5 comments about Heaven and Hull.

1. Before buying "Heaven and Hull," I knew little about Mott the Hoople, and even less about the band's later-added guitarist, Mick Ronson. In fact, the main reason I picked up this album in the first place was because Joe Elliott of Def Leppard contributed vocals and played a big part in getting it recorded. There are several other worthy artists who make "Heaven and Hull" special: Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders, John Mellencamp and David Bowie to name a few. This album was dedicated to Ronson, who died of cancer and seemed to have many dear friends in the rock `n' roll world who were intent on carrying on his name.
   
   I like the workmanlike, old-fashioned feel to these songs that contains elements of both sturdy rock and roll and a touch of glam to give them sparkle. Of the ten tunes, Ronson had a hand in writing six of them. One of the best songs on the CD is the first one, "Don't Look Down," where Elliott's double-tracked vocals are refreshingly understated. Right off the bat one gets a sense of Ronson's fluid, shimmering guitar playing that seems to melt off his ax like butter. Ronson was also a good singer, and his vocals are paired well with Sham Morris, Hynde and Mellencamp on three different songs. Hynde offers her tough-as-nails voice on the bluesy, down-to-earth song "Trouble With Me," while Mellencamp's equally hardy vocals help qualify the inspirational rocker "Life's a River" as one of the best tunes on the CD. Another cool tune is the gritty but poppy "Colour Me," where Elliott and Bowie each lend their talented background vocals. Toward the end of the CD, "Take a Long Line," featuring gritty vocals by Elliott, Ian Hunter and Ronson, takes the award for the CD's most rollicking, rocking tune.
   
   Overall, "Heaven and Hull" comes off as soulful, completely noncommercial, spontaneous and endearingly benevolent. All these characteristics meld together on the final track, the Bowie-penned "All the Young Dudes," which was recorded live at the The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in 1992. "Dudes" is a popular classic, but this tuneful performance, which includes Hunter, Elliott, Bowie and Phil Collen of Def Leppard contributing background vocals, betters the more stilted original studio version. It must be heard to be believed.
   
   A few of Ronson's beautiful guitar instrumentals on this album are to be treasured, but it's the camaraderie and care displayed by his friends after his passing that is even more touching. Pick this one up if you just enjoy solid rock `n' roll by timeless artists.



2. Well the lead off track "Don't Look Down" is very cool because it rocks hard and rides free thanks to Joe Elliott who seems to have helped give the music a modern edge. Ian Hunter/Elliott on "Take A Long Line" thunders with rage and anger!
   Hyde from the Pretenders is great as well. BUY THIS ALBUM!!



3. I never was into "glam," being southern/redneck/homophobic, your choice. So I had to be literally restrained in the fall of 1972 to listen to "Ziggy Stardust." And still, to this day, all I could/can think is "WHO'S PLAYING THAT GUITAR?" OK, I've been obsequious about Ronno in my review of his Memorial set (GET THAT if you don't own it!) And I have to say, Mick had a lot of 'nads to produce/perform a work like "Heaven & Hull" while he was in his final illness. You've read the other reviews: "intense version of Like A Rolling Stone with Bowie"...Chrissie Hynde...Mellonhead...and Ronno's final live performance at the Freddie Mercury concert of "All the Young Dudes" with both Ian Hunter and David Bowie. But for my money, this CD's shining moment is the transcendant track,"Colour Me," which affects me - to TEARS - on two levels: the initial level, of course, is the astounding guitar. Indeed, if you listen closely, you can hear Bowie murmer "play that guitar" during the second lead break. On another level, when I'm concentrating on the words, it brings to mind the inevitibility of mortality. I asked a doctor friend of mind what was so..."important" about "color" that prompted Mick to write, perhaps, the strongest song in the CD, and I was told that "color therapy" is an "alternative treatment" for cancer. Which explains, "color me...a dangerous magenta," et al. But for me, the price of the CD is justified for that one line, "...colour me...and as I'm floating thru space/you'll see a smile on my face." Nothing else need be said. RIP, Mick.



4. everything in life is temporary, including life. mick ronson's life ended too early, but he did leave behind many musical masterpieces, "heaven and hull" being one of them. his guitar playing remained raw and edgy, as evidenced in the explosive "color me", "don't look down", and "life's a river" to name but a few tracks from his last studio release. after listening to this i can't help but always ask, what if. it's like when tommy bolin released "private eyes" and then died within six months. you were left wanting more and wondering what if. mick's guitar is silent now, but thankfully we have his swan song preserved for all that have the ability to listen and the desire to hear one of the very best guitarists of all time. his gorgeous music can be heard from "heaven and hull".



