Fleetwood Mac released their first two albums within six months of each other, but then it took them over a year to released their third. This was the 60s and releasing a new album every six months was not unusual so I wanted to see if there would have been enough material for the band to have released another album early in 1969. If this was to happen, this album needed to follow a certain amount of rules, including adhering to the template of the first two. That is:
Each singing member gets a roughly equal amount of songs to sing.
Some originals and some covers.
The LP would contain twelve tracks like the first two albums did.
What would have been new for this release was Danny Kirwan. He was added to the line up to take some of the burden off of Peter Green because Jeremy Spencer, the other guitar player in the band did not play on the songs Green brought to the band.
Looking through the rather fine ‘Complete Blue Horizon Sessions’ box set, there is the ‘Blues Jam in Chicago’ album. This album was recoded in the legendary Chess Records studio with Fleetwood Mac being joined by a series of blue legends such as Willie Dixon and Buddy Guy. There was enough original material from this release to cover the majority of the songs. To make this a coherent album, I have done some editing to remove studio banter, false starts and the odd bum note (especially true on I Can’t Hold Out where a stray sax notes comes in during Jeremy Spencer’s Elmore James’ influenced intro). With these songs included, there still wasn’t enough material for a complete album. There were a couple of stray songs written by Danny Kirwan that I have included and this meant there was only enough room for one cover. This is ‘Jumping of Shadows’. taken from the ’Live At The BBC’ album. It is a good blues number and the band seems to have played it quite a lot in their live shows around this time.
If the band had chosen to release another LP on the Blue Horizon label earlier in 1969, this could have been what is sounded like. This would also have been the last of a trilogy of Blues albums where the songs were recorded live in the studio. With ‘Then Play On’, overdubs and editing as well as spending more time on the process were the order of the day, but that is a story for another time.
Side A
Watch Out (Blues Jam in Chicago Vol.1
World’s In A Tangle (Blues Jam In Chicago Vol.2)
I Can’t Hold Out (Blues Jam In Chicago Vol.1)
Talk With You (Blues Jam In Chicago Vol.2)
I’m Worried (Blues Jam In Chicago Vol.1)
Without You (English Rose)
Side B
Last Night (Blues Jam In Chicago Vol.1)
Something Inside Of Me – Take 2 (The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions 1967-1969)
Rockin’ Boogie (Blues Jam In Chicago Vol.2)
Homework (Blues Jam In Chicago Vol.1)
I Held My Baby Last Night (Blues Jam In Chicago Vol.2)
Jumping At Shadows (Live At The BBC)
The LP artwork is edited from a Reprise Record release in Germany and the Netherlands from 1973, but with the title edited out. It is quite hard to find artwork of the five man Mac. The title was chosen as it links into the album that followed, even if that did not use the original Shakespeare quote accurately.
Back in the dim distant days of August 2020, I posted a couple of what if albums highlighting two possibly albums by ex Fleetwood Mac guitar player, Danny Kirwan. You can read about those LPs here (https://www.thesquirepresents.co.uk/danny-kirwan-mind-of-my-own-sands-of-time/) but in a nutshell, this post looked at the imagined story that the Mac split in 1971 when Jeremy Spencer left. Kirwan looked at what songs he had written and employing his ex band members as sessions players, released two albums. Well, this continues that imagined story.
After leaving Fleetwood Mac again after their 1971 tour of the US (where he helped out the band after Spencer had left), Peter Green made some additional recordings before his drug taking and mental illness finally took their toll. Green was diagnosed with schizophrenia and spent some time having treatment in some psychiatric hospitals. By 1979, Green was ready to reemerge and got in touch with Mick Fleetwood. Fleetwood had spent the 1970s as a session player along with ex band mate, John McVie. Both Fleetwood and McVie have never been short of work but both had reached the end of the decade and fancied playing in a band again. Green getting back in touch could not have happened at a more opportune moment.
Green, McVie and Fleetwood start jamming and even though they liked the experience, they realised that they need some additional musicians to flesh out the sound. Green was keen to recruit his friend Nigel Watson, who had played on the two Reprise singles that he had released in the early 70s. Fleetwood, feeling that if anything were to come of this re-union, they would need a manager, contacts Clifford Davis. He had been Fleetwood’s Mac’s manager and is more than happy to come on board. Davis has also been representing Danny Kirwan since band split. Kirwan had continued to release albums throughout the 70’s but, like Green, had been suffering from the effects of drink and drugs. Davis felt that having Kirwan and Green playing together would be good for them both. Davis then played Green some live tracks from Mac’s US tour in early 1970 to show how good the two players had been, feeding off each others guitar licks. Green was sceptical, but agreed that having Kirwan in for a jam.
