Bad Company - Bad Co [Japanese Ed.] (1974)

Year: 24 May 1974 (CD Sep 22, 2010)
Label: Warner Music (Japan), WPCR-13902
Style: Blues Rock, Hard Rock
Country: London, England
Time: 34:53
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 254 Mb

When I think of the term “supergroup”, Bad Company are one of the first bands that spring to mind. With their 1974 self-titled debut album, they absolutely lived up to that billing. The British group featured two former members of Free and their unfussy, soulful rock picks up where Free left off but in a more feelgood, riff-based, rock ‘n’ roll mode courtesy of ex-Mott The Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs. And Ralphs ensured they achieved mega success by penning the ingeniously simple single Can’t Get Enough, a cruising and carefree radio staple. Not to be outdone, vocalist Paul Rodgers chipped in the album’s masterful title track, a thoroughly stirring mix of ghostly atmosphere and outlaw manliness. Other highlights include the priapic proto-Whitesnake Rock Steady and a sublimely classy remake of Mott’s Ready For Love.
Bad Company were having too good a time to infuse the album’s ballads with anything near the emotional heavy load that Free conjured but tracks like The Way I Choose have proven to be growers over decades of listening and are great vehicles for Rodgers’ smooth vocals. The whole album sounds ballsy and beautiful, especially Ralphs’ creamy guitar tones. Bad Company is the cool, confident and timeless sound of talented musicians revelling in a newfound personal and creative chemistry. When I think of the term “classic rock” Bad Company is one of the first albums that springs to mind.
(heavymetaloverload.com/2025/07/05/bad-company-bad-company-album-review/)

01. Can't Get Enough (04:16)
02. Rock Steady (03:47)
03. Ready for Love (05:02)
04. Don't Let Me Down (04:21)
05. Bad Company (04:50)
06. The Way I Choose (05:05)
07. Movin' On (03:24)
08. Seagull (04:04)

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Kiss - Dressed To Kill [Japanese Ed.] (1975)

Year: March 19, 1975 (CD Apr 25, 1986)
Label: Polystar Records (Japan), P33C-20005
Style: Hard Rock, Arena Rock, Glam Rock
Country: New York City, U.S.
Time: 30:33
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 196 Mb

Of all the bands who are regarded as "Classic", I will never understand why KISS is considered such. To be frank, they were the 70's version of Nickleback; a shitty, generic, Rock band with obnoxiously catchy singles and a basic understanding of "listenable music". With this in mind, one must always remember that even the worst of bands can produce a good album once in a while. KISS had that in Dressed to Kill.
Despite being only thirty whole minutes long, Dressed to Kill has a myriad of good tunes. Room Service features some of Ace Frehley's best guitar playing, riffing his way through excellent solos as Paul Stanley lights up with some excellent, hard hitting, vocals. One of the most notable changes from their first two albums was that Paul Stanley did the majority vocals in this album, as Gene Simmons was majority for their first two. This can be attributed to the fact that Paul's vocals were better received and of the financial failure of their sophomore album, which Simmon's was lead vocalist of.
Getaway is a very fun track, with booming drums from Peter Criss as Ace Frehley goes completely bonkers, doing all of the guitar work on the track with such excellent virtuosity. Rock Bottom remains one of my personal favorite tracks, with its somber tone reminiscent of Led Zeppelin IV's ethereal production quality. The sound quality of this record is top notch, especially when the hard guitar half breaks through the strings, completely doing a 180 on the entire track's atmosphere.
Of course I would be remiss if I didn't mention KISS' magnum opus. I'm talking, of course, about Rock And Roll All Nite. A bursting guitar-heavy track combining the talents of all four members of KISS evenly, creating a track that describes KISS to a tee. To be fair as well, Simmon's is the perfect vocalist for this track, as his hissing and talkative vocal performance add to the raw and unbalanced nature of the tune, as tamberine's begin meshing with guitars, chorus, and percussion to create pure madness.
Dressed to Kill is not perfect, it has flaws like every other KISS album. Cheesy lyrics, squeaky clean production, basic formula for every song, and repetition ad nauseum are easy to point out. The change is what Dressed to Kill offers that other KISS albums don't. That lies in its creative guitar playing from Ace Frehley, one of the best Rock singles of the 1970's, and Paul Stanley being majority singer for the record. In this instance, KISS reached their apex, and would never reach this height ever again.
(sputnikmusic.com/review/71446/KISS-Dressed-To-Kill/)

Album recorded and mixed in the analog domain - AAD. That is, a minimum of digital processing.
A=Analog. D=digital. The first letter stands for how the music was recorded. The second letter for how it was mixed. The third letter stands for the format (all CD's will have D as the last letter).

