Friday, September 7, 2018

RYAN ADAMS, 'Gold' [re-imagined 2xCD set]



Thank you for this info MEGA-SUPERIOR-GOLD for the info

Ryan Adams

GOLD  (alt.)







According to sonicnet.com, this would have been the tracklisting for Gold if it had been a double album: "New York, New York" "Cannonball Day" "Rosalie Come and Go" "Off Broadway" "Tina Taleda Street Walkin' Blues" "When Stars Go Blue" "Dear Chicago" "Touch, Feel and Lose" "It's Only Going to Make You Love Me More" "I Wish I Had a Sylvia Plath" "Somehow, Someday" "Harder Now That It's Over" "Fool's Gold" "Maralisa" "The Fools We Are as Men" "Firecracker" "Answering Bell" "Wildflowers" "You're Nobody, Girl" "La Cienega Just Smiled" "The Bar Is a Beautiful Place" "From You to Me" "The Rescue Blues" "Sweet Black Magic" "Goodnight Hollywood Boulevard"


Ryan Adams acoustic/electric guitar/harmonica/piano/banjo
Ethan Johns acoustic and electric guitars/drums/bass/chamberlin/glockenspiel/B-3/vibes/mandolin/background vocals/harmonium/mandocellobanjo/ vocals
Richard Causon piano
Chris Stills bass/ background vocals/acoustic guitar/electric guitar
Kamasi Washington saxophone
Benmont Trench piano/ hammond b-3
Jennifer Condos bass
Bucky Baxter steel guitar
Adam Duritz background vocals
Juliana Raye background vocals
Milo De Cruz bass
CC White background vocals
Rami Jaffi accordion
AndreCarter trumpet
Jim Keltner - drums
produced by Ethan Johns
engineered and mixed by Ethan Johns
assistant engineer, Steven Rhodes
mastered by Doug Sax and Robert Hadley at The Mastering Lab (Hollywood),
recorded at the Sunset Sound Factory, Los Angeles

Random Notes

Other Songs Recorded During the Gold Sessions

Dear Chicago - originally recorded for Heartbreaker and the Suicide Handbook, then later released on Demolition

She Wants to Play a Game of Hearts - recorded for the Suicide Handbook and released on Demolition.

Cry on Demand - Also recorded for The Suicide Handbook and eventually released on Demolition.

Off Broadway - Also recorded for The Suicide Handbook and eventually re-recorded and released on Easy Tiger.

Fools Gold - an unreleased gem of a song that sounds like early 70's Bob Dylan.


Other Random Info:

When listening to "When the Stars Go Blue", according to Ryan : "Think of the star as someone hiding away in her Beverly Hills mansion and saying an awful lot. Listen to the song again with that in mind and see what you think." (Los Angeles Times 2/3/02)

"Firecracker" was originally written by Ryan Adams for Lucinda Williams to sing.

"New York New York" was not meant to be anthem for NYC, it was actually written with an old girlfriend in mind and instead of using her name. He switched it with "New York New York". (Although the woman it's written about was living with Ryan in NYC, so it sort of still has to do with with NYC)

"New York New York" was nominated for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance at the 2002 Grammy Awards.

Gold was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 2002 Grammy Awards.

A picture Ryan age 5, and his older brother - age 9, dressed up as Kiss for Halloween is show the liner notes.

In the liner notes of Gold, Ryan thanks Alanis Morresette multiple times. He supposedly lost a bet with her and that was part of the deal when Ryan lost.

Early versions of "Answering Bell", "La Cienega Just Smiled", "Mara Lisa", "Touch Feel and Lose","Firecracker" and "Wild Flowers" can all be found on the unreleased album - The Suicide Handbook.

"Enemy Fire" has also been recorded for the Pinkhearts album and on the Exile on Franklin Street album.

An early version of "The Rescue Blues" can also be found on The Q Division Demos and Exile on Franklin Street.

An early version of "Rosalie Come and Go" can be found on the unreleased album - Exile on Franklin Street.


