"Eddie Money" by EDDIE MONEY (January 2013 Rock Candy ‘Remastered & Reloaded’ CD Reissue - Jon Astley Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Two Tickets To Paradise..."

Ex New York City Cop and raspy vocalist EDDIE MONEY (Eddie Mahoney) produced a slew of albums for Columbia Records (CBS in the UK) between 1978 and 1992. But his reputation as one of the great Ian Hunter Rock 'n' Roller-types rests on his first four albums - which America's 'Rock Candy Records' have chosen to reissue in 2013 as 'Collector's Editions Remastered & Reloaded'.

I bought the vinyl LPs at the time and loved every good time minute of them. In fact I worked with a band in Dublin called 'Rogue Angel' who used to cover several of his tunes in their brill residency at Toner's Bar in Baggot Street (great memories). But frankly the quality of Money's songs began to taper off by his third platter "Playing For Keeps" in August 1980 and "No Control" in July 1982 wasn't a whole lot better. For me there's only ever been this - his rattling "Eddie Money" debut from late 1977 and the upbeat follow-up "Life For The Taking" released Stateside in January 1979. Two Tickets To Paradise indeed - here are the Rock and Roll Stars...

USA released January 2013 - "Eddie Money" by EDDIE MONEY on Rock Candy Records CANDY172 (Barcode 5055300356567) is a straightforward Remaster of his 1977 US Debut LP with upgraded booklet and plays out as follows (39:46 minutes):

1. Two Tickets To Paradise [Side 1]

2. You've Really Got A Hold On Me

3. Wanna Be A Rock 'n' Roll Star

4. Save A Little Love In Your Heart For Me

5. So Good To Be In Love Again

6. Baby Hold On [Side 2]

7. Don't Worry

8. Jealousys

9. Got To Get Another Girl

10. Gamblin Man

Tracks 1 to 10 are his Debut studio album "Eddie Money" - released October 1977 in the USA on Columbia PC 34909 and March 1978 in the UK on CBS Records S CBS 82434. Produced by BRUCE BOTNIK (of The Doors fame) and Recorded/Engineered by ANDY JOHNS - it peaked at No. 37 on the US LP charts in the summer of 1978 (didn't chart UK).

Musicians:

EDDIE MONEY - Lead Vocals, Piano and Harmonica

JIMMY LYON - Guitar

ALAN PASQUA, RANDY NICHOLS and FREDDIE WEBB - Keyboards

LONNIE TURNER and BOB 'Pops' POPWELL - Bass

GARY MALLABER and KEVIN CALHOUN - Percussion

GARY MALLABER – Drums all on all tracks except those listed below

GENE PARDUE - Drums on "Wanna Be A Rock 'n' Roll Star", "Don't Worry", and "Gamblin Man"

Guests:

JO BAKER - Second Vocal on "Baby Hold On"

TOM SCOTT - Tenor and Alto Sax on "You've Really Got A Hold On Me" and "Jealousys"

The 12-page booklet is pretty to look at - live photos from the period - repro's of the Japanese and US singles for "Two Tickets To Paradise", a 'Big Bucks' Eddie Money ten-dollar memorabilia banknote, a Columbia Records trade advert talking about the 'school of hard knocks' and new liner notes from HOWARD JOHNSON. Including 2012 interviews with Eddie about that heady time and how the two huge hits of "Two Tickets To Paradise" and "Baby Hold On" broke the album on American Radio – Money stated his intentions from the outset and how! EM wanted to be a 'Rock and Roll Star' – pursuing that end no matter what. So a lot of the songs are self-explanatory and also show there was a lot of jealousy from others on the scene at the time because he actually got there – albeit after years of gig and plugging graft.

Although released in the autumn of 1977 – "Eddie Money" didn’t dent the US Top 200 until the first week of July in 1978 where it began a slow climb to eventually peak at No. 39 - staying on chart for an impressive 46 weeks. It was the beginning EM needed because the second platter "Life For The Taking" would go Top 20 in 1979 - peaking at No. 17. Fans will also know that less than a handful of tracks from "Eddie Money" have been available on a 'Greatest Hits' set as Remasters and that this is the first time the entire album has been done (ditto for the other three). There are no lyrics and its hugely disappointing that there isn't 'anything' extra by way of bonus material - but at least the Audio makes up for those shortcomings...

Experienced Audio Engineer JON ASTLEY (The Who, Pete Townshend, Tears For Fears, The Boomtown Rats, Bad Company and more) has handled the 24-bit Digital Remaster from original tapes at 'Close To The Edge' Mastering in Twickenham, England - and this sucker 'rocks' for all the right reasons. How good is it to hear songs like the Soulful cover of Smokey Robinson's Motown classic "You've Really Got A Hold On Me" and the Oh God I've been working so hard barroom bar-band sweat of "Wanna Be A Rock 'n' Roll Star" sound this good...

The album opens with a bopping Rock winner "Two Tickets To Paradise" – an EM original about waiting to talk his gal on a trip – get away from the grim reality of the big city choke. His Soulful cover of the Smokey Robinson and The Miracles classic "You've Really Got A Hold On Me" is a fantastic groove brought to life by a trio - his passionate vocals, Jimmy Lyons on Guitar and Tom Scott sailing over the whole thing with those cool Saxophone notes. Songwriter Chris Solsberg would co-write a lot with Eddie on the 1979 "Life For The Taking" LP - for the debut he throws in another cracking 'rocker' - the mission statement "Wanna Be A Rock 'n' Roll Star". It's garage vocals and guitars sound brill on the Remaster. "Save A Little Room In Your Heart For Me" is the big ballad - a keyboard led pleader that reminds me of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers when they'd hit you with a 'touching' melody you weren't expecting amidst all the American riffage. Side 1 ends on a wicked co-write with Jimmy Lyon - the dancing castanets of "So Good To Be In Love Again" - a hugely likeable song that could easily have been another radio hit.

