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Return To Itchycoo Park: Small Faces' "Here Come The Nice" Deluxe Box Set Arrives In January [UPDATED 12/3]

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Small Faces - Here Come the Nice

The culmination of the recent Small Faces reissue series from the Charly/Snapper label is set for arrival in January: Here Come the Nice: The Immediate Years Box Set 1967-1969, a lavish 4-CD, 3-EP box set containing “every [one of the band’s] worldwide hit single A & B side on Immediate Records” plus rare and previously unreleased material, “remastered from recently-discovered original master and multi-track tapes.”  The set has been produced under the supervision of surviving band members Kenney Jones and Ian McLagan, both of whom have signed certificates to be included in each one of the limited edition box sets available in the U.S. on January 28 exclusively at Amazon.com.  The box is limited to 3,000 copies worldwide.

The first disc compiles 20 original Immediate mono single sides, while the second and third discs premiere 34 previously unreleased alternates recorded at Olympic, Trident and IBC Studios.  The fourth CD features 21 more previously unreleased outtakes and alternates, plus live material from the Small Faces’ Newcastle City Hall gig of November 18, 1968.  Three replica vinyl EPs are also included.  The first of these, Small Faces Album Sampler, was originally released as a one-sided promotional single to coincide with the band’s first Immediate album, and features excerpts of album cuts along with deejay Tommy Vance’s announcements.  The second EP is a French “Here Come the Nice” with the title track mixed slightly faster, and the third EP is the French “Itchycoo Park” release.  A replica of the original Olympic Sound Studios one-off acetate pressing for Andrew Loog Oldham for the song “Mystery” is another key component.

Designed by Grammy Award winner Rachel Gutek, Here Come the Nice boasts a 72-page hardbound book with introductions from Jones and McLagan, a foreword by Pete Townshend and liner notes by Mark Paytress.  In addition, Robert Plant, Paul Weller, David Bowie, Peter Frampton, Nick Mason, Chris Robinson, Glen Matlock, Chad Smith and Paul Stanley (Kiss) have all contributed to the text.  Track-by-track liner notes and a discography are all included alongside numerous photos and memorabilia images.  The box also makes room for double-sided postcards, a replica of the Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake press kit, two of Gered Mankowitz’s fine art prints, two original poster reproductions, and perhaps most excitingly, a 64-page illustrated lyric booklet for all songs on the box set.

Here Come the Nice is available on January 28 from Amazon U.S. only.  Due to territorial restrictions, the set is not being offered on Amazon U.K. and retailer Burning Shed has indicated that it will cancel any orders placed from within the United Kingdom.

After the jump: you’ll find the contents of our original post detailing previous Small Faces reissues, and then a complete track listing and pre-order link for the new box set!

There Are But Four Small FacesLAST UPDATE 3/6/13: Following last year’s acclaimed remasters of four Small Faces albums from the Universal and Charly labels, the U.S. label Varese Vintage is getting into the act with a new CD release from the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers.

1967’s There Are But Four Small Faces was the U.S. equivalent album to the eponymous U.K. release of the same year from Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Ian McLagan and Kenney Jones. In this era, the practice of releasing unique albums for the U.S. and U.K. markets was commonplace, and the 14-track British release was whittled down to 12 tracks for U.S. consumption. Yet the differences between the albums went further than that. Seven songs out of the original 14 were dropped (“Something I Want to Tell You,” “Feeling Lonely,” “Happy Boys Happy,” “Things Are Going to Get Better,” “Become Like You,” “All Our Yesterdays” and “Eddie’s Dreaming”) and five previous U.K. singles were added (“I’m Only Dreaming,” “I Feel Much Better,” and three notable hits, “Here Come the Nice,” “Itchycoo Park” and “Tin Soldier”). The result is a very different album that is returning to CD in its original, unaltered sequence; a 1991 CD added a couple of alternate takes, a 1997 release from Castle Communications appended the five U.S. tracks to the end of its Small Faces reissue, and of course last year’s 2-CD Small Faces also contained all of the songs from both editions.

On April 30, Varese Vintage will reissue There Are But Four Small Faces, with restored original American cover artwork, on CD. All tracks are in stereo including new, exclusive stereo mixes of “I’m Only Dreaming” and “My Way of Giving.” You'll find a full track listing below, at the bottom of this post!

ORIGINAL POST [LAST UPDATED 2/16/12]: On December 7, 2011, The Small Faces were announced as inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, marking a long overdue honor for the quartet of Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones and Ian McLagan. The only head-scratching aspect of the recognition is that Small Faces is sharing it with Faces, the group formed by the remaining members plus Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood once Marriott departed for Humble Pie. Faces had a very different musical sound than its predecessor, but now Small Faces can bask in the spotlight alone with the release of four Deluxe Editions from the British arm of Universal Music Group.

Small Faces (Decca, 1966), From the Beginning (Decca, 1967) and Small Faces (Immediate, 1968) will all be reissued as 2-CD sets, while the band’s acknowledged masterwork, Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake (Immediate, 1968), will be the recipient of a 3-CD set. These follow the general format of the well-regarded Kinks reissues from Universal, containing the original albums in both mono and stereo (where applicable) plus a plethora of bonus material. All four sets will arrive in the United Kingdom on May 7.

Like so many other young British bands of the era, the Small Faces’ earliest musical aspirations were in emulation of their rhythm-and-blues idols. But, like The Who, the mod scene called to Marriott (lead singer/guitar), Lane (bass/vocals), Jones (drums) and Jimmy Winston (organ). After proving themselves with gigs in London and environs, the group members were signed by the notorious Don Arden, father of Sharon Osbourne and soon-to-be manager of Electric Light Orchestra and Black Sabbath, among others. Arden secured a deal with Decca Records, and Marriott and Lane set about to hone their talents as songwriters. After a moderately successful first single (“What’cha Gonna Do About It,” cribbed from a Solomon Burke song, and written by Ian Samwell and Brian Potter) and a less successful follow-up (“I’ve Got Mine”), Winston was ushered out of the band, replaced by Ian McLagan. The Marriott/Lane songwriting team was born with “Hey Girl,” and the Top 10 single led to the band’s first album, simply titled Small Faces. Even better was their original “My Mind’s Eye,” which headed straight for the top, despite being an unfinished demo! The Small Faces were on their way to rock supremacy at least in the U.K., maintaining high visibility on television programs and onstage. They would have to wait for (moderate) American success, though.

By the end of 1966, the band had severed ties with Arden, unhappy with both his punishing tour schedule and refusal to allow them the luxury of studio time to properly craft long-playing albums. 1967’s From the Beginning wasn’t a true Small Faces album, but rather an LP cobbled together by Decca after the band had decamped for new manager Andrew Loog Oldham and his hip Immediate Records label. Still, the album isn’t without its pleasures, from the budding psychedelia of “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” from the Marriott/Lane team and blazing covers of Del Shannon’s “Runaway” and Smokey Robinson’s “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me.”

The band announced its Immediacy with its second LP in as many years called Small Faces. Though still rooted in R&B and mod sounds, this Small Faces and engineer Glyn Johns took the psychedelic sound experimentation a step further, placing the band at the cutting edge. Their Immediate debut single “Here Comes the Nice” heralded the new sound, a rather overtly drug-influenced song. The next single on Oldham’s imprint was the sun-kissed psychedelic pop ode, “Itchycoo Park.” It became the Small Faces’ first of two charting singles in America, and likely remains the band’s best-loved song today. “Tin Soldier” followed “Itchycoo” onto the charts on both sides of the pond, and featured fellow Immediate artist P.P. Arnold on backing vocals. The restless band, though, didn’t feel that their pop success accurately represented their sound or their ambitions, and so Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake was devised.

Recorded in 1968 over five months in at least four studios, it was the album the band had always hoped to craft, more than just a loose assemblage of songs. Every bit as quintessentially “British” as the Kinks’ Village Green Preservation Society, it remains one of the most distinct psychedelic albums ever recorded. Ogdens combined soul, orchestrated pop, R&B, folk and comic, whimsical narration by comedian Stanley Unwin about “Happiness Stan.” (Goon legend Spike Milligan reportedly turned the band down when offered this gig!) Marriott even adopted different voices for the LP, including a thick cockney dialect. Ogdens announced itself with its round cover replica of a vintage tobacco tin; the unusual design and timely, visceral music paid off when the album hit No. 1 in the band’s native England. In the U.S., however, it placed at a disappointing No. 159.

By the end of 1968, Steve Marriott was gone, reportedly frustrated at the band’s inability to break out of the prescribed pop mold. Kenney Jones later reflected that the band wasn’t able to perform Ogdens live and therefore couldn’t expose the full breadth of its sound to the public. (It was performed as a whole live just once, for the BBC.) A greatest hits-and-rarities double album, The Autumn Stone, arrived in late 1969 from Immediate, but by then, the band had dissolved. (1970’s First Step, though by Faces, was credited in North America to Small Faces. Later in the seventies, the band would reunite with some personnel changes, before breaking up again in 1978. Steve Marriott died in 1991, the victim of a tragic fire believed to be caused by his lit cigarette when he fell asleep. Ronnie Lane succumbed to multiple sclerosis in 1997 after a valiant fight with the disease.)

The Small Faces’ catalogue has been in a bit of disarray in the compact disc era, with various labels churning out multiple releases over the years. This Universal series of Deluxe Editions looks to rectify that, as it’s expected to append singles and alternate mixes to each album. Track listings have recently been revealed by a number of e-tailers, as well as on the band's Facebook page. You'll find those below, along with order links.

