This is the first LP by PP Arnold, quite rightly named The First Lady of Immediate. Pat Arnold arrived in England as an Ikette with the Ike & Tina Turner Revue as a support act for the Rolling Stones. Mick Jagger and Ian Stewart persuaded her to leave the Revue with the intention of setting up a solo career. Through the Rolling Stones connections, she signed to Andrew Loog-Oldham's Immediate label. She then met up with artists who would have a huge impact on her life. Immediate operated like a family with everyone helping each other. This LP is a great example of how it worked.

The LP contains the first four singles that Pat released as a solo artist as well as three of the b-sides. These are all great tracks that show Pat's powerful and soulful voice.

The single (If You Think You're) Groovy was written by Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane and saw her backed by Small Faces. This was an excellent debut and one wonders why the East End Fab Four did not record it themselves.

First Cut is the Deepest is, arguably, Pat's best-known track. It was written by Cat Stevens and, although there have been many cover versions including Rod Stewart and Sheryl Crow, this must be the definitive version.

Billy Nicholls' Would You Believe could be viewed as one of the great lost tracks of the 1960s and could even be better well-known today. Billy's own version had various obvious backing from the Small Faces with Steve Marriott's backing vocals almost eclipsing the lead! PP Arnold's version certainly does great justice to the song.

Though it Hurts Me Badly was produced by Mick Jagger. In her live shows Pat relates the story of the song and Mick Jagger's role. Read her autobiography for more about this.

The whole LP is an excellent introduction to PP Arnold's amazing voice. She can switch from rock to pop to bluesier tracks. The decision to go solo was certainly the correct one. With another great LP Kafunta on the way PP Arnold was destined for stardom. However, Immediate Records was not financially strong and superb artists like PP Arnold did not get the career she deserved. Nevertheless, this is her best album and an essential piece of late 1960s pop.

Immediate

Original release: 1968

Reissue: 10 May 2024 (Also available on CD)

Essential Tracks