Paul McCartney “Back In The U.S.A.” (No Label) Disc 1; Figure Of Eight / Jet / Rough Ride / Got To Get You Into My Life / Band On The Run / Ebony And Ivory / We Got Married / Maybe I’m Amazed / The Long And Winding Road / The Fool On The Hill / Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band / Good Day Sunshine / Can’t Buy Me Love / Put It There (63:40) Disc 2; Things We Said Today / Eleanor Rigby / This One/ My Brave Face / Back In The U.S.S.R. / I Saw Her Standing There / Twenty Flight Rock / Coming Up / Let It Be / Ain’t That A Shame / Live And Let Die / Hey Jude / Yesterday / Get Back / Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight / The End (65:16) Another show from Macca’s 1989 tour following the release in 2013 of “Ebony And Ivory” on the No Label set, we skip back a few days to The Forum in Los Angeles, also the opening night of the North American leg of the tour. Originally booted over 3 multicoloured LPs on the No Label – no relation – label release “Back in The U.S.A” (GWF 1189A/F) it came with no labels. Confusing for the collector who lives with a dim light in his house.  Copied from the vinyl set comes this version – It’s a great, loud, stereo audience recording that must have been recorded very close to the speakers such is it’s clarity but it’s marred by quite a bit of surface noise as if someone couldn’t be bothered to clean up their needle or bought a scrappy copy of the LP and decided to throw it out for consumption anyway. It is relatively easy to manage but turn down the bass and the recording becomes reedy, turn it up, it tends to crumble under the weight. However, the introduction to “Band On The Run” isn’t faded in – something that features from the original LP an additional bonus! The show, as with the “Ebony And Ivory” release is a fantastic turn. Paul powered by being back on the road again, the audience excited that he’s come back to them. Theres a sense of risible energy between the two and despite the view of pushing the new material it was for the greater good that Paul dropped in a couple of Beatles classics in the mix to sate those appetites for a little bit of fabs – rather craftily, these tracks are woven in, separated by two or three Wings or solo tracks right until the end when, as you’d expect, they come thick and fast.  It’s a nice enough recording with a splendid transfer of the cover to a CD size format – The work that has gone in to that out weighs the recording itself though and I’d suggest it would be a purchase for the fan who was there on the night rather than a ‘must have’ recording.    If you liked this review, buy me a cup of joe. (Suggested: $3 a shot or $7.5 for a double) Related Titles You may be interestedPaul McCartney – Ebony And Ivory 1989 (No Label)Paul McCartney – On The Run In Moscow (no label)Paul McCartney – Good Evening Cologne 2009 (Piccadilly Circus PCCD-88/89/90/91)Paul McCartney – On The Run In London (no label)Paul McCartney – U.S.A. Live! 2002 (His Masters Choice HMC 018)Paul McCartney – Live At The Apollo Theatre (Rattlesnake RS 247 / 248)

The Tarantura label have just announced 2 new releases to their catalogue -  “Plays Oldie But Goodie” is a release of the Memorial Auditorium, Texas ’73 show by Led Zepplin. The show where John Paul Jones was forced to play with two broken ribs after, what the drummer claimed, was a coughing fit. The label have come up with another of their twists on the covers presenting the show in either “A” or “B” jackets. Same show, different covers for the discerning collector.  The labels first Gillan pressing, “Japanese Double Trouble” is a Mr. Peach recording of the bands show at the San Plaza Hall, Nakano, Tokyo, Japan on the 7th of October, 1981. The Idol Mind label have their shot at the Rolling Stones Brixton show that many other labels have also released. Using their vaunted rubidium remaster, combining the soundboard up with the audience tape, they promise the best possible sound for this show (!). Initial copies also come with a BDR disk, gaining pace with the major labels love of upgrading their product on to blu-ray disks to furnish the best sound available, the BRD disk also features the audience shot video version of the show, twinned with this remaster along with 2 versions of the “Stripped” TV special – an “On -Air” version and an “Off-Air” version. If you liked this review, buy me a cup of joe. (Suggested: $3 a shot or $7.5 for a double) Related Titles You may be interestedNew Tarantura and Dog n Cat releases. The new Tarantura releases are hereThe Rolling Stones – Exiles In Rubber City (Tarantura TCDRS-13)Led Zeppelin – Any Port In A Storm: The Lost Soundboard Show (Godfather GR223/224)Led Zeppelin – The Dancing Avocado (Godfather Records GR330)Led Zeppelin – Latter Day Saint (Tarantura TCD-62-1, 2)

The Godfather/Apocalypse Sound label has a good size batch of new titles due out in February. David Bowie – Drifting Into My Solitude (G.R.965) is a single disc soundboard from Earl’s Court, London, UK on July 1st, 1978. This is the first time on CD for the last show of the European Leg of the 1978 Isolar 2 World Tour. David Bowie – Floating In A Most Peculiar Way – The Other 1990 Rehearsals (G.R.966) is a single disc soundboard from the Sound & Vision Tour Rehearsals from an unknown location on January 20th, 1990. This is also the first time on CD for these particular rehearsals. Bob Dylan and His Band – Live At Atlantico (G.R.967/968) is a 2CD set recorded at Atlantico, Rome, Italy on November 7th, 2013 with eight bonus tracks from November 6th at the same venue. Bruce Springsteen And The E Street Band – Rock And Roll Is Here To Stay (G.R.969/970/971) is a triple disc from Saginaw Civic Center in Saginaw, MI on September 3rd, 1978. Frank Zappa – Ahoy, Eighties! (G.R.972/973) is a 2CD soundboard from Sportpaleis Ahoy, Rotterdam, The Netherlands on May 24th, 1980. This is complete for the first time on CD. Neil Young & CSNY – What Are Their Names (G.R.974) is a single disc soundboard from the Bridge School Benefit at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA on October 26th, 2013. Neil plays solo before being joined by some guests including Crosby, Stills, and Nash. Neil Young – Carnegie Hall 2014 (G.R.975/976) is a 2CD set from Carnegie Hall, New York, NY on January 7th, 2014. This contains some bonus tracks from January 9th & 10th also from Carnegie Hall. Elvis Costello & The Attractions – You Better Listen To The Radio (G.R.977) is a single disc soundboard from Zellerbach Auditorium, Berkeley, CA on February 7th, 1978. This comes from the pre-FM source and has a few bonus tracks from Peel Session on both March 13th, 1978 and October 23rd, 1978. Kiss – Horny Bitches & Daisy Daze (G.R.978) is a single disc soundboard from The Daisy, Amityville, Long Island, NY on June 16th, 1973. Kiss – Kill & Destroy (G.R.979) is a collection of studio demos from Larrabee Studios and Magna Graphics Studios recorded during 1975. Ronnie Wood & Mick Taylor – A Tribute To Jimmy Reed (G.R.980) is a single disc recorded at The Cutting Room in New York, NY on November 7th, 2013. The all star line-up is completed by Simon Kirke on drums, Wilbur Bascomb on bass, and Al Kooper on Hammond B3 organ. …and from Apocalypse Sound comes Bruce Springsteen – 31 Shots (AS 210), a single DVD featuring 31 tracks from various locations around the globe during 2012 – 2013. These are all from pro-shot sources and includes a bonus track of Bruce joining Sting’s band during “Sting’s 60th Birthday Concert” in New York 2011. If you liked this review, buy me a cup of joe. (Suggested: $3 a shot or $7.5 for a double) Related Titles You may be interestedNew Godfather and Apocalypse Sound New Godfather and Deep PurpleU2 – Restart (Apocalypse Sound AS168)New Godfather for DecemberThe Cure – Underneath The Italian Skies (Apocalypse Sound AS 157)new releases

Definitive Boston 1992 (Zodiac 045) Orpheum Theatre, Boston, MA, USA – August 9, 1992 Disc 1 (60:59) FM Broadcast: Radio Intro, E5150, The Mob Rules, Computer God, Children Of The Sea, Time Machine, War Pigs, I, Die Young, Guitar Solo, Black Sabbath Disc 2 (46:50) Master Of Insanity, After All (The Dead), Drum Solo, Iron Man, Heaven And Hell, Announcer Encore Break, Neon Knights, Paranoid, Heaven And Hell (Reprise), Radio Outro, Laguna Sunrise (Outro) Disc 3 (60:05) Pre FM Master: E5150, The Mob Rules, Computer God, Children Of The Sea, Time Machine, War Pigs, I, Die Young, Guitar Solo, Black Sabbath Disc 4 (44:13) Master Of Insanity, After All (The Dead), Drum Solo, Iron Man, Heaven And Hell, Neon Knights, Paranoid, Heaven And Hell (Reprise), Laguna Sunrise (Outro) The late 80′s were not kind to Black Sabbath, their popularity was at an all time low in terms of record sales and concert attendance numbers, but it was not for a lack of trying or enthusiasm within the band. They had put out three underrated records and had a stable line up with Powell, Martin, Iommi, Murray, and Nichols but outside Europe they were not making ends meet. Things had also slowed for former vocalist Ronnie James Dio, his band was also on a downswing and also suffered from many line up changes and turmoil. This is where Geezer Butler comes into the picture, on August 28, 1990 at a Dio gig in Minneapolis he was invited, and accepted an invitation to jam and the results were not only positive it was a sort of olive branch. A few weeks later on September 8, 1990, Butler again got up for an encore jam, this time with Black Sabbath at the first of a two night stand in London at the famed Hammersmith Odeon. It was not surprising when the two camps got together and the beginnings of what was to become Dehumanizer and the reformation of the line up of Iommi, Butler, Dio and Appice. For the press the band was all smiles and much good will was talked but behind closed doors little had changed but from this unsteady truce came a blistering album that was different musically and lyrically than the other two studio albums with Dio, and one could say is the best Sabbath produced since Born Again. The line up would tour for the record but sadly would go their separate way at its conclusion largely due to the band taking part in the Ozzy retirement shows in November 1992 and Dio’s refusal to play (Rob Halford would sing with Sabbath) would cement the break.  While many shows were recorded from the audience on both audio and video, there was a radio broadcast done in Boston, Massachusetts USA and would be the source for such titles as As Darkness Hits (RockDreams Rock 92039/92040), Black Bloody Black (Kiss The Stone KTS 171), The Dead The Bad The Ugly (Blue Knight Record BKR 09), and Boston 1992 (Live Storm LSCD 52575). These titles were all taken from recordings done of the broadcast and are all similar in sound quality, I have had the Live Storm set since the late 90′s and while it is very good quality, I wish there was something better. Now some twenty years later we can fully enjoy this concert in spectacular sound quality. The first two discs come from the broadcast itself, the sound quality is crisp and clear with a nice bottom end, head and shoulders above the old Live Storm set, it also includes radio DJ commentary from BCN’s Metal Mike. The last two discs are the pre FM tape, crystal clear with excellent balance and the prefect mix of audience noise and sounds like an official release and sounds incredible at loud volumes. The broadcast was the complete show and is culled from the first leg of the US tour, the band was playing the intimate 2,700 seat Orpheum Theatre, one of the oldest theatres in the States. Its perfect acoustics coupled with intimate atmosphere made for a superb choice for a live broadcast, needless to say the band was certainly in excellent form and deliver a brutally devastating performance full of classics and new songs. The radio broadcast starts with Metal Mike talking about the line up and the vibe inside the theatre, the band utilize E5150 from The Mob Rules as a prelude and take the stage with a storming rendition of The Mob Rules and a vicious Computer God, the latter begins with the sounds of electronic mechanization as Ronnie spews out the lyrics with venom. This is not the Ronnie of old where his soaring vocals would rise above the din but a cold and cynical voice delivers a message of technological dominance. Ronnie tells the audience “Not a lot of talking just a lot of music” as an intro for Children Of The Sea as Tony starts the majestic introductory notes. Ronnie’s vocals again reflects this period, he starts off soft and gentle but as he moves into the “We blind the sky” it starts off soulfully but finishes with a snarl. “Here’s a track that we ventured into the film world once again for this one” is the introduction for Time Machine from the Wayne’s World sound track, sounding much heavier live the song is driven by a steady yet thundering Geezer bass line, he even gets a quick solo spot to boot. War Pigs is introduced as being about the sad shape our world is in, a similar introduction Ronnie would use years latter when introducing Falling Of The Edge Of The World when this same line up re formed under the Heaven And Hell moniker. A vicious I follows, a personal favorite from Dehumanizer, the band manage to work in a short sing along in which the audience has no problems screaming back at the group. Die Young is played with any musical prelude, the band put their heads down and simply bash it out, the song is simply elegant and as always Ronnie gives a wonderful vocal presentation, you can hear backing vocals also, I am assuming this is Geoff Nichols backing him. Certainly an unsung hero during the 80′s and 90′s era Sabbath, Geoff Nichols playing is superb as always. The song evolves into Tony’s guitar solo that was used in past versions as Die Young’s intro, he shows his dexterity and goes through some movements so to speak, starting with the dreamlike nature before delving into some old school leads that moves into a shuffle. He breaks into a bit of Sometimes I’m Happy and some Volume 4 sounding riff before going into Sabbath Bloody Sabbath along with Vinnie and Geezer chiming in for good measure. His last major reference is Orchid, so beautifully haunting sounding and is the perfect piece of music to transition into Black Sabbath. “We should take you with us every night” is the opening of the second disc, Ronnie signing the praises of the audience who have been ecstatic in their appreciation of the band. Master Of Insanity is pure Geezer Butler and was written by him during the late 80′s when he was not a member of Sabbath, the intro riff is incredible, one of the most intricate ones from the band. The song is linked with a heavy as hell After All (The Dead), slow ponderous and old school Sabbath sound at its best, it is no wonder that this line up chose to use it as their concert opener for the Heaven And Hell reformation. The song is also a vehicle for Vinnie’s drum solo, finally released from the monstrous Sabbatarian riffs he drums like he is shot out of a cannon all the while the audience enthusiastically cheers him on. Heaven And Hell is the culmination of the set, Ronnie thanks the adoring audience and the band proceed to play a wonderful 10 minute version of the song, there is some great guitar and vocal interplay between Ronnie and Tony in the middle section that is followed by the audience participation, the audience follows along to perfection, they cheer as Ronnie sings “There’s a big black shape looking up at me”, they will all certainly burn in the musical fire that is Black Sabbath. The fast ending section is perfection, the band is so tight and intense you cannot help the get up off your ass and bang your head in musical joy. Metal Mike does a bit of play by play and to fill the air time prior to the encores. He talks of the temperature inside the venue and the Sabbath fans “going crazy” and also gives a plug for the new Sabbath record. The encore section is a fast and furious duo of Neon Knights and the obligatory Paranoid complete with its Heaven And Hell reprise. I listen to this with much enjoyment but also a bit if sadness as I will not be able to hear much of this material live again, thankfully I have the memories, beginning with Sabbath’s October 24, 1992 date and my first time seeing Black Sabbath live. All four discs are packaged in a fat boy jewel case with Dehumanizer graphics amid techno bits, nice dark and bleak looking. A wonderful release by the folks at Zodiac, the careful mastering of their sources and presentation is superb and in a very short time have established themselves as the leaders in hard rock and metal releases for the collecting community. This release, like the others I own from Zodiac, have relevant content and are far more than re hashes of what has been out prior but a significant upgrade, for those questioning this title, wonder no more this is the definitive version of the Boston 1992 soundboard. If you liked this review, buy me a cup of joe. (Suggested: $3 a shot or $7.5 for a double) Related Titles You may be interestedBlack Sabbath – Lonely Is The Word (Zodiac 010)Black Sabbath – The Day of Tony’s Illness (TCDBS-9) Heaven & Hell – Sabbath In Loud Park 2007 Osaka (Tarantura TCDH&H-2)Black Sabbath – Sakuntala (No Label)Black Sabbath – Evil In The Evening (Tarantura TCDBS-6-1,2)Black Sabbath – Veterans Memorial (no label)

