Sharks: Car Crash Supergroup - The Island Years 1973-1974, 3CD Box Set

Featuring Sharks’ 1973 debut album ‘First Water’ and 1974 follow up ‘Jab It In Yore Eye’, both originally released by Island Records.

Plus the first proper release of third album, ‘The Car Crash Tapes’, produced by The Who’s John Entwistle who also contributes French Horn.

Bonus tracks include US single B-side ‘Elevator Dancing’, a U.S. single mix of ‘Ol’ Jelly Roll’ and eight tracks from an audience “bootleg” recording of a 1974 live show in Providence, USA, with Leslie West of Mountain joining Sharks on ‘Colours’.

Formed by bassist Andy Fraser after departing from Free, blues rock supergroup Sharks were signed to Island Records with a line up completed by the extraordinarily powerful voiced singer songwriter, Steve ‘Snips’ Parsons, session guitarist supreme, Chris Spedding (who had a 1975 solo hit with ‘Motorbikin’’) and drummer Marty Simon. This line up recorded the critically acclaimed 1973 debut, ‘First Water’, a forgotten gem ready for rediscovery.

Fraser quit the band after being injured when Spedding’s “Sharkmobile”, a customised Pontiac Le Mans (see front of box set) was involved in a car accident. Parsons, Spedding and Simon bounced back with an impressive second album, ‘Jab It In Yore Eye’, with new bassist Busta “Cherry” Jones (who later toured as part of Talking Heads) and keyboardist Nick Judd. The guitar riff from album highlight ‘Sophistication’ later provided Sharks’ fan Mick Jones of The Clash with inspiration when writing ‘Should I Stay Or Should I Go’.

Though Island dropped the band during the making of third album, 'Car Crash Tapes’, and they soon split up, it’s another strong collection. After the break up Snips joined Ginger Baker in Baker Gurvitz Army.

Snips and Spedding have since reformed the band with members including Judd and Sex Pistols’ drummer Paul Cook and a documentary about their revival Not A Rock Doc was released in 2023.

Singer Steve ‘Snips’ Parsons has compiled this box and written the notes.

TRACK LISTING

DISC ONE

First Water

1.  World Park Junkies

2.  Follow Me

3.  Ol’ Jelly Roll

4.  Brown Eyed Boy

5.  Snakes And Swallowtails

6.  Drivin’ Sideways

7.  Steal Away

8.  Doctor Love

9.  Broke A Feeling

PLUS

10. Ol’ Jelly Roll (Alternative 7” Mix)

11.  Sophistication (Live)

12.  World Park Junkies (Live)

13.  Cocaine Blues (Live)

14. Revolution Of The Heart (Live)

DISC TWO

Jab It In Yore Eye

1.  Just Like A Fever

2.  Baby Shine A Light

3.  Sun Beat Down

4.  Rain Or Shine

5.  Kung Fu

6.  Sophistication

7.  Surrender

8.  Cocaine Blues

9.  Revolution Of The Heart

PLUS

10.  Elevator Dancing

11.  Kung Fu (Live)

12.  Snakes and Swallowtails (Live)

13.  Colours (with Leslie West) (Live)

14.  Encore: World Park Junkies (Live)

DISC THREE

Car Crash Tapes

1.  A Woman

2.  Darlin’

3.  Poor Little Rich Girls

4.  Amsterdammed

5.  The Shadow Knows

6.  Music Break Out

7.  So Young

8.  Down In The Valley

9.  Revolution Of The Heart (live)

10.  Colours (Live)