The Squire Presents

A lot has been written about ‘The Beatles’ or ‘The White Album’ as it is more commonly known. The only double album released during the band’s lifetime, it has become notorious in some circles for having the worst Beatles track ever released on it (‘Revolution #9’), some filler that should have remained firmly in the archives (‘Wild Honey Pie’), and ‘Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da’. This is most probably the most Marmite song in the bands catalogue, as it was not a favourite of the other Beatles, but it was a number 1 hit in the UK for the band Marmalade. 

In the past, I had a go at making this a single LP but there was plenty of songs left over that were of high quality that it would have been a shame to lose them. However, there was, in my opinion, only enough quality material for three sides of really good music. A few weeks back, I was on Youtube and the algorithm threw up an intreating mash up of Jackie Lomax’s ‘Sour Milk Sea’ backing track with George Harrison’s vocals from the demo played on top. With three of the four Beatles on this (only Lennon was not involved), could this now be included? 

Well, I thought so, so I looked to rejig the tracks to include this as well as another Harrison song, ‘Not Guilty’. This song took 102 takes to get right, and was a strong contender for inclusion but with its thinly vailed barbs at Lennon and McCartney, it was felt that airing their dirty washing in public was not the done thing. I have also included the ‘Let It Be….Naked’ version of ‘Across The Universe. Though it was not recorded for the “:White Album’, it was in the can and does not sound out of place, especially with this sparce arrangement. The introduction to Ringo’s song’ Don’t Pass Me By’ has been reinstated, having been first revealed to the world as the opening song on the ‘Anthology 3’ LP. 

Overall, this is still not a perfect album but I would say that these additions make it much  better one. 

Side 1

1. Back In The U.S.S.R.
2. Dear Prudence
3. Glass Onion
4. Sour Milk Sea
5. The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill
6. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
7. Happiness Is A Warm Gun

Side B

1. Martha My Dear
2. I’m So Tired
3. Blackbird
4. Piggies
5. Rocky Racoon
6. Don’t Pass Me By
7. Why Don’t We Do It In The Road
8. I Will
9. Julia

Side C

1. Birthday
2. Yer Blues
3. Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except For Me & Monkey
4. Sexy Sadie
5. Helter Skelter
6. Long, Long, Long
7. Across The Universe

Side D

1. Revolution 1
2. Mother Nature’s Son
3. Not Guilty
4. Honey Pie
5. Savoy Truffle
6. Cry Baby Cry
7. Good Night

The cover was adapted from an image taken and adapted from https://beatlesandrutles.blogspot.com/2020/09/beatles-fantasy-albums.html. I added a picture of The Beatles to the centre which means that they would now have an image on the band on all of the LPs they released during their lifetime. The original cover of ‘The Beatles’ was the only one not to have any image of the band on it all.  

The Young Ones is one of the greatest situation comedies ever produced, even though it was not a conventional sit com. It was offbeat, anarchic, surreal and as far as my younger self was concerned, absolutely brilliant. 

Broadcast between 1982 and 1984 on the BBC, the premise was simple. Four students all at the same University (called Scumbag College) share a house but as far as the individuals are concerned, they have little in common. These were Vyvyan, medical student and borderline psychopath. Rick, left leaning attention seeking radical who is shown leaving the sociology department in the credits. Neil, a hippy who cooks everyone else’s meals but is bullied by the rest of the house and then there is Mike. He might not be a student because in the opening credits of the first series, he is seen giving a member of the University staff some cash in what looks like a bribe. At no point at they actually shown being in lectures or rarely leaving the house. There was also fifth member of the house hold who would appear in the background, never interacting with the others or even saying anything. No one is quite sure who the person playing this role actually was. It just seemed like a good idea to have a figure in the background that no one talked about or have an explanation as to why they were there. 

The series also featured Alexi Sayle in several supporting roles as well as numerous guests who would go on to great success themselves. These included Huge Laurie, Stephen Fry, Emma Thompson, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French and Paul Merton. The show was also able to acquire a higher budget by coming under the heading of a variety show. To achieve this, there was a music guest in each show except one. In that one, there was a lion tamer. 

The show was also full of incidental music. Some of this composed and recorded by Peter Brewis, who had performed with the band Magnet, who appeared in the original Wicker Man film in 1973. There also lots of music used the background including well established songs, obscure tracks and library music.

The first part of this post is what a soundtrack LP could have been like if it had been released in the early 1980s when the show was originally broadcast. This would have included most of the songs performed by the bands that appeared in each episode. As this imagined record would have been released by try BBC’s own in house record label, they would not have used the recordings made for the show. Some of the bands had actually performed live. 

The compiler, I suspect would have used the original recordings made by each artist. I believe that the BBC would have edited out the introduction to this recording of Dr Marten’s Boots so as to get rid of the profanity. The version of House of Fun by Madness used in the show was the single version. That person has an abrupt piano chord ending, unlike the LP version which fades out.

Some recordings would not make the cut, as these seemed to have been recorded for the show and not available anywhere else. The most prominent was a cover of Bob Dylan’s Subterranean Homesick Blues by Ken Bishop’s Nice Twelve. This was included in the second episode of the second series but this was a band made up of Chris Difford (Squeeze), Jools Holland (Squeeze), Martin Dobson (session player), Peter Brewis (music director of the show), Rowland Rivron (comedian/musician), Simon Brint (comedian/musician) and Stewart Copeland (The Police) which was recorded especially for the show and has never been officially released. 

