"An Invitation To Cry: The Best Of The Magicians" by THE MAGICIANS (1999 Sundazed CD Remasters) - A Review By Mark Barry...

"...I'll Tell The World About You…Make Love To You In All Of My Dreams…"

Sounding like the upbeat jingly guitar-pop of THE BYRDS and THE LOVIN’ SPOONFUL, the Magician’s name is thought to have come from the Spoonful’s mega hit “Do You Believe In Magic?” which was riding high in the US charts in the summer of 1965. A 4-piece with no less than three talented songwriters in it, Jacobs, Bonner and Gordon all hailed from New York, while Townley was from Virginia.

In detail THE MAGICIANS were:
ALLAN “JAKE” JACOBS – Guitar & Vocals
GARRY BONNER – Guitars & Vocals
JOHN TOWNLEY - Guitar & Bass
ALAN GORDON - Drums & Vocals [founder member]

Remastered by BOB IRWIN in 1999, Sundazed SC 6133 breaks down as follows (34:26 minutes):

1. An Invitation To Cry [writers: Alan Gordon and Jimmy Woods]
2. Rain Don’t Fall On Me No More [writers: John Townley, Bob Wyld and Art Polhemus]
3. About My Love [David Blue cover]
4. I’ll Tell The World About You [writers: Allan “Jake” Jacobs and Alan Gordon]
5. Lady Fingers [writers: Alan Gordon and Garry Bonner]
6. Angel On The Corner [writer: Allan “Jake” Jacobs]
7. I’d Like To Know [a David Blue cover]
8. Back Door Man (Demo) [a Willie Dixon, Howlin’ Wolf cover]
9. That’s What Love Is Made For [a Smokey Robinson & The Miracles cover]
10. Double Good Feeling [writers: Alan Gordon and Garry Bonner]
11. I Won’t Be Here Tomorrow (Demo) [writers: Garry Bonner and Allan “Jake Jacobs]
12. You’re So Fine (Demo) [a Wilson Pickett cover]
13. Who Do You Love [a Bo Diddley cover]

Tracks 1 and 2 are the A & B of their 1st USA 7” single on Columbia 4-43435 from October 1965
Tracks 3 and 6 are the A & B of their 2nd US 7” single on Columbia 4-43608 from March 1966
Tracks 4 and 7 are the A & B of their 3rd US 7” single on Columbia 4-43725 from August 1966
Tracks 5 and 10 are the A & B of their 4th and last US 7” single on Columbia 4-44061 from March 1967
Tracks 8, 9, 11, 12 and 13 are all previously unreleased and all were recorded on 3 June 1966

Unfortunately none of their four excellent singles bothering the Billboard Top 100 - nor did they ever get an album together, let alone released – but there’s no denying the sheer musicality of their songs. Why these lovely and melodic gems didn’t click with punters probably has more to do with lack of promotion rather than the record buying public actually hearing any of them. Columbia made an effort on their debut seven by servicing the Radio stations with a rather cute picture sleeve, which shouted “Proudly Presents THE MAGICIANS”, but it didn’t work and it’s a rare and collectable item these days (its pictured on the last page of the excellent 8-page liner notes penned by KEN BAKER.) “An Invitation To Cry” got some exposure on the legendary 2LP “Nuggets” set from 1972, but it made new fans think of them as a psych act, when they were more akin to breezy pop.


Sound quality is great on a few tracks, ok on others and rough and ready on the demos. Highlights include the two David Blue covers and the truly beautiful "I'll Tell The World About You" and its equally lovely flip-side "Rain Don't Fall On Me No More" – as perfect a Sixties single as you could hope for.

Both Bonner and Gordon left and pursued a songwriting career penning many hits for THE TURTLES. Allan “Jake” Jacobs wrote songs for THE MONKEES and then went on to be JAKE and BINKY later morphing into the more famous JAKE and THE FAMILY JEWELS. Townley recorded a collectable double album in 1968 called “The Family Of Apostolic” on Vanguard then headed up the Apostolic Recording Studios in New York and San Francisco. Original band member Mike Apple (who played guitar and sang backing vocals on “An Invitation To Cry”) became Bruce Springsteen’s manager. Bill Szymczyk, who produced the Magician’s last single, later produced Joe Walsh’s debut album “Barnstorm” in 1972, and it was probably he who introduced the gorgeous “Ill Tell The World About You” to Walsh - hence Walsh’s delightful cover of it on that Dunhill classic album (see my separate review for “Barnstorm”).


