"Michael Collins: 20th Anniversary Edition" on BLU RAY (2016 'Warner Archives Collection' Reissue) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Promise Not To Love Me..." 

I won't debate "Michael Collins" as a movie (it still stands up after 20 years having just re-watched it) - but I will rave about the 2K Restoration on this new March 2016 Warner Brothers "20th Anniversary" BLU RAY reissue.

First up the picture is clearly frame-by-frame restored and looks fabulous. There are even scenes indoors with Stephen Rea in Dublin Castle amidst his intelligence papers and the crowd sequences with Alan Rickman (brilliant as the political eel that was Eamon De Valera, Ireland's first President) where the word 'beautiful' leaps to mind. Much of the movie is filmed at night and in foggy streets - so the restoration was always going to be a challenge to keep that fuzz and grain at bay while at the same time retain the natural colours of the film intact. And this transfer has achieved that. When you watch the 9 or 10 short deleted scenes (mostly containing Liam Neeson and Aidan Quinn as Michael Collins and Harry Boland larking about) - you see the untreated film stock with its scratches and lines and realise what a great job has been done on the released movie.

The extras include:

A feature-length Commentary by Director NEIL JORDAN

In Conversation with Neil Jordan (new)

The South Bank Show Special from 1996

Theatrical Trailer

Deleted Scenes (about 10)

The new "In Conversation With Neil Jordan" has him reminiscing (in Warner Brothers seating) about the making of the film and 20 years of hindsight (Ireland was only just emerging out of the Troubles with both the IRA and The UVF having cease-fired when it was being made) - but it's criminally short and not particularly informative. A hundred times better is the near 50 minutes of "The South Bank Show" filmed in 1996 just after the launch of the movie. It features properly in-depth interviews with Director and Writer Neil Jordan, Tim Pat Coogan the Irish Author of Collins' life, Unionist peacemaker David Ervine and England's film and book critic Tom Paulin. It also has Producer Stephen Wooley fondly discussing the use of Dublin as a set (the whole city – unprecedented access) - the 5000 extras who turned up in period costumes for the shoot - short interviews with Neeson and glimpses of on-set shooting (Julia Roberts, Stephen Rea, Ian Hart and Brendan Gleeson). It goes into Collins' early 20's life as a worker in England for the Post Office, his grounding in Accounting so that he managed the finances of the revolution and in particular the paradox of the man - part gentleman - part ruthless killer - and probably the inventor of modern-day guerrilla warfare. It talks also of his eventual assassination by his own army in Cork at the age of 31 and how Jordan re-wrote the Croak Park black and tan murders and that controversial 'was De Valera involved in the assassination, possibly ordered it' scene (which Jordan argues was never his intention).

The BLU RAY of "Michael Collins" of course also avoids that crappy 'flipper' of a DVD we've had to live with all these years where you had to turn the damn thing over to view the remainder of the movie. And in 1.78:1 Aspect Ratio – the BLU RAY fills the entire screen with a lush picture that thrills all the way to the end ("Michael Collins" looks way better than its $28 million-dollar budget). The 5.1 Audio rattles those explosions and gunfire shots around your room with renewed force and you also get to appreciate the stunning commitment of the actors involved (Liam Neeson and Aidan Quinn have been lifetime friends ever since).

Part of their respected and applauded 'Warner Archive Collection' series of BR reissues - "Michael Collins" is a triumph on BLU RAY. If you love this movie - you need to own it on this format. And that truly beautiful version of "She Moves Through The Fair" by Sinead O'Connor as the credits roll still moves me to tears...

AUDIO:

English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

German Dolby Digital 2.0

Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0

Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1

SUBTITLES:

English (for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing), French, German (for the Hard-Of-Hearing), Spanish Castellan, Japanese, Spanish Latin, Czech, Polish, Turkish, Mandarin

"I Can Stand A Little Rain" by JOE COCKER (1995 and 2006 A&M/Rebound Records CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...You Are So Beautiful To Me..."

Recorded amidst a whole heap of personal demonology (drugs and drink) and coupled with a hefty dose of public indifference since his halcyon days of 1969 and 1970 (especially in the UK) – Joe Cocker's 1974 outing "I Can Stand A Little Rain" remains something of a mystery in the Sheffield singer's home country - England. Yet it was a big American hit LP and is rightly remembered with real affection there. Powered by the emotive singles "Put Out The Light" (No. 46) and especially "You Are So Beautiful" (No. 5) – the album peaked at a respectable No. 11 on the US album charts but failed like its 1972 predecessor "Something So Right" (called "Joe Cocker" in the USA) to chart at all in good old Blighty.

"I Can Stand A Little Rain" by JOE COCKER has had a quietly ordinary journey on CD reissue. First version showed Stateside on A&M CD 3175 in May 1988. Then came this Rebound Records reissue – April 1995 for A&M/Rebound Records 314 520 237-2 (Barcode 731452023728) - itself reissued in September 2006. It's a basic CD transfer of the album (34:35 minutes) and the gatefold slip of paper that acts as a paltry inlay provides track-by-track credits and unfortunately little else (not even who wrote the songs).

