"Cosa Nostra Beck-Ola" aka "Beck-Ola" by THE JEFF BECK GROUP [feat ROD STEWART] (October 2006 Epic/Legacy 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...All Shook Up..."

While the Magritte painting of an apple on the front cover artwork roared "Beck-Ola" as the title to his second solo album after The Yardbirds - the flip-back rear and black and silver Columbia Records labels rather confusingly credited the LP as "Cosa Nostra Beck-Ola" by Jeff Beck and not a more accurate The Jeff Beck Group.

In fact, when you read the highly enlightening liner notes to this brilliant CD reissue (JB remembers with brutal precision) – it's a small wonder according to our main man that either album made it out anywhere. By his own admittance – his 1968 "Truth" album debut was recorded in four days flat while number two pushed out the studio recording time boat to a whopping six days in April 1969, both produced by Mickie Most who seemed hell-bent on moulding the pretty ex Yardbirds Guitarist Jeff Beck into the next David Cassidy popping out "Hi Ho Silver Lining" pop ditties until he puked - whilst at the same time being utterly contemptuous of the Hard Rock/Blues Rock Jeff Beck along with Zeppelin were creating in Blighty in that stunning year (1969).

The short 7-track record only materialised because a second US tour was imminent and new material was needed to support that trek – but they’d nothing. So out come the Elvis Presley covers – the instrumental jams, a throw in from Rod and Ronnie, a love song to his absent gal from Nicky and the beast is cobbled together with you suspect Victor Frankenstein standing over an acetate of SCX 6351 shouting "It's Alive! It's Alive!"

But my God look at this band – 50 years on and the line-up still raises hairs just looking at it. The barnstorming extraordinaire lungs of Rod Stewart, future Faces pal and Rolling Stones guitar man Ronnie Wood as the rhythm section Bass Player, the demure but brilliant sessionman Nicky Hopkins on keyboards (he didn’t do live too well), JB on Guitars of course and the uncouth Keith Moon madman that was Tony Newman on Drums. On paper it had the makings of a truly ginormous super-group like say Blind Faith or Derek & The Dominoes. But tempers, personality clashes, egos, mercurial talent and musical direction kiboshes (not playing Woodstock because they weren’t together enough as a band) quickly ripped the whole wild child apart. But cobbled together or not – and with four brilliant outtakes that elevate this disc properly upwards - man what a recorded legacy. Let's get all shook up...

UK released 10 October 2006 - "Cosa Nostra Beck-Ola" aka "Beck-Ola" by THE JEFF BECK GROUP on Epic/Legacy 82876 77351 2 (Barcode 886919829822) is an 'Expanded Edition' Digitally Remastered CD with Four Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows (48:41 minutes):

1. All Shook Up [Side 1]

2. Spanish Boots

3. Girl From Mill Valley

4. Jailhouse Rock

5. Plynth (Water Down The Drain) [Side 2]

6. The Hangman's Knee

7. Rice Pudding

Tracks 1 to 7 are his second studio LP "Cosa Nostra Beck-Ola" aka "Beck-Ola" by THE JEFF BECK GROUP - released July 1969 in the UK on Columbia SX 6351 (Mono) and Columbia SCX 6351 (Stereo) and August 1969 in the USA on Epic BN 26478 (Stereo Only). Produced by MICKIE MOST - it peaked at No. 15 in the US LP charts and No. 39 in the UK. It was reissued September 1971 in the UK as "The Most Of Jeff Beck" in different artwork on EMI's budget label Music For Pleasure MFP 5219. The CD uses only the STEREO mix.

BONUS TRACKS (All Previously Unreleased, PETER MEW mixes done in April 2003):

8. Sweet Little Angel

(B.B. King cover version recorded live in the studio 19 Nov 1968 at Mirasound Studios in New York, second version recorded that day with Mick Waller from the "Truth" line-up on Drums)

9. Throw Down A Line

(Hank Marvin cover recorded at Trident Studios, London, 7 February 1969)

10. All Shook Up (Early Version)

(Presley cover recorded at Abbey Road, London, 8 January 1969 – between the third and final album version)

11. Jailhouse Rock (Early Version)

(Presley cover recorded at De Lane Lea Studios early April 1969 on 4-Track)

The 16-page booklet isn't the most beautiful thing I've ever seen but it is very, very informative – sporting new liner notes from noted writer and music historian CHARLES SHAAR MURRAY with full-on contributions from the Guitar Maestro himself. You get black and white photos of JB in the studio and at Fillmore West in 1968 - Rodders in full microphone manhandling pose and another one of him looking ill at ease with a guitar strapped around him (what do I with this). JB recalls that Nicky Hopkins had a girlfriend at Mill Valley so he dedicated that song to her and his viewing of Drummer Newman tearing it up with Little Richard and Gene Vincent – convinced him that Tony was just the right kind of thug for the job of turning Motown into Rock-Soul or something thereabouts. The CD label has a pic of JB on it and the Rene Magritte painting of 'La Chambre d'Ecoute' that adorns the front sleeve of the album is used as the back inlay beneath the see-through CD tray.

