LEGEND OF A MIND

This is a beautifully packaged box set and you can tell this has been a labour of love for the people concerned. Each of the three CDs comes in its own little cover and the package includes a very informative booklet. This set is a compilation of artists from the Deram label, a collection of the obscure and the very obscure, some of whom went on to greater things (Thin Lizzy, Camel and Caravan) and some who didn't (Bulldog Breed, T2, Mellow Candle). Of the well-known bands, we have prog bands such as The Moody Blues, Curved Air, Egg, Wolf, as well as the aforementioned Camel and Caravan. The Moodies are represented by the title track and one of my favourite Moodies songs, the brilliant "Question" (although not a very good quality version, the drums are distorted). Camel have the classics "Lady Fantasy" and "Airborn" and Caravan have "Golf Girl", "Hello Hello" and "C'Lu Thlu". Egg have the brilliantly named "Song Of McGuillicudie The Pusillanimous" There are a number of excellent songs from slightly lesser known bands - The Rattles' "The Witch", which was a hit single, "Jig-a-jig" by East of Eden, a couple of Ten Years After tracks, Giles, Giles and Fripp with the insane "Suite No. One" featuring some nifty Fripp fretwork, Savoy Brown with the excellent bluesy "Hellbound Train", also Curved Air and Wolf. Then we get to the really obscure stuff - the bizarre, druggy "Free to be stoned" by Clark Hutchinson, the excellent folk of Mellow Candle, "Cemetry Junction" by Room which features a well-integrated orchestra, Khan with Steve Hillage, Granny's Intentions, Leafhound and Aardvark. This is not an entirely prog collection as it does include folk, rock, blues and psychedelia, however it is a very well put-together package and will appeal to anyone interested in obscure British music of the 60s and 70s. Some of the original albums that feature here are amongst the most valuable for record collectors, so keep your eye out when rummaging around your local charity shop.