Side 2 opens with the album's other winner - the catchy "Baby Hold On". It entered the US singles charts in April 1978 eventually rising to No. 11 - staying on the charts for eleven weeks ("Two Tickets To Paradise" followed in July 1978 peaking at No. 22). The next EM/Jimmy Lyon song "Don't Worry" sounds like a different band in ways while the wrongly-spelt "Jealousys" gets back to hooky business in a big way. Eddie goes all Jimi Hendrix with the doubled-vocal and guitar opening of "Got To Get Another Girl" - another song about a Rock 'n' Roller who can't control her (oh dear). "Gamblin Man" is co-written with Dan Alexander of The Rockets and ends the album on an upbeat Rock bopper. 

After years in the Rock 'n' Roll wilderness (he'd been gigging since 1974) – his second platter "Life For The Taking" (which I’ve also reviewed) only consolidated the strides EM made on his self-titled debut.

Despite the lack of extras and that greedy full-price tag - this is a stone 5-star CD remaster of "Eddie Money" and I recommend you 'Save A Little Room In Your Heart' for Eddie Mahoney's Rock 'n' Roll charms...

The January 2013 Rock Candy Records CD Remasters for EDDIE MONEY are:

1. Eddie Money (October 1977 debut LP) - Rock Candy CANDY172 (Barcode 5055300356567)

2. Life For The Taking (January 1979 2nd LP) - Rock Candy CANDY173 (Barcode 5055300356574)

3. Playing For Keeps (August 1980 3rd LP) - Rock Candy CANDY174 (Barcode 5055300356581)

4. No Control (July 1982 4th LP) - Rock Candy CANDY175 (Barcode 5055300356598)

"Who's next: Deluxe Edition" by THE WHO (April 2003 MCA/Chronicles 2CD Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Sing My Song Out To The Infinite Sea…"

I can remember as a teenager seeing the album cover to "Who's Next" in a record shop on Talbot Street in Dublin in the late summer of 1971. I laughed out loud. There was our favourite Rock Reprobates pissing up against a concrete monolith in the middle of some slag heap somewhere (only The Who!) I knew I had to own it. And like so many other fans of Seventies Classic Rock - I've been in love with this deceptively deep album for over 40 years - to a point where I've something like 7 different pressings of it on vinyl alone.

Which brings us by swift of shore and bend of bay to this fabulous 2CD DELUXE EDITION celebration of "Who's Next" - which only makes me want to wee-wee my initials on even bigger walls. So here are the new bosses, marital bargains and the Baba O'Riley behind those blue eyes...

UK released April 2003 - "Who's Next: Deluxe Edition" by THE WHO on MCA/Chronicles 088 113 056-2 (Barcode 008811305628) is a 2CD Reissue and Remaster that breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (79:30 minutes):

1. Baba O'Riley

2. Bargain

3. Love Ain't For Keeping

4. My Wife

5. The Song Is Over

6. Getting In Tune [Side 2]

7. Gong Mobile

8. Behind Blue Eyes

9. Won't Get Fooled Again

Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "Who's Next" - their 6th album released August 1971 in the UK on Track Records 2408 102 and Decca DL 79182 in the USA (CD Disc 1 uses the Track logo while Disc 2 uses Decca)

NEW YORK RECORD PLANT SESSIONS - BONUS TRACKS

10. Baby Don't You Do It

A band fave - a cover version of Marvin Gaye's Tamla Hit recorded 16 March 1971 with LESLIE WEST of MOUNTAIN guesting on Guitar - runs to 8:20 minutes

11. Getting in Tune [Previously Unreleased Alternate Version]

12. Pure And Easy

The 'Original Version' recorded 17 and 18 March 1971. A later different version turned up on the 1974 compilation LP "Odds And Sods"

13. Love Ain't For Keeping [Alternate Version recorded 17 March 1971. First appearance was on the extended CD of "Odds And Sods" in 1998

14. Behind Blue Eyes - this 'Original Version' recorded 17 and 18 March 1971 features AL KOOPER on Organ

15. Won't Get Fooled Again [Previously Unreleased] - an early version of the full album version at 8:46 minutes - it features a different synth pattern to the released version

Disc 2 (74:51 minutes):

1. Love Ain't For Keeping

2. Pure And Easy

3. Young Man Blues

4. Time Is Passing

5. Behind Blue Eyes

6. I Don't Even Know Myself

7. Too Much Of Anything

8. Getting in Tune

9. Bargain

10. Water

11. My Generation

12. Road Runner

13. Naked Eye

14. Won't Get Fooled Again

Tracks 1 to 14 are all PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED except for "Naked Eye" which appeared on the 1974 compilation LP "Odds And Sods". All tracks were recorded live 26 April 1971 in front of an invited audience at The Young Vic Theatre in South London. "Young Man Blues" and "Road Runner" are Mose Allison and Bo Diddley cover versions. "I Don't Even Know Myself" turned up in studio form as the non-album B-side to the UK and US 7" single edit of "Won't Get Fooled Again". A studio version of "Water" was eventually released as the non-album B-side to the "Quadrophenia" single "5:15".

The oversized 28-page booklet has an introduction from Pete Townshend about his beloved "Lifehouse" project that eventually became the album, a poster from their concert at London's Rainbow Theatre, period photos of the band in full on-stage flight, an in-depth history by Who expert JOHN ATKINS, track-by-track details and even a photo of KEITH MOON in ladies underwear (an alternate album cover). ANDY MacPHERSON and JON ASTLEY have carried out the remixes and remasters at Close To The Edge and they rock - full of muscle - perfectly capturing the sheer sonic power of the band. Two examples of where this is most evident is the amazing rocking work outs of "Baby Don't You Do It" on Disc 1 and "Water (Live)" on Disc 2 - wow!

