"The Albums 1969-1972" by THE CLIMAX CHICAGO BLUES BAND [First Three LPs] and CLIMAX CHICAGO [Fourth and Fifth LPs] -– Featuring Five UK Albums and Eighteen Bonuses - "The Climax Chicago Blues Band" Debut from February 1969 on Parlophone, "The Climax Blues Band Plays On" from November 1969 on Parlophone, "A Lot Of Bottle" from December 1970 on Harvest, "Tightly Knit" from October 1971 on Harvest and "Rich Man" from January 1973 on Harvest (June 2019 UK Esoteric Recordings 5CD Clamshell Mini Box Set – Ben Wiseman Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Anybody's Boogie..."

Now here's something I'd venture to say Climax Blues Band fans never thought they'd see – the early five-album incarnation of their British Blues Boogie lumped together into one place - mini clamshell box set, singular card repro sleeves, foldout double-sided poster, rare bonuses - nice presentation and all of it at a very reasonable price.

It's a huge haul too - the first three albums credited in the UK to THE CLIMAX CHICAGO BLUES BAND (two on Parlophone in 1969 and one on Harvest in 1970) and the last two as the shortened CLIMAX CHICAGO on Harvest in 1971 and early 1973 (they are mostly known as CLIMAX BLUES BAND in the States). But you also get 18 Bonuses across the five discs from CD reissues/remasters first issued February and May 2013 (and those card repro sleeves are rarely seen artwork into the bargain). Let's put a sock in it...

UK released 28 June 2019 - "The Albums 1969-1972" by CLIMAX BLUES BAND on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 52679 (Barcode 5013929477902) is a 5CD Clamshell Mini Box Set of Remasters for Five Albums plus Eighteen Bonus Tracks - they play out as follows:

CD1 "The Climax Chicago Blues Band" (68:39 minutes):

1. Mean Old World [Side 1]

2. Insurance

3. Going Down This Road

4. You've Been Drinking

5. Don't Start Me Talkin'

6. Wee Baby Blues

7. Twenty Past One [Side 2]

8. A Stranger In Your Town

9. How Many More Years

10. Looking For My Baby

11. And Lonely

12. The Entertainer

Tracks 1 to 12 are their debut album "The Climax Chicago Blues Band" - released February 1969 in the UK on Parlophone PMC 7069 and Parlophone PCS 7069 in Stereo and December 1969 in the USA on Sire SES 97013 (Stereo Mix used). Produced by CHRIS THOMAS - it didn't chart in either country.

BONUS TRACKS:

13. Checking On My Baby

14. Arthur's Boogie

15. Stormy Monday

16. Don't Start Me Talkin' (Take One)

17. Anybody’s Boogie

18. You've Been Drinking (Take One)

19. And Lonely (Take Five)

Tracks 13 to 19 first appeared on the February 2013 CD reissue of "The Climax Chicago Blues Band" on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 2373 (Barcode 5013929437340) and were Previously Unreleased at the time

CD2 "The Climax Blues Band Plays On" (60:53 minutes):

1. Flight [Side 1]

2. Hey Baby, Everything's Gonna be Alright, Yeh Yeh Yeh

3. Cubano Chant

4. Little Girl

5. Mum's The Word [Side 2]

6. Twenty Past Two/Temptation Rag

7. So Many Roads

8. City Ways

9. Crazy 'Bout My Baby

Tracks 1 to 9 are their second studio album "The Climax Blues Band Plays On" - released November 1969 in the UK on Parlophone PCS 7084 in Stereo and November 1970 in the USA as "The Climax Chicago Blues Band Plays On" on Sire SES 97023. Produced by CHRIS THOMAS - it didn't chart in the UK but did peak at No. 197 in the USA.

BONUS TRACKS:

10. Like Uncle Charlie

11. Loving Machine (Tracks 10 and 11 are the non-album A&B-sides of an 3 October 1969 UK 7" single on Parlophone R 5809)

12. Dance Of The Mountain King's Daughter

13. Flight (First Mix)

Tracks 10 to 13 first appeared on the February 2013 CD reissue of "The Climax Blues Band Plays On" on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 2374 (Barcode 5013929437449)

CD3 "A Lot Of Bottle" (59:07 minutes):

1. Country Hat [Side 1]

2. Every Day

3. Reap What I've Sowed

4. Brief Case

5. Alright Blue?/Country Hat (Reprise)

6. Seventh Son [Side 2]

7. Please Don't Help Me

8. Morning Noon And Night

9. Long Lovin' M

10. Louisiana Blues

11. Cut You Loose

Tracks 1 to 11 are their third studio album "A Lot Of Bottle" - released December 1970 in the UK on Harvest SHSP 4009 and May 1971 in the USA as "Climax Blues Band" on Sire SI 4901 (with the same tracks). Produced by CHRIS THOMAS. Their first three albums were credited to The Climax Chicago Blues Band in the UK, the first two the same in the USA while album three was credited to Climax Blues Band in the States.

BONUS TRACKS:

12. Flight (Live)

13. Seventh Son (Live)

14. Reap What I Have Sowed (Live)

Tracks 12 to 13 recorded live at The Blow Up Club, London, Autumn 1971 and first issued on the February 2013 reissue CD for "Climax Blues Band" on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 2375 (Barcode 5013929437548). See NOTE below re missing Bonus Track.

CD4 "Tightly Knit" (53:57 minutes):

1. Hey Mama [Side 1]

2. Shoot Her If She Runs

3. Towards The Sun

4. Come On In My Kitchen

5. Who Killed McSwiggin [Side 2]

6. Little Link

7. St. Michael's Blues

8. Bide My Time

9. That's All

Tracks 1 to 9 are their fourth studio album "Tightly Knit" (the band credited as CLIMAX CHICAGO) - released October 1971 in the UK on Harvest SHSP 4015 and February 1972 in the USA on Sire SI 5903 (the band credited as CLIMAX BLUES BAND). Produced by CHRIS THOMAS

BONUS TRACKS:

10. Hey Mama (Live)

11. Shoot Her If She Runs (Live)

12. Spoonful (Live)

Tracks 12 to 13 recorded live at The Blow Up Club, London, Autumn 1971 and first issued on the May 2013 reissue CD for "Tightly Knit" on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 2385 (Barcode 5013929438545)

CD5 "Rich Man" (43:50 minutes):

1. Rich Man [Side 1]

2. Mole On The Dole

3. You Make Me Sick

4. Standing By A River

5. Shake Your Love [Side 2]

6. All The Time In The World

7. If You Wanna Know

8. Don't You Mind People Grinning In Your Face

Tracks 1 to 8 are their fifth studio album "Rich Man" - released January 1973 in the UK on Harvest SHSP 4024 and February 1973 in the USA on Sire SAS 7404. Produced by RICHARD GOTTEHRER. Didn’t chart UK, but peaked at No. 150 in the USA.

