"The Albums" by GEORDIE [feat Brian Johnson, later with AC/DC from 1980 onwards] (May 2016 Cherry Red/7T's 5CD Mini Box Set Of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Keep On Rockin'..."

With Brian Johnson's downer-departure from AC/DC in 2016 for health reasons uppermost in fans minds - it's probably a good time to revisit his humble Newcastle beginnings with the rockin' British band GEORDIE. And this is the place to do it...

2016's "The Albums" on Cherry Red's '7T's' label offshoot offers you five CDs in 5" Card Repro Sleeves housed in a natty clamshell Mini Box Set with a beautifully annotated 16-page booklet. You get Geordie's three British studio albums on EMI – the debut "Hope You Like It" from March 1973, the second "Don't Let The Name Fool You" from April 1974 and finally (with the original line-up) "Save The World" from August 1976. The other two are an after-the-band-had-split compilation LP called "No Good Woman" issued by EMI Sweden in 1978 with outtakes, re-recordings and stragglers - and finally a fifth disc called "Brian Johnson and Geordie Revisited" that features later re-records.

The first, third and fourth albums all come with Bonus Tracks (see details below) - while the fifth compilation is eleven 1973 tracks re-visited by Brian Johnson and Vic Malcolm in early 1980 just before Johnson joined AC/DC as their new lead singer (replacing the horrible loss of Bon Scott). A version of those re-recordings was issued on Red Bus Records in many territories after Johnson's global success with the Australian rockers and their mega "Back In Black" album of July 1980 – CD5 even containing what appears to be Previously Unreleased Versions - songs only available here.

There is a ton of detail to get through so let's have at it leggies...

UK released 20 May 2016 (27 May 2016 in the USA) - "The Albums" by GEORDIE on Cherry Red/7T's GLAMBOX160 (Barcode 5013929056008) is a 5CD Mini Box Set of Remasters in 5" Repro Card Artwork that plays out as follows:

Disc 1 - "Hope You Like It" - 59:00 minutes:

1. Keep On Rockin' [Side 1]

2. Give You Till Monday

3. Hope You Like It

4. Don't Do That

5. All Because Of You

6. Old Time Rocker

7. Oh Lord [Side 2]

8. Natural Born Loser

9. Strange Man

10. Ain't It Just Like A Woman

11. Geordie's Lost His Liggie

Tracks 1 to 11 are their debut album "Hope You Like It" - released March 1973 in the UK on EMI Records EMC 3001 and June 1973 in the USA on MGM Records SE-4903 (with different cover art). Produced by ELLIS ELIAS and ROBERTO DANOVA - it didn't chart in either country. All songs written by Vic Malcolm except Track 11 which is a UK Traditional song arranged by the band.

BONUS TRACKS:

12. Francis Was A Rocker - non-album UK 7" single B-side to "Don't Do It" released 27 September 1972 on Regal Zonophone RZ 3067

13. Can You Do It

14. Red Eyed Lady - tracks 13 and 14 are the non-album A&B-sides of a UK 7" single released 1 June 1973 on EMI Records EMI 2031

15. Electric Lady

16. Geordie Stomp - tracks 15 and 16 are the non-album A&B-sides of a UK 7" single released 10 August 1973 on EMI Records EMI 2048

17. Black Cat Woman - non-album A-side to a UK 7" single released 23 November 1973 on EMI Records EMI 2100 (B-side is the LP track "Geordie's Lost His Liggie")

Disc 2 - "Don't Be Fooled By The Name" - 38:57 minutes:

1. Goin' Down [Side 1]

2. House Of The Rising Sun

3. So What

4. Mercenary Man

5. Ten Feet Tall [Side 2]

6. Got To Know

7. Little Boy

8. Look At Me

Tracks 1 to 8 are their second studio album "Don't Be Fooled By The Name" - released April 1974 in the UK on EMI Records EMA 7764 (no US release). Produced by ELLIS ELIAS and ROBERTO DANOVA - it didn't chart in either country. All songs written by Vic Malcolm except "Goin' Down" which was co-written with Brian Johnson and "House Of The Rising Sun" which is a Traditional made famous in Pop by The Animals

Disc 3 - "Save The World" - 51:12 minutes:

1. Mama's Gonna Take You Home [Side 1]

2. She's A Teaser

3. Goodbye Love

4. I Cried Today

5. You Do This To Me

6. Save The World

7. Rocking Horse [Side 2]

8. Fire Queen

9. She's A Lady

10. Light In My Window

11. Ride On Baby

12. We're All Right Now

Tracks 1 to 12 are their third studio album "Save The World" - released August 1976 in the UK on EMI Records/Red Bus EMC 3134 (no US release). Produced by ELLIS ELIAS, ROBERTO DANOVA and PIP WILLIAMS - it didn't chart in either country.

