1 comments about The Masters: Chicago Live.

1. In 1969 Chicago played the Toronto Rock & Roll Revival. Their set was recorded from the soundboard, and the recording has been issued by many different lables, on numerous occasions. This CD is one such occasion. It would be interesting for someone to come up with a list of them all. I personally have seen 3 different releases (in shops), including one on the british 'Hallmark' lable with very similar cover art to the release we have here.

   It is possible to look past the sonic imperfections in the recording, but not the legal or moral ones. Don't buy this.

4 comments about Fistful of Alice.

1. There are some reviews on here that aren't so flattering regarding this great album. Well, let me be the first to tell you they must be listening to the wrong album. I can only agree that it should have been two discs because he has so much material and that he should've had more new songs instead of the old stanbys, but to say it is without energy and give it a substandard rating is way off. At least he threw in a few songs he rarely does live ("Clones", and "Teenage Lament"). The club atmosphere is perfect and the performace is energetic and in your face. It is better that The Alice Cooper Show by far. It is like two different artists. For a good rockin' time you should buy this import version. The US release is a good time too, but a shorter show.



2. very good best alice cooper album ever



3. A fistful of Alice is suposed to be the live album that the 1977 version wasn't. Alice's mistake in his '77 performance was that he sounded....well drunk and rather rubbish. Instrumentals - great, Alice - not so great. So with a collection of newer hits such as 'Poison' you'd think Fistful would be a dream come true now that he's quit the bottle.

   Recorded in front of a minor audience as opposed to the usual thousands complete with blood-thirsty stage theatrics and over the top guitars, A Fistful Of Alice doesn't have the energy in every track that you'd hope for.

   Sure when Slash, Sammy Hagar and Rob Zombie appear you get something special, but other tracks are quite run of the mill. 'Poison' sounds just 'okay' compared to the 1989 'Trashes The World' video version and the background vocals on 'No More Mr. Nice Guy' are less than adequate. The guitar's sound too 90's for me and are weak compared to the overwhelming steel present on 'Classicks' or 'Freedom For Frankenstein'.

   Whilst it contains highlights I would recomend it only for devotees. Those newcomers to the Alice live experience would be better off seeking out the live versions on 'Classicks' or 'Freedom For Frankenstein', which are truly awesome or the live video's/DVD's. It's a good CD don't get me wrong, I love Ryan Roxie's guitar work, but it's not as over the top as you might expect from Alice. I'd recommend it for fans, but not really for newbies to the Alice live experience.

   What I don't like is the length of it. Alice has enough good material to warrant a double live set like most bands do. But instead we get only a few songs? Why? It could be the club environment this was recorded in, but not including 'Ballad Of Dwight Fry' is just in excusable.

   Oh by the way, devotees seeking a live version of the song 'Steven' will be pleased to know you get about a minutes worth of it as the intro to 'Welcome To My Nightmare'. Top cuts - 'Schools Out', 'Feed My Frankenstein', 'Welcome To My Nightmare', 'Lost In America', 'I'm Eighteen', 'Only Women Bleed' and 'Elected'. They rock!




4. Don't be fooled by the title of this seemingly awesome collection of hits.

   "Fist Full Of Alice" is a live collection of Greatest Hits that would sound a lot better in there original formats. The performances are decent, and even the new song "Is Anyone Home" is OK, but Alice seems like more of an old rock act than a superstar still willing to conquer new territory. The sad thing is that maybe his creative high is behind him. Still with quest like Rob Zombie and the eternal hip, yet aging Slash and Sammy Hagar he is somewhat hip. All the songs are still somewhat convincingly powerful form the ballad "Only Women Bleed" and the '89 classic "Poison" to hard rock staples "I'm Eighteen" and "Welcome To My Nightmare".

   Even with its marginal recommendation you are still better off getting the Greatest Hits of the seventies and finding "Poison" on a compilation or something.

5 comments about Live in Tokyo.

1. Fans of Deep Purple, Rainbow should get this show.
   Where many rock vocalists pickup weaker players and continue on...these guys come up with the goods.
   
