Play with me (Jeff Beck) (LP 550 - 554)

Jeff Beck Group Rough and Ready (CD, Sony Music, 1971) ****

Jeff Beck Group Jeff Beck Group (CD, Sony Music, 1972) *** 

Jeff Beck Blow By Blow (CD, Sony Music, 1975) ***

Jeff Beck Wired (CD, Sony Music, 1976) ****

Jeff Beck with The Jan Hammer Group Live (CD, Sony Music, 1977) ****

Genre: British pop/ rock 

Places I remember: HMV East Croyden

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Situation (Rough and Ready); Blue Wind (Wired) 

Gear costume: Going Down (JBG); Freeway Jam (Blow By Blow)

Active compensatory factors: Having just read Rod Stewart's autobiography I have a different take on Jeff's peculiar personality. Is it the truth? Who knows, it's certainly Rod's version of the truth 

(see what I did there?). 

He's definitely a restless musician - never sticking with a bunch of musicians for very long. Woody and Roddy only lasted  for two albums (Truth and Beck-ola) and were gone for 1971's Rough and Ready. Then that band (including Max Middleton and Cozy Powell) only lasted for two albums, and so on.

This five album package in  the Original Album Classics series by Sony Music) certainly shows Jeff's ruthless methodology from 1971 to 1977.

That's not to mean the music suffers though. His guitar heroics are on display in a variety of settings over these five albums, and it's actually the period of his that I like the most. 

The second incarnation of Jeff Beck Group makes a much funkier, jazzier sound than the blues/ hard rock of the Rod Stewart version.

First 'solo' album, Blow By Blow, is an instrumental album (pesky lead singers are dispensed with from here onwards) and allows Beck to experiment with jazzier guitar styles. It's a transitional album from the rock of the Jeff Beck Group towards the full on jazz fusion sound of Wired and Live.

Max Middleton and Jan Hammer deserve special mentions - both hold their own on keyboards and are not overshadowed by Beck's guitar pyrotechnics. Instead they shine and create their own distinctive sounds to complement Beck.  

Beatle fans note: Blow By Blow and Wired are both superbly produced by George Martin.  

Where do they all belong? Truth and Beck-ola have their moments but haven't aged as well - I've gone for a cheapo best of (featuring Rod Stewart) compilation. It cherry picks the best moments from Rod and Ron's time with Jeff (and includes, of course, Hi Ho Silver Lining).

Just add water (Dave Dobbyn) (LP 548 - 549)

Dave Dobbyn Hopetown (CD, Sony Music, 2000) *** 

Dave Dobbyn available light (CD, Sony Music, 2005) ****

Genre: NZ pop/ rock 

Places I remember: The Warehouse

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: accoustomed to the light (from available light and yes - all lower case)

Gear costume: welcome home (available light) 

Active compensatory factors: These albums don't include any big hits as such although they both Top 10'd in NZ's album charts at the time of release.

What they do do is show Dave's range and maturity as a writer after all the radio friendly hits.

What I particularly like is the effortlessly relaxed vibe they both have. Hopetown includes various ex Th' Dudes members and both have Neil Finn popping up from time to time (more so on available light). Bones Hillman and Bic Runga also appear on available light. Point being - these guys know each other well!

Where do they all belong? The greatest hits compilation A Slice Of Heaven - 40 Years Of hits, is a great place to start. It has 21 tracks of Dave Dobbyn's quirky brand of pop, and includes Th'Dudes and DD Smash - all killer!

So hard (Cold Chisel) (LP 545 - 547)

Cold Chisel The Last Wave Of Summer (CD, Mushroom Records, 1998) ****

Cold Chisel No Plans (CD, Warner Bros, 2012) ****

Cold Chisel The Perfect Crime (CD, Universal, 2015) ****

Genre: Australian pop/ rock 

Places I remember: The Warehouse (over the years these reunited Cold Chisel albums have turned up in their sale bins and I've gobbled them up)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Yakuza Girls (TLWOS); Too Late (No Plans); The Backroom (TPC)

Gear costume: Red Sand and Water Into Wine (TLWOS); 

Active compensatory factors: What a band! Don Walker writes some great songs that appear effortless (check out The Backroom); Ian Moss is an excellent guitarist - perfect for Cold Chisel and a great writer as well (check out Too Late and Red Sand); and then there's Jimmy Barnes who gives his all, every time!

These reunion albums sit proudly alongside East and Circus Animals in my collection. Their quality really is that high!

