OF THOSE WHO LENT A HAND
The long run’s over: October 24th will see the appearance of the official DVD release of the legendary “Concert For Bangladesh”. Now it’s a double-disc package with the original 99-minute film restored and remixed in glorious 5.1 and augmented with 72 minutes of extras. These include a documentary, unnecessary contributions from Kofi Annan and Bob Geldof and something the fans have all been holding their breath for: the rehearsal footage and Bob Dylan’s “Love Minus Zero / No Limit”. That same track is also added to the 2CD-set, out on that same day, remixed and repackaged. The superfans, though, must invest into a deluxe, limited to 50,000 copies, version of the package housing a 64-page book and other collectibles. Those who still believe it’s all a hoax might want to drop by a newly opened website.
But there’s a question: where, the heck, is “Mr. Tambourine Man” from the original album?
Disc One: The Concert For Bangladesh 1971:
1. Bangla Dhun (Ravi Shankar)
2. Wah-Wah (George Harrison)
3. My Sweet Lord (George Harrison)
4. Awaiting On You All (George Harrison)
5. That’s The Way God Planned It (Billy Preston)
6. It Don’t Come Easy (Ringo Starr)
7. Beware Of Darkness (George Harrison)
8. While My Guitar Gently Weeps (George Harrison)
9. Jumpin’ Jack Flash (Leon Russell)
10. Youngblood (Leon Russell)
11. Here Comes The Sun (George Harrison)
12. A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall (Bob Dylan)
13. It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry (Bob Dylan)
14. Blowin’ In The Wind (Bob Dylan)
15. Just Like A Woman (Bob Dylan)
16. Something (George Harrison)
17. Bangla Desh (George Harrison)
Disc Two: The Concert For Bangladesh 2005:
Documentary:
• The Concert For Bangladesh Revisited with George Harrison and friends
Previously Unseen Performances:
• If Not For You
• Come On In My Kitchen
• Love Minus Zero/No Limit
Mini Features:
• The Making Of The Film
• The Making Of The Album
• The Original Artwork
• Recollections – August 1st 1971
• Photo Gallery
• Take A Bow
A SOUL WHOSE INTENTIONS ARE GOOD
He’s an eminent figure, and every time Eric Burdon and THE ANIMALS come up with a live recording, it’s a storming experience. And “Athens Traffic Live”, out on August 29th, will be such even if it’s half as good as 2000’s “Official Bootleg”. But it’s very different in content, with no old classic in sight. Well, “sight” is a fitting word, as the album is accompanied with a bonus DVD featuring Eric’s commentaries and a smattering of extra material that include never before released videos of “Once Upon A Time”, “Highway 62” and “The Secret” Burdon produced on his own.
![]() |
1. Intro 2. Boom Boom 3. When I Was Young 4. Factory Girl 5. Once Upon A Time 6. Devils’s Slide 7. Heaven 8. The Night 9. My Secret Life 10. Over The Border 11. Little Queenie 12. Tobacco Road 13. Mercy’s Hand |
A FIRE IN WINTER’S FACE
For many years there’ve been debates over Steve Hackett‘s back catalogue. The guitar supremo couldn’t retrieve the rights to his early albums, entangled in Chrysalis Records legitimate problems. It seems, everything’s finally solved now though, as Hackett’s manager informed, “the rights are retained by EMI/Virgin Records”. Anyway, September 19th is set as a release date for four Hackett’s classics, remastered this year at his own studio and supplemented with bonus material and new liner notes. The packaging’s superb, and a month before the release the CDs will be available for pre-orders through the artist’s webshop which guarantees they’ll be signed by his hand.
“Voyage Of The Acolyte” (1975)
– Ace Of Wands (live, Drury Lane Theatre, 1979)
– Shadow Of The The Hierophant (17-minute extended playout version)
“Please Don’t Touch” (1978)
– Narnia (John Perry on vocals)
– Land Of 1000 Autumns / Please Don’t Touch (live, Drury Lane Theatre, 1979)
– Narnia (alt. version, Steve Walsh’s vocals)
“Spectral Mornings” (1979)
– Everyday (alt. mix)
– The Virgin And Gypsy (alt. mix)
– Tigermoth (alt. mix)
– The Ballad Of The Decomposing Man (alt. mix)
– Clocks (12″ Single Version)
– Live Acoustic Set (B-side): Etude In A min., Blood On The Rooftops, Horizons, Kim
– Tigermoth (Reading Festival, 1979)
“Defector” (1980)
– Hercules Unchained (B-side)
– Sentimental Institution (live, Drury Lane Theatre, 1979)
– The Steppes (Reading Festival, 1981)
– Slogans (Reading Festival, 1981)
– Clocks (Reading Festival, 1981)
AN INQUIRING MIND
Richard Thompson may be a real revolutionary with regard to electric folk guitar playing but he’s no less skilful when it comes to handling an acoustic. Surprising, then, is the fact that ex-FAIRPORTS man have never released a studio acoustic album of original material. Until now – or, to be precise, September 9th when “Front Parlour Ballads” will hit the stores. Note three song titles ending with question mark: good ol’ Richard’s still a philosopher.
