5 comments about Genesis Archive, Vol. 1: 1967-1975.

1. Released in 1998, this wonderful box set brings together a live performance of The Lamb Lies down on Broadway recorded at the Shrine Auditorium (Jan 24, 1975) with live performances of material from Selling England by the Pound (1973), Foxtrot (1972) and Trespass (1970), various singles, outtakes, early material dating back to 1967 and other rarities. This box set came out at a time when I had not purchased a new Genesis release in well over 15 years, so having all of this great material in one place was quite a thrill.
   
   I was pleased with the electrifying live performance of the Lamb, in spite of Peter's overdubs (which are noticeable at points; particularly on the re-recorded closing track It). One other distinctive feature of the Lamb was Steve's guitar parts, some of which he dubbed in as part of this reissue - they are clear as a bell and passionate. One of the real treats however, was the single edit of Watcher of the Skies. It was new to me and has a very psychedelic sound to it - it is very, very different from the original (from Foxtrot). Although I enjoyed the song selection, I was disappointed that The Silver Song did not make it onto the compilation (Anthony Phillips did release it on his 2008 reissue of The Geese and the Ghost however). While of historical interest to me as a fan of early Genesis, I can't imagine that most folks will like the very early material; most of which was written while the guys were 16 or 17. I do however, find it very charming and Peter's voice was distinctive even at that early stage.
   
   The sound quality of the live material is fantastic. The packaging of the box set is nice and although the 80 page booklet is loaded with informational tidbits and photos, (based on what I have read elsewhere) it is a little frail and does not stand up too well to repeated handling - the pages apparently separate from the spine. My understanding is that Atlantic has corrected this problem, although I avoided the issue entirely by handling the booklet with great care and not cracking the booklet spine.
   
   All in all, this is a fine compilation of material from the "progressive" Peter Gabriel years and would make a welcome addition to the prog rock/Genesis collection.



2. Genesis released its first box set called Genesis Archive 1967-75 in June of 1998.
   This four CD box focused on the band's Peter Gabriel led era. Also, this set is not your average box set of famous songs interspersed with a few unreleased nuggets. Genesis decided to give their fans a 4-CD set which had nothing but previously unreleased material.
   Discs one and two contains a priceless live recording of the band performing their 1974 double album The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway in January 1975 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. It's a superb performance of this Genesis classic. Admittedly, this concert recording has been doctored somewhat but am not complaining. Lead singer Peter Gabriel had to re-do all of his vocals as the microphone would not come out on certain tracks so some of the songs features a 45 year old Gabriel singing on many of the tracks (his voice got better as he got older IMHO) and guitarist Steve Hackett re-recorded some of his guitar parts as he had a hand injury during these original shows. Lastly, the final track called "It" was remixed with a new vocal track from Gabriel because the original concert tape ran out during the final song. Standouts in the first two discs include The Lamb's title track, "In the Cage", "Back in NYC", "The Chamber of 32 Doors", "The Waiting Room", "The Lamia", "In the Colony of Slippermen", "In the Rapids" and "It". The other tracks were superior to the studio counterpart and proved Genesis were not just a band to witness live but hear live as well.
   Disc 3 continues with more unreleased live tracks, this time recorded at The Rainbow Theater in London in October of 1973. These tracks include "Dancing With the Moonlit Knight", including the highly sought-after live version of the band's 25-minute opus "Supper's Ready" with Gabriel on vocals. Plus, a recording of "Stagnation" recorded on the BBC in 1971 with the Tony Banks on keyboards/Phil Collins on drums and occasional lead vocals/Peter Gabriel on vocals/Steve Hackett on guitar/Mike Rutherford on bass and 12-string guitar lineup. Then we're treated to some great rare A and B sides, including the rare single "Happy the Man" (since released on the 2007 Turn it On Again 2-CD set) and a different version of "Watcher Of The Skies" (a totally different recording from the longer album version), and lastly the thrilling "Twilight Alehouse" which was left off of Nursery Cryme.
   Finally, Disc 4 is consisted of the band's earliest recordings from 1967 to 1970 when original guitarist Anthony Phillips was with the band. Recordings include vintage BBC material and previously unreleased songs plus different versions of tracks that appeared on the band's 1969 debut From Genesis to Revelation (including rough mixes of In the Wilderness. These are fabulous songs, all of them. Standouts include the BBC version of the Trespass track "Dusk", the previously unheard "Shepherd" (featuring a rare co-lead vocal from keyboard player Tony Banks), "Hey!" and "Try A Little Sadness"
   Genesis Archives Vol. 1 1967-75 is a MUST-OWN collection for anyone who digs early Genesis with Peter Gabriel as leader and those who are die-hard Genesis fans.
   RECOMMENDED!



3. What else is there to say about the music as a whole? Well, not much, because for Gabriel-era fans this set is a treasure trove. What I will add is that I believe this to be recorded evidence of Phil Collins at the height of his powers as a percussionist/drummer. His playing on the live Lamb is absolutely electric and wholly inspired. I play this set for friends who only know the Invisible Touch Genesis and for the most part their hipster/too cool for that brains can't cope with the fact that the band kicked a**!



4. This 4 cd pack give us "The lamb lies down on Broadway" Live with a impressive sound quality. I prefer this version than the original.
   The third cd contains real classic in Live version like "Dancing with the Moonlit Knight", "Firth of Fifth" and "Supper's Ready" and some others plus other studio cuts.
   The fourth cd is for die hard fan, and contains early demos in the 1966-1970 period. Again, "The lamb.." is simply amazing.



5. I'll give them 5 stars for finally releasing this material, but there are some flaws with this collection that bump it down to a 4 star (4.5 really) rating.
   
   On the plus side:
   Prior to this release, the only official live set from the Gabriel-era Genesis was "Genesis Live", a 1 LP album covering material up to "Foxtrot". The glaring omission was "Supper's Ready". Fans like myself, who consider the stuff with Gabriel to be infinitely superior, had to settle for "Seconds Out" (more like "Sloppy Seconds"), with Phil Collins singing the vocals. Phil Collins did a mostly decent job at covering them, but it wasn't the real deal! This box set corrects this.
   
   The performances are all very good, and they include some of Peter Gabriel's stories in between (more would have been nice!). There is no repetition with "Genesis Live", so they are very complementary and fans will want both.
   
   The collection includes two songs previously not on any album, "Twilight Alehouse" and "Happy the Man". "Happy the Man" doesn't thrill me, but "Twilight Alehouse" is great, and apparently an early concert favorite.
   
   On the minus side:
   Disk 4 is entirely material dating from before "Trespass", before Genesis really found their "classic" style. I am not a fan of their first album "From Genesis to Revelation". To me this CD is of interest only as a curiosity. It is very interesting, for instance, that Peter Gabriel already had that distinctive raspy quality to his voice in 1967, when he was 17 years old! Some of the material is decent, some is rather weak. Still, I won't be playing this disk very often.
   
   Another partial downer is that Gabriel and Hackett re-recorded some of their parts on the live "Lamb..." on the first two disks. In some spots it's quite obvious because, as with any singer, Peter Gabriel's voice changed in the 23 years since. Still this is nitpicking really. It's great to have the complete live performance.
   
   One further bit of nitpicking on the choice of material. I really don't mean to bash on Phil Collins, but do we really need a live version of "More Fool Me"? This song really was filler material. Meanwhile two glaring omissions from the collection are "Cinema Show", and especially "Fountain of Salmacis".
   
