5 comments about On The Wings Of A Russian Foxbat.

1. I'm a fan of Deep Purples Tommy Bolin era. "Come Taste the Band" is a unique record which IMHO far surpasses Blackmore's last try on "Stormbringer" Tommy Bolin was hugely talented- a multidimensional virtuoso who could play metal,funk, blues and latin licks all in the same song and still hold a song together.
   
   Unfortunately, the performances in "Russian Foxbat" are poorly recorded and probably diminished from the excess drug abuse of the times. Glenn Hughes is spacey and horrible on "This Time Around", a song I liked on the album. "Smoke on the Water"- plain boring, a song that may have been given a decent burial (along with "Highway Star")after the departure of Gillan, then Blackmore. Here "Smoke" is first butchered by the new band, then coupled witan unnecessary reading of "Georgia on My Mind" again by Glenn Hughes. Hughes is a fine musician who was great in Trapeze but unpredictable with DP. Some nights, he had great bass runs and lungs that could hit incredible high notes. Here Hughes mind is obviously on that infamous cocoa plant derivative that reigned so popular in the day. It's a shame...
   
   The cuts from "Come Taste the Band" that are performed live here aren't awful, but non-spectacular. There is some good Bolin riffing on disc two, but I would only recommend this one to diehards and collectors..



2. Before buying this album I had very little exposure to DP Mk IV. I knew the studio versions of "Love Child" (which I liked) and "Lady Luck" (which I didn't like). I was unfortunate enough to having owned and listened to "Last Concert in Japan". The latter was enough to convince me that Mk IV was a waste of time and left it at that.
   
   A few weeks ago I came across these reviews of "On the wings of a russian foxbat", and I decided to give it a try.
   
   How is one to approach this document to give it justice? First and foremost: have an open mind. Throw away your memories of Mk II and "Made in Japan". Then forget about Richie Blackmore. Then come to terms with the idea that a hard rock band can pick up funk and soul elements.
   
   Then, if you have a chance, listen to "Live in Paris 1975". Take notice of how lame the Mk II material (Space truckin, Smoke on the water, Highway star) sounds.
   
   Now you are ready. Sit yourself down, turn up the volume, and listen, with both mind and ears wide open. What will you hear? You will hear a somewhat flat David Coverdale sing, and a drugged up (so I presume) Glenn Hughes scream. Someone ought to have put a tight masking tape over Glenn's foul mouth. It would have done the audience' ears good and saved the band a good dose of embarrassment.
   
   But this, my dear music lovers, this is where the bad news ends.
   
   You will also hear why Tommy Bolin blew the rest of the band away when they first heard him play after Richie's exit. You will hear why hard rock, funk and soul can co-exist if approached correctly. You will hear the best version of "Smoke on the water" since "Made in Japan". You will hear great versions of the "Come taste the band" material, and fantastic recordings of "Burn" and "Stormbringer".
   
   But wait, there's more. The sound is great. The band sounds tight. The concert is much more coherent than it did on "Live in Paris 1975".
   
   It makes one wonder what could have been if the guys had been able to keep the drugs out of the band, tone down the yelling and screaming and focus on the music instead.
   
   As a live recording of Deep Purple Mk IV this CD is worth 4 stars (5 stars if you don't mind Coverdale and Hughes). As a document of what could have been this record is priceless.



3. Hughes wanted to sing lead, Bolin just wanted to be somewhere else, Coverdale was, well, Coverdale and Paice and Lord just did what they did (no more - no less). Five talented musicians, yes and it shows on this album. When in the mood these guys could flat play. The problem was that they were not in the mood too often - which the liner notes correctly points out (as well as their steady drug usage -both Bolin and Hughes were serious abusers).
   So Coverdale and Hughes were already talking about their upcoming solo albums during the tour and Bolin had just released "Teaser" - its hard to say that being 'Deep Purple' was their highest priority - especially on a long tour.
   Which is the pity. On this album these guys rock! 'Come Taste the Band' was a good solid FIRST album for these guys (which is how I think of it). Those not-quite-Deep-Purple-songs showed that these guys clearly had potential as a group. So Live - they simply blew it out on both the old and new stuff. Most nights that is. Or at least some nights.
   One is tempted to wonder 'what if' the name 'Deep Purple' with all its baggage - both good and bad, wasn't just too heavy a load for them? 'Smoke on the Water' and 'Highway Star' are clearly rock anthems, I'm not sure they should be considered as hymns - but the fans did. Old stuff, new stuff, solo stuff, drug stuff all became too much stuff - the band disbanded at the end of this tour.
   Anyway this album is from a 'good night'. Lord and Bolin working against each other, Paice and Hughes keeping it solid and Coverdale screaming the songs along - so forget the 'what ifs' and just enjoy a fine rock album.



4. This is certainly Deep Purple MKIV at their best when you compare this record to "the other record" (Last Concert In Japan). The problem with MKIV was, IMO, first of all that drugs were at this time playing a big part in the band. Bolin and Hughes drug abuse is well documented, and I think that their behavior did much harm to the band. Hughes voice is not on top form here like it was in '74, but he gets the job done even though he, at times, sound a little "tired". Great bassplaying as always! Tommy Bolin gives a very good impression here, but at times it sounds like he is afraid of even trying to fill Mr. Blackmores shoes. On his own solosongs and the songs from Come Taste The Band (a truly great Purple offering) he is amazing, and shows why Billy Cobham chose him to play on his Spectrum album.

   Lord and Paice is great as always. Paice is at his peak here, and Lord is...well, Lord!! Coverdale sounds a little "tired" at times, but does a fairly good job.

   All in all a great Purple record that shows that the MKIV line-up had potential as a liveband. The band sounds really funky, and shows a new side of Purple that I like very much. To bad that someone blew it by living the rock'n roll lifestyle...




