At the BBC [Live]

Track Listings

1. My Fairy King

2. Keep Yourself Alive

3. Doin' Alright

4. Liar

5. Ogre Battle

6. Great King Rat

7. Modern Times Rock 'n' Roll

8. Son and Daughter

Tracks:

Fly Me High
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
Love and Beauty
Leave This Man Alone
Peak Hour
Nights in White Satin
Fly Me High
Twilight Time (Evening)
Dr. Livingston, I Presume
Voices in the Sky
Ride My See-Saw
Best Way to Travel
Voices in the Sky
Dr. Livingston, I Presume
Peak Hour
Tuesday Afternoon
Ride My See-Saw
Lovely to See You
Never Comes the Day
To Share Our Love
Send Me No Wine
So Deep Within You
Lovely to See You

Tracks:

Nights in White Satin
Morning: Another Morning
Ride My See-Saw
Dr. Livingston, I Presume
House of Four Doors
Voices in the Sky
Best Way to Travel
Visions of Paradise
Actor
Gypsy
Sun Set
Never Comes the Day
Are You Sitting Comfortably
Poem: The Dream
Have You Heard
Nights in White Satin
Legend of a Mind
Question

Album Details

2007 Issue at Long Last of the Transcriptions of Early Moody Blues Performances on the BBC! the Band Changed their Musical Direction in 1967 by Attempting to Create a Rock Version of Dvorak's "New World Symphony". The First Fruit of the Vision was the "Days of Future Passed" Album, One of the Most Celebrated in Rock Music (And their Discography). Followed Up by "in Search of the Lost Chord", "to Our Children's Children" and "a Question of Balance", the Band Carved a Niche in the Pop Music World that was Imitated and Emulated by Others. Like Many Other Groups of the Era, They Recorded Sessions at the BBC for Various Radio and TV Broadcasts and Those Sessions Are Presented on this Double CD Set. Cd1 Has all their Stunning Live-in-the-studio Radio Transmissions While Cd2 Includes the Audio from TV Show Tapings, Including an Appearance on "The Tom Jones Show" that was Misplaced for Many Years.

Customer Reviews:

Technical Flaws.......2007-07-04

Always nice to hear the Moodies. It's just so dissapointing to hear songs recorded ,what I would call, unprofessionally. Tracks ending abruptly. Fading in or out at the wrong places. Canned music,blended in, is not exciting. But, It's got a lot of great moments and brings back good memories. Voices aren't always great but I guess there wasn't a lot of material to choose from.

Forty-one tracks for your pleasure. Are you sitting comfortably? .......2007-06-19

As the author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" and a former radio disc-jockey, I am often asked to write and or discuss various recordings from the 60's and 70's.

They earned the title "Magnificent Moodies" early on. The assemblage of the BBC tracks only further solidifies the reward. While the double package is called "Live At The BBC 67-70" there is more! The second disc is audio from TV tapings.

If you are a collector of must have Moody Blues recordings this entered the list the second it left the factory. For those that purchased some of their material in the past it will give you another side of the band. The track listings couldn't be a better representation of the collective genius from the group. Not only are the hits and radio tracks available for your enjoyment but some of the more esoteric and underrated tunes ("Best Way To Travel", "Visions Of Paradise, and "The Actor"). "Best Way To Travel" has never received the acclaim it deserves. While previously tracks were available as a bonus on special SACD pressings, this gives it to you in the full and proper dose.

Before we check out some of their superlative versions of their own material it must be written how great the cover of the Animals hit "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" was constructed.

The back-to-back combination of "Tuesday Afternoon" and "Ride My See-Saw" offers enough exquisite beauty to enthrall the harshest critic but "Lovely To See You (With the acoustic guitar sounding as if it is in your living room) could accelerate the pulse of the most docile individual.

As you sample the choice cuts don't forget to digest the short version of "Nights In White Satin" clocking in a shade over three minutes."

Could you ever get enough versions of "Gypsy"? Its inclusion here only solidifies it's golden splendor.

Forty-one tracks for your pleasure. Are you sitting comfortably?

Enjoy the music and be well,
Craig Fenton
Author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent"

Good Sounding Moody Blues Stuff!!.......2007-06-12

I was waiting for this 2 cd set to come out for a long, long, time. The sound is pretty good and the song selection is excellent for the time it was recorded. At least on this BBC recording, unlike other BBC live recordings, it doe not have an announcer before each song with on occasion, a one question interview with a band member. I find that part unnecessary and am glad its not on this set. The only problem I have with this set is the editing. Moody Blues songs usually have great endings to their songs but on this release the endings are cut off and an audience applause in put in rather bluntly at times which cheapens the recordings. The sound is great for a BBC live set-average stereo but the songs seem cut off and shortened in places--- I guess to save room for other songs. This results in the whole song version not heard at times. That is probably the only thing wrong with this 2 cd set. It ought to be re-edited and the songs presented the way they were played--take out a few if you have to but lets keep the original song in. Despite this problem, I recommend this set highly. Do not let it get away. Enjoy Moody fans!!!!!!!!!! Good linear notes and pictures also.

Historic stuff.......2007-06-01

If you have the new SACD special editions of the "core 7" original albums you've already heard most of these tracks. They were added as "special material" to those releases. However, as the other poster mentioned if you didn't want to spring the big money for albums you already own here they are, collected on two discs. The quality is no great shakes for the most part - mostly mid-range and brittle highs, but these date from over thirty years ago, and for radio to boot. The performances in many cases are a bit suspect as well; in some cases the instrumental sections sound identical to the studio versions with live vocals added. I think the Moodies did occasionally do this, considering how dense their studio recordings were it's no wonder. Other tracks however are totally live . . . they're ragged compared to the studio counterparts but have a wonderful energy that makes them a treasure on their own terms.

The studio albums are definitely the best way to acquaint one's self with these songs if you haven't already, but for the hardcore fan this is a very worthwhile release to add to the library.

A Christmas Gift Long Overdue!.......2007-05-26

Just as I was about to post a scathing review criticising the way the BBC material was spread out among the new deluxe editions, I saw this upcoming release and smiled. It's like waking up one morning and finding a gift from some Christmas long ago that you knew was there but couldn't find. For years I have been wondering why the Moodies haven't released their BBC sessions like artists such as Hendrix, Cream, Jack Bruce, The Who, The Beatles, Zeppelin, and even Kaleidoscope have done. Then I saw that they were releasing the material but you have to buy the original albums (which most of us have done more than once)again to get it all. Finally, in one complete volume, is everything that was salvaged from the vaults. It's like the Moodies reunited completely, jumped in a time machine, and made a new album for a new millenium. I am giddy in expectation of this collection!

Average customer rating:

The Beatles Live & Covering those who Inspired them
LOS AÑOS DE LA BEATLEMANIA PURA!!!
"I Don't Want To Spoil The Party" so I bought this twice
forgettable
"What about my book?!"

Live at the BBC
The Beatles
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Live Albums | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Rockabilly | Oldies & Retro | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music

British Invasion | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Supergroups | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

General | Live Albums | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Anthology 1
Anthology 2
Anthology 3
Beatles for Sale
With the Beatles

ASIN: B000007MVD
Release Date: 2001-06-05

Tracks:

Beatle Greetings [Speech] - The Beatles, Tony Hall
From Us to You [#]
Riding on a Bus [Speech] - The Beatles, Brian Matthew
I Got a Woman [#]
Too Much Monkey Business [#]
Keep Your Hands off My Baby [#]
I'll Be on My Way [#]
Young Blood [#]
Shot of Rhythm and Blues [#]
Sure to Fall (In Love With You) [#]
Some Other Guy [#]
Thank You Girl
Sha la la la La! [Speech]
Baby It's You
That's All Right (Mama) [#]
Carol [#]
Soldier of Love (Lay Down Your Arms) [#]
Little Rhyme [Speech] - The Beatles,
Clarabella [#]
I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You) [#]
Crying, Waiting, Hoping [#]
Dear Wack! [Speech] - The Beatles, Brian Matthew
You Really Got a Hold on Me
To Know Her Is to Love Her [#]
Taste of Honey
Long Tall Sally
I Saw Her Standing There
Honeymoon Song [#]
Johnny B. Goode [#]
Memphis [#]
Lucille [#]
Can't Buy Me Love
From Fluff to You [Speech]
Till There Was You

Tracks:

Crinsk Dee Night [Speech]
Hard Day's Night
Have a Banana! [Speech]
I Wanna Be Your Man
Just a Rumor [Speech] - The Beatles, Alan Freeman
Roll over Beethoven
All My Loving
Things We Said Today
She's a Woman
Sweet Little Sixteen [#]
1822! [Speech]
Lonesome Tears in My Eyes [#]
Nothin' Shakin' (But the Leaves on the Trees) [#]
Hippy Hippy Shake [#]
Glad All Over [#]
I Just Don't Understand [#]
So How Come (No One Loves Me) [#]
I Feel Fine
I'm a Loser
Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby
Rock & Roll Music
Ticket to Ride
Dizzy Miss Lizzy
Medley: Kansas City/Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
Set Fire to That Lot! [Speech] - The Beatles,
Matchbox
I Forgot to Remember to Forget [#]
Love These Goon Shows! [Speech]
I Got to Find My Baby [#]
Ooh! My Soul [#]
Ooh! My Arms [Speech]
Don't Ever Change [#]
Slow Down
Honey Don't [#]
Love Me Do

