"Chartbusters USA Volume 1" by VARIOUS ARTISTS - Featuring Sir Douglas Quintet, Van Morrison, The Lovin' Spoonful, Tommy Tucker, Sam The Sham and The Pharaohs, The Bobby Fuller Four, Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels, Joe South, Brenton Wood, Tommy Tucker, The Ventures, Paul Revere & The Raiders, The Seeds, The Hombres, Dobie Gray, The Left Banke, Count Five, The Seeds and many more (October 1999 UK Ace Records CD Compilation - Re-Released June 2009 with Upgraded Booklet and Jewel Case Design - Duncan Cowell Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"...She's About A Mover..." 

 

I've been meaning to review this totally brill Ace Records CD Series begun in 1999 for yonks now - and in May 2022 - it's about bruddy time I made good on that sonically meritorious citation.

 

The reason for my hallowed and manically sought after patronage of 'Chartbusters USA' is the SUPERLATIVE AUDIO. In a sea of so many 60ts CD compilations, it's hard to know where to look or buy? But after purchasing Volume One and hearing these stunning Remasters of Mono 45-single mixes from the hip and happening 60ts - I promptly snapped up the other four in the Series - and stunning audio or no, the only one I regret buying is the seriously cheesy COUNTRY EDITION (see list below).

 

The remastered sound is just fantastic throughout and genre diversity abounds - Sixties Pop, Rock, Rhythm 'n' Blues, Soul, Girl Groups, Garage, Psych, TV and Soundtrack Themes, Novelty etc. Lots to shimmy to...here are the details...

 

UK released October 1999 - "Chartbusters USA Volume 1" by VARIOUS ARTISTS is the first of five CD compilations in Ace's 'Chartbusters USA' Series (see list below).

 

Ace CDCHD 722 (Barcode 029667172226) offers 30 American MONO 45-Single A-sides Remastered from best possible sources. This CD was UK-reissued June 2009 with the same catalogue number (and Barcode), but with an upgraded booklet and see-through CD tray/rear inlay artwork instead of the standard black tray of the 1999 original. Both issues use the 1999 masters and play out as follows (79:46 minutes):

 

All Tracks Are 45-Single A-side MONO Mixes (except Track 9, B-side)

1. She's About A Mover - SIR DOUGLAS QUINTET 

February 1965 US 45-single on Tribe 45-8308 - Peaked No. 13

April 1965 UK 45-single on London HLU 9964

 

2. Brown Eyed Girl - VAN MORRISON 

May 1967 US 45-single on Bang B-545 - Peaked at No. 10

July 1967 UK 45-single on London HLZ 10150 

 

3. Do You Believe In Magic? - THE LOVIN' SPOONFUL 

August 1965 US 45-single on Kama Sutra KA 201 - Peaked at No. 9

October 1965 UK 45-single on Pye International 7N 25327

 

4. Wooly Bully - SAM THE SHAM and THE PHARAOHS 

February 1965 US 45-single on MGM K 13322 - Peaked at No. 2

May 1965 UK 45-single on MGM Records MGM 1269 

 

5. I Fought The Law - THE BOBBY FULLER FOUR 

November 1965 US 45-single on Mustang 3014 - Peaked at No. 9

March 1966 UK 45-single on London HL 10030 

 

6.Jenny Take A Ride! - MITCH RYDER and THE DETROIT WHEELS 

November 1965 US 45-single on New Voice 806 - Peaked at No. 10

January 1966 UK 45-single on Stateside SS 481

7. Games People Play - JOE SOUTH 

August 1968 US 45-single on Capitol 2248 - Peaked at No. 12

January 1969 UK 45-single on Capitol CL 15579 

8. Gimme Little Sign - BRENTON WOOD

July 1967 US 45-single on Double Shot 116 - Peaked at No. 9

October 1967 UK 45-single on Liberty LBF 15021

9. Elusive Butterfly - BOB LIND

November 1965 US 45-single on World Pacific 77078 

B-side USA-only of "Cheryl's Goin' Home" - Peaked at No. 5

February 1966 UK 45-single on Fontana TF 670 

Sides reversed - "Elusive Butterfly" as the A, "Cheryl's Goin' Home" as the B

 

10. California Dreamin' - THE MAMA'S And THE PAPA'S 

November 1965 US 45-single on Dunhill D-4020 - Peaked at No. 4

February 1966 UK 45-single on RCA Victor RCA 1503

11. Walk Away Renee - THE LEFT BANKE 

June 1966 US 45-single on Smash S-2041 - Peaked at No. 5

September 1966 US 45-single on Philips BF 1517 

12. G.T.O. - RONNY & THE DAYTONAS 

June 1964 US 45-single on Mala 481 - Peaked at No. 4

September 1964 UK 45-single on Stateside SS 333

 

13. Working In The Coalmine - LEE DORSEY 

June 1966 US 45-single on Amy 958 - Peaked at No. 8

July 1966 UK 45-single n Stateside SS 528 

 

14. I Can't Stand It - THE SOUL SISTERS 

January 1964 US 45-single on Sue 799 - Peaked at No. 46

No UK Issue

 

15. Hi Heel Sneakers - TOMMY TUCKER  

January 1964 US 45-single on Checker 1067 - Peaked at No. 11

February 1964 UK 45-single on Pye International 7N 25238 

Also Track 1, Side 1 UK "Hi Heel Sneakers" EP from 1964 on Pye Intl NEP 44027

16. Treat Her Right - ROY HEAD and THE TRAITS

April 1965 US 45-single on Back Beat 546 - Peaked at No. 2

October 1965 UK 45-single (as ROY HEAD) on Vocalion VP 9248

 

17. Eve Of Destruction - BARRY McGUIRE 

August 1965 US 45-single on Dunhill D-4009 - Peaked at No. 1

August 1965 UK 45-single on RCA Victor RCA 1469 

 

18. Hawaii Five-O - THE VENTURES 

September 1968 US 45-single on Liberty 56068 - Peaked at No. 4

June 1969 UK 45-single on Liberty LBF 15221

 

19. Kicks - PAUL REVERE & THE RAIDERS

February 1966 US 45-single on Columbia 4-43556 - Peaked at No. 4

April 1966 UK 45-single on CBS 202205

 

20. Green Tambourine - THE LEMON PIPERS 

November 1967 US 45-single on Buddah BDA-23 - Peaked at No. 1

January 1968 UK 45-single on Pye International 7N 25444

 

21. On The Road Again - CANNED HEAT 

April 1968 US 45-single on Liberty 56038 - Peaked at No. 16

June 1968 UK 45-single on Liberty LBF 15090 

 

22. Psychotic Reaction - COUNT FIVE 

July 1966 US 45-single on Double Shot 104 - Peaked at No. 5

October 1966 UK 45-single on Pye International 7N 25393

23. Pushin' Too Hard - THE SEEDS featuring SKY SAXON

July 1966 US 45-single on GNP Crescendo GNP 372 - Peaked at No. 36

July 1966 UK 45-single on Vocalion VN 9277

 

24. Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out) - THE HOMBRES 

July 1967 US 45-single on Verve Forecast KF 5058 - Peaked at No. 12

November 1967 UK 45-single on Verve Forecast VS 1510 

 

25. Soul Deep - THE BOX TOPS 

June 1969 US 45-single on Mala M-12,040 - Peaked at No. 18

July 1969 UK 45-single on Bell BLL 1068  

26. Remember (Walkin' In The Sand) - THE SHANGRI-LAS 

July 1964 US 45-single on Red Bird RB 10-008 - Peaked at No. 5

September 1964 UK 45-single on Red Bird RB 10 008 

27. The "In" Crowd - DOBIE GRAY 

November 1964 US 45-single on Charger CRG-105 - Peaked at No. 13

February 1965 UK 45-single on London HL 9953 

 

28. The Good, The Bad And The Ugly - HUGO MONTENEGRO & ORCHESTRA

January 1968 US 45-single on RCA Victor 47-9423 - Peaked at No. 2

August 1968 UK 45-single on RCA Victor RCA 1727 

 

29. Expressway To Your Heart - THE SOUL SURVIVORS 

July 1967 US 45-single on Crimson CR-1010 - Peaked at No. 4 

October 1967 UK 45-single on Stateside SS 2057 

30. Dance To The Music - SLY & THE FAMILY STONE 

November 1967 US 45-single on Epic 5-10256 - Peaked at No. 8

March 1968 UK 45-single on Columbia DB 839 

Reissued June 1968 UK 45-single on Direction 58-3568

Note: Not so you'd notice so much unless you were looking deep - but when this CD compilation was first issued October 1999 by Ace in the UK, it had a black CD tray and therefore no rear inlay that could be seen as in most modern releases. There are also seemed to be some kind of possible dispute over the use of a Sly Stone image at the rear of the booklet. It was reissued therefore in June 2009 (same catalogue number and confusingly with the same Barcode) - but this time with the rear inlay displaying memorabilia through the clear see-through plastic CD tray and the booklet altered to remove the Sly Stone image. The original rear inlay has only 1999 copyright date - the reissue has 1999/2009. 

Whichever you buy, the 20-page booklet is the usual feast of images that reissue label Ace have been doing so well for the guts of 45 years. In-between typically in-depth liner notes from TONY ROUNCE (a name collectors trust and love) are both black and white and colour trade adverts for Roy Head, The Mama's And The Papa's, The Seeds, Dobie Gray, The Shangri-Las and other cool 60ts groovers. Ace picture the rare first British 7" single for Sly & The Family Stone's "Dance To The Music" on Columbia rather than the more commonly seen Direction Records 45 - a hip-pocket record for a microphone-enthralled Van Morrison - sheet music for the fantastic "Hi Heel Sneakers" from Tommy Tucker and even a suitably Egyptian themed advert for Sam The Sham and The Pharaohs where they might crying 'mummy' for other reasons than phoning a parent for the rent money. 

 

As you can imagine - it's 20-pages impress greatly - while the new 2009 rear inlay shows picture sleeves, demo labels, concert photos and trade adverts for names you don't see every day of the week in reissues - Bob Lind, The Lemon Pipers, The Hombres, The Seeds and Count V. Fantastic stuff. And the Remasters from long-standing Audio Engineer to Ace Records and Sony/Blue Horizon by DUNCAN COWELL equal the effort of the booklet. Clean, punchy, packed with oomph even in the frantic Mitch Ryder track - I've never heard these winners sound so good.  

Volume 1 opens on an absolute humdinger that you've most likely forgotten - the fantastic neck-jerking "She's About A Mover" by San Antonio's 'Sir Douglas Quintet' - the band fronted by a 24-year-old Doug Sahm. That's quickly followed by a gorgeous sounding "Brown Eyed Girl" - Van Morrison fresh out of Them and looking to make his first solo mark. Morrison's debut seven-inch single is overplayed by every hits station on the planet I know, but what an opening salvo winner it was and still is - nearly sixty bloody years after the event. 

 

Deep dive cuts for me include the fabulous "I Fought The Law" by The Bobby Fuller Four - a song I will always associate with The Clash who naturally adopted it as something of a theme song (Fuller was dead at 24 reputedly the victim of a mob hit) - while I can never get enough of the easy Soul Brenton Wood oozed with "Gimme Little Sign". Speaking of cool Rhythm 'n' Blues crossing over into 60ts Soul - Roy Head's "Treat Her Right", Tommy Tucker's "Hi Heel Sneakers" and even The Box Tops doing their "Soul Deep" are singles that must be in any self-respecting household. 

 

Genius inclusions go to the TV Series Theme "Hawaii Five-O" by The Ventures - spaghetti Western staple "The Good, The Bad And The Ugly" by Hugo Montenegro followed by the magical Hombres track "Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out)" - a cool R&B pounder that John Cougar Mellancamp did as a hidden CD Bonus Track on his 1989 album "Big Daddy". But my innards go to real mush for that trio of Garage Classics - "Kicks" by Paul Revere & The Raiders, "Psychotic Reaction" by Count Five and "Pushin' Too Hard" by The Seeds. Soul is in here too - "The "In" Crowd" and "Dance To The Music" and how beautiful is Left Banke's "Walk Away Renee". 

Volume 2 continues the genius choices with Lalo Schifrin's "Mission Impossible", Mongo Santamaria's "Watermelon Man" and Classics IV giving it some "Spooky" while The Turtles piano-plink-and-big-chorus toward "Eleanor" - tunes liable to tempt any compiler of cool-60ts CDR's. 

Onward and upward - enjoy me hearties...

 

 CHARTBUSTERS USA CD Series from Ace Records of the UK

Five Compilations of 45-Single Mix Remasters

 

Chartbusters USA Volume 1 - October 1999 original release, reissued June 2009 with upgraded booklet and rear-inlay jewel case presentation. The 1999/2009 issues confusingly have the same Catalogue number and Barcodes. However, the original has only a 1999 copyright date - the reissue has 1999/2009.

