3 comments about Boy.

1. The remastered version of Boy is really incredible and very worthy of the purchase. The old cd versions that have represented the U2 catalog for so many years have really done a disservice to their early material. These new remastered versions really bring back the potency of the music and give the music a vibrancy it hasn't had for way too many years. So many lesser bands have remastered their entire catalog years ago. I wonder what has kept U2 from doing so? It kind of reminds me of the Beatles, where they really seem to want to control what happens to their music. Who knows?
   
   One decision I do applaud is keeping the extra material on separate cd's (Deluxe Version). I have always felt that when bands tag on singles, rarities etc. on the back of the original LP when they re-release an album that it muddies the waters and dilutes the orginal work. I think U2 did the right thing by keeping the original work intact by offering different versions of the remastering, each with the original work intact.
   
   Either way, I have waited a long time to see U2 finally remaster their early albums and I am very satisfied with the results. While its hard to describe, the remaster is so much more immediate, with full bass, and Bono's voice is really much more complex & three dimensional on this version. It adds so much to the music and makes one realize all over again why this album is so great. The remaster is so good(yet unobtrusive)that it has brought back memories for me from when I first listened to it back in 80-81, similar to a specific smell that jars a memory.
   
   I believe that Boy is so good for such a variety of reasons that it has never really been as appreciated as it should be. The sheer audacity of it's sonic & thematic scope from such "youngsters" is sort of hard to comprehend. An album about coming of age that doesn't involve cars, drugs, & women but actual serious internal reflection and darker moments? The sound this album creates was (and is) so different that it creates a whole mood and "world" for its theme, providing the extra ingredient to make this something more than just a great rock n' roll album. No matter how great the Beatles were, or the Rolling Stones for example, they were always working from a known palette, reworking the colors and the arrangements into interesting & pleasing arrangemnts. On Boy, U2 seems to be doing nothing less then creating whole new sounds, evoking new landscapes for the expression of emotion and feelings as of yet unheard in "Rock n Roll". While AC/DC were singing about Dirty Deeds and even the Ramones singing about Beating on the Brat, U2 were singing about the grey edges between boyhood and manhood, the uncertainty of experience, the tension in adolescence, reflections on ego, even the simple joys of late childhood, in a unique manner that actually gave musical expression to these very same concepts.
   
   While U2 ultimately "conquered" the music world, I would say one would be hard pressed to listen to Boy and truthfully say that from that listening they could tell that U2 would go on to sell millions of records. Boy is not really very "commercial" in any way, not like the Police or really any other band that made it big, or has since (Even newer, "hip" bands like the Arctic Monkeys have a more commercial edge to their sound). Just one more reason to see U2 as an exception....and exceptional.



2. Before he became a globe-trotting messiah of egotistical goodwill in gigantically fashionable wrap-around shades, Bono was just a wide-eyed Irish kid with an expressive voice and a mullet more impressive than Billy Ray Cyrus. I mean, he had a LOT of hair--but so did Adam, Larry, and the Edge. Collectively, they all were just another of many contenders: not for the mantle of arena rock superstars, but, more modestly, for the title of greatest post-punk/early college rock export from the British Isles.
   
   As their opening statement, Boy is a pretty straightforward guitar rock album; angular and melodic in many parts, a bit dull and same-sounding in others. An easy comparison to make is that this is to U2 as Pablo Honey would be to Radiohead over a decade later. But if Radiohead boasted a downer anthem for slackers in "Creep", U2 offered pretty much the opposite: an upbeat anthem of hope to future do-gooders in the evergreen "I Will Follow". This is still one of their greatest songs and, really, one of the greatest singles ever. As the opening track, it casts a long shadow but one that is absolutely crucial as a statement of purpose, correctly announcing U2 as a band that is just a bit more ambitious, just a bit more socially conscious, just a bit bigger than their superficially similar left-of-the dial peers. Put another way, the DNA for The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby is here, in small doses, ready to be transcribed, then translated in successive years.
   
   The remastering on this disc might upset some audiophiles complaining that it is merely louder and with a reduced dynamic range compared to the original CD. I have not done a side-by-side comparison, but to these ears the sound is full and clear and ultimately quite satisfying. The deluxe 2-CD edition of this album is for rich collectors or obsessive completists only--these are the only early songs you really need. The reasonably expansive booklet is a nice souvenir, but I sort of wish they would have went for the abstract, Rorschach style cover used on the original domestic CD release instead of the vaguely pedophilic photograph resurrected from the original LP. (In fact, I have a theory that the boy looks so angry on the War cover because he's still mad at his depiction on this album!)



3. U2's debut album, BOY, along with their international breakthrough album, WAR, have both been given an incredible remastering treatment by Universal, which currently owns the band's catalog, and the results are wonderful. The remastering is warm and crisp, not shrill and harsh, so you actually feel as if you're in the room with the band. Basically, U2 marry the sound of 70s hard rock with the Edge's unusual guitar style and Bono's spiritual and political lyrics, which show the band's born-again Christianity to be a form where the members are hard on themselves and tolerant of others, which cannot be said of the Jerry Falwells and Pat Robertsons of the world. U2 are clearly ready to take on the world on this CD.