A lovely CD then - and top marks to Sundazed for making this criminally forgotten band available to the world again...

"Fathers And Sons" by MUDDY WATERS. A 1969 2LP Set On Chess Records Given A Stunning 2001 CD Remaster With Bonuses...

“She’s Been Gone Twenty-Four Hours…And That’s Twenty-Three Hours Too Long…”


If you were to pick one release that perfectly blended great blues with rock, then 1969’s “Fathers And Sons” would be that album. And now that 16-track sweet-as-a-nut double album is further supplemented on this 2001 reissue with 4 great bonuses. It’s like being handed a virtual master class in blues-rock – truly blistering stuff.

Here’s a detailed breakdown (77:38 minutes):
CD tracks 1 to 10 (studio recordings) and 15 to 20 (live recordings) make up the “Fathers And Sons” album issued August 1969 on Chess LPS-127 in the USA and issued October 1969 on Chess CRL 4556 in the UK (both 2LP vinyl sets).

CD tracks 11 to 14 are previously unreleased studio tracks (14 being unreleased in the USA on album, it’s Chess 7” single 2085).

The studio tracks (1 to 14) were recorded 21, 22 and 23 April 1969 in Chicago, Illinois, while the live tracks were recorded on 24 April 1969 (with the same band) at the “Super Cosmic Joy-Scout Jamboree” also in Chicago, Illinois.

The band for the sessions were:
MUDDY WATERS – Vocals and Guitar
OTIS SPANN – Piano
MIKE BLOOMFIELD – Guitar
PAUL BUTTERFIELD – Harmonica
DONALD “DUCK” DUNN – Bass
SAM LAY – Drums

Guests were:
PHIL UPCHURCH – Bass on “All Aboard” only
JEFF CARP – Chromatic Harmonica on “All Aboard” only
PAUL ASBELL – Rhythm Guitar on “Walking Thru The Park”, “Forty Days & Forty Nights” and “Sugar Sweet” only)
BUDDY MILES – Drums on “Got My Mojo Working, Part Two” only

Digitally remastered by ERICK LABSON of Universal, the sound quality is typically fantastic (he has over 800 mastering credits to his name), the 12-page booklet informative with the contributors pictured and the artwork faithful to the original. Highlights would include a mournful yet fun cover of Eddie Boyd’s “Twenty Four Hours” (lyrics above), the live version of Willie Dixon’s sex song “The Same Thing” and in-your-face rocking of “Blow Wind Blow”. Then there’s the accompaniment – Donald “Duck” Dunn of Booker T & The MG’s providing tight-as-a-nun’s-knickers bass playing, Mike Bloomfield blissed out and licking away on Guitar - while Paul Butterfield and his mean harmonica simply blast their way through the songs like a pair possessed!

This is a great Muddy Waters record – and this cool CD reissue does it proud. Highly recommended.


PS: this title is part of Universal’s “Blues Classics – Remastered & Revisited” Series – I've listed all 10 titles in another Blogger entry

“The Original Fleetwood Mac” by FLEETWOOD MAC( 1999 and 2004 Sony/Blue Horizon EXPANDED and REMASTERED 19-Track CD) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…I Hung My Head Boys…I Cried Just Like A Child…"

With "Kiln House" having all but tanked in the UK charts in October 1970 at number 34 and the "Future Games" album not even breaking the top 50 in September 1971 - this slapped together ragbag of Blue Horizon period outtakes featuring Peter Green aroused little interest when it was finally released in November 1971.

