5 comments about Without a Net.

1. This is my favorite live Dead album, and I have quite a lot of them (Live Dead, "Skull and Roses", One from the Vault, Reckoning, Dead Set). I come back to this one quite a bit, and it has some of the greatest live Dead recordings ever. Feel Like a Stranger has a punch that is sorely lacking in the lame studio version. Bird Song is beautiful here, running around 12 minutes or so and much better than any previous recorded versions. The version of China Cat Sunflower/I Know You Rider is the best one, along with Help on the Way/Slipknot!/Franklin's Tower. Help on the Way/Slipknot!/Franklin's Tower is full of joy, energy, and soul, and it sounds like the Dead are really enjoying themselves. The grand prize of this collection has to go to Eyes of the World. Branford Marsalis joins in on this song (even though he didn't know any of the Dead's material), and it's one of the greatest live songs that the Dead has ever done. Branford blends in perfectly, and there isn't one lull in the 16 1/2 minutes of the song. The performance is first rate, and the lyrics are some of Robert Hunter's best. For those who don't like long Dead jams might like this album. The jamming never seems like noodling (like it can on other albums).



2. I bought this CD when it was first released. It's been that long since I heard it (since I sold it after only three listens) so I warn you that I'm going on memory here...
   
   I remember actually being surprised at the lack of cohesiveness on this set. It seemed to me that the band struggled and never really gelled into a groove. At the risk of sounding harsh, I'd say that this set runs a close second to "Steal Your Face" as the "Least Greatest GD Live Release Ever" (although I admit, I've never heard the Dylan collaboration).
   
   No, WOAN is not "horrible" by any stretch; It's just missing too much of that ethereal something that makes the Dead special. Espeacially with all the great live material available these days, I'd advise fans to buy almost everything else before this one.



3. That may be oxymoronic for a deadhead, but this album is stellar! "I Know You Rider" is probably the best version I've heard, as is "Looks Like Rain" and "Eyes of the World." Oh, and the other songs are good too.



4. This album has it all...it shows the range of the Dead during an interesting time of their lives. Jerry is actually sober and can play the songs the way only he could. They infuse jazz and funk into several of the songs in ways i have not heard on other live recordings, namely "Althea" and "Eyes of the World". This is such a great album for someone who is interested in the Dead, but has no idea where to start collecting. Start hear...here...and then go back to the beginning and listen to the growth and progression...and then you have to start collecting the [...] Picks, and any other live shows you can lay your hands on...Man cannot live by Dead alone...but it is worth a try...peace.



5. It's 1990, not 1970 or 1980. Things sound a bit different. For tape traders, much of this might seem passe, but for those of us who hadn't really been listening to what Jerry and Brent were doing on studio albums, this album was an eye-opener. The "Franklin's Tower" on this album is one of the most joyful pieces of music I have ever heard -- period. And while the "Eyes of the World" with Branford Marsalis might sound a bit different than some of the gems from the Dick's Picks series, it's still plenty good music. Well worth your money.

5 comments about Fleetwood Mac Live.

1. Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2Y64UVF7F435Q My name is Jeremy Gloff. I am a musician (check me out on Amazon!) and retro music enthusiast. If you enjoyed this review make sure to check out my Amazon user profile to check out my other reviews. I am always up for making new friends and discussing the music I love!!!



2. I caught them on the way back from the Asia portion of the Tusk tour that was the basis for this live album in Mar 1979. Lindsay's performance on I'm So Afraid left me in awe in a way that has been hardly breached since. The performance on the album doesn't quite compare to live, but that is engineering and ambiance. It does capture the power and energy of the band at it's peak and in the raw, unlike the crisp productions in the studio.
   
   BTW, I was also fortunate enough to catch Clapton on the Slowhand tour about the same timeframe. Dates are a blur, but the music resonates. Also Bob Marley, Blue Oyster Cult, and some other notables.



3. I love this album. I know it received lukewarm reviews upon its initial release in '80 (including a measly two and a half stars from Rolling Stone - if memory serves me). I know it isn't quite as polished as The Dance and was no where near as successful sales wise. But I could listen to this double live set over and over and never get tired of it. (And in fact that's exactly what I've been doing this winter. It makes a great companion on a cold night's drive home from work.) Maybe it is my thirty years love affair with the band. Or maybe, more likely, it is the brilliance of their singing and songwriting. There is no other group quite like them. They are unmistakable and inimitable.
   
   In addition to playing familiar hits live, the band offers new songs as well. Once again Christine McVie scores a vocal bull's eye with "One More Lonely Night." Seemingly, deceptively without effort, she manages to convey anguish, loneliness, desire, and wisdom. "Farmer's Daughter" is just a lovely bit of jauntiness. And I was floored by L. Buckingham's version of "Oh Well." Yes, he does go a bit overboard with the extracurricular wails and cries, as though he forgot the song he was supposed to sing and lapses into John Lennon's "Well Well Well" instead, but overall it's a stunning, moving performance.
   
   As for the classic songs, whether they're performed in a studio or on a stage, they never fail to enthrall. They move you, make you dance, have you singing right along with them. If not, you're not really a Mac fan.
   
   This is an underappreciated classic. I predict it will gain prestige in the years to come.



4. Fleetwood Mac included three new tracks on this live album, and
   all of them are brilliant! Fireflies is one of the best Stevie
   Nicks tunes she ever recorded, believe it or not. Great melody
   and perfect vocal. Strangely, this track got buried and was
   never played on the radio. They also buried another of her best tunes,
   Silver Springs for 20 years, very strange! There was saturation of Fleetwood Mac
   in 1980, which may explain why Fireflies wasn't a hit.
   They should have re-released this one later, or included it on
   a compilation.
   
   Christine McVie's new tune, One More Night is fantastic, and also
   could easily have been a hit record. Very pretty, soft tune.
   
   Fleetwood Mac rival the Beach Boys with their incredible harmonies
   on The Farmer's Daughter. This is a big surprise and beautiful way
   to close the record.
   
   The rest of the live recordings are interesting, but the real treasure
   are the new tracks, don't miss them if you are a Fleetwood Mac
   fan! It's a shame they got lost in the shuffle, so long ago...



5. This CD is great! It genuinely flows along ,you can tell this was a good time for Fleetwood Mac (not alot of fighting and competing). In my opinion this Cd was captured during the groups prime! My favorite song is Firelies!

5 comments about Epitaph, Vols. 1-2.

