5 comments about Hell Freezes Over.

1. If you are an Eagles fan and you enjoy Acoustic guitar over blasting electric... then their come back album/video is right for you. I bought both CD and DVD for obvious reasons.



2. Anyone an Eagle fan will really enjoy this cd,It will have you singing along with every song,The remake of Hotel California is outstanding and you will be playing it over and over. For a live concert cd, well done not hearing the crowd breaking up the music.



3. I purchased this CD only for one song, which was the Eagles' all-time, hands-down very best version of Hotel California EVER. I highly recommend!



4. Have been an Eagles fan since the beginning, was at the Houston concert the last time they played there in '81, and think they have a sound that will stay with us the same as the Big Band Era (swing).
   They sound as good today in this album as they did back then and their lyrics and music are as crisp and grabbing as it was back in time. Great music to travel by.



5. I love this CD - I have most of the Eagles CD's and think Hotel California is one of the best ever. However the live versions on this CD are fantastic. Always have and always will love Henley but this CD is worth every cent.

5 comments about The Allman Brothers at Fillmore East.

1. I was very disappointed with this CD. It is not the album I remember. Some of the material has been left off to allow the double album set to fit onto one CD. Too bad.



2. Allman Brothers at their peak, and by Allman Brothers I mean the original six cats that brought us this great music..Duane Allman was finger tapping while van halen was in diapers.. This whole cd is amazing from beginning to end..Duane pushing the whole band, them pushing back..showing their greatness track after track..Oh my I can't stress how important this is to have in your collection, not just for ABB fans but for anyone who is a fan of guitar, jazz, blues, rock, fusion and all inbetween. I will keep this short as others have already pretty much explained it, but to all.. REMEMBER DUANE ALLMAN



3. The Allman Brothers were Duane Allman (slide guitar and lead guitar), Gregg Allman (vocals, organ), Dickey Betts (lead guitar, rhythm guitar, vocals), Berry Oakley (bass), Butch Trucks (drums) and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson (drums). The band was labeled as "Southern Rock" , but being from Kentucky, it just sounded like good rock to me. This particular live recording from those southern gentlemen has to be one of the greatest concert albums of all time! The purity of guitars, the bluesy keyboards and the souful grit of Greg Allman's vocals are guaranteed to move anyone. I will always chersih an outdoor concert I attended once in Indiana where this excellent group headlined. They put on one hell of a show and played for what seemed forever. After the concert, we discovered all of the cars had been towed away by the landowner where everyone had parked. Hours and many miles later we were able to buy our car back from the local sheriff. It was morning by the time my friends and I got home but we really didn't mind the hassle because we felt we had witnessed history and were part of something that night jamming with the "Allman Brothers", one the best rock and roll bands the world has ever known! This album captures their live musical magic and should be on everyone's "desert island" list of must have CDs. - Ciao



4. First of all, since I'm primarily a jazz (and only partly blues) fan, I'm probably not the most relieble judge for all the rock fans that praise this album (that's why I gave it one more star than I personally would).
   But, at the time I was already infected by the jazz bug, I accidentally stumbled upon the first three songs from this album on a blues show on a Croatian radio station...
   
   I liked "Statesboro Blues", "Done Somebody Wrong" (an Elmore James song) and "Stormy Monday (Blues)" (T-Bone Walker song) then and I like these songs now; they're definitely rock, but also they have a fine blues feeling, among the best rock-blues performances I've heard (according to my tastes).
   
   But, the rest of the album is hardly on the same level; I'd give first three songs five stars, but, unfortunately, there are also "You Don' Love Me" (clocking at more than 19 minutes), "In Memory of Elizabeth Read" (13 minutes) and "Whipping Post" (are you kidding me? 23 minutes?!). These are terribly rumbling, overblown, pompose... And some of the extended guitar solos are, well, BAD, at times even terribly amateurish...
   
   Don't get me wrong - I've heard some extended "Deep Purple" performances that actually kept my attention with no difficulty whatsoever so, I guess, I have quite a different taste than most of the reviewers.
   
