"Original Album Series" by GROUNDHOGS - Including Their Second to Sixth UK Studio Albums on Liberty and United Artists Records - "Blues Obituary" (September 1969), "Thank Christ For The Bomb" (June 1970), "Split" (March 1971), "Who Will Save The World? The Mighty Groundhogs!" and "Hogwash" (March and November 1972) - featuring Guitarist Tony McPhee (February 2015 UK Parlophone/Warners Music Group 5CD Capacity Wallet Mini LP Card Sleeve Box Set Containing Five Albums with 1996, 2003 and 2013 Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 378 Others Is Available 

In My SOUNDS GOOD E-Book (on all Amazon sites)

GET IT ON - 1971

Your All-Genres Guide To

Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters  

A HUGE 3,136 e-Pages 

All Details and In-Depth Reviews From The Discs Themselves 

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

Just Click Below To Google, Purchase or See My Author Page

For the SOUNDS GOOD Music Books Series (32 Titles in all)

"...Who Will Save The World? The Mighty Groundhogs..."

When the "Original Album Series" first appeared in 2010 it was entirely WEA artists and albums. But with the EMI umbrella of labels now in the fold - we're suddenly getting fresh blood - a whole flurry of associated labels and artists in this massive and popular 5CD mini box set series. 

So far we've had Robin Trower, Edgar Broughton Band, Kiki Dee, Ten Years After, Jethro Tull - and in amongst them is of course England's very own grunge-before-there-was-grunge rockers - The Groundhogs fronted by ace guitarist Tony McPhee.

This 2015 instalment in the "Original Album Series" misses out their uber-rare debut album "Scratching The Surface" from 1968 on Liberty and gives us the five studio efforts that followed (all now rare and expensive on original British vinyl). And at a tad above two quid a CD - this 5CD set is properly great value for money.

Each of these albums has received a quality CD remaster in the last two decades (many in 2003) - each fitted out with bonus tracks and comprehensive booklets. As it is with most "Original Album Classics" - the bonuses have been stripped away and each album placed in a dinky 5" card repro sleeve with just the front and rear artwork reproduced. But as fans will know Discs 2, 3, 4 and 5 listed below came with tremendous original artwork when first released on vinyl all those years ago (gatefolds, cartoon sleeves, die-cut holes etc) and that's completely lost here which is a damn shame really. But the good news is that there's been no compromise on the Audio front - they've simply used the PETER MEW Abbey Road Remasters (mostly from 2003) and each is ballsy, clear and full of presence. Here are the world saving details...

UK released February 2015 - "Original Album Series" by GROUNDHOGS is a 5CD Mini Box Set (with 5 x 5" Repro Card Sleeves) on Parlophone/Warners Music Group 0825646179732 (Barcode the same) and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (33:55 minutes):

1. B.D.D. [Side 1]

2. Daze Of The Weak

3. Times

4. Mistreated

5. Express Man [Side 2]

6. Natchez Burning

7. Light Way The Day

Tracks 1 to 7 are their 2nd studio album "Blues Obituary" - released September 1969 in the UK on Liberty Records LBS 83253 and in the USA on Imperial LP 12452. The 1996 CD Remaster is used.

Disc 2 (41:14 minutes):

1. Strange Town [Side 1]

2. Darkness Is No Friend

3. Soldier

4. Thank Christ For The Bomb

5. Ship On The Ocean [Side 2]

6. Garden

7. Status People

8. Rich Man, Poor Man

9. Eccentric Man

Tracks 1 to 9 are their 3rd studio album "Thank Christ For The Bomb" - released June 1970 in the UK on Liberty Records LBS 83295 and in the USA on Liberty LST 7644. The 2003 CD Remaster is used.

Disc 3 (39:49 minutes):

1. Split - Part One [Side 1]

2. Split - Part Two

3. Split - Part Three

4. Split - Part Four

5. Cherry Red [Side 2]

6. A Year In The Life

7. Junkman

8. Groundhog

Tracks 1 to 8 are their 4th studio album "Split" - released March 1971 in the UK on Liberty Records LBG 83401 and in the USA on United Artists UAS 5513 (with different artwork). The 2003 CD Remaster is used.

Disc 4 (36:32 minutes):

1. Earth is Not Room Enough [Side 1]

2. Wages of Peace

3. Body In Mind

4. Music Is The Food Of Thought

5. Bog Roll Blues [Side 2]

6. Death Of The Sun

7. Amazing Grace [Traditional Song cover]

8. The Grey Maze

Tracks 1 to 8 are their 5th studio album "Who Will Save The World? The Mighty Groundhogs!" - released March 1972 in the UK on United Artists UAG 29347 and in the USA on United Artists UAS 5570. The 2003 CD Remaster is used.

Disc 5 (39:21 minutes):

1. I Love Miss Ogyny [Side 1]

2. You Had A Lesson

3. The Ringmaster

4. 3744 James Road

5. Sad Is The Hunter [Side 2]

6. S'one Song

7. Earth Shanty

8. Mr. Hooker, Sir John

Tracks 1 to 8 are their 6th studio album "Hogwash" - released November 1972 in the UK on United Artists UAG 29419 and in the USA on United Artists UA-LA008-F. The 2013 CD Remaster is used.

Proceedings open with "B.D.D." (Blind, Deaf & Dumb) which clearly lays out the bands Rocking Blues credentials (all songs on the "Blues Obituary" album are by McPhee). But as well as (Reverend as he's known on the sleeve) McPhee's frantic axe playing - you also get his not-so-great monotone voice and the very basic production values he gave everything. This is down and dirty stuff as evidenced by the wicked Blues of "Daze Of The Weak" - a standout on the record. The Bass of Peter Cruickshank and Ken Pustelnik's Drums on "Time" and "Mistreated" are now clear in the remaster transfer and give the track a very Juicy Lucy swagger.

For most people 1970's "Thank Christ For The Bomb" and its illustrious 1971 follow

Up "Split" are probably their first introduction to the band's particular brand of Rock with a Blues and even Prog twist. "Shafts of moonlight light up the floor..." McPhee tells on "Darkness Is No Friend". In April 1970 Liberty Records UK tried a 45 on LBF 15346 by coupling the unlikely duo of "Eccentric Man" and the slow plod of "Status People" on the B-side - but it raised little interest. There are times when "Ship On The Ocean" sounds like doom-laden Black Sabbath on a jangly guitar tip. The four-parts of "Split" are probably fan's fave while the hard-rocking "Cherry Red" takes no prisoners chugging along in its rough `n' ready path. The near six-minute "Groundhog" has McPhee going solo - sat on a chair with his amped up slide guitar - stomping his foot like John Lee Hooker meets ZZ Top meets Rory Gallagher as he whizzes up and down those strings like he owned the Blues. What a winner and it ends the album on a real high (the remaster is fabulous).

1972 was a busy time for The Hogs - two albums in one year. For March's "Who Will Save The World? The Mighty Groundhogs!" - McPhee seemed to have discovered Funk or at least his guitar-strumming version of it. The opening three tracks are all almost Jonathan Richmond in their frantic jagged pace and I love them. There's also a warmth and mellowness to his Side 1 finisher "Music Is The Food Of Thought" where he increasingly sounds like a concerned Michael Chapman. The Audio Remaster on this album is superb by the way - cymbals, flute and bass - all the backing-instruments so clear. The crudely recorded and doom-treated guitars return with Side Two's "Bog Roll Blues" which again swings in a strange Groundhogs kind of way. The fantastically played Acoustic Guitars on "Death Of The Sun" are superb but again the song is undone by his deadpan vocals treated with some echo in the mix. There's a Soulful church organ and guitar version of the Traditional "Amazing Grace" which is ruined by fuzzed excess and the album finishes on the ten-minute Ten Years After boogie of "The Grey Maze" sounding like a throwback to the best stuff on "Split".

By the time "Hogwash" arrived in late 1972 - the public wasn't really listening and as a result it's hard to find an original vinyl copy - so its CD presence here is welcome. Stuff like "I Love Miss Ogyny" just don't have a tune - better is the jagged Prog rhythms of "You Had A Lesson". But again his vocals grate. The live-in-the-studio "3744 James Road" is preceded by a "1, 2, 3 4!" count in and is probably the best track on the album where the band sound like Alvin Lee's Ten Years After in 1972 with McPhee letting rip on some truly impressive and wild guitar playing. "Hogwash" was another McPhee Self-Production - but this time the audio quality was on the up and you can really hear it in the power of the remaster where both Cruickshank's Bass and the Drums of Clive Brooks leap out of the speakers at you.

