"Thanks I'll Eat It Here" by LOWELL GEORGE [of Little Feat] – March 1979 US and UK Debut Solo Album on Warner Brothers featuring Bill Payne, Richie Hayward and Fred Tackett of Little Feat, Jeff Porcaro and David Paich of Toto, James Howard of The Elton John Band, Jimmy Greenspoon and Floyd Sneed of Three Dog Night, David Foster, Chilli Charles, Dean Parks, Nicky Hopkins, Steve Madaio, John Philips of The Mamas and The Papas, Herb Pedersen, J. D. Souther, Bonnie Raitt and many more guests - Duet with Valerie Carter on a Bonus Track (September 1993 UK Warner Archives CD Reissue and Remaster Plus One Previously Unreleased Bonus Track) - A Review by Mark Barry...

  

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"...Hombre Solo..."

 

A bizarre album in many respects - "Thanks I'll Eat It Here" was the March 1979 debut solo LP for Little Feat's charismatic Lead Singer, Guitarist and Principal songwriter Lowell George – issued at a time when his main band were arguably at the very peak of their popularity and critical acclaim.

 

And I say weird, because given that it was Lowell George and the staggering musician crew he had with him making the record (see list below), 'Eat It' should have rocked and frankly didn't. I thought it was a huge disappointment at the time (when I was deeply invested in Little Feat) and it used to turn up in record sales bins with alarming regularity. But maybe it's time for a reassess and a tentative hug.

 

"Eat It..." felt hurled together – a spattering of originals and co-writes alongside Jimmy Webb, Ann Peebles, Allen Toussaint and Rickie Lee Jones cover versions tacked on to up the 9-track numbers. Even so, "Eat It..." isn't all dogs and turkeys of course, there are moments of brilliance – the remake of "Two Trains" and that opening Allen Toussaint cover version that might as well have been written for George. And without any notice or indication on the rear inlay or packaging, there is a Bonus tagged on at the end as Track 10 – a Previously Unreleased Demo done with Valerie Carter called "Heartache". And the Warner Archives Audio Remaster is clean and ballsy. Let's get to the details...

 

UK/EU released September 1993 - "Thanks I'll Eat It Here" by LOWELL GEORGE on Warner Archives 7599-26755-2 (Barcode 075992675529) is an Expanded Edition CD Reissue and Remaster with One Previously Unreleased Bonus Track that plays out as follows (34:04 minutes):

 

1. What Do You Want The Girl To Do (4:46 minutes) [Side 1]

2. Honest Man (3:45 minutes)

3. Two Trains (4:32 minutes)

4. I Can't Stand The Rain (3:21 minutes)

5. Cheek To Cheek (2:23 minutes)

6. Easy Money (3:29 minutes) [Side 2]

7. 20 Million Things (2:50 minutes)

8. Find A River (3:45 minutes)

9. Himmler's Ring (2:28 minutes)

Tracks 1 to 9 are his debut solo album "Thanks I'll Eat It Here" – released March 1979 in the USA on Warner Brothers BSK 3194 and March 1979 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56487. Produced by LOWELL GEORGE – the album peaked at No. 71 in April 1979 on the US Billboard Rock LP charts (didn’t chart UK). 

 

BONUS TRACK:

10. Heartache (2:28 minutes)

(Un-credited on the rear inlay as a) PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED Demo with Valerie Carter written by Lowell George and Ivan Ulz (no recording details)

 

The four-leaf foldout inlay of this 1993 CD reissue unfortunately takes the lazy road and simply reproduces the long string of text that was deriguere for Little Feat releases at the time – a list of musicians of calibre without saying who played what on where.

 

To give you an idea - guests included Keyboardist Bill Payne, Drummer Richie Hayward and Guitarist Fred Tackett of Little Feat, Drummer Jeff Porcaro and Keyboardist David Paich of Toto, Keyboardist James Newton Howard of The Elton John Band, Guitarist Jimmy Greenspoon and Drummer/Vocalist Floyd Sneed of Three Dog Night, Keyboardist David Foster, Drummer Chilli Charles, Guitarists Dean Parks and Stephen Bruton, British Keyboardist Nicky Hopkins, Saxophonist and Drummer John Philips of The Mamas and The Papas, Pedal Steel Guitarist Herb Pedersen, Vocalists J. D. Souther and Bonnie Raitt, Drummers Jim Keltner, Michael Baird and Jim Gordon and many others including the likes of Steve Madaio – long-time Trombonist with Stevie Wonder’s band and formerly with Paul Butterfield's Blues Band. 