   Despite some imperfections, serious fans of the "real" Genesis need this collection. Neophytes should get the 4 classic studio albums, "Nursery Cryme", "Foxtrot", "Selling England by the Pound", and "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" first, and then get this box set plus "Genesis Live". After that they should also get "Trespass" and "Trick of the Tale", which are not as good, but still very worthwhile. Skip the rest, in my (perhaps not so) humble opinion.
   
   One complaint I have is that the booklet, while it has great photos and is fun to read, is very flimsy and is begining to fall apart after one reading. Boo!

5 comments about The Crown Jewels.

1. If you are a Queen fan and still don't have any of their first eight albums, then this is a must buy! Queen was easily one of the best rock bands in the history of the universe!
   
   The albums included were remastered and they are "Queen" (1973), "Queen II" (1974), "Sheer Heart Attack" (1974), "A Night At The Opera" (1975), "A Day At The Races" (1976), "News Of The World" (1977), "Jazz" (1978), and "The Game" (1980).
   All these albums are fantastic and show diverse songwriting styles. These guys, (singer/piano player Freddy Mercury, guitarist Brian May, bassist John Deacon, and drummer Roger Taylor), were never afraid of trying any style that they could think of. All four members of the group get a chance to show their songwriting skills and with the exception of John Deacon, they also get to sing lead vocals throughout too.
   
   Throughout this box set there's hard rock ("Keep Yourself Alive", "Liar", "Great King Rat", "Sweet Lady"), folk rock ("Night Comes Down", "39", "Leaving Home Ain't Easy"), lots of piano driven ballads ("Doing Alright", "Nevermore", "Dear Friends", "Jealousy"), excellent pop singles ("Killer Queen", You're My Best Friend", Seven Seas Of Rhye", "Don't Stop Me Now"), progressive rock ("The March Of The Black Queen", "The Prophet's Song"), jazzy ballads ("My Melancholy Blues", "Dreamer's Ball"), funk rock ("Fun It", "Another One Bites The Dust", "Fight From The Inside", "Dragon Attack"), new wave-influenced tracks ("Coming Soon", "Rock It"), heavy metal ("Stone Cold Crazy", "Brighton Rock", "Dead On Time"), a latin-infused pop number ("Who Needs You"), arena rock ("It's Late", "Spread Your Wings", "We Are The Champions"), punk rock ("Sheer Heart Attack"), rockabilly ("Crazy Little Thing Called Love"), blues-rock ("Sleeping On The Sidewalk"), opera-influenced passages ("Bohemian Rhapsody"), and even an eastern influenced song ("Mustapha"). Man! Talk about diversity!
   
   Some minor complains:
   The live album released in 1979 "Live Killers" was left off. So don't forget to get that one too!
   The albums come in mini LP style cardboard covers that look really nice, however they are quite fragile. Of course the booklet, while containing an essay and all song lyrics, is a little disappointing though. More rare pictures could have been added. Also, some unreleased songs would have been a good addition too.
   
   But those are only minor complains. It's still an excellent box set with awesome remastered sound so this is, by far, the best way to get these eight classic albums in one package.
   Thanks for taking the time to read!
   Later...



2. This box set captures Queen at their highest peak. Every album is essential Queen.
   
   BUT, as a box set, I feel like Hollywood Records could have done a much better job. The blue velvet box is quite nice, but the racks inside the box are cheapy vacuum-formed plastic, and not even very well glued in. The booklet is long, but it's primarily just the lyrics and a single essay. No extra photos, no critical analysis. Bummer.
   
   I love the mini-LP jacket reproductions, especially the gatefold covers! It's too bad the shortcomings really subtract from the nostalgic geeky joy of the packaging. The inner sleeves are all plain white, so we're missing out on a lot of the original packaging. The Game's chrome treatment is missing, and it has a different (inferior) cover photo (oddly, the correct photo is reproduced inside the lyrics booklet). Jazz's gatefold photo is poor quality. And what happened to the cover of News Of The World? There's a horrible green border around all the front and back covers.
   
   Anyway, enough ranting. If you don't have this music already, buy this set! As for me, I'm going to listen to the great Crown Jewels CDs and drag out my old albums to enjoy the full experience of the sleeves, art and inserts.



3. It was my very first time with Queen and I would like to say, WOW.
   This Box includes the first 8 records and all of them are "remastered".
   The musik of Queen don't need any emplaination, she is timeless good.



4. This is my opinion but this was the height of their career. Although the 80's and 90's Queen was good, it didn't come up to their epic grandeur embodied in their 70's recordings. This box set has all the good stuff from Queen to The Game. Queen did it all progressive, hard rock, heavy metal, speed metal, ballads, rockabilly, vaudeville, glam etc. like no other band. No other band could pull off this pastiche with such skill. All the band members strengths shine through. Freddie's Operatic vocals, Brian's texture laying guitar, John's throbbing bass lines and Roger's expert rippling on percussion. Though they had a awesome career after the 70's this still was their best and a good band at it's prime. Buying all these albums seperately used comes to the same price as this set, so if you are a fan of classic rock and a good band, by all means get this set you won't be disappointed.



5. ...they conquered the world on their own conditions and terms. Few bands could have done what Queen did in the 70's (and even in the 80's and 90's). This box show so much talent, creativity and guts. It really took and (still are) takin` a big demand on the listener. You have to be open minded about music. There is no bounderies and rules of what you can do as a rock band, and that's what I love about Queen. If you want to go on a musical journey and open up all doors in music history - this is what you're looking for. It's hard to pick one album, I love them all like my own children. But I have always had a soft spot for Queen II and News of the world (NOTW). The march of the black Queen (Queen II) was before Bohemian Rhapsody and you could already tell that Freddie Mercury was able to go over the top at anytime. NOTW really is so much more than WWRY/Champions. Listen to the break 2.30 into Sheer heart attack, and it shows the fantastic energy that Roger Taylor delivers with his guitars (yes it's not Brian May). It's Late is something of an overlooked gem on NOTW, fantastic singing from Fred and guitarwork from the old Red Special creator Dr May. And don't forget the live favourite Spread your wings (written by John Deacon who's an underrated bass player).
   
   I really wish that Hollywood could release Crown Jewels II so people in the States could learn a thing or two about all the classics that were missed after Hot Space in 1982 (and were big time all over the world accept in the US). I mean songs like Radio Ga Ga, I want to break free, A kind of magic, Who wants to live forever, I want it all, The Miracle, Innuendo, These are the days of our lives and The show must go on (and more). They are really up there among all the classics on this Jewels box. Buy The Platinum Collection and you will know what I mean.

5 comments about The Chess Box :Chuck Berry.

1. This is the only Chuck Berry collection I own, it was available through a music club many years ago I belonged to for a nice price. All the stuff featured here is classic, but my fav is probably disc one (the early stuff).
   
   It comes with a wonderful big booklet of info on Chuck along with a conversation (interview), pics, and song info (chart positions) included.
   
   For such an important artist in the history of Rock And Roll, this is an important set to have, a very nice collection of songs to crank any time of the year. Berry is a legend, and this box is a very nice representation of his overall body of work throughout the years.



2. The caption is taken from the first page of the wonderful book that accompanies this box-set. In total it reads "Just the mere mention of his name fills the mind with vivid, indelible images - images from the very heart of rock 'n' roll." From there you get 19 pages of background written by Bill Altman, mixed with some fabulous shots of Chuck over the years (with photos also appearing in the inserts for the three discs).
   
   Then comes four pages of the text of an interview conducted by Andy McKaie of MCA, a complete listing of his Billboard Pop Top/Hot 100 singles, and ALL his album covers plus their contents, and a discography of the contents of the three CDs, complete wth the names of supporting musicians. The music speaks for itself and is well-covered in the other reviews, although I will add that the AAD sound quality, from the earliest cuts from 1955 to the last in 1975, is superb. As indicated in the accompanying book "Digitally remastered from original Chess Records mono and stereo masters by Doug Schwartz at MCS Studios, Glendale, CA."
   
