5 comments about Complete Studio Recordings.

1. From the very first time I heard Led Zepplin I thought they were great. Having everything at one time is a dream come true. I probably had every one of these albums but at different times. And the remastered whoo! Its like hearing them for the first time. Thank you for letting me have a say.



2. Led Zeppelin were the progenitors of an entirely new approach to hard rock music that continues to influence the work of recording artists to this day. They seamlessly fused a diversity of musical styles into a coherent new sub-genre of rock and roll. Robert Plant's vocals were more than just lyrics with melody - he used his voice as a contributing instrument that augmented Jimmy Page's versatile (and sometimes mind-blowingly complex) guitar riffs. John Bonham's brutal drum onslaught remains legendary to this day. He played the drums like he lived - fast and hard (and he died way too young). John Paul Jones' bass playing was only the tip of the iceberg with regard to his talent and skill. A true multi-instrumentalist, he was also Zeppelin's keyboardist, he played mandolin, ukelele and sitar on some tracks, and the recorder (sounds a little like a flute if you're unfamiliar with it) on Stairway To Heaven.
   
   While I can see what other reviewers are talking about when they make mention of the cardboard sleeves that the cds come in, it doesn't seem that big a problem to me. I make back-up copies of all my cds as soon as they arrive and put the originals away for safe keeping, so sliding them in and out of the sleeves repeatedly isn't going to be a major issue for me.
   
   This is an excellent box set of Zepp's studio recordings. Granted, it would have been nice to have "The Song Remains The Same" included, but even without it, it's a set well worth the money. Highly recommended!



3. I came of age while this music was fresh and current. It was all around me: on the radio, at parties, at friends' houses, college dorm, bars, restaurants ... everywhere basically. My affection of their music was rekindled with the publicity surrounding their reunion on 12/10/07 and I downloaded the bootleg online. Shortly after, I purchased MOTHERSHIP but after giving those disks a few spins, I realized there were too many gaps that needed to be filled and this set was the only solution. The only way it could have made this better would be if it were packaged in an LP-sized box so that the album artwork was in its original size rather than thumbnails.



4. Finally a set of all the studio recordings! Page did a great job remastering them. Make sure you listen on a decent stereo, not just you iPod!!!



5. Now I can toss my collection of cassettes! Sorry to see them go but I'm jammin' in remastered style now.
   
   
   Must have if you appreciate the immortal sounds of this band.

5 comments about Led Zeppelin.

1. my husband was very satified with this product and it made the perfect father's day gift.



2. This is a very good collection of Led Zeppelin tunes, and the remastering by Jimmy Page highlights the guitars (surprise surprise). An outstanding collection for those who don't want or need the full albums. But beware, Atlantic Records is releasing a new compilation, "Mothership" in November 2007. Overall, this set is much more comprehensive with its four CDs than Mothership's two CDs. Mothership will also be available in an edition with a bonus DVD, but according to news reports that will also just be recycled material from the earlier issued Led Zeppelin DVD. This set, along with the full DVD, is probably better, because you get more Zep. But very casual fans may find "Mothership" adequate.



3. Let me make clear at the outset that this review is NOT intended to be critical of Led Zeppelin as a musical group, and hopefully avoid some terrible comments and negative feedback. I like Led Zeppelin. I have every song they ever recorded. Wonderful band. Unfortunately, no matter how great of a band they are, that can't save this boxed set from being truly awful.
   
   Honestly, I can't begin to understand the inspiration behind this collection. It's four discs of music containing almost - but not quite - everything the band ever recorded, including some off-album tracks that can be harder to get. Certainly, this set collects the majority of the desirable Led Zeppelin tracks, but unfortunately, it also collects a large amount of other detritus that will only be of interest to the dedicated fan and will most likely be skipped over by the casual listener. I don't know what the audience of this boxed set is supposed to be, but the odds are you aren't it.
   
   Aside from being a somewhat scrambled set, this box carefully avoids collecting all of the tracks from even one of Led Zeppelin's original studio albums, no doubt in a ploy to force listeners to purchase another CD or 10. The completist will be dissatisfied with the fact that there are gaping holes in this collection, while the casual fan or an individual just looking for radio hits, in addition to finding a couple of notables missing, will find much, much more material here than he could ever want. For a short while, the Led Zeppelin Boxed Set Volume 2 2-CD set served to complete the box and turn it into a complete collection of studio recordings, but that box has long since gone out of production, forcing anybody who finds that they like the majority of the music on these 4 discs to either lay out for the 10-CD boxed set or buy the CDs individually, and in both cases utterly invalidates their purchase of this set.
   