The second was included in series one, episode two and was called ‘Coo Coo Daddy Long Legs’. It was performed by Ronnie Golden, once of The Fabulous Poodles dressed to look like Buddy Holly, hanging upside down and still in a parachute. The last was another by Alexei Sayle. It was also in series two,, episode two and was called ‘Stupid Noises’. 

Side 1 (Series 1)

1. Eleven Plus Eleven – Nine Below Zero
2. Dr Marten’s Boots – Radical Posture
3. House of Fun (Single Mix) – Madness
4. Jackie Wilson Said – Dexy Midnight Runners
5. You’re Not My Climate – Rip, Rig & Panic

Side 2 (series 2)

1. Ace Of Spades – Motörhead
2. Nasty – The Damned
3. Moonlight Romance – Amazulu
4. Our House – Madness
5. Body Talk – John Otway

If there was a deluxe edition of the compilation for the CD era, the second disc would include songs that were used in the Young Ones TV Show has background music. I imagine that this would been a niche release on the always reliable Cherry Red Records.

1. Rock Around The Clock – Bill Haley & the Comets
2. Travelin’ Light – Cliff Richard
3. Skin Tight – Paul Keogh (Bruton Music – Library Piece)
4. Souq –  Ali Ishfahan And George Farid (Library music)
5. I’m Bustin’ My Rocks (Working On The Chain Gang) – Roy C
6. Fire – The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
7. Bermuda Triangle – Barry Manilow
8. Flash Barrier – John Hawksworth (Library Music) 
9. The Teddy Bear’s Picnic – Henry Hall
10. Les Patineurs Valse (The Skater’s Waltz) Op. 183 – Emile Waldteufel
11. Good Day Sunshine – The Beatles
12. I’m Not A Juvenile Delinquent  – Frankie Lemon & The Teenagers
13. Bluebird – Alan Hawkshaw (Library Music)
14. Cinderella Rockafella – Alan Moorhouse & His Bond Street Brigade
15. You’ll Always Find Me I The Kitchen At Parties – Joan Lewie
16. Ain’t Nothin’ But A House Party – The Paper Dolls 
17. The Things That Dreams Are Made Of – The Human League
18. It’s My Party – Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin
19. Mama Told Me (Not To Come) – Three Dog Night
20. The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Wimoweh) – Tight Fit 
21. The Day The Rains Came – Helen Shapiro
22. Move It (1958 Version) – Cliff Richard & The Drifters
23. At The Sign of there Swinging Cymbal – Brass Incorporated 
24. Electric Gypsies – Steve Hillage
25. Comedy Cues (Comic) – Dave Richmond (Library music)
26. Twist & Shout – Brian Poole & The Tremeloes
27. Funky Feeling – Miki Antony
28. The Good Life Theme – Burt Rhodes
29. Chase Sequence – Don Banks

Not all of the music would be included due to limitations on the CD and these are listed below. 

Morning Has Broken – John Gregory

Inferno Galop – Jacques Offenbach

All I Have To Do Is Dream – Unknown (From 20 Golden Hits of the 50s LP)

Introit Puer Natus Est – Gregorian Chant Vol III No 1 – Unknown

Greensleeves – Jack Shaindlin

If you wish to read more about the music contained in the show, check out the following links. 

The Young Ones Music Guide: Series One

The Young Ones Music Guide: Series Two

Eleven months from the release of their debut album, The Cure put out a follow up in the form of ‘Seventeen Seconds’. This album would be very different in tone from ‘Three Imaginary Boys’ and there was also be a new line up . Gone was bass player Michael Dempsey as he had not liked the direction in which band leader and main songwriter, Robert Smith was taking with the material he was writing. Smith wanted the sound of the band to become more minimal. Dempsey liked more ornate bass lines and these did not fit in with Smith’s vision. After hearing the demos for the next album, Dempsey left the band. His place was taken by two members of the Magazine Spies. These were Mattheiu Hartley on keyboards and Simon Gallup on bass. 

This line up would last less than a year and ‘Seventeen Seconds’ is the only artefact from this period in the bands history. I must say that this is my favourite Cure album. It included ‘A Forest’, their first single to break into the UK singles charts top 40. It still sounds great to me to this day.  This is also the second Cure album where I have tried to expand upon what had already been released when this album was given the Deluxe Edition treatment back in 2005.   

Following the template I set last year with ‘Three Imaginary Boys’, Disc 1 includes the original album as well as the A and B-Sides to the singles released during this time. This includes the Cult Hero side project which was recorded ahead of the ‘Seventeen Seconds’ album as a way of seeing about the musical compatibility of Gallup and Hartley. There is also a Peel Session from 1980 as well as some alternative studio mixes and home demos. 

