"Lullabies For Catatonics: A Journey Through The British Avant-Pop/Art Rock Scene 1967-74" by VARIOUS ARTISTS (May 2019 Grapefruit 3CD Clamshell Box Set – Simon Murphy Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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PROG ROCK, PSYCH, AVANT GARDE...
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Covering 1967 to 1977 - It Also Focuses On

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"...Tramcar To Frankenstein..."

On Page 3 of the 40-leaf chunky-monkey info fest that is the booklet to this latest 3CD Clamshell Mini Box Set vaults-trawl from those provocative and fruity types over at Grapefruit Records - there's a tiny period advert for the Kevin Ayers, Robert Wyatt, Daevid Allen and Mike Ratledge first line-up of Soft Machine soon to play Edinburgh - entitled "Lullaby For Catatonics". At the bottom it helpfully adds - and for no other reason you suspect than its funny and its going to mess with someone’s establishment head - "Literary Societies Give Me The Shits".

In short - and in their devil-may-care adventurous way - the inexperienced but ballsy London Art House boys were informing a still culturally uptight world that we're playing this Underground Music man (or Prog Rock or Art Rock or Psych or whatever else phrase you want to call it) and if you don't like it son, you can bugger off. Now let’s get the beers in and brush up on the agricultural maintenance of unfeasibly large mushrooms in suburbia.

As you can no doubt tell, I like these sort of catch-all sets and as other collectors like me have noticed in the last few years - Cherry Red's Grapefruit Records label has become rather good at it. Time to don the multi-coloured shirt and hat, put some casters on the Mellotron and head out at dawn to Stonehenge (or some place with camels maybe). Here are the windy song details...

UK released 31 May 2019 - "Lullabies For Catatonics:  A Journey Through The British Avant-Pop/Art Rock Scene 1967-74" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Grapefruit Records CRSEGBOX056 (Barcode 5013929185609) is a 3CD Clamshell Box Set of 49 Remastered Tracks that plays out as follows:

Disc 1 "Spontaneous Underground" (78:47 minutes):

1. I Should've Known - THE SOFT MACHINE (Not originally issued, recorded April 1967)

2. I'm Waiting For The Man - THE RIOT SQUAD featuring DAVID BOWIE (Not originally issued, recorded April 1967)

3. Conquistador - PROCOL HARUM (from the September 1967 US Debut LP "Procol Harum" on Decca DES 18008)

4. Bypass The By-Pass - THE END (not originally issued, recorded October 1967)

5. World War Three - DANTALIAN'S CHARIOT (Not originally issued, recorded January 1968)

6. Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914) - THE ZOMBIES (from the April 1968 debut album "Odyssey & Oracle" on CBS Records S BPG 63280 in Stereo)

7. I Talk To The Wind - GILES, GILES & FRIPP [pre King Crimson] (Not originally issued, recorded September 1968)

8. Tramcar To Frankenstein - THE LIVERPOOL SCENE (from their November 1968 second UK LP "Amazing Adventures Of The Liverpool Scene" on RCA Victor SF 7995 in Stereo)

9. The Battle - THE STRAWBS (Not originally issued alternative version, recorded December 1968)

10. Xoanon Bay - WOODY KERN (from the January 1969 debut album "The Awful Disclosures Of Maria Monk" on Pye Records NSPL 18273 in Stereo)

11. In The Beginning - GENESIS (from their March 1969 debut album "From Genesis To Revelation" on Decca SKL 4990 in Stereo)

12. Wasted Ground (Memento Mori) - THE VELVET FROGS (Not originally issued, recorded mid 1969)

13. Beyond And Before - YES (from their July 1969 UK debut LP "Yes" on Atlantic Records 588 190 in Stereo)

14. Druid One - THIRD EAR BAND (from their July 1969 debut album "Alchemy" on Harvest SHVL 756 in Stereo)

15. Through The Eyes Of A Child - BACHDENKEL (Not originally issued, recorded September 1969)

16. All Over The Country - THE CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN (Not originally issued, recorded late 1969)

17. Merry Go Round - EYES OF BLUE (from their October 1969 second album "In Fields Of Ardath" on Mercury SMCL 20164 in Stereo)

Disc 2 "Tea On The Lawn" (79:03 minutes):