Toronto 1989 1st Night: Steel Wheels Canadian Tour (No Label) CNE Stadium, Toronto, Ontario, Canada – September 3, 1989 CD1 (77.16) 1. Continental Drift, 2. Start Me Up, 3. Bitch, 4. Sad, Sad, Sad, 5. Undercover of the  Night, 6. Harlem Shuffle, 7. Tumbling Dice, 8. Miss You, 9. Ruby Tuesday,  10. Play With Fire, 11. Dead Flowers 12. One Hit, 13. Mixed Emotions,  14. Honky Tonk Women, 15. Rock in Hard Place, 16. Midnight Rambler CD2 (67.06) 1. You Can’t Always Get What You Want, 2. Little Red Rooster, 3. Before They Make Me Run, 4. Happy, 5. Paint It Black, 6. 2000 Light Years From Home, 7. Sympathy For The Devil, 8. Gimme Shelter, 9. It’s Only Rock’ N Roll, 10. Brown Sugar, 11. Satisfaction, 12. Jumping Jack Flash After almost a decade of bad blood and tour inactivity Mick Jagger and Keith Richards met on the Caribbeanisland of Barbados to clear the air and begin writing the bands 1989 comeback album “Steel Wheels”. The Steel Wheels/ Urban Jungle tour to support the new album would last just over a year beginning on August 12, 1989, at the tiny 700 person capacity Toad’s Place club in New Haven, CT., and finishing on August 25, 1990 at the massive Wembley Stadium before 60,000 rabid Stones fans. In what would become a new paradigm in the concert industry the Stones sold the whole tour, concerts, merchandising, TV and film rights, to Canadian promoter Michael Cohl of Toronto’s Concert Productions International (CPI) for about $70 Million U.S dollars. Backed by tour sponsor Budweiser Cohl  guaranteed the Stones their paychecks assuming all financial risks for a share of the tours profits. This new arrangement marked a break in the 20 year relationship with promoter Bill Graham which when, as he described in his excellent Robert  Greenfield co-authored autobiography “Bill Graham Presents”,  combined with his addiction to sleeping pills almost drove him to suicide and took him a full year to get over the disappointment of losing the tour. The concert on this No Name Label release is from the first night of a two night stand at 60,000 person capacity CNE Stadium in TorontoCanada. This show has been released before incomplete in SB quality on the Swingin Pig title “Live in Toronto” (TSP-CD-150-2). This release is missing 10 songs from the middle of the show starting with Honky Tonk Woman” up to and including “Sympathy for the Devil” and is most likely sourced from the incomplete proshot video in circulation. This date was also released complete by the Vinyl Gang Productions label using the existing video source with an audience source filling in the missing songs on their “Sweet Toronto” (VGP228) title.  Other audio releases by the Sister Morphine, Great Dane and Dandelion labels have used some of the songs as bonus tracks to fill space on the CD’s. The most recent CD release of the newer complete SB, most likely sourced from a Wolfgang’s Vault stream, was on the Goldplate label titled “Steel Wheels Toronto 1989” (GP1306CD1/2DVD1) which also includes a single DVD of the incomplete proshot video which the label claims is the best quality ever. The label also claims to have sync’d the existing video with the new WGV audio for an improvement in sound quality. As mentioned above there is an incomplete proshot video which was first released by the 3Logy label titled “Toronto 1989” which while watchable is many generations removed from the original source tape as the color is washed out with bleeding evident and there is significant loss of facial detail especially on distance shots. In addition to the 3Logy and Goldplate label silver DVD releases there is also a dual layer DVDR release on the Mission from God label titled “CNE Toronto 1989” (MFG-78).  This title fills in some of the missing songs with audience shot video footage but is still missing “Rock And A Hard Place” and “Midnight Rambler” with “Honky Tonk Women” being incomplete.  (Source: dbboot.com database) This No Name Label 2CD release once again mines the recent bonanza of Rolling Stones streaming Wolfgang’s Vault soundboard recordings and as expected the recording is a sharp excellent sound quality professional recording of the complete show. The recording, while razor sharp, has a more homogenized soundstage with regards to instrument separation then the other WGV sourced releases I have heard as there is a fair amount of instrument bleed into adjacent channels. Mick’s vocals are prominent in the mix, as are Charlie’s drum and Bill’s bass guitar, which slightly over shadows  Keef’s and Ronnie’s guitars which are noticeably back in the recording  but have just enough presence to round out the soundstage. If I had one nitpick it would be that Ronnie’s guitar disappears at times but Keef’s rhythm guitar fills the void admirably. The mix integrates audience feedback in perfectly giving the recording an excellent live ambience which can really be appreciated when listening through headphones. As with all performances I have heard from this tour the band is very tight and puts on a good performance but I find some of the shows to be rushed at times and this show is no exception as the band charges from one song to the next with very little in between song banter from Mick. I also noticed that Mick seemed to be slightly out of sync with the band at times which was very evident to me on tonight’s version of “You Can’t Always Get What  You Want” with Mick’s vocals lagging behind the music slightly which made the song sound a bit disjointed to me. The only major flub I heard was during the opening number “Start Me Up” where the rest of the band seems to miss their cue and is singing the chorus “Start Me Up” while Mick had moved onto the line “You Make a Grown Man Cry” but the band recovers while not missing a beat and the song holds together nicely. The band does a great job mixing in oldies from the 60’s with rarely played songs from the 70’s and new songs from the new and previous album. Highlights of the show for me included the three songs off of the new album, “Sad, Sad, Sad”, “Mixed Emotions”, and Rock in a Hard Place”. I also enjoyed the versions of the two songs, “One Hit to the Body” and “Harlem Shuffle”, from the much maligned 1986 album “Dirty Work” which had not been played live before this tour. The No Name Label release comes in the usual clear slim line double CD jewel case with a glossy single sheet front insert and tray card with clear period photos of the band in action. With all the SB quality titles available from this tour this release is hardly essential but with the excellent sound quality and solid performance it would make a nice addition to any Stones fans collection. If you liked this review, buy me a cup of joe. (Suggested: $3 a shot or $7.5 for a double) Related Titles You may be interestedThe Rolling Stones — Steel Wheels Japan Tour 1990 DVD (no label)Mick Jagger – Foxy Nights (no label)The Rolling Stones – Live At The Tokyo Dome (Nanker Records 004/005)The Rolling Stones – Vedi Napoli E Poi Mori (No Label)The Rolling Stones- Oakland 2013- (No Label)The Rolling Stones – Closer Than Close: Volume 1 (The Toronto 1997 Rehersals) (Rattlesnake RS 037)

Pink Floyd – Animals Outtakes (Sigma 107) is a single disc featuring the newly surfaced and highly anticipated outtakes from what many fans would consider Pink Floyd’s most under-rated work. Pink Floyd – A Momentary Lapse In Osaka (Sigma 108) is a 6CD set featuring both the March 8th & 9th, 1988 shows at Osaka-Jo Hall in Osaka, Japan. Eric Clapton – 24 Nights: First Night (Beano-093) is a 2CD set from the Royal Albert Hall, London, UK on February 5th, 1991. This is from one of his 4-Piece nights and has Phil Collins on drums in place of Steve Ferrone. Eric Clapton – Nothing But The Blues: In The Spotlight (no label) is a pro-shot DVD that features about 87 minutes from the Fillmore West in San Francisco, CA on November 8th & 9th, 1994. Eric Clapton – Tokyo 2009 First Night: Definitive Master (Tricone 101/102) is a 2CD set from Budokan, Tokyo, Japan on February 15th, 2009. Deep Purple – The Battle Rages In Yokohama (Darker Than Blue 183/184/185/186) is a four disc set that contains two different recordings from Bunka Taiikukan, Yokohama, Japan on December 5th, 1993. This line-up features Joe Satriani on guitar. If you liked this review, buy me a cup of joe. (Suggested: $3 a shot or $7.5 for a double) Related Titles You may be interestedNews & new releasesnew releasesNews & new releasesNews & new releasesNew Eric Clapton and Neil YoungNews & new releases

