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The Best of Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel

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The Best of Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel is a compilation album by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, released in 1980. It features material from the original line-up of Cockney Rebel, the Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel line-up, and two tracks from Harley's solo career.[1]

Background

Following Harley's last studio album for EMI, The Candidate, which failed to enter the UK Top 100, EMI decided to release a compilation album of Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel's work. This was the first compilation of the band's to be released in the UK.[2] The compilation producer Colin Miles was selected to compile the album. The back sleeve biography and overview was written in 1980 by Chris Welch.[3]

The compilation features twelve tracks in total: six Cockney Rebel tracks (1973-74), four Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel tracks (1975-77) and two songs from Harley's solo career (1974's "Big Big Deal" and 1978's "Riding the Waves (For Virginia Woolf)"). Of the tracks chosen, "Cavaliers" and "Riding the Waves (For Virginia Woolf)" were never released as singles.[4]

In effort to promote the compilation, the 1975 UK number one "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" was re-issued as a 7" vinyl single, by EMI, in October 1980. The B-Side chosen was "Sebastian". The single featured the same photographs of Cockney Rebel on the front and back of the sleeve, as seen on the compilation album.[5] The single did not make a chart appearance. The compilation was released a month later during November, however it also failed to make a chart appearance.[6]

After the release of the compilation, Harley and his new line-up of Cockney Rebel embarked on a tour, mainly consisting of a few Christmas dates. During this tour Harley introduced three new songs: "Warm My Cold Heart", "I Can Be Anyone" and "Such is Life", as well as a reggae-version of "Mr. Soft".[7]

Release

The album was released as a vinyl LP and cassette within the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Portugal, and Australia.[4] The front cover features a photograph of the original Cockney Rebel line-up, while the back sleeve features a photograph of the Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel line-up. Both photographs were taken by Mick Rock.[4]

In May 1982 the compilation was re-issued, as a budget price re-issue, within the UK and Europe by Fame.[8][9] This edition featured the same track-listing, and sleeve design.[1][10]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Steve Harley, except "Here Comes the Sun" composed by George Harrison.

No.TitleLength
1."Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)"3:56
2."Big Big Deal"4:30
3."Psychomodo"4:00
4."Mr. Soft"3:18
5."Judy Teen"3:39
6."Cavaliers"8:07
7."Sebastian"6:50
8."Here Comes the Sun"2:56
9."Riding the Waves (For Virginia Woolf)"4:27
10."Black or White"5:43
11."Mr. Raffles (Man, It Was Mean)"4:32
12."Tumbling Down"5:46

Critical reception

On the back sleeve of the compilation, Chris Welch wrote: "In Steve's case he was certainly a committed performer with a firm idea of the way he wanted his songs performed and presented. And his exploration of a bizarre vocal style and lyrics that called for examination and a positive reaction ensured that his audience would be ultimately sympathetic and loyal. His fans devoured the songs represented on this timely album. Harley's voice veered from the intimacy of early Bob Dylan, to a stagey, music-hall approach, as displayed on "Mr. Soft" that harked back to the early works of David Bowie. The band's first single was one of Steve's finest and most powerful compositions "Sebastian". The second single "Judy Teen" showed that the combination of ego imagery and musicianship was working. Steve warbled and burbled over the jerky, mincing guitar line, softened by unexpected use of bell-like tones from the keyboards. Until we hear what the new Harley is up to, now is the time to sit back and reappraise the work of one of rock's mavericks and what we hear is both passionate and original. This selection enables us to chart the changes that o'er took Steve during this creative period. We hear him angry, proud, cynical, despairing, sometimes all his moods encompassed in one song, as on the final item "Tumbling Down," where he laments the fate of the blues. As he became more mature, less wide-eyed and anxious, he relaxed on "Riding the Waves" which has a casual feeling and a gently flowing beat that compliments his unusually restrained vocals. Compare this to "Sebastian" an earlier piece that Harley was justly proud of and mourned its failure to attract critical acclaim. Here Steve is dark, mysterious and brooding. And he always insisted on musical backgrounds that would involve themselves in the lyrics and help project the mood and message, whether flippant or psychotic. Throughout all his songs you can hear a tortured balladeer, a frustrated folk singer perhaps, battling with the vexations of life and love. Steve has known physical pain in his life and that must have sharpened his sentiments, emotions and awareness. But there was and is a sense of joy too in his music. We hear the exultation of youth entering the artistic think tank of a modern studio with all its instruments and electronic facilities and shouting his feelings into a non-censuring microphone. A privilege now freely accorded even the most rebellious Cockney in these more enlightened times."[4]

Personnel

  • Steve Harley - Vocals, Producer (tracks 1-6, 8-11)
  • Alan Parsons - Producer (tracks 1, 3-6, 11)
  • Neil Harrison - Producer (tracks 7, 12)
  • Jean Paul Crocker - Electric Violin, Guitars (tracks 3-7, 12)
  • Milton Reame-James - Keyboards (tracks 3-7, 12)
  • Paul Jeffreys - Fender Bass (tracks 3-7, 12)
  • Jim Cregan - Guitar (tracks 1, 8, 10-11)
  • Duncan MacKay - Keyboards (tracks 1, 8, 10-11), Electric Piano/Synthesizer (track 9)
  • George Ford - Bass (tracks 1, 8, 10-11)
  • Stuart Elliott - Drums/Percussion (tracks 1-8, 10-12)
  • Lindsay Elliott - Percussion
  • Jo Partridge - Acoustic Guitar (track 9), Electric Lead Solo (track 9)
  • Greg Poree - Electric Guitar (track 9)
  • Bill Payne - Acoustic Piano (track 9)
  • Bob Glaub - Bass (track 9)
  • Rick Schlosser - Drums (track 9)
  • Bill Champlin, Bobby Kimball, Tommy Kelly - Background Vocals (track 9)
  • Harry Moss - Cutting Engineer
  • Adam Yeldham - Design and Artwork
  • Colin Miles (as C. Miles) - Sleeve Concept
  • Mick Rock - Photographs

References

  1. ^ a b http://www.discogs.com/master/view/171887
  2. ^ http://www.discogs.com/artist/178573-Steve-Harley-Cockney-Rebel?type=Releases&subtype=Compilations
  3. ^ http://www.discogs.com/Steve-Harley-Cockney-Rebel-The-Best-Of-Steve-Harley-Cockney-Rebel/release/1704402
  4. ^ a b c d "Vinyl Album - Steve Harley And Cockney Rebel - The Best Of Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel - EMI - Australia". 45worlds.com. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  5. ^ "45cat - Steve Harley And Cockney Rebel - Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me) / Sebastian - EMI - UK - EMI 5112". 45cat.com. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  6. ^ http://steveharley.www.50megs.com/bio.html
  7. ^ http://steveharley.www.50megs.com/bio.html
  8. ^ http://www.discogs.com/Steve-Harley-Cockney-Rebel-The-Best-Of-Steve-Harley-And-Cockney-Rebel/release/1942605
  9. ^ http://www.discogs.com/Steve-Harley-And-Cockney-Rebel-The-Best-Of-Steve-Harley-And-Cockney-Rebel/release/1565789
  10. ^ "Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel". harleyfanzone.com. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
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