There was a time when Rhino Records was the absolute go-to for music reissues and compilations. I have a closet full of their fantastic box sets from the 2000s. I especially love the multiple Nuggets sets they produced, which introduced me to bands and songs I would likely never have discovered otherwise. As the music business has changed over the last two decades, so has Rhino’s output. Luckily, the UK’s Cherry Red Records has taken up the slack, regularly releasing brilliant and diverse collections of music, complete with informative liner notes, all at affordable prices.
I’ve had a chance to listen to a few sets: two drop in January 2026 and are available for pre-order, and one is available now. All three are highly recommended. Check out the details below.
Various Artists: CBGB – A New York City Soundtrack 1975-1986, 4CD
The log line: “CBGB was a place for the dirty people.” – Jimmy Destri of Blondie
“Afterwards, I took off and went crosstown to CBGB’s, the stronghold of the unknown, to be with my own people.” – Patti Smith
In December 1973 Hilly Kristal changed the name of his roots music bar from Hilly’s on the Bowery to CBGB and altered his musical policy to hire mostly rock bands. He was indifferent to many of them (“No one is going to like you guys, but I’ll have you back,” he told Joey Ramone), blissfully unaware of how important his scruffy little club would soon become.
In the span of only 15 months, the five groups that comprise the CBGB’s pantheon all debuted: Television in March 1974, followed by Ramones in August and Blondie in October, then Patti Smith in February 1975 and Talking Heads four months later.
Those five groups all quickly got record deals and became popular enough to outgrow CBGB’s. By the fall of 1977, Smith was the only one who was still playing there. What succeeded the Big Five was an array of new and retro styles, all of which feature here: No Wave (Sonic Youth, Mars, DNA, Bush Tetras), post-punk (Ritual Tension, Unknown Gender, Khmer Rouge), mutant funk and R&B (James Chance & The Contortions, Mink DeVille), art-rock bands (R.L. Crutchfield’s Dark Day, The Revelons, Erasers, Jeff and Jane Hudson) hardcore punk (Minor Threat, Bad Brains, Vatican Commandos, Beastie Boys), and lots of power pop (Sorrows, The dBs, The Rudies, The Miamis, The Paley Brothers) .
The club’s best-known bands are present on this compilation but we’ve also revived interest in dozens of unfairly forgotten acts that, for a moment in time, made an album, EP, 45, or even a demo that crackled with innovation, wit, and joy.
CBGB no longer exists, at least not in the physical plane, but what happened between those soot-filled, beer-stinking walls continues to reverberate around the world.
