Willpower: A Twenty-Year Retrospective

Full title: Willpower: A 20 Year Retrospective.
Personnel includes: Jack Bruce (vocals, piano, bass); Tony Hymas (vocals, keyboards); Simon Phillips (vocals, drums); Eric Clapton, Clem Clempson, Chris Spedding, George Harrison, Steve Hunter, Hugh Burns (guitar); Harry Beckett, Henry Lather (trumpet); Stuart Elliot, Ginger Baker, Jon Hiseman, John Marshall, Jim Keltner, Jim Gordon (drums).
Includes previously unreleased material.
Personnel: Jack Bruce (vocals, acoustic guitar, cello, piano, harmonium, organ, keyboards); Hugh Burns (vocals, guitar); Felix Pappalardi (vocals, viola); Tony Hymas (vocals, keyboards); Simon Phillips (vocals, drums); Maggie Reilly (vocals); Chris Spedding, Eric Clapton, Clem Clempson, Steve Hunter, George Harrison (guitar); Peter Weihe (acoustic guitar); Dick Heckstall-Smith, Art Themen (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Harry Beckett, Henry Lowther (trumpet); Ginger Baker (drums, hi-hat, timpani); Stuart Elliot, Jim Gordon , Jim Keltner, John Marshall , Jon Hiseman, Stuart Elliott (drums).
Audio Remasterer: Steve Rindoff.
Recording information: Ztudio Zerkall, Germany (1987).
Editor: Tom "Curly" Ruff.
Photographer: Laura Levine.
Arrangers: Gene Page; Barry White.
Willpower was really designed to be Jack Bruce's Crossroads -- it followed Clapton's monumental box by a year, had similar artwork, a similar approach that blended selections from throughout his various projects, and the same remastering/production team. Thing is, Bruce didn't have the commercial success of Clapton, nor did he have the same sizable following (although his fans were indeed devoted), and critics just sorta gave up paying attention around 1970, so there wasn't much of an audience for Willpower upon its release in 1989. Nevertheless, it's a pretty terrific summary of Bruce's career, never staying too long in one particular period (even the selections from Cream lack such heavy hitters as "Sunshine of Your Love" or "I Feel Free"), and encapsulating how unpredictable and adventurous Bruce's career has been. This is not heavy on hits, even if it has such signature songs as "White Room," "Theme for an Imaginary Western," "Never Tell Your Mother She's Out of Tune," "How's Tricks," and "As You Said," because Bruce never had that many hits, even radio hits. But it does provide a through, representative introduction. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine