Watch: PJ Harvey Tiny Desk Concert

Vintage Tom Baker 'Doctor Who' Postcard

Pop Culture Roundup: Doctor Who, Star Wars Holiday Special, Dick Van Dyke, More

ITEM! Radio Times looks back at its covers featuring multiple Doctor Whos.

ITEM! Speaking of which, Tubi just added 600 episodes of "Doctor Who" for free streaming.

ITEM! Also, Karen Gillan and Hugh Bonneville are starring in a new cancel culture drama/comedy from Steven Moffat.

ITEM! A look at Conan's first adventure.

ITEM! David Letterman is returning to "The Late Show" - as a guest.

ITEM! A documentary about the infamous 1978 "Star Wars" Holiday TV special will debut in, appropriately enough, December.

ITEM! CBS is honoring Dick Van Dyke on his 98th birthday with a TV special on Dec. 21.

ITEM! The Golden Globes Awards will air on CBS Jan. 7.

ITEM! "Dune: Part 2" will debut March 1.

New Music I Like: Emily Barker - 'Wild to be Sharing This Moment'

Pop Pics: Doctor Pertwee, We Presume?

New Music Releases: Beatles, Dylan, Power Pop Box, More

Our picks this week:

The Beatles - Now and Then [CD Single]

Bob Dylan - Complete Live At Budokan

A deluxe box set celebrating Bob Dylan's 1978 world concert tour and the 45th anniversary of the artist's first concert appearances in Japan, The Complete Budokan 1978 includes two complete shows from Tokyo’s Nippon Budokan Hall (February 28 and March 1, 1978) featuring 58 tracks, 36 of which are previously unreleased. 

The audio is newly remixed from the original 24-channel analog tapes. This luxurious 12 x 12” box is imported from Japan and includes 4 CD’s, a 60-page full-color photo book of liner notes and previously unpublished photos of Dylan on-stage and behind-the-scenes at the airport, press conferences and more and facsimile memorabilia such as concert tickets, pamphlets, posters, and flyers.

Bob Dylan - Another Budokan

Another Budokan 1978 includes 16 specially selected tracks from the new Complete Budokan 1978 box set, newly mixed from the original 24-track analog tapes. All tracks are previously unreleased.

The Kinks - The Journey - Pt. 2

Klark Kent Deluxe

Stewart Copeland’s Klark Kent was the first solo project by a member of The Police. Beginning with a series of singles in 1978 and culminating in a 1980 self-titled debut album (recently reissued as a limited Record Store Day vinyl release), Klark Kent’s innovative music has not been widely available since 1995’s Kollected Works. 

BMG’s comprehensive new collection Klark Kent (available as a Deluxe 2CD) set features newly remastered versions of all the original non-album singles, the full 1980 self-titled album, plus 2 unreleased studio recordings.

In addition, the 2CD version features 12 previously unreleased home demos, with exclusive liner notes by Kent himself.

Bryan Ferry - Mamouna Deluxe

Bryan Ferry’s ninth solo studio album ‘Mamouna’ is being reissued for the first time since 1994 and is being released on two deluxe formats. It was Bryan Ferry’s first studio album in seven years to feature original recordings, having worked on the album for six years under the working title of ‘Horoscope’. The previously unreleased alternate recordings to the final ‘Mamouna’ versions are collected for the first time on these deluxe reissues as the ‘Horoscope’ album.

The 2LP audiophile heavyweight vinyl was half-speed cut at Abbey Road Studios, London, by master engineer Miles Showell. 

The 3CD version also includes the ‘Horoscope’ album, with an additional disc of previously unreleased demos or “Sketches” from both the ‘Mamouna’ and ‘Horoscope’ albums. The artwork direction for the updated reissue was overseen by Bryan Ferry himself. 

The album features a stellar cast of supporting musicians including Nile Rodgers, Guy Pratt and Steve Ferrone, as well as contributions from his Roxy Music bandmates Phil Manzanera, Andy Mackay and Brian Eno. The album peaked at Number 11 on the UK Official Album Chart and includes the singles ‘Don’t Want To Know’, ‘Your Painted Smile’ and title track ‘Mamouna’.

