"Amistad" on BLU RAY (2018 Warners/HMV UK 'Premium Collection' BLU RAY, DVD and Digital Download Reissue) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Is He The Chief? I Don't Think So..."

No. 51 in the Warners 'Premium Collection' for BLU RAYS is Steven Spielberg's "Amistad" from 1997 – released 15 January 2018 alongside his 2006 film "Munich" which is title No. 52.

In late February 2018 – this UK series will reach title No. 56 (I've compiled the full list below with Barcodes so you can locate the right issue). Please note – there is also a Warners 'Premium Collection' out of Europe (Germany I think) where titles come in 'Digibook' form. Most releases in that film series are different to their UK counterparts ("Excalibur" appears to be the only duplicate). Examples of European 'Premium Collection' releases include Troy, A.I., The Matrix, The Butterfly Effect, 10,000 BC, The Golden Compass, John Rambo, The Hurt Locker, Body Of Lies, Shoot 'Em Up and many more. Back to this latest 'UK' reissue...

First up this new print for "Amistad" is beautiful in almost all places right from the opening sequence of Djimon Hounsou's wild eyes as he claws a nail out of wood aboard the 1839 Spanish slave ship "La Amistad". And it continues like that for most parts right to the end (when you see the Making Of – you will immediately notice the upgrade in image quality). The glossy card slipcase once again lends this 2-disc release a very classy feel and the banded four artcards clipped inside are a very nice touch indeed (principal actors in the movie). It’s a 2-Disc Set (BLU RAY and DVD) and is listed as Region ABC – All regions or Region Free – so no issues with playback anywhere. There is no booklet (mores the pity – only a few titles in this series have one) - but there is a digital download code sheet to watch the movie on the go. But for me that's where the good news ends...

Despite the amazing names in the cast (Nigel Hawthorne, Pete Postlethwaite, David Paymer, Stellan Skarsgard and Morgan Freeman) - re-watching "Amistad" is not a great experience. It's laden with lumpy unbelievable characters - ludicrously over the top acting (McConaughey's happy-wappy lawyer is grating instead of endearing) - and bumbling fun mixed with random horror. It all feels so dreadfully forced and clichéd and weighed down with its own importance unlike the far better "Lincoln" that touches on the same subject of abolishing slavery and uses courtrooms as a drama setting.

Hell even the Menu has music that feels like its some triumphalist Disney cartoon and when Hopkins appears in his bumbling rendition of an ageing President John Quincy Adams - we get the good-guy melodies just so we know we're in the presence of the benevolent white man. The Extras consist of a short "Making Of" and a Trailer (came with the DVD) and once again there's no Spielberg commentary - so in fact there's nothing new other than an upgraded image. Audio is English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Surround (French, Portuguese and Spanish) with Subtitles in English, English SDH, French, Portuguese and Spanish.

If you're a fan - then the purchase is a worthy one - the best presentation of the movie so far. But if not - I'd advise a watch first before purchasing...

PS: For Info Purposes...

Warner Brothers 'Premium Collection' BLU RAY Reissue Series In Conjunction With HMV UK (releases 2016 to 2018):

Each 2-Disc Set Contains a BLU RAY, a DVD, a Digital Download Code (with Ultraviolet), an Exclusive Outer Glossy Slipcase and 4 Art Cards (usually one is the movie poster and others are stills from the movie). None of the 56 releases to date have booklets except where noted (11, 27, 31, 40 and 53) and “Casablanca” (No. 48) is the only issue in the Series with Three-Discs.

The Entire Series is numbered on the silver spine with the year of the film's release above that number (as per the list below)

Begun in October 2016 - releases are ongoing into 2018 and while some have been available in the USA - many titles are first time on BLU RAY in the UK and Europe...

2016:

1. Them (1955) - released 3 October 2016 - Barcode 5051892202770

2. Forbidden Planet (1956) - released 3 October 2016 - Barcode 5051892202985

3. The Omega Man (1971) - released 3 October 2016 - Barcode 5051892202763

4. Soylent Green (1973) - released 3 October 2016 - Barcode 5051892202756

5. All The President's Men (1976) - released 3 October 2016 - Barcode 5051892202626

6. Logan's Run (1976) - released 3 October 2016 - Barcode 5051892202718

7. The Shining - Extended Cut (1980) - released 3 October 2016 - Barcode 5051892202206

8. Diner (1982) - released 3 October 2016 - Barcode 5051892202664

9. Little Shop Of Horrors (1986) - released 3 October 2016 - Barcode 5051892202749

10. Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) - released 3 October 2016 - Barcode 5051892202848

2017:

11. King Kong (1933) - released 27 February 2017 - Barcode 5051892206600 (with 32-Page Booklet)

12. The Adventures Of Robin Hood (1938) – released 27 February 2017 - Barcode 5051892206921

13. Excalibur (1981) – released 13 March 2017 - Barcode 5051892206280

14. The Mission (1986) - released 13 March 2017 - Barcode 5051892206877

15. Jason & The Argonauts (1963) - released 13 March 2017 - Barcode 5050349003724

16. The Hunger (1983) - released 17 Apr 2017 - Barcode 5051892207638

17. Performance (1970) - released 17 Apr 2017 - Barcode 5051892207621

18. The Time Machine (1960) - released 8 May 2017 - Barcode 5051892208291

19. Outland (1981) - released 8 May 2017 - Barcode 5051892208215

20. A Scanner Darkly (2006) - released 8 May 2017 - Barcode 5051892208857

21. Gattaca (1997) - released 8 May 2017 - Barcode 5050349523925

22. Donnie Brasco (1997) - released 29 May 2017 - Barcode 5050349609926

23. Blow (2001) - released 29 May 2017 - Barcode 5051892208277

24. Battle Of The Bulge (1965) - released 5 June 2017 - Barcode 5051892208260

25. The Dirty Dozen (1967) - released 5 June 2017 - Barcode 5051892208284

26. Casualties Of War (1989) - released 5 June 2017 - Barcode 5050349145820

27. Gettysburg: Director's Cut (1993) - released 12 June 2017 - Barcode 5051892208321

28. Jeremiah Johnson (1972) - released 12 June 2017 - Barcode 5051892208307

29. Legends Of The Fall (1994) - released 12 June 2017 - Barcode 5050629158823

30. Sex, Lies And Videotape (1989) - released 17 July 2017 - Barcode 5050349292623

31. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) - released 17 July 2017 - Barcode 5051892209236

32. Cat On A Hot Tin Roof (1958) - released 17 July 2017 - Barcode 5051892209274

33. Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? (1966) - released 17 July 2017 - Barcode 5051892209328

34. White Heat (1949) - released 14 August 2017 - Barcode 5051892209687

35. The Public Enemy (1931) - released 14 August 2017 - Barcode 5051892209656

36. Little Caesar (1931) - released 14 August 2017 - Barcode 5051892209618

37. Point Blank (1967) - released 18 September 2017 – Barcode 5051892209632

38. The Yakuza (1974) - released 18 September 2017 - Barcode 5051892209663

39. Body Heat (1981) - released 18 September 2017 - Barcode 5051892209557

40. Chinatown (1974) - released 18 September 2017 - Barcode 5053083131807

41. Shaft (1971) - released 2 October 2017 - Barcode 5051892209649

42. New Jack City (1991) - released 2 October 2017 - Barcode 5051892209625

43. Pet Sematary (1986) - released 16 October 2017 - Barcode 5053083131814

44. House Of Wax 3D (1953) - released 16 October 2017 - Barcode 5051892209984

45. The Haunting (1963) – released 16 October 2017 – Barcode 5051892209915

46. A Clockwork Orange (1971) - released 16 October 2017 - Barcode 5051892210867

47. The Maltese Falcon (1941) - released 6 November 2017 - Barcode 5051892209922

48. Casablanca (1942) - released 5 February 2018 (delayed release) - Barcode 5051892209816 (Three Disc Special Edition with Booklet)

49. The Big Sleep (1946) - released 6 November 2017 - Barcode 50501892209892

50. Lost Horizon (1937) - released 6 November 2017 - Barcode 5050629028638 (80th Anniversary Reissue/4K Restoration with Booklet)

2018:

51. Amistad (1997) - released 15 January 2018 - Barcode 5053083134747

52. Munich (2005) - released 15 January 2018 - Barcode 5053083134754

53. (Frank Capra's) Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1946) – released 5 February 2018 – Barcode 5050629038132

54. The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms (1953) – released 26 February 2018 – Barcode 5051892212618

55. Clash Of The Titans (1981) – released 26 February 2018 – Barcode 5050189221263

56. Valley Of The Gwangi (1969) – released 26 February 2018 – Barcode 5051892212625

57. McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971) – released 19 March 2018 – Barcode 5051892213189

58. Badlands (1973) – released 19 March 2018 – Barcode 5051892212724

"Darkest Hour" - A Review by Mark Barry of the 2017 Film Starring Gary Oldman...

"...Facing Fearful Odds..."

Darkest Hour - The 2017 Film (A Review)

It's Friday, 12 Jan 2018 in the UK and we've just come from a packed cinema - opening night for "Darkest Hour" - so this review covers the film with the BLU RAY details to follow when its released later in the year.

First up – "Darkest Hour" is your first port of call for movie magic in 2018. Having said that and although it moved the audience I was with in a big way - it's far from perfect as a film - especially at the outset. But when it settles down and works - Joe Wright's latest is masterful stuff – rammed to the gunnels with a huge array of British talent and brilliance. The entire cast is magnificent - seriously stepping up to the acting plate for what you feel they instinctively know is a prestigious project.

