5 comments about Welcome to the Club.

1. This is Ian at his peak live. Loud, tight and downright fun! He's written better songs since this came out but for a brief shining moment, the planets were aligned and 'Club' came out.
   The production on this is really good except for some sloppy start/stop editing BUT the best thing (besides song selection) is the mix.
   Everything is loud! The crowd is in their faces, guitars in the red and a feeling for the songs that today's bands can't touch.
   Ronson blasting through FBI on the opening number sets the tone for the entire LP/CD.
   BUY BUY BUY---an essential piece for the library



2. STEAL THIS CD!!!!!!
   
   I originally had this album on vinyl, back in the good ol' days when I was a 14yr. old, novice guitar player. Thank god it's been preserved on CD. I immediately loved Ian Hunter's material & Mick Ronson's (God rest his soul) soaring guitar work!
   
   This is a high energy and fun CD. TAKE THIS CD TO THE GYM, FOR YOUR "TAKE-NO-PRISONERS" WORKOUT!
   
   Rest assured....If you don't buy this CD, someone else will!
   
   Good Listening Folks!



3. Ah the summer of '79- I was 15- My brother, 10 years older, had picked up a copy of "You're Never Alone..." which he loaned me, plus "Mott Live" & I was hooked- Imagine my excitement when I heard that Hunter, Ronson & crew were coming to play a show on Sept. 15,1979 in Presque Isle Maine- We were living on a farm in Centreville, NB, a hour or so drive away- I told my brother & we made plans to go- A couple of days before the show he told me he couldn't make it- I was devastated, but dealt with it- The day of the show I asked him if he was up to anything that evening & he said he was going to the concert- I know it wouldn't have looked cool having a younger sibling along, but to this day, some 27 years later, I still haven't forgiven him- I do have a copy of this now on CD- I had it when it first came out on vinyl & wore it out- It is a great recording! I'll never forgive my brother...



4. It has been said (by "whom," I don't know, I am no philosopher) that the greatest art is inspired by or because of the intensity of an emotion that one experiences. And 1980, the year that "Club" was released was just exactly THAT to me. I mean, as far as music is concerned, what more could I have asked from Ian Hunter? Indeed, "Club" features some of the greatest songs of his career (more about that in a minute), Mick Ronson was back playing guitar for him, and the band they'd assembled (evidentally, from what I've been told, some of New York's finest) was tight as a tick! I saw this same show in Atlanta way back in June 1979, and I distinctly remember telling my drummer, "Man if he keeps THIS up, I believe we'll jus' forget about the Stones for awhile!" All these songs on "Club" are faithfully replicated (save for the wonderful "doo-wop" version of "The Golden Age Of Rock And Roll"), and this album/cd even has four (well, three) studio songs tacked onto the end. And I want to go on record right here and state that there is absolutely NO JUSTICE if Ian Hunter doesn't go to Rock And Roll Heaven for (I have no superlative adjectives to describe it) "We Gotta Get Out Of Here," which is EASILY the very BEST "Disco Sucks!" song of all eternity. And "We Gotta" even has the alltime #1 BABE, the scrumptious Ellen Foley, doing the same thing to Ian that she did to Meatloaf a scant three years before on "Paradise By The Dashboard Light." But if for nothing else (and I'll admit this is selfish), the very last song on the cd is about/describes an acrimonious, excruciatingly painful divorce that Ian evidentally thru sometime in the near past - and I went thru MY first divorce in 1980, and "Sons And Daughters" helped me realize that I wasn't the only one who'd suffered pain like that. So needless to say, the album/and now, cd, has everything I could wish for on it. Again: This Is RIGHT WHERE Ian Hunter peaked! And a note to my musician friends: This is NOT Ian's "Sgt Pepper" - better yet, it's his "Get Yer Ya Yas Out!"



5. A definite for any Ian Hunter, Mott the Hoople, Mick Ronson, fan. I wish I had the chance to see this concert. I like how the songs blend together and the Ronson guitar effort is evident. Sound quality is decent, also. Listen to this a couple of times and it will quickly become one of your most listened to cd's. It's a shame that Ronson only briefly collaborated with Mott the Hoople, obvious chemistry between Hunter and Ronson, as it shows, on multiple releases post Mott the Hoople.

5 comments about David Live.

1. I had this on vinyl when it was new and loved it. Unfortunately the CD sound quality is terrible, sounds like it was recorded over a cell phone. I took it right back to BB and since they had no more in stock(wink) I got something much better. A shame to say the least since I'm sure it was a really fun tour. I can't understand how things this bad get sold, maybe someone should give it a listen before they print thousands of bad Cd's. Or in the case of Springsteens "magic" millions of very bad Quality CD's were sold. I couldn't return that one since all the store had them aplenty. LOL I hate giving Bowie a bad feedback but hey the disk stinks, Everything else I have heard from him is just fine.



2. I've had David Live on cassette, vinyl, and now of course on CD. I truthfully have not listened to David Live end to end in 20+ years. The CD sounds really great! If they've cleaned it up or digitally re-mastered the CD they did a nice job. This is David at his peak (in my opinion of course) and is a must own CD 2-disc'er. Not any deliberate "voice overs" so common to Live recordings either A plus.



