5 comments about Anthology.

1. In recent years a number of live albums have been produced with less than stellar coverage of the bands peak period music recorded in studio decades earlier. This album is the perfect collection of best songs in studio form -- the way they are meant to be heard. I have 7 tracks rated four star, and 2 rated five star. That is remarkable.



2. For me, the "Moody Blues Anthology" is a wonderful double CD, just like "This is The Moody Blues." This compilation is like a condensed version of "Time Traveller" with the addition of "Go Now."
   
   It's nice that this set includes the full versions of "Tuesday Afternoon" and "Nights in White Satin" (with the orchestra, contrary to the shorter mixes featured on "The Best of The Moody Blues"). These are my favorite mixes of the tracks, featuring the "Days of Future Passed" CD mix of "Tuesday Afternoon" and the "Days of Future Passed" vinyl mix of "Nights." It's also nice to see that, on this occasion, "Nights" gives mention to "Late Lament," written by Graeme Edge, on the song list (Previously noted on the "Prelude" and "This is The Moody Blues" CD's).
   
   The "Best of" mix of "Ride My See-Saw" is on here, so there is no cross-fade from the "Departure" track, on "In Search of the Lost Chord" ... This mix begins with the count in. There is just one Ray Thomas track on this release, which is "Legend of a Mind," one of my favorite Ray Thomas compositions (and awesome to listen to through headphones). Then, we get "Voices in the Sky," which should have appeared on the 1985 best of compilation featuring that song title as the name of the album!
   
   Two more Justin Hayward tunes follow from "On The Threshold of a Dream," including, "Lovely to See You" and "Never Comes The Day" ... I love the way the first of the two songs is faded in, because we hear the choir and mellotrons that end out, "In The Beginning," from the original LP, a really cool effect.
   
   Up next are three of my favorites, from "To Our Children's Children's Children," the 'mellotron-driven' "Gypsy," "Candle of Life," and "Watching and Waiting," and from "A Question of Balance," the original LP mix of "Question" appears, along with "Melancholy Man," which are two of the album's highlights.
   
   It was also a treat to hear the single mix of "The Story in Your Eyes," originally from the "Legend of a Band" CD, which is a few seconds longer than the mix heard on "Every Good Boy Deserves Favour."
   
   From "Seventh Sojourn," the two John Lodge classics, "Isn't Life Strange" and "I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)" end out the first disc. The original version of "Isn't Life Strange" appears here (not the remake on "Legend of a Band"), and "I'm Just a Singer" starts off with the loud, crashing drums, not the cross-fade from "When You're a Free Man," from the original LP. It was also a treat to get one more tune from "Sojourn," Mike Pinder's, "Lost in a Lost World."
   
   Opening up the second disc is Justin Hayward and John Lodge's "Remember Me, My Friend," from "Blue Jays" ... Notice that the opening guitar riff lasts only three bars instead of four ... This is because the opening riff was cross-faded with the synthesizer from "This Morning," as heard on the "Blue Jays" album, so it was edited out.
   
   "Blue Guitar," also makes another appearance on a "Best of" compilation, and it's a nice bridge between the "Blue Jays" track and the material from "Octave."
   
   "Stepping in a Slide Zone" and "Driftwood" appear from "Octave," but because of the length of the CD, both songs are edited down a bit, with the sound effects from the intro to "Slide Zone" missing, and "Driftwood" fading out about a half minute earlier than the full version on "Octave."
   
   Justin Hayward's "Forever Autumn" follows, creating a nice bridge between the timeline of "Octave," and "Long Distance Voyager."
   
   From "Long Distance Voyager," the full length hits, "The Voice" and "Gemini Dream" are heard on this collection (Not the single edits from the "Voices in the Sky" compilation), but there is an edited version of John Lodge's "Talking out of Turn," which I first heard on the earlier CD version of "Voices in the Sky."
   
   Excerpts from "The Present" include, "Blue World" and "Sitting at the Wheel." Once again, as heard on "Time Traveller," the end of "Blue World" is cross-faded with the intro to "Sitting at the Wheel."
   
   From "The Other Side of Life," both the title track and "Your Wildest Dreams" appear ... While I was disappointed that "The Other Side of Life" didn't appear on "The Best of The Moody Blues," I'm glad to see that it is featured in this collection. :)
   
   The pairing of "Sur La Mer's" "I Know You're Out There Somewhere" and "Keys of the Kingdom's" "Say it With Love" were nice, as they are played in the same chord, but a big surprise I've noticed was that the mix of "Bless the Wings That Bring You Back" was taken from the CD single mix of that track ... This mix features the orchestra, and lasts about four minutes instead of five. Until this release, this mix of "Bless The Wings" was very rare, so I'm glad it made a reappearance here.
   
