"Andrew Gold + What's Wrong With This Picture + All This And Heaven Too + Whirlwind + Bonuses" by ANDREW GOLD – Four US Albums from November 1975 (June 1976 in the UK), May 1976 (January 1977 in the UK), February 1978 and April 1980 on Asylum Records - Plus 20 Bonuses Including Outtakes and Rarities – Guests include Linda Ronstadt, Jennifer Warnes, Waddy Watchel, Danny Kootch Kortchmar, Leland Sklar, Russell Kunkel, Kenny Edwards, Peter Asher, Dan Dugmore, Don Grolnick, J.D. Souther, Ernie Watts, Jeff Porcaro of Toto and Brock Walsh (September 2013 UK Edsel/Rhino Anthology - 4LPs and 20 Bonus Tracks Remastered onto 3CDs using 2005 US Rhino Transfers) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Looking For My Love..."

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When Californian multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Andrew Gold passed in June 2011, he was only approaching his 60th birthday – taken way too soon.

Forever associated with the Yacht Rock sound of the West Coast, Gold had clocked up four moderately successful albums on David Geffen's Asylum Records between 1975 and 1980 and two absolutely huge 45-singles in "Lonely Boy" and "Never Let Her Slip Away". Neither of these FM-friendly winners nor his other hit "Thank You Being My Friend" (adapted later for the hugely popular "Golden Girls" US TV programme) has been off Radio Station playlists for pushing on 45 years now. 

And yet Andrew Gold remains something of an unknown and the rest of his great work largely-forgotten - a topflight sessionman whose name turns up on the inner sleeve credits of albums by James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, J.D. Souther, Carly Simon, Jackson Browne and was even feted by 10cc in the 80ts to join their ranks (he would team up with Graham Gouldman in Wax). Or that guy who put an album sleeve in 1976 with 38 deliberate mistakes on it – one where on initial release you could get a mail-order gift if you could correctly locate and name all of them (I think I once got to about 20 on the appropriately titled "What's Wrong With This Picture?" album).  

And that's where this superlative value-for-money 3CD chunky monkey comes bopping in. Licensed from Rhino of the USA, Edsel of the UK do for Andrew Gold what they did for The Doobie Brothers - pour on the numbers, the extras and the remastered sound. All This And Heaven Too - let's get to the details...

UK released 9 September 2013 - "Andrew Gold + What's Wrong With This Picture + All This And Heaven Too + Whirlwind + Bonuses" by ANDREW GOLD on Edsel/Rhino EDSX 3016 (Barcode 740155301637) offers 4LPs Remastered Onto CDs 1 and 2 with a Further 20 Bonus Tracks on CD3. It's housed in a four-way foldout card digipak, has a 26-page booklet, uses Rhino's Remasters on all songs and plays out as follows:

CD1 (76:20 minutes):

1. That's Why I Love You [Side 1]

2. Heartaches In Heartaches 

3. Love Hurts 

4. A Note From You 

5. Resting In Your Arms  

6. I'm A Gambler 

7. Endless Flight 

8. Hang My Picture Straight 

9. Ten Years Behind Me

10. I'm Coming Home 

Tracks 1 to 10 are his debut album "Andrew Gold" - released November 1975 in the USA on Asylum 7E-1045 and June 1976 in the UK on Asylum K 53020. Produced by CHARLES PLOTKIN - it peaked at No. 190 in the USA (didn't chart UK). Guests included Backing Vocals from Linda Ronstadt, Kenny Edwards and Gene Garfin (who also co-wrote "That's Why I Love You", all others AG originals). 

11. Hope You Feel Good [Side 1]

12. Passing Thing 

13. Do Wah Diddy 

14. Learning The Game 

15. Angel Woman 

16. Must Be Crazy 

17. Lonely Boy [Side 2]

18. Firefly 

19. Stay 

20. Go Back Home Again 

21. One Of Them Is Me 

Tracks 11 to 21 are his second studio album "What's Wrong With This Picture?" - released May 1976 in the USA on Asylum 7E-1086 and January 1977 in the UK on Asylum K 53052.

