The unfiltered story of women in the punk scene— celebrating the highs, confronting the lows, and proving the power of community.

From the gritty streets of 1970s London to the sun-soaked beaches of 2000s California, Rebel Grrrls: The Real Story of Women and Punk is a raw and exhilarating exploration of rebellion and identity through the eyes of its fans. This book goes beyond the musicians, spotlighting the women who defied small-town limitations, challenged family expectations, and shaped the scene from the inside out.

Molly Tie examines what the movement has meant to millions of fans, setting their experiences within a wider cultural and political landscape. What is it like to be a woman at a gig? Which bands and songs truly reflect the female experience in a male-dominated space? And how does our connection to alternative music change when powerful figures face allegations of abuse?

Spanning every era—from the British explosion and American hardcore to riot grrrl, pop punk, emo, ska, and today’s activist revival—Tie reveals how women in the movement have fought to be heard, proving that, at its best, punk is about refusing to stay silent.

The last word on the movement that shook the world. Punk: The Last Word is a powerful reimagining of punk-not just as a sound or style, but as a radical, DIY philosophy rooted in defiance, truth, and individuality. Cultural insider and Wag Club founder Chris Sullivan and Byline Times co-founder and executive editor Stephen Colegrave bring together over 150 original interviews with punk's most iconic figures-Iggy Pop, The Sex Pistols, The Clash, Siouxsie Sioux, Vivienne Westwood, and many others.

From musicians and designers to promoters and provocateurs, they paint a vivid portrait of the movement's chaotic rise and lasting impact on both sides of the Atlantic. Tracing punk's rebellious spirit from 19th-century bohemia to the explosion of Kings Road and Coventry in the late '70s, this is, without a doubt, the most in-depth, insider account of punk's evolution and legacy. As the movement approaches its 50th anniversary, its core values-authenticity, resistance, and creative freedom-feel more urgent than ever.

Punk isn't just music. It's a way of life.

Their classic debut, expanded and back on vinyl! The Muffs burst onto the California music scene at the beginning of the ’90s, and after a few independent singles and EPs, they were quickly snapped up by Warner Bros. Records. Entering the studio with David Katznelson and Rob Cavallo (who would go on the helm records from Green Day, Goo Goo Dolls, and more), The Muffs roared from speakers across the country in 1993.

According to renowned critic Jim DeRogatis, “You’d have to reach all the way back to Blondie’s Plastic Letters to find punkish power pop this endearing.” The quartet rips through the album’s 16 tracks, ranging from and an Angry Samoans cover, to the college radio smash, “Lucky Guy.” In addition, alt-rock superstar Jon Spencer (Pussy Galore and his own Blues Explosion) adds some theremin and The Godfather Of Exotica Korla Pandit’s Hammond Organ makes an appearance. Even the beverage Fruitopia caught the buzz, using the album’s “Everywhere I Go” in a popular television campaign.

This expanded reissue contains the classic original album, and adds a whopping 10 bonus tracks making their vinyl debut: a radio remix of “Lucky Guy,” a version of “Everywhere I Go” which was only available on the cassette of The Muffs album, and 8 demos from the band’s vocalist and lead guitarist, Kim Shattuck. Released with full cooperation from the band, the double-LP contains liner notes from Shattuck and bassist Ronnie Barnett, and features photos and other ephemera from their personal archives. Omnivore Recordings is proud to present this expanded classic on LP. It’s time to go back to where it all started. It’s time for The Muffs.

TRACK LISTING

Lucky Guy
Saying Goodbye
Everywhere I Go
Better Than Me
From Your Girl
Not Like Me
Baby Go Round
North Pole
Big Mouth
Every Single Thing
Don't Waste Another Day
Stupid Jerk
Another Day
Eye To Eye
I Need You
All For Nothing
Lucky Guy (radio Remix)
Everywhere I Go (cassette Version)
All For Nothing (4-track Demo)
Do You Want Her (4-track Demo)
I Don't Expect It (4-track Demo)
My Face (4-track Demo)
Something On My Mind (4-track Demo)
Ethyl My Love (4-track Demo)
Not Like Me (4-track Demo)
Saying Goodbye To Phil (4-track Demo)

In the spring of 2018, Tom Piazza climbed into a cherry-red Cadillac Coupe-Deville with the great singer-songwriter John Prine. The two embarked on a road trip through Florida full of jokes and tall tales, afternoons digging around record stores and long nights playing guitar. Having forged a deep friendship, they decide to embark on a new shared project - to write Prine's memoir together.

When Prine died suddenly of COVID in April 2020, that unfinished memoir evolved into an intimate narrative of the artist's final years. The result is a warm and intimate story, richly detailed with hilarious stories of his youth and family in Chicago and Kentucky, his breakthrough into the national spotlight. Piazza offers fans an unforgettable portrait of the beloved musician in the twilight of his life; as a boyish cut-up, an epic raconteur, a great American poet and most importantly, the good friend his fans have always imagined.

The story of the Brian Wilson's legendary SMiLE album from Beach Boys authority David Leaf.

This is the first book to tell the full story of Brian Wilson and SMiLE, including the details of the original SMiLE recording sessions and their increasingly legendary status as well as the final release of the album, the accompanying concerts and film, and its afterlife.

