"The Studio Albums Collection 1972-1979" by EAGLES (March 2013 UK Warner Brothers/Asylum 6CD Box Set with MIni LP Repro Artwork Card Sleeves and 1999 Ted Jensen Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"...The Long Run..."

 

With Glenn Frey's dreadfully sad passing Monday, 18 January 2016 (aged only 67) – like many I've been playing the EAGLES 70ts back catalogue with a strange mixture of wonder and genuine loss – loving the melodies but also wallowing in many long-haired memories – songs that I pulled girls close to and at times, songs that even eased a heartache or three.

 

I suppose it's that all our heroes are passing...and I for one would rather they were still playing, singing and inspiring us. So I thought it would be a good idea to return to this dinky 6-album EAGLES collection that so ably sums up why these melodic Desperado's shifted so many millions of albums between 1972 and 1979. They were just so bloody good. And those Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Randy Meisner, Don Felder and Bernie Leadon harmonies slaughtered all in their path. Here are the Sunrises doused in Tequila and the Hotels in California where you can't leave...

 

UK released March 2013 – "The Studio Albums Collection 1972-1979" by EAGLES on Warner Brothers/Asylum 8122 7967468 (Barcode 081227967468) is a 6-CD Mini Box Set with Mini LP Repro Artwork Card Sleeves and 1999 TED JENSEN CD Remasters. It plays out as follows:

 

Disc 1 – "Eagles" (37:07 minutes):

1. Take It Easy [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey]

2. Witchy Woman [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

3. Chug All Night [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey]

4. Most Of Us Are Sad [Lead Vocals, Randy Meisner]

5. Nightingale [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

6. Train Leaves Here This Morning [Lead Vocals, Bernie Leadon] – Side 2

7. Take The Devil [Lead Vocals, Randy Meisner]

8. Earlybird [Lead Vocals, Bernie Leadon]

9. Peaceful Easy Feeling [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey]

10. Tryin' [Lead Vocals, Randy Meisner]

Tracks 1 to 10 are their debut album "Eagles" – released June 1972 in the USA on Asylum SD 5054 and August 1972 in the UK on Asylum SYTC 101. All songs are band originals except "Nightingale" which was written by Jackson Browne and "Take It Easy" which is a co-write between Glenn Frey and Jackson Browne. "Train Leaves Here This Morning" is a co-write between Bernie Leadon and Gene Clark (of The Byrds). "Peaceful Easy Feeling" is a Jack Tempchin song. The album peaked on the US album charts at No. 22 with "Take It Easy", "Witchy Woman" and "Peaceful Easy Feeling" all released as successful US 7" 45-singles in May, August and December 1972. The Non-LP B-side "Get You In The Mood" on the flip of their debut US 45 "Take It Easy" is not included in this Box Set.

 

Disc 2 – "Desperado" (35:55 minutes):

1. Doolin-Dalton [Lead Vocals, Don Henley & Glenn Frey]

2. Twenty One [Lead Vocals, Bernie Leadon]

3. Out Of Control [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey]

4. Tequila Sunrise [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey]

5. Desperado [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

6. Certain Kind Of Fool [Lead Vocals, Randy Meisner] – Side 2

7. Doolin-Dalton (Instrumental)

8. Outlaw Man [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey]

9. Saturday Night [Lead Vocals, Don Henley & Randy Meisner]

10. Bitter Creek [Lead Vocals, Bernie Leadon]

11. Doolin-Dalton/Desperado (Reprise) [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

Tracks 1 to 11 are their 2nd album "Desperado" – released April 1973 in the USA on Asylum SD 5068 and June 1973 in the UK on Asylum SYL 901. All songs are Eagles originals except "Outlaw Man" - written by David Blue. The album peaked at 41 in the USA but only charted belatedly in the UK in July 1975 at No. 39 - the month their 4th album "One Of The These Nights" was issued.

 

Disc 3 – "On The Border" (40:25 minutes):

1. Already Gone [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey]

2. You Never Cry Like A Lover [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

3. Midnight Flyer [Lead Vocals, Randy Meisner]

4. My Man [Lead Vocals, Bernie Leadon]

5. On The Border [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

6. James Dean [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey]

7. Ol' 55 [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey & Don Henley] – Side 2

8. Is It True? [Lead Vocals, Randy Meisner]

9. Good Day In Hell [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey & Don Henley]

10. Best Of My Love [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

Tracks 1 to 10 are their 3rd album "On The Border" – released March 1974 in the USA on Asylum 7E 1004 and May 1974 in the UK on Asylum SYL 9014. "Already Gone", "James Dean" and "Best Of My Love" were all issued as successful US 45s in April, August and November 1974 ("Best Of My Love" would their first US No. 1). Al Perkins of Stephen Stills' Manassas plays Slide Guitar on Tom Waits' "Ol' 55".

