VIA PRESS RELEASE | Acclaimed American auteur, actor, and lover of Italian genre B-movies and the scintillating disco soundtracks that bolstered their hilarious and hedonistic plots, Eli Roth (Cabin Fever, Hostel, Thanksgiving) has curated a collection of some of his favorite songs from the heyday of “commedia sexy all italiana” (or sexy Italian comedies) of the ‘70s and ‘80s, inviting you into his very own red light discothéque.

A forbidden journey across the vaults of legendary Italian soundtrack label CAM Sugar, Eli Roth’s Red Light Disco: Dancefloor Seductions From Italian Sexploitation Cinema, due March 21 via CAM Sugar/UMe, features 20 infectious dancefloor fillers, spanning from kinky disco and psychedelic funk to swaggery rock and roll and seductive bossa nova, all handpicked by Roth who was granted unfettered access into CAM Sugar’s extensive archive of more than 2,000 Italian and French soundtracks. The music from these beloved cult movies is both highly sought after by fanatics of the genre as well as lovers of Italian dance music as much of it has never been released outside of the films.

“When I first heard the music of the Italian genre films of the 1970s, these tracks were impossible to find outside of the films themselves. I would rip the music from the DVDs or VHS tapes, often with the dialogue, because I couldn’t find them anywhere else,” writes Roth in his accompanying essay. “When CAM Sugar asked me to curate this collection, it was not only a thrill for me as a film fan, it was a dream as a director too, because they opened the archive to thousands and thousands of previously unreleased tracks.”

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Remembering Brian Jones, born on this day in 1942. —Ed.

Few albums have been as vilified or written off as colossal missteps as The Rolling Stones’ Their Satanic Majesties Request. There’s Taylor Swift Sings the Songs of Captain Beefheart, and Arnold Schwarzenegger Sings Barbra Streisand, but neither of these albums can hold a candle to the Stones’ 1967 answer to the Beatles’ acid-influenced Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Their Satanic Majesties Request was quickly dismissed as a shameless attempt to keep up with the psychedelic Jones’s, and the critical blowback was so negative that the Stones promptly hopped to it and followed Satanic Majesties with Beggars Banquet, an LP so down to earth a filthy toilet graces its cover.

Aside from “She’s a Rainbow” and “2000 Light Years from Home” you’re highly unlikely to hear any of Satanic Majesties’ songs anywhere, and the Stones themselves haven’t had much good to say about it over the years. Keith Richards called it “a load of crap,” while Mick Jagger said “there’s a lot of rubbish” on it. But it has its fair share of cultists, whole heaps of them in fact, and they love it to death. And their waxing enthusiastic over the LP finally got the better of me. Just how bad could it be, after all?

Not bad at all is the short answer. Strange, far stranger than Sgt. Pepper for that matter, Their Satanic Majesties Request has more than its fair share of fine moments, along with a few dubious tunes that don’t quite make the grade. Me, I’ll take it over Sgt. Pepper any day, and I think the Stones should be commended for putting out an LP that was even more experimental than its Beatles counterpart. Mick and the boys took real chances on the LP, and if they didn’t always work, at least the Stones tried.

The album’s problems have been variously attributed to there being too many people in the studio, and there being too many hallucinogens in the studio (Mick Jagger once told me, “We were eating whole sheets of acid, just cramming them into our mouths and washing them down with brandy spiked with DMT”). Then there was the desertion of the band’s disgusted producer and manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, which left the band to produce the album themselves. Oldham’s decision to jump ship hurt; Jagger attributed the LP’s shortcomings to the lack of a producer who would say enough is enough, let’s get on with it lads.

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On this episode of Radar I had the distinct pleasure of speaking with Marshall Allen of the Sun Ra Arakestra.

Marshall was born on May 25th, 1924 and is coming up on his 101st birthday. He is a multi-instrumentalist and the most revered and distinctive free jazz, avant-garde alto saxophone player. He also performs on flute, oboe, piccolo, and the EVI. Marshall is best known for his work with Sun Ra, having recorded and performed mostly in this context since the late 1950s, and having led The Sun Ra Arkestra since 1995.

We talked about performing for Eisenhower in World War II, his meeting with Sun Ra that resulted in him devoting his life to this work with Sun Ra’s music, plus his philosophies and what Marshall attributes his longevity to.

You can find the Arkestras most recent release, Lights on a Satellite, wherever and however you find your music. You can find Marshall’s new release, New Dawn, in all the same places. Please visit sunraarkestra.com to find tour dates plus much more.

Long live the Sun Ra Arkestra. Space is definitely the place.

Radar features discussions with artists and industry leaders who are creators and devotees of music and is produced by Dylan Hundley and The Vinyl District. Dylan Hundley is an artist and performer, and the co-creator and lead singer of Lulu Lewis and all things at Darling Black. She co-curates and hosts Salon Lulu which is a New York based multidisciplinary performance series. She is also a cast member of the iconic New York film Metropolitan.

Styx: The undisputed Kings of ’70s/’80s Heartland kiddie prog! If you grew up where I grew up, Chi-Town’s pomp poppers were your preferred bongload of lightweight Midwest progtwaddle, more accessible for sure than anything the virtuoso Brits were tour de forcing out, and cooler than Kansas even, the latter’s profound philosophical meditation “Dust in the Wind” (boy is that Kerry Livgren deep!) notwithstanding.

1977’s The Grand Illusion was, of course, Styx’s magnum opus, what with such epics as the title cut, “Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)” and “Come Sail Away.” The problem was you can’t top perfection, and while the albums that came afterwards also went multi-platinum they weren’t half as good and besides, by the time 1983’s Kilroy Was Here hit record store shelves an epochal six years later, kids with any brains whatsoever had moved on and were all listening to the Talking Heads and vehemently denying they’d ever liked Styx in the first place. I for one had so convinced myself I’d never liked Styx I could have passed a lie detector test.

But even to many of the still faithful, Kilroy Was Here was the sound of Styx jumping the shark. A rock opera about a rocker (one Robert Orin Charles Kilroy) imprisoned by a fascistic-theocratic regime for committing the crime of playing rock and roll (Marty Balin’s ill-fated 1979 musical Rock Justice took things ever further; it was about a rocker tossed into jail for not delivering a hit single!), it was so doggone dumb it led many a listener to root for the “concept’s” evil “Dr. Righteous” of the Majority for Musical Morality—tossing Styx into prison for the crime of playing rock and roll didn’t seem like a bad idea.

Styx compounded their problems by putting together a kind of off-off-Broadway “stage show” for the tour promoting the album, one that ended in ignominy at the annual Texxas Jam at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, where the hard rockers in the audience booed the feckless Styxians off the stage. Dressing as robots at a hard rock concert, it turns out, was not a good way to win hearts and minds. Why, poor Tommy Shaw took the rejection so badly he split the band shortly thereafter. And he wasn’t even one of the poor saps dressed as robots. Call it mortification by association.

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | Pink Floyd at Pompeii – MCMLXXII, the groundbreaking 1972 film directed by Adrian Maben, returns to cinemas in Spring 2025. Trafalgar Releasing and Sony Music Vision will release the concert film in select cinemas and IMAX worldwide from 24 April and tickets are on sale from 5 March here.

Digitally re-mastered in 4K from the original 35mm footage, with enhanced audio newly mixed by Steven Wilson, the upcoming theatrical release presents the definitive version of this pioneering film. Pink Floyd at Pompeii – MCMLXXII is accompanied by the live album, set for release by Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music, on CD, Digital Audio, and for the very first time in Dolby Atmos and on vinyl, from 2 May. Presenting a stunning first look at the newly restored footage and audio, a performance video clip of “Echoes” at Pompeii is released now.

Pink Floyd At Pompeii pre-dates the release of The Dark Side Of The Moon. The film documents what Pink Floyd did before they became giants of the album charts on both sides of the Atlantic—where their music remains celebrated to this day. Set in the hauntingly beautiful ruins of the ancient Roman Amphitheatre in Pompeii, Italy, this unique and immersive film captures Pink Floyd performing an intimate concert without an audience.

Filmed in October 1971, the performance marked the very first live concert to take place at Pompeii, and features the vital “Echoes,” “A Saucerful of Secrets,” and “One of These Days.” The breathtaking visuals of the amphitheatre, captured both day and night, amplify the magic of the performance. Additionally, the film includes rare behind-the-scenes footage of the band beginning work on The Dark Side of the Moon at Abbey Road Studios. Nick Mason said, “Pink Floyd: Live At Pompeii is a rare and unique document of the band performing live in the period prior to The Dark Side Of The Moon.”

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | Dead Meadow celebrates the 20th anniversary of their fourth album, Feathers, first released on February 22nd, 2005. To mark the occasion, the band and Matador Records have released an expanded reissue including thirteen era-appropriate demos that are now newly available on digital services, the music video for “At Her Open Door,” and a complete concert video from 2004.

In the latest episode of the Matador Revisionist History Podcast, Simon joins host Matt Sweeney (Chavez, The Hard Quartet) to discuss ‘Feathers’ slightly-troubled recording process, as well as the influence of DC hardcore, Trad Gras och Stenar, and 13th floor elevators.

