WORKING CLASS HERO

Released on Apple Records in December 1970, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, was Lennon's debut solo album. The same day Yoko Ono released an album with the same title. They had already released three experimental albums, Unfinished Music 1, Two Virgins (1968), Unfinished Music 2, Life With The Lions (1969) and Wedding Album (1970) along with the 1969 live album, Live Peace In Toronto.

On his debut album the Plastic Ono Band included Klaus Voormann (bass guitar), Ringo Starr (drums) and Billy Preston (piano). Lennon played electric and acoustic guitars, piano and organ.

Produced by Lennon, Ono and Phil Spector the album with its raw production, was heavily influenced by Lennon's recent primal scream therapy. It reflected his personal issues with themes including abandonment and psychological suffering.

Recorded during sessions in September and October 1970 at Abbey Road, it featured eleven tracks including, Mother, I Found Out, Working Class Hero, Love, Look At Me and God.

The cover image, taken by actor Dan Richter on an instamatic camera at Lennon's Tittenhurst Park home, featured Lennon lying in Yoko Ono's arms under a tree, identical in every way to Ono's album except the roles are reversed and she is lying in his arms. The original did not have any title or artist name on the front although the first CD release did list both. It reverted back to the original cover on future releases.

The original release had no track listing on the back, just a picture of a young Lennon. It did include an insert with lyrics on one side. Surprisingly, Capitol Records in America, who had issues over some of the lyrics in both I Found Out and Working Class Hero, chose to print the lyrics uncensored. However, in the UK every mention of the word 'fucking' in Working Class Hero was replaced with astericks!

In the United Kingdom it peaked at #8 while it managed to reach #6 in America. Regarded as one of his best solo releases it was voted #4 in a 1987 Rolling Stone list of 'The 100 Best Albums of the Last Twenty Years' and in 2012 was ranked at number 23 in their '500 Greatest Albums of All Time.'

Remixed and re-released in 2000, with two extra tracks, Power To The People and Do The Oz, it has finally been given the ultimate release with the 6 CD and 2 Blu-ray Ultimate Collection box set. Also available as a single CD, 2-CD, vinyl and download it is the Ultimate Collection I will be reviewing here.

There is over eleven hours (on the Blu-ray discs) of audio in hi-res stereo, 5.1 surround and Dolby Atmos all remixed from the original multitrack session tapes. The two Blu-ray discs feature all the material on the six CDs along with more than twenty-five extra tracks. Of course, this is not great for those without a Blu-ray player but, as I seem to be collecting more and more Blu-ray audio discs I recently treated myself to a player.

The first CD features the original eleven track album with three extra tracks that were released as singles around the same time... Give Peace A Chance, Cold Turkey and Instant Karma (We All Shine On).

Out-takes of all the tracks appear on the second CD while the third features the Elements Mixes. These isolate certain elements of each recording giving deeper levels of clarity and detail.

The raw studio mixes on CD#4 gives the listener the opportunity to hear the songs before any effects were added, tape delay, reverb etc. It is like being in the studio when the songs were recorded... raw and live. There are also three out-takes in the same format.

The fifth CD is the Evolution Mix on which each track is presented as an audio montage detailing the evolution of each song from demo to finished master with instructions, studio chatter, rehearsals and much more.

With all the other CDs featuring the same fourteen tracks (albeit in different formats) the final CD is a pleasant departure featuring a number of jams that find John and the band having fun between takes. They jam on rock 'n' roll classics and early versions of other Lennon songs.. Among the twenty-two tracks are Chuck Berry's Johnny B. Goode, Fats Domino's Ain't That A Shame, Little Richard's Send Me Some Lovin and Carl Perkin's Matchbox. A medley of Elvis Presley's Don't Be Cruel, Hound Dog and When I'm Over You finds Lennon sending up Elvis and apparently showing his love of early rock 'n' roll. I'm not sure about this medley though. There is also an early version of I Don't Want To Be A Soldier Mama I Don't Want To Die, a Lennon original that would appear on his next album, Imagine.

