2025 Purchases

Here are the music purchases of 2025 quantified in some detail. Check the 2025 cover grid flyout to the right of the year dropdown to just see a grid of the cover images for that year.

January 2025

1. Iggy Pop: Préliminaires – Astralwerks – ASW 98578 – US – CD – Mr. Ks/$2.00
2. Associates: Sulk – Sire – 23727-4 – US – CASS – Needful Things/$7.00
3. Prince: Pop Life – Paisley Park – 7-28998 – US – 7” – Needful Things/$2.00
4. Maceo Parker: Life On Planet Groove – Verve – 314 517 197-2 – US – CD – Needful Things/$5.00
5. John Foxx: Metamatic + signed print – Metamatic Records – META80LP – UK – gray LP – Foxx Webstore/$29.99
6. Autumn: Venice – Bandcamp – US – DL – Promo
7. Vamberator: The Age Of Loneliness – Maracash – UK – DL – Promo

January subtotal: $45.99

A quiet January; as usual. The only CD I’ve bought despite 6-7 visits to local used media emporium Mr. K’s was the first of the French titled, “MOR” albums that Iggy Pop had recorded in an effort to broaden his appeal to me! This one got a US release; the sequel, “Aprés,” did not but my wife took care of that need years ago! We worked our way backward to this one.

Then most of the month’s influx was also down to my wife! She nabbed a US cassette of The Associates “Sulk” because she knows me! Also a Prince single [non-LP B-side there] and a Maceo Parker solo album! My big expenditure was a signed gray LP of Foxx’s “Metamatic” which I HAD to own for reasons that are borderline inexcusable. A new single from the US Goth/Darkwave band Autumn was another winner on the heels of their last single that was my first exposure to their sound. And Vamberator was the outstanding teamup between Jemaur Tayle of Shelleyan Orphan and Boris Williams of The Cure. My early pick for album of the year, actually!

February 2025

1. Jan Linton: Don’t Cry At Xmas [eBow Inst. Ver. 2024] – Bandcamp – HK – DL – Bandcamp/gift
2. Jan Linton: Can I Feel Your Love? – Bandcamp – HK – DL – Bandcamp/$3.00
3. Ductape: Blue Black – Bandcamp – TUR – DL – Bandcamp/€2.50/$2.62
4. John Foxx + Ade Fenton: A Million Times – Bandcamp – UK – DL – Bandcamp/£2.42/$3.04
5. Duran Duran: Danse Macabre DLX RM – BMG – 964083032 – US – CD – Park Ave CDs/$15.99
6. Sparks: A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip DLX – BMG – 538603222 – EURO – CD – Park Ave CDs/$17.98
7. Robert Fripp: God Save The Queen/Under Heavy Manners DLX RM – InnerKnot – DGM5025 – US – CD – Park Ave CDs/$9.98
8. Pylon: Chomp – New West – NW6492 – US – CD – Park Ave CDs/$13.98
9. Pylon: Gyrate – New West – NW6493 – US – CD – Park Ave CDs/$13.98
10. Simple Minds: Sparkle In The Rain DLX– SDE Surround Series – 33 – UK – Blu-Ray Atmos/5.1 – SuperDeluxeEdition/£29.52/$38.16
11. Simple Minds: New Gold Dream [81, 82, 83, 84] DLX – SDE Surround Series – 32 – UK – Blu-Ray Atmos/5.1 – SuperDeluxeEdition/£29.52/$38.16
12. The Metamorph: Memories Of The Space Age – Bandcamp – UK – DL – Bandcamp/Promo
13. Countess Of Fife: Call Me The Witch – Last Night From Glasgow – DL – Promo
14. Neeva: Neeva – MSI Records – MSI 2003 – CAN – LP – Discogs/$11.99
15. Dr. Robert: Circular Quay – Heavenly – HVN 4910 – UK – 10” – Discogs/$5.99
16. Was [Not Was]: [Return To The Valley Of] Out Come The Freaks – Geffen – TA 4178 – UK – 12” – Discogs/$4.99
17. Simple Minds: Your Name In Lights [Pyramid Mix] – BMG – US – DL – iTunes/$1.99

