5 comments about June 1, 1974.

1. It is great to hear these four great artists together, live. I really like the version of Eno's "Driving Me Backwards" on this album. If you are a big fan of any of the four artists on thsi album (Nico, Eno, John Cale, and Kevin Ayers) I would say that you should counsider getting this album. If you are a big fan of more than one of them, then this is a must-have!



2. Kevin Ayers after recording the fantastic concept album 'The Confessions Of Dr Dream' with a bunch of session musicians in 1974, decided to form a new band called 'The Soporifics' ( Soporific means having a tendency to sleep!). Instead of doing the natural thing of taking the band into a rehearsal studio,Kevin Ayers being the free spirit that he is took the whole band off to the Rhone Valley for a nice little summer holiday ,using the advance on Dr Dream to finance the jaunt. This was a great idea until the money ran out, and Island record label got in touch to say that the album sales were going well ,and that they had booked the band into the prestigious Rainbow Theatre in Finsbury Park ,London ,in three weeks time 1st June 1974 to be exact ,and the gig had already sold out! This is the moment that panic set in .
   The band gathered up all belongings , family members ,girlfriends ,hangers on etc, and got themselves back to London immediately and decamped to the Walpole Picture Theatre in Ealing to set about rehearsals . After a week Kevin Ayers realized that this was just not enough time to get ready, especially with the band's not exactly regimental time keeping for the rehearsals. Drastic measures were needed. Kevin Ayers decided to get on the phone to a few friends.
   First up was Nico ,the intoxicating Diva from 'Velvet Underground's' first album, and through her Kevin Ayers contacted one of his own heroes John Cale also of the 'Velvet Underground' , who happened to be in town recording his own album ,but was only to pleased to help out as it turns out he had been a long time fan of Kevin Ayers himself . When John Cale arrived he brought with him his buddy Eno, perfect. Having heard on the grapevine that Kevin Ayers was in a bit of a jam, two of his old allies rang up to offer their services , which were also gladly excepted. They were Robert Wyatt who had been an original member of both 'The Wilde Flowers' and 'Soft Machine' with Kevin Ayers. Robert Wyatt had a terrible accident in 1972 falling off a balcony, and was hence forth confined to a wheelchair, but it says a lot for his character that he was still an excellent percussionist and vocalist. The other friend was none other than Mike Oldfield now at the height of his commercial success after the release of his 'Tubular Bells' record, after starting of his recording career in one of Kevin Ayers earlier bands 'Kevin Ayers and the Whole Wide World'.To round things off the delectable services of Lisa Strike, Doreen and Iris Chanter were added as backing singers.
   Now if this is not enough you have to remember the quality of the Soporifics themselves, on lead guitar you had Ollie Halsall one of the most respected guitarists on the circuit, who later went onto a very successful solo career ,as well as stints with 'Boxer' ,'Tempest' and 'The John Otway Band'. Eddie Sparrow on Drums ,one of the greatest session drummers ever ,in fact after this concert he handed in his notice to the 'Soporifics', as he just could not turn down all the money he was being offered outside the band , and he could not do both. Archie Legget on bass who has been on so many Canterbury sounds albums before and after the Soporifics, that they are to many to mention.Then on Keyboards was Rabbit Bundrick who went on to join 'Free' and since then has been 'The Who's ' keyboard player since 1979. With this amount of talent you had the ultimate Avant Garde Supergroup.
   Fortunately Island records to the eternal gratitude of all music lovers had the sense to record the event . Unfortunately all that has ever been released is the highlights ,but what highlights they are. We can only hope that somewhere in Islands vaults are the complete tapes ,which will someday see the light of day. But that is a minor quibble considering what we get.
   First up are a couple of numbers from Eno ( with Kevin Ayers merely playing bass.) which prove that had he wished to go down that path he could of been one of Glam Rock's greatest stars, the two songs are very Roxy Musicish but then what do you expect as Eno had been a founder member of the band and had only left less than twelve months before, after appearing on their first two albums . Next John Cale slithers on stage to crawl his way through Elvis Presley's 'Heartbreak Hotel'. John Cale growls his way through the song slowing the tempo down almost to a stop, as well as giving completely new meaning to the words ,with his emphasis going as far away from Elvis's as is possibly, if you think that the treble speakers have gone out of your equipment fear not, it's just that Cale only uses the bottom end. Such is John Cale's mastery of his craft that by the time the song finishes you feel so dirty you need a wash.
   Then Nico takes centre stage to drag out Jim Morrison's 'The End' accompanied only by some spine-chilling keyboards , it is one of the best choices Nico could of made, as you can hear that she has the audience in the palm of her mind as she recites the words . Big Jim would of nodded his approval.
   Finally Kevin Ayers breezes onto the stage to give us a collection of songs from his back catalogue. Opening with 'May I?' from 'Shooting at the Moon'(1970) followed by ' Stranger In Blue Suede Shoes' from 'Whatevershebringswesing' (1972) then 'Shouting In A Bucket Blues ( Wrongly titled 'Standing In A Bucket Blues 'on the slip sleeve of this album) from 'Bannamour' (1973) wrapping things up with a couple from 'The Confessions Of Dr Dream'( 1974) the bluesy 'Everybody's Sometime And Some Peoples All The Times Blues',encoring with the totally irreverent 'Two Goes Into Four'. The Mike Oldfield guitar solo on the former song is mesmerising ,as it was on the studio version. Kevin Ayers free spirit roams through out his songs ,and all leave you feeling cheerful and carefree. The band are still a little under rehearsed, but in a funny way it just adds to the charm of it all.
   Today Kevin Ayers has not changed, still arriving back in his native England, getting some cash together ,which he never seems to have a problem doing considering his enormous talents ,and then flits off again on his world travels. I just would like to think it is as idyllic as it sounds , one would hope so ,as the joy that Kevin Ayers has brought to the world through his music, he deserves to live life with a permanent smile on his face. A very classy British eccentric.
   Mott The Dog.



