"Swamp Music: The Complete Monument Recordings" by TONY JOE WHITE – Featuring His First Three Studio Albums - "Black And White" and "…Continued" from June and October 1969 plus "Tony Joe" from July 1970 - All on Monument Records in Stereo. Extras Include Non-Album Singles, Album Outtakes and Previously Unreleased Live Material (on Disc 4) Recorded at The Isle Of Wight Festival in 1970 - Guest Cozy Powell on Drums (September 2006 USA Rhino Handmade 4CD Flip-Lid Box Set with Mini LP Repro Artwork Card Sleeves – Bill Inglot and Dan Hersch Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Funky Fingers..."

Born in 1943 Louisiana as the seventh son (literally) in the White Family and reared on a weekly diet of Gospel and Church music – one fateful day Daddy White brought home a Lightnin' Hopkins album and the young Tony Joe was solid gone. 

Cut to the Union Chapel in Islington, London in 2014 (me and the missus present) and that young boy now walks on stage as a man with an electric guitar and a voice that rattles a church to its core as TJW simply says - "Evening Y'all!" Minutes later as he launches into his one-man Soul Francisco vibe – his loud boogie feels like the beginning of J.J. Cale morphing into a one-man ZZ Top. The effect as you can imagine is quite awesome… But then, amongst certain circles (especially within the industry) – Tony Joe White has always been a little bit special in the Mojo stakes. 

This fantastic September 2006 US 4CD Brick Block set from those fab dudes and dudettes over at Rhino Records offers up the first part of his career on Monument Records from 1968 to 1970 before he went for broke with Warner Brothers in 1971. If you find your neck jerking throughout in a Creedence Clearwater Revival meets J.J. Cale manner - then welcome to the vibe of Tony Joe White. To the swamp-mess details…

"Swamp Music: The Complete Monument Recordings" by TONY JOE WHITE was put out Stateside in September 2006 by Rhino Handmade on RHM2 7731 (Barcode 603497773121). Across 4 CDs and 83 tracks - it offers three full albums, the A&Bs of 10 x US 7" 45-singles (many non-album) and a whopping 41 Previously Unreleased. There are a lot of details to get through - so here are the dangerously well endowed Sheriff's Daughters and Dusty Marshmallows…

Disc 1 (75:37 minutes):
1. Willie And Laura Mae Jones [Side 1]
2. Soul Francisco
3. Aspen Colorado
4. Whompt Out On You
5. Don't Steal My Love
6. Pork Salad Annie
7. Who's Making Love [Side 2]
8. Scratch My Back
9. Little Green Apples
10. Wichita Lineman
11. The Look Of Love
Tracks 1 to 11 are his debut album "Black And White" released June 1969 in the USA on Monument Records SLP 18114 (Stereo Only) and June 1969 UK on Monument LMO 5027 (Mono) and SMO 5027 (Stereo) – Stereo Mix Used. Produced by Billy Swan. The LP first charted in the USA 26 July 1969, rose to a height of No. 51 with a 16-week chart run. In March 2021 and mastered by revered Sound Engineer KEVIN GRAY - "Black And White" by TONY JOE WHITE was reissued as a Limited Edition US-Pressed VINYL LP (of 1,000) on Analogue Productions AAPP 129 (Barcode 753088129315) - mastered from original tapes onto 180 Grams Audiophile Vinyl and featuring inserts plus a new interview with Original Producer BILLY SWAN. 

12. Willie And Laura Mae Jones (Alternate Version)
13. I Protest
14. A Man Can Only Stand Just So Much Pain (13 and 14 are the A&B-sides of a May 1968 US 7" single on Monument 45-1070)
15. Toil & Trouble (Early Version)
16. Georgia Pines (A-side of his March 1967 debut USA 7" single for Monument on Monument 45-1003, Produced by Ray Stevens)
17. It's Not What You Got
18. Prison Song
19. Hung up On You
20. Ten More Miles To Louisiana (B-side to "Georgia Pines", see 16)
21. Let The Party Roll On
22. Watching The Trains Go By (Alternate Version)
23. Georgia Pines (Alternate Version)
24. Baby Please Don't Go
Tracks 12, 15, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23 and 24 are Previously Unreleased; Track 24 is the Big Joe Williams song made famous by Van Morrison's Them in the Sixties

Disc 2 (78:30 minutes):
1. Elements And Things [Side 1]
2. Roosevelt And Ira Lee (Night Of The Mossacin)
3. Woodpecker
4. Rainy Night In Georgia
5. For Le Ann
6. Old Man Willis [Side 2]
7. Woman With Soul
8. I Want You
9. I Thought I Knew You Well
10. The Migrant
Tracks 1 to 9 are his 2nd LP "…Continued" – released October 1969 in the USA on Monument SLP-18133 (Stereo) and February 1970 in the UK on Monument LMO 5035 (Mono) and SMO 5035 (Stereo) – Stereo Mix Used

11. Watching The Trains Go By (Single Version)
12. Old Man Willis (Single Version) (Tracks 11 and 12 are the A&B-sides of a February 1968 USA 7" single on Monument 45-1053)
13. Funky Fingers
14. Soul Britches
15. Dusty Marshmallow
16. Toil & Trouble
17. What Does It Take
18. This Guy's In Love With You
19. Woodpecker (Alternate Version)
20. Laying Out All Night
21. I Want Your Sweet Love
22. Keep A Movin' Train
Tracks 13 to 22 inclusive are Previously Unreleased

Disc 3 (73:30 minutes)
1. Stud Spider [Side 1]
2. High Sheriff Of Calhoun Parrish
3. Widow Wimberly
4. Conjure Woman
5. Save Your Sugar For Me
6. Hard To Handle [Side 2]
7. What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)
8. My Friend
9. Stockholm Blues
10. Boom Boom
Tracks 1 to 10 are his 3rd album "Tony Joe" - released July 1970 in the USA on Monument SLP-18142 in Stereo and August 1970 in the UK on Monument SMO 5043 in Stereo

