"…Hey Brother…Stay Loose…"
Up
until now I've had all three of Repertoire's 2000 card digipaks for the 3 CCS
albums as well as the superb 2004 EMI compilation "A's B's &
Rarities" which mopped up the non-album stragglers. But this new 2013 2CD
set from England's Esoteric Recordings (part of Cherry Red) supersedes all of
those - especially on sound. Here are the collective details...
UK
released July 2013 (August 2013 in the USA) - "Tap Turns On The Water: The
CCS Story" by C.C.S. is a 2CD anthology on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 22404
(Barcode 5013929450448) and breaks down as follows:
Disc
1 (76:22 minutes):
1.
Boom Boom
2.
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
3.
Waiting Song
4.
Lookin' For Fun
5.
Whole Lotta Love
6.
Living In The Past
7.
Sunrise
8.
Dos Cantos
9.
Wade In The Water
Tracks
1 to 9 are their debut album "C.C.S." released October 1970 in the UK
on RAK Records SRAK 6751
Tracks
10 and 11 are "Walkin'" and "Salome" - the non-album A
& B-sides of a UK 7" single released January 1971 on RAK Records RAK
109 ("Walkin'" is a Donovan cover version)
Tracks
12 and 13 are "Tap Turns On The Water" and "Save The World"
- the non-album A&B-sides of a UK 7" single released August 1971 on
RAK Records RAK 119
14.
Brother
15.
Black Dog
16.
I Want You Back
17.
Running out Of Sky (Sky Diver)
18.
Whole Lotta Rock and Roll: (a) School Days (b) Lucille (c) Long Tall Sally (d)
Whole Lotta Love
Tracks
14 to 18 are Side 1 of their 2nd album called "CCS" (aka "CCS
II") - released March 1972 on RAK Records SRAK 503
Disc
2 (77:17 minutes)
1.
Chaos/Can't We Ever Get It Back
2.
This Is My Life
3.
Misunderstood
4.
Maggie's Song
5.
City
Tracks
1 to 5 are Side 2 of "CCS" [aka "CCS II"]
Track
6 is "If I Never Sing Another Song" which is an outtake recorded
during the "CCS II" sessions in 1971 - it first turned up as one of
two Previously Unreleased songs on the "A's B's & Rarities" EMI
CD from 2004. It has a brass refrain of "Tap Turns On The Water" as
it ends.
Track
7 is "Mister, What You Can't Have I Can Get" - a non-album B-side to
the 7" single of "Brother" released February 1972 on RAK Records
RAK 126
Track
8 is "Sixteen Tons" - a non-album A-side to a UK 7" single -
released October 1972 in the UK on RAK Records RAK 141 (its a fabulous cover of
a Tennessee Ernie Ford classic)
9.
The Band Played The Boogie
10.
Wild Witch Lady
11.
Lola
12.
Primitive Love
13.
Hundred Highways
14.
Shakin' All Over
15.
Memphis
16.
Sunshine Of Your Love
17.Our
Man In London
18.
Cannibal Sheep
Tracks
9 to 18 are their 3rd and final studio album "The Best Band In The
Land" - released September 1973 on RAK Records SRAK 504
Track
19 is "Hang It On Me" - a non-album B-side to "The Band Played
The Boogie" released June 1973 on UK 7" single RAK Records RAK 154
Tracks
20 and 21 are "Hurricane Coming" and "Dragster" - both
non-album tracks released April 1974 on a UK 7" single RAK Records RAK 172
A
huge ensemble group - C.C.S. (short for COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS SOCIETY) - was
the brain-child of British Blues Boom Godfather ALEXIS KORNER who along with
Danish singer PETER THORUP and British arranger JOHN CAMERON pulled together
the cream of brass/flute-playing session-men of the time and went after the
Blood, Sweat & Tears market for funked-up brassy Rock. Owner of RAK Records
- Mickie Most's timing couldn't have been better. Deciding right from the start
to include cover versions on their records - they did a fantastic brassed-up
take on Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" that not only complimented
the 1969 Atlantic Records original - but also defined that "CCS"
sound. So when the new BBC pop program "Top Of The Pops" needed a
cool theme song - they took this winner - dropped the flute intro, vocal middle
and end - and a riffing theme song legend was born. I can vividly remember as a
budding teenager thrilling to its power chords every Thursday night as it and
Pans People did their poppet thing.