Sony's long-standing Audio Engineer VIC ANESINI handles the LP while EMI/Abbey Road Sound Boffin PETER MEW carried out the fantastic remixes and Remasters on the unreleased session outtakes. Anesini has done hugely prestigious names – Presley, Paul Simon, Santana, Mott The Hoople, Nilsson, Spirit and loads more and his magic touch has brought all that latent power to the fore. This CD Rocks - threatening almost all of the time to get snotty, rowdy and salacious with your amp and speakers.

Keeping to his liner-notes promise of 'heavy music' contained within but in a new/old sort of hybrid form - Beck gets proceedings under way with a kick-em-in-the-teeth near five-minute cover of the Elvis classic "All Shook Up". Even the Early Version in the Bonuses feels electric - Rod in stunning vocal form repeating phrases and singing the song like its new. You can hear Beck, Hopkins and especially Wood on the Bass swinging as Rod roars "I'm in the mood for love..." with a proper swagger. Then it gets even heavier - Ronnie, Jeff and Rod getting writing credits on the ragged rocker "Spanish Boats". Rod got a day job in Bethlehem while Beck distorts that guitar and the ensemble kicks in just before two minutes with the impact of a truck (love that guitar vs. piano battle that ends the all-over-the-place Production). After the snot-nose statements of the two lead-in tracks, Nicky Hopkins gorgeous love song "Girl From Mill Valley" comes on like a magical instrumental interlude (I put on CD compilation as a sort of chill pill). But then its back to rocking business as they end Side One with "Jailhouse Rock" - a rough and ready version with Rod almost lost in the echoed vocals but Beck displaying hair-raising guitar chops (God what they must have been like live when they were ripping this sucker out).

Side 2 gives us some fab Alex Harvey dangerous and menacing riffage in "Plynth (Water Down The Drain)" – Hopkins, Wood and Rod credited as the writers. The Faces would return to it in a radically different slide-guitar form as "Around The Plynth" on their 1970 debut album "First Step" (the "Five Guys Walk Into A Bar..." Box Set for Faces contains an equally slasher take from a 1970 BBC Session version). All five get writing credits for the heavy-heavy bludgeon that is "The Hangman’s Knee" – a prison cell and lawyers tale of woe punctured by grungy guitar work from an unleashed JB. The 7:22 instrumental minutes of "Rice Pudding" was recorded 19 April 1969 and if any one track on the album screams Heavy Hard Rock – then this guitar-wailing drum-whacking riff-beast is it. But then at 3:18 minutes it cleverly mellows into Hopkins piano accompanied by long low slide notes from Beck panning from speaker to speaker until it eventually returns to the opening guitar slash. Even now it’s a bruiser – the kind of song that would be difficult to make in 2019 – and maybe that’s why I admire its ragged audio tangents so much (fantastic musicality in that fade out passage)...

As I've already pointed out, the Bonus Cuts elevate this CD Reissue into the stratosphere. Opening with an absolute blinder – a huge Blues take on B.B. King's "Sweet Little Angel" – Rod is in storming $20 bill form while the Beck led band sounds like the only serious rival Led Zeppelin ever had (shockingly good stuff). Even though he barely masks his loathing for Mickie Most and his Pop Single attempts - I like "Throw Down A Line" - not nearly as bad a tune as JB seems to think it is. The four-track "Jailhouse Rock" early version is tripping–over-itself ragged and I love it for that – ending a great sounding CD reissue on a high.

Beck would morph his musical journey into Prog Rock mixed with Jazz-Funk-Soul instrumentals that would by the George Martin Produced "Blow By Blow" and "Wired" LPs in 1975 and 1976 take the world by storm (check out his Stevie Wonder written Syreeta cover of "'Cause We Ended As Lovers" on "Blow By Blow"). But this is where the rough boy started, and 50 years on, this Granny Smith still slaughters...

"No More Heroes" by THE STRANGLERS (March 2018 Parlophone 'The Classic Collection' Expanded Edition CD Reissue - Peter Mew Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 300+ Others Is Available In My

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1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD - Volume 2 of 3 - Exceptional CD Remasters

As well as 1960s and 1970s Rock and Pop - It Also Focuses On

Folk, Folk Rock, Country Rock, Reggae, Punk and New Wave

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"...From Out Of Town..."

Although Amazon doesn't give this March 2018 CD Reissue a secondary title - 'The Classic Collection' Series by THE STRANGLERS encompasses the British Punk and New Wave band’s first seven albums on United Artists and Liberty Records - everything from their debut "IV - Rattus Norvegicus" in April 1977 through to "La Folie" in November 1981 (see full list below).

Each CD contains the same liner notes covering all seven albums in a 32-page booklet, but the booklets also provide original artwork, lyrics, additional period photos, picture sleeves and Extras. These are PETER MEW Remasters (probably done at Abbey Road) and as you can see from the list below - each comes with a generous amount of Bonus Tracks. Here are all the Dagenham Daves...from out of town...

