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A record that's early in the career of Canned Heat, but one that already has the group exploding past their roots – stretching out in a double-length set that takes the combo way past any sort of standard blues rock modes! Some folks love the record for the classic "Going Up The Country" – one of the signature Canned Heat tunes – but there's also some insane jams on here, including the 20 minute "Parthenogenesis", and the amazing "Refried Boogie" – which takes up all of sides three and four, and which is one of the clearest examples of the way that artists of their generation were inspired by blues, but soon opened up into psych and prog modes! Other titles are shorter, and include a version of the classic "One Kind Favor" – plus "Sandy's Blues", "Walking By Myself", "My Mistake", and "Pony Blues". CD

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If you ever doubted the blues chops of Canned Heat, take a listen to this album – as the group are joined by the great John Lee Hooker, who they let stand strongly in the spotlight and almost make the album his own! Previous sets by Canned Heat were already pretty darn great – a huge cut above blues-inspired rock groups of the late 60s years – but with Hooker in the lineup here, the sound gets even more raw and sensitive – so much so that a number of these cuts almost feel like some of the early Detroit 78rpm recordings the older blues musician recorded at the start of his career – hardly the watered-down blues rock you might expect. Titles include "Burning Hell", "Send Me Your Pillow", "Messin With The Hook", "Boogie Chillen No 2", "Peavine", "Just You & Me", "Whiskey & Wimmen", and "I Got My Eyes On You". CD

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The record that really broke Canned Heat out of the pack – still plenty bluesy, but with the trippier touches you might guess from the cover's psychedelic image – a perfect summation of that unique placement the group had on the late 60s Cali scene! The record's the one that gave the world the landmark "On The Road Again" – a tune used in countless films and commercials over the years, and graced with the completely unique vocals of Bob Hite – a singer who doesn't care if he sounds authentic, and who's more than happy enough to bring his own spirit to the music! That statement also defines the rest of the group too – as they let loose on titles that include "World In A Jug", "My Crime", "An Owl Song", "Fried Hockey Boogie", "Amphetamine Annie", "Whiskey Headed Woman No 2", and "Turpentine Moan" – plus 6 bonus tracks! CD

A record that's early in the career of Canned Heat, but one that already has the group exploding past their roots – stretching out in a set that takes the combo way past any sort of standard blues rock modes! Some folks love the record for the classic "Going Up The Country" – one of the signature Canned Heat tunes – but there's also some insane jams on here, including the 20 minute "Parthenogenesis". Other titles are shorter, and include a version of the classic "One Kind Favor" – plus "Sandy's Blues", "Walking By Myself", "My Mistake", and "Pony Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

The first two full albums from Canned Heat – back to back in a single set! First up is the self-titled Canned Heat – a seminal blending of blues roots with some of the new energy taking place on the Bay Area scene in the 60s – that great "old is new" approach that worked wonderfully for a few key groups – especially those like Canned Heat, who were committed to bringing plenty of their own styles into play! Sure, the music is blues – but there's a lot more flavors and styles going on here – acoustic guitar used alongside fuzzier electric, in a blend of country and city blues – but also taken to some trippier touches that reflect the psychedelic era that spawned them! Tracks are spare and simpler than on later albums, but already showing the group's distinction – on titles that include "Big Road Blues", "Help Me", "Dust My Broom", "Catfish Blues", "Rollin & Tumblin", "Goin' Down Slow", and "Evil Is Going On". Boogie With Canned Heat is the record that really broke Canned Heat out of the pack – still plenty bluesy, but with the trippier touches you might guess from the cover's psychedelic image – a perfect summation of that unique placement the group had on the late 60s Cali scene! The record's the one that gave the world the landmark "On The Road Again" – a tune used in countless films and commercials over the years, and graced with the completely unique vocals of Bob Hite – a singer who doesn't care if he sounds authentic, and who's more than happy enough to bring his own spirit to the music! That statement also defines the rest of the group too – as they let loose on titles that include "World In A Jug", "My Crime", "An Owl Song", "Fried Hockey Boogie", "Amphetamine Annie", "Whiskey Headed Woman No 2", and "Turpentine Moan". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

