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cover and one-page article in New Musical Express , February 5, 1972. AS A LITTLE KID, I was always into music very much. I didn't start writing until I was 17, and I'm 24 now. I had a guitar as a kid, but I used to just look in the mirror and wiggle about, that sort of stuff. Then somebody gave me another guitar and I'd been writing a lot of poetry, and I just picked it up one day and started writing songs. I knew some chords and that sort of thing. I sort of wrote mainly for about three years, but I didn't really play. I strummed about, but I wasn't consciously performing. I never did gig any where, even though I did make a couple of singles on my own. I slowly began to realise that I wanted to play live to people. And in realising that, I had to practice and learn how to play. I signed with Decca as a solo artist just around the time Donovan started, so 1 think they thought I was going to be Decca's Donovan or something. They had some fantasy in their head at Decca which I wasn't in volved in. The only thing Decca did for me was to change my name, actually. From Mara Fald they changed it to Bol-an, which was originally spelled B-o-w-4-a-n-d. I didn't really object-1 didn't really care, to be honest. We did the first sin gle called "The Wizard" at 10 o'clock in the morning and it was a two hour session for three numbers. And it was, in fact, the ONLY session I ever did for Decca. It came out here and got a lot of attention, it didn't sell, and people said Mmmmm, Interesting new face on the scene" and all that sort of jive. They thought the words were interesting, and the cat in the Observer wrote and said that I was the new Walter de la Mare or something, which I couldn't relate to at all. That was George Melly, actually, who is in fact very nice. I was just 17 then. IT TOOK TWO years to le-gally get out of the Decca thing and get away from the managers 1 had. And then I met a guy called Simon Napier-Ball who was managing the Yardbirds at that point, and I did a single with him called "Hippy Gumbo", which I dig. By then I was getting much more into being concerned with doing my own thing. I didn't produce the record, but I had a lot of control over what was done, or I thought I did anyway. I didn't realise that people could play about with tapes afterwards. And I slowly learnt. I never knew what mixing was and what I did sounded amazing, and then when I heard it back it didn't really sound very good. Again, the record did come out and there was a lot of interest. But for me the only intersting thing that came out of that period was watching the Yardbirds work. Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck were with them then, and I used to go to their sessions with them and watch them. And I did a "Ready, Steady, Go" with Hendrix. It was his first ever gig here. 'Hey Joe' was out, but it wasn't a hit, and it was amazing to watch him for the first time. Everyone else used to use backing tracks, but he was going to play live because they got him on the show the same day. And I was in the control room with the producer, just sit-ting about, when they start-ed "Hey Joe" and this old lady really freaked out and said "Turn the backing track down!" because it was really loud. All the machines were shaking. And they said "But there IS no backing track", and people blew it It because he was playing through four hundred watts of stacks and no-one had ever soon it. And that really interested me. And he came up and I spoke with him for a bit, and he said he dug the way I sung. And he said "One days you're gonna be very big and I thought "bull-shit", you know. THEN I MOVED on to Track, but hang on a minute while I catch us up. I did the single "Hippy Gumbo with Simon Napier-Bell, and then Track records, which was only just started by Kit Lambert, had a group which Simon managed called John's Children who were interesting visually. It was decided John's Children needed a kind of Pete Townsend. So they picked me. They said "Mare, we're gonna put you into this beat group". And it was alright. I never actually got involved with the guys, cause I was sort of brought in to be the writer. They resented that incredibly because they wrote songs which weren't very good, unfortunately. But most people who write bad songs tend to think of themselves as geniuses. I was really unsure of my own writing, but they thought anyone could write songs. We did rehearsing and went on tour with the Who in Germany, which was amazing. some I did "Desdemona" with that group, which was interesting. I dug doing it. But that was the only thing I did that didn't get tampered with. Because we did it and it was done, and Simon and them were going to do stuff to it, and it heard and really dug it. And they wanted, like, product so they put it out. A lot of people dug that record. Pete Townsend real-ly dug it. He got into it. I saw Hendrix later, and he really dug it. It was all sort of nice. It looked like it was going to be huge. It really felt like it was going to explode. Next I went in to record the next song, which was called "Mid-Summer Night's Scene", which was an interesting song as I had it. When I rehearsed it, it didn't really work out. We did one take and it sounded good and it really felt tight but very raw. I thought that was it. I thought "Wow, we got a follow up it's all over". I felt like it was going to be huge. Something like Zeppelin. It was, like, a lucky take. It was much better than we were. We were never very good live, because I couldn't play then. I could play three songs I went home and I heard it the next day, and it was a totally different thing. Simon had over-dubbed all these cobee-doo's. He used to be a film editor, so he thought he had to edit everything. A record's not a record until you cut it to pieces and then put it back again. And I heard it and I read to And people were so glad They said "Ah Maro the prima donna. I said "It's not going to work and I want to split". And I had nowhere to go, but they said "Yeah, good-bye Marc". They really promoted the group after that but nothing really happened. But it was so obvious, I told them. But now they say "Oh Marc you're so shrewd. And I say a cat with no cars could've told you. I was stuck with Track for a time. I've always had record companies that wouldn't let me go. I met stove Took shortly aft-er that. It was in the flower power summer-time. And I used to play in Hyde Park. I was really, like, busking, but I never had the balls to ask anyone for any money. We used to play a lot and then suddenly we were get ting big crowds around everywhere. You know, we were all right. I suppose I had a sort of funny little voice. So there was an interest. And it felt nice. Slowly John Peel got a copy of "Hippy Gumbo" and played it on Radio London the pirate station) and literally got thousands of people writing in. He came off the air and that was the end. And then the Middle Earth opened and they ask ed John to do something there for nothing, and we four record companies that said "Hey we want to sign you up and make you a star". Apple were interested, so obviously I said "Oh yeah!" But it didn't feel very good. It felt a bit lame and untogether. And Tony Vinsconti, who was working for Denny Cordell then, came down and was really excited. Regal Zoophone had just started with Procol Harum and the Move and Joe Cocker, all upcoming big acts. And I went up to their office and they were the only people to let me do an album. I said "I don't want to do a single, I want to do an al-bum, and in those days everybody did singles and not albums. Pink Floyd was about the only lead band to have an album out at that time. We did the album and fortunately, it was a big album. He knows it went along and just played. (They never had any mikes down there or anything). And it became sort of fashionable I suppose, and after a while we were pack-ing it solid 2,000 people and we'd got about 10 quid. It slowly grew and we had col lege people calling up and than in one week we had. Which surprised everyone, most of allus. But we workod for about six months doing it. But we did release 'Deborah as a single, and that was the biggest buzz of all That was our first single. They pressed seven hun-dred copies and sold them the first day, which is not really a lot now, but I thought "seven hundred people". It's a lot when you think that only four people know who you are. That re-cord got to about thirty in the charts, which threw everybody. We had a lucky year that first year. We with the feeling. The first two singles were successful and the first two albums were very big. Our older material wasn't arranged and rehearsed to any great extent. It was never excited that much about Steve's drumming the one thing he did really well was sing. He was a very good singer, he really had harmony. That's the only thing I miss, because Micky is not that good a singer in comparison with Steve. Steve got a bit destroyed with various stuff towards the end, but at that point whatever I sung he immediately came up with a harmony for it. I was very rehearsed but as a band well, we never rehearsed together at all. Because we didn't really get on. I knew exactly what I was going to do, and the fact that Steve could come in there in five minutes and sing it was great. Most of the noises and all of them things were things that happened at the sessions, although for myself I was very rehearsed on those songs I'd written the songs on the first album two years before. It was all old material. You know, there's mil-lions of songs we didn't use. A lot of it was going to be for John's Children. We did the first album in three sessions. The first album cost 400 quid, and "Deborah" cost thirty quid. We did it straight off in an hour. But we were mentally in tune together at that point. I remember Steve had been a kit drummer in a lot of groups. The reason we started out acoustic was purely be-cause Track records took back my guitars and amps. Steve had to sell his drum kit for us to live. We nicked somebody's bongos, and the guitar 1 used for the first year had a broken neck that was selle taped together. It cost me six quid. I used that for long time. Like we never had a pa. for two years. I just didn't trust anyone in the business. I trusted the kids, but I regarded myself as having been screwed so many times. I've mellowed to-wards that now. The reason our earlier re-cords were so ragged and bara, Ika "Prophets", wes because I was so paranoic of someone coming along and saying "Hey kid, you gotta put strings on that". For years everyone said that you had to have orchestras, you've got to have bass-and-drums and make it like a pop record. In my head there was this little block against anything like that. I thought "no man, I don't want it".