The
3-way card digipak houses a 16-page booklet with sleeve shots, rare advert
photos, pictures of Alexis and the band and great liner notes by noted musicologist
MALCOME DOME. And the whole project is coordinated and arranged by long-time
hero of reissues MARK POWELL. But the big news is the sound. Remastered from
first generation tapes by BEN WISEMAN at Audio Archiving in London - this
release sounds just awesome. I should reiterate that the Repertoire CDs had
fabulous sound anyway (licensed from EMI) - but these remasters trump them for
sheer power and presence - the clarity is fantastic without ever being
over-ramped for effect. The only down note is that "This Is My Life"
- the great B-side to the Tennessee Ernie Ford cover of "Sixteen
Tons" - is missing (the 7" mix is different to the album version).
But this and a very good outtake called "Blues" are both available on
the 2004 EMI CD compilation "A's..." for a very reasonable cost.
The
first album is an utter blast with their lead off track being a cover of John
Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom" done in their distinctive style (it was the
B-side of their October 1970 debut single "Whole Lotta Love"). And
then you're hit with their other lethal weapon - the voice of ALEXIS KORNER - a
man who straddles these tracks with a presence and enthusiasm that is
irresistible. CCS do "Satisfaction" by The Stones and "Living In
The Past" by Jethro Tull as covers too - but the remainder are impressive
are Korner, Cameron and Thorup originals. The ethereally atmospheric Korner
original "Sunrise" sounds just gorgeous with its double-played
acoustic guitars. The uber-cool John Cameron original "Dos Cantos" is
another flute and brass gem that slinks and tingles and then funks for over
eight minutes. It sports wicked lyrics like "weave your web...spider of
forgetfulness..." - it deserves praise and rediscovery (and again with
that stunning audio quality). The "Walkin'" non-album 7" single
(a cover of a Donovan track) is wicked too. The late summer of 1971 brought
their most famous hit - the fabulous "Tap Turns On The Water" -
another non-album 45-only release.
By
the time they hit the next LP "CCS II" (which is actually/confusingly
called just "C.C.S." on the sleeve and label) - they were in their
stride with "Chaos/Can't We Ever Get It Back" and
"Misunderstood" standing out (not to mention the wicked
"Brother" opener). They do
Zeppelin's "Black Dog", The Congregation and Jackson 5's "I Want
You Back" and a 4-part Rock 'n' Roll Medley which combines Zeppelin's
"Whole Lotta Love" with Chuck Berry's "School Days" and a
double Little Richard dollop of "Lucille" and "Long Tall
Sally".
But
the 3rd album (possibly sporting the worst album cover ever) saw public
interest wane big time (its been a vinyl rarity for years) despite covers of
The Kinks "Lola", Donovan's "Wild Witch Lady", Johnny Kidd
& The Pirates "Shakin' All Over" and Cream's "Sunshine Of
Your Love" being properly good. RAK Records hitmakers Nicky Chinn and Mike
Chapman provided "Primitive Love" which was an obvious single. It
ends on the bizarrely named Korner original "Cannibal Sheep" which
features a great double-vocal from the maestro while the beat chugs along
rather nicely.
I
loved CCS then and still do. This superb 2CD set from Esoteric Recordings has been a blast to listen to
- so many great memories and now fans can avail themselves of its stunning
sound quality. Well done to all involved. Stay loose brother...
PS:
check out the HOT CHOCOLATE "A's B's & Rarities" which features
the UK 7" single "Brother Louie" from April 1973 - it's arranged
by John Cameron and features Spoken vocals by Alexis Korner at the end
("no spook in my family - get it!")
