READY, STEADY, GO! LK 4577 (-63) UK MONO

 

A sampler that has become a highly valued member of this old Rolling Stones fan's collection, simply because it was the very first time the band appeared on an LP, six months before the eponimous debute. "Ready, Steady Go!" was a British TV show, broadcasted between August 1963 - December 1966, and during that time featuring some of the contemporarily most successful pop/rock artists. (For more on the show check the vast Wikipedia article  -  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ready_Steady_Go! ) This collection of Decca 45 cuts from acts that also performed there early was compiled and pressed within months after first airing. I guess we're still a few remembering names like The Chucks, The Mojos, Heinz and The Tornados, and for us the whole album is filled with chances to rejoice and reminisce, getting it all as it was. But more important it also hints the beginning of the "modern" rock scene, as played and developed by The Rolling Stones. Here before the big breakthrough valued like any other upcoming act, way below the album's stars Brian Poole And The Tremeloes who get the honor of opening and closing the LP and is the only act mentioned in the rear sleeve notes (see below). At this time no one had a clue Stones would become iconic and still performing sixty years later, here they're just faces in a crowd. So even if I've heard "Come On" and "I Wanna Be Your Man" a zillion times before with about the same audio, listening to them here feels special just because of that context. Pressed late 1963 and released early 1964. To my knowledge issued in UK only, reissued 1982 on vinyl (TAB 60) and cassette (KTBC 60). First had ridged label as shown here with "Made in England" only on top and "Recording first Published 1963" on heavy vinyl in a thin laminated cover. (RÅ*) (SÄM*)  

                                                                                    

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                   

                                                                          

                                                                                 

                                                                               

                                                                            

                                                                                

                                                                                      

                                           
                                                                         

SCENE '65 /16 TOP R&B TRACKS 33SX 1730 (-65) UK MONO

  Follow-up to the 1964 "On The Scene" r&b sampler  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2023/09/on-scene-33sx-1662-64-uk-mono.html  . This comes with the same kind of set-up - a collection of sixteen single cuts, most then non-LP in UK. An amazing blend of freakbeat and rocking r&b, recorded 1963-65. I get both rare 45 takes from well known outfits and even rarer cuts by shortlived today almost forgotten bands. At this time Zoot Money's Big Roll Band included Andy Summers (who would go on to Eric Burdon & The Animals and world wide fame with Sting in Police) and Paul Williams (later in Juicy Lucy, Tempest and Blue Whale). Bo Street Runners incorporated both Mike Patto and Mick Fleetwood (who by then had moved on from The Cheynes, the band he played with appearing on the "On The Scene" sampler). Fairies has a certain John "Twink" Adler on drums (later inTomorrow, Pretty Things and Pink Fairies) . The Zephyrs at the time included both Jerry Donahue (Fairport Convention, Fotheringay) and Pete Gage (Vinegar Joe). To me it's beautiful. The mono mixes pristine close to the fact and the audio tophole - e.g. I've never heard Yardbird's "I Ain't Got You" clearer with better separation. Getting tons of good music, well sounding original mono recordings and a large portion rock/pop history on the same plate...yummy. Favorite tracks - Downliners Sect "Little Egypt", Bo Street Runners "Tell Me What You're Gonna Do", Fairies "Get Yourself Home" and Zephyrs "She's Lost You". To my knowledge this UK was the only release. It had label as shown here in laminated flip/back cover with rice paper EMI inner. (SÄM*) (ÖGÄ*) (ÄNÄ*) (YÄB*)(FXÄC*) 

                                                                               

                                                                               

                                                                              

                                                                                   

                                                                                   

                                                                                    
                                                                                      

                                                                                 

                                                                               

                                                                              

 

                                                                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                                                 




 

ON THE SCENE 33SX 1662 (-64) UK MONO

  Samplers seldom show up on best album lists, but counting musical quality, audio, track rarity and historical importance this could place on any such list and high there too. Getting debut 45:s from Animals, Yardbirds and Downliner Sect on an album so close to time of release, plus obscure non-LP singles from Georgie Fame and Cliff Bennett, would be enough to satisfy any concerned collector, but that's just the beginning here. The Cheynes "Respectable" has a 16 y.o. Mick Fleetwood on drums. Zephyrs "I Can Tell" with Jerry Donahue (Fotheringay, Fairport Convention) and Peter Gage (Vinegar Joe). The two A-sides from Mickie Most & The Gear have some very competent guitars from young session man James Patrick Page. The Syndicats included both Yes guitarists Peter Banks and Steve Howe at different times - "Maybelline" here has the 17 y.o. Steve Howe on guitar. You also get The Moquettes one-off single A-side "The Right String Baby, But The Wrong Yo-Yo", Rey Antony &The Peppermint Men's debute "You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover" and long forgotten semi-hit "Seven Daffodils" by The Cherokees. Compiling is prefect - sixteen cuts raging over 1963-64 British r&b, garage rock and freak beat. You'd think with so many non-charting efforts there'd be at least some low points, but there's not one bad track on it. Audio big and warm bringing you close in time and space. I can't find anything even remotely negative to say. 100% beautiful. Six of the cuts were released on a Columbia 1965 EP (SEG 8413). To my knowledge this was the only album issue. It had label as shown here with "Recording first published...", on thick unflexible vinyl in a laminated flip/back cover with rice-paper "Emitex" inner. (SÄM*) (ÄNÄ") (YÄB*) (JÄZ*) (ÖGÄ*) (FXÄC*) 

