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The journey through French-speaking pop archives continues with this fifth volume, packed with fuzz, gimmicks, and dissent. Far from the charts, the selected tracks display a great creative freedom, often backed by corrosive humor. Welcome to the surprising, kaleidoscopic, and colorful world of the late sixties and early seventies, Wizzz!
Born in Montauban, Robert Pico stumbled into music by chance when he met René Vaneste, then artistic director at Pathé-Marconi. René brought him to Paris to record his first 45 RPM EP in 1964. A year later, Pierre Perret introduced him to Vogue, where he recorded his second album with Claude Nougaro’s orchestra. Sylvie Vartan then introduced him to RCA, where he recorded four singles, including the astonishing "Chien Fidèle," a track backed by a hair-rising fuzz guitar. Alongside his solo career, he also composed for other artists like Alain Delon (the song was recorded but remains unreleased), Magali Noël, Bourvil, and Georges Guétary. In the Paris of the sixties, he mingled with Mireille Darc, Elsa Martinelli, Marie Laforêt, France Gall, Françoise Hardy, Petula Clark, Régine, Dani, Serge Gainsbourg, Joe Dassin, Franck Fernandel, Charles Level, and Roland Vincent. Despite his efforts and winning a Grand Prix Sacem for his final record, Robert Pico didn’t achieve the expected success in show business and decided to leave Paris and return to the Southwest, where he devoted himself to writing. He is the author of 23 books (including Delon et Compagnie, Jean-Marc Savary Editions 2025, a memoir about his youth and his many encounters). Today, he is relieved to never have become a celebrity and devotes himself to his work with passion.
In 1969, the Franco-Italian movie Erotissimo was released, directed by Gérard Pirès (who later directed Taxi in 1998, written and produced by Luc Besson). This pop comedy features Annie Girardot, Jean Yanne, Francis Blanche, Serge Gainsbourg, Nicole Croisille, Jacques Martin, and Patrick Topaloff. The soundtrack was written by Michel Polnareff and William Sheller, with lyrics by Jean-Lou Dabadie. "La Femme Faux-cils," performed by Annie Girardot. It recounts the feelings of a rich CEO's wife who seeks to develop her sex appeal under the influence of advertisement and magazines. Groovy, sparkling and light, this track, with ITS lush arrangements humorously critiques consumer society and feminine beauty standards.
“Je suis l’Etat” (1967) is the flagship track of the first EP by singer-songwriter Spauv Georges, aka Georges Larriaga, better known as Jim Larriaga (1941-2022). Born into a family of bakers, the young man was initially planning to become a hairdresser when he discovered English-speaking music through Elvis Presley and the Beatles. After this revelation, he decided he would become a songwriter and gave himself five years to succeed. He recorded his first two EP’s independently for RCA under the pseudonym Spauv Georges; meaning “that poor George”, a nickname given to him by the mother of her friend Jean-Pierre Prévotat (future drummer of the Players, Triangle, or Johnny Hallyday). Portraying a depressed and eccentric young man, Spauv Georges created corrosive and amusing songs that didn’t reach a wide audience, despite a TV appearance with Jean-Christophe Averty.
Supported by his loyal friend and fellow songwriter Jean-Max Rivière, Georges Larriaga met the future singer Carlos in the early '70s, then Sylvie Vartan’s assistant. He wrote songs for Carlos, including the popular "La vie est belle," "Y’a des indiens partout," and "La cantine", which went onto become a huge hit in 1972. He also composed for Claude François (“Anne-Marie”, 1971), Charlotte Julian (“Fleur de province”, 1972), helped launch child singer Roméo (who sold 4 million records), and later wrote the hit "Pas besoin d’éducation sexuelle" (1975) for the young Julie Bataille. In 1971, Jim recorded an album for Disc'Az: “L’univers étrange et fou de Jim Larriaga”, which featured pop gems like “La maison de mon père”.
The story of the song "Zoé" began when Pierre Dorsay, artistic director at Vogue Records, asked Swiss singer and musician Pierre Alain to write a song for a new female singer. The inspiration came when he realized that Zoé (the artist's name) was also the name of France's first atomic battery, created in 1948, which consisted of uranium oxide immersed in heavy water! The lyrics reflect a bubbling energy that must be handled with caution, while the instrumentation echoes this atomic theme, notably with the use of a theremin.
Zoé’s career lasted only as long as a single 45 RPM, but it seems Christine Fontane was the vocalist behind this pseudonym, who is known for several EPs, a good "popcorn" album in 1964, and a handful of children’s singles in the '70s. Regardless, the photograph on the cover is of a different girl entirely.
Later, Pierre Alain continued his career, writing songs for himself, Marie Laforêt, Danièle Licari, Alice Dona, Arlette Zola (3rd place in Eurovision 1982), and achieving multiple gold and platinum records in Canada. Also an inventor with several patents, president of the Romande Academy, and head of the French Alliance in Geneva, he now composes atonal music, books, and poetry. Moreover, he is also the host of "Les Mardis de Pierre Alain" at "Le P'tit Music'Hohl" in Geneva.
Filled with oriental choruses and fuzz guitar, "Fou" is from Jacques Da Sylva's only EP released by Vogue in 1967. Despite the quality of this recording, all traces of this singer disappear after this first effort.
Valentin is a baroque pop singer born in Belgium. He is the songwriter and composer of most of the tracks on his three singles released in the late 60s in Canada. A legend says that he reincarnated himself as Jacky Valentin during the 1970s for a rock'n'roll revival career in Belgium, but his older brother sadly debunked this story. Valentin's first two singles were arranged by Claude Rogen, a Parisian session pianist who had come to Canada to promote the song “Mister A Gogo”, a cover of David Bowie’s “Laughing Gnome”, adapted by singer Delphine, his wife at the time. Far from his usual network, Claude Rogen arranged music for Polydor, including the arrangements for “Je suis un vagabond” in 1969, a jerk tune with string arrangements and a furious optimism.
Jacques Malia wrote, composed, and recorded his only 45 EP for Festival in 1966. “Histoire de gitan” is an incredible beat track with bohemian scat that tells the story of a gypsy musician who came to Paris to make it in the Music-Hall, to no avail. The hero of the song and its author probably shared a similar fate, as Jacques Malia faded into anonymity after this remarkable attempt.
Bernard Jamet recorded two EPs for Barclay in the late sixties and co-wrote several songs with Christine Pilzer, Pascal Danel, and prolific songwriters Michel Delancray and Mya Simile. The track “Raison Légale” (1968), his masterpiece, immerses the listener in a courtroom right when a murderer is being judged, with jerk rhythm and free arrangements. A unique, paranoid, judicial, and psychedelic oddity.
Jean-Pierre Lebrot-Millers started his career in show business in 1967 as a singer and songwriter for the Philips label. After three singles, he wrote several songs of a new kind with his friend Pierre Halioche, in the midst of the sexual liberation movement and the democratization of drugs. With provocative lyrics, “Les filles du hasard” and “Barbara au Chapeau Rose” were released on a Philips singles in 1968. The character of Barbara was inspired by a queen of Parisian nightlife during the psychedelic years: model Charlotte Martin, who dated Eric Clapton from 1965 to 1968, then Jimmy Page from 1970 to 1983. Jean-Claude Petit’s arrangements, with a table-filled intro, soul brass, and Hendrixian guitar, emphasize the flamboyance of a hedonistic and sexy character, whose dog is named Junkie because “Junkie est un nom exquis”! The track was recorded live in three takes with a full orchestra.
Upon its release, the record was censored by Europe 1 and RTL due to its references to drug use. Jean-Pierre Lebrot was then banned from the airwaves and later dismissed by his record label. He changed his artist name to Jean-Pierre Millers, while his companion Pierre Halioche became D. Dolby for a new dreamy composition, “Chilla”, which Jean-Pierre produced himself with arrangements by Jean Musy. Once again, the song was immediately censored everywhere. After this setback, he decided to stop singing and started taking on odd jobs to support his Swedish wife and their son until the day he met Jean-Pierre Martin, then production manager at Decca, who had worked with Manu Dibango. Martin offered Jean-Pierre Lebrot-Millers, then employed at Rank Xerox, the position of artistic director at Decca. He accepted and became, a year later, promotion director (radio, press, TV). He worked on Julio Iglesias’s first album for Decca, which became a massive hit and allowed him to meet Claude Carrère. The latter asked him to write new songs and find their performers, much like a “talent scout.” It’s through him that Jean-Pierre discovered Julie Pietri and Corinne Hermès. He composed “Ma Pompadour” for Ringo, Sheila’s husband, and took the microphone again for the syncope hit “Rendez-Vous” in 1982.
That same year, Jean-Pierre Lebrot-Millers tried to release a track for which he had heavily gone into debt: “Si la vie est un cadeau”. Having recorded it in London, he presented it to numerous professionals, all of whom refused to get involved. The same thing happened with Antenne 2 and the Sacem when he proposed the song as France’s entry for Eurovision. He then met Haïm Saban, who was producing cartoon soundtracks and had just launched the Goldorak theme song. Saban, having listened to the song, declared it had the potential to become a hit. He sent Jean-Pierre and Corinne Hermès to meet the CEO of the Luxembourg radio and television network. The latter received them, asked to hear a verse and chorus a cappella in his office, and immediately hired them to represent Luxembourg at Eurovision 1983. They reworked the arrangements and recorded a new version with Haïm Saban as co-producer. The song ended up winning Eurovision 1983, a great comeback for our hero. He continued producing and hung out with the band Nacash in Belgium when a couple came to introduce their daughter for an impromptu audition in a hotel room. The girl sang “Les démons de minuit” while dancing to a radio cassette. Impressed, he had her take singing lessons for a year and composed a song for her (for which he had the melody and title, but no lyrics). This required him to go on the hunt for a lyricist, who ended up being Guy Carlier. They recorded the song, which was initially a ballad, at Bernard Estardy’s CBE studio, and gave the singer a new name: Melody. They showed the song around their industry network without success. Later, Estardy called Jean-Pierre to suggest changing the rhythm and making it pop-rock. Orlando, Dalida’s brother, liked the result and decided to co-produce the track. “Y’a pas que les grands qui rêvent » became a classic hit. The song has since been covered by Juliette Armanet (as a ballad, like the original) and Valentina.

