The 22 singles released by The Beatles between 1962-1970 – as well as the nineties, Anthology-era double A-side Free As A Bird/Real Love – have been boxed up for a vinyl compilation release on November 22nd.
A book featuring essays from Beatles historian Kevin Howlett will be included with the 180-gram 7″ singles, taking the Fab Four’s story away from the classic albums which have dominated recent reissues and on to some of the greatest slices of 3-minute pop ever recorded.
The Beatles: The Singles Collection tracklist:
1962 [sleeve art: U.S.] A: Love Me Do B: P. S. I Love You
1963 [sleeve art: Italy] A: Please Please Me B: Ask Me Why
1963 [sleeve art: Norway] A: From Me To You B: Thank You Girl
1963 [sleeve art: Greece] A: She Loves You B: I’ll Get You
1963 [sleeve art: Chile] A: I Want To Hold Your Hand B: This Boy
1964 [sleeve art: Austria] A: Can’t Buy Me Love B: You Can’t Do That
1964 [sleeve art: Holland] A: A Hard Day’s Night B: Things We Said Today
1964 [sleeve art: Sweden] A: I Feel Fine B: She’s A Woman
1965 [sleeve art: Spain] A: Ticket To Ride
B: Yes It Is
1965 [sleeve art: Belgium] A: Help! B: I’m Down
1965 [double A-side / sleeve art: France] A: We Can Work It Out A: Day Tripper
Kelly Jones of Stereophonics performs live on stage during Day 1 of Tramlines Festival 2018 at Hillsborough Park on July 20, 2018 in Sheffield, England Credit: Joseph Okpako/WireImage
“The tour is about overcoming things and moving on from obstacles and building strength from that”
Kelly Jones is heading out on tour again in his solo guise.
Fans are promised a set filled with 22 years’ of Stereophonics music as well as Jones’ solo material.
Jones said: “I’ll be performing some old songs, lots of songs I don’t normally do, some new songs, songs that have inspired me and stories that have inspired me. The tour is about overcoming things and moving on from obstacles and building strength from that. I am looking forward to performing with some new musicians and creating some beautiful moments.”
Tickets go on sale from 10am this Friday, 29 March.
Kelly Jones tour dates 2019:
JUNE
1 – Usher Hall, Edinburgh 8 – St David’s Hall, Cardiff 10 – Brighton Dome 16 – Eventim Apollo, London
JULY
1– Birmingham Symphony Hall 3 – Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham
Jones hasn’t released a solo album in more than a decade. His last record with Stereophonics 2017’s ‘Scream Above the Sounds’.
The Aussie outfit are set to visit the UK this April. Find out where they’re headed and if you can still buy tickets.
DMA’s have gathered a pretty big following, with favourable comparisons to the likes of Oasis and The Stone Roses.
If that wasn’t enough to help them gain a loyal fanbase in the UK, two acclaimed albums, memorable performances at Reading & Leeds Festival, endorsements from Liam Gallagher himself, a supporting slot at his 2018 Finsbury Park gig and their own dates at the end of last year all left UK audiences hungry for more.
With two albums in Hills End (2016) and For Now (2018) released so far, the Aussie outfit will no doubt be playing everything from The End to Step Up The Morphine and their breakout track Delete.
See a setlist from their recent headline gig at the O2 Academy, Sheffield:
HUNDREDS of artists have come together to release exclusive vinyl for Record Store Day 2019.
With so many records on offer – and for such a limited time – you’ll have to be really lucky to get your hands on these vinyls.
The Prodigy are releasing special vinyl for Record Store Day 2019Music from Aretha Franklin will also be releasedIggy Pop will be releasing special vinyl as he celebrates his birthday on Record Store Day 2019
From Aretha Franklin to The Prodigy – here’s what is up for grabs.
Who is releasing special records for Record Store Day 2019?
Iggy Pop will be releasing special vinyl as he celebrates his birthday on Record Store Day 2019
He told Record Store Day: “In my life, music has been a balm for loneliness. It was in the cheap ass little record store that I found a way to connect with other people. I was 18. It was a theatre, a glimpse at the world of commerce, and a cultural library; and my experiences as a teenage clerk were full of humour, and curiously warm.
