5 comments about Classic Queen.

1. This album truly is a "must-have" for the true Queen fan. If you were to select 1 album with the essentials (i.e., Bohemian Rhapsody, Who Wants to Live Forever, Show Must Go On, These are the Days of our Lives, Under Pressure, Radio Ga Ga), this is the album for you. One notable song missing, I Want to Break Free. However, if you were to attempt to find all songs on 1 disc, this has most of the essentials. Long live the legacy of Freddie Mercury, Long live Queen!



2. I've always enjoyed Freddie Mercury and the boys musical endeavors, and this album of songs was one that gave me the opportunity to hear some of the rarer selections. Other than the usual "greatest hits" that you will get on most other collections, this collection of tunes hits a higher mark. If you're a big Queen fan, I highly recommend this disc for you collection. Some of the cuts are a bit obscure, but that's what makes it happen for me on this one.



3. What hasn't been said about Queen? They are definitely one of the best classic rock bands of all-time. Led by Freddie Mercury, they made some of the best rock of the '70s, '80s and early '90s.
   
   And now to the review. 'Classic Queen' is full of five star music. But, is this really necessary? I don't think so. Yes, 'Bohemian Rhapsody' is here, but like 'I Want To Break Free' on the American version of 'Greatest Hits,' it's out of place. 'Classic Queen' mostly focuses on the 1981-1991 time period, so why are these '70s tracks here?
   
   Thank goodness for 'The Platinum Collection' and 'Greatest Hits I & II.' Those are the original U.K. hit collections. Do yourself a favor and seek that out instead. There, you will find most of the songs offered on 'Classic Queen' and 'Greatest Hits (American version).' I suggest 'Greatest Hits I & II' because of how mediocre 'Greatest Hits III' is (that appears on 'The Platinum Collection'; it doesn't on 'Greatest Hits I & II.')
   
   Overall, save your hard earned cash. If you want a Queen collection, 'Greatest Hits I & II' is the way to go. The good news is, disc one focuses on 1973-1980 and disc two focuses on 1981-1991, meaning that it devotes one disc per phase for Queen. Disc one is phase one, disc two is phase two.
   
   Save your money. You will be glad you did. This isn't a bad compilation, and again, everything here is five stars, but the three stars are here because there are so many better options.
   
   Recommended for the easily pleased Queen fan.



4. I try not to review best ofs too often but sometimes that's all I own of a group. It occured to me the other day that all the Queen I ever owned in the past I have sold off for cigarettes and beer while living in the cold depths of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
   
   So I ran off to buy me some Queen. I figured I'd start with the most obvious and get all the hits I could. This collection is for sure a great way to start, with the hits like "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", "We Will Rock You" etc. I can't stop listening to it. Unfortunetly they had so many hits, they had to put out a second version called "Classic Queen" which has "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Under Pressure" so I bought that one too. There is a remastered Greatest Hits out there but once again it doesn't have all the songs, perhaps one day someone will come up with the perfect Queen mix. Until then Queen Classic Queen and Queen's Greatest Hits will do just fine.



5. CD is great, nice fast transaction. Would recommend this seller to
   everyone.

5 comments about England's Newest Hitmakers.

1. Yes, even the Rolling Stones were once young and hungry. Released in 1964, the group's U.S. debut (and the counterpart to their self-titled U.K. LP) is an urgent slab of hardcore blueswailing from the soon-to-be Greatest Rock and Roll Band In The World. This was made in the days when Mick Jagger and Keith Richards hadn't yet come into their own as songwriters. Indeed, only three of these songs are group originals. And I'm using the word "original" in a very liberal sense here: "Now I've Got A Witness" is basically an instrumental version of a Motown tune by the name of "Can I Get A Witness" (a version of which appears toward the end of this album), while "Little By Little" is- let's face it- a very derivative uptown R&B/blues shuffle. Finally, "Tell Me" has Phil Spector's fingerprints all over it, with its teen-drama lyrics and swooning melody. The funny thing is, these aren't really bad songs: "Little By Little" is full of bemused attitude, with plenty of gin-joint instrumentation and a great drawling vocal from Jagger, with a wild guitar solo thrown in the middle. "Tell Me" may be derivative, but it shows that the 'Stones knew how to maximize the effect of their favorite cliches: It's an incredibly catchy song, with a soulful chorus and a totally freakin' sweet guitar part. It also proves that even when Mick was mewling and pleading for his girl to take him back, he still sounded way cooler than anybody you'll ever meet. And have I mentioned the guitars? "Now I've Got A Witness" is, well, actually pretty boring. They can't all be winners, I guess.
   
   No, these 'Stones were not known for their songwriting. What made their music, self-penned or otherwise, worthwhile were the performances. And they really were amazing performers: Guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones (who, in the absence of a dominating creative voice within the group, was actually seen as the head Stone) was an absolute beast of a musician, attacking his instrument(s) with prodigious insanity and plenty of raw attitude. Richards, meanwhile, was just about the only guitarist who could make a suitable partner; the two bounced off of each other brilliantly, intertwining rhythms and leads with dizzying virtuosity. Like any self-respecting rhythm section, Charlie Watts (drums) and Bill Wyman (bass) were completely brilliant despite a virtual lack of recognition. They lent a certain primal umph(!) to the proceedings, giving these songs a salivating swing that shimmed its way from one end of the record to the other without ever letting up. And then there was that Mick fellow...
   
   Anyway, the songs. The ones I haven't already mentioned, anyway: The opener is a cover of Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away," and it's incredible; it drips with animal fury and gutter sexuality, and it's also hypnotic and ferocious and a little bit scary. It's the kind of thing I wouldn't want my girlfriend to hear, because she'd realize that compared to the people in the song, I'm not a real man. There's also a wild, wild cover of Chuck Berry's "Carol," and an unbelievably cool version of "Route 66." Lots of cool blues tunes, too- Jimmy Reed's "Honest I Do" is pure caveman seduction, and "I'm A King Bee" has some stinging leads (I didn't want to make that joke, but I really couldn't think of another way to describe the guitars on it). There's also a totally outta-hand rip through "I Just Want To Make Love To You."
   
   The album ain't perfect- the aforementioned "Now I've Got A Witness" is one strike against it, and the uninspiring "You Can Make It If You Try" is another. "Walking The Dog" is sleazy and fun, but so is the rest of the album, so this one doesn't really stand out as such. Plus, those whooping, whistling noises in the chorus are really annoying. The rendition of "Can I Get A Witness," while not as bad as some people say, isn't terribly exciting either.
   
   But it's great, for the most part. It's fun, it's raw, and it rocks really hard. Plus, the cover art is really cool. The 'Stones were really good at sneering.



2. Before they were "The World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band", the Rolling Stones were the greatest rhythm and blues bar band in England. Their first album showcases the myriad of influences that inspired them, but without being note for note covers. The band takes these songs and makes them their own. If not on par with their later releases, this album provides a glimpse of the Stones in their infancy. There's no denying that the energy is here, if not the polish. The Muddy Waters/Howling Wolf blues roots are clearly seen, as is the Chuck Berry/Buddy Holly early rock fascination. We see that this is Brian Jones's band as it was before the Jagger/Richards/Andrew Loog Oldham triumvirate took over. We also see the first steps in the eventual direction the Stones would take with the song "Tell Me", the first of many Jagger/Richards compositions. The songs may be rough and ragged at times, but they are delivered with a youthful exuberance that far outweighs any flaws. The remastering process has rendered the sound much clearer than the original CD release, making this a must have for any Stones fan. People looking to purchase their first Stones album may want to look to Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main St., Let It Bleed, or Beggars Banquet, as those albums are more representative of the band at its creative peak.



3. Ah, back in the day when it was Brian Jones' band and the Rolling Stones were more interested in creating great R & B music than stardom and screaming girls. A release from the precious couple of years of the band's life before the ambitious Andrew Oldham (produced this and all the early Stones recordings) started moving them in a more "Beatlesque" direction in order to cash in.
   
   I have all of the ABCKO SACD remasters and I especially like the early material by the Rolling Stones before Brian lost all his influence. I've also been a musician for over 40 years and remember the band's first appearance on the Ed Sullivan show, more years ago then I care to admit or even think about. I was there at the beginning so I've been listening for over 40 years. Given that, I'm exceedingly well qualified to provide you with an objective review.
   
   This was/is our introduction to "the band that will not die" ("Bullets can't stop it, rockets can't stop it, we may need to use nuclear force!").
   
