After the departure of both Ian Hunter and Mick Ronson from Mott The Hoople in 1974, remaining members Overend Watts (bass), Morgan Fisher (keys) and Dale Griffin (drums) formed the spin-off band Mott with guitarist Ray Major and vocalist Nigel Benjamin. Intending to be harder hitting, but still emphasising their links to their illustrious past, the band went straight into the studio to launch themselves with the self-produced 'Drive On'.
Commercial Rock and Roll was the order of the day; not a million miles away from whence they came but with the joyous vocals of Benjamin pushing mostly Watts-written tunes like 'By Tonight', 'Monte Carlo', 'The Great White Wail' and 'She Does It' into a Rockier direction. The Pop side of the band was still evident on the inventive 'Stiff Upper Lip' and the infectious 'It Takes One To Know One', along with quality ballads 'I'll Tell You Something', 'Here We Are' and 'Apologies', all based around Fisher's great piano work and Benjamin's heartfelt vocals.
Watts sang the excellent 'Love Now' himself, and this version also features the single b-side 'Shout It All Out', a laid-back tune that's just as musical as anything else here. Produced by the band themselves, 'Drive...' was a rough diamond with many appealing qualities.
by Phil Ashcroft
Tracks
1. By Tonight - 3:45
2. Monte Carlo - 4:35
3. She Does It - 3:26
4. I'll Tell You Something - 4:30
5. Stiff Upper Lip - 4:34
6. Love Now - 2:48
7. Apologies - 0:50
8. The Great White Wail - 5:09
9. Here We Are - 5:28
10.It Takes One To Know One (Dale Griffin) - 4:28
11.I Can Show You How It Is (Pete Overend Watts, Dale Griffin) - 2:51
All songs by Pete Overend Watts, except where stated
The Mott
*Nigel Benjamin - Lead Vocals, Rhythm, Acoustic Guitars
*Ray Major - Lead, Slide Guitars, Backing Vocals
*Morgan Fisher - Piano, Backing Vocals, Organ, Synthesizer
*Pete Overend Watts - Bass, Vocals
*Dale "Buffin" Griffin - Drums, Backing Vocals, Percussion
Born in Cardiff, Wales son of a Lay Preacher-Merchant Navy Sea Captain, Lindsay crossed the Atlantc Ocean six times by small cargo steamer, before the age of eight Captain Tom Organ took his wife Dorothy and two young children, Lindsay, and his older sister Anthea, on three exciting voyages to Canada. To this day, Lindsay can remember the massive storms, tidal waves, icebergs, and whales, he saw as a small boy. He says" I will always be grateful for the incredible memories my father gave me by taking me on those voyages", "I will forever love, and remain in awe, of the ocean".
Lindsay started playing guitar and writing songs at the age of eleven. Lindsay was 17, and Jacqueline Clifton was just 14 when they first met and started going together. 'The Land of Opportunity' was calling and after being married just a few months, they emigrated to Canada, arriving on the last day of February 1967, with approximately $50.00 cash, a trunk full of "stuff", including Lindsay's meager record collection, and hearts full of hopes and dreams.
After a year in Toronto, they turned a singing and performing hobby into a full time professional career in May 1968. Toronto agent Paul Simmons booked them their first gig. "The Nor-Shore" hotel, Thunder Bay (Port Arthur), a sixteen-hour drive from Toronto. "We were thrilled," says Lindsay of the time. "What a way to see the new homeland of Canada". The booking was an instant success. Lindsay recalls "It's just that we were such a novelty". "We sang 'light rock', and the popular folk songs of that time. But we had these really strong Welsh accents that almost no one had ever heard before". "That year we worked 48 weeks straight, and that's at six days a week, and I swore I would never work that hard again".
1968 their second year as full time professionals, they were offered to be managed by Andy Anka, father of the legendary Canadian singer/ songwriter Paul Anka. The relationship lasted for quite a few years before they parted ways. "Andy and we were just moving in different directions," says Lindsay. "Although, we had a great relationship while it lasted. Andy opened a lot of doors for us, he got us some great TV and radio exposure". "I'll always remember him as a very kind and generous man". The duo got to perform CBC radio and Television shows with some of Toronto's top studio musicians of that time: Mo Koffman, Guido Basso, Rob McConnell, Peter Appleyard, Ed Bickert, Don Thompson, Terry Clarke, Doug Riley. They shared television appearances with Dr Music, Gene McLellan, Catherine McKinnon, and many other popular Canadian performers of that time.