5 comments about Iron Fist.

1. Iron Fist is the closing chapter in one phase of Motorhead's history. It marks the last album with Fast Eddie (who also produced this one), and a lot of fans, even Lemmy himself, have said they don't care much for this album. Personally I don't understand why there are complaints. Perhaps it's frowned upon because it was the end of an era. Maybe because of the environment in which it was recorded- turmoil, fights, management issues, band member issues, increased drug use, musical differences, and trying to follow up their most successful album yet in Ace of Spades- maybe all of that makes it a bad memory for Lemmy.
   
   It could be because Iron Fist was the first Motorhead song I ever heard back in 1982 (and it's still my favorite song) but I absolutely love this CD and consider it the band's 2nd best studio effort behind Over Kill. This album rocks and contains many classics in the Motorhead arsenal. I highly recommend checking out this fairly unpopular release and decide for yourself if it is essential M'Head. I think it is!
   
   Highlights: title track, Heart of Stone, Sex & Outrage, America, Speedfreak



2. This album gets a bad wrap: yea, its not Ace Of Spades, but it is the last of the Fast Eddie era Moterhead.
   
   The tune Iron Fist is a great song, and worth it for that one alone. This is definitly a fans album, but remember that this one made the top 6 on the British charts when it came out (so its not as bad as some reviews suggest). This album is not the "Mr Roboto" (a stinker of an album) of Motorhead, but definitly not their very best effort. Also, its not the worst they did: you can hear classic Eddie in this album, and Phil and Lemmy do a great job on this as well.
   
   They sound like they were on the verge of becoming more like Saxon and Iron Maiden, and less like a band of Soccer holligan drunks playing late 70s thrash. There IS a refinement, but less 'innovative'. Its hard to say if Lemmy did not do the 'Stand by Your Man' thing with Wendy O, Eddie would not have left the band (who knows). They would not be the first band of good musicians that started to make it who shot themselves in the rear with bickering and lack of direction. Most of my music friends who are good would also blow it (in time) if they made it - it must go with the territory.
   
   This album was released when the band was at their worst, imploding from the stress of thier success. If you go to Fast Eddies web site, even he trashes this album, but that may be more to do with the memory of what was going on in the band when they split up (how many people watch wedding videos and go over their wedding albums after a divorse 'to savor the memories??').
   
   The Iron Fist tour was going bad, and tensions were rising (a rift formed in the Phil/Lemmy and Eddie camps). They tried to save money in getting Eddie to do the album and found out they should have paid the money, and all of them distance themselves from this album. Its so funny that in spite of that, its still pretty good. And it did well in the charts.
   
   If you are collecting albums, this one has to be you buy. Just watch Iron Fist on Youtube and you will buy this album (but buy Ace of Spades, Overkill, and Bomber FIRST).



3. Motorhead are a rock and roll legend. From their bruising beginnings to current status as hard rockin' Godfathers, Lemmy and company have stayed true to their roots and have prospered at least well enough to stay on the road and make albums.
   The first Motorhead incarnation remains, to many, the classic line-up with Lemmy Kilmister on bass and (ahem) vocals, Philthy Animal Taylor on drums and Fast Eddie Clarke on guitars. Fast Eddie is the key ingredient to the classic crash and burn Motorhead sound that gave us the immortal "Ace Of Spades" and earlier platters like "Overkill" and "Bomber". Clarke's style, a thick blues and riff heavy attack gave Motorhead their distinctive hooks, much needed amid the bombast.
   "Iron Fist", Clarke's last effort with the band, followed on the heels of "No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith", the classic live album. Following this album was no easy task, but thanks to Clarke's slightly cleaner production, "Iron Fist" is a classic. My edition includes live performances on a second CD.
   The hooks and humor are there, including "I'm The Doctor", "I'm A Loser" and "Don't Need Religion", a topic near and dear to Kilmister's heart.
   "Iron Fist" may pale a little in the shadow of "Ace Of Spades", but then again, nobody could top that outing. A fine effort from a great rock and roll band.



4. I've seen very mixed reviews on this album so I decided to speak up. Some claim that this is just a very mediocre album while others put in on an altar. I chose the latter. This album is not good...it is EXTREMELY good. Too good for its own good (the band has had trouble in making such a consistent album ever since). IRON FIST was produced by MOTORHEAD guitarist Fast Eddie Clark, thus the guitar sounds here in are polished but remain loud and raw. Same goes for Lemmy's bass. Just check the intro for the title song. When I heard it, I though I was hearing a "guitar"!!! And Phil's drumming is at its most intense. On latter period albums like "1916" or "Rock 'n Roll" he has yet to match the intensity of his drumming on IRON FIST. It seems to me that MOTORHEAD were paying close attention to the bands they helped spawned at the time. GBH, DISCHARGE, EXPLOITED, although decidely punk bands, had a VERY close sound to MOTORHEAD. They also played fast and noisy but lacked the solos. I Think IRON FIST was a response to that and it's the reason why this album remains probably their fastest to date. The songs themselves are extremely catchy and memorable and the lyrics are, as always, phenomemnal. From the angry sneer of "Don't let'em grind ya down" to the vengeful, "Heart of Stone" to the hardcore freight train of "Sex And Outrage", IRON FIST is a consitent album through and through. This especial edition CD features some interesting b-sides that are musts for all MOTORHEAD fans.
   This was one of the very first heavy metal album's I've ever heard and who would've known that this band was the blueprint for dozens of hardcore punk bands around the world?!?! Exceptional album. Go buy it RIGHT NOW!!!



