Spectrum 554 600-2.
Running time: 74m 58s
In 1990, with Ian Hunter touring for the first time in years, and renewed interest in Mott, Island put out this excellent compilation of material from 1969-72. The track selection is strong, and includes material from the hard to find 1980 rarities compilation Two Miles From Heaven, as well as the non-LP single Midnight Lady. Rock And Roll Queen is edited (is it a single version?), as is Keep a Knockin' (to remove the "bulls**t" reference), so I'll deduct half a point for that. Sound quality is very good but not excellent - the US-released Backsliding Fearlessly CD offered similar tracks but marginally better sound quality. Don't get me wrong - sound quality here is better than on most compilations.
The booklet contains excellent and informative sleeve-notes from Buffin, but the typesetting is awful - IT IS ALL IN CAPITAL LETTERS, making it hard to read.
This CD was reissued by Spectrum/Polygram in late 1998 (to cash in, no doubt, on the publicity surrounding Sony's box set) with, to these ears, slightly better sound quality. Buffin's sleeve-notes remain, but still in those awful capitals. Aaargh!