Rare Bird

Esoteric Recordings are delighted to announce the first ever release of a new 2 CD remastered set of both albums recorded by HEADSTONE in 1974 and 1975. Headstone was formed in 1974 by former Rare Bird member Mark Ashton and Atomic Rooster guitarist Steve Bolton. Their debut album ‘Bad Habits’ was recorded at Rockfield Studios in Monmouthshire and Trident Studios and was produced by Anthony who had worked with Genesis, Van der Graaf Generator, Al Stewart and Queen. The band was augmented by Phil Chen (bass) and “Chili” Charles (drums) and also featured a guest appearance by Rare Bird keyboard player Dave Kaffinetti. Upon the release of ‘Bad Habits’ the demand for the band to play live led to a formation of a new line-up of the band with Phil Chen and “Chili” Charles being replaced by Jerome Rimson (bass) and Peter Van Hooke (drums). The album ‘Headstone’ was released in 1975 adorned in a striking sleeve designed by Hipgnosis and Colin Elgie. The band toured as opening acts for artists as diverse as Roy Harper, John Cale and Rory Gallagher, but Headstone sadly failed to make a wider commercial impression despite receiving good reviews and disbanded by the end of 1976.

A new 4cd remastered clamshell boxed set celebrating the finest musical sounds of so-called progressive rock music of 1973.
Five hours of music featuring tracks by kevin ayers, edgar broughton band, budgie, camel, caravan, curved air, electric light orchestra, emerson lake & palmer, family, gong, greenslade, hawkwind, help yourself, manfred mann’s earthband, nektar, pfm, pink fairies, procol harum, nektar, anthony phillips, rare bird, renaissance, al stewart, traffic, darryl way’s wolf, yes & many more. The next release in the series of compilations celebrating so-called “Progressive” rock music concentrating on 1973, another year in which Progressive music in all its forms would continue to be a dominating force with the album buying public. Much of this music appeared on the “progressive” imprints of major record labels such as EMI’s Harvest, Decca’s Deram and Philips Records’ Vertigo and the emerging independent labels such as Charisma, United Artists and Island Records and led to an increasing presence of underground album music on BBC Radio One on its Sounds Of The Seventies and Top Gear programmes and on television on the iconic series The Old Grey Whistle Test.

A new 4cd remastered clamshell boxed set celebrating the finest musical sounds of so-called progressive rock music of 1973.
Five hours of music featuring tracks by kevin ayers, edgar broughton band, budgie, camel, caravan, curved air, electric light orchestra, emerson lake & palmer, family, gong, greenslade, hawkwind, help yourself, manfred mann’s earthband, nektar, pfm, pink fairies, procol harum, nektar, anthony phillips, rare bird, renaissance, al stewart, traffic, darryl way’s wolf, yes & many more. The next release in the series of compilations celebrating so-called “Progressive” rock music concentrating on 1973, another year in which Progressive music in all its forms would continue to be a dominating force with the album buying public. Much of this music appeared on the “progressive” imprints of major record labels such as EMI’s Harvest, Decca’s Deram and Philips Records’ Vertigo and the emerging independent labels such as Charisma, United Artists and Island Records and led to an increasing presence of underground album music on BBC Radio One on its Sounds Of The Seventies and Top Gear programmes and on television on the iconic series The Old Grey Whistle Test.

Esoteric Recordings are pleased to issue the first ever OFFICIAL UK CD edition of the self titled album by FIELDS. When the first line-up of RARE BIRD folded in early 1971, keyboard player GRAHAM FIELD formed this outfit with bass player, vocalist and guitarist ALAN BARRY and KING CRIMSON drummer ANDY McCULLOCH. Although the band failed to emulate the commercial success of FIELD’s previous group, the sole album they recorded was a magnificent example of British Progressive Rock. Much sought after for many years, this official ESOTERIC CD edition has been re-mastered from the original master tapes and features an essay by Sid Smith and interview with Graham Field.

Fresh off their massive Watchmen soundtrack, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are officially on board to score David Fincher’s upcoming movie Mank. The duo will exclusively use period-authentic instruments from the 1940s to compose the music, Reznor told Revolver.Mank is Fincher’s first movie in over five years, following up on 2014’s Gone Girl — which Reznor and Ross also scored. Mank is set to be a black-and-white film that tells the story of Citizen Kane co-writer Herman Mankiewicz, who will be played by Gary Oldman. It will be heading straight to Netflix, an unsurprising decision given Fincher’s relationship with the streamer thanks to Mindhunter.

Ultra Rare Trax was one of the first rock & roll bootlegs released in the 1980's, which caused a massive eruption across the industry. Bootleg records had always been on records and more inferior tape formats, but never on compact disc. This changed everything. This is the second volume.

A rare album of the hellenic jazz discography. The album circulated in specific numbered copies in the mid 60's and it was meant for use as a demo album for the capabilities of a new synthesizer of the times the PhiliCorda. Mimis Plessas arranged and performed different types of jazzy rhythms with a lively and fresh way, difficult to meet today, through the keyboards of this unique instrument, the PhiliCorda.

Nonesuch Records will release two new Wilco collections on November 17 in conjunction with the influential Chicago band’s 20th anniversary. The first, Alpha Mike Foxtrot, is a 4-CD/4-LP/DIGITAL-box-set of rare studio and live recordings collected from the band’s extensive audio archives. The second, What’s Your 20, is a 2-CD/DIGITAL compilation of essential tracks culled from the band’s previously released studio recordings.