3. Yes, Bowie looks ill and deathly thin on the cover. Yes, he probably was not in the best of shape when this record was recorded. I don't care. Maybe that's what makes his performance so phenomenal........maybe the music was all he had at this time in his life, and he was clinging to it desperately. This is one of the greatest rock live records ever recorded!! Buy it!! You'll be knocked back by the incredible performances by the sterling band. Mike Garson (piano, mellotron) and a two piece horn section featuring David Sanborn (alto sax, flute) and Richard Grando (baritone sax, flute) point the way to a very jazzy sound throughout. Earl Slick (guitar) throws a fiery edged rock touch into the mix. Add lots of percussion, a second keyboard player, and a couple of great background vocalists, and you have a band which would be hard to match anywhere. Bowie draws on a variety of his early 70's material, but the record is dominated by selections from Aladdin Sane and Diamond Dogs. I actually prefer the performances here to ones on those two studio records because of the spontaneity of these great musicians in a live setting. Bowie gives urgent vocal performances on some of his most passionate tunes such as Rock 'n' Roll With Me and Big Brother. The band, particularly Slick, prove they can rock hard whenever they want on Cracked Actor and Width of A Circle. All in all, just a tremendous and most essential record if you really want to experience live Bowie at his best.



4. Sorry...I LOVE this album, and after bootlegging..."many" tracks off the late great Napster, I'm now gonna buy the "new refurbished, etc..." Why? And "why" the title to this review? OK 1), my glorious band in NY, circa '75-'76, always opened our sets with a "Diamond Dogs-Rebel Rebel-Moonage Daydream" medley, in their entirity, and, note-for-note, ripped straight off "David Live." And yes, I HAVE gone on record as saying that Mick Ronson, Bowie's "Ziggy's" ex, SHOULD Have received the job that one R Wood received in '75 - but Earl Slick (in ADDITION to being married - at the time - to one of the absolute HOTTEST Babes EVER, Fanny's Jean Millington), himself was/is hot as a jumper cable at a redneck funeral. (and, yeah, when Ronno defected from Ian H in 1977, Ian scooped up Slick for what I consider his finest work, the glimmering "Overnight Angels.") And 2) right after this, Bowie started purveying disco, then ran into the arms of Rob't Fripp...give me a freaking break...(but "Ashes To Ashes" WAS a good song...) Enough. Bowie: 1974: Earl Slick, David Sanborn, et al... like Lous Armstrong said, "If ya gotta ask, you'll never know."



5. My sis and her boyfriend bought me David Live back in 1975 on 8 track!!
   Bowie was a house favorite then and still is today.I wore it out ,got another and wore it out too.
   This is one of the best live albums ever.Bowies unique style and fabulous writing,not to mention his band are just incredible!!
   Finally in 2007, I am buying this again ,ON CD!!!!!!

5 comments about Bootleg Series, Vol. 1: The Quine Tapes.

1. I can't even imagine would it be like at these concerts or any of the VU shows from the 60's. All we have in terms of visual is the warhol films and 1993 which doesnt even come close. I can't imagine what cool Lou must of looked flippin out with his voice and guitar of that period. As a matter of fact it's hard for me to imagine this music was even created.



2. The ONLY problem with the Quine Tapes is that it says, "Vol. 1" and many years later there still is no Vol. 2. I know it probably didn't make any money and so Vol. 2 was scrapped, but it still breaks my heart. It is such a lovely collection, and the other reviewers are right that after a few listens, one hardly notices the poor sound quality. One of the magical things about the Velvet Underground is that they don't need thousands of dollars of stereo equipment to sound good. They sound great on a car tape-deck with the windows open, or even through the terrible ear-buds that come with portable music players.



3. Overall, worse than "Live, 1969"--the best live rock band record alive. Much better though than "Max's Kansas City", which is ruined with Billy Yule's monster drums (where one can hear how soon Lou's solo career would sound). Certainly, the quality of this is worse than Max's, it's however, the VU at the top of their game, similar to "Live, 1969." This collection includes estimable versions of "Sister Ray" which is preferable to early bootleg versions with John Cale (the 38:00 minute version is otherworldly)--and, it positively must be true they were a much better live band during this period. All said and done, the linchpin is the 17:00 minute version of "Follow the Leader," an extended rhythm guitar marathon w/ a mighty band pumpin' in unison. The 10:00 version of "White Light/White Heat" comes a close second...And if you want to really know how good this is, dig up how it influenced Robert Quine's guitar playing. "You know his life was changed by rock-n-roll."



4. More raw and experimental than "69 Live." Better (and warmer) sound, to my ears, than Max's. Never mind the tape hiss and lo-fi--the music gets through. As others here have said, this is not the best place to begin listening to the Velvets, but if you already are a fan, you will love it. The sprawling stretches of "Sister Ray" and other extended versions of VU songs are a revelation. There is nothing like the shock of hearing a band you revere live for the first time. This set can bring you quite close to that experience.



5. IS THE Velvets, who went Underground "a thousand Years ago",resurfaced and are proof positive that being underground and the "Consequence" for returning is as enigmatic,pure,solid, like Stonehenge. Do not worry if this is your first Velvet Cd. You are now solidified into the master's of the Dark. Now my people, go buy this CD and find out why such a progressive group in the mid 60's are just as exhilirating, provocative and even so they remain such. Buy this Cd, like 3 cd's for $30.00 and forget about seeking out "The Man".There's alwys "Tomorrrow's parties!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5 comments about Early Steppenwolf/For Ladies Only.