   The final track, "Highway," makes a reappearance here, since the "Time Traveller" Box Set, which debuted this tune ... I'm glad this track received some recognition, once again. :)
   
   There was just one criticism I had on this release ... This was in regard to the edited down versions of "Driftwood" and "Talking out of Turn," which are better suited for the 2 CD set titled "The Singles+" (I'm not big on edited down songs, and those were two fine songs that should be left at their regular length). Since the full length mixes of the songs wouldn't fit the length of the overall CD, I would rather see them replaced by shorter songs like "Veteran Cosmic Rocker" and "This is The Moment." It's a shame that there was only one Ray Thomas composition that appeared on this collection ... At least two of his songs could have been featured, so I think "Veteran Cosmic Rocker" would have been a nice choice, too.
   
   On the whole, this is an excellent double CD compilation for The Moody Blues, with a great selection of songs and outstanding sound quality. The inside of the CD booklet, featuring the two different colored planets behind the track list, made for a visual treat, as well! Thanks for reading! God Bless... :)



3. The only reason this does not get 5 stars is due to sound quality. Yes, it is a great capture of their work. But I was disapponted by the sound quality. It sounds like the original CD releases, and not "remastered" to current standards. I am not saying they need to re-do the mix from the original tapes (although that would be great), but the sound quality is not all there in my opinion. My guess is that there will likely be another more up-to-date collection that will get released sometime in the future that is remastered properly. Until then (whenver "then" may be), buy this one.



4. AFTER ORDERING THIS CD I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WOULD TAKE ALMOST 2 MONTHS TO GET THIS CD. THE WEEK IT WAS DUE TO COME I RECEIVED AN EMAIL STATING THAT IT WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE AND THE ORDER WAS CANCELLED.



5. The Moody Blues 'Anthology' is a thorough treat for Moody's fans. It contains all that it should, and, even some songs it shouldn't, but it is selective enough for those of us who love being transported by the groups esoteric words and uplifting music. Objectively, they are uneven here. The 'Best of' collection is really the same collection, pared down to one CD and actually has the same basic picture on the disc cover. While the shorter version is better, the longer 'Anthology' is more satisfying.
   
   The Moodies made a successful classical-rock fusion. Before Electric Light Orchestra, Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, and others, they were masters. When they went fast-forward, they couldn't be beat. "Ride My See-Saw," "Story in Your Eyes," and "I'm Just a Singer (in a Rock-and-Roll Band)" are magnificent. The second song is as close to perfection as they get. Lyrically, they can either mesmerize or mystify. At their best, their free-association works; at their worst, they inspire giggles. The quieter songs are also a mixed bag. Either way, they mean to take us to a higher plain. "The Candle of Life" is so beautiful with crystal-clear production that they make other songs sound murky. The lyrics work well, too. In contrast "Lovely to See You" is magnificent musically, but could easily be parodied. What randomness goes into seeing a neighbor, noticing the neighbor will "even the score with your[his/her] eyes," and observing casually the prophecy that "all the empires will turn to sand". For that matter, as grand as "Question" is, the listener is trasported from greed, hate, and war to domestic problems. But, in all fairness, for the abrupt shifts in the Moody's lyrics, the significant other can uplift one from issues of world misery. "Lost in a Lost World," conversely, does well lyrically, but is less engaging musically. "Forever Autumn," on the other hand, gets it all right. It is a beautiful classic with focused lyrics that work. Another highlight is "Legend of a Mind," which is a very intricate tribute to LSD legend, Timothy Leary. While this reviewer prefers to trip vicariously via the music and at a safer harbor (ie drug free), the music comes close to transporting us without the use of dangerous drugs. Musically, it is subjectively even better than their other magnum opus, "Nights in White Satin". "Melancholy Man" is another portrait, although more enigmatic. It is difficult if it is confessional or third-person, but the mysticism seems to get mixed into the cross-hairs of depression. (It seems like an alien who becomes "The Fool on the Hill" if it isn't autobiographical.) Mostly, the editing is sound for the collecion. 'Anthology' wisely leaves behind works from other collections, including the trite "Dear Diary"--even if that one ends on an atomic note. It also leaves plenty of opportunity to collect their original albums.
   
   The first disc is more worthwhile than the second, but, again, for fans, one can't get enough. "The Voice" and "I Know You're out There Somewhere" demonstrate that their legend didn't end after the early seventies. Much of the production is more modern than their earlier work, but not all of it is as good. "Stepping in a Slide Zone" is just like "Driftwood" for the album. Overall, again, "Best Of..." is a five-star representation, but 'Anthology' shows that their catalog deserves elaboration.