11. Groupy Girl (B-side of the February 1970 USA 7" single "High Sheriff Of Calhoun County" on Monument MN-45-1193)
12. Prisoner
13. Do You Want My Love
14. Gospel Singer
15. I Hate To See You Cry
16. Dusty Marshmallow
17. I Can't Stand It
18. Mississippi River
Tracks 12 to 18 are all Previously Unreleased

Disc 4 (76:30 minutes):
1. Mississippi Delta
2. Chain Of Fools
3. Woodpecker
4. The Ballad Of Hollis Brown
5. Blue Monday
6. Tobacco Road/Dead End Street
7. Caress Me Babe?
8. Dusty Marshmallow
9. Just Look At You
10. Skinny Legs And All
Tracks 1 to 10 recorded at Barclay Studios March 1969 – all Previously Unreleased

11. Boom Boom (Live)
12. Roosevelt And Ira Lee (Night Of The Mossacin) (Live)
13. I Want You (Live)
14. Groupy Girl (Live)
15. Stud Spider (Live)
16. Pork Salad Annie (Live)
17. Save Your Sugar For Me (Live)
Tracks 11 to 17 recorded live at the Isle of Wight Festival 28 August 1970 - guest COZY POWELL on Drums

TONY JOE WHITE US Singles (UK follows below):

This Box set will allow fans to sequence all of the following American singles:

1. Georgia Pines b/w Ten More Miles To Louisiana (March 1967, Monument 45-1003 - Produced by RAY STEVENS - recorded October 1966)

2. Watching The Trains Go By b/w Old Man Willis (February 1968, Monument 45-1053)

3. I Protest b/w A Man Can Only Stand Just So Much Pain (May 1968, Monument 45-1070)

4. Soul Francisco b/w Whompt Out On You (August 1968, Monument MN 45-1086)

5. Pork Salad Annie b/w Aspen Colorado (October 1968, Monument MN45-1104)

6. Willie And Laura Mae Jones b/w Scratch My Back (27 June 1969 UK 45-Single on Monument MON 1036 in Stereo)

7. Roosevelt And Ira Lee (Night Of The Mossacin) b/w The Migrant (October 1969, Monument MN45-1169)

8. High Sheriff Of Calhoun County b/w Groupy Girl (February 1970, Monument MN 45-1193)

9. Save Your Sugar For Me b/w My Friend (May 1970, Monument MN45-1206)

10. Old Man Willis b/w Scratch My Back (October 1970, Monument MN45-1227)

TONY JOE WHITE UK 45-Singles Discography for Monument Records:

1. Soul Francisco b/w Whompt Out On You (September 1968, Monument MON 1024)

2. Pork Salad Annie b/w Aspen Colorado (February 1969, Monument MON 1031)

3. Willie And Laura Mae Jones b/w Scratch My Back (June 1969, Monument MON 1036)

4. Roosevelt And Ira Lee b/w The Migrant (October 1969, Monument MON 1040)

5. Groupy Girl b/w High Sheriff Of Calhoun Parish (June 1970, Monument MON 1043)

6. A Night In The Life Of A Swamp Fox b/w The Daddy (June 1971, Warners Brothers WB 6129)

Compiled by BILL INGLOT and MASON WILLIAMS with Tape Research and Mastering done by BILL INGLOT and DAN HERSCH – the mini box set features a flip-back lid with 4 repro sleeves and a booklet contained within. The quality of the oversized card sleeves is superb with most of the rear liner notes and credits perfectly readable (even on the hard-to-read rear sleeve of the "Tony Joe" album). The sepia-feel 36-page booklet is numbered on the rear page to 5000 and features detailed liner notes by BEN EDMONDS and interviews with Tony Joe White, Friend and Musical Advisor Bob Beckham and Producer Billy Swan. Interspersed between the dense texts are full-page shots of several Monument 7" singles (some demos) and comprehensive reissue details at the rear. The remasters are fantastic – bringing out that deeply funky groove and far better than what I had before. 

His debut LP "Black And White" has huge fan-craves like "Soul Francisco" ("...some of those children got something to say…") and the equally cool "Pork Salad Annie". The racist-realistic "Willie And Laura Mae Jones" proved just too gritty for US radio. Side 1 gems too include the rarely heard "Don't Steal My Love" - a fantastic groover. After the hammerblow of originality and sheer TJW personality that hits you on Side 1 of the "Black And White" LP - Side 2 sounds something like another planet - Glen Campbell-light - and not in a good way. Having clearly run out of originals - Side 2 is almost all cover versions. The tail end of these is the undoing for me – saccharine versions of "Little Green Apples" and "The Look Of Love" where you can feel his cool wincing. 

Far better is his "right there!" take on Slim Harpo's "Scratch My Back" and amongst the previously unreleased are great discoveries like "Prison Song" ("...breaking up rocks in the hot, hot sun…"). It is not all good. The Mickey Newbury cover "A Man Can Only Stand Just So Much Pain" is a poppy brass-jabber that is awful and the early 45 "Georgia Pines" and its B-side sound like a Monkees-wannabe looking to jump on their bandwagon. The alternate "Willie And Laura Mae Jones" has great brass jabs and a spoken go-for-it pep-talk from Swan that sets up the take. An early take with wild guitar for "Toil And Trouble" is fabulous stuff - gruff and funking (be glad of what you got) and a have-at-it go at "Baby Please Don't Go" that sounds like Them on speed. I must also reiterate how good this Remaster of "Black And White" sounds - no wonder renowned Remaster Engineer KEVIN GRAY did an Audiophile LP version for Analogue Productions in 2021. 

