SS but not S

Alliteration is not of itself the best method of compilation.

I've just returned from my walk and it was superb, the first for a while because of the Christmas hiatus. Putting aside my 'twee' concerns, the music was an excellent addition to some fine weather after days of grey and rain. But 'Summertime' doesn't sit comfortably with 'Spoonful' and 'Statesboro Blues'. That's not news to me, but it wasn't until listening that this became patently obvious.

I haven't listened to all of the tracks - there are 36 - and most are new to me. In addition to this, the random order of tracks, dictated by the player and alphabet [though that's not particularly varied here!] and/or original number of tracks from their respective albums, complement the surprise element.

The 'Summertime' tracks I've heard so far are plaintive or melodramatic or more often than not lounge. A favourite so far is David Garrett's violin rendition, though that's the melodramatic one, and it isn't the blues. There's an amusing twangy version by Gabor Szabo. The first relatively frisky offering is by The Buckinghams. Anyway, if and when I burn to cd, 'Summertime' will not be a part of the overall compilation - it will have one on its own.

I first heard 'Spoonful' by Cream on 'Fresh Cream'. Like many, this is where I first heard the blues. I hadn't even heard of John Mayall at this point. I also heard 'Statesboro Blues' for the first time by Taj Mahal on 'The Rock Machine Turns You On' compilation [and I want to write about these compilations so this could be a long post]. The first blues album I bought was Decca's 'The World of Blues Power' which was still mainly white British blues. The first real blues album I bought was by Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee.

On my compilation the first 'Spoonful' that kicks in after 2 'Summertime' versions is by Ten Years After. Knowing this well, I forwarded to the next which is a stonking version from Ronnie Wood's latest album 'I Feel Like Playing'. I won't go through the lot [!] but I did then listen to a version of 'Summertime Blues' which was misplaced in one sense, but obviously more appropriate than the other! There are in fact two versions of this, a live and album pair by The Who - obviously - and that reminded me that my favourite version of this Cochran genius is by Blue Cheer, a rightly raucous offering.

Back to sampler compilations. My first was I think 'The Rock Machine....' and then perhaps its successor 'Rock Machine I Love You'. These were brilliant, as were others I will mention. Apart from introducing great music, they were a good price I seem to recall. The one that made the first huge impression was 'Fill Your Head With Rock', a double album showcasing CBS artists again. This introduced me to so many bands/artists I still adore, and it introduced Johnny Winter's 'I Love Everybody' which would make the top ten of my tens of thousands of favourites [though that hyperbole can be challenged]. Other great bands were Sreamhammer, Flock, Skin Alley and Pacific Gas and Electric. This compilation was followed by 'Rock Buster' including more tracks by the same bands with other new ones. I've spent a lifetime collecting these bands/singers and the others, as much on vinyl as possible.

English samplers that also made a huge impression were 'You Can All Join In' and 'Nice Enough To Eat', both Island compilations, and introduced me significantly to Quintessence, who have to be one of my all time...... I saw them on the concert circuit so many times - many free gigs, again I seem to recall] and I loved them then as I do know [and I recently got the two cd releases of '70 and '71 concerts]. I missed them at Glastonbury last year, but my daughter - a fan in her own right - saw them and it was a vicarious homage/pleasure for me, especially when she rang on the mobile to let me listen live to them playing. I could have cried if I wasn't a guy.

So, a list of other sampler/compilations I have on vinyl:

Way In - Polydor
Flying Bear Medicine Show - Fontana
Clogs - PEG
Listen Here - Transatlantic
Spirit of Rock - Probe
Super BEEB - BBC Old Grey Whistle Test
The World of Progressive Music - Decca
El Pea - Island
Handle With Care - Probe
Picnic A Breath of Fresh Air - Harvest
A Stereo Introduction to the Exciting World of Transatlantic - Contour