Aerosmith - "Gems 2". (Unreleased 1989 album).

 

In 1979 during the recording of the album "Night In The Ruts", the North American group Aerosmith was sunk in a strong crisis of existence, on the verge of separating, product of the consumption of drugs and lack of economic liquidity on the part of its members.

So Columbia sent them on tour to activate their income, but at the end of July the guitarist Joe Perry left the band, after a violent discussion with Steven Tayler.The album was finished as it could, without having the group control over it, with substitutes for Perry, like Jimmy Crespo.Even the producer Jack Douglas also had problems, he was divorcing his wife. While the use of drugs by Steven Tyler every day was worse, to the point of making impossible work with him and much less to register his voice in conditions.

Columbia made a “Greatest hits” lp on November 1980, with the conviction that the band without Joe Perry could not get ahead, and even less when after recording the single "Lightning Strikes", guitarist Brad Whitford also left Aerosmith in 1981. Replaced by Rick Dufay who helped to conclude the last album. "Rock in a Hard Place", was published in August 1982, with Aerosmith dissolved.

In 1984, with Steven Tayler, supposedly, detoxified; regained friendship with Joe Perry who had not had much success with: "The Joe Perry Project"; they reunited to the band again and returned to the studies to record "Done with the mirrors", this time with Geffen. In November of 1985 it went on sale and a new American tour was announced for January with 85 scheduled appointments. 

While the group was in the middle of the  tour, Columbia released in April, what would be the first part of a live album called: "Aerosmith Classic live". that in principle it should have been a double lp. Coinciding almost with the new studio work "Permanent Vacation", that had been recorded in Vancouver at the “Little Mountain Sound Studios” between March and May 1987, Columbia released the second part of “Classic live”.

This strategy of matching these opportunist discs with the new works of Aerosmith was repeated. In November of 1988, it was the first part of "Gems", a compilation album with studio themes that had not appeared in the "Greatest Hist"; also with unpublished material. This second part, scheduled for the following year, coinciding again with the return of Aerosmith to the studios to register "Pump". This vol.2 Bit.ly/88aRM was done by vote among the fans , to those who were asked which were the best songs that had not been released in the two previous compilations.

14 songs were selected and placed on the lp, following the order of voting, from highest to lowest, also included the unreleased track "Helter Skelter", and a couple of remixes for singles,that had not been used until then. This is the setlist:

Side A: (25:14)

1. No More No More. (4:34)

2. Toys In The Attic. (3:07)

3. Sick As A Dog. (4:14)

4. Uncle Salty (Unreleased single edit). (3:29)

5. S.O.S. (Too Bad). (2:51)

6. Combination. (3:38)

7. Movin´Out (Unreleased single edit). (3:18)

Side B: (25:37)

8.Make it (Unreleased single edit). (2:52)

9.Cheese Cake. (4:15)

10.I Wanna Know Why. (3:08)

11.You See Me Crying. (5:11)

12.Get The Lead Out. (3:41)

13.Walkin' The Dog. (3:11)

14.Helter Skelter (Unreleased in 1989). (3:16) 

But "Gems 2", scheduled for November 1989, was not published. The success of the singles: "Love in a elevator", "F.I.N.E" & "Janie's got a gun", from “Pump ", ended up burying this new Columbia compilation. Part of "Gems 2", ended in "Pandora's box".

That´s all. Enjoy it and see soon with more. 

Dire Straits – “In The Gallery”. (Original set list from 1st album).

 Hi!.., here we go again!. 

"Dire Straits" or in this case: "In the Gallery" better, was the debut studio album by the British rock band Dire Straits released on 7 October 1978 by Vertigo Records and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. This work was recorded at Basing Street Studios in London from 13 February to 5 March 1978.

In this lp was included the hit: Sultans of swing”, wrote and composed by Mark Knopfler, The first version was recorded at Pathway Studios, North London, in July 1977. It was included on a five-song demo tape, with: "Water of Love", "Down to the Waterline", "Wild West End", and David Knopfler's "Sacred Loving".

