"Link Wray" by LINK WRAY (Inside 2015's 2CD Remaster Set "3-Track Shack" by Ace Records of the UK) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...I Feel The Thunder...I Feel The Fallin' Rain..."

"Link Wray" by LINK WRAY (1971 LP on Polydor Records)

Even as a veteran of secondhand record shops and a rarities buyer for nearly 20 years at the fab Reckless Records in London – I'm kind of shocked at the sheer undiscovered classiness of this Link Wray music. Truthfully I never gave it the time of day back in the day. In fact I can recall seeing British copies of 1971's "Link Wray" turn up in our busy Berwick Street shop in its American die-cut gatefold sleeve with his side profile face – and we’d all sigh.

The same would apply to the other album culled from these sessions - the single sleeve UK issue of Mordicai Jones by MORDICAI JONES (a gatefold in the USA with different artwork). We knew from previous experience that these obscure LPs would sit in our racks for months on end - until eventually reduced to a nominal amount - someone would buy them as a curio rather than a sought-out deliberate purchase. How times have changed...

For this superb UK 2CD reissue the simplest comparison musically is The Band and Folk-Rock Americana. Most fans who worship the ground that The Band's "Music From Big Pink" (1968) and "The Band" (1969) walks on – they would never in their wildest dreams look at the Rock 'n' Roll guitar 'rumble' of Carolina Shawnee Indian LINK WRAY and think 'Americana' – the beginnings of Tony Joe White, J.J. Cale, Townes Van Zandt and then onwards into the Indi Folk-Rock of Ryan Adams, The Jayhawks, Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens and The Fleet Foxes. But that's what this rather brilliant little reissue contains. Simple but original Country, Folk, Blues and Roots tunes recorded live on guitars and upright piano in a converted Chicken Shack in Accokeek in the State of Maryland on his brother's farm (Doug Wray) with no overdubs and barely enough electricity. If they had no drums – they simply stomped feet hard and rattled those loose nails. If the song was quiet - it's said you can hear bullfrogs croaking and dogs howling outside the miked-up windows. Throw in Wray's strangely expressive Paul Siebel/Mickey Newbury twanging-voice and the results are earthy, real, simple and wonderfully melodic. Like classic J.J. Cale albums from the 70s – each guitar-chug and clever string-bend eats its way into your heart – each tune is simple and direct and warm and full of local stories ("Rise And Fall Of Jimmy Stokes"). I can even hear traces of a hopeful Rodriguez in his vocal style and lyrics - his commentaries on urban life and people trying to find their way in a mixed up world – elegant and truthful ("Fallin' Rain" and "Ice People"). There's a lot to get through so once more unto the backwater shed and that Ampex 3-track...

UK released August 2015 (September 2015 in the USA) – "3-Track Shack" by LINK WRAY on Ace Records CDCH2 1451 (Barcode 029667073820) offers up 3LPs from 1971 and 1973 onto 2CDs with one British 7" single edit as a bonus track. The "Link Wray" LP portion of it plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (63:36 minutes):

1. La De Da

2. Take Me Home Jesus

3. Juke Box Mama

4. Rise And Fall Of Jimmy Stokes

5. Fallin' Rain

6. Fire And Brimstone [Side 2]

7. Ice People

8. God Out West

9. Crowbar

10. Black Rover Stomp

11. Tail Dragger

Tracks 1 to 11 are the album "Link Wray" – released June 1971 in the USA on Polydor 24-4064 and September 1971 in the UK on Polydor Super 2425 029

You can't argue that the chunky 28-page booklet scrimps it on details or photos – recounting his career from Fifties and Sixties 'rumble' style guitar Rock 'n' Roll into these three albums - a 70's change of gear into Americana where the loud guitars of old are replaced with downhome acoustic tunes. The fantastic DAVE BURKE and ALLAN TAYLOR liner notes (co-editors of the "Pipeline" Fanzine on Rock Instrumentals) also do a lot to unravel the mysterious 'Mordicai Jones' project issued only months after the failed "Link Wray" album of June 1971. It turns out that the stunning Terry Reid-type vocals by the fictional Mordicai Jones character are in fact by Gene Johnson and not the keyboardist in Wray’s band Bobby Howard (as had been presumed). But the big news for fans (apart from the availability of this music after decades in the wilderness) is the amazingly clear remasters by long-time Engineer NICK ROBBINS – a name that has graced hundreds of quality British reissues. There is nothing lo-fi about these transfers despite how the original recordings were laid down.

A world away from his previous style of instrumental Rock 'n' Roll guitar – the two more Folksy albums were not well received at the time. "Link Wray" barely scraped into No. 186 on the American album charts in July 1971 (lasting only 4 weeks) - while the pseudonym "Mordicai Jones" project advertised in early June 1971 but not released until November simply confused people and most ignored it. Let's get to the music...

