DVD

REVIEW: Metallica – St. Anger (bonus DVD, 2003)

METALLICA – St. Anger (bonus DVD, 2003 E/M)

Ahh, the much-maligned St. Anger! When I first reviewed St. Anger back in 2003, I pointed out that some Metallica fans are suffering from “Highschool Syndrome”:

Highschool Syndrome: “The band doesn’t sound the same as they did when I liked them in highschool, therefore they are sellouts and I don’t like this album.”

A staunch critic must remember something before they brand St. Anger a sellout. An album recorded this harshly, with songs this aggressive by anyone else would get zero airplay. How is that selling out?

Perhaps by “selling out”, some fans are referring to the lack of solos and the alternative, downtuned sounds on St. Anger. Unfortunatly, the lack of solos is really a mistake. Kirk Hammett did record at least one very cool and appropriate solo for this album; check out the movie Some Kind Of Monster for a glimpse at that. Hammett felt that the cutting of guitar solos was a mistake and so do I. As Hammett said in the movie, “Having no solos dates the album to THIS time (2003)”.

The production by Bob Rock was definitely the wrong direction. He was overcompensating for what was perceived as overproduction on Load, Reload and Black. The band probably should have taken a production direction like Garage Inc. (heavy, but conventional) instead of pushing the envelope like they did. The sound he created was so harsh that it is actually headache inducing for me to listen to St. Anger in one sitting. (And this is selling out?)

The songs contained herein are by and large pretty decent. The title track was brilliant, with a great video to match. My personal favourite is the fast and furious “Frantic”, the melodic “Sweet Amber”, the angry “Shoot Me Again” and the epic “All Within My Hands”. There are ample time changes and musical adventures going on here, which harken back to the ambitiousness of Justice, while not sounding like old-school Metallica.

The lyrics, mostly introspective, are not my cup of tea. Some may call them brilliant, some may call them psycho-babble trash. Whatever they are, it is the first time that Hetfield didn’t helm them and they were written by the entire band. Truly, they’re not that bad when you’re banging your head at full speed, but most fans want to hear Metallica raging against something other than themselves.

The CD comes with a cool booklet, and of course the bonus DVD: all of St. Anger, recorded by the Hetfield / Ulrich / Hammett / Trujilo lineup, in order, in the studio. (Bob Rock played bass on the album.) At the time, a freebee like this was a bigger deal. They were obviously trying to placate pissed off fans after the fallout of Napster. There was even a code to download an entire live show of your choice. Basically, you are getting the value of three albums in one, for the price of a single CD. Not bad.

Yet, St. Anger was a hard album to love, and few people did. It is the sound of a fractured band piecing itself back together and experimenting with some interesting directions. It could have been better. It’s an important album in the sense that, this was a huge turning point. The band were basically reduced to two guys (Kirk and Lars) for months on end while James was in recovery. We all know the story.

From that point of view, it’s an interesting listen. Music had changed, Metallica were trying to lead and play catch-up at the same time, so it seemed. I think you have to give them credit for attempting something new, sometimes those albums end up classics 20 years down the road. There are enough good riffs and solid songs on St. Anger to come back to it once in a while.

Besides, if you want a band to sound the same album after album, why would you listen to Metallica? AC/DC are still around, you know.

3/5 stars

Don’t count Bob Rock out — his work with the Tragically Hip has been excellent!

REVIEW: Deep Purple – Stormbringer (35th Anniversary Edition)

DEEP PURPLE – Stormbringer (35th Anniversary Edition, 2009 EMI, originally 1974)

Stormbringer, now available in the gloriously remastered series of Deep Purple special editions, is one of my favourite Purple platters. Now augmented with bonus material, it has finally been given the treatment it deserved. It’s certainly not everybody’s cup of tea, but Stormbringer has earned some begrudging fans over the years. I for one find it a more enjoyable listen cover to cover than 1974’s Burn.

A lot of fans did not like the funkier, softer direction of the band. You can understand this, of course. A fan who loved In Rock, one of the heaviest records of any decade, could easily be turned off by the radio-ready soul funk of “Hold On”. Blackmore himself decried the funky direction of the band.

Here’s the good news: Whatever Deep Purple set their minds to, they could do. And they could do it well.

Blackmore may not have liked the album, and he did take a step back in the mix, (you can barely hear any guitar on “Hold On”). He could stilll adapt to and play any style. His playing here, while sparse, is sublime. Ian Paice takes to the funky rhythms very comfortably, laying down some excellent grooves. Jon Lord steps up to the forefront, supplying some excellent, funky keys.

There are a few songs that harken back to the past: “Stormbringer”, the title track, sounds as solid as any epic the band had ever composed. It could have been on Burn as easily as this record. In fact, it stands out as being out of place: As the opening track, fans must have been shocked and surprised when the rest of the album was so different.

Another song that has shades of older Purple is “The Gypsy”. It’s a slow mournful piece, perhaps akin to “Mistreated” from the previous album. The lyrics are uncharacteristically bleak.

One track showed an interesting glimpse of the future. “Soldier Of Fortune” is an acoustic track which forshadowed much of the music Blackmore would do with Rainbow, and even now with Blackmore’s Night. David Coverdale has performed it live with Whitesnake. I think it’s one of Richie Blackmore’s finest compositions.

Of the other tunes, “Love Don’t Mean A Thing” is one of the funkiest, and one of the most entertaining. It’s just fun to listen to. David and Glenn co-sing this one. Ritchie’s solo is very understated, but appropriate. Glenn takes his first solo lead vocal with Deep Purple on “Holy Man”, a soulful ballad. “You Can’t Do It Right” features probably the funkiest guitar work of Blackmore’s career. It’s fascinating to listen to, and the band really cooks on this one. It’s one of the most extreme experiments of this funky Purple period.

