Spector phil

First night fever: the phenomenal early work of the Gibb brothers, across six CDs

A redesign for life: 3CD set of agit-rockers in their prime

Uncut catches up with Kim Fowley and Rodney Bingenheimer

Astonishing 8-track avant-pop unearthed by Animal Collective

Lennon's troubled homage to the music he grew up with

It was hardly a long haul, coming together in 1965 and burning out by 1968, but in the words of Papa John: "We had so much fun for two years, there was no more fun to be had."Yet in that time, The Mamas & The Papas became the USA's pop royal family, the American Beatles. Like The Beatles, they were four instantly recognisable, distinct personalities, with the same ready wit, entertainment value and high visibility factor. John Phillips and wife Michelle, Cass Elliot and Denny Doherty looked and sounded like no other band in the land.

Legendary debut album plus stripped-back demos from female pop pioneers that time nearly forgot

Mr DiMucci puts adolescence to bed in slick urban soul collection

Sublime selection of Shangri-Las-style also-rans

Wayne holds court in front of the Lips' biggest non-festival audience to date