A record with a space age cover, but a set that's every bit as raw and rootsy as all of the previous Liberty Records releases by Canned Heat! The group have really upped their chops here – and guitarist Harvey Mandel really sounds amazing, and is bringing in some of the funky elements that he was using on his own records at the time – almost even making things more complex at times, at a level that hides some of the bluesy elements at the core – a factor that's OK with us, because we love the funky bits so much! But there's also plenty of blues, too – and the vocals of Bob Hite sound as nice as ever – on titles that include "Let's Work Together", "Sugar Bee", "That's All Right Mama", "Skat", "London Blues", "So Sad", and "Shake It & Break It". LP, Vinyl record album

A record with a space age cover, but a set that's every bit as raw and rootsy as all of the previous Liberty Records releases by Canned Heat! The group have really upped their chops here – and guitarist Harvey Mandel really sounds amazing, and is bringing in some of the funky elements that he was using on his own records at the time – almost even making things more complex at times, at a level that hides some of the bluesy elements at the core – a factor that's OK with us, because we love the funky bits so much! But there's also plenty of blues, too – and the vocals of Bob Hite sound as nice as ever – on titles that include "Let's Work Together", "Sugar Bee", "That's All Right Mama", "Skat", "London Blues", "So Sad", and "Shake It & Break It". CD features bonus tracks – "Poor Moon", "Wooly Bully", "Human Condition", and the long version of "Let's Work Together". CD

Two albums from Canned Heat – back to back in a single set! First up is Hallelujah – a late 60s classic from Canned Heat – a record that captures the group during that moment when their unique blend of styles was really on fire! There's a grittier, almost noisier vibe going on here at times – fuzz turned up a bit more than before, and maybe a bit more attitude – as if the group were getting spurred on by some of the societal changes at the end of the 60s, and shaken out of any reveries of the past! The set's filled with very heady tunes – titles that include "I'm Her Man", "Sic Em Pigs", "Do Not Enter", "Big Fat", "Huautla", "Get Off My Back", and "Down In The Gutter But Free". Cookbook is a set that's billed as "best of" Canned Heat, but which also features some material that wasn't on their full length albums for Liberty too! The package is a great summation of all the stuff that makes the group so great – and yes, it doesn't feature some of the longer jams of their double albums from the period, but does hone in on the way they blend together blues inspiration and psychedelic influences so well – on titles that include "Goin Up The Country", "Amphetamine Annie", "Rollin & Tumblin", "Time Was", "On The Road Again", "Fried Hockey Boogie", "Same All Over", "Bullfrog Blues", and "Sic Em Pigs". CD features new mastering – and the bonus track "Let's Work Together". CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

If you ever doubted the blues chops of Canned Heat, take a listen to this album – as the group are joined by the great John Lee Hooker, who they let stand strongly in the spotlight and almost make the album his own! Previous sets by Canned Heat were already pretty darn great – a huge cut above blues-inspired rock groups of the late 60s years – but with Hooker in the lineup here, the sound gets even more raw and sensitive – so much so that a number of these cuts almost feel like some of the early Detroit 78rpm recordings the older blues musician recorded at the start of his career – hardly the watered-down blues rock you might expect. Titles include "Burning Hell", "Send Me Your Pillow", "Messin With The Hook", "Boogie Chillen No 2", "Peavine", "Just You & Me", "Whiskey & Wimmen", and "I Got My Eyes On You". LP, Vinyl record album

