Titles include "Going Under", "People Have The Power", "Up There Down There", "The Jackson Song", "Dream Of Life", and "Where Duty Calls". LP, Vinyl record album

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... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Patti Smith's first album and one of greatest rock albums of the 70s! Pure, driving passion powers Patti as profoundly as it ever would here on horses. The musicianship is famously top notch, too, making for one of those amazing moments in rock when a great voice – not just a great sounding singer, but uniquely visionary presence ultimately proves to be more forceful than the players. Produced by John Cale, with great guitar from Lenny Kaye – and titles that include "Gloria", "Redondo Beach", "Birdland", "Free Money", "Kimberly", and "Land". LP, Vinyl record album

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... LP, Vinyl record album

Patti Smith gave the world some very personal details in previous autobiographical volumes – but this book is possibly a bit more philosophical, as it follows Smith on a musical journey that begins in 2016, and runs the course of the lunar year – as Patti moves from California eastwards. The book is certainly memoir, but penned with the more poetic spirit of her writings – that quality that first made her lyrics so striking back in the 70s, and which has continued to evolve as Smith has become more of an author in her later years. Patti's wit is often balanced with open, honest moments that come across with a surprising amount of power – and although short, the book packs plenty of punch. This edition is 171 pages, with a number of black and white images. Book

A Tom Verlaine double header – two albums back to back on a single CD! First up is the fantastic first solo album from Tom Verlaine – a set recorded shortly after the breakup of Television, but with a vibe that almost makes it feel like the group's third album! The songs are maybe a bit tighter, but no less creative – both from a lyrical and sonic perspective – and Verlaine's got that fantastic sense of edge in his vocals, which can even make some of the nicer lyrics feel a bit nasty – but all at a level that's never overstated, and which should be a blueprint for later generations of singers who always try too hard. Titles include "The Grip Of Love", "Kingdom Come", "Mr Bingo", "Yonki Time", "Red Leaves", and "Last Night". On Dreamtime, Tom Verlaine has lost none of his edge – and instead has almost emerged as one of the most mature singer/songwriters on the New York scene – an underground-to-mainstream poet to match the skills of Lou Reed and Patti Smith! The album's got a vibe that's almost like Reed's work of the time – in that Tom's an artist who clearly knows the path to the dark side, and ways to overindulge – but always instead finds a way to keep things well-crafted and economical, but without sacrificing his sound or his intellect. Titles include "Penetration", "The Blue Robe", "Mr Blur", "A Future In Noise", "Down On The Farm", "Without A Word", and "Fragile". CD

Alternative comp circa 1993 with Urge Overkill, Patti Smith, The Beastie Boys, Soundgarden, The Verlaines, and Nirvana. CD

Todd Rundgren's known to most as a hell of a songwriter, and a singer with surprising charms – but he's also a genius in the studio, with talents that were first demonstrated on all of his early self-produced classics – then shared with some key acts in the 70s and 80s! As with his own music, Rundgren really has a way with making a tune come together – a special ear for getting everything to sound right, but at a level that's simple and understated – so that all the best qualities of a song come out perfectly, but without making you feel like you're being hit over the head by the process behind the music! That quality is on great display here – in a set of 22 numbers that feature Rundgren at the helm, with details that are extrapolated more fully in the detailed notes within – but which come through loud and clear on tunes that include "Baby Blue" by Badfinger, "Long Times Gone" by Felix Cavaliere, "You're Much Too Soon" by Hall & Oates, "Frederick" by Patti Smith, Heaven's Falling" by Cheap Trick, "Jet Boy" by New York Dolls, "One Night Stand" by Janis Joplin, "L5" by New England, "We're An American Band" by Grand Funk Railroad, "Dear God" by XTC, "Something Warm" by Rick Derringer, "Long Road Home" by Fanny, "Fa La Fa Lee" by Sparks, "Piece By Piece" by The Tubes, "Love Is The Answer" by Utopia, "Goodbye" by The Psychedelic Furs, and "She's So Young" by The Pursuit Of Happiness. CD