   But, since I liked compact performances of the first three songs (even the nearly 9 minutes long "Stormy Monday" doesn't ramble), and since I don't want to spoil the rock party, I give THE ALLMAN BROTHERS AT FILLMORE EAST 4 stars...
   My advice is - buy the MP3 version of first two or three songs and then decide whether you want the whole album or not.



5. This CD is of the Allman Brothers Live at Fillmore East in NY. In an interview with Rolling Stone Magazine and Bill Graham (owner of Fillmore East and West) they asked him what were some of the best concerts he ever put on and he replied: Allman Brothers live at Fillmore east.And this CD can back up that quote!

5 comments about Live: 1975-85 (3CD).

1. This album has taken all the best live performances and put them into one album... since they are all live the have woven the tracks from one to the other seamlessly so this album seems like a live concert...
   great album.



2. The BOSS is the best in the BIZ. I love his music and I finally wore out the cassette copy of this music I recieved from my sister back in the early 90's. I am sure I will listen to this CD for decades to come.



3. 
   I ordered the boxed set of Springsteen Live: 1975-85. I had this set on casette years ago when it came out. I literally wore it out.
   This item was delivered to me promptly and I am well on my way to wearing it out....Thank you .....Velma



4. The product arrived in good time and was exactly as described. I wouldn't hesitate to buy again from this vendor.



5. While I cannot comment on the remastering as I have the original set (a gift from a now lost touch with but still remembered friend), this is the perfect gift for anyone who loves this greatest of live performers at his peak.

5 comments about Live at Leeds.

1. Amazing live album is all that i have too say for this. The drums are absoutley amazing Keith Moon is probaly one of the greatest rock drummers of all time his peformance is great here. Pete Townshends guitar is great and everybody in this is really doing great on there instruments.
   
   This may just be one of there greatest peformances of all time it has the energy and they sound just really great here i think all the live versions sound great on here
   
   If your a big Who fan like me buy this album today you wont be dissapointed...



2. Really horrible sound quality, and the band must have been totally wasted...Apparently with so many for sale , others thought the same.



3. I'm not a huge fan of The Who but this record is undeniable. The band is on fire and at a creative peak. I actually like the single disc version more than the double (I'm not a fan of the Tommy material, sorry). Everyone needs a copy of this.
   
   If you like high energy R&R like this and MC5, Stooges, Ramones, etc check out Mighty High...In Drug City.



4. The Who were a popular band of the mid to late 1960s. They wrote songs ranging from R&B to hard rock to pop. This album captures them on a good night playing energetic versions of many of their best songs to a small crowd at Leeds University in 1970. Thank you for reading my review of The Who Live At Leeds.
   
   Oh, you want more? Hmmmm, well I thought that summed it up quite well myself. The album itself has gathered an almost fearsome reputation as probably the greatest live album *ever* With such high expectations disappointment is almost inevitable, the question is more *how* disappointing. With Live At Leeds, happily, it's "not very". The band are playing tightly and manage to inject songs with an energy sometimes lacking in the studio version. Happy Jack on record is actually quite a lightweight poppy song, here it's a bit more rocking. However I've read comements in the past about the "FURY" of Live At Leeds, and about at first it just sounds like a cacophony of feedback. When I first put this on I was half expecting to have my head blown off by the sheer ferocity. But really, it's not *that* extreme. In fact some songs don't sound all that different from the studio version, such as A Quick One.
   
   At the same time though, the whole point of this album is to rock and roll. With the albums The Who Sell Out and Tommy, The Who had stepped away a bit from their raw early sound into more experimenta areas and this was meant to remind the public what a visceral, raw band they could be. Half of this concert is good, raw rock, a quarter of it is fairly boring and the remaining quarter is truly exhilrating music.Unfortunately these highs and lows often take place during the same song so the skip button isn't much use here. The guitar tone is heavy yet sharp, but at this time BLack Sabbath were the heaviest band around.The stage banter is not so much " ARE YOU READY TO RAAAWKKK?????!!!!" as Townshend politely announcing "We'll play our some of our hit singles for you now", and the audience are not people seemingly in awe of Gods, but instead chuckling to the bands comments and some clapping and cheering. If you're expecting sonic mayhem with the infamous guitar smashing routine you'll be disappointed too; in the pre concert interview Townshend said in effect that he had ougrown that routine. Live At Leeds is a concert above all, not a spectacle where people gawp at a guy going nuts and smashing his guitar.
   
