Ronnie Wood - 'Anthology: The Essential Crossexion'

 

Ronnie Wood 'Anthology: The Essential Crossexion' is a 2CD compilation of Ronnie Wood from 2006.  It includes solo work and music from Wood's bands The Birds, The Creation, Jeff Beck Group, The Faces and The Rolling Stones.

To Me, Ronnie is the consummate Rock & Roll sideman. He's the ultimate reliable team player, whose versatility has allowed him to carve out a career spanning over 50 years.  There’s no one who has played Wood’s position with as much skill, suave, and swagger as he has, yet, the guitarist has no problem pumping out licks in the background.  He also boasts numerous solo ventures, in particular, the aptly titled 'I’ve Got My Own Album To Do', which featured legendary musicians such as George Harrison, Ian McLagan, and Stones bandmate Keith Richards, proving that Wood could be front-and-center whenever he wanted.  Instead, he remains among the best sidemen in rock history – and that’s quite an honor to have.

CD1 - (Ronnie Solo)

1. I Can Feel the Fire
2. Cancel Everything
3. Far East Man - Ronnie Wood
4. Big Bayou
5. If You Don't Want My Love
6. 1234
7. Fountain of Love
8. Seven Days
9. Always Wanted More
10. Breathe on Me
11. Somebody Else Might
12. Josephine
13. Testify
14. Whadd'ya Think
15. This Little Heart
16. Little Mixed Up
17. You Strum and I'll Sing

 

CD2 (With Groups)

1. You're on My Mind - The BirdsYou Don't Love Me - The Birds
2. No Good Without You Baby - The Birds
3. How Can It Be - The Birds
4. Midway Down - The Creation
5. Girls Are Naked - The Creation
6. I Ain't Superstitious - Jeff Beck Group
7. All Shook Up - Jeff Beck Group
8. Plynth (Water Down the Drain) - Jeff Beck Group
9. Jailhouse Rock - Jeff Beck Group
10. Flying - Faces
11. Gasoline Alley - Rod Stewart
12. Miss Judy's Farm - Faces
13. Too Bad - Faces
14. Maggie May - Rod Stewart
15. Stay with Me - Faces
16. Every Picture Tells a Story - Rod Stewart
17. Ooh La La - Faces
18. Everything Is Turning to Gold - The Rolling Stones
19. Black Limousine - The Rolling Stones

For the freeload, tell us who your favorite Rock sideman is.

Rory Gallagher - 'Blues'

In the subgenre of Blues Rock, Rory Gallagher has long been a favorite of mine.  His guitar playing is phenomenal, and I like that his singing style doesn't try to imitate African Americans, it's just his natural singing voice, and yet it still sounds like he's singing the blues.

This 3CD set is rare and unreleased recordings of Rory playing his favorite blues material, and is from the vaults of the Rory Gallagher estate’s tape archive.  Hats off to Rory's brother, Donal, who had done a great job curating Rory's back catalog.  The tracks were mastered at Abbey Road Studios by Frank Arkwright.

Ranging from never heard before tracks to special guest sessions with Muddy Waters and Albert King, and lost radio sessions, this album uncovers Rory’s love of the blues throughout his solo career from 1971 right through to 1994.

CD1 Electric Blues:

1. ‘Don’t Start Me Talkin’ (Unreleased track from the Jinx album sessions 1982)
2. ‘Nothin’ But The Devil’ (Unreleased track from the Against The Grain album sessions 1975)
3. ‘Tore Down’ (Unreleased track from the Blueprint album sessions 1973)
4. ‘Off The Handle’ (Unreleased session Paul Jones Show BBC Radio 1986)
5. ‘I Could’ve Had Religion’ (Unreleased WNCR Cleveland radio session from 1972)
6. ‘As the Crow Flies’ (Unreleased track from Tattoo album sessions 1973)
7. ‘A Million Miles Away’ (Unreleased BBC Radio 1 Session 1973)
8. ‘Should’ve Learnt My Lesson’ (Outtake from Deuce album sessions 1971)
9. ‘Leaving Town Blues’ (Tribute track from Peter Green ‘Rattlesnake Guitar’ 1994)
10. ‘Drop Down Baby’ (Rory guest guitar on Lonnie Donegan’s Puttin’ On The Style album 1978)
11. ‘I’m Ready’ (Guest guitarist on Muddy Waters London Sessions album 1971)
12. ‘Bullfrog Blues’ (Unreleased WNCR Cleveland radio session from 1972)

CD2 Acoustic Blues:

1. ‘Who’s That Coming’(Acoustic outtake from Tattoo album sessions 1973)
2. ‘Should’ve Learnt My Lesson’ (Acoustic outtake from Deuce album sessions 1971)
3. ‘Prison Blues’ (Unreleased track from Blueprint album sessions 1973)
4. ‘Secret Agent’ (Unreleased acoustic version from RTE Irish TV 1976)
5. ‘Blow Wind Blow’ (Unreleased WNCR Cleveland radio session from 1972)
6. ‘Bankers Blues’ (Outtake from the Blueprint album sessions 1973)
7. ‘Whole Lot Of People’ (Acoustic outtake from Deuce album sessions 1971)
8. ‘Loanshark Blues’ (Unreleased acoustic version from German TV 1987)
9. ‘Pistol Slapper Blues’(Unreleased acoustic version from Irish TV 1976)
10. ‘Can’t Be Satisfied’ (Unreleased Radio FFN session from 1992)
11. ‘Want Ad Blues’ (Unreleased RTE Radio Two Dave Fanning session 1988)
12. ‘Walkin’ Blues’ (Unreleased acoustic version from RTE Irish TV 1987)

CD3 Live Blues:

1. ‘When My Baby She Left Me’ (Unreleased track from Glasgow Apollo concert 1982)
2. ‘Nothin’ But The Devil’ (Unreleased track from Glasgow Apollo concert 1982)
3. ‘What In The World’ (Unreleased track from Glasgow Apollo concert 1982)
4. ‘I Wonder Who’ (Unreleased live track from late 1980s)
5. ‘Messin’ With The Kid’ (Unreleased track from Sheffield City Hall concert 1977)
6. ‘Tore Down’ (Unreleased track from Newcastle City Hall concert 1977)
7. ‘Garbage Man Blues’ (Unreleased track from Sheffield City Hall concert 1977)
8. ‘All Around Man’ (Unreleased track from BBC OGWT Special 1976)
9. ‘Born Under A Bad Sign’ (Unreleased track from Rockpalast 1991 w/ Jack Bruce)
10. ‘You Upset Me’ (Unreleased guest performance from Albert King album ‘Live’ 1975)
11. ‘Comin’ Home Baby’ (Unreleased track from 1989 concert with Chris Barber Band)
12. ‘Rory Talking Blues’ (Interview track of Rory talking about the blues)

 

For the freeload, and a bonus surprise mystery freeload, tell us what was the last album you listened to.

Cream

 
Formed in 1966 Cream was the first rock supergroup, with Eric Clapton on guitar, Jack Bruce on bass and Ginger Baker on drums, but you already knew that, so I'll cut to the chase.

Today's freeload is 6 CDs of the four studio Cream recorded: 'Fresh Cream', 'Disraeli Gears', 'Wheels Of Fire' and 'Goodbye'.

But these are not your garden variety, run-of-the-mill versions. They are Japanese limited edition remasters on Platinum SHM-CDs, from 2014.