Released as a 7-inch vinyl single in the UK on January 28, 1972, on Polydor (catalogue: 2058 195), Slade’s “Look Wot You Dun” — backed with “Candidate” was written by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea, and Don Powell, Don wrote most of the lyrics. produced by Chas Chandler, the track entered the UK Singles Chart on February 5, 1972, peaked at No. 4, and charted for 10 weeks. The song’s phonetic title and pistol-shot beat sparked protests from teachers who felt it confused pupils, yet it became another massive glam-rock hit. Following their breakthrough hit "Get Down and Get With It," Slade experienced continued success with their subsequent single "Coz I Luv You," which reached the top of the UK charts in October 1971. Released as a follow-up in January 1972, "Look Wot You Dun" sustained the band's success, reaching No. 4 in the UK. This track was the second to feature Slade's characteristic misspelling in the title, after "Coz I Luv You." Upon its release, "Look Wot You Dun" drew criticism from teachers across the UK, who believed the phonetic spellings were confusing students. "Look Wot You Dun" was primarily composed by Lea and Powell. Once the initial concept was developed, Lea collaborated with Holder, who added his contributions. The song is notable for Powell's backing vocal contribution, providing the heavy breathing heard in the chorus. During the recording, Hill used Peter Frampton's guitar because adverse weather conditions over the Christmas period delayed the arrival of his own instrument at the studio. Release "Look Wot You Dun" was released on 7" vinyl by Polydor Records in the UK, Ireland, Europe, Scandinavia, Yugoslavia, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Brazil, Lebanon, and Japan. In the United States, it was released by Cotillion. The B-side, "Candidate," was included in the band's 1972 European compilation "Coz I Luv You" and later on the 2007 compilation "B-Sides." Cover of Slade's single "Look Wot You Dun," released in Belgium under the Polydor label with catalogue number 2058 195. Promotion To promote the single, two music videos were produced by Caravelle. The first was filmed at Chessington Zoo in London, while the second was recorded in a studio, featuring the band performing the song with Holder dressed as a magician. In the UK, Slade performed the track on the music show Top of the Pops, and in Germany, they appeared on Hits a GoGo. Critical Reception Upon release, Derek Johnson of the NME speculated that the band might achieve their second number one hit with "Look Wot You Dun." He described the track as an "immensely catchy number" that is "good honest pop – unpretentious, enormously entertaining, and thoroughly irresistible." He noted the song's "ungrammatical but colloquial title" and its "startling pistol-shot beat" as successful elements. Kevin Henry of the Manchester Evening News praised it as a "captivating piece of rock," highlighting the band's ability to "slow down the tempo" while maintaining excitement and rhythm. Deborah Thomas of the Daily Mirror labeled it a "misspelt smash of beat up blues." Mark Nelson of the Chester Chronicle predicted a "monster No. 1 hit," citing the "really great thumping beat" that compels listeners to dance. He added that it is "gimmicky, but irresistible." In the US, Cash Box noted the song's "closet-Lennon sound" and "many gimmicks," but recognized it as a "solid programming item on musical merits alone," suggesting it could establish the British chart-toppers in America. Track Listing A: Look Wot You Dun B: Candidate Production Producer – Chas. Chandler UK Variants UK – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single – Polydor 2058-195 UK – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single – Polydor 2058-195 UK – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single – Polydor 2058-195 UK – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single, Injection Solid Centre – Polydor 2058 195 UK – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single, Knock-out Center, Paper Labels – Polydor 2058 195 UK – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single, Solid Centre – Polydor 2058 195 UK Chart Performance Peak position: 4 10 weeks – February 5, 1972 to April 8, 1972 25 → 9 → 4 → 4 → 4 → 8 → 13 → 18 → 28 → 38 Worldwide Variants Argentina – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single, Promo – Polydor 1527, Polydor 2058195 Australia – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single – Polydor 2058 195 Austria – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single, Mono – Polydor 2058 195 Belgium – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single, Dark Green Logo Variant – Polydor 2058 195 Belgium – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single, Light Green Version – Polydor 2058 195 Belgium – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Yellow Logo Variant – Polydor 2058 195 Brazil – 1972: 7", 33 ⅓ RPM, Single, Stereo – Polydor 2058 195 Europe – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single – Polydor 2058 195 France – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single – Polydor 2058 195 Germany – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single – Polydor 2058 195 Italy – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Stereo – Polydor 2058 195 Japan – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single – Polydor DP 1860 Japan – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single, Promo – Polydor DP 1860 Lebanon – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single, Turquoise, Marbled – Polydor 2058 195 Netherlands – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single – Polydor 2058 195 Netherlands – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single, "Sitting Sleeve" – Polydor 2058 195 Netherlands – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single, "Sitting Sleeve", Paper Labels – Polydor 2058 195 1972 Netherlands release of Slade's 7" single "Look Wot You Dun" by Polydor (2058 195). New Zealand – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single, Mono – Polydor 2058 195 Norway – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo – Polydor 2058.195 Norway – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single – Polydor 2058 195, Polydor 2058.195 Philippines – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single – Polydor PRO-3303 Portugal – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single – Polydor 2058 195, Polydor 2 058 195 South Africa – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single – Polydor PS.196 Spain – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single – Polydor 20 58 195 UK – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single – Polydor 2058-195 UK – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single – Polydor 2058-195 UK – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single, Injection Solid Centre – Polydor 2058 195 UK – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single, Knock-out Center, Paper Labels – Polydor 2058 195 UK – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single, Solid Centre – Polydor 2058 195 US – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single – Cotillion 45-44150 US – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single, SRC Pressing – Cotillion 45-44150 US – 1972: 7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo, Mono, SRC – Cotillion 45-44150 Cover of Slade's 1972 single "Look Wot You Dun" released in Yugoslavia by Polydor Polydor S 53 654Legacy “Look Wot You Dun” is Slade’s second UK No. 1 — a stomping, misspelt glam-rock classic with that unmistakable pistol-shot beat. Verify catalogue 2058 195. Do you have Look Wot You Dun in your vinyl collection? Ready to look wot you dun? Share in the comments! Sources Information is drawn from my personal knowledge and supplemented by web sources, including Discogs, 45cat, AllMusic, Rate Your Music, Wikipedia and BBC Official Charts Company