1. Egyptian Tomb - MIGHTY BABY [ex The Action] (from their November 1969 debut album "Mighty Baby" on Head Records HDLS 6002)

2. Banquet - AUDIENCE (from their December 1969 UK debut LP "Audience" on Polydor 583 065 in Stereo)

3. To Play Your Little Game - CRESSIDA (from their February 1970 UK debut LP "Cressida" on Vertigo VO 7)

4. Parachute - PRETTY THINGS (from their June 1970 fifth studio album "Parachute" on Harvest SHVL 774)

5. Crytallised Petard - RUSTIC HINGE (not originally issued, recorded mid 1970)

6. Vivaldi - CURVED AIR (from their November 1970 debut album "Air Conditioning" on Warner Brothers WS 3012)

7. World Of Ice - SWEET SLAG (from their January 1971 debut and only album "Tracking With Close-Ups" on President PTLS 1042)

8. Mocking Bird - BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST (from their February 1971 second album "Once Again" on Harvest SHVL 788)

9. The Prisoner - COMUS (from their February 1971 UK debut LP "First Utterance" on Dawn DNLS 3019)

10. Home (Reconstruction) - NIRVANA (from their March 1971 third studio album "Local Anaesthetic" on Vertigo 6360 031)

11. Death May Be Your Santa Claus - SECOND HAND (from their April 1971 LP "Death May Be Your Santa Claus" on Mushroom Records 200 MR 6)

12. The Prisoner (Eight by Ten) - SPRING (from their May 1971 debut album "Spring" on RCA Neon NE 6)

13. Don Alfonso - THE COXHILL-BEDFORD DUO [Lol Coxhill and David Bedford - ex Kevin Ayers Band] (from the June 1971 Lol Coxhill double-album "Ear Of Beholder" on Dandelion DSD 8008)

14. Grande Piano - STACKRIDGE (from their August 1971 debut album "Stackridge" on MCA Records MDKS 8002)

15. Saving It Up For So Long - SAMURAI (from their August 1971 debut album "Samurai" on Greenwich Gramophone Co. Records GSLP 1003)

16. No. 2 Psychological Decontamination Unit - BLONDE ON BLONDE (from their October 1971 debut album "Reflections On A life" on Ember Records NR 5058)

17. Me And My Kite - FUCHSIA (from their October 1971 UK debut LP "Fuchsia" on Pegasus Records PEG 8)

Disc 3 "The Wind Sings Winter Songs" (79:50 minutes):

1. Welcome For A Soldier - DEEP FEELING (from their November 1971 debut album "Deep Feeling" on DJM Records DJLP 419)

2. Can I See You - OPEN ROAD (Previously Unreleased recording, early 1972)

3. O Caroline - MATCHING MOLE (from their February 1972 UK debut album "Matching Mole" on CBS Records S 64850)

4. Unhinged - 9.30 FLY (from their June 1972 UK debut LP "9.30 Fly" on Ember Records NR 5062)

5. The Machine Grinds On - GNOME SWEET GNOME (Previously Unreleased, recorded July 1972)

6. No More Sunshine Until May - AS YOU LIKE IT (Previously Unreleased, recorded circa 1972)

7. A Winter's Tale - JADE WARRIOR (from their December 1972 third studio album "Last Autumn's Dream" on Vertigo 6360 079)

8. C.F.D.T. (Colonel Fright's Dancing Terrapins) - BOND & BROWN [Graham Bond and Pete Brown] (from the December 1972 UK LP "Two Heads Are Better Than One" on Chapter One Records CHS-R-813)

9. Ship - GNIDROLOG (from their December 1972 second UK LP "Lady Lake" on RCA Victor SF 8322)

10. Anvils In Fire - RUPERT HINE (from the March 1973 UK LP "Unfinished Picture" on Purple Records TPSA 7509)

11. Upon Composition - RON GEESIN (from the April 1973 self-published LP  "As He Stands" on (No Label) RON 28)

12. Growing Up And I'm Fine - MICK RONSON (from the March 1974 UK debut album "Slaughter On 10th Avenue" on RCA Victor APL-1 0353)