This demo tape was took to influential DJ Charlie Gillett, who had a radio show called Honky Tonk on BBC Radio London. Its popularity soon led Dire Straits to get a contract with Phonogram Records. The song was then re-rmake in February 1978 during 1st album recording sessions. Produced by Steve Winwood's brother Muff Winwood, was released on May in a single and re-issue in January 1979 , but in an alternative version recorded in April 1978. The other version went to the album, provisional title “In the Gallery”, that already had a first set list: Bit.ly/78DS4 that was modified before it was published, without any title, although this alternate order was used for some cassette versions.

Side One: (21:11)

1.Sultans Of Swing. (5:48)

2.In The Gallery. (6:16)

3.Down To The Waterline. (4:02)

4.Lions. (5:03)

Side Two: (20:40)

1.Wild West End. (4:41)

2.Water Of Love. (5:26)

3.Setting Me Up. (3:19)

4.Six Blade Knife. (4:13)

5.Southbound Again. (2:59)

The fast success of “Sultans of swing” with the song “Eastbound Train” or “Southbound Again” on side B; led the group to a promotional tour which started on 9 June 1978 at the Lafayette Club in Wolverhampton, 26 shows around England, the last on 9 july at ATV Centre, Birmingham. The second leg, 31 shows more to promote the album started on 11 October at Morkhove, Herentals, Belgium to 18 November at Hitchin College of Further Education, Hitchin, England. Ten days after finishing the tour, they travel to Nassau, Bahamas to the Compass Point Studios to start recording their second album “Communique”. Meanwhile the 2nd single from the album: ”Water of love“/ “Down to the waterline” ,was released in some countries.

Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the first Dire Straits album, I bring you this alternate 1st set list, with a bonus track, the B side “Eastbound Train”, recorded live. at Leeds Polytechnic, Leeds, England on 30 January 1978. From “Sultans of Swing” single.

Ok, “be-good”.., like Johnny and see you soon.

Lou Reed – “Rock N´Roll Animal”.(Complet and censored versions).

 

In early 1974 went on sale the first live disc of Lou Reed, "Rock and Roll Animal". A controversial album, like almost everything that the artist from New York did, censored in some countries for containing an explicit version of "Heroin". During which, and thus says one of the many legends about the singer, he just inject it into a vein before his audience.Myth or Reality?. 

With only five songs from this great show,with a new accompaniment band,this work harshly criticized for its brief content,so it was necessary to expand it in later editions with two more songs. Here you will have the complete and reconstructed Lp, in addition to a rarity: the censored version.

Ok.., are you ready for feel and hear one of the best and legendary Lou Reed´s shows?. but first read a little to know what the story is about.

Rock n Roll Animal is a live album by American rock star Lou Reed, recorded live on December 21, 1973, at Howard Stein's Academy of Music in New York City and released in February 1974 by RCA, it features five songs, four of which are songs by the Velvet Underground:

A: 1.Intro/Sweet Jane – 2.Heroin.  B: 1.White Light / White Heat. - 2.Lady Day – 3. Rock´N´Roll.

This version was censored in some European countries as Spain by the song “Heroin”, which was replaced by other three studio versions: “Vicious”, “I Can´t Stand it” & “Walk On The Wild Side”; until 1977, when the regular version appeared.

Decades after, in the year 2000, a remastered and expanded version was released on CD with two tracks not included on the original LP or 1990 CD release:. "How Do You Think It Feels" & “Caroline Say I”.

A second part with six more songs from the same New York concert was released in March 1975 on “Lou Reed Live”, that should have been included in the original double Lp “Rock´N´Roll Animal”. They say, it was done like that, because RCA Records thought that the double album, it was expensive to made and would not be successful for The 1973 Oil Crisis. This second part brought

A: 1.Vicious – 2- Satellite Of Love - 3.Walk On The Wild Side  B: 1.I´m Waitting For The Man – 2. Oh Jim – 3.Sad Song.

With these two lp´s, the entire show was been released, albeit in a different order than the original concert. The correct sequence is presented here Bit.ly/LR74B4 for the first time in two CD´s.with the European censored version, with alternate mix.