Released as a 7-inch limited edition picture disc vinyl single in the UK by Virgin Records (catalogue: VSP 1767 / 7243 8 96486 76) on January 17, 2000, David Bowie’s “Survive” (Marius de Vries Mix) — backed with “Seven (Live)” — supported the album hours…. The single entered the UK Singles Chart on February 5, 2000, peaked at No. 28, and lasted 2 weeks. Track Listing A: Survive (Marius De Vries Mix) – 4:18 B: Seven (Live) – 4:17 Credits Co-producer – Marius De Vries (tracks: A), Reeves Gabrels (tracks: A) Producer – David Bowie Track B recorded live at the "Elysee-Montmartre", Paris, 14th October 1999. UK Chart Run Peak: 28 05/02/2000 – 28 12/02/2000 – 59 All Worldwide Formats & Variants Survive CD, Single Virgin – 7243 8 96487 2 0, Virgin – VSCDF 1767 UK & Europe 2000 1 Survive (Marius de Vries Mix) 2 Survive (Album Version) 3 Thursday Child (Live) 4 Seven (Live) 7", Limited Edition, Picture Disc Virgin – VSP 1767, Virgin – 7243 8 96486 76 UK 2000 A Survive (Marius De Vries Mix) B Seven (Live) CD, Single, Enhanced Virgin – 7243 8 96486 0 7, Virgin – VSCDT 1767 Europe 2000 1 Survive (Marius de Vries Mix) – 4:18 2 Survive (Album Version) – 4:11 3 The Pretty Things Are Going To Hell (Stigmata Film Version) – 4:46 Video Survive – 3:37 CD, Single, Enhanced, Collectors' Edition Live CD Virgin – 7243 8 96487 0 6, Virgin – VSCDX 1767, Virgin – 8 96487 0 Europe 2000 1 Survive (Live) – 4:10 2 Thursday's Child (Live) – 5:37 3 Seven (Live) – 4:07 Video Survive (Live In Paris) – 4:08 CD, Single, Promo, Cardsleeve Virgin – VSCDJ 1767 Europe 2000 1 Survive (Marius de Vries Mix) 2 Survive (Album Version) CD, Single, Cardboard Sleeve Virgin – VSCDE 1767, Virgin – 7243 8 96486 21 Europe 2000 1 Survive (Marius de Vries Mix) 2 Survive (Album Version) CDr, Single, Promo Virgin – none UK 2000 1 Survive (Marius de Vries Mix) 2 Survive (Album Version) CDr Virgin – VSP/VSCDT/VSCDX 1767 UK & US 2000 1 Survive (Marius de Vries Mix) 2 Survive (Album Version) 3 The Pretty Things Are Going To Hell (Stigmata Film Version) 4 Survive (Live) 5 Thursday's Child (Live) 6 Seven (Live) CDr, Single, Promo Virgin – none, Virgin Records Ltd. – none UK 2000 1 Survive (Marcus de Vries Edit) 2 Survive (Album Edit) Legacy A moody electronic single from Bowie's late-'90s introspection phase. The picture disc is the rarest — grab it if you spot one. Do you have Survive in your stack? Ready to survive? Share in the comments! Sources Information is drawn from my personal knowledge and supplemented by web sources, including Discogs, 45cat, AllMusic, Rate Your Music, Wikipedia and BBC Official Charts Company Whilst every effort is made to provide accurate information, mistakes do happen. Simply leave a comment and the post will be updated. Thank you.

