"Spaced Out: The Story Of Mushroom Records" by VARIOUS ARTISTS – Featuring Magic Carpet, Second Hand, Andreas Thomopoulos, Callinan-Flynn, Simon Finn, Lol Coxhill, Les Flambeaux, Chillum, Jon Betmead and more on CD1 with Sixties Productions (on CD2) by Mushroom Records Producer Vic Keary of Alex Korner Blues Incorporated, Denis Couldry, Felius Andromeda, John Williams, Tuesday’s Children, Mel Turner, The Attraction, The Carolines, The Mark Leeman Five, New Faces, Angelina and more (May 2017 UK Grapefruit Records 2CD Anthology) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Fortune Finder..."

Everything but the kitchen sink (and if you look hard enough)...

When I worked at Reckless Records as a Rock Rarities Buyer (a penal servitude of some 20 years) - the distinctive/pretty label afforded North London’s Mushroom Records was known to us, but mostly to no one else. Apart from occasionally stumbling on say Second Hand or the legendary Magic Carpet album (or on a really good day, say Lol Coxhill) - their undoubtedly eccentric and wildly diverse hairy-chested lentil-munching catalogue never crossed our hallowed counter tops.

This stuff is rare. CD1 gives you 21 tracks from 1971 and 1972 from artists lost to time across fifty years (the LPs began in April 1971), whilst CD2 lays on 25 more obscurities from Mushroom label Producer Vic Keary's time at Maximum Sound Productions Studios in the Old Kent Road during the Sixties. Twenty-one of those are highly collectable British singles from 1963 to 1969 with four stragglers from 1970, 1972 (2) and a 1962 recording not issued until 1991 on a See For Miles compilation. Forty-six obscuro cuts in all, two of which are Previously Unreleased…

Genre-wise you’re getting a right royal mix - Seventies Folk-Rock, Traditional Folk, Acid Folk, Indian-Raga, Steel Band Music, Free Jazz, Avant Garde, Prog Rock with a few more eclectic points in-between (I've never seen 99% of the memorabilia depicted in the 20-page booklet before nor the Discography on the rear inlay). Impressive for a division of Fungus Productions at 1A Belmont Street, Chalk Farm, London NW1 - opposite The Roundhouse and around the corner from The Belmont Pub. Time to get vegetively spaced baby...

 UK released 19 May 2017 - "Spaced Out: The Story Of Mushroom Records" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Grapefruit Records CRSEG036D (Barcode 5013929183629) is a 46-Track 2CD Compilation of Remasters covering 1962 to 1972 and plays out as follows:

CD1 - "Mushroom" (77:38 minutes):

1. Folk Piece In Kharwa - PANDIT KANWAR SAIN TRIKHA (from the April 1971 UK LP "Three Sitar Pieces" on Mushroom 100 MR 7)

2. Evil Ways - LES FLAMBEAUX (from the December 1971 UK LP "Les Flambeaux" on Mushroom 150 MR 13)

3. Hangin' On An Eyelid - SECOND HAND (from the April 1971 UK LP "Death May Be Your Santa Claus" on Mushroom 200 MR 6)

4. Fortune For The Finder - CALLINAN-FLYNN (from the June 1972 UK LP "Fortune's Lament" on Mushroom 150 MR 18)

5. Dandelion Blues - JON BETMEAD (from the December 1971 UK LP "The Mushroom Folk Sampler" on Mushroom 100 MR 16)

6. Where's Your Master Gone? - SIMON FINN (from the April 1971 UK LP "Pass The Distance" on Mushroom 100 MR 2)

7. Or Alternatively Nine - LOL COXHILL, PIERRE COURBOIS and JASPER VAN'T HOF (from the July 1972 UK LP "Toverbal Sweet" on Mushroom 150 MR 23)

8. Lark In The Morning - HEATHER, ADRIAN & JOHN (from the December 1971 UK LP "The Mushroom Folk Sampler" on Mushroom 100 MR 16)

9. False Eyelashes - ANDREAS THOMOPOULOS (from the April 1971 UK LP "Born Out Of The Tears Of The Sun" on Mushroom 200 MR 4)

10. Cham Cham Cham Cham - NITAI DASGUPTA (from the June 1972 UK LP "Songs Of India" on Mushroom 150 MR 22)

11. Funeral - SECOND HAND (June 1972 UK 7" single on Mushroom 50 MR 19, A-side)

12. We Are The People (The Road To Derry Town) - CALLINAN-FLYNN (from the June 1972 UK LP "Freedom's Lament" on Mushroom 150 MR 18)

13. Report To The Sad Lady - ANDREAS THOMOPOULOS (from the April 1971 UK LP "Songs Of The Street" on Mushroom 100 MR 1)

14. The Ould Triangle - THE LIVERPOOL FISHERMEN (from the August 1971 UK LP "Swallow The Anchor" on Mushroom 100 MR 9)

15. High Germany - MAPPA TANDI (from the December 1971 UK LP "The Mushroom Folk Sampler" on Mushroom 100 MR 16)

16. Land Of A Thousand Dreams - CHILLUM (from the December 1971 UK LP "Chillum" on Mushroom 100 MR 11)

17. Puckaree - URBAN CLEARWAY (not originally issued, recorded 1972)

18. Don't Wait Till The Morning - GORDON, ELLIS & STEELE (Previously Unissued, recorded 1972 for unreleased Mushroom Records LP)

