B-Side

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B-Side An uncommon music shop in downtown Madison with a striking array of new, classic, and unusual Vinyl &

35 years ago today, Matthew Sweet released “Girlfriend”. This third album by the 26-year-old indie pop songwriter was hi...
10/22/2026

35 years ago today, Matthew Sweet released “Girlfriend”. This third album by the 26-year-old indie pop songwriter was his breakthrough, earning excellent reviews. Reaching #100 Billboard may not seem like a breakthrough, but it was for this Nebraska born, Georgia based artist; this remains his best-known work, now considered a power-pop classic, with fan-favorite songs “Evangeline” “I’ve Been Waiting” “Divine Intervention” + “Girlfriend”. It was voted 7th best album of 1991 in the Village Voice critics poll; later, The A.V. Club ranked it the best power-pop album of the decade. Fun fact: Though Sweet is an accomplished guitarist in his own right and also played bass and keys here, he invited top-tier guitarists Robert Quine, Richard Lloyd, Greg Leisz & Lloyd Cole to join him on this album. Drums by Fred Maher & Ric Menck. Late 1950s cover photo of actress Tuesday Weld. Review in Comments.

October 22 Birthdays: Franz Liszt b.1811; Clare Fischer b.1928; Dory Previn b.1929; Bobby Fuller and Annette Funicello b.1942; Leslie West (Mountain) b.1945; Stiv Bators (The Dead Boys) b.1949; Urszula Dudziak is 83; Eddie Brigati (The Rascals) is 81; Greg Hawkes (The Cars) is 74; Jane Bunnett and Howe Gelb (Giant Sand) are 70; Darryl Jenifer (Bad Brains) and Cris Kirkwood (Meat Puppets) are 66; TobyMac (DC Talk) is 62; John Wesley Harding is 61; Shaggy and Shelby Lynne are 58; Doug Wamble is 54; Tim Kinsella (Joan of Arc) is 52; Jon Foreman (Switchfoot) is 50; Zac Hanson (Hanson) is 41.

Notice: B-Side is OPEN Mon-Thurs 10-6 / Fri+Sat 10-7 / Sunday 11-5. Email [email protected] or message here to support our shop with any Vinyl, CD, t-shirt or gift card orders, for pickup or shipment to your home. Thank you for shopping local 🙂

If you enjoy our human-written (no AI) daily posts celebrating historic albums, songs & artist birthdays, please invite your friends to follow the B-Side page, thanks

50 years ago today, Kansas released “Leftoverture” (our copy here). Co-led by songwriters Kerry Livgren (26) and Steve W...
10/21/2026

50 years ago today, Kansas released “Leftoverture” (our copy here). Co-led by songwriters Kerry Livgren (26) and Steve Walsh (25), this fourth LP by the Topeka prog- / art-rock sextet saw mixed reviews, yet climbed to #5 Billboard and sold over 4 million in the States alone, boosted by their first Top 40 single “Carry On Wayward Son” ( #11). Co-produced with Jeff Glixman; issued on Kirshner Records. Cover illustration by Dave McMacken. Review in Comments.

October 21 Birthdays: Don Byas b.1912; Owen Bradley b.1915; Dizzy Gillespie b.1917; Celia Cruz b.1925; Derek Bell (The Chieftains) b.1935; Jimmy Beaumont (The Skyliners) b.1940; Steve Cropper (Booker T. & the M.G.'s) b.1941; Lux Interior (The Cramps) b.1946; Brent Mydland (Grateful Dead) b.1952; Manfred Mann is 86; Elvin Bishop is 84; Ron Elliott (The Beau Brummels) is 83; Lee Loughnane (Chicago) is 80; Jerry Bergonzi is 79; Charlotte Caffey (The Go-Go's) and Eric Faulkner (Bay City Rollers) and Marc Johnson are 73; Fred Hersch is 71; Steve Lukather (Toto) and Julian Cope (The Teardrop Explodes) are 69; Rose McDowall (Strawberry Switchblade) is 67; Nick Oliveri (Kyuss / Queens of the Stone Age) is 55; Matthew Friedberger (The Fiery Furnaces) is 54; Josh Ritter 50; RAYE is 29.

