5 comments about Bowie at the Beeb: The Best of the BBC Radio Sessions.

1. David Bowie-Bowie At The Beeb ****
   
   
   For die hard David Bowie fans this is in as few words as possible a must have and a treasure. This is a incredible collection of David Bowie during the late 1960's to about 1972. This are all performances of Bowie at BBC in England. This three disc set is different then the other collection which only contains the first two discs.
   
   The first disc is a collection of songs that the average listener would not recognize as David Bowie songs. Some of the performances on this disc are uncomfortable as the range of styles is all over the board showing weakness that Bowie rarely shows. Highlights from the disc include 'In The Heat Of The Morning' 'Bombers' and the Hunky Dory featured 'Kooks.' But over all Bowie feels awkward during these performances like he had not yet found his skin.
   
   The second disc is the real gem in the collection. This is made up of material from Bowie's Hunky Dory and The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars. This is a great collection of music on this disc as it overs new and different takes on classic songs from Bowie's canon of music. Mick Ronson really shines during these performances. The whole disc is a real treat.
   
   The last disc only appears on only this version of Bowie At The Beeb. this is a performance from 2000 showcasing Bowie showing his age which is something we never expected from him. For one he still looks 25, and acts it but on stage now he doesn't hardly move and performs as if he is giving a speech. The performances sound great but you can tell, not to sound to cliche, that Bowie didnt really leave a pint of blood on the stage. Though 'Im Affraid Of Americans' 'Always Crashing In The Same Car' and 'Fame' are performed fantastically.
   
   Bowie At The Beeb is an interesting find if you can find it, it is worth the price but really only if you are a serious David Bowie fan.



2. `Beeb' is a British affectation for the BBC, the state-run media which plans (or planned) all television and radio for Great Britain. Bowie was around when the BBC was implementing its 4-station radio broadcasting, and he became one of the first guests in early 1968. BBC rules were strange and archaic by American standards, insisting that pre-recorded music represent only a fraction of airtime, the point being that this would provide employment for professional musicians. So it was that David Bowie appeared with a crew of musicians to perform his songs live a number of times over a four-year period.
   I'm a very big fan of Bowie's early work (reference my review of Images 1966-1967 if you're interested), but the earliest sessions on this collection are the least fulfilling. Disk one holds interest to Bowie-philes for historic reasons, but it is disk two that presents the artist in full flight. Working with Mick Ronson, his Ziggy Stardust-era songs shine brilliantly here, in some cases rivaling the album versions. "Hang On to Yourself," "Suffragette City," and "Ziggy Stardust" all rock with authority and grace. "Queen Bitch" has more energy than the version on Hunky Dory, while the songwriting brilliance of songs like "Changes" and "Oh You Pretty Things" come through loud and clear. Most telling are the two Velvet Underground songs performed here. Both "White Light/White Heat" and "Waiting For My Man" are definitive, surpassing all Bowie versions that were previously available and perhaps even surpassing Lou Reed's original versions.
   For those of you who are lucky enough to find it, a limited edition of this package comes with an extra disk of Bowie performing live at the BBC radio theatre in June of 2000. Search it out! The extra disk is extraordinary, featuring some of the best live Bowie ever recorded. The band is phenomenal, playing each song to perfection without sacrificing any energy. This version of "Stay" blew me away, forcing me to recognize the sheer funky power of this band. Just as mind-boggling are the versions of "Fame" (a new, `improved' version!), "Absolute Beginners" and "Man Who Sold the World". Every track on this extra disk is exceptional, making it an absolute must for even casual fans of David Bowie. A- Tom Ryan



3. David Bowie is indisputibally on of the most talented artists in music ever. His songwriting is always at a peak, and was always excellent in his early days, and that is proved on this fantastic collection from the BBC. All live, but you wouldn't know it because it's sounds as clear as his studio recordings. And how about those lyrics? Bowie is so inventive, and he's never gotten the due he's deserved. Look at the amount of work he's accomplished, and look how good he can still be; even better than most. He's amazing. One listen to this collection and you'll realize he's amazing too, i hope. If you're still in doubt listen to all of ziggy stardust, but trust me you'll love it.



4. CD2 - The first CD could be a symphony of (flatus) and I'd still give this 5 stars for the nearly immaculate performances on the second disk. In particular, "Hang Onto Yourself" (track 3), "White Light/White Heat," and "Suffregette City" (featuring Mick Ronson making this totally hot kissing noise with his guitar)crackle with energy. It is truly a thrill to hear these old favorites in such a new (as such) and exciting light. Bowie and Co. burn down the BBC studios. Repeatedly. Any rock fan (but especially an old Bowie fan, of course) is likely to meltdown in ecstacy upon hearing this.
   
   CD1 - Many hardcore fans will surely (sweet milk) over CD1 as well although I'm not personally crazy about all of it. Some of David's early Brittish folk period is represented which can be a bit hippy-dippy at times. The first 4 tracks, recorded in May of '68, fit that description although they do feature brilliant in-studio orchestral accompaniment.
   
   Much of CD1 does in fact rock. "Let Me Sleep Beside You" and "Janine" are very good, easy-going rockers recorded with Junior's Eyes who had a short-lived collaboration with Bowie and the session was never broadcast. Bowie delivers a stunning solo performance of Jacques Brel's "Port of Amsterdam" (vocal and guitar). The same session shows off Mick Ronson just a few days after hooking up with Bowie for the first time. They perform an intriguing, half-written version of "Width of a Circle." Ronson really cuts loose on "Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed" and "Cygnet Committee" is positively intense. Some studio hum can be heard on the session, an atmospheric reminder of the electric nature of these proceedings (that may or may not appeal to the listener). "Memory of a Free Festival" had sadly been edited for time and remains so.
   
   Recorded in June of '71, the last session on CD1 features all of the future Spiders From Mars as well as some friends on vocals and guitarist Mark Carr-Pritchard who played for a phantom Bowie project called Arnold Corns. Early embryonic versions of "Moonage Daydream" and "Hang Onto Yourself" were recorded and released under that name. The group stomps through "Bombers," a rare HUNKY DORY-era cut that sounds better (and less cheesy) than the studio version which I have as a bonus cut from the RYCODISK release of HUNKY DORY. "Looking For A Friend" is a country-ish, Stones-y rocker and they also turn in a rousing cover of Chuck Berry's "Almost Grown." And Bowie performs "Kooks" solo on vocal and guitar which he had just written for newborn son Zowie.
   
   Note: Those concerned about excessive voice-overs from BBC radio hosts (like the ones that marred the Jimmy Hendrix BBC release) can relax. There's very little talking over the songs and quite a bit of interesting Bowie banter on CD1. CD2 has nothing but back-to-back songs. Tracks begin with actual songs, not the preceeding dialogue.
   
   Bonus Disk (June 27, 2002 live at BBC Radio Theatre) - ****1/2 Excellent line-up (Earl Slick, Mike Garson), great choice of songs, Bowie in top form. Still, something's missing. A little too slick and professional, maybe? But this is great stuff. "Seven" comes off really well. "Always Crashing In The Same Car" is excellent and much more organic than the album version. The studio wizardry of "Little Wonder" and "Hallo Spaceboy" is expertly reproduced. This album takes on more definition with repeated listens and sounds better over time too. (Many live recordings can initially sound "same-y" from song to song due to same background vocalists, etc.)
   
   We can probably thank Kurt Cobain for reviving Bowie's interest in the post-apocalyptic "Man Who Sold The World," wonderfully played here. "Fame" is vamped-up with a slightly altered rhythm, still funky as ever. "Stay" rocks out. And on the final cut, "Let's Dance" is reimagined as a Carribean breeze before, suddenly, the beat kicks in and the audience "trembles like a flower."
   
   This entire package is most worthy. Highly recommended!



5. I rarely listen to this although having said that I have been listening to it a lot more recently. The fact is is that this is a hard thing to recommend. You might not have some of the songs that are on here and for that you might want to top up. I bought it as an overview of Bowie's earlyish career ( I'm not going anywhere near The Laughing Gnome ). Which in hindsight was probably a bit of a mistake but I wouldn't buy this album if it didn't have the extra CD - call me banal if you will but that's what happens when you have collector tendancies in you!

   Bowie's early stuff ( pre-Ziggy ) sounds anodyne and twee. The conversations you hear on the CD make Bowie seem genuinely nervous but pleasantly friendly. Of course he might not do one song " because to do it would be possibly over everyone's budget." You could take that as nerves if you will but this is the BBC we're talking about. Their budgets at the time were not astronomical.

   I've said this before that when you see " Live At The BBC " it doesn't really mean it's really *live* if you've ever heard BBC radio presenters like John " that was quite tasty " Peel or any others you'll know that they say " and we have [musician's name] here live in the studio." It's in a studio and it will never give you a live feel for the songs. It's just BBC engineers working on Bowie's songs and in return you could I suppose think of them as session outtakes from his album. But one thing should be made clear - if you haven't got Bowie's version of Jacques Brel's Amsterdam, this is where you can get it. It's passion almost matches Le Grand Jacques in it's intensity

   As the second CD moves and the classics come in you begin to think " this is more like it " and Bowie seems more at ease with everything. Notice his covers of White Light/White Heat ( " make me sound like Lou Reed ")

   Now the third CD becomes even more sprawling since it tries to fill in all the places that the first two CDs left out. And it's not always a winner. Little Wonder and I'm Afraid of Americans are terrible songs but actually sound better than what they sounded like on their original album. Still doesn't make it good but at least you can probably tolerate it this time. But overall it didn't capture the gig very well since I saw this on TV when I was 15 and I thought the gig was fantastic. Bowie really had them going ( but then that was to be expected right? ), the CD just doesn't capture the songs well and though I like nearly all of the songs, it lacks the cohesion that the show actually had. Still, for the money I paid for this it's not too bad. But then, there's always a nagging feeling that it could be improved but whatever about that, the sheer amount of material you have here you can be somewhat happy if you want to buy this.....of course that is if you are a diehard fan. If you're not - try figuring out which compilation you want to get of Bowie. There's a lot of them around!

4 comments about Fleetwood Mac - Live in London 68 CD.

1. Let's go : Jeremy plays slide and sings "Got to move".Here are the Macs at the beginning of their saga.But the audio quality is terrible.Listen to "Shrine" , "The complete Boston Tea Party" or "Fleetwood Mac in Chicago" .Supernaturals.



2. This is one of the first ever live recordings of Fleetwood Mac, back when they were mainly the blues, along with Cream, Alexis Korner, early Black Sabbath, and John Mayall (Mac is basically a Bluesbreakers spinoff). It was a different animal from the lineup you can now hear on the oldies station. This album is mainly blues covers, including one of Elmore James, an early influence on Peter Green. Some of these were never done in the studio by the band, so this is one for the hardcore fans.
   The sound quality is not all that great, like the others said, but this was forty years ago, and they also probably didn't have a large budget for what would be hi-tech for that day. Maybe this was recorded for release but maybe Blue Horizon didn't think they were ready for their own live release (though they shared a couple with other blues acts).
   Two photos in the liner notes are from 1970 with Danny Kirwan cut out, as he didn't join the band until a few months after this show. The one on the back is more of the first year of the band's existance, if you get this edition. This album has been reissued a number of times, with different covers and names, and is usually a budget item like this. This is more of a gray area release. It's not a bootleg, yet it's apparently not an official release either approved by the band.