Small Faces, Small Faces (Decca 4790, 1966 – reissued Universal U.K., 2012)

CD 1: Tracks 1-12 from Decca LP 4790, 1966

  1. Shake
  2. Come On Children
  3. You Better Believe It
  4. It’s Too Late
  5. One Night Stand
  6. What’Cha Gonna Do About It
  7. Sorry She’s Mine
  8. Own Up Time
  9. You Need Loving
  10. Don’t Stop What You’re Doing
  11. E Too D
  12. Sha La La La Lee
  13. I’ve Got Mine (from Decca single F-12276, 1965)
  14. What’s A Matter Baby (from Decca single F-12208. 1965)
  15. Grow Your Own (from Decca single F-12317, 1966)
  16. Patterns (from Decca single F-12619, 1967)

CD 2

  1. Come On Children – Alternate Version (from Small Faces, Decca 984 172-1, 2006)
  2. Shake – Alternate Version (from Small Faces, Decca 984 172-1, 2006)
  3. You Better Believe It – Alternate Version (from Small Faces, Decca 984 172-1, 2006)
  4. It’s Too Late – Alternate Mix (Electronically Processed Stereo)
  5. Sorry She’s Mine – Alternate Mix (Electronically Processed Stereo)
  6. Own Up Time – Alternate Version (from Small Faces, Decca 984 172-1, 2006)
  7. E Too D – Alternate Version (from Small Faces, Decca 984 172-1, 2006)
  8. I’ve Got Mine – Alternate Mix (Electronically Processed Stereo)
  9. Grow Your Own – Alternate Mix (Electronically Processed Stereo)
  10. Sha La La La Lee – Stereo Version
  11. Don’t Stop What You’re Doing – Alternate Version
  12. Patterns – Alternate Mix (Electronically Processed Stereo)
  13. What’s A Matter Baby – Alternate Mix
  14. What’Cha Gonna Do About It – Alternate Version (from Small Faces, Decca 984 172-1, 2006)

Small Faces, From the Beginning (Decca 4879, 1967 – reissued Universal U.K., 2012)

CD 1: Tracks 1-14 from Decca 4879, 1967

  1. Runaway
  2. My Mind’s Eye
  3. Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow
  4. That Man
  5. My Way Of Giving
  6. Hey Girl
  7. (Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me
  8. Take This Hurt Off Me
  9. All Or Nothing
  10. Baby Don’t You Do It
  11. Plum Nellie
  12. Sha La La La Lee
  13. You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me
  14. What’Cha Gonna Do About
  15. Almost Grown (from Decca single 26058, 1966)
  16. Understanding (from Decca single 12470, 1966)
  17. I Can’t Dance With You (from Decca single 25269, 1966)
  18. I Can’t Make It – Session Version
  19. Just Passing (from Decca single 12565, 1967)

CD 2

  1. Runaway – Alternate Mix
  2. That Man – Alternate Mix
  3. Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow – Alternate Mix
  4. My Mind’s Eye – Alternate Mix (Electronically Processed Stereo)
  5. Picaninny – Backing Track
  6. Hey Girl – Alternate Version
  7. Take This Hurt Off Me – Different Version (from In the Beginning, Decca CD 844 633-2, 1996)
  8. Baby Don’t You Do It – Different Version (from In the Beginning, Decca CD 844 633-2, 1996)
  9. All Or Nothing – Alternate Mix (Electronically Processed Stereo)
  10. Understanding – Alternate Mix (Electronically Processed Stereo)
  11. Talk To You – Take 5 Backing Track
  12. All Our Yesterdays – Take 7 Backing Track
  13. (Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me – Alternate Take 2
  14. Show Me The Way – Take 3 Backing Track
  15. I Can’t Make It – Take 11 Backing Track
  16. Things Are Going to Get Better – Take 14 Session Version

Small Faces, Small Faces (Immediate IMLP/IMSP 008, 1967, reissued Universal U.K., 2012)

CD 1: The Mono Album plus bonus tracks (Tracks 1-14 from IMLP 008, 1967)

  1. (Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me
  2. Something I Want To Tell You
  3. Feeling Lonely
  4. Happy Boys Happy
  5. Things Are Going To Get Better
  6. My Way Of Giving
  7. Green Circles
  8. Become Like You
  9. Get Yourself Together
  10. All Our Yesterdays
  11. Talk To You
  12. Show Me The Way
  13. Up The Wooden Hills To Bedfordshire
  14. Eddie’s Dreaming
  15. Here Comes The Nice (Immediate single IM 050, 1967)
  16. Itchycoo Park (Immediate single IM 057-A, 1967)
  17. I’m Only Dreaming (Immediate single IM 057-B, 1967)
  18. Tin Soldier (Immediate single IM 062-A, 1967)
  19. I Feel Much Better (Immediate single IM 062-B, 1967)
  20. (Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me – Alternate Mix
  21. Eddie’s Dreaming – Alternate Mix
  22. Green Circles – Take 1 Alternate Mix 3

CD 2: The Stereo Album plus bonus tracks (Tracks 1-14 from IMSP 008, 1967)

  1. (Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me – Stereo Version
  2. Something I Want To Tell You – Stereo Version
  3. Feeling Lonely – Stereo Version
  4. Happy Boys Happy – Stereo Version
  5. Things Are Going To Get Better – Stereo Version
  6. My Way Of Giving – Stereo Version
  7. Green Circles – Stereo Version
  8. Become Like You – Stereo Version
  9. Get Yourself Together – Stereo Version
  10. All Our Yesterdays – Stereo Version
  11. Talk To You – Stereo Version
  12. Show Me The Way – Stereo Version
  13. Up the Wooden Hills to Bedfordshire – Stereo Version
  14. Eddie’s Dreaming – Stereo Version
  15. Just Passing – Stereo Version (may have been included on The Immediate Years, Charly CDIMMBOX1, 1995)
  16. Itchycoo Park – Stereo Version (may have been included on The Immediate Years, Charly CDIMMBOX1, 1995)
  17. Here Comes The Nice – Stereo Version (may have been included on The Immediate Years, Charly CDIMMBOX1, 1995)
  18. Don’t Burst My Bubble – Stereo Version
  19. Things Are Going to Get Better – Alternate Version
  20. I Can’t Make It – Session Version
  21. Green Circles – Alternate Take 2
  22. Tin Soldier – Stereo Version (may have been included on The Immediate Years, Charly CDIMMBOX1, 1995)
  23. (If You Think You’re) Groovy – Backing Track

Smalll Faces, Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake (Immediate IMLP/IMSP 012, 1968)

CD 1: The Mono Album (Immediate IMLP 012, 1968)

  1. Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake
  2. Afterglow (Of Your Love)
  3. Long Agos And Worlds Apart
  4. Rene
  5. Song Of A Baker
  6. Lazy Sunday
  7. Happiness Stan
  8. Rollin’ Over
  9. The Hungry Intruder
  10. The Journey
  11. Mad John (Extended Version)
  12. Happydaystoytown

CD 2: Bonus Material

  1. Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake – Early Session Version
  2. Afterglow (Of Your Love) – Alternate USA Mix
  3. Long Agos And Worlds Apart – Alternate USA Mix
  4. Rene – Early Session Mix
  5. Song Of A Baker – Alternate USA Mix
  6. Lazy Sunday – Alternate USA Mix
  7. Happiness Stan – Backing Track
  8. Bun In The Oven – Early Session Mix
  9. The Fly – Take 4 Instrumental Version
  10. Mad John – Take 7 Early Session Version
  11. Happydaystoytown – Alternate USA Mix
  12. Kamikhazi – Take 7 Backing Track Version
  13. Every Little Bit Hurts – Early Session Mix
  14. Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake – Alternate Take Phased Mix

CD 3: The Stereo Album (Immediate IMSP 012, 1968)

  1. Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake
  2. Afterglow (Of Your Love)
  3. Long Agos And Worlds Apart
  4. Rene
  5. Song Of A Baker
  6. Lazy Sunday
  7. Happiness Stan
  8. Rollin’ Over
  9. The Hungry Intruder
  10. The Journey
  11. Mad John (Extended Version)
  12. Happydaystoytown

Small Faces, There Are But Four Small Faces (Immediate Z12 52 002, 1967 – reissued Varese Vintage, 2013) (No pre-order link available yet)

  1. Itchycoo Park
  2. Talk to You
  3. Up the Wooden Hills [To Bedfordshire]
  4. My Way of Giving (*)
  5. I’m Only Dreaming (*)
  6. I Feel Much Better
  7. Tin Soldier
  8. Get Yourself Together
  9. Show Me the Way
  10. Here Come the Nice
  11. Green Circles
  12. Tell Me (Have You Ever Seen Me)

(*) denotes exclusive stereo mix

Small Faces, Here Come the Nice: The Immediate Years 1967-1969 (Snapper, 2014)

CD 1 - Small Faces Singles Worldwide As, Bs & EPs:

  1. Here Come The Nice (mono) 2:55
  2. Talk To You (mono) 2:05
  3. (Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me (mono) 2:15
  4. Something I Want To Tell You (mono) 2:07
  5. Get Yourself Together (mono) 2:16
  6. Become Like You (mono) 1:56
  7. Green Circles (mono) 2:32
  8. Eddie's Dreaming (b-side edit) (mono) 2:41
  9. Itchycoo Park (mono) 2:44
  10. I'm Only Dreaming (mono) 2:22
  11. Tin Soldier (mono) 3:19
  12. I Feel Much Better (mono) 3:55
  13. Lazy Sunday (mono) 3:02
  14. Rollin' Over (Part II of Happiness Stan) (mono) 2:12
  15. Mad John (single version) (mono) 2:07
  16. The Journey (single version) (mono) 2:51
  17. The Universal (mono) 2:42
  18. Donkey Rides, A Penny A Glass (mono) 2:47
  19. Afterglow Of Your Love (single version) (mono) 3:22
  20. Wham Bam Thank You Mam (mono) 3:18

All tracks are original Immediate single versions taken from original mono master tapes.

CD 2 - Small Faces In The Studio - Olympic, IBC & Trident Sessions - Part 1:

  1. Shades Of Green (mono) 0:38
  2. Green Circles (take 1) (mono) 1:04
  3. Green Circles (take 1 alt mix 1) (mono) 2:45
  4. Anything (tracking session) (stereo) 3:46
  5. Anything (backing track) (stereo) 3:06
  6. Show Me The Way (stripped down mix) (stereo) 2:09
  7. Wit Art Yer (tracking session) (mono) 2:50
  8. Wit Art Yer (backing track) (stereo) 2:27
  9. I Can't Make It (alt mix) (stereo) 2:26
  10. Doolally (tracking session) (mono) 4:06
  11. What's It Called? (overdub session) (mono) 0:36
  12. Call It Something Nice (take 9) (stereo) 2:04
  13. Wide Eyed Girl (take 2) (stereo) 1:43
  14. Wide Eyed Girl On The Wall (alt mix) (stereo) 3:28
  15. Donkey Rides, A Penny A Glass (stripped down mix) (stereo) 3:21
  16. Red Balloon With A Blue Surprise (take 5) (stereo) 0:46
  17. Red Balloon (alt mix) (stereo) 4:29
  18. Saieide Mamoon (tracking session) (stereo) 9:36

All tracks are previously unreleased versions taken from original studio multi-track and session master tapes.