Frank Zappa - Over-Nite Sensation[50th Anniversary]

Frank Zappa - "Over-Nite Sensation" ver-Nite Sensation turns 50 years old. We present a 4-CD & 1-Blu-ray box set featuring the 2012 remaster of the album with bonus tracks from the original 1973 sessions. Also included are live recordings from 1973 shows at the Hollywood Palladium, LA and Cobo Hall, Detroit. The Blu-ray contains the album newly mixed in Dolby Atmos & 5.1, Zappa's original Quadraphonic mix, the 192/24 & 96/24 2012 stereo remaster. Packaging features unseen photos & new liner notes by Mark Smotroff & Joe Travers. 

Juliana Hatfield Sings ELO

"ELO songs were always coming on the radio when I was growing up. They were a reliable source of pleasure and fascination (except for "Fire On High" which scared the heck out of me). With this album of covers I wanted to get my hands deep into some of the massive '70's hits but I am also shining a light on some of the later work ("Ordinary Dream" from 2001's "Zoom" album, "Secret Messages" and "'From The End Of The World", both from the '80's).

Thematically, I identify with the loneliness and alienation and the outerspace-iness in the songs I chose. (I have always felt like I am part alien, not fully belonging to or in this Earth world.) Sonically, ELO recordings are like an amusement park packed with fun musical games with layers and layers of varied, meticulous parts for your ears to explore; production curiosities; huge, gorgeous stacks of awe-inspiring vocal harmony puzzles. My task was to try and break all the things down and reconstruct them subtly until they felt like mine. 

Overall I stuck pretty close to the originals' structures while figuring out new ways to express or reference the unique and beloved ELO string arrangements. An orchestra would have been difficult or impossible for me to manage to record, nor did I think there was any point in trying to copy those parts as they originally were. Why not try to reimagine them within my zone of limitations? In some cases I transposed string parts onto guitars, or keyboards, and I even sung some of them (as in "Showdown" and "Bluebird Is Dead").

Recording the album was a kind of complicated and drawn-out process since I was doing all of my tracks at home in my bedroom (drums and bass were done by Chris Anzalone and Ed Valauskas, respectively [in their own recording spaces]), and I kept running into technology problems that would frustrate me and slow me up. But eventually I got it all done. A labor of love." - Juliana

Looking For The Magic: American Power Pop In The Seventies

Featuring the genre's major bands, cult names, hits, rari7es and several previously unissued tracks. Although the power pop genre wasn't named and codified until late 1977, the sound and spirit had been slowly gathering steam throughout the decade. 

Surrounded by heavy metal and introverted singer/songwriters, the likes of The Raspberries, Big Star, Blue Ash and The Wackers spearheaded an early 70s return to the spiky, three-minute pop urgency of the mid-60s British Invasion bands. 

While only The Raspberries charted, such bands established a musical template that was adopted by a new raft of slightly younger acts including the Dwight Twilley Band, The Rubinoos and Shoes. The tide had turned by the late 70s, with such names as Cheap Trick and The Cars achieving success as the American music industry embraced power pop as a radio-friendly alternative to punk. 

When The Knack emerged from nowhere to dominate the summer of 1979 with the single 'My Sharona' and the album 'Get The Knack', it was clear that the decade was ending with power pop established as a significant commercial proposition. 

A chronologically-arranged set, 'Looking For The Magic' traces power pop's development throughout the Seventies as largely unsuccessful bands were afforded cult status by the burgeoning grass-roots fanzine network that nurtured them. 

As well as featuring all of the aforementioned acts, we include the likes of Todd Rundgren, Flamin' Groovies, Sparks, Ramones and the USA-based 1979 revamp of Badfinger, one of the seminal prototypal power pop bands at the start of the decade. We also focus on a huge number of cult names and little-known acts, showcasing many tracks that were unissued at the time and even several cuts now gaining a first-ever release. 

Housed in a clamshell box that includes a heavily annotated and illustrated 48-page booklet, 'Looking For The Magic' is a fascinating, highly entertaining celebration of a genre that went under the radar for most of it's formative years.

Madness - Theatre of the Absurd Presents "C'est La Vie"

Watch David Bowie on 'The Midnight Special,' Nov. 16, 1973

50 years ago today. 

Pop Artifact: 1971 'Thunderbirds' TV Show Annual

Pop Culture Roundup: Wes Anderson, Kinks, Free Comic Book Day, More

ITEM! Ray Davies is teasing new material by the Kinks again.

