Friday, 14 March 2025
Detail Magazine - Issue 16 - out in March featuring Rick Buckler, Eddie Phillips, PP Arnold, Shel Talmy, Bruce Foxton and Paul Hooper-Keeley
Claire Mahoney says: Busy working on issue 16 this morning to get this baby off to print. A special issue this one and that's reflected in the music choices. Not only have we added in a 10 page special remembering Rick Buckler (our Matt Deighton feature moves to Summer to make way), we have some superb interviews with The Creation's Eddie Phillips and PP Arnold, plus articles on 60s sound man Shel Talmy, jazz critic Leonard Feather and artist Vinyl Soul man Matt Grainger. Waxing Lyrical is on Bruce Foxton by non other than fellow bass player Andy Lewis. 'Sometimes, Always, Never' comes from The Threads' Paul Hooper-Keeley - I could go on and I probably will.....but I'll save that for more posts about what's coming up in this fabulous issue - you are gonna love it.
54321 - The Countdown Records Story book by Terry Rawlings now available to pre-order
the pre-sale launch of The Countdown Records Story a new limited edition, fully illustrated book by author Terry Rawlings marking the 40th anniversary of the label Countdown Records.
The James Taylor Quartet 'In The Hand Of The Inevitable' 30th Anniversary Edition - 2LP, CD & Digital OUT NOW on Acid Jazz
OUT NOW… James Taylor Quartet’s vital ‘In The Hand Of The Inevitable’ - special 30th Anniversary Edition
2LP, CD & Digital.
The James Taylor
Quartet were the original group on the acid jazz scene, and this was their
1995 triumphant Top 40 return to the label. It became James’ best-selling
album, and in retrospect his most popular album amongst his fans.
The original vinyl
issue was missing two tracks that were on the CD and this 30th Anniversary
Edition is released on double vinyl with those two tracks now included. The
release includes picture sleeve inner sleeves with in-depth sleeve notes by
Acid Jazz’s Dean Rudland and new pictures from the album sessions, housed in a
wide-spine sleeve.
The CD and digital
releases include two tracks from the album sessions – ‘Love
Ballad’ and ‘Astral Plane’ - which only appeared on
single releases. The former is a cover of the LTD / George Benson classic and
the latter a great slice of ‘80s influenced electro-funk.
Friday, 7 March 2025
Kindle Deal on Eddie Piller's 'Clean Living Under Difficult Circumstances' throughout March
https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10161077652537522&id=602612521&mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=pz8RG9YsejKNfIYE#
Proper – 'Meant To Say Something' album out on 25th April (Spinout Nuggets)
Artist – Proper
Release – Meant To Say Something LP/CD
Side A
1. Wicked (3:05)
2. One Way Street (3:45)
3. Sinister (3:39)
4. Harlequin (3:17)
5. Dynamics (3:06)
Side B
1. What Kind Of Fool (3:14)
2. Nothing Like This (2:27)
3. Panic Button (2:54)
4. Somewhere (3:17)
5. The Resolve (3:01)
6. Your Wish Is My Command (3:05)
Label – Spinout Nuggets
Cat No. – SN148
Release date – 285th April 2025
Proper formed in London, England in March 2015 with the aim of producing timeless 3 minute pop songs, with a nod to the past pop masters of the mid ’60’s and the late ’70’s in particular.
Guitarist and vocalist Ivano Bonfanti came to London from Milan with just a suitcase and a Rickenbacker guitar in the early 1990’s, within a year he joined The Direction, a hard gigging mod revival band who he’d been following as a fan.
Len Fleckney has played drums with many bands over the years, most notably with legendary mod revival group Long Tall Shorty and previously Eleanor Rigby (also Canadian band The Crescent Heights).
Jez Payne and Joe Duggan make up the rest of Proper, on bass and guitar respectively.
Proper’s debut gig was at the iconic 100 Club, supporting The Scene and they’ve since gone on to build up a loyal live following and have taken their sound further afield.
Having worked alongside legendary sound engineer Pat Collier, and Tony Morrison (Long Tall Shorty), their debut album was released in 2017.
Back with Pat Collier, this time with Brett ‘Buddy’ Ascott (The Chords, The Fallen Leaves, etc) on producer duties, Proper locked themselves in Perry Vale Studios until they made eleven sure fire power popped hits, now collected on this very album.
Limited to 300 copies on vinyl (also on CD).
Line Up:
Ivano Bonfanti- Vocals, Guitars
Joseph Duggan – Guitar
Jeremy Payne – Bass
Len Fleckney – Drums, Vocals.
Notes:
Recorded by Pat Collier at Perry Vale Studios, London.
Produced by Brett ‘Buddy’ Ascott.
Post production by Jessica Corcoran at Perry Vale Studios.
Published by Spinout Music.
