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Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel - Face To Face,A Live Recording 1977,Glam Rock, Art Rock To promote the release of their album Love's a Prima Donna, Cockney Rebel embarked on an eight-date UK tour in December 1976. On the tour, Jo Partridge replaced guitarist Jim Cregan, who had left the band after the recording of the album to join Rod Stewart's touring band. The band's concerts at London's Hammersmith Odeon, Birmingham Odeon, Glasgow Apollo and Newcastle City Hall, were recorded for a possible live album, using the live mobile recording studios RAK Mobile and La Maison Rouge. Later in February 1977, the band played a one-off charity concert at the London Rainbow in aid of the homeless in Northern Ireland. This show was also recorded for potential use on the live album. Speaking of the upcoming album to Record Mirror's Ray Fox-Cumming, Harley said: “Quite frankly, I've always been much bigger as a live performer than I have on plastic. It will probably be my next album release. Basically it will be the whole of the one-and-a-half hour show I did on the last tour. We recorded the concerts at Glasgow, Birmingham, Newcastle, Hammersmith and The Rainbow, so there are plenty of versions of each song to choose from and make a good album. The results of what has been mixed so far have turned out excellently. I have cheated a little bit, though I think quite justifiably so. I altered the running order a bit, although I don't think that most people who went to the concerts will even notice. The reason for the change is that a running order which seems right for a show can be nonsense on plastic. Each side of each of the two records has to have a beginning and an end, which in all means eight ends-and-beginnings. In concert you don't have that problem. I've also cheated a tiny amount by erasing the odd bum note. Out of five versions of a song that I've got to choose from, there will always be one where the vocal's in tune, the guitar solo sounds great and everything else is just about perfect, but even then there's always some little thing that's off and I'm not going to spoil a good track by allowing an obvious bum note on it when that can be avoided.“ Comparing the live recordings with the original studio versions of the songs performed, Harley said: “They knock spots off them. In most cases they're 10 times better.“ However, Harley did admit he hadn't enjoyed the process of mixing the tracks: “To me, it's a very uncreative operation. It's only, after all, engineering and engineering is an evil, and not particularly exciting, necessity.“ The double-LP album, titled Face to Face: A Live Recording, was released in July 1977. On the eve of its release date, it was announced that Harley was disbanding Cockney Rebel. The album's release had been set to coincide with the announcement. Face to Face: A Live Recording reached #40 on the UK Albums Chart and lasted four weeks in the Top 50. To promote the album, a live single was released in August, featuring “The Best Years of Our Lives“ as the A-Side and “Tumbling Down“ as the B-Side. However, it failed to chart. Following the album, and the band's split, Harley embarked on a solo career, releasing Hobo with a Grin in 1978. He would later form a new line-up of Cockney Rebel in 1980 Track listing 1. “Here Comes the Sun“ George Harrison 0:00 2. “(I Believe) Love's a Prima Donna“ Steve Harley 3:27 3. “Mad, Mad Moonlight“ Harley 8:15 4. “Red is a Mean, Mean Colour“ Harley 13:29 5. “Sweet Dreams“ Harley 19:02 6. “Finally a Card Came“ Harley 21:35 7. “Psychomodo“ Harley 23:41 8. “If This Is Love (Give Me More)“ Harley 28:43 9. “The Best Years of Our Lives“ Harley 34:31 10. “(Love) Compared with You“ Harley 39:34 11. “Mr. Soft“ Harley 44:16 12. “Sebastian“ Harley 47:31 13. “Seeking a Love“ Harley 58:10 14. “Tumbling Down“ Harley 59:06 15. “Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)“ Harley 1:05:23 Personnel Band Steve Harley - vocals Jo Partridge - lead guitar Duncan Mackay - keyboards George Ford - bass guitar Stuart Elliott - drums Additional musicians Lindsey Elliott - percussion Tony Rivers - backing vocals John G. Perry - backing vocals Stuart Calver - backing vocals Production Steve Harley - producer Tony Clark - engineer, co-producer David Jacobson - live sound Ken Perry - mastering
