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Remember [asks Steve Shark - Ed.] the original Nuggets album – a double disc, twenty-seven track compilation of psychedelic-era music on the very hip Elektra label?

Amongst classics by the Standells, The Seeds and Count Five, there was a track by The Knickerbockers called Lies, which sounded almost exactly like the Beatles [who? - Ed.]. It was a great little piece of pop music and I thought it was just about the best track the Fab Four never recorded.

So that’s what this latest contribution to Th' Isle O'Foam©  is all about – ten of the best tracks never recorded by better known acts. Some very obvious and well known, others less so, but all, I hope, of some merit.

WARNING: You are entering a parody free zone!

The Beatles/The Knickerbockers Lies

Written by the Knicks’ Beau and Buddy in an hour with the intention of writing something Beatleish. They succeeded – it’s got “John” on vocals and very Ringo-alike drumming. Catchy.

Steely Dan/Monkey House Where’s Mantis Evar?

A very obvious homage to Fagen and the Dan with all the requisite ingredients: Carltonesque guitar fills, harmonies, horn charts and metronomic drumming, all brought together courtesy of the Breithaupt Brothers, who are well worth checking out. Indeed, they’ve been known to cover the odd Fagen song. Smooth.

The Byrds/The Lemon Pipers Through With You

Impressive stuff from a band who had to carry the “bubblegum” label to get ahead. This is a 9 minute freak out with lots of 12 string guitar, insane stereo panning, ethereal vocals and a raga feel that you can smoke banana skins to. Groovy.

Free/Cry of Love Bad Thing

A sparse but macho strut redolent of one of the UK’s finest rock bands. The bass and drums interplay is appropriately “free”. Guitarist Audley Freed went on to become a Black Crowe. Tumescent.

The Beach Boys/The High Llamas Nomads

If the vocals were just a bit richer, this could well be a “Pet Sounds” outtake – dig the trombones and banjo! The BB’s management was very interested in some sort of collaboration with the band’s eminence gris Sean O’Hagan, but it came to nothing in spite of a few meetings. Mellow.

Cream/Mountain Theme For An Imaginary Western

A gorgeous Jack Bruce and Pete Brown composition that really should have been recorded by Cream, and might have rejuvenated the band after Clapton got tired of 16 minute jams. Mountain’s version is very Cream like although Jack’s solo version is also great. Poignant.

Little Feat/Wet Willie Leona

More Bill than Lowell Feat. Featuring [ISWYDT - Ed.] Jimmy Hall who went on to make some great solo albums, it has a Dixie Chicken riff, slide guitar and some suitably exuberant vocals. OK, it ain’t the Feat, but it’s neat! Down home.

Bruce Springsteen/Jackie Leven Call Mother a Lonely Field

I didn’t realise that the late Leven (previously with Doll by Doll) was a Bruce fan until after I chose this track. It’s BITUSA style “Boss” and has that same grandiose vibe and even a crashing drum intro. Please bear with the strange bar noises and singing at the start, it’s well worth the wait! Anthemic.

The Rolling Stones/The Chesterfield Kings Walkin’ Blues

The vocals aren’t very Jagger-like, although they do have a certain gonzo charm all of their own, but it has that “Exile” atmosphere – dragged out pale, naked and blinking into the daylight from the depths of a damp and fetid cellar somewhere in the south of France – merde alors! Even more ragged than Exile’s “Stop Breakin’ Down”, you can imagine Mick Taylor on slide and t’other Mick on harp. Subterranean.

Miles Davis/Freddie Hubbard Mr Clean

How Miles might have sounded had he not drank quite so much of that brew back in 1970, it features an all-star band, with plenty of “WTF was that?” moments to keep it from being just another Creed Taylor production. Nice keyboard discords adding spice to the generally heavy funk, and even George Benson goes a little crazy at times. Dirty.

So, there you have it – ten of the best tracks that were never recorded by famous acts we all know and love.

There is, of course, an associated “mixtape”, and all suggestions for other tracks are extremely welcome!