Cocteau Twins - Live Black Session 1994

The Cocteau Twins are one of my all time favorite acts.

I will resist the inclination to give an over the top and gushing review and just say, for any fan this is a must have.

For anyone not familiar with them, and at the risk of being accused of musical heresy, their recorded material is a much better starting point, then you will just want more, and settle for any bootleg, bearing in mind the principle that one persons pleasure, is another's poison...

Live on the 4th February 1994, this is Cocteau Twins live in studio 105.

Source: Live 'Black Session' recorded for France Inter (French radio station) in Paris, Maison de la Radio, Studio 105, (with studio audience).

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

Genre: Dream pop / Ambient (1986-1997), Ethereal (1983-1986), Gothic rock / Post-punk (1979-1983).

Set: This is the full studio concert.

Set List:

01 - Pur
02 - Road River and Rail
03 - Bluebeard
04 - Heaven or Las Vegas
05 - Whales Tails
06 - Carolyn's Fingers
07 - Iceblink Luck
08 - Summerhead
09 - Ella Megalast Burls Forever
10 - Blue Bell Knoll
11 - Pink Orange Red
12 - Aikea-Guinea
13 - Sugar Hiccup

Links: Official site HERE. 4AD site (also very good detail) HERE.

Comments: I have always been a fan of the Cocteau Twins music, from the first time I heard them in the first half of the 1980's, until now.

Like all good fan's I live in hope of more, although that is probably unlikely and unfair, still us fans are like that.

This is a good live boot of the band, (theirs some awful stuff out their), the audio quality needs to be good for them, however as is often the case with their live material, Elizabeth Fraser's vocals are a little to low in the mix (in my opinion), that said, this is still a must for any one who has an interest in the band (and yes - yet another band from Scotland).

Reloaded - 29/May/2015 - download link in comments. 

Purchase: MP3's (DRM free) through Amazon.co.uk - Cocteau Twins

Golden Earring - Live in The Hague - 1989

Considering Golden Earring formed in the mid 1960's, and have enjoyed popularity in Holland and a number of European countries ever since, it's great to see them still touring and recording right up to date, and with gigs scheduled into 2010!

They scored their biggest UK and USA success with the classic rock song 'Radar Love', which in some ways over shadows a considerable amount of other great material they have produced down the years.

For your enjoyment this is Golden Earring live in concert at the Parkpop Festival, Den Haag (The Hague), Holland on the 25th June 1989.

Source: FM radio broadcast (this is from a later 're-broadcast').

Sound Quality: Very good, 320kbps stereo 'off air' recording.

Genre: Rock (from 'classic' to 'prog' to 'Nederland beat')

Set: This is the full broadcast material, it excludes the first two songs from their performance (Back Home & To Much Women), the total recorded time was 51:28 (117mb).

Set List:

1.When the lady smiles.
2.Distant love.
3.Weekend love.
4.Long blond animal.
5.Turn the world around.
6.Can do that.
7.Twilight zone.
8.Radar love.


Links: Official website, in English language - oh how 'the cloggies' look after us, HERE.

Comments: If you live in Holland or within travelling distance Golden Earring are continuing to tour throughout the year. If your a native fan in Holland chances are you already have a copy of this concert, as I understand, it has been broadcast on a number of occasions, if not, its well worth a listen.

Considering Radio Caroline's close relationship with Holland in the 1970's & 1980's (there were Dutch language stations from their radio ships in both decades), it's no surprise Golden Earring resonate with many people in the UK, as they got plenty of air play here down the years.

Download links (two files - total 117mb) in comments below.

Purchase: Through Amazon.co.uk a selection of CD's - Golden Earring

The Rezillos - BBC & WFMU Radio Sessions

Here's another example of just how many great bands have come out of Scotland.

The Rezillos formed in Edinburgh, Scotland, back in 1976, and were quickly associated with the punk and subsequent new wave movement in the UK, with their panache for short, sharp, three minute pop gems.

The band toured constantly with the likes of The Ramones and The Undertones, by 1979 it was all over.

In 2001 they reformed for a one off gig, and reignited, leading to their continuing and welcome musical presence in 2009.

Source: BBC and WFMU Radio sessions - Total Playing Time 44:43.

Sound Quality: Very good 'off air' stereo mp3 recordings @ 320 kbps

Genre: Punk, New Wave, Power Pop.

Track List:

1-6 BBC Radio Mark Lamarr Session 14th February 2009

1.Out Of This World.
2.Yesterdays Tormentor.
3.Ambulance.
4.No 1 Boy.
5.I Can't Stand My Baby.
6.River Deep Mountain High.

7-8 BBC Radio Session 31st March 2006

7.No 1 Boy.
8.(My Baby Does) Good Sculptures.

9-12 WFMU Radio Session June 27th 2002

9.Can't Stand My Baby.
10.(My Baby Does) Good Sculptures.
11.Pressure Cooker.
12.Flying Saucer Attack.

13-14 BBC Radio - John Peel Session 12th December 1977

13.(My Baby Does) Good Sculptures.
14.Fight among yourselves.

Links: New Official site HERE. Wikipedia also with details of The Revillos HERE.

Comments: The majority of these sessions are from the reformed band, which are as spontaneous as the early days, however its great to include some early material from a session on the legendary John Peel show.

Download links is in comments below.

