"Somethin' Else: The Ultimate Collection" by EDDIE COCHRAN (February 2009 GERMAN Bear Family 8CD Box Set of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…No Harm Done…Just Havin' Some Fun…On The Weekend…"

It's astonishing to think that when Ray Edward Cochran was taken from us in a freak car accident while on tour in England in April 1960 - he was only 6 months into his 21st year and had already clocked up over 200 recordings - the bulk of which are presented in this eagerly awaited and sumptuous box set...

"Somethin' Else: The Ultimate Collection" by EDDIE COCHRAN is typical of the German Reissue Company’s legendary excellence. Released February 2009 on Bear Family BCD 15989 HK (Barcode 4000127159892) - 8 CDs are housed in label-themed 2CD jewel cases inside a 12” x 12" Box Set offering up a huge 262 tracks. There's a beautifully illustrated album-sized 194-Page Hardback Book that is a truly a thing of beauty (yes ‘hardback’!).

The set was compiled and prepared across several years by noted expert ANTOON VAN OLDEREN and Bear Family label boss RICHARD WEIZE. But this kind of quality and high-art finish doesn't come cheap - there's little change out of one hundred & fifty pounds - even online.

The remastering was handled by 'BOPPIN' BOB JONES, JAY RANELUCCI and PETER J. REYNOLDS - and being Bear Family - the sound quality is GORGEOUS - first generation tapes used, meticulous transfers - a typically superb job done. It's distributed in the UK by John Beecher's Rollercoaster Records of Chalford, Gloucestershire.

CONTENTS:

Disc 1, 35 Tracks, 74:13 minutes, Disc 2, 35 Tracks, 74:10 minutes

Disc 3, 34 Tracks, 76:45 minutes, Disc 4, 24 Tracks, 50:27 minutes

Disc 5, 24 Tracks, 60:04 minutes, Disc 6, 43 Tracks, 78:17 minutes

Disc 7, 28 Tracks, 62:09 minutes, Disc 8, 39 Tracks, 63:32 minutes

For US fans there's the first 3 singles on Ekko as The Cochran Brothers, the lone 7" on Crest, the 14 that followed on Liberty (A&B for each) and the 3 Liberty albums proper from 1957, 1960 and 1962. 

 

For UK fans there's the 13 London singles followed by the 10 Liberty ones and the 4 important albums - "Singin' To My Baby" (1958), "The Eddie Cochran Memorial Album" (1960), "Cherished Memories" (1962) and "My Way" (1964). I've checked and they're ALL on here. 

The 70's to 90's gave us major EMI retrospectives - the "Legendary Masters" 2LP set from 1972, the 4LP "20th Anniversary" box from 1980 and the "Eddie Cochran" 6LP/4CD box of 1988 - the bulk of these are here too (with some omissions). On top of that, Tony Martin's ROCKSTAR label of the UK carried the flag for Cochran for years and put out 9 EPs and 9 LPs worth of material (much unreleased) - the bulk (not all) of these reissues are also here.

The songs themselves consist of master versions, alternate takes, stereo mixes, interviews, live tracks, false starts and studio chatter - and as you can imagine, it's a mixture of the great and the un-listenable (the stereo stuff on Disc 5 is thrilling while the live tracks are badly recorded and filled with screaming...)

THE HARDBACK BOOK:

The book is both gobsmacking and problematic. Firstly it's bent and curved when you take it out (other buyers have had the same) because the binding can't take the weight. And while the endless photographs of British, Irish, German, Spanish, Japanese, Dutch and even Israeli 7"s, 78"s, EPs and Albums are a wonder to behold and most are in colour - there's an unforgivable 'lack' of info beneath or beside them. Text should be embellishing all of these snaps - chart positions, B-sides, writers credits, what album it came off - but nothing - there isn't even release dates on them...

Take Page 161 - you're shown his July 1958 UK debut LP on London HA-U 2093 with another sleeve beneath it - Liberty LBY 1158. There's no explanation that LBY 1158 is the May 1963 reissue of HA-U 2093 - there's no track list for either LP - there's no rear sleeves pictured either. All the Rockstar photos are slightly blurred - like their copies of copies. And disappointingly there's no printed US or British discographies for easy reference - numerical pointers as to where the tracks are on this massive box. (I've created my own for fans in the 'Comment' box - both singles and albums).