As with all the Purple reissues, this has been lovingly remastered. Finally you can discard your original CD, mastered for digital ages ago, but never really letting the subtleties of the music shine. Stormbringer, of all the Deep Purple albums, perhaps has more subtleties to hear due to the quieter nature of the music.

Bonus material? Oh yeah, there’s bonus material, in this case four remixes by Glenn Hughes. These remixes don’t replace the original songs, but they do act as a companion piece of sorts. Fresh light is shed on alternate takes incorporated into the mixes, and “Love Don’t Mean A Thing” is extended by over half a minute. “High Ball Shooter” is presented in an early instrumental form as well.

As an added bonus, a second disc has been included. The second disc, exclusive to this edition, is a DVD containing the original 1975 quadrophonic mix of Stormbringer! Nice. Apparently, this disc is to be a limited edition so get yours while you can. I liked quite a bit, myself. As with many quad mixes from the 70’s, the songs often bear noticeable differences from the originals. Quad was a gimmicky fad, by today’s standards, but listening to it with the benefit of hindsight is quite enjoyable.

Lastly, I must acknowledge the great liner notes. The most entertaining story included is in regards to “Love Don’t Mean A Thing.” While in Chicago, Ritchie ran across a street busker, who was snapping his fingers singing a song about money. Blackmore invited him onto Purple’s plane, collected Coverdale and Hughes, and jammed for 20 minutes with this guy who taught them the song and the lyrics. The band finished the song that became “Love Don’t Mean A Thing”, credited to the entire quintet, because nobody ever bothered to get the busker’s name.

Pick up Stormbringer in this 25th Anniversary Edition, and finally you can feel comfortable discarding your original.

5/5 stars for both the music, and the reissue!

REVIEW: The Tom Green Show – The Complete Series – Inside & Outside the Box (2005)

Thanks Dave FM for the chance to meet Tom Green!

TOM GREEN – Inside & Outside the Box – The Tom Green Show: The Complete Series (2005 VSC)

As longtime LeBrain readers know, I was named King of the 4-O’clock 4-Play by Craig Fee on Dave FM. I won a lot of stuff on that show. One of the best things I won was a pair of tickets to see Tom Green at Crysalids Theatre, 9/22/11 with my best buddy Peter. Tom was great, it was a celebration of the true spirit of stand-up comedy and he stuck around to take photos and sign stuff with everybody afterward. I don’t think Tom Green gets enough respect for being an innovator as a comedian. That’s why I felt inspired enough to write this review.

The most important thing to know about Tom Green: MTV ruined Tom Green! The MTV years, although peppered with some genius sketches such as “Undercutter’s Pizza”, was not at all what the original Tom Green Show was about.

This 3 disc set comprises Tom Green’s entire Comedy Network shows. In other words, the good stuff. The weird stuff. The offensive stuff. The stuff that Jackass ended up ripping off (particularly Bam Margera). Best of all though, this is the pre-fame stuff. Tom Green could still run around downtown Ottawa without people knowing it was for a TV show.

You will see herein:

* Tom throwing all of Glenn Humplik’s clothes out of a plane in an evil double-cross.
* Tom burning Glenn’s shirt.
* Will Ferrell proclaiming that he hates Glenn and wants to punch him.
* Tom turning grape juice into pee (for science)!
* The dead raccoon.
* Tom demonstrating how a bus cannot move if you place your face on the bus.
* Repainting his dad’s car with a huge portrait of two naked women (the “slutmobile”).
* “Scuba Hood”. He robs from the poor (fountains in malls, apparently) and gives to the rich (banks).
* Hanging his painting, “Tiger Zebra”, in the Ottawa Art Gallery, and then defacing it.
* and much, much more….

What you won’t see:

* You won’t see any bums on Swedishes. That’s MTV stuff and not even half as good as this earlier stuff.

What I still like about the Tom Green show is that it is seldom mean spirited. He picks on his friend Glenn a lot, which I can’t help but think that Kenny Hotz ripped off later on. Everything else was done in this pseudo-naive childish fashion, and that is why I can watch The Tom Green Show over a decade later and laugh like the first time I saw it. This DVD for me has rendered obselete all of his old VHS tapes that I collected religiously. That stuff is on here, and it’s as fresh as ever.

I wonder whatever happened to Glenn’s clothes?

5/5 stars

MOVIE REVIEW: Ted (2012 blu-ray)

“Death to Ming!” – Sam Jones

TED (Universal, 2012, directed by Seth MacFarlane)

I don’t often go out to the store to buy a movie on the first day of release anymore, but I did for Ted. I grabbed it at the local Best Buy and immediately popped it in, since I missed its theatrical run. I’m a Seth MacFarlane fan, see? I like Family Guy and recently American Dad too. If you don’t like those shows, chances are, you probably won’t like Ted either. May as well stop reading now.

Still with me? Good. Because this is a fuckin’ funny movie! Once you get past the concept of the walking talking driving tweeting teddy bear who loves coke and prostitutes.

Patrick Stewart narrarates our intro, as we meet John Bennett, a little Star Wars loving boy who gets a teddy bear for Christmas. He doesn’t have many friends, so one night he wishes that Teddy was alive. Connect the dots from here.

Ted becomes a world famous superstar phenomenon (Johnny Carson show and all), only to crash and burn hard by the 1990’s. Now today, he sits on John’s couch drinking beer, smoking pot, watching Flash Gordon; the 1980 bomb that starred Sam J. Jones as the titular Flash. And once again, the lush strains of “Flash”, by Queen, fills the room. This is all fine and dandy until Mila Kunis (insert hot girlfriend way too good for immature boyfriend here) says enough is enough. If Marky Mark and Mila are to stay together, Ted’s gotta move out and get his own place.

Their lives pretty much go down hill from there. Ted gets a job at the local grocer and starts banging a checkout girl on top of the lettuce. But John just can’t separate himself from his best bud, especially when Sam J. Jones himself turns up to party with the boys. Can John achieve the balance between friendship and domestic bliss that eludes him?