   I don't view what I wrote above as criticisms as such but more a caveat to those who haven't heard this album yet. So I view this album perhaps not as the ultimate live album or the Holy Grail of musical ferocity, but as an enjoyable glimpse at The Who giving a fresh yet assured performance in their heyday. Worth buying? Of course.



5. The Who was an enigma with a psycho-genius at the song writing front. In other words, Pete Townshend is well...Pete Townshend. He is leader, guitar god, poet, drive, focus, chief cook and bottle-washer of one of the truly great rock bands of all time. They used to hold the Guiness World Record for the loudest concert. Their music is raw, heavy yet pop-ish, silly and at the same time deeply serious. They are pure English with some heavy American R&B influence. John Entwistle (along with John Paul Jones of Led Zep and Jack Bruce of Cream) is the quintessential bassist. Rogery Daltrey's vocals are phenomenal and are an instrument in it's own rite. Keith Moon, arguably the best drummer in rock history, is fanatical; playing in series of riffs and is mesmerizing to watch.
   
   This is an excellent live album. Do NOT be fooled or taken in by bad reviews. The cd is essential along with the primarly essential 'Who's Next'.

5 comments about Live Bullet.

1. Best live album ever recorded. This is the album that opened my eyes and made a huge impact on my music choices for life. This album originally introduced Seger to the world. It captured the sheer energy that the Silver Bullet Band was known for. If I was stranded and had one album to have and to hold, this would be the one. Songs such as the Beautiful Loser/Travelin Man medley with Nutbush City Limits brought Seger out of the doldrums of his Beautiful Loser album and these versions just rip it. The loneliness of the wailing sax in Turn the Page is worth the entire price of the album. It truly captures the old time rock with the promoter urging the crowd which one never hears any more. This should be in everybody's rock library.



2. If this CD only contained "Nutbush City Limits", "Get Out of Denver", and "Katmandu", it would be worth the price! This is essential Bob Seger.



3. I love and have seen all types of blues, jazz, and rock performances in my life. Bob Seiger and Bruce Springsteen have been the best rock performances I ever saw. The Live Bullet album captures Mr. Seiger just the way one would see him in person. In Live Bullet, he and the band perform some previously released studio recordings much better with more soul and feeling. Live Bullet is one of the best live recording records ever made.



4. This one stays on constant rotation in my vehicle. Bob Seger at his very best. Go 'Little Queenie' 3 times



5. As evidence that this is a great live album, one need only consider the fact that four of Bob Seger's songs ("Travelin' Man," "Katmandu," "Turn the Page," and "Beautiful Loser") are more famous (and get more radio play) as live cuts from this album, than as original, studio tracks. And why not? The live cuts really show the power and energy of Bob Seger and Bullet, much more so than his studio albums ever did, and this album is a great example of that. A classic live album!

5 comments about Frampton Comes Alive!.

1. I recently purchased Frampton Comes Alive cd and it still sounds as good as the day it was released.The music from this era is timless!!!!



2. This album is amazing. I'm only 23, so this music is way before my time (I never even heard of Peter Frampton until 2005). I kept hearing it's one of the best selling live albums ever, and after hearing it, it's for a darn good reason. The production quality is crystal clear, the songs are classics, and it's just a blast to listen to over and over! Everyone should own this album for it truly stands the test of time.



3. If you were a teenager in the late 70's this record was issued to you.
   It permeated that entire era. A must have. Bought it on cd a while ago and really enjoyed listening to all of it again. Frampton was really at the top of his game here. Memories.