Produced by Billy Swan (who would later have huge hits of his own on Monument Records in the mid Seventies) – the "…Continued" album did what it said on the tin – more Swamp Music tales of strange families ("Roosevelt And Ira Lee (Night of The Mossacin)", leery moonshiners ("Old Man Willis", a great guitar-and-brass groover) and perplexing ladies ("I Thought I Knew You Well"). Other nuggets include "I Want You" - a fantastic groove with chugging guitar and Mike Utley putting in some funky organ. But it's strange now from the distance of 2025 to think that two of his most famous songs "Willie And Laura Mae Jones" and "Rainy Night In Georgia" never made it onto a US 45-single - "Willie And Laura Mae Jones" came out in the UK. Both Brook Benton and Eddie Floyd did fabulously soulful versions of "Rainy Night In Georgia" in 1970 - while Randy Crawford would make it a worldwide hit in 1981 (and probably paid a few TJW bills in the meantime). Fans of that groove are gonna die for the double-whammy of "Funky Fingers" and "Soul Britches" amongst the previously unreleased tunes – cool groovers with fabulous brass and organ backing. And as they play you can just see nattily dressed go-go dancers giving it some serious hip swivelling in some hip 6t's nightclub. Yeah baby…

Amongst its ten tracks the 3rd album "Tony Joe" harbours six originals and four superbly chosen covers – Otis Redding's "Hard To Handle", Jr. Walker & The All Stars "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)", John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom" and a new one from Donnie Fritts and Dewey Oldham called "My Friend". Like Dan Penn, Spooner Oldham and Eddie Hinton - Alabama-born white soul boy Donnie Fritts has been an underground hero for over 40 years – he would in fact record his own version of "My Friend" on the "Prone To Lean" album on Atlantic Records in 1974.

For fans Disc 4 is a total treat – the studio tracks are basically him playing funky solo renditions of songs he likes in his own inimitable way – Bobby Gentry’s "Mississippi Delta", Don Covay's "Chain Of Fools", a jagged "Ballad Of Hollis Brown" by Dylan and Joe Tex's "Skinny Legs And All". But best for me are the TJW originals called "Blue Monday" and "Caress Me Babe?" where he gets closest to his slyly sexy Lightnin' Hopkins roots. The 1970 "Isle Of Wight" stuff is live and rough - but you can hear the crowd grooving to his passionate Swamp Funk on "I Want You" where TJW goes at it with bravado. And with his Fogerty growls and Harmonica on "Stud Spider" - he sounds like a funked-up Dylan determined to shock his audience.

I've long been of the reasoning that J.J. Cale nicked his sound from Tony Joe White, Clapton nicked it from J.J. Cale and Mark Knopfler nicked it from all three for his Dire Straits debut. Tina Turner would take TJW's rock-groovy "Steamy Windows" and make another sexy worldwide hit too. Whatever way you look at it – this is a fabulous (if not illusive) box set. And while Rhino Handmade did not do the same for his fabulous Warners Brothers albums that quickly followed his termination with Monument Records - the Rhino-associated Real Gone Music did just that in February 2015 with their "The Complete Warner Brothers Recordings" 2CD set. It includes the Albums "Tony Joe White" (1971), "The Train I'm On" (1972), "Homemade Ice Cream" (1973), Single Sides and More (see my separate review).

In the meantime "Swamp Music" is the very best of starting points and a cool way to sample why so many followed/half-inched Tony Joe White's Crocodile shoes. Swamp Rock, Americana, Rock-Funk - Creedence meets J.J. Cale via Clapton and early Dire Straits - tis all here brother...

"The R & B Box: 30 Years Of Rhythm & Blues" by VARIOUS ARTISTS – 108 R and B Tracks Covering 1943 to 1972 and Including labels Decca, Aladdin, King, End, Modern, Chess, Checker, Atlantic, Motown, Stax, Polydor, Minit etc (November 1994 US Rhino 6CD Long Box Set (in Leatherette Effect) - Bill Inglot, Dan Hersch, Chris Clarke, Ken Perry and Bob Fisher Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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RATINGS:

Music **** to *****

Audio ****

Presentation ***

"...Tell It How It Is... "

There was a time in the Nineties and into the Naughties when I considered Rhino of the USA to be the greatest reissue label of them all. Big shoes when you consider Ace Records of the UK and Bear Family of Germany with their 50-year-plus catalogues of absolute reissue excellence - and more recently the stunning work of Esoteric Recordings, Grapefruit, Strawberry and Doctor Bird have been doing via Cherry Red's large array of specialist reissue imprints. 

But there was just something brilliant about Rhino, a hip US company populated by history-preserving loons who just happened to have access to the cream of the recorded crop in terms of licensing primo oldies material. 

Which is why the US-only set "The R & B Box: 30 Years Of Rhythm & Blues" by VARIOUS ARTISTS of 15 November 1994 on Rhino R2 71806 (Barcode 08277180621) was such a huge disappointment. But before we get into its disastrous ugly-bug self-destructive presentation and lack of decent playing times on each CD - let's sing the praises of what is good. 

There are 108-tracks across six themed discs in a long-box presentation with a 60-page full-featured booklet:

CD1 "Jumpin' The Blues (1943-1950)" - 53:52 minutes, 18 Tracks
CD2 "Teenagers Are Diggin' It (1951-1954)" - 50:55 minutes, 18 Tracks
CD3 "Rockin' 'n' Rollin' (1955-1956)" - 48:50 minutes, 18 Tracks
CD4 "Goin' Nationwide (1956-1961)" - 47:07 minutes, 18 Tracks 
CD5 "Soul Brothers & Soul Sisters (1961-1965)" - 48:12 minutes, 18 Tracks 
CD6 "The End Of The Golden Age (1966-1972)" - 55:31 minutes, 18 Tracks 

Rhino not surprisingly start with the great grandfather of all Rhythm 'n' Blues genius Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five in 1943 doing "Five Guys Named Moe" on his famously catchy Decca classics, and ends on Disc 6 with The Spinners on Atlantic Records in 1972 telling us "I’ll Be Around" should we need their soothing advice in the matter of broken hearts. Between those two huge compass points comes revered genre labels like King, Aladdin, End, Specialty, Brunswick, Chess, Checker, Atlantic, Motown, Stax, Minit, Polydor, Volt and a huge array of other associated independent pioneers. 

