Album review: CHRIS FARLOWE & THE THUNDERBIRDS – Stormy Monday & The Eagles Fly On Friday

Repertoire [Release date 28.1.22]

This 3CD set brings together more than 50 newly remastered tracks, recorded by the R&B/soul powerhouse Chris Farlowe between 1962 and 1969. It’s an eclectic mix of studio, radio session and live tracks, and a definitive way to mark this period of his career. The 16-page booklet contains full credits, entertaining notes by Spencer Leigh, and several photos/images.

CD1 rounds up his early A & B-sides, along with EP and album cuts. These include two Cyril Stapleton numbers, originally credited to The Beazers (‘The Blue Beat’ and ‘I Wanna Shout’) as well as T-Bone Walker’s ‘Stormy Monday Blues (Parts One & Two)’ which were released on the blues label Sue under the pseudonym of Little Joe Cook.

Other impressive cuts include Rudy Clark’s ‘Itty Bitty Pieces’, Chuck Berry’s ‘Reelin’ And Rockin’’, and a fiery take on Leiber/Stoller’s ‘Hound Dog’. Of the self-penned material, ‘What You Gonna Do?’ is a bluesy gem, while the joyous ‘You’re The One’ has something of a gospel feel. The classic ‘Buzz With The Fuzz’ was banned by the BBC at the time for its drug references, and is now regarded as a mod anthem.

CD2 contains almost an hour’s worth of tracks recorded for the BBC. Highlights include ‘Watcha Gonna Do Baby’ (a co-write with Albert Lee), a rollicking ‘Rockin’ Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu’ and a fine cut of the Andrew Loog Oldham / Tony Russell song ‘Don’t Just Look At Me’. Chris’s love of soul is represented by Otis Redding’s ‘Mr Pitiful’ and the James Brown number ‘I Got You (I Feel Good)’.

Chris is still best remembered for his UK #1 hit ‘Out Of Time’. Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, there’s a lively version here from 1966’s Easybeat programme. Other choice covers include ‘What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted’, ‘Summertime’, an epic ‘Moanin’’, and a guttural snarl from Chris on the swirling ‘Gemini’. Two of the “new to CD” tracks were recorded in 1968 for The Blues Roll On – Jimmy Reed’s ‘Baby What You Want Me To Do’ and the aforementioned ‘Stormy Monday Blues’.

CD3 features a rare live show from 1965, recorded at the Flamingo Club in Soho where the band had a residency. This is an energetic performance and captures the band on killer form, with a line-up of Farlowe, Albert Lee, Dave Greenslade, Bruce Waddell and Ian Hague. Greenslade’s Hammond organ is up in the mix for a couple of instrumentals early in the set – ‘Chicken Shack’ and ‘You Can’t Sit Down’. Crowd favourite ‘Buzz With The Fuzz’, James Brown’s ‘Think’ and a groovy ‘In The Midnight Hour’ are all standouts in a fine set. Sound quality is a little on the lo-fi side, but this doesn’t detract at all from the enjoyment of hearing a band on fire in front of an appreciative audience! ****

Review by Jim Henderson


Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

Next session: Sunday 19 January


Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio



David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 1 December 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 3 December 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com


Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)



Popular (last 10 days)


This entry was posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues and tagged , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply