Warren Zevon - Live in London 1988.

Time flys by and it's is already over six years since the passing of Warren Zevon. There has been some dispute over the source of this broadcast, Warren clearly mentions the venue as London and the BBC did indeed broadcast his London concert in 1988 however the song order slightly differs. As far as I can gather this is a rebroadcast of the London show by a Dutch radio station, who may have edited the original a little.

Leaving the detail aside this is an excellent concert from Warren Zevon accompanied by a superb band. The original performance was on the 25th January 1988 at London's Hammersmith Odeon.

Source: FM Broadcast.

Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@256 & 320kbps.

Genre: Singer Songwriter, Rock.

Set: Edited Broadcast Set.

Set List:

1. Lawyers, Guns & Money
2. Detox Mansion
3. Boom Boom Mancini
4. Johnny Strikes Up The Band
5. Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner
6. Reconsider Me
7. Excitable Boy
8. Sentimental Hygiene
9. Accidentally Like A Martyr
10. Werewolves Of London
11. Play It All Night Long
12. Ain't That Pretty At All

Links: Official site HERE. Informative Wikipedia HERE.

Comments:

If you visit Warren Zevon's official site please consider signing the petition for his much overdue induction into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame. This particular concert has traded in the past as 'Ain't That Pretty At All'.

Download link in comments below or click on the picture.

Buy: Mp3's at Amazon.co.uk - Warren Zevon

Beehive Recommends - Patrick and Eugene

Now I like quirky and different, and mention the likes of the Bonzo's or Monty Python and my 'musical radar' tends to activate! Patrick and Eugene are yet another reason to keep an eye on whats new in the world of music, especially in these troubled times where record companies are inclined towards nicely packaged conformity or well controlled and marketable rebels.

The UK press has stated "Banjos, bongos and alarm clocks, '20s jazz and '60s pop and sampled insect noises, Patrick & Eugene's irrepressibly eccentric summer romp has got it all." - NME

"Whimsically English songs where Dixieland jazz intermingles with Afro-Cuban rhythms." - Q

The Patrick & Eugene sound is comprised of banjos, ukuleles and sunshine pop vocals combined with whistles, bells and bongos to produce unique but accessible music for post-modern vaudevillians, with nods to Monty Python, Derek & Clive and even Woody Allen. Try to imagine Noel Coward on stage with the Duke Ellington Band at the Monterey Pop Festival and you’re getting close.

The album’s title track is currently being featured in a year-long TV campaign by Payless Shoes, and has been heard over the end credits of ABC’s Weeds and in Grey’s Anatomy. The opening song “The Birds & The Bees” got enormous exposure via a very successful VW Rabbit TV advertising campaign a couple of years back and the YouTube comedy hit “To Do List.” Patrick & Eugene’s songs have also appeared in the Coen Brothers’ Burn After Reading and the Mr. Bean trailer.

Listen:
'A Dogs Tale'



Website: MySpace
Buy: Tummy Touch Records

Their PR adds: Patrick Dawes (who found fame playing percussion for Groove Armada and Richie Havens) & Eugene Bezodis (who is infamous for setting fire to Patrick when one of his on stage magic tricks went horribly wrong) are two talented originals. Combining stellar musical ability, devil-may-care delivery and an innate desire to entertain, the duo's recordings and live performances are delivered with a passionate amateurism that belies their virtuosic talents.

Highlights from the band’s previous releases Postcard From Summerisle, and Everything And Everyone include impious but infectious versions of Beyonce’s “Crazy In Love”, Simon & Grafunkel’s “59th Street Bridge Song” and The Arctic Monkey’s “I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor.” Their imaginative reworking of Kylie Minogue’s “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head” is included on Altogether Now (Birds Bees Flowers Trees).

Their last album was picked by Paul Heaton (The Beautiful South & The Housemartins) as his choice for the months 'Buried Treasure' feature in Mojo magazine. He described it as the "wild and comic sound of inner-child music and movement” and admitted that this was The Beautiful South’s favourite album to take the stage to!

Altogether Now (Birds Bees Flowers Trees) is the U.S. debut release from the UK’s Patrick & Eugene. The album was produced by band member Patrick Dawes and it’s being released by the Tummy Touch Music Group, distributed by ADA/WEA.

Gods and Monsters - New York 1992

By 1988 Gary Lucas was making a name for himself in New York as a solo artist having left Captain Beefhearts Magic Band some years earlier.

