5 comments about No Milk Today.

1. Definitely, this is a mass marketed pop release and apparently this series by the L.T. Series (made in Germany, Digimode Entertainment of the UK and cover designed in Amsterdam) has greatest hits compilations for everyone from Edith Piaf to really everyone. I note, that one person griped that only one original Hermit is in the cover photo. Hey, a picture of the band isn't on the cover of this album. I think these are the original recordings though perhaps they could do with a remastering, some of the songs may even be in mono. It is a rather impersonal collection, a boiler plate cover that must be part of the general series so for that, I'd dock it 1 star out of 5. If this were not the real band and did not have Peter Noone truly singing, I doubt if these counterfeitors would need to redo an obscurity like Dandy written by Ray Davies of the Kinks. Likewise, real fans know Leaning on a Lamp post but I previously did not know it. So good show.
   
   20 nice songs for the HH fan. Maybe there most famous song, "Henry the VIII" has got to be the original, played by the Herman's Hermits, no Jimmy Page there.



2. Please note that these are re recordings and not the original recordings and do not feature herman and only one hermit (barry whitwam) is on the cover and he didn't play on many of the originals. PLEASE do NOT confuse this product with the ORIGINAL HERMAN'S HERMITS. This is a shoddy remake and one star is the lowest rating but over rates this cd.
   Herman/ Peter Noone



3. i dont have it yet, but i ordered it, and i love all but 1 song. its a wonderful cd to have.



4. I was so excited to get this, but when I put it on and started to walk, I was broken hearted. It is not the original group, it is a singer that is NOT Peter Noone, if you listen to the voice you can tell, I knew on the first set of words out of his mouth, and its the whole CD that is that guy. If you really liked the original Hermans Hermits then this is not the one you want, even at this price.



5. This cd is remakes of the hits and not the original singles.

1 comments about The Genesis of Slade.

1. The rather brief but historically, perhaps, very significant portion of time in reggae music history known as the Roots/Rasta Renaissance, although now gone has left us with quite a few changes in the game. This half-decade or so period (which ran from roughly 1999-2004) has definitely become a period where `reggae scholars' (if there is such a person. . . And I'm probably one of them) will reflect on quite a bit in the future as having first changes the face of reggae music locally and subsequently internationally as well. Without a doubt the most important change has been an overall further and bigger exposure in the vibes of roots reggae. Prior to the Renaissance the biggest names in reggae as a whole were dancehall artists across the boards and while those artists, specifically, are still there (talking the Beenie's, Bounty's, Ele's and the likes) and figure to remain for quite some time, that absolute top shelf as well as the shelf of artists just below it are now more than sprinkled with artists who walk the more righteous path musically speaking. Internationally, the effect has perhaps been even MORE obvious. The next time you take a trip your local record shop (or when you next feel like browsing Amazon) just notice the amount of Jamaican dancehall albums (compilations and artists' albums) against how many Jamaican roots albums you'll see. The disparity is even larger at the top, having gone to the point where almost ANY time a dancehall artist of any stature at all releases an album it is a pretty big deal and you can expect to see such an album well promoted insofar as reggae albums go (currently you're looking for Elephant Man's Let's Get Physical and Spragga Benz`s Prototype). Then, as if you needed more evidence of the Renaissance, the next time you see a big dancehall tour by an artist not named Beenie, Elephant Man, Shaggy, Sean Paul or Wayne Wonder (not including Beres Hammond in that) will be a rare occurrence; compare that to the Luciano's, Sizzla's, Anthony B's, Capleton's and even, recently, Jah Mason, Turbulence and Lutan Fyah's (and I could really go on and on) of the world who tour CONSTANTLY on their own and performing to packed roots and world music festivals all over the world which are typically sans the dancehall elite, for the most part. The artists themselves haven't been the only one's effected by the Renaissance either, the producers, expectedly, have also had to change their games to be able to accommodate the STREAM of new roots artists on the scene (as well as the dancehall heads adding a roots element to their vibes which we've also seen more and more of). Thus, at least in my opinion, since the turn of the century we have seen SOME of the finest MODERN roots compositions, as a whole, which reggae has EVER produced.
   