Notice: B-Side is OPEN Mon-Thurs 10-6 / Fri+Sat 10-7 / Sunday 11-5. Email [email protected] or message here to support our shop with any Vinyl, CD, t-shirt or gift card orders, for pickup or shipment to your home. Thank you for shopping local 🙂

If you enjoy our human-written (no AI) daily posts celebrating historic albums, songs & artist birthdays, please invite your friends to follow the B-Side page, thanks

Released in the UK 40 years ago today: “Get Close” by Pretenders (two weeks later in the U.S.). Arriving almost three ye...
10/20/2026

Released in the UK 40 years ago today: “Get Close” by Pretenders (two weeks later in the U.S.). Arriving almost three years after their transitional, splintered, yet popular “Learning to Crawl” LP, this fourth album was another difficult transition, recorded over many sessions with many guests, as leader Chrissie Hynde (35) fired founding drummer Martin Chambers after recording one song (the album-closing cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Room Full of Mirrors”), leaving Hynde as the only original member. Other tracks were produced by Jimmy Iovine & Bob Clearmountain, with 19 musicians credited over various songs, including Bernie Worrell, Simon Phillips & Bruce Thomas. Get Close reached #25 Billboard ( #6 UK). Critical reaction was mixed. The singles were “Don’t Get Me Wrong” “My Baby” + “Hymn to Her”. Review in Comments.

October 20 Birthdays: Charles Ives b.1874; Jelly Roll Morton b.1885; Grandpa Jones b.1913; Tom Dowd b.1925; Eddie Harris and Bill Chase (Chase) b.1934; Tom Petty b.1950; Wanda Jackson is 89; Ric Lee (Ten Years After) is 81; Al Greenwood (Foreigner) is 75; Thomas Newman is 72; Martin Taylor is 70; Anouar Brahem is 69; Mark King (Level 42) is 68; Jim Sonefeld (Hootie & the Blowfish) and Luciano are 62; Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub) is 61; Fred Coury (Cinderella) is 60; Russell Gunn and Snoop Dogg are 55; Tom Wisniewski (MxPx) is 50; Nick Hodgson (Kaiser Chiefs) is 49; Paul Wilson (Snow Patrol) is 48; Gary Jarman (The Cribs) is 46.

Notice: B-Side is OPEN Mon-Thurs 10-6 / Fri+Sat 10-7 / Sunday 11-5. Email [email protected] or message here to support our shop with any Vinyl, CD, t-shirt or gift card orders, for pickup or shipment to your home. Thank you for shopping local 🙂

If you enjoy our human-written (no AI) daily posts celebrating historic albums, songs & artist birthdays, please invite your friends to follow the B-Side page, thanks

30 years ago today, 25-year-old English songwriter Beth Orton released “Trailer Park”. Dubbed ‘folktronica’ by the music...
10/19/2026

30 years ago today, 25-year-old English songwriter Beth Orton released “Trailer Park”. Dubbed ‘folktronica’ by the music press, this album sold several hundred thousand copies while earning excellent reviews. To most listeners, this appeared as her debut, though it actually was her second album (the rare first CD [1993] was only issued in Japan in small quantities, never reissued, and now trades for hundreds of dollars). Orton’s distinctive voice and songwriting on Trailer Park, with production blending acoustic folk with trip-hop & electronica, stood out in 1996, garnering nominations for two BRIT awards and the Mercury Prize (best UK album). Its single was “She Cries Your Name.” Other fan-favorite tracks: “Sugar Boy” “Don’t Need a Reason” + “Live as You Dream”. Fun fact: Four months ago, Beth issued her acclaimed ninth album “The Ground Above” and is currently touring the UK. Review in Comments.

October 19 Birthdays: Piano Red b.1911; Dave Guard (The Kingston Trio) b.1934; Peter Tosh b.1944; Gloria Jones b.1945; Keith Reid (Procol Harum) b.1946; Karl Wallinger (World Party) b.1957; Frankie Paul b.1965; Eddie Daniels is 85; George McCrae is 82; Jeannie C. Riley is 81; Wil Hart (Delfonics) is 79; Patrick Simmons (The Doobie Brothers) is 78; Ronnie Burrage is 67; Jennifer Holliday and Woody Woodgate (Madness) are 66; Kool Keith is 63; Todd Park Mohr (Big Head Todd & the Monsters) is 61; Pras (Fugees) is 54; Pete Loeffler (Chevelle) is 50; Gregory Alan Isakov is 47; Elaine Bradley (Neon Trees) is 42.