3. There is some wonderful blues here, particularly the slower numbers.
   
   Unfortunately, the sound is appalling. It's missing both the treble and bass, and the mid-range is indistinct and distorted. The concert sounds like it was recorded on a portable cassette deck using the built-in microphone, an impression enhanced by the audience reactions, which come over more clearly than the music. The poor sound detracts so heavily from the playing that the result is virtually unlistenable.
   
   Leave this one alone.
   
   [Note, there is also an album (GFS305) entitled "Fleetwood Mac: The Dream". It contains the same recording of this concert, but presented in a different order and doesn't mention that it's a live recording.]



4. i am a big fan of the peter green era mac. the souind quality of this cd is terrible. its to bad because the selections on this cd are terrific songs. stick with shine69 ,boston blues or boston tea party cds for excellent live mac of this period.

5 comments about King Biscuit Flower Hour.

1. Foghat Live is absolutely one of the quintessential live albums of all time. HOWEVER, this King Biscuit disc includes all of the songs on Live (except one), with the recorded performances being as good or better ... AND ... you get a lot more material. The original live album is a little short, while the King Biscuit disc makes this the perfect album to complete your Foghat requirement (only the hardcore need to go off and re-buy all the studio albums).
   
   Bottom line: A great album that even exceeds the formidable 'Live' album released so long ago. Get it.



2. Although 1977's FOGHAT LIVE remains the definitive live document of Foghat, this CD is also exceptional. It features shows from 1974 and 1976, plus an interview with the band. You must add this album to your Foghat library if you haven't already done so.



3. A true hard rock classic!Recorded live sometime in 1976 plus with a couple of tracks from 1974.Great sound quality.You cannot go wrong here.So many memories were made with these songs(and kids,too)I'm sure.Tracks you'll most likely find yourself playing over until your CD player requires a good cleaning are the scorching opener "Fool For The City","My Babe",the ten-minute "Slow Ride","Eight Days On The Road" and "I Just Want To Make Love To You".Plus,the nine-minute interview is interesting to check out.



4. Foghat's King Biscuit Flower Hour release should definitely be anyone's live Foghat CD of choice. It's an awesome show, and the band is on fire. The highlights of this CD are awesome, killer versions of Slow Ride and I Just Want To Make Love To You, both clocking in at over ten minutes. Rod Price's slide guitar on these songs is just amazing. Sound quality is very good and there are informative liner notes. This is definitely worth owning for fans of the group or hard rock/blues rock in general.



5. First of all I have to say that FOGHAT was an excellent band (studio AND live) in the 70's, and I'm right sick of hearing about how they were just some "arena" act. This band knew the blues to it's CORE! FOGHAT took the blues to it's hard rock peak and should be recognized as one of the great rock bands of all time. I also believe that ROD PRICE is the most underrated & under appreciated SLIDE guitar player in the history of rock n roll.

   Of course their live shows were awesome and full of energy. After 20+ years of living with the sterile, commercially restrained "LIVE" album from 1977, this KING BISCUIT live cd came as a GODSEND to the people who know what this band was REALLY like, in a live setting!

   The CD features 6 tracks from the NIGHT SHIFT tour of 1976, plus 3 ESSENTIAL live versions of "HOME IN MY HAND", "EIGHT DAYS ON THE ROAD" and "I JUST WANT TO MAKE LOVE TO YOU" from 1974. The latter featuring a rave-up intro by Lonesome Dave. It includes a line that you'd NEVER hear on the "commercially safe" LIVE album; goes a little something like.. "I Don't want your money, no I don't want your money... I SAID I DON'T WANT YOUR F*#!*&! MONEY!!( The "Live" album leaves out the F*#!*&!) The inclusion of the "F*#!*&!" just adds a little passion and "arse kickin" attitude into an already GREAT live CD.

   There's also the bonus interview track; a portion of an interview with Lonesome Dave concerning Foghat's approach to their live shows. The track is 9 1/2 minutes long, but because of Dave's slow explanation, he only hits on about 3 or 4 points. It's still a somewhat interesting interview though and it's always great to hear insight from the artist.

   Overall, this is an OUTSTANDING live release. If you're a FOGHAT fan, RUN don't WALK to buy this CD! Trust me, you've been waitng nearly 24 years to own a REAL live album from this excellent band.

   I wish that there was a "part two" available that featured other great FOGHAT songs like the foot stomping "TERRAPLANE BLUES", "HIGHWAY (KILLING ME)" or "MAYBELLINE", which is the best send up of the Chuck Berry classic ever put to tape.

   p.s Someone below stated that FOGHAT was "THE" live attraction of 1976. Although I definately think they were one of the very best, I believe that KISS would more accurately hold that title.

5 comments about Absent Lovers: Live in Montreal 1984.

1. I've started collecting live cds of the more recent iterations of King Crimson, and right now this is my favorite for the 80's lineup (Fripp, Bellew, Bruford, Levine). This recording captured the last concert they performed in Montreal, 1984 before breaking up. The sound quality is excellent, the performance is consistently brilliant.
   
   The first disc is an enhanced cd with a somewhat interesting KC catalog. The liner notes are, well the liner notes are Fripp, rambling at best, but full of interesting tidbits for the King Crimson fan.
   
   I'd highly recommend this for budding Crimheads, and those wishing to add to their collection of live KC.



