"Ducks Deluxe/Taxi To The Terminal Zone" by DUCKS DELUXE (2002 Beat Goes On Reissue - 2LPs onto 2CDs - Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...We Sang The Songs We Loved..."

Ah Pub Rock - I was a devotee and truth be told - still am.

Sean Tyla's wonderful and fondly remembered DUCKS DELUXE signed to RCA Records in 1973 and promptly pumped out two Seventies Rock 'n' Roll/Pub Rock albums one year apart - the superb and criminally overlooked "Ducks Deluxe" debut in February 1974 followed the next year in February 1975 by the Dave Edmunds Produced "Taxi To The Terminal Zone" - a title taken from a lyric in Chuck Berry's 1964 classic "Promised Land" - a song Edmunds had covered himself back in 1972 on his Regal Zonophone LP "Rockpile". And that's where this wicked little British Beat Goes On twofer CD set comes swaggering in. Here are the boppin' beers and barstools...

UK released January 2002 - "Ducks Deluxe/Taxi To The Terminal Zone" by DUCKS DELUXE on Beat Goes On BGOCD 539 (Barcode 5017261205391) offers 2 albums Remastered onto 2CDs and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 "Ducks Deluxe" - 44:24 minutes:

1. Coast To Coast [Side 1]

2. Nervous Breakdown

3. Daddy Put The Bomp

4. I Got You

5. Please, Please, Please

6. Fireball

7. Don't Mind Rocking Tonite [Side 2]

8. Hearts On My Sleeve

9. Falling For That Woman

10. West Coast Trucking Board

11. Too Hot To Handle

12. It's All Over Now

Tracks 1 to 12 are their debut album "Ducks Deluxe" - released February 1974 in the UK and USA on RCA Victor LPL1 5008. Produced by DAVE BLOXHAM - it didn't chart. Tracks 1 and 5 written by Nick Garvey, Tracks 3, 6, 9, 10 and 11 written by Sean Tyla, Tracks 4 and 8 written by Martin Belmont with Track 7 co-written by Martin Belmont and Nick Garvey – Track 2 is an Eddie Cochran cover version while Track 11 is a cover of a Valentino's 1964 single written by Bobby Womack.

Disc 2 - "Taxi To The Terminal Zone" - 38:10 minutes:

1. Cherry Pie [Side 1]

2. It Doesn't Matter Tonite

3. I'm Crying

4. Love's Melody

5. Teenage Head

6. Rio Grande [Side 2]

7. My My Music

8. Rainy Night In Kilburn

9. Woman Of The Man

10. Paris 9

Tracks 1 to 10 are their second studio album "Taxi To The Terminal Zone" - released February 1975 in the UK on RCA Records SF 8402. Produced by DAVE EDMUNDS (he also plays Pedal Steel Guitar on "Rio Grande" and Rhythm Guitar on "Paris 9") - it didn't chart. Tracks 2, 6, 9 and 10 written by Sean Tyla, Track 1 co-written by Martin Belmont and Sean Tyla, Tracks 3 and 7 written by Nick Garvey, Track 4 written by Andrew McMasters and Track 5 is a Flamin' Groovies cover version.

DUCKS DELUXE was:

SEAN TYLA - Lead Vocals, Rhythm and Wah Wah Guitar and Keyboards

MARTIN BELMONT - Lead Guitar and Lead Vocals

NICK GARVEY - Bass Guitar and Lead Vocals

TIM ROPER - Drums and Backing Vocals

ANDREW McMASTER - Keyboards and Vocals for the "Taxi To The Terminal Zone" LP only

The 8-page inlay may look like a slight affair but with liner notes from original band member MARTIN BELMONT illuminated the history of almost every song - it's actually a hugely informative read. There’s a black and white photo of the four-piece band beneath the text and see-through CD trays – but not a lot else. As with so many of these early BGO releases - there is no mastering credits but with the material licensed from BMG - I'm suspecting these are quality ANDREW THOMPSON Remasters because the audio on this is Ace. The Dave Edmunds Produced second LP in particular sounds fabulous (the plaintive ballad "I'm Crying" for instance) - done at his own Rockfield Studios in Wales in late 1974.

The "Ducks Deluxe" self-titled debut is a winner I return to again and again - the kind of album you play to death - side after side. It even gets better as the years-pass and the grey hairs accumulate while the grey matter dissipates. A count-in asks if the kids are ready to Rock 'n' Roll in "Coast To Coast" - a snotty number that is a huge fave amongst fans. It was an obvious kick-ass single so RCA rush-released Nick Garvey's punky rocker in November 1973 (RCA 2438) with the non-album "Bring Back That Packard Car" on the flip-side. Damn shame someone didn't think to include that rarity as a Bonus Track here. There follows a truly cool version of Eddie Cochran's "Nervous Breakdown" - another show-stopper and one the blessed Eddie would surely have approved of. The bare but utterly brilliant "Daddy Put The Bomp" is the kind of simplistic tune about Rock 'n' Roll that eats its way into your heart - Texas and Swamps and Ladies and Eddie singing "Summertime Blues" again. Belmont admits to a Stax Records obsession in the decidedly Otis-sounding "I Got You". He rightly acknowledges the horn section 'The Sons Of The Jungle' who were George Larnyah on Tenor Sax, Peter Van Der Puij on Baritone Sax and Eddie Quansah on Trumpet - they play also on "Falling For That Woman" and are also on the Toots and The Maytals classic "Funky Kingston". Side 1 comes bopping to a finish with the 1964 Beatles strum of "Please, Please, Please" and probably their most popular raver - "Fireball" - Belmont revealing that the chordal guitar is probably based on "Sweet Jane" from the Velvet's 1970 "Loaded" album.

