Grand Funk Railroad - On Time (1969 us, solid classic heavy blues rock, 2002 remaster and expanded)

The foundation of what was to become "Grand Funk Railroad" was laid in Flint, Michigan in the mid 1960's. Richard Terrance Knapp was a popular local D.J. who decided to leave radio to enter the music end of the business. After deejaying at record hops with a local band named "The Jazz Masters", which consisted of Don Brewer (drums), Al Pippins (guitar), Bob Caldwell (keyboards), and Herm Jackson (bass), Knapp lied to them that he was personal friends with Mick Jagger and Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones. Because of this and his radio connections, the band invited him to join the group as their lead singer. To sound more "English", they renamed the band "The Pack", and Richard Knapp started using "Terry Knight" as his stage name.

The group soon developed a large local following and reached number 46 on the national record charts with a song called "I Who Have Nothing", released on the small "Lucky Eleven" label. Herman Jackson was drafted, and was replaced by a local kid named Mark Farner. Eventually, Terry Knight left the band and The Pack continued on without him.

By 1968, Farner and Brewer decided to leave and form a new band of their own. They recruited bass player Mel Schacher from Question Mark and The Mysterians, and renamed themselves "Grand Funk Railroad", inspired by a Michigan landmark, The Grand Trunk Railroad. By this time, Terry Knight had landed a job at Capitol Records in New York, but accepted an invitation to become the trio's manager.

After a wildly successful performance at the Atlanta Pop Festival on July 4, 1969, the band landed a recording contract with Capitol Records and immediately began making its name by performing at several large pop festivals.

Their first singles reached the charts but Grand Funk soon proved its real strength in the album market. "On Time" reached number 27 in 1969 and was recorded in 3 days during the summer of 1969 at Cleveland Recording Company Studios, and it's unquestionably one of the best hard rock debuts ever. While some bands honed their sound over the course of a few albums, GFR had already found its niche with ON TIME, which was one of the first albums to be termed "heavy metal." Sample a young and hungry Grand Funk, with highlights including "Anybody's Answer," "Into the Sun," "Time Machine," and "Are You Ready?"
Classic-Bands

Tracks
1. Are You Ready - 3:28
2. Anybody's Answer - 5:17
3. Time Machine - 3:45
4. High On A Horse - 2:56
5. T.N.U.C. - 8:42
6. Into The Sun - 6:29
7. Heartbreaker - 6:35
8. Call Yourself A Man - 3:05
9. Can't Be Too Long - 6:34
10.Ups And Downs - 5:01
11.High On A Horse (Original Version) - 4:25
12.Heartbreaker (Original Version) - 6:52
All songs written by Mark Farner

Grand Funk Railroad
*Don Brewer: Drums, Vocals
*Mark Farner: Guitar, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals
*Mel Schacher: Bass, Vocals

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James Taylor - James Taylor (1968 us, an eye-opening mix between country, blues, and some antique folk styles)

James Taylor was the first artist to be signed to record on the Beatles' short-lived vanity Apple label. In late 1968, Taylor's sophisticated self-titled disc foreshadowed the introspective singer/songwriter genre that dominated pop music in the early and mid-'70s.

Although often touted as his debut, this release is chronologically Taylor's second studio outing. James Taylor and the Original Flying Machine -- an EP recorded a year earlier -- contains rudimentary versions of much of the same original material found here. The album is presented with two distinct sides. The first, in essence, presents a unified multi-song suite incorporating several distinctly Baroque-flavored links connecting the larger compositions. The second is a more traditional collection of individual tunes.

This unique juxtaposition highlights Taylor's highly personal and worldly lyrics within a multidimensional layer of surreal and otherwise ethereal instrumentation. According to Taylor, much of the album's subject matter draws upon personal experience. This is a doubled-edged blessing because the emphasis placed on the pseudo-blues "Knocking 'Round the Zoo" and the numerous other references made to Taylor's brief sojourn in a mental institution actually do a disservice to the absolutely breathtaking beauty inherent in every composition.

