Cleopatra US Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Highly collectible 7" vinyl from the dearly departed East Coast rap icon, Biz Markie! This re-cut version of Markie's classic ode to unrequited love has been remixed and remastered to sound better than ever. Released in 1989, far before the concept of the "friendzone" had crystallised and become a popular meme, we can hear its nascent stirrings in this subversion of original-era hip-hop, in which Markie crudely and comedically spans disgruntled, dejected raps and twinging croons, all expressive of the pain of rejection.

Review: Following 'New Rose' as only the second ever single released by The Damned, 'Neat Neat Neat' has gone on to become, not only one of the band's biggest hits, but a timeless punk anthem used in everything from series like The Boys and The Simpsons, to the epic heist/chase sequence in Edgar Wright's Baby Driver, to even being covered by vastly differing acts from Elvis Costello to My Chemical Romance. This vibrantly coloured 7" captures a handful of cuts from a 1994 live performance in Mulhouse, France, boasting the aforementioned single on the A-side with a curious selection of covers on the flip, ranging from Johnny Cash's 'I Walk The Line' to 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' from The Righteous Brothers and even a rendition of 60s mod originals The Craig's 'I Must Be Mad' lobbed in for good measure.

Review: 'Neat Neat Neat' might have only been the second single released by The Damned, but its timeless longevity as an essential punk staple has seen it appear in episodes of The Simpsons and The Boys while Edgar Wright would give the track yet another lease on life by using it to score the intense opening chase sequence in 2017's Baby Driver. That's before even mentioning the vastly differing artists it has influenced with everyone from My Chemical Romance to Elvis Costello taking a stab. Pressed to artwork complimenting purple wax, this 7" offers a slice of cuts captured during a set in Mulhouse, France in 1994, with the classic single on the A-side, while the flip boasts a dynamic yet bizarre bevvy of covers, from the likes of iconic pop duo The Righteous Brothers ('You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin') to 60's mods The Craig ('I Must Be Mad') to Johnny Cash's 'I Walk The Line'.

Review: The Exploited are one of the most important Scottish punk bands, period. Their hardcore sound started belting out from Edinburgh in 1979 and by the time they released their second album Troops Of Tomorrow three years later they were UK-wide legends. Of all the tracks on the album, 'USA' is one of the sharpest, calling out the superpower in no uncertain times set to a pile-driving hardcore beat. Now Cleopatra are pressing the tune on 7" for the very first time, backed with 'UK82' and 'Hey You', the latter of which was originally a secret track on Troops Of Tomorrow.

Review: Cleopatra Records are no strangers to collectible 7"s from the archives of Iggy & The Stooges. In recent times we've had the likes of 'The Passenger', 'Scene Of The Crime' and even a live spot with David Bowie in 1977 thrown into the mix. Now comes something which feels so right tucked up tight on a 45 - a raucous live rendition of The Kingsmen's classic beat track 'Louie Louie', a song which would go on to be a lifelong staple in Iggy Pop's performance career. On the flip comes another rarity - a blistering version of The Stooges' own cut, 'Wild Love', all pressed up on purple vinyl for your listening pleasure.

Review: Some songs are just eternal, no matter how many times you've heard them, and often those same songs are the ones which you never get round to owning on vinyl. It's an easy trap to fall into with Joy Division's most celebrated moment, given the ubiquity of the song, but don't underestimate how special it is to stick on when you need it most. Cleopatra continue their series of seminal songs pressed onto splatter vinyl with this all-time classic, backed up by another non-album essential from Ian Curtis and co, "Leader Of Men'.