'The Blasters: An American Music Story' Vinyl Box Rocks RSD 4/12/25

'The Blasters: An American Music Story' Vinyl Box Rocks RSD 4/12/25
   • 'The Blasters: An American Music Story' Vi...  

Record producer/marketer Antone DeSantis joins former Rhino colleague Stephen K. Peeples to detail the restoration and reissue of The Blasters' catalog, which DeSantis is spearheading for the Liberation Hall music and movies reissue company.

The campaign includes an expanded version of the Los Angeles roots rock/Americana band's full-tilt "Over There" EP recorded live in London at The Venue in 1986, reissued in November 2024, and "The Blasters: An American Music Story: The Complete Studio Recordings 1979-1985" box set.

The latter, collecting all four of The Blasters' original studio LPs plus a new collection of rarities, was released on vinyl for Record Store Day on April 12, 2025.

The box set marks the first vinyl release of the first four Blasters albums with their original cover art since their original 1980s pressings: "American Music" (Rollin’ Rock, 1980), "The Blasters" (Slash Records, 1981; distributed by Warner Bros. Records in 1982), "Non Fiction" (Slash/Warner Bros., 1983), and "Hard Line" (Slash/Warner Bros., 1985).

The fifth LP, the 14-track "Rare Blasts," features studio outtakes and a pair of tracks recorded for the 1984 film "Streets of Fire." Randy Perry remastered all the music.

The set's 24-page booklet includes a 10,000-word essay about the band and these albums, penned by veteran L.A. music journalist, author, and box set co-producer Chris Morris.

Illustrating Morris' text are rare photos and memorabilia from the band members' personal archives, plus historical images by photographers Gary Leonard, Michael Hyatt, Joel Aparicio, and Ed Colvet. As a bonus, there's a 11"x17" replica of the poster Slash/Warner Bros. Records created in 1983 to promote "Non Fiction."

Fans and critics on both sides of the Atlantic consider The Blasters one of the bedrock Americana groups. The band formed in 1979 in Downey, California (south of East Los Angeles and north of Long Beach), and cross-pollinated roots rock with country, blues, R&B, and L.A. greaser street culture delivered with punk-rock attack.

Throughout their 1980s heyday, the lineup featured Phil Alvin (vocals, rhythm guitar); his brother and Grammy-winning songwriter Dave Alvin (lead guitar); Bill Bateman (drums); John Bazz (bass); Gene Taylor (keyboards); and Lee Allen and Steve Berlin (saxophones).

Available only in the U.S., "The Blasters: An American Music Story: The Complete Studio Recordings 1979-1985" is packaged in a hard-cover slipcase and limited to 1,000 hand-numbered sets.

More on Record Store Day:
https://recordstoreday.com/

More on Liberation Hall:
http://www.liberationhall.com/index.p...

The Blasters' official website:
http://theblasters.com/

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'The Blasters: An American Music Story' Vinyl Box Rocks RSD 4/12/25
   • 'The Blasters: An American Music Story' Vi...