Notice: B-Side is OPEN Mon-Thurs 10-6 / Fri+Sat 10-7 / Sunday 11-5. Email [email protected] or message here to support our shop with any Vinyl, CD, t-shirt or gift card orders, for pickup or shipment to your home. Thank you for shopping local 🙂

If you enjoy our human-written (no AI) daily posts celebrating historic albums, songs & artist birthdays, please invite your friends to follow the B-Side page, thanks

35 years ago today, Velvet Crush released “In the Presence of Greatness”. Produced with and featuring Matthew Sweet, thi...
10/18/2026

35 years ago today, Velvet Crush released “In the Presence of Greatness”. Produced with and featuring Matthew Sweet, this debut album by the Rhode Island-based trio of Paul Chastain on vocals & bass; Ric Menck on drums & vocals; + Jeffrey Borchardt [formerly of Madison/Milwaukee jangle-pop band White Sisters] on guitars) did not chart but is now regarded as an underground power-pop classic. Issued on London’s Creation Records; later on the tiny, fleeting Ringers Lactate label in the States. Review in Comments.

October 18 Birthdays: Bobby Troup b.1918; Anita O'Day b.1919; Jessie Mae Hemphill b.1923; Buddy MacMaster b.1924; Chuck Berry b.1926; J.C. Moses b.1936; Ronnie Bright (The Valentines) b.1938; Cynthia Weil b.1940; Joe Egan (Stealers Wheel) b.1946; Laura Nyro b.1947; Gary Richrath (REO Speedwagon) b.1949; Nic Potter (Van der Graaf Generator) b.1951; Catherine Ringer (Les Rita Mitsouko) b.1957; Russ Giguere (The Association) is 83; Howard Shore is 80; Vanessa Briscoe Hay (Pylon) is 71; Wynton Marsalis is 65; Dan Lilker (Nuclear Assault) and Sam Prekop (The Sea and Cake) are 62; Curtis Stigers is 61; Bill Stewart is 60; Peter Svensson (The Cardigans) is 52; Simon Rix (Kaiser Chiefs) is 48; Ne-Yo is 44; Esperanza Spalding is 42.

Notice: B-Side is OPEN Mon-Thurs 10-6 / Fri+Sat 10-7 / Sunday 11-5. Email [email protected] or message here to support our shop with any Vinyl, CD, t-shirt or gift card orders, for pickup or shipment to your home. Thank you for shopping local 🙂

If you enjoy our human-written (no AI) daily posts celebrating historic albums, songs & artist birthdays, please invite your friends to follow the B-Side page, thanks

Tickets giveaway! Win two tickets to see Fruit Bats at Majestic Madison next Friday...to enter, first make sure you can ...
10/17/2026

Tickets giveaway! Win two tickets to see Fruit Bats at Majestic Madison next Friday...to enter, first make sure you can attend, and can pick up the tickets at our store by 6pm Friday, then tag someone who might also want to attend, in Comments 👇
We will select a winner at random soon...

60 years ago today, The 13th Floor Elevators released their groundbreaking first LP "The Psychedelic Sounds of:" (back &...
10/17/2026

60 years ago today, The 13th Floor Elevators released their groundbreaking first LP "The Psychedelic Sounds of:" (back & front covers shown). It starts with the Austin Texas band's only charting single "You're Gonna Miss Me" ( #55 Billboard), which, 34 years later, soundtracks the opening scene in “High Fidelity”, the comedic film depicting record store culture, based on the Nick Hornby novel. Other fan-favorite songs include "Reverberation" "Roller Coaster" + "Fire Engine". Fronted by 19-year-old singer, guitarist, songwriter Roky Erickson, this album, obscure in 1966, was seminal in the creation of “psychedelic rock” prior to the debut LPs of Pink Floyd & The Jimi Hendrix Experience; mostly recorded even before "Revolver" was issued. Over the years it gained influence far beyond its initial obscurity. Review in Comments.