Released in the UK on April 17, 2020, by Parlophone Records (catalogue: DB 2020 001), David Bowie’s The Width Of A Circle is a two-CD companion piece to the 2020 reissue of The Man Who Sold The World (restored as Metrobolist). The set celebrates the 50th anniversary of the original 1970 album with 21 previously unreleased or rare tracks, including BBC sessions, TV play music, non-album singles, and fresh 2020 remixes by Tony Visconti. The title comes from the opening track of the original album. The release also includes a limited 10" vinyl single and high-resolution (96kHz/24bit) digital EP featuring four newly remixed non-album singles. Track Listing CD 1 – The Sunday Show Introduced by John Peel Recorded February 5, 1970, broadcast February 8, 1970 Performed by David Bowie and The Tony Visconti Trio (aka The Hype) Amsterdam God Knows I’m Good Buzz The Fuzz Karma Man London Bye, Ta-Ta An Occasional Dream The Width Of A Circle Janine Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud Unwashed And Somewhat Slightly Dazed Fill Your Heart The Prettiest Star Cygnet Committee Memory Of A Free Festival CD 2 The Looking Glass Murders aka Pierrot In Turquoise When I Live My Dream Columbine The Mirror Threepenny Pierrot When I Live My Dream (Reprise) Singles The Prettiest Star (Alternative Mix) – single mix for US promo (Mercury MF 1135, March 6, 1970) London Bye, Ta-Ta – mono mix (final B-side rejected, later on Sound & Vision 1989) London Bye, Ta-Ta (1970 Stereo Mix) – later on reformatted Sound & Vision 2003 Memory Of A Free Festival (Single Version Part 1 & 2) – re-recorded electric version (Mercury 6052 026, June 26, 1970) Holy Holy – non-album A-side (Mercury 6052 049, January 15, 1971) Sounds Of The 70’s: Andy Ferris Show Recorded March 25, 1970, broadcast April 6, 1970 Waiting For The Man The Width Of A Circle The Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud The Supermen (Bowie At The Beeb vinyl only) Performed by David Bowie and The Hype 2020 Mixes The Prettiest Star (2020 Mix) London Bye, Ta-Ta (2020 Mix) Memory Of A Free Festival (Single Version - 2020 Mix) All The Madmen (Single Edit 2020 Mix) Holy Holy (2020 Mix) Do you have The Width Of A Circle in your collection? Ready for the circle? Share in the comments! Sources Information is drawn from my personal knowledge and supplemented by web sources, including davidbowie.com, Discogs, 45cat, AllMusic, Rate Your Music, Wikipedia and BBC Official Charts Company

Bolan's Blues-to-Disco Vault Collection Marc Bolan’s passions included the blues, soul, rock ‘n’ roll, hard rock and disco-soul, and his intent to explore these genres are all visited on this collection of classic album tracks and singles. His influences – Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton/Cream and Bob Dylan are all apparent amongst the material on Shadowhead, but the music here is unique. Bolan’s creative fire produced a phenomenal catalogue of work: the material on this album was recorded over five years (1972 – 1976), in seven studios, in five countries. Marc Bolan & T.Rex Shadowhead (1LP 180g Black Vinyl) Release Date: February 5, 2021 This record provides insights into Bolan’s creative process whilst keeping the essence of the music in its classic form. Shadowhead showcases the development of tracks such as Precious Star and Groove A Little, and a track that made its public debut on the CD release, Blues Jam (Dreamy Lady Session). Other tracks reveal many of the instruments and sounds from the master tapes to enable the working processes to be more clearly understood. Pressed on 180g black vinyl with outer and inner sleeve. Track Listing Midnight [master version] Rapids [working version] Hang-Ups [master version] Do You Wanna Dance [master version] Baby Boomerang [master version] Truck On (Tyke) [master version] Blues Jam [Dreamy Lady Session] [jam] London Boys [master version] Lady [master version] Buick Mackane [master version] Stand By Me [working version] Precious Star [working version] Fast Blues (Easy Action) [master version] Dreamy Lady [master version] All My Love [working version] Did you have Shadowhead in your collection? Were you ready for Bolan's 1972–1976 creative fire? Share in the comments!