TRACK LISTING
DISC ONE
1 The Dictators – (I Live For) Cars And Girls
2 The Harlots of 42nd Street – S&M (I Can’t Live Without You)
3 The Magic Tramps – S&M – Leather Queen
4 Patti Smith – Free Money
5 The Brats – Be A Man
6 City Lights – Travelin’ Man
7 The Hounds – Call Me (Previously unreleased on CD)
8 Erasers – It Was So Funny (That Song That They Sung)
9 Ramones – Beat On The Brat
10 Stuart’s Hammer – Everybody’s Depraved (Live at CBGB)
11 The Planets – Come On Up (Previously unreleased)
12 Milk ‘N’ Cookies – Not Enough Girls (In The World)
13 Just Water – They Live By Night
14 Television – See No Evil
15 Mumps – Crocodile Tears
16 The Heartbreakers – Born To Lose
17 Testors – You Don’t Break My Heart
18 The Dead Boys – Ain’t Nothing To Do
19 The Senders – You Really Piss Me Off
20 The Electric Chairs – Fuck Off
21 Marbles – Forgive And Forget
22 Cherry Vanilla – Hard As A Rock
23 Tuff Darts – Fun City
24 Talking Heads – A Clean Break (Let’s Work) (Live)
DISC TWO
1 Suicide – Ghost Rider
2 Pure Hell – I Feel Bad
3 Helen Wheels – Room To Rage
4 Blondie – Picture This
5 Mars – Helen Forsdale
6 Come On – Don’t Walk On The Kitchen Floor
7 Mink Deville – “A” Train Lady
8 The Heat – Instant Love (Previously unreleased on CD)
9 Genya Ravan – Aye Co’lorado
10 Theoretical Girls – Lovin’ In The Red
11 Richard Hell & The Voidoids – The Kid With The Replaceable Head
12 The Stillettos – Pink Stillettos
13 The Paley Brothers – Baby, Let’s Stick Together
14 Neon Leon – Rock ‘n’ Roll Is Alive (Previously unreleased on CD)
15 Revelons – The Way (You Touch My Hand)
16 New York Ni**ers – Just Like Dresden ’45
17 L.O.K. – Fun House (Previously unreleased on CD)
18 Material – O.A.O.
19 The Laughing Dogs – I Need A Million
20 Shrapnel – Combat Love
21 Peroxide – Heart Disease
22 Student Teachers – Christmas Weather
23 Tom Verlaine – Breakin’ In My Heart
24 Richard Lloyd – Number Nine
25 James Chance & The Contortions Jailhouse Rock (Live at CBGB 1978)
DISC THREE
1 The Cramps – Garbage Man
2 The Dots – I Don’t Wanna Dance (With You) (Previously unreleased on CD)
3 The Miamis – We Deliver
4 Model Citizens – Shift The Blame
5 The dB’s – Black And White
6 The Rattlers – On The Beach
7 Love Of Life Orchestra – The Revolution Is Personal
8 Urban Verbs – Next Question (Previously unreleased)
9 Sylvain Sylvain – Teenage News
10 Stimulators – Loud Fast Rules
11 Tot Rocket And The Twins – Reduced
12 The Bongos – Telephoto Lens
13 Outsets – I’m Searchin’ For You
14 Sorrows – Teenage Heartbreak
15 The Lounge Lizards – Do The Wrong Thing
16 Nervus Rex – There She Goes
17 The Cosmopolitans – Wild Moose Party
18 Polyrock – Your Dragging Feet
19 Lenny Kaye with The Lone Wolves – Child Bride (Previously unreleased on CD)
20 R.L. Crutchfield’s Dark Day – Arp’s Carpet
21 The Colors – Jealousy
22 TV Toy – (Don’t Blame It On The) Weekend
23 DNA – Blonde Red Head
24 The Rudies- Sherri Goodbye
25 The Raybeats – Tight Turn
26 Phosphenes – Asexual (Previously unreleased on CD)
27 Minor Threat – Straight Edge
DISC FOUR
1 Bush Tetras – Things That Go BOOM In The Night
2 Human Switchboard – (Say No To) Saturday’s Girl
3 Disturbed Furniture – Information *
4 The Necessaries – Back To You *
5 Chemicals Made From Dirt – Oriental Television *
6 China Shop – If It’s New
7 James Blood Ulmer – Open House
8 Nihilistics – You’re To Blame
9 Beastie Boys – Egg Raid On Mojo
10 The Individuals – My Three Sons (Revolve Around The Earth)
11 Rhys Chatham – Drastic Classicism (edit)
12 Unknown Gender – Boys-Girls (Radio) *
13 Khmer Rouge – Hinterland
14 Bad Brains – Banned In D.C.
15 Heart Attack – English Cunts
16 Outpatients – Fight
17 Vatican Commandos – Housewives On Valium
18 Sonic Youth – The World Looks Red
19 Jeff & Jane Hudson – Operating Instruction
20 Glorious Strangers – Deception *
21 Nona Hendryx – Transformation
22 Reagan Youth – No Class
23 Rat At Rat R – Assassin
24 Ritual Tension – Social Climber
25 The Ordinaires – Grace
* Previously unreleased on CD
You can preorder CBGB – A New York City Soundtrack 1975-1986 here.
Various Artists: Musik Music Musique 1979 – The Roots of Synth Pop, 3CD
The log line: We present the fourth volume in this critically acclaimed series – this time a prequel, exploring the transitional year 1979, a period which saw electronic pop move from curio, fad and novelty status into the credible post-punk pop landscape. A story of experimental and eccentric artists, outsider aesthetics and the fusion of the spirit of punk with a pop sensibility.
Featuring an array of artists who would become household names and dominate the pop scene during the first half of the 1980s, alongside lesser-known scenesters, independent innovators and one-off scene hoppers, ‘Musik Music Musique 1979’ provides a perfect backdrop to our previous three volumes. Call it a prequel, call it back story – packed with great pop music, a twist of the weird and wonderful and plenty of floor-fillers, this is a snapshot of a vital year in the wake of punk rock, when a new path suggested throughout the 1970s was finally cut, paved and explored.
