“The combined talents of five young men are here extended to create realms of musical colour such as have never been heard before on record in `Shades Of Deep Purple’.” — So read the original, endearingly naive, sleeve notes on the first edition of this album, issued on Parlophone way back in September 1968. Now, almost a decade on, it’s interesting to look back on and listen once again to Deep Purple’s premier platter. Although ‘progressive’ at the time of its release, today ‘Shades Of’ sounds raw, basic and extremely formative. But, all the same, its entertainment value has not diminished one bit over the years.
This LP features the familiar musical triangle of Ritchie Blackmore (guitar, ex-Screamin’ Lord Sutch’s Savages and Mike Berry And The Outlaws), Jon Lord (organ, fresh from the Artwoods) and Ian Paice (drums, late of Georgie And The Rave Ons, would you believe), as well as two lesser-known Purple members, vocalist Rod Evans and bassist Nic Simper. A band ‘formed almost overnight from handpicked musicians’, great things were expected of Deep Purple. And they achieved success beyond anyone’s wildest dreams — ‘Shades Of’ acting as the springboard from which they launched themselves into super-stardom. The album contains both original Deep Purple compositions and cover versions of other people’s songs — which, funnily enough, seem to succeed best of all.
The band’s interpretation of Billy Joe Royal’s ‘Hush’, also recorded by Joe South, is probably the LP’s outstanding cut, being well-balanced, nicely dramatic, Jon Lord shining above the rest of the band, contributing some fierce organ work. In fact, as a single, ‘Hush’ made it into the US top ten. A balladic ‘Help’ (yep, the very same Lennon—McCartney tune) and a Blackmore—Evans—Lord number ‘Mandrake Root’ follow closely behind in the highspot stakes. ‘Shades Of’ presents Deep Purple in their lightest, brightest, freshest colours — colours that were later to darken and then fade forever. Listen to the album and accept it for what it is, a first recording from a lively, ambitious new band whose musical ideas were blossoming but hadn’t quite reached fruition.
Originally the “Skeptics Apocalypse” was released on vinyl LP during 1985. Originally released on the record label Combat with catalognr “Combat MX 8029”, Banzai Records BRC 1956 and RoadrunneR Records RR 9759.
“Skeptics Apocalypse” has been re-released several times since 2010, but not by the original companies: Combat, Banzai or RoadrunneR.
The value of RoadrunneR release on Auction Sites varies from 20€ and 30€, while online stores may ask up to 50€ for a Mint copy. Note that the album must include a custom inner sleeve (aka Original Inner Sleeve)
Album Production information:
The album: “AGENT STEEL – Skeptics Apocalypse” was produced by: Jay Jones
Sound/Recording Engineer(s): Dean “Goatie” Davis
Dean Davis a sound engineer working together with “Karat Fave” on the albums “Bloodlust – Guilty as Sin” and “Megadeth – Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good!”
This album was recorded December 1984 – February 1985 , Somewhere in Los Angeles
Mastered by Tom Coyne at Frankford/Wayne Mastering Labs
Live photos: Vickie Miellie and Teresa Trebotic
Tom Coyne is a mastering engineer from New Jersey who has mastered dozens of Heavy Metal albums during the 1980s.
Band-members, Musicians and Performers
John Cyriis – Vocals
Juan Garcia – Guitar
Kurt Colfelt – Guitar
George Robb – Bass
Chuck Profus – Drums
Background information on the musicians:
John Cyriis is together with Chuck Profus the founding members of the “Agent Steel” band.
In the bands: “Black Reign” and “Lemegeton” , “John Cyriis” was using the pseudo: “Max Kobol”.
John Cyriis used the pseudo “Father Damien” while singing in the “Pontius Prophet” band.
In the bands “Pontius Prophet” and “Black Reign” he continued to perform with his mate from “Agent Steel” Chuck Profus.
The real name of Chuck Profus is Charles Profus.
Chuck Profus started his career playing drums with Agent Steel and worked with Agent Steel from 1984 till 1988. After leaving Agent Steel he played in bands like Pontius Prophet, Black Reign, Sanctuary, The MOFO Homeboys.