Kirwan looks similar to the last time anyone saw him, it is clear that all is not well with him. Years of alcohol and drug abuse have taken their toll. However, when the four musicians start to relax around each other, the music flows out of them, even if the playing from the two guitar players is not have the fire they once had. Inspired by the jam sessions, both Kirwan and Green agree that they will see if they can come up with some suitable material for an album.
Jeremy Spencer on the other hand has spent the majority of the 70’s working on behalf of the Children of God, recording a good deal of music for the benefit of the organisation. By 1978, he had written some material that he felt should be released on a commercial record. Looking in the organisation for fellow players, Spencer put together the Jeremy Spencer band and they start to rehearse. Hiring entertainment moguls Martin and Steven Machat, the pair are able to secure Spencer a one off deal with Atlantic Records. Sessions begin but Spencer is not happy with some of the results. He feels that instead of the breezy Californian sound he was going for, the record label are trying to steer him towards a disco record. Spencer is close to giving up when Ahmet Ertegun, the Head of Atlantic Records comes down to the studio to play him a visit.
Ertegun has heard that Fleetwood Mac are jamming together and wonders if Spencer would be interested in joining them in a reunion (as well as having the band sign for Atlantic). Spencer is unsure that this would be a good idea, especially as it was him leaving that caused the band to fold in the first place. Ertegun says he would make some enquiries, and contacts Davis. Davis is surprised to hear that anyone has heard that the jam sessions are happening at all, but is excited that there could be a potential Mac reunion with all five members actively involved. Ertegun sweetens the deal by suggesting that a record deal is waiting for them if they choose to accept it, but only if Spencer is involved. A sizeable advance is also mentioned.
Davis tells Green, Kirwan, McVie and Fleetwood about Ertegun’s offer. McVie and Fleetwood are keen to go into the studio straight away, but this was before Davis told them the deal about having Spencer on the recording. Kirwan does not react at all and Green looks horrified. He has not been in a recording studio for years, and his guitar playing is decidedly rusty. The four band members mull it over and even though they each have doubts, the seizable advance is enough to swing it as both Kirwan and Green are short of funds. The money would also mean Kirwan can buy himself out of his contract DJM Records who he still owes an album too. The contracts are signed and the five man Mac meet up and start to rehearse. The first meeting with Spencer is a little tense, but once the formalities are out of the way and they start to play some old blues standards, they all remember how much fun it was to play together.
It has been ten years since they last recorded an album together (even though Spencer hardly played anything on the ‘Then Play On’ album). The three songwriters have changed as people and the music landscape has changed as well. Disco and soft rock are the order of the day. Both Spencer and Kirwan produce some material that is similar to those popular at the time. Green on the other hand, has struggled to come up with material of his own and at one point, almost walked out of the sessions. Fleetwood is able to coerce Green back to at least finish the album but by the end of proceedings, all five realise that this was a mistake. The album sounds good, but the fire is no longer there and the three songwriters are sining from the same hymn sheet as once they were. Unfortunately, they are under contract and the album has too comes out.
The reviews are not kind, with everyone expecting the band from 1969 with their blues rock fusion. Even though concert promotors throw some big money at the band to go on the road, especially if they are going to play their old material, the band decide that going on tour would not be in anyones best interest and they split once again. The album fails to chart anywhere in the world and Fleetwood Mac are once again, no more.
Side A
Flee – Jeremy Spencer Band (Flee)
Wings Of A Dove – Danny Kirwan (Hello There Big Boy!)
Seven Stars – Peter Green (In The Skies)
Caroline – Danny Kirwan (Hello There Big Boy!)
Travellin’ – Jeremy Spencer Band (Flee)
Side B
In The Skies – Peter Green (In The Skies)
Summer Days & Summer Nights – Danny Kirwan (Hello There Big Boy!)