 

It's infuriating that no one thought to look through the logs and finally tell who played where and why – and the only extra dialogue on the foldout inlay is to inform that LEE HERSCHBERG did the Digital Remaster which is beautifully full and restrained at one and the same time. You might want to crank this mother, but when you do, you'll get the full whack of all that top-class funked-up musicianship. To the tunes...

Sounds like the whole guest-musician-gang feature on the cool and funky cover of Allen Toussaint's "What Do You Want The Girl To Do" - a New Orleans hip-shakin' mama groover that had first turned up on Toussaint's 1975 album "Southern Nights" on Reprise Records. The sexy sway of "What Do You Want The Girl To Do" opens with a slink that stylistically crosses Little Feat with Steely Dan, George employing the Brass of Jim Horn and Steve Madaio with the Vocals of former Ikettes singer Maxalyn Lewis and Maxine Willard Waters to give the whole thing that wall of oomph. It's a great start that is followed by something similar - "Honest Man" co-written with his Little Feat Guitarist Fred Tackett - those funky keyboards swelling in your speakers. 

Better still (and for me one of the best tunes on a so-so record) is his remake of "Two Trains" - a Lowell George Funk-Rock classic that first turned up on Little Feat's January 1973 third album "Dixie Chicken". Here he really taps into that fantastic funk groove that Little Feat used to attain when live - piano and slide guitar neck-jerking across your speakers like a drugged up Ry Cooder doing "Bop Til You Drop". It's so damn good. 

 

Side 1 continues the groove with a cover of the Ann Peebles Soul-Funk classic "I Can't Stand The Rain" first outed in July 1973 on Hi Records. George goes for full-on Meters New Orleans Funk with his rendition, ably assisted with a second vocal from Maxalyn Lewis sounding like Tina Turner (I think it's her). But then he ends the Side with a Rosarita Mexican shuffle called "Cheek To Cheek" - co-written with him, Van Dyke Parks and Martin F. Kibbes - which I find kind of insufferable. The audio though is gorgeous. 

When her stunning debut album "Rickie Lee Jones" first appeared in late February 1979 (also on Warner Brothers) - Lowell George must have been seriously impressed because he promptly cover her "Easy Money" for his Side 2 opener - his album released only weeks later. The brass is great and the sound glorious, but again, it feels uneasy to me somehow. There then appears what is the only other real solo song - "20 Million Things" being an acoustic smoocher and it's just so lovely. The wall of male voices that accompany him as he sings "I've got 20 million things to do...but all I can think about is you..." gives the song a loveliness of feel - like classic Little Feat. 

"Find A River" is a Fred Tackett song, another softer acoustic moment that feels demo-like with its in-the-moment intro laden with hiss. Love that "hope you think about me" doubled-vocal and the piano as it sails in though. Crank this and it will reward you. The LP ends on a Jimmy Webb ditty called "Himmler's Ring" - a sort of stab at Leon Redbone caricature that fails. There then follows a 2:28 minute surprise - "Heartache" being a Previously Unreleased Demo with Valerie Carter. It's hissy for sure and unplugged obviously and only all right - but still a find for fans. 

I'm conflicted by "Thanks I'll Eat It Here" - half of it is magic, and amplified in stature by this muscular Remaster for sure. But the duffer stuff still gets to me. Lowell George would be gone all too soon and that artwork photograph of him holding up a less-than-successful fishing catch, always makes me sad. Still, if you have to own it and want to crank those better moments - then this forgotten Warner Archives CD Remaster is the solo hombre for you...

"Just Another Diamond Day" by VASHTI BUNYAN – November 1970 UK Debut Album on Phillips Records featuring Christopher Sykes, John James, Robin Williamson of The Incredible String Band, Dave Swarbrick and Simon Nicol of Fairport Convention with String Arrangements by Robert Kirby and Production from Joe Boyd (December 2000 UK Spinney Records Expanded Edition CD Reissue and Remaster with Four Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Whisper Fairy Tales Until They're Real..."

Prior to its decades long absence and first reissue in December 2000 by Spinney Records of the UK – this was a Record Collector beast – spoken of in hushed tones by earnest men with a longing in their arthritic bones. "Just Another Diamond Day" was a one-thousand-pound-plus Folk LP listed rarity that would genuinely create bidding frenzy when (or ever) it turned up for sale on auction sites. Hell, even after that 2000 reissue, the Spinney Records VINYL LP was listed in the RC Price Guide and remains so up to the 2022 issue (see below for details of the LP variant).