The openers "La De Da" and "Take Me Home Jesus" set the tone for the "Link Wray" album – The Band recording Americana with two-fingers held up to 24-track mixing consoles. There's Washboard melodrama to the catchy "Juke Box Mama" which Polydor USA put on the flipside of the 45 for the beautiful "Fallin' Rain" (Polydor PD 14096). We get a little Elvin Bishop and J.J. Cale with the very cool chugger "Rise And Fall Of Jimmy Stokes" which chronicles a boy with a shirt on his back trying to make it in the big city. It's amazing to think now that something as obviously lovely and topical as "Fallin' Rain" with lyrics like "...where kids lay bleeding on the ground...there's no place where peace can be found..." didn’t make an impression on the radios of the day – very Mickey Newbury and Eric Andersen. The hugely likeable "Fire And Brimstone" opens Side 2 in style – Jug Band music with a Mungo Jerry commerciality. "Ice People" bemoans the Red Man’s fate on the Reservation and again Link's vocals remind you of Levon Helm at his touching best. The ragged electric lead guitar in "God Out West" is the nearest nod to his loud 'rumbling' style of old (that guitar sound would turn up on the outtakes album "Beans And Fatback" in 1973). The acoustic-slide Blues of "Crowbar" reminds me of James Taylor's "Steamroller" on "Sweet Baby James" where Link tells his girl "...I'm a crowbar baby and I’m sure gonna ply you loose..." (how very gentlemanly of him). The opening flickering mandolin strums of "Black River Swamp" suit an impossibly laconic melody that’s full of Southern Soul (voices and guitars recorded for pure feel). Wray means it as he sings "...I can hear them bullfrogs croaking...calling me back to my childhood...down here in Black River Swamp..." The album ends on the only cover version – a fantastic Bo Diddley guitar chug at "Tail Dragger" (written by Willie Dixon for Howlin' Wolf). I'm a sucker for slide bottleneck guitar and this baby has guitars going on everywhere as Link does his best Chester Burnett vocal growl.

One of the Backing Vocalists credited simply as 'Gene' on the "Link Wray" albums turns out to be GENE JOHNSON – the principal vocalist for the Mordicai Jones album and project (not Bobby Howard as was long thought). The moniker of Mordicai Jones might have been Polydor's way of dealing with the fan backlash/indifference to "Link Wray" (hide him behind some other band). The booklet also reproduces in full the gatefold artwork of the American LP (the shack pictured in the woods nestled in a canopy of trees). The inside photo on the inner gatefold was used by British copies on their front covers and reduced to a single matt sleeve. The inner right side of the gatefold was used as the artwork for the rear of the British LP and the album didn’t show until early 1972 (about March) where it was met with as much non-interest as it had been in 1971 USA.

So why did it all fail – why don’t you know about these albums? I suppose you could say that all three records lacked an overall impact to make them classics of the day – but in hindsight - these Countrified Americana albums by Link Wray make for a fabulous listen - offering up music that gets to you after repeated listens – music you want to champion and rave about.

A stunning release then from Ace Records of the UK and a reminder that there’s so much great music out there to still find and cherish. "Link Wray" from 1971 is an album you want in your life. Properly impressed I am...

"Get It" by DAVE EDMUNDS - April 1977 UK LP on Swan Song Records (Inside The 2015 'Original Album Series' 5CD Capacity Wallet Mini Box Set on Parlophone/Warners with Five Repro Card Sleeves and Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...I Knew The Bride When She Used To Rock 'n' Roll..."

It feels like I've been waiting for this 5CD mini box set peach-a-rooney for years precisely because it contains many of my favourite Dave Edmunds albums – least not all is 1977's criminally forgotten "Get It" and the equally cool 1978 set "Tracks On Wax 4".

There's something about Dave Edmunds Rock 'n' Roll fixation throughout the whole of the Seventies that I've always loved. He rocked and his records were fun listens too. But what's perhaps forgotten is that his LPs mixed in his 50ts and 60ts obsessions with the ‘New Wave’ songwriting genius of Rockpile's Nick Lowe and Billy Bremner - not to mention the acidic tongues of Elvis Costello and Graham Parker. The result was albums - that although retro in feel and sound - were also somehow incredibly contemporary.

Oddly though - availability has always been an issue. Outside of Rhino's superb 1993 2CD "Anthology" career-overview – Remasters of his primo full-album catalogue have remained off the general CD availability radar until now. Well here at last is a salty 5CD set to sort out my DE needs – and it’s a humdinger too containing both "Get It", "Tracks On Wax 4" and much more. Here are the 'Worn Out Suits & Brand New Pockets'...

UK released September 2015 – "Original Album Series" by DAVE EDMUNDS (including LOVE SCULPTURE) on Parlophone/Warners/Swan Song 0081227952006 (Barcode same number) is a 5CD mini Box set containing the "Get It" album (Disc 2) that plays out as follows:

Disc 2 (31:44 minutes):

1. Get Out Of Denver [Bob Seger cover]

2. I Knew The Bride [Nick Lowe cover]

3. Back To School Days [Graham Parker cover]

4. Here Comes The Weekend [Dave Edmunds & Nick Lowe song]

5. Worn Out Suits, Brand New Pockets [Dave Edmunds song]

6. Where Or When [1937 Rodgers & Hart song – Roy Heatherton & Mitzi Green cover]

7. Ju Ju Man [Jim Ford cover] – [Side 2]

8. Git It [Bob Kelly song – Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps cover]

9. Let's Talk About Us [Otis Blackwell song – Jerry Lee Lewis cover]

10. Hey Good Lookin' [Hank Williams cover]

11. What Did I Do Last Night? [Nick Lowe song]

12. Little Darlin' [Dave Edmunds & Nick Lowe song]

13. My Baby Left Me [Arthur Crudup song – Elvis Presley cover]

Tracks 1 to 13 are the album "Get It" – released April 1977 in the UK on Swan Song SSK 59404 and in the USA on Swan Song SS 8418.

