Thin Lizzy - At the BBC

 

This holiday season there are some very cool presents for the heavy rock fan in your life (i.e. yourself, your dad, older brother, the dude you buy weeed from behind the gas station). Deep Purple has a killer looking 2LP/2CD collection of all their BBC sessions and there's a box set of all the good Whitesnake albums (meaning the ones up to 1982). But number one on everyone's wish list should be this monster 6CD/1DVD Thin Lizzy box set of all their BBC recordings. Jeezus, these guys were busy! Thin Lizzy was pumping out albums on a regular basis and touring constantly but still managed to do all of these killer radio sessions and concert broadcasts.

Thin Lizzy did a total of eighteen sessions for the BBC between 1971 and 1977 and all of them except four are represented here. Given the BBC's tendency to erase tapes from the library it's a miracle we have 3 very full CD's of primo performances in excellent fidelity. Disc one is with the early trio version of the band with Eric Bell on guitar. This is an era I'm the least familiar with so it's great to finally get acquainted with songs other than "The Rocker" and "Whiskey In The Jar." This line up was clearly Hendrix inspired but also trying to find their way. The playing is top notch and the songs are good but it's easy to see the band still had a ways to go before becoming the powerhouse unit we all know and love. Disc two is killer because about half of it is still the trio but with Gary Moore as the guitarist. I'd always wanted to hear more from this line up and now I finally have it. Too bad they never did a full album together in 1974 but the 12 songs here are the closest we'll ever get until we join Gary and mainman Phil Lynott upstairs. Gary smokes on a raunchy sounding "Little Darling" and the VD inspired "Sitamoia." There are very funky versions of "Showdown" and "It's Only Money" that hint at what Thin Lizzy would later do on "Johnny The Fox Meets Jimmy The Weed."

The second half of disc two and all of disc three is the classic line up with Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson on twin lead guitars. Phil was tired of guitarists quitting the band leaving him as a duo with drummer Brian Downey. It's fun to compare their version of "It's Only Money" from just a few months after Gary's version and hear how it changed. It took awhile for this group to find their niche but when they did, they were totally unstoppable. I don't care how many times you've heard "Rosalie," "Emerald," "Warriors," "Killer Without A Cause" and all the other classics before, having different KICK ASS performances of them is totally mandatory. The arrangements are the same as the records but the takes are more raw and a bit faster.

Speaking of fast and raw, the other three CD's are all live recordings. It's well known that I love live albums and this is definitely my favorite half of this great box set. There's a show with Eric Bell from 1973 that opens with an excellent version of "The Rocker" and a Jimidelic "Gonna Creep Up On You." Brian Downey really pounds his drums hard and young Phil's voice is spectacular. A 1974 concert with Gorham/Robertson finds the band playing with even more confidence and laying down a heartfelt "Still In Love With You." The solos on "Showdown" are very funky. By 1981 Brian Robertson had been replaced by Snowy White and disc five contains a full hour from Hammersmith Odeon in London. The albums this line up made are kind of a mixed bag but they were still a potent live band. Heavy versions of current songs like "Angel Of Death," "The Pressure Will Blow" and "Killer On The Loose" mix well with the older classics. Disc six from 1983 captures the line up with John Sykes replacing Snowy White. Sykes definitely gave the band a heavier sound and he plays great. Sometimes he plays a bit too much and his use of pinch harmonics can be a bit annoying but that's a minor complaint. The addition of keyboards to the band was never really a plus in my book, either, but there's really no reason to complain about any live Thin Lizzy, is there?

The DVD contains the same "Live And Dangerous" show you've owned for years as well as the 1983 show that came as a bonus on the original DVD. There are appearances on Top Of The Pops from 1973 through 1981 that's the band lip synching to their current hits. It's cool but nothing you're going to watch too often. The footage of Gary Moore & Friends from 1979, however, you'll watch all the time. You've probably been drooling over it on youtube for a few years now but now you can enjoy it in better quality. Gary Moore, Cozy Powell, Scott Gorham and Phil Lynott make an incredible team. Too bad they didn't do more together.

Anyway, 2011 has been a pretty crappy year but you've been good. Do yourself a favor and end the year with a bang and treat yourself to this. You won't regret it. Special thanks to Joerg in Germany for hooking me up with a cheaper copy due to the shitty US economy and favorable exchange rate for Europeans. Cheers!

--Woody

Ripple News - Five Exclusive Tracks from the Upcoming Orange Juice Box Set, Coals to Newcastle

Originally formed in Glasgow in 1976, Orange Juice were the recognized leaders of the Scottish neo-pop uprising in the early '80's. Originally dubbed the Nu-Sonics, the quartet renamed itself Orange Juice in 1979, adopting the new moniker as well as an aura of romantic innocence as a direct reaction to the increasingly macho aggression of punk. Releasing a dazzling array of new wave inspired pop, Orange Juice have been hailed as a huge inspiration by such bands as Franz Ferdinand and Belle and Sebastian, and have continued to gain legions of fan, both new and old.

