"Stephen Stills" by STEPHEN STILLS - November 1970 US and UK Debut Solo Album [ex Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young] on Atlantic Records featuring guests David Crosby, Graham Nash, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Booker T. Jones of Booker T. and The MG’s, Sidney George, Dallas Taylor and Calvin Samuels later with Manassas, Percussionist Jeff Whittaker of Akido, Drummers John Barbata of Jefferson Airplane, Conrad Isedor of One and later with Hummingbird and Ringo Starr of The Beatles (credited as Richie on Two Songs) - Plus Singers John Sebastian of The Lovin’ Spoonful, Mama Cass Elliott of The Mamas and The Papas, Rita Coolidge, Priscilla Jones, Claudia Lennear, Shirley Matthews, Cyrus Faryar and Henry Ditz both of The Modern Folk Quartet with String Arrangements on Two Songs by Arif Mardin (October 1995 UK Atlantic Records CD Reissue and Remaster – Joe Gastwirt Remasters)

 

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"...Old Times Good Times..."

 

"Now children, could it be a dream?" Stephen Stills sang on the bigger than valleys "Church (Part Of Someone)" – a chorus of four backing singers adding cathedral-like hugeness to the power of the song. Looking back 52 years now – it certainly felt like a dream.

 

Having blazed his singer-songwriter-guitarist way through three Buffalo Springfield albums and set the Harmony Vocals world on its West Coast head with two more absolute studio corkers from the super-group Crosby, Stills Nash & Young – Stephen Stills and his debut solo album was always going to be anticipated with a capitol ant. That preposterously talented foursome seemed incapable of doing any wrong in those first two years of the Seventies – we would have to wait for drugs and in-house warring to bring that on.

 

US released 16 November 1970 on Atlantic Records (27 November 1970 in the UK) - "Stephen Stills" also featured the stunning lead off 45-single "Love The One You're With". Backed everywhere by Side 2's "To A Flame", his radio-friendly message of universal cuddle-ship helped the parent LP hit No. 3 in the USA and a surprisingly modest No. 30 in the UK. 

 

Also released November 1970, the US 45's flip-side had Ringo Starr of The Beatles on Drums (masquerading in the credits as Richie) with String Arrangements co-charted by the legendary Arif Mardin (the UK single on Atlantic 2091 046 wasn't issued until January 1971 as a 45 where it climbed to No. 37 - the US single had hit No. 14).

 

Impressive guest names and contributions also included Jimi Hendrix (just before his sad passing later that year – the LP is dedicated to him) and Eric Clapton on Guitars, his fellow muckers in CSNY David Crosby from the Byrds and Graham Nash from The Hollies, Keyboardist Booker T. Jones of Booker T. and The MG's, Flutist and Saxophonist Sydney George with an un-credited Memphis Horns, Dallas Taylor and Calvin "Fuzzy" Samuels later with Stills in his supergroup Manassas, Percussionist Jeff Whittaker of Akido, Drummers John Barbata of Jefferson Airplane, Conrad Isedor of One and later with Hummingbird as well as the already mentioned Ringo Starr of The Beatles Drumming on Two Tracks ("To A Flame" and the other is "We Are Not Helpless"). The Backing Vocals list was just as impressive too - John Sebastian of The Lovin' Spoonful, Mama Cass Elliott of The Mamas and The Papas, Rita Coolidge, Priscilla Jones, Claudia Lennear (of "Brown Sugar" lyrical fame), English Vocalists Judith Powell, Liza Strike, Larry Steel and Tony Wilson with Americans Cyrus Faryar and Henry Ditz both of The Modern Folk Quartet. Throw in String Arrangements on two songs with Arif Mardin ("To A Flame" and the second is "Church (Part Of Someone)") and you have to say - what a cast...

 

But even in May 2022 – its journey to digital has been a surprisingly singular affair – this 1995 digital remaster of the whole record stands alone. Subsequent packages have thrown up some updates - four newly remastered tracks on the February 2013 "Carry On" 4CD Book Set with a rare Mono single version of "Love The One You're With" (December 1970, Atlantic 45-2778, A-side) and a short Previously Unreleased March 1970 jam with Jimi Hendrix. There must be outtakes too. So it won't take fans spinach tins to work out that this cracking solo album start is long overdue for a 2CD Deluxe Edition that wraps up the lot. But until then – let's deal with what we do have. To the newish old times good times...

