VIA PRESS RELEASE | On July 21, 1969, The Doors took the stage at the intimate Aquarius Theatre on Sunset Boulevard for what would become one of the most captivating—and criminally underrated—performances of their career. Live at the Aquarius Theatre: The First Performance captures Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, and John Densmore in peak form: loose, loud, and locked in.

Now available as a 180-gram 3-LP Set on Analogue Productions, this definitive edition, limited to just 2,000 copies, is pressed at Quality Record Pressings and features a 2016 mix by longtime Doors engineer Bruce Botnick, who revisited the original 8-track analog masters for a stunning new high-resolution transfer, using the same lacquer cut by Chris Bellman who did the Record Store Day release in 2016. The result is a crystal-clear, high-fidelity experience that transports listeners straight into the charged atmosphere of that summer night in 1969.

“The new mix is a revelation,” says Botnick in the liner notes, which also feature Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek, John Densmore, Danny Sugerman (who would go on to become the band’s second manager), music critic and former editor of the Los Angeles Times Robert Hilburn’s review of the show, which originally ran on July 28, 1969, and extensive production notes by Botnick.

“It’s almost like hearing the show for the first time. Using tools we didn’t have in 2001, we were able to remove most of the hum and buzz that permeated the original tapes,” says Botnick. “The resulting clarity gives this concert new life—and as a bonus, side six features material from the soundcheck that preceded the show, offering fans something they’ve never heard before.”

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Celebrating Bill Wyman in advance of his 89th birthday tomorrow. —Ed.

As far as reissues and archival releases are concerned, The Rolling Stones are clearly on a roll. Hot on the heels of the group’s lauded Live at the El Macombo release comes what must be considered one of the best reissue packages from the group in its entire career.

This limited-edition mono box contains 18 seven-inch discs that are either singles or EPs. The set includes both UK Decca Records releases and US London Records releases. The music was remastered by Bob Ludwig and engineered by Sean Magee at Abbey Road Studios. The music was taken from the original analog tapes that were transferred to digital files, although the digital transfer has not in any way been a deterrent. In fact, most of the UK singles and EPs, although a bit different from the original seven-inch releases, sound great and the London US discs in many instances sound better than some of the originals. Still, one wonders why the discs weren’t cut directly from the analog tapes.

The physical discs were manufactured at MPO, the legendary and long-running pressing plant in France. The discs are flat, sturdy, thick, flawless slabs of pristine plastic that will sound great and last forever with the proper care. As for a few minor quibbles, there are no inner sleeves included, and the jackets for the UK Decca releases are not laminated, and the EPs do not have flip-back packaging. In fact, although the replication of the original art of the generic Decca sleeves and picture sleeves is done well, it is not an exact duplication in many instances. All the contents are housed in a sturdy box and the package also includes five photos, a poster and a 32-page booklet.

The poster is of a photograph that became the first major break for a Town and Country magazine staffer named Linda Eastman, who would eventually marry Paul McCartney. The photos, including the one which became the poster, were taken on a boat docked off of a Manhattan boat basin in June of 1966. They launched Eastman’s esteemed career as a rock photographer, which led to her brief time as the house photographer at the Fillmore East. Unless the photo was from another photographer, which is doubtful, oddly, she is not credited in the booklet’s notes.

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | London Records have announced a very special 30th Anniversary Edition of Jimmy Somerville’s classic album Dare To Love. Set for release on December 5th, Dare To Love has been fully remastered and is available for the very first time on double vinyl LP, plus double CD and digital formats and with a different cover image of Somerville, pre-order here. The new reissue features previously unreleased B-sides, rarities, and remixes by Todd Terry, The Beatmasters, Sly & Robbie and more.

The sleeve of the 30th Anniversary edition features a silhouette of a male figure across Jimmy’s torso, notably absent from the original sleeve. Jimmy Somerville comments: “This is the 30th anniversary of Dare To Love and it’s just so exciting that we finally have a sleeve that is as it should have been. I always had to compromise with London Records over something and this was one I deeply regretted. The irony is that London Records thought this photo was too gay but I now chuckle to myself as I can see their point of view—it’s homo erotic and not nice non controversial gay… which I have never been!!!!!”