1. Put Out The Light

2. I Can Stand A Little Rain

3. I Get Mad

4. Sing Me A Song

5. The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress

6. Don't Forget Me [Side 2]

7. You Are So Beautiful

8. It's A Sin When You Love Somebody

9. Performance

10. Guilty

Tracks 1 to 10 are his 6th album "I Can Stand A Little Rain" – released August 1974 in the UK on Fly Records HIFLY 18 and in the USA on A&M Records SP 3633

It appears to have been mastered by KENT DUNCAN at Kendun Recorders in Burbank (no other info). Whatever way you look at – the Audio on this baby is fabulous – aided in a big way by initial Production values that truly shined. The hero at the control-panel helm was Texan Trombone player JIM PRICE – a man whose session talent has graced legendry albums like "All Things Must Pass" by George Harrison, "Sticky Fingers" and "Exile On Main St." by The Rolling Stones and was part of Joe's own "Mad Dogs And Englishmen" ensemble back in 1970. Price would also go on to produce Joe's next album on Fly/A&M Records - "Jamaica Say You Will" - released in August 1975.

There's a huge array of talent on display on "I Can Stand A Little Rain" (big brassy band on some tracks - just man and piano on others) and the hugely skilled Price produces the lot to absolute perfection. Side 1 opens with Daniel Moore's upbeat and brassy pop song "Put Out The Light" issued June 1974 as a 7" single in the UK on Fly Records BUG 47 and A&M 1539 in the USA - with the non-album "If I Love You" as the flipside (unfortunately not included here). Fuelled by a six-strong brass section including legends like Jim Horn and Jim Price – David Paich of Toto provides those cool piano-fills with guitars supplied by a classy duo - Ralph Hammer who played on "Golden Lady" for Stevie Wonder's "Innervisions" LP in 1973 while future Arista Record star Ray Parker, Jr. had treaded the boards with Barry White back in the Love Unlimited days and would form RAYDIO in the late Seventies. Songwriter Daniel Moore himself overdubs all the backing vocals to great effect.

Jim Price wrote the title track "I Can Stand A Little Rain" with gorgeous piano playing from England's Nicky Hopkins. Other noted players on this Soulful groove are guitar-ace Jay Graydon who did the solo on Steely Dan's "Peg" and "Say You’ll Be Mine" by Christopher Cross – along with Henry McCulloch on Guitar (The Grease Band and Wings) and Jeff Porcaro of Toto on Drums. Clydie King, Venetta Fields and Shirley Matthews provide the world-class female backing vocals - women who've played with The Stones, Steely Dan and every point in-between (check out the fabulous "20 Feet From Stardom" film to get a taste of their extraordinary musical history). King, Fields and Matthews also grace "Sing Me A Song", "It's A Sin When You Love Somebody" and "Performance". Merry Clayton who dueted with Jagger on "Gimme Shelter" is in there too on "I Can Stand A Little Rain".

Price and Cocker co-wrote the spunky "I Get Mad" which features the fab licks of Jazz Funker Cornell DuPree and ace Jazz drummer Bernie Purdie. Jay Graydon provides Guitar on the Henry McCulloch-penned "Sing Me A Song" – a weary plea that feels like a musician pinning for his love while he's a long, long way from home. But Side 1 ends on the magnificent "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress" – a Jimmy Webb song that he would eventually record on his own "El Mirage" LP in 1977. Webb plays piano on the song and is accompanied only by Cocker and some carefully orchestrated strings. "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress" may be Joe's most eloquently Soulful vocal performance – his aching phrasing embracing a sorrow and pathos that is truly touching. After his sad loss – it often reduced me to tears...

Side 2 opens strongly with the Rock slouch of "Don't Forget Me" –a Nilsson song that wouldn't show until October 1974 on the Nilsson/John Lennon album "Pussy Cats" on RCA. Here Joe enlists Nicky Hopkins on Piano, Henry McCulloch on Guitar and Jeff Porcaro on Drums and keeps that lazy pace that Nilsson imbibed it with. Once again the trio-of-ladies give "Don't Forget Me" real punch when their combined force kicks in – even if it is weird to hear lyrics like "...when we’re older...and full of cancer..." be so lovingly sung. There can't be many Cocker fans that won't go weak at the knees at the gorgeous Billy Preston-penned "You Are So Beautiful". It's hardly surprising that Joe's Soulful vocal reading of it slaughtered all in its path and peaked at No. 5 on the US singles charts. It's the kind of song that is derided and beloved at the same time – and again a nod must be given to Nicky Hopkins who plays such great piano and those huge lush strings (bizarrely it didn't chart in Britain). Jimmy Webb provided song number two in the shape of "It's A Sin When You Love Somebody" – a mid-tempo ballad that packs more emotional punch that you would think. David Paich plays Piano, Jay Graydon and Ray Parker, Jr. while the trio of ladies bring the whole thing home sounding not unlike a female version of The Eagles.