UK and EUROPE released Friday, 2 March 2018 (9 March 2018 in the USA) - "No More Heroes" by THE STRANGLERS on Parlophone 0190295892548 (Barcode 0190295892548) is an Expanded Edition CD Reissue with Five Bonus Tracks. It is the second of seven CD titles in 'The Classic Collection' Reissue Series and plays out as follows (54:50 minutes):

1. I Feel Like A Wog [Side 1]

2. Bitching

3. Dead Ringer

4. Dagenham Dave

5. Bring On The Nubiles

6. Something Better Change

7. No More Heroes [Side 2]

8. Peasant In The Big Shi**y

9. Burning Up Time

10. English Towns

11. School Mam

Tracks 1 to 11 are their second studio album "No More Heroes" – released September 1977 in the UK on United Artists UAG 30200 and in the USA on A&M Records SP-4659. Produced by MARTIN RUSHENT – it peaked at No. 2 on the UK LP charts (didn’t chart in the USA).

ASSOCIATED RECORDINGS (Bonus Tracks):

12. Straighten Out – non-album B-side of "Something Better Change" – a July 1977 UK 7" single on United Artists UP 36277

13. In The Shadows - non-album B-side of "No More Heroes" – a September 1977 UK 7" single on United Artists UP 36300

14. 5 Minutes

15. Rok It To The Moon

Tracks 14 and 15 are the non-album A&B-sides of a January 1978 UK 7" single on United Artists UP 36350

16. No More Heroes (Edit) – a September 1977 UK 7" single 1-Side PROMO on United Artists FREE 8 sent out to UK DJs. The standard single is 3:25 minutes, this version is 2:58 minutes

THE STRANGLERS were:

HUGH CORNWELL – Guitar and Vocals

JEAN JACQUES BURNEL – Bass and Vocals

DAVE GREENFIELD – Keyboards

JET BLACK – Drums and Percussion

DAVID BUCKLEY – author of the band's official biography "No Mercy" published in 1997 by Hodder – has helmed the extremely detailed liner notes from Page 6 to 21 with the rest of the pages filled in by album artwork (rat looking up out of the wreath), photos of the band live, lyrics (including the non-album singles), a picture sleeve for "Something Better Change" and the usual original LP/CD reissue credits. It's very nicely done although it's obvious that diehard fans buying all seven CDs will be yawning at the repetition of liner-notes info and its odd that no-one involved with the reissue thought to feature the 1-sided UK promo of the "No More Heroes" as a picture/rarity (the album’s most famous song isn’t pictured as a single anywhere in the booklet).

But the Audio is fabulous (a Peter Mew Remaster), the price appears to be pitched at mid-price (less than a tenner and cheaper still if you look around) and it's frankly so good to see these underrated gems out there again in digital-land (they haven’t been available as Remasters since November 2001). Let’s get to the school Mam and controlling promiscuity after hours...

If the April 1977 "Rattus Norvegicus" debut album was a grubby and grimy skirt-grabber (look at all them peaches Jean) – the IV boys became even more sleazoid with LP number two - released only five months later in what was to be Punk’s most explosive year. The single "No More Heroes" was a monster – an anthem of the British New Wave and pummelled the album up the UK LP charts into No. 2 – two places better than the debut. There were few bands using the offensive word gollywog in a chorus – yet when The Stranglers do so - they come at you with a righteous anger felt by the disenfranchised as the Pimpo character in their pumping song makes them feel used and abused. The Audio is fantastic and when it then kicks into "Bitching" you can already hear that their songwriting was on fire – a killer tune that a clever ‘gospel truth’ chorus.

A huge Bass opens the so-cool "Dead Ringer" followed immediately by treated guitars that still sound exciting and fresh like Television and their masterpiece "Marquee Moon" (and don’t ask me what a conkeroonee stringer is?). From out of town, Dagenham Dave works the scaffolding during the day, spending his big bucks on drugs at night only to lose himself amidst the city creeps. Jean gives it some mock-German vocals on the uncomfortable "Bring On The Nubiles" – a tune where you feel the band is just a little too smarty pants for their own good. Better is the Side 1 finisher and obvious single - "Something Better Change" where the IV are impatient (ain’t got time to wait) and won’t mind sticking their fingers up your nose to get what they want.

Side 2 opens with a killer-double – the genre defining anthemic title track (Leon Trotsky got an ice-pick) and the studio version of "Peasant In The Big Shi**y". The delightfully-titled "Peasant..." had been one of the sides of the 2-track Free single that came with UK copies of the debut album in April 1977 – only that cut was a live version (its a Bonus Track on the "IV - Rattus Norvegicus" CD reissue). Here it feels right at home as a studio cut packing just as much punch and vitriol. The final trio "Burning Up Time" (the most Punk tune on the album), "English Towns" (towers of saddened ivory) and "School Mam" round up the school-holidays impishness of the band in fine style. Damn good album overall and the stand-alone "5 Minutes/Rok It To The Moon" UK single (two of the associated recordings) feel like Extras actually worthy of the word Bonus.