Now all those fans, and us here at Ripple Central, have something to scream about.

Coming November 22nd, the release date has been set for the long anticipated for Orange Juice box set:  Coals to Newcastle.  In honor of this vey special release we're giving folks access to new and long lost songs, photos, and videos every week leading up to November 22nd. 

This week we'd like to share a sneak peak of five songs from Coals to Newcastle  for your listening pleasure. That's right 5 exclusive, Ripple tracks.  Dig in and enjoy to no end!

I know we are!

Buy here: Coals to Newcastle

Iggy and the Stooges - Raw Power (Deluxe Edition)

This is the 4th, and hopefully the last, time I have bought Raw Power by Iggy & The Stooges. First there was the LP, then the CD in 1989, then Iggy’s remix in 1997 and now the remastered deluxe version. I even went whole hog and bought the overpriced box set because I’m such a fanatic. So do you need this new version of Raw Power? Of course you do. Despite all of it’s sonic problems, it’s still one of the greatest rock albums of all time.

For the uninitiated, The Stooges hit rock bottom and broke up in 1971. Iggy Pop got lucky and met David Bowie in New York which led to deals with Bowie’s manager and CBS Records. Originally signed as a solo artist, it evolved into a new version of The Stooges. James Williamson became Iggy’s new musical partner, and after trying out some musicians in England, they decided to recruit Scott Asheton on drums and brother Ron Asheton switched from guitar to bass. The music this band created was just as intense as their previous material but had some a bit more conventional songwriting structure.

Recorded in 1972 but not released until February 1973, Raw Power in its original form was 8 classic songs delivered in 34 violent minutes. Over the years there has been much said about the sound of the album and the final mix that involved David Bowie. Iggy is credited as the producer of the album and his original mix (later to show up on many bootlegs and Bomp’s 1995 CD Rough Power) was rejected for being too insane. Bowie was drafted in to try and make sense of it all and to hopefully sell a few more units. Over the years Iggy and Bowie have made a lot of derogatory comments about each others work on Raw Power. Iggy says Bowie neutered it, Bowie says they made so many technical errors during the recording it couldn’t be fixed. No one will ever really know the truth since everyone involved was totally out of their minds on drugs back then. Bowie’s mix is pretty tame compared to Iggy’s original, and Iggy’s remix tried too hard to appeal to the Rage Against The Machine crowd.

So how does the original Raw Power remaster sound? Fuckin great! Bowie’s original mix totally buries the bass and drums, which is a shame because Ron and Scott play great. But truth be told, this is the version we all grew up with and how we first heard the songs. Every song on here is a stone classic. The anthems “Search & Destroy” and “Raw Power” are just as potent as ever. “Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell” and “Shake Appeal” kick ass, “Gimme Danger” and “I Need Somebody” are killer slow burners. “Penetration” is one of the greatest guitar riffs ever written while “Death Trip” acknowledges that they know their band is destined for failure. Iggy’s lyrics are excellent and his voice delivers them with much venom and determination. James’ guitar playing is stellar. This was his first time recording an album and he certainly left his mark. His sound and style made a huge impact on everyone from The Dead Boys, The Dictators, Sex Pistols to The Smiths and just about anyone else who picked up an electric guitar after 1973.

The real reason to pick this up is the previously unreleased live show from Atlanta, October 1973. The Stooges played about a week’s worth of shows at a club called Richards that have become pretty legendary. One night Iggy snorted so much crystal meth he thought he was hallucinating when a gorilla jumped on stage. Turns out it was Elton John in a costume. Iggy later said the only reason Sir Elton was interested in the band was because he wanted to get into James Williamson’s pants. This show was recorded for radio broadcast but never aired. It’s easy to see why. Iggy’s dirty talk and the bands sound was way too over the top for commercial radio, then or now.

There have been many Stooges bootlegs documenting the 1973 tour, but this one has the best fidelity. The performance is very good and there’s plenty of Iggy antagonizing the crowd. In between songs you can hear a woman in the crowd say “I don’t think he likes us.” Iggy confronts a heckler by yelling at him “hey, you want to get your little fuckin face punched out little cracker boy? Come up here little Billy boy, I’m sick of your shit!” Needless to say, the guy does not accept the offer.

James’ guitar cuts in and out for the first 2 songs but his playing is top notch. Ron often complained about getting moved to bass, but his playing is incredibly fluid and locks in with Scott like few rhythm sections in rock. Scott Thurston (later of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers) joined the band on piano and harmonica and plays great. By the time Raw Power was released the band was already bored of the material and only playing a few songs from the album - the title track, “Search & Destroy,” “I Need Somebody” and “Gimme Danger.” The next batch of songs they were working on showed immense potential. “Head On” is easily one of their best songs and is driven by an incredible bass line by Ron (lifted from “L.A. Woman” by The Doors). “Cock In My Pocket” and “Heavy Liquid” are fast rockers. There are a few different arrangements of “Heavy Liquid” from other live shows out there, but this version is probably the best. “Open Up and Bleed” is another great unreleased song. Long, slow and moody, it highlights the frustration the band felt at the time.