In 1969 they were the act that opened Toronto night spot, "the Jarvis House". They played numerous return engagements to 'line-up around the corner' crowds, every night. "It was 'The Age of Aquarius' days", Lindsay recalls. "Every night ended in encore after encore". "The crowds would go wild", "One night after we tried to leave the stage, they picked up Jacqueline and literally carried her back on. During that time they were offered a recording deal with Art Snider, owner of a Toronto recording studio called "Sound Canada".
Lindsay and Jacqueline were then living in Burlington, close to Toronto. They asked Ron Knappett, their next door neighbour's son, and an experienced jazz drummer to drum on their recording session. Through Ron they were introduced to two young musicians, just out of school, Daniel Lanois and his school mate Bob Doige. Bob Doidge had played bass in Ian Thomas's band Tranquility Base and Danny had been performing in groups when he was still in school. He and his brother Bob Lanois were starting to build a studio in the basement of their mum's house in Ancaster, Ontario.
At "Sound Canada", which had the luxury of being '8 track', Lindsay was supplied with a sound engineer, an Irish immigrant named Ernie Lyons ("lt's time fer another jar"), and all the freedom to produce what he wanted. The result is an eclectic mix of Lindsay early original compositions, with all sorts of experimental sounds and vocals. Lindsay quote: {"I was still learning the craft of songwriting. One song I'd recently placed second in a British song contest, but the one that came off the best was 'Night Spinner'. It's a little folk song I wrote in Barbados, and we recorded it without drums.
It's more interesting really from a historic point of view. Of the four people on that song: Bob Doidge (bass), later produced Gordon Lightfoot, Brooks Williams, Prairie Oyster, and now owns Grant Avenue Studios in Hamilton, Ontario. Lindsay later produced Alanis Morissette's first record, and Daniel Lanois (lead guitar) of course has produced almost everyone else from Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel, U2, Willie Nelson, etc, etc., etc. Most of the sessions took place at 1:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. after we'd been playing club gigs. But I remember we all had a hell of a lot of fun, and I believe we all learned a lot about sound and recording technique that was a good foundation for what came later on. Thank you, Art Snider'.}
"In a related story, around that time, Art owned the masters of some old sessions by Gordon Lightfoot and by now Gordon had become very successful". "Art Snider decided to capitalize on Gordon's success, and released the tracks as "Early Lightfoot'. "Bob Doidgem, our first bass player, who later in 1999 recorded and produced Lightfoot at Grant Avenue Studios, said that Gordon himself confirmed this "Lightfoot Legend" to him. Gordon bought the masters back from Art Snider, bought up every single copy of the Album that was in the warehouses and in the shops, and with his manager, laid them out in his driveway. Then together they took an axe and smashed every single one. Apparently Gordon felt the same way about his early album as I did about mine".
Shortly after the release of this album Jacqueline and Lindsay added other musicians to their stage line-up. At different times the group had as many as 6 members on stage. In 1971 they moved out of the city and bought a 125 year old stone farmhouse on 200 acres of beautiful rolling land, just outside of the southern Ontario farming community of Mount Forest.
Tracks
1. Night Spinner - 3:34
2. It's Not Important - 2:25
3. Give Me Eden - 3:19
4. Nine To Five Blues - 3:29
5. Sip of Wine - 3:47
6. Run With The Hare - 3:39
7. Rape of The Fair Country - 4:21
8. Take Me - 1:59
9. The Fair - 2:01
10.Look Away - 3:32
All songs written by Lindsay Thomas Morgan
Tracks 4 and 9 were recorded at the same original session but never released.