 

The mighty tune-smith and Bukowski-type hero that is Tom Waits probably made more money out of his "Ol' 55" on Side 2 of "On The Border" than he did from the royalties of his entire first two albums on David Geffen's Asylum label which went criminally unnoticed for years. Bernie Leadon's beautiful "My Man" was a tribute to Gram Parsons the leader of the Country-Rock outfit The Flying Burrito Brothers who had died in September of 1973 (only six months before the Eagles' third album was released). It's the kind of effortless warmth they often achieved in ballads – the type of song I used to play into the ground and ruminate on (deep baby deep). You can just about make out Glenn Frey's whispered "Good Night Dick" as the title track "On The Border" fades out – a caustic jab at President Richard Nixon's impending doom amidst the infamous Watergate scandal and cover-up (Tricky Dicky finally resigned in shame in the Autumn of 1974).

 

Disc 4 – "One Of These Nights" (43:01 minutes):

1. One Of These Nights [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

2. Too Many Hands [Lead Vocals, Randy Meisner]

3. Hollywood Waltz [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

4. Journey Of The Sorcerer [Instrumental by Bernie Leadon]

5. Lyin' Eyes [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey] – Side 2

6. Take It To The Limit [Lead Vocals, Randy Meisner]

7. Visions [Lead Vocals, Don Felder]

8. After The Thrill Is Gone [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey & Don Henley]

9. I Wish You Peace [Lead Vocals, Bernie Leadon]

Tracks 1 to 9 are their 4th album "One Of These Nights" – released June 1975 in the USA on Asylum 7E 1039 and in the UK on Asylum SYLA 8759.

 

It's worth noting that the track "One Of These Nights" is the 'full album version' here - the cut on March 1976's "Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)" LP (which has sold over 40 million copies worldwide) is an edit that loses the intro. For me one of the album’s strength’s (amidst a distinct lack of tunes on Side 2) was the Side 1 finisher "Journey Of The Sorcerer" – Bernie Leadon's orchestra and banjo instrumental - the BBC used it as a theme song to the TV adaptation of Douglas Adam's wonderful "The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy".

 

Disc 5 – "Hotel California" (43:27 minutes):

1. Hotel California [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

2. New Kid In Town [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey]

3. Life In The Fast Lane [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

4. Wasted Time [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

5. Wasted Time (Reprise) [Instrumental] – Side 2

6. Victim Of Love [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

7. Pretty Maids All In A Row [Lead Vocals, Joe Walsh]

8. Try And Love Again [Lead Vocals, Randy Meisner]

9. The Last Resort [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

Tracks 1 to 9 are their fifth and biggest selling album "Hotel California" – released December 1976 in the USA on Asylum 7E 1084 and in the UK on Asylum K 53051. It went to Number 1 in both countries and has subsequently sold over 30 million copies. "New Kid In Town", "Hotel California" and "Life In The Fast Lane" were all US 45s in December 1976, March and May 1977 – with both "New Kid..." and "Hotel California" hitting the coveted No. 1 spot.

 

Disc 6 – "The Long Run" (42:39 minutes):

1. The Long Run [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

2. I Can't Tell You Why [Lead Vocals, Timothy B. Schmit]

3. In The City [Lead Vocals, Joe Walsh]

4. The Disco Strangler [Lead Vocals, Don Henley & Glenn Frey]

5. King Of Hollywood [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey]

6. Heartache Tonight [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey] – Side 2

7. These Shoes [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

8. Teenage Jail [Lead Vocals, Glenn Frey & Don Henley]

9. The Greeks Don't Want No Freaks [Lead Vocals, Don Henley]

10. The Sad Café [Lead Vocals, Glenn Fry]

Tracks 1 to 10 are their sixth album "The Long Run" – released September 1979 in the USA on Asylum 5E-508 and October 1979 in the UK on Asylum K 52181. "Heartache Tonight", "The Long Run" and "I Can't Tell You Why" were all released as US 7” singles in September and November 1979 and February 1980 with "Heartache Tonight" emulating the album's No. 1 position on the US charts.

