From another time (James Gang) (LP 2824)

James Gang  Bang (Vinyl, Atlantic Records, 1973) ***  

Genre: Rock 

Places I remember: Marbecks Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Must Be Love

Gear costume: From Another Time

Active compensatory factors: I bought this album for one reason and I keep the album for one reason: Must Be Love.

I love this song! It is a true standout from 1973.

The band is probably better known for the Joe Walsh era but this version of James Gang is from the Tommy Bolin years - he's on guitar and some vocals. Tommy is great throughout (this was his first of two albums for the band before he joined Deep Purple).  

The James Gang never managed to get into the A League - thanks to the revolving door of lead guitarists. First Joe, then Domenic Troiano, then Tommy, then others. It's a patchy career.

And this is a patchy album for sure as the band try a variety of styles - Got No Time For Troubles is almost Allman Brothers for instance. I can imagine Greg Allman singing it easily. From Another Time is almost Santana without Carlos.

Where do they all belong? A one-off, with no desire to add to my James Gang collection.

Resolve (Jakob) (LP 2822 - 2823)

Jakob  Solace (CD, Midium Records, 2006) ****  

Jakob  Sines (Vinyl, Mylene Sheath Records, 2014) **** 

Genre: Post rock, prog metal

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Safety in Numbers (Solace)

Gear costume: Saint (Solace); Emergent (Sines)

Active compensatory factors: Jakob are from my neck of the woods - Hawke's Bay in New Zealand. Jo, a colleague at a previous school, recommended them to me and she was spot on (as usual).

Jakob are a post rock trio, containing Jeff Boyle on guitar, Jason Johnston on drums, and Maurice Beckett on bass. No vocalists in Jakob! Solace is their third studio album.  

A local critic sums up Jakob's approach well: 'within the space of a song they can move from brittle and shimmering beauty into big, lush waves of noise, flecked with distortion, and unexpected climactic crescendos'.

Solace hangs together well as an album - there is plenty of variety within the parameters outlined above. The closest touch points would be Explosions In The Sky and Isis (who they have supported on tour).

Their 4th (and most recent) album was Sines from 2014. Many consider it their masterpiece - check out this review from The NZ Herald's Graham Reid!

Where do they all belong? I always keep an eye out for their first two albums. Word out there was that a sixth album would be released 2023-2024 but nothing yet.

Sun child (Jade Warrior) (LP 2821)

Jade Warrior  Way of the Sun (Vinyl, Island Records, 1974) ****  

Genre: Prog rock

Places I remember: Slow Boat Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Heaven Stone

Gear costume: River Song 

Active compensatory factors: The AllMusic review labels this one 'arguably their best'. It was their last for Island Records after having a stint on Vertigo, and their seventh album overall.

The sound is described as cinematic, and I get that as the orchestral passages definitely paint a vivid portrait of South American colonisation - the album's theme.

It's lush and beautiful instrumental music that rewards repeat plays.

Where do they all belong? The earlier Jade Warrior albums have always been fairly rare and therfore highly priced, but I would certainly get those first three earlier Vertigo albums if I could.

One more time (Joe Jackson) (LP 2818 - 2820)

Joe Jackson  Look Sharp! (Vinyl, A&M Records, 1979) ****  

Joe Jackson  I'm The Man (Vinyl, A&M Records, 1979) **** 

Joe Jackson  Joe Jackson's Jumpin' Jive (Vinyl, A&M Records, 1981) *** 

Genre: New wave, pop

Places I remember: Secondhand shop (they have that secondhand shop musty smell intact)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Is She Really Going Out With Him? (Look Sharp)

Gear costume: I'm The Man (I'm The Man)

Active compensatory factors: Look Sharp was Joe's debut album. At the time he was kind of bracketed with Elvis Costello and Graham Parker as they seemed to have similar shiny new wave sounds.

Look Sharp spins by very pleasantly with some reggae-fied beats. The big hit was Is She Really Going Out With Him? but there are plenty of other really good songs on it - Got The Time (covered later by Anthrax), One More Time,  and Sunday Papers are all great fun.

His second album, I'm The Man, also came out in 1979, and it continues the post punk/new wave thrust of Look Sharp! 

The reggae influence is still present (Geraldine and John) and the Elvis Costello reference point is still there from the first track - On Your Radio, which establishes the like mindedness well. Hey, it's still 1979!