The Artwork/Cover

In response to why he picked a flag for the cover of Gold:
"We did the cover shoot out in Los Angeles, and we did a lot of different poses and everything. One of the things we had was this big huge flag, and I thought it just looked powerful - that's what attracted me to it. I also kind of wanted to tweak the whole Bruce Springsteen 'Born in the U.S.A.' thing. Instead of me standing there all tough like Bruce, I'm in my slouchy, twitchy posture, my head down, my hair a mess. We thought it looked cool, but it was also meant to be a bit of a goof." (New York Times Magazine 11/4/01)

---------

Following the release of his 2000 debut for Bloodshot Records, Heartbreaker, the DRA was already writing more songs than anyone could keep up with. In January 2001, he entered Javalina Studios in Nashville and recorded the 21-song often bootlegged Suicide Handbook collection. Those songs were rejected by his new label (Lost Highway) for being 'too dark' and Ryan re-recorded some of the songs as part of a new concept he was tinkering with for what became the album Gold

In a previous post, I tackled what a single disc of the Suicide Handbook would be like if it had been released in early 2001. Many fans of Heartbreaker (I also covered an alternate version of this using tracks from its Deluxe Edition) were disappointed in the change in style for Gold. I think releasing SH in between the two would have led to a better overall response for when after Gold was released on Sept. 11 (!) that same fateful year. 

Gold was originally intended to be a 25-song double CD with the concept of Ryan performing in a variety of styles--as in turning the dial across 1970's era radio. Adjusting for acoustic versions of tracks he recorded for the previous project--I mixed in some of the b-sides and leftovers to make a single 17-track CD (for my alt. RA discog). All unreleased tracks and b-sides can be easily found online. Ryan recently shared a demo of "Play With Fire" by The Rolling Stones in tribute to the recent passing of their legendary drummer, Charlie Watts (Rest in Power---good sir). I'm sure a deluxe reissue is just around the corner....















  1. Play With Fire (bonus track)*
  2. Ghost
  3. My Love For You is Real
  4. Liar

Thursday, July 19, 2018

THE VINES, 'In Miracle Land' [re-imagined LP]

The Vines

IN MIRACLE LAND   (alt.)


Hate the Sound
Sky Gazer
Leave Me Alone
Broken Heart
Annie Jane
In Miracle Land
Waitin
Slide Away
Emerald Ivy
I Wanna Go Down
Gone Wonder
-----

Now this album just came out, but it could do with some re-sequencing to make it the best it could be, IMHO. I usually don't do albums that are this recent--but this should be heard. The Vines make some good tunes. All tracks taken from the new album. I cut "Willow" out and just switched things around for a more cohesive listen. Check it out for yourself?  11 songs at about 31 minutes.

The inability to tour and the diagnosis of frontman Craig Nicholls having Asperger's Syndrome being tied to that have waned the surge of popularity they last saw in 2004. Nicholls has carried on with varying line-ups and made at least three great records since then. 2006's Vision Valley was the follow-up to their 2004 supposed 'sophomore slump' Winning Days. Despite having a hit from that album with "Ride" (used in Nissan commercials), legal problems and the departure of bassist Patrick Matthews cut the supporting tour short. 2008's Melodia grew on me; the diminishing returns in songwriting seem to begin here, though. After 2011's Future Primitive, only Nicholls remained in the band before he would re-group once more. By 2014, not one but two LPs of new stuff was released on the 22-track Wicked Nature--a return to form to my ears. The Vines were now a trio once again and performing live again. This album--their seventh since 2002--was preceded in 2016 by a digital single release of the title track. As of current, Nicholls has reunited with the Winning Days line-up to perform at a couple shows in Sydney with their fellow countrymen Jet. In Miracle Land was released on 29 June of this year. The reviews have been good but mixed so far. Some of the complaints of the album's pacing are what led me to re-evaluate it and now here we are, superstar.

Cheers!


Monday, July 2, 2018

GUNS N' ROSES, 'Chinese Democracy' [re-imagined LP]


Guns N' Roses

CHINESE DEMOCRACY  (1999)


Chinese Democracy 
Better
Street of Dreams
10 Years*     [Believe in Me]
Anxious Disease*     [Anxious Disease]
There Was a Time
Madagascar
---------
Catcher in the Rye   (Brian May lead guitar mix)**
Believe in Me*    [Believe in Me]
Riad n' the Bedouins
Tijuana Jail*   [Pawnshop Guitars]
I.R.S.
Six Feet Under*    [Neurotic Outsiders]
This I Love