1. I had the Matrix on vinyl years and years ago. While a lot of people were turned off by the long, Grateful Dead-style gradual descent into The Pusher, I always liked it. I've got a couple of Doors soundboards that also were recorded in the spring of '67 at The Matrix, a tiny venue where most shows were recorded by the forward-thinking Augustus Stanley Owsley (aka Bear). Yes, THAT Owsley, who created thousands of doses of LSD and turned on a generation. His interest in recording has resulted in a legacy of recordings of an era long gone, and he served as the Dead's official concert recorder during their formative year. The fact that some 2,000+ Dead shows exist on tape (now digitized) will forever been Owsley's unacknowledged legacy. (Later, concert promoter Bill Graham would follow Owsley's lead and record most shows at the Fillmores (Auditorium, East, West) and Winterland -- the benefits of which can be found at the Wolfgang's Vault site, where many of those shows are available as downloads.)
   
   Back to Steppenwolf...the first half of this CD is something I would like to own in remastered form. By the time For Ladies Only came out, John Kay and company had peaked (wink, wink, for all you who know in what other manner peaking meant...) and were fast becoming a cliche. The constant turnover among band members didn't help. The first two albums are "essential owning," but the disorganized "At Your Birthday Party" signaled the start of a band in decline, although "Monster" saw them return to brilliant form briefly.
   
   That said, the Matrix show captures a specific date in May 1967 before "Born to Be Wild" catapulted the band into top 40 airplay, and they enjoyed a few years "at the top" -- and also began to disintegrate. I love the Matrix show and will probably buy this two-fer solely to get that album, which, sadly, is out of print in the U.S.
   
   I don't know if John Kay held on to his songwriting rights. I would suspect he didn't, because with the exception of the gold Mobile Fidelity release (expensive, but worth it) of the first album, all the original albums are available in first-generation CD transfer, which is so-so at best. The Steppenwolf catalog is one of the few from that era that hasn't received the "remastered, with bonus tracks" treatment. C'mon, if Grand Funk deserves the remaster/bonus track treatment, surely Steppenwolf does, too!
   
   As a teenager coming of age in the late '60s, Steppenwolf was, for a couple of years, THE BAND, for me. I'm in my mid-50s now, but I still enjoy an occasional trip down memory lane. I just wish those visits to a bygone era were remastered and had better audio quality.
   
   Oh, well, I'll take what I can get, so I guess I need to finish and order this CD...
   
   Peace.
   
   (UPDATE: I did go ahead and order this CD. I'll update my review once it arrives and comment as to audio quality. I plan to take the Early Steppenwolf portion, rip it to 320 kbs mp3, and then burn as a CD-R, to play in my car, and then I'll rip it again in 128 kbs mp3 for my iPod.)



2. This is an very interesting Package from The Wolf. These Two Records are by the Same Band, but they could not be any Different from each other. "Early Steppenwolf", was recorded in San Francisco in May 1967 when this Group was still known as: "The Sparrow". The Band played a Small Club called: "The Matrix" that was owned by Marty Balin, who was the lead Singer of The Jefferson Airplane. It was at one of the Shows in this tiny Club when by accident the "Off-The-Wall" Jamming by Nick St. Nicholas, the bassist, Took, the Sparrow on a New Musical Adventure into Improv. One by One, all Members of the Group jumped up on the Small Stage and assisted Nick, doing something New for The Sparrow, who used Tightly Rehearsed Arrangements of the Blues and Rock Standards of the Day, The Band let the Music Play them, and on this night they Discovered their Musical Voice. This Jam would Melt into; "The Pusher", the Anti-Drug Song. This Performance became the Stuff of Legends, and because of this new found Release, everything in their World from this point onwards would be different.
   
   In addition to the Epic 21 Minute version of: "The Pusher", the 1969 Record, Titled: "Early Steppenwolf" contained The Wolf's renditions of Howlin' Wolf and John Lee Hooker. "Power Play' & "Tighten Up Your Wig" from the pen of Leader, Vocalist/Guitarist: John Kay further define the Steppenwolf Sound, that these Amazing Musicians were introducing into Stoned Hippy Heads. As these Historic Recordings, were finally made public after the Group had achieved Major Success on the Pop Charts, This Record was met with Universal Praise by Critics and Fans. It would still have been a Big Hit if:' "Corrina, Corrina", in this Amazing early version was the only Song on it, it's just that Good!
   
   In contrast, the 1971 Record: "For Ladies Only" sounds as if it was Produced by a Totally Different Band. Four Years had gone by since the Club Daze of 1967. Steppenwolf had become one of America's favorite Rock Bands after Coining those Words: "Heavy Metal Thunder". John Kay, still led the Group, but aside from Drummer Jerry Edmonton it was a New and Different Band in Sound and Style. John Kay, stated at the Time of "Ladies" release that Steppenwolf had made a Record that Spotlighted the Bands "Tender" Side of playing. Love Songs by this Bunch of Highway Hellions.....WHAA???
   
   Well, for me "For Ladies Only" along with "Steppenwolf 7" are my Two Favorite Records by this Fantastic Band {Throw in, "At Your Birthday Party" into that list as well!}. This Record was not as Hard-Edged as the LP's of 68-69, but this is still well crafted Hard Rock and not "Soft" by any measure {John Kay COULD be Tender, but Soft?...No Way!}. Ladies has some real Fine Songs on it's Grooves. "Shackles And Chains", "The Night Time's For You" "Tenderness" and "I'm Asking". There are Acoustic Guitars and Pianos featured in the place of Roaring Power Chords and Feedback, and they are Played to Perfection by these Guys, this was still a Top-Notch Band that could write Excellent Songs and Out Play just about anyone else.
   