Given where Ray Manzarek's career was going in the years after the breakup of The Doors, it's hard to say the whole thing's "out of control" – but we will admit that the album's a really compelling one, with some great moments that make us tip our hat to Mr M! There's a really varied feel to the set here – but the best moments have Manzarek bringing in a strong bit of jazz – showing off the keyboard talents first honed on 60s hits, but stretching out with some hipper grooves. Guests include John Klemmer, who plays a great solo on one track, plus Joe Walsh, Flo & Eddie, and even a young Patti Smith – featured as "poetess" in the credits! Titles include the funky "Begin The World Again", the searching jazzy number "Whirling Dervish", and the tunes "I Wake Up Screaming", "Art Deco Fandango", and "Bicentennial Blues". And honestly, there's kind of an artsy playfulness here that's years beyond The Doors, and which almost prefaces some of the more experimental New York work in later years. LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Shane MacGowan, Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3, Beth Orton, Tom Waits & Keith Richards, Ivan Neville, Iggy Pop with A Hawk And A Hacksaw, Ed Harcourt, Shilpa Ray with Nick Cave & Warren Ellis, Patti Smith & Johnny Depp, Chuck E. Weiss, Ed Pastorini, The Americans, and more. CD

A cool cooker from Oliver Nelson – one of the few 60s albums he cut as a leader with the same sense of soul and swing as his backings for other players! The sound here is right up there with Nelson's work with Jimmy Smith over at Verve – soaring, soulful arrangements that sparkle in ways that few other arrangers could match – perfectly balanced between bold statements by the soloists and a tight ensemble feel overall! The players are all top-shelf – and include Phil Woods on alto sax, Jerome Richardson on flute and baritone, Robert Hashton on tenor, Art Hoyle on trumpet, and Patti Brown on piano – plus Nelson himself on alto, getting in a few key solos. The whole thing's wonderfully upbeat and joyous, but with a deeper sense of feeling too – and many titles are originals by Nelson, including "Hobo Flats", "Post No Bills", "Laz-ie Kate", "Teenie's Blues", and "Three Plus One". CD

A great collection of material that showcases the contributions of female artists in the underground, from the punk years onward – all put together by author Vivien Goldman, who was a big part of that underground at the time! Vivien was partly an artist, but mostly a music journalist – and had ties with many different groups and singers on the UK scene – a good number of whom are included here, alongside American acts, both big and small – in a wonderful collection that's designed to accompany her book of the same name! There's been other sets like this before, but this may well be one of the best we've ever seen – as it features a massive 28 tracks in all, with work from Cherry Vanilla, Crass, Fertil Miseria, The Bags, X Ray Spex, Zuby Nehty, Mo-Dettes, The Selecter, Patti Smith, Tribe 8, Skinny Girl Diet, Big Joanie, Malaria, The Slits, Bush Tetras, Grace Jones, Tanya Stephens, Au Pairs, Neneh Cherry, Sleater Kinney, and even Goldman herself. LP, Vinyl record album

"I need a fix – and a kiiiiiiiiiissssssss!" What can we say? Johnny Thunders, David Johansen and the boys reinvented the wheel with the of wildly hedonist glam skronk spun on this still incredible debut record. Both records they made for Mercury are incredible, but this is the bonafide masterpiece. It's a classic purely on a primal rock 'n' roll level, but it's also one of rock's greatest examples of style equaling substance! The Dolls brought glammer to the gutter and vice versa, and this is no doubt their greatest moment! Includes "Personality Crisis", "Looking For A Kiss", "Trash", "Frankenstein", "Pills", "Bad Girl", "Private World" and "Jet Boy". Produced by Todd Rundgren and engineered by Jack Douglas – the former a legend in his own right, the latter whose name appears on so many great records that range from other proto-punk and punk-era classics (Patti Smith Group, The Runaways) to the trashier side of the mainstream (prime early Cheap Trick, Aerosmith and Alice Cooper). CD

Writer Jon Savage is maybe best known for his work on the early years of punk in England – and here, Savage steps back just a bit – to contextualize the rise of the new music in all sorts of other styles that were bubbling up in the mid 70s! Part of the set is a pathway to punk – especially on some of the glam and power pop cuts that clearly point the way ahead – but there's also a nice mix of hard rock, a bit of prog, and even some catchier numbers that really fit the feel of the package – and show what a wonderful mix of modes was taking place in the mid 70s – a great wake up call to anyone who thinks that things were dead until punk came along! The 2CD package is overflowing with surprises – 44 tracks, with notes from Savage as well – for titles that include "So Far" by Faust, "Hey Joe (version)" by Patti Smith, "Kings Of Speed" by Hawkwind, "Third Uncle" by Brian Eno, "After Eight" by Neu, "Easy To Slip" by Little Feat, "Girl From Germany" by Sparks, "End Unkind" by Grin, "Andy Warhol" by Dana Gillespie, "Yang Yang" by Yoko Ono, "Vicious" by Lou Reed, "She Means A Lot To Me" by Smyle, "When My Baby's Beside Me" by Big Star, "One Of The Boys" by Mott The Hoople, "Max's Kansas City 76 (part 1)" by Wayne County, "Cherry Bomb" by The Runaways, "Train Train" by Count Bishops, "I Don't Mind" by Dr Feelgood, "Slow Death" by Flamin Groovies, and "You Really Got Me" by Hammersmith Gorillas. CD

