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CD 1 - Pro Soundboard 9.4 ~ CD 2 - Soundboard 9.2 - Ten years separate these shows but you’d never know it. The band, let’s face it - Kicks Ass Bigly. -
Audience 7.4 - Supremely loud! Only by turning down the dial on the very crisp highs (as in cymbal crashes) will you get something discernible in this noisy wall of sonic mayhem. However, it is clear enough to enjoy nonetheless. -
Audience 9.0 - This goes from worst to first in a hurry. Skip the first song, go right into the next song because from there on out this is spectacular! -
Grand Funk Railroad Hawaii 1971 - Soundboard 9.1 A scarcity of prime era recordings mandate that anyone remotely interested in this band pursue any and all recordings that are A. Soundboard and/or B. decent audience for the simple reason that this band kicked ass. This is a true rarity – a soundboard and, yes, it kicks major ass. Grand Funk Railroad Boston 1971 Audience 8.7 - A very good tape surfaces and you can actually hear everything pretty clearly. This band played very loud (as did any self-respecting heavy rock band of the early 70’s) and consequently unless you smuggled in superior quality machinery you weren’t likely to be able to capture this sound with any clarity. This taper had better than average gear it seems, and even though it’s still somewhat distant from the stage, it is a tape that allows the listener to experience an entire show without struggling too hard to make out what is going on. Grand Funk Railroad Live 1971 Disc 1 Hawaii University Honolulu, Hawaii July 13th, 1971 1. -Are You Ready 2. -Paranoid 3. -In Need 4. -Mean Mistreated 5. -I'm Your Captain 6. -Into The Sun 7. -Inside Looking Out 8. -Are You Ready (Reprise) Disc 2 Boston Garden Boston, MA. october-3-1971 1 -Intro - Footstompin' Music 2 -Upsetter 3 -People Let's Stop The War 4 -Mean Mistreater 5 -Feeling Alright 6 -I'm Your Captain 7 -Heartbreaker Disc 3 Boston cont'd 8 -T.N.U.C 9 -Gimme Shelter 10 -Inside Looking Out the band Mark Farner – guitars lead vocals keyboard Don Brewer – drums lead vocals Mel Schacher – bass guitar -
Audience 7.1 - Not the greatest fidelity but once you get through the first sound and your ears adjust you will get sucked into this marathon of a show. Only one song clocked in at under 6 minutes. One thing that I was struck by here, was the sheer massiveness of the bass, when he kicks in the fuzz overdrive it is massive and really drives this band’s music. A worthwhile listen considering the miniscule amount of GFR recordings out there, especially from this vintage. -
Audience 7.7 - You can count on one hand the number of GFR live recordings from the early 70’s, so whenever one pops up, it is worth investigating further. This one is absolutely worthwhile, with sound quality that places it into the top 5. All instruments hear, and clearly with drums being the weakest link. -
Audience 7.8 - Very worthwhile listen, all the energy and excitement is here in spades, and a very decent recording of what had to be insanely loud! One of the better early audience recordings out there for sure. -
Audience 8.5 Both sets are very good and clear, but I give the nod to the first show because during the second show there are some odd stage sound situations and I have to fault the sound man who was probably nodding at the desk (possibly shot up with gram before the gig?). Anyway, historically speaking what you have here is pure gold and the literal birth of country rock. Great players, solid all around. Gram Parsons & The Fallen Angels (featuring Emmylou Harris) March 25, 1973 Final Night in Boston Oliver's, Boston, MA Tracklist First set 1. Synthetic Flesh (Instrumental) 2. We'll Sweep Out The Ashes In The Morning 3. My Uncle 4. Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man 5. Streets of Baltimore 6. Country Baptizing (Emmylou - lead) 7. Sin City 8. Jambalaya (Emmylou) 9. California Cottonfields 10. Six Days On the Road Second set 1. Synthetic Flesh (Instrumental) 2. Still Feeling Blue 3. That's All It Took 4. Big Mouth Blues 5. A Song For You 6. Barry T. Intro 7. Cry One More Time (Barry Tashian) 8. Love Hurts 9. Medley: Hang On Sloopy /You Got Me Runnin'/Bonie Moronie/40 Days/Almost Grown 10. Six Days On The Road Gram Parsons: Vocals & Guitars Emmylou Harris: Vocals & Guitar Neal Flanz: Pedal Steel guitar Jock Bartley: Lead guitar Kyle Tullis: Bass N.D. Smart II: Drums, Vocals Special Guest Barry Tashian: Vocals & Guitar -
