"Kimono My House" by SPARKS – May 1974 UK 3rd LP on Island Records with Ron and Russell Mael, Adrian Fisher, Martin Gordon and Dinky Diamond (October 2006 UK Island Expanded Edition CD Reissue – Part Of the '21st Century Edition' Series of Reissues For Sparks Back Catalogue – Kieron McGarry Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review and 255 More Like It Can Be Found In My AMAZON e-Book 

 

PICK UP THE PIECES - 1974

 

Your All-Genres Guide To Exceptional 

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"…Increasing Heartbeat…"

"Hitler's on Top Of The Pops Mum! I swear!"

"Oh don't be daft son!"

(Mum pauses to view said atrocity)

"Holy Mother of Mary and All The Saints Preserve Us!

You're Right!"

There are few of us of a certain advanced macular decrepitude that don't remember April 1974. There we were in our strategically faded Wranglers sat innocently on our monthly-installment-plan settee in front of the telly – eager to worry our parents even more by catching our weekly heroin fix of all things British Top Twenty – our Thursday night rendezvous with 'Top Of The Pops'. Maybe we'd get to see Peter Gabriel with his funny haircut or Ian Anderson on one leg with a flute in a vagrant's coat or even Pam in Pan's People flash a big of thigh - but no brothers, no...

On come Ron and Russell Mael and their band of Cabaret Rockers SPARKS - whether England likes it or not. There's Russell Mael - an American ensconced in London with his brother Ron - poncing about the TOTP stage with his corkscrew curls and chiffon scarf singing something falsetto about 'zoo time is she and you time' while pistol shots go off. Things get riffage-interesting after "...it ain't me who's gonna leave!" and that killer groove kicks you in the teeth. For sure me hearties, but their 4 April 1974 UK 7" single "This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us" on Island WIP 6193 is indeed-indictment a stone cold winner with Palm-Tree-label knobs on.

But that's not what's keeping you watching - nor the Wizzard and T.Rex Glam Rock - not even the slightly Proggy vibe the music is giving off at times – or even that fantastically underrated guitar work from Adrian Fisher when he launches into that wild soloing. What's got your peepers all jeepers-creepers is the other brother – nutter Ron on the Farfisa Organ with his Adolf-moustache - his menacing eyes staring at you as he catches the camera changes – mesmerizing. You feel you should (for some reason) look away – but you can't. You're hooked. You want in. Hell, you want to even buy the damn 45 the next day or maybe even the entire album (guiltily housing it) too. Ron's eyes and his undoubtedly evil Magnum P.I. mini-tache has to be one of the truly great moments in Seventies Rock history (and TV).

With such an eye-popping opening salvo, is it any wonder that SPARKS engendered such an instant cult following - British DJs loving the wit and kick-ass hit nature of "This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us" that made No. 2 - and its equally cool-as-no-school-today follow up "Amateur Hour" that achieved No. 7 in July 1974. Hell they even had a comic book once dedicated to all things "Barbecutie" (the non-album B-side to "This Town...").

Which brings us via facial hair and pistol-slapping mama’s to this brill little 2006 CD Remaster of their third album "Kimono My House" - almost certainly most people's starting point with this most original and loveable band. Increasing heartbeat indeed. Hasta Mañana baby. Here goes...

UK released 9 October 2006 - "Kimono My House" by SPARKS on Island 984 341 7 (Barcode 602498434178) is an Expanded Edition CD Reissue - part of the '21st Century Edition' Series - with Three Bonus Tracks and it plays out as follows (47:32 minutes):

1. This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us [Side 1]

2. Amateur Hour

3. Falling in Love With Myself Again

4. Here In Heaven

5. Thank God It's Not Christmas

6. Hasta Mañana Monsieur [Side 2]

7. Talent Is An Asset

8. Complaints

9. In My Family

10. Equator

Tracks 1 to 10 are their third studio album "Kimono My House" - released May 1974 in the UK and USA on Island ILPS 9272. Produced by MUFF WINWOOD - it peaked on the UK LP charts at No. 4.

BONUS TRACKS:

11. Barbecutie (non-album B-side to "This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us", 4 April 1974 UK 7” single on Island WIP 6193)

12. Lost And Found (non-album B-side to "Amateur Hour", 12 July 1974 UK 7” single on Island WIP 6203)

13. Amateur Hour (Live At Fairfield Halls, 9 November 1975) - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

The 20-page booklet is a pleasingly in-depth affair featuring loads of carefully collected memorabilia includes Press Kits for the album, sheet music for the big single as well as a huge number of Euro and Worldwide pictures sleeves for "This Town..." They've even unearthed a 1974 tour program. PAUL LISTER, at the time Deputy Editor for "Uncut" Magazine did the liner notes and the lyrics of the original LP's inner sleeve have been included too. DARYL EASLEA coordinated the Remasters for Universal with Tape Research from PETE MATTHEWS and Mastering from KIERON McGARRY.