1. "Welcome to the mausoleum of your dreams", the postmodernist cover art of King Crimson's "Epitaph" silently proclaims.
   
   Inside are the relics of a live band not enough people got to hear during its brief, flaring existence in 1969.
   
   King Crimson in its first incarnation was a band of mythic proportions, conceived out of several directions: rock and roll, classicism, avant garde jazz, and the circus of lyricist Peter Sinfield's imagination, aswim with Greek gods, devilish ceremonies and pure whimsy.
   
   But, what kind of a band were they when they performed live? This two-disc package provides a partial answer. Here are my conclusions:
   
   1. King Crimson in 1969 could faithfully deliver powerful versions of well-rehearsed material from its only recorded album, "In the Court of the Crimson King". Audiences certainly would not have been disappointed on that account. However, when the band attempted to perform material in progress, or resorted to other obscurities to fill out a live show, the results could be erratic. The band hadn't developed much of a repertoire, and some of the arrangements were clunky, as with the nascent "A Man, A City" (which later emerged whole as "Pictures of a City" as part of Fripp's reconstituted Crimson in 1970). The first version lurches around like Frankenstein prowling in a spookhouse. It sounds cartoonish compared with the finished version. Then there's "Get Your Bearings" ( a Donovan song) and "Drop In". On these, Crimson sounds like a group of British kids trying to play beatnik.
   
   2. Still, the band definitely was trying very hard to break into new territory. In the spirit of the times, they were young musicians who simply didn't know what they couldn't do, or weren't allowed to do. They pushed hard, especially in the furious instrumental breaks of songs like "21st Century Schizoid Man", and even in these less than ideal recordings, the realization comes through that this was a band working without a net. Their determination to experiment and to push themselves to the limit remains refreshingly bracing even when one listens today, nearly four decades later.
   
   3. Individually, Michael Giles (drummer) was the best musician in the group. On the evidence of these tapes, he could have played with anybody.
   Ian McDonald was an exceptional flautist, a powerful keyboardist on the mellotron, but not that great of a sax player. He was game, but he wasn't in the league of most jazz saxophonists. Greg Lake could sing regally, and he was strong on the bass guitar... but when he tried to be a showman, and injected soulful yelps to his singing, he just sounded silly. Robert Fripp, as a guitarist, was a work in progress. Sometimes brilliant, sometimes lackadaisical, he could comp along with anything, but at times didn't seem to know where he was going with his solos.
   
   4. This was part of the charm of the group...all of the musicians were trying to play beyond their capabilities. (After all, its the only way an artist grows.) Fripp would probably be the first to say that he wasn't in the same league with John McLaughlin, or Larry Coryell, or other pioneering guitarists of the time. In his defense, he really wasn't trying to be a guitar hero, or rock god, like Hendrix, Page, Clapton, Beck et al. Fripp likes to say that "musicians grow up in public", and this was the case with him. He didn't spring from the head of Zeus fully formed, and had to work really hard to become a virtuoso. He always seemed to be a guitarist working in a laboratory--and one always had to wonder how he might have grown if the laboratory had been Miles Davis'--as it was briefly for McLaughlin.
   
   It was really a tribute to Fripp that he could pick himself up after this band fractured, and continue to "expand on the myth", continuing to make beautifully crafted studio albums that at least bore the name "King Crimson", and continued the pioneering vision. Forever after, though, it was Fripp's band, with Fripp dominating in his peculiar passive-aggressive way, no matter how much he might try to deny it.



2. It was 1969 and Crimson was touring the USA for the first (and last) time with this lineup. A great historical document of one of rocks most exploratory bands. The discs start off with some BBC live recordings but most of the 2 disc set is in the USA. A must have for Crimson fans, the only complaint is the mediocre sound quality. It's funny, because if you go to the "wolfgangs vaults" website, you can hear some of this material in almost crystal clear sound! Too bad, but it's still exciting to see more and more early Crimson live recordings making their way to the light of day.



3. Words fail me, but I will try, and please forgive me if this goes on longer than may seem necessary.
   
   One can read about what it was like to be there when history is being made, but it's never quite the same as actually having witnessed it for yourself. Anyone who is even remotely interested in King Crimson, Robert Fripp, 1970's Art Rock (now called Prog Rock in an attempt to deflate it's meaningfulness by people who don't like it), the end of the Flower Power era and the onset of the Age of Aquarius simply *MUST* pick up this box set to compensate yourself for having missed out on being there, or as an at-times tearful walk down memory lane for those who were. As Mr. Fripp himself points out in his (as usual) highly detailed, insightful and endearingly stuffy liner notes, the recordings contained on this box set or the first King Crimson album "In The Court of the Crimson King" (or "ITCOTCK" for short), cannot come close to encapsulating the sheer power, majesty, and awe-inspiring terror that was King Crimson circa 1969. They were the perfect band for the end of that decade and it is a shame they did not continue as a unit beyond that legendary final show at the Filmore West -- recreated on this box set in it's completion for the first time ever -- but fate is often beyond the control of those who are destined to live it.
   
   To sum up, those Crimson fans who may even be familiar with this band's work from "ITCOTKC" (and the followup "In the Wake of Poseidon") may very well not be prepared for what they will hear on the 2 CDs of music contained in the box set for the first time. There are reasons:
   
   First, the recordings themselves were very primatively made at a time when the technology to record live music was not up to speed with the complexity of what was being played. The live impact of the sound is for the most part lost to time, and what was captured on tape & resurrected for this release is but a pale shadow of what it probably sounded like in person. One needs to listen to this actively with their imagination switched on to compensate for the technology's inability to represent what was going on when the band was playing -- and that doesn't even touch on the visual aspects of the performances. Don't bother with anything less than headphones either until the majesty of the live recordings becomes apparent. On anything less than a high-end speaker system it will sound tinny and harsh, but in the middle of your skull it will sound like the doors of Hell have opened up and guess who's playing the main stage?
   
   With that apology or admission made, the second aspect of it that more casual Crimson fans may not be prepared for is how utterly overwhelming the performances are, especially the versions "Epitaph" which the set was so correctly named after. On the studio album it is a sweeping, post-Beatles pean to the disillusionment and confusion sweeping the world at the end of the 1960's when nothing of value seemed to have any worth; An idealistic conclusion that only a 23 year old bohemian could arrive at, and succinctly summed up in the song's inarguably timeless lyrics. Then you stop and realize: These were 20 year old lads playing this stuff. Live. With no overdubs, no correction passes to cover over bummer notes, and in front of live paying audiences. It was unprecedented stuff, and after hearing the three versions of the song (one a BBC demo with some double tracking but still very live) you will wonder not only how the heck they came up with it, but why they even bothered with the LP version at all. They are also Greg Lake's finest collective performance as a vocalist: I cannot imagine anyone else singing the song while keeping a straight face.
   