Given the press and attention lavished on it - you might also think the whole film is dominated by Gary Oldman's utterly extraordinary performance as Winston Churchill (Oscar nominated and surely his first statue in the bag – he's already taken the Golden Globe this week) – it’s not. What makes it work is a combo of three things actually. Oldman as lead of course giving his version of Churchill unbelievable humanity under all those superlative prosthetics. Second is stunning support parts from a whole array of quality actors - Ben Mendelsohn as the stuttering, smoking King George IV, Kirsten Scott-Thomas a Winnie's long-suffering but quietly supportive wife Clemmie and absolute career bests from Ronald Pickup as the beleaguered ex Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain (a committed pacifist who had seen what carnage war brought to the ordinary man in World War 1) and especially Stephen Dillane as the capitulating silver-tongued Viscount Halifax (he played Stannis Baratheon in Game Of Thrones) - a performance so strong that it almost threatens to take Oldman's thunder. Add in great writing from Anthony McCarten and steady Direction from Joe Wright ("Pride & Prejudice" and "Atonement") - and "Darkest Hour" had tears streaming down our collective cinematic kissers - and on more than one occasion. Even Lily James whose beauty always sees her getting slotted into the 'pretty girl' role - gets her best part too as Churchill's secretary and typist Miss Layton. During one harrowing scene – she sits stilled in pain - unable to type any further - staring down heartbroken at a letter dictated by her boss that will send thousands of men to their death at Calais in order to act as a diversion for the hundreds of thousands stranded on the French coast at Dunkirk (the entire British Army) as European countries and freedoms falls like dominoes to Nazi invasion and tyranny. "Darkest Hour" is full of moments like this. The staggering sacrifices that had to be made and who had the sheer brass to make such crushing decisions...

A half-hour in and as "Darkest Hour" begins to settle down it starts to become an emotional stealth film - the information flow making you realize the sheer gravity of what was happening and to whom - the worst and best sides of humanity making you wince and beam in equal measure. Winston giving the order for Operation Dynamo - the flotilla of small privately owned boats heading to Dunkirk as a nation rallies around 300,000 of its stranded troops (Dario Marianelli and his score finally delivering an emotional sweep the movie really needed). The fabulous dialogue intensity in the War Room when Winston needs to silence the wimps and the naysayers – a one-on-one with the King in a quite bedroom where the PM finally gets the support of someone that matters (a former doubter) – a conversation with President Roosevelt on the phone (a wonderfully detached David Strathairn). In fact I can’t help thinking that it would be a hard heart indeed that would remain unmoved when faced with this level of emotional onslaught.

Then there’s the huge history of it – the fate of the Western World resting on such odd shoulders. His obvious big heart living in tandem with a monumental ego (many felt his initial speeches to the House of Commons were simply grandstanding by a washed-up aristocrat) – his sheer will of personality - instilling self-belief into a nation - understanding that they needed heady strength and even belligerence instead of tact and diplomacy (Spillane's character makes sense every time he speaks but also creepily lacks spine in the face of adversity). There are moments in this film when your chest heaves with the weight of what Churchill had to endure - the American Government hiding behind laws and agreements as England and its inhabitants lay moments away from destruction by true evil (and Roosevelt knew it) – a small man helpless in an even smaller broom closet with the walls slowly closing in. The cabinet bickering and jockeying for position of 'least personal blame' when a nation's very soul hung in the balance - his past military failures in Gallipoli constantly thrown in his face as evidence of his unsuitability for the job of waging war. His copious alcohol consumption, wheezing on chomped cigars, slurred speech, fits of forgetfulness and cantankerous outbursts with staff while he cheerily gives the public V-signs as if all is a bed of roses (apparently the government actively avoided public speeches because Winston came across as a sozzled mumbler). It's all here. And in the end - and perhaps even because of his faults and blemishes – a nation – our freedom - saved by an old beaten-up man with seemingly limitless inner reserves of oratory and grit. And of course as it all comes down to ‘that’ speech which Oldman delivers with beautifully controlled power and finesse - more than a few bodies in our row of seats applauded and felt their chests swell with British pride (and I’m an Irishman).

So why the four-star review and not five? There are times - especially in the first half hour - when it all seems incredibly hammy in places - and you fear that all those glowing reviews must have been carefully placed hype. And it's not really helped either by a Dario Marianelli score that often feels more 'Carry On' than 'Keep Calm'. The jokes are good but can too often grate or worse - feel forced (what a jolly old curmudgeon he was). And a very staged 'Meeting The Ordinary People On The London Underground' scene where an embattled Winston takes solace from the common folk’s stoicism and courage feels like a Richard Curtis outtake complete with the token coloured passenger amazingly able to quote McCauley's poem "Horatio At The Bridge" verbatim and right on cinematic cue (its famous words title this review). And when it comes to the all-important and rousing speeches - did Churchill actually borrow from an American Journalist (William Simms not mentioned) for his penultimate speech of never surrendering made in the House of Commons post Dunkirk. And where's his Irish friend and lifelong advisor Tipperaryman Brendan Bracken who was a key player behind the scenes and some say also contributed to the famous monologues. But despite this - through it all is Oldman delivering a mighty acting performance that brings mammoth-sized pathos to the man – filling him with doubts – tenderness – hurt – even childishness – behavior the Nazis used as actual propaganda during the Blitz to come. Flaws or not – such is his investment in the part – Oldman has you glued - hanging on his every word and gesture. It's a career best and when you take into account the dark power and honesty in his astonishing Directorial debut about working-class alcoholism "Nil By Mouth" (a difficult watch worth the difficulty) – long overdue credit.

