15^th July 2009 marks the 20^th anniversary of Jive Bunny’s first No. 1 UK hit single. In celebration, Music Club Deluxe will release Jive Bunny: The Definitive Collection on Monday 13^th July.

Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers were the third act ever to have every one of their first three singles go straight to No. 1 on the singles chart, after Gerry And The Pacemakers and Franky Goes To Hollywood.

All three of those singles, ‘Swing The Mood’, ‘That’s What I Like’ and ‘Let’s Party’, are featured on Jive Bunny: The Definitive Collection, as are Top 10 singles ‘That Sounds Good To Me’ and ‘Can Can You Party’.

Neil Sedaka’s new release The Music Of My Life debuted at No. 15 on the UK artist album chart last week.

The American singer, songwriter and classically trained pianist enjoyed two distinct periods of commercial success in two slightly different styles of pop music; first, as a teen pop star in the late '50s and early '60s, and then as a singer of more mature pop/rock in the 1970s.

Music Club Deluxe’s Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen: The Best Of Neil Sedaka is a 2CD introduction to his early work. It boasts 7 UK Top 10 and 7 US Billboard Top 20 hit singles plus key album tracks.

Having passed the 1.5 million sales mark, 100 Hits are adding four brand new releases to their arsenal of best sellers.

The addition of Indie, 90s Pop, 80s Dance and Northern Soul brings the total number of albums in the range to 37.

Indie includes hits from the likes of The Raconteurs, The Libertines, Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party, Maxïmo Park and Gossip.

90s Pop features big name acts such as Kylie Minogue, Backstreet Boys, The Prodigy, Westlife and TLC.

80s Dance includes classics from artists including Run DMC, The Jacksons, Wham!, Milli Vanilli, Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince and Luther Vandross.

Northern Soul brings back classics from Al Wilson, Jackie Wilson, Jimmy Radcliffe, Robert Knight, Chairmen Of The Board and many more.

Sunday 21^st June is fast approaching, and with the weather warming up this Fathers Day is set to be a great one.

Whether it’s a compilation, a reissue, a boxset or a classic artist album, Demon Music Group have the music that’s bound to make your dad smile.

My Dad Rocks, from Crimson Productions, is a collection of classic dad-rock anthems, featuring Primal Scream, New Order, The Stone Roses, The Charlatans, Ash, Feeder and more. Other great rock compilations include Kings of Rock, Absolute Driving Rock, The No. 1 Rock Album, 100 Hits: Drivetime and 100 Hits: Rock.

If a boxset is in order, The Stiff Singles + The Peel Session + The Promo Videos from Ian Dury & The Blockheads, The Music Of Laurie Johnson Vol. 3: The New Avengers or the soon to be released is the Beginners Guide To Ska make great gift ideas.

Music Club Deluxe offers a wide range of great 2CD ‘best ofs’ covering artists such as Echo And The Bunnymen, Mott The Hoople, The Beat, Iggy & The Stooges, The Monkees and Fine Young Cannibals. Specialist label Edsel’s reissues classic albums from artists such as Average White Band, Kenny Rogers, Blancmange, Don McLean, Gillan, John Foxx, Ian Dury & The Blockheads, Michael Nesmith and Pete Atkin.

Demon Digital also have two special digital only releases in the lead up to Fathers Day: Dad’s Got Soul and My Old Man. Music fans can use the ‘Send To A Friend’ feature on iTunes to send their Dad a great gift with ease!

Happy Fathers Day from all at Demon Music Group

Nascente is proud to present Beginner’s Guide To Ska, a new 3CD compilation that charts the progress of ska from it’s 1960s hey-day to the present.

The boxset features worldwide hits and club anthems from the likes The Specials, The Beat, The Selector, Skatalites, The Upsetters, Alton Ellis, Ska Cubana and Sparky, and tracks from three of Jamaica’s leading labels: Treasure Isle, Randy’s and King Edwards.

Via a finely balanced blend of classic and rare tracks, CD1 tells the story of the birth of ska in the dancehalls of newly-independent Jamaica, and CD2 charts its musical evolution, via rocksteady, into early reggae. CD3 begins with the 2 Tone inspired ska revival of the late 1970s and includes material from the 80s and 90s up to the present.

Other albums of interest to ska and 2 Tone fans include You Just Can't Beat It: The Best Of The Beat, Walking In The Sunshine: The Best Of Bad Manners and Laugh by Terry Hall.

Scotland’s Average White Band have announced UK tour dates for August and September this year.

AWB will be playing their perennially popular hits Pick Up The Pieces, Let’s Go Round Again, Walk On By and Atlantic Avenue, all of which are available on the series of reissues released last month on Edsel and Demon Digital. This is the first time the classic albums have been available in a digital format.

Iconic 80s singer and actress Toyah Willcox has been busy, to say the least.

She has just released her first new studio album in five years, 'In The Court Of The Crimson Queen', which she wrote in conjunction with Simon Darlow. The album is available online exclusively through RememberTheEighties.com. Some tracks have been previewed on her YouTube channel.

Her new project The Humans (Toyah, Bill Rieflin & Chris Wong) launched their brand new full-length album ‘We Are The Humans’ on 1 May with a very special concert in Estonia. It is also available online exclusively through RememberTheEighties.com. Click here for more details and tracklisting.

In addition, Toyah will be on the road with the Vampires Rock musical, guest starring in the role of ‘The Devil Queen’ opposite Steve Steinman. Set in 2030, the musical comedy blasts its way through rock anthems made famous by the likes of AC/DC, Queen, The Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi and Meatloaf. Click here for tour dates and more information.

Good Morning Universe: The Very Best Of Toyah is available on Music Club Deluxe. This is the most comprehensive 2CD retrospective of her career ever released, and boasts all her chart hits, classic album tracks, b-sides plus two exclusive, previously unreleased tracks.

Other Toyah releases Love Is The Law, Minx …Plus, Take The Leap and Warrior Rock – Toyah On Tour are all available from Edsel Records.

Britain’s Got Talent’s latest discovery Susan Boyle has become an international sensation overnight.

With her rendition of ‘I Dreamed A Dream’ from the classic musical Les Misérables, Boyle has clocked up over 50 million views on YouTube, with messages and well-wishes pouring in from all over the globe every minute.

The classic song has been preformed by various stars of the stage over the years. Patti Lupone’s version of ‘I Dreamed A Dream’ can be heard on the brand new 5CD set 100 Hits: Musicals, due for release next Monday. Marti Webb’s rendition can be heard on the 2CD Songs From The Greatest Musicals from Music Club Deluxe.

Ruthie Henshall’s cover is included on Crimson’s Greatest Hits From The Musicals. It is also featured on Songs From The Musicals from Ground Floor, and The Musicals - The Ultimate Collection from THE Red Box.

Melanie will be touring the UK throughout May and June.

Her eight UK dates will include three nights at London’s Jazz Café in Camden, during which she will perform her albums Born To Be, Candles In The Rain and Gather Me in their entirety. Each of these have been reissued on Edsel after being unavailable for many years and now include elements of their original sleeves and lengthy sleevenotes.

For the third Jazz Café show, entitled Melanie vs. The Fans, the audience will choose the set list.

Closely associated with the 1960s, Woodstock and “flower power”, Melanie continues to sell out shows throughout Europe and the States.

27^th April 2009 sees the release of three more titles on the hugely successful 100 Hits label from Demon Music Group.

100 Hits 50s has all of the best hits from the decade including tracks from artists such as Al Martino, Frankie Laine, Connie Francis, Doris Day, Frank Sinatra and The Platters.

100 Hits Wartime Memories includes 100 never to be forgotten classics from performers like The Mills Brothers, Glenn Miller And His Orchestra, George Formby, Vera Lynn, Gracie Fields, and Al Bowlly.

100 Hits Musicals features 100 classic show tunes from all of the biggest shows – Cats, The Phantom Of The Opera, Les Misérables, Evita, Oliver!, Grease, Miss Saigon and Chicago.  

Demon is proud to announce the acquisition of the licence to issue the complete Average White Band catalogue of albums released from 1973 to 1982.

Edsel will be issuing all twelve albums, along with many bonus tracks, in four 2CD slip-cased sets, all overseen by AWB’s Alan Gorrie, Hamish Stuart and Onnie McIntyre, featuring memorabilia from their own collections and fully annotated with brand new interviews.

Playing their own brand of soul, Scotland’s Average White Band rocketed to fame and fortune in late 1974 with their absolute classic eponymous second album, usually known as the White Album, and the accompanying single ‘Pick Up The Pieces’, an instantly recognisable and perennial classic, and a staple of ‘gold’ radio stations around the world. Both the album and single reached No. 1 on the US pop charts – in the UK, both reached No. 6.