5. Originally released in 1982,as this was their seventh lp as well as the follow-up to the notorious 'Ace Of Spades' landmark album.'Iron Fist' also marks the final vinyl appearance with guitarist Fast Eddie Clarke.I know it may sound bleak,but believe me,it's not near as bad as it sounds.Memorable cuts here include the title track "Iron Fist","Heart Of Stone","Loser" and "Speed Freak".There's five(5)bonus tunes tagged on to lure you to purchase this reissue.Some fine British '80's metal to be fully taken in,if you can handle it.I just KNEW 'Ace Of Spades' would be quite difficult to match.

5 comments about Greatest Hits (CD+DVD).

1. I enjoy female vocalists and bands with female vocalists. I also liked other bands of the Blondie era like Berlin, Missing Persons, the Go Gos and the Bangles. I thought I liked Blondie, but the more I learned, the more I realized I didn't like them as much as the other bands.
   
   Blondie fit the new wave movement. On one side, it was progressive, paving the road for the typical '80's sound. On the other side, it was nostalgic, borrowing from the '50's. Blondie captured both sides.
   
   "Call Me" is one of my favorite songs, and I always enjoyed "Heart Of Glass". Other songs left me cold. Part of the problem was the 50ish sound of those songs, and part is the lyrics. (For example, while I love the sound of the verses and chorus of "Rapture", I despise the silly rap segment.)
   
   There is a DVD, and that is good nostalgia, but they didn't do much for me. It was not as developed as most MTV videos.



2. I was quite impressed with this DVD/CD. I actually bought the album just for one song-Riders/Rapture. The young ones look and listen to Debbie Harry as their Grammy, but those of us who started with Bill Haley and the Comets find that she and Blondie "still" have it. The very fact that "Riders on the Storm" goes with "Rapture"s music is mind boggling.
   Blondie's tunes allow me to work at my computer even with intense work on my part. For a greatest hits album this is a great album even if the youngsters think it's not contemporary with the rap songs. Where I grew up we'd call Blondie a wicked, hot band.
   Thanks to the person who put the "Riders/Rapture" DVD on YouTube. I wouldn't have known nor stumbled on it.



3. 
   This collection contains most of Blondie's best with a few exceptions, most notably, "X-Offender" and "I'm Always Touched by Your Presence, Dear." Hardcore fans have noted different versions here, but the casual fan will be satisfied with this set. Blondie has always been about style over substance, but definitely has influenced such artists as Madonna and Gwen Stefani. The range of music they cover from rap to reggae also demonstrates rock's amazing ability to encompass many different sounds and this demonstrates Blondie's impact on popular music.
   The DVD has a different effect. While the music has a timelessness that will hold up, the videos are like a time capsule showing how much this art form has changed and now ends up being a curiosity. For the most part they are lip sync performance clips with a few very dated effects. You'll watch it once and then forget about it.



4. Blondie is my favorite band and I have all of their albums, so I was curious to compare this collection with their first hits collection, The Best of Blondie (1982), and their other Greatest Hits album from 2002.
   
   Sound & Vision is much better than The Best of Blondie, with vastly improved sound quality and a bigger selection of songs. The only songs that The Best of Blondie contains that this collection does not are "(I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence, Dear" and the original version of "In the Flesh"--the version of the latter on Sound & Vision is an awful remix with brand new vocals by Debbie Harry, and it sounds NOTHING like the original. Sound & Vision is certainly preferable to The Best of Blondie, though, no matter how you look at it.
   
   However, when compared to the 2002 Greatest Hits CD, Sound & Vision doesn't fair quite as well, not taking into account the bonus DVD with music videos. Greatest Hits has nearly every song from this collection--it does NOT include "Good Boys" or "End To End" from The Curse of Blondie, released in 2004, nor the "Rapture Riders" mash-up, but makes up for it with the inclusion of "(I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence, Dear" and "X Offender", two of Blondie's best songs. It also includes the original version of "In the Flesh" in lieu of the pointless remix. Those factors alone, along with the fact that Greatest Hits is quite a bit cheaper than this collection, make Greatest Hits worth getting instead of Sound & Vision.
   
   So, how does Sound & Vision hold up on its own? It is a decent collection of Blondie's most popular songs, but they are mostly radio edits and not the full album versions. They even dared to chop off the openings of "Heart of Glass", Atomic" and "The Tide is High"! The remix included for "Good Boys" is decent, and much MUCH better than the remix for "In the Flesh", but the album version is still the best. The remastering is swell, but in some cases I prefer the remasters of the original album versions (for example, "Union City Blue").
   
