5 comments about Grammy Nominees 2004.

1. I like 2004 and 03 alot good album!



2. THe only reason this cd u should buy is that eminem and 50 are on it. Every body else are awful. 50cent GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGUnit!
   without these two this c d would totalyy suck.GO by the massacre by 50 cent and encore by eminem , know those are classics!



3. Here are my ratings of the songs they chose:
   
   1. Crazy In Love- Beyonce ft. Jay-Z- B. They played this song too much and i never really liked it but i still listen to it. it has a good beat.
   2. Where is the love?- Black eyed peas ft. justin timberlake- A. Really loved this song when it first came out. It's so positive. played out though.
   3. Clocks- Coldplay- F. Never listened to this song.
   4. Lose Yourself- Eminem- A. Really great song from Em. Good lyrics/beats but played out.
   5. Work It- Missy Elliott- B. Played way too much but pretty good when it first came out.
   6. Going Under- Evanescence- F. Don't like Evanescence for some reason.
   7. The Way You Move- Outkast ft. Sleepy Brown- A-. Really great song with good beat when first came out now played out.
   8. Cry Me A River- Justin Timberlake- A. Great song from him. He sings good in it.
   9. Beautiful- Christina Aguilera- A. Beautiful song from her. Great video.
   10. I'm With You- Avril Lavigne- A. Great song from her. One of her bests in my opinion.
   11. Dance With My Father- Luther Vandross- C. A little too soft for me but beautiful words.
   12. Keep Me In your heart- Warren Zevon- F. Don't know him.
   13. In Da Club- 50 Cent- A. Played way too much. Great song when it came out with good beat.
   14. Stacy's Mom- Fountains Of Wayne- C. Ok song. It's a little weird though. they played it a lot.
   15. I Wish I Wasn't- Heather Hedley- A. Beautiful song from her. It's the only song I know from her.
   16. Gimme The Light- Sean Paul. B. This song was played a lot. I liked it at first then I didn't like it. He gets annoying.
   17-20 F. Don't know any of the songs.
   18. Unwell- Matchbox Twenty- A. I really love this song. I like Matchbox Twenty a lot. They have good voices and beats.



4. Beyonce Featuring Jay-Z:Crazy in love. I don't like Beyonce, but this was a pretty good. 5/10

   The Black Eyed Peas & Justin Timberlake:Where is the love?
   Second best song. That's it. 9/10

   Coldplay:Clocks. This is an ok, but it might get boring after a while. 7/10

   Eminem:Lose Yourself. This is the best mother
   f[family website]en song on the CD. 10/10

   Missy Eliot:Work it. This song is gross. I hate it. 1/10

   Evanescence:Going Under. I realy think that this song is good. 8/10

   Outkast:The way You move. Bottom line, good song. 7/10

   Justin Timberlake:Cry me a River. Justin was better when he was with *Nsync.

   Christina Aguilera:Beautiful. I don't like it. 1/10

   Avril Lavinge:I'm with you. Its a d[family website]n good song.
   8/10

   Luther Vandross:Dance with my father. This song is weird. 2/10

   Warren Zevon:Keep me in your heart. No comment. 3/10

   50 cent:in da club. Go, Go, Go Charolette its ya birthday. 8/10

   Fountains of Wayne:Stacy's Mom. Funny song, good song. 8/10

   Heather Hadley:I wish i wasn't. I don't like it. 1/10

   Sean Paul:Gimme the light. I know i keep saying this but, it's a good song. 7/10

   George Harrison:Any Road. I didn't listen to this one, but there are plenty of other good songs. ?/10

   Michael Mcdonald:Ain't no mountain high enough. I'll let you decide. ?/10

   Sing:Send your love. Its ok. 5/10

   Eagles:Hole in the world. Its ok. 4/10

   Matchbox 20:Unwell. Its an original song. 7/10

   anything from 7/10 or higher is a good song.

   5/10 or higher is ok.

   4/10 or below is bad.

   Remember, that this is my opinion.




5. Beyonce Featuring Jay-Z:Crazy in love. I don't like Beyonce, but this was a pretty good. 5/10

   The Black Eyed Peas & Justin Timberlake:Where is the love?
   Second best song. That's it. 9/10

   Coldplay:Clocks. This is an ok, but it might get boring after a while. 7/10

   Eminem:Lose Yourself. This is the best mother
   f[family website]en song on the CD. 10/10

   Missy Eliot:Work it. This song is gross. I hate it. 1/10

   Evanescence:Going Under. I realy think that this song is good. 8/10

   Outkast:The way You move. Bottom line, good song. 7/10

   Justin Timberlake:Cry me a River. Justin was better when he was with *Nsync.

   Christina Aguilera:Beautiful. I don't like it. 1/10

   Avril Lavinge:I'm with you. Its a d[family website]n good song.
   8/10

   Luther Vandross:Dance with my father. This song is weird. 2/10

   Warren Zevon:Keep me in your heart. No comment. 3/10

   50 cent:in da club. Go, Go, Go Charolette its ya birthday. 8/10

   Fountains of Wayne:Stacy's Mom. Funny song, good song. 8/10

   Heather Hadley:I wish i wasn't. I don't like it. 1/10

   Sean Paul:Gimme the light. I know i keep saying this but, it's a good song. 7/10

   George Harrison:Any Road. I didn't listen to this one, but there are plenty of other good songs. ?/10

   Michael Mcdonald:Ain't no mountain high enough. I'll let you decide. ?/10

   Sing:Send your love. Its ok. 5/10

   Eagles:Hole in the world. Its ok. 4/10

   Matchbox 20:Unwell. Its an original song. 7/10

   anything from 7/10 or higher is a good song.