Originally released in June 1995, Dare To Love embodies Somerville’s gift for marrying political conviction with irresistible melodies. Produced by Stephen Hague and other longtime collaborators, the album traverses bass-laden house grooves, slower, dubby reggae numbers, and classic pop ballads. Dare To Love explores love, loss, and identity, both on and off the dancefloor and includes the UK Top 30 hits “Heartbeat” (which reached No.1 on the US Dance Singles chart, the only No.1 for Jimmy on a US chart as a solo artist) and “Hurt So Good”, along with the poignant “Safe in These Arms.”

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Celebrating Dale Crover, born on this date in 1967. —Ed.

It’s not a bit surprising that a band on a label called Ipecac has released a record titled Freak Puke. The pleasant twist is that in reverting back to a trio with bassist Trevor Dunn, The Melvins have delivered their best release since 2006’s (A) Senile Animal.

The Melvins, by my count eighteen studio albums strong (not including collaborations), have become one of the longest-serving examples of the “heads down/amps turned way up” mode of rock ‘n’ roll expression, a style not known for its survivalist tactics. While the vast majority of groups specializing in music of comparable heaviness understandably lack the stamina and depth of creativity for creating worthwhile records over a period of more than a few years, The Melvins have managed to stay interesting for close to thirty.

Part of the secret might just be their refusal to fall comfortably into one single camp. Often hailed in mainstream coverage as a “godfather of grunge” due to geographical location and their music’s motions toward a punk/metal hybridization, and most importantly because of their close ties to Mudhoney and Nirvana (if not to Sub Pop proper), The Melvins were surprisingly (and in retrospect, understandably) indifferent to cultivating a forefather-esque association with a rock movement that would inevitably culminate in a big ol’ nasty backlash.

Signing the rather predictable ‘90s major-label deal with Atlantic (who just as predictably didn’t really know what to do with them), the then trio of guitarist Buzz Osborne (aka King Buzzo), drummer Dale Crover and not long for the band bassist Lori “Lorax” Black (aka child actress Shirley Temple’s daughter) retained a close relationship to the indie scene that spawned them, again as if sensing that the tide would inevitably turn in the other direction, with bands of their ilk being hung out to dry if found too dependent upon the corporate teat.

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab (MoFi), the renowned leader in high-fidelity audio reissues, proudly releases the definitive audiophile treatment of The Stooges’ primordial self-titled 1969 debut as a Numbered-Edition 180g 45RPM 2LP set, reissued in celebration of Elektra 75—order HERE. A Hybrid SACD will be released at a later date.

Sourced from the original master tapes (1/4” / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 to analog console to lathe), pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing in California, and housed in a Stoughton gatefold jacket, MoFi’s numbered-edition 180g 45RPM 2LP set marks the first time Iggy Pop and co.’s (Dave Alexander and brothers Ron and Scott Asheton) groundbreaking John Cale-produced statement is available at 45RPM speed. Fueled by the raw power of Detroit’s industrial soul, The Stooges laid down a sound that tore through the peace-and-love era with confrontational minimalism and primal force. This definitive-sounding copy benefits from the extra groove space by delivering enhanced definition, greater separation, and more lifelike presence than prior versions.

Few albums inspired the reactions or registered the impact of this groundbreaking record. Originally deemed “loud, boring, tasteless, unimaginative and childish” by Rolling Stone, it was later included in the magazine’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time register. The Stooges established the template for myriad styles and the snarling attitude that would be define the still-years-away punk scene. Time further proved the band’s stomping, clattering rock ‘n’ roll way ahead of the curve, given the work is now cited on endless “Best Album” lists.

The best-known cuts include the steamrolling “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” ranked the 314th Greatest Song of All Time by Rolling Stone, with “1969” also being hailed by the magazine as one of the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time, and the scuffed and scraping “No Fun.” Decades on, every moment of The Stooges remains a real cool time.

In 1979, Supertramp released Breakfast in America, an album that was one of the biggest-selling albums of a decade that defined the blockbuster album. While many of those albums were by American acts and a group that included both Brits and Americans (Fleetwood Mac), along with Pink Floyd, Peter Frampton, David Bowie, and Led Zeppelin, Supertramp was a British band with one of the era-defining albums of the time. Breakfast in America, like many of the big albums of the decade, came after several albums from a particular group or artist who had been slowly building their sound and following, were part of the musical underground, or had just enjoyed considerable airplay on the FM rock radio of the time.

