Brian Alexander Robertson, a.k.a. B.A. Robertson, has just about done it all in a career spanning five decades.  The Scottish-born talent has written an international best-selling, Ivor Novello Award-winning hit ("The Living Years" for Mike + The Mechanics), scored hit singles under his own name ("Bang Bang," "Knocked It Off"), written with Burt Bacharach and Cliff Richard, and reinvented classic Disney songs with artists ranging from Billy Joel to LL Cool J.  Last year, Cherry Red brought Robertson's three 1980-1982 solo albums for the Asylum label back into print on CD in remastered and expanded editions curated and overseen by the artist.  These aren't just the albums by which Robertson made his name - but also his last studio albums to date.  They reveal a sharp and idiosyncratic lyrical sensibility with a pop knack, and may well be worthy of another look via these three recent reissues.

Robertson's first album for Asylum in 1980 was entitled Initial Success - a somewhat ironic title given that it was actually Robertson's third album after stints on Ardent and Arista.  But after coming to Asylum he quickly had two hit singles in 1979:  "Bang Bang" (No. 2 in the U.K.) and "Knocked It Off" (No. 8).  The label gathered these songs into an LP in 1980 and released two more singles which also became hits: "Kool in the Kaftan" (No. 17) and "To Be or Not To Be" (No. 9).  The success of all of these tracks led the album itself to attain a No. 32 berth on the U.K. Albums Chart.  He followed that up in 1981 with the album Bully For You which yielded two singles: "Flight 19" and "Saint-Saens."  That album also featured the full-length version of Robertson's theme for the BBC show Maggie.  His final album for Asylum came in 1982: R & BA.  It was anchored by his duet with Maggie Bell on the 1930s song "Hold Me," which reached No. 11 on the British charts and became his last Top 40 hit in the country.  Not only that, R & BA would be Robertson's final studio album to date.  (He did release one live album, I Didn't Mean To..., in 2004).  Since that time he has continued to write and produce music and make appearances on television and film.

Cherry Red's reissues are each expanded by 8-9 tracks and feature B-sides, singles, non-album sides and demos.  Several of the tracks are previously unreleased. There are also six tracks from that 2004 live album recorded at the Edinburgh Fest peppered throughout the 3 CDs.  Each album features a full color booklet with numerous photos and memorabilia.  Initial Success and R & BA are 16 pages, while Bully For You is 12.  The highlight in each is the long, candid and humorous interview with Robertson conducted by Eddie Harrison spread out across the three books.  The only disappointment is the lack of discographical information for the bonus material.  All three reissues have been remastered by Nick Watson at Fluid Mastering.  Together, these albums add up to the most in-depth examination of Robertson's Asylum period, and they give you the chance to fully appreciate his music filled with quirky humor and bite.

If you would like to revisit the most successful part of B.A. Robertson's solo career, we've got the full tracklisting with discographical info and ordering links below.

B.A. Robertson, Initial Success: Expanded Edition (Cherry Red Records, 2017) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. Gonzo for My Girlfriend
2. Man or a Mouse?
3. Goosebumps
4. Fallin in Luv
5. Kool in the Kaftan
6. Bang Bang
7. Eat Your Heart Out Sandy Nelson
8. The B Side
9. To Be or Not to Be
10. She's a Beezer
11. England's Green and Pheasant Land
12. Walking Rover
13. Knocked It Off
14. Here I Sit
15. 2(b) B Side The C Side
16. Sci Fi
17. Baby I'm a Bat
18. Goosebumps (Single Version)
19. Bang Bang (by the Portsmouth Sinfonia)
20. Language of Love/Hot Shot (Live at The Venue, London, 4/11/80)
21. Bang Bang (Live at Edinburgh Festival 2004)
22. To Be or Not to Be (Live at Edinburgh Festival 2004)
23. Kook in the Kaftan (Live at Edinburgh Festival 2004)

Tracks 1-14 from Initial Success, Asylum Records LP K 52216, 1980
Track 15 from Asylum Records Single K 13152, 1979
Track 16 from Asylum Records Single K 12396, 1979
Track 17 from Asylum Records Single K 12427, 1980
Track 18 from Asylum Records Single K 13146, 1979
Track 19 previously unreleased
Track 20 from Asylum Records Single K 12499, 1980
Tracks 21-23 from I Didn't Mean To..., Sugarloaf CD SUGAR CD0501, 2004

B.A. Robertson, Bully For You: Expanded Edition (Cherry Red Records, 2017) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. Saint-Saens
2. Bully for You
3. Maggie
4. Growing Old's Unhealthy
5. Please Miss
6. In the Bar at the Munich Hilton
7. Dart Vader
8. Hey Presto
9. Flight 19
10. Only One
11. Turn the Volume Down
12. Home Sweet Home
13. Bar's on 45 (Medley)
14. Alright on the Night
15. Maggie (TV Theme Version)
16. Swap Shop (Demo)
17. Maggie Thatcher
18. Man or a Mouse (Live at All Saints College, Middlesex Polytechnic, 11/21/80)
19. Gonzo for My Girlfriend (Live at The Venue, London, 4/11/80)
20. Saint-Saens (Medley: Saint-Saens/Your School Report/You'll Never by Nuthin') (Live at Edinburgh Festival 2004)

Tracks 1-12 from Bully For You, Asylum Records LP 452275, 1981
Track 13 from Lyntone Single LYN 10304, 1981
Track 14 from Asylum Records Single K 12482, 1980
Tracks 15-17 previously unreleased
Track 18 from Asylum Records Promo Single SAM 131, 1981
Track 19 from Asylum Records Single K 12523, 1981
Track 20 from I Didn't Mean To..., Sugarloaf CD SUGAR CD0501, 2004

B.A. Robertson, R & BA: Expanded Edition (Cherry Red Records, 2017) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. Dot Dot Dot
2. Ready or Not
3. Moscow Rules
4. Nothing Like a Great Romance
5. Four Minutes to Midnight
6. Hold Me
7. Legislate for Love
8. Son of a Gunn
9. One Plus One
10. Asleep With a Stranger
11. Just Like a Rash
12. Hold Me (Single Version)
13. Spring Greens
14. Les Beans
15. Keep off the Grass
16. Saturday Superstore (Demo)
17. Legislate for Love (Piano Vocal Demo with John Barlow Jarvis)
18. We Have a Dream (Live at Edinburgh Festival 2004)
19. Asleep With a Stranger (Live at Edinburgh Festival 2004)
20. Bang Bang (German Version)

Tracks 1-11 from R & BA, Asylum Records LP K 52383, 1982
Tracks 12-13 from Swan Song Single BAM 1, 1981
Track 14 from Asylum Records Single K 12602, 1982
Track 15 from Asylum Records Single K 13190, 1982
Tracks 16-17 previously unreleased
Tracks 18-19 from I Didn't Mean To..., Sugarloaf CD SUGAR CD0501, 2004
Track 20 from German WEA Single 18 117, 1979