A new eight-CD Steppenwolf box set featuring remastered versions of the band’s first six studio efforts and first two live albums will be released on November 19.
Magic Carpet Ride: The Dunhill/ABC Years (1967-1971) includes the band’s 1968 self-titled debut and its follow-up, The Second, released the same year; 1969’s At Your Birthday Party, Monster and the archival concert album Early Steppenwolf; 1970’s Steppenwolf 7 and Steppenwolf Live; and 1971’s For Ladies Only.
All of the albums in the box set are embellished with bonus tracks with the exception of Early Steppenwolf. That album captures the John Kay-fronted band performing in May 1967 — when it was still known as The Sparrows — at the San Francisco club The Matrix.
The Steppenwolf album features the band’s biggest hit and signature song, “Born to Be Wild,” which peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became an enduring counterculture anthem after its appearance in the classic 1969 film Easy Rider. It also includes the group’s cover of Hoyt Axton‘s “The Pusher,” which was heard in Easy Rider, as well.
The Second includes another huge hit for the group, “Magic Carpet Ride,” which reached #3 on the Hot 100.
At Your Birthday Party features Steppenwolf’s third and final top-10 hit, “Rock Me.”
Steppenwolf, The Second, Monster, Steppenwolf 7 and Steppenwolf Live all were certified gold by the RIAA for sales of over 500,000.
You can pre-order the Magic Carpet Ride box set and check out the full track list at CherryRed.co.uk.
Steppenwolf initially broke up in 1972, but the band re-formed in 1974 with almost the same lineup. Kay continued to lead various incarnations of the group until October 2018, when the band played what he says was their final concert.
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