 

Joe Walsh's wonderful "In The City" first turned up in a version on "The Warriors" Soundtrack LP in 1979 (a co-write with Barry De Vorzon who formed Valiant Records in the 60ts and penned loads of music for films and TV) – while the Grammy-winning "Heartache Tonight" was a co-write between Glenn Frey, Bob Seger and J.D. Souther. Jimmy Buffett sings on the silly vocal refrains in the awful "The Greeks Don't Want No Freaks" - while ace Saxophonist David Sanborn saves the day by putting in a beautiful solo on the moving finale piece "The Sad Café".

 

The clamshell box pictures all six albums on the rear and inside you get singular card sleeves with no booklet. So the gatefold and inner of "Eagles" is missing, the textured feel to the front and back cover of "On The Border" isn’t there, the Embossed "One Of The Nights" front cover and it’s inner sleeve is not here, the gatefolds, inners and varying posters that came with "Hotel California" and "The Long Run" are all awol too. Shame someone couldn’t have taken a leaf from the Japanese when it comes repro artwork. However – in a nod to the period - each of the CD's label designs reflect their original design (white Asylum for the first two, Boxed Cage logo for number three and so on). They've even printed each album’s original vinyl catalogue number printed on the disc too. But that's it. No lyrics, no booklet, no photos, no appraisal or history – which is a damn shame. Cheap and cheerful I suppose...

 

The Remasters are those carried out by Ted Jensen in 1999 when the catalogue was reissued and they sound really great (always did). But it’s the consistency of the music... What hammers you time and time again as you wade through the albums is the sheer quality of the tunes – hit after catchy hit – and none of it feels maudlin or dated forty years after the event. OK, this is so American West Coast – but man is it good. Even when they made a 2CD "Best Of" compilation there a few years ago, there was still plenty of room for those album nuggets in-between the hits. I've highlighted who sang lead vocals on what – Frey and Henley getting the lion's choice – but in truth the Meisner, Leadon and Felder tracks all impress too.

 

What a glorious sound they made for that whole brilliant decade – and what a sad loss to music is Glenn Frey’s passing. "The Studio Albums Collection 1972-1979" is musically comprehensive, attractive to behold and sounds damn cool too – dig in, enjoy and remember him this way...

"Complete A and B Sides 1963-1970" by DUSTY SPRINGFIELD – All A-sides on Disc 1 with Their B-sides on Disc 2 (July 2006 EU-UK Mercury/Eclipse Archive Series 2CD Compilation of 41-Mono 45-Single Mix Remasters)

 

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"…I Only Want To Be With You…"

 

A clever idea and a superb compilation put together with real affection by BOB STANLEY of SAINT ETINNE - this remastered 41-track 2CD retrospective (part of the Eclipse Archive Series: Music From The Universal Vaults) pretty much does what it says on the tin. 

 

It lumps together in one cheap and cheerful package all of Dusty Springfield's British 45s on Philips from 1963 right through to 1970. You get the original MONO mixes with the A-sides on Disc 1 and the B's on Disc 2. 

 

Here are the Mary Quant mascara lines, Carnaby Street short skirts and perfectly coiffed hairdos…

 

EU-UK released July 2006 - "Complete A And B Sides 1963-1970" by DUSTY SPRINGFIELD on Mercury/Eclipse Archive Series 0-06024-9838528-9 (Barcode 602498385289) is a 2CD 41-Mono-Tracks Compilation and breaks down as follows:

 

Disc 1 – The A-Sides - 59:26 minutes:

1. I Only Want To Be With You (November 1963, Philips BF 1292, A)

2. Stay Awhile (February 1964, Philips BF 1313, A)

3. I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself (June 1964, Philips BF 1348, A)

4. Losing You (October 1964, Philips BF 1369, A)

5. Your Hurtin' Kinda Love (February 1965, Philips BF 1396, A)

6. In The Middle Of Nowhere (June 1965, Philips BF 1418, A)

7. Some Of Your Lovin' (September 1965, Philips BF 1430, A)

8. Little By Little (January 1966, Philips BF 1466, A)

9. You Don't Have To Say You Love Me (March 1966, Philips BF 1482, A)

10. Goin' Back (July 1966, Philips BF 1502, A)

11. All I See Is You (September 1966, Philips BF 1510, A)

12. I'll Try Anything (February 1967, Philips BF 1553, A)

13. Give Me Time (May 1967, Philips BF 1577, A)

14. What's It Gonna Be? (September 1967, Philips BF 1608, A)

15. I Close My Eyes And Count To Ten (June 1968, Philips BF 1682, A)

16. I Will Come To You (September 1968, Philips BF 1706, A)

17. Son-Of-A Preacher Man (November 1968, Philips BF 1730, A)

18. And I The Same Girl (September 1969, Philips BF 1811, A)

19. Brand New Me (November 1969, Philips BF 1826, A)

20. Morning Please Don't Come (February 1970, Philips BF 1835, A)

21. How Can I Be Sure (September 1970, Philips 6006 045, A)

Note: "Morning Please Don't Come" credited to Dusty and Tom Springfield

 

