"Future Legends" by FRUUPP - Debut Studio Album from October 1973 on Dawn Records (February 2009 UK Esoteric Recordings 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Day Breaks..." 

Hailing out of Northern and Southern Ireland’s notorious show-band circuit – Guitarist and Vocalist Vince McCusker of Co. Derry dreamed of bigger and better arrangements. So he turned his back on cover versions of insipid chart hits and formed his very own Progressive Rock unit delightfully called FRUUPP - taken from a Letraset Sheet that didn’t have the letters FRUP used (he added the extra U and P).

"Future Legends" is the first of four albums FRUUPP made for England’s Dawn Records – all of which are held in Proggy affection by those who bought the platters at the time or witnessed FRUUPP as a band in their impressive live form (they backed up huge bands like Supertramp, Queen, ELO, Man, Focus, Hawkwind and the Peter Gabriel line-up of Genesis). This CD reissue/remaster (47:25 minutes) gives us their debut album plus one very rare bonus track withdrawn from the album at the last minute. Here are the details for Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 2104 (Barcode 5013929720428):

1. Future Legends

2. Decision

3. As Day Breaks With Dawn

4. Graveyard Epistle

5. Lord Of The Incubus [Side 2]

6. Olde Tyme Future

7. Song For A Thought

8. Future Legends

Tracks 1 to 8 are their debut album "Future Legends" – released October 1973 in the UK on Dawn Records DNLS 3053

BONUS TRACK:

9. On A Clear Day (Withdrawn Track only featured on the first 100 copies of the LP)

[Note: originally intended to be on the album as last track on Side 1 - the song uses a part of Holtz’s “The Planet Suite” which was not cleared in time for Copyright purposes (a relative of Holtz objected) and so had to be withdrawn at the very last minute and replaced with "Graveyard Epistle"]

FRUUPP were:

VINCENT McCUSKER – Guitars and Vocals

PETER FARRELLY – Bass and Lead Vocals

STEPHEN HOUSTON – Keyboards, Oboe and Vocals

MARTIN FOYE – Drums and Percussion

Organised and Co-ordinated by MARK POWELL - the 12-page booklet reproduces the beautiful hand-drawn gatefold artwork of Peter Farrelly (front and back pages) and the inner gatefold with its photos of the suitably serious longhaired musicians and their "tales of tomorrow" stories and lyrics. The affectionate, witty and highly informative liner notes are by PAUL CHARLES who was their "Manager and general fixer" at the beginning - and is today a published author of the Christy Kennedy mystery books (Charles in fact wrote the original liner notes for the LP). There’s some concert fliers, press clippings and tour schedule adverts – but the big news is a BEN WISEMAN remaster from original master tapes that brings out the dense playing of all eight Vince McCusker originals.

It opens with a gorgeous and beautifully produced string-piece that lasts 1:32 minutes. It then goes into the wild and eclectic guitars of one of their best tunes – the six and half-minute "Decisions" that features sophisticated vocal work ala Thijs Van Leer’s Focus and a blistering McCusker guitar solo similar in places to Steve Howe on "Relayer" (the band reckon they got signed on the strength of this one piece alone). The timing-changes onslaught continues with "As Day Breaks With Dawn" – a flirty piece dominated by cymbals and piano at first only to break into a vocal/guitar romp – and then back again to ethereal and mellow (the playing and cleverness of it is impressive). Side One ends with the frantic/slow/frantic "Graveyard Epistle" which sounds like Procol Harum on a couple tabs of acid – a very sophisticated piece actually.

We go a bit too Focus and "Trespass" on "Lord Of The Incubus" where Farrelly’s vocals aren’t quite Peter Gabriel even if the tune is good musically (especially the clever string arrangements). Better is the truly excellent Prog of "Olde Tyme Future" where guitar and organ blend to make a melody that would make Genesis proud. And on it goes to another all instrumental string passage of "Future Legends" that ends the album with its under-a-minute duration. And at last fans get to hear the withdrawn track "On A Clear Day" which runs to a crowd-pleasing 7:46 minutes – similar in fact to "Olde Tyme Future" in its composition (great double lead-guitar work half way in).

So there you have it – Hairy Ulstermen and Celtic Legends ahoy – FRUUPP were/are an acquired taste for sure. But if you were a fan – this fab-sounding CD remaster will remind you and your receding hairline why you loved em in the first place...

"Private Practice" by DR. FEELGOOD (2014 Japan-Only SHM-CD 5" Mini LP Artwork with 11 Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Doctor's Orders..."