While plaudits always go to the cool "Baba O'Riley" opener on Side 1 bookended by the monster Who anthem "Won't Get Fooled Again" playing out Side 2 - I've always loved those album tracks in-between. "Love Ain't For Keeping" and "The Song Is Over" both showed the depth of Townshend's writing and Roger Daltrey's raspy vocals. That same Rock soulfulness permeates both "Getting In Tune" and the ache/anger that runs through "Behind Blue Eyes". And the brass break in John Entwistle's acidic "My Wife" still kicks you in the teeth. Can't really resist the "beep beep!" and brilliant treated guitar on "Going Mobile" either - what an album.

The Live Disc opens with an incendiary take of "Love Ain't For Keeping" with the band sounding confident - ripping into great new material. I like the plaintive "Too Much Of Anything" which features NICKY HOPKINS on piano and the jangly "Naked Eye". It ends on a barnstorming "Won't Get Fooled Again" with the audience left in shock and awe.

"I sing my heart out to the infinite sea..." - Roger Daltrey wails on "The Song Is Over". There's a scene in "The Greater Fool" - Episode 10 in Series One of Aaron Sorkin's brilliant TV Show "The Newsroom". I wrote about it in a book of poems I put out this year called "My Broken Heart (75 Days In The NHS)" about a Quad Bypass I had that took a tad longer than I would have liked. The News Anchorman Will McAvoy (played brilliantly by Jeff Daniels) has tried to commit suicide after a public drubbing and a series of bad events - and he's laid low in a hospital. But his crew from the TV station are with him trying to talk him back to work to report on a story of the Democrats shafting elderly voters out of their voting rights by using 'voter fraud' as an excuse. The opening chords and riff of "Baba O'Riley" by THE WHO begins to play in the background - Will leaps out bed - gotta go back to work - gotta report on this...he's back. I cried my sappy Irish eyes out in my own side room in Whipps Cross Hospital. What other band can elicit this? When you're back's against the wall - can you always rely on The Who?

What is it about this Rock Band that makes so many of us weak at the knees? The sheer British balls-to-the-wall of it all - the life force coursing through their tunes - or is it the uplifting centre that brings you back - again and again. I don't know - but God bless 'em anyway. And here's to 40 more years of naughty boys whizzing all over public structures in our politically correct straightjacket world...

PS: you should buy this reissue...

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"Live At Leeds: Deluxe Edition" by THE WHO (2001 Polydor 2CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 100s Of Others Is Available in my

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"...When A Young Man Walks By..."

Even after 20 years of handling vinyl rarities in Reckless - and 40 years trawling records racks as an overgrown manchild who should know better by now - you never quite get over handling an intact copy of The Who's fabulous "Live At Leeds" LP in its original British vinyl form. It's simply a thing of beauty and unbridled Rock lust.

Released May 1970 on Track 2406 001 - it had only six tracks - none of which were listed on the rear and came housed in a flimsy flippy-floppy buff brown gatefold card sleeve with the title stamped on it like a crate of bananas bound for the docks. But when you opened this official Track Records release (deliberately made to look like a 'bootleg' as an antidote to the opulence of the "Tommy” double-album from May 1969) - it housed two pocket pouches – the LP on the right and on the left - 12 of the coolest inserts you'd ever seen inside a glassine see-through greaseproof bag. One of these ephemera inserts was the foldout 'Maximum R&B At The Marquee' poster of Pete Townshend and his 1964 guitar giving it some scrunched-up flying welly - while another had a from-behind-shot of PT in front of the huge Woodstock audience in 1969 holding up his guitar like it was a holy offering of some kind. You then noticed the white label of the LP that told you in script that they were doing covers of Eddie Cochran's "Summertime Blues" and the Johnny Kidd & The Pirates 60ts belter "Shakin' All Over" (both of which made absolute sense in your head) and on Side 2 when you flipped it over that there was a 15-minute version of "My Generation"!

It was enough to make any young buck tremble – weak at the knees even at the mere thought of it. And decades later - when you returned to "Live At Leeds" yet again - in need of a proper riffage wigout in the comfort of your suburban Audio Mancave - Hell you'd even forgive the staples on the edges that rusted and discoloured the sleeve as the years past. As I say – The Who’s "Live At Leeds" has always been a thing of wonderment and fantasmagoricalness...

Which brings us to this glorious and well thought-out September 2001 33-Track 2CD 'Deluxe Edition' Reissue - itself substituting the February 1995 'Expanded Edition' single CD version of 14-tracks. Although some argue it's still 'not complete' – this version purports to offer the first release of the full 14 February 1970 concert at Leeds University – tagging on the whole of the double-album "Tommy" on Disc 2 in a best-ever live performance of something they'd played over 130 times on an extensive US tour. Throw in the careful digital restoration (supervised by Townshend) and semi-removal of the famous 'master tape crackles' and you can't help but feel that a good thing has only been made better – and how. Here are the maximum details...

UK released 1 October 2001 (24 September 2001 in the USA) - "Live At Leeds: Deluxe Edition" by THE WHO on Polydor 112 618-2 (Barcode 008811261825) is a 2CD Reissue with 18 Previously Unreleased Tracks that features the first release of the complete 14 February 1970 Leeds University concert (including the 1969 "Tommy" Double Album intact) and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (73:33 minutes):

1. Heaven And Hell

2. I Can't Explain

3. Fortune Teller

4. Tattoo

5. Young Man Blues *

6. Substitute *

7. Happy Jack

8. I'm A Boy

9. A Quick One, While He's Away

10. Summertime Blues *

11. Shakin' All Over *

12. My Generation *

13. Magic Bus *

Disc 2 (53:33 minutes):