   The musicians play well. The guitar player sounds 'in the ballpark' with other Blackmore replacements. A little bit of excess notes, but good overall. A point off for the overdone licks.
   
   The main attraction here is the vocals. Glenn and Joe DO sound great as ever. There is no problem with buried vocals. Hey...it's a good live recording.
   
   Mixture of original HTP and older Purple, Rainbow songs. The newer tunes fit in well with the expected hits.
   
   Very enjoyable.



2. This is a very good album. I bought it for the new live versions of the Raibow/ Deep Purple/ Black Sabbath songs on it, but was even more impressed with the new tracks. As previosly reviewed, the sound quality is excellent. This was one CD I was glad to have purchased.



3. This is a right-in-your-face rock & roll, with lots of feeling (courtesy of Mr. Hughes & Mr. Turner, two of the most talented singers and songwriters of all time) and with hot versions of Purple, Rainbow and Sabbath's classics. A must buy for classic hard rock fans. The reviewer below doesn't have any idea of what true rock is all about...
   This album confirms that Glenn is "the voice of rock and roll". Joe is the one when feeling comes around. Together, these guys ara dynamite!!!



4. Glenn Hughes is class, but this band does not cut it. Buy Burning Japan Live.



5. This live album encompasses some of the best from the recently released HTP studio album, Deep Purple, and Rainbow. The sound and performances are consistent throughout. Often, new bands sound terrible in concert, but Glenn Hughes and Joe Lynn Turner do not falter, indicative of their talent and tenure in the rock world. Their Japanese backing band are quite talented musicians in their own right. The frantic organ playing in "Death Alley Driver," the guitar work in "You Can't Stop Rock and Roll" and "Dark Days," and the thunderous drums in "Ride the Storm" all attest to their talent. However, this album is not without it's more subtle songs, such as "King of Dreams," a wonderful treat from Turner's Deep Purple days. Also, "Mistreated" showcases Hughes's wonderful vocal and bass-playing skills.

   Turner and Hughes share the spotlight; their egos do not crowd the cd, which is a benefit for the listener. It seems that their wild days have passed them and that they now concentrate on the music, which is, in fact, the most important thing anyhow. This CD is a definite must-buy. If you love Rainbow and Deep Purple, you'll love this. If not, then you'll probably still like it. Given the type of "rock" dominating the airwaves lately, this will feel like a cool breath of fresh air. If you like it, I'd also suggest you pick up their studio album, which contains wonderful songs not present on the live album.

1 comments about Canterbury Fayre 2001.

1. There are stacks of live Hawkwind albums out there. Some are the greatest of all time (Space Ritual, 1999 Party)and some are just really good (none are bad, despite dodgy recording quality). This one falls in the really good group. It is a recording of a complete concert from 2001 and the band is ON. The music is in the forefront, with the odd poetry secondary. A bit of improvisation here and there, lots of good and old songs. A perfect blend. The closest album to this is 'Palace Springs' from 1991, which was quite underrated. Highly recommended. These guys are not Dead. Good thing!

1 comments about Live '79.

1. This album has some of Hawkwind's worst moments, most notably when Dave Brock tries to sing "Spirit of the Age". That song should have been permanently retired when Robert Calvert left the band. Brock's attempt at it is stunningly bad. Silver Machine is too short to be enjoyable, and Brainstorm is extremely mediocre. There are good versions of "Shot Down In The Night" and "Levitation", but there are two or three better versions of those songs available elsewhere. That leaves us with only one real reason to buy the album: Tim Blake's keyboard/synth instrumental "Lighthouse", but do you really want to buy a whole CD for one instrumental? Only buy this album if you are a completist Hawkwind collector.

1 comments about Electric Boogie.

1. I gave this 4 stars because its a live record and it fades in and out sometimes, and you can hear him talking about the sound system screwing up but its kinda neat hearing live music thats on cd....everything sounds so slick these days, this was made years before i was even born but I like it nontheless, really raw.....

5 comments about Weld.