 

What is good is the 5000-word essay by Stuart Coleman peppered with rare full-sized photos combined with stunning outtake stills and global posters for his 3 movies "The Girl Can't Help It", "Untamed Youth" and "Go, Johnny Go". My favourite photos are on Page 37 where the beautiful actress Yvonne Lime from "Untamed Youth" holds Eddie's cheeks in her hands with a look of pure affection and then on Page 66 there's Cochran and his flame Sharon Sheeley flicking through records racks in a Hollywood vinyl store - she clearly in love with him and unable to hide her pride. 

The Discography between Pages 99 and 118 is more of a jazz-style date-by-date Sessionography compiled by Antoon van Olderen, STUART COLMAN, RUSS WAPENSKY and RICHARD WEIZE. 120 entries start with his earliest stuff in mid 1953 through to his last recordings in January 1960 - including all session work and collaborations in between. You find out that the June 1961 UK single "Weekend" b/w "Cherished Memories" on London HLG 9362 has exclusive mixes - different to the US versions. Also I count a little under 10 previously unreleased versions exclusive to this box, with the bulk of others having appeared on albums/CDs now long deleted.

Ultimately it's down to the music - and as I sit here listening to "Weekend" and "Jeannie, Jeannie, Jeannie" in STEREO - tears are in my eyes. God bless you Eddie Cochran wherever you may be...

Wallet-buster or not - and despite the book niggles - this is a stone 5-star recommended.

PS: this review is dedicated to "Boppin'" Bob Jones who died in April 2009 - he remastered 1000's of recordings for Ace Records, Bear Family and other top reissue labels and brought joy to millions of fans…

EDDIE COCHRAN - USA 7" singles Discography 

with Bear Family "Somethin' Else" 2009 GERMAN 8CD Box Set track references

(e.g. 1/10 is Disc 1 Track 10 and so on)

COCHRAN BROTHERS

[Eddie and Hank Cochran – not related nor brothers]

1.   Mr. Fiddle b/w Two Blue Sing Stars (Ekko 1003, June 1955)

[A is 1/8 – B is 1/9]

2.   Guilty Conscience b/w Your Tomorrow Never Comes

      (Ekko 1005, July 1955)

[A is 1/10 – B is 1/11]

3.   Tired And Sleepy b/w Fool’s Paradise

(Ekko 3001, May 1956)

[A is 1/18 – B is 1/19]

EDDIE COCHRAN

4.   Skinny Jim b/w Half Loved

(Crest 1026, July 1956)

[A is 2/1 – B is 2/2]

(Note: there is another overdubbed version of the A “Skinny Jim” on the 1962 UK LP “Cherished Memories” on Liberty LBY 1109 and there are 4 takes of the B-side “Half Loved” too – all are on this Bear Family Box)

5.   Sittin’ In The Balcony b/w Dark Lonely Street

(Liberty F-55056, February 1957)

[A is 2/7 - B is 1/31]

6.   Mean When I’m Mad b/w One Kiss [with the Johnnie Mann Singers]

(Liberty F-55070, May 1957)

[A is 2/8 – B is 2/9]

(Note: this is the only Cochran US single issued in a picture sleeve during his lifetime; it’s extremely rare and commands $1000+)

7.   Drive In Show b/w Am I Blue [with the Johnny Mann Orchestra & Chorus]

(Liberty F-55087, July 1957)

[A is 2/12 – B is 2/10]

8.   Twenty Flight Rock b/w Cradle Baby [with Johnny Mann Orchestra & Chorus]

(Liberty F-55112, November 1957)

[A is 2/18 – B is 2/11]

(A-side is Version 2; Version 1 is on his July 1958 debut British LP “Singin’ To My Baby”, London HA-U 2093 and also UK 7” single HL-U 8386 – it’s 1/28)

9.   Jeannie, Jeannie, Jeannie b/w Pocketful Of Hearts

(Liberty F-55123, January 1958)

[A is 2/26 – B is 2/24]

(Note: the A is in MONO, but there is another take without the guitar overdub on the box in STEREO – it’s 5/7)