Audience 8.7 - Both Volumes are very good and clear, but I give the nod to the first Volume because during the second one there are some odd stage sound situations and I have to fault the sound man who was probably nodding at the desk (possibly shot up with gram before the gig?). Anyway, historically speaking what you have here is pure gold and the literal birth of country rock. Great players, solid all around. Gram Parsons & The Fallen Angels (featuring Emmylou Harris) March 20, 1973 Oliver's, Boston, MA Tracklist First set 1. Synthetic Flesh (Instrumental) 2. We'll Sweep Out The Ashes In The Morning 3. My Uncle 4. Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man 5. Streets of Baltimore 6. Country Baptizin' (Emmylou - lead) 7. Band Intros - The New Soft Shoe 8. Jambalaya (Emmylou) 9. Hearts On Fire 10. Merle Haggard Intro - California Cottonfields 11. Six Days On the Road Second set 1. Synthetic Flesh (Instrumental) 2. Still Feeling Blue 3. That's All It Took 4. Big Mouth Blues 5. Love Hurts 6. Cry One More Time (Barry Tashian) 7. Sin City 8. Medley (part1): Hang On, Sloopy / B.J. Blues 9. Medley (part2): Bonie Moronie/40 Days/Almost Grown 10. How Much I've Lied 11. Six Days On The Road Gram Parsons: Vocals & Guitars Emmylou Harris: Vocals & Guitar Neal Flanz: Pedal Steel guitar Jock Bartley: Lead guitar Kyle Tullis: Bass N.D. Smart II: Drums, Vocals Special Guest Barry Tashian: Vocals & Guitar -
Soundboard? Sounds like it to me, just perfect! 9.8 -
Soundboard 9.5 - A great recording, with an occasional stumble caused by the soundman trying to balance things and tweaking a mic too much getting feedback but thankfully only here and there. Gordon gets a little annoyed at it too, but he’s a real pro and it shows. I get the feeling that although some of his music may have been familiar to some in the audience, he probably did not relate so much to the hippy generation. Gordon Lightfoot Fillmore West San Francisco, CA OCT 5, 1968 1 I'm Not Sayin' 02:40 2 If I Could 04:05 3 Softly 03:09 4 Boss Man 02:24 5 Black Day in July 04:12 6 Cold Hands From New York 05:23 7 Walls 02:20 8 Affair on 8th Avenue 03:32 9 Steel Rail Blues 03:10 10 Long Thin Dawn 02:45 11 Rosanna 02:39 12 Mountain and Marian 04:01 13 Early Morning Rain 03:05 14 The Auctioneer 02:28 15 Unsettled Ways 02:13 16 Song Intro 00:33 17 Pussywillows, Cat-Tails 02:50 18 Canadian Railroad Trilogy 06:37 Gordon Lightfoot - 12 & 6 string guitar, vocals Red Shea - guitar John Stockfish - bass -
Audience 9.2 - Even with the well known acoustics of Carnegie Hall being not ideal for taping (but very good for “live” concert hall sound), this taper did an admiral job. The sound is crisp, vibrant, and has great atmospherics. Obviously without that over-amped rock star PA insanity you get with most concert hall audience tapes of that time, this is more acoustic, generally speaking and therefore the sound does not get crowded or distorted. GREAT! Gordon Lightfoot October 10, 1979 Carnegie Hall New York, NY USA Disc 1 01 Sea Of Tranquility 02 Cotton Jenny 03 Endless Wire 04 Betty Called Me In 05 Summertime Dream 06 If You Need Me 07 Ghosts Of Cape Horn 08 If You Could Read My Mind 09 Make Way For The Lady 10 Hey You 11 Forgive Me Lord 12 Sundown 13 Hangdog Hotel Room Disc 2 14 Don Quixote 15 It Ain't Easy 16 Race Among The Ruins 17 The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald 18 The Auctioneer 19 Dream Street Rose 20 The Last Time I Saw He 21 Whisper My Name 22 On The High Seas 23 Canadian Railroad Trilogy 24 Old Dan's Records -