Having written 'Grace' & 'Mojo Pin' with Jeff Buckley in 1991 Jeff began performing with Gary Lucas in his band Gods And Monsters.

As has been mentioned on the previous Jeff Buckley post, days after Gods and Monsters officially debuted in March 1992, Jeff Buckley decided to leave the band.

In October 2002 Gary Lucas released 'Songs To No One' an album of material from studio sessions, home tapes, and club performances over two years of collaboration between himself and Jeff Buckley.

The final track on that album 'Grace' was from a live performance at the Roulette Club in New York. This is the full set recorded live at Club Roulette, New York on the 5th April 1992.

Source: Soundboard.

Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@256kbps.

Genre: Alternative Rock.

Set: Full Set.

Set List:

1. Dinks Song
2. Sweet Thing
3. Mojo Pin
4. Hymn To Love
5. Grace
6. Angelina

Links: Official Gary Lucas Site HERE. Jeff Buckley HERE.

Comments:

Gary Lucas remains a highly regarded guitarist and continues to tour with 'Gods and Monsters' playing what they describe as intense psychedelic rock avant rock and art rock.

Download link in comments below or click on the picture.

Buy: Mp3's at Amazon.co.uk - Jeff Buckley - Gary Lucas

Bruce Hornsby and The Range - New York 1986

This is Bruce Hornsby and The Range recorded from the Midnight show broadcast live by WNEW-FM, New York on the 2nd September 1986.

The band formed in 1984 and were signed to RCA Records in 1985. Bruce Hornsby's recording career started with the biggest hit he has had to date, entitled "The Way It Is". It topped the American music charts in 1986.

With a propulsive yet contemplative piano riff and the refrain, That's just the way it is / Some things will never change / That's just the way it is / But don't you believe them, the song was catchy and described aspects of the American Civil Rights movement and institutional racism.

The song also hit a nerve with the American public, reflecting dissatisfaction with perceived economic decline in the early-to-mid 1980s. In years to come, the song would be sampled by at least six rap artists, including Tupac Shakur, E-40, and Mase.

Source: FM Broadcast.

Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@192kbps.

Genre: Contemporary Rock.

Set: Majority of Concert.

Set List:

01 Jacob's Ladder
02 The Way It Is
03 The Long Race
04 Mandolin Rain
05 Piano Solo
06 The Red Plains
07 I Know You Rider (small edit due to tape flip).
08 Every Little Kiss
09 The River Runs Low
10 Wild Frontier
11 Western Skyline
12 Till The Dreaming's Done
13 Down the Road Tonight (fade out, last couple minutes missing).

The Band:

Bruce Hornsby - keyboards, vocals
Peter Harris - guitar
George Marinelli - guitar
Joe Puerta - bass
John Molo - drums

Links: Official Site HERE.

Comments:

With the success of the single worldwide, the album The Way It Is went multi-platinum and produced another top five hit with "Mandolin Rain" (co-written, as many of Hornsby's early songs were, with his brother John Hornsby). "Every Little Kiss" also did respectably well. Other tracks on the album helped establish what some labeled the "Virginia sound", a mixture of rock, jazz, and bluegrass with an observational Southern feel. Bruce Hornsby and the Range would go on to win the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1987.

Bruce Hornsby and the Range's sound is somewhat distinctive. For one, Bruce Hornsby's consistent use of syncopation in his piano solos was different from other pianists during the 1980s. Bruce Hornsby used a brighter piano sound, which was typical for 1980's Pop Music. There is also extensive use of synthesizers used as background for Bruce Hornsby's solos, most notable on the tracks "The Show Goes On" and "The Road Not Taken". John Molo's drumbeats were often looped throughout the recorded versions of songs. They are typical double-time beats, which allowed Bruce Hornsby and the rest of the band to do more with their solos.

Download links (two) in comments below.

Buy: Mp3's at Amazon.co.uk - Bruce Hornsby and the Range

The Kinks - Live At The Rainbow 1977

This is The Kinks towards the end of their Sleepwalker Tour from 1977. The album Sleepwalker marked a return to straight-ahead, self-contained rock songs after several years of concept orientated albums.

It was the first album in what critics usually call the "arena rock" phase of the group, in which more commercial and mainstream production techniques would be employed. The line up of The Kinks would be trimmed downed significantly in 1977 following the album's release, as the brass section and backup singers were removed and the band returned to a standard rock band outfit. It is however notable in this gig that both brass and backup singers are very much in attendance. This is The Kinks live at The Rainbow Theatre, London on the 24th December 1977.

