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Small Faces – The Collection

First up, we start with the legendary Small Faces. I was first introduced to the band during the Britpop Years when many of those acts said how much of an influence and inspiration they were. Unfortunately, compilers have poorly served the band and record companies down the years, especially after the mess that was the Immediate label. However, at least in the 2010s, there have been some efforts to rectify this with deluxe editions of their 60s catalogue as well as a four disc box set. At the time of writing though, the Autumn Stone compilation has yet to be a part of this programme but hopefully this will not be the case for too much longer.

I have split this band overview over two discs, neatly divided into the Decca and Immediate years. This is not quite as neat a division as it should have been as Eddie’s Dreaming, which ends Disc One was the last song on the first Immediate album. To my ears, none of the Decca material sounded like a last song on an album track, and with the story of Happiness Stan Suite finishing Disc Two, this would have been a track too good to miss off.; hence it goes there. Just Passing on Disc Two was recorded during the period where the band was moving between Decca and Immediate, but it sounds more like the second labels material so it went there. In my opinion, the band also sounded better in Mono so the majority of the songs here are in that format, except for the songs taken from Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake. Being the most psychedelic of their albums, stereo seems to be the best way to listen that material. Stereo was also the way in which I first heard that album, so mono just doesn’t sound right to me. The exception being Song of a Baker which sounds a bit odd in stereo to my ears, due to the drums being in the left channel instead of the centre. Red Balloon has never been released in mono. The front over is a classic mod shot of the band from their early years which was borrowed from a very early Small Faces website back in the early years of this century.

Anyway, stay tuned for more playlists coming over the following weeks.

The Small Faces – The Collection

Disc 1 – The Decca Years

  1. What’Cha Gonna Do About It (Mono)
  2. What’s A Matter Baby (Mono)
  3. Take This Hurt Off Me (Mono/Different Version)
  4. I Can’t Make It (Session Version – Mono)
  5. Jump Back (Mono/BBC Saturday Club Version)
  6. Shake (Mono)
  7. Hey Girl (Mono)
  8. Almost Grown (Mono)
  9. Own Up Time (Mono/Alt Version)
  10. Come On Children (Mono)
  11. Understanding (Mono)
  12. E Too D (Mono)
  13. You Need Loving (Mono)
  14. One Night Stand (Mono)
  15. It’s Too Late (Mono)
  16. All Or Nothing (Mono)
  17. Don’t Stop What You’re Doing (Mono)
  18. My Mind’s Eye (Mono)
  19. Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow (Mono)
  20. That Man (Mono)
  21. I’ve Got Mine (Mono)
  22. You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me (Mono)
  23. Eddie’s Dreaming (Mono)

Disc 2 – The Immediate Years

  1. Tin Soldier (Mono)
  2. Something I Want To Tell You (Mono)
  3. Here Comes The Nice (Mono)
  4. Itchycoo Park (Mono)
  5. I Feel Much Better (Mono Single Mix)
  6. Become Like You (Mono)
  7. Talk To You (Mono)
  8. Things Are Going To Get Better (Mono)
  9. Afterglow Of Your Love (Stereo)
  10. Songs Of A Baker (Mono)
  11. Just Passing (Mono)
  12. Feeling Lonely (Mono)
  13. All Our Yesterdays (Mono)
  14. Lazy Sunday (Mono)
  15. The Universal (Mono Single Mix)
  16. My Way Of Giving (Mono)
  17. Show Me The Way (Mono)
  18. I’m Only Dreaming (Mono)
  19. Wham Bam Thank You Mam (Mono)
  20. Red Balloon (Alt Stereo Mix)
  21. The Autumn Stone (Mono Single Mix)
  22. Up The Wooden Hills To Bedfordshire (Mono)
  23. Happiness Stan (Stereo)
  24. Rollin’ Over (Stereo)
  25. The Hungry Intruder (Stereo)
  26. The Journey (Stereo)
  27. Mad John (Stereo)
  28. Happy Days Toy Town (Stereo)

I was not able to add a Spotify playlist because one or more songs were not available on that platform.

