"Green Onions" by BOOKER T & THE M.G.s – October 1962 US LP on Stax, July 1964 UK LP on London – Both in Mono (September 2012 UK Concord Music Group, Inc/Stax Records Expanded Edition CD Reissue in the Stax Remasters Series - Joe Tarantino Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"... Can't Sit Down…"

As I write this in the rainy and miserable Covid-19 wiles of January 2021 during yet another nationwide lockdown - October 2022 (next year) will see the sexy 60ts slink that is "Green Onions" become 60 years young. Can something as Soul-cool and utterly fantastic as this, really be six decades old! 

Re-listening to the whole "Green Onions" album (released October 1962 in the USA on Stax, delayed until July 1964 in Blighty on London Records) and for sure not all of it is as Mono-magical as that evergreen instrumental - a single A-side that surely must rank in the Top 20 of 45s ever released. But it is a total must for 60ts Soul, Funk, Mod and Instrumental fans everywhere. 

What we have here is Concord Music Group's CD attempt at revitalizing the Stax Albums roster in 2011, 2012 and a wee bit into 2013 - the "Stax Remasters" series that managed a haphazard 9-titles in all (each listed below with Barcodes so you can locate them accurately). The series probably didn't do as much business as they had hoped, or when you peruse the selection list provided, the release-title choices weren't exactly as grabby as the "Green Onions" song. So the "Stax Remasters" series quietly fizzled out, as I and others waited in vain for more releases that never showed. 

Just to digress a little and speaking of Stax - Craft Recordings of Los Angeles have since taken up the Concord Music Group, Inc mantle, doing stunning Stax Reissues both old and new. Their American website is well worth a visit for top quality reissues to do with the iconic American Soul label – check out their 22 September 2017 Isaac Hayes 4CD/45-Single Box Set "The Spirit Of Memphis 1962-1976" (Craft Recordings CR00050 – Barcode 888072016996) and the UK/European 6 November 2020 issue of The Staple Singers 7CD Box Set "Come Go With Me: The Stax Collection" (Craft Recordings CR00364 – Barcode 888072207899) that finally remasters their six albums on Stax between 1968 and 1974 and throws in a vital singles/rarity stragglers CD for good measure – all remastered properly and even issued on VINYL too. But I digress, back to the Booker T & The M.G.s CD in hand...

UK released Monday, 3 September 2012 (22 July 2012 in the USA) - "Green Onions" by BOOKER T. & THE M.G.s on Concord Music Group, Inc/Stax Records 0888072339606 (Barcode 888072339606) is an Expanded Edition with Two Bonus Tracks and is part of the "Stax Remasters" Series of CD Reissues (see list below). It breaks down as follows (43:48 minutes):

1. Green Onions [Side 1]
2. Rinky-Dink 
3. I Got A Woman 
4. Mo' Onions 
5. Twist And Shout 
6. Behave Yourself 
7. Stranger On The Shore [Side 2]
8. Lonely Avenue 
9. One Who Really Loves You 
10. Can't Sit Down 
11. A Woman, A Lover, A Friend 
12. Comin' Home Baby
Tracks 1 to 12 are the album "Green Onions" - released October 1962 in the USA on Stax Records ST-701 [Mono] and July 1964 in the UK on London HA-K 8182 [Mono]. 

BONUS TRACKS: 
13. Green Onions (Live)
14. Can't Sit Down (Live)
Tracks 13 and 14 first appeared on the 1992 American CD "Funky Broadway: Stax Review Live At The 5/4 Ballroom" on Stax SCD-8567 (previously unreleased at that time). They were recorded in August 1965. 

BOOKER T. JONES - Organ 
STEVE CROPPER - Guitar 
LEWIS STEINBERG - Bass (Tracks 1 to 12)
DONALD "Duck" DUNN - Bass (Tracks 13 and 14)
AL JACKSON, Jr - Drums 
Guest: 
Packy Axton - Saxophone on Track 14

The new 12-page booklet has very knowledgeable and affectionate liner notes by ROB BOWMAN - the LP's artwork on the front and rear of the booklet (including Bob Altshuler's original 1962 LP liner notes) - session details, Stax Records release info and reissue credits. But once again the big news is the NEWLY REMASTERED SOUND...

I've reviewed all the other titles in the "Stax Remasters" series (see list below) and duly raved about the fabulous sound quality on them - especially after years of lacklustre reissues in jewel cases and repro digipaks. Well this is the same. 24-bit remastered from the first generation tapes at JOE TARANTINO Mastering in Berkeley, California - the audio quality is meaty - especially of course on the slinky organ of Booker T Jones and the guitar-chopping of Steve Cropper.

Named after a vegetable that plagued American gardens in the summertime and played by a group named after a British Sports car - the 7" single "Green Onions" was a bona-fide monster. Originally issued in the USA on Volt 101 - it was quickly withdrawn and reissued on Stax 127 with the languid "Behave Yourself" as its classy B-side. It hit the US charts in August 1962 and made Number 1 R&B and Number 3 Pop. But not only is "Green Onions" absolute classic 60t's Soul - it has to rank as one the greatest instrumentals ever issued - its cool still intact a full 60 years after it blew everyone away and brought dance-floors to life all over the world.
I wish I could say the rest of the album lives up to that high - it doesn't. 

