No comments about Extended Versions.

1 comments about Forever Gold Live.

1. There seems to be as many different flavors of "Forever Gold" as there are of ice cream at Baskin Robbins. This is not the double live album, and this is not the ten song single live album, but is indeed the eight song live album. Clocking in at nearly 70 minutes of live music, there is a lot of good Santana here. Unfortunately, the liner notes is nothing more than a single card with Santana's picture on the front, and the name of the tunes, who penned them and the playing time. This concert doesn't sound like it was recent, but I cannot tell when it was.

   The album begins with "Santana Jam" a quarter of an hour of Santana playing beautifully. The song is slow and the phrasing is relaxed and eloquent, what you would expect from Santana. The piano in the beginning sounds like it has a short in its line cord making it sound full of static. The cover of the Beatles' "With a Little Help From My Friends" is powerful, but very similar to the original. "Hot Tomales" rocks out with Santana on a wha, and plying very fast. Santana gets very bluesy with the sixties sounding "Just Ain't Good Enough," complete with muffled vocals. The album concludes with a very raw version of "Evil Ways" sounding almost like it was bootlegged.

   I don't think the material for this album came from any one concert, but a variety of shows over the years. The sound quality isn't the best, most of the cuts sound like poor recordings or bootlegs. On the plus side, these cuts are raw and full of power, and great guitar work. For the price I picked it up for it was definitely worth adding to my Santana collection.

5 comments about Trippin' Live.

1. This superb live album is worth hunting out. It was recorded at Ronnie Scotts Jazz club in 1996 and to date its the best live album by Dr John I've heard.
   
   There are numerous classic songs on this album. It starts with a great version of Prof Longhair's 'Tipitina'. Best of all though is Dr John's only ever hit single 'Such a Night'. This has not just one, but two of the Doctors trademark Piano outro's, where the ending seems about to happen, but doesn't, he even throws in a Gershwin quote at the end as well. Jools Holland (ex Squeeze and now a UK music show presenter) guests on '24 Hours A Day, 365 A Year' playing some trademark Boogie Woogie, while the Doctor plays Guitar.
   
   Amongst the backing musicians are some very classy guys. Alvin Tyler is on Tenor Sax and Ronnie Cuber (a very good Jazz player) is on Baritone Sax.
   
   If you're interested in New Orleans music this is a great fun album to own. Sadly it appears to have gone out of print now so you need to get hold of any copy you can asap.



2. Dr. John once again proves he is the boss with the hot sauce, and one of the great live jazz/funk keyboard performers of all-time. His live recordings are so good, that his studio recordings are often overlooked. His unmistakable New Orleans drawl is one of kind, making this release his best live performance ever. The tunes are rocking, with takes on "Tipitina", "Such a Night", Right Place Wrong Time", "Down By The Riverside Medly", and "Goodnight Irene", which is an atomic finale. Don't pass up an opportunity to see this cat live if you ever get the chance, because he truly is a rock/jazz/funk treasure. "Trippin'Live" is one of the best get up and have fun recordings that I have ever heard, and ranks as quite possibly Dr. Johns greatest live album ever. Don't miss this gem.



3. The music on this live CD is spectacular, as satisfying as anything Mac has ever recorded. But I'm downgrading this to a 3 stars because of the horrible decision by the producer to have the first minute of every song destroyed by having a superimposed recording of Dr. John verbally giving us his thoughts about the song. The first minute of the actual music as a result remains only a distant fade in the background. And for me, the instrumental introduction of the song, where the doctor is playing his butt off, is often the best. Mac gets an A+ for his efforts; the producer gets an F for his bonehead move.



4. This is a great live CD which really captures the versatility of Dr. John (he even plays guitar on this album). The songs are great all the way through-not a bad song (or story) on the album. Buy this album is you like New Orleans Funk Blues. Buy this album if you like music at all. Buy this album if you want to know what music is. Just buy it!!



5. If you like music in any way whatsoever, you'll LOVE this album! It's got a load of stuff on it, and it's not all 7 bar blues stuff, it's got a good mixture.

2 comments about BBC Radio 1 Live.

