Mike McGear - McGear (1974)

From The Lost Record Covers Club

This is the Wings album with a guest vocalist! McGear is McCartney's brother and he and Wings wrote and played most of this.  Released in 1974 at a time when Wings were one of the top UK bands and about to break America on a massive tour which would eventually be recorded and issued as "Wings Over America".  McGear has a strong vocal and there are some good songs here including his take on Bryan Ferry's "Sea Breezes"; the single "Leave It" and the more epic "The Man Who Found God On The Moon".  This is the killer track from this album and again was picked up by Capital Radio (Everett and Scott - my favourites) and pushed - it never made a single, probably due to the G word and the length of the track. Music and Moonshots - two of my favourite subjects at that time!

From The Lost Record Covers Club

Inner Gatefold Sleeve Shot


Warner Bros - K56051

Ashford And Simpson - Love Don't Always Make It Right (1980)

From The Lost Record Covers Club

Ashford and Simpson wrote some of the marvellous Motown songs that we all know, particularly for the Marvin Gaye duets with Tammi Terrell; Gladys Knight and Diana Ross.  Valerie Simpson made a couple of albums for the label but although critically acclaimed they weren't Motown's priority and therefore suffered.  Nick Ashford had been on the Motown staff from early on and had worked as writer, arranger and producer on a number of acts.  When they broke out from Motown they started at Warners and continued with the great all round package of writing, producing and performing.  They had a lot of success stateside on the RnB charts but failed to cross over both there and make any sort of impact here.  This is a typical quality track that begs the question why? I love this and the track "Flashback" from this period.  They later went global at EMI/Capitol with "Solid" which frankly really gets on my nerves!

It is said that Valerie Simpson sang some of Tammi Terrell's parts on some of the later tracks during Tammi's tragic fight against cancer.  This has never been confirmed but if anyone did then that seems a fair assumption.

Warner Bros - WB49269 (7" Single)