“The modern approach, which is fine, still needs nourishment from this template. Everywhere on earth I go, there are freaks minding a record store. It’s a good hang – daylight vs. dimly lit, clear eyed vs. stoned, and social vs. savage. So that’s why I like ’em.”
0fficial Record Store Day releases 2019
A-HA: Hunting High And Low / The Early Alternate Mixes
Aretha Franklin: The Atlantic Singles Collection 1967
Bob Dylan: Blood On The Tracks – Original New York Test Pressing
David Bowie: Pin UpsDavid Bowie: The World Of David BowieDavid Bowie / Marlene Dietrich: Revolutionary Song / Just A Gigolo
Duran Duran: As The Lights Go Down (Live ‘84)
Elvis Presley: Live At The International Hotel, Las Vegas, 1969
Europe: Walk The Earth Limited Edition 7” Single
Fatboy Slim: Right Here Right Now – yellow vinyl, die-cut sleeve
The Flaming Lips: King’s Mouth – Gold Vinyl
Gorillaz: The Fall
Honeyblood: The Third Degree / She’s A Nightmare
IDLES: MEAT EP / META EP
Iggy Pop: The Villagers / Pain & Suffering
John Lennon: Imagine (Raw Studio Mixes)
Madness: One Step Beyond
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds: Wait And Return EP
Paloma Faith: The Zeitgeist EP
Pink Floyd: Saucerful Of Secrets
The Prodigy: Fight Fire with Fire / Champions of London
Ramones: Live At The Palladium, New York, NY (12/31/79)
The Rolling Stones: Through The Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol.2The Rolling Stones: High Tide Green Grass (Big Hits Vol. 1)The Rolling Stones: She’s A Rainbow (Live)
Glastonbury Festival has announced the dates for the resale of tickets to this year’s event.
Those who missed out on tickets in the original sale last year have the chance to attend by purchasing returned coach packages on Thursday April 25 or general admission tickets on Sunday April 28.
Ed Sheeran performs headlining the Pyramid stage on day 4 of the Glastonbury Festival 2017 at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 25, 2017 in Glastonbury, England
Liam Gallagher is famously a massive Umbro fan (Image: Umbro/M.E.N.)
Global fashion brand Umbro is celebrating its 95th anniversary this year.
But it is little known that the company, which has produced clothing and footwear for some of the world’s biggest sporting stars, came from humble beginnings – right here in Manchester.
It’s still based here today, with global headquarters on Dale Street in the Northern Quarter. For years, the firm had a base in Wythenshawe.
Here, the Manchester Evening News looks back at 95 years of Umbro and what the future holds for a local brand which has grown into a international icon.
Humble beginnings
Umbro was started by Harold Humphreys who was born in Mobberley, Cheshire, in 1902.
Harold left school aged 13 for his first job at a textile firm in Manchester, where his first task was to dust and polish the bannisters on a staircase seven-stories high; quickly working his way up the ranks to the haberdashery department.
The Humphreys Brothers – Wallace (left) and Harold (right) (Image: Umbro)
After the depression hit, Harold found himself briefly out of work, before securing a new position as a salesman at Stockport sportswear brand Messrs Bucks – later known as Bukta.
At this point, the country was falling back in love with football, following the end of the Great War.
The Bull’s Head in Mobberley today
It 1922, Harold launched his own sportswear retail business, initially trading out of a cupboard in the back room of his parents’ pub, the Bull’s Head Hotel in Mobberley – which still operates today as a gastro-pub.
With the help of his brother Wallace, Harold formed Humphreys Brothers Ltd in 1924.
The name was abbreviated to Umbro – taking the ‘um’ from Humphreys and the ‘bro’ from brothers.
Umbro established their first factory in 1930 in Wilmslow (Image: manchester evening news)
Growing sales saw the first Umbro factory established in 1930, Umbro Works on Water Lane in Wilmslow, and the firm became the first to offer a 48-hour delivery service.
The Water Lane factory would be the company’s administrative and manufacturing base for the next 80 years.
For years, the firm had a base in Wythenshawe, before moving to nearby Cheadle.
‘The Dior of the football world’
In nearly a century of business, Umbro has provided kits to some of the world’s biggest teams.