In 2012 and 2013 – EMI finally got round to doing the Dr. FEELGOOD catalogue of albums on United Artists between 1975 and 1981 – all contained in two tasty Book Sets. The April 2012 "All Through The City" 3CD/1DVD Book Set gave us the WILKO JOHNSON years from 1974 to 1977 - while July 2013's 4CD/1DVD Book Set "Taking No Prisoners" followed through with the GYPIE MAYO years from 1977 to 1981. All contained superlative PETER MEW CD Remasters done at Abbey Road from original master tapes. And that's where this gorgeous Japan-Only repro SHM-CD comes in...

In late March 2014 - Warner Brothers Japan (under the Parlophone label) reissued all 9 of their albums (7 studio and 2 live) on their exclusive SHM-CD format – most with generous amounts of Bonus Tracks (see list below). Super High Materials CDs don't require any special equipment on which to play them – they're just a better variant of the CD format put out by Toshiba Japan in the late 2000s (superior retrieval and sound). Each release comes with fully detailed 5" Mini LP Repro artwork (inner sleeves, booklets etc), a Japanese OBI strip and plastic protective. Here are the details for one the best Gypie Mayo contributions to the mighty Feelgood catalogue...

Released 26 March 2014 in Japan-Only – "Private Practice" by Dr. FEELGOOD on Warner Brothers/Parlophone WPCR-15508 (Barcode 4943674166787) is an 'Extended Edition' SHM-CD in 5” Mini LP Repro Artwork with 11 Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows (74:20 minutes):

1. Down At The Doctors

2. Every Kind Of Vice

3. Things Get Better

4. Milk And Alcohol

5. Night Time

6. Let's Have A Party [Side 2]

7. Take A Tip

8. It Wasn't Me

9. Greaseball

10. Sugar Shaker

Tracks 1 to 10 are their 5th studio album "Private Practice" – released September 1978 in the UK on United Artists UAS 30184 (it peaked at No. 41 on the UK LP charts).

BONUS TRACKS:

11. Down At The (Other) Doctors

non-album B-side to "As Long As The Price is Right" – a UK 7” single released April 1979 on United Artists UP 36506

12. Cheque Book – live at The Paddocks, Canvey Island, 10 June 1977

13. Back In The Night – live at The Paddocks, Canvey Island, 10 June 1977

14. Lucky Seven – live at The Paddocks, Canvey Island, 10 June 1977

15. Lights Out – live at The Paddocks, Canvey Island, 10 June 1977

16. Sneakin' Suspicion – live at The Paddocks, Canvey Island, 10 June 1977

17. Great Balls Of Fire – live at The Paddocks, Canvey Island, 10 June 1977

Tracks 12 to 17 first appeared as Previously Unreleased on the July 2013 "Taking No Prisoners (with Gypie 1977-1981)" 4CD/1DVD Book Set

18. Don't Take But A Few Minutes

19. Blues Jam

Tracks 18 and 19 are Dr. Feelgood as THE OILY CITY SHEIKS. Both tracks were non-album A&B-sides of a UK-only 7” single released June 1979 on United Artists UP 36514. The A is a Chuck Berry cover - the B-side is a Dr. Feelgood instrumental

20. Milk And Alcohol (New Recipe)

21. She’s Got Eyes On You

Tracks 20 and 21 are the non-album A&B-sides of an April 1989 UK 7" single on EMI Records EMI 89

NOTES: Tracks 11, 18, 19, 20 and 21 first appeared on the September 2001 “Singled Out: U.A//Liberty A’s B’s & Rarities” 3CD set – all tracks Remastered by DENIS BLACKHAM. To my knowledge – outside of that 3CD EMI sweep – this is the only other place The Oil City Sheiks tracks have appeared.

The 5" card artwork is immaculate right down to the colour inner sleeve with the boys loitering with intent on Harley Street with some decidedly dodgy nursing assistant. The 24-page white booklet is the usual thing with these Japanese SHMs – the lyrics in Japanese and English and little else. The CD label is Parlophone in silver so doesn't ape the United Artists original album (shame). But the great news is that the album and most of the extras use the PETER MEW Remasters from 2013 (5 are 2001 DENIS BLACKHAM Remasters). The Audio on this baby is jumping – full of power and clarity. What a hugely enjoyable listen...