Side 2 opens with another snotty roar - the manic "Don't Mind Rocking Tonite" - another American homage that also features Bob Andrews of Brinsley Schwarz on keyboards (he also contributes the same to "West Coast Trucking Board" and "Too Hot To Handle"). Belmont gives short shift to his own "Hearts On My Sleeve" but I like its Rockpile feel. A cigarette being lit opens the second big ballad - the slow and soulful "Falling For That Woman" - the kind of great Soul-Rock song you want a band to play in a pub with a just few pints taken and the emotions oiled enough to flow like a river as the singer digs in - recalling his foolish fall for a lady that return the compliment. I love this song and the Remaster is great. The side comes to an end with three goodies - the very Band-sounding "West Texas Trucking Board" where Bob Andrews anchors the story-song with a superb swirling organ sound. It's followed by the slightly out-of-place clavinet-funk of "Too Hot To Handle" where Ducks Deluxe have been listening to too much Ace and not absorbing Paul Carrack's knack for Soul properly. But it ends on a high - a cover of the 1964 Valentino's classic "It's All Over". Written by Bobby Womack - it is of course more closely associated with The Rolling Stones who sort of made it their own. Great album, great finish...

I can still remember the sting of LP number 2 - somehow it felt flat compared to the debut - lack of good song. It's actually hard to nail down why it doesn't quite lift off - but being Ducks Deluxe - there are plenty of moments well worth owning. Nick Garvey used to roadie equipment for the American Rock 'n' Roll ravers The Flamin' Groovies so DD's cover of their "Teenage Head" was a perfect fit. Tyla does his best Bob Dylan Texas Outlaw voice for "Rio Grande" aided and abetted by Edmunds who plays a mean Pedal Steel behind that 'Blonde On Blonde' organ throughout (saddle up boys). At last we get what feels like some half decent Pub Rock in "My My Music" – the great piano boogie (Andrew McMaster) matching the lyrics about a band that rocks all night playing the music he wants to hear. Trivia fans should note that Wilco Johnson of Dr. Feelgood is apparently amidst the hand-clappers – not that you'd recognise it! Belmont doesn't rate his ballad "Rainy Night In Kilburn" but I actually like the music – with a different vocalist it might have lifted off better. McMaster's lone contribution "Love's Melody" is insanely catchy - predating by a good two to three years the New Wave sound of '77 and '78 that would dominate literally hundreds of English 45s in those explosively creative years.

Both Nick Garvey and Andy McMaster would jump ship after album number two failed - leaving to form The Motors who would go on to have a huge hit with "Airport" in June 1978 on Virgin Records. The band hired in Mick Groome on Bass to replace the lost boys and recorded one final Four-Track EP called "Jumping" for the French label Sky Dog in 1975 - and again a damn shame it wasn't included here as obvious Bonus Tracks material on Disc 2 when there was plenty of room. Tyla would of course form Tyla's Gang and pump out more Rock 'n' Roll/Punky tunes – often providing winners for Dr. Feelgood (check out the Tyla retrospective "Pool Hall Punks: The Complete Recordings 1976-1978" on Esoteric Recordings from August 2016) - while the Ducks Deluxe sound legacy would lead on to Elvis Costello and The Attractions, Graham Parker and The Rumour and the Nick Lowe/Dave Edmunds vehicle Rockpile to name but a few.

For sure the second platter lets the side down somewhat as does the absence of Bonus Cuts on both CDs that would have lifted this release so high. But as I re-listen to "It Don't Matter Tonite" on "Taxi" and "Fireball" on "Ducks Deluxe" - I'm reminded of and transported back to sweaty heaving pubs and Dr. Feelgood and The Kursaal Flyers and Brinsley Schwarz and of course Ducks Deluxe.

And that's the kind of Teenage Nervous Breakdown I like. Thanks for the memories boys...

"The Albums" by GEORDIE [feat Brian Johnson, later with AC/DC from 1980 onwards] (May 2016 Cherry Red/7T's 5CD Mini Box Set Of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Keep On Rockin'..."

With Brian Johnson's downer-departure from AC/DC in 2016 for health reasons uppermost in fans minds - it's probably a good time to revisit his humble Newcastle beginnings with the rockin' British band GEORDIE. And this is the place to do it...

2016's "The Albums" on Cherry Red's '7T's' label offshoot offers you five CDs in 5" Card Repro Sleeves housed in a natty clamshell Mini Box Set with a beautifully annotated 16-page booklet. You get Geordie's three British studio albums on EMI – the debut "Hope You Like It" from March 1973, the second "Don't Let The Name Fool You" from April 1974 and finally (with the original line-up) "Save The World" from August 1976. The other two are an after-the-band-had-split compilation LP called "No Good Woman" issued by EMI Sweden in 1978 with outtakes, re-recordings and stragglers - and finally a fifth disc called "Brian Johnson and Geordie Revisited" that features later re-records.

The first, third and fourth albums all come with Bonus Tracks (see details below) - while the fifth compilation is eleven 1973 tracks re-visited by Brian Johnson and Vic Malcolm in early 1980 just before Johnson joined AC/DC as their new lead singer (replacing the horrible loss of Bon Scott). A version of those re-recordings was issued on Red Bus Records in many territories after Johnson's global success with the Australian rockers and their mega "Back In Black" album of July 1980 – CD5 even containing what appears to be Previously Unreleased Versions - songs only available here.

There is a ton of detail to get through so let's have at it leggies...

UK released 20 May 2016 (27 May 2016 in the USA) - "The Albums" by GEORDIE on Cherry Red/7T's GLAMBOX160 (Barcode 5013929056008) is a 5CD Mini Box Set of Remasters in 5" Repro Card Artwork that plays out as follows:

Disc 1 - "Hope You Like It" - 59:00 minutes:

1. Keep On Rockin' [Side 1]

2. Give You Till Monday

3. Hope You Like It

4. Don't Do That

5. All Because Of You

6. Old Time Rocker

7. Oh Lord [Side 2]

8. Natural Born Loser

9. Strange Man

10. Ain't It Just Like A Woman

11. Geordie's Lost His Liggie

Tracks 1 to 11 are their debut album "Hope You Like It" - released March 1973 in the UK on EMI Records EMC 3001 and June 1973 in the USA on MGM Records SE-4903 (with different cover art). Produced by ELLIS ELIAS and ROBERTO DANOVA - it didn't chart in either country. All songs written by Vic Malcolm except Track 11 which is a UK Traditional song arranged by the band.

BONUS TRACKS:

12. Francis Was A Rocker - non-album UK 7" single B-side to "Don't Do It" released 27 September 1972 on Regal Zonophone RZ 3067

13. Can You Do It

14. Red Eyed Lady - tracks 13 and 14 are the non-album A&B-sides of a UK 7" single released 1 June 1973 on EMI Records EMI 2031

15. Electric Lady

16. Geordie Stomp - tracks 15 and 16 are the non-album A&B-sides of a UK 7" single released 10 August 1973 on EMI Records EMI 2048

17. Black Cat Woman - non-album A-side to a UK 7" single released 23 November 1973 on EMI Records EMI 2100 (B-side is the LP track "Geordie's Lost His Liggie")

Disc 2 - "Don't Be Fooled By The Name" - 38:57 minutes:

1. Goin' Down [Side 1]

2. House Of The Rising Sun

3. So What

4. Mercenary Man

5. Ten Feet Tall [Side 2]

6. Got To Know

7. Little Boy

8. Look At Me

Tracks 1 to 8 are their second studio album "Don't Be Fooled By The Name" - released April 1974 in the UK on EMI Records EMA 7764 (no US release). Produced by ELLIS ELIAS and ROBERTO DANOVA - it didn't chart in either country. All songs written by Vic Malcolm except "Goin' Down" which was co-written with Brian Johnson and "House Of The Rising Sun" which is a Traditional made famous in Pop by The Animals

Disc 3 - "Save The World" - 51:12 minutes:

1. Mama's Gonna Take You Home [Side 1]

2. She's A Teaser

3. Goodbye Love

4. I Cried Today

5. You Do This To Me

6. Save The World

7. Rocking Horse [Side 2]

8. Fire Queen

9. She's A Lady

10. Light In My Window

11. Ride On Baby

12. We're All Right Now

Tracks 1 to 12 are their third studio album "Save The World" - released August 1976 in the UK on EMI Records/Red Bus EMC 3134 (no US release). Produced by ELLIS ELIAS, ROBERTO DANOVA and PIP WILLIAMS - it didn't chart in either country.

BONUS TRACKS:

13. I Can't Forget You Now

14. I Can't Give It Up - tracks 13 and 14 are the non-album A&B-sides of a Brian Johnson solo UK 7" single released January 1976 on EMI Records EMI 2373

15. Rockin' With The Boys Tonight

16. Treat Her Like A Lady - tracks 16 and 15 (note order) are the non-album A&B-sides of a Brian Johnson with Geordie German 7" single released 1980 on Red Bus Records PB 5769 (its picture sleeve is shown on Page 14 of the booklet)

Disc 4 - "No Good Woman" - 52:08 minutes:

1. No Good Woman [Side 1]

2. Going To The City

3. Wonder Song

4. Rock N Roll Fever

5. Ain't It A Shame

6. Give It All You Got [Side 2]

7. Show Business

8. You've Got It

9. Sweet Little Rock N Roller

10. Victoria

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "No Good Woman" - released 1978 in France on EMI 2S 068 60773 and in Sweden on EMI Records 7C 062-60793.  Produced by GEORDIE, PETER YELLOWSTONE and JEFF CALVER - it features five unreleased songs by the original line-up with the other five by a new version of the band led by original guitarist Vic Malcolm (he sings vocals on the title track).

BONUS TRACKS:

11. Dollars Deutsche Marks Silver & Gold

12. I Remember - tracks 11 and 12 first appeared 2000 in Sweden as Previously Unreleased songs on the CD Remaster of "Good Woman" on Landmark Records LMK-15014-2

13. Don't Do That (Remix)

14. Keep On Rockin' (Remix) - credited to Geordie (featuring Brian Johnson) - tracks 13 and 14 are 1973 recordings newly remixed as the A&B-sides of a UK 7" single released 13 February 1981 on Red Bus Records RBUS 58

Disc 5 - "Brian Johnson And Geordie" - 40:33 minutes:

1. Ten Feet Tall

2. Can You Do It

3. Keep On Rockin'

4. Fire Queen

5. Hope You Like It

6. Goin' Down

7. Strange Man

8. Natural Born Loser

9. Give You Till Monday

10. Ain't That Just Like A Woman

11. Black Cat Woman

The original issue of the vinyl LP "Brian Johnson And Geordie" was issued 1981 in several territories around the world - Germany on Red Bus ZL 28431, France on Barclay 960 031 (same artwork as presented on the card sleeve) and in the USA with different artwork on MCA Records MCA-5234. In all areas it was a 10-track album that was sequenced as follows:

Side 1:

1. Natural Born Loser [Track 8, Disc 5]

2. Mercenary Man [Track 4, Disc 2]

3. Goin' Down [Track 6, Disc 5]

4. Treat Her Like A Lady [Track 16, Disc 3]

5. Hope You Like It [Track 5, Disc 5]

Side 2:

1. Keep On Rockin' [Track 3, Disc 5]

2. Ten Feet Tall [Track 1, Disc 5]

3. Rockin' With The Boys [Track 15, Disc 3]

4. Don't Do That [Track 13, Disc 4]

5. Fire Queen [Track 4, Disc 5]

As you can see from the LP above - the 11-track CD reissue "Brian Johnson And Geordie Revisited" presented here bears little resemblance to the original 10-track 1981 vinyl and there's no explanation in the booklet or on the card sleeve as to why - only to say that all the tracks on Disc 5 are re-recordings done by Brian Johnson in 1980 before he departed for AC/DC. As there appears to have never been a CD reissue of the 1981 album until now – the re-recordings of "Can You Do It", "Strange Man", "Give You Till Monday", "Ain't That Just Like A Woman" and "Black Cat Woman" can therefore be considered Previously Unreleased on this 2016 version (unless someone advises otherwise).

The glossy clamshell box is pretty and the card repro sleeves cool - but it's the 16-page booklet that wows. Almost all of the inner pages are festooned to the right with blocks of eight rare 7" single picture sleeves from around the world - that's eight per page - a serious collection of rarities indeed! MIKE GENT offers up great liner notes on the frustrating history of the band who charted four UK singles (many more in Europe) - acknowledging that none of the three LPs did any real business which eventually saw a disillusioned Brian Johnson quit to become a car-repair man (thinking his shot at Rock 'n' Roll fame was over - how wrong was he). Centering the text are those UK EMI labels for 45s like "All Because Of You" (peaked at No. 13), "Can You Do It" (peaked at No. 9), "Electric Lady" (peaked at No. 6) and "Black Cat Woman" (didn't chart). As well as pictures of the band (Brian Johnson on Vocals, Vic Malcolm on Guitar, Tom Hill on Bass and Brian Gibson on Drums) - there's a very tasty two-page centre spread of original sheet music, a cardboard cut-out of the London Routemaster Red Bus would send their bands out on tour in and more picture sleeves not seen in the principal text. Although the inner gatefold for "Don't Be Fooled By The Name" isn't reproduced on the card sleeve (a minor blip) - each CD is a picture disc of the cover art and with the fab colour booklet - you'd have to say that some real effort was put in here.

JAMES BRAGG did the mastering (no sources or venue given) and the audio rocks on all of them. I’m fairly sure (even though it doesn’t say so) that the first three studio albums are the 7T’s CD reissues done by TIM TURAN at Turan Mastering in 2007 and 2008 - nice and punchy without being over trebled. Let's get to the music...

In hindsight the weedy title “Hope You Like It” complete with its sappy ribbon and bow artwork was hardly the toughest of statements for a debut Rock album. But having said that the March 1973 LP opens well with a namecheck for the then undiscovered John Miles in the lyrics of the restless Nazareth-sounding boogie of "Keep On Rockin’". You hear the range of Johnson’s great voice in "Give You Till Monday" and there’s more than a hint of Suzi Quatro and her RAK recordings with Chinn and Chapman on the hooky guitar-rock of "Hope You Like It".

As far back at late September 1972 "Don't Do That" became Geordie’s debut 45 issued on the EMI subsidiary Regal Zonophone. RZ 3067 had the non-album "Francis Was A Rocker" as its B-side (Track 12 on Disc 1) and after a two-month crawl finally charted in November 1972, peaking at No. 32 (a good start). The irritatingly Glam Rock "All Because Of You" (complete with cod Beatles aahs) became their second UK 7” single on EMI 2008 in February 1973 with the album cut "Ain't That Just Like A Woman" on the flip-side. Catchy as a cold – it broke the Top Ten in the UK settling at No. 6. There’s even traces of Prog and Sabbath in the relentless "Strange Man" where some dude in a dress terrorises the dancefloor and the streets of Newcastle. Far better is the rocking "Ain't It Just Like A Woman". And I genuinely wasn’t expecting much of the stand-alone 45s - but all three singles "Can You Do It", "Electric Lady" and "Black Cat Woman" have guitar-driven boogies that would have done proud by any 7” on Polydor Records by their nearest comparison Slade.

For me the second album "Don't Be Fooled By The Name" is the best of the bunch - a definite Nazareth "Razamanaz" vibe creeping into the St. James Infirmary of "Goin' Down" and "Ten Feet Tall" (better production values too) while there's a great Juicy Lucy guitar boogie to "So What". The band suddenly sound ‘huge’ on "Mercenary Man" and Johnson contributes an early writing credit to the Pop-Rock of "Got To Know". Not even the decidedly saucy sleeve art for "Save The World" get the LP into the charts - but that doesn't stop tunes like the rocking "Mama's Gonna Take You Home" and the brassy "She's A Teaser" being good. But terrible tracks like the cod reggae of "I Cried Today" and the half-hearted Arrows pop of "You Do This To Me" are terrible. The double-dose of crappy pop in "I Can't Forget You Now" and "I Can't Give It Up" (a stand-alone single) is embarrassing compared to the Rock on LP No. 2. The "No Good Woman" album tries to go back to basics with The Knack-like boogie of "Going To The City" where Brian sounds like Bob Seger. Brought in to replace Johnson - Dave Ditchburn has a half decent Rush type set of pipes for the decidedly Proggy "Wonder Song" where Geordie sound at times like Uriah Heep. There's bad hiss on "Ain't It A Shame" and "Show Business" sounds like bad Queen. Better is the guitar-chug of "You Got It". The remix of "Don't Do It" is awful and just sounds wrong while the re-do of "Keep On Rockin'" isn't a whole lot better. The posthumous "Brian Johnson and Geordie" sees all the best Geordie tracks with huge echoed drums added into the Eighties mix while a floating synth tries to make them topical sounding. At times it feels like Van Halen rejects from the 1984 album with stuff like "Fire Queen" reaching for its inner Bon Jovi – and not in a good way.

