I must start off by saying I have been waiting a long time for someone to finally come up with a definitive collection of the work of twins Paul & Barry Ryan. At last thanks to 7T’s Records its finally here & it doesn’t disappoint. The project has been lovingly overseen by Indie band member & journalist Bob Stanley of St. Etienne who is a big fan of the twins work which comes through in his essay on their work in the accompanying booklet. Which is crammed full of fascinating titbits, many of which I’d not been aware of before. So what does this new release comprise of, well the answer is a hell of a lot! There are 95 tracks spanning 5 separate discs each contained in their own cardboard sleeves inside a sturdy clamshell box complete with the aforementioned booklet. As with all Cherry Red releases the packaging quality is of a very high standard that always delights. The discs are broken down as follows: Disc1 Barry Ryan Sings Paul Ryan 11 tracks- Barry Ryan 12 tracks. Disc2 Barry Ryan 3 12 tracks Red Man 12 tracks. Disc3 Sanctus Sanctus Hallelujah 12 tracks Disc4 Barry Ryan Rarities 1968-72 19 tracks & finally Disc5 Barry Ryan Rarities 1975-79 17 tracks. Clearly I can’t give you a track by track critique, this would turn into a book! However here’s some observations & highlights to whet your appetite. When Paul decided he’d had enough of touring live (something he hated) in 1967 he chose to step back & concentrate on writing songs (mainly) for his brother. In 1968 he created what would become, in my view, the greatest Power Ballad of the 60’s (or possibly of all time) when he came up with the international No 1 ‘Eloise’. I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t love the song. I didn’t know until now that Paul wrote it after being inspired (& becoming rather obsessed with Richard Harris’s ‘MacArthur Park) & became determined to write his own epic. He certainly succeeded! And here I’d just like to profusely thank the compiler on this new release who has used the FULL version of ‘Eloise’ which starts & ends with what is best described as ‘maniacal’ laughing by Barry, a small thing you might think, but those few extra seconds just make the song even more perfect! Interestingly those vital seconds were missing on the original single release & on the Italian version on this compilation. The First album in the set as aforementioned concentrates on Barry singing his brothers songs, as indeed does the second album. There are gems galore to be found, obviously ‘Eloise’ but add to that ‘The Colour of My Love’ a hit in a cover version for Jefferson (Geoff Turton of the Rockin Berries) although surprisingly not for Barry in the UK as Polydor chose not to release it here. However he scored with it across Europe. In fact most of his subsequent hits were all in Europe with Germany being a particularly lucrative market for Barry where he remained very much a star for decades after giving up music in the mid 70’s to concentrate on his photography business. Track 6 ‘My Mama’ as the sleevenotes point out was another epic production to rival ‘Eloise’ which the twins mum, successful singer in her own right Marion Ryan must have been flattered by. Its a full blooded tour-de-force. Elsewhere ‘Love Is On The Way’ is an achingly beautiful song, followed by ‘What’s Been Sleeping In My Bed’ a curious song in many respects, but one which had me re-visiting it for its quirky melody. The second album simply titled Barry Ryan kicks off with a personal favourite ‘The Hunt’ yet another epic construction a No 22 hit. Where else in a rock song would your hear somebody crying out ‘Tally Ho’! In impassioned fashion! I don’t want to throw a lot of titles that may mean nothing to you if you are not familiar with the twins work, but other highlights include ‘No Living Without Her Love’ & ‘closing track ‘Where Have You Been’. Moving on to Disc3 & we are treated to a mix of songs from Paul & outside song-writers. It kicks off with the first recording of Cat Stevens classic ‘Wild World’ or as titled here ‘Its A Wild World’. It has a very fetching string arrangement & is an agreeable enough version, it just lacks the passion of Cat’s take. Highlights elsewhere are ‘Stop The Wedding’ ‘What Is Wrong With My Women’ & ‘Who Put The Lights Out’. The second album on Disc3 Red Man, opens with the title track, a hit in faithful Germany & France. Here in the UK it was un-issued in favour of ‘It Is Written’ a religious themed work that did no business at all The best track on the album in my view belongs to ‘All Thoughts Of Time’ a beautiful & tender ballad. The religious theme came to the forefront on Disc5 Sanctus Sanctus Hallelujah with the opening title track. This German only issued album saw Barry team up with band The Verge and move away from what had gone before & stray into heavier rock territory & produced some excellent songs like the fuzz guitar laden ‘Storm Is Brewing’ the single release ‘Cant Let You Go’ & melodic rocker ‘L A Woman’ (nothing to do with The Doors!). It showed Barry was quite at home as a rock & roll singer, not just a purveyor of big ballads. The final 2 discs that make up the compilation consisting of rarities from 1968 – 1979 are peppered with real gems, one of my favourites being ‘Love Is Love’ a song I’ve played a lot on the radio over the years. It was released as a single & reached No 4 in Europe, so I’m surprised it’s in the ‘rarities’ section, however I’m sure 7T’s have their facts straight. Its a magnificent epic song clearly reaching to be another ‘Eloise’ & whilst not quite succeeding is hugely enjoyable complete with Barry’s histronic vocals, it’s a real belter, love it. ‘Lay Down’ ‘Annabelle’ ‘Best Years Of My Love’ ‘Do That’ & ‘Give It All’ are some other personal highlights for me. As i said at the start of this review I’ve waited a long time for a retrospective of Paul & Barry’s work & this new release has repaid the wait. Thank you 7T’s for a great job. For those of you who never got past ‘Eloise’ this is what you missed. Do have a listen if you possible can. Enjoy.