5. WHEN I WAS 13 YEARS OLD I HEARD A BOOTLEG WITH DEEP PURPLE CALLED ON THE WINGS OF A RUSSIAN FOXBAT AND WHEN THE FIRST SONG CAME OUT FROM THE SPEAKERS I JUST KNEW THIS IS GONNA CHANGE MY LIFE ... THE SONG WAS BURN ..NOW I GOT THIS DOUBLE CD AND NOW I CAN HEAR THE FULL CONCERT AND WHAT CAN I SAY DEEP PURPLE FINEST WITH TOMMY BOLIN...THE MUSIC IS SO FUNKY AND HEAVY AND TOMMY IS PLAYING LIKE NEVER BEFORE ..DONT BUY THIS TIME AROUND LIVE IN TOKYO(2cd)BUY THIS IT SO BETTER AND THE SOUND QUALLITY IS SO GOOD ::CHEERS DANIEL GARDSKÄR DEEP PURPLE FAN SINCE 1996

5 comments about L.A. Woman (DVD-Audio).

1. 3 1/2
   
   Although The Doors final entry had a few songs that could hang with the best of their catalog (obviously the ones that went on to be hits) those songs almost feel like intuitive last-chance stabs at audio immortality in an attempt to raise the vibe of these creatively limited final recording sessions.



2. there are several versions
   Re-mixes/Re-masters out there
   this is the best version
   if you want LA Woman on Cd get this one!!!



3. i just received my dvd audio copy of LA Woman by the doors.I played my remastered cd copy against it. I never heard the drumming so good as on this dvd. I cam away being very impressed by that, the overall quality of the sound. on LA woman , jim morrison when he sings mr mojo rising, he repeats this one speaker at a time- all 5 of them.



4. This is The Doors final studio album, by this point good old Jim had garnished a beard and held a fatigued singing voice. The band oddly enough went in reverse cycle for rock bands of the era, reverting back to a bluesy sound as oppose to a harder more rockish tone.
   
   The song selection is top notch, L.A. Women the song was another long Doors single frequently played. L'America's ever progressing speed creates an illusion of anxiety... It just keeps building up! Some bizarre songs shift into play here such as the coiling "Crawling King Snake" and the worn out sounding 'Hyacinth House'. 'Love Her Madly' classically restores The Doors popish capabilities following the strict Verse Chorus Verse Chorus Bridge Chorus format, rendering it ideal for radio play.
   
   All the songs are wonderful for a closing album, this is a must buy for classic rock fans or Doors enthusiasts.



5. The Doors' L.A. Woman (1971) is Jim Morrison's swan song. After the sessions, he moved to Paris, France and mysteriously died on July 3, 1971. The music on L.A Woman ranges from the best of The Doors to tired and indifferent. L.A. Woman, Riders On The Storm, The Changeling, and Love Her Madly are as good as it gets, and as good as anything The Doors ever recorded. Been Down So long, Cars Hiss By My Window, and Crawling King Snake are also good, but would have been better had long-time producer and so-called "fifth Door", Paul Rothchild, stayed with the project. Hyacinth House and The Wasp (Texas Radio And The Big Beat) start out great, but sort of lose their way without Rothchild's professional guidance. As everybody knows, Jim Morrison was The Doors' creative and spiritual trailblazer, and by this time in his short, intense and highly intoxicated life, he was just about worn out. Staying drunk, rarely bathing, and showing up at the studio randomly by this time, The Doors and their music had become more of an obligation than a passion for him. And it shows in some parts of the album. L.A. Woman is a very good album on the strength of some really great songs, but it also sounds sadly fatigued and poorly produced in places. Being that it's Jim Morrison's last work makes it a worthwhile listen, and I especially like to hear the very last recording ever made of his voice. He whispers the lyrics of Riders On The Storm over his vocal track. It's seductively eerie, and a perfect way for the Lizard King to make his exit...

5 comments about Tommy.

1. A clinical and seminal meditation on alienation, popularity-seeking, and the decline of Western man encased in a rock opera about a handicapped boy. Albert Einstein spoke of his own "retarded" youth, being withdrawn from the world, and how that aided him in opening new vistas in science. "Tommy" isn't so fortunate.
   "Amazing Journey" shows the advantage of Tommy's "retardation" yet shadows of "normalcy" lurk. Pete Townshend's medicinal lyrics bring to mind the Christian sentiment that only one with a child's disposition can enter the Kingdom of G-d.
   "Ten years old
   With thoughts as bold as thought can be
   Loving life and becoming wise
   In simplicity
   
   Sickness will surely take the mind
   Where minds can't usually go
   Come on the amazing journey
   And learn all you should know..."
   
   Tommy's infirmities are an opportunity for his family and others to practice compassion. The boy is a living embodiment of "The Other" as found in the ethical philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas. Tommy's line of "See me, feel me, touch me, heal me" (and, Levinas might have added, "...in order for both to be healed.") is the invitation to caring. The invitation is ignored.
   The boy's path to "normalcy" opens when he becomes a "Pinball Wizard." Pinball reflects Tommy's upbringing, being bounced from one relative to another, one bad experience to the next. Townshend is also opening a window into the culture of games and entertainment and how that is held out by the mass media as the most desirable escape from poverty and isolation for Britain's lower classes. Soccer mania would be the real-life equivalent in today's Europe.
   Modern medicine intervenes and, in short order, Tommy is wallowing in celebrity, laziness, and profligacy. Worse, he uses his new circumstances to entice others into the nihilism that Anglo-American capitalism and social democracy abet.
   From "Welcome": "Come to my house, be one of the comfortable people..."
   "I'm Free" gives us a stark picture of how the worst get on top (to borrow a phrase from F.A. Hayek's "The Road to Serfdom") -
   "If I told you what it takes to reach the highest high,
   You'd laugh and say `Nothing's that simple...' `'
   
   Ten years later "Dallas" soap opera villain J.R. Ewing would state it more plainly - "Once you give up integrity the rest is a piece of cake."
   