The Small Faces – The Collection Disc 1
The Small Faces – The Collection Disc 2

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A New Feature

A new feature on The Squire Presents website are playlists (or mix CDs) that I will be listing from now on. This is because I am old enough to remember slaving over a Hi-Fi system creating mixtapes to play on my ever-present Walkman. When tape went by the wayside, there was the MiniDisc, which I used for a couple of years, but these never really took off in the same way tapes had. The best feature of the MiniDisc though was the ability to move songs without having to re-record them, or delete a song from the playlist if the flow didn’t sound quite right. The sound quality of the MiniDisc might not have been the best, but when played through Walkman Headphones, the tunes sounded pretty good to me.

Then I got hold of a PC with a CD burner. Having a computer to create playlists offered a great deal of freedom. This freedom included the ability to move songs around the playlist, edit songs, fade songs into one another and even create my own artwork. CDs might be seen as a bit old hat (even though in 2020, they seem to still be the most popular format for buying physical music), I still like to put together a playlist of songs, be it various or single artists, to the length of a CD. Therefore, I will be presenting these playlists including, where appropriate, the specific version of the song that was used as well as any further information I thought you may find interesting. For the most part, I also look to fill the entire CD (max length is about 1 hour, 19 minutes and 40 seconds), but sometimes the mix sounds right at a shorter playing time. Most probably there wasn’t enough material from an artist to fill an entire CD that sounded good to me. These are personal mixes where the songs flow is as important as the songs included. I have also tried not to use the same song (or at least the same version) on more than one compilation (in the same way I tried not to double up on the podcasts), but sometimes, it happens. I will be posting the first of these in the next few days. Enjoy.

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Episode 88 – Before They Were Famous Part 2

We once again take a look at the song released by artists who became famous later on.

  • Lovingly Yours – Mockingbirds (Graham Gouldman/Kevin Godley)
  • London Is Behind Me – Justin Hayward
  • Till You Say You’ll Be Mine – Olivia Newton-John
  • How Long Must I Be Made To Wait, Wait – Giorgio & The Morodians (Giorgio Moroder)
  • You Never Wanted Me – Alex Campbell & Friends (Sandy Denny)
  • Say Those Magic Words – The Birds, Birds (Ronnie Wood)
  • Pulsar – Flaming Youth (Phil Collins)
  • Don’t Go Way Little Girl – Shame (Greg Lake)
  • Mr Poem – Mike Batt
  • Digger – A New Generation (Sutherland Brothers)
  • I Can Hear Raindrops – The Valentines (Bon Scott)
  • Who Has Seen The Wind – Simon Sisters (Carly Simon)
  • Amsterdam, The First Days – Brainbox (Jan Akkerman)
  • Silver Forest – Organisation (Kraftwerk)
  • Rocking Chair Rock ‘n’ Roll Blues – Elf (Ronnie James Dio)
  • Last Saturday – Pat Benatar
  • It’s A Happy Day – Ellen Amos (Tori Amos)
  • Arabadrengurinn (The Arab Boy) – Bjork
  • Never Grow Old – Aretha Franklin
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Episode 87 – The Songs Of David Bowie

Before he became a household name and even into his early years of stardom, David Bowie released a good number of singles in his own name, bands he was then working with or songs he had placed with other artists. In this show we take a look at those songs.   

  • Good Morning Girl – David Bowie
  • Take My Tip – Kenny Miller
  • And I Say To Myself – David Bowie & Lower Third
  • I Dig Everything – David Bowie
  • Over The Wall We Go – Oscar
  • Silver Tree Top School For Boys – The Slender Plenty
  • Little Toy Soldier – The Riot Squad
  • Laughing Gnome – Ronnie Hilton
  • Silly Boy Blue – Billy Fury
  • Ragazzo Solo, Ragazzo Sala – Computers
  • Right On Mother – Peter Noone
  • Moonage Daydream – Arnold Corns
  • Andy Warhol – Dana Gillespie
  • Man Who Sold The World – Lulu
  • Life On Mars – Barbra Streisend
  • Growing Up, I’m Fine – Mick Ronson
  • All The Young Dudes – Mott The Hoople
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Episode 86 – Talkin’ About The Good Times

Once again I am joined by Darryl Bullock to talk about some of our favourite records of all time.  