 

Funny now that in the spring of 2022, the Spinney CD reissue of this uber-rarity is available for sums like a fiver or less at times (never more than a tenner). Time has cheapened its mystery, period allure and availability maybe (the album will not be for everyone) - but make no mistake - "Just Another Diamond Day" is still a truly lovely thing – delicate in all the best ways.

 

The liner notes inform us that the master tape lay dormant in some warehouse for 30-years or more, then were unwisely transported on a London Tube only to emerge to a thunderstorm of rain where it got wet. But not that you would notice from this gorgeously transferred album – Restored and Remastered by PIERS. Here are the jog-along details... 

 

UK released December 2000 - "Just Another Diamond Day" by VASHTI BUNYAN on Spinney Records SPINNEY001CD (Barcode 06666017012124) is an Expanded Edition CD Reissue and Remaster of her lone 1970 Debut Album with Four Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows (40:03 minutes):

 

1. Diamond Day [Side 1]

2. Glow Worms

3. Lily Pond

4. Timothy Grub

5. Where I Like To Stand

6. Swallow Song

7. Window Over The Day

8. Rose Hip November [Side 2]

9. Come Wind Come Rain

10. Hebridean Sun

11. Rainbow River

12. Trawlerman's Song

13. Jog Along Bess

14. Iris's Song For Us

Tracks 1 to 14 are her Debut and Lone Album "Just Another Diamond Day" – released November 1970 in the UK on Philips Records 6308 019. Produced by JOE BOYD – It didn't chart. 

 

All songs written by Vashti Bunyan, except five - "Window Over The Bay", "Hebridean Sun" and "Trawlerman's Song" were co-written with Robert Lewis, "Where I Like To Stand" co-written with John James and "Iris's Song For Us" - written by Iris McFarlane and Wally Dix.

 

NOTE: There is also a Year-2000-pressed VINYL LP reissue of "Just Another Diamond Day" on Spinney Records SPINNEY 001 (Barcode 0666017012117) that reproduces the original British Sleeve with the John James front cover painting and Steve Thurlby gatefold artwork and adds in a lyric insert.

 

BONUS TRACKS:

15. Love Song (Non-LP 45-single B-side to "Train Song", released 20 May 1966 on Columbia DB 7917 in the UK, Produced by Peter Snell with her name credited as VASHTI)

16. I'd Like To Walk Around In Your Mind (Unreleased Acetate Produced by Mike Hurst for Immediate Records in 1967)

17. Winter Is Blue (Unreleased Acetate 1966)

18. Iris's Song (Version Two) – John Bunyan's Tape 1969

 

MUSICIANS (Album):

VASHTI BUNYAN – Lead Vocals and Guitar

CHRISTOPHER SYKES – Piano and Organ

JOHN JAMES – Dulcimer

ROBIN WILLIAMSON (of The Incredible String Band) – Fiddle, Mandolin and Irish Harp on Tracks 3, 8 and 13

DAVE SWARBRICK (of Fairport Convention) – Fiddle and Mandolin on Tracks 5, 9 and 14

SIMON NICOL (of Fairport Convention and The Albion Band) – Banjo on Tracks 5, 9 and 14

ROBERT KIRBY – String Arrangements on Tracks 1, 6 and 11

 

MIKE CROWTHER (Extras) – Guitar on Track 17 only

 

You have to get used to a few things – her breathy almost fey-sounding voice – all hippy-dippy – like a seriously girly version of Donovan. The music reflected her nomad life in a caravan escaping the big choke of London for the Hebridean Islands with horse and dog (Bess and Blue) and co-songwriter Robert Lewis. So the songs are mostly stripped down acoustic and vocal ditties – tales of wooden wheels and gypsies and trees and meadows and peat and fairies and fishermen on trawlers and farmers counting cows in drizzling open fields until they can go home to their love cooking something warm by the hearth. 

 

Producer Joe Boyd (of Nick Drake and Incredible String Band fame) had heard Vashti Bunyan three years earlier reading poetry and doing her embryonic songs for small audiences in the city, and had been smitten. But she wouldn't lay any tracks down. So when she did phone to record, Boyd jumped up and roped in genre sympathetic friends. His original LP liner notes are reproduced in the lovely 12-page booklet that also adds in very pretty paintings, backdrops, lyrics and new 2000-penned liner notes from PAUL LAMBDON. The paintings by Jenny Richardson are particularly lovely. To the tunes...