Source: Soundboard

Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@192kbps.

Genre: Rock, Pop.

Set: Majority of Concert

Set List:

01 Sleepwalker
02 Life on the Road
03 Waterloo Sunset
04 All Day And All Of The Night
05 Slum Kids
06 Celluloid Heroes
07 Get Back In Line
08 The Hard Way
09 Lola
10 Alcohol
11 Skin And Bone
12 You Really Got Me
13 Juke Box Music

Links: Official Ray Davies site HERE. Dave Davies HERE.

Comments:

This is a superb concert both in terms of sound quality and a very much 'on form' band with excellent supporting musicians and singers. The Rainbow Theatre was a live rock music venue in north London that opened in September 1971 with a concert by The Who, supported by Quiver and closed for the last time in January 1982. It was one of London's key venues to perform at during it's time with live albums from Bob Marley through to The Ramones being recorded and officially released.

Download link in comments below or click on the picture.

Buy: Mp3's at Amazon.co.uk The Kinks

Beehive Recommends - Kittens Ablaze

Having just listened to their current album 'The Monstrous Vanguard' I have to say Kittens Ablaze deserve all the praise and recognition they have received to date.

OK here's the setting. I have some sort of virus and am running a fever. I am feeling sorry for myself, and am not really in the mood for music. If I want to hear anything it needs to be gentle and soothing, however there is an album in my inbox & I feel obliged to give at least one song a listen. Half an hour later I am still feeling groggy but am aware that some kind of tornado has just ripped through the room thanks to a six-piece indie rock band with cello, violin, guitars, bass, piano, and drumming lead singer. The energy, passion and sheer pace of this band is something else.

So in a couple of days or so from now I am quietly confident this band will be blasting from my car speakers when upbeat & loud music is back on the menu!

Listen:
'Gloom Doom Buttercups'



Website: MySpace. Official.
Buy: (mp3's at amazon uk) Kittens Ablaze or CD's at Insound.


The band was formed in 2007 among six friends from diverse musical backgrounds, spanning classical, folk-punk, indie rock… and metal. The Kittens released their debut album, a five-track EP in the fall of 2007. With help from producer Nic Hard (The Bravery), the band self-released its full-length album, The Monstrous Vanguard, in early 2009. The album has propelled them to be an official showcasing artist at 2009 events such as SXSW, NXNE, CMJ, and L Magazine's Northside music festivals as well as selling out venues around New York and out on tour.

The band has received mention in Vice Magazine, Rolling Stone, New York Magazine, Paste Magazine, Oh My Rockness, Brooklyn Vegan, The Music Slut, Ear Farm, The New York Times (by Mick Jones of The Clash), and numerous other indie music magazines and blogs. They're known for their wild shows and tight sound and have been named Artist of the Month by both mtvU and The Deli Magazine, been on the cover of Starved Magazine, and, with their music video for “Strobelight,” they became one of a few unsigned bands to receive regular rotation on Vice’s internet TV channel, VBS.tv. The Kittens currently live in Brooklyn, New York.

Colosseum II - Germany 1977

We have decided to introduce a new occasional series under the banner 'Rarities and Collectors Items' where the audio might not be first class but the interest factor is likely quite high. There are many live recordings and demos to be found in varying degrees of quality and probable interest. These are just some that we are delighted to share.

Several years after the dissolution of Colosseum, Jon Hiseman recruited Gary Moore and Don Airey to form Colosseum II. The mandate this time, however, was not the jazz and blues inflected rock of the original band, but a full-tilt journey into hyperkinetic jazz fusion that stretched the players about as far as they could go.

This is the band live on WDR Radio Nachtmusik, Cologne, Germany from the 29th October 1977.

Source: FM Broadcast

Sound Quality: Good stereo mp3@128kbps some tape hiss between numbers.

Genre: Jazz Rock, Fusion.

Set: Edited set.

Set List:

01. Wardance
02. The Inquisition
03. Trilogy: Star Maiden - Mysterioso - Quasar
04. Lament
05. Desperado
06. Drum Solo
07. Fighting Talk

Comments:

Colosseum II were a British band formed by the former Colosseum drummer and leader, Jon Hiseman, following the 1974 demise of his band Tempest.

Hiseman announced his plan to form the band eventually named Colosseum II in November 1974, but only Gary Moore was named. Rehearsals were due to begin on January 1, 1975, but a permanent unit was not finalised until May 1975. Among musicians who almost made the group were Graham Bell, Duncan MacKay and Mark Clarke. The line-up was completed by Don Airey, Neil Murray and Mike Starrs.

