This is the latest release from Universal Music’s ”Re-presents” series. As usual they’ve dug through the archives and chosen a great album to re-release. This time it’s the live album ”Live at the Marquee” from British Blues band 9 below zero. The band formed in 1977 and continued till 1983 when they split, reforming later in 1990 and continuing to the present day. The band supported The Kinks and The Who on tour as well as peforming their own shows, and also appeared on television including The Chris Tarrant Show, South Bank Show, The Old Grey Whistle Test, and comedy series The Young Ones .
”Live at the Marquee” was recorded in 1980 at the Marquee club in London, and was released the same year as a single album. This meant that it was limited to 14 tracks. With this re-release Universal have added seven extra tracks, meaning the entire set performed is available for the first time. As well as the extra tracks there is also previously unreleased video footage from the gig on an accompanying DVD.
The CD booklet contains sleeve notes from various band members and others associated with Nine Below Zero, as well as a selection of rare photographs.
One surprise with this release is the timing – I’d have expected them to release it in 2010 to tie in with the 30th anniversary of the album, but the main thing is that the album is now getting a release.
This album represents a time when R&B really was Rhythm and Blues and before the term R&B got twisted into the current music that gets called R&B – which bears little resemblance to proper Rhythm and Blues.
Listening to the album the band really do tear through the material, managing 21 songs in 72 minutes. It probably helps that at the time this was recorded, songs under three minutes were common, and thirteen of the songs here clock in at less than three minutes, with just four exceeding five minutes in length.
It’s a fantastic live album – the songs while being R&B have a fast pace that makes them appeal to fans of bands such as Madness as well as rock, metal and punk fans, meaning they really do appeal to a wide audience – just check out ”Keep on knocking” for something that Sex Pistols fans will recognise (the similarities to ”Something else” are very clear).
”Live at the Marquee” will be released on 22nd October and is definitely worth a listen.
Track listing:
Disc 1 – CD
1. Tore Down
2. Straighten Her Out
3. Homework
4. I Can’t Help Myself
5. Can I Get A Witness
6. Ridin’ On The L&N
7. I Can’t Quit You Baby
8. Stop Your Naggin’
9. Hootchie Cootchie Coo
10. Wooly Bully
11. Got My Mojo Working
12. Pack Fair & Square
13. Watch Yourself
14. Swing Job
15. Rocket 88
16. (Just A) Little Bit
17. Twenty Yards Behind
18. Stormy Monday
19. Is That You
20. Keep On Knocking
21. Madison Blues
Disc 2 – DVD – Live at the Marquee performance footage
1. Tore Down
2. Homework
3. (Just A) Little Bit
4. I Can’t Help Myself
5. Can I Get A Witness
6. The Hootchie Cootchie Coo
7. Is That You
8. Keep A Knockin’