   I can't recommend this set to anybody. Led Zeppelin is a terrific band - II, IV, Houses of the Holy, and still more are all classic rock recordings - but this boxed set has an audience of exactly nobody. For dedicated fans, I recommend that you go out and get the 10-CD complete recording set, and for casual fans, I would recommend one of the many other 1 and 2 CD greatest hits compilations, or just going straight to the original recordings to get a taste of what the group is all about. This box, however, will ultimately satisfy nobody.



4. I bought both Vol.1&2 Box sets and I really regret doing that, the songs are in no particular order and growing up hearing Zep songs your used to certain songs running together such as "Heartbreaker" into "Living loving maid" or "you shook me" into "dazed and confused" you get none of that classic line up on here. Led Zeppelin were an ALBUM band and their Classic music should be listened to as they intended it to be heard, one album at a time. I plan in the future to buy all of the individual albums.
   I highly recommend anyone else to go that direction also.



5. The order arrived 5 days late, and my emails to inquire about it went unanswered. So when it did arrive, I was a little upset. The packaging of this collection is exactly like that of an old LP collection, and I immediately thought "Oh great, they sent the wrong media!". But it turned out to be right. There are some minor flaws with the CDs (this is not their fault either) in that they play correctly, but iTunes could not convert 3 songs on 2 different discs. To get around the problem, I had to use another program to rip the songs to hard disk, then import them.

5 comments about The Complete Recordings.

1. What else can I add that hasn't already been said about Robert Johnson? Actually, there is a lot of information and observations that have long been ignored by the Blues community and magazines and newspapers like Rolling Stone and The New York Times. He was a lyrical and musical genius who, as Elijah Wald has pointed out in "Escaping the Delta", perfectly crafted his songs. In other words, his songs were intended to reach mass audiences and were not necessarily expressions of his torment as a black man living in Mississippi. At any rate, "Crossroads Blues", "Stones In My Passway", "Love In Vain" and "Preachin' Blues (Up Jumped The Devil" are masterful. There is one important thing to keep in mind, though. It is something that so-called Blues fans often forget. Johnson consciously imitated Kokomo Arnold, Son House, Scrapper Blackwell, Skip James, Leroy Carr, Peetie Wheatstraw and others. He was a synthesis of all that had come before him. Another artist he greatly admired was Lonnie Johnson, even going so far as to tell people that he was related to the man. "Malted Milk" and "Drunken Hearted Man" are closely related to Lonnie Johnson's style of playing during this period. Unfortunately, Johnson died at the age of twenty seven, and just as unfortunate is the fact that a man of equal brilliance, Johnny Shines, has never been given his due as a brilliant slide player, lyricist, and much better singer than Robert Johnson. People who say they love Robert Johnson's music and believe that he made a deal with the Devil should honestly look into Johnson's roots and realize that men like Willie McTell, Lonnie Johnson and Johnny Shines were just as talented as young Robert.



2. I first encountered Robert Johnson's story as did many people in the movie "Crossroads" with Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca (ironically one of the Larks who recorded Sonny Boy Williamson II's "Eyesight To The Blind"), Jami Gertz (what a fox!), Steve Vai (master guitarist) and Ry Cooder (offscreen).
   That is where the story came together. You see the story about selling his soul to the devil at the crossroads was told by Tommy Johnson and even before him. Robert Johnson's songs which mentioned the Devil, Hellhounds, Crossroads, etc. made it very tempting to tie the two stories together. Jim O'Neill co-founder of Living Blues magazine once told me that he was talking with his fellow blueshounds trying to figure out exactly when the stories came together. With some research I found and videoed an interview with the widow of the man who dug Robert Johnson's grave in a church cemetary, ironically at what is probably the church at which Alex "Rice" Miller AKA Sonny Boy Williamson II preached as a child. None of the people in the church remember that connection but I found Sonny Boy's childhood home down the road a piece in Money. The Little Zion Church is closer to Greenwood on the same road.
   
   Ironically again, this is not the Complete Robert Johnson recordings as a alternative of Travellin' Riverside Blues which was later discovered in the Library of Congress is missing as the 42nd recording.
   
   Can't You Hear the Wind Howl? The Life and Music of Robert Johnson, the estate's version of his story, is my favorite documentary on Robert Johnson because it plays short excerpts of his songs so you can get used to the sound and the lyrics in small portions.
   
   I had the pleasure of working with Robert Lockwood Jr., Robert Johnson's stepson (who considered me family and I guess that makes me Robert Johnson's grandson as much as he was Robert Johnson's son -- pretty hip for a white boy) and interviewing him extensively about their relationship. Standing across the street from the site of the house he lived in with Robert Johnson when he learned Sweet Home Chicago, I waited until he played it for me to say, "That's amazing!" to which he answered "If it's good; it's been here first."
   