Several pieces debuted on this release would eventually be reworked by Taylor several years later. Among the notable inclusions are "Rainy Day Man," "Night Owl," "Something in the Way She Moves," and "Carolina in My Mind." Musically, Taylor's decidedly acoustic-based tunes are augmented by several familiar names. Among them are former King Bees member Joel "Bishop" O'Brien (drums) -- who had joined Taylor and Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar in the Original Flying Machine -- as well as Paul McCartney (bass), who lends support to the seminal version of "Carolina in My Mind."

The album's complex production efforts fell to Peter Asher -- formerly of Peter and Gordon and concurrent head of Apple Records A&R department. The absolute conviction that runs throughout this music takes the listener into its confidence and with equal measures of wit, candor, and sophistication, James Taylor created a minor masterpiece that is sadly eclipsed by his later more popular works.
by Lindsay Planer

Tracks
1. Don't Talk Now - 2:36
2. Something's Wrong - 3:00
3. Knockin' Round the Zoo - 3:26
4. Sunshine Sunshine - 3:30
5. Taking It In - 3:01
6. Something in the Way She Moves - 2:26
7. Carolina in My Mind - 3:36
8. Brighten Your Night With My Day - 3:05
9. Night Owl - 3:38
10.Rainy Day Man (Taylor, Wiesner) - 3:00
11.Circle Round the Sun (Traditional arr. Taylor) - 3:24
12.Blues Is Just a Bad Dream - 3:42
13.Sunny Skies - 2:12
14.Let Me Ride - 3:57
15.Sunshine Sunshine (Demo) - 2:51
16.Carolina in My Mind (Demo) - 3:06
All songs by James Taylor unless otherwise noted.

Musicians
*James Taylor - Guitar, Vocals
*Peter Asher - Percussion, Vocals
*Louis Cennamo - Bass
*George Harrison - Vocals
*Richard Hewson - Strings, Bassoon, Oboe
*Skaila Kanga - Harp
*Paul Mccartney - Fender Jazz Bass, Guitar, Vocals
*Bishop O'Brien - Drums, Percussion
*Freddie Redd - Keyboards
*Don Schinn - Keyboards
*Mick Wayne - Guitar

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Various Artists - Piccadilly Sunshine Part 3 (1967-70 uk, groovie psych pop)

Artists - Tracks

1. Grapefruit - Ain't It Good - 2:33

2. Sight And Sound - Little Jacky Monday - 2:15

3. J.A. Freedman - Dance With The Man In The Teapot - 2:29

4. Dukes Nobleman - Thank You For Your Loving - 3:00

5. Montanas - Hey Diddle Diddle - 2:23

6. Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera - Dreamy - 2:30

7. Spectrum - Samantha's Mine - 2:19

8. Vanity Park - Waiting For Nightfall - 2:32

9. Young Idea - Mr. Lovin' Luggage Man - 2:24

10.Dave Clark Five - Man In The Pinstripe Suit  - 1:51

11.Now - The Handle On The Clack Stands Still- 3:21

12.Keith Field - Stop! Thief - 2:10

13.Paul Jones - Come Into My Muisic Box - 2:39

14.Cupid's Inspiration - Look At Me - 2:16

15.Peanuts - Emily - 3:09

16.Shoes - What In The World - 2:47

17.Twinset - Sneakin' Up On You - 2:23

18.Wath Committee - Now I Think The Other Way - 2:00

19.John Bryant - She's In Need Of Love - 3:21

20.Tony River And The Castaways - Pantomime - 3:45

21.Denis Couldry And The Next Collection - I Am Nearly There - 3:16

22.Grapefruit - Come Down To The Station - 2:59

23.Martha Velez - Swamp Man  - 2:50

24.Keith Field - The Day That War Broke Out - 3:03

25. Hayden Wood - The Last One To Know - 2:29

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Steve Howe With Bodast - The Early Years (1969 uk, mod beat)

One of Steve Howe's several obscure pre-Yes projects, Bodast filled the gap between his stint in Tomorrow and his recruitment for Yes. Apart from Howe, the line-up consisted of Clive Skinner (vocals, guitar), Dave Curtis (vocals, bass), and Bobby Clarke (aka Woodman) (drums). 

