Free CDs with English Rock Mags

I am a fan of Mojo and Uncut, I find the writing and editing really good. I don't buy every issue, but many are excellent and one of the features is the free CDs. Often these are tribute CDs, sometimes compilations of period music, or sometimes themed, e.g. a collection of Xmas music or psychedelic music.

Occasionally there are real finds on these (for me), and here is one:



It's Kolob Canyon by The Assemble Head In Sunburst Sound, from an Uncut compilation in 2009 called Seeing For Miles. I love the spacey aggressive/psych rock sound. It reminds me a lot of the Ride My See-Saw by the Moody Blues. Love this tune! Thanks Uncut.

 

You really feel like you are getting some value for your cash buying those mags. Good stuff.

 

Do not forget Classic Rock; the topics are less diverse (compared to Uncut & Mojo), but the CDs are interesting.

 

Yes, although if I am not mistaken, that one tends to reprint older articles a lot.

 

Mojo did a great job with a free CD called Radio Clash a few years back. It has some excellent tracks on it picked by Mick Jones & Paul Simonon, including an exclusive live version of 'White Man' performed at the 100 Club by Joe & The Mescaleros.

 

Most BRITISH music magazines give cd's away on a regular basis, Shindig, Wire, Viva Le Rock, Classic Prog ect all have freebies once or twice a year.

 

There used to be a lot more cover versions, unreleased, rare tracks and remixes by better known artists on the cassettes and cds given away with Select, Uncut, Mojo, Q, etc. Today they are mostly samplers of new artists or collections selected by well known artists.

 

I habent bought those mags in a while but Mojo and uncut definitely turned me on to some great songs with their discs

 

I never listen to them.

 

Most people probably don't.

 

I find that very few of them are worth my time.

 

Mojo actually got me interested in checking out rock magazines again as Rolling Stone and Spin lost my interest years ago.

 

Prog Magazine has had some excellent sampler CDs.

First discovered Motorpsycho and Wobbler on them.

 

So true. I buy both Mojo & Uncut monthly and have piles of these cds that I've never heard.

I think the ONLY time I ever listened to ANY of the cds was Roots of Tommy:

 

I've discovered a handful of cool bands via the monthly free cd with Terrorizer...

 

The people who aren't listening can't comment meaningfully because - obviously - they don't know what they are missing. I'd say those CDs (from those I've heard) always have a few gems, as the song I linked above. On other threads, I've linked great Xmas songs from Superchunk and R.E.M. I'd never have heard but for the CDs.

 

The CDs are hit and miss, a lot of the same public domain stuff, but every once in a while one really rocks. The one called "Brain Damage" that came with the recent Pink Floyd issue is great, as was the Rival Sons sampler with Classic Rock this summer.

 

This one introduced me to Be Bop Deluxe and effectively began my Bill Nelson obsession:



The Hawkwind, Can and Hollywood Brats tracks are great, too. Also, has Mott the Hoople even been heavier than on the live Thunderbuck Ram featured here?

 

Does anyone else find the CD player skips the gaps between tracks on these freebies??

 

The loungey beginning of The Soft Machine's 'Two' kind of reminds me of YKMNLUTN ... it predated the Beatles vocals recording by a few months too so could have been an inspiration -