1972's Toronto Chaos to Stardom The one-page article in New Musical Express (February 5, 1972) reflected on Alice Cooper Group's journey from near-disaster to stardom. It recalled their frightening 1969 Toronto Rock And Roll Revival performance—marked by a scared chicken, a battered watermelon, Neal Smith climbing speakers, and the band needing to get drunk to go on stage—where they were easily the worst act until Yoko Ono appeared. The piece credited their success to producer Bob Ezrin, nicknamed "Boy Wonder," who took them in hand over a year ago and became a full partner in Jack Richardson's Nimbus 9 organization (home to The Guess Who). Article Overview Publication Details Magazine: New Musical Express (UK). Date: February 5, 1972. Format: One-page feature article. SOME THIRTY MONTHS ago I first experienced Alice Cooper. Alice was new to the rock and roll game then, fresh out of Arizona, a state totally unrenowned for its pop music contributions. Even taking into account Alice's inexperience. the greatest surprise is not that Alice has since gone on to be-come a first-rate star, but that he survived at all. We were at the 1969 Rock And Roll Revival in Toronto, one of this continent's last great pop festivals. After all this time the memories remain fresh the very frightened chicken, a battered water melon, and guitarist Neal Smith climbing banks of speakers, supposedly in search of meaning but more apparently trying to disassociate himself from the chaos be-low. "We were scared," Neal admits now. "The only way we could go on stage was to get drunk first." Until Yoko Ono made her appearance. Alice was easily the worst performer of the day. So why is Alice suddenly a star? He didn't make a success of himself without some outside help. By no coincidence, his real success dates back to the day he was taken in hand by Bob Ezrin. Since that time Ezrin has earned himself the nickname "Boy Wonder" and become a full partner in Jack Richard-son's Nimbus 9 (The Guess Who) organization. But just over a year ago he was merely another young producer. The day Ezrin told me he was taking on Alice, I laughed. old Bob Alice could never be a big recording name. Ezrin sim-ply told me I was wrong and Bob Ezrin, boy wonder of rock left it at that. Two months later Alice had a hit single, Eighteen. Now I'm a believer, not so much in Alice, although his added sophistication makes his performance easier to take, as in Ezrin. Ezrin has taught Alice how to make music as effective as his refurbished stage act. With a raw, rough-and-tumble approach to production. he has re-captured the simple drive of classic rock and roll. It's Ezrin's production hand that makes "Killer", Alice's second album for Bob, such a fine recording. But Ezrin has not restricted himself to Alice. Long-time Detroit shouter Mitch Ryder has suddenly resurfaced with his first hit record in four years. The album is called "Detroit". beats everything Ryder record-ed in his prime for Bob Crewe. and was produced by Ezrin. At the present time Ezrin has three other acts ready for release. That makes five groups, all American, that have come to Canadian producer Ezrin. Give him another year and Ezrin may have resurrected rock and roll. Paul Anka found himself blacklisted by the Musicians Union this week. The Union claims Anka did not pay his sidemen on the recent Paul Anka album according to union regulations. Anka retorted that the union claims are ridiculous because all the musicians are contracted to his record company. "Get It On" by T. Rex is back on the radio charts here. The song made a brief appearance last fall but dropped off quickly. The radio stations have not explained why they're picking up on it again but odds are the song found some support in Los Angeles. Don McLean went on Dick Cavett's late-night Ameri-can television show to explain that he doesn't know what American Pie means. Seems the song is just a collection of images, like the old Dylan songs. The Guess Who went back to the studios this weekend. For the first time since "Canned Wheat" the Winnipeg group is recording in Los Angeles rather than Chicago. "What could be worse than Chicago in winter?" asked producer Jack Richardson. Now Crowbar is planning on April for a British tour. At least that's this week's plan. next week, who knows? The band flew to New York yester-day to begin a new album. "It's an album about America. Where else can you record an album like that?" leader Kelly Jay Fordham wanted to know. The band flies home to Hamilton for a rare local appearance on Wednesday and returns to New York on Thursday. Babe Cooper, the less-than-regal bass player for King Biscuit Boy, has taken excер-tion to my disparaging remarks about Biscuit's sidemen. "You only stayed for two sets and you have the nerve to say that." he charged last week. He's wrong. I left in the middle of the second set. ALICE COOPER: The production, by Bob Ezrin, makes group's latest album such a fine recording. Did you have this NME article in your archive? Were you ready for Alice's early chaos? Share in the comments!

1972's Boa & Calendar Cover Classic Alice Cooper Group’s album Killer was released in the UK by Warner Bros. Records (catalog number K 56005) on November 27, 1971. It entered the UK Albums Chart on February 5, 1972, at number 49, where it charted for one week. Upon the success of School’s Out (album & single), it re-entered the chart peaking at number 27. The cover included a close-up of a boa constrictor (Kachina) and there was a fold-out hanging calendar of Alice. The snake belonged to Neal Smith who said "Kachina was on the road, you can't take a dog or a cat on the road. The snake was great, she ate rats once a month." Neal continued "I used to carry it in a carpet bag. You could take anything on a plane in those days. I have a classic picture where we're waiting for an airplane and there's this little old lady sitting next to this carpet bag with a seven-foot boa constrictor in it." Tracklist Side 1 Under My Wheels Be My Lover Halo Of Flies Desperado Side 2 You Drive Me Nervous Yeah, Yeah, Yeah Dead Babies Killer Release Notes The debut single from the album, "Under My Wheels," was penned by Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway, and Bob Ezrin. This track was performed on the program "The Old Grey Whistle Test" as well as the West German show "Beat-Club." It reached number 59 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The second single, "Be My Lover," was released in the US on February 8, 1972, and in the UK on March 17. Written by guitarist Michael Bruce and produced by Bob Ezrin, the song achieved the No. 49 spot in the US and stayed on the charts for ten weeks. In Korea, the album was released in two distinct color variations: one in green and the other in blue, with the blue version featuring the previous album printed on the back. Did you have Killer in your collection? Were you ready for the boa constrictor cover? Share in the comments! Did you have Killer in your collection? Were you ready for the boa constrictor cover? Share in the comments! Sources Information is drawn from my personal knowledge and supplemented by web sources, including Discogs, 45cat, AllMusic, Rate Your Music, Wikipedia and BBC Official Charts

David Bowie’s "Hunky Dory - The Best Album Bowie Has Ever Done", a one-page advert in Melody Maker, February 5, 1972 DAVID Bowie stars in The Old Grey Whistle Test on BBC-2 next Tuesday DAVID BOWIE "Hunky Dory" is not only the best album Bowie has ever done, it's also the most inventive piece of songwriting to have appeared on record for a considerable time.' (M.W Melody Maker) "HUNKY DORY" SF 8244 Including his hit single "CHANGES" RCA 2160

Scrapbook from an Unknown Publication, February 5, 1977.

Melody Maker cover, February 5, 1972. T. REXTASY swept out of the concert halls into the record shops last week with over a quarter of a million fans surging to buy Marc Bolan's latest composition "Telegram Sam." The record jumped up to number two in the chart this week. T. Rex are currently preparing for their first bill-top-ping US tour.