Feelgood albums could be patchy (especially later on) but after the "Be Seeing You" album of 1977 – Gypie Mayo had settled in by 1978's "Private Practice" and truly made himself as much a part of that classic Dr. Feelgood sound as their founder Wilko Johnson had between 1975 and 1977. The whole "Private Practice" album works – opening with the hugely enjoyable Mickey Jupp number "Down At The Doctors" (charted at No. 48 in September 1978). That's followed by one of my faves "Every Kind Of Vice" – a fantastically hooky guitar riff leaping out of your speakers courtesy of a kicking Martin Rushent production (Richard Gotteher handled the rest of the album). Their cover of Eddie Floyd's "Thing Get Better" is good rather than great - but you can't say the same of the brilliant "Milk And Alcohol". A genius rocker co-written between Gypie Mayo and that other great pub-rocker of the day – Nick Lowe - it's probably the song their most remembered for. Side 1 ends with the wickedly catchy "Night Time" – a hooky guitar with "...jump in the shower...wash the world off my back...I'm gonna get you baby...that's a natural fact..." lyrics. Look out ladies Lee's on the prowl...

Side 2 opens with the joyous "Let's Have A Party" – an old Phil Baxter tune from the Forties than Wanda Jackson had a hit with in 1960 on Capitol. The Feelgoods keep it handclapping and fun – a perfect start to Side two. Both Mayo and singer Lee Brilleaux trumped up the goods with "Take A Tip" – a fantastic speeding rocker about "Nosebleed Sam" down at the racetrack gritting his teeth as pushes his luck just a little bit more. More wit and fun come with the love-rat-denial song "It Wasn't Me" penned by Mayo and the mighty Nick Lowe. "Greaseball" is a hip instrumental care of guitar man Mayo - but the record and side end on another winner "Sugar Shaker" – a chugger that will give you neck spasms as you boogie along to its charms.

Five of the bonus tracks are from a Previously Unreleased Dr. Feelgood concert from 10 June 1977 with the Gypie Mayo line-up in Canvey Island. Southend boy Mickey Jupp gave them "Cheque Book" - while Wilko's "Back In The Night"whips the crowd into riotous form (raw and gutsy stuff). "Lucky Seven" is a Lew Lewis song and has fantastic audio (Bass, Drums and Guitar) as Brilleaux growls through the microphone. A muscular "Sneakin' Suspicion" and rollicking cover of Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls Of Fire" leave the crowd panting. The non-album single sides only add cream to an already tasty bit of Canvey Island pie.

Dr. Feelgood is etched in my heart and this album along with them. As Lee would say to us punters of Pub Rock - "...Take a little tip from Mister Race Track Tony...stick it on the nose and ride your pony..."

Amen to that baby...

PS: The nine Dr. FEELGOOD March 2014 Japan-only Warner Brothers/Parlophone SHM-CD Reissues are:

1. Down At The Jetty (January 1975) – WPCR-15503 (Barcode 4943674166718) + 11 Bonus Tracks

2. Malpractice (October 1975) – WPCR-15504 (Barcode 4943674166732) + 9 Bonus Tracks

3. Stupidity (Live) (September 1976) – WPCR-15505 (Barcode 4943674166749) + 11 Bonus Tracks

4. Sneakin’ Suspicion (May 1977) – WPCR-15506 (Barcode 4943674166756) + 12 Bonus Tracks

5. Be Seeing You (September 1977) – WPCR-15507 (Barcode 4943674166763) + 3 Bonus Tracks

6. Private Practice (September 1978) – WPCR-15508 (Barcode 4943674166787) + 11 Bonus Tracks

7. As It Happens (Live) (May 1979) – WPCR-15509 (Barcode 4943674166794) + 11 Bonus Tracks

8. Let It Roll (September 1979) – WPCR-15510 (Barcode 4943674166800) + 2 Bonus Tracks

9. A Case Of The Shakes (September 1980) – WPCR-15511 (Barcode 4943674166817) + 2 Bonus Tracks

Note: 1 to 4 feature Wilko Johnson on Guitar - 5 to 9 feature Gypie Mayo

"Everything Stops For Tea" by JOHN BALDRY [with Rod Stewart & Elton John] (August 2005 UK Warners 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review and Loads More Like It Are In

Your All-Genres Guide To

Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters 

1,990 E-Pages of In-Depth Information

Over 260 Reviews from the discs themselves...

"…Jubilee Cloud…" 

In June 1964 - Long John Baldry & The Hoochie Coochie Men released an obscure UK 7" single on United Artists UP 1056. Its B-side - a raucous cover of Sister Rosetta Tharpe's gospel tune "Up Above My Head" featured an uncredited duet vocal with a sensational new singer. It was Rod Stewart's first vinyl appearance.

