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Miraculously acquired, this rare record that was cancelled and released on CD for the first time in the world! A must-listen album that includes a different mix with Clapton’s participation that can only be heard on this album. The second reissue project of the rare US LP of the legendary blue-eyed soul duo Delaney & Bonnie! The “Delaney & Bonnie & Friends” era from 1969 to 1970 was the training period when Eric Clapton mastered the feeling of American music and built the foundation of his solo career that continues to this day. It was a very important period when he was able to transform from a mere British guitar player into a blues player who could sing and play by jumping into their arms. Recently, we released Delaney & Bonnie’s rare US ATCO sample LP “The Best Of Delaney & Bonnie” + a rare promo 7-inch single on CD for the first time, and the warm sound unique to analog was well received by Clapton fans and American swamp rock fans. This time, a collector provided us with another extremely rare item, so this is the second release. This time, it is a reprint of Delaney & Bonnie’s very rare analog LP from the era when Clapton was also involved, and it is a rarer item! Of course, it is the first CD. As with the previous work, the scratch noise that accompanies LP playback has been removed as much as possible, so it is not unpleasant to the ears at all. Delaney & Bonnie fans will be familiar with the album “D&B Together” released in 1972. This work is a pre-release work of that album, which was originally titled “Country Life”. “Country Life” was scheduled for release in 1972, and was in production on 8-track cartridge tape, cassette tape, and LP, but after the decision to cancel the release due to certain circumstances, it was recalled. However, a very small number of LPs were not recalled and are still in existence. Therefore, of course, it has not been released on CD to this day, and the existing version currently has a high premium price on mail-order sites for enthusiasts. The term “phantom album” was created for “Country Life.” I will go into more detail later, but it is extremely rare, and some of the songs on it are different from “D&B Together,” so it can be said with confidence that it is a precious album of the treasure class. Our store’s technology will bring it back to life with a warm sound. This is a must-listen reissue for Clapton fans and American rock fans. Delaney & Bonnie, who are white but have soulful singing that rivals black people, and who, despite being unknown, show majestic and ironclad performances that are rooted in the soil of America. At the time, Clapton, who was influenced by the music of The Band, found his own way in life in them. It also includes songs with Clapton’s participation, and it is truly valuable that you can easily enjoy this phantom rare LP on CD with this work. About Delaney & Bonnie This is a repeat of the previous “The Best Of Delaney & Bonnie,” but for those who are reading the review for the first time, let me briefly explain what kind of artists Delaney & Bonnie were. In the 1960s, Delaney Bramlett (born 1939), who played guitar and vocals in the house band for the live music show “Shindig,” which was broadcast nationwide from a Los Angeles TV station, met Bonnie Lynn (born 1944), who was a member of Ike and Tina Turner’s backing vocal group, the Ikettes, and married her within a few days. Delaney, who was from Mississippi and steeped in blues and soul, and Bonnie, the first white soulful singer to be hired by the Ikettes, must have hit it off very well. The two gathered talented studio musicians for their backing band and began working as a group, steadily releasing albums. Jerry McGee (guitar) and Jim Keltner (drums) were also members of the band at one time, and Dave Mason, influenced by them, also traveled to the United States and joined the band for a time (he was Clapton’s predecessor). George Harrison, who went to the United States in the late 1960s, was moved by Delaney & Bonnie’s performance at the Snoopy Club in LA, and after returning to Japan, he told his best friend Clapton about them. At that time, Alan Palliser, who had played a tape of The Band’s “Music From Big Pink” to Clapton during his American tour with Cream in 1967, sent him a test pressing of Delaney & Bonnie’s “Accept No Substitute”. At that time, Palliser was Delaney & Bonnie’s manager. Clapton was shocked when he heard it and immediately nominated them as the opening act for Blind Faith’s upcoming US tour. After