 

 

Fresh Cream
This is a 2 CD set
CD 1 is the stereo album, with the bonus tracks:
Wrapping Paper
I Feel Free
The Coffee Song

CD2 is the mono version with the bonus tracks:

Wrapping Paper

I Feel Free

The Coffee Song

Wrapping Paper (French EP Version)

Sweet Wine (French EP Version)

I'm So Glad (French EP Version)

Cat's Squirrel (French EP Version)

Rollin' And Tumblin' (French EP Version)

Four Until Late (French EP Version)

 

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Disraeli Gears
Stereo and mono versions, plus the bonus tracks, in both stereo and mono:
Lawdy Mama (Version 1)
Lawdy Mama (Version 2)
Blue Condition (Alternate Version)

 

Wheels Of Fire
This is a 2CD set
CD1 is the stereo version with the bonus tracks:
Anyone For Tennis
Falstaff Beer Commercial

CD2 is Live At The Filmore, with the bonus tracks:
Sunshine Of Your Love
N.S.U. 

 

Goodbye Cream
This is the stereo version

Technical info:
Stereo and mono album tracks were DSD flat transferred from UK original analogue master tapes at Sterling Sound, NY, 2013.
Bonus tracks were DSD flat transferred from UK original analogue master tapes at FX Copyroom, London, 2013.
Edited in DSD at Universal Music Studios, Tokyo, 2013.
176.4kHz/24bit transferred from DSD at Universal Music Studios, Tokyo, 2013.
High-Resolution cutting from 176.4kHz/24bit at Victor Creative Media, 2013.

Needless to say, they sound wonderful, and make for a very nice upgrade.

For the freeload, tell us what's your favorite dairy product.

Johnny Winter - 'Second Winter'

Second Winter is the third studio album by Texas blues guitarist Johnny Winter, and was released in 1969.

Those of you of a certain age may remember it was released as a three-sided LP, with a blank fourth side on the original vinyl.  Speaking of remembrances, Jerry my husband (then boyfriend), who was very stoned at the time, accidentally played side four, which did wonders for the stylus.

 Johnny starts it all off by showing off his soulful voice on a cover of Percy Mayfield’s "Memory Pain," before he surrenders the spotlight to Edgar’s nimble keys on the self-penned "I’m Not Sure." Johnny strangles the neck of his Gibson Firebird’s neck on Dennis Collins’ "The Good Love."  Parts of the album sound like a ‘50s rock 'n' roll dance party, as Johnny wails his way across classics like "Slippin’ and Slidin"’ and "Miss Ann" (both made famous by Little Richard), and Chuck Berry’s ripping "Johnny B. Goode."  Johnny's strong songwriting is on display here, with the amusingly contradictory "I Love Everybody" that features some tasty slide guitar.  "I Hate Everybody" is a jazz-based departure, while "Fast Life Rider" sounds decidedly experimental and then there's the tongue-in-cheek "Hustled Down in Texas"

But the biggest surprise was saved for last: a reinvention of Bob Dylan’s "Highway 61 Revisited" featuring a slide-guitar tour-de-force that would go down as a career-defining track that became a major component of his set list, for the rest of his life.

Today's freeload is the 2CD Legacy Edition, from 2004.

CD1 is the original album, with two previously unreleased bonus tracks, 'Early In The Morning' and 'Tell The Truth'

CD2 is the previously unreleased 'Live At Royal Albert Hall' from April, 17th, 1970.

Johnny Winter - Guitar, mandolin, vocals
Edgar Winter - Keyboards, alto saxophone, vocals
Uncle John Turner - Percussion
Tommy Shannon - Bass
Dennis Collins - Bass 

To qualify for the freeload, tell us what your favorite season is.

Allman Brothers Band - 'Fillmore Shows'

 

The other day, I was grocery shopping at my local supermarket, where the usual mix of 60s and 70s rock and soul (the new elevator/supermarket music) was playing, when all of a sudden I heard the opening bars to "Whipping Post" start to play.  This caused me to look up at a ceiling speaker, and say, "What the actual fuck...Whipping Post in the supermarket, really?" I said it louder than I thought, and a couple near me heard what I said, laughed and the guy said, "Somewhere Frank Zappa is laughing his ass off!" I smiled, and shook my head in approval, said, "Right?" and went about the business of grocery shopping.

Walking home, I thought to myself, "The blog needs some Allman Brothers".  So I thought, I'd do a post about 'At Fillmore East'. Looking through my CDs, I found several different releases/versions, and couldn't decide which one to upload?

