The Beatles Anthology Anthology 4 Anthology Collection
Apple Records
Available where records are sold, or from The Beatles Store (exlusive versions) or Amazon (heavily discounted)
The second entry today in The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide is a must-have for die-hard Beatles fans, and if you were paying close attention, you probably noticed that this was originally scheduled for last Friday, following up four days of solo Beatles gift ideas, but I had to hold it until now because when I scheduled the Gift Guide, I didn’t realize that it wasn’t released until today.
Back in August Beatle fans were surprised when it was announced that there would be a new release, Anthology 4, this Christmas. This is a follow-up to the three previous volumes, released on CD in 1995 and 1996, and is tied to the re-airing of the Beatles Anthology documentary series, with a new ninth episode, which will begin airing on Disney+ Thanksgiving Weekend.
Anthology 4 features 13 previously unreleased tracks and 17 songs selected from Super Deluxe versions of five classic albums. In addition to fascinating outtakes dating from 1963 to 1969, the album includes new 2025 mixes by Jeff Lynne of ‘Free As A Bird’ and ‘Real Love’. Anthology 4 presents 26 tracks that have never previously been released on vinyl.
This can be bought as a stand-alone release on vinyl or CD, but is also part of a huge, super-deluxe 12-LP set.
The Anthology Collection 12LP set includes the three groundbreaking Anthology albums from the mid-1990s, remastered in 2025 by Giles Martin, plus the new compilation, Anthology 4. Containing atotal of 191 tracks, the collection’s studio outtakes, live performances, broadcasts and demos reveal the musical development of The Beatles from 1958 to the final single ‘Now And Then’ released in 2023.
Pressed on 180g black vinyl, each 3LP album will be housed within a triple gatefold sleeve, featuring the original art, sleevenotes by Mark Lewisohn, and restored photos for Anthology 1-3; Anthology 4 has brand new sleevenotes written by Kevin Howlett alongside photos. The outer slipcase features the original Klaus Voorman triptych art, and a 3/4 O-Card image of the band with detailed track listing.
The Beatles Store exclusive format will contain 4 x 12” band photo art cards in a custom black, numbered envelope (8500 total). I’m not sure that the art cards are worth the extra expense. This set is also available as an 8 CD set for a fraction of the cost of the vinyl version.
It all depends on the preferred format for your giftee.
Whether you just go with the single release of Anthology 4, or the mega-boxset of all four volumes of Anthology, you can’t go wrong giving Beatles music to a Beatles fan.
The first entry today in The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide is for two great local businesses that…aren’t local to us. I know I tend to make PopCult a little WV-centric, but the truth is, probably 90% of our hundreds of thousands of readers are from outside of the state.
Heck, a big chunk are from outside the country.
So today I’m going to tell you about a couple of great, quirky local-to-other-cities businesses, both of whom have had products featured in the Gift Guide before, The Ky 4 Ky Fun Mall in Lexington, and Transit Tees in Chicago.
The Kentucky 4 Kentucky Fun Mall has a brick-and-mortar location at 1315 WINCHESTER ROAD #341 in Lexington, and while that may sound a little complicated, it isn’t. In fact, it’s in the Eastland Shopping Center, which is right on US 60.
Yes, that’s the same US 60 that runs through West Virginia. You could, if you wanted to take the scenic route, hop on 60 (MacCorkle Avenue) around the Mound in South Charleston, stay on US 60 and go West until you find yourself in Lexington a few hours later. The Eastland Shopping Center is on the right, just after you cross the Route 4/New Circle Road beltway.
Once you get there, you’ll find the Kentucky 4 Kentucky Fun Mall. It’s part tourist trap, part oddities museum, part gift store, but most famously it is the final resting place for the real life Cocaine Bear, of recent Hollywood movie fame. Is it the real Cocaine Bear?
Why not?
As KY 4 KY says…
OUR MISSION IS TO ENGAGE AND INFORM THE WORLD BY PROMOTING KENTUCKY PEOPLE, PLACES, AND PRODUCTS. AND TO KICK ASS FOR THE COMMONWEALTH!
