They say that good things come in threes, but sometimes the third thing in such a hattrick is a common denominator for two other items. That’s how it was this year with STEAMHAMMER: listeners’ unrelenting interest in the ensemble which seemed to have run their course back in 1973 with no attempt in reunion led first to the collective’s resurrection, half-clandestine recording of a new offering and finally the issue of "Wailing Again" – the platter has just seen the light of day – and the forthcoming release, on November 4th, the veterans’ first archive box set. Titled simply and to the point – “Live” – the concert-focused set is immense, comprising no less than four CDs and a DVD, and looks indispensable for any aficionado of progressive blues.
Everything in this box has even been officially out, but now the four hours of sonic artifacts come restored and newly mastered, with the accompanying 32-page booklet, penned by the esteemed Chris Welch, contains interviews with bassists Steve Davy and Louis Cennamo as well as reedman Steve Jolliffe – yet, apparently, not with founding guitarist Martin Pugh who still helms the band. The audio portion of the collection spans the period from 1969 to 1972 and finds the group at various venues, the first disc sharing four “Beat Club” cuts with the DVD where more rarities are stored, including a short documentary piece from German TV and a 1969 French TV special performance. There were rumors of the band’s tapes as AXIS used in this set but it looks like those were omitted – as per Cennamo’s comment on Facebook with regard to the news, “it was removed without my blessing, but hopefully will be part of another box set release. AXIS is the only reason I agreed to help out with [this one].”
Live
CD 1 –
Beat Club, 1969:
1. Junior’s Wailing
2. When All Your Friends Are Gone
3. Louisiana Blues
Beat Club, 1970:
4. I Wouldn’t Have Thought
Pop & Blues Festival, Essen, 1969:
5. Supposed To Be Free
6. When All Your Friends Are Gone
7. Tuning Intermission
8. Riding On The L&N
9. Hold That Train
10. Tuning Intermission
11. Junior’s Wailing
12. Autumn Song
CD 2 –
Frankfurt, June 1970:
1. Junior’s Wailing
2. Riding On The L&N (+ Sax Jam)
Cologne, April 1970:
3. Riding On The L&N
4. Hold That Train
5. Leaving In The Morning
CD 3 –
Mannheim, February 1971:
1. Instrumental Jam
2. Walking Down The Road
3. Riding On The L&N
4. Hold That Train
CD 4 –
London, Marquee, July 1972:
1. Introduction
2. Penumbra
3. Telegram
4. Ballad From A City
5. Intro To The L&N
6. Riding On The L&N
7. Hold That Train
8. Encore
9. Junior’s Wailing
DVD:
1. Junior’s Wailing
2. When All Your Friends Are Gone
3. Louisiana Blues
4. I Wouldn’t Have Thought
5. Johnny Carl Morton
6. Turn Around
7. Autumn Song