   5/10 or higher is ok.

   4/10 or below is bad.

   Remember, that this is my opinion.

5 comments about Hotter Than Hell.

1. This album is one of the best KISS albums in my opinion. I did not think this at first, mainly because of the poor recording quality, but it grew on me over the years. I actually like the unpolished sound. It feels more gritty like it comes from the streets. Sloopjohnd is my first album and I took this rough sound and applied it to my own hard rock compositions simply by producing it myself without the polished finishes of fancy recording. I believe this added a hard edge quality that just doesn't seem to exist anymore, not even with KISS's new studio albums. My favorites on this album are "Parasite," "Hotter Than Hell," "Got To Choose," and "Watchin' You." Oh and I read that Peter Criss wanted to put a long drum solo in the middle of "Strange Ways," but the rest of the group voted no. Too bad! That would've ROCKED!



2. This cd entirely rocks!!! Ace Frehley show us how it is a TRUE guitar master. Kiss gave to us ROCK N ROLL! ;). Must have.



3. Sophomore studio effort from THE best hard rock/glam/metal band in history. Heavier than their first, S/T lp and featuring incredible solos courtesy of Ace Frehley, the dual-attack guitarwork is mesmerizing and almost all of the songs bring back deeply-rooted emotions that bring more than a tear to my eyes every time I listen to this; KISS was my introduction to rock 'n roll !!!. The only ¨ballad¨ here is ¨Going Blind¨ with a heavy, dirgey sound. The rest of the album is just blistering without resorting to lightning-speed tempos.
   
   Why I don't own the remastered reissue ? Because after all these years of listening to it on cassette first, on lp later on, I ended up with this first edition cd release. The overall sound is bright and sparkling, with razor-sharp guitars upfront in the mix, shouty chorus and an excellent mix. Drums and bass lack a tad of punch but a little eq correction deals with it impeccably. I love this sound. Remastering doesn't always make justice to the original so I have not compared, but if I had to buy another copy (which I hope I won't have to) I'd give it a try. If you're on a tight bugdget, get this one for little money; it won't disappoint you.



4. Recorded in 1974 and realesed in 1974 Kiss"s second album, "Hotter Than Hell", is a great hard rock album. Compared too the first album this album isnt as good but still deserves five stars. Relaesed October of 1974 it mannaged too sell 125,000 copies a nice leap from sales of there first album(75,000 Copies). But still they hadnt fullfilled there dream too be the biggest band in America it would take them another year too do that.
   
   All in all this is a good album and if you like KISS you should buy this album today.
   1. Got Too Choose 5/5 stars
   2. Parasite 4.5/5 stars
   3. Goin Blind 4/5 stars
   4. Hotter Than Hell 5/5 stars
   5. Let Me Go Rock N Roll 5/5 stars
   6. All The Way 5/5 stars
   7. Watchin You 5/5 stars
   8. Mainline 5/5 stars
   9. Comin Home 5/5 stars
   10. Strange Ways 4.6/5 stars



5. Most have something to say about the production of this record. It is, to be blunt, lo-fi, and sharply contrasts with their next record, Dressed to Kill, which is very clean and bright sounding. This is the only Kiss release I have the remastered version of, if that's any indication. Having said that, I love Hotter Than Hell in any form. There's not alot of well known Kiss songs on this record but it works. This is the last Kiss record (being only their 2nd release) to have a "from the streets" feel to it. Some songs on Dressed to Kill qualify as "street" but again, the production is more polished on Dressed to Kill and later Kiss records are from a band that has started to make it big and the songwriting comes from a different place (the make-up personas creep in). Hotter Than Hell is perhaps the tightest Kiss ever sounded, the playing is excellent and it's one of the few Kiss records that I like all the way through. At first listen there's not much that jumps out at you but despite the sound, the production is not as simple as it may seem. If you can adjust the balance on your speakers, listen to the left and right channels separately for awhile, especially on Parasite and the guitar solo(s) on the title track. A great rock n roll record that comes from a certain place and time never to be repeated.

5 comments about Feedback.

1. Get one of their earlier CDs - Moving Pictures or earlier or a decent greatest hits CD and forget this. The songs just don't sound good.



2. This CD demonstrates a band having some fun and they do it pretty darn well.
   I was around during the Rush era of the 70s and 80s but never bought any of their recordings. After listening to "Feedback" I went out and bought "Moving Pictures" and "2112" as well. I know this CD doesn't sound like their other works, but that's part of the charm for me.
   This CD reminds me of those live shows where the star whips out some oldie they love to play and just wants to have some fun.
   I'm glad Rush decided to share their fun with this anniversary disc. In this day and age, it's a treat to hear a band who can play, dig into their roots and let their hair (what remains of it) down.



