A.m. Madden The Shortstop

The Heartbreakers' L.A.M.F. is hailed as one of the classic punk albums. Formed by New York Dolls Thunders and Jerry Nolan in 1975 they influenced the UK punk scene, joining the Sex Pistols, Damned & Clash on the infamous "Anarchy" tour. L.A.M.F. was released on Track Records in 1977 to much acclaim, but was marred by a muddy sound. In 1994 Jungle found long-lost original mud-free sessions and re-compiled the album. This edition of L.A.M.F. was amended with a bonus disc featuring studio outtakes, rehearsals and early demos. The studio rehearsals include the original instrumental backing tracks with studio chat, plus alternative 1977 mixes from different studios, and two demo sessions from early and late 1977.

It's an archetypal story of the modern record business two guys with a dream running their nascent label out of a West Hollywood garage in the summer of 1962. The label quickly gains momentum and eventually becomes one of the most important record companies the world has ever seen. The two guys were Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, the A and the M in A&M Records. By the way, it was Alpert s garage and that first hit was The Lonely Bull, performed by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass. And this year the two record men and UMe are celebrating the 50th Anniversary of their label. As part of the celebration, UMe is releasing A&M 50: THE ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION. A 60-track, 3-CD set curated by Alpert & Moss, THE ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION perfectly illustrates what a potent effect the legendary label is still having on contemporary popular music. We wanted to make good records, says Herb Alpert, reflecting on the label s genesis. That was our goal. We felt if we made good records there would be an audience. Herb and Jerry s dedication to development resulted in some of the biggest superstars in music ever: Joe Cocker, Procol Harum, Quincy Jones, Billy Preston, Cat Stevens, Carpenters, Peter Frampton, Supertramp, Jeffrey Osborne, Styx, Bryan Adams, Joe Jackson, the Police, Sting, Janet Jackson, Suzanne Vega, Sheryl Crow, Soundgarden, and so many more.

The Heartbreakers' "L.A.M.F. (Like A Mother Fucker)" is hailed as one of the classic punk albums. Formed by New York Dolls' Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan in 1975, they influenced the UK punk scene, joining The Sex Pistols, The Damned and The Sex Pistols on the infamous Anarchy Tour. L.A.M.F. was released on Track Records in 1977 to much acclaim, but was marred by a muddy sound, caused by a mastering fault. In '94 Jungle found long-lost original, mud-free sessions and re-compiled the album. Now it reissued in a digital form and subtitled as "40th Anniversary Remaster".

The original version of L.A.M.F. (which stands for "Like a Mother F*cker") was marred by shoddy production. This 1984 remix of the album (under the supervision of Johnny Thunders) places L.A.M.F. favorably alongside other New York punk bands from the late '70s. Borrowing inspiration from his old band, the New York Dolls, along with Chuck Berry, Keith Richards, the Ramones, and heroin, Thunders & the Heartbreakers' junkie antics translate well to disc. Songs like "One Track Mind," "Chinese Rocks," and "Pirate Love" are great examples of these influences. Although the Heartbreakers were not as lyrically intuitive as ex-member Richard Hell or Television, the music here is the key. Jerry Nolan's steady beats, and Thunders' searing guitar show that the Heartbreakers were no lightweights. This album, along with his great solo album, So Alone, stand as his definitive statements.

The A&M CD Box Set (1970-1975) includes newly remastered versions of 7 classic Humble Pie albums: Humble Pie (1970), Performance: Rockin' the Fillmore (1971), Rock On (1971), Smokin' (1972), Eat It (1973), Thunderbox (1974), and Street Rats (1975). Also included in the 8 CD box set is a bonus disc of B-sides and rarities (with 5 previously unreleased tracks) and a hardback book featuring an all-new essay, rare photos, and other memorabilia.