Show Your Hand/How Sweet Can You Get/Average White Band, Cut The Cake/Soul Searching/Benny And Us, Person To Person/Warmer Communications and Feel No Fret/Volume VIII/Shine/Cupid's In Fashion will be released on Edsel this April and May. They will also be available digitally, both as sets and as individual albums, with an additional compilation Let’s Go Round Again: The Best Of available exclusively in a digital format.

Electronic duo Blancmange are back in the studio working on a brand new album.

The first new track to be released from their recording sessions, ‘Drive Me’, is now available on their MySpace, as is the video that accompanies the track.

Neil Arthur (vocals, guitar) and Stephen Luscombe (keyboards) formed Blancmange in London in the late 1970s. They enjoyed chart success with singles such as Living On The Ceiling – the soundtrack to the current Berocca ‘treadmill’ TV advert, which can be viewed here – Blind Vision and Don’t Tell Me. All three of their existing albums, Happy Families, Mange Tout and Believe You Me, were reissued on Edsel last year with additional 12” mixes and non-album b-sides, the majority of which appeared on CD for the first time.

Crimson Productions continues to offer the strongest budget compilations in the market, with the launch of the much-awaited ‘The Pop Years’ series on 27^th April 2009. Covering music from the 1970’s through to the 1990’s, this brand new range will offer five, 2CD sets per decade and are the perfect compliment to the 100 Hits range.

These brilliant 2CD collections host 20 massive tracks on each disc, which makes the Pop Years albums outstanding value.  Artists from across the decades such as Simon & Garfunkel, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan and The Bay City Rollers from the 70’s, Bucks Fizz, The Jacksons, Meatloaf and  Wham! from the 80’s and Kylie Minogue, Natalie Imbruglia, Faithless and Groove Armada from the 90’s are all included offering something for everyone.

The Pop Years collection is for the avid music fan or anyone with a keen interest in these eras. They make the perfect gift for birthdays, anniversaries or even for old friends who just want to reminisce.

Ultravox frontman and Band Aid co-founder Midge Ure will be reuniting with former bandmates Warren Cann, Chris Cross and Billy Currie for the first time since performing at Live Aid in 1985, for an Ultravox reunion tour, ‘Return to Eden’ next month.

Midge Ure will also be playing this year’s Retrofest which will take place in Glasgow over the last weekend in August. Other confirmed acts include Average White Band, Bad Manners, Rick Astley, Bay City Rollers, Showaddywaddy and East 17.

Ure’s third and fourth solo albums, Pure and Breathe are now being reissued by Edsel and will be released as a 2-on-2 set early next month. Both have been expanded and include thirteen bonus tracks, the non-album b-sides of the singles taken from the albums.

To coincide with the March DVD release of the latest James Bond film ‘Quantum Of Solace’, this album from Crimson Productions features music from all 22 Bond films from Dr. No all the way Through to the theme from Quantum Of Solace -‘Another Way To Die’.

Tracklisting:

Past And Present – The Very Best Of Michael Ball is released today to celebrate the 25^th anniversary of his West End debut in Les Miserables in 1985.

Michael Ball, Britain’s leading musical theatre star, multi-platinum recording artist and TV and radio presenter won the 2008 Olivier Award for Best Actor In A Musical for his performance as Edna Turnblad in the West End production of Hairspray, in which he stars until the end of July 2009.

The 2CD Seasons Of Love, released on Music Club Deluxe, brings together his best known songs from stage and screen alongside many interpretations of modern classics. Stage And Screen, from Music Club, includes much loved tracks from various films and musicals.

Michael's tour dates for later this year are as follows:

Sat 12 September - OXFORD APOLLO THEATRE
Sun 13 September - BRISTOL COLSTON HALL
Tue 15 September - BIC BOURNEMOUTH
Wed 16 September - PORTSMOUTH GUILDHALL
Sat 19 September - ROYAL ALBERT HALL
Mon 21 September - NOTTINGHAM ROYAL CENTRE
Tue 22 September - SHEFFIELD CITY HALL
Thu 24 September - LIVERPOOL ARENA
Sat 26 September - NIA BIRMINGHAM
Sun 27 September - BLACKPOOL OPERA HOUSE
Tue 29 September - GLASGOW CLYDE AUDITORIUM
Wed 30 September - EDINBURGH USHER HALL
Fri 02 October - NEWCASTLE CITY HALL
Sat 03 October - MANCHESTER APOLLO
Mon 05 October - IPSWICH REGENT
Tue 06 October - BRIGHTON CENTRE
Thu 08 October - CARDIFF CIA
Fri 09 October - PLYMOUTH PAVILIONS

2-Tone legends The Specials are set to reunite for a UK tour in celebration of the 30^th anniversary of their first UK Top 10 hit.

Emerging in the late 70s as pioneers of the 2-Tone movement, The Specials were known for their focused and informed political and social stance.

Singer Terry Hall, whose solo album Laugh was reissued on Edsel this week, has confirmed that Neville Staple, Roddy Radiation, Sir Horace Gentleman, John Bradbury and Lynval Golding will be taking part in the reunion, which commences next month. For more information see www.thespecials.com.

Laugh, Terry Hall’s second solo album, was originally released in 1997 and features the two singles, Ballad Of A Landlord and Terry’s version of Todd Rundgren’s I Saw The Light, as well as two songs co-written by Blur’s Damon Albarn. It is now reissued with eight bonus tracks, including renditions of Working Class Hero, Close To You and Music To Watch Girls By.

Demon’s new look website has launched today after months of work and preparation behind the scenes.

With fresh, user-friendly colour coding and a sleek new feel, the site has become a more dynamic, eye catching home for our extensive range of labels and products.

Our customers will now have access to an exclusive B2B area of the site, where they can download packshots and sales notes, view our full release schedule, contact key staff members directly and create their own campaigns in just seconds.

We hope you like the new design; have a look around the various sections to see the products and information available.

Enjoy! The Demon Website Team

John Foxx has been a busy man.

Next month will see the release of the first of his two new collaborative albums, A Secret Life. The album, a joint project with Japan percussionist Steve Jansen, was started in 2005 but has only just been completed. A Secret Life is due out on 23^rd March.

Then on 4^th May Mirrorball, a collaboration with The Cocteau Twins' Robin Guthrie, will be released. The lead track ‘Estrellita’ is available to stream now on www.myspace.com/foxxmetamatic.

Reissues of Foxx’s Metamatic, The Garden, The Golden Section and In Mysterious Ways have recently been released on specialist reissue label Edsel, and the 2CD Glimmer: The Best Of John Foxx was released on Music Club Deluxe last year.

Former Fine Young Cannibal Roland Gift has released a brand new single.

Dave Simpson in The Guardian has described the track Crushed as “classic, raw, postmodern soul from the rejuvenated former Fine Young Cannibal. This has all the ingredients - heartbreak, betrayal, sugary sweet backing vocals and, of course, that exquisitely anguished voice.”

Crushed is available now from iTunes:


See www.rolandgift.com for more information.

The 2CD She Drives Me Crazy: The Best Of Fine Young Cannibals was released this month on Music Club Deluxe and comprises 30 tracks from these 80s pop sensations, with 8 UK Top 40 hits including 4 Top 10’s, plus an exclusive interview with Roland Gift included in the sleevenotes.

You Just Can’t Beat It: The Best Of The Beat is also available from Music Club Deluxe.

The subjects of Edsel’s latest series of re-issues, Pete Atkin and Clive James are to be guests on Ken Bruce’s BBC Radio 2 show ‘Tracks Of My Years’ each day next week.

From 11:30 each morning, starting on Monday 23rd February, the authors of Beware Of The Beautiful Stranger, Driving Through Mythical America, A King At Nightfall, The Road Of Silk, Secret Drinker and Live Libel will talk listeners through their ten favourite albums.

Tracks Of My Years has previously featured the likes of Beyonce, Lily Allen, Chris Martin, Noel Gallagher, Paul McCartney, Tom Jones and Robbie Williams.

The 22^nd of March is fast approaching, but Demon Music Group have got Mothers Day covered.

Crimson Productions present I Love You Mum, the perfect gift.  It features classic tracks from the likes of All Saints, Simply Red, Carly Simon, The Corrs and many more.

Music Club Deluxe brings a strong offering to the table, including the hugely popular Sweet Memories: The Essential Eliane Paige, Songs From The Greatest Musicals, The No.1 Woman Album, Seasons Of Love from Michael Ball and the brand new Irish Album from Daniel O’Donnell, due for release on Monday 16^th February.

100: Hits Woman, 100: Hits Love and 100 Hits: Girls Night also make great value gifts, and Demon Vision’s Cliff Richard titles are sure to bring a smile to mum’s face.

