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“Eighty tracks from a band with exactly one hit single?”  That’s the question Sundazed Records is posing of its soon-to-be-released box set from The Knickerbockers.  The hitmakers behind the British Invasion-esque “Lies” will be celebrated by Sundazed with the 4-CD, 80-track box The Challenge Recordings.  It’s due in stores this Friday, November 13.

The Top 20 hit “Lies” – and seminal inclusion in the original Nuggets – is just one of the tracks on this collection.  Brothers Beau and John Charles of Bergenfield, New Jersey, formed The Knickerbockers in 1962 (named for a road in nearby Tenafly), but the classic line-up wasn’t solidified until saxophonist/vocalist Buddy Randell joined the group in 1964.  The two Charles brothers, Randell and drummer Jimmy Walker were spotted by producer-songwriter Jerry Fuller (Rick Nelson, Gary Puckett and the Union Gap) performing in Albany, New York.  Fuller, working in NY for Challenge Records, signed the band to the Los Angeles-based independent.  The Knickerbockers went on to record three albums for Challenge comprising both covers and original songs.  (Leon Russell provided some of the band’s arrangements during this period!)  On the box set you’ll hear “Lies” plus minor hits “One Track Mind” and “High on Love” plus The Knickerbockers’ takes on familiar material like “The Girl from Ipanema,” “It’s Not Unusual,” “All Day and All of the Night,” “King of the Road,” “Downtown,” “I Know a Place,” and even “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”

Tracing the stylistic development of The Knickerbockers from their garage-rock roots through psychedelic explorations and beyond, The Challenge Recordings presents the albums and singles recorded for the label plus never-before-released material including demos discovered in the vaults of 4-Star Publishing as well as songs from Beau Charles’ personal collection of acetates.  Both Charles brothers, as well as Jimmy Walker, were involved with the production of this release, and Beau and John supplied Sundazed with family scrapbooks telling the band’s story.  Content from these personal scrapbooks has been reprinted in the 40-page book which accompanies the box set.

The Challenge Recordings has been mastered from the original analog tapes and acetates, and every track is heard in its original mono mix.  The box features new liner notes by Dominic Priore as well as an introductory essay by David Fricke.  The Knickerbockers were the band that launched Sundazed Records; with this set, Sundazed pays lavish tribute to them.  You can pre-order The Challenge Recordings, due on Friday, November 13, at the links below!

The Knickerbockers, The Challenge Recordings (Sundazed, 2015) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

CD 1

1. You Really Got Me
2. All Day And All Of The Night
3. Money
4. The Jolly Green Giant
5. Twine Time
6. Land Of 1000 Dances
7. The In Crowd
8. The Jerk
9. Jerk Town
10. She’s Not There
11. All I Need Is You
12. Bite Bite Barracuda
13. Room For One More
14. Downtown
15. Limbo Rock
16. In The Misty Moonlight
17. It’s Not Unusual
18. Whenever I See You (Demo) [previously unissued]
19. Mighty Mighty Barracuda (previously unissued)
20. Last Call (previously unissued)

CD 2

1. Lies
2. I Can Do It Better
3. Can’t You See I’m Trying
4. Please Don’t Fight It
5. Just One Girl
6. I Believe In Her
7. Wishful Thinking
8. You’ll Never Walk Alone
9. Your Kind Of Lovin’
10. Harlem Nocturne
11. The Coming Generation
12. I Want To Hold Your Hand
13. There She Goes
14. I Know A Place
15. King of the Road
16. The Hully Gully
17. The Girl From Ipanema
18. I Ain’t Got A Right
19. Lies (Demo)
20. For Her (Demo) [previously unissued]

CD 3

1. One Track Mind
2. I Must Be Doing Something Right
3. She Said Goodbye
4. Come On and Let Me
5. Give A Little Bit
6. Playgirl (Version One)
7. The Pad and How To Use It
8. Like Little Children
9. She’s Gotten to Me
10. Is That What You Want
11. Come And Get It (Version One)
12. Turn To Me
13. Just Out Of Reach
14. You’re Bad
15. Gotta Stop This Dreaming
16. I Want A Girl For Christmas
17. My Feet Are Off The Ground (Version One)
18. You’re Something Else (Demo) [previously unissued]
19. And Then You (Demo) [previously unissued]
20. I Must Be Doing Something Right (Demo) [previously unissued]

CD 4

1. Chuck Berry Medley
2. We Got A Good Thing Going
3. Playgirl (Version Two)
4. High On Love
5. Stick With Me
6. Come And Get It (Version Two) [previously unissued]
7. Chapel In The Fields
8. Love Is A Bird
9. Rumors, Gossip, Words Untrue
10. I Love
11. Can You Help Me
12. Please Don’t Love Him
13. What Does That Make You
14. Sweet Green Fields
15. Guaranteed Satisfaction
16. Come And Get It (Version Three)
17. As A Matter Of Fact
18. They Ran For Their Lives
19. My Feet Are Off The Ground (Version Two)
20. Funny Face (demo) [previously unissued]