"The Live Adventures Of Mike Bloomfield And Al Kooper" by MIKE BLOOMFIELD and AL KOOPER - February 1969 US 2LP set on Columbia Records CG 6 and CBS Records S 66216 in the UK – featuring John Kahn on Bass with Skip Prokop on Drums with Guests Roosevelt Gook on Keyboards, Elvin Bishop of The Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Carlos Santana of Santana on Guitars and an uncredited Paul Simon Backing Vocal on "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)" (March 1997 UK Columbia/Legacy 2CD Reissue – Live From The Vaults Series – Bob Irwin and Vic Anesini Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Hope Y'all Dig Some Blues!"

Recorded across three nights at Bill Graham's Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco on the 26th, 27th and 28th of September 1968 - this warts 'n' all Live 2LP set has been a touchpoint for Bloomfield fans for over five decades.

Mike did the Blues-Rock guitar-wielding business for the first two nights of mostly R&B cover versions by the likes of Ray Charles, Frank Wilson, Arthur Crudup, Sonny Boy Williamson and Albert King alongside contemporary versions of big tunes by The Band ("The Weight"), Traffic ("Dear Mr. Fantasy") and Jack Bruce of Cream writing a 1967 HMV UK 45 B-side with Paul Jones of Manfred Mann ("Sonny Boy Williamson").

But famously hospitalized due to insomnia, the mercurial axeman no-showed for gig-number three. So help was called in in the shape of Elvin Bishop (Guitarist and Vocalist in The Paul Butterfield Blues Band) and a young axe-slayer Bloomfield used to nickname Carlito - Carlos Santana. This was half a year before Carlos would enter the studios and record the "Santana" debut album and then slaughter all in his path at Woodstock in August 1969, a month before the debut hit the shops and virtually launched Latin-Rock across the world. Live Adventures is one of the very few occasions where you hear Carlos playing the Blues – though if you ask me, he wasn't very good at it on this night!

So you get a lot of cool axe wielding types here ably supported by John Kahn on Bass and Skip Prokop on Drums. Al Kooper sings and plays Hammond Organ and other keyboards and the singing is shared between both leads. Roosevelt Gook plays keyboards on the Frank Wilson cover "Together 'Til The End Of Time" and none-other than Paul Simon was said to have been so taken aback by their live cover of the Simon & Garfunkel hippy anthem "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)" that he offered and laid down harmony vocals in the studio after the gigs – so PS is supposed to be on there, only uncredited as such. Which brings us to this reissue in Sony's 'Live From The Vaults' Series…

This Columbia/Legacy 2CD reissue from 1997 doesn’t unfortunately feature any juicy outtakes or rehearsals – but it has new and improved audio for the notoriously rough and rolling live double courtesy of two hugely talented Audio Engineers – BOB IRWIN and VIC ANESINI. Both of these men have handled huge swathes of Sony's catalogue – Elvis Presley, Santana, Simon and Garfunkel, Mott The Hoople, Nilsson, The Byrds and loads more.

UK released March 1997 - "The Live Adventures Of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper" by MIKE BLOOMFIELD and ALL KOOPER on Columbia/Legacy COL 485151 2 (Barcode 5099748515124) is a 2CD Reissue and Remaster in Columbia's Live From The Vaults Series and plays out as follows:

CD1 (44:23 minutes):

1. Opening Speech [Side 1]

2. The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)

3. I Wonder Who

4. Her Holy Modal Highness

5. The Weight [Side 2]

6. Mary Ann

7. Together 'Til The End Of Time

8. That's All Right

9. Green Onions

Track 2 is a Simon & Garfunkel cover, Tracks 3 and 6 are Ray Charles covers, Track 4 is a MB and AK song,

Track 5 is a Band cover, Track 7 is a Frank Wilson cover, Track 8 is an Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup cover

Track 9 is a Booker T & The MG's cover

Tracks 1, 3, 6 and 8 - Lead Vocals by Mike Bloomfield - Tracks 2 and 7 - Lead Vocals by AL KOOPER

Track 2 features an uncredited Backing Vocal from PAUL SIMON - Track 7 features ROOSEVELT GOOK on Keyboards

CD2 (40:55 minutes):

1. Opening Speech [Side 3]

2. Sonny Boy Williamson

3. No More Lonely Nights

4. Dear Mr. Fantasy [Side 4]

5. Don't Throw Your Love On Me So Strong

6. Finale - refugee

Track 2 is a Jack Bruce (of Cream) and Paul Jones (of Manfred Mann) cover

Track 3 is a Sonny Boy Williamson cover

Track 4 is a Traffic cover (Jim Capaldi, Steve Winwood and Chris Wood song)

Track 5 is an Albert King cover

Track 6 is an MB and AK song

Tracks 2 and 4 vocals by Al Kooper

Track 2 has Guest Guitarist CARLOS SANTANA

Track 3 has Guest Lead Vocals and Guitar by ELVIN BISHOP (of The Paul Butterfield Blues Band)

Track 5 has vocals by Mike Bloomfield

The double-album was released February 1969 in the USA on Columbia Records CG 6 and CBS Records S 66216 in the UK.