   Interestingly (but far from surprisingly), the reggae labels have also taken a big notice of the shift in the vibes and tastes after the Renaissance. When you combine that with the effect it has had on the producers, you need to take a look at the riddim album to really see the effects. Which brings us to the Genesis Riddim. The well solid Genesis Riddim comes from virtual unknown (to me) producer Chris Hart (who may or may not be related to Harvel `Gaddafi' Hart of Annex) through reggae label upstart, Cousins Records. I don't know that we would have seen a riddim album for such an unknown riddim, from such an unknown producer which, despite having a solid roster of recording artists (and I LOVE the roster for this one), really only has one BIG draw of a name, Luciano. If you take a look at riddim album series for all of the labels now, VP Records, Greensleeves, even JetStar and now Cousins (and including almost ALL of the small label releases) you're seeing a complete dip in the dancehall riddims reaching albums (and they're overall production output hasn't slowed a bit) and an overall increase in the roots pieces. Simply put: If you are a fan of modern roots reggae, with the artists, the labels and the producers all on board these days, after the Renaissance, you really couldn't ask for more. I can't ask for more from the Genesis riddim either as it somewhat snuck up on my radars. To date (to my knowledge), Cousins' riddim albums have all come from Kemar `Flava' McGregor of No Doubt Records, with the exception of the Hail The I, which was produced by Izes. For his part, McGregor is a WELL respected veteran in the game having produced ALBUMS for the likes of Luciano, Sizzla, Turbulence, Anthony B and even Gyptian, as well as riddim albums for Greensleeves and VP's Riddim Driven series (the most recent being the DIVINE Rub-a-Dub riddim); where Izes is being hailed by many (myself included) as one of the best young producers in the business altogether. I have NEVER heard of Christopher Hart before this release (as well as the unimpressive Summer Rise riddim, a next production he did for the LYNKZ Movement, which is also to be released by Cousins) but after it, I'm definitely going to keep an eye on the producer. The Genesis riddim is one which is simple in sound, yet so obviously complex in the actual building that it REALLY impressed me from the very first listen. The riddim is highlighted by so many things; most pronounced are the nice horns, a nice piano and organ here and there as well as a very slight by lovely (always lovely) nyah drum as well. Also, and even more importantly (you can have an a complete compilation of accapella performances, but if you don't have good artists, you won't have good music either), I'm VERY impressed by Hart's choice of artists for his the Genesis as well. Hart mixes in established veterans and younger artists with new comers and lesser known vets and in the end really comes away with, in the Genesis, what is almost certain to be one of the best riddim album releases of 2008 altogether at the end of the year.
   
