smart sounds

SMART SOUNDS by Colin Bell reviewing Too Far Out – Joe Meek’s Tea Chest Tapes. Beat, Mod & R&B from 304 Holloway Road 1963-1966, Various Artists 3CD Box Set

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TOO FAR OUT   JOE MEEK’s TEA CHEST TAPES –  BEAT MOD & R & B  (1963-1966)
Once in a while over the last 10 years of Smart Sounds reviews a release comes to me because I have requested it from Cherry Red Records because I believe it to be an important one, however due to the period of the material covered I don’t feel qualified to write a knowledgeable review of the work in my usual fashion. Such is the case with today’s new 3CD set. In 2020 Cherry Red acquired ‘The Tea Chest Tapes’ 1000’s of recordings that Joe Meek left behind after his untimely death in February 1967. These recordings are a treasure trove of un-released, early recordings, demo’s etc of artistes some of whom such as David Bowie, Billy Fury, Tom Jones, Gene Vincent & many more would later go on to international fame. Since Cherry Red acquired this incredibly important collection of some 4000 hours of music spread over close to 2000 tapes they have set about digitising them & releasing these wonderful box sets split into various categories over the last 5 years. This latest 3CD Box set covers the period 1963-1966 & boasts 88 tracks of Beat Mod & R & B tracks produced by Joe in his inimitable style. To return to my aforementioned statement, regarding not feeling qualified to write a knowledgeable full on review of all this work, this is because I did not arrive in the business until 1967 & from that point on I think i can say without being egotistical I can write about music from my own experience of the bands/artistes that I encountered & often worked with from that point in time on. 1963-66 is a period of time that is important as aforementioned as it chronicles the birth of beat music here in the UK, but for me falls out of my reach for being that tad too early for me to be taking notice. And the last thing I want to do is write a ‘review’ for the many 1000’s of Joe Meek admirers from a point of largely ignorance. Thus, please look on this as less a ‘review’ but more a big heads up to all those aforementioned Joe Meek fans that love his work & are so much steeped in his work than I could ever be. All that being said, I do recognise & remember, hearing some of the tracks & bands featured on this collection courtesy of an older friend who lived with us for a time at the relevant period in the early 60’s. In fact the whole compilation kicks off with a number I do remember well from the wacky individual that was ‘Screaming Lord Sutch’ & his genuinely blood curdling opus ‘Jack The Ripper’ (see the video at the end of this piece). This is followed by Freddie Starr, who had a pretty decent voice albeit he was known for his comedic talent. His rendition of the ‘Peter Gunn Locomotion’ shows promise. Up next are another band vaguely familiar to me, The Syndicats with a spirited version of the classic ‘Maybelline’ which certainly gets the toes tapping. Other names spread across the collection that are familiar to me are The Riot Squad, The Cryin’ Shames (a great band) The Honeycombs & Heinz. Beyond that there is a wealth of names that will no doubt be known to Meek aficionados or anyone interested in this period & general beat genre. So to sum up, this is another hugely important release that the Joe Meek fraternity will love & will also appeal to those individuals just that bit older than me that grew up with this early beat genre. It’s certainly a voyage of discovery. The set comes in a sturdy clamshell box & is accompanied as ever by a lavishly illustrated & annotated booklet. Enjoy
For more information go to https://www.cherryred.co.uk
Til next time……stay safe, take care….Colin

Alan Esdaile… I’m pretty sure Ray Fenwick was in The Syndicats.

Catherine Ireland… yes he was Alan

Mick O’Dowd… What a compilation! Brings back a lot of memories for me of my mis-spent youth. Remember all of the bands mentioned and the SLS clip at the end especially took me back to when I had a holiday job in Iorio Di Mascio’s shop on the roundabout by Iceland. Upstairs they had a video juke box and one of the selections was blanked out on the menu. The staff soon found out is was the video for SLS and the above song. (I’ve still got a Standard 8 video of this!). It was done so as not to upset children and their parents! What would they say in this day and age

Colin Bell… Great memories there mate, thanks for sharing, some of the young ladies in the SLS video look genuinely scared!

Joanna Marie Mod… Looks superb

Pete Prescott… I have to hear this !

 

SMART SOUNDS by Colin Bell reviewing Mark Wirtz: Dream Dream Dream – The Anthology, 5CD deluxe clamshell box.