  • I’ll Be Back (Mono Mix) – The Beatles
  • Good Vibrations (Mono Single Mix) – The Beach Boys
  • Alone Again Or (Mono Single Mix) – Love
  • Pleasant Valley Sunday (Mono Mix) – The Monkees
  • I Say A Little Prayer – Aretha Franklin
  • The Village Green Preservation Society (Mono Mix) – The Kinks
  • Because (Mono Mix) – The Beatles
  • Bell Bottom Blues – Derek & The Dominos
  • Going To California – Led Zeppelin
  • The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face – Roberta Flack
  • The Great Gig In The Sky – Pink Floyd
  • Teenage Kicks (Vinyl) – The Undertones
  • Love Will tear Us Apart – Joy Division
  • O Elbereth Gilthoniel – Stephen Oliver
  • Waves – Blancmange (Original Version)
  • Love Is (Dance Mix) – Troy Tate
  • Blind – Talking Heads
  • Dalliance – The Wedding Present
  • Mary Jo – Belle & Sebastian
  • All I Need – Air
  • Do You Realize? – The Flaming Lips
  • A Lady Of A Certain Age – The Divine Comedy
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Episode 85  – Label of Love: Now Sounds

In another in our record label spotlight series, we take at reissue label Now Sounds, a label dedicated to dedicated to exploring the untrodden sonic avenues of the creatively fertile West Coast music scene and beyond.

  • Come To The Sunshine (Instrumental Mix) – Harpers Bizarre
  • Windy (Acoustic Demo) – Ruth Friedman
  • You (In My Mind) – The Cowsills
  • Enter The Young – The Association (Withdrawn 45 Mix)
  • Easy To Be Hard (Acetate) – The Sugar Shoppe
  • To Put Up With You (Non LP 45)– The Holy Mackerel
  • Little Girl – Tiny Tim
  • Leave Him To Me – Donna Loren (Previously Unreleased)
  • Young Birds Fly – The Cryan’ Shames
  • Legend Of Paul Revere (Unedited Version) – Paul Revere & The Raiders
  • Illusions – The Serendipity Singers
  • Silently (Philippines 45 Version) – Del Shannon
  • I’m Aware (Alt. Mix) – The Knack
  • Fantastic Four (Session Outtake)– The Mamas & The Papas
  • Strawberry Jam Man (Alt Version) – Jamme
  • No One Knows (Mono 45) – Every Mothers’ Son
  • Time Will Equalize – MC Squared
  • Lisa, But Not The Same – The Critters
  • New In Town (Non LP B-Side) – Gary Lewis
  • Mary – Twinn Connexion
  • Right Or Wrong (Demo) – Colours
  • Smokey Joe’s – Tina & The Mustangs
  • Frog Prince (Alt. Mix) – the Parade
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Episode 84 – D Is For Demo: Part 2

In the second of our two shows, we take another look at the world of the demo recording. 

  • Quicksand – David Bowie
  • Nobody’s Fool – The Kinks
  • Symphony – Marvin Gaye
  • Behind Blue Eyes – Pete Townshend
  • Ghetto Child – Curtis Mayfield
  • The Pearl – Judee Sill
  • Out In The Streets – Blondie
  • Collections – Anthony Phillips
  • Second Hand News – Fleetwood Mac
  • Interzone – Joy Division
  • The Doctor (Comfortably Numb) – Pink Floyd
  • Lime Time – The Cure
  • Dignity – Bob Dylan
  • Bye Bye Badman – The Stone Roses
  • Just A Girl – Suede
  • Carousel – Sun Dial
  • It’s Not Me – Supergrass
  • Kelly Watch The Stars – Air
  • Love Like Laughter – Beth Orton
  • I Want To Be The Boy To Warm Your Mother’s Heart – The White Stripes
  • Love Is A Losing Game – Amy Whitehouse
  • Storm Song – Smoke Fairies
  • Candy – Talk Talk
  • Free Bird – Lynyrd Sknyrd
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Episode 83 – D Is For Demo: Part 1

Before a tune becomes a finished song, they tend to have a demonstration version made. With the advent of the deluxe edition of albums and career overviews of artists, some of these demos have come to light so in the first of two episodes, we take a look at these recordings. 