5. Mick Ronson was a great guitar player who never really got the recognition he deserved. He never showed alot of flash in his playing, which is why he didn't reach the heights of some of those other guitar heroes of the 70's. But this guy was on the most wanted list when it came to being a guitar player/producer for hire. He propelled David Bowie to super-stardom during his 1972-74 Ziggy Stardust days. He produced Lou Reed's comeback album. He was a member of Bob Dylan's 1975 Rolling Thunder Revue. And he collaberated with Mott The Hoople and was Ian Hunter's guitar player for years. Some of these friends he helped along the way, he gathered for this all-star solo release, which turned out to be his own posthumous tribute album, which was released a year after his death. Special guests on here that do most of the vocal chores are David Bowie, who does "Like A Rolling Stone". Chrissie Hynde, who does a nice vocal duet with Ronson on "Trouble With Me". John Mellencamp, vocals on "Life's a River". Joe Elliott from Def Leppard, who had a big part in making this album happen, does the vocals on the great opening tune "Don't Look Down". And his longtime friend Ian Hunter, who does vocals on a little more rocked up version of the classic "All The Young Dudes". Ronson shows some of his best fretwork on the rockin' "Colour Me", and the beautiful instrumental "Midnight Love". Except for the first cut "Don't Look Back", there's nothing here that absolutely knocked my socks off. But it's still a good solid effort that I liked better than his 2 mid-seventies albums that were critically praised, but sounded like they were a little bit too much on the David Bowie glam rock side for my taste. Heaven and Hull is a good addition to the Ronson catalogue.

5 comments about Double Danger: Latin Casino/Academy of Music, Live 1973.

1. What you get with this release is yet another batch of live recordings - this time around culled from two gigs performed by Iggy and the band in Baltimore and New York in late 1973. That alone should sound the alarm with anybody who knows the career-profile of the Stooges. Here they are at the end of what can only be described as their nose-dive into disintegration from drugs, violence and booze - as the extensive liner notes calls them: "a train wreck." And both gigs are performed accordingly, with the result for a number of excellent reasons being kept un-released up to this point.
   The Baltimore gig on the first disc is by far the worst of the two, and can only be described as atrocious. The only thing worse than the bands performance is the sound quality contributing to the resulting diffeculties in recognizing the songs at all. The fact that it sounds like half the band has stolen the other half's evening fix does nothing to improve the reults. The sleeve claims that this abomination is digitally restored, edited and mastered by Arthur Alexander so what the original sounded like - God only knows.
   The New York gig sounds infinitely better - although in this context that is NOT saying much. Taped on New Years eve the band sounds in a vaguely party-like mood, but by the fifth song - Cock In My Pocket, things nevertheless start to fall apart, and some discerning members of the audience yell "Go Home!" at them - with every right I might add. Iggy & the band must have heard the heckling, because they thunder into the first memorable performance on the version of Search & Destroy that follows.
   Rather than sanctioning the release of this drivel one wishes that Iggy would "do a Zappa", and master the release of some of the memorable bootlegs floating around from the period - notably "Suck On This" for instance. releases like this will leave even diehard fans like myself feeling cheated. If you've got to have everything available spend your money, if not look elsewhere - I kind of wish I had...



2. Regarding all the various Iggy/Stooges archive live releases that have been made available in the last couple of years,this 2-CD title has to be the best.Disc one is a headlining gig the Stooges played at a club in Baltimore,MD in Nov.1973.Easy to figure the ENTIRE set,like TOTALLY rips!!Disc two is of a shorter set when the band played New York City on that New Year's Eve,while opening for Blue Oyster Cult and Kiss(apparently their first ever show).My only regret is that I wasn't there.Both shows were in fact mastered off an audience recording.Don't worry,though.The sound quality,is actually quite adequate.A must for all true fans of classic punk.



3. I LIKE THE KEYBORD like some kinda, of mozart in context to these morons,PLAYIN,[ the only album of note from these clowns,]NOTE the recording quality is awesome meant for the stooges.



4. i love the stooges/iggy but when it comes to bomp records.buyer beware.this cd sounds like a tenth generation copy.dont take the chance.rocon@nb.net.and also ,notice cant find sound samples anywhere.



5. This super pair of CDs contains Latin Casino (Baltimore MD) and Acadamy of Music NYC. Latin Casino is especially good because the audience really wanted to see them. It was during a snowstorm in Baltimore but the faithful showed up and were rewarded with a great show. The offensive comments that Iggy makes from the stage are in great Iggy style. This show was recorded off the board. It has 11 tracks 64:01 minutes for the show. The Academy of music show was a great new years eve show Iggy and the Stooges being one of 4 bands that played that night. They play fast and frantic as if they are trying to play as many of their best songs as possible before their time on stage is over. I like the keyboards. The songs are the same songs that were played at Latin Casino but only 8 songs. It was recorded from the audience. Both shows include Wet My Bed.

