5 comments about Intensities in 10 Cities.

1. Man, I don't know how much of this is really live (I've got a feeling, all of it) and how much was over-dubbed in the studio but Ted pulls out all of the musical stops. If you're in the mood to just "let go" for a half your, this is your album. It was a huge risk recording a set of new material completely live but I think it paid off. I'm not sure how it would have went over if I were there but listening to this CD 26 years later, is a treat for the senses. I don't recommend for driving. You may just blow your engine!!! As Ted would say, "Here's another nice one"!!
   
   The only quip I have with this album/band line-up is the absence of Dereck St. Holmes. He was off at the time recording with Brad Whitford of Aerosmith. Another great album - Whitford/St. Holmes.



2. I just listened to this in it's entirety today but had heard a couple from this on the radio over the years and really it's not worth wasting your money on, to tell the truth. I am a huge fan of Ted's guitar showmanship and even though I have almost all of his studio albums, I don't find myself returning very often to them because his lyrics are stupid and sexist and just aren't very intelligent. Not that I'm saying that I have to have extremely intelligent lyrics like you might get from Rush, but Nugent's stuff is so dumb he looks like an idiot a lot of the time. This INTENSITIES IN 10 CITIES is about the bottom of the barrel for old Teddy and I am just a few minutes away from selling my copy of this here on Amazon. I have such an extensive collection of all types of music that I don't need this taking up precious space I need for more valuable cd's. JUST SAY NO TO THIS!!!



3. I bought this album becuase it was the only one that had 'Heads will role', and it was worth it. The songs which were never before recorded sound good and for a live album, it's pretty good. I'd recommend this CD to those who like good rock.



4. Man,this live recording is a brutal,in your face,take no prisoners,excellent sounding rendition of 10 of Ted's best songs.And it outguns Any other studio or live recordings,Gonzo and Hammersmith included.PERIOD.



5. As others have said about this album, it's no Double Live Gonzo. Crummy songs (new songs, never recorded before), poor quality (production is very weak, a recurring theme on Nugent's albums after "Cat Scratch Fever"), all in all a bad album. I bought this when it came out, but didn't play it that much.
   
   Stick with his first album, "Ted Nugent", and "Cat Scratch Fever", and you'll be doing all right.

5 comments about Live in Detroit.

1. The performance is OK....Frampton should have stuck to NEWER material...as he did with the FRAMPTON COMES ALIVE II back in 1995....The current versions of "Do you feel like we do" are weak and he should have done alot less on the talk box...it was cheesy...
   
   As I pointed out in the review I did for COMES ALIVE II...Frampton himself always stated that his material was best suited for the stage....He should have used this media to introduce all new songs that were omitted on the last 3 live album sets from 1975..1976 and 1995.
   
   Should he decide to do a COMES ALIVE III...that might be an idea.



2. The DVD is great! The CD, however, falls short. It has an abbreviated song list, as usual. While I'm a able to do without Penny For Your Thoughts and I'll Give You Money, how can they possibly leave out Baby (Somethin's Happening)?!! This opening song sets the tone for the entire concert! I'm very disappointed that I didn't review the track list prior to purchase. Get the DVD. You'll enjoy the concert much more!



3. Frampton can still kick it out, is the short version. And he's developed a mature irony to go along with his chops. The version of "Do You Feel Like We Do" rocks as titanically as the _Alive_ version did. But this one includes a rollicking, funky piano breakdown, as well as a more boisterous bass line. The crowd roars in anticipation of the by now familiar climaxes, but they still sound fresh, nonetheless. And Frampton is on to himself as rock dinosaur, never taking himself too seriously. At one point, during the talkbox section, he even breaks into a little Austin Powers routine. "Yeah, baybee!" A treat!



4. Many people claim that Peter Frampton lost it after FRAMPTON COMES ALIVE, but they're wrong. Frampton recorded a number of excellent songs over the next twenty years, and in 1999, he recorded this tremendous live album. Unlike FRAMPTON COMES ALIVE, which ended with "Do You Feel Like We Do", this one has a few songs after that one, ending with a scorching rendition of Humble Pie's cover of the Ray Charles standard "I Don't Need No Doctor." This album's musical momentum paved the way for the general high quality of 2003's NOW.



5. Well I'm feeling pretty good after finally having the sense to just go out and buy this superb album.
   
   This really is an exceptional album, and a showcase for Peter's guitar mastery. His playing has matured to a frightening degree, and the sheer class almost overwhelms you. Likewise his vocals are as strong as ever, yet his phrasing is more subtle, adding to the impact of this superb collection of songs.
   
   Lines On My Face is still one of my favorite Frampton songs, and this version is simply stunning. The song selection is awesome, ranging from the Humble Pie classic I Don't Need No Doctor to You Had To Be There, which also appears in the superb Almost Famous movie, in which Peter plays a hilarious cameo as Reg, the Humble Pie manager.
   
   The guy just keeps on getting better, folks. Every track is a gem, and there is enough of a variation in styles to make this a very satisfying album all the way through. The classics are in here, with some great newer songs too.
   
   A great album from one of the classiest guitarists in the business.

3 comments about Live from the Time Coast.

1. Of all the posthumous collections from the Randy California archives, Mick Skidmore (compiler and friend) has assembled 2cds and 29 tracks worth of live Spirit frm the 1989-96 'Tent of Miracles' line-up.
   
   Skidmore's craft is well executed here, he has chosen tracks with primarily the same line-up. Also, unlike the varied quality presented on his other 3cd collection, 'Salvation, the Spirit of 74,...here it's 15 years later and the overall improved technology in soundboards, various DAT, and cassettes really shows.
   
   Among the many tracks offered up here, 8 are from the 12 tracks on the 'Tent of Miracles' cd (albeit in slightly different form). Included also are some classics like a 11min version of 'Fresh Garbage' and a 13 1/2min 'All Along the Watchtower'!
   
   These are live tracks where Spirit took it to the people. Recordings from small clubs, pubs, racetracks, Country Clubs, Saloons and Bars. Travelling across the USA with visits to California, Ohio, Utah, Florida, New York...even some venues in Austria and England. Here is exemplified the line-up of:
   Randy California
   Ed Cassidy
   Mike Niles
   George Valuck *
   Scott Monihan *
   
   CD#1 12 tracks, Total time= 77:06 (* all music on #1 with keyboards)
   CD#2 17 tracks, Total time= 79:07
   
   As I've stated before, THIS collection has very decent sound. Skidmore implies in his notes that he felt most of these tracks were being slated for official release by Randy sometime in near future. This collection is highly recommended!



2. Although, to my knowledge, no official recording of the original Spirit lineup was ever released (a true loss), once the band fractured into Jay Ferguson's Jo Jo Gunne (check out their first album!) and Randy California's Spirit with Ed Cassidy on drums, this recording produced from Randy's archives - along with some rare 70's stuff - is to my knowledge all that remains of Spirit in live performance. The real score on this 2 disc set are some great jams, both spacey and straight-ahead (the "Fresh Garbage" alone is worth the price of the both discs!), as well as very rare solo acoustic Randy tunes, a throwback to when he used to play Greenwich Village as a folky (just before he ran into that Hendrix guy who seems to have persuaded him to go electric). This is a must listen for anyone who is a committed Spirit and/or Randy California fan. And the sound quality for most of the tunes is very good. Go for it!



3. I'm surprised that no one has attempted too review this excellent recording.Now I'm not saying that everything on here is a 5 star performance. But if your like me a big fan who had about three chances to see this band and for what ever excuse that came up never got the opportunity. This will definetly help ease some of the guilt. For myself this is a very enjoyable listen. Mick Skidmore has done a fabulous job assembling a varried selection of songs done live that are done in order of what you might have seen them performed at one of those second rate club environments that Randy and the boys had to play in the later stages of their career. Not only do you here the brillance of the guitar playing of Randy California, but you also get an intimate feeling of a man that loved his music with a devotion too his art to which he refused to compromise. Some of the musical highlights for me on Disc #1 the intro to Soldier, the 13 plus min All along the Watch tower,plus an 8 and half minute version of Downer. Disc #2 In a young mans eyes a song written with his young son in mind,Holy man, Fresh garbage, and Darlin if just to mention a few of many selections. Mr. Skidmore also has assembled a nice selection of photo's along with historical facts and revalations about Randy and the band Spirit. All in all a great package that no true fan should be without. So, if you are a fan you definetly need to add this to your collection you'll be glad you did!!!!

3 comments about We Want Moore!.

1. Moore is one of the truely great guitar players out there. He has his own unique sound, and when you here it you know it's him. This cd captures that sound in it's full, clear raw power. Not only does he "ROCK", but he does it with taste. Those of you who have heard Moore know what I'm talking about, and those of you who haven't should definitly take a listen.