1. Overture

2. It's A Boy

3. 1921

4. Amazing Journey

5. Sparks

6. Eyesight To The Blind (The Hawker)

7. Christmas

8. The Acid Queen

9. Pinball Wizard

10. Do You Think It's Alright?

11. Fiddle About

12. Tommy Can You Hear Me?

13. There's A Doctor

14. Go To The Mirror

15. Smash The Mirror

16. Miracle Cure

17. Sally Simpson

18. I'm Free

19. Tomorrow's Holiday Camp

20. We're Not Gonna Take It

NOTES:

"Live At Leeds" was released 3 May 1970 in the UK on Tracks Records 2406 001 and 16 May 1970 in the USA on Decca DL 79175 (peaked at No. 3 and No. 4 on the UK and US album charts). The six songs marked * on Disc 1 are the original 1970 LP - to sequence it from CD 1 use the following track numbers:

Side 1: Young Man's Blues (5)/Substitute (6)/Summertime Blues (10)/Shakin' All Over (11)

Side 2: My Generation (12)/Magic Bus (13)

Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9 on Disc 1 and Tracks 4 and 5 from Disc 2 were first released as part of the February 1995 14-song single CD reissue of “Live At Leeds” on Polydor 527 169-2. Fans will note that Disc 1 here has only 13-tracks instead of 14 – that’s because the double of "Amazing Journey/Sparks" from the 1995 disc has been moved for this 2001 reissue as two separate songs to Disc 2 to facilitate a correct running order of "Tommy". All 18 other tracks on Disc 2 are Previously Unreleased.

Those famous 12 inserts are spread across the six flaps within the chunky foldout digipak (including under the see-through CD trays) with the 'Maximum R&B' Poster for their Tuesday residency at the Marquee in 90 Wardour Street gracing page 27 of the 28-page booklet. Before that is a track-by-track appraisal in new liner notes from CHRIS CHARLESWORTH – a superb breakdown of the original packaging by Who enthusiast RICHARD EVANS and the whole caboodle has been overseen by long-time Who archivist and Reissue man JON ASTLEY. There are many Black and White period photos of the individual band members in full-on live mode as well as typed lyrics to “My Generation”. Obsessives like me will know that uber-rare 1st pressing originals of the British LP had the title stamped in black lettering up in the right corner - second pressings came in Blue and Red type. This 2001 'Deluxe Edition' 2CD set opts for the blue lettering embossed into the front sleeve with an attached greaseproof title sheet stuck onto the rear (if you don’t get the outer plastic slipcase).

But the big news is yet another sonic go-round that adds rather fudges. The Remixes and Remasters have been supervised by PETE TOWNSHEND and carried out by Engineer ANDY MacPHERSON and JON ASTLEY at Close To The Edge Studios – and the results are as close to perfect as you can get for such a notoriously crude recording. All the power of the band seems to have been realised here without too much compression or compromise. It’s a cliché I know – but this reissue does truly rock – the sheer sonic excitement of the band during “Magic Bus” is breathtaking and won’t cost you one hundred English pounds...

It opens with a cover of Mose Allison's Jazz Swing song "Young Man Blues" turned into a Who Rocker and you're immediately clobbered by the clarity of both Townshend's guitar and the confident strut of Daltrey's vocals - huge and attacking in all the right ways. It's followed by Townshend's witty 'three hit singles from our past' banter before they launch into a two-minute version of "Substitute" where Mooney's huge drums have no crocodile tears and genuinely threaten your speakers with malevolent intent. 14 June 1970 saw Track Records UK edit down "Summertime Blues" into single form and along with a studio version of Entwistle's "Heaven And Hell" on the B-side release the band's 14th seven-inch single on Track 2094 002 (the US copy on Decca 32708 had "Here For More" as its flipside). That side ends with a Rocking and yet Funky rendition of "Shakin' All Over" - quivers down the backbone indeed.

But for me it's Side 2 with the extended the 15-minute "My Generation" and the near eight-minute "Magic Bus" that puts the LP into legend. Including bits from "Tommy" like an improvised "See Me Feel Me" and a Bass Solo - "My Generation" stills feel dangerous and anthemic - even at such a huge ambling length. The riffage of "Magic Bus" is explosive stuff and when the band finally does kick in - you know why people in the audience never forgot the experience of The Who in full flight. Of the extras I love "Tattoo" from "The Who Sell Out" LP - that perfect combo of melody and crashing pomp - while Entwistle's "Heaven And Hell" lets Pete riff away as if it was own song - a powerful set opener. But best of all is the witty mishmash that is "A Quick One, While He's Away" - a six-part musical Who tour-de-force about an unsuspecting girl guide and a not-so-innocent Ivor The Engine Driver with amazing vocals traded at the beginning and throughout. The booklet advises that after extensive research - the largely unreleased "Tommy" on CD2 is the best played version yet found and when you hear them tear through "The Acid Queen", "Pinball Wizard" and "I'm Free" - you're in no doubt that's no idle boast designed to beef up already overblown liner notes – it's actually true. Amazing stuff...

In May 2017 "Live At Leeds" by THE WHO will be 47 years young. And I have to say that this 2001 Deluxe Edition of it does that in-yer-face legend proud...

"Life For The Taking" by EDDIE MONEY (2013 Rock Candy ‘Remastered & Reloaded’ CD Reissue) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Can't Keep A Good Man Down..."

Ex New York City Cop and raspy vocalist EDDIE MONEY produced a slew of albums for Columbia Records (CBS in the UK) between 1978 and 1992. But his reputation as one the great Ian Hunter Rock 'n' Roller-types rests on his first four albums - which America's 'Rock Candy Records' have chosen to reissue in 2013 as 'Collector's Editions Remastered & Reloaded'.

I bought the vinyl LPs at the time and loved every good time minute of them - in fact I worked with a band in Dublin called 'Rogue Angel' who used to cover several of his tunes in their brill residency at Toner's Bar in Baggot Street (great memories). But frankly the quality of Money's songs began to taper off by his third platter "Playing For Keeps" in August 1980 and "No Control" in July 1982 wasn't a whole lot better. For me there's only ever been his rattling "Eddie Money" debut from late 1977 and this - it's brilliant and upbeat follow-up "Life For The Taking" released Stateside in January 1979. You 'can't keep a good man down' as they say - so here are the lifelike details...