3. People. Out of all the thousands of mail I receive on a constant basis, I am sure all of you know that you can't expect to please everyone. In this constantly moving, modern a go-go world we live in, there are bound to be a few who haven't gotten with Metamopho's program. That is perfectly fine. You know who you are! But the following letter is treachery at it's very highest form. I will reprint for you as follows:
   
   Dear Metamorpho-
   Me and my friends are totally sick of your smug, arrogant selfish reviews! We come here to read reviews and instead, what do we get? We get pitiful, self-serving mumblings about so called "important" things in your life. Life lessons as your buffoonery leads us to believe. Why can't you just give us essential information instead of vague mumblings only meant to emulate yourself on some ficticious cloud? You don't follow rules! You rebell against authority! You are a threat to all sensibility and must be stopped! We hate you! We hate you! WE HATE YOU!!!!!!
   Esmeralda Gluttonbach, Pleasant Village Penitentiary, Kansas
   
   >>>>>>>>> What can I say people? Now you will believe me when I say true evil really exists. My prayers are with you Esmeralda. Now- where did I put that extremely strong drink? ;)
   Anyhoo - I'm reviewing "Feedback" today by Rush. Well- it's a new year and time to look back and generously "reflect". I have to say that that this really a fun cover EP. They give you a cross section of rock/psychedelic tunes that were born in the 60's and just fly with it. Interesting of note are the bands they cover. We have two by Buffalo Springfield here, two by the Yardbirds, two by The Who (that is, if you count "Summertime Blues" by them although I hear hints of Blue Cheer), one by Love and one by Cream. A very formidle presentation if you ask me.
   Too bad they didn't do a Kinks song or two. But, it is what it is.
   How do they do? Well, I suppose it's a matter of perspective. Their renditions are pretty faithful to the originals, however they add their own twist to it. It is a copy, but then again not a copy if you listen to the lead on "Crossroads". We will always remember the Clapton lead however, Alex Lifeson creates his own within the framework and the result is fine with me. And, throughout, he uses that fuzz tone to maximum effect. Listen to "Mr. Soul" and you will know what I mean. They seem to take the song and embellish it with nice, tasty bits from the era (for example Alex throws in a small portion of guitar reminiscent of the Byrds "Eight Miles High" in the lead part). So appropriate and so with that time. But it works. We can just imagine what sound the Byrds would have created with Buffalo Springfield. (Wait a minute- didn't we get that somewhat with Crosby, Stills and Nash?). Oh nevermind. It's a new year and my brain cells are still not functioning. Sorry. ;(
   What is interesting though is that they did not rely on the most known songs by 60's artists. No. "7 and 7 Is" and "The Seeker" were not prime known material from Love and The Who, but that adds greatly to the charm of this outing. They were trying to give a representation of the era and also the songs that they loved when they were starting out. All of these songs, although a cover, have Rush putting there own energy spin on it. The originals still stand, but the result here is fun and interesting. My only complaint is that they didn't do more with it. As it is, it grooves, it rocks, and these songs are great to hear all together. I am sure that the Esmeraldas of the world may not like it, but this is a chance a beloved Seer who writes reviews must take.
   I suppose that I will have to take drastic action considering my situation. I guess I'll have to give my personal censor a raise now for all my letters. I just cannot have this happen again. I hate to do it - but everyone must pay some price for piece of mind.
   So - if you enjoyed the late 60's at all - this "Feedback" will give you a nice flashback to that time. Now, strap yourself in to my multi-coloured mini-bus and feel the rush!
   
   "You don't send me hate mail- anymore...." -- Metamorpho



4. What we have here is a solid but unimaginative effort from tired and jaded veterans. These songs have been covered a million times --- so many that the songs in this Rush collection are merely covers of covers. For example, the "Summertime Blues" reading is copied from Blue Cheer's cover (of Eddie Cochran's original). Even given how perfectly amazing and inspiring the Blue Cheer version is, Rush decided to make their copy of it as boring as possible. The "Crossroads" cover is obviously copied from the Cream/Clapton versions (Robert Johnson is the original artist) and adds nothing of interest. Every tune is basically obvious, straight, and mailed in.
   
   Considering how creative these guys have been over the years this has to be a let down both in song selection as well as song execution. Painfully little of the Rush magic can be found anywhere on this EP.



5. Rush's album Feedback was the band's all covers album and released in June of 2004.
   The band celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2004 with this collection of covers ranging from Blue Cheer to The Who to Cream to Buffalo Springfield.
   The opening "Summertime Blues" combines the intro and outros of Blue Cheer's version from 1968 with The Who's version from Live at Leeds for the main framework of the song with a killer rendition. Speaking of The Who, Rush's cover of "The Seeker" was superb. Geddy Lee's bass playing and vocals is great on this album as is Neil Peart's drumming. Guitarist Alex Lifeson steals the show on this album after being somewhat held back on 2002's Vapor Trails. The two Yardbirds covers "Heart Full of Soul" and "Shapes of Things" are great as well. At first, I thought Rush would do the Jeff Beck Group version of Shapes of Things but the original isn't bad at all. Rush's cover of the Robert Johnson classic "Crossroads" rivals the version that fellow power trio Cream did of Robert Johnson's classic.
   The other covers of "Mr. Soul", Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth" and "Seven and Seven Is" are all very good as well.
   IMHO, this was the best covers album done by an artist since Beatle Paul McCartney's 1999 album Run Devil Run which he was backed up by Pink Floyd's David Gilmour and ex-Johnny Kidd and the Pirate member Mick Green on guitars and Ian Paice of Deep Purple on drums. Feedback reached #17 and despite chart success, this album is recommended!!