New Orleans songwriting genius Allen Toussaint stumped up "Performance" – another ballad similar in pace and feeling to "It's A Sin When You Love Somebody" (same set of musicians). Once again the performance is Rock-Soulful and full of power. But it's trumped by the album-finisher – a barebones version of Randy Newman's "Guilty" with the great man himself provided the lone piano. A short but hurting song on his 1974 LP "Good Old Boys" which featured the guitar work of Ry Cooder and almost all of The Eagles on Vocals - Bonnie Raitt had a stab at it on her November 1973 LP "Takin' My Time". Here Cocker strips it down – just his voice and Randy Newman on piano. Caressing the "...yes baby I've been drinking...and I shouldn't come by I know..." lyrics and the dumb-behaviour pain inherent in the song - Joe sings about whiskey and cocaine and regret with an ache that can only come from being there - lost in life's lows. It's staggeringly powerful stuff and ends the album with a simple beauty...

Joe Cocker fans often cite "I Can Stand A Little Rain" as his masterpiece in a long cannon of work – an album that was all good rather than patchy. They'd be right. A bit of a lost gem really. Seek this dirt-cheap audio peach out and rediscover his talent once again...

"Benefit: A Collector's Edition" by JETHRO TULL (2013 Chrysalis 2CD/1DVD Set – Steve Wilson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Alive And Well And Living In..."

When Tull fans clapped their weary lugs on Steve Wilson's spectacular Remaster of Jethro's legendary 1971 LP "Aqualung" – they promptly sat bolt upright and took notice. Since then there's been a steady stream of Wilson-wonders and now its time to get perpendicular again for "Benefit" - their under-appreciated 3rd album from the spring of 1970. Having lived with this multi-disc baby for some months now – there's no doubt in my mind that this 2013 '2CD/1DVD' overhaul is yet another sonic jewel in a growing crown of audio-restoration achievements. Here are the breathy details...

UK released 28 October 2013 (29 October 2013 in the USA) – "Benefit: A Collector's Edition" by JETHRO TULL on Warner Brothers/Chrysalis 825646413270 (Barcode is the same) is a 2CD + 1DVD Reissue/Remaster featuring 'New 5.1 & Stereo Mixes with Associated Recordings 1969-1970' and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 – The Steven Wilson 2013 Stereo Mixes (65:01 minutes)

1. With You There To Help Me

2. Nothing To Say

3. Alive And Well And Living In

4. Son

5. For Michael Collins, Jeffrey And Me

6. To Cry For A Song [Side 2]

7. A Time For Everything?

8. Inside

9. Play In Time

10. Sossity: You're A Woman

Tracks 1 to 10 make up their 3rd album "Benefit" – released 20 April 1970 in the USA on Reprise RS 6400 and 1 May 1970 in the UK (delayed from 24 April 1970) on Chrysalis/Island ILPS 9123.

EXTRA TRACKS:

11. Singing All Day (Stereo)

12. Sweet Dream (Stereo)

13. 17 (Stereo)

14. Teacher – (4:58 minutes, UK Single Version, Stereo)

15. Teacher – (4:03 minutes, US Album Version, Stereo)

Disc 2 – Associated Recordings 1969-1970 (58:28 minutes):

1. Singing All Day (Previously Unreleased 1969 Mono Mix)

2. Sweet Dream (Mono Single Mix)

3. 17 (Mono Single Mix)

Tracks 12 and 13 are the A&B-sides of a non-album UK 7" single released 17 October 1969 on Chrysalis/Island WIP 6070

4. Sweet Dream (Previously Unreleased 1969 Stereo Mix intended as a Promo)

5. 17 (Previously Unreleased 1969 Stereo Mix intended as a Promo, B-side of "Sweet Dream")

6. The Witch's Promise – Original 1969 Mono Mix used in Europe and USA - double A-side with "Teacher" (UK used the Stereo version, see Track 9)

7. Teacher - Original 1969 Mono Mix used in Europe and USA – double A-side with "The Witch's Promise" (UK used the Stereo version, see Track 10)

8. Teacher – US Album Version in Mono. Also issued as a double-A side with "The Witch's Promise" in Reprise Records territories

9. The Witch's Promise – original 1969 UK 7" single Stereo Mix issued 16 January 1970 on Chrysalis/Island WIP 6077, double-A with "Teacher"

10. Teacher - original 1969 UK 7" single Stereo Mix issued 16 January 1970 on Chrysalis/Island WIP 6077, Double-A with "The Witch's Promise"

