"1965" by DONOVAN – May 1965 UK Debut Album "What's Bin Did And What's Bin Hid" on Pye Records in Mono (June 1965 USA as "Catch The Wind" on Hickory Records with Different Artwork and Tracks) and October 1965 UK Second Studio LP "Fairytale" (also on Pye Records) Plus 45-Single Tracks and EP Cuts (September 2014 UK Sanctuary/BMG 2CD Compilation Reissue of the compilation "Summer Day Reflection Songs" from 2000 (also reissued 2005) with 1995 Remasters – 2LPs onto 2CDs Plus Bonuses) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Catch The Wind..."

What you have here is a reissue of a reissue of a reissue – literally - and that just brings us up to 2014.

 

Back in April 2000, Castle Music UK put out this 34-Track 2CD compilation as "Summer Day Reflection Songs" on their Essential label (ESDCD 861) – same track line-up but with different artwork. That then got reissued in May 2005 on their Sanctuary Records Midline range (SMEDD219), and what you have here is reissue number three for September 2014 credited and re-themed as “1965” – and again with different artwork.

 

Donovan released two albums in that seminal year - "What's Bin Did And What's Bin Hid" in May 1965 and "Fairytale" in October 1965 as well as three stand-alone 45s, one French EP exclusive and one 4-track British EP. The whole 34-song kit and caboodle is dealt with on "1965" (the jumble of different album names and track lists between the UK and USA - especially on the second LP - is sorted out below). Mucho details to dispense, so let's un-hide what was did/done back in Sunny Goodge Street...

 

UK released 29 September 2014 - "1965" by DONOVAN on Sanctuary/BMG BMGRM020CD (Barcode 5414939648120) is a 34-Track 2CD Compilation of Remasters in Mono that plays out as follows:

 

CD1 (42:07 minutes):

1. Catch The Wind (Single Version with Strings)

2. Why Do You Treat Me Like You Do

Tracks 1 & 2 are the Non-LP A&B-sides of his British debut 45-single released 12March 1965 on Pye Records 7N 15801

 

3. Every Man Has His Chain

Track 3 is exclusive on a 4-track EP for "Catch The Wind" released 1965 on Pye Disques PNV 24 138 in France (Track 2, Side 1 of the Extended Play)

 

4. Josie [Side 1]

5. Catch The Wind (Album Version)

6. Remember The Alamo (Album Version without Harmonica) - as "The Alamo" on the LP

7. Cuttin' Out 

8. Car Car

9. Keep On Truckin'

10. Goldwatch Blues [Side 2]

11. To Sing For You

12. You're Gonna Need Somebody On Your Bond

13. Tangerine Puppet

14. Donna Donna

15. Ramblin' Boy

Tracks 4 to 15 are his debut LP "What's Bin Did And What's Bin Hid" - released May 1965 in the UK on Pye Records NPL 18117 in Mono Only. Produced by GEOFF STEPHENS, PETER EDEN and TERRY KENNEDY - all songs by Donovan except - "The Alamo" by Jane Bower, "Car Car" by Woody Guthrie, "Goldwatch Blues" by Mick Softley with "Donna Donna", "Keep On Truckin'" and "You're Gonna Need Somebody On Your Bond" being Traditional Yiddish, Folk and Blues covers versions. 

The US LP was called "Catch The Wind" on Hickory DT 90697 in Mono with the same tracks but different artwork.

 

16. Colours (Original Single Version)

Track 16 is the Non-LP Version A-side to the UK 45-single Pye Records 7N 15866 released 28 May 1965 - its B-side is the album track "To Sing For You"

 

CD2 (53:33 minutes):

1. Universal Soldier [Side 1]

2. Ballad Of A Crystal Man (Universal Soldier EP Version)

3. Do You Hear Me Now [Side 2]

4. The War Drags On

Tracks 1 to 4 are the 4-Track UK Extended Play "The Universal Soldier" (EP) on Pye Records NEP 24219 released August 1965 in Mono

 

5. Colours (Album Version) [Side 1]

6. I'll Try For The Sun

7. Sunny Goodge Street

8. Oh Deed I Do

9. Circus Of Sour

10. Summer Day Reflection Song

11. Candy Man [Side 2]

12. Jersey Thursday

13. Belated Forgiveness Plea

14. Ballad Of A Crystal Man (Album Version)

15. The Little Tin Soldier

16. Ballad Of Geraldine

Tracks 5 to 16 are his 2nd studio album "Fairytale" – released October 1965 in the UK on Pye Records NPL 18128 in Mono Only. All songs are Donovan originals except "Universal Soldier" by Buffy Sainte-Marie, "Oh Deed I Do" by Bert Jansch, "The Little Tin Soldier" by Shawn Phillips, "Candy Man" by Mississippi John Hurt and "Circus Of Sour" by Paul Bernath.