5 comments about Classic Albums - Queen: The Making of A Night at the Opera.

1. This is the story of one of the greatest albums of all time!!! This is the making of the Queen classic: A Night At The Opera!!! Featues li=ots of great footage,interviews etc!!! Chock full of great information about this classic album!!! Includes the original 50 minute program as well as 50 minutes of additional footage!!! A welcome addition to your Queen DVD library!!! Recommended at the price!!! A+



2. If you like this album and are interested in the technical details of how it was made, you'll love this dvd. Nice footage of Brian sitting behind the mixing board listening to, and separating the tracks he and Queen recorded so long ago. The average person might find this quite boring, but it's very enjoyable from a musicians standpoint.



3. In 1975, Queen were a band on the rise. They just had a hit single with "Killer Queen" off the "Sheer Heart Attack" and were set to release their 4th studio album. "A Night at the Opera" marked Queen's breakthrough, which spawned 2 hit singles, one of them being one of the most popular singles of all time. This song of course was "Bohemian Rhapsody", Freddie Mercury's epic, 6 minute long operatic force. John Deacon also contributed a delightful pop hit with "You're My Best Friend." It wasn't just these two singles that made this album so classic though.
   
   Brian May and Roger Taylor give excellent, detailed descriptions of the work that went into recording and writing many of the songs off the album. "Death on Two Legs" was Freddie's heavy opener, and the DVD takes an excellent excerpt of a Mercury interview where he describes the idea behind the song. Brian May goes through his song structures and writing techniques for "The Prophet's Song", "'39", "Good Company" and "Sweet Lady." Roger Taylor explains the drum-work for "I'm in Love With My Car." However, John Deacon doesn't participate in any interviews, and Roger and Brian discuss how he wishes to live the "quiet life." If you are a Queen fan, this is great footage of the band members detailing the work done on these songs, and along with in-depth analysis and summaries of every song on the album, there are extras. Included is a live version of "Sweet Lady" at Hyde Park, Brian May's performance of "'39" and "Love of My Life", performed by Freddie and Brian.
   
   This a worthwhile DVD if you are a Queen fan who loves this particular album, and are interested in how it was composed so brilliantly. Highly recommended to all fans of Queen.



4. I'm a big fan of the 'Classic Albums' DVD series. As a fan, I'd rather see and hear about my favorite musicians' triumphs rather than their personal failures (ala' "Behind the Music"). If you're a fan of the group being profiled, you're going to enjoy the behind-the-scenes look at the making of their best-known album. I'm a Queen fan, and I thoroughly enjoyed this video.
   
   There's a lot of archival footage of Queen's mid-70s stage act (though not of the footage shows the band in the studio actually recording their music). Brand-new interviews with both Brian May and Roger Taylor comprise the bulk of this DVD's running time. Brian and Roger are as soft-spoken and thoughtful as always and I've always appreciated their dry sense of humor. Roy Thomas Baker, the album's producer, also appears sporadically as do a handful of executves who were in power at Elektra Records when Queen were under contract there. (Elektra were Queen's American distributors at one time; I am surprised no one from EMI was interviewed as this was Queen's British label). There are some rock journalists and British DJs. A variety of minor rock celebrities (Nuno Bettencourt, Joe Perry) pop in but provide very little. Freddie Mercury, of course, only appears in grainy vintage TV interviews from the early 1980s. John Deacon apparently is letting his bass work speak for itself as he declined requests to be interviewed for this project.
   
   There are many, many highlights to both Brian's and Roger's interviews. Brian, in particular, gently reminds us that although 'A Night at the Opera' was considered Queen's breakthrough album, it really exists in a continuity of musical styles and techniques going back to Queen's first album. Brian plays us excerpts of 'March of the Black Queen' and 'Procession' to bring the point home. It's always a delight to see Brian play his Red Special guitar (or an Ovation) to make a musical point, and Brian freely credits Freddie Mercury for authoring some of Queen's heaviest riffs. It's also a treat to hear Brian's solo acoustic takes on both '39' and 'Love of my Life.' Roger shares a wonderful story in which Groucho Marx gave his blessing to Queen's appropriation of the Marx Brothers' film title to their album, and its an anecdote that isn't often retold.
   
   There are also a series of 'extras' which were apparently cut from the TV Special version of this DVD. For what it's worth, I would have prefered if these sequences were simply re-edited into the continuity of the video. Still, they are great to have and the DVD is stronger for their inclusion.
   
   If you're a Queen fan (especially of the 1970s material), you'll definitely want to own this DVD. While Queen experts may already know most or all of the stories included here, it's a great tribute to one of rock music's most adventurous bands.



5. It was really a pleasure to see this DVD and realise the renewed personalities of drummer Roger Taylor and guitarist Brian May. If you remember after that Freddie passed away (RIP), they were really in a dark, gloomy mood. I don't remember their tranquility and peace of mind in an interview, since all happened, 6 years ago.
   This DVD really is illustrative with an extensive analysis of the recording process song by song with Roy Thomas Baker and Brian May (I don't know if it had would been better to add the comments of Roy Thomas Baker about the making of "Bohemian Rhapsody" that appear in "THE MAGIC YEARS" vol. I), special Roger's drum demostration (almost a clinic!... If you aren't a drummer, with these tips you can understand better the Roger Taylor style), with good introspective interviews (and the reason of the John Deacon's disappearing of the musical scene), with people that lived the bankrup of the band in '74, and finally, the making of an extraordinary masterpiece: the A NIGHT AT THE OPERA album. It's interesting see the live footage and performances between one and another interview, and a good example of this is the live track "SWEET LADY" from the DVD LIVE AT THE HYDE PARK, '76... Good Luck!

