No comments about Frostland Tapes.

5 comments about Billboard Top Rock 'n' Roll Hits: 1957-1961.

1. I BOUGHT THESE CD'S AND LOVE THEM. THEY HAVE ALL THE MUSIC I GREW UP WITH. I STRONGLY RECOMEND THESE CD'S TO ANYONE INTERESTED IN THE MUSIC FROM THESE ERAS



2. "Billboard Top Rock 'n' Roll Hits: 1957-1961" offers up some fantastic music from the golden age of rock & roll.
   The sound quality is great, as is the selection of hits.
   My problem is that there are only 10 songs per disk!
   Hey Billboard - this is the 21st Century - you're not selling vinyl anymore.
   This set could have been released on 2 CDs and the price set accordingly.
   So while I'd rate the music 5 "Stars", my overall rating is only a 3.



3. I got this for my parents for Christmas and they LOVE it. Great way to get your folks to boogie down and get their blood flowin'. They are having a blast with this CD collection.



4. I bought this box set for my dad for Christmas - his favorite "oldies" station in his rural hometown just switched to party mix! He really enjoys playing these CD's, although he's not really a CD collecting kind of guy. I'll be getting the next series for his birthday.



5. These are real hits from the years indicated and separated by disk into the separate years. If you were around in those years and listening to the radio, you don't have to be told this. If the price is right for you, then I highly recommend you buy.

5 comments about Pandora's Box.

1. This 3 disc box set sets the standard for raunchy, sleazy, dirty Aerosmith that we all know and love. The majority of the songs are from their 70's drug induced stardom. There are nearly a dozen unreleased tracks and cuts on here, all of which are great. Aerosmith's cover of The Beatles "Helter Skelter" is amazing, it even rivals the quality of the orignal. If you want to know why Aerosmith was so highly heralded in the 1970's, then pick this box set up and crank the volume Aerosmith style. (Which is WAY UP) 5 STARS CERTAINLY



2. for someone who loves classic aerosmith (from 1971-1982) this box set is simply the best deal you'll ever find! all their best and then some. lots of fun unrealeased stuff and new concert clips which all soar.personally...i don't care for their more recent stuff but in the 70's these guys rocked and this box set claims its stake.nothing but good things to say about it. a definate must for anyone curious or some who wants alot of their stuff cheap.
   for a mere $10 or $15 more than greatest hits...you get ALL their greatest hits.do yourself a favor and buy this...like now!!!!!!



3. Unreleased live tracks, rarities, well-known favorites and not-so-well-known album tracks...this is how a box set SHOULD be done! Why can't all artists put it together this way ? With a set like this chronicling the best hard-rock band in America, the only album you need besides this from Aerosmith's golden period of 1973-79 is the superb 'Rocks' album and, perhaps, 'Live Bootleg'. This box set really takes care of all the rest - that's how well done it is. Trust me, all your favorites are here and the stuff you haven't heard before is revealing and fantastic.



4. This is a great box set. It's the "hodge-podge" format which as you already know it includes live cuts, demos, originals, previously unreleased, etc. ANYONE could enjoy these 3 Aerosmith albums but mostly this is an album for die-hard Aerosmith fans or someone that's already into the band atleast on some level.
   
   Are the newer releases remastered? NO! But the 1991 set sounded great to begin with. Like Led Zeppelin's box set in 1990 it was done right to begin with.
   
   That being a given, this set is quite excellent. It focuses on the first 7 albums from 1973 to 1982. Most of the greatest hits sets out there (2 disc sets) focus on the 1985 - 2001 era such as "Gold" does. O Yeah! The Ultimate Aerosmith set has about 1/3 pre-1985 stuff on it. They dedicate about 1/3 to each decade. If the early stuff is your favorite, then this set is the true gold. There are a couple of single discs (Greatest Hits and Gems) which focus on the 70's, but as some of us know there are edited versions of some songs on Greatest Hits.
   
   If you want to get into the early 70's stuff I suggest getting each album, especially now that those are remastered. And they really are. 20 bit. But if you don't want to buy all six or seven of those, this set is the next best thing and you can get it very inexpensively used/new here on Amazon.com Even if you have all of the 70's albums there are 20 previously unreleased tracks on Pandora's Box. So, there is plenty there for the collector or the new fan of 70's material.



5. Pandora's Box. An Aerosmith box set.
   
   When Aerosmith began to regain fame in the late eighties and early nineties, many fans of the group began to forget about the classic hard rock material that the group had recorded in the seventies, prior to their original break-up. This was a shame, because the band's seventies material was really the best stuff they had ever recorded. To try to make the Aerosmith legacy of the past more well-known, the Pandora's Box set was released. Read on for my review of this set.
   
   PROS:
   -YOU GET THREE DISCS OF MATERIAL FROM THE BAND'S CLASSIC SEVENTIES MATERIAL. This is the era in which the band was in their prime, and it's great that the record company decided to released a box set of nothing but tracks from this era.
   -THERE ARE A TON OF UNDERRATED MASTERPIECES AND RARE TRACKS. This isn't just a hit singles box - there are plenty of underrated album cuts here. Furthermore, the box does one better and gives you a ton of rarities! You get demos, alternate takes, alternate versions, rare tracks, and tons of other cool little rare things. The unreleased stuff is the best part of this set.
   -THE LINER NOTES ARE NICE. The notes will give you plenty of seventies Aerosmith info, and let you know about the band before their original break-up in the early eighties.
   
   CONS:
   -TOO MUCH OF THIS STUFF IS PREVIOUSLY RELEASED. The band really needs to make the rare stuff in this set available elsewhere, because most fans of the band sure as hell aren't going to be too willing to shell out the big bucks for the sake of a few rare songs - and they'll be getting so many songs they already have.
   -FOR WHAT IT IS, THE SET IS OVERPRICED. A set like this should be priced considerably less, unless the band would have been willing to include an extra disc of material. I personally think the band would have been better off releasing a collection of their complete albums from this era, along with an extra disc of material.
   
   OVERALL:
   Overall, this is a very good set, I just wish they'd made the unreleased tracks available somewhere else, since most fans don't want to buy the same songs twice. Still, it's an excellent overview of the band in their prime, and is strongly recommended to any fan of the group.

5 comments about The Collection, Vol. 4: Nashville Skyline/New Morning/John Wesley Harding.