seeing them on stage on the tour, Clapton spent more time with Delaney & Bonnie’s band than with the other members of his own band, and after the tour, Blind Faith fell apart, and Clapton began to work with Delaney & Bonnie. The first songs he recorded with them were the two singles included in this album. Clapton, who fell in love with them, officially joined the band. He planned and carried out a tour to introduce them to Europe. The live album “Delaney & Bonnie & Friends On Tour With Eric Clapton” was recorded and released during that British performance. Clapton continued to work with them in 1970, and at Delaney’s urging, he recorded his first solo album, which was produced by Delaney. They broke up in 1972, but considering that the best-selling album of their career was “Delaney & Bonnie & Friends On Tour With Eric Clapton,” it can be said that they and Clapton were comrades who competed with each other. It was Delaney & Bonnie who brought a revolution to Clapton’s career and breathed new life into British rock with blue-eyed soul. The background and contents of this work In 1971, Delaney & Bonny lost their band after firing all the members of their Friends (backing band) who had been demanding higher pay (it is well known that the remaining members formed Derek & the Dominos with Clapton). So, for the time being, they released a studio version of Dave Mason’s song “Only You Know And I Know,” which had been in their repertoire for a long time, as a single from Atco Records in the same year. It became a hit, reaching number 20 on the US charts. Encouraged by this, Delaney & Bonny came up with the idea of producing an album containing 10 songs recorded in 1971, including a different mix of “Only You Know And I Know,” as well as two songs recorded in 1969 with Clapton, in an attempt to make a comeback. That was the beginning of this work, “Country Life.” Since their own band had disappeared, the number of musicians who supported the recording was enormous, as listed below. Their label, Atlantic, was preparing to release the album in February 1972 on 8-track cartridges, cassettes and LPs, but Jerry Wexler, co-owner of Atlantic, noticed problems in the marriage between Delaney and Bonnie and felt that they would not be able to promote the album after its release, or that promotion would be a waste, so he sold the rights to Delaney & Bonnie to Columbia Records (they ended up divorcing that same year). As a result, Delaney replaced some of the songs on Columbia Records and released the album in March of the same year. This is the “D&B Together” that is available today. Delaney remixed almost all of the songs himself for the release of “D&B Together,” so “Country Life” and “D&B Together” can be considered separate works. Incidentally, “D&B Together” was the last album under the name of Delaney & Bonnie. Furthermore, while “D&B Together” was produced by Delaney alone, “Country Life” was jointly produced by Delaney and Tom Dowd. This means that it is clear that Dowd also engineered “Country Life,” and he demonstrated the same impressive skills he showed on albums by the Allman Brothers Band and Derek & the Dominos. This is proof that the album had an advantage in terms of quality. Let’s take a look at the content of the album “Country Life” that Delaney & Bonnie originally planned for Atlantic, and the notable songs. 1. Only You Know And I Know – Recorded in 1969, released as a single in 1971. Some reviews state that Dave Mason and Eric Clapton participated. Different mix from previous singles. Different mix from the version included in Together. 2. Sound Of The City – Tina Turner sings lead vocals on some parts. 3. I’m On Fire – Duane Allman participated, but due to contractual issues, his guitar playing is a little buried in the mix. 4. Groupie (Superstar) – Eric Clapton participated. Different mix from previous singles (in stereo). Different mix from the version included in Together. 5. Well, Well – Delaney played the funky, distorted guitar. 