"Ooh La La: An Island Harvest" by RONNIE LANE and SLIM CHANCE (2014 Universal/Island 2CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…I'm Gonna Miss You…"

As every Small Faces and Faces fan knows – Ronnie Lane’s primo and sought-after solo career on GM and Island Records in the mid to late Seventies has had a ludicrously convoluted history on CD. It’s involved obscure re-issue labels, followed by quick deletion and extortion setting in on the price front almost immediately. And most of these discs have had OK to occasionally better sound quality. Well – at last – all of that ends with Universal’s big label 2CD reissue "Ooh La La: An Island Harvest". It's not perfect for sure – but damn close. Here are the tins and tambourines…

UK released Monday 10 March 2014 on Universal-Island 5345422 (Barcode 600753454220) – "Ooh La La: An Island Harvest" breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (74:41 minutes):

Tracks 1, 4, 9, 10, 11 and 15 are all PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED - "Ooh La La (Alternate Studio Take – Take 4)", "Buddy Can Spare A Dime (Alternate Studio Take – Take 5)", "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down (And Write Myself A Letter) (Alternate Studio Take)", "You Never Can Tell (Take 1)",  "Back Street Boy (Jam Session)", "Country Boy (Alternate Take)"

Tracks 8, 14, 17 and 18 are from the 1975 UK album "Ronnie Lane & Slim Chance" (see sequence below)

Tracks 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 12 and 13 are from the 1976 UK album "One For The Road" LP (see sequence below)

Track 16 is "What Went Down (That Night With You)" – the A-side of a non-album UK 7” single issued February 1975 on Island WIP 6216

Disc 2 (75:26 minutes):

Tracks 1 and 14 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED - "The Poacher (Take 2)" and "Anniversary (Alternate Mix)"

Tracks 2, 4, 6, 7, 9 and 10 are from the 1975 UK album "Ronnie Lane & Slim Chance" (see sequence below)

Tracks 3 and 5 are from the 1976 UK album "One For The Road" LP (see sequence below)

Track 8 is "Lovely (Single Version)" – the Non-Album B-side of Track 16 on Disc 1

Tracks 12 to 19 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED LIVE tracks from a BBC Concert 23 April 1974 - "Last Orders Please", "Done This One Before", "Flags And Banners", "Tell Everyone", "How Come", "I Believe In You", "Debris" and "Ooh La La".

You can sequence 'most' of both Island LPs as follows (1/18) = Disc 1, Track 18 etc.:

Ronnie Lane & Slim Chance  (July 1975 2nd UK LP on Island ILPS 9321)

Side 1:

1. Little Piece Of Nothing (1/18)

2. Stone (2/4)

3. A Bottle Of Brandy (2/6)

4. Street Gang (2/2)

5. Anniversary (1/14)

6. I’m Gonna Sit Down And Write Myself A Letter

7. I’m A Country Boy

Side 2:

1. Ain’t No Lady (2/9)

2. Blue Monday (2/10)

3. Give Me A Penny (1/8)

4. You Never Can Tell

5. Tin And Tambourine (1/17)

6. Single Saddle (2/7)

One For The Road (July 1976 3rd UK LP on Island ILPS 9366)

Side 1:

1. Don’t Try 'N' Change My Mind (1/2)

2. 32nd Street (1/7)

3. Snake (1/12)

4. Burnin' Summer (1/13)

5. One For The Road (1/3)

Side 2:

1. Steppin' An' Reelin' (The Wedding) 1/5)

2. Harvest Home (1/6)

3. Nobody's Listening (2/3)

4. G’morning (2/5)

The 2CDs are housed in a three-way foldout card sleeve that’s admittedly flimsy with CD1 on the left, CD2 on the right and the 16-page booklet in the centre (and again no inner bags for protection – be careful extracting the discs). A nice touch however is that CD1 repros the Pink-Rim Island Label - while CD2 repros the one after it – the Blue and Orange mid to late Seventies label. There are hugely affectionate liner notes by renowned music writer PAOLO HEWITT who also compiled the set with JOHNNY CHANDLER. We get mini photos of the two album sleeves and UK Island singles, master tape boxes, concert tickets, gig posters and reissue credits. But of course the big news is the sound – remastered from original tapes by ALEX WHARTON at Abbey Road Studios – we finally get to hear these tracks breath and sound wonderful.