   Anyway, this is a very solid first release. There's really only one tune that caused me to raise an eyebrow. "Now I've Got a Witness" includes a very cheesy Farfisa organ accompaniment. But Farfisa organs were in all the studios back then so can we really blame them for letting Stu have a go on it? The guitar and harmonica are quite good on this track anyway. Other than that cheesy organ sound, there are no weak moments to speak of. Sure, "Tell Me" and "Carol" don't seem to fit with the rest of the material but that's ok. This is a very good R & B record made by some really talented young musicians. I especially love listening to Brian Jones' lead parts and harmonica playing. It was also a delight to hear his back vocal clearly on "Walkin' the Dog" even if it was a tad gruff.
   
   If you like the early Rolling Stones then this is one you must own; however, I would start with the insanely good "Rolling Stones Now!", their third US release.



4. As time passed by, my sense that this and "Out of Our Heads" were their finest efforts never really left me. Not to say that enormous chunks of wonderful stuff didn't follow, of course, unlike many bands who peaked on their early releases and never challenged again. I just loved the raw passion in the way they covered material like "Not Fade Away" "Hitch Hike" and "Walking the Dog," and made it their own. To me, these well chosen covers were much more appealing than some of the later "middle of the LP" songs from their own writing. And, as for "Tell Me," it just doesn't get much better than that!



5. ...I agree with many of the critics who think the Rolling Stones 1963 singles would have made for some nice, but necessary bonus tracks. Otherwise a good debut from the boys. There are some great tracks here, like Not Fade Away, Route 66, I Just Want to Make Love to You, Honest I Do, Little by Little, I'm a King Bee, Carol and Tell Me. But, later in the album the boys start to run out of gas. Can I Get a Witness, You Can Make It If You Try and Walking the Dog are pretty weak. Also track 5, Now I've Got a Witness is filler.

5 comments about A Kind of Magic.

1. This is an odd album in the Queen catalog, essentially half a soundtrack with some other stuff thrown in. And it feels about halfway successful to me. "One Vision" is a great rocker and album opener. The title track is rather charming, and "Who Wants To Live Forever" is a goosebump-inspiring ballad. Unfortunately there is also some obvious filler here. Roger Taylor's "Don't Lose Your Head" is utterly pointless. I feel sorry that Freddie had to lend his voice to such rubbish. "Princes of the Universe" is an okay rocker, but with incredibly inane lyrics. Recommended for Queen fanatics and completists.



2. I don't understand how some people hate this album!!?
   C'mon! Princes Of The Universe, Gimme The Prize (seriously rocks!)
   One Vision, Who Wants To Live Forever, my god they're all Queen classics!
   I don't care, I love this record to death!



3. This is by far the worst album Queen has ever produced. Everything on this tired, flat & uninspired offering sounds like they were simply going through the motions. Drentched in cold sounding synths with no heart or soul. They couldn't even make up their minds whether to make this a soundtrack or not. It contains two of their worst songs ever (Pain is so close to pleasure & One year of love)
   It is small wonder why their popularity waned in the USA



4. I find the 5-star reviews here absolutely hilarious. This album is an embarrassment, and proof positive that Queen had exhausted all originality and creativity by the time this travesty was released in 1986.
   
   Compare the bland, slick, by-the-numbers, synth-laden junk on this album to albums like "A Night at the Opera" or "The Game." Where is there any of that distinctive Queen essence on this album? "One Vision" is an OK rocker, but "Gimme the Prize" is simply annoying. Freddie's new penchant for extreme oversinging (perhaps due to his lack of interest in the material) is on display in both songs, as well as in John Deacon's pleasant but utterly pedestrian "One Year of Love." How lazy do you have to be to write lyrics such as "a shooting star right through my heart"?
   
   "Don't Lose Your Head" is a complete waste of time courtesy of the band's worst songwriter (but fantastic drummer), Roger Taylor. "Pain is So Close to Pleasure" and "Friends Will Be Friends" are rare collaborative efforts from Deacon and Mercury, but both are lifeless and forgettable. But they are nothing compared to "Princes of the Universe," which is without doubt the most embarrassing song Queen every committed to disc. Freddie Mercury had used his last worthwhile ideas on his 1985 solo album, "Mr. Bad Guy," and this song, which substitutes noise for melody and features incredibly stupid lyrics, shows that he had nothing more to offer as a songwriter. It's hard to believe that the man who wrote "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "It's a Hard Life" could write something this godawful.
   
   Brian May's "Who Wants to Live Forever" is by far the best thing here--haunting, beautiful, and majestic. Roger Taylor's title song has a nice bassline and great guitar playing, but if this is a highlight of a Queen album, how far have they slipped?
   
   Only someone with no real appreciation for what Queen produced in their creative prime could give this album a rave review. Unfortunately, the follow-up disc ("The Miracle") was just as bad.



5. Queen's thirteenth album A Kind of Magic was released in June of 1986.
   The album was the band's first since their triumphant appearance at Live Aid. Before Live Aid, the band were about to split up but the band stole the show at the Wembley Stadium Live Aid show and were arguably the day's best act although Led Zeppelin's reunion performance at the Philadelphia show rivaled it.
   After the band won the crowd and gained more fans (yet still didn't convince the US that Queen were still superb), they went back in the studio to record A Kind of Magic where most of its tracks would appear in two films, Iron Eagle and Highlander. Is the re-juvanation good or bad for Queen, read on!
   We begin with the group composed "One Vision" which was written and recorded after their triumph at Live Aid. This great rocker just rocks and is one of the band's best 80s rockers and appeared in the movie Iron Eagle. Next is drummer Roger Taylor's composed title cut to A Kind of Magic and was written for the film Highlander. This pop number is a great song and was a classic 80s Queen track which not surprisingly did well outside America(Top 10 in most countries outside America). Next is bass player John Deacon's beautiful ballad "One Year of Love" which featured lead singer Freddie Mercury giving one of his best vocal performances. The saxophone solo from Steve Gregory complements nicely. Next is the Mercury/Deacon collaboration "Pain is So Close to Pleasure" is an up song with a soul influence, a great falsetto vocal from Freddie, solos from guitarist Brian May and is just a great number. Next is another Deacon/Mercury composition called "Friends Will Be Friends" which is a great triumphant song akin to We Will Rock You with some great vocals from Freddie and guitar solos from Brian.
   Brian outdoes himself on the album's second half opener "Who Wants to Live Forever" which is one of the saddest and most beautiful songs ever written. The orchestrations by the late Michael Kamen ties it in with the film's score seamlessly, and the vocal interplay between Brian and Freddie will bring tears to the eyes. Brian also composes the next track which is the rocker "Gimme the Prize" also known as Kurgan's Theme. Loud, bombastic, thundering, majestic and just plain evil sounding, this song captures the character of Kurgan. One can sense from the sound of this song the man's evil and his thirst for death. The samples from the movie showcasing some of the character's best lines certainly add to the overall atmosphere, and the guitar solo sounds oddly Scottish with an almost electric bagpipe sound. The drum and guitar riffs also tie in nicely with Princes of the Universe. Great song. Next is Roger's God-awful "Don't Lose Your Head" which is an annoyingly bad song. Its music and synth bassline was only used briefly in the film, but it worked. Here, it just sounds BORING and the lyrics were repetitive. Joan Armatrading's backup vocal was useless. The original vinyl albums ends with Freddie's short but epic Highlander unofficial theme "Princes of the Universe". The song is chock full of Queen's trademark vocal melodies and choruses, layers upon layers upon layers of guitars and vocals. Roger's drumming is top-notch on this song, just powerful and loud. Deacon's bass keeps the sound grounded, while May's guitar licks just soar to unbelievable heights.
   A Kind of Magic initially did well in the UK hitting #1 whilst in the US (trapped in hair metal and new wave city) stalled at #46. However, it would attain Gold status in later years.
   In 1991, A Kind of Magic was re-relased with two bonus tracks. The instrumental version of Who Wants to Live Forever called "Forever" and an extended version of One Vision.
   Great album although Don't Lose Your Head is an awful track.
   Recommended!

5 comments about A Day At The Races.

1. Looking back at the 1970s, sometimes many forget how big the band Queen was. Even as Queen moved into the 1980s, while their popularity did slightly decline in the United States, it continued to be very high in Europe. Their performance at Live Aid is widely considered one of the greatest of all-time and their subsequent "Magic" tour is considered one of the all-time greatest concert tours. If it weren't for Freddie Mercury's death in 1992, we might still be talking about Queen being as big a band as the Beatles. When Queen released their 1973 self-titled debut album, it showed all of the signs of greatness to come. This album would show how the band embraced a "theatrical" feel to their music as well as embrace a sound that would evolve into what would become Heavy Metal. The next three albums, "Queen II", "Sheer Heart Attack" , and "A Night at the Opera" continued down the road of the theatrical sound. It was that third album, "Sheer Heart Attack" that would not just become a commercial breakthrough album for Queen, but also become an album that would showcase Mercury's abilities as a Hall of Fame vocalist. "A Night at the Opera" would begin to expand the band's musical horizons (most notably, the legendary track "Bohemian Rhapsody" as well as some ragtime tunes. The fifth album "A Day at the Races", while not as strong as the third and fourth albums will continue to show the band expanding its musical horizon.
   