Ace CDCHD 722 (Barcode 029667172226), 79:46 minutes (30 tracks)

 

Chartbusters USA Volume 2 - January 2002 original release date

Ace CDCHD 832 (Barcode 029667183222), 79:55 minutes (29 tracks)

 

Chartbusters USA Volume 3 – 31 March 2003 original release date

Ace CDCHD 890 (Barcode 029667189026), 78:34 minutes (29 tracks)

 

Chartbusters USA Special Edition – Sunshine Pop (29 June 2009)

Ace CDCHD 1228 (Barcode 029667037129) 72:51 minutes (26 tracks)

 

Chartbusters USA Special Country Edition – 25 November 2016

Ace CDCHD 1488 (Barcode 029667078023), 62:29 minutes (24 tracks)

"Parallel Lines" by BLONDIE – September 1978 US and UK Third Studio Album on Chrysalis Records – Featuring Debbie Harry, Chris Stein, James Destri, Frank Infante, Nigel Harrison and Clement Burke (September 2001 UK Capitol/Chrysalis Expanded Edition CD Reissue and Remaster with Five Bonus Tracks – Kevin Bartley Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"...One Way Or Another..."

 

It's almost impossible to think of it in my geriatric rotund-waistline dotage, but in six years time – September 2028 to be exact – that hardy perennial of the bargain bin secondhand record shop "Parallel Lines" by Blondie will be an astonishing 50-years old. A half a bleeding century – what! And frankly Frank – on a re-listen in May 2022 – the wee little blighter rocks and then some.

 

Blondie knew they had up the game after the rapid fade out of the "Plastic Letters" album in February of that mercurial year – 1978. The three singles had done well in the British Top 20 - "Denis" to No. 2, "(I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence Dear" to No. 10 and "Picture This" to No. 12. It was probably the huge popularity of front-lady Debbie Harry and the irresistible bop of "Denis" that saw their second studio platter "Plastic Letters" reach No. 10 on the UK LP charts – somewhat of an improvement over their 1977 debut that didn't chart at all.

 

But when the American band went into the studio in June and July of 1978 with strict disciplinarian Producer Mike Chapman (an Australian) of the famous Chinn/Chapman partnership (countless hits on RAK Records including wads of British chart toppers) - the precipice-ensemble knew that it was time for a world-beater – even if they could barely handle the egos doing overtime in the volatile six-piece line-up fronted by a former Playboy Bunny who was dating the Guitarist (Debbie and Chris).

 

And "Parallel Lines" delivered that - laden with more hit singles than you could shake a stick at - which duly propelling the sexy stripped beast to the top - their first album to reach No. 1 in England and an impressive No. 6 Stateside. "Parallel Lines" was so big for this great American crossover band that their self-titled debut "Blondie" finally charted in March 1979 on the back of its hard-won success, albeit at a more modest No. 79.

 

Indeed, re-listening to this fantastically good CD Remaster of door number three – it's a blast to hear that the former always-in-the-sales-bin album has clearly stood the test of time – chock to the gunnels with Seventies Pop, Rock, Punk, New Wave, Buddy Holly Rock and Roll and yes even Disco. To the details my peroxide parishioners...

 

UK released September 2001 - "Parallel Lines" by BLONDIE on EMI/Capitol/Chrysalis 5335992 (Barcode 724353359928) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster with Four Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows (56:57 minutes):

 

1. Hanging On The Telephone [Side 1]

2. One Way Or Another

3. Picture This

4. Fade Away And Radiate

5. Pretty Baby

6. I Know But I Don't Know

7. 11:59 [Side 2]

8. Will Anything Happen?

9. Sunday Girl

10. Heart Of Glass [Extended Disco Mix of 5:50 minutes]

11. I'm Gonna Love You Too

12. Just Go Away

Tracks 1 to 12 are their third studio album "Parallel Lines" - released September 1978 in the UK on Chrysalis CDL 1192 and Chrysalis CHR 1192 in America. Produced by MIKE CHAPMAN – it peaked at No. 1 in the UK and No. 6 in the USA.