10.      Pretty Girl b/w Teresa

(Liberty F-55138, May 1958)

[A is 2/25 – B is 2/28]

(Note: A is an exclusive mix to the USA; there is a different version on the UK 7” single London HL-G 9464 – it’s 4/6. The box set also contains a 2-track Stereo version of the song on 5/5 with a further 3-track Stereo version with overdubs on 5/13)

11.      Summertime Blues b/w Love Again

(Liberty F-55144, July 1958)

[A is 2/30 – B is 2/33]

(Note: the British ‘A’ on London HL-U 8702 is a different mix to the US version – it’s 4/1) 

12.      C’mon Everybody b/w Don’t Ever Let Me Go

(Liberty F-55166, October 1958)

[A is 3/6 – B is 3/5]

(Note: the A is known as the “Speeded Up” version, but there’s also a STEREO version with guitar overdub and running at the correct speed on the UK-only 1984 LP “Portrait Of A Legend” on Rockstar RSR LP 1008 – it’s 4/2)

13.      Teenage Heaven b/w I Remember

(Liberty F-55177, February 1959)

[A is 3/8 – B is 3/9]

14.      Somethin’ Else b/w Boll Weevil Song

(Liberty F-55203, July 1959)

[A is 3/17 – B is 3/18]

15.      Hallelujah, I Love Her So b/w Little Angel

(Liberty F-55217, November 1959)

[A is on 3/26 – B is on 3/25]

(Note: A is a Ray Charles cover and the spelling of it doesn’t use an exclamation mark as his original did at the end of the word Hallelujah, but a comma. There’s two further versions of “Hallelujah…” – an echoed version with strings which first appeared on the UK’s 1980 4LP box set “20^th Anniversary Album” on United Artists ECSP 20 (4/10) and a STEREO version on the UK-only 1984 LP “Portrait Of A Legend” on Rockstar RSR LP 1008 (5/10).

There are 10 versions of the B-side “Little Angel” – the master (3/25) is an overdubbed version of Take 10. The other versions are Take 1, 3, 5, 6 9 and 2 further version of 10 – all are on this box. Also worthy of note is that another version of Take 10 of “Little Angel” (5/11) is exclusive to the Bear Family set – it’s a different STEREO cut to the one that appeared on the Rockstar LP of 1984 (5/9))

16.      Three Steps To Heaven b/w Cut Across Shorty

(Liberty F-55242, March 1960)

[A is on 3/32 – B is on 3/33]

(Note: the A-side is Version 2 in Mono - a Version 1 in MONO and Version 2 in STEREO both appeared on the UK’s 1980 4LP box set “20^th Anniversary Album” on United Artists ECSP 20 – they’re on this box as 3/16 and 5/2 respectively.

The B-side master for “Cut Across Shorty” is a ‘speeded-up’ version of Take 21 – however, the ‘correct speed’ version of Take 21 also appeared on the UK’s 1980 2LP set “20^th Anniversary Album”, while a STEREO version of the take appeared on the UK-only 1984 LP “Portrait Of A Legend” on Rockstar RSR LP 1008 - they’re also on this box as 4/9 and 5/3)

17.      Lonely b/w Sweetie Pie

(Liberty F-55278, August 1960)

[A is on 2/32 – B is on 2/23]

(Note: there is a second version of the A-side with overdubs available on the 1962 USA LP “Never To Be Forgotten” on Liberty LRP 3220 – it’s 4/22)

18.      Weekend b/w Lonely

(Liberty F-55389, December 1961)

[A is 3/14 – B is on 2/32]

(Note: there is a STEREO version of “Weekend” on the UK-only 1984 LP “Portrait Of A Legend” on Rockstar RSR LP 1008 – it’s 5/12. “Lonely” is as per the A entry for number 17)

There were many re-issues throughout the rest of the Sixties and onwards in the USA, but they were more of what went before. It should be noted though that this was NOT the case in the UK, where new and previously unreleased Cochran material was issued by both EMI and the ROCKSTAR label (specialising in both Cochran and Gene Vincent).  The Rockstar label put out 7” EP’s also – many are referenced in the BF box. See my separate UK 7” singles discography post…

EDDIE COCHRAN - UK 7" SINGLES Discography

With reference to where the tracks can be located on the Bear Family 2009 8CD Box Set

"Somethin' Else – The Ultimate Collection"

Note:

(a) London 78's and 45's (1 to 13)

Most UK 78's credited their catalogue numbers without a prefix (HLU 8386), but the 7"s prefixed the catalogue numbers with 45-.