CD.1 (61´27)

1.Intro.(3:19)

2.Sweet Jane.(5:00)

3.How Do You Think It Feels?.(3:44)

4.Caroline Say I.(3:48)

5.I´m Waiting For The Man.(3:39)

6.Lady Day.(3:54)

7.Heroin.(13:04)

8.Vicious.(5:56)

9.Satellite Of Love.(5:59)

10.Walk On The Wild Side.(4:42)

11.Oh Jim (1).(8:16)

CD.2 (62:17)

1.Oh Jim (2).(2:20)

2.Sad Song.(7:20)

3.White Light / White Head.(5:11)

4.Rock´N´Roll.(10:02)

( The 1974 European Censored Version ).

5.Intro / Sweet Jane.(7:57)

6.Vicious.(2:59)(*)

7.I Can´t Stand It.(2:37)(*)

8.Walk On The Wild Side.(4:15)(*)

9.White Light / White Heat.(5:16)

10.Lady Day.(4:01)

11.Rock´N´Roll.(10:08)

Ok, enjoy with Lou Reed “The Phantom of Rock”. I have a couple of surprises for this Christmas that you will like. But.., Do you know how to keep a secret?.., Me too!.

See you soon. Bye.

Photo: Alternate Original cover rejected for “Rock N´Roll Animal” 1974 album.

The Who - "Who´s Next" .(Glyn Johns 1st Cut).

 

Who's Next was the fifth studio album published by the British rock band The Who, in August 1971, although it is considered one of the best works of the group, it is actually a residual album of the truncated rock opera "lifehouse"  an ambitious project with touches of science fiction, fruit of the mystical experiences that Pete Townshend had during the promotional tour of "Tommy" in 1969.

Where there were moments ion stage in a permanent state of levitation, with extra corporeal sensations, and the deja vu was something that seemed to be the order of the day. Moments that began to translate into new songs that did not begin to materialize until Who's Right ? was abandoned. 

Previous to the start of the new world tour,that would start on July 3 in Shefield. In March, the group moved to the Record Plant studios in New York, to start a series of preliminary recordings related to the "lifehouse" project, these sessions began on March 16 with "Baby don't you do it" and " Won't get fooled again "; followed on the 17 of "Pure and easy"; "Love ain't for keeping" and the 18 concluded with "Getting in tune" and "Behind blue eyes".

Between the end of April and next month, the group combined new recording dates, in the studios of Stargroves and Olympic in London, with a series of concerts, destined to be part of "lifehouse". So, on April 24 at the London theater: "Young Vic" and two more in May, at the University of Liverpool and at the Caird Hall in Dundee. Where the group intended to experiment and interact with the public the first line-ups of this opera. 

The songs were flowing at such a speed that Pete Townshend already had more than thirty to build a double album, but the plot became so complex that it could not materialize and that took the musician to a degree of psychological and nervous exhaustion it was to end his mental stability, fruit of it began to see the first serious problems within the formation and even with the producer Kit Lambert. 

After abandoning the project, and starting new sessions that extended from May to June of 1971 in the Olympic studios, the producer in charge of taking forward the new album, Glyn Johns, as soon as they concluded with the record of "My Wife", and the mixes, compiled a series of topics, 

which he considered best for the achievement of "Who's next"; and made with them a series of assemblies or combinations, prior to the commercial version, of which I present here one, which was about to be the final. In the side A appears as it should have been, small tribute to "Lifehouse", since they were all part of the project and in that same order, but with some other song interspersed. On the B side, except for the theme that closed "Lifehouse" - "The song is over", the rest was put following the same order that they played in, approximately, live during April and May, since the abandoned plan, I was going to see a place for some live themes, which was not the case here, although everything is studio recordings. 

Side A: (22:54)

1. Baba O´Riley.(5:09)

2. Bargain.(5:34)

3. Behind Blues Eyes.(3:42)

4. Won´t Get Fooled Again.(8:33)

  

Side B: (22:44) 

1. Baby Don´t You Do It.(5:14)

2. Love Ain´t For Keeping.(4:02)

3. My Wife.(3:41)

4. Time Waits For No Man.(3:34)

5. The Song Is Over.(6:14)

As it could not be less, the last word was the group and its leader Pete Townshend, who after listening to the version of Glyn Johns, made last minute changes, leaving the album to your liking. 

