5 comments about Made in Japan.

1. This is arguably the best live album ever made containing the best of Deep Purple in their prime. It has great track selection and plays like a greatest hits album on steroids. I remember this was one of the first vinyl albums I purchased as a kid and I practically wore it out. Now digitally remastered my daughter and I love listening to this one in the car or at home. Higly recommended as one of the greatest albums of all time.



2. It was hard for me to rate this cd recording. I really don't like it. It is live performances I guess from Japan. I don't consider it the best of Deep Purple. That is my fault for not listening to the tracks before I bought it. So I am not sure how to rate it. Will be buying a different best of Deep Purple cd though.



3. Yes everyone this is the real Deep Purple! This is the true LIVE Purple Album. Once you hear this there is no turning back. Talent, quality, professionalism, power, etc...its all here. This is the album that shows the abilty of Ritchie Blackmore/Jon Lord/Ian Paice/Ian Gillian /Roger Glover. I first got his album when it originally came out, now I needed to get it again for my music library. It is a MUST!



4. Deep Purple is the best band of all times...Why Made in Japan is considered the best live album ever made? Because The Purples are the Best, the best Zep or Sabbath song's haven't the level of this tracks...
   Ritchie, John, Roger and Ians are the maximum....



5. With Deep Purple, the LOUDER the better. Had it in vynyl. Now in cd format. Great from start to finish.
   
   
   
   
   
   Just when You thought it was safe to go back in the water..........

No comments about The Electric Flag: Live.

1 comments about BBC Live in Concert.

1. I am a major fan of Procol Harum...have all their stuff...and while the period following A SALTY DOG was sketchy..as far as consistency...The 1974 lineup pulls off this material without a glitch....
   
   I dont like going into each and every song....you wouldn't be looking at this CD if you weren't already familiar with the band...Right??
   
   I will tell you....the sound quality is as good or superior to each of the studio albums....The opening track..Conquistador is superb!!!!! It gives the listener a preview of an excellent concert that follows. The musicianship is awesome and very precise....GB always surrounded himself with excellent players.
   
   The BBC title is misleading...it was recorded from one of their live concerts....that just happened to be broadcast live on the BBC....same as the KING BISCUIT FLOWER HOUR in America...
   
   If you like Procol Harum and want to experience them in a live atmosphere from their 1974 era......do yourself a big treat...grab this cd.

5 comments about Live Peace in Toronto, 1969.

1. A good time for John, this a good live cd to have. The down side is Yokos on it and it's a little short.



2. A CAVEAT: THIS IS AN HONEST REVIEW! Be forewarned! OK, I've looked all over for a DVD of this performance, just absolutely lusting after the opening acts, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, et al. And the band that Lennon cobbled together for this gig is nothing short of spectacular, Eric Clapton on lead guitar, Klaus Voorman on bass, and future "Yes Man," Alan White on drums. STELLAR, wouldn't you say? WEll...unfortunately...Yoko's on this too. And after a heart-wrenching performance of Lennon singing his signature song, "Give Peace A Chance," Yoko..."takes over." EXCRUCIATING screaming, that is ALL the woman is capable of doing. I can certainly understand why Eric & Klaus just put their guitars against the amps and just...walked...away, because "feedback" is the ONLY appropriate "accompaniment" for Yoko. & much is made of Lennon's performance (yeah, I still have the album...side one is almost worn smooth, but that side two is pristine) of "Cold Turkey," but with a wife like Yoko, one simply cannot but wonder if John still "dabbled" occasionally...Eric, Klaus, John, & Alan are just FANTASTIC, but remember, now, that it's going to take some super-human effort to "listen" to Yoko bellow if you even PLAY her..."material."



3. After reading the reviews here, I was inspired to get Plastic Ono Band. I was reluctant, since it had not been remastered, but I did anyway. After buying at a local retailer, opened it to find the calendar dated to 2006! Looking on the back, I realized it was a new remaster. I will leave the rest to the great reviewers here, but this is noteworty
   
   NB it is a mobile fidelity remaster, 24 karat gold. Never heard any others, but this one sounded great.



4. I'm pretty much in the "can't stand Yoko" crowd, especially when it comes to this performance. I try to be empathetic and happy that Lennon truly found the love of his life in her. I would even say she had a positive effect on him overall (I think some of his very best music was written while he was in harmony with her). I even have a lot of appreciation for avant-garde music (like Faust). And Rock n' Roll isn't always meant to be pretty . . . I just don't care to be subjected to Ono's main performance from LIVE PEACE again, thank-you.
   
