Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity: "The Best of".(Alternate 2nd version)

 

After the success achieved by the double LP: "Streetnoise" published in May 1969, attribu-ted to Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity ,the lead singer, also known as "Jools", announced that she was leaving the band to undertake new projects as fashion model or film actress. Polydor Records prepared a “Greatest hits” as the culmination of her participation in the band.

This compilation appeared late 1969 with the name:"The Best Of The Best of Julie Driscoll & Brian Auger"; but the album would be edited again the next year as: "The Best Of Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity“, because the name of the band it was omitted

In addition, the content of the disc was revised too, where not only the order of the songs was slightly different, also the themes: "Tramp" & "A World About Color" had been replaced by the version they made of the “The Doors” hit:”Light My Fire” and the anthem "Save The Country", as well as bringing two alternative songs: "Break It Up" & "Save Me".

The 1969 original version it was like that:

Side A : 1- Let The Sunshine In. 2- The Road To Cairo. 3- Take Me To The Water/ I´m Going Back Home.. 4- Save Me (Parts 1 & 2). 5- A Kind Of Love Me. Side B :1- Indian Rope Man. 2- Why (Am I Treated So Bad). 3- Break It Up. 4- A World About Color. 5- This Wheel´s On Fire. 6- Trump. 

And although the cover was changing over the years, the set list of this “Greatest Hits” was always the same, except for a special edition made by Polydor in 1982, where the 2nd adaptation from 1970 was used for the first and last time; which is the one presented here, Bit.ly/70JDBA in its total content, respecting the alternative order of the songs and the original mixes. Shortly after, a new revision appeared with slightly altered order, with a couple of extra themes.

Ok!, the 1970 unpublished version, reconstructed for you, was that: 

Side A :(19:38) 

1.Let The Sunshine In. (3:04)

2.The Road To Cairo.(5:21) (*)

3.Take Me To The Water.(1:34)

4.I´m Going Back Home.(2:42)

5.Light My Fire.(4:21)

6.A Kind Of Loving In.(2:53)

Side B :(19:42) 

1.This Wheel´s On Fire.(3:32) (*)

2.Break It Up.(Alt).(2:47)

3.Why (Am I Treated So Bad).(3:33)

4.Save Me.(Alt).(2:31) (*)

5.Save The Country.(3:55)

6.Indian Rope Man.(3:22) 

All songs Stereo except (*) Mono.

For the album cover of this second version of “Greatest Hits” was chosen a photograph of Julie Driscoll, but at last, it was decided that the best thing would be a photo of the band .

Enjoy it.

Pink Floyd. "Games To May".

 “Games for May “ was a show, which took place at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on 12 May 1967; in London's upscale South Bank performing-arts district, usually only used for classical concerts.

This concert was one of the first significant events held by Pink Floyd, described by their manager Christopher Hunt as a: “Space Age Relaxation For The Climax of Spring – Electronic Composition, Colour And Image Projection, Girls, And The Pink Floyd". The first in U.K in to feature both a complex light show with quadraphonic speaker system.

Unfortunately was not recorded, so there is no possibility of listening to it, that is the reason of this new reconstruction made with studio recordings. This is the soundtrack of a great lost concert or the alternate way to hear the first album of Pink Floyd.

Spring of '67, Pink Floyd were in the middle of recording sessions for their debut album, “Piper at the Gates of Dawn”: little by little they had grown to become one of the representatives of Britain's psychedelic pop movement. 

A weeks before the concert, the band asked to Bernard Speight, Abbey Road's techies, if he could invent something with which to manipulate the sound. He built a box with four separate 90-degree potentiometers, one for each speaker, all controlled by a single joystick. If the joystick was upright, the sound was centered, but moving it diagonally would dispatch the sound to the speaker in the equivalent corner of the hall. This invention was given the fittingly futuristic name of the Azimuth Coordinator was stolen after the show. 

In this perfomance, not only featured some of material from the debut album: that would be published in August; also the band members created sound effects with a series of tape recordings. Bit.ly/67pf1 Roger Waters created the opening dawnusing bird calls and various natural sounds (an effect he would use in both "Cirrus Minor" and "Grantchester Meadows"). Syd Barret wrote for this event "See Emily Play" was known as "Games for May. 

Side A: (19.27)

1.Dawn. (0.35) (Unreleased).(Sound effects).

2.Matilda Mother. (3.59) (A.k.a: “Matilda´s Mother“).

3.Flaming. (2.46) (A.k.a: “Snowing“).

4.Scarecrow. (2.11) (A.k.a: “The scarecrow“).

5.Games To May. (2.54) (A.k.a: “See Emely Play“).

6.Bicycle. (1.53) (Alternate version).(A.k.a: “Bike“).

7.Arnold Layne. (2.56)

8.Candy And A Currant Bun. (2.09) (Unreleased alternate version).

Side B: (19.03)

1.Pow R. Toc H. (4.26)

2.Interstellar Overdrive. (10.00) (Unreleased alternate version).

3.Ending. (1.29) (Unreleased in this way).(Sound effects).

4.Lucifer Sam. (3.07). 

Syd Barrett – lead guitar,;acoustic guitar & vocals. Roger Waters – bass; slide whistle & vocals. Richard Wright – Farfisa; Combo Compact organ; piano;organ; pianet ; celesta; cello; harmonium &vocals. Nick Mason– drums, percussion.Peter Bown–engineering.  Norman Smith–production. Recorded 21 February – 21 May 1967. EMI Studios, London. 

The anecdote: Rick Wright created bubbles produced from a machine at the end of the show,, it was not a good idea because they spoiled the seats and the floor of the enclosure. As a consequence, 

Pink Floyd were banned from ever playing there again.Even so the concert was a success described by Nick Manson as the best they ever gave. A year later, much had changed for Pink Floyd. Barrett had fallen into a spiral of worsening mental illness brought on partly by overuse of LSD and was voted out of the band and replaced with guitarist David Gilmour. 

That´s all, for now. Enjoy It.

Photo: Cover inspired by the original drawings used in the concert poster.

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.