Disc 2 – The B-Sides – 52:11 minutes:

1. Once Upon A Time

2. Something Special

3. My Colouring Book

4. Summer Is Over

5. Don't Say It Baby

6. Baby Don't You Know

7. I'll Love You For A While

8. If It Hadn't Been For You

9. Every Ounce Of Strength

10. I'm Gonna Leave You

11. Go Ahead On

12. The Corrupt Ones

13. The Look Of Love

14. Small Town Girl

15. No Stranger Am I

16. The Colour Of Your Eyes

17. Just A Little Lovin'

18. Earthbound Gypsy

19. Bad Case Of The Blues

20. Spooky

Tracks 1 to 20 above are the B-sides of 1 to 19 and 21 on Disc 1. The B-side of Track 20 on Disc 1 is called "Charley" and is a Tom Springfield solo number – hence it's not included on this compilation.

 

The 16-page booklet has great Bob Stanley liner notes, period photos of our hero in black and white and colour (the centre shot is a winner), trade adverts, rare picture sleeves and tracks lists (without discography). It doesn't say who remastered the tracks, but the project was co-ordinated by DARYL EASLEA who is a name familiar to me (he's done loads of compilations for Universal). These Mono mixes pack a punch. It has to be said they take some getting used to after all these years of Stereo versions – but this set is aimed at collectors – and the original mixes are unavailable to my knowledge anywhere else – so a job well done.

 

Once you get past the overly-familiar hits - "I Only Want To Be With You", "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself" and "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me" (and their laden Phil Spector productions) – you start to hit those lesser heard nuggets like the Bacharach/David vibe of "Losing You" and the truly gorgeous Goffin/King duo of classics "Goin' Back" and "Some Of Your Lovin'" - all of them imbibed with a wonderful soulfulness. It's almost so impressive to feel her smarts - the underlying love she has for US 60ts Soul and Rhythm 'n' Blues - clever cover versions of great artists like Baby Washington, Carla and Erma Thomas and so many more. 

 

There's clever lyrical spats too in "I'm in the middle of nowhere…getting nowhere with you…" - while big hankies and even bigger strings dominate the likes of "All I See Is You", "Give Me Time" and "I Can Close My Eyes And Count To Ten" – pleading tearjerkers par excellence (most written by Clive Westlake).

 

Musical change was on the horizon and wisely Dusty moved forward. There's a better groove to the Jerry Ragovoy-penned "What’s It Gonna Be?" – but the 45-single masterpiece here (at least one of them anyway) is of course "Son-Of-A Preacher Man". The strings are gone – the kitchen-sink melodrama ditched - smartly replaced with slinky keys and the Memphis Horns. I must admit that after years of hearing Rhino STEREO versions – the Mono mix feels a tad bare – but the punch is still as great and the song just never dates. 

 

Back to Dusty doing Soul when we get a fabulous cover of "Am I The Same Girl" –a song made famous by Barbara Acklin on Brunswick in March 1969. "Am I The Same Girl" (penned in part by Eugene Record of The Chi-Lites) is a vocal version of a superb instrumental "Soulful Strut" released December 1968 on Brunswick by The Young-Holt Unlimited. Dusty takes that great groove and gives it a British Female Voice – seduction and class effortlessly combined.

 

Sticking with the genre of choice for her, there's a Northern Soul strut to both "Little By Little" and "What's It Gonna Be" (sought after singles for this reason). A good pick is Jerry Butler's "A Brand New Me" which Aretha would also cover on her "Young, Gifted & Black" album on Atlantic in 1972. Dusty keeps that same easy Soulful feel – lovely stuff. Things go all Folk with "Morning Please Don't Come" – credited to Dusty and Tom Springfield (written by Tom) – more wimp than champ I'm afraid. Disc 1 ends on a far better note (and beautiful production) – "How Can I Be Sure" has an accordion in Paris vibe and makes you wonder will this catchy ditty turn up in a movie real soon.

 

Her own composition "Something Special" is the first of many discoveries on the B-Sides Disc 2. We get all Dixie Cups with "Baby Don't You Know" featuring a great vocal from Dusty and suiting her style – we get a Goffin/King mid-tempo bopper "I'll Love You For A While" that lifts proceedings up considerably. Soul fans will love the Cropper/Hayes/Porter composition "Every Ounce Of Strength" while "I'm Gonna Leave You" is the kind of classy flip you'd expect from a sophisticated lady (it was also an early songwriting credit for Lesley Duncan). 

