I love this double cassette release! When you want to hear some classic "down and dirty" American blues music, you cannot go past this excellent double cassette release.
This is the deep south American blues, the music that influenced so many musicians e.g The Rolling Stones and many many others. Mick and the boys listened to and loved this music and in their early days The Rolling Stones joined some of them on-stage. See my example video clip Howlin' Wolf & Mick Jagger
Many of the recordings are OLD, mono and I suspect some were pulled off records originally (shellac?) as I can hear that telltale click click at times in a couple of songs.
These recordings sound pretty "raw" and it sounds as though no-one has tried to clean them up, remaster them or otherwise risk removing the authenticity of the original recordings!
But the sound quality is very good and the music is just stunning - to be frank, many of these songs made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck!
The only information I have about this release is as printed on the card insert
Licensed from The Long Island Music Company Limited
Made in the United Kingdom
Blues & Soul Classics - Compilation
Tring International PLC (Budget UK label similar to K-Tel etc)
Twin Series (RED logo)
Cat# TTMC008
SPECIAL NOTE: This is NOT the release showing on reference sites such as discogs! While listening to the tapes I noticed the songs were not as expected and then took a look at the printed track list on the inserts. These two tapes contain totally different material!
DO NOT USE DISCOGS AS YOUR REFERENCE TO THE ARTISTS & TRACKS IN RELATION TO THIS PARTICULAR RELEASE
I have carefully played and listened to each track and can confirm the artists/songs are those below in my description - far removed from the artist & song list on discogs
UK release
19xx (it appears that Tring International wasn't in the habit of indicating year of releases on their cassette products, no release year information found)
Both cassette tape packaging are in very good condition. Print graphics are as expected (Blue one cassette and Red the other) BUT the Twin Series logo is in Red not Yellow.
Before playing I repacked both tapes, and visually inspected carefully the clamshell, rollers and head pressure pad - no issues with the shell or tape at all
This is a heat weld type clamshell so if ever it was required to "get inside" to relube, the best of luck to you! Heat welded clamshells are dogs to get inside and more often than not, you end up destroying the whole cassette. Best to treat with love and care that this music deserves!
I have then played both of these tapes ENTIRELY, crisp clean sound (plenty of highs and lows with great dynamic range) and no problems at all with no "drop outs" or high frequency loss heard and nice smooth tape travel.
Here is the track list, not as played but sorted by artist.
These tapes are very long length (around 40 minutes each side - fantastic for a long blues session!) Very appropriate music for these depressing days of Covid!
ARTIST - SONGS:
Howlin' Wolf - Down In The Bottom, Back Door Man, Howlin' For My Baby, Tell Me, My Baby Walked Off, Killing Floor, Moanin' At Midnight, Commit A Crime
John Lee Hooker - Hobo Blues, Baby Lee, Trouble Blues, Old Time Shimmy, Little Wheel, Whiskey & Wimmen, Process, Dusty Road, What Do You Say
Billie Holiday - Fine & Mellow, Foolin' Myself, When Your Lover Has Gone, Easy To Remember**, Ain't Nobody's Biz-ness
** "Easy To Remember" is listed TWICE on the track listing sheets i.e Tape A Side Two Track 8 & Tape B Side A Track 12
I have listened to both tapes and can absolutely confirm that BOTH of the track listings are correct, Billie Holiday's "Easy To Remember" is on this 2 tape set twice, it is not a misprint on the track listings.
Sonny Boy Williamson - Don't Lose Your Eye, One Way Out, Cool Disposition
Muddy Waters - Baby Please Don't Go, Trainfare Blues, Sittin' Here Drinkin', I Got A Rich Man's Woman, Mean Mistreater, Sad Letter
Little Walter - Joke, Mean Old World, Off The Wall, You Better Watch Yourself
B.B. King - Everyday I Have The Blues, How Blue Can You Get
Leadbelly - Blue Tail Fly, How Long, Big Fat Woman, In New Orleans
Elmore James - It Hurts Me Too, Coming Home, Hand In Hand
Jimmy Reed - Where Can You Be
Ray Charles - Walkin' & Talkin', Hey Now, I'm Wonderin' & Wonderin', I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now