Even with the highlighted blue box on the front cover promising 'All Tracks Previously Un-issued' - the gangly decidedly budget-looking looking LP "The Original Fleetwood Mac" went largely unloved and unnoticed. Which is a shame because in my books it's a bit of a lost gem - and this expanded CD reissue of it has only added to that cool original in a really great way. Here's a detailed breakdown:

Released in May 1971 - the original UK 12-track of "The Original Fleetwood Mac" on CBS Records S 63875 ran as follows (43:40 minutes):

1. Drifting (Peter Green song recorded 1967) [3:33 minutes]

2. Leaving Town Blues (Peter Green song recorded December 1967) [2:56 minutes]

3. Watch Out (Peter Green song recorded November 1967) [4:38 minutes]

4. A Fool No More (Peter Green song recorded November 1967) [4:37 minutes)

5. Mean Old Fireman (Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup cover recorded November 1967) [3:49 minutes]

6. Can't Afford To Do It ('Homesick' James Williamson cover recorded 1967) [2:05 minutes]

7. Fleetwood Mac (Mono, Peter Green instrumental recorded 1967) [3:57 minutes] - SIDE 2

8. Worried Dream (B.B. King cover recorded April 1968) [5:24 minutes]

9. Love That Woman (Lafayette Leake cover recorded 1968) [2:32 minutes]

10. Allow Me One More Show (Jeremy Spencer song recorded 1967) [3:01 minute]

11. First Train Home (Peter Green song recorded 1967) [4:06 minutes]

12. Rambling Pony No. 2 (Peter Green song recorded 1967) [2:55 minutes]

All above tracks with Lead Vocals and Guitar by PETER GREEN except 5, 6, 9 and 10 with Lead Vocals and Guitar by JEREMY SPENCER; Piano on 8 is by CHRISTINE PERFECT; Harmonica on 7 and 12 is by PETER GREEN; JOHN McVIE on Bass and MICK FLEETWOOD on Drums for all except 5 and 10 which feature JEREMY SPENCER on Vocals & Guitar only.

This 19-track CD reissue of "The Original Fleetwood Mac" by FLEETWOOD MAC is "The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions 1967-1969" Expanded Version from the 1999 6CD Box Set that runs to a whopping 75:31 minutes - now issued as a stand-alone disc in July 2004 on Sony/Blue Horizon 5164482 (Barcode 5099751644828).

Tracks 1 to 12 are as above with some additions: Track 2 is the Take 5 Master Version with a Previously Unissued False Start and runs to 3:09 minutes; Track 4 is all 8 Takes (first 7 are all false starts) and runs to 7:59 minutes; Track 5 has a Previously Unissued False Start on Take 1 with Take 2 being the Master Version running to 4:06 minutes; Track 8 is the Master Take with a previously unreleased incomplete Take; Tracks 9, 10 and 12 are Alternate Original Mixes.

Tracks 13 to 19 are the bonuses as follows:

13. Watch Out [Take 1 Incomplete – Previously Unreleased] (Peter Green song recorded November 1967)

14. Something Inside Of Me [Danny Kirwan song recorded October 1968, this master version was used on the USA LP “English Rose” on Epic]

15. Something Inside Of Me [Take 2/Previously Unreleased] [Danny Kirwan song recorded October 1968]

16. Something Inside Of Me [Take 3/Previously Unreleased] [Danny Kirwan song recorded October 1968]

17. One Sunny Day (Danny Kirwan song recorded October 1968) [this master version was used on the USA LP “English Rose” on Epic]

18. Without You (Danny Kirwan song recorded October 1968) [this master version was used on the USA LP “English Rose” on Epic]

19. Coming Your Way [Take 6/Previously Unreleased] (Danny Kirwan song recorded October 1968

The remastering is absolutely ace – live and in your living room – warm, clear and ballsy. On the original album highlights include the BB King cover of “Worried Blues”, a fabulous slow work out with sweet piano fills provided by Christine Perfect. The two Jeremy Spencer solo tracks are also eerily great too, while a longer and an actually more soulful version of “A Fool No More” turned up on Green’s big comeback “In The Skies” album in 1979 on PVK Records. The bonuses turn out to be excellent too - especially the last three Danny Kirwan tracks. It’s not surprising that both “One Sunny Day” and “Without You” were used for their 2nd US album “English Rose” – they’re both blinders! “Coming Your Way” turned up in a different form of course on the 1969 Reprise album “Then Play On”.

As a stand-alone disc, “The Original Fleetwood Mac” is great value for money - I'd say BUY IT and then go for he other 4 listed below as well...they're all magical in their own way...