The covers of "Twist And Shout" (made famous by The Beatles), Acker Bilk's "Stranger On A Shore" and Ray Charles' "Lonely Avenue" are not great - but things pick up considerably with their plucky version of Phil Upchurch's "Can't Sit Down" with fantastic sound quality on Cropper's guitar and Al Jackson's drums. The same applies to their cover of Jackie Wilson's "A Woman, A Lover, A Friend" - with Lewis Steinberg's bass having a warm sound. The identikit "Mo' Onions" was issued as a 45 in 1963 on Stax 142 and has been a fan favourite ever since (and a big moment in their live shows). It sounds fantastic here. The only real plonkers for me are the two 1965-recorded live versions first issued on a now forgotten American Stax CD - neither warranting the word 'bonus' in my book.

To sum up - despite those naff live additions, you do get better sound than that Rhino reissue over 25 years ago, improved packaging and a value-for-money price-tag. Heed your mama's good advice and eat your greens. Recommended...

CD Titles in the "STAX REMASTERS" series are (all reviewed):

1. Green Onions - BOOKER T. & THE M.G.s (1962) 
3 September 2012 UK CD on Barcode 888072339606

2. McLemore Avenue - BOOKER T. & THE M.G.s (1970)
10 May 2011 UK CD on Barcode 888072328747

3. Woman To Woman - SHIRLEY BROWN (1975)
13 September 2011 UK CD on Barcode 888072331778 

4. Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get - THE DRAMATICS (1972)
13 September 2011 UK CD on Barcode 888072331761

5. Born Under A Bad Sign – ALBERT KING (1967)
June 2013 UK CD on Barcode 888072343344

6. I'll Play The Blues For You - ALBERT KING (1972)
22 May 2012 UK CD on Barcode 888072337169 

7. Be Altitude: Respect Yourself - THE STAPLE SINGERS (1972)
10 May 2011 UK CD on Barcode 888072328761

8. Taylored In Silk - JOHNNIE TAYLOR (1973)
10 May 2011 UK CD on Barcode 888072328754

9. Do The Funky Chicken - RUFUS THOMAS (1970)
13 September 2011 UK CD on Barcode 888072331785

PPS: For those who want to delve deeper into 60ts and 70ts Soul on both Stax and Atlantic Records and are perhaps willing to flash the cash - check out my in-depth review for the October 2012 "Atlantic Soul Legends" set. It's a European made Mini Box Set on WEA Music/Warner Music France/Rhino 8122797264 (Barcode 0081227972646) that contains '20 Original Albums' in Mini LP Card Sleeves and Remasters. "Green Onions" is entry number two amongst them (after Ray Charles and before Solomon Burke). Also including cool types like Donny Hathaway, Sam Dees and Howard Tate - "Atlantic Soul Legends" sells for under £35 and is a stunning little beast most haven't noticed...

1975 - CAPT. FANTASTIC Your All-Genres Guide To Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters - A SOUNDS GOOD MUSIC BOOK by Mark Barry...

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1975 

CAPT. FANTASTIC 

* Almost 1,600 E-pages of information
* 205 in-depth reviews for quality CD Remasters 

* June 2021 Draft

* Formats included - CD, SACD [Super Audio CD], HDCD [High Density Compatible Digital], Japan SHM-CD and Japan Platinum SHM-CD  [Super High Materials] 

* Major Label Box Set Retrospectives from – EMI, Sony/Legacy, Universal and WEA

* Best Independent Reissue Labels highlighted...

– Ace, Audio Fidelity, Bear Family, Beats Goes On, Big Break Records (BBR), Cherry Red, Earth, Edsel, Esoteric Recordings, Grapefruit, Hip-O Select, Lemon, Light In The Attic, Mobile Fidelity, Raven, Repertoire, Rev-Ola, Rhino, Salvo, Soul Music Records, Sundazed and Panegyric 

* Technical data from the discs themselves (total playing times and more)

* Release Date, Catalogue No and Barcode to locate the correct issue

* CD Track lists and Details on Bonus material (if any)

* VINYL Discographies referencing CD Box sets (track numbers to sequence singles and albums from the discs – huge number of record labels covered

* UK and US catalogue numbers and release dates for original vinyl albums, 7” singles and EPs within each review

* Remaster/Tape Transfer Engineers highlighted 

* Packaging descriptions, size of booklets, what’s contained within, who wrote the liner notes, repro artwork explained 

* Reference to the Audio Quality of the CD - analysis of songs 

* Guest Musicians highlighted – Cover Versions noted

Having worked for RECKLESS RECORDS in London for over 20 years as one of their principal Vinyl and CD buyers (one of the best secondhand record shops in the West End) and having in excess of 4,225 posts on Amazon (CDs, DVDs, BLU RAYs - Hall Of Fame Reviewer six times etc) - as you can imagine I come across a huge number of reissues - some far more worthy than others. 

To that end I've collated together these SOUNDS GOOD MUSIC BOOKS as guides to Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters offering up in-depth reviews on a wide range of titles. And it doesn't have to cost the earth to Sound Good either – you just need to know which CD is the right issue to buy. 

Like my e-Books for the Seventies first couple of years proved (1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973) - the Rock Music is King onslaught continued full pelt in 1974 and especially - 1975. But this equally productive year also showed music lovers continuing to spread their listening wings – embracing genres many thought conservative ears would never give the time of day to (Reggae, Country, Blues Rock, Avant Garde, Jazz Fusion and Prog and in 1976 even Disco). And while you'll undoubtedly see some well-known titles in here - others were obscure even then and remain so to this day (if they're worth a digital revisit, I like to champion them all). 