Disc 1

1. A Reflection – Seventeen Seconds Album
2. Play For Today – Seventeen Seconds Album
3. Secrets – Seventeen Seconds Album
4. In Your House – Seventeen Seconds Album
5. Three – Seventeen Seconds Album
6. The Final Sound – Seventeen Seconds Album
7. A Forest – Seventeen Seconds Album
8. M – Seventeen Seconds Album
9. At Night – Seventeen Seconds Album
10. Seventeen Seconds – Seventeen Seconds Album
11. A Forest (7’ Single Mix) – Single A-side
12. Another Journey By Train – Single B-side (A Forest)
13. I’m A Cult Hero – Single A-side (Cult Heroes Single)
14. I Dig You – Single B-side (Cult Heroes Single)
15. A Forest – Peel Session 03/03/1980
16. Seventeen Seconds – Peel Session 03/03/1980
17. Play For Today – Peel Session 03/03/1980
18. M – Peel Session 03/03/1980
19. Secrets – Home Demo
20. Another Journey By Train – Home Demo
21. Three – Alternative Studio Mix
22. Another Journey By Train (AKA 44F) – Instrumental Home Demo     

Disc 2 is a completely live affair. There seem to be a dearth of studio material at this point in the bands history. This might be down to the fact that ‘Seventeen Seconds’ was recorded on a minimal budget and there might not have been the time or the material for additional recordings. I have tried to mix this as though it was one gig even though the material comes from three. The Cult Heroes were seen as the warm up act, but did include members of The Cure backing up Horley postman, Frank Bell. The remainder of the material is mostly taken from a show that ended up being bootlegged as the ’Fading Roots’ LP. Two live tracks have also been taken for the 2006 ‘Seventeen Seconds’ Deluxe Edition. 

Disc 2

1. I Dig You (Cult Heroes) – Live London ??/03/1980
2. I’m A Cult Hero (Cult Heroes) – Live London ??/03/1980
3. Seventeen Seconds – Live Sydney 09/08/1980
4. The Final Sound – Live Paris ??/06/1980
5. A Reflection – Live Paris ??/06/1980
6. Play For Today – Live Sydney 09/08/1980
7. Three Imaginary Boys – Live Sydney 09/08/1980
8. Fire In Cairo – Live Sydney 09/08/1980
9. In Your House – Live Sydney 09/08/1980
10. 10:15 Saturday Night – Live Sydney 09/08/1980
11. At Night – Live Sydney 09/08/1980
12. M – Live Sydney 09/08/1980
13. Accuracy – Live Sydney 09/08/1980
14. Boys Don’t Cry – Live Sydney 09/08/1980
15. Plastic Passion – Live Sydney 09/08/1980
16. Jumping Somebody Else’s Train – Live Sydney 09/08/1980
17. Another Journey By Train – Live Sydney 09/08/1980
18. Grinding Halt – Live Sydney 09/08/1980
19. A Forest – Live Sydney 09/08/1980
20. Three – Live Sydney 09/08/1980
21. Killing An Arab – Live Sydney 09/08/1980
22. A Forest – Standing On A Beach Version

Disc 2 is full of live songs except for the last song which is an unique version of ‘A Forest’ which was released on the single compilation, ‘Standing On A Beach’.

The front cover is the same as the one used on the 2005 Deluxe Edition reissue of the album. 

Back in 2013, Columbia Records released a Box Set called ‘Bob Dylan: The Complete Album Collection Vol.1’. The box contained thirty five studio albums and six live LP’s. it also contained a unique collection of songs called ‘Side Tracks’ which contained previous released material that was not included on any of the standard studio or live records. With a total playing time pushing 35 hours, you would think that it would be the final word in completeness and I was actually amazed that it contained the 1973 outtakes LP, ‘Dylan’ which has pretty much been ignored since it slipped out. 

As is the way of these things, it was not complete. Not only did it not contain any of the albums in their mono mixes as these had actually seen the light of day three years earlier. Even though that mono compilation only contained the albums and none of the stand alone singles Dylan released during that period, the 2013 box also did not include some songs that had slipped out as singles A or B sides, on soundtracks albums etc. 

Even though some of these songs have made it out of the archive since then, some of them are still waiting for a re-release. For this years Record Store fantasy release, I have compiled a set of those missing songs from the 2013 Box Set onto one LP. I wanted to keep these songs in the order in which they were released, but that would have meant not only that one side was four minutes longer than the other, but if this had been released, that longer side would have been pushing 28 minutes which would not have made for a good listening experience. 

I also like to throw in a bonus single with my fantasy Record Store Day releases, but with this one, I had enough material for an E.P. This was because even though the scope of the Box Set only goes up to 2013, the artwork I have chosen for this compilation goes up to 2020, so I wanted to see if there were any single releases in those seven years that would be appropriate and there was. There is a live recording released in 2013. It was recorded when Dylan played live at The Gaslight Cafe in 1962, but strangely was not released when that gig finally received an official release. There is also a cover of The Beatles ‘Things We Said Today’ which comes from ‘The Art of McCartney’ tribute album. That was released as a download single as well. To finish off are two remixes of ‘Masters Of War’ were released in 2019 as a download so it would be good to have these on a physical release. 

Side A

1. Corrina, Corrina (1962 Mono Single B-Side)
2. Just Like Tom Thumb Blues (1966 Live Single B-Side)
3. Spanish Is  Allowing Tongue (1970 Single B-Side)
4. George Jackson (1971 Big Band Version Single A-Side)
5. Rita Mae (1976 Single B-Side)
6. Angel Flying Close To The Ground (1983 Single B-Side)

Side B

1. If You Gotta Go, Go Now (1967 Single A-Side)
2. Trouble in Mind (1979 Single B-Side)
3. Let It Be Me (1981 Single B-Side)
4. Band Of The Hand (1986 Single A-Side)
5. Shelter From The Storm (1996 Jerry Maguire OST)
6. Most Likely You Go Your Way & I’ll Go Mine (2007 Mark Ronson Remix On Line Single)

Bonus E.P.