Demon Music Group have once again delivered quality artist titles and great value compilations to help celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

2008 was a huge year for Irish favourite Daniel O’Donnell. His current album Country Boy peaked at No. 6 in the UK artist album chart, having spent a total of 11 weeks in the chart and achieved Gold status, whilst his DVD At Home In Ireland spent two weeks at No. 1 in the music DVD chart, achieved Platinum status and was one of the Top 10 best selling music DVDs of 2008. Next month he will release the 2CD Irish Album: 40 Classic Songs on Music Club Deluxe. Click here to see all Daniel O’Donnell titles from DMG.

Crimson Productions presents The Irish Party Album, an 18-track collection of Irish classics featuring tracks from artists such as Thin Lizzy, The Pogues, Ash, Boomtown Rats, The Corrs and Van Morrison.

There’s a strong offering from traditional favourites Foster & Allen, including their brand new DVD A Trip Down Memory Lane and the 2CD album Love Love Love. Other titles from Irish artists include Clannad, Val Doonican, and The Dubliners.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day from Demon Music Group!

To coincide with the upcoming RBS 6 Nations tournament which runs from 7^th February 2009 until 21^st March 2009, Crimson Productions present ‘Rugby Anthems’; a 20 track collection of rousing anthems featuring all of the key tracks from the four home nations. 



Fixtures:

07/02/2009        England Vs. Italy

07/02/2009        Ireland Vs. France

08/02/2009        Scotland Vs. Wales

14/02/2009        France Vs. Scotland

14/02/2009        Wales Vs. England

15/02/2009        Italy Vs. Ireland

27/02/2009        France Vs. Wales

28/02/2009        Scotland Vs. Italy

28/02/2009        Ireland Vs. England

14/03/2009        Italy Vs. Wales

14/03/2009        Scotland Vs. Ireland

15/03/2009        England Vs. France

21/03/2009        Italy Vs. France

21/03/2009        England Vs. Scotland

21/03/2009        Wales Vs. Ireland

It may come as a surprise to their legions of fans, but Mott The Hoople have decided to reform, with their original line-up, to celebrate their 40th anniversary.

Tipped to be history in the making, they will play two live shows on 2^nd and 3^rd October at the Hammersmith Apollo, where one side of the famous ‘Mott The Hoople Live’ album was recorded in 1973. Tickets go on sale today from Ticketmaster.

Despite having only been together from 1969 to 1974, Mott The Hoople have influenced the likes of Primal Scream, Morrissey, The Clash, REM, Queen and Blur, and are now finding a younger audience thanks to their inclusion as the lead track on last year’s hugely popular Juno soundtrack.

Music Club Deluxe last year released the 2CD Roll Away The Stone: The Best Of Mott The Hoople, which boasts all five of their UK top 20 hits; All The Young Dudes, Roll Away The Stone, All The Way From Memphis, Honaloochie Boogie and The Golden Age of Rock 'n’ Roll.

Adam Ant gave his first public performance in 12 years at London’s Bloomsbury Theatre in September 2007 to say thank you to his loyal fans.

The unique performance, a mix of reading, ad-libs and songs backed only by an amplified acoustic guitar, is now available in a limited edition CD album from www.adam-ant.net. 

The 2CD release Dandy Highwaymen: The Best Of Adam And The Ants from Music Club Deluxe gives a comprehensive introduction to Ant’s classic brand of new wave pop and features 10 Top 20 hits, including 3 UK No.1’s; Stand And Deliver, Prince Charming and Goody Two Shoes.

Irish folk duo Mick Foster & Tony Allen have announced a series of tour dates throughout the UK, due to commence in April.

APRIL

19        Birmingham Town Hall, Birmingham
21        Wyvern Theatre, Swindon
22        City Hall, Salisbury
23        The Riverfront, Newport
24        Civic Theatre, Bedworth
25        Oakengates Theatre, Telford
26        Embassy Centre, Skegness
28        Middlesboro Theatre, Middlesboro
29        Buccleuch Hall, Langholm
30        Caird Hall, Dundee

MAY

1        Music Hall, Aberdeen
2        Eden Court Theatre, Inverness
3        Barrfield Pavilion, Largs

For more information see www.fosterandallen.com.

Hit Me! The Life & Rhymes of Ian Dury continues to grow both in status and popularity, having been transferred from Hoxton’s Courtyard Theatre to the Leicester Square Theatre in London's West End.

A warts-and-all celebration of the life of punk rock’s greatest icon, Hit Me! began its celebrated life at last year's Edinburgh Festival. Written and directed by Jeff Merrifield, the compelling story rests upon a cast of two; Adrian Schiller stars as Dury and Josh Darcy plays his long-suffering minder, Spider Rowe. Many of Dury’s most famous hits are part of the show, including Reasons To Be Cheerful, There Ain’t Half Been Some Clever Bastards, and Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick.

DMG have released a wide range of re-issues, best ofs, EPs and singles from Dury’s back catalogue, including the seminal album New Boots and Panties!! and the song that coined the iconic phrase Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll is now available from iTunes. The 8CD+DVD premium boxset The Stiff Singles, The Peel Session & The Promo Videos was released late last year on Edsel.

Hit Me! runs until 15^th February 2009.

Following on from nine successful October 2008 releases, 100 Hits presents four brand new titles in its rapidly growing range: More 80s, Movies, Voices and 70s Pop; all feature repertoire from Universal Music, Sony Music Entertainment and independent labels.

More 80s: ‘100 Classic Tracks Of The Decade’ carrying on with previous 100 Hits titles ‘80s’ and ‘80s Pop’, More 80s includes music from Wet Wet Wet, Tears For Fears, The Jam, Jason Donovan, The Cure, Soft Cell, and Robert Palmer.

Movies: ‘100 Blockbuster Hits From The Movies’ including Gabrielle (Bridget Jones’ Diary), Ronan Keating (Notting Hill), Maria McKee (Days Of Thunder), Stealers Wheel (Reservoir Dogs), and Underworld (Trainspotting).

Voices: ‘100 Uplifting Vocal Performances’ including artists such as Katherine Jenkins, Russell Watson, Hayley Westernra, Michael Ball, Bryn Terfel, Aled Jones and Vittorio Grigolo.

70s Pop: ‘100 Classic Tracks Of The Decade’ after the previous ‘70s’ release, 70s Pop includes artists such as 10cc, Carl Douglas, Squeeze, T.Rex, The Jam, Leo Sayer and Gloria Gaynor.

With St. Valentine’s Day just over a month away, it’s time once again to spread the love with some great tunes from Demon Music Group.

Whether it’s classical, indie, R&B, country, soul or ballads you’re after, Demon’s wide range of loved-up albums is sure to provide the perfect gift for everyone’s Valentine.

The brand new 2CD release from Music Club Deluxe, The Best Of Burlesque is perfect for a Valentine’s Day with a twist. 100 Hits: Love is fantastic value with 100 tracks available for under £10.

Ideal artist titles include Daniel O’Donnell, Al Green, The Rat Pack, Michael Ball and Elaine Paige.

Happy Valentine’s Day from Demon Music Group

The soundtrack to the award-winning Australian mockumentary TV series Summer Heights High, written by and starring comedian Chris Lilley, was released on December 15^th by Demon Digital. The album is available now from digital music stores and has been steadily climbing the iTunes charts, staying in the Top 5 iTunes Soundtrack Chart over the Christmas period.

The download album contains audio extracts from songs in the series, including Mr. G's "My Name is Mr G", "Bummer Heights High" and "Naughty Girl", Jonah's "Being A Poly" and the Summer Heights High theme.

Summer Heights High documents the ups and downs of a school term in an “average” Australian high school through the eyes of three main characters; Jonah Takalua, a mischievous schoolboy from Tonga with the odds stacked against him, Mr G, an ego-driven drama teacher with delusional showbiz dreams and Ja'mie King, a private schoolgirl on a student exchange set to make her mark on Summer Heights High.

The series first aired in the UK on BBC Three in June 2008 and due to its success was repeated from November 17th 2008.

"Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!" - The Guardian
"Excruciatingly funny" - Daily Mail

The Salvation Army are back in the top 40 with their latest album 'Together'.

The Crimson Productions and Music Club album 'Christmas With The Salvation Army' includes much loved traditional carols including Silent Night, Away In A Manger, Joy To The World, Deck The Halls, O Come All Ye Faithful, Oh Holy Night and We Three Kings.

Also available in digital format:

Merry Christmas from Demon Music Group!

Sir Terry Wogan and Aled Jones have teamed up to record a new version of the Bing Crosby and David Bowie hit Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth.

Recorded in London’s Abbey Road Studios, the track will be released in aid of Children In Need this coming Monday.

The original version of Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth appears on the brand new Christmas album from Crimson Productions, The Xmas Pop Album, alongside tracks from the likes of Elvis Presley, The Darkness, T.Rex, Macy Gray, East 17 and Bo Selecta.