Given John Lithgow's truly extraordinary and humane turn as the great man in Season 1 of "The Crown" (a performance he should have won awards for) - Oldman delivers even more Winston - layer after layer of Churchill the man and the endless enigma. Beautifully done boys - flawed in places for sure - but a triumph nonetheless.

And come Tinseltown's Big Day - if Gary Oldman doesn’t win the Oscar for Male Lead in "Darkest Hour" then the UK Government can toss aside leaving the EU for the moment and concentrate on a land-based invasion of America. Given their present President's appalling leadership – hell they might even welcome it...

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"Bored Civilians" by KEITH CROSS and PETER ROSS (April 2014 Esoteric Recordings 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…I Planned To Get To You..."

(This review and 299 more like it available in the following e-Book from Amazon
No duplicates with Volume 1 or 3)

Housed in a dreadful sleeve (front and rear) that gives no indication of the mellow musical brilliance that's contained within - our songwriting heroes KEITH CROSS and PETER ROSS saw their hugely accomplished 1972 platter on Decca Records disappear without a trace on release. In fact as a long-time collector myself and rarities buyer at Reckless Records for nearly two decades - I can remember seeing this album in secondhand racks in the Eighties and Nineties when you couldn't give it away. Nowadays of course it's been rediscovered and clocks in a princely £300+ on the collector's market.

And re-listening to it on this gorgeous-sounding April 2014 CD remaster (Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 2441 - Barcode 5013929454149) - it's easy to hear why that amount of money is being exchanged whenever it comes up for sale. The cliché of a 'lost classic' immediately jumps to mind - and in my mind - reissue of the year too (52:34 minutes).

Some background first - Lead Guitarist Keith Cross had been in the hard-rocking British band BULLDOG BREED who made a lone album on Decca's Progressive Rock label imprint Deram Nova in January 1970 called "Made In England". Cross then left to form T2 who put out a similarly blistering hard-rock effort shortly after (July 1970) called "It'll All Work In Boomland" on Decca. So those expecting more of the same genre when Cross teamed up PETER ROSS of HOOKFOOT would have been in for a short sharp shock with their combo-credited effort "Bored Civilians". Musically it's more Matthews Southern Comfort meets Help Yourself circa their first Folky LP meets Elton John's "Madman Across The Water". There are elements of Nick Drake, Smith-Perkins-Smith, CSYN, Brinsley Schwarz and Caravan too coming out of these beautifully recorded tracks.

1. The Last Ocean Rider [Peter Ross song]

2. Bored Civilians [Keith Cross song]

3. Peace In The End [Trevor Lucas/Sandy Denny song - Fotheringay cover]

4. Story To A Friend [Keith Cross song]

5. Loving You Takes So Long [Peter Ross song] [Side 2]

6. Pastels [Keith Cross song]

7. The Dead Salute [Peter Ross song]

8. Bo Radley [Keith Cross song]

9. Fly Home [Keith Cross and Peter Ross song]

BONUS TRACKS:

10. Blind Willie Johnson - non-album B-side to "Can You Believe It" released September 1971 in the UK on Decca F 13224 and in the USA on London 45-20069

11. Prophets Guiders - non-album B-side to "Peace In The End" released May 1972 in the UK on Decca F 13224 and in the USA on London 45-20073

Released September 1972 on Decca SKL 5129 (Tracks 1 to 9) - the album was produced by one of Decca's top people at the time - PETER SAMES - and along with Engineer DAVE GRINSTEAD - they achieved truly gorgeous warmth on every track. That has been completely captured by PASCHAL BYRNE and his remaster from original tapes - this CD sounds just glorious.

KEITH CROSS and PETER ROSS share Guitars and Lead Vocals while the quality guests include NICK LOWE on Guitar (then with Brinsley Schwarz), DEE MURRAY of the Elton John Band and CHRIS STEWART of Spooky Tooth on Bass, JIMMY HASTINGS on Flute and Saxophone (Caravan, Soft Machine), PETER ARNESEN on Keyboards (later with If, Ian Hunter and The Hollies), STEVE CHAPMAN on Drums (Judas Jump, later with Poco), TONY CARR on Percussion and Pedal Steel Guitar legend B.J. COLE.

