There are some lovely songs on this LP. A few covers, you can imagine each and every one was, at some time in their early career, a stage favourite. After putting 2 LP’s together earlier in 1965 you can forgive them for capturing a bunch of covers, not only to cash in on their position in the burgeoning 60’s music scene, but, and this is where we come in 50+ years later, as a consolidation of their live performances, all but lost, save these examples. I’m glad they did.
Unfortunately there are a few crackles and pops on both sides despite the vinyl looking splendid following our usual clean. But in many ways, this LP isn’t to be stuck away in the cupboard hoping to make a few quid in a few years’ time – The Pretty Things revival anyone? ; it’s to be played, and enjoyed and listened to and to dream in imagining what it must have been like in those days as LP’s such as this were cut by a hard-working, touring band from England.
3 minute songs is what you get. The background of some of these songs is given away by the sleeve notes…’ a personal favourite of the boys……recorded at the request of countless fans……great number for dancing to….one of our firm favourites….’.
Side 2 for me contain my favourites. ‘Honey I need’ reflects the Stones in this era – I challenge anyone not to think you have put a Stones song on the turntable during the opening chord sequence; ‘Oh Baby Doll’ features some great guitar work presumably by Dick Taylor (see vinyl section); and ‘She’s fine she’s mine’ which trumps the others. Just a simple, long languishing bluesy number which sucks you in – the only problem is that it is 15 minutes long.
They lost their way a little come the psychedelia that was 1967 but this offering captures the rawness of their early live performances, either self-penned or covers and as such, is a rare insight into an offering from a bunch of disaffected youths of yester-year. Sound familiar?