All tracks taken from the original 2009 LP except where indicated. I've seen the Garden City reconstruction and the similar Beggars & Hangers On; I thought I'd try one with Axl Rose singing more than one song. Yes, these are exercises in re-imagining history to make an interesting listening experience to an album I've played out, actually. I thought why not make a compromise between the less industrial tracks on said album and combine some possible contributions from the late 90's period where it all started. Slash left the group in 1996 after recording the Snakepit record with the other guys and singer Eric Dover. No offense to him, but he's not singing on this one. Slash contributes to other members' tracks I included to complete the deal. Duff sings "Believe in Me" and "10 Years" from his solo album; Gilby Clarke sings "Tijuana Jail" from his album; West Arkeen contributes the title cut ("Anxious Disease") from the album by his band The Outpatience (which includes Slash and Axl contributing musically on this track). I also included a third song by Duff called "Six Feet Under" from the album by his group the Neurotic Outsiders. 

Everyone will have a different opinion on what should be included to make this accurate for release circa 1999 or so. Don't let that get in the way of a good listen...14 tracks clocking in a little over an hour. Not quite the undertaking of hearing the original CD in one sitting. However, I did leave the heavier tracks for an E.P. release sequel to GNR Lies put together with "Oh My God" and the 'new' version of "Welcome to the Jungle" from a couple soundtrack releases around the time. The fact that Axl owned the name and was very much in control...it's arguable Duff and Gilby Clarke's material would have remained even had they been gone by the time of its release. The presence of their voices lends to the familiarity missing from this 'new GNR' record that alienated older fans. I was a casual fan, but I heard it and loved it!  Appetite is a classic while the Use Your Illusion records could use some trimming, IMHO. The loss of Slash as a songwriter could be filled by Axl and Duff's collaborator and friend West Arkeen; he had contributed in the past and was considered 'the sixth or seventh' Gun. This isn't me saying the void was filled, mind you!  I'm just saying Axl would likely bring him in and allow Duff and even Gilby (say he didn't get replaced by Axl so abruptly this time) to balance out the writing. It can be also argued that the reason the writing of the album took so long was because the lack of collaborative spirit the classic line-up(s) had brought before to the final product. Axl Rose himself was more or less quoted as saying "It has some songs that sound like Guns and some more like an Axl Rose record...but hopefully you'll like some songs on there." 

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

ELLIOTT SMITH, "From a Basement on the Hill" [re-imagined 2 x LP]

ELLIOTT SMITH

From a Basement on The Hill   (alt.)


Yay! (instrumental)*
Coast to Coast
Let's Get Lost
Suicide Machine*
Abused*
Don't Go Down
Strung Out Again
A Fond Farewell
King's Crossing
The Assassin or Kill/Fuck (instrumental)*
Cecelia/Amanda*
Brand New Game*
Stick Man*
Melodic Noise (instrumental)*
Twilight
-----------
Mr. Good Morning*
True Love     [Heaven Adores You soundtrack]
A Passing Feeling
Blue Mood (instrumental reprise of "Abused")*
The Last Hour
From a Poisoned Well*
Dancing on the Highway*
Shooting Star
O So Slow  (instrumental)*
Memory Lane
Little One
A Distorted Reality is Now a Necessity to Be Free
Trouble*
See You in Heaven (instrumental)*
Everything's Okay*


--------------------------------------------------------------


I've been trying to find the missing pieces to complete an approximation of the 30-song double LP the late singer-songwriter Elliott Smith had intended to be his 'own White Album'--we know history didn't turn out that way for him. I first heard the song "Twilight" on a mix CD my cousin gave me 15 years ago. Then I got into his body of work and was truly blown away. I was too late to see the man in concert. He had (allegedly) committed suicide in October 2003. Sad ending for a man who had been to hell and back with drugs and depression and was trying to overcome them to produce what he hoped would be his defining album. By the summer and fall months of 2003, Elliott Smith had recently cleaned up--albeit the most extreme way possible--and was completing final vocal tracks for what would've been the true From a Basement on the Hill.

From what I've read...some 50 tracks were recorded for a projected 30-song double CD (ala The Beatles' White Album). By the time the unfinished project saw the light of the day, only 15 songs would be released on a single disc by ANTI Records in 2004. Due to Smith's death in Oct. 2003, his family came into possession of the tapes. David McConnell was Smith's original producer and collaborator on the album, but the family chose to enlist producer Rob Schnapf (who previously worked with Smith) and musician Joanna Bolme (a former girlfriend) to sort out the final project. 