CD2 (78:52 minutes):

1. How Can This Be Love? [Side 1]

2. Oh Urania (Take Me Away)

3. Still You Linger On

4. Never Let Her Slip Away 

5. Always For You 

6. Thank You For Being My Friend [Side 2]

7. Looking For My Love 

8. Genevieve 

9. I'm On My Way 

10. You're Free 

Tracks 1 to 10 are his third studio album "All This And Heaven Too" – released February 1978 in the USA on Asylum 6E-116 and March 1978 in the UK on Asylum K 53072. Produced by ANDREW GOLD and BROCK WALSH - guests include Waddy Watchel on Guitars, Ernie Watts on Saxophone, Kenny Edwards on Bass, with Brock Walsh, J.D. Souther and Jennifer Warnes on Backing Vocals

11. Kiss This One Goodbye [Side 1]

12. Whirlwind 

13. Sooner Or Later 

14. Leave Her Alone 

15. Little Company  

16. Brand New Face [Side 2]

17. Nine To Five 

18. Stranded On The Edge

19. Make Up Your Mind

Tracks 11 to 19 are his fourth studio album "Whirlwind" – released April 1980 in the USA on Asylum 6E-264 and May 1980 in the UK on Asylum K 52219. Produced by ANDREW GOLD - guests include Bryan Garofalo on Bass, Waddy Watchel on Guitar, Don Grolnick on Piano and Brock Walsh on Backing Vocals

CD3 (73:40 minutes) - all tracks Previously Unreleased at the time:

1. Within A Word 

2. Sometime When A Man's On His Own

3. Broken Pin Ball Machine 

4. To Be Someone 

5. Ten Years Behind Me (Demo)

6. Hang My Picture Straight (Live At The Santa Monica Auditorium, 1975)

Tracks 1 to 6 first appeared as Six Bonus Tracks on the 2005 US CD reissue of "Andrew Gold" on Collector's Choice Music CCM-527 (Barcode 617742052725)

7. Lonely Boy (Original Version)

8. Firefly (Early Unfinished Version)

9. Gorilla jam 

10. Feel It 

11. Hope You Feel Good (Live at the Universal Amphitheatre, Los Angeles, 1976)

Tracks 7 to 11 first appeared as Five Bonus Tracks on the 2005 US CD reissue of "What's Wrong With This Picture?" on Collector's Choice Music CCM-528 (Barcode 617742052824)

12. Gambler (Version No. 1)

13. Thank You For Being A Friend (Outtake)

14. Dr. Robert (Live, Beatles cover)

15. Genevieve (Original Version)

16. Still You Linger On (Alternate Take)

Tracks 12 to 16 first appeared as Five Bonus Tracks on the 2005 US CD reissue of "All This And Heaven Too" on Collector's Choice Music CCM-529 (Barcode 617742052923)

17. Gambler (Version No. 2)

18. Endless Flight (Live At The Gator Bowl, Jacksonville, Florida, 1978)

19. The 'In' Crowd 

20. Traffic Jam 

Tracks 12 to 16 first appeared as Four Bonus Tracks on the 2005 US CD reissue of "All This And Heaven Too" on Collector's Choice Music CCM-530 (Barcode 617742053029)

As you can see from the track lists provided above, CD3 essentially gathers up all 20 of the Previously Unreleased tracks that appeared across the four 2005 Collector's Choice Music CD reissues and lumps them onto one disc. The multiple-flap digipak houses a very pretty and informative 28-page booklet that fleshes out the new ALAN ROBINSON liner notes (June 2013) with track-by-track musician credits. Each album is pictured, the Elektra labels for Side 1 and 2, rare 45-single foreign picture sleeves for "Lonely Boy", "How Can This Be Love", "Never Let Her Slip Away" and "Kiss This One Goodbye" and each album front sleeve given a whole page each to shine. 

The original Remasters date from 2005 (Rhino via Collector's Choice Music) with the 3CD 2013 reissue mastered in the UK by Edsel’s longstanding Audio Engineer – PHIL KINRADE of Alchemy Mastering. This set sounds fab – the huge synth chords of "Never Let Her Slip Away" punching out of yours speakers with lovely clarity. You also notice with tracks like "That's Why I Love You" on the self-titled debut how almost every instrument is him - but as the LPs moved on – Gold regularly called on James Taylor/Jackson Browne sessionmen like Waddy Watchel, Danny Kootch Kortchmar, Leland Sklar and Russell Kunkel to beef up proceedings with expert fills. When the wall of voices hits you – it has power too – big names like Linda Ronstadt, Jennifer Warnes and sometime co-Producer and writer Brock Walsh. 