USA released January 2013 - "Life For The Taking" by EDDIE MONEY on Rock Candy Records CANDY173 (Barcode 5055300356574) is a straightforward Remaster of the 1978 US LP with upgraded booklet and plays out as follows (40:41 minutes):

1. Life For The Taking

2. Can't Keep A Good Man Down

3. Nightmare

4. Gimme Some Water

5. Rock And Roll The Place

6. Maybe I'm A Fool [Side 2]

7. Love The Way You Love Me

8. Maureen

9. Nobody

10. Call On Me

Tracks 1 to 10 are his 2nd studio album "Life For The Taking" - released January 1979 in the USA on Columbia JC 35598 and March 1978 in the UK on CBS Records S CBS 83159. Produced by BRUCE BOTNIK (of The Doors fame) and Recorded/Engineered by ANDY JOHNS - it peaked at No. 17 on the US LP charts (didn't chart UK).

Musicians:

EDDIE MONEY - Lead Vocals, Piano and Harmonica

JIMMY LYON - Guitar

DAVID LINDLEY - Guitar on "Gimme Some Water"

LLOYD CHIATE and JOHN WHITNEY - Guitars on "Maybe I'm A Fool"

ALAN PASQUA and NICKY HOPKINS - Piano

GREGORY PHILLINGANES - Piano on "Maybe I'm A Fool"

JESSIE BRADMAN - Piano on "Rock And Roll The Place"

RANDY NICHOLS - Organ on "Rock And Roll The Place"

TOM SCOTT - Horns

LONNIE TURNER - Bass

TIM SHERIDAN - Bass on "Rock And Roll The Place"

GARY MALLABER - Drums

DAVE DANZA - Drums on "Rock And Roll The Place"

The 12-page booklet is pretty to look at - live photos from the period - repro's of Japanese and US singles, picture discs and new liner notes from HOWARD JOHNSON which include recent interviews with Eddie about that heady time (his debut had peaked at No. 39 but this album went Top 20 eventually peaking at No. 17 and lasting an impressive 26 weeks on the charts). Fans will know that only a couple of tracks from "Life For The Taking" have been available on a 'Greatest Hits' set as remasters - this is the first time the entire album has been done (ditto for the other three). There are no lyrics and its hugely disappointing that there isn't 'anything' extra but at least the Audio makes up for those shortcomings...

Experienced Audio Engineer JON ASTLEY (The Who, Pete Townshend, Tears For Fears, The Boomtown Rats, Bad Company and more) has handled the 24-bit Digital Remaster from original tapes at 'Close To The Edge' Mastering in Twickenham, England - and this sucker 'rocks' for all the right reasons. How good is it to hear songs like "Can't Keep A Good Man Down" and "Love The Way You Love Me" sound this good...

The album opens with the slow and weary-from-losing "Life For The Taking" - an Eddie Money original about his harsh upbringing in the big choke. Instant rush hits you with the fantastic 'rawk' of "Can't Keep A Good Man Down" - a song Money co-wrote with Dan Alexander of The Rockets and Chris Solsberg. This 'made some plans myself' thing kicks like a mule and that Jimmy Lyon Guitar solo roars out of your speakers ready to trample all over your apartment’s Feng Shui placements. The preposterously catchy "Nightmare" is a co-write Jimmy Lyon and features a riff many rock bands would nobble a close relative for. Upbeat riffage continues with Money's "Gimme Some Water" where our hero takes of guns and dead men on the Mexican Border (not that border rhymes with water you understand). Like a call to arms 'everybody' "Rock And Roll The Place" is a great Saturday Night booze and bands rocker and brings back great memories of doing just that in 1979.

After all the men-in-tight trousers Rock of the Side 1 - the flip-side opens with a disconcerting "Maybe I'm A Fool" - a stab at Rock-Soul that aims its Saxophone and Lush Strings firmly at the crossover Top 20 without really convincing either (arranged by Albhey Galuten). Things instantly improve with "Love The Way You Love Me" - a joyful Rock romp that actually has Soul in it - the Remaster lifting up that great solo. We enter Southside Johnny & The Asbury Dukes territory with the Tamla Motown bop of "Maureen" while its finishes with a wicked one-two sucker punch - a Funky "Nobody" and the big pleader ballad "Call On Me" where Eddie wants his girl to give him a tinkle on the blower when she's tired and feeling weak (any other time she can bugger off).

"Life For The Taking" only consolidated the strides Money made on his "Eddie Money" debut LP after years in the Rock 'n' Roll wilderness (he'd been gigging since 1974). Despite the lack of extras and that greedy full-price tag - this is a stone 5-star CD remaster and I recommend you 'Rock and Roll' your place with it right soon...

The January 2013 'Rock Candy Records' CD Remasters for EDDIE MONEY are:

1. Eddie Money (November 1977 debut LP) - Rock Candy CANDY172 (Barcode 5055300356567)

2. Life For The Taking (January 1979 2nd LP) - Rock Candy CANDY173 (Barcode 5055300356574)

3. Playing For Keeps (August 1980 3rd LP) - Rock Candy CANDY174 (Barcode 5055300356581)

4. No Control (July 1982 4th LP) - Rock Candy CANDY175 (Barcode 5055300356598)

"Bad Co." by BAD COMPANY (2015 Swan Song/Rhino 'Deluxe Edition' 2CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Yeah That’s The One!"