Throw in an evil, creepy stalker played perfectly by Giovanni Ribisi, and cameos by Norah Jones and Ted Danson as themselves, and you have a movie.

I’m not going to sit here and lie to you by saying that this is substantially different from any other bro-mances you’ve seen out there. There’s the girl who’s fed up, the jerky male romantic rival, and the two dudes, one of whom wants to get his life together while the other seemingly holds him back. If you’ve watched Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, or Seth Rogen films, you know where I’m going.

What makes Ted so much better than any of those movies (which I already like anyway) is MacFarlane himself. Yes, Ted does sound like Peter Griffin (even acknowledged in the film) but that voice just works for this bear! Ted is easily one of the sickest, yet lovable characters in cinema history. A horny drug using teddy bear has never been depicted on film before, as far as I know. Of course, Ted needs Johnny as much as Johnny needs Ted. They are a movie pair, and they can never be happy apart.

The blu-ray gives you the “unrated” (boobs) and theatrical versions. There’s a DVD, a digital copy, all that extra crap that I never use. Deleted scenes, gag reels, commentary, all that good stuff. Still, there’s no point buying a movie unless you plan on watching it more than once. I’ve watched Ted five times so far, and I still love it.

I guess I have a thing for f-bomb dropping teddy bears that sound like Peter Griffin. What does that make me? Ahh, who cares.

4.5/5 stars

REVIEW: Iron Maiden – Maiden England ’88 (2013 CD reissue)

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IRON MAIDEN – Maiden England ’88 (2013 CD reissue)

It only took 25 years, but Iron Maiden have finally released a complete 2 CD edition of their legendary Maiden England recording. A video was released in 1989, and a truncated CD version in 1994. These were great, but less than 100% satisfying.

The first thing you notice is the striking cover art. This is by somebody named Hervé Monjeaud. It resembles Derek Riggs’ Eddies enough to fit in fairly seemlessly with the 1988 era. I wish they used the original motorcycle cover art by Derek Riggs, but at least they credit him inside as the original artist.

Also checking the credits, I was pleased to find that the audio was not remixed. This is the same mix that Martin Birch produced at the time. The three unreleased songs are freshly mixed by Kevin Shirley, but there’s no tampering. This is the authentic Maiden England.

Last year when I reviewed every Maiden release in a row, I discussed Maiden England. Please check that review out if you’re looking for a more comprehensive review of the songs and content. Back then, I gave it 4/5 stars. I found the sound a tad muddy, I complained about the brief running time, and I didn’t like that the CD did not include every song from the VHS version. The missing songs were “Hallowed Be Thy Name” and “Can I Play With Madness”. This edition restores them to the running order, and even adds three more songs that were cut completely from the original release! So right there, two of my beefs have been addressed.

What about the sound? Bloody great! Whatever it was about the first CD release, the flatness of it, is gone. It’s like when you take your car to the wash, how it shines. Maiden England ’88 sounds so much better than the original CD. And of course there’s a nice substantial booklet with photos and lyrics. No notes from Steve or anybody else, disappointingly. I always like those “producer’s notes” or what have you. But that’s window dressing, this is really such a pleasure to listen to, I assure you. As I wrote these words, Dave Murray was wheedly-wheedly-ing in my ears. And I liked it.

With the added material and fresh sound, Maiden England ’88 takes its place alongside other Maiden classics such as Live at Donington or Rock In Rio. Of course it cannot usurp Live After Death, nothing ever will. Maiden England ’88 has some really awesome Maiden material that didn’t make Live After Death, such as “Still Life”, which remains dramatic and stunning. “Killers” and “Sanctuary” are two other songs that were not on Live After Death. Not to mention, by 1988 Maiden had two more albums to draw from. That means you’ll also hear “Wasted Years” and “The Clairvoyant”, songs that stand strong among the old stalwarts.

The three unreleased songs are “Run To The Hills”, “Running Free” and “Sanctuary”. These were the encores. They are not mixed onto the end of the show, but follow a pause and have a noticeably different sound. It’s hard to describe how the sound differs, but you can hear a change. I’m not sure why these weren’t included on the original VHS. Surely not for quality reasons. The running time of the original video was 95 minutes. Would another 15 have bumped them into a higher, tax, uhh, you know? (120 minute tapes were common back then too.)

There’s a DVD too, but I don’t have that yet. One thing at a time! Send me a copy, EMI, and I’ll be happy to review it!

5/5 stars

Part 182: Overstock

RECORD STORE TALES Part 182: Overstock

In a way it was a nice problem to have. We sometimes ended up with more CDs than we were physically equipped to store. When we first opened we had plenty of space, and it seemed like we’d never fill it. A few years later, we had so many discs, that the shelves were literally crammed.

I remember customers flipping through the discs, which would always seem to hit the floor, because the shelves were so packed to the brims. They seemingly jumped off the shelves, startling people. Sometimes, the Bargain Bin was so full, we had piles and piles of discs behind the counter waiting for space in there. If they were good titles, you’d pull something crappy (ie, Mariah Carey) out of the bin to make room for better stuff. You’d probably try to send this overstock to other stores too, but they usually wouldn’t want your crap because they might have had all the same junk in stock.

We came up with a few solutions. One was obvious — we added more shelving. That tided us over for a couple years. Then when DVDs took off, we had to add more shelving again. It felt like a never-ending cycle/struggle. Sometimes you’d have buy 2/get 1 free sales just to relieve space. Space became a major commodity.

The bigger problem, in my eyes, was storing stuff behind the counter. That was a much smaller space, and we had a lot of stuff behind the counter. You see, because we were a used disc store, we kept empty cases on the shelves and all the discs behind the counter, safe from theft. Once you hit well over 10,000 discs, that tends to take up a lot of space.