   Queen is an example of the sum of the parts actually being greater than the whole. However, if you take each of the four members of Queen, they easily stand on their own as a top musician in their profession. Freddie Mercury is easily known to be the emotional and flamboyant lead vocalist of Queen who indeed has a legendary voice. Brian May is the legendary lead guitarist and probably the second most popular member of the band. Roger Taylor and John Deacon go extremely underrated. Listen to Taylor's thundering drumming in the studio or live and one can easily understand why he was asked to participate in an All Star Drum Jam (The S.O.S. All-Stars) at the Live Earth concert. As for John Deacon, he might be one of music's all-time underrated bass players. Many of his bass lines have proven to be the foundation for Queen's musical sound. In addition to being top musicians, all four members play integral roles in the songwriting.
   
   Like its predecessor, Queen takes a title from a Marx Brothers movie. Here is a track by track synopsis of the original ten tracks:
   
   "Tie Your Mother Down": This is a legendary Queen track. The highlight of this is some incredible guitar work by Brian May. While this song sounds better live, the studio recording is still outstanding. Roger Taylor's crashing drums blend in perfectly. I like the theatrical-like beginning as it sets the tone for the album.
   
   "You Take My Breath Away": The song opens with a cappella-like vocals all done by Mercury. This is a slower song done on the piano. Not my favorite song, but it does show some thinking out of the box by the band.
   
   "Long Away": May never disappoints when he is on vocals and once again this track highlights he could have easily been a full-time lead vocalist. This song doesn't have a theatrical feel, but more of a classic Rock feel to it.
   
   "The Millionaire Waltz": This song opens with a "Vaudeville/Ragtime" feel similar to some of the tracks heard on "A Night at the Opera". Nice job by Queen combining the theatrical-like harmonies with the Ragtime feel. The song has a segue into a Hard Rock part and then back to the ragtime part. Eventually both parts (ragtime and Rock) will nearly blend by the end. Overall this is an innovative track.
   
   "You and I": This was John Deacon's contribution. The piano playing almost has an Elton John feel to it. Theatrical-like harmonies are also prevalent throughout this track. Terrific guitar bridge by May takes place midway through the track.
   
   "Somebody to Love": This is the other well-known track on this album. This is classical Rock-Opera sounding Queen. The song is highlighted by outstanding Mercury vocals, terrific background harmonies by May and Taylor, and a hall of fame guitar bridge by May 2+ minutes into the track.
   
   "White Man": Sometimes I don't give Queen enough credit for their lyrics - and this track shows Queen at their best. On this track Queen talks about the suffering of the Native Americans at the hands of the Europeans. Queen integrates their theatrical sound on this track that adds more realism to the track.
   
   "Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy": This is another "Vaudeville/Ragtime" track. Deacon's bass work is underrated on this track as it helps contribute to the tempo.
   
   "Drowse": Like May, Roger Taylor could also be a full-time lead vocalist. Taylor has a knack for hitting the higher octaves than Mercury. He also brings a heavy metal-like voice to his vocals. This song is another winner by Taylor.
   
   "Teo Torriate (Let's Us Cling Together)": Possibly one of the most underrated Queen tracks out there. This starts out with as a slow, somber piano ballad. It then has a segue into a sound that easily could be a theatrical finale. Perhaps the most innovative part of the song are two verses sung in Japanese. This is a perfect way to end the album.
   This album did require a few listens by me in order to get into it. While I did put this a notch below "A Night at the Opera", I still thought this was a very good and innovative album. This is an album that core Queen fans will easily like, but after a few listens, the casual fan will appreciate this. Highly recommended.



2. Although it stands in the shadow of "A night at the opera" this offering by Queen is every bit as good and better in some ways. There is not a weak song on this entire CD. Everything is meticulously recorded, thought out & performed. You almost get the feeling that this could have been a concept album. The eight tracks by Freddie & Brian are flawless and dripping with inspiration. They were certainly firing on all cylinders here.
   1. "Tie you mother down" rocks with sheer brilliance
   2. "You take my breath away" is absolutely beautiful and haunting
   3. "Long away" easily could have been a single
   4. "Millionaire waltz" is campy and powerful
   5. "You and I" proved John Deacon was no fluke as a songwriter
   6. "Somebody to love" is the true jewel here. The best song about longing ever written
   7. "White man" rocks with dark overtones and profound lyrics
   8. "Good old fashion lover boy" is catchy, bouncy & delightful
   9. "Drowse" is hypnotic and subtle
   10. "Teo toriate" is alluring and mysterious
   
   The bonus tracks are pretty much worthless remixes.
   Queen reached its creative and artistic peak with this album. The album shines like a crown jewel.



3. Not much worse - or different - from the last one.
   
   At this point in their career, after releasing a mega-smash-super-hit album, quite a few artists become afraid of being typecast, for lack of a better word, so they veer off into a different direction with their music (sometimes it's only a slight adjustment, sometimes it's a radical overhaul). Well, Freddie Mercury isn't about to change for anyone, and rather than shying away from making a copy of 1975's "A Night at the Opera," Freddie and the boys embrace their new-found success. For heaven's sake, even the cover art is almost identical between this and ANATO, 'cept the font's a little different and it's black instead of white. Look for yourself.
   
   Despite the striking similarities on the oustide, this is both a similar...and sometimes completely different beast than its predecessor. You can see parallels between the two albums, but that's not how I'm going to go about reviewing this, except in a few minor spots. So here we go. This baby kicks off with Brian May's slightly perverted rocker "Tie Your Mother Down." It's a very cool song, and the only other thing I'm ging to say about it is, I can only wonder exactly what inspired Bri to write those lyrics (I find myself wondering the same thing when listening to Fat Bottomed Girls too). Hmm. Next, Freddie makes his first songwriting appearance here, the gorgeous "You Take My Breath Away," with the beautiful harmonies (sung entirely by the overdubbed Freddie Mercury Choir!). Lyrically, it's a bit stalker-ish ("I will find you anywhere you go, I'll be right behind you right until the ends of the Earth")...only in one verse, and it predates Sting's "Every Breath You Take" by a full seven years! Good job, Freddie. Brian checks in again with the slightly poppier "Long Away" - nice, but pedestrian. Then we get the closest thing this album has to a Bohemian Rhapsody (and it's not that close, actually)..."The Millionaire Waltz," with one of Brian's most famous guitar lines, Freddie's German accent, and one of the best examples of John Deacon's bass prowess in the entire Queen catalog. Speaking of Johnny, his contribution's up next, the typical Deacon power-pop "You and I." "You're My Best Friend" it is not - heck, it's even a bit dark in one spot - but it's still John Deacon, and he'll always write some nice little pop tune to make you smile.
   
   "Somebody to Love" is next, the one song on here almost everyone knows (and if you're expecting the Jefferson Airplane rocker in any way, you'll be sorely disappointed). It's my favorite Queen song, so I won't really go into that. "White Man" is Brian's, a song about the repression of the American Indians (Brian is drawing from some strange inspirations on this album), my least favorite song on here, it's nothing special. "Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy" is the other hit on here, albeit in the UK, and it's a typical Freddie show tune type thing. "Drowse" is Roger Taylor's entry, a mix of strange distorted guitars and Roger's gravelly vocals. No idea what it's about. Some people hate it, I like it. "Teo Torriatte" is the grandiose closer, complete with children's choir and Queen singing in - yes - Japanese! (for their massive fan base over there, of course.) Elegant and sweeping, it's probably the most epic thing on this album, one of the better Brian songs around.
   
   That turned out a lot longer than I expected. Well, couple pedestrian songs on here, a couple good ones. I can't give this anymore than four stars, but if you like Queen, there's a lot of typical Queen here, so you'll probably enjoy it. I do....recommended.



4. After the VERY successful Night at the Opera album, Queen certainly had their work cut out for them if they wanted to repeat, or come close to repeating, the brilliance of the previous album. In comes Day at the Races. It's not as good as Night at the Opera, but it has more than its fair share of excellent songs. In fact, most of it is nearly classic material. It's about what you'd expect from a rock band attempting to release another quality album. It works, and they succeeded.
   