 

UK released October 1995 - "Stephen Stills" by STEPHEN STILLS on Atlantic 7567-82809-2 (Barcode 075678280924) is a straightforward CD Reissue and Digital Remaster of his 1970 Debut Solo Album that plays out as follows (39:03 minutes): 

1. Love The One You're With [Side 1]

2. Do For The Others 

3. Church (Part Of Someone)

4. Old Times Good Times 

5. Go Back Home 

6. Sit Yourself Down [Side 2]

7. To A Flame 

8. Black Queen 

9. Cherokee 

10. We Are Not Helpless

Tracks 1 to 10 are his debut solo album "Stephen Stills" - released 16 November 1970 in the USA on Atlantic SD 7202 and 27 November 1970 in the UK on Atlantic 24001 004. Produced by STEPHEN STILLS and BILL HAVERSON - it peaked at No. 3 in the USA and No. 30 in the UK. 

Players: 

STEPHEN STILLS - Lead Vocals, Guitars, Organ, Piano, Steel Drum & Percussion

(Track 9 "Black Queen" recorded Live featuring only Stills on Guitar)

JIMI HENDRIX - Lead Guitar on Track 4 

ERIC CLAPTON - Second Lead Guitar on Track 5

BOOKER T. JONES - Organ on Track 9

SIDNEY GEORGE - Flute and Alto Saxophone on Track 9

CALVIN "Fuzzy" SAMUELS - Bass 

CONRAD ISEDOR - Drums on Tracks 3 and 4

JOHN BARBATA - Drums on Tracks 5 and 6

DALLAS TAYLOR - Drums on Tracks 5 and 9 

RINGO STARR (credited as Richie) - Drums on Tracks 7 and 10

JEFF WHITTAKER - Congas on Tracks 1 and 4

ARIF MARDIN - Co-Arrangement (with Stills) of Strings on Tracks 3 and 7

THE MEMPHIS HORNS - Uncredited on Track 9

 

Vocalists:

RITA COOLIDGE, PRISCILLA JONES, JOHN SEBASTIAN, DAVID CROSBY and GRAHAM NASH - Backing Vocals on Track 1

JUDITH POWELL, LIZA STRIKE, LARRY STEELE and TONY WILSON - Backing Vocals as "The Chorus" on Track 3

RITA COOLIDGE, PRISCILLA JONES, CLAUDIA LENNEAR, JOHN SEBASTIAN, MAMA CASS ELLIOTT with DAVID CROSBY and GRAHAM NASH - Backing Vocals on Tracks 5 and 6

RITA COOLIDGE, PRISCILLA JONES, CLAUDIA LENNEAR, JOHN SEBASTIAN, MAMA CASS ELLIOTT, DAVID CROSBY, GRAHAM NASH, SHIRLEY MATTHEWS, BOOKER T. JONES with CYRUS FARYAR and HENRY DILTZ - Backing Vocals on Track 10 

The gatefold slip of paper that acts as an inlay gives you the track-by-track musician credits and that silly Charles John Quatro poem on the rear, but nothing else - no annotation - no history - no extras - just the bit that tells us the transfer is a JOE GASTWIRT Remaster done from original tapes at Ocean View Digital. Giving your CD some welly, you will get muscle out of this - but when I play it against my "Carry On" tracks - the improvement is noticeable. To the tunes...

 

Apparently inspired by a casual comment Apple Artist Billy Preston made at a London party about a particularly pretty girl - "Love The One You're With" has that almost Steve Winwood and The Spencer Davis Group magic about it that just doesn't diminish with the years. What a fantastic winner "Love The One..." is and as you can see from the Backing Vocalists list provided above - contains some seriously stellar names. Stills also plays Steel Drum on it ably aided by future Manassas hand Calvin "Fuzzy Samuels on Bass and Jamaican Percussionist Jeff Whittaker on Congas - Whittaker would join the Africa-Beats group Akida in 1972 (Mercury Records) and later hooked up with Peter Green's Katmandu band. 

Stills plays everything on the highly produced "Do For The Others" - the acoustic guitars and his vocals swirling around your room - lyrics singing of lies and betrayal and borrowing light from others just to survive the emotional trauma (the audio is gorgeous). We then enter the heavy-on-the-piano-and-organ-melodrama of "Church (Part Of Someone)" - the foursome backing vocalists sounding like a choir of twenty. Just short of two-minutes in, Arif Mardin's string arrangements (co-written with Stills) kick in with gorgeous effect lifting the song into an epic sweep. For those who want more, there's a very pretty Previously Unreleased Live Version of "Do For The Others" on the 4CD "Carry On" Book Set (Track 19 on Disc 2) that features duet acoustic guitars only between Stills and Steve Fromholz recorded at Madison Square Gardens in July 1971.