"Original Album Series" by GROUNDHOGS is not all genius by any means and with that deadpan set of pipes of his - I've always felt that his band was an acquired taste. But if you've any affection for them - then this latest addition to the impressive "Original Album Classics" is a must own... 

"Survival" by GRAND FUNK – April 1971 US Fifth Album (Fourth Studio set) on Capitol Records (June 1971 in the UK) – featuring Mark Farner and Don Brewer (November 2002 UK Capitol Records Expanded Edition CD Reissue in the Grand Funk Remasters Series) - A Review by Mark Barry…

This Review Along With 378 Others Is Available 

In My SOUNDS GOOD E-Book (on all Amazon sites)

GET IT ON - 1971

Your All-Genres Guide To

Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters  

A HUGE 3,136 e-Pages 

All Details and In-Depth Reviews From The Discs Themselves 

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

Just Click Below To Google, Purchase or See My Author Page

For the SOUNDS GOOD Music Books Series (32 Titles in all)

"…I Can't Get Along With Society…"

With three studio efforts under their Capitol Records musical belt - "On Time" and "Grand Funk" in 1969 and the "Closer To Home" 1970 effort (the obligatory double "Live Album" was also 1970) – GRAND FUNK RAILROAD finally delivered what most feel was their best studio album ever in April 1971 (June 1971 in the UK) – "Survival" - where the much-derided American Rock Band band was simply credited as GRAND FUNK. 

It came complete with artwork where the hard-rocking band literally looks like society outcasts and not-to-be-messed-with Neanderthals on the front cover. And with 5 cracking bonus tracks actually worthy of inclusion – this cheap-as-chips CD remaster is a fantastic way into this most American of Rock bands. Men in caves indeed, here are the details…

UK released November 2002 – "Survival" by GRAND FUNK on Capitol 5417252 (Barcode 724354172526) is an Expanded Edition CD Reissue and Remaster with Five Bonus Tracks that breaks down as follows (73:14 minutes):

1. Country Road [Side 1]

2. All You've Got Is Money

3. Comfort Me

4. Feelin' Alright

5. I Want Freedom [Side 2]

6. I Can Feel Him In The Morning

7. Gimme Shelter

Tracks 1 to 7 are their 5th album "Survival" – released April 1971 in the USA on Capitol SW 764 and 4 June 1971 in the UK on Capitol E-SW 764

BONUS TRACKS (all Previously Unreleased):

8. I Can't Get Along With Society (2002 Remix)

9. Jam (Footstompin' Music)

10. Country Road (Unedited Original Version)

11. All You've Got Is Money (Unedited Original Version)

12. Feelin' Alright (Unedited Original Version)

The CD remaster on all of their early albums was always going to be tricky – notoriously recorded with no sense of audiophile – but every sense of 'how it feels'. This is down 'n' dirty American Rock with hiss levels that takes no prisoners. EVREN GOKNAR has 24-bit remastered from original tapes and while the hiss is still there – he’s given more muscle to the overall sound. These tracks come at you with renewed power – not dampened down – but allowed to breathe. The all-over-the-place vocals are there – as are the guitar/drum combos – and keyboard interludes – but with more punch. It’s well done.

"All You've Got Is Money" sounds like Ten Years After unleashed and wild. Once again it's rough and raw production is the song's making – this is gritty unapologetic American Rock and is very much the better for it. The remaster lifts up the great duet vocals between Mark Farner and Don Brewer on the near seven-minute "Comfort" (even if it is hissy) – an unusually soft and melodic song in many ways for GFR and one of Side One's highlights. We now hit the album's first single – their cover of Traffic's “Feelin' Alright” (Capitol Records 3095 in April 1971 – reached No. 54). Written by Dave Mason – its staggering Soulful-Rock crossover potential was spotted almost instantly and covered by a slew of huge artists in a very short period of time – Joe Cocker, David Ruffin, Lulu, Rare Earth, Three Dog Night, The Chairmen Of The Board and even Jazzers Hubert Laws and Wade Marcus all had a go. Grand Funk starts the song out slowly but builds into that fantastic groove they had - Don Brewer's drums shining throughout.

The near two-minutes of in-studio pissing about at the beginning of the Side 2 opener “I Want Freedom” sounded cool back in the day but irritates now. Better is when the actual song kicks in - Farner's keyboards to the fore and that cross-speaker drum thing at the end sounding just great. "If you're bad…you’ll die when you die…" echoes after children explain God and what it means to be good at the beginning of "I Can Feel Him In The Morning". It's a fabulously over-the-top track and next to their wild finisher – one of my favourites. Speaking of which – their fuzzy-up manic guitar version of the Stones' "Gimme Shelter" is Grand Funk Railroad in full sway – boogieing like mad men – to hell with the critics – damn the musical torpedoes.

But what puts this CD into special territory is the quality of the Bonus Material. "I'll tell you mister you'd better watch your mouth or you'll get busted by the police…" Farner sings on the Alternate Mix of the censorship song "I Can't Get Along With Society" which features a more prevalent upfront guitar. "Jam (Footstompin' Music)" is an early version (they re-recorded it for the "E Pluribus Funk" album in late 1971) and it’s a five-minute fast boogie with a driving Bass line. But the real prizes for fans are three-in-a-row newly reassembled 2002 mixes. First up is "Country Road" which restores the 2nd verse, middle eight and a Guitar solo edited out of the released version (now runs to 7:38 minutes). "All You've Got Is Money" restores a Guitar solo, harmonica parts and several extra verses pushing the tune to nearly eight and half minutes. The Traffic cover "Feelin' Alright" extended versions restore the third verse and features an Alternate Vocal on the first verse (it now stretches to just under six minutes).

Derided by critics and beloved by fans in equal measure – Grand Funk Railroad were huge back in the day – and on the evidence of this cool reissue – it's easy to hear why…

"Fuchsia" by FUCHSIA – November 1971 UK Debut LP on Pegasus Records featuring Tony Durant and Madeline Band (November 2015 UK Esoteric Recordings CD Reissue with Paschal Byrne Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 378 Others Is Available 

In My SOUNDS GOOD E-Book (on all Amazon sites)

GET IT ON - 1971

Your All-Genres Guide To

Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters  

A HUGE 3,136 e-Pages 

All Details and In-Depth Reviews From The Discs Themselves 

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

Just Click Below To Google, Purchase or See My Author Page

For the SOUNDS GOOD Music Books Series (32 Titles in all)

"…A Song To The Moon…"

Released on the then obscure Pegasus Records label in England in November 1971 – Fuchsia's lone Acid-Folk Prog-Rock LP had gorgeous artwork courtesy of Anne Marie Anderson, dense and impressive layers and trippy Acoustic based music that felt genuinely magical at times - but typically - garnished bugger all sales on its initial release.

The band were to tour the complex largely acoustic-based arrangements in December of that year but the tour never materialised – and with only a shared advert in the Melody Maker alongside the likes of UK rockers Nazareth and British folkies Shirley Collins and the Fairport Convention offshoot The Albion Band – "Fuchsia" received no other promotion - and so like much on the B&C Records label imprint - Pegasus PEG 8 sank without a trace. 

