BEEHIVE CANDY

Back in July, I ran a piece on the 1991 'Alanis' album, and the rather dated 1980's 'disco' sound. This was rather cruel considering how young she was at the time (1991 that is, not last July!). I am, I hope in my own small way, something of an advocate for some of the excellent artists that have come out of Canada and achieved international recognition. Alanis Morissette is no exception, indeed as previously mentioned, she was absolutely fantastic when I saw her live in London some years ago. So in order to address the balance here is a concert of Alanis from 1996. This is from a CD boot that seems to have emerged from the Czech Republic on 'Oxygen' records. The album title is 'Miss Thing' which considering that the CD back cover, claims to have 'art direction and design' , makes me wonder about the creativeness amongst bootleggers in that part of the world, (anyway is is now digitized and free of charge). This is Alanis Moris...

The Beatles - The Alternate Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and A Little More, was released by Dolphin Productions (CDP 790103 - 2 CD set) in 1997. Like a lot of bootleg CD releases, the packaging attempted to make the album look official, however the back cover failed to list the track contents accurately, and the front shown here was a little predictable. However the music is the key factor, and on this occasion the album is something of a gem to put it mildly. For nearly every track there's the mono mix at some stage in production, and a few stereo versions along the way. There are a lot of fragments from 'The Making Of Sgt. Pepper's' with George Martin playing back the individual tracks and explaining things. There's Anthology stuff, snippets from interviews, songs previously released on the Unsurpassed Masters series by Yellow Dog, tracks from 'The Lost Pepperland Reel' (like the Good Morning Good Morning animal noises) and more. ...

The Devo credentials 'are all there'. The pivotal moment for the formation of Devo was the first hand witnessing by one of the bands founders Gerald Casale of the Kent State University shootings of May 4, 1970. The first form of Devo was the 'Sextet Devo' which performed at the 1973 Kent State performing arts festival. They are 'discovered' by David Bowie and Iggy Pop in 1976, and subsequently record ' Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! ' which was produced by Brian Eno . They are referenced as 'punk', 'new wave', 'post punk', 'art rock', and into the 1980's as the acceptable face of 'synth pop'. That's not a bad selection of street credibility references in any ones books is it? There is so much to Devo, that I am going to take the easy way out, and provide a link HERE to wikipedia. Actually I have read through it and learned a lot more, and of course been reminded of the fantastic visual...

First of all the radio bit. WPLJ became in late 1970, a '100% live free form' rock format station. By September 1971 they had developed into the very first AOR (adult orientated rock) station in the USA. The station would play the music of artists such as Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Aerosmith, Jimi Hendrix, Cream, The Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan, Deep Purple, Rod Stewart, and The Allman Brothers. The station would also play more 'popular' songs from artists such as James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, Elton John and Carly Simon. All in all, and compared to the ' AOR format' in later years, at least the music was new or relatively new back then, and throughout the 1970's WPLJ was one of the most successful stations on the planet! Procol Harum sat comfortably in WPLJ's 'free form' rock format, back in April 1971. Having moved on from the psychedelic pop music phase that was 1967's 'A Whiter Shade of Pale', Procol Harum were a well respec...

The controversy of it all! 1965, the year Bob Dylan 'went electric' . Looking back now, it all seems so quaint. Fans outraged that Bob Dylan had sold out, abandoning his folk roots, and daring to perform with a band, and not only that, some of them had 'electric guitars'. It all began at the Newport Folk Festival in July of that year, with the crowd apparently 'booing' as he performed three songs with what was then most of The Paul Butterfield Band . The legend of going electric (with the famously recorded heckle of 'Judas' the following year in Manchester - England), is of course in the scheme of things pretty unimportant, but way back then the folkies were clearly a serious bunch, not open much to their icons doing the unthinkable. Mind you it did not do Bob's record sales any harm, and can you imagine 'Desire' or 'Blood On The Tracks' as wholly acoustic affairs? After the Newport festival and in support of the...