Although the double-sided six-leaf foldout inlay looks kind of nice, it's like the album itself, it gets on your nerves because you wish it would work better. There are recollections from Al Kooper that are good and the BOB IRWIN and VIC ANESINI Remasters make this rough and ready double sing. But therein lies the problem for me - so much of this live set feels self-indulgent and despite the covers and the big name guests - very little of it actually ignites in the way that you would have expected. On Side 3 and 4 although Elvin Bishop puts in gallant Slow Blues attempts on the 12:20 minutes of "No More Lonely Nights" - it feels awkward somehow and the Carlos Santana contribution the same - none of the fluidity needed and none of the stunning dexterity he would show only the following year on the debut and on into 1970's "Abraxsas".

The nine minutes of their song "Her Holy Modal Highness” is probably the album’s most trippy moment - Kooper’s oscillating keyboard solo setting up Bloomfield for some truly lovely touches on the fretboard. They launch into a cover of The Band classic "The Weight” – a keyboard driven instrumental take that feels like The Spencer Davis Group having a go. Its ragged glory is part of the charm I think and both boys play a blinder. The R&B shuffle of "Mary Ann” sees Bloomfield go B.B. King on a Ray Charles cover.

Bloomfield's absence from that 28th of September 1968 night (I was exactly 10 on that night) is acutely felt. Neither he nor Kooper have great voices but you can hear impressive Hammond organ stuff on the 10 minutes of the Albert King cover "Don't Throw Your Love On Me So Strong". Side 2's ending pair features Crudup's "That's All Right" make ordinary by Kooper's vocal - better is the Booker T "Green Onions" groove - both guitar and Hammond blasting away in their bar-band best unison.

Kooper would soon launch a solo career and Bloomfield descend into horrible addictions - but at least this raw slice of live indulgence is here for us to remember a time when you could make stuff like this and not give a fig...

"Bakerloo" by BAKERLOO – Debut and Only UK album from November 1969 on Harvest Records SHVL 762 featuring Dave 'Clem' Clempson (later with Colosseum, Humble Pie, Greenslade, Champion and Snafu), Terry Poole (later with Graham Bond and Magick, Colin Blunstone, Paul Brett and more and Keith Baker (later with Uriah Heep) and Producer Gus Dudgeon (October 2014 UK Esoteric Recordings 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue With 5 Bonus Tracks – Rob Keyloch Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...This Worried Feeling..."

Bakerloo made only one album on EMI's Underground label imprint Harvest Records and were in many ways a doomed nag before they even got out of the slots.

Headhunted by Jon Hiseman for his Jazz-Rock outfit Colosseum – Bakerloo's stunning guitarist, keyboardist and singing main-man Dave 'Clem' Clempson left in September 1969 to join Colosseum just two months before the self-titled Bakerloo album was launched, effectively kyboshing the three-piece just when Kentucky Derby fame beckoned.

They all went on to bigger and better things shortly afterward (listed below) – but for many fans left with one vinyl slice of what might have been - this raw Hard Rock Hard Blues Prog Tinted beast was a nice tip to leave on the EMI canteen table. Which brings us to this digital reissue – a brill-sounding brute of a CD foaming at the gills with top audio and bonuses…

UK released 6 October 2014 - "Bakerloo" by BAKERLOO on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 2468 (Barcode 5013929456846) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster with Five Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows (71:00 minutes):

1. Big Bear Ffolly [Side 1]

2. Bring it On Home

3. Drivin' Bachwards

4. Last Blues

5. Gang Bang

6. This Worried Feeling [Side 2]

7. Son Of Moonshine

Tracks 1 to 7 are their debut and only album "Bakerloo" – released November 1969 in the UK on Harvest Records SHVL 762 (no US equivalent). Produced by GUS DUDGEON – it didn’t chart.

BONUS TRACKS:

8. Once Upon A Time (Alternate Take)

9. This Worried Feeling (Alternate Take)

10. Georgia

11. Train

12. Son Of Moonshine Part One (Alternate Take)

There's a picture CD (Poole's striking graphically designed album artwork), a 12-page booklet featuring new liner notes from noted writer MALCOLM DOME that include enlightening reminiscences from Bassist Terry Poole on their formation, touring and the making of their lone album. And there is even a repro of that famous Marquee Club poster (90 Wardour Street, Soho, London W1) where Bakerloo were in the right place at the right time – because on Tuesday the 10th of December 1968 they were the support slot to a newly formed supergroup called LED ZEPPELIN - billed as [Nee The Yardbirds] should punters get confused (they might have gotten their eardrums hurt with both acts, but they weren't going to get confused). That night our trio was known by their full moniker BAKERLOO BLUES LINE, but of course shortened their name thereafter (apparently it wasn't sold out and Poole had known Plant and Bonham from their Band Of Joy days). There are also rare promotional and live shots of the three-piece and the usual reissue credits. The Remaster from Analogue Tapes is care of ROB KEYLOCH – done at Church Walk Studios and manner of heaviness abounds. This sucker is punchy and full of teeth.…