Many entries in this large and unique book cost less than £10 too, while others are under a fiver. And even if some Box Sets/Deletions have acquired a price tag - because they’re the best I've included them along with artists/titles that deserve your attention…

Enjoy The Reads - MARK BARRY (2021)

PS: in this series, see also

1968 - VOODOO CHILE

1969 - WHOLE LOTTA LOVE 

1970 - ALL THINGS MUST PASS

1971 - GET IT ON

1972 - TUMBLING DICE 

1973 - US AND THEM 

1974 - PICK UP THE PIECES...

1974 - PICK UP THE PIECES - Your All-Genres Guide To Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters - A SOUNDS GOOD MUSIC BOOK by Mark Barry...

1974

PICK UP THE PIECES

50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION 

(1974 to 2024)

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* Over 2,350 E-pages of information

* 262 in-depth reviews for quality CD Remasters 

* January 2024 Draft - 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

* Formats included - CD, SACD [Super Audio CD], HDCD [High Density Compatible Digital], Japan SHM-CD and Japan Platinum SHM-CD  [Super High Materials] 

* Major Label Box Set Retrospectives from – EMI, Sony/Legacy, Universal and WEA

* Best Independent Reissue Labels highlighted...

– Ace, Audio Fidelity, Bear Family, Beats Goes On, Big Break Records (BBR), Cherry Red, Earth, Edsel, Esoteric Recordings, Grapefruit, Hip-O Select, Lemon, Light In The Attic, Mobile Fidelity, Raven, Repertoire, Rev-Ola, Rhino, Salvo, Soul Music Records, Sundazed and Panegyric 

* Technical data from the discs themselves (total playing times and more)

* Release Date, Catalogue No and Barcode to locate the correct issue

* CD Track lists and Details on Bonus material (if any)

* VINYL Discographies referencing CD Box sets (track numbers to sequence singles and albums from the discs – huge number of record labels covered

* UK and US catalogue numbers and release dates for original vinyl albums, 7" singles and EPs within each review

* Remaster/Tape Transfer Engineers highlighted 

* Packaging descriptions, size of booklets, what’s contained within, who wrote the liner notes, repro artwork explained 

* Reference to the Audio Quality of the CD - analysis of songs 

* Guest Musicians highlighted – Cover Versions noted

Having worked for RECKLESS RECORDS in London for over 20 years as one of their principal Vinyl and CD buyers (one of the best secondhand record shops in the West End) and having been an Amazon 'Hall Of Fame' Reviewer many times - as you can imagine I come across a huge number of reissues - some far more worthy than others. 

To that end I've collated together these SOUNDS GOOD MUSIC BOOKS as guides to Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters offering up in-depth reviews on a wide range of titles. And it doesn't have to cost the earth to Sound Good either – you just need to know which CD is the right issue to buy. 

Like my e-Books for the Seventies' first four years proved (1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973) - the Rock Music is King onslaught continued full pelt with 1974. But this equally productive year also showed music lovers continuing to spread their listening wings – embracing genres many thought conservative ears would never give the time of day to (Reggae, Country, Blues Rock, Avant Garde, Jazz Fusion and Prog). And while you'll undoubtedly see some well-known titles in here - others were obscure even then and remain so to this day (if they're worth a digital revisit, I like to champion them all). 

Many entries in this large and unique book cost less than £10 too, while others are under a fiver. And even if some Box Sets/Deletions have acquired a price tag - because they're the best I've included them along with artists/titles that deserve your attention…

Enjoy The Reads - MARK BARRY (2024)

PS: in this series, see also

1968 - VOODOO CHILE

1969 - WHOLE LOTTA LOVE 

1970 - ALL THINGS MUST PASS

1971 - GET IT ON

1972 - TUMBLING DICE 

1973 - US AND THEM 

1975 - BLOW BY BLOW...

1976 - MORE THAN A FEELING

"Futurama" by BE-BOP DELUXE – May 1975 UK Second Studio Album on Harvest Records - featuring Bill Nelson, Charles Tumahai of Alta Mira and Simon Fox of Hackensack with guests Andy Evans and The Grimethorpe Colliery Band conducted by John Berryman (May 2019 UK Esoteric Recordings 2CD Expanded Edition – Ben Wiseman Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With Over 300 Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

PROVE IT ALL NIGHT 

Music Of 1975 to 1979 

Your All-Genres Guide To 

Exceptional CD Reissues & Remasters

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

Just Click Below To Purchase (No Cut and Paste Crap)

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"...Futurist Manifesto..."

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With a solid rawk debut in July 1974's "Axe Victim" in the bag and in the shops – Bill Nelson's band eclectic sounding Be-Bop Deluxe toured with Cockney Rebel in the UK to something of a rude awakening. 

Things were not working out down at the oh-so-tight-on-stage farm. The first album's four-piece band worked well in the studio, but still the overall soundscape wasn't coming together as Bill had hoped. At the insistence of his record-company EMI - Nelson auditioned and quickly found two musicians that gelled perfectly – a Mauri bassist with a huge Afro who had played with cult band Alta Mira called Charlie Tumahai and the Drummer from Hackensack – Simon Fox. And the classic Be-Bop Deluxe line-up was born. 