Improved audio-wise, when fans come to deep LP cuts like "Thank God It's Not Christmas" and "Complaints" - both have shockingly good bottom-end even if those vocals still feel a little too far in the distance at times. And I'm loving that both the excellent non-album Ron Mael B-sides "Barbecutie" and "Lost And Found" (so New Wave 1977-sounding three years before the event) have been rescued from obscurity.

Other cool audio upgrades include the Side 2 opener "Hasta Mañana Monsieur" - those Adrian Fisher guitars thrashing away before the melodrama piano notes bring it Fisher's very Roxy guitar solo. Camp and Glam combine for the 'he is a genius' song "Talent Is An Asset" - another Ron Mael song winner and great fun into the bargain. You can hear Martin Gordon punch those Bass notes for the Punky "Complaints" while Sparks goes all Cars with "In My Family" (next stop post-senility). Their third album ends on Russell Mael stretching his vocals chords on the wildly difficult to pin down "Equator". I also like that they've even included the lyrics for the two B-sides too. Nice.

In the end I wouldn't call "Kimono My House" a masterpiece by any means nor does it have the staying power or sheer suave sophistication of say Roxy Music's "Country Life" – but 1974 was an interesting year for Rock prepared to get a tad complicated and out there. Island Records would also issue Kevin Ayer's stunning "The Confessions Of Dr. Dream And Other Stories" in that creative hub and sharing similar musical territory would be UK Records with 10cc's “Sheet Music”, Supertramp's audiophile "Crime Of The Century", Vertigo with SAHB's "The Impossible Dream" and Peter Gabriel's Genesis dropping the fantastic splurge that is November 1974's “The Lamb Lies Down Broadway” to name but a few.

They would cement their reputation with 1975's "Propaganda" – a fan's next stop after this. But many will find their heart pulled towards "Kimono..." - smiling all the while as they do. And isn't that the best...

"Super Session" by BLOOMFIELD, KOOPER & STILLS [Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper and Stephen Stills] - August 1968 US LP on Columbia CS 9701 (Stereo) and September 1968 in the UK on CBS Records S 63396 (Stereo) featuring Guests Barry Goldberg on Piano, Harvey Brooks on Bass and "Fast" Eddie Hoh on Drums (April 2003 Columbia/Legacy Expanded Edition CD Reissue – Allan Tucker Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

“...Pick Up Every Stitch...”

Having finished with Blood, Sweat & Tears and their debut album "Child Is Father To The Man" in 1968 – AL KOOPER found himself the in-house Producer at Columbia Records in need of a project. So he calls up ex Electric Flag and Paul Butterfield Blues band ace guitarist MIKE BLOOMFIELD and together they determine to make a 'quickie' – a Blues and Soul jam album they'll pump out in one manic session. They get down enough material for one whole side of an LP (a couple of covers and some originals) - but Kooper needs the remainder. With Bloomfield flown the coup (chasing things other than the blues) – Kooper called in ex Buffalo Springfield guitar/songwriting whizz Stephen Stills to record the rest. And out of these most unlikely of 'sessions' – history was born. Columbia CS 9701 (Stereo) peaked on the LP chart at an impressive 12 and started a run of superstar jam sessions - all trying to capture the same lighting in a bottle (common consensus agrees that few got near it).

Al Kooper's liner notes explain that he's gone back with Engineer ALLAN TUCKER to the original master tapes and 24-bit remastered the album to CD. And in keeping with fan-requests over the decades – he's taken off the 'horn' overdubs put on the long jam sessions so devotees of this iconic and cool 60ts album can finally hear Bloomfield workouts like "Albert's Shuffle" and "Season Of The Witch" 'sans horns' (see bonus tracks 10 and 11). They are magnificent and arguably up there with the best Bonus Tracks ever issued. All in all - you have to say that given what they had to work with – Kooper and Tucker have done a bang-up job. Here is the 'Man's Temptation'...

US/UK released April 2003 – "Super Session" by BLOOMFIELD, KOOPER & STILLS on Columbia/Legacy COL 508071 2 (Barcode 5099750807125) is an Expanded Edition CD Reissue and remaster with Four Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows (77:14 minutes):

1. Albert's Shuffle

2. Stop

3. Man's Temptation

4. His Holy Modal Majesty

5. Really

6. It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry [Side 2]

7. Season Of The Witch

8. You Don't Love Me

9. Harvey's Tune

Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "Super Session" – released August 1968 in the USA on Columbia CS 9701 (Stereo) and September 1968 in the UK on CBS Records S 63396.