The hard-rocking 3-piece BAKERLOO featured Dave 'Clem' Clempson on Guitar, Harmonica and All Keyboards. Clempson went onto Colosseum heavily featuring on their classic June 1971 "Colosseum Live" double where he met ace keyboardist Dave Greenslade and would later be a part of Greenslade from 1973 on Warner Brothers. He also did stints in Humble Pie, Champion, Snafu and more. Terry Poole played Bass and sang vocals on "Last Blues" and "Son Of Moonshine" – he went on to session for Graham Bond with Magick, Colin Blunstone, Paul Brett and many more - while Keith Baker the drummer would go on to be with Uriah Heep. The original drummer John Hinch went to play with Judas Priest (its Keith Baker who plays on the album) and of course Gus Dudgeon would gain fame as being the defacto Producer for every Elton John album on DJM Records right up to "Blue Moves" in October 1976. The only guest on the Bakerloo LP was Jerry Salisbury who plays Trumpet on the short "Drivin' Bachwards" on Side 1 which at 2:08 minutes is a teeny-weeny revamp of a Bach song.

Despite fairly favourable press reviews towards the tail-end of 1969, for most punters, their first taste of Bakerloo probably came from a cheaply priced sampler album released in June 1970 - in this case Harvest's double "Picnic: A Breath Of Fresh Air" on Harvest SHSS 1/2. The opening instrumental on Side 1 of "Bakerloo" called "Big Bear Ffolly" (deliberate spelling with two f's) was featured on it - and it's easy to hear why. "Big Bear..." and its manic speed guitar is exactly the kind of Rock indulgence Page might have engaged in during a "Dazed And Confused" solo. Immediately that's followed by a cool as school cover of Sonny Boy Williamson's 1966 Chess Records classic "Bring It On Home" where the guitar/harmonica shuffling blues and slightly distorted vocal sounds (shall we say) uncannily like Zep's version on Side 2 of October 1969's "Zeppelin II". Still a winner though. Cute as it may have been with that Harpsichord in 1969, the largely dismissible JS Bach derivative "Drivin' Bachwards" is supposed to have inspired Tull with "Bouree" over on "Stand Up", but who knows.

Far better is the seven minutes of "Last Blues" - a slow brooding doomy guitar monster where lyrically Clempson sounds like he needs to get out more and enjoy local ale while he's doing it. Side 1 ends with the unfortunately titled "Gang Bang", six-minutes of proper whig-out guitaring - Baker's drums crashing over that Bass. Side 2's "This Worried Feeling" feels like 1969 Fleetwood Mac where Peter Green gets all moody with his misery guts Blues Guitar aided and abetted by a hurt-mama-hurt echoed vocal. It's properly great stuff as it crashes into that English Rock Band does the Blues thing. That's followed by the huge "Son Of Moonshine" - where elements of Prog are mixed towards the end with wild grungy guitar - fifteen minutes of riffage that doesn't care - Clempson's playing feeling like Gary Moore unleashed – stood grinning as he taps on the shoulder of Stoner Rock (hello boys). You can so hear why original copies of this album command such money…

The Bonuses offer us five including a cover version of Hoagie Carmichael's "Georgia" and a more piano orientated alternate take of "This Worried Feeling" - Clempson sounding like an upset Stan Webb in Chicken Shack concerned that his baby's fidelity might not be entirely intact (a fantastic Blues-Rock find). "Train" is a fascinating three minute slide guitar shuffle - and again this instrumental imbibed with the feeling that you're listening to Jeremy Spencer in Fleetwood Mac discovering Elmore James and Lightning Hopkins at the same time. But even that cool snippet is trumped by the fantastic 8:46 minutes of "Son Of Moonshine Part One" - a heads down Heavy Rock boogie that would impress Mountain fans.

A cracking reissue then of an unfairly forgotten debut bolstered up with Bonus Tracks actually worthy of the name. Want it down and dirty, then Bakerloo and its Blues Line is the train station you need to stop at..

"Blue Moves" by ELTON JOHN – Double-Album from October 1976 on Rocket Records featuring Ray Cooper, Davey Johnstone, James Newton-Howard, Kenny Passarelli, Roger Pope and Caleb Quaye - with Guests Randy and Michael Brecker, Barry Rogers and David Sanborn on Horns, Backing Vocals from Bruce Johnston of The Beach Boys, Curt Becher (aka Curt Boettcher) of The Millennium, Toni Tennille of The Captain and Tennille, David Crosby and Graham Nash of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and The Hollies and The Cornerstone Institutional Baptist and Southern Californian Choir directed by Rev. James Cleveland with Orchestration from The London Symphony Orchestra and The Martyn Ford Orchestra (Paul Buckmaster conducting) (June 1996 UK Mercury 2CD Reissue - 'Gus Dudgeon' Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"...Out Of The Blue..."

When I worked as a Rock buyer at Reckless Records in Islington and then the ultra-busy Soho branch in Berwick Street (the shop that's featured on the cover of the Oasis album "(What's The Story) Morning Glory?") - Elton John's October 1976 double-album splurge "Blue Moves" was a yawn record - the kind of unsellable dog that would sit in the racks alongside so many other copies of the same – us hoping against hope that we might get (maybe) three or four quid for it. In fact, as I recall, we were still turning down copies as non-shifters as late as the early Nineties.