   The 9 Minute: "For Ladies Only" more than hints at Progressive Rock with a Beautiful Piano Passage in it's Middle. This Majestic Gem is a Classic, that should have received more attention on FM Stations back in 1971. There are Hit Singles here on: "Ladies", but the Public gave this record a Lukewarm indifference on the Charts. And Steppenwolf, would start a Slow Slide in Popularity from this Point onwards.
   
   Yes, it is Odd to play these Two very distinct Records Back to Back. But, it does show that in Four Years time, Evolution can be Mighty for a Rock Band. Steppenwolf, are One of The Greats, there is No Doubt of that fact. Listen and hear why this is so...FOUR STARS !!!



3. For those of you who are fans of the jam band, side 2 of Early Steppenwolf contains the greatest extended jam ever, The Pusher. Steppenwolf takes this genre and shows how it should be done, with no self gratifying,poinless guitar solos or aimless drum solos. This is one tight polished powerful jam. If you like this song you will probably never want to hear the short version again. Hoyt Axton did the original version of this, and you all should do yourself a favor and give it a listen. It is one great song.



4. Due to contractual obligations Steppenwolf had to release 2 albums a year and these 2 came shortly after another but are the least equal. To start with the latter one, "For Ladies Only" has a smooth and polished production, but contains some of the greatest songs of the time, either written/sung by John Kane and/or other bandmembers. The instrumentation is flawless. I like this album as one of their best. No fillers or weak songs, some are really stunning, even 35 years from date. On the contrary the first album is not Steppenwolf at all (!), but the band before that, Sparrow, with some of the members which showcased in the latterday band and offered us the strong first studio album with "Born to Be Wild" (not presented here). Recorded in the Matrix in San Francisco in early 1967 (hey, remember that one from the Doors?) the music is raw, to say the least. Opener "Power Play" ends up on the "Monster" album, together with "Tighten up your Wig" (later also on "Steppenwolf The Second") the only group originals, Hoyts Axtons dreary doom "The Pusher" closer is an extended version played in that vein (the much lighter studio rendition is on the first album) whilst "Corrina, Corrina" is a not very special popsong. That leaves only two other covers unmentioned, John Lee Hookers "I'm going Upstairs" and Howlin Wolf /Willy Dixons "Howlin', for my Darlin". The band had a huge section of smash hits thereafter and offered truely great albums. That makes listening to the beginnings somewhat uneasy (the later "Live" is much much better), so it is strange that BGO combined these two toghether, which in a way is the same as combining the moon and the sun, dark and light, fire and water. These are two complete different bandoutings. Therefore try to find each album solely or at least listen to them individually. In that case they offer the most. Besides that Steppenwolf will always remain one of my everlasting favorites.



5. BGO records does it again...combining rare out of print cd's with an eye to the collector who appreciates the effort...who else would buy this CD except real fans of Steppenwolf?
   Early Steppenwolf is classic acid drenched blues rock recorded in SF before the wolf became big...great jams and the sound of heavy metal thunder on these traditional blues workouts and previews of some tracks that Steppenwolf would later record in studio.
   For Ladies Only is also for men but I am not the 1st to say that it is not their best effort but found a place for fans who had trouble tracking down the original CD release.

5 comments about An Evening With The Allman Brothers Band.

1. timeless songs, timeless voice, great musicians, the allman brothers band - need i say more?



2. Now that's what I'm talking about! Warren Haynes is the man! Dickey's pretty good, too! So let's get as much footage of them jamming as humanly possible. Because the chemistry between Dickey and Warren is just perfect. Listen to their playing on "Southbound", my favorite take of that song, for an example. Or "Blue Sky". See, you have to be pretty good guitarists to pull of "Blue Sky", and that's how I'd describe both of our heroes. The setlist leans heavily towards Shades of Two Worlds, and for the most part they do a fine job recreating my favorite of their '90s albums: "End of the Line" is one of their few straight-ahead rock songs, and it's quite satisfying; the jamming on "Get on with Your Life" and the always epic "Nobody Knows" is comparable to what happened live during the classic years. There's even a brief acoustic set: while Dickey Betts' age shows on the disappointing "Midnight Blues" (a Blind Willie McTell cover), Gregg's ragged vocals give "Melissa" extra weight. It's also interesting to note that they skip over a lot of the warhorses - there's no "Whippin' Post", "Trouble No More", "Mountain Jam", "You Don't Love Me", "Statesboro Blues", "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" or "Stormy Monday" here, though they do provide yet another elongated version of "Dreams". Now, you can call me a purist if you want, but there is no replacing Duane on that track. Dickey and Warren do their best, but it's a letdown. A slower "Revival" fares much better, with the group sinking into one of those "unstoppable Allmans grooves". You know, for a group that's supposed to be "past it", the Allmans do a fantastic job here overall.



