"Already Here/Wovoka/Beaded Dreams Through Turquoise Eyes" by REDBONE (July 2017 Beat Goes On - 3LPs onto 2CDs Reissue and Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Come And Get Your Love..."

Preceding September 1972's "Already Here" that opens this 3LPs-onto-2CDs 2017 reissue – REDBONE had already clocked up three albums.

First came the double-opener "Redbone" in February 1970, "Potlatch" followed in November 1970 and then came the real breakthrough LP - "Message From A Drum" in February 1972. It contained the monster hit "Witch Queen Of New Orleans" - a smash for the Native American four-piece as far back as May 1971 (the LP didn't arrive until early 1972). With the same track list but different artwork - the British variant of the "Message From A Drum" LP was actually renamed "The Witch Queen Of New Orleans" for UK audiences after the Epic Records single became their first charter in Blighty as well – peaking at an unprecedented No. 2 in late 1971.

But to the matter in hand - what you get here in July 2017 are studio albums number four, five and six from 1972, 1973 and 1974 remastered and presented in the usual classy manner by England's BGO (Beat Goes On). In fact most people will only really know Redbone through the movies - the American actor Chris Pratt using their Seventies smash "Come And Get Your Love" on his Walkman as he dances through an alien planet landscape in the opening sequence of the huge "Guardians Of The Galaxy" movie in 2014 - giving the song and the forgotten group another lease of life.

Their music and sound fluctuated from their initial 1970/1971 Red Indian Swamp Rock to 1972-1974 War-like Rock-Funk, Seventies Pop and even Santana-esque Soulful flourishes and Return To Forever nine-minute whig-outs. But as the LPs progressed and especially after the huge success of "Come And Get Your Love" - you can hear the band leaving behind the interesting experimentation of old and instead reach for that 'popular music for the masses' handbook and most times come up trumps (though not all). Despite an inevitable commercialization of their unique Native American Funk-Pop on the weak third album presented here - this CD-twofer still makes for a hugely enjoyable listen overall and also has you think – here is a band that and a sound that genuinely deserves 'rediscovery'. To the details…drum rolls please...

UK released Friday, 14 July 2017 (21 July 2017 in the USA) - "Already Here/Wovoka/Beaded Dreams Through Turquoise Eyes" by REDBONE on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1277 (Barcode 5017261212771) offers 3LPs Remastered onto 2CDs and play out as follows:

Disc 1 (52:52 minutes):

1. Fais-Do [Side 1]

2. Motivation

3. Power (Prelude To A Means)

4. Speakeasy

5. Condition Your Condition

6. Where Is Your Heart [Side 2]

7. Good Enough For Jesus

8. Poison Ivy

9. Already Here (Brujo)

Tracks 1 to 9 are their fourth studio album "Already Here" - released September 1972 in the USA on Epic Records KE 31598 and January 1973 in the UK on Epic Records S EPC 65072.

10. Wovoka [Side 1]

11. Sweet Lady Of Love

12. Someday (A Good Song)

13. Liquid Teeth

14. We Were All Wounded At Wounded Knee

Tracks 10 to 14 are Side 1 of their fifth studio album "Wovoka" - released November 1973 in the USA on Epic Records KE 32462 and November 1973 in the UK on Epic EPC 65500.

Disc 2 (52:32 minutes):

1. Come And Get Your Love [Side 2]

2. Day To Day Life

3. Clouds In My Sunshine

4. 23rd And Mad

Tracks 1 to 4 are Side 2 of their fifth studio album "Wovoka" - released November 1973 in the USA on Epic Records KE 32462 and November 1973 in the UK on Epic EPC 65500.

5. One More Time [Side 1]

6. Suzi Girl

7. Only You And Rock And Roll

8. Blood, Sweat And Tears

9. Cookin' With D'Redbone

10. (Beaded Dreams Through) Turquoise Eyes [Side 2]

11. Beautiful Illusion

12. Interstate Highway 101

13. I'll Never Stop Loving You

14. Moon When Four Eclipse

Tracks 5 to 14 are their sixth studio album "Beaded Dreams Through Turquoise Eyes" - released October 1974 in the USA on Epic Records KE 33053 and October 1974 in the UK on Epic Records EPC 80429

REDBONE was:

LOLLY VEGAS - Lead Guitar and Lead Vocals

TONY BELLAMY - Rhythm Guitar and Vocals

PAT VEGAS - Bass and Vocals

ARTURO PEREZ - Drums and Percussion on "Already Here" only

BUTCH RILLERA - Drums and Backing Vocals on "Wovoka" and "Beaded Dreams Through Turquoise Eyes"

Guests:

RED RHODES of BAMBOO - Steel Guitar on "Speakeasy" on the "Already Here" LP

TERRY FURLONG of THE GRASS ROOTS - Slide Guitar on "Fais-Do" on the "Already Here" LP

ELIJAH HORN SECTION - Brass and Horns on the "Already Here" LP

JOE SAMPLE of The Crusaders - Piano and Vibraphone on the "Wovoka" LP

SHIRLEY WILLIAMS - Backing Vocals on the "Wovoka" LP

BONNIE BRAMLETT, MERRY CLAYTON and CLYDIE KING - Backing Vocals on the "Beaded Dreams..." LP

The outer card slipcase lends these BGO reissues a very classy feel and the 20-page booklet certainly lays on the credits, photos and musical assessments hard and thick. NEIL DANIELS provides the affectionate and enthusiastic liner notes which are dedicated to Lolly Vegas and Tony Bellamy - principal songwriters in the band who sadly passed in 2010 and 2009 respectively. ANDREW THOMPSON once again does the beautifully rendered Remasters from real tapes - great sound that lifts up every song. To the music...

