"Gathered From Coincidence: The British Folk-Pop Sound Of 1965-66" by VARIOUS ARTISTS – featuring Donovan, The Searchers, Marc Bolan, The Hollies, Peter and Gordon, Chad and Jeremy, The Kytes, Tony Jackson, The Chosen Few, Beverley, Folk Blues Incorporated, Barbara Ruskin, The Kinks, Manfred Mann, Davey Graham, Mick Softley, Murray Head, Heinz and more (June 2018 UK Grapefruit Records 3CD 78-Track Mini Clamshell Box Set – Simon Murphy Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Jingle Jangle Morning..."

In the chock-a-block 44-page booklet that accompanies this superb little theme trek through our jingle jangle mornings of old - there's an advert for the Rickenbacker Guitar as endorsed by John Lennon (The Beatle Backer they cleverly tell us) above a photo of The Uglys making grimace-faces and sticking out their tongues at the camera – a shot that mimics their band name and a promo session they undoubtedly had a hoot doing. Only in one of these Grapefruit Records 3CD Box Sets do you get such detail - and bluntly - images we old farts haven't generally seen before.

Three discs with seventy-nine tracks (last song on Disc 3, Track 27, is hidden and not documented on the box or in the booklet) and all of it compiled by good men and true with faded Donovan tattoos on their willies, radioactive hair on their chests and passports to non-extradition countries – JOHN REED and Grapefruit's own DAVID WELLS. Fans of the humble 45 will also notice that almost every entry here is a 7" single from years that are largely underrepresented (many rare B-sides seeing the digital light of day for the first time) - so they too will be looking at "Gathered From Coincidence..." with a lusty eye.

It’s not all plain sailing however. 1965 and 1966 were about innovators – Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, The Stones, The Byrds, Jefferson Airplane, Love, Buffalo Springfield and especially Bob Dylan. The problem with this set is that so many copyists slipped quickly into their wake and at times, "Gathered From Coincidence: The British Folk-Pop Sound Of 1965-66" feels like a collection of those that followed – those that jumped on a bandwagon – even slagged it off at times because it might get them some chart action. Some of this music is great, but there is fair whack of it that feels derivative and you can so hear why much of it was forgotten and makes for an uncomfortable listen now.

Still, there is a sunset mountain of info to wade through, wind to catch, mornings to call and times that had the sheer audacity to be changin' - so let's have at it...

UK released 29 June 2018 – "Gathered From Coincidence: The British Folk-Pop Sound Of 1965-66" on Grapefruit Records CRSEGBOX043 (Barcode 5013929184305) is a 3CD 79-Track Mini Clamshell Box Set of Remasters that plays out as follows (note: the box has 26 tracks listed on each disc, so a visual total of 78, but Disc 3 has a hidden Track 27, hence 79-tracks in total):

CD1 "In The Jingle Jangle Morning" (66:18 minutes):

1. Take Me For What I'm Worth - THE SEARCHERS (November 1965 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 15992, A-side)

2. Morning's Calling - PETER and GORDON (September 1966 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 8003, B-side of "Lady Godiva")

3. Come And Stay With Me - MARIANNE FAITHFULL (February 1965 UK 7" single on Decca F 12075, A-side)

4. Follow Me - THE TONY JACKSON GROUP (September 1966 UK 7" single on CBS 202297, A-side)

5. It's Your Turn To Cry - TERRY KENNEDY and JOHN CARTER (June 1966 UK 7" single on Piccadilly 7N 35324, B-side of "Doesn't Anybody Make Short Movies Any More)

6. Rejected - THE FENMEN (August 1966 UK 7" single on CBS 202236, A-side)

7. I Love Her Still - THE POETS (July 1965 UK 7" single on Decca F 12195, B-side of "I Am So Blue")

8. Frosted Panes - THE KYTES (September 1966 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17179, A-side)

9. Golden Lights - TWINKLE (February 1965 UK 7" single on Decca F 12076, A-side)

10. I Won't Be Round You Anymore - THE CHOSEN FEW (30 July 1965 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 15905, A-side)

11. Absolutely Sweet Marie - THE FACTOTUMS (November 1966 UK 7" single on Piccadilly 7N 35355, B-side of "I Can't Give You Anything But Love")

12. Hey Woman - KENNY BERNARD (December 1966 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17233, A-side)

13. Hey Mama You've Been On My Mind - THE CARAVELLES (January 1967 UK 7" single on Polydor BM 56137, A-side)

14. Don't Go Away - THE ZOMBIES (November 1965 UK 7" single on Decca F 12296, B-side of "Is This The Dream")

15. Now The Sun Has Gone - THE BEATMEN (March 1965 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 15792, A-side)

16. Think About The Times - THE TIMES (January 1966 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 7804, A-side)

17. Penny Arcade - MICHAEL LESLIE (August 1965 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 15908, A-side)

18. Beyond The Risin' Sun - MARC BOLAN (November 1965 UK 7" single on Decca F 12288, B-side of "The Wizard")

19. Till You Say You'll Be Mine - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (May 1966 UK 7" single on Decca F 12396, A-side)