The sonic wallop is immediate when you get to Track 2 – a rare UK 7" single "Don't Try To Change My Mind". Last I heard it was on a Neon CD from 2000 (see review) and its sound quality was good rather than great. Now it’s a revelation. The accordion and mandolins are so clear – lovely tune. And it seems like I’ve waited 40 years to hear "Tin And Tambourine" sound this good – what a blast. And when the band goes into that harmonica jaunt half way through – I’m bawling like a sappy fool. God I miss this guy…

As fans will have noticed from the LP lists above there’s bad news and niggles – three of the "Ronnie Lane & Slim Chance" album cuts from 1975 are AWOL - replaced with Alternates. However in the case of "Country Boy" – the Alternate Mix is shockingly good – as pretty as Lane could be – it’s going to be an absolute highlight for many. The distortion and crackle on "Burnin' Summer" is unbelievably bad (corrupted tape?).

But in compensation the BBC In Concert stuff on Disc 2 comes over as a FACES gig done live-in-the-studio in a ramshackle Ronnie Lane & Slim Chance style (and don’t get me started on the gorgeous “Debris” – we’ll be here for years). The finisher "Ooh La La" is joyous stuff. There are one or two of the Takes with small amounts of studio banter (the Chuck Berry cover "You Never Can Tell") and Plonk’s infectious laugh that will put a smile on many a weary kisser. Fans of "The Poacher" will also flip for the "Two, Three, Four…" count in on Take 2 where I swear he’s changed the words but all the magical ingredients are there – just slightly different. Another gem for many will be the sonic upgrade on the lovely "Anniversary" (lyrics above) – it’s featured in both album and alternate form.

As a long time Amazon Reviewer (over 1850 posts) – I regularly heap praise on UK independent labels that keep the flame alive for so many of us (especially on CD). But in 2014 someone somewhere seems to have lit a very large torch under the stodgy bottom of Universal – because like the brilliant Eric Clapton 2CD set “Give Me Strength” – for me this is yet another 2014 Reissue of the Year from a major record company. What is going on!?

Paolo Hewitt writes of Ronnie Lane, "He had stars in his eyes and he had love in his smile…"

Well after a mere four decades and his still hurtful/sad passing – fans of Ronnie 'Plonk' Lane finally have something worth getting weepy about. I raise a Pint of Guinness to him and to all involved in this superb reissue. Cheers to you all...

"Sticky Fingers: Deluxe Edition" by THE ROLLING STONES (June 2015 Polydor 2CD Reissue - Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

AMAZON UK Best Price Link Above - AMAZON USA Best Price Link Below

"...English Blood Runs Hot..." 

There can’t be too many Rolling Stones fans out there in the big wide world that won’t look at the sleeve of "Sticky Fingers" and grin like a schoolboy watching the English Ladies Hockey Team practice their down strokes. And I suppose if us aging reprobates are to suffer yet another reissue of that absolute Classic Rock Album – then this June 2015 two-disc rehash is a great way to massage our hip-replacements - because frankly it’s a bit of belter. In fact fans of the 'Mick Taylor Era' of The Rolling Stones are going to flip for Disc 2. Once more unto the bleach...

First things first – Disc 1 is not a new version in any way – it’s the remaster done by Stephen Marcussen at Marcussen Mastering in 2009 and runs to exactly the same playing time – 46:25 minutes. Disc 2 presents us with 10 Previously Unreleased Bonus Tracks mixed by BOB IRWIN and mastered by STEPHEN MARCUSSEN – five album outtakes and five live cuts from the last date on their UK Tour – Sunday, 14 March 1971 at The Roundhouse in London.