4. Oh my gosh after 30 years 'Do You Feel Like I Do" still brings tears to my eyes! Its my high school years all over....wow! I really loved the casualness of this album, it really 'Shines On' Peter Frampton's talent (not in the singing area but his fabulous guitar riffs!)



5. Although i cannot do a review that is even half as good as the absolutely brilliant review by John P. Morgan. I will do my best to review the album in a way that is deservable to its glory. This album is amazing, no it is an experience in itself. I remember hearing that this was the most sold live album of all time and i figured peter frampton pfttt... why is it so popular, Frampton's not even that good, although i had heard next to nothing by him (I was very ignorant at that juncture of my life). Intrigued however to see what was so good about it I bought the album (also i bought it because i have the sick obsession to collect all the essential albums of classic rock, jazz, blues, and prog rock). So i bought it opened it popped it in my cd player expecting to hear a mediocre album with a third-rate singer/guitar player. Boy what a surprise i got. The first track of the cd started off perfectly for me "If there was ever a musician that is an honorary member of San Francisco Society...Mr. Peter Frampton." Then Something's Happening came in and i was swept away by the music. This album is amazing, I listened to it over, and over, and over again. Frampton is a fantastic guitar player and all his musicians are first rate. The music production is pretty much perfect and everything rings with crisp professionalism. In short all the songs on this album are incredible from the slower numbers such as Wind of Change and All I Want To Be (Is By Your Side) to rockers like It's a Plain Shame and Doobie Wah, to the hits he is most known for like Show Me The Way, Baby, I Love Your Way, and Do You Feel Like We Do (Awesome talkbox by the way Frampton pretty invented and popularized the use of it on this album). Even the cover of Jumpin' Jack Flash is fricken mindblowing. This album taught me to never judge things prematurely again, it is fantastic and is a worthy addition to any collection. It is in my opinion one of rock's greatest live albums. In short get it now and be taken away by the music.

5 comments about Unplugged.

1. This cd is worthy of its reputation, and is the last great recording by Eric Clapton. "Malted Milk", "Walkin' Blues", "Layla", which he was able to successfully alter to fit an acoustic setting, "Nobody Know You When You're Down & Out", the classic made famous by Bessie Smith and later covered by an aged Scrapper Blackwell, and "Tears In Heaven", are all exceptionally great tracks. "Hey Hey" is not one of Broonzy's better songs, so I'm not sure why Clapton chose to record it. "Old Love" is mediocre, but "Running On Faith" is wonderfully done. This disc would have been even better if Clapton would have performed the material solo, much like the legendary Bluesmen he so greatly admired used to do, day in and day out. However, he has admitted in interviews that he is not a good enough musician to do what his idols did. For those of you who doubt this, simply look up interviews with Eric Clapton done by Guitar Player magazine. This is also the reason that his tribute record to Robert Johnson was not done alone.



2. It's Eric Clapton - intimate and unplugged - playing some great blues and acoustic rock. Does life get any better than that? Everyone needs this CD!



3. eric clapton is and always will be considered as a guitar legend. and this shows it.
   
   a soothing and uncomplicated production in a very intimate atmosphere, "unplugged" has a serene sound that will captivate anyone who has ears for good music. i highly recommend listening to it in a good set of stereo system



4. When you find yourself listening hungrily for the nuances of each individual note, when you find that the performances get better each time you listen to them, when you feel as if there is no bottom to the virtuosity and feeling in a performance, then you know that you've made some little connection with the mind of a genius. I am untutored in guitar technique, regrettably spotty on the history of the blues, but I can tell you that this is simply, modestly, great music.



5. Who knew? Eric Clapton Unplugged (1992) was just going to be a treat for Clapton fans, and a chance to see and hear one of history's greatest guitarists show his stuff on an acoustic guitar. But Clapton and Unplugged made history by winning six Grammy Awards including Album Of The Year, Best Male Rock Vocal Performance, and Best Rock Song (Layla). It turned out to be MTV's proudest moment and grandest achievement.
   