Born into an aristocratic Breton family, Hervé Mettais-Cartier worked as a DJ at Queen Kiss, a nightclub in Poitiers, where he formed the band Les Concentrés with Michel (an actor) and Christian (a radio technician). Together, they created a repertoire of whimsical songs (“Ma bique est morte”, “J’suis un salaud”, “Fils de dégénéré”...) that they performed on stage dressed in white (in homage to “concentrated milk”). They performed at Bliboquet and Olympia in 1968 for the 10th edition of the “Relais de la chanson Française” organized by L’Humanité-Dimanche and Nous les Garçons et les Filles, sponsored by Pepsi Cola. Winners in the author-composer category, alongside Danish singer Dorte, their visibility allowed them to record a 45, and appear on television in Jean-Christophe Averty’s show. The A-side of the disc features Bruno le ravageur, a casatchok dedicated to Bruno Caquatrix, the director of Olympia, nicknamed in the song “Coq Atroce” or “croque-actrices”. The B-side is dedicated to “Fils de dégénéré”, a quirky tribute to Hervé's aristocratic roots, mixing absurdity with sophisticated vocal harmonies.
After Les Concentrés, Hervé Mettais-Cartier formed the duo La Paire et sa Bêtise with his friend Olivier Robert. They performed in Parisian cabarets and toured with Pierre Vassiliu. In the late 1970s, Hervé began a solo career. He recorded two albums for the Motors label in 1978 and 1979, which did not achieve their anticipated success due to lack of promotion. In 1980, he met Bernadette, with whom he started a family and created a “Chansons à voir” (songs to see) show that he performed until his death at the end of 2024.