Cut to April 2020 - closing in on 44 years after the album's autumn 1976 release and my how things have changed. Reappraisals take place all the time we know, but "Blue Moves" has been getting one these last four decades with lovelorn fans biting their chapped lips and declaring that its time to shoulder that pistol-whipping holster. We flogged in then Mr. Dwight but we want it back now. Sorry (does indeed) seem to be the hardest word when it comes to this Reg-fest. Some digital history first…

First issued on Rocket Records 822 818-2 in June 1988 as a single CD, that variant had dropped "Shoulder Holster" from Side 2 and "The Wide-Eyed And Laughing" from Side 3 in order to get the double-album to fit onto one CD. That truncated issue was replaced by this - June 1996's 2-Disc Remaster – transferred and worked beautifully by original album Producer GUS DUDGEON as part of The Elton John Remasters Series. There has been other issues since, especially in Japan, namely the 2 x SHM-CD reissue in Mini LP Repro packaging from last year (2019) with a new 'dry' remaster that has left many fans running back to this (sometimes the latest isn't always the best). Let's get to the Boogie Pilgrims...

UK released 3 June 1996 - "Blue Moves" by ELTON JOHN on Mercury 532 467-2 (Barcode 731453246720) is a 2CD Reissue and Remaster of the full 1976 double-album and plays out as follows:

CD1 (41:05 minutes):

1. Your Starter For... [Side 1]

2. Tonight

3. One Horse Town

4. Chameleon

5. Boogie Pilgrim [Side 2]

6. Cage The Songbird (For Edith Piaf)

7. Crazy Water

8. Shoulder Holster

CD2 (43:46 minutes):

1. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word [Side 3]

2. Out Of The Blue

3. Between Seventeen And Twenty

4. The Wide-Eyed And Laughing

5. Someone's Final Song

6. Where's The Shoorah? [Side 4]

7. If There's A God In Heaven (What's He Waiting For?)

8. Idol

9. Theme For A Non-Existent TV Series

10. Bite Your Lip (Get Up And Dance!)

"Blue Moves" was released as a double-album 22 October 1976 in the UK on Rocket Records ROSP 1 and in the USA on MCA/The Rocket Record Company 2-11004. Produced by GUS DUDGEON - it peaked at No. 3 in the UK and also No. 3 in the USA.

The 20-page booklet reproduces the lyrics that came with the original inner sleeves (though not the photos) and new JOHN TOBLER liner notes illuminate the album's place in Elton's huge career. Rockets Records had been launched in 1973 with two albums for Kiki Dee – both with Elton John and Bernie Taupin contributions (some exclusive cuts too, I've reviewed both "Loving And Free" and "I've Got The Music In Me"). GUS DUDGEON puts in a note about the master-tapes and his 20-bit resolution transfers and there is no doubt about the Audio fidelity here – it's superb – real clean and ballsy. For sure "Crazy Water" still feels that tad under-produced in the oomph department - but I suspect it was originally recorded and mastered that way. avng said that, those almost Genesis-sounding acoustic guitars in "The Wide Eyed And Laughing", the Community Choir filling your speakers in the Gospel-tinged "Where's The Shoorah?" and the James Newton-Howard string arrangements in the beautiful but crushing "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word" all sound hugely improved – every track now up for audio grabs.

The album produced three instrumentals - the Caleb Quaye filler that is "Your Starter For..." that opens Side 1 and the Side 4 ditty "Theme For A Non-Existent TV Series" - both clocking in at just under one minute and twenty seconds. I mention this because my poison has always been instrumental door number three - the fantastic band boogie of "Out Of The Blue". Between this and the Brecker Brothers/David Sanborn brass funk of "Boogie Pilgrim" – both have been the reasons why I loved the album. In fact when I made up 'Funky Funky' CD compilations for Shop Play shuffles in Reckless, I'd include both tracks and without fail punters would arrive at the counter while they played demanding to know who the instrumental was by - and then be duly stunned when told it was 'Elton John'. You'd get that look - "I didn't know Elton John was funky!" 

But alongside the sadder tunes on here like "Tonight" (recorded with The London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road) or "Between Seventeen And Twenty" - old feather-festooned Reg was definitely a serious funky chicken. The single "Crazy Water" had that Stevie Wonder clavinet boogie to it and the third and final 45 off the album, "Bite Your Lip (Get Up And Dance!)" was clearly aimed at the emerging dance floor Disco that was sweeping NYC and the world at the end of 1976 (it was also on a 12" as I recall for DJs).

Finding "Tonight" overdone and just a bit boring (Elton and an Orchestra), I must admit that I start the double with the upbeat "One Horse Town" which features The Martyn Ford Orchestra arranged and conducted by one of Rock's great background heroes – Paul Buckmaster. "Chameleon", "Crazy Water" and "Someone’s Final Song" are all supported by a host of top backing singers including Bruce Johnston of The Beach Boys, Curt Becher (aka Curt Boettcher) of The Millennium, Toni Tennille of The Captain and Tennille and a few more into the bargain. The ultra-harmonising duo of David Crosby and Graham Nash (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and The Hollies) show up on two – the Edith Piaf tribute song "Cage The Songbird" and "The Wide Eyed And Laughing" - while Marvin Gaye and Aretha Franklin fans of 1971's "What's Going On" and 1972's "Amazing Grace" will know the name of Rev. James Cleveland who conducts and adds The California Community Choir to "Boogie Pilgrim", "Where's The Shoorah?" and the album's final bopper "Bite Your Lip (Get Up And Dance!)". 

