The Special AKA: Nelson Mandela

The historic Nelson Mandela anthem, Kirsten Dunst in anime costume, a lot of NTS radio and more in our look at music this week

As the world mourns the passing of Nelson Mandela this week, we remember his profound spirit through the UK band The Special AKA’s 1984 catchy anthem, “Nelson Mandela“—released as “(Free) Nelson Mandela” stateside. Produced by Elvis Costello, the song fuses the band’s characteristic ska beats and brass with African harmonies, propelled by Stan Campbell’s persuasive voice. Differing from most political protest songs, it is upbeat, …

The Replacements: All Shook Down

Our look at the special releases and limited editions stemming from the vinyl-focused biannual holiday

Forming in the final year of the ’70s in Minneapolis, Minnesota, The Replacements ushered in the ’80s with their critically-acclaimed (if commercially unsuccessful) American indie rock sound. In 1990, a year before disbanding, they released the stripped-down album All Shook Down, which, likely due to the band’s cassette-tape obsessed fan base at the time, was never pressed on vinyl. For Record Store Day’s Back to …

Grateful Dead: Family Dog at the Great Highway

Our look at the special releases and limited editions stemming from the vinyl-focused biannual holiday

On April 18, 1970, the Grateful Dead took a break from incessant touring and returned to their stomping ground of San Francisco to play an all-acoustic show at local promoter Chet Williams’ small venue, known as Family Dog at the Great Highway (FDGH). The show was thought to go unrecorded, until this May, when Carolyn Garcia—a Merry Prankster better known as Mountain Girl—discovered she had …