No comments about No Security.

3 comments about Back to the Trenches.

1. The reason I say 'almost' is the misleading description on the back side. "...professionaly recorded..." is true for most of the album except for the 2nd disc's last 4 songs from Slough 1984. They sound like a bad audience bootleg or the band is in a tunnel. I am sure we could have had more of the Hammersmith stuff or something of better quality thrown in there. Overall I like the set though. Never can get enough good live music from this type of band. The write ups and interviews are interesting. Would like more info on the venues, dates, and the like.



2. Back to the Trenches is a pure, unadulterated document of what Nazareth really sounded like in concert throughout various stages of their career. The listener is treated to previously unreleased live recordings of the band from its' early days up until 1984. The liner notes say the music was "professionally recorded", which I don't doubt. However, I also don't doubt that there was no overdubbing or cleaning up done on these recordings. After all, several of the musicians who played in these concerts have long since departed the band (or the earth, in the case of Darryl Sweet, rest his soul). This presents a double edged sword: On one hand, the sound quality gets a bit rough, even approaching bootleg quality in some places. On the other hand the listener feels as though he is being transported back in time to acual Nazareth concerts of the past. Anyone who has been to a rock concert knows that the sound quality is never as clear as on an album, and oftentimes is quite horrible.

   I have to admit that I'm the type of guy that likes to listen to live bootlegs of his favorite bands. There is an authenticity to them that just can't be found anywhere else. If they're good, all the energy that makes live music so powerful comes across very well, and a band can prove if they can really pull it off without all the studio gimmicks. This is certainly the case with Back to the Trenches. I find myself cranking up the volume on many songs from the sheer thrill of being a witness of this great bands' power.

   It has to be said that many of the tracks on this release are already available on Snaz and Live at the Beeb, which booth have smoother production. But overall, Back to the Trenches is a better career retrospective than these because it represents a wider range of their music. The tracks from the Malice in Wonderland tour of 1980 showcase the tremendous boost that second guitarist Zal Cleminson gave to the band, and are available nowhere else. The material from '82 through '84 gives a taste of what I think was a major high point for the band. 2XS and Sound Elixir are among the best albums Nazareth ever recorded, and I love having some live materiel from these classics. With music this good, you can't help but want to hear what it sounded like in concert.

   A bonus included here is a booklet that tells in detail the story of Nazareth. This is hardly a twice told tale, seeing as it has nothing to do with groupies or dope.

   One word of caution: It's probably not a good idea to get this one if you're not a fan of Nazareth already. Not that too many people would shell out more than $30 just to check out a band that they don't know much about. It's just that this is the sort of album that makes some demands on the listener due to it's unrefined sound quality. As Dan Mcafferty sings on Showdown at the Border, "this is no business for the weak at heart".




3. definative history of one of the best underrated rock n roll machines to come along in the past 30+ years...great history and liner notes from 2 of the original band members, and even a "family tree" of how the band started and progressed thru the years and oh yes the music! all tracks are live, avd even some twice to show the band's many changes. a few, tho are in mono! but dont let that stop you from immersing yourself in great rock n roll as you know it should be!

1 comments about Weird Tapes, Vol. 8: Live 1966-1973.

1. At long last! The eighth and final series of the Hawkwind 'Weird Tapes'. This one I actually had on cassette umteen tears ago. Not even sure if it's still playable. Either way, I'm more than happy to get it on CD. Great eye-catching cover, don't you agree? Several of these tunes may've or may have not previously appeared (in the same version) on past releases, for example it's noted that "Space Is Deep" is off the band's landmark live lp 'Space Ritual' and I think this CD's mono cuts "Dreaming" and "Shouldn't Do That" came off the 'Text Of Festivals' title. But, what REALLY makes this title a should-have by all true Hakwfans are the three unreleased gems here like the heavily played "Down On Her Knees" (almost Pink Fairie's style), "Live And Let Live" and the tripping "Etchanatay" (nice flute work, there Nik). Also, the vintage blues numbers dating back to Dave Brock's street playing days such as "Roll 'Em Pete" and "Dealing With The Devil" are nothing to sneeze at. A heavy-duty high-five goes out to Voiceprint for putting this CD out. Highly recommended.

5 comments about Another Joyous Occasion.