BONUS TRACK:

9. Mole On The Dole (Single Version) - 10 November 1972 UK 7" single on Harvest HAR 5065. A-side. Track 9 first appeared in May 2013 on the CD reissue of "Rich Man" on Esoteric Records ECLEC 2386 (Barcode 5013929438644).

As you can see from the track-list layouts above, all five discs are a grouping together of five Remasters Esoteric did of the band's material in 2013 clumped together for this June 2019 Box Set. There are two cuts missing worth a mention - when Esoteric Recordings reissued "A Lot Of Bottle" on CD in February 2013 - that Remaster had four bonus tracks and not just the three live on offer here. The missing song is "Spoonful", a cover version of the Willie Dixon-written Howlin' Wolf classic that turned up as the non-album B-side to "Reap What I've Sowed", a Climax Blues Band 7" single on Harvest HAR 5029 in the UK, released 13 November 1970. I suspect that someone simply forgot to put this tune on here (bit of an oversight as there was enough playing time), so if fans want that Blues cover version, they'll need to get the "A Lot Of Bottle" CD reissue on ECLEC 2375 (Barcode 5013929437548). The B-side of the "Mole On The Dole" Single Version is called "Like Uncle Charlie" - but I think it’s a different version to the 1969 stand-alone single where the song first turned up and is not included on this set.

The six-leaf double-sided foldout poster has all the artwork for the five album covers, pictures of the boys and track-by-track reissue credits – but no liner notes. The five single card sleeves make for a lovely surprise because these are not British album sleeves (the final two by Hipgnosis) that you see every day of the week. All the CDs are picture discs (album artwork) and the Remasters are the BEN WISEMAN versions – Esoteric have a top quality rep on Audio and its upheld here. The clarity at times even exposes the slightly amateur feel to the first two albums especially. But damn do they all sound good. To the music…

The self-titled debut album opens with the very John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers-influenced "Mean Old World" only to follow with the far better barrelhouse piano romp "Insurance" (both sounding very cool). More band originals come in the shape of "Going Down This Road" but the Sonny Boy Williamson cover of "Don't Start Me Talkin'" cooks better. We go Acoustic Blues with the excellent "Wee Baby Blues" - a Traditional about loving that sweet thing that sure look good to me (fab audio and Harmonica from Colin Cooper). Trying to keep the original-material count high, the band give us the guitar-jaunty instrumental "Twenty Past One" and the slide electric of "Looking For My Baby" - a bopper about a gal our hero loves the most. The debut album delves into Howlin' Wolf's "How Many More Years" while going Scott Joplin with a false-78-sounding version of "The Entertainer" as it fades out. Far better however comes in the Bonus Tracks on CD1 in the shape of Sonny Boy's "Checking On My Baby" and keyboardist Arthur Wood giving us a rolling Fats Domino-like instrumental in "Arthur's Boogie". We then get almost five and half minutes of T-Bone Walker's shuffle Blues "Stormy Monday" running alongside the more sober "And Lonely (Take Five)" - a down-in-the-dumps Blues let down by a weak vocal.

"...Plays On" opens as if its a different band - a more Jazz and Prog influenced John Mayall with Dick Heckstall-Smith on Saxophone as Colin Cooper hits those Alto and Tenor Saxophones on the instrumental "Flight". There's no doubt that is Colosseum exciting. Back to Harmonica and Guitar territory with the chugging "Hey Baby, Everything's Going To Be Alright..." - a very cool Boogie lifted up by clear Bass from Derek Holt and steady rhythm sticks from George Newsome. Possibly trying to cross Richie Havens with Jose Feliciano for the just plain hammy "Cubano Chant" ends up confusing on all fronts. Better is an instrumental cover of Graham Bond's "Little Girl" while 2001: A Space Odyssey looms over the organ intro to "Mum's The Word" before it goes all space and weird and you wonder who replaced the Blues Bar band with a light-show Pink Floyd. With that experimental noodle out of the way, the band return to Elmore James rapid slashing of guitars with "Twenty Past Two/Temptation Rag" - a Blues Boogie played at near breakneck speed interrupting by barrelhouse piano. No less than pioneer label man Marshall Chess penned "So Many Roads..." a fab 'gotta find my baby' slow blues with great guitar fills from Pete Haycock. The album ends on a really great rollick called "Crazy 'Bout My Baby" - the band cohesive and kicking up a boogie storm. And again the extras are real bonuses - the stand-alone 45 "Like Uncle Charlie" b/w "Loving Machine" is a Rocking affair and the instrumental Jazz-Meets-Rock "Dance Of The Mountain King's Daughter" comes on like Deram's East Of Eden or even Ireland's Skid Row in their more Prog guitar moments - brilliant.

By the time we reach platter number three "A Lot Of Bottle" – it's August 1970 in the studio and the band has had two albums in the previous year that were well received critically but barely registered with a rapidly changing listening audience (the second hits the outer reaches of the Top 200 in the USA for one week). White boys singing Blues (new and old) was already over by the end of 1969, so there is a very real feeling of the group trying to grab hold of a mixed identity with LP No.3 - and in my book succeeding.