Gong Collection Bonus on Disc 2 (track 6) Amougles Pop And Jazz Festival - Actuel Pop And Jazz Festival- Mont de I'Enclus, Amougies, Belgium-1969 Disc 1 Lyon January 19th, 1973 1. -Gnome intro 2. -Pot Head Pixies 3. -Zero the Hero & the Witch's Spell 4. -I am your Pussy 5. -Why are we Sleeping? 6. -Radio Gnome Invisible 7. -I Feel so Lazy 8. -It's The Time of Your Life 9. -Tropical Fish 10. -Dreaming it Disc two Lyon January 19th, 1973 1. -Flying Teapot - Improvisation 2. -More Teapot 3. -Lawrence The Alien 4. -Blues For Findlay 5. -Teapot Jam 6. -Rational Anthem (Amougies 1969) Disc 3 Sheffield City Hall 10-08-73 1. -Crystal Gnome 2. -Radio Gnome I & II 3. -Mister Pyxie 4. -Deep In The Sky 5. -Flying Tea Pot 6. -Wet Drum Solo 7. -Mange Ton Calepin 8. -You Can't Kill Me 9. -TiticacaDiscs 1 & 2 Soundboard 9.3 - Sounds to be professionally recorded possibly for a radio broadcast, but aside from very minor tape noise (I am nitpicking here), this tape is brilliant and has survived the passing of time in grand shape. Disc 3 Soundboard 9.6 - Superb, in almost every way! -
Soundboard 8.8 - Not too bad for a 48 year old tape. Does have some lack of clarity (minor) being old analog but for the most part I say dive right in because with this band…well the water is rather deep, and colorful. GONG 1972-12-14 Maison des Jeunes Rodez, France CD1 1. Gnome intro 2. Pot Head Pixies 3. Zero the Hero & the Witch's Spell 4. I am your Pussy 5. Why are we Sleeping? 6. Radio Gnome Invisible 7. I Feel so Lazy 8. It's The Time of Your Life CD2 1. Tropical Fish 2. Dreaming it 6:04 3. Flying Teapot 6:55 4. Flying Teapot pt. II 12:54 5. Flying Teapot pt. III 4:46 CD3 1. Lawrence The Alien 2. Blues For Findlay 3. Encore Jams lineup: Daevid Allen - voc, guitar, glissando guitar Shakti Yoni - space whispers & vocals Bloomdido Bad de Grass - sax, voc Hi T Moonweed - synth Francis Moze - bass Laurie Allan - drums -
Soundboard 9.3 - Three discs containing three shows performed during a stretch of the ’74 tour when Bill Bruford was brought in to complete the tour dates scheduled. All three are soundboard, great clarity and dynamics, a real sonic treat and of course Bruford brings a wide array of chops and panache to add to an already talented ensemble. Gong Ibsenhuset, Skien, Norway December 11, 1974 Disc 1 1. -Master Builder (6:08) 2. -Perfect Mystery (2:26) 3. -Tropical Fish (5:12) 4. -I Never Glid Before (7:22) 5. -Solar Musick Suite (7:48) 6. -Oily Way (2:11) 7. -Outer Temple (2:52) 8. -Inner Temple (1:30) 9. -A Sprinkling Of Clouds (5:36) 10. -You Can't Kill Me (3:33) 11. -The Isle Of Everywhere (2:17) Total time 46:55 Notes: First Scandinavian gig. Several tracks cut in or out. Some tape problems during the first 3 minutes. Disc 2 Oslo (Norway), Chateau-Neuf – December 15, 1974 1. -Master Builder (13:34) 2. -Perfect Mystery (2:38) 3. -Tropical Fish - Selene (7:13) 4. -I Never Glid Before (7:38) 5. -Transition (1:10) 6. -Solar Musick Suite (9:01) 7. -Didier Improv (10:21) - 8. -Oily Way (2:32) 9. -Inner Temple (3:33) - 10. -Outer Temple (1:37) 11. -Gliss Improv (3:41) 12. -A Sprinkling Of Clouds (2:21) Disc 3 Rotterdam (Netherlands), Eksit - December 7, 1974 1. -A Sprinkling Of Clouds (7:24) 2. -You Can't Kill Me (8:58) 3. -Isle Of Everywhere (10:21) 4. -You Never Blow Yr Trip Forever (12:37) 5. -Applause (5:57) 6. -Flying Teapot (8:04) Lineup: Daevid Allen - vocals & guitar Didier Malherbe - saxes, flute & vocals Steve Hillage - guitar & vocals Miquette Giraudy - vocals & percussion Tim Blake - synthesizers & vocals Mike Howlett - bass Bill Bruford - drums -
SDBRD 9.6 - yeah this is the stuff! Gong may not be mentioned in the same breath with all the other notable Euro 70’s icons but they should be.