1. This collection of seven tunes was recorded on Januray 1,1970. Marc Bolan was working with his new band,Mickey Finn (always thought that name belonged to a person, NOT an actual band). Overall, this release is okay, specially for the price. Tracks I dug the most were "Red Hot Mama", "By The Light Of A Magical Moon" and the awesome eight-minute "Wizard" (best tune here). Top of the line '70's British glam for the taking.Only complaint I have is the duration is 27 minutes. Too short.



2. Some of the vocals on the last few electric numbers are recessed but, all in all, this is great.

5 comments about Free Live.

1. looking for this live cd,
   led zeppelin knebworth 79.
   can anyone help?



2. The performance of All Right Now was sloppy. Otherwise would have been 5 stars.



3. Back when bands were somehow able to make live recordings full of surprises, excitement, and occasional group improvisation, this one is a diamond in the rough. I've owned the vinyl for well nigh 25 years now, and the utterly unadorned sounds of the guitar, the bass, the drums, plus the howling voice of Paul Rodgers - why, it's primal blues rock at its sparest ... and most devastating. Andy Fraser's bass lines are lithe and kinetic. Paul Kossoff wrenches notes from the neck of his Les Paul in a style that still sets him apart from all who have followed. He left us far too soon. Only complaint is the haphazard rendition of "All Right Now" - (they were probably sick of it by then).



4. Always a great live band - there should be more live issue



5. excellent live recording of this band in its prime sound quality very good for live very little overdubing song selection and sequence is excellent giving the live power and energy this quartet posessed one of my hall of fame cd's

5 comments about Night Watch.

1. I read through some of the reviews here, and they all tend to reflect my feelings almost exactly. This performance was captured when the quartet of Robert Fripp, David Cross, Bill Bruford, and John Wetton were at their peak. Timewise the performance comes sometime after Starless and Bible Black, but before Red. As for the performance itself, there's not much to find fault with, the show is fantastic, flawless, brilliant. The cd packaging is also of high quality, and the liner notes from Fripp are an excellent addition to a perfect package. Add this to your growing King Crimson collection!



2. This is a very fine concert that has been around in bootleg circles for years. According to the liner notes there might have been another song for this show but it's missing from all of the band's master tapes. There are also a couple of techincal problems-1)David Cross' mellotron breaks down during The Night Watch 2)The end of Improv:Starless and Bible Black is missing due to the reel running out 3)part of these performances were edited, overdubbed and used during the making of the album Starless and appearently when this was put together the had to use some of the misc overdubs because the original parts were erased.
   
   As far as the release itself, it is a must have. The songs on here are done in a fine fashion and most of the tech issues have been handled so well that you won't even notice them. Easy Money starts off rocking so hard that you'll be on your knees begging for mercy. Lament, Book Of Saturday and Fracture are all great versions and will put a great big smile on your face. The Night Watch features David's mellotron going down so he quickly moves to electric piano. The Starless improv is great. Improv:Trios is one of the most wonderful and pretty songs they've ever come up with. The same can be said for Exiles. Improv:The Fright Watch is again interesting. The Talking Drum and Larks, Tongues In Aspic(Part Two) rock as hard as the opening Easy Money. The Schizoid Man also rocks and showing off how great this band can handle an older favorite. If you like King Crimson, get this.



3. Starless And Bible Black has always been one of the KC albums I appreciated the least (not sure why), so that would explain why I don't like this as much as many others (a great deal of the 2-disc set is from that album). But get it if you dig KC, particularly this era. Good stuff, just not as good as B'Boom or Thrakattak (heh)



4. I'm a huge Prog fan and a huge King Crimson fan, and this was my favorite lineup of my favorite Prog band, recorded live at the peak of their powers, complete with some facinating and revelatory liner notes. Ain't no way you're going to find me saying one bad thing about this fantastic 2-CD document of the band's November 3rd, 1973 concert in Amsterdam.
   
   This is the show that served as the basis for the Starless & Bible Black album, without overdubs and with crowd noise. Even with technical malfunctions, this is one of the best live albums I've ever heard. You think the mighty Crim was going to let a little mellotron meltdown dilute their power? Think again.
   