In truth there's a lot of very dated cack on album numbers 3 and 4 with 5 being unlistenable in places - too much of it doing a massive disservice to the first two flushes of Geordie vinyl magic from 1973 and 1974. 

But there's also no doubt that 7T's and Cherry Red are to be praised for making this hard to find music available again to fans and newcomers alike - and in such a top class presentation too...

"All Things Change: The Transatlantic Anthology 1967-1970" by RALPH McTELL (April 2017 Cherry Tree 2CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...When The Sunshine Came..."

"...When The Sunshine Came..."

I can't help thinking that fans of Farnborough Folky Ralph May have been waiting the guts of their hero's 50-year career for this wonderful reissue.

Taking his stage surname from a Blind Willie McTell song - Ralph McTell signed to Nat Joseph's Folk-Progressive Transatlantic Records in the late 60ts and promptly popped out three albums of largely original studio recordings - "Eight Frames A Second" (February 1968), "Spiral Staircase" (January 1969) and "My Side Of Your Window" (December 1969). A fourth eleven-track record called "Ralph McTell Revisited" turned up in November 1970 which featured remixed and re-recorded tracks from his second and third LPs (six from "Spiral Staircase" and five from "My Side Of Your Window"). It was supposed to become a US-market lead-in compilation that ultimately never got released there. Throw in a rare non-album 7" single A-side on Big T Records (one of Transatlantic's subsidiary labels) and two session outtakes recorded October 1967 for the first LP (the second of which is a superb Previously Unreleased stripped down version of "Eight Frames A Second") - and that's where this wee 2CD peach comes bounding in.

Fans of Folk Rock and Acid Folk will also love the eclectic range of guest-players on albums number two and three especially – Clive Palmer and Michael Bennett who were ex Incredible String Band and would form the ultra-collectable COB (Clive’s Original Band), Pedal Steel guitar player Gordon Huntley from Matthews Southern Comfort, Bruce Barthol, Gary Peterson and Phil Greenberg of Formerly Fat Harry (Barthol was ex Country Joe & The Fish), Double-Bass player Brian Brocklehurst of The Yetties, Pete Berryman of The Famous Jug Band, Fusion Drummer John Marshall of Centipede and the obscure but utterly brilliant harmonising of English Tapestry (McTell claims they were amongst the best backing singers in the whole of UK Folk). 

As you can imagine with four LPs progressing as they go while Producers Tony Visconti and Gus Dudgeon oversee things and Mike Vickers arranges complimentary string sections - you’re on a voyage of discovery that takes in straight-up lonesome Acoustic Folk that soon touches on Folk-Rock, Acid Folk, Jug Band Blues and shades of Americana similar to The Band circa 1968, 1969 and 1970. 

There is a ton of info to get through so here are the Folktastic details...

UK released Friday, 21 April 2017 (28 April 2017 in the USA) - "All Things Change: The Transatlantic Anthology 1967-1970" by RALPH McTELL on Cherry Tree CDTREE019D (Barcode 5013929691926) offers four studio albums, one single and two outakes on 2 Remastered CDs and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (79:16 minutes):

1. Nanna's Song [Side 1]

2. The Mermaid And The Seagull

3. Hesitation Blues

4. Are You Receiving Me?

5. Morning Dew

6. Sleepytime Blues

7. Eight Frames A Second [Side 2]

8. Willoughby's Farm

9. Louise

10. Blind Blake's Rag

11. I'm Sorry-I Must Love

12. Too Tight Drag

13. Granny Takes A Trip

Tracks 1 to 13 are his debut album "Eight Frames A Second" - released February 1968 in the UK on Transatlantic TRA 165 and June 1969 in the USA on Capitol ST-240. Produced by TONY VISCONTI - it didn't chart in either country. All songs are Ralph McTell originals except "Hesitation Blues" (Traditional Jug Band Blues from the 1920's), "Morning Dew" by Tim Rose, "Too Tight Drag" by Blind Blake (Traditional Blues from the 1920's) and "Granny Takes A Trip" by Christopher Beard and Geoff Bowyer of The Purple Gang.

14. Streets Of London [Side 1]

15. Mrs. Adlam's Angels

16. Wino And The Mouse

17. England 1914

18. Last Train And Ride

19. The Fairground

20. Spiral Staircase [Side 2]

21. Kind Hearted Woman Blues

22. Bright And Beautiful Things

23. Daddy's Here

24. Rizraklaru (Anag.)

25. (My) Baby Keeps Staying out All Night Long

26. Terminus

Tracks 14 to 26 are his second studio album "Spiral Staircase" - released January 1969 in the UK on Transatlantic TRA 177 (No US release). Produced by GUS DUDGEON - it didn't chart. All songs are Ralph McTell originals except "Kind Hearted Woman Blues" by Robert Johnson and "(My) Baby Keeps Staying Out All Night Long" by Buddy Moss.

