"Another Monday" by JOHN RENBOURN (April 2002 Castle Music CD Reissue - Andy Pearce and Sean Magee Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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

- Exceptional CD Remasters

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

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

Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95

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"...Gonna Blow My Blues Away..."

After the shaky but promising start of his debut "John Renbourn" in February 1966 - along came album No. 2 "Another Monday" in December of that amazing year and things really started cooking for Marylebone's finest Acoustic Guitar virtuoso.

This seriously hard-to-find album is still only listed at £30 in the 2018 Edition of The Record Collector's 'Rare Record Price Guide' but try finding one in any condition for that money. With this CD reissue hovering at around four to eight quid - I suppose these days we're a little blasé as to just how rare this record is – but what is for sure – via digital Joe Public has access to a great rarity that would have been otherwise out of their reach.

At a piddly twenty-eight minutes exactly, Renbourn's second is hardly guilty of Prog excess when it comes to playing time, but it does 'throw its arms around you like a circle around the sun' as the great man sings in "I Know My Babe". "Another Monday" is a beautifully even-handed album - a cool breeze listen all the way through and I for one love his voice even though there were those at the time that slagged it off and would have paid him good money to never open his gob again (one went ballistic generous, taking all of his might to describe JR as a 'pleasant enough singer'). That cruel assessment was balls IMO because when you listen to his three duets with future Pentangle leading light Jacqui McShee on "Lost Lover Blues", "Can't Keep From Crying" and "Nobody's Fault But Mine" - the combo of their voices produced magic to my ears. Throw in the instrumental "One For William" where he accompanies himself on Oboe of all things using the ponderous pseudonym 'Jennifer d0e Montforte-Jones' and you get some trippy Acid Folk moments that also touch on a slight Jazz vibe. There's so much to love here - let's get to the weeklies...

UK released April 2002 (re-issued March 2008) - "Another Monday" by JOHN RENBOURN on Sanctuary/Castle Music CMRCD436 (Barcode 5050159143627) is a straightforward CD transfer and Remaster of the original 12-track 1966 Stereo LP and plays out as follows (28:00 minutes):

1. Another Monday [Side 1]

2. Ladye Nothinge's Toye Puffe

3. I Know My Babe

4. Waltz

5. Lost Love Blues

6. One For William

7. Buffalo [Side 2]

8. Sugar Babe

9. Debbie Anne

10. Can't Keep From Crying

11. Day At The Seaside

12. Nobody's Fault But Mine

Tracks 1 to 12 are his second studio album "Another Monday" - released December 1966 in the UK on Transatlantic Records TRA 149 (unreleased in the USA). Produced by BILL LEADER - it didn't chart. NOTES: All tracks written by Renbourn except 3, 5, 8, 10 and 12 which are Traditional Song and Blues covers. Tracks 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9 and 11 are instrumentals; Renbourn sings Lead Vocals on Tracks 3 and 8 and duet vocals with Jacqui McShee [later with Pentangle] on Tracks 5, 10 and 12.

The 12-page booklet has wonderfully informative liner notes from COLIN HARPER author of "Dazzling Stranger: Bert Jansch And The British Folk Blues Revival" from 2000 (Bloomsbury Books). There are some photos of a beardy John looking suitably pensive (one on a chair with his acoustic miked-up and ready to take the English music scene by the scruff of the neck), a two-page advert spread for Sanctuary's reissue program for Renbourn and the band he would be most famously associated with. Speaking of which - on Page 8 is a photo of the 'blond-haired' singer Jacqui McShee – a Folky on the scene since 1960 and introduced to Renbourn in 1965 - thereby beginning a musical partnership that blossomed with Danny Thompson, Terry Cox and Bert Jansch into the mighty Pentangle.

But the big news here is a gorgeous Remaster from two fave Audio Engineers of mine – ANDY PEARCE and SEAN MAGEE. Pearce has done wads of great transfers across a large set of genres - Rory Gallagher, Free, Spooky Tooth, Wishbone Ash, ELP, Uriah Heep, Status Quo, John Renbourn, Pentangle, Budgie, Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy, Lee 'Scratch' Perry, The Bible and many more. Magee has been involved in the prestigious and much-praised Beatles Remasters as well as Lennon solo reissues. This is a lovely sounding CD – warm and inviting and as much of it consists of simple acoustic instrumentals – songs ping out of your speakers with real clarity.