BONUS TRACKS:

13. I Can't Forget You Now

14. I Can't Give It Up - tracks 13 and 14 are the non-album A&B-sides of a Brian Johnson solo UK 7" single released January 1976 on EMI Records EMI 2373

15. Rockin' With The Boys Tonight

16. Treat Her Like A Lady - tracks 16 and 15 (note order) are the non-album A&B-sides of a Brian Johnson with Geordie German 7" single released 1980 on Red Bus Records PB 5769 (its picture sleeve is shown on Page 14 of the booklet)

Disc 4 - "No Good Woman" - 52:08 minutes:

1. No Good Woman [Side 1]

2. Going To The City

3. Wonder Song

4. Rock N Roll Fever

5. Ain't It A Shame

6. Give It All You Got [Side 2]

7. Show Business

8. You've Got It

9. Sweet Little Rock N Roller

10. Victoria

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "No Good Woman" - released 1978 in France on EMI 2S 068 60773 and in Sweden on EMI Records 7C 062-60793.  Produced by GEORDIE, PETER YELLOWSTONE and JEFF CALVER - it features five unreleased songs by the original line-up with the other five by a new version of the band led by original guitarist Vic Malcolm (he sings vocals on the title track).

BONUS TRACKS:

11. Dollars Deutsche Marks Silver & Gold

12. I Remember - tracks 11 and 12 first appeared 2000 in Sweden as Previously Unreleased songs on the CD Remaster of "Good Woman" on Landmark Records LMK-15014-2

13. Don't Do That (Remix)

14. Keep On Rockin' (Remix) - credited to Geordie (featuring Brian Johnson) - tracks 13 and 14 are 1973 recordings newly remixed as the A&B-sides of a UK 7" single released 13 February 1981 on Red Bus Records RBUS 58

Disc 5 - "Brian Johnson And Geordie" - 40:33 minutes:

1. Ten Feet Tall

2. Can You Do It

3. Keep On Rockin'

4. Fire Queen

5. Hope You Like It

6. Goin' Down

7. Strange Man

8. Natural Born Loser

9. Give You Till Monday

10. Ain't That Just Like A Woman

11. Black Cat Woman

The original issue of the vinyl LP "Brian Johnson And Geordie" was issued 1981 in several territories around the world - Germany on Red Bus ZL 28431, France on Barclay 960 031 (same artwork as presented on the card sleeve) and in the USA with different artwork on MCA Records MCA-5234. In all areas it was a 10-track album that was sequenced as follows:

Side 1:

1. Natural Born Loser [Track 8, Disc 5]

2. Mercenary Man [Track 4, Disc 2]

3. Goin' Down [Track 6, Disc 5]

4. Treat Her Like A Lady [Track 16, Disc 3]

5. Hope You Like It [Track 5, Disc 5]

Side 2:

1. Keep On Rockin' [Track 3, Disc 5]

2. Ten Feet Tall [Track 1, Disc 5]

3. Rockin' With The Boys [Track 15, Disc 3]

4. Don't Do That [Track 13, Disc 4]

5. Fire Queen [Track 4, Disc 5]

As you can see from the LP above - the 11-track CD reissue "Brian Johnson And Geordie Revisited" presented here bears little resemblance to the original 10-track 1981 vinyl and there's no explanation in the booklet or on the card sleeve as to why - only to say that all the tracks on Disc 5 are re-recordings done by Brian Johnson in 1980 before he departed for AC/DC. As there appears to have never been a CD reissue of the 1981 album until now – the re-recordings of "Can You Do It", "Strange Man", "Give You Till Monday", "Ain't That Just Like A Woman" and "Black Cat Woman" can therefore be considered Previously Unreleased on this 2016 version (unless someone advises otherwise).

The glossy clamshell box is pretty and the card repro sleeves cool - but it's the 16-page booklet that wows. Almost all of the inner pages are festooned to the right with blocks of eight rare 7" single picture sleeves from around the world - that's eight per page - a serious collection of rarities indeed! MIKE GENT offers up great liner notes on the frustrating history of the band who charted four UK singles (many more in Europe) - acknowledging that none of the three LPs did any real business which eventually saw a disillusioned Brian Johnson quit to become a car-repair man (thinking his shot at Rock 'n' Roll fame was over - how wrong was he). Centering the text are those UK EMI labels for 45s like "All Because Of You" (peaked at No. 13), "Can You Do It" (peaked at No. 9), "Electric Lady" (peaked at No. 6) and "Black Cat Woman" (didn't chart). As well as pictures of the band (Brian Johnson on Vocals, Vic Malcolm on Guitar, Tom Hill on Bass and Brian Gibson on Drums) - there's a very tasty two-page centre spread of original sheet music, a cardboard cut-out of the London Routemaster Red Bus would send their bands out on tour in and more picture sleeves not seen in the principal text. Although the inner gatefold for "Don't Be Fooled By The Name" isn't reproduced on the card sleeve (a minor blip) - each CD is a picture disc of the cover art and with the fab colour booklet - you'd have to say that some real effort was put in here.

JAMES BRAGG did the mastering (no sources or venue given) and the audio rocks on all of them. I’m fairly sure (even though it doesn’t say so) that the first three studio albums are the 7T’s CD reissues done by TIM TURAN at Turan Mastering in 2007 and 2008 - nice and punchy without being over trebled. Let's get to the music...