The album opens with the massively impressive "The Last Ocean Rider" where a soft melody, harmonizing vocals and BJ Cole's Pedal Steel go into a near seven-minute overdrive. The album's title track floats in like a Simon & Garfunkel song circa "Bookends" when you're then hit a minute-in by the gorgeous string-arrangements done by TONY SHARP (he also arranged and conducted on "Loving You Takes So Long" and "Fly Home"). It's followed by an inspired cover-version choice tailor-made to the Folky feel of the whole album - Fotheringay's "Peace In The End". The cops-hassling-the-band-at-customs "Story To A Friend" has fantastic mid-song arrangements where Elton John type piano chords mix with Jenny Mason and Nicholson's ethereal backing vocals and brill Flute playing from Jimmy Hastings. Side Two opens with the piano-drum beat sound of "Loving You Takes So Long" which aurally reminds me of another forgotten classic - the Side One brilliance of "Foreigner Suite" by Cat Stevens. The pretty "Pastels" follows with immaculate acoustic guitars swirling around your speakers like some David Crosby "If I Could Only Remember My Name" outtake. But best of all for me is the seven-minute album finisher "Fly Home" - it's magnificent in a grand way - a superb combination of highly produced acoustic guitars, languid melody and those beautifully complimentary vocals and strings. It sounds so David Crosby and Graham Nash - so sophisticated West Coast - and quite brilliant. Very, very nice indeed...lyrics from it title this review.

Slip-ups - Esoteric have included the superb B-sides of both rare singles listed above - but they haven't thrown in the uber-rare non-album A-side "Can You Believe It" from 1971 nor have they explained why. And the even harder-to-find six-track EP on Decca EPS 1 is pictured in the excellent booklet but it doesn't explain that each cut was a promo-only `edit' and could therefore have been added on as six extras too. Minor points but worth noting. "Prophets Guiders" is particularly lovely.

Like on the sleeve they went down different roads after the failure of the album and little seems to be known of their post life. But man what a legacy.

With Mellow Candle's "Swaddling Songs", their Help Yourself double CD retrospective "Reaffirmation" and this - Esoteric Recordings are rapidly carving their reissue name in my Irish heart.

Brilliant - and well done to all the good people involved...

Complete Motown Singles CD Book Sets - A List of the 14 Releases from Hip-O Select with Basic Catalogue Numbers and Barcodes by Mark Barry...

Complete Motown Singles CD Book Sets

A List of all 14 Volumes Released Jan 2005 through to Dec 2013 (with Barcodes)

"The Motown Singles Collection" by Hip-O Select

75 x CD Volumes in 14 Volumes, 1847 CD Tracks Plus 28 Tracks On 14 x 7" Vinyl Singles:

Volume 1: 1959-1961, Released January 2005, Catalogue No. Hip-O Select B-0003631-02 (Barcode 602517643310), 6CDs, Ltd Edition of 5000 (Non-Numbered), 155 Tracks, CDs are Volumes 1 to 6

Volume 2: 1962, May 2005, 4CDs, B-00004402-02 (Barcode 602517807552), Ltd Edition of 8000 (Non Numbered), 112 Tracks, Volumes 7 to 15

Volume 3: 1963, October 2005, B-0005352-02 (Barcode 602517845691), 5CDs, Ltd Edition of 7500 (Non-Numbered), 119 Tracks, Volumes 11 to 15

Volume 4: 1964, February 2006, B-0005945-02 (Barcode 602517882443), 6CDs, Ltd Edition of 8000 (Non-Numbered), 163 Tracks, Volumes 16 to 21

Volume 5: 1965, August 2006, B-0006775-02 (Barcode 602517789414), 6CDs, Ltd Edition of 8000 (Non-Numbered), 166 Tracks, Volumes 22 to 27

Volume 6: 1966, November 2006, B-0007872-02 (Barcode 602517092761), 5CDs, Ltd Edition of 6000 (Non-Numbered), 125 Tracks, Volumes 28 to 32

Volume 7: 1967, May 2007, B-0008993-02 (Barcode 602517341906), 5CDs, Ltd Edition of 6000 (Non-Numbered), 120 Tracks, Volumes 33 to 37

Volume 8: 1968, October 2007, B-0009708-02 (Barcode 602517431775), 6CDs, Ltd Edition of 6000 (Non-Numbered), 144 Tracks, Volumes 38 to 43

Volume 9: 1969, December 2007, B-0010270-02 (Barcode 602517507722), 6CDs, Ltd Edition of 6000 (Non-Numbered), 148 Tracks, Volumes 44 to 49

Volume 10: 1970, June 2008, B-0011056-02 (Barcode 602517659209), 6CDs, Ltd Edition of 8000 (Non-Numbered), 144 Tracks, Volumes 50 to 55

Volume 11A: 1971, February 2009, B-0011579-02 (Barcode 602517776555), 5CDs, Ltd Edition of 8000 (Non-Numbered), 119 Tracks, Volumes 56 to 60

Volume 11B: 1971, January 2010, B-0012227-02 (Barcode 602517876903), 5CDs, Ltd Edition of 8000 (Non Numbered), 120 Tracks, Volumes 61 to 65

Volume 12A: 1972, May 2013, B-0012935-02 (Barcode 602527044453)), 5CDs, Ltd Edition of 7500 (Non Numbered), 117 Tracks, Volumes 66 to 70

Volume 12B: 1972, December 2013, B-0019213-02 (Barcode 602537532193), 5CDs, Ltd Edition of 7500 (Non Numbered), 100 Tracks, Volumes 71 to 75

PS: If you can't afford the physical product in 2014 - the MP3 Downloads of each volume appear to be only £14.99 at present with individual tracks at 99p on Amazon...