This was distributing the original order of the songs from Face A to B and replacing some songs with others. 

While all this was happening, different covers were made for the album. The first, shown here at the base of the CD box, without comments, women of proven opulence in sado plan, as referring to the title .. Who is next to the What am I going to shake?. Bit.ly/wN71At   Leaving the alternative photos of the urinated monolith, I have chosen the original alternative cover, with Mr. Keith Moon dressed as a dominant prostitute. 

Here it appears as it was going to be if design, with two of the selected photos that the friend made. Finally inside the booklet or diptico, as you want to call it, the cover of the censorship, the photograph that replaced the one of the urinations in all those countries in which the final proposal was declared indecorous, today chosen as one of the best of all times, it goes without saying if Keith Moon's whip and wig had been carried out. 

To enjoy friends.

Photo Original alternate cover for "Who´s Next!". 1971.

Faces - "Final Toot".(1975 unpublished album).

 

In January of 1976, the british rock group "Faces" officially ceased to exist, but they left an album to finish. This unfinished work was:"Final Toot", real title of this lost lp. Do you want to know what happened?. Faces ended up as a rock band without finishing their last studio work-. Were attempted on three separate occasions during 1975. The first sessions became  in late January at Air Studios, London, when they recorded these songs: "Hi-Heeled Sneakers / Everybody Needs Somebody To Love", "Gettin 'Hungry", "Open To Ideas", "Rock Me". & "Sailing Down The River"..a outtake that is nearly as good as “Open to Ideas”. Those four tracks would have to make up the core of a proposed “last album".

In March, more recording sessions in Los Angeles California, during the farewell tour, only “party jams”. The next, in late July / August, Tetsu Yamauchi, Ian McLagan entered Island Studios with Alan Merill and Paul Varley of the Arrows  and did some recordings: “Basing Street Leslie” (Tetsu instrumental), “Come On Come On Baby” and “Somebody To Love”.

Another studio recording was in Nashville Tennessee on September 25^th: “Cry To Me”(Bert Russell) and “Tracks Of My Tears”(Smokey Robinson!). More unreleased track was a cover of the Jim Ford song “I’d Be Ahead If I Could Quit While I’m Behind”, five takes was recorded a duet between Rod and Bobby Womack with the Faces on backing.

Finally In January 1976, The Faces, without Rod Stewart, had serious intentions of recording another record at Pathé-Marcony Studios in Paris, France. ““FINAL TOOT” real álbum title, Bit.Ly/75fcft it did not materialize because Warner would only pay the studio costs if Ron Wood would be willing to tour with the group. But it was impossible, because he would be on new European tour with The Rolling Stones, that would star in Frankfurt, West Germany on 26th April. So the group make a decision: suspend that recording sessions and separate definitely.

For this new reconstruction, I only used material from the 2^nd Faces line up (1973 to 75); because. I'm not interested in half things, if the band is not complete. For this reason I have only included, songs from January session and two live tracks from San Bernardino, last concert that Ron Wood gave with Faces before join to The Rolling Stones.  I would have liked to put “Sailing Down The River” on Side A- track 2, but I have not found a take that had the necessary quality. Anyway, “Take a look at the guy” is not bad, because Rod Stewart announces that it is the last appearance of Ron Wood. It can be considered as a historical recording, I think.

Side A: (19:04)

1. You Can Make Me Dance, Sing Or Anything (4:23).

2. Take A Look At The Guy.(4:48) live in San Bernardino´75)                                     

3. Gettin´ Hungry (5:12).

4. Rock Me (4:40).

Side B: (19:05)

1. I Can Feel The Fire (5:37) live in San Bernardino´75) 

2. As Long As You Tell Him (4:19).

3. HI Heel Sneakers /

     Everybody Needs Somebody To Love (5:07).

4. Open To Ideas (4:00).

To complete, the last single: "You Can Make Me Dance, Sing Or Anything" /  "As Long As You Tell Him". Not included in any Lp until October 1976, from the "Greatest Hits": “Snakes and Ladders / The Best of Faces". 

For the cover I have chosen, a drawing made by Ron Wood in 1974 and that was retouched to be possible cover of the album in 1976.