In hindsight the weedy title “Hope You Like It” complete with its sappy ribbon and bow artwork was hardly the toughest of statements for a debut Rock album. But having said that the March 1973 LP opens well with a namecheck for the then undiscovered John Miles in the lyrics of the restless Nazareth-sounding boogie of "Keep On Rockin’". You hear the range of Johnson’s great voice in "Give You Till Monday" and there’s more than a hint of Suzi Quatro and her RAK recordings with Chinn and Chapman on the hooky guitar-rock of "Hope You Like It".

As far back at late September 1972 "Don't Do That" became Geordie’s debut 45 issued on the EMI subsidiary Regal Zonophone. RZ 3067 had the non-album "Francis Was A Rocker" as its B-side (Track 12 on Disc 1) and after a two-month crawl finally charted in November 1972, peaking at No. 32 (a good start). The irritatingly Glam Rock "All Because Of You" (complete with cod Beatles aahs) became their second UK 7” single on EMI 2008 in February 1973 with the album cut "Ain't That Just Like A Woman" on the flip-side. Catchy as a cold – it broke the Top Ten in the UK settling at No. 6. There’s even traces of Prog and Sabbath in the relentless "Strange Man" where some dude in a dress terrorises the dancefloor and the streets of Newcastle. Far better is the rocking "Ain't It Just Like A Woman". And I genuinely wasn’t expecting much of the stand-alone 45s - but all three singles "Can You Do It", "Electric Lady" and "Black Cat Woman" have guitar-driven boogies that would have done proud by any 7” on Polydor Records by their nearest comparison Slade.

For me the second album "Don't Be Fooled By The Name" is the best of the bunch - a definite Nazareth "Razamanaz" vibe creeping into the St. James Infirmary of "Goin' Down" and "Ten Feet Tall" (better production values too) while there's a great Juicy Lucy guitar boogie to "So What". The band suddenly sound ‘huge’ on "Mercenary Man" and Johnson contributes an early writing credit to the Pop-Rock of "Got To Know". Not even the decidedly saucy sleeve art for "Save The World" get the LP into the charts - but that doesn't stop tunes like the rocking "Mama's Gonna Take You Home" and the brassy "She's A Teaser" being good. But terrible tracks like the cod reggae of "I Cried Today" and the half-hearted Arrows pop of "You Do This To Me" are terrible. The double-dose of crappy pop in "I Can't Forget You Now" and "I Can't Give It Up" (a stand-alone single) is embarrassing compared to the Rock on LP No. 2. The "No Good Woman" album tries to go back to basics with The Knack-like boogie of "Going To The City" where Brian sounds like Bob Seger. Brought in to replace Johnson - Dave Ditchburn has a half decent Rush type set of pipes for the decidedly Proggy "Wonder Song" where Geordie sound at times like Uriah Heep. There's bad hiss on "Ain't It A Shame" and "Show Business" sounds like bad Queen. Better is the guitar-chug of "You Got It". The remix of "Don't Do It" is awful and just sounds wrong while the re-do of "Keep On Rockin'" isn't a whole lot better. The posthumous "Brian Johnson and Geordie" sees all the best Geordie tracks with huge echoed drums added into the Eighties mix while a floating synth tries to make them topical sounding. At times it feels like Van Halen rejects from the 1984 album with stuff like "Fire Queen" reaching for its inner Bon Jovi – and not in a good way.

In truth there's a lot of very dated cack on album numbers 3 and 4 with 5 being unlistenable in places - too much of it doing a massive disservice to the first two flushes of Geordie vinyl magic from 1973 and 1974. 

But there's also no doubt that 7T's and Cherry Red are to be praised for making this hard to find music available again to fans and newcomers alike - and in such a top class presentation too...

"All Things Change: The Transatlantic Anthology 1967-1970" by RALPH McTELL (April 2017 Cherry Tree 2CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...When The Sunshine Came..."

"...When The Sunshine Came..."

I can't help thinking that fans of Farnborough Folky Ralph May have been waiting the guts of their hero's 50-year career for this wonderful reissue.

Taking his stage surname from a Blind Willie McTell song - Ralph McTell signed to Nat Joseph's Folk-Progressive Transatlantic Records in the late 60ts and promptly popped out three albums of largely original studio recordings - "Eight Frames A Second" (February 1968), "Spiral Staircase" (January 1969) and "My Side Of Your Window" (December 1969). A fourth eleven-track record called "Ralph McTell Revisited" turned up in November 1970 which featured remixed and re-recorded tracks from his second and third LPs (six from "Spiral Staircase" and five from "My Side Of Your Window"). It was supposed to become a US-market lead-in compilation that ultimately never got released there. Throw in a rare non-album 7" single A-side on Big T Records (one of Transatlantic's subsidiary labels) and two session outtakes recorded October 1967 for the first LP (the second of which is a superb Previously Unreleased stripped down version of "Eight Frames A Second") - and that's where this wee 2CD peach comes bounding in.

Fans of Folk Rock and Acid Folk will also love the eclectic range of guest-players on albums number two and three especially – Clive Palmer and Michael Bennett who were ex Incredible String Band and would form the ultra-collectable COB (Clive’s Original Band), Pedal Steel guitar player Gordon Huntley from Matthews Southern Comfort, Bruce Barthol, Gary Peterson and Phil Greenberg of Formerly Fat Harry (Barthol was ex Country Joe & The Fish), Double-Bass player Brian Brocklehurst of The Yetties, Pete Berryman of The Famous Jug Band, Fusion Drummer John Marshall of Centipede and the obscure but utterly brilliant harmonising of English Tapestry (McTell claims they were amongst the best backing singers in the whole of UK Folk). 