And so the final results are in. Who released the best CDs in 2013? There was a lot of love for the releases that were the most talked about but, you lot being quite subjective about what you listened to, and quite rightly, threw in a few surprises. There’s nothing better than reading what you thought to different releases and while we work hard to deliver timely reviews we couldn’t review everything. That’s where you come in. Your praise as discerning music listeners will help our readers make up their minds over the CDs they, and we, might have missed. Our competition winners will be notified in the next few days. Thank you to all that contributed, thank you to all of you that support us, thank you to all that read us. Lets hope 2014 brings us more boots of this standard. Aleebee - Aerosmith – The Final Warming In Osaka 2CD (Zodiac 038) There was a time, 1990-2001 or so, when European bootleggers were putting out loads of great Aerosmith titles, such that, whilst not my priority collecting band, I had more Aerosmith titles than any other band. Then CDRs arrived. In recent years Japanese ‘leggers have given us some great early 70s upgrades, and now this title brings us to the present day. Black Sabbath – Scandinavian Occultism (Tarantura) With the appearance of several Sabbath shows from 1970 and ’71 in the past few years, it is 1972 and 1974 dates that are under-represented, particularly on silver. This title helps address that. Not the greatest SQ, but enjoyable for all that. Black Sabbath – In Nashville 1978 2CD (No Label) Finally, another 1978 show on silver. This is the (in)famous rescheduled show, following Ozzy’s no-show for the original date, sparking concerns of a kidnapping. For those who may be interested, the truth was not nearly so dramatic. Arriving at the Holiday Inn worse for wear, Ozzy had gone to ‘his’ room for a sleep. However, the room key he had was from the last Holiday Inn; the maid cleaning the corresponding room was shooed away by Ozzy when he walked through the open door. As a result, he went to sleep in the wrong room. Black Sabbath – Lonely Is The Word 2CD (Zodiac 010) Silver debut for this great recording, notable for the inclusion of LITW, the studio version of which Iommi rated as one of his favourite solos when interviewed in 1982. It has always been one of mine. Judas Priest – Unleashed In New York (Zodiac 039) Can’t get enough Priest of this era, myself. Couple of other shows which could do to ‘silvered’. Ozzy Osbourne – Speak of The Devil Ritz: 1982 Complete 2CD (Zodiac 027) Proof, were it needed, that Ozzy re-recorded his vocal, and that ‘Sabbath Bloody Sabbath’ was from the soundcheck. Having been listening to the official album for 30 years, it seems little studio work was required from the rest of the band. Ozzy Osbourne – Ultimate Sin In Chicago (Zodiac 025) Despite some excellent recording from this era, it is sorely under-represented on silver, so I was delighted to get this. Ozzy Osbourne – No Rest For The Rosemont (Zodiac 024) As above, really. Ozzy Osbourne – Live & Loud: Soundboard Masters Vols 1 and 2 (each 4CD) (Zodiac 035 and 036) Yet another release that uses the source-tapes utilised for an official release. With a hefty price-tag, I wasn’t sure I needed this. Turns out I did. Scorpions – World Wide Live: Costa Mesa 1984 (Zodiac 037) A warmer sound than the official album that utilised part of this recording. Sadly, the tape ran out, but don’t let that put you off. Now, if they have this source-tape, surely they have the others? ZZ Top – 2nd Annual Grangefest (Zion 036) I bought this thinking it was the silver of a great show I had downloaded. On playing it, it was different: the download was the 1st Grangefest. That 1st Grangefest hopefully shall hit silver some day soon. This release came with a 2CDR freebie from 2002, ‘XXX In Germany’ and is another that needs the full silver treatment. Indeed, so many CDRs, for so many bands, need that silver treatment. Over the past several years my top ten would have heavily featured Floyd, but in the past year I have found little of interest. Well, not true: I have been interested to read of the releases, but when they are yet another version of something I may already have upgraded more than once… Chambau - 10. Led Zeppelin: Led One Radio Special (Boleskine House Records) Nothing new here, but I did not have this show before getting this title. Too bad it’s only 6 songs, but anyone who loves Zep should listen to this concert to understand why they are one of the greatest. And it was only 1969. 9. Whitesnake: Last Stand in Tokyo The Year of the Snake, 2CD (Zodiac) It’s Whitesnake with Tommy Aldridge back where he belongs. A great performance, great audio and, mostly, the longest WS setlist ever bringing back The Deeper The Love, Guilty of Love and Gambler. The Forevermore songs are a treat live. Great addition to my collection. 8. U2: Forever in Hear, Forever in Fever, 2CD (Godfather) This is the Boston show. Like the next, which took place in NY, it’s from the best U2 tour ever with official audio quality. 7. U2: The New Voice of Freedom, 2CD (Godfather) This is the New York show. Same as the one listed above. 6. Deep Purple: Plays Fur Elise, 1CD (Tarantura) I love the vibe the band had in the early ’70s. No one could sing like Gillan in those days. In addition you have Blackmore and Lord in their best. This is an essential show for DP lovers. The sound is terrific. 5. Black Sabbath: Lonely is the Word (Zodiac) When I first knew about this release I got excited for it having both Bill Ward – who I like way better than Vinnie Apice, and LITW. The recording is really clear, one of those that you have to listen very loud. To my ears, the louder, the better. It’s increadible how a 30+ years audience recording could have almost ZERO tape hiss. 4. Roger Waters with Eric Clapton: Lunatic Rave, 2CD (Mid Valley) It was about time to have a SBD recording of that tour. Both sound & performance are great and ther packaging is also wonderful. 3. Led Zeppelin: Double Shot, 6CD (Empress Valley) It was a delight having those 2 great performances in a single set. It’s The Soundboard Revolution moving on. Time to bring in the L.A. ’75 & 77 concerts, though. 2. Led Zeppelin: Throwing the Wild Seeds, 6CD (Godfatherecords) GF did another tremendous job releasing these 2 NY shows together in a single box in mindblowing audio quality and mastering. If one of those was not released before, this would be #1 in my list, probably. Packaging is outstanding again. 1. Iron Maiden: British Metal Onslaught Vol. II, 6CD (Godfatherecords) Three absolutely great shows in great quality in a gorgious deluxe packaging. It’s Maiden in its best. A great prize for the best metal band ever. Up the Irons! Gig Addiction – Hi there Already a year gone again, I remember very well my last submission for the best of 2012. When wading through my lists of new acquisitions for last year I just got aware that it was likely my 30st year of collecting unofficial records – and I missed that jubilee! The bug hit me when I managed to get my hands on the Lords of the New Church “Paralyzed” LP sometime in 1983 via some mail order service. A bootleg! from one of my favourite artists! An incredible feeling. And likely very addictive, as ever since that moment, the collection of unofficial records kept growing and growing and at some time started to bypass by numbers even the number of official records. As it has always been pretty difficult to obtain unofficial records for me, it was very common for me to buy almost every bootleg I came across, as long as the financials permit. 2013 has been a good year for my personal collection – and, for the most part, focused on completing certain artists or labels releases – as long as they are still available. In previous years, I filled the gap by purchasing nice items from artists that I usually would not fancy that much (no Led Zeppelin this year!). However, when looking at the additions to the collection from last year in order to compile my top 10 for 2013 I recognized how much of my historical collecting patterns still exist, so you’ll find some “unusual” choices here. List in ascending order: 10. Prince Dakota Diaries Box (8xCD) (Eye Records EYE 241-248) Not that I’m much into Prince, I have to admit that his “loyal” bootleg labels (apart from Eye also Sabotage Records needs to be mentioned) are always producing stunning releases. I like this release from Eye Records – from sound to packaging it set the level of quality very high for the year. 9. Springsteen, Bruce Roxy 1978 – Roll Your Tapes! (Growing Records GR-001/002/003) I have stopped counting the number of versions of this show I have on sliver – and I think only last year there must have been at least three releases of it – not sure, what caused the hype, but I’ve listened to this great show several times – it just does not to seem to age. Great piece of rock’n’roll history! 8. Rolling Stones Before The Affair (Godfather Records GR 845) Talking about rock’n’roll history – I was only a small kid, when this legendary show took place in the next big town to where I grew up. A great piece to have – together with the 2012 Tarantura of the gig in Zuerich a must have for a Swiss collector! 7. Springsteen, Bruce Human Rights Tokyo 1988 (TLALOC Records TLALOC 001/002) Records The official release of the Human Rights Box last year may have fostered this release – it contained all ingredients of a collector’s item: limited and numbered to 300 copies – no way I could bypass this item. 6. Springsteen, Bruce This Is Not a Dark Ride (Godfather Records) The Torino 1988 has already been added several times in various vinyl incarnations to my collection – it has been a nice experience way back at that time to buy live lps from contemporary concerts. Well, I should not admit that in public, but my colleagues who were into the boss at that time kept on bashing the Tunnel Of Love tour – and actually this show (together with the infamous “Tunnel of Lust” double CD, the first CD Bootleg I EVER bought) turned my into Springsteen. So it was great to see Godfatherecords releasing it on silver –however, why the label did use the title from a Doberman release covering another show is still a mystery to me. 5. Kraftwerk Computer World Tour Tokyo 1981 (Masterpiece KCD9981) Kraftwerk always has been and still remains one of my favourite artists. Tis release of a very classic show (with quite a few silver releases previously) came just in time for their upcoming Japan tour. With this sonically perfect broadcast it has been a highly appreciated addition to my collection (sad only that I missed the limited edition with the free CDr version of another show!) Unfortunately I did not see much of silver releases of their most recent tour, although quite a few CDR labels covered much, if not all, of their shows. I hope we will see a few of them in the future. 4. Springsteen, Bruce Darkness Starts Here (ESB Masterpiece) This release might be among the most questionable choices for the 2013 top ten, however I think the historical importance of this show justifies for it all. Thanks to Masterpiece to put that show on silver. 3. Springsteen, Bruce London Killing The Power Night (Crystal Cat) Again a show that duplicated a show that has been released in form of a different recording from another label. The Piccadilly Circus records (in collaboration with Paco Records) version has been released in a matter of weeks after the event, but sonically never matches the version from “The Cat”. A great show, performance and quality wise. A great listen! Together with the usual great packaging this is a well-deserved member of the 2013 top 10 2. Depeche Mode Nice Cote D’Azur (UMS) I grew up with Depeche Mode from day one of my listening to music experience. “Speak and Spell” has been among my first vinyl albums to be bought and has also been part of my limited first batch of CDs bought. This release by the UMS label actually made me thinking a lot to write a review for CMR for quite some time – due to heavy workload both the review of this CD and the essay on DM and the unofficial records remains unwritten to this day. However, this release from the kickoff show of their recent tour shows how cool the band even today is. And it was the very beginning of getting Depeche Mode back into a bootlegable band, just like Godfather showed us with their recent DMO2 release – I only wonder if Crystal Cat will cover the Swedish shows again, like the label did over the last few decades! 1. Springsteen, Bruce The Boston Godfather: The Definitive Boston March 1977 Tapes (GR Box 17) This box by Godfather is for me the clear winner! It only happens very rarely that historical relevance matches sound quality and packaging. Despite other releases, this is a clear winner for 2013. No question. Jerrythebarman -  Here are my favourites for 2013 in no particular order. I cheated and chose a Baker’s Dozen, pretty good year!: Stooges-Iguana de Banda lp (no label) Velvet Underground-Boston Tea Party 1968 (Godfather) Led Zeppelin-Thunder Down Under Box Set (Empress Valley) Who-Little Billy Relaxes at the Fillmore (Godfather) Queen-Moet & Chandon Breakfast (Tarantura) Alice Cooper-Champions of the Lunatic Fringe (Godfather) Rolling Stones-Rock’s Hottest Ticket box set (Tarantura) New York Dolls/Jeff Beck-World Rock Festival (no label) Patti Smith-Electric Lady lp/cd (Way of Wizards) Rolling Stones-Live at Brixton Academy 1995 (Rattlesnake) Runaways-Queens of Noise in Japan box set (Tarantura) Van Morrison-Deep In Your Heart (Godfather) Jimi Hendrix Experience-Takes Purple Barrel Acid (Tarantura) ROBERTO – “STUDIO MAGIK SESSIONS “- Led Zeppelin ( on Godfatherecords) 18cds box set, i’m not a Led Zepp die -hard collector but this is the best LZ item i’ve ever seen in years , you don’t need to look for those very expensive Japanese boxes ( and not really complete, anyway!), here you have EVERYTHING!! If you can locate a copy don’t miss the chance to own it! ” OHIO, SPRING 1972″ – Pink Floyd ( on Godfatherecords ) 2cds – this is a recently released item that made me jump when seen on the stalls of the dealers at fairs: unreleased on vinyl and on silver, for the first time we see factory pressed a completely overlooked concert from one of the most interesting tours of the band, i thought CMR was going to review it but i’m still waiting for it, hope you’ll fill this gap soon!! However another FANTASTIC release from the greatest label in the world. - ” FIRST TIME IN JAPAN ” – Pink Floyd ( on Godfatherecords) – 3cds – another very solid release that gives the chance( even to casual buyers) to see this group at the dawn of a wonderful career, for the first time here we have together the 2 gigs ( the third apparently was never taped, anyone has it in a dusty box?) the band performed in the very first visit in the Far East, unmissable for every Floyd collector.  ” THE GUNNER’S DREAM ” – Roger Waters & Eric Clapton ( on Sigma) – 2 cds – fantastic sound for a fantastic performance, Rog & Eric offer their best in this underrated tour, Eric will ( obviously) never play like Gilmour does but surely i don’t miss Dave in this totally recommended gig. - ” SERENADE TO ROME ” – Bruce Springsteen ( on Godfatherecords) – 3cds – every visit of the Boss in Italy carries memorable gigs and this is no exception! Starting from the greatest concert of all in 1985 in Milan we have too many shows to mention but this is surely one that you will put again and again in your cd player, every song tastes of sweat, love and Rock ‘n Roll, i’m never tired of listening to this, Fabulous!!  ” COMPLETE BLUES NIGHTS 1990″ – Eric Clapton ( on Beano) – 6 cds – these shows are so renowned that everyone seems to have attended to them , but how many more people would have been there? Here you can be in the first row and you can enjoy in full the skill of all players, again a wonderful job from the best label ( with Mid Valley) devoted to Eric Clapton ” FACE TO FACE IN PHILLY” – Elton John & Billy Joel ( on Zion) – 3 cds – i mention this release because i think that the ” Zion ” label is a little underrated , the past year brought some interesting releases from it and this is one of them: great sound and a stunning performance from Elton and Billy :who played and sung better? You’ll be the judge, anyway every song is absolutely enjoyable , pick any of them and you can’t be wrong!  ” NEW VOICES OF FREEDOM” – U2 ( on Godfatherecords) – 2 cds – in the past years we have seen many other U2 releases sourcing for the Don’s label: from the most recent tours to the older ones we usually have sterling releases but if i’m forced to choose this is one that i keep on listening after several months and still finding emotions and thrills , anyone can ask something else from music? So i warmly recommend it even to casual buyers, don’t pass it on!  ” BALTIC NIGHT RENDEZ-VOUS” – Eric Clapton ( on Mid Valley ) – 6 cds – on the sticker on the slipcase of this excellent release we can read ” Ec MVR Exclusive live 2013! “, the three gigs we have here are from strange and quite unusual places for live music so Eric did a great job going there to perform the songs from his latest album, i’d like to see many other top names living the better known paths and push themselves where there’s a lot of hungry for live performances, this title is absolutely amazing and a must have for every Clapton collector , search for it on the web!  ” TOKYO AMIGOS ” – Santana – ( on Tarantura) – 2 cds- this legendary label offers a stunning performance thanks to the Mr. Peach archive, Carlos Santana suffererd from very few quality releases on silver in the past years and with the one released from Zion label i think this is unmissable for every Carlos fan and highly enjoyable even to people rarely listening to him, the problem with this label is the extremely limited number of copies and the expensive price, hope they will continue their recently started ” Budget Price ” policy and will release other affordable amazing shows.- END OF MY BEST OF… LIST- Javier from Spain - Best of 2013, the 10 best silver pressed bootleg releases of 2013 (released between January 1st, 2013 and December 31st, 2013.) The Rolling Stones-Les Loups Dans L`Abattoir : The Complete Paris Tapes Godfatherecords Box 20 (5 June 2013). The Rolling Stones-Brixton Academy 1995 Rattlesnake RS 251/252. U2-Forever In Fever,Forever In Heat Godfatherecords 843/844 (28 February 2013).SOUNDBOARD RECORDING:COMPLETE SHOW FOR THE 1st TIME ON CD!!!. U2-New Voices Of Freedom Godfatherecords 874/875 (5 June 2013).SOUNDBOARD RECORDING:COMPLETE SHOW FOR THE 1st TIME ON CD!!!. The Rolling Stones-Looking For My Glastonbury Girl Godfatherecords 912/913 (23 September 2013). U2-Paris Love Town Godfatherecords 938/939 (14 October 2013). Depeche Mode-DMO2 Godfatherecords 957/958 (11 December 2013). Pink Floyd-Another Movie In Long Island Godfatherecords 879/880 (5 June 2013).RESTORED DEFINITIVE VERSION:NO CUTS,GAPS OR DIGINOISES!!!. The Rolling Stones-Voodoo Lounge In Tokyo:Third Night And Last Night No Label. The Doors-From the Ancient Gallery:The Definitive Stockholm `68 FM Broadcast Godfatherecords 937 (14 October 2013).THE DEFINITIVE UPGRADED VERSION!!! Leedslungs71 - Hello CMR readers, writers, reviewers and listeners, Thought I’d join in the party and offer a Baker’s Dozen list of my favorite wearable, listenable footwear in 2013 — that would be boots, of course — (at least those I heard and/or wrote about). As primarily a longtime Rolling Stones collector, both on vinyl and CD (as well as The Keith Moon-era Who), I’m inevitably heavy on rare Stones releases. But I do pick up the occasional Led Zeppelin, Neil Young, and of course, the Beatles. Several big-bang-for-the-buck box sets came out this year from the good people at the Original Master Series label that gathered, in one place, the best outtakes, rehearsals, alternate mixes culled from my favorite early-to-mid-period Fab Four era (including the fairly recent “Rockband” mixes that have surfaced and were taken from master tapes supervised by the respective Beatles estates and former producer George Martin and his son Giles; I had resisted checking out these new “video game” instrumental mixes for a long time based on the dubious proposition that these qualified as authentic or original historical documents of creative intent, whatever that means, as well as my aversion to video/interactive games in general; that said, they sound great). My criteria for compiling my best-of list (personal favorites is probably a more accurate term, though, since there were so many stellar new releases across a broad spectrum of artists I did not get the chance to hear) was based on factors such as sound quality; rarity of title, tracks, or show; historical significance; and presentation(level of ambition of the release; packaging such as era-correct artwork; liner notes; gatefold covers; disc art etc.). Okay, onward. Led Zeppelin, “Studio Magick” (Godfather): Quite imply, the most exhaustive, comprehensive attempt yet at documenting Zep’s entire studio output, and by that I mean giving the listener a fly-on-the-wall experience hearing the tracking process, recording and rehearsal sessions that transpired between 1969 and 1980. Fascinating and revelatory. And did I say exhaustive? Rolling Stones, “El Mocombo 1977 +” (Red Tongue Records): As a longtime vinyl junkie and LP collector, the Red Tongue label is a Stones fan’s wet dream. This is the latest in their lavish, gorgeous series of multi-LP, colored vinyl releases is this legendary (if little heard) show at the Mocombo Club in ’77, that came between the “Black and Blue” and “Some Girls” era. There was no tour that year so this is a rare chance to hear a complete raw and rousing live Stones show at this tiny club. Plus, as with all Red Tongue releases, the vinyl contents of this box set also comes with silver-pressed CDs of the tracks.  Beatles, “All Sides of Rubber Soul” (Original Master Series): This compact four-CD box collects pretty much every “Rubber Soul” era song and session available, arranging it song by song (in other words, multiple takes of each song in chronological order, rather than a hodge-podge). While this approach can be a little tedious (hearing many multiple takes as opposed to, say, mixing up the tracks for variety), it appeals to one’s sense of completeness and order. Beautiful booklet, photos, and packaging too. Beatles, “All Sides of Revolver” (Original Master Series): See description above, substitute the word “Revolver” in place of “Rubber Soul,” and you’ve got a sense of what this nifty box set brings to the Beatles fan (or fans of one of perhaps the top three or four greatest rock & roll records ever made).  Rolling Stones, “Hyde Park Legend 1969 Complete Edition” (Goldplate): A proper treatment of a historic and legendary Stones show; a huge free concert in Hyde Park, England, that marked the arrival of new guitarist Mick Taylor following the departure and death of founding member Brian Jones. This set pulls together multiple sources and perspectives for a documentary feel (the only missed opportunity, in my view, would have been the inclusion of a DVD of the show — which has existed in semi-legit form for decades — for the ultimate, definitive word on this concert).  Faces, “Electric Soup” (Godfather): An excellent June 4, 1973 recording at the Edmonton, London, which happened to be founding member/bassist-vocalist Ronnie Lane’s last show with one of the best and most versatile British Guinness-fueled bar bands to ever come out of England, or anywhere else for that matter. This attractively presented title, and the first Faces release for Godfather, also includes several raucous BBC tracks, which is never a bad idea. . Rolling Stones, Les Loups Dans L’Abattoir – The Complete 1976 Paris Tapes (Godfather): Next to Zep’s “Studio Magick,” this was the most over-the-top and comprehensive set I saw all year: an eight-disc set documenting the Stones’ multi-night stand in Paris during their 1976 European Tour. Tremendous packaging (program reproductions, mini-poster, stunning photographs from the shows etc.) and very good, multiple-sourced overall sound make this title a must for completists and one of the definitive documents of the ’76 Stones and tour.  The Who, “Little Billy Relaxes At The Fillmore” (Godfather): An oft-booted ’68 Who concert in stunning sound that captures the ‘Orrible ‘OO right around the time of their pre-”Tommy” conceptual masterpiece, “Sell Out.” They are a dynamic force of nature, of course, but still very much a power chord-built pop band built largely on irresistible singles rather than the extended rock opera theatrics that would soon define them.  Neil Young & Crazy Horse, “Buffalo Campaigner,” (No Label): Absolutely pristine, stunning live soundboard recordings of “Ragged Glory”-era Neil Young and Crazy Horse at their loudest, most unhinged, and gloriously rocking best. Excellent presentation, too, with era-accurate cover artwork that echoes the official “Weld” releases. Really now, need I say more?  Rolling Stones, “Secrets Travel Fast” (Scorpio/Bad Wizard): The Stones’ 1970 European tour has always been under-documented, so any shows that surface in decent sound quality — and even a somewhat flawed release such as this one — are a welcome treat. Such is the case with this title, which collects both their Sept. 23, 1970 Palais des Sport performance, as well as a handful of tracks culled from the band’s second-to-last Dec. 14, 1969 show at the Saville Theatre (the latter, frustratingly, in spliced but stunning quality), and a few random offerings from the ’70 tour dates in Sweden and Germany. The Stones more than compensate for the rough, audience-quality sound with gritty performances and a rough-and-tumble set list that includes a generous helping of Chuck Berry covers, from whence their sonic foundation was built.  Rolling Stones, “Black and Blue — The Real Alternate Album” (Red Tongue Records): Another limited edition (600 copies) colored vinyl (4-LP) box set collecting most, if not all, of the session recordings in one place for what would be the underrated “Black and Blue” album and a couple of scattered tracks that would wind up on “Tattoo You.” Also included is a batch of semi-rare and obscure live performances over the years of tracks from this underrated album. As with most of Red Tongue’s titles, this has a lenticular-type hologram cover and handy silver CDs that contain all of the songs that appear on the vinyl.  The Rolling Stones, “Live At The Marquee Club” (Goldplate): This CD and DVD combo makes a strong bid for being the definitive title of this March 26, 1971 show, with the CD offering the complete performance including false starts, second takes, and pre-rehearsals of a special BBC television show capturing the Stones’ return to their early stomping grounds of the Marquee. A special delight is hearing early live readings of “Bitch” and “Brown Sugar,” released that month on the “Sticky Fingers” album, as well as another “Sticky” track that has rarely been played, “I Got The Blues.” One of several top-notch Goldplate Stones releases this year, it comes in the best sound quality I’ve ever heard it (most Marquee releases have been marred by muddy sound). The companion DVD offers no less than three versions of the performance (the recent re-broadcast TV version; the original TV version; and the unedited long version). A very nice audio and overall upgrade of a classic Mick Taylor-era performance, from a rarely (and often poorly) documented year that saw the Stones on the road for only a brief “Farewell To England” tour.  The Who, “The Dutch Seduction” (Godfather): Technically, a late 2012 release of this essential and classic 1969 Who soundboard that I only heard in this configuration this year. The Who were fast becoming a fearsome, four-headed hydra and rapidly developing into perhaps the best stage act and most powerful live rock band in the world, and you can hear it here. A stellar recording given a stellar treatment. Jens - Led Zeppelin – Throwing The Wild Seeds 6 CD Box (Godfather) Led Zeppelin – Love And Peace 3 CD (Empress Valley) Van Morrison – Deep In Your Heart 1 CD (Godfather) Led Zeppelin – Led One Hour Radio Special 1 CD (Boleskine House Record) Genesis – The Lamb Master In Los Angeles 2 CD (Virtuoso) Pink Floyd – A Total Zabriskie Point Of View 2 CD (Godfather) Asia – Asia In Asia / Definitive Soundboard Masters 2 CD (Virtuoso) U2 – New Voices Of Freedom 2 CD (Godfather) Led Zeppelin – No Cancellation 1 CD (Akashic) Led Zeppelin – Thunder Down Under 20 CD 1 DVD Box (Empress Valley) WD - Slayer – Reign In Nottingham Live at Rock City, Nottingham, UK 21st April 1987 Zodiac 021 Clash, The The Promised Land GR911 Black Sabbath – Lonely Is The World Live at Stadthalle, Offenbach, Germany 2nd June1980. Zodlac 010 Scorpions – Costa Mesa 1984 World Wide Live Zodiac 037 AEROSMITH / GOOD CONDITION IN KYOTO FEBRUARY 6 1977Tarantura TCDAS-3-1, 2 Alice Cooper Band – Champions Of The Lunatic Fringe GR835 Judas Priest – Unleashed In New York Zodiac 039 Wish list: I hope they ll be more Megadeth, Motorhead & Iggy Pop silvers in 2014 than in 2013 Relayer67 – 2013 saw much sadness to the CMR family but we had the music to help us heal, this did spark more interaction from the site readers as there were quite a few review submissions from new writers that are much welcomed. There were many releases not on this list, mostly a lot of the new Floyd Sigma titles that were not significant upgrades but I spent a lot of time enjoying them and filling out my Floyd collection.Of course there were a few great official releases from Black Sabbath (13), the ABB Brothers and Sisters 4 cd set and Russian Circles Memorial to name a few. Here is my top 10 in no particular order. Relayer67 Led Zeppelin Studio Magik Sessions 1968-1980 – The Godfather Box 18. The Definitive statement (for now) of Led Zeppelin’s underground studio work and arguably the best box set so far from The Don. Ozzy Osbourne Speak Of The Devil Ritz 1982 Complete – Zodiac 027. Incredible release from Zodiac giving us the raw tapes from the two concerts that made up his first solo live set Speak of The Devil in glorious soundboard quality.  Led Zeppelin LZ AU GALA De L’ECOLE – Graf Zeppelin LZSC-015A/B/C/D. A new Zeppelin tape surfaces in really good quality plus an interesting performance from late 1969. There were many different releases, this is the one I return to the most.  Pink Floyd Household Objects In Paris – The Godfatherecords G.R.867/868. A new Pink Floyd tape surfaces, from the same taper as the about Zeppelin. The sound is very good and the performance is spectacular featuring some of the bands more experimental material. The Godfather source had wonderful mastering and IMO is the version to grab.  Iron Maiden The Decade Of The Beast – The Godfather Box 19. A continuation of the first Maiden Box Set featuring excellent recordings from the 1986-1990 years. Sound quality, performance, and packaging come together for one of the best metal releases of the year.  KISS 10th Anniversary Tour The Godfatherecords G.R. 863/864. A stellar year for KISS fans, first and for most the band final gets the nod by the Hall Of Fame. While I am sure Vinnie Vincent will not be among the inductee’s (he should be), the VV era produced some excellent music that deserves recognition. A great show in terms of sound and performance, Godfather is hands down, the KISS label.  U2 New Voices Of Freedom The Godfatherecords G.R. 874/875. Superb soundboard recording of an incredible U2 show, my favourite from the 2013′s releases by far.  The Doors From The Ancient Gallery The Godfatherecords 937. The famous Stockholm 1968 late show in best ever quality and most complete version to date. I for cannot get enough Doors boots and hope that we get more in the future. This is certainly a toss up between the Old Stone Road title, both deserve praise.  Deep Purple The Palace 1972 Tarantura TCDDP-4 (2nd). Originally released back in 2011, its initial press sold out very quickly, thankfully in 2013 there was a 2nd print. A blistering performance with the band being at the peak at of their collective powers, a desert island release for sure.  Black Sabbath The Day Of Tony’s Illness Tarantura TCDBS-9. The missing piece of the 1980 Japanese tour surfaces from the Mr Peach archives, the entire tour from his recordings are available. This new release, like all the others is in typical Peach sound quality and features a show cut short due to Tony becoming sick mid show. Related articles : Black Sabbath – Definitive Boston 1992 (Zodiac 045) Top Release of 2012 If you liked this review, buy me a cup of joe. (Suggested: $3 a shot or $7.5 for a double) Related Titles You may be interestedThe Best of 2013Best of 2013 .. Part 2. New Rolling Stones on ScorpioMore new RattlesnakeMore new Stones, Michael Schenker, & OzzyNews and new releases