Great audio - comprehensive (f not a tad repetitive) packaging and a decent price - what's not to love? I'm having the first four for sure with the sap in me probably wanting the other three. And the first commandment reads, straighten up and line the walls...Amen to that...

  

UK and Europe released 2 March 2018

'The Classic Collection' CD Reissue Series for THE STRANGLERS 

Includes the following albums (all have 32-page booklets)

1. "IV - Rattus Norvegicus" (April 1977) - Parlophone 0190295892586 (Barcode 0190295892586) - 6 Bonus Tracks
2. "No More Heroes" (September 1977) - Parlophone 0190295892548 (Barcode 0190295892548) - 5 Bonus Tracks
3. "Black And White" (May 1978) - Parlophone 0190295892524 (Barcode 0190295892524) - 7 Bonus Tracks
4. "Live X-Cert" (February 1979) - Parlophone 0190295892500 (Barcode 0190295892500) - 8 Bonus Tracks
5. "The Raven" (September 1979) - Parlophone 0190295892487 (Barcode 0190295892487) - 7 Bonus Tracks
6. "The Gospel According To) The Meninblack" (February 1981) - Parlophone 0190295892463 (Barcode 0190295892463) - 7 Bonus Tracks
7. "La Folie" (November 1981) - Parlophone 019029892449 (Barcode 019029892449) - 7 Bonus Tracks

"IV - Rattus Norvegicus" by THE STRANGLERS (March 2018 Parlophone 'The Classic Collection' Expanded Edition CD Reissue - Peter Mew Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 300+ Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD - Volume 2 of 3 - Exceptional CD Remasters

As well as 1960s and 1970s Rock and Pop - It Also Focuses On

Folk, Folk Rock, Country Rock, Reggae, Punk and New Wave

Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"...Look At All Them Peaches..."

Although Amazon doesn't give this March 2018 CD Reissue a secondary title - 'The Classic Collection' Series by THE STRANGLERS encompasses the British Punk and New Wave band’s first seven albums on United Artists and Liberty Records - everything from their debut "IV - Rattus Norvegicus" in April 1977 through to "La Folie" in November 1981 (see full list below).

Each CD contains the same liner notes covering all seven albums in a 32-page booklet, but the booklets also provides original artwork, lyrics, additional period photos and Extras. These are PETER MEW Remasters (probably done at Abbey Road) and as you can see from the list below - each comes with a generous amount of Bonus Tracks. Here are all the lovely Peaches...

UK and EUROPE released Friday, 2 March 2018 (9 March 2018 in the USA) - "IV - Rattus Norvegicus" by THE STRANGLERS on Parlophone 0190295892586 (Barcode 0190295892586) is an Expanded Edition CD Reissue with Six Bonus Tracks. It is the first of seven CD titles in 'The Classic Collection' Series and plays out as follows (64:42 minutes):

1. Sometimes [Side 1]

2. Goodbye Toulouse

3. London Lady

4. Princess Of The Street

5. Hanging Around

6. Peaches [Side 2]

7. (Get A) Grip (On Yourself)

8. Ugly

9. Down By The Sewer (a) Falling (b) Down In The Sewer (c) Trying To Get Out Again (d) Rats Rally

Tracks 1 to 9 are their debut album "IV - Rattus Norvegicus" – released April 1977 in the UK on United Artists UAG 30045 (see also 10 and 11 below)

ASSOCIATED RECORDINGS (Bonus Tracks):

10. Choosey Susie

11. Peasant In The Big Shitty (Live)

Tracks 11 and 10 are the A&B-sides of a Free 7" single that came with original copies of the British LP (Catalogue No. FREE 3). "Peasant..." was the A-side

12. Go Buddy Go (Other Side Of 'Peaches')

Track 12 is the B-side of "Peaches" – their second UK 7" single released May 1977 on United Artists UP 36248 – also on the B-side of Track 13

13. Peaches (Airplay Version)

Track 13 is the reissued/censored version of "Peaches" released as a UK 7" single May 1977 on United Artists FREE 4. Track 12 is the B-side

14. Grip '89 (Get A) Grip (On Yourself)

Track 14 is the A-side of a January 1989 UK 7" single on Liberty/EMI EM 84

15. Grip '89 (Get A) Grip (On Yourself)  (Grippin' Stuff 12" Mix)

Track 15 is the A-side of a January 1989 UK 12" single on Liberty/EMI 12 EM 84

THE STRANGLERS were:

HUGH CORNWELL – Guitar and Vocals

JEAN JACQUES BURNEL – Bass and Vocals

DAVE GREENFIELD – Keyboards

JET BLACK – Drums and Percussion

Guest:

Eric Clark – Tenor Sax on "Peaches"

DAVID BUCKLEY – author of the band's official biography "No Mercy" published in 1997 by Hodder – has helmed the extremely detailed liner notes from Page 6 to 21 with the rest of the pages filled in by album artwork, photos, lyrics, rare picture sleeves for their debut 45 "Grip" followed by "Peaches" and the usual original LP/CD reissue credits. It's very nicely done although it's obvious that diehard fans buying all seven CDs will be yawning at the repetition of info. But the Audio is fabulous, the price appears to be pitched at mid-price (less than a tenner) and it's frankly so good to see these underrated gems out there again in digital-land (they haven’t been available as Remasters since November 2001). Let’s get to the rats in the sewers...