27. Summer Came Along - non-album A-side to an 11 July 1969 UK 7" single on Big T Records BIG 125

("Girl On A Bicycle" from the then unreleased "My Side Of Your Mirror" LP in December 1969 was its B-side, Track 3 on Disc 2)

Disc 2 (79:51 minutes):

1. Michael In The Garden [Side 1]

2. Clown

3. Girl On A Bicycle

4. Father Forgive Them

5. All Things Change

6. I've Thought About You [Side 2]

7. Factory Girl

8. Blues In More Than 12 Bars

9. Kew Gardens

10. Wait Until Snow

11. Silver Birch And Weeping Willow

Tracks 1 to 11 are his third studio album "My Side Of Your Window" - released December 1969 in the UK on Transatlantic Records TRA 209 (No US release). Produced by GUS DUDGEON - It didn't chart in the UK. All songs are Ralph McTell originals (see paragraphs below for the many guest appearances on the album).

12. Streets Of London [Side 1]

13. Michael In The Garden

14. Last Train And Ride

15. Kew Gardens

16. Fairground

17. Spiral Staircase [Side 2]

18. Factory Girl

19. Bright And Beautiful Things

20. Father Forgive Them

21. Clown

22. Terminus

Tracks 12 to 22 are his fourth studio album "Ralph McTell Revisited" - released November 1970 in the UK on Transatlantic Records TRA 227 (No US release). The album contains remixes and re-recordings - six from "Spiral Staircase" and five from "My Side Of Your Window".

23. Suzanne

24. Eight Frames A Second

Tracks 23 and 24 are session outtakes from the "Eight Frames A Second" album recorded October 1967 - "Suzanne" is a Leonard Cohen cover version first released 2007 in the UK on CD - while "Eight Frames A Second" is Previously Unreleased and is a 'Non Orchestrated Version'.

The 12-page booklet has superbly annotated and seriously detailed liner notes by noted writer and music archivist DAVID WELLS which take a lot from McTell's own website and recollections (just as well really because like many Transatlantic LPs of the period - they looked great - but were skimpy on actual recording details - Brian Brocklehurst of The Yetties simply credited as 'Special Thanks to Brock' on the "Spiral Staircase" LP for instance). There are label repros of the rare Big T 45s "Summer Came Along" and "Kew Gardens", snaps of McTell in Acoustic Troubadour mode, a snap of Producer Gus Dudgeon (more closely associated with Elton John's DJM albums) and a collage of the four LP sleeves in colour. Oddly for a Cherry Tree release (part of the Cherry Red labels) - there is no Audio or Mastering credits. But the sound is fabulous - acoustic recordings that then slowly move into Folk Rock and beyond. The "My Side Of Your Window" album (which is my fave) is particularly good. A nice job done...

The first album "Eight Frames A Second" is mostly McTell and an Acoustic Guitar with some tracks featuring other players brought in for accompaniment. Typical of so many debut LPs searching for a style - the decidedly weird covers of Tim Rose's "Morning Dew" and the minor Jug Band hit "Granny Takes A Trip" by The Purple Gang (1967 UK 7" single on Big T Records BIG 101) are indicative of interfering forces and did the overall impact no good at all. But McTell more than holds his own on the lovely "The Mermaid And The Seagull" (complete with lapping waves and bird cries), the Bluesy traditional "Hesitation Blues" and the mellow instrumental "Willoughby's Farm". Jug Bands and flicked Washboards fill "Sleepytime Blues" while McTell gives a nod to those old ragtimes with his own instrumental tribute to Blind Blake on "Blind Blake's Rag" (he covers the Milwaukee man's "Too Tight Drag" also).

While the debut is a reasonable start - "Spiral Staircase" feels like a huge leap forward - opening as it does with a song that would come to define him - "Streets Of London". Written in 1966 while resident in Paris - McTell had abandoned the tune – but then gave it to Derek Brimstone who performed it live in his sets only to elicit wild reactions from the audience. Convincing McTell that he should re-visit the song – Ralph added an extra verse and a busking legend was born. Visconti smartly insisted that “Streets Of London” be put on the second LP (McTell resisted) and so it opens "Spiral Staircase" with a genuinely emotional wallop. That one-man-and-his-guitar vibe continues with "Mrs. Adlam's Apple" – a delicate and beautiful acoustic ditty – the kind of song that dominates much of this hugely underrated Folk LP. In fact it's as if McTell suddenly found his true Folk-Soul voice on LP No. 2. Collectors will note that both "Last Train And Ride" and "Spiral Staircase" feature The Famous Jug Band - Clive Palmer and Pete Berryman on Guitars, Harry Bartlett on Jugs and Mick Bennett (of COB) on Washboard. "England 1914" has particularly lovely string arrangements in an English pastoral fashion - while McTell convincingly reaches for his inner Robert Johnson on the fingerpicking cover of "Kind Hearted Woman Blues". Trivia - the nonsense word title of the impossibly pretty instrumental "Rizraklaru" turns out to be an anagram of Rural Karzi - a song he thought up on the way back from said outside loo (cue country poop produces worldwide masterpiece joke).

