Forgotten Songs and Unsung Heroes/My Sportin' Life

When Steppenwolf disbanded in 1972 no-one really knew what to expect from the various members of the splintered band. However, as they all had excellent pedigrees playing in bands before the 'Wolf we had high hopes they would record new stuff without delay. John Kay, the lead singer, was quick off the mark with his first solo album 'Forgotten Songs and Unsung heroes' in which he sang in homage to his heroes from the time he played bars and clubs in Toronto and New York. He followed that up with a second solo album, 'My Sporting Life' which was another excellent but eclectic group of recordings. His voice is unique and so suited to the songs on both of these albums. Stand out tracks on both albums include 'Bold Marauder' (originally by the Farinas); 'Giles of the River' (a Steely Dan original; 'heroes and devils'; 'I'm Moving On'; 'Moonshine, friend of mine' and 'Drift Away'. Sadly John was pippped by Dobie Gray with Drift Away which Gray took into the UK charts. I prefer the John kay version. On both albums he was backed by very accomplished musicians. On 'Forgotten Songs' he was backed by the John kay solo band which toured as support to Steppenwolf during the R.I.P. tour of the Uk. They appeared on the Old Grey Whistle Test on the same edition as Steppenwolf who have been captured on the OGWT dvd playing Born to be wild. It would be great to think that the John Kay Band's performance also survived. On 'Sporting Life' John was backed by the premier US session musicians of the day. Two great albums well worth checking out on this package. Only slightly sour note - the liner notes are terrible and rehash more about Steppenwolf than John's solo career which produced another solo album 'All in Good time', 'John Kay and Company' and 'Heretics and privateers' a few years later. John Kay and Steppenwolf started re-touring in the late 80's until just a year ago. John's autobiography (and the new Steppenwolf website at [...]) prove there is enough material about him and his recording career to do a new and illuminating set of liner notes.

Fantastic albums, I have these on Vinyl, could wait to get the CD to play in the car, want to preserve the vinyl copies.

You can't help but think that John Kay (Steppenwolf's vocalist and principal songwriter) has seen a thing or two. These two cruelly ignored Seventies albums are full of great tunes and characters gingerly chopping their way through the heartlands - humping, burning and looting - and that's just the cover versions. Here are the born wild details...UK released April 2008 (reissued November 2009) - "Forgotten Songs & Unsung Heroes/My Sportin' Life" by JOHN KAY [of Steppenwolf] on Beat Goes On BGOCD797 (Barcode 5017261207975) offers 2 albums onto 1CD, runs to 77:44 minutes and plays out as follows:1. Many A Mile2. Walk Beside Me3. You Win Again4. To Be Alive5. Bold Marauder6. Two Of A Kind7. Walkin’ Blues8. Somebody9. I’m Movin’ OnTracks 1 to 9 are his debut vinyl solo album "Forgotten Songs & Unsung Heroes" first released April 1972 in the USA on ABC/Dunhill Records DSX 50120 and July 1972 in the UK on Probe Records SPB 1054.10. Moonshine11. Nobody Lives Here12. Drift Away13. Heroes And Devils14. My Sportin’ Life15. Easy Evil16. Giles Of The River17. Dance To My Song18. Sing With The ChildrenTracks 10 to 18 being his 2nd solo album "My Sportin' Life" – released July 1973 in the USA and UK on ABC/Dunhill DSX-50147 and Probe SPBA 6274 respectively.The outer card wrap around the jewel case pictures both albums, the 20-page booklet has comprehensive liner notes by noted writer JOHN TOBLER and includes lyrics to both LPs, detailed recording info, photos and interviews - it's a thoroughly great job. But that's nothing to the fantastic sounding remaster done by ANDREW THOMPSON at Sound Performance Studios - unbelievably clear and full of muscle. Having owned clean vinyl copies of these albums for decades now - it's a blast to hear detail and power like this - a really brilliant transfer.The albums liberally mix originals with cleverly chosen covers - he treats Hank Williams "You Win Again" pretty much like the original (wistful and self-deprecating) but he completely funks up Hank Snow's "I'm Movin' On" sounding not unlike fellow label mates Three Dog Night. I also love the dark and brooding cover of Richard Farina's "Dark Marauder" with it's body slashing count - his vocals and Dulcimer playing leaping out of your speakers - fabulous stuff (lyrics from it title this review). Then there's two contrasts - his own "Two Of A Kind" which is a plaintive and aching ballad about him and his lady of the moment 'knowing' themselves which is immediately followed by a bottleneck guitar romp through Robert Johnson's "Walkin' Blues" sounding like Steppenwolf at their very bluesy best (he plays the harmonica too). And again - the production values are absolutely superb.The second album is good too - opening with a country-feel song by Lee Emerson of The Five Man Electrical Band called "Moonshine (Friend Of Mine)" - it's followed by his own mid-tempo "Nobody Lives Here Anymore" and then a cover of Mentor Williams' wonderfully evocative "Drift Away". What a song this is - "gimme the beat boys and free my soul...I wanna get lost in your Rock 'n' Roll...". Dobie Gray, Humble Pie and Rod Stewart did fantastic versions of it in 1973, 1974 and 1975 respectively. "Heroes And Devils" was written by Renee Armand and Kerry Chater of Gary Puckett's Union Gap and again suits Kay's penchant for acoustic ballads that tell stories of drifters and losers. The best track for me is his self-penned "My Sportin' Life" which appeared on the brill "Gold" 2CD set for Steppenwolf (see separate review) - great stuff. The Anita O'Day cover of "Easy Evil" is slinky and sexy while "Giles Of The River" is a BECKER/FAGEN exclusive song unavailable on any Steely Dan album (you can so hear their 1972 songwriting on it). It ends on a high note - a rocking bluesy jaunt through "Sing With The Children" by Ron Davies. Davies wrote the truly fab "It Ain't Easy" which was covered by Davie Bowie on "Ziggy Stardust" in 1972, Dave Edmunds in 1971 on "Rockpile" with Three Dog Night and John Baldry literally naming entire albums after the song in 1970 and 1971. The menacing slide guitar of "Sing With The Children" goes on for near seven minutes. "I'm going down to the river...down to the water side..." he roars throughout. I love it!To sum up - anyone expecting full on Steppenwolf Rock may be disappointed by what they hear here on these two albums. But I'd say give this nugget a chance - there's so much to enjoy and savour and after 4 decades of still discovering stuff about the Seventies - isn't that nice."...It's many a mile I've been on this road…" - Kay bemoans on the Side 1 opener of "Forgotten Songs & Unsung Heroes". Time to remember this fabulous traveller you howlers…PS: Beat Goes On also released the first 8 Steppenwolf albums on excellent remasters with the same quality packaging and sound. And there are also superlative 2013 Japanese SHM-CD remasters of the same albums with 5" card repro artwork and bonus tracks which are not available on the BGO issues. They’re all available on Amazon with a search...