However Long The Night

Enjoying great success in music, film, television, and the stage, Dean Martin was less an entertainer than an icon, the eternal essence of cool. A member of the legendary Rat Pack, he lived and died the high life of booze, broads and bright lights, always projecting a sense of utter detachment and serenity; along with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr. and the other chosen few who breathed the same rarefied air, Martin – highball and cigarette always firmly in hand – embodied the glorious excess of a world long gone, a world without rules or consequences.

Leo Sayer is quite an enigma. Mention his name today in most music discussions, and people look at you like you've lost your mind. Of course, anything you say after that is not likely to be taken seriously, and your friends will never let you forget it. What they probably don't know, however, is that there was a time when Leo Sayer was a very popular artist, and when you listen to the man himself rattle off the list of names he has worked with, you begin to understand that his musical influence and success is a lot greater than he is given credit for.

It's hard to believe, but prior to the 2003 release of The Definitive Collection, there wasn't a proper hits collection in Lionel Richie's catalog.

In 2013, the great five-disc Stranglers box set The Old Testament: The U.A. Studio Recordings (1977-1982) from 1992 was reissued, featuring most of the group's best albums plus a bunch of drool-worthy bonuses (demos, B-sides, remixes, and other whatnot). This bulky 11-disc set was released just one year after – the excuse being that the band's 40th anniversary must be honored – but the differences are vast, with this one serving a purpose for the hardcore while Old Testament is the clear winner for the more casual listener…