It opens with two short instrumental originals - "Another Monday" and "Ladye Nothinge's Toye Puffe" - loveliness that flows over you sweetly (he revisited "Ladye..." on "The Nine Maidens" album in 1985). Renbourn sings "I Know My Babe" - a Blues Traditional that James Taylor based "Circle 'Round The Sun" on when he covered it too on his 1968 Apple Records debut "James Taylor". Renbourn's picking, his warm-toned vocal delivery and the "...sun's gonna shine..." lyrics all combine to make a fast-paced Acoustic mini masterpiece out of "I Know My Babe". But of all the instrumentals on the LP - his own "Waltz" is by far the most hair-raisingly brilliant - feeling like some lost Blues Speeder on some forgotten Folkways LP of the early Fifties (and you can so hear where Page nicked a few licks for Zeppelin). A cover of Blind Boy Fuller's "Lost Lover Blues" becomes the first of three featuring Jacqui McShee on duet vocals with Renbourn - sure ain't got no lovin' baby now. Combined with Renbourn moonlighting as the po-faced pseudonym Jennifer de Montforte-Jones the 'Oboe' player - the Acid Folk instrumental of "One For William" ends Side 1 on a high.

He advises in the rear-sleeve liner notes that Side 2's "Buffalo" is from the repertoire of Davy Graham - yet it’s credited as a Renbourn original on the label. "Sugar Babe" is another Blues Traditional that he admits is a thinly disguised "Lost Lover Blues" where our poor chap has to leave on the morning train (woman troubles you know). "Debbie Anne" is an instrumental picker that precedes the second Jacqui McShee collaboration - a Blues Traditional called "Can't Keep From Crying" taught to Renbourn by Mike Rogers. As he speeds up and down the frets - she hits a low chorus duet vocal that works perfectly. At only 1:11 minutes "Day At The Seaside" is very short but also very lovely. And it all comes to a wicked finishing line – John on the bottleneck guitar as he slides through the Blues Standard "Nobody's Fault But Mine" with Jacqui on her final vocal contribution. If the poor girl singing the song doesn't read her Bible - her soul will be lost and it'll be... Well I'm not so sure about that - but I love the way it finishes "Another Monday".

Sometimes albums aren't overly flashy or chock to the monkey-nuts with obvious zippy-lick brilliance - sometimes they're just sweet and good on the brain - and yes – on the soul too. The quietly lovely "Another Monday" is one of the records.

"...The sun's gonna shine on my back door someday..." - Renbourn sang on "I Know My Babe". Let in this ray of light shine into your home someday. And remember sinners - if you don't - it ain't "Nobody's Fault But Mine"...

"Tomb Raider" - A Review of The 2018 Movie - An Unintentional Turkey for Easter...

"A Turkey At Easter"

Tomb Raider 2018 – A Review

God help us all but sexiness is out and politically correct drudge is in.

Alicia Vikander is one of the most exquisite looking women on the planet and a fantastic actress more than capable of greatness and sincerity with a single look. But her soulless reboot of "Lara Croft" sucks for so many reasons it beggar’s belief.

It's clichéd now to use the word derivative when it comes to storyline - but that's what this dull and lifeless Indiana Jones wannabe is. Many crimes are committed here - first is that in the movie's desperate need to get bums on seats the trailer gives you every sequence worth looking at in two minutes flat - so when you do sit down - you've already seen the best bits. But the worst crime of all is that one of the sexiest characters ever put on screen comes over here as one of the dullest imaginable. This Lara Croft whines, she whinges, she mopes, she loses every time and has all the confidence and backbone of Hilary Clinton at a post election no-show - shafting her supporters when they needed her the most - especially those who believed in her. In an effort to make this LC more human – the makers of this turkey have sucked all the life out of her.

And let’s be blunt about this – where’s the sex? If you take Alicia in the vastly underrated "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." - she was an object of desire with the right guy - Armie Hammer - there was a palatable chemistry between them that made the movie work. Here the man she wants is absent Dad - played very well it has to be said by Dominic West (although some have called him performance hammy). Their relationship was probably the best thing about the film (some genuinely touching scenes) - but there's little else.