Curtis and Clarke had previously played together in ex-Searcher Chris Curtis's short-lived group Roundabout, comprising the portion of the band that didn't end up in Deep Purple, and Clarke's history in rock 'n roll went back to playing in the house band (playing skiffle) at the legendary 2 I's coffee bar in Soho during the late 1950's, and subsequent gigs with Screaming Lord Sutch and Vince Taylor's band. Curtis's previous work had included recording backed by his own band, the Tremors. 

As a psychedelic-cum-progressive rock outfit, Bodast was a strange link between those skiffle and early rock 'n roll roots and early '70s art-rock. Bodast slogged around the underground circuit in 1968 and 1969, never releasing any official product; some interest on part of Deep Purple's label (Tetragrammaton) came to naught, and they seldom played live, although they spent lots of time writing and rehearsing original material. Howe actually turned down offers from the Nice and Jethro Tull out of loyalty to the group, but finally gave up after the Tetragrammaton deal failed to come through. 

They did record some unreleased material in 1969 with ex-Tomorrow vocalist Keith West producing. These tapes, eventually released in the 1980s, showed them to be an average band reflecting the transition of British underground rock from psychedelia to progressive rock; it's of interest mostly to Howe fans, and even then it isn't among his more notable work.

Tracks
1.  Do You Remember  - 3:37
2.  Beyond Winter  - 2:53
3.  Once In A Lifetime  - 3:26
4.  Black Leather Gloves  - 3:17
5.  I Want You  - 3:20
6.  Tired Towers  - 3:06
7.  Mr. Jones  - 3:06
8.  1,000 Years  - 2:40
9.  Nether Street  - 3:00
10. Nothing To Cry For  - 4:06

The Bodast
*Steve Howe - Guitar
*Bobby Clarke - Drums
*Clive Skinner - Vocals, Guitar
*Dave Curtis - Vocals, Bass

Similar Act
1968  Tomorrow

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Badfinger - No Dice (1970 uk, marvelous power pop, 2010 remaster with xtra trax)

Badfinger's second album No Dice kicks off with "I Can't Take It," a rocker that signaled even if Badfinger still played pop and sang ballads, they considered themselves a rock band. What gave Badfinger character is they blended their desire to rock with their sensitive side instead of compartmentalizing. Even when they rock on No Dice, it's never earthy, like, say, the Stones. 

Badfinger's very sensibility and sound is modeled after the early British Invasion, where bands sang catchy, concise love songs. Yet there's a worldliness to their music absent from that of their forefathers, partially because Badfinger styled themselves as classicists, adapting the sound of their idols and striving to create a similar body of work. No Dice bears this out, boasting old-fashioned rockers, catchy pop tunes, and acoustic ballads. On the surface, there's nothing special about such a well-crafted, sharply produced, straight-ahead pop record, but the pleasure of a power pop album is in the craft. 

No Dice is not without flaws -- a byproduct of an all-writing, all-singing band is that some songs don't measure up -- but it does achieve the right balance of craft, fun, and emotion, due in no small part to Pete Ham's songwriting. Ham dominates the record, providing note-perfect openers and closers, along with the centerpiece singles "No Matter What" and "Without You," the latter a yearning, painful ballad co-written with Tom Evans. 

Collaborating with new guitarist Joey Molland, Evans wrote two other excellent songs ("I Don't Mind," "Better Days"), while Molland's own "Love Me Do" chugs along with nice momentum. Still, the heart of the album lies in Ham's work.. He proves that songcraft is what separates great power-pop from good, and it's what makes No Dice a superb pop record. 