The problem is that each CD play feels short - three above fifty minutes and three below. The first three CDs in particular pass rather quickly with overly familiar titles only to slip into early Soul by Disc 4. There's only 1 James Brown cut when he dominated R&B for entire decades, there's no Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye is represented by the underwhelming "Pride And Joy". I suppose you could argue what should and shouldn't have been included/excluded ad nauseam, but I can't help thinking, they bit off more than they could chew with a one stop box, Rhino really should have made this Volume 1 of an R&B Series so they could dedicate more to it like they did with their lovely Doo Wop boxes across 3 Volumes. 

But the worst part is the actual way "The R&B Box..." is made. It has a stippled-leatherette look (don't know why) with Atlantic Records and early Soul star Solomon Burke at the microphone on the front sleeve. You can't read the lettering on the rear for the track lists even with a squint. But then you open it and find that Rhino put each CD into an individual jewel case - three piled on three - two piles inside the bay (too weighty). The problem is that there's no wiggle room getting any of them out, so as you try to pull up CD1, it pushes against the flimsy deep corner walls and rips them instantly. I've seen loads of these sets across the years I served penal in Reckless Records in London's Soho and so many were afflicted with this implosion of the holding walls. 

The booklet has another ugly black-as-night cover (with nothing on it) but (it must be said) more than makes up for its boring visage with an array of classy black and white publicity photos throughout the thoroughly enthusiastic text from BILLY VERA. It's cool to see lesser-highlighted names like Little Esther, Mabel Joy, Percy Mayfield, Jackie Brenston and Buddy Johnson get their photo moment in the sun. Each inner cover flap has a collage of those beautiful R&B posters where names like The Five Keys, Jackie Wilson, Clyde McPhatter, The Spaniels, The Clovers, Fats Domino, Lloyd Price, The Coasters, Chuck Willis and Booker T. & The MG's pounded the stage boards to capitalise on hot 45s breaking and making waves on the US Billboard R&B charts. I would have used these as the booklet and box artwork and in colour. Each song entry has writer credits, discography info and catalogue numbers, release dates and chart placing etc. 

The Audio comes from a team of five experience engineers – BLL INGLOT and DAN HERSCH (long-time workaholics for Rhino) with CHRIS CLARKE, KEN PERRY and BOB FISHER – names any oldies fan will know well. Beginning in bombastic but clean Mono, the songs slowly slink into Stereo as the Discs progress and apart from some early tunes that betray their had-no-money but had-the-feel independent origins – it all sounds tickety-boo and at times thrilling. Overall I'd award Presentation 3, content 4 with Audio 4 (at times a 5). 

There is huge debate as to what actually is 'R&B' especially in US circles - what do call the mighty "Green Onions" by Booker T & The MG's - early Soul, 60ts Funk, Stax R&B, the greatest instrumental Funk ever laid down by the coolest cats ever - well all of it really. "Speedoo" by The Cadillacs, "In The Still Of The Nite" by The Five Satins and "Duke Of Earl" by Earl Chandler have been (rightly) plopped onto Doo Wop and Vocal group compilations for decades, B.B. King's "The Thrill Is Gone" and Bobby Bland's "I Pity The Fool" are fabulous Sixties Blues, Little Richard's "The Girl Can't Help It" is a hair's breadth away from out-and-out Rock and Roll mayhem while Billy Stewart's cover of Gershwin's "Summertime" is a mixture of Jazz, Swing and sophisticated nightclub smooch all rolled into one. Ike & Tina Turner's "Proud Mary" gives a nod towards Creedence Clearwater Revival's Swamp Rock while Brook Benton counts the warm raindrops in Tony Joe White's "Rainy Night in Georgia" - as gorgeous a groove as Clarence Carter's pleading in "Slip Away". 

There's a lot to love here, there really is, but you should also know there's a lot that should have been done in another way, especially that rather austere packaging for a genre of music that has always been associated with so much joy. 

Still, sat in my man cave in Nov 2024 with a post Covid-19 future looming tastily over the Margate sunset - I put on Dan Penn and Chips Moman's classic "Do Right Woman - Do Right Man" as interpreted by the powerhouse lungs of Aretha Franklin, and as Chris Kenner was fond of saying, "I Like It Like That"...(at least part of me does)...

"Dixie Chicken" by LITTLE FEAT – January 1973 US 3rd Studio Album on Warner Brothers (March 1973 in the UK) featuring Lowell George and Paul Barrere (Guitars and Lead Vocals), Bill Payne (Keyboards and Vocals), Kenny Gradney (Bass), Sam Clayton (Congas) and Richard Hayward (Drums and Vocals) with Guests Bonnie Bramlett, Bonnie Raitt, Gloria Jones, Stephanie Spurville, Debbie Lindsey, Trett Fure and Danny Hutton of Three Dog Night (Backing Singers), Milt Holland on Tablas, Malcolm Cecil of Tonto's Expanding Head Band on Synths and Fred Tackett (joined the band later) on Acoustic Guitar (June 2023 UK/EU Warner Records/Rhino 2CD Deluxe Edition with a New Remaster of the Album on CD1 and 16-Bonuses on CD2 – 12 of which are Previously Unreleased and the Remaining Four Period Rarities Previously Issued in 2000 and 2002 – Dan Hersch and Bill Inglot Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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Presentation: *****

Remasters: *****

Extras: ****

Overall Rating: ****

"…And All The Boys There At The Bar…Began To Sing Along…"

Ever since "Dixie Chicken" appeared on digital as far back as 1987 (the American Funk-Rock band's third studio platter from early 1973 on Warner Brothers Records) - it has always felt like a sonic compromise.