Subtotal: $181.85

Lots of money spent of music this February! A pair of singles from Jan Linton as he drip feeds his warm Art Rock instead of building up for an album. Big expenditures came in another visit to Park Avenue CDs in Orlando on a visit to see the fantastic “Torn Apart: New Wave Graphics” art show at the Orlando Museum Of Art. The DLX edition of the latest Duran Duran opus, “Dance Macabre” was the kind of album that actually compelled me to listen to it repeatedly! On paper, it could have been another “Thank You,” but instead they delivered a winner on all fronts! And it marked the second excellent album in a row from the Fab Five! So unlike their usual chaotic game plan. I need to update that Rock G.P.A. for Double Duran!

We finally got the Sparks album that came out in the first weeks of pandemic as I was not spending on music in that period due to the instability of all work during this time. And I finally got the second Fripp solo album that had never been on CD in its original form before. Huzzah! I also finally bought the classic first two Pylon albums which have been sadly lacking from the Record Cell for [ulp!] at least 40 years!

Simple Minds have double dipped with the second set of surround sound mixes of “New Gold Dream [81, 82, 83, 84]” and “Sparkle In The Rain.” This time on Blu-Ray with a plethora of 2.0/5.1 mix variants. They also released a remix version of their new DL only single written for the documentary film that’s been making the rounds, At least now I can rent it from any streaming store as a VOD title, though I’ve yet to do this. The Metamorph revisited his sci-fi roots with his “Memories Of The Space Age” compilation of material he originally released under his Logan 5 moniker.

I was spelunking in Discogs on completely different topics when I discovered the US technopop band Neeva and quickly decided that I needed that album with all due haste to make a REVO CD of it. The same dealer also had a Dr. Robert 10” I’ve needed for 20+ years and the only UK 12” remix from the 2nd Was (Not Was) album, which is never on sale from US dealers, normally.

March 2025

1. Ariel Maniki + The Black Halos: Pieces – Bandcamp – CR – DL – Promo
2. The Funeral March Of The Marionettes: It All Falls Apart – Bandcamp – US – DL – Promo
3. The Twistettes: Red Door Open – SCOT – DL – Promo
4. Shriekback: Life In The Loading Bay DLX RM – Shriekback – UK – DL – gift
5. Shriekback: Glory Bumps – Shriekback – UK – DL – gift
6. Ductape: Fade Away – Swiss Dark Nights – CH – DL – Bandcamp/€2.75/$3.01
7. Larsovitch: Normal’No – Bandcamp – FR – DL – Bandcamp/Promo

Subtotal: $3.01

Great Post-Punk via promo for Ariel Maniki + The Black Halos was a new thing for these ears. And promo was most of the month’s music. The Twistettes had a barn burner of an album on Last Night From Glasgow. We were gifted the two Shriekback albums we never managed to buy on CD so now we can deep dive into the Shriekback Rock G.P.A. that I suspect will keep us busy for months. The Darkwave bulldozer keeps rolling on with excellent new work from Ductape and the new to my ears, Larsovitch.

