"St. Louis To Liverpool" by CHUCK BERRY (2004 Universal 'ROCK 'N' ROLL 50th ANNIVERSARY EDITION' CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Riding Along In My Automobile...”

Part of their American issued "Rock 'n' Roll 50^th Anniversary" Series – this April 2004 Universal CD reissue for "St. Louis To Liverpool" by CHUCK BERRY on Geffen/Chess B0001687-02 (Barcode 602498613528) gives us Chuck's 1964 classic album "St. Louis To Liverpool" in Stereo - bolstered up with 3 bonus tracks (40:23 minutes). 

Tape Supremo ERICK LABSON of Universal has digitally remastered all 15 songs from the 1st generation Stereo and Mono master tapes (over 1000 credits to his name) - and he’s done a typically wonderful job – gems like "No Particular Place To Go" and "You Never Can Tell" sounding as fresh as a bobby-soxer at a jukebox. Here are the duck-walk details…

1. Little Marie

2. Our Little Rendezvous

3. No Particular Place To Go

4. You Two

5. Promised Land

6. You Never Can Tell

7. Go Bobby Soxer [Side 2]

8. The Things I Used To Do

9. Liverpool Drive

10. Night Beat

11. Merry Christmas Baby

12. Brenda Lee

Tracks 1 to 12 are the Stereo Version of "St. Louis To Liverpool" – released November 1964 in the USA on Chess LPS 1488

BONUS TRACKS:

13. Fraulein – Previously Unreleased In The USA

14. O'Rangutang - Non-album B-side to the USA 7" single of "Nadine" issued 1964 on Chess 1883 –Previously Unreleased on US LP

15. The Little Girl From Central – First appeared on the 1990 US LP "Missing Berries: Rarities, Volume 3" on Chess CH-9318

The 16-page booklet exactly reproduces the lovely full-colour front sleeve on Page 1 with its rear sleeve on the last page of the inlay - in between is a new essay on the album by noted reviewer BUD SCOPPA with the original liner notes also reproduced on Page 8 and 9. There's session details, reissue credits and even the blue and white Chess label of the original LP is pictured under the see-through tray - all nice touches and great attention to detail.

But the real good stuff starts with the songs and the SOUND. Unlike the rough and ready debut "After School Session" from 1957 (also in this series) - this album has the muscle in STEREO and what a punch it gives when it kicks in. "No Particular Place To Go" is simply fantastic - fun, in your face and rockin' - packing all the wallop you'd expect from a truly great Chuck Berry song but with that great extra muscle in the reproduction. The audio quality on the lesser-heard “You Two” is superb (Odie Payne on Drums) with Chuck playing some very tasty stuff while Paul Williams puts in a late piano solo. The instrumentals “Liverpool Drive” and “Night Beat” are fun but feel like space fillers. Better is the Bluesy “Merry Christmas Baby” with Johnnie Johnson on Piano and Chess’ Willie Dixon on Bass – Berry plays some lovely licks on the guitar as it ambles along. “Brenda Lee” is wicked fun too. It’s also amazing to think that of the 12 tracks only “Liverpool Drive” and “Night Beat” ‘weren’t’ used as singles – the ten others were. The unreleased “Fraulein” is better than I’d expected it to be – nice echoed vocals. Better is “The Little Girl From Central” – a sort of “No Particular Place To Go” knockoff with

As with "After School Session" - it's also wonderful to hear Berry's songs again in their original inspiring form and realise what an astonishing influence for good Chuck and his music has been. When you think of every garage band, every bedroom poser, every guitar maestro on the planet and how they all cut their teeth on Chuck Berry songs at some point in their careers - his influence has been little short of World changing. The brevity, the wit, the cleverness of his lyrics, the infectiousness of that party music – its all here folks – and in Stereo too. Catch a snippet of "You Never Can Tell" with its irresistible piano and brass fills…

“St. Louis To Liverpool” is a fab listen then and an important and timely CD reissue. Start your journey to the dark side here children - and remember - best not tell your parents the reason for said joy - ROCK 'n' ROLL!!