3. An Evening With The Allman Brothers Band (1992) was recorded in 1991-92 at shows in Boston, MA., Macon, GA., and at New York City's Beacon Theater. This was during The Shades Of Two Worlds period, and the album features three songs from that album, including the opening song, End Of The Line. It sounds great, not much different from the studio version, but what really jumps out and grabs you immediately is the exquisite sound on the album. Produced by At Fillmore East producer, Tom Dowd, the sound is clean and crisp, and you just couldn't ask for better. Other At Fillmore East connections are harmonica player Thom Doucette, who was brought in to play on Southbound and Midnight Blues, and Gregg's organ solo on Get On With Your Life, which is an almost note-for-note flashback to his Stormy Monday solo on At Fillmore East, and is really quite enjoyable. Dickey Betts takes center stage and sings lead vocals on this funky version of Southbound and the classic Blue Sky, and he and Warren Haynes trade fantastic guitar solos on both. The guitar playing from both of these guys on this album is sure to please any Allman Brothers fan. The band does a nice two-song acoustic set, that includes the slide guitar laden Midnight Blues, and a solid version of Melissa. Gregg Allman's legendary singing voice is at it's soulful, growling best on this album, and is one of the many highlights of the epic Nobody Knows. Dickey and Warren are in top form on this, too, and at over fifteen minutes long, this take blows the studio version out of the water. Dreams also sounds great and has lots of trademark ABB guitar and Gregg's vocals are right on the mark. The set closes with a warm and energetic rendition of Revival. Every song in the set is fun, interesting, and well performed. The packaging is really nice, too, with lots of great photos of the band and crew. This was a good place in time for the Allmans, and it really shows, in the music and in the pictures. No, An Evening With The Allman Brothers Band isn't At Fillmore East, and that's just fine, because in 1992, this was right where the ABB was supposed to be, and if you ask this long-time Allman Brothers fan, it just couldn't have been any better!



4. With Haynes on lead and Woody on bass, An Evening with the Allman Brothers Band including the 2nd Set is an evening that brings you back to the time when Duane was on lead and Oakley on bass and they were Live At the Fillmore East. Get all three CDs and you can stop adding to your ABB collection because I have always thought these were definitive. Nobody Knows and Sailing Across the Devil's Sea could have been played by the orignal band and you would not notice any difference in the sound. The rhythm section smokes, the guitars growl and whine, and Gregg's voice, while older, is still darn near perfect for the material.



5. The Alman Brothers live CD with a different sound to it .

5 comments about Now & Live.

1. The more I listen to this, the more I like it. One of the greatest voices in Rock Period. Check out all of his stuff. Free, Bad Co., The Firm, Solo.
   All Good.



2. Two for the price of one. Value is only the beginning. While it's true this is not Bad Company or Free the Now CD stands up well after a few listens. Like most of Bad Company CDs there are rockers and balads and I agree with most of the reviewers that Holding Back the Storm is the best song on the disc. Soul of Love, All I Want is You, Shadow of the Sun and I Lost it All stand out as well.
   
   The Live CD is really the best part of this package. The Free and Bad Company songs are pretty true to their album versions with an extended version of Rolling Stone. It's good mix of songs from Paul's Rock Hall of Fame deserving career.
   



3. Such a deal! Not one, but two CD's worth of material from one of rock's greatest singers at a great price! The first set, Now, was recorded in 1997 and it's great to hear Paul Rodger's fabulous voice with an up-to-date sound and (almost) current production values. The material is very good, too, especially the soaring new classic, "Hold Back the Storm," which closes the set. Like wind-driven waves on a beach, this song builds to climax after climax, and is as good as anything Paul has done in years. "Soul of Love" and "Nights Like This" are also standouts. Then, on disc two, Paul and his solo band perform hits from Free, Bad Company, and solo discs to an adoring audience in Germany. (Yes, the audience singalong of a big hit always sounds cheesy on record, but a group of boisterous, boozy locals singing "All Right Now" with a pronounced German accent is not to be missed.) Highlights here include all the Free songs and all the numbers from Paul's tribute album, Muddy Water Blues. Particulary good is an excellent jam version of "Rollin' Stone," complete with whistle and other train sound effects by former Crawler and Paul McCartney guitarist Geoff Whitehorn. In sum, a fine set, especially considering you get double the music for the price of a single CD.



4. Paul Rodgers is indeed a very good singer, capable of delivering soulful feelings as well as power through his voice and writing. In Free as well as in Bad Company he made an immortal impact, but on his own (with about four solo albums) I don't think he have yet reached former heights. "Now" from 1997 is a rock album with a blues feeling and although it's certainly not bad, it's not really exciting either. Rodger does still have a very good voice but most of the songs lack the necessary hooks although he manage to be melodic, and it's not catchy enough to be considered a real treat. The lasting feeling is that the material melt together because it isn't diverse enough. But of course, Rodgers (both regarding the singing and the song writing) shine from time to time - maybe not that long it last throughout whole songs but more in a verse here or a chorus there.

   Anyway, the best songs are "Holding back the storm", "Chasing shadows", "Soul of love" and "Heart of fire". If you're a dedicated fan of Paul Rodgers I guess you also know about THE FIRM and THE LAW. If not, I think you ought to check it out.