3. I was lucky enough to be at this, the greatest progressive super "group" concert of all time. (I even saw the cover being photographed looking through the glass doors.)
   The only negative is that there is so much more of the concert that is absent from the LP and now the CD. Island must have balked at the idea of having "Why are We Sleeping/Dr. Dream" on two consecutive LPs, but we're also missing John Cale's "Buffalo Ballet" and "Gun".
   Island, Voiceprint, Hux, someone has to release the complete concert. The world will be a much better place.



4. --Mike Oldfield, not "Brian," and yes he was and still is a master. Check out his own albums for better compositions. I just can't quite get into Nico's "The End" but am gonna hang with her a bit more on her other stuff. Cale's earlier solo stuff works better than here (try PARIS 1919 for artsy). Eno & Cale teamed on WRONG WAY UP, one of the most irresistible art-pop albums of all. Ayers: You're better off getting THE BEST OF-- .



5. This is one of my favorite live recordings ever. John Cale sings a great version of Elvis Presley's Heart Break Hotel, Nico sings The End, Eno does a brief selection from Here Come the Warm Jets and it is all topped off by Kevin Ayers melancholy, unclassifiable pop tunes. Wonderful sound, stellar British progressive blues musicians and an eccentric lineup of cult stars at their artistic peaks. It's a one of a kind recording. I would suggest this CD to Nick Drake fans.

5 comments about Pixies at the BBC.

1. 
   The reason I bought this cd was that I had issues with the sound quality on albums like "Surfer Rosa"-sort of muddy, and lacking immediacy. I was hoping the BBC compilation would have a fresher and crisper sound to songs I liked. Generally speaking, the sound quality in compilations like this and the "B Sides" one are superior to that on albums like "Surfer Rosa".
   
   In any case, it was on this cd that I first heard any version of "Down to the well" and I was instantly drawn to it...from the cool Kim Deal incantation throughout the song, to the cool "Creep" like guitar effect in the song [I mean the Radiohead song of this name-maybe Radiohead got this effect by listening to this song in any case]. Listening to the regular album version of this song was a major disappointment...the whole arrangement was inferior to the one in this cd. Kim Deal's vocals are very feint, and the intro isn't as good either.
   
   That song is a good example of compilations like this improving on the originals. The flipside of that is songs like "Monkey gone to Heaven". After falling in love with the album version and then listening this version, this version pretty much spoiled for a while my appreciation of the original version when I came back to it. Even though it's hard to label Francis Black a great vocalist, you appreciate his brilliant theatrics and performance in the original song because it is lacking here. This version, unsurprisingly, also lacks the lush, beautiful orchestral arrangement of the original. The worst bits, I suppose, are where Francis treads on Joe's great guitar solo by adding a few extra words, which puts Joe out of whack for what should be a highlight of the song. More forgivably, Francis varies lyrics in another part of the song...not to any great effect, but it mixes things up in any case.
   
   Other songs I enjoyed on this album were:
   
   "Levitate me"- Francis nearly yodels in this and his word play is nice too. The "oi" chant is more obviously an AC/DC type chant [a la "TNT"] than in the original album version.
   
