HARD-UP HEROES DPA 3009/10 (-74) UK MONO + STEREO

 

 When spotting this 2-LP set in a bin a while ago I had to ask myself - do I really need one more compilation of UK 45 cuts? But after checking the track list and the small note inside fold/out saying -  "Anything that was originally in mono is still in mono. Anything originally in stereo is still in stereo. Anything that was originally badly mixed is still badly mixed" -  the answer was simple...yes I do! Here I get twentyfour tracks as they were made in the sixties, five stereo the rest mono.  A couple that are rather common on compilations - like Zombies "Tell Her No"  (stereo version here), Rod Stewart "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl", Nashville Teens "Tobacco Road", David Bowie "London Boys" and Small Faces "Watcha Gonna Do About It" -  coupled with early stuff from Alexis Korner/Cyril Davies, Graham Bond (classic setting with Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker, Dick Heckstall Smith),  and John Mayall with Eric Clapton. But also the really rare like The Big Three "Some Other Guy",  The Mojos "Everything's Al'Right",  Ron Wood's band The Birds "Leaving Here" and The Warriors "You Came Along" including Jon Anderson (Yes) on vocals and Ian Wallace (King Crimson) on drums.  The three tracks that make me the happiest are the 1963 recording by Steve Marriot (Small Faces, Humble Pie) "Give Her My Regards" where he's doing his best to sound like Buddy Holly,  Joe Cocker's 1964 cover of Beatles "I'll Cry Instead" which has power but only sold a handfull back then and Timebox "Beggin" recorded some years before they renamed as "Patto".  So many old and new favorites here, but if I have to chose it'll be the Joe Cocker one.  Considering the origins the audio is smashing throughout, giving both the music lover and historian in me many joyous moments.  1974 vinyl issues in Europe and Downunder, also on UK cassette, but to my knowledge never reissued on CD. Premiere UK had labels as shown here in a laminated fold/out cover with facts on all tracks inside f/o and "red box" mono inners.    (SÄM*)