"Heads Hands & Feet" by HEADS HANDS & FEET – Debut 17-Track US Double-Album from April 1971 on Capitol Records and Debut 11-Track UK Single Album from June 1971 on Island Records – featuring Tony Colton, Ray Smith, Albert Lee, Pete Gavin, Chas Hodges and Mike O’Neill with guest Elton Dean on Saxophone (September 2014 UK Prog Temple Expanded Edition CD Reissue and Remaster of the Original 17 Track U.S. Version) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

"...The More You Get, The More You Want..."

Rinse-haired geezers like me (62 and still no criminal record) will remember with a fuzzyheaded glow and a shape-shifting shuffle in the trouser area SAMPLER ALBUMS of the late 60s and early 70ts.

They were a great way of getting to know tons of new music/genres for next-to-zip amounts of cash. One of these is the now-forgotten "El Pea" double-album from June 1971 on Island IDLP 1 – an Island/Chrysalis Records twofer pitched at £1.99 with a great big green pea on the cover. The double-album and its distinctive artwork were supposed to plug 1971 Rock Music and Folk Rock on both conjoined labels. 

But instead of introducing fans to the likes of Nick Drake, Traffic, Jethro Tull, King Crimson, Sandy Denny, Quintessence, Amazing Blondel, Mick Abrahams, Free, Mott The Hoople etc – it became infamous for its rubbish plastic inner holder sleeves with foam lips which were supposed to clean the LPs as you took them out - but just ended up scratching the palm-tree label vinyls to buggery (a great compilation of new music ruined by gimmicky).

Amidst its many other presentational sins was also Side 1's entry for "Song For Suzie" by Heads Hands & Feet. It advertised beneath, that you could find this wickedly good song on their Island Records debut album ILPS 9149. But when punters went looking for the seven-minute opus, the 11-track UK self-titled LP hadn't got the song - nowhere to be seen. This is because their debut "Heads Hands & Feet" had been a 17-track double-album in the USA issued in April 1971 on Capitol Records (containing that song) - but when their debut was eventually issued June 1971 in the UK, Island didn't want to chance a double, so edited it down to an 11-Track single LP minus of course the "Song For Suzie" track (cut probably due to time restrictions). In fact when Universal issued the "Strangely Strange But Oddly Normal: An Island Anthology 1967-1972" 3CD Box Set of Remasters in 2005 – the booklet compounded the mistake again by saying you could get the song on the UK LP. Well, you can't. But here is a place where you can...

Which brings us via a very circuitous route to this rather splendid fully loaded 2014 Prog Temple CD reissue - finally offering fans the Original 17 Track U.S. Version of Heads Hands & Feet as a CD Remaster for the first time. There is a lot to wade through, so on to the head-bangers...

UK released 1 September 2014 – "Heads Hands & Feet" by HEADS HANDS & FEET on Prog Temple PTCD8029 (Barcode 4753314802919) offers the Original 17 Track U.S. Version on CD for the first time. This 15-Track CD (two of the songs have two parts, hence the 17) plays out as follows (77:55 minutes):

1. I'm In Need Of Your Help [Side 1]

2. Send Me A Wire

3. Look At The World It's Changing / 3a. You Because You Know Me

4. Green Liquor

5. Country Boy [Side 2]

6. Tryin' To Put Me On

7. I Wish You Knew Me

8. Devil's Elbow

9. Pete Might Spook The Horses [Side 3]

10. Everybody's Hustlin' / 10a. Hang Me, Dang Me

11. Delaware

12. The More You Get, The More You Want [Side 4]

13. Song For Suzie

14. Tirabad

15. Little Bit Lonely 

Tracks 1 to 15 are the April 1971 US Debut Double-Album "Heads Hands & Feet" on Capitol Records SVBB-680. It was issued June 1971 in the UK with the same name on Island Records ILPS 9149 as a Single LP with 11 Tracks.  That British album can be sequenced from this 2014 CD Remaster as follows:

Side 1: Tracks 1, 2, 7, 10, 10a and 8 (six tracks)

Side 2: Tracks 5, 6, 11, 9 and 15 (five tracks)

HEADS HANDS & FEET were:

TONY COLTON – Lead Vocals

ALBERT LEE – Lead and Rhythm Guitars, Keyboards, Vibes and Vocals

RAY SMITH – Lead Guitar and Vocals

MIKE O'NEILL – Guitars, Vibes, Keyboards and Vocals

CHAS HODGES – Bass, Banjo, Fiddle and Vocals

PETE GAVIN – Drums, Percussion, Vibes and Vocals

Along with Jerry Donahue and Pat Donaldson (later of Fotheringay and Fairport Convention fame) – Tony Colton, Albert Lee, Ray Smith and Drummer Pete Gavin had been with the group Poet And The One Man Band for their lone self-titled album on Verve Forecast SVLP 6012 – released April 1969. Mike O’Neill had been part of The John Barry Seven and Chas Hodges had been with Cliff Bennett and The Rebel Rousers (amongst others) and would of course go on to be one half of Chas & Dave. And even though he'd left to join Sandy Denny in Fotheringay, Pat Donaldson had been songwriting with them so long that he is listed as the third writer of "I'm In Need Of Your Help" alongside Tony Colton and Ray Smith (principal songwriters on almost every song).

As a sort of newly formed supergroup, there was a lot of major label interest, and as the eight-page FRASER MASSEY liner-notes explain (with the aid of Tony Colton) – the British boys were wined and dined at the legendary Troubadour club in Hollywood, then signed for very big money at the time to the established Capitol Records in the USA - to be handled by the hipper independent label Island Records in the UK. On this 2014 Prog Temple CD it clearly states DIGITALLY REMASTERED but there is no name associated. No problems because the audio throughout is really great - fantastically alive and without being over-trebled too. Nice job done. Let's get to the music...

Recorded between November 1970 and February 1971 and Engineered by EDDIE OFFORD of Yes fame - the double-album splurge begins with "I'm In Need Of Your Help" - a rapido Funk-Rock chaser that even feels a tad Prog as it begins. Better is "Send Me A Wire" where I always felt their strengths lay - a sort of Rock-Funk groover that chugs along very nicely - put out the smoke - put out the fire - can't get any higher. I've included it on some compilations of mine where I dig Rock on a Funky tip. We're then hit with a seven and a half minute two-parter - (3) "Look At The World It's Changing - and (3a) "You Because You Know Me". The first part is a dreadfully syrupy love song that overdoes the melodrama whilst part two goes all acoustic Simon & Garfunkel which is only a little better. Side 1 ends with the boozy swagger of the tasting-fine "Green Liquor" - a sort of precursor in song style to their fabulous single "Warming Up The Band".

Side 2 of the American double also opens Side 2 of the single British LP - a cotton-picker horse and cart romp non-surprisingly called "Country Boy" - and again amazing clarity in the Remaster. That's followed by the Dobro and Fiddle Country Blues of the excellent "Tryin' To Put Me On" - a fave amongst fans - put this one in the steel house. "I Wish You Knew Me" opens on an acoustic guitar flourish only to be followed by a wall of harmonising vocals - a sort of Beach Boys meets Bronco moment (gorgeous remaster too). A Methodist Minister calls on our vocalist and asks his domination - trying to convert the Rock 'n' Roll man away from the "Devil's Elbow" - though even despite the mellow feel of the track - I think the preacher has his work cut out for him.

Side 3 opens with "Pete Might Spook The Horses" - a drum-driven rocker co-written by Colton and Smith with sticks-man Pete Gavin. Again the Remaster leaps out of the speakers as PG whacks his kit to the accompaniment of funky chugging guitars from the boys (shine on sunshine). Another countrified two-parter follows – Uncle Joe hustling the bar and everything for that matter (including his kids) in (10) "Everybody's Hustlin'" - while things get funky-rock again with the rolling across my mind (10a) "Hang Me, Dang Me". And again another great audio spread. Side 3 ends with five minutes of piano-peace in "Delaware" – probably the prettiest song on the album – lines down in Utah – raining in Delaware – still things are good.

Side 4 gives us seven-minutes of the J.J. Cale Tony Joe White Vocal stylee Bass-Funky "The More You Get, The More You Want". Unfortunately UK fans lost on this one (wasn't on the single LP) and what a loss. Our boy is looking for some Hookfoot – servicing another turnstile to keep that hooch flowing and the girls by the bar rolling their eyes. This wickedly groovy funky-as-a-tweeter Swamp-Country-Rock tune was Heads Hands & Feet stock in trade – sexy-cool flicking guitar work from Albert Lee and fantastic wild Alto Sax soloing from guest musician Elton Dean. What a tour de force, and for me, a definite highlight on the album. That is then followed by the epic Moody Blues-sounding "Song For Suzie" - a prayer ballad for a lost lady's peace of mind. The Little Feat guitar boogie of "Tirabad" and the Spanish acoustic of "Little Bit Lonely" bring a big album to a quietly majestic end. It's not all magic - but damn - when they hit that groove - they were so damn good.  