Bill Nelson and Harvest Records now had the power trio with the sympatico feel to go to the next stage, studio album number-two - "Futurama" - and then on to their breakthrough album in January 1976 - "Sunburst Finish" that finally saw the band chart in both the UK and America. 

Which brings us to the superlative 'Be-Bop Deluxe Remasters Series' from Esoteric Recordings of the UK (part of Cherry Red) – the British home to all things Progtastic, Glam and Art Rock. You could look at CD2 and of course notice that it is (aside from some unreleased) little more than a Remix of CD1 masquerading it would appear as a 'Bonus'. But then if you've been used to the original version – this new Stereo beauty will feel like a Steve Wilson remaster of say Crimson or Tull or Yes - revelatory. It really is great and having that bloody rare 45 tagged onto the end of both discs is an actual 'Bonus' too. 

For those who want to the full Dreamland - there is even a Deluxe Edition of "Futurama" with 3CDs+1DVD issued on the same day, 31 May 2019 – search Esoteric Recordings PECLEC 42670 on Barcode 5013929477049 to get the Box Set skinny on that one. But for the futuristic manifesto digipak we do have, let's deal with this 2CD Expanded Edition...

UK released 31 May 2019 - "Futurama" by BE+BOP DELUXE on Esoteric Recordings PECLEC 22672 (Barcode 5013929477247) is a 2CD Expanded Edition of their Second Studio Album from May 1975 that plays outs as follows: 

CD1 "Futurama" The Original Stereo Mix (41:46 minutes):
1. Stage Whispers [Side 1]
2. Love With The Madman
3. Maid In Heaven 
4. Sister Seagull 
5. Sound Track 
6. Music In Dreamland [Side 2]
7. Jean Cocteau 
8. Between The Worlds 
9. Swan Song 
Tracks 1 to 9 are their second album "Futurama" – released May 1975 in the UK on Harvest Records SHSP 4045 and May 1975 in the USA on Harvest/Capitol ST-11432. Produced by ROY THOMAS BAKER (Engineered by Pat Moran) – it didn't chart in either country. The band was credited as BE+BOP DELUXE at this point because of the artwork, but would become their more commonly used moniker BE-BOP DELUXE when they reached "Sunburst Finish" in 1976. 

BONUS TRACKS: 
10. Between The Worlds (Single Version)
11. Lights
Tracks 10 and 11 are a February 1975 UK 45-single on Harvest HAR 5091 with the B-side "Lights" being non-album. The A-side "Between The Worlds" is a different version to the one on the LP and was withdrawn in the UK (copies in either Demo or Stock form are very hard to find). In June 1975 EMI UK decided to issue the popular "Maid In Heaven" track from the LP as a 45-single instead – Harvest HAR 5098 also using the non-LP "Lights" as its flipside. October 1975 then saw the US 45-single of "Maid In Heaven" on Harvest Records 4151 with "Sister Seagull" from the LP on its B-side. 

CD2 "Futurama" New Stereo Mix (50:45 minutes): 
1. Stage Whispers [Side 1]
2. Love With The Madman
3. Maid In Heaven 
4. Sister Seagull 
5. Sound Track 
6. Music In Dreamland [Side 2]
7. Jean Cocteau 
8. Between The Worlds 
9. Swan Song 
BONUS TRACKS:
10. Between The Worlds (Single Version)
11. Lights 
12. Music In Dreamland (Phonogram Studios Version) *
13. Between The Worlds (Alternate Single Version) *
* Previously Unreleased

A four-flap foldout card digipak offers colour galore - that great George Hardie artwork very similar in fact to Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" hands logo that would appear in September 1975 - colour photos of the three-piece in varying weird garb (don't get me started on that suit and tie) - tape boxes pictured beneath the see-through CD trays and a properly informative 28-page booklet. It opens with five or so pages of reminiscences from Nelson (penned January 2019) that give insights straight from the horse's mouth - the text peppered with period memorabilia - gig posters (supporting Cockney Rebel on June 13th, 1974) - Harvest promo photos and even one of Bill smiling outside a record shop with a copy of "Futurama" in hand whilst the entire window is filled with the band's second album (bet those freestanding card cut-outs of the album artwork are worth a few quid now). To satiate that lust, Esoteric have put a foldout poster of the beautiful "Futurama" PECLEC 22672 artwork in one of the flaps (booklet in the other). 

As if that's not enough, head honcho and co-ordinator MARK POWELL gives it six more pages of even deeper detail - all sided with unpublished photos and so forth. People integral to the album's feel and sound like Audio Engineer Pat Moran at Rockfield Studios and hot-from-Queen-success Producer Ray Thomas Baker get more than honorary mentions – Nelson praising Moran expertly splicing in edits into the tapes at a time when computers were not around. Weird then (having sung its praises) that the booklet and digipak would leave out the original LP's inner sleeve with the lyrics (could have been put on the back of the poster - perhaps Nelson didn't want printed?)

But the big news is the newly remastered AUDIO - transfers from original master tapes done the vastly experienced BEN WISEMAN. And if you'll forgive the obvious pun - they don't 'alf Art-Rock and Roll man. I have to say too that I'm more partial now to the CD2 Mix than the original - it's like someone has done it right. To the tales of tomorrow...