Originally released in 2005, Feathers was a departure from Dead Meadow’s earlier work. The songs were moodier and more densely layered, reflecting the arrival of longtime friend and second guitarist Cory Shane.

“The sound was intentionally dark and murky,” says Shane. “Sometimes a rolling stone can gather moss.” The album was recorded amidst personal upheavals and a fair amount of pandemonium—from zoned-out late-night basement sessions in DC to a fully-gonzo studio date in New York City.

Jason Simon of Dead Meadow on Feathers, “Nothing came easy with the Feathers album. Each part of the process brought its own challenges, some seemingly laid out by the universe, others our own doing. Upon completion, I think none of us quite knew what to think of it.”

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Remembering Steve Harley, born on this date in 1951. —Ed.

My all-time favorite rude dismissal of second generation (and second tier) English Glam rocker Steve Harley comes from the New Musical Express’ Roy Carr, who wrote, “By the way Steve, when you’re finished with it, David Bowie would like his voice back and Bryan Ferry his vibrato. You can keep the clothes.”

Mean, I know. And not really fair, either; I suspect Carr’s onus was directed as much towards Harley the human being as it was towards Harley the singer. A childhood bout with polio left Harley with a limp, and like Shakespeare’s lame Richard III that limp left him a kind of egomaniacal villain. Harley shared Richard III’s pride and ruthless drive to become King, but unlike the cunning Richard, Harley lacked the guile and cunning to cloak his vainglorious ambitions. To put it bluntly, he invariably came off in interviews as a megalomaniacal twat. And he was a twat to his long-suffering band members as well.

That said, on 1974’s The Psychomodo, Harley’s second (and final) outing with the original members of Cockney Rebel, Harley delivers the glam goods. The man’s hardly a known quality in the States, and more’s the pity, because The Psychomodo is nothing less than a lost glam masterpiece.

The Psychomodo is a surpassingly strange LP. This is primarily due to the fact that Cockney Rebel was a band without a guitarist. Instead, the band’s sound was chiefly dictated by a pair of hyphenates–Jean-Paul Crocker on electric violin and Milton Reames-James on keyboards. Harley’s animus towards the electric guitar is almost hilariously fussy; he didn’t want them around because they made “rude noises.” Perhaps he was confusing them with whoopee cushions.

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When it comes to thrash metal, few names carry as much weight as Gary Holt. As one of the originals and powerhouse guitarist of Exodus, Holt has been at the forefront of one of music’s most electrifying and enduring genres, shaping its raw energy and uncompromising spirit for over four decades. Now, with his much-anticipated book, A Fabulous Disaster, on the horizon, Holt pulls back the curtain on a career that’s been as relentless as the riffs he’s built his name upon.

From the sweat-soaked clubs of the Bay Area to global stages, he’s seen it all—and lived to tell the tale. But Holt’s passion isn’t confined to just the fretboard. He’s also a devoted advocate for vinyl, sharing candid insights on how its resurgence is reshaping how we experience music in a digital world. Join us as we sit down with a true metal legend to explore the intersection of history, sound, and analog revival in a conversation that’s as electrifying as the music itself.

Over the span of your career, you’ve been a powerful force in both Exodus and Slayer. How has playing with these two iconic bands influenced your approach to creating and performing music?

I’ve only written for my band, Exodus. I contributed to one Slayer album, 2015’s Repentless, but Kerry King wrote that one himself. As for Exodus, we have always written music for ourselves, and never did it to please anyone else. We believe in creating music we enjoy, which translates to thrash standards that deeply resonate with our fans.

Can you take us back to your earliest musical influences. Were there any specific guitarists or bands that initially sparked your passion for music?

I grew up as the youngest of six kids, with five older brothers who were all into hard rock. I was introduced to amazing music early on, listening to bands like Black Sabbath, Montrose, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Mahogany Rush. This influence shaped my tastes, leading me to discover bands crucial to Exodus, such as Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and the Scorpions. Guitar legends like Michael Schenker, Richie Blackmore, and my hero Ted Nugent really inspired me. Seeing Nugent live made me want to play guitar, and I always felt he looked 10 feet tall when I saw him playing live on stage. I remember thinking, “I wanna do that!”

Who would be on your Mt. Rushmore of guitarists?

That would be Richie Blackmore, Michael Schenker, Angus Young, and of course the Motor-City Madman, Ted Nugent.

Are there any moments from the road—wild or heartfelt—that have stuck with you over the years?

The band has experienced so many memorable moments and significant challenges while touring over the decades. The passing of Paul Baloff in 2002 was an especially difficult period for Exodus, including the responsibility of planning his final arrangements. At that time, we collectively were not in the best condition—both physically and mentally—which compounded the difficulty of the situation. The pain from Paul’s loss remains with us to this day.