You still get Blues in all its varying forms on "A Lot Of Bottle" - but you also get the Fleetwood Mac 'Then Play On'-sounding shuffle of "Every Day" and the rough-rocking A&M Humble Pie period feel to "Reap What I've Sowed" – a kick-ass grungy 45 of slide Rock that no one noticed. That's contrasted with the Bonnie Raitt rattling acoustic guitars of "Country Hat" – an instrumental that strips away all of the band only to leave Peter Haycock impressing on those bottleneck strokes. As if to change tack yet again – we then get "Brief Case" – a wickedly good Rock-Jazz riffer that feels like Colosseum cooking with Canned Heat. Another too-cool-for-school Harmonica-driven Dirty Blues Band-sounding instrumental comes in the shape of the magnificent "Alright Blue?" which features a clever Reprise of the slide in "Country Hat" that opened the LP - only this time on electric guitar – Haycock sounding like Mickey Moody of Snafu and Nazareth doing his best Elmore James.

Side 2 of this criminally forgotten album opens with a deep-voiced cover of Willie Dixon’s "Seventh Son" – a Fever-like Bass note and distant guitar holding stage until all Hell breaks loose and the band literally come boogieing in - soloing on guitar as the brass supports like CBB was jamming at The Isle Of Wight (an impressive six and half minutes). "Morning Noon and Night" features Joe Turner lyrics from Atlantic Records original despite the band trying to claim the tune as their own. Speaking of old genius, perhaps best on the album is the Johnny Winter guitar-and-harmonica combo delivered on "Louisiana Blues" – a storming version of the Muddy Waters classic. Going down to New Orleans, get me a Mojo Hand…indeed. The album ends on "Cut You Loose" – a very Savoy Brown meets Ten Years After shuffle with shimmering guitar anchored by a Georgie Fame organ. The three live versions only seasoning to this forgotten broth of Blues goodness.

Album four was their first for Harvest in the UK (October 1971) and along with an eye-catching Hipgnosis sleeve clearly the production values were amped up to slick on the Brass and Harmonica combo that is "Hey Mama". They try their luck at some ham-fisted razor and gun lyrics in the unfortunately titled "Shoot Her If She Runs" – heavy guitars doubling up with vocals. "Towards The Sun" is a driving out to the big yellow thing poppy ditty that feels a little like Canned Heat on a diet. Things improve immeasurably with their slide guitar Foghat-like cover of Robert Johnson’s classic "Come On In My Kitchen" – a doubled-up guitar and Harmonica chugging in a very cool way.

The one and half minute "Little Link" is an Allman Brothers guitar instrumental that sounds like its title. It's a lead-in to the near ten minutes of a huge Slow Blues monster called "St. Michael's Blues" where CBB think they’re Led Zeppelin and the singer Robert Plant. It's actually a hugely impressive chunk of Blues Rock revolving around a girlfriend mashing up his Marks and Spencer socks (yikes!). A one-time cool vibe oozes out of "Bide My Time" – a slick piece of jangling guitars anchored by distant Harmonica and Keyboards jabs. It ends on the Jug Band ditty "That’s All" – two minutes of CBB sounding like "Neanderthal Man" by (pre 10cc) Hotlegs.

Record number five sees our boys contemplating feelingless types who drive Cadillac's in a world where the rich man wins and the poor man pays. As the title track suddenly launches into a rapid Allmans guitar boogie – it seems CBB are off into another direction. The full-length album version of "Mole On The Dole" (5:04 minutes) was chosen as a 3:59-minute seven-inch single edit by Harvest Records in advance of the album in November 1972 and suddenly CBB sound like a plaintive Nilsson or The Strawbs contemplating unemployment. It’s pleasant but that’s about all. Then it's a John Lee Hooker 'Boogie Chillun' groove for the I love you so much, "You Make Me Sick" song – home to some great Johnny Winter type slide guitar pinging about the speakers. And on it goes…

You can't but feel that The Climax Chicago Blues Band flirted around the danger zone for five whole albums without ever getting truly dangerous enough for people to care. And not for the first time did ludicrous Hipgnosis artwork confuse buyers (what kind of band is this?). But there are gems on all of these records and that "A Lot Of Bottle" third album is a bit of a forgotten masterpiece to me (nondescript artwork did it no favours either).

"The Albums 1969-1972" by The Climax Blues Band is a rather cool little reissue really and as they sang on the Son House cover that ends album number five - "Don't You Mind People Grinning In Your Face" - where the singer tells us "...bear this is mind...a true friend is hard to find..." Well I think there's more than one or two pals waiting for you in here...check it out...

"Uncle Meat" by THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION featuring FRANK ZAPPA – April 1969 US 2LP set on Bizarre Records 2MS 2024 in Stereo – featuring Frank Zappa, Ray Collins, Roy Estrada, Artie Tripp, Euclid James, Ian Underwood, Bill Mundi, Don Preston and more (July 2012 UK Zappa Records 2CD Expanded Edition Reissue – 2011 Joe Travers Remaster from 1993 Digital Masters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Bizarre Relationship..."

Uncle Meat and Bimbo - fast and bulbous - dissolve to bleachers and dwarves dressed as cheerleaders...

Ah the wonder that was THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION and their mad scientist leader, arranger and composer FRANK ZAPPA.

But would you buy a used car from this anti-Establishment maverick of a man for your impressionable daughter - possibly not? But while you send your wayward gal back to finishing school for the emotionally inept, you secretly might want to buy the Oldsmobile he's flogging at a knockdown rate.

In April 2020 - the July 2012 double-CD Remaster of 1969's mad-as-a-mushroom-convention-during-Summer-solstice "Uncle Meat" is indeed available to you at a knockdown rate (a paltry eight quid). It sounds the absolute business too - and if you put a quality hi fi speaker up to your Georgian sash window and played it ear-splitten-boomer LOUD - its frankly disturbing and discordant 2LP madness would probably permanently clean out those stubborn blocked drains in your backyard (microbes and bacteria would leave in protest). But sanitation benefits aside, do you want it?