2. We Want Moore is one of the best live cd's I have ever heard.



3. for those of you that are new to gary moore,he has done it all, this one is from 84. from 69 to 72: doors type rock. 73-74 lizzy.
   75-78 collusium2,which was jazz fusion. 78-79 lizzy. 80-89 metal.
   90-2001 blues. now he is kind of doing blues, metal, and rock. I
   highly recommend thin lizzy,black rose cd with gary and any of his metal era stuff, (thank god he is playing metal again) atleast live) if you want a good metal one, start with victims of the future. the king of metal guitar is back!

5 comments about The Last Great Traffic Jam.

1. I originally purchased the concert DVD, then immediately I purchased the CD so I could listen to it as often as I wanted to commuting to and from my job (which is a 2-hour drive in my car). The concert itself is outstanding in both formats. The live music is phenominally performed by extremely talented musicians on this 1994 tour. The music speaks for itself, which was Traffic's claim to fame. These six musicians take this Traffic tour to the next level, and being they are older and more mature, they approach these selected songs with a new vigor and vitality that I've never seen or heard before. This is Steve Winwood's band, but each musician has his own dynamic contribution, and it shows in every facet of every song performed. Since there are too little Steve Winwood or Traffic songs performed live out in the marketplace today, this is a MUST-BUY for fans. I highly recommend both the DVD and CD. I was lucky enough to see Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton perform at MSG, NYC in Feb., 2008, which was a life-altering concert experience, and subsequently I saw Steve Winwood locally on Long Island, NY when he toured alone (and not with Tom Petty) in June, 2008 to promote his new CD. He puts on such an outstanding concert now, after 40 years, that I highly recommend seeing him live in concert if he ever gets to your area.
   
   Dana Fitzpatrick
   Orient Point, Long Island, NY.



2. Unforgetable 1994 Traffic concert tour record and DVD.All musicians are at their best.I own over 200 dvd concerts but this one is one of the best in my collection.Highly recommended for all Traffic fans and old rockers.



3. It's about time there was an official live album documenting Traffic's reunion tour (of sorts) in 1994. While it's perhaps not all it could be, it is still worthwhile for any follower of Traffic or Steve Winwood.
   
   On the downside:
   - The DVD side of disc 2 is a highly unnecessary extra. Its main feature of interest is a lengthy interview with a very old-looking Winwood and Capaldi -- interspersed with some old pics and video clips -- but it's highly unrevealing. There is, understandably, quite a bit of emphasis on the late Chris Wood (the old, amusing silent film clips of whom are easily the most interesting thing about the whole DVD side). Other past members are not acknowledged whatsoever, except that some are seen briefly in pics from old album covers and Dave Mason is mentioned in passing twice.
   - The album is just a little longer than what would fit on a single disc, which means these two discs have plenty of room left on them. How much trouble would it have been to include a few more songs (I know there were several others played on the tour), not to mention the full version of "Glad"/"Freedom Rider"?
   - On "Light Up And Leave Me Alone" Capaldi's voice sounds terrible, and an audience-participation call-and-response is rendered nonsensical by our not being able to hear the audience.
   
   Another complaint might be that the song selection heavily overlaps that of the previous Traffic live albums (WELCOME TO THE CANTEEN, ON THE ROAD). But Traffic is not one of those artists who put out multiple live versions that all sound just like the studio original (or even like each other). The seven "repeats" from prior live albums almost all improve on the earlier live versions without making them obsolete. Shoot, there have now been FOUR official live "Traffic" versions of "Glad" (one of which, released on a CD single, was actually from a Winwood solo tour) and they're all really different! This album's "Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys" is how the song is SUPPOSED to sound live -- the ON THE ROAD version wasn't.
   
   And it's about time there were official live versions of "Pearly Queen", "John Barleycorn", and something off of WHEN THE EAGLE FLIES ("Walking In The Wind"). Oddly there's only one FAR FROM HOME song represented, but that one ("Mozambique") is practically worth the price of admission in itself.



4. OH MY WHAT HAVE WE HERE?!!!! i have to admit I am only a technology novice, so this is a review just on the music: 10 stars. easily one of the best live jazz/blues/international/folk/jambandrock albums ever. very well played. This cd smokes. what a joy. wish I had scene this tour. Very magical music playing. the band is very good, everyone rips it up. crowd is into as well. you can tell this music was very much enjoyed by those present.



