"The Darlings Of Wapping Wharf Launderette: The Immediate Anthology" by SMALL FACES – Includes the Bulk of Three Stereo Albums "Small Faces" (June 1967, Immediate Records Debut, Complete), "Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake" (May 1968, Complete) and "The Autumn Stone" (March 1969, 2LP Studio and Live Set, Partial) - Plus Non-Album Single Sides and Other Rarities - Featuring Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones and Ian McLagan with Guest Stanley Unwin on Comedy Vocals for "Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake" and P.P. Arnold (April 1999 UK Sequel/Castle Music/Immediate 2CD Band-Approved Compilation of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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This Review and 317 Others Like It 

Are Available in My Amazon e-Book

GOODY TWO SHOES

2CD Deluxe Editions (Occasional Threesome), Expanded Reissues and Compilations 

All Info From The Discs Themselves 

No Cut and Paste Crap

Amazon Hall of Fame Reviewer 6 Times

 

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"Are You All Sitty Comftybold Two Square On Your Botty? Then I'll Begin…"

 

On the 2^nd of June 1967, Decca Records released their second Vinyl LP by the Small Faces called "From The Beginning" – an album of finished and unfinished material the band had not approved. Decca did this because on the 23^rd of that month in June 1967, the newly signed Small Faces would see their "Small Faces" debut album for Immediate Records hit the shops.

 

You will notice the 2 and 23 June 1967 release dates – Decca trying to steal the thunder of the Immediate Records debut album by released their compilation with unfinished material a mere three weeks before the new Immediate LP. And of course, in door number four - was the masterpiece that is "Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake" – a British number 1 album after its May 1968 release. They all make me weak at my semi-Mod knees.

 

And after that – the final hurrah – another patch-up called "The Autumn Stone" – a 2LP set also on Immediate Records and their last before Steve Marriott left to form Humble Pie with Peter Frampton and Ronnie Lane and Kenney Jones joined forces with Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood to form the equally-love Faces (the natural extension of Small Faces).

 

And that is where our 1999 band-approved remastered-from-original-tapes 2CD 50-Track Compilation comes a trollop-ing in – helped out, aided and abetted by Barry Green – the foremost authority on all things Immediate Records and annotated by David Wells. In fact "Darlings Of Wapping Wharf Launderette" is the world’s biggest-selling Small Faces fanzine (hence the compilation title). I love this little brute – I really do. Here are the comftybold details...

 

UK released Monday, 19 April 1999 (reissued 16 May 2000) - "The Darlings Of Wapping Wharf Launderette: The Immediate Anthology" by SMALL FACES on Sequel/Castle Music/Immediate NEECD 311 (Barcode 5023224231123) is a 2CD 50-Track Compilation approved by the Band and Remastered from Original Stereo Tapes. It breaks down as follows:

 

CD1 (69:08 minutes):

1. I Can't Make It

2. Just Passing

Tracks 1 and 2 the A&B-sides of a Non-LP UK 45-single released 3 March 1967 on Decca F 12565 (Mono)

 

3. Here Comes The Nice

4. Talk To You

Track 3 and 4 are the Non-LP A&B-sides of a UK 45-single released 2 June 1967 on Immediate IM 050 (Mono)

 

"Small Faces" Album (Immediate Records Debut from 1967)

5. (Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me [Side 1]

6. Something I Want To Tell You

7. Feeling Lonely

8. Happy Boys Happy

9. Things Are Going To Get Better

10. My Way Of Giving

11. Green Circles

12. Become Like You [Side 2]

13. Get Yourself Together

14. All Of Our Yesterdays

15. Show Me The Way

16. Up The Wooden Hills To Bedfordshire

17. Eddie's Dreaming?

Tracks 5 to 17 are the album "Small Faces" - their third studio LP released 23 June 1967 in the UK on Immediate Records IMLP 008 (Mono) and IMPS 008 (Stereo) – the STEREO Mix Is used

 

18. Itchycoo Park

19. I'm Only Dreaming

Tracks 18 and 19 are the A&B-sides on a Non-LP UK 45-single released 4 August 1967 on Immediate IM 057 (Mono)

 

20. Tin Soldier

21. I Feel Much Better

Tracks 20 and 21 are the A&B-sides of a Non-LP UK 45-single released 2 December 1969 on Immediate IM 062 (Mono)

 

"Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake" Album (Immediate Records Second LP from 1968)