Cue a decade later and Prog aficionados go all Mellow Candle on its rarity ass and start forking out serious money on the very hard-to-find vinyl LP (listed at £250 but often sells for much more). So Mark Powell's Esoteric Recordings (part of Cherry Red) seems determined to rescue this lovely obscurity from the grips of bootleggers and give the album the release and remaster it deserves. And indeed they have. Here are the scented and flowery details…

UK released 27 November 2015 (December 2015 in the USA) – "Fuchsia" by FUCHSIA on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 2518 (Barcode 5013929461840) is a straightforward CD transfer of the November 1971 LP on Pegasus Records PEG 8 and plays out as follows (40:56 minutes):

1. Gone With The Mouse [Side 1]
2. A Tiny Book
3. Another Nail
4. Shoes And Ships [Side 2]
5. The Nothing Song
6. Me And My Kite
7. Just Anyone
Tracks 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7 written by Tony Durant – Track 3 written by Tony Durant and Robert Chudley – Track 6 written by Robert Chudley

FUCHSIA was:
TONY DURANT – Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar and Lead Vocals
MADELINE BLAND – Cello, Piano, Harmonium and Backing Vocals
JANET ROGERS – Violin and Backing Vocals
VANESSA HALL-SMITH – Violin and Backing Vocals
MICHAEL DAY – Bass
MICHAEL GREGORY – Drums and Percussion

The 16-page booklet features reminiscences by principal songwriter Tony Durant on the formation of the band, the making of the album and the disappointing aftermath of no sales and no tours – as well as lyrics and a photo of the six-piece ensemble - three of whom were ladies and their violins. The famed Decca/Deram Producer DAVID HITCHCOCK did the original Producer honours at the console - giving the whole album a real polished feel (his work from the period 1968 to 1975 includes Caravan, Camel, East Of Eden, Genesis, The Pink Fairies, Curved Air and not surprisingly Mellow Candle). PASCHAL BYRNE – a name that's graced oodles of these classy reissues – has handled the exclusively licensed Remaster – and the audio on songs like "Shoes And Ships" and "Just Anyone" can only be described as wonderful – clean, warm and expressive. This is a beautiful sounding CD reissue...

The opening cut "Gone With A Mouse" feels like the more Acoustic and ambitious sections of 1971's "Foxtrot" by Genesis (which David Hitchcock produced) – the remaster allowing the complicated breaks and changes to spread across the speakers with real power and impressive finesse. Durant's obsession with all things plucked-Acoustic comes shining through the violins and clashing cymbals on the delicately lovely "A Tiny Book". The seven-minute "Another Nail" has the three ladies opening with suitably 'scratching' sounds on their ELO-type strings before Michael Day and Michael Gregory gets all Horslips Bass and Drums on the trippy violin song (shades of East Of Eden's "Mercator Projected" and "Snafu").

Time to get really impressed. There are parts in the gorgeous six-minutes-plus of "Shoes And Ships" that feel like Nick Drake at his Spanish Acoustic Guitar best – mixed in with Durant's Duncan Browne sounding Lead Vocals – all topped off with the sheer prettiness of the string arrangements featured on Fotheringay's self-titled 1970 debut LP and Mellow Candle's magnificent 1972 "Swaddling Songs" album (very impressive stuff). "The Nothing Song" is a bit too Prog for me and the harmonium hippy "Me And My Kite" is lovely too – ending on the winner that is "Just Anyone".

Tony Durant later spent time with Punchin' Judy who managed one self-titled album on Transatlantic Records in 1973 – joined the reggae band Greyhound for a while before immigrating to Australia where he became a successful jingles writer. A full 35-years after the initial non-event - Durant returned in 2013 with the CD "Fuchsia 2: From Psychedelia To A Distant Place" and even toured with a Folk-Prog band from Sweden called "Me And My Kites" named in tribute after the track on the album.

You wouldn't say "Fuchsia" is the champ-like obscure-monster of say "Mellow Candle" from April 1972 that regularly sells for £3000 and more and is worth the money (see separate review) – but there is so much to love on this forgotten gem.

And typically - Esoteric Recordings have done the album and its legacy proud. Dig and mucho enjoy…

"Lady In Red: The Columbia Sides Plus" by RONNIE DYSON - Featuring The Whole of the US 1970 LP "(If You Let Me Make Love To You Then) Why Can't I Touch You?" on Columbia Records - Issued in 1971 in the UK on CBS Records as "When You Get Right Down To It" (November 2014 UK Soul Music CD Compilation of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

Above is the UK CD Compilation on Cherry Red's Soul Music Records

Above is the 1970 US LP Sleeve

Above is the UK LP from 1971 with a Different Name

This Review Along With 378 Others Is Available 

In My SOUNDS GOOD E-Book (on all Amazon sites)

GET IT ON - 1971

Your All-Genres Guide To

Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters  

A HUGE 3,136 e-Pages 

All Details and In-Depth Reviews From The Discs Themselves 

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

Just Click Below To Google, Purchase or See My Author Page

For the SOUNDS GOOD Music Books Series (32 Titles in all)

"…Make It With You…"

I love a reissue done with passion and heart and even a sense of pride. And this little beauty is one of them.

Over six foot and possessed of a sweet yet powerful voice - Brooklyn's Ronnie Dyson was only 18 when he landed a prestigious lead vocal role in the Broadway Musical of "Hair" (the Sixties love and peace anthem of "Aquarius" from that production leads off this compilation). A deal with the mighty Columbia Records followed and that's where this classy English CD compilation comes in - put out by Soul Music Records of the UK (part of Cherry Red).

UK released November 2014 - "Lady In Red: The Columbia Sides Plus" by RONNIE DYSON on Cherry Red/Soul Music Records SMCR 5125 (Barcode 5013929082533) is a 23-Track CD-only Compilation of Remasters. Here's an account of who loved who and who cheated while they were doing it (73:51 minutes)...

1. Aquarius (from "Hair") - 1969 USA single on Columbia SP-45-184, A

2. God Bless The Children

3. Are You Ready For Love - Tracks 2 and 3 are the A&B-sides of his debut USA 7" single on Columbia 45-45025 credited as Ron Dyson

4. I Don't Wanna Cry

5. Emmie

6. A Touch Of Baby

7. I Just Can't Help Believin'

8. She's Gone

9. Band Of Gold

10. (If You Let Me Make Love To You Then) Why Can't I Touch You?

11. Make It With You

12. Fever

13. Do What Your Heart Tells You To Do

14. Bridge Over Troubled Water

NOTE: Tracks 4 to 14 are his debut album "(If You Let Me Make Love To You Then) Why Can't I Touch You?" released September 1970 on Columbia Records C 30223 in the USA. It was released in 1971 in the UK as "When You Get Right Down To It" on CBS Records S CBS 64779 with a different track line up on Side 2. To sequence the UK LP using this CD use the following tracks

Side 1: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9

Side 2: 16, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14

15. Girl Don't Come - non-album B-side of "(If You Let Me Make Love To You Then) Why Can't I Touch You?" - a USA 45 released 1970 on Columbia 45-45110 - taken from the Musical Production of "Salvation". It was also the B-side of the 1970 UK 7" single on CBS Records S 5044 - A-side was "(If You Let Me...)... - Track 10"

16. When You Get Right Down To It

17. Sleeping Sun - tracks 16 and 17 are the A&B-sides of a US 45 on Columbia 45-45387 in 1970. "When You Get Right Down To It" is also the name of and Side 2 opener of the UK LP. It was also released in the UK as a 7" single in September 1971 on CBS 7449

18. Abelene - non-album B-side of "A Wednesday In Your Garden" released 1971 in the US on Columbia 5-45496

19. Jesus Is Just Alright (Extended Version)

20. Love Is Slipping Away - tracks 19 and 20 are the A&B-sides of a US 7" single on Columbia 4-45599 released in 1972

21. One Man Band (Plays All Alone) - A-side of a US 7" single on Columbia 4-45776 released in 1973

22. Just Don't Want To Be Lonely - A-side of a US 7" single on Columbia 4-45867 released in 1973

23. Lady In Red - A-side of a US 7" single on Columbia 3-10211 released in 1975

Produced overall by David Nathan - the 16-page booklet has fantastically detailed liner notes from noted Soul Music writer RASHOD OLLISON that document Dyson's career - five albums placed on the US Billboard charts between 1970 and 1983. And yet this singer is all but forgotten and criminally neglected - Rashod quite right surmises that posterity deserves to give Dyson's musical legacy a better rap than that. There's even a pictorial Discography on Pages 12 and 13 but the big news is an ALAN WILSON digital remaster from original tapes - some of it is hissy for sure but all of it is full of presence and warmth.

Produced by the legendary Billy Jackson - the (weirdly titled) debut album has its fair share of contemporary covers - Laura Nyro's "Emmie", BJ Thomas's "I Just Can't Help Believin'" (Mann/Weil song), a frantic funkified "Fever" and Freda Payne's Invictus smash "Band Of Gold". But slaying all comers is his fabulous Soulful take on the David Gates/Bread hit "Make It With You" - as lovely a tune as you've ever heard with a high-octave impassioned vocal. "She's Gone" is the same - a pleader that works. Lending itself to Soulful interpretation - Simon & Garfunkel's magisterial "Bridge Over Troubled Water" sees him get serious - giving it some great Gospel vocals - it's admittedly hissy in places as the piano plays - but its emotionally powerful stuff.