   While I enjoy most of it, I do NOT like "Tie Your Mother Down". It sounds like a badly written glam rock song. However, the guitar parts are nice. "You Take My Breath Away" is another unique Freddie Mercury ballad. Only Freddie could write a song like that. Give it a chance and it will grow on you. It's written in a complex way and takes time to adjust.
   
   "Long Away" is just BEAUTIFUL, "The Millionaire Waltz" is a multi-part structured progressive rock piece, "You & I" is pretty good, "Somebody To Love" is the gospel ballad classic, "White Man" is a somewhat average rocker (very similar to the Styx song "Renegade"), "Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy" is incredibly good, "Drowse" features a very unusually depressing and unique guitar riff with a solid vocal melody, "Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together)" is a beautiful (though somewhat predictably-written) ballad. Overall, an album that truly deserves 4 stars. The songwriting is still excellent. Queen did NOT turn into an average band.



5. Queen's fifth album A Day at the Races was released in December of 1976.
   This album is the perfect sequel to its predecessor, 1975's Top 5 charting A Night at the Opera!
   The album marked one change and that was the band self-produced for the first time after working with Roy Thomas Baker on their first four efforts and this time pressure was on to deliver an album that was either as good or better than its predecessor. Would the album be good or a bad repeat of Opera, read on and find out (as I did when I bought the cassette in May of 1992 (and would then acquire on CD)).
   Guitarist Brian May's hard rocker "Tie Your Mother Down" kicks off the album. The track features a killer intro (which is repeated at album's end) and is a great rocker which peaked at #51 in the US. Frontman Freddie Mercury's vocal masterpiece "You Take My Breath Away" follows and is a great vocal and piano track. Brian steps out in front on the next track "Long Away" which was a great rocker and was the third single from Races released here in the US (the only Queen song which did not have Freddie on vocal to be released as a single in Freddie's lifetime). Next comes Freddie's "The Millionare Waltz" which featured one of the greatest guitar solos in rock and is part-waltz and part-rocker. The first half ends with the pop-rocker "You and I", written by bass player John Deacon and is a great song.
   The second half of the album kicks off with the first single "Somebody to Love". The track is the Bohemian Rhapsody of this album. Freddie wrote this ballad and has a great gospel-tinged backing vocal and the song peaked at #11 in early 1977 here in the States. Brian's hard rocker "White Man" follows and is a great rocker. Freddie's odd and campy "Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy" follows and is a great song which was a British Top 30 hit. Drummer Roger Taylor's rocker "Drowse" follows and features great slide guitar work from Brian and Roger ripping some great rhythm guitar work and a great vocal from Rog doing both harmonies. This album closes with "Teo Torriate (Let Us Cling Together)" which has the chorus partially sung in Japanese and Brian wrote this after Queen's first successful tour of Japan.
   When released, A Day at the Races peaked at #5 and was the band's second Platinum album in a row and second masterpiece.
   This album is highly recommended!

5 comments about Tattoo You.

1. Apparently this album was made out of outtakes from previous albums but it's very good indeed. In fact it's one of their best albums from the 80's. It was released in 1981 and features both lead guitarists Ron Wood and Mick Taylor plus Wayne Perkins who played during the "Black And Blue" sessions. For the rhythm section there's rhythm guitarist Keith Richards, bass player Bill Wyman, and drummer Charlie Watts as always.
   
   The first track "Star Me Up" is one of their most popular songs by far! It's still played on radio frequently. "Hang Fire" and "Neighbours" are memorable up tempo rockers.
   There's also a jam called "Slave" that includes a catchy riff plus keyboard and saxophone solos.
   "Little T&A" is sung by rhythm guitarist Keith Richards and it's pure hard rock at it's finest. One of the best songs on the album!
   Another highlight is the R&B number "Black Limousine" which wouldn't sound out of place in one of their early albums while "Tops" features great vocals by Mick Jagger, catchy verses and chorus, and at the end there's a great outro solo by Mick Taylor.
   The last number "Waiting On A Frined" is the other popular song that's still played on radio and again features saxophone playing. Also note the ballad "Worried About You" where Mick Jagger sings in his falsetto voice and about half way into the song, a guitar solo by Wayne Perkins shows up.
   But the most unusal song here got be "Heaven". One of the most experimental songs the Stones ever did! It sounds like psychedelic rock.
   
   This is a an excellent choice if you want to get into 80's Rolling Stones as this is one of their best!
   Thanks for taking the time to read!
   Later...



2. Hello, Happy 3itch. We have recommendations for you. (Not Happy?)
   
   Back in '81, I was so appallingly hip. Nothing but Gang of 4, PiL and Devo for me. "Hang Fire" on the dashboard, though; what a crunch - probably the last unconditionally great rocking pop Stones tune. Timeless adolescence, a perfect mate for "Get Off Of My Cloud." The silly vocal hook, Chuck Berry solo, trailer trash narrator, bar 'n grill drum rolls, brittle slapback - the genius is in the brevity. Gang of 4, PiL and Devo probably thought they were revolutionaries back then, the rubes. Who NEEDS, like, progress? "Black Limousine," throwaway changes but, DUDE, the FEEL of that solo. "Neighbors," both obnoxious and charming; so unabashedly the Stones. And "Start Me Up," reactionary as hell, the Stones doing the Stones. 20 years of substance abuse went into every lick. Live long enough and you can get away with ANYTHING.
   
   [Insert belch here.]



3. The Rolling Stones had a string of stunning albums, up to "Exile on Main Street." Then, after a number of albums that had some strengths and some weaknesses, "Some Girls," one of their best came out. Then a disappointing "Emotional Rescue." But the Stones bounced back with a pretty good work, "Tattoo You." Many of the albums after "Exile" would have a few great songs--but also a number that did not measure up (and some were little more than filler). There is very little filler on "Tattoo You."
   
   The CD starts out, fittingly enough, with "Start Me Up," an absolutely classic Stones' rocker. The guitar riff is top notch, reminiscent of the best of the group's songs.
   
   "You start me up
   . . .
   You make a grown man cry."
   
   A real rocker. The band is in fine form here; this song has even been used (ugh) to signal the start of sporting events over the past decade or so.
   
   "Hang Fire." Just 2 minutes and 20 seconds, but what is packed into that brief time frame! The guitars growl nicely and the steady drumming of Charlie Watts provides a firm foundation for this song.
   
   "Black Limousine": Starts with some nice harmonica. This is one of the Stones'' home grown blues songs, a genre at which they have done well (recall the wonderful little classic, "Down in the Hole").
   
   "We used to ride baby,
   Ride around in a limousine.
   You looked so fine, baby,
   You in white and me in red."
   
   Sinuous guitar work is displayed and the Stones' rhythm section lives up to its reputation.
   
   "Waiting on a Friend": A softer sound, and effectively done! This is more intimate and contemplative than other pieces on this album. Nice piano work at the outset.
   
   "I'm just standing in a doorway,
   I'm just trying to make some sense.
   . . .
   I'm not waiting on a lady,
   I'm waiting on a friend."
   
   This represents an interesting change of pace.
   
   And these aren't the only songs of interest. As earlier noted, there is not much filler here. Other strong works: "Slave," "Neighbours," "No Use in Cryin'," and so on. Keith's obligatory song on this album is one of his better efforts.
   
   Rolling Stones' fans will appreciate this CD greatly. One of their best between "Exile on Main Street" and the present, along with "Some Girls" and "Bigger Bang."



4. Although never less than the most visible of rock bands, the Stones were in the midst of a commercial resurgence that began with Some Girls in 1978. Tattoo You (1981) remains the last album of the Stones' classic period and for good reason. Not only does it contain their last true classic song in "Start Me Up" but it also has the tender "Waiting on a Friend", the melodic pop rock of "Hang Fire" and Keith's ode to his newfound love in the catchy "Little T&A". "Start Me Up" was unavoidable on the radio but it's highest charting position was number 2 for several weeks never quite hitting number 1. There was only one song during this time that received more airplay than "Start Me Up" and this song prevented it from topping the charts. Anyone know what it is? I'll tell you at the end.
   
   Upon release the album was divided into a rock side and a ballad side and the first half contains some of the punchiest rockers the Stones have done but the ballad side contains a lot of material that we wouldn't normally get all in one place on a Stones record...and the ballads are gorgeous ("Worried About You", "Tops" and the ghostly "Heaven"). I remember not liking "Heaven" very much and one day in the summer, after a long day at the beach with my then girlfriend, we began our ride home. The sun was going down and we were driving in my convertible over the bridge that takes you over the water and back to 'civilization'. "Heaven" began to play and the whole atmosphere of the song just reflected the whole moment. The evening sun beating down upon the ocean as we crossed over it with the top down on a warm summer evening. That image is forever tattooed in my brain when I hear that song. It captured the moment as perfectly as any song could.
   