Thunderbolts And Lightning (The Godfatherecords G.R. 959/960) Western Springs Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand – December 3, 1980 Disc 1 (79:33) Intro, Detroit Rock City, Cold Gin, Strutter, Shandi, Calling Dr Love, Firehouse, Talk To Me, Is That You?, 2,000 Man, Ace Solo, I Was Made For Loving You, New York Groove, Love Gun, Gene Solo, God Of Thunder, Eric Solo, Rock And Roll All Nite Disc 2 (79:09) Shout It Out Loud, King Of The Night Time World, Black Diamond. Showgrounds, Syndey, Australia – November 22, 1980 (Broadcast February 14, 1981); Detroit Rock City, Shandi, Calling Dr Love, Talk To Me, Is That You?, I Was Made For Loving You, New York Groove, Rock And Roll All Nite, Black Diamond. Alternate Alive! :  Deuce (7/23/75), Strutter (Somewhere on Dressed To Kill tour), Hotter Than Hell, Firehouse (7/23/75), Parasite (5/16/75), 100,000 Years (7/20/75), Black Diamond (7/23/75), Let Me Know (6/21/75), Rock And Roll All Nite (Somewhere on Dressed To Kill tour) By the time KISS’ eighth studio album Unmasked was released in May 1980, the band was in the throes of their first upheaval with the departure of original drummer Peter Criss. While he appears on the record art work and in the promotion film Shandi, he was, for all intent and purposes, not a member any longer. The band was also feeling a backlash in America where their gluttonous output of solo records and merchandising had greatly affected their popularity and while the album would reach a Gold certification the band would not tour their homeland in support of the record. There were other opportunities, the band had not toured Europe since mid 1976 so a tour there was a no brainer but undoubtedly the highlight of the Unmasked tour was the band’s inaugural trip “Down Under”. The tour would consist of 11 dates and found the band playing to capacity crowds, the media coverage was everywhere and the band found themselves in another case of KISSmania. The last concert of the tour found the band playing to a capacity 25,000 fans in Auckland, New Zealand’s Western Spring Stadium, what makes this concert unique you ask? It holds a special place in KISStory as being the final concert played with Ace on lead guitar until the 1996 reunion tour. The main recording is an excellent soundboard recording, all instruments and vocals are clear in the mix and as with many soundboard’s, the audience is low in the mix although you can feel their presence, it also passes the real test as it sounds great when cranked up to 11. The recording has been previously issued on vinyl as Spacemans Last Journey, Fox On The Run, and Your All I Want all three released in 2011 by the same company, The Swinging Pig Records (TMQ A/B/C/D) and on compact disc as Ace’s Last Stage (Bondage Music BON 192/193), New Zealand 1980 (KNZ 1980), and lastly Shandi from this show was a bonus track on Egos At The Stake (The Godfatherecords G.R. 583/584). The intro is interesting, the sounds of some sort of mechanization followed by the “You wanted the best” introduction all leading into the band taking the stage with a blistering Detroit Rock City. Eric Carr’s drums have a wonderful sound to them and we can really enjoy his playing throughout the concert. Cold Gin follows non stop and features Ace and Gene sharing lead vocal duties, something I applaud as it gives the song much more depth. The band are not done and before the last notes of Cold Gin fade they plow right into Strutter, a song that the band had not played since 1976 and “dusted off” for the Unmasked tour. Paul finally gets to address the audience and includes the “Rock and Roll party” rap before introducing Shandi, a song that was a huge hit down under and was played specially for the Australian audiences. A standard Dr Love is linked with the song, Eric plays a great mini solo during the songs pause part that is great. Two of Unmasked strongest songs make the live cut so to speak, and are better songs for it. Ace gets a nice ovation as Paul introduces Talk To Me, the song has more balls live and features again great Eric Carr drumming and a great Ace solo. The second Unmasked song is the best of the lot, a nice fat riff coupled with a catchy chorus with interesting lyrical content about an interlude with a dominatrix. Ace gets more love with his cover of the Stones 2,000 Man from the Dynasty record and the new vehicle for his solo segment, the crowd is in awe of the Spaceman and you can hear them cheer loudly between notes. I Was Made For Loving You has a faster tempo and Paul singing falsetto and using some vocal effects to emulate the record version, Ace plays a too short blistering solo that is fantastic. A funky New York Groove follows with Ace giving some NYC landmarks little shout outs, obviously proud of his home town. Paul does a short intro for Love Gun promising the band would return the following year, they would not return Down Under for 15 years. Gene gets his solo spot next, the audience reaction is what you listen for as his solo is used to accentuate his movements, he does get a little participation going with his “Oh Yeah” call and response segment that leads into God Of Thunder. Eric takes his solo spot and it starts off slow and steady but he keeps adding more fills and before you know it he is playing a very rhythmic solo that is quite enjoyable and long clocking it at 8 minutes! A standard Rock And Roll All Nite finishes the first disc and the main set, it does contain Paul getting into a bit of the “Do you believe in Rock and roll?” rap and pits Auckland against the audience from a few nights earlier in Wellington. The encores are standard fare; the beginning of Shout It Loud was missing from the soundboard so Godfathers dug out an audience source for Paul’s introduction and the first 8 seconds of Shout It Out Loud, the recording is very distant poor quality but is clear enough to hear Paul’s comments. King Of The Night Time World follows on its heels complete with some pyro for good measure, it’s party time and the band are going for the kill. Black Diamond is the culmination of the concert, the opening notes are short but dramatic and we get to hear Eric Carr doing lead vocals and Ace is incredible on the leads, giving his all to the very end so to speak. For being so far from home and it being the last concert on the tour the band turn in a superb and professional performance and an end of an era so to speak. The bonus material features a broadcast recording from the bands November 22, 1980 concert at the Showgrounds in Sydney, Australia before another capacity crowd of 20,000 and of course has seen quite a few releases on CD as KISS In Australia (Cenren Sound Lab ), Costumed Crusaders (Music With Love Records 016/017), They’re Alive (Dead Dog Records SE-442), and Live In Australia (Black Rose BR 0292). The recording is superb and since it was done for broadcast has a perfect balance and nice full sound with good bottom end, the audience is higher in the mix and sounds like the Alive II record so to speak. I put on the KISSology Vol 2 set to watch as I write, cool to see the band rise from beneath the stage to begin the show. What is nice about this recording is having high quality versions of the Unmasked material. The remainder of the disc is culled from the series of concerts that were recorded for the record that would become the iconic Alive! record. Some of these have been released before, Deuce, Parasite, and 100,000 Years were bonus tracks on In Your Face (Godfatherecords G.R.507) and Let Me Know was released as part of the first KISS Box set KISS KARTON (The Godfather Box 07) on CD 4 and originally on Live In Hell (Oh Boy 1-9073). Strutter and Rock And roll All Nite are from an unknown concert from 1975, the transition from Deuce to Strutter is seamless and you would not know they were from different recordings if it was not marked. Hotter Than Hell, Firehouse and Black Diamond are from the Wildwood, New Jersey show and features a bit of Paul commentary about flying into the city for the gig, this was also the last concert recorded for Alive!. All these recordings are perfect stereo recordings of the highest quality and are all similar in sound quality. Nice to see a few more bits of the Wildwood recording and hopefully in the future the whole gig surfaces. The packaging is the tri fold sleeve, I love the black and white contrast on the cover. The interior portion features live and posed shots from the era as well as the Unmasked tour dates. Once again The Don has given us a wonderful and much needed release in excellent sound quality and with the included bonus material a real value for the money, Godfathers continues to raise the bar with their KISS releases.   If you liked this review, buy me a cup of joe. (Suggested: $3 a shot or $7.5 for a double) Related Titles You may be interestedKiss – The Greatest Show On Earth (The Godfatherecords G.R.497)Kiss – All Shook Up In San Francisco (The Godfatherecords G.R.873)Kiss – Egos At The Stake 30th Anniversary Edition (The Godfather Records GR 583/584)Kiss – Snake Attack Budokan (Tarantura TCDKIS-3A-3B) Kiss – The Greatest Band In The World (The Godfatherecords G.R. 910)Kiss – Alive Again! (Godfather GR 288/289)