   The other reviewers covered the good stuff from this show quite well on this forum already, as well as the basic background info. It's some of the rawest, rockin-est stuff any of these guys has ever done. I just want to add that Clapton in the video footage looks VERY annoyed at Ono and flashes her some scathing looks. Now, I can't claim to know what the man was thinking of course. Another reviewer who claimed to be AT this show said the crowd was booing, so maybe Clapton was teed off at that. Whatever the case, he looks like he's in sheer agony, playing through clenched teeth. Fortunately for us, he channels his feelings into some kick-ass guitar playing.



5. The Toronto show which this album comes from was John's first real concert away from The Beatles. He had already appeared on The Rolling Stones' Rock and Roll Circus but that was more of a TV special than it was a concert, so this pretty much constitutes his first non-Beatles gig.
   
   It's a truly wonderful performance with Eric Clapton, brilliant as usual, on lead guitar, breaking into some great solos, Klaus Voorman (an old German friend of The Beatles) on bass, Alan White on drums, and John on lead guitar. They start off with som great rock and roll covers. The band, newly named the Plastic Ono Band, breathe great life into these covers, and they all sound very rough and loud. After they go through these covers, they perform the fantastic Beatles song Yer Blues, which sounds even better here than it does in its studio version. They also premiere John's song about his heroin habit, Cold Turkey. It's not nearly as good as the studio version, or the version the Plastic Ono Supergroup did at the Peace For Christmas concert during Christmas of 1969, but it's still enjoyable, although it basically falls apart during the end. They then do a great version of Give Peace A Chance. Although I love the original version, it's fun hearing it in this electric version, even if John forgets the lyrics occasionally, which he actually does during some of the early numbers as well.
   
   Of course, then it goes into Yoko's section of the concert. Before you start reading, I'm going to tell you that I'm a huge Yoko fan and I think she did "punk" before it was "punk". The two songs she does here, Don't Worry Kyoko (Mummy's Only Looking For Her Hand In The Snow) and John, John (Let's Hope For Peace), are wonderful numbers, especially the first one, which has some great guitar courtesy of Eric Clapton. Eventually, the band starts leaving the stage until it's only the scream of feedback left.
   
   Live Peace In Toronto is a great album, but it's also very rough and if you prefer the polished studio versions of these songs, then you might want to listen to them again instead of listening to this album.

2 comments about Extended Versions: The Encore Collection.

1. While this cd could have been longer, it is worth it to hear the live renditions of songs made popular by Pat and
   her crack band. Though the cd is under 50 mins., it's a nice ride, culminating with a 10:16 minute version of
   In The Heat Of The Night that is worth the price of admission alone. I'm not familiar with any of their live albums
   other than this one, but plan on checking their other ones out. Personally, because of the price, I like to get these versions first, and then go on from there. I have Extended Versions of The Fabulous Thunderbirds and
   Humble Pie, and along with Benatar, all 3 have quality live recordings and can not complain about them at all.



2. I purchased this CD after seeing here on Amazon. Since it had no track listing I had no idea what to expect. I had hoped it would be a collection of the 12" single versions of Benatar's hits. It was not. It is a collection of live versions of some of her work from her first three albums. Not that bad, but very misleading since most of the songs are not extended at all. It would have helped is there was listing of the tracks so that Amazon buyers would know what they were getting.

3 comments about Extended Versions.

1. Ten live tracks here,mostly aimed at the true MC 5 hardcore fans and completists.Sound isn't that good,STILL I've heard worse.Not sure if this live concert has been released under any other title.If you're patient and are willing to take time fiddling around with your stereo controls,you MIGHT be able to 'set' the dismal sound to appear to be semi-acceptable.I sort of did just that.Some of the listenable cuts here are the opener "Kick Out The Jams","Revolutionary Blues",the classic MC 5 foot-stomper "Looking At You",a Booker T.Jones classic that was made well known by Cream "Born Under A Bad Sign" and their eleven-minute closer "Black To Comm".If you want to check out some really great archive live MC 5,hunt down a copy of 'Teenage Lust' and 'Live At Sturgis Armory'(see my reviews of both).



2. This is an edited version of "Motor City Is Burning." If you own that, don't buy this. If you want a longer CD, go for that one.

   If you only own the three standard albums and want to dig a bit deeper, this may be a good place to start. The quality is a bit rough...you really have to listen to MC5 non-album material less critically or else none of it will please you.

   This is fairly average in terms of the "extra" MC5 releases...if you can enjoy this, you're set to start collecting. If not, you only wasted a few dollars.