Side A

1. Motherless Children (1962 Live Download Only)
2. Things We Said Today (2017 Download Single)

Side B

1. Masters Of War (2019 Download Single The Avener Rework)
2. Masters Of War (2019 Download Single SherGun Remix)

The cover was adapted from user Kıvılcım Er on the www.behance.net website.

The Umbrella Academy TV series is based upon a comic books detailing the lives of a functional family of superheroes. The background to this is that in the mid 20th Century, forty three babies are born to mothers who shows no signs of pregnancy just before the births. Seven of these children are adopted by the mysterious entrepreneur, Sir Reginald Hargreeves who moulds them into a superhero team known as the Umbrella Academy. The comics books were developed into a TV series by Netflix and ran for four series between 2019 and 2024.

I really enjoyed the music choices from each series, and I thought it would be interesting to curate a vinyl box set of tracks from each series. Each is a double album except the set for Season 2, as there was enough songs in there for a triple. Each comes with series specific artwork and as this is a vinyl set, if it were to ever see the light of day, it would no doubt retail for a stupid amount of money. 

Side 1

1. Istanbul (not Constantinople) – They Might Be Giants 
2. Barracuda – Heart
3. Memory Bound – Don McGinnis
4. Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen
5. Sinner Man – Nina Simone

Side 2

1. Sunshine, Lollipops & Rainbows – Lesley Gore
2. Picture Book – The Kinks
3. Saturday Night – Bay City Rollers
4. I Think We’re Alone Now – Tiffany
5. (Feels Like) Heaven – Fiction Factory
6. Mary – Big Thief
7. The Walker – Fitz & The Tantrums

Side 3

1. Blood Like Lemonade (Radio Edit) – Morcheeba
2. Lost Women – The Yardbirds
3. They Call Me A Fool – Damon
4. Soul Kitchen – The Doors
5. Never Tear Us Apart – Paloma Faith
6. This Year’s Love – David Gray
7. Good Too Shoes – Adam Ant

Side 4

1. We’re Through – The Hollies
2. I’ll Make it Easy – The Incredibles
3. Shingling – Tom Swoon
4. In the Heat Of The Moment – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
5. Exit Music (For A Film) – Radiohead
6. Mad About You – Hooverphonic
7. All Die Young – Smith Westerns

Side 1

1. Bad Guy – The Interrupters
2. In Hell I’ll Be In Good Company -The Dead South
3. You Only Want Me When You’re Lonely – Jim Boyd
4. Who’s That Knocking – A Look At Yesterday
5. Love Is Blue – Marty Robbins
6. Comin’ Home Baby – Mel Torme
7. Beyond The Sea – Bobby Darin
8. Be Thankful You’re You – Fern Jones

Side 2

1. Sunny – Boney M
2. Twistin’ The Night Away – Sam Cooke
3. Hold On, I’m Comin’ – Sam & Dave
4. Unwind Yourself – Marva Whitney
5. Wicked Game (Radio Edit) – Parra For Cuba (feat. Anna Naklab)
6. Crazy – Daniela Andrade
7. MIrage – Chilo Escobedo

Side 3

1. Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo (The Magic Song) – Perry Como
2. I Was Made For Lovin’ You – KISS
3. Dancing With Myself – Billy Idol
4. Golden Brown – The Stranglers
5. I Wonder What The Future Holds – Glen Snow
6. Right Back Where We Started From – Maxine Nightingale

Side 4

1. Rocket Fuel – DJ Shadow (feat. De La Soul)
2. Won’t Be Long – Aretha Franklin
3. Polk Salad Annie – Tony Joe White
4. Higher – Reem
5. I’ll Never Do You Wrong – Joe Tex
6. Here Comes The End – Gerard Way (feat. Judith Hill)

Side 5

1. I’m A Man – The Spencer Davis Group
2. He Can’t Love You – 4 Holidays
3. Everyday (Backstreet’s Back) (Extended Version) – Backstreet Boys
4. Sisters Of Pearl – Baio
5. Pepper – Butthole Surfers

Side 6

1. No More – Tara George 
2. Gone Off That Brown – Peleboy
3. Renegade – Styx
4. The Order Of Death – Public Image Limited
5. My Way – Frank Sinatra

Side 1

1. The Oogum Boogum Song – Brenton Wood
2. Another One Bites The Dust – Queen
3. My Silver Lining – First Aid Kit
4. Friday I’m In Love – The Cure
5. The Passenger – Iggy Pop
6. Sometimes – Gerry Cinnamon
7. We’ll Get Through – The Slugs

Side 2

1. Do You Believe In Magic – The Lovin’ Spoonful
2. Quando Quando Quando – Engelbert Humperdinck
3. Bruttosozialprodukt – Geier Sturzflug
4. Into My Soul – Gabin & Dee Dee Bridgewater
5. BItter Taste – Billy Idol
6. (I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life – Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes
7. Lets Go On A Hayride – The McSharry Sisters