   "Caribou"-has some typical Francis type screeching and some nice poetic lyrical form-sort of like Haiku?
   
   "Hey"
   
   Some other songs which had something of interest to them:
   
   "Wild honey pie"-another over the top vocal performance by Francis. Has a touch of "London calling" by The Clash to it. I suppose this kind of simple, repetitive lyric works better than other such songs by the band...at least it's funny here.
   
   Perhaps the best example of overly simple lyrics [yet again, the song title is endlessly repeated] being used to good effect is "There goes my gun". Kim does some nice backing vocals here.
   
   "Dead"-nice word games in this song-not very sophisticated though. Touch of the White Stripes about it.
   
   "Subbacultcha"-bass heavy, like a lot of Pixies songs. Has a bass line not unlike the tune to the tv show "Peter Gunn".
   
   "Wave of mutilation"-has an intro which reminded me of Lennon's "Starting over".
   
   "Letter to Memphis"-starts out in hard rock form, verging on heavy metal. An early riff in the song sort of reminded me of the Bay City Rollers, but gosh, my memory of that band was never that strong!
   
   "Ana"-a nice mellow song with Francis having a gentle singing style, unusually. The lead guitar's melody is nice too.
   
   In contrast to "Is she weird"-another bass guitar based song where Francis just goes berko, vocally.
   
   Overall, since there isn't a compilation by this band which compiles all the versions of songs I like best from this band, I'd say that this compilation is good if you want to hear the superior version of "Down to the well". It's not exactly "Essential" Pixies, as "Surfer Rosa" and "Doolittle" are, but if you want to add to your Pixies collection, I can say that albums like "Bossanova" and either this album or "Complete B sides" are definitely worth considering.



2. This was actually the first Pixies album I got (ca. 1998, better late than never) and it's still one of my favorite albums by anybody. The first song is a very creative take on an obscure semi-song from the Beatles' White Album. Black Francis and co.'s screamed version is almost unrecognizable, but in a delightfully ear-splitting way. Most of the songs are stripped to their core essence, highlighting the band's rock-solid songwriting. It also makes an interesting introduction to the band's catalog - sort of like an "alternative" greatest hits album.



3. This is listed here as a 'live' album. This should be clarified for potential buyers: this is not the 'live' album you are hoping/looking for. This is a collection of songs by the Pixies recorded at BBC Studios in the UK over the course of several years. Yes, the tracks appear to have been recorded live (most likely in one take), but otherwise any resemblance to a live album ends there. And besides, nowhere on the cd does ever use the actual word 'Live'. With that clarified, let's move on.
   
   While some Pixies fans balk at this album, I actually find it to be pretty essential-easily up there with their collection of B-Sides, and in my opinion, up there with Bossanova (their weakest album). Pixies at the BBC offers a view of the band that cuts to the bone: no studio gimmicks, up front vocals, solid mixing of the rhythm section, and an incredible spread of songs from every album (minus Surfer Rosa), plus 2 outstanding covers (of The Beatles and David Lynch, no less-Pixies were the masters at choosing the best cover material ever).
   
   Many songs here are somewhat stripped down (possibly causing much of the fuss with hardcore Pixies fans) here. 'Is She Weird' for example dispenses with any lead guitar, providing the song with even more immediacy. 'Monkey Gone to Heaven' seems more primal performed without the string section. 'Manta Ray', always a personal favorite of mine (an outtake from Doolittle), shines so pristine here, it's too bad they didn't squeeze it onto Doolittle. And 'There Goes My Gun' tears out of the speakers like a rocket-seeming more like a companion song to 'River Euphrates' and 'Something Against You' from Surfer Rosa than anything off Doolittle. It's actually quite interesting to see how the band's sound was shaped in the studio to a large degree.
   
   My favorite song here, though, has to be '(In Heaven)'. A fan of surreal cinema (also check the lyrics to Debaser), Frank/Black/Francis loved Eraserhead, and so, the Pixies covered this song penned by David Lynch. It's so utterly raw, terrifying, and simple, that for me, it's one of the band's defining moments. And the shock of feedback/guitar hitting the floor at the end perfectly finishes it all off.
   
   Certainly this is not a typical Pixies 'album', and it is far from perfect (no Surfer Rosa tracks-come on!!!), yet somehow, as much as any other Pixies release (with the exception of the truly live 2nd disc from the Death to the Pixies compilation-an absolutely stunning testament to the greatness of this band), Pixies at the BBC captures their essence: exciting, raw, odd, adventurous, funny, and, yes, cool.
   