PS: For those wishing for more - the Blue Horizon label Fleetwood Mac UK albums are:

1.  Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac (1968) – debut album, known as "Fleetwood Mac" in the USA

2.  Mr. Wonderful (1968) – second album, re-sequenced as “English Rose” in the USA in 1969

3.  The Pious Bird Of Good Omen (1969) - compilation LP of non-album 7" singles, their B-sides, collaborations and other rarities

4.  Blues Jam At Chess (1969) - 20-track 2LP set - its full credit is to: Fleetwood Mac, Otis Spann, Willie Dixon, Shakey Horton, J.T. Brown, Guitar Buddy (Buddy Guy), Honey Boy Edwards, S.P. Leary. Originally a double on release, it’s the two re-issued US singular volumes that are being used for the "Complete" box set, "Blues Jam In Chicago Volume 1" and "…Volume 2". It is ONLY these singular re-sequenced releases that are available today.)

5.  The Original Fleetwood Mac (1971) - released on CBS, this 1971 LP has Blue Horizon recordings from August 1967 through to October 1968, all of which were previously unreleased at the time)

All of the above available in the box set pictured below...

“Minute By Minute” by THE DOOBIE BROTHERS (February 2005 US-Only Audio Fidelity 24-Carat Gold CD Remaster by STEVE HOFFMAN) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Oh Sweet Feeling..."

The vinyl LP "Minute By Minute" by THE DOOBIE BROTHERS was originally released on Warner Brothers BSK 3193 in December 1978 in the USA and Warner Brothers K 56486 in the UK. 

This 22 February 2005 US-only 24KT Gold Audiophile CD reissue is on Audio Fidelity AFZ 025 (Barcode 780014202521).

Long-standing Warners producer TED TEMPLEMAN recorded the original album (engineered by DONN LANDEE) while famed sound engineer STEVE HOFFMAN has mastered this reissue from the original first generation stereo tapes for CD. This Audio Fidelity audiophile version has a distinctive black and gold outer card wrap (Amazon artwork is often incorrect), the disc itself is a 24KT + Gold CD - a High Definition Compatible Disc issue (HDCD) - while the booklet faithfully reproduces the original album artwork, inner sleeve, lyrics, recording info, reissue details etc.

The DOOBIE BROTHERS line-up for the "Minute By Minute" LP was:

Lead Vocals, Keyboards and Synthesizers - MICHAEL McDONALD

Lead Vocals, Guitars - PATRICK SIMMONS

Guitars - JEFFREY ("Skunk") BAXTER

Bass, Vocals - TIRAN PORTER

Drums - JOHN HARTMAN

Drums and Vocals - KEITH KNUDSEN

Guests were:

Congas and Vocals - BOBBY LaKIND

Vocals - TOM JOHNSTON

Backing Vocals - NICOLETTE LARSON and ROSEMARY BUTLER

Harmonica - NORTON BUFFALO

Banjo - HERB PEDERSEN

Fiddle - BYRON BERLINE

Electric Piano - LESTER ABRAMS

Synthesizers - BILL PAYNE

Saxophone - ANDREW LOVE

Trumpet - BEN CAULEY

Here's a detailed breakdown (37:12 minutes)

1. Here To Love You [3:58]

[Writer Michael McDonald. Lead Vocals Michael McDonald, Backing Vocals Rosemary Butler.]

2. What A Fool Believes  [3:41]

[Writers Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins. Lead Vocals Michael McDonald with Bill Payne of LITTLE FEAT on Synthesizer]

3. Minute By Minute [3:26]

[Writers Michael McDonald and Lester Abrams. Lead Vocals Michael McDonald with Bill Payne of LITTLE FEAT on Synthesizer]

4. Dependin' On You [3:44]

[Writers Patrick Simmons and Michael McDonald. Lead Vocals Patrick Simmons with Nicolette Larson and Rosemary Butler on Backing Vocals.]

5. Don't Stop To Watch The Wheels [3:26]

[Writer Patrick Simmons, Jeffrey "Skunk" Baxter and Michael Ebert. Lead Vocals Patrick Simmons and Tom Johnston with Norton Buffalo on Harmonica.]