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I’m delighted to bring to you a long overdue extremely comprehensive 5CD retrospective collection of a man whose name outside of the music business is quite possibly unknown to many people. However if I was to say ‘Excerpt From A Teenage Opera’ (or ‘Grocer Jack’) that it’s often referred to, that would instantly be recognised by any ‘baby boomer’ as one of the most well loved songs from 1967. And we wouldn’t have the record to luxuriate in if it wasn’t for its co-writer & producer Mark Wirtz. When Mark passed away in August 2020 the music business lost, in my opinion, a titan whose name should be up there with the likes of Joe Meek, George Martin, et al. This lovingly put together exhaustive collection of Mark’s work by fan & later collaborator Stephen C  Wilson of duo Sound Menagerie is a perfect celebration of a mans lifetime work, a man who was not only a visionary producer but also variously a singer, writer, composer, poet, arranger, painter & even in latter years a stand up comedian. One might say Mark had an embarrassing amount of multi-talents. Born in Strasbourg & brought up in Cologne he moved to London in 1962 where he initially studied performing arts at RADA & had  his own beat band The Beatcrackers who were signed to EMI in 1963 as Mark Rogers & the Marksmen, the first of many different names attached to his life’s work & career. By 1965 he had formed his own production company working with big names including Marlene Dietrich. In 1966 he wrote & produced a piece that after ‘Grocer Jack’ is probably his best known piece to the public, the instrumental ‘A Touch of Velvet- A Sting of Brass’ credited to The Mood Mosiac, it was much played on pirate radio & used as a theme by several DJ’s, notably Dave Lee Travis on Radio Caroline. It was his next work that really caught my attention. After accepting an invitation to join EMI as an in-house producer in 1967 & working at Abbey Road alongside Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick, Mark started working with Hastings Pier regulars Kippington Lodge & Keith West & Tomorrow, the latter producing psychedelic classics ‘My White Bicycle’ & ‘Revolution. Together with Keith he then embarked on his most famous work the ultimately unfinished ‘Teenage Opera’. This work has been mentioned by industry ‘heavyweights’ Pete Townshend & Paul McCartney as an influence on their own projects ‘Tommy’ & ‘Abbey Road’ respectively. Although ‘Teenage Opera’ was never fully realised it did also produce one of my favourite singles of the 60’s in ‘Sam’ the follow up to ‘Grocer Jack’ another delightful whimsical tale, beautifully realised & produced. This new compilation gives you an unrivalled journey through the ‘opera’ story & so much more as Mark moved into the 70’s. Over 5 CD’s this collection spans the years 1963 on through the 70’s with 131 tracks, featuring outtakes, previously unheard & unreleased material, spoken insights into Marks world, Mono mixes that have been unavailable for over 50 years for some of his most famous work like ‘Grocer Jack’ & so much more. The 5 CD’s come in separate sleeves in a sturdy clamshell box that also contains an exclusive yellow badge & a facsimile letter of the handwritten lyrics to ‘Grocer Jack’ & as an added bonus if you order the set direct from Cherry Red Records themselves you get a bonus digital download of additional tracks. The accompanying 40 page booklet perfectly annotates the tracks with a wealth of detail I sadly don’t have the space to go into here, but rest assured if you, like me, are a lover of 60’s psyche or just want to go on a magical journey of discovery into Mark Wirtz’s fascinating world of diverse musical projects then indulge yourself with this set. Its a cracking start to this years Smart Sounds & 10 years of my association with Cherry Red. Enjoy.

For more information go to https://www.cherryred.co.uk
Til next time….take care…Colin

Steve Wilson… Thank you so much for this lovely review of the Mark Wirtz box set

Colin Bell… My pleasure Steve, love his work

Alan Esdaile… I also really like the track ‘Sam’.

 

SMART SOUNDS by Colin Bell reviewing Pour A Little Sugar On It – The Chewy Chewy Sounds of American Bubblegum 1966-1971, Various Artists 3CD Box Set

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POUR A LITTLE SUGAR ON IT (THE CHEWY CHEWY SOUNDS OF AMERICAN BUBBLEGUM 1966-71)  3CD SET