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tracks

1. I Can't Take It (Pete Ham) - 2:56

2. I Don't Mind (Tom Evans, Joey Molland) - 3:14

3. Love Me Do (Joey Molland) - 2:59

4. Midnight Caller (Pete Ham) - 2:49

5. No Matter What (Pete Ham) - 3:01

6. Without You (Pete Ham, Tom Evans) - 4:43

7. Blodwyn (Pete Ham) - 3:27

8. Better Days (Tom Evans, Joey Molland) - 4:00

9. It Had To Be Me (Mike Gibbins) - 2:28

10.Watford john (Tom Evans, Mike Gibbins, Pete Ham, Joey Molland) - 3:23

11.Believe Me (Tom Evans) - 3:00

12.We're For The Dark (Pete Ham) - 4:02

13.I Can't Take It (previously unreleased extended version) (Pete Ham) - 4:14

14.Without You (previously unreleased studio demo version-mono) (Pete Ham, Tom Evans) - 3:58

15.Photograph (AKA Friends Are Hard To Find) (previously unreleased version) (Joey Molland) - 3:25

16.Believe Me (previously unreleased alternate version) (Tom Evans) - 3:04

17.No Matter What (previously unreleased mono studio demo version) (Pete Ham) - 2:57

Badfinger
*Pete Ham - Guitar, Piano, Vocals
*Tom Evans - Bass, Vocals
*Joey Molland - Guitar, Vocals
*Mike Gibbins - Drums

1970  Badfinger - Magic Christian Music (2010 EMI Apple)

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Badfinger - Straight Up (1971 uk, power glam pop, 2010 bonus tracks remaster)

Straight Up winds up somewhat less dynamic than No Dice, largely because that record alternated its rockers, pop tunes, and ballads. Here, everything is at a similar level, as the ballads are made grander and the rockers have their melodic side emphasized. Consequently, the record sounds more unified than No Dice, which had a bit of a split personality.

Todd Rundgren's warm, detailed production makes each songwriter sound as if he was on the same page, although the bonus tracks -- revealing the abandoned original Geoff Emerick productions -- prove that the distinctive voices on No Dice were still present. Frankly, the increased production is for the best, since Badfinger sounds best when there's as much craft in the production as there is in the writing. Here, there's absolutely no filler and everybody is in top form.

Pete Ham's "Baby Blue" is textbook power-pop -- irresistibly catchy fuzz riffs and sighing melodies -- and with its Harrison-esque slide guitars, "Day After Day" is so gorgeous it practically aches. "Perfection" is an unheralded gem, while "Name of the Game" and "Take It All" are note-perfect pop ballads. Tom Evans isn't as prolific here, but the one-two punch of "Money" and "Flying" is the closest Straight Up gets to Abbey Road, and "It's Over" is a fine closer.

Still, what holds the record together is Joey Molland's emergence as a songwriter. His work on No Dice is enjoyable, but here, he comes into his own with a set of well-constructed songs. This fine songwriting, combined with sharp performances and exquisite studio craft, make Straight Up one of the cornerstones of power-pop, a record that proved that it was possible to make classic guitar-pop after its golden era had passed.

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tracks

1. Take It All - 4:28

2. Baby Blue - 3:37

3. Money - 3:30

4. Flying (Tom Evans, Joey Molland) - 2:36

5. I'd Die, Babe - 2:34

6. Name Of The Game - 5:21

7. Suitcase - 2:54

8. Sweet Tuesday Morning - 2:31

9. Day After Day - 3:11

10.Sometimes - 2:53

11.Perfection - 5:09

12.It's Over - 3:35

13.I'll Be The One (Tom Evans, Joey Molland, Pete Ham, Mike Gibbins) - 2:54

14.Name Of The Game - 4:25

15.Baby Blue - 3:37

16.Baby Please (Joey Molland, Pete Ham, Mike Gibbins) - 3:05

17.No Good At All - 2:10

18.Sing For The Song - 3:20

Songs 1,2,6,9,11,14,15 written by Pete Ham

Songs 3,12,17,18 written by Tom Evans

Songs 5,7,8,10, written by Joey Molland

Bonus Tracks 13-18

Badfinger
*Pete Ham - Guitar, Piano, Vocals
*Tom Evans - Bass, Vocals
*Joey Molland - Guitar, Vocals
*Mike Gibbins - Drums
Guest Musicians
*George Harrison - Slide Guitar
*Leon Russell - Piano On
*Bobby Diebold - Bass
*Klaus Voorman - Electric Piano