For sure "Blue Moves" is not a masterpiece and you'd be hard-pressed I suspect to get any EJ fan to say it equals "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" from three years back in 1973. 

But I like a bruiser and the good moments on here are great. And old stock or not - this 1996 twofer Mercury CD Remaster is the one to get...

"A Beautiful Pain" by CATHERINE BARRY (March 2020 Book Of Poetry, Published by Salmon Press, In Conjunction With The Arts Council Of Ireland)

A Beautiful Pain 

by

 CATHERINE BARRY 

(March 2020 Book of Poems 

Published by Salmon Poetry of Ireland

In Conjunction with The Arts Council Of Ireland)

"...Women Are Made Of Mars Bars..." 

Catherine Barry has had four novels published since 2001 and the quietly dignified "A Beautiful Pain" is her first Book of Poetry brought to us in paperback by Salmon Press (published March 2020 in her native Ireland).

As a wee bit of a scribbler myself - Poetry and the purchasing of it is a little like art installations in galleries with really big rooms housing equally huge egos - enough to bring many of us out in a rash and a snuffled giggle. The danger of pretentiousness lurks in the over-priced coffee emporium stroking its twisty beard as it ponders gender-neutral Nihilism. Should I identify as a non-binary coconut or is that numerically Coconut-ist? Oh dear…

I say this, because hand-on-heart, Cathy's poetry couldn't be less uppity or arty-farty and thankfully isn't the online ranting of woke terrorists either. Its thoughts and hard-won observations are firmly based in humanity – trying to make red lemonade (its an Irish thing) when life keeps throwing you beginning-to-mold lemons. These straight-talking stories try to portray the hopeful moments too alongside the inevitable losses and the casual cruelty of dirty laundry that just refuses to go away.

The undercurrent in her writing quickly becomes clear. These 80 or so pieces are filled with the ebb and flow of survival - a decades long battle with alcoholism, abandonment and not least of all - the final egg in the face - Breast Cancer which has now gone on to the worst stage. In fact the first poem speaks of local gurriers tormenting her Dublin home in 1999 by pelting it with eggs for weeks on end. Yet she rises above life's subtle persecution and goes on with the help of family, her two children (now grown up) and mentors within genuinely decent Care and Self-Help groups.

Few poetry volumes are page-turners, but this one is. There's a beautifully observed piece called “Lyric” that describes her father John Francis Barry as he wrestles with four remotes in his old age – stood in front of his beloved Hi Fi in the 'sitting room' (we don't do lounges in Ireland) – as she knocks on the window pane to alert him that she's arrived home. His infectious smile, belief in people and his presence still so huge even after his death at the age of 86 nearly four years prior. Her Mum Maureen walking down the street also in her mid 80ts with her artists sense of clothing, positivity and wild fighting spirit – telling off a neighbour she thinks is slagging off Catherine's older sister Francis. Charlie who saved her from drink and its destruction – pride in her kids – anger at the disease and so on. It’s very personal stuff for sure – "My Children Come First", "Love Me When I Fall", "Breast Cancer Awareness Month" and "Strong Women" - but its also real and humane and accessible.

There's anger and rage as well - a short heartbreaking piece called "Tuam Babies" with lines like…

We're down here. In a dirty hole.

A fitting grave for shame.

Denial's forwarding address.

God forgive us.

Or hurt for an elderly lady in "Prayer For The Nameless" - found dead and abandoned - the notoriously tight Irish Government and Irish Banks screwing over the nation and most vulnerable with endless austerity measures since the entirely avoidable 2008 stock market collapse…

Let's salute the country

That abandoned

The very people

Who built it.

Welcome to Ireland

Land of saints and scholars

White collars with no moral compass…

Or dealing with setbacks and spiritual turmoil in "Teabags"…

No blend of perfection

So to speak.

I am at my strongest

When I am weak. 

I enjoyed Catherine's new Book of Poems and have re-read many since – especially in this time that cries out for hope and some better horizon that we can't maybe see at the moment.

So if you fancy a woman who writes lines like "Men Are From Mars. Women are made of Mars Bars…" in a booked called "A Beautiful Pain" – then this little bowl of poetic chicken soup is the self-isolation read for you...

"Classic Album Collection" by CREAM – Including The Albums "Fresh Cream" (1966), "Disraeli Gears" (1967), "Wheels Of Fire" (1968 2LP Set Half Studio Half Live) and "Goodbye" (1969) – All Featuring Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker with Guests Felix Papalardi and Pete Brown (April 2016 UK Universal/Polydor 4-Album/5-Disc Mini Box Set) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Strange Brew..."