Amazon.com

The surviving members of the Fab Four spent much of the 1990s belatedly reuniting to document, promote, and occasionally awkwardly burnish their unparalleled pop music legacy. This double-disc anthology of live-in-the-studio performances originally recorded specifically for the BBC during the most frantic years of early Beatlemania was the first chapter in that effort and the first issuance of previously unreleased Beatles recordings since the late '70s. In many ways, it remains the most artistically revealing. Capturing them at their early '60s live-performance peak, these recordings pay homage to both the band's eclectic musical influences (including Chuck Berry, Phil Spector, Little Richard, Carl Perkins, Ray Charles, Elvis Presley, Larry Williams, the Coasters, and the Shirelles), and to the enthusiastic and generous sense of musical discovery and the pop proselytizing that accompanied them. A number of the Fabs' own '62-'65 singles and album tracks are also featured, but they mostly take a back seat to the generous collection of previously unreleased cover songs included here. The band's brisk, often irreverent sense of humor also comes to fore in the intros, interviews, and between-song banter. An indispensable part of any true Beatlemaniac's collection and a superb introduction to the roots of a musical legend. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

The Beatles Live & Covering those who Inspired them.......2007-07-13

I grew up in the 80s and my family used to always play The Beatles, especially during the Holidays.
They were the first Rock band I have ever appreciated.
And I have many memories, spending Christmas w/ family, eating turkey, etc.
Throughout my teens I collected all The Beatles' studio albums on vinyl and Cd.
I knew much of the pop Music that was out during the 90s has borrowed from the Best.
Until recently I have never owned anything Live by The Beatles. I just recently bought 'Live at the BBC' and enjoyed it from start to finish. 69 tracks in all. Includes some 'talk' tracks and silliness.
Normally I don't care for cover songs, but The Beatles do make these 50s classics sound as if they were their own.
They cover influences like Buddy Holly, Carl Perkins, Elvis, Little Richard and Chuck Berry. I do enjoy hearing these covers and the Fab Fours originals(many unreleased) together on this set.
At this point in 1962, I don't think many in the Audiense knew that the Beatles would become one of the Greatest Rock n Roll bands of All time.
- This 2 disc set really captures The Beatles at their youngest and up-beat, just creating their sound that was to come- on 'Rubber Soul' and so on.. ~4 1/2 stars~

LOS AÑOS DE LA BEATLEMANIA PURA!!!.......2007-06-23

un disco cuyo hallazgo se podria comparar al de la tumba del rey TUTANKAMON en egipto; los Beatles en su major y mas esplendorosa época, donde se nos presentan cuatro jóvenes veinteañeros completamente sencillos, alegres, despreocupados y llenos de vida para dar lo mejor a su público; un album lleno de JOYAS PERDIDAS y deliciosas como I'LL BE ON MY WAY (compuesta por John y Paul y ¡¡no esta en ningun album de los Beatles!!!), asi como la preciosa balada THE HONEYMOON SONG (Paul es sencillamente fantastico); un disco lleno de clásicos del Rock and Roll como YOUNG BLOOD, CLARABELLA, SOLDIER OF LOVE y SHE AIN'T SHAKIN; algunas piezas de Elvis Presley como I'M GONNA SIT RIGHT DOWN AND CRY, I GOT A WOMAN y TOO MUCH MONKEY BUSINESS (muy buenas versiones, por cierto) y lindas baladas como DON'T EVER CHANGE, CRYING WAITING HOPING y TO KNOW HER IS TO LOVE HER; todas estas nunca antes realizadas o editadas en disco (¡¡¡IMPRESCINDIBLE PARA BEATLEMANIACOS!!!); todas estas joyas escondidas alternadas con versiones en vivo de éxitos Beatles como I SAW HER STANDING THERE, THINGS WE SAID TODAY, LOVE ME DO, A HARD DAY'S NIGHT, THANK YOU GIRL y SHE'S A WOMAN; incluso una version de HONEY DON'T donde no es Ringo (como en el disco "beatles for sale"), sino john quien hace la voz solista; UN VERDADERO HALLAZGO ARQUEOLOGICO EN LA MUSICA!!!

"I Don't Want To Spoil The Party" so I bought this twice.......2007-06-18

As the author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" and a former radio disc-jockey, I am often asked to write and or discuss various recordings from the 60's and 70's.

Doesn't it seem unfathomable that a band in their own stratosphere like the Beatles could have any releases that are underrated? The truth is there are many that aren't aware of the pure brilliance of the "BBC" and "Hamburg Germany" CD's.

It doesn't get much better than the opportunity to hear not only the plethora of songs included on the double disc but the diversity of the material. Do we take the Beatles for granted? There are times. If you listen to the music straight through it is easy to see why you may have a new appreciation for their collective genius. If you study what they were doing in 1962 compared to any other releases, it didn't take a special ear to comprehend great things were already here and a new level of honor would soon be created.

The Beatles could take a cover tune and make you think it was there own. They could mesmerize you with a ballad one moment and rock the house the next. That is what the "BBC" selections are all about.

Don't let any mention of some of the tracks sounding rough stray your course. It adds to the charm, as if you are hearing it way back when!

"Roll Over Beethoven" followed by "All My Loving." One of the many pleasurable aspects of the listening journey are the wonderful renditions of songs they didn't put on the released studio recordings these include but are not limited to the next five songs mentioned: "Shot of Rhythm and Blues" and "Some Other Guy" sound delectable through your speakers. "Carol", Johnny B. Goode", and "Memphis" couldn't sound any grander if they did it 100 more times.

When the Beatles paid homage to Chuck Berry and Little Richard and their other rhythm and blues heroes, they didn't cheat their own core of fans with the end results.

Interspersed throughout the festivities are the tunes Lennon and McCartney penned. If you want to soak up different arrangements of a myriad of songs you already know and love, it's as easy as clicking and buying.

John and George we miss you!

Enjoy the music and be well,
Craig Fenton
Author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent"

forgettable.......2006-10-11

This double album really passes me by, as a bit dull. I can find one really good rare track, written by Macca, 'I'll be on my way', that is the only original that is not on another album, this should have been polished and put on the album that is closest to it, time period wise.
The rest is forgettable, although I do remember a good cover of 'the honeymoon song'.

"What about my book?!".......2006-07-14

This CD should settle once and for all that the Beatles were fine performers live. It would be hard to prove that on copies of broadcasts from Shea Stadium and the Hollywood Bowl. With the exception of one obvious edit on "Hard Day's Night" (though to rectify it, they play the ending fadeout riff ad nauseum at the end of the song "Here's proving that they're playing live!" says the BBC emcee), this is the Beatles live (and usually without the fanfare of screaming teenage fans).

From 1962 to 1965, the Beatles performed live on the BBC featuring not only their own songs but other popular songs from other artists (Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Carl Perkins, Ray Charles and Buddy Holly, to name a few). There's even a few out of the ordinary songs included, like Ann Margaret's "I Just Don't Understand" (sung by John) and "The Honeymoon Song" (sung by Paul).

This is the Beatles at their most fun (and it sounds like they're indeed having fun!). Featured on this CD are are many songs never before released on LP or CD, like "Please Don't Change a Thing" and "Nothin' Shakin' (But the Leaves on the Trees" (both sung by George), "Double Shot of Rhythm and Blues," "I Got a Woman" (sung by John), "Lucille" (sung by Paul, why did that DJ have to pipe in on the instrumental introduction?), "Johnny B Goode" and "Carol" (both sung by John), "Hippy Hippy Shake" (sung by Paul), "Some Other Guy" (it's hard to believe that though this is featured in both The Compleat Beatles and The Beatles Anthology, this is the only version to surface on CD, bootlegs notwithstanding), "Young Blood" (sung by George), "Ooh, My Soul" and "Clarabella" (both sung by Paul, the latter featuring harmonica by John), "To Know Her Is to Love Her," "So How Come (No One Loves Me)," "Sure to Fall" (lead by Paul with harmonies from John and George), "Keep Your Hands Off My Baby" and "Got to Find My Baby" (both sung by John), "That's Alright Mama" (sung by Paul) "Sweet Little Sixteen" and "Lonesome Tears In My Eyes" (both sung by John) and the only Lennon/McCartney song never before released (at least aired on the BBC) "I'll Be On My Way." This song was given to Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas after they had written it.

Of course, there's the alternative version of "From Me to You" (retitled "From Us to You") at the beginning and there's also also notable versions of "Baby It's You" (with a jazzy coda, rather than the fadeout on Please Please Me), "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby" (with no echo reverb on George's vocal) and "Honey Don't" with John on vocals rather than Ringo), "I Saw Her Standing There," "Dizzy Miss Lizzy," "She's a Woman," "Things We Said Today," "Love Me Do" (with Ringo on drums), "I Wanna Be Your Man," "Rock and Roll Music," "Can't Buy Me Love" and "Till There Was You."

There are no recordings from 1962 featured here but I had read no quality recordings existed. Also included are short interviews with the Fab Four. Paul gives a rare serious answer as to what the Beatles miss in the midst of all the fame and fortune, John is the most jovial ("No, I play harp on this song! I play harmonica on 'Love Me Do'!"), Ringo gets a banana thrown at him ("'Ere, Ringo, have a banana"), George is wry as he introduces "Roll Over Beethoven" as a song that goes back to 1822 and at the beginning of Disk 1, each of the Beatles introduces themselves ("I'm Ringo and I play the drums" "I'm Paul and I play a bass" "I'm George and I play the guitar" "I'm John and I, too, play a guitar. Sometimes, I play the fool!"). Mark Lewishon provides some insightful liner notes and we learn that "Ticket to Ride" was one of the last songs the Beatles performed on the BBC. It doesn't include all the songs they performed on the BBC, since there was a CD single featuring 3 other songs from the BBC sessions not included here (also worth getting and probably even harder to find). Nevertheless, if you're a serious fan of the Beatles and this is not in your collection, this would be a worthy purchase.

John Adams: The Dharma at Big Sur/My Father Knew Charles Ives

Average customer rating:

A mixed bag
beautiful
Breakfast cereal vs. real accomplishment
Fantastic
Adams gets his groove back...