 

Probably the single greatest disappointment for me about the album is the appearance of Jimi Hendrix on Lead Guitar which should have been a cause for knicker-wetting excitement – but turns out to be one long barely audible aimless solo that is hardly genius or Rock God – Stills and his Organ playing far out-playing everything else that is going on. Way better is the other big axe man – Eric Clapton on the slyly Rock-Funky groove attained in "Go Back Home" – a near six-minute sexy beast that plays out Side 1 on a high. 

 

Side 2 opens with the superb "Sit Yourself Down" – a very I-gotta-quit-this-running theme where our Stephanie needs to take some time out – it's the kind of tune that could easily have made "Déjà vu" released earlier in March of 1970. Always dismissed as a 5 or 6-star rating flipside to its more illustrious A ("Love The One You're With"), I like "To A Flame" a lot. It features Stills, Ringo Starr on Drums and String Arrangements from Arif Mardin and bears returning to (there is also a Previously Unreleased Mix of "To A Flame" on the "Carry On" 4CD set). Very cleverly segues into the huge slide Acoustic Guitar Blues jaunt of "Black Queen" - Stills grunting along to the notes much like Rory Gallagher used to do when he blew everyone away. 

 

We then go into the slightly out-of-kilter Lounge-Soul-Jazz arena of "Cherokee" with Booker T. Jones of Booker T. and The MG's giving it some organ alongside the Flute and Alto Saxophone soling of Sydney George - Stills playing a highly effective Coral Sitar (the "Carry On" Box Set also confirms that Sydney George is joined with The Memphis Horns too). It's so out of step with the feel of all the other songs on the album - I can't help thinking that it would have made a killer Non-LP B-side to "Love The One You're With" and should have been replaced with something else like say the gorgeous outtake "My Love Is A Gentle Thing" for instance (on both the "Pieces" compilation from 2009 and the 2013 "Carry On" Book Set). And just as you were getting into the flow, "Stephen Stills" the LP finishes with a jagged immediate segue into "We Are Not Helpless" - a similar big subjects vibe to "Church (Part Of Someone)" and featuring that massive backing chorus.  

 

Stephen Stills" is a good-to-great debut album that just slightly misses the mark - but it's one that fans love and have loved for over 50-years. But as I said earlier, this 1995 Digitally Remastered 'that'll do' CD variant may sound wicked, but is surely due for a major boo-ya upgrade. We are not helpless Steve; we are just waiting...

"All Things Must Pass" by GEORGE HARRISON (2014 Apple 2CD Reissue - Gavin Lurssen Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Really Want To See You..."

When I bought the 2DVD set of 2002's "Concert For George" – the nearest a mere mortal like me was going to get to that stunning celebration of George Harrison's life and music/film legacy – I bawled my eyes out like a big girl's blouse. I can remember the whole sensory experience of music, emotion and video 'getting to me' on a level I found both profound and ultimately uplifting. I'd simply forgotten how good his songwriting was and I (like others) needed some reminding. Re-visiting his mammoth 3LP debut solo work "All Things Must Pass" on this definitive 2CD Apple Remaster has been the same. Wonder and awe...all over again. Here are the Apple Scruffs...

UK and USA released 22 September 2014 – "All Things Must Pass" by GEORGE HARRISON on Apple/George Harrison Estate 0602537914005 (Barcode is the same) is a 3LP Set onto 2CDs with Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (59:37 minutes):

1. I'd Have You Anytime

2. My Sweet Lord

3. Wah-Wah

4. Isn't It A Pity (Version 1)

5. What Is Life [Side 2]

6. If Not For You

7. Behind That Locked Door

8. Let It Down

9. Run Of The Mill

Tracks 1 to 9 make up Side 1 & 2 of the 3LP Box Set "All Things Must Pass" – released 27 November 1970 in the USA (30 November 1970 in the UK) both on Apple STCH 639

ADDITIONAL/BONUS TRACKS:

10. I Live For You [1970 Outtake]

11. Beware Of The Darkness (27 May 1970 Demo Version, Outtake]

12. Let It Down [Early Version, Remixed in 2000]

13. What Is Life [Backing Track]

14. My Sweet Lord (2000)

Tracks 10 to 15 first appeared as Bonus Tracks on the January 2001 "All Things Must Pass" 2CD Reissue – sanctioned by George Harrison. His son Dhani Harrison and UK singer Sam Brown added vocals to the 2000 Version of "My Sweet Lord" along with percussion from Ray Cooper. Dhani’s keyboards and vocals also bolstered up the remixed outtake "I Live For You".