At long last those wonderful people at Grapefruit Records have put together an exhaustive new compilation of what many have derided over the years as disposable (being polite) or simply just crap music (being impolite!) the genre that became known as ‘bubblegum music’. Characterised by 3 minute, 3 chord (deceptively) simple pop melodies often with meaningless lyrics played by many ‘bands’ a large amount of which didn’t exist, but comprised studio concoctions using session managers. The whole sound was aimed at capturing the early teen market in America in the mid-late 60’s as pop and rock music grew more sophisticated for older buyers. It’s roots can reasonably be traced back to the advent of The Monkees and their manufactured pop sound created in 1966. With their massive success came many more imitators jumping on what became, at least, for a few short years a lucrative bandwagon. On this new compilation just about every major successful effort is represented alongside a wealth of long obscure ‘bands’. This new 3CD set comprises of 91 tracks spanning 4 hours of sugar sweet sounds that defined ‘bubblegum’ so sit down with a sherbert fountain or a bag of dolly mixtures and here’s what you’ll find. Disc1 kicks of with a trio of songs that exemplify the whole bubblegum movement with ‘Simon Says’ ‘Yummy Yummy Yummy’ & ‘ A Little Bit Me A Little Bit You’ by respectively the 1910 Fruitgum Company, Ohio Express & of course The Monkees. The first 2 tracks came out of New York based Buddah Records who were undoubtedly the kings of the genre (after Don Kirschner with The Monkees). Buddah gave us the majority of the really big hits from the aforementioned 2 bands plus Kasenetz-Katz Flying Orchestral Circus, with ‘Quick Joey Small’, Lou Christie with ‘I’m Gonna Make You Mine’ & ‘She Sold Me Magic’ (all included) & a host of others. As ever its away from these big names that the long forgotten and obscure sit with fabulous names such as Salt Water Taffy, Lt Garcias Magic Music Box & The Raspberry Pirates all giving us their take on the genre. There are some surprising names on Disc1 (as there are on Discs2 & 3) that are included as they had an abberation away from their normal output. The Grass Roots & Neil Diamond to name a couple. However I must take issue with the inclusion of The Electric Prunes! A beloved group of mine! Ok, ‘Everybody Know You’re Not In Love’ may be a long way from ‘I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night’. But bubblegum?! No siree! Other well remembered names from Disc1 turn up with Crazy Elephant, Lobo & The Cuff Links. The latter sporting Ron Dante on lead vocals. Ron was to American pop what Tony Burrows was to us over here in the UK. He was everywhere as a studio session singer as well as putting out singles under his own name, examples of which you can also hear on the compilation. Disc2 begins with a big personal favourite ‘I Think We’re Alone Now’ from Tommy James & the Shondells whose record company Roulette Records also were heavily involved in releasing bubblegum. This is followed by The Lemon Pipers with the evergreen…er ‘Green Tambourine’! a fusion of bubblegim & psyche. Other treats come from Gary Lewis & the Playboys, Mama Cass, Bobby Bloom, Tommy Roe & The Archies. Again its the lesser known that provide some extra treats with the likes of The Pineapple Heard with an excellent version of ‘Valleri’ made famous by The Monkees. Again there are some unlikely names cropping up with forays into bubblegum territory including The Beach Boys, The Cowsills and would you believe The Velvet Underground! Again I have to take issue with the inclusion of The Box Tops who are featured twice, they were definitely pop/soul in my book, but heyho each to their own opinion. Finally Disc3 serves up more big hitters with Melanie, Rick Nelson & Bobby Sherman to name but three. Plus more hits from 1910 Fruitgum Company, The Lemon Pipers, Kasenetz Katz, John Fred & his Playboy Band and more. Amongst the obscure treats are tracks from South Amboy Port Authority, The Peppermint Trolley Company & The Love Generation amongst others. I’d have to argue again that the inclusion of Bruce (‘Hey Baby’) Channel with ‘Keep On’ merits the bubblegum tag, more pop/soul yet again in my book. The whole compilation comes to a close with what is really the poster child for the whole movement with The Archies ‘Sugar Sugar’ (video coming up). Its a funny old world, especially in music. I started by saying bubblegum was defined by 3 minute, 3 chord disposable songs with meaningless (in the main) lyrics. For this the artists were often derided and looked down upon by ‘musical snobs’, which i find pretty funny and ironical. If you wound the clock on a decade to 1976 it was all repeated, the 3 minute, 3 chord……etc. Except this time it was called Punk….which ‘musical snobs’ embraced….think about that. As ever this compilation comes housed in a sturdy clamshell box complete with a fascinating 48 page booklet. Enjoy.

For more information go to https://www.cherryred.co.uk

Til next time….stay safe…..Colin

Mick O’Dowd… What a compilation Colin. I’m with you regarding the simplicity of the genre. This gave us DJ’s a lot of dancing toons between them and were also very popular. Like you, there are several names on there that I wouldn’t put in that genre but hey ho!

Colin Bell… Hi Mate, certainly brings back some memories for us

Alan Esdaile… Always loved ‘Quick Joey Small’.

Terry Corder… Some great songs there. Thanks.

SMART SOUNDS by Colin Bell reviewing Gerry And The Pacemakers: I Like It! Anthology 1963-1966, 3CD

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‘I LIKE IT’ ANTHOLOGY 1963-1966    GERRY AND THE PACEMAKERS  (3CD SET)