Thursday, 6 March 2025
THE CIRCLES - Anthology DLP / CD confirmed for Friday 4th April release by Detour
The Circles Release “Anthology” on Detour Records Celebrating Their Enduring Mod Revival Legacy.
The Circles, one of the defining bands of the mod revival movement, proudly unveil Anthology, a career-spanning double LP celebrating 5 decades of recordings. Featuring iconic tracks such as “Opening Up”, "Billy", "Mr Suburbia”, “Better Days” and “Angry Voices” alongside TWO brand new songs (Unavailable anywhere else), Anthology showcases the band’s evolution while staying true to their roots.
Emerging from the West Midlands in the late 70's, The Circles fused mod aesthetics with punk energy, quickly earning a devoted following whilst remaining accessible to fans. Despite the passage of time, their music has remained a staple of the mod revival scene, with Mick Walker’s songs as relevant and strong today as when written over 40 years ago.
Guitarist Martin Ratcliffe commented “This collection is a thank-you to everyone who’s been part of our journey. Even after all these years, we still have the same fire and passion for our music that started it all back in the ’70s.”
Anthology is available now on Detour Records, inviting both longtime fans and new listeners to experience the spirit of The Circles.
The Risk release double A-side single, 'Once Upon A Time' c/w/ 'Kevin'
First Risk 7’’ vinyl single in 40 years!
Double A-side - Once Upon a Time/Kevin
Available from Mlegallez62@gmail.com, or private message Mark on his Facebook page at Mark Le Gallez.
250 have been pressed, 125 in milky white and 125 in blue.
They are £15 each, postage included.
Please state colour preference when ordering.
BREAKING NEWS: The Threads announce appearance at the IPO Festival at The Cavern, Liverpoool, on Sunday 25th May
The Countdown Records Story 1985-88 - vinly LP out on 9th May
The Countdown Records Story 1985-88
Acid Jazz presents a very special
compilation marking the 40th Anniversary of group label Countdown Records.
Vinyl LP out 9 May
Countdown was
originally founded by Eddie Piller, Maxine Conroy and Terry Rawlings and
distributed by legendary UK independent Stiff Records. The label reflected the
burgeoning Mod revival scene of the mid ‘80s, alongside a vibrant New Wave
sound, as Ed began to find his way as a label executive.
It was a fresh and
unique take on Mod that attempted to place the scene’s main acts in the
mainstream world. It almost worked too. But despite the brilliance of the
signings, it was tripped up by the demise of Stiff, and the corporate
domination of the mid-80s charts.
Lessons would be
learned and applied with Piller’s next label Acid Jazz, where Countdown
refugees such as James Taylor, and Mother Earth’s Chris White went on to
greater success.
This collection
tells the label’s story through the best of its musical output, from mainstays
such as Makin’ Time, The Prisoners and The Kick, alongside classics and
rarities from their groundbreaking compilations, from which this release in
turn takes inspiration.
Presented in a
beautiful sleeve layout with a classy Modernist touch, the compilation also
coincides with a new book that further explores the Countdown legacy from Mod
and beyond.
Full
tracklist -
Pump It Up
- Makin’ Time
Whenever
I’m Gone - The Prisoners
I Can’t Let
Go - The Kick
Falling For
You - Long Tall Shorty
Inside Out
For Your Love - The Scene
I Don’t
Need No Doctor - Fast Eddie
Guilty -
The All-Jacks
The More
That I Teach You - The Prisoners
Here Is My
Number Baby - Makin’ Time
Dreams Come
True - The Combine
Don’t Ever
Change - The Ambassadors
Stuck On
The Edge Of A Blade - The Kick
Ivor The Engine Driver - The Daggermen
Friday, 14 February 2025
Monday, 10 February 2025
The Autumn Stone remastered box set by Small Faces (with unreleased material) is now available to pre-order ahead of a 28th March release date
Friday, 31 January 2025
'Paul Weller Presents That Sweet, Sweet Music' will be released on Blue Yolk Vinyl (400 numbered copies), Gatefold Vinyl and CD on 28.03.2025
Paul Weller Presents That Sweet, Sweet Music will be released on Blue Yolk Vinyl (400 numbered copies), Gatefold Vinyl and CD on 28.03.2025
Soul music has always been in Paul Weller’s blood from early Jam covers of Martha & the Vandellas 1963 classic ‘Heatwave’. Along with other forms of music, soul found its way into Paul’s record collection, nourishing his ears and informing his own songwriting.
We don’t need to recap a questing musical career from the Jam to the Style Council which then blossomed into one of the most productive and revered careers of any UK solo artist. Paul has written anthems, standards and a songbook that have always developed from his own feelings.
Whilst Paul has talked about his love of soul music he has, before now, simply been too busy to sit down and curate a collection of his favourite tracks and get it into the record racks.