Eclectic, endlessly innovative and, most importantly, enduringly listenable, ‘Music Musik Musique 1979’ is an international adventure, throwing the spotlight on those brave enough to take the first steps into the rainbow of electronic music that would come to define the 1980s.
TRACK LISTING
DISC ONE
1 The Buggles – Technopop
2 M – Made In Munich
3 The Korgis – Cold Tea
4 Metal Voices – At The Banks Of The River
5 Yello – I. T. Splash
6 Dalek I – The Kiss
7 Karel Fialka – Armband
8 Japan – Life In Tokyo (Pt 1)
9 Black Rod – Going To The Country
10 Tubeway Army – Are Friends Electric?
11 Dollar – Star Control (B- Side Mix)
12 Quantum Jump – The Lone Ranger (1979 Remix)
13 Fashiøn – Technofascist
14 The Cars – Night Spots
15 Devo – Strange Pursuit
16 Bruce Woolley & The Camera Club – Video Killed The Radio Star
17 Moebius- Mirror Of Infinity
18 Tanya Hyde – Herr Wunderbar
19 Final Program – Hanging Around
20 Metrophase – New Age
DISC TWO
1 Gary Numan – Cars
2 Giorgio Moroder – E=MC²
3 Gina X Performance – Nice Mover
4 Blah Blah Blah – In The Army
5 Gerry And The Holograms – Gerry And The Holograms (Alternate Drumbox Version) 6 Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Almost
7 The Men – I Don’t Depend On You
8 Telex – Rock Around The Clock
9 They Must Be Russians – Nagasaki’s Children
10 Silicon Teens – Memphis Tennessee
11 Henry Badowski – Making Love With My Wife
12 After The Fire – One Rule For You
13 Cowboys International – Thrash
14 Jude – Mirror Mirror
15 Minny Pops – Dolphin’s Spurt
16 Mi-Sex – Computer Games
17 Passage – 16 Hours
18 Zeus B. Held – Held It
19 The Family Fodder – Sunday Girl #1
20 Secret Service – Oh Susie
DISC THREE
1 The Human League – Blind Youth
2 Fad Gadget – Back To Nature
3 Landscape – Japan (12″ Version)
4 Calvin Twilight – Harmony
5 Cuddly Toys – Madman (Original 1979 Japanese Mix) 6 R.L. Crutchfield’s Dark Day – Hands In The Dark
7 Visage – Frequency 7
8 New Musik – Living By Numbers
9 Suicide – Dream Baby Dream
10 John Foxx – Young Love (1979 version)
11 The Dodgems – Science Fiction (Baby You’re So)
12 Genocide – Pre Set Future
13 Hammer – Forever Tonight
14 Toyah – Computer
15 Thomas Leer and Robert Rental – Attack Decay
16 Plain Characters – Man In The Railings
17 Steve Hillage – Don’t Dither Do It (7″ Version)
18 La Düsseldorf – Rheinita (7″ Version)
19 Tim Blake and Jean Phillipe Rykiel – New Jerusalem (Extract)
20 Instant Automatons – All You Need Is Love
You can preorder Musik Music Musique 1979 – The Roots of Synth Pop here.
Various Artists: I Wanna Be A Teen Again – American Power Pop 1980-1989, 3CD Box Set
The log line: In 1979, The Knack kicked open the doors for a global power pop explosion, and a year or so later, almost as quickly, the doors closed again, but not before a mass of their contemporaries followed them through. Soon, a bunch of others got caught up in the excitement and the record business relearned the power of guitar-driven pop – the first few years of the ’80s were as exciting for power pop as the last couple of the 70s had been, and even when it returned to the underground, the music continued to flow throughout the decade.
‘I Wanna Be A Teen Again’ follows the 80s power pop explosion from its hypocentre early in the decade to its enduring late period gems, exploring both leading and lesser lights, the old hands and new talents who made it such an exciting musical happening. By the middle of the decade, the term power pop had been all but retired, but a handful of new bands found success by avoiding it, whilst new movements, including the Paisley Underground and indie pop, helped keep others alive under new brandings. All the while a small number of holdouts, the pop equivalent of the soldiers lost in the jungle after the war had ended, strove to keep the music and the name alive.