Once referred to as the ‘Dior of the football world’, the brand has been associated with some of the most iconic moments in sporting history.
Manchester’s first major football kit was made for Manchester City, who won the FA Cup match in 1934 against Portsmouth – both of the teams were wearing Umbro.
Seventy-seven years later, in 2011, City won the FA Cup again, followed by the league title in 2012; with the team still dressed in Umbro kit.
The England team wore Umbro kits from 1954 to 2012, including the title-winning 1966 World Cup.
England win World Cup final wearing Umbro – July 30, 1966 (Image: manchester evening news)
Ahead of that year’s competition, Wallace Humphreys visited each of the countries to meet the teams.
Of the 16 teams that competed that year, 15 wore Umbro; due to a last minute decision, the USSR were the only team not wearing the brand.
The growing sports brand began outfitting international teams in 1958 – when Brazil won the World Cup that year, they were kitted out in their clothing.
In 1959, Manchester United manager, Matt Busby collaborated with Umbro to help design a winter sportswear range called ‘Styled by Matt Busby – the choice of champions’.
That same year, Umbro was the first to produce junior kits, so that children could wear the same team strips as their footballing heroes.
And in 1960, Manchester United player Denis Law became the first footballer to be sponsored by the firm, when he signed an exclusive deal with the brand.
Although best known for their football kits, Umbro doesn’t just produce gear for the beautiful game.
During the Second World War, Umbro made uniforms for the Lancaster bombers.
Umbro Aid the War Effort by creating uniform for the Lancaster Bombers (Image: manchester evening news)
This decision to contribute to the war effort may in fact have saved the company from closure.
The factories would have been at risk of shutting down with no men to work there and the production of sportswear wouldn’t have been deemed necessary for female workers to take over during wartime.
Post-war Umbro continued to produce clothing for a range of sports.
At the Helsinki Summer Olympics in 1952, the British team wore their kits and in 1954, Roger Bannister was the first man to break the four minute mile whilst wearing the clothing.
Roger Bannister becomes the first person to break the four-minute mile wearing Umbro (Image: manchester evening news)
Ironically they also helped Adidas to get a foothold in the UK market after Harold Humphreys met Adi Dassler in 1959.
At the time, Umbro didn’t manufacture footwear and they became the sole distributors of Adidas shoes in the UK, which were promoted as part of the full sporting outfit.
This partnership lasted for many years until Harold and Adi died, in 1974 and 1978 respectively.
Their sons, who took over the businesses, did not have the same relationship that their fathers did. After they fell out, the partnership ended – Umbro started to make footwear and Adidas started to make clothing.
One of the most well-known shoes created by the brand is the Speciali football boots, worn by Michael Owen when he scored the famous goal for England against Argentina in the 1998, aged just 18.
They were re-released in 2018 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Owen’s career-changing moment.
Another interesting story took place on April 13, 1996 when Sir Alex Ferguson famously made the Manchester United team change their grey kits as he claimed that the players couldn’t see each other.
Ryan Giggs in the infamous grey kit at the Southampton v Manchester United match (Image: Getty Images)
Down 3-0 to Southampton at half-time, United emerged for the second half in a completely new blue and white striped kit.
They did pull the game back slightly, scoring one goal to make it 3-1 at full time, but not all players were convinced that the kit was to blame.
Lee Sharpe later told The Guardian: “I’m not sure if any of the players mentioned the kit. Personally I felt that we were playing really poorly, and that we couldn’t really blame anything or anyone but ourselves.”
And it’s not only sporting stars. Music legends that have famously worn the double diamond, with Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher wearing the famous Umbro drill top at their Maine Road concert in 1996.
Liam Gallagher wears Umbro drill top for Oasis concert at Maine Road in 1996 (Image: manchester evening news)
The latest trends
Although production no longer takes place in Manchester, and is produced in various countries through a licensee network, most of the design work for the brand is still done at the Northern Quarter HQ.
Umbro still has a hand in local teams, currently sponsoring the Manchester Fustal League, whose senior team currently sits in sixth place in the FA’s National Super League.
Futsal is a growing sport in the UK – it’s like five-a-side, played indoors but with a smaller ball. Famous players who started their career in Futsal include Lionel Messi, Javier Hernandez and Neymar.
