“A’s, B’s & Rarities” by C.C.S. [aka CCS] (2004 EMI Gold CD Compilation Of UK 7" Singles On The RAK Records Label Plus Unreleased) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Hey Brother…Stay Loose…"

CCS (short for COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUNESS SOCIETY) made 3 studio albums and 7 singles for Mickie Most's RAK Records in the early Seventies before the band finally split up in late 1973. This 2004 EMI compilation offers you the A&B sides of all seven UK singles plus 5 tracks off the albums and 2 newly found previously unreleased recordings from the period.




Their 3 albums are pictured above in release date order

The huge ensemble group 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 rock (the liner notes name all 26 of them).

It's a generous set, so here's a detailed breakdown (74:10 minutes):

1 and 2 is "Whole Lotta Love" b/w "Boom Boom", October 1970 on RAK 104
(A is a Led Zeppelin cover ("Top Of The Pops" theme music), B is a John Lee Hooker cover - both tracks are off the 1st album)

3 and 4 is "Walkin'" b/w "Salome", January 1971 on RAK 109
(A is a Donovan cover - B is an Alexis Korner/John Cameron original - both tracks are non-album)

5 and 6 is "Tap Turns On The Water" b/w "Save The World", August 1971 on RAK 119
(A is a John Cameron/Alexis Korner original - B is a John Cameron original - both tracks are non-album)

7 and 8 is "Brother" b/w "Mister What You Can't Have I Can Get", February 1972, RAK 126
(A is an John Cameron/Alexis Korner original - B is a John Cameron original - A is on the second LP - B is non-album)

9 and 10 is "Sixteen Tons" b/w "This Is My Life", October 1972 on RAK 141
(A is a Tennessee Ernie Ford cover - B is a Peter Thorup/Alexis Korner original - B also features a "Tap Turns On The Water" brass beginning and a lead vocal by Peter Thorup - both tracks are non-album)

11 and 12 is "The Band Played The Boogie" b/w "Hang It On Me", June 1973 on RAK 154
(A is a Don Reedman/Jeff Jarratt song - B is a John Cameron original - A is off the 3rd album - B is a non-album track)

13 and 14 is "Hurricane Coming" b/w "Dragster", April 1974 on RAK 172
(A is a Ronnie Scott cover - B is a John Cameron/Hayes original - both tracks are non-album)

15 and 16 are "Sunrise" and "Wade In The Water", both from their debut album "C.C.S.", October 1970 (UK) on Rak SRAK 6751 (Gatefold Sleeve)
(15 is an Alexis Korner original, 16 is a cover version of a Traditional Air - the album was issued in the USA in 1971 as "Whole Lotta Love")

17 and 18 are "Hundred Highways" and "Primitive Love", both from their 3rd and last studio album "The Best Band In The Land", September 1973 on Rak SRAK 504
(17 is a John Cameron original - 18 is a Nicky Chinn/Mike Chapman song)

19 is "I Want You Back", a Jackson 5 cover version is found on their 2nd album, also called "CCS" [aka CCS 2], March 1972 on Rak SRAK 503 (Single Sleeve)

20 and 21 and "Blues" and "If I Never Sing Another Song" - both are previously unreleased and exclusive to this compilation (song authors unknown) - Thorup lead vocals on 20 - Korner/Thorup both on 21, which is live and also features a reprise of "Tap Turns On The Water" towards the end

The 8-page inlay has affectionate and detailed liner notes by ADRIAN BOLTON and the remastered sound quality is SUPERB throughout - warm, clear and given the brassy nature of most tracks - loud.

Highlights include the stunning non-album B-side "Sixteen Tons" (I'm always putting on 70's Fest compilations) and the two new recordings are both eerie and shockingly good. Both "Brother" and "Tap..." sound truly brill - and what top singles they were too.

When CCS folded, both Korner and Thorup teamed up with King Crimson's BOZ BURRELL and IAN WALLACE to form SNAPE who issued some albums in Europe. But if you want to investigate further and discover why CCS are held in such affection, Repertoire (out of Europe) put out the 3 albums in 2000 in digipaks with bonus tracks and they're all worth having. In the meantime, this dirt-cheap compilation is a great place to start.

Recommended - big time.


PS: Other 70's acts in the "A's B's & Rarities" series are:
THE ARROWS, HOT CHOCOLATE (see REVIEW), MUD, PILOT and SUZI QUATRO

“Duncan Browne” by DUNCAN BROWNE [feat Suzi Quatro, Rod Argent, Members of C.C.S. and The Attack] (2002 EMI 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Moonlight In My Heart…"

UK-born classically trained guitarist DUNCAN BROWNE started his musical career on Andrew Loog Oldham's Immediate label at the age of 21 with his debut album "Give Me Take You". It was released in July 1968 on Immediate IMPS 068 to favourable reviews, but public indifference - and is now a £400 vinyl LP rarity. There's an excellent Sequel label CD from 2000 that covers that LP, the 2 sides of the Bell label 7" single that followed it and a few studio outtakes thrown in as well. Well worth checking out after this. 