The sound was oriented toward Jazz fusion, much of which was based around the guitar work of Moore, leading to a much heavier sound than the original Colosseum band. After disappointing sales of the first album, Murray and Starrs were unceremoniously sacked by the bands record label (Bronze) in July 1976.

The band continued with a new record label and a new bass player (John Mole), and recorded two further largely instrumental (and still commercially unsuccessful) albums. They also performed on Variations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, which also featured Julian Lloyd Webber on cello, Rod Argent on keyboards and Hiseman's wife, Barbara Thompson, on flute and sax. This album reached number 2 on the UK charts.

In August 1978, Moore left to rejoin Thin Lizzy for a fourth spell, and Airey's brother Keith Airey replaced him on guitar. Sadly plans for a fourth album fell through when Don Airey decided to join Rainbow in December 1978.

Download link in comments below or click on the picture..

Buy: Mp3's at Amazon.co.uk - Colosseum II

Television - Double Exposure

This is two demo recording sessions from Television in 1974 & 1975. The bands highly acclaimed debut album 'Marquee Moon' was released in 1977 (Elektra Records) and was very successful in Europe however failed to enter the Billboard 200 in the USA.

Both sessions were included on the bootleg 'Double Exposure' which surfaced in Italy (No Label No. DE-92-SC), and was first released in 1992. The original bootleg included three live tracks from CBGB's in 1975, that are missing from this version.

The Television 1974 demos were recorded at Good Vibrations Studios in NYC with Richard Hell on bass, and produced by Brian Eno and Richard Williams of Island Records.

The August 1975 demos were recorded with Fred Smith on bass and were part of the session for Terry Ork of Ork Records which produced Television's first single "Little Johnny Jewel" (Ork, 1975, included on expanded re-issue of Marquee Moon).

It is fascinating listening to the early versions of these songs that eventually appeared on 'Marquee Moon'. Each session and versions are distinctly different the second having a 'harder edge' to them and closer to the final released editions.

Source: Studio Demos

Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@256 & 320kbps

Genre: Punk rock, post punk, new wave, art punk.

Set: Two studio sessions.

Track List:

1974 - Demo's

1. Prove It
2. Friction
3. Venus De Milo
4. Double Exposure
5. Marquee Moon

1975 Demo's

1. Hard On Love
2. Friction
3. Careful
4. Prove It
5. Fire Engine
6. Little Johnny Jewel (vinyl rip of Ork single)

Comments:

From wikipedia regarding the formation and early day's of Television.

Television's roots can be traced to the teenage friendship between Richard Hell and Tom Verlaine. The duo met at Sanford School in Hockessin, Delaware, from which they ran away. Later the two would move separately to New York in the early 1970s aspiring to be poets.

Their first group together was the Neon Boys, consisting of Verlaine on guitar and vocals, Hell on bass and vocals, and Billy Ficca on drums. The group lasted from late 1972 to early 1973. A posthumous 7-inch record featuring "That's All I Know (Right Now)" and "Love Comes in Spurts" was released in 1980.

In late 1973 the trio reformed, calling themselves Television and soon recruiting Richard Lloyd as a second guitarist. They persuaded CBGB's owner Hilly Kristal to give the band a regular gig at his club which had just opened on the Bowery in New York. Television was the first rock group to perform at the club, which was to become, along with Max's Kansas City, the center of the burgeoning punk scene. The members of Television reportedly constructed the first stage at CBGB's, where they quickly established a significant cult following.

Initially, songwriting was split almost evenly between Hell and Verlaine (with Lloyd being an infrequent contributor as well). However, friction began to develop as Verlaine, Lloyd and Ficca became increasingly confident and adept with both instruments and composition, while Hell remained defiantly untrained in his approach. Verlaine, feeling that Hell's frantic onstage demeanor was upstaging his songs, reportedly told him to "stop jumping around" and ultimately refused to play Hell's songs (such as "Blank Generation") in concert. This and probably the failure of a Brian Eno-produced demo to be picked up by Island Records led Hell to leave the group and take his songs with him, forming The Heartbreakers in 1975 with former members of the New York Dolls, and later forming Richard Hell and the Voidoids. Fred Smith, briefly of Blondie, replaced Hell as Television's bassist.