The record that really broke Canned Heat out of the pack – still plenty bluesy, but with the trippier touches you might guess from the cover's psychedelic image – a perfect summation of that unique placement the group had on the late 60s Cali scene! The record's the one that gave the world the landmark "On The Road Again" – a tune used in countless films and commercials over the years, and graced with the completely unique vocals of Bob Hite – a singer who doesn't care if he sounds authentic, and who's more than happy enough to bring his own spirit to the music! That statement also defines the rest of the group too – as they let loose on titles that include "World In A Jug", "My Crime", "An Owl Song", "Fried Hockey Boogie", "Amphetamine Annie", "Whiskey Headed Woman No 2", and "Turpentine Moan". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful run of music from the mighty Harvey Mandel – a musician whose biggest fame was his bluesy work with Canned Heat, but a guitarist who also had plenty of jazz and funk to offer as well! The set brings together Mandel's killer solo albums – Cristo Redentor, Righteous, Games Guitars Play, Baby Batter, and The Snake – each of them a wonderful blend of psychedelic styles, jazzy currents, and some nice funk touches – music that's as unique now as it was when it was recorded – which sometimes meant that Harvey's genius was lost between the cracks, because the stores and radios never knew where to put him! The set also features a rare live performance – Live At The Matrix – with tracks that are even longer and grittier than some of Mandel's studio work of the time! CD

The fourth fantastic chapter in this wonderful trip through the 60s – headed up by author Jon Savage, as a great soundtrack to his documents of the time! If you know Savage at all, you'll know to expect something different and fresh – an unusual take on the period, and one that goes way past the chart hits and overplayed oldies – to instead uncover currents of cultural activity at a much deeper level! And sure, there's a number of familiar songs here – but they're mixed with lesser-known gems, and presented in this great double-length package that features 48 tracks in all – all with notes from Savage himself. Titles include "Talkin About The Good Times" by Pretty Things, "Eastern Organ" by Brother Dan All Stars, "Hard To Handle" by Otis Redding, "Freedom Train" by James Carr, "Say It Loud (part 1)" by James Brown, "Omnibus" by The Move, "Sunshine Help Me" by Spooky Tooth, "Everydays" by Buffalo Springfield", "How Does It Feel To Feel" by The Creation, "Dear Delilah" by Grapefruit, "Machines" by Lothar & The Hand People, "Tomorrow Street Puzzle" by Fairport Convention, "I Got A Line On You" by Spirit, "Kick Out The Jams (preview pressing)" by MC5, "World In A Jug" by Canned Heat, "Classical Gas" by Mason Williams, "Honey Chile" by Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, "Danse A La Musique" by The French Fries, "Israelites" by Desmond Dekker, and "Why Does It Feel So Right" by The Shades Of Jade. CD

Includes tracks by Canned Heat, Johnny Winter, Traffic, Spencer Davis Group, Jo-Ann Kelly, and Albert Collins. LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal album from the end of the 60s – the triple-length soundtrack to the legendary Woodstock Festival in 1969 – pulled from all the many hours of material recorded for the film of the event! The set list reads not just like a "who's who" of hipness at the time – but also expands to show just how wide the range of sounds was in the underground – strands that move past the obvious rock material that you might expect, and which have the record standing as a great memory to the time – with maybe more diversity than some of the more monolithic memories! Features work by Canned Heat, Arlo Guthrie, Jimi Hendrix, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Richie Havens, Santana, Ten Years After, The Who, Country Joe & The Fish, Sly & The Family Stone, Joan Baez, Butterfield Blues Band, Joe Cocker, Jefferson Airplane, John B Sebastian – and yes, Sha Na Na. LP, Vinyl record album

The second part of this famous concert soundtrack recording, and still with lots of essential material – a full side of Jimi Hendrix performances, plus more from Jefferson Airplain, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Melanie, Mountain, Canned Heat, Joan Baez, and Butterfield Blues Band – and the audience at the concert singing "Let The Sunshine In" during a rainstorm on Sunday! LP, Vinyl record album

