"Going For The One" by YES - July 1977 Eight Studio Album on Atlantic Records featuring Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Rick Wakeman, Chris Squire and Alan White (August 2003 UK Elektra/Rhino 'Expanded & Remastered Edition' CD Reissue with Seven Bonus Tracks and Bill Inglot/Dan Hersch Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With Over 220 Others Is Available In My

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"...Sun Thru The Haze... "

With their last studio album proper having been "Relayer" in November 1974 (featuring Keyboard whizz Patrick Moraz in the line-up) and a single-LP sort-of Best-of compilation filler in February 1975 called "Yesterdays" which had one new song on it (a cover version of Paul Simon's "America") – YES seemed an unlikely bet for a Number One slot in England come the rude and gobby summer of 1977. PROG and all its complicated symphonic Rock genre compatriots were perceived as overblown and old fart and were being promptly wiped away by British New Wave and Punk. And some maintained, rightly so my son.

And yet, there they were - YES - with their impenetrable cosmic lyrics and long complex songs and squirrely logo - this time ditching the beauty and signature look of Roger Dean artwork for their latest LP and replacing it with one of the most hideous and frankly ludicrously wasteful triple gatefold album sleeves ever in "Going For The One" – their eighth studio album released 7 July of 1977 (7/7/77). And they did achieve a No. 1 slot in Blighty (No. 8 in the USA) – never underestimate a naked man in front of a skyscraper.

Regardless of that, and as far as fans are concerned (who seem to love it more than I did back in the day – and I had been such a huge YES fan since 1970) – the search ever since has been to find a CD that improved on the harsh Production of the 1977-day. There have been audiophile issues in Japan, SACD reissues, but to me this August 2003 Elektra/Rhino Expanded Edition with Bill Inglot and Dan Hersch Remasters is still the best (and cheapest) way to nab this album until maestro Steve Wilson eventually gets a Panegyric 50^th Anniversary 5.1 and Stereo Remix out. To the awakening; wondrous stories...

UK released 25 August 2003 - "Going For The One" by YES on Elektra/Rhino 8122-73793-2 (Barcode 081227379322) is 'Expanded & Remastered Edition' CD Reissue with Seven Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows (79:43 minutes):

Side 1 

1. Going For The One (5:32 minutes) 

2. Turn Of The Century (7:55 minutes)

3. Parallels (5:53 minutes)

Side 2

4. Wondrous Stories (3:49 minutes)

5. Awaken (15:31 minutes)

Tracks 1 to 5 are their eight studio-album "Going For The One" - released 7 July 1977 in the USA on Atlantic Records SD 19106 and in the UK on Atlantic K 50379. Produced and Arranged by YES - it peaked at No. 1 in the UK and No. 8 in the USA. 

"Going For The One" and "Wondrous Stories" written by Jon Anderson; "Turn Of The Century" written by Jon Anderson, Steve Howe and Alan White; "Parallels" written by Chris Squire; "Awaken" written by Jon Anderson and Steve Howe

 

BONUS TRACKS: 

6. Montreux's Theme (Howe/Squire/Anderson/White) – 2:33 minutes

7. Vevey (Revisited) (Anderson/Wakeman) – 4:42 minutes

8. Amazing Grace (Traditional, Arranged by Squire) – 2:31 minutes

Tracks 6 and 8 first issued 6 August 1991 on the retrospective Box Set "Yes Years" on Atlantic 7 91644-2 (USA), Atco 7567-91644-2 (UK and Europe)

Track 7 "Vevey" first appeared as two tracks on the same Box Set in 1991 running to approximately 2-minutes – here is the full version at 4:42 minutes. It features only Jon Anderson on Harp and Rick Wakeman on Organ

Track 8 is a cover version of the famous Gospel song and features only Chris Squire on Bass

 

9. Going For The One (Rehearsal) – 5:07 minutes

10. Parallels (Rehearsal) – 6:16 minutes

11. Turn Of The Century (Rehearsal) – 6:54 minutes

12. Eastern Numbers (Early Version of "Awaken") -

Tracks 9 to 12 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

Jon Anderson, Steve Howe and Alan White only play on Track 9; Tracks 10, 11 and 12 features the full line-up as listed below

 

YES was:

JON ANDERSON - Lead Vocals, Harp and Guitar

STEVE HOWE - Electric, Pedal Steel and Acoustic Guitars, Vachalia, Harmony Vocals