20. Go Away - THE MIRAGE featuring GRAHAM NASH (not originally issued Demo version, recorded circa September 1965)

21. It's All Leading Up To Saturday Night - THE KNACK (PREVIOUSLY UNISSUED, Recorded July 1966)

22. You've Cooled - FIVE STEPS BEYOND (not originally issued, recorded August 1966)

23. There's Just No Pleasing You - THE EPICS (April 1965 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 15829, A-side)

24. Splendor In The Grass - GULLIVER'S PEOPLE (April 1966 UK 7" single on Parlophone R 5435, A-side)

25. Mr. Smith - THE FORESTERS (December 1966 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 8086, A-side)

26. It's All Over Now Baby Blue - THE COPS 'N ROBBERS (August 1965 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 15928, A-side)

Track 21 is PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED  

CD2 "Too Many Protest Singers, Not Enough Protest Songs" (71:40 minutes):

1. Like A Rolling Stone - THE OTHER SIDE (March 1966 Swedish 7" single on Karussell KFF 664, A-side)

2. Well, How Does It Feel? - BARBARA RUSKIN (October 1965 UK 7" single on Piccadilly 7N 35274, A-side)

3. Lovers Of The World Unite - DAVID and JONATHAN (June 1966 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 7950, A-side)

4. Catch The Wind - DONOVAN (March 1965 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 15801, A-side)

5. Age Of Corruption - ALAN KLEIN (November 1965 UK 7" single on Parlophone R 5370, A-side)

6. Blessed - GUY DARRELL (June 1966 UK 7" single on CBS 202082, B-side of "I've Been Hurt")

7. That Man's Got No Luck - GARY BENSON (January 1966 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17032, A-side)

8. It's Good News Week - HEDGEHOPPERS ANONYMOUS (September 1965 UK 7" single on Decca F 12241, A-side)

9. The Bells - DAVE HELLING (December 1965 UK 7" single on Planet PLF 101, B-side of "Christine")

10. Very Last Day - THE HOLLIES (from their September 1965 UK debut LP "The Hollies" on Parlophone PMC 1261 in Mono)

11. Sometime Never Day - BILL FAY (not originally issued, recorded circa mid-1966)

12. Don't You Cry Over Me - THE SLADE BROTHERS (October 1965 UK 7" single on Piccadilly 7N 15966, A-side)

13. When The Ship Comes In - FOLK BLUES INCORPORATED (August 1966 UK 7" single on Eyemark EMS 1006, A-side)

14. Wake Up My Mind - THE UGLY'S (May 1965 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 15858, A-side)

15. Please Don't Switch Off The Moon Mr. Spaceman - NICHOLAS HAMMOND (March 1966 UK 7" single on Piccadilly 7N 35302, A-side)

16. The Protest Singer - MICHA (October 1965 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 15982, A-side)

17. Square Peg - THE FOUR PENNIES (June 1966 UK 7" single on Philips BF 1491, B-side of "Keep The Freeway Open")

18. Gotta Make Their Future Bright - FIRST GEAR (January 1965 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 15763, B-side of "The 'In' Crowd")

19. The Bells Of Rhymney - MURRAY HEAD (November 1965 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 7771, A-side)

20. Don't Talk To Me Of Protest - JONATHAN KING (November 1965 UK 7" single on Decca F 12286, B-side of "Where The Sun Has Never Shone")

21. Dejection - FIVE'S COMPANY (not originally issued Demo version, recorded December 1965)

22. That's Not My Kind Of Love - MICK SOFTLEY with THE SUMMER SUNS (December 1966 UK 7" single on CBS 202469, B-side of "Am I The Red One")

23. Don't Sing No Sad Songs For Me – THE SORROWS (from their November 1965 UK LP "Take A Heart" on Piccadilly NPL 38023 in Mono)

24. Rattle Of A Toy - TOMMY YATES (November 1965 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 15980, A-side)

25. Talkin' Denmark Street - JOHN CASSIDIE (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED, recorded late 1965)

26. The Times They Are A-Changin' - THE IAN CAMPBELL FOLK GROUP (March 1965 UK 7" single on Transatlantic TRA SP 5, A-side)

Track 25 is PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

CD3 "Gather Round, All You Clowns" (70:50 minutes):

1. You've Got To Hide Your Love Away - THE SILKIE (September 1965 UK 7" single on Fontana TF 603, A-side)

2. Wait Till The Summer Comes Along - THE KINKS (from the September 1965 "Kwyet Kinks" UK 4-Track EP on Pye NEP 24221, Track 1 on Side 1)