1. This is really a collaboration between the two bands, despite the DDBB "guest star" billing.

   The treatment of "Superstition" is worth the price of admission all by itself. Despite the number of tracks listed, this disc is really just several extended jams. For someone who wants to hear a band play A Song there will be some disappointment. But the sheer power and invention and fun of so many players jumping into the the next cool idea is irresistable.

   This is a great live disc, a great, fresh listening experience. If you are a DDBB fan, you'll love what happens when they get a full kick-butt rock band to sit on, and WP fans will love the depth and breadth that the horn band gives them. Highly recommended.




2. This was my first foray into uncharted WP waters and I was rewarded with a delightfuly good disc. I even turned some unlikely people onto it.



3. Don't feed the troll folks... anyway, this is a pretty solid CD. I get the feeling that WSP wanted to release something different from their previous amazing live release, Light Fuse Get Away. So, they're releasing a recording of them playing with the DDBB. Certainly a big departure from LFGA, which I would call mostly high-energy pyrotechnics that are a good sampler of WSP's songs. As a result, the album is pretty solid, but not as smoothed out as the other live album. I liked most of it pretty well, although for some reason Beehive Jam I just find irritating. It gets too atonal, then jumps off-pace and drags drags drags. Maybe on repeated listens... still a good album for fans of the group, not what I would start with though...I'd recommend Til The Medicine Takes if you like studio stuff more, Light Fuse Get Away if you're a live person.



4. Another joyous occasion? Yeah, right. More like another grand opportunity for a no-talent band to rip off a bunch of middle class college kids...who are actually only in on the whole thing as a good excuse to take drugs, get a t-shirt, and have a few cool stories to swap around the fraternity house. But, hey, if widespread panic (THE panic, ohmigawd did you catch the redrocks show???!!!!) is what floats your little sell-out boat, "Another Joyous Occassion" is your new favorite cd.



5. Once again, Widespread has released a great CD. DDBB adds so much to something already amazing. I have seen DDBB and WSP live both separately and together, and it just keeps getting better. Listening to the Dirty Dozen play "Christmas Katie" and "I Walk on Guilded Splinters" blows the mind as much as when Widespread plays them. Together they are an excellent combination, maybe brought together by fate, and no matter what something that will live on for years to come. Thank ya Kindly JB...[widespread's lead guitarist, great as a solo artist as well (for whoever wrote that horrible review, we all know who i'm talking about)]

5 comments about One More from the Road.

1. Simply stated, if you do not own this, you are not a fan of good music. Yes the sound quality may not be on par with today's standards. However, this is a great, dare I say, historical document of one of the all time great lineups EVER!. The addition of guitarist Steve Gaines kicked these guys in the pants at a time when they needed it.
   
   It's about time they get the the respect they deserve by being voted into the Rock and Roll HOF.



2. ONE MORE FROM THE ROAD, along with SECOND HELPING, STREET SURVIVORS, NUTHIN' FANCY, GIMME BACK MY BULLETS, PRONOUNCED LEHN-NERD SKIN-NERD, the FREEBIRD movie soundtrack, and SKYNYRD'S FIRST: THE COMPLETE MUSCLE SHOALS RECORDINGS, is one of Lynyrd Skynyrd's best albums ever. It contains immortal live versions of "Workin' For MCA", "The Needle And The Spoon", and "Free Bird", making it, along with the Outlaws' BRING IT BACK ALIVE and HITTIN' THE ROAD, Skynyrd's own LYVE FROM STEEL TOWN, LYVE 2004, and SOUTHERN BY THE GRACE OF GOD, Blackfoot's HIGHWAY SONG and GREATEST HITS LIVE, Molly Hatchet's GREATEST HITS LIVE, DOUBLE TROUBLE LIVE, and LOCKED AND LOADED, Foghat's LIVE, DECADES LIVE, and ROAD CASES, Ted Nugent's DOUBLE LIVE GONZO!, LIVE AT HAMMERSMITH '79, and FULL BLUNTAL NUGITY, Nazareth's BACK TO THE TRENCHES, the Allman Brothers Band's LIVE AT FILLMORE EAST, UFO's STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT, Pat Travers' LIVE! GO FOR WHAT YOU KNOW, Blue Oyster Cult's ON YOUR FEET OR ON YOUR KNEES, SOME ENCHANTED EVENING, and EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIVE, Grand Funk Railroad's CAUGHT IN THE ACT, Humble Pie's PERFORMANCE: ROCKIN' THE FILLMORE and GREATEST HITS LIVE, Head East's ON STAGE, Bob Seger's LIVE BULLET, Robin Trower's LIVE and GREATEST HITS LIVE, Bruce Springsteen's LIVE IN NEW YORK CITY, Marshall Tucker's WHERE WE ALL BELONG and STOMPIN' ROOM ONLY, Cheap Trick's AT BUDOKAN: THE COMPLETE CONCERT, Bachman-Turner Overdrive's GREATEST HITS LIVE, Golden Earring's LIVE and SOMETHING HEAVY GOING DOWN, Charlie Daniels' THE LIVE RECORD, Thin Lizzy's LIVE AND DANGEROUS, and Little Feat's WAITING FOR COLUMBUS, one of the consummate live albums of all time.