Everyone knows the visual story with these "Original Album Series" Mini 5CD Box sets – five single card sleeves with the original artwork front and rear – look nice but you can’t read the details. At least the CDs themselves have the track credits on each. It doesn’t say who remastered the four Swan Song albums or indeed if they’ve been even been redone (the Love Sculpture CD is the 1999 EMI Remaster) – I doubt it. The sound is great but there's no doubt in my mind that the Rhino Remasters of 1993 on the "Anthology" 2CD set are infinitely better. Having said that - as the bulk of these albums are late 70ts and early 80s recordings – the audio was on the money anyway – so for most casual listeners these CDs will sound just dandy.

The "Get It" album represents his most accessible and famous period - the late 70ts. Opening with a killer cover of "Get Out Of Denver" from Bob Seger's forgotten 1974 album "Seven/Contrasts" on Capitol Records - it was just the kind of thrashing Chuck Berry rocker Edmunds loved - though I'd have to say that my heart is with the wicked Seger original. Songwriting genius rears it's lyrically fab head in the utterly brilliant "I Knew The Bride (When She Used To Rock 'n' Roll)" - a genius rocker from Nick Lowe. "He's shaking hands with relatives with a glassy look in his eye...and his shirt and tie is real nice...but I can remember a time when she wouldn't have looked at him twice..." Lowe finally put out his take on "The Rose Of England" in 1986.

More New Wave Rockabilly comes with Graham Parker's wicked good "Back To Schooldays" where Dave gives it some Stray Cats arrangement. "Here Comes The Weekend" is a co-write between Edmunds and Nick Lowe and is superb mixture of The Everly Brothers harmonies meets Eddie Cochran's guitar (it was an obvious single). Other covers include Jim Ford's rocker "Ju Ju Man", the frantic Rock 'n' Roll of "Let's Talk About Us" - an Otis Blackwell winner made famous by Jerry Lee Lewis and sweet Gene Vincent's ooh-bop "Git It" - a song the stunning Steve Gibbons regularly played live. It ends on a back-to-basics Scotty Moore and Bill Black Rockabilly version of "That's Alright" - the Arthur Crudup song Elvis made famous in 1956.

Great stuff from start to finish...

"Be Seeing You" LP by Dr. FEELGOOD [feat Gypie Mayo] (Inside the 2012 EMI 'Taking No Prisoners' 4CD/1DVD Box Set Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Fine Looking Figure..."

I know fan affection lies firmly with the original Wilko Johnson line-up of the mighty Dr. FEELGOOD (Britain's best Pub Rock and R 'n' B band) - but for me the JOHN 'GYPIE' MAYO line-up was even more mind-blowing than its superlative predecessor. And 1977's "Be Seeing You" by Dr. FEELGOOD only hammers this home in spades.

You can acquire it individually for about nine quid - but I'd suggest you take the warm hand-shandy plunge and fork out a few extra quid on the truly fantastic and jam-packed 5-disc EMI reissue "Taking No Prisoners (With Gypie 1977-1981)". 

A 4CD/1DVD hardback book-shaped Box Set issued July 2013 in the UK on EMI 5099901954029 (Barcode 5099901954029) - it contains the "Be Seeing You" LP in stonking Remastered form and a whole lot more besides. Here's the soiled beer mats...

Disc 1 - STUDIO (77:45 minutes):

1. Ninety Nine And A Half Just Won't Do

2. She's A Wind Up

3. I Thought I Had It Made

4. I Don't Wanna Know

5. That's It, I Quit

6. As Long As The Price Is Right

7. Hi-Rise

8. My Buddy-Buddy Friends

9. Baby Jane

10. The Blues Had A Baby And They Named It Rock 'n' Roll

11. Looking Back

12. 60 Minutes Of Your Love

Tracks 1 to 12 are their 5th album "Be Seeing You" - UK released in September 1977 on United Artists UAS 30123.

Tracks 23 and 24 on Disc 1 are the non-album single "As Long As The Price Is Right" and "Down At The (Other) Doctors". The A is a 'Second Version' and was issued as a UK 7" single in April 1979 on United Artists UP 36506 (the original mix is on the "Be Seeing You" LP – Track 6).

DVD:

BBC Sight And Sound Concert Recorded and Broadcast December 1977

Of the 11 tracks - six from the "Be Seeing You" album are featured

"Looking Back", "Baby Jane", "The Blues Had A Baby And They Named It Rock 'n' Roll", "That's It, I Quit" and "She's A Windup"

Top Of The Pops Broadcasts - 5 songs from 1977 to 1979

6 Video Clips for 6 songs

Tyne Tees Television clip from "Alright Now" Program July 1980

The South Bank Show recorded June 1981 - Interviews etc

PETER MEW has done the peerless remasters - a man I've raved about on many occasions and an engineer whose handled hundreds of reissue projects. The sound quality here is FABULOUS - punchy, great power and never too amped up to be over trebled. And the full colour 72-page booklet is incredible - full of adverts, single sleeves, live shots, memorabilia, outtakes from album covers - even the 4 discs ape the band-member Toby Jugs on the front cover of "Let It Roll". The 'Discography' section has photos for the 7" singles "She's A Windup" (September 1977 on United Artists UP 36304) and "Baby Jane" (November 1977 on United Artists UP 36332). They even picture the titled plain card sleeve for the "Baby Jane" 12" single. One whole page in the booklet is given over to a trade advert (LP and Cassette) for the "Be Seeing You" album with its 'Prisoner' penny farthing bicycle in the background. Continuing on the Patrick McGoohan 'Prisoner' TV Show Theme – the album is produced by 'No. 6' which turns out to be English musical hero NICK LOWE.

We get the beers in with a choppy Feelgood version of "Ninety Nine And A Half (Won't Do)" – a cover of Wilson Pickett's May 1966 Atlantic Records hit. Things continue at a typically frantic pace – the fantastic band-written "She’s A Windup" where this girl wears low cut dresses but when the action starts that's as low as she goes (lyrics above). We then get a brilliant groove in the shapely "I Thought I Had It Made" – a witty Brilleaux and Mayo tale of a sure-fire night of passion (swinging to The Moody Blues) until the joint gets raided. Another potential single was the chugger "I Don't Want To Know” – a fantastic Feelgood groove with Mayo going all Jeff Beck in the guitar solo.

Sleazy and just the right side of hotel-room hilarious - you can so hear why they chose the witty Larry Wallis song "As Long As The Price Is Right" as a single and why the 'second version' had an oomph the LP cut somehow lacked. "...If you got no cash...then I gotta dash..." - Lee Brilleaux sings with a Soho weariness that smells of stale perfume and overfilled ashtrays. The cool instrumental "Hi-Rise" featured on the British 12" single of that other LP winner "Baby Jane" – a frantic Harmonica-driven cover of an obscure Otis Clay 45 from 1969 on Dakar Records. "I'm gonna tell you all a story...one that's never been told..." - Brilleaux growls at the beginning of a ridiculously good cover of the old Muddy Waters showstopper "The Blues Had A Baby And They Named It Rock 'n' Roll". It ends on the neck-jerking "Looking Back" – a great Johnny Watson song about looking back at her while she was looking back at him (and on it goes).

As Number 2 said to Number 6 in "The Prisoner" TV Series - "Be Seeing You". You're too damn right.

DR. FEELGOOD in the 70ts were the absolute business. Flash the cash on this one boys...make with the green...if you know what I mean...

PS: I've also reviewed the 'Wilko Johnson' period of Dr. FEELGOOD on the EMI Box Set called "All Through The City" and the Japanese SHM-CD reissue of "Private Practice" from 1978 (same band line-up)

PPS: There's an obituary in the Christmas 2013 issue of The Record Collector Magazine for John Mayo who sadly died (aged 62) in October 2013. RIP you rockin' genius.

"No. 1 Record" by BIG STAR (2009 Universal/Concord 'Expanded Edition' CD – 2004 George Horn Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Finest In The World…"

If you can't get your grubby paws on the April 2004 'Hybrid SACD' release of both 'No. 1 Record" and "Radio City" by BIG STAR (2LPs onto 1CD - see separate review) – a stunning audio treat on Stax/Fantasy/Universal SXSA-60025-6 (Barcode 025218732369) that also contains a standard CD layer – then opt for the Universal/Concord Music Group 2009 stand-alone CD reissues.

Each carries a very reasonable price tag, half-decent liner notes from the Editor of the superb Zig-Zag Magazine and uber-fan KRIS NEEDS (a six-leaf inlay) and best news of all - that same awesome audio done by GEORGE HORN at George Horn Mastering in California. They even sport a relevant bonus track.

If you're a newcomer - you've probably heard of their legend - or clapped your ears on one of their ballads that frequent so many Indie movies as badge of cool (like say Nick Drake or Patti Smith). Musically – it beggars belief even now that BIG STAR famously didn’t fare well at the box office – barely scraping above chart position No. 400 on initial release in 1972 and 1974. Their record company suffered distribution problems (Stax was on the wind-down) and even knowledgeable record stores found it hard to procure copies. Years after its release - it was still something of a hushed collectable. Like so many hard-luck stories of bands that 'should have been huge' - BIG STAR really were the very definition of 'criminally overlooked'. Here are the big details for the CD reissue of their wonderful debut album "No. 1 Record"...

USA released 14 September 2009 – "No. 1 Record" by BIG STAR on Universal/Fantasy/Concord Music Group, Inc. 0888072315730 (Barcode 888072315730) features 2004 Remastering, a Bonus Track and plays out as follows (40:01 minutes).

1. Feel

2. The Ballad Of El Goodo

3. In The Street

4. Thirteen

5. Don't Lie To Me

6. The India Song

7. When My Baby's Beside Me

8. My Life Is Right

9. Give Me Another Chance

10. Try Again

11. Watch The Sunrise

12. St 100/6

Tracks 1 to 12 are their debut album "No. 1 Record" - released June 1972 in the USA on Ardent Records ADS-2803.

BONUS TRACK:

13. In The Street (Single Mix)

NOTE: their second album "Radio City" followed in January 1974 on Ardent ADS-1501 – but neither LP received an original UK vinyl release at the time. However, they were both clumped together as a budget-priced double-album package on Stax SXSP 302 in July 1978 - their first official British release on record. There have been various CD reissues of the albums ever since - most notably by England's Ace Records on their subsidiary label Big Beat and Rhino's superb 2009 American 4CD Box Set "Keep An Eye On The Sky" which features outtakes and alternates from both of these recording sessions.