Publicité comes from the final EP by the Missiles (Ducretet Thomson, 1966), a disc that also includes “La (nouvelle) guerre de cent ans”, featured on Volume 4 of our Wizzz! series. Please refer to the booklet for the story of the band.

“He’s 1.82 meters tall, 28 years old, weighs 135 kg, is black and Belgian”: this is the description of singer Hegesippe on the back of his sole single (Decca, 1967). He appears on the album cover wearing a Greek toga, like a hippie gag – we are at the end of the year 1967. In “Le crédo d’Hegesippe”, this former bodyguard of Antoine and the Charlots plays the delightful card of the thick brute converted to Flower-Power and non-violence, with arrangements by Jean-Daniel Mercier, aka Paul Mille.
“Ethéro-disco” was released on a promotional record for clients of the Maréchal company (Liège, Belgium) for the New Year 1979. Over a funky rhythm, celebrity impersonations (Brigitte Bardot, Jacques Dutronc, Fernandel…) deliver an enigmatic text about pharmaceutical products like ether, bismuth, and aspartate. The track was composed by Dan Sarravah (responsible for Joanna's “Hold-up inusité” featured on Wizzz! Volume 3) and Tony Talado, who was also a singer (one 45 in 1967), songwriter (with over a dozen credits between 1964 and 1985 in various styles from surf music to disco), author (Devenez Végétarien, Dricot Editions, 1985), ad designer, and psychologist.