1. After his motorcycle accident and during his recovery, Bob Dylan, according to what I've read, spent hours and hours recording with the band in New York in that Big Pink house. Many years later, probably because of all of the bootlegs of these sessions, some of those recordings would be officially released as The Basement Tapes but for some reason, Dylan decided not to put that stuff out when it was fresh. Instead he went down to Nashville and in a few short days wrote all new material, hired three Nashville musicians and recorded John Wesley Harding and who could have believe that in such a short time, such a masterpiece could be created. This record is truly a testament to Dylan's genius.
   
   I've also read that Dylan has said on many occasions that his songs are what they are, that the words are out there for everybody to hear, that there are no hidden meanings, no secret messages, but I have to say on the second song on this record, "As I Went Out One Morning," that I can't help but picturing the "fairest damsel that ever did walk in chains," as America. It seems to me that Dylan is saying that Tom Paine would be so disappointed at what she has become. Also, this record is peppered with Biblical references, maybe this is a glimpse of Slow Train off in the future, maybe not, but were those references messages or was Dylan just into reading the Bible when he did this record. Actually it doesn't matter, because this is one of the best records to come out of the last century. "The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest" is just one heck of a story. "Down Along the Cove" is one heck of a love song. "John Wesley Harding" just one heck of a ballad. Every song on JWH is great. Can I say it just one more time? John Wesley Harding is just one heck of a record.
   
   I suppose after the success of JWH Bob Dylan thought going back to Nashville and recording another album was a good idea. I'm wondering if all these years later, if he still feels that way. I know Nashville Skyline was a commercial success, that "Lay Lady Lay" was a top ten hit as a forty-five, but, for me at least, there is something missing here. This is a happy record, recorded by a happy man. At least that's they way it seems to me and that's not the way I like to think of Dylan best. I see him as, if not a leader of his generation, a poet at least. I love the dark lyrics of his earlier work. Love the work that comes after Skyline, well not all of it, but most of it.
   
   The recording of "Girl from the North Country" with Johnny Cash is interesting, but out of place with the rest of the record. I have the Dylan Cash bootleg and have put that song with the rest of the record on my iPod and there it works well, but not here I don't think. I do love "Tell Me that it isn't True," where Dylan is questioning the fidelity of his woman (well the woman in the song anyway). I also particularly like "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You" and "I Threw it All Away." "Lay Lady Lay," the big hit from the record has never been a favorite of mine, but many Dylan fans like it. Actually, "One More Night," is a great song too, so even though this is a short record, there are several good songs on it.
   
   Also, Dylan has a new country type crooning voice here, way more so than JWH. I've heard it said that Dylan claims this was because he'd been cutting back on cigarettes at the time. Still, this sounds like an awful lot like a plain old country and western record to me. That's not necessarily bad, but it's way different for Dylan. But then he is famous for not ever being the same. Record after record, he changes. That's part of what makes him the genius he is.
   
   New Morning came out only four months after what many considered to be the disaster that was "Self Portrait" and those fans who thought Dylan went south with that record were glad to have him back with this one. So much so, that they perhaps over praised the record. It is good, this record is, but it's no John Wesley Harding or Highway 61. Still it's a five star recording of all original material that chronicles where Bob Dylan was in 1970.
   
   "If Not For You", which was covered beautifully by George Harrison on All Things Must Pass and by Olivia Newton John, who had a huge hit with it, is a love song that I've played over and over again. It's just simply beautiful. "The Day of the Locusts" is a four minute dirge about when Dylan had to put on a cap and gown (he didn't want to) and go to Princeton to accept an honorary diploma. "Time Passes Slowly" is a song about time passing. Duh. "Time passes slowly when you're lost in a dream." "Time Passes slowly when you're searching for love." "Time passes slowly when you're lost in the daylight." "Time Passes slowly, then fades away." Only Dylan could string ideas like that together in a little over two minute song.
   
   "Went to See the Gypsy," is a nice song about Dylan's meeting with Elvis Presley and "The Man in Me," seems to be a song about how a man sees himself through his lover's eyes. But the real gem on this record is "Sign on the Window." "Sign on the porch says three's a crowd." Was Dylan talking about his fans and how they wouldn't leave him alone. Seems that way to me, but what do I know? Maybe it's about what my good friend Sophie says it is, a New Beginning for Bob Dylan. "That must be what it's all about." So says Dylan, So says Sophie. Either way, it's a great song. Actually the whole record is pretty good.



2. What an awesome selection of Dylan tunes. There are 3 CD's here; put them on "random" on your CD player and you won't regret your purchase. I bought this because my CD of Nashville Skyline went missing; saw this great collection and can't say enough about what a great trio of CD's this is.



3. My older brother thinks "John Wesley Harding" is the best Dylan album ever. Is it? I don't know. "Blood on the Track," "Desire", "Highway 61" and "Blonde on Blonde" are all records I like better, but right after them, I'd but "JWH" maybe tie it with "Oh Mercy." Don't get me wrong. JWH is a must own album. Not only because you can see here how he transitions into his country period with "Nashville Skyline" and "New Morning," but because it's a record that plays on in your head long after you've turned of the CD player. JWH was not only a change of direction in Dylan's music, but it was written while he was recovering from his motorcycle accident, so one could also assume his life was taking a new direction as well. I'm not sure about that, but I would think a long recovery would make you think about life and what it's all about, that's what this record seems to be about anyway. At least that's what I take away from it.
   
   Dylan goes country on "Nashville Skyline" and he does it well. This is a record far too short. Good songs here, but not enough of them. It seems like you've just put the CD in the player and it's over. But other than the fact that there isn't as much music here as on a normal Dylan CD, I have no complaints. Dylan is in fine voice here, sort of a country, high pitched twang that works very nicely. He tells these songs of love and loss with such sincerity, such honesty. But then he attacks everything he does that way, so it should be no surprise. This is just a wonderful, if a bit too short, record.
   
   Some of the best lyrics of Bob Dylan's career are tucked away on "New Morning, a record that sadly hasn't been as popular as some of the rest of his music. Maybe because it's a bit spiritual with the gospel singers who sing background on some of the songs. Maybe it's because some of the songs really are spiritual and Dylan makes no attempt to hide it, like he did so successfully on "John Wesley Harding." Maybe it's because he has a bit of that "Nashville Skyline" country voice some people (I'm not one of them) didn't like. But none of those are reasons to give this record a pass. If you are one of those who gave it a listen one time or two years ago, please take my advice and give it a listen now, because I think you'll find that you've misjudged this record. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. It'll be like discovering a brand new Bob Dylan record.



