Alan James Eastwood - Seeds... (Expanded Edition) Vinyl 2LP

Long overdue deluxe reissue of Alan James Eastwood's certified cult acid-folk-funk rarity. Includes the original album & a second LP with all the singles.

Alan James Eastwood's glorious Seeds is a certified folk-funk lost-classic. By the mid-1970s, Eastwood's musical career was pretty much over and he was almost unknown except among deep heads, amongst whom he would gain cult status. Original copies of the 1971 vinyl release of Seeds exchange hands for high sums. This expanded 2LP contains an extra record, collecting nine rare non-album singles and is presented in a gatefold sleeve complete with freshly commissioned liner notes courtesy of Paul Hillery (Folk Funk & Trippy Troubadours). With the long overdue deluxe reissue of this prized artefact, Be With hope to finally shine a light on the unheralded genius of Alan James Eastwood.

Alan James 'Bugsy' Eastwood was a renowned musician and singer who came to prominence in the late 1960s with The Exception, an unsung but excellent band from Birmingham. The Exception released many singles, the first featuring friend Robert Plant on tambourine, before an album, The Exceptional Exception. However, by this time, Bugsy was feeling constrained and restless; he left the band within weeks of the release. Having vanished from the scene, he was honing a deeper, introspective edge to his songwriting. His demos found their way to the sound engineer and producer Mike Cooper at Pan Music Studios in Denmark Street. Loving what he heard, Eastwood soon entered a recording session with Cooper. The session was just Alan, his guitar and harmonica and -- by all accounts -- it was remarkable. With the songs, the voice and such an exceptional talent, it was hard to go wrong.

Top-flight session musicians were added to the roster to complete the sound, with Byron Lye Fook (father of musician Omar) on drums, bassist Mike Ward, Brian Pickles on marimba and jazz drummer Chris Karan on tabla and percussion. Recorded in a matter of days in Pan's small 8-track studio, they carefully added overdubs, rhythm sections and four string sessions arranged by Hawkins. Also featuring backing vocals from Marilyn Powell and jazz singer Josephine Stahl. Mastering for this special double vinyl edition was overseen by Be With regular Simon Francis and it was cut by the esteemed Cicely Balston at Abbey Road Studios to be pressed in the Netherlands by Record Industry. The original artwork has been lovingly brought back to life at Be With HQ, with the addition of passionately written liner notes specially for this landmark reissue by none other than Paul Hillery. RIYL Nick Drake, Rodriguez, Richie Havens.