3. Don't Make Promises (You Can't Keep) - PETER NELSON (April 1966 UK 7" single on Piccadilly 7N 35314, A-side)

4. Cheryl's Going Home - ADAM FAITH (October 1966 UK 7" single on Parlophone R 5516, A-side)

5. If You Gotta Go, Go Now - MANFRED MANN (September 1965 UK 7" single on HMV POP 1466, A-side)

6. I'm Looking Through You - DAVEY GRAHAM (from the July 1966 UK LP "Midnight Man" on Decca LK 4780 in Mono)

7. Night Comes Down - JON-MARK (February 1965 UK 7" single on Brunswick 05929, B-side of "Baby I Got A Long Way To Go")

8. Early Morning Rain - THE SETTLERS (May 1966 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17104, A-side)

9. Sadness Hides The Sun - GRETA ANN (June 1965 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 15856, A-side)

10. Thank You Boy - DANA GILLESPIE (October 1965 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 15962, A-side)

11. Love Minus Zero No Limit - THE COMPROMISE (March 1966 UK 7" single on CBS 202050, B-side of "You Will Think Of Me")

12. Day Must Come - JUSTIN HAYWARD of The Moody Blues (December 1965 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17014, B-side of "London Is Behind Me")

13. The Clown In The Alley - MEIC STEVENS (not originally issued, recorded September 1965)

14. I'm On Your Side - THE FRUGAL SOUND (June 1966 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17129, B-side of "Just Outside The Door")

15. London Town - THE PRETTY THINGS (from the August 1965 "Rainin' In My Heart" UK EP Four-Track single on Fontana TE 17442, Track 2 on Side 1)

16. Picking Up The Sunshine (aka "Bert's Blues") - BEVERLEY [later became Beverley Martyn, John Martyn's wife] (not originally issued, recorded March 1966)

17. Corrina Corrina - THE NIGHTSHIFT (May 1965 UK 7" single on Piccadilly 7N 35243, A-side)

18. Listen People - SARAH JANE (May 1966 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17114, A-side - written by Graham Gouldman of 10cc)

19. Four Strong Winds - CHAD and JEREMY (from the January 1965 US LP "Sing For You" on World Artists WAM 2005 in Mono)

20. So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad) - THE GREENBEATS (April 1965 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 15843, A-side)

21. Don't Think Twice It's Alright - HEINZ with THE WILD BOYS (30 April 1965 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 7559, A-side)

22. Today Is The Highway - THE RAMBLERS TWO (November 1965 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 15989, A-side)

23. Love Is Strange - THE OVERLANDERS (from the December 1966 UK LP "Go With The Overlanders And The Settlers" (shared with The Settlers) on Pye NPL 18163 in Mono)

24. Subterranean Homesick Blues - CHAS McDEVITT and SHIRLEY DOUGLAS (from the August 1965 UK LP "Sixteen Big Folk Hits" on Columbia 33SX 1738 in Mono)

25. Mary Anne - THE SHADOWS (February 1965 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 7476, A-side)

26. The Carnival Is Over - THE SEEKERS (October 1965 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 7711, A-side)

BONUS TRACK (unannounced, undocumented):

27. Crossroads – TONY HATCH SOUND (September 1966 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17169, A-side, Theme Music to the Famous British TV show)

There are two catalogue number errors in the otherwise exemplary booklet - The Caravelles single on Disc One is listed as Polydor BM 13657 when it's BM 56137 and the Dave Helling B-side on Disc Two is listed as Planet PLF 001 when its PLF 101. Outside of that you page-after-page of fabulous cover art, promo photos, trade adverts, concert posters, flyers and even Beat instrumental magazine covers. Every single song is embellished with the kind of in-depth info that can only come from research that borders on mental instability - or worse - people in the music business who gives a damn. It's a properly informative and entertaining read and fantastic to look at. The individually crafted card sleeves have rear artwork that's made to look like a British flip-back LP sleeve of the mid 60ts and feature The Searchers pictured on Disc 1, Donovan on Disc 2 with Chad & Jeremy on Disc 3 (well done ANDY MORTEN).

As you can imagine, the largely Mono Audio is a wildly varied affair - swaying between glorious and just ok - but always better than expected - with the SIMON MURPHY Remasters impressing more times than not. To the pop folks...

With "Bringing It All Back Home" and "Highway 61 Revisited" in 1965 and the mighty double-album "Blonde On Blonde" in the spring of 1966 - the long shadow of Bob Dylan's titanic influence is everywhere. Cops 'N Robbers did "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" - The Other Side interpreted "Like A Rolling Stones" - Folk Blues Incorporated attacked "When The Ship Comes In" and Manfred Mann had a lash at "If You Gotta Go, Go Now" to name but a few. And even if it wasn't a Zim-cover (The Nightshift dug deep and covered Dylan's "Corrina Corrina") - Bob's style and political leanings are so inherent in the catch-that-trend musings of Barbara Ruskin, Guy Darrell, Heinz and so many others. The Sorrows went one further and slyly slagged him off in their "Don't Sing No Sad Songs For Me" - not that I think the Bobster was listening somehow.

