David Bowie Reissues 1972 Live Set

Put to tape the night of October 20, 1972 in the midst of David Bowie's first U.S. tour, David Bowie: Live in Santa Monica '72 is the stuff of bootlegger legend. The Santa Monica Civic Center gig was broadcast as it happened over the Los Angeles airwaves on the now-defunct KMET, and it served as Bowie's first live American radio appearance. On July 8, Virgin/EMI will reissue the out-of-print set digitally and on limited edition CD and 2xLP.

At the time of the show, Bowie was fresh off the release of his landmark Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust album, and his band the Spiders From Mars (Mick Ronson, Trevor Bolder, Mick Woodmansey, and Mike Garson) was in top form. Even Bowie himself is pretty proud of the gig some three and a half decades after the fact. In a press release, he states, "I can tell that I'm totally into being Ziggy by this stage of our touring. It's no longer an act; I am him."

The set features Bowie and the boys blasting through tracks from Ziggy Stardust and its glamtabulous predecessor, Hunky Dory, as well as covers of Jacques Brel's "My Death" and the Velvet Underground's "Waiting for the Man". He also offers a preview of his next work: "The Jean Genie" from the then-forthcoming Aladdin Sane. Guy was on a bit of a roll back then, huh? [MORE...]

Mudhoney Gear up for Superfuzz Reissue, New Album

Front page photo by Shawn Brackbill

20 is an important number for Mudhoney this year. 2008 marks the garage rockers' 20th anniversary as a band. To celebrate, they will put out two releases on May 20.

The band's label Sub Pop is also celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and they are kicking off a reissue campaign with a deluxe remastered edition of Mudhoney's revered debut EP Superfuzz Bigmuff. The reissue features the EP in its correct running order as well as singles, demos, and recordings of two separate gigs in 1988, i.e. exactly 20 years ago.

Right next to it on the shelf will be Mudhoney's brand new album, The Lucky Ones.

Mudhoney will spend the summer on the road, including a stop at Sub Pop's anniversary party, SP20, taking place July 12-13 at Marymoor Park in Redmond, Washington. [MORE...]

Earles & Jensen Reissue Prank Call Classic on Matador
Devendra Banhart, Matt Sweeney, Archer Prewitt contribute to liner notes

Cat Power is great, but her music's not exactly a picker upper. And Malkmus is sometimes funny, but in more of a heady way than a spit-coffee-at-your-computer-screen way. Thus, Matador has rectified its comedy void with the forthcoming reissue of Earles and Jensen's out-of-print double-disc Earles and Jensen Present... Just Farr a Laugh: The Greatest Prank Phone Calls Ever! Vols. 1 & 2. After a few delays, the record finally arrives April 22 May 6-- another delay!

The duo consists of Brooklynite Jeffrey Jensen and Memphis resident Andrew Earles, both writers and jacks of several other trades as well (e.g., Jensen was once the bass player for Homestead Records' Smack Dab). The Just Farr a Laugh reissue package comes with a book of photos, drawings, and written forewords from a host of cool contributors. Devendra Banhart, Matt Sweeney, and Archer Prewitt all lend drawings to the book, and the list of foreword writers includes Matador co-head Gerard Cosloy, Gregg Turkington (aka Neil Hamburger), and Neil Pollack.

As for the audio contents of the record, the title pretty much says it all, although the MP3 samples linked below say it even better.

Sebadoh Reissue Expanded Bubble and Scrape, Tour

Photo by Christopher Wilson

Beloved American indie rockers Sebadoh are getting ready to show a whole lot of love to their neighbors across the pond this spring. To complement a handful of UK dates in April and May, they will reissue their 1993 record Bubble and Scrape via Domino on May 5.

The expanded, 15th anniversary reissue boasts 15 bonus tracks, including B-sides, rarities, and previously unreleased jams. And U.S. citizens needn't worry: you'll get yours June 18.

By sheer coincidence (or, um, not), Bubble and Scrape is also the album Sebadoh will perform at their Don't Look Back show on May 7. They have plenty of dates in Europe besides, plus their stop at ATP vs. Pitchfork. Damn, that will be here in no time, won't it? [MORE...]

Domino Readies More Triffids Reissues

Aussie almost-legends the Triffids will continue clearing their archives with the next three Domino UK reissues in a campaign that started over a year ago with new editions of Born Sandy Devotional, In the Pines, and Calenture.

The Black Swan, Treeless Plain, and Beautiful Waste and Other Songs are the records that made the cut this time, but unlike the first three reissues, these next three all come out on the same day: April 7.

Unlike The Black Swan and Treeless Plain, both original studio albums, Beautiful Waste and Other Songs is a collection of songs recorded between 1983 and 1985 that never made it to a full-length record. In fact, most of the tracks on Beautiful Waste have never even appeared on CD before.

Finally, Triffids mania will reach the realm of the printed word with a book by Bleddyn Butcher about the band and songwriter David McComb. Helter Skelter Publishing plans to release Save What You Can: The Day of the Triffids and the Long Night of David McComb early next year. [MORE...]