Where do they all belong? There are a couple of Cold Chisel albums I don't own yet, including their latest, Blood Moon. It's had some great reviews so I'll look out for that one from now on.

Smiley Faces (Gnarls Barclay) (LP 544)

Gnarls Barclay St. Elsewhere (CD, Warner Bros, 2006) ***

Genre: Soul

Places I remember: The Warehouse New Plymouth

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Crazy

Gear costume: Who Cares? 

Active compensatory factors: Gnarls Barclay is a duo, made up of singer-songwriter CeeLo Green and producer Brian Burton a.k.a. Danger Mouse.

Crazy was the entry point - that song was all over the radio in 2006 (yes I was still listening to the radio - BBC Radio 2 back then). Every time I turned it on in the car - there was Crazy. It was, erm, weird!

The rest of the album is disappointing for me though. It was very successful in 2006 but the disjointed freaky beat style isn't to my taste really. I'm not sure it's stood the test of time either - it's production style is very distinctively set in the 2000s.

Crazy though - that's the real deal!

Where do they all belong? Isaac Hayes is up next in the soul genre.

Everything's all right (Billy Preston) (LP 542 - 543)

Billy Preston That's The Way God Planned It (Vinyl and CD, Apple Records, 1969) ***** 

Billy Preston Encouraging Words (Vinyl, Apple Records, 1970) ***** 

Genre: Apple Records

Places I remember: Marbecks Records, Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: That's The Way God Planned It (album version with George and Billy trading licks is the greatest!)

Gear costume: My Sweet Lord (on Encouraging Words). Billy recorded this before George and the strictly Christian approach works well.

Active compensatory factors: I have had these albums for about 45 years or so and they sound as fresh as they did back then.

For me TTWGPI shades Encouraging Words because of its pure joy but both are classics. It is incredibly hard to listen to these albums without breaking out in big grins continually. There are so many highlights.

Maybe Encouraging Words is less exuberant but it's also a joy to listen to and I think George deserves a lot of credit for this. Both albums are perfectly produced - clearly bringing out Billy's humility and sincerity. Bravo George! 

Where do they all belong? That's it for Billy on Apple Records. Next up is Ravi Shankar in the CD department.

Let it be (The Beatles) (LP 539 - 541)

The Beatles Let It Be (Vinyl/ CD, Apple Records, 1970) ***** 

The Beatles Let It Be...Naked (Vinyl/ CD, Apple Records, 2003) ****

The Beatles Love (CD, Apple Records, 2006) ****

Genre: Beatles pop/ rock 

Places I remember: Many places - DJ's Records in Otahuhu for the original Let It Be album and Get Back book (no box sadly); Kings Recording in Abu Dhabi for digitally remastered CD, Warehouse for original CD; LIB...Naked is from Marbecks for the vinyl and CD; Love CD is from JB Hi-Fi.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Don't Let Me Down from Naked is my favourite Beatle song and Let It Be from the original album is the best version of an amazing song  (regardless of what Lennon thought of it) with great guitar solos from George.

Gear costume: Two Of Us (like many, I initially presumed that this was about Lennon and McCartney but it makes more sense to learn it's about Paul and Linda) 

Active compensatory factors: One of my memories of 1970 is desperately wanting to see the Let It Be movie when it arrived in Auckland but I didn't get there. I do remember the movie posters and the promo that appeared before a movie I saw for my birthday.

I really like the original album. It's The Beatles so - there's that. But even so, this is superior to 90% of everyone else's music in 1970.

Naked is a McCartney vanity project - Long And Winding Road sounds terrible in its nakedness - I'll have the Phil Spector version every time thanks. The rest of the songs sound exactly like the original album to my ears. The added on Fly on the Wall CD of studio stuff and nonsense is only for Beatle completists (and therefore of virtually zero interest to the general public).

Love is a weird one. You could argue it's a compilation so shouldn't be here at all, or you could say it's a new imagining of songs and therefore stands alone. At best it's an interesting creative mash up of Beatle classics, but at worst it's a cynical and messy mash up of Beatle classics. I don't listen to it much - I head instead to the original songs.

Where do they all belong? Wow - okay. That's it for Beatle albums in the collection countdown. It's into the solo albums now - George is first up.

The little boy who flew away (Jack Bonus) (LP 538)

Jack Bonus Jack Bonus (Vinyl, Grunt, 1972) ** 

Genre: Grunt Records (I've now grouped all my non Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship/Starship Grunt albums into a section à la Apple Records). Hence this album that I wouldn't know about (or buy) if it wasn't for the fact that it was on the Grunt label!