Of course, they have a sizable assortment of T-shirts, soaps, stickers and even plush devoted to the creature that made cocaine funny again. They also have all kinds of other cool things, like shirts that list Kentucky cities with lewd-sounding names, and merchandise that tips its trucker hat to Colonel Sanders, Bourbon and popular racing horses.
KY 4 KY Fun Mall is filled with all kinds of cool stuff, not all of it Cocaine Bear-related, and it’s a fun diversion if you find yourself in Lexington. And if you don’t find yourself there, go to their website and at least buy yourself a Ho Bag.
Meanwhile, in Chicago, to which I cannot provide easy, if implausible, driving directions, we have Transit Tees. With locations in Wicker Park and Andersonville, and a very accessible website, this store celebrates the city of the wind with a variety of cool T Shirts, Hats. home decor items and several fun and exciting board games and card games.
They’ve also added some really cool LED home decor items lately.
You can find games devoted to the El, The Loop, Rat Hunting and some of the peculiar Chicago culinary creations. They also have jigsaw puzzles, Christmas ornaments, enamel pins, and, just as KY 4 KY has Cocaine Bear, Transit Tees has the Freakin’ Pope!
Best of all, until December 1, all website orders can get 24 % off by using the code, “24-OFF.”
Because it’s their 24th anniversary.
As for who they are, it’s all in their history…
Founded in 2001 by Tim Gillengerten, Transit Tees takes visuals from Chicago’s metropolitan landscapes and transforms them into fashionable artwork, accessories, home goods and more. An official manufacturer of Chicago Transit Authority products, Transit Tees locally designs, fabricates and retails their signature brand online and at two storefronts in Wicker Park and Andersonville. Items in stores are created in their design studio and produced on-site by local artists and craftsmen.
You can find all sort of cool gift ideas for anybody on your holiday shopping list who loves the city of Chicago (like your humble blogger and his wife, who got married there).
Because of delays in producing The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide, mixed with next week being Thanksgiving week, I will be running two week’s worth of this scaled down version of STUFF TO DO, without the lengthy boilerplate (you can find an example HERE), this week, so I can skip next week.
I realize this means I’m going to be glossing over a bunch of events, but…since the vast majority of our readers, especially this time of the year, are not local, it’s a worthwhile trade-off.
Until we get back to normal in December, more than ever, you should remember that THIS IS NOT A COMPLETE LIST OF EVENTS. It’s just a starting point, so don’t expect anything comprehensive, and if you feel strongly about me leaving anything out, feel free to mention it in the comments.
We very happily remind you that Cristen Michael has created an interactive calendar that is way more comprehensive than this list of STUFF TO DO, and you can find it HERE. Just click on the day and the event and you’ll be whisked away to a page with more details about loads of area events.
You can find live music in and around town every night of the week. You just have to know where to look. Keep in mind that all shows are subject to change or be cancelled at the last minute.
Here we go, roughly in order, it’s graphics for local events happening over the next couple of weeks that I was able to scrounge up online…
For today’s second entry in The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide we going to shine the spotlight on a pop culture behemoth that’s in a milestone anniversary year.
Seventy-Five years ago, Charles M. Schulz introduced the world to Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the gang in the comic strip, Peanuts. With this being an anniverary year, there is no shortage of great merchandise that would make the perfect gift for the Peanuts fan on your shopping list.
And you know you have one, if not more.
We’re going to look at books, toys and even a road trip, but there are boatloads of great gift ideas for the Peanuts fan. This is just a list to get you started.
The Essential Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz: The Greatest Comic Strip of All Time
by Mark Evanier (Author), Charles M. Schulz (Illustrator), Patrick McDonnell (Introduction), Jean Schulz (Foreword)
Harry N. Abrams
ISBN-13 : 978-1419784170
List Price $75. Heavy discounts available at Amazon and other booksellers.
This is one beautiful book.
This spectacular deluxe edition celebrates the 75th anniversary of Peanuts and the life, art, and legacy of Charles M. Schulz, and comes packaged with unique bonus materials.
