THE DIGITALLY REMASTERED BOOTLEGS

1966-67
1967 - Jamming
1968 Remasters

Renovating the Blues (2 CDs) (reviewed)

CD1 (57 min)

Live at Klook's Kleek, London (15th Nov. 1966)

Klook's Kleek remastered quality: Klooks is dubbed from an LP record (that includes all bootleg versions on CD or tape).   Original quality was reasonable but heavily clipped.  The remaster needed only a modest rebalance, raising the bass slightly, but successfully reduced noise without loss of musical detail.  Recording volume variations are corrected. Vocals are somewhat distant but clear , bass clear and present, drums clear and present but the guitar is dominant, which I feel is a realistic representation of their sound at the time. Sound quality is now good but naturally nothing could be done about the clipped sound.

Live at the Konserthusert, Stockholm ( 7^th March 1967)

Konserthusert remastered quality: This was a real enigma as it is widely touted as being of "excellent quality".  It's problem is that all the versions I obtained were sped up. The best was a consistent 7%, the worse ranging from 7-15% ("I'm So Glad" was outrageously hyperactive!).    I at last obtained a very good one which is a copy of a Swedish rebroadcast of 1972.  Only a slight speed adjustment was required (typically) - bass and drums are quite clear with the guitar still somewhat recessed.

N.S.U. (Bruce) 4.06

Stepping Out (Bracken) 4.09

Traintime (Bruce) 5.55

Toad (Baker) 6.52

I'm So Glad (James) 4.58

CD2 (41 min)

Live at the Ricky Tick, Hounslow, W. London. (22nd April. 1967)

Ricky Tick remastered quality: Ricky starts as the best quality recording (though not rated that highly by collectors) and the remaster has made it excellent quality - better than I had anticipated.  No rebalancing was required (balance does vary but that is a product of amp volume variation) as the digital noise filtering cleared up the sound marvelously.   The bass sound is among the best available and the drums quite clear even though the guitar drowns them on occasions.  Eric is playing extremely loud at times! Vocals are also clear - a professional audience bootleg recording (mikes left and right of stage with a quality recorder).  Its a short boot remaster but magnificent - the possible additions would have degraded the brilliance of this  recording.

Outtakes & Alternates incl BBC Sessions (2Cds) (Outtakes reviewed) BBC on the cover notes but not on the site.

Remaster Quality: Variable but overrall quite good.   All recordings have been standardised as to amplitude (volume) and digitally filtered.  Acetate noise is still present but much reduced on that source material.   The BBC recordings have been bass boosted (not by me) which is acceptable as they are quite thin sounding (all the other versions I have).   The off-air recordings include noise as it was AM and recorded by mike - this has been reduced.

Comment: The Outtakes combined with the BBC give a rounded picture of Cream's playing and development at  the time. The BBC performances are not in the class of  the the brilliant Hendrix release but there are a few very good ones.  Separately the Outakes and BBC are of marginal interest but when I combined them it all came together because of the very brief recording period.

21/22 Intro/Wrapping Paper (Bruce/Brown) - BBC Radio 8 Nov 1966.
23/24 Intro/Traintime (Bruce) - BBC Radio 10 Jan 1967 (off air recording).
25/26    Intro/Stepping Out (Bracken) - BBC Radio 8th November 1966.
27.  I’m So Glad (James) - BBC Radio 8th Nov 1966 (off air recording).

CD2 (79 min)

The BBC 'Fresh Cream'

1/2. Interview/I Feel Free (Bruce/Brown) - 10th January 1967
3. NSU (Bruce) - 10th January 1967
4/5/6. Intro/Sweet Wine (Baker/Godfrey)/outro - 8th November 1966
7. Sleepy Time Time (Baker/Bruce) - 8th November 1966 (off air)
8/9. Intro/Cats Squirrel (Ross/arr Splurge) - 9th December 1966
10. Four Until Late (Johnson) - 10th January 1967
11. I’m So Glad (James) - 9th December 1966
12. Rollin’ and Tumblin’ (Morganfield) - 8th November 1966
13. Toad (Baker) - 10th January 1967 (off air)
14. Traintime (Bruce) - 10th January 1967 (off air)

Disraeli Gears

15.  Tales Of Brave Ulysses (Clapton/Sharp) - mono single mix

16. La La Song
17. Singalong
18. Tuba Tune
19. Spike’s Theme
20. Blue Moon
21. Polonaise Jam
22. Barrelhouse Blues

Tracks 15-22 feature Ginger Baker on Spoons/Percussion & Vocals, Jack Bruce on Piano & vocals except for 1 on Acoustic Bass, Eric Clapton on Acoustic Guitar & Vocals, Felix Pappalardi on small Tuba & Acoustic Bass. These are very stoned jams probably recorded at Jack or Ginger's home.