Bruce Springsteen famously gave Patti Smith a song to sing back in the 70s, then the Pointer Sisters had a hit with another tune of his – and that began a surprisingly long legacy of female artists picking up on his songs! We're not saying that Bruce is a feminist or anything – but his songs do have a penetrating quality that makes for an easy switch in genders without losing any intensity at all – and his tales of everyday struggles also have a universality that still holds strong, no matter the artist handling the material or the style of the performance! This set follows in the spirit of other titles in the Ace Records "songwriter" series, but with a slightly different twist – as many of the selections here are from more recent years, and show a surprisingly long legacy that begins with Patti Smith and goes right on up to the present. In addition to "Because The Night" by Patti Smith, other tracks include "Night Closing In" by Darlene Love, "Waiting On A Sunny Day by Piny Gir, "I'm On Fire" by Soccer Mommy, "Thunder Road" by Cowboy Junkies, "My Father's House" by Emmylou Harris, "Cover Me" by Thea Gilmore, "Factory" by Lucinda Williams, "State Trooper" by Deana Carter, "Dancing In The Dark" by Lucy Dacus, "Streets Of Philadelphia" by Bettye Lavette, "Johnny 99" by Shovels & Rope, "Fire" by Anna Calvi, "Nebraska" by Aoife O'Donovan, and "Highway 29" by Moa Holmstein. CD

Not just key early punk work from both sides of the Atlantic, but important punk precursors too! 100 tracks in all, and a big booklet of notes! Music from the Ramones, the Clash, the Saints, the Damned, the Buzzcocks, Iggy & the Stooges, Wire, New York Dolls, the Fall, Patti Smith, Richard Hell & the Voidoids, the Boys, the Dead Boys, Suicide, Devo, X, the Boomtown Rats, Fear, Gang Of Four, and much more. CD

A great collection of material that showcases the contributions of female artists in the underground, from the punk years onward – all put together by author Vivien Goldman, who was a big part of that underground at the time! Vivien was partly an artist, but mostly a music journalist – and had ties with many different groups and singers on the UK scene – a good number of whom are included here, alongside American acts, both big and small – in a wonderful collection that's designed to accompany her book of the same name! There's been other sets like this before, but this may well be one of the best we've ever seen – as it features a massive 28 tracks in all, with work from Cherry Vanilla, Crass, Fertil Miseria, The Bags, X Ray Spex, Zuby Nehty, Mo-Dettes, The Selecter, Patti Smith, Tribe 8, Skinny Girl Diet, Big Joanie, Malaria, The Slits, Bush Tetras, Grace Jones, Tanya Stephens, Au Pairs, Neneh Cherry, Sleater Kinney, and even Goldman herself. CD

An excellent collection of hip soul from late 60s Capitol – some of it from the legendary David Axelrod camp at the label! There's some great cuts on here that we rarely see on vinyl – and titles include "Hip Huggin Mini" by Tender Joe Richardson, "Glory Glory Halleluja" by The Art Reynolds Singers, "Dead End Street" by Lou Rawls, "Why Am I Treated So Bad" by Cannonball Adderley, "Walk In The Sunlight" by The Checkmates Ltd, "Tell Him" by Patti Drew, "In My Roome" by Verdell Smith, "For Sentimental Reasons/You Send Me" by Willie Hightower, "Peace Of Mind" by The Magnificent Men, and a 10 minute jammer called "Get That Feeling" by Curtis Knight with guitar by Jimi Hendrix! LP, Vinyl record album

Features tracks by Patti Smith Group, Cure, Garland Jeffreys, Roxy Music, Pretenders, Ramones, XTC, Talking Heads, Suzi Quatro, Lou Reed, Gary Numan, and more! LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant work – and one of the rare few albums to feature the genius alto of Sonny Simmons from the 60s! The session has the fierceness of other ESP sessions from the time, but it's also tempered with a bit of spiritualism, too – somewhat more introspective in the heavy moments than other albums on the label, due in part to Simmons' personal style of playing, and the presence of John Hicks on piano and Barbara Donald on trumpet – put together in a way that's almost a bridge between the ESP and Impulse Records scenes of the 60s, with perhaps a nod towards the direction the jazz underground would take in the 70s! Other players include Teddy Smith on bass and Marvin Pattillo on drums – and tracks include "City of David", "Metamorphosis", and "Interplanetary Travelers". LP, Vinyl record album