5 comments about World Wide Live.

1. There are only a handful of live recordings/CDs where the live music is truly more crisp, powerful and inspiring than the studio versions. Frampton Comes Alive is one... this is the second. Even for non-hard rock fans, the music of the Scorpions is uniquely compelling and stands the test of time. * * * * * I have 6-7 friends who are musicians or rock music fans and all of them have a huge amount of respect for this CD. I hope they go back and re-release the DVD. It's only on VHS as of this time. This is a classic album that showcases the talent of this long-lasting German band.



2. Although a lot of bands are generally bad in their live recordings, Scorpions has always been a great live band. I have been to three of their concerts and they always sound pretty close to studio quality believe it or not. I haven't heard many bands that sound that good on stage except maybe for AC/DC and Judas Priest. This has all of their best stuff really because Love at First Sting was their last great album. Just great lead guitar work by Mathias Jabbs: simply one of the most underrated lead guitarists from that period. You can't go wrong with this live album by Scorpions.



3. And that is just a subjective opinion obviously but like many 80s rock bands their best time was then and so is for Scorpions. Its a must have or at least a must listen for any 80s rock fans.



4. I got this at the same time I got the "TOKYO TAPES" CD and its as good as I remember it. However, I could not find the original double (vinyl) album so I could compare the songs for accuracy, but I believe they are all there! Songs like COAST TO COAST, ANOTHER PIECE OF MEAT, STILL LOVING YOU & CAN'T GET ENOUGH get me through my workouts at the gym!
   
   I saw this tour in Austin, TX, which was my third time seeing them live and the first time I saw them as headliners. If I had to say anything negative about the album, it would be that they left out classic songs like HE'S A WOMAN, SHE'S A MAN and LOVEDRIVE, but I still got my money's worth!
   
   Go get this album!



5. Which is the problem with most live albums, to tell the truth. *World Wide Live* was an honest effort for Scorpions' to capstone the highly successful 79-84 era with a live summerization. Face it, Scorpions had their greatest phase of their career between the *Lovedrive* and *Blackout* albums, with *Love At First Sting* being the commerical icing on the cake. They were some of the best sounding rock albums ever released. However, i belive that *World Wide Live* falls short on doing these songs justice. *World Wide Live* sports a particulary "noisy" qaulity to it that i simply can't stand. Songs are either rushed right through, ad-limbed to death or simply played sloppy. The botched intro to "Bad Boys Running Wild" or all of Klause Meine's lame banter between and during songs are a few examples. Other times, songs are simply lost in excessive noise, by either the crowd or the band themselves. I don't know if this was a result of poor mixing or simply bad production, but it ruins the songs potency when they are buried in an obnoxious crowd setting and played far louder then they should be.The tender nuances of ballads like "Holiday" and "Still Loving You" are completely lost in *World WIde Live*, suffering the most out of all the classics from this flaw. Other number simply feel uninspired and through the 'motions', like "Rock You Like A Hurricane" and "Loveing You Sunday Morning". The original studio versions are far, far superior. My advice is to stick with the studio albums, which for my money, had some of the best production vaules of their time. If you want a live Scorps album, get *Tokyo Tapes* or *Live Bites* instead.

5 comments about Dick's Picks, Vol. 3: Sportatorium, Pembroke Pines, FL, 5/22/77.

1. I have owned this record for probably about ten years, since I was 8 or so, and I never really listened to it because I was addicted to a couple other Picks and great studio albums, and I just never got around to hearing the '77 edition of the Dead. But I picked it up again recently after reading the incredible reviews here, and I can only say that I wish I had done so a lot sooner - my high school self's happiness might have been salvaged had I had this to listen to.
   
   The Music Never Stopped was always one of my favorite songs primarily because of the lyrics, and this disc has a great, short rendition of it at the top of the set (after a somewhat questionable 30-second "Funiculi Funicula"). I never quite took to "Sugaree" until I listened to this version, and I realize now that it is truly an exquisite piece of music. But nothing could have prepared me for what was to come. Lazy Lightning -> Supplication is pretty cool, and had me tapping my feet to its intricate, somewhat lounge-jazzy rhythms and chord progressions. Dancin' in the Streets, now disco-fied, actually pissed me off until I realized that once the first four minutes of the song have passed it really becomes just a vehicle for a 10-minute long funky jam. Then...
   
   HELP ON THE WAY! Oh my dear lord OH OH OH MY GOD! I have always LOVED the studio version of this song on Blues For Allah, but this..... oh my God. I can't even put words into this little box that will come close to getting anyone to understand its majesty. Then Slipknot, and a 15 minute Franklin's Tower BRIMMING with Garcia solos that are just so freaking incredibly happy yet totally sophisticated and complex, I can barely keep myself from smashing my face into the wall and thanking God that I was born after this recording was made so I get to listen to it. So I left disc one in a state of utter shock, having been totally unprepared for what it ended up being.
   
   But I had no idea what was to come - Disc 2 is surely the greatest live recording ever made. Samson & Delilah is a great song with Weir doing a great job keeping the energy up with his guitar and vocals. Sunrise is a brief, interesting, and sad excursion from Donna Godchaux, and it held my attention surprisingly well. Then comes the real meat of this whole package. A 50-minute medley that changed my whole life: Estimated Prophet -> Eyes Of The World -> Wharf Rat -> Terrapin Station -> Morning Dew. I can't really say much more. Wharf Rat is just sublime, Terrapin, Eyes..... nevermind, there's no point. I'm sorry for wasting your time with this review, you should just be listening to this music.



2. Many fans have reviewed this release with five stars. I will agree it deserves it. As most people have mentioned the Estimated>eyes....Morning dew sequence is amazing and extremely beautiful, but that is not why I am taking the time to write this.
   