   I highly recommend all Searching for Robert Johnson, The Afterlife of Robert Johnson and Can't You Hear The Wind Howl? as each reveals different information about this outstanding musician who took what had come before him and made it his. Robert Lockwood Jr. did the same thing with Robert's music, first by encouraging Muddy Waters to record it in the 40s and 50s and then with a new 12-string guitar reinventing and revitalizing from 1960 for another quarter century until his death. This music still jumps off the record or CD and tells its story clearly, colorfully and powerfully.
   
   I will always treasure the time I got to spend with Robert Lockwood Jr. who reintroduced me to the music of Robert Johnson and made it part of my life. I still can't play or sing but I love the poetry of the blues.



3. I recognize these recordings as the beginning of the blues. They are simple and exciting.



4. Don't bother with single disc collections, just buy this. You'll want to grab it for the extra tracks eventually, so save your money and get this version. I originally had the King of the Delta Blues single disc, which is great, but lacks a lot of really good songs included here.
   
   As a guitarist, I had bought Robert Johnson: The New Transcriptions, which matches up with this two-disc set. So that's why I finally bought this set and I give it a hearty five of five, a must-own for any good blues collection.



5. This is a necessity for any music fan. It may take a few listens to start to sink in, but worth the effort.

5 comments about Can't Quit the Blues.

1. Can this mans career be compressed down to three CDs?
   In my opinion no. He is one of "THE GREATs". But this set gives you a very good sampling of some of his best work.
   
   Every song included is good. Not a dud in the whole bunch.
   
   The extra DVD included is a big plus for all us Buddy Guy fans. And the little booklet that's stapled into the box cover has some good extra material also.
   
   All in all - a very good package that is well worth the money.
   
   I does make me want to fill out my collection and get more of his music.



2. Nice survey of Guy's career. Three CD's full of some of Guy's best. The DVD contains an extensive interview and good concert footage, but beware! The DVD is 4:3 standard definition or letterbox within 4:3 throughout. It shouldn't be a surprise that concert footage covering 30+ years would largely be standard def, but it is surprising that nothing on this DVD is formatted for widescreen.



3. I purchased this box set during one of Amazon's Gold Box specials. I was excited about the box set and just couldn't wait till it arrived. 2-1/2 weeks after placing the order, it arrived. I opened the package, opened the box set and could not get the CDs loose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I broke my thumbnail, I have pressed and mashed, still the CDs will not release! The only way I see to get the CDs out without breaking the center is to destroy the packaging. Help! the packaging may keep the CDs in place during mailing, but can't there be a choice between "Child proof" and regular? I am so disapointed that I can't get the CDs out.
   Maybe this is a great set, but I can't hear it!



4. I have not even listened to the cd's yet. I went straight for the DVD and was just realy impressed. Great stuff. I paid full price of $45 too...and dont even regret it because I always wanted some good Buddy Guy footage. Now I have it. I am a guitar nut extreme and this is great stuff.



5. This was a gift to a friend who learned to play the guitar at age 60 and really loves blues music. He was thrilled with this CD.

5 comments about People Take Warning! Murder Ballads & Disaster Songs 1913-1938.

1. When I drive down the road in my 2006 Honda Accord and have this collection playing on my six changer cd player I feel like it's 1922 in Alabama and I'm in my Ford jalopy listening to some great radio station from the past. These songs not only tell stories of the past they make you feel for people you have never met. It's a great collection.



2. Received these cds just before a trip from VA to TX.
   Took me over 200 miles of happy interstate driving
   (with nary a disaster)!



3. On a recommendation from a friend, I picked this up even though I only own the Harry Smith Anthology and really no other reissue collections. I'm now sold! This is at least on the same level as the Harry Smith collection if not much better. This set is a thoughtfully constructed, almost visionary collection of pre-1938 recordings, with each one of the recordings demonstrating something lost in the current "musical vocabulary" that is being put out now. Besides sounding fantastic and looking great, the package also includes deeply revealing annotations and notes by Hank Sapoznik, Christopher King and Tom Waits. I've listened to the set for hours and read and re-read the notes and tried to take in all the compelling graphics. It is indeed a singular experience and a true artistic success.



4. An interesting peak into early 20th century culture.The packaging is top notch.As for the music,it sounds like 20 or 30 versions of the same song,especially given the primitive recording techinques.I might suggest to Tompkins Square they re-record these song using modern artists ie Steve Earle,Dwight Yokum etc.Sort of like the Phil Alvin "Lost Songs"lp from 1985.
   In short ,historically interesting,musically tedious.



5. I can not think of a better set to have received as a Christmas gift. From Waits' introduction through the transfer quality of the audio all the way down to the panoramic pictures in the book, this set is a must-have for any serious music collector or lover.