As you can imagine with four LPs progressing as they go while Producers Tony Visconti and Gus Dudgeon oversee things and Mike Vickers arranges complimentary string sections - you’re on a voyage of discovery that takes in straight-up lonesome Acoustic Folk that soon touches on Folk-Rock, Acid Folk, Jug Band Blues and shades of Americana similar to The Band circa 1968, 1969 and 1970. 

There is a ton of info to get through so here are the Folktastic details...

UK released Friday, 21 April 2017 (28 April 2017 in the USA) - "All Things Change: The Transatlantic Anthology 1967-1970" by RALPH McTELL on Cherry Tree CDTREE019D (Barcode 5013929691926) offers four studio albums, one single and two outakes on 2 Remastered CDs and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (79:16 minutes):

1. Nanna's Song [Side 1]

2. The Mermaid And The Seagull

3. Hesitation Blues

4. Are You Receiving Me?

5. Morning Dew

6. Sleepytime Blues

7. Eight Frames A Second [Side 2]

8. Willoughby's Farm

9. Louise

10. Blind Blake's Rag

11. I'm Sorry-I Must Love

12. Too Tight Drag

13. Granny Takes A Trip

Tracks 1 to 13 are his debut album "Eight Frames A Second" - released February 1968 in the UK on Transatlantic TRA 165 and June 1969 in the USA on Capitol ST-240. Produced by TONY VISCONTI - it didn't chart in either country. All songs are Ralph McTell originals except "Hesitation Blues" (Traditional Jug Band Blues from the 1920's), "Morning Dew" by Tim Rose, "Too Tight Drag" by Blind Blake (Traditional Blues from the 1920's) and "Granny Takes A Trip" by Christopher Beard and Geoff Bowyer of The Purple Gang.

14. Streets Of London [Side 1]

15. Mrs. Adlam's Angels

16. Wino And The Mouse

17. England 1914

18. Last Train And Ride

19. The Fairground

20. Spiral Staircase [Side 2]

21. Kind Hearted Woman Blues

22. Bright And Beautiful Things

23. Daddy's Here

24. Rizraklaru (Anag.)

25. (My) Baby Keeps Staying out All Night Long

26. Terminus

Tracks 14 to 26 are his second studio album "Spiral Staircase" - released January 1969 in the UK on Transatlantic TRA 177 (No US release). Produced by GUS DUDGEON - it didn't chart. All songs are Ralph McTell originals except "Kind Hearted Woman Blues" by Robert Johnson and "(My) Baby Keeps Staying Out All Night Long" by Buddy Moss.

27. Summer Came Along - non-album A-side to an 11 July 1969 UK 7" single on Big T Records BIG 125

("Girl On A Bicycle" from the then unreleased "My Side Of Your Mirror" LP in December 1969 was its B-side, Track 3 on Disc 2)

Disc 2 (79:51 minutes):

1. Michael In The Garden [Side 1]

2. Clown

3. Girl On A Bicycle

4. Father Forgive Them

5. All Things Change

6. I've Thought About You [Side 2]

7. Factory Girl

8. Blues In More Than 12 Bars

9. Kew Gardens

10. Wait Until Snow

11. Silver Birch And Weeping Willow

Tracks 1 to 11 are his third studio album "My Side Of Your Window" - released December 1969 in the UK on Transatlantic Records TRA 209 (No US release). Produced by GUS DUDGEON - It didn't chart in the UK. All songs are Ralph McTell originals (see paragraphs below for the many guest appearances on the album).

12. Streets Of London [Side 1]

13. Michael In The Garden

14. Last Train And Ride

15. Kew Gardens

16. Fairground

17. Spiral Staircase [Side 2]

18. Factory Girl

19. Bright And Beautiful Things

20. Father Forgive Them

21. Clown

22. Terminus

Tracks 12 to 22 are his fourth studio album "Ralph McTell Revisited" - released November 1970 in the UK on Transatlantic Records TRA 227 (No US release). The album contains remixes and re-recordings - six from "Spiral Staircase" and five from "My Side Of Your Window".

23. Suzanne

24. Eight Frames A Second

Tracks 23 and 24 are session outtakes from the "Eight Frames A Second" album recorded October 1967 - "Suzanne" is a Leonard Cohen cover version first released 2007 in the UK on CD - while "Eight Frames A Second" is Previously Unreleased and is a 'Non Orchestrated Version'.