RICK WAKEMAN - Piano, Electric Piano, Synths, Organ, all Keyboards 

CHRIS SQUIRE - Bass Guitar and Vocals 

ALAN WHITE- Drums and Percussion

The front of the 18-page booklet cleverly uses a fold-out flap to mimic the original triple gatefold sleeve artwork of old (it also reproduces the album's inner sleeve with photos and lyrics of the classic Yes line-up - Rick Wakeman having rejoined the crew) and new liner notes from TIM JONES gives an in-depth history of the band at the time and the making of the record including new reminiscences from Jon Anderson and Steve Howe. The pages to the rear give track-by-track credits (the playing times have been put in by myself above as they're not in here) - musician line-ups etc. The audio for this notoriously harsh sounding LP have been handled by Rhino's longstanding duo of Audio Engineers - BILL INGLOT and DAN HERSCH. These guys have handled thousands of master tapes across the vast WEA archive and although I still find parts of "Going For The One" and "Awaken" shrill what with all that noise and loud slide guitar - the improvement in the gorgeous "Turn Of The Century" is shockingly good. 

I can so hear why fans return to GFTO - it has that classic line-up feel - and when "Parallels" goes into Wakeman's soloing - the effect is quite magical. I was never really a fan of the single "Wondrous Stories" - a little too twee for my tastes - but hey - the chart buying public thought otherwise in September 1977 giving it an unlikely No. 7 chart placing. The singular Bass Guitar cover version of "Amazing Grace" done by Chris Squire is not much more than interesting, but it's two predecessors "Montreux's Theme" and "Vevey (Revisited)" are very cool outtakes. For sure the "Vevey" piece is a tad hissy, but Anderson on a Harp with Wakeman on a Church Organ playing a warm melody is OK by me. 

If I’m completely honest, the three unreleased rehearsals stayed in the can for damn good reason – they were clearly for band reference use only. The first two are noisy discordant messes and as Steve Howe plays only a lead electric guitar for "Turn Of The Century" - all that gorgeous six-string acoustic work/melody that lifts up the album cut is completely missing and replaced with endless noisy electric soloing. Some might find his playing interesting, but it’s rough. And although the liner notes list Rick Wakeman as playing the Keyboards on this rehearsal, he barely seems to register at all?

The most interesting outtake by far (and best recorded) is "Eastern Numbers" – an early high-vibration version of "Awaken" – clocking in at whopping 12:16 minutes. Howe’s playing throughout is fantastic as is White’s tight-tight Drumming and Squire adding that choppy bottom-end. Gorgeous percussion and keyboard moments slink in about 5:30 minutes too. For sure Anderson and that novel of words he sings gets lost in the shuffle a tad, but this is fan-YES – the kind of goodie they love. And if I am completely upfront, I play this outtake far more than I do the finished version.

There is probably (as I say) - a Steve Wilson Remix and Remaster on the way for this audio compromise of an album, but in the meantime, this 2003 Rhino stab is all any fan needs...

"The Mason Williams Phonograph Record/The Mason Williams Ear Show/Music by Mason Williams/Hand Made/Sharepickers" by MASON WILLIAMS - Five Studio Albums from February 1968, November 1968, March 1969, March 1970 and October 1971 on Warner Brothers – guests featuring James Burton, Jennifer Warren, John Hartford, Sons Of The Pioneers, Rick Cunha, Hal Blaine, Milt Holland, Larry Knechtel, Alvin Casey, The Clinger Sisters, Bill Cunningham, Steve La Fever and more (June 2022 UK Beat Goes On Compilation – 5LPs onto 2CDs – Remastered by Andrew Thompson) - A Review by Mark Barry....

 

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"...Classical Gas..."

 

First up, I've picked up this 2CD set in October 2022, and despite claims of issues by other purchasers with the mastering on Track 1 of Disc 1, I don't detect any such thing on my copy - no gaps - so these new variants must be replacements. The audio on this 2CD set is clean, full and really good. I just wish the content across five whole albums were worth it.

 

I'm old enough (64) to remember these US and UK platters in secondhand stores back in the day as always being dirt cheap for a reason - few wanted them. But what I will say in 2022 is that this twofer from England's Beat Goes On (BGO) sounds beautiful in places and presents these five studio albums (all originally on Warner Brothers between 1968 and 1971) in their very best light to date. Let's get to the details for the moment...