   Disc 1 Help on the way>Slipknot!>Franklins Tower is beyond perfect. It just might be my favorite Dead performance. Nothing compares, this is breathtaking, spellbinding, guitar gymnastics. This is a very hip bandin the late seventies playing some very cool funky, intelligent rhythms. Garcia's guitar will simply steal your face. It just doesn't get any better than this.



3. What everyone else said. I don't care how hokey it sounds--Cosmic Energy, the Hand of God, Tears in your Eyes, it's all there. Get this now. If you know what it is like to see the entire human and spiritual experience summed up in wordless music, then you know how glorious this album is. If you don't, you need this album, or any other really good music, in your life right Now.
   
   On a more technical note, the combination of really crisp recording, all instruments mixed equally, with the fervent playing, really makes this shine. "Sugaree", "Music Never Stopped", and "Eyes > Rat > Terrapin > Dew" are perfect.



4. The fact that the fervent devotion of the Dead's fans seems based to a great extent upon non-musical factors has meant that much out-of-tune and downright sloppy playing has been elevated as "direct downloads from God". I suspect many serious music lovers who prize musicianship have been turned away from the Dead as a result of having being subjected to bootleg tapes of questionable merit, accompanied by a stoned lecture of why Garcia is "the best that ever played", or whatnot. This is a great pity, because when the Dead were "on", they were truly amazing: great musicianship blended with intense feeling and fearless improvisational creativity. This show provides ample doses of this alchemy. A keeper.



5. This is one of the first recording I'd recommend to non-Deadheads...
   
   I wont go on and on about the cosmic energy or any of that stuff. This is one great document of an excellent concert by any band.
   
   The sound is very nice, and well balanced. Great soundboard recording. If you're thinking about buying a first Dead CD, get this one (well, you should really get Live Dead also.)

5 comments about Iron Butterfly Live.

1. As one of the founding fathers of today's heavy metal rock music, Iron Butterfly has them power, drive, and sound that made them unique in the world of rock music. This live album serves as a testament to that fact. Eventhough the recordings of live concerts from the late 1960's through the mid 1980's was primative at best (by today's standards), this live recording of Iron Butterfly captures most of the groups best music durring their prime as a chart-topping group of that era. This is a "must-have" for all Iron Butterfly fans.



2. The first five tracks are decent versions, but if you are interested it for a version of "In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida" that's two minutes longer, forget it. First off, it's a shade too fast. Then somewhere along the way, bassist Lee Dorman and guitarist Erik Brann get bored with the signature ostinato that made the song great in the first place. And if they'd based this album on a wider range of performances, or hadn't begrudged us an extra song, they could have ended with the "Iron Butterfly Theme". I saw them during the tour supporting the "Ball" release and they ended the show with that one by Brann putting his axe in the stand with the last note still sustaining as he walked offstage until the local DJ who acted as emcee came out and shut it off before msking his last announcement.



3. For some unexplainable reason(s),I've never been able to much get into this live album.To anyone who's often taken a look at my reviews,I usually love live lp's.Oh,'Live' isn't terrible,it just isn't 'great' either,as most other fans have noted that it's one of the best live albums from that era.Only two cuts here I even liked were "Soul Experience" and "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida".Too bad this disc didn't have "The Iron Butterfly Theme".Now,THAT might've made a huge difference.



4. Not much more I can say than that...
   
   Even a year later...we still miss you Erik.
   
   -Your "Lil Bro", Jon



5. Iron Butterfly was a great band. this takes tracks from their first 3 albums. (all of the concert from that tour is on the cd, except some shows had 2 different tracks played instead of others on that tour. The Iron Butterfly Theme and Flowers & Beads)
   
   As for this show. The only bad things is some feedback during In The Time Of Our Lives and Some woman singing during the drum solo in In A Gadda Da Vida.
   
   The good? Solid musicianship, great solos. Vocals tight and perfect. and a good setlist. The only tune i would have loved was Belda Beast from the Ball album. Otherwise it is a good representation of their songs. The poppier You Can't Win, The heavier Time of our lives, filled with fear & are you happy. The lighter sounds of Soul Experience & the total psychadelic, acid trip of Vida.
   
   For fans of the group it isnt ALL you can find (some stuff is available on bootleg, even some REAL good sounding radio broadcast stuff) But it is a good live album as a whole.
   
   For the non fans, it isnt a good way to introduce yourself to the band (Light & Heavy best of is better) but if you are a live rock concert buff, it ranks up there.

5 comments about Live at the Fillmore 1968.

1. Oye. Okay, here we go. The acid-happy meanderings of Santana before their Woodstock breakthrough. See, what had made Santana good in the early days was their ability to make a jam compact, but there's no sense of that here. None of these songs run at logical lengths, and in fact most are excruciating. The half-hour "Freeway" is particularly bad. It just goes. And goes. And goes. Thirty minutes, one chord, probably because the group was too stoned to play a second. And that's what the rest of the album's like. Plus it features Carlos experimenting with quasi-metal tones ("Jingo"; "Persuasion") that fit him like a Latin tone would fit Toni Iommi. "Chunk a Funk", one of the many otherwise unreleased tunes here, is funky, but also crappy. Too much of it is devoted to Greg Rollie, who plays a very familiar chord sequence. But not even that could be as bad as, say, "Fried Neckbones" - an insignificant vamp with inconsequential lyrics and insipid playing. Even "Soul Sacrifice" sounds bad - the organ is more Steppenwolf than Santana. Carlos sounds timid during his solo as well. Check out the Woodstock version instead. There's also a long, generic blues ("As the Years Go Passing By") that's notable for two reasons: it doesn't really suck, and it more or less is "Since I've Been Loving You". Same introducing solo, same melody (though, in interest of fairness to Jimmy Page, it also has the same melody as "Going Down Slow" and a thousand other blues songs), similar chord progression (though, once again...). All it lacks is the huge emotional release that made "Since I've Been Loving You" good as it is. However, Carlos' playing on it is inspired, with him making the absolute best of the generic blues riffs he's shooting out. I mean, yeah, you've heard them a dozen times before. But Carlos injects them with a certain emotional freshness, as if that progression means everything to him. And that, in my mind, is guitar soloing. It's not an entirely good song, because the vocal passages are interminable, but compared to "Freeway"? We're dealing with divine quality here. With that said, any given Allman Brothers or Jimi Hendrix blues jam smokes it. I mean, you think this can compare to "Hear My Train a-Comin'" or "Stormy Monday"? Ha. So the remaining good song is "Treat", equipped with a fine jazzy piano solo and the kind of high-quality playing Santana was capable of, even during his drugged-out hippie moments. Santana's first five studio albums rule, and so does the (mostly) live Moonflower. That, in my mind, is much better Santana.