 

NOTES on the "Fairytale" album and this 2CD set:

The British version was MONO-only on release, while the November 1965 US Edition on Hickory Records came in both MONO and STEREO with a slightly altered track configuration (dropped the Bert Jansch song "Oh Deed I Do" and added on a hit single – his cover of Buffy Sainte-Marie's "Universal Soldier").

 

The UK budget label Marble Arch Records also reissued the vinyl album "Fairytale" as a 10-tracker in 1969 dropping two key tracks – "Colours" and "The Little Tin Soldier". Luckily "1965" will allow fans to sequence all three 'Mono' variants. Here are the breezy details...

 

The British original LP is Tracks 5 to 16 as listed above. To sequence the US 1965 Mono LP variant of "Fairytale" (Hickory LPM-127), use the following tracks:

Side One: 1, 6, 7, 5, 9 and 10

Side Two: 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16

 

To sequence the UK 1969 Mono 10-track version of "Fairytale" (Marble Arch MAL 867) use the following tracks:

Side One: 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10

Side Two: 11, 12, 13, 14 and 16

 

17. Turquoise

18. Hey Gyp (Dig The Slowness)

Tracks 17 and 18 are the Non-LP A&B-sides of a 29 October 1965 UK 45-single on Pye 7N 15984

 

I suppose its a bit much to expect a budget reissue to sport original UK and US LP artwork never mind British and US 45s or Foreign EPs – all of which would have looked so tasty in this Fire Sale. Instead you get an 8-paged inlay with new June 2014 liner notes from MAX BELL who does a damn good job (in tiny print) of describing this debut yet transitional year for Donovan. England's very own Bob Dylan was on his way from the simple 1965 acoustic-guitar-driven Folk and Folk Rock to 1966 and 1967 California and Hurdy Gurdy Men and Mellow Yellow people and you can hear that on the second LP especially. There are no catalogue numbers as such or even breaks in the tracks to tell you what's what (you'll learn more from the above).

 

Bell does however point out good things like fellow folky Mick Softley providing Donovan with two absolute crackers - "Goldwatch Blues" and "The War Drags On" – the second (an EP track) being one of handful of 60ts tunes that I think are actually forgotten masterpieces. The Audio is care of PHIL KINRADE at Alchemy, but it doesn't really say whether these are the original 2000 versions done for the "Summer Day Reflection Songs" compilation. My copy of that sounds pretty much the same as this, but here in 2014 there is maybe a bit more oomph. Considering these are Mono 1965 recordings – the Audio is so good – the strum of his guitar and echo of his voice – each rendition done fast and for feel. For sure it wobbles in places, but in the main the Audio is warm and clean and its simplicity suits the songs. Besides, his melodies, his knack for an uplifting making-the-world-a-better-place song is evident throughout and that shines louder than everything else.

 

As it opens with the warm heart of your loving mind, Donovan tries to "Catch The Wind", while the single version adds strings to try and catch the Pop charts. Some people hate the ah-shucks syrupy effect of their addition, but the Audio is gorgeous and the song so evocative even now – approaching 60 years later. The talking version of "Every Man Has His Chain" warbles in speed and is probably taken off a clean EP – a shame.

 

The "What's Bin Did And What's Bin Hid" LP proper opens with "Josie" – Donovan promising he won't fail her. The Audio on that and the album cut of "Catch The Wind" is lovely – that Bass warm and clear. Stripped of those sliding-in strings, CTW feels epic in its beautiful simplicity – no wonder so many covered such a winner. The upright double bass of "Cuttin' Out" is fabulous - his lyrics hip and cool and street smart. Hard not to think of Dylan when the Harmonica is dragged out for "Car Car" – Woody Guthrie's "Ridin' In My Car" (not my fave I must admit). Signing on the dotted line and working pointlessly for fifty years consumes the brilliant "Goldwatch Blues" – a bit hissy for sure – but the song is so good – you forgive it. And on CD1 goes to the second gem in his catalogue - "Colours" – as sweet a song as the 60ts ever produced.