5 comments about The Complete Studio Recordings Mississippi John Hurt.

1. Mississippi John Hurt is the best blues performer of all times. No leser show, no smoke, no big talk, but MUSIC!!!
   Music that comes from his personality and soul!!!



2. This is a fantastic collection that ANYONE with even a passing interest in folk should own. Mississippi John Hurt's music is so powerful and so delicate, so raw and beautiful at the same time. I love the way he frequently finishes his vocal lines with his guitar, making the instrument an extension, or rather an essential part of his voice. Don't hesitate, if you found your way to this page you will enjoy this album.



3. Am enjoying Missisippi John Hurt very much. Very relaxing. Was very happy that he lived to see the fruits of his wonderful labor of love.



4. His singing and guitar playing is just as good as on the early recordings.



5. C H I C K E N
   That's how you spell chicken!
   
   This won't be a particularly helpful review because I don't "know" music. All I can say that ever since seeing The Blues Brothers, I have enjoyed listening to blues without knowing much about it. Favorites include Howlin' Wolf and Robert Johnson... and John Hurt.
   
   He had a great voice. Cool vocals + cool lyrics = really listenable music. I am so greatful to my Yahoo!Music player for introducing me to him. :)

5 comments about Crossroads.

1. TYPICAL 1980'S CD BOXSET.
   
   This was your typical 1980's boxset, when CD technology was first emerging. It contains about 60% previously released material, and 40% unreleased material (many of which should have never been released). Personally, I was not a fan of these releases, but I bought them anyway because the CD selections at the time were very limited.
   
   Since this is an 1980's boxset, the sound quality is poor. Well, it isn't horrible, but it isn't very good. The sound is a little flat and muffled. It certainly, is not very good by today's CD standards.
   
   The sound quality on most CD's 1980's CD's was not very good. Sure they sounded better than cassette tapes (which were the most popular media of the time), but they did not come close to the sound of a good quality LP. It is why there were so many vinyl snobs at the time. But then, the CD's didn't have the pops and noise that even brand new LP's could have.
   
   It should be noted that many of the CD's from the 1980's, into the early 1990's are now being remastered for better sound. This boxset could really use it, but I doubt it will happen. Again, the sound quality is not horrible. If you were going to just load this into iTunes and play it on your iPod, it is probably acceptable. However, it you want a true retrospect of an artist's career, it deserves better sound quality.
   
   Since this CD was released in the 1980's the time of each disc is close to 74 minutes, without going over 74 minutes. (At this time, the maximum length of a CD was 74 minutes...I'll explain below).
   
   As you can see from reading the song titles, this set contains a sampling of Claptons work from the 1960's to the mid 1980's when the boxset was released. Most things are covered here, except Clapton's adventures as a guest musician on many other people's albums.
   
   Of note is about 3/4 of an album that would have been the second Derek and the Dominoes studio album. And that probably almost makes buying this boxset worthwhile.
   
   In the 1980's this boxset was an interesting buy. But, now, you can get the whole Clapton catalog on remastered CD's with much better sound. You can buy the things you like and forgo the other stuff. If you want a Clapton boxset, I would suggest getting Crossroads 2 instead.
   
   Why were CD's only 74 minutes and they are now 80 minutes long? The real time of a CD is 74 minutes. But, there is a manufacturing tolerance to the bit size and sampling speed. So, to get 80 minutes out of a CD, manufacturers just use the upper end of the spec limit.



2. It's a sad actuality that neither Eric Clapton, nor one of the many bands he was in, ever generated a "Sgt. Pepper" album. Why is this? Probably due to the fact that Clapton moved from one band, on to the next, and on to the next, etc. I think his best shot for a big album would have been with CREAM but, egos being what they were, this super-band unfortunately didn't last all that long.
   
   So here's what we're left with, "Crossroads" is a superb Eric Clapton compendium album, a body of work completed in this great guitarist's lifetime... with a little help from his friends. This album is the one you want if you plan to own only a single Clapton CD -- it pretty much contains every ACTUAL hit he ever had. Yes, some will say that this one or that one was a big hit (mostly guitarists will say this), but I'm talking about what was popular and played a lot on the radio during The Great Days, and some since that time.
   
   Here's MY list, all of which are on this CD set: For Your Love, (Yardbirds); I Feel Free, Sunshine of Your Love, White Room, (Cream); Layla (Derek and the Dominoes); After Midnight, Let it Rain, I Shot the Sheriff, Knockin' on Heaven's Door, Lay Down Sally, Wonderful Tonight, Cocaine (Eric Clapton). These were SUPER-hits. Yes, I'm aware that the very name of this album is "Crossroads" -- but that song simply never caught on. When it came out, it fell into quick obscurity with the D.J.s across the country.
   