Master Of Winterland (Reel Masters-004) Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA – October 1, 1971 (66:22) Intro, N.I.B, War Pigs, Sweet Leaf, Iron Man, Wicked World, Guitar Solo, Wicked World (reprise), Embryo, Children Of The Grave, (cut in) Paranoid, Fairies Wear Boots By the time Black Sabbath released their iconic third album, Master Of Reality, they had become a worldwide sensation thanks to their first two records and unrelenting touring schedule. Master of Reality remains a Doom laden classic and propelled the band into the upper echelon of hard rock. The band would tour America extensively with a UK tour sandwiched in between. A recording from the first American leg is the source for this release and is culled from the famed Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, CA, the venue owned and run by Promoter impresario Bill Graham. The source used for this release features an incomplete good audience recording, all instruments are audible but the bass frequencies are a bit overpowering giving a boomy timber to it. There is a minor amount of hiss audible but nothing that hinders one’s listening experience and there is no real audience interference near the taper, overall a great listen. The recording begins with a furious blast of leads from Tony leading into N.I.B., a concert staple from the first Sabbath record it makes for a perfect opener, one that garners much applause from the crowd. War Pigs crawls upon the stage like a behemoth, while standard fare today the song was written with inspiration from the Vietnam War that was raging during this time, a most relevant statement about the Masters of war. The song gets help from the audience who clap along in all the right places, Bill Ward’s drumming during this piece (we call them pieces now) is superlative. “Are you high?” is Ozzy’s between song comments, they are in San Francisco so we can assume there was more than a couple who were in an altered state and their reward is a mega heavy rendition of the bands ode to marijuana Sweet Leaf. The heavy bass gives the song an audio haze that works quite well, the bass does occasionally distort as one would expect, nonetheless the rendition is perfect and sounds close to the recorded version. Ozzy does his best to get the audience on their feet and get moving and he does succeed as Bill Ward does the intro drum beat for Iron Man. The song starts off a bit sluggish but heats up during the middle section with a great Iommi solo, the latter part of the song finds Geezer pounding the hell out of his bass to great effect. There is a tape cut at the song’s conclusion with no music lost, another quick cut leads into Wicked World, first thing that hits you is the pace has certainly quickened, the band has kicked it into high gear. This song is a favorite of mine, I love the live versions oven more as they are the vehicle for great improvisation among the band member and the results are usually impressive to say the least. The main part of the song gives way to a solo Iommi segment, naturally the sound clears significantly since there is only one instrument. A cluster of leads gives way to Orchid, this piece is new to the audience thanks to the recently released Master record, and is a virtually complete version of the song. Iommi then moves into a an almost jazz feel for the next bit, that is what made these early Sabbath recordings so interesting is they still had their root influences on their sleeves. It quickly gives way to a furious stretch of leads and heavy riffs that leaves the audience, and listener, breathless. The rhythm section comes back onstage and they go into an embryonic version of Supernaut that is most interesting, unfortunately it is short and Iommi then takes over, he starts a long solo and in the middle plays a riff sort of reminiscent of Sabbra Cadabra at around the 12:15 mark. He finally leads the band back into a Wicked World reprise, Ozzy acknowledges him with “Tony Iommi on lead guitar…thank you very much”. The band take a minute to fix an issue with the snare drum, they noodle around briefly until Iommi plays the songs opener of Embryo, but it is Children of the Grave that seems to shake the rafters of the old hall. There is another tape cut and fade that eliminates most of Paranoid, the song picks up “here these words telling you now of my fate” and only about 20 seconds of the song is present. The audience sound rabid by this point and while Paranoid is mostly cut the recording does pick up the audiences cheering. The only encore is Fairies Wear Boots with a great Bill Ward drum solo type intro to the song that has the audience happily clapping along and the segue into the song is most interesting. Great performance by the band, one can only wonder the fate of the song Black Sabbath, most certainly removed from this tape during Iron Man and Wicked World cut and sadly not present on this recording. The packaging is simple inserts with a Master Of Reality style Sabbath logo coupled with a few pictures of the band and a live shot of Ozzy on the rear, there is a picture of a tape reel in the tray insert labeled “Black Sabbath Live” but I am unsure if it is an actual photo of the master reel. This title has been out of print for a few years but I do see copies floating around from time to time and is certainly worth seeking out. If you liked this review, buy me a cup of joe. (Suggested: $3 a shot or $7.5 for a double) Related Titles You may be interestedBlack Sabbath – Lonely Is The Word (Zodiac 010)Black Sabbath – Evil In The Evening (Tarantura TCDBS-6-1,2)Black Sabbath – Montreux 1970 (no label)Black Sabbath – To Do Or Die (Power Gate-260)Black Sabbath – Eternal Void Of Doom (No Label)Black Sabbath – Definitive Pittsburgh (No Label)