2. This show is the last one by the 1980's incarnation of the band. I really like this show although I do think they played a tad better on this tour. I saw them in Berkeley and LA on this tour and they were great. The first three songs on here all flow in and out of each other very well. Starting with the improv:Entry Of The Crims starting with Bob, Ade and Tony. Bill comes in near the end and Bob starts with the opening to Larks Tongues In Aspic Part 3. This is the 80's lineup at the top of their game, fast tight and intrecate. As this ends, Ade starts banging out the chords to Thela Hun Ginjeet which is played so fast it must have sent at least 300 dancers to the hospital that night. Next up is the instrumental Red. The 80's lineup of this band did such a wonderful job on this song. The pretty Matti Kudasai which is really a wonderful love song and a nice change of pace from what has come before. Next are three songs from the band's then newest Three Of A Perfect Pair. Industry, Dig Me and Three Of A Perfect Pair followed by Indiscipline. The second half starts with the Beat song Sartori In Tangier and then another Discipline song Frame By Frame. The band then returns to the new album with a nice Man With An Open Heart. This is followed by one of Beat's best songs Waiting Man. Followed by the song that was the new single Sleepless. I like what the 80's lineup also does with Larks Tongues In Aspic Part 2. Like in their versions of Red this lineup gives new life to this song. Discipline is nice. The band ends the show with probably this lineup's two most known songs Heartbeat and Elephant Talk. All in all, worth every penny.



3. This has got to be one of the GREATEST archive releases I have ever heard along with the Who's 'Live at the Isle of Wight 1970'. This got me into the 80's incarnation of Crims and almost immediately made Adrian Belew my favorite vocalist for the band (although it is a difficult to say because Lake was probably the best vocalist, Wetton sings on my favorite album, 'Red', and Belew is probably my favorite vocalist).
   
   The track selection here is great. Aside from the opening improv 'Entry of the Crims', all of the songs are amazing. For those of you that like old-school Crims, there's the instrumentals 'Red' and a sped-up 'Larks Tongues in Aspic Part II'. For those that like 80's Crimson atonality, there's 'Indiscipline', 'Dig Me', and the instrumental 'Industry'. For those that like tight instrumentals, there's 'Sartori in Tangier', 'Larks Tongues in Apsic Part III', and 'Discipline'. And for everyone else, there's the groovy 'Thela Hun Ginjeet' and 'Heartbeat', the Genesis-like 'Man With an Open Heart', the classic 'Elephant Talk', the almost frightening 'Sleepless', the slowed down 'Frame by Frame', the cryptic 'Waiting Man' and 'Three of a Perfect Pair'. And of course the beautiful 'Matte Kudasai'.
   
   Well, I believe I just covered the whole album. It's certainly the best Crimson live release I've heard (and I've heard alot, 'The Nightwatch', 'USA', 'B'BOOM', 'Epitaph', 'VROOOM VROOOM', and 'Heavy ConstruKCtion') and the one where the tightest playing is. Buy it today.



4. I don't think that this CD quite captures the best of the 1984 tour. This was the last show of the tour. It probably would have been better to take highlights from the tour instead of doing a complete show.
   
   This is the early eighties version of King Crimson. It is really a superstar band with Robert Fripp (of course) and Bill Bruford, along with the great Tony Levin and Adrian Belew.
   
   Each disc is around 52 minutes long. The sound quality is very good, with very little audience noise. There is some talking between some of the tracks by Adrian Belew (Belew became the spokesman for the group; in previous versions of the band, it used to be Fripp). At the end of the second disc, there is a couple of minutes of silence, followed by more Belew talking.
   
   The second disc is also "enhanced". It includes some files you can play on your PC. It is basically advertisements for other CD's. It doesn't work very well.
   
   Overall, this is a very nice concert, with energetic performances. Most of it is like the 3 albums King Crimson put out at the time, Beat, Discipline and Three of a Perfect Pair. There is a lot of Belew's personality put into the songs.
   
   Much of the music contains driving rhythms. Levin on bass and Bruford on drums are more like lead players than a background rhythm section. They pull and drive the band.
   
   My memory of seeing them during this tour (in Berekley) was that they were even more energetic, and more of the concert centered around those driving rhythms. The whole audience was up and dancing and weaving back and forth. It was an unusual sight as the audience bopped up and down perfectly to the rhythms. Also, Belew was a wildman and all over the place. You don't quite get that feeling with this CD set. Maybe this particular concert isn't as good, or maybe you just have to be there.
   
   It is interesting to see Bruford continuing his collaboration with Fripp, being burned a couple of times. He left Yes, at the height of Yes's popularity to join King Crimson in the seventies. But, a few years later, Fripp thought the world was going to end and he disbanded the band.
   
   Adrian Belew has an interesting solo career and has played with many different bands. He had a really interesting stint with Frank Zappa.
   
   Tony Levin is currently puttin out some of the best music around. Check out his Upper Extremeties, or his collaboration with Bruford.



5. The first CD of this final concert by the 80's afrobeat crim starts off a little shaky. There are fudged guitar lines especially during the messy Thela Hun Gingeet and the boys seem a little off. Red and Matte Kudasai are good, but unremarkable. But then comes "Industry", wow. It's worth the price of the cd right there, much darker than the studio version. The Band is warmed up and focused and henceforth Absent Lovers only gets better. "Three of a Perfect Pair" is played with a fire not found on the studio album and Bruford's drumming on "Indicipline" is remarkable. By the time of "Frame By Frame", Crimson are smoking hot, the ensemble playing is other worldly. Fripp plays an amazing solo during Sartori in Tangier, the first song on the second CD. Adrian's guitar solo for "Lark's Tongues in Aspic Part 2" is appropriately insane. The band's interplay on "Discipline" is astounding. "Heartbeat", a song that was never one of my favorites, actually sent chills down my spine. I've never heard a better live version of "Elephant Talk" with Tony's Chapman Stick intro and Fripp's embelishments to the rhythm parts, wow again.
   