01. Room Service (03:03)
02. Two Timer (02:51)
03. Ladies In Waiting (02:34)
04. Getaway (02:46)
05. Rock Bottom (03:56)
06. C'mon And Love Me (03:01)
07. Anything For My Baby (02:36)
08. She (04:10)
09. Love Her All I Can (02:43)
10. Rock And Roll All Nite (02:49)

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Chicken Shack - Goodbye Chicken Shack [Live] (1974)

Year: Recording: October 26, 1973 (CD Feb 28, 2013)
Label: Esoteric Recordings (UK), ECLEC2379
Style: Rock, Blues Rock
Country: Birmingham, England
Time: 48:53
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 267 Mb

Chicken Shack evolved from a Stourbridge based band called "Sounds Of Blue" who were performing in the West Midlands area by 1964. Early members included lead guitarist/vocalist Stan Webb, vocalist/pianist Christine Perfect, bass guitarist Andy Silvester, and saxophonist Chris Wood. The group made their name during the "British blues revival" of the late 1960s.
Talented guitarist Stan Webb is regarded by many as one of the great un-sung heroes of British blues music. He was born in Fulham, London on February 3, 1946 and moved to Kidderminster with his parents after leaving school. He started playing guitar during the "skiffle" craze of the late 1950s and formed his first group in 1962 called "The Strangers Dance Band" with whom he played instrumental versions of the hits of the day at pubs and youth clubs.
Stan Webb began to earn money in his first professional band called "Shades Five". Like many local groups at the time, they found regular bookings on Joe and Mary Regan's famous West Midlands circuit of venues. He recalled in an interview; "Shades Five was my first crack at being a professional musician working for Mrs Regan in Birmingham doing the Old Hill Plaza, the Plaza in Handsworth, and The Brumbeat Cavern. If you didn't do those, you weren't anyone!"
A record shop in Birmingham on Hurst Street changed Stan's outlook on music. He recalled; "I started hearing all the blues stuff at this record shop called 'The Diskery' that was wonderful. Went up there on a Saturday, they had all these American records playing, covers all over the ceiling. And that's when I first got 'Freddie King Sings'. I took it home and listened and thought, I don't believe this!"
It was local blues singer David Yeates who convinced Stan Webb to join his group called "The Sounds Of Blue". By this time, Webb was heavily influenced by American blues and R&B music. The Sounds of Blue line-up included Andy Silvester on rhythm guitar and saxophonist Chris Wood who lived in nearby Cradley Heath.
Chris Wood had attended Stourbridge Art College in 1963 and learned to play the flute before later graduating to saxophone. By March 1964, he was performing with Sounds Of Blue although he left the following year before they went over to Germany as Chicken Shack. Chris Wood then joined Jim Simpson's jazz influenced band called "The Kansas City Seven" (see Locomotive) and later became a founding member of the highly acclaimed and internationally successful Traffic.
(full version: brumbeat.net/chickens.htm)

01. Everyday I Have The Blues (05:41)
02. Thrill Is Gone (05:42)
03. Going Down (05:56)
04. You Take Me Down (05:17)
05. Webb's Boogie (06:13)
06. You're Mean (06:23)
07. Poor Boy (07:55)
08. Webb's Guitar Shuffle (03:13)
09. Tutti Frutti (02:28)

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Rory Gallagher (Taste) - Deuce [Japanese Ed.] (1971)

Year: 28 November 1971 (CD Apr 25, 2007)
Label: BMG Japan Inc. (Japan), BVCM-37881
Style: Blues, Blues Rock
Country: Cork, Ireland (2 March 1948 - 14 June 1995)
Time: 51:39
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 341 Mb

