CHRISSIE HYNDE, STEVE and PAUL Lost Song Discovered

CHRISSIE HYNDE, STEVE and PAUL
LOST SONG DISCOVERED - DO I LOVE YOU?

Earlier this year I received the following email regarding a lost Cook and Jones recording:

Hi Phil

I just discovered your great Cook and Jones site and it got me digging through my old punk stuff. Found a small pic of me wearing a Professionals t-shirt from when I worked with the Pretenders and Dave Hill was managing them and The Professionals. Then I found a demo cassette that Dave had given me which features Chrissie Hynde and Steve and Paul (listed on the tape as Chrissie Hyde.! .Chrissie Steve and Paul). It is a version of the Ronettes 'Do I Love You'; Chrissie's vocals over the unmistakeable Cook and Jones 'wall of sound'...Chrissie shares verses with Steve.

The other side of the tape has 2 Pretenders demos. I first heard the track at Dave's office and he told me there were plans for it to be a single but I guess contractual reasons got in the way (Cook/Jones signed to Virgin, Pretenders on WEA). I never got to find out where or exactly when it was recorded, perhaps at the Thunders' 'So Alone' sessions as all three appear on that album, and Thunders was also managed by Dave Hill. I know my tape is one of very few produced...

I once did a copy for a friend of Chrissie's in the USA and it appeared on a bootleg box set although the copy had become damaged by the sound of it and they only listed it as 'lost' Chrissie demo! My tape was hardly ever played and remained locked away for many, many years in my collection; shame I don't have a cassette player any more!

Regards,
Paul Mathias

Paul then went on to say he would put the tape up for sale on ebay, which he duly did. Amazingly it was missed by many interested parties including myself, and failed to meet its reserve of £1.99! It was subsequently relisted and purchased by Tim Bucknall, a contributor to www.sex-pistols.net who has kindly provided a copy to review.

As Paul himself stated, the recording is blessed with the Cook 'n' Jones wall of sound, which echoes the "Phil Spector wall of sound" of the original. What is most impressive is the quality of the singing from both Chrissie and Steve.

The track is reminiscent of Steve and Paul's work with Joan Jett, particulary their version of You Don't Own Me from 1979, although Do I Love You has the addition of lush orchestration underpinning the sound.

It's not the greatest Cook 'n' Jones recording ever, but it's a delightful little gem from 78/79, from the era when the boys were heroes for hire.

To listen, click here

Written by Phil Singleton (August 2008)

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