 

CD2 opens with a treat – 4-tracks from an EP that has embarrassingly good stuff on it. We get the LP-variant of "Colours" – gorgeous and then some. "Fairytale" features a lot of tracks like that - just Donovan and his acoustic guitar, banjo, harmonica  - more Folk than Pop really (it was dubbed by the artist as Songs For Sunshine People on the rear of the UK LP). In fact when you hear almost any track on this very hard-to-find LP - it's easy to see why Donovan was often referred to as Britain's Bob Dylan. And it wasn't just because of the similar vocal styles - they were both such good songwriters and commentators on their times. There are great lyrics in here as well as tunes.

 

Highlights include "The Ballad Of A Crystal Man" which is represented on this disc twice - the full album version (track 10) and the edited EP version (track 14) - it's a fantastically strong and emotive anti-Vietnam piece equal to anything his Bobness put out on the other side of the pond. Lyrically the other songs are equally clever and even witty too. There's a "...violent hash smoker..." in "Sunny Goodge Street" - while a quietly sinister "Jersey Thursday" gives us sly white powder references like "...on a tiny piece of coloured glass, my love was born...and reds, and golds and yellows were the colours of the dawn..." 

 

A very Nick Drake vibe oozes out off "Sunny Goodge Street" with its cello and brass and complimentary flute (flute by Harold McNair). "Oh Deed I Do" is a Bert Jansch original exclusive to the album (never appeared on one of his own albums to my knowledge) and it's easy to hear why Donovan loved it – a gorgeous acoustic strum that would make John Renbourn envious. Shawn Phillips provides 12-string guitar on the lovely "Jersey Thursday" and wrote "The Little Tin Soldier" which Pye put on the flipside of "Josie" – his fourth British 45 on Pye 7N 17067 in February 1966.

 

There is no doubt a far better release than this somewhere in the future that allows for all that UK and US artwork – proper booklet and so on. But for the moment, 1965 is a way cool to hear why Donovan elicits such affection...

"Let's Get It On" by MARVIN GAYE – August 1973 US LP on Tamla Records (September 1973 UK on Tamla Motown) – Featured Guests Include The Originals, The Monitors, Joe Sample and Wilton Felder of The Crusaders, Ray Parker, Jr., Willie Hutch, Dean Parks, David T. Walker, Leroy Emmanuel, Bobby Keys, Michael Henderson and many more (September 2001 US Universal/Motown Deluxe Edition 2CD Expanded Edition Reissue and Remaster with 27 Unreleased) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...You'll Like It!"

 

At the risk of limb-loss and threats of being forced into a Sweeny Todd type barbers at midnight on the day of judgement - I'm going to put out an unpopular opinion, nay sacrilegious and possibly even scurrilous assessment.

 

While "What's Going on" puts Marvin (hot like an uv-in) Gaye firmly on the shoulders of Gods, I always thought 1973's lovers album "Let's Get It On" was good rather than great and not quite the masterpiece of lurve-sexy bedroom delight everyone claims it is.

 

So why five stars for a record I think is only deserving of four? I'm reviewing the 'Deluxe Edition' 2CD Reissue of "Let's Get It On" and on top of the newly remastered eight album tracks, you get a whopping 29 extras – 27 of which are Previously Unreleased (the other two are period tie-ins issued in the 90s). And in the main, they are truly stunning - pushing this 2-Disc 2001 Expanded Edition splurge into the stratosphere.

 

Like most music fans, if I've a fave album and Universal or Sony has done a 2CD Deluxe Edition of them, I'm going to own it. But we have found that time and time again, the unreleased stuff (or rarities as they like to call it) was unissued for a reason. But here, the sheer wallop of all that extra brilliance is screaming at you - almost too much in that it sometimes drowns out the core eight we're supposed to be celebrating. 

 

In fact, when you're listening to the truly fantastic grooves being achieved in instrumentals like say "Song No. 3" or "Cakes" - it's like listening to an entirely different Marvin (hell some of "Cakes" even has a Northern Soul shuffle to it).