In October 2018, Umbro created the world’s first leather laceless football boot – the Medusa 3 Elite. It is the brand’s lightest ever leather boot, weighing just 170 grams.
The first laceless leather boots
Also last year, the company collaborated with British designer Christoper Raeburn to create a Spring/Summer collection inspired by Umbro’s footballing heritage.
The project deconstructs iconic Umbro shirts worn from 1996 to 2010, crafting them into a six-piece range of garments.
Since launching in 1924, the brand Umbro has been a thread running through some of the most memorable moments in recent football and sporting history.
It’s certainly come a long way from a cupboard in a back room of a pub – while retaining its Mancunian roots.
This spring, Umbro will unveil a new 10 foot piece of street art in Manchester and they are asking Mancunians ‘What does football mean to you?’.
The best messages will appear in the mural which will be located on the edge of the Northern Quarter, will be unveiled in April.
To enter, head to Twitter and tweet what football means to you with the hashtag #UmbroManchester or click here .
As the pioneering minimalist composer turns 90, Sean Kitching offers ten points of entry into his back catalogue, and wishes him a Happy Birthday. Portrait by Carolyn Cole
A trailblazing contemporary composer with a career spanning over six decades, Steve Reich’s field of influence extends considerably beyond the classical sphere. Considered to be one of the founders of musical minimalism, Reich’s work has been an inspiration to the likes of Philip Glass, John Adams, the ensemble Bang On A Can and Max Richter, as well as to numerous pop and electronic musicians. Talking Heads, The Feelies, Brian Eno, Robert Fripp, Owen Pallett, Jonny Greenwood, Battles, Bryce Dessner of The National, Richie Hawtin (Plastikman), DJ Spooky, Aphex Twin and William Basinski –…
The new release will feature remastered audio, rarities and unreleased live recordings
Talking Heads’ 1979 album Fear Of Music is getting a super deluxe edition reissue.
The classic album will be newly made available in 2xLP and 6xLP vinyl editions, as well as on 3xCD/Blu-ray. Both vinyl releases will feature the full original album in remastered form, as well as a collection of rarities. The more extensive vinyl edition will also take in unreleased audio from concerts that the band performed during the Fear Of Music era in Boston and New Jersey.
The Blu-ray included with the CD release will feature Dolby Atmos, 5.1 surround sound, and high-resolution stereo mixes of the album, along with rare film footage of the band performing two…
The new cut, the first link-up between the two artists, draws on EBM
Marie Davidson and Pearson Sound have teamed up for a new song.
‘Heat’ draws on EBM and lower tempos, and marks the first time that the two artists have collaborated on record. The track arrives with an additional extended mix and a remix by Autumns. The latter version of the track is due to be released on 30 October.
Listen to ‘Heat’, which follows Davidson’s standout 2025 album City Of Clowns, below.
Back after a decade with a new, career-best album, A.C. Williams and Alex Townend open up to Bernie Brooks about their hiatus and subsequent return to Vision Fortune
III by VISION FORTUNE
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“That is one of our favourite documentaries!” laughs Williams.
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With just her voice and an a pipe organ, the Norwegian singer-songwriterpays tribute to Julian of Norwich
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Catch up with all the music we wrote about last month
September is always when things get into gear after the quiet music summer, and last month was no exception – as you’ll be able to hear in over four hours of fantastic music in the Subscriber-exclusive playlist below. Remember, you can access all this instantly, with your first month free, by becoming a Subscriber or Subscriber Plus tier member here.
Just in case you missed any of your perks over the past four weeks, here’s a quick reminder of what both the Subscriber and Subscriber Plus tiers have had in their inboxes. In the Low Culture Essay, Jon Buckland explored depictions of masculinity in Dumb And Dumber, the Organic Intelligence newsletter…
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Archives by Vanishing Twin
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The Fat White / Decius frontman has announced his second book, Tears Of The Patriarch; we’re delighted to present an extract from it. Portrait: Brian David Stevens. Other photographs: Yaz Saoudi
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All these bands speaking in regional accents instead of singing, it vexed me. Vexed me because I have no region. Vexed me because it seemed like a cult of authenticity, a provincial fetish…
Public Enemy’s fourth album is often overlooked but it’s a true killer, says Angus Batey
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