Rhino will dig a little deeper into the storied career of Stephen Stills this fall.
Stills is, of course, one quarter of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, as well as a founding member of Buffalo Springfield and Manassas. That last band isn’t as much of a household name as the other two, but their music is more than worth your attention. On September 22, Rhino will release Manassas-Pieces, which compiles unreleased recordings from the ’70s group’s short career. They’ll follow that with a live CD/DVD of Stills’ celebrated 2008 gig at London’s Shepherd’s Bush, Live at Shepherd’s Bush, due October 27.
From the press release:
After recording his second solo album, Stills formed Manassas in 1971 with a talented group of musicians that included Chris Hillman, a former member of the Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers. Manassas released two albums, 1972โs eponymous double-album debut and the 1973 follow-up, Down The Road. MANASSAS — PIECES features alternate versions of two songs from Down The Road: โDo You Remember The Americansโ and โLiesโ (featuring guitarist Joe Walsh). The collection also includes the legendary groupโs unreleased performances of โSugar Babeโ and โWord Game,โ a pair of songs Stills recorded in 1971 for his second solo album. The remaining tracks include โLike A Fox,โ a song recorded with blues guitarist Bonnie Raitt on background vocals and the Latin-tinged โTan Sola Y Tristeโ (Spanish for โSo Alone and Sadโ).
Last fall, Stills played a career-spanning concert at Shepherd’s Bush that was captured for LIVE AT SHEPHERDโS BUSH, a CD/DVD set. Playing both solo-acoustic and full band sets, Stills touched on nearly every facet of his prolific career: Buffalo Springfield (โBluebird,โ โFor What Itโs Worth,โ โRock & Roll Womanโ); CSN (โSuite: Judy Blue Eyes,โ โHelplessly Hoping,โ โSouthern Crossโ); CSNY (โWoodstock,โ โCarry Onโ); early solo (โLove The One Youโre With,โ โMarianneโ); Manassas (โSo Begins The Task,โ โIsnโt It About Timeโ); Stills/Young (โLong May You Runโ); and later solo (โTreetop Flyer,โ โWounded Worldโ). Other highlights include covers of Bob Dylanโs โGirl From The North Countryโ and Tom Pettyโs โThe Wrong Thing To Do,โ as well as a performance of โHigh And Dry,โ a track Manassas recorded that remained unreleased until surfacing this year on MANASSAS — PIECES. Stephen Stills vinyl releases will follow later this year.”
Manassas-Pieces track listing:
1. โWitching Hourโ*
2. โSugar Babeโ*
3. โLiesโ
4. โMy Love Is A Gentle Thingโ
5. โLike a Foxโ*
6. โWord Gameโ*
7. โTan Sola Y Tristeโ*
8. โFit To Be Tiedโ*
9. โLove and Satisfyโ*
10. โHigh And Dryโ*
11. โPanhandle Ragโ*
12. โUncle Penโ*
13. โDo You Remember the Americansโ*
14. โDim Lights, Thick Smoke (And Loud, Loud Music)โ*
15. โI Am My Brotherโ*
* Unreleased recording
Live at Sheperd’s Bush CD/DVD track listing:
Acoustic Set
1. โTreetop Flyerโ
2. โ4 + 20โ
3. โJohnnyโs Gardenโ
4. โChange Partnersโ
5. โGirl From The North Countryโ
6. โBlind Fiddlerโ
7. โSuite: Judy Blue Eyesโ
Electric Set
1. โIsnโt It About Timeโ
2. โRock & Roll Womanโ
3. โThe Wrong Thing To Doโ
4. โWounded Worldโ
5. โBluebirdโ
6. โFor What Itโs Worthโ
7. โLove The One Youโre Withโ