The 12-page booklet has superbly annotated and seriously detailed liner notes by noted writer and music archivist DAVID WELLS which take a lot from McTell's own website and recollections (just as well really because like many Transatlantic LPs of the period - they looked great - but were skimpy on actual recording details - Brian Brocklehurst of The Yetties simply credited as 'Special Thanks to Brock' on the "Spiral Staircase" LP for instance). There are label repros of the rare Big T 45s "Summer Came Along" and "Kew Gardens", snaps of McTell in Acoustic Troubadour mode, a snap of Producer Gus Dudgeon (more closely associated with Elton John's DJM albums) and a collage of the four LP sleeves in colour. Oddly for a Cherry Tree release (part of the Cherry Red labels) - there is no Audio or Mastering credits. But the sound is fabulous - acoustic recordings that then slowly move into Folk Rock and beyond. The "My Side Of Your Window" album (which is my fave) is particularly good. A nice job done...

The first album "Eight Frames A Second" is mostly McTell and an Acoustic Guitar with some tracks featuring other players brought in for accompaniment. Typical of so many debut LPs searching for a style - the decidedly weird covers of Tim Rose's "Morning Dew" and the minor Jug Band hit "Granny Takes A Trip" by The Purple Gang (1967 UK 7" single on Big T Records BIG 101) are indicative of interfering forces and did the overall impact no good at all. But McTell more than holds his own on the lovely "The Mermaid And The Seagull" (complete with lapping waves and bird cries), the Bluesy traditional "Hesitation Blues" and the mellow instrumental "Willoughby's Farm". Jug Bands and flicked Washboards fill "Sleepytime Blues" while McTell gives a nod to those old ragtimes with his own instrumental tribute to Blind Blake on "Blind Blake's Rag" (he covers the Milwaukee man's "Too Tight Drag" also).

While the debut is a reasonable start - "Spiral Staircase" feels like a huge leap forward - opening as it does with a song that would come to define him - "Streets Of London". Written in 1966 while resident in Paris - McTell had abandoned the tune – but then gave it to Derek Brimstone who performed it live in his sets only to elicit wild reactions from the audience. Convincing McTell that he should re-visit the song – Ralph added an extra verse and a busking legend was born. Visconti smartly insisted that “Streets Of London” be put on the second LP (McTell resisted) and so it opens "Spiral Staircase" with a genuinely emotional wallop. That one-man-and-his-guitar vibe continues with "Mrs. Adlam's Apple" – a delicate and beautiful acoustic ditty – the kind of song that dominates much of this hugely underrated Folk LP. In fact it's as if McTell suddenly found his true Folk-Soul voice on LP No. 2. Collectors will note that both "Last Train And Ride" and "Spiral Staircase" feature The Famous Jug Band - Clive Palmer and Pete Berryman on Guitars, Harry Bartlett on Jugs and Mick Bennett (of COB) on Washboard. "England 1914" has particularly lovely string arrangements in an English pastoral fashion - while McTell convincingly reaches for his inner Robert Johnson on the fingerpicking cover of "Kind Hearted Woman Blues". Trivia - the nonsense word title of the impossibly pretty instrumental "Rizraklaru" turns out to be an anagram of Rural Karzi - a song he thought up on the way back from said outside loo (cue country poop produces worldwide masterpiece joke).

For me the real prize here is the third album "My Side Of Your Window" where McTell features a huge array of guesting musicians on genuinely great songs. Ex Country Joe & The Fish Bassist Bruce Barthol turns up on "Michael In The Garden" - while Gary Peterson - his fellow band mate in Formerly Fat Harry – also joins him on the gorgeous "Girl On A Bicycle" contributing Piano and Acoustic Guitar. Beatles obsessives will have to own "All Things Change" and not because it's Ralph's debut on Piano - but because McTell confirms from his recollections that the song contains one or all three of the Cello players who added so much to "Eleanor Rigby" - Derek Simpson, Stephen Lansberry and Peter Halling.

Another pleasant surprise is a hidden one - the obscure Folk group English Tapestry adding hugely to the beautiful "Kew Gardens". Apparently a harmonising trio consisting of sister and brother Ruth and Brian Britain alongside one Andrew Taylor - I can find only two other physical entrances in their recorded history. Two songs called "Valentine Chant" and "Whitsuntide Carol" are on a 1974 Various Artists benefit album called "The First Folk Review Record" on Folksound FS 100 - and they also did backing vocals on the Side 2 opener "Edward Sayers' Brass Band" for Richard Digance's April 1975 album "How The West Was Won" on Transatlantic Records TRA 289. Lead Vocalist Ruth Britain has the kind of pure English Folk voice that engenders hero worship (like Shirley and Dolly Collins for instance) and combining this with a song as lovely as "Kew Gardens" produces noticeable magic here (I'd love to hear more of their stuff).

Other genuine highlights include the sobriety tale of Billy the eventual statesman in "Blues In More Than 12 Bars" and the plaintive and lovely "Factory Girl" from his memories of ladies trying to find joy in the humdrum and repetition. But best of all is the very John Martyn "Wait Until The Snow" - a gorgeously mellow Folk-Rock song with no less than three members of Formerly Fat Harry contributing - Bruce Barthol on Bass, Phil Greenberg on Lead Guitar and Gary Peterson on Organ. I love this whole album and I find myself returning to "My Side Of Your Window" over and over - a forgotten gem that deserves more exposure.   

