"Ahead Rings Out/Getting To This: Deluxe Edition" by BLODWYN PIG – July 1969 UK Debut Album on Island Records in Stereo (December 1969 USA on A&M Records with Different Artwork and Tracks on Side 2) and April 1970 UK 2nd Album on Chrysalis Records (June 1970 USA) – Featuring Mick Abrahams [ex Jethro Tull], Jack Lancaster, Andy Pyle and Ron Berg (July 2018 UK Chrysalis 2CD Compilation with Eight Bonus Tracks of New Remasters – Two Previously Unreleased) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review and 315 More Like It 

Are Available in my e-Book...

ALL THINGS MUST PASS
1970

Your All-Genres Guide To

Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters 

Classic Albums, 45-Singles, Compilations 

ALL GENRES

Over 2,350 E-Pages of Reviews from the discs themselves

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

<iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=mabasreofcdbl-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=B01MZYC9BR&asins=B01MZYC9BR&linkId=5c474c0c30ed5b9ad0db0d280d9cb30f&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>

 

"...The Squirreling Must Go On..."

 

<iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=mabasreofcdbl-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=B07DX8NV7S&asins=B07DX8NV7S&linkId=d32fa3a73372ac62d8332caafd47926e&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>

 

Jethro Tull's first album "This Was" was released on the now legendary Island label in October of 1968 with Mick Abrahams on lead guitar. Dissatisfied with the result, Abrahams left and was replaced by the brilliant Martin Barrie. Abrahams then roped in Jack Lancaster on Sax, Flute & Violin, Andy Pyle on Bass and Ron Berg on Drums and formed the delightfully named and much revered BLODWYN PIG (Abrahams himself handling lead guitar, vocals and all the principal song writing).

 

In the middle of 1969, they popped into Morden Studios in Willesden in London and with Producer Andy Johns (brother of the famous Glyn Johns) promptly produced their much-loved debut "Ahead Rings Out", released late July 1969 on Island Records (December 1969 on A&M Records in the USA with a different Track List on Side 2 and a slightly altered cover). The "Blods" or The "Pig" as they're affectionately known over here in Blighty, made only two albums before Abrahams finally went solo - the second being on the then emerging Chrysalis Records - "Getting To This".

 

Which brings by a circuitous route to this fantastic 2CD firecracker of a compilation from July 2018 that lumps both their album releases together and throws in 8 Bonus Tracks – 4 to each CD with 1 track on each disc being Previously Unreleased. There is much Blodness to squirrel away at, so once more my porky friends to The Pig sporting a pair of Headphones and The Girl with a Bra made of eyes...

 

UK released, Friday 27 July 2018 - "Ahead Rings Out/Getting To This: Deluxe Edition" by BLODWYN PIG on Chrysalis CRCX 1087 (Barcode 5060516091423) is a 2CD Expanded Edition Compilation of their first two albums from 1969 ("Ahead Rings Out") and 1970 )"Getting To This") that plays out as follows:

 

CD1 "Ahead Rings Out" (58:21 minutes):

1. It's Only Love [Side 1]

2. Dear Jill

3. Sing Me A Song That I Know

4. The Modern Alchemist

5. Up And Coming [Side 2]

6. Leave It With Me

7. Change Song

8. Backwash

9. Ain't Ya Comin' Home, Babe?

Tracks 1 to 9 are their debut album "Ahead Rings Out" – released late July 1969 in the UK on Island Records ILPS 9101 (Stereo Only). Produced by ANDY JOHNS – peaked at No. 9 in the UK and No. 149 in the USA.

 

The equivalent American album went out in December 1969 on A&M SP-4210 on their famous Tan label, but with a different track line up on Side 2. It dropped two of the British LP tracks in favour of two others. To sequence the US debut LP for "Ahead Rings Out" from this CD, use the following tracks:

 

Side 1: It's Only Love (1), Dear Jill (2), Sing Me A Song That I Know (3), The Modern Alchemist (4)

Side 2: See My Way (3 on CD2), Summer Day (12), Change Song (7), Backwash (8), Ain't Ya Comin' Home, Babe? (9)

Note: "See My Way" was first released in the UK on their 2nd album "Getting To This" in April 1970 (see CD2)

 

BONUS TRACKS:

10. Sweet Caroline (16 May 1969 UK 45-single on Island WIP 6059, Non-LP B-side of "Dear Jill" – also their first recording)

11. Walk On The Water

12. Summer Day (Tracks 12 and 11 are the Non-LP A&B-sides of a UK 45-single released September 1969 on Island WIP 6069 – Note running order)