Rory Gallagher's second solo offering, Deuce, is arguably the studio album that best reflects the Irish guitarist's ferocity in his preferred medium, live. Deuce also represents the peak of his ‘power trio career’, surpassing any Taste album and narrowly edging out his remarkable debut, Rory Gallagher, released just six months prior to this marvel.
Gallagher was clear that it was on stage that he expressed himself best, so when he set about producing his second solo album he decided to put the recording sessions after live performances, to harness the energy of the live shows and leave the production skeletal, with just vocals, bass, drums and guitar. Of course, Gallagher's guitar wasn't just anything, his worn '61 Stratocaster was capable of unleashing electrical storms in which several people seemed to be playing.
Take the opening track, Used To Be, for example, where the guitar leads the way until his R&B-like vocals come in. It's a devastating start on his unbridled guitar, and indicates that we are in the presence of a true master. But whoever thinks of Gallagher only as a marvellous guitarist is also missing out on the composer capable of such delights as I'm Not Awake Yet, in which touches of British folk can be appreciated. Moreover, his mastery of the acoustic is similar to that of the electric and he is capable of embellishing the song with a beautiful and expressive solo.
The acoustic blues number Don't Know Where I'm Going reveals Gallagher's excellent sense of humour; sounding somewhere between Ronnie Lane and Steve Marriott. In Your Town and Should've Learnt My Lesson successfully approach his beloved blues rock, sounding gritty and direct. While There's A Light offers another taste of his more melodic and sensitive side, with another guitar solo that is not so much a display of technique as a song within a song. The album reaches its peak at the close, with Crest Of A Wave, a song that features fantastic bass playing by the indispensable Gerry McAvoy, and some incredible guitar work by our protagonist, again shining with the slide, and achieving a cutting, raw and aggressive sound.
Deuce, released on 28 November 1971, made it clear that Rory Gallagher was inaugurating the imperial phase of his career, with a raw and gritty sound that would be reflected in his mythical live shows, such as the outstanding Live In Europe that arrived the following year. The flame had been lit and Rory was crowned as one of the greats.
(guitarsexchange.com/en/unplugged/1079/rory-gallagher-deuce-1971/)

01. I'm Not Awake Yet (05:06)
02. Used To Be (05:24)
03. Don't Know Where I'm Going (02:42)
04. Maybe I Will (04:15)
05. Whole Lot Of People (04:57)
06. In Your Town (05:47)
07. Should've Learnt My Lesson (03:36)
08. There's A Light (05:59)
09. Out Of My Mind (03:05)
10. Crest Of A Wave (06:00)
11. Persuasion (Bonus Track) (04:43)

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Kiss - Hotter Than Hell [Japanese Ed.] (1974)

Year: October 22, 1974 (CD Apr 25, 1986)
Label: Polystar Records (Japan), P33C-20004
Style: Hard Rock, Arena Rock, Glam Rock
Country: New York City, U.S.
Time: 33:23
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 196 Mb

01. Got To Choose is a hell of a tune to open the album with for it’s an attitude-infused mid-tempo groove-focus rock masterpiece. No, it isn’t one of KISS’ most popular tunes, but if the infectious melody doesn’t get you, Ace Frehley’s exceptional blues-infused guitar licks will.
02. Parasite is riff heaven and between Ace Frehley’s skilled writing and Gene Simmons’ raw and aggressive vocals, Parasite is not only one of the heavier tunes KISS ever recorded, but it’s one of the greatest rock numbers from the era.
03. Goin' Blind slows the album’s pace with a ballad-focused tune. Simmons knocks the vocals out of the park, but interestingly his vocal presentation differs from what we normally associate with him. The variance reminds me of Steven Tyler’s vocal delivery on Aerosmith’s self-titled debut. It isn’t bad, not by any means, but it is unique.
04. Hotter Than Hell exudes swagger and confidence, driven by gritty, distorted riffs and a stomping rhythm section, but isn’t quite the ideal title track. It works, yes, but it isn’t a standout. Part of my love/hate relationship with the tune is the chosen tempo. While I acknowledge that it was written with Free’s All Right Now in mind, I find it’s a little too slow and would like to have seen it sped up by a few beats per minute.
05. Let Me Go, Rock And Roll is a fast-paced number that embodies the rock and roll spirit of the era with its relentless rhythm and infectious energy. If nothing else, the driving bassline, dynamic guitar solos, and overall mix capture the rawness of KISS’ early, yet compelling, sound.
06. All The Way may be an album-only tune, one that is unknown to many who haven’t listened to the album, but despite being lesser known, All The Way delivers a punchy, straightforward rock feel with an edgy guitar sound that is KISS 101.
07. Watchin' You has an incredible introduction, for the dense layering of guitars and a powerful rhythm section enhance the tune and ensure the intensity of the record is maintained. The musical bed alone is such a standout that Simmons need not have written or recorded lyrics for Watchin’ You could have been instrumental gold, had it been recorded with that intent. It isn’t that the vocals detract from the song, however, it’s that the musical performance is so much stronger than Simmons’ vocal delivery.
08. Mainline shifts the tone as Peter Criss takes over vocal duties for the first time on the album. With a Southern rock influence, the laid-back vibe is a precursor to many of KISS’ most memorable tunes and this is no exception for the chorus and overall upbeat nature of Mainline will stay with you well after the album has played its final note.
09. Comin' Home, while not as heavy as many of the other tracks, does circle back to the band’s melodic roots and in that regard is a hidden gem. It is, unfortunately, one of the most sonically compromised recordings from the album and even though it’s thoroughly enjoyable, it could have been so much more had more spit and polish been applied during the recording and mixing of the song.
10. Strange Ways is an ideal closer with its slow and heavy pace that allows Criss’ vocals to shine. It also features Ace Frehley at his very best, as the band works through the track’s sludgy and psychedelic rhythm, leaving a lasting impression; one that will compel you to play the album again or sit in contemplation of the music that you’ve just heard.
(subjectivesounds.com/musicblog/kiss-hotter-than-hell-album-review)

Album recorded and mixed in the analog domain - AAD. That is, a minimum of digital processing.
A=Analog. D=digital. The first letter stands for how the music was recorded. The second letter for how it was mixed. The third letter stands for the format (all CD's will have D as the last letter).