Rhino used to be a force in the reissue world – a label genuinely worth getting excited about. Then they seemed to lose the WEA contract that gave them so many superb reissue sets and for the last decade have treaded water with reissues of 'what they can do'. But since their excellent multiple issue of Van Morrison's "Moondance" and the equally brilliant Captain Beefheart 4CD Box Set "Sun Zoom Spark" – they’re back. This time we get two superb 2015 2CD 'Deluxe Editions' of classic rock gems from the Free/Mott The Hoople offshoot band BAD COMPANY - their "Bad Co." debut from 1974 and the equally brill follow-up "Straight Shooter" from 1975. And both are hoisted up by their tight pants with genuinely exciting Remasters and lots of Previously Unreleased outtakes actually worth owning. Here are the bad boy details…

UK released April 2015 – "Bad Co." by BAD COMPANY on Swan Song/Rhino 081227955540 (Barcode is the same number) is a 2CD 'Deluxe Edition' Remaster and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (34:58 minutes):

1. Can't Get Enough

2. Rock Steady

3. Ready For Love

4. Don't Let Me Down

5. Bad Company [Side 2]

6. The Way I Choose

7. Movin' On

8. Seagull

Tracks 1 to 8 are their debut LP "Bad. Co." – released June 1974 in the UK on Island ILPS 9279 and Swan Song SS 8410. It went to No. 3 in the UK and No. 1 in the USA.

Disc 2 (61:49 minutes):

1. Can't Get Enough (Take 8)

2. Little Miss Fortune (Demo Reel 1)

3. The Way I Choose (Demo Reel 1)

4. Bad Company (Session Reel 2)

5. The Way I Choose (Version 1 including False Start)

6. Easy On My Soul (Long Version)

7. Bad Company (Session Reel 8, Take 2)

8. Studio Chat/Dialogue

9. Superstar Woman (Long Version)

10. Can't Get Enough (7" Single Edit) (Non-Album Version - UK 7" single released May 1974 on Island WIP 6191)

11. Little Miss Fortune (Non-Album B-side to "Can't Get Enough" - UK 7" single released May 1974 on Island WIP 6191)

12. Easy On My Soul (Non-album B-side to "Movin' On" - US 7" single released January 1975 on Swan Song SS-70101)

13. Can't Get Enough (Hammond Version)

NOTES: all tracks on Disc 2 are Previously Unreleased except 10, 11 and 12 that first appeared in March 1999 on the 2CD set "The 'Original' Bad Co. Anthology" on Elektra.

The 20-page booklet is excellent – liner notes from Free expert DAVID CLAYTON that fill in all the blanks about Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke from Free, Mick Ralphs from Mott The Hoople and Boz Burrell from King Crimson. The two-page centrespread features trade adverts for the album's launch, the UK debut single "Can't Get Enough" and 1974 British tour dates. There's Spanish, Dutch, French, German and Japanese pictures sleeves for "Can't Get Enough" (all different) as well as the US debut 45 "Movin' On" on Swan Song. The British inner gatefold of Hipgnosis photos (live shots with their names beneath) and American inner gatefold artwork (a head shot of the band – no names) are featured on Pages 2 and 3 and Pages 18 and 19 respectively (they differed). There are song-by-song explanations of the 13 Bonus Tracks - 10 are Previously Unissued outtakes – the other three non-album B-sides that first showed on CD in 1999. The potted history goes into meeting Zeppelin's manager Peter Grant, how the band's seeds were sown as early as 1971, their conquering on America right from the outset. Even the see-through CD trays have master tapes beneath them and the flaps are covered in cool memorabilia. It's very tastefully done…

JON ASTLEY has handled the Remasters and RICHARD DIGBY SMITH the mixes from for Disc 2 (done at Close To The Edge in November 2014). They’ve had access to the original multi-track production tapes and does it show – always a slightly odd sounding album – like it could have been better – here we get real muscle and power. Tracks like "Rock Steady" is startling and the utterly infectious - "Movin' On" is the same.

The album opens with a total winner and obvious single "Can't Get Enough" – it made 15 in the UK but like the album went top five with a bullet in the USA (no 1 on Cashbox's chart). In fact as the liner notes state – five of the eight tracks here still get played on American FM – "Rock Steady", "Bad Company" and "Movin' On" being amongst them. The "Ready For Love" track has huge punch now and Rodgers plays all instruments on "Seagull". Mel Collins plays Saxophone on "The Way I Choose" while 60ts gals Sue and Sunny provide backing vocals to the hurting "Don't Let Me Down". Mick Ralph's axework throughout all eight numbers is the business – economic and to the point (he adds  keyboard work to "Ready For Love") while Rodgers has one of the best voices in the business and that rhythm section gels like a well-oiled machine. What a winner for a raw debut LP – and 1975's "Straight Shooter" was even better in my book...

You get a true sense of what a great band they were from Track 1 of Disc 2 – a rollicking Take 8 of "Can't Get Enough" that has wicked studio chatter and a slightly different vocal to the finished item (this is thrilling stuff and feels like a real discovery). The demo reel of the B-side "Little Miss Fortune" is an early version and is therefore only o.k. – a band searching for something but not quite there yet. Still when you hear the finished article (Track 11 on Disc 2) – you realise how much they polished that thing to make it swing (very impressive). I actually prefer the Demo Reel 1 of "The Way I Choose" which extends the polished album cut from 5:06 to 6:40 minutes. There's just something more soulful in its raw delivery – his simply vocals and those wicked guitars give it a mini epic feel. Mick Ralphs also gets to solo more as it fades out which is tremendous stuff (someone excitedly shouts "...that was great man!" at the end of the take).