Décollez-les is on the A-side of Mamlouk's only single, a pseudonym for Marsel Hurten, who is known for his work on several EPs in the late sixties, as well as composing music for Hervé Vilard’s “Capri, c’est fini”, Claude Channes' “La Haine”, Annie Philippe’s “On m’a toujours dit”, and Nancy Holloway’s “Panne de Cœur”.
This strange song, with Afrobeat horns and absurd dialogues between a chef and his kitchen staff, is the result of a collaboration between Marsel Hurten and one of his neighbors, a photographer from Pavillon-sous-Bois (93), where the musician settled after returning from the Algerian War. A music video was shot to promote the record.
Marsel Hurten was born in Tourcoing (59) into a musical family. At a young age, he joined the brass band founded by his grandfather, playing the piston before studying trumpet at the conservatory, as well as teaching himself how to play the guitar. As an orchestra musician, he toured in France, Belgium, Germany, and England. He released a series of solo 45’s between 1965 and 1968 for the DMF and Az labels before stopping recording to focus on working for other artists (Gilles Olivier, Noëlle Cordier…).
“L’amour nu” (Vogue, 1971) is the work of the short-lived Belgian band Mozaïque. The track, written by singer Jacques Albin, closely resembles another of his compositions, “Carré Blanc”, which he recorded in 1969 for Disc’AZ.
Represented by the Lumi Son micro-label based in Marignane (Côte d'Azur), Jean-Marc Garrigues released two 45 RPMs in the late sixties, defending the French jerk sound. The song “Je dis Non” is a short, joyful ode to youth, pop music, and rebellion.
Songwriter and performer Jacques Penuel released three singles. The first one, “Astronef 328” (Fontana, 1969), features a dizzying series of chords punctuated by sound effects, a sci-fi story, and arrangements by Jean-Claude Vannier.

We would like to sincerely thank Pierre Alain, Moon Blaha, Marsel Hurten, Bastien Larriaga, Jean-Pierre Lebrot-Millers, Bernadette Mettais-Cartier, Robert Pico, Olivier Robert, Claude Rogen, Micky Segura.

Delve into the quirky and psych-tinged world of Brazilian pianist, composer and multi-instrumentalist Mauricio Fleury.

With more than a hint to Brazilian jazz greats like Azymuth, Deodato and CTI Records in their prime, Revoada is a groove based jazz-framed record, primed with other transitory musical vignettes which touches on Turkish psych and soul-jazz born out of the 70's film soundtrack genre.

Revoada is a 6 track album and storyboard of Mauricio's migration and travels through Brazil's geographical oddities , its rural and urban enclaves. Recorded in Brazil, it's the result of numerous treks through funky flea markets, soaking up old vinyls and vintage cultural artefacts combined with a new life led in Berlin since 2022.

Mauricio, as well as a founding member of Bixiga 70 (google Brazilian Afrobeat pioneers), a band he fronted for over 12 years, is also an in-demand collaborator and musician who as a pianist, guitarist and even percussionist has shared stages and studios with the likes of Brazilian greats including Gal Costa, Emicida, Lucas Santtana, João Donato and Liniker.

In 2007 he had a life-changing experience meeting Tony Allen, at the Red Bull Music Academy. After hanging out, chatting music and life, Tony insisted to Mauricio to participate with Tony in a jam with blacktronica and soulful house music pioneers Ron Trent, Theo Parrish and Steve Spacek. Mauricio sums it up, "From that moment on, I was never afraid to collaborate musically with anyone, no matter who's playing. It also brought me to researching the connection between Brazilian music and Afrobeat which is something that still means the world to me".

Another unforgettable session Mauricio undertook happened alongside João Donato and Marcos Valle, playing Donato's classic album Quem É Quem, live, a record seen as a blueprint for second generation bossa nova. Mauricio has worked with Gal Costa on two albums, Estratosférica Ao Vivo and her last studio album A Pele do Futuro. Fabio Sá and Vitor Cabral (bassist and drummer on Revoada) were playing with Gal at her last concerts, including in Berlin in 2022 before she passed.

In contemporary music, Mauricio was part of Toy Selectah and Mexican Institute of Sound's Compass project. He's worked with Colombia's Los Pirañas and has even recorded a mysterious and unreleased album with Quantic.

Revoada shows signature traces of Thelonious Monk, Ramsey Lewis' swinging soul sound, Deodato's drama, and styles from further afield, spreading into Turkish psych and Ethiopian jazz, when the time is right. Each track, led always by Mauricio playing multiple instruments with a choice selection of guests and core members on bass and drums, highlights Fleury's meticulous approach to finding the right timbre, utilising his arsenal of organs and effects pedals to set the mood, taking the listener to a specific place or memory that has shaped him.