   I still remember sitting in my room as a likewise idealistic 20 year old, head wedged between the speakers and mouth agog with awe at how forcefully put their communal disillusionment was. But hearing "Epitaph" performed live on this box set is like looking straight into the Abyss by comparison. Here is the soundtrack for the Apocalypse, circa 1969. The modern day equivalent does not exist (or at least I have never heard the likes) and it is only by placing one's mind in the context of the live recordings with other humans present that the sheer brilliance of the composition finally becomes clear. This was a band fighting against entropy, determined to succeed or take the whole ship of humanity down with them. The LP version of the song always had the power to move me to tears at times, but the 3 live cuts on this box set are utterly gut wrenching. Nearly forty years later we are still doomed as a species, and only King Crimson from 1969 was able to put their fingers on the reason why with this composition. It will demand to be heard again and again. Then again for good measure.
   
   The third "hurdle" that modern day consumers familiar with the Crimson legacy will have to clear is the instrumentation itself. Robert Fripp plays some bummer notes, Ian MacDonald's flute solos sometimes crack & his mellotron developes a nasty case of hiccouphs, Greg Lake forgets his lyrics & makes up new ones or loses his breath, and there are contributions by the audience members in the form of conversations at a couple of breaks. In other words, these are human beings, not "gods" or saints or saviors. Fallible 20 - 27 year old blokes who had been trying to break into the pop music scene for a collective decade plus of frustration, commercial defeats and triumphant failures of the likes that have never been seen, especially when considering where they all ended up in good time. Modern day listeners who perhaps are displeased by the nature of the recordings need to remind themselves that what is being performed had never existed before even as a genre: This is beyond the scale of anything that The Beatles, Hendrix, Miles Davis or any of the great innovators of the age had ever attempted.
   
   And again, it is all being done live, by just four musicians and one off-stage roadie/light show/sound board operator. The collective group's liner note contributions provide exhaustively fascinating detail of how the complete (or not) performances are often composites made from more than one source recordings digitally edited together to create a closer approximation to what was going on at the shows, and for that matter the CDs are a marvel of modern day sound engineering that was not possible until 1997, which is already almost a decade ago. That the music is still relevant now seems prophetic, leading me to the conclusion that this release was an act of destiny. In spite of all the carelessness, indifference and logistical obstacles, these performances were meant to be heard again thirty-seven years later, contemplated over, debated and argued about, then listened to again for good measure. It is not happy music or party music, but to paraphrase a published review of Crimson from 1970 or so, you get the impression from listening to the band that if Wagner or Beethoven had been alive at the time they would have been in King Crimson.
   
   Which leads me to my favorite aspect of the collection, which is hearing the great Bob Fripp play as an equal amongst peers who at times shame his musicianship. Especially drummer Michael Giles -- his influence on Art Rock or Prog Rock cannot be overlooked, and these live recordings speak more as to why than the LP tracks he contributed while a member of the group. When people discuss the great percussion of the Art Rock years you usually hear names like Neal Pert or Bill Bruford, both of whom owe a great debt to Giles for making the role so much more than a mere "drummer" who keeps time. Ian MacDonald also comes off far more impressively than one might expect for the keyboardist from Foreigner, and only after hearing these live recordings does one realize what a soul wrenching body blow his decision to leave the band must have been to Fripp, Greg Lake, and Peter Sinfield. The band was as much his as it was Fripp's, maybe even more, but MacDonald was brilliant enough to know that his work in the band would eventually have led to a musical confrontation between the two. You can sort of hear it during the live performances of Holst's "Mars: God of War" with Fripp bending his power chord strings to wail like a crazed soprano over MacDonald's abyss-spanning mellotron waftings. They were not merely competing with each other but the whole of the Cosmos, and the only consolation that might be found in MacDonald's departure from the band is the commercial success he found with Foreigner, a band that I will always be repulsed by & which could not be more different in philosophy that Fripp's vision of King Crimson. Fripp may have won that battle but MacDonald torched the ship before bailing overboard, and as history has written the resulting wreckage was not pretty, but is powerfully summed up by these live recordings.
   
   As for the tracks themselves, the BBC demos are probably the most traditionally appealing -- the BBC version of "In The Court of the Crimson King" is especially evocative of what the band probably would have been like in person. It is not the disjointed, freaky trip anthem as heard on the LP of the same name, but a powerful statement about the era that was so ahead of it's time that I have had people ask me if I was playing something by Oasis. The concert renditioning of the song is somewhat less satisfactory but like hearing Queen play a tape of "Bohemian Rhapsody" at a concert & bookend it with live portions it sort of re-inforces how that song was really a studio or rehearsal room creation. Fortunately the audience was forgiving enough to refrain from making too many comments so the humanizing aspect of the performance -- that means the near awfulness of it -- cannot be overlooked. But the live shows more than compensate for any discomfort caused by the band's collective humanity with the jaw-dropping "Travel Weary Capricorn" and "Mars: God of War" cover which absolutely no other band could have pulled off without looking completely ridiculous. Who in their right mind would cover Holst in the era of Jimmy Hendrix?? and yet it was the perfect choice. The two versions of "Mars" featured on the CDs are also remarkably different, once you get to know them well enough, and one of my favorite moments from the collection is the admonition for the audience to stick around for gospel/soul band The Chambers Brothers, whom Crimson was serving as an opening act for. The absurdity of the juxtaposition is priceless.
   
   And to a degree that is why this collection is so important: It helps to demonstrate how absurdly appropriate King Crimson was in 1969, especially when compared to contemporary pop acts who were basically just putting audiences through the paces with tried & true formulas. Happy soul bands or trippy flower power pop with four chord chart topper hits that maybe lasted four minutes, if even. Popular music in 1969 was still oriented around the 45rpm single and just as mass marketed, packaged, artlessly produced and disposably mundane for the most part as it is today. So into all of that bubblegum and hooka smoke, here comes King Crimson with 12 minute versions of a classical music piece that culminate with an aural approximation of the universe imploding unto itself and obliterating all life, hope, peace and sanity. No wonder they were so huge: They were exactly what this stupid, nasty, God-forsaken world deserved in 1969 -- a feat that Fripp managed to pull off again in 1981 with "Discipline" and, to a lesser degree, in 1973 with "Larks Tongues In Aspic", both of which also do not come any closer to accurately representing the bands who released those records than "ITCOTKC" represented The 1969 Band, which is how I refer to it today after falling in love with this box set. It was a very special, horrible and magical moment in our collective cultural history which will never be repeated, for better or worse, and the only way to really get a fleeting glimpse of what that band was truly capable of is from these recordings.
   
