Description
Back in 1968, when Big Brother & the Holding Company made their second album, the LP they planned to release was scuttled by the record company. The title was shortened from Sex, Dope and Cheap Thrills to just Cheap Thrills, and the studio songs they recorded were mixed in with audience sounds to give listeners the impression it was a concert album. Cheap Thrills turned into one of the era’s greatest albums and a landmark showcase for the thrilling Joplin.
To celebrate its 50th anniversary, nearly 30 songs from the sessions are collected on Sex, Dope and Cheap Thrills, a re-imagining of sorts of that milestone record. More than two dozen of the tracks are previously unreleased – including a live “Ball and Chain,” the sole original Cheap Thrills concert recording – and various versions chart the progression of certain songs. So, this new take on an old classic turns out to be more companion than replacement.
