Press release from Sundazed:
Upon signing with A&M Records, Captain Beefheart & his Magic Band debuted loudly, recording two singles in 1966, cementing their image as Sunset Strip “blues fiends” and paving the way for what was to become one of the most original careers in rock history.
The band’s cover of Bo Diddley’s “Diddy Wah Diddy” garnered significant regional attention & considerable radio play courtesy of the Captain’s unreal howl & Jerry Handley’s deep, thundering bass sound, while the driving delta tributes “Who Do You Think You’re Fooling” & “Frying Pan” sharply displayed the Captain’s early songwriting prowess. While the Magic Band’s musical course were soon to evolve in drastic & original ways, it’s these early sides that depict a developed blues foundation and a signature tightness that was threaded through all Magic Bands to come.
Sundazed now proudly presents these legendary recordings in double 7″ 45rpm gatefold edition, all sides cut from the original A&M mono masters
Radar Station overview
A beautifully produced double vinyl set in a gatefold sleeve of the band’s first two singles from the 60s. This limited edition was released for 2012’s Record Store Day.
Sundazed have done a great job with an attention to detail that other companies could take a lesson from. They have made sure all the information on the sleeve is correct and they have used contemporary photographs of the band that recorded these tracks.
The gatefold inner also has some fascinating shots of the original master tape boxes plus a short piece written by John French setting the songs in context.
The record labels are facsimiles of the original A&M tan labels.
Not only does it look great but the sound is pretty fine too. Sundazed being lucky enough to get to use the original mono masters. Jerry Handley was always proud of the bass on Diddy Wah Diddy … and you can hear why!
A mighty fine release that any fan would be pleased to have in their collection.
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