   So why 4 stars and not 5? Well, I have to agree with those who bemoan the omission of 11 flipsides from his hit singles. If you are going to produce something this ambitious, and for a R&R legend, why not go the whole nine yards and either expand the contents of the three CDs, or add a fourth? I don't think the added cost would have dissuaded his legions of fans.
   
   Looking back I have to think that Chuck, while he certainly knew the commercial path to follow, never lost sight of his love for bluesy-jazz pieces, as each of his earliest hits were always backed by one such selection. Starting with Maybelline. That clarion call for the R&R Era was backed by the haunting Wee Wee Hours, which charted at # 10 R&B.
   
   Drifting Heart, which backed Roll Over Beethoven, was another in the same vein. But while those two are included here, the B-side of School Day - Deep Feeling - is not. Nor are Lajuanda [b/o Oh Baby Doll], Blue Feeling [b/o Rock & Roll Music], Vacation Time [b/o Beautiful Delilah], Hey Pedro [b/o Carol], That's My Desire [b/o Anthony Boy], O Rangutang [b/o Nadine (Is It You?)], Brenda Lee [b/o You Never Can Tell], Go, Bobby Soxer [b/o Little Marie], Lonely School Days [b/o Dear Dad], and Let's Boogie [b/o Reelin' & Rockin' - the 1972 version].
   
   It's ironic to note, too, that his ONLY Billboard Pop Hot 100 # 1 was the novelty tune My Ding-A-Ling which, done with the Average White Band in 1972, reached that pinnacle in late summer 1972. Significantly, it only reached # 42 on the R&B charts. His # 1 hits there were Maybelline (11 weeks at the top spot as well as # 5 Pop Top 100), School Days (5 weeks there and # 3 Top 100), and Sweet Little Sixteen (3 weeks and # 2 Top 100). In 1963 The Beach Boys would "borrow" the music from Sweet Little Sixteen for their # 3 Hot 100 Surfin' U.S.A. They wouldn't acknowledge that on the record until the 1974 release (# 36 Hot 100).
   
   Maybe some day we'll see a re-release of this set with a fourth CD added to include those missing B-sides. In the meantime, consider this a beautiful and essential addition to your collection.



3. For anyone who loves Chuck Berry's music, this is a very good one. A lot of his old stuff. I especially like Chuck's Beat (1964).I guess CD # 3 is my favorite.



4. In October of 2006 Chuck Berry will be 80 years old. Of the founders of rock `n' roll, he is today the one whose honor and esteem is most out of whack with his actual contributions. By any standards, Chuck Berry is one of the founding titans of rock. Musically, he contributed more than any other of the original inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Elvis put rock `n' roll on the map, but Chuck is the one who drew it. Before Bob Dylan and the rash of great rock `n' roll song writers to spring up in the wake of Beatlemania, Chuck Berry was hands down the finest rock songwriter, with the lone exception of his equal Buddy Holly. It is only a slight over implication to state that most rock since Berry has been a variant of his original adaptation of rhythm and blues. And lyrically Berry was the most gifted lyricist before the advent of Bob Dylan. Of all the rock and roll performers, Berry was the easiest to understand when he sang, precisely pronouncing every word and for a very good reason: they were good words. Indeed, his diction was so superb that his earliest listeners refused to believe that he was a black man; they were convinced he was white. Chuck Berry has long been criticized for his lack of involvement in the Civil Rights movement and for reinforcing some negative images of black males, but by presenting himself as an undeniably intelligent and gifted black at a time when many whites were denying that blacks were as intelligent was itself an important contribution. Besides, working as a black crossover artist he was sometimes able to get his own back by subtle messaging. We all know, for instance, that in "Brown Eyed Handsome Man" he wasn't really talking about eye color. My hope is that for his birthday Berry will be recognized for what he was: the equal of anyone in making rock the popular musical form it became.
   
   Apart from Berry's musical contributions, which were formidable, he brought a sense of playful theatricality that was key in defining early on that rock `n' roll, whatever else it was, was fun. Many of the early rock `n' rollers were great, great showmen in a way that few today aspire to be. Most contemporary performers rely on light shows, gimmicks, and props for their shows, but several early performers were precisely that: performers. To this day few guitarists have been as much fun to watch as Berry, not just during his legendary duck walks, but in a myriad of minor antics onstage.
   
   But most of all, Chuck Berry has established a legacy of great, great songs. Most people know that the lone rock `n' roll song put on Voyager's data disc for any extraterrestrial who happens upon it was none other than Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode." Perhaps one day it will be as big a hit in Alpha Centauri as it has been on earth. What many today may not know is just how much very great music he produced. In fact, his string of hits outstrips nearly any of his contemporaries other than Elvis. His notorious stint in prison probably kept him from charting a few more hits (that he transported an underage girl across state lines is undeniable, but it is hard today to realize how vigorously he was prosecuted by St. Louis authorities and he certainly seems innocent of incitation to prostitution charges), but he eventually recovered from his ordeal to generate a second run of hits in the sixties.
   
   Luckily, though in my and others' opinion Berry is not today given the credit he deserves for his major role in creating rock `n' roll, he has been exceedingly well served by a host of absolutely first rate anthologies. What I would like to do here is map out the five Chuck Berry collections I would most recommend. Each has its virtues and none any vices and it would be very hard to go wrong with any of them. I do think a couple of choices are better than others. Here are the main Chuck Berry collections available today:
   
   CHESS BOX--If price is no consideration and you want almost all of the great music that Chuck Berry, this is unquestionably the one to get. The 3-CD set collects over 70 songs and has every one of the songs that the vast majority of music fans will have heard, all the way to his Christmas hit "Run Rudolph Run." There are a few cuts that are less than essential, but no current collection gives such a great view of his work as a whole, except for the complete collection of his Chess work, but in my opinion it collects too much that is of at most secondary interest.
   
   ANTHOLOGY--Chess released this superb 2-CD culling from the larger CHESS BOX. Though less than half the price of the box, it collects over two-thirds of the songs, though without the Christmas songs that I frankly find endearing. But if you are willing to live without "Run Rudolph Run," this has just about all the Chuck Berry that most fans could crave.
   
   GOLD--This is the big bargain of Chuck Berry anthologies. It contains all the major hits and familiar songs--though, again, without "Run Rudolph Run," which for some reason is omitted from almost all hits collections--and several nice extras as well. Though its 50 songs are slightly different than the one from the ANTHOLOGY, the heart of both collections is the same. If you don't own any Chuck Berry and are not sure that you want to spring the bucks for the CHESS BOX, this is probably the safest best. Lots of Chuck Berry for not very much money.
   
   THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION--Well, no, this isn't definitive, but this newest Chuck Berry is arguably the finest single-disc edition. But here is the problem: The GOLD collection is only a buck more and contains 20 more songs. Plus, one of the 30 songs on this disc is the dreadful gimmick song "My Ding-A-Ling," a slightly ribald and not very good song that was Berry's last hit in the early seventies. My own belief is that shorter anthologies are improved by its exclusion.
   
   THE GREAT TWENTY-EIGHT--This is back in print after being unavailable for a long time. Unlike THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION, this is pretty much definitive. Most anthologies basically take the songs off this disc and then add to it. It is canonical in a way that none of the other discs is. Nonetheless, while I think it deserves five stars simply for the role it has played in introducing fans to Berry and for its historical importance, I think it has been surpassed by other collections. Also, the sound on the later discs is better than what you will find on this disc. (Caveat: I own an earlier version of this disc, and it is not impossible that on its re-release the remastered versions of the recordings have been utilized.) Still, for a long, long time this was the Chuck Berry disc to get.
   