John Adams: The Dharma at Big Sur/My Father Knew Charles Ives

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Peter Lieberson: Neruda Songs
Philip Glass : The Voyage: An Opera in Three Acts
Osvaldo Golijov: Ainadamar
Music of Peter Lieberson: Rilke Songs, The Six Realms, Horn Concerto
Steve Reich: Phases

ASIN: B000HRMDT2
Release Date: 2006-09-26

Tracks:

The Dharma At Big Sur: II. Sri Moonshine

Tracks:

My Father Knew Charles Ives: I. Concord
My Father Knew Charles Ives: II. The Lake
My Father Knew Charles Ives: III. The Mountain

Amazon.com

This is a splendid addition to the Adams discography, one that follows him from New England to California. Dharma at Big Sur is a concerto for electric violin. It begins by evoking the West's sun and easy living, but this is more than a musical piece of nature-painting. It rambles ambiently for a while before landing in an Indian raga, jazzy mode and ends with a type of heavenly good-naturedness. The electric violin is played by Tracy Silverman; a sixth string allows for the sonorous tones of the cello. The other work, presented on a second CD (so as to avoid culture shock?) is My Father knew Charles Ives, which, while apparently untrue, lets us know that Ives's New England sound and his wacky one-on-top-of-the-other methods will be found here, and, indeed, they are. It pays homage to some of Ives's music (the trumpet from his "The Unanswered Question" is clear here), but more than that, in its various sections ("The Lake;" "The Mountain") it evokes the nature of New England as picturesquely as Ives does, and parallels Adams's California in Dharma A pair of fascinating works, at times a bit thorny, but well worth it. --Robert Levine

Album Description

Featuring two highly-acclaimed commissioned orchestral works, The Dharma At Big Sur and My Father Knew Charles Ives, performed by the BBC Sumphony with Adams himself conducting. While panoramic in scope, these multi-part pieces are also deeply personal in nature. Described as "autobiographical sound memories" by the BBC, they evoke the well-traveled American composer's east coast/west coast life and wide-ranging musical education.

Customer Reviews:

A mixed bag.......2007-07-02

I found this set a mixed bag. The first work - "The Dharma at Big Sur" - is a bit disappointing save for the massive ending, which is admittedly mind-blowing. The opening movement is a wash, a verrrrry long recitative-like statement for the soloist over some interesting harmonies, but all seeming almost like a too-long introduction to the second movement.

"My Father Knew Charles Ives", on the other hand, is quite a great piece. Attempts in American music have been made to be "like Ives" - incorporating twisted quotes of popular song, hymns, etc. at varying tempos and in varying keys - with extremely varying success. Most fail - Adams here reigns supreme. I like the fact that the piece brings back some of the insanity of the "Chamber Symphony", includes overwhelming climactic moments like "Naive and Sentimental Music" or the Violin Concerto, but also breaks new ground. This is clearly post-post-minimalist music from Adams and is exciting to hear.

The performances and recorded sound are universally excellent, with wide dynamic range and excellent clarity throughout the orchestra in both works. The soloist in Dharma is tastefully spotlit.

One drawback is that 2 CDs for these two pieces without some other filler material is a waste. We could certainly have used new recordings of some older (or even recent) Adams work to set these two in relief.

beautiful.......2007-03-09

I'm a pianist and i find The Dharma at Big Sur to be one of the most beautiful pieces i've ever heard. The Ives piece is good, but i'm not too crazy about it.

Breakfast cereal vs. real accomplishment.......2007-01-08

I don't think John Adams should be canonized so early. The idiom he's chosen to write in, tonal minimalism, has now survived long enough to show up early critics who accused it of repetitiveness, sterility, and kitsch. But the shadows of banality linger far too often over Adams and Glass, the most popular minimalists commercially speaking. I have no allegiance to atonality or the advanced modernism of, say, Ligeti and Lutoslawski, but on the other hand, I don't want chewable breakfast cereal that goes down easy and leaves a few minutes of sugqary aftertaste.

To my ears, the two works here are quite different in quality. Adams's concerto for electric violin, Dharma at Big Sur, sounds like musical wallpaper, its easy-to-swallow mellowness bordering on junk. My Father Knew Charles Ives, however, is an honest attempt to assimilate Ives, himself an expert in collage, into an updated collage. What's the point of a collage of a collage? On the surface it's a silly enterprise, a bit like cutting a Cubist painting up into small squares. But Adams displays great ingenuity throughout, and I'd say that he's hitting a note somewhat higher than John Corigliano, for example, with some prospects that this coloful, varied work will not date as badly as Corigliano's has. The full resources of a large orchestra are used, and the patchwork includes many Ivesian elements--marches, patriotic songs, mysterious faraway atmospherics--that still work in this reworking. Certainly there's no doubt that Adams has matured into a master of what he wants to accomplish, and if my ears tell me that one piece is piffle while the other is memorable, future audiences and critics will be the judge.

Fantastic.......2007-01-03

John Adams never ceases to amaze and this latest release is as good as they come. "Dharma," a concerto for electric violin and orchestra, is extraordinary: full of colorful, brilliantly inventive orchestrations, soaring melodies, and rich harmonic contours, it is a grand and glorious bear-hug of a score. Tracy Silverman is the dazzling soloist. "My Father Knew Charles Ives" is equally magnificent and rather more personal. References to Ives abound, but you don't necessarily need to be familiar with his output to appreciate Adams's; of special note should be the haunting second movement and the beautiful (surprising) coda of the third.

Adams gets his groove back..........2006-12-21

My Father Knew... is little more than a skillful if somewhat bland symphonic Ives pastiche, but John Adams sort of gets his groove back in The Dharma At Big Sur -- a rhapsodic, rambling, and rather trippy fantasia for electric violin and orchestra. It's not very polished and it's actually a little tacky... and that's exactly what's great about it. (Hey, why on Earth did Nonesuch release less than an hour of music as a two CD set? tsk-tsk...)

Average customer rating:

It's all here
Radio Fairport
Very Convenient Set If Not Absolutely Essential

Live at the BBC
Fairport Convention
Manufacturer: Umvd Import
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

British Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Live Albums | Folk | Styles | Music

Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Folk | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

The Time Has Come
Sweet Warrior
Last Flight
Sweeping Up the Spotlight: Jefferson Airplane Live at the Fillmore East 1969
White Bicycles: Making Music in the 1960s

ASIN: B000NA2UAU
Release Date: 2007-04-16

Tracks:

Close the Door Lightly When You Go
I Don't Know Where I Stand
Some Sweet Day
You Never Wanted Me
Nottamun Town
Marcie
Night in the City
Jack O' Diamonds
Gone, Gone, Gone
Suzanne
If It Feels Good, You Know It Can't Be Wrong
Eastern Rain
Fotheringay
I Still Miss Someone
Bird on a Wire
Tried So Hard
Reno Nevada
Book Song
Who Knows Where the Time Goes?

Tracks:

You're Gonna Need My Help
Fotheringay
Shattering Live Experience
Cajun Woman
Autopsy
Si Tu Dois Partir
Percy's Song
Reynardine
Tam Lin
Sir Patrick Spens
Medley: The Lark in the Morning/Rakish Paddy/Foxhunter's Jig/Toss the F
Lady Is a Tramp
Walk Awhile
Poor Will and the Jolly Hangman
Doctor of Physick

Tracks:

Sir Patrick Spens
Bonny Bunch of Roses
Dirty Linen (Jigs and Reels)
Now Be Thankful
Journeyman's Grace
Now Be Thankful
Tokyo
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
Possibly Parsons Green
Rosie
John the Gun
Fiddlestix
Rising for the Moon
Down in the Flood

Tracks:

Let's Get Together
One Sure Thing
Lay Down Your Weary Tune
Chelsea Morning
Violets of Dawn
If (Stomp)
Time Will Show the Wiser
If I Had a Ribbon Bow
Meet on the Ledge
Light My Fire
Flatback Caper
Open the Door Richard
Deserter
Hangman's Reel
Tam Lin
Sir William Gower
Banks of the Sweet Primroses
Sickness and Diseases
Bridge Over the River Ash
Lord Marlborough
Angel Delight

Album Description

2007 four CD box set that includes all of the British Folk legends' surviving BBC radio recordings, which were taped between 1967 and 1974. It was thought, until recently, that very few of these recordings from this time remained in the BBC's archive, but a few years ago a box was discovered on a shelf at the BBC. It is a marvelous addition to the Fairport collection and is timed to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the formation of the band The Fairports, the single best British Folk-Rock band of the late '60s, did more than any other act to develop a truly British variation on the Folk-Rock prototype by drawing upon traditional material and styles indigenous to the British Isles. While the revved-up renditions of traditional British Folk tunes drew the most critical attention, the group were also talented songwriters as well as interpreters. They were comfortable with conventional harmony-based Folk-Rock as well as tunes that drew upon more explicitly traditional sources and they boasted some of the best singers and instrumentalists of the day. 69 tracks. Universal. 2007

Customer Reviews:

It's all here.......2007-05-08

Finally. After years of speculation Island finally amassed all of the surviving Fairport Convention BBC sessions in the handsome 4cd box set. This is basically an expanded version of the "Heyday" CD from years ago which was expanded from the original "Heyday" on Joe Boyd's Hannibal records. That entire expanded "Heyday" is here and a lot more. There is even a disc of off air recordings with Judy Dyble in vocal chair from 1967 and recordings from the "Liege and Leaf " post Sandy Denny and Richard Thompson period also. Also included is a history of the group and the sessions. I have to admit it is on the pricey side but to get the clearances and the amount of research and assistance from fans it's expected but worth it and it makes a nice gift to.