The 7" single "Summer Came Along" and seven of the 'remixed and re-recorded' versions on the "Ralph McTell Revisited" LP have turned up as Bonus Tracks on the 2007 CD reissues of "Spiral Staircase" and "My Side Of Your Window" before - but here in 2017 is the first time that the whole eleven-track LP has been issued as one. "Michael In The Garden", "Spiral Staircase" and "Father Forgive Them" were largely Acoustic-only affairs on original issue - here they're given the full 'band' treatment that muscles up the arrangements. The "Kew Gardens" track with English Tapestry guesting remains the same - a slight remix perhaps. The impossibly pretty "Streets Of London" song that would come to define him is also only a Remix to my ears with minimal change to the "Spiral Staircase" acoustic version. But best of all is the beautiful ballad "Factory Girl" which is given stunning Pedal Steel guitar accompaniment from Gordon Huntley of Matthews Southern Comfort thereby transforming the song into something altogether better than the original. 

Reprise Records would issue his new recording of "Streets Of London" in November 1974 where it would eventually smash the top ten to settle at No.2 - an amazing placing for Reprise K 14380. The album simply called "Streets" appeared in February 1975 and would give him an equally rare LP placing - No. 13. The song and album would change Ralph McTell's world forever (I always think his gorgeous and far superior song "From Clare To Here" deserves as much praise if not more).

But this is where that long Folk-Rock Singer-Songwriter journey began. Well done to Cherry Tree for reminding us of what we've been missing. "...The music started to flow..." – Ralph McTell sings in "Fairground". Indeed it did mate...

"Sheer Heart Attack: 2011 Digital Remaster 2CD Deluxe Edition" by QUEEN (March 2011 Island Records 2-Disc Reissue) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Dynamite With A Laser Beam…"

The first 1986 CD reissue, the 1991 Hollywood version from the USA, the 1993 UK variant – and now this '2011 Digital Remaster' – yet another definitive version tapping Queen's lucrative back catalogue - this time on Island Records.

Their breakthrough 3rd album on EMI Records has had (like most huge titles from the period) its fair share of recomboozalated whirls on the old digital merry-go-round. But this latest wallet-tempter for Queen fans has to be the best – at least sonically – although I find that the visuals are once again naught to write home about...

First of all - the '2011 Digital Remaster' comes in two variants – the single European CD version on Island Records 276 440 9 (Barcode 602527644097) with just the 13-track album. The one I want to concentrate on is its big brother – the 2CD 'Deluxe Edition' with a Bonus EP of 5-tracks as Disc 2. Here are the tenement funsters...

UK and Europe released March 2011 - "Sheer Heart Attack: 2011 Digital Remaster 2CD Deluxe Edition" by QUEEN on Island Records 276 441 1 (Barcode 602527644110) is a CD + BONUS EP Reissue/Remaster and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (39:08 minutes):

1. Brighton Rock [Side 1]

2. Killer Queen

3. Tenement Funster

4. Flick Of The Wrist

5. Lily Of The Valley

6. Now I'm Here

7. In The Lap Of The Gods [Side 2]

8. Stone Cold Crazy

9. Dear Friends

10. Misfire

11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown

12. She Makes Me (stormtrooper in stilettos)

13. In The Lap Of The Gods...revisited

Tracks 1 to 13 are their 3rd studio album "Sheer Heart Attack" - released November 1974 in the UK on EMI Records EMC 3061 and in the USA on Elektra 7E-1026. Produced by QUEEN and ROY THOMAS BAKER – it peaked at No. 2 in the UK and No. 12 in the USA

Disc 2 BONUS EP (15:48 minutes):

1. Now I’m Here (Live At The Hammersmith Odeon, December 1975)

2. Flick Of The Wrist (BBC Session, October 1974)

3. Tenement Funster (BBC Session, October 1974)

4. Bring Back That Leroy Brown (A Cappella Mix 2011)

5. In The Lap Of The Gods... revisited (Live At Wembley Stadium, July 1986)

The round-cornered 'super jewel case' certainly looks the part but in truth I find them bloody awkward to use. At least the 16-page booklet is a better affair than previous - new period photos of the band - the lyrics to the songs that were on the inner bag are here too as are track-by-track explanations of the BONUS EP by GREG BROOKS and GARY TAYLOR. But there's no history of the album - no rare foreign picture sleeves for this most collectable of bands - no reminiscences or input from surviving members of the band... It's good but hardly great and visually feels about as special as used Pizza Hut box.

At least the audio lives up to the highlighted sentence inside - "This 2011 version has been meticulously re-created using the finest modern analogue and digital technology from the original first-generation masters mixes" - because you can 'hear' this sucker the second you play that fairground opening to "Brighton Rock" - the manic Brian May guitars slowing creeping in as Mercury gives it some falsetto 'Jimmy went away' and 'Rock of Ages' lyrics. The team that did wonders with the 2005 versions of 1975's "A Night At The Opera" and 1976's "A Day At The Races" are back - KRIS FREDRIKSSON and JUSTIN SHIRLEY-SMITH with Audio maestro BOB LUDWIG doing the mastering. The Bonus EP has different sources  - all mastered by ADAM AYAN at Gateway Mastering. The results are amazing...

