Cult Legends Vinyl & CDs

Review: In October 1977, Australian rock titans AC/DC were set to enjoy a night off in London following two successful shows at the Hammersmith Odeon, before they were tapped by The BBC at the last minute to replace The Sensational Alex Harvey Band who had cancelled their scheduled appearance on the Sight & Sound In Concert show at the Hippodrome in North London's Golders Green. While the likes of Queen, Jethro Tull, The Kinks and Roxy Music would perform at the 3,000-capacity venue over the years, no band or set has ever rocked the Hippodrome like Bon Scott and the boys did on this fateful evening. Ripping through a truncated, all bangers setlist of seven tracks in just 40 minutes, including 'Problem Child', 'Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be', 'Whole Lotta Rosie' and 'T.N.T.', while Angus Young would run rampant whilst shredding through the balcony section, this performance has gone down as one of most iconic from this early definitive era of the band.

Review: The new Bauhaus BBC Sessions release hears British goth pioneers Bauhaus at their most vital, documenting the three-year period that they swept the airwaves like vampire bats with a hearse's worth of recordings made for UK radio. Spanning early post-punk urgencies to the relatively more textured darkness of their later work, these sessions were recorded for shows hosted by John Peel and David Jensen, flapping through alternate takes of 'Double Dare', 'In the Flat Field', and 'Third Uncle'. Together with a recent vinyl reissue of a 1983 performance at the Old Vic in London, which snapped a shot of Bauhaus at the peak of their dramaturgic snarks, both releases provide a compelling, rough-edged, bouffant counterpart to their studio albums, before goth went bird's nest: Bauhaus live and direct, with all the mood, menace and momentum fully intact.

Review: Few have ever matched the rawness and visceral hip-hop energy of the Beastie Boys, have they? To catch them live is no doubt one of the most explosive musical experiences of the last 50 years. If you never have, fear not, because an album like this one takes you back in time to be there in the flesh, in this case at Club Citta in Kawasaki, Japan in September 1992. It was a performance broadcast live on radio and it comes now on nice heavyweight vinyl with plenty of lesser-known tunes in amongst some of the bigger moments. A real must for collectors and fans alike.

Review: On September 21 1979 The Clash took to the stage of The Palladium in New York City and performed one of the most significant gigs of their lives. At that point they'd released their self-titled debut and Give 'Em Enough Rope, and their position as vital progenitors of the British punk explosion was assured on an international level. This particular performance was broadcast on the radio and subsequently became one of the most widely bootlegged of all Clash gigs, but it attained an even more legendary status as the gig where Paul Simonon smashed his bass into the floor, captured on camera and subsequently used as the iconic cover for London Calling.

Review: In 1994, legendary hip-hop stoners Cypress Hill took the stage at Woodstock '94 and left an indelible mark on the iconic festival. With their groundbreaking fusion of hip-hop and rock, the 'Hill captivated the Woodstock crowd with their electrifying performances and brought all of the raw energy and innovative sounds they are so well loved for. The group's set at Woodstock '94 showcased their ability to command any stage, drawing fans from diverse musical backgrounds as they worked through many of their most well loved hit and in doing so solidified their status as pioneers of the rap-rock genre.

Review: Deep Purple are often mentioned in the same breath as the main innovators of heavy Metal, like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, but as this collection of radio transmissions from 1968 shows, they have a much closer relation to the good old fashioned funk than either of those rivals. Ian Paice's drumming on opening track 'Speed King' makes the track much more suitable for dancing to than headbanging, and we challenge you to hear their version of Billie Joe Royal's 'Hush' without thinking of The Charlatans' 'The Only One I Know'. With a generally relaxed feel about this cover version-heavy selection - Hendrix's 'Hey Joe' and The Beatles 'Hush' also get the Purple treatment - this is a different and altogether more accessible slant on the legends that you might not have even guessed existed.