By 1981 Joe was trying out different styles. The Joe Jackson's Jumpin' Jive album is a set of covers of classic 1940's swing and jump blues songs. It's a labour of love that my dad would have enjoyed a lot.

Where do they all belong? An interesting set of artifacts from 1979-1981.

Lion sandwich (Isotope) (LP 2817)

Isotope  Illusion (Vinyl, Gull Records, 1975) ****  

Genre: Jazz rock 

Places I remember: Slow Boat Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Illusion

Gear costume: Lily Kong

Active compensatory factors: British jazz-rock outfit Isotope produced a great second album with new members joining guitarist Gary Boyle. In fact, it was their second album of 1974!

Most notably they included bassist Hugh Hopper from Soft Machine. He has quite a signature bass sound and this anchors the sound for Boyle and Laurence Scott on keyboards to shoot off in almost jam style improvisations.

The absence of vocals helps this become a terrific album, perfectly formed with shorter form jazz-rock songs.

Where do they all belong? An excellent example of jazz-rock at its best and another terrific album to mark student work by.

Backlit (Isis) (LP 2813 - 2816)

Isis  Oceanic (CD, Ipecac Recordings, 2002) ****  

Isis  Panopticon (CD, Ipecac Recordings, 2004) *****  

Isis  In the Absence of Truth (CD, Ipecac Recordings, 2006) ****  

Isis  Wavering Radiant (CD, Ipecac Recordings, 2009) ****  

Genre: Post-rock, post-metal, prog metal 

Places I remember: JB Hi Fi

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Dulcinea (In the Absence of Truth)

Gear costume: Stone To Wake A Serpent (Wavering Radiant)

Active compensatory factors: Keegan introduced me to Isis via a track from Panopticon and I was sold!

  

They are a post rock/ prog metal band from America (Boston to be precise). They were active from 1997 to 2010 and Oceanic was their second album.

I've never seen their first album (Celestial) and I'm not that keen because Oceanic is described as a much more musical album than their debut and Oceanic is pretty hard hitting!

I'm not a huge fan of the growly vocals but there is no way to distinguish actual words, so the vocals become just another layer of noise. Apparently Oceanic is a concept album but that goes way over my head.

I much prefer their third album Panopticon. Less vocals and lengthier instrumental passages with a really innovative drum sound and pattern.

On In the Absence of Truth the whole album becomes an organic entity without discernible songs. There are no individual tracks listed on the packaging at all. It's quite effective; Tool do the same sort of thing.

By this stage the vocals in their songs have become more distinct for the most part, and there are more ambient passages. All good signs as the band's sound continued to evolve with a more melodic approach.

The only slight niggle would be the length of these albums in the CD era. They could do with a bit of judicious trimming.

Their final album as Isis before breaking up was Wavering Radiant. It's another quality Isis album, but it doesn't break any new ground. It even has a return to the growly vocals like Oceanic. Maybe that's why the band felt they'd done everything they'd intended to, and the band had therefore run its course.

Where do they all belong? A great marking aid for me - this and especially Pelican CDs are great for sticking on to do my marking of student work by.

Baby did a bad bad thing (Chris Isaak) (LP 2810 - 2812)

Chris Isaak  Heart Shaped World (CD, Reprise Records, 1989) ***  

Chris Isaak  Forever Blue (CD, Reprise Records, 1995) ***  

Chris Isaak  Heart Shaped World (CD, Reprise Records, 1998) ***  

Genre: Rockabilly 

Places I remember: Kings Recording (Abu Dhabi)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing (Forever Blue)

Gear costume: Wicked Game (Heart Shaped World)

Active compensatory factors: These are albums number 3, 5 and 7 in his catalogue. I bought them all from my favourite music shop in Abu Dhabi - Kings Recording.

Heart Shaped World has Wicked Game on it. This was his big break through. The music video that accompanied it featured a topless Helena Christensen and a shirtless Isaak in the surf and on the beach. Ooo la la. It was huge on MTV at the time!

The basic template is well laid out - rockabilly hushed vocals over slowish tasteful guitars and brushed drums. It was a winner!!

Forever Blue is a bit more up tempo and has a bit more variety, so it's my favourite of the three. 

Speak Of The Devil is even more rocky, but Chris covers the same basic love gone wrong format as before. It's even verging on indie rock at times. Verging. This is still music with a rockabilly heart.

Where do they all belong? And that will do it for Chris Isaak. I don't feel I need any further investigation.