Across three whole albums there is only one cover version – all other material are original Lolly and Pat Vegas compositions with some contributions from Tony Bellamy – an impressive feat. Even the 'you can look but you better not touch' cover of the Lieber/Stoller-penned Coasters nugget "Poison Ivy" gets a radical Funk-up so you're not hearing another slavish R&B interpretation. The "Already Here" album retains much of that 'War' funk ethic with the nine-minute title track being a sort of Return To Forever Jazz Fusion whig-out that's actually a little indulgent. But tracks like the Funky "Motivation" and the 'get your act together' message song "Condition Your Condition" would do The Isley Brothers proud over on T-Neck Records. The Pat Vegas ballad "Power (Prelude To A Means)" is really pretty and with its Philly strings comes on like The Manhattans or even Bobby Womack with a message for the ladies that will benefit them entirely. The other worthy entry is the catchy and Soul-lovely Lolly Vegas shuffler "Where Is Your Heart". It's amazing that Epic chose the lesser "Fais-Do" as a lead off 7" single in August 1972 when I can't help feel this tune had Soul and Pop crossover appeal.

After the over-the-top 'Brujo' fusion work out of the title track to "Already Here" - the deliberately commercial "Wovoka" LP is a Rock-funky album coming from the 'land of spirits'. The title track is a fabulous 'dancing' funker that's got its Saxophone and Guitar heart firmly in the 'Witch Queen' corner. Another shuffler comes with the very catchy "Sweet Lady Of Love" and again this could be The Delfonics or The Dells getting their collective vocal teeth into a deeply Soulful groove. You can hear why someone thought it was a good idea to release "We Were All Wounded At Wounded Knee" as a 45 but it feels like a poor man's 'buffalo' and 'reservation' follow-up to "Witch Queen" that never really ignites no matter how worthy its historically uncomfortable lyrics are. Better is the joint Vegas/Bellamy song of "Day To Day Life" where he and his common-law wife keep on rocking. They go native chanting on the equally impressive snake rattles of "Clouds In My Sunshine" – a strange mixture of Native American vibes mixed with the second half of the song that goes pure Philly Soul. The near seven-minutes of "23rd And Mad" comments on city life as it funks through the ‘great boom boom boom’ where all the girls are sexy temptations and the cafes are full of dudes and pimps.

But as good as all they are – the album belongs to one song. At five minutes and one second - the full album cut of "Come And Get Your Love" starts with an almost Gospel refrain before it goes into that familiar opener (edited from the 7” single). It’s a damn shame BGO didn't include the 45-cut of 3:39 minutes that most people are familiar with from the Radio, Commercials and Films as a Bonus Track. But it doesn't stop the Remaster of this fabulous slice of Seventies joy from being a guilty pleasure I’m sure many listeners will return to more than once on this reissue. A billion-dollar movie can't be wrong. "Come And Get Your Love" indeed...

Reaching No. 174 on the US Top 200 in early November 1974 - "Beaded Dreams Through Turquoise Eyes" failed to capitalize on the "Wovoka" No. 66 chart placing the year previous. "One More Time" has clever socially-conscious lyrics about not being able to pay the bills and people saying they can kick that itch in their arms - but it gets lost in some obvious "Come And Get My Love" identikit melodies that aren't as good as the previous winner. The too-poppy "Suzi Girl" feels much the same. Things improve with the hooky "Only You And Rock And Roll" - a clavinet-funky little dancer with strings and an eye on the singles chart. "Blood, Sweat And Tears" is a message song while the Sly & The Family Stone funky "Cookin' With D'Redbone" tries hard and just about gets away with it. Much of Side 2 is the same ever so slightly syrupy material with the Stylistics dancer "I'll Never Stop Loving You" even being a possible Northern Soul discovery.

To sum up - the first album "Already Here" is very good, "Wovoka" a total sweetie and that third "Beaded Dreams..." set lets the side down a lot - a victim of chasing chart success without having the tunes to achieve sales. Still with the great audio and fab presentation - fans will need to own it and newcomers will find much to enjoy. Nice one...

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"Before The Devil Knows You're Dead" on BLU RAY – A Review by Mark Barry of the 2007 Sidney Lumet Film...

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"…Everything's Wonderful…"

When LED ZEPPELIN released "In Through The Out Door" in 1979 (their last studio album) - the famous design company HIPGNOSIS provided them with six different album covers hidden behind outer brown paper bags (the sleeves were identified as A, B, C, D, E and F on the spines). The wordless cover shot is a photo of a man sat on a barstool lighting a piece of paper with a match while five other people watch him do it - a barman, drinkers, a hooker in the corner over by the jukebox etc. So each of the six sleeves is the man lighting the piece of paper - but from their viewpoint - front (barman), sideways (drinker), behind (hooker)...

I mention all of this because Sidney Lumet's 2007 "Before The Devil Knows You're Dead" is the cinematic equivalent. The bulk of the film is a jewellery heist that goes disastrously wrong - but told from different angels and at different times. We get the day of the robbery, three days before the robbery, hours after the robbery. And each time we revisit a scene - we see the same stuff and people - but with more information presented to us that shows how and why the whole thing came apart - and more importantly - the truly horrible consequences that follow on from lies and greed.

30-something New Yorker's Andrew and Hank Hanson (Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke) have major financial problems. Hank (Andy's younger brother) has a daughter with his embittered and estranged wife Martha (Amy Ryan) who keeps demanding alimony payments and trips to The Lion King that he simply can't afford. Andy is adrift - his job - his love life - his kid - and his general lack of spunk towards people and decisions are quickly making him look like and feel like a loser. His older and considerably cockier brother Andy works for a real estate company and gives the illusion of wealth and control. But he's fiddling client accounts and regularly raiding the cash box to feed his recreational habit with a local dealer who puts heroin in his arm in a plush apartment and asks no questions (permanently dressed in a silk nightgown - he isn't interested anyway). Then there's Andy's sexy but slightly unhinged girlfriend Gina (Marisa Tomei) who is 'doing' his brother Hank every other Thursday in an ménage-a-trois smug Andy knows nothing about.