That evening, I was having dinner with some friends (whom I haven't told yet about the blog), we were talking about music, I steered the conversation to Southern Rock, and asked my friends what they thought was the definitive release/version of 'At Fillmore East' was?  Now I should point out, these friends are musicians, fellow audiophiles, and know of what they speak.  By the time the dessert course, and coffee came, the conversation became heated, and made the 'Lincoln-Douglas Debates' sound like two lovers whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears.  And yes, alcohol was involved.

So I thought I upload a few different versions, and let you: the freeloaders decide. All three sound excellent, but they do sound different.

First up is the Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab's version, from 2015.
'At Fillmore East'
This is from their 'Ultradisc UHR' series, it's a SACD, Hybrid, which means it has a standard CD audio format on the top layer of the disc and the higher-fidelity SACD format on the bottom layer. For our purposes, the upload will be in CD format.

 

  

Tracklist:

1. Statesboro Blues
2. Done Somebody Wrong
3. Stormy Monday
4. You Don't Love Me
5. Hot 'Lanta
6. In Memory Of Elizabeth Reid
7. Whipping Post

Next is a 1992 release from Polygram Records.
'The Fillmore Concerts'
This is a 2CD set, that combines 'At Fillmore East' and the live tracks from 'Eat a Peach'. The legendary, Tom Dowd produced this, and it has a very different mix, from 'At Fillmore East'.  Also, the songs are in a different running order, and "One Way Out" is from a Fillmore show from a couple of months later. 
[I'm not crazy about the colorized cover. - Ed.]
 

Tracklist

CD: 1

1. Statesboro Blues
2. Trouble No More
3. Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’
4. In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed
5. One Way Out
6. Done Somebody
7. Stormy Monday
8. You Don’t Love Me

Disc: 2

1. Hot ‘Lanta
2. Whipping Post
3. Mountain Jam
4. Drunken Hearted Boy

Lastly, we have a Japanese version of the Capricorn Classics Remaster Edition, from 1998.  This has the same mix as the above Mobile Fidelity, but it does sound different, and has 20-bit remastering.
This is a very cool release, I came across at a record fair a few years back.  It's a promotional copy, mini LP replica with folded insert and cotton inner sleeve. Not that any of this has anything to do with sonic quality.

 

Tracklist:

1. Statesboro Blues
2. Done Somebody Wrong
3. Stormy Monday
4. You Don't Love Me
5. Hot 'Lanta
6. In Memory Of Elizabeth Reid
7. Whipping Post

So, to get this multi-disk freeload, tell us about albums that over the years, you have bought and rebought, due to wearing out the vinyl, bought in different formats, remasters, etc. etc. 

Also, if you do freeload the disks, I'd love to hear which version sounds best to you.  Keep the one you like, and return the unused portions of the ones you don't like, and I'll issue a full refund, minus a restocking fee. Some restrictions apply.  Void where prohibited.  Do not remove this disclaimer under penalty of law.

Ten Years After

 

There are many rock bands who were much better live, than on their studio recordings. Alvin Lee, and Ten Years After, were one such band. From the late 1960s to the mid 1970s, I saw them many times, and they were always smoking hot. The last time I saw them was in the summer of 1975, at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, NJ, where they were in the middle of a triple bill show, with Lynyrd Skynyrd opening the show, and Rod Stewart as the headliner. Ten Years After, blew Skynyrd and Rod away, which is no easy task.

Here’s two excellent sounding Ten Years After “boots” with the classic lineup of:
Alvin Lee - guitar, vocals
Leo Lyons - bass
Chick Churchill - organ
Rick Lee - drums

‘Live in Seattle ’69'
Recorded on March 22, 1969, at the Eagles Auditorium, Seattle, WA.

‘On The Road To The World’
Recorded on May 8, 1973, at the Sports Stadium, Orlando, Florida

To get this freeload, you need to answer the following question:
What were you doing ten years ago?