4. My favorite song on JWH is "Dear Landlord." It's a lament driven by a soulful piano that will reach right into your soul. You can just feel the desperation the singer is crying about. "Only a Hobo," is another song where Dylan sings from the view of someone less fortunate. "I've served time for everything except begging on the street." What a line. You can just see this hobo Dylan sings about, a shyster, con man, often down and out on his luck. A hobo without regret and some advice to give, "Stay free from petty jealousies, live by no man's code, and hold your judgment for yourself, lest you wind up on this road." Dylan's hobo, like Dylan himself, is a lot of things, but a beggar he is not. Then there is the excellent song about that western outlaw, turned somewhat of a saint in the title song of this record, "John Wesley Harding" is Dylan accurate in his portrayal of the outlaw, well he misspelled his name, maybe that's a clue. Dylan is always doing that, surprising us and fooling us. This is an excellent record, full of fine music, double entendres and maybe some simple advice on how to live your life, like these outstanding words, "Live by no man's code."
   
   NASHVILLE SKYLINE is a nice record, good to put on when you want to relax with a glass of wine and a good book. I know that's not the usual way one would listen to a Dylan record, but this is not a usual Dylan record. "Nashville Skyline" is full of uplifting, twangy songs, plus it has the Dylan mega hit on it, "Lay, Lady Lay which has always been a favorite of mine. I also like "Peggy Day" an awful lot as well as the duet Dylan sings with Johnny Cash, "Girl From the North Country." That song is just sublime. "Tonight I'll be Staying Here With You," is another sublime song about the narrator's lost love that will pull a tear from the driest eye, if you're a sentimental girl like me anyway. Then there is "Tell Me that it isn't True" another song about lost love, well a love about to be lost anyway, as the narrator is asking his girl about another man. Yes this is, at least up to now, a totally new direction for Bob Dylan, but it's a direction I kind of like.
   
   There are spiritual overtones on this NEW MORNING and that is fine with me. Bob Dylan has always worn his beliefs on his sleeve. He puts it all out there and if you don't like it, tough. Well, in this case I like this record just fine. Bluesy sometimes, jazzy sometimes and always with those Bob Dylan lyrics you can take at face value the way Dylan says you're supposed to, or you can read all kinds of things into his words. Did he mean this? Did he mean that? It seems Bob Dylan is like a chameleon, so many different things to so many different people, but that's also okay by me, because he has been making the best stuff to listen to on my record player and now my CD player for the last three decades.



5. John Wesley Harding -- A Record that is Always New
   
   I just love this record. A solid rocker with a country flavor. The music is tone down quite a bit from "Blonde on Blonde" but it's still got many songs with a driving beat. The most famous song on JWH has to be "All Along the Watchtower." Jimi Hendrix did such a great job with his cover of that song. Dylan himself, still plays it all the time, changing it as he's always changing himself. "As I Went Out One Morning", is my favorite. Dylan sings about what America as all about and how Tom Paine would be so disappointed if he were around today. That's my read on the song anyway, you may have yours. So many of Dylan's songs are open to different interpretations. My next favorite song is "The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest." It seems that Dylan just loves to showcase his humor. There is just so much going on in this record, it's almost impossible to take in. I've been listening to JWH for years and years and it's always fresh and I always seem to be finding something new, a new way to look at one of these songs.
   
   Nashville Skyline -- A Pure Joy to Listen to
   
   I love the guitar work on this record, especially on "Nashville Skyline Rag" and "Country Pie." I love the country flavor, but then I've always been a fan of country music. I'm a huge Dolly Parton fan and I like George Jones too. So, liking Bob Dylan as much as I do and since my husband has him playing in our house an awful lot, this tends to be one of my favorites of his. True there are no protest songs here, not hard driving rock, no secret messages, no songs that you can interrupt in a number of ways. This is a very straightforward record with very straightforward music that is just a pure joy to listen to.
   
   New Morning -- A Truly Fabulous Record
   
   It's true he came from a small town in Minnesota, but Bob Dylan went on to conquer the world. He is the poet of more than one generation and some of his best stuff is on this records. "Went to See the Gypsy" and "Three Angels" are two of my favorites. The haunting "Ooo, Ooo, Ooo" (I don't know how else to describe them) vocals in the background of "If Dogs Run Free" are just chilling and they really set of the song which is my favorite song on the record. Of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention "If Not For You", which is done just wonderfully on this record. I like the way George Harrison does it as well. In fact I just got the Bangledesh Video for my birthday and Bob and George perform it on the extras part of the video. It's just a fabulous song, one of many on this fabulous record.

5 comments about Weird Tales of the Ramones.

1. Great value!! Fantastic product and super fast shipping from this merchant! Perfect condition! My husband LOVED this b-day gift!



2. Rhino puts out records no one else will, and though other people have put out great Ramones compilations before, not with 85 songs, comic books, CD glasses and a DVD. In other words, this is the best Ramones collection ever put together. And I can't agree with anyone who accused them of being greedy when they offer this much for the price of under 50 cents a song, with tons of freebies.
   
   Great song choice, great remastering. This was a work of love. Johnny made the choices, but Rhino didn't try to cut corners or run up the price. This is the ultimate Ramones collection, no holds barred.



3. ...because it's not remastered. The picture and sound are both horrible. There's interview clips of Joey that are also in "End of The Century" that are crisp and clear in EOTC and fuzzy and washed out here. Not surprising since Johnny Ramone had a lot to do with this project. The packaging is top notch, though, and of course the music is wonderful.



4. Although there are many different and diverse re-packaging of the Ramones Catalogue and Greatest Hits, This one, assembled by the Late Johnny Ramone, is one of the most fun. In addition to the finest and fastest music on the planet , you get a DVD of videos and a 3D comix w/Glasses!
   This is a great gift for anyone in the family. My family, which has very diverse musical tastes, from Rock to Rap, can always agree to listen to the Ramones. Great Car tunes to sing along with.
   Gabba Gabba Hey!
   Rauk Zenta



5. This boxed set is, in a word, incredible. Despite not being particularly impressive songwriters or instrumentalists, The Ramones are still one of the most important bands in the history of rock music. Along with British counterparts The Clash and The Sex Pistols, the Queens quintet spearheaded the punk movement of the late 1970s'. Though lineups changed and personal conflict ocassionally affected their artistic abilities, The Ramones' impact still rings true today.
   