As all music lovers of a certain vintage know - "Uncle Meat" (Frank Zappa too in fact) is an acquired taste at the best of times - especially a largely instrumental double's worth. But I say don the King Kong, swing those undoubtedly big brass balls of his and hope the Government doesn't kill us all because we know too much (love those liner note scribbles). And any band that has a Saxophone geezer in it called Motorhead and thereby one day may inspire Lemmy of Hawkwind to form a metal band – gets my vote. Let's go cruising for burgers, children of the big cheese…

UK released 30 July 2012 - "Uncle Meat" by THE MOTHERS OF CONVENTION on Zappa Records 0238392 (Barcode 824302383926) is an Expanded Edition 2CD Reissue and Remaster (also credited as Official Release No. 6). It plays out as follows…

CD1 (57:25 minutes):

1. Uncle Meat (Main Title Theme) [Side 1]

2. The Voice Of Cheese

3. Nine Types Of Industrial Pollution

4. Zolar Czakl

5. Dog Breath, In The Year Of The Plague

6. The Legend Of The Golden Archies

7. Louie Louie (At The Royal Albert Hall in London)

8. The Dog Breath Variations

9. Sleeping in A Jar [Side 1]

10. Our Bizarre Relationship

11. The Uncle Meat Variations

12. Electric Aunt Jemima

13. Prelude To King Kong

14. God Bless America (Live at The Whisky A Go Go)

15. A Pound For A Brown On The Bus

16. Ian Underwood Whips It Out (Live Onstage in Copenhagen)

17. Mr. Green Genes [Side 3]

18. We Can Shoot You

19. "If We'd All Been Living In California..."

20. The Air

21. Project X

22. Cruising For Burgers

CD2 (63:28 minutes):

1. Uncle Meat Film Excerpt Part I [Side 4] – BONUS TRACK

2. Tango Na Minchia Tanta – BONUS TRACK

3. Uncle Meat Film Excerpt Part II

4. King Kong Itself I

5. King Kong II

6. King Kong III

7. King Kong IV

8. King Kong V

9. King Kong VI

"Uncle Meat" by THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION (their fifth album) was released April 1969 in the USA as a double-album on Bizarre Records 2MS 2024 and September 1969 in the UK on Transatlantic Records TRA 197. The original double-album ran to about 76 minutes, this Expanded Edition 2CD reissue runs to over 120-minutes.

You get two inserts - an eight-square double-sided colour foldout that lays out on all the wild ramblings of the original double album including Zappa's self-deprecating assessment of the project as "…neurosis and private jokes...secret underground candy-rock psychedelic profundities." Over on the left is the technical stuff – 1630 Transfers by JOE TRAVERS in 2011 using the 1993 Masters – the first three tracks on CD2 being the new stuff – huge chunks of dialogue from the unfinished Science Fiction film project that gave the whole thing its name (Part I is 37:34 minutes and Part II is 3:51 minutes) and an unreleased song "Tango Na Minchia Tanta" at 3:46 minutes. The second inlay is a repro of the ultra-rare booklet that came with Bizarre Records original copies. But in truth, you kind of wish that someone would just lump all of this together into one cohesive read and more crucially, put in some present-day history of the project, new liner notes to shed light on this audio montage of Music Concrete, Vocal Groups, Experimental, Sixties Avant Garde, Comedy, Dialogue and Mad Rock. To the fun…

Recorded across five months and using editing techniques then unique – it opens with rapid vibes and keyboards only to segue into Suzie Creamcheese giving us her less-than-delicate dialogue tale of woe (home to mom). You're struck by the brilliance of the playing and the power of the transfer – a powerhouse of clarity too as we go into the very Trout Mask Replica guitar soloing of “Nine Types Of Industrial Pollution”. Zappa finally steps up to the microphone for the brilliant "Dog Breath..." - Nelcy Walker giving it the Soprano voice.  It's arguable that few would get away with the sheer treated vocals kookiness of "Electric Aunt Jemima" these days. Jazz is never far away either as we "Prelude To King Kong" - but it's hard to take Ian Underwood's mad Alto Sax stuff in "Whip It Out" and soon we're "...cruising for burgers in Daddy's car..." 

The near 38-minute 'Part I' of Uncle Meat Film Excerpt is a hard ride by any man's reckoning - intriguing one minute and obvious rubbish the next. There is an almost Thin Lizzy rock riffage to the unreleased "Tango Na Minchia Tanta" and it's a fascinating extra. The 'King Kong' suite is more Jazz-Rock noodling with fabulous Audio for 'Part II' and that kicking combo of instruments that brings 'Part VI' on home to a conclusion.

For sure taking "Uncle Meat" in one 2020 dollop is going to be a challenge for many and if I'm honest there will be 20's teens who will dismiss it as period twaddle that has no relevance in the present day (I see their point). But you have to admire its sheer bravura and this digital transfer gives it the oomph fans have always craved...

"Valentyne Suite" by COLOSSEUM – November 1969 UK Second Album on Vertigo Records and January 1970 US LP as "The Grass Is Greener" on ABC/Dunhill Records – featuring Jon Hiseman, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Dave Greenslade, Tony Reeves, Dave 'Clem' Clempson and James Litherland (28 July 2017 UK Esoteric Recordings 2CD Expanded Edition Reissue – Ben Wiseman Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...The Grass Is Greener..."

Having prized-open the commercial jaws of the burgeoning Jazz-Rock beast with their March 1969 Gladiatorial debut "Those Who Are About To Die Salute You" on Fontana Records - it seemed the British five-piece supergroup had enough material in them for two albums come release number two. And that's kind of what happened.

As most Prog Rock/Jazz Rock aficionados know (off by heart) - Colosseum got to launch the Vertigo label in the UK with their second album "Valentyne Suite" in November 1969 - their Vertigo VO 1 being the first album released on that most iconic of (spiral) labels.

But in the USA, the March 1969 UK debut of eight tracks ("Those Who Are About To Die Salute You") was released on Dunhill Records in July 1969 with the same name but sporting only six tracks, two of which were different. Included was a song called "The Kettle" and a long piece of music called "Valentyne Suite" (confusingly the name of their second British album not released until November 1969 in Blighty). As is to muddy the release-number waters even more, further re-recordings of the 22-minute "Valentyne Suite" track were issued Stateside in March 1970 – that US-only LP entitled "The Grass Is Greener".