   Critics of this release often cite that the material was a patchwork of leftovers and new songs that they put together for an album. This may be true but the Stones are not the first band to do this. Elo's "Do Ya" was written before ELO was even formed, Van Halen did "House of Pain" on 1984 when that song predated their first album in 1978. The list goes on...Hey, if you wrote the song, you deserve to use it. Sometimes the timing just isn't right.
   
   That being said, if you're new to the Stones this is a good place to start. It's got more of an MOR feel to it than any of their other records and the main reason why casual fans seem to prefer it to their other recordings, even the classics. The Stones always had hits, but they were never as commercial on one recording as they were here. Commercial doesn't always mean 'better' but in this instance, it's timeless rock that they haven't been able to top since.
   
   ANSWER: "Private Eyes" by Hall and Oates
   
   Yeah, I know..but nobody ever said life was fair...



5. In the run-up to Scorsese's concert film Shine A Light I dusted off Exile on Main Street, the only Stones album that I owned until recently, and which I'd tried in vain to appreciate for probably 10 years. The timing must have been right because I found myself mentally comparing it to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon or the Great Pyramid of Cheops instead of to other rock albums.
   
   Since then I've been frantically collecting the Stones' recorded legacy and so far have heard everything except Black and Blue, Bridges to Babylon, and Steel Wheels. Though Exile is still tops, what surprised me is how consistent the Stones have been, and how they retained their kingship right until the end. Since I wasn't overly anticipating each album the way fans who grew up with the Stones had to, and bought the albums haphazardly, going from Undercover back to Beggar's Banquet and onto Between the Buttons, there was no disappointment. Yeah, I can hear that Beggar's Banquet or Sticky Fingers have a more "classic" feel than Emotional Rescue, but this is mostly because the singles from those earlier albums have been driven into our heads. Otherwise these guys have never really fallen off track. There is no growth apparent in their albums, but there is a constant, almost heroic reinvigoration of formula. No two Stones albums sound quite alike, yet they all have that raw, chaotic, "Where'd that bongo come from, and where'd it disappear to so quickly?" sense of surprise.
   
   The Stones are not only underrated as players and orchestrators ( though that word brings to mind tubas and mellotrons and George Martin, while the Stones try to conceal their art behind an organized messiness ), but Jagger's lyrics deserve much more respect. Jagger seems to embody a reluctant fallen angel, and his perspective on life has a fascinating ambivalence -- it's almost like he went against his nature to live up to the image of a rock star. There's a sense he's too smart to go to hell, but he's chosen to anyway. Most debauchees don't have this kind of self-awareness, or the ability to stare so coldly at their own downfall. Compared to this spectacle of ugly, monkey-man burnout, stretched out slowly and painfully over 40 years, Dylan seems like a boring mystifier cobbling Old Testament phrases together with hippie sentiment, and Lennon like a self-loathing would-be guru. Jagger is not admirable, but he's also not a hypocrite. He IS rock music, and always will be. In fact, I think the entire concept of rock will die with him. The irony of Jagger, like the irony of Lucifer, is the insane hard work that went into his hedonism, and that all those lines on his face are a result of the effort it took to make others believe that he's having fun.
   
   All this is a bit heady for a review of Tattoo You, maybe the most M.O.R. of the Stones' albums. I'm not even sure why I'm reviewing this one. Maybe because glimmers of a once-heavenly nature are evident on "Heaven" or "Waiting on a Friend," giving this album a slightly tragic feel that left me unexpectedly shaken. I thought this album would be radio-ready pop, and it is, but some of the songs here are the closest Jagger came to abandoning his act, the edifice of the shtick that became his selfhood. On the ballad-heavy second half of the album, the "real" Mick Jagger seems tantalizingly close to showing his face. That's why the cover shows someone covered in tattoos, because Jagger was obviously nervous about what he reveals here and had to pretend the mask was still on.
   
   I don't say this because the songs are slow and therefore signifiers of emotion. I mean, this observation is coming from a guy who is immune to many classic Stones weepers like "Wild Horses" or "Moonlight Mile," that I consider hollow pastiche.
   But on the second half of Tattoo You it doesn't just sound like Jagger is tired of the Stones, like on Dirty Work, it sounds like he's tired of being Mick Jagger. "No Use in Crying," his six millionth kiss-off song to a former girlfriend ( roughly ) even seems deliberately attenuated, half-baked, Jagger barely able to muster up the enthusiasm for the usual ignorant, heartless bile aimed at some poor bimbo that he'd been delivering at least since "Stupid Girl" from Aftermath. The song comes off, because of this, as somewhat beautiful, sounding like Jagger is trying to sing himself through all the useless hatred and aggression.
   Between 1981-1983 there might even have been temporary hope of escape from the eternal burden placed on this beast -- but as soon as the sleazy ( and great ) Undercover hit the shelves, that "Waiting on a Friend" Jagger was dead forever. You don't even have to listen to the album. The peerlessly trashy cover, where the girl's eyes are cut off, making her all torso, all crotch, and nothing human, in itself seems like a riposte to Tattoo You, to the vulnerability shown here, as if to say, "Tricked you, didn't I?"
   
   I don't know if it's sad or encouraging that my final thought upon the Stones catalogue and Jagger himself is "Thanks for the great music -- now see ya, wouldn't want to be ya." I think I'll hang fire.

5 comments about Live at the BBC.

1. If you love The Beatles this is a must have for your Beatles collection. The quality of the recording is very good. I recommend purchasing the CD set!



2. This is a collection of Beatles songs on BBC radio between 1962-1965. It includes self composed songs and classic numbers performed by the Beatles. These are LIVE radio tracks, only one or two songs are live in concert. There are funny speeches and jokes as well. This CD was out of print for sometime but has been back in print since I bought it in June 2001. This is a must for any Beatles fan.



3. The two Live at the BBC CDs contain live radio broadcasts of The Beatles from March 1962-June 1965. They answer a question a lot of us were asking then: "Where did these guys suddenly come from?!?" The answer we had before this release were a glossy public relations product. "They are John-Paul-George-Ringo... They are Lennon-McCartney...They are true originals!!" So we were told. The real truth revealed in these live recordings of the early Beatles is that, musically, the Beatles came from the USA by way of movies and mid-50's to mid-60's records from Memphis, New Orleans, Detroit, New Jersey, New York and more, and became a rocking club dance band by getting the people up on their feet and keeping them up. In short, they rocked, and here are 69 recorded tracks of proof, dating from the days when they played every night in small dance venues. If you are in a hurry, remember, Live at the BBC rocks!
   
   
   Did I mention they were funny? Although I'm from Memphis, home of the blues, rockabilly and Elvis, I've been a Beatles fan since I was fifteen. In December of 1963 I got my first guitar for Christmas expecting to play folk music. But wait! After Christmas, Memphis pop music radio suddenly began to be full of hip, wry and joyfully energetic Beatle songs. They sang about life as a teenager, our life, in such a way that we "got it": "And when I touch you I feel happy inside, It's such a feeling that my love, I can't hide, I can't hide, I can't hide."; "And now it's up to you, I think it's only fair...Pride can hurt you, too...apologize to her; because she loves you, and you know that can't be bad...you know you should be glad!" They were serious, or at least real, and, they were funny. "She was just seventeen. You know what I mean."
   
   The humor of British comedy movies some of us had seen at the local foreign film theaters found its way into my high school with the Beatles. We did not know, at the time, that their mentor in the recording studio was also Peter Sellers comedy record producer. They were so new to our ears and eyes that we knew nothing but the laugh-out-loud truthful songs and the playful, hip attitude we immediately recognized as cool: our cool... `60's cool. By early 1964 they monopolized the top of the American pop charts.
   
   As revealed in Live at the BBC most performance material was apparently chosen based on their experience of the strength of the song with a live dance crowd rather than its place on the charts. I suspect much of what they played, they had rarely, if ever, heard on the radio, even Radio Luxembourg. This was because at that time, under agreements with the musician's union, English radio was allowed very little "needle time" to play recorded music. This, by the way, is why the routine about playing "Hard Day's Night" live was done over the end of the record's playback. These CDs have a lot of songs on them that were probably really new music, a turn-on for The Beatles' radio audience. Other songs seem to be personal favorites of the individual group members, whose taste is revealed in a way that later recordings of their original music homogenizes and conceals, especially George, who sings more lead and comes off funnier and more personable in this release than their records.
   