The Byrds have been credited with forging the link between the musical style's of Bob Dylan and The Beatles back in the 1960's. They can also claim to be one of the pioneers of folk rock and country rock, whilst retaining a pedigree in the sixties psychedelia scene. Not bad eh? In 1969 they performed at the Fillmore West, the concert subsequently being released as an official album, and receiving good reviews and sales. The following year (1970) the Byrds were touring and promoting that years 'Untitled' double album , (with the second half again being live). During the tour the band were legitimately recorded in Holland by Dutch radio organisation VPRO. This concert had a notably different set list than the Fillmore West concert. This then is The Byrds, Live Concertgebouw, Amsterdam (Holland) on July 7th, 1970. This is a pristine copy from the broadcast on the Dutch Radio 2 on August 10, 2006 by KRO, as direct from the original master tape - lets just s...

I am going to avoid any pretentious personal charts for the year soon to pass. Rather you can just skip back over the previous 'Whats Up Doc' posts, and if you are still awake, after the ordeal, get a feel for some of the more current music that has appealed to my ears. Among those already featured have been, Vanessa Paradis, Clare Burson, Lucy and The Teenage Monster, Siouxsie, Tegan and Sara, Radiohead, Bruce Springsteen, Babyshambles, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, The White Stripes, Pauline Croze , and plenty of others, some well known and some not so well known. So on this edition I thought I would fill in some of the gaps, of other artists and music, that has appealed this year. Afterwards I will probably remember some more, so lets just say, this is far from definitive. Neil Young's 2007 release 'Chrome Dreams II' is simply wonderful! Full of a variety of styles , it exceeded all expectations by miles. Here are a couple of examples: Links Removed - MP3 Pol...

There are so many positive things to write about Tom Petty and his musical career. For me three things stand out immediately with a dozen or so more, hot on their heels. First of all the music both solo and with The Heartbreakers, and whether studio or live, has been almost 'a' typical working mans (and women's!) rock'n'roll, and also so good to sing or dance along to. Secondly he has the respect and admiration of so many other musicians and artists, and yet his personal ego appears from a far, to be permanently under control. My third initial thought is how he has been prepared to stand up to the music industry, and maintain his principles against the cynical ways within. He has also spoken out on the dire state of commercial radio, and so gets my immediate thumbs up on that one. This is a really good performance (well after the above comments what else would you expect), recorded at the Target Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA, on the 3rd August 1999. The set list is...

As collectors items go, I guess this really is 'A List' material. With the passing of Anthony H. Wilson, founder of Factory Records, along with the film of the late Ian Curtis and Joy Division , (with the reissues of all Joy Division material), obtaining something alternative from the band may prove difficult. That this boot is also a very real part of the post punk and new wave era at grass roots level adds to the attraction. So why were Joy Division playing a gig at a youth club, to an audience of predominately 10 to 16 year olds? They were bizarrely playing the youth club because Bob Jefferson, who was promoting the gigs at the venue on Wednesday nights, had bought them out of their first contract, so they could join Factory Records. He owned Streets Ahead records in Altrincham. They played the gig as a thank you! I do not know the kind person that cleaned up this sound board recording, however considerable work went into developing a digital version. Here ar...

First aired in 1976, Austin City Limits has become American television's longest-running concert music program. The program is taped live by PBS (public broadcast) member station KLRU on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin. Images of Austin, Texas, the self-proclaimed "Live Music Capital of the World," are seen in the opening credits. ACL's set also features a mock skyline of Austin. The show inspired the Austin City Limits Music Festival, an annual live music festival at Zilker Park in Austin. This is the soundtrack to Sheryl Crow's performance on, January 31st, 1997, at Austin City limits, Austin, Texas. Set list is: 1. Every Day is a Winding Road 2. Hard to Make a Stand 3. Leaving Las Vegas 4. A Change 5. Run, Baby, Run 6. If It Makes You Happy 7. Redemption Day 8. Strong Enough 9. Sweet Rosalyn 10. I Shall Believe This is a stereo soundtrack copy - and is a high quality recording. It is also a really good show! Replacemen...