Musicians
*Lindsay Morgan - Vocals, Guitar, Keybaords
*Jacqueline Morgan - Vocals, Percussion
*Paul Benton - Hammond B3
*Ron Knappett - Drums
*Kyle Pacey - Lead Guitar
*Daniel Lanois - Lead Guitar
*Bob Doidge - Bass, Vocals
Take a moment to consider a number of the songs written or co-written by Philip "P.F." Sloan: "Secret Agent Man," "Eve of Destruction," "Let Me Be," "Where Were You When I Needed You," "You Baby," "A Must to Avoid," "Another Day, Another Heartache." Yet the songwriter, who died on November 15 at the age of 70, may be best known for the bittersweet, elegiac ode penned by his colleague and admirer, Jimmy Webb. "I have been seeking P.F. Sloan," Webb's song begins. "But no one knows where he has gone..."
by Joe Marchese
Raised on Records was a reflection of its times, with P.F. Sloan entering a mellower singer/songwriter phase, in tune with trends of the early 1970s. It almost seems as if Sloan has been influenced by James Taylor, and to a much lesser extent other low-key performers of the ilk like Cat Stevens - not nearly so much in his songwriting as in the laidback production. Sloan's underrated singing is good, and his writing is fair. By most singer/songwriter contrasts, this would be considered a respectable release.
by Richie Unterberger
Tracks
1. Let Me Be - 2:47
2. The Way You Want It To Be - 4:05
3. The Night The Trains Broke Down - 4:19
4. The Moon Is Stone - 4:13
5. Raised On Records - 4:09
6. Springtime - 4:34
7. Como - 3:11
8. Sins Of A Family - 3:35
9. Turn On The Light - 3:03
10.Midnight Girl - 2:52
11.Somebody's Watching You - 4:16
Music and Lyrics by P.F. Sloan
Musicians
*P.F. Sloan - Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals
*John Barbata - Drums
*James Barton - Dobro
*John Baylor - Vocals
*Barry Beckett - Organ
*Ben Benay - Banjo, Guitars, Ukulele
*Richard Bennett - Steel Guitar
*Hal Blaine - Drums
*Phyllis Brown - Vocals
*James Burton - Dobro
*Conte Candoli - Trumpet
*Evangeline Carmichael - Vocals
*Duane Eddy - Guitar
*Alan Estes - Congas
*Chris Ethridge - Bass
*Loren Farber - Vocals
*Mitch Gordon - Vocals
*Bobbye Hall - Percussion
*Ron Hicklin - Vocals
*Jim Horn - Flute, Tenor Saxophone
*Dick Hyde - Trombone
*Jackie Kelso - Guitar, Baritone Sax, Wind
*Larry Knechtel - Piano, Electric Piano
*Robert Krantz - Violin
*Ida McCune - Vocals
*Mike Melvoin - Bass
*Mike Metzion - Bass
*Ollie Mitchell - Trumpet
*Michael Omartian - Accordion, Keyboards, Organ, Electric Piano
Mourning Dayze was born on August 9,1965 in Whitewater, Wisconsin. The band's original name was "The Coachmen," but later when they discovered there was another band with the same name, the guys decided to change It, The band traveled to and from gigs in a hearse pulling a trailer. One morning while driving back to Whitewater, after another late-night gig, the sun was coming up and it was hazy; thus; Mourning Dayze.
Mourning Dayze was extremely popular in the Midwest especially in the teen bars that were popular in Wisconsin during the late 1960's and early 1970.'$. The band was popular on many college campuses, not only for its music, but also for their light show. It’s believed that Mourning Dayze was the first rock and roll band in the state of Wisconsin to include atraveling strobe light. The band became known throughout the Midwest because of its props, including a large banner with the name. Mourning Dayze on it; an umbrella on a mike stand; a siren; an old fashioned pole lamp with a yellow light, and the familiar Taj Mahal on the kick drum, In addition to Midwestern states, Mourning Dayze played in states as far east as New York and New Jersey, as far south as Florida and as far west as Idaho, The band also played numerous gigs in Canada.
During the first five years prominent musicians passed through the band leaving a long lasting impression, Curly Cook, an early guitarist with the Steve Miller Band introduced Mourning Dayze to the power of the blues and the power and soul of the guitar Berry Oakley played bass guitar with Mourning Dayze shortly before the formation of the Allman Brothers Band. Mike Warner joined in the fall of 1969, after his summer drumming with Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions. During the firs! five years, Mourning Dayze opened for many well-known bands, including The Music Explosion, Ohio Express, The Lemon Pipers, The Trashmen, and The New Colony SIX.