That other huge sound (always unfairly overlooked too) is the chiming guitar-jangle of America's The Byrds and the melodious beauty so often found in England's own Donovan and his best work (his own "Catch The Wind" s on Disc 2 while John Martyn's future wife Beverley has a go at "Picking Up The Sunshine" on Disc 3). Even the Beatles, who's more easy-to-interpret tunes like "I'm Looking Through You" and "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" got a swinging Acoustic makeover by the likes of Davey Graham and The Silkie. Covers of American Folkies too include Gordon Lightfoot (The Settlers on Disc 3), Tim Hardin (Peter Nelson on Disc 3), Pete Seeger (Murray Head on Disc 2), Peter, Paul & Mary (The Hollies on Disc 2), Jackie DeShannon (Gulliver's People on Disc 2), Ian Tyson (Chad & Jeremy on Disc 3) and even Mickey & Sylvia (The Overlanders on Disc 3) - all get a feature here.

Highlights and discoveries for me include ex Searchers Lead Singer and Bassist Tony Jackson and his excellent "Follow Me", the unbelievably pretty John Carter B-side "It's Your Turn To Cry" while pastoral-string lovers will dig The Kytes doing "Frosted Panes". The Kenny Bernard song "Hey Woman" will be instantly recognised as he claimed Chas Chandler nicked it for Hendrix who would of course change the word woman to Joe and do a note-for-note copy. The Times and Michael Leslie channel their inner Monkees and Herman’s Hermits for "Think About The Times" and "Penny Arcade". I wasn’t expecting much from The Mirage demo with Graham Nash clearly singing and strumming but it’s a pleasant discovery and I dig the Eric Burdon and The Animals raw vibe to "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" by The Cops ‘N Robbers (lyrics from the song give this box set its name).

Cook and Greenway supplied the irrepressibly chirp "Lovers Of The World Unite" for David & Jonathan (great audio) but it's trounced by a song of genuine beauty – Donovan doing his (try and) "Catch The Wind". Alan Klein speaks some staggeringly uncomfortable truths about deliberately recorded records you hope will be banned from the airwaves, infamy gained through obscure lyrics and politico-themes directed at the youth in his brilliant and Alien-acidic "Age Of Corruption" – as vicious a song as you've ever heard about singers and the music business. Countering that is "It's Good News Week", a genuinely heartfelt and sincere appraisal of a screwed-up world - while future Judas Iscariot vocalist ("Jesus Christ Superstar") Murray Head worries about vandals and social dropouts in Cardiff. Unable to resist parodying the real deal - John Cassidie is practically aping every Dylan nuance is his fab guitar/harmonica commentary on all things Bob - "Talkin' Denmark Street" And on it goes...to a hidden track on Disc 3, Tony Hatch and His Orchestra doing the theme music to the famous British TV show "Crossroads" (UK hotels do Folk and Protest as well you know).

For sure not everything here is going to make folks dance for joy and the argument that lots of it is derivative and hence not of value is a valid one (hence the three stars).

But you have to hand it to Grapefruit Records – they know how to dig deep and show us a corner of music and its staggering canopy we’d forgotten about and should shelter under again. And ain't that best, baby blue... 

"Mr. Fox/The Gipsy" by MR. FOX – November 1970 and January 1971 UK Debut and Second LPs on Transatlantic Records – featuring Carole (Anne) and Bob Pegg, Barry Lyons of Trees and Five Hand Reel with some Lyrics by Ashley Hutchings (May 2020 UK Beat Goes On Reissue - 2Ps onto 1CD – Andrew Thompson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Join Us In Our Game..."

I recently reviewed a slew of Bob/Anne Pegg and Nick Strutt solo albums from 1973, 1974 and 1975 for an e-book I've done called "Pick Up The Pieces" (on 1974) and a Folk/Country book called "Both Sides Now" (see my Author Page under my highlighted name). That reissue was May 2020's "Bob Pegg and Nick Strutt/Carolanne Pegg/The Shipbuilder/Ancient Maps" on Beat Goes On BGOCD1413 (Barcode 5017261214133) which offers two albums from 1973, one from 1974 and one from 1975 originally on Transatlantic Records UK newly Remastered onto 2CDs.

Having thoroughly enjoyed their quirky Ye Olde Dales Tales and their Acid-Folk Folk-Rock vibes accompanied by their mandolin/guitar sparring buddy Nick Strutt - I thought I'd reach back to the source. This single CD beauty (also from May 2020) is a companion volume to that Pegg/Strutt double.