Disc 2 (65:38 minutes):

1. Beware Of Darkness [Side 3]

2. Apple Scruffs

3. Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)

4. Awaiting On You All

5. All Things Must Pass

6. I Dig Love [Side 4]

7. Art Of Dying

8. Isn't It A Pity (Version 2)

9. Hear Me Lord

APPLE JAM:

10. It's Johnny’s Birthday

11. Plug Me In

12. I Remember Jeep

13. Thanks For The Pepperoni

14. Out Of The Blue

Tracks 1 to 14 are Sides 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the 3LP set "All Things Must Pass". NOTE: On original issues of the vinyl album the 11-minute "Out Of The Blue", the 50-second "It's Johnny's Birthday" and the 3:15 minutes of "Plug Me In" made up Side 5 - while "I Remember Jeep" (extended from 6:59 minutes to 8:05 on CD) and "Thanks For The Pepperoni" (5:26 minutes) made up Side 6. For both the January 2001 and September 2014 CD reissues – the tracks have been rejiggered as above. All songs on "All Things Must Pass" are Harrison originals except "I'd Have You Anytime" which is a co-write with Bob Dylan and "If Not For You" which is a Bob Dylan cover version.

PLAYERS:

Lead Vocals (All Tracks) – GEORGE HARRISON

Guitars - GEORGE HARRISON, DAVE MASON (of Traffic), ERIC CLAPTON (Derek & The Dominoes)

Pedal Steel Guitar - PETE DRAKE

Rhythm Guitars and Percussion – BADFINGER (featuring Pete Ham and Tom Evans)

Keyboards - BILLY PRESTON, BOBBY WHITLOCK (Derek & The Dominoes), GARY BROOKER (Procol Harum) and GARY WRIGHT (Spooky Tooth)

Saxophone and Trumpet – BOBBY KEYS and JIM PRICE

Bass – CARL RADLE (Derek & The Dominoes) and KLAUS VOORMAN

Drums – ALAN WHITE (Yes), JIM GORDON (Delaney & Bonnie, Derek & The Dominoes) and RINGO STARR (The Beatles)

Congas – PHIL COLLINS on "Art Of Dying" (uncredited)

Backing Vocals – GEORGE O'HARA-SMITH SINGERS

The first thing you notice about the latest 2014 version is that the 'colourised' artwork of the January 2001 Mini Box Set has gone (as has the box) – we're now back to the more sombre original black and white artwork. I can't say I think the 3-way foldout hard card cover is an improvement on the 'colour' box of 2001 (which I rather liked) – but at least we get the fold-out lyric poster reproduced (with the colour shot of a bearded Harrison on the other side) and the three different colour inner sleeves for each album now get spread over two CD inners and the inside artwork. Harrison's own liner notes for the 2001 version return (reappraising the album from a 30-year distance - highlighting the large number of musicians involved) – but you have to go the bottom of the poster to get the real 'new' info...the AUDIO.

PAUL HICKS, GAVIN LURSSEN and REUBEN COHEN are the team of three who have handled the new '2014 Remaster' – done at Lurssen Mastering in California. His in-house team have won 3 Grammies and I've raved about Lurssen's work before on more than one occasion – see reviews for "Barnstorm" by Joe Walsh on Hip-O Select, "Gold" by The Crusaders on Universal, Stephen Bishop's "Careless" and "Bish" both on Hip-O Select and Terry Callier's "Occasional Rain" on Universal 'Originals'. His modern-day mastering work includes top name artists like John Mellencamp, Tom Waits, Roseanna Cash and even actor Jeff Bridges. Just to take a like-to-like comparison – the gorgeous Pedal Steel guitar work of Pete Drake on the 2014 Remaster of "Behind That Locked Door" is so much clearer and that rhythm section positively brimming with bass warmth and gentle snare shuffles. And when Phil Spector's typically OTT Production threatens to swamp everything on "Let It Down" with a Wall of Noise – they've somehow managed to make the overall soundstage clearer yet still keep it properly muscular. And the truly wonderful Version 1 of "Isn't It A Pity" sounds just glorious, as do the huge acoustic guitars and piano on "Run Of The Mill". After the 'all things louder than everything else' remaster of 2001 – this new 2014 version is a welcome controlled tone down - absolutely gorgeous stuff.