Two things off the bat--"Pretty (Ugly Before)" would not been chosen to be included as it had already been released as a 7" in 2001 backed with an early version of "A Distorted Reality". Also, "Ostriches and Chirping" was included as a preface to "Twilight" on the released CD...but it's not an Elliott Smith composition at all. That's a loop of a toy bird created by McConnell that ended up on one of the reels and included by mistake.Several songs including "Suicide Machine", "Abused", "Stickman", "Mr. Good Morning", and "See You in Heaven" were intended for the album but left off (most likely because of the lyrics and subject matter). "True Love" was also left off but ultimately surfaced on the Heaven Adores You soundtrack from a few years back. Other tracks that may have been part of the album I found and included here as well. 30 tracks clocking in just under two hours. Now, I could not find vocals for "See You in Heaven" and "Blue Mood" and I know lyrics were written (according to the internet--lol) for them both. "Melodic Noise" I included in place of "Ostriches and Chirping" as an intro to "Twilight". I tried to sequence as best I could; dividing it between "Twilight" ending the first half and "Mr, Good Morning" opening the second half. There have been incorrectly labeled tracks floating around that ended up on the posthumously released 2-CD compilation New Moon as well as the recent deluxe re-issues of Either/Or and Roman Candle. I took the liberty of including "Brand New Game" and "Cecelia/Amanda" though they date back to Figure 8 era. It was said he had older unreleased songs that were being considered for re-recording. A complete tracklist has never surfaced. However, I think this as close as it gets (maybe for now).  




Tuesday, June 5, 2018

THE TEMPTATIONS, "More With a Lot O' Soul!" [imagined LP]

The Temptations

MORE WITH A LOT O' SOUL!   (1967)


I Got Heaven Right Here on Earth        [Emperors of Soul]
I'm Doing it All         [Emperors of Soul]
Angel Doll      [The Ultimate Collection]
What Am I Gonna Do Without You      
Love is What You Make It
No Time
Last One Out is Brokenhearted
How Can I Forget                [50th Anniversary - The Singles Collection, 1961-1971]
Forever in My Heart
I Now See You Clear Through My Eyes
Camouflage (ver. 2) 
We'll Be Satisfied


12 songs at 32 minutes leftover from the With a Lot O' Soul! LP sessions in 1967. That was my first Temptations album I bought on vinyl (I had previously been introduced via BMG Music--remember that and Columbia House???--with The Ultimate Collection CD). David Ruffin is probably my favourite singer of all time; but Paul Williams and Eddie Kendricks just seal the deal!  The rest of the songs are taken from Lost and Found - The Temptations: You've Got to Earn It  (1962-1968).

Sunday, June 3, 2018

Cody ChesnuTT, "THE HEADPHONE MASTERPIECE" [re-imagined LP]

CODY CHESNUTT

'The Headphone Masterpiece'   (alt.)


My Women, My Guitars
Somebody's Parents
When I Find Time
Eric Burdon
Upstarts in a Blowout
5 on a Joyride
Daylight
So Much Beauty in the Subconscious
The Seed
If We Don't Disagree
Look Good in Leather
6 Seconds
Serve This Royalty
The Most Beautiful Shame


My single disc reworking of this underrated singer-songwriter's 36-track self-produced debut released in 2002. I remember seeing him pop up in The Strokes's "Last Night" video and of course "Look Good in Leather" was out on the airwaves, too. And of course, The Roots putting out "The Seed (2.0)" with Chesnutt on guitar and vocals--the breakout hit. Chesnutt defends the entire double LP to be taken as a whole--hence, why he put it out on own instead of polish anything for interested record labels sniffing around. I can respect that artistic integrity--(in Jerry Seinfeld/Larry David voice) "Now having said that..." LOL. I whittled this thang down to a single disc...14 tracks at roughly about 43 minutes. There's a lot of skits and improv bits in there, too. Any leftover songs could be applied to an E.P. release. I just had this one to do sometime ago...you can try it out on Spotify at this link:


Tuesday, May 8, 2018

NEIL YOUNG: Excursions Into Alien Territory [re-imagined 1980's discog]




NEIL YOUNG 

Lost in Space  (1980)