October 17 Birthdays: Cozy Cole b.1909; Jack Owens b.1912; Luiz Bonfá b.1922; Barney Kessel b.1923; Rico Rodriguez (The Specials) b.1934; Earl Thomas Conley b.1941; Jim Seals (Seals and Crofts) b.1942; Michael Hossack (The Doobie Brothers) b.1946; Gary Puckett is 84; Jim Tucker (The Turtles) is 80; David St. Hubbins (Spın̈al Tap) is 79; Jeff Davis (Amazing Rhythm Aces) is 77; Joseph Bowie (Defunkt) is 73; Pino Palladino is 69; Howard Alden and Alan Jackson are 68; Ziggy Marley is 58; Wyclef Jean (Fugees) is 57; Mary Timony (Helium / Ex Hex) is 56; Chris Kirkpatrick (NSYNC) is 55; Eminem is 54; Russell Hall (Tyranny is Tyranny) is ??

Notice: B-Side is OPEN Mon-Thurs 10-6 / Fri+Sat 10-7 / Sunday 11-5. Email [email protected] or message here to support our shop with any Vinyl, CD, t-shirt or gift card orders, for pickup or shipment to your home. Thank you for shopping local 🙂

If you enjoy our human-written (no AI) daily posts celebrating historic albums, songs & artist birthdays, please invite your friends to follow the B-Side page, thanks

Released 55 years ago today: “La Question” by Françoise Hardy. This eleventh studio LP by the 27-year-old Parisian songw...
10/16/2026

Released 55 years ago today: “La Question” by Françoise Hardy. This eleventh studio LP by the 27-year-old Parisian songwriter was a collaboration with Brazilian guitarist Tuca (26), who co-wrote and co-arranged this album with Hardy, giving her French chamber-pop a decidedly bossa nova flavor. Though it didn’t sell well at the time, La Question is now viewed as a key evolutionary point in Françoise’s career and remains one of her most acclaimed titles, with Pitchfork later scoring it 9 of 10. Several artists have cited it as influential. Review in Comments.

This week’s New Releases: Fontaines D.C.; The Avalanches; Dummy; Babehoven; @ (at, the band); Eels; Sadurn; Machine Girl; Bernard Allison; Larry June; Rachel Chinouriri ARCHIVAL: Jimi Hendrix 5/30/1970; Gong ‘73; Television: Adventure deluxe; Tom Verlaine vinyl reissues; Heavens to Betsy ‘92-’94; Dave Alvin ‘98; Andy Shauf: The Party deluxe; A Perfect Circle ‘18; Car Seat Headrest: Teens of Denial reimagined

October 16 Birthdays: Big Joe Williams b.1903; Stoney Cooper b.1918; Bert Kaempfert b.1923; Sugar Pie DeSanto b.1935; Nico (The Velvet Underground) b.1938; Roger Hawkins (Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section) b.1945; Bob Weir (Grateful Dead) b.1947; Cordell Mosson (Parliament-Funkadelic) b.1952; Roy Hargrove b.1969; Tomas Lindberg (At the Gates) b.1972; Fred Turner (BTO) is 83; Ray Anderson is 74; Tony Carey (Planet P Project) is 73; Tim Berne is 72; Gary Kemp (Spandau Ballet) is 67; Bob Mould (Hüsker Dü / SUGAR) is 66; Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers) and Ken Chinn (SNFU) are 64; Wendy Wilson (Wilson Phillips) is 57; Chad Gray (Mudvayne) is 55; John Mayer is 49; Mary Halvorson is 46.

Notice: B-Side is OPEN Mon-Thurs 10-6 / Fri+Sat 10-7 / Sunday 11-5. Email [email protected] or message here to support our shop with any Vinyl, CD, t-shirt or gift card orders, for pickup or shipment to your home. Thank you for shopping local 🙂

If you enjoy our human-written (no AI) daily posts celebrating historic albums, songs & artist birthdays, please invite your friends to follow the B-Side page, thanks

Address

514 State St
Madison, WI
53703

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 6pm
Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Wednesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 7pm
Saturday 10am - 7pm
Sunday 11am - 5pm

Telephone

+16082551977

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