April 2025

1. Illuminati: Thunder Among The Lillies – Shriekback – UK – DL – gift
2. Mothloop: Contaminated Disco – Bandcamp – UK – DL – Bandcamp/Promo
3. Mothloop: Decontaminated – Bandcamp – UK – DL – Bandcamp/Promo
4. Bolero: Gypsy – She Records – US – 12” – gift
5. John Foxx: Wherever You Are – Metamatic – META79CD – UK – CD – Foxx Webstore/$12.73
6. John Foxx: Wherever You Are – Metamatic – META79LP – UK – LP [clear] – Foxx Webstore/$26.38
7. Jan Linton + Fluid Japan: Goodnight Mr. Ginger [Last Dreaming] – Bandcamp – US – DL – Bandcamp/$3.00
8. Intelligentsia + Fluid Japan: Live Life Loud [Fluid Japan’s Sealab Remix Radio Edit] – Bandcamp – US – DL – Bandcamp/$3.00
9. Steely Dan: Pretzel Logic – MCA – MCAD-31165 – US – CD – Library sale/$1.00
10. Generation Blitz: Dusk To Dawn – State of Bass – UK – DL – Bandcamp/gift
11. Generation Blitz 2: Concrete + Chrome – State of Bass – UK – DL – Bandcamp/gift
12. Generation Blitz 3: Extended – State of Bass – UK – DL – Bandcamp/gift
13. Gardening By Moonlight: Green Light / History – Bandcamp – UK – DL – Bandcamp/£4.00
14. David Bowie: Toy DLX – Parlophone – CDTOYBOX 1 – US – 3xCD – Lunchbox Records/$36.99 [trade val]
15. The Boomtown Rats: Citizens Of Boomtown – BMG – 538592342 – UK – CD – Lunchbox Records/$6.00 [$3.00 after trade]
16. Generation Blitz 4 [Mutant Electro] – State Of Bass – UK – DL – Bandcamp/promo

Subtotal: $54.11

Fantastic promo from Mothloop with their “Contaminated Disco” album that lived up to the Shriekback derived band name. With a remix album to boot. The label head also curated the Generation Blitz series which cherry picked from the new generation of bands taking their inspiration from the Post-Punk period. John Foxx continued his exploration of piano music on his latest album, which explicitly referenced Harold Budd on its cover. Fluid Japan and Jan Linton teamed up for a single and We got to hear René Peraza’s early days in his band, Bolero.

A trip to a record store trading off a few of the 1000 CDs I want to liquidate netted the boxed version of David Bowie’s “Toy” album. For a while, I would have been happy with the single CD edition, but this was all they had in the store that I was interested in. My good luck that the 3xCD version was far more compelling that I had imagined! The only other disc there to spark any curiosity was the Boomtown Rats reformation album, “Citizens Of Boomtown;” a mostly successful exercise marred only be a few [albeit severe] lapses in judgement near the end and of course, the absence of Johnny Fingers.

May 2025

1. Simple Minds: Live In The City Of Diamonds – BMG – 964141672 – US – 2xCD – Simple Minds webstore/£21.00/$26.25
2. Jeffrey Runnings: Piqued – Independent Project Records – USP – CD – Promo
3. Chopper Franklin: The Hexed Dub – Ratchet Blade Records – US – DL – Bandcamp/$3.00
4. Les Longs Adieux: Perfect Day – Bandcamp – IT – DL – Promo
5. Henry Badowski: Life’s A Grand – Caroline True Records – CTRUE33CD – UK – CD – Bandcamp/£12.49/$16.65
6. Various: Infamous-Post-Punk 1978-81 Mix – Caroline True Records – UK – DL – gift
7. The Blow Monkeys: Birdsong – Creation Youth – UK – DL – iTunes/$0.99
8. Scenius: Beat The Light – MMXX – EU – DL – Promo

Subtotal: $46.89

Simple Minds cranked out the third part of their “Live In The City Of…” trilogy as if we needed another Simple Minds live album…and we found to our astonishment that we did! The first half of disc one was an embarrassment of riches that led to an ever lengthening series of expletives muttered under my breath in both awe and astonishment. The late Jeffrey Runnings posthumous release gave us an insight into his Post-Punk roots we had been previously ignorant of. Chopper Franklin released another chapter of his Dub project and Henry Badowski’s lone solo album [that’s been on the Monastic want list since it’s 1980 release] finally saw life on the silver disc. Huzzah!

June 2025

1. René Peraza: The World Is Your Oyster – US – DL – Promo
2. Thalie Némésis: Catarsi Apotropaica – Bandcamp – FR – DL – Bandcamp/$6.00
3. Various: Disco Discharge Presents More Sin – Box Of Sin Volume 2 (Full-Length Gay Clubbing 1980-1989) – Edsel – EDSL0214 – UK – 5xCD – gift

Subtotal: $6.00

A quiet month with a boxed set of gay club tracks being a mountain I’ve yet to fully climb in the tumult of this summer.