Stayin' Power     [Hawks & Doves]
Evening Coconut**
Little Wing**
Windward Passage**
Fontainebleau       [Long May You Run]
Let it Shine        [Long May You Run]
Union Man      [Hawks & Doves]
Hawks & Doves    [Hawks & Doves]
Lost in Space     [Hawks & Doves]


My least favorite Neil Young LP I own. I tried to jazz it up a bit with some unreleased live cuts from some bootleg recordings of a show with his (short lived) side group The Ducks (the electric full band take on "Little Wing" and the unreleased instrumental "Windward Passage") and a 1976 concert in Providence with The Stills-Young Band ("Evening Coconut"). I fill it out with tracks leftover from the Long May You Run LP I turned back into a CSNY project. Moving on...



NEIL YOUNG 

Shakey (1981)


Opera Star          [Re-ac-tor]    
Surfer Joe and Moe the Sleaze    [Re-ac-tor]
Get Back on It    [Re-ac-tor]
The Old Country Waltz     [American Stars N' Bars]
Bite the Bullet     [American Stars N' Bars]
Saddle up the Palomino    [American Stars N' Bars]
The Emperor of Wyoming     [Neil Young]
If I Could Have Her Tonight    [Neil Young]
The Old Laughing Lady   [Neil Young]
I've Loved Her So Long     [Neil Young]
Everybody Knows This is Nowhere  (45 version)*    [Archives, vol. 1]
String Quartet from Whiskey Boot Hill    [Neil Young]


A collection of leftover tracks from albums I switched out for my alternate take on NY's discography. I replaced Stars N' Bars with Chrome Dreams; the self-titled LP for the Sugar Mountain live album from '68 and tracks for an alternate Buffalo Springfield Last Time Around LP ("The Loner", "I've Been Waiting For You"); and Re-ac-tor for an alternate version of Trans. In this timeline, Neil Young leaves Reprise over their lack of support for that album and they in turn release this odds n' sods LP as a 'sneer' in a similar fashion to Columbia Records releasing Dylan in response to ol' Bobby D. jumping ship to sign with David Geffen's Asylum label back in 1974. Very familiar situation, heh...but maybe that's just my sense of humour / take on the whole thing.



NEIL YOUNG 

Trans  (alt.)


I Wonder Why**
Computer Age
We R in Control
Transformer Man
Computer Cowboy
If You Got Love**     [Island in the Sun  rejected LP*]
Sample and Hold
Mr. Soul
Shots    [Re-ac-tor]


Neil Young left Reprise Records after their lack of support for his latest LP with Crazy Horse--1981's Re-ac-tor. I like this album better and I read he was already writing and working up some demos for it with Crazy Horse a year earlier. Upon signing with Geffen Records, Young offered them the album Island in the Sun which they rejected. Young included some of the songs from there with this concept LP he created in honor of his son, Ben (who suffers from a non-oral type of cerebral palsy) as part of his 1982 debut on Geffen. The unreleased opening track, "I Wonder Why" kind of puts it in perspective for me. Giving neither his fans nor his new label-boss any inkling of an idea about the concept of this very personal project would put Neil Young at odds with everyone outside his own thought process!  At least that's the way David Geffen seemed to feel when he would later sue his new artist for "making deliberately un-commercial music" to paraphrase. Geffen bought Everybody's Rockin' (another album I don't care for) from Reprise without even hearing it!  They did this to acquire what would've been his contractual fulfilling LP for his former label--thinking they had commercial gold on their hands, I guess. Before they would regret putting that out, let's move on to our next album in this thang.




NEIL YOUNG 

After Berlin  (1983)


Berlin**   [Archives Be Damned*  bootleg]
Motor City    [Re-ac-tor]
Everybody's Rockin'     [Everybody's Rockin']
Southern Pacific     [Re-ac-tor]
Rapid Transit     [Re-ac-tor]
Love Hotel**    [live bootleg recording]
Hold on to Your Love    [Trans]
Raining in Paradise**    [Island in the Sun rejected LP]
Like an Inca     [Trans]

I don't know if this would've made David Geffen any happier, but this makes a better listen to me than say, Hawks & Doves or Re-ac-tor (just my own personal taste). The title cut and "The Love Hotel" have never been officially released nor the songs leftover from the rejected Island in the Sun album. Let's move along to the next one...


