5 comments about Live at the Gorge 05/06.

1. I like Pearl Jam. When I had just graduated from high school they were the biggest thing in Rock. They were cool and more importantly back then, I was cool because I liked them. Some 18 years later, somewhere in a dusty corner of my house I have the CD's alphabetized in some kind of time capsule that my wife wishes was boxed up and out in the garage.
   
   So last week I found myself at a music store and I came across this really cool looking box... "Pearl Jam". I picked it up and looked at the incredible amount of music contained on the discs... some titles I knew, some I had no idea about. I am 39; I have a good job, so I came home and ordered from Amazon. Well I got the package last night... I put in disc one at 11 pm and I sat up all last night listening to these songs, the new and the old, and I held the box like you do when you are 14 and music is everything. I felt transported during this musical journey and I wanted to share with you how good this group of songs is, how drawn in to the concert setting you will be. I liked Pearl Jam when it was 1991 and now in 2008 they seem so damn good, not just angry but powerful. What a find. I encourage anyone with a dusty corner in their home to relearn Pearl Jam and to enjoy the wonderful tracks that you might not even know about it you moved on after the "Vitalogy" years.
   
   Five stars ***** Pearl Jam is the new Dead, with a better catalog. For a few hours I did not have a mortgage, car payment, and a house that needed to be cleaned... For a few hours I was Live at the Gorge with Pearl Jam... and it was a place that I had not been to for a long time, too long.



2. I feel sorry for the seasoned PJ fan, especially the fanatics who buy EVERYTHING! There are many, many, many live PJ cd's out there. They record everything and offer it to the fans. For collectors it has to be hell to keep up. May have to mortgage the house to have them all, but this set is an exception. Even the big fans that dont buy every one (like myself), but buy their studio CD's should have this.
   
   3 shows in their entirety and very raw yet excellent sounding. The crowd sings along to a lot of tracks, which is good for the feel, but can be annoying. Small complaint to an otherwise flawless live set. The set-lists themselves offer a great variety and hit on each disc. A couple extras and fun covers are here too. The packaging is excellent and is cool for collectors.. Songs do repeat in the set, but makes the shows legit.
   
   I really pick my spots to purchase 'Live' CD's, but i have to say that this one is really well done. A no-brainer for PJ fans. And is a decent value for 7-discs if you find it onsale. Even live rock junkies should have this as the band sounds tighter than ever.



3. Pearl Jam has always been a fan friendly band. They went head-to-head with Ticket Master because they thought their fans were getting screwed on the service fee. They play two, sometimes three hour shows; and if they are in a city for multiple dates, they never play the same song twice. They offer up numerous bootlegs of their concerts through their fan club and website; by-passing the middle-man and retailers. Now comes the mother of all live box sets.
   
   Peal Jam catalog three complete concerts on 7 CDs from The Gorge in 2005 & 2006. Included are numerous greatest hits, unique cover songs, rare material, and previously unreleased material. I have to give it to Pearl Jam fans though. Anyone that can sit through 7CDs (or three concerts) of this dreary, un-inspired, boring music, must be really committed. Since Peal Jam caters to their fans, I'm sure they won't be disappointed with this set. Although, you may need a few uppers to prevent a lack of charisma-induced coma



4. 3 Concerts, 2 Eras: Riot Act and Avocado ( Untitled ) Rare, stunning, dynamite!!! Real Grunge, Vedder better than Ever!! Great Selecction... Lots of music for diferents moments... and Acustic songs!!! buy it.. dont think... buy it.!!!



5. The masters of live music never show signs of fading out. They always give the people what they want. A show with nonstop music and great excitement. This stuff is worth every penny I recommend this to anyone of rock music.

5 comments about With The Lights Out.

1. Ive been a nirvana fans since almost 16 years ago, believe me any new or strange material about the band is exiting fo me.... but to be honest, maybe this compilation is only worth i if you are a real nirvana fan... i mean, i was a little dissapointed when i watched the dvd, because most of the songs are very low quality home made tapes from the 80s, some of them not even complete, only a few seconds, and they take it as a song...



2. talk about grunge... the quality on most tracks are horrible like everyone else says.. most of these songs I personally would enjoy more studio recorded.. but there are good tracks for fans..



3. I write this long after the fact as I came across the box set while finding stuff to sell in cd form and buy in mp3 form. But originally I had waited for this when it first came out with eager anticipation. After all many of the box sets I have bought of other groups had rare tidbits. But I can't say there was anything worth my anticipation.
   