 

Soul fans will salivate too at those session-men names (some superstars in their own right) - Herbie Hancock on Keyboards, Wilton Felder and Joe Sample of The Crusaders on Bass and Keys, James Jamerson also on Bass, Ernie Watts on Sax, Uriel Jones on Drums with Ray Parker, Jr., Melvin 'Wah Wah' Ragin, Leroy Emmanuel, Dean Parks, David T. Walker and Willie Hutch on Guitars along with many others.

 

Over on CD2 in the 'Working The Groove' clutch of tunes section we even have Fonce and Larry Mizell of Blue Note/Donald Byrd "Spaces And Places" fame providing funky backing vocals on the gorgeous "Where Are We Going?" – Track 11. With stuff like "The World Is Rated X", you get to hear a 1975/1976 Funk-Sexy-Soul Music sound, three years before it became commonplace. In short, there is a whole lot on offer here - a slew of creativity that's thrilling to eavesdrop on, and all of it sounding super-duper spiffing your honor. Forgive me people, but let's get it on and on...

 

US released 18 September 2001 - "Let's Get It On: Deluxe Edition" by MARVIN GAYE on Universal/Motown 440 014 757-2 (Barcode 044001475726) is a 37-Track 2CD Reissue and Remaster with 27 of its 29 Bonus Tracks being Previously Unreleased (Tracks 14 on CD1 and 20 on CD2 were issued before). It's part of Universal's DELUXE EDITION Series and plays out as follows:

 

CD1 (70:29 minutes):

ORIGINAL ALBUM

1. Let's Get It On [Side 1]

2. Please Stay (Once You Go Away)

3. If I Should Die Tonight

4. Keep Gettin' It On

5. Come Get To This [Side 2]

6. Distant Lover

7. You Sure Love To Ball

8. Just To Keep You Satisfied

Tracks 1 to 8 are his thirteenth studio album "Let's Get It On" - released August 1973 in the USA on Tamla Records T 329V1 and November 1973 in the UK on Tamla Motown Records STMA 8013. Produced by MARVIN GAYE, ED TOWNSEND - it peaked at No. 1 on the US R&B LP charts and No. 39 on the UK Rock LP charts.

 

SESSIONS (All Tracks Previously Unreleased Except 14)

9. Song No. 3 (Instrumental, 5:30 minutes)

10. My Love Is Growing (Working Titled 'Super Polished', 4:20 minutes)

11. Cakes (Instrumental, 3:15 minutes)

12. Symphony (Undubbed Version, 2:50 minutes)

13. I'd Give My Life For You (Demo, 3:33 minutes)

14. I Love You Secretly by THE MIRACLES (Marvin Gaye co-written song, officially issued on The Miracles US LP "Renaissance" in April 1973 on Tamla T325L)

15. You're The Man (Alternate Version 1, 7:25 minutes)

16. You're The Man (Version 2, 4:45 minutes)

17. Symphony (Demo, 2:50 minutes) 

 

CD2 (77:01 minutes):

DEMOS, ALTERNATIVES MIXES & MORE

(All Tracks Previously Unreleased Except 20)

1. Let's Get It On (Demo, 5:14 minutes)

2. Let's Get It On (Part II) aka Keep Gettin' It On (Complete, 3:15 minutes)

3. Please Stay (Once You Go Away) (Alternate Mix with Horns, 3:50 minutes)

4. If I Should Die Tonight (Demo, 4:15 minutes)

5. Come Get To This (Alternate Mix, 2:48 minutes)

6. Distant Lover (Alternative Mix, 4:20 minutes)

7. You Sure Love To Ball (Alternate Mix with Alternate Vocals, 4:40 minutes)

8. Just To Keep You Satisfied (A Capella with Alternative Vocal, 4:40 minutes)

9. Just To Keep You Satisfied by THE ORIGINALS (1970, Original Single Mix Scheduled for Soul 35079, B-side of "God Bless Whoever Sent You" but Cancelled, 4:00 minutes)

10. Just To Keep You Satisfied by THE MONITORS (1968 recording, Richard Street Lead Vocals, 2:36 minutes)

 

WORKING THE GROOVE

11. Where Are We Going? (Alternate Mix, Produced by and Featuring Freddie Perrin and Fonce Mizell, 4:00 minutes)

12. The World Is Rated X (Alternate Mix, From Version That Appeared on the 1995 2CD "Anthology" compilation, 3:50 minutes)