2. Recorded well before Santana's classic 1969 debut LP, this hometown concert set is notable for several reasons. It features a stripped-down, five-man version of the band, with conguero Marcus Malone and drummer Doc Livingstone, both of whom would be gone before SANTANA was recorded. The jams here are lengthier and hotter than their studio counterparts, from the blistering opener "Jingo" and the jaw-droppingly prefaced version of "Persuasion" to the inevitable - but still tasty - "Soul Sacrifice." Most of these pieces, however, would never appear on a Santana studio album, and I'm quite confused as to why. Gregg Rolie's evocative piano work on "Treat," the sliding ensemble performance of "Fried Neckbones" and the psychedelic fury of "Conquistadore" make for what seem like sure-fire cuts from a band celebrated for its onstage flights. Carlos Santana has seldom if ever played with more flash, and the entire band's level of musicianship is exceptional throughout - though "Freeway" does get a bit long. Fans of the early, grooving Santana will certainly want this set, and all live album enthusiasts are encouraged to give it a spin. Great stuff from a very young and talented band!



3. Incredible album. My favorite. Santana you rock...............Treat will really have you going. Highly reccomended for all hardcore Santana fans!! Enjoy!



4. This is a great album for fans of Santana's early work, the Latin/blues/rock fusion sound that made them unique among the zillions of hippie bands of the era.
   This album lacks Mike Shrieve's drumming and is shy a couple of Latin percussionists but Carlos's blazing guitar work carries the whole show along anyway.
   Although raw and less polished than the 1st Santana album, this album ROCKS - even the extended 60's jams are fun.
   The accompanying liner notes booklet is informative and the sound quality is first rate.



5. Let's start with the obvious. Michael Shrieve isn't in the band yet, so the concert isn't anything close to future Santana standards. However, this live album shows you how it all got started. This is the bare bones, the raw Santana. Santana had just signed on with Columbia Records when they played this concert. Obviously, the formula hasn't been perfected yet, but this is the starting point, the beginning of what would be a future rock and roll phenomenon.
   The first disc starts off strong with a long version of Jingo. Persuasion follows with a hard rock intro, pretty cool. Treat is beautifully played here, with Gregg Rolie pounding on the piano keys like there's no tomorrow. All the other songs on this disc are great as well.
   Disc two has a 14 minute Soul Sacrifice. It's not anything close to the Woodstock version, but this one is good too, with a great organ solo by Gregg Rolie. As The Years Go By is a great blues song, and finishing things up is Freeway, a 30 minute jam that rocks hard all the way through.
   You might be hesitant to get this album because it's a Santana that is young, barely starting out. But the truth is, there's no such thing as a bad Santana concert. Get Santana Live at the Fillmore 1968, it's a great slice of time, with great music to have you jammin' all night.
   
   **If you want to hear THE Santana concert, pick up Santana III Legacy Edition. It contains the REAL band's whole concert on the closing night of the Fillmore West in 1971. Great music with great musicianship. You can't beat it.

5 comments about Joe Cocker Live.

1. this is a tremendous cd. it's all of the favorite joe cocker songs, joe's raspy, so well known voice, backed by a big sounding band, big horn section. this is a must have.



2. Who doesn't love the heart & soul, raspy voiced Joe Cocker? Add the terrific band and accent the good ol' rock-n-roll piano work and it's all good. I've enjoyed this cd for years, and will enjoy it for many more.



3. Back when I was in the Bar business ,I had this CD put on our juke box . Anybody who loves "live" music will enjoy the unbelievable live concert sound captured and re-mixed by the producers of this release.
   Wild Bill



4. Well, in short...good sound, good vocal performances from Joe Cocker, several good songs (and a few really forgettable ones as well). All good, but not great, unfortunately.

   The arrangements seem a little over-blown at times, robbing the music of its R&B-grit, but that is a minor complaint.
   "Joe Cocker Live" is a good live album. It just doesn't feel all that necessary, mainly because these extremely conservative live renditions of songs like "Shelter Me", "Unchain My Heart" and "When The Night Comes" are barely distinguishable from the originals, adding nothing whatsoever to the studio cuts.

   A little more recklessness would have been nice.




5. Fantastic,magnificent,this is one of the best "Live"performances one musician ever released.This phenomenal stage presence of Joe Cocker,with one of the most passioned voice i've ever heard in my life is enriched with this gig band,and with the presence of The Memphis Horns,perfectly background vocals,the double Levine/Stainton on keyboards,transformed that audience in a privilege!!All the entire cd is excited,full of great energy.That kind of energy we only could find when great musicians get on the stage!!!This is a must have cd for those that love good music,with rare intenses heart feelings,registered on that magical iluminated night at Memorial Auditorium,Lowell Massachussets!Great,Great,Great!!!!!!