   There's a lot to like on Unplugged, including this cool, laid-back version of Layla. It loses none of it's purpose and has a great guitar solo. The deep and personal Tears In Heaven won three of those Grammy Awards, and the fact that Eric managed to bravely perform the song he wrote about his son, Conor, who had recently died, speaks volumes. The acoustic blues songs, Nobody Loves You When You're Down And Out, Before You Accuse Me, San Francisco Bay Blues, and Robert Johnson's Walkin' Blues and Malted Milk all sound great, too. Two huge standouts on the album are Old Love and Running On Faith. Both are personal, soulful, and include inspired vocal perfomances, fine acoustic guitar work, and excellant slide guitar. Both songs stand along with E.C.'s best work.
   
   Unplugged is really more of a perfect storm, where circumstances came together and fell into place, than a great work of art, but it's still a fine example of how talent, tragedy, and triumph can form an inspiring and wonderful creation. Eric Clapton Unplugged isn't perfect, but it's close.

5 comments about Live At Leeds [Deluxe Edition].

1. Years from now, when people begin to realize that rock music is dead as a viable art from, just like big bands died after the 50's and the remaining acts have essentially become nostalgia acts, this recording will be recognized for what it is - a seminal recording of one of the all time great rock bands ever.
   
   Live at Leeds - recorded in 1970 - suffered from a few limitations at the time of release. One, it was limited to a single record because in 1970 there was the LP. Two, recordings were on tape and no technology existed to clean defects as exists today. Those limitations are no longer in the cards - fortunately!
   
   I was happy to see this recording re-released in 2001. The two CD's commemorate the greatness of this band. The first CD has many hits, played well, including a searing and snarling "Substitute," a wistful "Happy Jack" and a great rendition of "Summertime Blues". The best track in my mind is probably a toss-up between "Magic Bus" and a 15 minute plus "My Generation" which recalls the energy of The Who in full transcendence at Woodstock (the best performance of that show to my mind).
   
   The second CD is full of a long performance of "Tommy" a great reach by The Who to transcend the limitation of pop songs in a three minute format. They certainly pushed the envelope of music and predated in some way what would become the progressive rock era - but played with that punk/mod attitude that still sounds fresh and vital. These guys ROCK!
   
   The sound is awesome and full of the fury of The Who. They really are the forerunners of punk music which overtook England in the later 1970's.
   Honestly, you can truly hear the power of Townshend's guitar in these recordings. The performances of each of the band members is more clearly heard in this release then the original. You can hear the banter between the band and some in the crowd - never before heard in the original.
   The sound is truly magnificent, and the music sounds as vital now as in 1970. Moon can be heard clowning in the midst of his still awesome drumming. And there is the late Entwistle somehow keeping time in the midst of the sublime chaos.
   
   Quibbles? A few exist. The only real significant quibble for me is the mix takes away Daltrey's fury in "Young Man Blues" where he delivers what I thought was the underlying statement of the whole song, " He ain't got nothing in the world these days, he ain't got nothin, he ain't got ^&%@, ^&*( off!. That captured and blew my mind in my early 20's and still does, but it is somehow muddled. Oh well.
   
   This is a great recording of one of the greatest rock bands in history. A must recording!



2. I've never really been much of a fan of The Who's rock opera stuff, I've always found it rather pseudo. The Who should have stuck to what they did best, rock and roll, and not tried to appeal to readers of liberal press.
   
   The first half of Live At Leeds is very good, with fantastic versions of I Can't Explain, Young Man Blues, Substitute, Summertime Blues and a wonderful medley of My Generation.
   
   It's dragged down by an overlong Magic Bus and one of The Who's worst songs, Happy Jack. We also have to endure incessant yammering from Daltry and Townsend. It would have been nice for then to shut up and have an extra song instead.
   
   Most of side 2 - the rock opera Tommy, is dreary.
   
   It's a good live album, but not up with the greats



3. The second CD version of LAL (the 1995 remaster) was my 21st birthday present to myself, and I loved it instantly. A year and one week later, I got this expanded deluxe edition as a present, shortly after it had been released, and loved the album even more. A good thing got even better, in spite of how I'd embarrassingly and uncharacteristically believed the rantings of a certain group of audiomaniacs who are rather high-profile in the fan community. I had been led to believe the sound on the remaster was garbage and that it was loaded with tinny muted sounds. It turned out that there was nothing of the sort wrong with it. If anything, the sound quality is even better, and while the sound is a bit lower on the second disc, that's because they turned their instruments down for the Tommy portion of the show. The softer sound actually greatly enhances it, since that whole story benefits from a gentle and more acoustic sound. Really, the only people whining about how this remaster sounds so horrible and is the work of the Devil are audiomaniacs. What is so much better about their hearing that they can hear problems that no one else can detect, let alone enough to raise a ruckus over?
   
   In addition to sounding better than ever and having nearly the complete show, this reissue also has the full-length onstage commentary. My favorite bit of onstage dialogue is Pete's long introduction to "AQO," which is just hilarious. While some people prefer live albums to focus just on the music, I think having onstage banter adds to one's enjoyment of the show, makes it a more personal listening experience. There are so many great performances here it's hard to select just a few favorites! The Who really were better live than in the studio; while their studio albums are great too, the songs just take on a whole new dimension live, are transformed into something even better, totally different entities. It is unfortunate, though, that the powers that be didn't include "Spoonful" on this latest incarnation and that a couple of minutes of the final two songs are missing. I'm also not keen on how Roger stepped back into the studio all those decades later to selectively resing the vocals on some of the later songs. His voice was just fine on them on the original releases, and after such a long intense set, one expects a singer's voice to be a bit shot. Additionally, as good as age has been to him, a 57 year old is not going to sound as good as a 25 year old. I also wish they hadn't broken up the running order by putting the Tommy portion on its own disc. IOW doesn't suffer from having it broken up during the Tommy section.
   
   This is truly one of the greatest live albums of all time, and really changed my mind for the better about live albums. Prior to hearing LAL, I'd thought that a live album would just be live versions of studio songs, instead of taking those studio songs and making them even better, turning them into entirely new and powerful entities. It was my own sixth Who album, but I'd unquestioningly recommend it to any new fan as one of his or her first albums.



4. Yes I am probably one of the original WHO freaks!!In my younger days I felt
   that there was no wrong that this band could do.I think that TOMMY was the
   first album I listened to the really blew me away.Of course then there was WHO'S NEXT.No need to go into detail about how I feel towards this album.
   Then I heard the original release of LIVE AT LEEDS.I think this my be why
   that even though I really enjoy the Deluxe version, there are some things
   that just don't sit right with me.For example,the little "extra" guitar
   riff in "Young Man Blues" just doesn't sound like it really belongs there.
   It bothers me to the point that I can't enjoy listening to that version of the song.
   I do however,really love the addition of the TOMMY performance.Listening to the beautiful and powerful version of the overture makes me understand
   that this band had depth and feeling beyond a cursory listen.I must say though that if it were not for the addition of TOMMY,I would be satisfied
   with the original eight-song disc.



5. The Who were are great live band. In the period from roughly 1968-1972, this great live band were at the very height of their abilities. Individually, Daltrey, Townshend, Entwistle, and Moon were tremendous, dynamic, and innovative forces on their respective instruments. When focused together in a live environment, as these discs show, they were nothing short of mind-alteringly breathtaking.
   
   Live at Leeds consists of brilliant pop/rock songs and extended hard-rock pieces executed with devastating precision and power. The improvised sections in some of the lengthened songs add to, rather than detract from, their impact. The musical and dynamic interaction between the players is tremendous, bordering on magical, and demonstrates why The Who live were so powerful and exciting. This disc is well recorded with none of the usual live album nonsense: no unnecessary production tricks or fancy mixing theatrics, no goofy special effects, no faked-up crowd over-enthusiasm, or other foolishness; direct and down-to-business, much like the band themselves were at this time.
   