Starblind (Iron Maiden) (LP 2807 - 2809)

Iron Maiden  Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (CD, EMI Records, 1988) ****  

Iron Maiden  The Final Frontier (CD, EMI Records, 2010) ***  

Iron Maiden Somewhere Back In Time (The Best of: 1980 to 1989) (CD, EMI Records, 2008) *** 

Genre: Prog metal, heavy metal 

Places I remember: Virgin Megastore (Dubai); The Warehouse

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Only The Good Die Young (SS of a SS)

Gear costume: Moonchild, The Evil That Men Do (both SS of a SS); Run To The Hills (Somewhere Back In Time)

Active compensatory factors: I read about Seventh Son of a Seventh Son in Kerrang Magazine's article on the greatest albums in prog metal and decided to get a copy while living in the UAE.

Sure enough, it is more at the melodic prog metal end of the heavy metal continuum, and I enjoy listening to it still, although in some ways I've outgrown this kind of rock music.

The Final Frontier is back to bash crash metal and not as enjoyable. I can play SS of a SS LOUD and enjoy it immensely, but I find myself turning The Final Frontier down - not a good sign.

They always play with passion and vision though - it's never less than full throttle, and you have to admire that about them. Plus, the fact that they have parleyed this into a lengthy career is impressive. They are like AC/DC and Motorhead in that they don't mess with the formula much from album to album, and somehow they maintain a high consistency rate doing the same old same old with ongoing success.

Where do they all belong? I also have the compilation - Somewhere Back In Time (The Best of: 1980 to 1989) and that's a great place to start the journey of discovery if you are needing to find out what all the fuss is about.

Fields of sun (Iron Butterfly) (LP 2806)

Iron Butterfly  Live at The Galaxy, LA, July 1967 (Vinyl, Keyhole Records, 2014) ** 

Genre: Acid rock 

Places I remember: Amoeba Records (LA)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Evil Temptation

Gear costume: So-Lo

Active compensatory factors: I have previously covered three Iron Butterfly albums, including a live one. This live concert recording from 1967 has only two tracks from that official live album from 1970.

It was hard to turn down the chance to hear this one but I knew going in it was potentially going to be a disappointment. It's from 1967 after all and it's unofficial (i.e. a bootleg).

It features the first, original line-up of the band, performing their early singles and songs from their debut album Heavy which was released a little more than six months later (January 22, 1968). So, no In A Gadda Da Vida baby.

Given all that, it's groovy, in a late sixties heavily psychedelicised what-a-fearsome-racket kind of way. Sound wise it's a pretty good bootleg quality (amazing given it was recorded by an audience member with one microphone), with the vocals mixed low, but it doesn't detract from the enjoyment of this slice of history. It's very much of its time in all regards.

Where do they all belong? That's enough Iron Butterfly though.

Miasma (Intronaut) (LP 2805)

Intronaut  Valley of Smoke (Vinyl, Century Media, 2010) *** 

Genre: Prog metal 

Places I remember: Virgin Megastore (Dubai)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Valley of Smoke

Gear costume: Past Tense

Active compensatory factors: I went through a prog metal phase while living in the UAE. Amazingly, there were a lot of prog metal CDs available in the Virgin Megastore (Dubai Mall) and Kings Recording in Abu Dhabi.

Intronaut is a band from LA. That's important because they are not a dark metal band - there is a degree of Californian sunshine filtering through on occasion. Valley of Smoke, their third album, was one I bought and enjoyed in the Tiida on my way to work in Al Foah.

First track Elegy is a heavy introduction. The growly vocal style was popular for a while, thankfully they don't use this style of 'singing' too much on Valley of Smoke.

The sticker on the CD says - For fans of Mastodon and Baroness. To my ears they are much closer to Baroness and Isis than Mastodon. I prefer it when they adopt a more fluid, prog style that incorporates some jazzy moves - as in the two selections above.

Where do they all belong? I haven't seen any other Intronaut CDs around, not that I've been looking. One is enough for me, I think.

Love fallout (Interview) (LP 2804)

Interview Big Oceans (Vinyl, Virgin Records, 1978) **  

Genre: Pop rock, new wave

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Love Fallout (Not available on Spotify or YouTube)

Gear costume: Shipyards

Active compensatory factors: I heard Love Fallout on a Virgin sampler - the excellent double album Virginity. I enjoyed it as they reminded me of XTC (who I love) and it was on Virgin - a happening label in the late seventies.

So, I picked up the album, their debut, and was quite underwhelmed and disappointed. It wasn't like XTC at all!