19. The Phoenix - MAGIC CARPET (from the June 1972 UK LP "Magic Carpet" on Mushroom 200 MR 20)

20. Take To The Skies - SECOND HAND (from the April 1971 UK LP "Death May Be Your Santa Claus" on Mushroom 200 MR 6)

21. Jerusalem - SIMON FINN (from the April 1971 UK LP "Pass The Distance" on Mushroom 100 MR 2)

CD2 - "Vic Keary's Maximum Sound Productions" (75:04 minutes):

1. Party Line - THE ATTRACTION (November 1966 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 8010, A-side, Ray Davies song, Kinks cover, for B-side see Track 15)

2. Summer Leaves Me With A Sigh - TUESDAY'S CHILDREN (October 1966 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 8018, B-side of "High On The Hill", a Phillip Cordell song)

3. She's That Kind Of Woman - JOHN WILLIAMS (February 1967 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 8128, A-side, John Williams song, for B-side see Track 11)

4. See See Rider - ALEX KORNER (March 1965 UK 7" single on King KG 1017, A-side, La Vern Baker cover)

5. James In The Basement - DENIS COULDRY (February 1968 UK 7" single on Decca F 12734, A-side, Denis Couldry song, for B-side see Track 19)

6. Cheadle Heath Delusions - FELIUS ANDROMEDA (November 1967 UK 7" single on Decca F 12694, B-side of "Meditations", a Denis Couldry song, for A-side see Track 20)

7. The World Will End Yesterday - SECOND HAND (from the March 1969 Debut LP "Reality" on Polydor 583 045)

8. Rainbow Chasing - ANDROMEDA (August 1972 UK 7" single on Cactus CT 2, B-side of "After The Storm", for A-side see Track 18)

9. Knock On Wood - OLIVER BONE (November 1966 UK 7" single on Parlophone R 5527, A-side, cover version of the Eddie Floyd hit written Floyd and Steve Cropper)

10. Wishing My Life Away - ANGELINA (December 1965 UK 7" single on Fontana TF 648, A-side, real name Jacqueline Mumford)

11. My Ways Are Set - JOHN WILLIAMS (February 1967 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 8128, B-side of "She's That Kind Of Woman", a John Williams song both sides, for A-side see Track 3)

12. A Strange Light From The East - TUESDAY'S CHILDREN (January 1967 UK 7" single on King KG 1051, A-side, A Phillip Cordell song)

13. Love Made A Fool Of Me - THE CAROLINES (November 1965 UK 7" single on Polydor BM 56027, A-side, a Caroline Samuels song, also known as The Carols)

14. Jungle Harlem - MEL TURNER (June 1970 UK 7" single on United Artists UP 35121, A-side)

15. She's A Girl - THE ATTRACTION (November 1966 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 8010, B-side of "Party Line", see Track 1)

16. Taboo Man - ALEXIS KORNER'S BLUES INCORPORATED (not originally issued, recorded 1963)

17. Ramblin’ Boy - JOHN WILLIAMS (from the October 1967 UK Debut LP "John Williams" on Columbia SX 6169, a John Williams song)

18. After The Storm - ANDROMEDA (August 1972 UK 7" single on Cactus CT 2, A-side, for B-side see Track 8)

19. I Am Nearly There - DENIS COULDRY & THE NEXT COLLECTION (February 1968 UK 7" single on Decca F 12734, B-side of "James In The Basement, for A-side see Track 5)

20. Meditations - FELIUS ANDROMEDA (November 1967 UK 7" single on Decca F 12694, A-side, for B-side see Track 6)

21. Never Gonna Love Again - NEW FACES (September 1965 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 15931, A-side, catalogue number mistakenly credited as 15932 in the booklet)

22. Chasing Shadows - THE MARK LEEMAN FIVE (unissued 1962 recording first released 1991 on the UK LP "Mark Leeman Five Memorial Album" on See For Miles SEE 317)

23. Come On, Be Mine - THE CHEROKEES (Previously Unreleased, recorded circa 1964)

24. White Christmas - MEL TURNER with THE SOUVENIRS and THE MOHICANS (December 1963 UK 7" single on Carnival CV 7003, A-side)

25. Reality - SECOND HAND (from the March 1969 Debut LP "Reality" on Polydor 583 045)

The problem with Mushroom Records becomes abundantly obvious as you wade through CD1 - a lot of this isn't very good and in the harsh light of 2020, some of it is just plain unlistenable – unknowns or not. It opens with Pandit Kanwar Sain Trikha twanging and janging on an Indian Sitar without ever igniting anything only to be followed by Steel Band music – a cat-on-a-tin-roof cover of Santana's "Evil Ways" by Les Flambeaux that sounds like some Woolworth's LP you took a chance on for 50p (that gives you an idea of the diversity we're talking about here). From those two genres we leap into the Jazz-Rock Prog-Rock of Second Hand doing "Hangin' On An Eyelid" – a sort of Todd Rundgren with Runt sounding piece of indescribable. We're then greeted by the first of the Folk tracks, Callinan-Flynn doing "Fortune For The Finder" where the Irish duo of Dave Callinan and Mick Flynn sound like a weaker version of Tir na nOg. More cutesy comes in the shape of the acoustic "Dandelion Blues" from Jon Betmead, but like singer-songwriter Simon Flynn, it sounds like out of tune finger-in-the-ear folk best avoided.