From the summer of 1972 to the spring of 2000, Mourning Dayze played a portion of every year at Alpine Valley Resort in East Troy, Wisconsin. It began performing as a house band for the winter ski season and on weekends during the summer, in the mid-70's Alpine Valley became a major stop on the national tour for rock, pop and contemporary styles of music. Mourning Dayze was in the perfect setting to meet jam, and listen backstage, to national touring acts every weekend, week after week, year in and year out. Some of the bands Mourning Dayze jammed with include Los Crusades, RE XX Billy Swan and Hank Williams Jr. in the fall and spring of each year, Mourning Oayze would hit the road with a special love for touring the western United States. After 41 years Mourning Dayze is still gigging.
Liner-Notes
Tracks
1. Fly My Paper Airplane - 2:40
2. Sad Man's Madness - 2:37
3. Man with the Thin Mind (R. Pfeifer, John Valentine) - 3:32
4. Moon That Gives No Sunlight - 2:12
5. Rain Time - 2:01
6. The Mourning Dayze - 2:28
7. Are We Going to Say Goodbye? (R. Pfeifer, Doug Henry) - 2:24
8. Fly My Paper Airplane - 3:04
All song by Rick Pfeifer unless else written.
As 1971 came around Bardens reconvened to the studio to record his second solo album with a fresh line-up although he retained the services of Andy Gee and Reg Isadore. Released in July of that year it was probably more varied in style than its predecessor with Bardens assuming much of the vocal duties. After the silliness of the opening instrumental North End Road (complete with bar room piano) the album gets down to serious business with the brooding and Bob Dylan influenced Write My Name In The Dust.
Bardens organ playing is tastefully understated here allowing the soulful vocal delivery to take centre stage. The superb massed female chorus is equally soulful. Down So Long is a stop-start affair with a tediously repetitive choral line but the engaging instrumental interplay that occupies the mid section does at least justify its existence.
In terms of melody Sweet Honey Wine is one of the stronger songs here sounding not unlike The Rolling Stones in playful mode. Similarly the vocals during the manic Tear Down The Wall have more than a hint of Mick Jagger about them. Bardens’ frenzied organ work here is some of the most inspired to feature on either of these two albums. In contracts the aptly titled Simple Song is a sunny little country style ditty that could have come from the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band.
The mellow instrumental My House is for me the albums best track that would have not sounded out of place on a Camel album with Vic Linton’s tasteful guitar lines pre-empting the Latimer/Bardens partnership that would come later. Feeling High however returns to the unimaginative stoner blues-rock of the previous album leaving another aptly titled affair Blueser to bring things to a less than inspired conclusion.
by Geoff Feakes
Tracks
1. North End Road - 1:25
2. Write My Name In The Dust - 6:34
3. Down So Long (Peter Bardens, Vic Linton, Reg Isadore, John Owen) - 7:00
4. Sweet Honey Wine - 4:26
5. Tear Down The Wall - 7:21
6. Simple Song - 2:20
7. My House - 6:17
8. Feeling Hugh - 5:08
9. Blueser - 2:15
All songs by Pete Bardens except where noted.
Getting their first significant break, by gate crashing a Small Faces show in Orlando in 1971, Philadelphia-born Bang are often cited as being the closest band America had to Black Sabbath in the early 70’s, though there is much more to Bang than being mere copyists. This can finally be witnessed here on this deluxe re-mastered CD set, which encapsulates all of the bands recorded output from their ‘Capitol Records Period’, which spanned from 1971-1974.
Also included in here is the previously unreleased, debut album ‘Death of a Country’, which was initially rejected by Capitol, as being a ‘heavy concept album’ they thought no one would understand.
Highly regarded as a cult act by many for years, it’s now time for this truly amazing rock band to be enjoyed by a new audience. As can be heard over this four CD set, the versatility and songwriting skills of Bang were second to none. Starting with the darkly psychedelic prog-tinged vibes of their aforementioned unreleased debut, they soon became major contenders in the hard rock stakes with the release of their debut self-titled album in 1971, which has since gone to be considered an important forerunner to the early Doom Metal genre.