1970  Badfinger - Magic Christian Music (2010 Apple)
1970  Badfinger - No Dice (2010 Apple)

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Badfinger - Magic Christian Music (1970 uk, psych pop rock, 2010 remaster and expanded)

With the benefit of a half century’s hindsight, it can be argued that despite massive creativity and talent, Badfinger was star-crossed nearly from its start.

Though the British-Welsh band were protégés of the Beatles, that connection only got them so far. The vicissitudes of the record industry and other factors combined to blunt the potential of the band. But along the way – and despite the odds – they would leave a body of work filled with gems. Unlike Big Star – a group to whom they’re sometimes compared – Badfinger was prolific, releasing six albums during the band’s original run, and scoring four Top 40 singles in the U.S., Canada and the UK. 

The best history of Badfinger’s complicated and ultimately tragic story is Dan Matovina’s Without You. Originally published in 1999 and now long out of print, it sells on the used market for upward of $150 (there have been rumors of an imminent updated version, but nothing official has been announced). Suffice to say that the band’s saga was filled with occasional highs, frequent lows, managerial malfeasance and two suicides.

Badfinger’s music – especially its lyrics, written variously by all its members – reflects much of that turmoil, and at least from an artistic perspective, it’s more the better for it. But in the group’s earliest days, when the foursome was still known as the Iveys, much of the emotional upheaval that characterized their work was still ahead of them. 

The Iveys landed a contract with the Beatles’ nascent Apple Records, and released a now very hard to find LP called Maybe Tomorrow. At that point, the group featured guitarist Pete Ham, guitarist Tom Evans, drummer Mike Gibbins and bassist Ron Griffiths. For reasons never fully understood – but likely involving Apple’s then-president Allen Klein – the group’s debut (and only) album, Maybe Tomorrow would be released only in Italy, Japan and West Germany. Unsurprisingly, it flopped. The album was a patchwork affair, compiled from sessions headed by two different producers, Beatles roadie Mal Evans and Tony Visconti (the latter to gain fame as one of the best producers in the business).

Maybe Tomorrow got its limited release in July 1969. But things changed quickly: by January 1970 the group had a hit single, a new name and a new bassist. Griffiths had left the band, the Paul McCartney-produced-and-written single “Come and Get It” became a hit for the newly-christened Badfinger. And to capitalize on the success of the single, Apple put together Magic Christian Music.

Named after the movie that featured the “Come and Get It” single, Magic Christian Music had little if anything to do with the movie. Seven of its tracks are remixed versions of songs from The Iveys’ Maybe Tomorrow. With the addition of the previously-released “Come and Get It” and its b-side, (the group-composed and McCartney-produced “Rock of All Ages”) the new album would only feature only a handful of new tracks. But to the wider listening public, Magic Christian Music was for all intents and purposes a new record.

The American release of Magic Christian Music had 12 tracks, while the UK release featured 14. And the running orders differed. But both shared the patchwork character of Maybe Tomorrow. On the upside, the album showcased group’s stylistic breadth. But for a new and largely unknown act, it presented a somewhat confusing collection of songs: some listeners may have wondered, “What kind of band is this Badfinger after all?”