PS: "Rock 'n' Roll 50th Anniversary Edition" is a secondary series title and is displayed vertically on the side inlay beneath the see-through tray of each release, but unfortunately, if you try to search databases for ANY titles under this moniker, it doesn't recognise the 'name' at all. For those interested - the series includes:

1. "After School Session" by CHUCK BERRY (1958 debut LP on Chess, see REVIEW)

2. "St. Louis To Liverpool" by CHUCK BERRY (1964 STEREO LP on Chess, see REVIEW)

3. "The Chirping Crickets" by THE CRICKETS (their 1957 debut LP featuring BUDDY HOLLY, see REVIEW)

4. "Bo Diddley Is A Gunslinger" by BO DIDDLEY (1960 STEREO LP on Checker, see REVIEW)

5. "Rock Around The Clock" by BILL HALEY & HIS COMETS (ground-breaking 1955 LP on Decca, see REVIEW)

6. "Buddy Holly" by BUDDY HOLLY (1958 1st solo LP on Coral, see REVIEW)

7. "Rock, Rock, Rock! - From The Motion Picture" by THE MOONGLOWS, CHUCK BERRY and THE FLAMINGOS (1956 1st Chess LP - a Rock'n'Roll Soundtrack - see REVIEW)

There is also a pictorial display of all 7 in LISTMANIA (in Amazon)

I bought all 7 of these titles and I can't recommend them enough - each album remastered, colour artwork lovingly restored and each bolstered up with 3 to 5 relevant releases from the time (many previously unreleased). Fans of Haley, Holly, The Crickets, Berry, Diddley and Rock 'n' Roll in general should quickly acquire all of these exemplary CDs. They make for the best basis of a collection in a minefield of lesser compilations...

"After School Session" by CHUCK BERRY (2004 Geffen/Chess 'ROCK 'N' ROLL 50th ANNIVERSARY EDITION' CD Remaster with Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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

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BLUES, VOCAL GROUPS, RHYTHM 'n' BLUES and ROCK 'n' ROLL ON CD   

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"...Roll Over Beethoven..."

This 2004 USA-Only Universal CD is part of their "Rock 'n' Roll 50th Anniversary Edition" Reissue Series (see list below) and gives us all 12-tracks of Chuck Berry's much-loved debut album on Chess Records. This mighty start was released in the USA in May of 1957 on Chess LP 1426 in Mono - when we here in Blighty had to wait until November 1958 for an album debut in the shape of "One Dozen Berrys" on Chess HA 2132.

"After School Session" was like a lot of albums in those early pioneering days of Rock 'n' Roll - a cluster of market-tested seven-inch singles (A's and B's) with some new tracks thrown in to tempt fans and newcomers alike. All 12 tracks of the original MONO LP have been remastered for this new reissue - upgraded to their best-ever sound quality from the 1st generation master tapes by head Engineer ERICK LABSON of Universal. This man has handled hundreds of reissues and has remastered most of the vast Chess Records catalogue – so he knows his way around a reel or two. And a typically bang-up job has been done here. By way of extras – this Expanded Edition gives us three Bonus Tracks – singles issued around the release of the American LP. Here’s why Beethoven rolled over and the details you need to tell Tchaikovsky...

US released March 2004 – "After School Session: Rock 'n' Roll 50th Anniversary Edition" by CHUCK BERRY on Geffen/Chess B0001685-02 (Barcode 602498613504) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with Three Bonus Tracks and pans out as follows (40:51 minutes):

1. School Day (Ring Ding Goes The Bell)

2. Deep Feeling

3. Too Much Monkey Business

4. Wee Wee Hours

5. Roly Poly

6. No Money Down

7. Brown Eyed Handsome Man [Side 2]

8. Berry Pickin'

9. Together (We'll Always Be)

10. Havana Moon

11. Down Bound Train

12. Drifting Heart

BONUS TRACKS:

13. You Can't Catch Me

14. Thirty Days (To Come Back Home)

15. Maybelline

The exclusion of "Roll Over Beethoven" as a bonus track is a damn shame especially as there was ample room to include it. Still, with sequencing, the bonus tracks and album now allow you to line up and play both sides of his first six 7" singles on Chess as follows (excluding "Roll Over Beethoven" of course):

