"...How's That Ron? Very Nice!"
Such is the industry-wide legacy of THE FACES, when Glen Matlock of THE SEX PISTOLS auditioned for the band - he played "Three Button Hand Me Down" and immediately got the job, Slash from GUNS 'N' ROSES, Jeff Tweedy from WILCO, Rich Robertson from THE BLACK CROWES and Gaz Coombes from SUPERGRASS all wax lyrical about the only British Rock 'n' Roll band to seriously rival (and at times beat) The Rolling Stones.
And this fantastically evocative 4CD Book Set from the mighty reissue label of Rhino only hammers home their legend - offering up a lethal mixture of new and old with a boozy swagger than would make most modern bands blush. Here are the champers...
Released July 2004 - "Fives Guys Walk Into A Bar..." by FACES on Warner Brothers/Rhino 8122-78233-2 (Barcode 081227823320) is a 4CD Book Set of Remasters covering 1970 to 1975 and breaks down as follows...
Disc 1 (77:41 minutes):
1. Flying - from their debut LP "First Step", also the A-side of a UK 7" single issued February 1970 on Warner Brothers WB 8005
2. On The Beach - from their 2nd LP "Long Player"
3. Too Bad - from their 3rd album "A Nod's As Good As A Wink...To A Blind Horse" - credited in the USA as "A Nod Is As Good As A Wink...To A Blind Horse")
4. If I'm On The Late Side - from their 4th and last studio album "Ooh La La"
5. Debris - as per 3. Also the B-side of "Stay With Me", a 3 December 1971 UK 7" single on Warner Brothers K 16136.
Note the US B-side was the album track "You're So Rude" on Warner Brothers WB 7545
6. Jealous Guy [John Lennon cover] - an "Ooh La La" outtake
7. Evil (Rehearsal) - a Willie Dixon song (done by Howlin' Wolf) - from their first rehearsals recorded in the Summer of 1969
8. As Long As You Tell Him - the non-album B-side to "You Can Make Me Dance, Sing Or Anything..."
- a 7" single released November 1974 on Warner Brothers K 16494 in the UK and May 1975 in the USA on Warner Brothers WBS 8102
9. Maggie May (Live/BBC) - from The BBC Radio 1 Program Top Gear recorded 28 September 1971
10. Cindy Incidentally (Alternate Mix) - an "Ooh La La" outtake
11. Maybe I'm Amazed (Live/BBC) - a Paul McCartney cover recorded for the BBC TV Program "Sounds For Saturday: The Music Of The Faces" on 26 October 1971
12. Insurance - an instrumental "Ooh La La" outtake
13. I Came Looking For You (Rehearsal) - from a quick shag at THE MARIE ANTOINETTE HOTEL in New Orleans, Louisiana recorded 25 July 1971
14. Last Orders Please - as per 3
15. Wyndlesham Bay (Jodie) - an "Ooh La La" outtake
16. I Can Feel The Fire (Live) - from a concert at the Swing Auditorium in San Bernardino in California recorded 7 March 1975
17. Tonight's Number - from the RONNIE WOOD and RONNIE LANE album "Mahoney's Last Stand", an Original Soundtrack LP released in 1976 on Atlantic.
It was also a 7" single in the UK on Atlantic K 50308
18. Come See Me Baby (The Cheater) - an "Ooh La La" outtake
[Note: 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, and 18 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED]
Disc 2 (79:10 minutes):
1. Pool Hall Richard - a non-album 7" single first released 30 November 1973 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 16341 as the A-side
2. You're My Girl (I Don't Want To Discuss It) (Live/BBC) - recorded 1 April 1973 for the BBC Radio 1 Program 'In Concert'
3. Glad And Sorry - from "Ooh La La" album
4. Shake, Shudder, Shiver (Rehearsal) - as per 7 on Disc 1
5. Miss Judy's Farm (Live/BBC) - as per 2 on Disc 2
6. Richmond - from "Long Player" album
7. That's All You Need - from "A Nod's As Good As A Wink..." album
8. Rear Wheel Skid - the non-album B-side to the 7" single of "Had Me A Real Good Time"
- released 13 November 1970 in the UK on Warner Brothers WB 8018 and 21 October 1970 in the USA on Warner Brothers WB 7442
9. Maybe I'm Amazed - a 6 April 1971 US 7" single on Warner Brothers WB 7483. It's a non-album edit of the full album version which is on "Long Player"
10. (If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want To Be Right - a Homer Banks cover and an "Ooh La La" outtake
11. Take A Look At The Guy (Live) - as per 16 on Disc 1
12. Flags And Banners - from "Ooh La La" album
13. Bad 'n' Ruin (Live/BBC) - recorded 19 April 1971 for the BBC TV Program 'Disco 2'
14. Around The Plynth [Album Version at 5:56 minutes] - from the "Long Player" album. Note: in the USA there was a 7" single edit at 4:02 minutes released 29 April 1970 on Warner Brothers WB 7393 with "Wicked Messenger" from the album as its B-side (a Bob Dylan cover). It was also credited to the SMALL FACES and is unfortunately not on this box set.