   And remember: HEADPHONES. This material is perfect for the iPod generation to close themselves off with and has dominated my players for years. Imagine, forgive, and enjoy, even though it may burn into your very soul.



4. First, truly powerful performances from three different venues (bbc, fillmores east and west) on these two discs.
   If you're considering purchasing this or 3&4, choose this first (completists will want all four, but the sound quality of three and four is pretty weak in comparison to 1&2... great performances, though).
   Highly recommened.



5. Very worth while 2-CD release that more or less allows the listener to check out live snippets from four(4)gigs that King Crimson had played while out on tour of the UK and the U.S. in the later half of 1969.Two solid hours of well played progressive art rock.The four track segment from the BBC Radio Sessions is nice,giving us a decent live version of "21st Century Schizoid Man" and a great alternatve version of "In The Court Of The Crimson King" plus a couple of tracks that didn't make it on the band's timeless debut lp,"Get Thy Bearings" and "Epitaph".Speaking of which,the rest of the disc has other tracks as such,"A Man,A City"(which is actually quite good) and "Travel Weary Capricorn".Happened to notice that Greg Lake's vocals are as incredable as ever and so is Ian McDonald's flute work.Sound quality through out 'Epitaph,Vol.1-2' is pretty decent.This 2-CD gem is recommended for King Crimson completists and archive music connoisseurs(like myself)ONLY.

5 comments about The ProjeKcts.

1. A quartet of projects spun from King Crimson, the music explores the vast avenues of ideas and virtuosi of Robert Fripp, Adrian Belew, Bill Bruford, Tony Levin, Trey Gunn and Pat Mastelotto.
   
   Bruford is a rhythmic wonder on ProjeKct One - Live at the Jazz Cafe, while Belew adds a twist or two on V-drums, and the ego of an arena-rock headliner, throughout ProjeKct Two - Live Groove.
   
   But it's ProjeKct Three - Masque and ProjeKct Four - West Coast Live that delivers the most explosiveness. Fripp stretches out sonically through wickedly harsh, metallic-like performances, which covers the artistic canvas with power and urgency.
   
   Each CD is a gem and travels a vast landscape of creativity, sound and vision.



2. I really like this release but I'm not sure if it's the kind of thing that alot of people other than me will listen to alot. I'm a big fan of the band who also happens to like improv music however this one seems to be a bit much for alot of my friends. This is sort of the King Crimson version of the Grateful Dead's Infrared Roses. Only Robert Fripp appears on all the releases. ProjeKct One features Tony Levin, Trey Gunn, Bill Bruford, and Robert Fripp recorded live at the Jazz Cafe in London Dec. 1-4, 1997. This feels like it, in fact, has more of a traditional jazz feel than some of the others. ProjeKct Two Live Groove, features Adrian Belew, Robert Fripp, and Trey Gunn which was recorded at various locations in early 1998. This has a more easily and accessable feel than the others in the series. ProjeKct Three Masque has Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn and Pat Mastelotto recorded at different places on tour. I should point out that the booklets also contain alot of information about the shows, tours, ect. This one has more of an industriel sound to me. ProjeKct Four West Coast Live features Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn, Tony Levin, and Pat Mastelotto. This is also really good although this generally tends to be the disc people seem to like the least.



3. As an "old" King Crimson fan I was very pleased with the recent "The Power to Believe" release. So I thought I'd revisit their modern career by purchasing "The ProjeKcts" material released in 1999. This 4 disc set is nothing short of amazing. The music is music: not rock, not jazz, not noise...a sound unto itself but music nonetheless. And of course it is very tightly played with Fripp very much in control.



4. if your a fan of King Crimson, you probably arent afraid of music thats differant
   this box set is good, but its extremely differant and sometimes scary I think the majority of the material is good, but some of it is just overly wierd and not all that great musically
   if you can get past that, it is well worth the price
   
   my favorite song is 21st century schizoid men by projekct 2
   Belew's beats are incredible on that song
   and throughout all the songs, Fripp's guitar sounds amazing as usual as does Trey Gunn's warr guitar
   
   The best disc in the box set overall is Projekct 3 Masque



5. Others here have more than adequately described the various combinations represented here so I won't bother with that. Let me just say that for the serious listener--that being one who does not need a catchy chorus, a hooky melody line that can be whistled for days afterward (or even lyrics for that matter)-- this collection offers a brilliant insight into musicians digging in deep. But have no fear: this is not an exercise in ego masturbation wherein the musicians noodle aimlessly to the benefit of no one but themselves: this is real music. It draws on the traditions of rock, jazz, funk, even contemporary classical genres, and does so wonderfully. While these discs will be anathema to the average Kenny G fan, for me they have provided many hours of listening satisfaction.

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 Journey - Greatest Hits Live.

1. If you are one of the millions of fans who became intoxicated with the awesome power of Steve Perry's voice, then hearing him live will be a dream come true. The live versions of hits like "Dont stop believin", and "wheel in the sky" are great symbols of the uniqueness of his voice. Although this album includes some songs that I personally dont think are any good, overall it is a great collection and worth owning by any Journey fan.



2. There's not too many bands that play well live or even change the song from studio version, but Journey does it as good as anyone. I put this CD up there with B.O.C.'s "Extraterestial Live" and UFO's "Strangers in the Night."
   
   FYI - Journey has a new singer, Arnel Pineda from the Philippines. He was discovered on YouTube by Neal Schon. I haven't heard him as my work computer doesn't access it, but I heard he's pretty remarkable. Their also going to release a new CD in spring/summer of '08 and perform at the MGM Grand in Vegas.



3. I just discovered the magic of Steve Perry's voice, lyrics, and style and have become an avid fan. This album showcases that he is a atruly great musician- his voice is as good live as in the studio. I love this aalbum.



4. I don't like all of their work nor everything on this CD but worth having in my collection (only CD I own by them).



5. Awesome sound quality, Awesome performance, Awesome setlist!
   
   This CD also comes with a nice fold out card stock inner booklet with some very nice pictures. All of which I've never seen before (unpublished?).
   