This final CD also includes demos of all the album tracks and the three singles. These are either from recordings made at home on cassette or early studio rehearsals. It is interesting to note when listening to these demos how close to the finished recordings these were before they even bought them to the studio.

Besides giving the listener the opportunity to hear all the tracks in surround sound and hi-res stereo, the Blu-ray discs also include several songs not included on the CDs.

Having enjoyed the set up to this point it was a shock to hear the Yoko Ono tracks on the second Blu-ray disc. I don't know who told her she could sing or had any talent but, and I'm sorry if I offend anyone, her wailing and screaming sounds like a demented cat being strangled! I only played a few minutes from a handful of tracks, which was more than enough, and I certainly won't be playing them again.

The 132-page book is a delight. There is background to the Plastic Ono Band, full details on the three singles included, track-by-track details for the album with full recording information and informative text, lyrics, details on the various mixes, demos, jams and much more. Fully illustrated with photos, rare memorabilia, album and single sleeves and, of interest to me, tape boxes and recording sheets. The set also includes two postcards and a 'War Is Over' poster.

I enjoyed this release, despite the Yoko Ono tracks, and it sits nicely alongside the Imagine (Ultimate Collection) and the Gimme Some Truth set. 

FLEETWOOD MAC LIVE

On 26 October 1979 Fleetwood Mac played the first of 112 shows on their 'Tusk Tour' at the Minidome in Pocatello, Idaho and played their final show on the tour on 1 September 1980 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. There were concerts in the U.S.A., Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and throughout Europe, including six sell-out shows at Wembley Arena in London in June 1980, one of which I attended.

The tour, which cost millions in expenses, was also mentally and physically draining for every band member. It could have seen the end of the band and from reports it nearly did. Fortunately they managed to work through their differences and, despite the alleged reports of the copious amounts of drink and drugs consumed during the tour, they made it through to the end with live performances which received positive and glowing reviews.

In order to capture enough material for a proposed live album, and no doubt a way to recoup some of the money spent, every show on the tour was recorded and some reports say filmed.

Released in December 1980 Fleetwood Mac Live was a double album featuring eighteen tracks, of which only eight were taken from the 'Tusk Tour.' Highlights from this tour included Oh Well, Sara, Go Your Own Way, I'm So Afraid and a 9-minute version of Not That Funny.

Two tracks, Dreams and Don't Stop, were recorded during a soundcheck in Paris during the bands 1977 'Rumours Tour' while a further four live tracks (Monday Morning, Say You Love Me, Over My Head and Rhiannon) also came from the same tour, recorded at venues in Tokyo, Wichita, Nashville and London.

A further three tracks were recorded during an intimate performance in Santa Monica for a select group of family members and crew. From this performace came Fireflies, One More Night and a cover of The Beach Boys The Farmer's Daughter.

Don't Let Me Down Again, a song dating back to the Buckingham Nicks days, was the earliest recorded song on the album and was taped during a concert in 1975 in Passaic New Jersey.

In a 1981 interview Lindsey Buckingham talked about the album, "Not surprisingly, the feeling I have when a live album is coming out is a little different than when I've spent a year in the studio working on albums like Rumours or Tusk. You spend a lot of time with a record and it starts to feel like your baby. Though with a group, obviously, it's everyone's baby. With the live album, the feeling isn't quite as tangible because I really didn't spend much time in the studio. It was more a question of assembling things that we already had, rather than building an album up from scratch."

On it's release Fleetwood Mac Live received mixed reviews with several comments about the sound quality and track selection. As a document of the recent 'Tusk Tour' the album falls flat with only eight tracks recorded live during 1979/1980. Having seen them a few months earlier I was excited when I picked up my copy but the overall effect of a live concert was ruined by the inclusion of the songs recorded during the soundcheck and those recorded in front of family and crew. It makes the whole album disjointed. Gaps between certain tracks also does not help. The fact that some of the tracks are from earlier tours was never an issue to me but I guess I was hoping for a memory of the concert I attended.

My comments in no way reflect on the quality of the material or my enjoyment of the album when it was first released. The live performances are excellent and it was great to hear how the band performed all the hits live on stage. I also had no real issues over the sound quality at the time.