5 comments about Blue Oyster Cult - A Long Day's Night.

1. As a BOC fan for many years, this was a nice purchase that I am glad I made. Some reviewers have indicated that the mix is poor. I can say that if you listen in surround sound (5.1), it is poorly done. The sound if played in stereo through regular old TV speakers (2.0) is actually not bad. When played in surround, Buck's vocals sound like they are recorded from somewhere out in the crowd and it is very disapointing. Play the same tune on a dvd hooked up to a tv, and it sounds much better.
   The video is good and the interviews are very intersting. Nice to get an inside look at the band! I saw BOC at a small club in 2002 and this brought back great memories! BOC is a very underated band! Buck is awesome on Guitar and Allan is a real multi-talent. When I saw them live I was amazed at Allan on guitar. The mix on this DVD did not do his talent justice.
   My advise. If you are BOC fan like me, don't hesitate. Buy it! Watch it on a "non surround" system (NOT just the 2.0 setting on your surround system) and you will enjoy it. If you are a casual fan, you may not be willing to look past the audio production deficeinies.
   I hope this helps!
   Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll!!!!!



2. This will be a Fantastic addition to the music DVD library of any BOC fan. If you like concert videos that don't screw around, this is for you. A great mix of new and classic BOC tunes. Nice camera work, very smooth, without all the fast camera cuts you find in so many concert videos. No dim or lighting washed out shots. Just allot of good BOC music with great camera shots of all the musicians in the band. Also, the DVD has terrific sound. Very high quality, presented in both 5.1 dolby digital and dts, as well as digital stereo sound. Great extended versions of the songs: Last Days of May and Godzilla. A little age has not slowed these guys down at all. You should know that this is not the entire original band. The Bouchard brothers are absent on this one but Eric Bloom, Alan Lanier and of course Donald (Buck Darma) Roeser are at their finest. The replacement drummer and bass man do a fine job filling their spots as well. Danny Miranda on bass and Bobby Rondinelli on drums for those interested. The songs are as follows:
   
   Stairway to the Stars; Burning for You; OD'D on Life Itself; E.T.I.; Dance on Stilts; Harvester of Eyes; Buck's Boogie; Quicklime Girl; Flaming Telepaths; Harvest Moon; Last Days of May; Cities on Flame; M.E.262; Perfect Water; Lips in the Hills; Godzilla; Don't Fear the Reaper; Dominance and Submission; The Red and The Black.
   
   Plus band interviews, fan interviews and behind the scenes footage. The only reason I didn't give this five stars is because I saw the Cult a couple of times back in the day. They had massive shows back then with the laser lights and all kinds of effects that they didn't have here. Still a Great performance though!!!



3. Page shot his arms out, Eddie got cancer, and softie Clapton never was the man. Buck does it right! I followed BOC and was there during the Soft White Underbelly daze...they've never been better than this! You'll have a hard time putting this DVD away.



4. Video was very good, audio was terrible, very muddled. It sounded like something from the 70's equipment wise and actually I have heard better recordings from the 70's.



5. The last time I had seen Blue Oyster Cult was in 2003. The Boys put on one heck of a show. I saw this DVD on Amazon and had to have it. It looked like they were very Tight that night. Buck was unbelieveable on the guitar."Last Days of May" was great. What am I saying? the WHOLE show was GREAT. Another fine Show added to my collection.

5 comments about Harley-Davidson Cycles: Road Songs.

1. This is an excellent collection of classic rock songs associated with the open road and a free spirit, just like Harley Davidson Motorcycles.



2. As a long time motorcyclist, I was hoping this would be a collection of the greatest riding songs ever. It's not. Bob Segar's ROLL ME AWAY and Bon Jovi's DEAD OR ALIVE are not here. It blows my mind that none of the Harley CDs have ROLL ME AWAY but do have Segar's AGAINST THE WIND, which has nothing to do with riding motorcycles. I might of missed the point, but if it's a Harley CD I'm expecting more songs that are about riding or refer to motorcycles in the song.



3. This is great music to listen to while you sit around and party with your friends. For me it brings back memories of younger days. We do own a Harley, but to enjoy these tunes, it's not necessary. It's also good listening for just hanging out with the one you love.



4. This is a great CD! My only complaints are "Sacred Ground," which doesn't rock, and "Ridin' the Storm Out," which would be ok if it was the live version. But it's not. Other than that, it's the perfect CD for a road trip.



5. Awesome CD! That outta the way, this CD is the best compilation of songs I've seen in thirteen and a half years. There's nothing quite as good as listening to Radar Love, I Can't Drive 55, and On The Road Again all on the same disc set! And the songs on this album, even the mistitled Devil Went Down To Georgia (As I remember it it's called Deuling Fiddles), every single one of them, beats anything you could hear on "Today's Hit Music Station". Now, this is my personal opinion, and actually has to deal with a post on the reviews, but Mean Streak needs a life and a few spelling lessons. Sounds to me like Mean Streak is a disgruntled rice-burner boozer with a taste for music about as deep and broad as my pinkie toe. Just my opinion. Oh, and this album is a must-buy.

