Back in 1976, I can still remember buying the, then brand new Wigwam Lp, The Lucky Golden Stripes And Starpose on Sunset Strip at Licorice Pizza, across from the original Tower Records, which itself was a hop, skip and a jump from the famous Whiskey A Go Go. I also remember picking up the ‘74-75 Wigwam Lp, also on Virgin Records, Nuclear Nightclub at Moby Disc in Van Nuys during Summer ‘75. And some months later, around Christmas ‘75, famed Wigwam bassist Pekka Pohjola released his second solo album B The Magpie on Lp, and I was most lucky to find it on Virgin Records of course, and coincidentally at an amazing little Virgin Records boutique store in London. Lots of virgin stuff here! For a diehard record collector, these are the kind of memories you don’t easily forget. Although released on CD in Finland nearly 20 years ago, all three of those original Wigwam related albums were finally reissued in England in 2010 by the U.K.'s music / CD reissue connoisseurs at Esoteric Records, a bunch who have literally taken on the mantle as the curators of all things British and/or Euro flavored, musically speaking of course! More news on those remasters later but now lets take a look back at Esoteric's early Wigwam remasters which depicts the culmination of the original lineup with early Wigwam cofounders Jim Pembroke, Ronnie Österberg, Pekka Pohjola and Jukka Gustavson. Much continues to be written about his incredible rock band from Finland so, for the ultimate proof as to why Wigwam are still so highly rated among musicians and historians alike, look no further than the 2010 Esoteric CD reissue of Wigwam: Live Music From The Twilight Zone. This quintessential Wigwam lineup also included Jim Pembroke’s soon to be song writing partner, guitarist Pekka "Rekku" Rechardt, joining in time for the late ‘70s Wigwam lineup and beyond. Originally released as a double Lp set recorded way back in June 1974, Live Music From The Twilight Zone originally featured liner notes from Finnish rock promoter and Rockadillo honcho Tapio Korjus and likewise, this superb sounding 2010 CD remaster on Esoteric features Tapio’s original notes plus new liner notes from Wigwam torch-bearer Jim Pembroke. Of course, now with both Ronnie and Pekka Pohjola not living on Earth anymore, Wigwam was never to be the same but the incredible live Twilight Zone set depicts the original band’s most concise musical blueprint and thankfully it remains available thanks to Esoteric’s first ever U.K. re-release of the original Love Records CD release from the ‘90s. Tons could be also be written about the original Wigwam’s final two studio albums, Fairyport (1971) and Being (1974)—also now on CD from Esoteric—but lets just say that those new to Wigwam who are looking for a great overview of the band’s original (although perhaps never fully realized) potential, are advised to catch them on this incredible reissue CD of the ever-brilliant Live Music From The Twilight Zone. Commenting on the original album in Esoteric's new reissue’s liner notes, Jim Pembroke states, ‘Our farewell concerts were well received, and served well as a parting shot until we came back with a big bang with the album Nuclear Nightclub later that year.’ With more Wigwam related songs—especially Pembroke’s vastly underrated discography—awaiting some kind of proper retrospective, no doubt, still there’ll be more! www.CherryRed.co.uk

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