6. Open Your Eyes [3:16]

[Writers Michael McDonald, Lester Abrams and Patrick Henderson. Lead Vocals Michael McDonald.]

7. Sweet Feelin' [2:41]

[Writers Patrick Simmons and Ted Templeman. Lead Vocals Patrick Simmons with Nicolette Larson and Michael McDonald on Harmony Vocals.]

8. Steamer Lane Breakdown [3:24]

[Instrumental written by Patrick Simmons.]

9. You Never Change [3:26]

[Writer Patrick Simmons. Lead Vocals Patrick Simmons with Harmony Vocals from Michael McDonald.]

10. How Do The Fools Survive? [5:12]

[Writers Michael McDonald and Carol Bayer Sager. Lead Vocals Michael McDonald with Lester Abrams on Electric Piano.]

To my knowledge there's 4 versions of this album on CD; the crappy 80's original, an improved 1990s remaster, this 2005 Audio Fidelity audiophile issue and a Japanese issue in 2006 in a card repro sleeve. Owning both the Japanese issue and this one, it's clear to me that the Japanese issue has used exactly the same remaster - to my ears they're identical. Which is good news, because I think this Steve Hoffman remaster is one of the most beautifully rendered transfers - so subtle and so damn good. Every song reveals itself now to you - and not in a showy way - all treble and blasting - it's just 'there' - muscular and in your living room. The synth work and rhythm guitar on "Here To Love You" is suddenly in the speakers when it was somehow hidden up until now and the lovely and overlooked "Sweet Feelin'" has the superb harmony vocals of Larson and McDonald so beautifully complimenting Simmons on lead.

Audio Fidelity put the original master mixes on special vintage playback decks and then run them through their own 'proprietary digital to analogue converter', which digs out those musical nuances. Whatever the techno speak says, your ears can hear it - especially on a good CD player. The album's double-whammy finishers "You'll Never Change" and "How Do The Fools Survive?" are now both Steely Dan good in terms of sound quality - drums, bass, brass, guitars - all of it - musically superb - and now sonically 'soooo' sweet.

One slight oddity is that both the FACES "Nod" CD (another AF release) and this have the printed info on their card wraps upside down on the rear - don't know why this is?

Audio Fidelity CDs have a mixed reputation among audiophiles (some are utterly slated) - but ordinary fans of the music may just wonder whether this issue is worth the extra cost - I'd say a resounding yes...

“Genesis 1970 – 1975” by GENESIS. A 6 SACD/DVD Box Set Released November 2008. “It’s Been A Long Time…Hasn’t It…”

This is part of my Series "SOUNDS GOOD: Exceptional CD Remasters 1970s Rock And Pop" Download Book available to buy on Amazon to either your PC or Mac (it will download the Kindle software to read the book for free to your toolbar). Click on the link below to go my Author's Page for this and other related publications:

                       http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00LQKMC6I

Five albums are featured in this 3rd and last Genesis box set [Virgin CDBOX 14], each pumped up into a double issue, while the double “Lamb” is now a 3 Disc set (“Lamb” is in a Book Pack while the other albums are 2CD jewel cases). Disc 1 of each issue is the SACD and CD Remaster of the album with both mixes encoded onto the disc, while Disc 2 is a DVD with 5.1 Surround Sound with extras tagged on at the end of each. The sixth and final double is called “Extra Tracks 1970-1975” and features singles, demos and BBC Sessions – again both in Audio and DVD. “Extras’ is housed in a 48-page hardback book with an essay, band contributions, photos and celebrity reviews... (All are pictured above).

NICK DAVIS prepped the 5.1 Surround Mixes and Stereo CD mixes with the remastering carried out by TONY COUSINS at Metropolis Mastering. Both of these guys handled the preceding box sets to both applause and derision in equal measure. While I admittedly don’t have a Surround capability at home, I find the sound quality on the Stereo CD mixes to be GORGEOUS throughout – a real revelation. “Trespass” & “Nursery Cryme” are a tad hissy in places, but still so much better sounding than the crap 1994 Virgin remasters we’ve been lumbered with all these years (which were in turn supposed to replace the really dire 80’s issues). But the great news is “Foxtrot”, “Selling” and “Lamb”, each of which is an absolute blast. At 8:15 minutes into “Supper’s Ready” on Foxtrot when the acoustic guitars kick in, I was in floods, huge sound filling my room… We’ve been waiting 35 years to finally hear these great works in DECENT AUDIO.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of the sets:
Disc 1 (42:33 minutes) is their 2nd album “Trespass, originally released on LP in November 1970 on Charisma CAS 1020 in the UK and Impulse 9295 in the USA (the original UK issue had the ‘Pink Scroll’ label design and the CD reflects that). The DVD Audio version also has a ‘reissue interview from 2007’.