Just For You – Peter Green (In The Skies)
Cool Breeze – Jeremy Spencer Band (Flee)
Apostle – Peter Green (In The Skies)
I was inspired to put this what-if album together after playing Danny Kirwan 1979 album ‘Hello There Big Boy!’ for the first time in years. I remember being incredibly disappointed with this when I first heard it over thirty years ago now but on reflection, it was not as bad as I remember. The playing was solid and there were some half decent songs on it. The production of the record was obviously trying to ape the style of the then current Fleetwood Mac and their massive selling ‘Rumours’ LP. It was then that I remembered that Jeremy Spencer released his ‘Flee’ album in the same year. I had played this record quite a lot when I was younger, especially the B-Side which was also trying to emulate the ‘Rumours’ sound. The B-Side has aged considerably better than the A-Side, which sounds like a poor mans disco record.
Considering I have all Spencer’s and Kirwan’s releases from the 1970’s, I have never bought or even listened to a single Peter Green solo album. Well, from 1979 onwards anyway as I do have ‘End Of The Game’ and the two singles he recorded with Nigel Watson. A Green fan would be disappointed if they were expecting the fiery blues man of just a year or so before. Anyway, I looked at Green’s solo work and found that he had also released an album in 1979. It was just a case of listening to all three and seeing if there was enough self penned material for an album. There was but this, if it had actually happened, I feel it would have disappointed much in the same way the Small Faces re-union releases were earlier in the decade. An interesting experiment though.
The name of the album is a reference to the fake Fleetwood Mac who were sent out on the road in place of the real thing in 1974. You can see a video detailing this incident here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKk692YLB1M). After the fake Fleetwood Mac debacle, that band became Stretch and released the hit single ‘Why Did You Do It?’.
The cover is adapted from the Jeremy Spencer Bands ‘Flee’ album.
It is the fifth month so it must be time for Volume 5 in my series of collections looking back at the Psychedelic Years. Like previous efforts, this one is a collection of well known bands mixed with a lot of obscure (some would say very) artists. The better known include The Rolling Stones with a song from their underrated psychedelic effort, ‘Their Satanic Majesties Request’. Fairport Convention were not always the folk rock band and their first record was closer to the Jefferson Airplane than the songs they found at Cecil Sharp House. Genesis also make an appearance in their pre-prog days with a song from their much maligned debut album. Personally, I really like this record.
On the other side, we Bobak, Jons, Malone which included cult producer Will Malone in their ranks. Jessie Taper makes an appearance with ‘Fall Down’ taken from the ‘Guitar Absolution In The Shade of The Midnight Sun’ album. Lifted from the only known acetate of this record, this is possibly the greatest unreleased album of all time. Andy Ellison was a member of the infamous John’s Children before going soloing Kippington Lodge featured a pre-fame Nick Lowe.
More of the same next month.
Disc 1
S. F. Sorrow Is Born – The Pretty Things
Care Of Cell 44 – The Zombies
Tarot (Ace Of Wand Theme) – Andrew Bown
Jenny Artichoke – Kaleidoscope
The Castle Has Fallen – The Ghost
Sueno – The Truth
It’s Alright Ma, It’s Only Witchcraft – Fairport Convention
The Eagle Flies On Friday – The Exception (UK)
Silver Tree Top School for Boys – The Beatstalkers
Good Times – Eric Burdon & The Animals
2000 Light Years From Home – The Rolling Stones
Boy Meats Girl – Paper Blitz Tissue
I Wonder Where My Sister’s Gone – Anán
Trip On An Orange Bicycle – Orange Bicycle
Let’s Live For Today – The Living Daylights
Nodnol – The Spectrum
Hey! Mr. Carpenter – The Fox
Shout It – Kate
And Life Goes On – The Mirage
Fairylights – Bent Frame
Love & Best Wishes – The Uglys
With A Little Help – World Of Oz
Sylvie – The Hills
Lord John – The Bobcats
On A Meadow Lane – Bobak, Jons, Malone
Sunshine – Gun
Disc 2
Rainbow Chaser – Nirvana (UK)
Hey Conductor – The League
I’m Flying – Serendipity
Colour Of My Mind – The Attack
Flight From Ashiya – Kaleidoscope
Wildflowers – The Holy Mackerel
Lydia Purple – Dunn & McCashen
In The Beginning- Genesis
Fall Down – Jesse Harper
House Of Many Windows – Motherlight (Bobak, Jons, Malone)
The summer months are almost upon us so what better time is there to present a compilation looking at the period in the mid 60s where music makers from the USA* were producing tunes that reflected the then more innocent age. There are songs about cars, mopeds, having fun, girls (and boys) and there are hints at the more reflective music that would become more prevalent later int he decade. ‘Guess I’m Dumb’ by Glen Campbell being a good example of that. Brian Wilson’s finger prints are all over this compilation as well. He was churning out so much music in the mid 60s that he recorded with more than just The Beach Boys. These included The Honeys which featured his future wife, Marilyn, within their ranks. The songs by The Survivors, the aforementioned Glen Campbell as well as Jan & Dean have Wilson’s fingerprints all over them.