As I said before in my review of the 2004 'Hybrid SACD' reissue - the big news here is a beautifully sensitive GEORGE HORN remastering that has brought a warmth and delicacy to already gorgeous music.

Lead singer and Guitarist ALEX CHILTON had been in THE BOX TOPS and along with CHRIS BELL (Guitar and Vocals), ANDY HUMMEL (Bass and Vocals) and JODY STEPHENS (Drums) - they wrote all their own songs (mostly Bell-Chilton compositions except "The India Song" by Hummel and "My Life Is Right" by Chris Bell and Thomas Eubanks of 'Rock City') and made a glorious racket.

Back to the audio - the bass, acoustic guitars and sublime harmony vocals on "The Ballad Of El Goodo" for instance are thrilling to hear as is the sweetness of "Thirteen" - surely one of the loveliest Alex Chilton songs. The jangling power-pop guitars of "When My Baby Needs Me" sound fantastic and "Try Again" reminds me of a band I loved called SMITH-PERKINS-SMITH who made only one album (a self-titled debut) in 1972 on Island Records (yet to make its way onto CD) - a sort of CSYN alternative. In fact the musicality on display here brings in mind that other tragic band BADFINGER.

Their record company tried two 45s in the USA - "When My Baby's Beside Me" b/w "In The Street" on Ardent ADA-2902 in August 172 - and a belated "Watch The Sunrise" b/w "Don't Lie To Me" on Ardent ADA-2904 in April 1973 - but neither charted. Songs like "My Life Is Right" are upbeat jangly rockers that straddle Country Rock and Pop - while the ache in "Give Me Another Chance" is just plain beautiful and moving. And to this day both "Thirteen" and "Try Again" make me weak at my ageing knees...

BIG STAR were always a little bit special and hold a cult status to this day that grows with the passing of time - like NICK DRAKE, JUDEE SILL or JOHN MARTYN.

"...Won't you tell your Dad...get off my back...tell him what we said about 'paint it black'..." - Chilton sang on the beautiful acoustic adolescence song  "Thirteen".

You and me kid against the world...

"Truth" by JEFF BECK - July 1968 UK Debut LP on Columbia Records in Stereo featuring ROD STEWART, JIMMY PAGE and NICKY HOPKINS (May 2005 UK EMI 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Rock My Plimsoul..."

Jeff Beck's debut solo LP was always going to be a barnstormer - and with a band featuring talent like Rod Stewart on the microphone and Ronnie Wood on second guitar - plus contributions from friends like Jimmy Page, Nicky Hopkins, Aynsley Dunbar and Keith Moon - that's what 1968's "Truth" gives you – a staggering start. Never mind that some claim it even kick-started a subtle but definite move away from Blues-Rock to Hard Rock into the bargain. There's a lot to assess...so once unto the riffage...guvnor...

UK released May 2005 - "Truth" by JEFF BECK on EMI 873 7492 (Barcode 724387374928) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with Eight Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows (70:37 minutes):

1. Shapes Of Things [Side 1]

2. Let Me Love You

3. Morning Dew

4. You Shook Me

5. Ol' Man River

6. Greensleeves [Side 2]

7. Rock My Plimsoul

8. Beck's Bolero

9. Blues De Luxe

10. I Ain't Suspicious

Tracks 1 to 10 are his debut LP "Truth" - released July 1968 in the UK on Columbia SX 6293 (Mono) and Columbia SCX 6293 (Stereo) and in the USA on Epic BN 26413. Produced by MICKIE MOST - it peaked at No. 15 in the US LP charts (no UK chart placing).

BONUS TRACKS:

11. I've Been Drinking (Stereo Mix) - originally the Mono UK B-side to "Love Is Blue" released as a 7" single on Columbia DB 8359 in February 1968

12. You Shook Me (Take 1) - First take without piano that was overdubbed on the Final Version - Take 7

13. Rock My Plimsoul (Stereo Mix) - originally the Mono UK B-side to "Tallyman" released as a 7" single on Columbia DB 8227 in July 1967

14. (Beck's) Bolero (Mono Single Version with Backwards Guitar) - originally the Mono UK B-side of "Hi Ho Silver Lining" released as a 7" single on Columbia DB 8151 in March 1967

15. Blues De Luxe (Take 1) - Previously Unreleased (Take 7 is the Master)

16. Tallyman - originally the Mono UK A-side - released as a 7" single on Columbia DB 8227 in July 1967

17. Love Is Blue - originally the Mono UK A-side - released as a 7" single on Columbia DB 8359 in February 1968

18. Hi Ho Silver Lining (Stereo Mix) - originally the Mono UK A-side - released as a 7" single on Columbia DB 8151 in March 1967

Musicians:

JEFF BECK - Electric Guitars, Steel Guitar on 1, Acoustic Guitar on 6, Bass on 5 and Lead Vocals on 16 and 18

ROD STEWART - Lead Vocals

RON WOOD - Bass

MICKY WALLER - Drums and Percussion

Guests:

KEITH MOON of THE WHO - Drums on 8 and 14 - Tympani on 5

JIMMY PAGE of LED ZEPPELIN - 12-String Electric Guitar on 8 and 14

JOHN PAUL-JONES of LED ZEPPELIN - Organ on 4, 5 and 12 - Bass on 8, 14 and 18 - String Arrangements on 18

NICKY HOPKINS - Piano on 3, 4, 8, 9, 11, 14 and 15

AYNSLEY DUNBAR - Drums on 13 and 16

CLEM CATTINI - Drums on 18

MADELINE BELL - Backing Vocals on 11

JOHN CARTER & KEN LEWIS - Backing Vocals on 16

The 16-page booklet is a very tasty affair - new liner notes from noted writer and music historian CHARLES SHAAR MURRAY with contributions from the Guitar Maestro himself - black and white photos of the band (Rodders in full microphone manhandling pose) - guests like Nicky Hopkins - and a wonderful Modtastic photo of the pre "Truth" band with Aynsley Dunbar on Drums instead of Mick Waller (he features on Page 8). CSM keeps it light and witty whilst pouring on the factoids - guitar beginnings with The Yardbirds - the 'Jeff-Rod' writer's credits Beck and Stewart used on the album sleeve - both Zeppelin's John Paul Jones and The Who's Keith Moon contributing so much to that old Paul Robeson chestnut "Ol' Man River" (Organ and Tympani) - an unlikely and very unhip choice for a cover version - and yet one that 'so' works. Long-standing EMI/Abbey Road Audio Engineer PETER MEW carried out the fantastic Remaster - all that latent power now suddenly to the fore - threatening almost all of the time to get snotty, rowdy and salacious with your amp and speakers. Great stuff...

It opens with an oldie done in a new way - a cover of The Yardbirds 1966 hit "Shapes Of Things" - Beck's witty liner notes advising that you crank the track - even if you have the vicar over for afternoon tea. Immediately your struck by the updated heavier guitar sound and Rod's ridiculously good voice – wow – what a combo this band made. The original song "Let Me Love You" starts the first of four 'Jeffrey Rod' writer credits - two more originals in the shape of "Rock My Plimsoul" and "Blues De Luxe" with the last being an 'Arrangement' credit on the old madrigal "Greensleeves". His playing on "Let Me Love You" is fantastic - Stewart singing along with Beck's playing and vice versa. They then take a stab at Tim Rose's "Morning Dew" - a track on his explosive "Tim Rose" debut album on Columbia Records. You can hear why Rod wanted the song - it has that 'soulful' rock thing at its core. The remaster brings up that great wah-wah playing and Ron Wood's sweet bass playing. While you can just about catch Nicky Hopkins Piano tinkles if you listen real close - we still don't seem to know who the 'mysterious Scottish bloke' is on the Bagpipes?

Their brilliant cover of Howlin' Wolf's "You Shook Me" (penned by Willie Dixon) keeps in lean, hard-hitting and dirty - 2:31 minutes of great Blues-Rock. The old nugget "Ol' Man River" gets a kick in the privates too - Moonie's huge tympani drums giving it an epic feel while Zeppelin's JPJ gives it tasteful organ fills. I'm still not convinced if I admire the track more than I like it - but Rod's vocals are truly awesome and Beck's speaker-to-speaker guitar slides are worth the admission fee. Side 2 opens with a clever and beautiful Acoustic Guitar interpretation of "Greensleeves" - Beck sounding like he's Gordon Giltrap all mellowed on a pile of mushrooms. One of my raves is "Rock My Plimsoul" - a Rodders/Beck boogie tune said to bare a close resemblance to B.B. King's "Rock Me Baby". Beck's guitar fills are superb - panning your speakers like Page gone Bonzo on his axe (I love those "over here" calls from Rod). It ends on a one-two - the Slow Driving Blues of "Blues De Luxe" and a fabulous guitared-up cover of Willie Dixon's Wolf showcase "I Ain't Superstitious". It ends the album on a high...

Excluding the awful pop of "Hi Ho Silver Lining" (even if it is Stereo here) - the Bonus Tracks offer up a very cool selection - most of which is killer. The Take 1 version of "You Shook Me" contains Organ instead of Piano and wild guitar playing - someone clearly devouring too much Hendrix for breakfast. "Blues De Luxe" has Rodders laying into the vocals with a passion and at 7:31 minutes - Beck gets to stretch out while Hopkins lays down a Mississippi piano background dripping with ache and feel. The rare single sides are good too and make for quality fan-pleasing extras.

Jeff Beck would briefly dent the LP charts with the even heavier "Beck-Ola" in July of 1969 - but my heart has always been with this raucous, rough and ready starter album - "Truth". And what it must have been like to see this line-up 'live' - giving those tunes what for in some sweaty bar...lost in the music they loved...

"Blow By Blow" by JEFF BECK - March 1975 LP on Epic Records featuring Max Middleton, Phil Chenn and Richard Bailey (2001 UK Epic CD Reissue with Vic Anesini Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Constipated Duck..."

For such a famous Jazz-Rock album (probably the most well known in Jeff Beck's voluminous catalogue) – it's astounding to think that 1975's "Blow By Blow" didn’t chart Top 50 in the UK. Not even the holy name of 'GEORGE MARTIN' as Producer seemed to entice Blighty buyers. However July 1976's "Wired" (the follow-up) did benefit from Blow's yearlong sinking-into-the-public's consciousness and hit a respectable No. 38. But poor old Epic EPC 89117 got naught in England on its initial release despite media support.

