Another week, another bunch of stuff to review. This time we have a mixture of forms and genres.
CD reviews
The Doobie Brothers: Live at the Greek Theatre 1982
This was the final show for the venerable multi-ethnic rock band of the 1970s. Like many of these “farewell” gigs, it wouldn’t last for all the people in the band; some recently released a new album. Before I start, sadly Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, a member of the Doobies in the 1970s and now a civilian advisor to the Pentagon, does not appear on these discs. What will probably surprise many of you is how many of these tracks you remember from the days of classic rock radio. 20 songs is pretty good for value as well (four are “bonus” tracks”).
Michael McDonald, who went on to soft rock stardom later in the decade, is on the CD performing some of the songs he was famous for singing in the band. This is a great summer top-down driving music. “Listen to the Music” (which is the opener and closer song) and songs like “Takin’ it to the Streets” define the word timeless. I defy you not to sing along, whether or not you are old enough to remember these the first time or not. There is a DVD of the gig, which combines the music with live interviews of the major members of the band including McDonald. It also includes a bonus song on the CD: “No Stoppin’ Us Now”.
Not heavy rock by any means, but that is not to say this isn’t quality catchy stuff delivered by a great band.
Bad Company: Live at Wembley
If you are a fan of this band then there is pretty much no logical reason why you wouldn’t want to pick this up or its DVD equivalent. The DVD adds the inevitable “band interviews” as an extra to the music, as well as one more track “Burning Sky." Fifteen (or Sixteen) tracks of the Bad Co.'s goodness featuring all the original members who are still alive. The lads have buried the hatchet over the Bad Co. without Paul Rodgers, who toured after he left. Interesting they have Howard Lesse of Heart fame and Lynn Sorenson (playing bass in place of the late Boz Burrell) to fill out the line-up. The churlish might say its about time that Rodgers was back fronting Bad Co. instead of that bizarre combination of him and a couple members of Queen
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