Things go Avant Garde with Lol Coxhill and his unlistenable "Or Alternatively Nine" - painful flute noodling that hasn't aged at all well. Heather Smith, Adrian Bell and John McDonald give us "Lark In The Morning" but far better is the Greek singer Andreas Thomopoulos with an Acoustic Guitar and faint Jews Harp on "False Eyelashes" - a very pretty entry. Flute and tambourine shake across your speakers for the Indian-language sung "Chum Chum Chum Chum" - a sweet little upbeat song that is surely destined for a movie soundtrack any day soon. Second Hand pour on the melodrama with their stand alone 7" single "Funeral" - in the garden of the maker - a brass and weird vocal number that's stylistically baroque 1967 meets Scott Walker meets Jacques Brel - released to an undoubtedly bewildered public in June 1972.

Back to Folk for a second dose of Callinan-Flynn and their William of Orange death and shame song "We Are The People..." - a better tune. Sung in his native Greek, "Report To The Sad Lady" has Andrea Thomopoulos strumming big acoustic chords and is again a sweet melody. The soundscape brings in the Chillum song only lasts about a minute and you wish it were longer and it's so easy to hear why the gorgeous acoustic/sitar acid folk of the Magic Carpet track "The Phoenix" and its accompanying album are so sought after (Alisha Sufit the Vocalist and Clem Alford on Sitar) - a very real highlight on CD1 (a phoenix rises from the ashes).

CD2 arrives as if from another world - mad 60ts Pop, Psych, Baroque and Freakbeat. The wild fuzz guitar of "Summer Leaves Me With A Sigh" by Tuesday's Children is the kind of 45 B-side that drives collectors into frenzies of delight - great chunks of menace guitar amidst harmony vocals. The John Williams single is Cello and Acoustic Folk left in the dust by a piano cover of La Vern Baker's "See See Rider" from the distinctive vocals of Alexis Korner. - the future CCS and Snape front man (his "Taboo Man" is later on). But stuff like Andromeda and Denis Couldry is pretty awful.

In the end, I'd advise a listen before a purchase. There's good discoveries on this double for sure, but there's also far too many examples as to why this stuff never caught on in the first place...

"New Moon's In The Sky: The British Progressive Pop Sounds Of 1970" by VARIOUS ARTISTS – Featuring Doctor Father [pre 10cc], The Smoke, Love Sculpture, Procol Harum, Barclay James Harvest, Atomic Rooster, Stray, Hawkwind, Cressida, Magna Carta, Meic Stevens, Steamhammer, Honeybus, Affinity, The Gods, The Move, Andromeda, Kevin Ayers, Patto, Hard Meat, Warhorse, Status Quo, Killing Floor, The Hollies. Plastic Penny, Curved Air and more (26 July 2019 UK Grapefruit 3CD Clamshell Box Set – Simon Murphy Masters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

This Review and 283 More Like It 

Available in my e-Book...

ALL THINGS MUST PASS
1970

Your All-Genres Guide To

Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters 

Over 1,800 E-Pages of Reviews from the discs themselves...

"...Good Year..."

A few years back I started a Blog called "There's Something About 1970..." and began reviewing all things musically interesting from that opening year. So as you can imagine, I got a tad excited when I leered lustily at this chunky-monkey Box Set devoted entirely to that great decade's first 365 days.

Typically brilliant, Grapefruit Records' "New Moon's In The Sky..." is a dinky mini clamshell box set offering up 70-tracks across 3CDs. A vaults trawl into the Pop and Rock and Prog of the Seventies first year - you get their usual split between the vaguely known and the mightily unknown (both in abundance, check out those near 80-minute playing times for each disc). A 52-page booklet packed to the gunnels with photos, notes, memorabilia and even two previously unreleased recordings - Grapefruit is a collector's cult label and it’s easy to hear and see why. Let's get to the New Moon...

UK released 26 July 2019 - "New Moon's In The Sky: The British Progressive Pop Sounds Of 1970" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Grapefruit Records CRSEGBOX059 (Barcode 5013929185906) is a 3CD Box Set of 70-Tracks that plays out as follows:

CD1 (79:42 minutes):

1. Piggy Pig Pig - PROCOL HARUM (from the June 1970 UK LP "Home" on Regal Zonophone SRLZ 1014)

2. Good Love Child - BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST (from the June 1970 UK LP "Barclay James Harvest" on Harvest SHVL 770)