They may have wondered as well who was in the band. By the time of the album’s release, Joey Molland had joined as lead guitarist. But he’s not on the LP. The reason for Molland’s absence is easy to explain: he wasn’t in the group when the songs were recorded (not even “Come and Get It” and “Rock of All Ages”) and apparently he didn’t join in time to be included in a photo session. So though he’s listed on the sleeve, that’s the only connection he has to Magic Christian Music. He’d assume a larger role on Badfinger’s second album, No Dice, released in November 1970, and would remain a key composer throughout the group’s most prominent period. 

by Bill Kopp, January 28, 2020 

Tracks

1. Come And Get It (Paul McCartney) - 2:23

2. Crimson Ship (Pete Ham, Tom Evans) - 3:43

3. Dear Angie (Ron Griffiths) - 2:41

4. Fisherman (Tom Evans) - 2:26

5. Midnight Sun (Pete Ham) - 2:47

6. Beautiful and Blue (Tom Evans) - 2:41

7. Rock of All Ages (Pete Ham, Tom Evans, Mike Gibbins) - 3:18

8. Carry On Till Tomorrow (Pete Ham, Tom Evans) - 4:49

9. I'm In Love (Pete Ham) - 2:28

10.Walk Out In The Rain (Pete Ham) - 3:28

11.Angelique (Tom Evans) - 2:28

12.Knocking Down Our Home (Pete Ham) - 3:41

13.Give It a Try (Pete Ham, Tom Evans, Mike Gibbins, Ron Griffiths) - 2:32

14.Maybe Tomorrow (Tom Evans) - 3:01

15.And Her Daddy's A Millionaire (previously unreleased alternate version) (Pete Ham, Tom Evans) - 2:26

16.Mrs. Jones (remix) (Pete Ham) - 2:20

17.Sali Bloo (previously unreleased mono mix) (Pete Ham) - 2:46

18.See-Saw Granpa (previously unissued mono mix) (Pete Ham) - 3:34

19.I've Been Waiting (previously unreleased unedited remix) (Pete Ham) - 5:58

Badfinger
*Pete Ham - Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
*Tom Evans - Guitar, Vocals, Bass  
*Ron Griffiths - Bass, Vocals
*Mike Gibbins - Drums, Vocals
With

*Paul McCartney – Piano, Percussion 

*Nicky Hopkins – Piano 

*Bill Collins – Piano 

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The Remains - The Remains (1966 us, stunning fuzzed-up garage roots 'n' roll, 2007 extra tracks remaster)

 Most 1960s garage rock obsessives collect singles rather than albums for a good reason: While plenty of snarling teenagers could come up with two decent songs at a stretch, a precious few seemed able to brainstorm a dozen tunes without reaching to the bottom of the barrel or resorting to covers of other people's hits. 

But there were exceptions to this rule, among them the Sonics, the Litter, and, especially, the Remains, who never enjoyed much success on the national charts but were fabled heroes in their home town of Boston. the Remains' 1966 album for Epic is a classic, packed with great songs from singer/guitarist Barry Tashian, bassist Vern Miller, and pianist Bill Briggs, and boasting exciting, fiery performances, and if the full firepower of their legendary live shows didn't always come through on tape, even the album's weakest moments made clear the Remains were tougher, smarter, and tighter than the vast majority of their competition. 

The Remains is mid-'60s American rock & roll at it's best, and you don't have to own any paisley clothing to enjoy it. [When Epic/Legacy reissued the album in 1991 (with the band's name augmented to Barry and the Remains), they added a handful of non-LP singles and unreleased tracks and gave the album a crisp digital remix, and against all odds, Epic actually improved a masterpiece. 

If the old analog version sounds harder and dirtier (a good thing for garage rock), the CD allows you to hear more of the details, and nearly every one of the 21 cuts on board is killer stuff (their cover of Don Covay's "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" shows them beating the Rolling Stones at their own game, and after you've heard "Don't Look Back," you'll always wonder why it wasn't a Top Ten hit)