Here you get their previous band's two equally startling LPs from November 1970 and January 1971 as MR. FOX - the self-titled debut and the follow-up called "The Gipsy" (also on Transatlantic Records like the solo stuff). You get new Remasters, new liner notes, the missing "Mendle" track from "The Gipsy" album that was sloppily left off a previous CD release now reinstated - and all of it re-presented in a natty lickety-split card slip-case. The only thing missing is the 45 Transatlantic single from November 1971 of "Little Woman" (a Dave Mason cover) that is a different band/version to the one on the second LP. But as you can see from a chockers playing time of nearly 79 minutes – time constraints was probably an issue.

Still, this is a tasty release of really interesting and rare material in any music lover’s books. So let's get to the hanged men, the house carpenters and of course, Elvira Madigan and her Aunt Lucy Broadwood (you know you want to)...

UK released 22 May 2020 - "Mr. Fox/The Gipsy" by MR. FOX on Beat Goes On BGOCD1412 (Barcode 5017261214126) offers their only 2LPs from 1970 and 1971 Remastered onto 1CD and plays out as follows (78:41 minutes):

1. Join Us In Our Game [Side 1]

2. The Hanged Man

3. The Gay Goshawk

4. Rip Van Winkle

5. Mr Trill's Song

6. Little Woman [Side 2]

7. Salisbury Plain

8. The Ballad Of Neddy Dick

9. Leaving The Dales

10. Mr. Fox

Tracks 1 to 10 are their debut album "Mr. Fox" - released November 1970 in the UK on Transatlantic Records TRA 226. Produced by BILL LEADER (no US issue).

For the debut MR. FOX was:

BOB PEGG - Vocals, Organ, Melodeon, Tin Whistle and Terrapin

CAROLE (ANNE) PEGG - Vocals and Fiddle

JOHN MYATT - Flute, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet and Bassoon

ANDREW MASSEY - Cello

BARRY LYONS - Electric Bass

ALAN (Alun) EDEN - Drums

Lyrics by ASHLEY HUTCHINGS on "Mr. Trill's Song"

11. Mendle [Side 1]

12. The Gipsy

13. Aunt Lucy Broadwood [Side 2]

14. House Carpenter

15. Elvira Madrigan

16. Dancing Song

17. All The Good Times

Tracks 11 to 17 are their second and last studio album "The Gipsy" - released January 1971 in the UK on Transatlantic TRA 236. Produced by BIL LEADER (no US issue).

For their second album MR. FOX was:

BOB PEGG - Vocals, Organ, Melodeon, Tin Whistle, Acoustic Guitar, Piano, Electric Bass (on "House Carpenter") and Bass Drum

CAROLE (ANNE) PEGG - Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Fiddles and Tom-Tom

BARRY LYONS - Vocals, Electric Bass, American Dulcimer, Sopranimo Recorder and Tambourine

ALAN EDEN - Vocals and Percussion

Chorus on "All The Good Times" by The Grindley Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra

The outer card slipcase always lends these BGO reissues a classy look and the 16-page booklet reproduces the rear sleeve liner notes of the debut album and the cartoons Caroleanne did for the inner gatefold of the second. Long-standing musicologist for Beat Goes On JOHN O'REGAN gives us new March 2020 liner notes that reference many sources (online and printed) filling us in on the hybrid music of Fairport Convention, Amazing Blondel, Steeleye Span and Pentangle - all of which are contained with the Yorkshire Folk lore traditions, gothic horror and Velvet Underground ramshackle uninhibited recordings of MR. FOX (the debut was done live to tape and feels fresh and dangerous for it). The Audio care of ANDREW THOMPSON is fantastic - their variant of Folk Rock pinging out of your speakers with shimmering Morris Dance intent. To the records...

A lone tin whistle wails as the three-minutes of "Join Us In Our Game" begins - soon to be a flute-driven Steeleye Span-like tale of singing in the trenches as Bob and Anne trade vocals. Dressed neatly as a young man - our hero tickles the eyes of the local fancies as he walks towards the village pathway where many "The Hanged Man" met their swinging end. A threatening doom-laden guitar notes opens "The Gay Goshawk" - the nearest the album gets to English 13th century Psych. Coal fields, unforgiving mountains and withered flowers trouble "Rip Van Winkle" - another harmonium fable of olde. Side 1 doesn't end well with "Mr. Trill's Song" - a jolly fellow 1895 romp that will likely make many cringe.

Side 2 of the "Mr. Fox" debut opens with a Folk cover of Dave Mason's "Little Woman". Transatlantic obviously thought the tune had legs so released a UK 45 of it with the album in November 1970 with the album opener "Join Us In Our Game" as its B-side (Big T Records BIG 135) - but as explained earlier that 7" version was done by a different band and is not the same as the album cut. "Salisbury Plain" and the accordion romp of "The Ballad Of Neddy Dick" continue the olde thyme tunes, the album ending in what I think is the best track - the smartest fellow "Mr. Fox" whose come-a-courting with his silver tongue and sly smile. As Caroleanne sings of caves in a clearing where Foxy hits one woman and pulls the hair of another - it's clear that her character assessment of this bloody monster was a smart one.