Formulaic I know but poor Alicia doesn't even have a decent man to go after or spar with emotionally (she has a sidekick in drunken boatman Daniel Wu - but nothing ever ignites or feels right about their bond). Walton Goggins is a very effective bad guy with his mad eyes and sweaty brow and his trapped-on-an-island for seven years frazzled brain. But again he spends much of the movie looking up in awe at something in the jungle or in the tomb and when the camera cuts over to it - you're wondering what's impressing this dude so much because haven't we seen all of this hieroglyphs and revolving death traps crap before - and done better.

Once on Yamati Island off the coast of Japan and in order to get to the prize a shady foundation called Trinity wants - Alicia must of course face the trails of Empress Himiko (a close relative of General Biscuit Mikado). One is the Chamber of Lost Souls (you hang left at The Cauldron Of Inappropriate Flatulence) and another is the Sarcophagus of Death (round the corner from The Underpants of Bad Personal Hygiene). And on it goes...and on...and on...

Then there's the stuff that just jars - the set pieces you don't want to see - a pointless bicycle race in London with a tin of paint - the painful pawn shop sketch that thinks its funny but isn't - the tedious board room scenes (will she or won't she sign) with actors like Derek Jacobi and Kristen Scott Thomas laughing all the way to the bank for phone-in performances that must have taken all of four minutes to rehearse - the big reveal at the end that turns out to be none at all.

But the real problem is surely casting. Alicia rocks nine times out of ten - check out her staggering chemistry with Michael Fassbender and Armie Hammer in "The Light Between Oceans" and "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." But Angelina Jolie oozed it back in the day. She had that look in her eye - that vivaciousness - that inherent belief in her own sexiness that made the silly movie such fun to watch. She was Lara Croft and everyone knew it. I'd pay 50p for a DVD of "Tomb Raider" with Jolie in it because at least a re-watch would be worth it. This Lara Croft has all the va-va-voom of a used teeshirt on the floor of a gym and somehow that's just unforgivable to me. It's almost as if sexiness in this new Lara Croft is somehow a dirty word - replaced by po-faced sterility. If this is new-girl empowerment then it didn’t come off as such. 

I felt robbed of two hours watching this "Tomb Raider" remake, forgot about it the moment I left the cinema and even (as you've no doubt worked out) felt a little angry at the laziness of it all (the same emotions washed over me at the trailer to "Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom" - more lazy-assed drivel with zero story originality). What a waste of everyone's time and ultimately...what a huge let down...

"Kiss Me Quick, Squeeze Me Slow: The Collection" by MICKEY JUPP (October 2014 UK Repertoire Records 3CD and 1DVD Book Set - Jon Astley Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 300+ Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

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

- Exceptional CD Remasters

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

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

Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95

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

"...Rock 'n' Roller..."

Industry-wise Worthing's Mickey Jupp has always been a cult – a name mentioned with affection and even awe by those in the Rock ‘n’ Roll know and first on the Rolodex when a boppin' British band is in need of a snappy tune. But like most music lovers in the general public, I came across the wit and boogie brilliance of Sussex's finest sideways - through his tunes done by other people on a whole myriad of fairly well known albums.

Anyone who worshipped at the feet of all things British Pub Rock in the mid to late Seventies (Dr. Feelgood, Ducks Deluxe, Dave Edmunds, Kursaal Flyers, Brinsley Schwarz et al) will have spotted Michael Graham Jupp's funny looking surname in the writing credits of their LPs. The fact that he wrote "Cheque Book" on the Feelgood's 1975 debut album "Down By The Jetty" and later penned the killer riffage of "Down At The Doctors" for the Canvey Island boys practically marks him out as God incarnate in my books. Apart from hugely affectionate/knowledgeable liner notes from Will Birch of The Kursaal Flyers - Wilko Johnson also gets a quote in the attached booklet talking about the outset of the Doctors musical career in 1974 - when intimidated a tad – Wilko shook Jupp's hand in genuine admiration (the music of Jupp’s band Legend was a sort of precursor to the Pub Rock sound). Two years later and Lee Brilleaux, Wilko Johnson and their stunning band Dr. Feelgood would see their live belter "Stupidity" hit the No. 1 spot in late 1976 on the UK LP charts.