 

Almost too delicate – it is easy to hear now why the album elicited no interest from the Hard Rock months that ending 1970. But take her gorgeous vocal opening to "Window To The Day" – Acapella for a few hair-raising moments only to be joined by a quietly plucked Acoustic Guitar. Put simply – "Window To The Day" is beautiful – like discovering the original Bon Iver influence. The same applies to the impossibly lovely far-across-the-sea wee-wifey dirge - "Trawlerman's Song". 

 

Robin Williamson of The Incredible String Band outdoes himself with his fabulous and melodic contributions to the Side 2 opener "Rose Hip November" – all three instruments (Fiddle, Mandolin and Irish Harp) giving the delicacy a teeny uplift where needed. His left-speaker Fiddle playing adds a jaunt to "Jog Along Bess" (make us all some tea) – her little green wagon trundling along with a painting by John.

 

Three of the tracks feature Dave Swarbrick and Simon Nicol of Fairport Convention – "Where I Like To Stand", "Come Wind, Come Rain" and "Iris's Song For Us" – each benefiting from the extra instruments. Arrangements hero Robert Kirby does typically delicate and beautiful work on "Swallow Song" and a slew of instruments on "Rainbow River" (see my review on Amazon and Sounds Good Looks Good Blog Site of his work on the February 2018 Ace Records CD compilation "When The Day Is Done - The Orchestrations of Robert Kirby" – that compilation highlighting "Rainbow River").

 

The four bonuses are from Acetates, Demo Recordings and a lone 45-single, so there are traces of clicks and pops, but the Unreleased "Winter Is Blue" is lovely even despite the audio drop. It does seem odd that the A-side to her May 1966 debut single "Love Train" is not here, when there obviously was room and would have made collectors very happy bunnies indeed. Still – four extras like this are to be welcomed.

 

Musical truth be told, Vashti Bunyan's lone Folklore LP "Just Another Diamond Day" from November 1970 is the kind of album that elicits joy and derision in equal measure. Some will call it a relic of a bygone hippy-idealism that no longer warrants a place in our post Covid-19 War-ridden world of 2022.

 

But there are those who will wallow in its delicacy for precisely that reason. I choose the latter and suggest you do the same my horse-whinnying caravan (serai) travelers of life...

 

PS: Her biography "Wayward: Just Another Life To Live" is due 7 April 2022, printed by White Rabbit Books...

"Western Wall: The Tucson Sessions" by LINDA RONSTADT and EMMYLOU HARRIS (August 1999 Duet CD Album on Asylum Records 7559 62408-2) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"...All I Left Behind..."

 

Gorgeous song choices (covers and originals) - beautiful production values and a strangely uplifting languid flavour running through it all. 1999's "Western Wall: The Tucson Sessions" by Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris on Asylum 7559-62408-2 (Barcode 075596240825) is a 13-Track winner (50:49 minutes total play time). 

 

Multi-instrumentalists Ethan Johns and Greg Leisz make up the core of the band, and I can't stress enough just how gorgeous the audio is (the famous and much-experienced Glyn Johns did the Production). The album title song is a Rosanna Cash tune - "Western Wall".

 

Guest spots include - Amen Corner's Andy Fairweather-Lowe playing Bass and Electric Guitar on the cool sinister opener "Loving The Highwayman", Bernie Leadon of The Eagles is on the brilliant "Raise The Dead" (an Emmylou original) while Jackson Browne's masterpiece "For A Dancer" from his 1974 album "Late For The Sky" gets a makeover here with both Bernie Leadon and Neil Young Harmonizing and playing Harmonica.

 

The haunting "1917" has Kate & Anna McGarrigle and Bernie Leadon while Paul Kennerley plays Lead Guitar on his own "He Was Mine". Leonard Cohen's "Sisters Of Mercy" has three - Bernie Leadon, Andy Fairweather-Lowe and the McGarrigle sisters. And on it goes to the final song, a cover of Springsteen's "Across The Border" with Neil Young, Andy Fairweather-Lowe and Leadon in attendance.

 

The first two are obvious winners, but it's gems like their cover of Patty Griffin's "Falling Down" with its huge shimmering electric guitar rattling across your speakers and Bruce's better-half Patti Scialfa sees her carnival town tale of "Valerie" get done with Emmylou on Lead Vocals. There is a fantastic and surprising choice in Sinead O'Connor's gorgeous and moving ballad "This Is To Mother You" that first appeared on her stunning 4-Track "Gospel Oak EP" in 1997 on Chrysalis Records – two years before this album appeared. Almost like a hypnotic hymn of sorts, "This Is To Mother You" is done here with the two voices harmonizing on every line like some beautiful secular church-like rendition (Sinead would love this).