Heads Hands & Feet would issue their second studio album "Tracks" in late April 1972 on Island ILPS 9185 (June 1972 in the USA on Capitol Records ST-11051) and a final UK studio set called "Old Soldiers Never Die" in March 1973 – newly signed to Atlantic Records for K 40465 – but all to no avail. Not even the wickedly good "Warming Up The Band" stand-alone single broke the charts for them - when it should have (both it and its non-album B-side are featured as Bonus Tracks on the "Tracks...Plus" CD reissue - see my review). 

England's Heads, Hands & Feet are a footnote now in the history of Seventies Rock Music - but they're remembered with affection for a reason and the better tracks on this wicked-sounding 2LPs-onto-1CD Remaster prove why. A very cool little reissue really and I'd love to see someone tackle all three of their Seventies albums in a mini box set with Extras - and right soon...

"Trip In The Country" by AREA CODE 615 - August 1970 US 2nd Studio LP on Polydor Records [1971 UK] (December 2014 EU Prog Temple CD Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Stone Fox Chase..."

In their short but lively 2-album career - the Nashville sessionmen supergroup AREA CODE 615 briefly dented the US LP charts with their debut album "Area Code 615" in October 1969 – a four week stay that peaked at a lowly No. 191. But their second record "Trip In The Country" from August 1970 tanked entirely. And on re-hearing its rather odd mishmash of styles in 2017 - its lack of success then is not entirely unsurprising now especially from a cold-as-day reappraisal distance of 47 years. 

Most of us in the U of the K only really know this obscure American band through one song - their stunning "Stone Fox Chase" Swamp Rock instrumental that became the very cool theme music to BBC 2's "The Old Grey Whistle Test". First aired in September 1971 and running right through to 1988 with various presenters (Bob Harris, Anne Nightingale, Mark Ellen, Andy Kershaw, David Hepworth) – every kid out there of my ancient stature (over 50) will know that that British music program (primarily formed around Rock and its diverse genre buddies) probably informed more of our album buying choices than cool DJs like John Peel, Alan Freeman, Kid Jensen and even Thursday’s 'Top of the Pops' chart-program combined. The "Whistle Test" was huge – and every week – there was Area Code 615 – luring us impressionable young types into the soul-sucking depravity of Rock 'n' Roll with some animated guy kicking stars in the galactic nadge (graphics for the opening credits) to the sound of "Stone Fox Chase".

The British release of their second LP "Trip To The Country" didn't arrive in Blighty until April 1971 - so like "Top Of The Pops" using the equally cool cover version of Led Zeppelin’s "Whole Lotta Love" by Alex Korner's C.C.S. for their theme in 1970 - Whispering Bob Harris and his crew (the first presenter) spotted a goody and promptly hooked a nation. In fact I can remember around 1973 or 1974 when Bob was inundated with requests as to know who did the theme music - and before beginning the program had to explain what it was and who had recorded it.

Which brings us to this curious little CD reissue and remaster that has good and bad points. Here are the foxy details...

European released 1 December 2014 (reissued 6 January 2015 and 29 February 2016) - "Trip In The Country" by AREA CODE 615 on Prog Temple PTCD8036 (Barcode 4753314803619) is a straightforward CD transfer and remaster of the original 11-track 1970 LP and plays out as follows (33:20 minutes):  

1. Scotland [Side 1]

2. Always The Same

3. Stone Fox Chase

4. Russian Red

5. Judy

6. Gray Suit Men

7. Katy Hill [Side 2]

8. Sligo

9. Sausalito

10. Welephant Walk

11. Devil Weed And Me

Tracks 1 to 11 are their second and last studio album "Trip To The Country" - released August 1970 in the USA on Polydor 24-4025 and April 1971 in the UK on Polydor 2425 023. Produced by AREA CODE 615 - it didn't chart in either country. Note: the back inlay lists only 10 songs when there are in fact 11 - "Gray Suit Men" (the last track on Side 1) is the song mistakenly not listed.