The group’s third and fourth albums (Crime of the Century; Crisis, What Crisis?) have recently been reissued. While their first two albums (Supertramp; Indelibly Stamped) established their unique sound, these two albums that have just been reissued spawned tracks that were in heavy FM radio rotation and preceded the album Even in the Quietest Moments…, that yielded their biggest hit (“Give a Little Bit”) to date and which was recorded entirely in America, the first such album of theirs before the Breakfast in America album to be recorded in the States. Their fourth album would also be their last one recorded in England and their first to be recorded in America.

The group’s sound on these two albums is difficult to categorize. While very much in the vein of British progressive rock acts of the time, like Genesis and even Pink Floyd to some degree, the group’s jazzy sax and keyboards, sing-song lyrics, and quirky and unforgettable trademark keyboard sounds set them apart from just about every other British group of the time. They could be expansive and thoughtfully imaginative with their deep and philosophical lyrics, but also ebullient and just a little madcap, but in a fun way.

In many respects, Crime of the Century, released in 1974 and an album that took three years to make, was the album that began the group’s ascent. It featured two staples of FM radio of that time, “Bloody Well Right” and “Dreamer.” While the album is not strictly a concept album, it artfully explored ambitious musical ideas and lyrically didn’t shy away from pondering the big questions about life. It also became a cornerstone for audiophiles. It has the distinction of being the first pop album reissued on the Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab label, when it was reissued in 1977.

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Remembering Bobby Fuller, born on this date in 1942. —Ed.

Inspecting chart history proves otherwise, but due to the ubiquitous nature of that one song everybody remembers, Bobby Fuller is considered by many as a One Hit Wonder. Others view him as the true-blood ‘60s extension in art as well as life of fellow Texan Buddy Holly, which overlaps with the assessment by some that Fuller was maybe the last gasp of rock ‘n’ roll innocence before the ‘60s became The Sixties. But he was also just a passionate young guy with a boatload of talent for whom music was paramount, and nothing communicates that better than a listen to The Bobby Fuller Four’s 1966 LP, I Fought the Law.

The Bobby Fuller Four’s second and best long-player opens with what is probably my pick for the band’s greatest moment and certainly one of their leader’s finest compositions. It’s not the title track, for “I Fought the Law” was penned by Sonny Curtis of The Crickets, a group most famous for their backing of Buddy Holly (Curtis joined after Holly’s plane crash demise; the original appears on 1960’s In Style with the Crickets.)

The tune is “Let Her Dance,” a delicious slice of guitar and vocal harmony driven pop-rock and easily one of ’65’s best singles. Perfectly calibrated for airplay, its 2:32 flows with expertly layered simplicity. Once established, none of the song’s elements drift far in their roles; not Fuller’s lead singing of his wounded-heart love lyrics or the gorgeous chiming and jangling of his and Jim Reese’s guitars, not the beautiful but non-grandiose backing vocals, not Randy Fuller’s bass, and definitely not DeWayne Quirico’s drumming, which with subtle alterations follows the same pattern throughout.

Individually, none of these aspects are especially noteworthy. It’s in the assemblage and the ensuing vigor of the captured performance that greatness is attained. And over the years, playing “Let Her Dance” has turned many a head that had erroneously pegged Bobby Fuller as basically a slightly displaced rockabilly guy.

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | London Records are to mark 40 years of the Happy Mondays with a series of special releases, beginning with the new compilation The Factory Singles, available November 28th on double CD, double LP, and cassette, pre-order here. In March 2026, Happy Mondays will embark on a huge UK tour to celebrate 35 years of Pills ’N’ Thrills and Bellyaches, supported by original 1991 tour mates The Farm and Northside. Tickets on sale now here.

The Factory Singles compiles all Happy Mondays singles on the legendary Manchester label Factory Records, including “Step On,” “Kinky Afro,” “Hallelujah,” and “24-Hour Party People.” This definitive collection captures the band’s ground-breaking output from 1985–1992, celebrating their pivotal role in shaping UK music culture. The Factory Singles will be available across multiple formats—including 2LP, 2CD, and a 1LP Blood Records Exclusive. The artwork has been conceived by Sublime Limbo (original Central Station team members Pat Carroll and Karen Jackson) alongside Sam Carroll—and features distinctive variations across each format. Vivid, enduring ink stains serve as a striking visual metaphor for the lasting imprint the band left on Manchester and the British music scene.