Review: Modern day Amsterdam is a bit of an oxymoron. On the one hand, the city proudly brandishes its reputation for alternative and sub cultures, pushing back against lawmakers and their incoherent policies to adopt approaches that are more realistic and levelheaded. On the other, its a place of such rampant commercial development the local government actively discourages visitors and new hotel developments. Look closely, though, and you can still feel the spirit of what, during the latter half of the 20th Century, made this place so special. Paradiso is one of those spots. A waterside cultural venue with a history first as a church, then an illegal squat, before becoming what it is today, the walls themselves seem to pervade a sense of brave, adventurous heritage. An ideal place to catch one of the most defining bands of the 1980s in their heyday, then, here Depeche Mode deliver an astounding set in a space with the atmosphere to match.

Review: Another BBC Sessions edition compiles nearly two decades of live-in-studio performances from Echo & The Bunnymen, tracing the Liverpool legends' rise from wiry post-punk outsiders to accomplished songwriters. John Peel and Janice Long oversaw the sessions with eagle's eyes, as production polish from classics such as 'The Killing Moon', 'Rescue' and 'Lips Like Sugar' reveal the band's skeletal brilliance and moody immediacy. Something of a guide to the band's career arc as a whole, we hear the way paved for a more expansive, melancholic texture in the later years, despite an ever morphotic, modulable lineup. The Cult Legends reissue set offers longtime fans and newer listeners a chance to hear the Bunnymen with studio intimacy and live spontaneity; less theatrical than their stage shows, but just as haunting.

Review: Whitney Houston was known as The Voice for good reason. Even now, decade on from her most famous material, no one has matched the range, power and emotion of the American songstress. She could not only do it in the studio, but also live on stage as this recording from a show at Madison Square Garden ably shows. It's got the most love anthems like 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody' and 'How Will I Know' as well as a fine medley in the form of 'Didn't We Almost Have It All/A House Is Not A Home/Where Do Broken Hearts Go'. Crowd noises are also included for extra authentic energy and edge when listening back.

Review: Not to be confused with the rather divisive 2011 album, Original Sin, on which a host of guest artists - Rob Thomas, Ben Harper, Mylene Gamer, Pat Monahan among others - take on the difficult task of stepping in for Michael Hutchence, joining the surviving members of INXS, Original Sinners is the real deal of the band at a time when they couldn't have been riding higher or been filled with more promise.

Recorded in 1984, this was the year when things really started happening for the Aussie alt-rock new wavers, scoring their first homeland number one ('Original Sin' - hence the title of this and the aforementioned outing), setting things up nicely for more than half a decade that would see them hit international superstardom with successive chart topping albums and singles. Packed with a synth-laden, emotionally charged and stadium filling sound, this is a snapshot of what everyone saw in them back then.

Review: Taken from their controversial/iconic debut UK/European show at London's Hammersmith Odeon in 1987, this performance from thrash metal titans Megadeth was famously plagued by misfortune due to the band's gear getting stuck in customs, leading to unfamiliar hired equipment causing the dreaded technical difficulties throughout. Those in attendance that faithful night have since rushed to the band's defence, with the general consensus being no issues could overshadow the sheer ferocity and energetic mayhem exuded by Mr. Dave Mustaine (and his at the time bandmates). Captured whilst promoting their genre staple sophomore effort Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?, the set is packed to the brim with blistering, breakneck paced renditions of some the band's most mammoth, face-melting bangers from 'Wake Up Dead' to 'Peace Sells' with plenty of fan favourite deep cuts like the criminally overlooked 'Devil's Island' making appearances.

Review: 1977 was a pivotal year for Motorhead, seeing as it saw the release of their debut, self-titled album and also the hiring of Fast Eddie Clarke, forging what is invariably seen as the classic line up of this seminal band. The year may be closely associated with the height of punk rock, but the ultra heavy metal stylings of Lemmy and co always crossed the divide and appealled to punk and metal fans alike. The 11 tracks here straddle the tracks written for that debut LP ('Iron Horse/Born To Lose', 'Vibrator' and 'White Line Fever') and older material such as 'Motorhead', originally penned by Lemmy's previous employers Hawkwind, their cover of Eddie Holland's Motown classic 'Leaving Here' and 'On Parole', first recorded with Clarke's predecessor Larry Wallis in 1976 then shelved. The sound of one of the finest bands ever just beginning to hit their stride.