5. This is also available in DVD as a concert video. Both this CD and the DVD have some problems with the execution and mechanics. But, there is some great music here.
   
   This is a 2 CD set. The first disc is a conventional CD and has six songs on it. The second disc is a CD on one side and DVD on the other. The CD side has five more songs on it. There is a warning that the CD might not play in your system. The CD sides play fine in any conventional CD player but may not work on a computer.
   
   The DVD side has the same 11 songs as the CD's with enhanced sound. You can also play the music in 5.1. The sound is much better than the CD versions. There is no video to go along with the songs. It is just a still picture showing while the audio is playing.
   
   The DVD contains a menu for song selection. But, you can only choose the first the 6 songs. The menu does not show the last five songs (I am guessing they meant to show the last 5 songs on another page, but forgot to include access to that page).
   
   The DVD also contains an interview with Winwood and Capaldi about the concert tour.
   
   On the CD's the track order is not what is listed on the cover.
   
   The music is very good. Winwood is great on guitar and keyboards. Chris Wood died in 1983. He is replaced on sax and flute by Randall Bramblett, who is now guess starring with almost every jam band in existence, like Gov't Mule and the Allman Brothers.
   
   The total music time is 90 minutes. Song selection is good, but not perfect. I don't know why more music was included. Maybe they didn't have quality tapes for the other songs?
   
   The biggest frustration is the treatment of Glad. On this product (both CD and DVD side) it fades out before going on to Freedom Rider. It is even worse on the DVD concert, where it is abruptly cut.
   
   THE DVD CONCERT VERSION OF THIS MUSIC HAS ITS OWN PROBLEMS. This also sold as a DVD concert. The DVD comes with a worthless 15 minute bonus CD of Winwood playing around in the studio. The DVD does have concert video, so if you really want to see what they look like, playing the songs, then you might want to get the DVD concert. However, it is poorly produced, filmed and edited. Plus, it has annoying breaks between the songs showing behind the scenes footage.
   
   It is hard to believe that a major record company would put out a product with so many problems. But then, Sony is the one that brought you the famous spyware that can leave you computer open to hackers. With the spyware incident and the mess with this product, Sony may surpass BMG as the worst major record company. You have to really careful what you buy from BMG. They constantly repackage old material and try to sell it as new.

5 comments about Steal Your Face!.

1. This purchase was to replace an old, long-lost copy. I've always liked their studio-produced stuff, much to the chagrin of some more serious aficionados. Every once in a while it's nice to hear a nice crisp rendition than to have to pore over tons of bootlegs to find just the one.



2. Even during my years as a music critic for PlainSpeak magazine, I never
   did a review for a Dead album. Too many irrational rabid fans I guess,
   I mean I have seen them from Philly to Santa Fe, I did a tour following
   them in a western sweep, but maybe too much of a sacred cow? This is one
   of those CD's that seemed to get better the farther you got away from the
   issue date of 1974. Maybe like fine French champagne, or maybe it was
   the band I was doing sound and lights for at the time, Crossfire, who
   never rose above the college, outdoor concert arena, played some of
   the cuts from this album, and I kinda started to like them, crave them
   is more like it, that I bought the CD, I had owned the album at one time,
   but because it did not give me what I wanted from the Dead at the time it
   went by the wayside. It is like a post card from the Dead saying high
   there, even though we are in an experimental phase of long space jams
   at the moment, we still love you. Or now it seems like that to me now.
   This is after a wildly Gonzo, mispent, well extended youth. But this
   CD is a Dead CD, and it is not a rehash, or a compilation of former work,
   no matter what win, loose, or draw this is a Grateful Dead CD, accept
   no substitutes.



3. This album never should have seen the light of day. If you're trying to turn on a friend to the Dead, nothing will turn him/her off more than this mess. Most of the Dead bootlegs I've collected have better sound quality than "Steal Your Face." Which is too bad, since, underneath the muffled, muddy tracks, you get hints of performances that must have sounded great at Winterland. The "Wall of Sound" PA system (which was retired after these Winterland shows) was capable of incredibly clear delivery, even at very high volume (I sat in front of it when the Dead played in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1974). The only good thing about this album is the cover -- probably the most enduring of the Dead's logos.