"Bad Company" from Session Reel 2 features more piano up front and again I can't stop playing the sucker over the LP cut. FREE fans will know "Easy On My Soul" from their last studio album "Heartbreaker" when it first appeared on Side 2 in late 1972 (another great Paul Rodgers song). Here we get a thrilling Bad Co 'long version' of the single B-side version recorded during the "Straight Shooter" sessions in November 1974 (it's the flip of the second single "Movin' On"). Because it stretches to 6:15 minutes as opposed to the single version at 4:41 minutes (single version is Track 12) – Rodgers gets to vamp it up with his vocals. What's also noticeable is the huge improvement in sound quality that came with the 'Shooter' sessions – this thing sounds amazing. That melodic change where he sings "...I want to tell you my story…I want to tell you I’m flying…" is just so damn good and Ralphs plays a guitar blinder on it (this outtake is undoubtedly a real highlight on here). "Bad Company" is Take 2 and with the next version being the one used for the album – the band is in full swing – and at 5:33 minutes swaggers along in that sexy Bad Co way. "Studio Chat/Dialogue" clocks in at just 23 seconds and is a discussion about high-hats and dogs!

"Superstar Woman" originally appeared as a Previously Unreleased album outtake (recorded Nov 1973) on the 1999 2CD Set "The 'Original' Bad Co Anthology" on Elektra Records. That version was cut to fit - here we get the unedited 'Long Version' at 6:11 minutes. It has a duet vocal between Rodgers and Ralphs in portions and is another winner. The 7" single edit of "Can't Get Enough" cuts the LP version down from 4:15 to 3:30 minutes with an early fade. It was issued May 1974 in the UK on Island WIP 6191 and on Swan Song SS-70015 in the USA - announcing the album with a ballsy kick. Both "Little Miss Fortune" and "Easy On My Soul" are non-album B-sides ("Easy On My Soul" was the flip of "Movin' On" in the USA on Swan Song SS 70101) and easily as good as anything on the album – and in my not so humble opinion actually better (they sound brill too). It ends on a great curio – a Hammond Organ version of "Can't Get Enough" which runs to 4:41 minutes. They've taken the final album master and mixed in a Hammond Organ into the background for our delectation (mostly to the right of the speakers) and I'm digging it big time.

"...Yeah that's the one..." – Bad Company are heard to shout at the end of that 'Hammond Organ' version of "Can’t Get Enough" on Disc 2. Too damn right. Along with "Straight Shooter" (see separate review) – these are the best Rhino Deluxe Editions I've had the pleasure of hearing in years. Way to go boys…and more please...

"Classic Album Selection: Six Albums 1977-1984" by THE BOOMTOWN RATS (2013 6CD Box Set With 2005 Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Happy Mondays…" 

Almost a tale of two cities - the three Seventies CDs in this mini box set rock - and a lot better than many would want to credit. But the three Eighties CDs that follow are only redeemed by occasional great singles with the rest of it smothered in dreadful Eighties Production techniques and a distinct lack of tunes. Still it's presented well (gatefold card repro sleeves) - all discs feature the 2005 JON ASTLEY Remasters (he did THE WHO catalogue) - and all have retained their bonus tracks. And at fifteen quid from some online retailers - it's cheap too. Time to do the rat...

Released October 2013 - "Classic Album Selection: Six Albums 1977-1984" is a 6CD Box set on Universal/Mercury 374 275-7 (Barcode 602537427574) and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 - "The Boomtown Rats" - 56:29 minutes:

1. Lookin' After No. 1

2. Mary Of The 4th Form

3. Close As You'll Ever Be

4. Neon Heart

5. Joey's On The Street Again

6. I Can Make It If You Can [Side 2]

7. Never Bite The Hand That Feeds

8. (She's Gonna) Do You In

9. Kicks

Tracks 1 to 9 are their debut album "The Boomtown Rats" released September 1977 in the UK on Ensign Records ENVY 1 and in the USA on Mercury SRM-1-1188.

To sequence the American LP use the following track listing - Side 1: 1, 4, 5, 7, 2 - Side 2: 8, 3, 6, 9

BONUS TRACKS:

10. Doin' It Right - 1975 Live Demo

11. My Blues Away - 1975 Live Demo

12. A Second Time - 1975 Live Demo

13. Fanzine Hero - 1975 Live Demo

14. Barefootin' - Live In Moran's Hotel Dublin, 1975

15. Mary Of The 4th Form - Single Version (November 1977 second UK 7" on Ensign ENY 9)

Disc 2 - "A Tonic For The Troops" - 50:13 minutes:

1. Like Clockwork

2. Blind Date

3. (I Never Loved) Eva Braun

4. Living In An Island

5. Don't Believe What You Read

6. She's So Modern [Side 2]

7. Me And Howard Hughes

8. Can't Stop

9. (Watch Out For) The Normal People

10. Rat Trap

Tracks 1 to 10 are their 2nd album "A Tonic For The Troops" released July 1978 in the UK on Ensign ENVY 3 and in the USA on Columbia JC 35750.

The US album was a mixtures of tracks from the first two albums - you can sequence it as follows - Side 1: 10, 7, 3, 4, 1 [Disc 2] - Side 2: 2, 2 of Disc 1, 5, 6, 5 of Disc 1

BONUS TRACKS:

11. Neon Heart - John Peel Session

12. Do The Rat - non-album track, B-side in the UK to both "Mary Of The 4th Form" in November 1977 on Ensign ENY 9 and "Rat Trap" in October 1978 on Ensign ENY 16)

13. D.U.N. L.A.O.G.H.A.I.R.E  (non-album track, Ireland-Only B-side in 1978 to "Like Clockwork" on Mulligan Records LUN 716. Dun Laoghaire is an area in South Dublin. The LUN in the catalogue number refers to DONAL LUNNY of THE BOTHY BAND who owned the label and Windmill Studios in Dublin where U2 recorded some of their earlier albums)

14. Rat Trap - Live In Stroke

Disc 3 - "The Fine Art Of Surfacing" - 53:03 minutes:

1. Someone's Looking At You

2. Diamond Smiles

3. Wind Chill Factor (Minus Zero)

4. Having My Picture Taken

5. Sleep (Finger's Lullaby)

6. I Don't Like Mondays [Side 2]

7. Nothing Happened Today

8. Keep It Up

9. Nice `N' Neat

10. When The Night Comes

Tracks 1 to 10 are their 3rd album "The Fine Art Of Surfacing" released October 1979 in the UK on Ensign ENROX 11 and in the USA on Columbia JC 36248