Radio Fairport.......2007-04-25

In 1987 the Original "Heyday" was Released on Joe Boyd's Hannibal Records. Culled from BBC Radio Sessions from 1968-69, this was the Sandy Denny/Ian Matthews Version of Fairport Convention when they were known as "England's Jefferson Airplane". That Title was not a Put-Down against Fairport or The Airplane but a way to Explain this Presentation of American Music by these Fantastic English Musicians. The Songs on "Heyday" were not Featured on their early Records but the were staples of the Concerts of 1967-69. Showing another side of this Band "Heyday" featured such writers as Bob Dylan, Eric Anderson, Joni Mitchell, Richard Farina and Leonard Cohan that the British Folks ( With the exception of Dylan ) hadn't heard on their Shores Before.

In 2002 "Heyday" was Re-released and expanded to 20 tracks and Remastered to include some "Liege and Lief" material. Bootlegs were released (all two of them) of even more BBC recordings that featured Tunes from 1970-1974. It was reported that more BBC shows were out there... but, it still a shock to see a Four CD Box set available in 2007 with all this Music (69 TRACKS)!!!

Firstly all of the Expanded "Heyday" is included here, but there is so much more: a December 67 Session with Judy Dyble, the "Full House" band Live featuring the Fire of Thompson & Swarb, through to the 73-74 Sessions of the "NIne" and "Rising" Lineups. There are a lot's of Rare tracks: "Marcie", "Night in the City", "You're Gonna Need My Help", "Violets of Dawn". "The Lady is a Tramp" & "Light My Fire" that were Highlights of the Bootleg Releases.

The Sound Quality gets Rough in spots, but it still holds up because of the Wealth of Great Music presented here. This is not the Place to start if you are new to the Music of Fairport Convention, But for me I do feel Lucky to own this Amazing Little BBC boxset of Fab, Fairport Live Music...FOUR STARS~!!!

Very Convenient Set If Not Absolutely Essential.......2007-04-24

This is a very convenient set. 4 CD's which have all the group BBC Sessions in one place. If there's a problem, it's that there isn't that much that's new for veteran fans. And of course Sandy Denny isn't on several tracks, which may discourage some. The '02 official release of 'Extended Heyday' filled many of the 'Sandy' needs for BBC Fairport stuff. Still though, the inclusion of a few new ones like the fine arrangement of Joni Mitchell's "Marcie," or oddity like Richard Thompson's fun lead on (of all things!) "The Lady is a Tramp," or the many early ones one Disc 4 are nice to see. The sound IS excellent, and notes are interesting in talking about how the recordings were made: great stuff despite (or perhaps even because of) little rehearsal time and cramped quarters. Very good IMO, if perhaps not totally essential, especially if you have all their '68-'75 material and some of the fairly available boots.

Average customer rating:

Housemartins Prove to be Great Live and "Live" In Studio

Live at the BBC
The Housemartins
Manufacturer: Umvd Import
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Jangle Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

BBC Sessions
Superbi
BBC in Session
Gold
The Best of the Housemartins

ASIN: B000HIVGUI
Release Date: 2006-10-09

Tracks:

Drop Down Dead
Flag Day
Stand at Ease
Reverend's Revenge
Shelter
People Get Ready
Over There
Caravan of Love
Happy Hour
Heaven Help Us All
Pickin' the Blues (John Peel Theme Tune)
Mercy
So Glad
He Brough Me Out
Sunday Isn't Sunday
Build
We're Not Deep
Me and the Farmer
People Who Grinned Themselves to Death
Light Is Always Green
Wortld's on Fire
We're Not Going Back
Johannesburg
Five Get Over Excited

Album Details

The Housemartins (Fourth Best Band in Hull) were Regular Vistors to the BBC'S Maida Vale Studios, Recording Seven Sessions as Well as Having their Glastonbury and Nottingham Concerts Broadcast. This Album was Compiled by Band Member Stan Cullimore and is a Wonderful Retrospective of their Time at the Beeb. This Album Includes Most of the Material Recorded for the BBC from the Beginning, Up Until the End of the Band's Brief but Brilliant Career. It's a Superb Snapshot of a Group of Artists Doing What They Do Best with a Minimum of Fuss. This is the First Time that Most of These Recordings have Been Available, and for Many Die Hard Fans, It's the Missing Piece of the Puzzle. There Are Songs Here that Never Made it Onto Record Or CD, as Well as a Generous Chunk of a Classic 1987 Live Set Recorded in Nottingham, and a Couple of Numbers from their Near Legendary Glastonbury Performance of 1986.

Customer Reviews:

Housemartins Prove to be Great Live and "Live" In Studio .......2007-03-03

The Housemartins, one of the most popular Indie Band from 1985-1986 with sounds comparible to early Smiths, Aztc Camera and folky Billy Bragg with a political message in the lyrics. This Album displays their ability to perform Live as well as richly layer live acapella. Many new versions never heard before include on the LP. A must for all Beautiful South fans, Paul Heaton fans alike. First timers start with Best of... or London 0 Hull 4. Throughout the album Paul Heaton shows off his great pipes and bravado, the band holds up well. "Caravan" is the Best Leftist Gospel you'll ever hear.

Average customer rating:

Tony Blair's Favorite Band***....
Captures Free in their uncontrolled glory
Hit and Miss for Free

Live at the BBC
Free
Manufacturer: Umvd Import
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Blues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Forever
Forever [Region 2]
Live in Glasgow
Live at the Fillmore East
Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton

ASIN: B000H5UKFI
Release Date: 2006-10-09

Tracks:

Waiting on You
Sugar for Mr Morrision
I'm a Mover
Over the Green Hills
Songs of Yesterday
Broad Daylight
Woman [In Session]
I'll Be Creepin'
Trouble on Double Time
Mouthful of Grass
All Right Now [In Session]
Fire and Water
Be My Friend [In Session][Take]
Be My Friend [In Session][Take]
Ride on a Pony [In Session][Take]
Ride on a Pony [In Session][Take]
Ride on a Pony [In Session][Take]
Ride on a Pony [In Session][Take]
Ride on a Pony [In Session][Take]
Get Where I Belong

Tracks:

Hunter
Woman [In Concert]
Free Me
Remember
Fire and Water
Be My Friend [In Concert]
Ride on a Pony [In Concert]
Mr Big
Don't Say You Love Me
Woman [In Concert]
All Right Now [In Concert]

Album Details

From their Very First Session in 1968 (Astonishingly, Recorded Just Days after Bass Play Andy Fraser's 16th Birthday) Through to their Last Official Recording for the Beeb, 'in Concert' for John Peel in July 1970, this Compilation Captures the Rise of One of the UK'S Most Talented Blues / Rock Bands. While Some of the Material Has Surfaced as Bonus Material on Reissues, the Bulk of it Has Never Before Been Available; 'sugar for Mr Morrision', 'woman', 'i'll Be Creepin'' 'trouble on Double Time' and 'mouthful of Grass' in Session Tracks and Both the in Concert Performances Are Officially Released Here for the First Time. The December 1969 Session for Top Gear Never Even Made it to Bootleg, It's a Gem of a Find that Turned Up Relatively Recently in Paul Kossoff's Private Archive.

Customer Reviews:

Tony Blair's Favorite Band***...........2007-01-02

...which, if nothing else, probably is an indication that Blair DID inhale in college. Too bad he couldn't have been Bush's roommate. He could have put the needle down on "Mouthful of Grass" and mellowed George W. right out..

This cd seems a bit late arriving in more ways than one, but it's a nice reminder of what an underrated group Free was---tignt as the sheets on a Marine's bed, but always a great prescription for tension reduction.

Disc One is the real winner here. Disc Two is about as useful as wisdom teeth. They could just as well have put "Free Live" into the package and provided some indication of what the group really sounded like live. Disc Two is worth about one star. Since it's so poorly recorded, it's just extra baggage.

But Disc One has the goods. There's plenty of material from the second studio album, simply titled "Free", which was full of great stuff... "Woman" , "I'll Be Creepin'", &"Trouble on Double Time" are as good as anything Free ever recorded. "Mouthful of Grass" is so pastorally laid back that it nearly sounds like Fairport Convention. "Over the Green Hills" is Rodgers purest sounding vocal.

The rhythm section of Kirke and Fraser shines throughout, and of course Kossoff is well...Kossoff. Nobody approaches him as a string bender except for possibly Robin Trower--who late in the 70's was at times blatantly copying the Free sound... (check out Trower's "Road to Freedom" and "River" if you don't believe it.)
Everybody knows that Lynyrd Skynyrd borrowed heavily from Free, and so many vocalists imitated Paul Rogers that it isn't funny.

In conclusion: despite the weak second disk, this is worth purchasing. If you don't believe me, ask the PM.

*** Free is Blair's favorite band according to "Mojo" magazine, anyway. He was born in '53, so it kind of makes sense. He would have been 17 when "All Right Now" came out.

Captures Free in their uncontrolled glory.......2006-12-28

The reviewer who criticized the sound quality of Disk 2 is not wrong. It sounds like it was taken from a small home recorder in the back of the hall. However, for Free fans, Kossoff's frenzied, nearly out of control, playing on their rave-up "The Hunter" is worth the second rate audio. I am very glad they included it and very pleased with the rest of the collection - after I adjusted to the sound quality. If you want great audio and a super introduction to this great and unique band, get the two CD best of collection, Molten Gold. Perhaps we would agree that is for fans and collectors only.

Hit and Miss for Free.......2006-12-13

This 2cd set is kind of disappointing. The 1st CD has good sound -it is somewhat stereo and contains alternate cuts of Free but none come from their last 3 albums. The 2nd CD is very disappointing. It is a live recording which sounds like a bad bootleg. The sound is muffled in a lot of places and hard to hear clearly. They should have left this one out. There is even the sound of a phone ringing or a alarm in the background on a couple of the cuts. Free fans--just get this for the 1st cd--the other is very very bad. Where are the cuts from the last lineup of Free--are they out there-Hearbreaker, Catch a Train etc?