   Buy this CD. Cue up "The Talking Drum" and let the CD play through to the end. Now scrape yourself up off the floor and put on the best-ever version of "Exiles." Then listen to the whole thing. Marvel at the way KC could go from the raw power of "Fracture" to the delicate and beautiful "Trio." Thrill to the brilliant interplay of 4 insanely talented musicians with a taste for daring improvisation. Shake your head in disbelief at how astoundingly good KC was during this period.
   
   Essential, powerful, gutsy and timeless are just four of the words that come to mind when I think of The Nightwatch. Here's two more: Highly Recommended.



5. Robert Fripp has turned the King Crimson archives into a cottage industry, releasing countless live recordings through his label, Discipline Global Mobile, and the "King Crimson Collector's Club." At this point, live King Crimson albums outnumber their studio recordings. You really need a scorecard to keep track of live Crimson.
   
   "The Night Watch" is among the best: a double live CD recorded at Amsterdam's Royal Concertgebouw in November 1973. This features arguably Crimson's (and progressive rock's) greatest lineup ever: Fripp on guitar, John Wetton on bass and vocals, Bill Bruford on drums & percussion, and violinist David Cross. The concert is noteworthy for producing about half of the "Starless and Bible Black" sessions, which were recorded live and later polished for inclusion on that record. (If you already own "Starless and Bible Black," don't hesitate to pick this up as well.)
   
   The live set covers an admittedly narrow portion of Crimson's career; 10 of the 12 tracks appear on either "Larks' Tongues in Aspic" (1973) or "Starless and Bible Black" (1974), with the unreleased improvisation "The Fright Watch" and a relatively rote version of "21st Century Schizoid Man" thrown in. What the disc lacks in diversity, it makes up for in intensity and live energy. "Easy Money" and "Lament" rock harder and faster than their studio versions. The live setting magnifies the epic grandeur of "Exiles." And the hypnotic, dynamic rendition of the "Talking Drum/Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part II" medley achieves new levels of aural euphoria.
   
   King Crimson always excelled in the studio, but they really come into their own on stage. "The Night Watch" illustrates this as well as any other Crimson live album. If you aren't familiar with the mid-1970's incarnation of King Crimson, this is a great place to start. If you're already a diehard Crimson fan, this set will become an indispensable addition to your collection.

4 comments about Motor City Is Burning.

1. Sixteen track compilation of poor-sounding bootlegged material that's been obviously pulled from various MC 5 previous releases,like the Sturgis Armoury in Michigan for one.QUESTION:where exactly did the taper of 'some' of these tunes sit during the actual performance,in the stall in the men's room?I mean,come on!I believe I even heard some problems with the tape speed.I've heard worse,but not MUCH worse.I suppose that after a few listens,you COULD grow to accept this CD as a hard-to-find audio treasure,IF you're an MC 5 completist.Good song selection though,like the opener "Kick Out The Jams","Revolutionary Blues","Human Being Lawnmower",my all time MC 5 favorite "Looking At You" and "Black To Comm".You've been warned.



2. The sound quality here renders this album unlistenable to even the most devout MC5 fan. I strongly advise saving your cash here and spending your hard earned money on the new "Purity, Accuracy" box set. You can get it here on zShops for almost half off the list and it is worth every single cent.



3. I have a watch. It's a Casio and it has a calculator and a voice recorder in it. It's a cool watch; it records stuff and you can play it back, like funny things friends said when they were drunk or bad lines from a movie--but the sound quality is crap. But what do you expect? It's on a freaking watch.

   This live MC5 album sounds like it was recorded on my watch. It's bad. Of course, it's cool because it's MC5, but the quality is h-o-r-r-i-b-l-e. I didn't think they were allowed to release something that sounded this bad.




4. "Archive" releases are a double-edged sword. Yeah, it's cool to get a live cd of the 5, but damn, this sounds like it was recorded with a boombox OUTSIDE of the venue where the 5 were kickin' 'em out, dig? Tape speed is messed up, too, on some tracks Tyner sounds about 300 pounds heavier than he did normally. Killer version of "Shakin' Street" is a saving grace, but unless you're a FANATIC, avoid this at all costs. You want a killer live MC5 recording, pick up Thunder Express (live in the studio, tight as hell).