"Blow By Blow" in the USA however was big league - garnishing rave reviews for innovation, Funk Style and the sheer virtuosity of the playing on every track. It clocked a No. 4 placing on Billboard's Rock LP charts - an amazing feat for an instrumental album in 1975. Since then it's been acknowledged as a masterpiece of the Jazz-Fusion-Rock genre and is a noted Audiophile wet dream into the bargain (it received a Stateside Half-Speed Master in 1980 and a Mobile Fidelity Gold CD in 1998).

Which brings by circuitous swift of shore and bend of guitar string to this fab little CD remaster from 2001 by one of my favourite Audio Engineers - the mighty VIC ANESINI. Carrying out the Remasters at Sony Studios in New York – he's a name I've sung the praises of before. Anesini has handled very prestigious SONY catalogue – Elvis Presley, Simon & Garfunkel, The Byrds, Nilsson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Carole King, Janis Joplin, Laura Nyro, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Santana, Paul Simon and The Jayhawks to name but a few. I seek out his work because it’s the best to my ears. Let’s get to the disc and the music...

UK released 30 April 2001 (May 2001 in the USA) – "Blow By Blow" by JEFF BECK on Epic EPC 502181 2 (Barcode 5099750218129) is a straightforward transfer of the album and plays out as follows (44:37 minutes):

Side 1:

1. You Know What I Mean [Jeff Beck/Max Middleton song]

2. She’s A Woman [Lennon and McCartney song - Beatles cover]

3. Constipated Duck [Jeff Beck song]

4. AIR Blower [Jeff Beck, Max Middleton, Richard Bailey and Phil Chenn song]

5. Scatterbrain [Jeff Beck/Max Middleton song]

Side 2:

6. 'Cause We Ended As Lovers [Stevie Wonder song – Syreeta cover]

7. Thelonius [Stevie Wonder cover]

8. Freeway Jam [Max Middleton song]

9. Diamond Dust [Bernie Holland song]

Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "Blow By Blow" – released March 1975 in the UK on Epic Records EPC 89117 and April 1975 in the USA on Epic PE 33409 (peaked at No. 4 in the USA LP charts – no UK chart position). Recorded at AIR Studios in London - it was Produced by GEORGE MARTIN and Engineered by DENIM BRIDGES.

Note: On the rear of the October 2008 5CD Mini Box Set “Original Album Classics” which also contains the album “Blow By Blow” - tracks 10 and 11 are listed as - “You Know What I Mean” and “She’s A Woman”. It also claims 10 is a bonus track – but neither are actually on the disc. It has exactly the same playing time as the above version (44:37 minutes).

The Band:

JEFF BECK – All Guitars

MAX MIDDLETON – All Keyboards

PHIL CHENN – Bass

RICHARD BAILEY – Drums and Percussion

A long way from 1968's "Truth" and 1969's "Beck-Ola" - albums steeped in hard-hitting Rock and Blues - "Blow By Blow" is a deeply Funky record. And when the neck-jerking rhythms and staccato Rock aren't tempting your butt - the slower tunes like the truly gorgeous "'Cause We Ended As Lovers" and "Diamond Dust" can only be described as 'Soulful' Fusion. It opens with intent - "You Know What I Mean" - guitar flicks accompanied by a Bass and Drums - but then the Funky guitar layers start building until you get a fuzzed up lead-guitar refrain that screams 'Prog' but in almost new way. It's a fabulous start. 

And then there's that stunning and expert Production from Beatles' helmsman and all-round English Gent - George Martin. This thing sounds just incredible - all manner of bent notes and funky licks catching your ears in a two-speaker avalanche. This then segues into an almost unrecognizable cover of The Beatles "She's A Woman" - the B-side of November 1964's "I Feel Fine". Beck uses a voicebox on the guitar while Middleton pings away on the electric piano giving it an almost Steely Dan vibe.

Both "Constipated Duck" and "Scatterbrain" sound pretty much like their titles - frantic guitar work outs that feature the band going at like AWB on speed. But the giant on here for me is his instrumental version of Stevie Wonder's "'Cause We Ended As Lovers" which Beck dedicates to guitar hero ROY BUCHANAN (on Polydor Records) – even aping Buchanan's famous bending-notes style. The vocal version of this gorgeous song is on Syreeta's album “Stevie Wonder Presents Syreeta” from 1974 on Tamla Motown. 

Beck’s searing solo on it is surely a career highlight. The rat-tat-tat of a lone high-hat introduces the clavinet-Funk "Thelonius" - another Stevie Wonder contribution. It then goes into a clever synth Funk with voicebox guitar and a fantastic Bass and Drum rhythm. It sounds like the brilliant instrumental "Contusion" from Stevie's 1976 2LP masterpiece "Songs In The Key Of Life" but done ala 1973's "Innervisions" stylee. "Freeway Jam" gives it some tremolo arm Jazz Fusion while the lovely "Diamond Dust" mellows it all down and feels like a pond ripple in the sunshine for its eight and half minutes.

"Blow By Blow" was inexplicably overlooked in the UK on initial release - a musical mistake you should now rectify in 2016 by buying this fabulous CD Remaster - currently lurking with intent in some Amazon warehouse for less than three English pounds. Naught constipated about that...