The February 2014 Clamshell Box Set "Rad Gumbo: The Complete Warner Bros. Years 1971 to 1990" with its tasty 13CDs in Mini LP Artwork offered a decent version. But fans who had been treated to real Rhino Remasters on the "Hotcakes & Outtakes..." 4CD Book Set from September 2000 (a full fourteen years earlier) knew there was room for better.

Well, at last, in June 2023, following on from the wonderful 2CD Deluxe Edition given to "Sailin' Shoes" in 2022 (50th Anniversary Version for their 1972 second platter) - we get the Remaster and market-accessible 2CD Deluxe Edition for their cracking third studio album "Dixie Chicken". The whole album has been upgraded audio-wise and finally boasting the sprinkle 'n spunk it has always deserved - and with very cool previously unreleased Alternate Versions on CD2 and an April 1973 US Radio Show that sees the six-piece band on fire - even if the audio is honestly only just above bootleg quality. 

I do want to be your Dixie Chicken and I long for your Tennessee Lamb. Lots to discuss, to the details…

UK/EU released 23 June 2023 - "Dixie Chicken" by LITTLE FEAT on Warner Records/Rhino R2 695370 – 603497837465 (Barcode 603497837465) is a 2CD Deluxe Edition Reissue and Remaster that plays out as follows:

CD1 "Dixie Chicken – 2023 Remaster" (36:39 minutes):
1. Dixie Chicken [Side 1]
2. Two Trains
3. Roll Um Easy
4. On Your Way Down
5. Kiss It Off
6. Fool Yourself [Side 2]
7. Walkin' All Night
8. Fat Man In The Bathtub
9. Juliette
10. Lafayette Railroad
Tracks 1 to 10 are their third studio album "Dixie Chicken" – released 25 January 1973 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS-2686 and March 1973 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 46200. Initially, British pressed LPs came in US artwork (BS-2686) with UK Catalogue Number Stickers pasted on the rear) and Green/Tan labels (reissued February 1975 in the UK on K 46200 but with a Burbank Label design without the Warner Bros Corp. logo). Produced by LOWELL GEORGE – did not chart in either country. 

LITTLE FEAT was:
LOWELL GEORGE – Guitars, Lead Vocals, Flute and Cowbells
PAUL BARRERE – Guitars and Lead Vocals
BILL PAYNE – Keyboards, Synths and Vocals
KENNY GRADNEY – Bass
SAM CLAYTON – Congas
RICHARD HAYWARD – Drums and Vocals

Guests:
Bonnie Bramlett, Debbie Lindsey, Trett Fure, Gloria Jones, Stephanie Spurville and Bonnie Raitt sang Backing Vocals
Danny Hutton of Three Dog Night sang Backing Vocals on "Roll Um Easy"
Milt Holland on Tablas
Malcolm Cecil of Tonto’s Expanding Head Band played and programmed Synths
Fred Tackett (later to join Little Feat) played Acoustic Guitar

CD2 "Hotcakes, Outtakes & Rarities" (68:55 minutes):
1. Two Trains (Demo)
2. Fat Man In The Bathtub (Demo)
3. Walkin' All Night (Alternate Version)
4. Roll Um Easy (Alternate Version)
5. On Your Way Down (Alternate Version)
6. Eldorado Slim
7. Juliette (Alternate Version)
8. Hi Roller (Ace In The Hole)
9. Dixie Chicken (Alternate Version)

ICEPICK ELDORADO:
Live at Paul's Mall, Boston, Massachusetts, 1 April 1973
10. Two Trains
11. Got No Shadow
12. On Your Way Down 
13. Walkin' All Night
14. Fat Man In The Bathtub
15. Willin'
16. A Apolitical Blues
NOTES on CD2:
Tracks 1, 6 and 8 originally issued September 2000 on the 4CD US and UK Book Set Compilation "Hotcakes & Outtakes" on Rhino/Warner Archives R2 79912
Track 2 is a 1972 Demo originally issued June 2002 in the USA on the 2CD Compilation "Raw Tomatos Vol One (Raw Recordings 1971-2001)" on Hot Tomato Records HTR 0203
Tracks 3, 4, 5, 7 and 9 to 16 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED. Tracks 3, 4, 5, 7 and 9 are outtakes from the "Dixie Chicken" sessions Recorded and Produced by Lowell George between October and December 1972 while Tracks 10 to 16 were recorded 1st of April 1973 for WBCN-FM in Boston – band was Lowell George, Bill Payne, Paul Barrere, Kenny Gradney, Sam Clayton, and Richie Hayward

With reputedly less than 60,000 LP sales in their native USA after its release in late January 1973 (their third studio flop, but first to gain that LF trademark Funk-Rock sound) – it appears the British side of Warner Brothers who put the "Dixie Chicken" LP out in March 1973 with little or no fanfare (US sleeves with British-pressed LPs) – didn't even bother trying an album teaser 45. In fact, Little Feat's first Blighty 45-single would only arrive in 1975 after August 1974's album number four - "Feats Don't Fail Me Now". In a back-dating exercise, Warners loaded up "Dixie Chicken" from 1973 on the A-side with a 1974 "Feats Don't Fail Me Now" song "Oh Atlanta" on the flip-side and put out Warner Brothers K 16524 on 28 February 1975. Perhaps the singalong nature of "Dixie Chicken" and the UK tour that saw Little Feat shine The Doobie Brothers off stage every night felt like a good time to plug the band in Britain - but again to little or no chart avail. 'Live' Little Feat were groundbreaking and unbeatable, 'studio-wise', punters were still struggling to get it. 

