The Early Years, Vol. 2 - 1970-1972

Description

The most complete collection to date of the early recordings of Status Quo, between 1970 and 1972. It captures a time when this cult rock band found its unique style. It includes a rare mono version of their third album, "Ma Kelly's Greasy Spoon," various singles and B-sides, alternative takes and unreleased versions, as well as a cover of "Roadhouse Blues" by the Doors. With sleeve notes written by Dave Ling, a great connoisseur of Status Quo, and annotations on the tracks by sound engineer Andy Gamble. On August 23, 2024, this institution of British rock gave what will probably be their very last concert. Over a career starting in 1962, after several name changes, they opted for Status Quo in 1968. Signing with Pye Records for their first major hit, "Pictures Of Matchstick Men," Francis Rossi (guitar and vocals), Rick Parfitt (guitar and vocals), Alan Lancaster (bass and vocals), and John Coghlan (drums and percussion) offered a psychedelic sound and image, in tune with the fashion of the time. Quo ultimately found its characteristic style, a pure boogie sound, with their third album at Pye, "Ma Kelly's Greasy Spoon" (CD 1), in 1970 (CD 2 of this collection contains the rare mono mix of the album, released in Argentina under the title "Everything"). Abandoning their now outdated Carnaby Street outfits in favor of jeans and t-shirts, their sound and image evolved towards progressive hard rock, de rigueur in the early 1970s, as evidenced by their fourth and final album at Pye, "Dog Of Two Head" (CD 1), released in 1971. During this period, Quo released singles that did not appear on the corresponding albums, including the essential concert hits "Down The Dustpipe," "In My Chair," "Gerdundula," and "Tune To The Music," gathered on CD 3. CD 4 offers alternative versions of several of these key tracks, including "Mean Girl," "Daughter," and "Something Going On In My Head." Status Quo was above all a live band, where their boogie and hard rock could really shine, as demonstrated by the fifth CD of this box set, which includes sessions and live tracks. CD 1 MA KELLY'S GREASY SPOON (1970) 1. Spinning Wheel Blues 2. Daughter 3. Everything 4. Shy Fly 5. (April) Spring, Summer And Wednesdays 6. Junior's Wailing 7. Lakky Lady 8. Need Your Love 9. Lazy Poker Blues 10. Is It Really Me / Gotta Go Home DOG OF TWO HEAD (1971) 11. Umleitung 12. Nanana (Extraction) 13. Something's Going On In My Head 14. Mean Girl 15. Nanana (Extraction) 16. Gerdundula 17. Railroad 18. Someone's Learning 19. Nanana CD 2 EVERYTHING ARGENTINIAN MONO VERSION OF MA KELLY'S GREASY SPOON 1. Spinning Wheel Blues 2. Daughter 3. Everything 4. Shy Fly 5. (April) Spring, Summer And Wednesdays 6. Junior's Wailing 7. Lakky Lady 8. Need Your Love 9. Lazy Poker Blues 10. Is It Really Me / Gotta Go CD 3 A & B-SIDES, DEMOS & OUTTAKES 1. Down The Dustpipe (A-Side) 2. In My Chair (A-Side) 3. Gerdundula (B-Side 1970 Version) 4. Tune To The Music (A-Side) 5. Good Thinking (B-Side) 6. Railroad (Part 1) (A-Side Mono Mix) 7. Railroad (Part 2) (B-Side Mono Mix) 8. Mean Girl (A-Side Mono Mix) 9. Gerdundula (A-Side 1971 Mono Mix) 10. In My Chair (Flexidisc) 11. Laughing Machine (Hidden Track Unreleased Outtake) 12. In My Chair (Backing Track) 13. Time To Fly 14. Shifting Sand (1971 Rossi / Young Demo) 15. Tune To The Music (Instrumental) 16. (So Little) Time To Fly (Previously Unreleased Version) CD 4 ALTERNATE MIXES & VERSIONS 1. Down The Dustpipe (Alternate Mix) 2. Daughter (Working Mix) 3. Junior's Wailing (Alternate Mix) 4. Is It Really Me (Previously Unreleased Version) 5. In My Chair (Alternate Mix) 6. Gerdundula (Alternate Mix 1970 Version) 7. Gotta Go Home (Rough Mix) 8. Something Going On In My Head (Previously Unreleased Version) 9. Mean Girl (Previously Unreleased Version) 10. Nanana (Previously Unreleased Version) 11. Gerdundula (Previously Unreleased 1970 Version) 12. Nanana (Previously Unreleased Version) 13. Mean Girl (Rough Mix) 14. Tune To The Music (Previously Unreleased Version) 15. Good Thinking (Previously Unreleased Version) 16. Tune To The Music (Previously Unreleased Backing Track Version) BBC SOUNDS OF THE SEVENTIES SESSION (7/2/72) 17. Mean Girl 18. Railroad CD 5 LIVE & IN SESSION 1970-1972 DAVE LEE TRAVIS BBC SESSIONS 1. Junior's Wailing (6/4/70) 2. Down The Dustpipe (6/4/70) 3. Spinning Wheel Blues (6/4/70) 4. In My Chair (6/4/70) 5. Need Your Love (15/6/70) LIVE IN MANCHESTER 6. Roadhouse Blues 7. Down The Dustpipe 8. Spinning Wheel Blues 9. Is It Really Me / Gotta Go Home BEAT CLUB SESSION (26/9/1970) 10. Spinning Wheel Blues 11. (April) Spring, Summer And Wednesdays 12. Is It Really Me / Gotta Go Home