While the sheer sonic attack of the guitars in the brilliant and wild "Brighton Rock" is enough to impress (written by Brian May) - the impact of clarity on Freddie Mercury’s insanely catchy "Killer Queen" is another thing altogether. I've never heard May's layered guitars so clear - Mercury's lead vocal so in your face - the backing vocals and flanged effects – all of it is a wow. Brian Taylor's Rock 'n' Roll 45s has been enraging the stuffy neighbours on the lower floor in his "Tenement Funster". But what I hadn't bargained for is that piano-intro that segues into the sinister "Flick Of The Wrist" - it's so damn clean now - a long way from my battered UK EMI LP where the sleeve always seemed to split at the slightest pressure. The 'intoxicate your brain' vocals are full of power too. The short but pretty "Lily Of The Valley" is impressive - Mercury at the piano holding court as he continues the 'Seven Seas Of Rhye' story begun on "Queen II" in 1973. But my rave has always been the barnstorming single "Now I'm Here" - the opening vocals and drum whacks panning from speaker to speaker. When it kicks in with the 'I'm just a new man...' riff - you're won over - and you're down in the dungeon with peaches 'n' me.

Side 2's "In The Lap Of The Gods" has always been a Prog moment for me - oohs and aahs and crashing cymbals - wonderfully clear audio as parts of the song feel very similar in structure to 'that' single which would dominate Christmas 1975 (the last "Leave it in the Lap Of The Gods" chorus is so good). Back to mania with the huge "Stone Cold Crazy" and I'm thinking Heart was listening to this when they recorded "Barracuda". And again you marvel at the sheer virtuosity of May's playing - little flicks - huge riffs - memorable solos - he uses them all. Although it sounds like a Freddie tune - the short but sweet "Dear Friends" is actually a Brian May composition and feels like a hymn sung to a child. John Deacon puts up the acoustic bop of "Misfire" where love's a game and don't misfire your loaded gun (ok boys). I've always disliked the cod seaside banjo of "Bring Back That Leroy Brown" - better is May's "She Makes Me" where Queen feel melodious and huge at one and the same time. It ends on another vocal tour-de-force - the revisited "In The Lap Of The Gods" - the manic stripped away - Queen wallowing in their own sound...

"Now I'm Here" on the Bonus EP actually dates from the British November/December 1975 tour for "A Night At The Opera" where both the album and the single "Bohemian Rhapsody" nestled at No. 1 in the charts. It was recorded at The Hammersmith Odeon in London and apparently this kick-ass version opened the show. Hero of the hour for the two BBC Sessions turns out to be a man I bought records off while I worked at Reckless - BBC Sound Recording man Jeff Griffin (engineered by Chris Lycett). Apparently it was practice for the Beeb to wipe tapes back in those less-enlightened days - but Jeff held onto to them for 40 years – hence their new inclusion here. Both versions of "Flick Of The Wrist" and "Tenement Funster" are close to the finished articles - but it's fun to hear May letting rip on those guitar passages - cutting it live just as much as he did in the studio. The supposed 'A Cappella Mix' of "Bring Back That Leroy Brown" is best described as ‘fun’ - while the immersed rapture of the audience at Wembley Arena in July 1986 is genuinely audible on the finisher "In The Lap Of The Gods". From here the band would go on to do the Scaramouche and the Fandango with thunderbolts and lightning indeed when they owned the world in 1975...

In some ways I can't help thinking someone somewhere at Island Records could have come up with a tastier and more fan-pleasing presentation for "Sheer Heart Attack" after all these decades. And that money-gremlins over at Island know that serious fan-worship will drive Queen lovers into the arms of those Japanese SHM-CDs using the new remasters but with beautifully accurate Repro Mini LP Sleeves. Hell there’ll probably be yet another anniversary box set issue in the next few years with newly found/remixed tiny morsels to tempt us.

But in the meantime – this 2011 Digital Remaster does at least do the Stone Cold Crazy with Audio style. Suffice to say - for now you should park your Marie Antoinette's on this semi-naked Killer Queen...

"Machine Head: Anniversary 2CD Edition" by DEEP PURPLE - April 1972 Studio LP (September 1997 EMI 2CD Reissue - Remixes and Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...All right...hold tight...I'm a highway star..." - Ian Gillan sings on the explosive opener. OK boys - I'm holding tight and I'm liking what I'm hearing – even if it is digitally sozzled and recomboozalated.

The Purp's classic "Machine Head" hit the streets of both Blighty and Big City USA in April 1972 and we've been in love with its non-nonsense Rawk ever since (a No. 1 in the UK and No. 7 over there). Followed later in the year with the stunning double-live set "Made In Japan" - and with "Fireball" from 1971 and "Deep Purple In Rock" from 1970 already under their hard-rocking belt - it seemed like a slam-dunk.

And like Jethro Tull's catalogue with its endless but hugely pleasing book sets - EMI seem to have a CD thing for this most British of hairy-men bands - always giving their reissues more than a half-decent outing and not just what they can get away with. So it is with head-banging pleasure that I come to the September 1997 'Anniversary 2CD Edition' of the wunderbar "Machine Head" and announce with glee that it’s no different. Bit of a barnstormer in fact. Let's get to the space truckin' and the smoke on the water...