This was followed by the monumental ‘Mother/Bow To The King‘ album in 1972 which, quite frankly, should have exploded. Changes in personnel at their record company offices and an externally forced line-up change led to frustration and bewilderment, before releasing their swansong 1973 album Music. It is on this album that we see a mature songwriting partnership moving away from the all out heaviness of their earlier work, into reflective, yet uplifting almost Powerpop mode.
Also included here are the so-called ‘lost singles‘, which were the last attempts at commercial success, prior to the band folding for many years, before reforming in the early 90’s. There is a point to be made that these three tracks are some of the best material the band ever wrote, with ‘Slow Down‘ being a return to the heavier times with a main riff to die for, whilst ‘Make Me Pretty‘ is a fantastic powerpop ballad ahead of it’s time.
Bullets consists of a deluxe box containing four individual LP replica CD’s in mini gatefold sleeves, with an extensive 40 page booklet, detailing the bands unique story, with many unseen photo’s and an exclusive free sticker.
Tracks Disc 1 - Death of a Country Originally Recorded 1971 (Unreleased at the time)
1. Death of a Country - 10:07
2. No Trespassing - 5:10
3. My Window - 4:46
4. Life on Ending - 4:13
5. Certainly Meaningless - 3:32
6. Future Song - 3:59
All songs by Frank Ferrara, Frank Gilcken, Tony Diorio
Disc 2 - Bang Self-Titled. Originally released 1971
1. Lions, Christians - 4:00
2. The Queen - 5:24
3. Last Will and Testament - 4:10
4. Come With Me - 4:20
5. Our Home - 3:27
6. Future Shock - 4:41
7. Questions - 3:48
8. Redman - 4:54
All songs by Frank Ferrara, Frank Gilcken, Tony Diorio
Disc 3 - Mother/Bow to the King. Originally released 1972
1. Mother - 4:25
2. Humble - 4:43
3. Keep On - 3:39
4. Idealist Realist - 4:30
5. No Sugar Tonight (Randy Bachman) - 2:39
6. Feel The Hurt - 5:18
7. Tomorrow - 3:04
8. Bow To The King - 5:39
All songs by Frank Ferrara, Frank Gilcken, Tony Diorio except where noted
Disc 4 - Music. Originally released 1973 with Bonus material
1. Windfare 3:09
2. Glad you’re Home - 3:08
3. Don’t need Nobody - 3:04
4. Page of my Life - 2:28
5. Love Sonnet - 3:14
6. Must be love - 2:54
7. Exactly Who I am - 3:39
8. Pearl and Her Ladies - 3:03
9. Little Boy Blue - 4:19
10.Brightness - 2:53
11.Another Town - 0:49
12.Slow Down - 2:39
13.Feels Nice - 2:59
14.Make me Pretty - 4:14
15.Radio Interview - 32:36
Bonus tracks 12-14 The Lost Singles
All songs by Frank Ferrara, Frank Gilcken, Tony Diorio
Danish early 70’s rock/bluesrock band with a parallel German career using the bandname System. Started out playing in the early 70’s, recording their first album in 1972 though it wasn’t released until 1974, In 1973 the band toured in Norway and W.Germany. In the 1974 their debut album was finally released, in Denmark as by Sensory System titled “Sensory!” and in W.Germany as selftitled “System”.
Their first album was partly recorded at Studio Maschen (just outside Hamburg) with the involvement of Achim Reichel. Sensory System played hard rock reminding me of the Alex Harvey Band and James Gang (and countless other “rock” groups, really). Massive amounts of electric guitar, creaky vocals and half-decent songs but never anything outstanding.
Tracks
1. Red Man - 4:52
2. Never Knowing - 3:38
3. Experience, My Teacher - 5:58
4. While Nixon Plays The Piano - 5:05
5. Come On - 3:15
6. Biggan, Be Gone - 4:08
7. I'll Take You - 4:22
8. Winter's Over - 7:22
All songs by Brian Burr-Philipp, Flemming Bjergby, Rene Wulff, Jørgen Werner
System
*Brian Burr-Philipp - Lead Vocals, Harmonica, Acoustic Guitar
Bacon Fat, originally the Southside Blues Band, was a Los Angeles, California blues band noted for a dual-harmonica-driven, Chicago blues sound.