NEIL YOUNG 

Old Ways  (1984)


Old Ways       [Old Ways]
Depression Blues*    [Lucky Thirteen]
Little Thing Called Love    [Trans]
Cry, Cry, Cry    [Everybody's Rockin']
Mystery Train     [Everybody's Rockin']
Your Love Again**     [Old Ways 1 - rejected LP*]
California Sunset    [Old Ways]
My Boy    [Old Ways]
Leavin' the Top 40 Behind**    [Old Ways 1 - rejected LP*]
Are There Any More Real Cowboys?    [Old Ways]
Silver & Gold  (version 2)**    [Old Ways 1 - rejected LP*]


This is way better than the version of Old Ways that Geffen released in 1985 (referred to by Neil Young himself as 'Old Ways II'). The original Old Ways I album was recorded right after Trans and was promptly rejected by Geffen. Everybody's Rockin' was released instead and that's where the trouble really started, lol.




NEIL YOUNG and The International Harvesters

Farm Aid  E.P.   (1985)


Depression Blues    [Lucky Thirteen]
Interstate*     [Broken Arrow  bonus 7-inch]
Grey Riders*      [A Treasure]
Nothing is Perfect*    [A Treasure]
Southern Pacific*    [A Treasure]


This supposedly is the track listing to the unreleased Farm Aid E.P. This information has not been officially released by Neil, so there is absolutely NO guarantee that this information is correct.
This was supposed to be released in 1985 to benefit Farm Aid, but it was blocked by Geffen Records who, at the time, were still involved in litigation with Neil due to charges of Neil delivering "unrepresentative" product. This may only have been intended to include three songs. The version of "Interstate" started out as an unreleased demo circulating among the bootleg circuit (that NY overdubbed 'Big Black' and bgv with Poncho in 1986). It was belatedly released a decade later with added drums, fiddle, and a new lead vocal. "Depression Blues" I've already included on my re-do of Old Ways but it serves as an appropriate opener. The latter three songs saw the light of day just a few years ago as part of the belatedly released live album A Treasure; recorded with Neil's backing group in that period (The International Harvesters). I could continue on with this...but I'm tired and want to finish my drink. Cheers!




Saturday, April 21, 2018

THE JURY Sings Leadbelly [imagined E.P.]

THE JURY

The Jury Sings Leadbelly  E.P.  (1989)


"Where Did you Sleep Last Night"
Lanegan on vocals. On the Mark Lanegan album, The Winding Sheet

"Grey Goose"
Instrumental. On the Nirvana box set, With the Lights Out

"Ain't It a Shame"
Cobain on vocals. On the Nirvana box set, With the Lights Out

"They Hung Him on a Cross"
Cobain on vocals. On the Nirvana box set, With the Lights Out

Thursday, April 19, 2018

DAVID CROSBY, "'Baby Man...' or Might as Well Have a Good Time" [imagined LP]


DAVID CROSBY

'Baby Man' or 'Might as Well Have a Good Time'   (1980)


Melody**
Drive My Car     [CSN box set]
Delta         [Daylight Again]
Kids and Dogs*     [Voyage box set]
Distances*      [Oh Yes I Can]
Flying Man *    [Oh Yes I Can]
Might as Well Have a Good Time  (demo)    [Daylight Again CD reissue]
Samurai    [Voyage box set]
King of the Mountain  (demo)*     [Voyage box set]
Little Blind Fish*     [CPR]


In 1980, David Crosby recorded his 2nd solo LP amidst battling an increasingly debilitating addiction to freebasing cocaine. Capitol Records rejected the LP for 'not being commercial enough'. Crosby tinkered with the album some and other recordings were attempted ("Jigsaw", "Little Blind Fish", "Never Go Back", "Baltimore", and "Tomorrow") and Neil Young even offered him "Little Wing" (from his own solo LP that would be released that year). "Drive My Car" and "Delta" were added on to Still and Nash's rejected LP subsequently released as the CSN album Daylight Again., The version of "Melody" that Stills and Nash overdubbed onto has never leaked and I hate the production on the version from Croz's Oh Yes I Can LP he would put out after being released from prison. The missing versions of "Distances", "Flying Man", "Kids and Dogs", and "King of the Mountain" I supplemented with the existing versions that were released. "Little Blind Fish" I actually took from the self-titled debut of Crosby's band with son James Raymond (CPR). It's a testament to the man's voice that I could include tracks from different decades and still make it a cohesive listen. Of course the 1980s production ruined "Melody" for me and I left it off my mix. Overall, the proposed LP wasn't lacking in anything (despite Crosby's state at the time). Oh well :)  I think it all worked out in the end. He's putting out more records than ever!  