3. To be honest I'm surprised this is on the "Encore Collection/ Extended Versions" series. The other live shows under that moniker are all from soundboard sourses. This is barely above bootleg quallity just like all those Eurpean posthumos MC5 albums. (For all I know this has probably already been released on a tiny French label under a different title.) But, while this is NOWHERE near the quallity of "Kick Out the Jams", it is worth it for a hardcore MC5 fan to pick up (the small price tag is a plus!). Less-than-perfect sound aside it does show what a great live act the 5 were, even rivaling the Who at thier most radical!
   Half this CD consists of "hits" from the "Back In the USA" LP, which, at the time of this concert, had not been released yet (meaning this was probably late 69/ early 70). Kickin' versions of "shakin' street", "tonight", "teenage lust" and "Looking at you" make this flawed CD worthwhile. (But you'll be a lot happier if you DON'T pay more that $8 for it!)

No comments about Extended Versions.

No comments about Live in Europe.

5 comments about Heaven and Hull.

1. Before buying "Heaven and Hull," I knew little about Mott the Hoople, and even less about the band's later-added guitarist, Mick Ronson. In fact, the main reason I picked up this album in the first place was because Joe Elliott of Def Leppard contributed vocals and played a big part in getting it recorded. There are several other worthy artists who make "Heaven and Hull" special: Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders, John Mellencamp and David Bowie to name a few. This album was dedicated to Ronson, who died of cancer and seemed to have many dear friends in the rock `n' roll world who were intent on carrying on his name.
   
   I like the workmanlike, old-fashioned feel to these songs that contains elements of both sturdy rock and roll and a touch of glam to give them sparkle. Of the ten tunes, Ronson had a hand in writing six of them. One of the best songs on the CD is the first one, "Don't Look Down," where Elliott's double-tracked vocals are refreshingly understated. Right off the bat one gets a sense of Ronson's fluid, shimmering guitar playing that seems to melt off his ax like butter. Ronson was also a good singer, and his vocals are paired well with Sham Morris, Hynde and Mellencamp on three different songs. Hynde offers her tough-as-nails voice on the bluesy, down-to-earth song "Trouble With Me," while Mellencamp's equally hardy vocals help qualify the inspirational rocker "Life's a River" as one of the best tunes on the CD. Another cool tune is the gritty but poppy "Colour Me," where Elliott and Bowie each lend their talented background vocals. Toward the end of the CD, "Take a Long Line," featuring gritty vocals by Elliott, Ian Hunter and Ronson, takes the award for the CD's most rollicking, rocking tune.
   
   Overall, "Heaven and Hull" comes off as soulful, completely noncommercial, spontaneous and endearingly benevolent. All these characteristics meld together on the final track, the Bowie-penned "All the Young Dudes," which was recorded live at the The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in 1992. "Dudes" is a popular classic, but this tuneful performance, which includes Hunter, Elliott, Bowie and Phil Collen of Def Leppard contributing background vocals, betters the more stilted original studio version. It must be heard to be believed.
   
   A few of Ronson's beautiful guitar instrumentals on this album are to be treasured, but it's the camaraderie and care displayed by his friends after his passing that is even more touching. Pick this one up if you just enjoy solid rock `n' roll by timeless artists.



2. Well the lead off track "Don't Look Down" is very cool because it rocks hard and rides free thanks to Joe Elliott who seems to have helped give the music a modern edge. Ian Hunter/Elliott on "Take A Long Line" thunders with rage and anger!
   Hyde from the Pretenders is great as well. BUY THIS ALBUM!!



3. I never was into "glam," being southern/redneck/homophobic, your choice. So I had to be literally restrained in the fall of 1972 to listen to "Ziggy Stardust." And still, to this day, all I could/can think is "WHO'S PLAYING THAT GUITAR?" OK, I've been obsequious about Ronno in my review of his Memorial set (GET THAT if you don't own it!) And I have to say, Mick had a lot of 'nads to produce/perform a work like "Heaven & Hull" while he was in his final illness. You've read the other reviews: "intense version of Like A Rolling Stone with Bowie"...Chrissie Hynde...Mellonhead...and Ronno's final live performance at the Freddie Mercury concert of "All the Young Dudes" with both Ian Hunter and David Bowie. But for my money, this CD's shining moment is the transcendant track,"Colour Me," which affects me - to TEARS - on two levels: the initial level, of course, is the astounding guitar. Indeed, if you listen closely, you can hear Bowie murmer "play that guitar" during the second lead break. On another level, when I'm concentrating on the words, it brings to mind the inevitibility of mortality. I asked a doctor friend of mind what was so..."important" about "color" that prompted Mick to write, perhaps, the strongest song in the CD, and I was told that "color therapy" is an "alternative treatment" for cancer. Which explains, "color me...a dangerous magenta," et al. But for me, the price of the CD is justified for that one line, "...colour me...and as I'm floating thru space/you'll see a smile on my face." Nothing else need be said. RIP, Mick.