4. While many people will go out of their way to tell you that this is a terrible album, the truth is that they're are some very good performances on it. I have several different versions of it on cd. The first, is a version made in W. Germany on the Line label which sounds more like the original lp version than the american versions. Both have different strenghts and weaknesses. Now as far as the album itself. The sound quality on this is quite different than on the others released by the band and that's part of what gives this album a rather different sound. The opening Promised Land rocks pretty well with Mickey putting his only guest appearence on the record. Cold, Rain and Snow is a nice choice and given that this is the only one of '74 it's a pretty cool pick. Around And Around is actually played with more fire than some of the other versions out there. Stella Blue is hypnotic and comes across sounding unlike any other version out there. Mississippi Half Step really illistrates the differences between the two different cd versions. On the import(as well as the lp)near the end during the beginning of the "across the rio-grandio" verse Bob strums this cool guitar riff and Jerry, Bob and Donna come in with this beautiful vocal harmony. On the US cd versions Bob's voice is pushed into the back and Donna's voice is raised to loud. Next up, a beautiful Ship Of Fools. Beat It On Down The Line comes across better on the US release as both the original lp and import cd release has Phil's voice mixed out. Big River is pretty good. Black Throated Wind brings back memories of the '72-'74 era. US Blues is a good rocker and is the one used in the Grateful Dead Movie. El Paso is weak for this era as was Beat It On Down The Line. Sugaree is strong and is a good example why this was used as bonus material on the Grateful Dead Movie DVD. It Must Have Been The Roses is very pretty. The closing Casey Jones is the one used in the Movie again. All in all, not a bad release and there are worse ones out there.



5. I never understood why people called this "steal your money." This has always been my favorite dead release. I'm a keith fan, and he has to be in the mix for me to be happy. He is at the forefront on this collection and his interplay with Garcia is noteworthy. Yes, there are no extended jams and mostly set one material but the set two material from these same nights is plentiful in the Grateful Dead Movie releases. I actually love the imperfections in the sound on this recording. It really makes me feel as if I'm there. (I also prefer Garcia's mix on the GD movie rather than the new mix.) Keith, you are my GD MVP! If you only own one GD CD this should be it.

5 comments about Live at the BBC.

1. this is a great collection of classic yardbirds. on some of the songs, the guitars are somewhat muddy, but other than that, it's a timeless piece of rock history. too much monkey buisness is mindblowing, jeffs guitarwork is great. On little games, i think that there was too much reverb as opposed to the studio version. regardless, this is a great collection of live recordings. i don't know if this would be a good first yardbirds cd, but it's deffinately essential.



2. Depending on your taste,this just may be the best BBC collection of tunes ever released.Recorded during several of the band's appearances on the BBC between 1965-68.A total of 26 tracks,with 20 featuring Jeff Beck and 6 featuring Jimmy Page.Sorry,no Clapton.'...BBC' has an excellent choice of tunes,including slightly different versions of "I Ain't Got You","I Wish You Would",their signature song "Heart Full Of Soul",the foot-stomping "I'm A Man","Evil Hearted You","Train Kept A Rollin'" any my ultimate Yardbirds favorite "Over,Under,Sideways,Down".Only downside of 'BBC...' is the announcer yapping between every single tune.Someone maybe should've edited at least some of that out.I would still highly recommend this CD.