BONUS TRACKS:

10. Albert's Shuffle (2002 Remix Without Horns)

11. Season Of The Witch (2002 Remix without Horns)

12. Blues For Nothing (Outtake from the Session – first made available on the 1995 Mastersound CD of "Super Session" on Columbia CK 64611)

13. Fat Grey Cloud (Live) – Previously Unreleased (Recorded 1968 at The Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA)

MIKE BLOOMFIELD – Guitar on Tracks 1-5, 10, 12 and 13

AL KOOPER – Vocals, Ondioline Organ, Piano, Electric and Acoustic Guitars

STEPHEN STILLS – Guitar on Tracks 6 -9 and 11

GUESTS:

BARRY GOLDBERG – Piano on Tracks 1 and 2

HARVEY BROOKS – Bass

"Fast" EDDIE HOH - Drums

The 12-page booklet has an opening 'Producer’s Note' from All Kooper not just explaining the recordings but the CD reissue and his 'without horns' 2002 remixes. BRUCE DICKINSON was Executive Producer for the re-release and both the Michael Thomas original LP liner notes and the David Fricke Rolling Stone Review are reproduced (four-stars from Robert who spends much of his time raving about Bloomfield when Kooper's contribution was just as big if not more in my books). There are some black and white session photos and not much else. ALLAN TUCKER did the Mastering at Foothill Digital Studios in New York and the Audio is fantastic – full of power and presence and that sense of immediacy the recordings had anyway (the Bonus Cuts are beautifully transferred too).

It opens with a Bloomfield/Kooper Instrumental called "Albert's Shuffle" – nearly nine-minutes of Shuggie Otis type Blues with Bloomfield shouting as he solos – Kooper letting loose on the keys (an organ sound most would kill to get). Next up is the uber-cool "Stop" – an instrumental cover of a Howard Tate soul tune on Verve Records from December 1967 (Verve VK 10573). I’ve loved this slinky little ditty for decades now and it still has that 60ts chug about it that utterly sends me. Next up is the first vocal by Al Kooper on their version of Curtis Mayfield's "Man's Temptation" – a song about a temptress who wants to "...ruin my happy home with man's temptation...” But then we get the magnificent band really cooking on another Bloomfield/Kooper creation "His Holy Modal Majesty" – a 9:19 minute Organ/Guitar battle that feels like Santana gone Prog by way of the Blues (and I still don’t know what the title means). Side 1 ends on the Traditional Slow Blues vibe of "Really" – 5:26 minutes of Bloomfield letting rip on the frets while Kooper puts in huge chords on the Organ (very tasty mama).

Side 2 has always been problematic for me. It opens with A Stephen Stills take on Dylan's "It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry" and to me it immediately sounds like the album has gone off the rails. The tune is OK – but thematically it comes over like poor man’s Monkees instead of the fresh Bluesy workouts we were getting on Side 1. Things are brought back from the brink big time by the stunning 11:08 minutes of "Season Of the Witch" (a Donovan cover they did on the Side 1 all-day session). Columbia and CBS edited both it and "Albert's Shuffle" down to fit on the A&B-sides of a 45 in October 1968 (CBS 3770 in the UK, Columbia 44657 in the USA) – but it did little business despite the success of the album (it's a no-show here due to time constraints). Back to weird with the Hendrix flange cover of a Willie Cobbs tune called "You Don't Love Me" which again is good – but still feels wildly out of kilter with the rest of the record. Then we enter mellow Jazz Soul territory with the saxophone-led "Harvey's Tune" – another out of step instrumental that sounds like it should be in a Blaxploitation film instead of on this album. But then you’re hit with four corkers...

While the album has its incongruous moments – the bonus tracks act as an impossibly brilliant counterpoint – the first three sounding like the powerhouse Blues Session that should have been released. Why "Blues For Nothing" was left off the album and mediocrity like "Harvey's Tune" left on is a total mystery (4:15 minutes) and the two album cuts minus-the-horns actually seem to free the songs and focus you completely on the dynamic duo – Al Kooper on Organ and Mike Bloomfield on Guitar. "Season Of The Witch" is the prize here and stretches to its full 11:08 minutes - stripped and raw - it has a renewed power that's thrilling. As if this is not satisfying enough – the live Instrumental Blues of "Fat Grey Cloud" is fantastic – Bloomfield joking first about 'tuning' then letting rip – wild one second – Soulful Bluesy the next – with Kooper following after - pumping out an Organ Sound that is huge (4:39 minutes).

In truth the original album is probably more four-stars than five - but this genius CD reissue with those stunning bonus tracks bumps it up again.

"...You've got to pick up every stitch..." – Kooper sings in their funky cover of Donovan's Sixties-sinister "Season Of The Witch". And it seems that anything from that incredible 'super session' was indeed worth picking up...

"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...