So on this exemplary 2CD Expanded Edition Remaster - Esoteric Recordings of the UK (part of Cherry Red) have decided to include both. The machine demands a sacrifice, so let's give it two. Here are the dancing daddies…

UK released 28 July 2017 - "Valentyne Suite" by COLOSSEUM on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 22599 (Barcode 5013929469945) is a 2CD Expanded Edition Reissue and Remaster containing both the UK and American versions of the 1969 album with One Bonus Track. It plays out as follows...

CD1 "Valentyne Suite" (39:00 minutes):

1. The Kettle [Side 1]

2. Elegy

3. Butty's Blues

4. The Machine Demands A Sacrifice

5. The Valentyne Suite [Side 2]

(i) Theme One - January’s Search

(ii) Theme Two - February’s Search

(iii) Theme Three – The Grass Is Always Greener...

Tracks 1 to 5 are their second UK LP "Valentyne Suite" - released November 1969 on Vertigo VO 1.

BONUS TRACK:

6. Tell Me Now

CD2 "The Grass Is Greener" (38:49 minutes):

1. Jumping Off The Sun [Side 1]

2. Lost Angeles

3. Elegy

4. Butty's Blues

5. Rope Ladder To The Moon [Side 2]

6. Bolero

7. The Machine Demands A Sacrifice

8. The Grass Is Greener

Tracks 1 to 8 are their second US LP ("Valentyne Suite" renamed as) "The Grass Is Greener" - released March 1970 on ABC/Dunhill Records DS 50079 with slightly altered artwork to the UK issue.

When James Litherland left, Dave 'Clem' Clempson of Bakerloo (one album on Harvest Records from 1969) was drafted in to replace him on guitar and some new songs along with re-recordings of "Valentyne Suite" material took place. This alternative or rejiggered US variant of "Valentyne Suite" called "The Grass Is Greener" on ABC/Dunhill Records DS 50079 and in slightly altered artwork (as you can see from the list above) contained three new songs unknown to UK fans. "Jumping Off The Sun" was by Dave Tomlin and Mike Taylor (not the Stones Mick Taylor) - "Lost Angeles" by Dave Greenslade, Dick Heckstall-Smith and Chris Farlowe and finally a cover version of a Jack Bruce (of Cream) and Pete Brown (of Battered Ornaments) song called "Rope Ladder To The Moon". The last two are mentioned because they turned up on "Colosseum Live" in June 1971 and of course were new to fans in England who bought that specially priced double album (the first release on Bronze Records in the UK). Colosseum then unleashed their third studio album (fourth overall) in December 1970 - "Daughter Of Time" – another Jazz Rock, Prog Rock beast on Vertigo Records. While they made no real inroads in the USA – the three British LPs had charted and done well – No. 15, No. 15 and No. 23 respectively. But back to the UK and their second record and Vertigo debut…

The 20-page booklet with new MALCOLM DOME liner notes does a good job of untangled the 'variant' mess that surrounded not just "Valentyne Suite", but the US variant of their debut "Those Who Are About To Die Salute You". You get repro's of both LP artwork, a Montreaux Jazz Festival poster from June 1969, live photos, Hiseman's original LP liner notes and the usual reissue credits - Mark and Vicky Powell coordinating with new BEN WISEMAN Remasters. A return to the master tapes for both variants of the VS LP has really lifted the Audio - punchy and vibrant - Wiseman having handled all the reissues (to my knowledge) in the Esoteric Colosseum reissues. You can hear Dick Heckstall-Smith on those Saxophones, Dave Greenslade on the keyboards, Tony Reeves on that punchy Bass, Jon Hiseman on Drums and wonder axe-boy Dave 'Clem' Clempson on all things geetar.

Things open with the rather doomy guitar-and-drum battle that is "The Kettle" and while it sounds great, it also sounds a tad dated 51 years on. Things go positively jaunty with the baby-don't-you-leave-me "Elegy" - a chipper little shuffle from the pen of James Litherland with Neil Ardley arrangements - Heckstall-Smith soloing to its three-minute close. That's cleverly followed by the near seven-minutes of "Butty's Blues" - a slow Blues Rock crawl done a la Organ - Dave Greenslade perfectly catching the groove as the brass builds and builds and Clempson begs her not to do him wrong (fat chance) - properly great Blood, Sweat & Tears stuff. Flutes ahoy for "The Machine Demands A Sacrifice" - a band co-write with Pete Brown of Battered Ornaments. Musically its interesting but some criminally dated animal reference lyrics kind of drag it down. The album's centerpiece - seventeen minutes of "Valentyne Suite" is split into three parts - all vibes and Jazz syncopations and cool guitar complimenting those big fat chunky organ notes. You can't help feel that this piece is Colosseum shining. Unfortunately hammy lyrics and a plodding feel to the 'it's all your fault' vocals doom "Tell Me Now".

The American album is probably not that well known to the less committed but as a listen it's just as good as the English LP. Church Bells are the lead-in to "Jumping Off The Sun" - a summer of cigarettes and flowers and too many pies with more mushrooms than steak (good rocking guitar towards the end). The second new cut is better - "Lost Angeles" - most British fans hearing it for the first time on the June 1971 "Colosseum Live" double.  The rat-at-tat "Bolero" (a cover of Ravel's most famous ditty) is played with guitar gusto that quickly feels like its overstaying its welcome, but "Rope Ladder To The Moon" is very cool and could be Cream circa 1968 or 1969.

For sure recordings by Colosseum in 1969 is fifty-year-old Avant Jazz Rock seriously showing its age in 2020. But those moments of playing brilliance still thrill and this Remaster has only lifted these innovative recordings onto another rung. If you have any love for them and that seminal album, then this is the 2CD one to own. Well done to all involved...

"Those Who Are About To Die Salute You" by COLOSSEUM – March 1969 UK Debut Album on Fontana Records STL 5501 and July 1969 USA on Dunhill Records with Different Tracks and Artwork (both Stereo) – featuring Jon Hiseman, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Dave Greenslade, Tony Reeves, James Litherland and Jim Roche (28 July 2017 Esoteric Recordings Expanded Edition CD Reissue with Three Bonus Tracks – Ben Wiseman Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Ides Of March..."