   The 85 song, three disc (and bonus dvd) boxed set "Weird Tales Of The Ramones" is ample proof of how important they were. Songs like "Blitzkreig Bop", "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker" and "I Wanna Be Sedated" defined what punk rock music went. In addition to their biggest hits, there's some very underrated album cuts that deserve the attention of beginning fans. Hardcore fans will be attracted to sound quality, which makes these songs sound new again.
   
   The comic book structured liner notes are a visual thrill. Very informative, quirky and very funny. This is a truly great compilation of a truly great band.

5 comments about Solo Collection.

1. Wow! I am always amazed (and have been since the early '70's) at the quality and power of Freddy Mercury's incredible voice. Before I listened to Queen music, I did not care for rock. Once I heard the magic of their vocals, and the amazing harmonies that Queen incorporated into their songwriting, I was hooked. They got me interested in classic rock for the first time. I was 13 at the time. While this CD set is not by Queen, per se, it does showcase Freddy Mercury's amazing talents. Pairing him with an opera singer was an original and innovative idea. Any Queen fan would find these CD's enjoyable, if they are open to other forms of music than classic rock. These CD's are meant to be enjoyed from a vocalistic point of view, and there is no greater voice than Freddy Mercury's clear smooth tenor. I believe that opera singers may find this an enjoyable experience as well, and it may help them to understand that many rock singers have operatic talent as well, and are to be equally respected as classical singers are.



2. Of the three members of Queen who went solo Freddie Mercury was, is and likly always will be the most popular and best. Thats not just because efforts like Brian Mays Back To The Light is boring and Roger Taylors attempt at capturing Queens 70s style Space Frontiers falls flat, but also because Freddie Mercury wrote most of Queens songs (Including The Miracle and Innuendo, check out the Official Queen Site for details 54 songs to Brian Mays 51) as well as most of Queens hits (and you cant argue about the value of songs like We Are The Champians and Somebody To Love). Freddie Mercury needed Queen?! Im surprized at anyone who thinks so, just listen to You Take My Breath Away (Live) and My Melencholy Blues and find thats not the case. Queen needed Freddie. Brian May himself said without Freddie Mercury thier is no Queen, Mercury therefore prooved that he did not need Queen, he was Queen to a huge extent (and lets not forget it was Mercury who gave the band its name). This collection really shows why Queen chose Mercury as frontman. He was an incredible singer and songwriter akin to John Lennon (though he lived to be 5 years older then John and had a shorter solo career but longer one with his band). Theres only slight misfires that Mercury had, his few covers and some dance related stuff, I also wonder if he could have played a bit more piano but for the most part he was an artist of grandious perfection. One more thing: to listen to Freddie and miss the musical talents of the other members of Queen is pointless and stupid. Its like listening to John Lennon and missing Pauls bass, Ringos drums and Georges guitar or Peter Gabriel and missing Tonys keyboards, Mikes bass, Phils drumming and Steves guitar. As much as I like Queen I missed nothing of Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon. Freddie used mainly competent musicians anyhow (check out Mr. Bad guy) who supported his style well.



3. Any fan of Freddie Mercury needs this collection in addition to everything he ever recorded. Perhaps the most gifted vocalist ever. What a loss.



4. If you own freddie mercury music don't buy this. For me, however, this was perfect. I have liked queen since I was in 5th grade. I bought all their albums. I wanted to hear more queen so I turned to the bands solo careers. In one purchase I became the owner of virtually all of Freddie's major releases.(If you own his stuff already all you are getting is the exact same music just in one box) Freddie Mercury, I find having listened to this compilation, is the master of creating moods in music. I definitly would recomend a purchase of this box set to anyone unless they are willing to buy the big imported expensive box set instead.



5. First of all, the display picture is inaccurate; It refers to the 10 CD + 2 DVD British edition of the complete solo recordings.

   This 3 CD (2 1/2) collection brings back to life a remastered version of the exquisite "Barcelona", and the rare, melodic and strong "Mr. Bad Guy". The sound is crystal clear, and it does pay up for its price.

   An excellent choice for the Mercury fan who won't spend 120+ on 10 CDs which can be "resumed" in this edition. I would recommend getting both "The Great Pretender" and "The Freddie Mercury Album" as accompanying audio selections and "The Freddie Mercury Video Collection DVD" for viewing pleasure. A great gift for a friend, lover or relative.

5 comments about Led Zeppelin Remasters.

1. LED ZEPPELIN-REMASTERS: If the Led Zep box set is too much of a good thing for you (or too tough on your purse strings), then this two CD abbreviated set (plus an interview disc) is the next best thing. Chronologically skimming the cream from all their classic albums, disc one is pretty much one of THE definitive histories of heavy metal, from the bombastic first track COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN to the last, that eight minute all-time FM radio juggernaut that need not be mentioned by name here. In between, you get the psychedelic blooze of DAZED AND CONFUSED, the stereo headphone demonstrater WHOLE LOTTA LOVE, the gargantuan crunch of IMMIGRANT SONG, and most of LED ZEPPELIN IV. The second, weaker disc represents the less interesting last half of their career, tho' the cuts from HOUSES OF THE HOLY and PHYSICAL GRAFFITTI are on a par with anything from Zep 1-4 (the reggae-accentuated D'YER MAK'ER, KASHMIR's hypnotic pulse). The wimpy ALL MY LOVE especially sounds like a final gasp, and it was, actually. There will never again be another partnership as musically volcanic as that of Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, and at long last, Led Zeppelin gets a greatest hits treatment worthy of its legacy. RATING: FOUR STICKS



2. I am not a die-hard Led Zeppelin fan. But I have come to have enormous respect for the quartet of Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham. I have come to realize that the efforts of a great work ethic have produced some of the stuff that legends are made of - and Led Zep takes the cake. As a 30 something music fan, I decided this would be one of my first entry points into the Led Zeppelin music library. 'Remasters' seemed like the perfect entry point - most of Zeppelin's great songs remastered on 2 CDs - plus a third 'Interviews' CD to get insight into the band. This box set is very good. It doesn't deliver that knockout punch or homerun, but it is very good.

   First the packaging - It seems that nowadays everything that is above 2 CDs that is considered a "Boxed Set". There really have become 2 categories of Boxed Sets. The first is a "Classic Boxed Set". This comes in a covered box about the size of an LP and contains CDs (sometimes in jewel cases, sometimes just on the bottom of the box) and a book about the same size. The second type is more like a 5.5" x 10" hardcover book which I term "Hardcover Box Set'. The CDs basically are stored in the hardcover binding and the book is in the middle. I much prefer what I call the Classic Boxed Set to the Hardcover format. The 'Led Zeppelin Remasters' set is a subset of Hardcover format. The disappointing thing - no book in the middle. Just two little booklets in the upper left corner. I know Led Zeppelin has more comprehensive boxed sets (The Complete Set and the 4 CD set), but I still would have liked to see a little more here.