5. Well, I've been listening to Paul Rodgers since the early 1970s and I've always been enamored with his vocals - none better. One thing I may have taken for granted however, was the quality of the musicians that supported those exceptional vocals. On both the Now and the Then discs contained in this offering, his voice, though not what it once was, still shines as the best component of the band. The band he is with however, sounds pretty much ... unexceptional (almost like a club band). They make me appreciate just how much Andy Fraser, Paul Kossoff (Free), and Mick Ralphs (Bad Co.) contributed to the total sound that Paul Rodgers helped bring to us. When you take an exceptional vocalist and combine him with superb musicians ... you get music that's a work of art, but when you take a exceptional vocalist and combine him with run of the mill musicians, you get something considerably less. These are decent cuts - they showcase Paul Rodgers' vocal abilities for those of us who 'Can't Get Enough' of his tunes, but it isn't Free or Bad Company, so don't look for the same quality here - if so, you'll be disappointed. I was.

5 comments about Live With a Little Help From Our Friends.

1. This set of songs pulls some of the best talent out there together for some spectacular jams. This is well worth the money if you love blues, rock, all mixed together. Warren Hayes, Woody, Jimmy Herring, Derek Trucks, Randall Bramlett etc. There are some great covers here too, this is the shiz, get it, and start jamming. The time to jam is now. Anyone slamming this does not know quality music. Keep jamming America.
   Coconut Phil.



2. This collection is a must for every true GM fan. Some of the recordings experience some technical difficulties, but it is a box set, after all, and you can expect such extras to be included. The regular release of "With a little help..." is probably sufficient for you music-wise if you don't want to shell out the $45.00 for the box set, as cool as it is. GOV'T MULE RULES! Great Blues Rock!!



3. At a time when so much great live music remains in the vaults, Warren Haynes continues to record and release amazing performances. (The "Wintertime Blues" live double CD of an annual Christmas Jam with major guests, is a prime example.)
   
   Live With A Little Help From Our Friends was recorded at Atlanta's Roxy Theatre New Year's Eve '98/'99. Incredible music and jams with Haynes, Allen Woody, Matt Abts, and guests Chuck Leavell, Derek Trucks, Jimmy Herring, Randall Bramblett, Bernie Worrell, Marc Ford and others.
   
   How fortunate there were tapes rolling.
   
   Quality live rock music is alive and well!



4. This CD set represents a band recovering from a tremendous loss (A. Woody). From the ashes of devistation, not even knowing if the band would even survive the loss, an idea. Wouldn't Woody be proud to have all these folks he respected as bassists, sit in? A tribute to Woody, the Deep End project was born. This is the culmination of that project! The rest is history. Hard jamming and fresh, Mule pounds out 4 cd's of NYE rock like no one else can. Find out more about Mule, the fans, tour dates, live show download links, etc. Join us on the web at [...] See you there (after you order this cd set!) Tell 'em Baddad sent ya!



5. 
   If you like Allman Bros, If you like jams, if you like blues, if you like jazz, if you like good rock and roll, if you like hairy big fat rockers, you gonna like this FOUR record set, and i would like to have been there on new year eve.
   
   Govt Mule is great !!

5 comments about Dick's Picks, Vol. 20: Landover, Maryland and Syracuse, New York, 9/25/76, 9/28/76.

1. Jaded review, because this Syracuse show was my first Dead show ever, followed by countless more. I happily tossed the poor recording I had carefully kept all these years.



2. This is a good Dick's Picks for several reasons.
   1. Great first sets. There are plenty of Dead shows with wonderful set II rivers of sound, but the Dead's finest first set songs like Sugaree, Cassidy, Half-Step, Peggy-O all really shine here. Beautiful stuff.
   2. Keith is on fire. Listen to him in Half-Step. His piano sparkles and glories in all the turns of emotion.
   3. There are a lot of songs on here, and a great variety of Dead songwriting and covers. Good value.
   
   Top performances: Definitely Sugaree and Half-Step. The two Cassidys are beautiful as well, thanks to Keith's poignant keys. Also we have the ORANGE TANGO JAM, played only ONCE in the Dead's entire 30 years...well worth it! It's a beautiful tango-style jam.
   
   Now for the nitpicks.
   A. This show is great and all, but when you hear 9-24-76, you will be floored and wonder why in hell they didn't choose that monster show. Consider this: Playin' > Supplication (!) > Playin, Help > Slip > Drums > [Doubletime] Slip > Franklins > Music Never Stopped > Stella Blue > Round & Round. Definitely worth the download. Go get a copy, you know where to look.
   
   B. To the haters, yes, the recording is a little flatter than other dick's picks, but if you just add some software reverb your problems will melt away.
   
   C. Why aren't there more 1976 Picks? 6-15-76 is wonderful, the Scarlet Begonias > Sunshine Daydream melts me every time. 6-28-76 has a wonderful early Fire on the Mountain Jam. October is just littered with sweet Franklins.
   
   But I digress. Anyway, Dick's Pick's 20 is well worth it. Mostly for the great 1st set songs and unusually inspired Keith.



3. the Pick of newest date I know. in general I prefer older dead to newer. on newer ones they play too slow and guitars sound too synthetic. Electric
   guitars may be distorted a little.
   let it grow/ wheather report and eyes are excellent songs and they do them well here. Love the songs Cassidy, great duett
   vocals of Bob and Donna, in general actually, and Sugar Magnolia
   discs three and four are better than one and two.
   There is some overlap of songs on both shows, but then for this price....
   Dancing in the street is a horrible song, at least when the dead do it,
   it just doesn't suit their style. Scarlet Begonias is also a weak song.
   Is this shortly after the return of Mickey Hart? With his appearance the
   whole drumming style changes to the stomping dinosaur...
   interesting, but maybe with Bill alone they were more dynamic.
   It's cool, but I prefer the picks up to 74...