Jupp unfortunately never enjoyed such commerciality with his any of his own releases whether it was with R 'n' B outfit The Orioles in the Sixties (not featured here unfortunately), the Rock 'n' Roll revivalist band Legend in the early Seventies (17 cuts included from 3 albums) or his own solo career from 1978 onwards with Stiff, Chrysalis, A&M and Line Records. But that doesn't stop me from thinking that this man's joyful English variant of Rock 'n' Roll isn’t some of the most enjoyable listens I've heard in years.

Repertoire Records of the UK feel the same and are determined to rectify our obvious and frankly unforgivable short sightedness by way of producing this humdinger of a Box Set covering his lengthy and productive career. There's a lot to savour here - so let's get out the chequebook and praise the man they call The White Chuck Berry...

UK released 27 October 2014 (11 November 2014 in the USA) - "Kiss Me Quick, Squeeze Me Slow: The Collection" by MICKEY JUPP on Repertoire Records REPUK 1173 (Barcode 4009910117323) is a 70-Song 3CD and 1DVD 'Book Pack' Box Set of Remasters that plays out as follows:

Disc 1 CD (79:09 minutes):

1. You Know What I Mean (B-side to "You Made A Fool Out Of Me", a November 1979 UK 7" single on Chrysalis CHR 2384, for A-side see Track 5 on CD2)

2. You'll Never Get Me Up In One Of Those (from the October 1978 UK LP "Juppanese" on Stiff Records SEEZ 10)

3. Switchboard Susan (from the November 1979 UK LP "Long Distance Romancer" on Chrysalis Records CHR 1261)

4. Short List (from the October 1978 UK LP "Juppanese" on Stiff Records SEEZ 10)

5. Cheque Book [by LEGEND] (from their 2nd UK LP "Legend" [aka "Red Boot"] released November 1970 on Vertigo 6360 019)

6. Brother Doctor, Sister Nurse (from the October 1978 UK LP "Juppanese" on Stiff Records SEEZ 10)

7. Old Rock 'n' Roller (A-side to a September 1978 UK 7" single on Stiff Records BUY 36, B-side is Track 11 on CD1)

8. Taxi Driver (non-album B-side to "Modern Life", a March 1982 UK 7" single on A&M Records AMS 8208)

9. Don't Talk To Me (non-album A-side, April 1981 UK 7" single on Stiff GFR 001 - originally released Feb 1981 on Good Foot Records G.F.R. 001)

10. Make It Fly (from the November 1979 UK LP "Long Distance Romancer" on Chrysalis Records CHR 1261)

11. S.P.Y. (B-side to "Old Rock 'n' Roller", October 1978 UK 7" single on Stiff Records BUY 36)

12. Politics (from the November 1979 UK LP "Long Distance Romancer" on Chrysalis Records CHR 1261)

13. Shine On My Shoes [by LEGEND] (from their 3rd album "Moonshine", January 1972 UK LP on Vertigo 6360 036)

14. Making Friends (B-side to "Down In New Orleans", a 1978 Australian 7" single on Stiff K-7444 - version also on "Juppanese")

15. Hole In My Pocket [by LEGEND] (from their 2nd UK LP "Legend" [aka "Red Boot"] released November 1970 on Vertigo 6360 019)

16. Joggin' (A-side of a 1981 German 7" single on Line Records 6.13 532)

17. Junk In My Trunk (B-side of "Don't Talk To Me", April 1981 UK 7" single on Stiff GFR 001 - A-side is Track 9 on CD1)

18. Cross Country [by LEGEND] (A-side of a 1970 French 7" Promo single on Vertigo 6832 957)

19. Nature's Radio (non-album A-side to a September 1977 UK 7" single on Arista ARISTA 136 - B-side of the April 1978 UK Promo-Only 7" single on Stiff Records UPP 1 - A-side is "My Typewriter")

20. Pilot (from the October 1978 UK LP "Juppanese" on Stiff Records SEEZ 10)

21. Chevrolet (from the November 1979 UK LP "Long Distance Romancer" on Chrysalis Records CHR 1261)

22. Rooms In Your Roof (non-album A-side of an April 1980 UK 7" single on Chrysalis CHS 2388)

23. Down At The Doctors (non-album B-side to "Nature's Radio, a September 1977 UK 7" single on Arista ARISTA 136 - for A see Track 19 on CD1)