13. McGregor Muckabout (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED Outtake)

 

CD2 "Getting To This" (54:17 minutes):

1. Drive Me [Side 1]

2. Variations On Nainos

3. See My Way

4. Long Bomb Blues

5. The Squirreling Must Go On

6. San Francisco Sketches [Side 2]

(a) Beach Scape

(b) Fisherman's Wharf

(c) Telegraph Hill

(d) Close The Door, I'm Falling Out Of The Room

7. Worry

8. Toys

9. To Rassman

10. Send Your Son To Die

Tracks 1 to 10 are their second and last studio album "Getting To This" –released April 1970 in the UK on Chrysalis ILPS 9122 and June 1970 in the USA on A&M SP-4243 (same tracks). Produced by ANDY JOHNS – it peaked at No. 96 on the US Billboard Rock LP charts.

 

BONUS TRACKS:

11. Same Old Story

12. Slow Down

Tracks 11 and 12 are the A&B-sides of a Non-LP 45-single released 30 January 1970 in the UK on Chrysalis WIP 6078

13. Meanie Mornay (outtake, first issued June 2006 by EMI on their Remaster of "Ahead Rings Out"- EMI 357 6852 (Barcode 094635768527))

14. One Thing Leads To Another ("Getting To This" LP Outtake, PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)

 

 

PACKAGING: Inside a card wrap with a four-way fold-out digipak interior, the 2006 booklet of old has been replaced with a double-sided foldout sheet sporting new 2018 ruminations by Mick Abrahams – ever witty, humble and very informative (oddly he deals only with the debut and not the second LP). The UK artwork of the original two albums is faithfully reproduced across the inner flaps, colour pictures of the band from the same featured beneath each respective see-through CD tray, track lists on the flaps etc. But those tasty European picture sleeves of rare 7" singles in the 2006 issue are gone and there is no mention of the US album with its different Track list on Side 2 and slightly altered artwork. Each CD has cool BP logos too – the smoking pig for Ahead and a Draw By Numbers Pig for Getting - a nice touch. My issue of the 2CD set is a corrected version (some original copies had track errors). To the reissue and the music...

 

The 2006 remaster by Peter Mew was glorious (done at Abbey Road) and it doesn't ever say who Remastered this version, but again, it has huge sound and clarity without ever being overbearing - just in your face and rocking like a madman.

 

If I were to categorize how they sound, it would be early Tull but with a jazzier feel provided by Lancaster's superb sax playing. As a gangly teenager in Dublin, I was suckered into buying the album by the bluesy feel of their initial single "Dear Jill", but that song doesn't actually reflect what most of the album sounds like - rocking Tull with a jazz tint. I was a bit disappointed at first, but on replays their unique sound grew on me - to a point where I wore the record out - and would replace it sporadically through the years with VG copies - just to have a copy to play. Further Slow Blues Rock comes in the shape of "Up And Coming", but mostly the album is defined by Flute, Saxophone and Guitar – the punchy instrumental "Leave It To Me" sounding so Tull, while "The Modern Alchemist" goes very Prog in its wild soloing passages. 

 

The hilarious "Change Song" gives us dialogue in mock Cockney as our hero dedicates his tune to all his mates in Wormwood Scrubs and his sister in prison too for nicking handbags – but not to worry cause he's a millionaire now from singing the Blues (the Remaster is clear as a bell). Same stunning clarity opens the Flute, Acoustic Guitar and Water sounds of the 52-second "Backwash" before the Blods launch into a seriously heavy piece of Tull-type riffage with "Ain't Ya Comin' Home, Babe?" A great Rock album and number two is a corker too...

 

Album two "Getting To This" opens with "Drive Me" – a Rock and Brass rollicking tune with a push that gas and put your foot down demand from Abrahams. The audio is fabulous for this blinding little bit of fun and for those of us who have had the ancient BGOCD 81 from 1990 as a go-to CD – the full-bodied power of the Remaster is going to shock. With track 2 "Variations Of Nainos", it's like we're listening to a different band as we go back to the very Jethro Tull Flute and Rock rhythm – bloody good though and that slinky Abrahams guitar solo still thrills and those treated dribbling vocals.

