Coming up: Truancy by Pete Townshend

A new Pete Townshend best-of, featuring two newly recorded songs, is on the way June 30.

Details:
June 30 sees the release of Truancy: The Very Best Of Pete Townshend as part of a new deal with Universal Music Enterprises (UMe).

The 17-track album features two brand new songs and is part of an extensive reissue program for Townshend's solo material that will see his catalog remastered and reworked running into 2016.
Truancy was remastered at Abbey Road Studios, features new liner notes, an introduction to the two new songs by Townshend and highlights from nine key Townshend albums including the singles – "Rough Boys," "Let My Love Open The Door," "Face Dances (Pt. 2)," "English Boy" and "Face The Face."
Of the compilation Townshend says, "I hope it offers a selection that works to introduce new fans to my solo work. I am a bit of a dabbler I'm afraid. I am as interested in building, developing and playing with recording studios as I am with making music. The Who has taken up most of my road hours, and in this year of the 50th anniversary of our first significant year in 1965, we are back on the road again."
The two new, previously unreleased songs exclusive to this collection are "Guantanamo" and "How Can I Help You."
Pete Townshend on "Guantanamo": "I thought this song might never see the light of day, but now President Obama has relaxed sanctions in Cuba, it is a happy sign he might go further. Technically this was created in rather a laborious way. I recorded a long organ drone using my vintage Yamaha E70 organ (used many times by me on Who and solo recordings in the past), and then cut it into something that sounded like a song using a feature unique to Digital Performer called 'chunks.' This creates blocks of groups of tracks that can be assembled and disassembled easily, like cutting multitrack analogue tape with a razor blade, but with less blood. The lyric grew out of the implicit angry frustration in the organ tracks."
Townshend again, "'How Can I Help You' was inspired partly by the frustrating emotional difficulties experienced by a valued colleague. He was in great physical pain and it drove him into depression. I performed an acoustic version of the song on my partner Rachel Fuller's webcast show 'In the Attic.' I began this recording with an acoustic guitar, added drum loops and breaks then Gretsch and Rickenbacker 12-string guitars and John Entwistle's hybrid Thunderbird-Fender Precision bass."
FULL TRACK LISTING
  1. Pure And Easy (from Who Came First)
  2. Sheraton Gibson (from Who Came First)
  3. Let's See Action (Nothing Is Everything) (from Who Came First)
  4. My Baby Gives It Away (from Rough Mix)
  5. A Heart To Hang On To (from Rough Mix)
  6. Keep Me Turning (from Rough Mix)
  7. Let My Love Open The Door (from Empty Glass)
  8. Rough Boys (from Empty Glass)
  9. The Sea Refuses No River (from All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes)
  10. Face Dances (Pt. 2) (from All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes)
  11. White City Fighting (from White City)
  12. Face The Face (from White City)
  13. I Won't Run Anymore (from The Iron Man)
  14. English Boy (from Psychoderelict)
  15. You Came Back (from Scoop)
  16. Guantanamo (New song)*
  17. How Can I Help You (New song)*

Video find: The Small Faces perform "All or Nothing"



New comics and more May 20, 2015: Grendel Vs. Shadow; Fantastic Four Epic Collection - Strange Days; Batman 1966 puzzle and playing cards

Click the links to order discounted items from Amazon.


Grendel vs. The Shadow



Coming up: Star Wars: The Complete Marvel Years Omnibus Vol. 3

Out Sept. 25, 2015.
The original Star Wars comic-book saga concludes! Savor an all-action adaptation of Star Wars: Episode VI - The Return of the Jedi, and fi nd out what happens after the Battle of Endor! Luke, Leia and their allies seek to establish a new galactic government - but Imperial Forces still stand in the way. When Darth Vader falls, a Dark Lady will rise! Meanwhile, Han Solo and Chewbacca head to Wookiee World! The Ewoks go to war! And tragedy strikes close to C-3PO - could it be that even a droid can cry? Plus: a cornucopia of Star Wars rarities - including exclusive stories only published in the UK!

COLLECTING: STAR WARS 79-107, ANNUAL 3; RETURN OF THE JEDI 1-4; MATERIAL FROM PIZZAZZ 1-16; MATERIAL FROM STAR WARS WEEKLY (UK) 60, 94-99, 104-115; MATERIAL FROM EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (UK) #149, 151, 153-157; MATERIAL FROM STAR WARS (UK) 159

Video find: Petula Clark sings "Downtown"



New music releases May 18, 2015: Hot Chip; Paul Weller; Brian Wilson; Annette Funicello; Connie Stevens, more

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Why Make Sense? by Hot Chip





DVD and Blu-ray new releases May 19, 2015: Doctor Who; It - The Terror From Beyond; Evil Eye

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Doctor Who: The Cybermen (DVD)


Pop focus: The illustrious Jim Steranko

We've focused on Steranko's S.H.I.E.L.D. art for Marvel Comics, and his paperback covers featuring "The Shadow." This is a more general look at his art, mainly magazine illustrations and posters, that displays his distinctive graphic style.

Enjoy!