1. Maybellene b/w Wee Wee Hours (1955, Chess 1604)

2. Thirty Days (To Come Back Home) b/w Together (We'll Always Be) (1955, Chess 1610)

3. No Money Down b/w Down Bound Train (1956, Chess 1615)

4. Roll Over Beethoven b/w Drifting Heart (1956, Chess 1626)

5. Too Much Monkey Business b/w Brown Eyed Handsome Man (1956, Chess 1635)

6. You Can't Catch Me b/w Havana Moon (1956, Chess 1645)

The booklet exactly reproduces its famous front sleeve on Page 1 with its rear sleeve on the last page of the inlay - a nice touch. In between is a new essay on the album by ANDY McKAIE with the original liner notes also reproduced on Page 9, sessions details etc

The house band for most cuts reads like a roll call of Rhythm 'n' Blues giants - JOHNNIE JOHNSON on Piano, WILLIE DIXON on Bass with FRED BELOW and EBBY HARDY alternating on Drums. OTIS SPANN contributed piano work on "Roly Poly", "No Money Down", "Berry Pickin'" and "You Can't Catch Me". JIMMY ROGERS played chugging-on-the- train-tracks guitar on "Down Bound Train" and there are three instrumentals on the album - "Deep Feeling", "Roly Poly" and "Berry Pickin'".

With regard to the MONO Audio - it should be noted that even with an ERICK LABSON Remaster this notoriously lo-fi album is not exactly an audiophile's wet dream. Produced in Chicago - Leonard and Phil Chess laid down these tracks rough and ready - done live in the studio and proceedings were more about ‘feel' than precision.

What is wonderful though is to hear these songs again in their original inspiring form and realise what an astonishing influence for good Chuck Berry and his music has been. When you think of every garage band, every bedroom poser, every guitar maestro on the planet and how they all cut their teeth on Chuck Berry songs at some point in their careers - his influence has been little short of World changing. The brevity, the wit and the cleverness of the lyrics - the infectiousness of the beat - its all here. Take "Brown Eyed Handsome Man" for instance - utterly irresistible - 52 years on and its being blasted out through speaker stacks in some dime pub somewhere - still bringing a smile to punter’s faces – hitting that dancefloor - unable to help themselves...

Rough around the edges for sure – but Chuck Berry's debut album "After School Session" is a fantastic listen - and this - an important and timely reissue. Start your journey to the dark side here children - and remember - best not tell your parents the reason for said joy - ROCK 'N' ROLL!!

PS: A few words on the "ROCK 'N' ROLL 50th ANNIVERSARY EDITION" Series in general:

It should also be noted that this issue is part of the above named series issued in 2004 by Universal. 'Rock 'N' Roll 50th Anniversary Edition' is a secondary series title and is displayed vertically on the side inlay beneath the see-through tray of each release, but unfortunately, if you try to search the Amazon database for ANY titles under this moniker, it doesn't recognize the 'name' at all.

For those interested in a visual, I've placed a full list of all seven titles in LISTMANIA called "Rock 'N' Roll 50th Anniversary Edition Series". The other six titles are - all Reviewed:

1.  "Buddy Holly" by BUDDY HOLLY (1958 1st solo LP on Coral)

2.  "Rock Around The Clock" by BILL HALEY & HIS COMETS (Ground-breaking 1955 LP on Decca)

3.  "The Chirping Crickets" by THE CRICKETS (their 1957 Coral Records debut LP featuring BUDDY HOLLY)

4.  "St. Louis To Liverpool" by CHUCK BERRY (1964 STEREO LP on Chess)

5.  "Bo Diddley Is A Gunslinger" by BO DIDDLEY (1960 STEREO Chess LP)

6.  "Rock, Rock, Rock! - Original Soundtrack" by VARIOUS (Chuck Berry, The Flamingos and The Moonglows) (1956 Chess Records 1st Rock'n'Roll Movie Soundtrack LP)

I bought all 7 of these titles and I can't recommend them enough - each album remastered to superb sound quality, colour artwork lovingly restored and each bolstered up with 3 or 4 relevant single releases from the time (some previously unreleased). Fans of Haley, Holly, The Crickets, Berry, Diddley and Rock 'n' Roll in general should quickly acquire all of these exemplary CDs. They make for the best basis of a collection in a minefield of lesser compilations...

"Bo Diddley Is A Gunslinger" by BO DIDDLEY (April 2004 Universal/Geffen/Chess 'Rock 'n' Roll 50th Anniversary Edition' CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This review and hundreds more like it are part of my 

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"...Go Bo Diddey..." 