Bowie at the Beeb: The Best of the BBC Radio Sessions

Average customer rating:

More essential than you might think....
The best of early bowie in one inspiring collections
CHANGESBEEBOWIE
A sprawling triple CD effort
CD 2 still the best, but CD3 doesn't disappoint/Bowie Rocks!

Bowie at the Beeb: The Best of the BBC Radio Sessions
David Bowie
Manufacturer: Virgin Records Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Proto Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Live Albums | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Blue-Eyed Soul | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Glam | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

General | Live Albums | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Box Sets | Stores | Music

General | Pop | Box Sets | Stores | Music

General | Rock | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Hard Rock & Heavy Metal | Rock | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Classic Rock | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Tin Machine II
Black Tie White Noise
David Bowie
Scary Monsters
The Man Who Sold the World

ASIN: B00004Y7WV
Release Date: 2000-09-26

Tracks:

In The Heat Of The Morning
London Bye Ta Ta
Karma Man
Silly Boy Blue
Let Me Sleep Beside You
Janine
Amsterdam
God Knows I'm Good
The Width Of A Circle
Unwashed And Somewhat Slightly Dazed
Cygnet Committee
Memory Of A Free Festival
Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud
Bombers
Looking For A Friend
Almost Grown
Kooks
It Ain't Easy

Tracks:

The Supermen
Eight Line Poem
Hang On To Yourself
Ziggy Stardust
Queen Bitch
Waiting For The Man
Five Years
White Light/White Heat
Moonage Daydream
Hang On To Yourself
Suffragette City
Ziggy Stardust
Starman
Space Oddity
Changes
Oh! You Pretty Things
Andy Warhol
Lady Stardust
Rock 'N' Roll Suicide

Tracks:

Wild Is The Wind
Ashes To Ashes
Seven
This Is Not America
Absolute Beginners
Always Crashing In The Same Car
Survive
Little Wonder
Man Who Sold The World
Fame
Stay
Hallo Spaceboy
Cracked Actor
I'm Afraid Of Americans
Let's Dance

Amazon.com

Comprehensiveness isn't always a virtue, as this three-CD set proves. It gathers together everything David Bowie recorded for the BBC between the years referenced in its title, plus a third disc taken from a June 2000 London concert for the famed British radio broadcasting company. Head first to disc two, which focuses on Bowie's in-studio recreations of material from Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust, and marvel at the glam-rockabilly heat generated by Bowie's Spiders from Mars band. By comparison, the other two discs are a disappointment. The first reveals a musical chameleon uncomfortably changing his spots, from music-hall entertainer to free-festival folkie to sub-Dylan sage. The third and final disc betrays a different problem. By 2000, Bowie had calcified into a very slick entertainer. His performances here, particularly of later material such as "I'm Afraid of Americans" and "This Is Not America," are technically fine but a little bloodless--disappointingly human instead of wonderfully alien. --Keith Moerer

Customer Reviews:

More essential than you might think...........2005-11-05

`Beeb' is a British affectation for the BBC, the state-run media which plans (or planned) all television and radio for Great Britain. Bowie was around when the BBC was implementing its 4-station radio broadcasting, and he became one of the first guests in early 1968. BBC rules were strange and archaic by American standards, insisting that pre-recorded music represent only a fraction of airtime, the point being that this would provide employment for professional musicians. So it was that David Bowie appeared with a crew of musicians to perform his songs live a number of times over a four-year period.
I'm a very big fan of Bowie's early work (reference my review of Images 1966-1967 if you're interested), but the earliest sessions on this collection are the least fulfilling. Disk one holds interest to Bowie-philes for historic reasons, but it is disk two that presents the artist in full flight. Working with Mick Ronson, his Ziggy Stardust-era songs shine brilliantly here, in some cases rivaling the album versions. "Hang On to Yourself," "Suffragette City," and "Ziggy Stardust" all rock with authority and grace. "Queen Bitch" has more energy than the version on Hunky Dory, while the songwriting brilliance of songs like "Changes" and "Oh You Pretty Things" come through loud and clear. Most telling are the two Velvet Underground songs performed here. Both "White Light/White Heat" and "Waiting For My Man" are definitive, surpassing all Bowie versions that were previously available and perhaps even surpassing Lou Reed's original versions.
For those of you who are lucky enough to find it, a limited edition of this package comes with an extra disk of Bowie performing live at the BBC radio theatre in June of 2000. Search it out! The extra disk is extraordinary, featuring some of the best live Bowie ever recorded. The band is phenomenal, playing each song to perfection without sacrificing any energy. This version of "Stay" blew me away, forcing me to recognize the sheer funky power of this band. Just as mind-boggling are the versions of "Fame" (a new, `improved' version!), "Absolute Beginners" and "Man Who Sold the World". Every track on this extra disk is exceptional, making it an absolute must for even casual fans of David Bowie. A- Tom Ryan

The best of early bowie in one inspiring collections.......2004-11-23

David Bowie is indisputibally on of the most talented artists in music ever. His songwriting is always at a peak, and was always excellent in his early days, and that is proved on this fantastic collection from the BBC. All live, but you wouldn't know it because it's sounds as clear as his studio recordings. And how about those lyrics? Bowie is so inventive, and he's never gotten the due he's deserved. Look at the amount of work he's accomplished, and look how good he can still be; even better than most. He's amazing. One listen to this collection and you'll realize he's amazing too, i hope. If you're still in doubt listen to all of ziggy stardust, but trust me you'll love it.

CHANGESBEEBOWIE.......2004-09-09

CD2 - The first CD could be a symphony of (flatus) and I'd still give this 5 stars for the nearly immaculate performances on the second disk. In particular, "Hang Onto Yourself" (track 3), "White Light/White Heat," and "Suffregette City" (featuring Mick Ronson making this totally hot kissing noise with his guitar)crackle with energy. It is truly a thrill to hear these old favorites in such a new (as such) and exciting light. Bowie and Co. burn down the BBC studios. Repeatedly. Any rock fan (but especially an old Bowie fan, of course) is likely to meltdown in ecstacy upon hearing this.

CD1 - Many hardcore fans will surely (sweet milk) over CD1 as well although I'm not personally crazy about all of it. Some of David's early Brittish folk period is represented which can be a bit hippy-dippy at times. The first 4 tracks, recorded in May of '68, fit that description although they do feature brilliant in-studio orchestral accompaniment.

Much of CD1 does in fact rock. "Let Me Sleep Beside You" and "Janine" are very good, easy-going rockers recorded with Junior's Eyes who had a short-lived collaboration with Bowie and the session was never broadcast. Bowie delivers a stunning solo performance of Jacques Brel's "Port of Amsterdam" (vocal and guitar). The same session shows off Mick Ronson just a few days after hooking up with Bowie for the first time. They perform an intriguing, half-written version of "Width of a Circle." Ronson really cuts loose on "Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed" and "Cygnet Committee" is positively intense. Some studio hum can be heard on the session, an atmospheric reminder of the electric nature of these proceedings (that may or may not appeal to the listener). "Memory of a Free Festival" had sadly been edited for time and remains so.

Recorded in June of '71, the last session on CD1 features all of the future Spiders From Mars as well as some friends on vocals and guitarist Mark Carr-Pritchard who played for a phantom Bowie project called Arnold Corns. Early embryonic versions of "Moonage Daydream" and "Hang Onto Yourself" were recorded and released under that name. The group stomps through "Bombers," a rare HUNKY DORY-era cut that sounds better (and less cheesy) than the studio version which I have as a bonus cut from the RYCODISK release of HUNKY DORY. "Looking For A Friend" is a country-ish, Stones-y rocker and they also turn in a rousing cover of Chuck Berry's "Almost Grown." And Bowie performs "Kooks" solo on vocal and guitar which he had just written for newborn son Zowie.

Note: Those concerned about excessive voice-overs from BBC radio hosts (like the ones that marred the Jimmy Hendrix BBC release) can relax. There's very little talking over the songs and quite a bit of interesting Bowie banter on CD1. CD2 has nothing but back-to-back songs. Tracks begin with actual songs, not the preceeding dialogue.

Bonus Disk (June 27, 2002 live at BBC Radio Theatre) - ****1/2 Excellent line-up (Earl Slick, Mike Garson), great choice of songs, Bowie in top form. Still, something's missing. A little too slick and professional, maybe? But this is great stuff. "Seven" comes off really well. "Always Crashing In The Same Car" is excellent and much more organic than the album version. The studio wizardry of "Little Wonder" and "Hallo Spaceboy" is expertly reproduced. This album takes on more definition with repeated listens and sounds better over time too. (Many live recordings can initially sound "same-y" from song to song due to same background vocalists, etc.)

We can probably thank Kurt Cobain for reviving Bowie's interest in the post-apocalyptic "Man Who Sold The World," wonderfully played here. "Fame" is vamped-up with a slightly altered rhythm, still funky as ever. "Stay" rocks out. And on the final cut, "Let's Dance" is reimagined as a Carribean breeze before, suddenly, the beat kicks in and the audience "trembles like a flower."

This entire package is most worthy. Highly recommended!

A sprawling triple CD effort.......2004-05-16

I rarely listen to this although having said that I have been listening to it a lot more recently. The fact is is that this is a hard thing to recommend. You might not have some of the songs that are on here and for that you might want to top up. I bought it as an overview of Bowie's earlyish career ( I'm not going anywhere near The Laughing Gnome ). Which in hindsight was probably a bit of a mistake but I wouldn't buy this album if it didn't have the extra CD - call me banal if you will but that's what happens when you have collector tendancies in you!

Bowie's early stuff ( pre-Ziggy ) sounds anodyne and twee. The conversations you hear on the CD make Bowie seem genuinely nervous but pleasantly friendly. Of course he might not do one song " because to do it would be possibly over everyone's budget." You could take that as nerves if you will but this is the BBC we're talking about. Their budgets at the time were not astronomical.