Half Year Subtotal: 58 releases | $337.85 | average cost – $5.83/title

July 2025

1. Men Without Hats: I ♥ The 80s – MWH Entertainment – CAN – DL – iTunes/$0.99
2. Claudia Brücken: Night Mirror Deluxe – Edsel – EDSL0250X – UK – autographed 2xCD – Lexer Music/£19.00/$25.65
3. Anna Never: Serpi In Seno – Bandcamp – IT – DL – Bandcamp/Promo
4. Scenius: Swift As Light – Bandcamp – UK – DL – Bandcamp/Promo
5. Bass Kittens: Something New – Bandcamp – US – DL – Bandcamp/Promo
6. Sunshine Blind: Unreleased Vol. 1 – Bandcamp – US – DL – Bandcamp/Promo
7. Motylki: Chrysalis – Novoton – NOVO142 – SWE – LP – Promo
8. Stilla Havet: Natten – Novoton – NOVO132 – SWE – blue LP – Promo
9. It’s For Us: Out Of Time – Novoton – NOVO138 – SWE – LP – Promo
10. Katherina Nuttall: The Garden – Novoton – NOVO106 – SWE – LP – Promo
11. Mirny Mine: The Other Part – Novoton – NOVO087 – 89/125 – SWE – LTD. ED. LP – Promo
12. Avfall: Weltschmerz – Novoton – NOVO144 – SWE – CD – Promo
13. Nostalgia Deathstar: They Kill The Flame – State of Bass – UK – DL – Bandcamp/Promo
14. Peter Godwin + T42: Images Of Heaven – Bandcamp – US – DL – Bandcamp/$2.00
15. Peter Godwin/Johnson Somerset/Neuvo – Sunset Rise DLXRM – US – DL – iTunes/$10.99

Subtotal: $39.63

A witty single from Men Without Hats was just what we needed following their still memorable live turn in the summer of 2024. Claudia Brücken released a compelling solo album to explore the songs that fall out of the purview of xPropaganda. A brace of Swedish artist LPs mock my inability to find time to play LPs, while the Avfall “Weltschmerz” album from the same label was a bracing and eclectic Post-Punk deep dive. With a Peter Godwin live show imminent last summer, I finally got the Neuvo album by Peter Godwin and Johnson Somerset so that Peter Godwin Rock G.P.A. can now happen! And a promo of the new Nostalgia Deathstar album showed that it’s possible to hit all of the Monastic points of interest at once with what will no doubt be the album of the year for my ears. Electric beats, vibe, and politics in a package of maximum potency.

August 2025

1. Papillion De Nuit: Frozen Charlotte – Bandcamp – UK – DL – Promo
2. Sparks: Mad! – Transgressive Records – TRANS850CD – US – CD – Harvest Records/$12.99
3. Pulp: More. – Rough Trade – RT0541CD – US – CD – Harvest Records/$13.99
4. Shriekback: Clink Jam – Shriekback – SHRIEK021CD – UK – CD – Shriekback Webstore/£6.00/$8.10
5. Stic Basin: III – Shriekback – UK – CD – Shriekback Webstore/£5.00/$6.75
6. Shriekback: Monument – Shriekback – UK – CD – gift
7. Stic Basin: In Dub – Shriekback – UK – CD – gift
8. Stefan Netschio + A State of Flux: Dislocation – Bandcamp – UK – DL – Bandcamp/£3.00/$4.05
9. Pulp: 40 Odd Years (Live. Rare. Unreleased. 1982-2025) – MOJO – June 2025 – UK Magazine + CD – Rough Trade/$14.99
10. A Flock Of Seagulls: Some Dreams – August Day – US – DL – iTunes/$9.99
11. A Flock Of Seagulls: All To You [ext. ver.] – August Day – US – DL – iTunes/$0.99
12. A Flock Of Seagulls: Some Dreams [ext. ver.] – August Day – US – DL – iTunes/$0.99
13. A Flock Of Seagulls: Him [ext. remix] – August Day – US – DL – iTunes/$0.99
14. A Flock Of Seagulls: Lovers + Strangers [ext. remix] – August Day – US – DL – iTunes/$0.99
15. Bryan Ferry: Mamouna DLX RM – BMG – BMGCAT796TCD – WORLD – 3xCD – Time Traveler/$29.99
16. Electribe 101: Electribal Memories DLX RM – Edsel – EDSL0165 – UK – 4xCD – Time Traveler/$46.99
17. Bruce Woolley + The Camera Club: The Definitive Anthology 1977-1981 – Cherry Red – CRCD3BOX188 – UK – 3xCD – Time Traveler/$30.99
18. Peter Godwin: The Polydor Years – Strike Force Entertainment – SFE 111D – UK – 2xCD – Discogs/$14.99

