Who Australia From 27 October 2014

The release of this four-CD set of works for solo string instruments and orchestra pays tribute, as does the recently issued box-set of ‘British Piano Concertos’, to the imagination and vision of the late Richard Itter and his pioneering Lyrita label. For many, Lyrita was the British music label and was loyally supported by various ‘in house’ conductors, among them Adrian Boult, Nicholas Braithwaite, Norman Del Mar and Vernon Handley. Many of the recordings offered here are from the old Lyrita analogue and early digital catalogue but there are a few recordings made during the label’s short revival between 1993 and 1996 which were not issued until more than a decade after they were made. The set makes for fantastic value for money, each CD containing well over 70 minutes of music, and the performances are generally of tremendous vibrancy and quality.

Mighty Rock is a compilation, curated by legendary broadcaster, host and voice over extroranaire Trevor Smith, who has worked with everyone from Jimmy Barnes and INXS through to Midnight Oil and JET. His voice is synonymous with Australian rock music having being one of the original employees of the Triple M Network. This compilation features a cross section of Australian rock band classics from across the decades. From Cold Chisel and Skyhooks to Silverchair and Gang Of Youths, arguably Australia's hottest band right now.

If new wave was about reconfiguring and recontextualizing simple pop/rock forms of the '50s and '60s in new, ironic, and aggressive ways, then Blondie, which took the girl group style of the early and mid-'60s and added a '70s archness, fit right in…

The set presents a compilation of concert highlights captured the world over personally selected by Taylor, May and Lambert from over 200 shows they have performed with several featured here becoming available for the very first time. These cover concerts from Rock in Rio, Lisbon, to the UK’s Isle of Wight Festival, Summer Sonic, Japan, selected UK and North America tour dates, and - from one of their very last performances before lockdown – the Fire Fight Australia benefit show. All formats include the band’s entire 22-minute Fire Fight Australia appearance in which they performed Queen’s original history-making 1985 Live Aid set in full: Bohemian Rhapsody, Radio Ga Ga, Hammer To Fall, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, We Will Rock You and We are The Champions. While even Freddie Mercury’s iconic Ay-Ohs feature.