I’m delighted to bring you this latest fine compilation from Strawberry Records. Back in 1963 at the birth of Merseybeat in Liverpool, Gerry & the lads were serious contenders to The Beatles crown and this exhaustive new collection brings that home. Running to roughly 4 hours of listening time and spanning just under a 100 tracks (98) it reminds you just how successful they were. Sharing both The Beatles manager Brian Epstein & record producer George Martin they released some classic singles. As I’m sure most pop fans are aware, but if not, they were the first UK band to have their first 3 single releases all go to No 1, ‘I Like It’ ‘How Do You Do It’ & ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ a feat even the aforementioned ‘fab four’ didn’t match. That record was to stand for 2 decades until eventually matched by Frankie Goes To Hollywood in the 80’s. So what does this new compilation have to offer on its 3 disc? As you might expect Disc1 contains all the hit singles that the band had between 1963 and 1965, as well as the big 3 already mentioned there are ‘I’m the One (No 2) & my personal favourite the haunting and exquisite ‘Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying’ (No 4 in both the UK & USA). The latter written by Gerry for his then girlfriend, later wife, Pauline, has to be one of the greatest love songs ever written in pop music. Gerry was a prolific writer, roughly half of the tracks on the compilation were composed by himself, it’s fair to say they are not all as great as DLTSCYC, but he was no slouch. He also had the ability (& taste) to cover others great songs such as ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ from Carousel & a personal favourite ‘Walk Hand in Hand’ written by Johnny Cowell with aplomb making them his own. Disc1 also contains some rockers such as ‘Maybelline’ ‘What I’d Say’ & ‘Dizzy Miss Lizzy’ also recorded by The Beatles who provided Gerry with ‘Hello Little Girl’ also contained here which was originally planned to be their 3rd single. Elsewhere there are more tracks by Gerry quite a few of which are new to me. Disc2 kicks off with the massive hit from the film of the same name ‘Ferry Cross the Mersey’ like YNWA another enduring classic for which Gerry will always be remembered. Followed by another UK hit with ‘It’s Gonna Be Alright’ (No 24 UK & USA) more covers of rockers abound with the likes ‘Reelin & Rockin’ & ‘A Whole Lot of Shaking Going On’ sitting alongside many original songs written by Gerry. As I said earlier not all his songs reached the gold standard of DLTSCYC and its cleat that his contemporaries John & Paul were moving ahead at a much greater creative pace by ’64/65′ with songs such as ‘And I Love Her’ & ‘I Feel Fine’ leaving Gerry’s songs feeling somewhat mundane with their simple ‘Moon & June’ style compositions, and i think the slowing down of his success by the mid 60’s does ultimately come down to the songwriting in my humble opinion. Disc3 contains a jewel in the crown of this fascinating compilation with the presentation of a live concert recorded in Oakland California in 1964 where the guys sound on fabulous form as they deliver the hits and more, and the recording quality is excellent. Throughout the compilation there are scattered ‘alternate takes & mixes’ of various tracks and the set is brought to a close on Disc3 with (amongst some others) some stereo versions of DLTSCYC ‘Ferry Cross the Mersey’ & a lush ‘Walk Hand in Hand’ and they sound  simply magnificent reminding us what a warm and special voice Gerry possessed. As ever the digipack is packed with photo’s and facsimile posters under each disc (a nice touch) and the usual informative and colourful booklet. A thoroughly recommended listen. Enjoy.

For more information go to https://www.cherryred.co.uk

Til next time…..stay safe take care, Colin

Mick O’Dowd… Nice compilation including a lot that i’ve never heard before not being a huge fan. Welcome back Colin. Missed your reviews!

Alan Esdaile… Likewise I always loved ‘Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying’ and ‘Walk Hand In Hand’

Nigel Ford… Lambretta Li Series 3 – no dampers on front forks and no disc brake like the bigger-engined TV’s had. My mum’s sister, Auntie Winnie, took brother and I to see Ferry cross the Mersey plus another, maybe one featuring Heinz (?) at the Gaiety cinema Queens Road in ’63/64 ish one easter /summer school hols ,probably on a wet day…….Kia-Ora anyone, or a paper-wrapped block of ice-cream in an oblong cone?

SMART SOUNDS by Colin Bell reviewing Let’s Stomp! Merseybeat And Beyond 1962-1969, 3CD Box Set Various Artists

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LET’S STOMP!  Merseybeat & Beyond 1962-1969   (3CD set)