Eric Clapton – Fillmore 1994: Selected Offlines In Progress (no label) is a pro-shot single DVD featuring selections from the Fillmore in San Francisco, CA on November 8th & 9th, 1994. This is taken from the original “Reprise Records” VHS master tape, titled “Fillmore – Selected Offlines In Progress” & “Reprise Records The Mastering Studio 02/15/1995″ and runs about 76 minutes. Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here Outtakes (Sigma 109) is a single disc of unreleased demos and outtakes from Abbey Road Studios 1975. Various Artists – The Prince’s Trust Concert 1988 (no label) is a single disc stereo soundboard from the Royal Albert Hall, London, UK on June 6th, 1988. This concert featured an all-star cast with performances from Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Elton John, Mark Knopfler, Joe Cocker, Peter Gabriel, Midge Ure, and the Bee Gees. Jeff Beck – Tokyo 2009 Third Night (Wardour-118) is a 2CD set from the NHK Hall in Tokyo, Japan on February 9th, 2009. Jeff Beck – Tokyo 2010 Final Night (Wardour-119) is a 2CD set from Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo, Japan on April 13th, 2010. Roger Waters – Zurich Wall (Sigma 110) is a 2CD set from Stadion Letzigrund in Zurich, Switzerland on September 11th, 2013. Black Sabbath – Swedish Cross 1989 (Zodiac 058) is a 2CD set from Solnahallen, Stockholm, Sweden on September 14th, 1989. This tour featured the Tony Iommi, Tony Martin, Cozy Powell, Neil Murray, and Geoff Nicholls lineup. If you liked this review, buy me a cup of joe. (Suggested: $3 a shot or $7.5 for a double) Related Titles You may be interestedNew Pink Floyd, Clapton, & Deep PurplePink Floyd – From Abbey Road To Britannia Row – New to CD. New releases for March 13th, 2008May 9th, 2008 newsNew CD & DVD titlesnew release information

The Crystal Cat label has four new Springsteen titles coming soon… Leeds Wrecking Ball Night (CC 1028-30) is a 3CD set that has the July 24th, 2013 concert from Leeds, England. Monchengladbach Wrecking Ball Night (CC 1022-24) is a 3CD set from Monchengladbach, Germany on July 5th, 2013. Stade De France Wrecking Ball Night (CC 1019-21) is a 3CD set from Paris, France on June 29th, 2013. Werchter Wrecking Ball Night (CC 1025-27) is a 3CD set from Rotselaar, Belgium on July 13th, 2013. If you liked this review, buy me a cup of joe. (Suggested: $3 a shot or $7.5 for a double) Related Titles You may be interestednew Bruce Springsteen Crystal Cat releases imminent ..New Springsteen on Crystal CatBruce Springsteen – Paris Wrecking Ball Second Night (Crystal Cat Records CC 1010-1012)Bruce Springsteen – Paris Night (Crystal Cat CC429-490)Bruce Springsteen – Frankfurt Wrecking Ball Night (Crystal Cat Records CC 1013-15)Bruce Springsteen – Frankfurt Dream Night (Crystal Cat Records CC 945-48)

Four Phases Live In The 70’s (Master Stroke FFMS – DVD002/3/5/7) Master Stroke Presents DVD Collector’s Limited Edition Master Stroke, a dedicated Queen label, made a name for themselves the past couple years by releasing some excellent comprehensive hybrid CD/DVD sets as well as an impressive six volume Rare Cuts series. The four comprehensive hybrid sets that were released included several of Queen’s most important live films from the 70’s featuring the Rainbow, London (Nov 19/20, 1974), Hammersmith Odeon, London (12/24/1975), Earl’s Court, London (June 6/7, 1977), and Hammersmith Odeon, London (12/26/1979). Four Phases: Live In The 70’s compiles the four DVDs originally released as part of the above mentioned titles in one convenient package. Housed in a fatboy quad jewel case, the front cover features an early 70’s live shot of the band with the four original covers spread across the front and includes the full track listing for each DVD on the back cover. This is an excellent way to pick up these pro-shot documents as the video quality is excellent on all the discs and is probably the best these will get barring official releases, of course. Not only does Master Stroke feature four of the most essential Queen documents from the 1970’s but adds bonus material to each of the sets. For the track lists and detailed reviews of the individual DVDs click on the links below to Gerard’s original articles for each corresponding set. DVD 1: Queen At The Rainbow 1974 (FFMS-002B) Originally released as part of Master Stroke’s Complete Live At The Rainbow. In addition to “Live At The Rainbow 1974” it contains an extra section “Alternate Live At The Rainbow 1974 Video” and a “Slideshow” that uses an alternate soundboard recording. DVD 2: Invite You To A Christmas Night 1975 (FFMS-003B) Originally released as part of Master Stroke’s Invite You To A Christmas Night this features “Live At The Hammersmith Odeon 1975 Complete Concert Edition” as well as the “BBC 2009 Broadcast Edition”. DVD 3: Carnival At The Court 1977 (FFMS-005C) Originally released as part of Master Stroke’s Carnival At The Court it features “Live At The Earl’s Court, London 1977” including a few bonus videos. DVD 4: Play The Silent Night 1979 (FFMS-007C) Originally released as part of Master Stroke’s Play The Silent Night, this comes from the “Concert For The People Of Kampuchea: Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 1979”. As a bonus it contains “Freddie Mercury At The Royal Ballet”. If you liked this review, buy me a cup of joe. (Suggested: $3 a shot or $7.5 for a double) Related Titles You may be interestedQueen – Complete Live At The Rainbow (Master Stroke FFMS-002A/B)Queen – Carnival At The Court (Master Stroke FFMS-005A/B/C)Queen – Rare Cuts Vol. 6 (Master Stroke FFMS-010)Queen – Rare Cuts Vol. 5 (Master Stroke FFMS-009)Queen – Play The Silent Night (Master Stroke FFMS-007A/B/C)Queen – Live Crazy 1979 (Digital Queen Archive DQA-001V DVD)

The Japanese label has announced it’s newest releases;   “Lovely People” marks the 40th anniversary of Eric Clapton’s first solo tour of Japan. The shows were recorded at that most famous of venues the Budokan. This is the 2nd version of this set after the popularity of the first. The tapes come from the archives of both the Song Brothers and Mr. Peach. 2 nights over 4 CDs.   The Deep Purple release this month is “The Canterbury Tales”, recorded at the City Hall, Sheffield, October 5th 1971. Early versions of both “Highway Star” and “Lazy” are the highlights of the set, having been performed 2 months before their official studio recordings.   Muted for release a short while ago, “The Babylon Dome” is a new audience recording from the Stones tour of Japan in 1998. Pre-release scheduling suggests that Eric Clapton 1984 – 2014, Bob Dylan 1978, The Rolling Stones 1976 and more Led Zeppelin are coming soon!   If you liked this review, buy me a cup of joe. (Suggested: $3 a shot or $7.5 for a double) Related Titles You may be interestedThe Rolling Stones – Memory Motel (0317-1/2)Several fascinating new Bob Dylan titlesEric Clapton – On Tour 1974 Budokan 2nd Night (Tarantura TCDEC-76)new Kiss and Queen on Tarantura and new Rolling Stonesnew Bob Dylan on Tarantura New Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Rainbow

A clutch of new vinyl / CD releases have been announced recently. Generally out of the remit of the site, these sets do feature additional CD sets with the vinyl, pushing them in to the interest side. There are no images available at the moment but here’s the news; On single LP is Neil Young “Farm Aid 2013″. Recorded live in Saratoga Springs, New York, on September 21st. the LP features a soundboard recording of the most recent Neil Young solo set from Farm Aid, with an additional bonus DVD of the set from HD-TV. David Bowie “Rock In Rio” is a copy of the Rio de Janeiro, Brazil concert from 1990 – long a Bootleg staple from the soundboard. This also features a 40 minute TV broadcast DVD. The other David Bowie LP is “Kiss Me Kate!”. The A&E Live by Request show that was recorded at Sony Studios, New York City, June 2002. Another soundboard Depeche Mode “Austin City Limits” is the complete stereo soundboard recording of the ACL show, Austin, TX on October 11, 2013 along with a DVD of the show from HD-TV. Finally The Beatles – Bootleg Recordings – The Copyright Extension box is brought to vinyl straight from i-Tunes Housed in a full sized colour box, over 3 LPs and on 180 gram virgin vinyl, it also features the same music over 2 CDs without extras but includes a 40+ page book with many rare photos inside. If you liked this review, buy me a cup of joe. (Suggested: $3 a shot or $7.5 for a double) Related Titles You may be interestedBeatles! Stones! Lennon!The new Tarantura releases are hereDavid Bowie – Blackout (Wardour-084)New Beatles Live release on HMCDavid Bowie – Fresh From Divorce: The Scary Monsters Chronicles (Godfather Records GR580)April 2nd, 2008 new release by Misterclaudel

The Rolling Stones – Glasgow 1982 (no label) is a 2CD set from the Apollo Theatre, Glasgow, Scotland on May 27th, 1982. Eric Clapton – St Austell 1983 (Beano-094) is a 2CD set from Cornwall Coliseum, St Austell, Cornwall, UK on May 13th, 1983. The Band – The Last Waltz: Complete Video Monitor Edition (no label) is a double DVD from Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, California on November 25th, 1976. This comes from a Pro-shot Black & White source and runs over four hours clocking in at 259 minutes. Various Artists – The Prince’s Trust Concert 1987 Japanese Broadcast Edition (no label) contains the Wembley Arena, London, UK  shows from June 5th & 6th, 1987.  This all star concert was broadcast on September 18th & 19th, 1987 featuring Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Elton John, Phil Collins, Ringo Starr & Bryan Adams to name a few. This also comes from a Pro-shot source that runs 108 minutes over 2DVDs. Amy Winehouse – Ain’t Too Proud To Beg (Wardour-120) is a single disc stereo soundboard from Eurockeennes de Belfort, France on June 29th, 2007. If you liked this review, buy me a cup of joe. (Suggested: $3 a shot or $7.5 for a double) Related Titles You may be interestedNews & new releasesNew releases from GodfatherNew releases for January 8th, 2008News & new releasesNews & new releasesNews & new releases

The Tarantura have just released two more exciting new titles to their catalogue; “The Winner of the Weiner” is the Stones show from the 23rd of June, 1976, their ‘Black and Blue’ tour. The handsome cover is complimented by a Roy Lichtenstein styled cartoon cover along with a copy of the concert ticket. As this show has seen release on the Exile sets, “The End of Europe” and the secondary source, “Happy For You”. It remains to be heard which (if both) sources we’re getting here. The latest Dylan release, “Live In Japan Vol.7″ (!) is the latest in the Japanese series recorded by Mr. Peach. This show was recorded at the Budokan Dai-Hall on the 28th of February, 1978 but it does beg the question – what happened to Vol’s 1, 4, 5 and 6 .. If you liked this review, buy me a cup of joe. (Suggested: $3 a shot or $7.5 for a double) Related Titles You may be interestednew Kiss and Queen on Tarantura and new Rolling StonesNew releases on the Tarantura labelEagle Rock Commemorates A Classic, ROY ORBISON: THE LAST CONCERTKiss – The Burning Hellfire The Complete April 2, 1977 (Tarantura TCDKIS-4,5,6A,6B)Eric Clapton – Hanaten Sources (Tarantura TCDED-11, 12)The new Tarantura titles are here.