by Mark Deming 

Tracks
1. Heart (Georges Aber, Tony Hatch) - 2:36
2. Lonely Week-End (Charlie Rich) - 3:22
3. Don't Look Back (Billy Vera) - 2:38
4. Why Do I Cry (Barry Tashian) - 2:48
5. Diddy Wah Diddy (Ellas McDaniel, Willie Dixon) - 2:31
6. You Got A Hard Time Coming (Barry Tashian, Vern Miller) - 2:05
7. Once Before (Vern Miller, Chip Damiani) - 2:06
8. Thank You (Barry Tashian) - 3:13
9. Time Of Day (Barry Tashian) - 2:15
10.Say You're Sorry (Bill Briggs) - 2:16 
11.Mercy, Mercy (1966) (Don Covay) - 2:35
12.I Can't Get Away From You (Single A-side,1965) (Vern Miller) - 2:32
13.But I Ain't Got You (Single B-side,1965) (Vern Miller) - 2:07
14.Me Right Now (Single B-side,1966) (Barry Tashian) - 2:25
15.My Babe (Single B-side,1965) (Willie Dixon) - 2:05
16.I'm Talking About You (1965) (Chuck Berry) - 2:08
17.Ain't That Her (1965) (Barry Tashian) - 2:07
18.Baby, I Believe In You (1965) (Barry Tashian) - 2:32
19.When I Want To Know (1965) (Barry Tashian) - 2:07
20.All Good Things (1965) (Vern Miller) - 2:13
Tracks 1-10 Original album (Stereo) 1966
Bonus Tracks 11-20

The Remains
*Billy Briggs - Electric Piano, Vocals
*Chip Damiani - Drums, Vocals
*Vern Miller - Bass, Vocals
*N.D. Smart II - Drums, Vocals
*Barry Tashian - Guitar,Vocals

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Troggs - Archeology (1966-1976 uk, classic garage beat, double disc chronicles series)

A double-CD, 52-track box set that proves there was a lot more to The Troggs than "Wild Thing" and "Love Is All Around." This archetypally primitive British Invasion quartet scored many hits in the U.K. that barely dented the charts in the U.S., like "With A Girl Like You," "Night Of The Long Grass," and the notoriously racy "I Can't Control Myself." They're all here, along with notable album cuts, B-sides, and worldwide post-1968 flops. 

Primitive they may have been, but The Troggs -- who wrote most of their own material -- did not lack a flair for hard pop hooks, and could display a surprising delicacy in their ballads. Several of their obscure singles and album tracks are equal in worth to their hits, like the gothic but pretty "Cousin Jane," and the witty light psychedelia of "Maybe the Madman" and "Purple Shades." Some of the '70s hard rockers and glammish novelties are unimpressive, and 52 songs is arguably excessive. But there are a fair number of obscure gems to be found on this well-annotated package. 

by Richie Unterberger 

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Lost Girl (Reg Presley) - 2:34