In the bands “Pontius Prophet” and “Black Reign” he continued to perform with his mate from “Agent Steel” John Cyriis.
George Robb is from Philadelphia and joined “Agent Steel” in 1984, after his departure he went on to form the “L.S.N.” and “Detente” bands.
Juan Garcia, has played guitars in several Heavy Metal bands, including: Abattoir, Agent Steel, Evildead and others.
Collector’s notes for ROLLING STONES – Aftermath ( detailed background information on the persons working on this album)Album Front Cover Details:The album front cover shows a group photo of the “Rolling Stones” band.The album-title of the album “Aftermath” is printed near the bottom right corner of the album front cover.The band-name itself is NOT mentioned on the front cover.Album Back Cover Details:The upper right corner of the album back cover shows “STEREO 6835 (10)”The bottom right corner (just below the boxed DECCA logo)THE DECCA RECORD COMPANY LTD. LONDON (c) 1966, The Decca Record Company Limited, London Printed in The NetherlandsThere is NO bar-code on the album coverAlbum Record Label Details:The labels have the colour BlueOn the upper half are the letters “DECCA” in a large fontThere is NO label-code on the labels.The rights society STEMRA (boxed) is located on the left , near 9 o’clockBelow the rights society there is: (P) 1966On the right hand near 3 o’clock there is:6835 108 6835 108.1 MADE IN HOLLANDThe rim-text on the label runs from 7 o’clock to 5 o’clock and is printed in the English languageMatrix and run-out codesSide A: (Stamped) 6835 108 1Y 4 (P) 1966 670 111 06 Side B: (Stamped) AA 6835 108 2Y 1 (P) 19**66 670 119 03Transcript of the original linet notes:In July 1964, I was engineering a session for Jack Nitzsche at RCA in Hollywood; the song was “Yes sir, that’s my baby” In walked the Rolling Stones and Andrew Oldham, who had stopped by to say hello to Jack, a friend they had met thru Phil Spector. In December of 1964, we did our first session together. Andrew had phoned me from England, and wanted to do a session en route to Australia. I was thrilled; since then, we have worked together thru “The Last Time”; “Satisfaction”; “Cloud”; “Breakdown” and a number of albums, in a way that has been rewarding both artistically and professionally, for working with the Stones is extremely exhilarating. They never go the easy route; from the moment Mick and Keith run a song down to the rest of the group, to Brian deciding on an acoustic or electric guitar, or something more bizarre, to Bill sorting out a bass pattern, to Charlie laying down the tempo; to their friend Jack Nitzsche (always on the dates) or Road Manager Stu (Ian Stewart) picking out chords on piano, organ, harpsichord or anything else that happens to be lying around. To some many hours later, at a final take, it’s all great. In this business of dubious standards,it’s been great working with the Stones, who, contrary to the countless jibes of mediocre comedians all over the world, are real professionals, and a gas to work with. Dave Hassinger, Engineer
Album Fact Sheet: ROLLING STONES – Aftermath
Music Genre: British Rock, Blues-Rock, R&B
Album Production information:The album: “ROLLING STONES – Aftermath” was produced by: Andrew Loog OldhamSound/Recording Engineer(s): Dave HassingerThis album was recorded at: RCA Studios HollywoodAlbum cover design: Sandy BeachAlbum cover photography: Guy Webster, Jerrold Schatzberg
Record Company / Catalog number / Label: Decca – 6835 108
Record Format12″ Vinyl HIFI Stereo Gramophone Record Total Album (Cover+Record) weight: 230 gram
Collector’s notes for ROLLING STONES – Self-Titled AMIGA ( detailed background information on the persons working on this album)
This ROLLING STONES – Self-Titled AMIGA can be identified / distinguished by the following attributes :
Album Front Cover Details:
The album front cover has a group photo of The Rolling Stones band-members and in the bottom right corner the band-name.