3. Good Year - FIVE DAY RAIN (Not originally issued, recorded circa June 1970)

4. Hurry On Sundown - HAWKWIND (July 1970 UK 7"single on Liberty LBF 15382, A-side)

5. Around The World In Eighty Days - STRAY (from the June 1970 UK LP "Stray" on Transatlantic TRA 216)

6. All The Best People Do It - THE HUMBLEBUMS (from the June 1970 UK LP "Open Up The Door" on Transatlantic TRA 218)

7. Give Me No Goodbye - MAGNA CARTA (from the July 1970 UK LP "Seasons" on Vertigo 6360 003)

8. Winter Is Coming Again - CRESSIDA (from the February 1970 UK LP "Cressida" on Vertigo VO 7)

9. Tiny Goddess - TIM ANDREWS (January 1970 UK 7" single on Parlophone R 5824, A-side, a Nirvana cover)

10. Jennifer - ANGEL PAVEMENT (not originally issued, recorded April 1970)

11. I've Seen To Dream - HARMONY GRASS (from the January 1970 UK LP "Harmony Grass" on RCA Victor SF 8034)

12. The Two Of Us - PENNY ARCADE (May 1970 UK 7" single on Pye International 7N 17943, a Beatles cover)

13. California Here I Come - RIVER (not originally issued, recorded early 1970)

14. My Mind's Eye - CANTICLE (November 1970 US 7" single on Century 36685, A-side, a Small Faces cover)

15. Celebrity Ball – PLASTIC PENNY (from the April 1970 UK LP "Heads I Win - Tails You Lose" on Page One POS 611)

16. Time To Die - PATTO (from the November 1970 UK LP "Patto" on Vertigo 6360 016)

17. Mr. McGallagher - THE SWEET (June 1970 UK 7" single on Parlophone R 5848, B-side Of "Get On The Line")

18. I Will Be There - THE SEYCHELLES (May 1970 UK 7" single on President PT 291, A-side)

19. Call Me Lightning - THE GOOD VIBRATIONS (February 1970 German 7" single on Ember 14 515 AT, A-side)

20. Me And My Life - THE TREMELOES (August 1970 UK 7" single on CBS Records 5138, A-side)

21. Singing A Song In The Morning - KEVIN AYERS & THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD (February 1970 UK 7" single on Harvest HAR 5011, A-side)

22. The Flying Machine - THE FLYING MACHINE (March 1970 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17914,B-side of "Hanging On The Edge Of Sadness")

23. The Land Of The Few - LOVE SCULPTURE (February 1970 UK 7" single on Parlophone R 5831, A-side, edit of album version, features Dave Edmunds)

24. Climb That Tree - SHE TRINITY (January 1970 UK 7" single on President PT 283, B-side of "Hair")

CD2 (78:46 minutes):

1. Kaleidoscope - THE MARMALADE (from the June 1970 UK LP "Reflections Of The Marmalade" on Decca SKL 5047)

2. Under The Silent Tree - HONEYBUS (from the March 1970 UK LP "Story" on Deram SML 1056)

3. What's It All About - PUTNEY BRIDGE (September 1970 UK 7" single on Chapter One CH 129, A-side)

4. Across The Universe - JAWBONE (from the May 1970 UK LP "Jawbone" on Carnaby CNLS 6004, a Beatles cover)

5. Devil's Answer (Demo Version) - ATOMIC ROOSTER (not originally issued demo, recorded circa June 1970)

6. Lovely Day - THE FOX (from the June 1970 UK LP "For Fox Sake" on Fontana 6309 007)

7. Castles In The Sky - BLONDE ON BLONDE (April 1970 UK 7" single on Ember EMBS 279, A-side)

8. Blind Man - CURVED AIR (from the November 1970 UK Debut LP "Airconditioning" on Warner Brothers WS 3012)

9. Rowena - MEIC STEVENS (from the June 1970 UK Debut LP "Outlander" on Warner Brothers WS 3005)

10. Bridge - LIFEBLUD (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED, recorded 1970)

11. Goodbye - RUSTY HARNESS (April 1970 UK 7" single on Ember EMBS 283, B-side to "Ain't Gonna Get Married")

12. Time To Die - ANCIENT GREASE (from the July 1970 UK LP "Women And Children First" on Mercury 6338 033)

13. Treacle People - U.F.O. (from their September 1970 debut album "U.F.O. 1" on Beacon BEAS 12)

14. Playing With Magic - THE SMOKE (not originally issued, recorded December 1970)

15. Mr. Dieingly Sad - THE OTHERS (June 1970 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17952, B-side to "Air-O-Plane Ride", a Critters cover)

16. In The City - DAVID & DAVID (April 1970 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 8678, A-side)

17. Levinia - STEAMHAMMER (from the December 1970 UK LP "Mountains" on B&C Records CAS 1024)

18. Sam And Sadie - FICKLE PICKLE (January 1970 UK 7" single on Fontana TF 1069, B-side of Millionaire")

19. Mr. & Mrs. Franklin - THE REGIME (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED, recorded April 1970)

20. Mad Professor Blyth - THE HOLLIES (April 1970 UK 7" single on Parlophone R 5837, B-side to "I Can't Tell The Bottom From The Top")

21. Anna Laura Lee - YELLOW TAXI (May 1970 UK 7" single on President PT 296, A)

22. Mother, Mother, Mother - PAPER BUBBLE (from the March 1970 UK LP "Scenery" on Deram SML 1059)

23. Step This Way - ANDROMEDA (not originally issued, recorded March 1970)

24. Have You Heard The Word - THE FUT (May 1970 UK 7" single on Beacon BEA 160, A-side)

Tracks 10 and 19 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

CD3 (79:44 minutes):

1. St. Louis - WARHORSE (from their November 1970 Debut UK LP "Warhorse" on Vertigo 6360 015)

2. An Appointment With The Master - RACHDENKEL (not originally issued, recorded July 1970)

3. Shy Fly - STATUS QUO (from the August 1970 UK LP "Ma Kelly's Greasy Spoon" on Pye NSPL 18344)

4. Tarot - ANDREW BOWN (July 1970 UK 7" single on Parlophone R 5856, A-side, Theme to "Ace Of Wands" UK TV Series)

5. Thief - OCTOPUS (April 1970 UK 7" single on Penny Farthing PEN 716, B-side to "The River")

6. United States Of Mind - AFFINITY (from the June 1970 UK Debut LP "Affinity" on Vertigo 6360 004)

7. Umbopo - DOCTOR FATHER (August 1970 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17977, A-side, features Godley & Creme pre 10cc)