Liz Phair Reissues Exile in Guyville, Signs to ATO
Phair interviews John Cusack, Ira Glass, Steve Albini, Matador dudes for accompanying DVD

Yes, everything you've heard about Liz Phair's Exile in Guyville being one of the greatest albums of all time is true. The songs really do hit that hard. The lyrics really are that good. And the perspective of a smart woman navigating her way through the indie rock scene really is that necessary, even today.

Fifteen years after its Matador Records release in 1993, Exile in Guyville is getting the reissue celebration it deserves. On June 24, ATO Records will beef up the album with four bonus tracks from the original Guyville sessions as well as an accompanying DVD.

The bonus tracks: the solo cut "Ant in Alaska", a song inspired by the Troggs' "Wild Thing", the full band cut "Say You", and an untitled solo instrumental. "Ant in Alaska" and "Wild Thing" have both been previously attributed to Phair's notorious pre-Guyville "Girly Sound" demos.

The DVD: Guyville Redux, a documentary about the making of the album, with a focus on the indie scene in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago, out of which Phair sprung in the early 90s. In the documentary, Phair herself interviews a series of luminaries connected to the scene, including radio/TV personality Ira Glass, actor John Cusack (whose role in High Fidelity pretty much epitomized the kind of guy Phair disses on Exile in Guyville), Steve Albini, Matador's Gerard Cosloy and Chris Lombardi, Guyville producer Brad Wood, members of Urge Overkill, and John Henderson of Chicago label Feel Good All Over.

And who do we have to thank for all of this Liz Phair goodness? Why, Dave Matthews, of course! Matthews is one of the co-founders of ATO Records, which in addition to putting out the reissue has signed Phair for a new studio album due in the fall. (Yes, she is no longer on Capitol Records.) AND Dave introduces the Guyville Redux DVD.

So between this, My Morning Jacket, and Radiohead, is it finally time to stop hating Dave Matthews? [MORE...]

Vladislav Delay Reissues 2001's Anima, Forms Quartet

Originally released in 2001 on the Mille Plateaux imprint, Vladislav Delay's Anima marked a shift for the noted electronic whiz kid with the many monikers. Gone, in large part, were the well-choreographed, sequencer-led compositions of old, replaced by live instruments, long takes, and a minimum of post-production and overdubs.

Delay's own Huume label will reissue Anima in full on May 13, with a tantalizing new extra. Delay took to the studio earlier this year to craft a ten-minute remix of Anima's single track, paring the hour-long original down to a more manageable size.

Delay has a number of tour dates over the next few months in Europe, the UK, and Japan, including a few shows that find him debuting the Vladislav Delay Quartet. Apart from Delay, the group features Pan Sonic's Mika Vainio on electronics, Derek Shirley on the bass, and Lucio Capece on reeds. [MORE...]

Hydra Head Reissues the VSS' Nervous Circuits

Hydra Head-- home of nontraditionally extreme bands like Jesu, Pelican, Oxbow, and Xasthur-- will reissue San Francisco noise punk band the VSS' Nervous Circuits as a CD/DVD set on May 20.

The 1997 album, originally released on Honey Bear Records, was the VSS' only full-length release; members of the band went on to form Pleasure Forever and Year Future as well as found the Gold Standard Laboratories label.

For the Hydra Head reissue of Nervous Circuits, the first 1000 copies will come with a bonus CD of studio and live recordings from a set at Santa Cruz radio station KZSC. The DVD features a slideshow of photos and fliers, a compilation of performances from the 1997 Nervous Circuits Tour, and footage of full live sets at the DUMBO Warehouse in Brooklyn, the Depot in Boulder, CO, and the Co-op in Berkeley, CA. [MORE...]

QOTSA Cover Eno, Elliott Smith, Billy Idol on Tour CD
But it's only available in Canada

Photo by Chris Owyoung

To commemorate their forthcoming Canadian tour-- and, let's face it, because there's a lot of money in getting people to buy the same thing twice-- Queens of the Stone Age have whipped up a "Limited Tour Edition" of 2007's Era Vulgaris.

The bad news? It will be available in Canada and Canada only, April 15 from Universal.

The 11-track original Vulgaris album is bolstered by a Richard File remix of the title track, a live acoustic version of the album's "Make It Wit Chu", and covers of Brian Eno's "Needle in the Camel's Eye", Billy Idol's "White Wedding", and their unlikely take on Elliott Smith's "Christian Brothers". There's also a second disc containing nine songs recorded live at Amsterdam's Paradiso.

Man, the American dollar's already devalued enough. Now you go and make our record collections worth less, too?

The Queens are down in New Zealand at the moment, with gigs in Australia (including some V Festival shows) leading them to the Great White North. They'll hit Canada in late April and early May before taking off to Europe with all those suitcases full of Canadian currency. [MORE...]