Barry Mann's "When You Get Right Down To It" has him sounding not unlike a male Dusty Springfield while "Sleeping Sun" is probably the most Pop song on here. "Abelene" is HDH Soul while he goes all Isleys on his excellent cover of "Jesus Is Just Alright" while we veer towards the Wigan Casino with his take on Frederick Knight's "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely". Speaking of which - Northern Soul fans will flip for "Lady In Red" - a Norman Harris/Vinnie Barrett Soul/Disco upbeat dancer lathered in strings and great doubled vocals (you can just smell the talcum powder).

Dyson passed away in 1990 aged only 40 - at least this superbly presented CD does his recorded legacy proud. Well done to all involved at Cherry Red's Soul Music Records and a great way to get that 1970 US Debut LP (1971 in the UK) on digital...

"Complimentary Slugs From Glamourpuss And Lugs" by Mark Barry as BAZINMARGATE - August 2026 Paperback - Limericks Volume 3 of 3...

New Paperback Available - 9 August 2026 - Limericks Volume 3 of 3

"COMPLIMENTARY SLUGS FROM GLAMOURPUSS AND LUGS"

Available on Amazon - £9.95

https://link.amazon/B05y2dy1Z

"Luminosity Revealed" by MARK BARRY - A Poem for Father's Day - 21 June 2026 - From My Book 'Adam Wakes Up In The Garden Of Eden...'

 For Fathers, Mums and Their Kids on Father's Day - 21 June 2026

"What's It All About? Film & TV Music Of Swinging London" by VARIOUS ARTISTS – Featuring TV and Soundtrack Composers Barry Gray, Tony Hatch, Cyril Stapleton, John Barry, Joe Meek, Laurie Johnson, Bob Leaper, John Dankworth, Ron Grainer, Ted Heath Plus Pop & Rock Groups of the Period like Small Faces, Yardbirds, Lulu, Manfred Mann, The Spencer Davis Group, Tom Jones, Vashti Bunyan, The Walker Brothers, Chris Farlowe, Twice As Much, Cilla Black, The Scaffold, The Seekers, Heinz, Laurie Steele, Paul Jones, Herman's Hermits, The Tornados, The Mindbenders, Episode Six, Herbie's People, Katch 22, The Pentangle, Rodney Bewes, Blossom Toes , Arthur Brown, Amen Corner, The Alan Bown Set, The Lemon Dips, Traffic, Pretty Things as Electric Banana, Jasmin-T, Andy Ellison, Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera and more (March 2026 UK Cherry Red/Strawberry 3CD 91-Track Clamshell Box Set with Three Picture Card Sleeves, 40-Page Booklet with Chris Allan and John Reed Annotation and Simon Murphy Masters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

AMAZON UK Reference for the Box Set

https://amzn.to/4uoNdJy

RATINGS: 

Overall **** 

Amazing breath in the material, fun listens, 

a sea of rarities and discoveries for die-hards, 

beautifully presented, quality audio 

most really good, but not all tracks great

Presentation: ***** 

Lovely Clamshell Box, 3 Card Sleeves, Info-Packed 40-Page Booklet

Audio: 

*** to ***** (mostly ****)

This Review and Over 394 More Like It

Are Available In My E-Book 

 

GIMME SHELTER!

CLASSIC 1960s ROCK ON CD 

And Other Genres Thereabouts 

 

Your All-Genres Guide To 

Exceptional Reissues and Remasters 

All Reviews From The Discs 

No Need To be Nervous!

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

Amazon UK Box Set Reference for Purchase

https://amzn.to/44gqqUF

"...Modesty Blaise...Deadlier Than The Male..."

There are other sets covering this fabulous go-go boots and mini-skirts nostalgia trip, but I dare say they don't do it nearly as well or with such knowledge/passion.

With an amazing breath of Sixties material (91-Tracks across 3CDs – see photos) – you get walloped with fun theme song listens from TV and film, Supermarionation schoolboy crushes, Jason King tache-types, Bond knock-off dysfunctional spies with Tibetan superpowers and Daleks and suitcases and saints and beans on toast as Alfie tries to navigate dolly birds and Sonny Rollins and Mrs. Brown's lovely daughter. Jean Shrimpton, Terence Stamp, Alexandra Bastedo, Sean Connery, Michael Caine, Rita Tushingham, Diana Rigg, Lulu, Paul Jones, David Frost, Joe 90, Patrick Macnee – all the shakers are here – and of course deeper dives too into composer giants like John Barry, Tony Hatch, Barry Gray and John Dankworth (to name but a few). Hell, there might even be a freshly lit cigarette hanging from the lips of some anti-hero with a crush velvet shirt.

For the aficionado and diehard collector and with over ninety tracks, you also get a sea of rarities (some first time on CD), cool card sleeves picturing swinging hipster types (names identified below), a jam-packed 40-page booklet with superb period visuals and (largely) banging audio. For my part as a reviewer, to avoid this tale being paperback length (there is a lot to unpack) – I've fleshed out each track entry with info past just release dates and catalogue numbers – you get details (from the booklet and bits of my own) on TV stars and films and other related items. Without further goes around the Mulberry Bush, Thunderballs, Blow Ups and To Sir with Love - here are details…

UK released Friday, 27 March 2026 - "What's It All About? Film & TV Music Of Swinging London" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Cherry Red/Strawberry CR3JAMBX56 (Barcode 5013929435636) is a 3CD 91-Track Clamshell Box Set with Three Period Photo Card Sleeves, a 40-Page Colour Booklet with Chris Allan and John Reed Annotation and Simon Murphy Mastering. It plays out as follows:

CD1 (79:56 minutes, 31 Tracks) 

Michael Caine, Joe 90 and The Spencer Davis Group pictured on card sleeve

1. Theme From The TV Series The Avengers - THE LAURIE JOHNSON ORCHESTRA (December 1965 UK 7" 45-single on Pye International 7N 17015, A-side - the iconic Avengers Spy TV Show featured Diana Rigg and Patrick McNamee as Emma Peel and John Steed)

2. I've Got Mine - SMALL FACES (November 1965 UK 7" 45-single on Decca F 12276, A-side - featured in the film 'Dateline Diamonds' - first Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane song collaboration)

3. On The Brink - MIKE VICKERS (August 1965 UK 7" 45-single on Columbia DB 7657, A-side - Mike Vickers had been in Manfred Mann - this Northern Soul anthem was also once used as the theme song to a BBC TV programme called 'The Wednesday Play')

4. Choc Ice - LULU AND THE LUVERS (from the June 1965 UK LP "Gonks Go Beat (Original Soundtrack Recording From The Titan Production)" on Decca LK 4673 in Mono - film featured Kenneth Connor and 'The Gonk' was a popular toy of the era that appears in the opening credits of the Sci-Fi Fantasy Movie)

5. Title Theme From Joe 90 - BARRY GRAY AND HIS ORCHESTRA (October 1968 UK 7" 45-single on Pye International 7N 17625, A-side - part of Gerry Anderson's array of Supermarionation TV shows from the Sixties that included Fireball XL5, Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet - Joe 90 was a kid who could be imbibed with all manner of adult expertise through a machine thus becoming an unlikely hero. Barry Gray's fabulous themes became synonymous with Anderson's shows and were beloved by every schoolkid in England)

6. Deadlier Than The Male - THE WALKER BROTHERS (December 1966 UK 7" 45-single on Philips BF 1537, A-side - theme to a movie of the same name)

7. Theme From Department S - CYRIL STAPLETON AND HIS ORCHESTRA (August 1969 UK 7" 45-single on Pye International 7N 17807, A-side - a UK Spy TV show cashing in the Bond 007 craze that first featured the character of Jason King as played by actor and future musician Peter Wyngarde. 'Jason King' the TV show would appear in 1971 and become notorious for its deeply un-PC portrayals and hipster soundtrack)

8. Winter Is Blue - VASHTI (from the November 1968 UK Soundtrack LP "Tonite Let's All Make Love In London" on Instant INLP 002 in Mono - a Soundtrack LP that also featured The Pink Floyd, Small Faces, Chris Farlowe, Twice As Much - VASHTI BUNYAN would go on to release the hugely collectable Folk-Rock cult LP "Just Another Diamond Day" on Philips Records in November 1970)