13. Adventures In A Yorkshire Landscape - BE-BOP DELUXE [featuring Bill Nelson] (from their June 1974 UK Debut album "Axe Victim" on Harvest SHVL 813)

14. Somewhere In Hollywood - 10cc (from their May 1974 second UK LP "Sheet Music" on UK Records UKAL 1007)

15. Mother Russia - RENAISSANCE (from their May 1974 US LP "Turn Of The Cards" on Sire Records SAS 7502, issued March 1975 in the UK on RCA/BYM Records BTM 1000)

Compiled and Annotated by DAVID WELLS with Project Management from the legendary JOHN REED – long standing Audio Engineer SIMON MURPHY has done the mastering for Another Planet Music and as you can imagine with so many sources, it’s a mixed bag of gruff vs. gorgeous with thankfully the emphasis more on the latter. The 40-page booklet is a stunning achievement – rammed to the gunnels with facts and memory-jogging details, black and white and colour promo photos of every band and artist (I’ve never seen a photo of the band Woody Kern who featured Rik Kenton, the one-time Bassist for Roxy Music and the one seen as they played “Virginia Plain” on Top Of The Pops in 1972. There are trade adverts from Cream Magazine, NME and Melody Maker - the disastrous reverse-psychology Purple Records campaign for Rupert Hine’s LP advising punters to not buy it if they didn’t like it, and it worked - or an interview with Patrick Campbell-Lyons of Nirvana on their third platter and latest incarnation.

You get lesser-seen LP covers like Samurai, Liverpool Scene and Comus, foreign picture sleeves for obscuro singles from Mighty Baby and their Egyptian Tomb or Procol Harum’s Conquistador in its Yank sleeve. There is a two-page colour spread of gig posters and festival art adorning the centre - famous venues like The Roundhouse in London and Mothers in Birmingham as well as the lowly but cute Adam And Eve Folk Club in Bradford Street where you could ogle The Strawbs on 26 September 1969 for the frankly iMac extortionate fee of six schillings and six pence (who got the six pence gravy, that’s what I want to know). Each CD card is fronted by a band of the time, Giles, Giles & Fripp for Disc 1, Mighty Baby for Disc 2 and 10cc as we enter into 1974. As you can imagine - its fab stuff – now to the music...

Proceedings on CD1 open strongly, two well-recorded and period-groovy unissued recordings from April 1967 - Soft Machine and none other than David Bowie on his short stint with The Riot Squad. The first is even Mod Soulful (should've known it wouldn't last type lyrics) whilst Twig the Wonder Kid does his best Lou Reed drawl on their cover of The Velvet Undergrounds more-dead-than-alive drugs song "I'm Waiting For The Man". While I appreciate its place in musical history (arrangements and sound) - I never want to hear Procol Harum's hammy "Conquistador" ever again. Far better is Bill Wyman's involvement in The End and their surprisingly good unissued "Bypass The By-Pass" - great audio on a tune about people drinking and the authorities downing on them with breathalysers. But then things kick up a real Heavy Psych notch with the "World War Three" from Dantalian's Chariot - future Police guitarist Andy Summers screaming on those effects peddles with thunderous and genuinely exciting effect. Speaking of bizarre, probably because of its war references and pleading "Please let me go home..." lyrics, Epic issued The Zombies "Odyssey & Oracle" track "Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)" as a 45 in the USA - whatever you look at the politics behind that - its an extraordinary song on an album that only grows in stature as the decades pass (much like The Pretty Things material over on Disc 2).

Other corkers include an alternate take on the whimsical but sweet pre Crimson version of "I Talk To The Wind" by Giles, Giles & Fripp that would of course re-emerge on their October 1969 debut "In The Court Of The Crimson King" over on Island Records - a landmark LP itself due yet another multi-disc Anniversary issue this October 2019. While the song choices made for obscuro bands like Woody Kern, The Velvet frogs and even the darling Eyes Of Blue leave me a bit cold, no such thing with the genuinely chilling and brilliant "Tramcar To Frankenstein" by The Liverpool Scene (with Andy Roberts) sounding almost like pre Sabbath. A real discovery also comes in "Through The Eyes Of A Child" by Bachdenkel (brilliant) and dare we say it - the weird baroque and almost uncatagorizeable cool of Third Ear Band stringing it up on "Druid One". And you can so hear why bands like Yes and Genesis went on to true genius (even if the Gabriel debut LP only sold 645 copies on Decca) - the greatness and tune-craft was already there right from the start. I would say though that audio-wise the Strawbs alternate for "The Battle" is intrusively hissy and some may find entries on CD1 more noodle than song.

After the slightly disjointed CD1 – the largely Prog-based Disc 2 ups the brilliance level considerably opening with an absolute corker from Mighty Baby - their "Egyptian Tomb" - pictured in its Dutch Philips Records picture sleeve on Page 16 in the booklet. Amazing sound - Eastern and Western influences converging - the ex Action boys did more than good and were surely a strong rival to Yes for syncopated rhythms and sheer musicality. Howard Werth's Audience and the Shakespearian named Cressida trump up two goodies from their debuts - melodies and fine playing (Iain Clark from Cressida later joined Uriah Heep for their 1971 platter "Look At Yourself"). Superb Beach Boys harmonies come next in Phil May's brilliant "Parachute" - The Pretty Things proving that 1968's "P. F. Sorrow" wasn't just a one-off masterpiece. Ex World Of Arthur Brown, its clear Rustic Hinge have been absolutely pigging out on Captain Beefheart's 1969 double-opus "Trout Mask Replica" - their "Crystallised Petard" meshing Stockhausen with the Mighty Beef in no uncertain terms (unreleased at the time, the LP would eventually see UK light of day in 1988 on Reckless Records RECK 3 as "Replicas" - now where do I know that label from - oh yes I worked for the buggers for 20 years). Other corkers include Fuchsia (see my separate review for their self-titled LP) and the amazing debut of Comus - their "First Utterance" horror gatefold artwork completely undermining the Dando Shaft meets Steve Marriott brilliance contained within. Lysergic plant name or not, I can't say I liked Sweet Slag, or the childish misplaced nonsense of Lol Coxhill and David Bedford, nor the three Mellotrons of Spring - already feeling like a wildly dated sound by at least 4 years when issued in 1971.

CD3 comes stomping in with Deep Feeling's musically accomplished take on the Vietnam War in "Welcome For A Soldier" - an A Cappella centre section that will have Harmony Vocals fans nodding a cap. Part of Donovan's musical crew for the 1970 Dawn Records album "Open Road" (incredibly his ninth studio album by that time) – several members of the ensemble including writer John Carr took the name for their own band. After Open Road's "Windy Daze" debut album on Greenwich Gramophone Company Records hit the shops in 1971 – they recruited Bassist and Singer Tony Reeves (soon-to-be the front man for Greenslade) for a completed second album but on TR’s departure, it never got released. Here we get the opening track – the impressive "Can I See You?" Ex Soft Machine, Matching Mole made two revered albums for CBS Records in 1972, with the pretty Robert Wyatt-sung "O Caroline" being a highlight on the April debut (Bob Stanley featured it on the "English Weather" CD compilation he did in 2017 for Ace Records - see my review). Other winners include Jade Warrior with their touching "A Winter's Tale" - Mick Ronson contemplating David Cassidy fame on "Growing Up And I'm Fine" - while 10cc and Renaissance bring it all home with complicated Rock brilliance from their superb "Sheet Music" and "Turn Of The Cards" albums.

I can imagine some will feel that much of "Lullabies For Catatonics:  A Journey Through The British Avant-Pop/Art Rock Scene 1967-74" is interesting noodle, but not much else. I'd argue they'd be wrong (the good far outweighs the dud big time) and once again Grapefruit Records have kicked out another 3CD reissue winner – the kind of catchall Box Set that will have you chasing down those obscuro albums with glee (time to get your Be-Bop Deluxe and Gnidrolog fetishes quenched boys).

If your ears are up for Ealing Art College musical adventures and hairy-bottomed Mellotron romps in the Yorkshire, Canterbury and Gloucestershire landscape with your third-eye tackle out – then look no further...

"The Singles Volume 6: 1969-1970" by JAMES BROWN (December 2008 USA and June 2009 UK Hip-O Select 2CD Anthology – No. 6 of 11 Volumes – Alan Leeds Annotation and Seth Foster Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Lowdown Popcorn...and...Funky Drummer…"

The 39-Tracks of "The Singles Volume 6..." in this stunning 11 Volume Series picks up where Volume 5 left off  (five having covered November 1967 through to March 1969).