If I'm truthful I've never really thought much of the Dylan collaboration song "I'd Have You Anytime" which always felt to me like a poor man's version of the genuinely lovely "If Not For You". But what you can't fault is the audio wallop of both it and "My Sweet Lord" – the only solo Beatles single to hit the Number 1 spot on the UK charts twice – the original Apple 7" on R 5884 in January 1971 and on reissue in January 2002 after his awful and tragic passing in late November 2001. The huge electric guitars and layered vocals of the manic "Wah-Wah" attack your speakers like its "Helter Skelter Part 2" – while the already mentioned "Isn't It A Pity" is surely his greatest solo song (check out the Eric Clapton and Billy Preston live version in HD on YouTube).

The Bonus Tracks (tagged on once again at the end of Disc 1) are shockingly good and I'd argue better than some of the indulgent fluff on the original release. Dhani Harrison's subtle but beautiful vocal and keyboard contributions to "I Live For You" make the outtake sound like a lost gem and will thrill fans. The "Beware Of Darkness" demo is an acoustic ditty and strips the finished track of its bombast. Having been used to the doomy studio swagger of the final version for so long – this wonderfully barebones "Beware Of Darkness" is unplugged - stark - his Liverpool nasal/vocal phrasing filling the speakers as the strings rattle. And that jab at Klein's Abkco – what a hoot. But best of all is "...this is called "Let It Down"..." – a truly beautiful early version of the second last song on Side 2. Frankly this is way better than the finished version for me – the feel and melody is fabulous – containing a prettiness that got strangled on the LP version. The 'Backing Track' of "What Is Life" is a busy Spector affair chugging along as the guitars and brass jab. The sitar-introduced '2000' version of "My Sweet Lord" is a strange beast – liable to be viewed as lovely by some and a 'should have left it alone' travesty by others. I like it and Dhani Harrison, Sam Brown and Ray Cooper all add something to the mix this time around.

Disc 2 opens with a huge "Beware Of Darkness" – the guitars and strings swirling into one collective sound. "...Beware of mire..." Harrison sings and you know he means every word of it. The washboard shuffle of "Apple Scruffs" has that harmonica warbling with renewed clarity and the "...perpetual mirth..." of the strange-odd "Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp..." has those acoustic guitars peeping up above the piano and pedal steel. Once again Spector smothered "Awaiting On You All" with so many instruments and voices that it's hard to work out where the song is at times. But then we're hit with his melancholic masterpiece title track "All Things Must Pass" – a song so lovely in melody that surely it would have had a shot a second No. 1 (the USA issued "What is Life" b/w "Apple Scruffs" on Apple 1828 in February 1971 and that achieved a No. 10 placing). It's still got that slightly excessive hiss present as it opens – but the warmth of the song takes over and the remaster is genuinely subtle with the instrumentation (so touching). That drum roll opening on "I Dig Love" has real clout now, as does the keyboard funk that anchors the song throughout. The guitars crash in on "Art Of Dying" (sounds like Clapton) as it races along with that Rubber Soul vocal Spector gives Harrison's lead. The double-LP proper ends on a real musical high – "Hear Me Lord". Sounding at times almost like the Faces circa "Long Player" - big guitars vie with big vocals and even bigger ideas – his personal struggle with faith filling the song with sincerity as that huge organ note lingers in the background while someone fills the whole six minutes with sweetly soulful piano fills. The remaster is a lot less bombastic than the really loud 2001 version too...and very much the better for it.

The placing of the "Johnny's Birthday" ramshackle 50-second snippet first (Phil Coulter's "Congratulations" sung under another guise) in the "Apple Jam" LP portion makes more than sense – it works. We then get four guitar battles – all instrumentals. First up is "Plug Me In" which has the feel of a Derek & The Dominoes "Layla" outtake – all soloing and no vocals – searching for a riff and not quite finding it. The 8:08 minutes of "I Remember Jeep" was fun at the time and that soulful piano interlude towards the end still makes it a cool listen. The Johnny B. Goode grunge boogie of "Thanks For The Pepperoni" is yet another guitar strut that feels like you're eavesdropping on a particularly rocky Blind Faith session. But my poison in the bunch has always been the 11:14 minutes of "Out Of The Blue" (Bobby Keys on Sax) that feels like the Faces with too many beers and one too many amps in the studio. I’m always reminded of The Rolling Stones guitar juggernaut "Can't You Hear Me Knocking" from 1971's "Sticky Fingers". I suspect like so many fans – I haven't played this stoner jam for decades...and I'd actually forgotten just how good it is...

George Harrison would return with the more tempered "Living In A Material World" single LP in 1973 and score another No. 1 with "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)" – but many remember him for ATMP. Post Beatles - he splurged - the public loved it then and have held it in affection ever since. And on re-hearing this wonderful remaster of "All Things Must Pass" – is it any wonder.