5 comments about Who's Greatest Hits.

1. Not the best collection of Who songs but still not bad. It has most of the hits but is lacking a few major ones. It also features some lesser known yet great songs such as "Relay" and "My Wife". However, you would be better off buying one of the more thorough compilations.



2. How can this be a Greatest Hits album by The Who, if it includes the glaring omission of the single greatest song ever done by The Who, "I Can See For Miles"? I really have to question the sanity of whomever put this compilation together, because this oversight defies any sense of logic whatsoever.........................



3. When it comes to classic rock, who does it better than The Who? Since 1965 they have made some of the finest music out there. This overview isn't your best bet if you want a COMPLETE review of The Who's career, but it's pretty good if you want a slightly different compilation of their music (all featuring Keith Moon on drums).
   
   Positives:
   Several "best of" standards, including Who Are You, Won't Get Fooled Again, Squeeze Box, Love Reign O'er Me and many others are here.
   -UNDERRATED GEMS ARE HERE TOO! The Relay, The Seeker, and My Wife.
   -SOUND QUALITY IS EXCELLENT!
   
   Negatives:
   Where is Baba O'Riley, The Kids Are Alright, Join Together, I'm Free, Slip Kid, I Can See For Miles and Behind Blue Eyes? This purports to be a comprehensive collection of The Who's highlights; they at least should have tried to cover the bases and fill up the disc - ONLY 13 SONGS on this collection!!!???? Think of how much more material could be on here.
   -NOTHING FROM LIVE AT LEEDS! Summertime Blues isn't here, which really stinks. That's a great song.
   
   If you want a quick and dirty summary of Keith Moon-era songs with a few twists, then this is a nice compilation and probably worth the investment. But, if you want a more comprehensive single disc overview, buy "Who's Better Who's Best" and/or "Then And Now!: 1964-2004." The latter of these compilations features the band's first new studio recordings in 22 years.



4. It's offical: there are too many Who compilations on the market. Some work (Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy, The Ultimate Collection), some don't (the Millennium Collection, My Generation). This one simply doesn't. Why? Read on...
   1. Some of the bare essentials (Baba O'Riley, You Better You Bet, Behind Blue Eyes, Boris the Spider, I Can't Explain, The Real Me, Call Me Lightning, Long Live Rock, I Can See For Miles) are missing.
   2. Also missing are the smorgasboard of great album tracks the Who put out. I'm thinking Go to the Mirror Boy, 1921, the Acid Queen, The Song Is Over, Gettin' In Tune, Going Mobile, Doctor Jimmy and the Punk and the Godfather and Slip Kid.
   3. The record companies insist on putting Who Are You on every who collection including this one. Which is great, except for the song isn't much.
   4. They try to cover the Who's twenty years of making studio albums in thirteen tracks. Genius, Watson!
   Though it's hard to make a Who collection without any good moments, The Ultimate Collection is the way to go if you want to experience Whostory 101.



5. A couple of good songs but the Beatles are far better I mean much better vocals harmony Guitars everything. Also the who were just plane out out of there mind. GodBless

5 comments about Collectors' Guide to Rare British Birds.

1. It really annoys me when people keep citing the fact that Ronnie Wood played with them as if that alone is the reason for paying The Birds any attention. The truth is, in terms of aural sex and violence, non of the UK bands from the mid-'60s could compete, not even the mighty Who.
   
   This disk represents an opportunity to savour one of the top Freakbeat outfits of the day and marvel how in hell they languished in obscurity for as long as they did (probably still do). Well, the majority's loss is our gain since the average clod would probably be way too uncultured to appreciate the 3-chord snarl and splendour of our favourite London lads. Musically, they had their roots in American soul music, R 'n' B, Bo Diddley etc like pretty much everyone in Britain back then but rather than follow the formula slavishly, they cranked up the hostility and aggression way up to ten to produce something suitably unrecognizable from the original. Cream of the crop is "Daddy Daddy" a bizzare tale involving a group of children being left somewhere surrounded by horrible people which ends up dissolving into fuzztone freeform madness towards the end. And lo and behold! The alternate version called "Daddy Daddy Daddy" is even more deranged!
   
   Sonically, the disc is impressive. I have much of the material on vinyl (a compilation called "The Birds" recently came out on vinyl and I'd advise everyone to get hold of a copy) and while it's true that the CD does not capture lower-end frequencies and bass as well as the LP, it's still a searing effort. You can really feel the hate and blinding intensity in those guitars. Full marks for the digital mastering and for a change, it's one CD that I can honestly recommend to anyone who's turntable-less
   
   The '64 - '66 era was Britain's finest hour, at least musically. And The Birds were part of the whole thing nesting comfortably against other tough white R 'n' B outfits like the Pretty Things, The Small Faces and The Who. These recordings will appeal to all those who pine for the days when Rock 'n' Roll was crude and "dumb", before psychadelia reared it's ugly snout and put dangerous ideas about "good musicianship" into the fragile minds of all those impressionable Mod hoodlums



2. I would probably buy this one in a heartbeat as I throughly enjoyed the cover of "No Good Without You Baby". So much rage on that track, and they do a good version of "Leaving Here" too; just as good as Motorhead's version. However, There is one song not included here, and that's a shame because I would like to hear more of it instead of a 30 second clip from the movie "The Deadly Bees". The song was called "That's All I Need For You"; it's a snarler, and unfortunately, it's not here, and I wonder if I'll ever hear the whole song. Other than that this looks good.



3. The title of my review is borrowed from the posters Ron Wood painted advertising club gigs by The Birds - it's as apt a description of the music they made as any I can think of.
   The Birds (1964 - 67) are certainly a historical curiosity, most noteably as Ron Wood's first band until he left the nest in January 1967 for superstardom with The Jeff Beck Group, Faces, and for the past 33 years, The Rolling Stones. Another founding member, bassist Kim Gardner, achieved a modicum of fame as a member of the legendary Creation (to be joined, for a few months, by Wood). But though the group's output was rather slim - three singles for Decca in 1964-65, a fourth on Reaction in 1966 - this superb compilation makes a case that they were more than a footnote, that in fact they were one of the most exciting bands of their too-brief time. This set collects all the bands singles, cancelled singles, unissued tracks, and a few alternate versions. The set begins with their powerful debut, Wood's "You're On My Mind," b/w a primal, incendiary version of Bo Diddley's "You Don't Love Me," (issued November 1964). This was followed by the oft-covered (but never better than here) Motown fave "Leaving Here" (which Ron revisisted on his 2002 solo cd, "Not For Beginners") backed with another Wood original, "Next In Line." These tracks show just why the Yardbirds occasionally used Ron Wood to fill in when Keith Relf was ailing - his slashing guitar and energetic harmonica would add to any rave-up, even though (amazingly) he was only 17 years old (and 19 when he left to join the Beck Group)! The Birds' third single represents a massive leap forward in terms of sheer raw power and authority. "No Good Without You" (another early Motown gem, but the Birds make it their own) and especially Wood's "How Can It Be," are astonishing: bassist Kim Gardner and drummer Pete McDaniel provide a dense bottom to vocalist Ali Mackenzie's undeniable charisma and Wood's (abetted by second guitarist Tony Munroe)remarkable guitar - exquisitely deployed sheer sonic filth, chunky, slashing, sputtering shrapnel in every direction, all seemingly improvised (within the songs' framework) but in fact great excercises in tension and dynamics. These tracks are as viscerally powerful as any the Kinks/Who/Small Faces were issuing at the time, and reward repeat listens with an array of cool details. And lest we forget, vocalist Ali Mackenzie (who shoulda been a contender...) projects punk attitude and absolute confidence without any excessive mannerisms or even a whiff of self-indulgence. Just as the Birds were improving with each new release, and gaining a devoted following for their live shows, the group left Decca to sign with Robert Stigwood's new Reaction label in late '65. Around this time things started to unravel. Various factors, including the sudden superstardom of the US Byrds, who made a very successful British debut, prevented the Birds' Reaction debut single from coming out 'til 11 months after its predecessor, destroying what momentum had been developed. "Say Those Magic Words" is a driving, splendidly melodic rocker, but once again it's the Wood/Munroe b-side, "Daddy Daddy" that displays the remarkable and ongoing musical growth: at over 4 minutes, 'Daddy...' has an unusual, occasionally surreal lyric of confusion and dread as well as an unconventional structure. A powerful garage/psych gem, around the halfway mark they switch gears with a long, dense instrumental section exploding with darkly relentless guitar interplay and pummeling rhythm.
   And that, for the time being, was that - the group made an appearence in "The Deadly Bees," (1967) - a very cool-sounding Wood song that, a master evidently eluding our compilers, only exists in fragmentary form on the film's track, so it's included as an unlisted coda complete with the actors' dialogue over the band's performance (in the film, the Birds appear on TV while the characters go about their business). I certainly hope the master for this marvelous rocker - and other titles apparently recorded but not included, is eventually unearthed and issued! The rest of this set gathers some terrific unreleased material, including a cancelled Reaction single, the fine pop-soul-rocker, "Good Times" and two versions of Pete Townshend's "Run Run Run" that outrun the Who's; more quite worthy alternate versions of previously mentioned tracks; the group's very first (June '64) demo of "You're On My Mind"/"You Don't Love Me", warmer and bluesier, if less intense, than the debut single. The most recent song is a late '66 Wood track, "Granny Rides Again," that Ali Mackenzie completed as the band fell apart, in early '67 - their jauntiest yet, reminiscent of some of Creation's circa '68 tracks, but with the relieable rock-solid bottom & thick/crunchy sound that characterized Wood's playing during the period. This terrific set comes with a booklet featuring period photos and memorabilia and a decent history of the band, housed in a nice slipcase. Is there more material in the vaults? I hope so, & that as great as this Deram comp is, additional tracks will be recovered. One final minor complaint: I don't like Jon Astley's work w/ the Who catalog, & I hope he isn't once again the remastering engineer if that next, REALLY definitive Birds set is released - and why not? There still has yet to be ANY US cd of this great group's work, despite Wood's subsequent stardom and the raw power of this music. Bob Irwin (of Sundazed), are you listening??? But for now, if you like the primal energy of early Who/Kinks/Small Faces, or just superfine rock 'n' roll, or if you became aware of Ron Wood through his fine work with Faces or the Rolling Stones, this collection will surprise you and rock your socks off. PLAY LOUD!