Featuring all his King 45 sides as well as one on Federal and another on Bethlehem – we get pairings of every A&B-side released betwixt late March 1969 and June 1970 along with many withdrawn issues, promo-only DJ mixes, 45s available only through magazine advert promotion coupons etc. Volume Six has the same spectacular Audio and beautifully presented 28-page fact-filled booklet on Soul Brother No. 1 that all these volumes have - with a feast of fan-pleasing details and memorabilia provided by a team of experts on all things JB Productions (printed on a sort of sepia feel paper).

Make no mistake - all eleven volumes of "The Singles" Series are superlative 2CD Reissues and along with the 'Motown' and 'Chess' Book Set Reissues has gone a long way to emblazoning 'Hip-O Select' as a reissue label dear to collector's hearts. Here are the Top Of The Stack details...

USA released 5 December 2008 (22 June 2009 in the UK) - "The Singles Volume 6: 1969-1970" by JAMES BROWN on Hip-O Select/Polydor B0012204-02 (Barcode 602517873599) offers 39-tracks Remastered on 2CDs. All catalogue numbers are US 7" singles unless otherwise noted and beneath the discography info are the US R&B and Pop Chart placing (no entry means it didn't chart). It breaks down as follows...

Disc 1, 20 Tracks, 66:06 minutes:

1. You've Got To Have A Mother For Me - Pt. 1 (King 6223, unreleased)

2. The Little Groove Maker Me (King 6223 and King 6235, both unreleased

3. You Got To Have A Mother For Me (Long Version) (King 6223DJ, unreleased)

4. I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing (Open Up The Door, I'll Get It Myself) (Part 1)

5. I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing (Open Up The Door, I'll Get It Myself) (Part 2)

Tracks 4 and 5 are the A&B-sides of King 6224, released March 1969 - Charted No. 3 R&B, No. 20 Pop

6. I Love You

7. Maybe I'll Understand

Tracks 6 and 7 are a King 45 (no catalogue no.) from April 1969 - available only through "Jet" magazine with a coupon

8. Any Day Now

9. I'm Shook (King 6235, unreleased)

10. The Popcorn

11. The Chicken (Tracks 10 and 11 are the A&B-sides of King 6240, May 1969 - charted No. 11 R&B and 30 Pop)

12. Mother Popcorn (You've Got To Have A Mother For Me) Part 1

13. Mother Popcorn (You've Got To Have A Mother For Me) Part 2

Tracks 12 and 13 are the A&B-sides of King 6245, May 1969 - charted No. 1 R&B and No. 11 Pop

14. Lowdown Popcorn

15. Top Of The Stack (Tracks 14 & 15 are the A&B-sides of King 6250, July 1969 - charted No. 16 R&B, 41 Pop)

16. World (Part 1)

17. World (Part 2) (Tracks 16 & 17 are the A&B-sides of King 6250, July 1969 - charted No. 16 R&B, No. 41 Pop)

18. Let A Man Come In And Do The Popcorn - Part One

19. Sometime (Tracks 18 and 19 are the A&B-sides of King 6255, September 1969 - charted No. 2 R&B, No. 21 Pop)

20. I'm Not Demanding (Pt. 1) - King 6273 and 6322 unreleased - (Pt. 2) King 6273 unreleased

Disc 2, 19 Tracks, 66:40 minutes:

1. It's Christmas (Part 1)

2. It's Christmas (Part 2) - Tracks 1 & 2 are the A&B-sides of King 6277, October 1969 - both cuts non-album

3. Ain't It Funky Now (Part 1)

4. Ain't It Funky Now (Part 2)

Tracks 3 & 4 are the A&B-sides of King 6280, October 1969 - charted No. 3 R&B, No. 24 Pop

5. Popcorn With A Feeling

Track 5 is the B-side of Federal 12551 ("Soul President" is the A), October 1069 as by STEVE SOUL

6. Part Two (Let A Man Come In And Do The Popcorn)

7. Gittin' A Little Hipper (Part 2)

Tracks 6 and 7 are the A&B-sides of King 6275, November 1969 - first song to introduce the trumpet of Fred Wesley - later synonymous with the JB's and Brown's backing band