Other Bing Crosby Christmas songs can be found on A Christmas Gift From The Crooners, The Bing Crosby Christmas Album, The Christmas Collection: Memories, The Christmas Collection: Legends and Christmas With Bing Crosby And Frank Sinatra.

Aled Jones has released two albums through Demon this year, What A Wonderful World on Crimson (also available for download) and the 2CD best of A Welsh Voice on Music Club Deluxe.

Lesley Garrett’s latest album, Amazing Grace, entered the UK charts last week at No. 50, sitting just one place ahead of DMG’s own Daniel O’Donnell.

One of the most popular performers in contemporary British opera, she has returned to a more traditional collection of songs and pieces with this, her 13th recording.

Lesley Garrett opened up the field of classical music and light opera to a wide range of people by performing songs from popular films, musicals, opera and television.

Two recent collections from Demon showcase her versions of some of the best loved songs from the greatest ever musicals, including Phantom Of The Opera, Cats, Kiss Me Kate and Wuthering Heights.

Daniel O’Donnell’s first new Music DVD for Demon, At Home In Ireland, has rocketed straight to the top of the Music DVD Chart, outselling the No. 2 Music DVD by Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus by 24%, which itself surprisingly leapfrogged Darcey Bussell and Katherine Jenkins’ live music spectacular Viva La Diva, which entered the chart at No. 3.

At Home In Ireland is Daniel’s sixth consecutive No. 1 music DVD, which means that for the last 5 years Daniel has had a Top 10 album and a No. 1 Music DVD running simultaneously. At Home In Ireland has also become Daniel’s latest GOLD selling DVD.

Daniel’s UK tour commences on 30^th November and runs until 16^th December. Dates and venues are below.

Some of Britain’s best loved comedy actors performed for The Prince of Wales’ 60^th birthday this week.

Compered by a wheelchair-bound John Cleese, We Are Most Amused featured a mix of live stand-up and comedy sketches from both world-famous comedy giants and fresh new talent from the comedy circuit, with all proceeds going to The Prince’s Trust.

The New Wimbledon Theatre saw performances from Robin Williams, Joan Rivers, Eric Idle and Bill Bailey, and even a cameo from Andrew Sachs as his Fawlty Towers alter-ego Manuel. Blackadder and Mr. Bean star Rowan Atkinson was in fine form, delivering a sermon as the eccentric vicar, and the show’s finale included an extravagant rendition of Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life.

We Are Most Amused will be broadcast on ITV1 at 8.35pm this Saturday.

Demon label BBC World Of Comedy, launched earlier this year, has brought some much-loved BBC sketches and sitcoms back to life, including The League Of Gentlemen, The Vicar Of Dibley, Dad’s Army as well as Fawlty Towers and Blackadder. These audio CDs are available at a very low price and will make ideal stocking fillers this Christmas!

Daniel O’Donnell is enjoying quiet success this week as his new album Country Boy debuted at No. 6 in the UK Album chart, delivering his 28^th consecutive hit album.

It’s the eleventh time in his career Daniel has achieved a Top 10 album and he remains the only artist in chart history to have had at least one charting album every year since 1988 – a record he seems increasingly likely to hold onto for the foreseeable future.

The run into this week’s Top 10 saw a fierce battle with chart trendies Bloc Party and a down-to-the-wire battle with opera star Katherine Jenkins, who eventually charted at No.7, just 52 sales behind Daniel.

Daniel puts his success down to hard work and the most loyal fans in the business. He said, “I never thought I’d be playing to such big audiences all over the world. It’s beyond anything I ever imagined.”

His already certified Silver album is expected to go Gold in the coming weeks, as Daniel’s UK tour kicks off on 30^th November and with a new DVD At Home In Ireland released on 10^th November fans will have a Christmas to remember. His last 5 DVD releases have all been No. 1 hits.

Aston Merrygold is competing in the final 12 on the current series of ITV’s X Factor as part of boy band JLS.

JLS are the last remaining group in the competition, and are featured on the X Factor Finalists’ single Hero, which debuted at No. 1 on the UK singles chart last week.

Aston plays the all singing, all dancing super chef Cookie in pre school children’s show Fun Song Factory whose songs are featured on 100 Hits: Kids, which is currently sitting at No. 52 on the UK compilations chart.

Fun Song Factory’s album Songsational is also available from children’s music label little demon.

Sir Cliff Richard’s 50^th year in the music business will be marked but a further album release and a UK stadium tour.

The 50th Anniversary Album will be released next week and includes 50 tracks across 2 CDs that span Cliff’s illustrious career, including all 13 of his No. 1 singles.

Sir Cliff will also embark on the Time Machine Tour of the UK next month in order to share the celebrations with his loyal fans. Venues and dates are as follows:

Wembley Arena                         10, 12, 14, 15 Nov
Cardiff International Arena          17, 18 Nov
Birmingham, NIA                        20, 22, 23 Nov  
Manchester MEN Arena               25, 26 Nov
Newcastle Metro Arena               28 Nov
SECC, Glasgow                          30 Nov
Belfast Odyssey Arena                2 Dec

Click here to purchase tickets.

Since the 1980s, Moya, Pól, and Ciarán Brennan and their twin uncles Noel and Padraig Duggan, collectively known as Clannad, have successfully bridged the gap between Celtic and pop music and have sold more than 15 million albums in the process.

The double CD Beginnings: The Best Of The Early Years, now available from Music Club Deluxe, brings together the best of Clannad’s early recordings for the first time. The collection includes six tracks from the first album which introduced the world to their young sister and future solo star Enya, namely Mhorag's Na Horo Gheallaidh, Bruach Na Carraige Báine, Na Buachailli A'lainn, Buaireadh An Phósta, An túll and The Green Fields Of Gaothdobhar.

Enya, of course, went on to become Ireland’s second biggest musical export (after U2) and has now sold in excess of 70 million albums. Enya’s brand new Christmas and winter-themed album, And Winter Came, is due for release next month.

The man who beat Eminem to the No. 1 spot back in 2000 Bob The Builder is set to take the UK music charts by storm yet again this Christmas.

Bob’s new album, Never Mind The Breezeblocks, will be released this December on UMTV. This is the follow up album to little demon’s Bob The Builder: The Album, which features the 2000 Christmas No. 1 Can We Fix It? and the No. 1 cover of Mambo No. 5, as well as a duet of Crocodile Rock with Sir Elton John.

Bob’s all new feature-length film Race To The Finish will be released on DVD on 3^rd November, with a special premiere screening to take place on Saturday 1^st November. To book tickets see www.myvue.com/bobthebuilder.

Demon’s 100 Hits label continues to grow in strength and number, with all 9 new titles sitting well within the Top 100 UK compilation chart and all 26 albums in the range sitting inside the Top 200.

The 80s has proven to be the most popular genre, with 100 Hits: 80s and 100 Hits: 80s Pop sitting at no. 23 and no. 24 respectively.

Delivering not only great value for money but quality repertoire from artists not previously available at this price point, 100 Hits has sold over 800,000 units since its inception 1 year ago.

With quality packaging and a compilation to suit every musical taste, 100 Hits albums make the perfect stocking fillers this Christmas!

Demon Music Group are proud to present the new TV-advertised album Country Boy and the new live DVD At Home In Ireland from Daniel O’Donnell.

In addition to his album, Daniel’s brand new DVD entitled At Home In Ireland is released on 10^th November and will be available from Woolworths and Amazon. Here we join Daniel as he shares the sights and sounds of his homeland with a wonderful 95 minute concert especially filmed at the Letterkenny Sports & Leisure Centre, in Co. Donegal.

Daniel O’Donnell is truly one of pop’s best kept secrets. He has sold millions of albums worldwide and is the only artist in the world to claim at least one UK charting hit album every year since 1988.

Daniel also outsells most artists with his DVDs; only Westlife, Robbie Williams, Queen and Elvis Presley have sold more DVDs in the UK this millennium. Daniel’s last 5 DVD releases have all been No.1 best-sellers and in 2007 Daniel shocked the industry by knocking Westlife’s new DVD off the No.1 spot!

Daniel O’Donnell will be undertaking a mini tour in November and December:

UK & IRELAND TOUR DATES 2008

Rock legends Status Quo are set to release an album, hold an auction and embark on an extensive European tour to mark the 40^th anniversary of their first hit single, 'Pictures Of Matchstick Men'.

Pictures: 40 Years Of Hits will be released on 3^rd November on an array of formats including a 4CD earbook, 3CD featuring DVD and rarities, 2CD, USB, digital and vinyl, each of which will offer various configurations of content.