"The American President" on BLU RAY - A Review by Mark Barry

"...And I Wanted To Be Better Than The Last Guy..."

Before the genius of "The West Wing" - uber-writer Aaron Sorkin gave us the prelude film "The American President" starring Michael Douglas as a handsome and popular POTUS - Andrew Shepherd. Opening with a 63% popularity approval rating after three years of office - Douglas plays a smart and restrained President who is widowed in his private life and trying to raise a young daughter while he runs a complex country and staves off war just about everywhere.

Martin Sheen is brilliantly cast as The President's pal and top advisor - A.J. - Sheen already displaying the dialogue subtleties that would endear him to the world when he took the big oval chair four years after the movie in 1999's TV winner "The West Wing" (a show he dominated for seven years until Season 7 brought it to a close in 2006).

Throw in quality actors like White House staffer Ana Deavere Smith (who would go on to be in the West Wing TV show), newspaper editor John Mahoney (from "Frasier"), Michael J Fox and David Paymer as the hopeful and driven writers and policy makers for Shepherd's administration and the outside menace - an effective bad-guy in a smugger than smug Richard Dreyfuss - a political opponent who spots that the President's 'new girlfriend' the environmental lobbyist Sydney Ellen Wade is an opportunity to be exploited in a re-election environment by claiming that she’s privy to too many secrets (beautifully played by a luminous Annette Bening). Combined you get a rom-com with brains, a modern-day political satire with heart and all of it washed down with state dinners, situation room pathos (someone somewhere dies under the guise of a proportional response) and the sheer sexiness of power in the hands of good guys actually trying to do something lasting with it. Deftly directed by Rob Reiner - 1995's "The American President" was slickly written, superbly played and classy to the hilt.

The BLU RAY has an immaculate print - the best I've ever seen the movie look (an anamorphic 2.35:1 widescreen transfer). Re-watching it in this clarity has been a joy and makes me ache for the day someone-somewhere finally gives "The West Wing" a BLU RAY reissue akin to The Sopranos or The Wire - remastered and re-loaded. Disappointingly - and given that so much could have been expounded upon - the BLU RAY has zip in the way of Extras and Subtitles are only in English. At least there's a 5.1 Surround mix as well as the standard 2.0 Stereo.

So - beautiful to look at but let down by a lack of Extras that would have so enhanced this brilliant and underrated bit of movie magic. In the meantime enjoy this political feast - set back in a time when the words "American President" actually had some respect attached to them and not the buffoon presently disgracing the office on a daily basis...

"Skid/34 Hours + Bonus Tracks" by (Ireland's) SKID ROW (July 2017 Beat Goes On 2CD 'Expanded Edition' Remasters + Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 240+ Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD - Volume 3 of 3 - Exceptional CD Remasters  

Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95

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

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"...Explosive Sound..."

When Ireland's SKID ROW released their October 1970 "Skid" debut LP on CBS Records in the UK (December 1970 in the USA on Epic) - I had just turned 11 and was living in Dublin – hungry to trash my poor middle-class parents nice living room with some hairy-arsed Rock and fire-breathing fretful rebellion (you go young Baz).

As you can imagine - young Irish delinquents like Moi had few names to turn to – Rory Gallagher and his band Taste were an obvious choice of course – and what a stunning unit they were. But when the 17-year guitar-flash GARY MOORE from Belfast in Northern Ireland hit the Republic’s North/South gigging scene (helped by Dublin songwriter and Bassist BRUSH SHIELS and his drumming pal NOEL 'Nollaig' BRIDGEMAN) – Moore's incendiary playing and Skid Row’s tight three-piece live shows became a very big deal indeed.

As a solid touring support band Skid Row even impressed Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac who had their manager Clifford Davis take over the touring/recording reins. Greeny was apparently pencilled in to be the Producer for the debut LP - but it never happened with Davis stepping up to the console instead. Impressively – when the album did arrive - it charted at No. 30 in the UK on vinyl LP release - quite a feat given the decidedly speeded-up Blues-Prog-Rock nature of the music (it wouldn't have been everybody's cup of Darjeeling even then) and the vivid creature-creepy Nigel Watson mythical pencil-drawing artwork. Big things were indeed expected of this band...

But as much as my unbridled affection for them and all things remotely Thin Lizzy-related (Moore later joined the ranks) - this rather brill 2017 twofer from England's Beat Goes On has only shown up the dreadfully dated nature of the debut. The good news however is that LP No. 2 - "34 Hours" from June 1971 – shows a huge jump in songwriting craft and the six Extras on Disc 2 actually do warrant the word 'Bonus' – putting this reissue right up there for fans and a tasty temptation for those who like their early Seventies Rock a bit mad and wild.

There is a lot to get through - so once more unto the zippy licks and teenage kicks...