The thing about an Anthology like this is that it allows to dig deeper than the stuff the Radio schedulers only ever want to play – songs like "Stay" with Linda Ronstadt yet again adding beautifully subtle backing vocals - "I'm On My Way" with Jeff Porcaro of Toto whacking the kit - "Learning The Game" with Dan Dugmore playing Steel Guitar (long time member of James Taylor’s backing back) – the beautiful simplicity and almost hymnal "Looking For My Love" so reminiscent of Stephen "On And On" Bishop as Andrew (all on his own as a single man) plays every instrument for lonely hearts everywhere - "Little Company" on the "Whirlwind" album where Jazzer Don Grolnick of the fusion outfit Dreams plays gorgeous piano – the acoustic loveliness of the I miss you "Still You Linger On" - and on it goes. Some of the bonuses are short and feel superfluous to requirements and the lone cover of the Revolver belter "Dr. Robert" shows his rockier side in a rare slice of live Seventies. 

If you want deeper still, Esoteric Recordings of the UK (part of Cherry Red) issued a Clamshell Box Set in July 2020 not surprisingly called "Lonely Boy: The Asylum Years" and its 7CDs offers even more. 

I look on this singer-songwriter with huge affection and remember being in lurve with some dark-haired wild-eyed Irish beauty when the March 1978 UK 45 for "Never Let Her Slip Away" was released (with the Yacht Rock salsa rhythms of "Genevieve" on the flipside). 

Asylum K 13112 took British and Irish airwaves by quiet storm – jumping all the way up to No. 5 in the UK singles chart and putting its parent album "All This And Heaven Too" into the Top 40 (No. 31 in April 1978). Its wildly soppy only-met-her-a-week-ago romantic shuffle and those Ernie Watts Saxophone runs tugged on those heartstrings then and still does now - it moved me. Remember him like this and enjoy...

"From Beginning To End..." by THE END [Produced by Bill Wyman of The Rolling Stones] – Including Their Debut and Only Album "Introspection" from November 1969 on Decca Records in Stereo along with Earlier Tracks from 1964 through to 1969 and 1970 alongside Singles, Outtakes from Their Unreleased 1969 Second Album and more – featuring Dave Brown, Nicky Graham, Colin Griffin, Terry Taylor, Hugh Attwooll and John Horton with guests Nicky Hopkins, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts and Ian Stewart of The Rolling Stones, Chris Spedding, Ken Leeman and Jim Henderson (December 2015 UK Edsel 4CD Clamshell Box Set – Phil Kinrade Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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Covering 1967 to 1977 - It Also Focuses On

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"...In My Dreamworld..."

So many could-have been/should-have been artists and bands litter the 60ts and 70ts. Championed by none other than The Rolling Stones' Bassist Bill Wyman (arguably at the height of their fame with "Let It Bleed") and as evidenced by this superbly assembled 4CD vaults-trawl – the five fiercely hairy men of THE END would have had legitimate cause to be more pissed than most at Joe Public's lack of take up.

This British Psych/Rock group had experienced players who stretched back to 1964 (including a half decent vocalist) and a Rolling Stone producing their album alongside legendary Audio Engineer Glyn Johns (the Production values are excellent). But more importantly - they had tunes to match the talent. But as always, bad timing, clumsy decisions and the sheer pace of change when 1968 quickly became 1969 - THE END did indeed live up to their name and their lone LP arrived a year too late and looking well past its December 1969 end-of-decade sell-by-date (they would eventually morph into Tucky Buzzard – see my review for "The Complete Tucky Buzzard" from July 2016, a 5CD Box Set also on Edsel).

Which is where "From Beginning To End..." featuring input from the band and Bill Wyman, comes a lollygagging in. Here are the retrospective introspective details...