   In these recordings we find that The Beatles were clearly Elvis fans, and part of the Elvis generation of musicians, just as I am part of The Beatles' generation. On this release, they do a spot on cover of Elvis "That's All Right Mama", both vocally and instrumentally. Paul really can sound like the early Sun Records rockabilly Elvis, and George could play like a Tennessean. For you younger fans, I am not talking "Suspicious Minds" Elvis here, I mean the Louisiana Hayride Elvis. The Elvis I saw when I was six years old, playing a set in a parking lot in Memphis for the original grand opening of Mrs. Jacobs' Fawn Laundry-Cleaners at the corner of Alcy Rd. and Bellevue Boulevard (now known in memoriam as _Elvis_Presley_ Boulevard). They also have other Elvis material, "I've Got a Woman" and "I Forgot to Remember to Forget".
   
   They each had their own taste and vocal specialties. Paul sang high ranging Elvis and Little Richard, and smooth vocals like Peggy Lee's hit "Till There Was You". George and John loved rockabilly like Carl Perkins and Dorsey Burnett. John loved Chuck Berry rock, and well-written songs by several writers on an apparently song-by-song basis. George had a slightly skewed, zany, humorous taste in songs, including The Coasters "Youngblood" and the crazier rockabilly, like Carl Perkins' "Glad All Over". He clearly had a style, but at that time, expressed through covers.
   
   They clearly had not only favorite artists, but also favorite writers, like Jerry Leiber-Mike Stoller and Gerry Goffin-Carole King (who are about the same age as the Beatles and have been mentioned by John in interviews as role models for Paul and him). Many more favorites are revealed on these 2 CDs. I have really enjoyed The Beatles' Live at the BBC. In fact it's ripped and hanging around my neck, stuck in my ears right now. Did I say that there are 69 tracks?! What are you waiting for? Stop reading this and order! You can be listening tomorrow!
   
   Live at the BBC rocks!
   
   
   John Evans of THE BOX TOPS



4. Excellent addition to my Beatles collection. I would recommend it to anyone, whether a Beatles fan or not. Good variety of music. Shows the versatility of the Beatles and their music.



5. As a Beatles fan of many years, I wondered about this collection and had lots of questions. Sound quality? Turns out it isn't too bad, overall, and is better than I thought it would be. Would it be songs and lots of chatter, or less chatter? Turns out that the CD is 99% songs, with really very little chatter. This CD shows how the Beatles, in their early years anyway, were real chameleons. They covered any song that struck their fancy, be it country, rock and roll, or whatever. They were just getting started, really, as songwriters. At this stage in the game they were apparently HIGHLY imitative. Many of the songs they covered were, word for word, note for note, sigh for sigh, total copies of the originals. One real nice surprise is the number of songs sung by George in those days. His voice was really pleasant, and had some bottom to it instead of the thin reedy voice we were often treated to in later recordings. Bottom line is...if you are a Beatles fan, this CD is for you.

5 comments about Black and Blue.

1. It ROCKS!!! Nope, waitaminute, pretty uninspired. Hold on, I don't know.
   
   It might look like I'm buying CDs all the time but, actually, I haven't had an account in years. Only buy coffee and lollipops. I just like writing about rock & roll since, like duh, rock & roll is the unexamined life. If I actually had an income, I'd be off buying True Religion jeans, size 6, and I so look HOT in them. Anyway I'm getting to the point where I'm not even bothering to review the album in question anymore, which is some kinda breakthrough. For me. Why anyone would wanna READ THIS is, well, out the window. I mean, I sure don't read the reviews here.
   
   Actually, this was the 1st Stones album I didn't buy. I've heard none of it.



2. This was not suppose to be a serious or GRAMMY album. BUT JUST PURE FUN . And it is. But nobody see's it that way, so they don't enjoy it as much. Greatly underated. Most people just don't get it. "STICKY FINGERS", now that's serious. SO JUST HAVE FUN. " CHERRY, OOH.



3. Recorded in a half-dozen sessions from December 1974 to February 1976, the album - released on April 23, 1976 - ultimately introduced Ron Wood as the replacement to Mick Taylor and featured some of the weakest songwriting to find its way to vinyl.
   
   The funk on Hot Stuff, reggae in Cherry Oh Baby, jazz-influence with Melody, the arena rock anthem to the road - Memory Motel - and rocker, Crazy Mama, have the vibe, but ultimately lack a real punch.
   
   The ballad, Fool to Cry, is a sublime classic, but simply cannot save what is a rocky ride after the groove.



4. I had recalled that the Rolling Stones were in decline from "Exile on Main Street" until "Some Girls." My memory was that "Black and Blue" was one of those okay but not very interesting albums in the interregnum. A few days back, I started trying to remember the songs on this work. And then I started wondering if this CD was as mediocre as I had thought.
   
   Well, I just listened, and it's a bunch better than I remembered. Great Stones? No. Good Stones' music? Yes.
   
   This was the "try out" album for who might succeed Mick Taylor on guitar. Harvey Mandell, Wayne Perkins, and Ronnie Wood each took a crack on one song or another. Let's take a look at a few cuts.
   
   "Hot Stuff." Some rate this as mediocre disco. But I think that this is a rather catchy tune, featuring some good guitar byplay between Mandell and Keith Richards. Billy Preston is good on piano. I also think that the "change of pace" vocals from Mick Jagger work pretty well. This song has references to New York; one might compare this with references to New York in "Shattered" from "Some Girls"!
   
   "Hand of Fate" is a strong tune. It is the Stones' answer to "I Shot the Sheriff" and "I Fought the Law." A good rocker. Lines: "He shot me once, but I shot him twice," and then "I watched him die." Nice guitar work here, this time with Wayne Perkins.
   
   "Cherry, Oh Baby." I think that this was a decent reggae piece (It's not Peter Tosh or Toots and the Maytalls or Bob Marley and the Wailers). Ronnie Wood played guitar, with Nicky Hopkins on organ (and an effective accompaniment to the song). The different sounds on this work, from the reggae to the disco to funk ("Hey Negrita") to hard rock to a ballad ("Memory Motel") make this one of the more variegated of Rolling Stones' albums.
   
   Then, "Memory Motel." On a drive out to Montauk many years ago, I drove past this motel. Not very imposing, but I did get a buzz out of seeing the place. On this cut, both Mandell and Perkins play. The singer "spent a lonely night" there, with his lover's "hair all drenched in spray." A nice little country/ballady song.
   
   "Crazy Mama" is a flat out hard rocking song. Who's on guitar (Not "Who's on first?")? Mick and Keith. Charlie Watts' drumming anchors this song.
   
   There aren't many weak cuts on this CD. Again, this is not a great Rolling Stones' work by any means. But it is better, I think, than reputed by many. And it is better than what I had remembered.



5. I really can't say any more than some of the other top reviewers. The Stones Black and Blue is definitely one of their most over-looked gems. Sitting right between It's Only Rock and Roll ('74) and the ever-popular Some Girls ('78) it is a transitional album. Changes were happening. From guitarist's to production managers, it all has an effect. Personally I liked it. Sure there is some funky raggae style tunes here, but also some real classic Stones. Fool to Cry is probably the most well known song from Black and Blue as it made the Forty Licks compilation. The best thing is, these Virgin records '94 remaster's are a Bargain! I got this brand new for under $10. And it sounds great. Matches up perfectly with the quality of Forty Licks so you can mix and match your favorite songs (maybe on an ipod) and not hear major differences. You don't want to live without Memory Motel, Hand of Fate, and Crazy Mama! Rock ON!

5 comments about 12 X 5.

1. 12 X 5 was a classic Rolling Stones album. Many of the songs are covers, but there are also some of the earliest of their own compositions (for those who are not Rolling Stones' veterans, songs credited to Nanker Phelge are actually by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards).
   
   The CD opens with a fine cover of Chuck Berry's "Around and Around" and closes with the classic "Susie Q," well sung by the way.
   
   Let's sample some of the works.
   
   "Around and Around." This is credible Chuck Berry (I never thought, for instance, that the Beatles, as talented as they were, could quite manage the essence of Berry's works). There is nice guitar work and great thumping piano playing.
   
   "Time Is on My Side." Another cover and another classic. The Stones made this their own song. The rhythm section lays down a good base for the rest of the band. Even at his young age, Jagger had the ability to get into a song and make it mean something.
   
   "Good Times, Bad Times." The Rolling Stones have had a solid blues sensibility since their earliest works. This song is their own blues piece (a Jagger-Richards composition). A fine piece of blues. Great harmonica work and solid guitar work. The opening lines:
   
   "There've been good times,
   There've been bad times.
   I had my share of hard times, too."
   