5 comments about Warszawa.

1. Porcupine Tree is one of the finest bands around and this cd, recorded during the Lightbulb Sun tour, delivers in a big way. First off the material for the recording was culled from a Polish radio broadcast with a specially invited studio audience and features the bulk of the "Lightbulb Sun" cd (recently re-released in a gorgeous remastered form/5.1 surround) as well as tracks from "Stupid Dream" and "Signify", for me three of their better recordings (although serious kudos have to go to "In Absentia", "Deadwing" and "Fear Of A Blank Planet" all fine recordings of their own especially thanks to Gavin Harrison's absolutely phenomenal drum work). The recording itself is crystalline and a big improvement on the sound rendered on "Coma Devine".
   If you're seeking a fine example of what Porcupine Tree can do live, look no further. this is the recording to have. Trust me on this one.



2. Being an avid fan of Porcupine Tree, I try to see them live every time they tour in my area. I saw them this spring on their recent tour, and the live CD Warszawa captures much of the material from that tour, and has an excellent group of older and newer material which is great "ear candy" I would highly recomment this CD for any fans of Porcupine Tree who would like to add a recent live recording of this awesome band to their collection.



3. This new Digipak version is a re-release of an earlier Madfish Records UK release from 2005. As a Porcupine Tree fan and music listener for the majority of my life, I can tell you, this is one excellant concert recording.
   
   The performance is from a Polish radio show broadcast that included a small in studio audience. The performance was right on the heels of the Lightbulb Sun tour, so most of the songs performed are from that album. A couple more from Stupid Dream, Voyage 34 (Phase One), and the title track off the Signify album. This is a real treat, since the Lightbulb Sun album has been out-of-print for a long time now. This was my first chance to hear the songs (I'm still waiting for the rumoured re-release this fall).
   
   I'm not going to try and give you a full description of the music on this album, if you need that, please see the Amazon Review by "fats al" of the 2005 version dated February 22, 2006. He does an excellant job. I just didn't think it would be right to cut and paste it here!
   
   This cd is also a great bargain: it's packed to the brim with music. 79 minutes and 19 seconds worth of beautiful live PTree music for only $12. I will say track 8, Hatesong, is absolutely the Best! 5-stars!



4. So these guys can deliver that same wonderful sound live is good to know. So many bands' sound is "created" in the studio and you never know where the band's talent stops and the technical wizardry begins. This is a solid live album which shines the light on a talented group of Brits who could very well become the next Beatles. If you like good live music, buy this album. I would even recommend this as an introduction to this band as the songlist goes deep enough into their library to get to know Porcupine Tree as the treasure they surely are. These guys play progressive rock and roll and do it oh so well.



5. Being recently addicted to Porcupine Tree, I found this live album great right from the awesome guitar intro to the first track "Even Less" through to the final song "Signify". "Voyage 34" is perhaps not all that good live but everything else is fresh and solid. Of particular interest is that the album contains 6 songs from the hard-to-get album Lightbulb Sun including the superb "Russia On Ice". I highly recommend this album to all rock music fans!

5 comments about Genesis Live: The Way We Walk, Vol. 1 (The Shorts).

1. Genesis' 18th album entitled The Way We Walk Volume One (The Shorts) was released in November of 1992.
   This live album was recorded on different dates on the band's Invisible Touch and We Can't Dance tours in 1986/87 and 1992 respectively.
   The first of this two-part series of live albums from the height of the band's peak of popularity as a three piece (lead singer/drummer Phil Collins, guitarist/bass player Mike Rutherford and keyboard player Tony Banks (plus help from drummer Chester Thompson and guitarist/bass player Daryl Stuermer in concert)) focuses on the band's hit singles from 1983-1992 and the songs are, in most cases, superior to their studio recording counterparts.
   We begin with a great version of "Land Of Confusion" which was recorded on the WCD tour. Next is an excellent version of "No Son Of Mine" which rivals its studio counterpart. We then follow with an excellent version of "Jesus He Knows Me" which features fiery guitar work from Stuermer and Phil's mocking of the evangelists towards song's end (shame that the full intro where he talked about the shadiness of preachers (and mocking of a few) was deleted). Next, we go back to the Invisible Touch tour for an excellent version of "Throwing It All Away" recorded at Wembley Stadium in 1987. Then we go forwards in time back to the We Can't Dance tour for a great reading of "I Can't Dance".
   We then go back to the Invisible Touch tour for "Mama" which is the same version as on the Wembley DVD. Then we head back to the WCD tour for "Hold On My Heart" which is a great version. The next two tracks come from the Invisible Touch tour. First is "That's All" recorded at Wembley Stadium. Then it's "In Too Deep" recorded in Los Angeles on the Invisible Touch tour (was dropped from the 1987 leg). We close with the medley of "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" and "Invisible Touch" from the WCD tour which was a great closer before the "Turn It On Again" encore (which was not on either part of this live album series).
   The Way We Walk - The Shorts reached #35 in the US and became the last Genesis album to go Gold in the U.S. of A. (until the Turn It On Again - The Hits collection).
   Recommended for all Genesis fans!



2. This past year, we've seen a lot of reunions from some of Rock and Roll, and the influences that they've made. While most of the hype has been around The Police and the reunion of Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers, another trio had reunited for the first time in over 15 years, Genesis. With the hype of Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks coming together, many had wondered if the group could really show that they still had the spark that made them a legacy for decades. While original members Peter Gabriel and Steve Hackett passed on the opportunity, the group showed themselves as a threesome, which was where the group showed their commercial diversity the broadest. That was also shown for what was the last time back in 1992 with this live set.
   
