Cocaine Blues: '74-'78 [Recordings/Studio Tracks & Live at Dingwalls]

by Wayne Kramer, The Pink Fairies

Overview

Although this is billed to "Wayne Kramer & the Pink Fairies", in fact only four of the ten cuts were done with the Pink Fairies. This is more properly viewed as a collection of odds and ends from Kramer's 1970s work, none of it too exciting, but not without its merit and historical value. The first four songs were recorded live at Dingwall's in London in 1978, with Kramer, only recently out of jail, fronting the Pink Fairies. In imperfect but listenable fidelity, Kramer runs through Mose Allison's "If You're Going to the City," Bob Seger's "Heavy Music" (into which he wittily inserts a bit from James Brown's "There Was a Time," adapting the lyrics to refer to Detroit), the nine-minute "Cocaine Blues" (an interesting, autobiographical, mostly spoken account of the events leading to his mid-'70s prison term), and "Kick Out the Jams." Next are four run-of-the-mill hard rock studio tracks, also done in London in 1978, including covers of "Do You Love Me" and Jimmy Cliff's "The Harder They Come," along with a couple of originals (one co-written with Mick Farren). Paul Carrack, presumably that Paul Carrack from Squeeze/Ace/Mike & the Mechanics/Roxy Music, is on piano. Finishing the disc off are two 1974 studio cuts, done in Detroit: "Get Some" is another Farren/Kramer collaboration (with lumpy, boxy bottom-end sound), and "Ramblin' Rose" was of course first done by Kramer with the MC5. This material has more heart than much 1970s hard rock, but is still almost exclusively for the MC5 completist. ~ Richie Unterberger

Product Details

Release Date:	09/09/2016
Label:	Gonzo
UPC:	5060230868011
Rank:	7182

Tracks

1. If You're Goin' to the City
2. Heavy Music
3. Cocaine Blues
4. Kick Out the Jams
5. Do You Love Me
6. East Side Girl
7. The Harder They Come
8. Too Late
9. Get Some
10. Ramblin' Rose

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Pink Fairies   Primary Artist
Wayne Kramer   Primary Artist
Larry Wallis   Guitar
Paul Carrack   Piano,Vocals (Background)
George Butler   Drums
Andy Colquhoun   Bass
Tim Shafe   Bass
Allen Spenner   Bass
Melvin Davis   Drums

Technical Credits

Patrick Boissel   Cover Design
Traditional   Composer
Berry Gordy, Jr.   Composer
Bob Seger   Composer
Marijohn Wilkin   Composer
Wilson Pickett   Composer
Sam Miller   Cover Photo
T.J. "Red" Arnall   Composer
Mick Farren   Composer,Liner Notes
Mose Allison   Composer
Arthur Alexander   Transfers
Margaret Saadi   Project Coordinator
Len Sinclair   Project Coordinator
Fred Burch   Composer
Carole King   Composer
Fred "Sonic" Smith   Composer
MC5   Composer
Wayne Kramer   Composer
Dennis Thompson   Composer
Mark Wheaton   Editing,Mastering,Transfers
Rob Tyner   Composer
Jimmy Cliff   Composer
Michael Davis   Composer
Memphis Jug Band   Composer
Toni Stern   Composer