I've said this before that when you see " Live At The BBC " it doesn't really mean it's really *live* if you've ever heard BBC radio presenters like John " that was quite tasty " Peel or any others you'll know that they say " and we have [musician's name] here live in the studio." It's in a studio and it will never give you a live feel for the songs. It's just BBC engineers working on Bowie's songs and in return you could I suppose think of them as session outtakes from his album. But one thing should be made clear - if you haven't got Bowie's version of Jacques Brel's Amsterdam, this is where you can get it. It's passion almost matches Le Grand Jacques in it's intensity

As the second CD moves and the classics come in you begin to think " this is more like it " and Bowie seems more at ease with everything. Notice his covers of White Light/White Heat ( " make me sound like Lou Reed ")

Now the third CD becomes even more sprawling since it tries to fill in all the places that the first two CDs left out. And it's not always a winner. Little Wonder and I'm Afraid of Americans are terrible songs but actually sound better than what they sounded like on their original album. Still doesn't make it good but at least you can probably tolerate it this time. But overall it didn't capture the gig very well since I saw this on TV when I was 15 and I thought the gig was fantastic. Bowie really had them going ( but then that was to be expected right? ), the CD just doesn't capture the songs well and though I like nearly all of the songs, it lacks the cohesion that the show actually had. Still, for the money I paid for this it's not too bad. But then, there's always a nagging feeling that it could be improved but whatever about that, the sheer amount of material you have here you can be somewhat happy if you want to buy this.....of course that is if you are a diehard fan. If you're not - try figuring out which compilation you want to get of Bowie. There's a lot of them around!

CD 2 still the best, but CD3 doesn't disappoint/Bowie Rocks!.......2003-02-11

I did track down this version that has the fine recently recorded third CD, HOWEVER, I would have been happy to have just heard the original two CD collection. On Disc 3, I was impressed with some of the old songs that were chosen such as "Man Who Sold The World" and some classics I have never heard done live like "Ashes To Ashes" and "Stay." The biggest and best surprise is the closer: "Let's Dance." Sweet!

Tracks:

In the Heat of the Morning
London Bye Ta-Ta
Karma Man
Silly Boy Blue
Let Me Sleep Beside You
Janine
Amsterdam
God Knows I'm Good
The Width of a Circle
Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed
Cygnet Committee
Memory of a Free Festival
Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud
Bombers
Looking for a Friend
Almost Grown
Kooks
It Ain't Easy

Tracks:

The Supermen
Eight Line Poem
Hang on to Yourself
Ziggy Stardust
Queen Bitch
I'm Waiting for the Man
Five Years
White Light/White Heat
Moonage Daydream
Hang on to Yourself
Suffragette City
Ziggy Stardust
Starman
Space Oddity
Changes
Oh! You Pretty Things
Andy Warhol
Lady Stardust
Rock & Roll Suicide

Customer Reviews:

If you're a bowie fan.......2007-07-07

If you're a bowie fan, you're in for a treat. I first heard tracks from this album while I was sitting in a coffee shop. I thought he'd done some new live acoustic recordings, they sounded so fresh. There are a lot of tracks and some clunkers, but the good ones make up for it. Bowie is of course and incredible performer and the necessity of these stripped down BBC recordings lets his performances shine. He rips into the songs in a way that's not possible on a studio album. Magical!!

MISSING THE 3RD LIVE DISC!.......2007-06-20

If you have any notion of buying this great set, look at the used listings for the earlier, limited edition, now OOP, 3CD set.

It contains a fabulous live disc recorded at the BBC London Theatre 06/27/00 that this later edition does not have.

Check out the tracklist for the live disc:

Disc: 3
1. Wild Is The Wind
2. Ashes To Ashes
3. Seven
4. This Is Not America
5. Absolute Beginners
6. Always Crashing In The Same Car
7. Survive
8. Little Wonder
9. Man Who Sold The World
10. Fame
11. Stay
12. Hallo Spaceboy
13. Cracked Actor
14. I'm Afraid Of Americans
15. Let's Dance

As of this writing, the OOP 3CD is available here on Amazon for less, used, than this 2-disc set, new.

Don't pass up the opportunity to get the live CD. The audio is first rate, and the performance is excellent.

Link to the original 3CD BBC set.

5 for disc 1 3 for disc 2 One of Bowies best.......2007-03-16

Contrary to the reviews here- i think disc One is the stunner here featuring many of Bowies earliest mod folk and acoustic rockers. God knows im good- (Brels) Amsterdamn -In the heat of the morning and well pretty much all of the first disc capture David at his early climb to fame. The interviews and radio chatter only enhance the uniqueness and rarity for fans. Its all very informative and captures a time and place and the sound is excellent- you can almost sense coming superstardom in the confidence of the material and in the band. Disc two contains most of his Ziggy Stardust material which ofcourse is all good but basically sounds like demos of that album and for the most part is very familiar even to the casual fan. The acoustic versions of Supermen and Andy Warhol would have sat better on disc one as they flow into that material better. This is a great bargain especially used nearly 40 songs of Bowie at his peak. Disc One however finds itself on permanent rotation in my cd player- i could listen to this all day.

CHANGESBEEBOWIE.......2006-07-06

Bowie Learning How to Fly, Then Flying.......2006-01-16

This is yet another interesting byproduct of the recent rush to re-release Brit groups and stars who performed during rock's glory age for various BBC TV and radio programs. Usually these are a mixed bag, as they often collect different time periods, different settings, different styles, and different sound dynamics, all wrapped onto one or two discs. Notable recent BBC collections include an early collection by the Beatles, a generally enthusiastic release from the Kinks, a great Led Zeppellin cd, and a very strong late-period Procol Harum set.

This one is no different. Like those I mentioned, the first cd of Bowie at the Beeb collects several early live performances of a red-hot Bowie fresh off the high of "Space Oddity" performing an eclectic set of solo, small group acoustic, and rock performances. Leaving aside the annoying BBC host who is always omnipresent in these sets, Bowie turns in a strong yet tentative collection of his early songs, some joined by Mick Ronson toward the end of the disc. Standouts include "Janine," "The Width of a Circle," and a rave-up performance of "It Ain't Easy." Those familiar with the early Bowie sound will find it in abundance on the first cd, an obvious talent looking for the right sound and fit for his muse, trying on and abandoning different styles but always a solid performer throughout.

The second cd finds a far more confident Bowie a few years later (1972) in a studio setting, bringing his amped-up Ziggy Stardust persona and ripping through a blistering set of highlights from that period. The sound (recorded with overdubs in the studio) is especially fine, and the performances first-rate -- Mick Ronson leaves no prisoners as he slashes through "Hang on to Yourself" and "Ziggy Stardust." Bowie even brings on a large contingent of supporters later on to help him with a superb set that includes "Starman," "Space Oddity," and "Changes."

Bowie fans will rejoice. I hope the Bowie archivists start releasing more of his early and mid-period live sets, as we have seen with other similar artists, so we can fill in the missing pieces in the evolution of a singular rock icon.

Average customer rating:

I waited for this for five years
Excellent collection but BIG PUBLISHING MISTAKE!
ONE OF LLOYD WEBBER'S BEST COMPILATIONS, DESPITE A FEW FLAWS
SUCH MAGICAL MUSIC OF THE NIGHT!
A Must Have for Sir Andrew fans

Andrew Lloyd Webber: Now & Forever
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Noels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Contemporary Musicals | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Broadway & Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Box Sets | Stores | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music

General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
Similar Items:

Gold: The Definitive Hits Collection
The Very Best Of Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Broadway Collection
Evita (Original London Cast)
Andrew Lloyd Webber - The Royal Albert Hall Celebration
Andrew Lloyd Webber - Masterpiece (Collector's Edition) (Bonus CD)

ASIN: B00005R5UJ
Release Date: 2001-11-20

Tracks:

Jesus Christ Superstar: Overture - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Jesus Christ Superstar: Everything's Alright - Yvonne Elliman/Murray Head/Ian Gilllan
Jesus Christ Superstar: I Don't Know How To Love Him - Yvonne Elliman
Jesus Christ Superstar: Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say) - Steve Balsamo
Jesus Christ Superstar: Superstar - Murray Head
Evita: Oh What A Circus/Sing You Fools - Antonio Banderas
Evita: I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You - Elaine Paige/Joss Ackland
Evita: Another Suitcase In Another Hall - Barbara Dickson
Evita: Don't Cry For Me Argentina - Julie Covington
Evita: High Flying, Adored - Mandy Patinkin/Patti LuPone
Cats: The Jellicle Ball - Andrew Lloyd Weber
Cats: Memory - Elaine Paige
Cats: Gus: The Theatre Cat - Susan Jane Tanner/John Mills
Cats: Mr Mistoffelees - Paul Nicholas
Song And Dance: Take That Look Off Your Face - Marti Webb
Song And Dance: Tell Me On A Sunday - Marti Webb
Song And Dance: Unexpected Song - Sarah Brightman
Song And Dance: Nothing Like You've Ever Known - Sarah Brightman
Song And Dance: Introduction - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Song And Dance: Variations 1 -4 - Andrew Lloyd Webber

Tracks:

Starlight Express: Starlight Express - El Debarge
Starlight Express: Crazy - Greg Ellis/Reva Rice/Caron Cardelle/Samantha Lane/Voyd
Starlight Express: Next Time You Fall In Love - Reva Rice/Greg Ellis
Starlight Express: I Am The Starlight - Lon Satton/Ray Shell
Starlight Express: Light At The End Of The Tunnel - The Company
Requiem: Hosanna - Placido Domingo
Requiem: Pie jesu - Sarah Brightman/Paul Miles-Kingston
The Phantom Of The Opera: The Phantom Of The Opera - Michael Crawford/Sarah Brightman
The Phantom Of The Opera: The Music Of The Night - Michael Crawford
The Phantom Of The Opera: All I Ask Of You - Sarah Brightman/Steve Barton
The Phantom Of The Opera: Entr'acte - Andrew Lloyd Webber
The Phantom Of The Opera: Masquerade - The Company
The Phantom Of The Opera: Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again - Sarah Brightman
Aspects Of Love: Aspects Of Aspects - Orchester Der Vereinigten Buehnen Wien
Aspects Of Love: Love Changes Everything - Michael Ball
Aspects Of Love: Seeing Is Believing - Michael Ball/Ann Crumb
Aspects Of Love: The First Man You Remember - Kevin Colson/Diana Morrison
Aspects Of Love: Anything But Lonely - Sarah Brightman
Aspects Of Love: Chanson D'Enfance - Sarah Brightman

Tracks:

Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Any Dream Will Do - Jason Donovan
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Joseph's Coat - Maria Friedman/Richard Attenborough/Donny Osmond
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Close Every Door - Donny Osmond
By Jeeves: Travel Hopefully - John Scherer/Martin Jarvis/Don Stephenson
By Jeeves: When Love Arrives - Steven Pacey/Diana Morrison
By Jeeves: Half A Moment - Sarah Brightman
Sunset Boulevard: With One Look - Glenn Close
Sunset Boulevard: New Ways To Dream - Glenn Close/Alan Campbell
Sunset Boulevard: The Perfect Year - Glenn Close/Alan Campbell
Sunset Boulevard: Sunser Boulevard - Alan Campbell
Sunset Boulevard: As If We Never Said Goodbye - Glenn Close
Whistle Down The Wind: Whistle Down The Wind - James Graeme/Lottie Mayor
Whistle Down The Wind: Cold - Everly Brothers
Whistle Down The Wind: No Matter What - Children/Adult Chorus
Whistle Down The Wind: The Nature Of The Beast - Marcus Lovett/Lottie Mayor
The Beautiful Game: Overture - Andrew Lloyd Webber
The Beautiful Game: The Beautiful Game - The Company
The Beautiful Game: Our Kind Of Love - Hannah Waddingham
The Beautiful Game: Dont Like You - Josie Walker/David Shannon
The Beautiful Game: Let Us Love In Peace - Josie Walker/Omagh Youth Community Choir

Tracks:

Oh What A Circus - David Essex
Memory - Betty Buckley
The Phantom Of The Opera - Sarah Brightman/Steve Harley
All I Ask Of You - Sarah Brightman/Cliff Richard
Love Changes Everything - Michael Ball
Any Dream Will Do - Donny Osmond
Amigos Para Siempre (Friends For Life) - Sarah Brightman/Jose Carreras
As If We Never Said Goodbye - Barbra Streisand
The Perfect Year - Dina Carroll
With One Look - Petula Clark
You Must Love Me - Madonna
The Heart Is Slow To Learn - Kiri Te Kanawa
A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste - The Metal Philharmonic Orchestra
Whistle Down The Wind - Tina Arena
No Matter What - Boyzone
The Vaults Of Heaven - Tom Jones
Try Not To Be Afraid - Boy George
Pie Jesu - Charlotte Church

Tracks:

Make Believe Love - Wes Sands
Down Thru' Summer - Ross Hannaman
I'll Give All My Love To Southend - Ross Hannaman
Believe Me I Will - Sacha Distel
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1969 Radio Luxembourg Commercial) - Joseph Consortium/Pete Murray
Try It And See - Rita Pavone
Come Back Richard Your Country Needs You - Time Rice And The Webber Group
Goodbye Seattle - Paul Raven
John 19:41 - The Andrew Lloyd Webber Orchestra
What A Line To Go Out On - Yvonne Elliman
Disillusion Me - Gary Band
The Ballad Of Robert And Peter - Tim Rice
Christmas Dream - Maynard Williams
It's Only Your Lover Returning/All Through My Crazy And Wild Days/Don't Cry For Me Argentina - Julie Covington
It's Easy For You (1977 Jungle Room Session Version) - Elvis Presley
Magdalena - Tony Christie
Buenos Aires - The Roja Rockers
Pollicle Dogs And Jellicle Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Mungojerrie And Rumpleteazer (Live At The Sydmonton Festival 1980) - Gemma Craven
I Could Have Given You More - Petula Clark
I've Been In Love Too Long - Marti Webb
Benedicite - The Stephen Hill Singers

Album Description

Disc 1: Selections from Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats, and Song and Dance

Disc 2: Selections from Starlight Express, Requiem, Phantom of the Opera, and Aspects of Love

Disc 3: Selections from Joseph nad the Amaziong Technicolor Dreamcoat, By Jeeves, Sunset Boulevard, Whistle Down the Wind, and The Beautiful Game

CD 4: 1. "Oh What a Circus" --David Essex 2. "Memory" - Betty Buckleey 3. "The Phantom of the Opera" -Sarah Brightman, Steve Harley 4. "All I Ask of You" --Sarah Brightman, Cliff Richard 5. "Love Changes Everything"--Michael Ball 6. "Any Dream Will Do"--Donny Osmond 7. "Amigos Para Siempre (Friends for Life)"--Sarah Brightman, Jose Caerras 8. "As if We Never Said Goodbye"--Barbra Streisand 9. "The Perfect Year"--Dina Carroll 10. "With One Look" --Petula Clark 11. "You Must Love Me" 12. "The Heart Is Slow To Learn" --Kiri Te Kanawa 13. "Whistle Down the Wind"--Tina Arena 14. "A Kiss Is a Terrible Thing To Waste"--The Metal Philharmonic 15. "No Matter What"--Boyzone 16. "The Vaults of Heaven"--Tom Jones and Sounds of Blackness 17. "Try Not To Be Afraid"--Boy George 18. "Pie Jesu"--Charlotte Church

Disc 5: (All tracks available for the first time) 1. "Make Believe Love"--Wes Sands 2. "Down Thru' Summer"--Ross Hannaman 3. "I'll Give All My Love to Southend"--Ross Hannaman 4. "Believe Me I Will"--Sacha Distel 5. "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: 1969 Luxembourg Radio Commercial--The Jospeh Consortium, Pete Murray 6. "Try It and See"--Rita Pavone 7. "Come Back Richard Your Country Needs You"--Tim Rice and the Webber Group 8. "Goodbye Seattle"-- Paul Raven 9. "John 19:41"--The Andrew Lloyd Webber Orchestra 10. "What a Line To Go Out On"--Yvonne Elliman 11. "Disillusion Me" --Gary Bond 12. "The Ballad of Robert and Peter"--Tim Rice 13. "Christmas Dream" --Maynard Williams 14. "It's Only Your Lover Returning/All through My Wild and Crazy Days/Don't Cry for Me Argentina--Julie Covington 15. "It's Easy for You" (1977 Jungle Room Session version)--Elvis Presley 16. "Magdalena"--Tony Christie 17. "Buenos Aires"--The Rioja Rockers 18. "Pollicle Dogs and Jellicle Cats"--Andrew Lloyd Webber original demo 19. "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" (Live at Sydmonton Festival 1980)-Gemma Craven 20. "I Could Have Given You More"--Petula Clark 21. "I've Been in Love Too Long"--Marti Webb 22. "Benedicte"-- Stephen Hill Singers

Customer Reviews:

I waited for this for five years.......2006-06-30

Between Amazone, Ebay and Napster, I don't usually buy CDs anymore, and I usually wait till I can buy them cheaper "new and used". When this set came out, I was excited, mainly by Disc 5, but wasn't going to spend $70 on it. I waited till it was cheap enough, and got it for Father's day this year.
It was worth the wait.

The concept is great. The packaging is great. The recording is great. Disc five is really cool for an ALW aficionado. There are a few real gems on it; my favorites are Petula Clark's "I Could Have Given You More" and "Benedicite."
I've always thought "Gus the Theatre Cat" made a great medley on the piano with "Unexpected Song" and "I DOn't Know How to Love Him," but wished there was an alternate lyric to match the other two songs. Now that I know there *is*, and it's a good lyric, it's a dream come true.
The melody of "Benedicite" is one of my favorites from _Sunset_ (the book mis-identifies it as "SUrrender"; it's actually "The Lady's Paying" and "Eternal Youth is Worth a Little Suffering"). The lyrics are the canticle from Daniel 3, which comes up every odd Sunday in the Divine Office, so it's nice to have cool music to sing it with.

I haven't bought _By Jeeves_ or _THe Beautiful Game_ yet, to it was great to sample them.

There are other parts of the CD taht aren't found in my collection. I like CD 4 "The Hits."

But the selections on CDs 1-3 don't make sense.

First, any self-respecting ALW fan has the Original London Cast of _Phantom_, so six tracks are totally useless. Why not draw from the Canadian cast with Colm Wilkinson? Or pull out some obscure recordings never published.

Why two different tracks with Michael Ball singing "Love Changes Everything", yet they're hardly any different?

On Disc 5 is "It's Only Your Lover Returning," sung by Julie Covington. It's an early draft of the song (Lloyd Webber and Rice went through several suggested titles) and quite nice. The very thing one expects on a Boxed Set.
So why have the Julie Covington "Don't Cry for Me" on disc 1?? The only difference is a few words, but it's otherwise identical. Why not Elaine Paige or Patti Lupone or Madonna?

The _Evita_ section is otherwise the best, choosing a sample from each major recording, though I'd have chosen slightly differently (as above).

There is a great selection of "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" from the Sydmonton festival, using the original music that was changed when _Cats_ went to Broadway_. It would have been nice if they'd included more recordings from Sydmonton, like the original lyric of "All I Ask of You" shown on the second DVD to the _Phantom_ movie.

With so many great actress-singers who've played Norma Desmond, why does the collection beat us over the head with Glenn Close?