A vinyl DJ for over 25 years and someone who is immersed in digger and collector's culture, Mauricio places a lot of emphasis on the importance of the complimentary relationship between two artforms (DJ and composer/producer) in the sense of having a broad repertoire of musical knowledge, references and perhaps predictably, being a Brazilian, understanding the connection between rhythms. This is an impressive debut album that struts itself right into the runout groove.

Already fifteen years that Cléa Vincent has been stepping on stage with that childlike fervor, that passion for pop and its elasticity, from her early days in Parisian bars to last year’s show at the Bataclan for the release of her third album Advitam Æternamour. You could say she needs no introduction, her name being inseparable from some of the most exciting work to emerge in contemporary French independent music. From the very beginning, she asserted her taste for spontaneous, candid, sunlit music, turning her songs not only into spaces of introspection but also into small capsules for dialogue. She collaborates constantly, with Kim Giani, Jeanne Balibar, Alison Wheeler, Jacques, NUSKY & VAATI, João Selva, Les Clopes…driven by a desire for sharing, for visions that meet and collide across genres. Alongside her work as a composer, she dedicates herself to giving a voice to the artists around her, notably through her show Sooo Pop, broadcast on YouTube in 2018 and 2019, where she welcomed guests as varied as Christophe, Moodoïd, Mathilde Fernandez, Katerine, and The Pirouettes. Like others of her generation, she claims the influence of francophone pop from the 1980s, but rather than being a successor to Jacno, Cléa draws from everything that shapes her era, fully plugged into the present, its faces, its energies, its collisions. She travels too, a way of reshuffling the cards of her inspiration, and her discovery of South America, of bossa nova and samba during her tour dates, became the catalyst for her series of EPs Tropi-Cléa.

Unter dem dunklen Mond werden die Kerzen angezündet, und aus der Tiefe erhebt sich Ritual Arcana. Eine dreiköpfige Klangmaschine mit der Hohepriesterin SharLee LuckyFree am Bass und Gesang (ehemals Moth), dem legendären Godfather of Doom Scott WINO Weinrich an der Gitarre (The Obsessed, Saint Vitus, Spirit Caravan) und dem Taktgeber Oakley Munson am Schlagzeug (The Black Lips). Die alten Tore des Schicksals öffnen sich durch Schlüssel, Schwert und Feder, als Ritual Arcana im Januar ihr Debütalbum bei Heavy Psych Sounds veröffentlichen. Durch die Kraft des übernatürlichen Hardrocks beginnt das Ritual, und wir befreien uns selbst.

Purple Vinyl, limitiert auf 350 Exemplare. Unter dem dunklen Mond werden die Kerzen angezündet, und aus der Tiefe erhebt sich Ritual Arcana. Eine dreiköpfige Klangmaschine mit der Hohepriesterin SharLee LuckyFree am Bass und Gesang (ehemals Moth), dem legendären Godfather of Doom Scott WINO Weinrich an der Gitarre (The Obsessed, Saint Vitus, Spirit Caravan) und dem Taktgeber Oakley Munson am Schlagzeug (The Black Lips). Die alten Tore des Schicksals öffnen sich durch Schlüssel, Schwert und Feder, als Ritual Arcana im Januar ihr Debütalbum bei Heavy Psych Sounds veröffentlichen. Durch die Kraft des übernatürlichen Hardrocks beginnt das Ritual, und wir befreien uns selbst.

The Final Album recorded by Nikki Sudden release posthumously by friends o Now after consultation with all band members and producer John Rivers the album has been re assembled re mixed and re mastered to create the best sound it's ever been o Lavishly designed by Dave Twist includes notes by band members and photos from the sessions o The Lp comes in de luxe gatefold sleeve with printed inner bags o Contains bonus tracks and has been reordered to the last email nikki sent on the subject

The second volume in Death Is Not The End's survey of a form of Brazilian country music known as música caipira ("hillbilly music") - a stripped-back forerunner to música sertaneja, the Brazilian equivalent to US country & western which in it's contemporary form has come to dominate the domestic music industry in recent decades. This collection covers some of the earliest recordings made by the pioneering folklorist Cornélio Pires at the end of the 1920s, through to records from the 30s, 40s & 50s and the beginning of the 60s.

Somewhat rooted in Portuguese troubadour folk traditions, música caipira is typically performed by a duo singing in parallel thirds and sixths, drawing upon a Portuguese-Brazilian style known as moda de viola - with the viola being the viola caipira, a Brazilian-style ten-string guitar that is the core instrument of the music. Born out of the "outback"-style region in north-eastern Brazil, these songs tell stories of pain, love, loss & betrayal - often backed by homemade guitars using invented tunings. Away from the polished pop country & western-stylings of the sertaneja, these recordings could be viewed as the Brazilian equivalent to the roots music of the American dustbowl or Appalachia.