1968 and Simon and Garfunkel were riding high in the charts both with contributions to the 'Graduate soundtrack', and the release of their album 'Bookends' along with hit singles both sides of the Atlantic. This is Simon And Garfunkel Live At The Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood, CA, USA on the 23rd August 1968. Probably intended as an official live album, the original concert recording was engineered by Al Kooper, however it eventually surfaced as a boot, on Vigotone (VT-124) under the title 'Voices of Intelligent Dissent' . Set List: 1. (2:57) Mrs Robinson 2. (2:35) Homeward Bound 3. (4:38) April Come She Will 4. (3:06) Fakin' It 5. (2:35) Overs 6. (1:39) The 59th Street Bridge song 7. (4:30) America 8. (2:46) A Most Peculiar Man 9. (3:12) I Am A Rock 10. (2:07) At The Zoo 11. (3:50) Scarborough Fair 12. (2:19) Bye Bye Love 13. (5:16) Cloudy 14. (2:43) Leaves That are Green 15. (2:23) Punky's Dilemma 16. (3:27) Benedictus 17. (2:4...

I remember well, seeing the Happy Mondays live at Wembley stadium in London back in 2000. They were supporting Oasis, and in my opinion by far, the better of the two bands. This was the second incarnation of the Happy Mondays who had split back in 1992. Alas they split up again soon after this gig, however if you excuse the pun they again went out on a 'high'. Back to 1992, when having cost the indie label Factory an estimated £250.000.00 for their, then new album 'Yes Please' the band toured in support of the album. Sadly the album failed to achieve the financial success of previous material, and with both New Order's album 'Ceremony', and the label owned Hacienda Club also costing Factory Records an 'arm and a leg' the label went bust, and the Happy Mondays went the same way. This concert was recorded by the BBC for broadcast prior to the band splitting up. Despite all the troubles of that year, this is a fine concert, and well worth a l...

Neil Young and Crazy Horse undertook tours of Europe and North America in 1996, which resulted in both a live album and a tour documentary directed by Jim Jarmusch. Both releases took the name Year of the Horse . This concert was performed the following year as part of the H.O.R.D.E. festival tour, and is quite different to the Year of the Horse release. Recorded at the Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY, USA, on August 10th, 2007 this is an excellent quality soundboard recording, that could be mistaken for an official release. Released as a double 'silver CD boot' the quality has been retained. Set list: CD One 1 Slip Away 2 Down By The River 3 Crime In The City 4 From Hank To Hendrix 5 The Needle And The Damage Done 6 Ohio CD Two 1 Throw Your Hatred Down 2 Big Time 3 Hey Hey, My My 4 Sedan Delivery 5 Piece Of Crap 6 Mansion On The Hill Band line up: Neil Young - vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica Frank Sampedro - guitar, keyboards, ...

This is a tidy little Beatles bootleg, that comes under the name 'And In The End'. It finds the band at their rather difficult 1969 and early 1970 period. Despite all the strains and tensions of that time, musically they were still producing adventurous and excellent material. Worthy of note are 'The Long Medley' (both parts) which are from EMI master tapes in their original form, with 'Her Majesty' in it's original position. The Trident Studios Acetate of 'I Want You', sees Paul handling the lead vocals on the Lennon song. Intriguingly 'I Me Mine' and 'Let It Be'. are both being recorded with only Paul, George and Ringo, together in the studio. Johns absence is noted by George when he mentions, "Dave Dee is no longer with us". The full track listing is: 1. Come Together (Take 1) (John's Acetate) (7-21-1969). 2. I Want You (Trident Acetate) (2-22-1969). 3. I Need You (Trident Acetate) (2-22-1969). 4. Oh Darling (Early V...

Often regarded as one of the driving forces behind two key soul record labels, Stax and Volt, in the 1960/70's, Booker T and the MG's were both the key house band for numerous artists, and in their own right a successful and popular act, both sides of the Atlantic. Booker T Jones received a lifetime achievement Grammy award on February 11th 2007, having already been inducted in to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame back in 1992. Around a year before the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction they performed this wonderful show at Slims, San Francisco, California, USA, on April 20th 1991. This is a soundboard copy of the show and includes many of their enduring classics. The set list is as follows: 01 Intro 02 Green Onions 03 Melting Pot 04 Band Introductions 05 Untitled 06 Soul Limbo 07 Summertime 08 Hip-Hug-Her 09 Groovin' 10 The New Song 11 Born Under A Bad Sign/ 12 Hang Em High 13 Time Is Tight 14 crowd - encore break 15 Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay 16 Double Or Nothin...