Future Beach Boys collaborators, Bruce Johnson and Terry Melcher are also represented here, not only under their own names (Bruce & Terry) but as The Rip Chords. Harry Nilsson and Phil Spector are both represented by their writing credits on the song ‘This Could Be The Night’ by The Modern Folk Quartet. Phil Spector also produced the original version of ‘Chapel of Love’ by Darlene Love. This was not released until 30 years after it was recorded. There are numerous other artists, some more well known than others but whenever I play this, it always makes me think of summer.
Disc 1
Let’s Dance – Chris Montez
Johnny Angel – Shelley Fabares
Walk Don’t Run ’64 – The Ventures
Surf City – Jan & Dean
Kick That Little Foot Sally Ann – Road Robin
I Get Around – The Beach Boys
Not The Lovin’ Kind – Dino, Desi & Billy
Three Window Coupe – The Rip Chords
Little Honda – The Hondells
I Live For The Sun – The Sunrays
That’s The Way The World Has Got To Be (Part 1) – Chris Lucey
For You – Rick Nelson
Anywhere The Girl Are – The Fantastic Baggys
Another Saturday Night – Sam Cooke
Strange Love – Darlene Love
Rising Sun – The Deep Six
Everybody Loves A Clown – Gary Lewis & The Playboys
The Big Beat – Bob & Sheri
I’m A Drifter – Joe & Eddie
Meet Me Tonight Little Girl – Philip & Stephan
The Night Has A Thousand Eyes – Bobby Lee
Man With Money – The Everly Brothers
Summer Means Fun – Bruce & Terry
Smokey Joe’s – Donna Loren
Let Me Be – The Turtles
You Say Pretty Words – Ramona King
So Hard To Find – The Critters
Guess I’m Dumb – Glen Campbell
I Can’t Help But Wonder Where I’m Bound – Dion & The Wanderers
Baby What You Want Me Top Do? – Bob & Bobby
This Could Be The Night – The Modern Folk Quartet
Keep On Dancing – The Ronettes
Land Of The Free – Bonnie & The Treasures
Disc 2
Pamela Jean – The Survivors
Ride Away – Bob & Sheri
Walk Right In – The Moments
Twistin’ The Night Away – Sam Cooke
Hey Little Cobra – The Rip Chords
Tell ‘em I’m Surfin’ – The Fantastic Baggys
Dream For Sale – Joey Paige
The Rebel Kind – Dino, Desi & Billy
Roses & Rainbows – Danny Hutton
That’s How It Goes – Joey Heatherton
Somebody Groovy – The Mamas & The Papas
Haloween Mary – P. F. Sloan
They’re Jealous Of Me – Doona Loren
The Birds & The Bees – Jewel Akens
Many Are The Times – Lee Mallory
Over You – Paul Revere & The Raiders
I’m Sweet On You – Tina & The Mustangs
June Bride Baby – The Goldbriars
The Sh-down Down Song (You Better Leave Him Alone) – The Ginger-Snaps Dandee Dawson
Deep Purple – Nino Tempo & April Stevens
I’m Through With You – Mark V
He’s A Doll – The Honeys
The End – Ian Whitcomb
This Diamond Ring – Gary Lewis & The Playboys
Baby I See You – Deana Martin
Eve Of Destruction – Barry McGuire
Bye, Bye, Bye – The Tikis
What Am I Going To Do – The Dovers
Call Me – Chris Montez
Baby Dear – Wildflowers
Chapel Of Love – Darlene Love
All Summer Long – The Beach Boys
The cover art is adapted from one used by Andrew Sandoval for his podcast of the same name. If you have not heard any of the episodes, I would highly recommend it.
This compilation could not be reproduced on Spotify due to one or more songs not being listed don that platform.
