The Running Man/Mouse: Find Yourself - The Complete Recordings 1972-1973, 2CD

• Two hugely collectable one-off cult prog rock albums, The Running Man’s self-titled debut from 1972 and Mouse’s Lady Killer from 1973.

• Both featuring guitarist and songwriter Ray Russell, singer and keyboardist Alan Greed aka Al Clare and drummer Alan Rushton (all ex Rock Workshop).

• A sought-after original pressing of The Running Man has fetched £950 on collectors’ website Discogs while an original of Mouse’s Lady Killer has sold for a whopping £1,110.

Ray Russell replaced Vic Flick in The John Barry Seven, toured with Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, led his own jazz group The Ray Russell Quartet and then brought jazz style improvisation to rock music with Rock Workshop who pioneered an exciting and innovative jazz / funk / rock fusion. After the demise of Rock Workshop, guitarist and band leader Russell, lead singer and keyboardist Alan Greed and drummer Alan Rushton re- convened as jazz influenced progressive rockers The Running Man for an impressive one-off album for RCA’s Neon label in 1972 on which they were augmented by trumpet and flugelhorn player Harry Beckett and tenor saxophonist Gary Windo. This is included on CD one with bonus tracks taken from Russell’s tape archive.

Russell, Rushton and Greed (now known as Al Clare) then formed Mouse with bassist Jeff Watts (ex Steel Mill). CD two includes their eclectic sole album Lady Killer, a lost classic ripe for rediscovery released by EMI’s Sovereign label in 1973 that includes their two singles, a reggae-tinged pop cover of Medicine Head’s ‘All The Fallen Teen-Angels’ and infectious hard rocker ‘We Can Make It’. There are five bonus tracks.

Notes by MOJO magazine’s Lois Wilson include a new interview with The Running Man’s and Mouse’s songwriter and guitarist Ray Russell.

TRACK LISTING

DISC ONE

THE RUNNING MAN The Running Man (1972)

1  Higher & Higher

2  Hope-Place

3  Nicholas

4 Another

5  Find Yourself

6  Look And Turn

7  If You Like

8  Spirit

9  Children

10  Running Man PLUS

11  Spirit (Stereo Alternate Version - 6.55 Edit)*

12  Living Reason*

13  Light Is Light*

14  Living Reason (Alternate Intro)*

15  Spirit (Mono Alternate Version – 11.09)

DISC TWO

MOUSE Lady Killer (1973)

1  Going Out Tonight

2  You Don’t Know

3  Electric Lady

4  All The Fallen Teen-Angels

5  Ashen Besher

6  We Can Make It

7  East Of The Sun

8  It’s Happening To Me And You

9  Sunday

10  Just Came Back PLUS

11  Lost In The City

12  Timothy Leary’s Ride Home

13  Jamie

14  Hit & Run (Stereo Version)*

15  Hit & Run (Mono Version)

*Previously Unreleased