                                                                                    

                                                                                  

                                                                                     

                                                                                    

                                                                                

                                                                               

                                                                            

                                                                                 

                                                                                    

                                                                                   

                                                                                 

                                                                                  

 

THE VIOLENTS/STRING TIME SLP 34 (-63) MONO SWEDEN

 For more on the combo please check post on their 1964 "Live At The Star Club" album https://monolover.blogspot.com/2018/08/the-violentslive-at-star-club-slp-42-64.html . Swedish guitar band existing 1959-66. Guitar instrumentals became a popular genre in Scandinavia from late fifties and a couple of years on with many band picking up the practice and reaching local fame. Another known exemple would be Shanes, which started as a pure instrumental band  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2018/03/the-shanesstrictly-instrumental-tlp.html . This was The Violent's second LP. I've always had a soft spot for this kind of music, probably since it was about the only kind of "modern" music played on the Swedish radio early sixties and I was a devoted radio fan as a kid. Listening today they may not reach up to the all over quality from more internationally renowned guitar band's, like The Shadows or The Ventures, but this LP still has the ability to charm me as it was still early sixties.  Not as violent as the the band name may suggest, instead simple and right on with lots of energy. And that together with the smashing mono audio makes this very good to my old ears. So natural it's like being there. Fourteen tracks, whereof five vocal. I do like the instrumentals best, especially the frisky "Kvantingen" and "Hässelbysteppen".  To my knowledge this was the only release. It had label as shown here on thick unflexible vinyl in a fully laminated cover with top opening.  (SCÄ*)  (CCÖ*)  (SÖNÄ*)

                                                                                    

                                                                               

                                                                                      

                                                                                    

                                                                                  

 

DIANA ROSS/EVERYTHING IS EVERYTHING MS-724 (-70) US

 Her first solo album https://monolover.blogspot.com/2016/06/diana-ross-stml-11159-70-uk.html was a success, reaching top 20 on Blillboard while the spawned 45 "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" topped the list. As a result Motown rushed the recording of this follow-up which was released six months later. I like the debute for its lingering sixties Motown feel and slight Supremes hangover. This proffers more of the same...at least part of it. The side one opening with "My Place", Ain't No Sad Song" and the Gordy-penned title track plus the side two "How About You" give me something of a Supremes feeling. "Come Together" and "The Long And Winding Road" might no be the easiest Beatles covers to handle, though to my taste they do them surprisingly well. The rest do not hit me that hard, but all together it's a worthy follow-up and good to the ears both as background and for close listening. The LP only managed #42 on Billboard, while the spawned 45 "I'm Still Waiting" got to #1 in the UK and the more modest #63 in US. Issued and reissued all over the world on vinyl and CD through the years, also as cassette and 8-track. Japan limited ed. 2022 CD on Motown (UICY-79953) came with seven bonus tracks, including a cover of Beatles "Something". Premiere US had label as shown here in a glossy cover with Motown ad inner.  (YZÄ*)  (TÖMÖ*)  (FÄV*) (ZYZÖ*)

                                                                              

                                                                                   

                                                                                  

                                                                                 

                                                                                  

                                                                                

                                                                               

                                                                                    


 

QUEEN/INNUENDO 068-79 5887 1 (-91) EU

  Wasn't going to post this as it's already been dissected down to smallest molecules at different places on the net, but after finally finding a fine vinyl copy I could afford and falling in love thought I'd write a few words on it anyway...so here's my two cents. It's an amazing album. Not only because it was recorded as Freddie Mercury's health was rapidly declining due to AIDS and still sounds so good, but also it was a return to their roots with melodic and majestic rock'n'roll topped by Mercury's vocals and Brian May's excellent guitars. Though I bought all Queen LP:s back then I wasn't delighted with the turns their music took after "Jazz". A couple of good tracks here and there, but larger part sounding like stuck in a synth swamp thus hurting my ears and mind. Here I hear very little of that. Synths are used, but mostly staying in the background as support. Instead I get sentimental ballads and well written rockers, performed in a classic Queenish way - so sweet and bombastic at the same time. Good listening all through. Favorite tracks - "Innuendo", "Headlong", "Bijou" and "The Show Must Go On". Apparently five of the tracks were edited for vinyl and are shorter versions here than on the CD. Ive seen discussions on the net where people are enraged about that. But as I don't do CD:s and this vinyl version is enough to fill me with joy I couldn't care less. Issued and reissued on LP, CD and cassette all over the world through the years. Premiere EU had label as shown here in a glossy cover with picture/lyric/credit inner.  (QÄN*) (PÖX*) 