4. I like this Pick. But. I do not believe that the Landover show is anything special and I agree with another reviewer that the recording is sightly muffled, depressed or otherwise muted. This is too bad because there are some great songs in the Landover section. Ramble on Rose, Cassidy, Brown Eyed Women, Loser, Sugaree, Mississippi, Scarlet. Wow! Unfortunately, it is a pedestrian performance. The Scarlet Begonias section through St Steph, NFA and a brief following jam is the highlight of the Landover show. Also, songs like Piggy-o and Cosmic Chuck show up at the most inopportune times and will bum-out your trip considerably.
   
   Having said the foregoing, allow me to state the following. The Syracuse show is awesome. Is it just me, or have you noticed that shows that start with Cold Rain and Snow seem to be among the Dead's greatest shows?
   
   Highlights on disc three, the first set of the Syracuse show, include great versions of Cassidy, Candyman, Friend of the Dee-vil and GDTRFB.
   
   Now, the BEST is CD 4. It is simply awesome. The Comes A Time is great. Eyes is played very fast, which I don't love, but it is kinda' fun to hear the guys mix it up. All of CD 4 is well played.
   
   Other than the slightly depressed sound recording, discs three and four are simply great. Syracuse defeats Landover 2-0.



5. On of the the personal pet peeves of mine involves some of the altering that has been happening with Grateful Dead shows as they transfer them from tape to cd. Take, for example this performance of Friend Of The Devil, on all the old soundboard tapes from this era FOTD features backing vocals by Bob and Donna. On all the cd releases from this era Bob's voice is erased on FOTD. There are other times to where voices or keyboard parts are erased and this is happening on releases from throughout their career. As for these two shows themselves, they're very good. One the first disc Bertha, Let It Grow, Sugaree and the second set opener of Lazy Lightnin' -> Supplication rocks. On the second disc, the Scarlet Begonias and the Saint Stephen jam are great. Disc three starts with the last Cold, Rain and Snow for over a year. Disc four is a five from beginning to end.

5 comments about Live: Hallelujah.

1. Hagar proudly displays his mid-seventies Montrose roots in the KISS-style ("You wanted the best and you've GOT the best, the hottest band in the world, KISS") intro. It's a real "Hello Cleveland" moment as the announcer shouts, Michael Buffer-style, "Please welcome the Red Rocker, Sammy Hagar, and the Waboritas"...followed by the loud, fat slam of a sustained barre chord and the arena-rock rumblings of the second guitar and bass, followed at the 26 second mark by the kick of the drums and the relentlessly catchy, riff-driven theatrics of the opening track "Shaka Doobie." At this point you're either hooked or you've bailed out. In addition to a healthy dose of "Wabo Sammy," you get "Solo Sammy" (Heavy Metal, I Can't Drive 55, Three Lock Box), "VanHagar Sammy" (Top Of The World, Why Can't This Be Love, When It's Love, Right Now, Dreams) and "Montrose Sammy" (Rock Candy). It's a pretty decent overview of what most people love or hate about his music. He's the heavier, louder, perpetually toasted surfer dude equivalent of cult superstar Jimmy Buffett...the reviews will never matter because this man will have an audience as long as he chooses to stand on a stage. Rock On, Sammy...the sky's the limit.



2. Hearing Sammy's voice and Michael Anthony's backing vocals on the Van Halen songs, you can almost think that you're listening to VH. Sammy's guitar player does an excellent job of covering Eddie.



3. When it comes to the band Van Halen, I may be in the minority when I say that I feel they became a better band when Sammy Hagar was brought in to replace David Lee Roth as the lead vocalist. When it comes to showmanship, David Lee Roth would be a tough act to follow. However Sammy Hagar brought something else to the table - the all-around quality of musicianship. It was that musicianship that elevated Van Halen to even greater heights of creativity. It was that same musicianship that could not be replaced when Gary Cherone was later brought into Van Halen to replace Hagar. I subscribe to the notion that sometimes the best thing for a mature band is to bring in an outsider to join the band. It gives the band fresh ideas and a new perspective. I look at the case of the Rolling Stones bringing Ron Wood in. Ron Wood did much more than play guitar, he became a significant contributor to the band. To me Sammy Hagar, like him or not injected some new life into the Van Halen band and became a significant contributor much like Wood did for the Stones Hagar doesn't just sing, he'll contribute to the songwriting and production of the effort of Van Halen. Like Ron Wood, Hagar had already proven himself to be an accomplished musician. Hagar's outstanding musicianship skills and superb voice have always caught my interest as far as live performances go. That is why I was glad to see that Hagar released his own live collection - "Sammy and the Wabos: Live Hallelujah". It is this collection that showcases his solo career as well as his heritage as a part of Van Halen.
   
   "Live Hallelujah" is one of three main live albums that Hagar has made. In 1980, Hagar released "Live 1980" and in 2002 Hagar released "Greatest Hits Live". The nice thing about "Live Hallelujah" is that all of the songs are tracks that do not appear on these two earlier live albums - this includes such Hagar classics as "I Can't Drive 55", "Mas Tequila", and "Eagles Fly". The most unique feature of "Live Hallelujah" is that this is the only Hagar album that includes some of his Van Halen material. There are four songs from the "Van Hagar" era of Van Halen included on "Live Hallelujah": "Why Can't This Be Love", "When It's Love", "Right Now", and "Dreams". Sammy keeps to his Van Halen heritage with the inclusion of Van Halen bass player Michael Anthony on several tracks ("When It's Love", "Right Now", and "Dreams"). Perhaps the most interesting inclusion is of his successor in Van Halen, Gary Cherone. Cherone sings a duet with Hagar on "When It's Love".
   