1. Let It Blow 2. For Whose Sake? 3. Miss Patsy 4. Old Thames Side 5. How Does Your Garden Grow? 6. My Soul, My Soul 7. Cressida 8. Row, Boys, Row 9. The Boys of Mutton Street 10. Precious One 11. A Solitary Life 12. Should I Betray? 13. When We Were Boys At School |
![]() |
THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS
The last time Jerry Lee Lewis was joined in a studio by a massive stellar cast was back in 1973, during the so-called London Sessions. Yet “The Pilgrim”, the album to be out by the end of this year or in early 2006, will be a real killer from The Killer. Most of the 21 songs to be included are duets with equally legendary singers and duels with legendary guitarists. With exact tracklisting still to be confirmed, the cuts pencilled in for inclusion are:
1. Old Glory – with Toby Keith
2. I Saw Her Standing There – with Little Richard
3. Pink Cadillac – with Bruce Springsteen
4. Travelin’ Band – with John Fogerty
5. A Couple More Years – with Willie Nelson
6. The Pilgrim – with Kris Kristofferson
7. Rock And Roll – with Jimmy Page on guitar
8. Evening Gown – with Mick Jagger and Ron Wood on guitar
9. That’s What Makes An Irish Heart Sing
10. Before The Night Is Over – with B.B. King on guitar
11. Trouble In Mind – with Eric Clapton on guitar
12. What’s Made Milwaukee Famous – with Rod Stewart
13. Hadacol Boogie – with Buddy Guy on guitar
14. Lost Highway – with Delaney Bramlett
15. Honky Tonk Women – with Kid Rock and Keith Richards on guitar
16. Twilight – with Robbie Robertson
17. That Kind Of Fool
18. Sweet Little Sixteen – with Ringo Starr on drums
19. Don’t Be Ashamed Of Your Age – with George Jones
STEPPING IN THE RING AGAIN
1975 was arguably a peak year for Elton John – at least, in creative terms, as since then, he hardly came up with as stunning an album as “Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy” was, and the talk is music, not an amazing packaging that included two booklets. Thirty years on, Big El is all ready to celebrate his achievement – in two ways.
One is another re-issue of the record, on September 13th, embellished not only with bonus cuts as previous one – this time they are single tracks and their B-sides: “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds”, “One Day At A Time”, “Philadelphia Freedom” and “House Of Cards” – but also a whole bonus disc with a recording of John’s Wembley concert of June 21st, 1975. All songs of the performance where Reginald presented his new LP in its entirety are previously unreleased, as well as encores. The CD looks like this:
1. Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy 2. Tower Of Babel 3. Bitter Fingers 4. Tell Me When The Whistle Blows 5. Someone Saved My Life Tonight 6. (Gotta Get A) Meal Ticket 7. Better Off Dead 8. Writing 9. We All Fall In Love Sometimes 10. Curtains 11. Pinball Wizard 12. Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting |
As for the second way, it is that Sir Elton is going to repeat the old trick, and to include all of the “Captain Fantastic” songs in sold-out concerts on September 16th and 17th in Boston and September 21st, 23rd and 24th at Madison Square Garden. Magnifico!
THE THUNDEROUS ROLL
This might be their last album ever, but THE ROLLING STONES‘s “A Bigger Bang”, out on September 5th, threatens to be a real smash. The reports had it as Mick ‘n’ Keef worked on the songs, their first since the four tracks on 2002’s compilation "Forty Licks", together like in their halcyon days. The band’s last album, “Bridges To Babylon”, relased in 1997, didn’t disappoint, but this one should come down with a real bang – pay attention to political commentary, long-forgotten by Jagger, of “Sweet Neo Con”.
![]() |
1. Rough Justice 2. Let Me Down Slow 3. It Won’t Take Long 4. Rain Fall Down 5. Streets Of Love 6. Back Of My Hand 7. She Saw Me Coming 8. Biggest Mistake 9. This Place Is Empty 10. Oh No, Not You Again 11. Dangerous Beauty 12. Laugh, I Nearly Died 13. Sweet Neo Con 14. Look What The Cat Dragged In 15. Driving Too Fast 16. Infamy |