Texas - Paradiso, Amsterdam, 1989.

Considering Texas only formed in 1986, and made their live debut in March 1988, by the time of this concert in June 1989, they sounded very polished and professional, having already scored a top ten hit in the UK and parts of Europe.

Was it really twenty years ago ?

This concert was performed at The Paradiso, Amsterdam, Holland on the 12th June 1989.

Many of their tour dates were bootlegged at this time, this concert circulated as 'First Dive' on CD, but did not include the full set.

Source: The concert was recorded by Dutch radio and broadcast at a later date.

Sound Quality: Very good FM Stereo rip @ 320kbps.

Genre: Indie Pop to Indie Rock.

Set: Majority of live concert (last track fades out).

Set List:

1.Fool for love.
2.Everyday now.
3.I don't want a lover.
4.Nowhere left to hide.
5.Fight the feeling.
6.Future is promises.
7.Tell me why ?
8.Livin' for the city.
9.A prayer for you.
10.I can't get next to you.
11.Dimples.
12.It hurts me too. (edited fade out).

Links: Official UK site HERE. The more comprehensive 'Texas In Demand' site HERE.

Comments: This is a really good recording of a very good performance. Texas went on to well deserved popularity and success, and a large part of that is down to just how good they are live in concert.

I have no details regarding the actual FM broadcast of this show, the sound quality does however, suggest it was captured on excellent audio equipment.

Download links in comments below.

Purchase: Albums through the Texas site HERE. Amazon MP3's - Texas.

Boz Scaggs - Expo 1985 - Live in Japan

This is Boz Scaggs live in concert at The Budokan, Tokyo, Japan, on March 15th, 1985, part of Expo 1985.

I do not intend to go on about Boz Scaggs in detail here, when his 'official' fan site has a mass of information that would keep the most ardent fan amused and interested for hours.

All I will say is, if you remain unfamiliar with Boz's music and you like a quality singer - song writer, who plays the guitar superbly, and enjoy anything from Rock to Soul, Blues to Pop, take a listen to this recording.

Source: Originally circulated on CD bootlegger's 'Fire Power' (FP9045), who used silver discs rather than CDR's, the original was recorded from an FM radio broadcast.

Sound Quality: Very good stereo FM (mp3 @ 192kbps).

Genre: Wikipedia reckons -Blue-eyed soul, Disco, Rock, Blues Rock, oh just listen and make your own decision if it's that crucial!

Set: Full live concert

Set List:

01 Dinah Flo - 3.37
02 Jojo - 5.54
03 I Got Your Number - 3.49
04 Isn't It Time - 5.26
05 Hercules - 5.47
06 Breakdown Dead Ahead - 5.24
07 Look What You've Done To Me - 6.02
08 Georgia - 4.35
09 We're All Alone - 4.41
10 Miss Sun - 3.07
11 Lido Shuffle - 5.23
12 Middle Man - 6.00
13 Lowdown - 6.47
14 Angel You - 5.20

Total 1 hour 12 minutes.

Band:

Boz Scaggs - Guitar (and the main man singing wise).
Kevin Dukes - Guitar
Carlos Vega - Drums
Scott Plunkett - Synthesizer
Tom Keane - Piano
John Madrid - Trumpet
Venetta Fields - Backing Vocals
Lorna Willard - Backing Vocals

Links: Official Site HERE, much better official fan site HERE.

Comments: Some CD cover art suggests the original source of this recording was soundboard, however it's from the radio broadcast, that just happened to be captured through a quality stereo receiver on to an excellent tape deck.

Download link in comments below - or better still, just click on the picture above.

Purchase: There's a fine selection of DRM free MP3's available worldwide - Boz Scaggs

The Tubes - Darted In My Own Armchair - 1976

My first memories of The Tubes, was hearing Radio Caroline play 'Don't Touch Me There' back in 1976, at a time when BBC Radio & the UK's fledgling commercial stations bent over backwards to ban anything that was remotely risque, or questionable... well anything!

A number of The Tubes band members were students at the same high school in Phoenix, Arizona, as Alice Cooper, what were they putting in the water back there and then?

This recording was made at a time when The Tubes were arguably moving towards their first creative peak, which was both visual and musical.

This then is The Tubes live at the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, USA, on the 26th June 1976.

Source: Tricky one this. I thought it was definitely an expanded version of a King Biscuit Flower Hour recording, however their site partly contradicts this, any how it's a professionally mixed recording.

Sound Quality: Very good stereo soundboard quality @ 192kbps.

Genre: Rock, from Pop Rock to New Wave.

Set: Fifty minutes - predominately the latter part of the concert.

Set List:

1a. Young and Rich - Grandiose Instrumental Overture
1b. What do you Want From Life.
2. Tubes World Tour.
3. Love will Keep us Together.
4. Pimp.
5a. Mondo Bondage
5b. Don't Touch me There.
6. Boy Crazy.
7. Stand up and Shout.