In an effort to raise money for youth charity The Prince's Trust, Status Quo will host a star-studded auction / album launch on 5^th November. Fifty renowned musicians, artists and stars have created their own versions of classic Quo single / album covers, which will be auctioned with all proceeds going to the charity.

Demon Music Group have released a number of Status Quo albums over their illustrious career, including the 3CD boxset Now And Then and The Cover Up from Crimson Productions, the 30^th anniversary commemoration Rockin’ ‘n’ Rollin’ from Music Club and the double-CD best of from Music Club Deluxe, Keep On Rockin’.

From 1964 to 1986, Irishman Val Doonican was Saturday night on BBC1, with his engaging but relaxed style, perhaps best underlined by the title of his 1967 chart-topping album ‘Val Doonican Rocks, But Gently’.

As the Val Doonican-watchers amongst you will know, Universal TV are issuing a Val Doonican Best Of album on Monday 29^th September, presumably buoyed by the recent success of their Bachelors compilation.

Both the cover and the tracklisting closely resemble our perennially-selling Music Club offering, which happens to be available for a fraction of the price! It includes all his chart hits: “Walk Tall” (# 3), “The Special Years” (# 7), “Elusive Butterfly” (# 5), “What Would I Be” (# 2), “If The Whole World Stopped Loving” (# 3), “If I Knew Then What I Know Now” (# 14), “I’m Gonna Get There Somehow” (# 25), “Two Streets” (# 39), and “Now” (# 43).

It also includes his classic comedy songs that were such a staple of his Saturday night TV shows – “Paddy McGinty’s Goat”, “Delaney’s Donkey” and “O’Rafferty’s Motor Car” – along with his unique renditions of classics like “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”, ”King Of The Road”, “For The Good Times” and Neil Diamond’s “Song Sung Blue”.

Following on from the July releases, this October sees the release of 9 further 100 Hits featuring repertoire from Universal Music, Warner Music UK Ltd. & SONY BMG Music Entertainment.

These 9 compliment and already blossoming range with some real depth and quality across the genres, including a number of artists that have not been available at this pricepoint.  

R&B – 100 Smooth R&B Classics including huge tracks from R. Kelly, Blu Cantrell, TLC, Fugees, Fat Joe, Brandy & Monica, Will.I.Am, and Tweet.

80s Pop – Following on from the success of 100 Hits 80s, this album showcases more 80s Pop classics from artists such as Fine Young Cannibals, Communards, Debbie Gibson, Bananarama and A-Ha.

Party – The perfect party album with classic tracks from the last 5 decades, with artists including The Monkees, Shaggy, The Darkness, Village People, Chic and The B-52’s.

Dance Mix – Following the success of Dance Anthems, 100 Hits Dance Mix features Armand Van Helden, The Prodigy, Artful Dodger, Goldie, Grace, Bob Sinclar, Orbital, Utah Saints and Fatboy Slim and many more.

Karaoke - Includes some of the biggest sing-a-long hits ever – Come On Eileen, Sweet Caroline, Rockstar, I Think We’re Alone Now, Valerie many more!  For use in karaoke machines only, this CD+G shows all lyrics on-screen to allow perfect backing for the songs of your choice…

Classical - 100 Hits Classical includes 100 beautiful classical compositions across this 5 CD set featuring Ultimate Classics, Screen Classics, Opera & Vocal Classics, Relaxing Classics & Classic Film Scores

Reggae – Packed full of 100 reggae classics, featuring Bob Marley And The Wailers, Jimmy Cliff, Desmond Dekker & The Aces, And Chaka Demus & Pliers & many more.

Girls Night – Featuring 100 classic tracks for the perfect night, from the likes of Christina Milian, Tiffany, Dusty Springfield, Cher, Diana Ross, Ce Ce Peniston, Gabrielle, Donna Summer and Gloria Gaynor.

Drivetime – 100 of the best all time classic driving songs from artists such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Status Quo, Thin Lizzy, The Feeling, Free, Stereophonics, The Stone Roses, Robert Palmer and Iggy Pop.

As one of the most influential and sought after acts in dance music The Chemical Brothers have been at the fore front of the industry for over 15 years.  The 1990’s saw them rise from cult dance heroes to house hold names as collaborations with Brit pop hero Noel Gallagher put them amongst the likes of The Prodigy and Fatboy Slim as saviours of British dance music. Strange it would seem then, that they would wait until now to release a greatest hits collection of their tracks.

Although the Brotherhood best of compilation released this month contains some of their seminal output, it would be naïve to believe the group were lauded with their ‘pioneer’ status without a lengthy list of classic remixes and anthems for the peak time dance floor.

With Halloween fast approaching and the prospect of much fancy dress and ghostly goings on, Crimson is set to release Halloween Hits.  This compilation boasts 18 Original spooky chart hits to add freaky fun to any eerie party or celebration throughout the witching hour.

Also as the perfect accompaniment to this compilation is Music Club’s The Ultimate Halloween Party Album. This CD was created with children aged 5-11 in mind, but with a track list that contains classic ‘scary’ tracks and theme tunes from the last 20 years along side a second CD of ‘chilling’ sound effects, this collection will ensure everybody has a bloodcurdlingly good time.

Black Rabbit continue their residency with the infamous Bugged Out at The End & AKA on Saturday 20th September with a launch party for the release of Harmless Records’ The Art Of Acid.

Mixed and compiled by one of dance music's most inspiring DJ's and producers, Justin Robertson, The Art Of Acid includes tracks from Fast Eddie, Unique 3, Pierre and Mr Fingers as well as a set of bonus edits from the likes of Boys Noize, Plump DJ's and Laurent Garnier.

Justin will be playing in AKA alongside Rabbit residents and promoters Guy Williams and Bones. Also playing on the night will be Boyz Noize, Smith n Hack, Cormac, Hannah Holland, Jim Stanton & Nikniknik.

This will be one of the last chances to party at The End & AKA, following the announcement of their pending closure in January 2009!

The End & AKA. 18 West Central St. London

Demon’s newest dance music range, the Ultimate album series, is to be extended to 20 titles later this month.

The initial ten albums, including R&B, Hip Hop, Trance, Drum & Bass, Funky House, Old Skool and Ibiza, have been extremely well received, shipping in excess of 200K units since their launch in March this year.

The ten new titles will cover Euphoric Dance, Urban, Club Hits, Rave, Hardcore, Dance Classics, Garage & Bassline, Jungle, Hard Dance and Chillout.

With a great selection of tracks and striking artwork, this high quality 3CD budget boxset range looks set to follow the success of the No.1 4CD Decadance range.

In his quest to top the UK singles chart for the sixth decade running, Sir Cliff Richard will release a brand new single, Thank You For A Lifetime, on 8^th September.

The single will mark the 50th anniversary of his first hit, Move It, which reached number 2 in September 1958. Since then, Sir Cliff has had a total of 14 number 1’s, from Living Doll in 1959 through to Millennium Prayer in 1999.

Fans are being urged to purchase the single during its first week of release to try and take him to the top of the charts for the sixth consecutive decade.
The single is available to pre-order now. Click here.

Thank You For A Lifetime will feature on Sir Cliff’s commemorative 8CD boxset, And They Said It Wouldn't Last - My 50 Years In Music, due for release on 15^th September. His new autobiography, My Life, My Way, will be launched on 3^rd September.

As part of the BBC’s Proms season, eight people with a passion for classical music will do battle for the chance to conduct the BBC Concert Orchestra in front of a live audience of 30,000 people.

Fresh from an extensive European tour in support of his addition to Harmless Records’ DJ mix album series Watch The Ride, drum and bass superstar Goldie is set to compete with the likes of Blur bassist Alex James and actress Jane Asher for the right to conduct at the BBC Proms In The Park event, to be held in London's Hyde Park as part of the world-famous Last Night celebrations on 13 September 2008.

Others striving to command the respect of one of the country’s leading orchestras include newsreader Katie Derham, broadcaster Peter Snow, actor David Soul, comedian Sue Perkins and actor and comedian Bradley Walsh.

The eight students face a gruelling summer as they attempt to prove that they are up to the task. After a week-long ‘Baton Camp’ they will take to the conductor's podium in front of a studio audience and a judging panel, where they will conduct the BBC Concert Orchestra in a weekly show. 

Maestro will be presented by Clive Anderson and will air tonight on BBC2 from 9pm.

Broadcast schedule:
August 12^th / 19^th / 26^th
September 2^nd / 9^th
Live Final in London’s Hyde Park: 13^th September 

For more information on upcoming Watch The Ride releases go to www.myspace.com/watchtheride

Following the recent success of our releases of the Thompson Twins back catalogue, Edsel is proud to present Blancmange’s three albums, all in expanded form. In the same format as the Thompson Twins reissues, these releases will feature the 12” mixes and b-sides, alongside the original albums in full, all mastered from the original tapes.

