Hi, Sam Tompkins

The ten 1963-1964 sides that make up the majority of this set have sort of fallen through the historical cracks over the years. They didn't deserve such shoddy treatment - Sam didn't record "Back Door Friend" or "Hi-Heel Sneakers" anywhere else, and he's in top shape throughout The Late Great Magic Sam. Two live tracks at the set's close from 1969 don't add much to the overall package.

"Salvatore Di Vittorio is seen as heir to the Italian neo-Classical orchestral tradition with a narrative style notable for its colourful orchestration and 'swelling lyricism' (American Record Guide). This second volume of his orchestral works includes a vivid portrayal of the cultural and historical diversity of his home city in Overtura Palermo. Sinfonia No. 3 evokes the beauty and magnificence of Sicilian temples, while Sinfonia No. 4 'Metamorfosi', based on Ovid, is Di Vittorio's most important work to date. His Overtura Respighiana and Sinfonias Nos. 1 and 2 can be heard on Naxos 8.572333."

May 2019 saw TesseracT’s lead vocalist and songwriter release his debut solo album Castles, his first foray into a more pop rock electronic sound. Ruins sees Tompkins rework Castles. The lyrical and conceptual side still represents the same ideas as Castles, but with more aggression musically, showcasing a truer and darker tone. With the new version being significantly different to Castles, it was felt that renaming the album and each song was appropriate – aside from the lyrics, it is essentially a completely new album.

Sam Brown first shot to fame with the massive UK No. 4 hit "Stop" in 1989. The album of the same name went on to sell over 2.5 million copies worldwide. It also spawned the UK Top 15 hit "Can I Get A Witness?". Her follow-up album "April Moon" yielded the single "Kissing Gate", charting at No. 23. Above all, Brown is an outstanding musician with a voice so distinct and powerful that it didn't take long for fellow musicians to recognize. She was a backing singer on Pink Floyd's "The Division Bell" album and worked with David Gilmour on his 2003 acoustic concert tour throughout the UK & Europe. In 1994, she was a guest with future husband Jools Holland's Rhythm & Blues Orchestra and became their vocalist in 2000. The Very Best of Sam Brown is the compilation album from the UK singer-songwriter, Sam Brown. It was released worldwide in 2005. Includes the previously unreleased demo version of ‘Stop!’

The Complete Wooly Bully Years 1963-1968 includes six albums on three CDs plus bonus recordings, including non-LP singles. The quintessential Tex-Mex band of the 1960s, Sam The Sham And The Pharaohs hailed from Dallas, Texas where Domingo "Sam" Samudio was born in 1937 and raised. After chart success eluded them after recording Haunted House for the Dingo label in 1965 they landed a contract with MGM Records, home of such rock 'n' roll artists as Roy Orbison, The Animals, and Herman's Hermits.

Best known for their 1965 smash "Wooly Bully," which helped introduce Tex-Mex rhythms to mainstream rock & roll, Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs were formed in Dallas by lead singer Domingo Samudio, who took the name Sam the Sham from a joke about his inability as a vocalist. The Pharaohs consisted of guitarist Ray Stinnet, bassist David Martin, saxophonist Butch Gibson, and drummer Jerry Patterson…