It’s not often these days that i write a review of music, that largely in this particular case, predates my own all consuming interest in the subject. This fine new compilation from Strawberry Records, as the title says, spans the 1960’s from 62 to 69 with a lot of the tracks springing from the earliest of those first years. In 1962 i was 10 & to be fair more interested in my Hornby train set at that stage, however 2 years later in 1964 I would fall firmly in love with music and the trains would gather dust. This 3 CD compilation turns the spotlight on Merseybeat & all those 1000’s of band’s that formed in the wake of The Beatles & indeed some that even pre-date The Beatles such as the Vernon Girls, Remo Four etc. As you might expect, you will not find any Beatles tracks on this compilation due to licensing terms, but that doesn’t mean other big names don’t feature. I liken it to a flotilla setting out to sea headed by battleship The Beatles which has disappeared over the horizon, but in its wake has left us listening to heavyweight cruisers like The Searchers, Gerry & the Pacemakers, The Swinging Blue Jeans, Cilla Black, The Fourmost, The Merseybeats etc plus a whole lot of support vessels in the shape of bands that made some great records but were destined to be confined to long forgotten history. Due to the brevity of most singles back then, there are 83 tracks spread over the 3 CD set. There are importantly a number of firsts for those who are just that bit more senior than me. & will more fully appreciate the earlier material, including 5 newly re-mastered tracks from the Joe Meek ‘Tea Chest’ tapes discovered some years back, including 2 excellent cuts from The Cryin’ Shames with ‘Please Stay’ & The Maracas with ‘A Different Drummer’. Elsewhere rarities abound, including a number from the vaults of legendary American producer Shel Talmy who would later produce The Who & The Kinks, here represented by Birkenhead band The Pathfinders with the previously unreleased ‘Lonely Room’. Samantha Jones, ex member of the previously mentioned Vernon Girls puts in an appearance with a newly discovered acetate of a soulful number ‘This Is The Real Thing’. It happens i remember Samantha who i met some years later when she was recording for Penny Farthing Records, a charming lady. Somebody else i worked with in the 70’s also crops up in the shape of Eddy Arnoo then of the hit band The Real Thing, but here singing back in 1963 with The Chants & ‘Come Go With Me’. Of all the many recorded versions of ‘Do You Love Me?’, I’ve always been partial to Brian Poole’s version, however after hearing Faron’s Flamingos take included here, i think i have a new favourite version. It can’t be underestimated how hugely influential Merseybeat was as a musical movement, certainly here in the UK & for spearheading what became known as the ‘British Invasion’ in the USA. As i have already mentioned the early tracks don’t connect with me personally as much as those that followed later. But I can fully appreciate how exciting it was for those a few years older than me back then in ’62/63 listening to the likes of The Big Three taking on Ray Charles ‘What I’d Say’ live at the famous Liverpool Cavern club (hear the YT clip at the end of this review) the atmosphere is palpable. The first 2 CD’s in the compilation sum up that early period with a good selection of familiar big hits from The Searchers, Billy J Kramer, The Mojo’s etc combined with a plethora of names i honestly confess to not knowing. As is usual with any Cherry Red release the fully annotated booklet that accompanies the compilation does provide an excellent source of information. The 3rd CD in the set was i confess much more to my taste as it explores what happened post Merseybeat to some of its stars and also rans. kicking off with ex Searcher Tony Jackson with his band The Vibrations & a slice of freakbeat ‘Fortune Seller’, a blinding track from Wimple Winch, a band i usually associate more with psyche leanings & their ‘Rumble On Mersey Square South’. One of my all time favourite singles of any genre in the shape of The Merseys ‘Sorrow’ puts in an appearance in an alternate mix. It was produced by my old boss Kit Lambert co-founder of Track Records. What came as a genuine surprise to me was a further track from the band Kit produced, namely ‘So Sad About Us’. Who fans will recognise it as an album track from their ‘A Quick One’album. I can’t understand why I’ve never heard it before?! especially after a lifetime being around The Who, Kit etc but everyday is a school day! The compilation is brought to a close with Liverpool’s national treasure the late Cilla & ‘Step Inside Love’. Which is an apt invitation to anyone who lived through the exciting birth of Merseybeat to lend an ear to this collection. It comes as previously mentioned with an informative booklet & is housed in a sturdy clamshell box containing the 3 CD’s in separate cardboard sleeves. Enjoy.

For more information go to https://www.cherryred.co.uk
Til next time…..stay safe & well…..Colin…

 

 

Bob Searle… Great Colin. Still have my Big Three EP fantastic

Mick O’Dowd… What a compo Colin. Cryin’ Shames (not to be confused with The Cryan Shames) was an all-time faves along with the Big Three. I always treasured the EP live at the Cavern where this track was culled. The Undertakers were another fave along with The Chants. So many memories! Great stuff!!!!

Danny… The Maracas. Brings back great memories of the era. Great band!!

Joe Jones… Danny, Did you know of them at the time?

SMART SOUNDS by Colin Bell. Reviewing Alcatrazz Live Sentence cd/dvd deluxe edition and John Miles – Miles High cd.

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‘LIVE SENTENCE’ Alcatrazz (Deluxe Edition CD/DVD) HNE Records

As regular readers of S.S. will know this is my all time favourite metal band of the 80’s. A coupla months back I brought you their debut album ‘No Parole From Rock and Roll’. As mentioned in that review Alcatrazz were a HUGE success in Japan especially. To capitalise on the albums success they took to the road to promote it and Live Sentence is the result. Recorded in January 1984 in Tokyo the set list includes most of the tracks recorded for NPFR&R, minus annoyingly ‘Jet to Jet’, a personal favourite! However that’s a small niggle. Along with ‘Island in the Sun’, ‘Hiroshima Mon Amour’ ‘General Hospital’, all classics in my view Graham Bonnet treats us to his solo success with ‘Night Games’ and re-visits his sojourn with Rainbow to deliver ‘Since You’ve Been Gone’ and ‘All Night Long’ to the evident delight of the audience.
This release comes as 2 discs, disc one audio and disc two a DVD. At last I can dispense with my er bootleg footage! The audio and video quality of the DVD is surprisingly good for its age and stands up well. Like me you can now marvel at the 20 year old prodigy Yngwie Malmsteen in all his glory. And a glorious thing to watch it is! His neo-classical shredding is jaw dropping!
Not since I first saw Hendrix have I ever been so transfixed by a guitarist.
‘Kree Nakoorie/Coming Bach’ is mesmerising, yes he’s over indulgent at times compared to the studio recordings, but hell’s teeth he’s simply amazing even when he’s being arrogantly OTT! He knows he’s a ‘Rising Force’ and I forgive him, if I had his talent I doubt i’d hide my light under a bushel.
To cap it all off there’s three bonus tracks recorded at the Rock Palace in the USA including ‘Too Young To Die-Too Drunk To Live’. They don’t write them like that anymore, more’s the pity! For all Graham Bonnet/Malmsteen fans this is an essential addition to your library. PLAY IT LOUD!