   The Genesis riddim isn't one which is actually very easy to ride (at least to my ears), as I said, when you actually break down the vibes of the piece it is quite complicated. Therefore, it is even a bigger credit to the artists when I say that, despite the fact that there are definitely some good tunes here and some not as good, there aren't ANY bad tunes here as even the artists who seem to have difficulty with the riddim, offer a very nice lyrics and message in their tunes here. Opening the Genesis riddim album is one of the bigger names on the riddim altogether, Gyptian, who checks in with the solid Life Ain't Easy. The artist (who has his sophomore album forthcoming later this summer, I Can Feel the Pain), has never been very impressive (at least to me) lyrically, but in recent tunes he has really been sharpening his game. Life Ain't Easy follows in the same stretch of high quality tunes for the young St. Andrews singer as he pushes a nice message, albeit a very familiar one of the various things people tend to get caught in along the way in life, but to keep focused and know that there is HOPE out there. Gyptian's real talent has always been his unique delivery and presentation and its still the case here, but I don't necessarily believe Life Ain't Easy is the type of tune we could have heard from him just a year or two ago as he has developed THAT much. Should his lyrical ability ever catch his voice and overall vibes presentation (and someday it will) the results will be SPECTACULAR! Nice tune. An artist who has been criticized as having the exact opposite of situation as I just set for Gyptian (he's been critiqued for his `mechanical' delivery at times while being lyrically IMPECCABLE) has been the seriously talented Lutan Fyah whose star without a doubt shines the brightest on the Genesis riddim on the BIG Bun Dem Selassie. Bun Dem Selassie was the first tune I had ever actually heard on the riddim and, as usual, I was just terribly impressed (and I have to confess to my partiality, Fyah is definitely one of my favourite artists going right now) as Fyah offers his typical message filled and knowledge laced tune which stands out from the rest due to his brilliance. Bun Dem Selassie is a tune warning all of the people who tend to carry information which isn't meant to be carried: His Majesty is always watching! Big big tune! Completing the Genesis riddim album in top notch class as only he can is the Messenjah, Luciano with You Dem Dangerous. I don't know exactly what happens at the beginning of the tune (it seems to actually STALL just a bit) but it really picks up to a nice degree. Far still it is from Luciano's best, but mid-level Luciano will work on most pieces, The Genesis is no exception.
   
   The way that the album is actually set is quite interesting as well as it seems to have almost all of the BIG artists frontloaded at the beginning of the album with the next level of artists playing supporting roles on the later tracks. The two other really big names checking in at the beginning of the album are Jah Mason and Turbulence. Jah Mason pushes the awkward lovers tune Your Love. Its something which is quite Sizzla-like (and actually made me happy the King of August Town wasn't here) in that Mason seems ENTIRELY too animated for the riddim, but the tune really did grow on me eventually. Turbulence (who has even more of a reason to be Sizzla-like for his former mentor, but thankfully doesn't), on the other hand, is almost precision point on with his VERY impressive Rasta Forever. Things have changed so much for me in regards to Turbulence that I'm actually surprised when he scores on such albums, due to his hot-and-cold and streaky quality levels in recent years, but giving credit where its due: Rasta Forever is easily one of the biggest tunes on the Genesis. Turbulence pushes a very ROYAL and KINGLY vibes in dedication to Rastafari and His Imperial Majesty and one which is very much Lutan Fyah style and one he should definitely think about employing more and more often. Norris Man, who I consider to be on Mason's and Turbulence's level is arguably the biggest name down the stretch and he too (even more streaky than his nephew Turbulence as of late) impresses with his Never Turn Away From Jah. I don't like the auto-tuning in the tune (which actually happens on a few tunes on the album) but the tune features Norris Man in all his various styles throughout with a nice nice messaged vibes. Of the younger artists and lesser known faces DEFINITELY the most impressive is former Beres Hammond protégé, the constantly impressive Ginjah with what is in my opinion, the Genesis' second strongest effort (and if you want to call it the best, I`m not arguing), Positive Words. The tune finds the versatile Hanover native pushing a MUCH harder vibes than usual with a VERY IMPORTANT message to his peers. Positive Words is a tune which encourages artists to focus on sending out positive messages to the people as your words are very important to the world and as gifts from His Majesty, its very important to use your words for righteousness (he even DIRECTLY chats up Lutan Fyah as a fine example. I couldn't agree more Ginjah!). Keep two eyes on Ginjah! Big big artist. The big and beautiful toned veteran Chrisinti also checks in at top level with his very nice Hold Dem on the Wire. All of Chrisinti's tunes are generally top notch, you'd never know it from the (lack of) attention he seems to get, but Hold Dem on the Wire is no different and a very nice place to start paying attention to his vibes if you haven't been doing so previously. Check Capleton protégé young Bobo Zaro with the biggest sing-a-long style tune on the riddim with his Changes (which gets a SLIGHT change of the riddim with a more pronounced nyah drum backing). If you don't find yourself yelling CHANGES! somewhere during the tune then something might be wrong, I love tunes like that from younger artists which really make them stand out and I'll be sure to be keeping an eye out for the singer. A few very interesting names appear down the stretch of the album before it ends with a (very nice) clean version of the Genesis itself. Spanner Banner, Anthony Q(ue) and Mikey General. All do decent pieces but unsurprisingly the best goes to Mikey General with his Only Jah Love. Luciano's right hand man has, over the years, become about as proficient at delivering the very beautiful yet somewhat abstract spiritual anthems as anyone in reggae (including Luciano himself) and Only Jah Love is yet another very impressive type tune from the General and really one of the real highlights from the Genesis altogether.
   
