"The Singles 1965-1967" [Box 2 of 3] by THE ROLLING STONES – Eleven 60ts UK and US 7" Singles in Repro Picture Sleeves – Three of Which Have 3 Tracks Reflecting The Different B-sides in the UK and USA. Featuring Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts with Guests Ian Stewart, Nicky Hopkins and Jack Nitzsche (Keyboards), John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin (String Arrangements) and Steve Marriott of Small Faces and later Humble Pie on Backing Vocals (January 2004 UK/EU ABKCO Records 11CD Clamshell Box Set – Steve Rosenthal, Teri Landi and Bob Ludwig Transfers, Audio Restoration and Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

"…We Love You…"

Ah the glorious bad boys of Rock – The Rolling Stones. The kind of trouser-snake seductive ne'er-do-well pert-bottomed reprobates a concerned mother warned you about (when she wasn't shovelling tranquillisers down her gullet).  We're we (or they) ever so young or indeed so naughty! Hell yes!

This is the second box set in a series of three covering their Satanic Majesties entire 45s output on Decca (UK) and London Records (USA) – this fab little sucker covering their first primo period of non-stop 60ts hipsville - and what a humdinger it is too. There is a mountain of info to wade through, so once more my lysergic listeners unto the nervous breakdowns and girly rainbows…

UK/Europe released 1 January 2004 – "The Singles 1965-1967" by THE ROLLING STONES on Abkco 0602498209851 (Barcode 602498209851) is the Second of Three Box Sets covering their entire Decca/London Records UK and US output on 45s. The Clamshell Box contains 11CDs in Picture Repro Sleeves featuring artwork from many different countries (10 singles by The Rolling Stones and one solo outing by Bassist Bill Wyman), Three Art Cards featuring photos from 1965, 1966 and 1967, a foldout double-sided poster (the Lady Jane single advert with Mick Jagger's face on one side with a band photo on the other) and a 28-Page Fact-Filled Booklet outlined details on each release, reissue credits etc. Its 25-tracks covering eleven 7" singles breaks down as follows…

CD1 "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - 10:29 minutes, 3 tracks:

US 45, 5 June 1965 on London 45-9766

A. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction b/w The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man

UK 45, 20 August 1965 on Decca F 12220

A. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction b/w The Spider And The Fly

CD2: "Get Off Of My Cloud" - 7:41 minutes, 3 tracks:

US 45, 24 September 1965 on London 45-9792

A. Get Off Of My Cloud b/w I'm Free

UK 45, 22 October 1965 on Decca F 12263

A. Get Off Of My Cloud b/w The Singer Not The Song

CD3: "As Tears Go By" - 4:52 minutes, 2 tracks:

US 45, 18 December 1965 on London 45-9808

A. As Tears Go By b/w Gotta Get Away

UK 45, 4 February 1966 on Decca F 12331 (with different A-side, US A-side relegated to the B)

A. 19th Nervous Breakdown By b/w As Tears Go By

CD4: "19th Nervous Breakdown" - 7:00 minutes, 2 tracks:

UK 45, 4 February 1966 on Decca F 12331 (see Disc 3 for B-side)

A. 19th Nervous Breakdown b/w As Tears Go By

US 45, 12 February 1966 on London 45-9823

A. 19th Nervous Breakdown b/w Sad Day

CD5: "Paint It Black" - 9:44 minutes, 3 tracks:

US 45, 6 May 1966 on London 45-901

A. Paint It Black b/w Stupid Girl

UK 45, 13 May 1966 on Decca F 12395

A. Paint It Black b/w Long Long While

CD6: "Mother's Little Helper" - 5:57 minutes, 2 tracks:

US 45, 2 July 1966 on London 45-902 (Note: no UK issue)

A. Mother's Little Helper b/w Lady Jane

CD7: "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadows?" - 5:49 minutes, 2 tracks:

US 45, 23 September 1966 on London 45-903

UK 45, 23 September 1966 on Decca F 12497

A. Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in The Shadow? b/w Who's Driving Your Plane?

CD8: "Let's Spend The Night Together" - 6:40 minutes, 2 tracks:

UK 45, 13 January 1967 on Decca F 12546

US 45, 13 January 1967 on London 45-904

A. Let's Spend The Night Together b/w Ruby Tuesday

CD9: "We Love You" - 8:26 minutes, 2 tracks:

UK 45, 18 August 1967 on Decca F 12654

US 45, 2 September 1967 on London 45-905
A. We Love You b/w Dandelion

CD10: "She's A Rainbow" - 8:57 minutes, 2 tracks:

US 45, 23 December 1967 on London 45-906

A. She's A Rainbow b/w 2000 Light Years From Home (Note: no UK issue)

CD11: "In Another Land" by BILL WYMAN/The Lantern by THE ROLLING STONES  - 7:19 minutes, 2 tracks:

US 45, 2 December 1967 on London 45-907

A. In Another Land (by BILL WYMAN) b/w The Lantern (by THE ROLLING STONES) (Note: no UK issue)

The Audio is done to a team of three – STEVE ROSENTHAL for Sound Restoration and Archive Coordination, TERI LANDI for Analogue to Digital Transfers and Tape Archive Research and BOB LUDWIG for Mastering. For instance you can really hear the contributions made by NICKY HOPKINS (Piano) and future Led Zeppelin Bassist JOHN PAUL JONES (who arranged the stings) on one of the better tracks from "Their Satanic Majesties…" LP - "She's A Rainbow". Clearer too is Brian Jones pressing down those Mellotron keys on the swirling hippy-dippy soundscape that is "2000 Light Years From Home".

I must admit that I haven't played the Wyman-penned US-only track "In Another Land" in probably four an half decades, but its now nice to hear (once again) the Remaster bring forth Nicky Hopkins lending his piano while Small Faces giant STEVE MARRIOTT taps those distinctive lungs of his for backing vocals. And 'allegedly' none other than Paul McCartney and John Lennon of The Beatles and poet Allen Ginsberg can be heard giving backing vocals to "We Love You" – a tribute to fans who supported the band during those difficult busted months (Nicky Hopkins also contributed piano).

Fans will not surprisingly adore the sheer wallop that comes of the decidedly fruity "Let's Spend The Night Together" – a song apparently written about the first time Mick and Marianne Faithfull hooked up for something we're reliably informed wasn't a fish supper. Unsung hero Jack Nitzsche plays Keyboards on both "Let's Spend The Night Together” and the Bluesy Harmonica driven B-side "Who's Driving Your Plane?" - whilst also contributing distinctive-sounding Harpsichord to the baroque elegance of "Lady Jane". Nitzsche also plays piano on a true digital obscurity – the US B-side "Sad Day” which only appeared on CD in 1989 on the triple "Singles Collection" set. And although its lyrics are now terribly dated and not the most enlightened on the planet, I've always had a thing for the Aftermath song "Stupid Girl" – way more than the rooster strut of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - a ball-breaker of a song whose fuzzed up guitars and driving rhythm changed the music world forever.

There is of course so much more here, but what you can't deny is the 'on fire' feel to it all. Like The Beatles, The Stones just hit this run of magic that would culminate in Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed and of course on into Stick Fingers and beyond.

Songs about drugs, sex, record company chaperones and grown men dressed in drag for the picture sleeves. Ah the glory. Remember them this way…

"CADILLAC WALK - The Mink DeVille Collection" by MINK De VILLE [featuring Willy DeVille] (2001 EMI CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This review is part of my Series "SOUNDS GOOD: Exceptional CD Remasters 1970s Rock And Pop" Download Book available to buy on Amazon to either your PC or Mac (it will download the Kindle software to read the book for free to your toolbar). Click on the link below to go my Author's Page for this and other related publications:

                       http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00LQKMC6I

"…She’s My Inspiration Dressed In Red…She’s Spinning All My Friends Heads…"

This unassuming and slightly forgotten September 2001 CD compilation is a superb little number - and for two of the best reasons - track choices and sound.

"Cadillac Walk - The Mink DeVille Collection" by MINK DeVILLE on EMI/Capitol 5350162 (Barcode 724353501624) gives us 22 songs taken from Willy DeVille's first three albums for Capitol Records credited as the band MINK DeVILLE - all of which feature truly fantastic 24-Bit Remastering by EVREN GOKNAR. There have been reissues of this stuff before but never sounding this good...it breaks down as follows (70:22 minutes):

1. Spanish Stroll

2. Mixed Up Shook Up Girl

3. She’s So Tough

4. Cadillac Walk

5. Gunslinger

6. Venus Of Avenue D

7. Little Girl

Tracks 1 to 7 are from their debut album "Mink DeVille" [aka "Cabretta"] issued in the US in June 1977 on Capitol ST-11631 and June 1977 in the UK on Capitol E-ST 11631 (7 of its 10 songs are here - produced by JACK NITZSCHE)

8. ‘A' Train Lady

9. Guardian Angel

10. Confidence To Kill

11. Soul Twist

12. Desperate Days

13. I Broke That Promise

14. Just Your Friends

Tracks 8 to 15 are from their second album "Return To Magenta" issued April 1978 in the USA on Capitol ST-11780 and July 1978 in the UK on Capitol E-ST 11780 (7 of its 10 songs are here - also produced by JACK NITZSCHE)

16. This Must Be The Night

17. Savoir Faire

18. Mazurka

19. Turn You Every Way But Loose

20. Bad Boy

21. Just To Walk That Little Girl Home

22. That World Outside

Tracks 16 to 22 are from their third album "Le Chat Bleu" issued in the UK in March 1980 on Capitol E-ST 25390 and in the USA in September 1980 on Capitol ST-11955. Their 3rd album was co-produced by DeVille with legendary saxophonist STEVE DOUGLAS.