Eventually we had a system of storing these discs in jewel cases, in big cardboard boxes on the floor behind the counter. I tripped over these boxes frequently – probably at least once every day. But before that we took an ill-advised misstep. Here’s a tip: Don’t ever store your discs in plastic baggies. Ever! The result of plastic rubbing on plastic is ugly scuffs. In fact, some of the worst damage to a disc that I’ve ever seen was caused by us, storing the discs in plastic baggies. Baggies are great for keeping sandwiches fresh! Not so good for keeping discs in.

NEXT TIME ON RECORD STORE TALES…

The final Classic Quotes!

REVIEW: Deep Purple – Machine Head (40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition, vinyl, In Concert ’72 vinyl)

More Purple at mikeladano.com:

Live at Inglewood 1968, Deep Purple (1969), Machine Head (40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition + vinyl + In Concert ’72 vinyl), Perks and Tit (Live in San Diego 1974), Stormbringer (35th Anniversary Edition), Come Taste the Band (35th Anniversary edition), Power House (1977), The Battle Rages On… (1993), Shades 1968-1998, Collector’s Edition: The Bootleg Series 1984-2000 (12 CD), Listen, Learn, Read On (6 CD), Rapture of the Deep (2 CD Special Edition), “All the Time in the World” (2013 CD single), NOW What?! (2013) Record Store Tales Part 32: Live In Japan, STEVE MORSE BAND – StressFest (1996), ROCK AID ARMENIA – Smoke on the Water: The Metropolis Sessions.

DEEP PURPLE – Machine Head (EMI 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition, vinyl, In Concert ’72 vinyl)

For the record, Machine Head is not the perfect Deep Purple album. I find both In Rock and Fireball to be superior. Machine Head is, however, the best known Deep Purple album, and I guess that’s why it’s gotten such a grand reissue while the other two have to be content with simple single-disc reissues from the 1990’s.

For the 40th anniversary, there have been a number of reissues made available. First, there is the lovely 180 gram vinyl reissue, which includes a lyric sheet and a bonus 7″ of the first single, “Never Before” / “When A Blind Man Cries”. Then, Peter Mew remixed the 1980 release In Concert ’72 at Abbey Road, which was re-released on purple vinyl. This too came with a bonus 7″ single (also purple), “Lucille” and an unreleased rehearsal of “Maybe I’m A Leo”.

Finally, the crown jewel release is the five disc 40th Anniversary box set. This includes all the stuff you got with the previous 1997 25th Anniversary edition, and more. Packed inside is a lush 64 page hardbound booklet (including Roger Glover’s 1997 liner notes). As an added surprise, even the CDs are printed in purple plastic. I hope this is the last time I ever need to buy Machine Head!

Disc One: the 2012 remaster

Hey, I found the 1997 remaster just fine to my ears. Is this one better? Marginally, yes. I imagine this sounds closer to the way it originally sounded if you bought a brand-new vinyl copy back in 1972.

Machine Head is a mere seven tracks, but almost all are winners. The album kicks off with the adrenalized “Highway Star” (written and often performed during the Fireball tour), which is one of my personal favourites. I still marvel today at Jon and Ritchie’s unison solos, like something out of a rock n’ roll speed race. Gillan screams that nobody’s gonna take his car, and you believe him. “Highway Star” is Deep Purple the way I often think of them: fast, intricate, with banshee screams.

“Maybe I’m A Leo” takes the pace to a groove, with Ian Paice and Roger Glover holding it down. This track is quite unlike anything from the previous two Deep Purple albums (except maybe “No No No”), featuring a more relaxed, comfortable band. It is radio-ready hit material, and a concert staple. But in case you too were getting comfortable, Ian Paice’s pounding intro to “Pictures Of Home” will wake you up. This is clearly the most “heavy metal” of all the new songs, and that drum intro is reminiscent of Ian’s work on “Fireball”. Gillan’s lyrics describe the “eagles and snow” of the Swiss scenery in which they recorded the album.

In case you didn’t know, Machine Head was recorded at a hotel in Switzerland, by the Rolling Stones Mobile and Martin Birch. The band occupied several suites, and managed to extract an incredible sonic quality from them. According to the liner notes, it was simply too much work for the band members to walk through the various suites (needing to go outside onto balconies to do so, due to blocked doorways) down to the mobile to hear playback. Instead, the band simply plowed through without hearing many of the playbacks, and the result is a spontaneous sounding album.

The first single “Never Before” is next, closing side one. This is the one predicted to be the hit, only it wasn’t. It’s not particularly a standout Purple track. It’s short, simple and sweet but not nearly as powerful or memorable as the other six album tracks.

Side two opened with a track thought to be a mere throwaway, “Smoke on the Water”. Completed after the infamous Frank Zappa gig at the local casino which resulted in the place burning down, Glover coined the title. The rest of the band initially balked: “Sounds like a drug song.” Of course we know the song and title were the perfect match for each other. This riff is the riff, the mother of all guitar riffs, never to be topped nor equaled by anybody, including Deep Purple.

“Lazy” was the band’s jam song, a sprawling seven minute stretch, greatly expanded upon live. It begins with Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore playing off each other, a fun blues, until Gillan enters. Ritchie’s solos are sublime, not to understate the greatness of Jon’s.

Side two closed with “Space Truckin'”, another song which was greatly extended live. This is not one of my personal favourite album songs, but one cannot deny its importance. It is an extended concert staple, but in its studio version it isn’t even a full 5 minutes long.

The disc ends with a bonus track, the sublime B-side “When A Blind Man Cries”. This is a slow, mournful blues featuring some of Ritchie’s incredible six-string feel. You can see why it wasn’t included on the album proper, as it is unlike anything else on Machine Head. Restored to the CD as a bonus track, it is now a highlight. Ian Gillan deserves special praise for his emotive delivery.

