Back Street Crawlers Atlantic Years 1975 - 1976 (4-CD)

(HNE) 44 tracks
The story of Back Street Crawler is a sadly short one, but also a tale of what might have been. After forming in 1968, the British blues rock legends Free finally called it a day after 1972's 'Heartbreaker' just as the band was on the verge of cracking America. Free guitarist Paul Kossoff's first move was to record his solo album Back Street Crawler for Island Records in 1973. Joining forces with Terry Wilson (bass), Mike Montgomery (keyboards) and Tony Braunagel (drums), who had played together in Bloontzfrom, plus singer Terry Wilson-Slesser, Kossoff's Back Street Crawler solo record gave the new band their name, who were then signed by Ahmet Ertegun to Atlantic Records.

Disc One features the 1975 album The Band Plays On. Disc Two contains the album 2nd Street (1976). Disc Three is Live At Fairfield Hall, Croydon (1975). Disc Four features Paul Kossoff's final live performance (Live At The Starwood Club, Los Angeles: March 3rd, 1976) plus four previously unreleased outtakes.