11. Teacher – US Album Version, Stereo. Also issued as a US Promo 7" single with "Witch's Promise" on Reprise 0899

12. Inside (Single Edit, Mono) – Original 1970 UK 7" single Mono Mix/Edit – released May 1970 on Chrysalis/Island WIP 6081 – shorter in length to the LP version

13. Alive And Well And Living In (UK Single Mix, Mono) – released May 1970 on Chrysalis/Island WIP 6081 as the B-side to "Inside". A Stereo variant prepared in 1971 appeared on the 1972 double-album "Living In The Past"

14. A Time For Everything – A Mono Reduction of the 1970 Stereo Album Mix used on the Reprise Records LP - also a B-side to "Inside" in certain Reprise Records territories

15. Benefit AM Radio Spot No. 1 (Mono)

16. Benefit FM Radio Spot No. 2 (Stereo) – issued to US Radio Stations May/June 1970 on Reprise PRO 395

DVD, NTSC, All Regions (0), Aspect Ratio 16.9

Steven Wilson's 2013 Stereo Mixes of "Benefit" and 5 Extra Tracks in DTS and Dolby AC3 5.1 Surround & Stereo 96/24 LPCM (65:06 minutes)

Flat transfers of the Original UK and US LP Master in 96/24 LCPM (59:59 minutes)

Additional Tracks "Sweet Dream", "17" and "The Witch's Promise"

AUDIO Formats: DTS 96/24 5.1 Surround, Dolby AC3 5.1 Surround 96/24 Stereo LPCM

The 42-page booklet is superbly done and properly packed with fan-pleasing info. MARTIN WEBB gives a hugely detailed and deft history of that 'difficult' third album. After a successful tour supporting Led Zeppelin in the USA – Tull popped back to Blighty to record tracks. But the text cites Tull's inner-camp suspicion that singles were breaking the band. And even though the 45s were chart successes - the group felt it was album-buyers who loved them most (and they were proven right). Alongside all the discussion of American Tours and songwriting - you're treated to trade adverts for the LP (advertised as due 24 April 1970 but more likely to have arrived 1 May 1970) and rare Euro picture sleeves for "Sweet Dream" and "Witch's Promise/Teacher" (with or with the prefix 'The' on both tracks). On top of that there's caustic and witty track-by-track discussions by Ian Anderson (Lead Vocals, Flute, Principal Songwriter), Martin Barre (Guitars), Glenn Cornick (Bass) and Clive Bunker (Drums). It even references a 1999 interview with John Evans who was called in to lay down Piano and Organ (credited as John Evan on the LP). There's a 'Sessionography' page cleverly laid out in the text style of a Morgan Studios Tape Box (3 September 1969 to 25 February 1970), a list of US and UK Tour Dates for 1970, Terry Ellis notes on ‘Managing and Touring with Jethro Tull’ and finally STEVEN WILSON explanations on the Remasters in all its transfer complexity.

SOUND: I have to say that Wilson has once again done wonders with a Tull album. I’ve had my A1/B2 matrix LP of ILPS 9123 for way too many decades now and it's sounded brill – but these CD Remasters are glorious – full of warmth, detail and a musicality that I’ve not heard on any Previous CDs or Vinyl pressings. The Stereo imaging is noticeably better – not harsh left and right panning – but more centred. I don’t have a 5.1 system but a mate does and he’s been raving about the 'band in the living room' and sense of 'awe' that the Surround Mixes offer. Niggles – with all that effort and number of pages – it would have been good to include the lyrics this time around (songs like "For Michael Collins, Jeffrey And Me" cry out for it).

As you can see from Disc 2 – Jethro Tull 7" singles in the UK, USA and other territories (Europe and Japan) were released in a plethora of Mono and Stereo Mixes and Edit variants that dizzies the brain. I never knew that the Double-A of "The Witch's Promise" and "Teacher" was issued in Stereo in the UK but only as Mono in European countries - while our American pals had to wait until the 1988 "20 Years Of Jethro Tull" Box Set to get their Mono version. At least this comprehensive issue sorts that out and other odd LP anomalies. The Steve Wilson Stereo Mix of "Teacher" on Disc 1 (Track 14) that runs to 4:58 minutes is a fabulous sonic revelation. Nearly 50 seconds longer than the American Reprise Records album version – US fans are going to love that stretched out guitar and the beautiful remaster. The notes also advise that the mixes for "Singing All Day", "The Witch's Promise" and "Teacher" that appeared on the 1972 "Living In The Past" double-album were actually done in 1971 so that would make the 1999 Mobile Fidelity 2CD versions of them exclusive. They've even fixed 'pitch' mistakes on both versions of "Teacher" faultily recorded on 8-track at the time. And of course those Previously Unreleased versions are amazing finds after all these years.

