BUMPERS IDP-1 (-69) UK

 I really like compilations and then particularly ones that contain rare cuts, takes and/or mixes. And this is a cornucopia of such. Released in a number of European countries and Australia. It seems most of those differ in tracking - this is about the UK pink label issue only. It was also re-issued in UK 1971 on the palm tree label having more "common" mixes or versions for some of the tracks. As it shows it wasn't 100% planned in detail at first. Inside of f/o cover names the albums related to each song, but the Jimmy Cliff LP wasn't released at all and the Bronco one got a different name and number than shown here. Also the Dave Mason cut "Little Woman" (where he's backed by Family) was a 45 B-side only. Many of the albums mentioned was scheduled for release in 1970 and this has many early takes and versions that didn't make it all the way. Following are a few exemples. Mott The Hoople "Thunderback Ram" is an alternate take, which also showed up on the 1980 "Two Miles From Heaven" compilation  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2013/05/mott-hoopletwo-miles-from-heaven-irsp-8.html   . King Crimson "Cadence And Cascade" has a 3.30 edit, about a minute shorter than on "In The Wake Of Poseidon" album. Quintessence "Jesus, Buddha, Moses, Gauranga" is not the LP studio version stated here, but a random live take. Spooky Tooth "I Am The Walrus" sounds different from the album version with alternate guitars. Free "Oh I Wept" comes with another vocal take than on the "Fire And Water" album. On Nick Drake "Hazey Jane" the stereo mix differs from the LP version and Bloodwyn Pig "Send Your Son To Die" is cut at a slower speed. Overall the sound is loud and clear, typical for earlier Island issues, while the later from -71 sounds somewhat more soft and damp. Even if all versions had been ordinary it would still have been a top notch compilation with high quality prog. There's just tons of icing on this first baked cake. Fav track - Spooky Tooth "I Am The Walrus" (Couldn't find the alternate version on YouTube, so the one below is the LP one) . Premiere UK had pink "i" structured label as shown here and thick matt f/o cover with a "29'11 Double Album" sticker. (SÄM*) (ÖSÄP*) (MÖHÖ*) (FÄHZ*)