THE BEST OF THE BONZO'S LBS 83332 (-71) UK

This is a kind of repost. Some time ago I did the Dutch "The Best Of The Bonzo Dog Band" - a variation of this UK compilation. It came with a totally different sleeve design, but made from the same tapes with identical tracking. The audio is about the same although sensitive ears may perceive this as more distinct. Even if the musical outcome matches I thought it would be nice to show the original and do a reminder on one of the weirdest and happiest compilations ever. (Following text is same as the old post.) I often go for music that puts me in a good mood or even bring a smile. This band has provided lots of that for me through the years. Their music is not an aquired taste - either you love it or you hate it. Some of the songs are just them and not like anything else, but most are parodies, patisches and mockery, all performed through a number of different styles with very British humor. When it's bad it's messy, incoherent and unintelligible, when it's good it's pure genius. They had one world hit - "Urban Spaceman" (produced by friend Paul McCartney) - but most things they did was too weird for the international market. I don't know if this is "the best of", I miss "Equestrian Statue", "My Pink Half Of The Drainpipe" and a few more. Yet it is a good mapping of their insanity, for better or worse. US -71 release "The Beast Of The Bonzos" (United Artists UAS 5517) came with other cover and partly different tracking. For Dutch issue check http://monolover.blogspot.se/2012/11/the-best-of-bonzo-dog-band-5c054-92218.html . Premiere UK had label as shown here and structured cover. (BÖGÄ*) (XLÄ*)

THE MONKEES RD 7844 (-66) UK MONO

Back then embraced by the younger teen public, but frowned upon by more mature music lovers. They were called fakes and the band just seen as a record company's attempt to cash in on the Beatle boom by constructing a US equivalent. They didn't try to hide any of those facts and by the time their sit-com started to show on Swedish television I was one of the haters. Already a Tom Lehrer fan and just starting to discover Zappa at age thirteen I felt like a grown-up and saw Monkees as something for daft little girls. However fortyeight years brings a huge perspective and I'm not that reluctant today. Checking the credits they were backed by a top notch crowd of songwriters and producers, including Tommy Boyce/Bobby Heart and Gerry Goffin/Carole King. I guess they could have done it more advanced but choosed a naive approach fitting the presumably uncomplicated tastes of the target group. Only Monkees song I liked at the time was "Last Train To Clarksville". Albeit sounding like a less exciting variation of Beatles "Ticket To Ride", it's a good song with true hit quality and still makes me smile. "(Theme From) The Monkees" sounds calculated, made with cash in mind, but also quite irresistable. The rest is medium quality garage pop. I don't think they'd done it without the cute faces or the incredible hype, but they did and the album exists so I can as well enjoy it. Premiere US on Colgems (COM/COS 101). First UK had ridged label as shown here and laminated cover. Label with the correct "Papa Gene's Blues" spelling while the cover has the faulty "Papa Jean's Blues".

ROLLING STONES/BIG HITS (HIGH TIDE AND GREEN GRASS) TXL 101 (-66) UK MONO

There must be hundreds of compilations involving early Rolling Stones recordings. Most of them tampered with in studios, having audio and more or less legit re-mixes adjusted to some common perception about sound quality at time for releases. I always go for the earliest, or at least the ones where I can get closest to the original recordings. Of those there are especially two that make my day - German "Around And Around" and this. Initially issued in US (London NP-1/NPS-1) as a twelve track in March -66. When the UK version was due in November same year the band had already released a couple of new singles. That and the fact that earlier US and UK album releases had altering tracking made this very different with five cuts not appearing on the US release - "Come On", "Paint It Black", "Lady Jane", "Little Red Rooster" and "Have You Seen Yor Mother Baby, Standing In The Shadow" - omitting "Tell Me", "Play With Fire" and "Good Times Bad Times" from the US version. Both are good in their own ways, but since I get "Little Red Rooster" and "Paint It Black" originals here it's my preference. I can't find one bad thing to say about it. You get a couple of top notch UK non-LP cuts, all true mono with excellent audio. The laminated fold/out sleeve has stapled sheets with pictures and Andrew Loog Oldham credit notes inside. In all a very plush package. Premiere issues had ridged labels. The copy shown here hasn't. Considering the flat label, -1/-2 matrixes and thick unflexible vinyl it's probably pressed early 1968. (RÅ*)(PÖP*)