*I think that is where all of the artists on this compilation were from anyway
I was inspired to put this compilation together by an old work colleague who was into, what he called ‘noisy music’. I had only just bought Pink Floyd’s rather pricey but quite comprehensive ‘Early Years’ box set. Lots of psychedelic noodling, progressive jamming and in some cases, just noise was included on the box. I also thought I would use some of the noisy tracks from the official Floyd catalogue (such as Ummagumma), some tracks from the collaboration between Roger Water and Ron Feesin as well some bits and pieces from Syd Barrett, the bands original guitar player.
There was so much material to use that the project soon ballooned to a three disc set, with tracks edited, cross faded and sometimes laid onto of each other. In the end, I produced a work that would be a cohesive sound experience. This is also designed for the playing time of a CD and not vinyl, which is what I normally do.
The releases that were used to complete this project were:
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (Stereo Mix)
A Saucerful Of Secrets (Stereo Mix)
More
Ummagumma
Zabriskie Point
Relics
Omay Yad (Bootleg)
Obscured By Clouds
Dark Side Of The Moon (Immersion Box Set)
Wish You Were Here (Immersion Box Set)
London ’66-’67 EP
The Early Years 1965-1972
Music From the Body (Roger Waters & Ron Geesin)
An Introduction to Syd Barrett – Downloadable Bonus Track (Syd Barrett)
Disc 1
John Latham 1
John Latham 2
John Latham 3
John Latham 4
John Latham 5
John Latham 6
John Latham 7
Nick’s Boogie
Rhamadam (Syd Barrett)
Saucerful Of Secrets
Moonhead (Incorporating John Latham 8)
Main Theme For ‘More’
Bike (Sound Effects Only)
Disc 2
The Grand Vizier’s Garden Party Part 2 (Entertainment)
Love Scene (Version 1)
Quicksilver
Careful With That Axe Eugene (Incorporating Come In Number 51, Your Time Is Up)
Love Scene (Take 1)
Sysyphus
Several Species Of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in A Cave & Grooving With A Pict
Love Scene (Version 2)
Heart Beat, Pig Meat
Up The Kyper
Wine Glasses
Seabirds (Incorporating The Womb Bit & Embryo Thought)
On The Run – 1972 Early Mix (Incorporating More Than Seven Dwarfs In Penis Land)
Unknown Song – Take 1 (Incorporating Embryonic Womb-Walk & Jugband Blues)
Cirrus Minor
Disc 3
Love Scene (Version 7)
Interstellar Overdrive – Mono (Part 1)
Fingal’s Cave (Part 1)
Oneone
Explosion
Aeroplane
Pow R. Toc H. (Stereo)
Theme – Beat Version (Alternative Version)
Fingal’s Cave (Part 2)
The Narrow Way (Part 2)
Dramatic Theme
Love Scene (Version 4)
Obscured By Clouds
When You’re In
Heart Beat, Pig Meat (Film Version)
Interstellar Overdrive – Demo (Incorporating John Latham 9)
The title of this compilation takes it name from an improvised instrumental the band did in 1970 for a TV performance, which I didn’t end up using for this.
The cover is very much in the vein of Hypnosis, who did so many of Pink Floyd’s covers but I suspect I found this image on the Twitter site, Images that could be album covers.
Boney M started off as a studio project by West German producer and song writer, Frank Farian. Farian had released a number of songs under his own name before he had a hit with ‘Baby Do You Wanna Bump’, a loose remake of Prince Busters ‘Al Capone’. He released the song under the name of Boney M, but not wanting to appear in the spotlight himself, he hired some performers to take the songs he was writing out on the road. The people who were chosen to front Boney M, all hailed from the Caribbean. These were Maizie Williams (from Montserrat), Bobby Farrell (from Aruba) as well as Liza Mitchell and Marcia Barrett (both from Jamaica). However, Williams and Farrell did not sing on any of the studio recordings, even though they were heard when the group performed live.
The group struggled to follow ‘Baby Do You Wanna Bump’ until they were invited on the German TV show, Musikladen performing ‘Daddy Cool’. This became a big hit in Germany and the group began to have hits in other countries around Europe. Their first album ‘Take The Heat Off Me’ was a modest hit outside of mainland Europe, and the follow up ‘Love For Sale’ improved upon its predecessors sales and chart performance. Their singles up to this point were huge chart successes in all the major markets except the USA but when their third album was released, the groups sales went through the roof.