   But upon getting it I was rather disappointed in what seemed like long winded same tone album that did not seem to really cover what I had heard on all the other albums. Apparently a lot of other people feel the same way as they are selling for their copies for around $20 in Amazon Market Place. Don't waste your $20 - $60 on the box set buy all the albums separately its well worth the cost. Especially the live albums.
   
   MTV Unplugged in New York
   From the Muddy Banks of The Wishkah
   Incesticide



4. My boyfriend was so excited to open this on Christmas morning. He had been asking his family for it for years but would always get gift cards instead. Needless to say it has been in heavy rotation for the last week!



5. This box set is a must have for any Nirvana fan. With so many unreleased songs, it gives you an insight to the band that you might not otherwise have seen. If you followed Kurt from the beginning or are just now starting your collection, I highly recommend this set!

5 comments about Five Guys Walk into a Bar....

1. If your wife, girlfriend or someone you know loves rod stewart as much as my wife then they will enjoy this pre solo stewart era band.



2. actually, i think that rod and ron consecutively re-launched the faces and then rod's solo career on the basis of having so much material to lay down following their creative and psychedelic stint with the jeff beck group. the first 2 jeff beck recordings are stellar examples of rod's impressive vocal skills. also, the first 2 rod records sound identical to the faces material from the same period. all of these releases still sound great today



3. I wasn't terribly familiar with the Faces, but a friend got this and I was blown away. Booze and blues. Great stuff. A four discs are fantastic. If you like British blues this is for you.
   
   Only negative is the packaging is the typical nonsense these days. It is a book format with four overlapping CDs. What should come is four jewel cases with a separate book. The book here is epoxied to the binder and weak and anything resembling a digipak sucks and scratches the discs.
   
   Put the discs in jewel cases and enjoy the book.
   
   Great stuff.



4. Always had a soft spot in me heart for Ronnie Lane and the Faces...best show I ever saw matter of fact to this very day...what I remember of it that is...Woody's slippin' and slidin' up against Mac's snortin' B-3 (can't forget his Wurly too) and a singer (what's your name again?) that didn't require a mike...would recommend this box set w/ several thumbs up.



5. Great CD. Had 1 skipping track but other than that defect the best
   collection of Rod and Faces that I've yet to hear together in one package.
   Great info too on the band with an included booklet.
   Truly the best from Rod's rocking era.
   The best thing about these selections is that they are from a member of the band : Ian McLagan, the pianist/organist.
   Very little known tracks that made the band's personality come to life are featured. Some rehearsal tracks are not too intriguing. They are rehearsals. By and Large this CD collection is well worth the money for any Faces fan who saw them live in concert in the 70's.

5 comments about Peel Slowly and See.

1. Hard to criticize the great music on this box set, but there are some missteps in the track listings and packaging. You would expect the demos, live tracks, & extras from the respective time periods to be at the end of the official releases, right? Not so. It's also disappointing that this isn't the box set that includes everything that is commercially available.
   
   On disc 1 there are demo versions exclusive to this release. We are all excited to hear new Velvet's material, but it's mostly Cale singing the same verse over and over accompanied by Reed on acoustic guitar. Interesting, but you won't be anxious to hear this more than a couple of times.
   
   On disc 2 there's the short version of All Tomorrow's Parties (Single Version) which is before The Velvet Underground & Nico. There is no reason for this to start the disc; it's the shorter, lesser version of the song. The huge bonus on this disc is the live track Melody Laughter, which is VU live w/Nico; wish there was more tracks like this on here.
   
   Disc 3 features demos and live tracks before the main release that is White Light/White Heat. Again, all of these tracks should be at the end of the official release. The live tracks Guess I'm Falling In Love and Booker T. are particularly noteworthy, but are awkward listens before the showcase release.
   
   Disc 4 has a live version of What Goes On and you get to hear the "closet" version 2 tracks later. A minor annoyance, but still. The live and bonus tracks on this are outstanding.
   
   Disc 5 I have little to complain about. Loaded precedes all of the great extras.
   