3. That's right, this is the greatest BBC album by any rock band ever, and not just because it contains a whopping 26 songs. It epitomizes the Beck-era Yardbirds better than any other album. We have 20 tracks with Jeff and 6 with Jimmy Page. I'll say that at least 90% of these songs are killer, with the exception of a few duds ("Baby Scratch My Back", "Hang On Sloopy").
   The earliest session here was recorded just weeks after Jeff joined the band in March of '65. Incidentally, the liner notes say that there was a session with Clapton recorded in '64, but it mysteriously got 'lost'. Anyway, "I Ain't Got You", "For Your Love" and "I'm Not Talkin'" are all outstanding bluesy jams that are very concise and to-the-point. That riff on "I'm Not Talkin'" is a killer, too. Equally impressive is "I Ain't Done Wrong", a shattering blues tune fuelled by the explosive rhythm section of Samwell-Smith and McCarty. And check out the way that they speed things up and go crazy in the middle of the song. Unbelievable.
   But the one that really steals the show is the totally scorching version of "Too Much Monkey Business", in which Jeff manages to create a solo that defines the term 'rock 'n roll', electrifying the phrases in a way that leaves poor ol' Chuck Berry in the dust. And it's even better than the version that they recorded with Clapton on FIVE LIVE YARDBIRDS.
   The Yardbirds also do a country song here, "Love Me Like I Love You", which is good. But after all, it's country, so don't expect a whole lot of fire and intensity. Then there's your basic blues standards like "I'm A Man", "Smokestack Lightning" and "Train Kept A-Rollin'", all of which are pretty good. However, their cover of The McCoys' "Hang On Sloopy" is a real disappointment. Same goes for "Baby Scratch My Back", in which Relf sounds like he's making up the corny lyrics right there on the spot. Good guitar work from Jeff though. Speaking of which, there's "The Sun Is Shining", which contains the most breath-taking slide guitar that I've ever heard in my life, courtesy of Mr. Beck. To say that it amazes me is to say nothing. And I think that Beck even sings it, too, but I'm not certain. The Elmore James chestnut "Dust My Broom" is given a stunning treatment here, with some POUNDING bass and Relf delivering some marvelous harmonica. And once again, Beck is totally amazing! Too bad that none of the old blues masters ever played with that kind of power and intensity.
   The Page sessions are equally excellent. The cover of Dylan's "Most Likely You'll Go Your Way" is wonderful, and Relf's voice here even sounds a lot like Dylan's, believe it or not. "Little Games" is simply too awesome for me to express in words. I mean it! I don't know what it is about this song that hypnotizes me and fills me with rapture. The mammoth bass, Page's fuzz-drenched guitar and Relf's lyrics about growing up and throwing away his toys are simply incredible. "Drinking Muddy Water", the band's re-working of "Rollin' And Tumblin'", is blues excellence. "Think About It" has one of the most addictive choruses that I've ever heard, but Page's timid solo is total crap and ultimately goes nowhere. However, that is not the case on "Goodnight Sweet Josephine", in which he delivers one of his best solos ever, along with those oh so wonderful vocals. And "My Baby" is basically just average.

   So this CD is definitely worth buying for any guitar lover, or any lover of great music in general. It is timeless.




4. This c.d. collects performances the Yardbirds recorded for BBC radio programs between 1965 and 1968, and features mainly the Jeff Beck line-up, and concludes with six numbers from the Jimmy Page line-up. It's not just of historical interest for serious Yardbirds fans -- there's lots of great performances here, along with versions of songs signficantly different from previously available versions, and a few numbers that are only available on this collection (or other versions of this collection). There are other c.d.'s that have these recordings, but I like this one because it preserves the original interviews aired with these performances, which provide some insight into the group, as well as humor and a good mid/mod 60's vibe.

   As far as the music, Beck sounds a little tenuous on his first session, and he apparently left his fuzzbox at home, so we get a jangly version of "I'm not talking" completely unlike the proto-metal studio version. Beck's soloing is sharper(and louder!) on subsequent classics like "Shapes of things," "Over, under, sideways, down" and "You're a better man than I," and especially on "Too much monkey business" (dig those descending runs!). You also get a fair number of reworkings of some of their "Roger the Engineer" era songs with different lyrics. Page's first appearance is as a session bassist on "Smokestack Lightning." If you listen closely, you'll notice that the bass line he plays is the riff that became the basis for Led Zep's "How many more times"! After Page takes over the lead guitar duties, you get a pretty good Dylan cover, an energetic, thrilling version of "Little games" and a slow, spooky version of "Think about it," the Page-era Yardbirds' best rocker, which features a solo Page would later use for "Dazed and confused." Speaking of "Dazed and confused," (or "I'm confused") supposedly a BBC version of this song exists but it's not on here. Also missing is a second version of "Shapes of Things" that is present on other releases of the Yardbirds' BBC material. Otherwise, this is the stuff!