Subtotal: $197.78

Following the I-never-expected-this Peter Godwin live show I remembered to buy the must-have 2xCD that was issued while we were heading to Europe for a massive vacation last year. This is material I’ve been waiting for a silver disc of for over 40 years. Then the new Sparks album in advance of their concert in September was a must. Even moreso for Pulp’s return to the studio following a 24 year lapse and their concert as well! The Mojo compilation og Pulp rarities was also necessary. Hard copy of the new Shriekback arrived and with it a larger order of historical and adjacent material.

The new album by A Flock Of Seagulls came into the Record Cell in a sideways fashion. More on that eventually. And a trip to Time Traveler Records in Akron was happening and I took the opportunity to take the reins of my strongest musical desires to special order whatI wanted to buy instead of settling for what was there. High value packages from Bryan Ferry, Electribe 101 and Bruce Woolley and the Camera Club now in the Record Cell were the result.

September 2025

1. Sparks: Madder! – Transgressive Records – TRANS891CD – WORLD – CD – merch/$15.00
2. Stephen ‘Tin Tin’ Duffy – Icing On The Cake – 10 Records – TIN 3-12 – UK – 12” + poster – Wuxtry/$3.00
3. A Flock Of Seagulls: Nightmares – Jive – JIVE T 33 – UK – 12” – Wuxtry/$3.00
4. Private Lives: Because You’re Young – Chrysalis – CHS 12 2564 – UK – 12” – Wuxtry/$3.00
5. Head Noise: Working On A Laptop – Bandcamp – WALES – DL – Bandcamp/£3.00/$4.04
6. Jyl: Jyl – Minimal Wave – MW075 – US – LP – Minimal Wave/$24.00
7. Vicious Pink: Unexpected – Minimal Wave – MW082 – US – clear green LP – Minimal Wave/$24.00
8. Figures On A Beach: Play – The Sound Cove – US – DL – Bandcamp/$4.50
9. Rainsurfer: In A Different World – Bandcamp – UK – DL – Bandcamp/$3.00
10. Fluid Japan: [Sometimes I Feel] I Just Can’t Carry On – Bandcamp – US – DL – Bandcamp/$3.00
11. A COAT: A COAT – Bandcamp – UK – DL – promo
12. Robert Palmer: Double Fun – Culture Factory – 850703003262 – US – CD – gift
13. Robert Fripp: Washington Square Church – Discipline Global Mobile – DGMSP103 – UK – CD + 4.0 DVD-A – gift
14. The Chameleons: Script Of A Bridge – Blue Apple Music – BAMCD16 – UK – CD+DVD – gift
15. Mari Wilson: The Neasden Queen Of Soul – Cherry Red – QCDTRED876 – UK – 3xCD – gift
16. Steven Jones + Fluid Japan: Truth – Bandcamp – US – DL – Bandcamp/$2.50
17. Sextile: Yes, Please – Sacred Bones Records – SBR-357 – US – CD – merch/$15.00
18. Automatic: Is It Now? – Stones Throw Records – STH2508 – US – CD – merch/$10.00
19. John Foxx + The Maths: Evidence – Metamatic – META31LP – UK – magenta LP – John Foxx webstore/$32.00
20. John Foxx: No-One Driving – Metamatic – META82LP – UK – LP – John Foxx webstore/$32.00

