B-Side

Released 60 years ago: the self-titled debut album by L.A. band The Seeds. Fronted and produced by songwriter Sky Saxon (28), this LP reached just #132 Billboard but is now considered a psych-garage-rock classic, due partly to the inclusion of singles “Can’t Seem to Make You Mine” (#41 Billboard) + “Pushin’ Too Hard” (#36) both originally issued in 1965. Saxon also did the cover art and wrote its liner notes. More in Comments. April 25 Birthdays: Earl Bostic b.1912; Bob Russe

25 years ago today, Alejandro Escovedo released “A Man Under the Influence.” The 50-year-old Texas songwriter had built a storied career, founding early punk band The Nuns (‘75-79), after which he co-founded two ‘cow-punk’ (later termed ‘alt-country’) bands: Rank and File, then True Believers, before going solo in ‘91. By the end of the nineties No Depression magazine had crowned him Artist of the Decade. Produced by and featuring Chris Stamey (The dB’s) this, Alejandro’s 5th

50 years ago today, NYC band Ramones released their debut LP (our copy here). 14 short songs packed into 29 minutes, the album was recorded during seven days in January 1976 for $6,400, all but one song is original. Two singles “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” + “Blitzkrieg Bop” did not chart and the album only reached #111 Billboard but is now considered foundational and vital to the punk rock movement that followed. In 2020, Rolling Stone ranked it 47th Greatest Album of All Tim

Single released 60 years ago today: “Wild Thing” by The Troggs. Fronted by singer Reg Presley (24), this second single by the English garage-rock band launched them into stardom, a Billboard #1 hit that also reached the Top Ten in almost all reporting countries around the world. New Yorker Chip Taylor (1940-2026) said that he wrote Wild Thing very quickly the previous year for NY band the Wild Ones; that version did not chart. After The Troggs’ version hit big, the song was c

Farewell Dave Mason (right) English guitarist and songwriter originally known as co-founder and occasional member of the stylistically adventurous rock band Traffic, here with original lineup Chris Wood, Steve Winwood + Jim Capaldi. Mason wrote their songs "Hole in My Shoe" and "Feelin' Alright?". He also worked with many others including Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones. Of about 15 solo studio albums, his first one "Alone Together" (1970) is perhaps best loved, featuring

40 years ago today, Siouxsie And The Banshees released "Tinderbox" (our copy here). This self-produced 7th studio LP reached #88 Billboard (#13 UK). It’s widely regarded as one of the London post-punk / alt-pop band’s finest, cited by other songwriters as an influence and was included in PopMatters' list of 12 essential albums of the 1980s. Its singles: ‘Cities in Dust’ + ‘Candyman.” Songwriter Siouxsie Sioux was 28. Fun facts: The tornado cover photo was captured in rural Mi

Released 45 years ago today: “Twangin…” by Dave Edmunds. Apart from two albums with Love Sculpture and one with Rockpile, this was the 37-year-old Welsh rock & roll guitarist’s 6th solo album, and last with the members of Rockpile (Nick Lowe, Billy Bremner, Terry Williams). The album consists mostly of cover versions, though Edmunds co-wrote two songs with Lowe. The LP reached #48 Billboard (#37 UK) while earning mainly good reviews. Cover art by Barney Bubbles. Fun fact: For

First, huge thanks to the hundreds of customers who visited us Saturday, our best and most fun Record Store Day yet! Vibes were positive, the place was rockin’! Grateful also for everyone on our staff, who handled the rush with good humor and ease; we appreciate everyone in our record store community for keeping this lil’ State Street music hub running for 43½ years. 55 years ago today, The Doors released “L.A. Woman.” It was their sixth and final album to include 26-year-old

Almost our entire crew reppin' on Record Store Day '26, top row Sarah, Jimmy, Shea, Steve, Stu, Vi, Ezra; bottom row Shannon, Ollie, Julia. We miss you Beth! Thanks to all our customers, we are having a rockin' #RSD! Still lotsa great stuff in stock, come on down! Yeehaw! Thanks Steve & your B-Sides crew for an awesome RSD outing!

HEY it's Record Store Day - Open 9 'til 7 with many limited #RSD26 vinyl offerings, everything else 10% off all day, free swag while it lasts and enter to win tickets to one of 20 upcoming Madison concerts! Hope to see you here! April 18 Birthdays: Little Brother Montgomery b.1906; Tony Mottola b.1918; Lord Kitchener b.1922; Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown b.1924; Jimmy Rowser b.1926; Willie Pickens b.1931; Paul A. Rothchild b.1935; Seymour Stein (Sire Records) b.1942; Clyde Stubb

Saturday is Record Store Day - the annual event celebrating independent stores and communities like ours! As usual we are offering many limited-edition records, plus everything else in the store is 10% off all day! Sign up to win a pair of tickets to one of 20 different upcoming Madison concerts. While supplies last, we are also giving away the commemorative cartoon poster (pictured here) that we commissioned from Hannah Judge, leader of our favorite Canadian indie-pop band F