   Live: The Way We Walk - Volume 1 The Shorts, is a single disc compilation of Genesis during their tour for their We Can't Dance album. The songs here on this album don't show as much diversity for hard core fans, but mainly showcases a live set of their big songs from their 80's top of the game. the songs here show well from live performances of Invisible Touch, Throwing It All Away, the somber In Too Deep, as well as the deep and haunting Mama. The songs here were all captured well on the album. Sadly, the album though could've shown a little bit more to appeal to hard core fans. A lot of great tracks were not highlighted during this live record like Abacab, Follow You, Follow Me, Trick Of The Tail and Dutchess, that could've added great diversity, while some other songs like The Lamb Lies Down On broadway and Home By The Sea, were displayed on a second volume which felt a bit shorter to deliver to all fans.
   
   All in all, Live: The Way We Walk - Volume 1 The Shorts isn't as definitive for what should be the best of Genesis live, but deliver a decent group of songs performed nevertheless. While the collection isn't as diverse to appeal to all fans, as was the case with their 2007 Live Over Europe live reunion album, it still has a lot to appeal for those 80's fans of the group. They can sing, but here it isn't the eternal dance.
   
   Album Cover: B
   
   Songs: C+
   
   Price: C
   
   Mastering: B
   
   Overall: C 1/2+



3. This cd contains the "hits" from the band, under Phil Collins era, I have to say that I'm a bit tired of hearing these songs, but also, most of these live versions are "refreshing" to hear in a different version.
   I prefer these versions to the original ones. The sound is pretty good for a live release. That's All folks !



4. I don't know what it is with me and Phil Collins/Genesis; their syruppy-synth-soundscapes just kinda stick to my heart like sap, I guess. And what can you possibly say to justify Phil Collins' place on the pop-charts? He's an amazing vocalist, unique and emotive; the songs on this CD are just as dark as anything Genesis has written, with a bit of up-beat pop thrown in between; the basic difference between Phil Collins' solo career and the music of Genesis is that Phil Collins has mostly been a nice-guy-pop-act and Genesis has tended toward more brooding dark-room songs. Even songs like "Invisible touch" and "Jesus He KNows Me" are at least a tad bit cynicle ("Jesus He Knows Me" has a social message, so it's obviously more darker, at least in the lyrical range; it's not slow, so people tend to think it's a "positive" song). So given that information, this CD is basically a collection of top-hits by the band kinda re-imagined. Even the songs that this concert is supposed to be part of a tour for (We Can't Dance) sound a little different than the album versions and that's what makes this album worthy of fitting into a CD collection. The opener sounds kinda out of breath altogether, not just vocally; which is odd, b/c I think they opened the actual concert with that song ("Land of Confusion"), but either the wheeziness (spelling??) gets taken care of or it's just less noticeable as the CD progresses into other songs...I don't know; perhaps Collins sounds breathless as a way of connecting with his fellow middle-aged audience-members (they say Genesis was trying to connect with a baby-boomer market when they did INVISIBLE TOUCH in 1986). I'm no middle-aged man/boy/??, but my father (who was in his 20s at the time) was said by my mother (also in her 20s at the time) to have LOVED Genesis and I guess he listened to them quite often. I was describing the synth opener of a 1972 song called "Watcher of The Skies" (back when Peter Gabriel was lead singer, for those of you that don't know too much about Genesis) to my mother (I had bought the CD Foxtrot out of curiousity) and she said she thought she knew what I was talking about. And earlier in my life (not long before, a couple yrs tops - I'm 22 now) I bought SELLING ENGLAND BY THE POUND and was almost SURE I recognized one of the synth-lines or whatever they're/it's called in "The Battle of Epping Forrest"...so based on those two facts, I'm pretty sure my father (who abandoned me and my family when I was 7) loved Genesis. And my mother couldn't stop listening to INVISIBLE TOUCH, their only "really good" album according to her. So I think that's probably why the syruppy-sweetness of this music and most of all else by this band sticks to my heart like sap, so to speak. So anyway, I doubt I changed anyone's totally biased opinion about this album or the band, but I hope I made myself clear as to why I am the way I am, in case anyone who knows me reads this!



5. I saw Genesis on the "We Can't Dance" Tour in Hannover, Germany. And while I certainly was completely blown away by that concert, this record delivers even more of what a Genesis concert should be like.
   
   Yes, I admit that I'm no fan of their earlier stuff. Matter of taste, surely. Also, it was just before my time. Anyhow, what I liked most about "The Way We Walk Vol. 1 - The Shorts" was the absence of all those older, overly lengthy, artistic songs that don't really mean anything to me. Precisely what other reviewers here lamented -- that everything on this record comes from just three albums, namely "Genesis", "Invisible Touch", and "We Can't Dance" -- makes it so great for me; for as far as I'm concerned, Genesis before those is rather uninspiring.
   
   The performances are just as great as could righteously be expected. I think that the energy from the (quite audible) audience really adds nicely to the band's, especially of course in the Phil Collins trademark back-and-forth singing contest with the audience at the beginning of "Throwing It All Away", but also quite notably at the beginning of "I Can't Dance" (watch out for the audience's reaction to the "boing" sound!). Subtly altered lyrics, mostly a little naughtier than the originals, add to the personal feeling -- it feels like being there. And that "I Can't Dance" was recorded before a German audience, as becomes clear from the shouts of "Zugabe! Zugabe!" (encore) at the end, just means the last bit of delight for me. Hey, I might have been there after all!
   
   If you insist that something negative must be said about this record, I'll admit that I didn't care for the long-winded endings of "No Son of Mine", and especially "I Can't Dance". I keep thinking, "come on, man, that's enough", but on and on he goes. But that's a really minor nuisance. No reason to cut down the five star rating.
   