In 1979 - fresh off the EI 105 from Dublin to JFK - I arrived for the first time into New York City. That evening I was desperate to christen my visit to the great city by seeing a killer gig. So I opened The Village Voice and saw an advert for "Bo Diddley - Chess Records Legend" who was playing in a small bar off 6th Avenue - blocks away from where I was staying in WEST 16th Street. I wandered down - paid in - and almost immediately a huge man passed me on route to the stage. He was wearing a black leather hat with silver buckles around the rim and a matching black leather suit. Diddley was at least 6 foot tall and was carrying his trademark and truly beautiful red coloured box-shaped Gretsch guitar. He plugged it in and launched into "Gunslinger".

About 5 seconds into that chugging Rumba-meets-Rock 'n' Roll rhythm - the place went absolutely bananas - chairs thrown back - party time - him singing "...Bo Diddley don't stand no mess - Bo Diddley is a gunslinger...". It sends chills up my spine just thinking about it now. I’m sure Bo Diddley had done this a thousand times before and I'm sure every time it was magic. It was like witnessing Muddy Waters with his Mojo in full swing - sexy, fun and utterly mesmerizing. I went out and bought a vinyl re-issue of this album the next day in Crazy Eddie's and it's been my pal ever since.

Elias McDaniel was born in 1928 in Mississippi - inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall Of Fame in 1987 as a true crossover innovator and sadly passed away in June 2008 with his self-made legend intact and still beloved.

"Bo Diddley Is A Gunslinger" was his 5th album for the Chess umbrella of labels and this lovely April 2004 CD reissue (part of Universal's 'Rock 'n' Roll 50th Anniversary' Series) does that 1960 Checker Records album nugget a solid. Here are the Crawdaddy details…

1. Gunslinger [Side 1]

2. Ride On Josephine

3. Doing The Crawdaddy

4. Cadillac

5. Somewhere

6. Cheyenne [Side 2]

7. Sixteen Tons

8. Whoa Mule (Shine)

9. No More Lovin'

10. Diddling

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Bo Diddley Is A Gunslinger" - released 15 September 1960 in the USA on Checker LP 2977 (Mono)

BONUS TRACKS:

11. Working Man - first issued as Previously Unreleased bonus tracks on the 1989 CD

12. Do What I Say first issued as Previously Unreleased bonus tracks on the 1989 CD

13. Prisoner Of Love - Previously Unreleased in the USA

14. Googlia Moo - Previously Unreleased in the USA

15. Better Watch Yourself - Previously Unreleased in the USA

This American CD reissue from April 2004 on Universal/Geffen B-0001761-02 (Barcode 602498614471) bolsters up the LP's original 10 tracks with 5 bonuses (38:56 minutes). Tracks 11 and 12 initially appeared on the first CD outing in 1989 as two previously unreleased tracks at that time - while "Prisoner Of Love", "Googlia Moo" and "Better Watch Yourself" are new to this issue and are previously unreleased in the USA. The reason I concentrate on the bonuses is that they're not just filler - they really are so good and could well be Side 1 of a far better sixth LP. They were recorded in January and February of 1960 and ERICK LABSON's remastering of them (and the whole album) is typically superlative (he's handled almost exclusively the whole of the Chess Label re-issues - over 1000 re-master/mastering credits to his name).

The 12-page booklet reproduces the gorgeous full colour front sleeve, a colour outtake from the shoot, the album's original rear sleeve (LP 2977), full session details, new liner notes by noted reviewer BUD SCOPPA and the original blue and white Checker label for 2977 is pictured beneath the see-through tray as well - all very nice touches.

As an album I’d admit it’s both short and patchy in places - but the good stuff like "Ride On Josephine" (a George Thorogood stage regular) and the chugging "Cadillac" are everything you’d expect of him - rhythm and fun. His cover of the Merle Travis/Tennessee Ernie Ford perennial "Sixteen Tons" is fab with its "...yeah yeah..." backing vocals - but my real poison is the fabulous "Whao Mule (Shine)" - the kind of neck-jerking tune you’d expect to turn up in Mad Men or The Sopranos. It’s about a frisky beast "...pappy's mule who’d run down the road and look back…" and I love it! The LP finisher is the wonderfully-titled instrumental "Piddling" - it's loud and rough and feels like it would have been better with some lyrics actually. But with those tasty five bonuses - the album and this CD reissue become an altogether different/better beast.