5. Although this wonderful collection of BBC Yardbirds recordings is more for the collector than the novice fan, it wouldn't do anyone harm to check it out, especially if you dig sixties rock. The Yardbirds were innovators on many levels, not least the development of the electric guitar, and what makes this compilation so fascinating is how it allows the listener to follow their development from a daredevil R&B band to psychedelic pioneers. As the band never recorded for the Beeb with Clapton in the lineup, the CD kicks off with Jeff Beck on lead guitar. The versions of "For Your Love", "Heart Full of Soul," "Evil Hearted You," "Still I'm Sad" and "Over Under Sideways Down" aren't too different from the records (although the sound quality is much worse), but Beck lets rip on a sizzling version of "Too Much Monkey Business" that puts the cut on FIVE LIVE to shame. Plus, you can't argue with two different takes of the almighty "Shapes of Things." Beck also sparkles on "Train Kept A Rollin'," "I'm Not Talking" and "The Sun Is Shining," although his lead vocal on the latter is fairly lame. Keith Relf dominates the cavalry charge romps through "I Wish You Would" and "I'm A Man" with his breathless vocals and surging harmonica, and the band as a whole sounds tight and committed. Jimmy Page shows up on the last six tracks, though sadly his and Beck's dual guitar strut through the awesome "Happenings 10 Years Time Ago" was not recorded for the Beeb. Page's sloppy playing on "Little Games" actually gives the flimsy song a much needed edge. This fire of the band's four-piece lineup is captured best burning through "Drinking Muddy Water" and "Think About It." "Goodnight Sweet Josephine" is pap that doesn't improve in a live setting and "My Baby" is a capable version of the Garnett Mimms classic with a strong Relf vocal. One oddity is the Yardbirds' au go go interpretation of Dylan's "Most Likely You Go Your Way", with Page jangling away on the 12-string. My only real quibble with this set is the band's BBC recording of "Dazed and Confused" was inexplicably omitted. Instead there's a slew of archival interviews that range from intriguing (comments from Relf and Samwell-Smith) to embarassing (someone should have cut Brian Matthew's condescending joke intro to "You're A Better Man Than I"). Ira Robbins' liner notes are adequate, but his prose lacks the joie de vivre of Parke Puterbaugh, much less Cub Koda. No pictures either. In summary, this is a dignfied presentation of a great period in time when you (well, British fans) could hear great rock bands perform live on the radio. It's not as bracing as Hendrix's magnificent RADIO ONE, but it's certainly more comprehensive than the BBC sets from the Who or the Beatles.

5 comments about Dick's Picks, Vol. 18: Dane County Coliseum, Madison, WI, 2/3/78 & Uni Dome, Univeristy of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA, 2/5/78.

1. I HAVE WELL OVER HALF OF THE PICKS SERIES AND I HAVE TO SAY THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST. THE ONLY BETTER ONES I HAVE ARE #'S 10 ,12, AND 34. I LOVE THE SOUND OF THESE 3 DISC'S. DICK'S PICKS # 14 IS THE WORST SOUNDING OF ALL THE ONES I HAVE BUT THIS ONE IS RIGHT UP THERE WITH ANYTHING THEY RECORDED. I 'M NOT REAL BIG ON LONG REVIEWS BUT IF YOUR A FAN OF 1978 DEAD THEN GET THIS. THE OTHER REVIEWS WILL TELL YOU ALL ABOUT THIS PICK AND THE ONLY KNOCK I SEE ON IT FROM SOMEONE ELSE IS THAT JERRY'S GUITAR SOUNDS THIN AND TINNY BUT I DON'T AGREE AT ALL, IN FACT I THINK IT SOUNDS BETTER ON THESE DISCS THAN ANYTHING THEY HAVE PUT OUT !!! I PROBABLY WON'T BE BUYING ANYMORE PICKS BUT IF I WERE YOU AND YOU WERE STARTING A COLLECTION PUT THIS ONE IN YOUR TOP 5 !!! OH YEAH, HOW COME YOU CAN'T FIND DICK'S PICKS # 34 ON AMAZON ANYWHERE? THAT IS A REALLY GREAT PICK BUT I'VE LOOKED, HOPING TO SEE SOME REVIEWS ON IT BUT IT IS NOT TO BE FOUND. CAN ANYONE AGREE WITH ME THAT THIS IS A TOP 2 PICK ? THANKS STEVE DOWELL



2. Loud and festive! The boys came out smoking and wailed nicely. Good clean sound also.



3. Bad News and Good News
   
   First, the bad news: I'm not a huge fan of the setlist. The Wheel, All over now, Playin'? Eh. Really Bland songs. Also, Jerry forgets a lot of the words. I can't believe he left out the entire last stanza of "Scarlet Begonias", which concludes the whole story. I grudgingly sing it myself every time I listen to it.
   
   Now the good news.
   The Scarlet>Fire saved my soul. I kid you not. I was an atheist my entire life and listening to this album's Scarlet>Fire (along with a bunch of other stuff in my life) somehow proved to me God. There cannot be such musical beauty in existence without Love from On High. I listened to it nearly every single day of July 06 and August 06. Cures all ills, the jamming alone, no words needed. Jesus loves Jerry.
   
   Additionally, Eyes and Prophet are hot. Bertha's jam is beautiful. Truckin is not as good as in DP1, but is good for running & such because it is a heavy hitter. Wharf Rat is also a sweet, sweet closer.
   