Following the breakup of the Dirty Blues Band in 1968, Rod Piazza and George “Harmonica” Smith, whom Piazza credits with putting him “straight on the chromatic harp,” formed the Southside Blues Band. The band toured with Big Mama Thornton and, in 1969, released “George Smith of the Blues” (or, “… Of The Blues”, as it appeared on the album cover) as ‘George “Harmonica” Smith & His Blues Band.’ Originally released on World Pacific, the album was reissued in 1974 by ABC/Bluesway (BLS 6029), and in Germany in 1987 on Crosscut (CCR 1015). Smith’s “Juicy Harmonica” from this album is regarded as a chromatic harmonica classic; indeed, Piazza covered “Juicy Harmonica” on “Grease One for Me.”
Recorded on February 27 and 28, 1969 in Hollywood, personnel on “… Of The Blues” are listed as Smith and “Lightnin’ Rod” (Piazza) on harmonicas; Richard Davis, trumpet ; Jim Wynn and Ed Davis, saxes; Robert Schedel, piano; Marshall Hooks and Arthur Adams, guitars; and Curtis Tillman, bass. The drummer is not listed.
Shortly after the release of “…Of The Blues”, British producer Mike Vernon persuaded the band to move to Blue Horizon and to change their name. The band renamed themselves Bacon Fat, the title of an Andre Williams recording. The lineup of the band at this time, in addition to Smith and Piazza, were Buddy Reed, guitar; Gregg Schaefer, guitar; JERRY SMITH, bass; Dick Innes, drums; and J. D. Nicholson, piano.
Vernon decided to first record an already-scheduled gig opening for, and backing up Pee Wee Crayton, November 16, 1969, at the “Bar Paradise A Go Go” (widely known as “Small’s”), a club at E53rd St and Avalon Blvd in South-Central LA. These tracks were subsequently released in 1986 by Blue Moon as “Live at Small’s Paradise” (BMLP 1.029).
The following day, November 17, 1969, was spent at the Eldorado Recording Studio in Hollywood, recording tracks for Bacon Fat’s first album, “Grease One for Me”. On the 18th, Bacon Fat, plus guitarists Pee Wee Crayton and Marshall Hooks recorded 8 tracks that were released as “No Time For Jive” under “George Smith.” Smith appears on only one track of “Grease One for Me”; Piazza does not appear at all on “No Time For Jive”. Mike Vernon, the producer of both albums, maintains that the segregation of Smith and Piazza on these releases was coincidence and, in hindsight, it was probably a mistake to lose the dual-harp format that had made Southside/Bacon Fat successful in the first place.
A tour of Europe to promote both “Grease One for Me” and “No Time For Jive”, originally planned for May, was delayed until November, 1970. While in the UK, Bacon Fat recorded the tracks for their second album. The sale of the Blue Horizon label to Polydor by CBS delayed the release of “Tough Dude” until March, 1971, allowing the excitement generated by the tour to fade. Bacon Fat broke up sometime in 1971.
Tracks
1. Up the Line (Walter Jacobs, Willie Dixon) - 4:13
2. Boom Boom (Out Goes the Lights) (Stanley Lewis) - 3:46
3. Small's on 53rd (Rod "Gingerman" Piazza) - 3:45
4. She's a Wrong Woman (Rod "Gingerman" Piazza) - 5:22
5. I Need Your Love (J.D. Nicholson) - 3:45
6. Juicy Harmonica (Jerry Smith) - 3:53
7. Nobody but You (Walter Spriggs) - 2:12
8. Telephone Blues (Jerry Smith) - 5:57
9. You're So Fine (Walter Jacobs) - 3:08
10.Too Late (Willie Dixon) - 5:58
The Bacon Fat
*Rod "Gingerman" Piazza - Harp, Vocals
*George "Harmonica" Smith - Harp, Vocals
*Buddy Reed - Guitar, Vocals
*Gregg Schaefer - Guitar
*J.D. Nicholson - Vocals, Piano
*Jerry Smith - Bass
*Dick Innes, Jr. - Drums
In 1966 The Who's 2nd Album, A Quick One, marked a change in The Who's recording approach, and although re-recording songs that had previously been cut with Shel Talmy and discovering stereo as everyone was at the time, the addition of the Mini Opera demonstrated the path the band would eventually be taking.