That wild Flute & Vocals flourish that begins "With You There To Help Me" opens Side 1 with a sinister almost creepy song of longing. The Remaster really accentuates those acoustic guitar strums from Barre. "Nothing To Say" is probably the most Prog song on the album and a musical fave of Martin Barre – sounding bigger now than ever. "Alive And Well And Living In" was the first track I really liked on the album and it's funny to read that in 2013 - Ian Anderson would 'bin it!' according to his typically forthright liner notes. Dustbin or no - the remaster on "Alive And Well And Living In" is wonderfully clear – especially those piano and acoustic battles between John Evans and Martin Barre supported so sweetly by the rhythm section of Glenn Cornick and Clive Bunker. "Son" is a nasty and hard-rocking 'father and son' parable with treated Ian Anderson vocals and at 1:29 minutes suddenly breaks into the most brilliant music/lyrics/in/tandem refrain. The largely Acoustic "For Michael Collins, Jeffrey And Me" is brilliant - my personal poison for this LP. Written in the USA about the Moon Missions while they absorbed musical breakthroughs like the first Crosby, Stills & Nash LP – it has fabulous acoustic interplay between Anderson and Barre – and the Remaster is so damn good.

That Tull signature guitar sound opens Side 2 with "To Cry You A Song" – a song about displacement and being far away (three US tours) – and it continues with the 'little song' that is "A Time For Everything" – another Tull winner that straddles complex and simple in their strange song-structure way. Glenn Cornick rightly espouses his Bass line contribution to the superb "Inside" – but if I'm truthful I prefer the more prominent vocal on the Mono single mix. Funny how they all seem to hate "Play In Time" – a lyrical pun by Anderson on the difficulty of the band's time signatures. But I actually like its riffing guitars and mock Psychedelic sound effects. Even better is awesome audio quality to "Sossity: You're A Woman" – the album's accomplished finisher. Overall the whole LP transfer is a rip-roaring success to my ears...

Jethro Tull would go global in 1971 with "Aqualung" and rightly so. And it has to be truthfully said that Benefit's illustrious follow up is a better crop of songs and a more coherent LP in every way. But this fabulous 2013 reissue of 1970's "Benefit" should surely mean that this forgotten bow in Tull's arsenal of strings should be reappraised. Well done to all involved...

"Irish Tour ’74: 40th Anniversary Deluxe Box Set" by RORY GALLAGHER (2014 Sony/Capo/Legacy/Eagle Records 7CD and 1DVD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…And Your Cradle Will Rock…" 

Rory Gallagher fans the world over will be licking their lips on this one. And with 7CDs, a feature-length DVD and a stonking 44 Previously Unreleased tracks (Live and Studio) - we'd best get to a tour of this fantastic celebration right away...

UK released 20 October 2014 - "Irish Tour '74: 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition Box Set" by RORY GALLAGHER on Sony/Capo/Legacy/Eagle Records 88875004882 (Barcode 888750048820) is a 7CD/1DVD 'Deluxe Edition' Box set and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1, CORK CITY HALL, 3rd and 5 January 1974 (74:06 minutes):

1. Messin' With The Kid

2. Cradle Rock

3. I Wonder Who (Who's Gonna Be Your Sweet Man)

4. Tattoo'd Lady

5. Walk On Hot Coals

6. Laundromat

7. A Millions Miles Away

8. Hands Off

9. Too Much Alcohol

Tracks 1, 6 and 8 are Previously Unreleased

Disc 2, as per 1 (48:40 minutes):

1. As The Crow Flies

2. Pistol Slapper Blues

3. Unmilitary Two-Step

4. Banker's Blues

5. Going To My Hometown

6. Who's That Comin'

7. In Your Town

Tracks 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 are Previously Unreleased - "Banker's Blues" is a Big Bill Broonzy cover

Disc 3, DUBLIN CARLTON CINEMA, 2 January 1974 (55:11 minutes):

1. Cradle Rock

2. Tattoo'd Lady

3. Hands Off

4. Walk On Hot Coals

5. Laundromat

6. Too Much Alcohol

7. A Million Miles Away

Tracks 1 to 7 all Previously Unreleased

Disc 4, as per 3 (52:29 minutes):

1. As The Crow Flies

2. Pistol Slapper Blues

3. Banker's Blues

4. Unmilitary Two-Step

5. Going To My Hometown

6. In Your Town

7. Bullfrog Blues

Tracks 1 to 8 are all Previously Unreleased

Disc 5, BELFAST ULSTER HALL, 28 and 29 December 1973 (58:18 minutes):

1. Messin' With The Kid

2. Cradle Rock

3. I Wonder Who (Who's Gonna Be Your Sweet Man)

4. Tattoo'd Lady

5. Walk On Hot Coals

6. Hands Off

7. A Million Miles Away

8. Laundromat

Tracks 1 to 8 are all Previously Unreleased

Disc 6, as per 5 (58:00 minutes):