Disc two: the 1997 Roger Glover remix

For the 25th Anniversary CD, Roger went back into the studio with the master tapes and built an alternate, remixed Machine Head. This was done to provide added value, since no outtakes from the album existed. This remix is not radically different. What it is, is a fresh take on an album that I (and perhaps you) have played hundreds of times. Glover incorporated alternate solos and unheard takes into the songs, making them sound new again. In fact, this is my “go-to” version of “Smoke on the Water”, with my preferred alternate guitar solo and Ian’s “Break a leg, Frank!” restored to the end. I tire of the original; this version sounds fresh to me.

Like the 1997 issued version, this also includes Roger’s remix of the B-side “When A Blind Man Cries”. Missing are the Quad mixes of “Lazy” and “Maybe I’m A Leo” from the ’97 version, but they are included on another disc in the 40th Anniversary version.

Disc three: Quad SQ stereo mix

Like many hit albums in the 1970’s, Machine Head was mixed in quadraphonic and released on a special LP. Of course, nobody really has a quad setup at home anymore. The interesting thing about many quad mixes, Machine Head included, is that it featured a very different mix, including alternate solos. This version of the album has been mixed down to stereo and included for the sake of completion and historical value.

There are two bonus tracks on this CD, single edits of “Lazy” from a Japanese 7″, and a US edit of “Smoke on the Water”. The Japanese reduced “Lazy” from almost 7 minutes to a mere 2:30! I believe both single edits have been made available on box sets and compilations before, but they are included here to make this version of Machine Head the most complete ever assembled.

Disc four: In Concert ’72, the 2012 remix

This album was previously available on CD, in a compilation that included BBC sessions from 1970 and 1972. This set collects and remixes the 1972 recordings, complete, and restored to the correct running order. Previously, “Smoke on the Water” was pushed to second-last in light of its later success.

This is a stunning live album, with clear sonic quality, and a powerful band playing almost all of Machine Head a month before its release! “Pictures Of Home” is excluded, a song Ritchie did not want to perform live, and it is replaced by “Strange Kind of Woman”.

Highlights for me include the aforementioned “Strange Kind of Woman”, complete with Ian and Ritchie’s interplay. Lazy is quite a tour-de-force, and “Space Truckin'” is over 20 minutes long. It is the full jam that folks would later come to know and love, with ample guitar, keyboard and drum solos.

The band were known to close their sets with Little Richard’s “Lucille” at the time, and it closes this BBC session as well. There are a few versions of “Lucille” out there, this one is tame by comparison with some of them. That’s not to say it’s inferior, as Ritchie’s solos are incredible, almost out-of-control, and Ian’s screams as powerful as ever.

As I mentioned, the vinyl version of In Concert ’72 includes a bonus 7″ single. This single is the only place you can get the previously unreleased “Maybe I’m A Leo” rehearsal. It fades in on what seems like a bum note on Jon’s keys, and is a bit more laid back than the one that they played during the proper set. Ian noticeably takes it a bit easier on the vocal, presumably saving his voice. Ritchie plays a different solo.

For me, speaking as a collector, having this one rare track on such a cool looking colour single made it worth re-buying In Concert ’72 on vinyl like this.

Disc five: Original quad mix, 96/24 LPCM stereo version, bonus 5.1 mixes

For a lot of people, this DVD is the main reason to buy this box set. For audiophiles, there’s a high resolution version of the stereo mix. For completists and history buffs like myself, you can finally hear the quad mix like people heard it in the 1970’s. The album has been converted to 4.1 surround so you can play it on your home theatre system. I very much enjoyed hearing the album in this way, as opposed to the stereo version available on disc three. The cool thing is, Peter Mew did the original 1972 quad mix, and here he helmed its transfer to 4.1!

The quad is interesting not only because it differs noticeably from the original, but also because of the instrument separation. You obviously can’t judge a mix like this and compare it to a 5.1 mix of today. It’s not as full, or powerful. But it’s also an historical piece.

It’s cool to hear the quad version’s guitar solo on “Highway Star”, Blackmore making his guitar rev like an engine through the front speakers. I like the way Gillan’s voice multiplies in the mix during “Maybe I’m A Leo”, and the alternate guitar solo on the same song is also cool. Jon’s keys come from behind, a bit gimmicky by today’s standard, but probably astounding back then. “Pictures of Home” features Ritchie’s guitar tracks split between different corners, allowing one to hear the separate parts clearly. The separation of instruments on “Lazy” allow you to hear clearly each member’s playing as well.

As an added bonus, they remixed three songs in 5.1: “When A Blind Man Cries”, “Maybe I’m A Leo”, and “Lazy”. I’m sure a lot of people will complain that they didn’t do the entire album in 5.1. Me, I’m sure they’ll save it for the 50th anniversary. “Blind Man” is absolutely stunning; it shimmers. New nuances can be detected. “Maybe I’m a Leo” shakes the Earth with stomp, its clarity outstanding. Blackmore’s solo sounds as if he is in the room. Finally, “Lazy” is spacious and warm. The different tones of Lord’s organ are incredible.

Conclusion:

I’m very satisfied with this box set. As if all that music wasn’t enough, the booklet will keep you going for hours with its full-colour photos, liner notes and essays. Yes, it can be a bit much, having four versions of one album in a single box set. However, twice I listened to the whole thing in order, and didn’t find myself bored. You know why?

It’s because Machine Head is a great album.

5/5 (highway) stars

R.I.P. Jon.

GALLERY: Three More Great Finds

This time, I was in a store that a buddy of mine runs, the same location that Uncle Meat used to work in. My buddy wasn’t in (sick) but one of my old trainees was working I trained him towards the end of my run as a Record Store Dude. I was pleased to see that he was as nice as ever, and had grown an awesome big bushy beard.