The 8-page basic inlay that accompanied the 4 May 2009 reissue has been upgraded to 24-pages for this 2CD Deluxe Edition (there is a single disc version that keeps the 8-page inlay). The Andy Warhol torso and underpants photo that was hidden under the original ‘zipper’ sleeve is reproduced on Page 3 - with Pages 4 to 7 giving us new black and white portrait photos of each member of the band (all were once considered for the inner artwork). The photo that did grace the inner insert for the original April 1971 LP is reproduced on the left hand flap as you open the gatefold card digipak – but rather tastefully - an outtake I’ve never seen before from the same photo session is on the right flap. Instead of Mick yawning and Keith grinning in side profile – it has Keith and Mick staring forward pensively with the other three doing the same in the rear (Bill Wyman, Mick Taylor and Charlie Watts). You can see why they chose the one that finally came out – its just more funny and a better snap (but what a lovely touch). Beneath each see-through CD tray (yellow lips logo on Disc 1 and green on Disc 2) are pictures of tape boxes. The booklet also has shots of their initial recording sessions at the famed Muscle Shoals Studios in Alabama (there’s even a bill for $1009 for the recording of "Wild Horses"), black and whites of the Stargroves Estate in Hampshire where further recording took place, the artwork for the "Brown Sugar" UK 7" single picture sleeve, a repro of the UK Tour 1971 poster, colour shots from the Roundhouse gig in London and even photos of the album launch in France with Ahmet Ertegun of Atlantic Records. Finally there are detailed credits for both discs.

UK released 8 June 2015 (9 June 2015 in the USA) – this reissue of "Sticky Fingers" by THE ROLLING STONES comes in a dizzying TEN FORMATS - including Single and Double Vinyl variants, differing Downloads versions and even a Spanish Cover Version with its famously unique 'Fingers in A Tin Of Treacle' artwork. This review is for the 2CD Deluxe Edition on Polydor/Rolling Stones 376 483-6 (Barcode 602537648368). Here are the details...

Disc 1 (46:25 minutes)

1. Brown Sugar

2. Sway

3. Wild Horses

4. Can’t You Hear Me Knocking

5. You Gotta Move

6. Bitch [Side 2]

7. I Got The Blues

8. Sister Morphine

9. Dead Flowers

10. Moonlight Mile

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Sticky Fingers" - released 23 April 1971 in the UK and USA on Rolling Stones Records COC 59100

Disc 2 (54:02 minutes):

1. Brown Sugar (with Eric Clapton) – 4:05 minutes

2. Wild Horses (Acoustic) – 5:47 minutes

3. Can’t You Hear Me Knocking (Alternate Version) – 3:24 minutes

4. Bitch (Extended Version) – 5:53 minutes

5. Dead Flowers (Alternate Version) – 4:18 minutes

6. Live With Me – 4:22 minutes

7. Stray Cat Blues – 3:48 minutes

8. Love In Vain – 6:42 minutes

9. Midnight Rambler – 11:27 minutes

10. Honky Tonk Women – 4:14 minutes

Tracks 1 to 5 are Outtakes from the original sessions produced by Jimmy Miller. "Brown Sugar" is credited as (with Eric Clapton) when in fact it also has Al Kooper on Guitar (Ian Stewart on Piano and Bobby Keys on Saxophone too). Tracks 6 to 10 are highlights from a show at The Roundhouse in London on Sunday, 14 March 1971 (there is a CD3 only on the Super Deluxe Edition 12" x 12" Box Set which is called "Get Yer Leeds Lungs Out" and was recorded 1971 at Leeds University). The live band for the London show included Bobby Keys on Saxophone, Jim Price on Trumpet and Nicky Hopkins on Piano. All songs are Jagger/Richards originals except "Stray Cat Blues" which is a Robert Johnson cover version.