   Excepting the first few tunes from CD One, every song sounds better than its studio counterpart. They're more immediate, and the band takes chances. Ultimately the show is a very very good one, the playing and sound quality are excellent. But as another reviewer has said the Simmons electronic drum sound which was so cool at the time (I saw Crim on this and the Discipline tours) has not dated well. Neither has the guitar synth and effects that Robert and Adrian use, oh well. Absent Lovers is a snapshot of the time and I have to judge it as such. Ultimately, complaints aside, Absent Lovers is an excellent album. It shows what the 80's Crimson were capable of on a good night. These guys were/are fantastic musicians who communicated well together on stage like few other bands.

5 comments about Pulse.

1. Of the various Floyd albums that have been released, I believe this is the definitive! Even though Waters is not present for this album, the performances are stunning. Coupled with both the sound of new Floyd and old Floyd, Pulse adds many new songs to their list of recorded performances (including a full live version of DSOTM). If you are a fan of Floyd, I strongly recommend this album!
   
   p.s. try to get the original release, the LED just blinks on and on and on...



2. Pulse: Pink Floyd has produced The Best Show Ever. Anyone that gives this show less than 5 stars is oblivious to what a great show consists of. Check-this-out, it has been reproduced in a stunniing HIGH QUALITY picture, AWESOME SOUND from the 90's,
   Pink Floyds operating cost was $750,000 per day. They used almost 200 hundred people to set up the stage. Had to get FAA approval prior to each outdoor show to use laser lights Their laser shows were particularly famous, such as their use of extremely powerful, isotope-splitting copper-vapor lasers in the 1994 Division Bell tour. These gold-colored lasers were worth over $120,000 apiece and previously used only in nuclear research and high speed photography..
   
   Again this show is ABSOLUTELY STUNNING. No one will ever touch this show, at least not in the near future. IF you have a big screen and haven't seen this Masterpiece, then I urge you to go out and buy this Double DVD ASAP.
   You will not regret it!
   Then give this 5 star review as only it should deserve ;)
   SOMEONE TELL me what DVD in concert deserves a higher rating than this?



3. So why should you buy this? Pretty much because it's the best live album out there from the band (Mach 2 of course). I am not sure why the sound is just so much better than 1988's Delicate Sound of Thunder but it just does! Delicate Sound sounds so "flat", where as this just surrounds you from all sides and you get a feeling that you're front row center (minus the lasers and flying pigs of course).
   
   A trip through the hits plus a full Dark Side of the Moon? Just get it Bruno, you won't regret it.
   
   H777



4. ¡excelente como producto y toda una experiencia para los fanáticos de Floyd!
   
   100% recomendable!!!



5. The performance of the entire Dark Side of the Moon album alone makes this worth it. Many songs from the Division Bell make a showing here with a few from The Wall and "Learning to Fly" from A Momentary Lapse of Reason.
   
   All in all, an excellent concert.

4 comments about Live: Dust in the Wind.

1. Yesterday morning I met a lively, assertive red-haired lady who is a med tech in the microbiology lab of a Chicago-area hospital that's closing. She'd worked here her whole career. And we talked a while. She has a particularly aggressive form of cancer. She required treatment. Even the relatively outstanding health insurance provided here would not cover the cost of her chemotherapy treatments.
   
   She was very proud of the fact that her son is a "drum tech" for Kansas. We went to the band's website and looked at pictures of her red-haired son performing. Having a wonderful time.
   
   The band's website had a section about fundraising. She told me that the band agreed to stage a series of benefit concerts to raise money for her cancer treatments. So the band played, raised money, and paid for her chemotherapy and radiation, which was really expensive. She's cancer free for now.
   
   Here are the lyrics to one of the band's biggest hits...
   
   "I close my eyes, only for a moment and the moment's gone.
   all my dreams, pass before my eyes a curiosity.
   dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind."
   
   "Same old song, just a drop of water in the endless sea.
   all we do, crumbles to the ground though we refuse to see.
   dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind."
   
   "Now, don't hang on, nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky.
   It slips away, And all your money won't another minute buy."
   
   "Dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind...
   dust in the wind, everything is dust in the wind."
   
   So, do they believe that, notwithstanding, they can make a difference?
   
   Yup.



2. I don't know about 2CDs-I have one disc with the tracks shown here:
   - Sound is quite good
   - Editing is choppy: hard audience fades, and "Good Evening and Welcome To Kansas!" introduces the 4th song-what's up with that?
   - Walsh sounds very strained
   - But the PLAYING-oh my. Fabulous. The band just tears it up, especially on "Song For America." Worth buying just for that, seriously, if you are a fan at all.
   
   P.S. I thought I read somewhere this is the same as "Live At The Whisky"



3. I really needed you to put these 2 cds in one package so I could add it to my essential collection of infinite compilation cds that you have put out. Maybe next time you can release Somewhere to Elsewhere and Glossalalia together as a package. Great move from a band that cares about their fans!!!



4. This double CD is simply a repackaged version of Always Never the Same "Live", released in 1998, and Freaks of Nature from 1995, in one package. I bought it thinking it was all Live material. The packaging says "Live Recordings", Kansas with the London Symphony Orchestra. The only difference between this version and the original is they deleted the "Preamble" and "Prelude & Introduction" (which some complained about in the reveiws). Disc one is now only 11 tracks, clocking in at (62:36). The sound quality is excellant. Right up there with any modern remastered disc.
   
   I did not realize that disc two was simply the nine tracks from Freaks of Nature, since I did not own that CD. I am only familier with the "Classic" Kansas by the original members, such as Leftoverture and Point of Know Return. I have been slowly working my way back through their catalog of early work, as it comes out on Legacy Records (Remastered Only).
   
   Overall, this was a good buy. I got a great sounding "Live" disc, plus a bonus cd that I did not own (and probably would NOT have bought).