UK released 8 September 1997 - "Machine Head: Anniversary 2CD Edition' by DEEP PURPLE on EMI CDDEEPP 3 (Barcode 724385950629) is an 'Expanded Edition' 2CD Reissue with 1997 Remixes on Disc 1 while Disc 2 comprises of the album Remastered and Three Bonus Tracks. It plays out as follows...

Disc 1 - 1997 Remixes - 43:42 minutes:

1. Highway Star

2. Maybe I'm A Leo

3. Pictures Of Home

4. Never Before

5. Smoke On The Water

6. Lazy

7. Space Truckin'

8. When A Blind Man Cries

Disc 2 - Remastered - 53:12 minutes:

1. Highway Star [Side 1]

2. Maybe I'm A Leo

3. Pictures Of Home

4. Never Before  

5. Smoke On The Water [Side 2]

6. Lazy

7. Space Truckin'

Tracks 1 to 7 are their sixth studio album "Machine Head" - released April 1972 in the UK on Purple Records TPSA 7504 and in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 2607. Produced by DEEP PURPLE (Engineered by Martin Birch) - it peaked at No. 1 in the UK and No. 7 in the USA.

BONUS TRACKS:

8. When A Blind Man Cries - non-album B-side to "Never Before" - written by the whole band it was released March 1972 in the UK on Purple Records PUR 102 and the same month in the USA on Warner Brothers WB 7572 (charted at No. 35 in the UK but didn’t chart USA).

9. Maybe I'm A Leo (Quadrophonic Mix)

10. Lazy (Quadrophonic Mix)

Tracks 9 and 10 first issued May 1972 in the UK on the 'Quadrophonic' LP issue of "Machine Head" on Purple Records Q4TPSA 7504. Note: many guides list this as issued in 1974 but I've EMI catalogues dated from June 1972 onwards through to late 1974 that list it as 06/72.

DEEP PURPLE was:

IAN GILLAN – Lead Vocals

RITCHIE BLACKMORE – Guitars

JON LORD – Keyboards

ROGER GLOVER – Bass

IAN PAICE – Drums

A card slipcase contains a slim-line double-CD jewel case – The 1997 Remixes CD has a picture of the blurred faces artwork while the Remastered album and bonuses on Disc 2 sports the Purple label. Nice as all that is – the 28-page booklet is a proper feast both with band involvement and superb visuals. Page 2 has an intro from ROGER GLOVER, a row of four rare foreign picture sleeves for the “Never Before” single from around the world and on Page 3 – a black and white photo of a cloud of smoke billowing from the Casino Studio building in Montreaux – the scene that of course inspired the classic “Smoke On The Water” song. There's even a snap of The Rolling Stones mobile parked outside the hotel and further shots of the boys inside during sessions. A major essay on the making of the album by SIMON ROBINSON fills pages 4 to 17 only to be taken over by Roger Glover's own notes called "Machine Head remembered..." from Pages 17 to 25. There's alternate artwork, trade adverts for singles and the LP and one page even has the handwritten lyrics for their most famous riff – "Smoke On The Water". It's impressive stuff...

But all that is nobbled by the fabulous new audio supplied. The vastly experienced Audio Engineer PETER MEW has remastered the Album at Abbey Road from real tapes and its way better than what I had before. But I must admit I’m drooling over the new remix versions – handled by a team of four - PETER DENENBERG, ROGER GLOVER, and JOE DiGIORGI with mastering by the supreme GREG CALBI (Paul McCartney's “Band On The Run”, Supertramp's “Crime Of The Century” and Paul Simon's “Graceland” to name but a few). Even Glover in his liner notes seemed amazed by the 1997 Remixes which he clearly felt gave the album the extra oomph it seemed to lack on original vinyl – especially given the truly explosive live versions of the songs that would come later that year on the monster double-album "Made In Japan". At last that live power is evident everywhere on these studio recordings - "Highway Star" and the hooky "Maybe I’m A Leo" alone enough to make even the most ardent unbeliever double take.

It’s hard now to play the studio version of the opener "Highway Star" without thinking of its live nemesis on "Made In Japan" - quite possibly the single most exciting opening to a live double 'ever'. But man had I forgotten how good this little sucker is. Following hot on the heels is the hugely hooky "Maybe I'm A Leo" has always been a poison for me while the drum opening of "Pictures Of Home" is now huge. The obvious 7" single "Never Again" arrived in UK shops 21 March 1972 on Purple Records PUR 502 with the non-album "When A Blind Man Cries" on the B-side - a ballad that was good enough in my books to be on the album although "Machine Head" the album was never about mellow or 'my world is pale' sorrow. I love the audio on both. Both "Lazy" and "Space Truckin'" sound big and ballsy - especially the keyboards and drums on "Space Truckin'" – and when Gillian lets rip on those chorus screams towards the end - dancing with Alice and the stars indeed.

It's now nearly twenty years since this 1997 2CD Reissue of Deep Purple’s "Machine Head" and a 45th Anniversary of the original vinyl LP looms this month (April 2017) - so no doubt another variant will wing its way into our living rooms right soon. In the meantime - come on - let's go space truckin' – burn down your speaker stacks with rockin' beast...