Disc 2 (39:36 minutes) is their 3rd album “Nursery Cryme”, originally released on LP in November 1971 on Charisma CAS 1052 in the UK and Charisma 7208 552 in the USA (Pink Scroll Label also). The DVD audio version also has the ‘reissue interview from 2007’.

Disc 3 (51:20 minutes) is their 4th album “Foxtrot”, originally released on LP in October 1972 on Charisma CAS 1058 in the UK and Charisma 7208 553 in the USA (changes now to the ‘Mad Hatter’ label design for 3, 4 and 5 reflecting the original vinyl). The DVD Audio disc has 3 extras - reissues interview 2007, Brussels, Belgium Rock Of The 70’s 1972 clip and Rome, Italy, Piper Club 1972 clip.

Disc 4 (53:39 minutes) is their 6th album “Selling England By The Pound”, originally released in October 1973 on Charisma CAS 1074 in the UK and Charisma 7208 554 in the USA. (Their 5th album, “Genesis Live” (pictured below) was released in July 1973 on Charisma CLASS 1 in the UK; it was an official release and no explanation is given for its no show in this box set). The DVD Audio version of "Selling" has 3 extras, reissues Interview 2007, Shepperton Studios, Italian TV, 1973 clip and Batacain, France, 1973 clip.



Disc 5 (45:38/48:51 minutes) is their 7th album “The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway”, originally released in November 1974 as a 2LP set on Charisma CGS 101 in the UK and on Atco 7599 122 in the USA. The DVD has all of the slide show that accompanied the stage shows offering both Surround and standard stereo versions.

Disc 6 (46:44 minutes):
Track 1 is “Happy The Man”, a non-album 7” single issued in the UK on May 1972 on Charisma CB 181 with “Seven Stones” as its B-side (a track off “Nursery Cryme”)
Track 2 is “Twilight Alehouse”, the non-album B-side to “I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)” issued on 7” single in May 1974 on Charisma CB 224
Track 3 is “Sheppard (BBC Nightride 1970)”
Track 4 is “Pacidy (BBC Nightride 1970)”
Track 5 is “Let Us Now Make Love (BBC Nightride 1970)”
Track 6 is “Going Out To Get You (Demo 1969)”
Tracks 7 to 10 are called Genesis Plays Jackson. Michael Jackson was a painter who put music to a silent film of “Metropolis” and invited Genesis in to score it. Some tracks were done, but the full project was abandoned. These tapes have only recently come to light and the four tracks are; “Provocation”, “Frustration”, “Manipulation” and Resignation” - “Frustration” would later turn up as “Anyway” on “Lamb” and ”Manipulation” became “The Musical Box” on “Nursery Cryme”.

While the DVD and Audio elements are fantastic and the extras fascinating – I find the packaging naff and cheap (typical of all things Virgin). The box lid won’t close no matter what you do, the individual booklets are simply the original artwork restored, but again they’re too small to read and massively underwhelming compared to the beautiful and event feel of the original vinyl gatefold sleeves (especially “Lamb”). And with no new essay, no new photos, nor nothing of their history - when they’re released as stand-alone CDs, fans are going to feel mightily short-changed - again. And why no “Live” set nor the single edit of ”Carpet Crawlers”, or its unique b-side, the live in 1975 (Evil Jam) version of “The Waiting Room”? And then of course is the price – just shy of £100! And with the boys now individually credited as Limited Companies on the rear sleeve – the whole thing smacks a little too much of corporate greed instead of musical celebration.

Wonderful in some respects and yet strangely disappointing in others, this eagerly awaited box is 4-stars when it should have been six. I can’t help but feel that many would be better off waiting for the individual issues.

Good then, when it could have been great.