As a Beatle, Harrison underwent a bewilderingly compressed early adulthood, buffeted by unprecedented levels of fame and success. After Beatlemania left him unsettled and unfulfilled his became a quest for deeper meaning which traveled far beyond the parameters of his former band and indeed music itself.This elegant, in-depth biography tracks him assiduously through his many changes and conflicts, from schoolboy guitarist to global superstar, God seeker to independent film-maker, Formula One enthusiast to UNICEF Fundraiser, and marks the perennial struggle of a man attempting to walk a spiritual path lined with temptation. Drawing on scores of new interviews with close friends and collaborators, rigorous research and critical insight, George Harrison: Behind The Locked Door is the ultimate account of the motives and varied achievements of an often misunderstood man. It is also an intimate character study, beautifully illustrating the eternal yin and tang of Harrison's nature; the definitive account of a compelling, contradictory life.

Based upon work and materials compiled for the acclaimed and now much sought after 2007 Cramps biography A Short History of Rock'n'Roll Psychosis, Journey To The Centre Of The Cramps goes far beyond being a revised and updated edition: Completely overhauled, rewritten and vastly expanded, it now represents the definitive work on the group. In addition to unseen interview material from Ivy, Lux and other former band members, Journey To The Centre Of The Cramps also sees the Cramps' story through to its conclusion, recounting Lux's unexpected death in 2009, the subsequent dissolution of the group and their enduring legacy. The Cramps' history, influences and the cast of characters in and around the group are likewise explored in far greater depth. Features unseen first-hand interview material from Lux Interior and Poison Ivy. A wealth of new interview material with former band members and other key players in the band's history and never before seen/rare photographs and ephemera to help illustrate the book

Foreword by Pete Townshend. Tom Wright first met Pete Townshend at Ealing Art School in the early 60s. He became The Who's official tour photographer and manager from 1967 in the US, also managing the Grande Ballroom in Detroit where The Who's rock opera Tommy premiered.

He was much more than the band's photographer, he was a friend and photographed them right up to their farewell tour in 1991. Tom's vast record collection and musical influences had a big impact on the band in their early years. Their Generation covers The Who's first tours of North America, a hugely creative time with explosive performances both on and off stage, the time of their US hit 'I Can See for Miles' and much more.

Through the fabulous photographs, many of which have never been seen before, we see the band backstage, onstage, on tour, at rehearsal, at ease, in studio, at home. The photos will be accompanied by extended captions providing background details of the time, the people and the places. As well as The Who, Tom Wright toured with the Rolling Stones, the Faces, The James Gang, Elvis Costello, The Eagles and many more, documenting their performances and life on the road.

THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2025 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON SATURDAY APRIL 12TH ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS, LIMITED TO ONE PER PERSON.

IF THERE ARE ANY REMAINING COPIES THEY WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT 8PM ON MONDAY APRIL 14th.

Joe Meek. Wayward genius; the British Phil Spector,the first producer to treat the recording studio as an instrument; head of oneof the earliest independent record labels; creator of some of the mostincredibly influential pop music ever, including ‘Telstar’, the first Americannumber one single by a British band; and a man tormented by mental healthissues and financial battles. He was all these and more, as author Darryl W. Bullockreveals through numerous original interviews with friends and colleagues in hiscompelling biography of the legendary producer.

Love and Fury takes readers on a guided tour ofMeek’s fabled Holloway Road studio, examines the recordings issued during hislifetime, looks at the wealth of unreleased material he left behind - thelegendary Tea Chest tapes, rumoured to include recordings by David Bowie, MarcBolan, Ray Davies of the Kinks and others – and examines that events whichultimately led to murder and suicide.

John McGeoch was the unsung hero of the post-punk era. Blazing a trail with some of Britain’s biggest bands and most revered artists – Magazine, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Armoury Show and Public Image Ltd. – John left an undeniable and indelible mark on music.

The Light Pours Out of Me examines John’s life and legacy, drawing on original interviews with the likes of Siouxsie Sioux, Howard Devoto, Johnny Marr, Billy Idol, John Frusciante, Keith Levene, Jonny Greenwood, Nick Launay, Ed O’Brien, Peter ‘Hooky’ Hook and many others.

Illustrated with unseen photographs, this moving biography – authorised by the family – celebrates the remarkable guitarist who helped provide the soundtrack to a generation.

Newly revised and updated with cooperation and insight from Brian May and Roger Taylor – and drawing on exclusive interviews with the bandmembers – this book completes the story of the Mercury era and the immediate years after his death.

With numerous extra photographs and a new Foreword from Brian May, Queen – As It Began: Revised and Authorised is an informative and authoritative portrait of Queen’s most fundamental period.

So It Started There chronicles the life and career of drummer Nick Banks, and how he came to be in one of the UK's most iconic and beloved bands: Pulp. Beginning with his childhood in Rotherham, Nick recounts his personal and musical journey through the genres, first as a punk, then as a goth; how it all started when he was first inspired to pick up the sticks by Sex Pistols drummer, Paul Cook.

Flash forward to the eighties, Nick has been playing in a handful of Sheffield groups and spies an ad from his favourite band, Pulp, in a local club. He pays Jarvis and the gang a visit and the rest is history. From there, Nick describes his growth as a professional drummer and musician, the trials and tribulations of chasing success in the music industry, touring triumphs and horrors, the band's journey from relative obscurity to becoming a global sensation, and the process of writing and recording their most famous albums.