Inside an embossed metallic slipcase, in addition to the one-of-a-kind 336-page full-color hardcover that collects more than 700 images, including Schulz’s most iconic comic strips and related ephemera, you will find tonw of extras: : 8 ready-to-frame prints, 5 vinyl stickers, 8 postcards, an iron-on patch, a full-color comic book, and more!
Award-winning author Mark Evanier provides insightful and entertaining Peanuts cultural and historical context. An introduction from Patrick McDonnell, a foreword by Jean Schulz, and appreciations and remembrances from key figures in the world of Peanuts make this book a unique milestone in Peanuts publishing.
Seventy-five years since the first Peanuts strip made its debut on October 2, 1950, the beloved comic and its iconic characters remain a touchstone for generations around the world. From cultural milestones such as NASA’s Apollo 10 lunar and command modules being named after Charlie Brown and Snoopy to the classic holiday specials that continue to draw millions of viewers, Peanuts has a lasting influence that few works of art or literature can claim. The power of these iconic characters is also evident from the popularity of modern-day animated movies and iPhone shorts, and even the Gen Z phenomenon of so-called “Snoopy Girls.”
This official book celebration of the 75th anniversary of Peanuts is produced in collaboration with Peanuts Worldwide and the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center in Santa Rosa, California.
This epic celebration of Peanuts is a must-have for any fan, and can be ordered from any bookseller. There are some remarkably heavy discounts at places like Amazon, Costco and other big retailers, but you can also support your local bookstore and buy it from them.
Fantagraphics Peanuts Books
For the completist, Fantagraphics has reprinted every Peanuts strip, in order, in twenty-six hardback volumes. They’ve also collected just the Sunday strips, and are beginning to reprint the hardbacks as more affordable trade paperback editions. They even have some themed collections to round out your Peanuts library.
The Complete Peanuts packages the entire 50-year run of Schulz’s American classic in 26 deluxe hardcover volumes. Each volume features two successive years of strips in their entirety, plus bonus material such as celebrity introductions, interviews, and a brief biography of Schulz himself.
As they say on their website:
Peanuts — beloved characters, iconic gags, drawing that finds beauty in its economic ink line. Fantagraphics is thrilled to publish Charles M. Schulz’s glorious creation, bringing our team’s design expertise and impeccable production values to bear on the most popular comic strip of all time.
You can find full description and order these books directly from Fantagraphics.
Super 7 Peanuts
Another company paying tribute to Charles Schulz and Peanuts is Super 7.
They’ve released an extensive line of Peanuts action figures, with a focus on the more stylized 1950’s and 60’s characters from the launch of the comic strip.
They have released Peanuts figures in their 3 3/4′ ReAction line, as well as their Ultimates line other cool collectibles. In addition to the toys, they’ve released apparel and trading cards, plus some very fun blind-box ReAction figures. Particularly nice is a grab-bag with a combination of perfect stocking-stuffer gifts.
If your Peanuts fan giftee would enjoy a road trip, anybody living in Charleston, Cleveland, Columbus or Pittsburgh can have a great day trip to Wheeling to visit The Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum.
In the basement, you will find a huge collection of Peanuts memorabilia. The display features part of a massive collection of Peanuts-related memorabilia accululated by Wheeling, West Virginia physician Dr. William Mercer over forty years of practicing pediatric medicine.
Dr. Mercer’s collection was largely assembled with patient’s gifts, beginning in 1987 after he designed a Snoopy-themed pediatric room at his practice. Over the years Dr. Mercer began doing outreach programs in schools, telling kids to be “Too Cool To Smoke” (and later vape).
We attended the opening in 2023, and produced a video, which you see at the bottom of this post. It’s an overwhelming expression of the love of Charlie Brown and Snoopy, and you can look at the exhibit for hours and keep finding new things.
The gift shop has quite a few Peanuts items too, so you can easily find a souvenir of your trip.
For the full details of when the museum is open, visit their website.