01. Got To Choose (03:54)
02. Parasite (03:04)
03. Goin' Blind (03:39)
04. Hotter Than Hell (03:31)
05. Let Me Go, Rock 'N' Roll (02:16)
06. All The Way (03:18)
07. Watchin' You (03:45)
08. Mainline (03:52)
09. Comin' Home (02:40)
10. Strange Ways (03:21)

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Jon Lord With The Hoochie Coochie Men - Live In The Basement (2003)

Year: December 9, 2003 (CD 2007)
Label: Edel Entertaiment (Germany), 0186228ERE
Style: Blues Rock, Electric Blues
Country: Leicester, England (9 June 1941 - 16 July 2012)
Time: 39:33
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 275 Mb

In 2003 Jon also returned to his beloved R&B and blues heritage to record an album of standards in Sydney, with Australia's Jimmy Barnes, entitled Live in the Basement, by Jon Lord and the Hoochie Coochie Men. Lord was also happy to support the Sam Buxton Sunflower Jam Healing Trust and in September 2006, performed at a star-studded event to support the charity led by Ian Paice's wife, Jacky (twin sister of Lord's wife Vicky). Featured artists on stage with Lord included Paul Weller, Robert Plant, Phil Manzanera, Ian Paice and Bernie Marsden.
(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Lord#with_The_Hoochie_Coochie_Men)
First years of new Millennium Jon Lord met with his new low-profile band (of old guys, including bassist Bob Daisley) Hoochie Coochie Men. No jokes, they play blues standards, using vintage keyboards, in a traditions of British blues of late 60-s.
From band's name and cover art you can perfectly recognize, what kind of sound you will find inside. Guys play enthusiastic, but extremely simple classic blues tunes, with harmonica, some characteristic Lord's Hammond passages ( too much of cliche) and .... it's all.
Musically there are myriads of blues musicians, playing that music better. Even in rare moments, when band goes to heavier blues rock, the music sounds as played by good suburb pub band. Guest vocalist is terrible though.
(progarchives.com/album.asp?id=29232) Review by snobb. June 2, 2010

01. I Just Want to Make Love to You (04:05)
02. Six Strings Down (03:44)
03. 24-7 Blues (04:36)
04. Dallas (03:45)
05. The Walk (03:21)
06. Strange Brew (03:36)
07. She Whines (04:34)
08. Playin the Blues (03:38)
09. You Need Love (04:14)
10. New Old Lady Blues (03:57)

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The Who - Who's Next (1971)

Year: 2 August 1971 (CD Dec 17, 1984)
Label: MCA Records (US), MCAD-37217, DIDX-152
Style: Classic Rock, Rock, Pop Rock
Country: London, England
Time: 43:13
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 269 Mb

Who's Next is the fifth studio album by English rock band the Who. It developed from the aborted Lifehouse project, a multi-media rock opera conceived by the group's guitarist Pete Townshend as a follow-up to the band's 1969 album Tommy. The project was cancelled owing to its complexity and to conflicts with Kit Lambert, the band's manager, but the group salvaged some of the songs, without the connecting story elements, to release as their next album. Eight of the nine songs on Who's Next were from Lifehouse, the lone exception being the John Entwistle-penned "My Wife". Ultimately, the remaining Lifehouse tracks would all be released on other albums throughout the next decade.
The Who recorded Who's Next with assistance from recording engineer Glyn Johns. After producing the song "Won't Get Fooled Again" in the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio, they relocated to Olympic Studios to record and mix most of the album's remaining songs. They made prominent use of synthesizer on the album, particularly on "Won't Get Fooled Again" and "Baba O'Riley", which were both released as singles. The cover photo was shot by Ethan Russell; it made reference to the monolith in the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey, as it featured group members standing by a concrete piling protruding from a slag heap in Easington Colliery, County Durham, apparently having urinated against it.
The album was an immediate success when it was released on 14 August 1971. It has since been viewed by many critics as the Who's best album and one of the greatest albums of all time.
(1001albumsgenerator.com/albums/5MqyhhHbT13zsloD3uHhlQ/whos-next)

Album recorded and mixed in the analog domain - AAD. That is, a minimum of digital processing.
A=Analog. D=digital. The first letter stands for how the music was recorded. The second letter for how it was mixed. The third letter stands for the format (all CD's will have D as the last letter).