The quiet and contemplative Beatle passed too damn quickly (aged only 58 in 2001) – I can still feel the shock and hurt of it. Re-listening to this sprawling solo 'White Album' of 1970 has only made me want to re-visit the rest of his recorded legacy – and that's got to be the best Remaster compliment of them all...

This review is part of my SOUNDS GOOD Music Book Series. One of those titles is CLASSIC 1970s ROCK - an E-Book with over 245 entries and 2100 e-Pages - purchase on Amazon and search any artist or song (click the link below). Huge amounts of info taken directly from the discs (no cut and paste crap). 

"Encouraging Words" by BILLY PRESTON - September 1970 UK Album on Apple Records featuring George Harrison (October 2010 UK Apple 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster)

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"…Learn To Live The Golden Rule…Don't You Go Through Life Being A Fool…"

Monday 25 October 2010 has seen 14 of the 'Apple' label albums remastered and reissued alongside "Come And Get It" - a first-time-ever label 'Best Of'. This reissue is one of them.

"Encouraging Words" was the second and last album on Apple Records for long-time friend and sometimes collaborator with The Beatles - American keyboardist and Soul Singer Billy Preston. And along with his excellent debut LP the year before (1969's "That's The Way God Planned It") – it's not just one of the labels better offerings, it's a criminally forgotten Seventies Soul gem and arguably the best album of his long career.

UK released 25 Oct 2010 - "Encouraging Words" by BILLY PRESTON on Apple 5099990823923 (Barcode is the same as catalogue number) is an Expanded Edition CD Reissue and Remaster that breaks down as follows (54:44 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 13 are the LP "Encouraging Words" released 11 September 1970 in the UK on Apple SAPCOR 14 (Stereo only) and on Apple ST-3370 in the USA.

BONUSES:

Tracks 14 and 15 are the 2 bonus tracks given with the 1993 reissue - "As Long As I Got My Baby" (a Preston original) and "All That I Got (I'm Gonna Give It To You)" (a co-wrote with Doris Troy).

"As Long As I Got My Baby" was intended to be the B-side of Preston's version of "My Sweet Lord" on Apple 29 (scheduled for September 1970 release in the UK) but withdrawn.

"All That I Got (I'm Gonna Give It To You)" was co-produced with GEORGE HARRISON and released as a 7" single on 30 January 1970 in the UK on Apple 21. It's B-side "As I Get Older" is on the "That's The Way God Planned It" CD reissue as a bonus (Track 14) – both songs were non-album at the time of release.

Track 16 is a new bonus for this 2010 issue - the previously unreleased fully formed song - "How Long Has the Train Been Gone". It was co-written with Bruce Fisher, recorded in January 1970 and then later re-recorded for Preston’s 1973 album on A&M Records – "Everybody Loves Some Kind Of Music" (he would also re-record "When You Were Mine" for his 1976 A&M album “Billy Preston”).

BOOKLET/PACKAGING:
Noted writer and music lover ANDY DAVIS does the new liner notes for the disappointingly weedy 12-page booklet (EMI pushes the boat out again people). But with what little text he has been afforded, Davis does at least fill it with properly informative details - and it's peppered with some very tasty full-page colour photos of Preston from the time. No UK singles were issued around the record (possibly why it disappeared so quick), but there is a full-page reproduction of an advert for the American single of "My Sweet Lord" on Apple 1826 (it also names Radio Stations supporting the song).

PLAYERS:
The cast is impressive (if not a little vague) – GEORGE HARRISON co-produced the entire album with Preston, ERIC CLAPTON played guitar on 3 tracks – “Right Now”, “Use What You Got” and “Encouraging Words”. RINGO STARR and KLAUS VOORMAN are said to be on Drums and Bass respectively, while DELANEY BRAMLETT also plays guitar on “Encouraging Words” with Eric. The Rhythm Section for THE TEMPTATIONS are on there (Bass, Guitarist, Drums) while members of SAM and DAVE’S band played Drums and Bass too. Both MADELINE BELL and DORIS TROY provided beautiful soulful backing vocals (Doris Troy’s lone album on Apple “Doris Troy” was released the week earlier – 4 September 1970) while the EDWIN HAWKINS SINGERS are on “My Sweet Lord” and “Sing One For The Lord”.