But Andy has a foolproof solution to everyone's financial woes with a whopping $600,000 payoff. They do over a small 'mom & pop operation' in a Westchester suburb on a Saturday morning when its quiet and elderly shop-hand Doris opens up at 0800 a.m. No guns, no problems, insurance pays up after they're gone - the only hitch is that it belongs to Charles and Nanette Hanson (Albert Finney and Rosemary Harris) - their own Father and Mother. Hank is amazed at such a suggestion at first - but soon money is bearing down on him and they commit. But Hank stupidly ropes in a barroom lowlife called Billy (Brian F. O'Byrne) because he doesn't have the guts to do the actual robbery himself (as requested by Andy). Bobby turns up on the day playing thrash metal in their rental car to get psyched up and packing a gun. And instead of Doris - mum Nanette opens Hanson Jewellers. But Mum isn’t about to cower in the corner...

The legendary Director of 12 Angry Men, The Verdict, Q&A, Network and Dog Day Afternoon - doesn't do 'nice'. Characters in this unfolding melodrama are mean and often unrelenting in their arrogance - and of course there's a price to pay for that when Daddy Charles (who at first seemed like a pushover) becomes obsessed with finding out 'who' so callously took his beloved wife from him.

Brilliantly written by Kelly Masterson - this is not an easy watch - its tone is brutal, nervy, unsettling and dark - and it pointedly refuses to go to redemptive for the ending (all the more realistic for not doing so). But what makes the movie tick is an astonishing troop of actors who could knock down walls with their skills. Principal among these is of course the recently passed Philip Seymour Hoffman whose scenes with a syringe hanging out of his chunky body lying on a bed now have a deeply sad and poignant feel to them. Not to be outdone - Ethan Hawke pours on serious acting chops throughout too - as does Marisa Tomei who bravely spends a lot of the movie conspicuously naked in long and awkward scenes with both Hoffman and Hawke. Michael Shannon and Brian B. O'Byrne only add to their huge portfolio of class work. Adding to all this quality is the powerhouse talent of Albert Finney who has to only sit at a table looking down -and say the words "Let Her Go" (about his wife) and he has you in tears.

Despite his advanced years - Lumet embraced digital technology with a vengeance because (as he explains in the Extras) he could get the 'eye-to-screen' visual quality and style he wanted. I mention this because filmed entirely in HD - the BLU RAY picture quality is fabulous throughout. The razor-sharp scenes filmed on sunny/leafy New York streets offer up a light and colour palette that is beautiful. It's also defaulted to 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio so fills your entire screen. AUDIO is English 51.1 DTS-HD and English 5.1 Dolby Digital while the lone SUBTTLE is English SDH.

The Documentary "How The Devil Was Made" includes interviews with the Director Sidney Lumet, Producers Michael Cerenzie and Brian Linse, Actors Hoffman, Hawke, Tomei (and others) and location footage.

"You used to have the world by the balls...now I'm not sure you've got any..."  - arrogant Andy says to Hank as he pitches him the heist in a bar.

It may not be everyone's idea of Heaven but give this acidic little monster 10 minutes of your time...before...

PS: the USA disc is REGION A LOCKED so won't play on our machines - avoid that.

"Gone To Earth: Deluxe Edition" by BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST (September 2016 Esoteric Recordings 3-Disc Remasters and Remixes) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Sea Of Tranquility..."

Like Spooky Tooth and to a lesser degree Mott The Hoople (especially their first four albums on Island Records before they hit success with CBS) – Britain's Barclay James Harvest and their wildly prolific Sixties and Seventies catalogue (first on Harvest and then on Polydor) remain something of an enigma for most oldies-but-goldies in 2017. Even though we were there and probably bought a few of those albums – they’re forgotten now...

BJH’s brand of Harmony Rock was never as cool as say Supertramp or as edge-bending and ear-catching as Yes or as commercially clued-in as say The Moody Blues or even The Hollies - but they put out some gorgeous albums nonetheless. I remember vividly watching their latest chapters being released and each slowly improving their market/chart share - records like "Time Honoured Ghosts" from 1975, "Octoberon" from 1976 and this - 1977's "Gone To Earth". The specially priced double-album "Live" from December 1974 that itself followed on from the well-received "Everyone Is Everybody Else" in June of that year - brought in a huge number of new admirers too.

But all was not well in Britain's musical Camelot. Fuelled by a frustrated Press and a socially battered out-of-work population - Punk and New Wave were busy obliterating all old-fart Rock during 1976 and 1977 with a snarling vengeance. And yet there stood the BJ's - long-haired, be-speckled and earnest multi-instrumentalists gamely pumping out album and album with sophisticated melodies and beautifully ornate die-cut album sleeves like it was still 1972 and Johnny Rotten hadn't picked his nose in public yet. In a moment of melodic-Prog self-parody our heroes even called one of their 1977 "Gone To Earth" songs "Poor Man's Moody Blues". The lovely "Hymn" was a hit in many territories too (especially Germany) in early 1978 - but in truth – who remembers BJH now when everyone remembers The Pistols (and rightly so)...

Well along comes Cherry Red's 'Esoteric Recordings' label with their British penchant for all things Proggy, Avant Garde and just downright doolally and they seem determined to have us ignoramuses re-examine the error of our thumb-twiddling ways. They've been steadily releasing a slew of triple-disc 'Deluxe Editions' for Barclay James Harvest (1974's "Everyone Is Everybody Else" and 1976's "Octoberon" are also included). Which brings us to this lovingly restored reissue. Here are the hymnal details...