Monday, March 12, 2018

THE ROLLING STONES, "Black and Blue" [re-imagined LP]

THE ROLLING STONES

Black and Blue   (alt.)


Drift Away*
Ain't Too Proud to Beg   [It's Only Rock n' Roll]
I Don't Know Why   [Metamorphosis]
Criss Cross Man*
Memo from Turner    [Metamorphosis]
Through the Lonely Nights*
32-20 Blues*
Living in the Heart of Love* 
Family     [Metamorphosis]
Shame, Shame, Shame*
Downtown Suzie     [Metamorphosis]
Fast Talking, Slow Walking*
-------

I've read somewhere the title of this LP was originally a play on words for a proposed collection of R&B covers. Ultimately, "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" ended up on the It's Only Rock n' Roll LP while "Shame, Shame, Shame" and "Drift Away" were left on the shelf. By using some outtakes from the group's previous LP sessions (mostly with departing guitarist Mick Taylor) we have 12 songs--including covers of Stevie Wonder and Robert Johnson--clocking in at 46 minutes. Some of these tunes would see release on Metamorphosis in 1975. 'What about the original Black and Blue' you ask? Re-title it Worried About You and include "Worried About You" and "Slave" from Tattoo You. I follow Album Fixer's Rolling Stones discography for all the rest. The result is two improved LPs (at the loss of the two previous mentioned compilations released instead).



Wednesday, February 21, 2018

SISTER LOVERS [re-imagined LP]


SISTER LOVERS

Sister Lovers  (1974)


Stroke it Noel  (backward intro)
Lovely Day  (Fry rough mix)
Nighttime  (Fry rough mix)
Blue Moon   (Fry rough mix)
Til the End of the Day   (alt. mix #2 / Lesa vocal)
Big Black Car  (rough mix)
Holocaust   (rough mix)
Downs  (Fry rough mix)
Kanga Roo   (Fry rough mix)
Femme Fatale   (Fry rough mix)
For You  
Jesus Christ
Take Care  (alt. version / Alex vocal)
Kizza Me  (Fry rough mix)
Nature Boy  (Fry rough mix)
MaƱana

---
All tracks taken from Complete Third box set. This is a re-imagining of the infamous Big Star album that was finally released in 1978 without a set title or running order(!)  Such was the state of affairs at the time--nobody could even agree on who the band's name is that put it out. Some call it an Alex Chilton affair with back-up musicians including Big Star bandmate Jody Stephens and his 'muse' at the time, Lesa Aldridge. Her sister also was dating Stephens at the time. This led Chilton to coin the 'Sister Lovers' phrase that has been used as a title for the album and even suggested as the name of the band itself, lol. Listening to the alternate mixes, I split the album into two halves. This mix is mostly done by engineer John Fry. The other disc I will do next will focus on the Dickinson mixes. Stay tuned!



Monday, January 22, 2018

George Harrison, "APPLE JAM" [imagined LP]

GEORGE HARRISON

Apple Jam   (1971)


It's Johnny's Birthday
Plug Me In
I Remember Jeep
Thanks for the Pepperoni
Out of the Blue
Isn't it a Pity (version two)*

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Inspired by the beatles.what.if.blogspot, I went ahead and assembled this idea he proposed. His artwork, too. All the songs are on the 'jam' disc of All Things Must Pass. "Isn't it a Pity (version two)" I included as a 'bonus track' since the rest of the songs from the original 3LP were distributed among the two Beatles reunion discs or used for the single-disc version in our shared timeline (as it were). I think this would have been a Zapple release, much like Back in Your Safely Beds would have been (projected release for early '69--I added "Palace of the Bird King" in between "Mary Jane" and "Revolution 9"; flows well).  Due to all the solo releases in 1970 (Sentimental Journey; Plastic Ono Band; All Things Must Pass; McCartney; Beaucoups of Blues) as well as the band's supposed farewell LP Everest, this little disc of jams most likely would be issued in '71. Harrison would go on contribute to the next Beatles LP Through Many Years as well as organize the Concert for Bangladesh. A nice little background for driving....or whatever ;)  It's a must have for completists, I s'pose.