On holiday with his wife in Italy, Jon Hiseman was clearly impressed by some building in Rome that's apparently been there a while. Having studied Roman History in school as an A-level, our Drummer even got to stick (if you'll forgive the pun) the Gladiatorial chant "Morituri Te Salutant" on the mural photo adorning his band's debut LP. Colosseum stuck as a band name for sure, but the English language translation of his fave Latin phrase to one's emperor was deemed more commercial - so Colosseum's debut LP became the very AC/DC-sounding "Those Who Are About To Die Salute You". Bring your daughter to the Jazz-Rock slaughter. Beware the girl-guides of March etc.

Recorded in the winter of 1968, the five-piece Fusion outfit had shed guitarist Jim Roche by the time the album hit Blighty shops in March 1969 - adorned, as it was by that eye-catching Fontana Records laminated cover. Roche plays only on the Leadbelly cover "Backwater Blues" - for all other tracks he was replaced with Vocalist and Guitarist James Litherland. Colosseum's rip-roaring debut has had a bit of a strangulated history on digital, but as ever, Cherry Red's Esoteric Recordings has done the business it and in fact by all five of their originals albums up to the seminal "Colosseum Live" in June 1971 and beyond into the band's late Seventies incarnation Colosseum II. But now back to the beginning; time to explore the road she walked on before...

UK released 28 July 2017 - "Those Who Are About To Die Salute You" by COLOSSEUM on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 2598 (Barcode 5013929469846) is an Expanded Edition CD Reissue and Remaster with Three Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows (53:16 minutes):

1. Walking In The Park [Side 1]

2. Plenty Hard Luck

3. Mandarin

4. Debut

5. Beware The Ides Of March [Side 2]

6. The Road She Walked Before

7. Backwater Blues

8. Those About To Die

Tracks 1 to 8 are their debut album "Those Who Are About To Die Salute You" - released March 1969 in the UK on Fontana STL 5501 and July 1969 in the USA on ABC/Dunhill Records DS-50062 with Six Tracks, a different running order (see notes below) and slightly altered artwork. Original copies of the British LP credit the album title on the label simply as "Colosseum" - while US originals insert the correct coma in the title "Those Who Are About To Die, Salute You".

BONUS TRACKS (recorded in London, November 1968 at Pye Studios):

9. I Can't Live Without You

10. In The Heat Of The Night

11. Those About To Die (Demo)

NOTES (US Variant of the LP):

The US LP of "Those Who Are About To Die Salute You" featured re-recorded tracks from their second British LP "Valentyne Suite" and was sequenced as follows with only six cuts instead of eight:

Side 1:

1. The Kettle

2. Plenty Hard Luck

3. Debut

4. Those About To Die

Side 2:

1. Valentyne Suite

(i) Theme One - January’s Search

(ii) Theme Two - February’s Search

(iii) Theme Three – Beware The Ides Of March

2. Walking In The Park 

You might wonder why neither The Kettle or Valentyne Suite are on this CD, that’s because they are dealt with on the 2CD reissue of "Valentyne Suite" as those songs were appropriate to that second UK album and not this American debut (see separate review).

The 16-page booklet starts out with Jon Hiseman's original 1969 LP liner notes - quickly followed by several pages of a MALCOLM DOME history of the band's genesis as far back as the early 60ts. There are photos of Jon Hiseman (Drummer), Dave Greenslade (Keyboards), Tony Reeves (Bass), James Litherland (Guitar) and Dick Heckstall-Smith on the Horns. There are a few other memorabilia bits like Tony Barrow's called card from Fontana and the usual reissue credits.

But the big news is a new Remaster by Audio Engineer BEN WISEMAN. Produced by Tony Reeves and Gerry Bron, you wouldn't call the original LP an audiophile experience by any means - but take the Dave Greenslade solo that suddenly explodes into the speakers on "Plenty Hard Luck" and Hiseman's manic whacking of the kit in the background - it's way better than any transfer I've heard before.

They open proceedings with a Graham Bond cover version, "Walking In The Park" - firmly establishing the Jazz-Rock credentials with Henry Lowther guesting on Trumpet. Although the vocal leaves a tad to be desired in terms of range and impact, "Plenty Hard Luck" is impressive. "Mandarin" is based on some Japanese Jazz scales and gives Heckstall-Smith centre stage at first only to be followed by a Chris Squire-like Bass solo from Tony Reeves - no doubt dreaming of gigs with Peter Gabriel in the 80s and 90s. The six-minutes of "Debut" amps up the horns and drums and apparently is what it claims to be on the tin, the first piece the band played together. Litherland gets to give it some marching guitar licks alongside Hiseman's shuffling beat - Heckstall Smith soloing over the top - building and building on the speed.

Side 2 opens with "Beware The Ides Of March" - an impressive Jazz-Rock smooch that feels like it's a 'Whiter Shade Of Pale' cover version in the opening minute. Soon it settles as Heckstall-Smith allows Dave Greenslade take over soloing on Organ. The short doubled Vocal/Sax of "The Road She Walked Before" is cute - written by Dick Heckstall-Smith although it predominantly features Dave Greenslade on straight-up piano threatening to go into a New Orleans jellyroll at any moment. We then go to a cool Blues-Rock-Jazz moment (seven and half minutes of them) when England's Colosseum tackle Huddie Leadbelly's "Backwater Blues" - Jim Roche shining on that lean and mean Fender Strat like a young Robert Cray (love that Bass Guitar and Saxophone solo moment - the transfer so damn good). It ends on five-minutes of frantic organ like Georgie Fame gone 'really' Jazz - and again Hiseman's drums up there all the time as Litherland gets to let rip on the Guitar.

The three extras are amazing finds. The first of the three "I Can't Live Without You" is a James Litherland song - a guitar-funky sort of Deep Purple "Hush" moment that clearly didn't fit in with the overall Jazz-Rock musical theme of the album. But it's a winner - the kind of Rock-Dance funky little brute that's bound to turn on a 3CD RPM box set soon as 'one we missed'. Studio cut number two "In The Heat Of The Night" is a cover of the Qunicy Jones theme song to the 1967 race-relations movie with Sydney Poitier and Rod Steiger (both eating up the screen in Oscar performances). Colosseum give it a slow drawl across the shuffling hi-hats - sweetly complimentary Sax soloing upholding a great Vocal (a fantastic find). Last is a Demo of "Those About To Rock" which at 4-minutes is still pretty faithful to the manic racehorse pace of the finished LP version.

