Rock St. Trop - Philippe Debarge with the Pretty Things - Sept reissue on Madfish

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by John Fell, Jul 28, 2017.

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  1. John Fell

    John Fell Forum Survivor Thread Starter

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  2. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    Mastered from one of the two existing acetates, presumably.

    PIONEERING ROCKERS PHIL MAY & WALLY WALLER (OF THE PRETTY THINGS) PRESENT THE HIGHEST QUALITY RELEASE TO DATE OF THEIR COLLABORATION WITH FRENCH PLAYBOY PHILIPPE DEBARGE

    NOW REMASTERED AND REWORKED WITH RARE PHOTOS

    It was late August in 1969 when Phil May and Wally Waller were flown to St. Tropez by Philippe DeBarge (an eccentric French wealthy playboy), and taken to the DeBarge family estate - a magnet for the rich and famous of the era, from politicians to film and rock stars. DeBarge had serious money and wanted to make a serious album, with him as the front man. He'd done his research. He knew exactly who he wanted to make that album with. They were The Pretty Things.

    At this time, songwriters May and Waller were at their most prolific but they were between albums, between tours. When DeBarge came calling, it was hard to come up with a good reason why not to go, so they went, did the deal and soon penned and recorded Philippe's project back in London at Nova Studios. And when 'S.F. Sorrow' sales picked up, EMI wanted a new album and 'Parachute' took over. The Philippe DeBarge project was dropped and didn't see commercial release until 2009.

    Now restored and reworked with rare photos and new liner notes by Wally Waller, this is the finest release of the Philippe DeBarge sessions to date. Released as a CD presented in a digipack packaging with a 16-page booklet.

    The Pretty Things created some of the most exciting and innovative records of the sixties and early seventies. Winners of the Hero award at the 2009 Mojo Honours, the band have been name checked over the years by an array of artists ranging from The Clash, David Bowie and Aerosmith through to The Libertines and Kasabian.
     
  3. John Fell

    John Fell Forum Survivor Thread Starter

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    Last edited: Jul 28, 2017
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  4. The Lone Cadaver

    The Lone Cadaver Bass & Keys Cadaver

    Location:
    Bronx
    Apparently Wally fought quite a hard battle to get the credits listed as The Pretty Things with Philippe DeBarge rather than the reverse. Too bad, it really is a Pretty Things album. I'm looking forward to the bonus tracks as well. So when will Il Barritz get a CD release? And how about Wally's library albums Do It and I Don't Feel Well? Some terrific music on those. Also looking forward to the reissued xPTs album with the extras and the new Bexley Brothers. And as long as I'm at it, why not cleaned-up releases of the full 1969 Amsterdam show, 1973 Ragnarock show (video, too - someone has it somewhere), 1974 BBC show and the full California show from 1976 (Joey and Singapore Silk Torpedo were on the Silk Torpedo reissue)? And perhaps there's a good recording lurking in a vault or loft somewhere of a 1970 Parachute concert? Cleaned-up versions of the Pop2 & Beat Club Parachute material would be a good place to start. Just wishing.
     
  5. cwitt1980

    cwitt1980 Senior Member

    Location:
    Carbondale, IL USA
    Any links as to what these extra tracks will be?
     
  6. cwitt1980

    cwitt1980 Senior Member

    Location:
    Carbondale, IL USA
  7. John Fell

    John Fell Forum Survivor Thread Starter

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    The new release is officially sanctioned by the group which is a positive. I believe the last release was not.
     
  8. cwitt1980

    cwitt1980 Senior Member

    Location:
    Carbondale, IL USA
    That is good news. I know Ugly Things basically put out the last one and Mike Stax seems to be in good with them. I can still see where even they had to go through other channels to release it.
     
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  9. cwitt1980

    cwitt1980 Senior Member

    Location:
    Carbondale, IL USA
    I got the cd version. It sounds good. There is a guitar intro on "You're Running You and Me" which is not on the previous edition. I am wondering if they chopped that off before or if they did actually find a better source tape. I wouldn't say this sounds that much better even if they did. I'm very happy that the two extra tracks are demos from the era. Great tunes with that Parachute vibe.
     
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  10. PretzelLogic

    PretzelLogic Feeling duped by MoFi? You probably deserve it.

    Location:
    London, England
    There's a vinyl reissue as well as a CD reissue. I've bought it on the strength of the band's work around that period, so looking forward to hearing this for the first time!
     