CONTENT:
Six of the 13 are Billy Preston originals with "My Sweet Lord" and "All Things (Must) Pass" being George Harrison compositions. "Let The Music Play", "The Same Thing Again" and "Sing One For The Lord" are co-writes with Jesse Kirkland, James Herndon and George Harrison respectively. Which leaves two cover versions – The Beatles' "I've Got A Feeling" (from "Let It Be") and "You've Been Acting Strange" written by Ronnie Lee Williams (also covered by Merry Clayton on her 1970 "Gimme Shelter" album). Unlike some of the other Apple issues, there are no extra tracks via download. But the really big news is the SOUND...

SOUND:
The same team that handled the much-praised 09/09/09 Beatles remasters have done this - GUY MASSEY, STEVE ROOKES, PHIL HICKS and SIMON GIBSON. I always thought the initial 1993 reissue was dull-as-dishwater soundwise - well not so now because the audio quality here is BEAUTIFUL - a massive improvement. It also makes you reassess a lot of the songs and appreciate more Harrison's excellent production contributions.

"Right On" is a superb opener and sets the tone for the overall funky feel of the album (surely it would have been a hit single). "When You Are Mine" is a sweetheart too as is "Use What You Got" (with great wah-wah guitar from Clapton). Very cool stuff. Conversely - the two most famous 'early versions' of Harrison classics "My Sweet Lord" and "All Things (Must) Pass" are the ones that work the least well for me. Not so the stunning blues-soul of "The Same Thing Again" co-written with the noted Gospel singer James Herndon – it's a monster. It had customers coming to the counter in our shop wanting to know which Ray Charles tune we were playing (praise indeed).

"Encouraging Words" is a brilliantly brassy dancer with a message for the kids to be kind, stay in school and don't get suckered (lyrics above). It really is so good. The brass, the great production and the remaster combine to fill your room with superlative soul-funk. But for me the absolute dog's undercarriage is the fabulous Beatles-meets-Gospel "Sing One For The Lord" - Preston's huge organ playing combines with the choir feel of the backing vocals, George's meaty guitar riff and a lingering Sitar-sounding instrument called the Indian Tamboura which floats over the whole thing – it’s a stunning cross-pollination of cultures and music and as close to post-Beatles magic as you can get.

Although a little hissy - the new song "How Long Has The Train Been Gone" is a slow soulful gem – it's fantastic and I can't believe its been lingering in vaults all these years. And like the new bonus track "Something's Got To Change" on the "That's The Way God Planned It" CD reissue (see separate review) - it's that rarest thing, a genuine must-have bonus track.

Niggles - the gatefold card sleeve is nice to look at for sure, but the booklet and overall packaging feel lightweight (what EMI could get away with). The CD should have one of those gauze inner bags to protect it - a problem that no record company seems to want to acknowledge (scuffing and damage). But these are truly minor points…

To sum up – I've loved rehearing this forgotten peach of an album in this hugely improved sound quality - Seventies Soul lovers need to discover this great record. I’m also reminded of crying uncontrollably when I saw Preston play "Isn't It A Pity" live with Clapton and that fantastic band at the "Concert For George" in 2002 in The Royal Albert Hall - magical. Too many losses man…remember his this way.

A brilliant reissue and recommended big time...

“Is This What You Want?” by JACKIE LOMAX (October 2010 Apple 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Rolls Royce...Does It Make You Happy?"

Despite "Sour Milk Sea" being written by George Harrison at a time when all-things-Beatles was at an-all-time fever pitch – Jackie Lomax's debut album on their Apple Label has never really raised the goose bumps on collector’s arms (or the public’s interest - his next albums on Warner Brothers were the same despite some quality tracks). But on rehearing this 1969 opening salvo – there is much to enjoy here. One of 14 Apple Label albums Remastered and Reissued on 20 October 2010 - here are the questionable details...

Using the Stereo Mix of the album – the October 2010 Expanded Edition CD Remaster of "Is That What You Want?" by JACKIE LOMAX [featuring Eric Clapton, Nick Hopkins, Tony Newman, Madeline Bell and Doris Troy] on Apple 5099990825521 (Barcode the same) breaks down as follows (60:09 minutes):

1. Speak To Me

2. Is This What You Want?

3. How Can You Say Goodbye

4. Sunset

5. Sour Milk Sea

6. Fall Inside Your Eyes

7. Little Yellow Pills [Side 2]

8. Take My Word

9. The Eagle Laughs At You

10. Baby You’re A Lover

11. You’ve Got Me Thinking

12. I Just Don’t know

Tracks 1 to 12 are the LP "Is That What You Want?" released 14 March 1969 on Apple APCOR 6 (Mono) and Apple SAPCOR 6 (Stereo) in the UK and on Apple ST-3354 in the USA (Stereo only).