UK released 2 September 2016 (9 September 2016 in the USA) - "Gone To Earth: Deluxe Edition" by BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 32544 (Barcode 5013929464445) is a 3-Disc 'Expanded Edition' of Remasters and Remixes. 2CDs and 1DVD offer an Original 1977 Mix, a New Stereo Mix and a 5.1 Surround Sound Mix as well as an Outtake and Single Sides and it plays out as follows:

Disc 1 – CD "Gone To Earth" - Original Stereo Mix (57:37 minutes):

1. Hymn [Side 1]

2. Love Is Like A Violin

3. Friend Of Mine

4. Poor Man's Moody Blues

5. Hard Hearted Woman [Side 2]

6. Sea Of Tranquility

7. Leper's Song

8. Taking Me Higher

Tracks 1 to 8 are their album "Gone To Earth" - released September 1977 in the UK on Polydor 2442 138 and in the USA on MCA Records MCA-2302. Produced by Barclay James Harvest and Davey Rohl - it peaked at No. 30 in the UK (didn't chart USA).

BONUS TRACKS:

9. Lied - outtake from the "Gone To Earth" sessions in 1977

10. Our Kid's Kid - Non-album B-side to "Hymn" released July 1977 in Germany on Polydor 2058 904

11. Hymn (Single Edit)

12.  Friend Of Mine (Single version) - Tracks 11 and 12 are the A&B-sides of a UK 7" single released March 1978 on Polydor 2059 002

Disc 2 - CD "Gone To Earth" – New Stereo Mix (49:08 minutes):

1. Hymn [Side 1]

2. Love Is Like A Violin

3. Friend Of Mine

4. Poor Man's Moody Blues

5. Hard Hearted Woman [Side 2]

6. Sea Of Tranquility

7. Leper's Song

8. Taking Me Higher

BONUS TRACKS:

9. Loving Is Easy (1977 Version)

10. Our Kid's Kid

Disc 3 – DVD-A "Gone To Earth"

New 5.1 Surround Sound Mix

96 kHz/24-Bit New Stereo Mix

96 kHz/24-Bit Remastered Original Mix

1. Hymn [Side 1]

2. Love Is Like A Violin

3. Friend Of Mine

4. Poor Man's Moody Blues

5. Hard Hearted Woman [Side 2]

6. Sea Of Tranquility

7. Leper's Song

8. Taking Me Higher

BONUS TRACKS:

9. Loving Is Easy (1977 Version)

10. Our Kid's Kid

BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST was:

JOHN LEES – Guitars and Vocals

LES HOLROYD – Guitars and Vocals

WOOLLY WOLSTENHOLME – Keyboards and Vocals

MEL PRITCHARD – Drums and Vocals

As it is with all of these triple-disc sets - the three-flap foldout card digipak is a bit of a lumbering heffalump actually - although you have to say that Esoteric have done a sweet job at presenting the whole thing. All three are picture discs with different photos beneath the see-through trays once you lift them off - there are colour repros of rare foreign pictures sleeves for the two big singles "Hymn" and "Friend Of Mine" on the innermost flaps - whilst their digipak pouches contain a fold-out poster on one side and a booklet on the other. The poster offers you the lyrics on one side (originally on the inner sleeve of the vinyl LP) and an advert for the album on the flip (it looks beautiful). The very nicely presented 16-page booklet features Tour Posters (Hanover 1977), Trade Adverts (Melody Maker September 1977), photos of the band and their entourage including a Polydor promo shot of the four-piece taken by Lord Lichfield - as well as the usual detailed reissue credits. There are superb liner notes (Mark Powell) that include new interviews with band members and even has reminiscences from Maldwyn Reece Tootill who designed the album sleeve.

Researched, compiled and co-ordinated by Esoteric's own MARK POWELL - the big news is new 2016 Remasters and Remixes from original tapes. PASCHAL BYRNE handled the Original Stereo Mix and CRAIG FLETCHER and MARK POWELL did the 5.1 Surround Sound and New Stereo Mixes. I'm going to be biased here and say that I actually prefer the 'New Stereo Mix' on Disc 2 to the original album's sound in that Disc 1 sounds ever so slightly thinny to me. To the music...

"Gone To Earth" opens strongly with the five-minute "Hymn" - an obvious single that at first appears to be a religious song but on closer examination of the lyrics turns out to be a warming on drug-addiction - fly too high and you might not ever come down. "Love Like A Violin" and "Friend Of Mine" are essentially smoochers too and you're immediately reminded of the band in the next song's title - "Poor Man's Moody Blues". Musically BJH are closest to the Moodies in 1977 and that's more than evident on songs like "Spirit On The Water" and "Taking Me Higher". There's a touch of Gordon Giltrap to "Leper's Song". Of the extras "Loving Is Easy" and the jaunty guitar-layered B-side "Our Kid's Kid" impress - as does the outtake "Lied".

I don’t think "Gone To Earth" is the masterpiece some fans seem to think it and cold harsh truth-be-told (unfair or not) - BJH are still musical shadows to most 40 years after the event. But hopefully this rather lovely Esoteric Recordings Deluxe Edition reissue will rectify that...

"Call My Name: Selected Recordings 1964-1970" by JAMES ROYAL and The Hawks (June 2017 RPM Records CD Compilation - Simon Murphy Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...He's About A Mover..."

London's Jimmy Nairn has been an underground white Soul-boy phenomenon for decades amidst Mod-mad stylists and Northern Soul dancefloor fiends.

Never a musical household name in any sense of the word – James Royal (his stage name) nonetheless clocked up a staggering 18 seven-inch singles on Parlophone and CBS Records between 1964 and 1970 in the UK alone – as well as a straggler track on a rare 1964 Decca compilation. Royal even managed a British debut album of his own on CBS in 1969 named after this compilation - "Call My Name" (9 of its 13 tracks are accounted for here).

Musically this CD is pure Soul-Boy dancing candy where James Royal swoons Jackie Wilson style about heartache, suffering, pain or dying (or all four if you're really lucky) - and you can literally see and feel those sassily-clad British dancers getting lost in the cross-armed drama of it all as they slide about in 45-induced rapture on runways of talcum powder. You can also hear the improvement in his vocal delivery as the years went on - to a point where his stunning 1969 cover of The Rascals "You Better Run" (an exclusive to the 1969 "Call My Name" LP) is virtually indistinguishable from Steve Marriott between late Small Faces and early Humble Pie (high praise indeed). On the evidence of this track alone – JR's legend is more than justified.

