Steppenwolf – Gold 'Their Great Hits' (Analogue Productions) (2xLP)

Acoustic Sounds and Analogue Productions would now like to present the listener with the most sonically perfect version of this historic album ever heard on vinyl. Our 200-gram re-release was remastered from the original analog tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Sound and galvanised and pressed by Gary Salstrom and his crew at Quality Record Pressings, the makers of some of the best-sounding LPs in the world.

And now - we've gone even further for true audiophile pleasure - the 2LP version with 45 rpm reduces distortion and high-frequency losses because your pickup can follow the wider grooves more precisely. Natural tonalities, excellent balance, flawless clarity and much more emerge. The Canadian-American rock band, named after Hermann Hesse's mystical novel, rose to worldwide fame after their third single "Born To Be Wild", which was released in 1968.

This song and Steppenwolf's version of Hoyt Axton's "The Pusher" played a prominent role in the 1969 cult film of counterculture, "Easy Rider", and can both be found on "Gold". Two other singles on this stunning album also cracked the top ten charts: "Magic Carpet Ride" and "Rock Me". "Magic Carpet Ride" was released in 1968 on the album "The Second". Written by band members John Kay and Rushton Moreve, it made it to number three in the USA and stayed in the charts for 16 weeks, longer than any other Steppenwolf song.

Also included: the Don Covay Soul Cover "Sookie, Sookie", which was played on several soul stations all over the USA and also on Rock'n'Roll Radio. "Gold" also contains "Hey Lawdy Mama", the hit studio single of "Steppenwolf Live". Between 1968 and 1972, Steppenwolf enjoyed worldwide success until the diversity of characters after a farewell concert on Valentine's Day 1972 in Los Angeles led to clashes that broke up the core group. In the meantime John Kay is the only original member of Steppenwolf.