4. I was amazed by how good this compilation was!! Anybody who likes sixties british invasion/garage will enjoy this cd!Ron Wood(faces,stones) & Kim Gardner(the creation)are in this band. They are too good to be as unknown as they are. I would love to have their stuff on vinyl someday, but damn...it's so expensive. Heh, I'm watching......



5. Every once in a while you buy a CD, never having heard the group before and hoping that it will contain at least a couple decent songs. This was one of those rare CD's that is packed with excellent songs. Any fan of rare 60's Brit R&B must buy this CD. It is without a doubt a musical investment that you will never regret.

No comments about The Beatles, The Red Album 1962-1966.

3 comments about Ogden's Nut Gone Flake.

1. I grew up loving my dad's cassette of this. The older I get the more brilliant it sounds.



2. With all the changes happening in music in the late '60's this classic was a BIG hit in the U.K. but for a variety of reasons(they liked to be in the studio as opposed to touring, label on verge of bankruptcy) it got buried in the U.S. Great songs, Steve Marriott just before he left to help form Humble Pie with Peter Frampton as the next super group. This release was on the level of some of the great entries in the psychedelic period(Sgt. Pepper, Moby Grape, Cream, Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix,). The story line on side 2 is great, in conjunction with some really great songs. Side 1 is no slouch. You miss it, your loss. I re-bought it in every format it's ever been released in...............now they remix it.



3. This is a prized LP from my comparitive youth, which I had not listened to in a many years. My loss. The "B Side" in particular - Happiness Stan - holds up incredibly well. And the narrative sounds as though it was written by Anthony Burgess himself. As fresh as the day it was recorded.

5 comments about The Ultimate Collection.

1. Altough it doesn't have all of the Yardbirds (since it doesn't have nothing from Roger the engineer or the BBC Sessions). It's still a great disc with many famous song from the 60's the second disc includes rare live perforamces (You can't judge a book by it's cover)... I don't know if someone has said this but the Stroll On track that comes in the 2nd disc ISN'T the song from Blowup . It's an instrumental version of what appears to be Good Morning Little Schoolgirl



2. The Yardbirds were a fine group of musicians but in my opinion, only the covers hold up well. Their own song writing is dated. But I bought this collection for one reason only and write this review for one reason only. I bought it for their rip-roaring version of I'm a Man and write this review to vent and to warn prospective buyers that the ultra-hard rockin' I'm a Man, the one that remains a staple on oldies stations, has been replaced by some lame version I'd never heard before. A pox on it!



3. The last track on disc 2 is NOT "Stroll On" as claimed on the package contents. The real "Stroll On" was recorded for the movie "Blow Up" and is a different version of "Train 'Kept A Rollin'" with revised lyrics. The track called "Stroll On" featured in this collection is actually a studio take of "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" without vocals.



4. I like the oldies and the Yardbirds were a good addition to my collection.



5. Good overview of the group until 1966,but i don't know why they did not include tracks from their only studio classic:ROGER THE ENGINEER.Live tracks showcase ERIC CLAPTON's talent.You get the story alright with a missing spot;not an ordinary one because we are talking about a certain guy called JIMMY PAGE.EVIL HEARTED YOU remains my favorite YARDBIRD song;that guitar sound of the sixties wow!So, if you never heard the group,you should buy THE ULTIMATE(without COLLECTION),you will have the perfect anthology.

5 comments about Decca Stereo Anthology.

