Sun Zoom Spark Outtakes Comparison

In my original review of the Sun Zoom Spark : 1970 to 1972 box set I looked at each track on the Out-takes album and related them, where possible, to previous released versions. However what I didn’t do was compare them to the versions on the classic bootleg 3CD set Spotlight Kid Outtakes which contains all these tracks and more, although I think I presumed the same versions were on both compilations.

Anyway, my omission was spotted by Elias Rost, who sent me the article below in which he does the comparison between the two box sets … over to Elias …

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I got the set for the outtakes, too. A real treat to finally hear some of these fantastic recordings properly mixed in such high quality! Nice job indeed. But yeah, “Funeral Hill” is inexcusably missing, among others…

It’s interesting that no one here seems to have compared the Out-takes” disc to the Spotlight Kid Outtakes set to see how much completely new stuff actually is on here. So I just did it.

Of course, these are all new mixes, with much better sound quality and different instrument placement/emphasis, and mostly much less reverb than on Spotlight Kid Outtakes (SKO). I just wanted to know which of these recordings are the same basic performances that were previously available. If I’m wrong on any of these, feel free to correct me! So here it goes:

01. Alice In Blunderland (Alternate Version)
Same as SKO 3-14, the but guitar solo is audible here.

02. Harry Irene
NOT same as SKO 1-07, but a completely different take! Neat!

03. I Can’t Do This Unless I Can Do This / Seam Crooked Sam
Same as SKO 1-02, but beginning and ending are shortened here.

04. Pompadour Swamp / Suction Prints
Starts out with the beginning of take 1 (SKO 2-01), but has MANY edits throughout the session tape (0:08-0:58, 1:41-…) thus creating a new, more “compact” version.

05. The Witch Doctor Life (Instrumental Take)
Same as SKO 3-03, but with intro and well over a minute longer at the end!

06. Two Rips In A Haystack / Kiss Me My Love
Same as SKO 1-05, some new chat at the beginning.

07. Best Batch Yet (Track – Version 1)
Same as SKO 3-16.

08. Your Love Brought Me To Life (Instrumental)
Same as SKO 3-09, but the breakdown between the two takes has been edited out (2:17-3:26), thus creating one complete continuous version. Plus some additional chat at the beginning.

09. Dirty Blue Gene (Alternate Version 1)
Same basic guitar track as SKO 1-03, but a completely different vocal/harmonica track.

10. Nowadays A Woman’s Gotta Hit A Man (Early Mix)
Previously unreleased.

11. Kiss Where I Kain’t
Previously unreleased.

12. Circumstances (Alternate Version 2)
Previously unreleased. (NOT the same as SKO 1-13)

13. Little Scratch
Same as SKO 1-17.

14. Dirty Blue Gene (Alternate Version 3)
Same as SKO 3-17.

 

 

2 Comments

  1. Thanks, Elias! It’s been a while since I’ve done a comparison myself, but I remember Your Love Brought Me to Life being a completely different take, and not an edit of the two takes on SKO.

    Also, the guitar of Dirty Blue Gene (alt. version 1) is different, not just the vocals/harmonica (around 0:42 Bill hits a bum note for instance).

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