Which brings us to platter number two and probably his most celebrated 70ts work...

UK released April 2002 - "Duncan Browne" by DUNCAN BROWNE on EMI 7243 535623 2 8 (Barcode 724353562328) reissues his 2nd self-titled studio album as an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with Four Bonus Tracks (Two Rare Singles Sides and Two Previously Unreleased Cuts). Here's a detailed breakdown (58:18 minutes):

1. Ragged Rain Life [Side 1]

2. Country Song

3. The Martlet

4. My Only Son

5. Babe Rainbow

6. Journey [Side 2]

7. Cast No Shadow

8. Over The Reef

9. My Old Friends

10. Last Time Around

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Duncan Browne" originally issued February 1973 on RAK Records SRKA 6754 in the UK in a gatefold sleeve (RAK Records was Mickey Most's label). The album was not issued in the USA.

CD BONUS TRACKS: 

11. In A Mist

Track 11 is the non-album B-side to "Journey" - the 1st and only British 7" single off the album issued 7 July 1972 on RAK Records RAK 135 (it reached 23 in the UK charts). "Journey" was issued in the USA as a Promo-Only release with a Stereo and Mono version on the A and B-sides and circulated to Radio Stations in September 1972 on RAK Records ZS7 4511 - it didn't chart and was never given a stock copy release

12. Send Me The Bill For Your Friendship

Track 12 is the non-album A-side - issued October 1973 as RAK Records RAK 162 with the album track "My Only Son" as its B-side (it didn't chart)

13. Guitar Piece

14. Mignon

Tracks 13 and 14 are previously unreleased outtakes from the 1973 album sessions

The band for the album were:

DUNCAN BROWNE - Spanish & Electric Guitars, Vocals, Piano on "Cast No Shadow"

JOHN "RABBIT" BUNDRICK - Piano, Organ, Synthesizers

JOHN CAMERON (of C.C.S.) - Various Keyboards and Piano on "Babe Rainbow"

JIM RODFORD - Bass Guitar on "Journey" and "Ragged Rain Life"

ROBERT HENRIT  - Drums on "Journey" and "Ragged Rain Life"

(Rodford and Henrit were from ARGENT]

TONY CARR [drummer with C.C.S.], SUZI QUATRO [Vocalist] and KEITH HODGE [ex THE ATTACK] are credited as "Also Appearing" on the LP, but the liner notes don't advise on which song. Browne wrote all songs and the album was produced by Mickie Most.

Remastered by PETER MEW at Abbey Road - this CD has beautiful sound quality - really clean - especially given the acoustic and quiet nature of almost all of the songs. Four relevant bonus tracks bolster up proceedings and it has a short but informative 8-page booklet with liner notes by noted Musicologist SEAN LYONS.

Stylistically - Nick Drake comes to mind (with a Prog twist in the song contructions). Not only was Browne ignored by the buying public - he was sent on tours supporting wildly uncomplimentary acts and on "In A Mist" he even makes guitar-mistakes like Drake did on the outtakes of "Joey". He had a high voice and was meticulous in his crafting of songs. Browne's specialist instrument was the Spanish Guitar - as evidenced on the truly fabulous "Journey" (lyrics above). "Journey" and its seven-minute non-album B-side were recorded first in 1972 and it emerged out of Most insisting on a "hit" - but the momentum of its top twenty placing was lost as the album didn't arrive until many months later - into early 1973. "Duncan Browne" has always been hard to find on LP and at £50 + is a gem worth seeking out - and one that is constantly escalating in price as people catch on to its soft Folk-Prog beauty.

Highlights would include his stark and lovely piano-melody "Cast No Shadow" while "Over The Reef" could easily have been the follow up single. And "My Only Son" (lyrics above) is gorgeous.

He enjoyed success in the late Seventies and early Eighties with the band METRO. Their album was on Logo Records in the UK and Sire in the States (Bowie covered "Criminal World" off it on his 1983 "Let's Dance" album). There were further solo projects, but he died relatively young in 1993 aged only 43 from cancer. Browne has a dedicated and ardent fan following still.

At least this lovely, but criminally forgotten Folk/Rock gem survives him.

If you like Cat Stevens, Nick Drake, Bryn Haworth, Brian Protheroe, Donovan - that sort of Seventies ilk - you'll dig this. And a lovely job done by EMI...

