Handbags & Gladrags: The Mike d'Abo Collection Vol. 1 - CD | Comprehensive 1964-1970 Anthology

Product Information

• UPC: 5013929523227
• Product Type: Audio CD
• Genre: British Pop/Rock
• Format: Compact Disc
• Label: RPM Records
• Catalog Number: RPM 232
• Duration: Not specified (22 tracks)
• Release Year: 2001
• Collection Period: 1964-1970

Overview

"Handbags & Gladrags: The Mike d'Abo Collection Vol. 1" is a definitive anthology covering the career of Mike d'Abo, best known as the lead vocalist who replaced Paul Jones in Manfred Mann (1966-1969). This carefully curated compilation focuses on d'Abo's work outside of Manfred Mann, bookending his time with that successful group. The collection features his early singles with Band of Angels from 1964-1965, his solo recordings from 1969-1970, and his complete 1970 solo album "d'Abo." Most notably, the collection includes the original version of "Handbags and Gladrags," a song d'Abo wrote that became a major hit for Rod Stewart and later gained renewed popularity as the theme for the TV series "The Office." This comprehensive retrospective showcases d'Abo not only as a distinctive vocalist but also as a talented songwriter whose compositions have been recorded by numerous artists across multiple decades.

Product Features

• Format: Audio CD
• Track Count: 22 compositions
• Content: Singles, album tracks, and one previously unreleased recording
• Documentation: Extensive liner notes by Kieron Tyler
• Illustrations: Photos and memorabilia from Mike d'Abo's personal archive
• Compilation Series: Volume 1 in The Mike d'Abo Collection

Interesting Facts

Songwriter of Significance:

While many know Mike d'Abo as a vocalist, he wrote "Handbags and Gladrags," which became an iconic hit for Rod Stewart in 1969 and later for Stereophonics in 2001. The song gained additional fame as the theme tune for the original UK version of the TV series "The Office." This collection features d'Abo's own original recording of this enduring classic.

Transitional Voice of Manfred Mann:

After replacing Paul Jones as the lead vocalist of Manfred Mann in 1966, d'Abo led the group through a series of major hits including "Just Like a Woman," "Semi-Detached, Suburban Mr. James," "Ha! Ha! Said The Clown," and "Mighty Quinn," though his work with the band is not included on this collection which focuses on his pre- and post-Manfred Mann career.

Session Work and Compositions:

Beyond his own recordings, d'Abo was an in-demand session musician and songwriter in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He wrote "Build Me Up Buttercup" for The Foundations (a #3 hit in the US and UK) and played piano on the original recording of Elton John's "Your Song."

Early Career with Band of Angels:

Before joining Manfred Mann, d'Abo fronted Band of Angels, whose early singles appear on this collection. Though not commercially successful at the time, these recordings showcase d'Abo's distinctive vocal style in its formative stages and represent important historical artifacts from London's mid-1960s pop scene.

Track Listing

Band of Angels:

1. "Me" (United Artist single a-side UP 1049, 1964)
2. "Not True As Yet" (United Artist single b-side UP 1049, 1964)
3. "Gonna Make A Woman Of You" (United Artist single a-side UP 1066, 1964)
4. "She'll Never Be You" (United Artist single b-side UP 1066, 1964)
5. "Too Late My Love" (Piccadilly single b-side 7N 35279, 1965)
6. "(Accept My) Invitation" (Piccadilly single a-side 7N 35292, 1965)

Mike d'Abo (Solo Singles):

1. "See The Little People" (Immediate single a-side IM 075, 1969)
2. "Miss Me In The Morning" (Bell single a-side BLL 1134, 1970)
3. "Cinderella Arabella" (Bell single b-side BLL 1134, 1970)
4. "Because You Are" (previously unreleased recording, 1970)

d'Abo Album (UNI UNLS 114, 1970):

1. "Let It Roar"
2. "Walk A Million Miles"
3. "As Long As I Have Loving"
4. "Mary, Warm My Bed"
5. "Call My Heart Your Home, Girl"
6. "The Ladder (When The Sun Comes Shining Through)"
7. "Maria Maria"
8. "Woman In My Life"
9. "Clancy"
10. "Californian Line"
11. "Oh! What A Day"
12. "Handbags and Gladrags"

Publishers

Original recordings 1964-1970 licensed from TKO Licensing, Sanctuary Records Group Ltd, RPM Productions Ltd/Mike d'Abo. This compilation ℗&© 2001 RPM, Cherry Red Records Ltd.

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#MikedAbo #HandbagsAndGladrags #ManfredMann #1960sPop #BritishRock #CherryRed #RPMRecords #RareUKSingles #SongwriterCompilation #VintagePopCollection