THE ALBUM:

Right from the opening riffs of "Brown Sugar" (slightly distorted it has to be said) - you know you're in the presence of a different beast. This (2009) thing rocks - the guitars and rhythm section filling your speakers with incredible energy. I can hear the 'loudness wars' naysayers already - sure these things are loud and sure they're hissy in places too - but at least I feel like I'm in the presence of the real master tape. The power and clarity of instruments on say "Can't You Hear Me Knocking" and "Dead Flowers" is astounding. Ry Cooder's Slide Guitar and Jack Nitzsche's Piano on "Sister Morphine" is so good too, Paul Buckmaster's gorgeous Strings on "Moonlight Mile" and Keith's beautiful acoustic playing on "Wild Horses" - all fabulous. But if I was to isolate one track that shows massive improvement on this SHM - it's the Side 2 nugget "I Got The Blues". Everything about it rocks - Keith Richards and Mick Taylor on guitars, Bobby Keys and Jim Price on Horns, Jimmy Miller's Percussion and especially the Billy Preston Organ solo - it sounds truly fabulous. There's just that little more pep in the step of every track on this format - and somehow that amazing Cooder Slide on "Sister Morphine" seems more in your face (but in a good way), the sexy Saxophones on "Bitch" - the guitars on their fantastic bluesy cover of the Mississippi Fred McDowell/Gary Davis dead-and-dying tune "You Gotta Move". There are many who hated the 2009 remaster saying it was too loud or something like that. I think this is crap of the highest order. I bought the Japanese Platinum SHM-CD version with a flat transfer (which is what many of these detractors wanted) and it 'was' awful. It's a matter of Audio taste I know - but I frankly get weary of Audiophile types telling me what I'm hearing is lousy when my ears tell me different.

I had expected Disc 2 to be a disappointment – five lesser versions with a bunch of live stuff that should have stayed in the can – neither let the side down thank God. To hear “Brown Sugar” in ‘any’ variant is a blast - yet you can so hear why Jagger toned down the “get down on your knees...” lyrics and how the twin slide guitar work of Clapton and Kooper is good but still feels too ramshackle. Bobby Keys comes blasting in with that Saxophone solo pretty much intact but the finished album cut is sharper and their decision to go with a cleaner more concise version was the right one. It’s odd ‘not’ to hear the opening acoustic strums of “Wild Horses” be accompanied by that second guitar – this time we get a sort of unplugged original – and what a gorgeous song it is too. Lyrically there’s not much that’s different except that you can you hear the words more clearly on this Alternate. We then get a weird reversal – the finished album masterpiece “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” gets cut down from 7:16 minutes to 3:24 minutes and is really the band ‘feeling’ for something. In fact on the amazing near 12-minute live version of “Midnight Rambler” where Keith and Mick solo like crazy – you can hear the finished licks and solos creep in because it was March 1971 – after they’d recorded this early attempt. 

But then comes an absolute jewel – the extended “Bitch” where Bobby Keys (Saxophone) and Jim Price (Trumpet) add so much to the song. It’s absolutely fantastic and I actually shouted “More” at the Marantz as it finished – not wanting this bad sucker to end. After such excitement the Alternate of “Wild Flowers” isn’t nearly as Country as the finished album version and suffers for it. Fans will be disappointed that the five live cuts don’t actually feature a single “Sticky Fingers” track but that’s not to say that they’re inferior fare – far from it. This is the 1971 band cooking (with Mick Taylor) on 1969 “Let It Bleed” material like “Live With Me” and “Love In Vain”. There is already a huge step forward in the overall sound and impact – a band finding their Rock feet. The Robert Johnson cover of ”Stray Cat Blues” is just fantastic while the huge “Midnight Rambler” sees Mick give it some fabulous harmonica fills inbetween those Bluesy guitar moments (“Spotlight on Keith’s arse...” he say before they launch into the jam). After introductions of the band – Mick tells the crowd to “open your lungs on this one” as The Stones go into a stunning version of “Honky Tonk Women”. Very tasty stuff...

I don’t know if I’d plum up the dosh for the Super Deluxe Version – but I have to say that this 2CD Deluxe Edition is a triumph.

In the Jake Gyllenhaal/Dustin Hoffman/Susan Sarandon movie “Moonlight Mile” from 2002 – Jake’s character is in a bar, goes over to a jukebox and puts on the movie’s title track. It starts to play and then as the stunning Paul Buckmaster strings kick in – Jagger sings - “I’m riding down your Moonlight Mile...” And I remember watching it - and not for the first time did a chill go up my arms – reminding me of how much I loved this band and in particular this album that I played to death as a teen in Dublin.

Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are more Zimmer-Frame Twins these days than Glimmer Twins – but that doesn’t stop this 2CD reissue from being magical to me. Lick your lips folks...because here we go again...

"Summernights" by SILVER CONVENTION (2015 Big Break Records Expanded Version CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry

AMAZON UK Best-Price Link Is Above - AMAZON USA Best-Price Link Below

“...Dancing In The Streets...” 

Formed in Germany in 1974 just before the Disco explosion took Europe, the USA and the World by storm in 1976 and 1977 – the three ladies of SILVER CONVENTION were essentially a front vocal group for the songwriting of Sylvester Levay and Michael Kunze – sort of Europe’s answer to Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers.

Lead by New Yorker vocalist Rhonda Heath (Penny McLean and Roman Wulf were the other two) – the musical mix of American Bass-Driven Funk with Euro Strings taking centre-stage over the backbeat gave Silver Convention their hugely commercial radio-friendly sound.

The “Summernights” album (called “Golden Girls” in the USA and Australia) was originally released May 1977 on Jupiter Records 280966-OT (Tracks 1 to 9 on the CD). This June 2015 British CD Remaster on Big Break Records CDBBR 0284 (Barcode 5013929058439) features a new NICK ROBBINS Remaster done in London’s Sound Mastering that’s amazingly clear and full of life and pluck. There are also two BONUS TRACKS – “Telegram (Single Version)” which cuts down from the album track from 5:33 to 3:00 minutes - and “Ain’t It Like A Hollywood Movie (12” Disco Version)” which extends the LP cut from 5:08 to 7:41 minutes.

You get the usual classy-looking 12-page booklet from BBR – this time with photos of the ladies in their Disco refinery, rare European 7” single picture sleeves and detailed/informed liner notes by THOMAS DEL POZO – a writer and researcher based in Toronto (who thanks Rhonda Heath for her recollections). The Expanded CD runs to 50:54 minutes.

The full album cut of “Hotshot” (issued as an edited 7” single) boogies along for six minutes and is just the kind of groovy Funk-with-Strings High Energy number those disc-spinning jocks love. You wouldn’t quite say it was CHIC – more a Three Degrees by way of Philly variant. In fact stuff like “Wolfchild” would have been on an MFSB album just without the vocals. “Telegram” is very cheesy Abba Eurovision fodder (the song represented Germany in 1977 and finished in 8^th place) – better is the Disco vibe to “Ain’t It Like A Hollywood Movie”.

“Summernights” is not all brilliant by any stretch of the imagination - but fans of High Energy and Euro Disco with Strings will love the quality Audio and decent presentation...

"Mortdecai" the Johnny Deep, Gweneth Paltrow, Ewan McGregor, Paul Bettany, Olivia Munn and Jeff Goldbloom movie - A Review

"...Carry On Old Bean..."

Just saw "Mortdecai" at the cinema and I can understand both the derision and delight it elicits in people. Personally I laughed my head off almost all of the time - even in those awkward moments (and at the beginning there are a few). But once it got going - it picked up big time and it’s far better than many are saying.

When I think back on how unfunny "Gambit" was which kind of mined the same territory (done by the Coens) - "Mortdecai" is far funnier than it had any divine right to be. There's a constant stream of great spoken and visual gags and the talented cast are clearly having a hoot (how good is it to see Paltrow actual do some work instead of being some superhero's moll for about five seconds - she shines here). But better is the combo of Paul Bettany as the manservant Jock constantly saving his boss Mortdecai from another dodgy scrape no matter what the personal injury may be. Depp is fabulous fun as the moustached constantly-babbling English art-fraudster while Jock polishes the Rolls - and inbetween Windowlene rubs - shags anything that's female and willing (and they all are apparently - even the farmer's daughter who claims she can run away because she has her own apartment).