   Overall, definitely more than recommending the Genesis riddim album from Christopher Hart and Cousins, to all fans of modern reggae music. Its really the type of riddim and subsequently album which just goes to build a BODY of work. It isn't the most spectacular piece I've heard (not even this year) but it is very consistent top level modern roots reggae. What I take away from the riddim is yet another in an increasingly crowded landscape of versatile producers who can mix both roots and dancehall equally well (and because of the release of both the Summer Rise and the Genesis we can assume Hart has a very nice working relationship with Cousins and he will have further releases on the label as well). Christopher Hart impresses a great deal with his Genesis riddim, should he have the skill to reproduce its quality, you can expect bigger and better things after his unforgettable beginning.

1 comments about Uncrushed.

1. I heard a lot about this before I got it in which fired up my curiousity just a little bit. Like it says in the title, this obscure post-mod trio with the cool name has been trumpted as the "first punks" to come outta Blighty, kicking out the jams with an antisocial sneer and snarl long before the Sex Pistols and the Damned and all the rest blew up in '77. And on the strength of the seven tracks here recorded circa 1969-1971, they were indeed pretty darn punk and ahead of their time (at least, in terms of bands who made it into the recording studio). Loud fast rules with these guys, most of the tracks being uptempo rockers, though the lumbering "Love Fighter" will be welcomed by all '70s proto-metal lovers, and supports the argument that these guys are just as much a proto-metal outfit as proto-punk, being something that fans of Buffalo, Toad, Budgie, Nazareth or Black Sabbath would enjoy.
   
   Indeed, some of the riffing on here might quite well remind you of Sabbath, and I wasn't surprised to learn that they'd opened for the likes of UFO and Atomic Rooster. Metal? Punk? Same dif back then really. The distortion, fuzz, and "raw power" attitude on display should qualify 'em as pioneers in either camp. Crushed Butler were heavier than the Pink Fairies, anyway, and that (awesome) band is already rightly heralded as punks before their time. So I'd say that the legend of Crushed Butler is hereby confirmed... alongside the Fairies and Third World War and a few others in England (and the Stooges in the States, of course, and some European freaks too) they trashed the happy hippy scene of the day for something uglier, grottier and more dangerous.
   
   This digipack cd (a slightly expanded version of a 10" released a few years back) boasts in-depth liner notes and archival graphics. There are just two drawbacks: it's only 21 minutes long, and that's only because of the inclusion of an alternate version of what's probably my least favorite song as a bonus track. BUT it's 21 minutes that anyone into metal/punk/hard rock history should find quite a blast.

5 comments about Knocking at Your Back Door: The Best of Deep Purple in the 80's.

1. These songs like bad additude and call of the wild are pure classic deep purple. Don't be a fool this Cd rocks from beginning to the end.For the money this is a no brainer, my friends.Deep puple rules! see for yourself.Thanks you guys for putting this group of songs together on one disc.Better late then never.



2. This is a true greatest hits release. Perfect Strangers - Knockin at your back door are classics. Blackmore is one of the top 10 guitar players of all time.



3. sweet lucy was a dancer but none of us a chancer because she was a samurai!!! from the first song you will remember one track form the album Perfect strangers 1984.
   The band had disappeared from the international Rock-scene after their final album 1975 with the death of Tommy Bolin back in 1976. Led Zeppelin & Black Sabbath also experienced their final days, both were also coming to an end 4 years later. In 1984 the Reformation of Deep Purple Mark II (V) was a huge success in the US, Japan, Australia and Europe. This album is a compilation of Perfect strangers, house of blue light and nobodys perfect albums...you will not doubt them.