8. Together In The Night - THIS SIDE UP (from the 1970 UK LP on Studio G LPSG 1001)

9. He's Growing - THE GODS (from the February 1970 UK LP "To Samuel A Son" on Columbia SCX 6372)

10. Through A Window - HARD MEAT (from the April 1970 UK Debut LP "Hard Meat" on Warner Brothers WS 1852)

11. Ned Kelly - IRON MAIDEN (April 1970 UK 7" single on Gemini GMS 006, B-side of "Falling")

12. What? - THE MOVE (October 1970 UK 7" single on Fly Records BUG 2, B-side to "When Alice Comes Back To The Farm", a Jeff Lynne song)

13. Lightning Never Strikes - SHERIDAN & PRICE (September 1970 UK 7" single on Gemini GMS 009, B-side to "Sometimes I Wonder", a cover of the B-side of "Brontosaurus" by The Move)

14. Hard Selling Woman - FLASHMAN (from the 1970 UK LP "Beat Group" on Studio G LPSG 1001)

15. Alias Oliver Dream - AIRBUS (not originally issued, recorded late 1970)

16. Soon There Will Be Everything - KILLING FLOOR (from the November 1970 2nd UK LP "Out Of Uranus" on Penny Farthing PELS 511)

17. Rock And Roll Woman - LOVE STREET (March 1970 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17896, B-side of "Venus", a Buffalo Springfield cover version - Stephen Stills song)

18. Your Mother Thinks I'm A Hoodlum - SAVWINKLE & TURNERHOPPER (March 1970 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17913, A-side)

19. Flies Like A Bird - FIRE (from the October 1970 UK LP "The Magic Shoemaker" on Pye NSPL 18343)

20. Colour Of The Sunset - DANNY McCULLOCH (February 1970 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 25514, A-side)

21. Indian Maid - THE GHOST (June 1970 UK 7" single on Gemini GMS 007, B-side of "When You Die")

22. On Ilkla' Moor Baht' At - BILL ODDIE (January 1970 UK 7" single on Dandelion 4786, A-side, cover version/parody done in Yorkshire dialect of a folk song meets The Beatles "With A Little Help From My Friends")

The 52-page booklet is a work of art (even if my pages were too tucked into the binding thereby making the edge lines difficult to read) with truly fantastic notes from Compiler and Annotator DAVID WELLS. There are more rare photos in here than you can shake a Peggy's Leg at from the Regal Zonophone advert for Procol Harum's fourth "Home" to a photo of the obscure This Side Up in live mode. SIMON MURPHY at Another Planet has done the mastering and it’s the usual mix of fab to acceptable with the emphasis (thankfully) on the first.  

It opens with the unnecessarily doomy "Piggy Pig Pig", a Matthew Fisher-less Procol Harum sounding like they need to get out more (I'd have chosen "Whisky Train" as an opener). Things improve with the up-and-at-em rawk of "Good Love Child", Barclay James Harvest clearly having a Flamin Groovies moment. The unissued Mellotron Pop of "Good Year" by Five Day Rain is a pleasant surprise – something going down even if the audio is clearly a wee bit  compromised. A stand-alone seven issued at the same time as the debut self-titled album, I never ever get over the sheer life-is-great vibe to "Hurry Up Sundown" – the most unnerving Hawkwind moment where they sound like a happy McGuinness Flint about to picnic with a Harmonica and a hamper (great track). Other winners on CD1 include the very Incredible String Band-sounding Indian Sitar and Dobro sound of "Give Me No Goodbye" from Magna Carta (dig those great Hollies-like harmonies) and the rather lovely 'you're gonna send your love to me' melody within Cressida's "Winter Is Coming Again" (dig that guitar solo too).

Harmonies come in the shape of Tim Andrews doing a sweet cover of Nirvana's lovely "Tiny Goddess" (the 60ts Island Records band) - our Tim sounding like Colin Blunstone in full on "Odyssey and Oracle" mode. Clearly massively influenced by "Pet Sounds", The Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young – Harmony Grass deserved more notoriety for their dreamy and very pretty "I've Seen To Dream". Unfortunately Penny Arcade pretty much destroy The Beatles and their "Let It Be" opener "Two Of Us" while the obscure River do an almost identikit cover of Shocking Blue’s "Venus" in the shape of "California Here I Come" – a SB track from the Dutch band’s "Home" album. Was a time when you were strong and didn't fear anything, but acoustic guitars tell us its "Time To Die" on the excellent Patto song. Ditching the dismal Archies cover on the A ("Get On The Line"), we get The Sweet B-side "Mr. McGallagher" issued 12 June 1970 on Parlophone where Brian Connolly's vocal shine (Chinn and Chapman penned Glam Rock glory lay ahead on Mickie Most's RAK Records). The rare 3:22 minute single edit of "In The Land Of The Few" by Dave Edmunds' Love Sculpture will be welcomed by collectors - Bach sneaking out of the heavily overdubbed melody while the ladies of "Hair" get to rock-out with the weirdly put together "Climb That Tree" – out of tune vocals meet unwieldy guitar soloing – nice!

CD2 opens with the Talking Heads racing rhythms of "Kaleidoscope" by The Marmalade - trippy hallucinogenic lyrics about minds expanding man underpin a truly pretty song - a genius choice. Disc 2 continues its glory ride with the much-loved Honeybus who are looking for moving signs "Under The Silent Tree" - the flutes and uptight and outta sight rhythms of the '68 and '69 still lingering. We can work it out whimsy gives "What's It All About?" a better than throwaway pop ditty feel for the obscure Putney Bridge, while the cover of "Across The Universe" by Jawbone (who were close to the fab camp so they got permission to use it before the LP appeared) apes The Beatles "Let It Be" version and its hard to believe the Fabs seemed to think so little of this gorgeous song.