   The music is on 2 CDs and basically is divided into Early Zeppelin and Late Zeppelin. The first CD encompasses songs through the 'Led Zeppelin IV' album while the 2nd CD takes us to the end with songs from 'In Through the Out Door'. I think the Zeppelin fan will be satisfied here. I am more of a fan of the later stuff. I was very disappointed to find that 'Fool in the Rain' was not included on this set. However if you want to hear remastered versions of 'Stairway to Heaven', 'Kashmir', and 'Trampled Underfoot' - you won't be disappointed. On a side note, I think those are the three best Zep songs.

   The third CD is divided into 3 sections over 43 tracks. The first section is a profile of the band which is 28 minutes long, but much of that is taken up by replaying songs such as Kashmir. I think it would have been nicer to go deeper with the band profile. The 2nd section is Station Liners and if you are a die-hard fan, this is perfect. I wish more boxed sets had preserved this type of stuff. The third section is individual Q&A with Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, and John Paul Jones. Much like the first section, it doesn't go as deep as I would have liked to hear. The potential is there, it just doesn't deliver the depth.

   All and all, I'm still happy I got this and it left me for wanting more.




3. Is this the album in which "Stairway to Heaven" is an instrumental? Played with an electric guitar for about 5 1/2 minutes.



4. I saw Zeppelin back in 1970. By the mid 70's "Stairway to Heaven" was a staple of midnight rock radio, and already acquiring the varnish of an FM "classic." But by then I had already lost touch with their album output. Now, thirty years later I've got my hands on this remastered set. Given that I used to listen to them on an 8 track player in my car, this is a revelation. I had to wait a long time to hear Zep on a decent stereo system, but better late than never.
   
   That Zeppelin was a blues based band was always overshadowed by their popular acclaim as a "heavy metal" band. This set sets the record straight. They kicked [...] as a rockin' blues band. Period.



5. I put 4 stars because I feel that they just shouldve put this out as a double disc set and ditch the "interviews" disc. And [get rid of] the "Early Days" and "Latter Days" and there you have it. the perfect "Greatest Hits" compilation of Zeppelin. Good selections too. My only complaint is they should've replaced "Dyer Maker" (which just sounds like pop to me) with "Over The Hills & Far Away".

5 comments about Epitaph, Vols. 1-2.

1. "Welcome to the mausoleum of your dreams", the postmodernist cover art of King Crimson's "Epitaph" silently proclaims.
   
   Inside are the relics of a live band not enough people got to hear during its brief, flaring existence in 1969.
   
   King Crimson in its first incarnation was a band of mythic proportions, conceived out of several directions: rock and roll, classicism, avant garde jazz, and the circus of lyricist Peter Sinfield's imagination, aswim with Greek gods, devilish ceremonies and pure whimsy.
   
   But, what kind of a band were they when they performed live? This two-disc package provides a partial answer. Here are my conclusions:
   
   1. King Crimson in 1969 could faithfully deliver powerful versions of well-rehearsed material from its only recorded album, "In the Court of the Crimson King". Audiences certainly would not have been disappointed on that account. However, when the band attempted to perform material in progress, or resorted to other obscurities to fill out a live show, the results could be erratic. The band hadn't developed much of a repertoire, and some of the arrangements were clunky, as with the nascent "A Man, A City" (which later emerged whole as "Pictures of a City" as part of Fripp's reconstituted Crimson in 1970). The first version lurches around like Frankenstein prowling in a spookhouse. It sounds cartoonish compared with the finished version. Then there's "Get Your Bearings" ( a Donovan song) and "Drop In". On these, Crimson sounds like a group of British kids trying to play beatnik.
   
   2. Still, the band definitely was trying very hard to break into new territory. In the spirit of the times, they were young musicians who simply didn't know what they couldn't do, or weren't allowed to do. They pushed hard, especially in the furious instrumental breaks of songs like "21st Century Schizoid Man", and even in these less than ideal recordings, the realization comes through that this was a band working without a net. Their determination to experiment and to push themselves to the limit remains refreshingly bracing even when one listens today, nearly four decades later.
   
   3. Individually, Michael Giles (drummer) was the best musician in the group. On the evidence of these tapes, he could have played with anybody.
   Ian McDonald was an exceptional flautist, a powerful keyboardist on the mellotron, but not that great of a sax player. He was game, but he wasn't in the league of most jazz saxophonists. Greg Lake could sing regally, and he was strong on the bass guitar... but when he tried to be a showman, and injected soulful yelps to his singing, he just sounded silly. Robert Fripp, as a guitarist, was a work in progress. Sometimes brilliant, sometimes lackadaisical, he could comp along with anything, but at times didn't seem to know where he was going with his solos.
   
   4. This was part of the charm of the group...all of the musicians were trying to play beyond their capabilities. (After all, its the only way an artist grows.) Fripp would probably be the first to say that he wasn't in the same league with John McLaughlin, or Larry Coryell, or other pioneering guitarists of the time. In his defense, he really wasn't trying to be a guitar hero, or rock god, like Hendrix, Page, Clapton, Beck et al. Fripp likes to say that "musicians grow up in public", and this was the case with him. He didn't spring from the head of Zeus fully formed, and had to work really hard to become a virtuoso. He always seemed to be a guitarist working in a laboratory--and one always had to wonder how he might have grown if the laboratory had been Miles Davis'--as it was briefly for McLaughlin.
   
   It was really a tribute to Fripp that he could pick himself up after this band fractured, and continue to "expand on the myth", continuing to make beautifully crafted studio albums that at least bore the name "King Crimson", and continued the pioneering vision. Forever after, though, it was Fripp's band, with Fripp dominating in his peculiar passive-aggressive way, no matter how much he might try to deny it.



2. It was 1969 and Crimson was touring the USA for the first (and last) time with this lineup. A great historical document of one of rocks most exploratory bands. The discs start off with some BBC live recordings but most of the 2 disc set is in the USA. A must have for Crimson fans, the only complaint is the mediocre sound quality. It's funny, because if you go to the "wolfgangs vaults" website, you can hear some of this material in almost crystal clear sound! Too bad, but it's still exciting to see more and more early Crimson live recordings making their way to the light of day.