24. Down At The Doctors (Mono - Alternate Version) (from the 1979 UK Sampler LP "Southend Rock" on Sonet Records SNTF 806)

Tracks 5, 13, 15 and 18 by LEGEND - All Other Tracks by MICKEY JUPP

Disc 2 CD (77:44 minutes):

1. Down In Old New Orleans (A-side of a 1978 Australian 7" single on Stiff K-7444 - B-side is "Making Friends" - Track 14 on CD1)

2. Boxes And Tins (A-side to a September 1983 UK 7"single on A&M Records AM 145)

3. Georgia George (Part 1) [by LEGEND] (A-side of an October 1969 UK 7" single on Bell Records BLL 1082 in Mono - Produced by Robin Trower)

4. Blues On Their Own (from the 1980 German LP "Oxford" on Line Records 6.24531)

5. You Made A Fool Out Of Me Do You Know What I Mean (A-side of a November 1979 UK 7" single on Chrysalis CHR 2384, for B-side see Track 1 on CD1)

6. Virginia Weed (B-side of "Some People Can't Dance", a Dutch 1982 7" single On A&M Records AMS 9209)

7. Oxford Dick And The Words (from the 1980 German LP "Oxford" on Line Records 6.24531)

8. Monty Bronte And The Sisters (from the 1980 German LP "Oxford" on Line Records 6.24531)

9. Another Guy [by LEGEND] (from their 3rd album "Moonshine", January 1972 UK LP on Vertigo 6360 036)

10. Lorraine (Part 2) [by LEGEND] (B-side of as 1970 German 7" single on Vertigo 6832 957)

11. Switchboard Susan (A-side Track 1 on a 1983 German 12" single on Line Records 6. 20 094)

12. My Typewriter [by LEGEND] (A-side of a 1978 UK 7" single on Stiff Records UPP 1)

13. Some People Can't Dance (A-side of a Dutch 1982 7" single On A&M Records AMS 9209 - for B-side see Track 6 on CD2)

14. Orlando Fla (from the October 1983 UK LP "Shampoo Haircut And Shave" on A&M Records AMLH 68559)

15. Barbara (from the November 1979 UK LP "Long Distance Romancer" on Chrysalis Records CHR 1261)

16. Poison Girls (B-side of "Don't Talk To Me", a 1980 German 7" single on Line Records 6. 12 939)

17. If Only Mother (from the October 1978 UK LP "Juppanese" on Stiff Records SEEZ 10)

18. Superman (from the April 1982 UK LP "Some People Can't Dance" on A&M Records AMLH 68535)

19. School (from the October 1978 UK LP "Juppanese" on Stiff Records SEEZ 10)

20. True Love (A-side of a 1979 German 7" single on Chrysalis 6155 266)

21. Modern Music (A-side of a March 1982 UK 7" single on A&M Records AM 8208)

22. Standing At The Crossroads Again (from the LP "As The Yeahs Go By" released 1991 by On The Beach Recordings FOAM 2)

23. Brother Doctor, Sister Nurse (Alternate Version) - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

Tracks 3, 9, 10 and 12 by LEGEND - All Others by MICKEY JUPP

Disc 3 CD (78:25 minutes)

1. National Gas (Mono Single Mix) [by LEGEND] (A-side of a French February 1969 7" single on Bell Records 2C 006-90.305)

2. Wouldn't You (Single Mix) [by LEGEND] (B-side of "National Gas", an October 1969 UK 7"single on Bell Records BLL 1048)

3. Heather On The Hill (Mono Single Mix) [by LEGEND] (B-side of "National Gas", a French February 1969 7" single on Bell 2C 006-90.305)

4. July (Mono Single Mix) [by LEGEND] (A-side of an October 1969 UK 7" single on Bell Records BLL 1048 - for B-side see Track 2 on CD3)