The album doesn't contain any other catchy songs like Love Fallout and the band kind of petered out after a second album.

Where do they all belong? Another album that goes on the to-be-sold pile.

The new (Interpol) (LP 2803)

Interpol  Turn On The Bright Lights (CD, Matador Records, 2002) ****  

Genre: Post punk 

Places I remember: The Warehouse sale bin.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: NYC

Gear costume: PDA 

Active compensatory factors: Well I'll be! I had always assumed Interpol were a north of England band, instead they are all New Yorkers!

The sound often seems inspired by post punk bands like Joy Division and My Bloody Valentine, hence my belief. I have zero problem with that, as I loved all that stuff and Interpol forge their own brand of post punk on this debut album.

Where do they all belong? It's an album that rewards volume and repeat plays!

Space commando (Intergalactic Touring Band) (LP 2802)

Intergalactic Touring Band  The Place I Love (Vinyl, Dark Horse Records, 1974) **  

Genre: Prog rock 

Places I remember: Electric City Music (hi Dean)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles/ Gear costume: Heartbreaker

Active compensatory factors: I had often wondered about this album. The cover had always intrigued me whenever I saw it in sale bins. So, I took a punt when I saw it in Dean's music shop in Napier.

On paper it all sounds okay - The Intergalactic Touring Band was not an actual band but rather a science fiction concept album released in 1977. 

The ensemble album featured many performers from progressive rock and other genres, including Meatloaf, Ben E. King, Annie Haslam, Rod Argent, David Bedford, Clarence Clemons, Arthur Brown, Dave Cousins, Rick Parfitt, Francis Rossi and others. The songs are loosely held together by an epic theme of multi-generational space travel and human space colonisation. Jeesh.

It could have been good in an Alan Parson's Project kind of way. Sadly, it's not. 

The problem being the songs are just not strong enough, the musicians don't have a great presence, and the guest vocals are all a bit meh. No one shines. So, it all passes by without leaving a lasting impression.

Where do they all belong? A case of coulda shoulda woulda.

Far away (Inbetweens) (LP 2801)

Reissue cover, Original
is below.

Inbetweens  Inbetweens (Vinyl, Key Records, 1976, this copy was a reissue from 2023) *** 

Genre: NZ music, pop 

Places I remember: JB Hi Fi

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: I Can't Stop Loving You

Gear costume: Through and Thru

Active compensatory factors: Inbetweens (sometimes called The Inbetweens or even In Betweens) was a NZ band that began life in the late sixties. The lineup changes are explained well here.

They've appeared in my blog before, when I included their single Make a Wish Amanda bw While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

This album came later, in 1976, and fell on deaf ears for the most part - aside from another great single - I Just Can't Stop Loving You.

The rest of the album is good but not great mid-seventies NZ pop rock. Some of it hasn't dated too well (Mr. Funky is exhibit A). Still great to have this reissue in pristine condition from JB Hi Fi, and cheap too. A bargain at $20.

And I Just Can't Stop Loving You is timeless.

Where do they all belong? A nice slice of Kiwi rock.

Hello in there (Joan Baez) (LP 2799 - 2800)

Joan Baez  Diamonds and Rust (CD, A&M Records, 1975) ****  

Dr Tree Dr Tree (Vinyl, EMI Records, 1976 this copy was reissued in 2024) ****  

Genre: Folk rock; jazz fusion/ NZ music

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Eugeno D (Dr Tree)

Gear costume: Hello In There (Joan)

Active compensatory factors: Two classic albums which I have recently purchased thanks to a gift voucher from my previous employer. The Dr Tree album cost $103, so the voucher came in very handy!

As readers of my other blogs know, I am a Joan Baez fan, currently reading her 1987 autobiography and still catching up with her vast back catalogue. I am cherry picking though, as I'm not a completist.

Diamonds and Rust came out amidst the Rolling Thunder Revue tour with Dylan and it's a beauty. Not a five-star classic, but near as dammit.

Her own songs hold their own, but the best songs are covers of Dylan (Simple Twist of Fate), Jackson Browne (Fountain of Sorrow), John Prine (Hello In There) and Dicky Betts (Blue Sky).

Dr Tree was a legendary NZ fusion band put together by drummer Frank Gibson Jnr. No disrespect meant to the other musicians, but it stars him, Kim Patterson (trumpet), Murray McNabb (electric piano), and Martin Winch (guitar).