CD3 - Small Faces In The Studio - Olympic, IBC & Trident Sessions - Part 2:

  1. Wham Bam Thank You Mam (alt mix) (stereo) 3:22
  2.  I Can't Make It (stripped down mix) (stereo) 2:33
  3. This Feeling Of Spring (take 1) (stereo) 1:43
  4. All Our Yesterdays (backing track) (mono) 2:09
  5. Talk To You (alt mix) (stereo) 2:22
  6. Mind The Doors Please (mono) 5:01
  7. Things Are Going To Get Better (stripped down mix) (stereo) 2:43
  8. Mad John (tracking session) (stereo) 3:58
  9. A Collibosher (take 4) (stereo) 3:31
  10. Lazy Sunday Afternoon (early mix) (mono) 3:00
  11. Jack (backing track) (stereo) 3:35
  12. Fred (backing track) (stereo) 3:06
  13. Red Balloon (stripped down mix) (stereo) 1:33
  14. Kolomodelomo (take 1) (stereo) 2:45
  15. Donkey Rides, A Penny A Glass (alt mix) (stereo) 3:34
  16. Jenny's Song (take 2) (stereo) 4:04

All tracks are previously unreleased versions taken from original studio multi-track and session master tapes.

CD4 - Alternate Small Faces Outtakes & In Concert:

  1.  Itchycoo Park (take 1 stereo mix) (stereo) 2:50
  2. Here Come The Nice (take 1 stereo mix) (stereo) 3:01
  3. I'm Only Dreaming (take 1 stereo mix) (stereo) 2:23
  4. Don't Burst My Bubble (mono) 2:24
  5. I Feel Much Better (stereo) 3:56
  6. Green Circles (take 1 Italian version) (mono) 2:44*
  7. Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow (alt mix) (stereo) 1:50*
  8. Piccanniny (alt mix) (stereo) 3:02
  9. Get Yourself Together (alt mix) (stereo) 2:18*
  10. Eddie's Dreaming (take 2 alt mix) (stereo) 2:44*
  11. (Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me (take 2 alt mix) (stereo) 2:08*
  12. Up The Wooden Hills To Bedfordshire (US alt mix) (mono) 2:00*
  13. Afterglow Of Your Love (alt single version) (mono) 3:36*
  14. (If You Think You're) Groovy (mono) (The Lot Version)- P.P. Arnold & Small Faces 2:55
  15. Me You And Us Too (mono) 3:32
  16. The Universal (take 1 stereo mix) (stereo) 2:39
  17. Rollin' Over (live) (stereo) 2:29
  18. If I Were A Carpenter (live) (stereo) 2:29
  19. Every Little Bit Hurts (live) (stereo) 6:12
  20. All Or Nothing (live) (stereo) 4:05
  21. Tin Soldier (live) (stereo) 3:19

All tracks rare or (*) previously unreleased versions. Taken from original studio and session master tapes.   Live tracks recorded at Newcastle City Hall 18 November 1968. Taken from Pye Studios master tape, pitch and speed corrected.

Small Faces Album Sampler EP (One-sided promo single - Excerpts From The Small Faces LP (mono))

  • The original 7" vinyl was issued as a promotional single for the debut Immediate album, featuring excepts from “Get Yourself Together,” “Green Circles,” “Talk To You,” “All Our Yesterdays,” “Up The Wooden Hills To Bedfordshire” with DJ Tommy Vance announcements.

“Here Come The Nice” - French EP

  1. Here Come The Nice (mono, slightly faster mix)
  2. Talk To You (mono)
  3. Become Like You (mono)
  4. Get Yourself Together (mono)

“Itchycoo Park” – French EP

  1. Itchycoo Park (mono)
  2. I'm Only Dreaming (mono)
  3. Green Circles (mono)
  4. Eddie's Dreaming (mono)

“Mystery” Replica Acetate

  • Intended to be a single, a handful of acetates of “Mystery” were produced for the band and Andrew Loog Oldham to check the mix. For unknown reasons, the single wasn't released, and Ronnie went back into Olympic to record a new vocal during April 1967 for the newly entitled “Something I Want To Tell You.” This is a replica of the acetate delivered to Andrew Loog Oldham back in 1967.

 

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Joe Marchese

JOE MARCHESE (Editor) joined The Second Disc shortly after its launch in early 2010, and has since penned daily news and reviews about classic music of all genres. In 2015, Joe formed the Second Disc Records label. Celebrating the great songwriters, producers and artists who created the sound of American popular song, Second Disc Records, in conjunction with Real Gone Music, has released newly-curated collections produced by Joe from iconic artists such as Johnny Mathis, Bobby Darin, Laura Nyro, Melissa Manchester, Chet Atkins, and many others. He has contributed liner notes to reissues from a diverse array of artists, among them Nat "King" Cole, Paul Williams, Lesley Gore, Dusty Springfield, B.J. Thomas, The 5th Dimension, Burt Bacharach, The Mamas and the Papas, Carpenters, Perry Como, Rod McKuen, Doris Day, Jackie DeShannon, and Andy Williams, and has compiled releases for talents including Robert Goulet and Keith Allison of Paul Revere and the Raiders. Over the past two decades, Joe has also worked in a variety of capacities on and off Broadway as well as at some of the premier theatres in the U.S., including Lincoln Center Theater, George Street Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, and the York Theatre Company. He has felt privileged to work on productions alongside artists such as the late Jack Klugman, Eli Wallach, Arthur Laurents, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. In 2009, Joe began contributing theatre and music reviews to the print publication The Sondheim Review, and in 2012, he joined the staff of The Digital Bits as a regular contributor writing about film and television on DVD and Blu-ray. Joe currently resides in the suburbs of New York City.

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Comments

  1. I wouldn't count on getting much stereo music on either "Small Faces"(1st British Decca album) or "From The Beginning". The only British Decca track that has ever been heard in stereo is "Sha La La La Lee"(What about "I Can't Make It" & "Just Passing" ?, you ask. Those were actually Immediate Records recordings, but British Decca was given non-exclusive use of them when it was discovered that the group owed British Decca one more single. British Decca received mono mixes, while Immediate kept the stereo mixes for Immediate Records releases).

    By the way, Universal Music has only the Uk rights to the Immediate catalogue, so any Universal Music releases of Immediate Records recordings will be UK only(the non-UK rights to "Immediate Records" recordings resides with Charly Records)

    Reply

  2. "a bit of a disarray" Well that's one way of describing the handling of the Small Faces catalogue. A bloody great mess that does the band or their fans no favours whatsoever would be more apt description. Let's hope that this time they finally get it right..... I'm not holding my breath.....

    Reply

  3. To be fair: it's true that the Small Faces have been bizarrely released and re-released in the past; but their catalog has been done justice in later years though, with the release of the 36-track “The Decca Anthology 1965-1967” and the 50-track “The Darlings of Whapping Wharf...”, which were rather accurately compiled and include pretty much everyhing they ever released on Decca and Immediate respectively, including singles, rarities, and a US-only single
    I'm not aware of any significant amount of yet unreleased material about the band, so I don't know how they're going to fill up these deluxe editions... apart from presenting both mono and stereo (where applicable as said by Phil) versions ... maybe they'll slip in some BBC session, but these, too, have already been released by Strange Fruit in 1999.

    So me, too, I'm not holding my breath on this one, and definetly NOT expecting anything grand or sensational...

    Reply

  4. I am not very knowledgeable about Small Faces- the only thing I have by them is a single disc of "Ogden's Nut Gone Flake" on Charley/ Snap Records. I seem to recall an album called "There Are But Four Small Faces". Is that the equivalent of the "Small Faces" album that was released on Immediate? And if so, would that be the second cover above, with the brown background and the four individual pictures of the band members?

    Reply

    • "There Are But Four Small Faces", was a U.S.A. album that combined tracks from the first UK Immediate Records album(the group's 3rd album overall) with singles tracks that were not included on the UK album.

      Reply

  5. Small Faces News News News News Deluxe Edition

    Samll Faces Decca 2 CD

    Disc 1
    1. Shake
    2. Come On Children
    3. You Better Believe It
    4. It's Too Late
    5. One Night Stand
    6. What'Cha Gonna Do About It
    7. Sorry She's Mine
    8. Own Up Time
    9. You Need Loving
    10. Don't Stop What You're Doing
    11. E Too D
    12. Sha La La La Lee
    13. I've Got Mine
    14. What's A Matter Baby
    15. Grow Your Own
    16. Patterns
    Disc 2
    1. Come On Children - Alternate Version
    2. Shake - Alternate Version
    3. You Better Believe It - Alternate Version
    4. It's Too Late - Alternate Mix (Electronically Processed Stereo)
    5. Sorry She's Mine - Alternate Mix (Electronically Processed Stereo)
    6. Own Up Time - Alternate Version
    7. E Too D - Alternate Version
    8. I've Got Mine - Alternate Mix (Electronically Processed Stereo)
    9. Grow Your Own - Alternate Mix (Electronically Processed Stereo)
    10. Sha La La La Lee - Stereo Version
    11. Don't Stop What You're Doing - Alternate Version
    12. Patterns - Alternate Mix (Electronically Processed Stereo)
    13. What's A Matter Baby - Alternate Mix
    14. What'Cha Gonna Do About It - Alternate Version

    Samll Faces Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake (3CD Deluxe Edition)

    Disc 1 - Mono
    1. Ogden's Nut Gone Flake
    2. Afterglow (Of Your Love)
    3. Long Agos And Worlds Apart
    4. Rene
    5. Song Of A Baker
    6. Lazy Sunday
    7. Happiness Stan
    8. Rollin' Over
    9. The Hungry Intruder
    10. The Journey
    11. Mad John - Extended Version
    12. HappyDaysToyTown
    Disc 2
    1. Ogden's Nut Gone Flake - Early Session Version
    2. Afterglow (Of Your Love) - Alternate USA Mix
    3. Long Agos And Worlds Apart - Alternate USA Mix
    4. Rene - Early Session Mix
    5. Song Of A Baker - Alternate USA Mix
    6. Lazy Sunday - Alternate USA Mix
    7. Happiness Stan - Backing Track
    8. Bun In The Oven - Early Session Mix
    9. The Fly - Take 4 Instrumental Version
    10. Mad John - Take 7 Early Session Version
    11. HappyDaysToyTown - Alternate USA Mix
    12. Kamikhazi - Take 7 Backing Track Version
    13. Every Little Bit Hurts - Early Session Mix
    14. Ogden's Nut Gone Flake - Alternate Take Phased Mix
    Disc 3 - Stereo
    1. Ogden's Nut Gone Flake
    2. Afterglow (Of Your Love)
    3. Long Agos And Worlds Apart
    4. Rene
    5. Song Of A Baker
    6. Lazy Sunday
    7. Happiness Stan
    8. Rollin' Over
    9. The Hungry Intruder
    10. The Journey
    11. Mad John
    12. Happy Days Toy Town - Extended Version