Blancmange had a string of UK Top 40 hits at the beginning of the 80s, including the top 10 hits Living On The Ceiling, Blind Vision and Don’t Tell Me, as well as Feel Me, God’s Kitchen, That’s Love That It Is, The Day Before You Came and many more. According to the band’s official Myspace page, Blancmange have recently reformed and are working on new material…

Watch this space for more info on the upcoming Blancmange albums

Decadance is expanding its No. 1 range with the brand new release The No. 1 Garage and Bassline Album. With several garage-related releases making their way up the current UK compilation chart, it’s clear that the genre is experiencing a huge resurgence in popularity. From the upfront sounds of H20 and T2, to the remakes of classic Garage tunes like Loveshy and Rewind, this album perfectly captures the essence of this year’s club sound.
Due for release: 11^th August

Following their recent run of gigs, the Blow Monkeys have completed their forthcoming album Devil’s Tavern.  Recorded in Andalusia, Spain, and featuring all four original members, this album is a return to form for the band.

For a look back at their hay day of the 1980s, check out the double CD album Digging Your Scene from Music Club Deluxe, a retrospective ‘best of’ containing all their hits, including Digging Your Scene and You Don’t Own Me from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack.

Airline Records recently issued the latest album by experimental rock icon Edgar Winter.  Rebel Road displays Edgar’s sublime keyboard and saxophone work, and is even joined by his brother, the legendary Johnny Winter.

Famed for his hit song Frankenstein, Edgar Winter went on to record the legendary rock albums Jasmine Nightdreams and Edgar Winter Group With Rick Derringer within months of each other.  These two iconic albums have been packaged together by Demon Edsel, offering an ideal insight into the work of Edgar Winter.

Demon Group Music Ltd are proud to announce that we have now shipped over 1 million units of  100 Hits albums. This phenomenal figure has been reached in less than 9 months. The number 1 seller is 100 Hits 80s, closely followed by 70s, Love and Rock. With new releases coming in July and October, the label goes from strength to strength.

Crimson Productions present Jane McDonald – Because You Loved Me .  This 18-track album, features classic tracks such as I Only Wanna Be With You, I Say A Little Prayer, Alfie, I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing, and My Heart Will Go On.

Jane will also be appearing as part of a new BBC2 TV documentary ‘Return To The Cruise’ starting on the 8^th August 2008.  The five, half-hour episodes will air on the 8^th, 11^th, 12^th, 15^th, and 18^th of August, at 7:30pm.  The program will document her time re-visiting the cruise liner that originally made her a household name.

Since becoming a recording artist after ‘The Cruise’, Jane went on to sell hundreds of thousands of albums, toured Britain, got into the Guinness Book of Records (first artist to top the album charts without a prior release), and performed for the Queen.  She now regularly appears on the panel of ITV’s ‘Loose Women’, and will be touring the UK throughout 2008, starting on the 11^th July.

28th of July sees the release of 4 new 100 Hits collections.

First up is Rock 'n' Roll including all the big hitters from the 50s and early 60s. Next up are some pumping dancefloor classics in the shape of Dance Anthems and Club Classics.

Last but by no means least is 100 Hits Kids, 4 fun filled CDs of original themes and songs from the most well known children’s television programmes + a sing-a-long  Party DVD.

With the Beijing Olympics starting in less than a month (opening ceremony 8^th August), Crimson Productions is releasing 'The Games' on the 28^th July 2008.  The album features tracks from previous Olympics (Barcelona, One Moment In Time, Fanfare For The Common Man); and tracks for the 2008 Games (Beijing – We Are Ready, Olympic Celebration 2012).

With the Olympic Games fast approaching, we’re all hoping for our British Olympians come home with a neck full of medals.  Beginning on the 8^th August, and continuing until the end of the month, the Olympics are the very highest accolade for any sportsman or sportswoman. 

What better way get in the mood than with our newly released Bar Beijing, celebrating the best China has to offer, both new and old.  This 2CD set features a unique blend of both contemporary and classical Chinese sounds, mapping out the hugely historic journey which Chinese music has taken over the past centuries.

Other titles available in the Bar series include Bar Italia, Bar Jamaica, and Bar Paris; each perfect for soundtracking those memorable summer holidays.

The Blockheads will be headlining Party On The Green, a free music festival to take place next Thursday 17th July at Clerkenwell Green as part of the London Festival Of Architecture.

The Blockheads, one of the most exhilarating live bands ever, will be airing some new material, playing all their hits and also giving a special performance of New Boots And Panties. Expect them to be on stage around 8:30pm. Hugh Cornwell, the legendary voice of The Stranglers is also on the bill.

A focal point for the evening will be a spectacular installation, comprising of a main industrial styled stage designed by Laurie Chetwood. An artist’s impression of the impressive stage design is shown to the left of screen.

For more information on any of the events taking place as part of the London Festival Of Architecture visit www.lfa2008.org.

To celebrate the release of Goldie’s addition to the Watch The Ride series, Harmless Records will host a special album launch party on Thursday 10^th July.

With his own productions and label Metalheadz, Goldie has consistently been at the cutting edge of drum and bass, championing some of the brightest talents and rawest sounds the scene has to offer with acts such as Dillinja, Adam F and Optical all benefiting from his touch. He was also the driving force behind the rise of the infamous Metalheadz Sunday Session Club Nights, which achieved legendary status at East London's Blue Note club.

Continuing to hold his own at the forefront of the drum and bass scene, the latest installment in the Watch The Ride series captures the essence of what has always made the D&B veteran so passionate about music: a dark, gutsy sound going back to the roots of jungle.

To mark the release, Demon Music Group and Harmless Records invite you to a very special launch party on Thursday 10^th July featuring the legend himself, as well as Storm & MC LowQui… plus a special jungle set from BBC 1xtra’s Bailey!

Hope to see you there!

Date: Thursday 10^th July

Venue: East Village, 89 Great Eastern St, EC2A 3HX
See www.eastvillageclub.com for more information

Entry: FREE

Time: 9pm till late

To view all titles in the Watch The Ride series click here or visit www.myspace.com/watchtheride.

To purchase Goldie – Watch The Ride follow this link.

Laurie Johnson is responsible for some of the best-loved TV themes ever, including The Professionals, The Avengers, Top Secret, Echo Four Two, Animal Magic and This Is Your Life.

Disc 1 contains music from the TV series The Professionals, which aside from the theme tune, makes its debut on CD. The Professionals is currently showing eight times a week on ITV 4 until 2010. Disc 2 features Laurie’s fabulous themes for TV shows and his film scores, along with some early singles and his orchestral concert hall work. Disc 3 collects some more of his adventurous works for military bands.

Welsh Elvis lookalike Shakin’ Stevens is set to open Saturday’s festivities at Glastonbury Festival later this month.

Most notably of Green Door and This Ole House fame, Shaky is in good company, with the likes of Crowded House, Kings Of Leon, The Raconteurs, Neil Diamond, Amy Winehouse and Jay-Z all taking to the famous Pyramid Stage over the course of the weekend.

Chronology - The Hit Epic Singles was released by Music Club Deluxe late last year, and boasts 24 UK Top 20s, including 7 Top 5s and 4 #1s. Accompanying this 2CD set are extensive sleevenotes and pictures for Shaky himself.

The album includes a new version of Everlasting Love, which hit #1 for Love Affair in 1968 and has since been covered by the likes of  U2, Gloria Estefan, Jamie Cullum, Robert Knight, Rachael Sweet. It was recorded live at the Fairfield Halls in Croydon with Paul Weller and Steve Cradock accompanying Ellis on acoustic guitar.

The legendary blues, jazz, rock pianist and singer/songwriter Dr. John is back with a new album and a series live shows scheduled for later this year.

Out this week, his brand new album Dr. John And The Lower 9/11 City That Care Forgot is ‘an elegantly elegiac homage to his drowned hometown of New Orleans’. Featuring the likes of Eric Clapton, Willie Nelson, Ani DiFranco and Terence Blanchard and including the hit ‘Time For A Change’, the album’s 14 tracks ‘provide a lyrical reminder that the rawness and division exposed by Hurricane Katrina are as fresh as ever’.

Back on the road, Dr. John will hit out shores in October to play dates in London, Cardiff, St. Albans, Bristol and Buxton.

The recent Music Club Deluxe release The Best Of Dr John: The Night Tripper concentrates on the pinnacle of Dr John’s colourful career whilst he was recording for Atlantic in the 1970’s. It boasts 36 studio recordings, including US Billboard and R&B hits and club classics, over two CDs.

The Farm will be reuniting to perform a special Summer Pops concert at Liverpool Echo Arena on Friday 18^th July, as part of the official ‘Liverpool European Capital of Culture 2008’ events and exhibitions.