   Sadly, Blind Faith held incredible potential but pretty much only produced really impressive studio jams -- they were a bit aimless. And Clapton's period with John Mayall produced nothing notable. There were some other brief bands but I've covered the important ones.
   
   As far as I can tell, the NEW "Complete Clapton" CD release (being heavily marketed now) apparently bypasses Clapton's time with The Yardbirds -- if that's the case, they should have called it "INcomplete Clapton" because if it's missing "For Your Love," then it's a beautifully packaged ripoff!!!
   
   Complete Clapton
   
   So, what I'm telling you is that there are a ZILLION Eric Clapton compendium CDs on the market, under his name and sometimes under various band names. For some reason (probably copyright limitations), most of these omnibus albums each contain a few hits and are otherwise glutted with Clapton boogie-jam leftovers. These (often bootlegged CDs) typically proclaim 'The Best of Clapton'... not so. Honestly, they could have scaled the "Crossroads" CD down to the Big 12 and it would have been fine with me.
   
   I've given you the BIG hits and they're all on this CD. I've been a guitar player since Clapton first got rolling so I've been heavily influenced by his brilliant artistry -- I'm just a little sad that The Big One never happened for him, given the large number of hits he's generated, with one band or another.



3. Great album. My boyfriend loved it as a birthday gift. Haha, he plays it all the time now. :)



4. This is an excellent boxed set to get, especially if you can find at a reasonable price.
   
   However Clapton has done such a lot of good stuff since 1988, that it now represents only about half his career. So theres nothing from Unplugged, From The Cradle, 24 Nights, Me and Mr Johnson, Riding With The King etc etc. Its also worth baring in mind that Claptons 80's stuff was frequently over-produced and his choice of material was veto'd (the album August being a good example) by the record company. If in doubt have a listen to the samples on disc 4.
   
   That said its still a great collection:
   The Yardbirds, John Mayalls Blues Breakers, Cream, unreleased Cream at the BBC, unreleased Derek and the Dominos, previously unreleased live solo recordings. This gives you 73 tracks on 4 cd's. The unreleased Derek and the Dominos stuff is superb. Apparently not only is it unreleased its also unfinished. Well I'll tell you if thats how unfinished sounds, there are a lot of record companies out there who have no idea how to produce records, because these tracks sound fantastic.
   
   The box is LP size (thats 30cm square for the younger generation) and the booklet that comes with the box is informative and well written. The artwork for the cover is by Ronnie Wood.



5. Although this set doesn't go past 1988 (the year it was released),"Crossroads" includes some of Clapton's best material with the various bands he was a member of (The Yardbirds, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Cream, Blind Faith, Derek and the Dominos) and solo. While some of these previously unreleased and rare tracks have since shown up on some other reissues, this is the only place (to date) to find early versions of "Tell the Truth", "Roll It Over" (both produced by Phil Spector and one track featuring George Harrison & Dave Mason on guitar. These were produced during the "All Things Must Pass" sessions)and the tracks from the unfinished second Dominos album.
   
   The sound quality on this set is quite good. The masters aren't as compressed (if at all) compared to the reissues of Clapton's back catalog. As a result the CD doesn't sound quite as "loud" (much of that volume on the remasters is due to the dynamic range being squashed and the masters EQ'd taking much of the musical "punch" out of the music) as the Clapton remasters. Detail is very good on most of these tracks and although with some restoration on the Yardbirds tracks at the beginning because of the fragile nature of the masters they were pulled from. Overall, Bill Levenson and his team did a terrific job here.
   
   This is a terrific set with a nice mix of live material, songs that Clapton performed on ("Comin' Home") and recorded as a solo artist. While his guitar didn't blaze quite as hard on the studio recordings for many ofhis solo recordings, this was a phase in Clapton's development where he was developing and focusing on his singing as much (if not more)than focusing on his guitar playing. That's not to say that he doesn't play well, it just sounds different than his hot, crazed playing for Cream and the tortured blues solos as a member of Derek and the Dominos.
   
   The booklet has notes by Rolling Stone writer Anthony DeCurtis (interesting note--Clapton was so devasted by a critical Rolling Stone article about Cream that it helped convince him to break up the band. The article was completely out of line but managed to push Clapton into something that would have happened eventually given the volatile nature of the egos in Cream). Although this remaster is nearly 20 years old, it still sounds extremely good. Unlike many remasters, this was remastered pretty flat without all the compression and goosing that many remasters feature that make things louder but worsen the sound quality.

5 comments about Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts From The British Empire And Beyond.