   As for some of the reviewers saying that Steve Perry is reliving the past by putting out the Houston Live 1981 & Greatest Hits DVDs, let me shed some light to this myth. Steve Perry was approached by John Kalodner (A&R Guru) to get involved with these projects and oversee production. There are also interviews where John Kalodner states having lunch with Steve Perry asking him to reconsider joining Journey.
   
   In case you're wondering what kind of clout John Kalodner has, whenever you see his name in the credits of an album/CD, it just simply states:
   
   John Kalodner : John Kalodner
   
   His name is his title. Kind of like- God : God
   Don't get me wrong, he's not God, but is held in very high regard in the music business amongst musicians and record executives alike. He put Aerosmith back together in the mid 80's.
   
   John asked Steve Perry to produce and Steve Perry said yes.
   
   NEWSFLASH!!!! Journey is without a lead singer once again. Their website has just announced that Jeff Scott Soto (filing in for the ailing Steve Augeri) is no longer in Journey.
   
   I smell a Steve Perry/Journey reunion, don't you?

5 comments about Live From Earth.

1. Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2X7XJR2708ZEV My name is Jeremy Gloff. I am a musician and retro music enthusiast. If you enjoyed this review make sure to check out my Amazon user profile to check out my other reviews. I am always up for making new friends and discussing the music I love!!! Pat Benatar is one of one of my fave singers/writers.



2. In 1983, Pat Benatar gave us for fifth album entitled, LIVE FROM EARTH. As it would turn out, this album is Pat's first-ever live album. The first eight tracks on this album are that of live performances from a concert (that is unknown to me), where the last two tracks are two new studio recorded performances. I didn't think this album would be all that impressive, but it turned out to be better than I expected.
   
   FIRE AND ICE
   Original version from the album PRECIOUS TIME (1981). Great live performance here.
   
   LOOKIN' FOR A STRANGER
   Original version from the album GET NERVOUS (1982). Awesome live performance.
   
   I WANT OUT
   Original version from the album GET NERVOUS (1982). Great.
   
   WE LIVE FOR LOVE
   Original version from the album IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT (1979). Great performance.
   
   HELL IS FOR CHILDREN
   Original version from the album CRIMES OF PASSION (1980). Great live performance.
   
   HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT
   Original version from the album CRIMES OF PASSION (1980). Not a bad performance, but I'm not very fond of this song.
   
   PROMISES IN THE DARK
   Original version from the album PRECIOUS TIME (1981). Awesome performance.
   
   HEARTBREAKER
   Original version from the album IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT (1979). Awesome performance. Does plenty of justice to the studio recorded version.
   
   LOVE IS A BATTLEFIELD
   New Song; Studio Recorded. First single from the album. This is not a bad song, but it's not one of my favorites. I guess the reason to why I am fond of this song is because it was featured in the film 13 GOING ON 30, which I thought was a great movie.
   
   LIPSTICK LIES
   New Song; Studio Recorded. Great song.



3. Does anyone know if there are plans to remaster this album - as far as I am concerned, Pat Benatar's album discography ends with this album. I just purchased In the Heat of the Night, Crimes of Passion, and Precious Time (finally as individually remastered albums) but I am still waiting on Get Nervous and Live from Earth. You may note that the listing here on Amazon for Get Nervous says remastered but the album specs still put a release date of October 25, 1990 so I am not going to purchase it until that is cleared up. I realize that there are those "pairs" of Benatar remastered albums but I am a purist. I had all of these Pat Benatar albums on vinyl as a kid (first LP my Dad ever bought for me was Crimes of Passion) and want the individual equivalents on CD (but with the remastered sound quality). I'd appreciate anyone with knowledge on these remastering issues.



4. "Live From Earth" provides eight tracks from Pat Benatar's 1982-83 tour, at which point the tiny dynamo had put out four albums, with the last three having made it to the top four ("Precious Time" went all the way to #1). The album made it to #13 on the Billboard album charts, which is not bad in comparison. For me the chief attraction is hearing Benatar sing without all the dubbing that happens in the studio. So the net effect is listening to raw Benatar (as distinct from unplugged, which I can tell you is pretty good after having heard her at Lillith Fair).
   
   I find it interesting that given that Benatar almost always begins her albums with a power house number, two of which are on this album ("Promises in the Dark" and "Heartbreaker"), that she chooses instead to start the night with "Fire and Ice" and leaves the aforementioned songs for a strong finish. The most impressive part of the album is when Benatar and her band start stringing songs together with "I Want Out," ""We Live for Love," and "Hell is For Children." A few of the songs are a little bit different, and "Lookin' for a Stranger" and "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" have a little more punch than the originals.
   
   The 1983 album ends with a couple of studio tracks, her hit single "Love Is a Battlefield," which made it to #5, and "Lipstick Lies," which is not exactly a bad filler. Even though eight live tracks is pretty paltry and adding the studio tracks violates the whole point of the album, I end up rounding up because of the latter. It is a close call, and being a big Benatar fan probably has something to do with it because only one of those is going to be interested in this album in the first place.



5. Now revered for her live vocal dexterity & passionate showcases, this album does not reflect the true electricity of Benatar's stage presence - for that catch her new DVT or indeed the 1983 DVD release Live! From New Haven. The audibility of this album is not the best & sound mixing brings instruments to the fore too much, hence sometimes over-shadowing Benatar's raucous voice. What the cd is worthy for however is the inclusion of Promises In The Dark (not on the live! DVD) & 2 new offerings - the instantaneous classik Love Is A Battlefield & a saccharine pop-type song called Lipstick Lies - even as a die-hard fan I find this one quite hard to stomach. It would have been nice if this album had been the entire show on cd as a momento of the tour - rather, snippets here & there do not give the oomph which reflects a real night on the town with her royalness, Pat Benatar

5 comments about So Many Roads (1965-1995).

1. You have to admire the way this set was put together- trying not to duplicate what Deadheads already own and presenting 5 discs worth of unreleased and rare material. There really is a lot of great music in here and a great variety as well.
   In the extensive liner notes to the set, the compilers admit there's not enough Pigpen in it- WHY DIDN'T THEY PUT MORE PIGPEN SONGS THEN??? This is a great set that could have even greater if they included more early material and more Pigpen. 4.5 Stars- very very good but by their own admission, they could have done better in their choice of material.