5. Life (Mono Single Mix) [by LEGEND] (A-side of a 1970 German 7" single on Vertigo 6059 021)

6. Late Last Night [by LEGEND] (B-side of a 1970 German 7" single on Vertigo 6059 021)

7. Don't You Never [by LEGEND] (A-side of a 1971 German 7" single on Vertigo 6059 036)

8. Someday (B-side of a 1971 German 7" single on Vertigo 6059 036)

9. Feel Free (non-album B-side of "Joggin'", a May 1982 UK 7" single on A&M Records AMS 8222)

10. Anything You Do (A-side Track 2 of 2 on a 1983 German 12" single on Line Records 6. 20 094 - for Track 1 see 11 on CD2)

11. Cheque Book (B-side Track 1 of 2 on a 1983 German 12" single on Line Records 6. 20 094 - for others see 11 on CD2 and 10 and 12 on CD3)

12. Daisy Mayes (B-side Track 2 of 2 on a 1983 German 12" single on Line Records 6. 20 094 - for others see 11 on CD2 and 10 and 11 on CD3)

13. Stormy Sunday Lunchtime (A-side of a July 1983 UK 7" single on A&M Records AM 128)

14. Reading Glasses (B-side of "Boxes And Tins", a September 1983 UK 7" single on A&M Records AM 145)

15. Only For Life (A-side of an August 1984 UK 7" single on Towerbell Records TOW55)

16. Animal Crackers (B-side of "Only For Life", an August 1984 UK 7" single on Towerbell Records TOW55)

17. Claggin' On (A-side of a March 1988 UK 7" single on Waterfront Records WFS 40)

18. Driving On Your Lights (B-side of "Claggin' On", a March 1988 UK 7" single on Waterfront Records WFS 40)

19. Be Stiff (1979 6-Track UK-Only Promo-Only 12" single on Stiff Records ODD 2 - Six Stiff acts do a cover of Devo's "Be Stiff)

20. Anything You Say (1994 Swedish CD-single on Gazell Records GAZSI-100)

21. Joggin' (A-side of a May 1982 UK 7" single on A&M Records AMS 8222)

22. I Feel Like Sleeping [by LEGEND] (from their 2nd UK LP "Legend" [aka "Red Boot"] released November 1970 on Vertigo 6360 019)

23. Mother Of My Child [by LEGEND] (from their 3rd album "Moonshine", January 1972 UK LP on Vertigo 6360 036)

Tracks 1 to 8, 22 and 23 by LEGEND - All Others by MICKEY JUPP

Disc 4 DVD (24:31 minutes, Stereo PCM, Aspect Ratio 4:3, NTSC: Region Free, Exempt from Classification):

The Marquee Documentary "Long Distance Romancer" was transmitted by ITV-Anglia on 22 December 1994. Produced and Directed by Roger Deakin

The outer hard-card slipcase offers real protection to the digipak book while the 48-page attached booklet is a lovely thing to behold filled with rare picture sleeves, trade adverts, the Stiff Records Tour of 1978, photos of Legend and even a Vertigo Records Promo Page telling the world the good news. As you wade through the band and session players listed on the final credits Pages (1969 to1994) – the guest list is mighty impressive stuff - Robin Trower, Matthew Fisher, Gary Brooker and BJ Wilson of Procol Harum, Dave Edmunds, Nick Lowe, Rory Bremner and Terry Williams of Rockpile, Kevin Godley and Lol Crème of 10cc, Francis Rossi of Status Quo, Andy Mackay of Roxy Music, Tim Renwick of Quiver, Iain and Gavin Sutherland of Sutherland Brothers & Quiver, Micky Moody of Nazareth and Snafu, Jimmy Jewel of Jake & The Family Jewels, Dave Mattacks of Fairport Convention, Dave Bronze of Dr. Feelgood, Chris Spedding and Production from Mike Vernon of Blue Horizon Records (as well as Robin Trower, Tony Visconti and Francis Rossi).

JON ASTLEY of Who Reissue fame has done the wickedly punchy Remasters – each track feeling beefed up and rearing to go – and not just trebled for the sake of it. It’s a testament too to the original Producers that boogies from 1970 and 1971 can sit safely alongside 1978 and 1979 songs and not sound wildly out of place. Great work done. Let’s get to the music...