Asked in 1981 if it was the right time for a live album Buckingham said, "It sort of put a cap on the last five years of touring and recording, I think. On this tour we really came together as a band in ways that we hadn't before, and I feel that the versions of most of the songs we were playing were as good as any we'd done. I think Mick wanted us to go right into the studio to start work on the next studio record, but instead we're taking a break, probably until May, to relax a little, work on our own projects or whatever. It feels good to have a breather for a change. It'll allow us to be fresh when we start the next album."

Recent deluxe editions have given us a wealth of previously unreleased live material. Fleetwood Mac included fourteen recordings from 1975 and 1976 while Rumours featured twelve tracks recorded during the 1977 tour. A DVD The Rosebud Film was also included which was a 1977 documentary film created to promote the European leg of the 'Rumours' tour. Featuring rehearsal footage, interviews and live footage from Santa Barbara in May 1976 performing World Turning, Go Your Own Way, You Make Loving Fun and others. Mirage included a live disc featuring thirteen tracks which, although I haven't checked, I believe are the same as on the video release.

However, it was the live recordings included on the deluxe edition of Tusk that are my favourites. Twenty-two songs on two CDs with a running time of over two hours, all recorded during the 'Tusk' tour. Based on various set-lists I have seen and my own memory, the songs create a complete concert from the period. A few tracks were recorded on the night I was there. 

Following the deluxe editions of Fleetwood Mac, Rumours, Tusk, Mirage and Tango In The Night finally Fleetwood Mac Live has been given the 'deluxe' treatment.

Rhino have given Fleetwood Mac Live a makeover which features a remastered version of the original album, presented on two CDs and 180-gram vinyl. More than an hour of previously unreleased live material, covering the years 1977, 1980 and 1982, appear on the third CD. The set also includes a vinyl single featuring previously unreleased demos of Fireflies and One More Night.

Presented in a 12x12 slipcase the vinyl album and single are housed in a gatefold sleeve which also houses the three CDs. A 16-page booklet includes liner notes and history of the original album by David Wild, a complete 'Tusk Tour' itinerary, track details (which unfortunately contains a few mistakes) and many rare photos.

They also released a 'tour' edition which included items of memorabilia - replica ticket, tour pass, advert, button and sticker. Unfortunately my finances couldn't stretch to this version. Compared to the deluxe edition of Tusk, which included 5 discs, this was already an expensive purchase.

The sound on the remastered original album is much better than the original release and this continues with the unreleased material. There are many highlights on the third disc including a great version of The Chain, a song which should have been included on the original album, Brown Eyes, Hold Me, Sisters Of The Moon, Angel and, as always, Christine McVie's beautifully sung Songbird. Lindsey Buckingham, having given a blistering performance of Oh Well on the original album, pays tribute to the early days of Fleetwood Mac once again with his version of The Green Manalishi (With The Two-Pronged Crown).

Songbird was always the encore and closing song on the tour and here it ends with the band thanking the audience and saying goodnight. This should have been the last song on the CD but it is followed by Blue Letter, before which Christine McVie once again thanks the audience! Personally I think the songs should have been swapped around as it would make more sense and, looking through several set lists from the tour, Blue Letter was the penultimate song performed before they returned for the encore!

There is a remix of Fireflies closing the CD and demos of both Fireflies and One More Night appear on the vinyl single. With a recording date of 2 September 1980, the day after the tour ended, the former would appear to be from the show the band gave to family and crew in Santa Monica. One More Night is listed as from 7 June 1979 and is possible taken from one of the many tour rehearsals. If so it would be great to hear more of this material.

My earlier comments regarding mistakes in the booklet refers to the dates listed for the tracks. Having already correctly stated in the liner notes that some tracks were recorded in 1977, it was confusing to find the same songs listed as from shows in 1979 and 1980. It doesn't take away from the enjoyment of the music but if you are going to include the information in the booklet then more effort should be made to provide the correct details. 

I loved the album when it first came out in 1980 and I am enjoying the deluxe edition, despite the price, my comments about some of the songs and the errors in the booklet, and it sits nicely alongside my other Fleetwood Mac 'Deluxe Editions'.