Coming over like King Crimson mated with Rush before either band ever existed - it's clear from the immediate density of ideas swirling around the opening minute of "Stage Whispers" that "Futurama" isn't going to be a Christmas sing-along record tailored to everyone’s pallet. Nelson sings in that weirdly neither here nor there voice of his "...this guitar does not lie..." - yeah man - but it sure does make for some jagged-edged rhythms. Suddenly the fuzzed-up Aladdin Sane sounding guitars of "Love With The Madman" have a power - his keyboard work way better than Nelson ever gives it credit. 

In his mind BN rates "Maid In Heaven" and it's easy to hear why - that difficult-to-fully-embrace Be-Bop Deluxe sound given a sudden accessibility by the song. Riffage upon riffage upon guitar licks fill up ever second of "Sister Seagull" - will you meet me there - he asks - might do Buffalo Bill if yer bird keeps his poop off the bonnet of my car. "Sound Track" ends Side 1 with some welcome keyboard tinkling – a joyful little tune where those drums and high hats are clearer than they were before – an accomplished Be-Bop Deluxe sounding like Todd Rundgren meets Sparks meets Queen circa A Night At The Opera.

"...Maybe we'll make music in dreamland tonight..." gushes the rather oddly romantic Prog Rock of Side 2's "Music In Dreamland" where The Grimethorpe Colliery Band give the tune old-fashioned horns. I've always found it a little too melodramatic but I know there are fans who see it as brilliant, just another BBD mishmash that needs time and repeated listens. Acoustic Salsa now sails out of your speakers in the shape of "Jean Cocteau" - the Remix version amazing in its clarity (what playing chops they had even then). 

Back to wild rhythms and density, the very Sheer Heart Attack sounding "Between The Worlds" seems like a bloody odd choice for an album lead-off single, but maybe Harvest must have thought that its slightly Sparks "This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us" loony-sounding-Rock-meets-pantomime vibe would carry it with the public - it didn't. Huge chords and even bigger keyboard-washes fill your Siamese-twins speakers - an epic piece that talks of staying a while in Bill's dreams as he sings for you his swan song. And on it goes...

Even now in the Prog Revival of these last five years (right into 2020) - for absolutely sure, Be-Bop Deluxe and their dense soundscapes will not be for everyone looking for a chart topper. But re-visiting these albums has been something of an eye-opener for me - far better than I remember them and now sounding like perhaps Wakefield's weird man of Rock was cool all along. 

Impressive and recommended...

"Sticky Fingers: Spanish Edition - Dedos Pegajosos" by THE ROLLING STONES – April 1971 SPANISH LP on Rolling Stones Records with Unique 'Dedos Pegajosos' Fowlers Treacle Tin and Chopped Fingers Artwork and the "Sister Morphine" Track Replaced by Live Cover Version Of A Chuck Berry Song Called "Let It Rock" (December 2020 Japan-Only SHM-CD Reissue In A Jewel Case and Obi – Reissue of a May 2019 Japan-Only SHM-CD in Mini LP Repro Packaging – Uses Latest Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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This Review Along With 352 Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

GET IT ON - 1971

 

Your All-Genres Guide To

Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters  

50th Anniversary Issue for 2021

A Huge 3,040-Plus E-Pages 

All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs 

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

Just Click Below To Purchase

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"...Let It Rock...Or Maybe Not..."

First up, this isn't a cassette as some sites have been claiming - it's a Japanese Reissue of The Rolling Stones album "Sticky Fingers" on CD WITHOUT the Mini LP Repro packaging but with a SHM-CD (Super High Materials CD - playable on all players). But there are very real pluses and minuses here - hence the four stars. Some explanation about the cover first...

The famous Andy Warhol 'zipper and jeans' album sleeve pictured above (with underpants pictured inside) was issued worldwide in April 1971 on Rolling Stones Records. But the politics of the day made sure that the artwork underwent some interesting variations - namely this one here - the Spanish 'treacle tin with fingers' sleeve. It also sported a different track listing on Side 2 only...

1. Brown Sugar [Side 1]

2. Sway

3. Wild Horses

4. Can't You Hear Me Knocking

5. You've Got To Move

6. Bitch [Side 2]

7. I Got The Blues

8. Let It Rock (Live) - should be the track "Sister Morphine"

9. Dead Flowers

10. Moonlight Mile

An incensed General Franco banned the naughty Jeans cover in Spain, so they opted for the Fowlers treacle cover - which is arguably way worse and far more offensive. The problem is that 'Dedos Pegajosos' (as it was called there) replaced Track 3 on Side 2 - the magnificent "Sister Morphine" song, itself apparently banned because of its addiction references - with a totally out of place live cover version of Chuck Berry's "Let It Rock" - a song that had turned up on 3-Track EP copies of the "Brown Sugar" 45-single in the UK. 

"Let It Rock" was for the rest of the world exclusive to that 45-single, but not in Spain. Problem is that - recorded live and muddy - it isn't a patch on "Sister Morphine" and the removal of SM reduces a truly great album down to a merely really good one. 

Now to the CD, of which there are two versions - 2019 and 2020: 

The Japanese (true to their meticulous standards) mimicked the 1971 Spanish artwork and track listing exactly for a 22 May 2019 SHM-CD on Rolling Stones Records/Polydor UICY-78937 (Barcode 4988031334409) - so you gain "Let It Rock" but loose "Sister Morphine" and that 'paper sleeve' repro artwork everyone loves. It has the Spanish language inner sleeve and a booklet mostly in Japanese. That variant is about £45 and can be found elsewhere on Amazon (use the barcode I've provided above to locate it). 