Stranger Things: The WSQK Collection (Target Exclusive, Vinyl)
SONY Legacy
Exclusively at Target
$21.99
The final season of the hit Netflix series, Stranger Things, will roll out over the next few weeks, with the first four episodes dropping the day after Thanksgiving. If you have a die-hard fan of the show on your shopping list, you can find a ton of merchandise tied in to the entire series. Both Walmart and Target have dedicated areas of the store devoted to Stranger Things, and today’s first entry in The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide is a Target exclusve, the red-vinyl release of Stranger Things: The WSQK Collection.
This LP, designed to look like a 1980s vinyl radio-station sampler,is based on WSQK “The Squawk” 94.5 FM, a fictional radio station that will act as the gang’s headquarters during the final season of the show as they try to track down Vecna. The station’s design is based on a real art deco-style building in Durham, North Carolina, which is close to where the show’s creators, the Duffer Brothers grew up.
It’s not the first time radio has been important in the show. Back in Season 1, the kids used the Heathkit Ham Shack in the school’s AV club to contact Eleven and find Will Byers. That shortwave radio ended up catching fire and was never seen again, but it played a key part in the early story. Now, WSQK looks set to take on that role in a much bigger way, complete with an underground bomb shelter and a proper 80s vibe.
To tie in with the new setting, Legacy Recordings has released a Target-exclusive compilation album called Stranger Things: The WSQK Collection. It’s pressed on red vinyl and features a brilliant mix of pop, punk, and new wave tracks that feel right at home in the world of Stranger Things.
Music has featured prominently on Stranger Things since the first season. A couple of years ago, due to be included in the show, Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” became a worldwide #1 smash, nearly forty years after it was originally released. This album recreates the 1980s vibe (where the show is set) with several pieces of classic period tunes:
Tiffany – I Think We’re Alone Now
The Clash – The Magnificent Seven
Queen – Bicycle Race
Pink Floyd – Another Brick In The Wall, Pt. 2
Diana Ross – Upside Down
Cheap Trick – Surrender
Altered Images – See Those Eyes
Scandal featuring Patty Smyth – The Warrior
Journey – Wheel In The Sky
It’s a strong collection that captures the spirit of the 80s and gives fans a taste of what might be coming in the final season. And it’s a great gift idea for fans of the show who also collect vinyl.
You can order it from Target, or buy it in the stores. They seem to have plenty in stock.
Eclectic Goods Market
1401 Charles Ave.Dunbar, WV
Open Wednesday-Sunday, 11 AM to 6 PM
A returning favorite, Eclectic Goods Market is a unique vintage and artisan mall located in Dunbar, WV. Their many vendors display a large selection of vintage finds, antiques, home decor, jewelry, artwork, clothing, and more. You can shop their curation of small West Virginia and Appalachia owned brands 5 days a week. This place is an overlooked gem, and I can’t stress enough how many unique gift ideas you can find here.
This is a great place to find everything from FiestaWare to comic books to vintage clothing, fair-trade goods, home-made soaps, vintage toys and more. There are over 200 vendors, and you will stumble across a treasure every ten or fifteen feet.
At this time of year they also have a terrific assortment of vintage and artisan Christmas ornaments and decorations.
If you want to be a vendor, you can find details at their website, but for our purposes, I’m suggesting that you go there in person and shop.
There are some great shops filled with great gift items, like Magpies’ Treasures, Gypsy Grace Boutique and other cool, funky shops, filled to the brim with great gift ideas.
LEGO Ideas Disney Pixar Luxo Jr. – Building Set for Adults
by LEGO
Availalbe where LEGO sets are sold, usually for between $60 and $80
We are breaking the rules a little for the first entry today in The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide. The Cloudfare outage combined with an Optimum outage and doctor appointments today have scrambled the line up and have our first pick costing more than $50.
But it’s a good choice, the perfect gift for any fan of LEGO, Pixar, animation in general or pop culture. It’s a LEGO set of Luxo Jr., the iconic lamp character from Disney Pixar’s 1986 animated short film and the company’s mascot ever since.
This is a LEGO Ideas Exclusive– A fan-designed set created by the LEGO community, voted for by passionate fans and produced by the LEGO Group. It’s really cool that LEGO is willing to cater to their fans this much.