And that's where this hip-gyrating 2017 CD from the collectors specialist reissue label 'RPM Records' comes shimmying in. Here are the ravers and movers...

UK released 23 June 2017 (30 June 2017 in the USA) - "Call My Name: Selected Recordings 1964-1970" by JAMES ROYAL on RPM Records RETRO 989 (Barcode 5013929599895) is a 25-Track CD compilation of Remasters that plays out as follows (69:26 minutes):

1. She's About A Mover

2. Black Cloud

(Tracks 1 and 2 are the A&B-sides of a June 1965 UK 7" single on Parlophone R 5290)

3. Work Song

4. I Can't Stand It

(Tracks 3 and 4 are the A&B-sides of a November 1965 UK 7" single on Parlophone R 5383)

5. I'm Leaving You

(From the November 1964 UK Various Artists LP "Ready, Steady - Win!" on Decca LK 4634

6. Call My Name

7. When It Comes To My Baby

(Tracks 6 and 7 are the A&B-sides of a January 1967 UK 7" single on CBS Records 202525)

8. Green Days

(Track 8 is the B-side of "It's All In The Game", a May 1967 UK 7" single on CBS Records 2739. The A-side "It's All In The Game" is not on this compilation)

9. Hey Little Boy

(Track 9 is the A-side of a May 1968 UK 7" single on CBS Records 3450. The B-side is "Thru' The Love" is Track 12 on this compilation)

10. I've Lost You

11. Send Out Love

(Tracks 11 and 10 are the A&B-sides of an August 1969 UK 7" single on CBS Records 4463)

12. Thru' The Love

(Track 12 is the B-side of "Hey Little Boy", a May 1968 UK 7" single on CBS Records 3450 and Track 9 on this compilation)

13. A Woman Called Sorrow

(Track 13 is the A-side of an August 1968 UK 7" single on CBS Records 3624. The B-side "Fire" is not on this compilation)

14. Time Hangs On My Mind

(Track 14 is the A-side of a November 1968 UK 7" single on CBS Records 3797. The B-side "Anna Lee" is not on this compilation)

15. I've Something Bad On My Mind

16. She's Independent

(Tracks 15 and 16 are the A&B-sides of an April 1969 UK 7" single on CBS Records 4139)

17. You'd Better Run

(Track 17 is from his 1969 UK debut LP "Call My Name" on CBS Records S 63780)

18. A Little Bit Of Rain

19. I Can't Stand It

(Tracks 19 and 18 are the A&B-sides of an August 1967 UK 7" single on CBS Records 2959)

20. House Of Jack

(Track 20 is the A-side of a June 1969 UK 7" single on CBS Records 3915. The B-side is "Which Way To Nowhere" - Track 24 on this compilation)

21. Little Red Wagon

(Track 21 is from his September 1969 UK debut LP "Call My Name" on CBS Records S 63780)

22. I'm Going Home

23. And Soon The Darkness

(Tracks 23 and 22 are the A&B-sides of a June 1970 UK 7" single on CBS Records 5032)

24. Which Way To Nowhere

(Track 20 is the B-side of a June 1969 UK 7" single on CBS Records 3915. The A-side is "House Of Jack" - Track 20 on this compilation)

25. Sitting In The Station

(Track 25 is the B-side of "Take Me Like I Am", a January 1968 UK 7" single on CBS Records 3232)

All tracks credit to JAMES ROYAL except 1 and 2 credited JAMES ROYAL and THE HAWKS and 5 credited to JIMMY ROYAL and THE HAWKS

Eight tracks of the 12-song September 1969 UK LP "Call My Name" on CBS Records S 63780 can be sequenced from this 2017 CD as follows:

Side 1:

1. Call My Name [Track 6]

2. Something Bad On My Mind [Track 15]

3. He'll Have To Go

4. Little Red Wagon [Track 21]

5. She's Independent [Track 16]

6. A Woman Called Sorrow [Track 13]

7. Fire (Keep Away From My Heart)

Side 2:

1. House Of Jack [Track 20]

2. It's All In The Game

3. When It Comes To My Baby [Track 7]

4. Forget To Remember

5. You'd Better Run [Track 17]

6. Send Out Love [Track 11]

I know RPM have carefully and honestly entitled the compilation 'Selected Recordings...' – but we should also highlight what's 'not' here. As you can see from the LP's track-list provided above and bearing in mind this CD has a total playing time of 69:26 minutes - the four missing songs from the 1969 debut album could and should have been included here. The two B-sides "Fire..." and "Anna Lee" and the A-side "It's All In The Game" are also missing too and you can't help but think there was room on this disc for all seven no shows. Having said that - let's deal with what we do have...

Project-managed by JOHN REED and MARK STRATFORD for RPM Records - the 16-page booklet has a superb essay on Royal's early career by IAN GRINHAM (dated April 2017) that clearly has had input from the great man himself. Trade and publicity photos of the West London slugger pepper the text - there's a colour repro of the rare 1964 "Ready, Steady - Win!" LP sleeve on Decca where Royal had an exclusive track - repro's of British Parlophone and CBS 45 demos - adverts for The Ealing Club in 1964 where James Royal and The Hawks twisted on Thursday while some no-mark bunch of ne’er-do-wells played R&B on Saturdays - The Rolling Stones. There are some side-profile colour photos of JR as we approach 1969 and an intriguing 1968 snap of our British hero with two other American heroes and influences - Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins. It's very nicely done and the text is hugely informative throughout - going into details on every song that fans will love ("I Can't Stand It" and I’ve Something Bad On My Mind" were hits for The Soul Sisters and Timi Yuro - that kind of stuff).