  • Along Comes Mary – Curt Boettcher
  • My Mind – The Misunderstood
  • Another Day, Another Heartache – P. F. Sloan
  • Rose Of Aberdeen – Simon & Garfunkel
  • Prominent Men – Velvet Underground
  • One Day I’ll Say Goodbye – The Zombies
  • Hey Now Princess – Cream
  • Second Generation Woman – The Factory
  • She Is Beautiful – Genesis
  • She Sleeps Alone – The Parade
  • My Friend Jack – The Smoke
  • Wee Wee Baby – Taste
  • Pawnbroker – Barbara Ruskin
  • Lamplight – The Bee Gees
  • Portobello Road – Billy Nicholls
  • Both Sides Now – Fairport Convention
  • Love Makes The World Go Round – Jamme
  • Everything’s Changing – Kak
  • No Matter What – Badfinger
  • The Pond & The Stream – Forthingaye
  • Love Story – Harry Nilsson
  • Chimacum Rain – Linda Perhacs
  • This Time Tomorrow – The Move
  • Surf’s Up – The Beach Boy
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Episode 82 – Digger Deep Once Again Into The Squire Archive

In this episode, we take a look at some records interesting records that have found their way into the Squire’s record collection over the last few months. 

  • Tedesco & Pitman – The Ronnettes
  • Purple Rain Drops – Stevie Wonder
  • If I Had You – Tom Jones
  • We Can Take It – The Smoke
  • Be Mine – the Tremolos
  • After The Fox – The Holllies & Peter Sellers
  • The Plague – Scott Walker
  • Look At The Sun – Louise
  • Constant Journey – Chaps
  • La Question – Marc Hamilton
  • Born On The Bayou – The Short Kuts
  • I’m Alive – Don Fardon
  • You Know What Has To Be – Frozen Tear
  • Ski “Full-Of-Fitness” Theme – Manfred Mann & Mike Hug
  • High Sherriff of Calhoun County – Tony Joe White
  • Super Duper Love (Part 1) – Sugar Billy
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Episode 81 – Mundo Psych: Part 2

In this episode, we continue with our journey looking at psychedelic music form round the word.

  • 125 – The Haunted (Canada)
  • Vous – Michel Pagliaro (French Canadian)
  • Hang Out – The Kaleidoscope (Mexico)
  • People – Ladies W.C. (Venezuela)
  • Inferno No Mundo – Bango (Brazil)
  • Break It All – Los Shakers (Uruguay)
  • Hermano Perro – Almendra (Argentina)
  • I Wonder Who – Aguaturnia (Chile)
  • It’s A Sin To Go Away – We All Together (Peru)
  • A Day In My Mind’s Eye – Human Instinct (New Zealand)
  • The Real Thing (Parts 1, 2 & 3 Into Paper Walls) – Russell Morris (Australia)
  • Lavender Popcorn – Scrugg (South Africa)
  • A Madman’s Cry – Otis Waygood (Zimbabwe)
  • Hide If You Want To Hide – The Cedars (Lebanon)
  • Too Much in Love  – Churchills (Israel)
  • Turkuz Turku Cagiririz (Sur Efem Atini) – Mazhar Ve Fuat (Turkey)
  • Sweet Sixteen – Ros Serey Sothea (Cambodia)
  • Magic Colours – Teddy Robin & The Playboys (Hong Kong)
  • Blind Bird – The Mops (Japan)
  • Beautiful Rivers & Mountains – Shin Jung Hyun & The Men (South Korea)