Side 3

1. Short Change Hero – The Heavy
2. No More Heroes – The Stranglers
3. Let’s Be Badder – Lucern Raze (Feat. Cherry Pickles)
4. It’s A Cryn’ Shame – Gentlemen
5. Ride Wit Me – Nelly (& City Spud)
6. Come In, Mr Lonely – Jerry Dyke
7. It’s A Crying’ Shame – The Upsouth Twisters

Side 4

1. Footloose – Kenny Loggins
2. Teenage Dream – The Rescues
3. What Makes You A Man – The Ninth Wave
4. Lady In Red – Chris de Burgh
5. Higher In Love – Lilly & Steve Winwood
6. House Of The Rising Sun – Jeremy Renner
7. I Gotta Cry – Sonny Golden Boy Williamson

Side 1

1. Boom Swagger Boom – The Murder City Devils
2. Facing You – Ernie Powell
3. Ain’t That A Shame – Fats Domino
4. Money (That’s What I Want) – Barrett Strong
5. The Bad Touch – Bloodhound Gang
6. End Of The Line (from ‘The Blob’) – Ralph Carmichael

Side 2

1. Jump Into The Fire (Single Version) – Harry Nilsson
2. Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves – Cher
3. Map Of The Problematic – Muse
4. This Must be The Place (Maine Melody) – Talking Heads

Side 3

1. Powered Up – Cobra Man
2. Ahead By A Century – The Tragically Hip
3. Secret Agent Man (Live At The Whiskey A Go-Go, 1966) – Johnny Rivers
4. Dead To The World – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
5. I Think We’re Alone Now – Tommy James & the Shondells

Side 4

1. Witch Stomp – Guantanamo Baywatch
2. Jingle Bell Rock – Bobby Helms
3. Santa Baby – Eartha Kitt
4. Winter Wonderland – Lost Cat
5. Shchedryk (Carol Of The Bells) – Bel Canto Choir Vilnius
6. Baby Shark – Pinking

Paul McCartney has written with many people down the years. John Lennon, Linda McCartney, Michael Jackson, Eric Stewart, Ryan Tedder but it is his work with Elvis Costello that I am focusing on today. Working with Costello might seem an odd mix, but as has been shown, McCartney does like to bounce ideas off of other people. After 1986 and the disappointing sales (for him) of the ‘Press To Play’ album, he felt like he needed to get his act together for his next LP. He spent a considerable amount of time getting the songs into shape and to help him in doing so, he spent some of it writing with Elvis Costello. 

From those writing sessions, fifteen songs were written. The collaboration may well have reinvigorated McCartney, but there were rumours that it was not harmonious. McCartney is said to not have been impressed with Costello’s attitude and work rate. Whatever the reason, it didn’t last with the songs divided up between the two men being released over the next six years on five different albums. However, what if these two had decided to record together and release the material as one album? Well, this could have been the result and there was even enough material to have some B-Sides.

Side A

1. My Brave Face – Flowers In The Dirt
2. Pads, Paws & Claws – Spike
3. The Lovers That Never Were – Off The Ground
4. You Want Her Too – Flowers In The Dirt
5. Don’t Be Careless Love – Flowers In The Dirt
6. So Like Candy – Mighty Like A Rose

Side B

1. Shallow Grave – All This Useless Beauty
2. Mistress & Maid – Off The Ground
3. Veronica – Spike
4. Playboy To A Man – Mighty Like A Rose
5. That Day Is Done – Flowers In The Dirt
6. Back On My Feet – Flowers In The Dirt

B-Sides

1. Tommy’s Coming Home – Flowers In The Dirt
2. Twenty Fine Fingers – Flowers In The Dirt
3. I Don’t Want To Confess – Flowers In The Dirt

Why didn’t this album happen? Well, it could have been down to the tense atmosphere between the two men. Writing and recording demos is different to spending the time putting together an album. Was it because they were on different labels at the time and no agreement could be reached, or was it that the collaboration was never to be anything more than what it turned out to be? They did guest on each others records though. 

All of the songs that are on this ‘what-if’ LP were fully realised but the songs that I have thought would have been used for B-Sides did not get past the demo stage. Would they have recorded these properly if the album had actually been made? We will never know. 

A few years back, the deluxe edition of McCartney’s ‘Flowers In The Dirt’ album was released and it contained all of the songs he and Costello had written together in demo form. However, for this release, I went with the songs as they were released on the original albums. As for the cover, there aren’t too many pictures of the two men together from that period. I also decided that Costello would have used his real name for this project. Having the two surnames as the name of the album has a certain ring to it. Being as this could have come out in 1989, I have gone for a minimalist sleeve. This was the era when CDs were becoming more popular and artistic sleeves with lots going on in them were going out of fashion. 

It has taken me a little while to get around to this post, considering the inspiration for it came out mid 2024. Before I explain what this compilation is all about, I need to get a little thing off of my chest. There is a definite theme with some of my posts down the years in that I complain about record companies not servicing the needs of the punters/collectors when it comes to reissuing certain bands. One of these is Fleetwood Mac, especially the period before Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined. Even more so, the period between founder Peter Green leaving and Buckingham/Nicks’ arrival. There has been a few attempts at brining this era to greater attention but there has been a major lack of unreleased material. Either the band did not record very much or there is a reluctance to really open the archives. Do the powers at be not want to put the effort in thinking there will not be much of a return on the investment? 