SIMON MURPHY over at Another Planet Music has done the mastering and the Mono and Stereo recordings vary from very good to amazing - but always clean and full of that 45-punch collectors love.

The music is one long play of dancers and smoochers - opening with the fab Doug Sahm groover "She's About A Mover" - Royal's debut 7" single on Parlophone in June 1965 with the equally wicked "Black Cloud" on the flipside. The Smokey McAllister winner "I Can't Stand It" that he penned for The Soul Sisters back in 1964 on Sue Records is presented here in two forms - a 1965 first stab on Parlophone and a 1967 re-cut on CBS Records in 1967. Both are great as is the so Northern Style vibes and strings of "And Soon The Darkness" written by Laurie Johnson and former Animals stalwart Alan Price.

Speaking of superb songwriters - an unsung hero here is the Canadian tunesmith Ralph Murphy who joined the James Royal camp in 1967 when he first signed to CBS. His name is either sole or co-writer on 10 of the 25 here - and the man had a knack for penning a white man's version of a Motown groove that white kids could dig and dance too. His compositions "Green Day", "Thru' The Love" and "A Woman Called Sorrow" are fantastic Northern Soul thumpers and alongside "Send Out Love" by Guy Fletcher and Doug Flett are obvious choice-cuts amidst many other classy covers. Royal's tremendous version of Van McCoy's "I've Lost You" (made famous by Jackie Wilson) is another toe-tapper as is the Ashford & Simpson song "When It Comes To My Baby" - originally a hit for Ronnie Milsap. Even the slightly sappy version of Jimmy Webb’s "Which Way To Nowhere" sees JR put in storming vocals amidst the strings and girly backing singers.

Music is a funny old world and that England’s James Royal never tasted British chart success is some kind of special criminal neglect.

Despite the fact that I feel RPM could have bolstered up "Call My Name..." with the LP tracks - what you do get here is solid five-star grooviness. Icing on a very tasty CD cake indeed. And I for one am down with that. Well done to all involved...

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"Rock 'n' Roll Gentleman: His Musical Journey With Dr. Feelgood 1974-1994" by LEE BRILLEAUX of DR. FEELGOOD (July 2017 Parlophone 4CD Book Set – Peter Mew Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry

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"...Hit Git And Split..."

As a lifelong and frankly rabid-as-a-dog fan of Dr. Feelgood - I pre-ordered this 4CD-beauty months back (a musical companion piece to Zoe Howe's November 2015 autobiography of the same name). Devoted to the Feelgood's legendary frontman - Canvey Island's very own 'Lee Brilleaux' – I’ll admit that I ripped the shrink-wrap off this uppity little sucker this morning like a 59-year old given a personal audience with Gal Gadot in full Wonder Woman regalia.

Yummy I thought - and bugger me sideways with an Amazonian bow and arrow – but I was right. "Rock 'n' Roll Gentleman: His Musical Journey With Dr. Feelgood 1974-1994" is a Roxette Wind-Up, a Milk and Alcohol, a Nosebleed Sam, a Racetrack Tony, A Cigarettes and Stockings Pony and a No Mo Do Yakamo - all rolled into one....

First things first – content. For sure Discs 1 and 2 are slightly problematical for fans like me who have already invested in the April 2012 "All Through The City..." Wilko Johnson Box Set and the July 2013 follow-up Gypie Mayo Box Set "Taking No Prisoners..." – in that we have these Peter Mew Remasters already. That doesn't of course mean that newcomers aren't in for the treat of their lives playing CD1 and 2 – they absolutely are. Lean and mean – the Feelgoods in full flow between 1975 and 1980 was/is an awesome sonic beast to lay your weary ears on (Discs 1 and 2 concentrate primarily on those years).

But for us old timers that still leaves upgraded audio versions of songs on Discs 3 and 4 – LPs even the most die-hard uber fan may not have like 1982's "Fast Women And Slow Horses" on Chiswick right up to and including the "Down At The Doctors" LP released on Grand Records the month LB died (April 1994). Even now I find that he passed aged only '42' deeply saddening and hard to believe. But what a 20-year legacy Lee Brilleaux and his fabulous R&B band of anarchic heroes left behind. There's a lot to digest so let's get to gentlemanly details...

UK released Friday, 7 July 2017 (14 July 2017 in the USA) - "Rock 'n' Roll Gentleman: His Musical Journey With Dr. Feelgood 1974-1994" by LEE BRILLEAUX on Parlophone 0190295919214 (Barcode 0190295919214) is a 4CD Book Set of Remasters containing 93-Tracks (2 Previously Unreleased) that plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (74:29 minutes):

1. Cheque Book

2. I Don't Mind

3. All Through The City

4. She Does It Right

5. Roxette

6. Keep It Out Of Sight

Tracks 1 to 6 are from their debut LP "Down At The Jetty" - released January 1975 in the UK on United Artists UAS 29727 (all tracks recorded in Mono)

7. I Can Tell

8. Rolling And Tumbling

9. Watch Your Step

10. Riot In Cell Block Number Nine

Tracks 7 to 10 are from their 2nd studio album "Malpractice" - released November 1975 in the UK on United Artists UAS 29880 (all tracks in Stereo from here on in)

11. Stupidity (Live)

12. Going Back Home (Live)

13. Back In The Night (Live)

14. I'm A Hog For You Baby (Live)

15. Checkin' Up On My Baby (Live)

16. Walking The Dog (Live)

Tracks 11 to 16 are from their 3rd LP (first live) "Stupidity" - released September 1976 in the UK on United Artists UAS 29990 (peaked at No. 1 on the UK LP charts)

17. Johnny B Good (Live) (B-side of the "Free Collector's Single" on United Artists FEEL 1 that came with the first 20,000 copies of "Stupidity") 

18. Sneakin' Suspicion

19. Nothin' Shakin' (But The Leaves On The Tree)

20. Lights Out

21. Lucky Seven

Tracks 18 to 21 are from their fourth (3rd studio) album "Sneakin' Suspicion" (last with Wilko Johnson) - released May 1977 in the UK on United Artists UAS 30075

22. Everybody's Carrying A Gun (Olympic Version) - outtake from the "Sneakin' Suspicion" sessions first released April 2012 on the "All Through The City..." Box Set

23. Baby Jane

24. I Thought I Had It Made

Tracks 23 and 24 from their fifth (4th studio) album "Be Seeing You" - released September 1977 in the UK on United Artists UAS 30123.