   So, if I were buying my first Chuck Berry disc and couldn't afford the CHESS BOX, which one would I go for? I would probably go with the GOLD collection. It is cheap, contains a heap of songs, and has decent sound quality. Then, if I were sufficiently moved to the point where I wanted more, I would go for the CHESS BOX. That really is the best one to get, but there are some really inexpensive compromises that one can make and still get a lot of music by one of the towering figures in rock `n' roll.



5. The songs are great and are really classics that you must own. However this box set has really an unacceptable sound quality. Hopefully this will be remastered sometime soon since the sound quality does murder these standards. Basicalyl you would have everything you need here by cHuck Berry if it sounded slightly better. Avoid!

5 comments about The Look of Love: The Burt Bacharach Collection.

1. Without a doubt, this is the best album that I have ever owned...well maybe next to Steely Dan's Aja, which was the first I ever owned. I love the lyrics, the tempo changes and the genius that is Burt Bacharach and Hal David. This album is even more haunting for me since the untimely death of Burt's daughter Nikki. Nikki was one of my favorite songs, even before I ever knew who it was written for, but even more so now. All the Dionne Warwick hits plus Tom Jones, Trini Lopez, Bobby Goldsboro, Dusty Springfield et al, this is a must have for any true Bacharach afficianado.



2. Fantastic Voyage, Ursula Andress, AM Radio, Sean Connery, Paisley, Man From Uncle...
   
   In short, Burt Bacharach represents pop culture of the 1960's. At it's apogee. Like a moon shot Bacharach's gorgeous melodies and Hal David's brilliant lyrics spanning the decade from the Blob to Movie of The Week. From Bobby Vinton to the Age of Aquarius. Sock Hop to Woodstock.
   
   Essential: Frankie Valli, Beach Boys, Beatles, Stones, Airplane, Sinatra... Bacharach.
   
   Great music of... and beyond... it's era. Timeless... as long as Anyone Has A Heart and The World Needs Love.
   
   This is MUSIC. Not hip hop. Orchestral, composed, inspired.
   
   Genius.



3. WOW. This series of albums is wonderful PLUS A whole CD of Dionne Warwick doesn't hurt!
   
   I'm amazed at how many of these songs i've forgotten but when I hear a few notes I recall the entire song... sort of like I had amnesia or something! Its amazing that so many of the songs in this list are in the mainstream ... still after as much as 40 years!
   
   This is a definite BUY



4. my late uncle hipped me to ole burt. i love what he did with a track.........those percussive horns, man!!!!! i dig this. although i do not like all the joints on here, it's a good thing to have. what stands out for me on here are the lou johnson joints. i especially love REACH OUT FOR ME. more standouts for me are IT'S LOVE THAT REALLY COUNTS (IN THE LONG RUN) by the shirrelles and PLEASE STAY by the drifters. now i like some of the dionne warwick songs on here, but in the liner notes, i think her reasons for doing some of those songs were ridiculous. i thought it was her on WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW IS LOVE. i had no idea that it was a white lady. amazing vocal arrangement. another that just came to mind is DON'T GO BREAKING MY HEART. actually, that is like my fave on here. i wished that they would've put dionne warwick's version of YOU'LL NEVER GET TO HEAVEN IF YOU BREAK MY HEART ON HERE though. the stylistics did their thing, but i prefer the original. all in all, it is wonderful, but then again, it is another reason i am a skeptic whenm it comes to box sets.



5. This is not a "greatest hits" set, though many of Bacharach's greatest hits are contained here. Rather, it's a fascinating historical view of the progression of the songwriter(s) through four decades. It is truly instructive to listen to some of the less well-known pieces. The book that is included in the box set is an essential component: The writers really knew what they were talking about, and I've spent hours reading along with the (very detailed) descriptions of each song's history.
   
   Highly recommended.

5 comments about The Collection: Oh, Mercy/Time Out of Mind/Love and Theft.

1. I bought Oh Mercy at a store in Huntington Beach, California the day it came out in September of 1989. Vesta and I were living right across the street at the time, in a condo next to the pier, the beach sand right outside our front door. We were renters, had only three days left by the water, as we were going to Alaska, driving. We made good time, with this tape in the player, Dylan singing about a Political World and Where Teardrops Fall. What great voice he was in, what an improvement over Down in the Groove and Knocked Out Loaded. Gone where those R & B backup singers and good riddance as far as I was concerned.
   
   We were listening to "Man in the Long Black Coat" when we reached the border, the Canadian border guard asked, was this a new Dylan record. I said it was, he said he needed to get it. Cool guy he was. Two days later, were shooting along at about sixty five, listening to "Shooting Star" in our Mitsubishi Montero when we hit black ice. I tried to keep control of the car, but it was top heavy and we went rolling, sliding on the top, "Shooting Star" playing all the while. We ended up on the side, my side up, the engine racing, Bobby still blasting away about seeing a shooting star tonight.
   
   We survived without a scratch, just some bruises. The car was totaled. I listen to this record a lot now. It reminds me about seatbelts, because for some reason when we left the motel that morning I buckled up, something I never did back then. I do it now. I still have that old cassette, no player though. I've got iTunes now and my Mac just loves this record, which is as good and as relevant now as it was the day it came out. This is one of Dylan's best and a must own for an Dylan fan.
   
   Vesta and I were living on a sailboat in the Caribbean when Time Out of Mind came out. A friend in New Orleans FedExed it to us, the CD still hot off the presses. I picked it up at Customs in Trinidad, took it to the boat. We were anchored off the Yacht Club, on the northwestern part of the island nation and in the Gulf of Paria.
   
   Eager to hear the album, I hopped in the dinghy, motored out to the boat and put in on the player as we lifted anchor. We were headed out to Chacachacare, an island between Trinidad and Venezuela. It used to be a leper colony, is now abandoned and has a nice anchorage. It was dark that night and this is a dark record, perfect. We played it all night long, drinking Coke and rum. Once again, Dylan was back. And he was better than ever.
   
   Every song on this record is a keeper. "Not Dark Yet" is one of the best songs Dylan has ever done and "Highlands" may well be the best, if not, it's right up there. What a song, what a record this is and aren't we all just "trying to get to heaven before they close the door."
   
   Love and Theft came out on September 11, 2001 and as good as it is, it's release was probably overshadowed by something else that happened on that horrible day. Vesta and I were in the Caribbean, living on a sailboat at the time. We were at the Yachting Association in Trinidad, at the bar, drinking coffee when we saw it all unfold on the bar's outdoor TV. In no time the place was packet with foreign sailors and locals.
   
   I couldn't have gotten the record that day anyway, but did get if a few days later as my Dylan loving friend in New Orleans FedExed it to me. And I have to saw I listened to it a lot back then. We'd tune into the BBC, here about the awful events unfolding in New York and when we couldn't take it anymore we'd listen to three or four songs on this album, then it was back to the BBC.
   
   This is a worthy successor to Time Out of Mind and seems to pick up where Time leaves off. The music is outstanding, has both a jazzy and big band, good time, bluzy feel to it that only Dylan could put together. "Higher Water" for Charley Patton" is simply an outstanding song and "Po' Boy" really gets my feet a tappin'. This, like Time Out of Mind is one of Bob Dylan's best records and that's really saying something. Around so long and still getting better.