Record Mirror, February 5, 1972. POPPA JOE RCA 2164 NEW HIT SINGLE FROM THE SWEET

(GLOBAL) (UK chart‑entry dates verified from Official Charts Company ) Virginia Plain UK Retail Release: August 4, 1972 UK Chart Entry: August 19, 1972 U.S. Release: 1972 (month and day unknown) Pyjamarama UK Retail Release: February 23, 1973 UK Chart Entry: March 10, 1973 U.S. Release: Not issued Street Life UK Retail Release: November 2, 1973 UK Chart Entry: November 17, 1973 U.S. Release: 1973 (month and day unknown) All I Want Is You UK Retail Release: October 11, 1974 UK Chart Entry: October 19, 1974 U.S. Release: 1974 (month and day unknown) Love Is the Drug UK Retail Release: September 26, 1975 UK Chart Entry: October 11, 1975 U.S. Release: 1975 (month and day unknown) Both Ends Burning UK Retail Release: November 21, 1975 UK Chart Entry: December 6, 1975 U.S. Release: 1975 (month and day unknown) Virginia Plain (1977 Reissue) UK Retail Release: October 1977 (day unknown) UK Chart Entry: October 22, 1977 U.S. Release: Not issued Trash UK Retail Release: February 23, 1979 UK Chart Entry: March 3, 1979 U.S. Release: 1979 (month and day unknown) Dance Away UK Retail Release: April 13, 1979 UK Chart Entry: April 28, 1979 U.S. Release: 1979 (month and day unknown) Angel Eyes UK Retail Release: July 13, 1979 UK Chart Entry: August 11, 1979 U.S. Release: 1979 (month and day unknown) Over You UK Retail Release: May 2, 1980 UK Chart Entry: May 17, 1980 U.S. Release: 1980 (month and day unknown) Oh Yeah (On the Radio) UK Retail Release: July 25, 1980 UK Chart Entry: August 2, 1980 U.S. Release: 1980 (month and day unknown) The Same Old Scene UK Retail Release: October 31, 1980 UK Chart Entry: November 8, 1980 U.S. Release: 1980 (month and day unknown) Jealous Guy UK Retail Release: February 13, 1981 UK Chart Entry: February 21, 1981 U.S. Release: Not issued More Than This UK Retail Release: March 29, 1982 UK Chart Entry: April 3, 1982 U.S. Release: 1982 (month and day unknown) Avalon UK Retail Release: June 4, 1982 UK Chart Entry: June 19, 1982 U.S. Release: 1982 (month and day unknown) Take a Chance with Me UK Retail Release: September 10, 1982 UK Chart Entry: September 25, 1982 U.S. Release: 1982 (month and day unknown) Love Is the Drug (Live) UK Retail Release: October 1990 (day unknown) UK Chart Entry: October 13, 1990 U.S. Release: Not issued Love Is the Drug (1996 Reissue) UK Retail Release: April 1996 (day unknown) UK Chart Entry: April 27, 1996 U.S. Release: Not issued

1972's Sweet Pressure & Success The two-page article in Record Mirror (February 5, 1972) featured drummer Mick Tucker reflecting on the band's rapid rise and mounting pressure. Tucker expressed that he once thought a hit record would mean he had "cracked it," but success only pushes for bigger things. Now, just five months after "Co-Co," he already felt like a has-been and was frightened of not getting another hit. Article Overview Publication Details Magazine: Record Mirror (UK). Date: February 5, 1972. Format: Two-page feature article. "I always thought wouldn't it be great to get a hit record, I'd have cracked it", says drummer Mick Tucker. "But your move on to bigger things all the time, and now it's only just beginning. Now I'm frightened of not getting a hit record. It's only five months since 'Co-Co' The comparative failure of their 'Alexander Graham Bell' single has noticeably shaken Sweet, and has been largely responsible for their concentration on European work. But with the release of 'Poppa Joe', another up tempo belter of a single, they will be back working around British ballrooms. "While we have hits here the reaction is great. There are always girls clamouring in the front row and they dig it all. But in Germany we're the number one pop group, and have a good following in Sweden particularly. We consistently get letters from giris abroad whether we're in the charts at that moment or not." Sweet's audience consists largely of females, a situation they accept not too unhappily! The four group members have worked with other bands for many years and appreciate the differences that three hit records in the space of only one year can make. Financially they are more stable impulse buying is easy. They all have their own private cars, as well as the group's Rover, and a comfortable wage to live on each week. The rest of their earnings go into communal bank account, which serves to keep the group running. During their formation more desperate measures were necessary to keep the group financially buoyant. Mick Tucker a founder member sold with vocalist Brian Connolly his car to provide some cash. After leaving school at fifteen, he had learned to play drums with the help of a friend, knocking out rhythms on an old tyre in the garage where he worked. Later, auditioning for a job with the Fortune Tellers he had taken a nerve-wracked hour setting up his £65 Edgware drum kit. But the job was his, and with it such financial rewards as £12 for three hours work, to be split between the group! "We were green as grass", Mick admits. "But when I was with them we worked at the Clay Pigeon (near to his Ruislip home) with Wainwright's Gentlemen. They were a seven piece group with lan Gillan. They were so good. I remember someone saying - 'follow that', and I felt awful." But with a later audition Mick became their drummer and stayed with them for three years. Brian Connolly - fostered under the name of McManus, but born to unknown parents in Scotland with the name Connolly - had been working to the same point as Mick Tucker, in a very different way. Did you have this Record Mirror article in your archive? Were you ready for Mick Tucker's fears? Share in the comments!