   While it's no Surfer Rosa or Doolittle (I mean, come on, what is?!)-this is as good of a place as any to discover the most exciting and creative rock band to emerge since the 1960's.



4. The title of this CD mentions "EXTRA TRACKS", but the song listings are the same as the other PIXIES LIVE CD. They both have 15 songs listed, and are in the same order. I don't see any extra tracks here. Where are the extra tracks thou speakest of?



5. BBC is a wonderful compilation of the Pixies. It contains several alternative versions to many of you favorite Pixies songs. I recommend that anyone who like great music should obtain BBC.

5 comments about MTV Unplugged in New York.

1. The clarity of this "soundtrack" is simply amazing. MTV did a superb job with the setup of this event. I was blown away when I heard the cd version, but hearing it with my cheap Yamaha equipment in DTS took it to another level. It is a shame he is still not around; what an amazing talent this guy had. RIP KC.



2. It's amazing, but not unexpected, to see such a lack of pretense throughout these acoustic translations of much heavier material. The entire concert was bathed in Cobain's tragic warmth and frazzled soul, injecting a tremendous amount of integrity into nearly every strum and vocalization, while the band backs up at their restrained best, revealing a side seldom seen, and one fans were most fortunate to have seen before the end.



3. In my opinion, the greatest MTV Unplugged album ever. They proved that they were more than just a grunge band, and Cobain brought his pain briefly to the surface.



4. When I first got this album I simply could not stop listening to it not only one of the best live albums but one of the best albums ever and that says a lot since before i got this cd I wasnt into acoustic cds i liked my music load and heavy and now because of this cd I now love acoustic songs , which I think its a good change of pace.even thou I hate Mtv ,its nirvana so what the hell here are my favourite songs
   1 jesus dont want me for a sumbeam
   2 come as you are
   3 polly
   4 lake of fire
   5 were did you sleep last night
   be sure to pick up the dvd of this classic album



5. Nirvana was a rock band. Their style was loud, raw, aggressive. Kurt Cobain abused his guitars. Dave Grohl pounded the living daylights out of his drums. Krist Novoselic jumped around on stage like a madman.
   
   So what happens when you hand Cobain an acoustic guitar, tell Grohl to play his drums with brushes, and force Krist to sit still?
   
   Well, you get a very interesting album. I will agree with many of the glowing reviews on here, this performance has alot of emotional punch - in places. But I wonder if perhaps too much of this emotional stuff is read into these performances in light of Cobain's death. Yes, he screams and plunks his guitar with great vigor, but he was also high on herion.
   
   It's somewhat interesting to hear Nirvana play "Come As You Are" unplugged - but it's much better played full-force with electric guitars. And it's okay hearing Cobain play "Pennyroyal Tea" solo, messing up the lyrics and hitting the wrong chords - but it doesn't hold a candle to the full electric arrangement.
   
   The best parts of this album are the cover songs. "The Man Who Sold the World" is a fun song, as are the three Meat Puppet covers; and most folks are in agreement that "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?" is spine tingling. If you get this album for no other reason, get it for the cover songs.
   
   So while this is an interesting foray into "what happens when you strip a rock band of what made them famous" - it's not a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination. It's the point of "Unplugged" to put a band in unfamiliar waters, but that doesn't mean it always turns out well.
   
   Nirvana made music that was intended to be plugged in. That's what Nirvana was - loud, kick-your-teeth-in rock. "Unplugged" does not do them justice.

5 comments about Live at Max's Kansas City.

1. Good selection of music but the production quality is really bad. Like sitting in a small, tinny bar with maybe 20-30 patrons. This album is really only for people who have to own every single thing VU did. Otherwise, go for the 1969 live album (recorded in Texas).



2. ...none other than Jim Carroll, poet, novelist, Velvet Underground enthusiast, and future rock and roller, responsible for "People Who Died" and other great songs. He and Brigid Polk, who taped this record, apparently sat at the same table that night at Max's!



3. Though I miss Mo Tucker's drumming on this concert recording (she was on hiatus having a baby at the time!) the sound quality is noticeably improved over the original edition. You also get an extended version of 'Some Kinda Love' and nice live versions of 'Candy Says' and 'I'm Set Free' on this remastered deluxe version. Sell your copy of the old version and get this!



