Rough Trade Records announces second volume of singles boxset

Rough Trade Records has announced the release of ‘Rough Trade 45s: Volume 2’, a limited edition nine-disc boxset of seven-inch singles scheduled for release on October 30. The collection is limited to 1,000 copies and features repressings of handpicked tracks from the 1980s and 1990s.

A notable inclusion is a new single from The Smiths, featuring ‘The Headmaster Ritual’ and ‘I Want The One I Can’t Have’. Both tracks originally appeared on the 1985 album ‘Meat Is Murder’ but were never released as a single on the label. The release was made at the request of Morrissey and Johnny Marr, who also contributed sleeve notes. Morrissey selected the new artwork, which utilizes a 1939 image of American actor Billy Halop.

Other artists included in the boxset are The Fall, Scritti Politti, Robert Wyatt, Aztec Camera, The Go-Betweens, Jonathan Richman, The Sundays, and Mazzy Star. The accompanying booklet will feature interviews with Rough Trade co-directors Jeannette Lee and Geoff Travis, alongside contributions from figures such as Elvis Costello, Anton Corbijn, and Stewart Lee.