1 comments about Rock Hard/Live Nymphomania.

1. Nice 2-on-1 CD title of the hard rocking all-girl band we remember as The Pandoras. First six tracks are from their 'Rock Hard' EP, which I believe I ended up wearing out my cassette copy I had many moons ago. Tunes I recall sharing with an older hottie I was keeping company at the time were the kick-*ss "Run Down Love Battery", "Six Times A Day" and "He's Coming". Cuts 7 through 15 are from their 'Live Nymphomania' title in which is just as good with their steady song list - "Pacify Me", "Put Your Brakes On Your Heart" and "Bad Habit". Should draw in fans of New Breed, The Runaways, Action Now and possibly Girlschool and Rock Goddess. Essential.

5 comments about The Great Deceiver (Live 1973-1974).

1. This is a great live album and the sound quality is amazing thanks to the fact that these shows were taped on pro multitrack tapes. Alot of people talk about how this is the lineup that turned King Crimson into a hard rock almost heavy metal band and that's true, but it's also true that this band was also great at turning beautiful soft passages and wonderful soulful songs(ie The Night Watch, ect.). The set list is a joy and includes rarely performed songs (ie Cat Food and the untill here unreleased Dr Diamond)as well as standard material from this era(Starless, Larks Tongues In Aspic 1 & 2, Book Of Saturday). Dispite what some have said, this IS essential all the way and believe me, you'll love this although I am a little upset that Robert edited Larks Tongues Part 2 on disc 3 and completely gone on disc 4(maybe due to tape flips?).



2. DO NOT pay the ridiculous sum of money asked by amazon sellers. Go to www.disciplineglobalmobile.com (the official King Crimson store which manufactures almost all the live, hard to find Krimson material) for a new copy of this at the standard box set price of $63. This item is still in print as of 2004, and should stay in print indefinitely, but if it ever goes out of print, go to the DGM site to contact customer service. Usually they'll be able to tell you when/if the item will go back into print and of course if enough people email them about a particular product, they'll have no choice but to put it back into print. Other than that, I recommend this item. 5 out of 5 stars doesn't really do this justice. I'd give at least 7 stars if I could.



3. This is the ultimate LIVE document of the greatest or at the very least the most powerful prog-rock unit of the 1970s. The greatest rhythm sections in rock have all had one thing in common and that is one half of all of the is Bill Bruford. Bruford/Wetton is arguably the best one of all. No prog-rock fan should be without this set. This Boxed Set is out of print. However, you can save yourself at least 40 bucks off the marketplace sellers' prices by clicking over to Bill Bruford's Official site where rare brand new copies are still for sale AT REGULAR PRICE! Hurry up because they won't last.



4. First of all, don't be detracted when you see that there are four different versions of Easy Money, in addition to repeats of other studio material. King Crimson will never fail to amaze you in each instance of the repeated song. Fripp, Cross, and Wetton play differently each time. You'll also be pleased to know that Bill Bruford doesn't like playing the same drum lines twice.

   Now, while the other reviewers cover how great the album is as a whole, I'd like to share my input in a more focused manner. The song Exiles, while beautiful on the studio album "Larks Tongues' in Aspic", cannot be truly appreciated unless you hear both instances of it on this box set. Fripp and Cross trade mellotron roles at least twice, and the transition still amazes me each time I hear it. On CD3 there is even a fantastic improvisational introduction to it.

   Also the unreleased track Doctor Diamond, sounding like a mix of One More Red Nightmare and The Great Deceiver, is a great track that Fripp believed was too "weak" to be included on Red. While it is a little weak in some areas, they could have easily polished it in the studio and it most likely would have enhanced Red as an even greater album than it already is.

   Also, check out Discipline Global's website if amazon doesn't have it in stock. Elephant talk has some great reviews if you are not yet convinced.




5. If only all archival live releases were assembled by someone with as much insight into the mentality of the hardcore fan as Mr Fripp. This is what we've been waiting for, for decades in some cases. A document of the 1973-74 band refining and developing their core repertoire - and freely-improvising A LOT! I can't recommend it highly enough.

   In the `core repertoire' category, highlights include "Larks Tongues Part 1" from Disc 4, with its unusual violin solo; the effective reworking of "Cat Food" on Disc 2; the first version of "Easy Money" in which Wetton laughs and drifts out of tune on the first verse; a rare chance to hear the title song performed live; Disc 3's "Starless" in which Cross and Bruford play ferociously; Disc 4's "Fracture" in which the tuned percussion is upfront in the mix (at last!)...and a previously unreleased song, "Doctor Diamond". Bootleg collectors will know that this song evolved quite a bit during its lifetime - fortunately, this box includes the best version, the one with a slow, largely-composed, middle section.

   As to the improvisation - it goes without saying that those who can't handle it had better not buy this box, but, frankly, what are those people doing listening to King Crimson? "Outside" improvisation was practically King Crimson's raison d'etre during their first phase of existence - and their ability to carry it off, especially during 1973-4, was the thing that most set them apart from the rest of the so-called prog-rock genre.

   The David Cross-dominated pieces are my personal favorites - "Clueless and Slightly Slack" is marvellous (no matter what the band-biography says!). The incredibly sinister "The Law of Maximum Distress" really takes flight when Cross re-enters on violin for a ferocious exchange of ideas with Bruford. (Note: This improvisation has been edited to cover up the fact that "The Mincer" was also extracted from it). On Disc 1, "Providence" is finally released in its entirety. Disc 3's "Daniel Dust" stands out for its mellowness, though it's not as gentle as "Trio". And there are two really rollicking "Talking Drum"s with Cross more to the fore than on the studio version.

   I must mention also an exceptional 14-minute improv on Disc 1 that moves through many moods and instrumental combinations and a surprising extension/development of "Easy Money" on Disc 2.

