New England: The New England Archives Box: Vol 1

Yeah, I know. Coulda, woulda, heard it all before. I mean just how many bands can we honestly claim shoulda been the next big thing if only their stars had aligned, their label given more of a damn, their management been on board, or the buying public had more of a clue? Hence I can understand those wearily shaking their heads as I proclaim that it’s a mystery why a band who wound up on Aucoin Management’s roster (the same team handling KISS at the time) and had the likes of Paul Stanley, Mike Stone and Todd Rundgren steer them from behind the production desk didn’t go on to dominate the airwaves of America and beyond. The obvious answer would be that they clearly didn’t have the songs, but New England’s three albums between 1979 and 1981 simply demand a different answer, so good were their wares.

A disinterested label, in the shape of MCA, who acquired the band after absorbing the Infinity Records roster after the latter folded, can undoubtedly lay claim to some of the blame, but the more rock friendly Elektra took the reigns for the self-titled debut’s follow up, Explorer Suite and the third slice of New England’s pomp/pop/rock perfection, Walking Wild, so that excuse doesn’t fully hold water either. And yet, listen to those three albums and the class and staying power of this band’s music is simply undeniable. However, what’s equally impossible to look past is that New England folded after only those trio of records and mainly because success passed them by. Band members Jimmy Waldo (keys) and Gary Shea (bass) would find more renown, although equally elusive stardom, in Alcatrazz alongside ex-Rainbow man Graham Bonnet. Drummer Hirsh Gardner would become a respected producer, while singer John Fannon would achieve similar renown in a behind the scenes writing, arranging and producing capacity. And while New England have always remained sporadically in action, for most fans of the band, what they’ve truly been waiting for is their legendary vaults to be flung open for all to hear. Many said it would never happen, but with this five disc collection of demos - that range from 1975 before the band even had a name, to an unreleased fourth album - being bestowed with the delightful suffix ‘Vol 1’, the chains truly have come off the New England catalogue.

What is housed here by Cherry Red/HNE, with the full cooperation of the band, is a wonderful journey through the creation and evolution of New England’s music; some of which we know and some of which, rather excitingly, we don’t. Disc one is titled Earmark Studios Philadelphia 1978 and here we find ten tracks that the band were working up in hope of gaining a record deal - something the recording captured here ultimately achieved. Unsurprisingly six of those early tracks eventually found their way onto the New England album, and there’s little wonder why given the irresistible nature of the smooth “Turn Out The Light�, surging “Hello, Hello, Hello� and crunching catchiness of “Don’t Ever Wanna Lose Ya�. In fact, if anything, this recording is proof that New England had captured their magic in a bottle before they ever even released an album. Also included here is “Searchin’�, a song that would end up earning a place on 1980’s Explorer Suite and good though it is, what will really excite fans of this band are the three subsequent tracks - the previously unreleased “Candy�, which hits the sweet spot in trademark New England style, “I Will Be There�, an arena lighter waver if ever there was one, and “�Even When I’m Away�, which may be the mid-paced Styx meets Queen pick of this bunch.

Called Blizzard Tapes, New England 1978, the first six cuts on disc two document New England powering their way through a collection of songs destined for consideration for their debut outing as their home state saw a deluge of snow that was, in places, more than 40 inches deep. However, the warmth in these recordings must have kept the band thoroughly thawed as “Turn Out The Light� and “Hey You’re On The Run� hit somewhere between The Sweet and Angel! The sure fire shot of “Bite The Bullet� proves an interesting aside, being part “Shoot� - a song that would make the debut album - and Brian May’s searing solo from Queen’s “Brighton Rock� - and whether this was something the band were working up for the live arena, or purely for kicks in the studio, who knows? It’s bloody good though! The next seven tracks find the band back in Earmark Studios as they continued to hone their craft, whereas the final track on this disc finds the song “Familiar Faces� dating right back to 1975 and even further back into that UK glam scene-sound that now shines through as an early influence for this outfit.

The third instalment in this box presents two sets of rough mixes from 1978 for the band’s debut album, with the full ten song track-list given a scintillating run through in Electric Lady studios, while alternate takes of “Last Show� and “Don’t Ever Wanna Lose Ya� are added from Trident Studios in London. And while these are pretty faithful run throughs of songs that all made the the first album proper, the energy and urgency shown here makes this disc a real treasure. Likewise disc four, where we move the story on to the Explorer Suite album with a full eleven track Intermedia rough mix version that just about rivals the finished product for vibrancy and vision. Add in a 1980 Jim Boyer mix of “It’s Never Too Late� and what many see as New England’s finest release is given a thorough and welcome reappraisal here - and much though none of these songs are unheard, having the chance to experience different versions is a real treat.

The final seven tracks on this disc reach back in time once more to 1975 and a pre-New England band called Target, featuring the foursome who would stick together under the N-E banner and co-singer Kenny Melle. If further down the line material from New England would reveal a liking for British glam, then the more proggy fare found here confirms that influence. “Rock Is Here To Stay� claps its hands and gangs its vocals as a guitar solo looks to bite in deep and in a better sonic state it’s easy to imagine this topping the UK charts back when this was recorded. In truth the sound quality dips but Melle does a good job with the material, although it’s hard to imagine his grittier tones matching the sound that evolved from the likes of “Mixed Feeling� or even “Nothing To Fear�, even though the latter survived right through to the 1978 New England debut. However this portion of this box set, that comes replete with a lengthy liner-essay courtesy of Malcolm Dome and in a classy clam-shell pack, proves an intriguing insight into the birth of New England and the breadth of the evolution they undertook in just three years.