   "Tommy" was released in 1969, a time of great confusion about man's individual and social responsibilities (things haven't gotten much clearer since). The Who's music penetrates to the reality of an anarchy of ever-increasing individual rights (read: demands) and unchecked government leading to loss of social cohesion amid waning family, school, and neighborhood affections. This, in turn, breeds popularity seeking as the most attractive island in the rising tide of despair. Fellow Brits Pink Floyd would touch on this in "The Wall" a decade after Townshend.
   Is there a better way out? The Who echoes Oswald Spengler in showing that there is. Spengler's "The Decline of the West" (first published in the 1920s; interestingly, the time line of "Tommy" begins around 1921) likened cultures and civilizations to life patterns, calling them "organic." While holding civilization will move in the direction of its destiny, Spengler advised people to discern the direction of movement and contribute positively to it. Townshend and his bandmates did that in "Tommy."
   In reckoning outcomes, the workings of the human body, with its voluntary and involuntary organs, are an apt metaphor. How we consciously react and govern ourselves are the voluntary muscles (thus the importance of individual character). Yet some choices and our surroundings impact us in ways of which we are not aware.
   The final words of "Tommy" remind us of the importance our individual actions have on others and the social fabric. The mountain imagery remind us of the biblical Moses, the servant of G-d; the early Israelites, and the Ten Commandments, holding out hope that the door swings both ways between the great society (not to be confused with LBJ's version) and the sick society.
   "Listening to you I get the music
   Gazing at you I get the heat
   Following you I climb the mountain
   I get excitement at your feet
   Right behind you I see the millions
   On you I see the glory
   From you I get opinions
   From you I get the story."



2. I"ve always been a big Tommy fan. My car now has a 5.1 surround sound system, so I HAD to get this DVD. It is awesome.



3. That was the question that the Who asked as they hit a dry spell going into 1969. It was answered by Pete Townshend in the form of "Tommy", the embodiment of Gospel and Rock Opera. Tommy the main character and central theme throughout the album has a breakthrough as only a deaf, dumb and blind boy can, through pinball. It's his eyes, ears and voice through which he makes contact with the rest of the world. Truly inspiring, it's the platform on which he attains stardom. The rest is history.



4. In their late '60's - early '70's heyday, the Who were an incredible, transcendent band. However, I can't help but feel that studio recordings failed to do justice to their intense, dynamic, and energetic sound (until "Who's Next," that is). In an old edition of the Rolling Stone Record Guide, John Swenson hit the nail on the head: "The early Who albums present one of the most interesting problems posed in rock & roll history. The band was considered at the time to be much better in live performance than on record..." After listening to live renditions of "Tommy" (especially the great "Live at Leeds" deluxe edition), I can't agree more.
   
   First of all, the studio "Tommy" feels padded, perhaps to extend it to double-record length. There are a few forgettable songs (the sequence from "Sensation" to "Tommy's Holiday Camp" comes to mind), a couple of head-scratchers (how does Sonny Boy Williamson's "Eyesight to the Blind" fit in?), and some songs (particularly "Underture") seem over-extended. Second, the production, on the whole, is too tidy and rather flat: we get little of Townshend's roaring electric guitar, and the band, in general, sounds too careful - like they're trying not to color outside the lines. However, all of these flaws go out the window in the live performances from 1969/70. The band trimmed some of the fat (cutting several numbers and shortening others), and, more important, they summoned up a monumental energy and collective spirit that made "Tommy" an overwhelming - and yes, cohesive - listening experience (something that, ironically, the studio record does not accomplish with total success). After hearing and seeing scalding live versions of "Amazing Journey/Sparks" (the Woodstock video footage is incredible), I actually have a hard time listening to the studio version. The same applies to "Pinball Wizard" and "We're Not Gonna Take It." Live, as in so many of the band's peak performances, they throw caution to the wind and play on the brink of total implosion, led by Keith Moon's frantic drumming.
   
   Okay, after all this complaining, why four stars? To be honest, I considered "Tommy" an unquestioned five-star album until I heard these live renditions. Over time, the studio album's flaws became more apparent to me. However, there are some incredible songs here, and it really is the record that took The Who to the proverbial "next level." I actually prefer the studio version of "Christmas" to the live ones (which lack the excited, "chirping" background vocals). "Cousin Kevin" is a great - though disturbing - John Entwistle song that was almost never performed live. "Go to the Mirror!" and "Smash the Mirror" form a powerful central climax, with Daltrey's vocals working superbly. In addition, I do enjoy many of the production touches only possible in the studio, such as Entwistle's horn overdubs and some of the background vocal "choir" effects.
   
   In conclusion, I can't bring myself to give this record fewer than four stars, but if you haven't heard the "Leeds" version yet, please check it out. I must warn you, though: you'll never hear the studio version with the same ears again.



5. Before "Tommy" The Who was just another band like The Beatles who were your typical 60's pop group, once this album hit they evolved from those 3 minute song rockers to the complex, progressive artists driven by Townshend's power lyrics and Daultry's amazing vocals (backed by argubly the greatest drummer and bassist of all-tme). If your trying to get into this band, I would start with "Who's Next" as it showchases their biggest songs but from there you NEED "Tommy" and "Quadrophenia".
   
   This is the album that made The Who memorable and legendary. Buy, listen, and appreciate.

5 comments about Got Live If You Want It.

1. Man let it go about the tech crap, this is and will always be a great time piece recording of the Stones. All of the original band is here. They couldn't play anywhere without all the screaming, it was just the way it was back then. Give a listen to the Beatles at Shea or Hollywood Bowl. Hell they couldn't tell if there mikes were on. Tech had not caught up with them however it did with the Stones because they stuck around for a long while. Yea Get Your Ya's ya's out and Love you live are both great live recordings. This (Got Live) is what it was. The sound is not bad, just listen to Brian and Keith exchanging licks and Keith backing Mick on vocals and Bill and Charlie's soild backup. This is the real deal. Don't listen to all that crying about tech and recording contracts. Just read the song list and give a listen and you will really like this classic live Stones disc.



2. When a band needs to meet contractural obligations to a record company, it mostly means nothing really good will be produced.
   
   The Rolling Stones were faced with this dilemma through their U.S. distributor, London Records. Before the sessions were completed which produced Between the Buttons, this "live" album was issued on December 12, 1966.
   
   And talk about a rush job; the live material was recorded in early-October gigs in Newcastle upon Tyne and Bristol, with studio overdubs done later that month. Two songs - I've Been Loving You Too Long and Fortune Teller - were cut in the studio during different sessions (several years apart), with raucous screaming by girls overdubbed on the tracks.
   
   Basically a great example at the lengths record companies would go to get product into the marketplace, the band ultimately distanced themselves from the project, though it earned them a gold album and peaked at number six on the 1967 Billboard Pop Albums chart.



3. This album isn't really a "must own" Stones album. The recording features screaming teenage girls more than the music of the band. I have the remastered edition, and the audience levels still way overpower the band.



