FIGURE OF EIGHT
It finally happened and everyone’s slightly mad! With all the expectations for the Live 8 enterprise, people have been waiting for one thing, and PINK FLOYD indeed got back, Roger Waters, if still sidelined a bit, having fun and giving a good hug to David Gilmour in the end to bring the smile to all the faces in the Hyde Park audience and all around the world. Strangely, during the band’s four-song set – “Breathe”, “Money”, “Wish You Were Here” and “Comfortably Numb” – camera men let Rick Wright less close-ups than to Rabbit Bundrick along the lines of THE WHO’s “Who Are You” / “Baba O’Riley” extravaganza. Of other surprises should be mentioned Elton John and Pete Doherty’s rendition of T. REX’s “Children Of The Revolution” and Paul McCartney’s dusting off “Helter Skelter”, while DEEP PURPLE rocking out Toronto reminded many of great ol’ times. Now, let’s wait for the DVD set.
THE BASE IS COVERED
Without much ado, one classic band are back. BABE RUTH never had the recognition they deserved, yet their debut album, 1972’s “First Base”, is highly collectable – and not only because of Roger Dean’s marvellous cover artwork. Now, lacking the guitarist Bernie Marsden whose claim to fame lay with WHITESNAKE and who’s now co-leading M3 CLASSIC WHITESNAKE, the group reunited, comprised of the original members Janita ‘Jenny’ Haan on vocals, Alan Shacklock on guitars, Dave Punshon on keyboards and Dave Hewitt on bass, and resorted to the studio to emerge with their first longplay since 1976. Stakes aren’t high yet the expectations are.
A WORD TO THE WORLD
Happy and unhappy are YES fans this year, as the veterans keep them on their toes with new releases – without even recording a new album. Sometimes something old may come as new, and here are but two examples.
July 12th is the street date for the “Yes’ Greatest Video Hits” DVD. Nothing new, surely… while many don’t know there are videos for old classics like “Madrigal” and “Into The Lens”. And then, there’s a pristine quality to the videos.
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1. Wonderous Stories 2. Don’t Kill The Whale 3. Madrigal 4. Tempus Fugit 5. Into The Lens 6. Hold On 7. Leave It 8. It Can Happen 9. Owner Of A Lonely Heart 10. Rhythm Of Love 11. Love Will Find A Way 12. I’ve Seen All Good People |
But if the aficionados have known this material for a long time and cherished it in any quality, they will undoubtedly welcome “The Word Is Live”, a three-CD box that’s out on August 23rd. Save for the opening BBC cuts, first appearing on Reviews9, the songs thereon are all previously unreleased, and though the set won’t make the fans get rid of their bootlegs, Steve Howe’s participation in archival research and mixing shows: the band care.
Disc 1:1. Then (BBC, 1970) |
Disc 2:1. Apocalypse (Detroit, 1976) |
Disc 3:1. Heart Of The Sunrise (Oakland, 1978) |
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KNOCKIN’ ON THE PEARLY GATES
The end of 1982 was the time when a band called GILLAN were approaching their end, which was unbeknownst to them then, of course. The next summer came the offer BLACK SABBATH that Ian Gillan, with the distance between him and bassist John McCoy growing, accepted and left the rest, keyboard player Colin Townes, drummer Mick Underwood and guitarist Janick Gers to their own devices. Still, on November 6th they came down the Glasgow Apollo stage with a storm, and a CD “Mutually Assured Destruction – Glasgow 1982”, out soon on Angel Air, is a convincing document of this. For additional value, the album has two bonus cuts recorded in Munich om June 29th, 1981.
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1. What’s The Matter? 2. Bluesy Blue Sea 3. Black Night 4. Trouble 5. Born To Kill 6. M.A.D. 7. Hadely Bop Bop 8. No Laughing In Heaven 9. Smoke On The Water bonuses: 10. No Easy Way 11. If You Believe Me |
SOLDIERING ON
In a studio he rocks, but it’s on-stage that Chris Farlowe fully comes alive. Sadly, there’s been not too many live records of his in the last decade, and to many the definitive one still remains COLOSSEUM’s “Live!”. To right this wrong, the great bear man comes up with “Hungary For The Blues” recorded with THE NORMAN BEAKER BAND in, of course, Hungary in June 2000 and taken to this day by way of last two tracks laid down in October 2004. Taking in mostly Farlowe’s solo hits, the purchase is essential.
| 1. I Don’t Want To Sing The Blues No More 2. Lonesome Road 3. Stormy Monday 4. All Or Nothing 5. Tough On Me, Tough On You 6. Shaky Ground 7. The Guitar Don’t Lie 8. I Think It’s Gonna Rain Today 9. Easy As That 10. Out Of Time 11. Who’s Been Sleeping In My Bed 12. Miss You Fever 13. Handbags And Gladrags 14. Rock And Roll Soldier |
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THAT’S HOW IT GOES
Was it Snowy White backing PINK FLOYD at Live 8. Seems so. Yet this kind of work is but a footnote of the great guitarist’s career which encompassed stints with THIN LIZZY and Peter Green’s combo. Experiencing solo Snowy in concert is something different, and those who isn’t able to attend his performances is person will have the possibility to pretend they can – with a DVD entiltled “The Way It Is – Live”, out on August 29th. Here’s a lotta blues, including Greeny’s and Hendrix’s, so LIZZY fans should apply carefully.
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1. No Stranger To The Blues 2. Land Of Plenty 3. What I’m Searching For 4. The Answer 5. Lucky Star 6. Little Wing 7. I Loved Another Woman 8. This Time of My Life 9. A Piece Of Your Love 10. Angel Inside You 11. Terpisah 12. Blues is the Road 13. Working Blues |
KICK THE ASS TO HEAVEN
SCORPIONS fans have been missing a good DVD from the band for quite a long time. Now, they can breathe in and then breathe out, as “Unbreakable World Tour 2004: One Night in Vienna” is that answer to their prayers – with a full live show, an hour-long documentary and some bonuses. Read the interview with Klaus Meine here.
| 1. New Generation 2. Love ’em Or Leave ’em 3. Bad Boys Running Wild 4. The Zoo 5. Deep And Dark 6. Coast To Coast 7. Holiday 8. Through My Eyes 9. Blackout 10. Blood Too Hot 11. Big City Nights 12. Still Loving You 13. Wind Of Change 14. Rock You Like A Hurricane A German Rock Legend – documentary bonus video: Remember The Good Times (live) |
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