Subtotal: $178.04

A busy month of purchases. Too busy for my tastes [and budget] but you can’t always have the luxury of hanging back. Especially in this modern era of sneeze-and-you-miss-them releases. I was shocked to see a new Sparks EP at their concert merch so swiftly on the heels of the mother album. And happy that it was on the silver disc! A trip to sell CDs to Wuxtry Decatur also found a trio of 12” singles calling my name. I can’t believe I’m still finding new editions of “Icing On The Cake” that I haven’t already collected in 40 years! I’ve got: TIN 3, TING 3-12, TING 3, TIN 3-13, TIN 3-12, and a European pressing on 12″ for good measure. I finally ordered the two Minimal Wave albums that have been haunting me for over a year!

The Jyl album was something calling my name for years prior to the reissue but not at the three figures it was going for! And another Vicious Pink tape closet raid? Sign me up! I was surprised to see Figures On A Beach return and Fluid Japan had a busy month with three releases/collaborations that only broadened their profile. The Steven Jones teamup was unexpected but brilliant [more later]! A COAT had a bold album that really turned my head after it was brought to my attention.

Birthday month pointed to some long-time, long-term wants being given to my by loved ones. The Mari Wilson package that finally got down her debut album in its correct running and then some. My wife at last got the final Robert Palmer studio album that’s evaded me…all we need now are the two live albums. And the Fripp Firppertronics outing was a must if only for being the one such release that had his live playing over the loops he constructed which was the whole point of Frippertronic touring! And now I finally have the debut from The Chameleons! I had the heavily edited US album when it came out, but when I discovered that it was light by a third of the music I sold it off with the intent of getting the “real” UK edition. Forty years later…

I enjoyed two new to me bands in concert last month and bought their new discs [CD format!] at the merch afterward! Automatic and Sextile were great to hear! And finally, John Foxx issued two albums on his Metamatic label which we buy everything from.

October 2025

1. Bob Gaulke: [S]words – Bandcamp – US – CD-R – gift
2. Bob Gaulke: [detail] – Bandcamp – US – CD-R – gift
3. Bob Gaulke: When Are These Not Difficult Times? – Bandcamp – US – CD-R – gift
4. Bob Gaulke: Free Concert For The People That Live Next Door – Bandcamp – US – CD-R – gift
5. Heaven 17: There’s Something About You – US – DL – iTunes/$0.99
6. Deena: This Is The Time – Bandcamp – US – DL – Bandcamp/$4.50
7. Men Without Hats: Live – Bandcamp – CAN – DL – Bandcamp/C$8.00/$5.69
8. Ariel Maniki + The Black Halos: Witches – Bandcamp – CR – DL – Bandcamp/$2.50
9. Kill Shelter: Slow Burn Sorrow – Bandcamp – UK – DL – promo
10. Lou Reed + Metallica: Lulu – Warner Brothers Records – 529084-2 – US – 2xCD – Hickory antique mall/$15.00
11. Neneh Cherry: Raw Like Sushi 30th Anniv. DLM RM box – Virgin – 06025 7767797 7 – EUR – 3xCD box – Discogs/$23.24
12. Scenius: 13 Billion Dark Years – Bandcamp – UK – DL – promo
13. Ultravox: Love’s Great Adventure Blank+Jones so80s Reconstruction – Chrysalis Catalogue – UXC9 – UK – CD-5 – Ultravox webstore/$12.87
14. Lene Lovich Band: Live In Frankfort 2015 – Official Bootleg – Bandcamp – UK – DL – Bandcamp/£12.00/$16.06
15. Lene Lovich Band: Savages II – Bandcamp – UK – DL – Bandcamp/£3.00/$4.01

Subtotal: $84.86

November 2025

…More to come