01. Baba O'Riley (04:58)
02. Bargain (05:31)
03. Love Ain't For Keepin' (02:10)
04. My Wife (03:33)
05. The Song Is Over (06:15)
06. Gettin' In Tune (04:48)
07. Going Mobile (03:41)
08. Behind Blue Eyes (03:41)
09. Won't Get Fooled Again (08:31)

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Procol Harum - The Well's On Fire (2003)

Year: 4 March 2003 (CD 2003)
Label: Eagle Records (US), ER 20006-2
Style: Progressive Rock, Classic Rock
Country: Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England
Time: 59:08
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 399 Mb

The Well's On Fire is a very laid-back record. The band isn't obviously trying to break any new ground here, but the music is good, and gets better with each listen. At this point Procol Harum has long since established its own sound and style, and is definitely sticking to its guns. Gary Brooker sounds as good as ever. It's his voice that really makes this album shine, but that's the case with any Brooker/Procol release for this writer.
Besides Gary's pipes, Matthew Fisher's organ is another great feature. He definitely has a sound that is irreplaceable, and very original. Just try to imagine the basic sound of Whiter Shade Of Pale and you'll know what I mean. Fisher, however, plays very gently, and doesn't abuse his presence on the album. In other words, he appears where he's needed.
Procol Harum's music these days can be considered an adult contemporary, as it has a very peaceful flow. I tend to call it night music. You know, when the lights are dim, you're drinking wine, and listen to something gentle, yet very rhythm-oriented. That's where this album fits in. I wonder how this material will work live. It certainly has a potential to develop into interesting set. On the other hand, Procol Harum has so many great songs to choose from that it will be difficult to knock down the classics in favor of the new songs.
The question is, was this the album everyone was waiting for the last ten years? It's hard to answer that, and you can look at it from both angles. On the positive side, it is a very good music played by a band with definite feel, and great amount of professionalism. And on the negative angle, it doesn't really bring anything new to the band's already established norms. I prefer to stick with the first view, as I thoroughly enjoy this album.
(procolharum.com/phalbum12-vault-rev.htm)

01. An Old English Dream (04:41)
02. Shadow Boxed (03:34)
03. A Robe Of Silk (02:43)
04. The Blink Of An Eye (04:42)
05. The Vip Room (04:55)
06. The Question (05:01)
07. This World Is Rich (05:20)
08. Fellow Travellors (04:47)
09. Wall Street Blues (04:26)
10. The Emperor's New Clothes (04:17)
11. So Far Behind (03:51)
12. Every Dog Will Have His Day (05:20)
13. Weisselklenzenacht (05:24)

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The Rolling Stones - England's Newest Hit Makers [Hybrid SACD] (1964)

Year: 17 April 1964 (CD Oct 21, 2002)
Label: ABKCO Records (Europe), 8822872
Style: Rhythm and Blues, Rock and Roll
Country: London, England
Time: 31:19
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 183 Mb

The American edition of the debut LP.
The British version of the Stones' first album has a nearly identical cover to its American equivalent, issued six weeks later, but a slightly different song lineup. Among these 12 songs, absent is "Not Fade Away," which was a hit single in England (where singles and LPs were usually kept separate), and in its place is the Stones' cover of Bo Diddley's "Mona (I Need You Baby)" (credited here as "I Need You Baby"), which had to wait until Rolling Stones Now!, a year later, for its U.S. release. It's not a big switch, a Bo Diddley-style cover of a Buddy Holly song bumping an actual Bo Diddley cover on the U.S. version. Otherwise, the main difference lies in the version of "Tell Me" included here, which sounds about two generations hotter than any edition of the song ever released in the U.S. -- it's the long version, with the break that was cut from the single, but the British LP and the original late-'80s Decca U.K. compact disc (820 047-2) both contain a version without any fade, running the better part of a minute longer than the U.S. release of the song, until the band literally stops playing.
(allmusic.com/album/the-rolling-stones-englands-newest-hit-makers-mw0000195499)

01. Not Fade Away (01:48)
02. Route 66 (02:21)
03. I Just Want to Make Love to You (02:18)
04. Honest I Do (02:10)
05. Now I've Got a Witness (02:32)
06. Little by Little (02:40)
07. I'm a King Bee (02:37)
08. Carol (02:34)
09. Tell Me (04:05)
10. Can I Get a Witness (02:56)
11. You Can Make It If You Try (02:02)
12. Walking the Dog (03:09)

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The Rolling Stones - The Rolling Stones [Japanese Ed.] (1964)