AREA CODE 615 was:

WAYNE MOSS - Guitar

CHARLIE McCOY - Guitar, Harmonica and Recorder

MAC GAYDEN - Guitar (Lead Vocals on "Gray Suit Men", slight vocals on "Katy Hill")

WELDON MYRICK - Steel Guitar

BUDDY SPICHER - Fiddle, Cello and Viola

BOBBY THOMPSON - Banjo

DAVID BRIGGS - Keyboards

NORBERT PUTNAM - Bass and Cello

KENNETH BUTTREY - Drums and Percussion

It doesn’t say who did the liner notes in the gatefold slip of paper that acts as an insert – that’s not to say they aren’t informative – they are. There’s a picture CD (front cover art) and the rear sleeve of the album is reproduced beneath the see-through CD tray. Although it says 'digitally remastered' on the rear inlay packaging – it doesn’t say from where or what or by whom. Having said that the audio is amazing. This is the second Prog Temple CD reissue I’ve bought. They’ve also done Scullion's “Balance And Control” - an album released October 1980 on WEA Ireland and Produced by the mighty and sadly-missed John Martyn. Scullion featured Sonny Condell of the Irish Folk duo TIR na n'OG who'd had three well-revered albums on Britain's Chrysalis Records in the early Seventies. The sound on that 2016 Prog Temple CD is also superlative (will review soon) - so I've absolutely no complaints here despite PT's slightly haphazard annotation.

Apart from "Gray Suit Men" which features a mad vocal from Mac Gayden and one line sung in "Katy Hill" - the album is entirely instrumental. And while most are Country-Funky Swamp Rock-ish like say the Harmonica driven "Stone Fox Chase" or the banjo-led "Russian Red" - you also get slightly unnerving Easy Listening pieces like "Judy" that sounds like it should be on a K-Tel LP for evening romance moods. And therein lies the problem with AREA CODE 615 - identity. If this is an acid-trip in the country as the title suggests - you'll be hard-pressed to find it amidst these swamp-meets-cinema set of songs.

"Trip In The Country" opens up with the decidedly funky "Scotland" where Harmonicas, Fiddles and Guitars engage in a mighty hoedown that feels both fun and cheesy at one and the same time. "Always The Same" then suddenly comes on like some smooth Soundtrack interlude where pedal steel guitar introduces Steve McQueen to another hacienda town that needs a hired gun. It's confusing to say the least and musically not that great. Things of course change with 'that' song - the wonderful "Stone Fox Chase" - sounding utterly brill here and I'm loving that strange middle-eight that slows down - the bit they edited out on the credits of TOGWT - the final passage in the song you never get to hear. A mad fiddle solo introduces "Gray Suit Men" followed by heavy-guitar and a 'count their money' set of lyrics from a clearly exasperated Mac Gayden.

Side 2 opens with pure Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Country - the banjo of "Katy Hill" where Gayden lets rip with one lyric. Far better is "Sligo" which doesn't at all sound like a county in the West of Ireland but a bayou swamp dance with Harmonica, fantastic fuzzed guitars and a deeply funky bass line. At 2:25 minutes - the unlikely sounding "Sligo" is one of the only other songs on the album to compare with "Stone Fox Chase" - wishing the whole record sounded like this. After the high of "Sligo" - we get the schlock of "Sausalito" - an instrumental once again laden with strings and Harmonica - like some interlude as Robert Redford wades through snow in Jeremiah Johnson admiring the pine trees. "Welephant Walk" picks up the pace and offers another moment of hoe-down fun while "Devil Weed And Me" is the only other song that comes close to the guitar-wig out of "Sligo" - another instrumental mixing nice moments with rocking ones.

In 1974 - Polydor UK lumped their two albums together "Area Code 615/Trip In The Country" as one twofer double-album on Polydor 2683 040. Wayne Moss, Mac Gayden and Kenny Buttrey would split in 1971 to form the Southern Rock outfit BAREFOOT JERRY - another fondly remembered band that issued a wad of albums that never charted. After one LP with them - Gayden would again jump ship and form SKYBOAT. The others would session on large amounts of albums for artists as diverse as Steve Miller, Johnny Cash, The Beau Brummels, Neil Young, Simon & Garfunkel, Nancy Sinatra and even Elvis Presley. Both Gayden and Buttrey are also remembered for having penned the massive hit "Everlasting Love" - a Soul dancer for Robert Knight in the States and a British No. 1 in 1968 for the pop act Love Affair. West Virginia's Charlie McCoy would of course have his own band and Country hits.

"Trip In The Country" is anything but a masterpiece - a three-star album given five-star sound. Yet there are moments of genius too that I just had to own and I suspect others will feel the same. 

Fans should dig in especially given the fab audio - but I’d suggest that the Country-Funk curious nab an iTunes listen first...