The moment the smack-you-in-the-face Bass and Keyboards of "Sometimes" hits your speakers - you're clobbered by two things - the great audio and just how much you've missed this band. It's ancient musical history now of course but The Clash, The Sex Pistols, The Buzzcocks, The Damned et all - always got the critical plaudits with The Stranglers settling for mere fan worship (they're as big a cult as Depeche Mode or Kraftwerk). When David Buckley opens his liner notes with a quote from former Stranglers publicist Alan Edwards that angrily blasts "...They were one of the most under-recognized and under-valued British bands, full stop!" - you can understand why. How good is this album! Their cracking debut continues with the musically Punk "Goodbye Toulouse" – walking those French streets in fear – goodbye café society – hello "London Lady" and a rather bitter diatribe at a Dingwalls groupie (she won’t be too pleased with this).

A real good looking lady makes out hero sigh in "Princess Of The Streets" although he worries she might stab him in the back with a shinny new pick-axe acquired in Woolworths on Sale (nice audio on that guitar solo). "Hanging Around" is one of the album's best tracks in my books - all those classic Stranglers signatures - huge Bass line - hooky keyboard - snarling vocals and tee'd off lyrics. The obvious and brilliantly provocative single "Peaches" never fails to disturb and thrill - the 'lap me up' girls rubbing in that sun-tan lotion - eliciting an 'oh s**t' lyric from out singer that United Artists edited out for the 'air play' version of the re-released 45 in May 1977 (what a bummer indeed). "...The worst crime I ever did was play in Rock 'n' Roll..." but at least the money's good (or maybe not) were told in "(Get A) Grip (On Yourself)" - The Stranglers sounding like a cross between an angry Roxy Music (Eric Clark's Saxophone) and The Boomtown Rats having a good old moan. "Ugly" could have been a single too but the 'allergic to sulphuric acid' lyrics might have made some DJs nervous and reach for tubes of Calamine Lotion. It ends on the near eight-minutes of "Down In the Sewer" which feels like some Punk-Prog moment with its instrumental passages intertwined with 'keeping your tootsies warm' in the bowls of London's drainage system (nice). The extras only add to overall wallop - especially the so-good Rock 'n' Roll of "Go Buddy Go" - a track I've always felt should have been on Side 2 of the album.

Great audio - comprehensive (f not a tad repetitive) packaging and a decent price - what's not to love? I'm having the first four for sure with the sap in me probably wanting the other three. Boogie Woogie and Go Buddy Go...Nice ‘n’ Sleazy does it...Amen to that...

UK and Europe released 2 March 2018

'The Classic Collection' CD Reissue Series for THE STRANGLERS 

includes the following albums (all have 32-page booklets)

1. "IV - Rattus Norvegicus" (April 1977) - Parlophone 0190295892586 (Barcode 0190295892586) - 6 Bonus Tracks

2. "No More Heroes" (September 1977) - Parlophone 0190295892548 (Barcode 0190295892548) - 5 Bonus Tracks

3. "Black And White" (May 1978) - Parlophone 0190295892524 (Barcode 0190295892524) - 7 Bonus Tracks

4. "Live X-Cert" (February 1979) - Parlophone 0190295892500 (Barcode 0190295892500) - 8 Bonus Tracks

5. "The Raven" (September 1979) - Parlophone 0190295892487 (Barcode 0190295892487) - 7 Bonus Tracks

6. "The Gospel According To) The Meninblack" (February 1981) - Parlophone 0190295892463 (Barcode 0190295892463) - 7 Bonus Tracks

7. "La Folie" (November 1981) - Parlophone 019029892449 (Barcode 019029892449) - 7 Bonus Tracks

"Rock 'n' Roll Gentleman: His Musical Journey With Dr. Feelgood 1974-1994" by LEE BRILLEAUX of DR. FEELGOOD (July 2017 Parlophone 4CD Book Set – Peter Mew Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry

This Review Along With 230+ Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD - Volume 3 of 3 - Exceptional CD Remasters  

Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs 

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"...Hit Git And Split..."

As a lifelong and frankly rabid-as-a-dog fan of Dr. Feelgood - I pre-ordered this 4CD-beauty months back (a musical companion piece to Zoe Howe's November 2015 autobiography of the same name). Devoted to the Feelgood's legendary frontman - Canvey Island's very own 'Lee Brilleaux' – I’ll admit that I ripped the shrink-wrap off this uppity little sucker this morning like a 59-year old given a personal audience with Gal Gadot in full Wonder Woman regalia.