To repay such incalculable smarts and generosity and at the behest of Joe Smith (then President of Warners) – Rodders stepped up to the plate at the height of his Faces/Solo Career fame (1971) and produced two corking but long forgotten Blues-Rock LP gems for Baldry. Each record used the guts of his own studio band and those of Elton John's backing group – Hookfoot - with both Elton and Rod also having a hand in producing. The albums were "It Ain't Easy" (June 1971) and "Everything Stops For Tea" (May 1972). As well as Rod's and Elton's key players each LP featured a stellar cast of other notable Rock luminaries – all wanting to help out the much-respected and dapper darling of the UK R&B scene – John Baldry. And that's where this second of two Warner Brothers/Rhino expanded CD Remasters comes in. Here are the strange brew details...

UK and Europe released 29 August 2005 (September 2005 in the USA) – "Everything Stops For Tea" by JOHN BALDRY on Warner Brothers 8122784652 (Barcode 081227846527) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster and plays out as follows (54:19 minutes):

1. Intro: Come Back Again [Ross Wilson cover]

2. Seventh Son [Willie Dixon song – Willie Mabon cover]

3. Wild Mountain Thyme [Traditional Air, McPeake Family]

4. Iko Iko [The Dixie Cups cover]

5. Jubilee Cloud [John Kongos cover]

6. Everything Stops For Tea [Jack Buchanan cover of a 1935 song] - Side 2

7. You Can't Judge A Book [Willie Dixon Song – Muddy Waters cover]

8. Mother Ain't Dead [Traditional]

9. Hambone [Sam Mitchell cover]

10. Lord Remember Me

11. Armit's Trousers [Ian Armit of The Hoochie Coochie Men song]

Tracks 1 to 11 are his album "Everything Stops For Tea" – released May 1972 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 46160 and Warner Brothers BS-2614 in the USA. Tracks 1 to 5 (Side 1) produced by ELTON JOHN in February 1972 with Tracks 6 to 11 (Side 2) produced by ROD STEWART between January and February 1972.

CD BONUS TRACKS

12. Radio Spot No. 1 (advertising the album)

13. Bring My Baby Back To Me (Live Mar-Y Sol Festival, Puerto Rico, April 1972) – first appeared on the 2LP set "Mar Y Sol" in 1972 on Atco SD 2-705 – Previously Unreleased on CD

14. Only Love Can Break Your Heart (album outtake, duet vocals with Joyce Eversion, a Neil Young cover) – Previously Unreleased

15. I'm Just A Rake & Ramblin' Boy (album outtake, duet vocals with Joyce Eversion, a Ron Davies cover) – Previously Unreleased

16. Radio Spot No. 2 (advertising Joyce Everson's "Crazy Lady" album, 1972)

The band for the ELTON JOHN sessions was (Side 1 – Track 1 to 5):

Lead Vocals - JOHN BALDRY

Vocal Accompaniment - ELTON JOHN (Tracks 1, 3, 4 and 5)

Guitars – DAVEY JOHNSTONE

Bass – KLAUS VOORMAN

Percussion – RAY COOPER

Drums – NIGEL OLSSON

Piano – IAN ARMIT (on "Jubilee Cloud")

Viola – STEFAN DELFT (on "Wild Mountain Thyme")

The band for the ROD STEWART sessions was (Side 2 – Tracks 6 to 11):

Lead Vocals - JOHN BALDRY (Guitar on "Mother Ain't Dead")

Duet Vocals – ROD STEWART (on "Mother Ain't Dead", Rod also plays Banjo)

Guitars – JAMES LITHERLAND and ROBERT WESTON (on "You Can't Judge A Book" and "Lord Remember Me")

Guitars – SAM MITCHELL (on "Hambone")

Piano - IAN ARMIT (on "You Can't Judge A Book", "Lord Remember Me" and "Armit's Trousers")

Bass – BILL SMITH (on "You Can't Judge A Book" and "Lord Remember Me")

Bass – JOHN PORTER (on "Hambone")

Drums – JOHN DENTITH (on "You Can't Judge A Book" and "Lord Remember Me")

Drums – JOHN PORTER (on "Hambone")

Percussion - MICKIE WALLER (of Steampacket) (on "You Can't Judge A Book")

Backing Vocals – MADELINE BELL, LIZA STRIKE and DORIS TROY (on "You Can't Judge A Book")

Backing Vocals – MADELINE BELL, LIZA STRIKE and BARRY St. JOHN (on "Lord Remember Me")

The original green label of the US and UK vinyl albums is aped on the CD label, the 12-page inlay has affectionate and informative liner notes by SID GRIFFIN. There's a "Dear Boy..." letter to fans from Baldry dated May 2002 on Pages 2 and 3 - while Griffin's notes go into the history of Steampacket, Baldry's solo career (as Long John Baldry) and of course his association with Rod and Elton. It's pretty and all the original album artwork is in place too. But the big news for fans is the quality Audio. Expert remastering has been carried out by Rhino's long-time tape associate DAN HERSH with sound produced by DAN HERSCH. This CD sounds fabulous with that great 70ts Classic Rock sound...