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  11. richierichie

    richierichie My glass is always full.

    I reckon The Pretty Things are the only `60`s band who still make and record great music. Check out their last album `The Sweet Pretty Things`, yes, I know you guys above will have this. IMHO it stands up against any of their albums it`s that good. Great live band also with Phil May & Dick Taylor still going very strong. I saw them in March this year, never having seen them live and they were superb. I hope all those live/studio projects(?) you mention @The Lone Cadaver get a release.
     
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  12. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    No vinyl release?
     
  13. cwitt1980

    cwitt1980 Senior Member

    Location:
    Carbondale, IL USA
    There is one. I have one waiting for me but haven't had a chance to put it on yet. The cd sounds good. I noticed there was a good amount of definition between instruments. It still has that murky generation loss sound though (which I like). I haven't a/b this one with the previous edition yet. I know for sure there is a guitar intro for "You're Running You and Me" that wasn't on the previous edition plus the two bonus tracks are period demos (not new recordings). The vinyl is the lost album proper (no bonus). I would sincerely have my doubts it's AAA since they cleaned up whatever source they used for this.
     
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  14. cwitt1980

    cwitt1980 Senior Member

    Location:
    Carbondale, IL USA
    I only have the Get the Picture Madfish reissue on vinyl. It sounds great (flat and quiet) so I have high expectations for this one on vinyl.
     
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  15. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    Yeah ..heard some utube clips, great music.
     
  16. The Lone Cadaver

    The Lone Cadaver Bass & Keys Cadaver

    Location:
    Bronx
    I agree about TSPTAIBNOC album - really good stuff on there and I hope they can continue to crank out that kind of quality. The xPTs reissue & Bexley Brothers new one will definitely be released according to Jon & Wally. I doubt the other stuff will ever see a release, but who knows?
    Also Jon is working on a project called "Crowley & Me" by Star Sponge Vision, a band including Jon, Twink, Max Gibson, Nick Ferris & Ed Sykes. It's got an expected release date of May.
    And I'm glad that the two bonus demos on the DeBarge reissue appear to be similar to the Westbourne demos on the Bouquets box set. They do sound very Parachutey.
     
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  17. John Fell

    John Fell Forum Survivor Thread Starter

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    This is a cool release if you don't already have it.
     
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  18. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    Ordered 2017 vinyl
     
  19. John Fell

    John Fell Forum Survivor Thread Starter

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    The vinyl version omits the bonus tracks.
     
  20. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    Prefer vinyl.
     
  21. I just streamed this album using the Amazon Music Unlimited service, I had never even heard of this strange collaboration, much less heard the music but it is pretty good. If I understand correctly it was recorded shortly after S.F. Sorrow. I only stumbled on it trying to find recent Pretty Things music to listen to, this is an obscure release from an obscure band, pretty cool indeed. Fortunately Phillippe DeBarge could sing, whoever he was.
     
  22. Surferghost

    Surferghost Forum Resident

    Location:
    Dis United Kingdom
    According to the notes in the sessions index of Ken Garner's indispensible 'In Session Tonight', The Pretties recorded a 'Sunday Concert' for John Peel in June of 1970 which should be either 30 minutes or an hour of prime Parachute, so fingers crossed, one day...
    'New' old stuff turns up all the time, it's only a couple of years ago that most of the 1969 Peel session (it was missing 'Loneliest Person') turned up (something that Repertoire mustn't have known about when they were compiling that last BBC box as they didn't include 'Marilyn', 'Alexander' or the DJ-free 'Spring' and 'Send You with Loving' on it).
     
  23. PretzelLogic

    PretzelLogic Feeling duped by MoFi? You probably deserve it.

    Location:
    London, England
    It sounds quite good (though I've nothing to really compare it to).

    Good liners from Wally, too.
     
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  24. The Lone Cadaver

    The Lone Cadaver Bass & Keys Cadaver

    Location:
    Bronx
    Wally posted an unheard version of his Stars In Cars track on the Bexley Brothers Facebook page a couple of days ago. The original was from his I Don't Feel Well library LP which featured a different vocalist. Anyway, Pete Tolson played some amazing guitar on this new version. Well worth taking a listen.
     
  25. The Lone Cadaver

    The Lone Cadaver Bass & Keys Cadaver

    Location:
    Bronx
    Do you have a copy of the '69 Peel Session? I knew that both of these existed but never expected them to show up - at least not in listenable form.
     
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