Once Upon A Time In The West Midlands: Bostin' Sounds Of Brumrock 1966-1974 / Various

A 3-CD, four-hour celebration of the post-Brumbeat late '60s/early '70s rock scene in the West Midlands. Tracing the evolution and development of that scene as local musicians embarked on an epic journey that embraced mod pop, psychedelia, blues, progressive rock, glam-rock and heavy metal, inspired by the emergence of chief catalysts The Move. Revolving around the area's big hitters, with key selections from The Move, The Moody Blues, The Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, The Idle Race, Slade, The Electric Light Orchestra, Roy Wood and Wizzard, Judas Priest and others. When the beat/R&B explosion died out around 1965, so did the influence of cities like Liverpool and Manchester. However, the live scene in Birmingham and surrounding towns went from strength to strength. By the end of the decade, the West Midlands had become the smelting house of the nascent hard rock/metal revolution. Including a bunch of classic cult 45s (The Craig, Locomotive, Medicine Head, The Ghost) and essential cuts from enduring local legends like Steve Gibbons and his band The Ugly's, Denny Laine, The Montanas and Jimmy Powell. Also featuring several previously unreleased tracks, including music from post-World Of Oz outfit Kansas Hook, Big Bertha, Cathedral and the first-ever recording (made in 1967) to feature future Magnum vocalist Bob Catley.