 

UK released Friday, 24 June 2022 - "The Mason Williams Phonograph Record/The Mason Williams Ear Show/Music by Mason Williams/Hand Made/Sharepickers" by MASON WILLIAMS on Beat Goes On BGOCD1481 (Barcode 5017261214812) offers 5 Studio LPs from 1968 to 1971 Remastered onto 2CDs and plays out as follows:

 

CD1 (80:16 minutes):

1. Overture [Side 1]

2. All The Time

3. Dylan Thomas

4. Wanderlove

5. She's Gone Away

6. Here I Am

7. Classical Gas * [Side 2]

8. Long Time Blues

9. Baroque-A-Nova

10. The Prince's Panties

11. Life Song

12. Sunflower

Tracks 1 to 12 are his (music) debut album "The Mason Williams Phonograph Record" - released February 1968 (charted Top 2000 in May 1968) in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1729 in Stereo (also WS 1729 in the UK). Produced by MIKE POST - it peaked at No. 14 on the US Billboard Rock LP charts (didn't chart UK).

* = The original version of the hit single "Classical Gas" - he re-recorded it for the "Hand Made" albums of 1970 - different take

 

13. Road Song [Side 1]

14. Baroque-A-Nova

15. Whistle (Hear)

16. The Last Great Waltz

17. One Minute Commercial

18. $13 Stella [Side 2]

19. Love Are Wine

20. Cinderella-Rockefella

21. Generatah-Oscillatah

22. Saturday Night At The World

Tracks 13 to 22 are his second studio album "The Mason Williams Ear Show" - released November 1968 (charted December 1968) in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1766 (W 1766 Mono and WS 1766 Stereo in the UK). Produced by DICK GLASSER - it peaked at No. 164 in the USA (didn't chart UK). $13 Stella refers to the brand name of his old guitar bought for that amount and featured on the cover artwork.

 

23. Greensleeves [Side 1]

24. Bucko's Memoirs

25. La Chanson De Claudine

26. Come To Me

27. Cowboy Buckaroo

28. The Brother's Theme [Side 2]

29. J. Edgar Swoop

Tracks 23 to 29 see Notes on CD2

 

CD2 (78:23 minutes):

1. Sunflower

2. A Major Thang

3. A Gift Of Song

Tracks 23 to 29 on CD1 and Tracks 1 to 3 on CD2 are his third studio album "Music By Mason Williams" - released March 1969 (charted May 1969) in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1788 in Stereo (no UK issue). Produced by MASON WILLIAMS - it peaked at No. 44 on the US Billboard LP charts

 

4. Jose's Piece [Side 1]

5. Find A Reason To Believe

6. Saturday Night At The World (Re-Record)

7. I've Heard That Tear Stained Monologue You Do There By The Door Before You Go

8. All The Time

9. Classical Gas (Re-Record) [Side 2] *

10. The Tomato Vendetta

11. Manha De Carnival

12. It's Over

13. The Exciting Accident

Tracks 4 to 13 are his fourth studio album "Hand Made" - released March 1970 in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1838 in Stereo (UK the same). Produced by BOB and DICK GLASSER - It didn't chart in either country.

* The version of "Classical Gas" on this album is a re-record, not the hit single – see CD1 Track 7

 

14. Here I Am Again [Side 1]

15. Largo De Luxe

16. (I'm A) Yo-Yo Man

17. A Little Bit Of Time

18. Linda Crest Lament

19. Little Beggar Man/Hamilton County [Side 2]

20. Poor Little Robin

21. Godsend

22. Train Ride In G

23. Orange Blossom Special

Tracks 14 to 23 are his fifth studio album "Sharepickers" - released October 1971 in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1941 and Warner Brothers K 46120 in the UK. Produced by MASON WILLIAMS - it didn't chart in either country.

 

The 28-page booklet (housed in an outer card slipcase) is substantial - repro'ing all the album artwork and musician credits and from Page 16 onward is bolstered up with typically in-depth liner notes from Mojo and Record Collector contributor CHARLES WARING. Our Charles does a valiant job in convincing us (and maybe even himself) that Mason Williams LPs are overlooked, but they were cheap back in the day for a reason - they mostly aren't any good. His moment of glory came with "Classical Gas" - an acoustic-lead instrumental that caught the public's imagination and he seemed to be playing catch up to it every day afterward.