9. Alfie's Theme Differently - SONNY ROLLINS with ORCHESTRA Conducted by NELSON RIDDLE (from the 1966 UK Soundtrack LP "Sonny Plays Alfie" on HMV Records CSD 3529 in Stereo - Michael Caine played the titular character in the famous Sixties moral shocker of a movie - Rollins was a US Jazz Tenor Saxophonist)

10. Paint It Black - CHRIS FARLOWE (August 1968 UK 7" 45-single on Immediate Records IM 071, A-side - a cover version of The Rolling Stones classic and also featured on the 'Tonite Let's All Make Love In London' soundtrack mentioned on Track 8)

11. Accroche Toi, Caroline - PARIS STUDIO GROUP (CLAUDE VASORI) (from the 1967 UK 10" Library Music LP "Voices In The Wind" on Sylvester Music Company SMC LP 502 in Mono - most remembered as the theme music to the UK Art Show 'Vision On' featuring Tony Hart)

12. Modesty (Modesty Blaise Theme) - DAVID AND JONATHAN (May 1966 UK 7" 45-single on Fontana TF 700, A-side - Spy Spoof Movie starring Terence Stamp and Monica Vitti in the titular role)

13. Man Alive - THE TONY HATCH SOUND (November 1965 UK 7" 45-single on Pye International 7N 15972, A-side - theme music to a BBC hard-hitting subject-matter current-affairs TV show that ran right up to 1981)

14. When I Come Home - THE SPENCER DAVIS GROUP (August 1966 UK 7" 45-single on Fontana TF 739, A-side - the band featured Steve Winwood and Spencer Davis - music was from a 1966 comedy musical film called 'The Ghost Goes Gear' - the movie featured Acker Bilk, Dave Berry and future TV legend Nicholas Parsons)

15. 007 - THE JOHN BARRY SEVEN AND ORCHESTRA (October 1963 UK 7" 45-single on Ember EMBS 181, A-side - this famous part-of the James Bond music pantheon was first showcased in the second Bond movie 'From Russia With Love' but would be returned to in 'Thunderball' and 'Moonraker' - an instrumental usually used when 007 is outsmarting his Spectre opponent)

16. High Wire - THE BOB LEAPER ORCHESTRA (September 1964 UK 7" 45-single on Pye International 7N 15700, A-side - famous for being used as the theme music to the Patrick McGoohan spy show 'Danger Man' (renamed 'Secret Agent Man' in the USA))

17. Night Time Girl (Soundtrack Version) - TWICE AS MUCH (see Track 8)

18. The Champions - THE TONY HATCH ORCHESTRA (August 1969 UK 7" 45-single on Pye International 7N 17814, A-side - a Spy/Super Heroes TV show starring the gorgeous Alexandra Bastedo with handsome Stuart Damon and the studious poe-faced William Gaunt as a trio of conscientious types who return from a Tibetan plane crash as enhanced human beings who use their powers for good)

19. Take This Train - THE LONG AND THE SHORT (see Track 4)

20. The Frost Report - JOHN DANKWORTH AND HIS ORCHESTRA (May 1966 UK 7" 45-single on Fontana TF 700, A-side - theme music to a satirical TV show fronted by the famous interviewer and chronicler of the times David Frost)

21. Georgy Girl - THE SEEKERS (September 1966 US 7" 45-single on Capitol Records 5756, A-side - theme to the film of the same name starring Alan Bates and Lynn Redgrave in the Lead Roles - a No.1 Pop hit in many countries)

22. West End - THE LAURIE JOHNSON ORCHESTRA (Not Originally released commercially - theme to Alan Whickers TV programme 'Whicker's World')

23. Off And Running - THE MINDBENDERS (August 1967 Canadian 7" 45-single on Fontana -1595, A-side - used in the film 'To Sir With Love' starring Sidney Poitier)

24. The Spies Theme - CYRIL STAPLETON (February 1966 UK 7" 45-single on Pye International 7N. 17052, A-side - a UK Spy TV series starring Dinsdale Landen - said to be only one episode in existence as the BBC wiped the tapes)

25. Liver Birds - THE SCAFFOLD (October 1969 UK 7" 45-single on Parlophone R 5812, B-side of "Gin Gan Goolie" - famous TV song theme to a hugely popular TV programme about single ladies navigating the Swinging Sixties while society still has one foot in 40s and 50s traditions)

26. The Ipcress File - JOHN BARRY (from the 1965 UK Soundtrack LP "The Ipcress File" on CBS Records S BPG 62530 in Stereo - Michael Caine's anti-hero Harry Palmer would become a mid-60s icon - this slow ever so slightly menacing instrumental perfectly captured the paranoid world of Sixties espionage from an English egg 'n' chips bedsit point of view)

27. This Is The Moment - THE NEWS (August 1966 UK 7" 45-single on Decca F 12447, A-side - featured in a TV episode of 'Adam Adamant Lives!' TV Series called 'Sing A Song Of Murder' - Eighties UK Pop Star Adam Ant took his name from this show)

28. Alfie - CILLA BLACK (March 1966 UK 7" 45-single on Parlophone R 5427, A-side - used in the end credits of the Michael Caine 'Alfie' film - the song was written by the legendary Burt Bacharach and Produced by Beatles collaborator George Martin)

29. Accident - JOHNNY DANKWORTH AND HIS ORCHESTRA (March 1967 UK 7" 45-single on Fontana TF 805, A-side - theme to the movie of the same name starring Dirk Bogarde, Stanley Baker and Jacqueline Sassard from a screenplay by Harold Pinter)

30. Let's Live For Love - THE SPECTRUM (from the US Soundtrack LP "The Bliss Of Mrs. Blossom" on RCA Victor LSP-4080 in Stereo)

31. Thunderbirds - THE BARRY GRAY ORCHESTRA (December 1965 UK 7" 45-single on Pye International 7N 17016, A-side - famous theme to this beloved Gerry and Sylvia Anderson Supermarionation TV Series. Living on an out-of-sight tropical island, the reclusive and media-shy Tracy family turn out to be Worldwide problem solvers and rescuers with their advanced Thunderbirds machines (1 to 5) invented by their eccentric live-in scientist and tech genius - Brains)

CD2 (78:49 minutes, 34 Tracks)

Sean Connery (as Bond), 60s Supermodel Jean Shrimpton and Paul Jones (of Manfred Mann) in the Film 'Privilege' with actor Richard Bradford from the 'Man In A Suitcase' TV Show pictured on card sleeve

1. The James Bond Theme - JOHN BARRY ORCHESTRA (September 1962 UK 7" 45-single on Columbia DB 4898, A-side - Vic Flick played Guitar on this world-famous recurring theme music to the first Bond 007 film outing 'Dr. No' in 1962)

2. Blow Up - THE IN CROWD (Not originally released - bnd made two songs for the film 'The In Crowd' but neither was used - they were replaced by England's Yardbirds - The In Crowd would later become Tomorrow in 1969)

3. Dancing Frog - WYNDER K. FROG (February 1967 UK 7" 45-single on Island WIP 6006, A-side - Wynder K. Frog is a pseudonym for Hammond-Organ player Mick Weaver - song was featured on the Soundtrack LP to "The Untouchables") 

4. Stroll On - THE YARDBIRDS (from the 1966 UK LP "Blow-Up (The Original Soundtrack Album)" on MGM Records MGM-CS-8039 in Stereo - while all of the album is credited to and by Herbie Hancock - The Yardbirds get this one song on it)

5. A Man In A Suitcase - RON GRAINER (October 1967 UK 7" 45-single on Pye International 7N 17383, A-side - US Disgraced Gumshoe TV Series starring Richard Bradford as Private Eye McGill (Bradford is pictured on the card sleeve to CD2) - the show gave breaks to Felicity Kendal and a young Donald Sutherland)

6. Thunderball - TOM JONES (November 1965 UK 7" 45-single on Decca F 12292, A-side - theme song from the fourth James Bond movie starring Sean Connery)

7. The Theme From The Power Game - CYRIL STAPLETON (January 1966 UK 7" 45-single on Pye International 7N 17040, A-side - theme to a TV Series starring Patrick Wymark)

8. Changing Of The Guard (7" Version) - MARQUIS OF KENSINGTON (May 1967 UK 7" 45-single on Immediate IM 052, A-side - the 7" version of this witty societal one-up-manship song is a slight edit - the LP cut on "Tonite Let's All Make Love In London" is longer because it has a refrain of 'God Save The Queen' in the fade out)