Mick O’Dowd… Very interesting review Colin. I liked P&B because they were light weight and easy on the ear. When you mentioned Eloise the memories came flooding back, What a song and production.
Colin Bell… Mick, Thanks for the thumbs up! There’s some great material on here. I didn’t mention ‘Kitsch’ in my review, just not enough space! another ‘Eloise’ style classic, give that a listen if you’ve not heard it before
Merv Kennard… Eloise my favourite
Alan Esdaile… Wonderful. Love ‘Eloise’
Wendy Weaver… Marion Ryan, the Ryan twins mum, was a huge star in her own right
Colin Bell… She had a great voice, it was her idea the twins take up singing as neither were academic at school & left with no idea of what to do
Michael Grave… Fantastic Artist, and brilliant songwriting from his brother Paul. My favourites are, of course, Eloise, Love is Love, The Hunt, It is Written, and Magical Spiel. Does anyone know if this Box Set Compilation is remastered, and what the sound quality is like?
Colin Bell… Hi Michael, i wrote the review. Yes it has been re-mastered & the sound quality is excellent. They’ve (Cherry Red Records) obviously had access to the master tapes. I should just add I don’t work for them! My response to you comes from 55 years in the music biz. Thanks for your comment Colin
Jon McCallion… My mum always talked about growing up with Marion
Michael Grave… Thank you for establishing the audio quality is excellent on this compilation, Colin. I’ve now ordered it. I have various CDs of Barry Ryan, and this should hopefully top them all. I love Jimmy Webb’s compositions, and was knocked out when I first heard Richard Harris singing MacArthur Park, and his subsequent work with Jimmy Webb, who was a genius songwriter. I guess it was why I loved Eloise and Love is Love so much. The same high drama production values. Never again would I feel the same surge of adrenalin, until Trevor Horn unleashed his brilliant studio creations in the eighties.
Colin Bell… Hi Michael. No problem, I’m sure you’ll have much enjoyable listening. All the best. Colin
Jim Peckham… Far better back then than now. But things sometimes have to change for all sorts of reasons. At least Hastings still has a pier
Michael Linskey… Look at that a real pier back then buzzing full of life entertainment all year round for all age groups . And plus a real attraction for tourists to enjoy, and what a beautiful focal point of a architectural structure of Hastings history then , to what it is and now become a total eyesore whatever direction you view it from, just a length of empty space looking more like an aircraft carrier deck with a conning tower in the middle and now only used if anything half the year round as winter months there’s nothing to offer with the empty unused space now . It’s truly sad now to see what it’s now been turned into simply because the lack of investment or incompetent management of invested money wasted .
Sandie Carlyon… Oh look. A proper pier.
Tony Court-holmes… happy days
Eileen O’Toole… Happy days and memories
Peter Brazier… Bottom photo has to be after 1966 because of the triodome but not long after it was built I think. The Foreman at about this time was the one responsible for the steady decay of the lower landing stage He apparently would sell the occasional iron grid to the pier in Eastbourne to fix there’s but sadly in doing so started it’s decline into being unstable! Very sad as it made our jobs harder in the late 70’s to 80’s (when I worked there) to keep it together, The “Couldn’t care less” attitude of future owners (after Mr Knight) meant it would slowly disappear till it ended up as we see it today, The Foreman in charge when i joined the maintenance squad was Fred Cooper who told me about his predecessor and how the landing stage was the key to the Pier’s survival as it acted as a break water for the rest of the pier (as it moved with the tide unlike the main pier structure) he told me. “If The Landing Stage Goes the Rest of The Pier won’t last for too many years afterwards!” Pity the New Owner doesn’t hold that in mind! I’ve had a look at the ironwork at the furthest end where the stairs to the landing stage used to be and i’m not impressed with it’s condition, i think if someone was to hit one of the beams you can see sticking out with a hammer, most of the thickness would turn out to be rust, leaving a thin tin thickness of the remaining steel left! We had bits like that when I worked there and had to replace large sections of the framework which meant closing sections of the pier down for public safety reasons! Personaly I don’t feel safe on there anymore
Nick Hunter… Looks like the zoo on the pier
Matt Thomas… top photo, first time I’ve noticed those corner sunbathing spots. Wonderful
Peter Ellingworth… Anybody any idea of the year ? Looks to me immediately pre-war, if the bus on the pier side of the road with a white roof is one of the original centre entrance single decker trolleybuses, several of which survived in public service until around 1948, following the delivery of the 1946-7 batch of double deckers. If immediately post war (1945-48) unless doctored up for the photo, the buildings look too pristine to have survived the ravages of the war.