1. I love Nuggets I & II(Children of Nuggets will be up next to listen to this week). I thought that I'd be skipping over many songs, since I'd hardly heard of any of them, but I was wrong. These volumes have clued me in on how much great music I missed the first time around in the 60's. Most of the songs hold up on their own, and should have been heard more widely on these shores. Between the quality music, and the informative notes, this is a must-hear for lovers of Rock.



2. The bits and pieces of the British invasion that mostly never left port and a few from their neighbors is great.....all are interesting....most are just good rock 'n rolling from that time period....influences abound....its a joy and a treasure



3. Nuggets 2 is packed. 109 songs giant booklet - great songs. Problem is atleast 30-40% of the tracks are deriative sound-alike garage rock that after listening to once i dont listen to again. I must say the booklet artwork and presentation is class all the way and there are atleast two dozen great great tunes here- especially the more pysche tinged numbers but in my humble opinion this could have been a cheaper priced double cd set that would have been flawless. If you can buy it used then its a good deal and ebay prices confirm youll make most of your money back if you just want to burn the cds. Standouts include Tomorrow- Timebox- Winstons Fumbs- Fire- The Mickey finn- The Creation and the Eyes whose "rowed out" sounds like i cant explain-! There are some obscure bands that its nice to be able to hear most likely only on this comp but wellknown groups like the Small faces and the Pretty things are not done justice with the tracks picked to represent them. Ofcourse everyone's favorite songs will always be different so this review is based on my particular views on what makes a good tune- i do prefer pysche to garage but atleast two of my favorites are total garage but with a creative (pysche twist) in particular Real Crazy Apartment by Winstons Fumbs is stellar.



4. While the original Nuggets LP and the first box set concentrated on the American pop and rock scene, the second Nuggets box shifted its focus to the rest of the world, collecting cuts from the United Kingdom (such as the Pretty Things and the Small Faces), Canada (The Guess Who and The Haunted), Japan (The Mops), Australia (The Easybeats, The Masters Apprentices), Iceland (Thor's Hammer) and Brazil (Os Mutantes). Practically none of these songs are well known in America, with only two of them being US hits ("Friday on My Mind" by the Easybeats and "Pictures of Matchstick Men" by the Status Quo). The rest of the songs may be obscure, but they are oh so wonderful. It's like listening to the greatest hits of an alternate Earth. Fans of '60s pop and rock music, and especially the garage band sound, should get this for sure.



5. a companion to the "Nuggets" box which focused on American garage rock of the sixties, this one instead collects gems from around the world, although the vast majority of it comes from the UK. not for the casual fan however, as very few if any of the songs and bands would be familiar to someone with only a passing interest. extremely well put together and researched, and great sound. anyone who listens to Little Steven's Underground Garage radio show will enjoy this.

5 comments about The Complete Stax-Volt Singles 1959-1968.

1. It's impossible to give this less than 5 stars, this is what music
   is all about, timeless pieces of music, and while listen to this
   I go through memory lane time and time again



2. Along with Motown, Stax was home to the legends of soul. Sure the sets get weaker with volumes 2 and 3 , but how could you own one without the others. Even some of the worst tracks from Stax are 90 % better than what was played on the radio at the time.



3. If you're reading this, you probably don't need me to tell you about how great the music was that came out of Stax records in the 60s. What you probably do want to know is if you should plunk down $100 of your hard-earned money for this box set.
   
   If you're not already a fan of Stax or 60s soul, this probably isn't the best place to start. Check out the 4-disc Stax Story, which includes 3 discs of primo Memphis soul and a disc of killer live tracks. If you're left wanting more, this singles collection is the next step.
   
   Next, you should know that you're not getting nine discs of solid gold. There is some filler, but amazingly little. If you enjoy discovering obscure or hidden nuggets, there's a whole gold mine waiting for you here. During the years covered here, the quality control at Stax seems to have been set at an incredibly high level.
   
   Finally, note the dates in the title. This set ends in 1968, when Stax records dissolved its partnership with Atlantic. This box is released by Atlantic, so it also ends in 1968, although Stax continued releasing music into the mid-70s. This is something that will drive completists crazy, although it's not a deal-breaker, at least in my opinion. Following Otis Redding's death in 1968, the music coming out of Stax gradually became smoother and more orchestrated, so the music collected here is mostly the grittier, hard-grooving Stax. That said, though, this set won't get you the gems that did come out of late period Stax, so if you're looking for classics like the Staples Singers' "Respect Yourself" or "I'll Take You There," Jean Knight's "Mr. Big Stuff," Isaac Hayes' "Theme from Shaft," or Linda Lydell's "What a Man"--all classic, well known songs--you won't find them here.