4. This album is not the hybrid SACD version as listed on the website. Just the DSD remastered CD. Customer Service could not ensure the product was correct before it was shipped. The Customer Service centers are not in the same location as the fulfillment centers.
   For these reasons, they are unable to check the physical details of an
   item for you. They did however say they would accept a return no problem.



5. Is it really a rush as one reviewer writes? Well, no. Is it the best concert I've ever heard as another reviewer writes? Not even close (that would have to be Band of Gypsies - Hendrix I think or BB King Live at Cook County Jail). However, I don't think it deserves the bad rap its gotten over the years either. One imagines that most of the unhappiness comes from the poor(er) fidelity because the playing is really pretty good. One has to remember the context in which this was recorded (including the 2 "fake" live numbers on this disc). "Got Live..." was recorded and released in 1966. There wasn't a lot of experience recording rock-n-roll acts live at the time. Sure, there were lots of live albums out there but these were mostly jazz musicians recorded in clubs where there is far better sound and it's easier to control the fidelity of the recording. Coltrane's "Live at the Village Vanguard" and Davis' Lincoln Center concert comes to mind as really, really good early 60's live recordings with grrrrreat fidelity.
   
   Now, before the review, here's a suggestion. Do you want an even better live CD of Brian Jones' Rolling Stones? Capture "Got Live If You Want It" in your favorite mp3 software, maybe I-T-U-N-E-S. Now delete "I've Been Loving You Too Long" and "Fortune Teller" since those aren't really live tracks anyway and "I've Been Loving You Too Long" sucks anyway and "Fortune Teller" ain't much better. Now, capture the two live tracks, "I'm Moving On" and "Route 66" from the album "December's Children". Now create a play list with the combined tracks and burn yourself a CD. Presto! You have a REAL live album by the original line-up that is much better.
   
   So, back to this first live release by The Rolling Stones. I purchased this because I'm collecting all of the ABCKO remasters and I've always been a big fan of the band from 1965 up until 'round 1972. This is the only CD you can purchase (legally) where you can hear Brian Jones play live. The band plays pretty well, in fact, there is only one track I will proclaim an out-n-out stinker: "I've Been Loving You Too Long" Jagger must have really had a pair to believe he could do justice to one of Otis Redding's landmark recordings. It is awful. I will note that he covers Otis very well on the Out of Our Heads CD ("That's How Strong My Love Is") but he should have left well alone. Actually, I think "I've Been Loving You Too Long" is one of the two tracks they cheated on and recorded it in the studio. If that's the case, they tried too hard to make it sound live because Jagger sounds out of tune and his performance stinks. However, apart from that one tune, the rest of the music is great. Sure, the screaming girls are a tad annoying but it isn't anywhere near as bad as the live tracks released earlier on "December's Children" and "Out of Our Heads" You can barely hear the band on those releases.
   
   There is an odd moment just before the beginning of "The Last Time" It sounds as though they crammed in a snippet of "Satisfaction" there but it only lasts a few bars. Weird.
   
   The beginning of "Have You Seen Your Mother Baby" is something of a mess but the song itself is done very well.
   
   Nineteenth Nervous Breakdown is an exceptionally good performance and a standout track in a CD where the performances are actually pretty good - Not nearly as bad as I'd expected based on other reviews.
   
   In summary, if you like the early Rolling Stones or you are collecting the ABCKO hybrid SACD remaster series, you need to own this one to get 'em all - it isn't nearly as bad as some have made out. But it isn't something I would call great either. Otherwise, skip it.
   
   After thought: For those who keep remarking and wondering why the Rolling Stones have release so many live sessions, my hunch is they do this to beat the inevitable bootleggers. Why buy a bootleg when you can get a much better product through legal channels? This would seem to be the motivation for so many live albums.

5 comments about The Soft Parade.

1. The Doors "Soft Parade" doesn't deserve the criticism it has received for being a jazzy album with brass sounds. The main focus is of course on the songwriting, which is really JUST as good as it has always been (since the debut).
   
   Every song entertains me and I'm really glad I can listen to this album over and over and continue to get a huge amount of enjoyment out of it every time. That's the truth too. I love the jam on the title song, and "Tell all the People" has a brilliant vocal melody. It doesn't lose its momentum either, for the entire run, baby.
   
   I can't believe people are still criticizing it. For what? It was a slight change in style, I admit. I mean, it doesn't have that mysterious spooky edge that made the first three albums so brilliant. But remember, songwriting is something NOT to be underrated. That's something you can never ignore. Quality is quality, and the Doors deserve to be remembered for having a very successful career with consistently enjoyable songwriting-dominated tracks. Great album.



2. This is a bogus Doors CD with Jim Morrison. They didn't really sell out but were trying to shed their rebellious hippie image in favor of teeny bopper bubble gum to the point where they were on the cover of Tiger Beat. The music isn't bad, in fact it's really good, it's just the fact of one of their weakest singles, Touch Me, and compares poorly to the more inspired debut and LA Woman, poorly to even Morrison Hotel. This is called Soft Parade because The Doors are soft core now. If you just listen to it straight through it's great background music for sitting back and relaxing, but the Doors here are pure bubble gum, which got criticized for catering to pubescent audiences. I got this as relic of the 60s and 1900s for 2 bucks. I don't have the 2007 remaster, this is the 1990 CD reissue. I want rebellous or older drunk Doors. I'm not saying it sucks, it's just this bubble gum version of a classic rock band doesn't do it for me not get me pumped.



3. I find it hard to believe that people don't take this album for what it is. A Transitional album were the musicians are attempting new songs and finding a new aspect of there music by introducing new sounds and styles. This album should be compared to The Rolling Stones Beggars Banquet. There are hints of Blue Grass and Country and blues both albums produced exceptionally long songs that are incredible to listen to and that can be squarely referenced in the time period they were created in and yet also sound timeless. Both Albums also sound different in many ways from the prior or later work. If you enjoy understand the whole catalog of a group or artist this is a can't miss album. If you just want the hits don't buy this one.



4. I don't care if it sounds "pop." I don't care if it has strings. I don't care who thinks the album is a "sell out." I've even heard the mighty Jim Morrison didn't much like it, but I don't care, I just don't care.
   