Year: 17 April 1964 (CD Apr 25, 1989)
Label: London Records (Japan), P25L 25031
Style: Rhythm and Blues, Rock and Roll
Country: London, England
Time: 33:16
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 185 Mb

The British edition of the debut LP.
Much is said about comparing The Beatles with The Rolling Stones, even hinting at a certain rivalry between the two bands. “Yesterday”, during a very interesting conversation, we concluded that comparing The Beatles to The Stones is like comparing apples to oranges. While one focused on creating the foundations for Pop, the other aimed to design a rebellious sound, both rooted in Rock.
The reality of this matter (at least in the beginning) is that The Beatles themselves propelled The Stones to fame, especially George Harrison, who persuaded Decca Records to sign them... and that’s exactly what happened. It is even said that The Beatles frequented the ‘Crawdaddy Club’ in Richmond, London, to watch The Stones, where they gained a significant fan base.
In 1964, The Rolling Stones debuted with their eponymous album, featuring 12 songs, of which only one is original, ‘Tell Me (You’re Coming Back)’, composed by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.
We can hear a sound inspired by R&B and, of course, Rock & Roll. Practically, it is a cover album. However, The Rolling Stones refreshed all these songs and added that touch of rebellion that the generation needed to break conventional music and societal stereotypes.
Mick Jagger’s voice became the band’s hallmark from this album. Despite not possessing vocal virtuosity, he proposed something entirely different that would serve as a strong foundation for Rock in general, with a message of ‘You don’t have to be perfect to be in a band’. This influence, especially for Punk, was tremendous, as can be heard on albums like “Never Mind The Bollocks” (1977) by Sex Pistols.
The album was recorded in an express manner, in just 5 days! Consequently, it’s not perfect, which gives it a nostalgic sound and provides context regarding the technology of the time. Speaking of production, it contributes to the album sounding “heavy” for its era, maintaining the distortion peaks that are sometimes heard in the vocals.
It’s not just about Keith Richards‘ and Brian Jones‘ guitars, Bill Wyman‘s bass, and Charlie Watts‘ drums. Mick Jagger himself played the harmonica, and we can even hear a completely instrumental track, “Now I’ve Got A Witness”, where Ian Stewart played the organ. Stewart was part of the band but unofficially, as the band’s manager did not see him fit as a permanent member due to his marketing conception.
Certainly, the blues is present in songs like “I’m a King Bee”... a white version of the genre that began to hint at something more, a revolution that would soon scare the conservatives and liberate the rebels through art. Yes, we are talking about the official birth of Rock, with an audience that would gradually demand more.
And yes, dancing in Rock has always been, in one way or another, essential, the need to move the body and release that beautiful energy caused by our dopamine... The Rolling Stones add variety to the album with tracks like “Carol” or “Can I Get a Witness”, songs designed for fast and uncomplicated Rock N’ Roll dancing, with a very good display of guitars between Richards and Jones.
It’s impressive how, after so many years, we have the opportunity to listen to such an important part of music history. This album is entirely groundbreaking; it represents the desire of five individuals to leave a mark on the world, to do things differently, and at the same time, serve. They set an example, as their song “You Can Make It If You Try” says... that nobody can limit you. You can do anything you want as long as you manifest it and work on it.
(therockreview.net/the-rolling-stones-the-rolling-stones-eng/)

01. Route 66 (02:22)
02. I Just Want To Make Love To You (02:19)
03. Honest I Do (02:11)
04. Mona (I Need You Baby) (03:36)
05. Now I've Got A Witness (02:31)
06. Little By Little (02:41)
07. I'm King Bee (02:37)
08. Carol (02:36)
09. Tell Me (04:08)
10. Can I Get A Witness (02:58)
11. You Can Make It If You Try (02:03)
12. Walking The Dog (03:10)

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Livin' Blues - Ram Jam Josey (1973)

Year: 1973 (CD 1997)