PRESTO's followup beat tape showcasing 12 instrumentals, including some unreleased beats from 2009-2010. This album features a blend of jazz and soul inspired beats to vibe out to or use as DJ tool. Limited edition on light violet vinyl. Full pirc sleeve. Out on his TOP SECRET PRODUCTIONS label.

Emerging during the early stages of the recording industry in Japan, the ryūkōka style adopted western classical, blues & jazz elements into traditional and classical Japanese music.

This collection of 1920s & 30s ryūkōka recordings follows on from the Kouta Katsutaro tape we put out a couple of years back, and further captures the hauntingly unique sound of a cultural merging that was starting to reflect itself via popular song, ahead of the widespread influence of western pop music during post-war US occupation.

"Death Is Not The End are on a mission to expand the musical archive, with compilations of everything from Jamaican doo wop to pirate radio idents and adverts weaving new threads into the history of music. Longing For The Shadow: Ryūkōka Recordings, 1921-1939 goes back to the beginnings of the recording industry in Japan, and a style merging traditional Japanese forms with western pop and classical. Swooning orchestrations and prominent vocals capture some of the melodrama and bombast found in US and European music of the time, but beds of plucked and strummed instruments give an ordered elegance, tying it firmly to Hogaku tradition. Not much has been written about Ryūkōka, and a 2017 book by Hiromu Nagahara gives some clue as to why, arguing that although popular with the public, it was dismissed by critics both for its adoption of western sounds and its dwelling on Japanese traditional styles. Close to a century later, those are some of the qualities that make this compilation so fascinating." - The Quietus

Rancid is without question one of the most successful and influential punk bands ever, not to mention being among the most prolific. Their nonstop songwriting and marathon studio sessions often result in far too many songs to fit onto their albums. True Rancid fans know that in addition to their classic long players, many of their finest tracks have been released as single B-sides, bonus tracks, on compilations, or in some cases have remained in the band's vault. That is why B sides and C sides is no mere throwaway record, but an essential part of this classic band's catalog. The songs collected here represent a cross section of everything that has made this band so beloved worldwide, including their creative genre hopping from blazing punk rock to danceable ska, to reggae, rockabilly, and more, all executed with some of the most impressive playing in the history of underground music. The songs range from fan-favorites like "I Wanna Riot" to obscure hidden gems from rare or hard-to-find compilations, and a handful of studio recordings that were completely unreleased before this album, several coming from the fertile recording sessions for the band's sprawling 1998 masterpiece Life Won't Wait. Originally released on CD in 2007, most of the tracks range from the band's early days through their sixth album, Indestructible, although the 2012 track "Fuck You," from the Pirates Press Records compilation Oi! This is Streetpunk! Volume 2 was added to place a definitive final word on the collection when it was pressed on vinyl. With the album being out of print and hard to find in its own right for the past ten years, Pirates Press Records is thrilled to partner with our friends in Rancid to remedy that situation and make this essential piece of punk rock history available to their many fans across the globe - this time as an incredible double 12" with super deluxe coloured vinyl and matching sleeve art!

Neu auf Impulse! Records: Die Musik des experimentellen Jazz-Punk-Trios The Messthetics aus Washington DC, bestehend aus ehemaligen Mitgliedern der Punk-Band Fugazi (Bassist Joe Lally, Schlagzeuger Brendan Canty) und dem Gitarristen Anthony Pirog, wurde bereits mit dem ungewöhnlichen Genre-Label „Jazz-Punk-Jam“ versehen. Auf ihrem ersten Album für das ikonische Impulse!-Label haben die drei sich jetzt mit Jazz-Saxofonist, Komponist und Bandleader James Brandon Lewis zusammengetan. Gemeinsam erweitern The Messthetics und James Brandon Lewis jetzt die Grenzen instrumentaler Musik durch ungewöhnliche Überschneidungen von Jazz, Punk und Funk, Aggression und Innovation.

VERVE ACOUSTIC SOUNDS SERIE: Stereo, komplett analog von Ryan K. Smith bei Sterling Sound von
den Originalbändern gemastert, QPR-Pressung (180 g), stabiles Tip-On-Gatefold (Stoughton Printing),
wattierte Innenhülle.
Ein absoluter Nina-Simone-Klassiker feiert seine audiophile Vinylpremiere in der VERVE ACOUSTIC SOUNDS
SERIE: ”In Concert“ war ihr erstes Album für das Philips-Label und wurde 1964 in der Carnegie Hall in
New York City mitgeschnitten. Es markiert den Beginn von Simones explizit auf Bürgerrechte ausgerichtete
Musik mit eindeutig politischen Songs wie „Mississippi Goddamn“, aber auch Liedern wie „Old Jim Crow“,
„Go Limp“ und „Pirate Jenny“, die auf metaphorische Weise politische Botschaften beinhalteten.