Throw in great sidekick shows by Ewan McGregor as a cop besotted with Depp's wife since collage days, Paul Whitehouse as an East European Stavros-Type Car/Art Smuggler, Michael Culkin as a greedy Old Masters Expert obsessed with Goya's lost masterpiece and Olivia Munn as the nymphomaniac daughter of the vulgar American Jeff Goldbloom - and the gags and set pieces keep coming at you all the way to the rather clever and satisfying end. Inbetween the film is rude, crude and just so damn likeable really.

I'd admit this dotty movie wouldn't be everyone's cup of Darjeeling old boy - but give "Mortdecai" a tinkle on your bone china. The audience I was with loved it - and left as happy bunnies - glad they took a punt.

All this and The Newsroom's Olivia Munn in a tight dress...

"Central Heating: Expanded Version” by HEATWAVE [featuring Rod Temperton] (2015 Big Break Records CD Reissue - Nick Robbins Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry

AMAZON UK Purchase Link Above - AMAZON US LInk Below

"...Mind Blowing Decisions..."

Rod Temperton's HEATWAVE produced this winning 2nd LP in April 1978 on Epic in the USA and GTO Records in the UK (resplendent in its rather naff-looking radiator cover). The album spawned three huge hits - Mind Blowing Decisions", "The Groove Line" and "The Star Of The Story" (covered by George Benson on his 1980 "Give Me The Night" album).

This superb UK-released June 2015 Big Break Records CD Remaster on CDBBRX 0316 (Barcode 5013929061637) takes that 9-track Soul/Funk/Disco LP and adds on three very clever and desirable Bonus Tracks - "Wack The Axe" - an outtake from the "Central Heating" LP sessions that finally turned up as a non album track B-side to "Jitterbuggin'" on the GTO 12" single of 1981 - the other two are 12" Disco Versions of the funky "The Groove Line" and the wonderful Johnny Wilder gem "Mind Blowing Decisions". 

The CD is beautifully remastered by NICK ROBBINS at London's Sound Mastering (a hugely proficient Remaster Engineer who does a lot of work for Ace Records of the UK) and runs to 60:38 minutes with the bonuses. The 12-page booklet has detailed and informative liner notes by CHRISTIAN JOHN WIKANE - a NYC-based writer and lover of Soul Music. The usual classy presentation from BBR...

DJs have long lusted after the US 12" single of "Mind Blowing Decisions" on Epic 28-50597 (released August 1978) because it extends the album cut from 4:19 minutes to a tasty 7:32 minutes giving you a wicked sort of Reggae Groove in the runout passage before it returns to the slinky tune and smooth vocals. The funk marathon of "The Groove Line" is equally brilliant in its extended form. 

Fans of Rod Temperton (famously wrote large chunks of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" LP) should note that he penned "Put the Word Out", "Send Out For Sunshine", "Central Heating", "The Groove Line", "The Star of The Story", "Party Poops" and "Leavin' For A Dream" while Johnny Wilder wrote the two singles "Happiness Together" and "Mind Blowing Decisions".

The entire album isn't genius - but the great Audio, tasty presentation and those Soul Funk nuggets make it a must buy for fans...

FIRE HD for Kids - Finally Available 17 June 2015 from Amazon

Best Ever FIRE HD for Kids (Edition 6) - With Replacement Guarantee

Finally Available To Buy 17 June 2015...

 

Fire HD Kids Edition

Fire HD 6, 8 GB or 16 GB, 1 year Fire for Kids Unlimited, 2-year worry-free guarantee, Kid-Proof Case

---

£119.00

Select colour and storage size after adding to basket

Pre-order Now This item will be released on June 18, 2015. Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Important information about using outside the U.K.

The Kids Edition has it all: a Fire HD 6 tablet, 1 year of Fire for Kids Unlimited, a Kid-Proof Case, and a 2-year worry-free guarantee

Full-featured Fire HD 6 tablet with fast quad-core processor, HD display, front and rear cameras, and Dolby Audio. 2-year worry-free guarantee: if they break it, return it and we'll replace it for free. No questions asked. 1 year of Fire for Kids Unlimited included with access to thousands of books, videos, educational apps, and games – at no additional cost. Easy-to-use parental controls: manage usage limits, content access and educational goals. Kid-Proof Case: Durable, lightweight case to protect against drops and bumps.