It opens well with an R&B one-two of "Come Back Again" and "Seventh Son" where the album feels like "It Ain't Easy" Part 2 (the LP that preceded it in 1971). But then he attempts a Scottish air – the McPeake Family's beautiful traditional "Wild Mountain Thyme" and along with a wishy-washy take on the Dixie Cups classic "Iko Iko" kills any real momentum the side might have had. Things recover big time with his rocking cover of "Jubilee Cloud" – a track from the 1971 "Kongos" album on Fly Records (by John Kongos). With the band rocking it out – you really wish the whole side was filled with these smart choices. But Side 2 makes the same mistake of including too many styles when really it would have been better to Rock or even Funk.

Preceded by some very silly dialogue about fans seeking signatures as he types a reluctant letter of apology – a hassled Baldry plays up his terribly aristocratic British accent on the intro to "Everything Stops For Tea". Written by Al Goodhart, Al Hoffman and Maurice Sigler – this ode to England's favourite tipple was first a witty vocal vehicle for Jack Buchanan alongside Fay Wray in the 1935 movie "Come Out Of The Pantry". Baldry keeps his version firmly in the music hall shuffle tradition – "...you remember Cleopatra...she had a date to meet Mark Anthony at three...but he came an hour late...she said you'll have to wait...because everything stops for tea..." – you get the audio picture.

There are tongue-in-cheek jabs at the outlandish garbs of Rod Stewart and Elton John in the lyrics of the superb cover of Willie Dixon's "You Can't Judge A Book" where the band finally rocks out – Jimmy Horowitz giving in some chunky Hammond chords while Madeline Bell, Liza Strike and Doris Troy give it some Soulful backing vocals. Baldry opens "Mother Ain't Dead" with a spoken intro about how he hadn't sung with Rod sing the Steampacket days back in 1965. They then duet on this rather lovely version of the Blues Traditional with Baldry playing Guitar and Rod doing an impressive Banjo backing. The funky drum-shuffle of "Hambone" turned up in 2002 on the "Right On! Volume 4" CD compilation on Warner Brothers - Soul Boys and Funksters alike digging its sexy groove. Written by guitarist Sam Mitchell – he also plays all guitars on this fantastically catchy tune (one of the album’s highlights). Written by Myrtle Jackson in the Forties and famously covered by Country Music star Hank Snow in 1966 - "But This I Pray, Oh Lord Remember Me" is reduced to "Lord Remember Me" - a slow Soulful Gospel rap that builds into a frantic preacher 'piano and ladies' chant. The album then fizzles out with Ian Armit's "Armit's Trousers" – a two-minute instrumental ditty with him on a lone piano (he was one of The Hoochie Coochie Men back in the 60ts day with Baldry).

The Bonus Tracks are a mixed bag. After a one-minute Radio Spot (No. 1) that uses the dialogue/typewriter gag at the beginning of "Everything Stops For Tea" (not a very convincing sales pitch I'd have to say) – we get something worth celebrating in a hard-hitting Blues Boogie similar to Muddy Waters/Johnny Winter. The self-penned Slow-Blues of "Bring My Baby Back To Me" was first released by Baldry as a British 45 on United Artists UP 1158 in 1966 – the B-side of "Cuckoo". This fantastic 6:25 minute version first appeared on Side 4 of the vinyl double-album "Mar Y Sol – The First International Puerto Rico Pop Festival" in 1972 on Atco SD 2-705. I don't know who's playing guitar – but it's a barnstormer (and first time on CD here too). This is followed by two album outtakes – covers of Neil Young's sorrowful "After The Gold Rush" classic "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" and Ron Davies' lesser-known "I'm Just A Rake & Ramblin' Boy". Both feature the vocals of Joyce Everson whose album "Crazy Lady" appeared in 1972 on Warner Brothers BS 2604 (the Radio Spot No. 2 advertises it using Baldry's voice). Although she's a good voice – her high pitch doesn't suit him and the Neil Young track comes across as mawkish rather than tuneful. The largely acoustic "I'm Just A Rake & Ramblin' Boy" is far better - but in truth you can see why both were left off an already confusing album.

Although the 2nd LP isn't as good as the first (too many conflicting styles and a couple of choices that simmered rather than sizzled) – I still see "Everything Stops For Tea" as a fabulous little CD reissue. And it perfectly compliments his first album for Warner Brothers "It Ain't Easy" from 1971 which Warners/Rhino 'Expanded' on a 2005 Remaster also (see separate review).