13. I'm Gonna Give You Respect (2:55 minutes)

14. Try It, You'll Like It (3:55 minutes)

15. You Are That Special One (3:35 minutes)

16. We Can Make It Baby (3:20 minutes)

(Tracks 13 to 16 Produced by and Featuring songs from Willie Hutch recorded throughout 1972)

17. Running From Love (Instrumental, Version 1, 3:45 minutes)

18. Mandota (Instrumental, 3:00 minutes)

19. Running From Love (Instrumental, Version 2, 3:45 minutes)

20. Come Get To This (Live From Oakland, 2:57 minutes, First Issued in 1990)

 

The 28-page booklet inside the foldout card digipak (and outer plastic printed slipcase) is a tastefully laid-out piece of work. Someone did some serious work on this because it is crammed with Discography Details from the Motown Archive and Biographer DAVID RITZ and Music Author BEN EDMONDS pour of the Biographical stuff that puts it all into context (the groove and grind always aligned with conflict and contradictions). HARRY WEINGER also gives us insights in paragraphs he entitles "Finding The Groove – Adventures In The Vault" – Tape Preparation and Location. Impressive stuff.

 

The array of cool woollen beany hats Gaye wore at the time make for the most beautiful photos, but all of that is as nothing when you start to wade through the dirge of music (on top of the album) you are given. KEVIN REEVES has done literally hundreds of CD Reissues for Universal and his is a name I would actively seek out. Well his magic touch is very much in evidence here – all of it feeling muscular and sensual in a way that was lacking before. Not even the Demos or Alternates feel clunky – in fact – some are better recorded than some actual released material.

 

The album produced three 45s with wildly varying chart success. The title track previewed the LP by two months when "Let's Get It On" hit the shops in June 1973, but it was a smash and promptly topped both the R&B and Pop charts in the USA. That was followed by "Come Get To This" in October 1973 (No. 3 R&B and No. 21 Pop) - whilst the final overtly hip-swaying 45 tapered out even more - "You Sure Love To Ball" in early January 1974 managing only No. 13 R&B and No. 50 Pop. Sounding like a manifesto for the bedroom, I can only imagine how many homes had this on the turntable in 1973 and now count grandchildren all owed the Oven Man. But there is even better in the Bonus material...

 

Universal put out an Original Mix of "Where Are We Going?" on their 'Very Best Of' Marvin Gaye set in July 2001 – what we get here is an Alternate Mix that emphasizes the sexy piano and wah-wah guitar backbeat – a gem. That's followed by what has to be one of the best Marvin Funk discoveries of all - "The World Is Rated X" – laid down in 1972 with Marvin even putting in Saxophone. His vocal on this is passion personified – every line sung with a genuine conviction - that socially aware inner radar on his on fire. That is then whomped by the lovely Willie Hutch session of four songs – the nugget being the brass-bopper "I'm Going Give You Respect" – the kind of winner that makes you want to lay talcum powder on the kitchen lino and just sway and shuffle with your Northern Soul crew. Regardless of what else is on CD2 – if I only programmed Tracks 11, 12 and 13 together – I’d be in Marvin Nirvana. But then you are hit with three more...

 

Things get Fuzz-Guitar Funky with two Versions of "Running From Love" laid down in September 1971. The first sounds like a backdrop to The Temptations or even The Undisputed Truth before they go off to that war over there. Both are instrumentals co-written with Hamilton Bohannon and Michael Henderson – fantastic echoed guitar licks from Melvin "Wah Wah" Ragin, Ray Parker, Jr. and Leroy Emmanuel, while Marvin provided Keyboards, Bongos and Percussion. A couple of months later (December 1971), Marvin and Hamilton Bohannon put down the seriously Funky Guitar and Keyboards instrumental "Mandota" – all Blaxsploitation atmospherics that feels like a precursor to the "Trouble Man" soundtrack in 1973. The Second Version (Take 6) of "Running From Love" slows everything down to a sexy groove that again wouldn’t have gone amiss on Shaft or Trouble Man – all strings and grinding groovy Funk. It ends with a sensual audience-clapping Live Version of "Come Get To This" recorded 1974 and first issued on the 1990 Box Set "The Marvin Gaye Collection" – tasty and still Marvin cool.