   On to the packaging. Comes in a great book shelf worthy cardboard case w/a vinyl peel off banana that encloses the discs themselves which are in plastic cases as opposed to the annoying cardboard digipacks that are customary these days. There is also the awesome 80 page booklet w/musings from the Velvets as reported by David Fricke. What is disappointing about the packaging is that the original LP covers are reduced to thumbnails on the back of the cds. These are replaced, on the front cd cover, by scans of the analog tape cases w/hand written notes; very cool, but not worthy enough to replace the original covers.
   
   In conclusion, lots to like here, but my big gripe is I wanted an all inclusive box set w/track listings that were suitable to my tastes.



2. Must have for all Lou Reed fans. The bonus tracks really throw it over the top.



3. I regret that i got carried away by the recommendations given on my previous purchases as well as the other reviews on this compilation
   "Peel slowly and see" is definitely one of the worst in my collection.
   
   It sounded more like a jam session by a not so talented garage band! Do i say more.
   Can i have my money back or atleast exchange the same for some better music?



4. i've owned this set about three times for one reason or another. i always come back to it, though because it holds up well. it actually holds up better than most of the music that came out of that hippie era because the experimentation was way ahead of its time. i also like the way the avant garde blends with pop melody, to make it more accessible in some way..this music really is not as hard, as say Ornette Coleman is to fully digest. you just have to have an ear for it..beleive me, the rewards come in great dividends for sticking with this music.



5. completa y recomendable edicion, reune en 5 maravillosos discos el legado de esta particular banda, con sus joyas, su basura, sus momentos increibles y su desechable monotonia...el primer cd reune demos que no dejan de ser una curiosidad ,aunque realmente son ensayos y divagues inconclusos...su valor historico es notable. los demas cd nos llevan de la mano a las cañerias del new york que nunca conoceremos...en fin , un producto altamente recomendable.BUY IT!

5 comments about The Misfits Box Set.

1. If you are a real big fan of the best horror punk band ever you must got this box. The box has the coolest design i've ever seen, and the four cds provide a wide view of Misfits music. You get all the classics, "Last Caress", "Night of the Living Dead", "Where Eagles Dare", "Horror Business" and so on. The book is not that good, with few pictures, but at least, with all the lyrics of the cd's. It's an expensive item, but the Misfits fan's we'll be happy with the material.



2. Definately worth your money. It's awesome. If you love the old school Misfits, buy it!



3. It was everything we expected, the only thing is I would have liked to see more detail in the description. For example what was included in the box set. Overall very satisfied.



4. Of course this is a five star box but it's a pity that "In The Doorway" is not included on Static Age -disc. Because I have all The Misfits Lp's the third disc with outtakes and original She 7" is the most interesting.



5. Simple: The best Misfits collection. Perfect for collectors or Misfits fan. If you dont know Misfit just buy it and you will be a real fan !!!

5 comments about Music Bank.

1. I can imagine most people who're considering buying Music Bank are salivating over the same thing I was when I bought this box set: the unreleased tracks and the demos. The good news about Music Bank: the unreleased tracks do not disappoint. Any AiC fans should find themselves thoroughly enjoying these songs during the first listen. On top of that, there's a mini-booklet full of AiC history and comments from the band members. The bad news: The majority of Alice in Chains' studio material also appears here, including the entire album Dirt, and all 4 tracks from SAP. So, for those of us who already have all the studio albums, a good part of Music Bank is essentially worthless.
   
   Despite containing a load of studio tracks, I will say this for Music Bank: it keeps the listener interested. The unreleased tracks are fresh enough and the demos are different enough from their studio versions to satisfy most AiC fans. They also did a good job of mixing up the studio tracks, even though Music Bank goes in chronological order by release (for the most part).
   
   Disc 1 is the most valuable part of Music Bank as far as "new" material goes. It includes the single Get Born Again and 7 demos, 4 of which never appeared on an AiC album as actual songs. You also get the song "Queen of the Rodeo", which appears on the AiC album "Live." Disc 1 also includes a slew of tracks from Facelift and a pair from SAP.
   
   Disc 2 is, unfortunately, the disappointing part of Music Bank. Anyone who has the album Dirt will find little desire to listen to Disc 2. Ten of the songs on this disc are straight off of Dirt, and 4 more are studio tracks from other albums. There are two unreleased tracks and a demo of "Junkhead" on this disc, but I hardly find it worth my time to listen to this one all the way through when I can just pop Dirt into my stereo and essentially listen to the same thing.
   