This second variant is a 4 December 2020 global reissue of that in a standard jewel case (no paper sleeve packaging) - but with an SHM-CD inside (Super High Materials, a better form of CD). Rolling Stones Records/Polydor UICY-78937 (Barcode 600753872949) is currently selling for less than 13 or 15 pounds. It has a booklet and Obi strip and Remastered sound. If you use Barcode 600753872949 - you can locate it on Amazon to purchase. 

In an ideal world we should have gotten an 11-track "Sticky Fingers" with the unique Spanish artwork for collectors and fans to enjoy but with the "Let It Rock" live track tagged on at the end of the play as a Bonus. But alas...

If you want any further information, speak to G. Franco – apparently he has the skinny on all things Seventies, European and moral...

"Oxygene" by JEAN-MICHEL JARRE - December 1976 French Album on Les Disques Motors – Reissued July 1977 in the UK on Polydor Records (May 2014 UK Disques Dreyfus/BMG/Sony Music CD Reissue – Dave Dadwater Remaster) - A Review by MARK BARRY...

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1976

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"...A Breath Of Fresh Air..."

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Ooh don't you just love a wee bit of Jean Michel Jam-Jar and his gurgling VCS3's, ARP 6200's and EMS AK5's (synths to you pal) - millions did then and gazillions still do.

In the 8-page liner notes to this BMG/Sony Music 2014 CD Remaster – Phil Alexander of Mojo Magazine quite rightly heralds the LP "Oxygene" as a game-changer – a genuinely iconic piece of work that so many artists since owe a debt to (there is the black and white photo of Jarre taken by Charlotte Rampling on the inner pages and that David Bailey colour shot on the rear but naught else). 

I remember when this dancing-synthesiser vinyl LP hit the UK in July and August of 1977 on Polydor Records - roaring up to No. 4 on the album-charts on the back of the No. 2 placing of the "Part 4" single. "Oxygene" and its six instrumental passages seemed to be everywhere that summer - sat beside the noise and bluster of Punk and New Wave - the charismatic and handsome 28-year old Frenchman ploughing rills in musical fields that the likes of Mike Oldfield had dug into in 1973, 1974 and 1975 with "Tubular Bells", "Hergest Ridge" and "Ommadawn". The Floyd, Yes, ELP, Santana, Greenslade, Colosseum and of course, Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk and Neu had all been laying down a path too – so too I suppose you could argue that Dr. Who, The Nice even Space and their "Magic Fly" 45 and LP were cut from the same cloth.

So too Jean Michel - Jarre had in fact been around since his experimental noodling in 1969 and by the time he recorded this multi-layered beast in 1976 Paris – his array of keyboard instruments and their myriad wires and knobs probably made Keith Emerson twitchy. But the secret lay in the hook – the Oxygene hook that drew you in and made you like it. 

The album "Oxygene" had been released December 1976 in France on Disques Motors (later to become Disques Dreyfus after Francis Dreyfus who owned the label) and quickly sold out. Something was afoot and a bigger pallet needed. After a signing with the major label Polydor Records in 1977 and a re-launch of the French album in every territory everywhere - Jarre suddenly seemed to make everyone notice what had been around in Germany for years - Electronic Prog. Consolidating the "Oxygene" winner with "Equinox" in late 1978 (most people's other fave album by him) – Jarre quickly became the worlds' biggest and most successful exponent of – well - Electronica. Which brings us to this 2014 Remaster – to the skull-world details...

UK released 26 May 2014 - "Oxygene" by JEAN-MICHEL JARRE on Disques Dreyfus/BMG/Sony Music 88843024682 (Barcode 888430246829) is a straightforward CD Reissue and Remaster from original tapes and plays out as follows (39:42 minutes):

1. Oxygene Part 1 (7:40 minutes) - Side 1

2. Oxygene Part 2 (8:09 minutes)

3. Oxygene Part 3 (2:55 minutes)

4. Oxygene Part 4 (4:15 minutes) - Side 2

5. Oxygene Part 5 (10:24 minutes) 

6. Oxygene Part 6 (6:21 minutes)

Tracks 1 to 6 are the album "Oxygene" – first released December 1976 in France on Les Disques Motors 2933 207 and reissued July 1977 in the UK on Polydor 2310 555. It’s US release on Polydor PD-1-6112 was also July 1977. It peaked at No. 2 in the UK and No 78 in America

JEAN MICHEL JARRE played ARP 2600, VCS3, AKS, RMI Harmonic Synthesizer, Farfisa Organ, Eminent 310, Mellotron, Rythmin' Computer and Korg Mini-Pop. 

New 2014 Mastering from original analogue tapes has been done by DAVE DADWATER for Yakuda Audio – and it sounds trippy-sweet, hypnotic, swirling across your speakers like some 60ts Sci-Fi movie about a civilization that lives underwater. It's also impressive that as Part 2 bounces in, the bank of thump-controlled bass notes and darting synth jabs don't sound too dated, despite the age of the equipment used and the limitations of what was effectively a home studio. 

Even though its under three minutes, Part 3 feels huge, layer after doomy layer building the soundstage. With its drum-machine back beat and an actual musical hook that anchors it, hardly surprising that Part 4 became the hippest unhip tune in that most New Wave of years. There is a warmth and clarity to the biggest piece on the album – Part 5 – its ten and half minutes flitting from speaker to speaker like a drunken special effects technician on Blade Runner. 