   "Under the Boardwalk." I still find it hard to think of the Stones playing this summertime song! But they do it well and make this fun. Then, the CD closes out with a cool version of "Susie Q." Nice guitar work again.
   
   Anyhow, if you want a flavor of the early Rolling Stones, you can't do much better than this. I hadn't listened to this album for eons, and it's still fresh and even interesting to listen to.



2. Some of the younger Stones fans may not be aware that the Rolling Stones started out as a blues band. This album is very early Stones (1964), and in my opinion, in addition to Let It Bleed, it is one of the best albums they have ever done. Some songs rock, some are bluesy (?), and some are familiar, but all are great. I highly recommend this CD to anyone who is interested in the Rollings Stones roots or who just loves to listen to something different.



3. each song sounds clean; really fresh. their version of under the boardwalk sounds better than the original.



4. An old not often heard cuts that rock, I bought it for Around & Around you'll dig it.



5. Great disc, but I'll have to buy it again, because I wanted the hybrid SACD version in the pretty card stock case, not the DSD Remastered version in the standard plastic jewel case. I think the only way to be sure is to buy at a retail outlet where you can see what you're getting.

5 comments about The Piper at the Gates of Dawn.

1. I always liked Syd's songs. The Pink Floyd After Syd, turned into a very progressive rock band, which were great at what they did, but there was one Roger (such a nice name-why didn't he keep it for the whole Floyd trip?) less than I came to expect. I've read two books, when the now late Rick spoke of Syd, I believe he did so with a soft spoken yet sensible head.
   
   A mental breakdown burned away "Syd's" chance for any semblance for a normal life afterward, and according to the "experts" there was a personality break. So this many years later, what's the story??????- there almost appears to be a family that is Syd's that didn't say much, but have you ever been in your own head, so messed up on garbage you can't think properly---so who really has--only as many as will be admitted to Psych wards. Many, Many many highly creative, no I'll rephrase for clarity's sake Many highly creative highly intelligent people are not necessarily completely perfect- oh well he (Syd) was locked in a closet, and we could hear the clanging and banging, would you, as a friend, and bandmate check him. I feel he was let down by his band mates, and his entourage-nothing more pathetic than the life of hangers on, wanna be's, and overall envious types. Who's to say a few of those didn't exist and destroy Syd. Rumour has it Mozart had the dreadful experience of dying with this.
   
   How many less eloquent, however more belligerent rock and rollers that have brains wired to better them due to a less intense personality........ well let's pull one out of a hat..... resist putting hallucinagens, etc into their system, however, seem to fair very differently.
   
   I just don't hear these questions : has this been confirmed as true about Syd, that he had a mental disorder, prior to a drug problem , hmm, why did nobody keep this in mind when he was their top songwriter--oh, well a mental sensitivity that allows one to be so creative and talented would be a person who thinks, a lot if we threw some high intelligence into that package. So, if "Syd", as "Roky" or the once beautiful "Sky" S. of the Seeds was noted to be frail, I will never understand why.
   
   Well, someday the truth will come out, as the existence Syd carried out is mixed with everything -lucky he could do what he did



2. I have never been a fan of Pink Floyd's later work (indeed I would rate "Another Brick in the Wall" as one of my most hated songs), but as I expand my musical knowledge I have became naturally curious about "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn", Pink Floyd's only full album with original frontman Syd Barrett and often accalined as one of the best albums of all time.
   
   People have always called this "the Pink Floyd album for people who hate Pink Floyd" with reference to comments by Sex Pistol John Lydon during the "punk revolution".
   
   "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" is certainly different from later Floyd works. There are none of the big-sounding synthesisers that gained them superstar status beginning with "Dark Side of the Moon". Instead, even on the more epic pieces, the sound is stripped down with Rick Wright playing quite simple organ lines. On the whole, the instrumentation on "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" is delicate and quiet in a manner that was no doubt unusual and innovative at a time when already there was a move towards harder, louder rock and roll.
   
   Generally I do appreciate this kind of touching softness, but far too often, most especially on the finale "Bike" and "Matilda Mother", "Piper" is far too slight to be possessed of emotional depth and Barrett's soundscapes com off as tuneless compared to, say, Marquee Moon. Even less lightweight songs like "Pow R Toc H" do not really fire. However, "Lucifer Sam", the second track, stands out as a surprising exception to my reservations about this record and is the only real "masterpiece" any incarnation of Pink Floyd ever made. Aided by a fine bassline from Waters and short organ solos from Wright, the band on "Lucifer Sam" sounds much tighter than anywhere else and even if Barrett's lyrics are silly, they don't lessen the quality of the song.
   
   The worst problem with "Piper", though, is Barrett's voice, which simply is ill-suited to the material he penned and comes of at best as mediocre, at worst as completely limp and lacking in energy and depth. Often Syd seems not to know whether he should be sining or speaking, and comes off without the touching quality good psychedelic rock should have.
   
   All in all, except "Lucifer Sam", there is little justification for "Piper"'s lofty reputation. Think twice.



3. I might get flamed for this, but here goes:
   
   This album is gruesomely overrated. When it comes to 1967 psychedelia, there were much much better albums then this as great examples of the genre. Well, they had to start somewhere, didn't they? To begin with, I never thought Syd Barrett was a great songwriter or a great singer. Sorry folks. He liked to make some atonal noise when it came to doing solos, and there are only two kinds of songs on this album. One is the very messed-up astral jam, the other is the very messed-up nursery rhyme ballad. Syd was taking a LOT of acid at the time, and it definetly shows. First things first though, the good points on this album. Astronomy Domine is a great song. It's got a great mood of mystery, with a VERY echoey sound, which I don't know how they managed to get in 1967. And I do dig the main riff to Interstellar Overdrive, although the sound collage thing gets on my nerves. (You can see where this sound would be a blueprint to later glories though. Check out Echoes.) Also, some of the ballads are mellow and trippy. I dig Matilda Mother and Chapter 24, nice weird ballads that they are. However, the bad points really overshadow the good. There's too much "art sounds" on this album. Take Up Thy Stephescope and Walk is just godawful. It's just terrible noisemaking for 3 minutes. Also, Pow R. Toc H. is pretty bad too. Jazz piano followed by intolerable screaming. Bleh. Lucifer Sam has a good riff, but is followed by a forgettable melody. The album generally is pretty forgettable, and a little too messed up for my liking. Still though, you won't hear a Pink Floyd album quite like this. They had a long way to go before making good records.



4. Syd Barrett is either declared a genius or an utter moron. He's, to me, neither, merely a drug taking songwriter, and that's it. This is, indeed, very different from later Pink Floyd works. The only document of Syd in Pink Floyd is this one. Play this for all those people who only know the band for Dark Side of The Moon.
   
   This album has many problems. What takes away 30 points are the boring keyboard textures, lack of atmosphere at times, and monotonous, just BLEH vocals, that plague some of the albums. It just lacks mostly thanks to that, and it kind of drives me nuts sometimes and makes me bored out of my mind. Some of the songs are destroyed by the things above, such Chapter 24. It's kind of dated too, and Syd, to me, isn't a genius, maybe I just don't get him. I tried, and some people just don't get other artists, so deal with it.
   
   There still is good music on here, but that's about it. There's plenty of material worth giving a listen. The two big instrumentals are good, and the more jazz influenced Pow R. Toc H. is one of the best. Bike, hands down, is awesome. The ending is just too good. Matilda Mother and Flaming have atmosphere that would put you in the fairy tale, think the good book The Wind In The Willows. The Gnome and the Scarecrow are good stories, to say the least, more of that fairy tale feel. An early example of space rock, Astronomy Domine, is something that requires listen.
   
   Overrated. Yes. Syd Barrett, maybe I just don't get him, but I don't have to. For a Pink Floyd fan, it's a must hear.
   
   6/10



5. I can explain what this album is like by comparing the sound and style to three different Beatles songs-
   
   "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"
   "Blue Jay Way"
   "Love You To"
   
   The Piper at the Gates of Dawn is mostly an extremely heavy pyschedelic album that focuses on vocal melody for 80% of it, and the majority of songs almost seem like they were aimed towards children because of the nursery rhyme style they're written in. Of course back in the day this was a revolutionary new style of rock music. As a result though, for me at least, I can only listen to this album every once in a while.
   
   "Astronomy Domine" is the highlight of the album, and really, most of the songs sound the same. Whether you like that style or not is up to the listener to decide. "Pow R. Toc H." stands out from the rest because of the piano jam, and "Interstellar Overdrive" is a VERY trippy and lengthy piece of psychedelic rock at its most hardcore. Is it a masterpiece though? No, not really. It gets too messy and noisy after the fourth minute or so. I like the chicken-sounding effects on the guitar though, and when around the third minute when the guitars sound like a bunch of hens in a hen house cackling at once.
   