   In short, this album's Scarlet > Fire obliterates all the album's other flaws. You will not find a more soulful, entire-human-experience-summarizing 29 minutes as the DP 18 Scarlet > Fire.
   
   Signed, Charles Payson Frederick



4. First of all, This release is NOT from two shows but rather three. The recording dates are 2/3,4&5/78. This is a pretty good collection of songs including most of the highlights from all three. Cold, Rain and Snow, Passenger, and Dupree's are standouts on the first disc. It's a shame they cut Ship Of Fools and the short drums segment off the second disc. Still, disc two is about as good as it gets. On disc three Scarlet -> Fire is one of the best ever and the Truckin' jam is just as great.



5. 1978 wasn't the strongest year for the Dead. Sure, everyone's heard about May 77, Europe 72, and 73-74. There's plenty of DP from those tours.
   
   This collection taken from a few nights, and is as exciting as it gets. The scarlet->fire is one of the best, easily among my 2-3 favorites. But, all the other music is great too. And, in this collection, the shorter tunes are nicely done as well. I love the Cold Rain and Snow, and the Trickin' jam is a blast.
   
   One of my favorite Dick's Picks.

2 comments about Live May 11, 1968.

1. The studio albums are a interesting but tame. THIS, however, will blow your doors off. Thundering organ, wailing vocals, cataclysmic drums... In my opinion this beats Big Brother and Jefferson Airplane.



2. The H.P. Lovecraft were one of the truly acid-soaked bands of the late sixties. Not in it to commercially benefit from the popularity of psychedlia at the time, but simply tripping, their way through their music. Luckily H.P. Lovecraft consisted of good diciplined muscians, which prevented their music from turning into complete chaos during live-performances. With this album they proved to be able to recreate their trippy studio-sound on stage. It's great stuff to (if you allow it) be taking on a trip by, though watch out for some dark paths they take here and there. This creepy dark aspect reminds me of the Doors. Fortunately, they have a self-assured, upbeat Santana-like jam-quality, to compensate this. Spicy stuff!

5 comments about Live at Wembley '86.

1. I watched the DVD of the concert and was BLOWN AWAY! This CD will not disappoint, and it is much much much more than the commercially successful songs from the US.
   The opening One Vision send chills through my body, and Mercury's skat singing on another one bites the dust made the song even better. I bought 3 copies to give to friends of mine that were Queen fans. It's that good.



2. This is a great Queen concert CD!!! Maybe not as good as Live Killers,but still a great 2 CD set!!! It's the same exact concert that's on the stellar 2 DVD Queen Live At Wembley Stadium by the way!!! A great live cd set for the Queen fan!!!



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



4. This double CD set features a Queen concert recorded in July, 1986 in England. Queen was not popular in the US anymore by this point, but they were still enormously popular in most of the rest of the world, so much so that they were able to fill a football(soccer) stadium. The concert lasts one hour and 50 minutes. It is a good concert, but not Queen at their best. Freddie Mercury's voice was not what it used to be, due to years of smoking. Sometimes he doesn't bother to sing at all, and lets the audience sing the lyrics, which must have been fun for the people in the audience, but isn't much fun for us. But it's still a pretty good concert, and Queen fans should enjoy it.



5. If you see my reviews you will discover I like classical music but also a bit of other genres. So for a "classical" like me it is more difficult to appretiate this type of music. An among all rock artists two gems arise above the surface: Beatles and Queen. I mean: many people are not "hard" rock fans. Tell someone who listens just the radio and the hits of the moment to remember something of the stones? Forgive my ignorance but ... will he or she? Then begin to sing he or she "friends to be friends", "love of my life" , "Bohemian Rapsody" or "We are the champions" and surely will remember. For Queen had that unique sense of artistry that made them classics: melody, variety, personality, and trascendence (I still am amazed at the vocal complexity of Bohemian rapsody, coming from a non-classical composer).
   What we have here? their last great concert on CD. Perhaps not in best form (Mercury it is not in his vocal prime) but you will listen here to
   1- the frisson of a live concert, like other live albums
   2- the great benefit is that is a later product than "Live at the Bowl" or "live killers" so you have here all the great hits in a live recital (of course "show must go on" was not composed yet).
   To sum up: for Queen fans it is a matter of dispute if it is their best or not; for the begginner like me simply THE way to introduce oneself to Queen (or perhaps Rock) universe.