The 1974 demos were also released on two other bootlegs called Television with Bryan Eno and Fairland (Microphone Records (Italy) No. MPH CD 017 released 1994), which are of much lower quality than Double Exposure, being from a higher generation tape without the speed irregularities.

Reloaded - 29/May/2015 - download link in comments. 

Buy: Mp3's at Amazon.co.uk - Television

The Cure - Vancouver Canada 1996

This is The Cure live at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Vancouver, B.C. Canada on Thursday, August 1st, 1996.

This is from a 'Kiss The Stone' (KTS618) silver disc that was curiously entitled 'Queen Elisabeth Parade', and although it's very good quality recording and apart from the typo's only tracks 1 - 12 are from the gig, and as the concert lasted for over two hours this is clearly only part of the show. Three 'bonus' tracks from a December 1995 London gig are included. All of which suggests that KTS were unable to get hold of the full Vancouver show, which incidentally was superb.

One review of the concert stated 'Robed in the away jersey of our beloved Vancouver Canucks (though I doubt he's a fan -- he wore Canadiens and Maple Leafs jerseys in Montreal and Toronto, respectively), Robert Smith and associates opened the show in fine form with "Want" and "Club America" off their latest effort, Wild Mood Swings. Amidst a stage set up to look like a post apocalypse circus tent and a light show that would make the Northern Lights Perry Bamonte seem like a Grade 2 science project, the Cure moved the crowd into a stage of spiritual ecstasy that Oral Roberts himself would be jealous of'.

Source: Soundboard

Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@320kbps.

Genre: Alternative rock, gothic rock, new wave, post-punk.

Set: Edited set.

Set List:

Queen Elizabeth Theatre:

1. Want (4:54)
2. Club America (5:07)
3. Lullaby (4:35)
4. Round & Round & Round (2:35)
5. Just Like Heaven (3:41)
6. Strange Attraction (4:16)
7. Return (3:40)
8. Trap (3:46)
9. Prayers For Rain (5:09)
10. In Between Days (3:18)
11. From The Edge Of The Deep Green Sea (7:51)
12. Disintegration (8:48)

London December 1995 'Bonus Tracks':

13. Friday I'm In Love (3:39)
14. Mint Car (3:02)
15. Just Like Heaven (3:43)

Band Line Up:

Robert Smith, Simon Gallup, Jason Cooper, Perry Bamonte, Roger O'Donnell.

Links: Official site HERE.

Comments:

Kiss The Stone Records was a bootleg recording company that released many famous bootlegs by bands such as The Waterboys, Van Morrison and Pearl Jam. The company was based in San Marino, where the law allowed the company to market bootlegs as long as it placed royalties for the artists in an escrow account. Most artists wouldn't bother collecting, either because they didn't want to legitimize the bootlegs or because tracking down escrow accounts in a foreign country was more trouble than it was worth. The label is now defunct.

Reloaded 2015 - see comments.

Beehive Recommends - Pixie Carnation

I have a lot of respect for Seattle's excellent radio station KEXP and so any artist who achieves 'song of the day' recognition is for me, worthy of a listen at the very least.

The fact that the promotion that dropped in my inbox a couple of days a go also mentioned the band are from Sweden was an added bonus !

Pixie Carnation are the band and I think they are pretty special. To quote KEXP a little further ...you don’t get any indication that the band is from anywhere but the U.S. as the vocal stylings come through entirely American in a way that even some U.S. bands somehow don’t seem to be able to achieve. Simply structured yet toe-tappingly catchy, “When Did The Lights Go Out” is the kind of rock song that gets its vocal melody stuck inside of your brain but you’re okay with it." -Brian Connolly, (song selected by Morning Show host John Richards), KEXP.org. Their debut EP 'Fresh Poems' is available now.

Listen:
'When Did The Lights Go Out'



Website: MySpace.
Buy: HERE.

There promo states quite accurately 'The product of two years of musical experimentation has culminated in what is now Pixie Carnation, a Swedish based, and yet very American sounding band. From the time that childhood friends Ola Pålsson and Tobias Hellkvist reconnected a few years ago there was an instant artistic connection, and it was only a matter of time before their sound and the band’s lineup became what it is today.

Despite it taking about a year and a half for Pålsson and Hellkvist to find like-minded musicians, Pixie Carnation has now evolved into a seven-member band and made their first recording, Fresh Poems EP.

A classic rock influenced, Americana infused, musical tapestry with orchestral elements, Fresh Poems is already resounding in the ears of American music aficionados, as evidenced by their song “When the Lights Go Out” being named KEXP’s song a the day on November 2nd. Drawing comparisons to Bruce Springsteen, KEXP proclaims that when the music begins, “Immediately you start to think that maybe The Boss has entered the room.”