4. oh I love ya Grand daddy of heavy rock! I love ya! I really love ya! your music had grown up with my same roots during my childhood! I coud not ever forget the Deep purple style of classic hard rock. It doesn't matter whether they were Mark II, III, IV, V, VI, VII with past time members or current members of the band such as David Coverdale, Glenn Hughes, Ian Gillan, Blackmore, Bolin, Lord, Paice, Morse, Glover, and teh current Keyboarder Don Airey....you set my heart on fire everytime I listen to you all!



5. In 1984, the "MK II" version of Deep Purple reformed. This is the most famous line up of Blackmore, Lord, Paice, Gillian and Glover. They put out two studio albums (Perfect Strangers and House of Blue Light) and one live album (Nobody's Perfect). Then they broke up again (later to reform, with and without Blackmore).

   The two studio albums had some very good songs, but alot of filler (that is the way most Deep Purple albums were). The live album was taken from a tour in 1988. It was poorly recorded and poorly edited. About 75% of the tracks were reworks of the seventies classics. Some were done well, others were not. The live album was released in two different versions, a single CD and a double CD.

   This CD (Knocking At Your Door) is a "greatest hits" of the eighties CD, taken from the three albums released in the eighties. Obviously, any of the old classics will be the new live versions. This CD does succeed in picking off the better material of those three albums. But, it doesn't get all the best stuff. The nice thing is that it leaves off most of the junk.

   If you want to get a good idea of what Deep Purple was like in the eighties without spending alot of money, this is a good CD to get. You get most of the good material without the clunkers, but you do miss out on a few things.

No comments about Best of.

1 comments about New Day.

1. I bought this record in 1970 and to me it is a great album,very ulike any other Love Affair albums.Dont be fooled into thinking this sounds like Everlasting Love or other of the group's songs.This is one heavy ,classic but very underated rock album and you will be forgiven into thinking that this is a Jethro Tull album!You have to listen to it to believe it!Can Repertoire please re-release it again as i missed it earlier.This is one album i would strongly recommend to heavy rock officiandos!To those who have not heard it yet i am sure you will be having one everlasting love affair with it!

1 comments about If Music Be the Food of Love... Then Prepare for Indigestion.

1. "If Music Be the Food of Love" was Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mich and Tich's second album, and it's by far the most succesfull of their 4 orginal albums. Originally released in 1966 the album included their recent hits "Hideaway" and "Bend it" as well as their break-through "You Make it Move". Moreover the extensive list of bonus-tracks (14) contains some of their later hits like "Save Me", "Touch Me, Touch Me" and "Okay".
   
   The album tracks are fine; especially "Loos of England", "Master Lewellyn", "All I Want" and "Hair on My Chinny-Chin" are favourites of mine.
   
   There is an overall good-time and optimistic feel to this album, and most songs will set the scene for singing-along.
   
   The song-writing team Howard/Blaikley wrote all the singles and a good deal of the of the album tracks. And it's unquestionable that these guys possesed an unique skill for writing catchy pop-tunes. The band themselves also wrote some of the material for the album and some of the B-sides. Among them fine tracks like "Master Lewellyn", "Shame" and "Marina".
   
   Recommended 1960's music!

1 comments about If No One Sang.

1. I must I admit I was a little disappointed with this album. On their first two albums there are some fine songs outside the hit singles. This is not really the case here. "The Tide is Turning" is okay, and the two hits "Zabadak" and "The Legend of Xanadu" are great. Fortunately there are some interesting bonus tracks on this recent Repertoire re-release. I particularly find the two Coca Cola songs quite charming. Also the single "Last Night in Soho" and the B-side "Still Life" are good.