The Rolling Stones – New Jersey 1994 2nd Night (No Label) DVD (Pro-Shot Colour NTSC Approx. 88 min.): Opening, Introduction, Not Fade Away, Tumbling Dice, You Got Me Rocking, Shattered, Rocks Off, Sparks Will Fly, Satisfaction, Out Of Tears, Miss You, Honky Tonk Women, The Worst, Monkey man, Start me Up, It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll, Street Fighting Man, Brown Sugar, Jumping Jack Flash, After The Show. CD (79 min.): Same tracklist as DVD except no audio of the film’s “Opening” or “After The Show” segments. Live at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, 14th, August, 1994. If you consider, as I do, the Rolling Stones’ “Voodoo Lounge” period to be both their best album and tour of the last 20 years, then the new CD/DVD combo package, “New Jersey 1994 2nd Night,” will likely strike you as it does me: a nice souvenir and a satisfying (if incomplete) strut down memory lane to an inspired, loose and loud August night in 1994. I should know because I was there. And this show sounds and looks as good now as it was back then. Whereas the 1989-90 “Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle” world tour was a ruthlessly tight and crisply choreographed affair (and the first time I had ever seen the Stones live), one of the major appeals of the “Voodoo Lounge” tour and album, for me, was that they both had more of a classic Stones feel; a bit more room and life: swaggering and self-assured; considerably raunchier and riff-oriented; with more elbow room for stretching out, laying back, and strolling across the promenade of our collective sense-memories of the Stones in our lives. This “no-name label” release, as we’ve come to call them, gets just about everything right with a very professional, official-looking and sounding package, starting with the full-color front and back inserts and inlay with correct tour font and photographs; a limited edition “Voodoo Lounge” spiked tongue sticker; and even a mini reproduction order form for tour merchandise (offer good until March 31, 1995; dang, missed the deadline to get that Stones flight jacket by only19 years!). Onto the nitty gritty of the contents: the sound, stem to stern, is splendid, with both the DVD and CD having been sourced from a crisp stereo soundboard recording and officially released VHS video capturing the Stones’ August 14, 1994 show at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey (the second of the band’s four night-stand at the venue). As with the audio CD, the DVD (transferred, presumably, from the official VHS) boasts a full, warm, and richly balanced sound spectrum; features pro-shot, multi-camera angles and vantage points; and offers a variety of perspectives that bring us close to the individual players on stage. The DVD sports an easy and straightforward song-selection menu and, as with the old VHS document, includes an amusing opening vignette depicting a Stones roadie’s morning-after-groupie-conquest realization that he’s late for the show, plus an after-show, back-of-the-limo verite clip of the boys de-compressing as they speed away from the venue and back to the hotel. In between those bookends, there’s a lot to love. The fireworks start early – both figuratively and literally – moments after frontman Mick Jagger makes a dramatic entrance, popping up on stage (again, literally) from an underground elevator/trap door, prefaced by the rattle of tribal drums that morphs into a familiar Bo Diddley beat. Boom! Wearing a long, flowing leopard skin pattern coat, despite this being August in New Jersey, and as trimly commanding as ever, Mick wags a finger at the crowd and announces prophetically: “I’m gonna tell ya how it’s gonna be, you’re gonna give your love to me.” It’s the oldie but goodie “Not Fade Away,” of course, but it’s also the order of the evening. After a wailing harmonica solo and the song’s conclusion, Mick gives guitarist Keith Richards a sly, sideways grin that’s full of knowing and schoolboy mischief. I remember seeing that exact same grin up there on the huge video screen and flashing back instantly to those magic moments when Jagger threw fellow mischief-making ex-schoolboy Keith Richards the same expression in the “Ladies & Gentlemen” film. Yes, it is going to be a good night, I recall thinking. A limber, lived-in “Tumbling Dice,” which comes next and sounds very much in the spirit of the original, bears out my belief and hope. Still only two songs in, the band laces into an energized “You Got Me Rocking,” which, for better or worse, would become a set staple on future tours. It’s perhaps telling how confident the Stones felt about the “Voodoo Lounge” material that “YGMR” is one of seven new album tracks the Stones were performing on this tour; by my estimation, that’s the highest total of tracks debuted and played regularly from a new Stones album since 1978′s classic “Some Girls” LP. Elsewhere, Jagger invests the album’s big ballad, “Out Of Tears,” with something approximating sincerity and yearning, and with just the right amount of sour amid the sweet mix of melody and Chuck Leavell’s signature piano. Unfortunately, this package omits two of the strongest “Voodoo Lounge” tracks played on this night: “I Go Wild,” a sleazy pleasure of vice and leisure; and the album’s first single, “Love Is Strong” (my favorite track on the record, despite – or perhaps because – its spooky music and imagery are a shadowy rewrite of 1973′s “Dancing With Mr. D”). But with both the audio and video clocking in at just under 90 minutes – and clearly, the decision was made to keep the audio portion of this package at one rather than two CD’s – this title, out of necessity, surgically removes no less than seven songs from the two-plus hour set list played that night. Ouch. In addition to the aforementioned “Voodoo” tracks, the program is missing “Beast Of Burden”; “Wild Horses”; “All Down The Line”; a tasty cover of soul icon Al Green’s “Can’t Get Next To You”; and “Happy.” The last omission is perhaps the most missed because I’d choose it any day as “The Keith Song” to include here, rather than the torpid crawl of “The Worst,” which saps some of the show’s momentum. For completists who want to seek them out, there have been at least two prior releases of this show in its complete form issued as double-disc sets: first in 1995 by the Japanese label Vinyl Gang Product (VGP) as “Bite The Big Apple,” and more recently by The Godfather Records as “Welcome To The Voodoo Lounge.” Additionally, there have been several earlier DVD releases of the no-label version we get here (none appear to exist of the complete show), also sourced from the same official VHS tape. This new “New Jersey 1994 2nd Night” release does, however, mark the first time (as far as I can tell) that both the CD and DVD have been available in one place as a set. And despite its truncated form, this title does contain a handful of deeper-cut sonic treasures. The sinewy, shape-shifting “Monkey Man” from 1969′s “Let It Bleed,” for instance, makes its live debut on this tour. Here, Jagger delivers a sassy, steamy duet with (cue Mick’s introductory descriptor to which we cannot disagree) “luscious” longtime backing vocalist Lisa Fischer, while Richards and fellow guitar foil Ronnie Wood do their cross-cut, bob-and-weave guitar thing with greasy aplomb. “Shattered” hasn’t always made the transition to the stage all that successfully, but here it carries much of its quivery, nervy studio spunk before its brain splatters into a rollicking “Rocks Off,” which, by the way, marks the first time I’ve ever actually clearly heard the line “she comes every time she pirouettes on me.” (Mick did begin enunciating his syllables much more clearly around the time he hit 45 and started doing all those pre-tour wind sprints – and quite possibly started reading his lyrics on-stage from a Teleprompter. Coincidence? Obsessives, discuss amongst yourselves). I remember well the roaring, ecstatic reception “Rocks Off” got from the throng when Mick casually introduced it by saying “we got one from the Exile On Main Street album” and Keef hit the opening riff. “Omigod! They’re doing ‘Rocks Off!” I shouted into my best friend’s unfortunate ear, disbelieving and delirious (and quite possibly a wee bit buzzed from the massive cooler of beer we smuggled into the stadium parking lot in the truck of our car). Now, as we all know, that hallowed number is pretty much a staple of Stones tour set lists these days. But up to that point in 1994 and aside from one aberrant Baton Rouge, Louisiana date on the Stones’ 1975 “Tour of The Americas,” the deeper-cut “Exile” track had not been performed regularly live since the band toured Europe back in 1973. That had been a very long time ago, in a place far, far away that – for fans like me, born ten years too late – only existed as a live entity on my precious bootleg recordings. And here it was, an excavated diamond from the mines, glinting in the lights. Like Frankenstein’s ancient and long-moldering monster, it had been brought to electric life, freshly resuscitated, revived via voodoo, and heated by the glorious glow of the moment. Now, twenty years after that exhilarating night at Giants Stadium with good friends now scattered like stones but still held dear, and with that electrifying moment now itself consigned to a long ago time, here it is again: “Rocks Off” and the rest in stereo sound and full color, still glowing, and still dancing in the light. Us too. If you liked this review, buy me a cup of joe. (Suggested: $3 a shot or $7.5 for a double) Related Titles You may be interestedRolling Stones – Giants Stadium 1994 (no label)The Rolling Stones – Tampa 1994 (No Label)The Rolling Stones – Brixton Academy 1995 (No Label)The Rolling Stones – Get Off Of My Stone (no label)The Rolling Stones – Largo 1981 2nd Night (No Label)The Rolling Stones – Chicago 1981 2nd Night (no label)

The new Pink Floyd boot CD has now been released and should be winging it’s way around the world as we speak. One of the most highly anticipated releases in Floyd boot history this is certainly one that shouldn’t be missed. https://soundcloud.com/collectorsmusicreviews/shine-on https://soundcloud.com/collectorsmusicreviews/three-different-ones We’ve been sent a couple of samples to whet your appetite with – why not tell us what you think in the comments below .. If you liked this review, buy me a cup of joe. (Suggested: $3 a shot or $7.5 for a double) Related Titles You may be interestedPink Floyd – From Abbey Road To Britannia Row – New to CD. new Beatles box set on Unicorn RecordsPink Floyd – Beast Of Burden (Siréne -191)Pink Floyd – Definitive Paris Final (Sigma 76)Pink Floyd – Home, Piggy, Home! (Tarantura TCDPF-4-1, 2)two new Beatles on Extract Factory

Largo 1976 (Maximum R&B W-8376/8476) The Who’s touring schedule for 1976 would find them still in support of the The Who By Numbers record, the band would play 27 dates in the United States with the majority of the concerts done in two main legs. Four of these concerts were done in August 1976 and the short mini tour was dubbed the “Whirlwind Leg” and consisted of two dates in Largo, Maryland and the remaining two dates being in Jacksonville and Miami, Florida. This new release features both of the concerts at the 18,000 seat Capital Centre in Largo and are from excellent audience recordings from the collector known as JEMS, both are from the master cassettes, and are from the same taper who used a  Sony 153-SD Cassette deck with Advert Dynamic microphones. There has been a previous release on a Pro CD-r title Washington 1976 Magic Sounds (Midnight Dreamer MD-356A/B/C) so it is great to have these shows on silver pressed CD’s. Capital Centre, Largo, MD, USA – August 3, 1976 Disc 1 (42:12) Intro, I Can’t Explain, Substitute, My Wife, Baba O’Riley, Squeeze Box, Behind Blue Eyes, Dreaming From The Waist, Magic Bus Disc 2 (55:59) MC, Amazing Journey, Sparks, Acid Queen, Fiddle About, Pinball Wizard, I’m Free, Tommy’s Holiday Camp, We’re Not Gonna Take It, See Me Feel Me, Summertime Blues, My Generation, Join Together, My Generation Blues, Won’t Get Fooled Again For the first night the taper sat in the eighth row on Pete’s side, the sound is a superb stereo recording with a close to perfect balance of vocals and instruments with the guitar being a tad predominant, there is some occasional audience noise close by but that just adds to the ambience of the gig. The recording picks up just before the band play their first number, there is a woman close by who goes nuts pretty much setting the stage for the rest of the gig. The opening two numbers are fast paced with I Can’t Explain sounding a bit ragged but Substitute is pretty much full steam as evident by a nice Pete solo. “Who said we wouldn’t show up?” are Roger’s opening comments and he introduces “Big Black Johnny Twinkle” and My Wife. The sound improves slightly as the song gives the band a chance to stretch out a bit and do a little jamming, Pete’s guitar has a wonderful nasty sound to it. The version of Baba O’Riley is very tight and the lyric “There all wasted” gets a huge ovation as does the song at its conclusion. There are only two songs from the Numbers record, the first is Squeeze Box and it sounds as if Pete is playing a country tinged guitar solo that is quite nice. The second song from the album is Dreaming From The Waste that is far more convincing live than Squeeze Box and one can picture Pete slashing aggressively at his guitar. Magic Bus gets a loud ovation and also allows the band to jam again and features contributions from all four members with Roger getting into the mix with a bit of harmonica here and there. The second disc starts with the Tommy segment of the concert with Keith doing the introduction for it, the crowd goes nuts. Sparks sounds very heavy metal like when Pete breaks into the riff it is quite devastating in this recording. Of course it is Pinball Wizard that garners the loudest cheers from the audience and the See Me, Feel Me finale features the audience clapping along as the song builds to its conclusion. The band do not end My Generation but play a little jam thing that segues into Join Together, there is a brief cut at the 2:02 mark for a tape flip, thankfully very little music is lost and I much enjoy the loose jam structure of the song as well as the My Generation blues. Won’t Get Fooled Again is the culmination of the concert and an apt finisher for the concert, while the band were a bit rusty around the edges an all around good opening night. Capital Centre, Largo, MD, USA – August 4, 1976 Disc 3 (42:00) Intro, I Can’t Explain, Substitute, My Wife, Baba O’Riley, Squeeze Box, Behind Blue Eyes, Dreaming From The Waist, Magic Bus Disc 4 (57:43) MC, Amazing Journey, Sparks, Acid Queen, Fiddle About, Pinball Wizard, I’m Free, Tommy’s Holiday Camp, We’re Not Gonna Take It, See Me Feel Me, Summertime Blues, My Generation, Join Together, My Generation Blues, Won’t Get Fooled Again For the second night in Largo the taper was a bit further back, the recording is a bit distant but still in the very good to excellent range. It is well balanced and clear with all instruments being clear in the mix and there is little audience noise close to the taper, the atmosphere is well captured. The recording is complete except for a brief cut during Magic Bus as the song had a false ending and the taper thought the song was over and started to change the tape, thankfully he realized what was happening and started the recording back up in time to capture the final seconds of the song.  The second night also finds the band has shaken the bit of rust off from the first night and turn in a strong and professional performance. I Can’t Explain and Substitute are referred to by Roger as “two songs from ’65″ before introducing John and naming some of his contributions to the band’s catalog. The sound clears up a bit for My Wife and is now quite enjoyable and would remain this way for the rest of the concert. The position of the taper really gives this recording an ambience not found in the first night, this feeling is especially evident at the beginning of Baba O’Riley as the warm thrill flows over the audience, and listener, who respond in a wonderful ovation. Squeeze Box is much better than the previous night, this version is much more confident and the band sounds like they are enjoying playing it. Behind Blues Eyes is wonderfully dramatic, one can almost picture a venue full of lit matches. John plays some nice melodic bass during the quiet beginning, the band and audience roar and clap into the heavy section of the song in total unison. Magic Bus again finds the band in jam mode, Roger’s harmonica playing is very effective with the band jamming in support of him. The false ending of the song comes on the heels of Pete playing some blistering leads and the song riff and the tape cut is at the 10:13 mark, the label smoothed out the cut nicely. The second disc features more of the bands comments in transition to the Tommy portion of the show, we get to hear Pete introduce Keith who again does the introduction to Tommy who gives props to the Capital of the USA and introduces it as “The Bicentennial version of Tommy” that garners a huge round of applause from the audience. While Amazing Journey sets the stage it is again Sparks that brings the house down, the band play an aggressive version of the song where Peter manages a fine line between riffs and feedback that blend together in a most metallic fashion. I’m Free continues the momentum begun with Pinball Wizard as the audience feverishly clap along and Holiday Camp is an enjoyable yet quirky interlude. The attentive audience seem to give the line in We’re Not Gonna Take It of “Hey you smoking Mother Nature” a nice cheer as an obvious marijuana reference. The band bring down the house with See Me, Feel Me, the beginning is so dramatic you can hear Roger sing more passionately after the massive response and with the audiences help bring the Tommy interlude to a fantastic and moving conclusion. The energy level is infectious and continues to build through Summertime Blues as the audience is clearly suffering from them and uses the song to let off steam. The band lets off steam throughout the My Generation > Join Together > Blues jam, with the latter Pete brings the pace too close to a standstill as he noodles around and the audience begins to get restless and then the opening of Won’t Get Fooled Again starts bringing them to a state of euphoria. This features an interesting solo by Pete who seems to be playing his own thing at times, to the rowdy audience he is doing no wrong and their excitement is evident as Roger does his famous scream they erupt loudly and give the band a massive ovation at the songs conclusion brining an end to a most satisfying concert. This four disc set comes packaged in a fat boy jewel case with inserts featuring live shots of the band, the cd’s have pictures on them with discs 1 & 2 featuring Roger and 3 & 4 showcasing Peter captured in full leap. The sound quality alone make this set worth buying but when you factor in the superb mastering of these two concerts and the simple yet effective packaging make this set essential to own.   If you liked this review, buy me a cup of joe. (Suggested: $3 a shot or $7.5 for a double) Related Titles You may be interestedThe Who – Portland 1982 (Maximum R-B W-102182)The Who – New York 1979 Finals (no label)The Who – Largo 1973 (no label)The Who – Springfield 1975 (no label)The Who – Live 1971(no label)The Who – New Jersey 1979 (no label)