Label: Pseudonym Records (Europe), CDP 1042 DD

Style: Blues Rock, Rock

Country: Netherlands

Time: 50:27

Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz

Size: 269 Mb

Livin’ Blues was one of the best Dutch blues bands. Many people think the band's name came from the American magazine called Living Blues, but that wasn't established until 1970. Former members of the band claim it was based on the name of an American theatre group called Living Theatre.
They evolved in 1967 from Andy Star & the Stripes with Ted Oberg (g) and Ruud Franssen (b) and then added Bjorn Pool (v) and Niek Dijkhuis (d). In 1968, they took on board the blues duo Indiscrimination with John Lagrand (blues harp) and Nicko Christiansen (v, s), the latter replacing Pool. During the same year, Gerard Strotbaum replaced Franssen and Cesar Zuiderwijk (ex-Hu & the Hilltops, to Golden Earring) came in on drums. The band started getting more and more attention, resulting in a record contract with the mighty Phonogram (who distributed labels like Decca and Philips). They opened a show for Fleetwood Mac during a small winter tour of 1969.
After they had recorded two unsuccessful singles, Strotbaum was replaced by Henk Smitskamp (ex-Motions, to Sandy Coast). The line-up of Oberg, Lagrand, Christiansen, Zuiderwijk and Smitskamp recorded the highly acclaimed album, "Hell’s Session" in 1969, the first production of former Golden Earrings drummer Jaap Eggermont (later world-famous through his Stars On 45 productions), for a new label, Red Bullet (owned by Willem van Kooten a.k.a. DJ Joost den Draaijer).
In 1970, Smitskamp was replaced by Ruud van Buuren (ex-Groep 1850, to Long Tall Ernie & the Shakers). When Zuiderwijk joined Golden Earring, Dick Beekman (ex-Cuby + Blizzards and Ro-d-ys) was next in the long line of drummers to join the band. Livin’ Blues seemed to change drummers on a yearly basis. After "Wang Dang Doodle" became an international hit, the band started touring Europe, one highlight being their appearance at the Palermo Pop Festival in Sicily. Then John Le Jeune (ex-Island) took over the drum stool, but he also lasted for just one album. The band had another international hit with "LB Boogie" and made their first visit to Poland, where they'd become one of the most successful bands ever.
Le Jeune left for the Schick Band and was replaced by Arjan Kamminga, who was forced to quit not long after the release of "Rockin’ At The Tweedmill" (recorded in England and produced by Mike Vernon) due to back problems. He would later resurface in Mark Foggo & Secret Meeting. In 1973, Englishman Kenny Lamb became the last drummer of the first era of Livin’ Blues. The album "Ram Jam Josey" was again produced by Mike Vernon who'd also recommended Lamb (ex-Jellybread, a British blues band recording for Vernon's Blue Horizon label).
In 1974, “Mark I” Livin’ Blues fell apart. John Lagrand joined Water, Nicko Cristiansen formed Himalaya, Kenny Lamb returned to England and Ruud van Buuren joined Long Tall Ernie & the Shakers. Ted Oberg had to continue with Livin’ Blues because their manager (Ted's mother!) had signed new contracts with Ariola and Grandad Music. John Fredriksz (ex-George Cash and Q’65, the singer who always seemed to come in when a band's heyday was over) became the new vocalist. They also took on board Paul Vink (kb, ex-Finch, to Limousine), but he only lasted a few months. The line-up was completed by the returning Henk Smitskamp (b, from Shocking Blue), Ronnie Meyjes (g, ex-Brainbox) and Michel Driesten (d) and had a disco hit with "Boogie Woogie Woman", a far cry from the earlier blues-rock sound. By the time the album "Live ’75" was recorded, Meyes and Driesten had disappeared and Cor van de Beek (also from Shocking Blue) was the drummer.
The 1976 line-up was: Ted, Johnny, Andre Reynen (bass, ex-Sympathy and Brainbox) and Jacob van Heiningen (drums, ex-Galaxis, replaced by Ed Molenwijk, ex-Dizzy Daisy, to Casino). In spite of the internationally successful album, "Blue Breeze" (1977), the band were without a recording contract by 1978. Jan Piet Visser (h, ex-Houseband) joined in 1979, but a year after that the core of "Mark I" Livin’ Blues reunited for the 1980 Haagse Beatnach: Oberg, Lagrand and Christiansen were joined by Evert Willemstijn (b) and Boris (Bo, Beau) Wassenbergh (dr, ex¬Cashmere, to The Zoo). That line-up started touring again, but due to the lack of interest in the blues music, Livin’ Blues slowly ground to a halt in the first half of the 1980s. In the meantime, Johnny Frederiksz, Andre Reynen and Jan Piet Visser formed Nitehawk. When that band also turned out to be unsuccessful, Ted Oberg formed the J&T Band (Johnny & Ted) with Frederiksz, adding ex-Finch members Peter Vink (b) and Fred van Vloten (d).
In 1986, John Lagrand and Nicko Christiansen reformed Livin’ Blues and, for the first time since 1967, Ted Oberg was not present. Other members were: Joop van Nimwegen (g, ex-Q’65 and Finch), Willem van de Wall (g, ex-Himalaya), Aad van Pijlen (b, ex-Freelance Band and Himalaya) and Art Bausch (d, ex-Barrelhouse, ex-Oscar Benton, and founder member of Blue Planet). After one unsuccessful album, "Now", Lagrand left to join the Muskee Gang and Christiansen got a new line-up together. However, the rights to the name Livin’ Blues were owned by Ted Oberg's mother and Christiansen had to call the band New Livin’ Blues. Just like all preceding line-ups, New Livin’ Blues went through many changes, which are impossible to document (mainly due to the lack of press coverage and record releases). On the CD "Out Of The Blue" (1995), the line-up was: Christiansen, Loek van der Knaap (g), Frank Buschman (b) and Elout Smit (d).
In 1996, John Lagrand joined the reformed Cuby + Blizzards and two years later, Nicko Christiansen formed the Nicko C Band, keeping Loek van der Knaap on board. In 1998, Ted Oberg formed his own band Oberg with Jan Scherpenzeel (v, h), Frank Schaafsma (b) and Ramon Rambeaux (d, ex-Wild Romance, replaced by Ronald Oor, ex-Diesel and I’ve Got The Bullets). At the end of that year, Nicko Christiansen and John Lagrand toured with guitarist Eelco Gelling (ex-Cuby + Blizzards) as Nederblues Summit.
In 2003, Christiansen and Lagrand wanted to start performing again as Livin’ Blues, but Oberg objected. The new band was then named Blues A- Livin’ instead. Oberg reappeared the following year, touring with Simone Roerade (v), Rob Geboers (kb, ex-Flavlum). Marco Oonincx (b, ex- Ana Popovic Band) and drummer Arie Verhaar (ex-Tom Principato and Tino Gonzales), as Grand Slam.
On 30th June, 2005, John Lagrand died at the age of 55 from emphysema. Christiansen continued as The Livin’ Blues Experience with Loek van der Knaap (g), Yaroon Vanniele (bas), Kees van Krugten (d) and Francois Spannenburg (blues harp). In 2009, Livin’ Blues was voted as the "best international blues band" by readers of the Two Blues magazine in Poland. Ted Oberg has called his band Oberg once again, although it is now fronted by female singer Liane Hoogeveen. The other members are: Mick Hup (g, replaced Will Sophie), Nico Heilijgers (b) and Paul Damen (d).
(alexgitlin.com/livin.htm)