One Page Music Scene Magazine, February 1, 1974 CRIMSON EARTH MOTT THE HOOPLE ELTON JOHN MOTT THE HOOPLE & QUEEN YES J.S.D. BAND SAM SLOW AND THE ZINGERS Readers Report CRIMSON EARTH by Jock Graham RECENTLY I went to a local hall to see Amon Duul II, but owing to something wrong with their vocalist, they didn't turn up, so another group by the name of Crimson Earth turned up. They had only eight hours notice so it was good work. The group consists of five members, two guitarists, one drummer, bassist, one vocalist. They played numbers such as "Railroad" (by Status Quo). "Easy Road" (by Wishbone Ash), this I considered better than the original. They were on for one and a half hours with a ten minute break in which all the group members left the stage apart from the lead guitarist who gave a mind-blowing ten minute solo. Their vocalist stands out most, be-cause of his vast bulk! Good vocalist though. They also did some of their own material which was good & funky. Their stage act I'm afraid leaves much to be desired. With the bassist bouncing about, freaking it and good knows what else, while the rest of the group tried their best to disown him. The 2nd guita-rist must either have been deaf/dumb or Irish, because he neither spoke nor moved, but the music was excellent, a great evening. The price of tickets? A mere 30p. MOTT THE HOOPLE by Helen Akitt I WAS a bit worried that I would find the town hall full of boppers; like everyone else I'd read of Mott's enormous U.S. successes. However the capacity crowd proved to be musically appreciative Queen opened the night, playing a pro-mising set, and were well received. Amid cheers of relief it was announced that despite the bomb scare, Mott would still play. From the moment they hit the stage, Mott had the audience with them; an audience which would have been on its feet from the first number, "Drivin' Sist-er", had the bouncers allowed it. Mon-day was the first night of their tour, and as lan said, it was a long time since they'd played Leeds. We were glad to have them back. The P.A. was really excellent - a rare feature nowadays and every word could be easily distinguished. "Hymn For the Dudes", and "Rosie" were per-formed with a poignancy that almost had the audience in tears, "Roll Away The Stone was greeted with rapturous applause, although "Angeline", the only early track they played, was obviously less well known. But, surprisingly, it was "All The Young Dudes", and not "Memphis", which had the audience really going, and the crowd was allowed to surge for-ward for the rest of the set, during which Mick Bolton and Morgan Fisher proved their worth on keyboards. Unfortunately, crammed against the stage, the vocals got lost, and we could only distinguish "Violence" from Aerial Bender's familiar guitar chords. He seemed definitely at home in the band, carrying on a mock battle with lan, who stood majestically still and silent against Buffin's drums, eyes closed and head thrown back, looking like a victorious king after battle. But he had every reason to look proud, for Mott have at last, it seems, found the right direction, and have reached the top without losing any of their musical highness. Besides, anyone who has the ability to move a crowd to the extent they moved the audience that night, has a right to be proud. ELTON JOHN by Judy Clough ON NOVEMBER 29, my friend, her friend and I went to see Elton John. He was playing at the King's Hall, Belle Vue. We arrived late and Kiki Dee had already started. She was very good and I can't see why she's not been re-cognised by the public before now. At about 9.15 Elton John came on. The first number was "Funeral For A Friend" from "Yellow Brick Road". It was very dark and a mist was all over the stage, suddenly, a spotlight went on and Elton was sat at the piano. The whole show was brilliant, with most of the music coming from the "Yellow Brick Road" album. Tracks such as "Grey Seal", Benny And The Jets" and "Love Lies Bleeding". For the encore Elton sang "Crocodile Rock" and "Saturday Night" and with both of them everyone was singing along. He left the stage at about 10.45 for a well-earned rest. It was a really great night and a good time was had by one and all. I would re-commend anyone to go and see Elton John when he's in their town. MOTT THE HOOPLE & QUEEN by P. Fearnley ON MONDAY, November 12, I went to see Mott at Leeds Town Hall. Their sup-port group were Queen, a fairly new group which should go far. They came on dressed to kill, with the lead singer brandishing part of a mike-stand like a sword. They went through the first two songs mentioned below, adding a heavy rock theme to them and the other three were just great. "Jailhouse Rock", "Hey Big Spender" (Eartha Kitt rememb-er?) "Liar", "Keep Yourself Alive", and "Sons & Daughters". Live-gig reports from Music Scene Readers. Send about 200 words on any gig, by a well-known group or a local band, to Readers Report, Music Scene, Fleetway House, Farringdon Street, London EC4A 4AD. The authors of reports printed will each receive an LP record token. And don't forget; write good and none of that gooey-eyed fan mail stuff. After Queen's set we were warned that someone had said that a bomb was to go off in the hall at 9.45. At nine, with no further ado, Mott came on with an amplification unit sounding like a bomb. After a few heavyrock numbers, lan asked for sil-ence and then they did "Rose" (The moving, quiet B-side of "Honaloochie Boogie") During "All The Young Dudes" the balcony seemed to sag below us and downstairs the crowd stormed to the stage, not to disperse until almost an hour later when the concert finished. The other numbers played included 'Roll Away The Stone" (the first time they played it live), "All The Way from Memphis", "Hymn For The Dudes" and "Rock And Roll Queen" The encore was fantastic, including a brilliant guitar solo from Aerial Bender, some throbbing drumming from Buffin, a bird-shaped guitar (Overend's) and some great vocals from lan as they went through the themes of "Get Back" and "Jean Genie" (among others). Then all too soon, it was all over, but it went like a bomb. YES by Caroline Churcher AS THE lights fade, so Stravinsky's "Firebird Suite" begins. Before it too has faded, the hall echoes with the sounds of cheering as five discernible figures appear in the darkness on stage. And for the next three hours, the Winter Gardens at Bournemouth resounds to the music of Yes. Verging on the classical, they devoted the first half of the concert to their best album to date "Close to the Edge". The album is great, but to hear it live is like hearing it for the first time. But if that was good, the second half was quite exceptional. Far from resting on their laurels, Yes have composed a symphony so unique that it will be no easy task to surpass it. "Tales from Topographic Oceans" (Jon Anderson's brainchild) is immaculate, and their performance was spellbinding. The intensity with which they executed the four movement work transferred itself to the audience, and after eighty minutes of music, Yes received well de-served appreciation. They did "Rounda-bout for a loudly entreated encore. Special mention must go to Roger Dean for his incredible stage set, and Mike Tait for superb lighting. Definitely "Concert of the Year" for me. J.S.D. BAND by Vicky McCutcheon KNOWING LITTLE or nothing about them, I went to see the J.S.D. band playing at the local Polytechnic on November 18. My attitude being, any group who dares to venture across the Irish Sea deserves all the support they can get. When I arrived the support group (who aren't widely known) were playing to an estimated crowd of five people two of whom were ever faithful jobswor thies. However around 11 o'clock, straight from the nearby pubs, arrived a few more rockers and the hall begin to fill up. The singer began by apologising for being sober, due to the fact that there was no pub on the premises they mustn't have known that there is always a pub within throwing distance in Ire-land. The J.S.D. band come from Scotland and their music was in true Scottish style -jigs and reels played on a violin. The appreciative audience were soon on their feet dancing, apart from a few at the front who were either too drunk or too lazy to move. The two most memorable and popular numbers proved to be "Glasgow" and "The Fox". At 1.30 a.m. the band were finally allowed to leave the stage and an ex-hausted audience crawled home to bed. SAM SLOW AND THE ZINGERS by Sebastian Tombs IN GOING to see this group at our local disco, I treated it as just another night out; a quick dance with me girl (I'm not a very good dancer), walk her home and say "Good Night". But as I was about to find out, tonight I was in for a big sur-prise. Although they didn't sing many of their own songs, I was able to judge the quality of their sound, and their appear-ance. They had a stereo-typed sound, loud with a lot of echo, terrific. This was greatly emphasized when they did a rendering of "Free Electric Band" that Albert Hammond would be proud of. They looked an expensive group to set up, as the stage was crammed with equipment. There was plenty of cha-racter in the lead singer. He had all the capacity to lead his group into stardom. The power to get to all the crowd was there also they got to everyone even me and believe me, I take a lot of getting to. The original material that they did was alright, too. I especially liked one called "Dusty Red Knight". It was a stompy, easy-to-learn, song, but the lyrics were thrown together, e.g. "Dusty red knight, yer makin' me fight, Dusty red knight, yer gonna tell 'em yer right..." etc. etc. They were clearly taking advantage of the audience's ignorance (which could be a good quality for a future commercial group). But apart from that, they had all the get-up-and-go to make it big (if they get a better lyricist), All in all, I think I did enjoy myself.