If the debut was an 'acquired taste' - they seemed to have improved their musical pallet by leaps and bounds for the far better second album "The Gipsy" from 1971. "Mendle" is seven minutes and thirteen seconds of creepy lyrics accompanied by moaning melodeon and harmonium drones - itself surpassed by the near thirteen-minutes of "The Gipsy" that ends Side 1. A tale of Mary Lee with the roving eye - our hapless lovestruck fool traipsing around the Dale during the day whilst supping ale and wine in the evenings. It's a long narrative - very Fairport Convention meets Steeleye Span. Side 2 opens with drums and multiple vocals where we're told that birds have dropped logs on Aunt Lucy leaving the poor biddy to die by the wood. Prettiest by far is "The House Carpenter" - an Appalachian Mountains song done on a Dulcimer with Alan Eden whacking Tom Toms - I've put this peach on Folk-Rock CD-Rs as an example of 'cool' Folk. "Elvira Madigan" is a tunic and regiment tale of deserters and lovers looking for shelter while the finishers "Dancing Song" and "All The Good Times" are straight up Morris Dance romps.

Originally with Trees, Barry Lyons would later join the ranks of Celtic purveyors Five Hand Reel and the fiddle and stone Pegg duo would go on to many solo albums that at times even stretched into Prog Folk by 1975.

For sure this is the kind of Olde English Folk that does folks heads in (I know many who can’t stand it). But I like the points in-between where Mr. FOX made a sound uniquely their own. A clever reissue that won't be for everyone, but those willing to explore may find the music of the stars ringing in their head while the rivers gurgle below in the mysterious shimmering bed...

"These 23 Days In September/Stories/Nice Baby And The Angel/Cupid's Arrow" by DAVID BLUE – Four US Albums from April 1968, November 1971, April 1973 and June 1976 on Reprise and Asylum Records – Guest Musicians including Graham Nash, David Lindley, Ry Cooder, Rita Coolidge, Jesse Ed Davis, Dave Mason of Traffic, Glenn Frey of Eagles, Levon Helm of The Band, John Barbata of Jefferson Airplane, Chris Ethridge of The Flying Burrito Bros, Ralph Schuckett of Todd Rundgren's Utopia, Auburn Burrell of The Classics IV and more (June 2020 UK Morello Records Reissue – 4LPs onto 2CDs – Alan Wilson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...For A Window Thief..."

1941 was a good year for the birth of future singer-songwriter heroes – Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Guy Clark, Tim Hardin and in February of that WW II moment - Stuart David Cohen of Providence, Rhode Island. This was a chap who when gigging with Bob Dylan and Eric Anderson in the early 60ts in Greenwich Village in New York (both in their early 20s) was advised to change his stage name because there was already a Dave Cohen doing the rounds. Fixating on his eye-colour, our hero, the young Jewish troubadour, became DAVID BLUE.

With a voice akin to a deeper Leonard Cohen mumble, the romanticism of bugger-all LP sales allied with rich lyrical tales of waste and woe and the never-ending search for love (his loner personality gave him plenty of mental and physical demons, drugs up the wazoo) – David Blue has been a cult figure for decades now. Always bubbling under in US Sixties and Seventies Folk and Folk-Rock circles as a singer-songwriter of real worth like say Mickey Newbury or Fred Neil or Judee Sill or even Dory Previn – Blue and his self-titled debut album had been issued by Elektra Records in August 1966 – itself egged on after Blue had been featured for three tracks the year previous (August 1965) on a four-artist LP called "The Singer-Songwriter Project" (put out by Rhino in the 00s, there is an Elektra twofer CD Remaster set that deals with both of these albums).

Then signing to Reprise Records – Blue released two albums on Frankie's label - "These 23 Days In September" in April 1968 and a December 1969 effort called "Me" credited for that release to his real name S. David Cohen (it is not featured here). "These 23 Days In September" saw his genius for a hooky tune mature, and that is where this fab little '4 Classic Albums On 2 CDs' offering comes a-dancing in. Giving us a further three whole LPs on David Geffen's Asylum Records - home of Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, Tom Waits, Eagles, Linda Ronstadt and in 1974 even Bob Dylan himself - there is a lot to savour here.

With no less than eight albums in his career across three huge record labels and a slew of acting spots when he ditched music after 1976 – David Blue would never reach the dizzying heights of his contemporaries. But with savvy folks like The Eagles, Richie Havens and Neil Young covering/praising his songs – you know you need to investigate what y’all missed first time around. Going back to the those halcyon days, here are the digital details...