Don Letts - filmmaker, musician, DJ, broadcaster, social commentator, husband and father - has always defied conformity. A British-born son of Windrush parents, he seamlessly pivoted between London's punk and reggae scenes - earning his reputation as the 'Rebel Dread'. In There and Black Again, Don Letts looks back on his exceptional life, which has seen him befriend Bob Marley after sneaking into his hotel, join The Clash's White Riot tour as manager of The Slits and become one of the UK's most highly regarded video directors just as the MTV boom hit.

Told in part as scenes from a movie shot on location in London, Kingston, New York City, Los Angeles, Windhoek, Salt Lake City and Goldeneye, There and Black Again co-stars a cast of hundreds, including Joe Strummer, John Lydon, Bob Marley, Chrissie Hynde, Chris Blackwell, Paul McCartney, Nelson Mandela, Keith Richards, Patti Smith, Chuck D., Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood. With reflections on the Black Lives Matter movement and the highs and lows of personal relationships, this impactful book includes moments of civil unrest, live music, humour and political struggle. There and Black Again is the refreshing and often unexpected story of a man who has never been afraid to tread his own path.

A riveting oral biography of the proto-punk Detroit rockers MC5, based on original interviews with the band and key members of their inner circle Few bands have dared to ignite a revolution through their fusion of activism and art like MC5. Managed by the charismatic radical and hippie spokesman, John Sinclair, MC5 wasn't just a band; they were a thunderous proclamation of dissent, amplifying the voices of the marginalized long before it was fashionable. From championing Black Lives Matter to rallying for cannabis legalization, they fearlessly thrust their beliefs onto the world stage. For their efforts, the rabble-rousing musical arm of the White Panther Party, the scourge of J.

Edgar Hoover's FBI and other defenders of public decency, were often beaten with clubs, threatened at gunpoint, tossed into jail, and even unceremoniously dumped by their record company, right as their album was storming up the charts--and all while the Sex Pistols were still on training wheels. What has been lost amidst this notoriety is MC5 itself, a band worth remembering not because they were bad boys, but because they were so damn good. In MC5: An Oral Biography of Rock's Most Revolutionary Band?, music journalists Brad Tolinski and Jaan Uhelszki invite readers to reconsider this legendary group. Centered around a series of interviews with MC5, their manager, and their inner circle--many of whom are no longer with us--that Tolinski and Uhelszki inherited from CREEM Magazine founding staffer and Mojo's US editor Ben Edmonds prior to his death, this book presents a genuinely candid, funny, and moving portrait of rock's most uncompromising and articulate band. MC5 also features a virtual "who's who" of 1960s rockers, including Iggy and the Stooges, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, promoter Bill Graham, John Lennon, the Jefferson Airplane, and political firebrands like Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Tom Hayden, and Black Panther Eldridge Cleaver. As innovative, insightful, and inspiring as the band itself, MC5 is a fitting testament to the legacy of these iconic rock pioneers--told in their very own words.

Pressure Drop chronicles reggae’s most tumultuous and influential decade. Beginning in 1970 and unfolding both in Britain and Jamaica, reggae flourished against a backdrop of political upheaval, gang warfare, Black Nationalism, racial and class discrimination and grinding poverty.

The music that developed as rocksteady and early reggae gave birth to deejays, dub, rockers, lovers rock, early dancehall and 2 Tone was by turns brutal and revelatory.

Including an extensive analysis of the decade’s major singles and albums, Pressure Drop includes eyewitness accounts and experiences of the decade from the likes of Burning Spear, Chris Blackwell, Gregory Isaacs, Bunny Wailer, Jimmy Cliff, Black Uhuru, U-Roy, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Augustus Pablo, Toots and the Maytals, Desmond Dekker, Sly & Robbie, Dennis Bovell, Don Letts and members of the Specials, as well as first-hand anecdotes of Bob Marley and Peter Tosh.

A full-colour account of Lindsay Reade and Tony Wilson’s working life and relationship told through scans of their letters, pictures and Lindsay’s diary entries accompanied by commentary and reflections from Lindsay.

A Continual Farewell tells the story of the relationship between Factory Records’ Tony Wilson and his first wife, Lindsay Reade, through their letters, Factory Records memorabilia and numerous family photos and snapshots.

Many are typed on Factory notepaper, or are scrawled on pages from various studios and hotels. They begin in the punk year of 1976 from love at first sight to marriage, from a music show entitled So It Goes to the formation of Factory and the Hacienda, across domestic infidelities, separation, stalled reconciliations and a brutal sacking.

After all that, when the reader would doubt any recovery was possible, the letters describe a renewed but now illicit love affair of former marriage partners. And beyond that, to a lasting friendship.

From bass player to lead guitarist, member, Steve Diggle has been the driving force keeping Buzzcocks alive since he first met Pete Shelley in 1976. Together they would ignite the Manchester music scene, kickstart indie and become one of the best loved and most influential punk groups of all time. Following Shelley's untimely death in 2018, Autonomy is Diggle's definitive inside account of their shared musical legacy and complex friendship through the band's rise, fall, and rise again - from their punk origins supporting Sex Pistols with original singer Howard Devoto to Top of the Pops, the excess of success, break-up, reformation and life beyond bereavement.

Funny, honest and touchingly philosophical, it is also Diggle's very personal story of working class escape, dreams, redemption and loss - an ultimately heroic survivor's tale from an irrepressible rock'n'roll spirit.