Yummy I thought - and bugger me sideways with an Amazonian bow and arrow – but I was right. "Rock 'n' Roll Gentleman: His Musical Journey With Dr. Feelgood 1974-1994" is a Roxette Wind-Up, a Milk and Alcohol, a Nosebleed Sam, a Racetrack Tony, A Cigarettes and Stockings Pony and a No Mo Do Yakamo - all rolled into one....

First things first – content. For sure Discs 1 and 2 are slightly problematical for fans like me who have already invested in the April 2012 "All Through The City..." Wilko Johnson Box Set and the July 2013 follow-up Gypie Mayo Box Set "Taking No Prisoners..." – in that we have these Peter Mew Remasters already. That doesn't of course mean that newcomers aren't in for the treat of their lives playing CD1 and 2 – they absolutely are. Lean and mean – the Feelgoods in full flow between 1975 and 1980 was/is an awesome sonic beast to lay your weary ears on (Discs 1 and 2 concentrate primarily on those years).

But for us old timers that still leaves upgraded audio versions of songs on Discs 3 and 4 – LPs even the most die-hard uber fan may not have like 1982's "Fast Women And Slow Horses" on Chiswick right up to and including the "Down At The Doctors" LP released on Grand Records the month LB died (April 1994). Even now I find that he passed aged only '42' deeply saddening and hard to believe. But what a 20-year legacy Lee Brilleaux and his fabulous R&B band of anarchic heroes left behind. There's a lot to digest so let's get to gentlemanly details...

UK released Friday, 7 July 2017 (14 July 2017 in the USA) - "Rock 'n' Roll Gentleman: His Musical Journey With Dr. Feelgood 1974-1994" by LEE BRILLEAUX on Parlophone 0190295919214 (Barcode 0190295919214) is a 4CD Book Set of Remasters containing 93-Tracks (2 Previously Unreleased) that plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (74:29 minutes):

1. Cheque Book

2. I Don't Mind

3. All Through The City

4. She Does It Right

5. Roxette

6. Keep It Out Of Sight

Tracks 1 to 6 are from their debut LP "Down At The Jetty" - released January 1975 in the UK on United Artists UAS 29727 (all tracks recorded in Mono)

7. I Can Tell

8. Rolling And Tumbling

9. Watch Your Step

10. Riot In Cell Block Number Nine

Tracks 7 to 10 are from their 2nd studio album "Malpractice" - released November 1975 in the UK on United Artists UAS 29880 (all tracks in Stereo from here on in)

11. Stupidity (Live)

12. Going Back Home (Live)

13. Back In The Night (Live)

14. I'm A Hog For You Baby (Live)

15. Checkin' Up On My Baby (Live)

16. Walking The Dog (Live)

Tracks 11 to 16 are from their 3rd LP (first live) "Stupidity" - released September 1976 in the UK on United Artists UAS 29990 (peaked at No. 1 on the UK LP charts)

17. Johnny B Good (Live) (B-side of the "Free Collector's Single" on United Artists FEEL 1 that came with the first 20,000 copies of "Stupidity") 

18. Sneakin' Suspicion

19. Nothin' Shakin' (But The Leaves On The Tree)

20. Lights Out

21. Lucky Seven

Tracks 18 to 21 are from their fourth (3rd studio) album "Sneakin' Suspicion" (last with Wilko Johnson) - released May 1977 in the UK on United Artists UAS 30075

22. Everybody's Carrying A Gun (Olympic Version) - outtake from the "Sneakin' Suspicion" sessions first released April 2012 on the "All Through The City..." Box Set

23. Baby Jane

24. I Thought I Had It Made

Tracks 23 and 24 from their fifth (4th studio) album "Be Seeing You" - released September 1977 in the UK on United Artists UAS 30123.

Disc 2 (72:12 minutes):

1. She's A Wind Up

2. The Blues Had A Baby And They Named It Rock 'n' Roll (No. 2)

3. Looking Back

4. Ninety-Nine And A Half (Won't Do)

Tracks 1 to 4 from their fifth (4th studio) album "Be Seeing You" - released September 1977 in the UK on United Artists UAS 30123.

5. Take A Tip

6. Down At The Doctors

7. Milk And Alcohol

Tracks 5 to 7 are from their sixth (5th studio) album "Private Practice" - released September 1978 in the UK on United Artists UAS 30184

8. Let's Have A Party (Early Version) - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

9. As Long As The Price Is Right (Second Version) - re-recorded version released April 1979 as a UK 7" single on United Artists UP 36506

10. Matchbox (Live)

11. My Buddy Buddy Friends (Live)

12. The Blues Had A Baby And They Named It Rock 'n' Roll (No. 2) (Live)

13. Lights Out (Live)

Tracks 11 to 13 are from their seventh album (2nd live) "As It Happens" - released June 1979 in the UK on United Artists UAK 30239

14. Put Him Out Of Your Mind

15. Hong Kong Money

16. Shotgun

17. Riding On The L&N

18. Feels Good

Tracks 14 to 18 are from their eight album (sixth studio) "Let It Roll" - released September 1979 in the UK on United Artists UASG 30269