   If you're from the same generation as I am -- us who grew up with the sinister "Ha ha! Ha! *rowr*" from "Mama", the Spitting Image puppets from "Land of Confusion", and the Levis spots that got so brilliantly defaced in "I Can't Dance" -- this is The Essential Genesis Record. If not, kindly disregard this review.

5 comments about Live at Wembley Stadium.

1. Queen's Live at Wembley '86 was originally released in June of 1992.
   The album was recorded on Queen's final tour with its classic lineup at the now demolished old Wembley Stadium in London on July 12, 1986 (the band sold out two nights and could have done a few more Wembley gigs but was not available so it ended at Knebworth Park (which deserves a release for pure historical value)).
   Regardless, this is a pretty damn fine show featuring a good mix of (then) new songs (The pulsing opener "One Vision", a killer "A Kind of Magic", a stunning "Who Wants to Live Forever" and a great but short "Friends Will Be Friends") and classic ones ("Tie Your Mother Down", "In the Lap of the Gods (Revisited)", a short "Seven Seas of Rhye", "Tear it Up (with a teaser of Liar)", "Under Pressure", "Another One Bites the Dust", the pulsing "I Want to Break Free", "Now I'm Here", the acoustic "Love of My Life" and "Is This the World We Created", "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Hammer to Fall", "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", "Radio Ga Ga", "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions") despite some obvious vocal overdubs (as this came out on video in the late 1980s in Europe) on "One Vision", "A Kind of Magic", "Who Wants to Live Forever" and "We Are the Champions".
   Also, there was a little jam called "Impromptu" which showcased Freddie's dynamic vocal range and Brian May's 9 minute guitar solo called "Brighton Rock Solo".
   Also, the band decided to incorporate several 50's-era tunes into one medley ("You're So Square (Baby I Don't Care)", "Hello Mary Lou" (although Led Zeppelin did it better on How the West Was Won) and "Tutti Fruitti" (which was extended on this remastered version of Live at Wembley) and also the 40s song Big Spender which was part of the first encore. Certainly it is a slicker package than Live Killers and better than Live Magic but not as great as Queen On Fire Live at the Bowl (recorded in 1982 and released in 2004) nor Queen Rock Montreal (recorded in 1981 and released in 2007).
   The Live at Wembley '86 album reached #52 on the US charts in 1992 but would eventually go Platinum with a million copies sold in the US over time.
   In August of 2003, to coincide with the DVD release of this show, Hollywood Records in the US and Canada re-released Live at Wembley '86 with a new title Live at Wembley Stadium with FOUR BONUS TRACKS including killer versions of "A Kind of Magic", "Another One Bites the Dust" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" from the first Wembley performance July 11, 1986 (which was better than the versions on the regular album and also overdub free) and "Tavasi Szel Vizet Arast" which was recorded at Nepstadion in Budapest, Hungary on July 30, 1986.
   This live album is recommended!



2. Incredible recording sound quality ! I love the background sound, cheering throughout the concert. When you're down and out, don't miss the second CD, it will restore your energy !



3. Queen has officially released five live CD's (Live killers, Fire at the bowl, Rocks Montreal, Live magic & Wembley) This one was released originally only in Europe and took some time before it ever saw an official release in the USA. The members of Queen have given varied and conflicting reasons why they never returned to the USA for a concert tour, but that's beside the point. This CD sounds good and some of their performances border on spectacular, but the songs presented here are for the most part weak. They were promoting their "A kind of magic" CD which curiously they only performed four songs from that offering. No big deal. I consider that album their absolute worse and incredibly boring CD of their catalog.
   You can tell the audiences at Wembley were certainly enthusiastic and very much appreciated their performance. The problem I have with this CD is the song selection. The tunes from "A kind of magic" are sub-par at best, but they sound edgier here. The oldies melody is a complete waste of time. With their wealth of past material to choose from why do something ridiculous like that? and did we really need yet another extended guitar solo from Brian May included again?
   This is not their best concert performance. Of all five live CD's; their best performance can be found on "Fire at the bowl" but you'll have to put up with the lame songs from "Hot Space"
   I'm sure their fans in Europe really clamored for this concert were Queen could do no wrong, but here in the USA this was unnecessary.



4. This is the greatest concert of Queen!!! All the songs are great and Freddie rocks!!!



5. This was an amazing performance by Queen, and sadly the bands second last. It starts out with One Vision, and includes some of my favorite Queenhits of all time such as the rock opera masterpiece In The Lap Of The Gods, Seven Seas Of Rhye, Bohemian Rhapsody, and Now I'm Here. They also do a smashing rendition of Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Radio Gaga, Under Pressure and I Want To Break Free, and Is This The World We Created, among others.
   Also included some tongue in cheek renditions of some old 50's hits like (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care, Hello Mary Lou (Goodbye Heart), and Tutti Frutti.
   I wish the band had actually sung Brighton Rock, instead of making it just a guitar instrumental. I know Brian May is one of the best guitarists ever, but Brighton Rock is actually one of my favorite songs, and that's whatI wanted to hear , not just the background guitar music to the song.
   Peronally, I don't think it is quite as good as Live Killers.
   Nonetheless it was a fantastic concert, by one of the best bands ever.

5 comments about Dick's Picks, Vol. 22: Lake Tahoe, CA, 2/23-24/68.

1. This is the sound of the Dead about halfway between the recording of their first studio album and the release of Live/Dead. The songs are not quite as stretched out and dreamy as they would be a year later - this is especially noticeable on later concert staples like "Dark Star" and "China Cat Sunflower".
   
   The expanded lineup, which now includes Tom Constanten on keyboards and Micky Hart on drums, is beginning to outgrow the old arrangements and textures. A lot of material from Anthem For The Sun is in this set. I have really enjoyed finding this lost jewel.
   