1. Although I rarely dip into the musical past, the Zombies music still haunts me after all these years. This brilliant band from the 60's recorded some amazing music that never got the recognition it deserved. Unlike a lot of music from that era, much of what the Zombies did still holds up today. Their originals and covers both offer a unique style even now. This collection offers the best sound quality available that helps make their music sound as good today as I remembered it to be. Although I own a few of their other collections, this one is it. Buy it now! There are 48 cuts on the two CDs, so pick 20 or so of your favorites and create the best Zombies collection one could hope for. The only essential missing link from this collection is "Time of the Season" and you can get that elsewhere and add it to your mix..



2. The Zombies in True Stereo--what a treat! This album has very clear true stereo the way it was meant to be recorded back in the sixties. I rate this album a must have with a plus 10 rating- The stereo is incredible with all tracks excellent--Zombie fans must all get this album (the Decca recordings) and play it loud!!!!! This beats any other Zombie out as far as stereo sound- Buy it now-----



3. This is a great collection. Colin Blunstone has an
   unbelievable voice. Many awesome songs never heard
   on the radio. If you are a Zombies fan or like great
   60's music, this 2 CD set is a MUST !!



4. When the recordings of artists have been reissued ad nauseum over the years, in an effort to milk a little more out of the tape vaults record labels have sometimes resorted to issuing remixed versions or musically insignificant scraps that would otherwise not warrant release. Thankfully, Big Beat, part of Ace Records' family, has constructed this new collection of Decca-era Zombies recordings with intelligence, care and balance. In this two-CD collection is first an anthology of the recordings done for Decca in the years 1964-66. Beyond just another collection of songs though, here, the previously available stereo versions of these songs have been replaced with newly remixed versions done with utmost care and attention to retain as much of the original sound of the mono mixes while yielding the dynamics of the stereo soundstage. In some cases though, that replication is impossible in that some of the instrumental or vocal overdubs that were added to the mono mixes were never put in the original multi-tracks and therefore are lost to time when trying to reconstruct the final mix from these component tracks. These missing entities were, by necessity, disregarded when creating these new mixes except in a few cases where the omission left the remixed version harshly lacking as with the missing drum overdub on "She's Not There". To get this signature song up to snuff, the Zombies' drummer Hugh Grundy, using the original snare, superimposed the missing drum track onto the multitrack. While anyone can argue then, that this is not the "original" song, one listen tells the story. There are plenty of original mono versions of these songs available for the purist but for those who seek a greater sonic experience with these tracks, this is a top-notch accomplishment and worthy of any Zombies fan's attention. Beyond the music, included with the package is a twelve-page liner notes booklet devoted mostly to the concerns of how the music was originally constructed and how this new perspective on it came to be. This is an exceptional effort in bringing some classic tracks to greater potential for appreciation by casual and avid fans alike.



5. When I first learned of this release forthcoming, I just crossed my fingers and hoped the stereo remixes would not be butchered, as had been the case a few months earlier with the remix of The Who's first album. Well, no need to worry: For the most part, these tracks have received the royal treatment this brilliant quintet deserves. The advertisement that each track was freshly rremixed is not quite correct: The time-trained Zombies fan's ear can pick out at least four exceptions (most notably "Kind Of Girl" and "She Does Everything For Me," both distinct drop-offs in quality and stereo separation from the tracks around it), but you will still get most everything you expect from this set. Well over a dozen of these songs are in true stereo for the first time ever, including absolute gems like "She's Coming Home," "Remember You" (single version), "Gotta Get Hold Of Myself," and the undubbed masters of "I'll Keep Trying" and "She'll Be For You." The musical intro to "I Love You," completely amputated from the old stereo mix, has been fully restored--but sadly, the "hey hey hey"s omitted from the old stereo mix of "Is This The Dream?" still are. One thing the chronological placement of these recordings does, particularly on disk two, is bring into stronger focus the rapid growth and maturation of Chris White's songwriting: Heartfelt ballads like "I Must Move" and "Don't Go Away" rank up there with any works of his British writing contemporaries. It's not at all surprising that, just a short time later, it would be White who graced the masterpiece "Odessey & Oracle" with seven of his compositions, and with the exception of Argent's "Hung Up On A Dream," White's songs really gave that album its more haunting, ethereal qualities. As for this two-cd set, even with the small holes I mentioned (and a couple I did not), it is a quintessential must-have for all fans of British pop music--or great music in general, as this band managed to incorporate so many elements of popular music. Indeed, if you have this set, along with "Odessey & Oracle 30th Anniversary Edition" and the "Zombie Heaven" boxed set, you've got it all by this band--and every penny you've spent will be well worth your while.