3. Words fail me, but I will try, and please forgive me if this goes on longer than may seem necessary.
   
   One can read about what it was like to be there when history is being made, but it's never quite the same as actually having witnessed it for yourself. Anyone who is even remotely interested in King Crimson, Robert Fripp, 1970's Art Rock (now called Prog Rock in an attempt to deflate it's meaningfulness by people who don't like it), the end of the Flower Power era and the onset of the Age of Aquarius simply *MUST* pick up this box set to compensate yourself for having missed out on being there, or as an at-times tearful walk down memory lane for those who were. As Mr. Fripp himself points out in his (as usual) highly detailed, insightful and endearingly stuffy liner notes, the recordings contained on this box set or the first King Crimson album "In The Court of the Crimson King" (or "ITCOTCK" for short), cannot come close to encapsulating the sheer power, majesty, and awe-inspiring terror that was King Crimson circa 1969. They were the perfect band for the end of that decade and it is a shame they did not continue as a unit beyond that legendary final show at the Filmore West -- recreated on this box set in it's completion for the first time ever -- but fate is often beyond the control of those who are destined to live it.
   
   To sum up, those Crimson fans who may even be familiar with this band's work from "ITCOTKC" (and the followup "In the Wake of Poseidon") may very well not be prepared for what they will hear on the 2 CDs of music contained in the box set for the first time. There are reasons:
   
   First, the recordings themselves were very primatively made at a time when the technology to record live music was not up to speed with the complexity of what was being played. The live impact of the sound is for the most part lost to time, and what was captured on tape & resurrected for this release is but a pale shadow of what it probably sounded like in person. One needs to listen to this actively with their imagination switched on to compensate for the technology's inability to represent what was going on when the band was playing -- and that doesn't even touch on the visual aspects of the performances. Don't bother with anything less than headphones either until the majesty of the live recordings becomes apparent. On anything less than a high-end speaker system it will sound tinny and harsh, but in the middle of your skull it will sound like the doors of Hell have opened up and guess who's playing the main stage?
   
   With that apology or admission made, the second aspect of it that more casual Crimson fans may not be prepared for is how utterly overwhelming the performances are, especially the versions "Epitaph" which the set was so correctly named after. On the studio album it is a sweeping, post-Beatles pean to the disillusionment and confusion sweeping the world at the end of the 1960's when nothing of value seemed to have any worth; An idealistic conclusion that only a 23 year old bohemian could arrive at, and succinctly summed up in the song's inarguably timeless lyrics. Then you stop and realize: These were 20 year old lads playing this stuff. Live. With no overdubs, no correction passes to cover over bummer notes, and in front of live paying audiences. It was unprecedented stuff, and after hearing the three versions of the song (one a BBC demo with some double tracking but still very live) you will wonder not only how the heck they came up with it, but why they even bothered with the LP version at all. They are also Greg Lake's finest collective performance as a vocalist: I cannot imagine anyone else singing the song while keeping a straight face.
   
   I still remember sitting in my room as a likewise idealistic 20 year old, head wedged between the speakers and mouth agog with awe at how forcefully put their communal disillusionment was. But hearing "Epitaph" performed live on this box set is like looking straight into the Abyss by comparison. Here is the soundtrack for the Apocalypse, circa 1969. The modern day equivalent does not exist (or at least I have never heard the likes) and it is only by placing one's mind in the context of the live recordings with other humans present that the sheer brilliance of the composition finally becomes clear. This was a band fighting against entropy, determined to succeed or take the whole ship of humanity down with them. The LP version of the song always had the power to move me to tears at times, but the 3 live cuts on this box set are utterly gut wrenching. Nearly forty years later we are still doomed as a species, and only King Crimson from 1969 was able to put their fingers on the reason why with this composition. It will demand to be heard again and again. Then again for good measure.
   
   The third "hurdle" that modern day consumers familiar with the Crimson legacy will have to clear is the instrumentation itself. Robert Fripp plays some bummer notes, Ian MacDonald's flute solos sometimes crack & his mellotron developes a nasty case of hiccouphs, Greg Lake forgets his lyrics & makes up new ones or loses his breath, and there are contributions by the audience members in the form of conversations at a couple of breaks. In other words, these are human beings, not "gods" or saints or saviors. Fallible 20 - 27 year old blokes who had been trying to break into the pop music scene for a collective decade plus of frustration, commercial defeats and triumphant failures of the likes that have never been seen, especially when considering where they all ended up in good time. Modern day listeners who perhaps are displeased by the nature of the recordings need to remind themselves that what is being performed had never existed before even as a genre: This is beyond the scale of anything that The Beatles, Hendrix, Miles Davis or any of the great innovators of the age had ever attempted.
   
   And again, it is all being done live, by just four musicians and one off-stage roadie/light show/sound board operator. The collective group's liner note contributions provide exhaustively fascinating detail of how the complete (or not) performances are often composites made from more than one source recordings digitally edited together to create a closer approximation to what was going on at the shows, and for that matter the CDs are a marvel of modern day sound engineering that was not possible until 1997, which is already almost a decade ago. That the music is still relevant now seems prophetic, leading me to the conclusion that this release was an act of destiny. In spite of all the carelessness, indifference and logistical obstacles, these performances were meant to be heard again thirty-seven years later, contemplated over, debated and argued about, then listened to again for good measure. It is not happy music or party music, but to paraphrase a published review of Crimson from 1970 or so, you get the impression from listening to the band that if Wagner or Beethoven had been alive at the time they would have been in King Crimson.
   
   Which leads me to my favorite aspect of the collection, which is hearing the great Bob Fripp play as an equal amongst peers who at times shame his musicianship. Especially drummer Michael Giles -- his influence on Art Rock or Prog Rock cannot be overlooked, and these live recordings speak more as to why than the LP tracks he contributed while a member of the group. When people discuss the great percussion of the Art Rock years you usually hear names like Neal Pert or Bill Bruford, both of whom owe a great debt to Giles for making the role so much more than a mere "drummer" who keeps time. Ian MacDonald also comes off far more impressively than one might expect for the keyboardist from Foreigner, and only after hearing these live recordings does one realize what a soul wrenching body blow his decision to leave the band must have been to Fripp, Greg Lake, and Peter Sinfield. The band was as much his as it was Fripp's, maybe even more, but MacDonald was brilliant enough to know that his work in the band would eventually have led to a musical confrontation between the two. You can sort of hear it during the live performances of Holst's "Mars: God of War" with Fripp bending his power chord strings to wail like a crazed soprano over MacDonald's abyss-spanning mellotron waftings. They were not merely competing with each other but the whole of the Cosmos, and the only consolation that might be found in MacDonald's departure from the band is the commercial success he found with Foreigner, a band that I will always be repulsed by & which could not be more different in philosophy that Fripp's vision of King Crimson. Fripp may have won that battle but MacDonald torched the ship before bailing overboard, and as history has written the resulting wreckage was not pretty, but is powerfully summed up by these live recordings.
   