   In the liner notes, Hagar gives some background on what went into making this album. Originally he wanted to do a straight album of a 2001 show in St. Louis. However, that show unedited was over 2 1/2 hours. Combine that with some of the additional material Hagar wanted to include both when he toured with David Lee Roth and the times he had Michael Anthony on bass, the project was soon looking to be very long. Therefore the decision was made to shorten the set to fit on one CD. The bulk of the album comes from St. Louis, but there are also cuts from Tampa ("Shaka Doobie", "Rock Candy"); Boston ("When It's Love); Charlotte ("Right Now"); and Fresno ("Dreams"). I don't agree with this decision that Hagar made. With two live albums under his belt, I think a multi-CD set would have really done some good. My preference is normally to include the material from a single night's performance in the same order as it was delivered. This allows for the magic of the show to be captured as it was delivered. Because the St. Louis show is edited, you immediately lose some of the magic of the night. There are "gaps" between songs - and that hurts the collection as a whole. While a single night is my preference, I'm really glad to hear the included "Michael Anthony Tracks" from Boston, Charlotte, and Fresno.
   
   It is the "Van Hagar" material that most intrigues me on this album. Hagar's band - The Wabos do a superb job at supporting him on this collection. While they aren't at the level of having an Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, and Michael Anthony as your band, they still hold their own. I was most interested to see how Hagar would do with "Right Now" on his own. "Right Now" is my favorite Van Halen song. While Van Halen provided some incredible musicianship on that track, it was ultimately the passionate vocals of Hagar that took that song to a high level. Again while the Wabos aren't a substitute for the four members of Van Halen, they do a creditable job as Hagar provides the necessary intensity. I was originally intrigued by the duet with Cherone and Hagar on "When It's Love", but would be disappointed by the result. I originally thought Cherone was the perfect choice to head Van Halen, however anything he has done with Van Halen has been a disappointment. While this duet isn't bad, it didn't do much for me. I also enjoyed Sammy and the Wabos covers of "Why Can't This Be Love" and "Dreams".
   
   I enjoyed Hagar's spin on "I Can't Drive 55". On the song Hagar takes into account that the federal speed limit is now 65. Meanwhile Hagar brings the necessary intensity to pull off "Mas Tequila" live - this too also works very well.
   
   As mentioned the liner notes include a short write-up by Hagar about how this album came about. I do like how the liner notes give the necessary credits and point out what material is from what show. I would have liked to have seen the actual dates of the shows listed. Overall, still a very good album - highly recommended.



4. What I liked most about this CD was that it really showcases the talent of the band members. I was suprised at how well the guitar player did on the VH tunes. I also liked the song selection. As another reviewer pointed out, this would have made for a great double CD. It's just a fun CD to listen to and you can tell Sammy and the band are simply jamming and having a great time. That goes a long way. It's the 1st live CD that I've heard where I could actually see myself at the show. Solid effort.



5. It is very depressing to here the Van Halen songs not being played by Van Halen.Sammy and Van Halen need to realize they need each other.

5 comments about Living Out of Time: Live.

1. I was pleasantly surprised--yeah, even shocked--at Trower's near perfect delivery. This recording is like discovering classic Trower all over again. Beware: you may be tempted dawn headphones and blow some eardrums out. Simply put, a must-have. Save for Pink Floyd's PULSE, Trower's LIVING OUT OF TIME: LIVE is my favorite live DVD.
   
   -------------------
   
   ASIDE: "Living Out of Time: LIVE", which is also issued in CD form, is NOT a live version of the studio CD "Living Out Of Time." That said, the latter ("Living Out Of Time") is a fantastic CD, saturated with classic Trower energy. I got the two confused, but I'm glad I did--I mistakenly wound up with both wonderful recordings.



2. O show é muito bom, entretanto, eu só daria 5 estrelas se o vocalista fosse James Dewar, que, junto com Robin, marcaram época com essa banda fantastica!



3. I've got a pretty nice collection of live concert dvds by some of the best groups or solo artists ever, and I would have to rank this in the top 5! The sound quality is incredible if you have a high end theater system. Robin Trower is an underated artist and after seeing this(and also listening to his cd Bridge of Sighs), you can bet that he inspired a lot of newer performers such as Stevie Ray Vaughn. I specifically searched Amazon to see if Robin Trower had a live dvd, and man did it pay off! If you like Stevie Ray, then Robin Trower will blow you away.



4. I've been a fan of Robin Trower since the early 70's. He was my inspiration to start playing guitar. This DVD is simply AWESOME! A must have for any RnR/Blues fan. Good thing DVD's don't "wear out" from playing them, cause this one, is gonna see lot's of play time! Happy Birthday Robin Trower.



5. For some reason I was not moved by this show that much.Trower seems like he really relays to much on his cry baby on this date.I was a little bored with basicly the same led over and over again.I've seen him play ten times better in the past.It's your call on this one I'm just passing you a tip of how this DVD moved me.