   If you're a diehard Blondie fan like me, you will want Sound & Vision for the bonus DVD, which includes some of Blondie's best music videos. These are not traditional music videos because they were all produced before MTV, but rather they are performance videos of the band lip-synching to the studio versions of the songs. My personal favorite of the videos is "Rapture", but "Heart of Glass", "Denis", "Hanging on the Telephone", "Dreaming" and "The Hardest Part" are favorites as well. The worst of them by far is "The Tide of High"--love the song, but the video is T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E.
   
   Most casual listeners will not be concerned with the things I am nitpicking about here. But unless you must have the videos, you would be better off purchasing the 2002 Greatest Hits collection because of the cheaper price tag. Thankfully, I found this collection for $12 used, or else I would have bought Greatest Hits, too.



5. If you are a Blondie fan, this is a MUST HAVE! It will definitely become one of your favorites. On a scale of 1-5 for this review, it is a 10!!!

5 comments about Pleasure Victim.

1. I used to have this album when I was a kid and decided to finally buy it on CD. It still holds up, with cheezy instruments and the great voice of Terri Nunn. I listen to this when I work out, it is a great CD for that. I seen them in concert in the 1980's at the peak of thier career's and they were great. A definate CD to add to your 80's flashback! Enjoy!



2. As a high schooler at the time of release I'll admit I had an enormous crush on Terri Nunn, but hormones aside it was and still is a great album...especially at it's current price. "Masquerade" is my absolute favorite; overall it's one of those CDs that's perfect when going out on a drive. IMO Terri Nunn has a level of confidence and clarity in her voice that just cranks...can't believe 26 years have past!



3. Each and every song on this album is a classic. They personify what 80's new wave was all about. It is a shame the real Berlin broke up after their third album...the new line up only contains Terri Nunn, whom I do love. The new group just doesn't contain the fire needed to make Berlin's signature style of music.
   Tell me why and The Metro and the best cuts on this CD....but every song is highly listenable and you will find yourself humming along then singing along then memorizing each song lyric. Definate MUST HAVE



4. The early 80's spawned a kind of contagious alternative rock known as New Wave; a style that relied much on synthesizers and a rebel-rock style. A group that helped define this was non other than Berlin, whose 1982 album "Pleasure Victim" brought us one of the more well-known New Wave songs of the 80's with "The Metro." Recently, the Berlin reunited for a VH1 "Band's Reunited" concert where they played "The Metro" just as smoothly as they did in 1982. Led by the soaring and sensual vocals of Terri Nunn, Berlin established themselves as not only a New Wave band, but a rather sexy and somewhat erotic band as well.
   
   "Tell Me Why" - With rapid, atmospheric synths, dancy drums and passionate Nunn vocals, this number gets you moving right away. This is a great album starter.
   
   "Pleasure Victim" - Here is the title track. Trippy, hypnotic synths and soaring vocals from Nunn make this a rather haunting melodic number. One of my favorites.
   
   "Sex (I'm A...)" - The most erotic song on the album by far. Fast paced and demanding with much sensual singing and not to mention moaning from Nunn and John Crawford. Features throbbing melodic and intense synths.
   
   "Masquerade" - A rather happy and enjoyable number. Very upbeat and bright synths with matching Nunn vocals. This is one of my favorite songs. It's very contagious and one to dance to.
   
   "The Metro" - Probably Berlin's most recognized hit and my favorite from the album. Another song to bop your head to, this song really tells a story. The synths are unforgettable in this one. It goes from smooth, to rather dreamy and atmospheric amongst the catchy beat. "The Metro" is the center of the singer's story of a relationship.
   
   "World Of Smiles" - Okay, this is a rather quirky and strange tune, but nevertheless enjoyable. Then again, New Wave defined quirky and strange. As always, the passionate intensity of Dunn is there.
   
   "Torture" - A very interesting piece. Slow shuffling beats and very melancholy synths that are almost hurting, as if dying slowly inside along with Dunn's slow and painly soulful and sensual vocals. The whole song itself clearly matches the title.
   
   "Sex (I'm A....) (extended version)" - Just like it says, this is simply more of the same as in the original heard before. The beat is slightly different; you can's really hear the thud of the drums as much (however, I prefer the thudding drums). Anyway, at the end of the song here, there's a rather funny comment that Dunn makes and I would have to agree with her, hahaha.
   
   Let me just say that David Diamond and John Crawford are gods of the synthesizer. They are a true asset to the 80's New Wave style, helped bring out the vocals and beats and of course helped make the band what it is. And Terri Dunn was a perfect fit with her sensual vocals. The whole band is one of the defining New Wave bands of the 80's as mentioned before. So if you're a New Wave fan, curious about Berlin, or want to get to know about 80's New Wave better, I suggest you pick up "Pleasure Victim." It's not the greatest New Wave album by any means, but still decent and a good listen.



5. If you like Berlin but haven't got this album, you might be disappointed by the rather cheap and raw synthesizer production on it. Berlin didn't hit the big time until "Take My Breath Away", but by then they were up to their third album and had taken on a mainstream sound. This was where they started.
   