Review: By 1992 Nirvana weren't just in full swing, they'd done the unthinkable - turning the hardcore end of a rock 'n' roll sub genre that originated in the US Pacific Northwest into a global chart-topping phenomena. And they achieved this without selling out, with third and final album, In Utero, arguably laying the tarmac for a road to increasingly experimental sounds that would tragically never be fully explored due to frontman Kurt Cobain's suicide in 1994.

This exceptional live recording from the Spanish capital two years earlier represents the outfit at their peak of dominance, having released their most commercially successful record, Nevermind, 12 months or so earlier, creating a slew of anthems such as 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', 'Something In The Way', and 'Come As You Are' to international youth culture folklore. History lessons aside, they were more potent live than on any studio recording, with this breakneck, raw-throated and high-intensity set exemplary of why.

Review: At the close of 1991, Seatlle grunge gods Nirvana were well on their way to becoming the biggest rock band in the world, but the massive show in Del Mar, California, captured here actually featured them appearing in support of Red Hot Chili Peppers, although Pearl Jam had the prvilege of opening up the show. They'd spent much of the year touring, famously making the first of their two Reading Fesival appearances half way up the bill back in August 1991, and are evidently on peak form here as they wield a setlist dominated by Nevermind album highlights including 'Come As You Are' and 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'. Ending on a raging rendition of 'Territorial Pissings', the trio prove not only why they managed to definite the zeitgeist of the age, but also the fact that however finely tuned and honed they were, the all-important feel of impending anarchy was never far from the surface.

Review: The Purple One did a series of special live shows at the Miami Glam Slam Club in 1994 as part of a residency, and as they were recorded for live radio broadcast we can now relive them again with this reissue. The dynamic songwriter, singer, multi-instrumentalist and producer was in top form in the mid-90s and used this residency to further explore his blend of funk, rock and soul. With electrifying performances of hits and deep cuts, this album highlights his unparalleled musicianship and charismatic stage presence with plenty of classics all included from 'The Most Beautiful Girl In The World ' to 'I Believe In You.' A great slice of pop history.

Review: Indie-pop miserbalists REM are indeed rock legends and this live album from Santa Monica back in 1991 - a time when lead singer Michael Stipe still had hair, it is interesting to note - is the perfect example of why. It's an electric set that takes in many of the American band's most iconic tunes, from the wonderful dour 'Losing My Religion' which is perfect lo-fi and ramshackle here, the dark meditation that is 'Half A World Away' and even a cover in the form of 'Love Is All Around'. A great reminder of a great band.

Review: A well recorded, fascinating glimpse into the earlier days of the most notorious punk band of all time, captured at a show at the rarely acknowledged 76 Club in Burton-on-Trent. It's a suitable setting, of course, as British punk was the voice of the suburbs and the small towns around the UK that, ironically, all so often banned them from visiting. The material that would form their only studio album - surely one of the most seminal LPs of all time - Never Mind The Bollocks... was still taking shape at this point, with 'New York' and 'Seventeen' present but nestling under working titles alongside non-album original 'I Wanna Be Me'. There are also outings for a selection of cover versions that show the influences that shaped the revolutionary sound about to turn music on its head, from The Stooges' 'No Fun' and The Who's 'Substitute' to the Dave Berry 1964 single flip track 'Don't Gimme No Lip Child' and The Monkees' '(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone'. Top chaos for cash fun.

Review: Thrash metal pioneers Slayer have a ferocious reputation in the studio, but their live shows are where the unbridled energy, rage, passion and power really reach next level. Landing on the appropriately-named Cult Legends label, this recording of a 1991 show from Paris is exactly what we're talking about. Like pressing play on a juggernaut and watching hell break loose. References to the underworld abound here, of course, from 'Angel of Death' to the epic intro medley, 'Hell Awaits/Antichrist' i if indeed "medley" is an appropriate word to use for a band like Slayer. Pedantry aside, if you're looking for a record that truly speaks to the might and rabid majesty of metal in one of its most intense forms, then you've got it right here.