And as Pixie Carnation’s music reaches the ears of North America this Swedish rock group is bound to find welcome listeners and loyal fans'.

Lyle Lovett - Live In London,1992

This is Lyle Lovett performing at one of my favorite music venues from the days when it was still known as the Hammersmith Odeon (West London).

This is predominately from a BBC Radio 2 FM broadcast back on June 12th 1992, however some additional tracks came with this collection and are included.

While typically associated with the country genre, Lyle Lovett's compositions often incorporate folk, swing, blues, jazz and gospel music as well as more traditional country material. This concert really does demonstrate these diverse styles as he performs along side some excellent singers and musicians.

Source: FM Broadcast.

Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@192kbps.

Genre: Country, Alt Country.

Set: Full broadcast set & extras.

Set List:

01 She's No Lady
02 Church
03 She's Leaving Me Because She Really Wants To
04 You've Been So Good Up To Now
05 All My Love Is Gone
06 North Dakota
07 Flyswatter/Ice Water Blues
08 Since The Last Time
09 L.A. County
10 What Do You Do/Glory Of Love
11 Cowboy Man
12 She's Hot To Go

Woburn Abbey, England June 20th 1992 (FM Broadcast)
13 She's Already Made Up Her Mind
14 If I Had A Boat

Live On Tom Jones' - "The Right Time" (TV Nicam Stereo)
15 Flying Shoes

Links: Official site HERE.

Comments:

Lyle Lovett has just released a new studio album called 'Natural Forces' on Lost Highway Records. As regards this boot recording the actual mp3's are tagged Paul Masson Winery for some unapparent reason. Sound quality is exceptional, as is the performance.

Download link in comments below or click on the picture.

Buy: Mp3's at Amazon.co.uk - Lyle Lovett

Curved Air - Live At The BBC - 1975 & 76.

This is Curved Air recorded live for BBC Radio One. Both performances were recorded at the Paris Theatre in London.

The 1975 session was recorded on the 31st January and the BBC transcription disc also includes a version of 'Stark Naked' however that track is missing from this boot collection, it does feature in the second live session.

The second live performance was recorded on the 21st February 1976. Some of the second sessions tracks were also included on an officially released album 'Live At The BBC', however the boot edition was lifted from one of the transcription discs which were circulated in three differing versions.

Source: Soundboard - BBC transcription discs.

Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@320kbps.

Genre: Prog Rock, Folk Rock.

Set: Two BBC concert Sessions

Set List:

1. Marie Antoinette
2. The Fool
3. Midnight Wire
4. Women On A One Night Stand

5. Stark Naked
6. Women On A One Night Stand
7. Young Mother
8. Kids To Blame
9. Hot and Bothered
10. The Fool

Links: Official site HERE.

Comments:

Curved Air evolved out of the band Sisyphus and was named after the piece "A Rainbow in Curved Air" by contemporary composer Terry Riley.

The musicians came from quite different artistic backgrounds, classic, folk, and electronic sound, which resulted in a mixture of progressive rock, folk rock, and fusion with classical elements. Along with High Tide, It's A Beautiful Day and East of Eden, Curved Air were one of the first rock bands to feature a violin.

The officially released 'Live At The BBC' album is not widely circulated and used versions are changing hands for £50 ($60 US) plus on Amazon.

Reloaded - 29/May/2015 - download link in comments. 

Buy: Mp3's at Amazon.co.uk - Curved Air

Gong - Great American Music Hall, 2000

Currently touring in Europe with the original line up, Gong continue to amaze audiences with their musical tales of Pot Head Pixies, Gnomes, Zero The Hero and more.

Going back to the beginning of the 'noughties' decade and Gong were continuing to tour worldwide on a regular basis.

This recording is from the 9th September 2000 at the Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, California.

This is a full concert and features quite a lot of material from the 1970's era of the band. Gongs latest album '2032' was released in September this year.

Source: Soundboard

Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@320kbps

Genre: Progressive rock, psychedelic rock, space rock, jazz fusion.

Set: Full set.