6. I Know Something Good About You “Some reviews state that in addition to the credited musicians Delaney on guitar, King Curtis on sax, and Billy Preston on piano, uncredited Bobby Womack on bass, and Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett on chorus vocals) 7. Wade In The River Jordan “Another version of the song You Got To Believe that Delaney & Bonnie sang in the movie Vanishing Point (released in 1971). Incidentally, the image of them performing on the left of the jacket is a scene from the movie Vanishing Point” 8. Country Life “A collaboration between Delaney and Bobby Whitlock, Whitlock included this song as part of Derek & The Dominos’ repertoire on their UK tour in August 1970” 9. Big Change Comin’ 10. Move ‘Em Out “Reached #59 on the US singles chart” 11. Comin’ Home “Eric Clapton participates / Different mix from the previously released single (stereo) / Different mix from the version included in “Together” 12. Try A Little Harder “Not included in “Together”” *Bonus track 13. Your Kind Of Kindness Taken from Japanese withdrawn LP 1972 (Warner Bros – Pioneer P-8193A) “Not included in “Together”” For the first time on CDAs a bonus track, the album includes Your Kind Of Kindness, which was supposed to be included only on the Japanese version instead of Move ‘Em Out, from the LP Country Life (P-8193A Warner Brothers/Pioneer), which was scheduled to be released in Japan on March 25, 1972, but was canceled due to a decision by the home country. Although there are no personnel credits for each song, the album features top-class musicians who represented America at the time. The British musicians are Clapton and Mason. As a result, the four members of Derek & the Dominos are also present. Clapton fans cannot ignore the fact that all the songs featuring Clapton are mixed separately for this album. Although the release was canceled at the time due to various circumstances, only a few copies of this “phantom album” from 1972 exist due to a failure to recall the album from the manufacturing plant. It even feels like the essence of Delaney & Bonnie lies in the warm sound of that era, which cannot be experienced in today’s high-quality media competition. Please enjoy this look back at this legendary duo. The photo of the performance on the cover is from a promotional photo for the 1971 film “Vanishing Point.” It was scheduled for release in North America in February 1972, but was cancelled. (Right after the decision to cancel the release was made, a very small number of 8-track & cassettes and LPs were recalled at some pressing plants, so it is extremely rare to have this CD available. Taken from the original US withdrawn 1972 LP (ATCO, SD33-383, “MO” Monarch pressing(45:35)★1. Only You Know And I Know “Recorded in 1969, released as a single in 1971, said to feature Eric Clapton, different mix from previously released singles, different mix from the version included in “Together””2. Sound Of The City3. I’m On Fire★4. Groupie (Superstar) “Featured by Eric Clapton, different mix from previously released singles (stereo), different mix from the version included in “Together””5. Well, Well6. I Know Something Good About You7. Wade In The River Jordan 8. Country Life 9. Big Change Comin’ 10. Move ‘Em Out★11. Comin’ Home “Eric Clapton participates / Different mix from the previously released single (in stereo) / Different mix from the version included in “Together”” 12. Try A Little Harder “Not included on “Together”” Bonus Track 13. Your Kind Of Kindness Taken from Japanese withdrawn LP 1972 (Warner Bros – Pioneer P-8193A) “A number not included on “Together”” (Note) As a bonus track for this first CD release, Your Kind Of Kindness, which was originally scheduled to be released in Japan on March 25, 1972, but was cancelled in Japan due to the decision to cancel the release in the US, was included instead of Move ‘Em Out on the Japanese version. Special recording of Kindness. This is also amazing… too amazing participating members… Delaney Bramlett – guitar, vocals Bonnie Bramlett – vocals Eric Clapton – guitar, vocals Leon Russell – piano, keyboards, vocals Duane Allman – guitar, vocals Dave Mason – guitar, vocals Carl Radle – bass, vocals John Hartford – banjo, vocals Steve Cropper – guitar, vocals Jim Gordon – drums, vocals Red Rhodes – steel guitar, vocals Jaimoe – drums, vocals Billy Preston – keyboards, piano, vocals Charlie Freeman – guitar, vocals Kenny Gradney – bass, vocals Bobby Whitlock – keyboards, vocals Bobby Keys – saxophone, vocals James Jamerson – bass, vocals Jerry Jumonville – saxophone, vocals King Curtis – saxophone, vocals Larry Knechtel – bass, vocals Darrell Leonard – trumpet, vocals Jim Price – horns, vocals Chuck Rainey – bass, vocals Larry Savoie – trombone, vocals Rita Coolidge – vocals Tina Turner – vocals Venetta Fields – vocals Merry Clayton – vocals Eddie Kendricks – vocals Sam Clayton – vocals Joe Hicks – vocals Patrice Holloway – vocals Tex Johnson – vocals Clydie King – vocals Sherlie Matthews – vocals Gordon De Witty – vocals Jay York – vocals
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