5 comments about Last Exit.

1. As the author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" and a former radio disc-jockey, I am often asked to write and or discuss various recordings from the 60's and 70's.
   
   The record company's decision to release "Last Exit" a collection of previously unearthed Traffic studio and live tunes turned out to be an unexpected gift for all degrees of fans.
   
   The collector that must have every note could never be disappointed with the assortment of sounds that seem all over the globe and cohesive at the same time. Those that are somewhat into the band or looking for songs they heard on the radio will be happy with the inclusion of Shanghai Noodle Factory and Medicated Goo.
   
   The album opens with a wonderful bit of psychedelia called "Just For You." The vocals pay homage to the fantastic British Invasion sound circa 64-67.
   
   Shanghai Noodle Factory is one of the finest tunes that the band would leave us. Complex and catchy at the same time. There is a certain intensity in the delivery by Steve Winwood.
   
   Something's Got A Hold Of My Toe lets the music do the talking. A clever riff and perfect improvisation makes this worthy of a repeat listen.
   
   Withering Tree has Winwood using the vocal style that would be synonymous with Blind Faith. The words come from the heart and the instrumentation provides the perfect backdrop.
   
   Medicated Goo complete with a bit of funk and lyrics that remain with you was a Album Rock radio song for numerous years (Well deserved).
   
   Taking a page from Cream's playbook the record company mixed live and studio tracks for our pleasure. Recording at the Fillmore West in San Francisco you can feel part of the festivities with Feelin' Good and Blind Man. An opportunity to understand Traffic's gift to shine in and out of the recording studio.
   
   If you missed the exit the first time around the present is as good as any to make up for lost time.
   
   Enjoy the music and be well,
   Craig Fenton
   Author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent"



2. as we who provide comments here should all know, what we appreciate is subjective. having said that, and having had the chance to see the original and a subsequent incarnation of traffic, blind man and feelin' good are as good as traffic ever was. this is stevie winwood's soul at it's best. if you don't dig this, fuhgeddabout it! four stars because some of the studio stuff is so so.



3. 'Last Exit' is a curious album from a band that frequently changed its personnel and its sound. This 1969 release finds in-and-out-again member Dave Mason contributing one track (the opener), and performing on a brief instrumental he co-wrote before scooting out to record his landmark solo effort, 'Alone Together'. That left Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, and Chris Wood to fill out the remainder of the disc, with a bit of help from producer Jimmy Miller (who first worked with Winwood in the Spencer Davis Group, and co-wrote 'I'm a Man' with him), and producer/arranger Larry Fallon, both of whom receive composing credits on the disc.
   
   When 'Last Exit' first appeared on vinyl, it was split between a studio side and a live side. The opener on the studio side was Mason's 'Just For You', which only begins to hint at the more mature sound the singer/guitarist would suddenly project on the epic 'Alone Together' album. It is, nonetheless, one of his better early Traffic numbers, a somewhat trippy, fast tempoed track, perhaps claiming the first slot due to its pop-song feel and length, running only 2:15. 'Shanghai Noodle Factory' follows as the longest of the studio tracks at 7:58. It has a biting acoustic guitar, percussion, and melody that will certainly grow on you. 'Something's Got a Hold of My Toe' is a brief instrumental (clocking out at 2:12), another fast-paced track featuring some fine lead guitar work from Mason. 'Withering Tree' is my least favorite among the studio selections, a rather dismal track, originally selected as the b-side for the band's single 'Feelin' Alright'. Winwood and Miller teamed up to compose the final studio track, and the best song on this collection, 'Medicated Goo' (a reference to a homegrown cure-all). The song features the same fast-paced sort of lyrics as Winwood delivered on 'I'm a Man', and comes complete with a catchy guitar riff and chorus as well.
   
   The diverse nature of the genre created by Winwood and Traffic is perhaps no where better illustrated than the live protion of this disc, recorded at the Fillmore West. Winwood and company open with the Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley track, 'Feelin' Good', which has been covered by everyone from John Coltrane and Nat King Cole to Bobby Darrin. It's way to the jazz side of most Traffic fare, but it's a classic tune well-performed. There are some subdued segments of this ten minute plus tracks that reveal the presence of an audible "buzz" (not generated by medicated goo), but the relative absence of crowd noise throughout makes for a reasonable trade-off.
   