I found two treasures, and took a gamble on one vinyl purchase. Here’s the details:

1. GENE SIMMONS – Gene Simmons Family Jewels Season 1, with bonus CD

For $9.99, this was a decent find. It’s missing the outer case, which I can live without. I bought this for the bonus CD. This is apparently an Amazon.com (not .ca) exclusive, currently selling for $13 plus shipping. So I paid an acceptable amount. The CD contains two songs: “Rain Keeps Falling” (sounds like a Crazy Nights outtake) and “You’re My Reason For Living” (sounds much more recent). These are from the “forthcoming” Gene Simmons box set called Monster. (I’m guessing he won’t be using that title now.) Considering that Amazon.com advertises the Gene Simmons Monster box set as coming in 2007, I thought it might be nice to have these two songs.

2. THE ROLLING STONES – “Doom and Gloom” 10″ single

This one was…I dunno…I like the song, “Doom and Gloom”, and I won’t be buying that Stones box set any time in the near future, so this seemed like a good way to get it. What troubles me is this is a remix by somebody named Jeff Bhasker. So I have no idea if this will be any good. We’ll see. Apparently it’s one track, with the second side etched with a Stones logo. I haven’t cracked the seal yet. At $18.99, this one was probably overpriced. But I’m a sucker for gimmicky vinyl, so, whatever.

3. ERIC MARTIN – Pure (Japanese Import)

Eric Martin is, of course, the lead throat from Mr. Big, a band that is basically big only in Japan. This solo EP collects new acoustic versions of his solo tracks and Mr . Big hits. It even includes stuff written in his pre Mr. Big days, from his Sucker For A Pretty Face album.

I paid $8.99, which was way underpriced for this. A European import version goes for about $7 on Discogs, but the much rarer Japanese you’ll be lucky to find for under $40. They didn’t have the disc cataloged in their system as Japanese so I’m thinking they didn’t notice. I did though! The Japanese writing on the back was the dead giveaway, even though the obi strip is missing.

Another funny thing: Somebody put a sticker over the cover statue’s nipple! A pasty, so to speak. (Sticker removed for this gallery; it’s only a statue after all.)

So; another enjoyable shopping experience. Some treasures found. Good tunes, good times. Look for reviews one day on LeBrain’s Blog.

For ethical reasons, I don’t identify the place I used to work, considering the nature of the Record Store Tales. However if I did a Store Report Card as I have done for other record stores, I would rank this particular location:

3.75/5 stars

REVIEW: Trailer Park Boys Xmas Special w/ Conky Puppet, Dope and Liquor Editions! With Video! (DVD)

TRAILER PARK BOYS Xmas Special (Conky Puppet, Dope and Liquor Editions)

Upon first release in 2004, I bought the Trailer Park Boys Xmas Special. It was a compulsory purchase. This excellent show, one of the funniest on TV, had yet to issue the special as a part of a box set. Plus it came with a Conky puppet! Fans of the show know Conky to be the evil but hilarious puppet who has a tendency to take over Bubbles’ brain. Surely, “Conky” is one of the two best episodes of the show. The other would be “Closer to the Heart” featuring Alex Lifeson.

See the video to check out LeBrain’s Conky puppet!

I remember Tom used to put the Conky puppet on top of his Christmas tree!

Then, in 2006, I found the reissued “Dope and Liquor Edition” at a store for $5, and re-bought it, even though I already own the version that came with the Conky puppet. Why?

1. Because I’m crazy like that and I love TPB.
2. Because it was cheap enough to warrant the second purchase.
3. Because the previously unreleased (on DVD) “Trailer Park Boys 101” special as hosted by Alex Lifeson was worth it to me.

This double-length episode (actually titled, “Dear Santa Claus, Go Fuck Yourself”) on its own is one of the best the series ever produced. Taking place in 1997, well before the fictional adventures of Ricky, Julian, and Bubbles were documented, this episode reveals a lot of Trailer Park Boys backstory and delivers a lot of laughs.

Ricky is bailed out of jail on Christmas Eve to help Julian with his present stealing racket. Ricky’s unhappy because Christmas is the best time to be in jail (“12 days of partying,” Ricky says). It doesn’t take long for Mr. Lahey to get wise to the theft scheme, and with his new friend Randall in tow, he promptly gets back on the liquor. In the meantime, sidekicks Jamie and Tyrone discover rap music and marijuana, while Ricky and Julian use “nerds” Corey and Trevor to help steal Christmas trees.

Some of the funniest dialogue in the show’s history was right here in the Christmas special. Ricky mistaking God for Santa Claus is priceless (if you’re not offended).

Ricky: Dad, I write letters every year, you know that. I mean, I’m sending a letter off to the big guy tomorrow. So, it’s taken care of. Done. No problem.

Ray: Huh?

Ricky: The letters… You and Mom got me to write them every year at Christmas. I’m sending one off tomorrow again.

Ray: To Santa Claus, Rick?!

Ricky: Yeah, the big guy.

Bubbles: The big guy?! The big guy? That’s God, Ricky.

Ricky: Yeah, God. That’s what I said. Santa.

Ray: Ricky, come on, you know Santa and God aren’t the same guy, right?

Ricky: Dad, you didn’t know that? I mean, think about it! How would he get around the world in one night? Of course he’s the same person. Right, Bubs?

Bubbles: No, Ricky. Santa and God, that’s two different things.

Ricky: What? Oh my fuck! You know, I did maybe think that I fucked that up. I wasn’t sure, and I didn’t want to say anything just in case Santa was God. Like, it would obviously, probably, wouldn’t it piss him off that I got that mixed up like that?

By the time you get to his big speech at the end, (“Christmas is about getting drunk and stoned with your family!”) you’ll be howling.

Like I said, this is hilarious if you’re not easily offended. If you are, I would advise you to stay far away from everything Trailer Park Boys. If you enjoy well delivered, largely improvised dialogue performed by the east coast’s favourites, then dig in for some Christmas dinner.