With John Baldry lost to us since 2005 – both CDs are a lovely way to remember him. 
And well done to all those involved for finally seeing it reissued. 
Rest in Peace you British beauty...

 

PS: In December 2005 Rhino Handmade (the mail-order side of US reissue specialist label Rhino Records) released a 2CD set called "Boogie Woogie: The Warner Bros. Recordings" on Rhino Handmade RHM2 7896 (Barcode 603497789627). It contained the "It Ain't Easy" album and its extras on CD1 (18 tracks) and the "Everything Stops For Tea" album and its extras on CD2 (16 tracks). That release was limited to 2,500 copies worldwide and received no UK issue. 

 

So the two Expanded Albums CD Reissues put out by Rhino in the UK in August 2005 are that 2CD set broken down into separate releases (with no loss of bonus tracks). 16 Nov 2013 USA saw the Rhino Handmade 2CD Set "Boogie Woogie: The Warner Bros. Recordings" reissued on Wounded Bird WOU 1921 (Barcode 664140192126) with the same artwork and again no loss on Bonus Material...

"Happy To Meet, Sorry To Part" by HORSLIPS (2009 Celtic Airs/Horslips Records 'Expanded' CD – Peter Mew Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…A Thief In A Haunted House…" 

When England's Fairport Convention recorded "A Sailor's Life" for inclusion on their "Unhalfbricking:" album (released July 1969) - its eleven-minutes-plus mixed English Folk Tradition with Rock elements and an Indian backbeat and drone -thereby creating overnight what many now call the genre of `Folk Rock'. The Fairports went on to more Folk-Rock greatness with "Liege & Lief" in December of that eventful year - and even better with the offshoot group Fotheringay in June 1970.

Ireland on the other hand - even with its long history of Folk tradition now running alongside a growing adoration of all things Rock - seemed to take its sweet time mixing the pair. That is until HORSLIPS came along. Their January 1973 self-financed debut album "Happy To Meet, Sorry To Part" on Oats Records MOO 3 did just that - and in grand style. I've still got my Irish-pressed original vinyl LP with its 'Emma Music' and 'Made In Ireland' credits on the labels. It was recorded November 1972 in Ireland by Alan O'Duffy on the Rolling Stones Mobile and distributed by RCA in the UK/Atlantic Records in the States (Atlantic SD 7030). But a few words first about the originals famously elaborate artwork...

Designed by the band's Fiddle player Charles O'Connor ('he cost us a fortune') and printed by Irish Silk Screen Ltd - the sleeve was cut in an Octagonal shape to ape his small and delicate hand-played instrument - an Irish Concertina (it's pictured by his feet on his photograph page). The front-flap was die-cut to allow the colour plates underneath to be seen - each one given over to a band member - JIM LOCKHART on Keyboards, Whistle and Flute, JOHNNY FEAN (looking like he needs a good night's sleep) on Electric and Acoustic Guitars, BARRY DEVLIN on Bass and Lead Vocals, EAMONN CARR on Drums and Bodhran and CHARLES O'CONNOR on Electric and Acoustic Fiddle, Mandolin, Concertina and Vocals. That gorgeous artwork has been reproduced here in great detail and they've added lyrics too. I mention all of this because Horslips fans will know that the last CD reissue of this came in a horrible square black cover without the artwork and was fitted out with a none-too pleasant transfer either. At last things have changed and very much for the better...

1. Happy To Meet [Side 1]

2. Hall Of Mirrors

3. The Clergy's Lamentation

4. An Bratach Ban

5. The Shamrock Shore

6. Flower Among Them All

7. Bim Istigh Ag Ol

8. Furniture [Side 2]

9. Ace And Deuce

10. Dance To Yer Daddy

11. Scalloway Ripoff

12. The Musical Priest

13. Sorry To Part

Tracks 1 to 13 are the album "Happy To Meet, Sorry To Part" as described above

14. Hall Of Mirrors [Live]

15. The High Reel [Live]

16. Rakish Paddy / Johnny's Wedding [Live]

17. Furniture [Live]

18. Bim Istigh Ag Ol [Live]

Tracks 14 to 18 are BONUS - recorded live at Quarter Latin in Berlin in 1976]

This new January 2009 CD reissue on Celtic Airs/Horslips Records MOOCCD003 (Barcode 5391513560934) of "Happy To Meet, Sorry To Part" by HORSLIPS boasts 5" Octagonal Repro Artwork inside a see-through square plastic holder with a sealable leaf and a title Obi (74:42 minutes). Original LPs have the booklet attached on the inside but in order to reproduce it for CD - Horslips have done it as a separate entity that allows the buyer to appreciate the work on its own. The detail even extends to the outer sleeve being matt (as per the original) while the booklet is stippled. The only downside of course is size - so you really can't read Page 2 of the booklet where each of the boys gives a witty explanation of themselves - but because its done in the Celtic calligraphy and the print is so small - it's hard to read even with glasses. Chris Ellis did the CD artwork and congrats to him...