Most listings have since dropped the 45- prefix, but for accuracy purposes I’ve reinstated the prefix in this discography (it’s what’s on the actual records themselves anyway).

(b) Catalogue number spacing

Also some catalogue numbers on the UK 7" singles separated the lettering before the number – some didn't. For accuracy, I've reflected what was on the actual singles themselves – e.g. 45-HLU 8386 and 45-HL-U 8880.

EDDIE COCHRAN – UK 7" Singles Discography (referencing Bear Family)

1.   20 Flight Rock b/w Dark Lonely Street

London 45-HLU 8386 (April 1957)

[A is 1/28 - B is 1/31]

(Note: the original UK 78" and 7" both credit the A as "20 Flight Rock" – its spelt "Twenty Flight Rock" on the US issue and subsequent British reissues)

2.   Sittin' In The Balcony b/w Completely Sweet

London 45-HL-U 8433 (June 1957)

[A is on 2/7 – B is on 1/29]

(Note: the B-side is an exclusive mix - Version 1; Version 2 is on the US debut LP "Singin' To My Baby" on Liberty LRP 3061 - it's 2/17)

3.   Summertime Blues b/w Love Again

London 45-HL-U 8702 (September 1958)

[A is on 4/1 - B is on 2/33]

(Note: the A-side "Summertime Blues" is a different mix to the US version and exclusive to the UK single – the US version (2/30) has reverb and fading at the end, the UK version is without reverb and has an ending. The B is the same for both UK and US singles, but there is a different overdubbed vocal version on the 1962 USA LP "Never To Be Forgotten" on Liberty LRP 3220 – it's 4/21)

4.   C'mon Everybody b/w Don't Ever Let Me Go

London 45-HL-U 8792 (January 1959)

[A is on 3/6 – B is on 3/5]

5.   Teenage Heaven b/w I Remember

London 45-HLU 8880 (June 1959)

[A is 3/8 – B is on 3/9]

6.   Somethin' Else b/w Boll Weevil Song

London 45-HL-U 8944 (September 1959)

[A is on 3/17 – B is on 3/18]

7.   Hallelujah, I Love Her So b/w Little Angel

London 45-HLW 9022 (January 1960)

[A is on 3/26 – B is on 3/25]

8.   Three Steps To Heaven b/w Cut Across Shorty

London 45-HLG 9115 (May 1960)

[A is on 3/32 – B is on 3/33]

9.   Sweetie Pie b/w Lonely

London 45-HL-G 9196 (September 1960)

[A is on 2/23 – B is on 2/32]

(Same Takes, but the A & B are reversed to the USA issue on Liberty F-55278)

10.   Weekend b/w Cherished Memories

London 45-HLG 9362 (June 1961)

[A is on 3/14 – B is on 3/34]

(Note: both A & B-side takes were exclusive to this UK release; the US versions for Liberty F-55389 are 3/14 and 2/32)

11.   Jeannie, Jeannie, Jeannie b/w Pocketful Of Hearts

London 45-HL-G 9460 (November 1961)

[A is on 2/26 – B is on 2/24] 

(Note: the A is in MONO, but there is another take without the guitar overdub on the box in STEREO – it’s 5/7)

12.   Pretty Girl b/w Teresa

London 45-HLG 9464 (November 1961)

[A is 4/6 - B is 2/28]

(Note: the A is an exclusive mix to the UK release; there is a different version on the USA 7” single on Liberty F-55138 – it’s 2/25)

13.   Undying Love b/w Stockin's 'n' Shoes

London 45-HLG 9467 (November 1961)

[A is on 2/14 – B is on 2/19]

14.   Never b/w Think Of Me

Liberty LIB 10049 (October 1962)

[A is on 2/22 – B is on 3/15]

15.   My Way b/w Rock 'n' Roll Blues

Liberty LIB 10088 (April 1963)

[A is on 3/10 – B is on 3/11]