The band whose debut album ‘Spartacus’ entered the UK Album Chart at #1 in 1991, have appeared on the UK singles chart on more than 10 occasions. Their hits include the legendary ‘All Together Now’, which was re-mixed in 2004 and reached #5 in the UK Singles Chart.

For ticket information, please point your web browser to: http://www.accliverpool.com/whatson/thefarm.asp

Sparks are back in the charts this week with their brand new album Exotic Features Of The Deep sitting on the cusp of the UK Top 50.

The Mael brothers are not only creating new music, but are also currently showcasing their complete back catalogue in a 20-night residency at London’s Islington Academy, which will be followed by one show at the Shepherds Bush Empire where they’ll perform their new album in its entirety. Support acts at the shows will include the Rumble Strips, the Young Knives, the Electric Soft Parade, and Dan le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip.

Their 2002 release Lil' Beethoven, their self-described "genre-defining opus", was immortalised in the Demon Vision release Sparks: Lil’ Beethoven Live In Stockholm. Filmed in March 2004, this fantastic DVD includes bonus live material and special features, and is available now from good record stores and online.

To view the official Sparks website click here.

16/05 Performing Halfnelson
17/05 Performing A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing (with the Young Knives)
18/05 Performing Kimono My House
20/05 Performing Propaganda (with Dan le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip)
21/05 Performing Indiscreet
23/05 Performing Big Beat
24/05 Performing Introducing Sparks
25/05 Performing No. 1 in Heaven (with Gamine)
27/05 Performing Terminal Jive (with Dan le Sac Vs. Scroobius Pip)
28/05 Performing Whomp That Sucker (with the Rumble Strips)
30/05 Performing Angst in My Pants
31/05 Performing In Outer Space
01/06 Performing Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat
03/06 Performing Music That You Can Dance To
04/06 Performing Interior Design
06/06 Performing Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins
07/06 Performing Plagiarism
08/06 Performing Balls
10/06 Performing Lil' Beethoven
11/06 Performing Hello Young Lovers (with the Electric Soft Parade)
13/06 at the Shepherds Bush Empire. Performing Exotic Creatures of the Deep

Marti Pellow is set to play the devil incarnate Daryl Van Horne in the new touring production of The Witches of Eastwick, which opens on 25 August.

The role, made famous by Hollywood legend Jack Nicholson in the 1987 movie alongside Cher, Susan Sarandon and Michelle Pfeiffer, will see Pellow treading the boards of theatres across the UK well into 2009.

The musical has book and lyrics by John Dempsey and Dana Rowe. Its score includes “Eastwick Knows”, “Make Him Mine”, “Dirty Laundry”, “Dance With the Devil”, “I Love a Little Town” and “I Wish I May”.

The Witches of Eastwick will visit Norwich, Canterbury, Bristol, Liverpool, Northampton, Bradford, Wimbledon, Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Plymouth, Woking, High Wycombe, Southampton, Wolverhampton, Sheffield, Edinburgh and Leeds.

Marti released a solo project, Sentimental Me, a collection of jazz tracks, earlier this year and of course Moonlight Over Memphis through DMGTV in 2006.

More Al Green news!

The legendary R&B and Gospel artist is to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the BET Awards in LA next month.

Described as a US version of the MOBOs, the awards will be held by the American BET TV network. Click here to view see Al Green’s Lifetime Achievement Award page. Quincy Jones will also be honoured on the night with BET’s Humanitarian Award.

The official Al Green website can be found here.

Chas ‘N’ Dave’s 1980 top 10 Hit ‘Rabbit’ is currently featuring on the Woolworths television advertisement for Nintendo Wii game Rayman Raving Rabbids II.

The much-loved ‘rockney’ duo is also confirmed to be on the bill for this year’s Big Chill music festival in Herefordshire.

Click below to view the Raving Rabbids II TV ad:

Chas ‘N’ Dave trivia: They were an influence on Babyshambles singer, former Libertine Pete Doherty, and early Libertines practice sessions included Pete and Carl covering Chas ‘N’ Dave songs!

Soul legend Al Green will release a brand new album on Monday 26^th May.

Lay It Down will be Reverend Green’s third album for Blue Note, which he has produced in conjunction with Ahmir Thompson and James Poyser. It has been described as “a refreshingly old school jam brought right up to date with some great duets and the amazing Dap King Horns (Amy Winehouse/Mark Ronson)” and “a warm, soulful, wonderful album that brings Green's classic sound of the early 70's right into 2008”.

The album will feature vocal contributions from current soul stars such as Anthony Hamilton, John Legend and Corinne Bailey Rae.

Demon Music Group have released all of Al Green’s Hi Records back catalogue, including rarities, exclusive compilations and all the classics, such as Let’s Stay Together, Tired Of Being Alone and How Can You Mend A Broken Heart? All three are featured on the fantastic album Al Green – Gold on iTunes.

As the month of June draws ever closer, so does Sunday the 15^th, when Dads across the nation will be showered with love, attention and of course presents!

This year Demon Music Group have made finding the perfect gift for Fathers Day a piece of cake, with an assortment of new compilations, quality artist titles and much-loved classic albums to choose from.

2CD range Music Club Deluxe have come to the party with great value artist titles including You Just Can’t Beat It: The Best Of The Beat, Roll Away The Stone: The Best Of Mott The Hoople, Walking In The Sunshine: The Best Of Bad Manners, Killing Moon: The Best Of Echo And The Bunnymen, Original Punks: Iggy Pop & The Stooges and I’m A Believer: The Best Of The Monkees.

With albums like The No. 1 Rock Album, Kings of Rock, Stranglehold! and Rock ‘n’ Roll Greats, Demon have something for every Dad’s music taste, so there’s no excuse for not having a present on the 15^th!

May 2008 marks the 10^th anniversary of Frank Sinatra’s death.

Widely accepted as one of the world’s greatest ever entertainers, Francis Albert Sinatra not only revolutionised popular singing, but was an Academy Award winning star of stage and screen.

Sinatra’s ability to maintain his appeal for over six decades despite vast changes in popular taste is testament to his undeniable charm, unique style and charismatic live performances. Ol’ Blue Eyes is said by many to be the first modern pop superstar.

Demon Music Group have released a wealth of Sinatra releases over the years in various formats. Follow this link to view all of our Sinatra titles.

Frank Sinatra is also for known for his performances alongside Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin in The Rat Pack. All Demon Music Group Rat Pack albums can be viewed here.

Both The Beat and Bad Manners are set to play the Chichester RAJF (Real Ale & Jazz Festival) on Fri 11th July in Priory Park, Chichester.

A cornerstone of the Chichester music scene, the fundraising festival will run from Wednesday 9^th to Saturday 12^th of July. In previous years the RAJF has played host to the likes of James Brown, Status Quo, Blondie, Go West, The Pretenders and Simple Minds. Other groups set to play this year include Squeeze, 10cc and From The Jam.

You Just Can’t Beat It: The Best Of The Beat was recently released on Music Club Deluxe to much acclaim. Covering 37 classics including top 5 hits ‘Mirror In the Bathroom’ and ‘Can’t Get Used To Losing You’, the double CD has received fantastic reviews in Record Collector, Uncut, Q, The Word and Music Week.

Watch this space for news on the upcoming Bad Manners double CD, due to be released by Music Club Deluxe in the coming weeks.

Click here to view the festival website or for tickets call 0870 950 9669.

Iconic British rockers Iggy & The Stooges have been announced as the headline act at this year’s Get Loaded In The Park, to be held on Clapham Common on Sunday 24^th August.

Returning for its 5^th year of indie-crazed-rock and electro-jackin-dance, the one day festival will span more musical genres than ever before across four stages. Other acts will include Supergrass, Gogol Bordello, The Gossip, Reverend And The Makers and Kate Nash, with many more still to be announced.

Having reformed Iggy & The Stooges in 2003, The Stooges features original members Ron (guitar) and Scott Asheton (drums), plus Mike Watt on bass and Steve Mackay on sax. Original albums The Stooges, Fun House and Raw Power and singles I Wanna Be Your Dog and No Fun (all recorded between 1967–1974 during their first spell together) have stood the test of time as pioneering alternative punk rock recordings.

The 2CD greatest hits album Iggy Pop & The Stooges: Original Punks released on Music Club Deluxe spans the period after The Stooges’ second album and includes original versions of tracks that would later become the infamous Raw Power LP as well as post-Raw Power recordings, including the legendary Kill City sessions.

Get Loaded In The Park tickets go on sale at 9am tomorrow, 17^th April, from www.ticketmaster.co.uk or www.seetickets.com for £35+ booking fee.

For more information visit http://www.getloadedinthepark.com/ or http://www.myspace.com/getloadedinthepark.