SAVAGE ROSE/REFUGEE GG-104 (-71) US

I fell in love with the band through their first two albums - garage with dreamy acid psych topped by Anisette's peculiar vocals. The third differed a lot in atmosphere by being recorded in a major US studio and comes through comparatively restraint with a more commercial touch. This shows yet another direction. Mick Jagger was an early fan and invited them to his own studio for an LP. They accepted and made the recordings at about the same time Rolling Stones finnished Sticky Fingers. Jimmy Miller produced together with engineer Joe Zagarino. You can clearly hear it's recorded in the same atmosphere as Stones two masterpieces Sticky Fingers and Exile On Main Street. There's a lot coinciding - styles, tempo, backing and mixing. In fact I hear more Jimmy Miller than Savage Rose. It's like he provides the guideline and they tag along. Some of the cuts could actually have been on EOMS if Jagger had done the vocals - e.g. "Revival Day". So the production is magnific, but the outfit's too big and don't do them justice. More love and less power would have fitted the material better. Still "Revival Day" turns out fine and the gospel inspired title track has very good keyboards to Anisettes expressive singing. Well worth a spin, but IMO not even close to their two first. Premiere Danish on Polydor (2380014). UK issue 1972 on RCA (SF 8250). US had label as shown here, matt cover and matt red inner. It was pressed on ridiculously thin vinyl of flexi-disc quality. I wonder how many copies have survived these fortythree years un-warped. (SCÄ*)(FÄV*) (YZÄ*) (SÄWÖ*)

URIAH HEEP/LOOK AT YOURSELF ILPS 9169 (-71) UK

The band's third LP and a liftoff to world wide recognition that would culminate a few years later. While the two previous can be described as prog rock and the following ones as pop this is melodic hard rock and by many fans considered their best album. I have a soft spot for most of the early stuff and since they initially covered various styles it's hard to grade, but if I have to - 1. Salisbury/2. Look At Yourself/3. Very'eavy, Very'umble/4. Demons And Wizards. It seems most of the pop efforts after that became locked in a formula and later hard rock variations often had more surface than substance. But 1971 the songwriting, melodies and lyrics still mattered and was the foundation from which the albums emerged. This has a solid core of seven strong songs - two ballads and five rockers - all very catchy and well played. The band was constantly changing members at the time. On this Ken Hensley and Paul Newton (both former The Gods), Mick Box and David Byron (both former The Stalkers) and Ian Clarke (former Cressida). Guesting are also members of Osibisa and Manfred Mann himself. Gerry Bron production and arrangements fit like gloves and the audio is very good. Favorite tracks are the two longest - "Shadows Of Grief" with the haunting riff and "July Morning" because of the beautiful melody and Manfred Mann's moog solo. Early US on Mercury (SRM 1-614) came with different sleeve design. Also re-issued many times on LP on CD, sometimes with bonus tracks. First UK had label as shown here with ILPS number and "i" logo, die-cut cover with foil mirror and inner with lyrics and Ken Hensley notes. (ÖRHÄ*)(PRÖZ*)

BONZO DOG BAND/LET'S MAKE UP AND BE FRIENDLY UAG/UAS 29288 (-72) UK

Their fifth and last original album before the 2007 reunion. As United Artists took over Liberty label at the time the band was already breaking up, but forced together in the studio by the company for a last contractual obligation. As the story goes the first version was made as an affront to United Artists, consisting of noisemaking for consecutive forty minutes just to fill the space. However in the end they didn't want to disappoint the band's remaining fans, pulled themselves together, wrote fresh material and recorded eleven new cuts. As a fan I wish I could say it was a reignition, but it's more like a faint echo from the past. The form and disposition are still there - a couple of parodic numbers, monologues and simple pop songs mostly with wierd and insipid lyrics. And although it has a few gems - "The Strain" bringing a close veiw into constipation and Stanshall's "Rawlinson End" monologue to a sparkingly odd piano - I hear more routin and less passion. Explainable since the circumstances were stressfull, but to me it also has to do with the mix and sound. While the Liberty issues all had top audio - clear with big base and top separation - this comes through even and weak, sometimes borderline muddy. Maybe if presented with the strength and clarity of their former issues I would have liked it more. US first (UAS 29288) came with same label and sleeve design. UK 1978 reissue on Sunset (SLS 50418). This early UK copy (-1/-1 matrixes and 1R/1A mother/stamper) shows some interesting features. While the sleeve has the expected title and number, the label has "Friends" instead of "Friendly" and UAG prefix. The stamped matrix numbers are corrected with UAG crossed out and replaced by UAS. So one guess is "Let's Make Up And Be Friends" was the original title, or maybe just a misunderstanding. Why they changed the prefix is harder to say. I've been trying to figure it out but got nothing. If anyone reading this knows - please comment and tell! Very first press had label as shown here, thick vinyl and cardboard sleeve with "Bonzo Dog" image glued on front.(BÖGÄ*)

MARMALADE 100 PROOF 643314 (-69) UK

The indepentent Marmalade label was founded by earlier Yarbirds manager Giorgio Gomelsky 1966. Distributed by UK Polydor and mostly concentrating on jazz, prog and psych issues. Before going bankrupt 1969 they released twentyone singles and twelve original albums, this sampler being the last. Today the label is considered highly collectable due to rarity as well as eminent musical quality. Check Gomelsky's liner notes below for details on all tracks. I'm not repeating those here, just saying the outcome is lovely with top audio and a few outmost rarities. Three numbers also appearing on the elusive Julie Driscoll/Brian Auger & The Trinity album "Streetnoise", John McLaughlin's homage to Cream/Jack Bruce lyricist Pete Brown, one cool jazz cut each from married couple Ottile Patterson and Chris Barber, Blossom Toes' psychedelia and Gordon Jackson's "The Journey" from his "Thinking Back" album where he's backed by members of Traffic, Family and Spooky Tooth. Don't have any of those LP:s myself yet, but here I at least get a chance to nibble the goodies. French artist Le Lievre (The Hare) "Dis Toi Bien" was a '45 B-side only and the two cuts from Graham Gouldman and Kevin Goodley never got beyond this sampler. The pair would form 10cc a few years later and here's a small taste of what's to come. Favorite tracks - John McLaughlin "Pete The Poet" and Gordon Jackson "The Journey". Issued in UK only with label as shown here and thin matt cover.

