Vinegar Joe: The Island Recordings 1972-1973, 3CD
Vinegar Joe

• REMASTERED 3CD CLAMSHELL BOXED SET OF THE CLASSIC ALBUMS & NON-ALBUM SINGLES BY THE LEGENDARY BAND VINEGAR JOE RELEASED BETWEEN 1972-1973.

• FEATURING ROBERT PALMER & ELKIE BROOKS.

• WITH AN ILLUSTRATED BOOKLET FEATURING AN ESSAY WITH EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS WITH
PETE GAGE & ELKIE BROOKS.

Formed in 1971 from the ashes of the group Dada (who recorded a sole album for Atlantic Records), the band featured Elkie Brooks and Robert Palmer, two of the finest vocalists of their generation, along with guitarist and arranger Pete Gage, who was the band’s musical director and visionary. Recruiting bassist Steve York and keyboard player Tim Hinkley, the band signed to Island Records and released their self-titled debut album in early 1972. A fine blend of gutsy rock, rhythm & blues and jazz, the band featured the additional talents of drummers Keef Hartley, Conrad Isidore and Rob Tait along with Dave Thompson (keyboards, soprano sax).

Soon after the release of their first album the band began to perform on the concert circuit and earned a reputation as one of Britain’s finest hard-working live acts thanks to their fine musicianship and energetic performances. By the time of their second album, ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Gypsies’ (released later in 1972), both Hinkley and Tait had departed, with Mike Deakon joining on keyboards, along with additional guitarist Jim Mullen and drummer John Woods. Featuring a superb cover of the Jimi Hendrix composition ‘Angel’, the album gained the band a wider audience on both sides of the Atlantic. Despite a relentless touring schedule and excellent reviews the band failed to make the commercial breakthrough they deserved.

1973’s ‘Six Star General’ would be Vinegar Joe’s final album and was arguably their finest. The band continued into 1974 before disbanding.

This 3 CD collection gathers together those three albums and their non-album singles, all remastered from the original Island Records master tapes and packaged in replica album sleeves.

TRACK LISTING:

DISC ONE:
‘VINEGAR JOE’
2021 Remastered version
1. RUSTY RED ARMOUR
2. EARLY MORNING MONDAY
3. RIDE ME EASY RIDER
4. CIRCLES
5. LEG UP
6. SEE THE WORLD
7. NEVER MET A DOG (THAT TOOK TO ME)
8. AVINU MALKENU
9. GETTING’ OUT
10. LIVE A LITTLE, GET SOMEWHERE
BONUS TRACK:
11. SPEED QUEEN OF VENTURA
B-SIDE OF SINGLE

DISC TWO:
‘ROCK N’ ROLL GYPSIES’
2021 Remastered version
1. SO LONG
2. CHARLEY’S HORSE
3. ROCK N’ ROLL GYPSIES
4. FALLING
5. IT’S GETTIN’ TO THE POINT
6. WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN’ GOING ON
7. BUDDY CAN YOU SPARE ME A LINE?
8. ANGEL
9. NO ONE EVER DO
10. FORGIVE US
BONUS TRACK:
11. ROCK N’ ROLL GYPSIES (SINGLE VERSION)
A-SIDE OF SINGLE

DISC THREE:
‘SIX STAR GENERAL’
2021 Remastered version
1. PROUD TO BE (A HONKY WOMAN)
2. FOOD FOR THOUGHT
3. DREAM MY OWN DREAMS
4. LADY OF THE RAIN
5. STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF
6. BLACK SMOKE RISING FROM THE CALUMET
7. GIVING YOURSELF AWAY
8. TALKIN’ ‘BOUT MY BABY
9. LET ME DOWN EASY
10. FINE THING
BONUS TRACKS:
11. LONG WAY ROUND
12. BLACK SMOKE RISING FROM THE CALUMET (SINGLE VERSION)
A & B-SIDES OF SINGLE