Climax Blues Band - Live, Rare & Raw 1973-1979 [4 CD, 2014]

 

Led by Colin Cooper, the former frontman of the R&B unit the Hipster Image, the Stafford, England-based Climax Chicago Blues Band were one of the leading lights of the late-'60s blues boom. A sextet also comprised of guitarists Derek Holt and Peter Haycock, keyboardist Arthur Wood, bassist Richard Jones, and drummer George Newsome, the group debuted in 1969 with a self-titled effort recalling the work of John Mayall. Prior to the release of 1969's Plays On, Jones left the group, prompting Holt to move to bass. In 1970 the Climax Chicago Blues Band moved to the Harvest label, at the same time shifting toward a more rock-oriented sound on the LP A Lot of Bottle. Around the release of 1971's Tightly Knit, Newsome was replaced by drummer John Holt; upon Wood's exit in the wake of 1972's Rich Man, the unit decided to continue on as a quartet, also dropping the "Chicago" portion of its moniker to avoid confusion with the American band of the same name. In 1974 the Climax Blues Band issued FM Live, a document of a New York radio concert. Released in 1975, Stamp was their commercial breakthrough, and 1976's Gold Plated fared even better, spurred on by the success of the hit "Couldn't Get It Right." However, the rise of punk effectively stopped the Climax Blues Band in their tracks, although they continued recording prolifically well into the 1980s; after 1988's Drastic Steps, the group was silent for a number of years, but resurfaced in 1994 with Blues from the Attic.

CD 1:
01. All the Time in the World (Live at the Marquee Club London 1973) ( 6:32)
02. I Am Constant (Live at the Marquee Club London 1973) ( 4:50)
03. Seventh Son (Live at the Marquee Club London 1973) ( 5:45)
04. Mesopopmania (Live at the Marquee Club London 1973) (10:21)
05. So Many Roads (Live at the Marquee Club London 1973) (16:05)
06. Shake Your Love /That's All (Live at the Marquee Club London 1973) ( 7:03)

CD 2:
01. All The Time In The World (Live In New Jersey 1974) ( 7:22)
02. Seventh Son (Live In New Jersey 1974) ( 5:02)
03. Flight (Live In New Jersey 1974) (15:50)
04. So Many Roads (Live In New Jersey 1974) (13:45)
05. Country Hat (Live In New Jersey 1974) ( 9:06)
06. Shake Your Love (Live In New Jersey 1974) ( 4:03)
07. Going To New York (Live In New Jersey 1974) (10:45)
08. Let's Work Together (Live In New Jersey 1974) ( 7:45)
09. One More Time/Stormy Monday (Live In New Jersey 1974) ( 7:02)

CD 3:
01. Together And Free (Live In Guildford 1976) (3:02)
02. Amerita Sense Of Direction (Live In Guildford 1976) (6:22)
03. Chasing Change (Live In Guildford 1976) (4:58)
04. Using The Power (Live In Guildford 1976) (4:22)
05. Couldn't Get It Right (Live In Guildford 1976) (3:16)
06. Going To New York (Live In Guildford 1976) (7:48)
07. All The Time In The World (Live In Guildford 1976) (2:29)
08. Get Back (Live In Guildford 1976) (2:44)

CD 4:
01. Money In Your Pocket (Live From Miami 1979) (4:39)
02. Summer Rain (Live From Miami 1979) (5:44)
03. Amerita Sense Of Direction (Live From Miami 1979) (7:40)
04. Evil (Live From Miami 1979) (5:09)
05. Fallen In Love (For The Very Last Time) [Live From Miami 1979] (4:45)
06. Seventh Son Got My Mojo Workin' (Live From Miami 1979) (9:22)
07. Whatcha Feel (Live From Miami 1979) (9:42)
08. All The Time In The World Get Back (Live From Miami 1979) (6:01)