9. Joe's Theme - LAURIE STEELE (December 1966 UK 7" 45-single on Decca DFE 8672, A-side - Theme to a children's TV show called 'Joe' - first time on CD)

10. Free Me - PAUL JONES (from the 4-Track UK Extended Play (EP) "Sings Songs From The Film Privilege" on HMV Records 7EG 8975 - Paul Jones was the Lead Singer in Manfred Mann and had a long solo career after the band - Swinging Sixties Supermodel Jean Shrimpton was also in the mpvie and both Jones and Shrimpton are pictured on the front cover of CD2)

11. The Ice Cream Man (Original Speed) - THE TORNADOS (Not originally Released - from the film 'Farewell Performance' - Joe Meek Producer)

12. Stingray - GARY MILLER with THE BARRY GRAY ORCHESTRA (October 1964 UK 7" 45-single on Pye International 7N 15698, A-side - Vocals by Gary Miller - theme to Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's Supermarionation TV Series)

13. Softly Softly - THE LONDON WAITS (March 1966 UK 7" 45-single on Immediate IM 030, A-side - theme to the UK TV Series 'Softly Softly' itself a spin-off from the 'Z Cars' TV Series)

14. Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter - HERMAN'S HERMITS (June 1965 UK 7" 45-single 4-Track EP "Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter" on Columbia SEG 8440 - a Comedy Musical Film)

15. Hit And Miss - TED HEATH AND HIS ORCHESTRA (April 1965 UK 7" 45-single on Decca F 12133, A-side - The John Barry Seven and Orchestra had the original theme song to the UK's pop-show 'Juke Box Jury' - but in the last few months of its airing, it was swapped out for this variant by Ted Heath)

16. It's Getting Harder All The Time - THE MINDBENDERS (from the July 1967 UK Soundtrack LP "To Sir With Love" on Fontana STL 5446 in stereo - film starred Judy Geeson and Sidney Poitier)

17. Birds - THE TONY HATCH ORCHESTRA (March 1968 UK 7" 45-single on Pye International 7N 17496, A-side - theme to the BBC's 'Eurofashion 68')

18. The Last Goodbye - CHRIS FARLOWE (April 1968 UK 7" 45-single on Immediate IM 066, A-side - although the label credits the song as being from a film of the same name - it didn't exist - title was just something label owner Andrew Loog Oldham thought 'sounded' like a film title)

19. The Saint - THE ELIMINATORS (from the 4-Track UK Extended Play (EP "Top T.V. Themes" on Pye Records NEP 24276 - a cover version of the popular Roger Moore Spy Show theme to 'The Saint' where Moore played the character Simon Templar)

20. The Adam Adamant Theme - KATHY KIRBY (June 1966 UK 7" 45-single on Decca F 12432, A-side - theme music to the UK TV Series 'Adam Adamant Lives!' starring Gerald Harper as Adam Adamant, a man from Edwardian England who is frozen in time only to wake up in Swinging 60s London where he begins to solve crimes with his old swashbuckling ways)

21. Live It Up - HEINZ (from the December 1963 UK 4-track Extended Play EP "Live It Up" on Decca DFE 8559 - featured Joe Meek produced bands including Heinz)

22. John Peel - THE EAGLES (from the 1964 US LP "Nothing But The Best" on Colpix CP 477 in Mono)

23. Mio Amore Sta Lontano - ANGELIQUE (March 1966 UK 7" 45-single on Pye International 7N 17066, A-side - an Italian cover version of The Zombies song "I Remember When I Loved Her" written by Keyboardist Rod Argent (of the band Argent) that occasionally turned up in the 'Danger Man' show starring Patrick McGoohan)

24. Beefeaters - JOHN DANKWORTH AND HIS ORCHESTRA (November 1964 UK 7" 45-single on Fontana TF 512, A-side - theme to the UK TV Show 'Search For A Star' - this instrumental was also used as one of the pieces of music to open Radio 1's first broadcast in 1967 - the first actual song was 'Flowers In The Rain' by The Move)

25. Captain Scarlet - THE BARRY GRAY ORCHESTRA (October 1967 UK 7" 45-single on Pye International 7N 17391, A-side - sixth theme for Gerry & Sylvia Anderson's Supermarionation series - Spectrum Agent and indestructible due to fusion with future tech, Captain Scarlet does battle each week with alien-naughty-boys The Mysterons hell bent on taking over the world)

26. The Doctor's Theme - THE TONY HATCH ORCHESTRA (December 1969 UK 7" 45-single on Pye International 7N 17864, A-side - theme to a UK TV show called 'The Doctors' starring Justine Lord, Nigel Stock and Linda LaPlante)

27. Ya Ya Da Da - THE NEWS (August 1966 UK 7" 45-single on Decca F 12477, B-side of "This Is The Moment" (see Track 27 on CD1 for the A-side) - from UK TV programme 'Adam Adamant Lives!')

28. Mouse On The Moon - THE COUNTDOWNS (May 1963 UK 7" 45-single on United Artists. UP 1024, A-side - a cover version of the Ron Grainer theme to the 1963 film 'Mouse On The Moon')

29. That Was The Week That Was - MILLICENT MARTIN with DAVID FROST (February 1963 UK 7" 45-single on Parlophone R 4998, A-side - TV Show Theme recorded live)

30. (Theme) Who-Dun-It - TONY HATCH AND HIS ORCHESTRA (august 1969 UK 7" 45-single on Pye International 7N 17814, A-side - theme to the ATV TV Show 'Who-Dun-it' that starred Gary Raymonde)

31. A Place To Go - MIKE SARNE (April 1964 UK 7" 45-single on Parlophone R 5129, A-side - Sung By and also Starring Mike Sarne alongside Rita Tushingham in the movie 'A Place To Go')

32. La Vetrina Delle Bambole - ARMANDO SCIASCIA AND HIS ORCHESTRA (March 1966 UK 7" 45-single on Ember EMBS 228, A-side - theme to the 1966 Granada TV series 'The Liars' - starred Ian Oglivy (later played Simon Templar in the re-boot of The Saint) and Nyree Dawn Porter who starred in The Protectors)

33. Born To Lose - JACKIE LEE (September 1967 UK 7" 45-single on Decca F 12663, A-side - featured in a crime film called 'Robbery' starring Stanley Baker)

34. Fanfare & Opening Titles (Doctor Who And The Daleks) - MALCOLM LOCKYER (Not Originally Released - with electronic contributions from Barry Gary of Thunderbirds fame - the 1965 movie starred Peter Cushing as the first Timelord - the soundtrack was unissued at the time but reissued in 2009)

CD3 (75:44 minutes, 26 Tracks):

The Daleks from Doctor Who, Liza Goddard and cast from Take Three Girls TV Show and Sidney Poitier are pictured on the card sleeve

1. To Sir With Love – LULU (June 1967 UK 7" 45-single on Columbia DB 8221, B-side of "Let's Pretend" – theme song from the 1967 film of the same name produced by RAK Records founder and music impresario Mickie Most – starred Sidney Poitier as a Guianan teacher in inner city London – singer Lulu was also in the cast – Director James Clavell also wrote the screenplay for The Great Escape – Poitier is pictured on the card sleeve)

2. Residential Area - HERBIE'S PEOPLE (February 1967 UK 7" 45-single on CBS Records 2020584, B-side of "Hummingbird" – from the Ken Loach film 'Poor Cow' starring Carol White and Terence Stamp)

3. Theme From Girl On A Motorcycle - THE BRITISH LION ORCHESTRA (December 1968 US 7" 45-single on Tetragrammaton T-1511, A-side - Les Reed instrumental from the film of the same name starring Marianne Faithfull and Alain Delon)

4. Gentlemen Of The Park - EPISODE SIX (from the shared 1969 Soundtrack LP "Les Bicyclettes De Belsize/Twisted Nerve" by Les Reed, Barry Mason and Bernard Herrmann on Polydor 583 728 in Stereo - song written by Les Reed/Barry Mason)

5. Here Come The Nice - SMALL FACES (June 1967 UK 7" 45-single on Immediate IM 050, A-side - also on the 'Tonite Let's All Make Love in London' soundtrack LP - title of the song comes from a monologue in the film by British comedian Lord Buckley that says "...here comes da nazz...")

