Get Ready to Rock, 2006
Some 35 years and a great deal of stylistic diversity may separate Tractor
and The White Stripes, but the enthusiasm that Tractor generated in DJ John Peel
and that in turn led him to sign the duo to his nascent Dandelion label in 1970
was the same undiminished enthusiasm that led to him champion the highly
successful White Stripes years later
The album title sums everything up nicely, as Tractor went on to record, gig and
re-emerge at the legendary series of Deeply Vale festivals using the very pa
gear that Peel enabled them to buy.
Given intricate music on this album it is sometimes hard to imagine that for the
most part you are listening to no more than the combined efforts of Jim Milne on
guitar and bass and Steve Clayton on keyboard's and occasional bass. The duo
still exists today playing select shows whenever possible, but this excellent
compilation on the back of Peel's interest all those years ago, demonstrates
just what an influence Tractor were and still are.
And while it has to be said that long time fans will probably have most of this
music, the high quality packaging, and previously unseen replicated photo cards
and new research will be of essential interest to fans and collectors alike
For the unconverted, Tractor are a hybrid of west Coast rock and psychedelic
influences who will appeal to acoustic and rock fans alike. As the liner notes
hint, Tractor are the kind of band whose appeal stretched from Tyrannosaurus Rex
to Zeppelin fans alike!
The West Coast feel is provided at the outset on 'King Dick11' while the
following 'Squares' provides the kind of Eastern sounding acoustic sweep that
was to become an integral part of the early Zeppelin sound. The short link piece
'Angie' dips into an acoustic Floyd style groove while Jim adds some very
progressive lead guitar on one of the albums stand out tracks 'Willow'. It is in
fact only the fuzz guitar effects that dates the album, as for the most part the
sheer variety of ideas and musical eclecticism fits perfectly into the Peel
Dandelion niche.
Happily it is this timeless aspect that might just belatedly bring Tractor back
into the spotlight.
Tractor are both a wonderful slice of our psychedelic hippy past and a major
influence on our contemporary present, and given the additional track featuring
Peel's sampled voice over a boogie instrumental track and the complete A's and B
sides of the band's singles career, this 'John Peel Bought Us Studio Gear and a
PA' compilation is well worth seeking out.
Review by Pete Feenstra