"Let It Bleed" by THE ROLLING STONES (2002 Abcko 'Hybrid SACD/DSD CD' Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Sometimes You Get What You Need…"

In the truly fantastic and illuminating 2013 movie "20 Feet From Stardom" - one of the great unsung heroes of backing singers MERRY CLAYTON recalls with a giggle being dragged into a Studio by The Rolling Stones in her mink coat at some ungodly hour in the morning and told to scream "RAPE! MURDER! IT'S JUST A SHOT AWAY..." into a microphone at the top of her formidable lungs whilst heavily pregnant and with her hair-curlers still in. The film isolates her vocal track where she went up an extra octave to get the effect they needed - and you can hear her blowing the room out with her sheer power. Mick Jagger - who is also interviewed in the film along with Springsteen and many other rock beneficiaries - recalls it too and smiles wryly - Merry was damn good. In fact perhaps Clayton stood out as much as he did.

But whatever has passed into musical history since - nowadays both are quite rightly proud of the fabulous song "Gimme Shelter" that opens 1969's "Let It Bleed" by The Rolling Stones - what many lifetime fans feel is one of their finest hairy-assed reprobate hours. Merry Clayton would go on to have a short but sadly unnoticed Solo career of her own on Ode/A & M Records - even naming her debut album "Gimme Shelter" after her most famous moment with the grinning English boy (see separate review).

Back to this CD reissue... When the Decca label side of the Stones catalogue first came out on CD in 1986 on London - it was not the greatest moment for the new format. This 2002 reissue acknowledges this and advises that after 'long and painful' searches through tape vaults on both sides of the Atlantic - both time and technology had caught up enough to warrant a proper stab at it again - and man what a result.

Released August 2002 on Abkco 90042 (Barcode 018771900429) - "Let It Bleed" by THE ROLLING STONES is a straightforward transfer of the album (42:21 minutes):

1. Gimme Shelter

2. Love In Vain

3. Midnight Rambler

4. Live With Me

5. Let It Bleed

6. Midnight Rambler [Side 2]

7. You Got The Silver

8. Monkey Man

9. You Can't Always Get What You Want

Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "Let It Bleed" - released November 1969 in the USA on London NP 4 (Mono) and NPS 4 (Stereo) and December 1969 in the UK on Decca LK 5025 (Mono) and SKL 5025 (Stereo). Only the Stereo mix is used.

Made by Sony and Phillips - the SACD/DSD Hybrid Disc actually has two layers - the first contains the normal CD playback - but the other layer has a SACD remaster which will automatically come on if your machine has SACD playback facilities (it doesn't require a special machine to play this disc). The three-way foldout card digipak unfortunately doesn't reproduce the inner sleeve or the sticker and poster that came with rare originals of the album. It does however take the figurines off the cake and dot them across the digipak and CD. But the real sweet tooth is the sound. Given a careful transfer/remaster/mastering job by Steve Rosenthal, Teri Landi and Bob Ludwig - the sonic transformation of Jimmy Miller's original production are awesome.

Right from the opening moments of "Gimme Shelter" with its atmospheric guitars and NICKY HOPKINS piano playing - you know you're in the presence of something special. Things get even better with the largely acoustic cover of Robert Johnson's "Love In Vain" featuring RY COODER on Mandolin to great effect .The lead in car-horns and fiddle playing of BYRON BERLINE on their countrified piss take of "Honky Tonk Women" (called "Country Honk") sounds suitably ramshackle. Bill Wyman's Bass and Charlie Watt's Drums kick in with power on "Live With Me" as does the piano playing of LEON RUSSELL. The two acidic Side 1 finishers "Live With Me" (with MICK TAYLOR) and "Let It Bleed" (with IAN STEWART) have that fantastic British Rock 'n' Roll swagger that only the Faces seemed to be able to get near with any conviction.

Side 2 opens with the killer "Midnight Rambler" - a concert pleaser to this day. I love the wickedly sly "You Got The Silver" with Keith giving it bottleneck slide and half-stoned half-jealous vocals. Reputedly about the actress Anita Pallenberg immersed in the filming of "Performance" with Mick Jagger - the song also turned up in the futuristic classic "Zabriskie Point" - a notorious bomb at the box office in 1970. There can't be many Stones who don't think "Monkey Man" one of their great, unheralded Rocking masterpieces - a snotty little number perfectly placed before the glorious symphony of "You Cant Always Get What You Want". What can you say about this album finisher - how many times has its opening magic been used in movies to elicit emotion - and worked! To this day the 7" single edit of it on the B-side of "Honky Tonk Women" can only be found on the 3rd Stones Singles Box 1968-1971 (see separate review). As Al Kooper bashes the keys and Doris Troy, Nanette Newman, Madeline Bell and The London Bach Choir sing the song out - I'll admit to blubbing little Glimmer Twin tears...absolute f***ing genius.

"This Record Should Be Played Loud" it stated on the inner bag of the original vinyl LP.

Whether you go for the 2002 SACD/CD Hybrid issue or Japan's SHM-CD from 2010 (with all the repro artwork and 2002 remaster) - I'd apply the same code to this blindingly good remaster...CRANK IT!

PS: A young Delia Smith baked the cake on the cover...swear to God...