Bo Diddley has never really received the recognition he's deserved because many have viewed him as a one-trick, one-sound pony - which is a shame, because he was so much better than that. It's not all genius by any means but like so many of the greats - he created his own sound, image and penned most of his own tunes. Hopefully this lovely reissue will make people reassess the Diddley Daddy...

PS: There are seven releases in the Rock 'n' Roll "50th Anniversary Series" and eleven in their "Blues Classics Remastered & Revisited" Series and I've loved the lot - great sound, clever title choices and all bumped up with bonus tracks and decent booklets (I'm reviewed almost all of them).

Fans of Holly, Haley, Berry, Diddley and Rock'n'Roll in general should quickly acquire all of these exemplary CDs (use the Barcode numbers provided below to locate the right issue). They make for the best basis of a collection in a minefield of lesser compilations...and Buddy Holly deserved nothing less...

Universal's 'Rock 'n' Roll 50th Anniversary' CD Reissue Series:

1. After School Session by CHUCK BERRY (1958 Chess debut LP)

2. St. Louis To Liverpool by CHUCK BERRY (1964 STEREO LP on Chess)

3. The Chirping Crickets by THE CRICKETS (1957 Debut LP on Decca)

4. Bo Diddley Is A Gunslinger by BO DIDDLEY (1960 STEREO Chess LP)

5. Rock Around The Clock by BILL HALEY & HIS COMETS (1955 Decca LP)

6. Buddy Holly by BUDDY HOLLY (1958 1st solo LP on Coral)

7. Rock, Rock, Rock! - Original Soundtrack by VARIOUS (Chuck Berry, The Flamingos and The Moonglows) (1956 Chess 'Rock'n'Roll Movie Soundtrack LP)

Universal's 'Blues Classics Remastered & Revisited' CD Reissue Series:

1. Bad News Is Coming - LUTHER ALLISON (1972 USA LP with 4 Previously Unreleased bonuses, 56:10 minutes) (Barcode 044001340727)

2. Luther's Blues - LUTHER ALLISON (SUHA GUR Remaster) (1974 USA 9-track LP with 3 Previously Unreleased bonuses, 70:28 minutes) (Barcode 044001340925)

3. Two Steps From The Blues - BOBBY BLAND (ERICK LABSON Remaster) (1961 USA 12-track LP on Duke with 2 bonuses, 35:12 minutes)  (Barcode 008811251628)

4. The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues - JOHN LEE HOOKER (ERICK LABSON Remaster) (October 1966 and September 1991 LPs on Chess, 2LPs on 1CD, 79:44 minutes) (Barcode 008811282127)

5. The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues - HOWLIN' WOLF (ERICK LABSON Remaster) (January 1966 on Chess and January 1967 on Chess, 2LPs on 1CD, 66:45 minutes) (Barcode 008811282028)

6. Tell Mama: The Complete Muscle Shoals Sessions - ETTA JAMES (ERICK LABSON Remaster) (January 1968 US 12-Track LP on Cadet - Tracks 13-22 being bonuses, 57:11 minutes) (Barcode 008811251826)

7. Live At San Quentin - B.B. KING (ERICK LABSON Remaster) (1990 13-Track Compilation on MCA, no extras, 64:11 minutes) (Barcode 008811251727)

8. At Newport 1960 - MUDDY WATERS (ERICK LABSON Remaster) (1960 US 9-Track LP on Chess with 10-13 being 4 Mono Studio Tracks from June 1960 as bonus tracks, 44:43 minutes) (Barcode 008811251529)

9. Fathers & Sons - MUDDY WATERS & Friends (ERICK LABSON Remaster)

(Tracks 1-10 and 15-20 is the August 1969 2LP set on Chess in Full with Tracks 11, 12, 13 being previously unreleased - and 14 previously unreleased in the USA). (77:38 minutes) (Barcode 008811264826)

10. The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues - MUDDY WATERS (ERICK LABSON Remasters - 2LPs on 1CD) (Barcode 008811282226)

11. The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues - SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON (ERICK LABSON Remaster) (January 1966 and January 1967 LPs on Chess, 2LPs on 1CD, 65:28 minutes) (Barcode 008811282325)