Listening to the Music the Machines Make is the revolutionary story of electronic pop from 1978 to 1983, a true golden age of British music. This definitive account explores how krautrock, disco, glam rock and punk inspired a new generation to rip up the rulebook and venture toward a new frontier of electronic music - one that laid the foundations for Hip-Hop, house, techno and beyond. Including an extensive collection of archive images throughout, Richard Evans's kaleidoscopic narrative draws on years of research, a plethora of archive press materials and the input of key figures, including Vince Clarke (Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure), Martyn Ware (The Human League, B.E.F., Heaven 17) and Daniel Miller (The Normal, Mute Records).

From the gritty and experimental to the camp and theatrical, this book charts the careers and impact of electronic pop's earliest innovators and luminaries, from Devo, The Normal, Telex and Cabaret Voltaire to Soft Cell, Gary Numan, OMD, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode.

The critically acclaimed definitive biography of Kate Bush, revised and updated for 2024, with a new foreword by Sinéad Gleeson. Detailing everything from Bush’s upbringing to her early exposition of talent, to her subsequent evolution into a stunningly creative and endlessly fascinating visual and musical artist, Under The Ivy is the story of one woman's life in music. Written with great detail, accuracy and admiration for her work, this is in equal parts an in-depth biography and an immersive analysis of Kate Bush's art.

Focusing on her unique working methods, her studio techniques, her timeless albums and inescapable influence, Under The Ivy is an eminently readable and insightful exploration of one of the world's most unique and gifted artists. The text has been updated to include coverage of Bush’s return to the top of the charts in 2022 following the extraordinary resurgence of ‘Running Up That Hill.’ An eye-opening journey of discovery for anyone unfamiliar with the breadth of Bush’s work, Under The Ivy also rewards the long-term fan with new insights and fresh analysis.

Some of the most beautiful, era-defining music has been co-composed by Karl Bartos. 'The Robots', 'Computer Love', 'Neon Lights', 'Tour De France' and Kraftwerk's 1982 number one single 'The Model' all contain his deft musical touch. For the first time, in The Sound of the Machine, Bartos speaks candidly and with wit and humour about his life in Kraftwerk, a band widely acknowledged as being one of the most important in modern music.

In The Sound of the Machine, Karl vividly recalls what it was like to be in the Kling Klang studios during recording, describing the process and perfectly capturing the joy and passion of three people composing and recording. Now, with a successful solo career of 30 years, Karl Bartos recalls his post-war childhood, the amazement he felt on first hearing The Beatles, his first bands, his parallel career as a musician and teacher, his years with Kraftwerk, and his hopes and fears for today's musical culture. 'Full and frank disclosure of life in the world's most influential electronic band...

British artist Douglas Dare announces the release of his fourth album Omni. Seen by Douglas himself as a bold rebirth and embrace of the electronic, Omni is all at once a throbbing, avant-garde, queer, dark and cinematic record imbued with a love of rave culture and sense of fearless storytelling that’s deeply evocative. Omni will be released on May 10 via Erased Tapes. To mark the announcement, Douglas today shares the first taster of the record with ‘Mouth To Mouth’, a pulsing, synth-laden track that begs to be played loud. ‘Mouth To Mouth’ sees a collaboration with label mate Daniel Brandt who appears on production duties, with beats supplied by Rival Consoles. Speaking on the track, Douglas says, “life, death, fate and orgies; this is the heartfelt club track I always wanted to write.” Since 2013, Douglas has blurred classical, chamber-pop, folk and avant-garde to dazzling effect, with a startling voice that can stop you in your tracks. It’s why he’s played with luminaries like Nils Frahm, Perfume Genius and Ólafur Arnalds, and was selected by David Lynch and The Cure’s Robert Smith for their respective cultural festivals in Manchester (MIF) and London (Meltdown). But Douglas’s fourth album, Omni, is a fresh awakening. Encouraged by Erased Tapes founder Robert Raths, he decided to step away from acoustic instruments, especially the piano he grew up playing, and swapped them for synths and drum machines. His new music has much in common with Arca and the late SOPHIE, two artists for whom self-expression meant liberation. “I got to hang out in the studio with her,” says Douglas of the latter musician, “the way she made music made a big impression on me.” And yet Omni is steeped in the kind of deft storytelling, sweeping strings, elegant contrasts and fairytale atmosphere that marks Douglas out as a crucial and singular voice. It’s not often you hear a strutting electro banger that could have been straight out of 90s Soho, with vocal loops inspired by US experimentalist Meredith Monk. For Douglas, Omni is about reconciling all those different sides of himself – the songwriter, the raver, the lover, the observer. It’s a hugely queer record: seductive, sexy, lusty, untethered from the genre binary. “It’s even got sailors on it!” laughs Douglas. “You don’t get more queer than that.

The definitive biography of Shane MacGowan, fully updated to include Shane's final months and the response to his passing. Punk protagonist, legendary drinker, Irish musical icon. The complete and extraordinary journey of the Pogues' notorious frontman from outcast to national treasure.

A Furious Devotion vividly recounts the experiences that shaped the greatest songwriter of his generation, including the formative trips to his mother's homestead in Tipperary and the explosion of punk which changed his life. As well as exclusive interviews with Shane himself, author Richard Balls has secured contributions from his wife and family, and people who have never spoken publicly about Shane before: close associates, former girlfriends and the English teacher who first spotted his literary gift. Nick Cave, Aidan Gillen, Cillian Murphy, Christy Moore, Sinead O'Connor and Dermot O'Leary are on the rollcall of those paying tribute to the gifted songwriter and poet.

This frank and extensive biography includes many previously unseen personal photographs.

Foreword by Robin Spence.