Astonishingly good is one way to describe even the 'demo' of "Devil's Answer" - Atomic Rooster's road to the British single charts and avenue into LP buyer's hearts. Ex Andromeda man John Cann gave Vincent Crane's British band this winner, so this demo cut features him on Lead Vocals. It's great even without the brass that was added so memorably to the released single version released on B&C Records in May 1971 with the fabulous instrumental "The Rock" on the flipside. I can recall the elaborate die-cut sleeve of the "For Fox Sake" album on Fontana wasn't enough to entice buyers, an album you were constantly told was worth money by punters but never sold for any. And you can hear that their "Lovely Day" is good but in the end (like the sleeve) - trying too hard. Far better is the Blonde On Blonde cover of a March 1968 Simon Dupree & The Big Sound second-album reject – come to me in my Welsh "Castle In The Sky" – join me in a very cool wall of hip sounds. Speaking of hip (and thigh-high boots) - sexpot singer Sonja Christina helps violinist Darryl Way and keyboardist Francis Monkman in Curved Air sound way cooler than they were.

I've only ever once seen the Welsh folky Meic Stevens' "Outlander" album on Warner Brothers (a lucky find in Cheapo Cheapo about 1992) - his supercool Incredible String Band Folk-Rock "Rowena" track standing out here - a sort of more flaked out Donovan with rockier guitars (nice). Time now for the Box Set's first Previously Unreleased and its a find - a plaintive ballad (in demo form) from Hemel Hempstead folkies Lifeblud - even though the recording is crude for sure, it's filled with prettiness and I can so hear why it was chosen. Following that is another genius inclusion, the very Animals organ-grinding "Goodbye" by Rusty Harness, a Mike Berry-penned B-side bopper sounding not a million-miles away from any American Garage band of 1968 and 1969 (his vocals are wickedly good too). Surprised again - the rather excellent and melodic guitars of "Time To Die" by the staggeringly obscure Ancient Grease who would fail at the time of release but two of its members (Gareth Mortimer and Graham Williams) would eventually find chart glory later as Racing Cars (1977's "They Shoot Horses Don't They?").  Other goodies include the hugely impressive unissued recording of "Playing With Magic" by The Smoke - an inexplicable left-in-the-can winner that receives an airing again here. Unfortunately the Critters cover attempted by Ireland's The Others is indescribably awful. Better is David Mindel and David Seys as David & David, whose Paul Buckmaster string-filled "In The City" is a pretty piece of angst-melodrama worth rediscovering. And dig that great acoustic guitar solo on "Levinia", a surprisingly mellow slice of 'you go your way and I'll go mine' from Steamhammer.

Allan Clarke of The Hollies wrote and sang on the jaunty flipside "Mad Professor Blyth" - his Prof's mind set on illusion and diffusion (moggy went missing though). Fuzzed-up Psych-Pop turns up in the one and only release from Yellow Taxi (after the Joni song) called "Anna Laura Lee" - its rare German picture sleeve repro'd on Page 36 of the booklet. Future Yes-man keyboard wunderkind Rick Wakeman is clearly heard racing up and down the organ on "Mother, Mother, Mother" - a bopper hoping for Top 40 glory by Paper Bubble. And the absolutely uncanny resemblance to John Lennon on "Have You Heard The Word" by The Fut has meant the track has turned up on countless Beatles bootlegs as a Fab outtake, but it transpires its Australia's Tin Tin aided by Maurice Gibb's mimic-vocals. The track was leaked and the Beacon label picked up on it, issuing a single in May 1970. Hell, even had Yoko Ono tried to copyright it as a John Lennon song (what a blast way of finishing the listen). All in all, you'd have to say that Disc 2 is chock-full of goodies and pleasant surprises too.

CD3 opens with the first 45 from Vertigo's Warhorse, "St. Louis" released 12 February 1970 - a rare Euro picture sleeve of it gaining pride-of-place on Page 39. Featuring ex Deep Purple Bassist Nick Simper and a man who once auditioned for Purple, vocalist Ashley Holt, they stump up the Geetar Rawk of "St. Louis" where Holt immediately shows why the Purps would have considered him over Ian Gillan. Powered by his controlled screech, the show me the way to the city tune is a great piece of mover-groover ended by a bit of wild wah-wah and Jon Lord type keyboard racing (so Deep Purple frankly!). Even more impressive is "An Appointment With The Master" by Birmingham Progsters Bachdenkel - a really good unissued version that makes me want to seek out their French-only LP "Lemmings" from May 1973. Not surprised in the least to hear the Quo's wickedly good rip-roarer "Shy Fly" on here - a highlight on the band-turns-to-rock "Ma Kelly's Greasy Spoon" album.