The 24-page booklet with a fantastically in-depth info-fest on 1972, the album's making, the post-1973 reception and aftermath is handled by DENNIS McNALLY. McNally quite rightly surmises that despite commercial failure everywhere it seems - "Feats Don't Fail Me Now" was so much more legacy-wise - because it signalled that Little Feat had found their sound – their groove as he puts it – a pre-Talking Heads Funky-Rock chug that persists to this day here in late 2024. 

Four full-page promo photos of the six-piece band pepper the text and card digipak while a further discussion takes place on Page 15 regarding Neon Parks and his signature LP artwork (the original painting used is on Page 16). Apparently, a working girl who was having it off with the band's Road Manager Ducka in an apartment just off Sunset where they were staying, was about to make too much noise during proceedings, so an Accordion was brought in to drown out the decibels – and such was a cover born. The lady is referred to as Linda and apparently the likeness is uncanny while her bracelets on both wrists in the painting may also have indicated something else used during the gigglesome rumpy-pumpy, but I'll let your imagination work that one out. From Pages 17 to 22 we get lyrics and full credits and the final rear page is a Master Tape box. 24-pages of sweetness and curated by people who care. 

DAN HERSCH and BILL INGLOT have been Remastering Warner Brothers, Atlantic and Elektra mastertapes for Rhino since before 1990 – over 35-years of Audio Transfer experience between them and straight up from Track 1 – you can hear it. The Bass, Slide Guitar, Piano plinking and Southern Belle slink-lyrics that open "Dixie Chicken" – the impact is fantastic. Give this even the slightest welly and the neighbours will be asking for an invite to the singalong party. Dig those ladies (Bonnie Bramlett and Bonnie Raitt walking together in Dixieland) but the credits still don’t advise who is playing the Harmonica. The Funk-Rock continues with another total winner – the Lowell George penned "Two Trains" – check out that great down-sliding guitar moment about 1:33 minutes in – oh so damn good (he would return to this song for his solo album in 1979 "Thanks, I'll Eat It Here" with even more what-it-is Funky results). As if the opening two weren't enough to secure the album's arrival, the gorgeous elegant-profanity ballad "Roll Um Easy" whomps with both melody and crystal-clear audio that is going to thrill newcomers. The liner notes advise that Danny Hutton of Three Dog Night had just come off tour and his voice was shredded – but George had him do the backing vocal anyway on "Roll Um Easy" precisely because of his ragged rasp. 

A huge slow keyboard-driven Funk then shuffles into your living room – sunrise and sunset – people flying high across town – Little Feat smartly covering an Allen Toussaint song "On Your Way Down". Meet up with those dudes as your whole being heads South. That guitar solo at about 2:40 minutes now has the power it has always craved – love "On Your Way Down" to bits and its very Dr. John voodoo-ambience is surely one of the greatest unsung cover versions ever in Rock (Toussaint would eventually tour with Little Feat as an opening act in the mid to late Seventies). Side 1 ends with one I'm sure fans return to as a deep album cut – the sinister milk-toasted ain't-no-peace synths of "Kiss it Off" programmed by Malcolm Cecil of Tonto's Expanding Head Band – a man that defined the Funk Sound on Stevie Wonder's "Innervisions" and "Fulfillingness' First Finale" in 1973 and 1974.

Side 2 goes more optimistic with its opener "Kiss It Off" – a song inspired by a photo of a 17-year-old Olivia Hussey in the film "Romeo And Juliet" – future bandmate Fred Tackett thought her angelic innocence so displayed in the photograph would not be long changing – hence the opening lyrics. Gorgeous audio too. Bill Payne takes Lead Vocals on "Walkin' All Night" alongside Paul Barrere – an obvious saucy love-letter to a side-street swinger that has both young men aeriated in all areas. There then follows a huge Feat fave amongst fans – the Lowell George self-deprecation anthem "Fat Man In The Bathtub" (look out Juanita). The Feat goes ever so slightly Prog and even Psych amidst the Funk with "Juliette" – George proving himself a deft-hand on Flute too. The album kind of peters out with the instrumental slink of "Lafayette Railroad" – a song you feel could have done with more work and even some cool lyrics. But at is – the bulk of "Dixie Chicken" has already woven its way into your heart. 

CD2 opens with two demos that first appeared in September 2000 on the stunning "Hotcakes & Outtakes..." 4CD Book Set - "Dixie Chicken" and "Two Trains". Sort of an audio set up with the good stuff first (to appease the iffy sounding live stuff later) – they make for a cool starter. Even stripped of instruments, the very basic beat-box Demo of "Dixie Chicken" has that killer melody aligned with those witty and knowing lyrics – so it was a winner even in embryo form. But then the real meat and potatoes pop up – five Alternate Versions sided by the outtakes "Eldorado Slim" and "Hi Roller (Ace In The Hole)". The "Roll Um Easy" outtake plays to 2:36 minutes and is lovely but missing the album polish – those guitar add-ons that lifted it up to where it needed to be. Not for the first time on CD2 does the Allen Toussaint cover version offer up Little Feat at their storming Funky-Rock best – the "On Your Way Down" Alternate Version runs to 5:56 minutes while the Live Cut might as well have been written for them – albeit let down by OK-sound. The Alternate of "Dixie Chicken" is very good but you can tell it’s a work-in-progress – again like "Roll Um Easy" needing those extra embellishments the final album version gave this great song. 