2. "Oh Mercy" is again a new direction for Bob Dylan, or maybe it's another comeback record for him. He's taken so many directions, had so many comebacks on his journey, made so many fine records and this is one of the best, every song one to listen to over and over, to reflect on. How does he do that, keep making records like this? Topical songs like "Political World" and "Man in a Long Black Coat" merged with the dirge like song "Ring Them Bells" mingled in with the words in "Disease of Conceit" and "Most of the Time" lessons for us all. Nobody else could put a group of songs like this and make it work. This is certainly on of Bob Dylan's best records and one everybody who own any Dylan record should own and everybody should own a Dylan record.
   
   Many dylan fans believe "Blood on the Tracks" to be Dylan's most personal album, his most painful. But, in my opinion, "Time Out of Mind" tops that. I don't know what he was going through in his personal life when he wrote these songs, but it must have been bad. At least that's the way it seems to me. Darkly personal from a man who is hurting, that's the sense I get from this record, from "Love Sick" all the way through to "Highlands," which I consider to be just about one of the best story songs every written or performed by anyone, bar none. Dylan sings like he's taken a down turn since "Oh Mercy," the last record produced by Daniel Lanois. In between there were a couple albums of standards, blues and ballads, plus the Bootleg Series and Unplugged show, also Red Sky, which was pretty good, but not nearly the record this is. It's almost like Dylan went straight from "Oh Mercy" to "Time Out of Mind" and the transition is seemless. This is a beautiful record, darkly done, but beautiful nevertheless.
   
   My friends have talked about how Dylan sings somewhat like a honky tonker on "Love and Theft", but he also comes across as a crooner as well, especially on "Bye and Bye" and also on "Moonlight." He's a Jazz singing, upbeating performer too, just listen to "Summer Days" and "Lonesome Day Blues." He's a honky tonking gambler on "Poor Boy," a dirge singer, delivering lyrics stark and true on "Sugar Baby." Like always, Bob Dylan is so many things, on this album, just about his best record ever. I loved "Highway 61." Wept over "Blood on the Tracks." Rocked with "Infidels." But this, this is all those and more. I think maybe this is Bob Dylan's best.



3. It seems to me that Bob Dylan is always stretching forward, while reaching toward the past. Like a man in a hurricane, he swirls toward an uncertain future like a the shooting star he sings about and Jack London wrote about, but he tries, sometimes in vain, to hold on to his past, his roots, like he does so well here with songs on "Oh Mercy" like "Political World" and "Man in a Long Black Coat." These are songs fans of Bob Dylan's early work might well like. Songs like "Shooting Star", "Where Teardrops Fall" and "What Good Am I?" seem to come right from the heart. The quiet and understated effect of Daniel Lanois' production, which will be even more understated in "Time Out of Mind", are simply haunting to say the least. Something like thirty years into his career at this point and this is one of his best records yet. But what is simply amazing is that there are more to come.
   
   Sometimes one has to wonder if Bob Dylan has a frog caught in his throat. The big kind you find in the tropics, those frogs that croak all night long, singing their songs of sadness and despair. Their dark songs, songs about a place you don't want to go, but can't help going. That's what you'll find on "Time Out of Mind." You can almost feel Dylan's pain as he croaks out the word to "It's Not Dark Yet." This is almost as revealing about Dylan's personal trials and travails as "Blood on the Tracks," a deeply personal look at the man through his music. That is one thing about Bob Dylan, he puts it all out there for you to either accept or reject, but like it or not, his music is real and this record is one of his best.
   
   Unlike the very dark, Grammy winning "Time Out of Mind" Dylan's last album of original material, "Love and Theft" is a record full of fun songs that takes you back to the Fifties, maybe the Forties even. Listen to "Summer Days." If that doesn't make you want to get up and swing, you've got lead in your feet. This whole record has sort of a honky tonk feel to it. It's just simply fabulous. Dylan is older, but he's better. He still has that frog in his throat we've all come to know and love. He's sporting a Boston Blackie Mustache, has a twinkle in his eye and kind of looks like that guy you've seen playing the piano in so many saloons in so many black and white westerns and he just plain sounds like a song and dance man and gosh, I love this record. I guess I already said that.



4. Bob Dylan and Daniel Lanois work better together, it seems to me, then many of the other people Dylan has worked with. I certainly like the sound of "Oh Mercy" better than the stuff Dylan did with Tom Petty, though I like that stuff too. I actually like this record as much as I like "Blood on the Tracks" and often have both of them in my CD changer at the same time (which by the way I never set at random play with a Bob Dylan record, because Dylan records were meant to be played in their entirety, the way Dylan presented them). For me, this record fits nicely between "Tracks" and "Time out of Mind." Sure he did some great stuff in between, but it's these personal songs like "What Good Am I?" that I like so much and, of course, the way Bob Dylan tells a story. There is nobody better.
   
   It seems like Dylan's voice has changed when you listen to "Time Out of Mind, but that's not unusual. His voice changes a lot from record to record, but it's always recognizably, thoroughly Dylan. The album is a bit dark and you can especially see that in the excellent "Love Sick" and "Not Dark Yet," but you can see some optimism, some hope in the song too. There is sort of a bluesy feel to this record that carries over to "Love and Theft," you know, kind of a sadness in these songs that are oh so honest they make your heart ache. This is both a very depressing and very inspiring record and only Bob Dylan could get away with something like that. Highly recommended, very highly recommended.
   
   "Moonlight" is my favorite song on "Love and Theft record that is full of my favorite Bob Dylan songs. Just imagine a honky tonking riverboat gambler with a guitar and a touch of irony in his voice and you have the master who comes up with such words, like "Doctor, lawyer indian chief, it takes a thief to catch a thief, and who does the bell toll for, love, it tolls for you and me." Old words mingled with new words which captures the essence of this album, old style infused with a touch of today. Still, I imagine someone fifty or sixty years ago, hearing this record for the first time, from the whimsical" Tweedle Dee" to the dirgle like "Sugar Baby" that is so reminiscent of "Dark Eyes" the song that closes "Empire Burlesque, would recognize Bob Dylan as a contemporary. "Love is pleasing, love is teasing, love's not an evil thing." What great lyrics there are on this record you'll never be able to get out of your mind. "It takes a thief to catch a thief," and Bob Dylan must be a thief, because he sure caught me.



5. "Oh Mercy" goes Straight to the Soul. It had been a long time since Dylan released an album of original material. A lot of his fans probably thought he was washed up, consigned to singing gospel flavored songs with girl backup singers (which he does quite well by the way) and re-singing his old material, but Dylan proved them wrong with this record. In fact most of the time he surprises, like with this record. There is no denying "Oh Mercy" is a masterpiece. It's quiet and subtle, not at all like the rocker "Infidels" was. For me this record reminds me a lot of "Blood on the Tracks" with it's personal songs. However, there are also songs about the social conditions of the day, delivered in only the way Bob Dylan can deliver them, understated, but straight to the soul.
   
   Riddles and Enigmas Abound in "Time Out of Mind." Eight years since "Oh Mercy," and once again Bob Dylan calls on Daniel Lanois to produce a record. This one wins a Grammy and shows the world Bob Dylan is still a force to be reckoned with. This is an eerie, kind of psychedelic and very dark record. Dylan's voice even sounds dark, as dark and bare as the lyrics. Songs of no hope and a lot of hope, dreary, dank, dark, but seemingly always with a ray of hope shining through. "It's not dark yet, but it's getting there." Yeah, it's getting there. Riddles and enigmas abound in this record that won a Grammy and if you give it a listen, you'll find Bob Dylan's riddles both easy and impossible to decipher, but such is the nature of the man.
   