NOTE: Both albums in the UK album and USA sported 10 cuts - but the US version had a different track run to the UK variant on Side 2 only. The US version replaced the UK “Mazurka” track with "Turn You Every Way But Loose" – both of these songs are on this compilation (Tracks 18 and 19). This CD therefore offers 7 remastered tracks out of a total of 11 across the UK and US variants.

The 8-page booklet has detailed and very affectionate liner notes by BEN EDMONDS while the inlay beneath the see-through CD tray pictures single and album sleeves from all over the world - a nice touch. While the wonderful "Spanish Stroll" is a great opener, it's not until you reach "The Immortals" singing their doo-wop back up vocals on "Mixed Up Shook Up Girl" that you really start to hear how good the sound quality is - this is a beautifully remastered disc. The cover of John "Moon" Martin's "Cadillac Walk" is punchy as hell too, while the big slide intro for "Venus Of Avenue D" sounds so muscular - a cool street hustle beat that is so Lou Reed it's brilliant (lyrics above).

His 3rd album benefited enormously from a like-minded soul when DeVille co-wrote many of its songs with the legendary DOC POMUS - "Just To Walk That Little Girl Home" and the almost Spector feel to "You Just Keep Me Holding On" are lovely (Steve Douglas who worked with Spector in the Sixties probably made sure of that huge sound).  Another little gem is "Bad Boy" - a typically cool cover; it was a hit for a Rhythm 'n' Blues Vocal Group called THE JIVE BOMBERS in 1957 on Savoy; it was subsequently used on the soundtrack to the 1983 movie "Breathless". 

Niggles - it's a damn shame that Cabretta's Side 2 opener "Can't Do Without It" which also features The Immortals isn't on here - and another gem "Steady Drivin' Man" from "Return To Magenta" is missing too, but it's good for UK buyers to have "Turn You Every Way But Loose" which was exclusive to the original US LP (see above). Ok - so eight tracks across the 3 albums are missing and when you check the seventy minute playing time, a couple more could have been thrown in easily - but dirt cheap online - "Cadillac Walk" is still stunning value for (peanuts) money.

DeVille then signed to Atlantic and produced two more albums "Coup De Grace" (1981) and "Where Angels Fear To Tread" (1983). Thereafter releases were sporadic but often brilliant - "Miracle" in 1988 with MARK KNOPFLER jumps to mind - it's long been a unspoken masterpiece in my mind and a hi-fi wet dream - while "Loup Garou" from 1996 saw him return to his more romantic troubadour persona but with honesty about his fatal drug-taking - I play both to this day and love them to bits (see review for "Miracle").

Aged only 56 - Willy De Ville sadly died of Pancreatic Cancer in August 2009 - another one of my heroes from the vinyl-days gone. I only have to hear "Hey Johnny! They lookin' for you man..." in "Spanish Stroll" and I'm beaming. This superb CD is a great way to remember him by… 

“The Complete Reprise Recordings 1971-’73” by CRAZY HORSE featuring Nils Lofgren, Danny Whitten and Jack Nitzsche (2006 Warner Brothers/Rhino 2CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…I Can Tell From Your Eyes That You've Probably Been Crying Forever…"

UK released May 2006 - “The Complete Reprise Recordings 1971-’73” by CRAZY HORSE on Warner Brothers/Rhino 8122-70144-2 (Barcode 081227014421) contains the 1st two albums of Neil Young's backing band CRAZY HORSE along with some excellent session outtakes (it was originally released as "Scratchy" in the USA). Here's a detailed breakdown...

Disc 1 (79:52 minutes):

1. Gone Dead Train [Side 1]

2. Dance, Dance, Dance

3. Look At The Things

4. Beggars Day

5. I Don’t Want To Talk About It

6. Downtown [Side 2]

7. Carolay

8. Dirty, Dirty

9. Nobody

10. I’ll Get By

11. Crow Jane Lady

Tracks 1 to 11 are their debut album "Crazy Horse" issued on Reprise Records RS 6438 in the USA in February 1971 and Reprise RSLP 6438 in the UK in early 1972.