    Small Faces From…2 Cd
    Disc 1
    1. Runaway
    2. My Mind's Eye
    3. Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow
    4. That Man
    5. My Way Of Giving
    6. Hey Girl
    7. (Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me
    8. Take This Hurt Off Me
    9. All Or Nothing
    10. Baby Don't You Do It
    11. Plum Nellie
    12. Sha La La La Lee
    13. You've Really Got A Hold On Me
    14. What'Cha Gonna Do About
    15. Almost Grown
    16. Understanding
    17. I Can't Dance With You
    18. I Can't Make It - Session Version
    19. Just Passing
    Disc 2
    1. Runaway - Alternate Mix
    2. That Man - Alternate Mix
    3. Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow - Alternate Mix
    4. My Mind's Eye - Alternate Mix (Electronically Processed Stereo)
    5. Picanniny - Backing Track
    6. Hey Girl - Alternate Version
    7. Take This Hurt Off Me - Different Version
    8. Baby Don't You Do It - Different Version
    9. All Or Nothing - Alternate Mix (Electronically Processed Stereo)
    10. Understanding - Alternate Mix (Electronically Processed Stereo)
    11. Talk To You - Take 5 Backing Track
    12. All Our Yesterdays - Take 7 Backing Track
    13. (Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me - Alternate Take 2
    14. Show Me The Way - Take 3 Backing Track
    15. I Can't Make It - Take 11 Backing Track
    16. Things Are Going to Get Better - Take 14 Session Version

    Small Faces Same Immediate 2 CD

    Disc 1
    1. (Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me
    2. Something I Want To Tell You
    3. Feeling Lonely
    4. Happy Boys Happy
    5. Things Are Going To Get Better
    6. My Way Of Giving
    7. Green Circles
    8. Become Like You
    9. Get Yourself Together
    10. All Our Yesterdays
    11. Talk To You
    12. Show Me The Way
    13. Up The Wooden Hills To Bedfordshire
    14. Eddie's Dreaming
    15. Here Comes The Nice
    16. Itchycoo Park
    17. I'm Only Dreaming
    18. Tin Soldier
    19. I Feel Much Better
    20. (Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me - Alternate Mix
    21. Eddie's Dreaming - Alternate Mix
    22. Green Circles - Take 1 Alternate Mix 3
    Disc 2
    1. (Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me - Stereo Version
    2. Something I Want To Tell You - Stereo Version
    3. Feeling Lonely - Stereo Version
    4. Happy Boys Happy - Stereo Version
    5. Things Are Going To Get Better - Stereo Version
    6. My Way Of Giving - Stereo Version
    7. Green Circles - Stereo Version
    8. Become Like You - Stereo Version
    9. Get Yourself Together - Stereo Version
    10. All Our Yesterdays - Stereo Version
    11. Talk To You - Stereo Version
    12. Show Me The Way - Stereo Version
    13. Up the Wooden Hills to Bedfordshire - Stereo Version
    14. Eddie's Dreaming - Stereo Version
    15. Just Passing - Stereo Version
    16. Itchycoo Park - Stereo Version
    17. Here Comes The Nice - Stereo Version
    18. Don't Burst My Bubble - Stereo Version
    19. Things Are Going to Get Better - Alternate Version
    20. I Can't Make It - Session Version
    21. Green Circles - Alternate Take 2
    22. Tin Soldier - Stereo Version
    23. (If You Think You're) Groovy - Backing Track

    Reply

  6. AAARGH... “electronically processed stereo”?!?!?! :-0
    someone please tell me this is a joke...
    EPS has nothing to do with true stereo... it's just a bad habit from the '60s, which I hoped had long been forgotten...
    As, in the sixties, some listeners wouldn't buy mono anymore, labels occasionally transferred the original mono master to 2 different chiannels, adding to each channel different equalization or reverb... et voilà! Electronically processed stereo!
    Except t's not stereo... it's messed up mono.

    Too bad that, after a few lovingly compiled reissues in the '90s, they seem to be picking up the old familiar habit of messing with the SF legacy...

    Reply

    • I don't see anything wrong with releasing the electronically processed stereo tracks as long as they are in addition to the mono mixes. It is historically accurate as they were released that way in the 60s and there are no dedicated stereo mixes from the time. I imagine some people who bought the electronically processed stereo albums would get some nostalgic enjoyment from hearing the songs the way they remember them. The rest of us will probably play them once and then return to the mono mix, but what is the harm in having them added? It's not like the consumer is paying more for the addition of those tracks- there are five songs on one of the albums and only three on another. I think most people who buy these packages are completists and would rather have more content than less. It's like the Beatles Capitol album CDs where people were ecstatic to have the "Dexterized" mixes from their youth.

      Reply

  7. But, you see, according to Mojo magazine, the compiler of these new Universal Music discs is Rob Caiger, the talented, but short-tempered guy behind the Salvo label reissue series by "The Move". Despite plenty of good material on those "Move" discs, Caiger used fake stereo mixes as filler material when he ran out of good stuff.

    As the compiler of Charly Records' now-deleted box set "Small Faces-The immediate Years", I'm somewhat flattered that the compiler of these Universal Music sets cloned some tracks from my box set. I'll concede that I did more than my share of cloning from other label's CD's, especially Repertoire & Castle Communications. The idea was to bring the best sounding sources(then available to me) to the fans.

    With the Charly box set now commanding upwards of £199, I hope that Charly will someday give me a chance to compile another Small Faces box set(since Charly has the non-UK rights to the "Immediate" catalog). I could upgrade to better sources for 80% of the tracks on the "Immediate Years" box, and Charly now has the multi tracks for much of the "Disc Four" material. And I now have(on DAT) a tape source for the slow "U.S.A. mix" of "Green Circles"(versus the de-clicked dub from vinyl on "The Immediate Years" box)

    But today, Charly is no longer a label, but has reverted back to being a licensing company that releases through other labels. In 2011, they telephoned me for the first time in a decade with a question about The Yardbirds' music, but I never heard from Charly again, nor do I have a means of contacting them. They have an ideal opportunity to create some new "Small Faces" product of their own.....but it's their move.

    Reply

  8. Meh. I have most of these tunes in triplicate from all of the compilations.

    I want Collibosher. And Red Balloon. And Pig Trotters. And Me, You and Us Too.

    I may buy the extended Ogden's CD. Maybe.

    Reply

  9. Kenney Jones has stated that the backing track numbers "The Pig Trotters" & "The War of The Worlds"(both of which debuted on a Repertoire label German CD of the first "Immediate" album) are not by Small Faces. However, I should note that I still consider that Repertoire CD to be the best sounding CD of the first "Immediate" album, and some of the bonus tracks were remixed from the multi tracks.

    I would say, based on the track listings now revealed, that the 2-CD set of the first Decca album has nothing new, excepting those pointless simulated stereo mixes. "From The Beginning" looks more interesting, especially if better sources have been found for those Decca alternate takes. Some Immediate outtakes have been added at the end of Disc 2.

    The two expanded Immediate albums seem set to introduce some new outtakes into our collections.

    Reply

  10. As Phil Cohen says, the Decca deluxe CDs don't seem to feature anything new... but on the other side they also don't seem to be missing anything major...

    The real problem is with the material from the "Odgens'" (or related) era: some major material is missing, such as single "The Universal/Donkey Rides A Penny A Glass" and the B-side "Wham Bam Thank You Mam";
    AND, as hinted by Phil Dalton, we miss various at-the-time unreleased (and some wonderful) tracks which were released on the posthumous LP "The Autumn Stone": "The Autumn Stone", "Collibosher", "Red Balloon", "Call it something nice", "Wide Eyed Girl On The Wall".
    All of which have already been released on CD on, better compiled and more complete collections.

    So what are we supposed to do with this "Odgens' "deluxe" edition? Either Universal has in mind to release a "deluxe" version of "the Autumn Stone"... or this is a seriously, seriously flawed collection, and listeners will have to look elsewhere for a complete picture of the Immediate-era Small Faces

    Reply

    • As a comprehensive box set has long been promised, I wouldn't be surprised to see a deluxe edition of "The Autumn Stone" in a second wave of releases alongside it. But we'll just have to wait and see...

      Reply

      • Except that "The Autumn stone" was a mixed bag - mostly anthology of previously released hits and singles, with a few unreleased outtakes thrown in - so it's difficult to envisage an edition that would make sense with the "deluxes" which are about to be released...

        Reply

  11. It's too bad the new Ogdens is missing the single versions of "Afterglow" and "Mad John." Yes, I have them on other various SF comps including Phil's box set, but it would have been good to group them in here.

    Also the extra songs recorded for Ogdens such as "Be My Baby" were supposed to be coming out......there's still the supposed box set later this year.

    Yes, the extras on there look somewhat underwhelming, but I still pre-ordered all 4.

    Reply

  12. The best Ogdens collection ever was the 3 CD set issued by Castle Music in 2006. It came packaged in a circular tin box and contained the mono mix, stereo mix and a 1989 BBC Radio One documentary on the making of the album along with comprehensive liner notes. A really lovely package.

    Reply

  13. Adding my voice to the choir. And to say that I can't figure out who these are geared to. Hardcore fans are going to glance at the all-too-familiar track listing and many will just take a pass. Only the completest types will spend the money. Newer fans, perhaps arriving thanks to the publicity from the Hall of Fame induction don't need all of this stuff. A 15 - 18 track greatest hits compilation actually spanning their entire career would be a great starting point for them. I'm not aware of anything currently in print that truly fits the bill for a newbie.

    So again, I'm left to wonder what the point is.

    (and I too want Collibosher, Wide-eyed Girl On the Wall, Red Balloon, You, Me, and Us Two......)