The final disc moves the story beyond the third album, Walking Wild and takes us straight into eleven songs that were intended for the forever shelved fourth New England album - and damn fine it would have been too. Much of this session appears in mono and as such proves a sonic shift from what has come before, but that doesn’t stop the yearning vibe of “Angel� from finding its mark, or “Back On the Streets� - a title that was resurrected as Gardner, Waldo and Shea moved on to work with future KISS guitarist Vincent Cusano (Vinnie Vincent) in Warrior, even if this clearly isn’t the same song - from sticking in the mind. With the Shea and Waldo written “I’m Not Down� (all of the other cuts were composed by Fannon) clearly earmarking a sound the pair would help shape in Alcatrazz with Graham Bonnet and “Take Another Ride� going a step further by basically being that latter band’s “Island In The Sun� in an early guise, not only is this a collection of songs that deserved better treatment at the time, but also a rare glimpse into the inner workings of an outfit’s modus operandi as they splintered into future factions.

Kudos to Cherry Red/HNE, for even in an era where just about any style and standard of recording is up for grabs (and in truth not everything here is sonically stellar), this is exactly how a detailed, thorough, behind the scenes retrospective should be carried out. New England fans will quite rightly delight in the five discs presented here and anyone with a penchant for grandiose, pomp-laden, but chart friendly late 70s/early 80s pop-rock should do likewise.

Track Listing
DISC ONE EARMARK STUDIOS PHILADELPHIA 1978
1. ALONE TONIGHT
2. NOTHING TO FEAR
3. CANDY
4. I WILL BE THERE
5. SHOOT
6. DON’T EVER WANNA LOSE YA
7. HELLO, HELLO, HELLO
8. EVEN WHEN I’M AWAY
9. SEARCHIN’
10. TURN OUT THE LIGHT

DISC TWO BLIZZARD TAPE, NEW ENGLAND 1978
1. P.U.N.K. (PUNY UNDERNOURISHED KID)
2. HEY YOU’RE ON THE RUN
3. SHALL I RUN AWAY
4. I LET YOU LOVE ME
5. BITE THE BULLET
6. YOU’LL BE BORN AGAIN
EARMARK STUDIOS, PHILADELPHIA 1978
7. TURN OUT THE LIGHT
8. SEARCHIN’
9. I WILL BE THERE
10. CANDY
11. EVEN WHEN I’M AWAY
12. NOTHING TO FEAR
13. IT’S SO EASY
INTERMEDIA STUDIOS, BOSTON 1975
14. FAMILIAR FACES

DISC THREE 1978 ROUGH MIX BEFORE ELECTRIC LADY
1. HELLO, HELLO, HELLO
2. SHOOT
3. NOTHING TO FEAR
4. ALONE TONIGHT
5. DON’T EVER WANNA LOSE YA
6. SHALL I RUN AWAY
7. P.U.N.K. (PUNY UNDERNOURISHED KID)
8. THE LAST SHOW
9. ENCORE
10. TURN OUT THE LIGHT
BONUS TRACKS TRIDENT STUDIO ROUGH MIXES, LONDON 1978
11. LAST SHOW
12. DON’T EVER WANNA LOSE YA

DISC FOUR INTERMEDIA ROUGH MIX
1. SEAL IT WITH A KISS
2. IT’S NEVER TOO LATE
3. LIVIN’ IN THE EIGHTIES
4. HOPE
5. CONVERSATION
6. NO PLACE TO GO
7. HEY YOUR ON THE RUN
8. HONEY MONEY
9. SEARCHIN’
10. YOU’LL BE BORN AGAIN
11. SEAL IT WITH A KISS
BONUS TRACKS
12. IT’S NEVER TOO LATE (JIM BOYER MIX 1980)
TARGET DEMOS
13. ROCK IS HERE TO STAY (JOHN FANNON & KENNY MELLE VOCALS)
14. LITTLE GIRL (JOHN FANNON VOCALS)
15. IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT (JOHN FANNON & KENNY MELLE VOCALS)
16. NOTHING TO FEAR (JOHN FANNON & KENNY MELLE VOCALS)
17. MIXED FEELING (JOHN FANNON & KENNY MELLE VOCALS)
18. LOVE OF MY OWN (JOHN FANNON VOCALS)
19. GOODBYE GOODBYE (JOHN FANNON VOCALS)

DISC FIVE ADDITIONAL DEMOS: UNRELEASED COMPOSITIONS
1. ANGEL (MONO)
2. BACK ON THE STREETS AGAIN
3. HEADCHOPPER (MONO)
4. HEAT OF THE OCEAN (MONO)
5. HOW CAN I LET YOU KNOW (MONO)
6. ‘M IN THE MIDDLE
7. I’M NOT DOWN (MONO)
8. LOVE NEVER STOPS (MONO)
9. MARLENA (STEREO)
10. MARLENA (MONO)
11. TAKE ANOTHER RIDE (STEREO)

Added: December 8th 2019
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Archive Box: Vol 1 @ Cherry Red
Hits: 1972
Language: english

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