2 comments about Collector's Edition.

1. I have been a Skynyrd fan since the early 70's when I was a teenager. I owned several Skynyrd LPs then as well. I purchased several greatest hits CDs to try and capture as many of my favorite tunes as I could without buying a dozen CDs. This compilation of the best Skynyrd tunes was what I was looking for. It epitomizes the group's versitility in ballads like "Simple Man" and "I Need You", the down home southern rock style of "Saturday Night Special" and "Workin' for MCA", and of course the classics "Free Bird" and "Sweet Home Alabama". If you're a Skynyrd fan you can't go wrong with this CD collection.



2. THIS IS A GREAT LYNYRD SKYNYRD COLLECTION. FOR THE PRICE YOU CAN'T BEAT IT. I LOVE IT!!! IF YOU WANT A GOOD COLLECTION,BUY THIS ONE!!!!

5 comments about Hits.

1. Although no greatest hits compilation will have EVERY song you might want on it, this one comes close, including several I didn't even realize WERE by this amazing group of artists. Even though it does have a song I must regretfully admit to loathing ("We Built This City"), I give this item the HIGHEST marks!



2. It's a little hard to believe that the trippy Jefferson Airplane became the rocking Jefferson Starship only to disintegrate into the sappy Starship, but the transformation is right here on these two CDs. The songs you'd expect to find on a hits collection of these three bands are here -- Somebody to Love, White Rabbit, Miracles, Caroline, Jane and We Built This City, to name a few. For me, this compilation is worth having for the full version of Miracles, which was edited for radio play back in the 70s but is more passionate and amazing at its full length! While this set is satisfying, I'd like to see a boxed set someday...



3. I've been reading the reviews on this collection, and quite frankly, the name of this package is HITS...not what some people regard as their favorites maybe, but all the hits are there from all three incarnations of this band between 1967 and 1990. I've always been of the train of thought that band members come and go for reasons, and they chose the ones they thought would serve them the best. I don't see any of the changes this band made as any kind of sellout at all...hey, no one held a gun to their heads and said "You will make THIS type of music..." they wrote and performed the songs that were on these albums, and the ones they didn't write were ones they liked enough to record. Grace Slick and Marty Balin sounded great together...and when I had the chance to see the band in 1985, she sounded great together with Mickey Thomas...and in 2002 when I caught Mickey Thomas's Starship on tour with Eddie Money, he still sounded great doing all the Starship tunes associated with him. Every song is someone's favorite, and a lot of mine are on this collection. If you don't want to spend tons of money to get all their hits in one place, buy this collection. If, on the other hand, you prefer one period of this band's varied history over another...then go buy the best of collection from that period, or collect the albums they put out during that period. Hits collections seem to take it on the chin for not including one person's favorites or inevitably another person has to ask "how could they NOT include...?" (like the track "Winds of Change", but I already have that on another CD, it's not like I can't listen to it). All in all, great collection, comprehensive...
   and affordable.



4. Jefferson Airplane - "Hits" (Rock & Roll, Hard Rock, Psychedelic, Folk-Rock, Arena Rock) : Firstly it should be mentioned that this extensive compilation compiles the vast majority of the best / Most popular tracks from the 3 incarnations of Jefferson Airplane.....so that includes the bands transitions from "Jefferson Airplane" to "Jefferson Starship" through to just "Starship" (Which contained none of the founder members, and thus explains the radically different sound in the bands transitions).

   Seeing as this is a "Hits" album, the vast majority of their most popular & critically applauded songs throughout the various transitions of the band are complied here. From the Jefferson Airplane side, the 60's rock and psychedelic rock & Folk-rock that they made their name on, is faithfully represented here, with the excellent inclusions of "Somebody to Love / White Rabbit / Plastic Fantastic Lover".....which (for me) are amongst some of the strongest tracks featured here on this 35 track double album. Jefferson Starship gradual shift away from 60's/Psychedelic rock, to a more Area based rock, and Album oriented rock, lists their best achievements in "Caroline / Miracles / Count on me / With your love", and yet again prove themselves to be fantastic songs in their own right. The transition of their sound was complete with the move to "Starship", which had a completely different line-up of musicians and saw them embrace 80's rock/ Soft rock (not to dissimilar to 'Fleetwood Mac'), and Pop/Rock crossover....with "Sara / Nothings gonna stop us now / It not over (Til it's over)", and the anthemic "We Built this City".

   Seeing as the band went through three personality changes since it's inception, its not hard to audibly hear the transition of sound, where the band change direction musically. And herein lies the problem.....if you only like one or indeed two, of the bands incarnations, then you're going to have difficulty sitting through the tracks of the period of the band that you don't like.......and because it's one of the only albums to give a complete overview of the band, this is really only aimed at people that liked all three incarnations (irrespective of the wildly different sound), so if you are one of those people, than you'd be far better served, picking up a individual collection album of the period of the band that you like.

   For those of us, that do appreciate Jefferson's multiple musical & line-up changes, this is as exhaustive & thorough a compilation as you could possibly hope for, and serves to be an illuminating overview of the band, and a balanced portrayal of their wildly varying music. And if you can handle listening to '60's Folk-rock', through to 'Arena / Album oriented rock'....culminating in 80's soft rock (although undeniably catchy), this is the finest catalogue of a band with over 20 years of hits......and highly recommended.