Fracture & Neptune return to Astrophonica with their first collaborative 12” on the label since 2010.

Two epic, psychedelic, and deeply authentic tracks for both the floor and the head, carrying the unmistakable hallmarks of the duo’s classic sound — A psychedelic concoction of Jazz, Sci-Fi, Dub, and Breakbeat Choppage. Rooted in the lineage of Jungle and Drum & Bass, yet delivered in Fracture & Neptune’s unmistakably unique style.

To celebrate the release, UTILE — responsible for all Astrophonica design — have gone all out on the artwork, creating an iconic, type-based image for both tracks, presented on a full-colour, double-sided printed sleeve. Massive shout to UTILE for being as important to the label as the music.

“Erase Everything” is a journey through LA 2049 via London 1999 — as if Deckard were blasting an AWOL tape in his Spinner. Merging classic breaks and analogue saturation with soaring, cutting-edge pads and city-wide reverb, the result is both devastating and deeply thoughtful.

“Good Stuff” is inspired by a love of digging for samples across Jazz, Hip Hop, and Rock, and by a dedication to crafting kaleidoscopic soundscapes — All that good stuff, blended into one hallucinogenic trip.

Meeting at Islington Sixth Form College in 1996, Charlie (Fracture) and Nelson (Neptune) bonded over their deep love for the defining sound of London at the time — Jungle and Drum & Bass. Countless trips to Black Market Records in Soho, playing on pirate radio stations, and eventually, a makeshift bedroom studio — complete with an E-Mu ESI4000, a Mackie desk, and a few FX units — set the foundation for their journey. Their first release arrived in 2002 on Droppin’ Science, the label run by legendary Hardcore and Jungle pioneer — and fellow breakbeat manipulator — Danny Breaks. A run of mid-2000s releases on Ireland’s Bassbin, Paradox’s Outsider, and London’s Inperspective Records propelled Fracture & Neptune further into the cosmos. In 2009, they founded Astrophonica — initially as a home for their own music, but it quickly evolved into a hub for like-minded artists to experiment and explore freely. Almost 30 years on, they’re back in the studio with APHA034 — with more to come.

Longstanding streetpunk resolutes, NOi!SE are set to release On and On, a full length collection of singles, B-sides, split 7" tracks, and a few completely unreleased songs, via Pirates Press Records, with whom the band share a long and productive history. On and On is a companion piece to the band's previous collection record, Pushing On, and like that album, it provides a bookend to a period in the band's career. This collection represents the final release from the band's lineup featuring Nate, Jesse, Kenny, and Matt, clearing the vaults and providing a fresh start for the band's upcoming recordings with their new lineup. Bringing together tracks from several rare or out-of-print releases in one place, this collection is essential to any fan of the band. Even those that have diligently collected every release will be excited by the presence of a few previously unreleased tracks, and the chance to listen to these individual songs as an extraordinarily thoughtful, unified body of work.

Bone w/ black splatter vinyl. NYC ska/reggae legends The Slackers are back with a new collection of rarities - or as they put it, "Tales of Mirth, Heartbreak, and Woe!" - from their extensive catalog with the release of Lost & Found Vol 2 on Pirates Press Records. In their well over 30-year career, The Slackers have been one of the most consistently prolific artists in the game. While that means their legions of worldwide fans are never wanting for new material, it can also mean that once in a while, even dedicated fans can miss a new song here or there. Thus, it's helpful that the band periodically collects some of these lesser known and sought-after gems for wide release under the Lost & Found banner! Lost & Found Vol 2 includes some of the rarest Slackers tunes of them all. Live versions of several songs as well as the studio track "Diskambobulated" come from ultra-rare lathe cut singles. Still others come from limited one-time-only single pressings on PPR, including two 12" singles and one collaborative 7" which features vocals by Japanese dancehall sensation Papa B. Finally, it includes a dub mix of "Time Won't Set You Free" that is previously unreleased.

Napi Hedz come from the Motor City and is a group made up of Reggie Dokes, Maurice Herd (aka Pirahnahead) and the late Mike's brother, Craig Huckaby. They dropped this EP on the peerless Sound Signature 20 years ago but amid a glut of reissues from Theo Parrish's label, it now resurfaces. Titular opener 'I See Heaven' has a Latin shuffle with woody percussion and time-keeping ticks under swirling vocal loops that are backed with muted horns. It's s sunny sound before 'The Bah' comes alive with a mirage of melodic harp shimmers and rooted, dusty drums with more affected vocal sounds adding the soul.

When Stupeflip and TTC sunddenly feel old school because a new blood came ou of the forest !

ENJOY !!

Produziert vom kreativen Kopf der The Clash, Mick Jones, und mit einem Gesangsbeitrag von Kate Moss, fängt Down In Albion die Atmosphäre seiner Ära ein - die Gerüche, die Stimmungen, den Zeitgeist - und blickt zugleich nach vorn. Das Ergebnis ist ein zeitloses Werk, das die menschliche Erfahrung sowohl dokumentiert als auch tröstet. Neben den ursprünglichen 16 Songs enthält die Jubiläumsausgabe fünf ausgewählte Stücke aus dem Archiv der Band, von denen einige - trotz ihrer Bootleg-Bekanntheit unter Fans - hier erstmals offiziell veröffentlicht werden. "Gang Of Gin" und "352 Days" entstanden in derselben Phase wie das Album und waren ursprünglich als mögliche B-Seiten gedacht, wurden jedoch nie veröffentlicht. "Why Did You Break My Heart/Piracy" erschien damals auf der B-Seite der Single Albion. Die Songs "Do You Know Me" und "My Darling Clementine" stammen aus der von Fans geliebten BBC Radio 1 Session mit Zane Lowe vom Oktober 2004, die den kreativen Grundstein für Down In Albion legte. Babyshambles wurde 2003 gegründet, als Pete Doherty vorübergehend aus The Libertines ausgeschlossen war. Schnell entwickelte sich das Projekt zu einem alternativen kreativen Ventil, das ihm erlaubte, neue Themen in einer spontanen, offenen musikalischen Umgebung zu erforschen. In Zusammenarbeit mit Bassist Drew McConnell, Drummer Adam Ficek und Gitarrist Patrick Walden gelang es der Band, die elektrische Energie einer Gruppe einzufangen, die immer am Limit segelte - künstlerisch, kulturell und persönlich. Down In Albion ist erfüllt von klarem, zeitlosem Songwriting, das zwischen intensiven Emotionen und lebendigen Erzählungen wechselt. Diese Jubiläumsausgabe würdigt nicht nur die rohe Mischung aus persönlichen Erfahrungen und gesellschaftlichen Beobachtungen, sondern ehrt auch Patrick Walden, der Anfang des Jahres verstorben ist. Sein unverkennbares Gitarrenspiel prägt das Album tief - und sein Porträt, fotografiert von Hedi Slimane, wurde in das neue Cover mit einem speziellen UV-Glanzdruck integriert. Von dem scheinbar nihilistischen, in Wahrheit aber hoffnungsvollen "Fuck Forever", über die chaotische Energie von "Pipedown" und "8 Dead Boys", den Witz von "What Katie Did Next", die Romantik von "In Love With A Feeling", bis hin zur melancholischen Hymne "Albion" - das Debüt von Babyshambles bleibt ein mitreißendes, emotionales und kreatives Meisterwerk.

Aufgewachsen in der Soundsystem-Kultur des englischen Leeds, kaufte sich George für einen Fünfer - mit freundlicher Genehmigung seiner Mutter - eine alte, ramponierte Lautsprecherbox, die er "Echo45" nannte. Über diese Box lernte er Kevin Harper kennen, ein Gründungsmitglied von Nightmares on Wax – eine zufällige Begegnung, die sein Leben verändern sollte. Mit dem neuesten Nightmares On Wax-Release "Echo45 Sound System" führt er diese Tradition nun einen Schritt weiter und liefert ein Mixtape ab, das sich wie eine Feier und ein Bekenntnis zugleich anfühlt. Ein lebendiger Soundsystem-Trip, inspiriert von der originalen Echo45-Lautsprecherbox, der mit furchtlosem Spirit Soul, Roots, Hip-Hop, Dub und elektronische Texturen verbindet. Mit einem sorgfältig zusammengestellten Ensemble von Kooperatoren – darunter Yasiin Bey, Greentea Peng, Sadie Walker, Oscar Jerome und Liam Bailey – spiegelt die LP nicht nur die Vergangenheit von Nightmares On Wax wider. Obwohl es tief in seinen Ursprüngen, der Soundsystem-Kultur und dem Piraten Radio verwurzelt ist, verkündet es mutig, wohin George geht. Limitierte Auflage auf goldfarbigem Doppelvinyl.