   So to recap, this is four CDs of some of the most inventive, and most courageous music, ever played in rock venues. The box is expensive - but the music is probably worth it!

   (Note: I am in fact ghengisadonis, aged twenty-something, using the Kids Review form because the usual form is currently unavailable due to a technical error).

5 comments about Dick's Picks, Vol. 15: Raceway Park, Englishtown, NJ, 9/3/77.

1. I am going to order this CD right away. I am reviewing it first, because I had this bootleg in college (1986-1990), and the version of Eyes of the World on it is the best version of it I have heard, live or on tape. It has a long jazzy guitar solo and just replaying it in my head brings back memories. We used to play Frisbee to it on sunny spring days at Princeton, and I am psyched to relive that memory because I don't have the tape any more!



2. Wow. did not know this was available. i was 16 at the time and lived in the area. under strict orders from our parents NOT to go near the place,my two girlfriends&I rode our bikes there.as we were passing people in cars stuck in traffic we had offers to trade our bikes for their cars! we hid them in the woods across the street & walked over to the crowd. the concert area was surrounded with trailers with security walking around on top of them. we went to a quieter area & security guy asked if we had a cigerette, we said yes but he had to let us in, and he did!!!also,some of my friends were working the consessions so we got free drinks and food. what a day, it was worth the month of being gounded. can't wait to share this cd with my 2 girlfriends, who also were grounded for a month and who i still speak to after all these years (almost 30 years!).



3. What a great all around show! I bought this back when it first came out, back then I was buying up the Dick's Picks as fast as they came. Now that I've entered the ipod era, it's nice to dig through the archives, pick out an old dick's pick at random and listen to it begining to end over the course of a couple of days of commuting and errands.
   
   Can't go wrong with this one. First off, 1977, a great year for the Dead. Then you have a great show, all around high energy. I agree with other reviewers about the overall high quality of Jerry solos on this night, this is a show you can play with pride in front of fellow heads or critics.
   
   The first set culminates with the best Peggy-O I've heard, then a nice Minglewood Blues, Friend of the Devil, and a high quality Music Never Stopped. The second set is great all-around, but particularly a great Eyes of the World. It silly to rank the different versions of these songs, but I'll go on the record as saying this Eyes of the World will be in anyone's top five.
   
   Then comes the encore: Terrapin. Beautiful. Melty. Bewitching. Prodigious. Terrapin is a special song for me, with magical memories, well-cocooned in another times forgotten space, out-of-reach but I know they're good. I only saw the Grateful Dead live 15 times or so, but I got three shows with Terrapin, including my first and my last. No matter what mood I'm in, those relaxed opening cords instantly snap me out of it.
   
   ...if you get confused just listen to the music play...



4. Songs that I don't even usually like I seem to be digging the most. Archive.org took this show off (as well as other DP shows) but sugarmegs.org has still got this one streaming on there. For those of you who cannot afford the 20-30 bucks for the cds you should head over there quick before they try to take it off of there too. Archive has still got about 15-20 May '77 shows that rank in the same league as this one (5/7,8&9 especially) as the best shows from their best year.



5. 
   Dick's Picks Volume 15
   
   People reviewing this Pick have said again and again, and I totally agree: most of these songs are simply brimming with energy, and it really makes the concert shine. I can't say if this is the "best" of the Dick's Picks series, but it's definitely an excellent choice if you want to hear the Dead in their much-lauded '77 form. There are some real gems here.
   
   CD One opens with a band introduction, and the sound of people in the audience going nuts. There were over 100,000 people at this concert. All of the songs on this disc are strong, my favorites being: They Love Each Other, Mississippi Helf-Step, New Minglewood Blues, The Music Never Stopped - all awesome, and of course the prettiest song ever, and my favorite song on this Pick, Peggy-O. The version of Friend of the Devil is different than what I'm used to, but still very enjoyable.
   
   CD Two opens with Bertha and flows into a slightly tame version of Good Lovin'. I love the direction Pigpen used to take this song in concert, and his guidance is obviously missing here. Loser is very good, and Jerry gets a great effect with the use of harmonics in the solo. Then there's Estimated Prophet, Eyes of the World, and Samson & Delilah, which make this cd for me. All three are awesome. The energy Bob lets out in his singing (even with a few mess-ups) in Samson & Delilah, and the solos, make it my favorite of the disc.
   
   The fist half of CD Three is kind of disappointing for me. He's Gone and Not Fade Away are two of my all-time favorites, and they are two of my least-favorite songs on this recording. Many will probably not agree with me on this. For all the energy this concert has, it just seems to lack here. I really just like the older versions much better. Rockin' the Rhein is my benchmark right now for both songs, and these versions don't even come close to those. Fortunately, Truckin' comes along and redeems the cd (you can hear the crowd going INSANE), and an excellent Terrapin Station closes the show as an encore.
   
   I do have a few gripes. First, Donna's singing. I never liked it that much. She does some weird things with her voice sometimes, and other times she can be the perfect compliment for a song. I dunno.
   Second, like I mentioned before, are the renditions of some of their staple songs, two of which are favorites of mine. Two work, and two are boring.
   Third is the mix. I realize that this is a live recording and it's not going to be perfect, but when they remastered the recording I think they could've brought out the drums a little more and brought out the top end or something - the sound just seems a little dull. Not bad, just a little dull.
   
   The case design and liner notes are good. I like the graphics on this series of Picks. The liner notes contain a picture of the band playing at the concert, a view of the entire crowd at the show (100,000+ people), and a reprint of an article that ran in the Asbury Park Press on 9/6/77 by a college student who attended the concert. Very nice touch.
   
