"Once Upon a Time in the Midlands" collects nuggets from The Move, The Moody Blues, The Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, The Idle Race, Slade, The Electric Light Orchestra and more

Once Upon A Time In The West Midlands – The Bostin’ Sounds Of Brumrock 1966-1974 is out Nov. 26 from Grapefruit Records. Order new from Amazon.

Details:

• A 3-CD, four-hour celebration of the post-Brumbeat late ‘60s/early ‘70s rock scene in the West Midlands.

• Tracing the evolution and development of that scene as local musicians embarked on an epic journey that embraced mod pop, psychedelia, blues, progressive rock, glam-rock and heavy metal, inspired by the emergence of chief catalysts The Move.

• Revolving around the area’s big hitters, with key selections from The Move, The Moody Blues, The Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, The Idle Race, Slade, The Electric Light Orchestra, Roy Wood and Wizzard, Judas Priest and others.

When the beat/R&B explosion died out around 1965, so did the influence of cities like Liverpool and Manchester. However, the live scene in Birmingham and surrounding towns went from strength to strength. By the end of the decade, the West Midlands had become the smelting house of the nascent hard rock/metal revolution.

Including a bunch of classic cult 45s (The Craig, Locomotive, Medicine Head, The Ghost) and essential cuts from enduring local legends like Steve Gibbons and his band The Ugly’s, Denny Laine, The Montanas and Jimmy Powell.

Also featuring several previously unreleased tracks, including music from post-World Of Oz outfit Kansas Hook, Big Bertha, Cathedral and the first-ever recording (made in 1967) to feature future Magnum vocalist Bob Catley.

Housed in a stylish clamshell box that includes a heavily illustrated and annotated 48- page booklet, ‘Once Upon A Time In The West Midlands’ is a fascinating microcosm of the post-beat/pre-punk development of British rock music that will be of huge appeal far beyond its narrow geographical focus.

Track Listing:

DISC ONE:

1 I MUST BE MAD – Craig

2 SECURITY (extended version) – The ‘N Betweens

3 RESCUE ME – Doc Thomas Group

4 LIFE’S NOT LIFE – The Moody Blues

5 LET ME GET BY – The Bobcats

6 CHICKEN GEORGE – Deep Feeling

7 ON THE BEACH – The Extreem

8 BABY GET YOUR HEAD SCREWED ON – Double Feature

9 I CAN HEAR THE GRASS GROW – The Move

10 SAY YOU DON’T MIND – Denny Laine

11 ON TIME – Capitol Systems*

12 IMPOSTERS OF LIFE’S MAGAZINE – The Idle Race

13 NO FACE, NO NAME, NO NUMBER – Traffic

14 MOONSHINE – The Spencer Davis Group

15 YELLOW RAINBOW – The Rockin’ Berries

16 DON’T LEAVE ME IN THE DARK – Young Blood

17 AN APPLE A DAY – The U-No-Who

18 NSU – Ideal Milk

19 TROUBLE IN THE AIR – Ace Kefford

20 WHEN THE TRAIN COMES BACK – Chicken Shack

21 I KNOW WHAT HER NAME IS (demo version) – Simon’s Secrets

22 CHERRY WOOD GREEN – Just William

23 BABY I NEED YOU – Giorgio & Marco’s Men

24 YELLOW CAVE WOMAN – Velvett Fogg

25 MR ARMAGEDDON (single version) – The Locomotive

26 I’VE SEEN THE LIGHT – The Ugly’s

DISC TWO:

1 DAUGHTER OF THE SUN – The Ace Kefford Stand

2 ROUNDABOUT – The Montanas

3 LIKE A TEAR – World Of Oz

4 DON’T TORTURE YOUR MIND – The Exception

5 MASOCHISTS OF STRANGULATION – Jardine

6 BOREDOM – Tea & Symphony

7 THE JOURNEY – Gordon Jackson

8 BIG BEAR FFOLLY – Bakerloo

9 CANDY – Cinnamon Quill

10 LIKE UNCLE CHARLIE – The Climax Chicago Blues Band

11 IMAGINATIONS – Revolver

12 YOU’VE GOT YOUR TROUBLES – The Californians

13 HIS GUIDING HAND (single version) – Medicine Head

14 GOODBYE MARY – Paradox

15 A MODERN DAY FAIRY TALE – Galliard

16 IT’S A HARD WAY – Cathedral*

17 SUICIDE – Trapeze

18 DANCE IN THE SMOKE – Kansas Hook*

19 BALLAD OF MARMALADE EMMA AND TEDDY GRIMES – Hard Meat

20 DONNA – Bachdenkel

21 WHEN YOU’RE DEAD – The Ghost

22 TIME OF THE SEASON – Big Bertha*

DISC THREE:

1 SHE SAID YES – Fable

2 LAMP LIGHTER MAN – Sheridan & Price

3 ONE WAY HOTEL – Slade

4 WE’RE GONNA CHANGE ALL THIS – Fred’s Box*

5 REMINISCING – Luv Machine

6 PEOPLE – Salamander

7 BROWN GIRL – Steve Gibbons

8 ILL WIND – Dave Morgan

9 SHADOW BRIGHT – Ptolomy Psycon

10 OMNIBUS – Mail

11 DISHEARTENED AND DISILLUSIONED – Possessed

12 TALKING PROGRESSIVE BLUES – Jimmy Powell

13 EVE – Jim Capaldi

14 DEAR ELAINE – Roy Wood

15 BALL PARK INCIDENT – Wizzard

16 ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN (album version) – The Electric Light Orchestra

17 CIRCUS – Fairfield Ski

18 JUST A DAY – Ironbridge

19 THE BEAST (2021 remix) – Bedlam

20 ROCKA ROLLA – Judas Priest

21 BYE BYE BIRMINGHAM – Blackfoot Sue

*previously unreleased 

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