5. I was somewhat amused by another reviewers description of this collection as being "bizarre". I would concur that this is an apt description as this is one group that changed personnel and musical directions so frequently that it would make your head spin. But in the final analysis, this outfit left us with a pretty impressive body of work. This two CD set released in 1998 is no doubt the best collection that has ever been offered. RCA/BMG has included a generous 35 tracks beginning with the best work of Jefferson Airplane from the late 60's. Aside from the obligatory "Somebody To Love" and "White Rabbit", selections include "Ballad of You & Me & Pooneil" as well as the title cuts from two of their popular albums of the day "Crown of Creation" and "Volunteers".
   For me, the group did it finest work in the mid to late 70's when they were known as Jefferson Starship. All of the hit singles are here including "Miracles", "With Your Love", Count On Me" and one of my personal favorites "Runaway" from 1978. Another terrific tune, 1984's "No Way Out" is also included.
   The group had another metamorphisis in 1985 when they emerged as simply Starship. And much to my amazement, the group scored with several of its biggest hits ever including "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now", "Sara" and of course "We Built This City". All three of those tunes reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.
   While I enjoyed the music, Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship/Starship was never among my very favorite bands. There are really more tracks here that I required. But as a practical matter this package remains the best collection available. The remastering job is excellent and the 12 page booklet that is included is OK. All in all, a pretty good deal.

5 comments about Virgin Killer.

1. Early Scorpions at their best. The music is more psychadelic with Uli Jon Roth handling the lead guitar duties and some of the lead vocals.
   
   If you are a fan of the band this is definately a must buy. If you like classic hard rock music you will enjoy this album.



2. I had an unlabled burnt cd of this album for years, and didn't have any clue what it was. When someone finally let me know that it was in fact The Scorpions' 1976 album Virgin Killer, I did not believe them. It certainly is not the watered down cheese version of The Scorpions that I know of.
   But, it is true. This really is The Scorpions. Back when they were a full driven seventies hard rock band... and believe me, this stuff holds up. If you are into that seventies hard rock/metal breed, you will surely dig this album. Just about every song is an intense guitar rocker, with flaring high pitched vocals, on par with Priest and early Maiden, only with a gutter trash metal feel of say Twisted Sister, when they were in their prime. It would be safe to say that around this time frame, The Scorpions may have been one of the heaviest rocking bands around. They have long since left that image in the dust as far as I know of. I saw The Scorps a few years ago, and they sucked. They played one of the longest, most gruelingly boring sets I have ever seen in my life. Needless to say not a single track from this era of the bands career was represented, because if some of these songs had been fired up, I'm sure I would have responded with more enthusiasm.
   Anyway... this is a killer disc of hard rock that sounds great blaring through the speakers. Not in a campy-remember-when-this-was-cool kind of way either, like the bands eighties hits (I'm guilty of spinning a few of them). I'm suprised more metal fans don't know this stuff. Why there are no song samples available is beyond me. They're keeping it a secret I guess. There are song samples from their 1975 album In Trance here at Amazon, which isn't as good but it ain't to shabby either and will give you an idea about how much this band sounds NOTHING like the Scorpions you are probably familiar with. However, In Trance has a lot more ballad type songs on it. Virgin Killer is pretty much all heavy.
   As a footnote or a "fun fact", this album also has an alternate cover that was banned in the US, where something strange is happening to a seemingly pre-pubescent girl. I admit that even I was just a little bit disturbed by it.
   BUT, if you are into collecting that classic raw seventies metal (and I'm sure that if you are, you can never have too much) I seriously recommend this. Seriously, it's not a joke.



3. The low rating does not refer to the quality of the songs in this album, which is, of course, a total Scorpions classic. The low rating is to thsi edition especifically. It is not remastered, the sound is crap, one of the worst transfers from LP to CD that I have witnessed. Just be warned.



4. an excellent early scorpions release. Uli Roths final album with the crew.
   Another must have.



5. Virgin Killer is the ultimate Roth-era Scorpions record for me.The others are good,but this one just rocks more and has more variety,not to mention Uli is balls out on almost every track.Catch Your Train stands up to the legendary performance of Sails Of Charon quite well,in my opinion.I actually prefer it,as it just seems even heavier,and Uli is shredding all over the place.The whacked out chord in Crying Days will stick in your mind forever.There are so many great guitar moments on this disc,I could go on and on...the solo on Backstage Queen....the entire Hendrix-tinged Polar Nights.....just magic.
   
   If you only get one Uli Roth cd,let this be the one.

5 comments about So What.

1. As good as THE SMOKER YOU DRINK... is, this is Joe's most mature, consistent album. Every song is a winner, if not attaining rock classic status like "Rocky Mountain Way" and "Meadows" from TSYD... (although "Turn To Stone" comes pretty darn close).
   
   The production is excellent, arrangements just perfect for each song.
   
   I first heard this when it came out in the 70s. I was (and still am) a huge Yes fan; but back then I was an even bigger Art-Rock snob (fortunately, I grew out of THAT!). If it wasn't Yes, Genesis, Gentle Giant, Jethro Tull, then it was crap.
   