Sonic Youth Reissue Remastered EP, Prep SYR 7 Vinyl
Band, copious side projects line up dates

There's never a dull moment for indie rock's resident Energizer Bunnies Sonic Youth, who have swiftly followed up news of more art-world dabblings and the unlikeliest festival appearance in the history of ever with a flaming slew of activity.

On the release front, Kim and the boys recently served up a remastered reissue of 1987's Master-Dik EP, marking the release's debut in compact disc format. The EP includes a Ramones cover ("Beat on the Brat") and a "sound collage of psycho-distorto-soundscapes" (ooo!), among other sonic treasures. Copies are available right now, exclusively via the band's website.

Sonic Youth also keep going and going and going with the seventh SYR release, due April 22. The limited edition self-released slab of vinyl includes an NYC Ghosts & Flowers-era "22 minute drone-piece" and a composition intended for an aborted collaboration with a fashion designer. Keen!

On the live front, you can't sneeze over the next couple months without getting germs all over a member of Sonic Youth performing in some capacity. In addition to the full band's sure to be legendary appearance at the Dickson St. Music Festival and a gig the night before in Nashville, Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore will team as Mirror/Dash tonight (March 11), Moore will bring all manner of ruckus to SXSW this week and No Fun Fest in May, and Lee Ranaldo will team with the Bang on a Can All-Stars and hit up No Fun himself. We've put our asterisks to good use below in the hopes of sorting everything out for you; have a look.

Finally, Free Kitten have returned! And a few more details recently came to light regarding Sonic Youth's career-spanning traveling art exhibit: it's called "Sonic Youth Etc.: Essential Fix", and it has a museum tour of its own shaping up. Get your "Essential Fix" at Saint-Nazaire, France's LIFE from June 17 to September 9, Bolzano, Italy's Museion from October 10 to January 4 of next year, and Dusseldorf, Germany's Kunsthalle from January 31 to April 26, 2009.

Tum tum tum tum tum tum tum tum... [MORE...]

Dark Meat Sign to Vice, Reissue Indians, Tour Like Mad
Performing The Stooges' Funhouse in its entirety at SXSW

A lot of those ragtag, loose-knit bands from Athens, Georgia get slapped with the "collective" label, but dang it if Dark Meat-- the 17-piece bluesy psych orchestra with the sorta rude song titles-- don't deserve it more than most.

The big ol' band laid a tasty slab of rock on us in 2006 in the form of their album Universal Indians, released on Athens label Orange Twin. Now, they've signed to Vice Records, who will reissue Universal Indians with a trio of bonus tracks. The new Indians sports "One More Trip" and "Three Eyes Open", both recorded live in California's Joshua Tree National Park, plus "Universal Indians", the band's tribute to free jazz sax legend Albert Ayler. The newly expanded edition of the disc will arrive on CD April 8 and LP April 22.

And while they're doing their thing on a grand scale, Dark Meat will embark on a positively gargantuan tour of the U.S. It will include many stops at SXSW, most notably a March 12 set at the Orange Twin showcase at Spiro's, at which they will perform the Stooges' Fun House album in its entirety.

I'm also told that Dark Meat travel in a bright green 35-foot bus! Somehow, even that doesn't seem like it'll cover it. [MORE...]

Club 8 Back Catalog Gets Expanded Reissue Treatment

Perhaps recent offering The Boy Who Couldn't Stop Dreaming served as your entry point to the wonderful, winsome indie pop world of Club 8. Or perhaps you've worn down your copies of the duo's numerous releases with play after loving play. Either way, great news for you! A hefty portion of the Club 8 back catalog saw reissue this week, bolstered by bonus tracks galore.

Longtime fans and new converts alike now have cause to snatch up expanded editions of 1998's The Friend I Once Had, 2001's Club 8, 2002's Spring Came, Rain Fell, and 2003's Strangely Beautiful, available now via Labrador (and distributed by Darla in the U.S.). No fewer than 18 bonus tracks in all populate the extended tracklists, available for eager eyes below.

What's more, Club 8 have several live dates lined up, with the next happening right about now in Barcelona.

Meanwhile, Labrador-- run by Club 8's male half, Johan Angergård-- has kept plenty busy in 2008. Most recently the label signed another Swedish duo, the Sound of Arrows, who will unleash the nine-track EP Danger! this May. A Sound of Arrows full-length will follow in the fall, and 2008 should also hold new Labrador releases from the Radio Dept. and Suburban Kids With Biblical Names. That's enough to keep our twee hearts a-pitter-patterin' straight on till winter! [MORE...]

Do you have a news tip for us? Anything crazy happen at a show you attended recently? Do you have inside info on the bands we cover? Is one of your favorite artists (that's not somebody you know personally) releasing a new record you'd like to see covered? You will remain completely anonymous, unless we are given your express permission to reveal your identity. (Please note that publicists, managers, booking agents, and other artist representatives are generally exempt from this rule, but will also be granted anonymity if requested.)