The January 2025 issue of Record Collector (#566) is in shops now or available here.

A message reveals: "This month, the cover stars are The Yardbirds, the band that launched the careers of three – count ‘em – guitar legends (Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page) and charted a course from blues revivalism to hard rock via flirtations with British invasion pop and the beat boom. Through new interviews with founding members Paul Samwell-Smith and Jim McCarty plus Graham Gouldman - who wrote several early Yardbirds hits and later formed 10cc – we tell the story of the band who merit contention alongside The Beatles, the Stones, The Kinks and The Who as true 60s pioneers.

"It's not all incendiary neo-psych guitar action this month. The remaining members of The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band explore the terrain they so cannily occupied between The Mothers Of Invention and Monty Python. Bob Stanley tells the story of the Now That’s What I Call Music! compilation series that is still going strong 40 years on. We meet US rock mavericks The Jesus Lizard. Jack Watkins hails the greatness of troubled soul man James Carr and the Goldwax label. Sean O’Hagan explores his work with not one but two melodic pop groups: Microdisney and The High Llamas. And we nominate 45 great Glasgow 45s.

"Elsewhere this issue… in News we report on the mixed fortunes of British vinyl pressing plants. Vinylist gives you all the vinyl release dates you could want. In RC Investigates we look at music-related stamp collections. The Collector this month considers the prized wares of End Of The Road festival boss Simon Taffe. In Value Added Facts we assess rare finds by Norma Tanega and Idris Muhammad. Diggin’ For Gold unearths old school hip hop 12”s and shines a spotlight on SteadyBoy Records. Most Wanted features a Stones T-Shirt, an Otis Redding contract and Madonna’s fan at auction.

"David Quantick, this month’s columnist, praises pop elders who persevere. Polly Paulusma and Rumer are among the Talking Heads. We spend 33 1/3 minutes with Betty Boo, back with a second new album in three years. In Competitions & Crossword you can win Chicago and Thin Lizzy vinyl. We go Under The Radar with Toby Lee and into The Engine Room with Toro Y Moi, Fantastic Negrito reveals the soundtrack of his life. We nominate 10 Of The Best live jazz albums.

"In Reviews, we plunder the Vaults to bring you releases by Laura Nyro, Talking Heads and The Creation and showcase new albums from Manic Street Preachers, Franz Ferdinand and Mogwai among many others. We inspect new books on The Doors, Rush, Fabric nightclub and Island Records perused, Singles from Robin Guthrie, Smog and John Douglas, and concerts by the Sex Pistols among many others. Finally, in Not Forgotten we salute the recently departed, including Cissy Houston, Andy Paley and Bob Bryar.

"We’re already hard at work on our February issue, with a cover story on Led Zeppelin circa the making of Physical Graffiti. Expect, also, in-depth reads on Tim Buckley, Blancmange, Dennis Bovell, Dogs D’Amour, Bob Hite of Canned Heat and Sheffield 45s.

"RC can be purchased from your local newsagent, our loyal army of record shop stockists, or you can start a subscription or buy individual copies from our shop. Meanwhile, check out our latest Record Collector Presents special editions: Oasis and John & Yoko are out now. The Rare Record Price Guide 2026 is also available.

"Keep collecting and many thanks for your continued support of Record Collector throughout 2024. And, of course, Happy New Year!"