15. Sweet Lady Mary - from the "Long Player" album
16. Had Me A Real Good Time [Album Version 5:53 minutes] - from the "Long Player" album. Note: the US 7" single released 21 October 1970 on Warner Brothers WB 7442 and 13 November 1970 in the UK on Warner Brothers WB 8018 both used `edits'. If you program this track on your PC or Mac to end at 2:53 minutes - you will get that 7" single edit. Its non-album instrumental B-side "Real Wheel Skid" is Track 8 on Disc 2.
17. Cut Across Shorty (Live/BBC) - an Edie Cochran cover version recorded 13 May 1971 for the BBC Radio 1 Program 'John Peel's Sunday Concert'
[Note: 2, 4, 5, 10, 11, 13 and 17 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED]
Disc 3 (74:24 minutes):
1. You're So Rude - from "A Nod's As Good As A Wink..." album. Also the American B-side to "Stay With Me" (see Track 5 on Disc 1)
2. (I Know) I'm Losing You (Live/BBC) - as per Track 11 on Disc 1
3. Love Lives Here - from "A Nod's As Good As A Wink..." album
4. I'd Rather Go Blind (Live) - an Etta James/Chicken Shack cover - as per Track 16 on Disc 1
5. Hi-Heel Sneakers/Everybody Needs Somebody To Love - studio outtake from the FACES last recording session at Air Studios in London, 27 January 1975
6. Getting' Hungry - A Beach Boys cover - as per Track 5 on Disc 3
7. Silicone Grown - from "Ooh La La" album
8. Oh Lord I'm Browned Off - non-album B-side to the 7" single of "Maybe I'm Amazed" - see Track 9 on Disc 2
9. Just Another Honky - from "Ooh La La" album
10. Open To Ideas - as per Track 5 on Disc 3. First appeared as a new song on the 1999 Best Of CD compilation "Good Boys...When They're Asleep"
11. Skewiff (Mend The Fuse) - the non-album instrumental B-side to "Cindy Incidentally"
- released 5 February 1973 in the USA on Warner Brothers WB 7681 and 9 February 1973 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 16247
12. Too Bad (Live) - from a concert at Tampa Stadium in Tampa Bay, Florida recorded 30 April 1972
13. Rock Me - as per Track 5 on Disc 3
14. Angel (Live/BBC) - a Jimi Hendrix cover - as per Track 2 on Disc 2
15. Stay With Me (Live/BBC) - as per Track 11 on Disc 1
16. Ooh La La - from "Ooh La La" album. Also issued as a 7" single 6 June 1973 in the USA on Warner Brothers WB 7711 with the album track "Borstal Boys" as its B-side
[Note: 2, 4, 5, 6, 12, 13, 14 and 15 PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED]
Disc 4 (76:28 minutes):
1. The Stealer (Live/BBC) - a Free cover - as per track 2 on Disc 2
2. Around The Plynth/Gasoline Alley (Live/BBC) - from the BBC Radio Program `Top Gear' recorded 15 September 1970
3. You Make Me Dance, Sing Or Anything (Even Take The Dog For A Walk, Mend A Fuse, Fold Away The Ironing Board, Or Any Other Domestic Short Comings)
- a non-album 7" single released 11 November 1974 in the UK on warner Brothers K 16499 and 28 May 1975 in the USA (as an edit) on Warner Brothers WBS 8102
4. I Wish It Would Rain (Live) - a Temptations cover - non-album B-side of "Pool Hall Richard" released 30 November 1973 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 16341
5. Miss Judy's Farm (Live/BBC) - as per Track 11 on Disc 1
6. Love In Vain (Live/BBC) - as per Track 17 on Disc 2
7. My Fault (Live/BBC) - from the BBC Radio 1 Program 'Radio 1 Club' recorded 12 February 1973
8. I Feel So Good (Rehearsal) - as per Track 7 on Disc 1
9. Miss Judy's Farm - from "A Nod's As Good As A Wink..." album
10. Three Button Hand Me Down - from "First Step" album. It was also the B-side of their debut British single "Flying" released February 1970 on Warner Brothers WB 7150
11. Cindy Incidentally - from "Ooh La La" album. Also issued as a 7" single - see Track 11 on Disc 3
12. Borstal Boys - from "Ooh La La". Also issued a 7" single - see Track 16 on Disc 3
13. Flying (Live/BBC) - from the BBC Radio 1 Program `Dave Lee Travis' recorded 10 March 1970