I don't quite subscribe to Dome's assertion that Colosseum's debut is a masterpiece, but it sure as Hell made its mark. And that is hammered home on this exemplary CD transfer. Top job done (again)...  

"Hydra/Land Of Money/Rock The World" by HYDRA – Debut Album From September 1974 (USA) and November 1974 (UK) on Capricorn Records, Second Album from August 1975 (USA) and November 1975 (UK) on Capricorn Records with Their Third And Last Studio Album from April 1977 on Polydor Records – featuring Spencer Kirkpatrick and Ad Wayne Bruce (10 April 2020 UK Beat Goes On Reissue – 3LPs onto 2CDs – Andrew Thompson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review and 424 Others are available in my e-Book:



"...Glitter Queen..."

Forever the support band and never the mainliner, Southern Rockers HYDRA were more Allman Brothers meets Montrose than the ludicrously inept Prog Rock-looking Hipgnosis artwork of their Debut Album suggested.

Issued in mid September 1974 in the USA on all things good-ole-boys-boogie 'Capricorn Records' – neither the band Hydra nor their debut barely registered in the UK – their third album from 1977 on Polydor Records not even issued in Blighty. And unfortunately, apart from some great moments of Foghat-like Slide Boogie on the overlooked self-titled debut album – it's easy to hear why.

After the initial excitement and flurry, records two and three here are sort of poor man’s Bad Company circa 1979 when the English Band didn't care. Both Hydra albums huff and puff and try hard but there are no real tunes or decent hooks. If you put say the stunning "Second Helping" album by Lynyrd Skynyrd from 1974 alongside Hydra's 1974 debut effort – the Sweet Home Alabama boys wipe the floor with Hydra. Hell, even Skynyrd's half-assed "Nuthin' Fancy" album of 1975 had more genuine Southern Rock charm than the dreadfully dated "Land Of Money" LP from the same year. As a Vocalist Wayne Bruce is good, but never great, Guitarist Spencer Kirkpatrick can slash those strings but the finished studio albums never go on fire  – you get the picture.

That brings us to this April 2020 '3LPs-onto-2CDs' reissue from England's Beat Goes On Records – the first time to my knowledge that their three albums have been brought together in the one place for a proper digital dust off. And BGO has excelled here. These albums now really Rock! ANDREW THOMPSON, BGO's resident Audio Engineer has delivered on the Audio front, even if the material (especially on those last two records) doesn't quite come up to snuff. Let's get seven-headed…

UK released Friday, 10 April 2020 - "Hydra/Land Of Money/Rock The World" by HYDRA on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1408 (Barcode 5017261214089) offers 3LPs from 1974, 1975 and 1977 Remastered onto 2CDs (no Bonus material) and plays out as follows:

CD1 (46:41 minutes):

1. Glitter Queen [Side 1]

2. Keep You Around

3. It's So Hard

4. Going Down

5. Feel A Pain

6. Good Time Man [Side 2]

7. Let Me Down Easy

8. Warp 16

9. If You Care To Survive

10. Miriam

Tracks 1 to 10 are their debut album "Hydra" – released September 1974 in the USA on Capricorn Records CP 0130 and November 1974 in the UK on Capricorn Records 2429 120. Produced by DAN TURBEVILLE – it didn't chart in either country

CD2 (70:22 minutes):

1. Little Miss Rock 'N Roll [Side 1]

2. The Pistol

3. Makin' Plans

4. Land Of Money

5. Get Back To The City [Side 2]

6. Don't Let Time Pass You By

7. Let The Show Go On

8. Slow And Easy

9. Take Me For My Music

Tracks 1 to 9 are their 2nd studio album "Land Of Money" - released August 1975 in the USA on Capricorn CP 0157 and November 1975 in the UK on Capricorn Records 2429 130. Produced by JOHNNY SANDLIN - it didn't chart in either country

10. Rock The World [Side 1]

11. Wasting Time

12. Can You Believe

13. You Love Gets Around

14. Shame [Side 2]

15. To The Willowed

16. Feel Like Running

17. You're The One

18. Diamond In The Rough

Tracks 10 to 18 are their third and final studio album "Rock The Nation" - released April 1977 in the USA on Polydor PD-1-6096 (no UK release). Produced by MICHAEL STEWART - it didn't chart

HYDRA was:

WAYNCE BRUCE – All Vocals and Guitar

SPENCER KIRKPATRICK – Lead Guitar, Slide and Acoustic

ORVILLE DAVIS – Bass

STEVE PACE – Drums

Guests (Debut Album):

Dan Turbeville on Keyboards

Randall Bramblett on Alto Sax with Oscar Jackson on Tenor Sax

Earl Ford on Trombones with Todd Logan on Trumpets

Guests (Land Of Money album)

Chuck Leavall (of The Allman Brothers Band and later The Rolling Stones) – Keyboards and Synths on all tracks

Will Boulware – Organ on “Take Me For My Music”

Bill Stewart and Johnny Sandlin – Percussion

As always with these BGO reissues, the outer card slipcase lends the 2CD set a classy feel while the 16-page booklet with liner notes features new liner notes from NEIL DANIELS. You get most of the original artwork and recording credits alongside the reissue details. But the big news as already mentioned is the 2020 ANDREW THOMPSON Remasters giving everything here real muscle.

As you can see from the details listed above, the debut album in particular had a four-piece Brass Section added on to two key tracks - "Glitter Queen" and "Good Time Man". This was done without the band's knowledge or even permission and Hydra were none too pleased. But their loss is our gain because I suspect Producer Dan Turbeville had maybe been listening to what horns did to the "Call Me The Breeze" J.J. Cale cover that ended Side 2 of Skynyrd's "Second Helping" (lifted it into the boogie stratosphere) and probably though the same would work here (especially on the great "Glitter Queen") - and for my money, the man right. 