4. "Knock On Wood", "Soul Man", "Gee Whiz", "Green Onions,"
   "Last Night", "Hold On I'm Comin'", "Walkin' The Dog" and
   "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay." What do all these songs have in common? Sure, they're great soul and rhythm & blues tunes, but something more. What do Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, Sam & Dave, Eddie Floyd, Otis Redding and Albert King have in common? Rhythm & blues and soul superstars, yes, but that same something is also true. These songs and these artists all recorded for the "little label that could": STAX. In the '60s, Stax became a local R&B music giant in Memphis. The company was founded and ran by Jim Stewart, a country fiddle player and former banker, who was first exposed to R&B when he recorded a local doo-wop group called the Veltones with their song, "Fool In Love." As Rufus Thomas a local disc jockey heard the song, he and daughter Carla cut "Cause I Love You", a great R&B gem for Jim. When the record got out, Atlantic Records heard this fresh new sound and got in on the distribution deal with Stax that would exist as a handshake deal to a documented deal up until May 1968. What also happened during that time? Musical history.
   
   At nine CDs, this set offers the complete history of what made Stax absolutely phenomenal. As you listen all the way
   through, hopefully not all in one sitting since it's quite exhaustive unless you end up loving it that much, you'll notice as you start from disc one the experimental stages at trying to find and develop a distinct sound and progressing towards it. Some of the songs on disc four display it and from there on all the way to disc nine, it's there and ever-driving as can be. This is the ultimate example at what a box set is all about: covering as much material as possible. That doesn't even begin to describe what's presented here; it's too good because it is what it is: complete. There are 244 tracks in all and each CD has 25+ tracks clocking in with 70+ minutes of music on each.
   It's complete all right for it features every A-side released by Stax and the subsidiary Volt along with a few well-known B-sides. That means every Stax or Volt record released by the stars like Rufus Thomas, ("Walkin' The Dog", "Can Your Monkey Do The Dog", "Jump Back", "Sophisticated Sissy", etc.), Carla Thomas ("Gee Whiz", "B-A-B-Y", "Stop! Look What You're Doin'", "Pick Up The Pieces", etc.), Otis Redding ("These Arms of Mine", "Mr. Pitiful", "Respect", "Try a Little Tenderness", etc.), Booker T. & the MGs ("Green Onions", "Jelly Bread", "My Sweet Potato", "Hip-Hug Her", etc.), Sam & Dave ("You Don't Know Like I Know", "Hold On! I'm Comin', "When Something Is Wrong With My Baby", "Soul Man", etc.), Eddie Floyd ("Things Get Better", "Knock On Wood", "Raise Your Hand", "Big Bird", etc.), William Bell ("You Don't Miss Your Water", "Never Like This Before", "Share What You Got", "Eloise Hang On In There", etc.), Albert King ("Laundromat Blues", "Crosscut Saw", "Born Under A Bad Sign", "Cold Feet", etc.) plus so many, many more. So if you know that those artists who were very consistent at Stax, there's pratically a full CD's worth of their songs here spread throughout the nine discs. Whether they were hits or not, everything is here including some unusual numbers that seem to break the normal Stax scheme like Macy Skipper's "Goofin' Off" which is humorous dee-jay kind of track, Cheryl and Pam Johnson's "That's My Guy", which sounds like a show-bizzy, TV commercial kind of tune, Nick Charles' "Sunday Jealous" and "The Three Dogwoods" which sound like soft, dry pop songs of that era,
   and the Del-Rays' "Don't Let Her Be Your Baby" which tries to emulate the Beatles or the Dave Clark Five. This has got everything, so calling all collectors! It comes with a little 80-page book that could be worth about $15 separately so getting this with music is a bargain. The book has liner notes about the artits, the music, some real nice photos of the stars plus a track by track listing including the original catalog number and chart position (for those applicable) for each song.
   
   Is it worth it? Absoultely. Pricey, but worth it. Finding this kind of music is getting rarer and rarer. Especially considering that about less than of these tracks didn't chart at all. Sure, the well-known hits can be found on smaller collections. This is the only collection that I know that has all the other stuff with it. Don't worry about parting with that kind of money. Being a musician and music fan, I can't think of a better investment, and if it's something you really enjoy, that makes it even more worthwhile. Here they are preserved on CD forever.
   