Once built you have a fully poseable recreation of Luxo Jr. An intricate, articulated design helps builders recreate Luxo Jr.’s unique bouncing, hopping, and rotating movements. This replica lamp features more articulation than many action figures.
Collectors can discover hidden references to classic Disney Pixar movies like Up, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Monsters, Inc., Toy Story, and Finding Nemo, buried as Easter Eggs within the pieces.
Once constructed, poseable Luxo Jr. doubles as conversation-starting office or desk decor. Your giftee can spark nostalgia with a collectible DIY kit that’s ideal for adult fans of LEGO building blocks, animation, and Disney Pixar.
Once completed, LEGO’s Luxo Jr. stands over 11 inches high with 613 pieces.
We’ve seen this at all the major retailers who carry LEGO, plus you can find it online very easily.
Lionel 7-12130 O Gauge Santa Fe Flyer Battery Operated Train Set
by Lionel
$169.99 suggested retail price.
Available from many retailers for much less
The (delayed by the CloudFare outage) second pick today in The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide is the perfect gift for the young train enthusiast who may have outgrown Thomas, but isn’t quite ready for the complicated wiring and AC/DC conversion of a full electric train set yet.
From Lionel’s newest line of battery operated O-Gauge train comes the classic Santa Fe Flyer, complete with the classic “Warbonnet” engine, plus three cars and a caboose. This is a battery-operated set, but the cars will run on existing 2 or 3 rail O Gauge layouts too.
In addition to the train itself, the engine is Bluetooth Equipped so you can operate your train using the Lionel Cab3 APP or the included remote. The battery Powered Locomotive (Requires 4AA batteries, not included) cars and caboose look great and bring a new level of realism to the set. This set comes with a hopper, a boxcar and a tank car. Lionel’s Battery O-Gauge trains feature a water vapor “smoke effect” which simulates the authentic look and feel of diesel exhaust, producing realistic and safe puffs of “smoke” for an immersive experience. This is water-based and does not have the traditional and offensive stank of the old “smoke pellets.”
The Remote is designed for easy use. The Remote Control requires 3AAA batteries, not included). The plastic track, which does not carry a live current, and is safe for younger kids includes 10 straight, 16 curved, 2 right interchange switches, and 2 left interchange switches, plus 1 figure 8 crossover.
Sets include an operating headlight on the engine. Battery operated O-Gauge sets also include an assortment of trackside accessories including expansion track, road signs, and trees.
This is an O Gauge set, despite being battery-operated, and the cars are compatible with traditional O Gauge sets, so you could run most Lionel cars on this set (just not the engines or powered cars).
If you shop around the online hobby shops you ought to be able to find this set for under $150. Remember to buy tons of batteries. You know some kid (or adult) will love this set.
Okay, this is a combo post. Tuesday is once again “New Show Day” on The AIR. As such, we have a brand-new episode of Radio Free Charleston for you. To listen to The AIR, you simply have to point your cursor over and tune in at the website, or you could just stay here, and listen to the cool embedded player found elsewhere on this page.
However, this post is also today’s first enty in The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide. In fact, today’s episode of RFC is part of The Gift Guide.
You can hear Radio Free Charleston Tuesdays at 10 AM and 10 PM, with boatloads of replays throughout the week. You can also hear it embedded below. This time, we will have links for every song in the playlist, but the idea is…you will follow those links to buy music to give to the person on your holiday shopping list who likes to support local and independent music.
This year we are doing double-shots…two songs in a row by some of RFC‘s favorite local and independent artists who have released new music this year.
This gives me two chances to link to the artist’s pages. First I will link to where you can buy the music, and then, if possible, I will link to where you can buy physical media or merchandise from the artist. Since we don’t have a mystery bonus track this week, you may still find a bonus or two, as maybe some of the artists have a mystery third track.
The links in the playlist will take you to the pages for the artists in this week’s show because these are great gifts for the music lover or RFC fan on your shopping list. And keep in mind that the first Friday of December is the next Bandcamp Friday, where the artist’s get the full cut of the money spent on their work.
