Chrysalis

Hunter Ian: Short back n' sides 1981 (Expanded) [Digipack / 2 CD]

In the summer of 1972, the band were riding high on the crest of a popularity wave, as they sold out huge arenas on the back of their critically acclaimed, chart-topping fifth album Thick As A Brick. <br/>They went into the renowned studio, where the likes of David Bowie, Elton John, Pink Floyd and Cat Stevens had previously recorded at. The band quickly nicknamed it 'Chateau D'isaster' after a series of equipment failures, bed bugs and food poisoning.<br/><br/>After a band meeting where the decision was made to return to the UK, they part-recorded a treasure trove of quirky material on master tapes which were ferried back to continue work on in London - only to decide to start over with a whole new album project, which was to become A Passion Play, released in 1973.<br/><br/>And so the Château tapes became the great lost album of Tull mythology until twenty years later when Ian Anderson reworked and completed most of the original material to release on the Nightcap album as the Chateau d'Isaster Tapes. Then in 2013, they received a make-over by Steven Wilson, for inclusion on the A Passion Play: An Extended Performance book-set. Now, for the first time, these recordings will be available on vinyl. <br/><br/>About the album, Ian Anderson says "There are some good things going on there, and I really quite like the songs which had lyrics, lots of theatrical references such as the bomb in the dressing room. I was trying to create this idea of the world of theatre somehow mirroring the real life outside on the streets and in society."

Suzi Quatro is a legend and icon of feminism in what was a male dominated genre at the time in the 1970s. Over the course of her 50-year career, she has sold over 50 million records worldwide released, covering 18 studio albums and 63 singles. Bursting onto the rock scene in 1973 with the UK number one hit 'Can The Can', she continued a long string of hits singles including, 48 Crash, Daytona Demon, Devil Gate Drive, The Wild One, If You Can't Give Me Love to name a few. <br/><br/>Over the course of her career, she has inspired so many female artists ranging from Joan Jett, Tina Weymouth (Talking Heads/Tom Tom Club), Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders), The GoGos and continues to inspire today with the likes of KT Tunstall. She has also had an active acting career in the 1970s comedy 'Happy Days' where she played the part of Leather Tuscadero, on stage in 'Annie Get Your Gun' to presenting TV and radio programs for the BBC and was inducted into the Michigan Rock And Roll Hall of Fame.<br/><br/>Suzi continues to record and tour to this day and returns to the London stage, headlining the Royal Albert Hall on 20th April 2022 and will be touring throughout 2022 and 2023. <br/><br/>This 8 disc box set covers her 6 studio albums and a live album from 1973 to 1979, along with a DVD featuring select promo clips, Top Of The Pops performances and a concert from Japan in 1975, along with a 56 page booklet with exclusive personal recollections from both Suzi and guitarist Len Tuckey as well as a biography written by The Guardian's Dave Simpson.

Ure Midge: Live At the Royal Albert Hall [3 Vinyl LP]

In 1972, Jethro Tull released the instant classic, Thick As A Brick. 50 years on and the album is still revered as one of rock's and progressive rock's most definitive and pioneering albums. It featured a rock first, one continuous song on both sides. Thick As A Brick came about following the release of Jethro Tull's immensely successful previous album "Aqualung". Upon its release, Aqualung was regarded a concept album in the music press, and in response the band set about to respond to the rock critics with the ultimate concept album, culminating in Thick As A Brick.<br/><br/>To celebrate the 50th anniversary, Thick As A Brick has been reproduced in its original format, the legendary 12-page newspaper. The vinyl is a half-speed master of Steven Wilson's 2012 remix.<br/><br/>Unlike any other records on the market, the album is set inside a broadsheet newspaper, "The St. Cleve Chronicle & Linwell Advertiser". The newspaper includes many news articles packed full of continuing jokes, a crossword, connect-the-dots and much more. It was originally written by Ian Anderson, Jeffrey Hammond and John Evan, with the newspaper taking longer to put together compared to the music. As reported in the paper, the lyrics were credited at the time to the fictitious child character, Gerald Bostock, whose parents supposedly lied about his age. Amongst the many articles is a frank review of the album itself. Thick As A Brick was the first album to feature drummer Barrie Barlow, who featured alongside Ian Anderson, Martin Barre, John Evan and Jeffrey Hammond. <br/><br/>A must for any record collection, the album is a half-speed master of Steven Wilson's 2012 remix, providing the ultimate audio experience of the progressive rock classic. By cutting at half speed you give the cutting stylus as well as the whole system twice as long to record the mechanical groove, which hugely improves the quality.

Steven Wilson Remix.

Digipack.