Kit's early days in production used a lot of compression and plenty of mid-range EQ so re- mastering from these original mixes one is tempted to find some top and bottom (if it exists!) and to diminish the hard mid frequencies. However, in this collection, I have tried to be true to the period, so very little EQ has been used.
One or two things, like the "Ready, Steady, Who" tracks have been softened a little in the mids to help them fit and the opposite, of course, has been applied to the mixes that Andy MacPherson and I did in '90s~'00s which we have had to use where original stereo mixes do not exist.
The Stereo mixes from that period mainly come from the German Polydor archives; however the original stereo German Quick One LP tapes sound a little better than the tapes for the LP "The Who" where the stereo 'I'm A Boy' and 'In The City' came from.
I have spent some time finding the best-sounding tapes (and there are a lot of tapes) for this compilation but one or two things like a decent sounding Circles, Substitute (US Single version), and I'm A Boy (Alternate version) have been hard to find.
However plenty of original mixes were found. These tapes, like the mono and stereo LP mixes, were played on a slightly modified Ampex ATR and the only EQ used was analogue with a Manley Massive Passive or the Prism/Maselec MEA-2. I also used a Maselec 3 x band compressor on some of the newer mixes to age them a little.
The conversion to digital at 96k / 24bit is then through DCS converters and the last stage is through the TC 6000 where a little more volume is gained with the 5 band compressor / limiter before being recorded into my Sadie 5 system where the editing and any digital processing like de- click and retouch is done.
The Sadie processing does a very nice 96 to 44.1 conversion and finally the 24 bit audio is dithered down to 16 using Daniel Weiss's POW-r plug in.
Error-free DDP files are then burnt within the Sadie computer to a DVD-r to send off for replication.
This was one of the great albums of the sixties - brilliantly melodic, original and intelligent - but known till now only to a small band of passionate cognoscenti.
ARK 2 was the first 'concept album' - a 'space cantata' (though that makes it sound inaccessible and pretentious, which it is far from being). Written by the UK songwriting team whose success, according to The Penguin Encyclopedia of Popular Music, was 'rivalled only by Lennon & McCartney': Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley, both from Hampstead, London.
Though brilliantly reviewed in the music and rock press of the time (it was Sunday Times Rock Album of the Year in 1969), the BBC did not know what to make of it: there were no radio or TV slots for an extended rock work at the time. So it remained largely unheard except by those who sought it out.
It is noteworthy for the first appearance on disc of Phil Collins, but (Flash) Gordon Smith, Brian Chatton and Ronnie Caryl each contributed their own fantastic musicianship and vocal power.
As can be seen from the original 'sleeve notes', ARK 2, nearly forty years ago, was extraordinarily prescient, anticipating many of today's private and global dilemmas and anxieties.
"After a while, supporting John Walker of The Walker Brothers, Collins and his guitarist friend Ronnie Caryl formed Hickory who soon found themselves with a concept album, the backing of Phonogram, and a new name, Flaming Youth.
Their album Ark II, was premiered at the London Planetarium and received lots of favourable press, but musical differences and a lack of commercial success soon meant it was time to answer another Melody Maker ad, this time from a struggling young band from Surrey, called Genesis."
Tracks
1. Guide Me, Orion - 3:16
2. Earthglow - 2:52
3. Weightless - 2:37
4. The Planets - 12:47
.a. Mars - Bringer Of War
.b. Venus - Bringer Of Peace
.c. Mercury - The Winged Messenger
.d. Jupiter - Bringer Of Jollity
.e. Saturn - Bringer Of Old Age
.f. Uranus - The Magician
.g. Neptune - The Mystic
5. Changes - 5:48
6. Pulsar - 3:05
7. Space Child - 5:10
8. In The Light Of Love - 3:26
9. From Now On (Immortal Invisible) - 4:19
10.Man, Woman And Child - 3:14
11.Drifting - 3:52
All songs written by Ken Howard, Alan Blaikley
Bonus Tracks 10-11 The Flaming Youth
*Phil Collins - Drums, Percussion, Vocals
*Ronnie Caryl - Bass, 12-string Guitar, Vocals
*(Flash) Gordon Smith - Bass, Vocals, Guitars
*Brian Chatton - Organ, Piano, Vocals