 

Written by Madeline Bell and Dusty – the Motownesque "Go Ahead On" has long been a dancehall B-side killer. Burt Bacharach's "The Look Of Love" is typically gorgeous, while "The Colour Of Your Eyes" is probably one of the loveliest inclusions here. "Just A Little Lovin' (Early In The Morning)" is the ace B-side of a "Son-Of-A Preacher Man" making for a perfect 45. Best is kept until last – a slinky cover of "Spooky" – the 1968 Classics IV hit.

 

To the point, well remastered and tastefully presented – and best of all – less than a five spot from most retailers for a whole boatload of classy Dusty. Quality and quantity, and I'll wash my highlights in that sink any day of the week…

"Dusty Sings Soul" by DUSTY SPRINGFIELD – 1964 to 1969 UK Cover Versions of Soul songs taken from 45-singles, EPs and LPs on Philips Records (March 2022 UK Ace Records CD Compilation of Nick Robbins Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"...Some Of Your Lovin'..."

 

As if anyone in the Western hemisphere (let alone Blighty) needed proof positive of just how good a reissue label Ace Records of the UK really is - point the 2022 accusational finger over here you KGB operative, because this is a deeply, deeply classy release. 

 

"Dusty Sings Soul" has me dribbling at the bottom lip while the hairier one atop is quivering in some sort of music spasm not known to many of England's top drug-dealers (I checked). It even has me using heady adjectives and verbs in a frankly cavalier manner unworthy of my literary genius (but more of that later). 

 

Dusty-philes will probably have all of this for sure, but for those of us who just aren't that invested in Dusty Springfield outside of the more familiar 60ts hits, this is a fabulous way to catch her in genre pockets she adored and spent years emulating - American Soul Music and its little sister Rhythm 'n' Blues. 

 

Haven't left the overtly and ever so slightly po-faced Folk Pop of The Springfields behind in 1963, her burgeoning solo career was going to be different. Hip and happening at the Twisted Wheel, rather than knitting cardigan patterns around the hearth with a warm mug of cocoa. 

 

Twenty-four cuts and nearly 64-minutes of music stretch from 1964 to 1969, and you can literally hear the spirit and joy in Dusty's renditions as she lays into Motown, Stax, Atlantic, Chess and all points in-between. Can I Get A Witness - you betcha baby - here are the pieces of her heart...

 

UK released Friday, 25 March 2022 - "Dusty Sings Soul" by DUSTY SPRINGFIELD on Ace Records CDCHD 1612 (Barcode 029667105224) is a CD compilation of 24-Tracks spanning 1964 to 1969 that plays out as follows (63:54 minutes):

 

1. Can I Get A Witness

First Track on "Dusty", September 1964 UK 4-Track EP on Philips BE 12564

Original: Marvin Gaye - September 1963 US 45-single on Tamla T-54087, A

 

2. Long After Tonight Is All Over 

From her 2nd LP "Ev'rything's Coming Up Dusty", October 1965 UK on Philips SRBL 1002

Original: Jimmy Radcliffe - October 1964 US 45-single on Musicor MU-1042, A

 

3. Won't Be Long 

From her 2nd LP "Ev'rything's Coming Up Dusty", October 1965 UK on Philips SRBL 1002

Original: Aretha Franklin - December 1960 US 2nd 45-single on Columbia 41923, A

 

4.Bring Him Back 

From her 3rd LP "Where Am I Going", October 1967 UK on Philips SBL 7820 

Original: Sissie Houston (Cissy) - April 1966 US 45-single on Congress CG-268, A

 

5. All Cried Out

Second Track on "Dusty", September 1964 UK 4-Track EP on Philips BE 12564

Original: Darlene Paul - June 1964 US 45-single on Capitol 5200, A

 

6. Take Another Little Piece Of My Heart 

From LP "Dusty...Definitely", November 1968 UK on Philips 7864

Dusty's version features guest vocalists Madeline Bell, Lesley Duncan and Kay Garner with John Paul Jones on Bass, who would later join Led Zeppelin

Original: Erma Franklin - as "Piece Of My Heart", October 1967 US 45-single on Shout S-221, A

 

7. Do Re Mi 

From her Debut LP "A Girl Called Dusty", August 1964 UK on Philips 7594

Original: Lee Dorsey - December 1961 US 45-single on Fury 1056, A

 