Nigel Ford… Triodome era in the long shot, so late 60’s? …50’s for buses in front of White Rock or earlier?
Stuart Moir… And the boat jetty at the end is complete
Graham Sherrington… A breakwater yes I see that now
Peter Ellingworth… Bottom photo certainly post-war with the Triodome… this was added around 1966 to house the embroidery for the 1066 exhibition. Top photo debatable, although I think it is possibly pre-war – unfortunately the bus setting down/picking up from outside the pier is not shown clearly enough in the photo, to see if it has double rear wheels, if so this would be one of the single decker trolleybuses used pre-war and as mentioned before a few remained as spare until 1948. I remember my late Mother saying they had a habit of breaking rather sharply.
Samuel Freeman… Was working in the bar that night it was manic
Stuart Berryman… The Go-Go’s were support along with The Bodysnatchers – they didn’t go down too well. Two things I remember about the gig was Suggs being in the bar (and smiling at my girlfriend!) and the welcoming commitee of local skins waiting for us on the way out.
Lance Collins… I remember that. Was on bar duty and let Suggs in.
Peter Fortsch… I was working with my brother in law and Lance Collins. (bouncers) I had to check for steel toecaps on that night at entrance. If they were worn I confiscated there bootlaces. Lance was on duty one in one out of bar. Chris was on Dance floor. I joined him later and remember us breaking up a fight and ejecting a guy who we handed to Big Basil who removed him. Really enjoyed The Specials
Lance Collins… Peter, I remember it well. I was told by Chris to stay out of the way because I was getting married a week later and he was worried I would get a black eye
Liz Dianto… I was there. Met Suggs in the bar too. I think he had his eye on a girl I remember as Melanie. A sight more attractive than us little skinhead girls haha. Although I believe his girlfriend was in the GoGos
Niclas Johansson… Stuart, I was there to and do remember as a punkrocker it was just me and another that was punk the rest and most of them was skinheads. I was challenge to fight but I say no and he buys me a beer and we were friends during the concert. I’m from Sweden and I was 15 years old at the time and was study English in Hastings.
Pete Prescott… pete prescott ray fenwick chris cozens neil murray and cozy powell was at the studio near slough (now closed down) i was ill.pretty bad.couldn’t sing.i was replaced by tony martin of black sabbath in the end (good singer). . . i was rattling.i had quincy.my throat was covered in white spots !
James Wyatt… I’ve got the first ‘Forcefield’ Album, it’s a great Album ! Graham Bonnet was the vocalist on the next 3 Forcefield Albums, they’re modern Pop/Rock of the 1980s, and really good !
Catherine Ireland… Was it Eddy Hardin’s place ?
Pete Prescott… I don’t think so. The first single was recorded at Park Gates in Catsfield. The 1st album was at Marble Arch in London. Is that the old Polydor studios? Dollar were in the studio next to us. Next to them it was Chas and Dave. Next to that they were mixing a George Michael track. These photos were taken in the ill fated 2nd album sessions. Tony Martin replaced me (that was down to Cozy) Lawrence Cottle replaced Neil (also down to Cozy).I met Tony Martin once at the unveiling of the Cozy blue plaque in Cirencester.He is a very nice guy. Very good singer ! As I’ve said before there is a nice end to the tale. I met Cozy not long before he passed . It was outside the White Rock Theatre after the Peter Green gig. He said he liked the albums I’d recorded with Paul Sinden and agreed to play on the next one we were making. He died shortly after. I was very sad at Ray’s passing. We were back in touch. It was great. I was trying to get him to write a biography. I miss him.
Colin Bell… The main studio’s situated at Marble Arch were Pye Records, Polydor did have one nearby in Great Cumberland Place, if that helps Pete.
Colin