   So what does it sound like? Well its new-wave power pop with borderline Hi-NRG overtones. The underground hit "Sex (I'm A...)" is bolstered with a chattering synth bassline that could have come straight out of Eurodisco. Funny, then, that the song is this hilariously macho and sexist rubbish about a woman promising to be everything a man could fantasize about...it apparently caused a stir at the time with it's explicit content but it just sounds amusing now: "I'm a little girl... I'm a hooker... I'm a goddess...I'm a one-night stand" are some of the lines poor Terri Nunn has to sing while the drum machine and percussion huff and puff away in the background. I have nothing but respect for Terri Nunn, she's a great singer and accomplished performer, so thank goodness that Berlin matured as each album was released and she was able to sing songs with a bit more substance!
   
   Actually, all the other songs on the album are probably better than "Sex (I'm A...)" lyrically, although they all have the same tinny synth backing. it works most of the time though, and it was definitely "the" sound of it's time. My favourite is the opener "Tell Me Why", but the slower songs are as good as the fast paced ones, with "Pleasure Victim" and "Torture" being fairly memorable songs. The weakest tracks for me have to be "The Metro" (too much bleep-bleeping and tin-pot bashing ) and "World of Smiles" (it just goes nowhere). Bear in mind also, that this is an incredibly short CD - and the inclusion of the extended version of "Sex" makes scant difference as it's a very unremarkable edit job.
   
   Still, it's fun to play, and Terri Nunn is already capable of stealing the show, even working with this rather adolescent material. The Berlin albums got better after this one, so think of "Pleasure Victim" as their way of just testing the water.

5 comments about Greatest Hits.

1. This is a compilation of songs that most of us who grew up during the 80s heard at some point during the decade. The question of whether or not to get this CD depends entirely on your opinion of the band when they were making records. If you had cassettes or vinyl from this band you are going to find tracks you enjoyed. If you are doing research on music from the 80s this is also a nice sampler of this particular band. Fans of Boy George old and new will want this because this is where he got his start. I grew up in the 80s and had a cassette or two of Culture Club and would get vinyl of them from the library. I may have to go hunting for CDs of the individual cassettes I had but this is a good overview of what the group accomplish when it was still performing.



2. I Loved Culture Club as a Child of 13 yrs old and this is the Best Cd by them!!



3. An excellent overview of one of the '80's best, most creative bands. Sure, the later material pales in comparison to their earlier hey-day, but if you want an exhaustive collection of Culture Club, you can't go wrong with this!



4. One thing i must say to the haters, is that Culture Club music was fun 80's music at its best. Some serious, some was just plain dance music. This cd in particular i must say was well done in selection as well as quality. A definite must buy for any culture club fan!



5. Yes, I will admit every song on this collection is wonderful. As a matter of fact, most likely the best music that ever existed in the world. However, it is again the commercial stuff, and no one will really understand Culture Club. All the hits from the first greatest hits LP is included, This Time-The Four Years-- 12 Worldwide Hits, which included the classic "Black Money". However, this is what the list should have been to company a real US and UK collection together:
   
   1) White Boy (the single version, and yes it is much better then the dance version from Kissing To Be Clever) 3:24
   2) I'm Afraid Of Me (single version, better then the remix) 3:29
   3)Do You Really Want To Hurt Me? 4:24
   4)Time (Clock Of The Heart) 3:43
   5)Church Of The Posion Mind 3:33
   6)Karma Chameleon 4:12
   7)Victims 4:53
   8)It's A Miracle 3:26
   9)The War Song 4:14
   10) The Medal Song (single version,it is ten seconds longer and better than the album version) 4:25
   11)Move Away 4:22
   12)God Thank You Woman 4:13
   13)Gusto Blusto 4:40
   14)Heaven's Children 4:44
   15)I Just Wanna Be Loved (the UK Greatest Moments version, much better I promise you then the US GM collection) 4:34
   16)Strange Voodoo 5:15
   17)That's The Way (I'm Only Tring To Help You) 2:45
   18) Unfortunate Thing 3:08
   
   Yes, notice how I have skipped some of the US only singles like "I'll Tumble 4 Ya" "Miss Me Blind" and "Mistake #3". Well, those songs are not bad. However, they make the group look very bubblicious, when the UK singles, like I'm Afraid of Me, Medal Song, and God Thank You Woman are professional, and are a step above those US only singles. Notice how the only US only single here in my list is "Gusto Blusto". It is the ultimate dance rocker, with George's voice being dazzling, as well as being produced by the power team of Arif Mardin and Lew Hahn. "Heaven's Children" is also included, which was going to be the group's last single released in 1986, until it was cancelled from the poor sales of "Gusto Blusto" in the US. Not only is "I Just Wanna Be Loved" included, is is the best version of it from the UK Greatest Moments album. "Strange Voodoo" is included, which was also introduced as the last song George sang at the 1998 Culture Club reunion concert on VH-1, which premiered on his birthday. And yes, it was my birthday and all ultimate Culture Club fans birthday on that day too, Sunday, June 14. "That's The Way", is also included, which proved that George and Helen Terry were the ultimate soul singers ever to live. "Unfortunate Thing" is Boy George's biography to help children remember to stay in school. Whether you believe it our not, George was one of the most important figures to the world at that time, and he still is, if at least his record company in America didn't hate him as well as other jerks. Smart people know George Alan O'Dowd was and still is the best singer in the world, as well as Culture Club being the best group in the world. To talk about Christianity, Boy George is more Christian than any singer I loved since I was five years old in 1984. I love you and all smart people do as well, George. Thanks.