 

Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" is one of those 2CD Deluxe Editions that provides a genuine embarrassment of riches - a real upgrade on what went before (Bob Marley's "Legend", Marvin Gaye's own "Trouble Man" Soundtrack 2CD Deluxe Edition, Whiskeytown's "Strangers Almanac" with Ryan Adams and The Who's "Who's Next" are among many others that warrant a DE merit badge too).

 

In the end, I'm probably like every other fan, I only have to hear his voice soar and parry with the melodies and I'm a goner. And that always makes me wish he wasn't.  

Come Get To This indeed because I guarantee, if you have any affection for the 1973 original, then this brilliant 2001 upgrade is a big You'll Like It!...

"Goats Head Soup" by THE ROLLING STONES – August 1973 UK and US LP on Rolling Stones Records - Guests Included Billy Preston, Nicky Hopkins, Ian Stewart, Rick Grech, Jimmy Page, Bobby Keys and Jim Price with Bruce Rowlands and Jim Keltner (September 2020 UK/EU Rolling Stones Records/Polydor 2CD Deluxe Edition Reissue with New Giles Martin and Greg Calbi Stereo Remixes and Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Sexy Beast..."

 

*** 2020 Remaster vs. 1994 and 2009 Versions *** 

The June 1994 Virgin Single-CD Remaster had the original uncensored version of "Star Star" - but is now long deleted. The May 2009 subsequent Remaster at the hands of Polydor added unseen insult to injury by using the censored version (naughty words clumsily edited out) without announcing it on the packaging.

 

So now in September 2020, we thankfully revert to the original line-up ("Star Star" intact as it should be) and add in a second disc in the form of a 2CD Deluxe Edition offering 10 Previously Unissued Mixes, Alternates and Updated Outtakes – one of which features Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin on Guitar (not so you'd notice mind).

 

The New 2020 Stereo Mix by GILES MARTIN (of Abbey Road fame) with Mastering from the masterful GREG CALBI (Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon and hundreds more) finally gives us the Audio Version that this notoriously muddy album has always deserved. This is without doubt the best that 'Soup' has ever sounded and that CD2 is alarmingly good too. So once more to the veils my peeps and let us wallow in some cauldron broth (on and off the menu)...

 

UK/EU released 4 September 2020 - "Goats Head Soup" by THE ROLLING STONES on Rolling Stones Records/Polydor 089 396-4 (Barcode 602508939648) is a 2CD Deluxe Edition Reissue and New 2020 Remaster that plays out as follows:

 

CD1 - New Stereo Mix - (46:48 minutes):

1. Dancing With Mr. D [Side 1]

2. 100 Years Ago

3. Coming Down Again

4. Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)

5. Angie

6. Silver Train [Side 2]

7. Hide Your Love

8. Winter

9. Can You Hear The Music

10. Star Star

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Goats Head Soup" by THE ROLLING STONES - released 31 August 1973 in both the USA and UK on Rolling Stones COC 59101. Produced by JIMMY MILLER - it also hit the No. 1 spot on both LP charts.

 

CD2 – Rarities & Alternative Mixes – (39:50 minutes):

1. Scarlett

2. All The Rage

3. Criss Cross

4. 100 YearsAgo (Piano Demo)

5. Dancing With Mr. D. (Instrumental)

6. Heartbreaker (Instrumental)

7. Hide Your Love (Alternate Mix)

8. Dancing with Mr. D. (Glyn Johns 1973 Mix)

9. Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker) (Glyn Johns 1973 Mix)

10. Silver Train (Glyn Johns 1973 Mix)

 

THE ROLLING STONES were:

MICK JAGGER - Lead Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica and Piano

KEITH RICHARD - Lead Guitar, Bass and Vocals

MICK TAYLOR - Lead Guitar, Bass and Vocals

BILL WYMAN - Bass

CHARLIE WATTS - Drums

 

CD1 Album Guests:

NICKY HOPKINS - Piano on Tracks 1, 3, 5, 8 and 9

BILLY PRESTON - Clavinet on Track 1, 2 and Piano on Track 4

IAN STEWART - Piano on Tracks 6 and 10

BOBBY KEYS - Tenor and Baritone Saxophone

JIM HORN - Flute and Saxophone

CHUCK FINLEY - Trumpet

JIM PRICE - Horns on Track 4

NICKY HARRISON - String Arrangements on Tracks 5 and 8

PASCHAL BEBOP and JIMMY MILLER - Percussion

 