22. Ogden's Nut Gone Flake [Side 1]

23. Afterglow

24. Long Agos And Worlds Apart

25. Rene

26. Song Of A Baker

27. Lazy Sunday

Tracks 22 to 27 are Side 1 of "Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake" - their fourth studio album released 24 May 1968 in the UK on Immediate Records IMLP 012 (Mono) and IMSP 012 (Stereo) – the STEREO Mix is used

 

CD2 (74:08 minutes):

"Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake" Album (Immediate Records Second LP from 1968)

1. Happiness Stan [Side 2]

2. Rollin' Over

3. The Hungry Intruder

4. The Journey

5. Mad John

6. Happy Days Toy Town

Tracks 1 to 6 are Side 2 of "Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake" - their fourth studio album released 24 May 1968 in the UK on Immediate Records IMLP 012 (Mono) and IMSP 012 (Stereo) – the STEREO Mix is used

 

7. The Universal

8. Donkey Rides, A Penny A Glass

Tracks 7 and 8 are the A&B-sides of a Non-LP UK 45-single released 28 June 1968 on Immediate IM 069 (Mono)

 

9. Wham Bam, Thank You Man

Track 9 is the Non-LP B-side of "Afterglow Of Your Love" – released 7 March 1969 in the UK on Immediate IM 077 (Mono)

 

"The Autumn Stone" Double-Album (Immediate Records Third from 1969, Partial)

 10. The Autumn Stone

11. Collibosher

12. Red Balloon

13. Call It Something Nice

14. Wide Eyed Girl On The Wall

15. Don't Burst My Bubble

16. Every Little Bit Hurts (Studio Version)

17. Picaninny

18. The Pig Trotters

19. The War Of The Worlds

20. Take My Turn

Tracks 10 to 20 are part of the double-album "The Autumn Stone" released March 1969 in the UK on Immediate Records IMAL 0/02 (Stereo).

 

21. Mad John (US Single Version with Extra Verse)

Track 21 released September 1968 as a US 45-single on Immediate ZS7 5012, A-side

 

22. (If You Think You're) Groovy – P.P. ARNOLD

Track 22 written by Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane and issued 5 January 1968 as a UK 45-single on Immediate IM 061, A-side (Mono). The single doesn't credit the Small Faces but they play on the track

 

23. Wham Bam, Thank You Man (Alternate Stereo Mix – aka "Me, You & Us Too")

 

The DAVID WELLS annotated liner notes (done March 1999) are surrounded by a huge array of period sights on the eight-square-panels-per-side foldout inlay - a meisterwerk of typesetting genius. It crams in the Biography and Discography factoids with staggering economy – all Singles and Albums listed – release dates – writer credits – period photos – sheet music pictured – Immediate Mono and Stereo Tape Boxes – UK 45 Demo Labels. There are four rare Euro Picture Sleeves used (three for The Universal and one for Afterglow Of Your Love) and that photo of the boys with the Itchycoo Park sign in hand. For sure the entirety of "The Autumn Stone" double-album is not here – Stereo Versions of key tracks and those muddy Live Versions over on Side 4 - but I would argue you are not missing much and besides both CDs are jam-packed and the bulk of it in STEREO (except for the Singles).

 

There are those who have complained about the Remasters (done by someone at Sound Recording Technology in St. Ives) – but I say absolute bollox to that. On many a re-listen, I have come to judge it as a forgotten gem with the best sound they could get from material that was never recorded as some audiophile dream. And musically – what a blast! Stanley Unwin's "Unwinese" gobbledygook English fills Side 2 of Ogden's Nutgone Flake – genius like the "Happiness Stan" suite and indeed the general creative mayhem that surrounded this most beloved of English albums. 

 

And then there is the dip and find – the B-sides "Talk To You" and "Wham Bam Thank You Man" so damn good - "Lazy Sunday" always a thrill - raising a smile – the fantastic instrumental "Collibosher" on The Autumn Stone double with their brand of Funk in Rock – "Rene" - the Docker's delight (her ship is in every night) – and that extra verse in the American 45 of "Mad John" - its all a triumph and yes – too beautiful. I must confess too, I rarely ever saw the P.P. Arnold 45 on Immediate when I worked as a Rarities Manager in Reckless Records in London – so its presence here is a very clever inclusion.

 

Darlings of Mod and Pop and Rock – the superlatives fail me. And - as I type this in September 2023 – "The Darlings Of Wapping Wharf Launderette..." can be bought for under three or four quid in many auction sites. So I would like to argue that you could not spend your paltry three or four dids any better. What a band - and some 55-years-plus – they still blow you away. "What up man!" indeed!