PP Arnold Releases New Retrospective

PP Arnold Releases Soul Survivor – A Life In Song

21-02-25

The term “well-established” might be appropriate for some artists but it barely begins to cover the career of the phenomenal P.P. Arnold, whose records and performances are now in their seventh decade. Her consistently excellent music covers multiple genres, her high-profile admirers and collaborators are plentiful, and yet Soul Survivor – A Life In Song is the first collection dedicated to this extraordinary body of work.

Compiled by the artist, Soul Survivor – A Life In Song is being released on a 57 song 3CD set, and 25 song 2LP set, both formats housed in an eye-catching sleeve created by photographer (and close friend) Gered Mankowitz, with extensive new sleeve notes by author Jude Rogers. Alongside key singles and album tracks it includes previously unreleased recordings, demo versions, live performances, and some rare mixes that are being reissued for the very first time.

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From her early days at Andrew Loog Oldham’s Immediate label (where she “became one of us”, according to Andrew) her allies, associates, and working partners have included the Small Faces, Cat Stevens, Mick Jagger, Barry Gibb, Eric Clapton, Andrew Lloyd Webber, The Blockheads’ Chaz Jankel, Roger Waters, Ocean Colour Scene, The Blow Monkeys’ Dr. Robert, and Paul Weller.

From her contributions to the soundtrack of “swinging” ’60s London, deeper Soul sounds that closed the decade, musical theatre, film soundtracks, adding some Soul authenticity to the ’80s Dance scene, Pop, Rock, and Folk, everything that P.P. Arnold turns her hand to is elevated to the next level.

Born Patrician Ann Cole in California into a family of Gospel singers, at the age of 17 she joined Ike and Tina Turner as an ‘Ikette’, beginning an eventful journey that bought her to the UK, where her 1968 debut album was given the appropriate title ‘The First lady Of Immediate’. Her backing bands included current or future members of the Rolling Stones, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and Yes. In 1969 she began working with Barry Gibb, though the album they made together took 50 years to see the light of day. The following decade saw her became a hugely in-demand backing vocalist – Nick Drake’s ‘Poor Boy’, Peter Gabriel’s ‘Sledgehammer’, and The KLF’s ‘What Time Is Love?’ are among the many great songs she has appeared on since then. Her work with Andrew Lloyd Webber saw her contribute to the original recording of Jesus Christ Superstar, and take to the West End stage (on roller skates) in Starlight Express.

In 2022 P.P. Arnold told her extraordinary life story in her critically acclaimed autobiography Soul Survivor (Mojo magazine called it “a jaw-dropping memoir”); now that book has the soundtrack that it deserves.

Soul Survivor – A Life In Song is available as 57 song 3 CD set or 25 song 2LP set. Both formats feature singles, album tracks, demos, and previously unreleased songs. The CD set is housed in a an 18cm Media Book with sleevenotes by author Jude Rogers. Get more details from the official site HERE.