But the really great news is a remaster by an engineer I rave about a lot - PETER MEW. It was done at Abbey Road and having heard the scratchy record and that last terrible CD - this is a revelation - warmth, clarity and still only the faintest of hiss levels even on the very quiet tracks. An example of how good the remaster sounds are two of the album's many lovely instrumentals - "Flowers Among Them All" on Side 1 and "Ace And Deuce" on Side 2. The first is a Folky jaunt with flutes, Bodhran and Whistles while the second is an acoustic ditty with keyboards - both now sound utterly gorgeous (Horslips did a fantastic remake of "Ace And Deuce" on their 2004 CD "Roll Back" - check it out).

The album opens with the 50-second Irish air and jig "Happy To Meet" with the boys coughing and shouting - then fading into "Hall Of Mirrors" where we get the real Horslips Folk-Rock sound (lyrics from it title this review). The plaintive and Irish-Folky instrumental "The Clergy's lament" follows wigging out into a Rock variant by the song's end. "An Bratach Ban" (I think this roughly translates into The Good Ship) is an old air sun in Gaelic but its eclipsed by the beautiful "Shamrock Shore" often called "Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore" in Folk circles. Paul Brady does a fabulous cover of it on his "Welcome Here Kind Stranger" Irish album from 1978 on Mulligan Records.

Side 2 opens with a huge fan fave - "Furniture" - one of their own songs mixed in with a familiar Irish air done on Electric Guitar. "Dance To Yer Daddy" and "Scalloway Ripoff" are both near vaudeville in its diddly-idleness - but "The Musical Priest" is probably the best example of their brand of Irish Folk-Rock. It ends on a Traditional note with "Sorry To Part" being pure Irish Folk...

The live tracks are OK - Eamonn Carr getting the crowd going on "The High Reel" and "Rakish Paddy..." - but it all sounds too much like a piss-up in London's Camden Town on a Saturday night and comes as a downer after the loveliness and cool of the album.

I saw Horslips live at a fun fair in a racetrack in Dublin sometime in the Summer of 1972 - they were playing on the back of a small truck and looked so cool it wasn't true. Like Lizzy - they were our (Irish teenagers) first taste of a Rock band we could get our teeth into. But in truth the Irish Folk-Rock of "Happy To Meet, Sorry To Part" won't be everyone's cup of Darjeeling in 2014 - and 41 years after its groundbreaking appeal/event - some might even find parts of it twee and dated.

But the bottom line is that if you love the album and are prepared to explore - then this excellent CD reissue is a vast improvement on what went before - both in presentation and sonically...

"Fairytale" by DONOVAN (2002 Sanctuary 'Expanded Deluxe Edition' CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Songs For Sunshine People..."

Released in October 1965 – "Fairytale" was Donovan's 2nd album for Pye Records - and in 2016 is a very hard-to-find 60ts Folk-Rock classic on original vinyl. The British version was MONO-only on release while the Hickory Records US edition came in both MONO and STEREO with a slightly altered track configuration (drops the Bert Jansch song "Oh Deed I Do" and adds on a hit single – his cover of Buffy Sainte-Marie's "Universal Soldier"). To confuse matters more – the UK budget label Marble Arch Records reissued the vinyl album as a 10-tracker in 1969 by dropping two key tracks – "Colours" and "The Little Tin Soldier". Luckily this superb Sanctuary Records 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue/Remaster from 2002 will allow fans to sequence all three 'Mono' variants. Here are the breezy details...

UK released February 2002 (reissued April 2010) – "Fairytale" by DONOVAN on Castle Music/Sanctuary CMRCD 360 (Barcode 5050159136025) is an 'Expanded Deluxe Edition' CD Remaster and plays out as follows (53:52 minutes):

1. Colours

2. I'll Try For The Sun

3. Sunny Goodge Street

4. Oh Deed I Do

5. Circus Of Sour

6. The Summer Day Reflection Song

7. Candy Man

8. Jersey Thursday

9. Belated Forgiveness Plea

10. The Ballad Of A Crystal Man

11. The Little Tin Soldier

12. The Ballad Of Geraldine

Tracks 1 to 12 are his 2nd album "Fairytale" – released June 1965 in the UK on Pye Records NPL 18128 in Mono Only. All songs are Donovan originals except "Universal Soldier" by Buffy Sainte-Marie, "Oh Deed I Do" by Bert Jansch, "The Little Tin Soldier" by Shawn Phillips, "Candy Man" by Mississippi John Hurt and "Circus Of Sour" by Paul Bernath.

