"…He's Gonna Step On You Again…"
This
is a clever CD reissue by Britain's Esoteric Recordings (part of Cherry Red).
After years of faffing around on varying CD versions most of which sported
dodgy sources (deleted quickly afterwards followed by extortionate price tags
later) - at last fans of this wicked Seventies LP by South African
multi-instrumentalist JOHN KONGOS get to hear his superb "Kongos"
album in properly brill sound quality. And this reissue/remaster is bolstered
up with a whopping 9 extra tracks too. Here are the good and bad Tokoloshe Man
details...
UK
released October 2014 - "Kongos" by JOHN KONGOS on Esoteric ECLEC
2466 (Barcode 5013929456648) breaks down as follows (79:52 minutes):
1.
Tokoloshe Man (Album Version - 5:13 minutes)
2.
Jubilee Cloud
3.
Gold
4.
Lift Me From The Ground
5.
Tomorrow I'll Go
6.
Try To Touch Just One [Side 2]
7.
Weekend Lady
8.
I Would Have Had A Good Time
9.
Come On Down Jesus
10.
He's Gonna Step On You Again
Tracks
1 to 10 are his 2nd solo album "Kongos" - released November 1971 in
the UK on Fly Records HIFLY 7 and January 1972 in the USA on Elektra EKS 75019.
It charted in the UK at No 29 in January 1972 (didn't chart USA). The UK artwork
sported a lovely gatefold sleeve and lyric insert while the US single-sleeve
artwork was entirely different - both are featured in the 16-page booklet along
with photographs of many foreign 7" picture sleeves, studio photos and
trade adverts. The American LP also had a 9-track configuration (dropped
"Weekend Lady") and the tracks were placed differently too. From this
CD the US album sequences as 1, 2, 3, 4 and 9 (Side 1) whilst 8, 6, 5 and 10
are Side 2.
Tracks
11 to 19 are BONUS singles:
11.
Sometimes It's Not Enough
Non-album
B-side of "He's Gonna Step On You Again" 7" single - released April 1971 in the UK on Fly
Records BUG 8. Reached No. 4 in the UK charts.
12.
Tokoloshe Man (Single Version - 3:59 minutes)
13.
Can Someone Please Direct Me Back To Earth
The
A&B-sides of a UK 7" single released November 1971 on Fly Records BUG
14.
Rose
to No. 4 in the UK charts.
14.
Great White Lady
15.
Shamarack
The
A&B-sides of a 1972 UK 7" single on Cube Records BUG 22 (both tracks
were non-album)
16.
Higher Than God's Hat
17.
Would You Follow Me
The
A&B-sides of a 1973 UK 7" single on Cube Records BUG 32 (both tracks
were non-album)
18.
Ride The Lightning
19.
I Won't Ask You Where You've Been
The
A&B-sides of a 1975 UK 7" single on Cube Records BUG 58 (both tracks
were non-album)
The
first thing that hits you (apart from the classy presentation) is the fabulous
audio - 24-bit remastered from original master tapes by PASCHAL BYRNE (a name
I've praised before) - the sound quality is wonderful. This is actually not
surprising - the record was professionally Produced by Elton John's main man
GUS DUDGEON -while the whiz-bang Sound
Engineer was none other than RAY THOMAS BAKER who would lend so much to QUEEN's
sound a few years later (he produced "Bohemian Rhapsody").
The
other aspect is the quality musicianship - much of Elton's backing band
HOOKFOOT provides the basis for most tracks with superb guests spots
in-between. RAY COOPER was on Percussion, CALEB QUAYE [Finlay's Dad] on Guitars
and Keyboards, DAVE GLOVER on Bass and ROGER POPE on Drums. LOL COXHILL plays
Soprano Sax on the mighty "Tokoloshe Man", Mike Moran plugs the ARP
Synthesiser on "Jubilee Cloud", both RALPH McTELL and RICK WAKEMAN
guest on "Tomorrow I'll Go" on Guitar and Piano respectively - while
folky duo SUE & SUNNY provide backing vocals on 6 of the 10 tracks. The
massive "He's Gonna Step On You Again" lays claim to being the first
record with a `sample' on it - an African Tribe playing drums that was looped
for the recording while the band played over it. England's HAPPY MONDAYS of
course revived it as "Step On" on Factory Records - taking it to
Number 5 in the UK charts in April 1990.
The
booklet I mentioned above is fantastically well done - superb liner notes from
noted writer MICHAEL HEATLEY - great photos of the recording sessions -
reminiscences with the man himself - quotes from GUS DUDGEON - badges, sleeves,
Kongos in his trademark Lennon glasses and even a photo of the very rare
British Picture Sleeve to "Tokoloshe Man" (5000 copies only).
Those
hoping for a whole album of "Tokoloshe" and "Step"
rhythm-fests will be disappointed - but that doesn't mean there aren't
other-tempo nuggets on here. I love the pretty and anthemic "Gold"
with its beautiful string arrangements by ROBERT KIRBY and the very British
Rock `n' Roll Boogie of "Jubilee Cloud" was cool enough to entice
JOHN BALDRY to cover it on his 1972 "Everything Stops For Tea" album
(on Warner Brothers). "Tomorrow I'll Go" is admittedly sappy by
today's standards and the hippy lyrics of "Try To Touch Just One" and
its frantic piano beat feels like David Cassidy but in a bad way. Better are
"Weekend Lady" and the catchy almost George Harrison feel to
"Come On Down Jesus" is a great lead in to the album closer - the
amazing "He's Gonna Step On You Again" - sounding incredible.
I
also wish I could say that the rare singles provide a treasure trove of unheard
funky nirvana - they don't. Of the lot the B-side "Sometimes It's Not
Enough" is excellent while the synth intro to "Higher Than God's
Hat" followed by Rock swagger guitars was an obvious attempt to recapture
the lightning-in-a-bottle "Tokoloshe Man" magic (and it succeeds in
its own right). But the rest are not great and easy to see why they faded into
obscurity.
Still
- I come back to the core album - now absolutely rocking with this new
remaster. And I'm reminded of those singles on Fly with their script lettering
and cool logo - and I'm a very happy (stepped on) bunny indeed...
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