 

And across it all is their sublime voices - swirling and caressing good songs. A forgotten sweetheart of an album and one that grows and grows on you, like all the best sets do...

"Hawkwind" by HAWKWIND - August 1970 UK Debut Album on Liberty Records and Early 1971 USA on United Artists featuring Dave Brock, Nik Turner, Dik Mik, Hue Lloyd and John Harrison (August 2001 UK Parlophone 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster with Four Bonus Tracks and Peter Mew/Paul Cobbold Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Look Into Your Mind's Eye..."

 

When you look up the Wikipedia entry for Hawkwind's hastily put together self-titled debut album (issued August 1970 in Blighty on Liberty Records and early 1971 in the USA on United Artists) – you won't be too shocked to find its three genre-references are Space Rock, Psychedelic Rock and Progressive Rock. But what's this - a fourth reference as Folk Rock? Folk Rock on a Hawkwind album!!!

 

The reason for this is that principal songwriter, singer and lead guitarist Dave Brock had been busking for years and both the Side 1 and Side 2 tracks – "Hurry On Sundown" and "Mirror Of Illusion" are more souped-up McGuinness Flint vs. Lindisfarne than the mad bad nudie-dancing Hawk Lords we all know and head-bang too. Both of those overtly Folk-Rock moments with their 12-String Acoustic, Harmonica and shuffling drum patterns have more in common with British Bands like Cochise, Help Yourself and even The Incredible String Band - all of whom Hawkwind toured with back in those early formation days (posters of those gigs litter the pages of the 12-page booklet). The rest of the tunes on "Hawkwind" have Space Rock leanings - so the LP is actually a tale of two genre cities.

 

But that is where my affection for it ends. I must admit straight out, the "Hawkwind" LP has never been a fave-rave of mine. Over the years there has been much revision of this debut record that outside of those Brock songs already mentioned, I felt was mostly rubbish. You see (and I suspect this is the same for many teenagers like me) – I came to Hawkwind via their far-better second album "X In Search Of Space" which I dug big time in late 1971. And so when I backtracked to the debut of 1970, I was sorely unimpressed and on the strength of the album as a stand-alone item – I remain so.

 

But this August 2001 CD Remaster (itself a jewel case reissue of the EMI Premier HAWKS 1 digipak packaging version released March 1996) has the same four 1969-recorded Bonus Tracks that elevated things considerably (three by Hawkwind Zoo and one by Dave Brock). To the mind's eye details...

 

UK released August 2001 – "Hawkwind" by HAWKWIND on Parlophone 530 0282 (also Parlophone 7243 5 30028 2 4 - Barcode 724353002824) is and Expanded Edition CD Reissue and Remaster with Four Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows (57:51 minutes):

 

1. Hurry On Sundown [Side 1]

2. The Reason Is?

3. Be Yourself 

4. Paranoia (Part 1)

5. Paranoia (Part 2) [Side 2]

6. Seeing It As You Really Are 

7. Mirror Of Illusion 

Tracks 1 to 7 are their debut album "Hawkwind" - released 14 August 1970 in the UK on Liberty Records LBS 83348 and early 1971 in the USA on United Artists UAS 5519. Produced by DICK TAYLOR (Guitarist with The Pretty Things) and HAWKWIND  - it didn't chart in either country. All songs written by Dave Brock and Hawkwind.

BONUS TRACKS:

8. Bring It On Home (3:16 minutes) by DAVE BROCK

9. Hurry On Sundown (5:02 minutes) by HAWKWIND ZOO

10. Kiss Of The Velvet Whip (5:25 minutes) by HAWKWIND ZOO

11. Cymbaline (4:04 minutes) by HAWKWIND ZOO

Tracks 8 to 11 are 1969 recordings Produced by Don Paul. "Bring It On Home" is a cover version of the Willie Dixon Chess Records classic made famous by Sonny Boy Williamson initially and subsequently by Led Zeppelin on their October 1969 "Led Zeppelin II" LP. "Cymbaline" is a Roger Waters cover version that first appeared on the June 1969 Pink Floyd Soundtrack LP to "More". The other two are Dave Brock songs. 