23. White Room (Bruce/Brown) - 1st Master.
24. Falstaff Beer (Baker/Bruce/Clapton)
25. Falstaff Beer (Baker/Bruce/Clapton)
26/27 Interview/Born Under A Bad Sign (Jones/Bell) 24th Oct 1967 - BBC Radio, London

Dec 1967 – Atlantic Studios, N.Y.

28.  Siting on Top of the World (Burnett) - B-side single mix
29. Anyone for Tennis (Clapton/Sharp) - Alt Master .
30. Pressed Rat and Warthog (Baker/Taylor) - Alt Master.
31. Politician (Bruce/Brown) - 9th Jan 1968 - BBC Radio Studios London

Oct, Dec 1967, Feb, June 1968 – Atlantic Studios, N.Y.
32.  As You Said (Bruce/Brown) - alternate mix
33. White Room (Bruce/Brown) - single edit.

Bonus Track - June 1965 - London
34. On Top of the World (Mayall) John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers featuring Eric Clapton - Edit from acetate and hilights Eric’s innovative use of feedback.

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BBC Sessions

CD1

1. Sweet Wine 3.28
2. Clapton interview .54
3. Wrapping Paper 2.29
4. Rollin' and Tumblin' 2.57
5. Sleepy Time Time 3.10
6. I'm So Glad 3.11
7. Steppin' Out 1.47
8. Cat's Squirrel 3.37
9. Traintime 2.49
10. Lawdy Mama 1.50
11. I'm So Glad 4.17
12. Clapton interview .46
13. I Feel Free 2.50
14. N.S.U 2.51
15. Four Until Late 1.51
16. Traintime 3.35
17. Toad 2.32
18. NSU* 3.17
19. I'm So Glad * 4.58
20. Strange Brew 3.36
21. Interview .33    (57.37)
* NME Poll Winners Concert (incomplete)

CD2

1. Strange Brew 2.57
2. Clapton Interview .43
3. Tales of Brave Ulysses 2.56
4. We're Going Wrong 3.25
5. Tales of Brave Ulysses 3.01
6. Take it Back 3.07
7. Interview .36
8. Born Under a Bad Sign 3.00
9. Outside Woman Blues 3.12
10. Take It Back 2.16
11. Sunshine of Your Love 4.13
12. We're Going Wrong 3.53
13. Politician 3.58
14. Swlabr 2.31
15. Steppin' Out 3.35
16. Blue Condition 2.50   (46.50)

Note: Times include intros & outros

Disraeli Gears Live (2 CDs) (reviewed)
incl BBC recordings

Note: This set is a mixture of Live recordings and the BBC "Disraeli Gears" Recordings.  In combination they give a comprehensive and fascinating view of their experimentation and development over this period.  Its got to be said that a couple of rehearsals would have helped but the BBC sessions helped fill that gap.  The BBC on their own are marginal but combined with the Marquee and Barbecue produce a great set which I now really enjoy.  The tracks are configured to give an historical (not purely chronological) and musical development overview.

CD1 (55 min)

Marquee Club, London, 23rd May 1967

Remastered Quality:  A good quality audience recording let down by a an inadequate PA but balance is still quite good.  It has been noise filtered, volume levels equalised and some rough edits & odd noises tidied up.  A realistic sound handling  the dual stack's volume quite well. 

The BBC recordings are variable - the latter ones are better quality.   The off air recordings are naturally inferior (AM broadcasts).  Overall sound quality is good with a bit of bass boost thickening the sound and digital noise filtering clarifying things all round, especially on the off-air.

CD2 (65 min)

Note:  The BBC recordings are configured in album order as an alternative "Disraeli Gears".

Barbecue '67, Spaulding England,  29th May 1967 (Reviewed)

Remastered Quality:  As I have made clear this is a severely flawed audience recording (not a soundboard as claimed by the commercial bootleggers!).  It lacks bass and has just audible vocals.  Bass has been boosted to a level of prescence but hardly clear and nothing could be done about the vocals.   The good quality tape recording needed minimal filtering but some editing of extraneous mike/electrical noises.  The drums are magnificently clear (and very live sounding) as is the guitar.

BBC recordings as above.

1967 - Jamming Remasters

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