Unlike the previous volumes in Jon Savage's series of double CD compilations, which featured music from an expansive mixture of genres, this latest edition is 100% rock, as Jon elaborates in the customary bumper 28-page booklet: "In the late 60s, British pop and youth culture began to fragment into tribes. The divisions had always been there, even at the height of the supposedly classless mid-60s. I was an unrepentant rock fan. That was my tribe. I still bought Motown and reggae hits, but they were the hits: there was no deeper exploration. After Radio Caroline had gone, I'd lost most of the connection to black American music as part of the wider pop experience that I'd had in 1965, 1966 and 1967, even 1968. Thus streamed, I hunted the bins all over London for singles on Island, Elektra and Track." "Rock in the US and the UK encompassed male braggadocio, anguished reflection, sincere if not naive protest, stonking riffs and loud, distorted guitars. Much of it was blues-based, particularly in 1969 as the back-to-the-roots impulse of 1968 worked it's way through the sharp end of rock, but a year or so later some of it became wilder, stranger and even more basic - looking forward to what a truly 1970s white teenage music could be: that groundswell that eventually burst out in mid-decade onwards."There was no real name for this period but, just before glam, it was an era of massive riffs, overloading guitars, mindless yet heartfelt protest, goblin chants and a general mood of questioning, exploration and disillusion. While many songs from this period have become generational clichés, it is hoped that this collection will help you in hearing them afresh. They were new once, like we all were."
S**A
The songs do reflect changes in society of the time
A very interesting gathering of period songs, some quite obscure.
K**S
Great CD, as advertised.
I love the CD and the songs contained.
6**Y
Fine Collection of Rock Tracks
John Savage’s 1969 - 1971Another excellent comp on the Ace label. 2 discs with a nice booklet including notes on each track, this package is loaded with interesting tracks from the era. Some popular artists and some lesser known, some tracks you remember and some you have forgotten or never heard before. Savage did a great job of putting this together and with the usual Ace attention to detail, this is a winner. There is so much here that repeat listening is a no brainer. Highly recommended.
D**O
This sums it up..all the key tracks
Once you hear this I guarantee you will want full CD's of every band on here. You will become an addict to the best rock ever. Rock n Roll Queen and Devil Came from Kansas are longtime favorites of mine and it's nice to know a whole new generation of kids are discovering these treasures for the first time.
R**E
Rock on, Jonny!
As the Amazon product description tells us, the latest in Jon Savage's "annual" collections differs from its predecessors in (a) covering not one but three years and, more importantly (b), being devoted to just one subgenre of popular music - Rock. The more specalised focus represents both an increasing tribalisation among the overall pop (in the broadest sense) audience of the time and Savage's own alignment with the Rock tribe.So in comparison with the '65, '66, '67 and '68 sets, we swap breadth of coverage for depth. And it works, because what was considered "rock" as the sixties turned into the seventies was itself a pretty broad church. Thus, Savage exposes us to varieties of rock which are characterised by, among other things, blues, prog, holdover sounds from psychedelia, nutty experimentation (Germany calling!) and garage fundamentalism. The only obvious omission, in terms of sub-sub-genres, is the early flowering, if that's the right word, of heavy metal - so there's no Zep, Sabs, Purple or, from across the pond, Grand Funk Railroad. It's unclear as to whether this is due to licensing difficulties, avoidance of the over-familiar or Savage's lack of interest in these sounds.The absence of metal doesn't prevent this being a highly enjoyable and hugely informative couple of hours, and in fact it probably improves things as it makes room for the less familiar and surprising. So we have big hits ("Spirit In The Sky", "The Green Manalishi") rubbing shoulders with songs that are obscure even within the band's own catalogue (Tangerine Dream's "Ultima Thule", which sounds like nothing else in their catalogue, but does sound like a genetic splicing of Guru Guru and Focus), future stars on the way up (Rod Stewart, Alice Cooper), older stars on the way down (Mitch Ryder), bands in transition (such as The Status Quo en route to becoming Status Quo), cult favourites who would become canonical in later years (MC5, Stooges, Velvets, Groovies), and loads more besides. On "King Kong", the Kinks appear to invent T. Rex: on Dave Davies's solo outing, "Creeping Jean", he and the rest of the Kinks appear to invent Mott the Hoople. Mott themselves invent the Mott the Hoople of 1973-4 with 1969's "Rock and Roll Queen". Folks who have long pondered the amazing, if entirely coincidental, resemblance between The Stooges and the UK's own Open Mind have their suspicions confirmed when "1969" is immediately followed by "Magic Potion". And, nearly 50 years on, Amon Duul II's "Archangel's Thunderbird" still pretty much defies description and understanding.As always, Savage, one of the most elegant, informed and generous of all music writers, provides a thorough booklet offering illuminating thoughts on all the tracks and an overview of the era. He characterises the period as one of increasing scarcity for listeners looking for the punchy, immediate rock-based kicks that were so common just a few years earlier. This vacuum, he reminds us, would be amply filled a few years later, thanks in part to the inspiration provided from much of the music in the spotlight here. I've often thought one of the few gaps in the CD complilation market is for a set which shows how the faith was kept between the demise of the garage/Freakbeat era and the rise of Punk And That: this fascinating, enjoyable and rewarding set doesn't tell all of that story, but it makes for a great first installment.