   The recent digital remastering and restoration only adds to the sonic clarity. The added tracks of the Deluxe edition add another top-notch live version of Tommy, sharper than that from the Isle of Wight album, as well as some additional typical Who concert staples of the period. Further, the inclusion of between song banter among the band members and sonic snapshots of the band talking with the audience are an added treat. In short, the expansion of this album gives one a better feel what a full Who concert performance was like during this exciting period, yet still does not detract from its overall undeniable momentum.
   
   Simply put, the best live rock album ever made. Period.

5 comments about Band Of Gypsys.

1. Growing up, I loved Jimi Hendrix's Experience. I had never tried his Band of Gypsies vinyl back in the day. I bought this on sale to add to the Hendrix collection and I'm not sure if it will stay. This album is the first after his breakup with them and it's a live recording from 1969.
   
   Some say it's the beginning of the end, I cannot say that. It's good, solid blues, but I prefer hearing Hendrix rocking.
   
   This is a six song collection, that is almost 46 minutes long. You get a lot of live jamming on this CD, which is mostly worth hearing. Vocals on "Who Knows" just annoy me; however, "Machine Gun" is excellent--good strong playing and one of my favorites of all his work.
   
   I don't regret hearing this CD, but I think I'd rather remember Jimi rocking with the Experience than bluesing with the Gypsies.
   
   Rebecca Kyle, May 2008



2. I yield to no man when it comes to admiring Jimi Hendrix - indeed, watching and listening to him perform in a tiny club, way back in '67, was one of the highlights of my life. It was transformational. That said, let's be honest about Band of Gypsies - it's a mess. Of course, the failures of Hendrix transcend the triumphs of mortals, but still.
   
   Hendrix freely admitted that he was no great singer, and his limitations have never been more evident. Even Buddy Miles, who was better, sounds awful. Perhaps the live concert environment meant they couldn't hear themselves. Indeed, this album would have been much better had there been no vocals at all. The jams, naturally, smoke like a southbound train, Hendrix is in great form. But play the CD again and imagine how much better it would sound purely instrumental.
   
   Swapping out Mitch Mitchell for Buddy Miles was like trading in a Rolls Royce for a Yugo, Miles is particularly unexceptional here. The bass contribution by Billy Cox could have been handled just as well by a table lamp. Most egregious of all is the material itself. From a song-writing point of view there is little to cheer, particularly when it comes to lyrics. This would be more palatable if the singing were expert; unfortunately, the awkward vocals Hendrix delivers draw attention to the inadequacies of the lyrics.
   
   Of course it's worth owning and listening to, but, for a variety of reasons, it is just not up to the standards of the 3 "Experience" albums.



3. Jimi Hendrix-Band Of Gypsys *****
   
   Complete with ex-Electric Flag drummer Buddy Miles and old army buddy Billy Cox on bass and the man himself Jimi Hendrix on guitar at a loose New Years Eve concert at Bill Graham's Fillmore East jam Band Of Gypsys is the essential Hendrix recording, as well as his best.
   
   The rhythm section of Miles and Cox is in my opinion better than that of the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Also I must say, that to me this is the best Hendrix ever played, nothing I have ever heard from him on any other release even comes close to this, maybe 'Voodoo Child (Slight Return)' from Electric Ladyland comes close but nothing else. His songwriting is also amazing here. I am not going to say it is better then on his other recordings though because I feel that Jimi was an amazing songwriter his entire career.
   
   'Who Knows' kicks things off on this blues-fusion album and does so greatly. 'Machine Gun' is perhaps the greatest thing Hendrix ever did. The guitar work is breathtaking, and the Vietnam conscious lyrics are heartfelt. Buddy Miles' 'Changes' is killer. The guitar and vocal work is some of the best and most raw blues ever recorded. 'Power To Love' and 'Message To Love' go hand in hand and should only be listened to back to back in succession. 'We Got To Live Together' closes the album and does so with a bang. The group vocals really get the message of the song across, and Hendrix's guitar sound on this track is head scratching, and Cox's bass playing on this track owns anything by the Experience.
   