5 comments about Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

1. It's taking forever for Capital Records to release the Mono version of this recording.The Mono sounds better and is quite different,a couple songs are even played in a different key than the stereo versions. Pick up the Millenium Remasters Collection import for true joy



2. Hi, my name's Scott, I'm 12 next spring I have been studying all Beatle litterature and theirown sleazy CDs and I have come to find without a single shotgun doubt that PMC was really killed beyond reecognition after the infamous carcrash that took his life on wednesdaymnornnng at 9 o clock.
   
   Listen, grandiose naysayers and other friends, you just can't go on pretending he's still the same today as he was burns of the Past Age' - the man is really no more, he is exit, finito, passed on to the merry pastures, he's friggin dead.
   
   See why Heather Mills was so upset when she found out she married an imposter.
   
   Cheers Bob, here's to ya!
   Scott



3. Hi, my name's Scott, I'm 12 next spring I have been studying all Beatle litterature and theirown sleazy CDs and I have come to find without a single shotgun doubt that PMC was really killed beyond reecognition after the infamous carcrash that took his life on wednesdaymnornnng at 9 o clock.
   
   Listen, grandiose naysayers and other friends, you just can't go on pretending he's still the same today as he was buried on high farm in Scotland 'all those years ago'. Get over it 'Fans of the Past Age' - the man is really no more, he is exit, finito, passed on to the merry pastures, he's friggin dead.
   
   See why Heather Mills was so upset when she found out she married an imposter.
   
   Cheers Bob, here's to ya!
   Scott



4. Hi, my name's Scott, I'm 12 next spring I have been studying all Beatle litterature and theirown sleazy CDs and I have come to find without a single shotgun doubt that PMC was really killed beyond reecognition after the infamous carcrash that took his life on wednesdaymnornnng at 9 o clock.
   
   Listen, grandiose naysayers and other friends, you just can't go on pretending he's still the same today as he was buried on high farm in Scotland 'all those years ago'. Get over it 'Fans of the Past Age' - the man is really no more, he is exit, finito, passed on to the merry pastures, he's friggin dead.
   
   See why Heather Mills was so upset when she found out she married an imposter.
   
   Cheers Bob, here's to ya!
   Scott



5. I wanted to start this review out by stating that this is mostly of value as a historical document. But, after having listened to Beethoven, Haydn, and Richard Wagner today (all of whom truly DO hold up after 125-plus years), I had to change my mind. This is mostly fluff: I-V based junk that on his worse day Mozart would have been embarassed to own up to.
   
   The Beatles were mostly their producer, George Martin. Martin assimilated the advances in recording techniques that were used on truly great recordings like the Georg Solti-conducted Ring Des Nibelungen cycle and applied them to the mostly folk-derived musical structures of the Beatles. Without Martin, the Beatles were doing pretty much what Elvis and Little Richard did back in the '50's. And then, not even that good.
   
   "Day in the Life" is the only thing on here that seems to be worth much, and even that shows obvious Martin touches throughout. In fact, he should be making royalties to this day, as he was just as much a writer of these tunes as Lennon/McCartney.
   
   I realize that alot of people love this album, but if I were to direct anyone to buy just one Beatles album, I'd have to choose the White Album; at least the playing of the musical instruments at times rises above the level of junior high school. But even there the production dominates.
   
   It's really obvious why the Beatles stopped touring. Think about it.

4 comments about Downtown: The Best of Petula Clark.

1. The "Downtown" version is not the original, and I found this disappointing. There's an interview on this, and I'd rather something like that were a written enclosure -- who wants to listen to that every time you play the CD, or manually skip the track? Yes it's a good interview, but I was just disappointed.



2. It was a CD that I have been looking for. I had this on tape previously. It is a excellent cd.



3. Hi even though I,am 35,over the past 5 years I have come to be a huge fan of Petula Clark and her music,Just two days ago we saw her at the Hilton Hotel in AC and we went back stage and she was the nicest person you could ever want to meet,Buy this and any other music of Petulas,and listen to music that just does not age.

   scott denny
   Runnemede ,New Jersey




4. This album is a 2 disk set with 50 songs in all (It's a bargain!). The recordings on it (at lest the songs I already knew) are the original releases. Sound quality is quite good, contrary to what others have posted about other Petula's albums available here on CD. There are some songs in french, italian and german (about 2 of each). The orchestrations and arrangements are what you find in their original releases, very easy listening. If I had to choose among the assortment of CDs available here, this is the best choice.

5 comments about Best of the Beatles.