   I love it.
   
   Sure, "Morrison Hotel" and "LA Woman" ARE funkier. "The Doors" is the record that set THE standard for this kind of music (the boys didn't make "Strange Days" for me, so I won't comment about it).
   
   Regardless, this is a solid, meaty record that I have enjoyed on a regular basis since the day it dropped, and I'm as serious a Doors fan as anyone who will read this. What really matters is that the record is fun (yes, it is, and it's okay to be fun), it's cool, and it is the Doors, for pity's sake. What more do you want?
   
   When I hear people quibble about this album, I'm always reminded of the people who claim that there are too many songs on the Beatles' "White album." No there weren't, and there's nothing at all wrong with this record either.
   
   The song, "Soft Parade" has always been a favorite of mine, and I can dance to "Touch Me" without beer. What else do you need?
   
   No qualifications. This is a great record. Try it out.



5. Undoubtely the least populair of the 6 Jim Morrison era studio albums and that is not only because of the use of brass and strings alone. After having released 3 other albums, the first two being more a pair together, and with "Waiting for the Sun" (without the title track which appears on "Morrison Hotel") which sounds more towards what in latter days is called popmusic (here not meant negative in any way), The Doors unveiled their fourth release with an orchestra and several sidemen. Gone is the original 4 manbandsetup (vocals, keyboards, guitar and drums), in which place bassplayers (among them Doug Lubahn who shows up one more albums) sax, trombone and english horn appear, together with mandolin, fiddle and also congas. It is therefore no surprise that the already familair bandsound has changeds somewhat, to say the least. There are only a mere 8 short tracks and it ends with another epic, the titletrack. Not on all the songs do they play with other musicians so it is sort of a mixed up album and therefore not very consistent. If they wanted to sound completely different from the earlier albums they succeeded but it did them not very good. The opening "Tell All The People" is not a Doors song in the sense of earlier songs and sounds more towards Frank Sinatra. You can hardly hear the band, it is more Morisson with an orchestral backing. "Touch Me" is complete different, it really wins with the help of a brass section. The same can be said of "Wishful Sinful" with strings. Omitted is a song in the same vein "Who Scared You" (then only available on the first compilation "Weird Scenes inside the Goldmine") and information is scarce wyh exactly this song was not on the album. The same goes for "Whiskey, Mystics and Men" (which never at all appeared on any album) with its own remarkable instrumental setting, including a jugblower, mellotron, marxophone and mandolin. I find that if these two beautiful songs were on The Soft Parade album this would have been more on balance. They could easly change their place with "Wild Child" and "Shamans Blues" which, being very strong songs and have more the original Doors sound, would have found a far better place on "Morrison Hotel". The other songs "Do It", "Easy Ride" and "Runnin Blue" are not very special, although pleasant to listen to. Closer "Soft Parade" is not one song but fragments of different songs made one. It starts with an announcement "You Cannot Petition the Lord" (on its own also on "Absolutely Live"/"In Concert" and "Live in New York" on the Doors Box Set), the second piece "Can You Give Me Sanctuary" is just beautiful but then Morisson comes across the third part where he again croons like Sinatra. Not very Doors like though. Afterwards he is having all the fun there is and shows it, he shouts it litterally. Form there on the song goes on and on for some more minutes and builds rapidly up. But all together it is less strong than "The End" or "When the Music Is Over" which have a more tight soundspectre. All in all this album again shows the songwriting and performing musicianship of the Doors as a band and their ability to experiment with other styles and involve new musicians but whether they succeeded in finding a new fanbase is in dubio. Likewise they did not play much of its material live. In total it was more a real studioalbum than mentioned to play outside.

5 comments about Aftermath.

1. Even in its truncated U.S. version with its blurry cover shot, 1966's "Aftermath," the first Stones album of all-original material, is indispensible. The record is the dividing line between the group as scruffy young Brit blues-and-R&B cover artists, and what would eventually become the most powerful and significant rock band in the world. A large portion of the credit for this is due to Brian Jones, who is at his artistic peak here. Jones' strength was his uncanny skill on all sorts of instruments besides guitar, and his marimba on "Under My Thumb," and sitar on "Paint It, Black" give those two signature Stones tunes, in their original versions, their unique flavor. The material ("Flight 505," "Stupid Girl") was getting dark and misogynistic; it would get much, much darker in the next few years. The U.K. version (which this isn't, by the way) puts good songs like "Out of Time," "What To Do," and the single "Mother's Little Helper" (an anti-drug message from a band which later became synonymous with drug excess) in their proper context as far as the group's history is concerned.



2. "Aftermath," was the stones first album of all original material, and it has a vibe that's a bit different from their previous recordings. Brian Jones plays a mean sitar on the great opening track, "paint it, black," which is a classic piece of psychedelic rock. "Lady Jane," is a divine acoustic ballad, with a heavy english folk sound about it (trivia bit: on neil young's masterpiece "tonight's the night" he sings a song about borrowing a tune from the rolling stones for one of his songs, because he's too wasted to come up with his own tune. The melody which he borrowed from the stones for that tune is the melody from "Lady Jane."). The blues, as always, are a big part of the stones sound. "Doncha bother me," boasts a fine display of slide guitar wizardry, and "High and Dry," is an excellent acoustic blues piece with a strong sense of melody. "It's not easy," is another standout, with its splendid rhythmic drive. All in all, another fine stones album which i highly recommend. but please do yourself a favor: the original cd version of this thing has terrible sound. if you buy this album, make sure that you get a copy of the 2002 ABKCO records remastered version. the upgraded sound on that version is heavenly compared to the inferior quality of the 1st cd release.



3. I have to admit that I'm not wild about the songs "Think" and "Lady Jane," especially "Lady Jane." I don't know, maybe there is just a bit too much top sixty like production on "Jane" for me. However, the rest of the record is a knock your socks off, get up and dance type record. Plus, these songs really show off the Jagger/Richards song writing talents. Like my friend Tiffany, I really like "Goin' Home." It's a long and soulful song that moves me. But my favorite on "Aftermath" is "Under My Thumb." I know, as a woman, I shouldn't like that song, but I can't help it, maybe it's because of the kind of revenge aspect of the song. Anyway, I just like it, even though there is no way on God's green earth that I'll ever be under any man's thumb. Five stars for this record, because it's so good, even though I think a couple of the songs are a bit weak.