 

The music across all of these LPs is a sort of unclassifiable mixture of acoustic ditties, easy listening, Sunshine Pop, Country-Pop interspersed with awkward humour that rarely amounts to a tune (he wrote comedy for The Smother Brothers). For sure there are moments - his tribute to Jose Feliciano in "Jose's Piece" is lovely - another instrumental dedicated to Claudine Longe in the shape of "La Chanson De Claudine" on the "Music..." LP - but they are few and far between. It all feels like someone desperate to be Jimmy Webb or Gordon Lightfoot without the capability of writing a song that moves you like they both could on even their worst day.

 

What is good news is gorgeous Audio courtesy of ANDREW THOMPSON. A lot of these tracks begin with and feature Spanish Acoustic Guitar throughout, and BGO's resident Audio Engineer has done a truly lovely job transferring the Warner Brothers tapes - none too much hiss (if any) and plenty of body when needed. Musician Guests included Guitarist James Burton, singer Jennifer Warren, Country Music legends Sons Of The Pioneers, songwriters Rick Cunha and John Hartford, Drummers Hal Blaine and Milt Holland, Bassist Larry Knechtel, Steve La Fever of the famous Wrecking Crew Rhythm Section, plus Alvin Casey, The Clinger Sisters, Bill Cunningham and many more. I just wish the music were better.

 

Fans will absolutely have to own it for the superb audio and classy presentation, but the curious should nab a listen first...

"Who Are You" by THE WHO – August 1978 UK Eight LP on Polydor Records (MCA Records in the USA) featuring Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle and Keith Moon with Guests Rod Argent, Andy Fairweather-Low, Michael and Billy Nichols, String Arrangements by Ted Astley with Production by Glyn Johns and Jon Astley (November 1996 UK Polydor 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue with Five Bonus Tracks and Jon Astley/Bob Ludwig Remixes/Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

This Review Along With Over 220 Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

PROVE IT ALL NIGHT 

Music Of 1977 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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"...Guitar And Pen..."

 

Released October 1975 around the world, their seventh album "The Who By Numbers" had done respectable business on the UK and US LP charts too – No. 7 and No. 8. But in 1978 – a full three years on - and with British Punk and New Wave in the absolute full-throws of destroying all in its inventive three-minute path – The Who were beginning to seem like the dinosaurs the Young Turks were all snarling about. Even Townshend himself was saying it in press interviews.

 

Unfortunately – and with my lifelong affection for the band undiminished even an iota – you cannot call much of "Who Are You" anything other than just so-so. Outside of the killer title track and a few other moments of melody, I thought it was half-assed and coming three long years after 1975's "...By Numbers" - felt like critics were being fueled with and not starved of go-go juice. "Only frustration and overload..." Townshend sang on the disturbingly good outtake "No Road Romance".

 

But never underestimate the power of a killer riff and a single that distills it – July 1978 giving fans and lapsed buyers the cool of an edited "Who Are You" on 45-single three months before its parent LP arrived on Polydor Records in the UK and MCA Stateside. And the album was a huge hit. It reached No. 6 in the UK and a staggering No. 2 in the USA – beating its predecessor by a considerable country mile. Musically I can vividly recall thinking then that both "The Who By Numbers" and "Who Are You" were good-ish Who LPs – not great ones – the days of "Who's Next" and "Quadrophenia" already gone.

 

Which brings us to this...the November 1996 'Expanded Edition' single CD Remaster of "Who Are You". I cannot say that time has been kind to the 'oo' on this genuinely awkward outing - its lacklustre Side 1 stuff sticking out like a sore thumb and those strings on two tracks that feel intrusive and horribly out of touch. You have to worry when Entwistle produces the only ‘other’ real riffage moment of brilliance in "Trick Of The Light" and not Townshend.

 

But, this CD reissue is bolstered up with five Previously Unreleased goodies worthy of the moniker Bonus. A plus seventy-minutes playing time too. Guitar and Pen triumphant - let's get back to that Soho doorway; get up and walk away...