Set List:

01. Planet Gong intro - Zeroid
02. Radio Gnome Invisible
03. Yoni on Mars
04. Bodilingus
05. Zero The Hero and the Witch's Spell -Witch's Song/I'm your Pussy
06. Magdalene
07. Infinitea - Mad Monk
08. You Can't Kill Me
09. Flute Salad
10. Oily Way
11. Outer Temple
12. Inner Temple
13. Get It Inner
14. Master Builder
15. Tropical Fish
16. The Invisible Temple
17. Selene

Band Line Up:

Daevid Allen - guitars and vocals
Gilli Smyth - vocals and space whispers
Mike Howlett - bass
Theo Travis - sax and flute
Chris Taylor - drums
Gwyo ZePix - Keyboards, Synths

Links: Official Site HERE.

Comments:

After spending most of the Eighties in his native Australia, Daevid Allen returned to the UK in 1988 with a new project, the Invisible Opera Company of Tibet, whose revolving cast included the likes of Harry Williamson, violinist Graham Clark and Didier Malherbe. This morphed into GongMaison and by 1992, the name Gong was again in use, by which time early drummer Pip Pyle had also rejoined. The band released the album Shapeshifter (subsequently dubbed Radio Gnome part 4), followed by extensive touring. In 1994, Gong celebrated its 25th birthday in London, including a performance by most of the 'classic' line-up, including the returning Gilli Smyth and Mike Howlett. This formed the basic of the "Classic Gong" band which toured worldwide from 1996 to 2001 and released Zero to Infinity in 2000 (by Allen, Smyth, Howlett and Malherbe plus new recruits Theo Travis and Chris Taylor).

Download links (three) in comments below (track four replacement link in separate comment).

Buy: MP3's at Amazon.co.uk - Gong

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Winterland, San Francisco 1975

This is Lynyrd Skynyrd live at the Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, California on the 27th April 1975.

From 1973 through to the tragic air crash in October 1977 that decimated the band, Lynyrd Skynyrd were one of the most popular live acts in rock'n'roll history.

A couple of points of interest for fans and trivia addicts, Billy Powell was absent from this show, so the band had to find a substitute for his piano part in Call Me The Breeze. Notably Sweet Home Alabama also sounds a little different as a result. Lee Freeman, who had played with Ed King in Strawberry Alarm Clock and would later play on Gimme Back My Bullets, blows the harp. An early incarnation of Lynyrd Skynrd supported Strawberry Alarm Clock back in 1968 on some East Coast tour dates.

Source: Soundboard.

Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@320kbps.

Genre: Southern rock, blues-rock, country rock.

Set: Full set.

Set List:

01 Whiskey Rock a Roller - I Ain't the One
02 The Needle and the Spoon
03 I'm A Country Boy
04 Gimmie Three Steps
05 Don't Ask Me No Questions
06 Saturday Night Special
07 Railroad Song
08 Call Me the Breeze
09 Sweet Home Alabama
10 On the Hunt
11 Freebird

Links: Official site HERE. Excellent history Site HERE.

Comments:

The Winterland Ballroom, often referred to as Winterland Arena or simply Winterland, was an old ice skating rink and 5,400 seat music venue in San Francisco, California. Located at the corner of Post Street and Steiner Street, it was converted to exclusive use as a music venue in 1971 by rock promoter Bill Graham. After closing his New York City venue known as the Fillmore East in 1971, he began to hold regular weekend shows at Winterland.

Lynyrd Skynyrd joined a veritable 'whose who' of rock history by performing at the venue with the likes of bands such as Cream through to The Sex Pistols, or The Doors through to Pink Floyd and many, many more 'top class' acts having played there until it's closure in 1978.

Reloaded - 29/May/2015 - download link in comments. 

Buy: Mp3's at Amazon.co.uk - Lynyrd Skynyrd

The Alan Parsons Project - Tokyo 1997.

This is The Alan Parsons Project live at The International Forum, Tokyo, Japan, on the 4th October 1997. This concert was part of the Japanese leg of the 'On Air' tour.

This comes from a two CD recording and is credited as sourced from the soundboard. Having listened to the recording (which by the way is an absolute must for any fan, or an excellent introduction to the band) the audience seems a little close and high in the mix between songs, which often suggests an audience recording. However the quality of the music and stereo mixing suggests soundboard. So I am not sure about this one, that said though, it is a great recording of a very good show.

Source: Soundboard (see above).

Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@192kbps

Genre: Soft, Pop, & Prog rock.

Set: Full set.