   Disc 3 is, in my opinion, the strongest disc (overall) in the set. You get the remixes of the songs "What the Hell Have I" and "A Little Bitter", both of which originally appeared on the Last Action Hero soundtrack, and a remix of "Again", though I can't say I'm a fan of this version. You also get 3 songs from AiC's Unplugged live show, including "The Killer is Me." The real gem on this disc, however, is "Died", the last song Alice in Chains ever recorded, and, in my opinion, the best song in the whole set. For studio tracks you get 5 off of their self-titled album and the 2 from "Dirt" they didn't include on disc 2.
   
   Disc 4 just has some interactive stuff you can access through a PC. It's kind of cool, but it isn't something most people will need to see more than once.
   
   To sum up Music Bank, it's definitely something serious AIC fans can enjoy, and it's also a good way for the casual fan to get into the band. The only downer: All of Dirt and SAP did not need to be included here. I would have been satisfied if they had taken 6-8 tracks from Dirt and only 1-2 from SAP. Definitely worth 30 dollars, but think hard before spending more than 40 on it.



2. If you are a fan of Alice in Chains, I highly recommend this compilation of works by them. They have put all the songs, even some unreleased demos on the cds, and it is definitely worth the price.



3. This box set is one of a kind. I was impressed to see how many unreleased songs were in this set and that all of the CD's came in their own case, instead of sleeves like most box sets. All in all, it is a fantastic addition to any collection.



4. For hardcore AIC fans, not for the casual listener. Be aware that there are studio outtakes and alternate versions of songs on this set that are found on other AIC offerings.
   
   For the hardcore AIC fan, it is a must.



5. 48 Alice In Chains songs. All the hits, all the fan favorites, all the rare songs, and even some new ones!
   You get early, classic demos like: "I Can't Have You Blues", "Whatcha Gonna Do", "Social Parasite", and "Queen of the Rodeo".
   
   You get rare songs like: "A Little Bitter", "What the Hell Have I?", "Killing Yourself", "Lying Season", and "Killer Is Me".
   
   You get new, unreleased songs: "Get Born Again", "Fear the Voices", and "Died".
   
   Combine all those great songs with great booklets (pictures, notes, etc), and awesome packaging, and you get one of the best music sets ever released for a band. Also, I would get Music Bank: The Videos, because it has all of their music videos, which were some of the coolest vids I've ever seen. Enjoy!

5 comments about Talking Heads.

1. I was very excited to finally see these titles get remastered. Aside from the musical content, which is excellent, this package could not have been more poorly manufactured. First, you get a easy to crack plastic outer box. No booklet is included other than the individual CD liner notes. When I purchase a box as expensive as this, I expect excellent quality packaging, as well as audio fidelity. This set does not deliver.
   
   On a normal tray-style CD player, these discs function fine. In slot load drives however, simply inserting these discs can damage your player. The dual-disc format is just too wide. It can jam the motors, or get caught in the slot and not come out. If you attempt to rip these for MP3's, get ready for disaster. It can take forever, if they rip at all. Lot's of errors and skips. Computers just don't like these, especially Macintosh's. These actually caused my G4 iBook to fail to recognize the disc drive, and then they could not be ejected. It took me two hours to get the disc out of the computer! Read all the other peoples bad reviews on this if you don't believe me.
   
   As for the bonus content, it's nice, but nothing special. Most have a few demo's and alternate versions on the CD audio side, and throw away 5.1 audio mixes and a couple videos on the DVD side. All in all there really isn't that much content on DVD sides. Rhino could have easily made these as normal CD's, and thrown in a single bonus DVD disc for all the content contained on the flipside's in this entire box. Instead, they chose the unreliable, easily scratched/smudged, dual-disc format. I suggest you wait until this gets reissued again before purchasing these albums again. Go with the cheaper, non-remastered versions that really don't sound that bad.
   
   The price on this box isn't exactly that great either. You really are getting scr*wed by the man on this one. Shame on Rhino for this huge error. They know how a good box set should be made, and this isn't the way.



2. The ultimate collection, all lyrics and cover art included. If you're a fan this collection rocks.



3. My husband loves the Heads and has been waiting to receive this album for a long time. We had to purchase online because we were unable to find it in stores. The husband is extremely happy to have it! He says there are a few little strange quirks in the backgrounds of some of the recordings, but overall is very pleased.