4. I like the rocking flavor of "Doncha Bother Me." It has me up and dancing, moving to the beat, shaking my shoulders. Other song's on the record, especially "Think" and "Stupid Girl" have me up and dancing around the living room too. Then there are the songs you just want to sit back and listen to with the headphones on. I'm talking about "I am waiting" and "Goin' Home." You can really see the range of Mick and Keith's song writing on this record. Fast songs, slow songs, rockers and the blues, they can do it all.



5. Like my friends, I really like the very long, eleven minutes long, "Goin Home." I actually have this song coming right after "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" by Bob Dylan, another eleven minute song, burning onto a CD that I play often when I have a long drive. Just two songs and twenty two minutes have flown by, I feel like I arrived in no time at all, almost like I got there before I left. Somehow I just seem to float along with these two songs, Mick's voice works so well with Mr. Dylan's.
   
   Then there is the rocking and a bit strange "It's Not Easy," which tells us that it's not easy to live on your own, how true. "Lady Jane" is a bit strange, but I like it a lot. "Think," well all I can say about that song is "Wow!" "High and Dry" has such great guitar work on it, kind of reminds me of the guitar work on Bob Dylan's "Desolation Row." Maybe that harmonica is in that song on purpose. And I'd be remiss if I didn't say how much I loved "I Am Waiting" and "Goin" Home." How can anyone not love those songs." Like every record by this band, the Greatest Group on Earth, this record is a keeper.

5 comments about Abandon.

1. After Purpendicular, it was clear that Deep Purple could basically do whatever the hell they wanted to do with Steve Morse on the guitar. Abandon brings back the heavy style that was epitomized on Deep Purple In Rock. The only problem is that most of the songs and riffs just aren't as memorable as classic Purple or other Morse era favorites (Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming, Ted the Mechanic, Rapture of the Deep, Picture of Innocence). Any Fule Kno That is a pretty good opener, but most of the album is like The House of Blue Light and The Battle Rages On: solid and a little underwhelming. Seventh Heaven is good; Fingers to the Bone and Don't Make Me Happy are too. The last three tracks pick it up more. The riff to '69 is catchy and the lyrics (Your ma said you slept real good in your food last night/You couldn't hold it down but you broke up a real good fight) are pretty amusing to me. Evil Louie also has a neat rhythmic riff and again, the words, which I usually don't pay much attention to, are neat. Finally, we have a remake of Bloodsucker from In Rock. I'm not sure why. They could have put this out without it and had 11 songs...but whatever. It's a pretty good take, though Gillan's screeching isn't what it was in 1970.
   
   Maybe it's not the first Morse album you'd give to a Purple newbie, but after awhile, it begins to catch on.



2. If you are a Fan of DP, you will really like this album, it's very Heavy and sounds just like Classic Deep Purple. This was Steve Morse's second Album with DP and it's much more in line with old DP then his first effort.



3. musically the songs are harder than Purpendicular 1996
   Almost Human is a heavy track, heavy drumming beat, good guitar-riff and keyboard solo.
   Seventh Heaven is a heavy track, heavy drumming beat, good guitar-riff and highpicthed voice of Ian Gillan.
   Watching the sky is a slow but heavy track either, heavy drumming beat, hard guitar-rhythm and nice vocal of Ian Gillan.
   69, jack ruby, whatshername, evil louie are absed on traditional Purple sound, heavy keyboard and hard hitting guitar riff.
   
   the highlight is the remake of Bloodsucker (originally was recorded in Deep Purple In Rock 1970).



4. Band Personnell:
   Ian Gillan - Vocals
   Steve Morse - Guitars
   Roger Glover - Bass
   Ian Paice - Drums
   Jon Lord - Organs and Keyboards
   
   This album ain't as good as many expected, "Any Fule Kno That" and the remaking of the classic "Bloodsucker" have to be the best tracks.



5. After being amazed by Rapture of the Deep, I had to get the other three Steve Morse albums. Not having any preconceptions, I have to say I have found myself rather impressed with this album. These days, any album that has at least five songs that I like has to be pretty darn good. There are few modern albums that have all four and five star songs in my opinion. So this album sounds pretty good to me. Since I got it along with Perpendicular and Bananas I can only say that I think I like this one the best, simply because after one week I find this album has the most songs of three that I find myself playing over and over again. Probably my favourite is Seventh Heaven which seems to be the among the heaviest tunes DP has ever put out. Excellent guitar sound. When I was a teenager, guys Jon Lord's age said metal was nothing but racket. What does Lord think as he rocks away with Morse on this song? She Was is an interesting heavy tune that seems just beyond the borders of DP's previous stuff but fits nicely into their repetoire. One of the joys of having Steve Morse in the band is the use of more melodic and acoustic guitar which was rare under the Blackmore banner. The opening to '69 and the folksy sounding parts of Work Your Fingers to the Bone are a real pleasure to listen to. Lyrically, Work Your Fingers... is a wonderful new step for DP. There are a couple of other memorable tracks like Any Fule Kno That and Watching the Sky, the latter again combining hard rock guitar with experimental sounds and a softer touch. The whole album starts to come across as a stage for a variety of guitar sounds that are played excellently. The big surprise was to hear Bludsucker, one of my all-time favourite DP songs. Gillan is hard pressed to deliver the vocal performance he did back in 1970 but he pulls it off nicely, albeit with a few variations to accomodate his 'mature' vocal talents. I was starting to write him off after The House of Blue Light and the live performances on Nobody's Perfect but on this album Gillan proves that a man in his fifties can still scream to a hard rock guitar and do it well.
   
   Though some people give this album a poor rating, I am overall very pleased with it.

5 comments about Hotel California.

1. Bought DVD audio because of a new Acura. Excellent sound but the concept of DVD-Audio has never caught on.



2. not only is this album great musically but this dvd-a sounds amazing with terific surround. better sound than my LP.
   
   get ready to relax with this one.