 

BONUS TRACKS:

13. Once I Had A Love (aka The Disco Song) – 3:16 minutes

Previously Unreleased 1978 Version – Recorded May 1978 at The Record Plant in NYC and Produced by Mike Chapman

14. Bang A Gong (Get It On) (Live) – 5:27 minutes

Cover Version of the Marc Bolan T.Rex hit from 1971 and given its US title – recorded live November 1978 at the Paradise in Boston

15. I Know But I Don't Know (Live) – 4:33 minutes

Recorded live November 1978 at the Walnut Theatre in Philadelphia

16. Hanging On The Telephone (Live) - 2:21 minutes

Recorded live 1980 in Dallas, Texas

 

BLONDIE was:

DEBORAH HARRY – Lead Vocals

CHRIS STEIN – Guitars, 12-String, E-Bow

FRANK INFANTE – Guitar

JAMES DESTRI – Keyboards

NIGEL HARRISON – Bass

CLEMENT BURKE – Drums

Guest:

Robert Fripp of King Crimson plays Guitar on "Fade Away And Radiate"

 

The 8-page inlay is a pretty if not fairly basic affair, not surprisingly containing a page of relevant 7" picture sleeves (Dutch and Japanese in particular as well as the different artwork in Holland to the album) and some photos of the band from the period. On top of that you get a lay of the land set of liner notes provided by original producer MIKE CHAPMAN (written May 2001) on how he whipped the casual Americans into rehearsal shape – a fair and entertaining read. There are a further two pages of recording/reissue credits and the 24-Bit Digital Remaster from original tapes has been done by KEVIN BARTLEY at Capitol Mastering. Given what I was used to before on LP, you have to say that the Audio so damn good - way punchier - the clarity on kick-ass tracks like "One Way Or Another" or the dense Fripp-o-tronic guitars of "Fade Away And Radiate" almost unnerving at times. To the lithesome tunes...

 

That opening pring-pring phone dial, then a wall of voices and guitars for "Hanging On The Telephone" come a-blasting out of your speakers. What a hit this "I can't control myself... " song was - hardly surprising it went to No. 3 in the singles chart. Seriously great Punk attitude in the brilliant "One Way Or Another", one of my fave-raves by them – Debbie singing like her life depends on it. More telephone imagery in "Picture This", the third gem in a row, and I had forgotten about that cool solo – all I want is 20/20 vision – the remaster gives it to you. We veer away from Hitsville and go out there into US New Wave weirdo-land for "Fade Away And Radiate" – silver pictures moving slow – hidden voices – Fripp conjuring up dreams on the screen with his distinctive guitar work. You will have to give this one some welly, but the power is there – especially when that solo kicks in at 2:44 minutes. "Pretty Baby" is US New Wave meets 60ts Girl Group – easily could have been another radio-friendly hit. And Side 1 ends with a return to a King Crimson riff/vibe for "I Know But I Don't Know" – a Frank Infante menace song with fantastic riffage where more than a few slashes are reminiscent of The Stooges stalking the stage.

 

Side 2 opens with the slightly awkward "11:59" – a song that doesn’t seem to know what it wants to be – those piano changes and that Elvis Costello organ though a bit better now through the Remaster. Better for me is "Will Anything Happen?" – surely one of the LP’s forgotten moments – a Jack Lee song – the man who would gift them "Hanging On The Telephone" and later on see his "Come Back And Stay" done by Paul Young. Chris Stein could write an annoying hit too – but who would have thought that something like his very-Cars "Sunday Girl" would go to No. 1. And yet it did.

 

And speaking of such - then comes the monster "Heart Of Glass" – a Stein/Harry winner that despite or because of its ooh-ooh-ah glitterball Disco beat became another chart topper for Blondie. You also notice that this is the Extended Disco Mix of 5:50 minutes over the LP's original 3:54 minutes without being announced as such (whether you like it or not). Capitol could have put the LP cut here (as it should be) and the Extended Version in the Bonuses? Some will see this near six-minute boogie as a Bonus while others may feel that the shorter/edited LP cut is what they were used to. 

 

We then get a cover of the 50ts Buddy Holly classic "I'm Gonna Love You Too" and I can never work out if its cack or genius (not a rave on for me really). The album ends on a slyly bitter Debbie moment with her "Just Go Away" – a boo-hoo go-away big mouth jaunt. To the Bonuses, which typically are both very good in some instances and only-O.K. in others...