BONUS TRACKS:

13. Universal Soldier

14. The Ballad Of A Crystal Man

15. The War Drags On

16. Do You Hear Me Now

17. Turquoise

18. Hey Gyp (Dig The Slowness)

To sequence the US 1965 Mono LP variant of "Fairytale" (Hickory LPM-127) use the following tracks:

Side One: 13, 2, 3, 1, 5 and 6

Side Two: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12

To sequence the UK 1969 Mono 10-track version of "Fairytale" (Marble Arch MAL 867) use the following tracks:

Side One: 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

Side Two: 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12

The very cool card slipcase repro’s the original 1965 UK album sleeve with DONOVAN bowing his head on the rear photo surrounded by Folk-groovy types. The LP's liner notes on the simulated flip-back cover declared that the contents within were "Songs For Sunshine People" – and in this particular case - the hype was right. STEPHEN HAMMONDS and ANTHONY AMOS co-ordinated the project for Sanctuary, LORNE MURDOCH does the in-depth liner notes (he handled the first 1991 CD reissue) and long-time and much-respected Audio Engineer ANDY PEARCE did the Remaster at Masterpiece Studios in London. The audio is great – very clear and clean and full of presence and not too hissy in that way some Sixties recordings can be.

The album's opener "Colours" is a balls-to-the-wall 60's classic - it truly is. "Fairytale" features a lot of tracks like that - just Donovan and his acoustic guitar, banjo, harmonica  - more Folk than Pop really. In fact when you hear almost any track on this very hard-to-find LP - it's easy to see why Donovan was often referred to as Britain's Bob Dylan. And it wasn't just because of the similar vocal styles - they were both such good songwriters and commentators on their times. There are great lyrics in here as well as tunes.

Highlights include "The Ballad Of A Crystal Man" which is represented on this disc twice - the full album version (track 10) and the edited EP version (track 14) - it's a fantastically strong and emotive anti-Vietnam piece equal to anything his Bobness put out on the other side of the pond. Lyrically the other songs are equally clever and even witty too. There's a "...violent hash smoker..." in "Sunny Goodge Street" - while a quietly sinister "Jersey Thursday" gives us sly white powder references like "...on a tiny piece of coloured glass, my love was born...and reds, and golds and yellows were the colours of the dawn..." A very Nick Drake vibe oozes out off "Sunny Goodge Street" with its cello and brass and complimentary flute (flute by Harold McNair). "Oh Deed I Do" is a Bert Jansch original exclusive to the album (never appeared on one of his own albums to my knowledge) and it's easy to hear why Donovan loved it – a gorgeous acoustic strum that would make John Renbourn envious. Shawn Phillips provides 12-string guitar on the lovely "Jersey Thursday" and wrote "The Little Tin Soldier" which Pye put on the flipside of "Josie" – his fourth British 45 on Pye 7N 17067 in February 1966.

The 6 Bonus Tracks are clever inclusions that make the purchase so worthwhile for fans. "Turquoise" and "Hey GYP (Dig The Slowness)" are the A&B-sides of his 3rd UK 7" single on Pye Records 7N 15984 released November 1965 - both tracks being non-album at the time of release. It’s arguable that “Turquoise” and its Folk-Funky flipside are equal to and better than some of the album tracks. The other four songs - "Universal Soldier", "Do You Hear Me Now", "Ballad Of A Crystal Man" and "The War Drags On" are again non-album and make up the 4-tracks of the rare UK-only "Universal Soldier EP" on Pye NEP 24219 from September 1965. Hickory Records in the USA released "Universal Soldier" as a 7" single with the Bert Jansch cover "Do You Hear Me Now" on the flipside (Hickory 1338 in September 1965).

So - a good 60ts Folk-Rock album bolstered up with relevant bonuses, liner notes worth reading and quality mastering. After this you will need to buy the "Breezes Of Patchouli..." 3CD set from April 2013 on EMI with stunning Peter Mew Remasters. It offers his studio output between the halcyon period of 1966 to 1969 and much more (see separate review).

For the uninitiated and brave - "Fairytale" is a great way of discovering the wildly underrated Donovan and his great songs - especially those who want to veer away from his better-known hits. Sanctuary also reissued his 1965 debut album "What's Bin Did And What's Bin Hid" with the same packaging, mastering and equally cool added bonus-tracks too.

There's just something wonderful about this album as a stand-alone - and for that matter its straight up and simple predecessor is the same. Highly recommended...the both of them...