BULLS HEAD BOB JULY 2021 - BOX SET RELEASE MADNESS! GEORGE HARRISON. ERIC CLAPTON.THE SUNDAY MERCURY. NOGA..

Hello Brummies, mates, ex girlfriends of which there are too many to mention, all mates abroad and of course Pluki my Japanese loft-boy friend.....

I haven't played a gig yet but the house smells of fresh paint, there's 'newly sawn' wood smell emanating from a recent and challenging floorboard repair job and a different wall covering in the dining room for when we open the house again.  I don't know how Mrs Bob fits it all in to her weeks busy schedule?   I'm glad I bought her the Dremmel mini drill for our wedding anniversary, helped her a lot.  For my part I'm pleased to say that my finger tips are in tip top shape, lovely and smooth, ready for some geetar action And I've been practising a new autograph signature!!  Being an artiste is all about presentation, don't want to let the public down.

BOX SET RELEASES.  HAS THE WORLD GONE MAD?

Now theres one thing about box sets these days that get my goat and that is the amount of unnecessary garbage that gets included, failed takes, different mixes and things like that.  I have a few box sets, that is, more than one LP in a box, amongst them, Woodstock, Concert for Bangladesh - George Harrison, and the truly lovely Gift from a Flower to a Garden by Donovan.  Of course I have The Beatles anthology but hardly play any of it, to me it is/was a useful tool for songwriting purposes, hearing the same kind of mistakes I would make and then hearing how they got around problems or their inspirations.

So now there are some new Box Sets on the way that are quite staggering. The first being The 50th Anniversary of the release of 'All Things Must Pass' by the late but delightful George Harrison.   I have admired George for many a year and whilst he would not be rated by most guitarists as a top flight guitarist in the technical or speedy sense he had the greatest quality of playing just the right tasteful thing at the right time to suit the song as a whole entity, his slide playing was gorgeous and individualistic and knew some beautiful chords at an early age.  Paul McCartney said that George's four note introductory phrase to  'And I Love Her' which repeats throughout the song, IS the most important facet, it introduces melancholy from the first note and carries the sentiment without a word being sung.   It would be a couple of years after gaining their fame that George put together some nice songs of his own but I think I could really count his great stuff on two hands.   "Isn't it a Pity" has always been my fave and I often wonder what it would have been like had The Beatles worked together to hone it to perfection, this song would have sat well on Abbey Road, along with the Lennon and McCartney songs about themselves breaking up.

There are clips of them jamming All Things must Pass whilst filming Let it Be but John Lennon couldn't have been less interested, it was all over for him besotted with Joko and heroin.  That aside, you can buy the re-issued Double CD for £21 then there are a plethora of other options and packages to purchase until you reach the zenith of the treasure chest..........

UBER DELUXE VERSION....TAKE A DEEP BREATH

So here is the most expensive box set to date the Uber Deluxe Box set comes in a wooden crate and contains 8 vinyl LPs, 5 CDs in 3 different mixes plus Bluray, a large scrap book, small book about the recording, a book mark and beads.   There is also a Klaus Voorman print a miniature set of gnomes and George, as per the original cover photo.  The latter will be the main attraction to the collectors out there.  There are another 70 audio tracks too but these are alternative takes, jam sessions etc which, as previously stated are, in my humble opinion, package fillers.   This set commands the price of.....£859.00.  Available through selected outlets   The blurb about the release says it is a limited edition but fails to state how many of these will be available or if it is a "one time release" which is important if you are laying out some serious moolah for a collectible item.  I would be happier if it was a numbered item i.e. 1 of 2000 etc.

It's a fact that limited editions of Beatles stuff rises in price but I'm not convinced that this, apart from the George and gnomes box will be in that category.  You pay your money you take your chance.  

ERIC CLAPTON - AFTER MIDNIGHT

No stranger to box set releases, Eric Clapton has an autumnal release box set too! 

It's a re-release of his first solo offering all those years ago "After Midnight" it comes as a four CD set which are four different mixes similar to George Harrisons format,  plus a book.  It was a great LP and showed how he had changed his style after his stint with Bonnie and Delaney, alongside Harrison.  He will be releasing another deluxe set of the same LP but as a 7 vynil LP Set later this year with this set selling  for close to £400.

I can understand a re-release of an old recording that has been given the treatment but just why would I want a host of alternative mixes? It just really leaves me cold to be honest and it's a trend that I wish would end right now.

Sunday Mercury Delivering

Birminghams Music History

During the past few years it has become more noticeable that The Sunday Mercury, a newspaper that I used to get for my Dad on a Sunday Morning so we could read about the Villa, has been offering up some wonderful articles on the History of Brummie music and musicians thanks to reporter Mike Lockley and in the last week of June featured my article on the "Recording of Go Now", the single best recorded song made by the Moody Blues original line up featuring the supercharged voice of the great Denny Laine.   Why not pick up a copy this weekend to see who might be featuring from your music past.   Not since the demise of Midland Beat has Brum had a paper that features so many great midlands musicians.

JOHNNY 'Noga' NEAL .  

Those of us who have known Johnny Neal, former Brumbeat and Rock and Roll star, for some time will know he had the nickname of "Noga" from an era when youths would gather together on street corners and sing songs a capella. 

It is still pretty commonplace for old 60s stars to be a big name in "foreign parts" but you have to be a real star to have a building named after you.  I came across this Edifice whilst walking around Seville.

So much bigger than a paving stone with your name on.  

FINALLY    

Summer is on the way so do enjoy yourselves after the lockdown and well done for fighting the fight.  Take care of each other and most of all, be kind and understanding.  Great to see Super Jack light up the England team...UTV.

Bob

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Contact  Bobsbullocks@Gmail.com