The special features here are the typical TPB fare. Alternate takes, extended takes, bloopers, and so on abound, making this worth your coin. As I mentioned before, to make up for the lack of the Conky puppet, the Dope and Liquor Edition has the Alex Lifeson documentary. As a Rush and TPB fan, this was worth the re-buy for me. You also get a preview for the first TPB movie, although this is well out of date now.

Merry Christmas, make sure mom is nowhere around when you watch this!

5/5 stars (for both)

REVIEW: AC/DC – Backtracks (Deluxe Edition, the big one that comes with the amp!)

AC/DC – Backtracks (The Ultimate Box Set) (2009) currently selling for $236.08 at www.acdcbacktracks.com

When this arrived at the house, I couldn’t believe the size of the box! I opened the carefully packed box, and removed the ample cardboard protecting my precious investment. I then removed a plastic and cardboard monstrosity known as AC/DC Backtracks; or, the most awesome kickass box set I have ever seen in my life.

And, it sounds good too!

Before I get into the good stuff (the songs), let me tell you about the box. Yes, it is a working amp, but that’s just a novelty feature. I snapped in the provided 9 volt battery, plugged in my guitar and strummed a chord. Guess what! It sounds like an amp made of cardboard and plastic powered by a 9 volt battery. No big deal. It’s a coversation piece. Like, “Hey, wanna watch this awesome concert DVD from the AC/DC box? Oh, and check it out, I can plug my guitar in it too.”

Inside I discovered a really sharp hardcover photo book. This thing is huge, and loaded with photos of the band and memorability dating back to time immemmorial. Next to that, a nice big LP-sized case containing all the CDs and DVDs. (3 CDs, 2 DVDs). Up next, the LP: the highlights from the Studio Rarities CD, in its own sealed sleeve. This was specially mastered for LP. I have not played this yet. I may not open it, I haven’t decided. There was also a poster, and a sealed cardboard envelope carrying mutiple goodies, including a guitar pick, a button, a sticker, and a temporary tattoo amongst myriad paper souvenirs. (See below this review for a full gallery of photos)

The thing about this box set, compared to the regular retail version, is the inclusion of an additional DVD and a whole CD’s worth of additional rarities. What makes this especially cool is this: aside from one single (an early single that the band did with original singer Dave Evans), this box set seems to contain every B-side, every single Australian album track, every Japanese, special edition, import, promo, and otherwise non-album song that AC/DC ever released up to 2009. Whew.

I’ve read reviews that said, “The songs are disappointing because they’re not very good, they were left off the albums for a reason.” Not so. They are quite good. Just because some were released on the band’s albums in their home country and nowhere else is not a reflection on quality. Some of these songs are some of my favourites, such as the stompin’ “Rock In Peace”, the hilarious “Crabsody In Blue” and “Cold Hearted Man”. As for the live B-sides and rare tracks…man, I can’t believe how consistantly good this band has been over the decades! Friggin’ incredible that even when you get to songs recorded well into the 90’s, AC/DC still sounded just as good. A later example is the purely smokin’ “Safe In New York City”.

The first DVD is part 3 of the Family Jewels series. It contains a whole bunch of cool music videos that you probably remember from back when MuchMusic actually used to play music videos. These are mostly some of the more recent music videos from the Ballbreaker album and beyond. A few of these I had never seen before, or only once or twice. After those, are rare videos for early tracks with both Bon and Brian. The second DVD is an exclusive to this set, recorded live in 2003 in Germany.

If you’re a truely dedicated fan that eats, breathes, sleeps AC/DC…you’ll be very very happy with this one.

5/5 stars.

Disc 1 – Studio Rarities

No.	Title	Original release	Length
1.	“High Voltage” (deluxe edition only)	T.N.T. (Australian-only release) (1975)	4:18
2.	“Stick Around”	High Voltage (Australian release) (1975)	4:40
3.	“Love Song”	High Voltage (Australian release) (1975)	5:15
4.	“It’s a Long Way to the Top” (deluxe edition only)	T.N.T. (Australian-only release) (1975)	5:16
5.	“Rocker” (deluxe edition only)	T.N.T. (Australian-only release) (1975)	2:55
6.	“Fling Thing”	Jailbreak (7″ single) (1976)	2:00
7.	“Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” (deluxe edition only)	Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (Australian release) (1976)	4:11
8.	“Ain’t No Fun (Waitin’ Round to Be a Millionaire)” (deluxe edition only)	Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (Australian release) (1976)	7:30
9.	“R.I.P. (Rock in Peace)”	Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (Australian release) (1976)	3:35
10.	“Carry Me Home”	Dog Eat Dog (7″ single) (1977)	3:58
11.	“Crabsody in Blue”	Let There Be Rock (Australian release) (1977)	4:43
12.	“Cold Hearted Man”	Powerage (original European LP pressings) (1978)	3:35
13.	“Who Made Who” (deluxe edition only)	Who Made Who (7″ single) (1986)	4:50
14.	“Snake Eye”	Heatseeker (CD single) (1988)	3:16
15.	“Borrowed Time”	That’s the Way I Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll (CD single) (1988)	3:45
16.	“Down on the Borderline”	Moneytalks (CD single) (1990)	4:15
17.	“Big Gun”	Last Action Hero (official movie soundtrack) (1993)	4:20
18.	“Cyberspace”	Stiff Upper Lip (Australian bonus CD) (2001)	2:58