   "Love and Theft" was Worth the Wait. I guess Bob Dylan is approaching half a century in the music making business, forty years or so when this record came out. That's a long time from that first album of just him and his guitar singing those protest songs. A long time from protest ballads, rock songs, gospel songs, uplifting and dark songs to this, a rollicking, frolicking record of songs that will make you laugh and dance and cry for joy. Maybe it took forty years to get to here, but it was worth it. The music on this record is tight and good, but then Dylan had been playing with this band during a zillion and one concerts on his Never Ending Tour, so it's not surprising. The songs are just plain fun and harken back to an age much more innocent. This is a wonderful record. I've played my CD hundreds of times, have the record on my iPod. It puts a smile on my face and that is just about as grand a compliment one can give a piece of music.

5 comments about Time Traveller, (4 disc box set).

1. This box set is ideal for those who:
   - Love the Moody Blues;
   - do not think all the past material was equally strong;
   - love Justin Hayward;
   - like John Lodge occasionally
   - don't give much for the Pinder/Thomas/Edge tunes;
   - move to a smaller house and feel the need to compress the CD collection.
   Also, it's a nice package job (unfortunately not done by Pat Travers, that would have been something) with a colourful booklet included. What more could you want?



2. I'd had a couple of the original Moody Blues albums as a teenager so I had a good notion that this box set would be enjoyable but I didn't dream that it would be as solid and consistent as it is. You could dub this entire history to your portable mp3 player, or at least the bulk of the set which covers the original albums that made the Moody Blues' reputations.
   
   Up through the last song from "Seventh Sojourn" the entire thing is spotless. The remainder of the set could be consolidated to round out the third disk. The weak part? From disk 3 track 8 up until their revival with "In Your Wildest Dreams" the only keeper for me was "Stepping In A Slide Zone". But from "Wildest Dreams" through the end of the set the band sets new heights with song after song.
   
   Is this the only Moody Blues set a person needs? For my money the classic album "Days of Future Passed" got shortchanged, represented by only the two hit singles. Unlike previous compilations however, both songs are here in their entirety rather than in edited single versions. "Cities", the b-side of "Nights in White Satin", dovetails perfectly with this collection and fills the role of lost gem quite nicely. The spoken introduction to the next album isn't named in the tracklisting but it's incorporated as one track with "Ride My Seesaw".
   
   Album after album, songs are well-chosen, discreetly leaving the occasional number that sounds dated to history, emphasizing the timeless quality of the vast majority of the Moody Blues' music. When presented as a whole these albums seem to have a narrative, building to a climax in "Seventh Sojourn" that the band simply couldn't trump.
   
   If you get the five disk version of this box set you'll find that the concert performances are pleasant but you don't need the Tin Pan Alley nouveau "This is the Moment". Disk five is nice but not essential so if it's out of print I'd strongly recommend the four disk version.



3. This is one exceptional, yet at times frustrating, boxed set with terrific sound and liner notes. The first two discs cover all except one LP from the "Core Seven" - basically the first seven LPs the Lodge/Hayward era Moodies released. These two discs are simply outstanding and capture almost every worthy track from these LPs. The sequencing is excellent and the tracks still flow as well as they did on the original LPs. One puzzling exception is their first LP, the classic Days of Future Passed, which is only represented by "Nights in White Satin" and "Tuesday Afternoon" - there are certainly other worthy tracks on that effort so I can only assume that when they selected the tracks they figured that every Moodies fan will want the entire "Days" CD anyway. Again most of the essential tracks are here with just a few exceptions.
   
   Disc 3 is a bit more problematic: It starts off very well indeed with six of the eight tracks from "Seventh Sojourn" but then we get detoured with no less than six numbers from the Hayward/Lodge venture "The Blue Jays". The tracks aren't bad, some are quite good, but this is supposed to be a Moody Blues set, right? And we're not given any tracks from the solo efforts of Thomas, Edge, or Pinder. Then we get the "Justin-fronts-10cc" track "Blue Guitar" which is also very good but musically sounds more like a 10cc number than anything the Moodies ever produced. Then we're back into Moodies territory with three tracks from uneven "Octave" - two strong tracks "Steppin' in a Slide Zone" and "Driftwood", but I would have so preferred that they dropped "The Day We Meet Again" and replaced it with the beautiful "Had to Fall In Love" or energetic "I'll Be Level".
   
   Disc 4, after another Hayward track, gets back on track with the rest of the Moodies catalog from "Long Distance Voyager" up through "Keys to the Kingdom" (possibly their weakest LP). "Long Distance Voyager" is considered by many the Moodies first and best LP from the 2nd phase of their career and it is excellent. So why we only get three songs from it is beyond me. Certainly Hayward's "Meanwhile" and Edge's "22,000 Days" would have made nice additions and, again, I would have preferred them over some of the tracks from "Blue Jays". "Other Side of Life", "The Present", "Sur La Mer", and "Keys to the Kingdom" are nicely represented with two or three tracks each from what were uneven albums (although "Want to Be With You" and "Deep" from Sur La Mer are both pretty strong). But since it's only the best tracks from these later efforts it's a consistently strong sampler of the more contemporary catalog.
   
   So three and a half excellent discs of Moodies music which does a fine job at presenting the early catalog in depth and the post 1980 "hits". I do recommend supplementing with:
   1: "Days of Future Passed"
   2: "Long Distance Voyager" and
   3: 1999s excellent "Strange Times" which sees a return to an earlier guitar based sound with some excellent compositions from Lodge and Hayward.



4. For new or casual fans of the MB's (who, like myself, don't own every album they ever recorded), this set is a wonderful introduction to this awesome band. A lot of people not too familiar with the Moodies just assume the group was Justin Hayward (Nights In White Satin) and four more guys. Well, this collection will introduce you to the talents of John Lodge (incredible bassist, driving rock numbers, vocals and songwriting), Graeme Edge (one of rocks most overlooked drummers), Ray Thomas (great baritone voice, songwriter, and superb flutist), and Mike Pinder(sublime singer, piano, organ and king of the Mellotron).
   
   This talented group are truly rock pioneers and THE most underrated band of all time. I would urge anyone who is interested in discovering the Moody Blues to get 'Time Traveller'. You will fall in love with these exquisitely talented men just as I and millions of other fans have.



5. ive been listening to the moodies since i was born. this helped me to exxperience the different lengths in which their music entailed. it goes from the psychedelic to the eighties. not one song will one want to miss, every song is as good as the next. i love listening to their albums but when i dont want to constantly change cd's i pop in time traveller... i love this compilation!

5 comments about Hot Rods & Custom Classics.

1. This is a four CD collection of "car songs". It says "hot rods" in the title, but all kinds of cars are featured. In fact some songs, like Hank Williams' "Lost Highway" and Rod Stewart's "Gasoline Alley" are not about cars or driving at all (they are both great songs, though). Songs are in a wide variety of styles, with rockabilly and surf being represented the most. There are also a few old radio commercials for car related products thrown in. Most of the songs are enjoyable, but a couple of the discs should be a bit longer. Oh, it comes with fuzzy dice, too!



2. I read a review of this in an English music magazine some years ago and have been trying to get it ever since. The only place from where i could get it sent was "Amazon.com".This is an amazing set with songs from the 50s right through to the 80s and I love it to bits. Particularly pleased to have the wonderful "Black & white Thunderbird" by the Delicates on CD now but it's all really good. Yes there's a lot missing as one reviewer said but you'd have to have a 25CD set to get it all on and you'd still miss out on stuff even then. Be thankful for what it HAS got on it - it's wonderful. And the service from Amazon was first class - arrived 3 weeks before it was due to do so. Thanks



3. We just DJ'd a "Car Cruise" in our area. Not only did we enjoy the songs on these cds, but most of the people in the crowd were jammin' right along with us. The "Rev Off" between the '41 Merc and the '61 Chevy was AWESOME! We used it as a contest. Actually had someone able to guess both vehicles! If you are a DJ, and play at any car shows, this is a must have!