 

The first extra is bizarre – a Previously Unreleased early attempt at the Disco of "Heart Of Glass" recorded in New York with Producer Mike Chapman in June 1978. Not a patch on the finished extended version on offer here – still – you can hear the winner is in there somewhere – they just need to chisel it out. Far better is the lowdown and dirty live Rock Riffage of the T.Rex classic "Get It On" where ending a gig, Blondie sound dangerous and cool – The Clash meets The Motels. For sure the live sound could be better – but the power is there and the band are playing like a beast – ripping into the Marc Bolan chug with guitar abandon. I love this. The other two live cuts also give you a real indication of what a tight unit Blondie was when they hit the stage – manic but always held together. Fans will love them, but casual listeners will go back to the LP every time. 

 

"...Thought it was the real thing, but I was so blind...love is so confusing..." Debbie sang all those years ago.

 

Well, I would not be confused in the slightest about buying this wickedly good CD Reissue and Remaster. Blondie were a great band – and "Parallel Lines" is their sexy-hot-pants of a moment - remember their Hearts of Glass this way...

"Ten Years After" by TEN YEARS AFTER - October 1967 UK Debut Album on Deram Records in MONO and STEREO featuring Alvin Lee on Lead Guitar and Lead Vocals, Chick Churchill on Keyboards, Leo Lyons on Bass and Ric Lee on Drums with Producer Mike Vernon of Blue Horizon Records and Audio Engineer Gus Dudgeon (June 2015 UK Universal/Deram 'Expanded Edition 2CD Reissue and Remaster' Offering Both Mono and Stereo Mixes of the Album on CD1 and Eleven Bonuses on CD2 with Andy Pearce Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"...Blues Guitar Of..." 

On page 7 of the tastefully annotated 16-page booklet that accompanies this cool digital twofer is an advert for the 1st of December 1967 for TEN YEARS AFTER at the Manor House Club in London '...featuring the wonderful Blues Guitar of Alvin Lee...'

 

Yeah baby! Hell, if you popped along on the following Friday, the 8th of December 1967, you could also see some brats called John Mayall's Blues Breakers who might be kinda fun too. The clear downside was the extortionate entrance fee of three schillings and six pence (capitalist swine). 

 

I loves me a release like this - a 2CD Newly Expanded Edition chock full of goodies and sounding fan-tab-a-dooblay courtesy of Audio Engineer ANDY PEARCE and his frankly under-insured knob-twiddling fingers. Much to discuss, so let's get to Ten Years After over 55 years ago and their Blues Rock Debut righteously reissued here in 2015 by Universal on their DERAM Records label imprint as was the original LP: 

 

UK released 22 June 2015 - "Ten Years After/1st Album" by TEN YEARS AFTER on Universal/Deram 472 643-8 (Barcode 0602547264381) is an Expanded Edition 2CD Reissue and Remaster offering both the MONO and STEREO Mixes of the album on CD1 with Eleven Bonus Tracks on CD 2 (Two in Mono and 9 in Stereo). It plays out as follows: 

 

CD1 "Ten Years After" Debut Album in MONO and STEREO (73:27 minutes):

1. I Want To Know [Side 1]

2. I Can't Keep From Cying, Sometimes 

3. Adventures Of A Young Organ 

4. Spoonful 

5. Losing The Dogs [Side 2]

6. Feel It For Me 

7. Love Until I Die 

8. Don't Want You Woman 

9. Help Me 

Tracks 1 to 9 is the MONO MIX 

Tracks 10 to 18 is the STEREO MIX (same tracks)

"Ten Years After" was released October 1967 in the UK on Deram DML 1015 in Mono and Deram SML 1015 in Stereo and London/Deram DE 16009 in Mono and London/Deram DES 16009 in Stereo. Produced by MIKE VERNON (Engineered by GUS DUDGEON) - it didn't chart in either country. 

CD2 Bonus Tracks - All STEREO except Tracks 2 and 4 (41:43 minutes): 

1. Portable People (2:12 minutes)

2. Portable People (2:15 minutes) (MONO)

3. The Sounds (4:10 minutes)

4. The Sounds (4:27 minutes) (MONO)

5. Rock Your Mama (2:58 minutes)

6. Spider In My Web (7:15 minutes)

7. Hold Me Tight (2:16 minutes)

8. (At The) Woodchopper's Ball (7:44 minutes)

9. Love Until I Die - Live At The BBC (2:20 minutes)

10. Don't Want You Woman - Live At The BBC (2:18 minutes)

11. The Sounds - Live At The BBC (3:24 minutes) 

 

NOTES CD2: 