   The sound quality is excellent. The mix leaves a TEENSY bit to be desired - the vocals are fairly buried most of the time - sometimes nearly inaudible. It sounds like the only vocals that made it onto the tape are what leaked into the instrument mics from the monitors. That being said, this is pretty much the mix you would have heard if you'd been standing right in front of the stage during the performance. Concert sound back in those days was such that if you wanted to hear both the instruments AND the vocals, you needed to sit about 30 rows back or more. Any closer than that and you were just going to hear one or the other.



2. For hard-core Dead fans, this Pick is a nice addition to your collection, showcasing the band's late 60's development. But newcomers should be warned that the sound is a tad raw, the arrangements a little scattered, and the vocals hit and miss. There is nothing about this collection that really makes my spirit soar like many of the later picks.



3. I don't like to knock any Dick's Picks from this early in the Dead's career, because I wish they'd release more. That having been said, this leaves a bit to be desired in terms of sound quality. The performances are great, especially the Phase I version of "Dark Star" (a mere year later it had morphed into a 20-minute free-jam, but it was still almost at the original tempo here). All too often, however, the vocals are all but inaudible. This isn't just one or two tracks; it's throughout. And it's a shame, because otherwise this is a heck of a show. For Deadheads it might still be worth it, just to hear the nice, early mix of psychedelia and blues crunch. Just be aware of what you're getting goin' in.



4. From the point of view of a relative newcomer, the plethora of official live recordings released by the Grateful Dead can be daunting, to say the very least. It's difficult to know where to begin, especially considering the fact that the band went through so many different musical phases during their long career. There is also a lot to choose from, so what you choose should depend entirely on which period in the band's career you prefer, simply because each phase in the Grateful Dead's musical evolution is quite different. I have always enjoyed the psychedelic material, which leads me to this review.
   
   'Dick's Picks 22' is a fantastic entry in the series. It comes from quite early in the band's career, when The Dead still feels the need to acknowledge their roots, whilst also tentatively beginning to explore new territory with the epic jams that would soon become their trademark. At this point, improvisation and jamming has not yet reached the heights of excellence that it would reach in later years, but it is still wonderful to hear.
   
   This particular show has a loose, relax feel. It is intense in places, but most of the time the band is content simply to meander along. This is not a bad thing, however. There's plenty of warmth, colour and melody, which gives the show its own special appeal. The music does not attempt to be confrontational. It's the subtlety and myriad of different shades in the music that makes it special. Just listen to the fantastic versions of 'Spanish Jam' and 'China Cat Sunflower'. In my opinion, the Grateful Dead's original material is what makes this album great; only the covers slightly let them down. Musically, it sounds incredibly natural and I think that's what the appeal of this album is.
   
   One more thing, some other reviewers have complained about the roughness of the sound here. It is a little rough but it's not enough to worry about. The vocals are lost in places and the sound is probably not as clear as on other releases, but it has character. It's not crystal clear, but that's irrelevant. It doesn't make any difference to the listening experience. I wouldn't qualify it as 'bad', by any means.
   
   In summary, 'Dick's Picks 22' is a really great quality show and a worthy addition to your collection.



5. This is a spectacular representation of primal-dead. The Grateful Dead in 1968 were young and rebellious. Every show they played was played as if it were there last. Jerry, Pig, Phil,Billy, Mickey, and Bobby were all pushing the boundaries of music and their particular talents. It is in this era of Dead where Phil and Jerry truely found their voice. (Can you beleve that Phil was self consious about his playing style in 1966? It didn't show.)
   
   Back to the CD... If you are a Deadhead, I don't know why you are reading this because you probably already have it. But if you are just a music fan who wants to be consumed by deep textures of psychadelic music, this is for you

5 comments about The Wall: Live in Berlin, 1990.

1. I agree with those who find some of the guest stars to be a bit dated (Bryan Adams, The Hooters) but can you argue with their performances?
   
   To me, not having heard some of these songs since the heady days of high school, this is a revelation. Kudos especially to Garth Hudson, of The Band, who delivers a great sax and accordian solo. Joni sounds amazing, Van The Man rocks it, and while I can do without Jerry Hall, in context it really doesn't sound too bad.
   
   But the songwriting, and arrangements, sound as great as ever.
   
   If you like the original, you really should pick this up for a second look at these timeless classics.



2. I agree with many reviewers, this was one of the greatest album of all time, but if you want to hear it "Live", get "Is there anybody out there?" and hear the real live version of "The Wall". Many guests artist are making a real bad job on this cd, it all begin with Ute Lepter making a bad job on "The thin ice", we really miss David Gilmour voice here. Sinead O'Connor is bad also (Roger was there, so why asking somebody else to sing his part ?) and "The Band" ruins one of the best chorus of this double cd. Horrible ! Joni Mitchel is a real joke on "Goodbye blue sky", again, we're missing David Gilmour here, I don't know what Mrs Mitchell was on, but it doesn't seems to give a good effect ! Bryan Adams is doin' really great in my mind, his voice is the perfect choice for "Young Lust"
   Jerry Hall is also a real joke in the opening of "One of my turns"
   Paul Carrack is just OK on "Hey you". We have a great version of "Nobody Home", even better that the original, with a drum beat and a good guitar solo, good addition in my mind.
   Here we get to the really bad moment of the album, which should have been the highlight, I am talking about "Confortably Numb" Van Morrisson and "The Band" should be sewed for such a disaster. Roger should have asked Paul Carrack to sing David Gilmour's part, it would have been better. This is a total disaster....it is really bad. The Australian Pink Floyd show is doin' a lot better that this ! The closing song has been replaced by "The Tide is turning", I am not sure it was a good idea, again, some guest are doin' great (Bryan Adams) but some are miserable, like Van Morrisson, yes him again ! Overall, the album is a deception for me, and I am a huge fan. Try "Is there anybody out there ?! instead.