What brought about my compilation was a collaboration between Rhino Records and Warner Brothers called ‘Best Of 1969-1974’. This essentially the era the band were signed to Reprise Records (a subsidiary of Warner Brothers), but not quite. The first LP of the Buckingham/Nicks era originally came out on Reprise before the label was deactivated and the majority of the roster moved to the parent company. The label wasn’t completely mothballed as their final studio album, 2003’s ‘Say You Will’ came out on Reprise. 

The problem I have with the ‘Best Of 1969-1974’ compilation is that there is little in the way of rarities to entice the Mac collector, such as myself. Singles that were released at the time are presented in, for the most part, as their album equivalents. These single versions have been released on a few compilations and box sets down the years, but it would have been nice to have had them on one place. It is also missing the lovely ‘Dragonfly’ which was good enough to include on the 1971 ‘Greatest Hits’ album, even though it failed to break the top 50 in the UK, and didn’t break into any chart anywhere else. 

I felt that this should be a more comprehensive collection of the Rerpsie years. This mean including the the singles that Mac released when Buckingham/Nicks joined the band. Once again, some of these have different mixes to the versions included on the parent LP, with ‘Over My Head’ being a different take altogether. This was enough material for a CD. However, I do like to think that if any of my compilations were to actually be released officially, there would be a vinyl version. There was too many songs for a single LP but not enough for a double so I took up side four of the LP for some rarities. If this was actually released, I would make it so that there was a limited edition 12” single which included of additional rarities. 

I have not included any singles from this era that were the same as the LP versions. A unique B-Sides that were included on the original singles are are included here.

Side A

1. Oh Well, Part 1
2. Oh Well, Part 2
3. The Green Manalishi (With The Two Pronged Crown)
4. World In Harmony
5. Dragonfly

Side B

1. Purple Dancer
2. Jewel Eyed Judy (Single Version)
3. Station Man (Single Version)
4. Sands Of Time (Single Version)
5. Sentimental Lady (Single Version)

Side C

1. For Your Love (Mono Promo Edit)
2. Heroes Are Hard To Find (Single Version)
3. Over My Head (Single Version)
4. Blue Letter (Single Version)
5. Rhiannon (Single Version)
6. Say You Love Me (Single Version)

Side D

1. Stone (Future Games Outtake)
2. What A Shame (Unedited)
3. Trinity (Stereo Version)
4. Good Things (Come To Those Who Wait) (Mystery To Me Outtake)

12” Single

Side A

1. Trinity (Mono Version)
2. Sometimes (Alternative Version)

Side B 

1. Lay It All Down (Alternative Version)
2. Show Me A Smile (Alternative Version)

I used the same cover that was used for the ‘Best of 1969-1974’ collection, with the title amended and the Reprise Records label added. 

Described in retrospect as the missing link between the later Beatles and 10cc, Fickle Pickle were made up up four multi-instrumentalist/songwriter/producers whose one and only album failed to gain a release in their native UK. What they did manage to achieve during their short life time was a hit single in the Netherlands (where they also toured) as well as numerous unreleased tracks. 

The story beings in Willesden, North London where two independent producers/businessmen founded Morgan Studios and a spin-off label in the form of Morgan Blue Town. Behind the production desk in the early days of the studio was Geoff Gill who had been the drummer in the legendary band,The Smoke, best known these days for the classic single ‘My Friend Jack’. Also knocking around the studio was multi-instrumentalist, Will Malone. Gill knew a certain Cliff Wade, the former inviting the later down the studio set up. Last to join the party was Steven Howden who had been part of the Morgan stable of bands when he was a member of Red Dirt. 

With all the members of Fickle Pickle in place, but not yet as a band, the quartet would pool their resources as musicians on whatever sessions needed to be recorded. The first Fickle Pickle single was a cover of Paul McCartney’s ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’, the stand out track from his first solo album. The single didn’t sell and the musicians returned top their day jobs as producers and backing musicians. The Working together would eventually lead to the four musicians working together on songs that would eventually find their way onto vinyl under the Fickle Pickle name. This was due to the fact that the single of ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’ became an unexpected hit in the Netherlands. Feeling it was time to take things a bit more seriously, an albums worth of material was recorded. 

The album would be released only in the Netherlands and was not a big hit. The album cover of the band seemingly behind a pig in a pig stye was not the strongest of selling points, but it did contain some very good music. The band did try with another single in an attempt to break in the UK market, and recorded a version of Don McLean’s ‘American Pie’. The McLean version was rushed released in response and the Fickle Pickle version disappeared without a trace, but what if it hadn’t. What if the band had had a genuine hit in the UK and needed to rush release another album in response. 

Well, this is what it could have sounded like. As was shown with the box set from 2018, the band had a wealth of material languishing in the archives. In fact, the notes from the set says that there were more songs that what was presented on there but they have been lost or misplaced down the years. As can be seen, there was enough material for not only another album, but three more singles and b-sides. Being as this would have been the early 70s, there was still a tendency not to include singles on the album. There are wo versions of ‘Time To Go’, but there is a different vocalist on each and they differ in length quite considerably. 