UK released 4 December 2015 - "From Beginning To End..." by THE END on Edsel EDSB 4028 (Barcode 740155402839) is a 4CD 61-Track Clamshell Box Set covering 1964 to 1970 and plays out as follows:

CD1 "In The Beginning: 1964-1967" (44:40 minutes):

1. I Can't Get Any Joy

2. Hey Little Girl

3. I Want You Around

4. I Can't Believe It

5. Lost Without You

6. Baby Stay Like You Are

7. It Won't Be Long

8. She Believed Me

9. I Got Wise

10. You're So Right

11. You Better Believe It Baby

12. Please Do Something

13. Why

14. Yo-Yo

15. Searching For My Baby

16. Daddy Loves Baby

17. We've Got it Made (July 1967 Mix)

18. Shades Of Orange (November 1967 Mix)

NOTES:

Tracks 1 and 2 are the A&B-sides of a 22 October 1965 UK 45-single on Philips BF 1444

Tracks 11 and 12 are the A&B-sides of a January 1967 SPANISH 45-single on Sonoplay SN 20.002

Tracks 13 and 14 are the A&B-sides of a March 1967 SPANISH 45-single on Sonoplay SN 20.014

Tracks 3 and 4 recorded 18 November 1964, unissued until 1996

Tracks 5 to 10 recorded March and April 1965, unissued until 1996

Tracks 15, 16, 17 and 18 recorded August 1965, autumn 1967 (Tracks 15 and 16) and November 1967 - unissued until 1996 on the "In The Beginning...The End" UK LP on Tenth Planet TP025 (1000 copies only)

Charlie Watts of The Rolling Stones plays tabla on "Shades Of Orange" 

CD2 "Introspection: 1968-1969" (40:16 minutes):

1. Dreamworld [Side 1]

2. Under The Rainbow

3. Shades Of Orange [Album Version]

4. Bromley Common [Vocals by George Kenset]

5. Cardboard Watch

6. Introspection (Pt. 1)

7. What Does It Feel Like [Side 2]

8. Linen Draper [Vocals by George Kenset]

9. Don't Take Me

10. Loving, Sacred Loving [Album Version]

11. She Said Yeah

12. Jacobs Bladder

13. Introspection (Pt. 2)

Tracks 1 to 13 are their debut and lone album "Introspection" - released August 1969 in the USA on London PS 560 (Stereo only) and November 1969 in the UK on Decca LK-R 5015 (Mono) and Decca SLK-R 5015 (Stereo) - the STEREO MIX is used for this CD. GUESTS: George Kensit does the Voice on the spoken-word tracks "Bromley Common", "Linen Draper" and "Jacob's Bladder", Nicky Hopkins plays Harpsichord on "Loving, Sacred Loving", Ken Leeman plays Saxophone on "She Said Yeah", Jim Henderson adds Harmony Vocals to "She Said Yeah" and Charlie Watts of The Rolling Stones plays Tabla on "Shades Of Orange" 

BONUS TRACKS:

14. Shades Of Orange (Mono Single Version)

15. Loving, Sacred Loving (Mono Single Version)

Tracks 14 and 15 are the A&B-sides of a 8 March 1968 UK 45-single on Decca F 22750

Charlie Watts of The Rolling Stones plays Tabla on "Shades Of Orange" 

CD3 "Retrospection: 1968-1969" (52:54 minutes):

1. Loving, Sacred Loving (February 1968 Remix)

2. Building Up A Dream

3. Little Annie

4. Morning Dew

5. Tears Will Be The Only Answer

6. Today Tomorrow

7. Lady Under The Lamp

8. Black Is Black [Side 2]

9. Mister Man

10. Call Me

11. Shades Of Orange (June 1968 Remix)

12. Mirror

13. We've Got It Made (Mellotron Mix)

14. Bypass The By-Pass

Tracks 1 to 14 first issued 1997 on the UK LP "Retrospection" on Tenth Planet TP033 - Charlie Watts of The Rolling Stones plays Tabla on "Shades Of Orange"

BONUS TRACKS:

15. Mister Man (Instrumental Version)

16. The Fly

17. Sometimes I Wish I Were Dead

18. Stones In My Banana

CD4 "The Last Word: 1969-1970" (37:37 minutes):

1. Son Of Lightning

2. Second Glance

3. Mistress Bean

4. For Eleanor

5. So Free

6. North Thames Gas Board

7. Do Right Woman Do Right Man

8. Turn On Waterstone

9. Smartypants

10. My Friend

Tracks 1 to 10 (excluding Track 9 which is exclusive to this box) are the UK LP "The Last Word" issued 2000 on Tenth Planet TP047. Chris Spedding plays Guitar on "Mistress Bean" while Ian Stewart (of Rolling Stones fame) plays Piano on "North Thames Gas Board".