"C.C.S. II" by C.C.S. [feat Alexis Korner, 2nd LP from 1972] (2000 Repertoire 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster in Artwork-Repro Digipak) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Don't Give Me No Jive Talk Brother…"

CCS or C.C.S. (short for COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS SOCIETY) made 3 studio albums and 7 singles for Mickie Most's RAK Records in the UK in the early Seventies, before the band finally split up in late 1973.  This fantastically clear-sounding Repertoire CD from 2000 is the second of those three albums - supplemented with two rare and desirable B-sides as bonus tracks.

The CD digipak mimics the album's original single sleeve artwork front and rear (the 1st album - the red covered one - was a gatefold) and has an 8-page booklet with a CHRIS WELCH essay on the LP and the band's history. The original British pressing of their second album actually calls the LP simply "C.C.S." like the debut - but Repertoire have called it 'II' to avoid confusion with the first album from 1970 (also reviewed).

Released April 2000 (reissued June 2002) - "C.C.S. II" by C.C.S on Repertoire REP 4852 (Barcode 4009910485224) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster that plays out as follows (51:34 minutes):

1. Brother

2. Black Dog

3. I Want You Back

4. Running Out Of Sky (Sky Diver)

5. Whole Lotta Rock And Roll

(a) School Day (b) Lucille (c) Long Tall Sally (d) Whole Lotta Love

6. Chaos/Can’t We Ever get It Back [Side 2]

7. This Is My Life

8. Misunderstood

9. Maggie's Song

10. City

Tracks 1 to 10 are their 2nd album - which as well as their 1970 debut - was simply called "CCS" on the original vinyl LP. Here it's called CCS II for CD purposes. It was originally released in April 1972 on Rak Records SRAK 503 and on the strength of the March 1972 UK 7" single "Brother" - the album charted at 23 - the only one of their three LPs to break the Top 50. Great sleeve too.

Tracks 11 and 12 are the bonus tracks:

11 is "Mister What You Can't Have" which is the non-album B-side to "Brother" on RAK 126 (it's a John Cameron original - great fun track)

12 is "Sixteen Tons" which is the non-album A-side of RAK 141 issued in 1972. Its B-side is the Peter Thorup original "This Is My Life" - it's Track 7 on the album. However, the single version is shorter and different. It has Thorup vocals only, while the album version includes both Thorup and Korner. If you want the single mix (unfortunately not included here), it's on the superb EMI CD "A's B's & Rarities" which also sports 2 previously unreleased CCS tracks not on any of these Repertoire issues. Well worth seeking out that. Back to the A though. I've always thought CCS's version of "Sixteen Tons" to be one of 'the' great lost Seventies gems - and for soul boys looking for a funky rock track to fill out that cool 70's CD-R, this is the place to look. It's a cover version of the Tennessee Ernie Ford 1950's classic which was followed quickly by a PLATTERS version - this fabulous take on the famous 'shoveling coal' song borrows a bit from both and it's a song that whenever we play it in the shop, has customers coming to the counter asking "who's this, who's this?"

The huge ensemble group CCS 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 rock. Deciding right from the start to include cover versions ala B, S & T, they did a fantastic brassed-up take on Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" that not only complimented the original, but also defined that "CCS" sound. So when the new BBC pop program "Top Of The Pops" needed a cool new theme song, they took this winner from their 1970 debut album, dropped the flute intro and the vocal middle and end - and a theme song legend was born. That mixture of cover-versions given the CCS treatment alongside JOHN CAMERON and ALEXIS KORNER originals continued on this LP. "Black Dog" is another Zeppelin cover from IV, "I Want You Back" was made famous by The Congregation and The Jackson 5 - while the "Whole Lotta Rock 'n' Roll" track is a 5-part medley of Chuck Berry, Little Richard and a reprise of Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love".

But the best bit is the SOUND. Repertoire re-issues are always good in my book, but this licensed-from-EMI remaster is exceptional. I'd expected wads of hiss, but the transfers are very clean - and given the amount of brass coming at you, muscular to a point where you have to sometimes reach for the volume control! A really great job done for a criminally forgotten album (lyrics from “Brother - the opening track on Side 1 of the LP - provide the title of this review).

When C.C.S. folded, both Korner and Thorup teamed up with King Crimson's BOZ BURRELL and IAN WALLACE to form SNAPE who issued some albums in Europe that were good too. But my heart is with the fab C.C.S. Highly recommended to those who love their Seventies with a bit of balls and a sense of humour.

PS:

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For those who want more, their 1st album from 1970 (also called "CCS" on vinyl - "CCS Vol.1" for CD purposes) is also available in this series - as is their 3rd and last album from 1973, "The Best Band In The Land". I've bought the other two also - and remastered with bonus tracks - they're the business too. I've also extensively reviewed Esoteric Recordings "Tap Turns On The Water: The C.C.S. Story" 2CD Anthology from 2013 which has equally stupendous audio quality...