Kursaal Flyers – Little Does She Know – The Complete Recordings
Format: 4CD
Label: Cherry Red Records
Releasedatum: 22 mei 2020
Kursaal Flyers were an integral element of the ‘Thames Delta’ music scene emerging from the late 60s clubs into the bright lights of the 1970s pop world. Alongside contemporaries, and in some cases old schoolmates, in bands such as Dr Feelgood and Eddie & The Hot Rods , the Kursaal Flyers (named after a Southend amusement park carnival float) were a regular fixture on the Pub Rock and College circuit of 70s Britain.
Their sound was more diverse than their R&B contemporaries. Being influenced by American Country Rock, the band included banjo and pedal steel guitar as fixtures in their musical oeuvre. They toured Europe with The Flying Burrito Brothers.
The Kursaals were also notable for a wry observational sense of humour which the band’s songwriters, Will Birch and Graeme Douglas, regularly injected into the material. Complemented by the chameleon-like vocal styles employed by front man Paul Shuttleworth.
Disc One contains the two complete albums made for Jonathan King’s UK Records label in 1975, “Chocs Away” and “The Great Artiste”. Presented in a gatefold wallet to show the original artwork for both of the original LPs, these are the greatly enhanced remixed versions from 1991.
Disc Two has their first CBS album from 1976 ,”Golden Mile”, produced by Mike Batt, including both versions of their hit single Little Does She Know, the single edit, and the ‘kitchen sink’ LP version which come on like the 1812 Overture involving as they do the London Symphony Orchestra. Plus the non LP A+B-sides, and an unreleased track The Questionnaire.
Disc 3 has their live album recorded at The Marquee, “Five Live Kursaals” released by CBS in 1977. As live albums tend to do, these recordings highlight how the band truly were on stage, a highly energetic rock band with a raw sound belying their country roots. A particular image in the booklet gives further rise to their mood depicting the moment Paul would smash up TV sets on stage with an axe (in an homage to The Move). Plus three tracks which were unreleased at the time, from recording sessions with Muff Winwood aimed at a second CBS studio LP which was never finalised.
Disc 4 is their third studio LP, “A Former Tour De Force Is Forced To Tour” recorded in 1988 and exhibits a very strong country rock groove, which would not be out of place if released to today’s Americana market. The bonus tracks include a four song 1975 countryfied radio session, and a 1975 live recording in Southend of Route 66 which is interestingly somewhere between Bobby Troup’s nightclub jazz original and Chuck Berry’s RnB version.
This is the first time the complete recordings have been compiled together, all digitally remastered. Packaged in individual wallets, with a 24 page booklet that includes an essay on the band’s history written by music writer and band member Will Birch. Photos and memorabilia are from the archives of Will Birch and fellow band member Richie Bull.
Tracks:
Disc One
Chocs Away / The Great Artiste
01. Pocket Money
02. Hit Records
03. Kung Fu
04. Tennessee
05. Chocs Away
06. Speedway
07. Brakeman
08. Now I’m Back
09. Yellow Sox
10. Silver Wings
11. Cross Country
12. Ugly Guys
13. The Great Artiste
14. Fall Like The Rain
15. Cruisin’ For Love
16. Back To The Book
17. Palais De Danse
18. Pain And Misery
19. Hypochondriac
20. Television
21. Drinking Alone
Disc Two
The Golden Mile
01. Little Does She Know
02. One Arm Bandit
03. Drinking Socially
04. Two Left Feet
05. Modern Lovers
06. Street Of The Music
07. Radio Romance
08. When The Band’s On The Stand
09. Detroit Tin
10. Third Finger Left Hand
11. Ready To Go
12. Little Does She Know (Edit)
13. Girl Talk
14. The Questionnaire
15. The Sky’s Falling In On Our Love
16. Revolver
Disc Three
Five Live Kursaals
01. Original Model
02. Yellow Sox
03. Pocket Money
04. Cruisin’ For Love
05. The Sky’s Falling In On Our Love
06. Little Does She Know
07. Street Of The Music
08. Tv Dinners
09. Speedway
10. Revolver
11. On My Mind
12. Anna (Go To Him)
13. Friday On My Mind
14. Television Generation
15. Girlfriend Kinda Girl
16. Everything But A Heartbeat
17. Girls That Don’t Exist
Disc Four
A Former Tour De Force Is Forced To Tour
01. If You Would Only Talk To Me (Like You Talk To The Dog)
02. Pre-Madonna
03. Tonight Before Tonight
04. Man In Mohair
05. A Former Tour De Force Is Forced To Tour
06. Luxury Lane
07. My Sugar Turns To Alcohol
08. Paranoid Weekend
09. Old Men Need Some Lovin’ Too
10. Monster-In-Law
11. Cruisin’ For Love (Remake)
12. Slimmin’ (For The Women)
13. Walking To School
14. Route 66 (Live)
15. Tennessee (Radio Session)
16. Foggy Mountain Breakdown
(Radio Session)
17. Yellow Sox (Radio Session)
18. Route 66 (Radio Session)