4. everything in life is temporary, including life. mick ronson's life ended too early, but he did leave behind many musical masterpieces, "heaven and hull" being one of them. his guitar playing remained raw and edgy, as evidenced in the explosive "color me", "don't look down", and "life's a river" to name but a few tracks from his last studio release. after listening to this i can't help but always ask, what if. it's like when tommy bolin released "private eyes" and then died within six months. you were left wanting more and wondering what if. mick's guitar is silent now, but thankfully we have his swan song preserved for all that have the ability to listen and the desire to hear one of the very best guitarists of all time. his gorgeous music can be heard from "heaven and hull".



5. Mick Ronson was a great guitar player who never really got the recognition he deserved. He never showed alot of flash in his playing, which is why he didn't reach the heights of some of those other guitar heroes of the 70's. But this guy was on the most wanted list when it came to being a guitar player/producer for hire. He propelled David Bowie to super-stardom during his 1972-74 Ziggy Stardust days. He produced Lou Reed's comeback album. He was a member of Bob Dylan's 1975 Rolling Thunder Revue. And he collaberated with Mott The Hoople and was Ian Hunter's guitar player for years. Some of these friends he helped along the way, he gathered for this all-star solo release, which turned out to be his own posthumous tribute album, which was released a year after his death. Special guests on here that do most of the vocal chores are David Bowie, who does "Like A Rolling Stone". Chrissie Hynde, who does a nice vocal duet with Ronson on "Trouble With Me". John Mellencamp, vocals on "Life's a River". Joe Elliott from Def Leppard, who had a big part in making this album happen, does the vocals on the great opening tune "Don't Look Down". And his longtime friend Ian Hunter, who does vocals on a little more rocked up version of the classic "All The Young Dudes". Ronson shows some of his best fretwork on the rockin' "Colour Me", and the beautiful instrumental "Midnight Love". Except for the first cut "Don't Look Back", there's nothing here that absolutely knocked my socks off. But it's still a good solid effort that I liked better than his 2 mid-seventies albums that were critically praised, but sounded like they were a little bit too much on the David Bowie glam rock side for my taste. Heaven and Hull is a good addition to the Ronson catalogue.

5 comments about Back to the Bars.

1. Leave it to Todd Rundgren to take what was quickly becoming a tired concept - the double album recorded live - and release a stunning snapshot of his already legendary career.
   
   The 20 cuts - which clock in at nearly 1:44 - were recorded in three magical and smaller venues - The Bottom Line in New York City, the Agora in Cleveland and the Roxy in Los Angeles - and released in December 1978.
   
   Along with his band, Utopia, Rundgren featured special guests Spencer Davis, Stevie Nicks, Daryl Hall and John Oates. By taking what was essentially a project to fuel the arena rock circuit and recording in clubs, the focus is placed firmly on the music and not the spectacle which can easily overshadow any artist.
   
   Rundgren lets his music do all the talking and it sounds fantastic.



2. and I did play this album to death back when I had a turntable... but since the advent of CDs this was one album I had not gone about getting. I figured I had so many excellent Todd CDs and DVDs... but recently something was calling me to go Back to the Bars.
   I am so happy I did! All you Todd lovers out there who have not heard this remastered recording, I beseech you to get it! Crystal crystal clear, you can heard every breathe, every instrument. All the songs we have known and loved and thought had been played to death... NO! This is a collection of gorgeous renditions. Also, to me , Todd tends towards trebly recordings ( The New Cars recent live recording, while great fun, is a little too tinny for example) but this one is rich and real and man... close your eyes and you are there. Truly, Todd at one of his many peaks. Way over 5 stars.
   PS-The liner notes have a good Todd interview.,but I could not find a listing of the performers. I don't think they are listed, which is a flaw in this remaster. The musicians should have been credited!



3. Pretty poor live recording by today's standards ( or then ! ) .
   High points are patchey on this set .
   Most of the material is very close , in performance , to the studio versions ..... so what's the point ??
   Just get your studio albums , turn down the treble , and make a clapping-whistling sound between each track .
   Anyway ... the sleeve IS embarrassing .



4. The performances are nice, especially "A Dream Goes On Forever," which might best the original. For those who thought Todd was going overboard with his Starship Captain persona of the mid-70's, the self-effacing banter is welcome comic relief.



5. Could be the most enjoyable live "non-boot" release of the ol' Toddster in existence. To hear this reminds you of the incomperable connection the artist immediatly establishes with his audience. Excellent quality for a live recording-even on the LP version.

   If you've ever seen his live shows, this one will be a constant reminder of the fun you have. Reminds you of the warm evening in late spring when you saw him at an outdoor venue.

   Buy it. Sing along with every track. Play air guitar or piano in your car! Amaze your friends!