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The latest On-U Sound box set is the second one dedicated to the work of Dub Syndicate. Out Here on the Perimeter (1989–1996) collects four albums from the long-running project helmed by Lincoln Valentine “Style” Scott and Adrian Sherwood, Strike the Balance, Stoned Immaculate, Echomania, Ital Breakfast, and adds Obscured by Version, a set of new versions by Sherwood based on rhythms from the era. It’s out February 28 as a 5CD set, with all the albums available to purchase separately on vinyl.

Released in 1989 as the group was transitioning into a touring entity, Strike the Balance maintained the high standard of Dub Syndicate’s prior output, with Sherwood and Scott extending a welcome to On-U Sound regular Bim Sherman for guest vocals on the opening cover of Lloyd & Devon’s “Cuss Cuss” and a version of Lloyd Parks’ “Mafia.” Both are quite strong (particularly “Mafia” with its smeary vocoder action), as is the sweet take of Serge Gainsbourg’s “Je T’aime” with vocals by Massive Attack’s Shara Nelson and a load of synthetic strings via keyboard setting.

Befitting an On-U Sound product, there’s plenty of appealingly weird bits occurring across Strike the Balance’s runtime. The “borrowed” vocals in “Shout It Out” are especially effective, for one example. But the tropical aura of “Hawaii” is quite relaxing, and the lothario vocal dunked in cough syrup in closer “I’m the Man for You Baby” is quite funny (and weird).

Cited as Dub Syndicate’s best-known album (for a reason that should be obvious), Stoned Immaculate hit stores in 1991 with a recurring Jim Morrison sample in the title track and a general musical thrust that’s a bit more synthetic than infused with roots reggae thickness. One could describe the record as tapping the ’90s sensibility, and with a track titled “Fight the Power” and the hard rock guitar wailing in “Well Tuned Now” it’s difficult to argue with that sentiment.

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TEMPE, AZ | Day two of Innings Festival kicked off at Tempe Beach Park on Saturday the 22nd. Following the high bar set by day one, day two had a lot in store for the festival attendees.

For the uninitiated, Innings Festival is an event in Tempe, Arizona that celebrates the opening weekend of MLB Spring Training. Not only are there many people from other states who live in Arizona, half of the league trains in Arizona making it a weekend often circled on the calendar. For most of the country February is a very cold month and outdoor time is limited, however in Arizona, it’s the best time to be outdoors. With baseball and music going on, the weekend is jam packed with activity.

Friday was headlined by Fallout Boy and featured other legendary artists such as All American Rejects and the Black Keys during the day. The weekend certainly had a rock and roll vibe to it featuring artists who cover the entire spectrum. From blues, to pop, to punk there was a little something for everyone throughout the weekend. Day two kicked off with younger artists, Anna Graves and 18-year old Grace Bowers. The young prodigy, Grace Bowers, has a very bright future in music. Already the spotlight in her band, she and the Hodge Podge will have a busy year.

The midday slot featured high energy from The Kills who are an absolute blast to watch, and Gary Clark Jr. who embodies the soul of Jimi Hendrix. I have always wished I could have covered a Hendrix show or anything of the sort, and this is the closest I will get. As the sun began to set, Andrew McMahon took to the piano. We met a good number of fans who were strictly at this festival for Jack’s Mannequin. The band had taken a very long break before 2024 and are back and better than ever. They actually played their first gig as a band in Tempe, and Jack mentioned it almost as a homecoming.

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | Hardly Art is celebrating the 10th anniversary of Colleen Green’s acclaimed album, I Want to Grow Up, which was initially released on February 24th, 2015. Available today to order, you can secure a copy of the new pressing of the album on limited-edition clear pink vinyl.

I Want to Grow Up was recorded at Sputnik Sound in Nashville, TN and was Green’s first album professionally recorded in a studio. It features Jake Orrall of JEFF The Brotherhood on guitar and Diarrhea Planet’s Casey Weissbuch on drums. The album received accolades from publications such as Pitchfork, Stereogum, Rolling Stone, LA Times, and The New York Times, whose Ben Ratliff wrote: “Around her songs, there is a basic air of competence, toughness, self-reliance—she’s organized her sound, has identified her neuroses and doesn’t need your help.”

To celebrate this milestone release, Colleen will be hosting a Bandcamp Listening Party on Feb 26th at 12:00 PM PST. She has also confirmed a North American run of shows in June and August at which the album will be performed in its entirety as a full band comprised of Green and Rozwell Kid. See below for a complete list of dates.

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