ITEM! "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" starring Donald Glover and Maya Erskine debuts on Amazon in February.

ITEM! Wes Anderson has launched an online film club.

ITEM! Max has renewed the animated "Harley Quinn" series for a fifth season.

ITEM! The Free Comic Book Day list is out. It's on May 4, btw.

Video Find: Ella Fitzgerald Sings 'Hey Jude'

From "Hollywood Palace"? Introduced by Jimmy Durante.

Pop Pics: Night of the Hunter

BBC Radio Highlights This Week: Doctor Who Galore, John Coltrane, Edgar Allan Poe, More!

Big week for "Doctor Who" fans! Click the links to stream free from the Beeb:

Radio 2 Celebrates Doctor Who at 60: Janet Fielding, who starred as Doctor Who companion Tegan Jovanka, takes us through the music and artists that have sound-tracked her life. 

Radio 2 Celebrates Doctor Who at 60 - The Classic Years: Jo Whiley is joined by fans, stars and writers of Doctor Who as she takes a trip through the Whoniverse to discover the amazing stories behind the rise and fall of a British institution.

Radio 2 Celebrates Doctor Who at 60 - The Modern Years: From its cancellation in 1989 to its place at the forefront of the TV schedule, Jo Whiley has a behind the scenes look at the regeneration of our favourite Time Lord.

Radio 2 Celebrates Doctor Who at 60 - Sylvester McCoy - My Life in a Mixtape: Sylvester McCoy, the Seventh Doctor, shares a fascinating hour with us as he takes us through the soundtrack of his remarkable life. A brilliant hour spent with Sylvester!

Radio 2 Celebrates Doctor Who at 60 - Segun Akinola - My Life in a Mixtape: Segun Akinola the English composer, who created the musical scores for Doctor Who from 2018 to 2022, chooses the music that has formed the soundtrack to his life and career.

Doctor Who: The Wilderness Years: Matthew Sweet tells the extraordinary story of the hiatus between Doctor Who's cancellation in 1989 and its spectacular revival in 2005.

Surviving Doctor Who - an A-Z: Comedian Toby Hadoke presents a wry insight into the ups and downs of being one of the universe's most misunderstood species: the Doctor Who fan.

Desert Island Disc: Russell T Davies: From Kate Bush to Leonard Bernstein. Screenwriter Russell T Davies shares his castaway choices with Lauren Laverne. From 2019.

Doctor Who: Infamy of the Zaross - The infamous Zaross have come to take over the Earth. But this is no ordinary invasion… Stars David Tennant and Billie Piper.

Doctor Who: The Sword of the Chevalier - London 1791. The Doctor and Rose meet the enigmatic historic figure, the Chevalier d’Eon. Stars David Tennant and Billie Piper.

Composer of the Week: John and Alice Coltrane: Kate Molleson is joined by Kevin Le Gendre to explore the lives and music of revolutionary jazz power couple John and Alice Coltrane. Five-part series.

Edgar Allan Poe: The Oblong Box - A passenger on a summer voyage to New York is curious about an artist, his new wife and his strange luggage.

Pop Artifact: 1940 'The Shadow' Board Game

Pop Culture Roundup: Daleks, Derry Girl, Mad Mag Documentary

ITEM! The BBC provides a first look at the colorized, feature-length update of the first "Doctor Who" Daleks story. 

ITEM! "Derry Girls" star Nicola Coughlan will appear in the 2024 "Doctor Who" Christmas Special. 

ITEM! A Mad magazine documentary is in the works.

Coming Up: 'Dave Cockrum's X-Men Artist's Edition'

Out in July 2024. Pre-order now from Amazon.

Details:

This collection is a celebration of some of the most explosive art in X-Men history. Included in this stellar Artist’s Edition are more than 100 pages from Dave Cockrum’s initial run, selections from his return to the series, and an amazing gallery of sketches and covers. See the Giant-Size X-Men #1 cover as the artist originally imagined it!

An Artist’s Edition publishes scans of original art at a high resolution and prints it at the same size it was drawn. While appearing to be in black and white, these images were scanned in color, allowing the viewer the best possible look at the artist’s intentions. You are able to see blue pencil notations, corrections, margin notes, and all the little nuances that make original art so unique and special. The only better way to view comic art is if you were standing over the artist’s shoulder as they were laboring at their drawing table.

