Pretty Things - Hot Licks, 1973, Music Library Only LP

	£		32
	$		42

Hot Licks - Same

(DeWolfe DWSLP3284 1973 Original UK LP)

Tracks:

Sweet Orphan Lady

I Could Not Believe My Eyes

Good Times

Walk Away

The Loser

Easily Done

Sweet Orphan Lady (Instrumental)

I Could Not Believe My Eyes (Instrumental)

Good Times (Instrumental)

Walk Away (Instrumental)

The Loser (Instrumental)

Easily Done (Instrumental)

Well now, here’s something very interesting! A music library only album by the mighty Pretty Things!

Most people will be aware of the Pretty Things excursions into library recordings in the late sixties under the pseudonym “The Electric Banana”. They recorded a couple of albums under that name which are well worth hunting out. However, much less well known is this 1973 album recorded by the Freeway Madness/Silk Torpedo line up of the band hiding behind the name of Hot Licks.

Six tracks of dirty funky gritty rock on side one all with excellent vocals and superb musicianship, the highlight being a drifting progressive ballad with harpsichord backing entitled “Walk Away” which alone is worth the price of the album. Side two features instrumental versions of the same six tracks, these versions themselves are great (if you want to know where Foreigner found the riff for “Hot Blooded” then just listen to the instrumental version of “Good Times”!) but it‘s the vocal versions on side one which really lift this into another level.

What makes this stand out from the vast majority of library albums is really the stature of the artists involved. Most library albums were recorded by highly competent musicians and composers who were making music solely as studio musicians knowing it would be used only as background music. However, this album was recorded by a well known band who knew what the public wanted, and it’s that commercial edge that lifts this far above normal library album status. Any of the tracks on side one could easily have been included on a commercial album under the Pretty Things name and wouldn’t have been out of place there. To put it simply - no collection of Pretty Things records or even of early seventies rock can be considered complete without this superb album, but if you miss this copy where are you going to find another one?

Condition: Sleeve

The sleeve is a very strong condition without being perfect. Like the sleeves of most library albums, De Wolfe ones anyway, it’s made from thin unlaminated card with nothing to protect it from the ravages of time.

The front cover is extremely clean with no real damage or wear anywhere. No tears, no writing anywhere, no ringwear or any other type of wear, there are a couple of small light creases but these are inconsequential, at arms length in a PVC sleeve this looks just great.

The rear sleeve has a few little dirty marks which are nothing serious, there’s also a little bit of very light ringwear and again a couple of extremely light creases but no major damage or wear.

Both top and bottom seams are totally unworn.

The spine is slightly compressed but totally unworn and all of the writing is clearly readable.

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Condition: Record

The record itself is also in lovely condition, very clean with a nice dark shine. No visible surface marks at all either in natural light or when held under a very harsh lamp.

When played the sound is clean and clear with no audible defects at all, no distortion or groovewear, no pops clicks or crackles, no jumping or sticking, a real nice clean copy of an album which is almost impossible to track down.

For those who don’t know music library albums were produced for distribution to TV and radio production companies to provide ready made incidental music. They were made in small numbers and were never available to the public. Subsequently library albums are among the hardest records to track down with some titles selling for very large amounts of music on the rare occasions that they surface.

Payment by cheque preferred from UK buyers but paypal is available if necessary, overseas buyers must use paypal. Sorry but I will not post anything to Canada under any circumstances.