8. Welcome Home
From her 3rd LP "Where Am I Going", October 1967 UK on Philips SBL 7820 

Original: Walter Jackson - April 1965 US 45-single on Okey 4-7219, A

 

9. Some Of Your Lovin'

September 1965 Non-LP UK 45-single on Philips BF 1430, A

Dusty's version features guest vocalists Madeline Bell, Lesley Duncan and for the first time, Kiki Dee

Original: The Honey Bees (written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King) - April 1965 US 45-single on Fontana F-1505, B-side of "You Turn Me On Boy"

 

10. That's How Heartaches Are Made

From her 2nd LP "Ev'rything's Coming Up Dusty", October 1965 UK on Philips SRBL 1002

Original: Baby Washington - March 1963 US 45-single on Sue Records 783, A

 

11.  It Was Easier To Hurt Him 

From her 2nd LP "Ev'rything's Coming Up Dusty", October 1965 UK on Philips SRBL 1002

Original: Garnet Mimms - March 1965 US 45-single (as "It Was Easier To Hurt Her") on United Artists UA 848, A

 

12. Ain't No Sun Since You've Been Gone 

From her 4th LP "Dusty...Definitely", November 1968 UK on Philips 7864

Dusty's version features guest vocalists Madeline Bell, Lesley Duncan and Kay Garner with John Paul Jones on Bass, who would later join Led Zeppelin

Original: The Temptations - from their July 1967 US LP "With A Lot O' Soul" on Gordy GS 922 in Stereo

 

13. I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself (Mono)

June 1964 UK 45-single on Philips BF 1348, A

Original: Tommy Hunt - August 1962 US 45-single on Scepter 136, A

 

14. Every Ounce Of Strength (Mono)

March 1966 UK 45-single on Philips BF 1482, B-side of "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me (No Che No Vivo Senza Te)" 

Original: Carla Thomas - May 1965 US 45-single on Stax 172, B-side of "Stop! Look What You're Doing" - A-side written by Steve Cropper, David Porter & Isaac Hayes

 

15. I Wanna Make You Happy 

Track 1, Side 2 - April 1965 "Dusty In New York" 4-Track EP on Philips BE 12572

Original: Margaret Mandolph - May 1965 US 45-single on Planetary P-106, A

 

16. Nothing 

From her Debut LP "A Girl Called Dusty", August 1964 UK on Philips 7594

Original: Marie Knight - October 1961 US 45-single (as "Nothing in The World") on Okeh 4-7141, B-side of "Come Tomorrow"

 

17. Oh No Not My Baby 

From her 2nd LP "Ev'rything's Coming Up Dusty", October 1965 UK on Philips SRBL 1002

Original: The Shirelles - from 1965 US LP "Swing The Most" on Pricewise P 4001 

 

18. I Had A Talk With My Man 

From her 2nd LP "Ev'rything's Coming Up Dusty", October 1965 UK on Philips SRBL 1002

Original: Mitty Collier - August 1964 US 45-single on Chess 1907, A

 

19. I Can't Wait Until I See My Baby's Face 

From her 3rd LP "Where Am I Going", October 1967 UK on Philips SBL 7820 

Original: Pat Thomas - October 1964 US 45-single on Verve 10333, A

 

20. Every Day I Have To Cry 

Track 2, Side 2, April 1964 UK Debut EP "I Only Want To Be With You" on Philips BE 12560

Original: Arthur Alexander - Unreleased Recording from 1962 on Dot Records

 

21. Love Power 

From her 4th LP "Dusty...Definitely", November 1968 UK on Philips 7864

Original: The Sandpipers - October 1967 US 45-single on Calla C-141, A

 

22. Don't Let Me Lose This Dream 

From her 3rd LP "Where Am I Going", October 1967 UK on Philips SBL 7820 

Original: Aretha Franklin - from the March 1967 US LP "I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You" on Atlantic SD 8139 

 

23. Am I The Same Girl 

September 1969 UK 45-single on Philips BF 1811, A (Mono)

Original: Barbara Acklin - January 1969 US 45-single on Brunswick 55399, A

 

24. What's It Gonna Be 

September 1967 UK 45-single on Philips BF 1608, A

Original: None - Jerry Ragovoy and Mort Shuman song she did first 

 

All tracks in STEREO except 13, 14 and 23 which are MONO

 

The 20-page booklet is gorgeous, all those Philips 45 labels, colour EP sleeves, UK LP cover art and sheet music - the usual classy Ace Records affair. Long-time Soul aficianado, genre expert and collaborator with Ace and other reissue labels TONY ROUNCE outdoes even his own lofty standards by providing fact-crammed liner-notes to each song. This is a great read by someone who clearly reveres his subject matter, crisscrossing her cover version with the original. The AUDIO is cracking throughout (three Mono, twenty-one Stereo cuts) provided by NICK ROBBINS - stuff like the gorgeous "Some Of Your Lovin'" and "What's It Gonna Be" (huge fan faves) sounding huge and full of life. 