4 comments about The Singles A's & B's.

1. I bought this three disc set after I fell in love with the eighteen track Trogg's Singles Anthology, which contains 9 hit singles and their B-sides. These guys had a truly original sound that is virtually timeless. One disc wasn't enough and this box set has everything a Trogg's fan could want at a bargain price. The sound quality is excellent. The rockers are the most fun, but their ballads are a nice change of pace. No British Invasion collection would be complete without the Troggs. This is fresh, edgy rock, without all of the noise and distortion. If you like the early Stones, Yardbirds, and Animals, you will love this.



2. Twenty-six track compilation of all(well,most anyway)we can assume of The Trogg's A and B side singles.Believe there's a 3-CD box set/79 track release of the same name.To avoid confusion,this is a single-disc title.If you're an old Troggs fan,you should remember these timeless British Invasion songs,like "Lost Girl",their,of course biggest hit "Wild Thing","With A Girl Like You","I Can't Control Myself","Love Is All Around" and "The Raver".GREAT {deep album cut},this is the tune that goes:"A man's not a man and boy's not a boy,until he's been with my Joanne".Vintage material here.An absolute must-have.



3. Anyone remember/OR have that Rhino 2-CD release 'Best Of The Troggs'? This 3-CD box set sort of reminds me of that,only of course more outstanding Troggs cuts that many of us hardly remember. Total of 79 tracks here, so it takes awhile to listen to. Songs that barely began to scratch the surface are "Lost Girl","Wild Thing","With A Girl Like You","Love Is All Around","Evil Woman","Feels Like A Woman",their Beach Boys cover "Good Vibrations",Buddy Holly's "Peggy Sue","Every Little Thing",the list goes on. Great British Invasion rock&roll,a true keeper. Would make a nice gift.



4. This is the best compilation of the Troggs' singles available. It contains all their single A sides and a few B sides from their first single release in 1965, Lost Girl, to the mid 70s. Another positive is that all the songs are the original recordings, not re-recordings or remixes.All the hits, including Wild Thing, With A Girl Like You and Love Is All Around, are there along with the singles which failed to chart but some of which certainly deserved to be hits.This is recommended for all genuine Troggs fans.

4 comments about Two's Missing.

1. This is probably one of the rarest Who CD's of all time (with the exception of certain Asian and European imports). It carries some important tracks by The Who, like the B-Side of their first single, "Bald Headed Woman", or the Rolling Stones covers "Under My Thumb"/"The Last Time". Many of these songs have yet to be re-released, like "Circles (Revised Version)" or "Waspman" (both can be found on the "Rarities" compilation, but expect to wait a long time for this because it's coming from Japan). Some of these have been re-released, but they are diffferent from the versions here. "Under My Thumb" on Odds & Sods is missing the lead guitar and most of the songs are remixed, so this is one of the only places to get the original versions of the songs. I would reccomend this to any long-time Who fan, would suggest that ne Who fans pass this up and go with a greatest hits compilation, like "Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy" or "The Ultimate Collection". To sum this CD up, it's an excellent rarity compilation and I think this should be reissued in the future
   
   The songs:
   Bald Headed Woman (Great Song. B-Side of "I Can't Explain")
   Under My Thumb (Good Version of the classic Rolling Stones song)
   My Wife (live) (Great live version. Should be re-released)
   I'm A Man (Great blues cover. From the UK "My Generation" album)
   Dogs (Good song. Released as a single with "Call Me Lightning")
   Dogs, Part Two (one of the greatest Keith Moon compositions ever. B-Side of "Pinball Wizard")
   Circles (Revised Version) (Excellent tune, yet to be re-released)
   The Last Time (Great Version of the classic Rolling Stones song)
   Water (One reviewer said this song is better live. I think the studio version found here is great B-Side of 5:15)
   Daddy Rolling Stone (Not that rare anymore, but still a great song. UK B-Side to "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere")
   Heat Wave (Original Version) (This version is recorded with Shel Talmy as producer versus the Kit Lambert version on "A Quick One" Better then the one from "A Quick One")
   Goin' Down (Live) (Great Live Song found nowhere else)
   Motoring (Somewhat hard to find. Great Song)
   Wasp Man (classic Keith Moon composition released as the B-Side to The Relay. CD states this song is compsed by John Entwistle)