16.   Drive In Show b/w I Almost Lost My Mind

Liberty LIB 10108 (August 1963)

[A is on 2/12 – B is on 4/20]

17.   Skinny Jim b/w Nervous Breakdown

Liberty LIB 10151 (April 1964)

[A is on 2/1 – B is on 3/3]

18.   C'mon Everybody b/w Summertime Blues

Liberty LIB 10233 (April 1966)

[A is on 3/6 – B is on 4/1]

(Note: see 3 for Notes on “Summertime Blues”)

19.   Three Stars b/w Somethin’ Else

Liberty LIB 10249 (December 1966)

[A is on 3/13 – B is on 3/17]

(A is exclusive to the UK single)

20.   Three Steps To Heaven b/w Eddie’s Blues

Liberty LIB 10276 (May 1967)

[A is on 3/32 – B is on 3/20]

21.   Summertime Blues b/w Let’s Get Together

Liberty LBF 15071 (June 1968)

[A is on 4/1 – B is on 3/4]

(Note: see 3 for Notes on “Summertime Blues”)

22.   Somethin' Else b/w Milk Cow Blues

Liberty LBF 15109 (1968)

[A is on 3/17 – B is on 3/21]

23.   C'mon Everybody b/w Mean When I'm Mad

Liberty LBF 15366 (June 1970)

[A is on 3/6 – B is on 2/8]

24.   Somethin' Else b/w Three Steps To Heaven

United Artists UP 35361 (April 1972)

[A is on 3/17 – B is on 3/32]

25.   Summertime Blues b/w Cotton Picker

United Artists UP 35408 (July 1972)

[A is on 4/1 – B is on 2/6]

(B is on the United Artists 2LP set UAS 9959 “Legendary Masters No.4”)

26.   Summertime Blues b/w C'mon Everybody

United Artists UP 35796 (March 1975)

[A is on 4/1 – B is on 3/6]

(Note: see 3 for Notes on “Summertime Blues”)

27.   C'mon Everybody b/w Milk Cow Blues

United Artists UP 36121 (June 1976)

[A is 3/6 – B is on 3/21]

28.   C'mon Everybody b/w Don’t Ever Let Me Go

United Artists Silver Spotlight Series UP 603 (June 1979)

[A is 3/6 – B is 3/5]

29.   Think Of Me b/w Pretty Girl

United Artists FREE 12 (1979)

[This single wasn’t released as a stand-alone issue – it came in a picture sleeve free with the LP “The Eddie Cochran Singles Album” from 1979 on UAK 30244. It’s included here for completeness]

[A is on 3/15 – B is on 4/6]

30.   What I'd Say b/w Milk Cow Blues

Rockstar RSR-SP 3001 (1979)

[A is not on the box set – the Take used for B is unknown]

31.   Skinny Jim b/w Half Loved

Rockstar RSR-SP 3002 (1979)

[Neither is referenced in the box set]

32.   Twenty Flight Rock b/w Teenage Cutie

United Artists UP 618 (March 1980)

[A is on 1/28 – B is on 2/29]

33.   I Want Elvis For Christmas b/w The Tender Age

Rockstar RSR-SP 3004 (1980)

(Both sides are by HOLLY TWINS featuring EDDIE COCHRAN)

[A is on 7/12 – B is on not on the Box]

34.   Three Steps To Heaven b/w Cut Across Shorty

United Artists Silver Spotlight Series UP 36520 (October 1980)

[Reissue of 8]

35.   Somethin' Else b/w Boll Weevil Song

United Artists Silver Spotlight Series UP 36521 (October 1980)

[Reissue of 6] 

36.   Summertime Blues b/w Twenty Flight Rock

Liberty Golden 45’s G45 19 (May 1984)

[A is on 4/1 – B is on 1/28]

37.   C'mon Everybody b/w Don’t Ever Let Me Go

Liberty UP 603 (1984 Reissue of 28 – Box set track places are the same)

38.  C'mon Everybody b/w Don't Ever Let Me Go

Liberty EDDIE 501 (Feb 1988)

[As per 28 and 37]

39.  Somethin' Else b/w Boll Weevil Song 

Liberty EDDIE 502 (April 1988) [As per 35]

40. Three Steps To Heaven b/w Cut Across Shorty

Liberty UP 36520 (1988) [Another reissue of 8 and 34]

"Life In 12 Bars: Official Soundtrack Companion To The Film" by ERIC CLAPTON (June 2018 UK Universal/UMC 2CD Set - Mark Showell Masters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review and 317 Others Like It 

Are Available in My Amazon e-Book

GOODY TWO SHOES

2CD Deluxe Editions (Occasional Threesome), Expanded Reissues and Compilations 

All Info From The Discs Themselves 

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"...As I Am To You..."