Fans will be pleased to see that 10 of the 12 tracks from his brilliant solo debut album "Juppanese" on Stiff Records are featured here (only "The Ballad Of Billy Bonney" and "Partir C’est Mourir Un Peu" are missing) as well as a tasty extra on CD2 – a Previously Unreleased Alternate of the LP’s final track "Brother Doctor, Sister Nurse". 1979’s follow-up album "Long Distance Romancer" on Chrysalis does equally as well with 8 of its 10 songs represented (only "Hard Times" and "I'm In Control" are missing). From there we get 6 of the 11 on 1980’s underrated "Oxford" LP on Germany’s Line Records – 7 out of 10 for his 1982 album "Some People Can’t Dance" (with an extra remix of "Joggin'" on CD3) and 4 of 11 from 1983’s "Shampoo Haircut And Shave" – both on A&M Records UK. And so on...

If I was to single out just one track that shows his talent with a zippy tune and funny lyrics it would be "Politics" - a Chuck Berry Rock 'n' Roll beat chugs along as he churns out "...when I've used up all my guitar licks and got my house out in the sticks - I'm gonna dabble in politics..." He always seemed to get so close but never the cigar - the fantastic Bo Diddley shimmering guitar of "Joggin'" (I called my buddy and told my mate...I'm gonna lose my baby if I don't lose weight...) was chosen as a single in 1982 and received loads of radio play around the London Marathon of that year - but it didn't translate into sales. In fact the booklet tells us that the Mike Vernon Produced "Oxford" album it came off (which he rated highly) didn't sell jack despite the quality of tunes like the radio-friendly boogie of "Taxi Driver" and the witty "Modern Music". Again and again his wit hammers you - In "Old Rock 'n' Roller" Jupp sings from bittersweet experience - "...I'll do it 'til I'm blue in the face...sing and play guitar and jump all over the place...sing some heavy lyrics and the chords to fit...trouble is I don't know when to quit..." You can 'hear' Chuck Berry jump off these songs like he's channelling the great man and his inherent fun.

He can’t give up smoking in "Virginia Weed" – becomes a nerd musician in the testing-testing one-two-three of "Oxford Dick And The Words" and he can’t take whiskey with his water and gravy on his greens but when its come to Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker – Jupp loves the "Blues On Their Own". Even when he was with Legend in 1970 singing "Hole In My Pocket" - you know he's been there, endlessly wisecracking his way through another hangover. "...You buy the drinks...I'll just sit here looking pretty..." she says in the song and you just know that this lovestruck schmuck is gonna pay all night long. In "Making Friends" he sings of weariness with a twist - "...I've had enough of love and all that stuff...don't want you to miscomprehend...just making friends baby...not looking for love..." Jerry Lee Lewis gets tapped for the piano-rolling "Monty Bronte And The Sisters" – a crazy Rock ‘n’ Roll band made up of that bookish family. It’s also impossible not to hear Jupp sing "Cross Country" and wonder did Nick Lowe half-inch his entire solo career and singing style from this man (and I mean that in a nice way). Speaking of imitation and flattery - the treated old-world guitar of "Chevrolet" with its sexy 60ts Chess Records sound haunting every shimmering nuance - could be Dave Edmunds on Swan Song Records reincarnated.

"Switchboard Susan" gets two outings – the first from 1979 on CD1 and then the Line Records remake from 1983 on CD2 (she's got Michael's extension you know). He then goes all "Monster Mash" with the Bobby Boris Pickett and The Crypt Kickers pastiche of "My Typewriter" – a machine that doesn't feel pain and only tells fretful MJ what he wants to be told. "Orlando Fla" is wickedly good Berry Rock 'n' Roll while the Feelgoods would take "Standing At The Crossroads Again" on their 1991 "Primo" album and practically make it sound like it was a Doctor tune all along (Robert Johnson and Elmore James would approve). Jupp then hits you with something like "Pilot" - a rare and shattering hurt song that drips of real loss – a sailor sunk without trace – a pilot without a plane since she walked away – last time he saw her face. Listening to the utterly brilliant slink of “Down At The Doctors” - Jupp urges his listeners to embrace the sleaze of the East Side of town and invites patrons to "...come here sunny...ain’t gonna do you no harm...I'm just gonna shoot some Rock 'n' Roll in your arm!” OK boss - if you insist...

What good advice. Take mine – invest in this peach while you can and prepare to want everything he’s ever released thereafter. I’ve got a cure...gonna fix all your ills...I’m on my bike now mate...