Issued 2016 as a celebration of their 50th Anniversary - I’m loving the oversized gatefold card sleeves for each release (like repro LPs) when only the double "Wheels Of Fire" and the final studio album "Goodbye" had them on the original vinyl issues.  Universal/Polydor has put new photos and track lists on the inner gatefolds now given to "Fresh Cream" and "Disraeli Gears" that look very tasty indeed - but although the outer hard-card slipcase is handy and the whole package looks the part ("Wheels" is separated onto two discs) - there’s no booklet and there’s no mastering credits either.

The audio varies from really good to really great – but if I'm honest the Remasters on "Gold" done by Suha Gur shine better (see separate review). Paschal Byrne’s remasters on the Jack Bruce double are fabulous too. Still – it feels nice to have their whole official output all in one place and looking good into the mini box set bargain. There’s a lot to get through - so once more unto the Strange Brews and the geared-up Politicians standing at the Crossroads...

UK released 29 April 2016 (6 May 2016 in the USA) - "Classic Album Collection" by CREAM on Universal/Polydor 473 456-1 (0602547345615) is a 4-Album/5-Disc Mini Box Set and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 "Fresh Cream" (41:10 minutes):

1. I Feel Free

2. N.S.U.

3. Sleepy Time Time

4. Sweet Wine

5. Spoonful

6. Cat's Squirrel [Side 2]

7. Four Until Late

8. Rollin' And Tumblin'

9. I'm So Glad

10. Toad

Tracks 1 to 10 are their debut album "Fresh Cream" - released December 1966 in the UK on Reaction 593 001 (Mono) and Reaction 594 001 (Stereo) and in the USA on Atco 33-206 (Mono) and Atco SD 33-206 (Stereo)  - the Stereo mix is used. Recorded at Rayrik and Ryemuse Studios in London and Produced by Robert Stigwood.

Disc 2 "Disraeli Gears" (33:38 minutes):

1. Strange Brew

2. Sunshine Of Your Love

3. World Of Pain

4. Dance The Night Away

5. Blue Condition

6. Tales Of Brave Ulysses

7. Swalbr

8. We're Going Wrong

9. Outside Woman Blues

10. Take It Back

11. Mother's Lament

Tracks 1 to 11 are their 2nd studio album "Disraeli Gears" - released November 1967 in the UK on Reaction 593 003 (Mono) and Reaction 594 003 (Stereo) and in the USA on Atco 33-232 (Mono) and Atco SD 33-232 (Stereo) - the Stereo Mix is used on this CD. Produced by Felix Pappalardi.

Disc 3 "Wheels Of Fire" - (CD1 - In The Studio - 36:33 minutes):

1. White Room

2. Sitting On Top Of The World

3. Passing The Time

4. As You Said

5. Pressed Rat And Warthog [Side 2]

6. Politician

7. Those Were The Days

8. Born Under A Bad Sign

9. Deserted Cities Of The Heart

Disc 3 "Wheels Of Fire" (CD2 - Live At The Fillmore - 44:32 minutes):

1. Crossroads

2. Spoonful

3. Traintime [Side 2]

4. Toad

Both CDs of Disc 3 is the double-album "Wheels Of Fire" - released August 1968 in the UK on Polydor 582 031/2 (Mono) and Polydor 583 031/2 (Stereo) and in the USA on Atco 2-700 (Mono) and Atco SD 2-700 (Stereo) – the Stereo Mix is used for both discs. Produced by Felix Pappalardi. On CD2 Tracks 1, 2 and 3 recorded live at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco 10 March 1968 and Track 4 recorded 7 March 1968 at the Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco 8 March 1968.

Disc 4 "Goodbye" (30:46 minutes):

1. I'm So Glad

2. Politician

3. Sitting on Top Of The World

4. Badge [Side 2]

5. Doing That Scrapyard Thing

6. What A Bringdown

Tracks 1 to 6 are their 4th and final album "Goodbye" - released February 1969 in the UK on Polydor 583 053 (Stereo) and in the USA on Atco SD 7001 (Stereo). Side 1 recorded live - Side 2 studio recordings - Produced by Felix Pappalardi.

Fresh from John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and The Yardbirds – Clapton had already amassed a rep as the primo UK Bluesman whilst both Bruce and Baker had cut their teeth with the legendary Graham Bond Organization  - a band that lived for American Rhythm 'n' Blues.  So their December 1966 "Fresh Cream" debut is not surprisingly heavy with re-worked covers of their R&B and Blues heroes - Robert Johnson's "Four Until Late", Muddy Water'' "Rollin' & Tumblin'", Howlin' Wolf's "Spoonful" penned by the Chess Records genius Willie Dixon, "I'm So Glad" by Skip James and Dr. Isaiah Ross (miscredited as S. Splurge) on the Side 2 opener "Cat's Squirrel".  It's odd in 2016 to think that Clapton as principal axeman of this most guitar-driven of bands hasn't a credit anywhere - "N.S.U." and "Dreaming" being by Bassist Jack Bruce - whilst he and his wife of the time Janet Godfrey are credited to "Sleepy Time Time". The superb and poppy "I Feel Free" is a co-write between Jack Bruce and lyricist Pete Brown of Battered Ornaments and Piblokto! fame (later on Harvest Records) who would also contribute cracking material to "Disraeli Gears"and "Wheels Of Fire". The final two selections are "Toad" by Drummer Ginger Baker and co-credit on "Sweet Wine" to Ginger Baker and Janet Godfrey. And both Producer Felix Pappalardi with Songwriter Pete Brown would feature as equal partners throughout Cream's tenure as the New Wave of British Heavy Rock and Psychedelia.