4. This was a Christmas present for our son-in-law. Shopping online for this seemed easier than shopping locally for something we were unfamiiliar with. The item arrived quickly, in great condition at a reasonable price.



5. It's pretty simple. Great music, but lousy packaging. I owned all of their albums, so I wanted CD versions of them. I had read some of the reviews talking about the inferior packaging, but figured how bad could it be? So, I got this box set, and here are my issues with it: 1) You have no clue which CD is in which case. The sides of the jewel cases are blank white, so you need to start pulling them out of the cheap plastic box to find the one you want. 2) Three of the jewel cases were broken at the hinges, so the covers pop off. 3) One of the cases was cracked all along the bottom of the front.
   
   The quality of the music is great, some nice bonus tracks, and some great extras, like music videos, but...they could have made it even better with good packaging.

5 comments about Wipers Box Set.

1. The Wipers had some really great tunes and were fronted by Greg Sage, a supremely prolifict song-writer who would often go against the grain of style present in the American underground of the late seventies and eighties. Long songs, solos, melody... Still, a lot of us would come to recognize the Wipers as cult heroes and their albums classics. If you're young, or from the east, then you've probably onyl heard the Wipers via Cobain's gushing in the early ninties and Nirvana's covers. Be sure to check out the source.
   
   My favorite song, bar none, is "Mystery." The song comes off the "Is This Real" album. There's also a demo version, which, to be honest, I prefer. You really get your money here; the first three albums plus the amount of songs availible to us back in the eighties is doubled for you here with the inclusion of unheard demos, live songs, and alternate versions. A valuable, inspiring, collection.



2. I got this cd for My grandson (off his birthday list) and he loved it!



3. every year brings not only great new music to the ears, but also great music that was somehow missed when first released. this set of 3 albums recorded between 1980 and 1982 (with plenty of bonus tracks thrown in) is a fantastic batch of punk/post-punk recordings. greg sage is such a talented guitarist i can't believe he flew under my radar for so long. quite a find, this. while i would not rate it quite as highly as i do husker du, it is pretty close; and i would say that all fans of husker du should have this. after 1st hearing this, i purchased a couple of other wipers cds and a solo greg sage effort, as well. everything is excellent. i highly recommend this to punk rockers, post-punk rockers, and all fans of rock and roll in general.



4. Like Syd Barrett, Greg Sage has been afflicted/blessed with a condition known as synthaesia, the ability to 'see' sounds and 'hear' color. One of the guys from Crackerbash said that the Wipers sound like Portland in the winter. Listen to 'youth of america' and you will know what months of rain and grey skies look/sound like...
   One more thing, that guy that said they had no songs is stupid, "Messanger", "Romeo" and "Window Shop.." are standouts among many...



5. A very addictive set of records... Particularily 'Is this Real?' and 'YOA'. It's beautifully flawed stuff: self-romanticized teenager music that takes itself too seriously; but damn, is it awesome.
   
   Very sincere. Honest, sometimes angry and most often naive. Very thoughtful changes, sometimes almost amatuerishly ornate. Oh yeah. And they also rock.
   
   Listen to any of these records once, and I can understand if you aren't blown away. Listen three times, and if you're not madly, hopelessly in love, it's because you have no soul.

5 comments about No Thanks! The '70s Punk Rebellion.

1. The one thing Rhino Records did get from the Sex Pistols (Johnny Rotten/Lydon) was the name of this box set. The way I heard it (from a music insider) is that Rhino wanted to include the Sex Pistols but when Johnny Rotten/Lydon was asked about the inclusion of a song, His reply was simply "NO THANKS!" So don't blame Rhino, they did a great job! On the other hand, Johnny, you are just rotten!!!!!!!!!



2. Bit of controversy about the worth of this box set, which seems about right given the subject matter. But I think it's okay for a 4CD overview, which can only be fairly shallow and a bit random, no matter how thoughtfully compiled. If you got really serious, for example, you'd need a full CD, or at least a solid half of one, just devoted to Australian bands. I mean, for starters, no Birthday Party? Huh? In fact The Saints are the only inclusion, with their most routinely anthologised track and all. But of course by then you're looking at ten or twelve CDs in a box costing several hundred dollars, which might be overkill.
   