8. The Brother Got To Rap (Part 1)

9. The Brother Got To Rap (Part 2) - King 6285, unreleased

10. It's A New Day (Part 1) & (Part 2)

11. Georgia On My Mind

Tracks 10 and 11 are the A&B-sides of King 6292, January 1970 - charted No. 3 R&B, No. 32 Pop

12. Funky Drummer (Part 1)

13. Funky Drummer (Part 2)

Tracks 12 and 13 are the A&B-sides of King 6290, February 1970 - charted No. 20 R&B, No. 51 Pop

14. Let It Be Me - King 6293, April 1970 as VICKI ANDERSON and JAMES BROWN

15. Talkin' Loud And Saying Nothin' Pt. 1 & Pt. 2 - King 6300, King P6359 - unreleased

16. Bewildered - King 6300 unreleased, King 6310 released April 1970 as by JAMES BROWN

17. Brother Rapp (Part 1) & (Part 2)

Track 17 is the 2-Part A-side of King 6310, released April 1970 with Track 16 "Bewildered" as the B-side

Charted No. 2 R&B, No. 32 Pop

18. A Man Has To Go Back To The Crossroads

19. The Drunk

Tracks 18 and 19 are the A&B-sides of Bethlehem 3098, June 1970 - B-side featured in the Falstaff Beer commercial and was written by DAVID MATTHEWS

Like all 11 Volumes in this Hip-O Select 2CD series, the 28-page booklet by noted JB expert and former tour manager ALAN LEEDS and is a joy to look at — a hugely informative read that's packed to the gills with track histories, concert posters, trade adverts, magazine covers and a thoroughly detailed recording Sessionography. Produced with affection and firsthand knowledge by HARRY WEINGER and ALAN LEEDS - the inlay beneath the see-through CD tray has an Apollo Theatre Advert for SOUL BROTHER No. 1 and his Show beginning Wednesday 10 December 1969. Photos include a King acetate for Brother Rapp, an Official Tour Program, the sign outside the International Hotel in Las Vegas advertising Brown as the headline act in January 1970, photos of him in his offices on the phone, snaps of him with key people like Promoter Bob Patton and nods to songwriters like Dave Matthews. There is even the King 45 (without catalogue number) for I Love You available only with coupons for a laundry detergent advertised in the top African American mag of the day. Cool and smart attention to detail that shows that both compilers know what fans want - for instance the song by song Sessionography in the last few pages provides master numbers, band personnel, 45 and LPs with catalogue numbers noted, Disc and Track location etc. For instance Notes will tell you that "Ain't It Funky Now" was mechanically sped up for the King 1092 LP version therefore differentiating the mixes for die-hard collectors. Its thorough and then some...

And again, as in previous issues, SETH FOSTER has transferred the first-generation master tapes for the single mixes and he's done a truly superlative job — warm, clear and fabulously alive. The Mono and Stereo music jumps out of the speakers at you — gorgeous sound. The only cut mastered from mint vinyl is "Let It Be Me" probably due to tape loss. The word "Limited Edition" is embossed in gold lettering on the rear inlay – numbers are not stated but presumably it's a worldwide limited edition of 5000 copies like its predecessor. Now to the music - a mixture of killer vs. filler, withdrawn tracks not usually heard and Fred Wesley making his mark...

Apart from some very famous late 60ts miniskirt jiggling Popcorn grooves and one legendary drum-break sample, is the number of unreleased and withdrawn 45s – and to my surprise – the properly great quality of them. There are eleven and this twofer opens with a cracking threesome – two mixes of "You Got To Have A Mother For Me..." with the Long Version clocking in at a pleasing 5:22 minutes while the cool "Groove Maker" would re reassigned to "Any Day Now" on King 6235 - itself cancelled though 35,000 RCA pressed copies made their way into the marketplace when King was liquidated in 1972. "Give me communication! Give me better books!", the great man shouts on his message song "I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing..." - a wickedly good groove that deserved its No. 3 R&B chart placing (check out that Maceo Parker Sax Solo in Part 2). A King Records single with no catalogue number nor the usual JB face logo gives us the surprisingly good pairing of "I Love You" and "Maybe I'll Understand" - available only through a magazine mail-order promotion for Cold Power detergent - Jimmy Nolen's guitar flicks so damn good. A Bob Hilliard and Burt Bacharach song first covered by the classy Soul Man Chuck Jackson, "Any Day Now" is however the first clunker - it’s just awful and JB seemed to know it. Though it brought him into contact with arranger and songwriter David Matthews (features on Disc 2) - at least the flipside "I'm Shook" rescues the pairing.