    Reply

  14. I wasn't really expecting there to be any unreleased songs(as opposed to takes) from the British Decca recordings. Remember, one of the grievances that the group had against original manager Don Arden, was that he wouldn't permit the group much time in the studio. It was touring which generated the most money for management.
    The Decca recordings were not recorded at Decca's studio. This was a licensed catalogue, so the group recorded at independent studios. In those pre-1966 days, Decca didn't release rock music in stereo, and besides, it is possible that some of the 1965-66 "Small Faces" recordings(especially the most tinny sounding tracks on the debut album) were truly mono recordings. No multi tracks have ever been found.
    Even if some tracks were multitrack recordings, Don Arden may have seen no reason to take possession of the tapes or save them. Many of the Decca "Small Faces" tracks were recorded at a studio originally called "Maximum Sound"(later Manfred Mann's "Workhouse Studio"). Even if any Small Faces tapes remained there after Mann bought the studio, then they certainly would have perished in an arson incident at the studio in the mid-1980's. Some disco producers (who were then a client at the studio) were the target of the fire. Mann's 1970-1983 multitracks were destroyed in the incident.
    I would still assert, that unless the new reissues are better, that the original John Tracy-supervised "London" label CD's of "Small Faces" & "From The Beginning" are the CD's that are truest to the sound of the original 1960's Decca vinyl. Some later CD's feature harsh, drastic E.Q.

    Reply

  15. Thanks you all for insightfull info. What a shame that some songs isn't present. I had high hopes that this was the definite opportunity to get a complete collection of The Small Faces material. But one thing to still hope for is that the remastering improve the sound quality as much as it did for The Kinks-deluxes.

    Reply

  16. Just a few quick points to Phil Cohen....
    Nothing is cloned from the Immediate Years box set.Everything on these releases is taken from master reels!! Fair enough that you could only work from CD's and Vinyl back in the mid 90's, it's all that was available to you.Good job by the way....
    A few other points...
    The Immediate era tracks on "From The Beginning" are there because that is the chronological order they were recorded in - Done in early 1967 while the band were still on Decca.

    Regarding the use of Electronically Reproccesed Stereo tracks....
    I think they're of interest to fans as they've never had a release before on CD.They're taken from master analogue tape.

    The instrumental of "Tin Soldier" that Mac thought wasn't The Small Faces, actually is.It's on the Tin Soldier master tape.Same goes for those "War Of The Worlds"/"The Pigs Trotters" instrumentals.They too are The Small Faces.

    There's a lot of supposed informed comment going on before anyone has heard anything.

    I've seen it mentioned around the internet that the boxset will be 7 CD's??
    It's more likely to be 5 discs and will include never before released outtakes/alternate versions of tracks from both Decca and Immediate eras including material from "The Autumn Stone" sessions (all taken from master tapes).

    And to stop speculation, sadly there is no "Be My Baby"/"Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" nor a Steve Marriott sung "(If You Think You're)Groovy" in the vaults.They don't exsist.
    Also "The Universal" live from Newcastle was cut from the master reel, so we won't be hearing that.Ever.

    On the plus side, Rob Caiger has done a brilliant job in unearthing many master reels and multitrack tapes that have not been seen nor used since the 1960's.He has come up with some amazing stripped down mixes for us all to hear, many of which will be on the boxset and as a result along with all the other tracks, even the singles sound like exactly as they did the day they were made.There really is a great difference in sound compared to any previous CD releases.
    The remastering job is great and the packaging and sleeve notes are spot on, all overseen and approved by Ian McLagan and Kenney Jones.

    So to finish, these re-issues are the last word in all things Small Faces.They've been put together with love, care and attention to detail.
    Exactly what the band deserve.

    Regards.

    Tosh Flood (Project Assistance - Small Faces Deluxe Re-Issues)

    Reply

    • I should note that all of the track listings released to date for the forthcoming Universal Music "Small Faces" CD reissues describe certain selections as being from the Charly Records box set "The Immediate Years". They(Universal) stated that, not I. Incidentally, The Repertoire label expanded edition of the first "Immediate" album(REP 4173WY) was my source for those tracks.
      I always believed(as did the folks at Repertoire) that the backing tracks "The Pig Trotters" & "The War of The Worlds" WERE by "Small Faces". Musicians have a notoriously bad memory of their own sessions, which led Kenny and/or "Mac" to deny that those tracks were by "Small Faces".
      It's too bad that Rob Caiger doesn't want to hear from fans(he eliminated the "Contact Us" function from his ELO website), or I would have contacted him to tell him, that in the years since I compiled the Charly box set, that Charly obtained 98 reels of Olympic Studios multitracks by "Immediate Records" artists, including a limited quantity of "Small Faces" tracks(mostly the songs that debuted on "The Autumn Stone", plus a few other tracks; "I Can't Make It", "Just Passing", "the Fly" and a few others). In more than 10 years of holding the 98 reels, Charly has done nothing with them. The tapes include the multis for Billy Nichols' "Would You Believe" album(all CD releases of it to date have been dubbed from vinyl), an album's worth of songs by Warm Sounds, and most interestingly, two 1967 Mick Jagger-produced tracks by London Psychedelic group "One One Seven".
      By the way, "Small Faces" live Newcastle performances were part of an Immediate Records revue. None of the artists played full length sets(the tracks by "The Nice" were released on the Castle Communications 3-CD set "Here Come The Nice:The Immediate Anthology")

      Reply

    • Excuse me if I'm little confused but what boxset that more likely to be 5 discs are you referring to, Tosh? A forthcoming complete box or what? With the same material as in these deluxes plus the omited tracks? If so I'll wait for that one and passes on the deluxe re-issues.

      And if you're Project Assistance, why was such essential songs like "Call It Something Nice", "Wham Bam Thank You Mam" etc excluded from the four S.F.-deluxes?

      Would really appreciate a clarification.

      Regards.

      Reply

    • To Tosh Flood,
      On the new 2-CD edition of the first "Immediate" album, there are indeed dubs from the Charly box set(which I compiled). Take a listen to the mono version of "I'm Only Dreaming", and you'll hear a subtle skip during the piano intro. I dubbed that from a vinyl single when compiling the Charly box set. There was a loud vinyl "pop" which could not successfully be concealed by CEDAR noise reduction, so my engineer(Peter Rynston) edited out the "pop", creating a subtle skip in the music. That skip appears in the new Universal Music 2-CD set of the first "Immediate" album. So much for the idea that the compiler and/or Universal Music did a worldwide search for master tapes.

      Reply

  17. Hi Phil,
    Thank's for the heads up on those multitrack reels.
    Charly gave them all to Rob Caiger for use in these releases and these are the sources for all the above tracks and many more (Including the complete sessions for Green Circles)
    Sony USA supplied all the multitrack masters they had too, including the gig from Newcastle City Hall which is the best version I've heard to date (there's a lot less crowd noise).

    Reply

    • I wasn't present when Charly was logging in those tapes (when they received them from Repertoire in the early 2000's), and the engineer at Charly was sometimes uncertain whether a name listed on a tape box was that of the artist or producer. They(Charly) logged in one multitrack reel as being by "The Bohemians", but research showed that there had never been a Uk group of that name. The reel contained two songs: "Song of a Baker" & "Marble Palace". It is unknown whether "Song of a Baker". was a "Small Faces" recording, or merely a group doing a cover version of a "Small Faces" song.
      Comparing the list of tapes that Charly received versus a listing of the tapes that I saw at Charly's offices in the early 1990's, it is apparent that Repertoire did not hand over all of the tapes that they held. Repertoire was supposed to hand over all the tapes as part of a settlement with Charly. Charly and Repertoire collaborated on a £7000 bid to buy the tapes, and Repertoire took possession of the tapes with the understanding that Repertoire would license the recordings from Charly, and that Charly would also have access to the tapes. But Repertoire cut off Charly's access to the tapes, and Repertoire licensed the recordings from "Trimark Leisure Ltd." Trimark was disqualified by the courts, and it was established that the non-Uk rights to "Immediate" resided with Charly, hence Repertoire surrendering the tapes as part of a settlement.

      Reply

    • Excuse Me, Tosh, I have a few questions,
      I know these may come off vague, but I have to ask,

      #1 Is "Green Circles - Take 1 Alternate Mix 3" and "Green Circles - Alternate Take 2" the "USA slow mix" of "Green Circles" I believe from the "There Are But Four Small Faces" album and that "version 2" version of "Green Circles" that was in mono, was more slow and had Steve's vocals, I believe? 'Cause I hope Rob reads the comments here and assures some of us, without spoiling anything, that certain long time circulating Small Faces tracks will finally be released in well mastered sound and I wonder if those versions of "Green Circles" will be included in these deluxe re-issues of the Small Faces albums, I'm just saying and am wondering what you will say about this, Tosh, same with you Phil Cohen.
      #2 On this Japanese compilation of "Small Faces rarities" called "Rarities Small Faces" from 2001 there was a supposed "alternate mix" of "Something I Want Tell You", was there anything different about that "alternate mix" of that song or was it something small or what? I'm just wondering, because I don't think I heard anything different about that version of that song and want to clarify things.
      #3 Why won't the instrumental backing track version of "The Hungry Intruder" be included in the 2012 "Ogden's Nut Gone Flake" Deluxe Edition, I know many don't like instrumentals of songs that are well liked with lyrics with little interest in just the instrumental whole of the song, but I liked it, how come it won't be included in the reissues?

      #4 Why is the stereo mix of "Ogden's Nut Gone Flake" being pushed to the third disc of the three disc 2012 deluxe edition reissue of "Ogden's Nut Gone Flake", I know the mono mix was popular and I know Ian and Kenney approved of these reissues but this kinda annoys me because I feel most would prefer the stereo mix of "Ogden's" over the mono mix in 1968, like with "The Beatles White Album" where the stereo mix was more preferred over the mono mix, but the mono was of interest and fans were delighted with it being remastered and reissued on CD, and I'm fine with that with "Ogden's" but am kinda annoyed that the "stereo" mix is being pushed to the third disc, I know it's not a big deal, but I am just wondering.
      #5 Can the "fake stereo" tracks be pressed to mono?

      Thanks to anyone who reads or/and responds to my questions, I know it looks like I'm complaining about nothing, but really want be reassured that these reissues will have all of the satisfactory tracks by the Small Faces and am looking forward to listening to the new alternate takes and such.

      Reply

  18. Just as I feared... it's ridiculous that you should purchase an extra
    5-CDs box-set to get the "Autumn Sone" material, which could easily have been
    inserted at the end of the Ogdens' discs (plenty of space), like
    previous anthologies have done.