1. As The Crow Flies

2. Pistol Slapper Blues

3. Unmilitary Two-Step

4. Banker's Blues

5. Going To My Hometown

6. Who's That Comin'

7. In Your Town

8. Bullfrog Blues

Tracks 1 to 8 are all Previously Unreleased

Disc 7, CITY HALL IN SESSION, 4 January 1974 (50:11 minutes):

1. Maritime (The Edgar Lustgarden Cut) - 2:32 minutes

2. I Want You/Raunchy Medley - 3:50 minutes

3. Treat Her Right - 4:11 minutes

4. I Wonder Who - 5:58 minutes

5. Too Much Alcohol - 7:01 minutes

6. Just A Little Bit - 8:17 minutes

7. I Can't Be Satisfied - 4:08 minutes

8. Acoustic Medley - 1:29 minutes

9. Back On My Stompin' Ground (After Hours) - 6:13 minutes

10. Stompin' Ground (Alternate Version) - 6:32 minutes

Tracks 2, 4, 5, 7 and 8 are Previously Unreleased STUDIO tracks

Tracks 1, 3 and 10 have appeared on Expanded CDs of

Tracks 6 and 9 are Side 4 of the original double-album

Using the following three CDs - you can sequence the July 1974 ORIGINAL VINYL DOUBLE-ALBUM on Polydor 2659 031 as follows:

Side 1 (Live):

1. Cradle Rock [Disc 1/Track 2]

2. I Wonder Who (Who's Gonna Be Your Sweet Man) [Disc 1/Track 3]

3. Tattoo'd Lady [Disc 1/Track 4]

Side 2 (Live):

4. Too Much Alcohol [Disc 1/Track 9]

5. As The Crow Flies [Disc 2/Track 1]

6. A Million Miles Away [Disc 1/Track 7]

Side 3 (Live):

7. Walk On Hot Coals [Disc 1/Track 5]

8. Who's That Comin' [Disc 2/Track 6]

Side 4 (Studio):

9. Back On My (Stompin' Ground) [Disc 7/Track 9]

10. Just A Little Bit [Disc 7/Track 6]

[NOTE: the famous "Ladies And Gentlemen - Rory Gallagher!" intro by a Cork Man on Side 1 now comes 'before' "Messin' With The Kid" on Disc 1 instead of "Cradle Rock" like it did on the original double-album. But when you cut to Track 2 "Cradle Rock" on the CD - that intro isn't there anymore (which feels a little odd)]

Disc 8, DVD, The Tony Palmer Directed Documentary "Irish Tour '74", REGION 0, NTSC, 171 Minutes (Courtesy Of Eagle Rock Entertainment)

The Box Set is 10" x 10" and mimics the original 'silver' album cover with a pasted on page on the rear (falls off easily so I'd put this is a protective plastic soonest - in fact the whole set is a little flimsy so be careful with it). The 16-page oversized booklet has an introduction by Rory's brother (and keeper of the flame) DONAL GALLAGHER with further liner notes from GAVIN MARTIN referencing the difficulty in getting the Northern Ireland shows booked, played and filmed. There are photos from the gigs, in studio sessions, Melody Maker Magazine appraisal of the shows (Roy Hollingworth's famously passionate review), a Belfast City ticket stub (value at £1.25!), tape boxes and reissue credits. The three-way fold out digipak inside features fantastic colour photos on all three venues on both the flaps and matching CDs. It's very tastefully done. But the best news is of course the improved audio. MARTIN DUBKA did the Mixing with ANDY PEARCE and MATT WORTHAM doing the Remasters and even on the lo-fi tracks where there's amps humming and crowd noises - the `presence' is fantastic. To universal praise - this duo handled the 2012 remasters of Rory's Polydor and Chrysalis albums - and the same plaudits apply here.

As many fans had suspected - although the inner gatefold of the original 2LP set states that tracks were used from Cork, Dublin and Belfast - this box set finally confirms that only the 'Cork' show was used. And having been in the audience at the Dublin show on 2 January 1974 - I suppose I can now hear my lovely larynx in there in the crowd somewhere - beaming like a fool and shaking my head like everyone else...