For the maniacs that buy the box set, there’s a 3rd CD with some outtakes from the session. Most of them have been released before on numerous semi-legal compilations. “I’m Hungry” is new to me. It’s the same take of “Penetration” with Iggy trying out some different lyrics. Cool, but unessential stuff. The best part of the box set is the hour long DVD about the making of Raw Power. Chrissie Hynde, Henry Rollins, Johhny Marr and a few others talk about the importance of the album, but it’s even better to hear it straight from Iggy, James and Scott. You get to see James demonstrate how to play the riff to “Penetration” and talk about how he approached writing the songs. You also get to hear how Scott launched his copy out the front door the first time he heard the final mix of Raw Power. The box also comes with a big booklet with lots of Mick Rock’s iconic photos of the band and a 7” single that replicates the Japanese 45 of “Raw Power” b/w “Search & Destroy.”

Iggy & The Stooges will be performing Raw Power in its entirety at the All Tomorrows Parties festival in upstate NY this September as well as some European festivals this summer. 

--Woody

buy here:Raw Power
buy here: Raw Power [Vinyl]
buy here: Raw Power (Limited Deluxe Edition)

http://www.iggyandthestoogesmusic.com/

AC/DC – Backtracks

This was one of the easiest reviews I ever had to write. If you’re an AC/DC fan, you need this. If you’re not, that’s fine too. More fun for the rest of us. This 3 disc set contains 1 CD of studio rarities, 1 CD of live rarities and a DVD of videos that didn’t make the Family Jewels compilation from 2005.

Disc one contains all the rare Bon Scott era songs that fans have been wanting for years. Why they were not included in the Bonfire box set or as bonus tracks when the catalog was reissued by Sony in 2003 is anyone’s guess. There’s nothing shocking or incredible, but anything from the Bon Scott era is always welcome. The first few AC/DC albums had different track listings than the ones that came out in the UK and eventually America so fans have often been confused by imports. “Stick Around” and “Love Song” are both from the Australian version of High Voltage that was originally released in 1975. “Love Song” is the only shocker on this collection. It’s an actual love song! It’s slow and everything. “Fling Thing” was the b-side of “Jailbreak” in 1976.


“R.I.P. (Rock In Peace)” was on the Australian Dirty Deeds and is surprisingly not on Bon’s tombstone. “Carry Me Home” is probably the best of the Bon tracks collected here. It was the b-side to “Dog Eat Dog” and has a hilarious monologue from Bon about being too drunk to get home. Unfortunately it turned out to be true one too many times. “Crabsody In Blue” was originally on Let There Be Rock but was replaced by “Problem Child” in the world outside Australia. Another great song is “Cold Hearted Man” from the Powerage era. This was released as the b-side to “Rock N Roll Damnation” and then forgotten about. The rest of disc 1 is made up of b-sides from the Brian Johnson era. They’re all fine songs that wouldn’t sound out of place on some of the less exciting AC/DC albums of the late 80’s.

Somewhere in the vaults is a version of a song called “I’m A Rebel” that was written by Angus and Malcolm’s brother Alex Young. Bon was apparently very drunk when it was recorded in Germany 1976 and it was never released. When Alex passed away he requested in his will that the recording not be issued. It’s unclear if the backing band was actually AC/DC or Accept. The song later turned up in 1980 on Accept’s second album.

Fans will cream over the live recordings on disc 2, especially the live version of “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” from 1977. “Dog Eat Dog” comes from the same 1978 show in Glasgow that most of their live If You Want Blood… album came from. There’s also killer live versions of “Back In Black” and “T.N.T.” from 1981’s For Those About To Rock tour. Flick Of The Switch has always been a fan favorite album and there are 4 songs from that 1983 tour including a high energy take of “This House Is On Fire.” The live version of “For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)” was recorded in Moscow in 1991. The local police must have freaked when they turned the cannons loose on the crowd. LOUD!

The DVD is comprised of commercially released videos for songs like “Big Gun” and “Stiff Upper Lip” from the 1990’s, but there are some nice extras for hardcore fans like the “Jailbreak” video with Bon. Not much in terms of extras, though.

Like I said before, most of the music should have been released before, but it’s getting close to the holidays and few people are going to complain if they get this stuffed in their stocking. If you’re feeling really generous to yourself or loved one, check out the $239 deluxe version that comes with all of the above plus a LP, another DVD, 164 page hardcover book and working amplifier! --Woody



buy here: Backtracks (2CD+DVD)

Buy here: AC/DC Backtracks Deluxe Collector's Edition





buy here: Backtracks (2CD+DVD)