4. It seems appropriate that rocker-muse Bebe Buell once wrote and sang, "Cut my teeth at Max's Kansas City/My soul is pure rock." It was the original rock'n'roll club, with drag queens, actors, hit singers and underground hits in the same room. It had Andy Warhol, Mick Jagger and then-waittress Debbie Harry hanging out in the same place.
   
   Alas, there hasn't really been a place like Max's Kansas City since. So it seems appropriate that a momentous rock occasion took place there: Lou Reed did his final show with the Velvet Underground. Fortunately, a pal named Brigid Polk taped the whole thing, and this "legitimate bootleg" is a rough-cut little slice of what that night was all about.
   
   It opens with drums being clattered, instruments being tested, and a lot of background chatter. Then Reed offers a dignified intro ("you're allowed to dance, in case you don't know"), before launching into several songs that are primarily from "Loaded" and "White Light/White Heat," with stage chatter between songs.
   
   Apparently Reed unexpectedly changed the second set (on the second disc), including material from the "Nico days," early in the band's existance, including a spare, stripped-down version of "I'll Be Your Mirror," a gentle "Candy Says," a suitably hungover-sounding "Sunday Morning," and the way-too-long "Some Kinda Love."
   
   The album is bootleg quality, especially since they didn't have digital recording then, and Polk used a tape. So it's very fuzzy around the edges, a little incoherent here and there; "Femme Fatale" is downright murky. But it's all in remarkably good shape when one considers that it is from 1970.
   
   And to some degree, its rough quality can be seen as a blessing. People like me -- who were born way after Max's Kansas City faded away -- can get a brief taste of what the nightlife at Max's was like, when fashion, art and pop all collided. So the background voices and clattery tuneups just add to the "you are there" quality.
   
   It's also noteworthy because the songs included are among their best, and because Reed delivers them with so much emotion. There's a certain poignancy to his introduction when one realizes that it would be his last show with the Velvets. And it gives a bit of extra oomph to certain songs like "I'll Be Your Mirror."
   
   "Live At Max's Kansas City" is not the best-quality live album there is. But it is a small slice of the psychedelic nightlife for anyone who wasn't lucky enough to actually go there.



5. This is SO WORTH IT!! The Velvets at nearly their greatest live and a classic NYC-sleaze-nightlife document. The ambience is perfect. The band sounds wonderful. The only better Velvets live documents are the CDs, "Live 1969 Vol 1" & "Vol 2". This is a very close second. Stay away from the "Quine Tapes" - awful sound quality. This DELUXE version of "Live at Max's Kansas City" is the one to have!! (Rather than the old single disc version.) It is a HUGE improvment!! If you're even thinking of getting it, GET IT!!

5 comments about Animal Serenade.

1. Lou and a few others. Very intimate performances of many of Lou's best. A lot of complaints about the "talking instead of singing"... C'mon , did Lou really ever sing ? A quality disc package from an icon. If you didn't like it the first time, listen again. The man continues to surprise 40 plus years on.



2. A quietly powerful album. Understated, with lots of space. Moments of humor and intimacy. Old songs revisited and deepened. Takes time to listen to in order to reveal its depths. A walk down memory lane with troubled souls who may have spent time in the gutter but always found time to gaze at the stars. Unique.



3. I like this cd. Lou has turned into a great musician without being a virtuoso guitar player. The arrangements are sparce and intriguing. Small Town, How do you think it feels and All Tomorrows Parties are the best songs. Candy Says is different (the singer is really wimpy) but a worthy intrepretation. Dirty Blvd has been toned down but its still good.
   
   Lou made a concert with no drums...can't fault him for trying something different. Compare this to his accoustic cd, I think this is much better!
   
   
   For all of you ripping this cd, the fact that you even bought it means that you are a big fan (he has never been mainstream stuff). If this act, played like on the cd, came to your town, you would go see it in a heartbeat!



4. I'll be honest and say I only listened to about 4 tracks off this album, and I found it so awful, it was actually painful for me to listen to it. Lou sounded like he was spontaneously handed a microphone to entertain some buddies so he decided to make words up on the spot and ramble a bit. Not only that, but his voice wasn was weak, dull, and just plain bad. I know he's over 60 years old, but if you can't give a good show, there's no reason to get up on that stage!
   So terribly disappointed..