All the members of Fickle Pickle went on to success in the music business, but their time as Fickle Pickle was all but forgotten until their material was given a new lease of life due to labels looking to exploit their archives and if their are other gems like this to come, I cannot wait. 

Side A

1. Time To Go (Will Malone Vocal)
2. Ring Me
3. Do You Remember My Name
4. Holiday Farm
5. Jesus Cristo
6. Old Feet, New Socks
7. Goodnight

Side B

1. Like An Good Man Should
2. Sweet Wilfred – A Rodent Of Note
3. I Need You
4. Buena Vista
5. Tell Me
6. Through The Days
7. Everyday

Singles

1. Playing With Magic
2. Brining It All Back Home

1. Time To Go (Cliff Wade Vocal)
2. Keep On Doing What You Do To Me

1. Ride Ride Ride
2. Guy Fawkes

There was such a limited choice of images I could use for the band that I thought I would just create my own. The title is from one of the songs on the album and the sleeve is adapted from a 1970s advert for Wigwam Socks and Covers All Stars shoes. 

Last month, I put together a compilation of artists from the USA who had had some success in the mid 1950’s up until the arrival of The Beatles. These artists continued to produce music through to the late 60 and early 70s but with limited success. I wondered if it was possible to put together another compilation looking at UK artists from a similar period who also produced music after their heyday. Well, I could but unlike the previous collection, this is a single album with fourteen songs. 

Side 1

1. Cowman, Milk Your Cow – Adam Faith
2. Listen To The Rover Roll Along – Wee Willie Harris
3. Movin’ In – Heinz
4. A Prelude Top Old Age – Marty Wilde
5. Send For That Girl – Johnny Kidd & The Pirates
6. Silly Boy Blue – Billy Fury
7. If The Rain Got To Fall – Tommy Steele

Side 2

1. Give Me Muddy Water – Joe Brown
2. Take Down A Note Miss Smith – Helen Shapiro
3. My Lady – Jet Harris
4. Riversong – John Leyton
5. Dear Old Mrs. Bell – The Shadows
6. I’m All I Need – Antony Newley
7. Who Knows Where The Time Goes – Lonnie Donegan

As all of these artists come from the British Isles, all of the chart information is based on how successful these artists were on the UK charts.

Cowman, Milk Your Cow – Adam Faith (Single A-Side 1967)

Adam Faith was born Terence Nelhams Wright and was spotted by TV producer Jack Good whilst playing at the legendary 2i’s Coffee Bar. After a quick name change, it would take three singles before he had a hit with ‘What Do You Want?’ hitting number one in 1959. Between then and 1964, Faith lodged twenty consecutive hits in the UK charts. He even managed to score one top 40 hit in the US riding on the coat tails of The Beatles. However, by 1964, his days as a major hit maker were gone. he still continued to make records including this one which was written by Robin and Barry Gibb from The Bee Gees. The line up for this single included the legendary Peter Green on guitar. Faith would later go on to appear in a number of acting roles as well as working as Leo Sayer’s manager. 

Listen To The River Roll Along – Wee Willie Harris (Single A-Side 1966)

Like Faith, Wee Willie Harris (born Charles William Harris) was spotted by Jack Good playing the 2i’s Coffee Bar as the resident piano player. His first single was unusual for this time it that it was self composed. Know for his energetic performances that earned him the label “Britain’s Wild Man of Rock ’n’ Roll”. None of his records were hits in the UK charts but he continued to record off and on in the mid 70s before making a more substantial recoding come back in the 2000s. He was mentioned Ian Dury’s song, ‘Reasons To Be Cheerful – Part 3’. 

Movin’ In – Heinz (Single A-Side 1966)

Heinz was born Heinz Burt in Germany during World War 2 but after his father was killed during the conflict, his mother decided to resettle in Britain. Heinz was a member of The Tornados, one of the first bands UK bands to have a hit in the USA. The Tornadoes were managed by legendary producer, Joe Meek and Meek wanted to push Heinz as a solo artist. Even though he had a couple of minor hits, he did hit the top five with ‘Just Like Eddie’ with a backing band including future stars Ritchie Blackmore, Chas Hodges and Mick Underwood. ‘Movie In’ was the last single Heinz released in the 1960’s and his career suffered after the death of Joe Meek in 1967. 

A Prelude Top Old Age – Marty Wilde (B-Side to the single ‘No Trams To Lime Street’ 1970)

Reginald Smith would become Marty Wilder once he became a part of the stable of artists that were under the management of Larry Parnes. He released a number of hit singles between 1957 and 1962 but like so many other on this list, his career suffered with the rise of The Beatles. However, Wilde did not rest on his hit making past and continued to release singles on a regular basis into the mid 1970s. He was also making a name for himself as a song writer, writing songs for the likes of Status Quo, Lulu and the Causals before writing numerous hits for his daughter, Kim, in the 80s. 

Send For That Girl – Johnny Kidd & The Pirates (Single A-Side 1966)

Frederick Heath, better known to the world as Johnny Kidd was backed by the band The Pirates on arguably the greatest British rock ’n’ roll record of all time. That song was the Kidd penned, ‘Shakin’ All Over’. He did have a number of other hits but none reached the heights of ‘Shakin’. Kidd would die in a car crash in 1966, with the single    ‘Send For That Girl’ being released posthumously. 