 

UK released 18 November 1996 - "Who Are You" by THE WHO on Polydor 533 845-2 (Barcode 731453384521) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster with Five Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows (70:59 minutes):

 

1. New Song [Side 1]

2. Had Enough

3. 905

4. Sister Disco

5. Music Must Change

6. Trick Of The Light [Side 2]

7. Guitar And Pen

8. Love Is Coming Down

9. Who Are You

Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "Who Are You" – released 18 August 1978 in the UK on Polydor Records WHOD 5004 (Polydor 2490 147) and 25 October 1975 in the USA on MCA Records MCA 3050. Produced by GLYN JOHNS and JON ASTLEY – it peaked at No. 6 and No.28 in the UK and US LP charts. Tracks 1, 4, 5 7, 8 and 9 written by Pete Townshend with Tracks 2, 3 and 6 by John Entwistle

 

THE WHO were:

Roger Daltrey on Lead Vocals

Pete Townshend on All Guitars, Keyboards, Lead and Shared Vocals

John Entwistle on Bass, Synths and Vocals (Synth and Lead Vocals on "905", Horns on "Had Enough" and "Music Must Change")

Keith Moon on Drums and Percussion

 

Guests:

Rod Argent of Argent on Keyboards – Synth on "Had Enough", "Guitar And Pen" and Piano on "Who Are You"

Andy Fairweather-Low [ex Amen Corner] and Billy Nichols on Backing Vocals Ted Astley - String Arrangements on "Had Enough" and "Love Is Coming Down"

 

BONUS TRACKS (all PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED):

10. No Road Romance (Demo), 5:05 minutes

11. Empty Glass (Rough Mix), 6:23 minutes

12. Guitar And Pen (Olympic ’78 Mix), 6:00 minutes

13. Love Is Coming Down (Work-In-Progress Mix), 4:06 minutes

14. Who Are You (Lost Verse Mix), 6:21 minutes

 

The 24-page booklet is substantial, packed with period photos of the band in studio and live modes - including a center spread shot of rows of people behind each band member that was going to be the front sleeve, but abandoned for the wires and equipment photo. Bolstering the text are a lot of great power live shots and new MATT RESNICOFF liner notes that not only outline the band's troubled history by 1978 (beloved drummer Keith Moon passing from drugs aged only 30 - even seeming to know his end was nigh by citing his out-of-control behavior as no longer being a laughing matter) - but they go into tremendously helpful track-by-track details. And yet despite his best efforts to convince me that much of the LP is a misunderstood gazelle – even a friendly re-listen does not hold that up at all (critics at the time weren't exactly bowled over by it either).

 

The tapes (and reissue) were prepared by long-time Who-associates and archivists JON ASTLEY and ANDY MacPHERSON with Remasters done by the legendary BOB LUDWIG and as I said earlier, this is a full WHO sound and the CD properly rocks because of it. I wish the actual album did, but to the music anyway...

 

"New Song" comes screaming out of your speakers – all big-daddy riffs pumped up underneath by synths. Coming on very quickly as a lyrical parody on the public's need to hear the same old riffage just being done with different words (everyone wants to cheer it). "New Song" is angry and cynical and I can't help thinking that if it had had better lyrics about something else – it wouldn't have the awful feeling of a band taking the piss out of itself. Strings and Disco Synth Beats fill up "Had Enough", but again it just feels wrong to me – the strings hamming it something awful. Recorded in March 1978 at St. John's Wood, "905" is the second of three Entwistle songs ("Had Enough" was the first) and it would have opened the album on a winner. In his usual heavy-strings attack, it's hard to know what's lead electric guitar or his Bass – either way it is one of the better tracks on Side 1. "Sister Disco" has always been a hateful tune to me, but the version we get of "Music Must Change" is a new mix with different guitar parts than that which first appeared on the 1978 MCA LP. The Audio is spectacular – as are Daltrey's vocals – snarling out wild stallion lyrics.

 

Side 2 opens with the fantastic "Trick Of The Light" where apparently all that guitar riffage is not a guitar at all but his Atlantic Bass strings hammered out like a lead guitarist. Rod Argent steps in to help Pete Townshend on the very Quadrophenia feeling "Guitar And Pen" – both giving it layer after layer of keyboards over Pete’s biting guitar stabs. For me, it's always been a highlight on the album. The lonely "Love Is Coming Down" comes in two forms – the recording done in October 1977 with its heavy strings arrangement added in December – far better is the Work-In-Progress Mix which strips it back to a guide vocal with different piano and Bass parts. The LP finally delivers a bona fide classic in the title track – the stunning and musically complex "Who Are You" – quite possibly in the top five of everyone's fave raver by the band - six-minutes and seventeen seconds of why people love THE WHO to distraction.

 

And here for me lies the weird thing about the CD reissue of "Who Are You" - it's Five Previously Unreleased Tracks feel like a better album that the released deal! 

 

"No Road Romance" is first - an almost finished album outtake that was considered superfluous to requirements at the time - but I absolutely love it. Sporting a huge array of melody breaks, backing vocals and astute lyrics, Townshend's lead vocal has an urgency to it that makes much of the released album stuff feel staged. I could imagine Daltrey would have eaten this alive had it been put on the record in finished form.

 

Next is a gem - recorded in April 1978 and originally called "Choirboy" - we get a Rough Mix of his second solo LP's beloved title track "Empty Glass" and again it's ALIVE! Both Entwistle and Moon play on it and if you're unconvinced by the 'Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Drummer Ever' moniker so easily lumped onto Keith Moon - then check out his work here! Because he rocks - you can actually here it - Moony playing a blinder. Entwistle too does Bass Harmonics as the tune begins and again, you can really hear both his huge signature sound allied with what he brought to the Who dance, innovation not flattened or buried by mixing. Great stuff... 

The last three are more alive in my books in all cases than their finished versions - frenzied guitar parts - "Love Is Coming Down" stripped of those intrusive strings - that spiky unheard second verse in "Who Are You" that was re-written by Townshend (both work). Now here's the innards of a great band - brilliant...

I hate to dis a Who LP, but 1978's "Who Are You" was a serious regular sell-in at Reckless Records in Berwick Street for decades on end when I worked there - not something fans fretted over when they needed a few bob or a swap. But the kick-ass audio, the first-rate considered presentation and those five tag-on Bonuses have moved it up from three to four stars. And I'll take that kind of upgrade on a reissue CD any day of the week...

"But Seriously, Folks..." by JOE WALSH – May 1978 Fourth Studio Album on Asylum Records featuring Joey Murcia on Second Guitar, Joe Vitale of Barnstorm on Drums, Keyboards and Flute, Jay Ferguson of Spirit and Jo Jo Gunne on Keyboards with Willie Weeks on Bass – Guests included Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Don Felder and Timothy B. Schmit of Eagles with Jody Boyer on Backing Vocals and Production by Bill Szymczyk (December 2012 US-Only Audio Fidelity 24 KT Gold Audiophile CD Reissue in Die-Cut Numbered Card Sleeve (5000 Copies) with Original Artwork and a Steve Hoffman Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"...Life's Been Good..."

 

This Review Along With Over 220 Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

PROVE IT ALL NIGHT 

Music Of 1977 to 1979 

Your All-Genres Guide To 

Exceptional CD Reissues & Remasters

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*** This Review for 2012 Audio Fidelity CD – Steve Hoffman Remaster ***

 

On first listen - and certainly without giving your stereo some welly - this rather pricey and now long-deleted American-only Audiophile CD comes on as a tad underwhelming. But crank it and the Audio is absolutely gorgeous (no hiss, all muscle).

 

The name of Audio Engineer STEVE HOFFMAN is enough to have most Audiophile aficionados gripping their arthritic knees in too much excitement – and on the evidence of this so subtly brilliant transfer on a really well produced album – it's easy to hear why. To the Boat Weirdos and the display windows at a Second Hand Store and the Maserati that does 185...

 

US-only released 11 December 2012 – "But Seriously, Folks..." by JOE WALSH on Audio Fidelity AFZ 079 (Barcode 780014207922) is a '24 KT + Limited Numbered Edition' CD Reissue with a STEVE HOFFMAN Remaster that plays out as follows (35:53 minutes):

 

1. Over And Over [Side 1]

2. Second Hand Store

3. Indian Summer

4. At The Station

5. Tomorrow [Side 2]

6. Inner Tube

7. Theme For Boat Weirdos

8. Life's Been Good

Tracks 1 to 8 are his fourth studio LP "But Seriously, Folks..." – released 16 May 1978 in the USA on Asylum 6E-141 and June 1978 in the UK on Asylum K 53081. Produced by BILL SZYMCZYK – it peaked at No. 8 in the USA and No. 18 in the UK. 

 

Tracks 1, 3, 5, 6 and 8 written by Joe Walsh – Track 4 co-written with Joe Vitale – Track 2 co-written with Mike Murphy of REO Speedwagon – Track 7 co-written with Bill Szymczyk, Jay Ferguson, Joe Vitale and Willie Weeks.