I can't honestly remember the paranormal "Ace Of Wands" UK TV Series, but here's its "Tarot" Theme Song issued by ex Herd and future Status Quo man Andy Bown. More above average Pop comes from Paul Grigg's and his tambourine-shaking band Octopus - his very Peter Noone-sounding "Thief" rattling along like it needs to get to a public toilet pronto (Griggs would eventually join Split Enz). Linda Hoyle's doubled-vocals lifts the surprisingly pretty Affinity song "United States Of Mind" - a tune penned by Lindisfarne's mighty Alan Hull. Speaking of superb tunesmiths, Kevin Godley and Lol Crème turn up pre 10cc in the standalone single by Doctor Father. "Umbopo" is a character in Rider Haggard’s "King Solomon’s Mines" – a guide of sorts – and clearly the boys are in magnificent melodious songwriting form on this rare July 1970 Pye International 45 (how did this lovely song go unnoticed). And on it goes to Henry McCulloch's mescaline eyes viewing "Colour Of The Sunset" and Goodies stalwart Bill Oddie going strangely strange but oddly normal on his witty but convincing take on the Beatles Peppers tune "With A Little Help From My Friends" ending CD3 as a Yorkshire variant called "On Ilkla' Moor Baht' At". Funny and brilliant.

"New Moon's In The Sky: The British Progressive Pop Sounds Of 1970" is a superb Box Set and one that holds many discoveries even for the most knowledgeable aficionados (Underground or Prog).

Grapefruit delivers secret pleasures once more – tunes and artists no longer lost in time – but given pride of place. I’m looking up at the new moon, and frankly after this - (along with others) I'll be looking for more…

"Jesus Christ Superstar – A Rock Opera" by ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER and TIM RICE – October 1970 2LP Set on MCA Records (UK) and Decca Records (USA) – ORIGINAL STUDIO CAST featuring Vocals from Ian Gillan of Deep Purple, Murray Head, Yvonne Elliman, Victor Brox of The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation, Brian Keith of The Congregation, John Gustafson, Barry Dennen, Annette Brox of Sweet Pain, Paul Davis of Gracious, Mike d’Abo of Manfred Mann, Tony Ashton of Ashton, Gardner & Dyke, Madeline Bell, Brian Bennett of Mike Stuart Span and Leviathan, Lesley Duncan, Sue and Sunny, Peter Barnfeather, Alan O’Duffy and Neil Lancaster with Henry McCulloch, Neil Hubbard, Chris Spedding on Guitars, Peter Robinson, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Mick Weaver on Keyboards - Chris Mercer on Tenor Sax of The Misunderstood, Keef Hartley Band, Charge and Gonzalez – Bass by Bruce Rowland of Ronnie Lane and Slim Chance and John Gustafson of The Spencer Davis Group and The Pirates (16 July 2012 UK Decca 2CD Reissue – Dick Beetham Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

ABOVE, ORIGINAL BRITISH DOUBLE-ALBUM ARTWORK OCTOBER 1970

BELOW, US ARTWORK USED ON THE OCTOBER 1970 ORIGINAL

AND THE 2012 2CD REISSUE/REMASTER

This Review and 315 More Like It 

Are Available in my e-Book...

ALL THINGS MUST PASS
1970

Your All-Genres Guide To

Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters 

Classic Albums, 45-Singles, Compilations 

ALL GENRES

Over 2,300 E-Pages of Reviews from the discs themselves

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"...My Mind Is Clearer Now..."

Come 16 October 2020 - Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's groundbreaking God-Rock spectacular "Jesus Christ Superstar - A Rock Opera" will be fifty years old. And in April 2020 – there are signs of age, dated tunes and hardened attitudes for sure. 

But that aside, this is still a seriously great double-album of the period and musically miles ahead of the saccharine pap that would take over ALW’s work for years after. And those famous names are a big draw too (see below).

First up however is the disappointing packaging, something that made the original MCA Records double pack such a wow (especially in Blighty). I've three copies at home all with the original catalogue number of MCA Records MKPS 2011/2 - the first on the earlier MCA label in Yellow (late 1970), the second with the curved Dog Bone variant (July 1971) and the third (April 1972) with the black and red coloured labels (there's a plain black in about 1974 too). The first two had a sort of four-way opening-out silver flaps sleeve (re-tied as an envelope) while the third ditched that for the standard gatefold. All of them had an album-sized 12-page libretto booklet giving all lyrics, photos of the principal singers and huge amounts of recording credits. Inside the gatefold of every edition was a college of 16-square photos - paintings of Christ as envisioned by many famous painters in history (Leonardo Da Vinci is No. 9) right up to Children at a South London School in Box No. 11 (supervised by Julie Collison).

The artwork for the American original on Decca Records DXA 7206 however used a gold two-angels logo on the very dull cover with a mini booklet slipped inside - and that's unfortunately what's been used for this US-based 2CD reissue. For me it completely defeats the impact of the beautiful-looking British original (maybe there will be a 50th Anniversary issue towards the end of 2020 that shows both artworks). It's hardly surprising that the US artwork has been chosen over the UK because it went to Number 1 there and only managed No 6 in January 1972 after reissue. But on a UK project, I'd like to see the UK artwork, especially when it is way more striking. At least a copy of the original master tapes (thought to have been destroyed in a fire) have been found and restoration work on those have produced this massively improved audio winner (ALW discusses this and the new EQ master on Page 2 of the 20-page booklet). Anyway, let's get to the anointed one, the haunted hunted Galilean and the music inspired by him...