   My brother brought this home and put it on the stereo. After a couple listens, I found myself putting it on! My bro and I had a garage band, and we played a couple tracks from this (as well as some Marshall Tucker...).
   
   I eventually bought the LP myself....
   
   "Song For Emma" always makes me cry. Thanks for sharing the story about Emma being Joe's daughter - I didn't know that. It'll probably make me cry even more the next time I hear it!
   
   This is a must-have disc. You will not regret it.
   
   
   
   -



2. Classic Joe Walsh. You can't go wrong with this one. Of course, if you're looking, you've probably already heard or remember most of this one. Go ahead, get it!



3. Imagine Joe Walsh at a yard sale looking through the worn items for sale. Items that were once new and useful are now no longer needed or wanted and just in the way. There's a subtle sadness there, and Joe would surely notice it. He notices things things like that, and writes songs about the sorrow and irony of those inconspicuous realities. In the song County Fair Joe sings:
   
   Found an old puzzle somebody had quit
   Tried a few pieces and hoped that they fit
   But they're going together so slowly
   It may take me forever to know
   If it's only a puzzle
   
   Then in Falling Down:
   
   Making no deposit, no return
   Making the same mistakes, we never learn
   All of the pain in those faces
   Trying not to show concern
   Spent and broken
   Like a worn out subway token
   ...in the city
   Rain doesn't have to hurry in the city
   Falls sadly to the ground
   ...the only way to fall is down
   
   So What (1975) is probably Joe Walsh's saddest album, but one of his best, too. Joe's young daughter, Emma, was tragically killed in a traffic accident while on the way to nursery school the year before. The emotional Emma's Song, which closes the album, was written and performed for her. It's a very personal tribute. Joe keeps his trademark sense of humor in tact, though. Dan Fogelberg joins in for the short, funny, and acoustic All Night Laundry Mat Blues, and in Time Out Joe sings:
   
   The maids are in the hallway
   Bangin' on the door
   Askin' what the funny smell was
   Wake you up and tell you
   It's OK to sleep some more
   By the way, is there any you can sell us?
   
   Walsh updates Turn To Stone from his Barnstorm album, and the version here sounds great, even better than the earlier one. Welcome To The Club, County Fair, and Time Out all rock with plenty of great guitar, too. Help Me Make It Thru The Night is a solid ballad, one of Joe's best, and it's a nice fit here. If you you like Joe Walsh, you really can't go wrong with So What.



4. 
   "So What" has been available on a US-only CD for years, but the issue is an ok-only mid 90's non-remastered bog standard version with a crap informationless slip inlay. And for an audiophile's dream of an album (beautifully produced by Walsh himself and John Stronach) is a huge let down. That is until now.
   
   In Oct 2004 in Japan, they re-issued "Barnstorm" (1972), "The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get" (1973) and "So What" (1974) on CD in 24-bit remastered form (says so on the booklets). And better still, they are full US REPRO MINI LP SLEEVES - complete with So What's embossed outer and inner sleeves - and both Smoker & Barnstorm in their hard card gatefolds - very tastefully done. I finally got all three and fans should know that the sound on all is fabulous - especially Smoker & So What. If you're a lover of these 70's classics, you must own them!
   
   "So What" has guest appearances from Randy Meisner, Don Henley and Glenn Frey of The Eagles with J.D. Souther and Dan Fogelberg contributing too (so sad to hear of Fogelberg's recent passing).
   
   "Turn To Stone", "Time Out". "Help Me Through The Night" and the gorgeous melodic rock of "County Fair" are just some of the highlights on this superb album.
   
   As Japanese imports, "So What" and the other 2 titles are not as cheap as normal US issues for sure (especially given the strength of the yen against the dollar), but they're worth every penny. Joe Walsh and Eagles fans have been waiting for these for years.
   
   Come on Geffen! Re-issue the great man's catalogue in the UK and USA! And do it properly! Why do we have to look abroad for decent issues??



5. "So What" has been available on a US-only CD for years, but the issue is an ok-only mid 90's non-remastered bog standard version with a crap informationless slip inlay. And for an audiophile's dream of an album (beautifully produced by Walsh himself and John Stronach) is a huge let down. That is until now.
   
   In Oct 2004 in Japan, they re-issued "Barnstorm" (1972), "The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get" (1973) and "So What" (1974) on CD in 24-bit remastered form (says so on the booklets). And better still, they are full US REPRO MINI LP SLEEVES - complete with So What's embossed outer and inner sleeves - and both Smoker & Barnstorm in their hard card gatefolds - very tastefully done. I finally got all three and fans should know that the sound on all is fabulous - especially Smoker & So What. If you're a lover of these 70's classics, you must own them!
   
   "So What" has guest appearances from Randy Meisner, Don Henley and Glenn Frey of The Eagles with J.D. Souther and Dan Fogelberg contributing too (so sad to hear of his recent loss). "Turn To Stone", "Time Out". "Help Me Through The Night" and the gorgeous melodic rock of "County Fair" are just some of the highlights.
   
   As Japanese imports, "So What" and the other 2 titles are not as cheap as normal US issues for sure (especially given the strength of the yen against the dollar), but they're worth every penny. Joe Walsh and Eagles fans have been waiting for these for years.
   
   Come on Geffen! Re-issue the great man's catalogue in the UK and USA! And do it properly! Why do we have to look abroad for decent issues??