   The final track, 'Blind Man', possesses a more discernable structure than 'Feelin' Good', but still favors an overt jazz posture. The song was a collaboration between trumpeter Joe Smith, who made his mark playing with Bobby "Blue" Bland, and Deadric Malone, a psuedonym for songwriter Don Robey. The two are probably most famous for another collaboration, 'Turn On Your Love Light'. Both 'Feelin' Good' and 'Blind Man' afford Winwood, Wood, and Capaldi considerable leeway to display their acumen on organ, flute, and percussion respectively, and both songs warrant more than a single listen.
   
   'Last Exit' is the balk in Traffic's catalog, earning its name from the belief that the band was disbanding. While their best works ('Low Spark...' most notably) still lay in wait, 'Last Exit' affords us yet another snapshot of the band in the midst of their seemingly endless metamorphosis. My AAD copy is pretty much devoid of any meaningful liner notes or photographs, so if you buy it, you buy it for the music, and that's not a bad buy. Certainly a must for Traffic junkies, and a satisfying curiousity item for the rest.



4. Traffic had one of the most original (and interesting) sounds in British rock, and not only because of their eclectic musical influences, which embraced psychedelia, folk, jazz, soul, R&B, and even classical. Their unique sound was also the result of their unusual instrumentation. While the group went through a number of personnel changes, its constant core members were Steve Winwood (vocals, keyboards, guitars), Chris Wood (sax, flute, and organ), and Jim Capaldi (drums & percussion). With no regular bass player, Winwood often filled in with the bass pedals on his organ. And, while there is no lack of guitars on most Traffic recordings, the guitar is not emphasized or particularly important to the group's sound. Dave Mason came and went in their early years and, on other recordings, Steve Winwood would switch to guitar, with Chris Wood taking over organ duties. In short, Traffic was anything but your typical guitar-bass-drums rock outfit. And, with "white Ray Charles" prodigy Winwood at the helm, and with their willingness to experiment with virtually any sound or musical style, they cut some of the most distinctive and important records in British rock.

   "Last Exit," their third full-length release, is actually a record-company creation. With Dave Mason gone and the band temporarily disbanded (while Winwood joined Eric Clapton in Blind Faith), Island Records cobbled this LP together from tracks that didn't make it onto Traffic's earlier albums, along with two extended live jams ("Feelin' Good" and "Blind Man" - neither of which was ever recorded in the studio). The result, while not as cohesive as Traffic's other releases, is nonetheless exceptionally strong. While Mason's cut "Just For You" is disposable pop, Winwood's studio tracks are some of his strongest: the swirling psychedelic soul of "Shanghai Noodle Factory," the haunting blues-rock of "Withering Tree," and the Beatlesque rocker "Medicated Goo." And, while their sound quality is sub-par, the live tracks on side two are the group's most convincing experiments with the blues, as well as their most essential concert recordings available.

   In short, "Last Exit" isn't Traffic's best album, but it's not far behind.




5. This is the type of late-sixties album that reinforces the argument that the Muse was so abundant in that era, that even overlooked stuff sounds better-conceived than any pop-rock offering today. I grew up with this album. I was only five years old when it was released, but I had parents with hip musical tastes, and I heard it constantly for a month or two in late 1969. So maybe it simply hit me at an imprintable age, but I do think it stands the test of time. I'm surprised that it doesn't surface more often as one of their more noteworthy albums. Frankly, as an album I think it's as good-- in some ways better --than John Barleycorn or Low Spark. The first side is a collection of really excellent 3-minute pop selections, each of which could've been hits (again, it had much steeper competition back then). Stevie Winwood-- who was only 1ike 18 or 19 --sounds perhaps better than ever, the music is psychedelic yet very tight, and the musicianship is first-rate. Every single song represents dynamic, well-crafted pop, with extremely strong melodies that you'll instantly process and always remember. (And I love the acoustic guitar work in "Shanghai Noodle Factory"). And the second side is not bad-- far from it. Actually, "Feelin' Good" is a wonderful live performance that should be considered a classic. You gotta love that raw Hammond B3 organ sound (or is it an early Mellotron or Moog synth?). Winwood is as bluesy as he can be. The song is very hippie, funky, improvisational, and has great atmosphere. The riff sounds like a hybrid of church organ and minor blues-- and it works. As far as "Blind Man," well it's not as strong as "Feelin' Good," but it's alright. All in all, if you're interested in Traffic, this one's a keeper.