5 comments about Duran Duran - Greatest - The DVD.

1. After reading these reviews, I won't bother buying this product. It sounds like the lasedisc versions of the videos might actually look better than the DVD.



2. While many people criticize this DVD for its "difficult" menu options and for its many Easter Eggs, this DVD is truly exceptional. It is a great collection of Duran Duran's very well-made and artistic music videos from across their career. It has basically every major video they've made from their career at that point. The videos look great, and are fun to watch.
   
   Many people criticize the menus for being too complicated. Well, they're not. On each disc, three letters are the submenus to watch the videos, while the A on each disc is the album gallery. And the Easter Eggs, while they can be slightly hard to find, are very worth it. From the different versions of songs to the interviews from early on, they are definitely worth including. For an easy guide to find them, read the Wikipedia page on the DVD.



3. This is a good collection of just about every video the band has produced. My only disappointment is how difficult it is to find the alternate videos and interviews -- not very user friendly. The last thing I expect when I view a DVD is to be subjected to a treasure hunt.



4. I just saw them in concert recently and I can't get enough of them. So this DVD is fulfilling that craving. I love all the videos , the early ones bring back great memories. True, some are a bit corny looking back but fun nevertheless. Great DVD experience for any TRUE Duranie!



5. I'll echo some of the other reviews on here: the navigation is ridiculous, as is the "easter egg" hunt. With most DVD players ability to directly access any tracks, easter eggs aren't cool anymore. And one of my favorite videos "A View To A Kill" got the opening Bond gunbarrel and the beginning of the song chopped off (I'll assume it's due to licensing issues). FYI, it's not much better on the AVTAK movie DVD either: there, the video is unedited but it's cropped at the black bars so the floating cameras get cropped as well, plus it's worse quality than the Greatest version.
   
   For a band that single-handedly revolutionized the music video world and put MTV on the map, this is a shameful and appalling DVD. Hopefully there will be definitive DVD in the future that will include My Own Way, Careless Memories, and all the other ones that got left out, not to mention proper remastering and a better interface and package design. Hope springs eternal.

5 comments about Songs from the Big Chair.

1. That song is one of the absolutely best pop songs of all time. It holds up! I have not heard it for years and was suddenly compelled to listen...oh my gosh the rhythm that holds it together and the soaring heartbreaking vocals that swoop up into falsetto ( I have a total " thing" for men who can sing falsetto, it brings me to my knees)
   Captivating, emotional, singable, dancable... what more can you want in a perfect song?



2. BY FAR THE BEST ALBUM THIS GROUP EVER RECORDED. WITH A DIVERSE MELODIC SOUND, THE BAND MADE A HUGE IMPACT IN AMERICA. [EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD]#1 AND [SHOUT]#1 TOPPED THE CHARTS. [HEAD OVER HEELS]#3 WAS A SMASH HIT AND [MOTHERS TALK]#27 WAS PRETTY GOOD AS WELL. EVERY TRACK ON THIS ALBUM IS WORTH A [LISTEN]. ONE OF MY PERSONAL FAVORITE ALBUMS OF THAT ERA.



3. Pedazo de álbum, probablemente el mejor de su carrera, aunque The Seeds Of Love fuera el más caro y grandioso.
   Impresionante las variaciones de las secciones rítmicas, las melodías profundas y directas como esa entrada de "Head Over Heels" al teclado y guitarra o el tempo como "giratorio" de Everybody Wants to Rule The World con un bridge subiendo y bajando en la escala, "girando".
   Instrumentos que ejecutan frases jazzísticas, la frialdad de Shout... En definitiva, impresionante, que manera de inventar genialidades. Por qué ya nadie hace algo así.
   
   ----------
   Great album, probably the best of the TFF career,although the biggest and expensive album was The Seed Of Love.



4. songs from the big chair is a classic. the songs everybody wants to rule the world and shout hit #1,head over heels hit#3,and mother's talk hit the top 30. other good songs are i blieve,the working hour,broken,and listening. i love this album,you will too. ed wilson



5. the music and seriously. this is a cd that can easily be listened to numerous times. The songs are all brought out with such flare and the vocals are done excellent, songwriting is on point as well. Just everything about each of the tracks. You feel what Tears for Fears were trying and succedded in doing making a throughly great record from start to finish. I know many folks have heard "Shout" if they havent well its really something that has to be appreciated first hand. It is long but you dont even notice that. You just find your self all into the song from beginning to end. Another one that i really enjoyed is "The Working Hour" it doesnt have to do to much, it just brings out another side of the group that you didnt know. "Everybody Wants...." another smash off of this very successful 2nd cd, it takes you from the start of the song and doesnt let go until the song is over. At that point your ready to repeat it again and even when its done. The song is still playing in your head which to me is the sign of a good song.
   