UK released 12 June 2020 - "These 23 Days In September/Stories/Nice Baby And The Angel/Cupid's Arrow" by DAVID BLUE on Morello Records QMRLL 96D (Barcode 5013929899636) features Four Albums Remastered onto 2CDs and plays out as follows:

CD1 (73:05 minutes):

1. These 23 Days In September [Side 1]

2. Ambitious Anna

3. You Need A Change

4. The Grand Hotel

5. The Sailor's Lament

6. You Will Come Back Again [Side 2]

7. Scales For A Window Thief

8. Slow And Easy

9. The Fifth One

Tracks 1 to 9 are his second studio album "These 23 Days in September" – released April 1968 in the USA on Reprise Records RS 6296 in Stereo (no UK issue). Produced by GABRIEL MEKLER – it didn’t chart (WB in 2007 CD)

10. Looking For A Friend [Side 1]

11. Sister Rose

12. Another One Like Me

13. House Of Changing Faces

14. Marianne [Side 2]

15. Fire In The Morning

16. Come On John

17. The Blues (All Night Long)

Tracks 10 to 17 are his fourth studio album "Stories" – released November 1971 in the USA on Asylum SD 5052 and March 1972 in the UK on Asylum SYL 9001. Produced by BOB RAFKIN, DAVID BLUE and HENRY LEWY – the album features Ry Cooder on Slide Guitar, Chris Ethridge of The Flying Burrito Bros on Bass (Bob Rafkin also), Rita Coolidge on Backing Vocals, Ralph Schuckett of Jo Mama, Todd Rundgren's Utopia and Clarence Clemens And The Red Bank Rockers on Keyboards, Milt Holland of The Surfmen and Captain Beefheart's Magic Band on Percussion, John Barbata of Jefferson Airplane and Russ Kunkel of The Section on Drums with Strings Arranged by Jack Nitzsche.

CD2 (73:51 minutes):

1. Outlaw Man [Side 1]

2. Lady O' Lady

3. Truth To You

4. On Sunday, Any Sunday

5. Darlin' Jenny

6. Dancing Girl [Side 2]

7. Yesterday's Lady

8. Nice Baby And The Angel

9. Troubadour Song

10. Train To Anaheim

Tracks 1 to 10 are his fifth studio album "Nice Baby And The Angel" – released April 1973 in the USA on Asylum SD 5066 and June 1973 in the UK on Asylum SYL 9009. Produced by GRAHAM NASH – String Arrangements by Graham Nash – Jennifer Warren Backing Vocals on "Lady O' Lady", Dave Mason of Traffic and David Lindley on Guitars, Chris Ethridge of The Flying Burrito Bros on Bass, Backing Vocals by Dave Mason of Traffic, Glenn Frey of Eagles and Graham Nash of The Hollies and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – Drums by John Barbata of Jefferson Airplane.

11. Run, Run, Run [Side 1]

12. The Ballad Of Jennifer Lee

13. Tom's Song

14. I Feel Bad

15. Cordelia

16. Maria, Maria [Side 2]

17. Cupid's Arrow

18. Primeval Tune

19. She's Got You

Tracks 11 to 19 are his seventh studio album "Cupid's Arrow" – released June 1976 in the USA on Asylum 7E-1077 (no UK release). Features Levon Helm of The Band on Drums, David Lindley on Guitar and Violin, Barry Goldberg on Keyboards (also Produced the LP) with Auburn Burrell of The Classics IV and Jesse Ed Davis on Guitars.

Produced by Lee Simmonds, this isn't a Deluxe Edition by any means so those expecting 30-page booklets can look elsewhere. But the 8-page inlay for QMRLL 96D does provide a brief two-page history of David Blue's career by SPENCER LEIGH (authoring a Bob Dylan tome that touches on Blue's association with him in New York), the LP credits for all four platters and that's about it. Photos from the original LP artwork are here too and Leigh's dense explanation of what happened is both informational, highly entertaining and ultimately (especially given what happened to Blue later in life) - sad. And with four rare albums for just above a tenner on digital – bloody good value for money. The Audio is care of ALAN WILSON with the Remasters done at Western Star Studios (Warner Brothers licenses for Cherry Red) and it all sounds great to me. To the music...

Afforded the luxury of a gatefold sleeve, the 1968 LP "These 23 Days In September" is a sparse affair musically - acoustic guitars and voice - all songs penned by DB. The title track opens with tales of humour spent, girly discontent politely spoken. The Gabriel Mekler Production values are gorgeous (he did Steppenwolf) - while DB tries to do his best Leonard Cohen vocal impression on the poppy "Ambitious Anna". Tunes like "You Need A Change" introduces Pedal Steel Guitar (doesn't say who) while a strummed zither helps "The Grand Hotel" and piano/keyboards lead the doom in "The Sailor's Lament" - men gone to the bottom of time. The Folk-Rock strum continues on "You Will Come Back Again", a good tune even if his vocals fall a tad flat. We then get nearly six minutes of "Scales For A Window Thief" - a wind that blows into sails of the past pushing them forward into a nothing horizon. "Slow And Easy" could be James Taylor (pretty) while the finisher "The Fifth One" even has a fuzzed-up guitar hoping to stroke that burgeoning Psych-based pop songs market (the first four women were al right but the fifth is just right). Amazing sound for the album, but for me, its strictly three-to-four star material unlike...

