A club crossover classic from The Rolling Stones – a track that surprisingly got the group onto the dancefloor in the late 70s, but which still held onto most of their best elements! Although sometimes panned as a cheap disco cash-in effort by some, the tune is actually pretty darn great – a gritty little tune that relies on heavy vamping, rolled-out guitar parts, and one of the catchiest vocal hooks that Mick Jagger had sung in years. Harmonica completes the sound, and the whole thing's got a bluesy undercurrent that's totally great! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Way more than the disco cash-in some folks thought at the time – and a surprisingly classic set that perfectly sums up the late 70s Stones ethos – and, in a way, the vibe of a changing New York! Titles include "Miss You", "Beast Of Burden", "Shattered", "Imagination", "Lies", "Far Away Eyes" and "When The Whip Comes Down". (Rock, Soul) CD

A bit of an odd album, but one that showed the Stones were alive and kicking in the 80s. Taking off from the Stones' take on disco from their previous couple of LPs but keeping a nice rough edge on the proceedings, Jagger and Richards turned in what's probably their last great studio LP. 10 tracks in all, including "Undercover Of The Night", "She Was Hot", "Tie You Up (The Pain Of Love)", "Wanna Hold You", "Feel On Baby", 'too Much Blood", "Pretty Beat Up", "All The Way Down" and "It Must Be Hell". (Rock, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

2 great 80s numbers with Jagger, Richards, & Co getting a helping hand from the Glimmer Twins, and proving that even at this point in their career they were still very much in the game! 12-inch, Vinyl record

A classic from Merry Clayton – and a record whose title follows from her big fame of singing on the original version of "Gimme Shelter" by the Rolling Stones! The sound here is a lot more soul-based, as you'd guess – arranged beautifully by Gene Page, with a really righteous feel that's perfect for Merry's deeply soulful vocal approach – and produced to perfection by Lou Adler, with some surprising help from Curtis Amy – one of our favorite saxophonists ever. Music is by a hip cast of top-shelf talents from the coast – including Billy Preston on organ, Joe Sample on piano, David T Walker on guitar, and Paul Humphrey on drums – all nice and tight, but totally right in the pocket with their grooves. Titles include Merry's classic version of "Gimme Shelter", plus "Tell All The People", "I've Got Life", "Here Come Those Heartaches Again", and "Good Girls". LP, Vinyl record album

A second sublime set from Ruth Copeland – a funky female singer from the Detroit scene of the early 70s, with key ties to the P-Funk universe, and a unique groove that mixes singer/songwriter modes with the fuzzier funkier elements of artists like Betty Davis or Yvonne Fair! There's a bit more emphasis on soul here than the funk of Copeland's previous efforts – but in a way that makes for an even more impressive record overall, especially when you realize that Ruth arranged and produced the whole thing. George Clinton and Eddie Hazel both had a hand in co-writing songs with Copeland – and instrumentation features Hazel on guitar, plus Bernie Worrell on piano – so there's still a key P-Funk link. Titles include the breakbeat track "Suburban Family Lament", the fuzzy stoner funk number "Don't You Wish You Had", and covers of the Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter" and "Play With Fire" – plus "Crying Has Made Me Stronger", "Hare Krishna", and "The Medal". LP, Vinyl record album

Screamin Jay Hawkins caught at the height of one of his first "revival" periods – the late 60s, when he was opening for the Rolling Stones, and popping out of the same sort of coffin pictured on the cover! The style of the record takes the older R&B mode of Hawkins' 50s singles, and maybe gives it a bit more of a kick with some of the younger blues generation – but in a way that only seems to open up his music more than before. The album was recorded live in a Hollywood club, where Hawkins was clearly trying out the act that was winning him appeal with the new crowds – and players include Lyle Ritz on bass, Plas Johnson on tenor, Earl Palmer on drums, and even a bit of piano from Grahame Bond. Titles include "Ask Him", "Thing Called Woman", "Dig", "I'm Lonely", "What That Is", "Constipation Blues", and "Feast Of The Mau Mau". LP, Vinyl record album

The rare second album from Clydie King – recorded at a time when she was lending her backing vocals to artists like The Rolling Stones, Steely Dan, and Humble Pie – but a set that firmly puts Clydie in the lead! King's got an amazing style of singing – deep and raspy at one moment, with key southern soul roots – yet also totally tight and together, too – with a focus that really shines on the album's more upbeat tracks – groovers that almost have an east coast club vibe at times, quite similar to material that Clydie recorded with the group Brown Sugar! Titles include "Rushing To Meet You", "Loving You Is So Easy", "Steal Your Love Away", "Punish Me", "Our Love Is Special", and "Morning Sun". CD

The British love of R&B in the 60s is no secret – thanks to the early work of The Rolling Stones, The Animals, and other chart-topping groups of the time. But here, that side of British music is explored in much greater depth – and served up in an assortment of lesser-known work from the time, with more than enough documentation to show that British R&B wasn't just a phenomenon confined to a handful of groups! The package is one of the best in the Decca "scene" series – and brings together 25 rare gems from the UK mid 60s years – most of which were never issued in the US, and all of which are offered up with great notes on the music, and vintage photos of the artists. Titles include "Keep Me Covered" by The Frays, "Louie Louie Go Home" by Davie Jones & The King Bees, "Anytime At All" by The Fairies, "You're On My Mind" by The Birds, "Cross My Heart" by The Exotics, "Blue Beat" by The Beazers, "King Lonely The Blue" by The Emeralds, "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean" by Pauls Disciples, and "Can I Get A Witness" by Steve Aldo. (Rock, Soul) CD