You can hear this episode of Radio Free Charleston Tuesday at 10 AM and 10 PM on The AIR, with replays Wednesday at 9 AM, Thursday at 2 PM, Friday at 9 AM, Saturday at Noon and Midnight, Sunday at 8 PM and Monday at 11 AM, exclusively on The AIR. Now you can also hear a different classic episode of RFC every weekday at 5 PM, and we bring you a marathon all night long Saturday night/Sunday morning.
I’m also going to embed a low-fi, mono version of this show right in this post, right here so you can listen on demand.
After RFC, stick around for encores of last week’s episodes of MIRRORBALL at 1 PM and Curtain Call at 2 PM.
At 3 PMThe Swing Shift is an encore of two recent episodes.
You can hear The Swing Shift Tuesday at 3 PM, with replays Wednesday at 8 AM, Thursday at 9 AM, Friday at 10 AM and 8 PM and Saturday afternoon, only on The AIR . You can also hear all-night marathons, seven hours each, starting at Midnight Thursdays and Sundays.
BEAT Neon Heat Disease Live Limited Deluxe Edition
Available from record retailers, including Amazon
Under $60
Today’s second entry in The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide is for the Limited Deluxe Edition of the BEAT Neon Heat Disease LIVE in Los Angeles album. This is the perfect gift for the music fan on your holiday shopping list whose tastes straddle Progressive Rock and New Wave Music.
BEAT is, essentially, a tribute band that covers songs by the 1980s incarnation of King Crimson. The cool part is that half of the band was actually IN the 1980s incarnation of King Crimson.
Legendary former King Crimson members ADRIAN BELEW and TONY LEVIN banded together with guitar virtuoso STEVE VAI and explosive Tool drummer DANNY CAREY to create BEAT, a creative reinterpretation of the three iconic 80s KING CRIMSON albums – Discipline, Beat, and Three Of A Perfect Pair.
In 2024, the ensemble staged 65 shows in North America, before following it with an expansive run in Mexico and South America in 2025. While this new release is available as a 2 CD and 3 LP package, I’m recommending the Limited Deluxe Edition because it contains an extra CD of music, plus the video of the entire Los Angeles show on a Blu ray disc with 5.1 sound.
It’s an incredible package of video and music, and it’s great for die-hard fans who couldn’t make it out to any of the tour dates. The idea of Steve Vai playing Robert Fripp’s guitar parts is still mind-blowing.
You should be able to get this from any record shop, or take the easy way out and get it from Amazon.
As a bonus for PopCult readers today, I have worked with Herman Linte to create a special episode of PROGNOSIS, debuting Monday at 3 PM (EST). This show will feature three tracks from the BEAT Neon Heat Disease LIVE album, in a mixtape collection of the “1980s King Crimson Family Tree,” which gathers together songs from the offshoots and solo works by the members of the 1980s incarnation of King Crimson. You’ll hear solo works, collaborations with other artists and even a couple of other groups that include members of KC. Tune in and see what all the fuss is about.
Check out the playlist:
Prognosis 134
Beat “Elephant Talk”
King Crimson “Frakctured”
Bill Bruford’s Earthworks “My Heart Declares A Holiday”
Adrian Belew “Big Electric Cat”
Tony Levin “Road Dogs”
Robert Fripp with Peter Gabriel “Here Comes The Flood”
Robert Fripp with Andy Summers “Tribe”
KIng Crimson “Barbershop”
Adrian Belew “Tango Zebra”
King Crimson “Into The Frying Pan”
Beat “Industry”
Adrian Belew “Rail Song”
Robert Fripp & The League of Gentlemen “God Save The King”
Anderson Bruford Wakeman & Howe “Quartet”
Sunday All Over The World “Freedom”
David Bowie and Adrian Belew “Pretty Pink Rose”
Beat “Indiscipline”
You can hear Prognosis on The AIR Monday at 3 PM, with replays Tuesday at 7 AM, Wednesday at 8 PM, Thursday at Noon, and Saturday at 10 AM.
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