Ok, this reconstruction, I think, it´s not bad, simple and, brief, Only enjoy it.

AC/DC."16 Of The Best".(Unreleased 1978 album).

 

..

Let's go with one of the first surprises promised. The unreleased "Greatest Hits" "12 to the best", in its primary version. So let's start by the beginning of the year 77... 

In March the last studio work: "Let There Be Rock" had been published and at the moment there was no intention of returning to the studios, despite the fact that the international edition was delayed until July. The numerous tours and diverse commitments of the group, broke the norm of publishing two albums per year, as had happened during the two previous seasons of 1975 and 1976.

In view of this, at the end of the summer, Albert Productions proposed to Atlantic Records to elaborate a "Greatest Hits", composed of all songs released to date in singles, with the exception of "Whole lotta Rosie", song that the group liked to play live for the response of the audience.

Let's go with one of the first surprises promised. The unreleased "Greatest Hits" "12 to the best", in its primary version. So let's start by the beginning of the year 77... 

In March the last studio work: "Let There Be Rock" had been published and at the moment there was no intention of returning to the studios, despite the fact that the international edition was delayed until July. The numerous tours and diverse commitments of the group, broke the norm of publishing two albums per year, as had happened during the two previous seasons of 1975 and 1976.

In view of this, at the end of the summer, Albert Productions proposed to Atlantic Records to elaborate a "Greatest Hits", composed of all songs released to date in singles, with the exception of "Whole lotta Rosie", song that the group liked to play live for the response of the audience.

This "Greatest Hits", which was going to be called "16 of the best", for being the number of songs that would appear in the double lp, would come out first in Australia for the end of the year and the beginning of the next in the rest of the world: (the international version) .

The order passed, once again, into the hands of the producers Harry Vanda and George Young, after making new mixes, the album was shown to Albert Productions, which thought better about reducing the content of the album Bit.ly/78AChx , so that ¡16 of the best ", it was postponed.

Here´s the original set list proposed by the first version of this unreleased "greatest hits":

SIDE ONE: (18:34)

1. It's A Long Way To The Top. (4:59)

2. High Voltage. (4:03)

3. Problem Child. (5:22)

4. Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be. (4:10)

SIDE TWO: (18:01)

1. T.N.T. (3:33)

2. Whole Lotta Rosie. (5:18)

3. Love At The First Feel. (3:07)

4. Let There Be Rock. (6:02)

SIDE THREE: (18:23)

1. Jailbreak. (4:33)

2. The Jack. (5:50)

3. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. (3:48)

4. Ride On.(4:10) (Unreleased version)

SIDE FOUR: (18:24)

1. Live Wire.(5:15) (Unreleased version)

2. Dog Eat Dog. (3:30)

3. She´s Got Balls. (4:49)

4. Baby Please Don´t Go (*).(4:48)

Four of the selected songs were eliminated from the original tapes: "Hell ain'ta bad place to be", "love at the first feel", "Ride On" and "Live Wire", leaving six on each side .The project was approved, with publication date in March of 1978, so Albert Productions proceeded to print the first vinyls and copy the first cassettes.

But when everything was ready, their distribution was paralyzed because the new studio work "Powerage" was finished and the group did not want both jobs to leave at the same time despite the fact that "Powerage" ended up publishing in early May, even so " 12 of the best "was postponed to the end of the year. 

The promotion tour of the album "Powerage" was very successful and the group felt really good with it, so they recorded several of the concerts for the release of a possible live album after the summer. When it was time to choose whether to publish "12 of the best" or the live one, after listening to the powerful result of the mixes made at the concert of the Glasgow Apollo Theater and the shocking cover and back cover photo that had been taken during the " soundcheck "at the Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA, USA, on August 21, 1978, as the title" If you want blood, you got it !, ended by canceling "12 of the best".

Albert Productions ordered to destroy all existing copies, although some of them were saved because they were delivered to the staff associated with the group, managers, relatives, friends and some members of the press.

"12 of the best", has become a myth, find one is difficult and buy it even more for its high price. In this reconstruction, I used original material included in the master tapes; how it has been tried to reconstruct all the artwork.

I hope you liked this first surprise. See you soon.