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Pecan Pie (Extract) (sadly, it's not available as a single track on YouTube but you can find it at the 15.37 mark as you listen to the whole album here)

Gear costume: The Little Boy Who Flew Away; St Louis Missouri Boy

Active compensatory factors: San Franciscan musician Jack Bonus is a weird one - he sings in a kind of folk/country style (his vocals are an acquired taste), plays sax and flute really well (see Pecan Pie above), writes some interesting songs on this album, and obviously interested someone within Jefferson Starship.

Where do they all belong? This is the only solo album that I'm aware of. It's best described as quirky - with shades of Dan Hicks on some songs. Pecan Pie is my standout track but it's not representative of the album.

That's it for the vinyl section for a while - time to return to the CD collection.

Best seat in the house (Blackberry Smoke) (LP 537)

Blackberry Smoke The Southern Ground Sessions  (Vinyl, 3 Legged Records/ Earache Records, 2018) ***

Genre: American pop/rock

Places I remember: Fopp (Covent Garden)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Run Away From It All

Gear costume: You Got Lucky, Let Me Down Easy 

Active compensatory factors: It's hard to tell whether this three song a side record is an EP, a mini album or an album. There are no clues on the cover. I'm calling it an album. So there!

The songs are obviously from a batch of acoustic songs that don't quite fit on yer usual electric Blackberry Smoke albums so it makes sense to release them on this stand alone album.

There is a pleasant relaxed looseness on show here with studio patter included before these obviously successful takes. 

Two of the six songs feature Amanda Shires' vocals and fiddle playing. She's great too!

Where do they all belong? Much more to come from Blackberry Smoke on CD.

Well all right (Buddy Holly) (LP 536)

Blind Faith Blind Faith (Vinyl, RSO, 1969) **** 

Genre: British pop/rock 

Places I remember: JB Hi-Fi Palmerston North. It's taken me a long time to buy a copy of this classic album. 50 years in fact! I'm not too sure why. Anyhow, this is a reissue on prime vinyl and it's pretty amazing in its quality. So - worth the wait!

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Presence Of The Lord

Gear costume: Well All Right

Active compensatory factors: Their only album with the front cover that has had a lot of press in itself, because even in 1969, and more obviously in 2021, it's wildly inappropriate. However the back cover is also very much of its time - all four superstar members are holding cigarettes!! Shock horror!

The music? Well that's actually pretty damn good still! Of course it is - this is Ginger Baker, Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton we're talking about! Even messed up on various drugs, including heroin, they can out play nearly everyone else on the planet.

That's shocking to realise!

Where do they all belong? One album is all they produced before flaming out, but it's a corker. Still.

Don't let go (Jesse Stone) (LP 533 - 535)

Cold Chisel Swingshift (Vinyl, WEA Records, 1981) *****

Cold Chisel Circus Animals (Vinyl, WEA Records, 1982) ****

Cold Chisel The Barking Spiders Live: 1983 (Vinyl, WEA Records, 1984) ***

Genre: Australian pop/rock

Places I remember: Marbecks Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Side three of Swingshift is amazingly fab and shouldn't be split up so...Standing on the Outside (Barking Spiders Live).

Gear costume: Khe Sanh (Swingshift) 

Active compensatory factors: I first heard Swingshift at Roger Marbeck's house while we were digging out his basement. It was the perfect soundtrack! It's pretty much a Cold Chisel Greatest Hits line up of songs with all my favourites included in the package.

Jimmy Barnes is the perfect aussie front man too - his stage introductions are brilliant - introducing Don't Let Go, Knocking On Heaven's Door and Four Walls (Here's a ballad after ripping through My Turn To Cry at breakneck speed) are highlights in themselves!

The Barking Spiders package (best bootleg looking cover I've seen) is less cohesive than the Swingshift double, although it includes great versions of early eighties Cold Chisel classics (Forever Now, You Got Nothing I Want).

Both of those tracks are included on their 1982 studio album, Circus Animals. It's their best studio album before their break up (Twentieth Century was not a good album to end on).

Where do they all belong? Best aussie rock band of the last four decades! Better than AC/DC? You bet!! There's a lot more Cold Chisel to come on CD - when they reunited they delivered some impressive albums but you'll need to wait for them to roll around in the countdown.