    The Sequel-released "Darlings..." packed, in a 2-CDs set, every
    Immediate master (Autumn Stone included); it was value-for money, very well compiled and
    with great sound, so "the great difference in sound compared to any
    previous CD releases"... well, we'll see (and hear) about it...

    I won't comment any longer on the electronically processed tracks,
    which are a sonic nonsense. I'm a collector and I never heard any
    serious collector pleading for the reissue of EPS tracks. I just
    hope this doesn't set the path for a trend of EPS releases, since companies are running short of unreleased material for their re-re-reissues (it's getting
    difficult to release for the umpteenth the same records... and processed
    stereo sets a new level in the “scraping the barrel” department... so if this goes down well, expect a wealth of EPS reissues...)

    And as for the "alternate mixes", it's really a wild guess about their
    actual value, or actual interest. Mixed when? And by who? Supervised
    by band members? By the original producers? What's the philological
    guideline? Given a multi-track recording, there's virtually no limit
    to the number of alternate mixes you could come up with. So unless
    those mixes were made, at the time, by the band or the production
    team, I honestly can't see the point.

    All considered, and already owning all of the master takes (and then some) that are presently released, I'll make a huge pass on these deluxes. We'll see what the box-set brings, in terms of unreleased stuff, but I'm not expecting much.

    Reply

    • First off, Hi Phil....it seems to me, you where heavily involved back in the 1990's and like I said you did a great job with the Charly Immediate boxset.But its been a while since then. A lot could have happened that you're not privy to. And it appears a lot has! Also I don't know where that information regarding the source of tracks has come from.But it's misleading!
      Hi Andrea....
      148 Tracks in total being released on these re-issues.Eight of which are EPS.You can skip those ones if they annoy you so much! I'm not a big fan of EPS either, if I had my way everything recorded by everyone would be released on Mono only.
      I too have all of the releases mentioned above.I bought them all when they came out as well as all of those ropey budget CD's and vinyl albums that were released from the 1970's to date in the hope of finding a different mix/alternate version.I am a fan of the band and a "serious collector"
      I've A/B referenced the best versions available of all those releases against what's included on these re-issues that have come from the original source and the difference is much better like I said.
      Which brings me to Alternate Mixes....
      They where all done at the time of recording.
      Mixed then.
      By the engineer of the session (see sleeve notes for details)
      Supervised by Marriott/Lane/McLagan/Jones in the case of the Immediate recordings(I don't think they where so hands on in the Decca days)
      As an example, on the multi-track for "I Can't Make It" there was 16 takes done for it (Take 14 being best) and it's of great interest to fans to hear the outtake from that session.
      Hi Magnus....
      There's been speculation around the internet that there will be a deluxe "Autumn Stone" as well as a 7 CD boxset.
      I was just pointing out that it would more likely be 4 or 5 CD boxset (it's been compiled at the moment).
      It obviously won't have any of the versions included on the re-issues, but will include things like the U.S Single edit of Afterglow and also Mad John.
      The Autumn Stone was a compilation and so would have a lot of the tracks included on the 4 Deluxe-Issues, so I think it was felt that it would be best to place Call It Something Nice etc on the box-set along with the live tracks and any of the other ones recorded after Ogdens'.
      Again, all taken from the master analogue tapes.That's the difference with these releases.
      Hope that clears everything up.
      No more questions please....

      Regards,

      Tosh Flood.

      Reply

  19. Don't worry. I've preordered all of the new CD releases. It does seem(that excepting the simulated stereo mixes) that there is nothing new to CD or previously unreleased in the 2-CD reissue of the Decca debut album, HOWEVER, I have ordered the 2-CD set in the hope that better sources have been found for the France E.P. alternate takes(previous Universal Music CD releases of them were dubbed from poorly mastered French vinyl). For the withdrawn first mix of "My Mind's Eye" I found a source much better than the French E.P. release. i used an RCA Victor U.S.A. promotional single in the 1995 box set.

    Hopefully, even in the case of already released Decca tracks, the sound quality will be significantly improved. We fans wait, and time will tell. We're not trying to be difficult with you. We know that you're a spokesman, but not the compiler.

    Reply

    • Hi Phil,
      hope you'll get this message of mine as I've tried in vain to contact you before via other sources. Knowing that you're an expert on the SF stuff I'd like to point out a few things reg. last year´s deluxe treatment of some Decca recordings:
      - both the alternate takes of BABY DON´T YOU DO IT and TAKE THIS HURT OFF ME sound worse than the early 70´s French LP on the AZ label! If they couldn´t use masters then why no professional needle drop?
      - COME ON CHILDREN is indeed an "alternate version" so that leaves the French-EP version still unreished (cept for a limited CD-EP on the French EVA label - which doesn´t have the best of sound,)
      - DON´T STOP WHAT YOU´RE DOING - the so-called "alternate version" appears to be the same as the French-EP take (also once available on EVA). Pity the sound is still poor.
      - HEY GIRL - the alternate take (which may come from a French-EP, not too sure about this one) on last years´s FROM THE BEGINNING sounds terrible compared to the first album's 40th ANNIVERSARY edition from 2006! Wondering how this mistake was made!!!
      - MY MIND´S EYE - the earlier take (found on some 45 pressings) is nowhere to be found on the deluxe editions. Thankfully I still have the old IMMEDIATE box.

      Maybe you'd like to comment on this.
      Cheers,
      Syd

      Reply

      • Apparently, while upgraded sources have been found for some Decca French E.P. tracks, other selections still must be dubbed from vinyl. As for the original single mix of "My Mind's Eye", when it appears on Charly's "The Immediate Years" box, I dubbed it from a very clean promotional RCA Victor U.S.A. single. I don't know why this early mix wasn't used in Universal Music's upgraded 2-CD "Small Faces" reissues. That's a question to ask Rob Caiger.

        I'm sorry that it was so difficult to find me. I've been banished from several online music forums that I once participated in(IMWAN, Steve Hoffman etc). Though my last compiling projects for Charly Records were in the mid to late 1990's, the company DOES know where to contact me, as my address & telephone number have never changed. I've only heard from Charly once in the past decade.

        The compiler of the (hopefully still forthcoming) Small Faces box DOES have a reputation for taking up to two and a half years on projects, or having some projects collapse altogether("The Idle Race" box set, for example). If this is what is going to happen for each "Immediate Records" artist he compiles, then none of the fans old enough to remember this music will be alive to hear the completion of Rob Caiger's "Immediate" projects.

        I'd still be willing to offer my services to Charly Records....but it's their move.

        Reply

  20. Thanks for the somewhat clarification, Tosh. Still there's some queations-marks hanging around. There's 8 songs from "The Autumn Stone" not included on the deluxes so if there's gonna be a deluxe version of "T A S" we get the other 14 tracks once more.

    If not any versions from these deluxes are included in the forthcoming box it has to be some kind of a equivalence to The Beatles "Anthology" - i.e. hard-to-get rarities. If so the 8 tracks missing from "T A S" would be misplaced in that context. They would fit much better on the four deluxes as the other 14 songs did.

    Or IF there's gonna be a complete-box these 4 deluxes will be superfluous. The only persons who will bye them are serious Small Faces-fans so we really deserves better information. That's why you get so many questions, Tosh.

    The only hesitations I have to grab the deluxes in May is for these reasons cos I'm positive that the sound is gonna be super (so I guess I bye them anyway).

    Springtime for The Small Faces!

    Reply

  21. But let's look at the bright side. At least the record company and people involved in these "Small Faces" reissues have revealed plenty of information about these expanded album reissues four months before their release. Contrast this with the 100% stonewalling and secrecy surrounding the 50th anniversary Beach Boys product.

    Reply

    • Well I think I'm looking at the bright side thank you very much. specially when it comes to the sound quality which there is no reason not to hope for the same improvement as in The Kinks case. That me and others wants to know more when essential tracks is missing just shows the affection, intrests and knowledge we have of the band which in my book is something positive.

      If there is a fortcoming boxset (which Tosh indicates) that complete these 4 deluxes and would answer most of our questions , I think it's not asking too much we should be informed about it and it's contents. Of course any info is better than "100 % stonewalling" but why keep your expectations so low? No reason.

      Reply

  22. Well, as Phil wrote, it does seem that there is not much new to CD in terms of unreleased tracks, other than alternate mixes and early versions of already released tracks.
    And IT IS too bad that they weren't able to come up with the obvious choice of placing the "Autumn Stone-released" tracks at the end of the Ogdens disc.
    As for sound quality, we just have to wait and see. Each time a CD is being reissued we're told about a vast improvement in sound... sometimes it's actually so, others... less so. All I'm saying is the 90s already saw some SF reissues with excellent sound... if these can top them, fine... but I'll have to listen first.
    So these are not questions, Tosh - just considerations - feel free not to reply. The products themselves will give an answer. But based on what we presently know, there ARE quite a few perplexities about the way these deluxes, and the upcoming box, are being assembled.

    Reply

  23. Andrea,

    When I said that there were no previously unreleased tracks, I was referring only to the 2-CD reissue of the first British Decca album. The other 3 expanded reissues DO contain some previously unreleased tracks.

    Reply

  24. As I said, there may be alternate versions or different mixes of tracks that have already been released.
    I may be mistaken, but I honestly can't see any unreleased song or outtake I don't already own on the comprehensive Decca 65-67 and Sequel/Immediate collections released in the 90s. Which both had fine sound AND, referring to the latter, featured the posthumous songs that Universal didn't bother to add to these deluxes.

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  25. I stand corrected... there may be Bun In The Oven and the instrumental The Fly which I don't already own... and let's not forget backing track Kamikhazi...

    Reply

  26. Bun In The Oven was the working title for "Rollin' Over" - It's a rough early mix of that track.The Fly is the instrumental early take of The Hungry Intruder (in both cases, that's what they are marked as on the tape box) You won't have heard the early take of Mad John.It's great!

    Reply

    • I know that everyone (myself included) is anticipating the release of these Small Faces Deluxe packages with much excitment.
      Everyone would like to see all the lost tracks and rarities be released on these Deluxe packages or the up coming box set, but for economic reasons the compilers, and remaining members of the band have to make choices as to what gets released and what does not. In some cases some tracks just aren't worth releasing as they are incomplete, or just aren't interesting enough for release. We all hope that the people in the drivers seat on these projects are aware and in tune to what the fans want, and have their wish lists in mind. I have been listening to the Small Faces since these albums were originally released in the 60's, and I also own most of the various reissues that have come down the road over time. Some of these had pretty good sound, and some not so much. I can only hope that in terms of the box set, this time they will get it right, both in terms of sound quality, and interesting newly unearthed tracks. Keep your fingers crossed.