Things improve immediately with "Stories" from 1971 - his first platter for Asylum Records. The label provided him with some heavy-hitter musical company - Ry Cooder on Slide Guitar, Milton Holland on Percussion, Bass by Chris Ethridge and Backing Vocals from Rita Coolidge with Strings arranged by Jack Nitzsche (to name but a few). "Looking For A Friend" feels epic - like a really good Fred Neil song - his voice better than in 1968. "Sister Rose" only compounds the feeling that Leonard Cohen had something to worry about in David Blue - a never been warm song - except in your love - a Holy Cross sent from Montreal to act as a protector. The radio played Soul by the garden wall in "Another One Like Me" - as lovely as Seventies ballad as you've ever heard - soulful organ floating over the acoustic picking - only to have Ry Cooder slide in like a pro on the National Steel to seal the deal (gorgeous audio too).

"House Of Changing Faces" begins mellow and thoughtful - before going into over six minutes of acoustic anger on a sometimes clown making movies in some drugs hellhole where DB wanted to die (it's brilliant in a Mickey Newbury way). "Marianne" is an accordion-pretty waltz ala Tom Waits (the legendary Pete Jolly on Accordion). Blue loves that lady in the loft of her favourite lover - comforting her burning eyes filled with fear for the future. Elegant Jack Nitzsche strings accompany a lone piano for "Fire In The Morning" - a feeling weak breakfast song in a cold restaurant. But even better is "Come On John" - an impressive tale of a hungry man who can't help but run to liquid on spoons that he knows will do for him. And with its hooky electric guitar chorus parts - could have been a successful 45. The overlooked/excellent "Stories" album closes with six minutes on a singer that touched him - a fellow traveller on the road singing "The Blues (All Night Long)" - Ry Cooder once again blinding on the Slide. I'm so pleased with the Audio - fantastic - and I'd forgotten how sweet the whole record is.

Disc 2 goes into the Country Rock of "Nice Baby And The Angel" (1973) - produced to buggery by none other than Graham Nash of The Hollies and Americana superstars - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. The Eagles famously took the album's opener "Outlaw Man" and put it on their second album "Desperado" - the Royalties for which undoubtedly kept our skint hero in a hot lunches for a few years (Graham Nash can be heard harmonising). Jennifer Warren provides lovely backing vocals on the mandolin pretty "Lady O' Lady" - a used-to-be-a-rambler song where she takes the wayward braggart in hand. Massive production values too for "On Sunday, Any Sunday" - his vocals purposely echoed into the background as the perfectly captured squeaking acoustic strings rattle around your speaker stack. He goes for the Pop Country Rock market with the kicking "Darlin' Jenny" - a high up on this hill looking for tomorrow tale of looking for gold (I think its Dave Mason of Traffic playing the electric guitar parts).

Terry Adams provides the lone Cello on "Yesterdays Lady" - a softly sweet ballad about leaving - gorgeous words and audio. The title song "Nice Baby And The Angel" talks of sharing space with a woman with a twinkle in her eyes (she ain't eyeing the door). "Troubadour Song" sees our man light a smoke and wait for the train - on to a cheap hotel and poor food - waiting alone for a future to show up. It ends with what feels like The Waterboys transported back to 1973 and mated with The Eagles - waiting in London Town with the rain pouring down - sick to his soul - lady up and gone on the "Train To Anaheim".

By the time we reach 1976 (their was an album in 1975 that isn't featured here called "Comin' Back For More" also on Asylum) - Pedal Steel Country Rock dominates tunes like the down-home cowboy song "The Ballad Of Jennifer Lee". But Rawk like "Tom's Song" and "I Feel Bad" comes on like bad Ringo Starr and hasn't aged at all well. The ballad "Cupid's Arrow" just about saves what for me is a so-so album after the highs of "Stories" and "Nice Baby And The Angel". 

"...It's all over now, David Blue!" Bob Dylan reputedly joked to the young buck in 1961 as he changed his name from S. David Cohen. Another legend is that Blue was playing back the guitar melody to Bob as The Zim penned the lyrics to "Blowing In The Wind" right in front of him – a song that would change the world. And on the same spot as he had seen Lightning Hopkins play in the Sixties in Washington Square Park (a moment that inspired him to write) – the Jewish singer-songwriter (free of drugs and happily married) suffered a stroke while jogging in December 1982 and died at the criminally young age of 42.

I know its not all five-star material, but this 2020 David Blue release still feels huge to me. Morello Records have pulled off a wee bit of a coup here. Remember the window thief like this and well done to all involved...