                                                                                  

                                                                             

                                                                                 

                                                                                    

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                              

                                                                               

DORIS/DID YOU GIVE THE WORLD SOME LOVE TODAY, BABY 4E 062-34193 (-70) SWEDEN

  Doris Svensson (1947-2023) started her carreer already in her mid-teens, among other things singing in the Swedish sixties bands The Strangers, Plums and Dandys. Although mostly known as a pop vocalist in 1970 she got the chance to record a jazz album at EMI:s studios in Stockholm with a top crew - among others including Bernt Egerbladh (1932-2004) as keybordist and arranger and Janne Carlsson (1932-2017) from Hansson & Carlsson on drums. Larger part of the songs penned by Egerbladh and Scottish lyricist Francis Cowan. The result was a very strange animal. Though founded on jazz it seems to break all genre bounderies, including elements of funk, soul. rock and psych blended seemingly effortless with a good flow all through. An alluring mix of familliar and adventurous. Her voice may not be the strongest, yet personal and quite sexy still. Also the audio on this first press is marvellous and the listening sweet. One of those records you just wanna do again and again. Favorite track - the psych "You Never Come Closer". Originally released in Sweden only on vinyl, 8-track and cassette, but it has been reissued many times on vinyl and CD. UK 1996 on Mr Bongo (MRBLP010/MRBCD010). Swedish 2013 2xCD came with seventeen bonus tracks from her earlier carreer. Premiere Swedish had label as shown here in a fully laminated cover.  (SCÄ*)  (FÄV*)  (CCÖ*)

                                                                                   

                                                                                 

                                                                                  

                                                                                    

                                                                               

                                                                                

                                                                                  

             
                                                                                 

                                                                                 

 

THEM/THE "ANGRY" YOUNG THEM LK 4700 (-65) UK MONO

 Their first LP and apparently the only true grup effort, since the follow-up "Them Again"  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2019/11/themthem-again-lk-4751-66-uk-mono.html  was made as the band was breaking up. Most of it recorded with studio musicians and the only member present in all was Van Morrison. And while that just was a good r&b record this is top-notch. A true band effort, blending six Morrison compositions with eight covers and performed as angry as promised. So honest and right-on you get the impression it was recorded live in the studio with just few overdubs. A chance to hear Them exactly as they were. To get the right feeling it's best listened to in one continuous session, but if I have to pick favorites it'd be the Morrison-penned "Mystic Eyes", "Little Girl" and "Gloria" plus the "Bright Lights Big City" cover. If You're interested in getting more mono cuts from the band, issued close to the fact, I truly recommend the "World Of Them" mono, which has some of the best from their first two albums plus a couple of UK non-LP cuts and is good listening   https://monolover.blogspot.com/2021/11/themthe-world-of-them-pa-86-70-uk-mono.html    . This debute has been issued and reissued on vinyl and CD all over the world through the years. US and Canadian versions, as "Here Comes The Night", came with diffrent tracking and sleeve design. Very first UK had ridged label as shown here in a laminated cover with production credited to Tommy Scott only on rear. Later pressings also have names of producers Bert Berns and Dick Rowe added.  (VMÖ*)

                                                                                 

                                                                                  

                                                                                 

          
                                                                                   

                                                                                  

                                                                               

 

DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES /CREAM OF THE CROP MS 694 (-69) US

 The UK mono I posted earlier https://monolover.blogspot.com/2012/04/cream-of-crop-tml-11137.html was a rather dull fold, so it's good to finally find a US original to hear it as it was meant to be. At the time Diana Ross was already leaving the group to go for a solo carreer, but the success of the "Someday We'll Be Together" 45 led the label to release one final LP with her in. Apparently apart from the hit it mainly consists of older, earlier unissued, material - including covers of Beatles, Dylan and Stevie Wonder songs. So how does it hold on in comparison to the trio's previous albums? As a whole it works with the same magic as before...at least for this old die-hard Supremes fan. Not all in on the "Hey Jude" and "Blowing In The Wind" covers, but the rest is Supremes just like I want them. E.g. "Someday We'll Be Together" both relaxed and enchanting, "The Beginning Of The End" very sweet and "Loving You Is Better Than Ever" sounding good classic Supremes. So even if Diana Ross was leaving at the time and most of the LP is a hodgepodge of earlier dismissed cuts it's still a very good album. Don't know of any other label back then that would have had enough goodies hidden in the vaults to produce something with this quality. That's high standard. Issued and reissued all over the world on vinyl and/or CD through the years, also US cassette, 8-track and reel.  Japan 2012 limited ed. remastered CD in paper sleeve (UICY 752 30). Premiere US had label as shown here in a glossy cover.  (YZÄ*)  (FÄV*)  (TÖMÖ*)  (ZYZÖ*)