1. After reading what other folk have written I decided to buy my own copy and see for myself. Pete Best is an engaging guy who was on the brink of fame and lost it and although this happened he is not sour grapes about his experience. This is almost like a home video of someones life with tales thrown in. He doesn't share alot of new things but I never thought the Beatles would try to rob a sailor after drinking with the fellow, interesting.The extras are great as well.When you look at this in context of the times then and now this is a little jewel of a documentary.I suppose I was hoping Pete wouldn't whine about lost fame and he doesn't which makes this as interesting a doc as there is. I found it difficult to believe that none of the other "mates" have contacted him over the years and was pleassently surprised to learn that on the first anthology set its Petes drumming on love me do. I highly recommend this product.



2. I have mixed reviews about this DVD. First, I played it on two different DVD players and it skipped in certain parts on both players. I also had a hard time understanding what Pete Best was saying, largely because he is soft spoken and his accent was hard to understand. Yet I could clearly understand the accents of the other British people interviewed.
   
   Overall, I thought this DVD was just ok. Pete revists some of the places in Hamburg...I found that interesting...yet I thought his book was better than this DVD. It just seemed all over the place and it didn't hold my attention but his book did.
   
   I didnt get anything out of the "extra" hour.
   However, Pete Best is a key component of early Beatle history and his tenure with them should not be overlooked. He added a great deal to their fame with his pounding bass drum and extremely good looks. I checked on youtube with the Silver Beatles when Ringo replaced Pete at the Cavern. You can clearly hear the audience yell at the end "We Want Pete" and you can hear John Lennon's voice says YES. This was in the book as well. I never thought John wanted Pete out, my guess it was Paul and maybe Brian since Brian propositoned Pete one night and Pete declined. Perhaps Pete would be too much of a temptation for him to work with him?
   
   I asked myself after reading his book, would the Beatles ever have made it big if it were not for the Casbah? Perhaps they would not, and Mrs. Best was a key player in the Beatles destiny. You will see that if you order the book.



3. Pete Best was a Beatle. The merits of his drumming aside, if I had been in a similar position and now had a chance to make a decent living trading on that brief taste of fame from my teenage years, I'd probably be out there touring, releasing books, CDs and DVDs like this one. This doc isn't for everyone, it's dry in spots and many of the stories are familiar to those who have already read either of the three books Best has co-written over the years, but it certainly didn't insult my intelligence as it did a previous reviewer.
   
   There are two things that make this essential viewing for hardcores. First, the presence of the earliest known footage of the Beatles performing (St. Paul's Presbyterian Church Hall, Birkenhead, 10 February 1962), and the impressive cast of lovers and friends from the Beatles' formative years who agreed to be interviewed including Astrid Kirchherr, Klaus Voormann, Jurgen Volmer, Brian Poole (of the Tremeloes), session drummer Andy White, Horst Fascher, Julia Baird Lennon, Cynthia Lennon, Gerry Marsden, Bill Harry, Decca's Mike Smith, producer Ron Richards, and most amazing of all, former Apple CEO, Neil Aspinall (the father of Pete's half-brother, Roag).
   
   Time has not been kind to some of these faces. I was taken aback more than once by how their appearances starkly contrast with the iconic pictures we automatically conjure in our minds when we think of these people. Their comments, alas, are often perfunctory, reinforcing the Best agenda, rather than probing it.
   
   This is, in essence, Pete Best's 'Anthology' - will you finally find out why Best was really fired from the Beatles? No. But you will find much to enjoy and refer back to.



4. I disagree with the folks who say this is just "sour grapes" - I think Best showed considerable restraint in this program. He didn't go on and on about how he got the shaft, etc. It could have been a lot worse in that department.
   
   But, the whole thing seemed amateurish to me, particularly the music. I'm guessing they couldn't use real Beatle music, but the stuff they did play was awful. Another major gripe - a number of the people interviewed were not identified.
   
   I had to laugh at one statement (that they showed at least twice) - "you never saw the Beatles unless you saw them in Hamburg." I forget who said it (maybe one of the unidentified), but that's absurd.



5. Too often we look at things with 20/20 hindsight. But really there's no reason to start up any disputes as to whether Pete or Ringo was the better of the two drummers. That's because they're just two drummers who played better on different kinds of music.
   
   Obviously, it's absurd to claim Best was a lousy drummer, or else he could never have soonafter helmed the Pete Best Combo, which recorded and toured for a few years in the mid-'60s. Likewise, Ringo was hardly lacking, given that he was first brought in as an outright ringer, hot off his duties with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. Just listen to the two drum styles - Best is more of a jazz or pop drummer, while Ringo was more suited for the surf and rock 'n' roll style of the time.
   
   The Beatles could have also gone in a jazz direction - who knows? But they didn't, since George Martin was then looking to develop a rock 'n' roll group. Had he wanted them to be a different sort of group, maybe they would have gone in that slightly altered direction instead. So we must realize in the end that fate - and finance - had the final say.