Few songs demonstrate the progress of a band from entertaining purveyors of cool covers to their own distinguishable sound than the brilliant "Disraeli Gears" opener "Strange Brew" - where suddenly - Cream the Band seemed fully formed. Pete Brown helped out once again with that other great riffage winner "Sunshine Of Your Love" - a song that still seems fresh. "...Outside my window is a tree..." Eric sings on the excellent "World Of Pain" wishing he was somewhere else - but even that's trumped by one of the album's undoubted masterpieces - "Dance The Night Away" where fame is already knocking too hard on their collective doors "...gonna build myself a castle high up in the clouds...loose these streets and crowds...". Baker complains too of 'no relaxation' in his drowsy "Blue Condition” while The Rotary Connection would take the Rock chug of "Tales Of Brave Ulysses" and give it some Soul over on Cadet Records (Cream were covered a lot). She Walks Like A Bearded Rainbow becomes SWALBR with the best ever lyrics in the world - where rainbows have beards and paintings have moustaches (yeah baby). "We're Gone Wrong" sounds like experimental Fleetwood Mac circa "Albatross" and "Outside Woman Blues" finally sees EC stump up another self-penned song of worth (more girly misery). Harmonicas pump up "Take It Back" as the LP ends on the genuinely perverse sea-shanty "Mother's Lament" - where the band does an Acapella telling us with glee that someone's skinny child has gone down the plughole from lack of Rusks.  In truth - you forget how good "Disraeli Gears" was – the whole album a genuine Sixties classic (check out the Abbey Road Half Speed Mastered Vinyl LP reissue from April 2016 – best I’ve ever heard this notoriously crude recording sound).

Double-albums have always retained a cool for me that brings me back to them like a forlorn moth to a musical flame - and the adventurous "Wheels Of Fire" was one of my first burns. A kicking remaster of "White Room" gives those up-front drums and guitars huge presence and power. Unfortunately the audio wonderland quickly evaporates as there's loads of hiss on their cover of Howlin' Wolf's Chess Classic "Sittin' On Top Of The World" - a faithful version of a great Blues song but one that never really ignites for me. Far better is Jazz Pianist Mike Taylor's involvement in the Small Faces-sounding "Passing The Time" - a great trippy tune Steve Marriott would have donned a Mod cap at.  Playing all the Acoustic Guitars and Cello on "As You Said" (no EC involvement) - Jack Bruce had clearly been absorbing huge dollops of "Magical Mystery Tour" when he produced one of the "Wheels" best songs - adventurous and melodic and so brilliantly 60ts. As Ginger Baker recites the ever-so-slightly loon-lyrics of "Pressed Rat And Warthog" (I want to visit their shop in London) - Felix Pappalardi gives us all those hectic trumpet bursts in the background. 

 

The terribly well-dressed and right honourable "Politician" for Sleaze-Upon-Sea wants a young lady to 'get into my black car' to 'show you what my politics are' - a great tune they'd return to 'live' for the "Goodbye" album. And the 'Studio' LP ends on a trio of winners - their cover of Albert King's Stax gem "Born Under A Bad Sign" (a song Cream almost made their own) and two wicked originals - "Those Were The Days" and the brilliant "Deserted Cities Of The Heart". And I can't imagine the number of young bucks who must have stood in front of a mirror with a tennis racket and pretended they were EC as he lays into the stunning live cut of Robert Johnson's "Crossroads".

I can remember to this day the 'sting' of "Goodbye" - a pig's ear of an LP clearly made up of scraps. The three live tracks on Side 1 were good but never much more - "Badge" a rare and utterly sublime moment and the final two living up their name 'bringdown' and the 'RIP' on the tombstone on the inner gatefold. Listening to the lot in one splurge and you're reminded of the ups and downs - the really great stuff like "Disraeli Gears" and "Wheels Of Fire" and that innovative beginning "Fresh Cream". But it's dampened for me by that final clunker and those seeking audiophile sound would probably want to take their spondulicks elsewhere.

Still - any band that can pull off singing "...but the rainbow has a beard..." gets my vote. 'Those Were The Days' indeed...

"Gold" by CREAM - Featuring Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker with Guests Felix Papalardi and Pete Brown of Battering Ornaments (September 2005 UK Universal/Polydor 2CD 'Definitive Collection' Anthology from 1966 to 1970 - Suha Gur Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…The Rainbow Has A Beard…"

Mercurial, innovative and indulgent buggers - CREAM were all of it. And that's not even factoring in the fluffy haircuts and equally colourful shirts. And yet after all these decades they still get name-checked amongst the legends of the Decade - and after hearing this extensive and brilliant retrospective - it's easy to hear why "Clapton Is God" got painted on London West End walls towards the end of the Sixties. Here are the White Rooms and Strange Brews...