2. At the time this was released the Dead were still releasing cd's thru Arista/BMG and what happened was Warner Bros. had just purchased Rhino Records. Warner Brothers had put out a press release that they planned on rereleasing the band's old albums in a box set with bonus material. Phil Lesh who was the band member running day to day operations at that time said no and that he thought it was just another way to rip fans off by selling them the same old stuff with a few meager new tracks. However, the Deadhead community at large wanted a box set. In came David Gans, Blair Jackson, Steve Silberman and originally Dick Lavala(who passed away while trying to get this ready for Christmas 1999). The original idea was to use material that wasn't going to be used for Dick's Picks or Vault releases. Sort of an expanded Fallout From The Phil Zone. All of the performances were taken from David Gans' tapes that he uses to produce the Grateful Dead Hour radio program and not the master vault tapes. In other words they're digital copies of the masters where available. A fight began between Phil and both Bob and Mickey over the vault and finally Phil relented which cleared the way for The Golden Road in time for Christmas in 2001. The band's last Arista/BMG release was in 2004. Since then the band's back catolog has been getting reissueed on Rhino Records. This album will be rereleased in 2010. Since the original release of this album several songs have been released in better quality elsewhere. By the way, the discs that hang together best on here are discs 3 and 4.



3. This is a great box set, get it now while you can, there will be no more. This has the best Eyes of the world that I have ever heard, it is my favorite GD song out. The last song on CD five is So many roads, Jerry sounds tierd and seems to be fading away, it is awsome and heat breaking to hear. A must for any fan.
   Philip, TCBRN, Simpsonville, SC. 2006.



4. I once thought that the Grateful Dead deserved a better epitaph than this. While I saw that it was full of unique musical ideas and moments of greatness, I also felt it was full of extraneous moments that are of interest to obsessives only. After living with the box for a while, though, its internal logic exposed itself. Initially, I hoped for a `greatest hits' collection of sorts and felt some disappointment to discover otherwise. Since a five-disk collection takes some time to digest properly, it wasn't until some time passed that I recognized how much better this collection is than any collection of `best bits'.
   If ever a band could use a box set, it's the Grateful Dead. If ever a band could use a box set that disseminates their career and culls highlights from all time periods, it's the Dead. A box that includes the best tracks from "Aoxomoxoa", "Live Dead", "Workingman's Dead", "American Beauty", "Europe `72" and "From the Mars Hotel", along with highlights from other albums, plus selected versions of live tracks chosen from their endless catalog of live tapes would be a beautiful thing. THAT is what I once thought the Dead deserved. I also believed that is what Deadheads wanted, if only to convince nonbelievers of the inherent greatness of their chosen icons. That isn't at all what this box set provides, but after a few listens, I began to determine the intelligence in its design.
   "So Many Roads" combines historically relevant outtakes, rare studio recordings and the occasional definitive live track, resulting in a collection that is as frustrating as it is fascinating. Disk one of this five CD set summarizes the faults and the highlights. It starts with a healthy amount of early tracks where the Dead resemble an ordinary "Nuggets"-era band; the Chocolate Watchband crossed with a touch of Van Morrison's Them, perhaps. Some are good, some aren't. Bob Weir's screaming punk-like vocals on "You Don't Have to Ask" are simply awful, while the energetic, fresh version of "I Know You Rider" is just as simply incredible. Pigpen's showcase, "The Same Thing," takes time to develop, but transcends all expectations before it finishes. Just as the punk-blues mood sets in, gears shift and suddenly, the disk morphs into the remarkable looseness of a twenty-five minute jam. A rather direct and poignant "Dark Star" transforms into "China Cat Sunflower", and then "The Eleven", with a grace and inquisitiveness that made the 1968-1972 Grateful Dead one of the most interesting bands in the world.
   By disk two, the Dead had already lost most of their youthful impetuousness, replacing it with curiosity, attempting to bind themselves to something intangible, something like infinity. After Pigpen's death, assertive energy was substituted with exploration. With Keith Godchaux on keyboards, it became more and more apparent that the Dead really do sound better if you're stoned. As the timeline proceeds, so does the level of exploration, and casual fans will have difficulty sticking with disk four's collapsing, free-form version of "Playing in the Band." Disk four also makes it rather apparent that the Dead never really improved their vocals much. What did improve, though, was the level of expression that they could muster with their voices. Whiles notes cracked or soared out of tune, the emotional center grew more and more focused.
   Brent Mydland is well -represented in the latter-day work. I once considered this guy to be a bland honky-tonker incapable of serving the Dead's needs, but "So Many Roads" proves otherwise. Besides showcasing his powerful vocal style, it also proves that he had a touch not unlike Billy Payne of Little Feat (if EVER there lived a keyboard who should have played with the Dead in their prime, it's Billy Payne). Disk six is like watching a train wreck in slow motion. Momentum is scattered, direction is lost and a sense of impending dread resides over the proceedings, lending each song a sense of destiny that is unshakeable, and often profound.
   While chronologically accurate, "So Many Roads" lacks any sense of coherence that an ordinary fan would crave. People looking for "Blues for Allah" would grow impatient with the band's early harmonica blues-based forays, and vice-versa. But, it is important to note that Deadheads aren't your typical fan base. This box was not created for neophytes but for those who are already convinced. If you want an introduction to the Dead, don't start here. This is where you turn after you have absorbed some of the band's history and legacy. At that point, the relevance of the tracks chosen for "So Many Roads" are more likely to sink in. Hearing Jerry Garcia sing "Days Between" simply won't have the same impact on a newcomer as it will on a connoisseur. "So Many Roads" contains little that is revelatory, because virtually everything that the Grateful Dead have played has already been exploited in some way, but discoveries can still happen virtually anywhere on this collection. Listen to the fluidity of Garcia's guitar on "That's It for the Other One." "Check out the intuitive weave of "Beautiful Jam." Listen to how the band brings "Terrapin Station" to life from its still-born studio version. Remarkable. The more you listen, the more you understand. A- Tom Ryan



5. Don't even know where to start with this 5 disc set. If you're new to the band this is not a bad place to start.
   
   Everything here is beautifully mastered and strong material has been pulled from each period of the band. Even the later stuff sounds great (I generally stick to their older stuff)!
   
   Buy this box set!! 50 stars! By the way, you can download it for a ridiculously low price on iTunes.

5 comments about Caught Live + 5.