Album Back Cover Details:
How does the album back cover be different from other versions
The upper right corner of the album back cover has: 16,10 M STEREO 8 55 885
There is NO barcode on the album cover
Bottom left corner, last line: “Ubernahme von Teldec Schallplatten GMBH., Hamburg/BRD
Bottom right cornere, last two paragraphs:
VEB DEUTSCHE SCHALLPLATTEN BERLIN DDR
Made In Germany Democratic Republic
Gestaltung Bernd Scheubert
Lithografie und Druck: VEB Gothe-Druck
Ag 511/01/82A Verpackung nach TGL 10609
Album Record Label Details:
Record label information:
The labels on this recored are in Dark Red colour
Near the top of the label is printed AMIGA in a very large font
Near 11 o’clock is the Rights Society “AWA”
Near 3 o’clock is the catalognr “8 55 885”
There is NO label code
The rim-text on the label runs from 10 o’clock to 2 o’clock and is printed in the German language.
Album Fact Sheet: ROLLING STONES – Self-Titled AMIGA
Music Genre: Classic Rock, Blues-Rock, R&B
Album Production information: m
Album Liner Notes: Ingolf Haedicke
Album cover design: Bernd Scheubert
Transcript of the original liner notes (German Language)
The Rolling Stones — das Fluidum des Pro-vokanten der 60er Jahre verblaßt. Was bleibt, sind Erinnerungen an die einst “härteste Rockband der Welt”. Dieser vom Management und Journalismus geprägte Begriff ist eher geeignet, die Life-Auftritte der Rolling Stones zu charakterisieren, nicht aber ihre Songs. Wesentlicher ist: sie leisteten in den frühen 60er Jahren neben den Beatles den wohl wichtigsten Beitrag zur Entwicklung der modernen Rockmusik. Alles das einbeziehen und berücksichtigen, sowohl die ständige Provokation (schockierende Plattencover, zweifelhafte Texte, aggressives Auftreten), als auch viele großartige Songs, aber auch das unproduktive Verharren in der einmal entwickelten und erprobten Schablone in den 70er und 80er Jahren, so mag vielleicht ein umfassendes Bild der englischen Gruppe The Rolling Stones (Landstreicher, Rollende Steine) gelingen.
Diese Widersprüchlichkeit ist nur zu erklären angesichts der Geburtswehen eines neuen Genres, das sich Anfang der 60er Jahre etablierte — einerseits der frühe Höhenflug, verbunden mit übertriebenem Abgrenzungsgebaren, andererseits das Erkennen von Grenzen, das Zurückfallen in die schlichte Produktion von Rockmusik. Der Ehrgeiz, Neues zu entwickeln verlischt, das erprobte Rezept wird Jahr für Jahr bis zur Gegenwart in klingende Münze verwandelt. Der persönliche Reifeprozeß, das Älter-werden wird hinter Rockschablonen “versteckt”, die Idee des ewig Jungbleibens ständig aufs Neue suggeriert. Einige Aspekte sollen uns helfen, das Besondere der Rolling Stones Songs zu verstehen.
Die Behauptung, die Rolling Stones seien als Alternativgruppe zu den Beatles vom Management aufgebaut worden, stimmt höchstens in Bezug auf das Äußerliche ihres Auftretens. Zu verschieden waren die musikalischen Quellen beider Gruppen. Die Beatles verdanken ihre entscheidenden Anregungen der städtisch proletarischen Volksmusik Liverpools, auch Merseybeat genannt, während die Rolling Stones in London groß wurden, dem Zentrum des weißen englischen Blues, repräsentiert durch Alexis Korner und John Mayall. Fast alle Mitglieder der Rolling Stones spielten eine Zeitlang in der Blues incorporated Band von Alexis Korner. Es waren dies Mick Jagger (1943) voc; Keith Richard (1943) g; Brian Jones (1942) g und Charlie Watts (1941) dr. Nach dem frühen Tod Brian Jones im Jahre 1969 wurde Mick Taylor (1948) aufgenommen.
