Music Reissues Weekly: In A Rocking Mood - Beverley’s Rock Steady 1966-1968

IN A ROCKING MOOD - BEVERLEY'S ROCK STEADY 1966-1968 Leslie Kong’s legendary Jamaican label moves with the times

Leslie Kong’s legendary Jamaican label moves with the times

Beverley’s was an ice-cream shop and restaurant on Orange Street in Kingston, Jamaica. Records were on sale too. In 1961, an aspiring singer-songwriter named James Chambers turned up there with a song he’d written called “Dearest Beverley.” If it was recorded, it’d give its creator a leg-up on the music scene and also might be good promotion for the business.

Music Reissues Weekly: John Barry - The More Things Change

JOHN BARRY - THE MORE THINGS CHANGE Deep-digging collection reframes perceptions of feted composer’s soundtrack work

Deep-digging collection reframes perceptions of feted composer’s soundtrack work

By 1970, John Barry had composed music for Born Free, The Lion in Winter, Midnight Cowboy, You Only Live Twice and about 38 other films. His work with cinema began in 1960 and averaged around five films a year. In 1965, eight films were released with his music. He was busy.

Music Reissues Weekly: Patty Waters - You Loved Me

PATTY WATERS - YOU LOVED ME The jazz auteur’s astonishing, originally shelved 1970 album

First-ever vinyl outing for the jazz auteur’s astonishing, originally shelved 1970 album

“Touched by Rodin in a Paris Museum” is a 14-minute consideration of exactly what its title says: the impact of encountering Auguste Rodin’s work in person. The composition features piano only. There are nods to Debussy and Ravel. The playing is measured and minimal yet still full-bodied. At odd points, there are seconds of complete silence.

Music Reissues Weekly: 999 - A Punk Rock Anthology

999 - A PUNK ROCK ANTHOLOGY Entry point compilation to a band who ‘seem to have lost control’

Entry point compilation into the band who ‘seem to have lost control’

“Ramonic buzzsaw impressionism guitars lovingly poured like a truckload of Quaker Oats over the indecipherable lyrical content that sounds like a rancid moggie that has snorted too much Pro-Plus.”

So that was a possible thumbs-up from NME’s Tony Parsons in his review of 999’s August 1977 debut single “I’m Alive.”

Music Reissues Weekly: Kokomo - To Be Cool

KOKOMO - TO BE COOL Previously unheard sessions by the soul-funk outfit

Previously unheard sessions by the soul-funk outfit characterise pre-punk Britain’s patchwork-quilt music scene

Over January, February and early March 1975, British music fans could buy tickets for what was titled The Naughty Rhythms Tour. Three bands were billed, with the running order changing each evening. The tour was the idea of Andrew Jakeman, who worked for one of the bands, and Chris Fenwick, the manager of another: on their own, each band couldn’t fill larger venues. Together, more tickets would be sold and fans would be picked up.

Music Reissues Weekly: Dusty Springfield - Dusty Sings Soul

DUSTY SPRINGFIELD - DUSTY SINGS SOUL Twenty-four musical landmarks from the finest British soul singer of her era

Twenty-four musical landmarks from the finest British soul singer of her era

First on were The Supremes with “Baby Love.” Next, The Miracles performed “You Really Got a Hold on me.” After this, Stevie Wonder’s “I Call it Pretty Music But the Old People Call it the Blues,” The Temptations’ “The Way You do the Things You do” and Martha & The Vandellas’ “Heatwave.”

Music Reissues Weekly: Fame - Jon Savage’s Secret History Of Post-Punk (1978-81)

FAME - JON SAVAGE'S SECRET HISTORY OF POST-PUNK (1978-81) Exploratory communiqués from punk’s slipstream

Exploratory communiqués from punk’s slipstream

“The Method” by The Method Actors was issued as the top side of a single in July 1981. Although recorded in London during September 1980 and only released by a British label, the band – a duo of guitar/vocals and drums/vocals – were from Athens, Georgia.

Music Reissues Weekly: Saturno 2000 - La Rebajada de Los Sonideros 1962-1983

MUSIC REISSUES WEEKLY: SATURNO 2000 - LA REBAJADA DE LOS SONIDEROS 1962-1983 Revealed - the slowed-down world of Mexico’s sound systems

Revealed - the slowed-down world of Mexico’s sound systems

What’s in the groove isn’t necessarily the end of the story. Sound is fixed into a record when it’s pressed. Get it revolving on a turntable, dump the needle onto it and what’s heard is what’s intended to be heard. It’s fixed. Nonetheless, DJs realised a record can be part of the route to something else, something which becomes their creation.

Music Reissues Weekly: My World Fell Down - The John Carter Story

MY WORLD FELL DOWN - THE JOHN CARTER STORY Testament to a one-man music industry

Extensive testament to a one-man music industry

Fat Man’s Music Festival. The Haystack. Red Line Explosion. Stormy Petrel. Butterwick. Sweet Chariot. Names which don't immediately spring to mind.

The factor linking them is also common to 1967’s “Let’s go to San Francisco” hit-makers The Flower Pot Men, The First Class, who charted in 1974 with “Beach Baby,” and The Ivy League, who went Top Ten in early 1965 with “Funny How Love Can be.”

Music Reissues Weekly: The Prefects - Live At The Festival Suite 1978, Un-Scene! Post Punk Birmingham 1978-1982

THE PREFECTS Live At The Festival Suite 1978, Un-Scene! Post Punk Birmingham 1978-1982

England’s second city navigates punk’s aftershocks

It was going to be great. Birmingham’s Digbeth Rag Market was hosting 1977’s highest-profile punk festival on 17 July. The Clash were headlining. Also billed were The Heartbreakers, Rich Kids, The Saints, Shagnasty, Stinky Toys, Subway Sect and Tanya Hyde & the Tormentors.