6. The Knack (Main Theme) - JOHN BARRY (October 1965 Dutch 7" 45-single on CBS Records 1960, A-side - Instrumental from the movie soundtrack to "The Knack...And How To Get It" starring Rita Tushingham, Ray Brooks and a pre-Betty Michael Crawford with sexpots Charlotte Rampling and Jane Birkin both making screen debuts - its rare picture sleeve is shown on Page 31 of the booklet)

7. Out Of My Life - KATCH 22 (March 1969 UK 7" 45-single on Fontana TF 1005, A-side - taken from the 1969 Film "Baby Love" starring Rita Tushingham, Ray Brooks and Michael Crawford)

8. Light Flight - THE PENTANGLE (October 1969 UK 7" 45-single on Big T Records BIG 128, A-side - Jacqui McShee on Lead Vocals with Bert Jansch, John renbourn and Danny Thompson - theme music to the BBC TV Show 'Take Three Girls' - the actresses are pictured on the front card sleeve)

9. Return From The Ashes - THE JOHN DANKWORTH ORCHESTRA (February 1966 UK 7" 45-single on Fontana TF 675, A-side - theme from the movie of the same name starring Ingrid Thulin directed by 'Guns Of Navarone' and 'Cape Fear' maverick Lee J. Thompson)

10. Dear Mother, Love Albert - RODNEY BEWES (July 1970 US 7" 45-single on Revolution Pop REVP 1001, A-side - Bewes was the Singer and Star of the ITV TV Show called 'Dear Mother, Love Albert' about a country lad pretending to be having a swinging time living in London - show also featured Garfield Morgan later of 'The Sweeney')

11. Look At Me, I'm You - BLOSSOM TOES (October 1967 UK 7" 45-single on Marmalade 589002, A-side - This Psych Track was part of the French Comedy Drama 'La Connectionneuse' (The Collector in English) and was also on their 1967 debut album too "We Are Ever So Clean" on Marmalade 608001 in Stereo)

12. Opening Titles: Daleks Invasion Earth 2150 - BILL McGUFFIE (Not Originally Released - 1966 Film starring Peter Cushing as Time Lord Doctor Who - the film score was unreleased at the time - finally issued like its predecessor in 2006)

13. She - TUESDAY'S CHILDREN (November 1968 UK 7" 45-single on Mercury MF 1063, A-side - featured in the film '29' starring Alex Kanner (later on Softly Softly) and Yootha Joyce (later in George & Mildred))

14. Scream And Scream Again - AMEN CORNER (from the 1969 UK LP "Farewell To The Real Magnificent Seven" on Immediate Records IMSP 028 in Stereo - Written by Dominic King - it was used in a 1970 Hammer Horror film of the same name starring the unholy triumverate of Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and Vincent Price)

15. So Evil So Young - BILL LE SAGE (from the 1961 Mood Music Library UK LP "Light Comedy" on Ember ERL 3314 in Mono - Sage was a British Jazz Pianist who had played for John Dankworth's Orchestra - song became the theme to the ITV Series 'The Cheaters' starring John Ireland)

16. Jeu De Massacre - THE ALAN BOWN SET (from the 1967 French Extended Play EP 'Bande Sonore Originale Du Film "Jeu De Massacre"' on Vogue EPL 8537 - in the satirical film aka 'The Killing Game')

17. Who's Gonna Buy - THE LEMON DROPS (from the 1969 UK Library Music LP "Who's Gonna Buy?" on Music De Wolfe DW/LP 3114 - song written by Peter Reno and featured in the film 'Haunted House Of Horror' starring US Pop Star Frankie Avalon and future 'Man About The House' UK TV Star Richard O'Sullivan)

18. Left Bank Two - THE NOVELTONES (1973 UK 7" 45-single on DW (De Wolfe Music) DWSR/100 - Written by Wayne Hill from the De Wolfe Music Library team - it was heavily featured in the children's TV show 'Vision On' in the Sixties - the song had been around since 1964 hence its use on this Box Set) 

19. I'll Never Be Me - ELECTRIC BANANA aka THE PRETTY THINGS (from the 1969 UK Music Library LP "Even More Electric Banana" on De Wolfe Music DW/LP 3123 - Electric Banana was The Pretty Things and it is they that feature playing this song in the 1969 movie 'What's Good For The Goose' - starring legendary British slapstick comedian Norman Wisdom and actress Sally Geeson - for another song from this LP see also Track 24 on CD3)

20. It's Been A Long Time - ANDY ELLISON  (December 1967 UK 7" 45-single on Track Records 604018, A-side - Lead Singer with John's Children - song featured in the film 'Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush' starring Barry Evans and Judy Geeson)

21. Virginals Dream - THE SPENCER DAVIS GROUP (from the 1968 UK Soundtrack LP "Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush" on United Artists SULP 1186 in Stereo - film starred Denholm Elliot, Diane Keen and Nicky Henson - see also Tracks 20 and 22)

22. Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush - TRAFFIC (October 1967 UK 7" 45-single on Island WIP 6025, A-side - also title of and featured in the movie of the same name - for other songs from the movie see also Tracks 20 and 21 on CD3)

23. Talk Of The Devil - ELMER GANTRY'S VELVET OPERA (Not Originally Released - from the 1968 film 'Talk Of The Devil' - members of Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera would form The Strawbs)

24. The Dark Theme - JASMIN-T (from the 1969 UK Library Music LP "Even More Electric Banana" on De Wolfe Music DW/LP 3123 - title music to the film 'Haunted House Of Horror' - written by Reg Tisley and Barry Womersley)

25. Nightmare (Version from 'The Committee') - THE CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN (November 1968 UK 7" 45-single on Track Records 604026, A-side - featured in the film 'The Committee' starring Manfred Mann's Paul Jones) 

26. Liberty Bell - THE REGIMENTAL BAND OF THE SCOTS GUARDS (from the 1968 UK Library Music LP "The Band Of The Scots Guards" on Music De Wolfe DW/LP 3085 - most famously used as the theme song to the British TV Show anarchy of 'Monty Python's Flying Circus')

While the card sleeves are tasty to look at - the 40-page booklet compiled and annotated by CHRIS ALLAN with input from JOHN REED is a joy to behold. Cherry Red and their label imprint Strawberry Records have produced plenty Clamshell Box Sets - but the Sixties ones are fabulous. You get the usual seven-inch label repro's for Columbia, Fontana, Immediate, Decca, Parlophone, Polydor etc UK 45s strewn across the text pages with rare Euro pic sleeves, album artwork and sheet music pumping up the rest. As pictured above - composer titans of TV and Film are given due respect by having a page-photo - Laurie Johnson on CD1, John Barry for CD2 and Tony Hatch for CD3. The Sixties and certainly Swinging London can only look cool even when their puppets or wannabe spies fighting the good fight. Allan's notes on each track are brief but jam-packed with interesting facts. This took time and effort to put together and as somewhat of a Box Set veteran - I'm impressed. 

SIMON MURPHY has been associated with Edsel, Ace and Cherry Red for years. While this huge number of tracks (and from the Sixties) is bound to bring varying audio quality as we leap from year to year - major studio to independent cubicle - for the most part the Audio is 'so' damn good. Contrasts come for instance in the Twice As Much song on CD1 "Night Time Girl" (from the "Tonite Let's All Make Love In London" soundtrack LP) as compared to Tony Hatch's brass-blasting Champions theme - the latter is not great while Tony Hatch's is - Alexandra Bastedo and pals done proud by our Tone. Following those are the Harmonica-driven "Take This Train" by The Long And Short and Dankworth getting all Sixties-hip with his 'Frost Report' theme music. The latter good to very good - Dankworth however in yer face for all the brass-blasting mono reasons. The drums and orchestra kick in Barry Gray's fantastic "Thunderbirds" theme absolutely marches into your living room - the boys already sliding along those tubes into their dinky IR uniforms to their wonder-machines.