 

Influenced by great ladies of Soul like Baby Washington, Barbara Acklin, Erma Thomas and Carla Thomas - Dusty showed her staggering street smarts by choosing to cover Aretha on only her second 45-single release in the USA for Columbia Records. The big writers for Motown (Holland-Dozier-Holland) and Brill Building geniuses like Gerry Goffin and Carole King are not surprisingly amidst the versions - but check out her savvy at spotting a Stax B-side "Every Ounce Of Strength" by Carla Thomas - a Steve Cropper, David Porter and Isaac Hayes tune - a song that was reputedly lined up for her cancelled fifth UK EP "Heartbeat". 

 

For sure the tempo wanes and the magic drops in places, and I'm pretty sure I never want to hear the overly sampled hit-list radio regular "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself" even again. But make no mistake, "Dusty Sings Soul" is a great CD compilation for 2022 and one that will bring a tear to the eyes of her many fans and open up others to her right-on career choices - 60ts Soul...

"Alex Harvey and His Soul Band" by ALEX HARVEY – March 1964 GERMAN Debut Album on Polydor Records - Full Album Inside "The Last Of The Teenage Idols" (March 2016 GERMAN Universal 14CD Box Set with Paschal Byrne and Ben Wiseman Remasters)

 

"...Got My Mojo Working...And I'm Gonna Work It On You..."

 

First issued 31 March 2016 in Germany - "The Last Of The Teenage Idols" by ALEX HARVEY on Universal 536 212-0 (Barcode 00600753621202) came as a 217-Track 14CD 10" x 10" Box Set with 21 Tracks Previously Unreleased and 59 Songs Officially On CD for the first time. 

 

A wee beastie of a thing, it included newly-remastered editions of all Alex's early solo work plus every Sensational Alex Harvey Band album along with outtakes, non-album singles, live recordings and BBC performances. It has a 64-Page Hardback Book with previously unseen photos from the family archives and exclusive interviews with friends, musicians and collaborators.

 

Universal Germany then later truncated that original monster into a more manageable (and sellable) 4CD Book Set called "The Last Of The Teenage Idols – The Highlights" released 24 February 2017 on Universal 537 420-8 (Barcode 600753742082). This later variant comes in a Hardback Book Set with 78-Tracks and a reduced 42-page booklet attached inside. It's easily available on many sites (including Amazon) at somewhere between £25 and £40 depending on the seller.

 

I own both variants (don't ask) – but needless to say when you're seeking the rare German Debut Album from 1964 "Alex Harvey And His Soul Band" – the only place to nab its entirety in superb sound quality is the 10" x 10" Box Set variant.  But in March 2022, "The Last Of The Teenage Idols" on Universal 536 212-0 has become something of a rarity in itself. Still, let’s get to those beginnings when he was just another Scottish lad with Soul Music inveigling itself into every molecule of his being...

 

Disc 1 of 14 (63:47 minutes):

5. Framed [Side 1]

6. I Ain't Worrying Baby

7. Backwater Blues

8. Let The Good Times Roll

9. Going Home

10. I've Got My Mojo Working

11. Teensville USA

12. New Orleans [Side 2]

13. Bo Diddley Is A Gun Slinger

14. When I Grow Too Old To Rock

15. Evil Hearted Man

16. I Just Wanna Make Love To You

17. The Blind Man

18. Reeling And Rocking

Tracks 5 to 18 originally issued March 1964 in Germany as the debut LP "Alex Harvey and His Soul Band" on Polydor 46 424 (Mono) and Polydor 237 624 (Stereo). Vinyl LP reissued 1988 in Europe on Polydor 831 887-1 in Stereo only (I mention this here, because this catalogue number is incorrectly given as the original on this Box Set). 

 

The STEREO Mix is used on this CD and this box set represents the first official release of the whole album on the CD format.