But all of that is floored by the stunning twofer instrumental "The Popcorn" b/w "The Chicken" - both sides showcasing a lethal line-up of horn players tighter than a Vatican Tax Evasion form - Saxophonists Maceo Parker and Pee Wee Ellis, Fred Wesley on Trumpet with Guitarist Jimmy Nolen and Bassist Alfonzo Kellum (the B-side was written by Pee Wee Ellis). Yet even that masterclass is trumped by May 1969's No. 1 on King 6245 - "Mother Popcorn..." - a near two million selling belter bearing more than an uncanny resemblance to "Cold Sweat". Hell it even contains JB's officially longest scream. And New Breed Mods would surely shake a talcum-powdered tail-feather to the fab combo of "Lowdown Popcorn" b/w "Top Of The Stack" - a genuinely great A&B-side 45 presented here with fantastic audio. Guitarist Arthur Adams guest on JB's message song "World" that didn't take with the public as much as he hoped it would - perhaps his "...please give a damn..." lyrics coming over as too preachy. Quickly back to Funk business with the fabulous groove of "Let A Man Come In And Do The Popcorn Part One" b/w "Sometime" - a brand new mini dress hip-wiggler that thoroughly deserved its No. 2 R&B chart placing.

Disc 2 only accentuates the realization that JB was relentless. The Funk just kept on coming. At times it appears he was actually released a 45 every single month - from the slow churchy organ of "It's Christmas Time" to the give-it-some rhythm section for "Ain't It Funky" complete with its 'hit me' break - Maceo slinking it that Horn Solo while drummer "Jabo" Sparks rap-scats with JB at the mike. Brown threw Flute into the superb groove of "Popcorn With A Feeling" (St. Clair Pickney is the player) - a single edit from the 13-minute jam for "Mother Popcorn" actually credited on the 45 label to Alabama DJ STEVE SOUL although he doesn't actually play on it at all.  With Part One still tearing up the charts, JB decided to issue Part Two of "Let A Man Come In And Do The Popcorn" as an A-side with "Gittin' A Little Hipper (Part 2)" on the flipside but not surprisingly, it was overkill and got lost. In the final stretch I'd have to admit that the vocal duet with Vikki Anderson is another non-no for me but that's more than compensated by stunners like "Talkin' Loud...", "Brother Rapp" and the failure that wasn't a failure - "Funky Drummer" - a song with a legend and history akin to War and Peace. Although it made the relatively lowly spot of No. 20 on the R&B charts and No. 51 on Pop - when hippity-hoppity kids in the 80s and 90s went looking for 'breaks' - they found da biz-e-ness in Part 2 - when at 2:42 minutes (after JB's instructions) - Clyde

Stubblefield gives it some - 10-seconds of Funky Nirvana. Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, A Tribe Called Quest, Sinead O'Connor and George Michael are just some of the Dr. Dre types to have used the sample. And it ends on the forgotten but equally brilliant "A Man Has Got To Go Back To The Crossroads", a smoocher ballad similar to "It’s A Mans World..." of old. Fab...

By the end of the Seventies, James Brown wasn’t troubling the national charts too much - but at its outset and towards the tail-end of The Sixties (as evidenced here) - he still had tigers in his tanks and a new band/tight sound that would inspire and influence generations to come.

I've diligently collected this entire series of 11 x 2CD 'Singles' sets for JAMES BROWN - first released Stateside in September 2006 by Universal's highly collectable mail-order wing - Hip-O Select. Stunning is a word often overused - but on these wickedly good Remasters, it hardly does these twofer peaches justice. Volume 6 may have a few misses but the good stuff is absolutely corking (five stars) and for those wanting to know why Funk happened - its an absolute must own...