1. A little over 10 years after his groundbreaking live album "Live Rust" Young put out this 2 CD live set called "Weld" recorded on the "Ragged Glory" tour. The previous album "Freedom" was a bit of a comeback for Neil. After spending a good part of the 80's experimenting with electronic music, country, rockabilly, blues and just about anything else you could name, his album sales had taken a rather big plunge and radio was all but ignoring him. "Freedom" would feature a song that would bring Young back onto rock radio in a big way with the aptly titled "Rockin In The Free World". Young was back to playing big venues in front of loud raucous fans and would soon be given the title of "godfather of grunge" to go along with all of his other incarnations. "Weld" is a great live album and although not as lauded, I think is better than "Live Rust". This is Neil Young at his most angry and caustic. The majority of this album rocks as hard as any grunge or metal band. In fact this is some of the heaviest stuff I own on disc. The first four tracks bludgeon the listener over the head with lyrics and music that describe an America at the beginning of the first Gulf war. "Hey Hey My My", "Crime In The City", a feedback laden electric version of Bob Dylan's "Blowin In The Wind", and "Welfare Mothers" get the album off to an incredible start. The rest of the album contains several of Young's rocking masterpieces including "Cinnamon Girl", "Mansion On The Hill", "Cortez The Killer", "Powderfinger" and truly amazing versions of "Rockin In The Free World" and "Like A Hurricane". Encore's of "Farmer John" and "Tonight's The Night" continue the assault until finally at the very end Young closes with the lighthearted "Roll Another Number". This must have been an incredible show to see live and this is a great great live album. Neil's backing band Crazy Horse are never going to win any musician of the year honors, but there is something about when these four guys get together that makes just incredible music. If you are only a fan of Young's more acoustic oriented stuff this album may not be for you, but if you like Young at his absolute heaviest this album is a must own.



2. Ah, what glorious noise! This is one of my favorite live albums, in which Neil Young and Crazy Horse take his songs and "play them at 22". I love feedback and noise, and this album is drenced in it. The songs are all brilliantly performed, and many are better than their studio versions. The version of F***in' Up has a much more intense guitar solo, with some impressive feedback that probably shattered a few eardrums for those in the front row. Blowin' in the Wind is a great cover, and Hey, Hey, My, My is better here than on the studio. Like a Hurricane gets the epic treatment here, and it's fantastic. I saw Neil Young once (after this tour though), and he's phenomenal live. Neil is still kicking it, making bands half his age try and keep up with him. Neil (along with Dylan) got a nice renaissance in the 1990's, and they're still plugging on admirably.



3. When all is said and done, all that matters when you crank it up and just sit back and listen is; Does it get you to where you want to be?
   The answer is: Absolutely!



4. "This is the story of Johnny Rotten" - no s#it; "Rockin' In The Free World" - nihilistic, sarcastic, unforgiving - could have oozed outta PiL's Album (remember "Home"). On Weld, classic NY&CH epics get nailed SHUT. And it's all done with wrists - no whammy bars on these abused Gibsons. All those gnarly Cheap Thrills' leads blast outta the crypt.
   
   Urban dystopia inflicted. "Welfare Mothers" and "Crime In The City" (the latter among Young's most barbed, and lucid, storytelling) drag the listener into fierce noise and despairing nihilism. Then, the humanism erupts with "Blowin' In The Wind," a sure Hendrix phantasm. Hippie frisson abounds on "Cortez The Killer" and "Roll Another Number" - succumb.
   
   It's also "grunge." Jad Fair might have written "Like A Hurricane" - if he possessed the endorphins. To the point, it's all about Crazy Horse; they can play Madison Square Garden like a St. Louis bowling alley. Every fuzztoned note is blood, telepathy, exorcism. A cluster of unfortunate observations, made euphoric.



5. Very few live albums are as angry and snarling as this live set. Crazy Horse never sounded better, and Young--angry at the outbreak of the Gulf War in '91--unleashes a set of songs, some old, some new (what an amazing cover of "Blowin' in the Wind"!!) that more or less define the grunge attitude in the early 90s. Coupled with the 30 minute feedback montage "Arc", this double disk set is positively breathtaking. You can just feel the energy and volume. Wish I coulda been there...

4 comments about Fillmore Performance: San Francisco 1968.

1. I just bought this used it does not sound that bad!!!I would still recommend the Fillmore show 2cd set that came out in 97 over this.



2. This recording reminds me of the white label bootleg records that were popular in the old days.

   I'd wager $20 that's exactly what it is - gussied up and put in a pretty package.
   At least when we bought those boots we expected the sound quality to be substandard. The fildelity on this one is really horrible.
   There are fade in & fade outs at unexpected places. There are bits out of the middle of songs presented as full tracks.
   Tracks 1,2,3,& 4 are for completeists only.
   Tracks 5, 6, & 7 are pretty clearly NOT Santana

   Don't pay more than $0.50 for this disk




3. Don't be fooled....This disc sounds NOWHERE NEAR as good as the Live at the Fillmore '68 double disc set - sounds like someone used a muffled cassette recorder, AFTER they had driven over it.
   Too bad, because some of the cuts are good in spite of this (and would have been great on a better recording).
   There are fade-outs and fade-ins; one cut is barely 1+1/2 minutes long; the voices are sometimes very faint; and the sound on much of the disc is alternately muffled and struggling with its ?swishing? quality.
   Might have given 1/2, zero, or negative stars if it were possible.
   Sure sounds like a bootleg-type recording.



4. Don't be fooled....This disc sounds NOWHERE NEAR as good as the Live at the Fillmore '68 double disc set - sounds like someone used a muffled cassette recorder, AFTER they had driven over it.
   Too bad, because some of the cuts are good in spite of this (and would have been great on a better recording).
   There are fade-outs and fade-ins; one cut is barely 1+1/2 minutes long; the voices are sometimes very faint; and the sound on much of the disc is alternately muffled and struggling with its ?swishing? quality.
   Might have given 1/2, zero, or negative stars if it were possible.
   Sure sounds like a bootleg-type recording.

5 comments about Live in New York City.

1. There are many reviews here that are better than anything I can write. So this is just an informational note. I haven't seen it mentioned that the CD as released by Amazon doesn't include 5 songs that are on the DVD as released by Amazon. Plus many of the songs on the CD are in a different order than the DVD. The missing songs are Backstreets, Darkness On The Edge of Town, Light of Day, The Promise and Thunder Road.



2. The CD companion to the DVD of the Madison Square Garden Reunion Tour. My only wish is that they had included Light of Day on the CD. There are plenty of gems for Springsteen fans in this one. Don't take my word---rent the DVD and check it out for yourself. Better yet, take a peek at the set list on this CD. This is my 3rd copy because two others have been scratched up through use.



3. Creo que es exelente producto pues lo regale por el sistema de amazon a un amigo en su cumpleaños y no me lo devolvieron.



4. Say what you want about Bruce "getting old", but I strongly believe that this album (which showcases Bruce in his late-40s/early-50s) puts many rockers half-his-age to shame.
   
   All the songs are great, especially the ones that are re-arranged, such as "The River." For a special treat, Bruce throws in the rarity, "Don't Look Back."
   
   And yet, of all the songs on this live album, I believe the most impressive is Bruce's acoustic version of "Born in the U.S.A.", where Bruce plays an acoustic 12-string. For those of you who have Tracks, but not this, trust me when I say LINYC's version of "BITUSA" makes Tracks' acoustic version look like nothing.
   
   ONE WARNING: Though I personally have no qualms about the song-selections, some of you who want to hear the "staples" (i.e. "The Promised Land") might be dissapointed. And yet, when it comes to preferences of Bruce-fans, the term "to each his own" is definetely applicable.
   
   Is it an extensive treasure-trove of live performances a la Live 1975-1985? No. Is it worth it nonetheless? Yes.



5. LIVE IN NEW YORK CITY is a live album taken from Bruce Springsteen's reunion tour with the E Street band, and the results are electrifying. This album beats the great PLUGGED by a country mile, and has the feel of a religious service, with Springsteen testifying and hollering like there's no tomorrow. The studio reunion album, THE RISING, was just as good, and proved that the reunion was not just a temporary thing. Springsteen's belief that the young Australian tourist jailed in Indonesia since the spring of 2005 on drug-smuggling charges was unjustly convicted makes this CD/cassette an essential purchase for both your ears AND your conscience.