As you can see from the photos provided, the four singular card sleeves inside the glossy clamshell box look cool and mimc those vinyl-only Tenth Planet reissue compilation LPs of 1996 (Disc 1), 1997 (Disc 3) and 1999 (Disc 4) whilst the 32-page colour booklet provides a feast of period photos, trade adverts, foreign picture sleeves and of course photos of our five heroes looking suitably psyched. DAVID WELLS of Grapefruit Records fame penned the detailed and affectionate liner notes with contributions from band-members and Wyman of the Stones. The track-by-track annotation is superb, recording dates, release dates, personnel etc. It's a great job done as you can imagine. PHIL KINRADE - long-standing Audio Engineer for Edsel - did the Mastering at Alchemy and although you could argue that they really should included the British Mono variant of the "Introspection" LP on Disc 2 - the STEREO Mix is kicking - so all is good.

It opens with a very Hollies Pop 45 in the shape of "I Can't Get Any Joy" but its fairly dismissible stuff. Of the unreleased stuff "It Won't Be Long" could easily be a Monkees outtake but far edgier is "I Got Wise" and the baby-I-want-ya Kinks-dense riffage of "You Better Believe It Baby" (albeit that the first is a bit rough around the recording perimeters). The very Georgie Fame-beat vibe to "Why" (produced by Wyman) and its "Yo Yo" B-side had the chart chops for sure as had Wyman's writing contribution to the band "Shades Of Orange" which ends a patchy CD1 on a high.

On Disc 2 you're immediately hit with the swirling "Dreamworld", the "Introspection" album's opening tune and along with the poppy (and excellent) "Under The Rainbow" - you have to think that in December 1969 this was old hat already - so very 1967 and 1968. At least the audio is superb. The three George Kenset talking track interludes feature a 'sleeping it off' man bemoaning British Bobbies and their heavy-handed tactics in dealing with a hobo. Groovy tunes like "Cardboard Watch" and the fantastic fuzzed-up guitar hip-shaker "Introspection Pt. 1" are so 1967 Small Faces - it's frightening - and in a good way.  Side 2's "What Does It Feel Like?" (Yesterday I was a child) and the funky licks of "Don't Take Me" (you make fiction better) are excellent - but my fave is "Loving, Sacred Loving" - Nicky Hopkins' Harpsichord and their wickedly good vocal arrangements all enhancing a supremely musical tune. The whole shebang comes to another geetar ending with 'Pt. 2' of "Introspection" - the Jeff Beck-type axe-playing allowed to solo and you're left wondering why this album wasn't issued in 1968 where it would have caused a stir and not a yawn in December 1969? Disc 3 and 4 simply offer more of the same...

The band THE END is a forgotten musical footnote in British Pop History - but that Decca debut album (especially in sexy Stereo) should not be. Think Afghan Coats, think Small Faces and Kinks, think great Harmonies and clever mid-tune changes – in order words revisit these hep cats of old and think again...

PS: The entire Box Set is available on iTunes for under a fiver.

"Our Music Is Red With Purple Flashes" by THE CREATION - A&B-sides of Eight British 45 Singles, Further European LP, 45 and EP Tracks and Previously Unreleased Outtakes Issued on Subsequent LP Compilations in 1973 and 1982 – All Songs recorded 1966 to 1968 featuring Vocalist Kenny Pickett, Guitarists Eddie Phillips and Kim Gardner, Bassist Robert Garner and Drummers Doug Sandom and Mick Avory (October 2015 UK Edsel CLASSICS CD Compilation – 24 Tracks of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Biff! Bang! Pow!"

Biff! Bang! Pow!

Like most obsessives, I slavered over the artwork of singles and LPs as much as I bent my lugholes to the grooves. And like every other bleary-eyed 20-year old I knew in late 1978 (swept up by British Punk and New Wave), we were gawking at The Jam's "All Mod Cons" album on Polydor Records in all its Modtastic glory looking for secret-signs of wisdom from our new Gods – pointers on our path towards Rock Redemption and away from the sinful ways of crooners like Andy Williams and Val Doonican (I still feel that elicit pull, but I'm getting help).

And sure as the Lord God and Rightful Ruler made little green Rickenbacker's - there it was. On the inner sleeve up in the top left corner beneath a promo photo of the band with a fold-in clock sat on top of it was a just-about-visible 45 label by some hooligan mob Paul Weller clearly worshipped at the feet of. They were called THE CREATION and the song exposed was "Biff, Bang, Pow" - the truly stunning Mod-rocking B-side of "Painter Man" - another total gem over on the A of Planet Records PLF.119 from October 1966. It was enough to make a chap swoon and seek out vinyl slices of what clearly made the Modfather's knees turn to jelly.