BONUS TRACKS:

13. New Day

14. Thumbin’ A Ride

15. How The Web Was Woven

16. You’ve Got To Be Strong

17. You Make It With Me

18. Can You Hear Me

Tracks 13 to 15 were the 3 bonus tracks given with the 1991 reissue while 16 to 18 are previously unreleased and exclusive to this 2010 version. There are also 5 more extra tracks available via Digital Download from iTunes or Amazon as an extra payment (see either site for details).

Using both album and bonus tracks, this CD will allow fans to sequence his 3 Apple UK 7" singles as follows: 

1. "Sour Milk Sea" b/w "The Eagle Laughs At You" [Tracks 5 and 9]

(Released 31 August 1968 in the UK on Apple APPLE 3)

2. "New Day" b/w "Fall Inside Your Eyes" [Tracks 13 and 6]

(Released 2 May 1969 in the UK on Apple APPLE 11; the A-side is a non-album track and is a MONO mix)

3. "How The Web Was Woven" b/w Thumbin' A Ride [Tracks 15 and 14]

(Released 6 February 1970 in the UK on Apple APPLE 23. Both sides are cover versions, the A-side by Clive Westlake and David Most while the B is a Coasters song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. It is also the only single on the Apple catalogue produced by a Beatle on each side - George Harrison on the A and Paul McCartney on the B. Both songs were non-album at the time of release)

BOOKLET/PACKAGING:

Noted writer and music lover ANDY DAVIS does the new liner notes for the disappointingly weedy booklet (they all appear to be this generic length - 12 pages - EMI pushes the boat out again people). But with what little text he has been afforded, Davis does at least fill it with properly informative details - and it's peppered with some very tasty black and white photos of Lomax in Hyde Park in 1969 (two more adorn the inner gatefold) - and colour portraits of Jackie with George Harrison and Paul McCartney in the studio.  It's cute, but you do wish there was more...

PLAYERS/CONTENT:

Like so many of the sessions of the time, the recordings included three of The Beatles and many famous and talented friends - George played Guitar, Ringo was on Drums, Paul McCartney and Klaus Voormann contributed Bass - others musicians included ERIC CLAPTON on Guitar, NICKY HOPKINS on Keyboards and TONY NEWMAN of Sounds Incorporated on Drums. Although the liner notes don't state it - the backing vocals are probably DORIS TROY and MADELINE BELL. Excepting "Sour Milk Sea" (written by George Harrison) - the other 11 tracks on the album are Jackie Lomax originals.

SOUND:

The same team that handled the much-praised 09/09/09 Beatles remasters has done this - GUY MASSEY, STEVE ROOKES, PHIL HICKS and SIMON GIBSON. The audio quality is BEAUTIFUL - a massive improvement. It also makes you reassess a lot of the songs and especially the musicianship involved.

The album opens strongly with "Speak To Me" - strings, vocals, guitars - all sounding great. It's followed by the 'possessions are corrupting' title song (lyrics above) with a lovely Oboe floating over the loaded lyrics. In fact a lot of the album reflects a thinking-man's Rock 'n' Roller - "Little Yellow Pills" warning against doctor's helpful prescriptions and the plaintive album finisher "I Just Don't Know" ruminating about chasing dreams and girls - neither of which appear attainable to the dapper Jackie. Some of the slower songs don't work for me - a little forced and even twee in places - "Fall Inside Your Eyes" and "Baby You're A Lover"

But like the other issues in this series, the best is kept until last. What the 3 new bonus tracks lack in recorded finesse are more than made up for with heart and raw talent - "You Got To Be Strong" and "Can You Hear Me" are co-written with fellow label mate DORIS TROY - and they're excellent. Sort of hybrid Soul-meets-Rock songs, they suit his guttural vocals so well.  "Can You Hear Me" is even moving in a slightly Northern Soul way - a truly lovely melody.

Niggles - the gatefold card sleeve is nice to look at for sure, but the booklet and overall packaging feel lightweight (what EMI could get away with). The CD should have one of those gauze inner bags to protect it - a problem that no record company seems to want to acknowledge (scuffing and damage). These are minor points I know but worth making...

Lomax went on to make "Home Is In My Head" and "Three" for Warner Brothers in 1971 and 1972 (both of which featured ace UK slide-guitarist Bryn Haworth - they've been reissued by Rhino with extra tracks) - but this forgotten and underrated album is where it all started proper.

Recommended - especially given the massive improvement in sound quality and those excellent bonus tracks…