Gold?

As you can see from this release's dull artwork and naff title, on the outside, this reissue has all the imagination and aesthetic appeal of a cold hamburger on a Monday morning. It's the kind of compilation you'd probably ignore in the rack of your local music emporium. "Gold" for God's sake!! So why review it - and why should you give it the time of day? Because of what's contained on the "inside".I've had various compilations throughout the years in order to have Steppenwolf tracks in my collection - both British and American issues - and some like 'The Beat Goes On' British 2CD set of the first two albums - are excellent. But they are all rendered redundant by this fantastic September 2005 2CD anthology (on Universal/MCA 0602498629468).The difference lies in the stunning remastered sound engineered by ERICK LABSON. This is way better than anything else previously issued and the sheer numbers of tracks also make it seriously great value for money (you can pick it up for less than a fiver in certain places). Labson is one of those great unsung-heroes of CD reissues. Working on the huge and varied Universal catalogue - he’s amassed a monumental 1200+ credits to his name for Engineering, Mastering, Restoration and Digital Remastering stretching back to the early Nineties. So he knows his way around a master tape or two. Labson’s exceptional tape work is behind the following generic titled series you've probably seen across Amazon's vast store (most are from the Universal catalogue):"20th Century Masters The Millennium Collection""Blues Classics Remastered & Revisited""Chess 50th Anniversary Collection""The Definitive Collection""Gold""Rock 'n' Roll 50th Anniversary Edition"His better-known mastering/remastering Rock credits include: The Who's "My Generation Deluxe Edition", Neil Diamond's "Play Me: The Complete Uni Studio Recordings", Joni Mitchell's "The Beginning Of Survival", Wishbone Ash's "Argus" and Three Dog Night's "The Complete Hit Singles". And as anyone who owns these will know - they are all exceptional in their sound quality - and thorough in their presentation.Back to "Gold". The set covers the first and better part of Steppenwolf's output from 1968 to 1974. For the uninitiated and prospective buyer, the albums are listed below and then after the discography, what track is from what album:1. Steppenwolf (1968)2. Steppenwolf The Second (1969)3. At Your Birthday Party (1969)4. Monster (1970)5. Steppenwolf Live (1970)6. Steppenwolf 7 ((1970)7. For Ladies Only (1971)8. Forgotten Songs & Unsung Heroes (John Kay Solo LP, 1972)9. My Sportin' Life (John Kay Solo LP, 1973)10. Slow Flux (1974)DISC 11. Born To Be Wild (Steppenwolf)2. Sookie Sookie (Steppenwolf)3. Everybody's Next One (Steppenwolf)4. Your Wall's Too High (Steppenwolf)5. Desperation (Steppenwolf)6. The Pusher (Steppenwolf)7. The Ostrich (Steppenwolf)8. Take What You Need (Steppenwolf)9. Magic Carpet Ride (Steppenwolf The Second)10. Don't Step On The Grass Sam (Steppenwolf The Second)11. Tighten Up Your Wig (Steppenwolf The Second)12. It's Never Too Late (Steppenwolf The Second)13. Jupiter's Child (At Your Birthday Party)14. Rock Me (At Your Birthday Party)15. Monster: Suicide/America Medley (Monster)DISC 21. Move Over (Monster)2. Power Play (Monster)3. Hey Lawdy Mama (1970 7" single)4. Snow Blind Friend (Steppenwolf 7)5. Who Needs Ya (Steppenwolf 7)6. Renegade (Steppenwolf 7)7. Foggy Mental Breakdown (Steppenwolf 7)8. Hippo Stomp (Steppenwolf 7)9. Screaming Night Hog (1970 7" single)10. For Ladies Only (For Ladies Only)11. Tenderness (For Ladies Only)12. Ride With Me (For Ladies Only)13. I'm Movin' On (John Kay solo - Forgotten Songs & Unsung Heroes)14. My Sportin' Life (John Kay solo - My Sportin' Life)15. Drift Away (John Kay solo - My Sportin' Life)16. Straight Shooting Woman (Slow Flux)Fans will note that 8 out of the 11 tracks on their Dunhill 1968 debut LP are on Disc 1, 4 from the 2nd album too and a hunk off of '7' - all great news. The sound quality is glorious. If you can't play them through Media Player, then go to the iTunes Store and click a 25 second listen to "Sookie Sookie" and "Everybody's Next One" and you'll hear what I mean - just stunning! It would be a fan's dream if Labson could get to do "extended versions" of their 1st two classic albums "Steppenwolf" and "Steppenwolf The Second" - both of which deserve to be given as much status as anything that rocked out of the late sixties. I do wish Steppenwolf weren't forever attached to 'that' song - solely - almost as if it's all they ever did.For a few dollars/handful of pound coins, you can acquire this great Steppenwolf 2CD set - and be like me - start searching second-hand vinyl stores again for good copies of their original LPs - because you've just rediscovered how bloody good they were and still are. “Sookie Sookie…” indeed!One to make you howl...buy a Harley and head out on the highway…thoroughly recommended...