Released September 2005 - "Gold" by CREAM is a 2CD Definitive Collection on Universal/Polydor 0602498801468 (Barcode 602498801468) and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 - IN THE STUDIO - (73:19 minutes):

1. I Feel Free (A-side of their second UK 7" single released December 1966 on Reaction 591 011)

2. N.S.U.

3. Sweet Wine

4. I'm So Glad (tracks 2, 3 and 4 from their UK debut album "Fresh Cream", released December 1966 on Reaction 593 001 (Mono) and 594 001 (Stereo). Note: "I Feel Free" wasn't on the UK LP but was included as Track 1 on the US Atco issue and as this is an American based compilation - hence the liner notes list Tracks 1 to 4 as being from "Fresh Cream". Stereo Mix used)

5. Strange Brew

6. Sunshine Of Your Love

7. World Of Pain

8. Tales Of Brave Ulysses

9. Swlabr

10. We're Going Wrong (tracks 5 to 10 from their 2nd UK album "Disraeli Gears" released November 1967 on Reaction 593 003 (Mono) and 594 003 (Stereo) - Stereo mix used. FELIX PAPPALARDI (of Mountain) plays many instruments on the album and Produced the record too)

11. White Room

12. Sitting On Top Of The World

13. Passing The Time

14. Politician

15. Those Were The Days

16. Born Under A Bad Sign

17. Deserted Cities Of The Sky (tracks 11 to 17 from their 3rd UK album "Wheels Of Fire" released August 1968 on Polydor 582 033 (Mono) and 583 033 (Stereo). It was a double album with Record 1 being Studio whilst Record 2 was Live. All tracks here are Studio Stereo mixes)

18. Anyone For Tennis (A-side of a May 1968 UK 7" single on Polydor 56258, non-album track at the time)

19. Badge

20. Doing That Scrapyard Thing

21. What A Bringdown (tracks 19 to 21 from their final UK studio/live album "Goodbye" released March 1969 on Polydor 583 053. "Badge" is written by Eric Clapton and George Harrison - features George Harrison on Guitar)

Disc 2 - LIVE (77:32 minutes):

1. N.S.U. (Live) - 10:17 minutes

2. Sleepy Time Time (Live) - 6:50 minutes

3. Rollin' And Tumblin' (Live) - 6:34 minutes (tracks 1 to 3 from "Live Cream" released June 1970 in the UK on Polydor 2383 016)

4. Spoonful (Live) - 16:46 minutes

5. Crossroads (Live) - 4:14 minutes

6. Sunshine Of Your Love (Live) - 7:24 minutes (from the UK album "Live Cream Volume II" released June 1972 on Polydor 2383 119)

7. I'm So Glad (Live) - 9:12 minutes (from their final UK studio/live album "Goodbye" released March 1969 on Polydor 583 053)

8. Toad (Live) - 16:16 minutes (tracks 4, 5 and 8 from the double-album "Wheels Of Fire" released August 1968 on Polydor 582 033 (Mono) and 583 033 (Stereo). It was a double album with Record 1 being Studio whilst Record 2 was Live. All tracks here are Live Stereo mixes)

The 16-page booklet is a pleasingly comprehensive affair for a 'Best Of' - nice photos of the band live and in-the-studio, decent liner notes from SCOTT SCHNIDER and full reissue credits on all songs. But the big news here is a name I always look out for - SUHA GUR. He's mastered the set and the sound quality (for their notoriously rough and ready recordings) is superb - full of power and presence yet not too amped up for the sake of it. Even the crudely recorded 'live' tracks have a great feel to them.

What's kind of remarkable about CREAM is how well all of this stuff stands up - the almost Vocal Group Pop of "I Feel Free" and "Anyone For Tennis", the so Sixties lyrics of "Swlabr" (She Walks Like A Bearded Rainbow) right through the wailing harmonica and cool guitar Rock Blues of "Rollin' And Tumblin'" (Muddy Waters) and "Crossroads" (Robert Johnson). And who else made that "White Room" sound Cream made - the surprising whimsy of "Passing The Time" - the brilliant speed rock of "Deserted Cities Of The Heart" - that unbelievably hooky guitar in "Badge". We get "Moby Dick making out with Captain Blyth..." in "What A Bringdown" while the piano-boogie/treated guitar of "Doing That Scrapyard Thing" makes them sound like a more rocked-up Badfinger on Apple or The Beatles circa Mystery Tour. There is hiss on tracks like "Those Were The Days", "We Were Going" and the wicked "Tales Of Brave Ulysses" which is more audible than you might want - but this was the mid Sixties - and Cream weren't going to a quiet set of lads.

The clever part of this Definitive Collection is putting all the live stuff on Disc 2 - an arena where the band really comes into its own. Although ten minutes of "N.S.U." is probably indulgent - you get to hear the sheer power of the band on their cover of Willie Dixon's "Spoonful" (a Howlin' Wolf hit) where Clapton lets rip in a medium he loves. "Toad" is the same - you'd swear there was four in the band and not three - and Baker's solo is still awesome stuff. Don't you just love the way "Eric Clapton!" gets shouted to the crowd when most of the track and appreciation was for Baker's drumming...

Heavy Rock practically arrived with this British band - and this cheap-as-chips 2CD gem puts that Bentley-driving guru firmly in its place...(wouldn't that be nice)...