He's Got The Action: Anthology 1962-1974 (Uk)

2CD set featuring 57 tracks including the A and B sides of Neil Christian's singles and EPs released in the UK, Germany, France and Portugal. Plus single sessions out-takes and his originally unreleased four song audition recorded for legendary producer Joe Meek, a BBC session, and more rarities. Musicians in Christian's band, The Crusaders included at different times a pre- Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin Jimmy Page, Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and pianist Nicky Hopkins. Christian's debut single, 'The Road To Love' was also the first released recording to feature the teenage Jimmy Page. Teaming up with producer Miki Dallon, Christian scored the UK Top 20 hit 'That's Nice' followed up by pirate radio favourite, 'Oops', and 'Two At A Time' and he supported the Small Faces on Radio England's Swinging 66 Tour that year. Christian became a star in Germany and had several releases there not issued in his home country including the wild 1968 single 'My Baby Left Me' backed by 'Yaketty Yak' that features the searing guitar playing of Ritchie Blackmore. Includes numerous rare tracks including Christian's four song audition for legendary producer Joe Meek and sessions for Christian's Meek produced debut single, 'The Road To Love' and B side, 'The Big Beat Drum', all taken from Meek's Tea Chest Tapes. We've included versions of the two songs from Christian's debut single without Meek's overdubs so the guitar played by Jimmy Page can be heard clearly for the first time. Never commercially released versions of the singles 'That's Nice' and 'Oops' feature, drawn from BBC World Service programme Top Of The Pops. 1974 recordings including 'She's Got The Power' show Christian experimenting with glam rock.