It's hardly surprising that Liberty Records chose the two Acoustic-Based songs on the LP - "Hurry On Sundown" b/w "Mirror Of Illusion" - edited them down in both cases as issued them as pre-LP taster 45-single - Liberty LBF 15832 turning up 31 July 1970 - only a couple of weeks before the LP. The 7" single did nothing and is a notoriously hard to find 45 - shame really that EMI didn't take the chance to add both the edits to this 2001 reissue (there was room) - but alas. The 12-page booklet too mimics the foldout liner notes and digipak version 1996 with nothing new. It does have those lovely repro concert posters, reprint of a press release re the debut, original and reissue credit details etc. 

 

The PETER MEW and PAUL COBBOLD Remasters done at Abbey Road are from original tapes - also carried over from 1996. This CD (with its tasty Hawkwind black and silver logo pictured) has real balls and sounds great. I'm impressed at the audio on the extras - they're very clean. But I'd have to say that even though it's longer in the Bonus form, the shorter better-produced album cut of "Hurry On Sundown" is real deal. Those two new cover versions are fascinating though - the first in the Jug Band R&B Tradition of say "Hurry On Sundown" whilst the second "Cymbaline" shows the direction the band was really going in - let's get weird baby. 

 

Track 2 on Side 1 "The Reason Is?" (3:30 minutes) begins the Space Rock journey, but it's a noodle that goes nowhere and kinda fills up groove time. The 8:01 minutes of "Be Yourself" that follows does at least have more meat on it and descends into experimental soundscapes that at the time seemed kind of revolutionary if not a tad unlistenable. The silly one-minute Side 1 finisher "Paranoia (Part 1)" irritates too only to segue way into four-minutes of "...Part 2" with more of the same. We then get the second Space Rock beast on the record, Side 2's near eleven-minute "Seeing it As You Really Are" and you can so hear them finding that sound.  Hawkwind's debut ends on seven-minutes of the Acoustic-driven "Mirror Of Illusion" - a genuine highlight for me on a poor listen overall.     

I would be wary of 'forgotten masterpiece' and 'best album we ever did' revisionism when it comes to this starter for Hawkwind - to my ears it's patchy and was a way into the next stage where Robert Calvert joined and they took off. But as a Remaster and with those quality Bonuses - worth a poke in your third eye...

"The Studio Albums Collection 1972-1979" by EAGLES (March 2013 UK Warner Brothers/Asylum 6CD Box Set with MIni LP Repro Artwork Card Sleeves and 1999 Ted Jensen Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"...The Long Run..."

 

With Glenn Frey's dreadfully sad passing Monday, 18 January 2016 (aged only 67) – like many I've been playing the EAGLES 70ts back catalogue with a strange mixture of wonder and genuine loss – loving the melodies but also wallowing in many long-haired memories – songs that I pulled girls close to and at times, songs that even eased a heartache or three.

 

I suppose it's that all our heroes are passing...and I for one would rather they were still playing, singing and inspiring us. So I thought it would be a good idea to return to this dinky 6-album EAGLES collection that so ably sums up why these melodic Desperado's shifted so many millions of albums between 1972 and 1979. They were just so bloody good. And those Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Randy Meisner, Don Felder and Bernie Leadon harmonies slaughtered all in their path. Here are the Sunrises doused in Tequila and the Hotels in California where you can't leave...

 

UK released March 2013 – "The Studio Albums Collection 1972-1979" by EAGLES on Warner Brothers/Asylum 8122 7967468 (Barcode 081227967468) is a 6-CD Mini Box Set with Mini LP Repro Artwork Card Sleeves and 1999 TED JENSEN CD Remasters. It plays out as follows:

 

Disc 1 – "Eagles" (37:07 minutes):

1. Take It Easy [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey]

2. Witchy Woman [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

3. Chug All Night [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey]

4. Most Of Us Are Sad [Lead Vocals, Randy Meisner]

5. Nightingale [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

6. Train Leaves Here This Morning [Lead Vocals, Bernie Leadon] – Side 2

7. Take The Devil [Lead Vocals, Randy Meisner]

8. Earlybird [Lead Vocals, Bernie Leadon]

9. Peaceful Easy Feeling [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey]

10. Tryin' [Lead Vocals, Randy Meisner]

Tracks 1 to 10 are their debut album "Eagles" – released June 1972 in the USA on Asylum SD 5054 and August 1972 in the UK on Asylum SYTC 101. All songs are band originals except "Nightingale" which was written by Jackson Browne and "Take It Easy" which is a co-write between Glenn Frey and Jackson Browne. "Train Leaves Here This Morning" is a co-write between Bernie Leadon and Gene Clark (of The Byrds). "Peaceful Easy Feeling" is a Jack Tempchin song. The album peaked on the US album charts at No. 22 with "Take It Easy", "Witchy Woman" and "Peaceful Easy Feeling" all released as successful US 7" 45-singles in May, August and December 1972. The Non-LP B-side "Get You In The Mood" on the flip of their debut US 45 "Take It Easy" is not included in this Box Set.