Pop Pics: Ingrid Bergman

Watch the First Trailer for 'Marvel's What if...?' Season 2

See the First Trailer for Marvel's 'Madame Web'

New Comics Collected Editions: Batman - Hush; Savage Sword of Conan; Omega the Unknown Masterworks, More

Our picks this week. Click the links to order from Amazon.

Batman: The Hush Saga Omnibus

Gotham City is swept by a crime epidemic, and all of Batman’s enemies have emerged to throw his life into utter chaos. Little do they know that they’re all pawns of the villainous Hush in an elaborate game of revenge against Bruce Wayne!

Collecting Batman #608-619 and #685; Batman: Gotham Knights #50-55, #60-71, and #73-74; Detective Comics #846-850 and #852; a Hush interlude from Wizard #0; the Hush tales from Batman: Streets of Gotham #1-4, #14, and #16-21; and a brand-new short story from Batman: Hush: 20th Anniversary Edition.

Eerie Archives Vol. 2

Collecting the groundbreaking series, Eerie Archives is now available in a value-priced paperback edition. Under a jaw-dropping cover painting by Frank Frazetta lies a collection of chilling tales written by comics legend Archie Goodwin and illustrated by a murderer’s row of top talents including Steve Ditko, Gene Colan, Neal Adams, Gray Morrow, Johnny Craig, Dan Adkins, and more.

Collects Eerie magazine #6–#10.

Marvel Masterworks: Omega the Unknown Vol. 1

In the 1970s, writer Steve Gerber revolutionized comics. His innovative work on MAN-THING, DEFENDERS and HOWARD THE DUCK opened creative avenues that excited readers and inspired a generation of creators. So when Marvel announced an all-new character co-created by Gerber, anticipation rose to a fever pitch!

 

OMEGA THE UNKNOWN debuted in late 1975, featuring an enigmatic approach to one of the most compelling stories: the stranger in a strange land. James-Michael Starling, a boy with a mysterious past, holds a curious connection to the super-powered being known as Omega. Their quest to understand the gritty world of New York City reveals as much about us as it does them. As the pair's secrets are uncovered and the action unfolds in the Marvel manner, you'll come to understand why OMEGA holds a place as one of the most influential series of its time!

 

Collecting:  OMEGA THE UNKNOWN (1976) #1-10 and DEFENDERS (1972) #76-77.

Blade: The Early Years Omnibus

Blade hit the comics scene in the 1970s - a time when horror movies were all the rage and Black cinema was introducing bold new action heroes who defied authority. Blade immediately changed the stakes of Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan's TOMB OF DRACULA, bringing a sense of unstoppable determination as he pursued Deacon Frost, the vampire who killed his mother. 

And if a few other vampires died along the way, all the better! This Omnibus collects, for the first time, Blade's complete early adventures: from his influential role in TOMB OF DRACULA to his 1970s solo stories and his climactic battle against Dracula alongside Doctor Strange! 

Collecting TOMB OF DRACULA (1972) #10, #12-14, #24, #30, #41-43, #45, #51, #53 and #58; MARVEL PREVIEW #3; FEAR #24; and DOCTOR STRANGE (1974) #61-62 and #67 - plus material from TOMB OF DRACULA (1972) #17-19, #21, #44, #46-50 and #52; VAMPIRE TALES #8-9; MARVEL PREVIEW #8; and MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS (1988) #64.

The Savage Sword of Conan: The Original Comics Omnibus Vol. 2

SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN, the cornerstone of Marvel's black-and-white magazine line, offered up stories of fiction's most famous barbarian unencumbered by the Comics Code! With the rules of civilized publishing cast off, SAVAGE SWORD presented ferocious, untamed tales the likes of which Conan himself would approve. Writer Roy Thomas and artistic greats including John Buscema and Neal Adams took full advantage - and the results were a sensation! 

Multi-part sagas like "The People of the Black Circle" luxuriate in extended tellings, while Buscema's take on "The Tower of the Elephant" explores the nuance of an all-time Robert E. Howard classic. And it's topped off with MARVEL COMICS SUPER SPECIAL #2, a tale of vengeance lavished with fully painted colors! 

Collecting SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN (1974) #13-28 and MARVEL COMICS SUPER SPECIAL #2.

Original 'Flintstones' Story Board Art