E**Y
I GOT THE TWO TRACKS I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR AT LAST
Before I took early retirement in 2012- at the age of 60 - I'd tried to compile downloaded copies of all the 45 rpm singles that had some significance to me during the 1960's. I'd downloaded 143 of them but a further two were still missing and I could not find them anywhere. Well, 8 years later I have found them, they are both on disc one of this 2 C.D. set. Track 11 is one of 'em - Marsha Hunt's version of 'Walk On Gilded Splinters. I do not think that Marsha's version exists in any other format or on any other album anywhere else and her version, back in 1969, is significant to my memories because it led me - back then - towards discovering the writer of the song, the great Dr John. The second in my missing compilation is track 8 - the Blossom Toes song 'Peace Loving Man' which John Peel used to play on his Sunday afternoon radio show back then. Could I get a copy in the record shop in my little local town ? No...and the snotty gits couldn't even be bothered to order it for me either. Over the next five decades that tune just kept rattling around in my head as a reminder of it's existence, even though the sentiments within the lyrics were quite naive - but not to a 16 year old me in 1969. Well, I've got both missing tracks now and they fit in as tracks 144 and 145 in my nostalgia compilation, just behind Thunderclap Newman's 'Something In The Air' and Amen Corner's original studio recording of 'Gin House Blues' ( when they were actually still a Welsh Blues band ). I've got the lot now...all my chosen set of songs from the 1960's to nurture my memories, and not one is missing anymore. All I've now got to do is not to peg it.Eamonn
M**S
Great album
The latest in Jon Savage's 60s compilations and a real beauty. I was alive and kicking when all these tunes were released but most of them are new to me. Stand out for me is Amon Duul's Archangel Thunderbird which I haven't heard for ages. I guess this will be the last in this series, also worth looking for is Meridian 1970 put together by Jon some years ago. Highly recommended.
G**N
Had to buy and some brill songs, but a bit messy
Yes I too lived through all these years 65-71 and bought all, but this is missing something.CD 1 is full of 69 (21 tracks) with a few doubt fulls ... why ray Davis, plus the Kinks again.but there are quite a few classics. CD2 another 2 , 69 tracks, then 13 tracks from 70 ? but inc pop songs although great Fleetwood Mac, Guess Who, Jethro Tull ? why, then 71 is really short just 7 tracks, but a nice ish selection.So really , it should have just been a single CD of 1969. Then carry on with more great stuff from 70/71 on 2 further CDs, but look like it was a struggle for licensing from Ace and Mr Savage. Seems to be a theme with revolution as part title of CD but again why. Shame the series ran out of steam, but again perhaps its not for my generation, who have the music anyway.
A**S
Soundtrack to my youth
DJ's at gigs would play all these before the bands came on. Student bars had them on the Jukebox. John Peel played then on Top Gear. At Art school they would be playing on Dansettes in the studios. Underground music was everywhere and this is the best compilation I've come across.
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