   As for the tracks themselves, the BBC demos are probably the most traditionally appealing -- the BBC version of "In The Court of the Crimson King" is especially evocative of what the band probably would have been like in person. It is not the disjointed, freaky trip anthem as heard on the LP of the same name, but a powerful statement about the era that was so ahead of it's time that I have had people ask me if I was playing something by Oasis. The concert renditioning of the song is somewhat less satisfactory but like hearing Queen play a tape of "Bohemian Rhapsody" at a concert & bookend it with live portions it sort of re-inforces how that song was really a studio or rehearsal room creation. Fortunately the audience was forgiving enough to refrain from making too many comments so the humanizing aspect of the performance -- that means the near awfulness of it -- cannot be overlooked. But the live shows more than compensate for any discomfort caused by the band's collective humanity with the jaw-dropping "Travel Weary Capricorn" and "Mars: God of War" cover which absolutely no other band could have pulled off without looking completely ridiculous. Who in their right mind would cover Holst in the era of Jimmy Hendrix?? and yet it was the perfect choice. The two versions of "Mars" featured on the CDs are also remarkably different, once you get to know them well enough, and one of my favorite moments from the collection is the admonition for the audience to stick around for gospel/soul band The Chambers Brothers, whom Crimson was serving as an opening act for. The absurdity of the juxtaposition is priceless.
   
   And to a degree that is why this collection is so important: It helps to demonstrate how absurdly appropriate King Crimson was in 1969, especially when compared to contemporary pop acts who were basically just putting audiences through the paces with tried & true formulas. Happy soul bands or trippy flower power pop with four chord chart topper hits that maybe lasted four minutes, if even. Popular music in 1969 was still oriented around the 45rpm single and just as mass marketed, packaged, artlessly produced and disposably mundane for the most part as it is today. So into all of that bubblegum and hooka smoke, here comes King Crimson with 12 minute versions of a classical music piece that culminate with an aural approximation of the universe imploding unto itself and obliterating all life, hope, peace and sanity. No wonder they were so huge: They were exactly what this stupid, nasty, God-forsaken world deserved in 1969 -- a feat that Fripp managed to pull off again in 1981 with "Discipline" and, to a lesser degree, in 1973 with "Larks Tongues In Aspic", both of which also do not come any closer to accurately representing the bands who released those records than "ITCOTKC" represented The 1969 Band, which is how I refer to it today after falling in love with this box set. It was a very special, horrible and magical moment in our collective cultural history which will never be repeated, for better or worse, and the only way to really get a fleeting glimpse of what that band was truly capable of is from these recordings.
   
   And remember: HEADPHONES. This material is perfect for the iPod generation to close themselves off with and has dominated my players for years. Imagine, forgive, and enjoy, even though it may burn into your very soul.



4. First, truly powerful performances from three different venues (bbc, fillmores east and west) on these two discs.
   If you're considering purchasing this or 3&4, choose this first (completists will want all four, but the sound quality of three and four is pretty weak in comparison to 1&2... great performances, though).
   Highly recommened.



5. Very worth while 2-CD release that more or less allows the listener to check out live snippets from four(4)gigs that King Crimson had played while out on tour of the UK and the U.S. in the later half of 1969.Two solid hours of well played progressive art rock.The four track segment from the BBC Radio Sessions is nice,giving us a decent live version of "21st Century Schizoid Man" and a great alternatve version of "In The Court Of The Crimson King" plus a couple of tracks that didn't make it on the band's timeless debut lp,"Get Thy Bearings" and "Epitaph".Speaking of which,the rest of the disc has other tracks as such,"A Man,A City"(which is actually quite good) and "Travel Weary Capricorn".Happened to notice that Greg Lake's vocals are as incredable as ever and so is Ian McDonald's flute work.Sound quality through out 'Epitaph,Vol.1-2' is pretty decent.This 2-CD gem is recommended for King Crimson completists and archive music connoisseurs(like myself)ONLY.

5 comments about Clouds in My Coffee 1965-1995.

1. While waiting for Carly's new 2008 CD "This Kind of Love" to be released, I decided to fill the changer with Simon discs on a drive to South Carolina. For about eight hours behind the wheel, I had her all to myself! :) All three discs of "Clouds in My Coffee" played. Although I bought this boxed set upon its release in 1995, I found myself amazed at the depth of her material.
   
   "Do the Walls Come Down" from 1986's "Coming Around Again" captured my ear as if I were hearing it for the first time. What a delightful tune! "You're the Love of My Life" from 1992's "This Is My Life" is a simple piece, but one so warm and tender that it speaks volumes in the 16 years since it was released. "Life Is Eternal" has to be one of my favorite spiritually uplifting songs of all time, "Life is eternal, love is immortal & death is only a horizon." "Halfway 'Round the World" from her 1994 CD that I loved, "Letters Never Sent," impressed me with its strong dramatic quality and the way the music mirrors the imagery in the lyric. John Prine's "Angel from Montgomery" that was previously unreleased is given an expressive delivery by Simon.
   
   From the first disc are her marvelous hits like the breakthrough single "That's the Way I Always Heard It Should Be" with its lush arrangement and haunting melody, "Anticipation" that sounds fresh despite a gazillion ketchup commercials, "You Belong to Me" with its driving rhythm and addictive chorus and the gorgeous "Let the River Run" from the "Working Girl" soundtrack for which she won the Oscar in 1988. I'm amazed at how well these better-known tracks blend seamlessly with lesser known tracks like "Touched By the Sun," "Coming Around Again" & "Like A River." While the fickle finger of radio airplay has not been kind to our veteran musicians -- particularly women -- Carly Simon has continued to grow with remarkable consistency. "Clouds In My Coffee" is an excellent compilation that always thrills me each time I pull it from the shelf. Enjoy!