19. Jumping From Love To Love

20. Best In The World

21. Drives Me Wild

22. No Mo Do Yakamo

23. King For A Day

24. Violent Love

Tracks 19 to 24 are from their ninth album (seventh studio) "A Case Of The Shakes" - released September 1980 in the UK on United Artists UAG 30311

Disc 3 (74:07 minutes):

1. Pretty Face (Live)

Track 1 from their tenth album (3rd live) "On The Job" - released August 1981 in the UK on Liberty Records LBG 30328

2. Waiting For Saturday Night

Track 2 is the A-side of a October 1981 UK 7" single on Liberty Records BP 404. Also featured as a lone 'new track' on the November 1981 compilation LP of singles called "Casebook" on Liberty Records LBG 30341

3. Crazy About Girls

4. She's The One

5. Monkey

6. Trying To Live My Life Without You

7. Sugar Bowl

Tracks 3 to 7 are from their album "Fast Women And Slow Horses" - released October 1982 in the UK on Chiswick Records TOSS 4

8. Hit Git And Split

9. You Don't Love Me

10. Neighbour, Neighbour

11. Close But No Cigar

12. I Don't Worry About A Thing

13. I Can't Be Satisfied

Tracks 8 to 13 are from the album "Doctors Orders" - released October 1984 in the UK on Demon Records FIEND 29

14. Dimples

15. Dust My Broom

16. Tore Down

17. Mad Man Blues

18. My Babe

19. Rock Me Baby

Tracks 14 to 19 are from the album "Mad Man Blues" - released October 1985 in France on Lolita Records 5042

20. I Love You, So You're Mine

21. You've Got My Number

22. Grow Too Old

23. Don't Wait Up

24. Come Over Here

Tracks 20 to 24 are from the album "Brilleaux" - released in the UK August 1986 on Stiff Records SEEZ 65.

25. See You Later Alligator

Tracks 25 is the A-side of a November 1986 UK 7" single on Stiff Records BUY 255

Disc 4 (77:06 minutes)

1. Hunting, Shooting, Fishing

2. Heartbeat

3. Hurricane

4. Quit While You're Behind

5. Nothing Like It

Tracks 1 to 5 are from the album "Classic" - released September 1987 in the UK on Stiff Records SEEZ 67

6. Let's Have A Party (Live)

7. (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66 (Live)

Tracks 6 and 7 are from the album "Live in London" - released May 1990 in the UK on Grand Records GRAND 08

8. Heart Of The City

9. My Sugar Turns To Alcohol

10. World In A Jug

11. Standing At The Crossroads Again

12. Down By The Jetty Blues

Tracks 8 to 12 are from the album "Primo" - released June 1991 in the UK on Grand records GRAND 12

13. Poison Ivy - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

14. Wolfman Calling

15. One Step Forward

16. Tanqueray

17. Styrofoam

18. She Moves Me

Tracks 14 to 18 are from the album "The Feelgood Factor" - released July 1993 in the UK on Grand Records GRAND 17

19. If My Baby Quits Me (Live)

20. Roadrunner (Live)

Tracks 19 and 20 are from the album "Down At The Doctors" - released April 1994 in the UK on Grand Records GRAND 18

The presentation is the same as the two previous Dr. Feelgood sets - a 'Book' Box Set with an attached booklet in this case of 50-pages. Although the 4CDs give a truly fantastic overview of his 20-year stay with England's best rocking R&B band - you do wish there was a DVD to get a glimpse of their raw magnificence - so a bit of a let down there. But if you want visual Dr. Feelgood fronted by Lee Brilleaux - I direct you to my in-depth reviews of "All Through The City" from 2012 and "Taking No Prisoners" from 2013 - stunning Box Sets that both have wonderful DVD elements. Each CD is also a picture disc of Lee at different stages of his two-decade career as frontman. And at less at twenty quid - this new 2017 Box Set is priced to go whilst still offering huge value for money.

Researched, compiled and co-ordinated by TIM CHACKSFIELD - the liner notes are truncated passages of Zoe Howe's "Rock 'n' Roll Gentleman..." autobiography. Weirdly there are no mastering credits at all - so Disc 1 and 2 are Peter Mew Remasters from 2012 and 2013 whilst Disc 3 and 4 are the Grand Records Remasters done in the Nineties. The audio on each CD is fantastic - full of punch. The photos are cool - full colour plates most of them of Lee in full sweaty flow as his band annihilates some club somewhere. There's an album photo discography starting on Page 43 that pictures those LPs few bought in 80s and 90s when the band had effectively stopped selling. It took me years to locate a vinyl copy of "Mad Man Blues" LP pressed up in France whilst the Stiff LPs were about at the time of release but quickly disappeared after that. Let's get to the musical action...

