Here's just some of our favourite singles, compilation albums and reissues of 2025...

1. The Blue Aeroplanes "Magical Realism The Best of 1985-2025" compilation LP
2. Mozart Estate "Tower Block In a Jam Jar" compilation LP
3. KVNX (Kathy Valentine & Neal X) "I Love You More" single
4. Patti Smith "Horses" 50th anniversary reissue LP
5. Thee Moot "Sweet As Saccharine" single
6. Francoise Hardy "Voila - Best of" compilation LP
7. The Limiñanas & Bobby Gillespie "Prisoner of Beauty" single
8. Bo-Gumbos "Bo & Gumbo" reissue LP
9. The Dear Boys "Put It Down" single
10. The Fall "50,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong" compilation reissue LP
11. The Baby Seals "Tamoo Trance" single
12. The Galileo 7 "Everything To Everything Else" compilation LP
13. R.E.M. "Radio Free Europe" reissue EP
14. Viagra Boys "Consistency of Energy/Call of The Wild" reissue EP
15. Cast with P.P. Arnold "Poison Vine" single
16. The Blue Aeroplanes "Outsider Art, The Other Best of 1985-2025" compilation LP
17. The Penrose Web "It's The Penrose Web" EP
18. The Duke Spirit "Cuts Across The Land" reissue LP
19. The Skids "Radio Sessions 1978-1980" compilation LP
20. The Guy Hamper Trio with James Taylor "Chatham's Burning" EP
21. Jamie Perrett "Age of Reason" single
22. Killer China Dress "Kung Fu Attack" single
23. The 5.6.7.8's with Ludella Black "Beat Girls" EP
24. The Embrooks "Terry and Julie" single
25. The Galileo 7 "Look Away" single

Picture This: A Public Image - Punk, New Wave & 2-Tone in L.A. 1978-80 - Exhibition and Book featuring the photos of Spike Waltzer

We went down to Brighton to catch the last day of the excellent exhibition of Garageland promoter Spike Waltzer's music photography at Gallery 40. Originally from Brooklyn in New York, Spike moved to L.A. in 1975 where he studied photography and got snapped up by a photo agency, ending up working as a paparazzo. His direction was to change after a neighbour introduced him to Punk via The Clash's "Give 'em Enough Rope" album in 1978 and he was hooked. He started going to gigs at now legendary Hollywood venues such as the Whisky A Go Go, Roxy and The Starwood, seeing early shows by local bands such as X, Fear and The Go-Go's alongside other touring acts like Blondie and The Cramps. Spike also captured lots of British and Irish bands touring the States often for the first time, and he has some superb onstage and candid offstage photos of The Undertones, Stiff Little Fingers, The Clash, Public Image Ltd, The Specials, The Selecter and Madness. Spike's photos of these bands are superb, really capturing the excitement of the live scene in L.A. at the time and it's great to see so many previously unseen pics of some of my favourite acts.

Spike has collated the best of his photos in a brillant book "Picture This: A Public Image" which is well worth getting hold of. Please note that the exhibition has now closed but the good news is, due to the demand, they will be back at Gallery 40 from December 9th-13th, ideal for picking up some Xmas presents for those friends and family members with good taste in music and photography! There are plans for more showings in London, Manchester and hopefully more locations will be added in due course. In the meantime, the book, postcards and prints (framed or unframed) are still available to order, so for more information you can message Spike at the Garageland Facebook page here or email to jasebick at gmail.com

Patti Smith "Horses" 50th Anniversary at The London Palladium, Monday October 13th

Here are some photos and videos of Patti Smith's fantastic show at the London Palladium, part of her tour celebrating the 50th anniversary of her classic, hugely influential album "Horses". We saw the second of two nights from the Royal Circle balcony which meant I couldn't take many decent photos or videos, but I'm pleased I could capture a few moments from a truly magical evening. Joining Patti were her original longtime partner in crime Lenny Kaye, her son Jackson on guitar and bass and Tony Shanahan on bass and keyboards. Unfortunately, drummer Jay Dee Daugherty who played on "Horses" couldn't make the Monday night show which was a shame, but his stand-in for the night did a superb job. Patti looks amazing and her unmistakable voice has lost nothing over the years, she is in fine form. She switches between good humoured chat with the crowd and blistering put-downs of Trump and the genocide in Palestine. She tells us stories of her first meeting with Jimi Hendrix and of strange dreams about Jim Morrison which influence her songwriting. 

 

Patti also has some fun with an inebriated audience member who wants to get up on stage to dance "I get paid to be up here" and once he has calmed down, "there's always one at every gig!" Of course, we get treated to the whole of "Horses" from those spine-tingling opening words "Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine" that heralds the beginning of their cover of Van Morrison and Them's "Gloria" through all eight of the original album's tracks. I think the Reggae stylings of "Redondo Beach" work much better live and the slow burning "Free Money" is immense as it builds to a raucous ending. I've always had a soft spot for "Kimberly" even though some people think it's a bit lightweight next to such emotionally raw companion pieces as "Break It Up". 

 

The album running order is changed so they can end the main set with a blistering freak-out of "Land" which was a great decision as it gets the hugely appreciative, adoring audience to their feet. For the second set, the band return to the stage minus Patti and play a medley of three Television songs from "Marquee Moon" which although they sounded great, in all honesty I'd rather have had another song or two with Patti. She returns in familiar white T-shirt and black waistcoat for her version of The Byrds "So You Want To Be A Rock 'n' Roll Star" then it was probably her most well known number, the Springsteen collaboration "Because The Night" which of course turned into a massive singalong. Next up was my personal highlight, a truly stunning "Dancing Barefoot" from "Wave" and then Patti introduced her friend Johnny Depp on guitar and her daughter Jesse on piano for the encore of "People Have The Power". This was much more than just a gig, it was a truly special experience that will live on long in the memory.

For more info check out the official Patti Smith web-site here.

All photos and videos copyright Retro Man Blog 2025