5 comments about The BBC Sessions.

1. Anybody that would give this CD anything less than 5 stars is a complete idiot. Here is The Who, at the height of their creative genius mostly cuts recorded for the BBC radio in the 1960's. Why wouldn't anyone who loves The Who want to have this historical collection of music to increase or complement their collection from one of the greatest rock and roll bands ever? Maybe it's not their favorite CD of Who music, but it certainly adds to the collection of their repertoire. What I loved about this band from this particular moment in time is that they, along with the Rolling Stones, were the anti-Beatles, not a bunch of adorable identically dressed cute mop-tops that made girls swoon, or their later incarnation of commercially accessible pseudo-psychedelic posers, but a hard-edged British blues-oriented band, in all their sneering and anti-social glory, that rocked the house and brought it down everytime they played in a live venue. Yeah, maybe it's a bit toned-down for BBC radio, but so what? It's still great.



2. I've listened to this straight through about 30 times in my car, so I have a pretty good understanding of this release.
   
   First off, it's not the best BBC live collection by any means, Led Zep and Bowie being two examples of mind-blowing, revelatory live performances recently released in the BBC archive series.
   
   Second, it's an incomplete document of live Who, as they mostly appeared on the BBC early in their career, and then only a few times thereafter, the last performance being 1973.
   
   All that said, it's still the Who, and they still rock. The "orderly disorder" Pete was striving for comes through loud and clear, in early performances in which the boys mash up some old James Brown, Martha and the Vandells, and even the Rascals. Boy those mid-period songs were great -- "Boris the Spider," "The Seeker," "Pictures of Lilly," "Happy Jack," all sound marvelous, with propulsive drumming by Moon and clever harmonies by the band.
   
   I've been listening to this so many times because, despite its limitations, this is a very fun record. I love the BBC announcer doing the intros to the Who songs, the cheeky interviews with the band, the great performances and great songs. I even like Pete's off-key flubbing of "Long Live Rock."
   
   Sure it's incomplete and only documents a limited slice of this band's live, but it's a fun and very enjoyable trip back to merry old England.



3. A great live rock album that catches The Who in their early stride 1965-1973. I like the english bloke talking in between songs. I'm not crazy about live recordings and cover songs, I was hesitant to get The Who BBC Sessions. After listening to it, BBC Sessions really captures a swinging England in the swinging 60s. Owning this Bbc Sessions cd is like a time piece in history. You hear The Who in a whole different way, as they are captured with youth and vibrant brilliance and time on their side. There is tape hiss and fall outs as this cd sounds a little tinny, but that is due to the technology of the 1960s. Despite these minor flaws the remastering on this cd was the best that could be done and beleive me it sounds great and actually the flaws I have discussed adds a little more authentic sound to it. Over remastering would have suffacated the original sound of this recording. Enjoy this "Who BBC Sessions" collection, you hear the Who in a whole different enlighting way. Highly recommended listening to all fans of Rock n Roll.........................



4. I got this album soley because these 25 tracks are one a cool "greatest hits" collection without trying. It was my perfect greatest hits CD for some of the older who tracks from 65-73. This is the who that I grew up with and loved. My alltime favorite track is THE SEEKER, which has a killer version available here. I also managed to pick up a bonus CD with this when it was released that had seven additional tracks that were recorded between 67-1970. If you need a good live album by this band of early stuff, this would be the one.



5. This album is the same as the USA released version, except for track 10 was added (man with money) so that there are 26 tracks. Otherwise, same track listing are in the same order.I got this album soley because these 25 tracks are one a cool "greatest hits" collection without trying. It was my perfect greatest hits CD for some of the older who tracks from 65-73. This is the who that I grew up with and loved. My alltime favorite track is THE SEEKER, which has a killer version available here. I also managed to pick up a bonus CD with this when it was released that had seven additional tracks that were recorded between 67-1970. If you need a good live album by this band of early stuff, this would be the one.