Gene Vincent - Ain't That Too Much! The Complete Challenge Sessions - (Sundazed HC 12004 - 1994)

A warning first. This is not a rockabilly album although it is 100% Gene Vincent!
The mid sixties found Gene in lot o' trouble with alcohol, low sales and already a place in the "oldies" circuit.
The leather dressed wild man was in a blur and didn't know what direction to take as a next step.
And there came Challenge Records, put him in a studio with A-Class session men such as Glen Campbell, Al Casey, Dash Crofts and Jim Seals and made him took out his dark side that always was a promise but never til then a truth. If you don't know who these session-men were, google a little, but Glen Campbell and Al Casey were responsible for some of the BEST surf and hot rod music ever came out! Sundazed has some very cool releases about them and believe me deserve every dollar/euro out off your wallet.
These legendary now recordings have been re-released some times from the moment this CD came to my hands but on this booklet only you are able to find the EXCELLENT (as usual) liners from Billy Miller of the A-Bones/Kicks/Norton fame and deserves to try a little bit harder to get this edition. On Sundazed's website it's only available for download...
Anyway, here Gene's in fine condition darker than ever and sounds like if the early Byrds tryin' to play more in a garage vein or better, like the Everly Brothers in psychedelics and with Gram Parsons on their arsenal. Not bad huh? There are hard stuff like the amazing "Bird Doggin'" or the song that named this CD. My faves though are the heartbreakin' slows of "Am I That Easy To Forget", "Hurtin' for you Baby" and a song that easily equals his rockiest past on Capitol, the autobiographical "Born To Be A Rolling Stone" !
This is a forgotten chapter on Gene Vincent's life and music but no less good, decent and true.
Lads and gals, this is the other side of the coin.

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