Ace Records are honoured and delighted to finally release that Paul Weller curated collection which he has aptly titled, “That Sweet Sweet Music”.
This 2-LP set and CD open the curtains on 26 tracks that are some of Paul’s favourite soul records most of which nestle on vinyl in his own collection. He can still recall paying £70 for his copy of Jon Lucien’s 1971 ‘Search For The Inner Self’ 7” at a record shop in Leicester in the 90s. Some of these tracks are soul classics like James Carr’s 1966 ‘Pouring Water On A Drowning Man’ and Brother to Brother's brilliant take on Gil Scott Heron and Brian Jackson’s ‘In The Bottle’ from 1975. Others are deliciously obscure wonderous gems like the A-side of Blackrock’s sole 1971 single ‘Blackrock “Yeah, Yeah”’, ‘Life Walked Out’ from the same year by The Mist or Syl Johnson’s ‘Black Balloons’ taken from his 1970 album “Is It Because I’m Black?”.
There are plenty of big vocal hitters such as Darrell Banks, Spinners, Joe Simon, O.C. Smith, the Dells and Betty Davis. Whilst the core is vocal soul the music does branch out with Paul selecting a wicked instrumental from the flipside of the Isley Brothers’ ‘Twist & Shout’ from 1962 and the funky jazz of the Headhunters ‘God Made Me Funky’, the A-side of their first 1975 seven-inch.
Paul has not only written an introduction but the way he has curated the music allows each side of the vinyl and the CD to flow like a river taking the listener on a journey through some of his favourite music.
It’s a Sweet Sweet collection indeed.
1. GOD MADE ME FUNKY - The Headhunters
2. SPANISH TWIST - The I. B. Special
3. BREAKAWAY - The Valentines
4. TOP OF THE STAIRS - Collins & Collins
5. DONT LET THE GREEN GRASS FOOL YOU – The Spinners
6. BLACK BALLOONS - Syl Johnson "
7. SOULSHAKE - Peggy Scott & Jo Jo Benson
8. I CAN'T MAKE IT ANYMORE - Richie Havens
9. YOU GOT TO HAVE MONEY - The Exits
10. PULL MY STRING (TURN ME ON) - The Joneses
11. RUN FOR COVER - The Dells
12. ON EASY STREET - O.C. Smith
13. IT AIN'T NO BIG THING - The Radiants
14. SUMMERTIME - Billy Stewart
15. IN THE BOTTLE - Brother To Brother
16. HARD TIMES - Baby Huey
17. MAGGIE - Johnny Williams
18. WHEN - Joe Simon
19. POURING WATER ON A DROWNING MAN - James Carr
20. THAT'S ENOUGH - Roscoe Robinson
21. BLACKROCK “YEAH, YEAH” - Blackrock
22. GOLDEN RING - American Gypsy
23. SEARCH FOR THE INNER SELF - Jon Lucien
24. LIFE WALKED OUT - The Mist
25. IN THE MEANTIME - Betty Davis
26. BEAUTIFUL FEELING - Darrell Banks
Mods Mayday 2025 - Line-Up Confirmed with a 'Special Guest' Artist still to be announced
Mods Mayday, the essential day out in any Mods calendar, will be taking over 229 in central London (opposite Great Portland Street Tube Station) for an all day extravaganza over 4 indoor rooms and 1 outside space.
Room 1 features live performances from Secret Affair, Purple Hearts, The Style Councillors, New Street Adventure, Rhoda Dakar, Sharp Class + a special guest artist to be announced.
Room 2 features live performances from Squire, Big Boss Man, Small World, The Threads, Laurie Wright, Mark McGounden & The Deep Six and direct from Italy - Gli Statuto.
Room 3 - Eddie Piller's Modcast room features Q&A's with Trevor Laird ('Ferdy' from 'Quadrophenia') and Mark Wingett ('Dave' from 'Quadrophenia')
Room 4 will be 'Our Favourite Shop' featuring exclusive merchandise from all of the artists along with record and clothing stalls.
Tuesday, 28 January 2025
Get Ready For The Countdown - Mod, Brit Soul, R&B and Freakbeat Nuggets Box Set released on 18th April (Rough Trade)
Bruce Foxton to leave From The Jam after the 2025 Setting Sons tour
Detail Magazine - Issue 16 - out in March featuring Rick Buckler, Eddie Phillips, PP Arnold, Shel Talmy, Bruce Foxton and Paul Hooper-Keeley
Claire Mahoney says: Busy working on issue 16 this morning to get this baby off to print. A special issue this one and that's reflected...

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In 1983, the venerable British pop magazine Smash Hits (sadly no longer with us) published a feature called “The Things People Said,” in w...
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After 18 years as co-founder of From The Jam , Bruce Foxton announces today that due to ongoing health issues the final dates of the fort...