Packed with classic cuts and long-overlooked rough diamonds, and appearing at a time when new outfits like The Lemon Twigs pick through the body of 80s power pop for material and inspiration and some key artists like Redd Kross and The Bangles are celebrated in books and film, ‘I Wanna Be A Teen Again’ is a timely examination and celebration of this action-packed era and its thrilling sounds.
TRACK LISTING
DISC ONE
1 Stiv Bators – Not That Way Anymore
2 The Knack – I Want Ya
3 The Know – (I’m Always Touched by Your) Presence Dear
4 The Romantics – When I Look In Your Eyes
5 Nikki & The Corvettes – Just What I Need
6 Zeros – They Say That (Everything’s Alright)
7 Mn’M’s – I’m Tired
8 The Flashcubes – It’s You Tonight (Basement Tapes Version)
9 Radio City – Don’t Mistake Love
10 Screen Test – Nothing Really Matters When You’re Young
11 Moondogs – When Sixteen Wasn’t So Sweet
12 The Pranks – What’s The Point
13 NRBQ – You Can’t Hide
14 Utopia – I Just Want To Touch You
15 The Shivvers – Please Stand By
16 Eric Carmen – It’ Hurts Too Much
17 Hilly Michaels – Calling All Girls
18 Promise – Back In My Heart
19 The Late Show – Take A Chance
20 The Heats – Remember Me
21 Off Broadway – Quick Turns
22 Shoes – She Satisfies
23 The Everythingers – Saccharine
24 Rick Springfield – Jessie’s Girl
25 SVT – Love Blind
26 Tommy Hoehn – Get Away
27 Phil Seymour – Precious To Me
28 David Quinton – Make Up Your Mind
DISC TWO
1 The Flamin’ Groovies – So Much In Love
2 The Plimsouls – Now
3 20/20 – The Night I Heard A Scream
4 Great Buildings – Hold On To Something
5 The Go-Gos – How Much More
6 The Wigs – Tell It All
7 The Rubinoos – Let’s Make It Tonight
8 The Toms – (I Wanna Be A) Teen Again
9 The Michael Guthrie Band – Sorry About That
10 Eddy Best – Things I Should’ve Said
11 The Decoys – Not The Tremblin’ Kind
12 Marshall Crenshaw – Cynical Girl
13 The Bongos – The Bulrushes
14 The Floor Models – You’ll Come Around
15 Paul Collins’ Beat – The Kids Are The Same
16 Dwight Twilley – I’m Back Again
17 Cheap Trick – If You Want My Love
18 Bruce Moody – AM Romance
19 The Bangles – Mary Street
20 The Spongetones – Here I Go Again
21 The Fad – Where The Colours Are
22 Club Wow – What’s With You
23 Jim Basnight & The Moberlys – I Want To Be Yours
24 Steve Rosenbaum – Girl From Seventeen
25 Let’s Active – Every Word Means No
DISC THREE
1 Ramones – My My Kind Of Girl
2 Fastbacks – Now Is The Time
3 Game Theory – Too Late For Tears
4 The dB’s – Love Is For Lovers
5 Katrina And The Waves – Do You Want Crying
6 Candy – Whatever Happened to Fun…
7 Julian Leal – You And I
8 Riff Doctors – Turn Me On
9 The Beat Rodeo – Just Friends
10 Gary Herrewig – Hurt You Too
11 Windbreakers – Can’t Go On This Way
12 Tommy Keene – Places That Are Gone (Geoff Emerick Version)
13 The Smithereens – Strangers When We Meet
14 The Mosquitos – That Was Then, This Is Now
15 Sex Clark Five – I Want You Mine
16 The Patriots – It Don’t Show
17 Flying Color – Dear Friend (Album Version)
18 Bill Lloyd – Lisa Anne
19 The Long Ryders – I Want You Bad
20 Chris ‘Klondike’ Masuak – How Could He Resist?
21 The Infidels – I Can’t Make You Mine
22 Redd Kross – Ballad Of A Love Doll
23 Material Issue – Renee Remains The Same
24 The Pursuit of Happiness – She’s So Young
25 Velvet Crush – Walking Out On Love
You can order I Wanna Be A Teen Again – American Power Pop 1980-1989 here.