UK released Friday, 14 July 2017 (21 July 2017 in the USA) - "Skid/34 Hours + Bonus Tracks" by SKID ROW on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1302 (Barcode 5017261213020) is a 2CD Reissue and Remaster of their first two albums from 1970 and 1971 bolstered up with six 'Bonus Tracks' from the period - three non-album single-sides and three outtakes from the original LP sessions that were initially withdrawn (finally issued on vinyl in 1983 by CBS). Here are the details...

Disc 1 (38:29 minutes):

1. Mad Dog Woman [Side 1]

2. Virgo's Daughter

3. Heading Home Again

4. An Awful Lot of Woman

5. Unco-Up Showband Blues

6. For Those Who Do [Side 2]

7. After I Am Gone

8. The Man Who Never Was

9. Felicity

Tracks 1 to 9 are their debut LP "Skid" - released October 1970 in the UK on CBS Records S 63965 and December 1970 in the USA on Epic E 30404. Produced by CLIFFORD DAVIS (Fleetwood Mac's manager) - it peaked at No. 30 on the UK LP charts (didn't chart USA).

Disc 2 (57:33 minutes):

1. Night Of The Warm Witch (Including The Following Morning) [Side 1]

2. First Thing In The Morning (Including Last Thing At Night)

3. Mar

4. Go, I'm Never Gonna Let You, Part 1 (Including Go, I'm Never Gonna Leave You, Part 2) [Side 2]

5. Lonesome Still

6. The Love Story, Part 1 (Including The Love Story, Parts 2-4)

Tracks 1 to 6 are their second studio album "34 Hours" - released June 1971 in the UK on CBS Records S 64411 and August 1971 in the USA on Epic E 30913. Produced by CLIFFORD DAVIS and named after the amount of time it took to record - it didn't chart in either country.

BONUS TRACKS:

7. New Faces Old Places

8. Sandy's Gone (Part 1)

9. Sandy's Gone (Part 2)

10. Morning Star Avenue

11. Oi'll Tell You Later

12. Mr. De-Luxe

Tracks 7 to 11 were part of the original sessions in 1969 but abandoned for newer material on the 1970 released LP (Tracks 1, 4, 6 and 7 on Disc 1 to be exact – all the other tracks were re-recorded too).

Tracks 8 and 9 (from the original sessions) were salvaged as an A&B-side and issued as a non-album debut UK 45 - released 26 March 1970 on CBS Records 4893

Track 12 is the non-album B-side of their 2nd UK 7” single – an edit of "Night Of The Warm Witch" released 30 April 1971 on CBS Records 7181

SKID ROW was:

BRUSH SHIELS - Bass Guitar and Lead Vocals

GARY MOORE - Lead Guitar and Lead/Second Vocals

NOEL 'Nollaig' BRIDGEMAN - Drums

NOTES ON THE DEBUT LP "Skid" – 1969 Original vs. 1970 Re-Record:

Nine tracks were initially recorded in 1969 by the band with Producer MIKE SMITH at the helm - but that version (to be called "Skid Row") was scrapped with only a two-part single of "Sandy's Gone" emerging from the sessions. That rather mellow (and musically unrepresentative) two-parter was issued 26 March 1970 as a stand-alone British 45 on CBS Records 4893 - but sold little (both sides are included here as Bonus Tracks on Disc 2).

The whole album was then re-recorded (in eleven hours) with a rejiggered track list and new material in April 1970 and became the released LP known simply as "Skid" (all of CD Disc 1). However in 1983 - CBS Records UK decided to re-issue the initial recordings as a vinyl LP again in different artwork (to show it was different material) but confusingly using the same catalogue as the original release - S 63965. This was in turn re-issued in 1992 as a 'Rewind' issue on CBS 450623 1 (LP) and 450623 2 (CD).

That original 1969 version ran as follows...

Side 1:

1. Sandie's Gone

2. The Man Who Never Was

3. Heading Home Again

4. Felicity

Side 2.

1. Unco-up Showband Blues

2. Morning Star Avenue

3. Oi'll Tell You Later

4. Virgo's Daughter

5. New Faces Old Places

This 2CD reissue will allow at least some of that to be sequenced. It is of course a damn shame this BGO reissue didn’t think to include those remaining 1969 original recordings as Bonus Tracks on Disc 1 – but alas.

So what do you get? The outer BGO card slipcase adds a classy feel (as always) to this release and the 20-page booklet with new liner notes from noted writer JOHN O’REGAN offers a detailed history, original artwork (the inner gatefold of "34 Hours") – repro label shots of several rare British, Irish and Euro 45s and even 1971 concert posters from the Lyceum, The Marquee and The Winter Gardens at Great Malvern – very tasty indeed. But the big news is new ANDREW THOMPSON Remasters from 2017 that sound amazingly clean and powerful. Sure the rapidly recorded material is crude (especially on the debut) but man does it sound good. In September 2001 Repertoire of Germany issued a remaster CD of the 1970 debut album "Skid" with both parts/sides of the "Sandy's Gone" UK 7" single as its two Bonus Tracks. I've had that issue for years and the Thompson remaster is clearer right from the start of Side 1's "Mad Dog Woman". To the music...