David Bowie’s "Starman"  backed with "Suffragette City" , was released as a 7-inch vinyl single in the UK by RCA Records (catalog number RCA 2199) on April 28, 1972. The song was recorded the song on February 4. 1972 at Trident Studios in London with his backing band known as the Spiders from Mars – comprising guitarist Mick Ronson, bassist Trevor Bolder and drummer Mick Woodmansey. The song was a late addition to the album, written as a direct response to RCA's request for a single; it replaced the Chuck Berry cover "Round and Round" on the album. The lyrics describe Ziggy Stardust bringing a message of hope to Earth's youth through the radio, salvation by an alien "Starman". The chorus is inspired by "Over the Rainbow", sung by Judy Garland, while other influences include T. Rex and the Supremes. Upon release, "Starman" sold favorably and earned positive reviews. Following Bowie's performance of the song on the BBC television programme Top of the Pops, the song reached number 10 on the UK Singles Chart and helped propel the album to number five. It was his first major hit since "Space Oddity" three years earlier. The performance made Bowie a star and was watched by a large audience, including many future musicians, who were all affected by it; these included Siouxsie Sioux, Bono, Robert Smith, Boy George and Morrissey. Retrospectively, the song is considered by music critics as one of Bowie's finest. info courtesy Wikipedia Label: RCA Victor Country: UK Catalogue: RCA 2199

Tyrannosaurus Rex's Early Peel Broadcast The first session by the band Tyrannosaurus Rex, originally recorded on October 30, 1967, for John Peel’s Top Gear, was repeated on February 4, 1968. The songs performed were: Scenescof Child Star Highways Hot Rod Mama Dwarfish Trumpet Blues Pictures of Purple People Did you have this Top Gear repeat in your archive? Were you ready for early Tyrannosaurus Rex? Share in the comments! Sources Information is drawn from my personal knowledge and supplemented by web sources, including Discogs, 45cat, AllMusic, Rate Your Music, Wikipedia and BBC Official Charts

Humble Pie Cancellation Notice Published in the UK on February 4, 1972, Melody Maker featured an advert for Mott The Hoople’s concert at Waltham Forest Technical College, Forest Road, London, E.17, on Friday, February 4th, with support from Hookfoot. Due to illness, Humble Pie would regretfully not be appearing. Doors open 7.30, with tube access via Victoria Line, lights & bar available. Enquiries: 521 3576. Advert Overview Publication Details Magazine: Melody Maker (UK). Date: February 5, 1972. Format: One-page advert. WALTHAM FOREST TECHNICAL COLLEGE FOREST ROAD, LONDON, E.17 This Friday, February 4th MOTT THE HOOPLE HOOKFOOT Due to illness, Humble Pie will regretfully not be appearing Doors open 7.30. Tube: Victoria Line Lights & Bar Enquiries 521 3576 Did you have this Melody Maker advert in your archive? Were you ready for Mott The Hoople at Waltham Forest? Share in the comments! Sources Information is drawn from my personal knowledge and supplemented by web sources, including Discogs, 45cat, AllMusic, Rate Your Music, Wikipedia and BBC Official Charts

Marc Bolan’s "Marc Bolan" , a one-page article in Circus Magazine , February 1, 1973.

The first vinyl release of the 2001 album David Johansen and the Harry Smiths, on RSD Black Friday (November 28, 2025) release as a numbered, 180g One Step Pressing Vinyl LP. Following the recent passing of the iconic American artist David Johansen (former lead singer of the hugely influential New York Dolls). David's enigmatic ability to hop and bend from genre to genre was put on display with this release, and its folksy blues was met with much love from critics and fans alike. It's a vital chapter in the story of this American icon. James Alley Blues Tracklist A1 James Alley Blues A2 Darling, Do You Remember me? A3 Delia A4 Little Geneva A5 Well, I've Been To Memphis B1 Katie Mae B2 Old Dog Blue B3 Somebody Buy Me A Drink B4 Poor Boy Blues B5 Don't Start Me Talking B6 Oh Death This RSD Black Friday release is a SACD Hybrid Stereo reissue, previously out-of-print album 'David Johansen and the Harry Smiths', following the recent passing of the iconic American artist David Johansen (former lead singer of the hugely influential New York Dolls). David's enigmatic ability to hop and bend from genre to genre was put on display with this release and this folksy blues was met from much love from critics alike, it's a vital chapter in the story of the American icon. Tracklist 1. James Alley Blues 2. Darling, Do You Remember Me 3. Delia 4. Little Geneva 5. Well, I've Been To Memphis 6. Katie Mae 7. Old Dog Blue 8. Somebody Buy Me a Drink 9. Poor Boy Blues 10. On the Wall 11. Don't Start Me Talking 12. Oh Death 13. Richland Woman

Slade’s "Better Slade" , a one-page article in Music Scene Magazine , February 1, 1974.