Set List:

1. Sirius/Eye In The Sky
2. I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You
3. Can’t Take It With You
4. Old And Wise
5. Money Talks/La Sagrada Familia
6. Days Are Numbers (The Traveller)
7. Prime Time
8. Limelight
9. Time
10. Turn It Up
11. Standing On Higher Ground
12. Blue Blue Sky II
13. I Can’t Look Down
14. So Far Away
15. Fall Free
16. Cloudbreak
17. Brother Up In Heaven
18. (The System Of) Dr. Tarr & Pr. Fether
19. Psychobabble
20. Don’t Answer Me
21. Band Intro/You’re Gonna Get Your Fingers Burned
22. Games People Play

Band Line Up:

Alan Parsons - Guitar, Keyboards,Vocals & Percussion
Stuart Elliott - Drums
Ian Bairnson - Guitars & Sax
John Giblin - Bass
Peter Beckett - Vocals & Keyboards
John Beck - Keyboards
Neil Lockwood - Vocals & Guitar


Links: Alan Parson's official site HERE. Alan Parsons Project site HERE.

Comments:

From the Alan Parsons Project website, regarding how the band got it's name. - In 1974 Alan Parsons was nominated for a Grammy award to recognise his engineering work on Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. Soon after that he and Eric Woolfson got together with Eric acting as Alan's manager for his engineering and production work. After a string of hits, Eric had the idea of making an album on the lines of developments in the film business, where directors such as Alfred Hitchcock and Stanley Kubrick were the focal point of the film's promotion, rather than individual film stars. If the film business was becoming a director's medium, Eric felt the music business might well become a producer's medium. As a songwriter, he had been developing an album inspired by the works of Edgar Allan Poe and he now saw a way to combine Alan's and his respective talents: Alan as the engineer and producer, Eric as the songwriter and musician.

Eric put a proposal to 20th Century Records (now Universal) along these lines. He gave it a working title of 'The Alan Parsons Project' and the record company went for the idea. They decided that they liked the proposal and the working title and so it stuck - The Alan Parsons Project was born.

Bearing in mind Alan's known association in the business with Pink Floyd and The Beatles plus the fact that Eric was also the manager of The Project, Eric felt it was better to use Alan's name as the figurehead.

Reloaded 21/June/2015 - link in comments.

Beehive Recommends - Keb Mo

Keb Mo is a singer, songwriter and guitarist whose musical origins are firmly linked to the Delta blues.

His Grammy awards and nominations are testimony to his outstanding talent. Keb has a distinctive sound and yet embraces pop, rock, folk and jazz within his craft.

Having said all of that, his natural blues stripped down to just guitar and vocals is both refreshing and moving.

His new contemporary blues album is quite appropriately named Live & Mo. It features six awesome live performances from notable moments on the road, and four brand new studio recordings, including the anthemic song A Brand New America, a band version of the inspirational Victims of Comfort, the funky sound of Government Cheese, and the back-porch rhythm and blues of Hole in the Bucket. If you already know the mood and style past releases Keb’Mo, you’ll dig “Live & Mo”.

Listen:
'Am I Wrong'



MP3: Am I Wrong.
Website: Official Site.
Buy: Keb' Mo'

Otis Redding - Los Angeles 1966

This is Otis Redding live at the Whiskey A Go Go on Sunset Strip Los Angeles, California, USA back in the spring of 1966.

There have been two official releases of Otis Redding performing live at the venue in 1966. The first was titled 'In Person' and released back in 1968 (Atco). The second was 'Good To Me' which was released in 1993 (Stax).

Some 'Whiskey A Go Go' material also appeared on an Atlantic Records release in 1982 called 'Recorded Live - Previously Released Performances', however I understand these were included on the 1993 Stax release.

This is Otis on the 10th April 1966 from the late show at the venue.

Source: Soundboard.

Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@192kbps

Genre: Soul.

Set: Full set.

Set List:

01 - Intro
02 - Your One and Only Man
03 - Security
04 - Good to Me
05 - Respect
06 - Ole Man Trouble
07 - I Can't Turn You Loose
08 - A Hard Day's Night
09 - These Arms of Mine
10 - Papa's Got a Brand New Bag (intro then restarts)
11 - Papa's Got a Brand New Bag
12 - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
13 - Outro

Links: Official site HERE.

Comments:

There is a little tape hiss on this recording but this does not distract. Classic songs such as 'Dock Of The Bay' may leave our memories of Otis as a more laid back soul singer, this live performance cuts right through that image, as Otis belts out some incredible high tempo and funky songs including covers of A Hard Days Night, and Satisfaction.

Download link in comments below or click on the picture.

Buy: Mp3's at Amazon.co.uk Otis Redding