      Reply

  27. What is being left out of these deluxe editions is not some incomplete or not-interesting track, but a few songs completed and released by the band (even if postumously), and among these, at least one true masterpiece such as The Autumn Stone.

    Viceversa, as Tosh has made clear in his post above, there doesn't really seem to be any newly discovered or unreleased songs “per se”, but only alternate or early versions, or different mixes, occasionally with different working titles, of already released songs.

    Reply

    • I too hope they will release The Autumn Stone as a stand alone deluxe edition, but it was itself considered a compilation of hits, unreleased material, and rarities at the time of it's release. Perhaps they will put all of that material on the box set when it's released. Unfortunately, we as the consumer have very little, or no control over what will be released on these editions, and thats why we can only give our opinions, and hope for the best.

      Reply

  28. Well, the people behind these new releases did say that there will be a reissue of "The Autumn Stone", but, unfortunately not until 2013. Why the long wait?

    I should also note that "Small Faces" either:
    A. Never had much unreleased material
    B. Material was lost and/or misplaced during numerous changes of ownership for both the Decca and/or Immediate recordings
    or
    C. The group themselves made many alternate takes "Disappear", as one of the two surviving members once indicated. They didn't want the alternates to exist.

    Reply

    • The tentative release date of sometime next year does seem curious. I'm just speculating here, but perhaps they are waiting until all the upcoming reissues are released before they remaster and release The Autumn Stone. For myself, I'm very happy to be getting these releases because of the sonic upgrades that they may offer (hopefully like the recent Kinks re- issues). My concern is if they don't get it right, it would surely be a missed opportunity that they may not have the chance to do again.

      Reply

    • Too Phil

      Many moons ago I used to licence in material for Telstar Records and dealt a lot with Charly (mainly for Blues stuff which they didnt own!!) and also P H A B run by Phil Bailey who was often touting Donkey.. as Rod Stewart. Anyway do you know him !! There was also a USA company called celebrity licencing who used to offer US singles of Mad John and others. I think after the Olympic was torn to bits by Virgin and loads of the tapes were skipped people raided them and went off to sell them. I know from licencing folk many appeared a MIDEM and I bet there are some Small Faces outtakes knocking around.

      Reply

  30. I have partly written a book on the history of the Olympic Sound Studios and during my research came across many tape labels and boxs (but no tapes) with small faces material mentioned. There seems to be also a box that states Donkey Rides A Penny A Glass credited to Rod Stewart and certainly in the 1980s this mistake was put on many cheap 60s compilations.
    I will try to source as much info as I can look out. I also have an interview with George Chkiantz who engineered Itchycoo Park.and went into great detail about phasing.
    I meet Steve many times when he played with Pack Of Three and what a great guy.

    Reply

  31. What about the Italian version of "Green Circles"? I didn't see this listed. There are also live tracks, other than Newcastle, that have never been released. What about "There Are But Four Small Faces" LP. It has never PROPERLY been reissued and should be considered an 'official' Small Faces LP? Why not release it as part of this series?

    Reply

    • "There Are But Four Small Faces" was a collection assembled for the U.S.A. combining tracks from the group's first UK Immediate Records album with singles A's & B's from that period. As with The Beatles, the Small Faces usually didn't include the singles on the UK albums, because, in a country where L.P.'s were costly, it was considered poor value to have the kids buy the singles again on an L.P., but, on the other hand, American record companies thought that the inclusion of the hit singles was commercially necessary, and would boost L.P. sales.

      I'm assuming that the Italian version of "Green Circles" will appear in the box set. Years ago, I showed poor judgement in copying my DAT of that Italian track to CD-R for a fan(in Canada, if I recall correctly), who copied it(without my O.K.) for a Small Faces fanzine operator, who then copied it for Castle Communications.....then the track appeared on a UK 2-CD Steve Marriott compilation. I still have the track in my collection at 48Khz/16-bit.

      Reply

    • While "There are but"....is a great collection of songs, it was for the most part, a North American release in February1968. It was mostly made up of songs from the first Immediate UK album from June 1967,with some current singles thrown in for good measure. If you purchase The Small Faces first Immediate album reissue you will get all of those songs in that package. To Ian Fowler - I also was fortunate enough to have had a chance to get to know Steve Marriott, but it was in 1971-72 just after Pete Frampton left Humble Pie, and Clem Clemson joined the band. Those were amazing times, and some amazing memories indeed!!

      Reply

      • Thanks yes it was great to meet him and his partner. Both of them in matching denim dungerees. One night he played an amazing version of Tin Soldier I think it was early 1991 at Ewell Hall or maybe 1990. Kids today are still finding out about great music via the Small Faces and certainly Blur and Oasis owe them a lot. Maybe Humble Pie were the Kings Of Leon of the eraly 1970s.

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  32. Hi Faces

    I just dug out a pretty decent comp from universal/ sanctuary which has one disc of decca one disc of immediate which also covers most stuff but misses off Red Balloon which strangely is one of my fav tracks ever. Also there is never mention to the 1976 album which OK isnt the best but surely should be included.

    Reply

  33. As a huge SF fan that already has too much SF material to be healthy I find all of this interesting but I won’t be buying these ‘deluxe’ reissues. Quite honestly, if you have the Decca album and Ogden’s, and a greatest hits collection for the rest of the singles, you’ve got the best (IMHO). BTW Wide Eyed Girl on the Wall, Pig Trotters and Collibosher are all instrumentals and have been released on Darlings of Whapping Wharf. And (again IMO) they might be worth a listen but they pale in comparison to the good stuff. If you’re a fan, Playmates and 78 in the Shade aren’t bad additions though. I would love to think there’s another Tin Soldier out there that equals the lost chapter of the bible but I suspect otherwise. I will spend my cash on true rarities—I love my vinyl copy of the first album in Mono.

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  34. I'm now listening to the reissue of ”Small Faces” (the one on Immediate).
    Honestly, I'm not impressed.
    I'm referring to the STEREO version.
    Comparing it to the 1999 Charly/Sanctuary release, I can't notice any detectable improvement in sound or clarity.
    If anything, the opposite: the bass seems now to have a little less presence, and drums and guitars are occasionally a tad more shrill than on the 1999 release, which overall is still, in my opinion, a more agreeable, better balanced listening experience.
    But as I said, differences are minimal, and in any case, to my ears, not particularly in the direction of an improvement in sound quality. This goes for the stereo version.

    As for the MONO version, it certainly seems to have more punch compared to the stereo. I can't compare it to previous mono releases as I never listened to the album in mono, anyway here the bass is definetly more upfront.

    In short, I don't seem to find any significant improvement/difference on the stereo version.
    The mono version seems to me a bit more lively.
    So unless you're interested in the mono version, I really can't say if this release is to be preferred over the 1999 reissue.

    Reply

    • sorry, I meant the 1999 Sequel/Castle reissue (not Charly/Sancuary), published in 1999 as "The Darlings of Wapping Wharf Launderette". That's the 1999 reissue I own and I was referring to.

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  35. I have to agree with Andrea. I got the Charly version of "Small Faces" Immediate and expected to be blown away by the improved sound quality. I really don't think it is noticeably better than previous. (I have them all - the most recent being the 35th anniversary edition.

    Reply

    • As for the new 2-CD edition of the first "Immediate" album, it sounds O.K., but my "go to" disc (for the stereo mix of the album) is the Repertoire CD(REP-4173-WY), which has some excellent bonus tracks, some of them remixed from the original multi tracks. I used all of the tracks from this CD as a source when compiling the Charly 4-CD box set "Small Faces-The Immediate Years".

      Reply

  36. By the way, Charly Records and Sanctuary Music have gone totally silent concerning the 5-CD box set "Small Faces-Here Come The Nice". Has the project been cancelled? As you know, as part of the deal in which Universal Music purchased EMI Music, to appease European regulators, Universal Music agreed to sell off "Sanctuary Music" no later than April 2013. The question now, is whether the next owner of Sanctuary Music will want to continue partnering with Charly Records on projects involving "Immediate Records" . Sanctuary owns UK-only rights to the "Immediate Records" recordings, while Charly Records owns the non-UK rights and the "Immediate Records" name & logo. Charly permitted Sanctuary to have access to Charly's stash of 98 reels of multitrack tapes by various "Immediate" artists, and these tapes would be combined with whatever tapes Sanctuary holds, with Sanctuary handling the mixing,mastering & compiling costs, and then Charly would be able to release the resulting compilations & box sets in territories where Charly has the rights. Universal's mandatory sell-off of Sanctuary Music would seem to put all of these projects in limbo.
    Some have also suggested that, though the Small Faces box set was mastered back in July 2012, the thing that caused the project to collapse, was an attempt to create elaborate packaging with a book, similar to the "Immersion" editions by Pink Floyd & Peter Gabriel.

    Reply

  37. Hi Philip,

    Hopefully this will clear up your concern about the boxset.It sounds great and again has used original analogue tapes as source.For the record, I'm Only Dreaming was taken from analogue tape and not copied from your "Immediate Years" collection.That glitch on the intro is on the source tape (which I've seen for myself) and on every mono version of the track!

    Regards...

    Tosh Flood.

    The following information is from Rob Caiger......

    Hi all, its been silent because we've been working flat out on the mixes for CD2 and 3 of the boxset - provisionally titled Small Faces in session at IBC and Olympic Studios. And I'm still recovering tapes...

    For the boxset, Disc 1 will cover all the Immediate worldwide single A,B's and EP's - this is mastered (and for the first time, all the correct versions / edits etc are being used) as is Disc 5, which is comprised of original alternate takes and mixes plus live material from Newcastle. Mac and Kenney monitored these recently at Air Studios in London. We're were also cutting lacquers for some special vinyl Record Store Day releases for 2013, including 'There Are But Four Small Faces'.

    The boxset packaging will be elaborate, including a hardback book containing definitive sleeve notes (10,000 plus words) and a track-by-track breakdown for every song on the boxset. There will be red, white and blue coloured vinyl, facsimile "Mystery" acetate, a facsimile Ogdens' press kit, poster, art prints, postcards - can't remember what else but the mock-up looks fantastic! Its all being put together by Rachel Gutek who did fine work on the recent Charly and Universal editions.