Complementing the physical editions, a brand-new digital remix drop series will be unveiled from renowned producers Daniel Avery, Paul Oakenfold, Anna Prior, Mella Dee, and Shadow Child—bridging the Mondays’ legacy with today’s electronic innovators. Original Mondays collaborator Paul Oakenfold has revisited “Step On” after 35 years with a stunning new remix available October 29th.

Of the remix, Oakenfold comments: “When I listen back to Step On now, it still sounds dangerous. It still sounds alive. And it still gets dancefloors moving. That’s the test of real music—not how it charts, but how it feels decades later. To be able to come back to it 35 years on and give it a fresh spin is special. It’s not just nostalgia—it’s about showing that the spirit of the track still connects, still has that edge, and can still light up a dancefloor today.”

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | Following the announcement of “Radio Free Europe 2025”—a five-track benefit EP celebrating the 75th anniversary of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)—R.E.M. today celebrates the official arrival of their limited-edition 10-inch orange vinyl, available now exclusively at independent record stores and REMHQ.com. Proceeds from all vinyl and merch sales will go to RFE/RL, an editorially independent nonpartisan and nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty was established by the United States 75 years ago and currently broadcasts news and information in 27 languages to 23 countries where a free press is either banned by the government or under threat. Throughout the Cold War and continuing today, RFE/RL is often the only lifeline to the outside world for people living under extreme censorship.

Stephen Capus, President & CEO, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: “For 75 years, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalists have been relentless in their mission of ‘calling out’ to audiences living under censorship. I’m proud that such an iconic song bears our name and resonates with the enduring spirit of freedom and resilience that defines RFE/RL and our brave journalists. R.E.M.’s contributions on the world stage are grounded in the same spirit of freedom of expression, integrity, and creativity. I look forward to seeing the EP officially on the shelves in record stores around Prague and across the globe.”

Members of R.E.M. say this mission of promoting free expression has always resonated with the band: “We love journalism, we love freedom of speech, and we love the world…. We have a song that I wrote when I was 20, it was our first ever single, and this is a good time to celebrate the actual Radio Free Europe… It’s important to democracy and it’s important in the fight against authoritarianism that they remain.” says Michael Stipe, lead singer and founding member of R.E.M. in a recent interview with CBS Mornings.

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Celebrating Julian Cope, born on this day in 1957. —Ed.

Rock and revolution have always made for odd bedfellows. The MC5 talked a good game, but did mostly nothing, which is more than you can say for The Clash, whose revolution consisted mostly of wearing camouflage pants. And what is one to make of Revolution Girl Style Now or that risible exercise in self-congratulatory futility, DC’s Revolution Summer? They all neglected Mao’s dictum that “Revolution grows out of the barrel of a gun,” and achieved nothing, and I bring all this up because Julian Cope, the so-called “Archdrude” and former front man of The Teardrop Explodes, has spent his recent albums musing about revolution.

Cope, whom I would call a Renaissance Man if Alfred Jarry’s Pere Ubu founded the Renaissance in question, has written numerous songs with revolutionary themes. But in Cope’s case, the question lies in whether he is endorsing revolution or critiquing it. Or whether he’s ambivalent on the issue, in the same way that John Lennon was when he sang both “count me in” and “out” in the slow version of “Revolution.” In some cases Cope seems to endorse violent revolution; in others, he seems to see it as a sort of organized suicide cult, an idea he co-opted from Black Panther ideologue Huey Newton, who entitled his 1973 autobiography Revolutionary Suicide.

In any event, Cope dedicates side one of his 2012 LP Psychedelic Revolution to Cuba’s revolutionary martyr to Che Guevara, and side two to Leila Khaled, the airplane hijacker and member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. So he obviously has some sympathy for the notion of violent revolution, but is he really advocating it? Or just playing revolutionary like the folks in the previous paragraph?

On Psychedelic Revolution Cope at some points seems to be saying that the revolution must be one of the mind, and in one song replaces Mao’s gun with a mass dosing of the population with LSD. He says lots more than that—he’s a chatty fellow, and infuriatingly knowledgeable—but in the end his beliefs are inscrutable, or perhaps simply too complex to communicate on a single LP.

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