   And what is punk music anyway? If you mean what "punks" actually listened to at home, which Rhino sort of seems to (e.g. Devo, Cure), then including no ska-dub-reggae seriously misrepresents the era, too. But hey, Cherry Bomb and Another Girl Another Planet and Roadrunner and Chinese Rocks all made the cut, so I'm happy. What's there is pretty good. It's a decent blast from the past, and it certainly brings back the time for me, weird though it was. Even the bad and pointless stuff is acceptably representative.
   
   It would also, I think, make an excellent one-stop-shop introduction for someone born in the 1980s or 90s, because of rather than despite it's scattershot and sometimes unsatisfactory nature. Punk was a glorious, disjointed, and genuinely absurd mess from go to whoa, and no one really knew what it was about even while it was happening, so in a sense this collection is VERY faithful. (Ending the set with Love Will Tear Us Apart is perfect in so many ways.)
   
   But then I'm probably in one of Rhino's target demographics, i.e. middle-aged baldheads with ruined livers who miss hearing some of the songs, but don't particularly want to devote what's left of their lives (no future really starting to kick in at this point) to collecting them all over again.
   
   (But ignoring the Pistols and PIL must just be a legal issue, surely? Or else, yeah, too insane.)



3. Lets get one thing out of the way, the music is timeless.
   
   Last I heard "punk" was not a style.
   It's obviously a cash-in aimed towards hot-topic punks that enjoy name-dropping obscure bands as if it meant something. These songs are great yes, but the albums they came off of are even better. To dillute the whole life of these bands to just one or two tracks is an absolute shame. If you don't care about history or music feel free to get this.



4. This boxed set has many great and classic punk songs. I would recommend it particularly to young people today who didn't live in the late '70's. Back in '78 or so, some of this type of music is what really got me interested in rock'n'roll to begin with. I think it's a great collection, but Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, and some others who were really not true punk rock, don't really belong on this set. However, it's good to see many of the New York (CBGB) bands here. This is the true rebellious music of the 1970's, just like rockabilly was in the 1950's, even though the genres and styles are completely different.



5. this is punk at it's worst (best):}
   Punk for all and all for punk

5 comments about Bowie at Beeb: Best of BBC Radio 68-72.

1. If you're a bowie fan, you're in for a treat. I first heard tracks from this album while I was sitting in a coffee shop. I thought he'd done some new live acoustic recordings, they sounded so fresh. There are a lot of tracks and some clunkers, but the good ones make up for it. Bowie is of course and incredible performer and the necessity of these stripped down BBC recordings lets his performances shine. He rips into the songs in a way that's not possible on a studio album. Magical!!



2. 
   If you have any notion of buying this great set, look at the used listings for the earlier, limited edition, now OOP, 3CD set.
   
   It contains a fabulous live disc recorded at the BBC London Theatre 06/27/00 that this later edition does not have.
   
   Check out the tracklist for the live disc:
   
   Disc: 3
   1. Wild Is The Wind
   2. Ashes To Ashes
   3. Seven
   4. This Is Not America
   5. Absolute Beginners
   6. Always Crashing In The Same Car
   7. Survive
   8. Little Wonder
   9. Man Who Sold The World
   10. Fame
   11. Stay
   12. Hallo Spaceboy
   13. Cracked Actor
   14. I'm Afraid Of Americans
   15. Let's Dance
   
   As of this writing, the OOP 3CD is available here on Amazon for less, used, than this 2-disc set, new.
   
   Don't pass up the opportunity to get the live CD. The audio is first rate, and the performance is excellent.
   
   Link to the original 3CD BBC set.



3. Contrary to the reviews here- i think disc One is the stunner here featuring many of Bowies earliest mod folk and acoustic rockers. God knows im good- (Brels) Amsterdamn -In the heat of the morning and well pretty much all of the first disc capture David at his early climb to fame. The interviews and radio chatter only enhance the uniqueness and rarity for fans. Its all very informative and captures a time and place and the sound is excellent- you can almost sense coming superstardom in the confidence of the material and in the band. Disc two contains most of his Ziggy Stardust material which ofcourse is all good but basically sounds like demos of that album and for the most part is very familiar even to the casual fan. The acoustic versions of Supermen and Andy Warhol would have sat better on disc one as they flow into that material better. This is a great bargain especially used nearly 40 songs of Bowie at his peak. Disc One however finds itself on permanent rotation in my cd player- i could listen to this all day.



