Tommy James And The Shondells Celebration - The Complete Roulette Recordings 1966-1973 (6-CD)

(Grapefruit Records/Warner Music UK) 140 tracks

Between 1966 and 1973 Tommy James released thirteen albums on Roulette, either as a solo artist or with The Shondells. All of these recordings now appear on this definitive 6-CD set. Among them are "Greatest Hits" or "Best Of" albums, which of course duplicated tracks from regular albums. These tracks were left in their respective original albums.

Although all of these albums have appeared on CD reissues at various times over the years, this is the first box set to bring all the recordings together in one set. In addition, there is the bonus of all the recordings that never appeared on the original LPs. Some of these tracks make their CD debut in this collection.

The 141-track box set includes 16 tracks that were only released on 45s LPs or were unreleased on CD until the release of earlier compilations. Produced by Bob Fisher, whose extensive essay covers the entire history of the group, with quotes from Tommy James from his biography and notes on previous reissues. The booklet includes details of all the group's chart successes in the US and UK, as well as numerous reproductions of advertisements, reviews and news items from music industry magazines.

Engineered by Michael Robson and mastered by Simon Murphy, this is the definitive collection of Tommy James & the Shondells, tracing their career from garage and bubblegum pop band through career-defining psychedelic albums to Tommy James' solo years as an introspective singer / songwriter.

Disc One contains the first two albums "Hanky Panky" and "It's Only Love" plus the B-side of the 'Hanky Panky' 45s and six previously unreleased tracks that made their first and only appearance on a long-deleted 1997 CD set.

Disc Two contains the albums "I Think We're Alone Now", "Something Special" and "Getting Together".

Disc Three contains "Mony, Mony." Her first and only UK No. 1 single and the album titled after it, alongside her classic psychedelic album "Crimson & Clover" and the 45 version of the title track.

Disc four presents their second career-defining psychedelic album "Cellophane Symphony" with the long version of the title track and a track from the album sessions, 'Contact', previously only released on the aforementioned 1997 compilation. Disc four also features the only track from the album "The Best of Tommy James & The Shondells" not previously on an album, 'Ball of Fire' and the first seven tracks from "Travellin'", the last Tommy James & The Shondells album.

Disc Five begins with the continuation of the 'Travellin'' album with its final three tracks before continuing with the first Tommy James solo albums, 'Tommy James' and 'Christian Of the World', which features his last big hit single, 'Draggin' the Line'.

Disc Six closes the box with his last album for Roulette, 1971's 'My Head, My Bed and My Red Guitar', his country-rock album co-produced in Nashville with Pete Drake and featuring such legendary country sidemen as Scotty Moore, D. J. Fontana, Charlie McCoy, Buddy Spicer and others.