Disc 2 – Live Rarities I

No.	Title	Original release	Length
1.	“Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” (Live in Sydney, 30 Jan. 1977)	Long Live the Evolution (compilation LP) (1977)	5:02
2.	“Dog Eat Dog” (Live in Glasgow, 30 Apr. 1978)	Whole Lotta Rosie (7″ single) (1978)	4:30
3.	“Live Wire” (Live in London, 2 Nov. 1979)	Touch Too Much (12″ single) (1980)	5:05
4.	“Shot Down in Flames” (Live in London, 2 Nov. 1979)	Touch Too Much (12″ single) (1980)	3:39
5.	“Back in Black” (Live in Landover, MD, 20 Dec. 1981)	Let’s Get It Up (12″ single) (1982)	4:21
6.	“T.N.T.” (Live in Landover, MD, 20 Dec. 1981)	Let’s Get It Up (12″ single) (1982)	3:58
7.	“Let There Be Rock” (Live in Landover, MD, 20 Dec. 1981)	For Those About to Rock (7″ single) (1982)	7:30
8.	“Guns for Hire” (Live in Detroit, MI, 17 Nov. 1983)	Who Made Who (7″ single) (1986)	5:21
9.	“Sin City” (Live in Detroit, MI, 17 Nov. 1983 – deluxe edition only)	Nervous Shakedown (12″ single) (1984)	5:30
10.	“Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution” (Live in Detroit, MI, 17 Nov. 1983)	Nervous Shakedown (12″ single) (1984)	4:15
11.	“This House Is On Fire” (Live in Detroit, MI, 17 Nov. 1983)	Nervous Shakedown (12″ single) (1984)	3:25
12.	“You Shook Me All Night Long” (Live in Detroit, MI, 17 Nov. 1983)	You Shook Me All Night Long (12″ single) (1986)	3:30
13.	“Jailbreak” (Live in Dallas, TX, 12 Oct. 1985)	Shake Your Foundations (12″ single) (1986)	13:22
14.	“Shoot to Thrill” (Live at Donington, 17 Aug. 1991) – deluxe edition only)	Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (CD single) (1992)	5:30
15.	“Hell Ain’t a Bad Place to Be” (Live at Donington, 17 Aug. 1991 – deluxe edition only)	Live (Japanese version) (1992)	4:37

Disc 3 – Live Rarities II

All of these tracks are on the deluxe edition only, except where noted.

No.	Title	Original release	Length
1.	“High Voltage” (Live at Donington, 17 Aug. 1991)	Highway to Hell (CD maxi single) (1992)	9:25
2.	“Hells Bells” (Live at Donington, 17 Aug. 1991)	Highway to Hell (CD maxi single) (1992)	5:57
3.	“Whole Lotta Rosie” (Live at Donington, 17 Aug. 1991)	Hail Caesar (CD single) (1995)	4:45
4.	“Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” (Live at Donington, 17 Aug. 1991)	Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (CD single) (1992)	5:00
5.	“Highway to Hell” (Live in Moscow, 28 Sep. 1991 – standard edition also)	5 Titres Inedits En Concert (French 5-track CD) (1993)	4:00
6.	“Back in Black” (Live in Moscow, 28 Sep. 1991)	Big Gun (CD single) (1993)	4:10
7.	“For Those About to Rock” (Live in Moscow, 28 Sep. 1991 – standard edition also)	Big Gun (CD single) (1993)	6:50
8.	“Ballbreaker” (Live in Madrid, 10 Jul. 1996)	Stiff Upper Lip (Australian bonus CD) (2001)	4:40
9.	“Hard as a Rock” (Live in Madrid, 10 Jul. 1996)	Stiff Upper Lip (Australian bonus CD) (2001)	4:50
10.	“Dog Eat Dog” (Live in Madrid, 10 Jul. 1996)	3 Live Tracks (No Bull promo CD single) (1996)	4:46
11.	“Hail Caesar” (Live in Madrid, 10 Jul. 1996)	3 Live Tracks (No Bull promo CD single) (1996)	5:25
12.	“Whole Lotta Rosie” (Live in Madrid, 10 Jul. 1996)	Stiff Upper Lip (Australian bonus CD) (2001)	5:27
13.	“You Shook Me All Night Long” (Live in Madrid, 10 Jul. 1996)	Private Parts (official movie soundtrack) (1997)	3:58
14.	“Safe in New York City” (Live in Phoenix, AZ, 13 Sep. 2000 – standard edition also)	Safe in New York City (American promo CD single) (2000)	3:55

Family Jewels Disc 3 (DVD)

This DVD picks up where the original 2 DVD Family Jewels set left off (1991).

“Big Gun”
“Hard As A Rock”
“Hail Caesar”
“Cover You in Oil”
“Stiff Upper Lip”
“Satellite Blues”
“Safe in New York City”
“Rock ‘n’ Roll Train”
“Anything Goes”

Bonus videos

“Jailbreak”
“It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)”
“Highway to Hell”
“You Shook Me All Night Long”
“Guns for Hire”
“Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (live)
“Highway to Hell” (live)

Bonus features

“The Making of “Hard as a Rock”
“The Making of “Rock ‘n’ Roll Train”

Live at the Circus Krone 2003 DVD

Introduction
“Hell Ain’t a Bad Place to Be”
“Back in Black”
“Stiff Upper Lip”
“Shoot to Thrill”
“Thunderstruck”
“Rock ‘n’ Roll Damnation”
“What’s Next to the Moon”
“Hard as a Rock”
“Bad Boy Boogie”
“The Jack”
“If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)”
“Hells Bells”
“Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”
“Rock ‘n’ Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution”
“T.N.T.”
“Let There Be Rock”
“Highway to Hell”
“For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)”
“Whole Lotta Rosie”

Rarities 180 Gram LP

Side A

“Stick Around”
“Love Song”
“Fling Thing”
“R.I.P (Rock in Peace)”
“Carry Me Home”
“Crabsody in Blue”

Side B

“Cold Hearted Man”
“Snake Eye”
“Borrowed Time”
“Down on the Borderline”
“Big Gun”
“Cyberspace”

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Family Jewels Disc 3 (DVD)

Live at the Circus Krone 2003 DVD

Rarities 180 Gram LP

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