5 comments about Pack up the Plantation: Live!.

1. i think this is the only live official recording of Tom Petty, apart some live DVD. the whole group is not in perfect form, but the concert is enjoyable just the same. the main thing is that the musician involved are the Heartbreakers and a brass section. the result is good enough. the price is very cheap, so everybody can buy this cd.



2. THERE ARE 3 DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THIS THING
   2 SONGS ARE MISSING FROM THE LP
   THE VHS TAPE IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
   GUEST APPEARANCE BY STEVIE NICKS
   
   There were three different formats of this released, all with different songs on them. There was the double LP, which has 16 songs (the cassette tape also has the 16 songs). The LP and cassette are about 78 minutes long.
   
   The songs on the LP and cassette come from different concerts spanning from 1978 to 1985.
   
   This came from the early days of CD's, so there are the early problems of converting LP's to CD's. The CD release only had 14 songs, with 2 from the LP missing. This was because the time limit on a CD at the time was 74 minutes (you can now get 80 minutes on a CD, I will explain at the end for my review). Missing from the LP are, I Need to Know and You Got Lucky. Also, the sound quality of the CD is not great and the CD art is just the album cover shrunk down, so it is impossible to read the words.
   
   
   There is also a VHS tape of Pack Up the Plantation. It contains 16 songs, some of which are on the LP and others that are not. The VHS tape is all from one concert, and does not contain any of the earlier recorded songs.
   
   There are some problems with the recording and mixing on many of the songs. The quality of the sound probably has to do with when they were recorded (but I would not assume that the later recorded material is better).
   
   For the most part, mixing is very poor. In many cases, the audience is mixed too loud and overcomes the band. But, the song Breakdown contains a sing along, and in this case the audience is not mixed loud enough. You can barely hear the audience singing in parts. The songs with Stevie Nicks are also poorly mixed, making it difficult to hear her singing in parts.
   
   The overall sound quality is not great. Is is a little muddy and flat, like all CD's from mid 1980's.
   
   There is some controversy because Petty does a lot of covers, instead of his own hits. Some think this is good and others think it is bad. I don't care as long as the songs and peformances are good.
   
   There are a number of pretty good to great performances, like on the Byrd's So You Want to Be a Rock and Roll Star, the Isley's Shout, and his own Breakdown and It Ain't Nothing to Me.....although, doing Shout is an easy crowd pleaser and not much of a challenge.
   
   However, other songs are just boring, or mundane and the studio versions are better. I don't care for Needles and Pins (with Stevie Nicks on vocals), the old song cowritten by Sonny Bono and made famous by DelShannon and the Searchers. He just runs through the Waiting and American Girl. And, I think the peformance of Rebels is just too lush. How can a song about being born a rebel have a string and horn arrangement?
   
   Why were CD's orginally 74 minutes but can not be 80 minutes long? The actual spec for a CD is 74 minutes. But, there was spec range allowed for the bit size (dimple on the disc) and the sampling speed to allow for manufacturing variations. But, the manufacturing process was so precise, the variations were not needed. So, if the manufacturers pushed the bit size to the bottom end of the spec and the sampling frequency to the top end, then they could get 80 minutes out of a CD. Many double albums were first released as double CD's (Derek and the Dominos, Jimi Hendrix Electric Ladyland and Yes Yesshows to name a few). But, they were later remastered and rereleased on a single CD.



3. I have the VHS tape & it's a terrific performance in true Tom style, but the thing that burns me up is: there's NO DVD of this concert & it seems as tho the CD cuts out or does'nt even include ROUTE 66. IMOP, that was 1 of the highlights at the end of the R & R. I wonder why?