In June 2018 - the Eric Clapton 'Best Of', 'Anthology', 'Retrospective' back catalogue market is a crowded place indeed and for die-hard fans another 2CD career haul is about as welcome as a cabbage dinner airing in a spacesuit. But clever sequencing, interesting choices and some rather cool newbees make this staggeringly dull-looking 2CD set just about worth having. Here are the Other Assorted Love Songs (and that fit bird "Layla")...

UK released Friday, 8 June 2018 - "Life In 12 Bars" by ERIC CLAPTON on Universal/UMC 673 212-9 (Barcode 602567321293) is the 2CD 'Official Soundtrack Companion Album To The Film' and offers 32-Tracks (29 by EC) covering 1964 to 1992.

Opening with one Big Bill Broonzy and two Muddy Waters originals - it then proceeds into EC's recordings with The Yardbirds, John Mayall And The Bluesbreakers, Cream, Aretha Franklin, The Beatles, Blind Faith, Derek & The Dominoes, George Harrison, Delaney & Bonnie & Friends and finally into his Solo career (the official licensing of The Beatles and George Harrison cuts are a first on someone else’s compilation). Four Tracks and Two New Mixes are Previously Unreleased and it all breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (75:42 minutes):

1. Backwater Blues - BIG BILL BROONZY (from the April 1961 US LP "The Big Bill Broonzy Story" on Verve MG-V 3000-5)

2. My Life Is Ruined - MUDDY WATERS (from the January 1966 US LP "More Real Folk Blues" on Chess 1511)

3. Got My Mojo Working (Live) - MUDDY WATERS (from the November 1960 US LP "Muddy Waters At Newport 1960" on Chess 1449)

4. I Wish You Would - THE YARDBIRDS (May 1964 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 7283 - also on the June 1965 US LP ""For Your Love" on Epic BN 26167)

5. For Your Love - THE YARDBIRDS (March 1965 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 7499 - also on the June 1965 US LP ""For Your Love" on Epic BN 26167)

6. Steppin' Out - JOHN MAYALL & THE BLUESBREAKERS (from the July 1966 UK Stereo LP "Bluesbreakers" on Decca SKL 4804)

7. All Your Love - JOHN MAYALL & THE BLUESBREAKERS (from the July 1966 UK Stereo LP "Bluesbreakers" on Decca SKL 4804)

8. I Feel Free - CREAM (December 1966 UK 7" single on Reaction 591011 - also on the January 1967 US LP "Fresh Cream" on Atco SD33-206)

9. Strange Brew - CREAM (from the November 1967 UK Stereo LP "Disraeli Gears" on Reaction 594 003)

10. Sunshine Of Your Love - CREAM (from the November 1967 UK Stereo LP "Disraeli Gears" on Reaction 594 003)

11. Good To Me As I Am To You - ARETHA FRANKLIN (from the January 1968 US Stereo LP "Lady Soul" on Atlantic SD 8176)

12. Crossroads (Live At Winterland) - CREAM (from the July 1968 UK 2LP Stereo set "Wheels Of Fire" on Polydor 582 031/2)

13. While My Guitar Gently Weeps - THE BEATLES (from the November 1968 UK 2LP Stereo set "The Beatles" [aka The White Album] on Apple PCS 7067/8)

14. Badge - CREAM (from the February 1969 UK Stereo LP "Goodbye" on Polydor 583 053)

15. White Room (Live At Oakland Coliseum) - CREAM (from the March 1972 UK LP "Live Cream Vol. II" on Polydor 2383 119)

16. Spoonful (Live At LA Forum) - CREAM (recorded 19 October 1968 - Produced by Felix Pappalardi - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED - 17:26 mins)

