Frank Sinatra - Oakland Coliseum USA 1968

I first got hold of this particular concert recording a few months back, because I thought my dad would appreciate it.

What surprised me, was how much I enjoyed it myself !

I know very little about Frank Sinatra's music, beyond what I heard being played around my home as I grew up.

It was a generation gap thing.

I associated Frank Sinatra with my 'out of touch' parents back then, and could not understand why they failed to appreciate The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, and so on...

OK this was the sixties, a long time ago.

Enough about my personal Sinatra growing up thing. This is a really good concert musically and sound quality wise. I find it a little bizarre, that according to some mainstream websites, this is still considered a rarity, and yet I obtained it without effort, whatever the case, here it is!

A little background:

MAY 22, 1968: Frank Sinatra headlined at a fund raising rally and concert for the then presidential candidate, Hubert Humphrey at the Oakland Coliseum, California, USA.

Set List:

1 Day In Day Out
2 I Get A Kick Out Of You
3 Moonlight In Vermont
4 The Lady Is A Tramp
5 I Have Dreamed
6 I've Got You Under My Skin
7 That's Life
8 O'l Man River
9 All I Need Is The Girl
10 Willow Weep For Me
11 Goin' Out Of My Head
12 Nancy (With The Laughing Face)
13 Fly Me To The Moon
14 It Was A Very Good Year
15 My Kind Of Town
16 Frank Says Goodbye

Put simply, this is a really vibrant performance, a really tight and on form orchestra, and obviously a professional recording crew, despite the fact this was never intended for full public release. (Stereo Soundboard).

Replacement link in comments or click on the picture (8th January 2010).

Buy The Platinum Collection HERE.

A Trip With The Beatles - The Esher Demos

Also known as Acoustic Masterpieces, I am very pleased to be able to share the Esher demos from 1968.

These were recorded in late May 1968, at the home of George Harrison, and how is this for detail, his home was Kinfauns, a bungalow-style house, located at 16 Claremont Drive, Esher, Surrey, England, KT10 9LU, on the Claremont Estate, and only a short drive from the homes of John Lennon (Kenwood) and Ringo Starr (Sunny Heights).

Hmmm - I need to get out more...

These demo recordings would eventually develop, with a few exceptions, into 'The White Album'. (Seven of the actual demos also appear on The Beatles Anthology, Vol. 3).

They were made on George Harrison's Ampex four-track reel-to-reel tape recorder.

The songs are performed by John, George and Paul, recording some of the material, they had written during their time in India, along with other recent numbers.

Track listing as follows:

1. Back In The USSR
2. Blackbird
3. Child Of Nature (eventually Jealous Guy on Imagine).
4. Circles
5. Cry Baby Cry
6. Dear Prudence
7. Every body's Got Something To Hate
8. Honey Pie
9. I'm So Tired
10. Julia
11. Sour Milk Sea
12. Mother Nature's Son
13. Not Guilty
14. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
15. Piggies
16. Revolution
17. Rocky Raccoon
18. Sexy Sadie
19. Junk
20. The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill
21. What's The New Mary Jane
22. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
23. Yer Blues

Total duration: 67:18

These as far as I can establish, are all of the recordings, made at that time, and are sourced from an older boot (tape) of good quality. With the exception of those songs that made it on to 'Anthology 3', my understanding is that these, are as good as you can get.

If you have more songs, or better quality versions, please, please let me know!

Replacement link in comments below or click on the picture (11th January 2010).

Worth a thought? Considering these are (very nearly) forty year old demo tapes, never intended for more than an early run through, pre studio, a chance for the other band members to get a feel for the songs, why are we so interested? I guess whatever you may think of The Beatles, they certainly left their fans wanting more!

Check out Anthology Three HERE, along with other Beatles Cd's.

More Beatles material will follow in due course.

Humble Pie - Live USA Tour 1981

I try and share really good quality boots, (unless the material is very collectible) I am really pleased with the sheer audio quality of this one.

This particular bootleg, is mainly known as Route 66, live in LA and PA.

Humble Pie originally formed in 1969, and had a large and loyal fan base right through to calling it a day in 1975.

In 1980 founder Steve Marriott revived Humble Pie with former drummer Jerry Shirley, adding Bob Tench (from Jeff Beck Group) on guitar and Anthony "Sooty" Jones on bass.

Two albums were released 'On To Victory', and 'Go For The Throat', however the 'second' Humble Pie called it a day by 1982.

The tour(s) supporting these two albums became known as the 'Route 66' era, and despite the short lived reformation, the band were really good in concert, probably because Humble Pie were always a live band first.

This is Humble Pie - Route Sixty Six.

01 ~ I Don't Need No Doctor (10:01)
02 ~ Infatuation (5:23)
03 ~ 30 Days In The Hole (9:45)
04 ~ Tin Soldier (4:32)
05 ~ Fool For A Pretty Face (5:47)
06 ~ Route 66 (6:34)
07 ~ Bebop A Lula (2:22)
08 ~ Tulsa Time (3:20)
09 ~ Four Day Creep (3:18)
10 ~ Stone Cold Fever (8:53)
11 ~ C'mon Everybody (6:31)

The sound quality is full stereo soundboard (excellent quality), the band really on form!

(click on the links to download)

Humble Pie ~ Route 66 Live.rar

Humble Pie ~ Route 66 Live - part two.rar

There has been a problem downloading the above files for some visitors Please try this full zip file below, if you have had a problem.

Humble Pie ~ Route 66 Live in Concert.zip

Thanks - Mike
Some really good Humble Pie albums in the Beehive Candy Store HERE.

Heart - Portland Oregon 1987

Well would you believe it, I first heard the band Heart on Radio Caroline, and guess when? Yep in the 1970's!

They may have been given air time elsewhere in the UK, but the option of suffering The Bay City Rollers, Donny Osmond and possibly Cliff Richard's to eventually here them does not require consideration.

This is Heart some time later, 1987 to be precise, however I must apologise I do not have the actual day or month to hand.

This concert is from the tour supporting the release of 'Bad Animals' - not one of their best albums as far as I am concerned, and yet, they are on sparkling form here, and with plenty of other Heart material, very, very good!

Set list:

1. Bad animals
2. Wolf
3. Barracuda
4. Nothing at all
5. What about love
6. Dreamboat Annie
7. These dreams
8. Straight on
9. Who will you run to
10. Never
11. How can I refuse
12. Crazy on you
13. If looks could kill
14. Bebe le strange
15. Alone
16. Rock and roll

Quality is excellent - first generation FM stereo recording.

Replacement download link in comments below (02 March 2012).