    'The Autumn Stone' will appear later as a 2-CD edition with bonus material exclusive to that release plus a 180g 2LP vinyl.

    I'll also be writing something about the history of the tapes and the injustices they (and the band) have suffered over the years until we pulled everything together over these last 5 years or so. It's been an interesting but worthwhile journey - no less than this incredible band deserves!

    We'll be previewing some previously unheard session takes on the Small Faces website shortly and they'll be a special promo CD featuring highlights from the boxset which I want to make available to fans as part of a pre-order bonus. More details soon.

    Rob Caiger (Small Faces Remaster Series producer)

    Reply

  38. The only thing that I'd like to add, is that if the completion(to the compiler's satisfaction) of the "Small Faces" box is going to take another year or more, then why not put out some other "Small Faces" CD product in the meantime(perhaps "The Autumn Stone" or an updated/expanded BBC collection). This would buy more time to work on the box set's contents and/or packaging, and satisfy fans hungry for more Small Faces CD product.

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  39. More than four months after the last update....and still nothing. And there is the question of whether the next owner of Sanctuary Music will want to continue partnering with Charly Records on "Immediate Records" projects. Universal Music agreed to sell off Sanctuary Music, as part of concessions to get EU regulatory approval for Universal's purchase of EMI.
    Certainly, Charly Records will not be willing to go it alone in the remixing costs involved in the "Immediate Records" projects.
    With all due respects to compiler Rob Caiger(with whom I had some harsh exchanges on his ELO forum many years ago, before I was banished), Mr.Caiger has often taken two to two and a half years(from initial announcement to actual release) on some his projects involving the ELO/Move/Roy Wood family tree of artists, and one project(a box set by Jeff Lynne's early group "Idle Race") simply disappeared into oblivion.
    If Caiger takes two and a half years(more more) to compile these "Small Faces" projects, there may come a point where the market for them will fade away, the record companies will have lost interest or the record companies(that would have released them) will cease to exist.
    With the fragile state that the record industry is in, Rob Caiger doesn't have the luxury of endless amounts of time to make these projects happen.
    This is only my opinion, but one way to make these projects happen is to eliminate the fancy packaging(books, reproduction memorabilia,vinyl records etc.) and focus solely on the music, and present it in standard CD box set packaging, with a booklet with basic information about the songs, takes, songwriting credits etc..

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  40. The Varese release of There Are But Four... Is not a first-time issue on CD. Sony Music put out a budget release of this and other Small Faces CDs in 1991. I got them all for $6.99 each, at Tower!

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  41. I got the Charley 7" releases on record store day. They contain an ad for the box set claiming it will be out May 2013. We shall see...

    Reply

    • The fate of the Small Faces box(and future expanded Kinks reissues) would seem to be in limbo awaiting Universal Music's EU regulatory agency-mandated sell-off of Sanctuary Music. It's all in the hands of Sanctuary Music's next owner.

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  42. Hi, has anyone noticed the mastering fault on the OGDENS' deluxe CD? The stereo CD, HUNGRY INTRUDER near the final seconds at 2:04, right channel, there is a slight wavering dropout in the string melody (or is that the mellotron ?) It is also on the Mp3. The mono version is fine. I played my UK original stereo versions ( lilac and first pink label pressings ) and the dropout is not there. Speaking of Ogdens', the reissued LP sleeve artwork is still not correct to the 1968 original, apart from the round die cut format. The original sleeve looks to be a 5 colour offset print, using CMYK 4 colour process and a fifth plate for the GOLD INK. The reissues are a 4 colour process reproduction of an original sleeve that was photographed or scanned ( hence where the gold sections are they appear as light brown). Funny thing is that the 1975 NEMS 1001 reissue in the round sleeve was printed like the 1968 original, that suggests the printing plates and / or the film negatives, from which the plates were made from, still existed at the printers, and of course all round LP reissues after that, as far as I know, have not used the 5 colour / plate print. Most likely the 1968 plates / film negatives don't exist. I am sure there are other people in the forum that are aware of printing processes... sorry to rave on about it. I work as a graphic artist so I think with a lot of effort the GOLD INK areas on a reissue could be recreated and therefore be printed on a separate plate from the CMYK. It would take some time as there are a lot of minute shapes. I saw a copy of the recent mono reissue and the sleeve looks like it was reproduced from a colour scan of a 1968 sleeve, actually it's rather dark and low in contrast compared to the 1968 original print.

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  43. Take a look at comments on the IMWAN forum(www.imwan.com). People are starting to lose hope that the Small Faces boxed set will ever be released. Rob Caiger's project will likely collapse under the weight of its grandiose ambitions. To Compact Disc consumers who just want the music, Caiger's plans to pack the box with hardcover books, reproduced memorabilia & vinyl records(which most CD consumers aren't equipped to play) are largely irrelevant, and will inflate a 4-CD or 5-CD set to an absurd £125 selling price, ensuring, that, even if the set is released, that more consumers will obtain the music through illegal downloading than through buying the boxed set.
    Charly Records, which years ago reverted from being an actual label, to being a licensing company frequently releasing via Snapper Music, must now be wishing that they had asked me to compile the "Small Faces" box.
    And Rob Caiger seems oblivious to the ridicule that he has received worldwide for using "Electronically Reprocessed Stereo" mixes as filler material on his projects by "Small Faces" & "The Move".

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  44. A pre-preorder link has appeared on amazon, listed as "Amazon Exclusive Box Set"
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GMVEAS4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00GMVEAS4&linkCode=as2&tag=thesecdis-20
    It seems there's going to be multicoloured vinyl EPs, replica studio acetates (?), press kits, double-sided postcards, prints, you name it.
    ...and yes, there are also 4 CDs, one with singles tracks and three with "rare and previously unreleased material"... although it remains to see how many duplications with the 2012 reissue we're going to get.

    Why, in the first place, they wouldn't put out a single, definitive box with every existing track (mono&stereo, released&unreleased), 10-12 CDs with just the music, a booklet and no frills, is still beyond be.
    Well actually, that's a rhetorical question as long as there will be fans to be milked...

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  46. well. first I'll have to decide if it's worth buying... I'm not taking that for granted.
    And then I'm going to wait and see if the price drops. I'm not sure whether this set is more likely to skyrocket or to bomb... 3,000 copies is not a small amount and fans who have already purchased the 2012 reissues are not getting a lot of value for money...

    Reply

    • If I'm not wrong, 3 out of 4 CD:s includes previously unreleased material and a relevant comparison is the mono-CD box with The Kinks which also was limetid to 3000 copies and included almost nothing new and not as nice books either. Two years ago the price was £60 but today you have to pay £300 for it. So my market analysis is that the S.F.-box will be a good investment (hopefully also from a musical perspective).

      Reply

      • There's a lot of unreleased material so the 3,000 will go quickly and the value will eventually only go up. It's the vinyl equivalent of gold.

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  47. It's 'nice' to see the Small Faces still taking centre-stage in The Great Rock N Roll Swindle, even after all these years. One minute their UK fans are completely denied access to this box set through record company mishandling, the next they're 'permitted' to purchase it through Amazon UK - so long as they're willing to pay twice as much as anyone else in the World for the privilege.

    £163 GBP. For American readers, that's around $270 USD. And you guys thought YOU were getting ripped off.

    Reply

  48. I still think the price will drop. Anyway, I'm from Europe as well and if I had to purchase this today I'd definitely place my order with Amazon US, $144 means 105 euros or £87 plus ship, a no brainer actually. But I'm in no hurry on this one

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  49. January 2021: I just looked at this ancient discussion thread for the first time in a half decade. Charly's last CD release of archival material from Immediate Records" (the 2-CD expanded edition of "There are But Four Small Faces") was nearly seven years ago, and it is apparent that the release of any further material from Immediate artists is simply not to be, because of contractual,legal or financial issues that simply can't be resolved. Even Rob Caiger is no longer claiming that he's going to release anything. And the "Yardbirds" vault tapes (which Caiger claims to hold) are in some similar,permanent limbo.
    If Charly Records waits too many years to resolve these situations, the people who would have purchased these CD's will be dead and gone. I was 12 years old when both The Yardbirds and Small Faces disbanded.....but I'm 64 years old now. Time moves on.
    If these recordings can't legally be released, then, technically, they have no commercial value. Perhaps Rob Caiger should simply post the material on a file sharing site and simply give the recordings away.
    He's put music fans through too much, and, for the past 7 years, has failed to deliver the goods. His credibility is now zero.

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  50. If Rob Caiger's sidekick Tosh Flood wants to contact me, he should ask Charly Records' founder Jean-Luc Young or his secretary Jan Friedmann. They know where to contact me. I'm still at the same address as I was when they last saw me (in 1994). Ms Friedmann would have my e-mail address and phone number as well. Noted UK mastering engineer Andy Pearce would also know how to contact me.

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  51. Amazing but true. Rob Caiger actually got one previously unreleased "Small Faces" unreleased alternate version released recently, via a Steve Marriott compilation CD given away with the British magazine "Mojo". It's "Jenny's Song"; a stripped back alternate mix or version of the song "The Autumn Stone".
    and that is all the unreleased Small Faces material that Caiger has been able to release after 7 years of broken promises. Obviously, there are behind the scenes legal, contractual or financial problems surrounding the "Immediate Records" catalog, but Caiger reveals nothing. I'm not sure whether we should regard Caiger as a compiler, a con artist or simply a clown.
    As for his claim to hold unreleased Yardbirds material, I don't think he has anything. He once posted a photo of some Yardbirds tape boxes, but they're merely a bunch of copy tapes, some of them in "Electronically Reprocessed Stereo"

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    • Universal has announced an expanded edition of Autumn Stone (according to the same Mojo magazine CD). Maybe things have finally worked out.

      Reply

  52. The latest (Sept.2021) is now Rob Caiger claims that a deluxe edition of "The Autumn Stone" will be released in "Early 2022". Next Spring will mark 8 years since Charly last released any "Immediate Records" material on CD or L.P.
    Rob Caiger no longer has any credibility. If you believe him, then I've got a bridge in Brooklyn that I'd like to sell you. When unreleased Small Faces or Yardbirds material gets into Rob Caiger's posession, it basically falls into a black hole. Consider it "Gone".....forever.

    Reply

  53. Spring 2022 marks 8 years of the contractual or legal stalemate over the catalog of "Immediate Records". Soon, no one will care anymore.

    Reply

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