4. CD2 - The first CD could be a symphony of (flatus) and I'd still give this 5 stars for the nearly immaculate performances on the second disk. In particular, "Hang Onto Yourself" (track 3), "White Light/White Heat," and "Suffregette City" (featuring Mick Ronson making this totally hot kissing noise with his guitar)crackle with energy. It is truly a thrill to hear these old favorites in such a new (as such) and exciting light. Bowie and Co. burn down the BBC studios. Repeatedly. Any rock fan (but especially an old Bowie fan, of course) is likely to meltdown in ecstacy upon hearing this.
   
   CD1 - Many hardcore fans will surely (sweet milk) over CD1 as well although I'm not personally crazy about all of it. Some of David's early Brittish folk period is represented which can be a bit hippy-dippy at times. The first 4 tracks, recorded in May of '68, fit that description although they do feature brilliant in-studio orchestral accompaniment.
   
   Much of CD1 does in fact rock. "Let Me Sleep Beside You" and "Janine" are very good, easy-going rockers recorded with Junior's Eyes who had a short-lived collaboration with Bowie and the session was never broadcast. Bowie delivers a stunning solo performance of Jacques Brel's "Port of Amsterdam" (vocal and guitar). The same session shows off Mick Ronson just a few days after hooking up with Bowie for the first time. They perform an intriguing, half-written version of "Width of a Circle." Ronson really cuts loose on "Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed" and "Cygnet Committee" is positively intense. Some studio hum can be heard on the session, an atmospheric reminder of the electric nature of these proceedings (that may or may not appeal to the listener). "Memory of a Free Festival" had sadly been edited for time and remains so.
   
   Recorded in June of '71, the last session on CD1 features all of the future Spiders From Mars as well as some friends on vocals and guitarist Mark Carr-Pritchard who played for a phantom Bowie project called Arnold Corns. Early embryonic versions of "Moonage Daydream" and "Hang Onto Yourself" were recorded and released under that name. The group stomps through "Bombers," a rare HUNKY DORY-era cut that sounds better (and less cheesy) than the studio version which I have as a bonus cut from the RYCODISK release of HUNKY DORY. "Looking For A Friend" is a country-ish, Stones-y rocker and they also turn in a rousing cover of Chuck Berry's "Almost Grown." And Bowie performs "Kooks" solo on vocal and guitar which he had just written for newborn son Zowie.
   
   Note: Those concerned about excessive voice-overs from BBC radio hosts (like the ones that marred the Jimmy Hendrix BBC release) can relax. There's very little talking over the songs and quite a bit of interesting Bowie banter on CD1. CD2 has nothing but back-to-back songs. Tracks begin with actual songs, not the preceeding dialogue.



5. This is yet another interesting byproduct of the recent rush to re-release Brit groups and stars who performed during rock's glory age for various BBC TV and radio programs. Usually these are a mixed bag, as they often collect different time periods, different settings, different styles, and different sound dynamics, all wrapped onto one or two discs. Notable recent BBC collections include an early collection by the Beatles, a generally enthusiastic release from the Kinks, a great Led Zeppellin cd, and a very strong late-period Procol Harum set.
   
   This one is no different. Like those I mentioned, the first cd of Bowie at the Beeb collects several early live performances of a red-hot Bowie fresh off the high of "Space Oddity" performing an eclectic set of solo, small group acoustic, and rock performances. Leaving aside the annoying BBC host who is always omnipresent in these sets, Bowie turns in a strong yet tentative collection of his early songs, some joined by Mick Ronson toward the end of the disc. Standouts include "Janine," "The Width of a Circle," and a rave-up performance of "It Ain't Easy." Those familiar with the early Bowie sound will find it in abundance on the first cd, an obvious talent looking for the right sound and fit for his muse, trying on and abandoning different styles but always a solid performer throughout.
   
   The second cd finds a far more confident Bowie a few years later (1972) in a studio setting, bringing his amped-up Ziggy Stardust persona and ripping through a blistering set of highlights from that period. The sound (recorded with overdubs in the studio) is especially fine, and the performances first-rate -- Mick Ronson leaves no prisoners as he slashes through "Hang on to Yourself" and "Ziggy Stardust." Bowie even brings on a large contingent of supporters later on to help him with a superb set that includes "Starman," "Space Oddity," and "Changes."
   
   Bowie fans will rejoice. I hope the Bowie archivists start releasing more of his early and mid-period live sets, as we have seen with other similar artists, so we can fill in the missing pieces in the evolution of a singular rock icon.