A bit more about that Spencer Kirkpatrick-written track which I suspect is most people's entry into the band Hydra. "Glitter Queen" opened the debut in real Rock Boogie style and was featured on the "Peaches – Pick Of The Crop" Capricorn Records label sampler in the UK in the same month as the LP was released – November 1974 on Capricorn 2476 105 (you could pick up the sampler for 97p). "Peaches" came as a promo-only double-album sampler compilation in the USA on Capricorn PRO 588 as part of their 'Loss Leaders' series (it was on Side 4). Such was the punch in this song that Capricorn Records used it on both sides of the pond as a lead off single for the album. While the October 1974 British 45 on Capricorn 2089 008 had the lesser album-track "It's So Hard" on the flipside (perhaps killing its potential in Blighty), the US variant (also issued October 1974) has the far better "Going Down" (a Don Nix cover version) on its B-side for Capricorn CPS 0216. That US 45 feels like a bit of a forgotten Rocking classic to me. Other goodies on the Debut Album included "Good Time Man" – a tune that shows off Spencer Kirkpatrick as a hot Slide Guitarist (he had been part of The Atlanta Vibrations who managed one 1966 privately-pressed US 45 on Sim-Cor 101).

The final two albums have their moments – the frantic guitar chug of "Little Miss Rock 'N Roll" and the funky keyboard-driven "The Pistol" clearly considered by Capricorn Records as a potential 45 but it went to only Promo stage (no stock copies). But stuff like "Land Of Money" and "Let The Show Go On" are trying too hard and Boulware's lone song contribution "Take Me For My Music" is as cringing as its title sounds. By the time we reach 1977 "Rock The World" is hardly Lizzy in their prime and "Your Love Gets Around" feels like Foghat in second gear and going down further.

This is a five-star reissue of three-star material. But for fans of the band and lovers of Southern Rock (best exampled on the debut) - given the audio and quality presentation - this will be a must own...

"Natural Four/Heaven Right Here On Earth" by NATURAL FOUR – Second and Third Albums from May 1974 and July 1975 on Curtom Records (April 2010 UK Soul Brother Reissue – 2LPs Remastered onto 1CD with Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This review and 100s more like it inside my e-Book

"…What's On The Inside…"

Putting two Curtom LP rarities from the golden period of Seventies Soul back into the digital marketplace (and with 4 bonus tracks tagged on) smacks of a good idea to me.

THE NATURAL FOUR aren't as well known as their Curtom Records label mate Curtis Mayfield for sure (I admit that I’ve never actually seen a copy of their rare 1970 US debut album "Good Vibes!" on ABC Records ABCS-706) - but these following two platters contain wonderful Seventies Soul. And in this great sound quality - it's a proper blast to hear them again. Here are all-natural details...

Released April 2010 in the UK (reissued September 2010) – "Natural Four/Heaven Right Here On Earth" by NATURAL FOUR on Soul Brother CD SBPJ 41 (Barcode 5013993674122) offers 2LPs Remastered onto 1CD and plays out as follows (76:33 minutes):

1. Can This Be For Real [Side 1]

2. You Bring Out The Best In Me

3. Try Love Again

4. You Can't Keep Running Away

5. This Is What's Happening Now [Side 2]

6. Love That Really Counts

7. Try To Smile

8. Love's Society

9. Things Will Be Better Tomorrow

Tracks 1 to 9 are their second album "Natural Four" issued May 1974 in the USA on Curtom CRS 8600 (No UK release) – peaked at No. 36 on the US R&B LP charts

10. Heaven Right Here On Earth [Side 1]

11. Love's So Wonderful

12. Count On Me

13. Baby Come On

14. What Do You Do [Side 2]

15. Give This Love A Try

16. What's Happening Here

17. While You’re Away

Tracks 10 to 17 are their 2nd album "Heaven Right Here On Earth" issued July 1975 in the USA on Curtom CU 5004 and August 1975 in the UK on Curtom K 56142 – peaked at No. 49 on the US R&B LP charts (didn’t chart UK)

BONUS TRACKS:

Track 18 is a rare USA-only 7" single issued in late 1973 on Curtom CR 1984 - it's a cover version of Curtis Mayfield's "Eddie You Should Know Better". The original Mayfield version is on his 1972 "Superfly" soundtrack album – here it’s given a different arrangement here by The Natural Four.

Tracks 19, 20 and 21 are "I Think I Found The Girl", "How Have You Been" and "Get It Over With" - taken from their 3rd album "Nightchaser" issued in 1976 in the USA on Curtom CU 5008 and April 1976 in the UK on Curtom K 56224

Charly reissued "Natural Four" on CD in 1996 and Sequel reissued both albums in 2000 - but this is the first time they've been paired together and had 4 bonus tracks thrown in too (from their 3rd LP). But the big draw on these albums for Seventies Soul and Funk fans is the songwriting genius and involvement of LeROY HUTSON - not to mention the fact that original vinyl issues of these 2-Step monsters have been costing punters huge amounts of money for years. The booklet is a fairly basic 8-page colour affair with liner notes by Laurence Prangell and musician/album credits. It doesn't say who remastered what and where but the sound quality is superb - very clear, clean and good on the ear.

This is classy Soul - sort of Philly International meets Cadet meets Brunswick - funky love songs one minute ("Try Love Again" - lyrics above) and social commentary tunes the next ("Things Will Be Better Tomorrow"). When they slow it down on "Can This Be Real" (a R&B chart hit Stateside in December 1973) or the lovely "Heaven Right Here On Earth", you're reminded of The Dells, The Chi-Lites, The Main Ingredient, Blue Magic and of course - LeRoy Hutson solo stuff. There's even a Hall & Oates vibe going on in there too.

Genius choice goes to the lone 45 cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Eddie You Should No Better" sounding not unlike a more string-filled outtake - it's superb and a real rediscovery. They've even included the better dancer tracks from the disco-fuelled 3rd album which sounds like AWB with Ben E King in places, but you're likely to return to the first two albums more because that's where the real quality is...

Very tasty indeed - another excellent reissue from Soul Brother Records of the UK…