‘Nightflight To Venus’ came out in July 1978 and contained the double A-Side single ‘Rivers Of Babylon’ and ‘Brown Girl In The Ring’, one of the biggest selling singles in UK history. With the follow up release being the disco classic’ ‘Rasputin’ and they were able to achieve another million selling UK single with the then non-album track, ‘Mary’s Boy Child/Oh My Love’. The B-Side of this Christmas related single was ‘Dancing in the Streets’, a new song and not a cover of the Martha & The Vandellas track. This album was also a massive seller, achieving Platinum status in many territories but when it comes to re-releases, these have been thin on the ground. This album is ripe for a deluxe edition and so The Squire is here to provide one.
‘Nightflight to Venus’ lends itself to this format just because of the numerous different versions of the songs that were on the album. Normally when a record comes out, it tends to be definitive version with all of the mixes and edits finalised. However, with ‘Nightlight To Venus’, this was not the case. Four versions of this record were released, most of which were exclusive to Germany. The different versions can be easily identified by the length of the first track, ‘Nightflight To Venus’ which is the only song with a different duration on each version. The opening song was on the first version had a playing time of seven minutes and eleven seconds but by the time the forth, and final version was released, this had been edited down to four minutes and forty six seconds. The song itself is based around Cozy Powell’s ‘Dance With The Devil’ single, but as this was in the era before sampling, I suspect the songwriters did not receive any monetary recompense for this drum pattern. Anyway, I digress.
This fourth and last version is considered to be the finished version and is the one that most people around the world would have heard. This is also the version that was released on CD. So what happened to all of the different versions of the songs that were released before the fourth and final version came out? These seemed to have been reassigned to the archives, for now at least. Apart from these different album version, there was also numerous single mixes. This album was released at the high of disco so not only were there 7” single version, but extended 12” mixes. These singles mixes as well as LP variation would neatly fit onto a three CD release of the album. This would also include the single ‘Mary’s Boy Child/ Oh My Lord’ with its B-Side ‘Dancing In The Streets’ in all its variations as well, as this came out in the same year.
The cover I used is the same as the original with the Deluxe Edition logo also present.
Disc 1
Nightflight To Venus
Rasputin
Painter Man
He Was A Steppenwolf
King Of The Road
Rivers Of Babylon
Voodoonight
Brown Girl In The Ring
Never Change Lovers In The Middle Of The Night
Heart Of Gold
Disc 2 – Single Versions
Rivers of Babylon (Original 7” Version 1978)
Brown Girl In The Ring (Dutch Single Mix 1978)
Rasputin (7” Version 1978)
Mary’s Boy Child/Oh My Lord (7” Version 1978)
Dancing In The Streets (7” Version 1978)
Rivers Of Babylon (US 12” Version 1978)
Rasputin (12” Version 1978)
Dancing In The Streets (12” Version 1978)
Mary’s Boy Child/Oh My Lord (12’ Version 1978)
Rivers Of Babylon (US Promo 12” Version 1978)
Disc 3 – Variations
Nightlfight to Venus (German 1st Pressing)
Rasputin (German 1st Pressing)
He Was A Steppenwolf (German 1st Pressing)
Rivers Of Babylon (German 1st Pressing)
Voodoonight (German 2nd Pressing)
Nightflight To Venus (German 2nd Pressing)
Rasputin (German 2nd Pressing)
Nightflight To Venus (German 3rd Pressing)
Rasputin (German 3rd Pressing)
Painter Man (German 3rd Pressing)
He Was A Steppnwolf (Alternative Full Length Version)
On the 24th April 1998, ‘The Big Labowski’ arrived in UK cinemas. It is the story of the Jeffrey ‘The Due’ Lebowski who is attacked in his home instead of similarly named character with much greater financial means and a trophy wife (who would seem to be the cause of the problems). Through a series of adventures, an amazing cast of characters, catch praises, white Russians and a perfect soundtrack, the film was the Coen Brother’s attempt at developing a story that was inspired by the works of Raymond Chandler. If you have not seen the film, it is well worth a watch.
The music was used by the film makers to represent the characters. For example, a Latino character called Jesus is introduced with the Gypsy Kings cover of ‘Hotel California’. The song is sung moistly in Spanish and when it plays as Jesus bowls, you only see the visuals as well as the music. When the character of Maude Labowski (daughter of the other Labowski) is first seen, the music playing is ‘Walking Song’ by avant-guarde vocalist Meredith Monk. This fits with the character as Maude is an avant-guard artist. They go a step further with the group of German Nihilists. There are references to the actual band Kraftwerk in connection with the Nihilists, including using a parody of the Man Machine album and naming their band Autobahn. A more in-depth article can be read here on this subject http://dudespaper.com/dude-university/i-am-the-walrus-musical-representation-in-the-big-lebowski/.
