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The Small Faces / The Decca Years

By Paul Sinclair

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The Decca Years is a new five-CD Small Faces box set scheduled for release later this year.

This collection will apparently round up “every recording” the group made for Decca, alongside rarities and alternative versions alongside a disc of their BBC sessions including several previously unavailable recordings.

All audio has been remastered (again) from the original analogue sources under the supervision of drummer Kenney Jones, who after the death of Ian ‘Mac’ McLagan last year is now the last surviving member of the group.

The box sounds like it will be the same design as the Tears For Fears / Simple Minds super deluxe editions, with five discs housed in wallets within a rigid lift-off lid box and a 72-page booklet. Mark Paytress has written a new essay which will feature in the booklet alongside rare photos and memorabilia.

The Decca Years will be released on 9 October 2015. More news on this release when we get it.

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22 Comments

22 thoughts on “The Small Faces / The Decca Years”

  1. This releases tomorrow, so … decision time. I did a bit of research into content and pricing before I decided to go for it, and I thought I’d share what I found.

    Track listing is here: http://udiscover.lnk.to/SmallFacesDecca

    I did a track-by-track comparison vs. the 2012 releases, and these are the major differences I saw:

    – Includes an early version of My Mind’s Eye (as Phil Cohen pointed out already)
    – Excludes the reprocessed stereo mixes from 1981.
    – Per Rob Caiger’s comments, I’m assuming the “Worldwide Singles” and “Rarities” CDs will round up the French EP versions in some fashion.

    Compared to Strange Fruit, the BBC disc includes a Joe Loss Pop Show session (January 14 1966 – 4 tracks and an interview), and excludes a 1968 Top Gear session (i.e. post-Decca). Per Rob, the sources are better in any case.

    I also did some comparison shopping and I thought I’d share what I saw. All prices USD, shipping to the US:

    Amazon.de: $61.54
    Amazon.fr: $63.53
    Amazon.co.uk: $64.53
    Amazon.it: $65.26
    Universal Music store: $61.99 + $15.60 shipping = $77.59
    Popmarket.com: $81.99 (+ shipping)
    Amazon.com: $84.98 (+ your local sales tax & shipping)

    Order placed with amazon.de:-)

  2. there are two versions of this box set for sale a Amazon is the USA.
    one is from the US, and the other is from Japan. Funny thing is the one from Japan is cheaper as of now. You can see the full track listing under the US copy for sale. Also strange is that the Japanese copy is not for sale a CDJapan as of now. They are selling I assume, the one from the US. You can see the full track listing there. I wonder if Jones will mix the songs differently from how they have been done before. I also just received the Faces 5 CD box set from WB. It does sound good without any real extra frills.

      1. All the correct versions originally released as French EP s are on the forthcoming box set. Not sure what was on the EVA box except that it left off one French EP…

  4. Does seem to be a bit pointless then after the 2012 deluxe releases…You get the feeling in another 5 years all this unreleased stuff we have been told that can’t be found will all of a sudden turn up ???? And we will have to fork out money again for it..Can’t help feeling a little cynical ….Have heard over the years Kenny is sitting on loads of stuff and have seen interviews when asked about certain tracks that he has copies of it in his private collection…..At least they are getting paid for these reissues though.

    1. I must admit that I too was put out by the fact that this Box set has come out not so long after the 2012 reissues. I read on other websites that the sound quality has improved. I know ultimately you don’t have to buy it but it’s still annoying.

      I am listening to it now 2 tracks in & I am pleased to tell everyone this is a big jump in sound quality. That fuzzy compressed sound is over.

      At the end of day , we are talking about one of the best bands ever , so go for it.

      1. I am with you Stanley. The sound is good, but I am cynical that next month, next year, or a few years from now those early live tracks will be made available, or recordings from Kenney Jones’ personal collection and I will once again be asked to purchase the entire Small Faces Decca catalog in order to obtain them. Yes, it is only one band, and yes Small Faces are very special, but keeping up with their catalog has been frustrating to say the least for years and will probably remain that way for years to come.