   It's more than music to listen to. It's music you can dance to and groove to. Just listen to the sizzlin' guitars, the deep, pumping bass, the tight drums, the soulfulness of the vocalists and just the whole formula of each song. The sound quality is not good...it's perfect! Though everything is in big fat mono, since these were from the master tapes used on the original 45s (hence "singles" in the name), the sound is crisp and crystal clear. It sounds amazing on a system with adjustable bass output. Just crank that bass up, baby; it's practically what makes R&B. Every song is worth listening to for they help tell the story of Stax. They are all little gems. If a record didn't chart at all or it charted very low, so what? These people made music at leisurely paces and were great improvisers and just wanted to get out there, jam and do their own thing. If it sold and it was a hit, fantastic. If not, well, it was worth a shot. There is a good balance of the fast songs as well as the slow ballads. These are practically the unsung heroes of soul music; absoultely raw, gritty, rock-solid, vital and energetic they were. It was the opposite of Motown, their seemingly unbeatable giant of a competitor that was more slick and stylized in soul music. What's important lies in the musicality of the musicians and singers. Truly, this is what soul music is all about; it tells a story and expresses every human being's innermost and outermost feelings. Musicians can learn so much from this, for everyone involved here shows true musicianship. The thing was to make people appreciate and, yes, make them move to it. You can laugh with it, cry with it, and feel absolutely "soulified." It could make everyone, young and old, black and white, get up and dance and throw their cares away. It didn't matter what they were singing like Rufus Thomas on songs that have silly-sounding titles or lyrics like "Somebody Stole My Dog", or "I Think I Made A Boo Boo", you can just get up and let the driving music move you. You can laugh, but you'll find that you're laughing because it makes you feel good. So, they weren't Dylan or Lennon & McCartney. One listen to this entire set is all it takes, and you're hooked. Give this to a six year old and he or she will be a fan for life. Really, you'll never get tired of this music. The '60s were a time of social change and civil rights awareness. If only this music could have been more well-known and all these songs could have been hits, this would have brought everyone together to dance the day and night away. There's nothing like soul music. What more is there to say except that if you would like to have just one box set for your music collection, you just found a gold mine. That being said, if American music was the equivalent of a jewelry collection, all these songs would be the rare, precious and priceless gems.
   So, to quote from a Mar-Keys' song, "grab this thing" because you'll want to keep it forever. It is thee essential and complete relevance of why Stax was the "little label that could"...and did!



5. Having been a casual fan of Stax records for a few years; I decided earlier this year that I should go all out and splurge on this 9-CD box set. Big mistake.
   
   I have many, many complaints about this set; but what it basically boils down to is that this whole set is an absolute mess. It misses many key B-sides such as Otis Redding's "Hard To Handle" and Booker T & The MG's "Tic Tac Toe"; and doesn't even include every a-side the label released, despite the title of the compilation (where are the sides that Hoyt Johnson released for the label?). The linear notes by Steve Greenberg (the man who gave us that phony "Soul Queen" Joss Stone; and the headache-inducing Baha Men) are horrible, mostly focusing on his personal opions of the artists and/or songs rather than the stories behind them. And within the sections for each disc in the booklet; they entries aren't actually arranged in any particular order (least of all the order of the tracks on the CDs, that would make too much sense). And there should've been more photos, too.
   
   Add to this the set's main problem: the music. The fact is that most of the songs on here are really lame. Seriously. "Why did you buy it, then?" I hear you say. Well; the Stax songs I was familiar with (such as "Green Onions"; "B-A-B-Y"; "You Don't Miss Your Water"; "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay"; "Soul Man"; "Born Under A Bad Sign" etc) are all great songs. "Well, why don't you like this set then" you're thinking. Answer: because the 30-or-so great songs on here are sandwiched between over 200 filler songs over 9 discs.
   
   If you think I'm being harsh on these songs, I'm not; I can appreciate songs like Wendy Rene's "Bar-B-Q" and the Memphis Nomad's "Don't Pass Your Judgement"; but aside from a few good numbers and a few pleasent-but-dull numbers, most of the non-hits on here are pretty bad.
   
   Basically, if you really like a Stax artist then go and buy a best-of for that artist; if your looking for a sampler of Stax's best songs, then go and buy the 4-CD Stax Story; don't bother with this one.

5 comments about Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble.

1. This is a great CD from Stevie Ray Vaughan. I would recommend it to all Vaughan lovers.



2. I'd attend every Stevie Ray concert ever held if granted a wish to change something about my life. This box set is about as close as I can get to that wish. It covers his career pretty well and includes his excellent cover of Jimi's "Third Stone from the Sun." The only disappointment is the brevity of the video disc: an Austin City Limits performance that left me crying for more!
   Love Stevie Ray? Buy this box!!!



3. The CD set arrived in excellent condition and well within the stated delivery time. I was very pleased with my order.



4. I got pulled into the music of SRV by my brother. I gave him this collection for christmas and was a big hit.



5. This is the best box set that I own! It's all SRV but each CD has its own flavor. You won't get bored listening to these. It's a must have if you're a true SRV fan. The booklet and DVD are also a very nice touch.