THE CREATION never managed a British album (a crime frankly) - so their rep in Blighty revolved around a series of incendiary vinyl singles and further colourful Euro EPs that collectors have been lusting after ever since. Both Germany and Denmark produced one LP in 1967 called "We Are Paintermen" on Hit-Ton Schallplatten and Sonet Records respectively (see Notes below the track lists) and Germany also popped out a "Best Of" on Hit-Ton Pop in 1968 when the gig was up. The band’s first two UK singles on Planet Records sold copies because "Making Time" and "Painter Man" made brief 1 week and two-week appearances on the UK charts in July and November 1966 (No. 49 and No. 36 respectively).

The five-piece also showcased guitarist/songwriting talent in the shape of Eddie Phillips (ex The Mark Four) famously using the violin bow on his electric guitar before Zeppelin's Jimmy Page made it his (almost) trademark. The other two songwriters in the group were Vocalist Kenny Pickett (also ex the Mark Four) and Bassist Robert Garner who'd done time with The Merseybeats. Doug Sandom had bashed his kit for the earliest line-up of The Who before joining The Creation, whilst Mick Avory (long-time drummer with The Kinks) and Ron Wood of The Artwoods, Faces and The Rolling Stones also joined the ranks briefly too.

Produced by SHEL TALMY of WHO-fame - The Creation were the musical link between The Who and The Kinks and have been darlings of The Mod, Freakbeat and Psych circuits for over five decades now. A huge fan, Alan McGhee famously named his Creation Records after the band, promptly making Oasis superstars. Paul Weller has been championing them forever and their eight British 45s (four on Planet and four on Polydor between 1966 and 1968) command real money and respect in equal measure - especially in anything better than Good to VG playing condition (even The Planet label bags sell for fifteen to twenty quid). Hell, even Boney M covered "Painter Man" in 1979 and made it a top-ten hit – surely the ultimate accolade.

Which brings us to this wee Edsel CD beasty from 2015 with its vinyl replica black-coloured disc (itself a reissue of a 1998 Demon/Edsel compilation on Diablo Records) that gives twenty-four slices of head-jerking brilliance. Let’s get red, purple and flashy...

UK released 2 October 2015 - "Our Music Is Red With Purple Flashes" by THE CEATION on Edsel Classics NINETY33 (Barcode 5014797893337) is a 24-Track CD Compilation of 'The Classic Recordings' issued between 1966 to 1968 in the UK and Europe and plays out as follows (70:09 minutes):

1. Making Time

2. Try And Stop Me

3. Painter Man

4. Biff, Bang, Pow

5. If I Stay Too Long

6. Nightmares

7. I Am A Walker

8. Can I Join Your Band

9. Cool Jerk

10. Like A Rolling Stone

11. Hey Joe

12. Life is Just Beginning

13. Through My Eyes

14. How Does It Feel To Feel (US Version)

15. Ostrich Man

16. Sweet Helen

17. How Does It Feel To Feel (UK Version)

18. Tom Tom

19. Midway Down

20. The Girls Are Naked

21. Bony Maronie

22. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy

23. For All That I Am

24. Uncle Bert

NOTES:

Tracks 1 and 2 are the A&B-sides of a June 1966 UK 45 on Planet PLF 116

Tracks 3 and 4 are the A&B-sides of an October 1966 UK 45 on Planet PLF 119

Tracks 5 and 6 are the A&B-sides of a July 1967 UK 45 on Polydor 56177

Track 7 is a 1967 Shel Talmy Produced outtake first issued July 1973 on "'66-'67", a Creation LP compilation on Charisma Perspective Records CS 6

Tracks 8, 9, 10 and 11 first issued on the 1967 LP "We Are Paintermen" released on Hit-Ton Schallplatten HTSLP 340037 in Germany and Sonet Records SLPS 1251 in Denmark (both in Stereo). "Can I Join Your Band" (Track 8) also showed up as one of four-tracks on the 1967 "Tom Tom" EP out of France on Vogue International INT. 18144. "Cool Jerk" (Track 9) also showed up as a German 45 A-side for January 1968 on Hit-Ton HT 315002 (B-side was "Life Is Just Beginning")