  5. Hi Phil ….I got that info from someone last year. Apparently when they were having the big search for tapes for last years box set the complete set of Decca master tapes and multi tracks tuned up and have survived intact…
    i’m not holding my breath for any new material though….The recent French EP box was an opportunity missed as it did not include any of the correct mixes which was a schoolboy error…..Are you the Phil who compiled the original Charley box set from 20 years ago ??
    I am only excited because it would be nice for a couple of bits to turn up it would buy into the theroy that they were closer to releasing a second Decca album late 66 early 67 than they ever were a follow up to Ogdens namely 1862…..They certainly spent a lot of time for them anyway in the studio late 66….Hopefully something will turn up…Also some recording and session info would be nice….

    1. Yes, I compiled the Charly box. This Decca box doesn’t look too promising, since it’s being hinted that a few previously unreleased BBC tracks is all we’ll get.

    2. Hi Paul, it was original and production master tapes we found, not multitracks. The early Decca ones are long gone, mostly taped over / re-used from what the engineers remember. No schoolboy error for the French EPs box, the versions on there are correct, even down to the timing of the gaps between songs. Previous releases have used incorrect versions. We found some additional BBC tracks, including a lovely interview with Steve and all the BBC material is from better sources than what was used previously. While it might be a disappointment, the only things not previously released this time around, are some early live tracks on which clearances couldn’t be obtained – but I’m working on that…

      1. Hi Rob thanks for taking time to get back us ….I stand corrected in regards to French EP tracks…Looking forward to hearing those early live tracks…I bought the box by the way …Lovely package.

  6. i thought they had found the Decca multi tracks ?? Which does bode well for at least a couple new bits and bobs …..I also thought there was at least 1 or 2 unreleased studio bits in the vault ?

    1. Decca Multitracks? Where did you get that info? To date, only four Decca “Small Faces” tracks have appeared in stereo(“Sha La La La Lee” & “Runaway”), and two others[“I Can’t Make It” & “Just Passing”] which are actually “Immediate” recordings for which Decca had a non-exclusive license)

  7. The only bit of news revealed elsewhere, is that the 5th disc will be the BBC material, and that several previously unreleased tracks appear on that BBC disc.

  9. A second pressing has been created without the signed certificate of the Immediate box set.
    It retails at £95 from the official Small Faces website but only to non-UK orders. There is a link to Amazon UK who were able to sell the box, I assume as an import. There’s only third party copies available now.
    I did see a copy available in a record shop in Nottingham for £130 last week.

  10. It was a real injustice that the Immediate box wasn’t available outside of the US. This is nice to own, but someone needs to put the Immediate box back in print and make it available to all.

  11. But, I should emphasize, that excepting the original single mix of “My Mind’s eye”(the one that Decca issued without the group’s permission) that the expanded 2-CD editions of “Small Faces”(1st Decca album) & “From The Beginning” contained all of the existing Decca recordings, and that there has already been a CD of the group’s BBC Sessions released by the “Strange Fruit” label(under license from the BBC).
    Yes, I’m a completist, and I ordered the new boxed set, but is unlikely to have much (if anything) to entice people who bought the previous CD’s.

    1. Hi Phil,
      I write for It’s Psychedelic Baby Magazine and have been following your musical adventures for years now. The Charly sets on Small Faces, Nice and Yardbirds are simply incredible. I also subscribed to Ice for years and it was my guide to musical purchases for a long period of time until its untimely demise. I would love to communicate with you regarding rock music, old and new and hold your work in the highest regard. I have published interviews with people like Mike Stax of Ugly Things and The Loons and have an interview with Alec Palao which will be published next month in It’s Psychedelic Baby. I would love if you would contact me at the email address above to open a dialogue.

      All the best,
      Kevin Rathert
      It’s Psychedelic Baby Magazine

  12. I assume there won’t be any licencing problems with this box set and it will be available in the UK.
    It sounds as though, unlike the Immediate box set, this one will be less lavish and I assume the price will reflect this.
    I was fortunate to purchase the Immediate box set from US Amazon at a reasonable price with the signed certificate. It is a very nice package but I’m glad I can purchase the music at a reasonable price on this one.

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