2. I bought this set for my wife for Christmas. She loves Carly. I have always had mixed feeling about Simon's music. Some of her stuff is so filled with insight and feeling that it makes me want to cry and I am convinced she is truly an artist on songs like "Raining" or "The Stuff That Love is Made Of". However, when she gets to going with the children's choirs and all that, she grates on me like a sandblaster. I can only listen to so much and then it is time for some serious music. As I said, my wife loves her, so Carly is OK by me, but I have to be in a mood for my feminine side to come out to get into her.



3. Carly Simon, who emerged in the early 1970s as one of the leading female singer/songwriters of the period, became the most commercially successful of all with the hit single "You're So Vain" and her album No Secrets in 1973. Despite critical derision, she maintained a loyal following even as her commercial fortune declined after another major hit album Hotcakes and a 1975 compilation that did not include her Australian hit "I've Got To Have You".
   
   "Clouds in My Coffee 1965-1995" was her first compilation since then, and at the time adoring "You're So Vain" I was eager to see more of her work from that era and beyond. However, "Clouds in My Coffee 1965-1995" shows that there was little of note in Carly Simon's work apart from the brilliant lyrics of her most famous song. Whilst many other songs show Carly Simon a very cerebral lyricist - which is no doubt why Tori Amos covered "Boys in the Trees" frequently during the time "Clouds in My Coffee 1965-1995" came out, very little of the material has melodies sufficiently moving or passionate to keep the listener interested. The lavish arrangements of "You're So Vain" and "The Right Thing to Do" are very touching, "Jesse" is somewhat (though not wholly) uplifting, and "Touched By The Sun" truly beautiful, but the second and third discs of "Clouds in My Coffee 1965-1995" are almost uniformly lame. The title "Cry Yourself to Sleep" really is very apt at describing what this music is about, with the songs close to generic easy listening without the intense atmospherics or brilliantly-played rhythms that saved something like Avalon from this fate.
   
   Overall, this compilation is more than enough to show Carly Simon as at best a second-tier singer/songwriter. Very little of the material here is worth your time.



4. .....what all the fuss has been about, this collection is for you. Carly Simon has been the voice of the "baby boomer" generation for a long time, and, for many of us, she still is. Carly has been known for three things: [1] Some really big hits...however you define the term, they're all here, and all on disc #1. [2] "Confessional" songs...heart on sleeve...pain displayed for all to see. Heaven knows, Carly has felt some pain...divorce...broken romances...illness in her kids...drugs...the loss of her Mom ["Like a River"]...breast cancer; whatever the pain, she has put it out in the open. Maybe we, her listeners, have been part of her therapy. I hope so. This approach turns some folks off, but, in America, nobody has to listen. Disc #3 is mostly her tear jerkers. [3] Sexually enticing album covers...sorry, not here.
   
   Disc #2 deserves special mention: it is made up of lesser known and unreleased material, though two of my personal favorites are on it..."Angel From Montgomery" and "Life Is Eternal". My one regret is also on Disc #2...the version of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" is NOT the one that was used for the closing credits of the Eighth Inning of the Ken Burns "Baseball" series...THAT version would melt the heart of a stone statue.
   
   This is an absolutely wonderful, superbly presented, box set...it only covers up to 1995, but that's OK. The book of essays, with plenty of pictures, is a great supplement to over three and a half hours of wonderful music. I, for one, appreciated the thematic, rather than chronological, division of the discs. This set is essential for anyone who is even remotely a fan of Carly.



5. Now don't get me wrong here, I really loved this box sett when I received it, and still do. But after the enthousiasm, realism came in and I had to admit that a lot of stuff was missing on this box sett. I mean, cd 2 only contains 3 previously un-released tracks. Okay, there are a lot of rare recordings on the second disc, like "Take me out to the ballgame (a song I really dislike, but that's just my opinion). But where is a track like "It's hard to be tender"? My god, it's one of Carly's finest recordings and the lyrics are just amazing. Why is this track always overlooked? I mean, when the Anthology cd cam out, I hoped that one would contain the track, but again it was overlooked. And I know Carly herself likes the song in fact, so... why is it never included on any compilation?
   Yet there are so many other overlooked recordings that could have been included on this box set. One night surfing on kazaa and looking for rare Carly stuff I found her recording of Mama Cash's song "Dream a little dream". It's not even listed on Carly's official web-site, but it's definately HER voice! And her version is so great, so amazing! Why isn't that one included her? Normal songs like "We have no secrets" and "Have you seen me lately" are included instead, songs we allready have on her regular albums.
   That really lowered my enthousiasm. But still this is a great set, the greatest hits disc features all her hits up to then, and the third disc is a ballad compilation, and really included her most romantic tunes, allthough I missed Hurt and her self penned "From the heart" or her version of "In the wee small hours of the morning". But I guess there's always something to wish for, right?
   Allthough this review may seem like a negative one, it's not supposed to be negative. I really feel like this is a great box-sett, a must have for any Carly lover, I just hope one day there will be another box-sett which will concentrate more on her rare and un-released recordings!

5 comments about Music Box.

1. Fantastic. I love this stuff. Why? Because you can't take life seriously when you are listening to The Monkees box set. The newer stuff on here I don't like, you can keep it. I don't think these guys realized it at the time, that they had industry powerhouses cranking out some great music... yeah, there are some clunkers, but who cares.. still worth getting.



2. In 1991,Rhino Records released a Monkees box set called "Listen To The Band"-Ten years later,this anthology was released-Supposedly,it contained a lot more songs that the previous collection didn't have-While I was never a huge fan of "The Monkees" TV series,the music itself was a different story-The top songwriters of the time such as Carole King & Neil Diamond were brought in to create songs for this prefabricated group-There is also a massive booklet that describes the history of the group-If you're a fan of 60's music,this one belongs in your collection.



3. I am an original Monkees fan. My friends and I knew all the songs and all the episodes and had numerous discussions about which one was the cutest. We were 11 or 12 years old, the perfect age for the kind of music and antics The Monkees brought to the TV screen. Every song I remember and then some is included in this collection. It is packaged really well; though it won't fit on a small shelf with your other CDs, it looks great as a coffee table book.
   
   One of my favorite songs that I haven't found on any other collection is "I'm Going to Buy Me a Dog," and it's on this one. I highly recommend this set to anyone who was in love with The Monkees in 1966-1968.



4. I hope I can change this review soon, But as of now I am very unhappy! With CD # 4 missing and damage to the "Music Box" CD holder I am most displeased.



5. If you are a Monkee fan then this is a must.
   
   There are 4 CD's with a fabulous presentation book, with info on the songs.
   
   The music is a great history on the band.