   That's pretty much it. Dick's Picks 15 is a very good choice if you're into the Dead's '77 era sound, or even if you're not. '77 is not my favorite era - I prefer '72 and earlier, but don't let that turn you away from this recording. I listen to it all the time. The musicianship here is excellent, and you can hear the energy flowing from both the band and the audience.
   
   A solid pick. Highly recommended - 4 stars.

5 comments about Dick's Picks, Vol. 11: Stanley Theatre, Jersey City, NJ, 9/27/72.

1. 
   If you already have a decent collection of Grateful Dead recordings but don't have this, it's time to order right now.
   
   This is one of a few shows that made it to Dick's Picks that was recorded straight off the soundboard by Owsley, one of THE LSD gurus of the 60s. Owsley always insisted on quality before anything else, whether it was his lysergic concoctions or recording the Dead. He was instrumental in developing the absolute best sound for the Dead, starting with amplifiers and microphones, and working all the way up to the best monitors and speaker setups.
   
   Here are some concert notes that Paul Grushkin took down from the show:
   
   "First set":
   
   "...will it be one of those nights?"..."fully dosed just to be sure.."...Friend of the Devil..."starting to get body rushes..."...Bird Song...."...ringlets of sound..."....China Cat...."I rang a silent bell, beneath a shower of pearls..."...Dark Star..."...in the vast reaches of the collective imagination..."....Casey Jones..."...and then it's over..."....12.40 am, stumbling out into Jersey half-light....did they really open with Morning Dew?".
   
   Does anyone have any questions?



2. I'd give this 4.5 star, but I had to round up....
   
   This was a great period for Dead shows, and this is no exception. The Bird Song is one of my 2-3 favorites ever, and the Dark Star is superlative. Interesting set list too...
   
   The next night (same venue) was a superb show also. It's a popular show among traders.



3. My musical tastes continue to expand and broaden. I constantly search for new music, new genres, new approaches. But, then, there is my Comfort Music. Like a bowl of matzo ball soup when I've got a cold, there are some things that will always need to be there for me. The Grateful Dead is my Comfort Music, mother's milk for my ears (if that isn't too disturbing of an analogy).
   
   When I'm on call, lying in the call room trying to get to sleep, I have the sounds of the cardiac ICU, with all the bells and beeps, in the not so distant background. I have my pagers lying next to me, and the constant fear that comes with them, the knowledge that they can go off at any second and ruin my night. And ruin my next day. A rough call can throw me off for several days actually, and it is difficult to describe the angst that goes along with that, even on a quiet night.
   
   But there's always Jerry and the rest of the boys. Putting on a bootleg and letting myself get lost in a good spacey jam is the perfect antidote. I can clear my mind and try to follow nothing but the music.
   
   I'm not a snob about sound quality. Better quality beats bad quality, but short of that I don't worry about it too much. I have plenty of distant generation bootleg tapes complete with hisses, clicks, static, and feedback (not too mention Donna's wailing). But, like listening to the snaps and pops of an old Bessie Smith blues recording, sometimes the poor sound quality can become part of the musical ambience. Don't try to listen around it, just listen through and within it.
   
   The Dick's Picks series has been great for me. I don't have time anymore to trade tapes or to figure out all this online MP3 stuff. Dick had a good ear for shows, and I'm always happy to put on a Dick's Pick, listen to that first wall of crowd noise as the band tunes up, and get that contact tingle. I may change from day to day but volume 11 always stays at the top of my list. 1972 was a great period for the Dead, musically at least if not personally, with the sound moving into a jazzier direction. The show opens with Morning Dew, which already tells you that something special is going to happen. There's a Mexicali Blues, Tennessee Jed, Bird Song, and strong Friend of the Devil as well, all good solid Set One tunes. CD 2 has a great China > Rider, Playing in the Band, and He's Gone, back when Jerry could still sing "nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile" in one breath. The Dark Star on CD 3 is magical, into a Cumberland Blues. We also get a Casey Jones, and Uncle John's Band. There's a nice Attics as well (a special song for me, I was at the Shoreline show when they revived Attics in the Vince era).
   
   Reading other reviews just goes to show how subjective this stuff is. It could have to do with where I was and what I was doing, what the music initially did for me when I first heard, but for me, Dick's Picks 11, 10, 3, 8, 12 are my favorites, and I haven't even heard any since the mid-twenties. But I enjoy them all, good, bad, or mediocre, full shows or composites, just let me close my eyes and lose myself in the hum of the crowd.
   
   Nothing left to do...



4. I can't for the life of me understand why Dick chose this night over the practically impeccable Thursday 9-28 show, or the Tuesday 9-26. Both were FAR better.
   
   This show has several highlights. Uncle John's Band is fine. The Attics was a REAL treat. Beyond that..? The Dark Star goes NOWHERE. Compared to the fantastic Other One jam from Thursday... what was Dick thinking?
   
   The Tuesday night had several stellar highlights: A *wonderful* Baby Blue (it is a crime that the Stanley's were picked and this Baby Blue -- possibly the best they ever played -- doesn't appear); a beautiful and precise reading of Tomorrow is Forever, and a wonderful bass solo that bridged Truckin' jam into Other One, which apparently may have been lost due to a reel-changing.
   
   This was a great run of shows, but after all these years, I was very disappointed, and quite frankly confused, by Dick's choice for this middle night over the clearly superior other nights.



5. I'm somewhat baffled by the high ratings this set has received because it's just not that good. Weir's playing on China Cat is plain wrong, the vocals overall tend to be ragged, and Garcia is too low in the mix. Yes, there are moments ("Dark Star" among them), but I've never understood how this one got released. For all its slickness, "Europe '72," especially the recent reissue, blows this away, as do other Dick's Picks (like #1 & #16, just to name two). There are some real clunkers in this series and this is one of them.