Er war vorher Gitarrist bei John Mayall. Nach seinem Ausscheiden 1974 nahm seinen Platz Ron Wood (1947) ein. Von Anfang an dabei war der Baßgitarrist Bill Wyman (1936). Die musikalische Herkunft, der Blues, prägte fast alle Songs. Kein noch so zwingendes Management hätte die Rolling Stones zu einer anderen Musik überreden können, nachdem der Blues ihnen in Fleisch und Blut übergegangen war. Das betrifft keines-falls nur den formalen Aspekt (Blues-schema), sondern die ganze Art und Weise der Darbietung. Dies äußert sich vor allem in dem ausdrucksvollen Sprechgesang des “Nur Sängers” Mick Jagger. Er versteht es, alle Register der menschlichen Stimme zur Gestaltung der Songs einzusetzen. Die Skala reicht vom sprechenden Singen über-kontrolliertes Schreien bis hin zu geflüsterten Passagen und klaren sauber gesunge-nen Melodien.
Seine Stimme wird zum wichtigen Instrument und bestimmt wesentlich das Klangbild des jeweiligen Titels. Das ist einer der schlüssigen Verweise auf die Tradition des Bluessängers. Nicht das Singen der vorgegebenen Melodie wird wichtig, sondern die gefühlsmäßige Gestaltung, dem Text und der jeweiligen Situa-tion angepaßt. Die Show der Rolling Stones ist einerseits Show im Sinne des Wortes, aber das gestische Gebaren Mick Jaggers und der übrigen Mitglieder ist auch die Umsetzung emotionaler Spannungen und Erregungen in eine Art Körpersprache, wie wir sie schon lange von Jazzmusikern, Blues-sängern und religiösen Gemeindesängern der Afroamerikaner kennen. Solch eine Körpersprache wirkt-ansteckend auf die Zuhörer. Helfen dann noch Sensationspresse und verantwortungslose Konzertmanager nach, so ist das Chaos vorprogrammiert.
Die Grundlage vieler Songs sind eingängige, ständig sich wiederholende Motive, auch Riffs genannt und ostinate Baßfiguren. Sie machen die Struktur eines Titels durchsichtig und leicht durchschaubar (Beispiel 1-7). Es fällt auf, daß der Ablauf stets der gleiche ist: eine aufsteigende Linie wird sofort wieder auf den Ausgangspunkt zurückgeführt. Außerdem ähneln sich manche Riffs verblüffend (vergl. Bsp. 4 mit Bsp. 6). Es sei ausdrücklich betont, daß dies keine Abwertung bedeuten soll. Ein gefundenes Schema muß immer mit Erfindungsreichtum gekoppelt sein, um wirksam zu werden. Ohne Perfektion und Sinn für Klang-farbengestaltung, gekoppelt mit der Kunst des Weglassens — sprich sparsames Arrangement — kann kein Konzept so vielfältig variiert werden, wie es die Rolling Stones vorführten und vorführen. Diese musikalisch einfache Grundstruktur ist das hervorstechende Merkmal der meisten Rolling Stones Songs und verleiht ihnen die besonders kraftvolle Ausstrahlung.
Dieser Querschnitt repräsentiert die produktivste Phase der Rolling Stones, und zwar die Jahre von 1965 (Satisfaction) bis 1969 (Honky Tonk Woman).
Ingolf Haedicke (1982)
Record Company / Catalog number / Label: AMIGA – 8 55 885
Record Format12″ Hi-Fi Vinyl Stereo Gramophone Record
Total Album (Cover+Record) weight: 230 gram
Year & Country: 1982 East-Germany, German Democratic Republic (GDR)
This blog of the album “Between The Buttons” shows three different types of album front covers used:
Between The Buttons with catalognr PAX ISK 1027 from ISRAEL – the front cover has a group photo of the Rolling Stones with on the upper half , two “buttons” with the album title and the band-name. The bottom left corner has the PAX logo inside a light blue box.
Between The Buttons with catalognr Decca SLK 16 450-P ZAL 7644 from Germany – the front cover has the group photo of the Rolling Stones and with the DECCA logo on the bottom left corner. There are NO band-name nor album title on the front.
Between The Button with catalog LONDON 820 051 from West-Germany which has a “button” in the top right corner with the band-name “The Rolling Stones” inside, in the bottom left corner there its “LONDON” records logo inside a blue/red box. There is NO album-title on the album front cover.
Vinyl Record Collector's Information and blog 