 

Disc 2 – "Desperado" (35:55 minutes):

1. Doolin-Dalton [Lead Vocals, Don Henley & Glenn Frey]

2. Twenty One [Lead Vocals, Bernie Leadon]

3. Out Of Control [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey]

4. Tequila Sunrise [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey]

5. Desperado [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

6. Certain Kind Of Fool [Lead Vocals, Randy Meisner] – Side 2

7. Doolin-Dalton (Instrumental)

8. Outlaw Man [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey]

9. Saturday Night [Lead Vocals, Don Henley & Randy Meisner]

10. Bitter Creek [Lead Vocals, Bernie Leadon]

11. Doolin-Dalton/Desperado (Reprise) [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

Tracks 1 to 11 are their 2nd album "Desperado" – released April 1973 in the USA on Asylum SD 5068 and June 1973 in the UK on Asylum SYL 901. All songs are Eagles originals except "Outlaw Man" - written by David Blue. The album peaked at 41 in the USA but only charted belatedly in the UK in July 1975 at No. 39 - the month their 4th album "One Of The These Nights" was issued.

 

Disc 3 – "On The Border" (40:25 minutes):

1. Already Gone [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey]

2. You Never Cry Like A Lover [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

3. Midnight Flyer [Lead Vocals, Randy Meisner]

4. My Man [Lead Vocals, Bernie Leadon]

5. On The Border [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

6. James Dean [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey]

7. Ol' 55 [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey & Don Henley] – Side 2

8. Is It True? [Lead Vocals, Randy Meisner]

9. Good Day In Hell [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey & Don Henley]

10. Best Of My Love [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

Tracks 1 to 10 are their 3rd album "On The Border" – released March 1974 in the USA on Asylum 7E 1004 and May 1974 in the UK on Asylum SYL 9014. "Already Gone", "James Dean" and "Best Of My Love" were all issued as successful US 45s in April, August and November 1974 ("Best Of My Love" would their first US No. 1). Al Perkins of Stephen Stills' Manassas plays Slide Guitar on Tom Waits' "Ol' 55".

 

The mighty tune-smith and Bukowski-type hero that is Tom Waits probably made more money out of his "Ol' 55" on Side 2 of "On The Border" than he did from the royalties of his entire first two albums on David Geffen's Asylum label which went criminally unnoticed for years. Bernie Leadon's beautiful "My Man" was a tribute to Gram Parsons the leader of the Country-Rock outfit The Flying Burrito Brothers who had died in September of 1973 (only six months before the Eagles' third album was released). It's the kind of effortless warmth they often achieved in ballads – the type of song I used to play into the ground and ruminate on (deep baby deep). You can just about make out Glenn Frey's whispered "Good Night Dick" as the title track "On The Border" fades out – a caustic jab at President Richard Nixon's impending doom amidst the infamous Watergate scandal and cover-up (Tricky Dicky finally resigned in shame in the Autumn of 1974).

 

Disc 4 – "One Of These Nights" (43:01 minutes):

1. One Of These Nights [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

2. Too Many Hands [Lead Vocals, Randy Meisner]

3. Hollywood Waltz [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

4. Journey Of The Sorcerer [Instrumental by Bernie Leadon]

5. Lyin' Eyes [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey] – Side 2

6. Take It To The Limit [Lead Vocals, Randy Meisner]

7. Visions [Lead Vocals, Don Felder]

8. After The Thrill Is Gone [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey & Don Henley]

9. I Wish You Peace [Lead Vocals, Bernie Leadon]

Tracks 1 to 9 are their 4th album "One Of These Nights" – released June 1975 in the USA on Asylum 7E 1039 and in the UK on Asylum SYLA 8759.