   Band Of Gypsys was Hendrix's anti-celebrity album. He wanted to get away from the showmanship of his earlier recordings and performances because he and his black audience felt it was demeaning much like it was for the fantastic Louis Armstrong. I think he achieved what he set out to with Band Of Gypsys and so much more. This is a fantastic record that should be heard by everyone.



4. To make it short and sweet.Just listing to Machine Gun with all those war sounds coming out his guitar shows me Jimi Hendrix was and still thousand ahead of any computrize sounding guitar player of today.Hendrix is god !



5. Before purchasing Band of Gypsys, I was well aware many people have mixed feelings with this live recording. Many people, specifically huge Hendrix fans who must own everything he did, feel this is a pretty average live performance overall. However, I have to disagree *strongly*. I've heard quite a lot of live albums from 60's and 70's rock musicians, and I really feel Band of Gypsys is right up there with the very best of them.
   
   I can't put into words how surprised I was upon first listen just how CLEAR and magnificent the performance sounds. I don't even have the remastered version! Seriously, compared to most live albums released during the same time, this one sounds WAY above average. I'm really happy about that.
   
   As for Hendrix's guitar playing, that was ANOTHER major surprise to me. I went in expecting just a few guitar solos here and there, because the reviews led me to believe this album was lacking in guitar playing. That is NOT true. There's more guitar soloing going on throughout the album than I ever thought was even possible. The opening track "Who Knows" and especially "Machine Gun" are lengthy tracks with funky rhythm sections and lots and lots of guitar soloing. Together, these two songs make up over 20 minutes of brilliant guitar playing and memorable songwriting.
   
   The other four tracks are more soulful in vocal delivery, and funky and guitar-dominated, but shorter than the first two tracks. Shorter doesn't mean worse though, and overall we're talking about 45 minutes of a really spectacular concert from Hendrix. I'm sure there's better live albums out there from this legendary guitarist, but that doesn't make Band of Gypsys a bad recording in any way, shape or form in my opinion. Even calling it average wouldn't feel right.

5 comments about 4 Way Street.

1. If you loved C,S,N & Y back then, you'll love this CD, brings back good memories of the times.



2. Sometimes you just have to go back to something that brought you to where you are now and enjoy it all over again -- 4 Way Street is exactly that. Live-concert recordings sometimes leave you wanting for sound quality -- but in the case of this CD -- it has been remastered -- and the songs are still THE songs that made it so great when it was first released over 3 decades ago. It has the best of the music that these four musicians made together at their prime - and many of the songs are as timely in their political impact in 2008 as they were when they were first written. This is an album that everybody who has ever listened to CSN&Y's music and loved the unmistakable harmonies these four singularly-talented artists made together must have.



3. I bought the original ablum back in the 70's. The sound quality was not very good. The "enhanced" and remastered CD is not much better.



4. So, I am too young to have been there for this. LOL I wasn't even born yet. I am all right with that. I grew up listening to this on vinyl. My parents were at one of the Chicago dates actually. I get into live albums mainly because you get to hear what the artists REALLY sound like, no (or not many anyway) studio tricks. These guys are the standard to which all others should strive to harmonize to. Awesome album, awesome group, awesome sound. It's worth buying if you're into songs like Ohio, Southern Man, or any song CSN&Y ever wrote. This is an absolute MUST OWN for anyone into music. It doesn't disappoint.



5. I like this album, but I have a problem with the medley (consisting of three solo Neil Young tracks). Each one of them has been shortened dramatically. "The Loner" is now a short, acoustic slow song. "Cinnamon Girl" is better, perhaps because I prefer a version of this song that doesn't rock (not a fan of the studio version at all). It's better this way, believe me. Now we can hear the song with solid singing to back it up instead of lazy guitar riffs. However, this version of "Down by the River" may be the ultimate disappointment. While the vocals are good, this song is supposed to be a lengthy electric guitar jam. That's not what we get here, unfortunately. I don't have a problem with the rest of the album, though. It almost works as a greatest hits album when you think about it.