FAT MATTRESS had a wonderful launchpad in that this band’s leader, guitarist Noel Redding, used to be a bassist with THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE, so why his next enterprise, full of promise and more than able to produce potent music, didn’t become big is anyone’s guess. Some blame their failure on personalities’ clash between Redding and multi-instrumentalist Jim Leverton which caused the former leave before the ensemble laid down their third longplay and the latter – when the collective split soon after, as neither new six-stringer, QUATERMASS associate Steve Hammond, nor keyboard player Mick Weaver couldn’t save the situation – pursue a most spectacular career. The real reason might be their creative imbalance, though, because the group’s legacy stood the test of time, and on January 24th will see the light in its entirety.
The three-CD set titled “How Can I Live? – Complete Recordings” not only contains both albums that did get a release, as well as the material prepared for their follow-up, and the American mix of the band’s debut platter making its first digital appearance, but also adds to what was issued previously a generous smattering of bonus tracks, including single versions and live performances. A must-have collection.
How Can I Live? –
Complete Recordings
CD 1 – Fat Mattress:
1. All Night Drinker
2. I Don’t Mind
3. Bright New Way
4. Petrol Pump Assistant
5. Mr. Moonshine
6. Magic Forest
7. She Came In The Morning
8. Everything’s Blue
9. Walking Through A Garden
10. How Can I Live?
bonus tracks:
11. Little Girl In White (outtake)
12. Eric The Red (outtake)
13. Naturally (single mix, stereo)
14. Iridescent Butterfly (non-album single, stereo)
15. Magic Forest (single mix, mono)
CD 2 – Fat Mattress – American Mix:
1. All Night Drinker
2. I Don’t Mind
3. Bright New Way
4. Petrol Pump Assistant
5. Mr. Moonshine
6. Magic Forest
7. She Came In The Morning
8. Everything’s Blue
9. Walking Through A Garden
10. How Can I Live
bonus tracks:
Beat Club, September 27th, 1969 – previously unreleased:
11. Naturally
12. Mr. Moonshine
13. Magic Forest
BBC Radio 1 “Top Gear” session, October 6th, 1969:
14. Happy My Love
15. Mr. Moonshine
16. Naturally
CD 3 – Fat Mattress II:
1. The Storm
2. Anyway You Want
3. Leafy Lanes
4. Naturally
5. Roamin’
6. Happy My Love
7. Childhood Dream
8. She
9. Highway
10. At The Ball
11. People
bonus tracks:
12. Hall Of Kings (outtake)
13. Black Sheep Of The Family (single)
tracks from unreleased third album:
14. Margarita
15. Cold Wall Of Stone
16. Long Red
17. Words
18. The River
19. Future Days
20. Which Way To Go (outtake)