I've heard stories about the album over the years but never been able to find a copy. Luckily, it's been reissued this year in double record format (the original plus a record of outtakes) and made in the EU - hence the expensive price tag.

It's definitely worth it though as this album is relentlessly brilliant. Although, there is maybe a bit too much trumpet; Jimmy Sloggett adds some brilliant tenor sax to an outtake and I'd have loved to hear more from him, but that would be tampering with history. Still, it's great to hear now on the expanded edition.

Where do they all belong? Definitely not the last Joan Baez album I'll be buying.

The bronze medal (Idlewild) (LP 2798)

Idlewild  100 Broken Windows (CD, Food Records, 2000) *** 

Genre: Indie rock 

Places I remember: Fives (Leigh on sea)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Little Discourage

Gear costume: Roseability

Active compensatory factors: I had quite a few Idlewild albums in the early naughties but ended up just keeping this one. From memory, my rationale was that they had a distinctive sound that didn't vary much between albums and this one was the best of the bunch.

Idlewild is (yes, they are still a going concern) a Scottish band with Roddy Woomble on lead vocals, Colin Newton (drums) and Rod Jones (guitar). Bassists have come and gone. 100 Broken Windows was their second album.

I love slashing guitars with a vague punk attitude. Listen to Roseability for a great example of that.

Lead off song, Little Discourage is the most commercial song on the album, but the rest isn't too far behind.

Where do they all belong? This was the keeper for me.

Mellow your soul (Ides of March) (LP 2797)

Ides of March  World Woven  (Vinyl, RCA Records, 1972) **  

Genre: Pop/ rock 

Places I remember: Record Fair

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles/ Gear costume: Colorado Morrow

Active compensatory factors: In my defense there were a few key reasons for buying this: it came out in 1972; it smelt like prog rock or jazz rock - both favoured genres in my collection; one band member plays mandolin; each band member is listed as a vocalist so I assumed harmonies; it was cheap and in good condition.

So, I ignored warning signs: the cover; the band name; the label (RCA, but then they also had The Guess Who, Bowie and Jefferson Airplane on their books in 1972).

Ides of March is dominated by lead guitarist, lead vocalist and writer James Peterik. They have been around since the sixties, and it looks like they are still at it in 2024!!

That means there must be an audience out there for Ides of March, but I'm not part of it. How come? Well, there's the naff earnestness, the mostly forgetful songs and the lack of vocal presence by Peterik for starters (he can sing well, just not in a style that moves me).

They are at their best when moving into country rock stylings as on Colorado Morrow and Landlady (good harmonies on that one). They are not on Spotify or even YouTube really - more bad signs.

Where do they all belong? I'd get rid of this one if I was still doing that. I decided a few years ago just to hang on to everything.

Street cafe (Icehouse) (LP 2796)

Icehouse  Primitive Man (CD, Chrysalis Records, 1982) ***  

Genre: Synth pop

Places I remember: The Warehouse

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Great Southern Land

Gear costume: Street Cafe

Active compensatory factors: Icehouse is an Aussie 'band' that is really just multi-instrumentalist/writer/singer Iva Davies.

Icehouse's Primitive Man was hugely successful down under, thanks to those big hit singles. Great Southern Land is a great song, and the reason why I bought this album out of the sale bins in The Warehouse (when they stocked CDs that is).

The synth pop sound is expertly crafted into songs by Davies on the album and although it is completely rooted in 1982 it's still pleasant to listen to, or at least, the hits are. The instrumentals sound like filler to me. Maybe he was trying for a Berlin era Bowie kind of thing. One of the songs is called 'Glam' after all, and it includes German lyrics. He certainly has some Bowie-isms on full display.

The bonus selections are good for once - 12-inch mixes of the hits.

Where do they all belong? My only Icehouse album, thanks to Great Southern Land.

Harmony (Iamthemorning) (LP 2795)

Iamthemorning  Lighthouse (CD, Kscope Records, 2016) ***  

Genre: Prog rock

Places I remember: Fopp

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Lighthouse

Gear costume: Matches 

Active compensatory factors: Iamthemorning is a Russian duo, comprising singer Marjana Semkina and pianist Gleb Kolyadin. Lighthouse is their third album.

I must have read a review in Prog Rock magazine and decided to check it out while visiting London.

The vocals of Marjana are interesting - more Jacky's sort of thing than mine (this is one of the rare albums she enjoys), and Gleb's piano is of the minimalist school, which I like.

Other prog musicians guest on Lighthouse, notably Gavin Harrison and Colin Edwin from Porcupine Tree, and Mariusz Duda from Riverside. 

It's a three-star rating from me because while a lot of it sounds pleasant/beautiful and it works well in the background (and Jacky likes it), it doesn't stay long in the memory for me.

Where do they all belong? A one off (goes in the Jacky section of the collection)

I'm satisfied (Mississippi John Hurt) (LP 2794)

Mississippi John Hurt  Ain't Nobody's Business (CD, Prestige Records, 1992) ****  

Genre: Blues 

Places I remember: Hope collection

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor

Gear costume: Lonesome Blues

Active compensatory factors: I often find the blues a salve and an uplifting experience. Mississippi John Hurt's simple way with a guitar includes it being full of melody and his vocals in the country blues style provides a lovely soothing sound, even when he's lonesome.

He passed away in 1966. These are live recordings from the year before he passed away. He sounds pretty vital during the performance, and it's quite poignant that he's often singing about his death, as is the way with the blues.

Where do they all belong? A terrific CD for the blues collection.

Never give up (Marc Hunter) (LP 2791 - 2793)

Marc Hunter  Fiji Bitter (Vinyl, CBS Records, 1979) ***  

Marc Hunter  Big City Talk (Vinyl, Mercury Records, 1981) ***

Marc Hunter  Talk To Strangers (CD, Roadshow Music, 1994) ****    

Genre: Pop/ rock, NZ music 

Places I remember: Slow Boat Records (vinyl copies), Real Groovy Records (CD)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Southern Cross

Gear costume: One Of The Good Guys

Active compensatory factors: You can take Marc (and Todd) Hunter out of Dragon, but you can't take Dragon out of the Hunters.

These are three of Marc's five solo albums and given Marc and Todd appear on all three, it's natural it sounds like various stages of Dragon at times.

His first solo album, Fiji Bitter, set the template - a good looking, fashion conscious, good time party boy (the inner photo of him popping the cork on a bottle of champers sums him up well). He was also deeply involved in hard drugs, so it's a miracle he could actually sound this good. His vocals are always terrific throughout these three albums.

Second solo album, Big City Talk, was his first album of the eighties and so the sound veers towards a more sophisticated sound and even synth-pop at times, but Marc's vocals remain distinctive and superb. NZ guitar legend Kevin Borich appears on a few tracks.

The pick of the bunch is the 1994 album, and his last (he'd pass away 4 years later from throat cancer) - Talk To Strangers. I picked it up from a sale bin in Real Groovy many years ago and played it endlessly.

I have no idea why it's not on Spotify. It's a great collection of songs, and, for me, easily his best solo album.

Where do they all belong? I've never seen Communication or Night and Day (yes - he takes on the standards) but I'll grab them if I see them. His vocal ability never diminished, it's just such a waste that his punishing lifestyle of heavy smoking, heroin and hard drinking meant he died so young. He was 44.

I'm ready (Humble Pie) (LP 2789 - 2790)

Humble Pie Performance Rockin' The Fillmore (CD, A&M Records, 1971) **

Humble Pie The Crust of Humble Pie (Vinyl, Immediate Records, 1972) ****  

Genre: Rock

Places I remember: Fives; Spellbound Wax Company

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Cold Lady

Gear costume: Home and Away 

Active compensatory factors: By rights I should love Humble Pie. The double guitar attack (Peter Frampton and Marriott) and the voice of Steve Marriott are big draw cards. 

But when I bought Performance I was hugely disappointed. The long rambling numbers and the obnoxious side of Marriott on a few numbers mean I shelved the album. Rolling Stone being the worst offender - apart from being just plain offensive it's also just plain boring. Sixteen minutes looong! No thanks.

The album hasn't grown on me since, although the more focused songs like Four Day Creep and Stone Cold Fever have meant that I've hung onto it. 

The Crust of Humble Pie is a compilation put out by Immediate in 1972. Interestingly, none of the Performance songs make an appearance on the compilation.

Instead, it presents 10 songs from the band's first two albums on Immediate (As Safe As Yesterday Is, Town and Country). For my money these are far superior to the bombastic stuff they churned out for A&M.

There are a few lingering elements from The Small Faces on these songs and Steve Marriott is in fine vocal form. At his best he is peerless.

Where do they all belong? I love The Small Faces and there is more to come when we get to them in the collection, but I'm not tempted to buy any more Humble Pie beyond The Crust of Humble Pie.