Tracks 12 and 13 are the A&B-sides of an October 1967 UK 45 on Polydor 56207

Track 14 is the B-side of "Life Is Just Beginning", a November 1967 US 45 on Decca 32227

Tracks 15 and 16 first issued as 1967 Shel Talmy Production outtakes on the September 1982 UK LP compilation "How Does It Feel To Feel" on Edsel ED 106

Tracks 17 and 18 are the A&B-sides of a January 1968 UK 45 on Polydor 56230

Tracks 19 and 20 are the A&B-sides of a April 1968 UK 45 on Polydor 56246

Tracks 21 and 22 are the A&B-sides of an August 1968 German 45 on Hit-Ton HT 300210

Tracks 23 and 24 are the A&B-sides of a December 1968 German 45 on Hit-Ton 300235

If you want to sequence the 12-Track "We Are Paintermen" German/Danish LP from this CD, use the following sequence:

Side A: 1. Cool Jerk 2. Making Time 3. Through My Eyes 4. Like A Rolling Stone 5. Can I Join Your Band 6. Tom Tom

Side B: 1. If I Stay Too Long 2. Try And Stop Me 3. Biff, Bang, Pow 4. Nightmares 5. Hey Joe 6. Painter Man

The gatefold card sleeve offers little by way of info (track names, times and overall copyright dates) and as there's no booklet of any kind, so you're probably going to learn more from my notes above than you are from this release. The supposed 'Edsel Classics' gimmick turns out to be a black CD with record grooves on the label surface to mimic an old record (plain black on the playing side) - but it feels superfluous to requirements. This is a band and release that cries out for written appreciation and it’s a damn shame none is there. Apart from the 2015 Demon Music Group notation, there isn't even a mastering credit. But the Audio rocks - those incredibly punchy Mono single mixes on exclusive licence from Shel Talmy Productions.

I ran a playlist on my Mac to simulate the German album and man what a great listen. It seems inconceivable now that such a hugely hip combo of songs weren't given a British LP release – a major missed opportunity. But I suppose as single after single didn't make any dent on the charts – someone must have thought – why bother? Songs like "If I Stay Too Long" have melody but they also sound 'huge' in their power and even ahead of their time in terms of sound - that haunted vocal and almost clunky guitar. That outtake "I Am A Walker" again feels brilliant - first issued on a budget-label Charisma Records compilation in 1973 and then forgotten about. You can Weller's Jam in the kick-ass guitar opening of "Can I Join Your Band" - always stoned and eight miles high mentioned in the lyrics while he sung "Can I Join Your band" chorus feels like The Who's "Tommy" two years before the event.

Fans had to wait until 1982 to hear the very poppy "Ostrich Man" (words going round and round) and "Sweet Helen" outtakes (a girl came out of the blue). The "Midway Down" UK single could easily have been The Hollies while the naked dancing girls of Amsterdam get immortalised on he flipside. Cool Sixties bleeds into Guitar-Rock on the Euro-Only 45 "Bonney Maroney" - a Larry Williams Rhythm 'n' Blues 50ts hit getting thoroughly rearranged and fuzzed up with some fantastic guitar and piano. They get all Playboy sexy on the fabulous melody of "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" - another Williams cover. And it ends on the thrashing Who-sounding "Uncle Bert" - a relative with his trousers hanging down as a dog named Rover bites his leg.

By way of info and if you're a vinyl-lover - Record Store Day 19 April 2014 saw "Our Music Is Red With Purple Flashes" issued by Demon/Edsel as "The Singles Collection" - a 11 x 45 seven-inch vinyl singles Box Set on Demon/Edsel CREATIONBSRXD using the same artwork (Barcode 5014797890695) but with One Bonus Track “Sylvie” only available as a download. That was in turn made into a 24-Track 2LP set for 10 July 2015 issued on Demon Music DEMREC48 (Barcode 5014797891203). Next came our CD in October 2015. That has once again been reissued onto a VINYL 2LP set 17 June 2017 on Demon DEMREC223 (Barcode 5014797896024) as part of the HMV promotion for Vinyl Week (a limited edition of 1000 copies, one LP in Red and the other coloured Purple).

The 2015 British CD for The Creation's "Our Music Is Red With Purple Flashes" is now deleted and can cost up to twenty-quid in 2020. But what a biff bang pow...