17. Presence Of The Lord - BLIND FAITH (from the August 1969 UK Stereo LP "Blind Faith" on Polydor 583 059 - features Steve Winwood and Ginger Baker)

Disc 2 (78:46 minutes):

1. Comin' Home (Live At Fairfield Halls) - DELANEY & BONNIE & FRIENDS featuring ERIC CLAPTON (unreleased until the August 2010 4CD 'Deluxe Edition Box Set' of "Delaney & Bonnie & Friends On Tour with Eric Clapton" on Rhino Handmade RHM2 524797)

2. After Midnight (Eric Clapton Mix) - ERIC CLAPTON

3. Let It Rain - (Eric Clapton Mix) - ERIC CLAPTON (both 2 and 3 originally on the August 1970 "Eric Clapton" UK debut solo album on Polydor 2383021 - here presented as PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED EC Mixes)

4. High - DEREK & THE DOMINOES (recorded April/May 1971 during the band's London sessions for the second album - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)

5. My Sweet Lord - GEORGE HARRISON (from the November 1970 UK 3LP Box Set "All Things Must Pass" on Apple STCH 639)

6. Thorn Tree In The Garden - DEREK & THE DOMINOES

7. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out - DEREK & THE DOMINOES

8. Bell Bottom Blues - DEREK & THE DOMINOES

9. Layla (Full Version) - DEREK & THE DOMINOES (tracks 6 to 9 all from the November 1970 UK 2LP set "Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs" on Polydor 2625 005)

10. Little Wing (Live At Fillmore East) - DEREK & THE DOMINOES (recorded 24 October 1970 at The Fillmore East in New York - featuring Bobby Whitlock - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)

11. Got To Get Better In A Little While - DEREK & THE DOMINOES (unreleased until the March 2011 '40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition' for "Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs" - Bobby Whitlock's keyboards recorded 2010 especially for the track)

12. I Shot The Sheriff (Full Length Version) - ERIC CLAPTON (originally on the July 1974 LP "461 Ocean Boulevard" - this is PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED at 6:50 minutes)

13. Little Queenie (Live At Long Beach Arena) (recorded 20 July 1974 in California - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED Chuck Berry cover)

14. Mainline Florida - ERIC CLAPTON (from the July 1974 UK LP "461 Ocean Boulevard" on RSO 2479 118)

15. Tears In Heaven - ERIC CLAPTON (from the January 1992 US Soundtrack Album "Rush" on Reprise/Duck 9 26794-2)

The 12-page booklet is an underwhelming affair with track-by-track details being all you get - no new liner notes, no photos, no stills from the film, not even a photo of our guitar hero - zip. A typically lazy-assed Universal reissue you might say. Hell even the picture on the cover has been used on both discs and the rear inlay on the inside is blank.

But a secret weapon comes in the form of mastering by MARK SHOWELL that was done at Abbey Road Studios. These overly familiar tracks are superb – wonderfully alive and given a new lick of paint - so there is that at least. And as you can see from the playing times, each disc has a generous quotient – so no complaints there either. Let's get to this overall listen...

With only "Tears In Heaven" from the Nineties and nothing from the late Seventies or Eighties (or indeed later into the 00’s and 11’s) – this 2CD set concentrates on 1964 to 1974 almost exclusively especially on his peripheral activities and collaborations. Looking at the tracks initially – you might think what in God's name is a Big Bill Broonzy track doing opening up a Clapton compilation! But its truly gorgeous Acoustic Blues clarity and wonderful feel is likely to knock your socks off – as it no doubt did a young EC. The stripped back unplugged feel continues with “My Life Is Ruined” from the mighty Muddy Waters ably assisted by Little Walter on Harmonica and Jimmy Rogers on Guitar – a cool Chess chugger first issued in early 1966. That's followed by an explosive live cut from the "Muddy Waters At Newport" LP of "Got My Mojo Working" which in turn leads thematically into the equally incendiary Yardbirds version of Billy Boy Arnold's "I Wish You Would" – Eric on attacking Guitar with Keith Relf giving it some updated British R&B shouting and Harmonica warbles. Future 10cc songwriter and frontman Graham Gouldman provided The Yardbirds with the hit "For Your Love" – a song I can safely say I never want to hear again (even if it does have Brian Auger on Harpsichord).