For sure you might listen to "Oxygene" in 2020 and wonder at the sum of 14-million albums sold - but re-listening to it has reminded me why so many loved it then and hold it precious still...

"Andrew Gold + What's Wrong With This Picture + All This And Heaven Too + Whirlwind + Bonuses" by ANDREW GOLD – Four US Albums from November 1975 (June 1976 in the UK), May 1976 (January 1977 in the UK), February 1978 and April 1980 on Asylum Records - Plus 20 Bonuses Including Outtakes and Rarities – Guests include Linda Ronstadt, Jennifer Warnes, Waddy Watchel, Danny Kootch Kortchmar, Leland Sklar, Russell Kunkel, Kenny Edwards, Peter Asher, Dan Dugmore, Don Grolnick, J.D. Souther, Ernie Watts, Jeff Porcaro of Toto and Brock Walsh (September 2013 UK Edsel/Rhino Anthology - 4LPs and 20 Bonus Tracks Remastered onto 3CDs using 2005 US Rhino Transfers) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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Music Of 1975 to 1979 

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"...Looking For My Love..."

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When Californian multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Andrew Gold passed in June 2011, he was only approaching his 60th birthday – taken way too soon.

Forever associated with the Yacht Rock sound of the West Coast, Gold had clocked up four moderately successful albums on David Geffen's Asylum Records between 1975 and 1980 and two absolutely huge 45-singles in "Lonely Boy" and "Never Let Her Slip Away". Neither of these FM-friendly winners nor his other hit "Thank You Being My Friend" (adapted later for the hugely popular "Golden Girls" US TV programme) has been off Radio Station playlists for pushing on 45 years now. 

And yet Andrew Gold remains something of an unknown and the rest of his great work largely-forgotten - a topflight sessionman whose name turns up on the inner sleeve credits of albums by James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, J.D. Souther, Carly Simon, Jackson Browne and was even feted by 10cc in the 80ts to join their ranks (he would team up with Graham Gouldman in Wax). Or that guy who put an album sleeve in 1976 with 38 deliberate mistakes on it – one where on initial release you could get a mail-order gift if you could correctly locate and name all of them (I think I once got to about 20 on the appropriately titled "What's Wrong With This Picture?" album).  

And that's where this superlative value-for-money 3CD chunky monkey comes bopping in. Licensed from Rhino of the USA, Edsel of the UK do for Andrew Gold what they did for The Doobie Brothers - pour on the numbers, the extras and the remastered sound. All This And Heaven Too - let's get to the details...

UK released 9 September 2013 - "Andrew Gold + What's Wrong With This Picture + All This And Heaven Too + Whirlwind + Bonuses" by ANDREW GOLD on Edsel/Rhino EDSX 3016 (Barcode 740155301637) offers 4LPs Remastered Onto CDs 1 and 2 with a Further 20 Bonus Tracks on CD3. It's housed in a four-way foldout card digipak, has a 26-page booklet, uses Rhino's Remasters on all songs and plays out as follows:

CD1 (76:20 minutes):

1. That's Why I Love You [Side 1]

2. Heartaches In Heartaches 

3. Love Hurts 

4. A Note From You 

5. Resting In Your Arms  

6. I'm A Gambler 

7. Endless Flight 

8. Hang My Picture Straight 

9. Ten Years Behind Me

10. I'm Coming Home 

Tracks 1 to 10 are his debut album "Andrew Gold" - released November 1975 in the USA on Asylum 7E-1045 and June 1976 in the UK on Asylum K 53020. Produced by CHARLES PLOTKIN - it peaked at No. 190 in the USA (didn't chart UK). Guests included Backing Vocals from Linda Ronstadt, Kenny Edwards and Gene Garfin (who also co-wrote "That's Why I Love You", all others AG originals). 

11. Hope You Feel Good [Side 1]

12. Passing Thing 

13. Do Wah Diddy 

14. Learning The Game 

15. Angel Woman 

16. Must Be Crazy 

17. Lonely Boy [Side 2]

18. Firefly 

19. Stay 

20. Go Back Home Again 

21. One Of Them Is Me 

Tracks 11 to 21 are his second studio album "What's Wrong With This Picture?" - released May 1976 in the USA on Asylum 7E-1086 and January 1977 in the UK on Asylum K 53052.

CD2 (78:52 minutes):

1. How Can This Be Love? [Side 1]

2. Oh Urania (Take Me Away)

3. Still You Linger On

4. Never Let Her Slip Away 

5. Always For You 

6. Thank You For Being My Friend [Side 2]

7. Looking For My Love 

8. Genevieve 

9. I'm On My Way 

10. You're Free 

Tracks 1 to 10 are his third studio album "All This And Heaven Too" – released February 1978 in the USA on Asylum 6E-116 and March 1978 in the UK on Asylum K 53072. Produced by ANDREW GOLD and BROCK WALSH - guests include Waddy Watchel on Guitars, Ernie Watts on Saxophone, Kenny Edwards on Bass, with Brock Walsh, J.D. Souther and Jennifer Warnes on Backing Vocals

