Steppenwolf – Steppenwolf at 50
Rainman Records
https://steppenwolf.com/n-11235-steppenwolf-at-50.html

Rating: C

Steppenwolf is, and has been for decades, John Kay’s band. He is ‘the man’ and will always be ‘the man’, where this band is concerned. He kept it alive, and even if you love other members with all of your little heart…truth is truth. This is John’s band…always was…always will be.

Steppenwolf has released a three-disc compilation titled Steppenwolf at 50. The reason I bring up this being John’s band is because this release really is about 50 years of the band and not just the glory days. This is not just the ‘old classic stuff.’

There are 41-tracks and much of them are the old stuff…this is where it gets confusing. They are not, however, the original recordings…not all of them. Hardcore Wolf Pack fans will love this. People that just want to rock out to the clasics will not like that some of the biggest original hits are not included.

There are a lot of highlights for the hardcore fans, however. This collection includes five unreleased tunes. There is a live disc…that is John’s Steppenwolf in the 1990s.  They are both good. The fans also get the years that were called  John Kay & Steppenwolf and John Kay & Company. So…there is more to this collection than meets the eye.  It is not just classic Steppenwolf.

Here is where the debate come in…does that make it better or worse? This band, even on a retrospective release, just finds controversy.

I suppose this is the way it will always be for Steppenwolf.

It should be noted that there is a god awful version of “Magic Carpet Ride” performed with Grandmaster Flash on the release. Oh dear…this is awful. I listened to it once…and will never listen to this version again. I want it to just go away.

Kay does shows some class in his liner notes when he addresses the totality of 50 years of the band.

John says, “In between seemingly endless tours at home and abroad, we somehow managed to write, rehearse and record numerous subsequent albums, but the hectic pace sometimes took its toll; not only on the band but also on our home lives and families…it is particularly dedicated to those who never stopped being there when we needed their support the most. Every band member past and present, who is heard on these recordings, played an important role as musician, fellow singer or songwriter in the Wolf’s recording history and is accordingly acknowledged in the credits.”

At the end of the day…this one is for the Wolf Pack that have dedicated their listening ears to the entire career for 50 years. 

Lesser fans may be better off with a standard Greatest Hits or Best of album.

Steppenwolf At 50 track listing:

Disc 1:
01. Screaming Night Hog
02. From Here To There Eventually (alternate version)*
03. Angel Drawers*
04. For Ladies Only
05. You Win Again
06. My Sportin' Life
07. Drift Away
08. Straight Shootin' Woman
09. Caroline (Are You Ready For The Outlaw World)
10. Skullduggery
11. Hold Your Head Up
12. Hot Night In A Cold Town
13. Give Me News I Can Use
14. Ain't Nothin' Like It Used To Be
15. Magic Carpet Ride (Performed With Grand Master Flash and The Furious Five)

Disc 2:
01. Hold On (Never Give Up Never Give In)
02. Rock & Roll Rebels
03. Give Me Life
04. Rise & Shine
05. The Wall
06. Rock & Roll War
07. Feed The Fire
08. Rock Steady
09. Down In New Orleans
10. Business Is Business
11. Compared To What*
12. Labor Of Love*
13. For The Women In My Life

Disc 3 (All Tracks Recorded Live: 1992-1995):
01. Move Over
02. Rock Me
03. I'm Movin' On
04. Sookie Sookie
05. I'm Your Hootchie Cootchie Man
06. Hey Lawdy Mama
07. Desperation
08. Ride With Me
09. Snowblind Friend
10. Monster/Suicide/America
11. Magic Carpet Ride
12. Born To Be Wild
13. The Pusher

By Jeb “Sookie Sookie” Wright