The Way It Is: 25 Years Of Solo Adventures 3CD SUMMER DEAL

The first ever collection of solo works by Edgar Jones, leader of Liverpool cult heroes, The Stairs. On this 3 CD retrospective, the versatile Jones mixes jazz, R&B, soul, blues, rock and ska into his musical gumbo. Features rarities by Jones’ garage bands The Isrites and The Big Kids, previously only released physically on a CD limited to just 50 copies. The Big Kids included drummer Sean Payne and bassist Russ Pritchard, who later formed The Zutons, and guitarist Howie Payne, who started The Stands. Includes tracks from the Mercury Music Prize nominated albums “Soothing Music For Stray Cats” (2005) and “The Masked Marauder” (2008) as well as “Gettin’ A Little Help… From “The Joneses”” (2007), “The Edgar Jones Free Peace Thing” (2011), “Sense Of Harmony” (2012), “Morphic Fields” (2013) and “The Song Of Day And Night” (2017). Edgar’s album “Soothing Music For Stray Cats” was an innovative blend of jazz, soul, R&B and rock’n’roll recorded on an eight track cassette portastudio donated to Jones by legendary former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr. Noel Gallagher said of the album: “It Bent My Head, Man. It’s Probably One Of The Best Records I Have Ever Heard…” • Compiled and Annotated by Edgar Jones himself with Mojo magazine’s Lois Wilson. The booklet features their notes alongside rare photos and gig flyers. • His heavy blues rock project The Edgar Jones Free Peace Thing (featured here) were hand-picked by Noel Gallagher to support Oasis on their 2009 European tour. • Jones has played bass for Paul Weller, Johnny Marr, St. Etienne And The La’s.