   Other favs of mine on the cd "Head over Heels", "Listen" and "I Believe". Also of note the remix for Shout is almost 2 minutes longer than the original version and makes the song that much better as well. As if that would even be possible. Also enjoyed "Mothers Talk" remix as well brings the song into a different light. I didnt however care for the other bonus tracks 9 through 13, something just felt seriously off with those songs. But that aside this cd still gets a 5 star rating from me..why? It does what most artists can't do bring you very quality music at no comprise to the artist making it in this case Tears for Fears. You guys own!!

5 comments about One Step Beyond....

1. This CD is awesome. It sounds wonderful, and the music still stands up 20+ years later. I love it as much today as I did when I bought it on vinyl.



2. One of the most fun records to come out of the two-tone scene. A lot of the recordings from second-wave bands lack the energy that was present in their live shows, but that's not true here. Check out some of these classics. My favorite is "Night Boat to Cairo."



3. I am 53 years old and just the past few months started listening to SKA. Maybe out of my love for Sublime and because my 19 year old son loved SKA so much before he was taken from me. Anyway, this CD is great. I plan to purchase another one or two. The beat is always uplifting, but not annoying like some. You can turn it up or down, it is just good.



4. What a record this is. What fun it generates. To be a young kid when this came out was to know pure, unadulterated, danceable bliss...
   
   I danced to it in '80 when my little brother first brought it home.
   
   I danced to it non-stop with Lynne in the summer of '87.
   
   My four-year old daughter and I danced our hearts out to it last night.
   
   This record is joyous. It's nutty. It's Madness.



5. This is the cream of the 70's Brittish ska bands.
   
   This finds the perfect balance between the bouncy fun of this style of music with quality songwriting and musicianship. This has got to be almost 30 years old yet it still holds up. You cannot really say that about Madness's cohorts, The Specials and The Selector.
   
   The songs are terrific. "One Step Beyond" is the perfect introduction. It totally establishes the mood. Love that squonkin sax! "My Girl" has such a catchy hook and what a gorgeous chorus. The piano really gives that song it's color. "Bed & Breakfast" is a terrific dance tune with a killer sax solo. "Night Boat to Cairo" is an instrumental for a couple of minutes and then the strum on the upstroke kicks in and the song's tempo speeds up. "The Prince" slows it down where the stye is more reggae than ska.
   
   A greatest hits compilation is good but this album is when the band hit their peak, when they really hit their stride. "My house" is more famous but these songs have a common thread for the era.
   
   I always loved the album cover of this. It depicts these guys having fun and I always imagined that Madness was having fun and strutting like on the cover when playing these songs.
   
   This is a masterpiece! I am not a huge fan of all their works but it all came together/never got any better then "One step beyond"

5 comments about Seconds of Pleasure.

1. As much as this greatly anticipated album was no letdown,I felt it wasn't "the next step" that everyone waited for. I was working the event and attended the CBS press launch for this album in NYC , and both Edmunds and Lowe did not seem 100% behind the final product. The accompanying two nights at the Ritz were stellar, but in my opinion the album lacks the cohesiveness of earlier efforts (Labour of Lust & Repeat When Necessary)and it always seemed to me that the track selection seemd "forced" for a an album from this band.
   Put on Trax on Wax 4 or Repeat When Necessary and you'll feel the cohesiveness I speak of. The tracks all flow.
   A great great album, but just shy of better than previous!



2. I first purchased this album back when I was a Jr. in High School (1981), and over the years I about wore out the vinyl on that disk. With Dave Edmunds, Nick Lowe, Billy Bremmer, and Terry Williams all at their best, this collection of songs is a Rock-N-Roll treat.
   
   I recently re-purchased this CD and the memory flood gates of my youth came gushing back to me as I still remembered most every word to each of these upbeat, rockin` collection of songs.
   
   Billy Bremmer and Terry Williams also shine on this one, but if you're a Dave Edmunds or Nick Lowe fan, this is simply a MUST buy. Simply put, this thing is truly a Rockin' Roll classic!



3. Loved Edmunds since the beginning; when "I Hear You Knockin'" was a staple on am radio. When Punk/New Wave hit, I was in legendary AZ punk band, THE RED SQUARES. In 1982 we were to open for Rockpile, actually Edmunds and a English pick up band at a place called the Store West in Phoenix, AZ. Right before we opened for them, we went to this big honkin' trailer where the "band" was camped. We asked a large bald roadie/manager if we could speak to Dave and get an autograph. He went in and asked Edmunds, who was busy consuming 16oz glasses of Vodka. Baldy came back and barked "Dave was too busy to deal w/you". Yeah, well F**k you to Dave! I still love the CD and even "Repeat When Necessary", but have a bad taste in my mouth for the guy I wasted hero worship on. What a dick.



4. Originally saw the light of day in October, 1980. I knew a LOT of fans and patrons that practically worshiped this sole Rockpile album. Best described as 'new wave pop'. Tracks here I was most impressed with were "If Sugar Was As Sweet As You", "Knife And A Fork", their Chuck Berry cover "Oh What A Thrill", the inspiring "Fool Too Long" and their Everly Brother's "When Will I Be Loved". It's been so long since I heard this disc in it's entirety. Personnel: Dave Edmunds and Billy Bremner-guitar & vocals, Nick Lowe-bass & vocals and Terry Williams-drums. I also remember that Rockpile gave contenders like Squeeze, Elvis Costello, Graham Parker and the Pretenders a good run for their money.