Tracks 1, 3 and 7 first issued in March 1972 on the UK Stereo LP "Alvin Lee And Company" on Deram SML 109

 

Tracks 2 and 4 are the Non-LP A&B-sides of their debut UK 45-single released 16 February 1968 on Deram DM 176 and March 1968 in the USA on Deram 45-85027 in Mono (first CD issue 2002) 

 

Tracks 5 and 6 are the Non-LP A&B-sides of a May 1968 Export-Only Stereo 45-single on Deram DM 191 (first CD issue 2002) 

 

Track 8 recorded January 1968 and first released on the 2002 Deram Expanded Edition 1CD Reissue of "Ten Years After" on Deram 8828972 

 

Tracks 9 to 11 recorded live for the BBC "Top Gear" Radio Program in 1967 and are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

 

TEN YEARS AFTER was:

ALVIN LEE - Lead Guitar and Vocals 

CHICK CHURCHILL - Keyboards 

LEON LYONS - Bass 

RIC LEE - Drums

 

The booklet has 16-pages with new liner notes from noted writer MALCOLM DOME. His text is accompanied with the usual plethora of 60ts memorabilia repro'd across the pages to great effect - the American 1968 advert for their debut 45 "Portable People" where the groovy ad tells us that the British band's LP in breaking everywhere and the debut 7" single has something for the underground in its flipside "The Sounds". There's suitable cool black and whites of our fearsome foursome and even a snap of Alvin Lee, Leo Lyons and Ric Lee as The Jaybirds - their incarnation before 1967. The colour shot of the harder-edged Blues Rock band that was Ten Years After on Page 14 is particularly striking - a fourpiece Cream in the making. And there's a suitably trippy shot of the band on the rear inlay much like the fuzzy album cover photo. 

 

But for me the big news is ANDY PEARCE Remasters from original tapes - clean, precise and full of room to breathe. Andy Pearce and his Audio Engineer partner Matt Wortham have been at many Universal projects of note - Budgie, Rory Gallagher, Free, Mott The Hoople, Wishbone Ash and many more - and I actively seek out his work. The Stereo version of the nine-minute cover version of Sonny Boy Williamson's "Help Me" that ends the debut is so good. For sure the separation is a tad too harsh on some other tracks - but the audio is beautifully clear - Mike Vernon letting the band stretch out but still keeping it produced.And that Al Kooper cover "I Can't Keep From crying, Sometimes" is little short of gorgeous.

 

It's kind of weird to hear "Portable People" in STEREO - seriously separated vocals in the left and right - but man what a Remaster - Churchill's organ and Lee's so delicate guitar picking clear as if he's in front of you. Actually, when you listen to "Portable People" and its underground flip-side "The Sounds" - you wonder if it might have been a smarter move to throw the wild guitar-playing of "The Sounds" over to the A and give it a DJ-whirl. "The Sounds" is so fuzzed and in my head out there - it might have taken with the arm-swaying faithful. A bit fuzzier but no less boogie-tastic is "Rock Your Mama" - a stay in bed all day guitar and organ bopper that is followed by the superb slow blues of "Spider In My Web" - Lee showing his feel for the genre. 

 

"Hold Me Tight" with its boogie-woogie barrelhouse piano is just such a blast - England's Canned Heat echoing those vocals - you half expect Jerry Lee Lewis to put out of the speakers any moment. TYA goes Late Night Lounge Jazz Bop with "Woodchopper's Ball" - a guitar workout that confuses and feels wildly out of place even if his playing is impressive. A real downside is the three unreleased BBC cuts which the notes say are 'historical' - which means of course they are hissy and virtually bootleg. But man are they playing like wild men - harmonica - guitar - piano - all of it. He goes Slide Acoustic for "Don't Want You Woman" and again Lee and his boys play up a blinder. What a shame this "Top Gear" session isn't in better shape.

 

In May 2022, their 1967 debut "Ten Years After" is dated for sure in places and forgotten too to the dusty murk of a long-ago past. But I urge you to get your lugs around their beginnings (five of the cuts are superb Alvin Lee originals), because in my house, it's the equal of the Beano "Blues Breakers" LP from 1966 and a reminder of days when Brilliant Blues roamed the land cheap and cheerful. 

 

Despite the niggles about the less-than-stellar BBC recordings (obviously unreleased until now for good reason), make no mistake - this is a top job done and I'm stilling feeling it...