We want you to know... Learn more about design decisions to help make an informed purchase

Learn more about Fire HD Kids Edition

Powerful Fire HD tablet Fire For Kids Unlimited Easy-to-use parental controls Worry-free guarantee Technical details

Fire HD Kids Edition starts with a full-featured Fire HD 6 tablet for powerful performance. Latest-generation Fire HD A full-featured Fire HD 6 tablet that includes a beautiful HD display and Dolby Audio that's perfect for watching videos such as The Gruffalo, plus a fast quad-core processor that ensures quick app launch times and smooth games and video. The Fire HD Kids Edition tablet comes in black (with a blue or pink Kid-Proof Case), 8 GB or 16 GB of storage capacity, and a 6-inch display. Excellent reliability With a Gorilla Glass display and rigorous testing, Fire HD is an extremely reliable tablet for kids. Front and rear cameras Fire HD Kids Edition has a 2MP rear-facing camera that allows for high-resolution photos and 1080p HD video, and a front-facing camera that's perfect for when you want to set up video calls between kids and grandparents. New Fire for Kids camera and photo software lets kids explore their creative side with fun editing tools such as adding stickers and drawings on their pictures. Parents can easily print them to hang, share with friends and family, or automatically save them to Cloud Drive with free unlimited Cloud storage for photos taken with Fire HD. As always in Fire for Kids, kids are blocked from posting photos to social media.

Fire HD Kids Edition starts in Fire for Kids mode with kid-friendly navigation and personalised child profiles. Parents can switch between Fire for Kids and their profile with a password to access the full-featured Fire tablet experience as needed. Designed with kids in mind Fire HD Kids Edition starts in Fire for Kids mode, which is built from the ground up just for children. The background colour and fonts change to a kid-friendly design, they only see the titles that they have access to see, the home screen carousel shows their recently viewed titles, and they can even navigate visually to content based on characters or topics—for example "Princesses", "Dinosaurs" or "Puppies.” Profile for kids Parents can create up to four individual child profiles and choose titles from their own collection of content that they want to give each of their kids access to. It's like giving each kid their very own, personalised tablet. A child’s profile does not have access to the Fire HD built-in web browser, in-app purchases, e-mail or social media features.Show me Profile for parents Parents can take Fire HD Kids Edition out of Fire for Kids mode using a password. Fine-tune settings, download apps, or share kids’ drawings with family on Facebook. You can choose specific books, videos and apps for your child to see in Fire for Kids from your library or when you purchase new content from Amazon.co.uk.

The Fire HD Kids Edition includes a year of Fire for Kids Unlimited—a hand-selected subscription featuring thousands of kid-friendly books, videos, educational apps, and games.

Hits kids love from Disney, Nickelodeon, Aardman Studios, and more Fire for Kids Unlimited is an all-in-one subscription that brings together all the types of content that kids aged 3-10 love—books, videos, educational apps, and games. You don't have to spend time guessing what your kids will enjoy. The Fire HD Kids Edition includes a year of Fire for Kids Unlimited at no additional cost. Learn more Massive selection of digital content In addition to Fire for Kids Unlimited, parents can buy millions of movies, TV shows, books, Android educational apps and games—including Angry Birds, Minecraft, and more. On Amazon.co.uk or the device, parents can hand-select which titles children can access in Fire for Kids.

Create personalised profiles, set educational goals and screen time limits, and choose age-appropriate content in Fire for Kids. Screen-time limits Fire for Kids offers innovative parental controls that encourage learning before play and that help manage screen time. With Fire for Kids, you select all of the content your kids can see, and you can limit your kids' screen time by content type—for example, you may choose to limit videos and games, but make reading time unlimited. Fire for Kids blocks online shopping and in-app payments, so you don't have to worry about additional expenses. Plus, a child's profile does not have access to the built-in web browser, e-mail and social media features. Show me Set educational goals Learn First and Bed Time features extend Fire for Kids' existing Daily Time Limit controls. Parents can block access to games and cartoons until educational goals have been met, and specify when Fire for Kids may be used.