Before we get into the abundance of live stuff - let's talk about the STUDIO stuff on Disc 7. Fans will notice that only 5 of the 10 tracks are marked with a Previously Unreleased Asterisk. That leaves five unaccounted for. Well two are Side 4 of the album ("Back On My Stompin' Ground (After Hours)" and "Just A Little Bit") as mentioned above - but the other three require explanation. When fans bought the 1998 Da Capo CD remaster of "Irish Tour '74" - to their amazement they found that the last track of the album "Just A Little Bit" had been replaced by something called "Maritime" (the name of a bar in Belfast both Rory and Van Morrison's Them used to play in). Even more infuriating for fans was to find out that this "Maritime" was an instrumental that lasted all of 33 seconds and was about as welcome as a fart in a spacesuit. The "Maritime (The Edgar Lustgarden Cut)" cut we now get on Disc 7 is 2:32 minutes long - but in all honesty - is just as disposable. The other two cuts are "Treat Her Right" - a cover version of a Roy Head track on Vee Jay Records and "Stompin' Ground (Alternate Take)" - both of which turned up as the two bonus tracks on the 2012 reissue of "Blueprint" (in itself remastered by Pearce and Wortham). Of the new stuff - the Medley cover versions of Dylan's "I Want You" and "Raunchy" by Bill Justis are good rather than great. But then we get the real deal - amazing versions of "I Wonder Who" and a 'electric' version of "Too Much Alcohol" that stretches to seven minutes. What a wow! His playing is just great on both (even if the tapes for "I Wonder Who" go a bit skewiff half way through). The slide version of Muddy Waters' "I Can't Be Satisfied" is a bit thin sonically but it's still a blast of a listen (he just seemed to be on fire with the fluidity of his playing - like Johnny Winter at his best). The "Acoustic Medley" is short but lovely...and it ends with those great outtakes. Which brings us to the live stuff and the double album itself...

"Irish Tour '74" had its fair share of inspired cover version choices - "I Wonder Who" by Muddy Waters, "Too Much Alcohol" by J. B. Hutto, "As The Crow Flies" by Tony Joe White and "Just A Little Bit" by Rosco Gordon. Mix these in with some of Rory's best new material - "Cradle Rock" and "Walk On Hot Coals" - and right from the off - this Double just rocks like a mother. Fans will also notice that excluding "I Could've Had Religion" - the other 6 tracks of his other beloved set "Live! In Europe" are also on here - even in the same running order. There's also a political element hanging over the two BELFAST discs. With the 'Troubles' seeing off every band from the UK and elsewhere - Rory stood almost alone in playing that bombed out city. The roar of the crowd and the sense of occasion make the performance and response all the more alive - healing even. It's fantastic stuff. And after 40 years - I can now also hear myself amidst the mob in Dublin - what memories! The icing on the cake is the DVD (admittedly a bit low-fi in its definition) - but just as mesmerizing to see the visual accompany the audio.

As the years go by - his legend only grows - and gets rediscovered (like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Tommy Bolin). Rory Gallagher was lost to us in 1995 - but his genius playing and especially his generous spirit live on in this wonderful reissue. At a time when Ireland (in all its counties) needed him - he was there for us - and that's speaks volumes of this gentle giant...

This review is part of my SOUNDS GOOD Music Book Series. One of those titles is CLASSIC 1970s ROCK - an E-Book with over 260 entries and 2450 e-Pages - purchase on Amazon and search any artist or song (click the link below). Huge amounts of info taken directly from the discs (no cut and paste crap). 

"Modern Masquerades" by FRUUPP (2009 Esoteric Recordings 'Expanded' CD Remaster)- A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Misty Morning Way..."

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 (formerly with Blues Of Five). 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).

"Modern Masquerades" is the fourth 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 acts like Supertramp, Queen, ELO, Man, Focus, Hawkwind and the Peter Gabriel line-up of Genesis).

This February 2009 CD reissue/remaster of "Modern Masquerades" by FRUUPP on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 2105 (Barcode 5013929720527) gives us their 7-track fourth album (no bonus sides) with a 12-page booklet. This CD reissue is also available digitally at losttunes.com. Here are the knapsack details (48:59 minutes):

1. Misty Mountain Way

2. Masquerading With Dawn

3. Gormenghast

4. Mystery Might [Side 2]

5. Why

6. Janet Planet

7. Sheba’s Song

Tracks 1 to 7 are their 4th studio album "Modern Masquerades" – released February 1975 in the UK on Dawn Records DNLS 3070.

FRUUPP were:

VINCENT McCUSKER – Lead Guitars and Vocals

PETER FARRELLY – Bass and Lead Vocals

JOHN MASON – Keyboards, Vibraphone and Vocals

IAN McDONALD – Alto Saxophone and Percussion

MARTIN FOYE – Drums and Percussion

Organised and Co-ordinated by MARK POWELL - the 12-page booklet reproduces the album’s lyric insert and has affectionate, witty and highly informative liner notes 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). Charles continues the FRUUPP story from the previous three CDs (Part 4) and there’s some concert fliers/posters, greeting cards, gig lists and press clippings – as well as Charles’ near-death experience in a London flat when a fire evaporated the band’s next album and all his possessions (McCusker saved his life as he clung on to the window ledge). But the big news is a BEN WISEMAN remaster from original master tapes that brings out the dense playing of all seven originals.

