70s Rock Down Compilation (Xploded)

When you hear these 60 tracks spread over three CDs you realise what a great decade this was for music. Many of the acts featured here are still active and touring when conditions allow!

The first CD starts off with 'Killer Queen' from Queen, almost 46 years to the day the track was originally released, it still sounds fresh. Kiss are headlining the first night of the Download Festival next year, no doubt they will play 'I Was Made For Lovin’ You' which is featured here.

The theme from the James Bond 1973 film Live and Let Die was at the time an ambitious song from Paul McCartney and Wings, whilst we go right back to the early 70s with Free and 'All Right Now'.

The commercial pop of Birmingham’s City Boy appears with their 1978 hit '5.7.0.5', which is contrasted by the prog rock of Emerson, Lake and Palmer with 'Fanfare For The Common Man', Jethro Tull with 'Life Is A Long Song' and Yes with 'Wonderous Stories'.

CD2 has Status Quo with 'Down Down', Thin Lizzy with the classic 'The Boys Are Back In Town' - I am sure if Phil Lynott had still been alive today the band would have been playing stadiums. There are one or two tracks that I wouldn’t really call rock, such as The Knack with 'My Sharona', McGuiness Flint and 'When I’m Dead and Gone' and Steelers Wheel with 'Stuck In The Middle With You'.

CD3 gets things off to a flying start with 'Don’t Stop' from Fleetwood Mac, followed by the 1972 summer classic - 'School’s Out' by Alice Cooper. Eric Clapton has recently put his private yacht up for sale ($7.5million if you fancy buying it) but here he takes us back to the commercial 'Lay Down Sally'.

The Faces say 'Stay With Me', Rod Stewart crops up again with Python Lee Jackson and 'In A Broken Dream'. 10cc were one of the more inventive bands of the period, though everyone probably remembers them for 'I’m Not In Love', but they also had a Number 1 hit in 1973 with 'Rubber Bullets' which is featured here.

Mott The Hoople offer 'All The Young Dudes', Foreigner are as 'Cold As Ice', whilst Uriah Heep deliver 'Easy Livin.’' The compilation concludes with 'Music' from John Miles, sadly he never had another hit as big as this, though he did end up playing in the band backing Tina Turner when she toured.

There is no AC/DC on the album and I would have thought that Supertramp might have cropped up with 'Dreame'r as the track was very much a soundtrack to the mid 70s.

They would probably struggle to fill only three CDs with classic rock tracks from the last 10 years, which just goes to show what a fertile decade this was for rock music.

I rate the album 4 out of 5