Saturday, January 20, 2018

NEIL YOUNG and Crazy Horse, "Odeon-Budokan" [imagined LP]

NEIL YOUNG and Crazy Horse

Odeon-Budokan   (1976)


ODEON (29:43)
Tell Me Why
Stringman
Human Highway
Down by the River
Cortez the Killer
---------
BUDOKAN (37:03)
Mellow My Mind
Too Far Gone
No One Seems to Know
Country Home
Don't Cry No Tears
Drive Back
Cowgirl in the Sand
Lotta Love
The Losing End (When You're On)

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A proposed double LP collecting live recordings from Neil and Crazy Horse's concerts at The Budokan in Japan and the Odeon Ballroom in London. For whatever reason, Neil abandoned the Horse temporarily to record and tour with Stephen Stills and his backing group as The Stills/Young Band. A failed CSNY reunion was attempted during those sessions and aborted (with Stills allegedly wiping Crosby and Nash's harmony overdubs). The resulting record Long May You Run failed to live up to expectations from the two ex-Buffalo Springfield guitarists--known for their dueling solos and overall competitive nature onstage and off. The chemistry wasn't there and Young decided he'd had enough on the way to the next gig--with Stills and his band oblivious as the drove ahead in their own bus--telling the driver to detour to Nashville where he would get on a plane and subsequently reunite with the Horse---admitting he'd "made a mistake" (*according to Jimmy McDonough's great book, Shakey). 

While some of the band's extendedly hazy versions of "Cowgirl" and "Down by the River" can go on a bit much (lol); there are some standout solo performances you won't hear anywhere else. "Human Highway" and "Mellow My Mind" played on banjo; the unreleased piano solos "No One Seems to Know" and "Stringman"; and the band's debut of the Zuma-era outtake "Country Home". The sound quality was ripped from YouTube and converted to mp3. This will have to do until we get the official release in Neil Young's supposedly forthcoming next box set of unreleased archives. Until then! 


Friday, January 12, 2018

THE BEATLES, "1970 / 1975" [imagined 3xLP retrospective]

THE BEATLES

Best-of: 1970/1975  (1980)


Side A
God      [Plastic Ono Band]
What is Life?    [All Things Must Pass]
Step Inside Love / Los Paranoias     [Anthology 3]
Beaucoups of Blues   [Beaucoups of Blues]
Working Class Hero   [Plastic Ono Band]
All Things Must Pass   [All Things Must Pass]

Side B
Teddy Boy   [McCartney]
It Don't Come Easy    [Everest*]
My Sweet Lord    [All Things Must Pass]
Instant Karma!   [Everest*]
Junk    [McCartney]
Wah-Wah     [All Things Must Pass]
Oo You    [Through Many Years*]
Early 1970   [Through Many Years*]

Side C
Isn't it a Pity - Version Two*  [All Things Must Pass]
Maybe I'm Amazed   [Through Many Years*]
Jealous Guy   [Imagine]
Every Night     [Through Many Years*]
Oh My Love  [Imagine]
Let it Down    [Through Many Years*]

Side D
Too Many People   [Ram]
How Do You Sleep?  [Imagine]
Deep Blue  [Living in the Material World][
Big Barn Bed   [Out the Blue*]
Oh Yoko!  [Imagine]

Side E
I'm the Greatest   [Out the Blue*]
The Light That Has Lighted the World    [Living in the Material World]
My Love   [Red Rose Speedway]
Out the Blue   [Out the Blue*]
Living in the Material World   [Out the Blue*]
When the Night  [Out the Blue*]

Side F
Here We Go Again   [Out the Blue*]
Dark Horse (early take)*   [Dark Horse]
Only One More Kiss   [Out the Blue*]
You Can't Catch Me   [Rock 'N Roll]
Goodnight Vienna (It's All Down to) - Reprise   [Goodnight Vienna]


Special thanks to the The Beatles What If blogspot  for the original cover art.

RYAN ADAMS, 'Wednesdays' [re-imagined LP]

  RYAN ADAMS  WEDNESDAYS  (alt.) Walk in the Dark  Who Is Gonna Love Me Now, If Not You So Anyways Wednesdays Lost in Time It’s Not That Kin...