1. Review # 32. I've been wanting this CD for ages. Recorded at the Royal Albert Hall on December 12, 1969. 'Caught Live + 5' just shows us how far ahead of their time the Moody Blues actually were. So many fantastic art rock, progressive (whatever you wish to call it) vintage tunes here - several I simply do not remember. It was great hearing the beautifully played "Dr. Livingston, I Presume", the catchy "Never Comes The Day", the inventive "Peak Hour", "Tuesday Afternoon", "Are You Sitting Comfortably?" {great flute playing}, "Nights In White Satin", the trippy "Legend Of A Mind" and "Ride My See Saw". Plus, the five extra studio cuts are nice as well - liked "Please Think About It" and the well played "Long Summer Days" the best. A must have.



2. 'Caught Live' is the only live recording of the Moody Blues made during their late 1960s rise to the heights of British psychedelic pop. As such, collectors are going to snatch it up, and diehards will say very nice things about it. This isn't a bad CD by any means, but it isn't a good one either. The song selection draws from the cream of the Moody's late 60s material and some of the performances are quite good. Unfortunately, as beautiful as Justin Hayward's voice is, his guitar is muddy in the mix and he's sabatoged by some awful harmony vocals. ("Nights in White Satin" and "Ride My See Saw" are ruined!) Too often, there's dead air immediately after some of the very polite applause, which makes this sound like a bootleg of a concert only intended for midnights on FM radio.
   
   Mike Pinder's Mellotron, on the other hand, is given full prominence. It's absolutely amazing what Pinder could accomplish with the Mellotron's unearthly, dreamlike tapes - just listen to him deftly evoke string sections and carefully work the volume and pitchbend controls. I can't think of a single other Mellotron player who could rival the care with which Pinder consistently played that instrument. Pinder's keyboards come across stronger here than on the Moody's studio albums and, if you can get past some of the disc's more annoying moments, are well worth the effort.
   
   As a bonus, there are 5 studio tracks that somehow never made it to the Moody's albums or singles. These are all good and solid songs that will strongly appeal to even the most casual of Moody Blues fans.
   
   If you're just getting into the Moody Blues, I suggest postponing buying this CD in favor of "Every Good Boy Deserves Favor."



3. This is a 'snap-shot' of the Moody's very early on in their long sojourn to Rock and Roll stardom. One must remember that at this time The Moodies had a very small vault of songs to choose from ... and a number of these songs have not been played live since ... if ever.
   
   Yes, there are true Moody Blue's Classics here, and Yes, they sound significantly different than the album cuts, and even somewhat different than way they are played live today. Some start different, some end different, and even some of the harmonies are slightly different. Why ?
   
   At this point, 1969, the Band was still experimenting with trying to do their music 'live'. They were attempting to shed there over-the-top synthesized spacey sound. To their devoted fans, they were known and loved for their lush orchestral and unique sound effects. But here we find them trying to improvise, reproduce, and impress us with their creativity and raw talent. They picked the best tracks from their limited collection (they only had 4 albums [excluding 'Go Now'] and there is only 1 track on here from 'To Our Children' ) and blew us away doing it live ... and this album is a testament to that.
   
   
   In 1970, soon after this concert, 'Question of Balance' was released, and 'Every Good Boy' soon followed. Both albums lacked the lush over-laying and Mellotron heavy tracks of the earlier albums. After these 2 albums were released, many of the songs played on 'Caught Live' quickly dropped off their live show play list ... sadly enough.
   
   The extra Five Studio cuts are great clippings that for whatever reason didn't make it on to the either of the first 2 albums... 2 tracks from '67 (Days of Future Past), and 3 tracks from '68 (Search of the Lost Chord)...these are very good cuts that just didn't get pressed.
   
   This is a true Collector's Choice, a must have because of it's innocence and rawness, which can't be heard on any studio album.
   If you attended an early Moody's concert, you'd understand !~!



4. To start off, what a topnotch remastering job on this splendid release! :)
   
   I was so glad when "Caught Live + 5" was finally released on CD, back in 1996! When I had a copy of the album on cassette, and compared it to the vinyl release, I was shocked at how much material was edited out of the cassette version ... I guess it was a matter of fitting the entire album onto the cassette, but thank goodness the CD featured the unedited full versions of the live songs, as heard on the vinyl release. I was also impressed that all of the material between the two original records fit on a single CD!
   
   For the live portion of the album, "Gypsy" was a great way to open up the act, and it really rocked ... Both the mellotron and lead guitar really grab the listener's attention, here!
   
   "The Sunset" sounded awesome on this release, and since the mellotron was really powerful, on this occasion, I call this the "To Our Children's Children's Children" rendition of the song! :) Notice that, on this track (and also on "The Dream"), Mike Pinder's voice is more audible on the left stereo channel, within the stereo field ... This reminded me of the stereo trick used on the earlier recordings of The Beatles (Ex: "Day Tripper"/"We Can Work It Out"), where the voices were offset to one of the stereo channels!
   
   On "Dr. Livingstone, I Presume," you can hear some amusing screams, here and there, probably by John Lodge!
   
   Both "Never Comes The Day" and "The Voyage" feature magnificent mellotron solos from Mike, near the end of each track. On the latter composition, the mellotron replaced the pianos from the original version, but the piece was played just as well, here!
   
   The harmonies of John Lodge and Ray Thomas are great, as they sing the bridge to "Peak Hour" twice. Mike's mellotron solo is outstanding, once again.
   
   The Moodies really rock well on both the bridge and ending of "Tuesday Afternoon!"
   
   "Are You Sitting Comfortably?" features some well-done flute and mellotron solos.
   
   Mike delivers Graeme Edge's poem, "The Dream," in an enthusiastic way, and I love the way he recreates the wailing sounds of the mellotron for the backdrop, sounding much like the original version!
   
   On both parts of "Have You Heard," I liked the "gust of air" effects in-between the individual lines in the song, as well as the group effort of each of The Moodies chanting in their own way, in unison, near the end of Part Two.
   
   The closing sequence of the live set was nice, featuring "Nights In White Satin" (More great harmonies from John and Ray on the "Oh, how I love you," parts), "Legend of a Mind" (An amusing mellotron track during the "Along the coast..." part of the song), and "Ride My See-Saw" (Featuring powerful drums from Graeme in the intro, as well as an amusing count-in, sounding more like "Fee... Fo... Fee... Fee," rather than "One... Two... Three... Four!").
   