This is Creedence Clearwater Revival live on the closing night of the Fillmore West in San Francisco, way back in 1971. Ironically the band were starting to fall apart at this time, following an intense period of recording and touring that had lasted since the late 1960's, during which they achieved considerable critical acclaim, along with a number of highly successful albums. Recognising the milestone that was the Fillmore West closing, the band performed a concert that was relevant, and a must for any fan of the band, or the era. This then is Creedence Clearwater Revival at the Fillmore West closing night, San Francisco, California, USA, on July 4th 1971. The set list includes the source for the concert KSAN FM, possibly the most appreciated alternative radio source in the USA at that time. 01) intro before 1st song 1:47 02) Born On The Bayou 5:22 03) Green River 3:55 04) It Came Out Of The Sky 3:31 05) Door To Door 3:26 06) Travelin' Band 3:29 07) Fortunate Son 2:20...

This is Little Feat live at The Fox Theatre, Atlanta, Georgia, USA on May 23rd 1975. This was at the peak of the Lowell George era, when Little Feat influenced the likes of Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones. The Wikipedia entry for Little Feat is quite concise, and covers this period, along with the subsequent development of the band down to present day. Musically this is a fine concert and I know I have said this about other bands boots, however this really is a good introduction to the band for those unfamiliar with Little Feat. Set list is: 1. Intro 2. Skin it Back 3. One Love Stand 4. Rock & Roll Doctor 5. Oh Atlanta 6. On Your Way Down 7. Juliette (1 glitch) - jam 8. Day Or Night 9. All That You Dream 10. Dixie Chicken * 11. Tripe Face Boogie * 12. Feats Don't Fail Me Now * 13. Willin' > Band & Guests Intro * 14. Teenage Nervous Breakdown * with guest Bonnie Raitt. To give you an idea of how bootlegs have made it from the analog to digital era, here is the a...

Ultra Rare Trax Volumes One and Two may well have been the first two Beatles boot CD's released in Europe. They had previously been on vinyl and allegedly originates from master tapes "borrowed" from Abbey Road, which obviously upset some EMI exec's. Released by prolific bootleggers Swinging Pig records on CD and made in Luxembourg, they were certainly in circulation by 1988. These are a selection of studio outtakes, and similar to material released on the official Anthology series. They are another piece of Beatles history, and make fascinating listening. Volume One track list is: 1. I Saw Her Standing There (take two) 2. One After 909 (take two) 3. She's A Women (take two) 4. I'm Looking Through You (take one) 5. If You've Got Trouble (take one) 6. How Do I Do It (take two) 7. Penny Lane (take nine) 8. Strawberry Fields Forever (take 26) 9. From Me To You (take two) 10. Besame Mucho (1962 Pete Best on drums) 11. The Fool On The Hill (demo take one) 12. P...

Welcome to the third ' whats up doc ' musical round up. Picking out some current and earlier albums from the year, that have the full attention of the Beehive! First of all a band I am somewhat overdue featuring, The White Stripes . Jack and Meg's latest offering 'Icky Thump' released back in June, is still a 'regular play' of mine, if your a fan you will have a copy, for those uncertain check out the following couple of tracks from the album. Links Removed - MP3 Policy. 03. The White Stripes - 300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues.mp3 09. The White Stripes - Rag And Bone.mp3 Album details HERE . Robert Plant and Alison Krauss new album 'Raising Sand' has had mixed reviews, everything from album of the month to disappointing. I personally quite like it, and if you like either musicians solo work, it is well worth checking out. 02. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - Killing The Blues 05. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - Gone Gone Gone Album details HER...

You may have gathered from comments elsewhere on this blog, that I am a fan of Lucinda Williams music. I was therefore delighted when I first heard this concert, I will spare you the gushing superlatives, and just say it compliments the official release 'Live at The Fillmore' recorded later the same year. This was the first part of the press release, regarding the following show. 'Bono has been confirmed to host the debut of the new, nationally syndicated Lost Highway Radio Show, which is scheduled to air in late August. The Lost Highway Radio Show will feature one artist per each hour-long program, recorded live in concert. The kickoff program will feature a special 90-minute concert from Lucinda Williams, recorded at New York's Bowery Ballroom on May 27, 2003 '. It is an excellent concert! Set List: 1-Car Wheels on a Gravel Road 2-Fruits of My Labor 3-Those Three Days 4-Blue 5-Still I Long For Your Kiss 6-Ventura 7-Something About What Happen...