Disc 2 (72:12 minutes):

1. She's A Wind Up

2. The Blues Had A Baby And They Named It Rock 'n' Roll (No. 2)

3. Looking Back

4. Ninety-Nine And A Half (Won't Do)

Tracks 1 to 4 from their fifth (4th studio) album "Be Seeing You" - released September 1977 in the UK on United Artists UAS 30123.

5. Take A Tip

6. Down At The Doctors

7. Milk And Alcohol

Tracks 5 to 7 are from their sixth (5th studio) album "Private Practice" - released September 1978 in the UK on United Artists UAS 30184

8. Let's Have A Party (Early Version) - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

9. As Long As The Price Is Right (Second Version) - re-recorded version released April 1979 as a UK 7" single on United Artists UP 36506

10. Matchbox (Live)

11. My Buddy Buddy Friends (Live)

12. The Blues Had A Baby And They Named It Rock 'n' Roll (No. 2) (Live)

13. Lights Out (Live)

Tracks 11 to 13 are from their seventh album (2nd live) "As It Happens" - released June 1979 in the UK on United Artists UAK 30239

14. Put Him Out Of Your Mind

15. Hong Kong Money

16. Shotgun

17. Riding On The L&N

18. Feels Good

Tracks 14 to 18 are from their eight album (sixth studio) "Let It Roll" - released September 1979 in the UK on United Artists UASG 30269

19. Jumping From Love To Love

20. Best In The World

21. Drives Me Wild

22. No Mo Do Yakamo

23. King For A Day

24. Violent Love

Tracks 19 to 24 are from their ninth album (seventh studio) "A Case Of The Shakes" - released September 1980 in the UK on United Artists UAG 30311

Disc 3 (74:07 minutes):

1. Pretty Face (Live)

Track 1 from their tenth album (3rd live) "On The Job" - released August 1981 in the UK on Liberty Records LBG 30328

2. Waiting For Saturday Night

Track 2 is the A-side of a October 1981 UK 7" single on Liberty Records BP 404. Also featured as a lone 'new track' on the November 1981 compilation LP of singles called "Casebook" on Liberty Records LBG 30341

3. Crazy About Girls

4. She's The One

5. Monkey

6. Trying To Live My Life Without You

7. Sugar Bowl

Tracks 3 to 7 are from their album "Fast Women And Slow Horses" - released October 1982 in the UK on Chiswick Records TOSS 4

8. Hit Git And Split

9. You Don't Love Me

10. Neighbour, Neighbour

11. Close But No Cigar

12. I Don't Worry About A Thing

13. I Can't Be Satisfied

Tracks 8 to 13 are from the album "Doctors Orders" - released October 1984 in the UK on Demon Records FIEND 29

14. Dimples

15. Dust My Broom

16. Tore Down

17. Mad Man Blues

18. My Babe

19. Rock Me Baby

Tracks 14 to 19 are from the album "Mad Man Blues" - released October 1985 in France on Lolita Records 5042

20. I Love You, So You're Mine

21. You've Got My Number

22. Grow Too Old

23. Don't Wait Up

24. Come Over Here

Tracks 20 to 24 are from the album "Brilleaux" - released in the UK August 1986 on Stiff Records SEEZ 65.

25. See You Later Alligator

Tracks 25 is the A-side of a November 1986 UK 7" single on Stiff Records BUY 255

Disc 4 (77:06 minutes)

1. Hunting, Shooting, Fishing

2. Heartbeat

3. Hurricane

4. Quit While You're Behind

5. Nothing Like It

Tracks 1 to 5 are from the album "Classic" - released September 1987 in the UK on Stiff Records SEEZ 67

6. Let's Have A Party (Live)

7. (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66 (Live)

Tracks 6 and 7 are from the album "Live in London" - released May 1990 in the UK on Grand Records GRAND 08

8. Heart Of The City

9. My Sugar Turns To Alcohol

10. World In A Jug

11. Standing At The Crossroads Again

12. Down By The Jetty Blues

Tracks 8 to 12 are from the album "Primo" - released June 1991 in the UK on Grand records GRAND 12

13. Poison Ivy - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

14. Wolfman Calling

15. One Step Forward

16. Tanqueray

17. Styrofoam

18. She Moves Me

Tracks 14 to 18 are from the album "The Feelgood Factor" - released July 1993 in the UK on Grand Records GRAND 17

19. If My Baby Quits Me (Live)

20. Roadrunner (Live)

Tracks 19 and 20 are from the album "Down At The Doctors" - released April 1994 in the UK on Grand Records GRAND 18

The presentation is the same as the two previous Dr. Feelgood sets - a 'Book' Box Set with an attached booklet in this case of 50-pages. Although the 4CDs give a truly fantastic overview of his 20-year stay with England's best rocking R&B band - you do wish there was a DVD to get a glimpse of their raw magnificence - so a bit of a let down there. But if you want visual Dr. Feelgood fronted by Lee Brilleaux - I direct you to my in-depth reviews of "All Through The City" from 2012 and "Taking No Prisoners" from 2013 - stunning Box Sets that both have wonderful DVD elements. Each CD is also a picture disc of Lee at different stages of his two-decade career as frontman. And at less at twenty quid - this new 2017 Box Set is priced to go whilst still offering huge value for money.