CD1: Highlights include that stunning Avengers opener from Laurie Johnson and the brass-belting instrumental groove of Mick Vickers "On The Brink" where you can see Northern Soul dancers giving it some mental Boogaloo and not wanting it to stop. Pint-sized dynamite Lulu and her Luvers tell us that chocolate ice is very nice (she feels the same about peaches and cream if you know what I mean). But my heart goes to Barry Gray's neck-jerking "Joe 90" - a boyhood sappy moment for men of my age. Never was much of a one for the overbearing melodrama of The Walker Brothers telling us to 'brother beware' - the female of the species will smile but soon make you cry (say it's not true Scott). Time to chase bad guys with the strings and organ chug of "Department S" - Cyril Stapleton's instrumental making them know that next stop is Wormwood Scrubs (before a few swift ones in the Dog & Duck). Folk chanteuse and collector's darling Vashti Bunyan gives us a welcome fay vocal with "Winter Is Blue" - our cello-surrounded Ti-Ti sounding like a starving Melanie who needs to get out more. 

Sonny Rollins supplies the Jazz cool for Michael Caine's superlative 'Alfie' movie - the kind of brass-strut that has not dated - Rollins soloing half-way through where you can hear him pressing in the chromatic side keys. Time for a Stones cover - Chris Farlowe lending his strangulated vocals to a racing-strings version of "Paint It Black" - the first of many tracks featured across the three Cds from the iconic soundtrack to 'Tonite Let's All Make Love In London'. TV themes ahoy with the oh-so familiar high-hat pout of the BBC's art programme 'Vision On' and its Library Music theme. Not long before the ladies get sexy - even if David And Jonathan kind of ruin the "Modesty Blaise" theme - their sappy vocals about as racy as a basket of sweaty Judo outfits due for washing. Better is Tony Hatch's instantly catchy "Man Alive" theme - those news hounds chasing down stories for the BBC. Great bands start to score with Steve Winwood fronting The Spencer Davis Group for their excellent mover "When I Come Home" - but even that is pulverised into shimmering guitar submission by John Barry's "007" - Vic Flick providing the famous guitar line while Brass and Strings move the rest of your heart over to Bond's side. Arguably even cooler (sacrilegious talk I know) is Tony Hatch providing us with the wonderful Harpsichord neck-jerker for "Danger Man" (or 'Secret Agent Man' as it was known Stateside) – Patrick McGoohan dreaming no doubt of Mini Mokes and Number Hierarchy and Prisoner Globules that chase you on Welsh beaches. Other goodies include the amazing slink of "The Ipcress File" - John Barry giving Michael Caine's spook anti-hero Harry Palmer the theme tune of all pie 'n' mash theme tunes. Wynder K. Frog (Mick Weaver) goes convincingly Hammond-A-Go-Go while TV men about town on Juke Box Jury and Adam Adamant get their moments too (don't fancy being an Edwardian frozen in time). Great stuff and plenty more of it too...

CD2: after the blast of door number one, I have to admit to being underwhelmed by the next door down. It opens well enough with everyone's fave ding-da-da-ding theme song for Mish-tar Bond - fabulous audio greeting your lugs for John Barry's iconic "James Bond Theme" from the super-spy's 'Dr. No' debut in 1962. Rough and ready is the best description for "Blow Up" by The In Crowd - tracks that were recorded for the Sixties movie of the same name but replaced by Yardbirds. Choppy and cool. But even hipper is the party-time Hammond Organ of Wynder K. Frog's "Dancing Frog" from 'The Untouchables' movie - grooviness abounds as your dancefloor butt begs for mercy (think of the children). Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page get all Fender and Gibson feedback on the amazingly heavy "Stroll On" - a Rock chugger from The Yardbirds also from the 'Blow Up' film. Way more fun and brassy uplifting is Ron Grainer's infectious "Man In A Suitcase" - a brilliantly evocative slice of pulsating Boogaloo - Richard Bradford as the smoking US Private Eye McGill.  Could probably do without ever hearing the too-in-yer-face "Thunderball" again – Tom Jones and his breathy delivery drowned in brass loudness that threatens a nearby vicarage. Have not heard "The Power Game" since I was a wee nipper – Peter Wymark and his deadpan puss staring out at us from Page 19 of the booklet. 

Another one to lose for me is "Changing Of The Guard" by Marquis Of Kensington - a life-was-better-back-then the-money-is-all-spent aristocracy whinge. Tad too childish rather than cute is how I'd describe "Joe's Theme" by Laurie Steele - not so the foreboding in Paul Jones' "Free Me" - our hero worried about the bonds of retribution in this rare 'Privilege' film track. I understand that Joe Meek elicits hero worship, but not in me, the Tornados instrumental "The Ice Cream Man" track being a firm skip. Manchildren everywhere will smile at the drums of "Stingray" - Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's aquatic Supermarionation extravaganza - Gary Miller the vocalist on this manic slice of 60s TV. No time though for the insufferably twee Herman's Hermits "Mrs. Brown, You've Got A Lovely Daughter" or indeed the  'Softly Softly' CID theme by The London Waits. Way better is the 'Juke Box Jury' brass of Ted Heath's "Hit And Miss" - yer proper TV theme instrumental. Cool discovery comes in the lounge lizard bachelor pad shape of Tony Hatch's instrumental "Birds" - a Horns and Piano groover that will be on a CD-R of mine PDQ. Love the simple jabbed organ notes and treated guitar of "The Saint" - The Eliminators chancing their cover version arm on this one. Another nice found (gorgeous audio too) is "Mio Amore Sta Lontano" - an Italian sung version of The Zombies song "I Remember When I Loved Her" by Angelique - a tune that apparently turned up on occasion in episodes of 'Danger Man'. Another CD2 highlight (amongst too many passes) is the fantastic instrumental groover "Beefeaters" - a John Dankworth and Orchestra floor filling winner that is also on my next CD-R list. And at 34-tracks, on it goes...

CD3: while CD2 might have felt a tad off-kilter - no such case with CD3 which storms back brilliance with great sequencing. Lulu sings of being taken from crayons to perfumes in the decidedly pro-teacher "To Sir With Love" - the lyrics not possibly passing the PC test in 2026 (yikes). Continuing on the rare and interesting B-side tip, compiler Allan lines up more social commentary in "Residential Area" by Herbie's People - a 45 on CBS Records from February 1967 that is not exactly growing on trees (its a smart choice). Even better is the Les Reed instrumental "Girl On A Motorcycle" from the movie of the same name starring leatherette bad-girl Marianne Faithfull and French heartthrob Alain Delon that somehow manages to capture Sixties cool with Sixties lounge all inside 3:30 seconds. "Girl On..." was also apparently the first film to receive an 'X' certificate in the USA (go leather chicks). Moving on with the 'mind as you go' theme of danger to young lasses - the almost Association Bubblegum Pop of "Gentlemen Of The Park" by Episode Six hides lyrics about 'not all flowers are for picking' behind happy-wappy music. And you can feel the musical progression in Steve Mariott's Small Faces as they launch into the Mod Raver "Here Come The Nice" - undercurrents of drugs sinister shadow. And while Marriott and Lane and Co are good, you are thoroughly whomped by the instrumental/arrangement genius of John Barry with the Main Theme to the 1965 movie "The Knack...And How To Get It". My good is this good - everything about it just screams talent. Like Bacharach songs, Barry's music only gets better as the decades pass - so Sixties and yet so now - brilliant.

Rarity time with "Out Of My Life" by Katch 22 who provided two songs to the 1969 controversial movie "Baby Love" that starred Linda Haydn and Diana Dors. The audio is good here rather than great as it 'na-na-na's to a finish. A leap now into the fabulous audio and cool rhythms of England's Folk-Rock manglers Pentangle giving it some 'marking time' in their "Light Flight" single. The ba-da-do-dah pyrotechnic vocals of lead singer Jacqui McShee impressing like mad. "Light Flight" was used as the theme to the groundbreaking BBC comedy TV Series 'Take Three Girls' which starred Liza Goddard, Louise Jameson and Carolyn Seymour (they are pictured on the sleeve). The John Dankworth Orchestra and Rodney Bewes cuts are interesting but are trounced by the fabulous Psych-Pop of Blossom Toes going all backwards guitars and third-eye psychology on their "Look At Me, I'm You". Featuring cooler-than-cool types like Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity - UK 45 singles on the colourful Marmalade Records label send collectors into palpitations and you can 'so' hear why. 

To sum up - with ninety-one tunes - there is bound to be some fall-out (CD2) – but it is small beer to the laughs and neck-jerks I got out of this wee beastie. 

"What's It All About? Film & TV Music Of Swinging London" is recommended like Emma Peel donning a bowler hat – a box set that swings in all directions…