CD2 Rarities Guests:

JIMMY PAGE – Guitar on Track 1

IAN STEWART – Piano and Organ on Track 1, Piano on Tracks 2, 5 and 7 with Organ on Track 6

NICKY HOPKINS – Piano on Tracks 2, 4, 5 and 6

BILLY PRESTON – Keyboards on Track 3

BOBBY KEYS –Saxophone on Tracks 5, 6 and 7

JIM PRICE – Trumpet on Track 6

RICK GRECH – Bass on Track 1

BRUCE ROWLANDS – Drums on Track 1

JIM KELTNER - Timbales on Track 3

 

The much-lauded booklets of these 2CD Deluxe Editions is yet again another over-it in a matter of minutes ho-hum affair – 20-pages of sessions photos accompanied by 2-pages of reissue credits at the back that list the players for all tracks and bugger all else. There is no critique of the album or historical placing liner notes which is just ludicrous, but unfortunately typical of their reissues. The original duo of inserts (an inner bag in the USA) and that gatefold artwork all make their way onto the triple-fold-out card sleeve but again the artwork feels lessened somehow to me and not made better. Both GILES MARTIN and CRAIG SILVEY are listed as the bods behind the 2020 Mixes while 2020 Mastering is down to GREG CALBI and EMILY LAZAR. And that's where the real goodies lie...

 

Man does this sucker Rock. Those album cuts we've all loved for decades like the beautiful "Winter" and the trippy "Can You Hear The Music?" are shining (in as much as they can). As someone who has been listening to the dull mastering of the original LP and the definite improvements provided in 1994 and 2009 – this properly thorough Remix in 2020 is a revelation. Stuff like "Dancing With Mr. D" rocks too (a sequel to "Sympathy To The Devil" that isn't quite as great) and the largely Acoustic "Angie" can only be described as Sublime Audio - not something you say about The Rolling Stones on CD very often. Although they didn't issue it as a 45 in the UK - the USA put out "Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)" as an A-side 7" single in February 1974 with "Dancing With Mr. D" on the flip - it went to No. 15.

 

The sinking into dark-eyes and rotten-teeth druginess of "Coming Down Again" has Keith taking the Lead Vocals before Mick takes over. But as Richards sings in a pleading ache "...she was dying to survive..." and later "...where are all my friends..." - you can literally feel his own spirit crying out for rescue from what was surely a suicidal and inevitable path towards Heroin. The 'case of mistaken identity' song "Heartbreaker" about cops with their trigger-happy forty-fours sounds incredible as does Billy Preston’s piano and that trio of expert brass players. And "Silver Train" rocks too - huge build of slide guitars - Mick Taylor adding so much as he always did – while Mick blows a mean Harmonica and claims he 'did not know her name' but she left with all the money anyway (yikes).

 

Like most I had not expected much from CD2, but frankly I can't stop playing the nifty sounding bugger to death. The first three are the new songs, old outtakes updated and they are excellent – kicking rockers that make me re-imagine Side 1 of the LP in my brain. The "100 Years Ago Demo" almost outdoes the finished article – Jagger clear and intimate as only Nicky Hopkins accompanies him on the old Johanna. Both the Instrumentals of "Dancing" and "Heartbreaker" are fantastic – all that muscle and riffage sneaking across your room. The remaining four are rougher but feel like a Punk Rolling Stones with their voodoo power intact. And again – I cannot stress enough how good that Instrumental of "Heartbreaker" is – crystal clear Acoustic Guitar opening – Bobby Keys and Jim Price giving in their Horns Magic throughout – Rocking and Beautiful at one and the same time. This is Rolling Stones magic.

 

There are multiple formats for this September 2020 reissue of "Goats Head Soup" – the sexy beast variant being the LP-Sized Super Deluxe Box Set with a CD3, Book, Memorabilia Repros and more.

 

The bottom line is that this 2020 version of the mucho-dismissed "Goats Head Soup" album is the best ever. And for a Stones album I've always held a candle for, I'll take this newly cooked two-horned stew all day long over the ones that went before...