)
5. Let Me In (Original Uncensored Version)
6. Run Around (Original Uncensored Version)
SIDE D
1. Chauffeur Blues (Alternate Version)
2. And I Like It (Alternate Version)
3. Blues from an Airplane (Instrumental Track)

Billy Joel Tonight captures Billy’s December 5th, 1976 performance at Connecticut College, recorded for his first-ever television special. For nearly fifty years, most of the concert’s multitrack recordings remained unreleased. Now, for the first time, the show is presented in stereo, newly mixed from the original tapes. This release features the bulk of the concert from those multitrack recordings, along with performances of “I’ve Loved These Days” and “Souvenir” recorded during a December 6th production session.

Also included are “Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway)” and “Captain Jack,” from the original 1977 TV special master. Also included with this RSD Black Friday release is an exclusive 12”x12” print. Together, all these pieces offer a newly restored document of the important era surrounding “Turnstiles“.

Introducing Turnstiles 50th Anniversary Edition, a 4CD + Blu-ray set celebrating Billy Joel’s 1976 album that features classics like “New York State of Mind,” “Summer, Highland Falls,” and “Say Goodbye to Hollywood.” This expanded set contains 67 audio tracks, including 54 never before commercially available.

Hear the previously unreleased “Oklahoma,” the audio debut of fan favourite “Handball,” four tracks from the abandoned Dee Murray/Nigel Olsson sessions and more.

Also included: the complete 1976 Billy Joel “Tonight” concert film, newly transferred and mixed for HD, unseen rehearsal and production footage, a new Dolby Atmos mix of “Turnstiles” and a 40-page booklet featuring unseen photographs and new liner notes.

The collection also includes the complete Billy Joel Tonight concert film, filmed live at Connecticut College in 1976, newly transferred, edited, and mixed for HD by Emmy-winners Steve Cohen, Brian Ruggles and Bradshaw Leigh, alongside previously unseen rehearsal and production footage. Additional features include a Dolby Atmos mix of the original “Turnstiles” album and a 40-page booklet featuring unseen photographs and new liner notes by David Fricke and Billy Joel Archive Director John Jackson.

Twenty years after its original release, “Passover” has been re-recorded and reimagined through the lens of two decades of growth – as a band, as musicians, and as people.
These songs have lived many lives since 2006. Shaped across thousands of performances around the world, each track has evolved into a living, breathing organism – changing subtly night after night, year after year. These new recordings document that evolution.
Working alongside producer Dave Sardy (Oasis, LCD Soundsystem, Modest Mouse), The Black Angels returned to “Passover” not to recreate it, but to fully realize what the songs have become twenty years later.

The result is a heavier, deeper, and more expansive recording: bigger riffs, richer textures, deeper low end, and a renewed sense of atmosphere and intensity that reflects the band as they exist today – while preserving every ounce of the raw power and spirit that defined the original album.

Originally written and recorded during the Iraq War, the themes and message behind “Passover” feel more urgent and relevant now than ever before. Two decades later, these songs still speak to cycles of violence, disillusionment, resistance, and humanity’s ongoing struggle against oppression – a reminder that history continues to repeat itself.
This is not a nostalgia piece. It’s “Passover” transformed by twenty years of experience, perspective, and sound.

“PASSOVER XX” – out November 27th at your local record store for Record Store Day!

Twenty years after its original release, “Passover” has been re-recorded and reimagined – transformed by twenty years of experience, perspective, and over a thousand shows around the world. These songs have lived many lives since 2006, each track has evolved into a living, breathing organism – changing subtly night after night, year after year. These new recordings document “Passover” as it exists today – reshaped by twenty years of life on stage.

This RSD exclusive is presented in a deluxe gatefold jacket