Six album tracks were issued as 7" singles:

1. "Downtown" b/w "Crow Jane Lady" on Reprise 1007 in the USA in March 1971

2. "Dance, Dance, Dance" b/w "Look At All The Things" on Reprise RS 23503 in the UK and Reprise 1025 in the USA in July 1971

3. "Dirty, Dirty" b/w " "Beggars Day" on Reprise 1046 in the USA in October 1971 

The Band for "Crazy Horse" was:

DANNY WHITTEN - Guitar, Lead & Backing Vocals

NILS LOFGREN - Lead Guitar, Background Vocals, Lead on "Beggars Day"

JACK NITZSCHE - Piano, Backing Vocals, Lead on "Crow Jane Lady"

BILLY TALBOT - Bass, Backing Vocals

RALPH MOLINA - Drums, Backing Vocals, Lead on "Dance, Dance, Dance"

RY COODER plays slide guitar on "Dirty, Dirty", "Crow Jane Lady" and "I Don't Want To Talk About It"

GIL GILBEAU plays Fiddle on "Dance, Dance, Dance"

12. Hit And Run

13. Try

14. One Thing I Love

15. Move

16. All Alone Now

17. All The Little Things

18. Fair Weather Friend [Side 2]

19. You Won’t Miss Me

20. Going Home

21. I Don’t Believe It

22. Kind Of Woman

23. One Sided Love

24. And She Won’t Even Blow Smoke In My Direction

Tracks 12 to 24 are their 2nd album "Loose" issued on Reprise MS 2059 in the USA in January 1972 and Reprise K 44171 in the UK. "All Alone Now" b/w "One Thing I Love" was issued as a lone 7" single on Warner Brothers K 14159 in the UK and 1075 in the USA in February 1972.

The Band for "Loose" was:

GEORGE WHITSELL - Vocals, Guitars & Conga

GREG LEROY - Vocals, Guitars

JOHN BLANTON - Vocals, Keyboards, Cello, Harmonica

BILLY TALBOT - Bass & Vocals

RALPH MOLINA - Drums & Percussion, Vocals, Acoustic Guitar

Disc 2 (40:15 minutes):

1. Dirty Dirty (Alternate Version)

2. Scratchy (Takes 1 to 3)

3. Dear Song Singer

4. Downtown(Unedited Long version)

5. Susie’s Song (Takes 1 to 5)

6. When You Dance You Can Really Love

7. Radio Spot

The above 7 tracks include 5 outtakes from the 1st album, a previously unreleased 1973 version of Neil Young's "When You Dance You Can Really Love" (off his 1970 "After The Gold Rush" album) and a 1971 Promo-Only Radio Spot advertising their debut LP.

The reason I've listed both band line-ups is because it goes a long way to explaining why the first album was so good and the follow up so mediocre. On their debut Crazy Horse had three mercurial song-writing talents in Whitten, Nitzsche and Lofgren and even gleaned exclusive song contributions from Neil Young on "Dance, Dance, Dance" and a co-write on "Downtown". The album was rock one minute, folk the next, soulful also in places - in fact you felt that anything could happen with the different styles and talent - a little like the first 2 CSNY albums - mixed up styles yet somehow all slotting together as one cohesive whole. Rod Stewart famously covered the beautiful "I Don't Want To Talk About It" in 1977 and made it a Number 1 (lyrics above), while Dan McCafferty's raspy vocals delivered a stunning rocking cover of Jack Nitzsche's "Gone Dead Train" for Nazareth in 1978. But with the departure of the three powerhouse players and writers, the 2nd LP had seven of its 14 songs written by newcomer Whitsell and came across as very ordinary country rock LP with little or none of its predecessor's flourish.

The compilation was produced by ANDY SAX, the 28-page booklet has great band photos by JOEL BERNSTEIN, a superlative essay by BARRY ALFONSO which features contributions from co-producer BRUCE BOTNICK and band members for both albums, Molina and Talbot. The remastering has been handled by long-time Rhino tape engineer DAN HERSCH and is typically great - warm and clear - better than the Warner Archives CD of the first album put out in 1994.

But the big surprise is the quality of the outtakes - "Dirty, Dirty" is an excellent alternate version, while "Scratchy" features Takes 1 to 3 and lasts nearly 12 minutes - and although the vocals are lost in the mix for a couple of takes, it's still a great listen. "Dear Song Singer" features Whitten on Lead vocals at first with Nils following - it's very pretty.  But the big one is the near eleven-minute unedited long version of "Downtown" which feels like a Neil Yong guitar workout - fabulous stuff. "Susie's Song" is Nils Lofgren at the piano unaccompanied and it's a peach too - like eavesdropping on the formation of a lovely melody. You could probably live without the one minute Radio Spot though...

So there you have it - a rather excellent reissue really and even if it is a bit pricey and that 2^nd album a tad patchy - it's highly recommended... 

This review is part of my SOUNDS GOOD Book Series - Exceptional CD Remasters...
Available on Amazon as an e-Book with nearly 300 other reviews (Book 2 of 3 Volumes)...