In honour of this wonderful film and the music contained within it, I have decided to put together a 25th Anniversary Soundtrack album. This is not quite a complete soundtrack as there are snippets of songs throughout that are not included here, mostly because it is hard to work out what some of them are. There is the possibility that it would have made this set a little on the long side. Disc 1 is the same as the soundtrack album that was released back in 1998 with Disc 2 being filled with an additional set of songs not included before.
Disc 1
The Man In Me – Bob Dylan
Her Eyes Are A Blue Million Miles – Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band
My Mood Swings – Elvis Costello
Ataypura – Yma Sumac
Traffic Boom – Piccioni
I Got I Bad & That Ain’t Good – Nina Simone
Theme/Stamping Ground – Moondog
Just Dropped In (Top See What Condition My Condition Was In) – Kenny Rogers & The First Edition
Walking Song – Meredith Monk
Gluck Das Mit Verbleib – Llona Steingruber, Anton Dermota & The Austrian State Radio Orchestra
Lujon – Henry Mancini
Hotel California – The Gypsy Kings
Technopop – Carter Burwell
Dead Flowers – Townes Van Zandt
Disc 2
Branded Theme Song – Dominic Frontiere & Alan Alch
Mucha Muchacha – Esquivel
Dick On The Case – Carter Burwell
I Hate You – The Monks
Tumbling Tumbleweeds – Sons Of The Pioneers
Behave Yourself – Booker & The MG’s
Run Through The Jungle – Creedence Clearwater Revival
Standing On The Corner – Dean Martin
Pictures At An Exhibition – Mussorgsky
Oye Como Va – Santana
Piacere Sequence – Teo Usuelli
Peaceful Easy Feeling – The Eagles
Lookin’ Out My Back Door – Creedence Clearwater Revival
Tammy – Debbie Reynolds
We Venerate Thy Cross – The Rustavi Choir
Requiem In D Minor (Introitus & Lacrimosa) – The Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra & Choir
Another year, another Record Store Day so I thought it was high time I came up with a fantasy release that I hope to one day would come out, even though it is highly unlikely. In 2022, there was a RSD re-release of 1996’s ‘Trailer Park’, the album Beth Orton considers her debut. However, three years before that, she released her true debut, ‘SuperPinkMandy’. Released only in Japan and in limited numbers, this would be an ideal candidate for a re-release, especially as there was not a vinyl version in 1993.
It is unlikely ever to see re-release as Orton does not particularly like the album. In interviews, she claims that ‘Trailer Park’ is her debut and brushes over ‘Superpinkmandy’. There was a little bit of acknowledgement that this album actually exists on her ‘Pass In Time’ compilation. Two songs from ‘Superpinkmandy’ made the album: ‘Don’t Wanna Know Bout Evil’ and ‘Where Do You Go’. A third song, ‘She Cries Your Name’; would be re-recorded and was the opening song on ‘Trailer Park’. So, what would be included on my fantasy RSD release.
Not only will it include the whole of ‘SuperPinkMandy’, but a collection of songs that she was on that came out before ‘Trailer Park’. This double LP contains collaborations with William Orbit, Red Snapper and The Chemical Brothers. Your can tell that ’SuperPinkMandy’ was released without vinyl in mind as the track listing on the CD, if transferred to an LP would have sides very different in length. The track listing has therefore been changed slightly to accommodate this.
Some of the contributions Orton made to some of these records is minimal with either just a word repeated over and over again or wordless vocals. This is not a complete collection of Orton’s music before she release ‘Trailer Park’, but it is good representation of what she had produced before that point.
Side A (SuperPinkMandy)
Don’t Worry About Evil
Faith Will Carry
Yesterday’s Gone
She Cries Your Name
City Blue
Side B (SuperPinkMandy)
When You Wake
Roll The Dice
The Prisoner
Where Did You Go?
Release Me
Side C (Collaborations)
Snapper – Red Snapper
In Deep – Red Snapper
Million Town – William Orbit
Side D (Collaborations)
She Cries Your Name – William Orbit (Strange Cargo Hinterland Version)
Kiss The Bee – William Orbit
Water From A Vine Leaf – William Orbit
Alive Alone – Chemical Brothers
I decided to call it ‘Before Trailer Park’, because that is essentially what it is. The cover is minimal to reflect the era in which it came out, when the artwork of albums had to accommodate cassette and CD packaging. The less the better.