What initially began as a musical internet prank has turned into an online phenomenon, known as “Rick Rolling”.

The art of Rick Rolling involves enticing website readers to follow a link to an interesting or controversial story and instead linking them through to the music video of Rick Astley’s 1987 hit Never Gonna Give You Up.

Initially emerging from controversial imageboard 4chan.org last year, Rick Rolling has certainly hit the mainstream, with even The Muppets and Channel 4’s Jon Snow doing their own versions of Astley’s most popular hit. YouTube clips of Never Gonna Give You Up have now received in excess of 17 million views between them.

Never Gonna Give You Up is the leading track on Music Club Deluxe’s 2007 release Together Forever: The Best Of Rick Astley. The double album boasts 36 classic recordings, including 8 UK top 10 singles.

Monday 14^th April will see the release of the latest offering from former Wet Wet Wet frontman Marti Pellow, Sentimental Me.

The jazz standards album is the follow up to Demon’s hugely successful 2006 release Moonlight Over Memphis, which was recorded with legendary soul producer Willie Mitchell (Al Green, Otis Clay, Ann Peebles). Moonlight Over Memphis has since been released digitally and is available from iTunes.

Marti will embark on a tour of the UK to promote his latest release, commencing in Birmingham tomorrow night. See below for dates and venues.

April 2008 UK Tour Dates
10th      Town Hall, Birmingham
11th      Town Hall, Birmingham
13th      Lyric Theatre, London
15th      Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow
16th      Perth Concert Hall
17th      Aberdeen Music Hall
19th      Harrogate International Centre
20th      Manchester Bridgewater Hall
21st      St. George's Hall, Bradford
22nd     The Sage, Gateshead
25th      Corn Exchange Cambridge
26th      Derngate, Northampton
27th      Cliffs Pavilion, Southend
29th      Assembly Hall, Tunbridge Wells
30th      St. David's Hall, Cardiff

To launch the latest addition to Harmless Records’ Watch The Ride series, Andrew Weatherall will be playing at London’s East Village this Thursday, 10^th April.

Following lauded mixes by the Scratch Perverts, Groove Armada’s Tom Findlay, DJ Zinc, TC and most recently High Contrast, the wide ranging series is further spreading its wings with this superlative set from one of dance music’s most respected sons.

Giving a glimpse into Andrew’s musical psyche, the latest Watch The Ride album takes in Balearic vibes, proto-punk funk, psychedelic beats and Andrew’s all pervading Dub aesthetic in a benchmark mix.

East Village 89 Great Eastern Street, London, EC2A 3HX
Doors: 9pm, entry is free.

Andrew Weatherall Watch The Ride will be available in store from Monday 5^th May. Click here to pre-order.

For more information on the Watch The Ride series see www.myspace.com/watchtheride.

Legendary hard rock pioneers Deep Purple are set to play London’s ExCel Centre on Wednesday 30th July.

Once listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's loudest band, Deep Purple’s offspring include, of course, Rainbow, Whitesnake, Black Sabbath and Gillan.

Deep Purple & Friends, released on Music Club, combines classic Deep Purple live tracks, including Smoke On The Water and Woman From Tokyo, with hits from the band’s ‘extended family’ of members past and present.

A series of Gillan re-issues were released by Edsel last year, including hit albums Future Shock, Glory Road and Mr. Universe, followed by a limited edition boxset of singles and videos in October.

The double-CD Unchain Your Brain: The Best Of Gillan ’76 – ’82 has just been released on Music Club Deluxe.

Click here to purchase tickets to the show.

Timeless balladeer Johnny Mathis is back in the UK album chart top 30 this week with brand new album, A Night To Remember.

The Texas-born Grammy Award winner first found fame in the 1960s, and he has been a popular household name ever since.

Misty: The Best Of Johnny Mathis was released by Music Club Deluxe last month. This double-CD album is a great introduction to the songs that saw Mathis top the UK and US charts through the decades, boasting 4 UK top 20 and 18 US Billboard top 30 hit singles, not to mention the worldwide number 1 When A Child Is Born.

Drum & Bass star High Contrast will be launching his long-awaited Watch The Ride album at The End & AKA next Wednesday 5^th March.

A line up boasting DJs Fabio and Alix Perez promises to entertain the Swerve crowd until the early hours!!

Other big names to contribute albums to the Watch The Ride series include Zinc, Tom Findlay (Groove Armada), Scratch Perverts and TC. For more information visit www.myspace.com/watchtheride

High Contrast Watch The Ride will be available instore from Monday 3^rd March. Click here to pre-order.

Grammy Award-winning Irish group Clannad are set to tour the UK for the first time in 10 years next month.

Their unique mix of folk, Irish and new age music saw Clannad bridge the gap between Celtic and pop music during the 1980s and 90s. Having sold more than 15 million albums throughout their career, Clannad blazed the way for many other Irish artists. They are cited as having influenced the likes of The Corrs, Loreena McKennitt, Anúna, Riverdance, Enya and U2.

Music Club’s celebrated album An Diolaim delves into Clannad’s traditional folk roots. A fantastic introduction to the music that made them famous all over the world, An Diolaim sold over 400,000 copies when it was originally released, and is now available at a very low price.

Britain’s best-loved comedy programmes will be available on CD just in time for the Easter holidays and are bound to make any long journey more bearable!

With something for everyone to enjoy and available at very low prices, the World of Comedy will bring your favourite BBC sketches and sitcoms back to life and have you in stitches all over again.

Soul sensation Dionne Warwick is back in the UK music charts.

The Love Collection has hit the top 30, sitting comfortably above albums from the likes of Radiohead, Leona Lewis, Kylie Minogue, Foo Fighters and Led Zeppelin in the lead up to Valentine’s Day and Mothers Day 2008.

The songstress has this week released a brand new album of classic hits, Dionne Warwick Sings Bacharach & David, on which she performs the songs of Burt Bacharach and Hal David, acclaimed as two of the greatest songwriters of the 20^th Century. Tracks include ‘Do You Know The Way To San Jose’, ‘What The World Needs Now Is Love’, ‘I Say A Little Prayer For You’, ‘(There's) Always Something There To Remind Me’ and ‘The Look Of Love’.

Many of the tracks featured on The Love Collection are also found on the budget double-CD released by Music Club Deluxe last year, All The Love In The World: The Dionne Warwick Collection.

Ian Dury’s band The Blockheads have announced a very special show to be held at The Electric Ballroom in Camden on Thursday 17^th April 2008 as part of their 30^th Anniversary Tour of the UK.

The Blockheads will be joined by Davey Payne, The Wilko Johnson Band and Ed Tudorpole to perform New Boots And Panties!! in its entirety. The night will also feature DJ sets from Martin Freeman (otherwise known as Tim from BBC series The Office).

Follow this link to The Blockheads’ website for ticket information, or go to http://www.myspace.com/theblockheads.

The Ultimate Album series is due to be launched on 10^th March 2008 to further extend Demon’s incredibly successful joint-venture music label Decadance.

This brand new range of 3CD box sets will launch with ten titles, covering the best in dance, hip-hop and R&B.

With 36 massive tracks on each album, the Ultimate albums are outstanding value, featuring quality club anthems and smash hits from a whole host of familiar names.

The initial ten albums will include The Ultimate Ibiza Album, The Ultimate R&B Album, The Ultimate Trance Album, The Ultimate 90s Album and The Ultimate Drum & Bass Album.

Watch this space for more details on the brand new Ultimate Album series…

Following on from the success of the first ten albums in the 100 Hits range, three brand new 5CD boxsets are due to be released by the label on 3^rd March 2008.  

Demon Music Group are proud to present our most comprehensive range of Irish music products to date for St. Patrick’s Day 2008. With a wide variety of artist titles, Celtic chillout albums and fun compilations to choose from, celebrations this March 17th are bound to be good craic!

World Music label Nascente has recently released Experience Ireland, a 2CD Irish music collection and accompanying 40-page travel guide, which highlights must-see attractions and the best music and arts festivals held across Ireland. Other Nascente albums include Beginner’s Guide to Ireland and Very Best of Celtic.

Mother’s Day is early this year, and to make shopping for your Mum a breeze Demon Music Group have come up with a wide range of quality products that are sure to put a smile on her face.

A whole range of new double-CD artist titles that Mum will love have been released this year on Music Club Deluxe, including Confide In Me: The Irresistible Kylie, Touch You: The Best Of Michael Bolton, Midnight Train To Georgia: The Best Of Gladys Knight And The Pips, Believe In Love: The Very Best Of Teddy Pendergrass and All The Love In The World: The Dionne Warwick Collection.

Or if a DVD is in order see demonVISION’s selection of Cliff Richard titles or David Cassidy’s Greatest Hits Live.

Give your Mum a Happy Mother’s Day with Demon Music Group!