 

The 10" x 10"-Sized Box Set has three inlays with the first two containing the 14 CDs spread across foldout wallets – No. 1 with Discs 1 to 6 covers the Sixties Soul Band years right through the Hair Pit Band, Rock Workshop and the beginnings of The Sensational Alex Harvey Band (aka SAHB). The fabulous hardback book documenting it all is crammed with fantastic black and white/colour photos from the family archive. We get early snaps of AH trying to be Scotland's answer to Tommy Steel as he features on Ma Logan's Rock & Roll show at the Metropole Theatre as far back as July 1957. Page 32 for instance has a display of four impossibly rare Deutsche Grammophon master tape boxes for the German 60ts releases when Harvey (like everyone else in the know) was immersed in American R&B and Soul. Page 63 shows the sixteen album sleeves covered by the Box (a huge haul of music) - while Pages 64 and 65 give a dizzying array of 7" single releases in colour (picture sleeves galore).

 

JOE BLACK arranged the compilation and tape research (aided by Brian McNeill, Joe Foster, Michael Ivarsson, Christer Lagergren and Jim Mclean) whilst the superb mastering is courtesy of a team I love and trust – PASCHAL BYRNE and BEN WISEMAN – two Audio Engineers who are no strangers to huge swathes of Rock, Blues and Soul CD reissues. Right from the tightly rehearsed Soul Band stuff in 1964 through the nine SAHB albums and beyond – the Audio is superb.

 

The debut album "Alex Harvey and His Soul Band" shows his prowess even so early on – tight, cool and with that fantastic Scottish lilt in his singing. Of the many covers on the debut album, it’s worth noting that Leslie Harvey (his brother and an ace guitarist in his own right) would later bring the stunning Josh White, Jr. Blues ballad "The Blind Man" to Scotland’s finest Blues-Rock band Stone The Crows (which he formed with James Dewar and Maggie Bell). Leslie and Maggie would absolutely nail it with the most fantastic version on their 1970 Stone The Crows debut album. How cool is it to hear its first incarnation here – and finally legal too.

 

Despite claims that it was recorded in The Star Club in Hamburg, the book states it was recorded October 1963 in Polydor's studio in Harvesterhuder Weg, Hamburg. Supposed to be a 'live' album simulating all that R&B energy, the fake audience turns out to be the musicians hootin' and hollerin' in the studio bleachers. The band and Bassist was a stand-in, Bobby Thompson of Kingsize Taylor & The Dominoes, but at least Alex's own Soul Band Saxophonist George 'Hoagy' Carmichael provided blistering horn solos and accompaniment throughout. 

 

Harvey introduces himself and his Soul Band to the supposed audience before going into his trademark speak-and-sing on the prison-song "Framed" – Lieber & Stoller's "Riot in Cell Block No 9" in other words, first done by The Robins way back in 1954. Not to be outdone by other people's classics, his own "I Ain't Worried Anymore" is a brilliant R&B groover. He does raucous versions of Bo Diddley's "Bo Diddley Is A Gunslinger", Robert Johnson's "Backwater Blues" while "Evil Hearted Man" is a Traditional Blues. There is an obscure Rockabilly cover version called "Teensville, U.S.A." originally done by Wayne Cogswell on Sun Records. And the LP ends with a joyous "Reeling And Rocking" - Chuck Berry being the influence for so many young bands and artists. 

 

Three months after the album came (end of May 1964), Polydor UK finally got in on the Alex Harvey And His Soul Men act again by issuing his cover version of the Muddy Waters Chess Records classic "Got My Mojo Working" as a 45-single. Polydor NH 52907 came with the brilliant "I Ain't Worried Baby" on the flipside. Unfortunately, the second Polydor 45 went nowhere and is a known rarity now. Speaking of rarities included here - his debut UK 7" single was "I Just Want To Make Love To You" (another Muddy Waters classic) b/w "Let The Good Times Roll" (a Louis Jordan cover) - issued January 1964 on Polydor NH 52264 - around the time the band made their debut live show at The 100 Club in London (6 February 1964). It is said that even The Beatles were aware of and impressed by the single and maybe even a few of them had his German album too.

 

Disc 1 finishes on a winning combo giving us the first three of 21 Previously Unreleased tracks. They have crystal audio and are sensational too – the Folk Traditional "Lord Randall" is Alex and acoustic guitar, while the great Scot gets real with the Brownie McGhee classic "Born With The Blues" – a poor soul trying to ditch the booze and the bottle but struggling to do so. Even a song I actually loath with a vengeance - "House Of The Rising Sun" (made famous of course by The Animals) gets a wickedly good AH going over.

 

For sure the 14CD Box Set will be for fans only (the truncated 4CD variant of 2017 offers only three tracks from his debut - "Framed", "Let The Good Times Roll" and "Reeling And Rocking") - but it is a thing of beauty and wonder and we remember Alex with affection for a reason. 

 

Give my compliments to the Soul Chefs of the Sixties, artists like this who paved the way and then morphed into something new and even more brill...