3. I was 21 when this came out but was not a big Eagles fan since I was a musical snob and they were a comercial success. When the title track hit the airwaves, I heard a plagerized version of "We Used to Know" by Jethro Tull. It has an almost identical chord progression. But then again, I was a musical snob. Now, in my aged wisdom, I have dropped all the snobbery and have given this "album" a second listen. While it's not in my top 10, it's up there on my list of great albums. I actually always liked "The last resort" for it's message and sonic appeal. I was also a Joe Walsh fan from his James Gang and early solo work (FM radio only!) but never liked his squeaky voice. His brilliat guitar work made up for it. So Walsh on guitar with the other Eagles professionals made for flawless rockin riffs. I also have changed my opinion of "Victim of love". In my snobby days, I scoffed at it's simplicity, being more attracted to complex musical forms, but now.... it has become one of my favorite songs BECAUSE of it's simplicity! (The excellent guitar work helps, too!) Anyway, this old non-fan is now a new fan. I may even go out and get tickets to see the old geezers before they expire!



4. I bought the Hotel California album sometime back and I must say since then this album has been one of the most preferred albums I have.
   The channel separation on the compilation is simply awesome. It seems you are not only listening to music but sitting with the band and listening to the music.
   Technically, the frequency of the the instruments is too perfect. My player has never sounded so good as it sounds with this album..
   Cheers



5. Hotel California
   This is a great CD, and it arrived in great shape. I was happy with my results.

5 comments about Live at the Royal Albert Hall (with Bonus Disc).

1. this is a great cd, this is one of the greatest bands in the history



2. Yes, the Who are one of the greatest live bands ever, but on this album they certaintly don't sound like it. The only redeeming factor is great songs such as "Baba O'Riley", "Won't Get Fooled Again", and "My Generation". I particularly didn't care for the long drawn out version of "The Kids Are Alright". I also felt that it would have been a better concert without the special guests.
   
   I give this album three stars because the song selection is good but the overall performance was subpar.



3. I already own the Live at the Royal Hall DVD which is a great DVD to own.
   This CD package includes a bonus disc of unreleased Who material which was performed later that includes Young Man Blues, Summertime Blues, I Do Even Know Myself and I'm Free. In addition, the original CD also has a great performance bt Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam from the Who's Next Album Getting in Tune. In addition, it has another song Mary Ann with The Shaky Hand. I have converted this performance to MP3 files in order that I can listen to it on my IPOD. In addition, this CD/DVD has probably one of John Entwistle's last performance since he passed away later at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas before the start of another Who tour. In addition, great performance by Bryan Adams, Noel Gallagher, Kennedy, Eddie Vedder and others. It is a great tribute to one of my favorite and greatest Rock and Roll bands of all times. The Who is still touring and I highly recommend everyone to see them.



4. When I first saw this set available on CD, my first thought was "great - just what the world needs - another Who live album!" But the sucker that I am for music by The Who, I bought it anyway, and was pleasantly surprised by how good it is. Having stripped themselves to a five-piece after the 1989 "The Kids Are Alright" tour and the 1996 "Quadrophenia" tour, the Who got back to basics for this show. These guys may have been in their fifties when they did this, but that didn't stop them from returning to their over-the-top bombastic glory. If I could use one word to describe their performance, it would be "incendiary." Roger Daltrey's voice can't quite hit the high notes like it used to, but he showed on this set that he still had the pipes to do Who songs justice. Pete Townshend has a very nasty guitar tone throughout, and this is not a bad thing. Best of all, you get to hear John Entwistle, the Bassist of the Millennium, playing lead bass while Pete thrashes out his power chords. The interplay between him and Pete, especially on Magic Bus, is a revelation. He plays a mind-bending solo on 5'15. Sadly, The Ox is no longer with us. I still miss him. There are no bassists like him - before or since. His final performance is documented on the bonus disc, and it's quite a performance. The band is at it's fire-belching best throughout. The song selection is top notch, and includes a few surprises (The Relay, Let's See Action, I'm One, Mary Anne With the Shaky Hand), plus the usual suspects. The only reason I don't give this set 5 stars is because too much of the between-song banter from Pete is left in. The only exception to this was when he put a heckler in his place. Pete always was a punk at heart. This performance reminds me of when they played at MSG in New York after 9-11. I remember they blew the roof off the place, and this performance in London has that same feel. This is a worthy addition to any Who fan's collection. Get it now - you won't be disappointed.



5. The Who are truly one of the greatest bands ever (along with Led Zeppelin, they are the greatest ever for me), and this 2000 recording of their benefit concert for teenagers with cancer at England's legendary Royal Albert Hall is proof that even as they enter old age, these guys still rock like nobody else.
   
   The performances (including four bonus tracks from 2002) are unbelievably strong the whole way through, from "I Can't Explain" to "Won't Get Fooled Again" to "See Me, Feel Me / Listening To You". I could've done without the special guests, but that still did nothing to make the album any less great.
   
   This cd is also special because you get to hear the late, great John Entwistle for one, last time. The man is on fire throughout the whole show. What a truly great loss. I know I'm not alone when I say John is deeply missed.
   
   This is an absolutely fantastic live album that belongs in everyone's collection.

5 comments about Tommy (1969 Original Concept Album).

1. A clinical and seminal meditation on alienation, popularity-seeking, and the decline of Western man encased in a rock opera about a handicapped boy. Albert Einstein spoke of his own "retarded" youth, being withdrawn from the world, and how that aided him in opening new vistas in science. "Tommy" isn't so fortunate.
   "Amazing Journey" shows the advantage of Tommy's "retardation" yet shadows of "normalcy" lurk. Pete Townshend's medicinal lyrics bring to mind the Christian sentiment that only one with a child's disposition can enter the Kingdom of G-d.
   "Ten years old
   With thoughts as bold as thought can be
   Loving life and becoming wise
   In simplicity
   
   Sickness will surely take the mind
   Where minds can't usually go
   Come on the amazing journey
   And learn all you should know..."
   