4. Got to see Tom Petty in Honolulu, Hawaii way back in 1981. "Torpedoes Tour". About Mid Set, Tom Leaves the Stage during a Mike Cambell, guitar solo, The Light Guys Caught him with their Spots on the Right side of the Stage, with his nose in a Straw snorting some kinda White Powder. He didn't care and continued on with his 'Business'....Well, the Whole place went NUTS....You sorta had to of been there BUT it was a great Rock N' Roll Moment..
   "Pack up the Plantation" is easily one of the best live recordings from the 80's. Tom was "Everyman's" Rock Star and a very cool one at that. If you are building a proper Tom Petty Collection, this CD has got to be part of that Collection...Period. This one is Essential.



5. I first saw Mr. Petty on his SOUTHERN ACCENTS tour and was blown away. Everything critics had said about the Heartbreakers being among the tightest of tight musical groups was perfectly exemplified by their live show, and while PACK UP THE PLANTATION makes for a good souvenir and is a fine record, it will never quite equal the memory of hearing them in person. That said, I'm disappointed that the CD version of the album is so lacking, having dropped two cuts and (apparently, I haven't checked this myself) truncated some of the remaining tracks. The sound on this old MCA CD also doesn't have much warmth or dynamics, and could use a remastering. (Hey! Rhino! Time to include this one in your catalog!) One reviewer here also mentioned the shoddy art reproduction and the credits which are now so small they're impossible to read. He's absolutely right, but then again, this is MCA; Petty didn't like being signed to them and apparently the feeling was mutual. Remember the whole HARD PROMISES/$8.98 uproar?

5 comments about Live 1977.

1. Hearing these versions of Token Of Your Love and Teenage Dream makes you wish there were more "live" T. Rex available from this era. These two songs alone are worth the price. A video of this gig would have been great to see.



2. Interesting capture of T Rex live, with mediocre sound quality. Often times the crowd overpowers Marc and the band, but great song selection and energy overcomes some of this. Good addition for folks who already own most of the catalogue.



3. While these live shows do not represent T. Rex at its 1971-1973 peak, the disc is a great piece of history--1) it is one of Marc Bolan's only live discs 2) the main CD is of the final tour of Marc's life, while his career was finally on the upswing again and he was sounding great, just months before the fatal car crash. Docked one star simply because the sound has a few glitches. Had he lived, Bolan would have made far more of an impact in the U.S. than he did. This release shows he had assembled a great group of musicians again (some who had played with Bowie) and still had the genius songwriting spark.



4. Nothing can top hearing Marc Bolan & T.Rex live, except that is... Marc Bolan & T.Rex LIVE!
   But as that (sadly) is never to be again, the next best thing is LIVE recordings of the King of Glam/Bopping Elf/Godfather of Punk.
   This Cd ROCKS! Great quality, when you think that in 1977 the technical equipment was NOTHING like it is today!
   Bolan's unique (and very often COPIED vocal style - Bono:U2 amongst them), reverberates deliciously thru both discs.
   The music is pure Bolan Boogie/Bop/Rock.
   Its very easy to see the Legacy Bolan has imprinted on Popular music, as even today his style has transgressed time and space. His original sound, as is proved by the countless covers, is as actual now as it was in the 70's. Check out the recent & excellent "(Bang A Gong)Get It On" covers by the likes of LONDON BUS STOP or NATURAL BORN HIPPIES, garanteed to get your bones shakin'!
   T.REX fan or not, "Marc Bolan & T.Rex Live 1977" is NOT just a Blast From The Past, but a Top actual account of how Timeless-Music should be played!!!
   Go out & buy this one, and let your kids hear it too!
   Allan-Michael



5. This Live T Rex CD must rate at one of the worst live performances ever recorded. All the eliments people love about Bolan and T Rex are missing. The nice guitar riffs are lost and the Bolan voice is particularly not good . I even asked myself if it was really him singing. No, he didn't try too hard that night,did he? He couldn't have known he was being recorded and that it was going to be released. He would never have alowed it out.A total [upset]. Save your money and buy some of his studio material