5. A first time in a long time listen to this album revived great memories of the times I put this album on the turntable during the eighties.
   Just plain great gut-feel rock and roll, yet almost academic in its precision and depth of knowledge of the core values of this musical genre. Dave and Nick are the curators of the pounding, stripped down rock of their adolescence (and ours, if we were paying attention).
   Each song nearly tops the last in terms of intensity and interpretation, and you can feel the inherent joy of the evolved I-IV-V chord progressions, as well as the Everly inspired harmonies that inform most of the songs.
   Skip "Knife and Fork", and this CD is as close to perfection as you can get. A brilliant mix of originals and covers, these guys know and love their music. Does anyone remember Chuck Berry? These guys do. A great air guitar album, and a good sing-along to boot. The 1990 remaster includes some gorgeous covers of old Everly brothers tunes. I don't have the latest release but it can only be as good or better than this one.
   Twenty seven years later, this recording still smokes. Terry Williams DRUMS DRUMS DRUMS! Crank it up on the freeway or your headphones, it's all good. Ignore this must-have at your rock and roll cultural peril.

5 comments about Ultimate Collection.

1. Ultimate Collection
   
   This CD is great! It has all the classics and really brought back memories for my dh who grew up listening to Madness!



2. The "Ultimate Collection" of Madness goes a long way towards proving that these "nutty boys" were a terrific singles band. From the opening bellow of "One Step Beyond" to the inspirational "Wings of a Dove," there really isn't a dud in the bunch, and the CD clocks in at over 70 minutes. Even with these little nuggets of radio gems (sadly, hardly any of them US charters), it is easy to underestimate the influence of Madness. I recall one Saturday morning in college as the dorm TV was on, and a cereal commercial had a bunch of little kids doing that "One Step Beyond" dance/walk during the Saturday cartoons.
   
   Which meant that, despite meager American success for "Absolutely" and "One Step Beyond..." (enough so that Sire dropped them and the next two albums came out on Stiff as imports), there were a lot of eyes on these seven young Brits. Their mix of pop, R'n'B, goofy personalities and - of course - ska made them irresistible to those exposed. But once you scratch the surface, darker themes flowed beneath the shiny surfaces. "Embarrassment" dealt with a real life family reaction to an out-of-wedlock pregnancy from an interracial relationship and their not-so-enlightened response. Both "Tomorrow's Just Another Day" and "Grey Day" deal with people who discover their dreams have run aground.
   
   However, it was a peppy piece of nostalgia that finally broke Madness stateside. "Our House," with memories of growing up, caught the fancy of American ears and went top ten. It also helped that Geffen records, determined to prove they were an "artists record label," put considerable effort at breaking the Madness album, cobbling tracks from the first four albums (two of which had not even been released in the US), and even sneaking the cover "It Must Be Love" into the top 40. But it was also at the moment that Madness seemed to be growing up. Madness Presents the Rise & Fall was a strikingly mature album, and the ska was breaking down to pop.
   
   Pop thrills, nonetheless. The coming of age classic "Baggy Trousers" is still inescapably catchy, and the carnival fair music that permeates "House Of Fun" is still a blast. But as the bittersweet "Michael Caine" (featuring a one line cameo from the subject in question) and "The Sun and The Rain" tracked, Madness was gradually moving into mature territory and their fans weren't necessarily following. "Mad Not Mad's" single "Yesterday's Men" was more than a little prophetic, and the band broke up afterwards. (Subsequent reunions are not represented here.) But all the joy and exuberance of the boys' style is here. If you don't want to dig deep, "Ultimate Madness" has all the goodies.



3. Hearing this album really brings home not only how funny, engaging, and entertaining these boys were but also how stylistically creative- and ace songwriters to boot. My fellow Americans: why didn't we get it? Here they were mostly known as a one-hit wonder but practically every track here coulda-shoulda been a smash hit- as many of these were in the UK. All these accolades aside though I'd recommend "The Lot" or "Complete Madness" over this album since those titles give more focus to the band's earlier "nutty" sound of the Two Tone ska era. Ultimate Collection spans the whole career and in so doing seems to give more equal treatment to the less interesting later electro-pop tunes. Still this is an excellent album.



4. Madness no doubt has a few classics- One step beyond Our house House of fun The prince and Embarrasment, and maybe Madness (they call it) is allright. But when it comes to British ska they are a distant second to the Specials whose recordings sounded tough authentic while madness's came off to polished and well too "white".(the Specials were interracial and had the best (riddim) section in london. This is a good way to collect the well known hits and for the money its a good buy i guess- but alot of this material sounds welldated in that bad eighties way- ive seen Madness live however and they sound better live than on recordings. This is all a casual fan would need for sure- if youre new to the first wave of british ska then pick up the Specials debut which is a true ska classic.



5. The songs One Step Beyond,House of Fun,Our House and It Must be Love . I like very much the rest of the songs I gotta get use to.