5. Just a note to respond to the reviewer who says that those of us who couldn't stand Hegarty singing on Serenade should be ashamed, or have 'egg on our faces'. The rationale, apparently, is that Hegarty recently won a prize (a 'Mercury'). In my lifetime so far, I've seen more undeserving people be rewarded by their peers than otherwise (did Blind
   Blake get a prize, did Robert Johnson? I dunno. Do I care? Is THAT why many like these musicians?). Mostly, however, there's something horribly patronizing about being told that the tastes of others -- a panel of experts/judges? I don't even know who! -- are superior to one's own, particularly when the entire issue is about subjectivity. Maybe some know what to like by observing who gets what award; others might like to make up their own mind. After listening to Serenade again the other day, I was reminded of just how awful 'Mercury Man' Hegarty sounded. Lou oh Lou, how could you give him "Candy Says" !?!?

5 comments about Think Tank (Spoken Word).

1. Some folks in this world are blessed with a voice which is a pleasure to listen to. Just to hear 'em talk. They could sell ice to Eskimos. I'm not joking. I'm not exaggerating. They got it. They could sing the phonebook and you'd clap along. They tell a stupid story and it sounds like a parable. When I think of this kind of person, I think Joe Strummer. Now that was a talkin' voice if I ever heard one.
   Now on the other hand, there's the folks who likes the sound of their OWN voice. Lots of 'em also suffer from Competitive Talk Disorder. I used to play softball with a fella who would interrupt any one of my fleeting nuggets of wisdom with a tale that was 10 times louder, if not 10 times better. He drank strictly Belgian Lambics, and only wore clothes made of lycra, if that tells ya anything about his tendencies.
   Now to get to my point, Harry Rollins certainly falls into the category of somebody who loves the sound of his own voice. Quite frankly I'm tired of his talkin' and his ideas. Even though this is supposed to be funny, the basic premise is that everybody's an idiot and we all love the sound of his voice as much as he does. Well, he's got half of that one right because this sucker has sold a lot of CD's!



2. Henry Rollins wouldn't put out anything he thought wasn't worth your time. on "Think Tank" Rollins leaves his familiar realm of alternative punk rock music and divulges into the art he is ever-popularizing; spoken word. the points he makes on the album are valid, the observations he makes are funny and the stories he tells are both interesting and heart felt. definately a good buy. the only problem with "Think Tank" is the duration. as a double disc you think you are getting a lot of bang for your buck, however his performances on each cd are reatively short.



3. Henry Rollins is an angry man with a ton of rage built up towards people he identifies as "idiots". And it is friggin hilarious. A Henry Rollins rant is like a chainsaw tearing through a tree. He is intolerant when it comes to people's stupidity (listen to "Airport Hell" and "El Nino"). Yet he's also intolerant of people's misdirected intolerance ("The Gay Thing").
   
   All in all this is side splitting material from a guy who is know for being a serious, no B.S. punk rock icon. I never would have guessed that a man who could be so angry could present it in such a manner. Think Denis Leary and Bill Hicks rolled into one. But at the same time completely unique and different.



4. For those Rollins fans that have already seen my previous review I will mix this up. The following tracks are a "must hear":
   
   ^Airport Hell
   ^World Peace
   ^El Nino
   ^Marius
   and No One is Fax Exempt
   
   Rollins with his self depracating wit once more says all of those things that any of us with one iota of intelligence are thinking!!!



5. Henry Rollins. The hulking frontman of Rollins Band, known for stripping to his shorts and stalking a stage while screaming and flexing. Most people don't realize that the ultra-aggressive alpha male seen onstage is, at heart, startlingly intelligent and insightful. Those who knew that from reading his books might have been shocked to discover what I discovered - he's hilarious!
   
   This album was my first real introduction to Rollins as a spoken word artist. I was looking up comedy albums and came across Think Tank; I recall thinking at the time, "What? ROLLINS does comedy?" So I took a shot and got it . . . and now I have a new hero. Henry takes you through the adventures of touring (he once accidentally knocked himself out while performing!), his contempt for television, his take on gay people (he gets a little intense in this part - he's totally supportive of them and he's got some great observations, but many people get uncomfortable listening to him talk about it), and - my personal favorite - his bit about El Nino made me laugh until my sides hurt.
   
   He also gets a bit poignant when he talks about the other side of the business . . . a true story about one of his fans - a young man named Marius - who had a terminal illness. It sounds like it'd be depressing but you'll end up smiling and admiring the strength Marius showed in the face of death.
   
   In a nutshell, Henry Rollins uses Think Tank to take you on the rollercoaster of rage, frustration, sorrow, and awe that is life - and he'll make you laugh the whole time. If you like to learn something while you laugh, this is for you.

5 comments about Live & Rare.