Lead Guitarist and band founder member Wilko Johnson led the initial advance of four albums on United Artists - "Down By The Jetty" and "Malpractice" in 1975, the stunning live LP "Stupidity" in September 1976 that saw them top the album charts and his final studio set "Sneakin' Suspicion" in May 1977. "Roxette", "She Does It Right", "Going Back Home", "Back In The Night", "All Through The City", "Riot In Cell Block No. 9" - so many great tracks and all sounding huge and punchy. New boy axeman Gypie Mayo joined the gigging clan - infusing new blood and a different sound. And with indecent hast the band quickly pumped out the brilliant and wildly underrated "Be Seeing You" LP in September of 1977. The album title was a nod to the Feelgood's fave cult TV show from the 60ts - Patrick McGoohan's "The Prisoner" - with the record's Producer being credited as ‘No. 6’ (Nick Lowe) and the Engineer as 'No. 2' (no one seems to know who No. 2 is to this day).

The next LP put them back on the chart-map big time – 1978's "Private Practice" with the huge hits "Milk And Alcohol" and "Down At The Doctors". For me every song is a classic (“Take A Tip” is wisely included here as are the other two mentioned above) and I own the Japanese SHM-CD of it just to pet it and stroke it every now and then. The first of only two Previously Unreleased tracks now presents itself - an Early Version of "Let's Have A Party" features a more Fifties Rock 'n' Roll feel with some crude and rude Rockabilly guitar. It's a run-though for sure but a fun one. The remastered sound hammers in with the superb single version of "As Long As The Price Is Right". By the time the Feelgoods got to 1981's third live set "On The Job" few were bothering any more. The Charlie Musselwhite cover of "My Buddy Buddy Friends" is kick-ass nonetheless. And the tracks from the hugely underrated "Let It Roll" and "A Case Of The Shakes" LPs are full of Nick Lowe winners like "Best In The World". Despite "Let It Roll' featuring a sort of muted Production value - songs like the John Mayo/Mike Vernon "Put Him Out Of Your Mind" and the band-created "Hong Kong Money (Pete Wingfield co-write) show they still had that witty edge to both the rhythms and the lyrics.  

Although I've had the later vinyl albums for years I never did get round to replacing them all with the Grand Records CD reissues - so the last two CDs are treats for me and I suspect for many fans who don't know much of the band's output past 1980. The Johnny Guitar/Dave Tice single "Waiting For Saturday Night" is an example - an absolute bopping winner you need in your living room. In fact Johnny Guitar provides many of the goodies on the delightfully named "Fast Women And Slow Horses" LP on Chiswick Records from late 1982 - "Crazy About Girls" and the seriously Wilko-mania influenced "Sugar Bowl" - a guitar 'n' harmonica racer that is guaranteed to make your neck jerk and your barroom-dancing-feet itchy.

I'm not surprised this set offers us six tracks from the excellent "Doctors Orders" LP - with cover-version winners from Young Jessie, Willie Cobbs, Mose Allison and a great slide take on the Muddy Waters classic "I Can't Be Satisfied" - the band sound like the fire in back in their bellies - "Hit Git And Split" even going into an old-days "Back In The Night" refrain as it plays out. A forgotten record is the wild "Mad Man Blues" LP - a warts 'n' all recording where the band sound like they miked-up in someone's living room and let rip. It's raw, mean and fantastically exciting - a souped-up cover of Little Walters' "My Babe" being a perfect example - Neo Rockabilly meets Dr. Feelgood Pub Rock. Unfortunately the "Brilleaux" album felt to me like the goods were sliding away - better was the huge Dave Edmunds production of their Bill Haley cover for "See You Later Alligator" - even if those synths now sound a tad dated.

Gordon Russell joined the ranks for the "Classic" LP in 1987 with excellent cuts like "Heartbeat" and the fun "Hunting, Shooting, Fishing" (bought the 12” single at the time). There’s a storming version of Nick Lowe's brilliant "Heart Of The City" - a tune he penned around the "Jesus Of Cool" LP. Another great Rock 'n' Roll writer and witty tunesmith Mickey Jupp provides "Standing At The Crossroads Again - a clear stand out on the "Primo" LP. The second Previously Unreleased track is a cover of The Coasters Lieber-Stoller classic "Poison Ivy" – but it could be any bar band at this point. Better is a great slow Blues from Dave Bronze on "One Step Forward". And on it goes to a live turn at Jr. Walker’s “Roadrunner” – back full circle to the music and influences they so obviously loved...

To sum up – there is no doubt that you can feel the quality of tunes start to slip on Discs 3 and 4 – but there is still so much to love here. And Discs 1 and 2 are wall to wall with greatness that few bands matched then or now.

"...Hit git and split...I’m coming back home to you..." – Lee Brilleaux sang on their manic cover of Young Jessie’s "Hit Git And Split" in the forgotten years of 1984. Well you were welcome in my home back then buddy and you're still welcome now.

"Rock 'n' Roll Gentleman..." is a fabulous celebration of not just a truly great frontman - but that of his kick-ass band too. I haven’t enjoyed a listen this much in years. Stick the needle in again baby - I love it to friggin' bits...