   The song I don't care for is the closer "Bike". Just a very bad chorus to me. I like the rest of the songs, even more so when I'm totally in the mood for this style of rock.

5 comments about Jazz.

1. Looking back at the 1970s, sometimes many forget how big the band Queen was. Even as Queen moved into the 1980s, while their popularity did slightly decline in the United States, it continued to be very high in Europe. Their performance at Live Aid is widely considered one of the greatest of all-time and their subsequent "Magic" tour is considered one of the all-time greatest concert tours. If it weren't for Freddie Mercury's death in 1992, we might still be talking about Queen being as big a band as the Beatles. When Queen released their 1973 self-titled debut album, it showed all of the signs of greatness to come. By 1977, Queen would ascend into the upper echelon of Rock with their sixth album "News of the World". This album would feature the monster hits of "We Will Rock You" and "We are the Champions". However this album would offer so much more as it showed Queen as a band not afraid to innovate and explore new horizons. Following up a such an effort is often not easy, but with the release of their seventh album, "Jazz" - Queen would undertake what might have been their most ambitious effort to date. "Jazz" would showcase Queen's innovation like no other album they had done before that. While many didn't consider "Jazz" to be up at the level of "News of the World" - I would whole-heartedly disagree - this album is a masterpiece.
   
   Queen is an example of the sum of the parts actually being greater than the whole. However, if you take each of the four members of Queen, they easily stand on their own as a top musician in their profession. Freddie Mercury is easily known to be the emotional and flamboyant lead vocalist of Queen who indeed has a legendary voice. Brian May is the legendary lead guitarist and probably the second most popular member of the band. Roger Taylor and John Deacon go extremely underrated. Listen to Taylor's thundering drumming in the studio or live and one can easily understand why he was asked to participate in an All Star Drum Jam (The S.O.S. All-Stars) at the Live Earth concert. As for John Deacon, he might be one of music's all-time underrated bass players. Many of his bass lines have proven to be the foundation for Queen's musical sound. In addition to being top musicians, all four members play integral roles in the songwriting.
   
   While the title of this album is "Jazz", Queen explores a multitude of musical styles, but Jazz isn't one of them. On "News of the World", Queen opted for a more "stripped down" Rock sound. On this album, we still Queen integrating different musical styles into their core sound. The result is something special. Here is a synopsis of the 13 original tracks:
   
   "Mustapha": As the title indicates, this album has a Middle-Eastern feel to it. Most of the lyrics were also done in Persian. May and Deacon really help set the tempo with their guitar and bass work respectively. Mercury does a great job with the Persian lyrics - especially has he raises his voice up some octave levels during the chorus midway through the song.
   
   "Fat Bottomed Girls": Legendary song by Queen. May's guitar gives this song a Rock feel, while the combined harmonies of Mercury and May show a traditional Queen theatrical feel. The line "Get on your bikes and ride" establishes some synergy with this track and the fourth one, "Bicycle Race".
   
   "Jealousy": This is a ballad by the band that is highlighted by the piano and a simulated sitar sound. Mercury shines on vocals, but when the background harmonies are needed by May and Taylor, they are spot on.
   
   "Bicycle Race": Another masterpiece. In general the chorus gives you a feel for pedaling on a bicycle. I particularly like the tempo and melody changes. Parts of the song have the classic theatrical sound. The reference to "Fat Bottomed Girls" provides synergy back to the track with that name.
   
   "If You Can't Beat Them": Great song written by Deacon. While Deacon wrote this song, the big highlight is a two minute guitar solo by May which is as good as any guitar solo I ever heard.
   
   "Let Me Entertain You": Deacon's bass work is spot on with this song, but I also give credit to May's guitars. Great harmonies as well. This song establishes synergy back to "Teo Torriate" on "A Day at the Races" with the reference to "We'll sing to you in Japanese".
   
   "Dead on Time": A similar tempo to "Keep Yourself Alive" from Queen's debut album, but with a more modern twist. This song is simply Hall of Fame quality. It's a complete effort by the band by ultimately its May who generates some powerful guitar riffs that shines.
   
   "In Only Seven Days": This is a softer song by Deacon. This song gives Mercury the opportunity to shine. Not the best song on the collection, but not a bad one.
   
   "Dreamers Ball": This is more of an acoustic song. It almost sounds like a cross between ragtime and tropical island music providing for a unique and innovative sound.
   
   "Fun It": This song has more of a dance beat to it. Taylor takes the lead vocals and his higher octaves are perfect on this track. It's a different sound for Queen, but I got used to it.
   
   "Leaving Home Ain't Easy": May takes the lead vocals on this ballad. Not a bad track at all.
   
   "Don't Stop Me Now": Legendary track with a classic Queen theatrical feel. I love the tempo change from the soft intro.
   
   "More of that Jazz": Underrated song by Queen. Taylor takes the lead on vocals. I particularly love the innovative montage of the other tracks on the song "Dead on Time", "Bicycle Race", "Mustapha", "If You Can't Beat Them", "Fun It", and "Fat Bottomed Girls".
   
   Don't listen to the critics. This is album is simply a masterpiece. Definitely worth checking out.



2. A worthy follow-up to 1977's News of the World, Jazz continues the Queen tradition of making a very diverse album, though not so over-the-top as, say, A Night at the Opera. "Fat Bottomed Girls" is the best tribute to "heap-big women" ever put to vinyl, "Bicycle Race" and "Don't Stop Me Now" are both classic and a lot of fun. "Jealousy" is a typical overblown Freddie Mercury ballad, that works. "Leaving Home Ain't Easy" is a sad/breezy Brian May ballad, and "Dreamer's Ball" is lighthearted and jazzy, with a sad undercurrent. There are a few weaker moments, including Roger Taylor's rather lame "Fun It" (he was always the band's weakest songwriter) and John Deacon's pedestrian "In Only Seven Days." On the whole, however, this album works, and is notable as Queen's last of the 70s, the end of an amazing run. As with many artists, the 80s would prove to be trickier and a bit uneven music-wise.



3. Wow. Simply, wow. This album slams you from the very beginning of the first song, "Mustapha," and keeps beating you over the head mercilessly with Queen's absolutely masterful rocking. The entire album is one of their most cohesive, and highlights all the members' insane musical abilities, from Brian May's intense guitar work ("Dead On Time" is an excellent example) to Freddie Mercury's piercing vocals. This album is just good fun and good music. Queen's tongue-in-cheek sense of humor is rampant ("Let Me Entertain You" and "If You Can't Beat Them"), and this album is polished and sharp in its manic pace. This album is for the listener looking for an album to just let loose and rock out to. It's not a casual listening album, but it is guaranteed to entertain you, no pun intended! With the possibility of redundancy on my part, it's GREAT!



4. This CD sounds uninspired & unfocused. They bring back Roy Thomas Baker as producer, but his touch is nowhere to be found. There are some nice moments, but for the most part, but they tend to sound like their simply going through the motions. There doesn't seem too much though put into the track listing either. Roger Taylor's two songs on this (Fun it & More of that jazz) are boring and embarrassing. The only reason to own this CD is for Brian May's hypnotic "Dead on time"



5. Queen released their seventh album in November of 1978 entitled 'Jazz' which in the chorus of the title track contained.."more of that jazz" meaning a another solid but unspectacular outing from the band critics loved to hate. An explosion of song styles as if Queen were trying to be all things to all people...or was this diversity only to please themselves. Pop, country, sappy ballads, funk/disco and even metal were showcased on this record along with a truly bizarre opener (what the hell was "Mustapha" anyway...arabic rock????!!!). 'Jazz' was no better than or worse than the previous two lps and did contain its share of hits. Favorites include "Fat Bottomed Girls" with its delicious harmonies and dynamite guitar sound....just a skinny lad (not with those power chords). "Bicycle Race" was the quirky hit, similar in style to "Killer Queen" in which it contained pomp, outrageous (and dated) lyrics and diverse arrangements. "Don't Stop Me Now" should have been a bigger hit than it was with Freddie, a larger than life character, celebrating his party existence...too mister farenheidt for mainstream America? Metal and hard rock are served well in "Dead on Time" with another guitar workout from Brian and "Let Me Entertain You" another rhythmic hard rocker from Freddie. John Deacon offers "If You Can't Beat Them", his first true rocker and "In Only Seven Days", one of his typical ballads. Roger Taylor's songs are usually hit or miss...title track is darn good, "Fun It" just blows. Maybe Queen was trying to hard here, but their fans didn't care...football gives us thrills....rock and roll just pays the bills.