Silly Boy Blue – Billy Fury (Single A-Side 1968)

Ronald Wycherley was the original Liverpool rocker, long before The Beatles came to prominence. He had gone to meet with impresario Larry Parnes to try and interest him in some songs he had written in the hope that Marty Wilde would record them. Legend has it that Parnes was so impressed by the songs that he thrust Wycherley on stage, rechristening him Billy Fury. Fury started to have hits in 1959 and managed to survive the rise of Merseybeat until 1966 but health issues meant he had gone into semi-retirement by the 1970s. These health issues would lead to his untimely death in 1983. This song was written by a then little known David Bowie.  

If The Rain Got To Fall – Tommy Steele (B-Side to the single ‘Half A Sixpence’ 1968)

Thomas Hicks had served in the Merchant Navy before forming the band, The Cavemen. Whilst performing at the 2i’s Coffee Bar, he was seen by publicity man John Kennedy who along with Larry Parnes, managed to secure a record deal with Decca. Now known as Tommy Steele, he released one of the first British rock ’n’ roll singles with ‘Rock With The Cavemen’. Steel would continue to have hits until the early 60s but unlike others on this list, his hits had dried up before The Beatles rose to prominence. However, Steele continued to find success by becoming a an actor, writer and a sculptor.   

Give Me Muddy Water – Joe Brown (B-Side to the single ‘Come Up & See Me Sometime’ 1970)

Joe Brown, which unlike many other on this list as he used his real name. He had worked as a fireman on the railways before he was spotted by Jack Good and given a job on his TV show, ‘Boy Meets Girls’. Brown was also part of Larry Parnes stable of stars but would not change his name to ‘Elmer Twitch’. He had a number of hits in the pre Beatles era but once they came on the scene, the hits dried up. Brown, like Steele was able to diversify and started to appear in musicals and children’s TV shows. He would marry Vernon Girl Victoria Haseman and is the father of Sam Brown who would have her own chart run in the late 80s as well as singing backing vocals for artists such as Pink Floyd. 

Take Down A Note Miss Smith – Helen Shapiro (Single A-Side 1970)

Helen Shapiro has been singling in bands since she was ten years old, including one that featured the future Marc Bolan on guitar. She is known for the deep timbre in her voice which was unusual, especially for a girl of fourteen. That was how old she was when she released her first single. She would have two number one singles and would take The Beatles on tour with her as her backing band but by the time that band had become popular, her time as a hit making wax coming to an end. She continued to release new music but these days she is more famous as a jazz singer having performed with trumpet player Humphrey Lyttleton for many years. 

My Lady – Jet Harris (Single A-Side 1967)

Terence ‘Jet’ Harris was an early member The Shadows, Cliff Richard’s backing band. Harris left the band after he started drinking heavily and falling into depression after finding out that Richard was having an affair with his wife, even though they were separated at the time. Harris would release a number of singles including a number one hit single called ‘Diamonds’. However, as with so many of the other artists on this list, the rise of The Beatles would see his sound being seen as old fashioned. Harris would give Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones their first breaks in the music business but a car crash in late 1963 derailed his career which never fully recovered. 

Riversong – John Leyton (B-Side to the single ‘Dancing In The Graveyard’ 1973)

John Leyton was already an established actor when he persuaded his manager, Robert Stigwood to allow him to audition for producer Joe Meek. Leyton released a version of ‘Tell Laura I Love Her’ but it was withdrawn from sale by his label after they decided to push the version by Ricky Valance instead. He would have a couple of major hits with ‘Johnny Remember Me’ and ‘Wild Wind’ but like so many others on this list, by the time The Beatle showed up, his sound was seen to be out of date. Leyton did have his acting career to fall back on and appeared in such classic films such as ‘The Great Escape’ and ‘Von Ryan’s Express’. He did continue to release the odd single including this one from 1963. 

Dear Old Mrs. Bell – The Shadows (Single A-Side 1968)

Formed as the backing band for Cliff Richard, The Shadows were able to form a success career under their own name. Their albums, EP’s and singles would all reach the higher echelons of the charts and unlike most of the people on this list, they were able to continue having hits even after The Beatles. By the late 60s, the hits were not a big, even though they did produce a number of songs that included vocals. The Shadows continued to be a live draw and album band until their finally called it a day in 2020. 

I’m All I Need – Antony Newley (Single A-Side 1969)

Antony Newley had a varied career. Child actor, adult actor, songwriter and famously he was also married to Joan Collins. His heyday as a hit maker was in the late 50s and 60s but that did not stop him from releasing new music. He would famously write the score for the film, ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’ and his vocal style would be a major influence on a young David Bowie. 

Who Knows Where The Time Goes – Lonnie Donegan (Single A-Side 1970)

Anthony ‘Lonnie’ Donegan is arguably one of the most influential British artists of all time. Starting off in trad jazz, Donegan was at the forefront of the skiffle movement which led to a number of British musicians taking up the guitar and forming bands. He was the first British singer to have two US top ten hits but like so many others, his fall in chart places coincided with the rise of The Beatles, ironically, one of the bands he helped to inspire. 

The cover is adapted from a 1965 poster by James Rosenquist called F-111

I also thought being an LP, this should have a gatefold sleeve.