01. Dizzy Buizy Bluesman (04:32)
02. I'm Walking (02:50)
03. Ram Jam Josey (03:44)
04. Gamble On (03:15)
05. Poinsetta Petal (04:04)
06. Isabella (03:16)
07. Hobo Joe (04:40)
08. I'm Coming Home (06:41)
09. The Great Grandfather (02:48)
10. Empty Glasses (01:55)
11. Back Stage (Bonus track) (05:43)
12. Crazy Joe (Bonus track) (04:06)
13. Lazy Lisa (Bonus track) (02:47)

Listen. Full Album: Livin' Blues - Ram Jam Josey (1973)



 

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Robert Wyatt (Soft Machine) - Ruth Is Stranger Than Richard (1975)

Year: May 1975 (CD 1998)
Label: Hannibal Records (France), HNCD 1427
Style: Jazz Rock, Avant-garde, Progressive Rock
Country: Lydden, Kent, England (28 January 1945)
Time: 39:11
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 220 Mb

The follow-up to Rock Bottom, for which Wyatt had written all of the music and lyrics, Ruth... consisted of Wyatt's adaptations and arrangements of other people's music (either friends – Phil Manzanera, Fred Frith, Mongezi Feza, former Wilde Flowers bandmate Brian Hopper – or influences – Charlie Haden) with Wyatt adding his own lyrics in much the same way as he had done on Matching Mole's Little Red Record. Apart from "Sonia", recorded for the shelved "Yesterday Man" single in October 1974 (again with Nick Mason as producer), the entire album was recorded and mixed at Virgin's The Manor Studio with Wyatt himself handling production duties. Much of the album features Wyatt (on lead vocals and keyboards) backed by a "band" consisting of bassist Bill MacCormick, drummer Laurie Allan and saxophonists George Khan and Gary Windo, with Brian Eno adding his own idiosyncratic "anti-jazz" touch.
Two years earlier Wyatt had provided the hypnotic soundtrack to the experimental film Solar Flares by Arthur Johns. The nine-minute film, "a personal essay on colour effects", had been produced by Nick Mason and recorded at his home studio. Wyatt had been involved at an early stage and his music was central to the project. The music itself would reappear on his 1975 album "in a more 'digestible' form".
(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Is_Stranger_Than_Richard)

01. Muddy Mouse (a) (00:49)
02. Solar Flares (05:36)
03. Muddy Mouse (b) (00:50)
04. 5 Black Notes and 1 White Note (05:00)
05. Muddy Mouse (c) (06:15)
06. Soup Song (04:03)
07. Sonia (04:18)
08. Team Spirit (08:33)
09. Song for Che (03:42)

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