4. this is a great set.Sure to be collectible in the future and some of the songs are treasurs.I personally love hearing all the rare unknown stuff and im happy they didn't load it up with known stuff.Drag City and Little Duce Coupe are great songs but I have enough copy's allready.I wish there had been some more surf derived songs on here like
   
   Beach Buggy-The Shutdowns
   GeeTO Tiger-The Tigers
   Burning Rubber-Gene Moles(also released as Batmobile for Batman fans)
   Twin Pipes-Gene Moles
   Ballad Of Boneville-Don Brandon
   R.P.M.-The Four Speeds
   Mag Wheels-Gary Usher
   Four On The Floor-The Four Speeds
   My Sting Ray-The Four Speeds
   Surfin Hearse-The Quads
   Nifty 50-The Customs
   Dragster On The Prowell-The Dovells
   Chicken-Burt Convoy
   Road Runner-The Gants
   
   The list goes on.They did a good job but they could have dome better.My personal favorite is off the set is Hoped Up Mustang by Arlen Sanders.Yeah its just a re-write of Hot Rod Lincoln and he does basically talk through it rather than sing but there is a certain attatude about that song.One song they should have thrown on or maby Rhino will do a Christmas cd some day is Hope Rod Sleigh by The Reindeer.So werather its
   
   My Dad He Said Son You Gonna Drive Me To Drinkin If You Don't Quite Drivin That HOt Rod Lincoln
   
   Santa Said Elves You'll Never See Christmas Day If You Don't Quite Drivin That Hot Rod Sleigh
   
   There All Good To Me.



5. I expected this box 2 be good, but it's amazing. I just think this box should be in every road music lover's collection, because the songs are just mind blowing, the book is something wonderful, plus you get decals and fuzzy dice, what do you want more??? If you like cars and road songs, all you need is here.
   Long life to Rhino Records.

5 comments about Asylum Album Box Set (9CD).

1. You're probably already an Eagles fan if you're reading this. This review is about the construction of this boxed set edition, not the music. If amazon allowed half stars I'd give it a 3.5.
   
   It's a good looking collection, with each CD sleeve duplicating the original vinyl album in great detail. The gatefold album covers are well made, but the inner and outer sleeves of the other discs are far too fragile. I'm sure they will start tearing, even though I take immaculate care of my music collection. Also, the textured white cover of _On the Border_ sits in between the dark _Desperado_ and textured dark _One of These Nights_, and the covers are rubbing off on each other.
   
   The other drawback is that the text is mostly illegible because of the small size and the variety of fonts. But that's always an issue with these "vinyl replica" type CD sleeves.
   
   I had put off buying the Eagles on CD for a long time, so since I found this set at a good price I'm glad I finally have it. Just be aware that you'll need to be very careful with it.
   
   (For quality comparison, the Doors box set from 1999 and Queen's The Crown Jewels box set have very nice, well made miniature album sleeves.)



2. excellent set of cds.......all they made and then some other versions. very enjoyable. if you like the eagles you will love this



3. The people who should pick this up are the ones who want to get the Eagles catalog remastered in one shot and want the original style packaging. The songs are classics and there's a lot of stuff that you won't get on the greatest hits package (although "Very Best of" manages to cover a lot).
   
   But for a very limited edition that has a higher pricetag, Don, Glenn, Joe and Tim should have autographed each set (because it is their devoted fans likely buying the set), even if it meant raising the price on the set even higher.
   
   I also think that the entire set should've been a CD/DVD collection, as a lot of rare footage exists from this era as well, some of which has been shown on VH1 Classic. I just think it's far more fun to just watch the archive footage with its flaws than the flawless "Hell Freezes Over" concert.
   
   The "bonus" CD should've had the "Get You In The Mood" B-side from "Take It Easy" that they have never put out on CD.
   
   The only other thing I can think of is that "Eagles Live" should include more songs as the original 2 LP release had time constraints. Hopefully one day they can do a proper "Eagles Live" box set to cover the original Eagles with Leadon/Meisner as well as the Felder/Walsh/Schmidt lineup, because a lot of great songs they'd done live were left off.
   
   I think that because they have been putting out more repackages than new material (they really don't need to put anything out to justify touring), I don't see it appealing to anyone who already has all their CDs to begin with.
   
   Bottom line: The Eagles have repackaged themselves one too many times (the DVD-Audio version of "Hotel California" probably the only repackage worth its weight) , yet they have a lot of live material in the vaults that are far worth exploring than yet another repackage of what we've all heard many times over as well as concerts they've recorded for TV and have on film.
   
   But DO watch out for the Eagles "Farewell I" DVD to be released sometime in June 2005 and shown on network TV.



4. By now most of us have the all of the albums, even the remastered ones on this box set. Many of us (not me) bought the Very Best of the Eagles collection last year, not to mention the last box set, or "Hell Freezes Over", or Eagles Live...
   
   Or the previous two greatest hits cds. It goes on and on, and so far no sight of their long awaited "new" studio album.
   
   So why are Glenn, Don, Joe and Timmy hitting us with still another remastered, repackaged set of the same old songs? And why are people still willing to pay the big bucks their albums always run???
   
   "How Long", a marvellous, country-rocking Frey-Souther composition, was an early Eagles live staple. How come it has never seen the light of day on a recording? There's no reason why they couldn't include it on this set, except maybe that Henley and Frey would still prefer to besmirch the contributions of Leadon and Meisner (and Felder too).
   
   Don't you think it is high time to release that (not-so) new studio album, and give us new music, Henley??? You talk about CORPORATE GREED, DON, so what do you call this over [...] dollar turkey?
   
   Glenn, are you listening too?
   
   Either get those creative juices flowing again, boys, or cut the prices or the [...] You are millionaires so many times over it isn't funny.
   
   Unless Bernie and Randy are benefiting from this, don't bother. Or get yourself a Chris Hillman,(who has a wonderful new album coming out very soon) Herb Pedersen, Bernie Leadon, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, or even a Burrito Deluxe cd. At least these musicians are keeping the honored tradition of California Country Rock alive. Glenn Frey and Don Henley sure ain't.



5. This limited edition box set is a must have for any Eagles fanatic. There's nothing new here musically in the way of outtakes or remastering, but the presentation is amazing. Rhino has recreated the artwork for all the band's original 70's albums (and 1980's Live release) down to the smallest detail. From poster inserts to dust sleeves, each cd is meticulously crafted to mirror its record counterpart. Even the feel of the cd case are authentic from the unusual texture of On The Border to the raised artwork or One Of These Nights. This set is pricey, so casual fans will not be interested. As is the norm, Rhino Records has risen to the occasion with another superb reissue that is well worth the price tag.

5 comments about Buffalo Springfield Box Set.

1. Neil Young and his overblown ego compiled this, so there are more Neil Young tunes and more variations on those tunes than anyone else. He was my least favorite in the band..I much prefer Furay and Stills. Richie Furay seems to be the only one who is not totally full of himself and is appreciative of what the band had done to music and his friendship with the surviving members continue.
   His book on Buffalo Springfield seems like a fair representaion of what went on and he is not one to place blame. He always has a respectful view on what happened.
   He is a Pastor now and a devout Christian..and if for some reason that puts you off...you should still read his autobiography.
   He just seemed like the right guy to tell the honest story and he should have been the one to put this collection together.
   