   To me, the "+5" tracks are just as enjoyable as any of the material from the "Classic 7" albums. :)
   
   "Gimmie a Little Somethin'" sounds like it was recorded during the same recording sessions as "Dr. Livingstone, I Presume" or "House of Four Doors." There are some nice flute tracks in-between the verses, and I like the ascending notes on the piano and mellotron during the chorus ... Great stereo mix with excellent separation of the different instruments and vocals, too (Best experienced through headphones)!
   
   Both "Please Think About It" and "Long Summer Days" feature wonderful harmonies and piano tracks.
   
   "King and Queen" has a similar rhythm track to "Legend of a Mind," once the chorus kicks in. I enjoy this Justin Hayward track as much as "Voices In The Sky" and "The Actor" ... The acoustic guitars and mellotrons really stand out on this track, as well as Graeme's drumming on the chorus and during the fadeout!
   
   "What Am I Doing Here?" features a lot of layered soaring mellotron tracks, making it sound like a selection from "Children's Children!" I like the piano and additional mellotron pieces during the fadeout, plus Graeme's thunderous drumming, especially near the end of the track, is outstanding!
   
   To finish up, I enjoyed "Caught Live + 5" just as much as the "Classic 7" albums ... That's why I gave it the nickname "Classic 8" in my review title! The album was like an addition to the other amazing albums from the same time period. :) Thanks for reading! God Bless... :)



5. NOTE: This is an edited version of my original.
   
   This is a great collection of early MB's live recordings, tracks 1-14 that is. I thought all the live songs were fantastic, especially Lodge's 'Peak Hour' and 'Ride My See Saw'(awesome version!) and Pinder's 'Have You Heard/ The Voyage'. Hayward's "Nights" is a great one too, almost as good as the Isle of Wight performance. The live versions of these four fabulous songs alone are worth the price of the whole CD in my opinion.
   
   On to a few of the 5 studio tracks. J. Lodge's 'Gimme a little somethin', the lead sung by Hayward, is a short but good tune. John's fab falsetto soars on the chorus parts. 'Please think about it' is one of the most "non-melancholy" tunes I've ever heard by Mike Pinder and I really, really liked it! Pinder's voice sounded so very good on this one. "Happier" tunes suit his vocals, I think. No, it's not THAT upbeat of a song, but it IS for a Pinder tune- lol! The harmonies are fantastic as well, reminds me of the 1950's style. Justin's 'Long Summer Days' is mostly sung by him in that somewhat lower register of his that I have always loved. Harmonies are great as well as the pretty melody. Hayward's 'What am I doing here" is a bittersweet poignant tale of lovers, heroes.... and death. Justin and mates' vocals and playing perfectly suited the tone of the song.
   
   I had read a critique somehwere(maybe here?) that this album sounded like a recording of a Moody Blues rehearsal. I beg to differ with that charge most vehemently. If these live tracks of Prelude are a Moodies rehearsal, then this album REALLY speaks volumes as to just how wonderfully talented these men truly are. I'd love to "catch them live" any day of the week.

5 comments about Postcards of the Hanging: The Grateful Dead Perform the Songs of Bob Dylan.

1. I really enjoyed this album, for the most part. The one track I wasn't crazy about was "It Takes A Lot To Laugh" from the Garcia/Saunders Keystone era, but that has more to do with the fact that it's one of Dylan's songs that I really don't care for. The other songs are excellent choices. I loved Bobby's voice and the arrangement on Stuck Inside of Mobile (With the Memphis Blues Again), and Phil seemed like he was having fun with "Just Like Tom Thumbs Blues".
   
   All I can say is, if you are a fan of Dylan and/or The Dead, you either already have this disc in your collection, or you really should have!
   
   Happy Listening!
   
   Howard



2. Top-notch versions of Rock n Roll's greatest band playing some of the finest tunes ever crafted by Rock n Roll's greatest songwriter. What more could anyone possibly want? Get this disc today, tomorrow you might be hit by a bus.



3. This is a pretty good collection of tunes. The copy I have also has the bonus disc with Queen Jane and The Mighty Quinn. The All Along The Watchtower is the one now available on Truckin' Up To Buffalo. It Takes Alot To Laugh features members of the Allman Brothers Band.



4. the dead and dylan have a long musical history a poor soul un wisely says that the dead dont do dylans music justice the sheer stupidity of the stament makes me laugh dylan is one of the most influential writers of are time but come on he wrote almost all his songs with three chords because to him the words were everythining and because his musical skill allowed no more the dead on the other hand are an extremely diverse group of incrediable musicians so if you want to here dylans classics played and sung by highly skilled musicians this disc is 4 u if u cant stand the thought of someone other than dylan singing his tunes by dylan butno matter what u do dont get "dylan and the dead" its horrible. because dylan does not have the greatest voice with out a studio but he is a genuis and very close to the dead when jerry died he referred to jerry as more like a big brother rather than a freind...ive seen over 56 dead shows as well as 6 dylan shows and have seen each do each others songs numerous times these songs arent being played by the dead for the first time for some tribute album but for the thousandth time because the dead loved dylan and he loved the dead



5. There is a danger in reviewing the Grateful Dead. As a guy with kids, a job, and a mortgage, I am certain to fumble details that are common knowledge among true deadheads. I apologize in advance.
   
   "Postcards from the Hanging" makes me believe there is a different way to live. It combines the loose, behind-the-beat Dead interpretations of some of the best poetry of the twentieth century. The result is a longing to live cleaner, easier, more creatively, and closer to the heart. This is what art is supposed to do.
   
   So maybe I am not as discriminating as some of the other reviewers (there probably are better verisions), but nervertheless I was moved.
   
   "Postcards" for me combined two sentimental memories. I was taken back to when I was thirteen, taping "Blood on the Tracks" off of Stereo X in the basement on a Sunday night. I was taken back to when I was 21, working in the lumber yard and listening to all-Grateful-Dead Saturdays on Utah's start-up community radio station. How could I resist this combination of two heroes from simpler times?
   
   I was unable to resist another combination--"Dylan and the Dead." Ouch. (Who wanted to include eleven minutes of "Joey"?) Stay away from "Dylan and the Dead." Confidently immerse your ears in "Postcards."
   
   Look, for the Dead to be about psychedelic interpretation of folk music--which on some level they were, they had to do Dylan's work. Dylan was and is the godfather of all post-modern American folk music. The combination is a natural one. For the casual fan of the Dead, this is probably the most accessible package of their Dylan work.
   
   And yes I do agree that Jerry is by far the better voice for Dylan's lyrics. When Bob and Jerry got together, what did they talk about?