3. love all the songs.........free bird still a hit....



4. This CD re-release (with extra tracks) was long overdue. I never get tired of listening to this! This was the real Lynyrd Skynyrd. The guitars are hot, vocals rough and wonderful, bass and drums tight. Although you can hear faint remnants of mistakes that were overdubbed on 2 songs (to fix live clams in solos), the music overall is second to none. This CD brings back alot of memories of growing up in the 70's.



5. growing up in the 70's was perhaps the best time to grow up (except the '50's) for rock and roll. Especially the south, where bands like Skynyrd, was the king and the Allman's were the bible from which they studied. "One more from the road", sounds as good as the live cd's of today, and that album was cut when I was 13 years old,and now I am 38. Being from that area and era, one can't help but be proud and fall in love with its harmonies and instrumentals. Its only once in a lifetime that such artists come together and you are around to witness their greatness. May you live in our hearts forever......

No comments about Road Cases.

1 comments about Live at Max's Kansas City.

1. I was sort of caught off guard when I first got me a copy of this CD.Very little info is provided but as close as I could tell,this disc's archive performance was recorded at the famed Max's Kansas City club sometime in the mid-late '70's.Includes two original members,vocalist Reg Presley and guitarist Chris Britton.The band plays a couple of covers like the Stone's "Satisfaction" and Chuck Berry's "No Particular Place To Go".The real treat is to hear them play their own material as they sound fine on "Love Is All Around","Feels Like A Woman","Give It To Me" and of course "Wild Thing".Some pleasant memories can be had here.I'd give it a 3 1/2 star rating.

5 comments about Light Fuse, Get Away.

1. New Widespread Panic fan here. I've been listening to this daily for the last 3 weeks and think it's incredible. I listened to 1 WP cd probably 10 years ago and didn't really care for their sound at the time but gave them another try last year and very glad I did. This is my favorite release so far. Favorites (tough thing to do) : Gimme, Pigeons, Love Tractor. Of course Porch Song, Space Wrangler are great but I was already hooked on those before I got this CD. I think this is great sampling of their sound and highly recommend it.



2. I purchased this CD about 6 months ago and in that time i have probably listened to it over 150 times. I had been lightly exposed to panic during my high school days, but when I attened college I made a good friend who was a huge fan of panic. he introduced me to them in detail and since them I have fallen in love with them and especially the late great guitarist Michael Houser. HOuser had a very unique style that had a ligerning effect due to the delay which he always used in his rig.I have read reviews here that say that john herman's keybaords are sub-par in my opinion this is far from the truth. Herman I beleive has a wonderful style using organs and keyboards much in the way of former GRateful Dead keyboardist Brent Mydland. The highlights of these disks in my opinion are Space Wrangler, Impossible and Greta. The jam at the end of Space Wrangler is the best example of Houser's ability to blow your mind with his unique style and just make you want to boogie. the intro to impossible is head shaking hard rocking music that just sets up for another great tune. In my opnion if you are interested in this cd buy it before another panic cd to have some feel for the majesty of thier live shows.



3. When I hear the word jam band, the two groups which first come to mind are Phish and the Grateful Dead. While the Dead exist in a league of their own, I own Phish Live Albums and this Panic album, and I quite easily pick the latter over the former. This Panic cd simply has the soul and energy that I find Phish lacks, and the music is accessible while being unique and engrossing. Wanna dive into the jam band scene? Start with this Panic cd. You won't be dissappointed.



4. Widespread does it again!! They release another live album that is so crunchy, you forget it is the same as the many other live cd's they have that play the same songs, just like Dave!!! Even though I have every 'spread concert, excuse me, show they've played in the past four years in my twiggy new I-pod, I would totally pay 25 bucks to get the same songs, but on another cd. These Georgia boys do it again, but not really again because its the same as everything else, but again in a way worth spending 25 bucks. Keep on Truckin' 'spread, like Trey or the Dead, don't worry about being too monotonous, you're too crunchy for that.



5. Excellent representation of their live shows. It rocks! A definite must-have for any panic fan. Buy this one before any of the the others (if it's your first purchase), it has great songs from many of their albums.