   
   Pickin' Up the Pieces: The Heart and Soul of Country Rock Pioneer Richie Furay



2. I'm a rabid Buffalo Springfield fan and have covered their music in a number of bands. I remember listening to Stereo X FM Underground while growing up in SoCal in the 60's and from time to time they would play the 11-minute version of Bluebird. The 9-minute version exists on the 1971 compilation vinyl (I have it), but unfortunately the full 11-minute version wasn't included on this boxed set. I spoke with Stills a few years ago at Summer NAMM in Nashville and he told me the master tape containing the 11-minute version still exists but that he didn't want it on the boxed set because the final jam falls apart. Still for those of us who are major fans of the Buffalo Springfield, this would not have mattered. What we want is special historical music insights and golden moments, and the 11-minute version would have gone a long way to making a so-so boxed set into a far better collector's treasure.



3. A great issue this one, and anyway the only way to get some of the "Unrelease Stampede"'s track in an audible way different from the LP.
   "Stampede" was never meant to be a release of Buffalo Springfield, but only a collection of jams, demos and outtakes taken in the period beetween theire first and second official LPs. ATCO relesed it first on vynil, placing on front cover a photo that could be used later for "Again" album and giving it a catalog number (33-226).
   Anyway, Box Set re-issues some tracks appeared firt on "Stampede", but not all of them, 'cause "Stampede" was just an "arctifact" created by ATCO. Wath follows is a list os songs you can find in Box Set appeared in "Stampede"
   
   1)Neighbour don't worry #1 :Neighbour don't you worry (remix) DISC 1
   2)Down to the wire #1 :not on the box set - alternative vocal line up (single voice)
   3)Do I have to come... :not on the box set - alternative vocal line up (coral voice)
   4)Instrumental #1 :not on the box set
   5)Instrumental #2 :Buffalo Stomp (raga) DISC 2
   6)My kind of love :My kind of love DISC 2 (even if it here appears in slightly different up tempo)
   7)Baby don't scold me #1 :Baby don't scold me DISC 2 (even if it here appears with a slightly different arragment)
   8)Baby don't scold me #2 :not on the box set (different arrangment)
   9)Down to the wire #2 :Down to the wire DISC 2
   10)Well see :Well see DISC 2
   11)There goes my baby :There goes my babe (demo) DISC 1
   12)Neighbour don't worry #2 :Neighbour don't you worry (demo) DISC 1
   13)Ringing bells :not on the box set
   14)Give me one more sign :One More Sign (demo) DISC 3
   15)Come on :Come on (demo) DISC 1



4. I've seen this group perform in person. They brought the house down. I brought this box set hoping to get most of the music they did. I was kinda dissappointed in the box set. Why didn't they put in live tracks in the fourth CD. Instead putting the same songs they had in the other CD's? You are better off in buying the single CD's, then spending the sixty dollars or so on this box set. Even though they only had a two year stint they had big influence in the music of that era and even today.



5. Ok, i'll admit it, i have been a Buffalo Springfield fan since their 1st album came out. I have all their issues on vinal (eh?). What makes the box set cool is the demos and out takes. But if your not an almost rabid fan, buy the three albums.

5 comments about The Anthology (1968-1990).

1. As the author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" and a former radio disc-jockey, I am often asked to write and or discuss various music supplies and recordings from the 60's and 70's.
   
   "The Anthology (1968-1990)" [BOX SET] contains forty-one tracks and for many artists it would be at least thirty-five too many. Luckily, for us Dave Edmunds is unique and the plethora of material is all thrills with no fill.
   
   The inclusion of both the music of Love Sculpture and Dave's subsequent projects enhances the legitimacy of the release to an even higher plateau.
   
   For those of you that haven't experienced the earlier side of Edmunds one listen to "Sabre Dance" will be a wake-up call. It is relentless rock and roll in your face with a bite. Quickly Edmunds diversity is showcased because the next tune is the Gershwin song "Summertime." The mood changes from glad to sadness and Edmunds six string reflects the emotions. "I Hear You Knockin" has been a stable on Classic Rock stations since its inception. The construction of the instrumentation and vocal delivery immediately impacts the brain. When the songs with Nick Lowe take center stage it is blatantly apparent that Edmunds has the unique ability to pay homage to his fifties roots but in such a way those that grew up on 60's and 70's rock and roll embrace the sound. "Here Come The Weekend" and "I Knew The Bride" are examples. "Trouble Boys" is one of those rock and roll tunes that capture a moment. The end result being free from the slightest flaw. When Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk" hits the speakers you are listening to one of the finest covers ever. The energy and conviction is superlative. Speaking of interpretations. How about the vision Dave had for "Queen Of Hearts?" Juice Newton (Major hit) saw it one way and Edmunds took it to a different path. His version of the Hank DeVito song could rank as the most underrated tune on the collection. "Singing The Blues" has been recorded a zillion times with brilliant versions from Guy Mitchell to Paul McCartney. Edmunds leaves his imprint with a terrific rendition. John Fogerty's "Almost Saturday Night" normally wouldn't sound proper coming from any other artist. Edmunds leaves enough of the Fogerty calling card to keep the version superlative. As you get near the end of the material the Edmunds penned tunes "Information" and "High School Nights" will satisfy your craving for his material.
   
   From Love Sculpture to a solo road and a pile or rocks, this is as good as it gets.
   
   
   Enjoy the music and be well,
   Craig Fenton
   Author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent"



2. The Dave Edmunds Anthology is an outstanding collection, if you are a Edmunds fan you will have heard (or already own) most of this material, but if like me, I purchased this to "retire" my old and worn Dave Edmunds vinyl collection....Great stuff for any fan of Rock n Roll/Roots rock.....GET IT !!!!!



3. Rhino does it again. This covers everything with 41 songs from Love Sculpture to Jeff Lynne. Includes a 52 page booklet with great liner notes but even better each song is covered individually and discussed by Edmunds and/or Billy Bremner. Something that surprised me is how little Edmunds wrote, only seven songs and they were co-written. I have never been a big Edmunds fan (I think like the Everly Brothers he's a little too white for my taste) but I do appreciate his talent and I find his music growing on me (like the Beach Boys & The Dead) as I grow older.



4. This is almost the definitive dave edmunds collection. It contains almost all you need. The almost faultsless Rockpile LP's are well represented and have aged splendidly.



5. Dave was a brilliant musician - you might describe him as an electric guitar virtuoso - and a good singer (though some of the early tracks are instrumentals), whose records often reflected his fifties influences, but his music always sounded fresh and exciting.

   His first success came with Sabre dance, an incredible cover of an old instrumental that reached the top five in the UK and was quite unlike anything else in the late sixties pop charts. He had no further success until I hear you knocking topped the British charts in 1971 and also a huge hit in America. This song was originally written and recorded by Smiley Lewis but was also an American hit for Gale Storm. However, Dave Edmunds made the song his own with his high-energy performance. Later in the seventies, Dave had further British success with Girls talk (an Elvis Costello song) and Queen of hearts, an original song that later became a huge American hit for Juice Newton. It is ironic that his biggest success as a recording artist was with a cover version, but that when he did come up with a great original song, it was somebody else who had the American hit. Baby ride easy is a country duet with Carlene Carter that is unlike anything else here.

   Some great covers are included in this anthology, often better than the original, including Promised land, Born to be with you, Singing the blues, Crying in the rain, Almost Saturday night and The race is on - so there's some rock'n'roll, some blues and some country in there. Bruce Springsteen wrote From small things big things come for Dave to record.

   There are many other great tracks here, too numerous to mention. They are by no means all covers. This is by far the strongest anthology of Dave's music that I've come across. If you enjoy early rock'n'roll, especially Elvis in the fifties, you will surely enjoy Dave's music.