ELVIS PRESLEY/ELVIS' GOLDEN RECORDS RB-16069 (-58) UK MONO

For more background check post on German first press http://monolover.blogspot.se/2013/11/elvis-golden-records-lpm-1707-c-58.htm . This is an interesting variation with different tracking and lush sleeve design. Four of the tracks appearing on the US and German issues - "Loving You", "Jailhouse Rock", "Teddy Bear" and "Treat Me Nice" - were omitted and replaced with four not yet issued in UK - "I Love You Because", "You're A Heartbreaker", "I'll Never Let You Go" and "I Forgot To Remember To Forget". As intriguing as a variation like that might be to a collector it doesn't change the total impression much. It's still classic Elvis carried by primitive right-on mono cuts, presenting the young eager talent as he was. To my taste he never topped those early years. Favorite tracks - all of them. It came in a laminated fold/out cover with record pocket and stapled picture sheets inside. Early presses have ridged maroon labels with silver spot logo and "Recording first published 1958". Through the years I've seen at least four different designs carrying all those features. Don't know which was absolutely first, but the one shown here has H2WP -1A/-2A matrixes and thick unflexible vinyl, so even if it's not premiere issue it should be rather early. (FÖGÄ*)(ÄWY*)

ROLLING STONES/MILESTONES (-72) SKL 5098 UK

The third compilation album in a serie of nine released by UK Decca after the band left the label. Back then condemned by the band itself and some fans for being unauthorized and seen as not fully legit, but today considered a valid part of Stones total edition by most fans and collectors. I wasn't ecstatic at the time, but now I do appreciate larger part of the serie, especially when I can get very rare or previously unissued tracks or versions with at least adequate handeling. This however does not contain much oddity. "Time Is On My Side" (the more common version with the guitar intro) is true stereo here and that's about it. Six of the cuts are fake stereo of which both "Satisfaction" and "Get Off Of My Cloud" sounds surprisingly good. The rest are album stereo edits. I don't know how many Rolling Stones compilations a man really needs and where this ranks in the bigger scheme of things. But if you forget about the fake mixes and the ever present "Satisfaction" it's still quite enjoyable with attractive sleeve design and mostly very good audio. Track choice also goes beyond the obvious rock blockbusters and you get enticing sixties music showing the band's eclectic capacity with songs like "Yesterday's Papers", "Under My Thumb" and "Out Of Time". Early release all over Europe and in a couple of South American countries, but not in US. Premiere UK had flat label as shown here with boxed "Mono Recordings..." text under mid hole, thick vinyl, thin matt cover and blue square stereo inner with "1-72" dating. (RÅ*)

LOU REED/TRANSFORMER LSP 4807 (-72) UK

His second solo album and a meeting between two musical worlds that really shouldn't blend - American outspoken avant-garde and melodic British glam-rock. Surprisingly it fit and even if the critical reactions weren't 100% positive at the time (some thought it was too "gay") it eventually turned out to be a big seller and true classic. Part of the song list already existed as promos or unissued trials while others were written directly for the LP. But regardless of origin and initial mood it all comes out unified, carefully put together by production and arrangements. David Bowie was having a major breakthrough at the time and some of the attention and sales the album had in Europe was linked to his growing fame and the outcome seen as a product of his genious due to some background vocals and production credit. That may have led to bigger sales, but it seems guitarist Mick Ronson (1946-93) was behind most of it with a bunch of top notch guitars, piano and vocals, co-production and handeling a large part of the arrangements. He was later hailed for his work by Lou Reed, calling it "beautiful". Anyway they managed to put the two worlds together, not by letting one take over but creating an environment where they both could exist. Engineered by Ken Scott, formerly one of Beatles main engineers and also known for producing a large number of best-selling Bowie albums. Favorite tracks - "Satellite Of Love", "Viscious", "Walk On The Wild Side" and "Perfect Day". First US had same label, number and cover design as UK. I've seen discussions about which UK issue was absolutely first. Earliest matrixes -1E/-1E seems to exist in either matt or fully laminated cover. Both also came on glossy label with large font "STEREO", later on the label would be matt and "STEREO" removed. Maybe there's no way to know exactly what sleeve variation came first - obviously they don't differ musically though I prefer the laminated for keeping the images fresh through the years. This copy (guaranteed unswapped) also shows the laminated was pressed for some time parallel to the matt. It has the same glossy label design as first, but with rim, -2E matrixes and slightly thinner vinyl.