Naked Ladyland (Original Master Series OMS 153 – 158) Disc 1: (79:38) My Friend #1-2, Little Miss Strange #1, 1983… (A Merman I Should Turn To Be) #1, Somewhere #1-5, Long Hot Summer Night #1-2, Little Miss Strange #2-4, 1983… (A Merman I Should Turn To Be) #2-3, Gypsy Eyes #1-2, Walking Through The Garden – Electric Ladyland Sessions March-April 1968 Disc 2: (56:57) Rainy Day Shuffle #1-4, Rainy Day Dream Away/Still Raining Still Dreaming #1-4, Jazz Jimi Jazz, Electric Ladyland Blues Disc 3: (36:41) Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland) #1-6, …And The Gods Made Love #1-4, Room Full Of Mirrors, Come On (Part 1) #1-5 – Electric Ladyland Sessions June-August 1968 Disc 4: (69:19) Burning Of The Midnight Lamp #1-8, Dream #1-2, Dance, Crosstown Traffic #1-3, Little One #1-3 Disc 5: (73:40) Cat Talkin’ To Me, So Much # 1-2, Ex-Art Student, Oh To Be A Child #1-2, All Along The Watchtower #1-6, Tax Free #1-4, Driving South – Electric Ladyland Sessions May 1967-1968 Disc 6: (71:02) All Along The Watchtower “Sessions” Takes 1-14, All Along The Watchtower “Mix Tape” Takes 1-11, Come On “Part One Session” Takes 1-14 Naked Ladyland from Original Master Series collects many sessions, various mixes, and jams that were recorded during the time when Hendrix was assembling tracks for the Electric Ladyland LP. All tracks from the official LP are represented here in one form or another with the exception of “Voodoo Chile”, “House Burning Down”, and “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)”. The sessions for “Voodoo Chile” and “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” had previous silver releases on disc two of Jupiters Sulphur Mines (Axis-05A/B) back in 2004 and more recently on disc two of Scorpio’s Session Vol. 2 and are well worth tracking down to hear the evolution of those tracks. What we do get from OMS is a very nice mixed bag of goodies that not only chronicles tracks from the official LP, but a few outtakes, unused mixes, and even some unrelated tracks that had a bit of Jimi’s involvement. After listening to the official record all these years, Naked Ladyland makes for a very interesting experience to say the least. This material has been compiled on ATM releases (Archived Trader’s Material) which are put together by fans using the lowest generation masters available and are more often than not the highest quality available to collectors.   Disc one comes from ATM 238 with the first nine tracks originating from the March 13, 1968 session at Sound Center in New York. It starts with two mixes of “My Friend”, a track that wouldn’t be released until the posthumous Cry Of Love LP. The first is an alternate mix and has quite a bit of effect on it while the second is the official mix. The first version of “Little Miss Strange” is instrumental and is preceded by “stand by Jimi” as he was getting ready to lay down some overdubs here. Five mixes of “Somewhere” are included, another unused track that first popped up on Crash Landing albeit with some session musicians that were hired to complete the takes. The first has just Hendrix’s rhythm and lead guitars isolated with each in a separate channel. The second adds bass, drums, and vocals with the third being very similar only with a shorter edit. This is followed by a mix with heavy echo on Jimi’s vocal and the final is a version with some unstable timing issues in the drum track. “Long Hot Summer Night” comes from The Record Plant in New York on April 18, 1968 and is represented first with a mono version and one in stereo featuring the drums in one channel and the rhythm guitar in the other. Three more versions of “Little Miss Strange” from The Record Plant on April 20, 1968 feature an alternate mix and guitar, a mono reduction, and the official stereo mix. April 20, 1968 at The Record Plant brings us two more versions of “1983…(A Merman I Should Turn To Be)”. The first was featured on the official Lifelines – The Jimi Hendrix Story (now out of print) and is followed by a 14 plus minutes version including “Moon, Turn The Tides…Gently, Gently Away”. The remaining three tracks on disc one comes from The Record Plant on April 22, 1968. The two incomplete outtakes of “Gypsy Eye” feature Jimi and Mitch running through the arrangement and are not more than two minutes apiece. “Walking Through The Garden” features a vocal from Noel. Disc two mainly features the various sessions of “Rainy Day, Dream Away/Still Raining, Still Dreaming” that was eventually edited down into two tracks for the Electric Ladyland LP. These originate from June 10, 1968 at The Record Plant and were featured on ATM 224. The first track, “Rainy Day Shuffle”, sounds like a true “off the cuff” impromptu jam for everyone to warm up too and is followed by an official edit, a practice session in mono, and two very short instrumental outtakes. Track five continues with an early instrumental take of “Rainy Day, Dream Away/Still Raining, Still Dreaming” followed by an incomplete alternate mix. Track seven features an alternate mono mix and track eight is the stereo LP mixes – edited together. The disc closes out with “Jazz Jimi Jazz” and “Electric Ladyland Blues”. Not much is known about these jams and it is speculated that these come from the following day at The Record Plant. The selections on disc three were featured on ATM 225. This starts with six versions of “Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)” originating from June 14, 1968 at The Record Plant. The first is take 3 from Jimi’s Solo Session which has been officially released and is recognizable from Eddie Kramer asking Jimi “What’s it called?” before the track. The second is take 4 With Mitch – Backing Track Of Master AKA “cymbals take”. These are followed by a Longer Alternate Mix, Incomplete Alternate Mix, Mono Single Mix, and Stereo LP Mix. The opening track from Electric Ladyland, “…And The Gods Made Love”, is represented by three Alternate Mixes and the Stereo LP Mix. The three Alternate Mixes contain a lot of the backwards tape effects and are interesting outtakes that come from The Record Plant on June 29, 1968. “Room Full Of Mirrors” is from August 12, 1968 at The Record Plant and is labeled take 3. It has Jimi on guitar and vocal accompanied only by someone on harmonica. Five versions of “Come On (Part 1)” are from August 27, 1968 at The Record Plant and start with takes 8 & 9, both incomplete. A much better sounding Alternate Mix of take 9 follows with an unknown take and the Stereo LP Mix closing out the disc. Disc 4 comes from ATM 234. A bulk of the disc is taken up by eight tracks of “Burning Of The Midnight Lamp”. Work started on this track at Olympic Studios in London but wasn’t realized until July 6, 1967 when the band revisited the idea at Mayfair Studios in New York. The various versions range from Jimi practicing the Harpsichord parts, an Ebay sampler, a 22 minute Mixing Session with a lot of stopping and restarting of the master tape and various mono and stereo mixes. Track seven is from acetate and is so crackly in spots that it sounds like a Geiger counter picking up high levels of radiation. “Dream”, “Dance”, and “Crosstown Traffic” originate from December 20, 1967 at Olympic Studios in London. The two versions of “Dream” are from a Noel Redding composition with the first from acetate in mono and the second in much better quality with a few more overdubs from a stereo source. “Dance” also comes from Noel and centers on the opening riff later used for “Ezy Rider”. This also comes from a mono acetate but is fairly clean sounding. Three mixes of “Crosstown Traffic” features one with Jimi’s lead vocal in the left channel and separate mono and stereo mixes. Three versions of “Little One” finish off disc four. Believed to be from Olympic Studios, the exact date is unknown (January 1968?) and features someone playing Sitar. The first is an instrumental mix and the second features an extra guitar part. The third is probably the most intriguing featuring a lead vocal from Mitch and is sometimes referred to as “There Ain’t Nothing Wrong”. Disc five comes from ATM 235 and starts with a version of “Cat Talkin’ To Me” also believed to be from Olympic Studios in London (January 1968?). The next four tracks, two versions each of “So Much” and “Ex-Art Student” come from a project called McGough and McGear, two members of The Scafold that released a bizarre LP that mixed poetry,  comedy, and pop psychedelic. The record was allegedly produced by Mike McGear’s brother, Paul McCartney, who called on fellow musicians Graham Nash, John Mayall, Spencer Davis, Yardbirds bassist Paul Samwell-Smith, Pretty Things drummer Viv Prince, and Hendrix. Jimi’s involvement can definitely be heard but its inclusion in this set is questionable. The following two versions of “Oh To Be A Child” may not have any Jimi involvement and are questionable in this set as well. “All Along The Watchtower” was recorded on January 21, 1968 at Olympic Studios in London. The various versions are taken from, Lifelines, The Making Of Electric Ladyland Laserdisc, as well as a few more mixes of the final version. On January 26, 1968 at Olympic Studios in London, Hendrix attempted to capture his version of Hansson & Karlsson’s “Tax Free”. The first version features the basic track with the original drums without overdubs and sounds a little overloaded. The second has the overdubs and is followed by a very spacial mix that favors a lot of reverb and a few alternate parts. The final is the official mix with a new drum track. Closing out disc five is a version of “Driving South” from Olympic Studios (January 26, 1968?). This is a fast paced impromptu studio jam that ends with a snippit of “Sgt. Pepper”. Disc six is perhaps the most intriging in this set. The first 14 tracks contain many run-throughs of “All Along The Watchtower” from the January 21, 1968 session at Olympic starting with take six. We get to hear Jimi instructing the other players on exactly how he wants the track. Listening to the birth of the basic track is amazing. Brian Jones joins on piano for take 14 onwards. The “Mix Tape” sessions date from Olympic Studios in London on January 26, 1968 and features the song in various degrees of completeness. These stripped down mixes are also fascinating to hear. Tracks 19 & 23 are unique in that they features some unused lead guitar parts not heard in the final mix. “Come On (Part 1)” was the final track recorded for Electric Ladyland and stems from August 27, 1968 at the Record Plant. This raucous session features Jimi “letting it all out” so to speak and produced a great version of the Earle King track. Fourteen takes finally produced the master used. Naked Ladyland is pressed on gold disc and packaged in a 6 way fatboy jewel case. It comes with a nice slip cover and a thick booklet with some liner notes including the Alternate Nude Cover on the outside. This is a great collection of outtakes and alternate mixes for anyone who has worn out their copy of the official LP and like myself, just can’t seem to get enough Jimi. Many thanks must go to the hard work put into the ATM compilations and OMS for bringing it to the masses on pressed CDs. Lastly… let us not forget the long hours and hard work left behind by the man himself, Jimi. If you liked this review, buy me a cup of joe. (Suggested: $3 a shot or $7.5 for a double) Related Titles You may be interestedJimi Hendrix Experience – From Dallas To Fort Worth: In The South & Hello There Texas Land! (Scorpio JH-08017)Jimi Hendrix – Electric Church Magic (Axis-02A/B)Jimi Hendrix – Sessions: And You’ll Never Hear…Surf Music Again (Scorpio JH-07003)Jimi Hendrix – Old Time: Record Plant Jams 1970.1.23 (no label)The Jimi Hendrix Experience – The Other Side Of Axis – Axis Bold As Love Outtakes (Godfatherecords G.R. 520)Jimi Hendrix – Let Your Mind And Fancy Roll On (Rattlesnake RS 024)