11. Kiss This One Goodbye [Side 1]

12. Whirlwind 

13. Sooner Or Later 

14. Leave Her Alone 

15. Little Company  

16. Brand New Face [Side 2]

17. Nine To Five 

18. Stranded On The Edge

19. Make Up Your Mind

Tracks 11 to 19 are his fourth studio album "Whirlwind" – released April 1980 in the USA on Asylum 6E-264 and May 1980 in the UK on Asylum K 52219. Produced by ANDREW GOLD - guests include Bryan Garofalo on Bass, Waddy Watchel on Guitar, Don Grolnick on Piano and Brock Walsh on Backing Vocals

CD3 (73:40 minutes) - all tracks Previously Unreleased at the time:

1. Within A Word 

2. Sometime When A Man's On His Own

3. Broken Pin Ball Machine 

4. To Be Someone 

5. Ten Years Behind Me (Demo)

6. Hang My Picture Straight (Live At The Santa Monica Auditorium, 1975)

Tracks 1 to 6 first appeared as Six Bonus Tracks on the 2005 US CD reissue of "Andrew Gold" on Collector's Choice Music CCM-527 (Barcode 617742052725)

7. Lonely Boy (Original Version)

8. Firefly (Early Unfinished Version)

9. Gorilla jam 

10. Feel It 

11. Hope You Feel Good (Live at the Universal Amphitheatre, Los Angeles, 1976)

Tracks 7 to 11 first appeared as Five Bonus Tracks on the 2005 US CD reissue of "What's Wrong With This Picture?" on Collector's Choice Music CCM-528 (Barcode 617742052824)

12. Gambler (Version No. 1)

13. Thank You For Being A Friend (Outtake)

14. Dr. Robert (Live, Beatles cover)

15. Genevieve (Original Version)

16. Still You Linger On (Alternate Take)

Tracks 12 to 16 first appeared as Five Bonus Tracks on the 2005 US CD reissue of "All This And Heaven Too" on Collector's Choice Music CCM-529 (Barcode 617742052923)

17. Gambler (Version No. 2)

18. Endless Flight (Live At The Gator Bowl, Jacksonville, Florida, 1978)

19. The 'In' Crowd 

20. Traffic Jam 

Tracks 12 to 16 first appeared as Four Bonus Tracks on the 2005 US CD reissue of "All This And Heaven Too" on Collector's Choice Music CCM-530 (Barcode 617742053029)

As you can see from the track lists provided above, CD3 essentially gathers up all 20 of the Previously Unreleased tracks that appeared across the four 2005 Collector's Choice Music CD reissues and lumps them onto one disc. The multiple-flap digipak houses a very pretty and informative 28-page booklet that fleshes out the new ALAN ROBINSON liner notes (June 2013) with track-by-track musician credits. Each album is pictured, the Elektra labels for Side 1 and 2, rare 45-single foreign picture sleeves for "Lonely Boy", "How Can This Be Love", "Never Let Her Slip Away" and "Kiss This One Goodbye" and each album front sleeve given a whole page each to shine. 

The original Remasters date from 2005 (Rhino via Collector's Choice Music) with the 3CD 2013 reissue mastered in the UK by Edsel’s longstanding Audio Engineer – PHIL KINRADE of Alchemy Mastering. This set sounds fab – the huge synth chords of "Never Let Her Slip Away" punching out of yours speakers with lovely clarity. You also notice with tracks like "That's Why I Love You" on the self-titled debut how almost every instrument is him - but as the LPs moved on – Gold regularly called on James Taylor/Jackson Browne sessionmen like Waddy Watchel, Danny Kootch Kortchmar, Leland Sklar and Russell Kunkel to beef up proceedings with expert fills. When the wall of voices hits you – it has power too – big names like Linda Ronstadt, Jennifer Warnes and sometime co-Producer and writer Brock Walsh. 

The thing about an Anthology like this is that it allows to dig deeper than the stuff the Radio schedulers only ever want to play – songs like "Stay" with Linda Ronstadt yet again adding beautifully subtle backing vocals - "I'm On My Way" with Jeff Porcaro of Toto whacking the kit - "Learning The Game" with Dan Dugmore playing Steel Guitar (long time member of James Taylor’s backing back) – the beautiful simplicity and almost hymnal "Looking For My Love" so reminiscent of Stephen "On And On" Bishop as Andrew (all on his own as a single man) plays every instrument for lonely hearts everywhere - "Little Company" on the "Whirlwind" album where Jazzer Don Grolnick of the fusion outfit Dreams plays gorgeous piano – the acoustic loveliness of the I miss you "Still You Linger On" - and on it goes. Some of the bonuses are short and feel superfluous to requirements and the lone cover of the Revolver belter "Dr. Robert" shows his rockier side in a rare slice of live Seventies. 

If you want deeper still, Esoteric Recordings of the UK (part of Cherry Red) issued a Clamshell Box Set in July 2020 not surprisingly called "Lonely Boy: The Asylum Years" and its 7CDs offers even more. 

I look on this singer-songwriter with huge affection and remember being in lurve with some dark-haired wild-eyed Irish beauty when the March 1978 UK 45 for "Never Let Her Slip Away" was released (with the Yacht Rock salsa rhythms of "Genevieve" on the flipside). 

Asylum K 13112 took British and Irish airwaves by quiet storm – jumping all the way up to No. 5 in the UK singles chart and putting its parent album "All This And Heaven Too" into the Top 40 (No. 31 in April 1978). Its wildly soppy only-met-her-a-week-ago romantic shuffle and those Ernie Watts Saxophone runs tugged on those heartstrings then and still does now - it moved me. Remember him like this and enjoy...