Skip Spence was a soldier, a rock star, a folkie, an innovator, an addict, a cult phenomenon and a ward of the state. The cast of characters in his story include some of the biggest stars in music: Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young and many more. His life is the story of the Sixties - it's the story of San Francisco, the biggest bands in America and rock'n'roll mayhem.

Although Spence spent much of his life battling addiction and mental illness, during his lucid moments he performed in several bands and is best known for his work with Jefferson Airplane and as the co-founder of Moby Grape. Tracks from his cult solo album Oar has been covered by Tom Waits, Beck and Robert Plant. With family photos, a foreword by Robin Spence, and accounts from his friends, bandmates and family, Weighted Down is the first book to tell his story in full.

BOOK OF THE YEAR 2017 - MOJO MAGAZINE & UNCUT MAGAZINE "In early '77 I asked Grant if he'd form a band with me. `No,' was his blunt reply." Grant McLennan didn't want to be in a band. He couldn't play an instrument; Charlie Chaplin was his hero du jour.

And yet, when Robert Forster wrote Hemingway, Genet, Chandler and Joyce into his lyrics, McLennan couldn't resist a second invitation to become 80s indie sensation The Go Betweens. The friends would collaborate for three decades, until Grant's premature death in 2006. Beautifully written - like lyrics, like prose - Grant & I is a rock memoir akin to no other.

Part `making of', part music industry expose, part buddy-book, this is a delicate and perceptive celebration of creative endeavour. With wit and candour, Robert Forster pays tribute to a band who found huge success in the margins, having friendship at its heart.

The music of Atlanta trio Omni has always swung fast and hit hard. And Souvenir, their fourth album and second for Sub Pop, packs their biggest punch yet. Inactive during the majority of the pandemic–the longest downtime in their history–they approached this recording with lots of pent-up energy. Guitarist Frankie Broyles, singer/bassist Philip Frobos, and drummer Chris Yonker converted their creative fuel into sharp, driving songs that land immediately, sporting chopping riffs, staccato beats, and wiry melodies.

Why does Souvenir sound so sharp? Because each track is a compact unit that stands on its own, reflecting the time and place in which it was created. That’s why Omni called the album Souvenir: it’s a collection of audio objects, a stash of musical miniatures. Think of it as a family photo album, a binder of rare playing cards, a shoebox holding precious gems.

Take “Plastic Pyramid,” the first song Omni wrote after coming out of lockdown. Filled with twists and turns, it’s a journey unto itself, charged by clanging chords, spinning rhythm, and Frobos trading lines with Izzy Glaudini of Automatic, with whom Omni toured with last fall. (Glaudini sings on two other Souvenir tracks, the first guest vocalist the band has collaborated with). Or take opener “Exacto,” a slicing web of intertwined guitar and bass. Its razor-fine notes and syncopated beats perfectly match pointillist Frobos lyrics such as “Exacto, de facto, concise, quite right”–a line that could well be an Omni mantra.

The precision and clarity of Souvenir comes from some new Omni developments. For one, this is their first album with Yonker as their full-time drummer, and his forceful playing adds exclamation points to every pointed moment on Souvenir. In addition, the trio worked with Atlanta-based engineer Kristofer Sampson for the first time. Sampson pushed the band to a higher degree of power, with Frobos’s vocals more upfront in his pulsing mix and the rest of the music leaping out of the speakers. You might notice that Frobos’ singing is a bit more emotional and even nostalgic this time around. In crafting his vocals, he was inspired by the early college radio rock of formative favorites like REM, the Cure, and Big Audio Dynamite–the kind of bands whose melodies could have been top 40 hits in an alternative universe. The lyrics on Souvenir are also by turns funny, absurd, and even cryptic. A wry humor has always coursed through Omni’s songs, and this time, it comes in shades of both dark and light. In “Granite Kiss,” an “astronomical” love story concludes with the hope that “we can decay together,” while in “PG,” a romantic walk in the park includes a rose-colored mugging.

Immediacy rushes throughout every moment of Souvenir, making it the band's most powerful album to date. Omni has truly crafted a musical keepsake–a set of songs that you’ll want to keep close, an aural memento you'll cherish for the rest of time.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Though Omni's sounds are clearly rooted in the gloomy mire of post-punk, Omni could never be accused of staying in place for long enough for it to stick. Though 'Souvenir' is decidedly more truncated and pop-forward than their previous outings, it's not a huge leap from 2017's brilliant 'Multi-Task' or 2019's 'Networker' in term of sheer inventive momentum.

TRACK LISTING

1. Exacto
2. Plastic Pyramid
3. Common Mistake
4. INTL Waters
5. Double Negative
6. PG
7. Granite Kiss
8. Verdict
9. F1
10. To Be Rude
11. Compliment 

On Birthmark’s latest album, Birth of Omni, songwriter & multi-instrumentalist Nate Kinsella delivers his most thematically dynamic and experimental album to date. The album highlights the gargantuan shift in perspective that comes along with becoming a parent, including core themes of identity, duality, sexuality, overwhelming responsibility, feminism, and fear of men. Over the course of the album’s ten songs, Kinsella takes the listener on a wild ride, full of emotions and inner thoughts. On “Rodney,” Kinsella enlists Shudder to Think’s Craig Wedren on vocals for a track that explores sexuality and desires, while “Boyfriend” touches on how things change between partners in a relationship while raising children.