 

It's worth noting that the track "One Of These Nights" is the 'full album version' here - the cut on March 1976's "Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)" LP (which has sold over 40 million copies worldwide) is an edit that loses the intro. For me one of the album’s strength’s (amidst a distinct lack of tunes on Side 2) was the Side 1 finisher "Journey Of The Sorcerer" – Bernie Leadon's orchestra and banjo instrumental - the BBC used it as a theme song to the TV adaptation of Douglas Adam's wonderful "The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy".

 

Disc 5 – "Hotel California" (43:27 minutes):

1. Hotel California [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

2. New Kid In Town [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey]

3. Life In The Fast Lane [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

4. Wasted Time [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

5. Wasted Time (Reprise) [Instrumental] – Side 2

6. Victim Of Love [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

7. Pretty Maids All In A Row [Lead Vocals, Joe Walsh]

8. Try And Love Again [Lead Vocals, Randy Meisner]

9. The Last Resort [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

Tracks 1 to 9 are their fifth and biggest selling album "Hotel California" – released December 1976 in the USA on Asylum 7E 1084 and in the UK on Asylum K 53051. It went to Number 1 in both countries and has subsequently sold over 30 million copies. "New Kid In Town", "Hotel California" and "Life In The Fast Lane" were all US 45s in December 1976, March and May 1977 – with both "New Kid..." and "Hotel California" hitting the coveted No. 1 spot.

 

Disc 6 – "The Long Run" (42:39 minutes):

1. The Long Run [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

2. I Can't Tell You Why [Lead Vocals, Timothy B. Schmit]

3. In The City [Lead Vocals, Joe Walsh]

4. The Disco Strangler [Lead Vocals, Don Henley & Glenn Frey]

5. King Of Hollywood [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey]

6. Heartache Tonight [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey] – Side 2

7. These Shoes [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

8. Teenage Jail [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey & Don Henley]

9. The Greeks Don't Want No Freaks [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

10. The Sad Café [Lead Vocals, Glenn Fry]

Tracks 1 to 10 are their sixth album "The Long Run" – released September 1979 in the USA on Asylum 5E-508 and October 1979 in the UK on Asylum K 52181. "Heartache Tonight", "The Long Run" and "I Can't Tell You Why" were all released as US 7” singles in September and November 1979 and February 1980 with "Heartache Tonight" emulating the album's No. 1 position on the US charts.

 

Joe Walsh's wonderful "In The City" first turned up in a version on "The Warriors" Soundtrack LP in 1979 (a co-write with Barry De Vorzon who formed Valiant Records in the 60ts and penned loads of music for films and TV) – while the Grammy-winning "Heartache Tonight" was a co-write between Glenn Frey, Bob Seger and J.D. Souther. Jimmy Buffett sings on the silly vocal refrains in the awful "The Greeks Don't Want No Freaks" - while ace Saxophonist David Sanborn saves the day by putting in a beautiful solo on the moving finale piece "The Sad Café".

 

The clamshell box pictures all six albums on the rear and inside you get singular card sleeves with no booklet. So the gatefold and inner of "Eagles" is missing, the textured feel to the front and back cover of "On The Border" isn’t there, the Embossed "One Of The Nights" front cover and it’s inner sleeve is not here, the gatefolds, inners and varying posters that came with "Hotel California" and "The Long Run" are all awol too. Shame someone couldn’t have taken a leaf from the Japanese when it comes repro artwork. However – in a nod to the period - each of the CD's label designs reflect their original design (white Asylum for the first two, Boxed Cage logo for number three and so on). They've even printed each album’s original vinyl catalogue number printed on the disc too. But that's it. No lyrics, no booklet, no photos, no appraisal or history – which is a damn shame. Cheap and cheerful I suppose...

 

The Remasters are those carried out by Ted Jensen in 1999 when the catalogue was reissued and they sound really great (always did). But it’s the consistency of the music... What hammers you time and time again as you wade through the albums is the sheer quality of the tunes – hit after catchy hit – and none of it feels maudlin or dated forty years after the event. OK, this is so American West Coast – but man is it good. Even when they made a 2CD "Best Of" compilation there a few years ago, there was still plenty of room for those album nuggets in-between the hits. I've highlighted who sang lead vocals on what – Frey and Henley getting the lion's choice – but in truth the Meisner, Leadon and Felder tracks all impress too.

 

What a glorious sound they made for that whole brilliant decade – and what a sad loss to music is Glenn Frey’s passing. "The Studio Albums Collection 1972-1979" is musically comprehensive, attractive to behold and sounds damn cool too – dig in, enjoy and remember him this way...