The Action were said to be one of the hottest live acts of the 1960s. However, until now, there was no public record of how they sounded. The studio material that has been released on CD in recent years certainly seemed to suggest that this would have been the case. The launch of this double CD goes some way to support the claim. Uptight & Outasight features tracks from the Action from the 1960s and from a reformed original line-up from 1998.

The early tracks are taken from BBC radio and television appearances in 1966 and 1967. While they may not have been live in front of an audience, they do capture how the band may have sounded live. The "poorish" quality of the older recordings actually have the effect of making the band sound more live than they actually were. The cover of the Marvellettes I'll Keep on Holding On is one of the band's best-known tracks and is outstanding in this version. A medley of Wilson Pickett's Land of 1000 Dances with Stevie Wonder's Uptight show how well the Action translated the American soul sound for the UK audiences. Mine Exclusively is a track that was previously unavailable and, as such, is a bit of a gem in this set even if it was a regular in the live set in the '60s. The track shows just how well Reggie King's soulful voice combined with the backing harmonies of Pete Watson and Alan "Bam" King.

Baby You've Got It is a song that many will know. This starts with Mick Evans' rolling bass line and shows why he was so highly regarded as a bass player. The Holland Dozier Holland standard Take Me in Your Arms is followed by another Motown classic, Smokey Robinson's Going to a Go-Go. The latter appears to be genuinely live having been recorded in front of an audience in Manchester. Neither are available in recorded format by the Action and they show that the Action could dip into the Motown sound whenever they wanted and deliver. Never Ever comes from the same Manchester recording. This was the current single and comes complete with brass section producing quite a beefy sound.

While the BBC production is said to have flattened the Action sound to some extent, these tracks do provide a better indication of how the band would have sounded live than is possible from the recorded material available.

Never Ever and Love is All are both band compositions. Love is All is introduced as the b-side to the new single, presumably Shadows and Reflections, but this was not the case as Something Has Hit Me ended up on the flip. However, Love is All finally saw the light of day when released on the Rolled Gold album in 1997.

By now the Action's sound had evolved from the Motown sound to a more US West Coast style. An unexpected cover version is the Byrds' I See You although the band also used to cover Why? The Action were known for their harmonies like the Byrds and the North London group's version of the I See You has a similar feel to Love is All. John Coltrane's India appears even more unusual amongst the other songs. The song was later part of the Mighty Baby set and live versions of it have been available but difficult to find. The final track from the 1960s is the excellent Shadows and Reflections. This was the final Action single and it saw the band shift away from the soul/R&B diet towards a more psychedelic sound. This shows quite clearly how there were two phases to the Action's career. Like many bands of the time they moved away from the soul sound to a more US psychedelic sound. Pete Watson had left the band by now and the band continued initially as a four piece but then recruited Ian Whiteman on keyboards and flute. Whiteman appears on I See You, India and Love is All.

the tracks originate from a variety of sources, much of the original BBC material having been lost or destroyed over the years. The BBC transcription discs have supplied some tracks while others have come from the personal collection of Phil Collins. The former Genesis drummer is a big Action fan and admits to modelling his own style on Roger Powell. The CD insert notes are excellent and well worth spending time to read.

The second CD is a 1998 gig from the reformed original Action line-up. Starting with two Curtis Mayfield tracks, Reg and the rest of the band show that they still have that edge for playing UK soul.

This is where the Action is, a superb set of "live" recordings of one of the finest bands from the 1960s never to have a hit record.

Release Date: 2004

Circle Records CPW C105

Essential Tracks:

• I'll Keep On Holding On
• Shadows and Reflections
• Baby You've Got It

Track Listing:

Disc One

1. I'll Keep On Holding On
2. Land of 1,000 Dances / Uptight
3. Mine Exclusively
4. Reg King Interview
5. Baby You've Got It
6. Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While)
7. Going To A Go Go
8. Never Ever
9. Love Is All
10. I See You
11. India
12. Shadows & Reflections

Disc Two