2. As most people would recognize from the tracklist, this CD is not any kind of "best of" compilation for The Who. What it is, however, is a great collection of true rarities that any serious Who fan would love to have in their collection. Unfortunately, this CD tends to be very hard to find (as of this writing it is out of print). There are several songs here that do not exist on any other CD release (as far as I know)---"Dogs, Part Two" (originally the b-side to the "Pinball Wizard" single), an alternate version of "Circles", "My Wife (Live)", and "Goin' Down (Live)". Both of these great live tunes are from San Francisco, December 13, 1971. [ "Goin Down" is mislabelled on the CD as 1972]. "Wasp Man" is also very rare--the only other CD it exists on is the equally hard to find "Rarities Volume 2". "Wasp Man" and "Dogs, Part Two" are hilariously quirky songs, both credited to Keith Moon, and unlikely to find their way into more mainstream compilation sets. Also, it's nice to have the cover versions of the Stones' "Under My Thumb" and "The Last Time" together in the same place for the first time since The Who released them as a single in 1967.
   
   Many of the other titles on this CD have begun appearing as extra tracks on the reissued versions of the "My Generation" and "A Quick One" CDs, as well as the "Thirty Years of Maximum R&B" box set....BUT IN REMIXED FORM! This CD seems to be the only place to find many of these songs in their original mixes. There may be some people who will assume that a REMIXED version sounds better than an ORIGINAL version, and that a STEREO version automatically sounds better than a MONO version. Well, those assumptions may be correct sometimes...BUT...when you listen to some of the remixed versions of these songs, and hear that the piano playing of some hired session musician has been turned up louder in the mix than Townshend's guitar, you begin to really appreciate having a copy of the original versions! ENJOY!



3. OK, I'm guessing that if you've found your way to this page you're mulling over whether or not to shell out 40 bucks (closer to 60 if you get Who's Missing as well and then pay shipping) to get these 14 "rarities" (kind of a misnomer considering that most of these are widely available now). Here's the thing: there's always going to be one version of one Who song that you don't have in your collection. Stop fretting, go for the biggest bang for your buck, pass this up, and get Rarities 1&2 and the My Generation deluxe edition instead. Combined, they have everything on here except the live versions of My Wife and Goin' Down, and Dogs, Part Two. Plus, you get another couple dozen tracks including most of Who's Missing, most of the bonus tracks on the A Quick One re-release, and a fantastic version of Baby Don't You Do It. Not to mention the original release of The Who Sings My Generation. Hope this helps!



4. Tracks:
   Bald Headed Woman
   Under My Thumb
   My Wife (live)
   I'm a Man
   Dogs
   Dogs, Part Two
   Circles
   The Last Time
   Water
   Daddy Rolling Stone
   Heat Wave
   Goin' Down (Live)
   Motoring
   Wasp Man

   This is not the CD for new Who fans to begin with, but the serious collectors must have it. The version of "Under My Thumb" still has the guitar parts (unlike the MBBB version), but it is not as good as the Rolling Stones version. The Who rendition of "The Last Time" is superior to the Rolling Stones version, and this is only a slightly different mix from the version available in "Thirty Years of Maximum R&B." "Wasp Man" is one of the few songs Keith Moon wrote, and it is worth getting if only for the humor value (though the song is good musically as well).

   The weak points are the covers. They are not bad, but they are not exceptional. The versions are different from those on the deluxe "My Generation", but only a collector will really care. The studio version of "Water" is rather lackluster, and any live version is greatly superior.

   Overall, I rate the CD at a four because of the excellence of most of the songs, but a casual fan should pass this one by.