 

PLAYERS were:

JOE WALSH – Lead Guitar, Synths and Lead Vocals

JOEY MURCIA – Second Guitar

JAY FERGUSON – Keyboards

WILLIE WEEKS - Bass

JOE VITALE – Drums, Percussion, Synths and Flute and Backing Vocals on Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8

(Producer) BILL SZYMCZYK – Tambourine on "At The Station" and Backing Vocals on "Life's Been Good"

 

GUESTS were:

DON FELDER of Eagles – Pedal Steel Guitar on "Second Hand Store" and Guitar on "At The Station"

DON HENLEY, GLENN FREY and TIMOTHY B. SCHMIT of Eagles – Background Vocals (arranged by Frey) on "Tomorrow"

JODY BOYER – Backing Vocals on "Second Hand Store", "Indian Summer" and "Life's Been Good"

 

I am a self-confessed Joe Walsh worshipper - 1972's studio debut "Barnstorm", 1973's "The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get", 1974's "So What" [1975 in the UK] and the live platter from 1976 "You Can't Argue With A Sick Mind" – are all albums that make me wobble on the inside (his three with The James Gang before he went solo are the same - reviewed the lot). So the idea that I could nab a genuinely real Audio Upgrade of his underrated fourth studio platter "But Seriously, Folks..." was always going to get my headspace in a dither.

 

Audio Fidelity AFZ 079 certainly looks the part - the die-cut outer card sleeve showing the jewel case beneath, itself numbered in gold on the rear (5000 copies), the 8-page booklet repro'ing the US LP labels on Asylum Records, the inner gatefold and even that rather pointless table-cloth inner too. Unfortunately there isn't any new liner notes apart from the AF credits – Mastered for compact disc by Steve Hoffman at Stephen Marsh Mastering – but as an audio experience - it rocks and is wonderfully detailed (crank it). To the music...

 

The tunes come across as simple at first – like the soft opener "Over And Over" and the gorgeous "Second Hand Store" (which fades out and in again towards the end of the song) – Eagle Don Felder playing an absolute blinder on Pedal Steel. But perceived as slight or not, they get their hooks into you. I mean was there anyone out there making a single like "Life's Been Good" on the A-side with "Theme For Boat Weirdos" on the flip-side in 1978? Not really...

 

Truthfully, I have had my problems with Audio Fidelity releases – the Randy Newman one, the Rod Stewart and Faces issues all felt decidedly ordinary to me – better Remasters available Universal and at a fraction of the cost. But here – you crank "Tomorrow" and those Eagles harmony vocals come soaring out – that fantastic break in the middle – the huge riffage in "Life's Been Good" rattling the cones (as it should). But that floating keyboard ditty called "Inner Tube" – even at one-minute and twenty-five seconds sounds more substantial too. "At The Station" and it's guitar chugging is superb and at 4:20 when it fades out and returns with the "Over And Over" guitar refrain, it is so clean yet ballsy. And the instrumental "Theme From Boat Weirdos" is just magnificent – Bass, Guitars, all those swirling keyboard and flute ideas from Walsh and Vitale – fabulous. 

 

You could argue that it wouldn't have taken a whole lot of effort to include the 4:35-minute single edit of the near nine-minute "Life's Been Good" as a Bonus Track – but no such luck. Man what a great tune, knowing, funny as fuck and still relevant. About five minutes in – when all those guitars start to crescendo – what a glorious sound Walsh and his band made – including the very silly flock of wah-wahs at the end (8:56 minutes).

 

"I make hit records, my fans they can't wait, they write me letters, tell me I'm great, just leave a message, maybe I'll call..." – Joe Walsh sang on the fabulous "Life's Been Good". He was/is a journeyman who had made it out of the insanity alive. And in 2022, he is still with us and never stops thanking the Universe and Friends for being able to play and enjoy life in sobriety – a fate that was not to be for far too many of his contemporaries.

 

I love Joe Walsh – this world-class guitarist and songwriter - always have and always will. And CD Remaster of "But Seriously, Folks..." is a great way to celebrate one of his undervalued albums from that halcyon decade – the Seventies. Joe for President folks (and I don't mean Biden)...

 

PS: Check out my review for (Audio Engineer) Kevin Gray's equally magnificent Audio Fidelity Remaster of JW's second studio album "The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get". AFZ 059 was issued in 2009 and is also deleted, but in October 2022 – still remains the best version of a great album ("Rocky Mountain Way" and "Meadows")...