For me the real prize here is the third album "My Side Of Your Window" where McTell features a huge array of guesting musicians on genuinely great songs. Ex Country Joe & The Fish Bassist Bruce Barthol turns up on "Michael In The Garden" - while Gary Peterson - his fellow band mate in Formerly Fat Harry – also joins him on the gorgeous "Girl On A Bicycle" contributing Piano and Acoustic Guitar. Beatles obsessives will have to own "All Things Change" and not because it's Ralph's debut on Piano - but because McTell confirms from his recollections that the song contains one or all three of the Cello players who added so much to "Eleanor Rigby" - Derek Simpson, Stephen Lansberry and Peter Halling.

Another pleasant surprise is a hidden one - the obscure Folk group English Tapestry adding hugely to the beautiful "Kew Gardens". Apparently a harmonising trio consisting of sister and brother Ruth and Brian Britain alongside one Andrew Taylor - I can find only two other physical entrances in their recorded history. Two songs called "Valentine Chant" and "Whitsuntide Carol" are on a 1974 Various Artists benefit album called "The First Folk Review Record" on Folksound FS 100 - and they also did backing vocals on the Side 2 opener "Edward Sayers' Brass Band" for Richard Digance's April 1975 album "How The West Was Won" on Transatlantic Records TRA 289. Lead Vocalist Ruth Britain has the kind of pure English Folk voice that engenders hero worship (like Shirley and Dolly Collins for instance) and combining this with a song as lovely as "Kew Gardens" produces noticeable magic here (I'd love to hear more of their stuff).

Other genuine highlights include the sobriety tale of Billy the eventual statesman in "Blues In More Than 12 Bars" and the plaintive and lovely "Factory Girl" from his memories of ladies trying to find joy in the humdrum and repetition. But best of all is the very John Martyn "Wait Until The Snow" - a gorgeously mellow Folk-Rock song with no less than three members of Formerly Fat Harry contributing - Bruce Barthol on Bass, Phil Greenberg on Lead Guitar and Gary Peterson on Organ. I love this whole album and I find myself returning to "My Side Of Your Window" over and over - a forgotten gem that deserves more exposure.   

The 7" single "Summer Came Along" and seven of the 'remixed and re-recorded' versions on the "Ralph McTell Revisited" LP have turned up as Bonus Tracks on the 2007 CD reissues of "Spiral Staircase" and "My Side Of Your Window" before - but here in 2017 is the first time that the whole eleven-track LP has been issued as one. "Michael In The Garden", "Spiral Staircase" and "Father Forgive Them" were largely Acoustic-only affairs on original issue - here they're given the full 'band' treatment that muscles up the arrangements. The "Kew Gardens" track with English Tapestry guesting remains the same - a slight remix perhaps. The impossibly pretty "Streets Of London" song that would come to define him is also only a Remix to my ears with minimal change to the "Spiral Staircase" acoustic version. But best of all is the beautiful ballad "Factory Girl" which is given stunning Pedal Steel guitar accompaniment from Gordon Huntley of Matthews Southern Comfort thereby transforming the song into something altogether better than the original. 

Reprise Records would issue his new recording of "Streets Of London" in November 1974 where it would eventually smash the top ten to settle at No.2 - an amazing placing for Reprise K 14380. The album simply called "Streets" appeared in February 1975 and would give him an equally rare LP placing - No. 13. The song and album would change Ralph McTell's world forever (I always think his gorgeous and far superior song "From Clare To Here" deserves as much praise if not more).

But this is where that long Folk-Rock Singer-Songwriter journey began. Well done to Cherry Tree for reminding us of what we've been missing. "...The music started to flow..." – Ralph McTell sings in "Fairground". Indeed it did mate...

"Sheer Heart Attack: 2011 Digital Remaster 2CD Deluxe Edition" by QUEEN (March 2011 Island Records 2-Disc Reissue) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Dynamite With A Laser Beam…"

The first 1986 CD reissue, the 1991 Hollywood version from the USA, the 1993 UK variant – and now this '2011 Digital Remaster' – yet another definitive version tapping Queen's lucrative back catalogue - this time on Island Records.

Their breakthrough 3rd album on EMI Records has had (like most huge titles from the period) its fair share of recomboozalated whirls on the old digital merry-go-round. But this latest wallet-tempter for Queen fans has to be the best – at least sonically – although I find that the visuals are once again naught to write home about...

First of all - the '2011 Digital Remaster' comes in two variants – the single European CD version on Island Records 276 440 9 (Barcode 602527644097) with just the 13-track album. The one I want to concentrate on is its big brother – the 2CD 'Deluxe Edition' with a Bonus EP of 5-tracks as Disc 2. Here are the tenement funsters...

UK and Europe released March 2011 - "Sheer Heart Attack: 2011 Digital Remaster 2CD Deluxe Edition" by QUEEN on Island Records 276 441 1 (Barcode 602527644110) is a CD + BONUS EP Reissue/Remaster and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (39:08 minutes):

1. Brighton Rock [Side 1]

2. Killer Queen

3. Tenement Funster

4. Flick Of The Wrist

5. Lily Of The Valley

6. Now I'm Here

7. In The Lap Of The Gods [Side 2]

8. Stone Cold Crazy

9. Dear Friends

10. Misfire

11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown

12. She Makes Me (stormtrooper in stilettos)

13. In The Lap Of The Gods...revisited

Tracks 1 to 13 are their 3rd studio album "Sheer Heart Attack" - released November 1974 in the UK on EMI Records EMC 3061 and in the USA on Elektra 7E-1026. Produced by QUEEN and ROY THOMAS BAKER – it peaked at No. 2 in the UK and No. 12 in the USA

Disc 2 BONUS EP (15:48 minutes):

1. Now I’m Here (Live At The Hammersmith Odeon, December 1975)

2. Flick Of The Wrist (BBC Session, October 1974)

3. Tenement Funster (BBC Session, October 1974)

4. Bring Back That Leroy Brown (A Cappella Mix 2011)

5. In The Lap Of The Gods... revisited (Live At Wembley Stadium, July 1986)

The round-cornered 'super jewel case' certainly looks the part but in truth I find them bloody awkward to use. At least the 16-page booklet is a better affair than previous - new period photos of the band - the lyrics to the songs that were on the inner bag are here too as are track-by-track explanations of the BONUS EP by GREG BROOKS and GARY TAYLOR. But there's no history of the album - no rare foreign picture sleeves for this most collectable of bands - no reminiscences or input from surviving members of the band... It's good but hardly great and visually feels about as special as used Pizza Hut box.