3. I was never a huge Pink Floyd fan--which is not to say I didn't like their music or respect their talent. But, I dunno, maybe it was just ALL those annoying sound effects and voiceovers. Even good music can seem a little gimmicky when tarted up with too much extraneous noise. Yeah, I admit I liked the ringing cash registers drawer in "Money," but so much of the other stuff was, well, just a drag.
   
   Literally, all that clutter dragged the music down. How often do I really need to hear that little kid prattle "Look mommy, there's an airplane in the sky" anyway?
   
   But the real reason I never became a such a huge Floydfan was simply their ubiquity. Back in the late 60s and early 70s, it seemed like everybody I knew had every single one of their albums. And they had already become FM rock staples by then. You could escape the Pinks if you wanted to. Resultantly, I think maybe the last actual album of theirs that I even bothered to buy was UMMAGUMMA--or maybe ATOM HEART MOTHER. Can't recall which.
   
   So when THE WALL came out, well, I heard it and as I recall my first reaction was something like, "Oh, are they still doing 'concept albums'?" OK, OK, I'm kidding--I did like it well enough, but it wasn't a life changing experience exactly either. The lyrics were intelligent enough, and as a "song cycle," it hung together very well. But it was actually hard to discern any real overarching themes and even the metaphoric "wall" itself seemed, if not "mixed," then perhaps a bit overextended. Was "the wall" a psychological construct, i.e. the protective "walls" we all build up around ourselves to protect ourselves from the vicissitudes of life ("All in all, it was all just bricks in the wall." OR was it a social one, i.e. the pernicious socialization of a rigid educational and, by extension, political system that crushed individuality and turned individual human beings into "bricks" in society's wall.
   
   Well, the answer was obviously BOTH. And that extended metaphor never seemed to bother the fans overly much. There are, as it turns out, all kinds of walls. And so it was that in 1990, THE WALL's main composer--former Floydster Roger Waters--extended the metaphor even further, this time into the political realm. By staging an all-star concert revival of his 70s magnum opus in "post-Wall" Berlin. A brilliant ploy, to be sure, but certainly the "wall" being evoked was not a purely pychological or sociological phenomenon. The "wall" German fans (and they were legion as I recall from my own days in Deutschland) related to was a painful historical reality and legacy.
   
   So the concert added on another layer of meaning to an already ambiguous (but really not overly subtle) work of art. Including local talent like Scorpions and Ute Lemper was then virtually de riguer--or should I say, "notwendig." And of course, Berlin was an international city for so long that adding other British, American AND even Russian acts to the roster was certainly appropriate. (Wait a minute, where are the French?) It's an "open city," and it's now torn down wall is open to new interpretation.
   
   It's not surprising that die-hard Floyd fans see the guest vocalists' interpretations here as something akin to sacrilege. Imagine having a popster like Cyndi Lauper sing "The Wall, Pt. 2." Who'd a thunk it? Well, it's not a song that provides much room for Lauper's patented multi-octave wailing, but hey, the former Blue Angel has deeper rock roots than classic rock fanatics would ever acknowledge. And who better to sing the lines "We don't need no education" than one of popular musics most famous high school drop-outs? Of course, the repressiveness of the British school system is of a somewhat different order than that of the Catholic and public school system of Queens. But the business of churning out more bricks in and for the wall. And that's true whether you pronounce it "classroom" a la Lauper or "clahsroom," as does the chorus.
   
   And there is a certain delicious irony in having a mother-complexed female artist like Sinead O'Connor take on Floyd's "Mother" and give it a delicate, thoughtful reading--while still expressing fears about them breaking, in this case, HER (metaphorical?) balls. And as conflicted as I often am about Joni Mitchell's work, her interpretion of "Goodbye, Blue Sky" is elegant. Her voice was getting a bit smoky by the early 90s, and it was just right for this somber reflection on war in the (post)modern world.
   
   And that's just the women--and only disc one. But it was downright smart of Waters (whom, I gather, has sometimes been accused of misogyny) to fill up the first half of the program with heavyweight women artists (and to throw in a comic turn by Jerry Hall to boot: yes, the album is rife with former flames of Mick Jagger, since Marianne Faithfull shows up on Disc 2,as who else, "Mother").
   
   As for the men, Van Morrison and Paul Carrack offer subtle, distinctive shadings on "Comfortably Numb" and "Hey You" respectively. Roger Waters voice seems, for the most part, shot, but actually that can be a just the right coloration for some of the grimmer, more desperate tracks. Again the hardcore contingent will mourn David Gilmour's absence. The rest of us will find the newer interpretations at the very least interesting, if not quite revelatory.
   
   There are all kinds of ways of becoming "comfortably numb." Refusing to accept any alternate takes on your own personal classic rock canon is likely one of them. Take it from a non-fan, this project is at least worth the attention of you die-hards. Open your ears--and tear down the walls.



4. I rented this concert on VHS one day. I love it.
   
   The goods
   ) Bryan Adams singing Young Lust
   Bryan Adams did this song good. He is one of my favorite singers today.
   ) Sinad o' conner singing mother
   I loved this version of the song
   
   Bads
   ) Cyndi Lauper singing Another Brick in the wall Pt. 2
   It wasn't that good
   ) Hey you
   I miss David Gilmore and Roger singing this song
   
   All and All this was an ok cd.



5. Although many people gave this live concert a low rating due to Roger Waters' choice of substitute singers/musicians for some of the songs from the original Wall recording, after seeing it on video for the first time, it became easier to listen to the recording alone afterward.
   
   What really blew me away at that time was Roger having a "communist" orchestra accompany the music of a rock and roll album!! This was the highlight of the entire event, and their performance was excellent!!!