But John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers is another matter – their instrumental version of "Steppin' Out" with Eric letting rip is fantastic and in Stereo too. Guests include Fleetwood Mac's John McVie on Bass and Johnny Almond on Saxophone while the equally cool cover of the Otis Rush classic "All Your Love" is another inspired choice and a gorgeous kicking-mule transfer to CD. Although again it's overly familiar – having "I Feel Free" is another clever sequencing choice – Eric stepping up the microphone while Jack Bruce and Pete Brown do the songwriting. The boys go 60ts Weird and colour their Psych pallets with the classic Cream numbers "Strange Brew" and "Sunshine Of Your Love". Cleverly breaking up the pace – Aretha Franklin slinks into a slow sexy soul groove with "Good To Me As I Am To You" – the first decidedly hissy track (all feel, no audiophile). Following the beautifully remastered "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" with the decidedly low-key "Badge" just about works – but a live version of "White Room" from Cream is tedious. Better is a near eighteen-minute Blues workout of Willie Dixon's "Spoonful" that is an unreleased live version – while Disc 1 ends on the magisterial "Presence Of The Lord" with Stevie Winwood provided Soulful vocals over EC’s playing.

After a great live cut of "Comin’ Home" from Delaney & Bonnie where EC is clearly on fire when he plays – we get what some might feel is a bizarre EC mix of "After Midnight" complete with opening studio chatter. Having heard this so often over the decades – the ultra-amped mix comes at you like a freight train with his vocal more echoed and the brass brought out of the mud too. "Let It Rain" is the same – a few moments of the band limbering up and we’re off – another amped-up mix with the vocals strangely out of kilter. I’d honestly have to hear these a few more times before I’d say I actually like them. But I’m digging big time "High" – the unreleased Derek & The Dominoes cut that is clearly a backing track which never had vocals added on to finish it off. The recording quality is ace and the acoustic guitar change of pace halfway through is very Layla – what a neat find. Cleverly followed by the huge acoustic strums of George Harrison’s gorgeous "My Sweet Lord" – you’re reminded of how much EC added to other people’s songs.

Probably many people’s favourite on the "Layla" double – Bobby Whitlock’s quivering and delicate vocals give us a beautifully mastered "Thorn Tree In The Garden" – a discovery for everyone. The trio of "Nobody Loves You...", "Bell Bottom Blues" and the monster "Layla" with EC and Duane Allman shining hammer home what a great flurry of brilliance the whole Derek & The Dominoes project was. But I suspect that the big prize here for true EC fanatics will be a lovely yet powerful cover of the Jimi Hendrix masterpiece "Little Wing" – the band cooking as EC and Bobby Whitlock share the vocals. His playing is really something here. That’s supported by another genius follow – the 2010 version of "Got To Get Better In A Little While" from the 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition Box Set of "Layla" where Whitlock added keys to finish off the track (a brilliant little song that was tucked away on a single B-side as I recall). At 6:50 minutes the "Full Length Version" of "I Shot The Sheriff" is claiming to be Previously Unreleased but I’d swear it’s been out before (the superb vocal-less extended end portion is more of a Funky Guitar workout than a Reggae cover – I think DJs may even sample this). The 461 Ocean Boulevard band tear through an all-dancing, giggling and rocking cover of Chuck Berry’s "Little Queenie" and I can so hear why this unreleased piece of EC was used here – the vocals may waver but his playing is great. It ends on a double-whammy of styles – the overdubbed guitar blitz of "Mainline Florida" and the memory of his son’s loss beautifully remembered in the moving "Tears In Heaven".

Sure it dips inevitably in places and I wish the packaging was way better, actually celebrating his contributions to the Blues genre and all manner of other people's projects (docked a star for that). But the sequencing, the great audio and the quality of some of the unreleased stuff make this a genuine winner - and best of all - perhaps even a nice surprise to die-hard fans who've been milked on these kind of CD reissues for decades now.

You may not feel the urge to spray paint 'Clapton Is God' on an Islington wall after wading through the 2CD set "Life In 12 Bars" - but I suspect you will be impressed and maybe even more moved that you'd expected. 

Well done - and recommended to those who want their EC a little off the beaten track...