   Tommy's infirmities are an opportunity for his family and others to practice compassion. The boy is a living embodiment of "The Other" as found in the ethical philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas. Tommy's line of "See me, feel me, touch me, heal me" (and, Levinas might have added, "...in order for both to be healed.") is the invitation to caring. The invitation is ignored.
   The boy's path to "normalcy" opens when he becomes a "Pinball Wizard." Pinball reflects Tommy's upbringing, being bounced from one relative to another, one bad experience to the next. Townshend is also opening a window into the culture of games and entertainment and how that is held out by the mass media as the most desirable escape from poverty and isolation for Britain's lower classes. Soccer mania would be the real-life equivalent in today's Europe.
   Modern medicine intervenes and, in short order, Tommy is wallowing in celebrity, laziness, and profligacy. Worse, he uses his new circumstances to entice others into the nihilism that Anglo-American capitalism and social democracy abet.
   From "Welcome": "Come to my house, be one of the comfortable people..."
   "I'm Free" gives us a stark picture of how the worst get on top (to borrow a phrase from F.A. Hayek's "The Road to Serfdom") -
   "If I told you what it takes to reach the highest high,
   You'd laugh and say `Nothing's that simple...' `'
   
   Ten years later "Dallas" soap opera villain J.R. Ewing would state it more plainly - "Once you give up integrity the rest is a piece of cake."
   
   "Tommy" was released in 1969, a time of great confusion about man's individual and social responsibilities (things haven't gotten much clearer since). The Who's music penetrates to the reality of an anarchy of ever-increasing individual rights (read: demands) and unchecked government leading to loss of social cohesion amid waning family, school, and neighborhood affections. This, in turn, breeds popularity seeking as the most attractive island in the rising tide of despair. Fellow Brits Pink Floyd would touch on this in "The Wall" a decade after Townshend.
   Is there a better way out? The Who echoes Oswald Spengler in showing that there is. Spengler's "The Decline of the West" (first published in the 1920s; interestingly, the time line of "Tommy" begins around 1921) likened cultures and civilizations to life patterns, calling them "organic." While holding civilization will move in the direction of its destiny, Spengler advised people to discern the direction of movement and contribute positively to it. Townshend and his bandmates did that in "Tommy."
   In reckoning outcomes, the workings of the human body, with its voluntary and involuntary organs, are an apt metaphor. How we consciously react and govern ourselves are the voluntary muscles (thus the importance of individual character). Yet some choices and our surroundings impact us in ways of which we are not aware.
   The final words of "Tommy" remind us of the importance our individual actions have on others and the social fabric. The mountain imagery remind us of the biblical Moses, the servant of G-d; the early Israelites, and the Ten Commandments, holding out hope that the door swings both ways between the great society (not to be confused with LBJ's version) and the sick society.
   "Listening to you I get the music
   Gazing at you I get the heat
   Following you I climb the mountain
   I get excitement at your feet
   Right behind you I see the millions
   On you I see the glory
   From you I get opinions
   From you I get the story."



2. I"ve always been a big Tommy fan. My car now has a 5.1 surround sound system, so I HAD to get this DVD. It is awesome.



3. That was the question that the Who asked as they hit a dry spell going into 1969. It was answered by Pete Townshend in the form of "Tommy", the embodiment of Gospel and Rock Opera. Tommy the main character and central theme throughout the album has a breakthrough as only a deaf, dumb and blind boy can, through pinball. It's his eyes, ears and voice through which he makes contact with the rest of the world. Truly inspiring, it's the platform on which he attains stardom. The rest is history.



4. In their late '60's - early '70's heyday, the Who were an incredible, transcendent band. However, I can't help but feel that studio recordings failed to do justice to their intense, dynamic, and energetic sound (until "Who's Next," that is). In an old edition of the Rolling Stone Record Guide, John Swenson hit the nail on the head: "The early Who albums present one of the most interesting problems posed in rock & roll history. The band was considered at the time to be much better in live performance than on record..." After listening to live renditions of "Tommy" (especially the great "Live at Leeds" deluxe edition), I can't agree more.
   
   First of all, the studio "Tommy" feels padded, perhaps to extend it to double-record length. There are a few forgettable songs (the sequence from "Sensation" to "Tommy's Holiday Camp" comes to mind), a couple of head-scratchers (how does Sonny Boy Williamson's "Eyesight to the Blind" fit in?), and some songs (particularly "Underture") seem over-extended. Second, the production, on the whole, is too tidy and rather flat: we get little of Townshend's roaring electric guitar, and the band, in general, sounds too careful - like they're trying not to color outside the lines. However, all of these flaws go out the window in the live performances from 1969/70. The band trimmed some of the fat (cutting several numbers and shortening others), and, more important, they summoned up a monumental energy and collective spirit that made "Tommy" an overwhelming - and yes, cohesive - listening experience (something that, ironically, the studio record does not accomplish with total success). After hearing and seeing scalding live versions of "Amazing Journey/Sparks" (the Woodstock video footage is incredible), I actually have a hard time listening to the studio version. The same applies to "Pinball Wizard" and "We're Not Gonna Take It." Live, as in so many of the band's peak performances, they throw caution to the wind and play on the brink of total implosion, led by Keith Moon's frantic drumming.
   
   Okay, after all this complaining, why four stars? To be honest, I considered "Tommy" an unquestioned five-star album until I heard these live renditions. Over time, the studio album's flaws became more apparent to me. However, there are some incredible songs here, and it really is the record that took The Who to the proverbial "next level." I actually prefer the studio version of "Christmas" to the live ones (which lack the excited, "chirping" background vocals). "Cousin Kevin" is a great - though disturbing - John Entwistle song that was almost never performed live. "Go to the Mirror!" and "Smash the Mirror" form a powerful central climax, with Daltrey's vocals working superbly. In addition, I do enjoy many of the production touches only possible in the studio, such as Entwistle's horn overdubs and some of the background vocal "choir" effects.
   
   In conclusion, I can't bring myself to give this record fewer than four stars, but if you haven't heard the "Leeds" version yet, please check it out. I must warn you, though: you'll never hear the studio version with the same ears again.



5. Before "Tommy" The Who was just another band like The Beatles who were your typical 60's pop group, once this album hit they evolved from those 3 minute song rockers to the complex, progressive artists driven by Townshend's power lyrics and Daultry's amazing vocals (backed by argubly the greatest drummer and bassist of all-tme). If your trying to get into this band, I would start with "Who's Next" as it showchases their biggest songs but from there you NEED "Tommy" and "Quadrophenia".
   
   This is the album that made The Who memorable and legendary. Buy, listen, and appreciate.