With Stephen Houston having exited the band (he features on the first three albums mentioned below) – his replacement John Mason (rather like Patrick Moraz in Yes) made himself known to the music pretty quickly. It opens with "Misty Mountain Way” - 6:57 minutes of beautifully produced Prog Rock by Vincent McCusker which shows Mason's incredible playing chops and then progresses into his equally accomplished 7:16 minutes of “Masquerading With Dawn”. Like so much of their stuff – the long FRUUPP songs come at you like YES circa 1971's "Fragile" or GENESIS around 1972’s "Foxtrot" (the musicianship is fantastic). Side 1 ends on the monumental "Gormenghast" written by John Mason - at just shy of eleven minutes – its a mishmash of wild keyboards flourishes and choppy breaks (very impressive stuff and a real grower). Yet again Vince McCusker provided the next two – “Mystery Night” and “Why” - while he co-wrote the final selections of “Janet Planet” and “Sheba's Song” with Paul Charles. I’m also reminded of “Focus III” with those strangulated vocals and shifting rhythms – but in a good way.

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...

PS: see also reviews for their debut “Future Legends”, “Seven Secrets” (their 2nd album) and “The Prince Of Heaven’s Eyes” (their 3rd album)...

"The Prince Of Heaven's Eyes" by FRUUPP (2009 Esoteric Recordings 'Expanded' CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Crystal Book..."

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 (formerly with Blues Of Five). 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).

"The Prince Of Heaven's Eyes" is the third 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 acts like Supertramp, Queen, ELO, Man, Focus, Hawkwind and the Peter Gabriel line-up of Genesis).

This February 2009 CD reissue/remaster of "The Prince Of Heaven's Eyes" by FRUUPP on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 2103 (Barcode 5013929720329) gives us their 8-track third album plus two bonus single sides and even reproduces the very rare 'The Prince Of Heaven's Eyes' 6-Part Story Booklet by PAUL CHARLES that came with only some of the original vinyl LPs (it centres the 24-page booklet). This CD reissue is also available digitally at losttunes.com. Here are the knapsack details (48:40 minutes):

1. It's All Up Now

2. Prince Of Darkness

3. Jaunting Car

4. Annie Austere

5. Knowing You [Side 2]

6. Crystal Brook

7. Seaward Sunset

8. The Perfect Wish

Tracks 1 to 8 are their 3rd studio album "The Prince Of Heaven's Eyes" – released November 1974 in the UK on Dawn Records DNLH 2

BONUS TRACK:

9. Prince Of Heaven (3:32 minutes)

10. Jaunting Car (Single Version) (2:26 minutes)

Tracks 9 and 10 are an October 1974 UK 7” single on Dawn Records DNS 1087. The demo for "Prince Of Heaven" lists 4 October 1974 as its release date - although trade adverts talk of 11 October 1974.

NOTE: Prior to the album’s release – Dawn Records was supposed to have issued "The Prince Of Darkness" b/w "Annie Austere" as their first ever UK 45 – but I've never seen a copy of it and even if it is listed in discographies - I've never been able to find a catalogue number either.

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 24-page booklet reproduces the text of the Paul Charles ‘POHE’ story (in six parts), the beautiful hand-drawn gatefold artwork of Peter Farrelly (front and back pages) and the inner gatefold with its photos of the Northern Ireland lochs. 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). Charles continues the FRUUPP story from the previous two CDs (Part 3) and there’s some concert fliers and press clippings. But the big news is a BEN WISEMAN remaster from original master tapes that brings out the dense playing of all eight originals (Stephen Houston wrote Tracks 1 to 4 and 7 and 8 while Vince McCusker wrote Tracks 5 and 6).

It opens with "It's All Up Now" - a complicated 7:23 minutes of beautifully produced Prog Rock which settles into a moving piano lead in and vocals – it’s very YES circa "Fragile" or Genesis on "Foxtrot". "Prince Of Darkness" has McCusker sounding like a strangulated Peter Gabriel circa "Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" where he's "...dancing with witches and fairies..." The album cut of "Jaunting Car" runs to 2:24 minutes – the 7" single version is 2:26 minutes (different mixes). The ‘jaunty’ instrumental simulates Toad of Toad Hall in his motorcar out of a sunny day having a blast. Side 1 ends with "Annie Austere" – 5:17 minutes of guitar and piano that impress – but the poor-man's Focus vocals kind of ruin it.

Side2 opens with the album’s most ambitious piece – the 10:47 minutes of “Knowing You” – all Spanish Acoustic Guitars and fey vocals from McCusker (who wrote the song). A ways in and it changes pace – ups the Prog breaks and feels like a lengthy Chris Squire solo passage. Once again that ethereal piano-playing of Houston gives “Crystal Brook” a truly gorgeous feel as he hits those high notes – clearly moved by nature and waves lapping up against rocks. “Seaward Sunset” is another Houston composition – 5:25 minutes of piano-led Prog with the most amazing playing – feeling like a great Moody Blues instrumental passage that you’d forgotten about. It ends on "The Perfect Wish" – very Greenslade. The stand-alone 7" single "Prince Of Heaven" feels like a "Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" outtake with lyrics about "...a thousand secrets..."

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...