Even though Moore was the centre of guitar attention in Ireland's Skid Row - Bassist Brush Shiels was the band's principal songwriter providing five of the nine debut tracks - "Mad Dog Woman", "Virgo's Daughter", "Heading Home Again", "An Awful Lot Of Woman" and "After I'm Gone" - while also co-writing "Unco-Up Showband Blues", "For Those Who Do" and "The Man Who Never Was" with Moore and Bridgeman. Moore alone provided the lengthy album finisher "Felicity". I have to admit that the initial "Mad Dog Woman" track is dreadfully dated (vocals, structure, the slightly clumsy playing) - but the following "Virgo's Daughter" is brilliant. With its twinned vocals-and-guitar opening refrain - the song feels like a sort of Prog Blues - like Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac circa "Green Manalishi" meets Vincent Crane's Atomic Rooster. Its clever yet accessible song-structure is perhaps why Greeny liked the Irish band so much. "Virgo's Daughter" is still on my fave tracks from their early years.

That rocking moment is quickly replaced with the plucked Country-Bop jaunt of "Heading Home Again" - Brush showing he could do melody as well as boogie. We're then hit with a track that probably introduced Skid Row to the masses - "An Awful lot Of Woman". It's complicated, short and speed freak verses with a pure Rock 'n' Roll guitar centre from Moore featured as Track 4 on Side 4 of the double-album CBS Records label sampler "Rock Buster" (with Arnie flexing those Austrian arms on the front cover). How many of us bought those cheap label samplers and were introduced to bands and artist we might never have listened to otherwise. For the end of Side 1 we then go into five and half minutes of slow Rock-Blues with "Unco-Up Showband Blues" where Gary gets to stretch out and show some fret skills. Nice...

Side 2's "For Those Who Do" shows the band's Prog even Jazz Rock leanings and it’s so easy to hear why Moore (as he races up and down the neck of his guitar) joined Colosseum II only a few years later on. That complicated jerky rhythm is evident again in the short but funkily brill "After I Am Gone" – Bridgeman and his crashing drums doing well to keep up with Gary who seems determining to chew gum really fast as he plays. Another LP highlight follows with the guitar-and-bass battle that is "The Man Who Never Was" – a song that is possibly too clever clogs for its own boots. Side 2 of the debut ends with nine minutes of Moore’s "Felicity" – a track I find hard to listen to now – like Jeff Beck forgetting economy and going off on a playing tangent just to suit himself.

Things had improved dramatically in the songwriting front by the time they reached album No. 2 "34 Hours" – so named for the amount of time it took to record. Both CBS Records UK and Ireland tried an edit of the brilliant “Night Of The Warm Witch” as a 45 in late April 1971. It’s nine-minute album length was shortened – starting the song at about 1:03 minutes when the drums and riff kick in. It’s an absolute crying shame that this brill edit isn’t included on here as a CD bonus track. But at least we do get its equally excellent and genuinely exciting B-side "Mr. De-Luxe" - the kind of kick-ass flipside I love – a little like the flip of Lizzy’s "Whiskey In The Jar" – the fab and cool "Black Boys On The Corner". For "Mr. De-Luxe" Moore and the boys get to boogie – Rock ‘n’ Roll the place – and I’ve loved it for years.

The short but speedy "First Thing in The Morning..." turns out to be another woman-troubles song that requires a wild guitar solo from Gary that sounds like he’s in the back of a school room sulking after teacher’s admonishment. Side 1 of "34 Hours" ends on the musically pretty "Mar" where vocally Shiels sounds like Terry Stamp of Third World War – weary, angry and containing the sad-and-glad with a cheery demeanour. For me Moore plays some of his best guitar on this track – a few effects first and then a solo that feels Blues-Soulful.

Over on Side 2 of "34 Hours" nine minutes of the hornary "Go, I’m Never Gonna Let You..." confirms how good the album is – great Rock and the production values are huge – as big as the riffs and musical ideas. Time for an unexpected Byrds-go-Country interlude with "Lonesome Still" coming on all Gram Parsons Pedal Steel Guitar – a misery shuffle in four-time pain. To end an accomplished second album were back to Skid Row’s trademark rapid boogie – the excellent "The Love Story..." – vocal scatting as Moore copies the staccato words. Amidst the Bonus Tracks "New Faces Old Places" is the prize for the album outtakes and those three great single sides are actually worth owning.

Sure there is a missed opportunity here (Disc 1 could have had the two versions of the debut album for the first time – one following the other - and how about a few of those Irish-only early single sides over on Disc 2 as well) – but whatever way you look at it – this is a classy release for the beginnings of a great band that imploded too soon - Ireland's Skid Row.

Top audio, quality presentation and a good price for rarities that are now so hard to find on original vinyl - old places with new faces indeed. Well done to all involved...