1. I think he/she missed out on the track "Freedom" and thus confused it with "Intro(Black Steel In The Hour of Chaos)". That song is NOT "Freedom". The track that A. Stuheit was talking about where Zack shouts out "anger is gift", THAT is "Freedom".
   
   It is "Into....Chaos" which is track 6 that features Chuck D and not "Zapatha's Blood". So the review that he/she was talking about for "Intro...Chaos" is for "Freedom" and the review that was on "Zapatha's Blood" is actually for "Intro...Chaos".
   
   And by the way, this is one of the best live CDs of RATM ever. I have to agree with Stuheit that this live version "Bullet in the Head" is possibly even better than the original version. Tom is outstanding here.



2. "Live And Rare" is an import, so it's pricier and harder to come by than Rage's 2003 live album "Live At The Olympic Auditorium." But I still prefer this C.D. to that one.
   
   One advantage, to me, is that frontman Zach de la Rocha talks to the crowd more, here, than on "Live at the Olympic." For instance, before track three begins, Zach tells the light man to get the spotlight out of his eye, then he gives a brief lecture to the crowd about the FBI conflicting with the American Indian Movement (and that Leonard Peltier was thrown in jail for "crimes he did not commit.") Zach also encourages the audience members to write a letter or fill out a pamphlet and send it to "Dixie Crack Clinton" (and "fill that punk's room full of mail").
   
   If, for some reason, you don't like live songs, there are still the two rare studio songs at the end ("Greed" and "Clear The Lane"). Plus, the last four live songs ("Zapata's Blood," "Without A Face," "Hadda Be Playing On The Jukebox," and "F The Police") can't be found on any other Rage album.
   
   The first five live tracks, which taken from Rage's self-titled debut, are all very powerful and great. Some moments are so emotional and urgent, they even make the studio songs seem tame. From the beeping guitar and bass notes to the wild, crazy guitar solo, "Bullet In The Head" is perfectly executed, and, I think, even better than the original! Plus, this song's chorus sounds like it has some backing vocals from Tom Morello. "Settle For Nothing" isn't quite as melodic and restrained as the studio song, but it is still performed very well. Thirdly, "Bombtrack" is played without a hitch. Tom pulls off the tempo change greatly and Zach's rapping is as fluid, fast, and consistent (he is able to rant and rage throughout the whole song without even pausing to take a breath.) This is also the case on the two following songs. Plus, I didn't realize this before, but "Take The Power Back" also features some great musicianship and trippy guitar work (so it must have been quite hard to perform this song live.) And track five, "Intro (Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos") is actually the song "Freedom." On here, Zach doesn't just whisper "anger is a gift"...he yells it!
   
   "Zapata's Blood" begins with the crowd clapping rhythmically. Then Zach introduces a surprise guest (Chuck D. from Public Enemy), who comes out and raps over Tom's wah-wah guitars. Zach also starts a chant of "Everything for everyone, and nothing for myself!"
   
   Next, "Without A Face" begins with Zach comparing the Berlin wall to the wall that separates the U.S. and Mexico. He then explains that Rage wrote this song (which appears on their "Evil Empire" album) when they found out that 1,500 dead bodies have been found there. Zach, Tom, Tim, and Brad also perfectly execute this song.
   
   With just one, repetitive guitar line, "Hadda Be Playing On The Jukebox" is, musically, pretty simple. But this song was not written by RATM; this song (which features lyrics like "the CIA and Mafia are in cahoots") was originally written by the poet Alan Ginsberg. It's a long song, too, so props to Zach for memorizing the whole thing.
   
   Next comes a cover of N.W.A.'s "F The Police." It begins with Zach referring to the song as a "nice, friendly message," and he then dedicates it to the Philadelphia police department. And, with angry rapping and hip-hop sound effects, it seems like Rage were almost meant to play this song.
   
   The first of two b-sides at the end is "Darkness." This song originally appeared on the "Crow" soundtrack. I'm a big Rage Against the Machine fan and even I'll admit that this song isn't that great. Fortunately the lyrics (which deal with governmental greed and lying) are very well written. The other rarity is "Clear The Lane," which has beeping, wah-wah guitars, a grumbling bass, surprisingly calm vocals, and is really quite catchy.
   
   So, "Live And Rare" is a great buy which is absolutely essential for all Rage Against the Machine fans. If you're a diehard and you need another C.D. to listen to, and you don't yet own this...what are you waiting for? This is a pricey but very highly recommended album. And, as aforementioned, you should at least get this for the two rare tracks (even though they aren't Rage's best songs, they're required listening).