Blind Owl Wilson is Alan Wilson of the band Canned Heat – an artist who was surprisingly dedicated to the roots of blues, and always brought a richly personal style to his music! The package brings together key Wilson moments from his time with the group, plus a few other sides – all from a too-short stretch of recording before Alan took his life at the early age of 27. The set features a great booklet of notes on the songs and a bit of biography – including ties (which we didn't know) to John Fahey. Titles include "Poor Moon", "My Time Ain't Long", "On The Road Again", "Childhood's End", "Alan's Intro", "Time Was", "My Mistakes", "Pulling Hair Blues", and "Nebulosity". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing legacy in music from Mike Cooper – a British musician who started out in the world of folk blues, but never ended up moving towards some of the rockish modes of his contemporaries – instead finding his very own sort of special space in the freedom allowed by the Dawn Records label! The set begins with the very spare Oh Really – a set that has Mike Cooper mostly on guitar and vocals, in a style that's part Piedmont, part Delta blues – but also given a more folksy spin, and graced with Cooper's unusual vocals – almost making the whole thing feel like a spare acoustic version of Canned Heat territory – with titles that include "Maggie Campbell", "Saturday Blues", "Electric Chair", "Crow Jane", and "You're Gonna Be Sorry". Do I Know you is a record that follows up with a sound that's maybe a bit fuller than Mike Cooper's debut, but still relatively spare – with Mike on acoustic guitar and slide guitar, Harry Miller on bass (really great bass, by the way!), and Poor Little Anne on a bit of vocals. Miller brings these deep tones to the record that really transform things – and titles include "Do I Know You", "Start Of A Journey", "First Song", "Theme In C", and "The Link". Trout Steel is a beautiful set from the British scene at the start of the 70s – a record that's got a fairly folksy tone, but lots of jazzy currents as well! The set was issued on the seminal Dawn Records label – and really shows that imprint's commitment to the left side of the spectrum – as Mike Cooper's vocals and acoustic guitar come into play with more guitar from Stefan Grossman – plus alto sax from Mike Osborne, tenor and soprano from Alan Skidmore, piano from John Taylor, and bass from the late Harry Miller – all key players on the UK avant jazz scene of the time! The mix of these players with Cooper's core inspiration is not unlike some of the most progressive material coming from Island Records – or, even better, the special jazzy moments on records by Tim Buckley or Tim Hardin – company that Cooper could very easily keep, given the strength of his songwriting. Titles include "Don't Talk Too Fast", "On My Way", "Hope You See", "Weeping Rose", "Trout Steel", "I've Got Mine", "That's How", and "Pharoah's March". Places I Know blends Cooper's acoustic guitar and rootsy vocals with some very compelling arrangements from Mike Gibbs – the British jazz talent who was already known for his larger ensemble creations at the time, but who works here in these really subtle ways – to inflect Cooper's core inspirations with just some slight instrumental colors, tones, and phrases on most numbers – while Cooper brings in the core Machine Gun Co group on a few more. The result is a record that's way more than familiar folk – and arguably a lot hipper than most of the British acid folk of the time, too – on titles that include "Night Journey", "Paper & Smoke", "Country Water", "Time To Time", "Goodbye Blues Goodbye", and "Places I Know". The Machine Gun Co album is a partner record to Places I Know – recorded in the same sessions, but with tracks that are longer, and even more openly expressive – all with backings from the sweet Machine Gun Co quartet, a group with some especially nice electric piano from Alan Cook! Heavy use of that instrument really works against some of the folksier elements in Cooper's music – with these blocks of warm sound and color that really illuminate the tunes, and almost unlock a new level in the vocals. Cooper plays a bit of electric guitar at times – and titles include "So Glad That I Found You", "Lady Anne", "Midnight Words", and "Song For Abigail". CD also features songs from singles – "Your Lovely Ways (parts 1 & 2)", "Time In Hand", and "Schaabisch Hall". CD

A key moment from the late sixties – probably better known now through the film by D.A. Pennebaker – but just as great here in this set! The set features music from John Phillips, the Association, Eric Burdon & the Animals, Canned Heat, Country Joe & the Fish, the Steve Miller Band, the Electric Flag, Lou Rawls, Ravi Shankar, Jefferson Airplane, Booker T & the MGs, the Who, Otis Redding, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, the Mamas & the Papas, and more. CD

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