Researched, compiled and co-ordinated by TIM CHACKSFIELD - the liner notes are truncated passages of Zoe Howe's "Rock 'n' Roll Gentleman..." autobiography. Weirdly there are no mastering credits at all - so Disc 1 and 2 are Peter Mew Remasters from 2012 and 2013 whilst Disc 3 and 4 are the Grand Records Remasters done in the Nineties. The audio on each CD is fantastic - full of punch. The photos are cool - full colour plates most of them of Lee in full sweaty flow as his band annihilates some club somewhere. There's an album photo discography starting on Page 43 that pictures those LPs few bought in 80s and 90s when the band had effectively stopped selling. It took me years to locate a vinyl copy of "Mad Man Blues" LP pressed up in France whilst the Stiff LPs were about at the time of release but quickly disappeared after that. Let's get to the musical action...

Lead Guitarist and band founder member Wilko Johnson led the initial advance of four albums on United Artists - "Down By The Jetty" and "Malpractice" in 1975, the stunning live LP "Stupidity" in September 1976 that saw them top the album charts and his final studio set "Sneakin' Suspicion" in May 1977. "Roxette", "She Does It Right", "Going Back Home", "Back In The Night", "All Through The City", "Riot In Cell Block No. 9" - so many great tracks and all sounding huge and punchy. New boy axeman Gypie Mayo joined the gigging clan - infusing new blood and a different sound. And with indecent hast the band quickly pumped out the brilliant and wildly underrated "Be Seeing You" LP in September of 1977. The album title was a nod to the Feelgood's fave cult TV show from the 60ts - Patrick McGoohan's "The Prisoner" - with the record's Producer being credited as ‘No. 6’ (Nick Lowe) and the Engineer as 'No. 2' (no one seems to know who No. 2 is to this day).

The next LP put them back on the chart-map big time – 1978's "Private Practice" with the huge hits "Milk And Alcohol" and "Down At The Doctors". For me every song is a classic (“Take A Tip” is wisely included here as are the other two mentioned above) and I own the Japanese SHM-CD of it just to pet it and stroke it every now and then. The first of only two Previously Unreleased tracks now presents itself - an Early Version of "Let's Have A Party" features a more Fifties Rock 'n' Roll feel with some crude and rude Rockabilly guitar. It's a run-though for sure but a fun one. The remastered sound hammers in with the superb single version of "As Long As The Price Is Right". By the time the Feelgoods got to 1981's third live set "On The Job" few were bothering any more. The Charlie Musselwhite cover of "My Buddy Buddy Friends" is kick-ass nonetheless. And the tracks from the hugely underrated "Let It Roll" and "A Case Of The Shakes" LPs are full of Nick Lowe winners like "Best In The World". Despite "Let It Roll' featuring a sort of muted Production value - songs like the John Mayo/Mike Vernon "Put Him Out Of Your Mind" and the band-created "Hong Kong Money (Pete Wingfield co-write) show they still had that witty edge to both the rhythms and the lyrics.  

Although I've had the later vinyl albums for years I never did get round to replacing them all with the Grand Records CD reissues - so the last two CDs are treats for me and I suspect for many fans who don't know much of the band's output past 1980. The Johnny Guitar/Dave Tice single "Waiting For Saturday Night" is an example - an absolute bopping winner you need in your living room. In fact Johnny Guitar provides many of the goodies on the delightfully named "Fast Women And Slow Horses" LP on Chiswick Records from late 1982 - "Crazy About Girls" and the seriously Wilko-mania influenced "Sugar Bowl" - a guitar 'n' harmonica racer that is guaranteed to make your neck jerk and your barroom-dancing-feet itchy.

I'm not surprised this set offers us six tracks from the excellent "Doctors Orders" LP - with cover-version winners from Young Jessie, Willie Cobbs, Mose Allison and a great slide take on the Muddy Waters classic "I Can't Be Satisfied" - the band sound like the fire in back in their bellies - "Hit Git And Split" even going into an old-days "Back In The Night" refrain as it plays out. A forgotten record is the wild "Mad Man Blues" LP - a warts 'n' all recording where the band sound like they miked-up in someone's living room and let rip. It's raw, mean and fantastically exciting - a souped-up cover of Little Walters' "My Babe" being a perfect example - Neo Rockabilly meets Dr. Feelgood Pub Rock. Unfortunately the "Brilleaux" album felt to me like the goods were sliding away - better was the huge Dave Edmunds production of their Bill Haley cover for "See You Later Alligator" - even if those synths now sound a tad dated.

Gordon Russell joined the ranks for the "Classic" LP in 1987 with excellent cuts like "Heartbeat" and the fun "Hunting, Shooting, Fishing" (bought the 12” single at the time). There’s a storming version of Nick Lowe's brilliant "Heart Of The City" - a tune he penned around the "Jesus Of Cool" LP. Another great Rock 'n' Roll writer and witty tunesmith Mickey Jupp provides "Standing At The Crossroads Again - a clear stand out on the "Primo" LP. The second Previously Unreleased track is a cover of The Coasters Lieber-Stoller classic "Poison Ivy" – but it could be any bar band at this point. Better is a great slow Blues from Dave Bronze on "One Step Forward". And on it goes to a live turn at Jr. Walker’s “Roadrunner” – back full circle to the music and influences they so obviously loved...

To sum up – there is no doubt that you can feel the quality of tunes start to slip on Discs 3 and 4 – but there is still so much to love here. And Discs 1 and 2 are wall to wall with greatness that few bands matched then or now.

"...Hit git and split...I'm coming back home to you..." – Lee Brilleaux sang on their manic cover of Young Jessie's "Hit Git And Split" in the forgotten years of 1984. Well you were welcome in my home back then buddy and you're still welcome now.

"Rock 'n' Roll Gentleman..." is a fabulous celebration of not just a truly great frontman - but that of his kick-ass band too. I haven't enjoyed a listen this much in years. Stick the needle in again baby - I love it to friggin' bits...