The Live Set is clearly in front of a small but highly enthusiastic audience and while the band are cooking – wowing them with hip-swaying Funk-Rock and not just heavy riffage – it is clear why this was not used before – the audio is a notch above bootleg – and in some passages – a notch or two below it. But even with compromised at times muddy audio – when they switch from "Got No Shadow" to "On Your Way Down" – I swear I can hear the audience and their palpable excitement at this new sound – a Rock Band with Funk and Wit and players firing on newly found all-sixes. The acoustic "Willin'" is lovely, but it ends on the odd stop-start syncopation of "A Apolitical Blues". CD2 is fab and disappointing at one and the same time, but you also feel that this is a great band emerging from the shadows and some lucky buggers were there in the mall in April 1973 to hear it. 

14 June 2024 saw the 3CD Deluxe Edition of album number four from 1974 - "Feats Don't Fail Me Now" – and again to huge acclaim. 2025 will undoubtedly see "The Last Record Album" from 1975 receive a similar 50th Anniversary blast and "Time Loves A Hero" from 1977 get one too in 2027. Alongside the magnificent "Waiting For Columbus" live box set of 2022 with its 8CDs of primo Little Feat on tour – you have to say that Rhino and Warner Brothers are keeping the faithful happy and their bank accounts worried. 

Would we want it any other way – Brill and then some. Recommended…

"Sailin' Shoes" by LITTLE FEAT – February 1972 Second US Studio Album on Warner Brothers featuring Lowell George, Bill Payne, Roy Estrada and Richard Hayward with Guests Sneaky Pete Kleinow and Ron Elliott on Guitars plus Milt Holland and Debbie Lindsey on Percussion and Backing Vocals – Van Dyke Parks on Piano on CD2 (June 2023 UK Warner Records/Rhino '2CD Deluxe Edition' Reissue with the 11-Track Album Newly Remastered in 2023 on CD1 and 21 Bonus Tracks on CD2 (16 of which are Previously Unreleased) – Dan Hersch and Bill Inglot Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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RATING: ****

 

"...Weed, Whites and Wine..."

 

 

Alongside their Reissue Brother from another Mother Rhino Records – Warner Brothers (or Warner Records as they seem to call themselves these days) have finally seen to plug in two humungous Remaster holes in the mighty catalogue of Little Feat. Both 1972's "Sailin' Shoes" and 1973's "Dixie Chicken" have been given June 2023 '2CD Deluxe Edition' treatments – Remasters and tasty unreleased. And about Tripe Face Boogie time too. To the guacamole details...

 

UK released Friday, 23 June 2023 - "Sailin' Shoes" by LITTLE FEAT on Warner Records/Rhino R2 6953721 – 603497837434 (Barcode 603497837434) is a '2CD Deluxe Edition' Reissue with the 11-Track 1972 Album Newly Remastered in 2023 on CD1 and 21 Bonus Tracks on CD2 (16 of which Previously Unreleased). It plays out as follows:

 

CD1 "Sailin' Shoes 2023 Remaster" (37:53 minutes):

1. Easy To Slip [Side 1]

2. Cold, Cold, Cold

3. Trouble

4. Tripe Face Boogie

5. Willin'

6. A Apolitical Blues

7. Sailin' Shoes [Side 2]

8. Teenage Nervous Breakdown

9. Got No Shadow

10. Cat Fever

11. Texas Rose Café

Tracks 1 to 11 are their second studio album "Sailin' Shoes" – released February 1972 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 2600 and May 1972 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 46156. Produced by TED TEMPLEMAN – it didn't chart in either country. NOTE: Original copies of the British LP spelt the song "Willin'" on both the inner sleeve and label as "Willing".

 

For "Sailin' Shoes" LITTLE FEAT was:

LOWELL GEORGE – Lead Guitar, Lead Vocals and Harmonica

BILL PAYNE – Keyboards and Acordian (Lead Vocals on "Cat Fever" only)

ROY ESTRADA – Bass and Backing Vocals

RICHARD HAYWARD – Drums, Percussion and Backing Vocals

ROY ESTRADA

Guests:

Milt Holland plays Percussion of "Easy To Slip" and "Trouble"

Debbie Lindsey sings Backing Vocals on "Cold, Cold, Cold" and "Sailin' Shoes"

Sneaky Pete Kleinow plays Pedal Steel on "Willin'" and "Texas Rose Cafe"

Ron Elliott plays Electric Guitar on "A Apolitical Blues"

 

CD2 "Hotcakes, Outtakes & Rarities" (78:32 minutes):

1. Sailin' Shoes (Demo)

2. Easy To Fall (Easy To Slip) (Demo for The Doobie Brothers)

3. Texas Rose Café (Alternate Version)

4. Cold, Cold, Cold (Alternate Version)

5. Roto/Tone

6. A Apolitical Blues (Alternate Version)

7. Boogie – Tripe Face Boogie

8. Trouble (Alternate Version)

9. Doriville

10. Willin' (Alternate Version)

11. Easy To Slip (Mono Single Version)

 

THANK YOU! I'LL EAT IT HERE: Live At The Palladium, Los Angeles, CA, August 28, 1972"

12. Tripe Face Boogie

13. Hamburger Tonight

14. Cat Fever

15. Willin'

16. Strawberry Flats

17. Got No Shadow

18. Texas Rose Café

19. Snakes On Everything

20. Hot Rod (Eldorado Slim)

21. Teenage Nervous Breakdown

NOTES on CD2:

Tracks 2, 3, 5, 7 and 9 were first issued as Unreleased Versions on the 4CD "Hotcakes & Outtakes" Book Set in September 2000.

Tracks 1, 4, 6, 8 and 10 are previously unreleased Demos, Alternate Versions and Outtakes from the "Sailin' Shoes" sessions; Track 11 is a Previously Unreleased Promo Only Mono Mix of a US 45 Single Side while Tracks 12 to 21 are Previously Unreleased Live Recordings done Live At The Palladium in Los Angeles, California 28 August 1972.