In addition to Kinsella’s work with Birthmark, Nate also plays in two other bands with his cousin Mike Kinsella – American Football and Lies. He’s also collaborated with artists such as Tim Kasher, Joan of Arc, TTNG, and others. Kinsella’s work has been featured in outlets such as Pitchfork, Fader, Rolling Stone, Stereogum, NPR, and many others.

TRACK LISTING

1. Snowflake In My Palm (Not For Long)
2. Butterfly
3. Birthday (Product Of Our Lust)
4. Rodney
5. Baby Woncha Come On Home
6. Boyfriend
7. Green Skies
8. Red Meadow
9. I’m Awake
10. Pretty Flowers

A down-and-dirty chronicle of the birth and evolution of the Seattle grunge scene-from amateur skate parks and underground hardcore clubs to worldwide phenomenon-as told by one of its founding fathers and lead guitarist of legendary alternative rock band, Mudhoney. In the late 80s and early 90s, Steve Turner and his friends-Seattle skate punks, hardcore kids, and assorted misfits-started forming bands in each other's basements and accidentally created a unique sound that spread far beyond their once-sleepy city. Mud Ride offers an inside look at the tight-knit grunge scene, the musical influences and experiments that shaped the grunge sound, and the story of Turner's bands, Green River and Mudhoney, which went from underground flophouse shows to selling out stadiums with Nirvana and Pearl Jam.

Including stories about the key moments, musicians, and albums from grunge's beginnings to its come-down from the highs of global success and stardom, this is the first account of the musical phenomenon that took over the world from someone who was there for it all. Written by Steve Turner, lead guitarist of Mudhoney, a foundational grunge band that inspired musical icons from Kurt Cobain to Sonic Youth, Mud Ride features a foreword by Pearl Jam's Stone Gossard and never-before-seen photographs and grunge memorabilia throughout. Take a seat and ride through the messy and muddy grunge scene that grew from the basements of the Northwest and went on to circle the globe.

First new album from Urge Overkill in a decade. The alternative rock pioneers are best known for their cover of Neil Diamond's "Girl You'll Be a Woman Soon", which was popularized in the film "Pulp Fiction".

TRACK LISTING

1. Freedom!
2. A Necessary Evil
3. Follow My Shadow
4. How Sweet The Light
5. I Been Ready
6. A Prisoner’s Dilemma
7. Forgiven
8. Totem Pole
9. Litany
10. I Can’t Stay Glad@U
11. Won’t Let Go
12. Snow

Enter Networker, the new album by Omni and first with indie giant Sub Pop Records. Their sound is still defined by sparse drums, locked-in bass, blistering guitar, and nonchalant, yet assured vocals, but from the first notes of "Sincerely Yours" you'll immediately notice that Networker sounds much cleaner and more "HI-FI" than their prior two albums, Deluxe (2016) and Multi-task (2017). The departure in fidelity suits the new record and allows the listener to enjoy the nuances of their meticulous arrangements. Don't worry, the riffs of Gang of Four and Wire are still present, but the production is more lush and the harmony is even more expansive.

Despite nods to the sounds of the ’70s and ’80s what comes through is a record fully rooted in the here and now. Thematically, this is apparent on the title track "Networker" taking a candid snapshot of the “digital you” aspect of life in the age of the internet. The otherwise fun romp “Skeleton Key” also acknowledges the “direct message and obsessive” side of social media with lines like “if you don't like what you see, the pretty face on the screen, scroll on by...”  Networker was written half between tours and half during recording sessions. The band, Philip Frobos on bass/vocals and Frankie Broyles on guitars/drums/keys, returned with longtime collaborator Nathaniel Higgins to the studio in South Georgia where they also recorded Multi-task and most recent single "Delicacy." In this case, the “studio” is a cabin near Vienna, GA (pronounced Vye-anna) that was built by Frankie Broyles’ great-grandparents in the 1940s. The band completed four sessions between November 2018 and April 2019.

Omni hit their stride in the cabin with songs such as "Moat,” which cruises along at a nice mid-tempo clip with sounds that are maybe piano or maybe the “behind the bridge” strings of a Jaguar a la Sonic Youth or This Heat. "Blunt Force" provides a nice contrast to some of the more upbeat cuts, getting jazzy with it’s less traditional arrangement and psychedelic outro. Overall, Networker is simultaneously fun, catchy, and contains some truly impressive musicianship. This combo is especially hard to pull off as bands that are great players often don’t have great or memorable songs. Omni and Nathaniel Higgins have done a stellar job of reigning in their diverse influences into a cohesive record by curating their sounds into a tight package that leaves you just on the cusp of understanding where the band is coming from, while still feeling like you’re hearing something totally fresh. While their earlier records had more of a “post-punk” sound, Networker is an amalgamation of the best sounds of the ’70s and ’80s, all arranged with (mostly) guitars, bass, and drums for our contemporary age, and it really works! There are hooks everywhere, vocal and instrumental, that will leave you humming along, even during the first listen. As Philip Frobos says in “Present Tense,” “guess who’s on my mind right now?” Well, Omni’s on mine and will be on yours soon.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Omni's sound has been gradually gathering momentum since their superb 2016 LP 'Deluxe' (almost definitely since before then, but 2016 was my entry point). What we've ended up with is a brilliantly confident and swaggering combination of technically superb guitar riffage and off-piste rhythmic hooks all coated in those relaxed vox, delievered perfectly but with the minimum of fuss. Effortlessly cool.