So you don't have to worry, the Fire HD Kids Edition is designed to survive childhood. If they break it, we'll replace it. No questions asked. We all know accidents happen. The 2-year worry-free guarantee includes coverage for anything that happens to your Fire HD Kids Edition. Just return the Kids Edition tablet and we’ll replace it for free. Learn more A case designed for little hands, protects against big drops The Kid-Proof Case is designed to be the perfect solution for parents who need worry-free protection against drops, bumps, and the typical mayhem caused by kids at play. Designed to be durable and lightweight, the Kid-Proof Case fits perfectly in little hands without adding unnecessary weight to your Fire HD tablet.

Display 6" (15cm) high-definition touchscreen; 1280x800 resolution at 252 ppi, video playback up to 720p, with IPS (in-plane switching) technology and advanced polarising filter Size Fire HD 6 with Kid-Proof Case - (192 mm x 126 mm x 26.4 mm) Weight Fire HD 6 with Kid-Proof Case - 360 grams Actual size and weight may vary by configuration and manufacturing process CPU & RAM Quad-Core: 2 @ 1.5 Ghz + 2 @ 1.2 GHz , with 1 GB of RAM Storage 8 GB (4.5 GB available to user) or 16 GB (11.6 GB available to user) of internal storage Battery Life Up to 8 hours of reading, surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video, and listening to music (based on mixed usage outside of Fire for Kids mode). Battery life will vary based on device settings, usage, and other factors such as web browsing and downloading content. Actual results may vary Charge Time Fully charges in under 6 hours using the micro-USB power adaptor included in the box, or slightly longer with other micro-USB power adaptors that you may already have Wi-Fi Connectivity Single-antenna Wi-Fi. Supports public and private Wi-Fi networks or hotspots that use the 802.11b, 802.11g, or 802.11n standard with support for WEP, WPA and WPA2 security using password authentication; does not support connecting to ad-hoc (or peer-to-peer) Wi-Fi networks Ports SlimPort-enabled USB 2.0 (micro-B connector) port to connect to an HDTV or VGA monitor with an adaptor or to a PC/Macintosh computer, or to charge your device with the included power adaptor Audio 3.5 mm stereo jack and integrated speaker with Dolby Digital Plus Content Formats Supported Kindle (AZW), KF8, TXT, PDF, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively, Audible Enhanced format (AAX), DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, Dolby Digital (AC-3), Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC-3), non-DRM AAC, MP3, MIDI, PCM/WAVE, OGG, WAV, M4V, MP4, AAC LC/LTP, HE-AACv1, HE-AACv2, MKV, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, HTML5, CSS3, 3GP, VP8 (WEBM) Sensors Accelerometer, gyroscope Camera Specs VGA front-facing camera. 2.0 MP rear-facing HD camera Location Services Location-based services via Wi-Fi Additional Features External volume controls, built-in Bluetooth with support for A2DP compatible stereo headphones, speakers, microphone, and LE accessories support Accessibility Features Screen Reader, Explore by Touch, and Screen Magnifier, enabling access to the vast majority of Fire tablet features. Screen Reader features IVONA's award-winning natural language text-to-speech voice. Also includes adjustable font sizes/colour, and built-in dictionary. System Requirements Fire HD Kids Edition is ready to use right out of the box—no setup, no software to install, no computer required to download content Warranty and Service 2-year worry-free guarantee. See details. If you are a consumer, the 2-year worry-free guarantee is in addition to your consumer rights, and does not jeopardise these rights in any way (for further information on your consumer rights, click here). Use of Fire tablet is subject to the terms found here. Included in the Box Fire HD 6 tablet, Amazon Kid-Proof Case, 9W power adaptor, USB 2.0 cable and Quick Start Guide Age Range Ages 3 and up