JOHN MILES_miles high_WEB

‘MILES HIGH’ John Miles  (Lemon Recordings)

This is the first time on CD for what was John’s fifth studio album released originally in 1981, at that time it only reached a rather disappointing 96 chart position. Two singles were released from the album in the shape of ‘Turn Yourself Loose’ and ‘Reggae Man’. John is undoubtedly a fine musician, singer and guitarist and indeed a writer having composed the 10 tracks here. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with the album, for me however nothing really leaps out at you. Its a polished affair and plays like a soundtrack to an American series of the Eighties (Miami Vice springs to mind) its slick AOR and maybe therin lies the problem for these ears its all a little too bland for my taste. John is without doubt a musicians musician and has contributed his skills to the likes of Joe Cocker, Tina Turner and the great Alan Parson’s project. Overall one for completists of his canon of work methinks, or fans of the Eighties slick pop genre.

For more information go to http://ww.cherryred.co.uk                 colin-head-111x150

Til next time….     Colin

 

Stephen Carson… Hi Colin. Just to let you know Cherry Red are releasing a box set of John Miles albums 1983 – 1993 which includes Play On on CD for the first time. It comes out on July 19 2024.

SMART SOUNDS by Colin Bell reviewing Barry Ryan: The Albums 1969-1979, 5CD Box Set

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BARRY RYAN   THE ALBUMS 1969-79
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.

For more information go to https://www.cherryred.co.uk

Til next time…..take care & stay safe……Colin

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

 

 

 

SMART SOUNDS by Colin Bell reviewing Chris Farlowe: Stormy Monday – The Blues Years 1985-2008, 3CD Digipack

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CHRIS FARLOWE    STORMY MONDAY – THE BLUES YEARS 1985-2008

I must be honest upfront and say I’m not a die hard blues fan, I am however a die hard Chris Farlowe fan. I’ve been privileged to know him and see him work since the late 60’s. The casual fan will always think of Chris’s best known work he did for Immediate culminating in his immortal No 1 ‘Out of Time’ and his (in my view) definitive version of Mike d’Abo’s ‘Handbags & Gladrags”. Excellent raw pop/soul/r&b records. After those days, fans of jazz rock & prog rock will appreciate his work with Colosseum & Atomic Rooster. However, at heart Chris is a blues man, with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the scene & may well be the finest singer of the genre this country has produced. This new 3CD set release from Strawberry Records brings together some of his greatest blues work, with his backing band The Thunderbirds, solo, & live spanning 2 decades from the 80’s to the noughties. Spanning 3 discs are 55 tracks showcasing that very special voice that remains undimmed by the passage of time. I last saw Chris just pre Covid & he was still sounding as powerful as ever. Nobody else ever sounds like him he is unique & his delivery instantly recognisable. Blues fans in my experience know their subject in minute detail & relish every nuance. As i said at the start I’m not in the die hard camp but having said that I could listen to this new compilation all day happilly. Disc1 provides us with the most traditional blues tracks culled from 1985’s ‘Out Of The Blue’ & ‘1986’s ‘Born Again’ recorded with The Thunderbirds. Produced by Mike Vernon a major figure in the British Blues scene who founded the much loved & respected Blue Horizon label. There are treats galore here from the brace of opening tracks ‘I Ain’t Superstitious’ & ‘Gamblers Blues’ through the wonderful take on Bobby Bland’s ‘Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City’ Howlin Wolf’s ‘I Ain’t Superstitious’ & my favourite BB King song ‘The Thrill Is Gone’. The musicianship on display is excellent, the brass on  ‘Ain’t Got No Money’ is just awesome. The closing 2 tracks on Disc1 constitute 2 of my favourites on the whole 3 CD set with Chris covering soul singer Don Covey’s ‘I Stayed Away Too Long’ & his interpretation of Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac hit ‘Man Of The World’ which I’ve heard him do live & have long admired. Disc2 kicks off in a more blues/rock vein with the storming ‘Rock & Roll Soldier’ & ‘Livin it Up’ 2 brilliant tracks with some great guitar work from the likes of Albert Lee &  Alvin Lee. There’s a choice cover of old Stax favourite ‘Private Number’ originally performed by William Bell & Judy Clay, here Chris partners with Elkie Brook’s to bring the number a fresh feel. This leads on to his storming cover of The Small Faces No 1 ‘All Or Nothing’. Elsewhere standout highlights come from the likes of ‘Gangster Of Love’ ‘Ain’t No Big Deal’ and an inspired cover of John Fogerty’s ‘As Long As I Can See The Light’. The last half dozen tracks on the album are given over to Chris’s collaboration with Van Morrison who share a mutual admiration. I remember seeing the 2 performing live in the 90’s early 2000’s when Chris supported Van on tour. ‘It Should Have Been Me’ & ‘Blues Anthem’ top & tail the 6 tracks & bring Disc2 to a satisfying conclusion. Disc3 gives everyone a chance to hear Chris at his barnstorming best singing live, backed variously by, The Thunderbirds, The Norman Beaker Band & Roy Herrington & The Rhythm ‘N’ Blues Train. Here he serves up some of his best known work with opener ‘I Don’t Want To Sing The Blues No More’ ‘Stormy Monday’ & the aforementioned ‘All Or Nothing’ ‘Handbags & Gladrags’ ‘Out Of Time’ ‘Thrill is Gone’ and a cracking ‘Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City’ before wrapping up with ‘I’ve Been Born Again’. The whole digi-pack package is as ever nicely put together, with photos & with an interesting essay from Mojo writer Lois Wilson. It has been said that Chris’s mid 60’s recording of ‘Stormy Monday Blues’ is the greatest British Blues recording ever. I wouldn’t disagree with that. As I remarked earlier I believe Chris has one of the finest blues voices Britain has ever produced. Jimmy Page wanted him as lead singer for Led Zeppelin when he was putting the band together (the two had often worked together in the 60’s). Chris turned him down. That may not have been the wisest move financially, however creatively i can see why. Chris is a blues man to his very core. Enjoy.

For more information go to https://www.cherryred.co.uk
Til next time…..stay safe…take care…Colin

Mick O’Dowd… What a compo! Loved him since I discovered Stormy Monday on a Sue label single and found out it was him!

Alan Esdaile… I did hear Rod Stewart’s version of Handbags and Gladrags on the radio this morning but you are right Colin, you can’t beat Chris Farlowe version. Wonderful.

SMART SOUNDS by Colin Bell. Reviewing Renaissance: Tuscany, Expanded 3CD Edition

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RENAISSANCE  ‘TUSCANY’   (Expanded 3 CD Edition)
This new release from Esoteric Records is Deja Vu for me & very bittersweet. I will explain. Back in 2001 when ‘Tuscany’ was originally released I had the pleasure of Annie Haslam joining me in the studio on my Saturday Show on Hastings Rock to discuss the release & play some tracks. I hadn’t met Annie in the flesh up until that day, however she was a sheer joy & we shared someone in common very dear to both of us. John Tout. John was the keyboard player for a decade in Renaissance, throughout their major success period of the 70’s when they released 7 albums. Apart from being an excellent, gifted musician, John was the first professional musician to take me under his wing & nurture my interest in the business when I first met him as a 15 year old backstage on Hastings Pier when he was a member of Ruperts People. We remained close for nearly 40 years until his untimely passing in 2015. Sadly his contribution to Tuscany on 3 tracks would be his last recordings. To that end I would like to dedicate this review to him. Its fair to say that Renaissance has had many ups & downs. After their height of commercial success in the 70’s the 80’s saw the band experiment musically & move from their successful prog/symphonic rock sound to a more synth pop vibe with albums such as ‘Camera Camera’ (1981) & 1983’s ‘Time Line’. Both albums failed to be big commercial sellers in their main market which had traditionally been North America. By 1987 the band had disbanded. A messy few years followed before the main nucleus of Annie, Michael Dunsford, Terry Sullivan & the aforementioned John regrouped to record ‘Tuscany’ in 1998. For various reasons, I went into at the time, the album was not released until 2001. It was, & is in my opinion a stunning return to form for the band. The 10 exquisite tracks on the album don’t suffer from the ‘extended solo’s’ that bore me to tears that many a prog rock band employ (you know the ones). From the ethereal opener of ‘Lady From Tuscany’ Annie’s 5 octave crystal clear vocal soars above some truly beautiful compositions. Track 8 ‘Dolphins Prayer’ is so exquisite it almost reduces me to tears. It’s also John’s last contribution & features Annie’s romantic partner at the time the great Roy Wood who guests on bass, as he does on ‘Dear Landseer’ the track I have chosen to feature in the video clip at the close of this piece. Its hard to pick any track out as a highlight as I usually do, as all of them are strong right up to closer the up-tempo ‘One Thousand Roses’which for some reason reminds me of Kate Bush, although I can’t really say why! I recall back in 2001 when Annie & I did the original interview that the band were then going to take ‘Tuscany’ to Japan which they duly did. The results were later released as a 2 CD set ‘In The Land of The Rising Sun’. In this new remastered collection those 2 discs are also included to complete the 3 CD set. They demonstrate just how Renaissance had recaptured their magic and feature fan favourites & classics like ‘Carpet of The Sun’ ‘Mother Russia’ ‘Ashes Are Burning’ & naturally their sole single hit 1978’s ‘Northern Lights’. Just like the first time round I can’t recommend ‘Tuscany’ too highly, its a wonderful album that delights your soul. As ever, Esoteric Records have done a good job housing this new edition in a sturdy clamshell box complete with booklet & each CD in its own separate card sleeve. Its been a bittersweet re-visit but overall one full of great memories. Enjoy.
or more information go to https://www.cherryred.co.uk
Til next time……take care…….Colin