TRACK LISTING

1. Sincerely Yours
2. Courtesy Call
3. Moat
4. Underage
5. Skeleton Key
6. Genuine Person
7. Present Tense
8. Blunt Force
9. Flat Earth
10. Networker
11. Sleep Mask

Big Star formed in 1971, and in their brief 4 years together, created 3 albums that consistently make “Best of All-Time” lists. 18 years after officially disbanding, original members Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens joined forces with The Posies’ Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow for a live performance, which led to a tour (documented on Omnivore Recordings’ Live In Memphis), and years of concerts. While the live shows were a joy and surprise, a bigger surprise happened in 2005. After over a decade playing together: a new studio album. As Ryko A&R’s Jeff Rougvie said. “It was the easiest approval for a project I ever got.” In Space featured new 12 tracks (11 originals and a cover of The Olympics’ “Mine Exclusively”) recorded where Big Star began, at the classic Ardent Studios.

The new line up was creating a new chapter for the band while minding and honoring its past. With original vinyl going for outrageous prices, In Space returns as an LP on translucent blue vinyl, and expanded CD with 6 bonus tracks including “Hot Thing” (previously available on the out-of-print Big Star Story) and 5 previously unissued demos and alternate mixes. Packaging contains liner notes from Rougvie, original album co-producer/engineer Jeff Powell (who also cut the new vinyl), assistant Ardent engineer Adam Hill, and surviving band members Jon Auer, Ken Stringfellow, and Jody Stephens. Expanded and remastered, In Space finally returns to earth. Prepare to blast off again

• New compilation featuring tracks from early Soul Asylum (then known as Loud Fast Rules) and select bonus tracks from the Soul Asylum CD reissues.
• Includes alternate takes, demos, cassette-only compilation tracks and more.
• Reissue co-produced by Twin/Tone co-founder Peter Jesperson and Grammy®-winning producer Cheryl Pawelski. Soul Asylum first hit the Minneapolis music scene in early 1981.

This special compilation picks up select bonus tracks featured on the CD reissues of Soul Asylum’s Twin/Tone releases and is co-produced by Twin/Tone Records co-founder and Replacements manager, Peter Jesperson and Grammy®-winner and Omnivore Recordings co-founder, Cheryl Pawelski. This previously unissued, unique compilation reaches back for some of the earliest Soul Asylum recordings as Loud Fast Rules while also offering alternate versions of some well know songs. Twin/Tone Extras has been restored and mastered by Grammy®-award winning engineer, Michael Graves at Osiris Studio and cut by Chris Muth at Taloowa.

• Soul Asylum’s classic EP expanded to LP length.
• Original EP produced By Tom Herbers.
• First time on vinyl since original U.K. & U.S. pressings.
• Reissue co-produced by Twin/Tone co-founder Peter Jesperson and Grammy®-winning producer Cheryl Pawelski.

Originally produced by Tom Herbers (Jayhawks, Gear Daddies, Low), this reissue is co-produced by Twin/Tone Records co-founder and Replacements manager, Peter Jesperson and Grammy®-winner and Omnivore Recordings co-founder, Cheryl Pawelski. Clam Dip & Other Delights is now newly expanded to album length and features the original tracks from the U.K. and U.S. releases, and some previously unissued demos cut around the same time. Additionally, this fresh expanded vinyl pressing of Soul Asylum's Clam Dip & Other Delights is the first since it’s original 1988 U.K. and 1989

• Soul Asylum’s debut album.
• Produced by Bob Mould (Hüsker Dü).
• First time on vinyl since original pressing
• Reissue co-produced by Twin/Tone co-founder Peter Jesperson and Grammy®-winning producer Cheryl Pawelski. Soul Asylum first hit the Minneapolis music scene in early 1981.

Originally produced by Bob Mould, this reissue is co-produced by Twin/Tone Records co-founder and Replacements manager, Peter Jesperson and Grammy®-winner and Omnivore Recordings, Cheryl Pawelski. This fresh vinyl pressing of Soul Asylum’s debut, Say What You Will . . . Everything Can Happen is the first since it’s original 1984 Twin/Tone release and has been restored and mastered by Grammy®-award winning engineer, Michael Graves at Osiris Studio and cut by Chris Muth at Taloowa.

• Remastered and restored performance originally recorded and broadcast in 1974.
• On LP officially for the first time.
• New liner notes from authors Robert Gordon and Rich Tupica.
• Liners include an interview with bassist, John Lightman.

Big Star recorded their second album, Radio City, as a trio, after the departure of founding member Chris Bell. When it came time to tour, original bassist Andy Hummel decided to return to school to pursue his engineering education. With this departure, Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens recruited fellow Memphis native John Lightman to take over on bass duties, and the band readied their live set. That set is on display as Big Star recorded a radio session at Ultrasonic Studios in New York for broadcast on the city’s preeminent WLIR. Nearly two decades later, those recordings were issued as Live in 1992. Omnivore Recordings is proud to reintroduce those recordings, restored and remastered from the original tapes, as Live On WLIR, on CD—and, its first official release on LP.

The 15 track set features material from the band’s two releases, as well as a cover of “Motel Blues” by Loudon Wainwright III (which originally appeared on his classic 1971 sophomore release, Album II). With new, updated liner notes from Memphis writer/filmmaker, Robert Gordon (who won a Grammy® for his essay in 2010’s Big Star boxed set Keep An Eye On The Sky) and an interview with John Lightman by Chris Bell biographer Rich Tupica (There Was A Light: The Cosmic History Of Big Star Founder Chris Bell), Live On WLIR enters the Big Star canon in the form it deserves. Because, you know, you get what you deserve.