Band:

Rick Anderson - bass
Michael Cotton - synthesizers
Prairie Prince - drums
Bill Spooner - guitar, vocals
Roger Steen - guitar, harmonica, vocals
Re Styles - vocals
Fee Waybill - lead vocals
Vince Welnick - keyboards

Links: Official Site HERE.

Comments: This bootleg recording originally circulated on a vinyl album entitled 'Darted In My Own Armchair' it was subsequently released on CD in Italy in 1991 as 'The Tubes In Concert 1976'.

The Intro to 'Love Will Keep Us Together' is the Captain Beefheart tune 'Gimme Dat Harp' featuring Roger on blues harp.

The band released their second album 'Young and Rich' in 1976, and following a one month residency at Bimbos, San Francisco, continued with 'The Tubes World Tour 1976'.

Download link in comments below - or just click on the picture above.

Purchase: MP3's - The Tubes

Nils Lofgren - Pinkpop Festival 1977

It was the UK's NME (New Musical Express), that introduced me to Nils Lofgren, way back when I was a much, much, younger person in the second half of the 1970's.

I was so impressed I went about purchasing his earlier material with 'Grin', and feel a strange personal satisfaction that has been such a key member of Bruce Springsteen's 'E Street Band'.

This then is Nils Lofgren and band, back on the 30th May 1977, at the Pink Pop Festival, Geleen, Holland.

Source: Local FM radio broadcast.

Sound Quality: Very Good quality FM Stereo off air recording converted to 320kbps MP3.

Genre: Rock, Blues Rock, high quality guitar and vocals.

Set: Part of the festival set (as far as I know), for FM broadcast featuring key songs.

Set List:

1.Incidentally it's over.
2.Like rain.
3.Code of the road.
4.Keith don't go.
5.Moon tears.
6.I came to dance.

Total Playing Time 38:01

Links: Official Site (very good) HERE. Informative Wikipedia entry HERE.

Comments: Nils Lofgren's 1976 album release 'Cry Tough' remains a personal favorite of mine. The massive punk backlash emerging at the time here in the UK, was never aimed at the likes of Nils Lofgren, indeed he was considered amongst my peers at the time, as a great example of how rock music should develop.

In reality he was doing his own thing to a very high standard, which fared well, outside of all the music industry shenanigans, and struck a chord with your average rock music fan, tired of the self indulgence of those who had made a fortune playing the rock superstar.

Download link in comments below - or just click on the picture above.

Purchase: MP3's Nils Lofgren

The Rutles - Rehearsals

Who can forget the legend that was Ron, Dirk, Stig, and Barry?

The 'Prefab Four' remain in our hearts forever, a legend in their own lunchtime, always to be remembered as The Rutles.

OK I hope you know the story, and some of the music, if not, and if you like The Beatles and love a good laugh this is the perfect parody.

This particular recording is from The Rutles pre tour rehearsals, not sure where, its great music though, and also known as 'Sweet Rutles Tracks'.

Source: Studio rehearsals 1978.

Sound Quality: Good quality stereo (studio rehearsal 'live' recording).

Genre: Parody, comedy, musically think The Beatles.

Set: Part of studio rehearsal's with some archive Rutles video soundbites.

Set List:

We've Arrived 3:25

Now She's Left You 1:41

Number One 2:40

Love Life 3:23

Goose-Step Mama 2:34

It's Looking Good 1:56

I Must Be In Love 2:17

Baby Let Me Be 2:44

Good Times Roll 3:08

Let's Be Natural 2:25

Get Up And Go 4:45

Blue Suede Schubert 2:35

Between Us 2:14

Piggy In The Middle 2:47

Living In Hope 2:39

Double Back Alley
Plenty Of Time

Touring Band.

Neil Innes — piano, guitar and vocals;

John Halsey — drums;
Mark Griffiths — bass guitar and vocals;
Mickey Simmonds — keyboards and vocals;
Ken Thornton — lead guitar
J.J. Jones — percussion.

Links: Official Site HERE. More factual stuff on Wikipedia HERE.

Comments: I always remember when I first watched Rutland Weekend Television (on BBC Two as it happens), itself in part a parody of then British commercial TV station London Weekend Television, and similar TV channels. As a fan of Monty Python I could not stop laughing at what seemed at the time to be a perfect antidote for Pythons TV demise.

The Rutles were first seen in the series during a 1975 sketch, that was in keeping with the overall parody of the comedy series.

It made sense that The Rutles continued both within the TV show and as a recording and performing act in their own right.

The musical takes on The Beatles are often sublime, to the point of record company litigation that led to John Lennon and Paul McCartney being credited as co-authors on some official music releases.

Free: (If you require it to play this) - Nero Music Player HERE.

Download link in comments below - or just click on the picture above.

Purchase: MP3's from Amazon UK, (there are some gems here) The Rutles