SMART SOUNDS by Colin Bell. Reviewing I See You Live On Love Street – Music From Laurel Canyon 1967-1975, 3CD Box Set

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I SEE YOU LIVE ON LOVE STREET – MUSIC FROM LAUREL CANYON 1967-1975     Various Artistes

I’m delighted to bring you this companion piece from Grapefruit Records to their well received 2022 ‘Heroes & Villains : The Sound of Los Angeles 1965 – 1968 compilation, previously reviewed in these pages. This new compilation boasts 3 CD’s spanning 72 tracks & running to over 4 hours & as ever with Grapefruit its beautifully presented in a sturdy clamshell box with each of the 3 CD’s enclosed in its own cardboard sleeve & sporting individual artwork. The accompanying 48 page booklet by label boss David Wells, is as ever, a fascinating treasure trove of information, annotating the tracks together with contemporary photo’s & I particularly liked the closing double page spread of Posters advertising gigs of the times. With the likes of The Doors, Jefferson Airplane & The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band plus others on the same bill. Wonderful. For those not familiar with the whole Laurel Canyon scene, a brief history. Whereas London & Liverpool here in the UK & New York over the pond had been the epicentres of the music world from the late 50’s onwards, By the ‘summer of love; & the whole hippie psychedelic scene of 1967 centred around San Francisco the music scene in the USA was now concentrated on the warm sunny skies of the West Coast & Los Angeles had become the place to be. A short distance from the famous Sunset Strip up in the hills lay peaceful Laurel Canyon. You may have seen the excellent Sky documentary a couple of years back on the whole scene that sprung up there. It became an incestuous hotbed of cross fertilisation between a host of unlikely bedfellows as the press release points out so aptly. You had The Monkees hanging out with Zappa, The Turtles with Judee Sill, The Doors, Steppenwolf & Warren Zevon collaborated with shady figure (i memorably met him once) Kim Fowley, a record producer amongst other things. Country rock burgeoned with the nearby Troubadour venue hosting the likes of The Byrds, Poco, CS&N, Buffalo Springfield etc. So to the compilation. Disc1 sub headed  ‘Young Girls Are Coming To The Canyon 1967-68’ gets us under way with the breezy vocals of The Association with ‘Come On In’ immediately transporting us to sunny Californian skies. Love appear with ‘The Good Humour Man, He Sees Everything’ from what i consider the best album ever recorded ‘Forever Changes’. A band I’m not familiar  with deliver a cracking slice of psyche with ‘Wildflowers’, I’ll be investigating the band further. Scott McKenzie of ‘San Francisco’ fame brings one of the best tracks on the whole compilation with ‘Twelve Thirty’ One of the best Beatles covers I;ve ever heard comes from The Sunshine Company & ‘I Need You’. Elsewhere you will find The Monkees, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Stone Poneys, Captain Beefheart, Mamas & Papas, Buffalo Springfield & a host of others. Disc 2 sub headed ‘Going Home To California 1969-72’ starts with a song I love, but I regularly forget about it until like now it pops up, i refer to Stephen Stills & ‘Love The One You’re With’ followed by the brilliant Poco with ‘Pickin’ Up The Pieces’ The dreamy tones of Tim Buckley entrance with’ Buzzin Fly’ & Glen Campbell weighs in with my all time favourite Jim Webb song ‘Where’s The Playground Susie’ & thank you compiler for not chopping the end, as is so often the case! Other tracks to be delighted with come from the likes of Three Dog Night, Rick Nelson, Canned Heat, Steppenwolf, Frank Zappa & a great number from Dave Mason with Cass Elliot on ‘Too Much Truth-Too Much Love’. Disc 3 sub headed ‘Postcards From Hollywood 1971-75’ takes us into more generally upbeat fare opening with J D Souther with ‘Some People Call It Music’ swiftly followed by the underrated excellent Little Feat & ‘Easy To Slip’, Linda Ronstadt & Judee Sill provide soft entries with ‘Birds’ & ‘Crayon Angels’ respectively. Elsewhere there are great contributions from Nilsson, Crazy Horse, Gram Parsons, Leon Russell & a whole host of others. Sadly I don’t have the space to go track by track, however i hope I have given you at least a sample taste of all the sublime music to be had on this new compilation. Over to you. Enjoy.

for more information go to https://www.cherryred.co.uk
Til next time……stay safe…..Colin

Pete Prescott… Looks great !

Paul Gray… Excellent review! I have this on order. Can’t go wrong with Grapefruit Box Sets and yes, Forever Changes is the greatest album of all time!

Colin Bell… Hi Paul, thanks for your kind comment. Pleased to meet someone else who also believes ‘Forever Changes’ is the greatest album of all time! Hands down, no arguments!

Leigh Mitchell… The documentary was excellent, this sounds like a brilliant purchase for ‘him in doors’! I saw Warren Zevron when I was living in Washington DC (1982 I think) in a very small venue, he was so good. I have an LP of his somewhere…..! xx

Alan Esdaile… yes it was a great documentary.