2. The Yella In Me (Reg Presley) - 2:42

3. Wild Thing (Chip Taylor) - 2:38

4. From Home (Reg Presley) - 2:21

5. With A Girl Like You (Reg Presley) - 2:10

6. I Want You (Colin Fretcher, Larry Page) - 2:19

7. Jingle Jangle (Reg Presley) - 2:31

8. Our Love Will Still Be There (Reg Presley) - 3:12

9. I Just Sing (Reg Presley) - 2:12

10.I Can't Control Myself (Reg Presley) - 3:07

11.Gonna Make You (Colin Fretcher, Larry Page) - 2:51

12.Any Way That You Want Me (Chip Taylor) - 2:59

13.66-5-4-3-2-1 (Reg Presley) - 2:37

14.Give It To Me (All Your Love) (Reg Presley) - 2:17

15.I Can Only Give You Everything (Mike Coulter, Tommy Scott) - 3:27

16.You Can't Beat It (Reg Presley) - 2:25

17.Last Summer (Reg Presley) - 2:58

18.I Want You To Come Into My Life (Reg Presley) - 2:27

19.Cousin Jane (David Matthews, Larry Page) - 2:28

20.Night Of The Long Grass (Reg Presley) - 3:10

21.Girl In Black (Colin Fretcher, Larry Page) - 2:04

22.Too Much Of A Good Thing (Terry Fogg, John St. John Gillard) - 2:50

23.Seventeen  (Reg Presley) - 2:42

24.Her Emotion (Reg Presley) - 2:32

25.My Lady (Reg Presley) - 3:01

26.All Of The Time (Reg Presley) - 2:11

27.Somewhere My Girl Is Waiting (Artie Wayne) - 2:50

Disc 2
1. Love Is All Around (Reg Presley) - 3:01
2. When Will The Rain Come (Ronnie Bond) - 2:43
3. Little Girl (Reg Presley) - 2:59
4. Maybe The Madman (Chris Britton) - 2:14
5. Surprise, Surprise (I Need You) (Reg Presley) - 2:50
6. You Can Cry If You Want To(Reg Presley) - 2:53
7. Hip Hip Hooray (John Carter, Geoff Stephens) - 2:19
8. Purple Shades (Reg Presley) - 2:26
9. Heads Or Tails (Chris Britton) - 3:44
10.Evil Woman (Larry Weiss) - 2:57
11.That's What You Get Girl (Reg Presley) - 2:02
12.I Don't Know Why (Reg Presley) - 2:53
13.Easy Loving (Valerie Avon, Harold Spiro) - 3:01
14.Lover (Chris Britton) - 2:28
15.Come Now (R. Bond, C. Britton, T. Murray, R. Presley) - 2:22
16.The Raver (Reg Presley) - 2:49
17.Everything's Funny (Chris Britton, Reg Presley) - 2:14
18.Feels Like A Woman (Reg Presley) - 3:34
19.Queen Of Sorrow (Richard Moore) - 2:43
20.Strange Movies (Reg Presley) - 2:57
21.I'm On Fire (Richard Moore) - 2:15
22.Good Vibrations (Mike Love, Brian Wilson) - 3:21
23.Summertime (Ronnie Bond, Tony Murray, Reg Presley) - 3:23
24.I'll Buy You An Island (Chris Britton, Reg Presley) - 3:12
25.Get You Tonight (Richard Moore) - 2:48

Troggs
*Ronnie Bond -  Drums
*Chris Britton - Lead Guitar
*Reg Presley - Lead vocals
*Peter Staples - Bass

1966  The Troggs - From Nowhere (2003 bonus tracks) 
1967  The Troggs - Cellophane (2003 bonus tracks) 

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The Troggs - Cellophane (1967 uk, beat psych, 2003 Repertoire bonus tracks issue)

First released in 1967, this album really does invoke the spirit of the Swinging Sixties with it's soft-rock folk-psychedelic feel throughout. Featuring 'Love Is All Around', 'My Lady' and 'Little Red Donkey' and 12 bonus tracks (including both sides of solo singles from Trogg's drummer Ronnie Bond and leader Reg Presley!). 

Tracks
1.Little Red Donkey - 2:13
2.Too Much Of A Good Thing - 2:47
3.Butterflies And Bees - 1:54
4.All Of The Time - 2:08
5.Seventeen - 2:38
6.Somewhere My Girl Is Waiting - 2:49
7.It's Showing - 2:54
8.Her Emotion - 2:28
9.When Will The Rain Come - 2:40
10.My Lady - 2:57
11.Come The Day - 1:52
12.Love Is All Around - 2:58
13.That's What You Get Girl - 1:59
14.I Don't Know Why - 2:50
15.Easy Loving - 2:58
16.Give Me Something - 3:25
17.Lover - 2:24
18.Come Now - 2:18
19.The Raver - 2:46
20.You - 2:32
21.Ronnie Bond - Carolyn - 2:31
22.Ronnie Bond - Anything For You - 2:35
23.Reg Presley - Lucinda Lee - 3:05
24.Reg Presley - Wichita Lineman - 3:05

The Troggs
*Ronnie Bond -  Drums
*Chris Britton - Lead Guitar
*Reg Presley - Lead vocals
*Peter Staples - Bass

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