As an added bonus, there is another double album combining two extra projects in collaboration with William Orbit. The first disc is comprised of the Spill EP, and the second is the ‘Water From A Vine Leaf’ EP. None of the versions of ‘Water From A Vine Leaf’ are the same as the one presented on the ‘Before Trailer Park’ album.
Side A
Don’t Wanna Know ‘Bout Evil (Rumble Mix)
Don’t Wanna Know ‘Bout Evil (Tumble mix)
Side B
Don’t Wanna Know ‘Bout Evil (Danny’s Moto Mix)
Don’t Wanna Know ‘Bout Evil (The Groovy Beats)
Side C
Water From A Vine Leaf (Edit)
Water From A Vine Leaf (Xylem Flow Mix) (Spooky Remix)
Water From A Vine Leaf (Acid Bath Mix) (Spooky Remix)
Side D
Water From A Vine Leaf (Underwater Mix Part 2) (Underworld Remix)
Water From A Vine Leaf (Cromer Chroma Mix)
The cover is adapted from the cover of the ‘Spill’ EP.
It is the fourth month so it must be time for Volume 4 in my series of collections looking back at the Psychedelic Years. This one includes songs that could be said not to be psychedelic at all. For instance, ‘Baby, Come On’ is a bit of prog mixed with hard rock. ‘Over Under Sideways Down’ by The Yardbirds, freakbeat and ‘Except From A Teenage Opera’ by Keith West, a straight pop record. It all depends on what your definition of psych is and does it really matter as I think this compilation holds together quite nicely.
The first few songs on Disc 1 come from the ‘Circus Days’ compilation and there is the usual mix of well known artists (The Rolling Stones, Traffic, The Kinks), bands who were just starting out but would end being hugely successful (Genesis, The Bee Gees) and people in bands other than the one that made them famous (Jeff Lynne of The Idle but more famous for being in ELO). There is also quite a few artists on here who needed up not doing very much at all but let us with at least one memorable song.
Disc 1
Baby, Come On – Opus
Finding It Rough – Hat & Tie
Nobody Wants You Now – Los Brincos
Don’t Make A Sound – Kate
Mr. Jones – Apple
He’s A Dear Old Weatherman – Mark Wirtz
Girl From New York – Billy Nicholls
Phoebe’s Flower Shop – The Cortinas
Colour Sergeant Lillywhite – West Coast Consortium
Within’ The Night – Velvett Fogg
Love Me ‘Till The Sun Shines (BBC Session) – The Kinks
I waited the best part of three years for the second season of Hunters to come out. It was one of a number of shows that I enjoyed watching during the first lockdown and I had not seen anything to say that it had been cancelled (unlike some other Amazon shows which came out at the same time e.g. Utopia). Low and behold, the second (and last series) came out with little or no fanfare at the start of 2023 which was a shame as I feel that most people would have missed that (including myself initially).
In compiling this album, I wanted to follow the template I followed when completing the soundtrack to season 1. That is, the songs must fit onto the vinyl format and they must have been released before the latest year in TV show is set. That year being 1979, which means a number of the songs from this season could not be used. This also meant I could not include any of the incidental music as well.
Unlike season 1, there seemed to be a lot less music to choose from so this LP would be a single. Whoever was responsible for compiling the music for this show did a rather fine job, with the music reflecting the location the characters were in. For example, when the action is in France, French artists are used and so forth. With the German music, it seems that all of it was pre World War 2. Good work whoever you are.
Side A
La Plus Belle Chanson du Monde – Jacqueline Taïeb
Malaguena – Xavier Cugat
Barba Costa – Koko
Pobrecita – Julito Rodriguez Y Su Trio
Ver Der Ershter Vet Lachen – Mike Burstein
Can You Tell Me – Heat Exchange
Nothing From Nothing – Billy Preston
Love Will Keep Us Together – Captain & Tennille
Side B
It’s Getting Better – Mama Cass
Best Things In Life – The Dreamliners
I’ll Have To Say I Love You In A Song – Jim Croce
Geronimo – Bobby Valentin
Shabes-Shabes – Jan Bart
I’m Gonna Let My Heart Do The Walking (Single Version) – The Supremes