TRACK LISTING

Side A
1. September Gurls (Live On WLIR)
2. Way Out West (Live On WLIR)
3. Mod Lang (Live On WLIR)
4. Don't Lie To Me (Live On WLIR)

Side B
1. O My Soul (Live On WLIR)
2. Interview (Live On WLIR)
3. The Ballad Of El Goodo (Live On WLIR)
4. Thirteen (Live On WLIR)

Side C
1. I'm In Love With A Girl (Live On WLIR)
2. Motel Blues (Live On WLIR)
3. In The Street (Live On WLIR)
4. You Get What You Deserve (Live On WLIR)

Side D
1. Daisy Glaze (Live On WLIR)
2. Back Of A Car (Live On WLIR)
3. She's A Mover (Live On WLIR)

Just like Memphis for Rock'n'Roll, Dusseldorf is regarded as the Mecca for electronic music. The capital of North Rhine-Westphalia became the centre of an analog electronic movement which changed the course of all popular music to come.

Electri_City is the oral account of the city's most influential bands, including Kraftwerk, NEU!, DAF, Die Krupps and many more. This history uncovers the myths and reality of the bands emerging from the artistic backdrop of a wealthy, modern, post-WWII German city; the conditions that fostered such a creative explosion.

Interviews include Daniel Miller (Mute Records), Paul Humphreys and Andy McCluskey (OMD), Martyn Ware (Human League), Glenn Gregory (Heaven 17), Rusty Egan (Visage) Ryuichi Sakamoto and producer, Giorgio Moroder.

Record Store Day/Black Friday saw the release of the first in a series of three volumes of double LPs that will contain the entire, critically acclaimed Big Star Complete Third boxed set. Volume 2, titled Roughs To Mixes continues the journey, featuring rough mixes from producer Jim Dickinson, as well as Ardent’s John Fry, with over 15 previously unissued tracks. Almost every song on this collection is making its vinyl debut.

Included are Lesa Aldridge’s take on The Velvet Underground’s “After Hours,” and a version of “For You” with vocals from Alex Chilton (songwriter and Big Star drummer Jody Stephens sang the iconic album version.)

This release is the bridge from the early demos, and the listener can feel the progression toward what would be listed as one of Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time—Big Star’s Third.

Seattle electronic duo NAVVI unveil their most captivating and fully realized work with their debut album Omni, coming out via Hush Hush Records. The collaborative vision of vocalist Kristin Henry and producer Brad Boettger, NAVVI’s music carries an instantly magnetic presence. First emerging with their debut single in 2013, their confident take on brooding, propulsive, darkly-lit synth-pop has been on display over a steady string of self-released singles, an inclusion on a compilation curated by the French label Kitsuné, as well as their excellent 2014 EP, II. Press outlets such as NME, Brooklyn Vegan, Impose, Line of Best Fit, and Jay-Z’s Life+Times have all been quick to praise their alluring sound, and they’ve been handpicked by the Capitol Hill Block Party and KEXP to perform on stages all across Seattle. All of these efforts now lead to the strongest and most expansive statement in their young career, Omni. A stunning, filler-free debut album that makes good on the promise of their initial high-quality self-released singles, Omni is yet another confident step forward for NAVVI. A dedicated DIY band that has largely done everything in a self-produced, self-managed, and self-designed fashion, this marks the first official label release for NAVVI. The album has found a fitting home on Hush Hush Records, an independent DIY label run and curated by KEXP DJ Alex Ruder that’s dedicated to an emotional, cinematic, and intimate sound. 

TRACK LISTING

1. Simpatico,
2. Close,
3. Polychrome,
4. Interstate,
5. What Reason Do We Need?,
6. In Gold,
7. Follow You,
8. Another Phase,
9. Sol, 10. Time,
11. From The End And Start.

Their Classic Pop-Punk Debut—Remastered And Expanded! The Muffs burst onto the California music scene at the beginning of the ’90s, and after a few independent singles and EPs, they were quickly snapped up by Warner Bros. Records. Entering the studio with David Katznelson and Rob Cavallo (who would go on the helm records from Green Day, Goo Goo Dolls, and more), The Muffs roared from speakers across the country in 1993.

According to renowned critic Jim DeRotagis, “You’d have to reach all the way back to Blondie’s Plastic Letters to find punkish power pop this endearing.” The quartet rips through the album’s 16 tracks, ranging from and an Angry Samoans cover, to the college radio smash, “Lucky Guy.” In addition, alt-rock superstar Jon Spencer (Pussy Galore and his own Blues Explosion) adds some theremin and The Godfather Of Exotica Korla Pandit’s Hammond Organ makes an appearance. Even the beverage Fruitopia caught the buzz, using the album’s “Everywhere I Go” in a popular television campaign.

This reissue contains the classic original album, and adds a whopping 10 bonus tracks: a radio remix of “Lucky Guy,” a version of “Everywhere I Go” which was only available on the cassette of The Muffs album, and 8 previously unissued demos from the band’s vocalist and lead guitarist, Kim Shattuck—who filled the role of departed Kim Deal on the Pixies’ 2013 tour. Released with full cooperation from the band, Shattuck and bassist Ronnie Barnett provide new liners, and they have opened their archives for photos and other ephemera. Reuniting and issuing their first new release in a decade last year, garnering critical lauds and playing to enthusiastic crowds, it’s time to go back to where it all started. It’s time for The Muffs!