11. Episode No. 3

12. Real Different

13. How Do You Do? - non-album track, B-side to the UK release of "Like Clockwork" in June 1978 on Ensign ENY 14)

14. Late Last Night - non-album track, B-side to the UK release of "Diamond Smiles" in November 1979 on Ensign ENY 33

15. Nothing Happened Today - Live In Cardiff

Disc 4 - "Mondo Bongo" - 53:53 minutes:

1. Straight Up

2. The Elephant's Graveyard

3. This Is My Room

4. Another Piece Of Red

5. Hurt Hurts

6. Fall Down

7. Go Man Go

8. Under Their Thumb Is Under My Thumb

9. Banana Republic

10. Whitehall 1212

11. Mood Mambo

Note: The above 12 tracks are how this (2005) CD sequences the songs - however the original British and US LPs `both' had different song line ups. The British LP released December 1980 on Mercury 6359 042 can be sequenced as Side 1: 12, 1, 3, 4, 8 and 9 - Side 2: 6, 2, 10, 7, 5 and 11. The US album on Columbia PC 37062 replaces 11 ("Whitehall 1212") at the end of Side 2 with "Up All Night" which is on "V Deep"- Track 7, Disc 5.

BONUS TRACKS:

12. Cheerio

13. Don't Talk To Me -

14. Arnold Layne - Recorded For TV (Pink Floyd cover - Syd Barrett song)

15. Another Piece Of Red - Live In Portsmouth

Disc 5 - "V Deep" - 58:52 minutes:

1. He Watches It All

2. Never In A Million Years

3. Talking In Code

4. The Bitter End

5. The Little Death

6. A Storm Breaks

7. Up All Night

8. House On Fire

9. Charmed Lives

10. Skin On Skin

11. Say Hi To Mick

Tracks 1 to 11 are their 5th studio album "V Deep" released May 1982 in the UK on Mercury Records 6359 082

BONUS TRACKS:

12. No Hiding Place - non-album track, B-side to the UK 7" single of "Charmed Lives" released June 1982 on Mercury MER 106

13. House On Fire - 12" Dub

14. Up All Night - Long Version

Disc 6 - "In The Long Grass" - 55:09 minutes:

1. Dave

2. Over And Over

3. Drag Me Down

4. A Hold On Me Another Sad Story

5. Tonight Hard Times

6. Lucky

7. An Icicle In The Sun

8. Up Or Down

Tracks 1 to 8 are their 6th and final album "In The Long Grass" released December 1984 in the UK on Mercury Records MERL 38 and in the USA on Columbia PC 39335

BONUS TRACKS:

9. Dave - Single Version - released November 1984 in the UK on Mercury MER 179

10. Walking Downtown  - non-album track, B-side to the UK 12" single of "Tonight" released January 1984 on Mercury MERX 154

11. Precious Time - non-album track, B-side to the UK 7" and 12" single of "Tonight" released January 1984 on Mercury MER 154

12. She's Not The Best - Home Demo

Most fans will notice that each CD mirrors the 2005 JON ASTLEY Remasters (he handled The Who back catalogue) - they're the same and each has superb sound quality. Songs like "When The Night Comes" and "Kicks" sound amazing - full of power and muscle. Speaking of the first album - I've always thought a lot of Punk snobbery came into play when discussing the Rats in the beginning. I think it's a bit of a minor masterpiece of the time. I saw them live in Dublin and they were spitting at old Hippies a year before the Pistols had even debuted their "Never Mind" album. While the punky hits "Lookin' After No. 1" and "Mary Of The 4th Form" are well known - album nuggets like the venomous "(She's Gonna) Do You In", the Willie Nile sounding "Joey's On The Street Again" (with those fabulous guitar breaks towards the end) and best of all "I Can Make It If You Can" - not quite Rock - not Punk either - but somewhere in-between - a lonely Blues with a mean edge.

They went stratospheric with the smart "Tonic" album - a leap forward in songwriting talent and dare we say it - fun. "Blind Date" could well be The Clash on a rocker tip while the break-neck guitars of "Don't Believe What You Read" still stand up and virtually defined that `Rats' sound. But the album is dominated by three great singles - snotty punk wonders "Like Clockwork" and "She's So Modern" and of course the mighty and complicated "Rat Trap" - a British Number 1 in October 1978. The remaster rocks on all of them too.

"The Fine Art Of Surfacing" opens with of my favourites - the slyly infectious "Someone's Looking At You" while the lean guitars of "Diamond Smiles" comes on like Joe Jackson's "Look Sharp!" meets Elvis Costello's "My Aim Is True". "Nice `N' Neat" and the superbly musical "When The Night Comes" end the album in style (those acoustic guitars and keys to the fore like never before). And again the record is dominated by another huge single - "I Don't Like Mondays" - another Number 1 in 1979.

I can still remember the shock of the "Mondo Bongo" LP - I thought it was discordant rubbish. It quickly made the £1 bins only years later and was only saved by two good singles - "Banana Republic" and "The Elephant's Graveyard". Things improved with "V Deep" and tunes like "Never In A Million Years" and "House On Fire". But by the time they got to "In The Long Grass" no-one was listening anymore which is a damn shame because both "Dave" and "A Hold On Me" are excellent even if they're overcooked on the Eighties Production front. The rest of it is drowned in monster production trying to hard to impress.

It's not all genius by any means but when Bob Geldof and his gang hit those sweet notes - they made a racket that still stands up to this day. And I think I met Mary Of The 4th Form in Moran's Hotel in Dublin in 1979 at a Jimi Slevin gig - she was wearing a "Do The Rat" button and spitting at the bouncer on the door (luvverly)...