Paul Miles Kingston must be set for life in royalties, for the number of albums the original recording of "Pie Jesu" has appeared on. "Amigos Para Siempre" is nice, but it reminds me of Shari Lewis's "The Song that Doesn't End," especially when it's been used on so many compilations.

In short, this is a great collection for the obscure material, if you can get it cheap. But for a boxed set, it's a poor sampling, drawn mostly from the most familiar recordings.

Excellent collection but BIG PUBLISHING MISTAKE! .......2006-01-10

Please beware they made a mistake on this. It's actually the shortened Ray Shell version of STARLIGHT EXPRESS from the original 1984 London cast - NOT the El Debarge single from 1987 like it says on the box. I don't know how they let that goof pass. Sorry to Ray Shell. Having said that, this is an outstanding compilation of Lloyd Webber's greatest hits.

ONE OF LLOYD WEBBER'S BEST COMPILATIONS, DESPITE A FEW FLAWS.......2005-03-21

Regardless of the fact that some of his latest efforts (most notably, The Woman in White) are disappointing, there can be little doubt that Andrew Lloyd Webber is one of the greatest composers ever to work in the musical theatre. Ever since his "Jesus Christ Superstar" hit the stage in the early 70-is, it was clear that the conception and perception of musicals are never going to be the same again. Many of his songs became standards not only in the theatre history, but also as tops on the charts. Even though he's British, his influence on the shape of the modern musical theatre expanded over the West End boundaries long ago and has thus made an enormous impact on Broadway. Two of his shows ("Cats" and "The phantom of the opera") hold the record as two the longest running shows in the history of Broadway. He has also been the only composer to have three of his shows running at Broadway concurrently. Some of his awards include three Grammies, a Golden Globe, an Oscar and a bunch of Tony awards. But perhaps most of all, Lloyd Webber is responsible for bringing the musicals and the theatre appealing to the wide audiences, who in different circumstances would not consider seeing a musical. The secret of his success is probably the mixture of beautiful and catchy melodies, interesting subject matter (though some, like Starlight Express, are too thin) and grandiose staging.

Over the years many compilations of his work have emerged. In the late 80-is and early 90-is it was the "Encore" series and lately the one-disc collection called "Gold". The one in question here can be considered one of the best currently on the market. First, it includes a 3-disc selections from all of his shows, minus the latest one, i.e., "The Woman in White", which, considering the triviality of the score, is no great lost. The fourth disc covers some of his most known songs sung by the famous artists. Then, there is the fifth disc with previously unreleased material, most of which are the songs ALW wrote with Tim Rice for various artists during the 70-is. The disks are all neatly packed in a hardcover book that features 67 pages of pictures and text with information about each of ALW's shows. One of the other assets here is the perfect sound quality, since all of the tracks have been digitally remastered.

Here are my basic impressions and comments regarding the material on the discs:

* Disc #1 has the selections from "Jesus Christ Superstar", "Evita", "Cats" and "Song & Dance". The Superstar material mostly comes from the Concept Recording. Although the songs sound beautiful as always, their orchestration is a bit dated now. Only Steve Balsamo's "Gethsemane" from the 1996 revival cast has a modern rock sound. "Evita" comes with the material from all of the major recordings: London, Broadway and the movie productions, as well as the Concept album. No objections here; since this is one of ALW's most satisfying works, every song is just perfect, although Patti LuPone, the Broadway and overall the best Evita, is left with only a couple of lines. With the selections from "Cats", however, I have some doubts. A plus to the choice of the "Jellicle ball" impressive orchestral sequence from the 1998 movie version and "Mister Mistoffelees" from the 1981 London cast. One of the best known ALW's songs, "Memory", also comes from that album. It's a pretty version and Elaine Paige's rendition cannot be matched, but why include this when the definite version, featuring an 80-piece orchestra and Elaine Paige with much better interpretation, can be found in the same movie version. Thusly, one has to buy Elaine Paige's latest 2-disc compilation "Centre Stage: The very best of Elaine Paige" to get that one. And "Gus the theatre cat" is more a recital than a song, so there was not much point in including that. Marti Webb brings her vocal charm to the "Song & Dance" sequence, Sarah Brightman sings "Unexpected song" with her famous soprano, but as much as I like her version, Bernadette Peters, who was in this show on Broadway is strangely left out here.

* Disc # 2 starts with "Starlight Express". This was never one of my favorite ALW's shows; the plot is even lighter than in "Cats" and the 1984 original cast recording is terribly dated. Yet, here we have one terrific duet, "I am starlight" from the original together with three songs from the later revivals and it seems that fresh orchestrations were just the thing Starlight needed. My favorite remains a touchy ballad, "Next time you fall in love". "Requiem" is the most solemn of all ALW's compositions, written in 1985 to commemorate the death of his father. Placido Domingo's tenor rides together with the chorus all the way through the strong "Hosanna", only to be joined by Sarah Brightman in the final moments of this song. She then gives an echoing deliverance of "Pie Jesu". What can be said of ALW's next show, "The Phantom of the Opera"? A phenomenon in its own right, it's easy to see from the six numbers included here why this is one of the best and most beloved musicals of all time. The cast, the music, the story - everything is perfect. Although "Aspects of love" was never a popular hit, it does have some of the most beautiful love melodies ALW has ever written. "Love changes everything" sung by Michael Ball is probably one of the best tunes ever about love. The rest of the selected material here has a dreamy love flavor and the melodies find their way into your brain in the best Lloyd Webber way.

* ALW's first musical, "Joseph and the amazing Technicolor dreamcoat" was more successful in its revival form than the original from the 70-is. The three songs included here are sung by the show stars, Jason Donovan and Donny Osmond. Maria Friedman was not a lucky choice to play the narrator, as the track from the 1998 movie version shows. "By Jeeves" was ALW's only big flop when it came to the stage in the 70-is. The 1995 revival sounds much better though, full of funny numbers in the best manner of the musical comedy. "Travel hopefully" remains one of the show's highlights on this compilation. "Sunset Boulevard" comes next. "Sunset" remains for me one of Webber's best scores; lush and beautiful. I listen to the original cast recording with Patti LuPone all the time. However, here most of the songs are performed by Glenn Close. A big mistake. If you've ever listened the American premiere recording with her, you'll know what I am talking about. She may have a strong stage presence, but her vocal abilities are too limited, and her aggressive approach to the role lacks any subtlety. Therefore, the two big numbers from this show, "With one look" and "As if we never said goodbye" are ruined by the fact she can't sing. The same goes for the American Joe Gillis, who was played by Alan Campbell. Luckily, Patti LuPone and Kevin Anderson, the original Norma and Joe from the London production, make their brief entrance here with the "Perfect year"; enough to show how better they are. The funny thing is, on the jacket and inside of it, Glenn Close and Alan Campbell are credited as performers in this song as well. If this was a mistake on ALW's part, it was a good one. The next ALW's show, "Whistle down the wind" was never a critic's dear and yet the audiences rushed in to see it in London. The score brings back ALW to his rock and roll roots of the seventies and the story is quite interesting. But the selections here are not the happiest, since the cast recording boasts with much better songs. And finally, "The Beautiful Game". Again, we have one of those ALW's shows that is worth in its individual parts rather than as a whole. "Our kind of love" and "Let us love in peace" are two catchy ballads. The latter is a nice amalgam version not available elsewhere. The two other tracks here I could live without.

* Disc # 4 has the songs from all the above shows performed by different artists. The assembled tracks have their pros and cons. For example, we have some previously unreleased stuff, like Dame Kiri Te Kanawa's operettic rendition of "The heart is slow to learn", or a stunning and epic "A kiss is a terrible thing to waste" from "Whistle down the wind", performed by The Metal Philharmonic Orchestra. Then again, what was the point in including almost identical tracks as the ones on the previous disks? So we have Michael Ball again singing "Love changes everything" with only a bit different orchestration; Sarah Brightman comes out again with the same Phantom duets, but only with the different male singers. It would be much more appropriate to include tracks from the Toronto Cast of the Phantom, with Colm Wilkinson. Other pop deliverances (Tina Arena's "Whistle down the wind", Barbra Streisand's "As if we never said goodbye", Boyzone's "No matter what" and many more) were wisely chosen. Patti LuPone is again nowhere to be found and Petula Clark's "With one look" sounds too worn-out.

* The last disc is probably the one that will be of most interest to Lloyd Webber aficionados. It consists of entirely previously unreleased material ALW for the most part wrote for various artists during his early years, with Tim Rice. Some of these tunes, not successful as a singles, were later used in his shows. Thus "Down thru' summer" became "Buenos Aires"in Evita, "Try it and see", an unsuccessful attempt for the Eurovision was used for "King Herod's song" in "Superstar" and so on. Some of these songs are nicely made pop songs: "Make believe love", ALW's first recorded composition, for which he provided the lyrics; "Goodbye Seattle", sung by Paul Raven, who later became Gary Glitter; "Come back Richard, your country needs you", from a never made musical, sung here by Tim Rice, or Latin flavored "Magdalena", with Tony Christie singing. My all time favorite here is a song called "It's easy for you", sung by none other than Elvis Presley himself. Lloyd Webber and Rice sent him a demo recording that he accepted and recorded this live version a couple of weeks before he died. It's amazing to hear how his voice remained in the perfect shape. Also, there is a track of Andrew Lloyd Webber singing "Policle dogs and Jellicle cats" while plying the piano. His voice doesn't sound bad at all.

Taken as a whole, this compilation makes a perfect birthday or Christmas present to any fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber shows, or just anybody interested in some of the best tunes from the modern era of the musical theatre; despite the flaws I mentioned above. To the former, it may just be the final addition for the Andrew Lloyd Webber collection.

1. My Fairy King
2. Keep Yourself Alive
3. Doin' Alright
4. Liar
5. Ogre Battle
6. Great King Rat
7. Modern Times Rock 'n' Roll
8. Son and Daughter