3. Rage against the machine is has been one of the best rock band in the rock world.
   I highly recomend live and rare.



4. I was always too young to go to a Rage show (thanks Mom) and by the time I could go they had broken up (thanks Zach's ego). This is the closest thing to actually being there or so I've heard. I own all of the albums and live DVDs and this is Rage at their most raw. Tom is still in his prime as a live performer and you can hear it on this record. He improvises on a few songs and just kills it. The band just flows so well together live that it almost sounds like a studio session. The rare tracks are good, but they are not even near the energy level of the live tracks. Plus, the album even features an Allen Ginsberg poem. True Rage fans have to own this to complete the collection.



5. This "official bootleg" is a telling compilation of various Rage concerts throughout the mid-90s and may represent the final phase of "old school" RATM. What do I mean by old school? From the beginning up until the Evil Empire days, Rage's live concerts emphasized speech and wicked guitar improvisations. Oddly, this sense of adventurism faded out around the time BOLA was released... and it's quite obvious too. The "Bullet in the Head" solo on this disc destroys the one on Grand Olympic Auditorium. "Zapata's Blood" is a recognizable live track to any hardcore Rage fan and this may be the best performance of the song ever. The bonus demo cuts are pretty good, and "F*ck tha Police" is a wild ride. But the real treat is "Hadda be Playing on the Jukebox", an 8 minute poem that tells a story by its guitar work alone.

   This CD may not be as accessible to Rage newbies as Grand Olympic Auditorium, but will be an instant classic to true fans.

No comments about Live and Loud at the Wormy Dog.

No comments about Live and Lawless.

5 comments about Youth Are Getting Restless: Live in Amsterdam.

1. The sound is much better than the muddy "Live" album (most SST cds sound bad)



2. IF YOUR A BAD BRAINS FAN!YOU'LL LOVE THIS ,1,I, PROMISE!ITS A GREAT CD!its live too!



3. The Bad Brains: four rastas, ex-jazz-fusion musicians, turned into one of the most powerful and creative punk bands of all time. Some claim that they were the inventors of the Hardcore genre.
   
   This live album captures the Brains at what they did best, play mind-blowing shows. Being masters at both light-speed hardcore riffage and playing chilled out reggae and dub. This album combines both genres giving you a breather from the amazing and brutal hardcore assault with reggae interludes in between.
   
   The Bad Brains' lineup was filled with talent in every instrument with Darryl and Earl providing a solid and groove filled rythm section, Dr. Know on lead guitar riffing and soloing at the same level or better than any metal guitar gods. Finally, HR on vocals which are correctly credited on liner notes as "throat". Indeed, HR uses his voice as another instrument: shaman-like chants, crooning, wailing, screaming, reggae stylin' and sometimes even barking. HR is on pair with Mike Patton and Maynard James Keenan when it comes to vocals.
   
   Separeted like a three act play, the album is divided into sets of hardcore tracks separated by reggae interludes: Day Tripper / She's a Rainbow, The Youth are Getting Restless and Revolution. It is worth noting that Day Tripper / She's a Rainbow has one of the gooviest bass lines, better than anything put out by Marley or King Tubby.
   
   All hardcore tracks are amazing, a few standouts: House of Suffering, Coptic Times, Banned in DC, Big Takeover.
   
   Hardcore is an acquired taste, like a fine wine, the first time you sip it out of a glass the taste might be kind of nasty but with time it becomes a greate pleasure. The same thing happens with the Bad Brains.
   
   It is a shame that the Brains don't tour anymore, it would be amazing if somebody would put live footage from this tour on DVD.
   
   Enjoy.



4. The originators of Hardcore Punk in 1979, come together in Amsterdam for 1987's live album recording. The music is played as fast and furious as ever as HR and the crew play classic after classic. Comprimised of material between '79 and '87, classics such as "Right Brigade", "Re-Ignition", "Coptic Times", and "Pay to Cum" are all on the same disc, and live at that. Hardcore never sounded better.



5. Bad Brains were easily one of the best bands in the early U.S. hardcore scene. Maybe even the best. This album perfectly captures their sound. This album is all about Dr. Know though. He tears it up on guitar. In some of their later albums H.R. lost the agressiveness in his vocals. On this song you can just hear everyone going insane to "I" in the opening. There are a few reggae songs in the mix and Bad Brains were always masters of both genres. The setlist is a great mix of all of their albums from the 80s. Stay away from some of the later live Bad Brains releases and pick this one up. The sound quality is great as well.