At least the audio lives up to the highlighted sentence inside - "This 2011 version has been meticulously re-created using the finest modern analogue and digital technology from the original first-generation masters mixes" - because you can 'hear' this sucker the second you play that fairground opening to "Brighton Rock" - the manic Brian May guitars slowing creeping in as Mercury gives it some falsetto 'Jimmy went away' and 'Rock of Ages' lyrics. The team that did wonders with the 2005 versions of 1975's "A Night At The Opera" and 1976's "A Day At The Races" are back - KRIS FREDRIKSSON and JUSTIN SHIRLEY-SMITH with Audio maestro BOB LUDWIG doing the mastering. The Bonus EP has different sources  - all mastered by ADAM AYAN at Gateway Mastering. The results are amazing...

While the sheer sonic attack of the guitars in the brilliant and wild "Brighton Rock" is enough to impress (written by Brian May) - the impact of clarity on Freddie Mercury’s insanely catchy "Killer Queen" is another thing altogether. I've never heard May's layered guitars so clear - Mercury's lead vocal so in your face - the backing vocals and flanged effects – all of it is a wow. Brian Taylor's Rock 'n' Roll 45s has been enraging the stuffy neighbours on the lower floor in his "Tenement Funster". But what I hadn't bargained for is that piano-intro that segues into the sinister "Flick Of The Wrist" - it's so damn clean now - a long way from my battered UK EMI LP where the sleeve always seemed to split at the slightest pressure. The 'intoxicate your brain' vocals are full of power too. The short but pretty "Lily Of The Valley" is impressive - Mercury at the piano holding court as he continues the 'Seven Seas Of Rhye' story begun on "Queen II" in 1973. But my rave has always been the barnstorming single "Now I'm Here" - the opening vocals and drum whacks panning from speaker to speaker. When it kicks in with the 'I'm just a new man...' riff - you're won over - and you're down in the dungeon with peaches 'n' me.

Side 2's "In The Lap Of The Gods" has always been a Prog moment for me - oohs and aahs and crashing cymbals - wonderfully clear audio as parts of the song feel very similar in structure to 'that' single which would dominate Christmas 1975 (the last "Leave it in the Lap Of The Gods" chorus is so good). Back to mania with the huge "Stone Cold Crazy" and I'm thinking Heart was listening to this when they recorded "Barracuda". And again you marvel at the sheer virtuosity of May's playing - little flicks - huge riffs - memorable solos - he uses them all. Although it sounds like a Freddie tune - the short but sweet "Dear Friends" is actually a Brian May composition and feels like a hymn sung to a child. John Deacon puts up the acoustic bop of "Misfire" where love's a game and don't misfire your loaded gun (ok boys). I've always disliked the cod seaside banjo of "Bring Back That Leroy Brown" - better is May's "She Makes Me" where Queen feel melodious and huge at one and the same time. It ends on another vocal tour-de-force - the revisited "In The Lap Of The Gods" - the manic stripped away - Queen wallowing in their own sound...

"Now I'm Here" on the Bonus EP actually dates from the British November/December 1975 tour for "A Night At The Opera" where both the album and the single "Bohemian Rhapsody" nestled at No. 1 in the charts. It was recorded at The Hammersmith Odeon in London and apparently this kick-ass version opened the show. Hero of the hour for the two BBC Sessions turns out to be a man I bought records off while I worked at Reckless - BBC Sound Recording man Jeff Griffin (engineered by Chris Lycett). Apparently it was practice for the Beeb to wipe tapes back in those less-enlightened days - but Jeff held onto to them for 40 years – hence their new inclusion here. Both versions of "Flick Of The Wrist" and "Tenement Funster" are close to the finished articles - but it's fun to hear May letting rip on those guitar passages - cutting it live just as much as he did in the studio. The supposed 'A Cappella Mix' of "Bring Back That Leroy Brown" is best described as ‘fun’ - while the immersed rapture of the audience at Wembley Arena in July 1986 is genuinely audible on the finisher "In The Lap Of The Gods". From here the band would go on to do the Scaramouche and the Fandango with thunderbolts and lightning indeed when they owned the world in 1975...

In some ways I can't help thinking someone somewhere at Island Records could have come up with a tastier and more fan-pleasing presentation for "Sheer Heart Attack" after all these decades. And that money-gremlins over at Island know that serious fan-worship will drive Queen lovers into the arms of those Japanese SHM-CDs using the new remasters but with beautifully accurate Repro Mini LP Sleeves. Hell there’ll probably be yet another anniversary box set issue in the next few years with newly found/remixed tiny morsels to tempt us.

But in the meantime – this 2011 Digital Remaster does at least do the Stone Cold Crazy with Audio style. Suffice to say - for now you should park your Marie Antoinette's on this semi-naked Killer Queen...