Release Date 25th August
Snakes and Ladders, Gerry Rafferty’s fourth album originally released in 1980, has been newly remastered on vinyl at half-speed by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios, a method used to improve audio quality by cutting at half speed allowing twice as long to record the mechanical groove.
It includes "The Garden Of England" which was recorded at Beatles producer George Martin's AIR studio in Montserrat and "Johnny's Song", a remake of a song previously released by Gerry's former band Stealer's Wheels.
With hits such as ‘Baker Street’, ‘Right Down The Line’ and ‘Night Owl’, Gerry Rafferty is one of Scotland’s and the UK’s finest songwriters and musicians in history. He first found success as part of the band The Humblebums, which included beloved comedian, actor and musician Billy Connolly. Rafferty went on to form Stealers Wheel with old school friend Joe Egan, who produced a number of successful albums alongside the rock classic Stuck In The Middle With You, a track which has transcended generations with notable syncs in films such as Tarantino’s Resevoir Dogs, and is still widely popular to this day. Following his departure from Stealers Wheel, Rafferty relaunched his solo career in 1978 with the album City To City, including hits such as ‘Right Down The Line’ and ‘Baker Street’, which features the iconic saxophone solo by Raphael Ravenscroft. Rafferty went on to release ten studio albums, solidifying his status one of the finest musicians and songwriters to come out of the UK.
Tracklist
Side 1:
1. The Royal Mile
2. I Was A Boy Scout
3. Welcome To Hollywood
4. Wastin’ Away
5. Look At The Moon
6. Bring It All Home
Side 2:
1. The Garden Of England
2. Johnny’s Song
3. Didn’t I
4. Syncopatin’ Sandy
5. Café Le Cabotin
6. Don’t Close The Doo