 

Surely one of the fan faves has to be "See My Way" which could so easily have been on Tull's "Stand Up" or the Blods debut "Ahead Rings Out" (both 1969) – Guitar and Flute giving it some welly and the Remaster lending that guitar and rapid drums break a real kickass power. I have always longed for "Long Bomb Blues" to be longer than one minute and eight seconds – this fabulous acoustic Blues telling a witty tale of cops and beers and a missus giving him a bunch of fives for being a naughty boy. Side 1 ends with a proper 4:22 minute Rock whigout instrumental - "The Squirreling Must Go On" roaring out of your speakers with multiple guitars soloing without apology – fantastic stuff (even those fading in and out guitar parts towards the end sound more meaty).

 

Side 2 of "Getting To This" opens with a four-parter called "San Francisco Sketches" penned by Jack Lancaster regaling the band's adventures Stateside. The ocean washing up on shore with a Flute and Acoustic guitar ushers in "Beach Scape" (a) only to go into a Bass and Guitar driving rhythm for "Fisherman's Wharf" (b) – very Tull, very Blodwyn Pig. Adam Pyle gives us the excellent rocker "Worry" – a stop-your-moaning plea. My other favourite cut is "Toys" – a co-write between Mick Abrahams and Andy Pyle – an acoustic hymn to beloved childhood things. The Remaster is beautiful on this – those slide acoustic pings rattling around your speakers like a memory you’re fond of. The LP then falls off a rock big time with the terrible Reggae Rasta pastiche "To Rassman" by Ron Berg – must have seemed like fun at the time but now sounds decidedly clunky and even mildly offensive. But all is retrieved with the 4:26 minutes of "Send Your Son To Die" – the band's conscience disgusted by that war over there far away that made sense to no-one.

 

BONUSES: They made three 45s in the UK leading off with the Bluesy "Dear Jill" and five of their Non-LP sides are all here (as listed above). I have always thought they were as good as the album tracks if not better. Abrahams talks of rehearsing "Summer Day" backstage at the Isle Of Wight Festival and because it went down a storm on stage, it was recorded for their 2nd album, but ended up being a 7" single B-side. "Slow Down" is a Saxophone Rock Out of a Larry Williams cover version (not unlike John Lennon and his "Rock N' Roll" album in 1975, the Blods having fun. "Meanie Mornay" - a fantastic inclusion – first showed as a Bonus Track on the single CD Remaster for "Ahead Rings Out" in June 2006 (a Peter Mew Remaster). And on top of that, we get two new outtakes for 2018 – the very silly and dismissible heavy bonds "McGregor Muckabout" and the far better "One Thing Leads To Another".

 

At a patience-testing 10:31 minutes, "McGregor Muckabout" appears to be the oldest outtake for the band and one Abrahams jokingly dismisses. One long ramble of voice madness, think the Goons and Hamish McMad and The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band let loose in a studio with a late 60ts Rock Band as backup (actually its very funny in places) and there is no explanation in the new notes accompanying the second. But after the nonsense of McGregor, "One Thing Leads To Another" is a good one – a 3:39 minute see all your problems, don't look for trouble tune with clever guitar mood-changes throughout. I know it isn’t quite there and you can feel why it was left in the can, but to me, it's shockingly good as well as showing how inventive the band was in their song constructions. With regard to the EXTRAS - bluntly (or Blodly as Mick might imbibe), I'd have to say that the bulk of the bonus tracks are just that - genuine bonuses - and for collectors, a thrill to hear after all these years languishing in obscurity.

 

Abrahams made 3 solo albums immediately after Blodwyn Pig folded - first up was "A Musical Evening With Mick Abrahams" on Chrysalis Records ILPS 9147, UK released 7 May 1971 (it is often just referred to as "Mick Abrahams" because of the label while "An Evening With Mick Abrahams" is on the front sleeve). He followed that solo debut with "At Last" by The Mick Abrahams Band in 1972 on Chrysalis CHR 1005 and finally "Have Fun Learning" The Guitar With Mick Abrahams" on the privately pressed SRT Productions SRT 73313 in the spring of 1975 (February/March). "Evening" and "At Last" are available on CD as are subsequent releases through the years. Of note to this re-issue is the excellent 2CD mini box set in 2004 which is called "All Said & Done" where he re-visits several tracks on "Ahead" with superb rocking results, including the great "Dear Jill".

 

Like Taste's "On The Boards" (1970), Free's "Fire And Water" (1970) and Fleetwood Mac's "Then Play On" (1969) - "Ahead Rings Out" is a classically great Rock album of the period with tints of blues and jazz thrown in for good measure. I only have to see the cover and I get mushy.

 

Coupled with the equally cool "Getting To This" from 1970 and those tasty Bonus Cuts covering both albums – this is a fab compilation for a band that are remembered with great affection for a reason...