UK released 16 July 2012 - "Jesus Christ Superstar - A Rock Opera" by ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER, TIM RICE and ORIGINAL STUDIO CAST on Decca 53339271 (Barcode 600753392713) is a 2CD Reissue and Remaster of a 1970 Double-Album (no bonus material) that plays out as follows:

CD1 (43:53 minutes):

1. Overture [Side 1]

2. Heaven On Their Minds

3. What's The Buzz/Strange Thing Mystifying

4. Everything's Alright

5. This Jesus Must Die

6. Rosanna [Side 2]

7. Simon Zealotes/Poor Jerusalem

8. Pilate's Dream

9. The Temple

10. Everything's Alright (Reprise)

11. I Don't Know How To Love Him

12. Damned For All Time/Bloody Money

CD2 (43:17 minutes):

1. The Last Supper [Side 3]

2. Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say)

3. The Arrest

4. Peter's Denial

5. Pilate And Christ

6. King Herod's Song (Try It And See It)

7. Judas' Death [Side 4]

8. Trial Before Pilate (Including The 39 Lashes)

9. Superstar

10. Crucifixion

11. John Nineteen Forty-One

"Jesus Christ Superstar - A Rock Opera" was released October 1970 in the UK on MCA Records MKPS 2011/2 and October 1970 in the USA on Decca Records DXA 7206. It peaked at No. 6 in the UK but went to No. 1 in the USA.

The list of big/small name contributors is enormous – the Vocal parts alone feature Ian Gillan of Deep Purple (in the lead role) and in ascending order- Murray Head, Yvonne Elliman (later solo and with Eric Clapton's band), Victor Brox of The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation, Brian Keith of The Congregation, Annette Brox of Sweet Pain, Paul Davis of Gracious, Mike d’Abo of Manfred Mann, Tony Ashton of Ashton, Gardner & Dyke, Madeline Bell of Blue Mink, Brian Bennett of Mike Stuart Span and Leviathan, Lesley Duncan, Barry Dennen, Sue and Sunny, Peter Barnfeather, Alan O'Duffy, Neil Lancaster and The Trinidad Singers on the title track. The guitarists are principally Henry McCulloch (Sweeney's Men, Eire Apparent, Spooky Tooth, The Grease Band and Paul McCartney's Wings), Neil Hubbard and Chris Spedding - while keyboards come courtesy of Peter Robinson, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Mick Weaver. Chris Mercer on Tenor Sax of The Misunderstood, Keef Hartley Band, Charge and Gonzalez with Bass from John Gustafson of The Spencer Davis Group and The Pirates (JG sings also) aided by Bruce Rowland of The Grease Band and Ronnie Lane/Slim Chance. There are more! To the music…

Even back then I used to skip the Overture and go straight to Murray Head as Judas on the brilliant "Heaven On Their Minds" – Tim Rice’s lyrics hitting the spot so many times - "Jesus! You’ve started to believe the things they say of you…You really do believe this talk of God is true…" – his reasoning as it fades out perfectly capturing suspicion tugging at the heart of an admiring man. "What’s The Buzz…" introduces the amazing voice of Ian Gillan as Jesus – Deep Purple’s front man with the chops to be expressive and on occasion let out those screams that straddle pain and frustration. Yvonne Elliman as Mary Magdalene duets with Gillan on one of the album’s best pieces "Everything’s Alright" – again the lyrics and the music swelling towards that huge strings and voices finish.

God Rock becomes seriously dated with the hammy "Hosanna" – hey JC – you’re alright by me – oh dear. Things return to clever-Rock with "Simon Zealotes/Poor Jerusalem" where the mob asks "did you see I waved…tell me I am saved…" as another sees the chance to harness the crowds to attack Rome – power and glory of a material and not spiritual kind. Of all the tracks that are lifted, "Pilate’s Dream" is perhaps the most startling. Those acoustic guitars swirling around the speakers as Pilate tries to decipher visions that leave him the blame for the man who is both haunting and hunted. In February 1971, MCA Records took the Yvonne Elliman sung ballad "I Don’t Know How To Love Him" and issued it as a 45 with a titled picture sleeve (MCA Records MKS 5053) with the instrumental "Overture" on the flipside. Side 2 ends on a desperate Judas trying to justify his decisions (Murray Head brilliant again) that then segues into that sinister moment of Gethsemane betrayal in "Blood Money".

The seven minutes of "The Last Supper" has amazing clarity (always knew I'd be an apostle) - the Ian Gillan vs. Murray Head vocal sparring, the keyboards  - all suddenly with so much more oomph. The same applies to the acoustic strums that open "Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say)" - the brass and orchestration putting out a huge soundstage. Betrayed with a kiss, "The Arrest" has great clarity on the 'what's the buzz' chorus of voices and again Ian Gillan nailing it on the so-emotional lead vocals. I recognise your face - I'm sure I saw you with him - I was never with him - "Peter's Denial" clear and powerful for it too. Cluttering up his hallway, Pilate mocks the king of the Jews – those background instruments menacing as Pilate sneers and condemns. Getting quite a name all around the place, Mike d'Abo adding some superb camp to "King Herod's Song" - that barrelhouse piano amped up. And on it goes through the Trial to the huge brass and orchestra of "Superstar" - still a stirring piece of work. "The Crucifixion" is hard to hear, as is the sadness in the final piece "John Nineteen Forty-One".

Into your hands, I commend this reissue might be a tad cheesy. But then again, after 50 years, so is much of this. Still whether one of us denies it or not, "Jesus Christ Superstar" sold reputedly upwards of 8-millions copies and across a steady two to three years too – its influence of course reaching out though the decades long, long after 1970.

Notwithstanding the seriously dated nature of the music, there is much to love here, and lifetime fans of this Rock Opera will need to own this amazing Audio upgrade...