14. Bad 'n' Ruin - from "Long Player" album
15. Dishevelment Blues - a non-album exclusive track recorded for the UK 'NME Magazine April 1973' issue - recorded 5 April 1973
16. Stay With Me - from "A Nod's As Good As A Wink..." album. Also issued as a 7" single - see Track 5 on Disc 1
[Note: 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 13 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED]
The attached 62-page colour booklet is a fabulous fan-fest - loads of foreign picture sleeves, press clippings, live photos and all manner of boozy tour shenanigans. There's a FACES towel with Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood, Ronnie Lane, Ian McLagan and Kenny Jones embroidered beneath the 'Faces' logo. Testimonials come from all the luminaries mentioned above as well as witty remembrances from the boys and a great set of liner notes by noted writer DAVID FRICKE. It really captures the fun of the band and the lightning-in-a-bottle magic of their 4 studio albums. No domestic shortcomings here.
The DAN HERSCH and BILL INGLOT remasters are just 'so' good. These two long-time in-house tape engineers have handled so much primo WEA material across the years for Rhino - Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding to name but a few legends - but I bet they got their jollies transferring and digitally preserving this catalogue. The audio is wonderful - muscular, clear and full of that 'live-in-the-studio' feel original Producers Glyn Johns, Mike Bobak and Ron Nevison got for the Faces at the time.
The Box Set mentions the "Coast To Coast" American Live album in 1973 on Mercury Records but doesn't feature any tracks from it. You get three tracks out of 10 from the debut LP "First Step", five out of 9 from the 2nd LP "Long Player", 8 out of 9 from "Nod" ("Memphis" is the missing song) and 8 from the 10 from "Ooh La La" ("Fly In The Ointment" and "My Fault" are the missing cuts). The rest are non-album singles, B-sides, a Flexi Disc exclusive and a whopping 32 Previously Unreleased.
The first thing you notice (and appreciate) about the actual songs is that IAN McLAGAN wisely hasn't sequenced the set chronologically (which he felt would have been boring). Instead he jumbles it up and the result is a play list on each CD that flits from one LP to another with an array of top quality PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED material bolstering up the rowdy proceedings in-between. It makes each disc feel like you're hearing the band anew - a thrill at every turn.
A scan across the disc details listed above will show that there's a large haul of outtakes from "Ooh La La" ("Come See Me Baby..." is great) but disappointingly zip from their undisputed masterpiece "Nod". Still the slide-fest that is "Around The Plynth" seguing into "Gasoline Alley" is a belter - properly produced BBC quality. And the Soulfulness of the band kicks in when covering the Homer Banks classic "(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want To Be Right" at their first rehearsals (the boy's witter banter in the run out moments titles this review). The shadow of Ronnie Lane lingers everywhere (the set is dedicated to him) - and I don't care how many times I hear either "Debris" of "Glad And Sorry" - they make me weak at the knees. And is it any wonder The Stones had to have Ronnie Wood - his axework throughout is just brill. On the downside you can actually hear Rodders' disinterest on the final 1975 sessions covering songs they used to once die for. But it all ends on the glory of "Stay With Me" and who could ask for more...
Raise a glass of Dom Perignon to this sensational British band and prepare the neighbours in advance...because things are going to get a bit rowdy 'round your house...
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