 

Fans will know that true Remasters of tracks from these albums first showed in September 2000 on the "Hotcakes & Outtakes" 4CD Hardback Book Set – and glorious they were too. February 2014 saw both full albums show in some form of Remaster quality for the 13CD Clamshell Box Set "Rad Gumbo: The Complete Warner Bros. Years 1971 to 1990". And then came Mobile Fidelity ULTRADIC II issues – expensive – beautiful – but bare bones too. Here we get smokes and folks smuggled from Mexico to Tehachapi and Tonopah and a few Teenage Nervous Breakdowns in-between.

 

Put bluntly – the 2023 Remaster of the album by DAN HERSCH and BILL INGLOT (long standing Audio Engineers for Rhino and handlers of huge swathes of the WEA Sixties and Seventies back catalogue) is great – full of muscle – howling harmonica and drums in "A Apolitical Blues" – that sexy Hammond B-3 organ bolster atop Lowell’s slide as "Easy To Slip" begins to open up – the delicate acoustic of the gorgeous "Willin'" and the Jedidiah dime-store guitar hustle of the title track "Sailin' Shoes" with Debbie Lindsey providing backing vocals. And finally I get to hear the Bill Payne-written Keyboard-Slide-Guitar Funk-Rock of "Got No Shadow" groove across my living room in all the 5:07 minute clarity this deep album dive has always been denied. And that guitar-battle towards the end of "Texas Rose Cafe" comes stomping out of your hi-fi with bovver boots on. YES! It's all clear folks. And at 78:32 minutes – you cannot accuse CD2 of slacking with the Rarities and Unreleased even if half of that so-so recorded live material has remained in cans for a reason (lifeless crowd too).

 

Reissue Produced by JASON JONES - the Card Digipak packaging allows three flaps to use outtake period photos of our Band of Four goofing about outside some garage (two beneath the see-through CD trays) and a pleasingly indepth 24-page booklet to be stuck into the flap in the middle. DAVID FRICKE cannot hide his affection for this exceptional American band providing a very cool overview of the album alongside formation and discovery details. Quite rightly Lowell George and Richie Hayward (who have both passed) get bigged up for their styles that made the Funky Rock of Little Feat such an enticing stew to so many. I do think that sonically and stylistically too – their second album is a bit all over the place and the sheer heartstring-tug of "Willin'" tends to overshadow everything else by a country mile. You can hear it in the audience dead zone that is the 28 August 1972 show. It can actually feel like the band doesn't seem to know what it is – are they Rock – are they Funk – are they a strange kind of hybrid. Which might go to explain the staggeringly low sales for their second album and clearly a big leap forward in the writing department (13,000 copies only while the debut had reputedly only managed 11,000 LPs sold).

 

Over on CD2 you get two utterly extraordinary moments no self-respecting Little Feat fan will be able to live without – a very clear if not a tiny bit hissy Demo of the title track "Sailin' Shoes" recorded March 1971 with Van Dyke Parks both playing Piano and Producing. The second is a Demo of the mighty "Willin'" recorded during the "Sailin' Shoes" sessions between 7 and 14 July 1971. With a One, Two, Three count in and near perfect Ted Templeman production values – it is close to the finished article except that the piano solo is not as nice or accomplished – seeking those right notes ala Jackson Browne. But what a find – baked by the sun – loving it. The Previously Unreleased Alternate Take of "A Apolitical Blues" has the same snake-like boogie the finished version does – Chairman Mao on the phone approving. Sounds fantastic too – Ted Templeman ramping up that Captain Beefheart-like Harmonica solo to devastating effect. I might actually prefer this to the LP final. For anyone who hasn't got the "Hotcakes & Outtakes" 4CD set – the outtake "Doriville" turns out be a lovely tune left behind without explanation – perhaps Lowell felt it had not been nailed (the ghost of facelessness has followed us here). Though I would admit that the Mono Single Mix of "Easy To Slip" feels less than the Stereo LP cut no matter what speakers it comes out of (Radio or otherwise).

 

Now with the loud music, the MC shouts to the crowd as Track 12 begins a run of 10 live tracks recorded at The Palladium in Los Angeles on 28 August 1972. Featuring the same four-piece for the "Sailin Shoes'" album – the gig was recorded after the first self-titled album came out, but before "Sailin' Shoes" was released. The Funk-Rock opens with two gooduns - "Tripe Face Boogie" (Bill Payne on Vocals) with Lowell taking lead vocals on the first LP standout track "Hamburger Midnight". Unfortunately his guitar disappears into the background too much even when his playing is fabulous. They bring out the Dr. John-esque then newbee of "Cat Fever" (Bill Payne on Vocals) while the first and second versions of "Willin'" get mixed up into a new brew by Lowell. George introduces "Willin'" as Country and Western but messes up several attempts to begin – worse is the sound that is in and out like a politician's excuses. With more monitor feedback and a decidedly bootleg feel, the band struggles eliciting any vibe from the crowd for "Strawberry Flats". Payne tries to Funk up proceedings with his "Got No Shadow" – both George and Payne energized by the new material and the Funky groove – listen to them dueting at three minutes. And on it goes...

 

I am genuinely conflicted in saying that this is a five-star reissue – it feels more like a four – but there is no doubting that "Sailin' Shoes" deserved this lavish attention and Hersch and Inglot are to be praised for doing such a stellar job with what had to have been compromised tapes for CD2. But with all those Alternates and the New Demos that genuinely thrill – it’s a winner – if not a flawed one.

 

I suspect like so many fans who grew up with them in the Seventies and into the Eighties after they continued without their leader Lowell George – I only have look at the Neon Parks artwork and a picture of LG smiling alongside Hayward (both now sadly passed) – and I am on the CD player with a willing passion. RIP you geniuses of the Hybrid Boogie...