Purchase: Their latest mp3 release, No1 Boy - The Rezillos and... there's more - The Rezillos on CD

Love - Live At The Fillmore West 1970

Love started out playing the L.A. club scene in April 1965, and by the time of this concert in 1970, had already experienced a turbulent history, with line up changes, problematic tours, and the ravages of drug excesses.

The one constant was the late Arthur Taylor Lee, along with some superb sixties albums and singles.

This then is Love with both the early and late shows at the Fillmore West, San Francisco, USA, back on the 21st November 1970.

Source: Concert soundboard.

Sound Quality: Very good, 320kbps stereo (a few glitches due to age, that do not distract).

Genre: Psychedelic rock, garage rock, sixties west coast.

Set: Early and Late show performances.

Set List:

Early Show:

01 Product Of The Times
02 Stand Out
03 Keep On Shinning
04 Andmoreagain
05 Singing Cowboy / Good Times

Late Show:

06 Stand Out
07 Product Of The Times
08 Bummmer In The Summer
09 Gotta Find Somebody
10 Signed D.C.
11 Slick Dick
12 Always See Your Face
13 Singing Cowboy

Links: Excellent fan site HERE. Official Arthur Lee and Love site HERE.

Comments: This live concert material shows off the rockier edge of Love, and the style was quite different to the early performances, much tighter, less tune ups between songs, and overall a much more polished live act.

I was surprised how much I liked this, as I tend to associate the band to songs such as Alone Again Or, and The Red Telephone, which have a much gentler feel to them. This is well worth a listen, and again a nice piece of Fillmore West history.

Download links in comments below or.

Purchase: MP3's (DRM free) from Amazon - Love

Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash - Sessions 1969

This is hardly making it's Internet bootleg debut here, however the Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash sessions from 1969, remain elusive for many collectors, and I am happy to do my bit to help.

The often asked question regarding these sessions is, why have they never been officially released ?

The musically historical importance, audio quality, and perhaps the actual performances themselves, make that a reasonable question, however in all honesty forty years on, the 'cats out of the bag' if you get my drift?

The contents of the sessions are detailed in track lists below, if you have just passing interest in either of these two artists, I would suggest that the recordings are well worth a listen.

Source: Taken from an early generation silver CD.

Sound Quality: Very good stereo soundboard, studio and auditorium.

Genre: In all fairness Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash will suffice.

Track List:

BS studios, Nashville, TN, USA - February 17th -18th, 1969.

01 Good Ol' Mountain Dew (Lunsford / Wiseman)
02 I Still Miss Someone (J Cash / Roy Cash)
03 Careless Love (Trad)
04 Matchbox (Carl Perkins)
05 That's Alright Mama (A. Crudup)
06 Big River (J Cash)
07 Girl Of The North Country
08 I Walk The Line (J Cash)
09 You Are My Sunshine (Davis / Mitchell)
10 Ring Of Fire (Carter / Kilgore)
11 Guess Things Happen That Way (Clement)
12 Just A Closer Walk With Thee (Trad)
13 Blue Yodel #1 (T for Texas) (J Rodgers)
14 Blue Yodel #2 (J Rodgers)

Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN May 1st, 1969.

15 I Threw It All Away
16 Living The Blues
17 Girl Of The North Country

Nashville Skyline Quadraphonic Mixes.

18 Nashville Skyline Rag
19 I Threw It All Away
20 Peggy Day
21 Country Pie
22 Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You

Unknown source - not on all bootleg versions.

23 One Too Many Mornings (1)
24 One Too Many Mornings (2)

Links: Official Bob Dylan HERE, official Johnny Cash HERE,

Comments: The very thorough Bobs Boots site had the following to say regarding this material.

'The outtakes are great fidelity studio recordings, but the performances are very loose, first time trys. This is a 'must-have' disc for historical reasons, but it will probably not be one that you will want to play every day'.

That is a reasonable summary, however I played a few tracks again earlier today, and my first thought as I went on to other matters (work as it happens), was I must listen to this all the way through again!

The studio sessions were of course linked to Bob Dylan's work on his ninth 9th proper studio album 'Nashville Skyline'.

Quoting wikipedia verbatim:

When sessions resumed on February 17, "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You" was the primary focus, and a master take was selected from a total of eleven takes. An instrumental, titled "Nashville Skyline Rag", was also recorded at the beginning of the session, and it was later included on the album.
Sometime during that session, country legend Johnny Cash stopped by to visit. A friend and label-mate of Dylan's as well as an early supporter of his music, Cash had been recording next door with his own band. The two wound up recording a series of duets, covering Dylan's "One Too Many Mornings" and "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" as well as Cash's own "I Still Miss Someone." None of these were deemed usable, but Cash returned the following day to record more duets.
The session on February 18 was devoted exclusively to duet covers with Cash. "One Too Many Mornings" and "I Still Miss Someone" were revisited, and rejected, yet again. "Matchbox", "That's All Right Mama", "Mystery Train", "Big River", "I Walk the Line", and "Guess Things Happen That Way", all made famous by celebrated Sun recordings performed by Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, and Cash himself, were all attempted on February 18, but none of these were deemed usable. Covers of Jimmie Rodgers' "Blue Yodel #1" and "#5", Cash's "Ring of Fire" (written by his wife, June Carter and Merle Kilgore), "You Are My Sunshine", "Mountain Dew", the traditional ballad "Careless Love", the traditional hymn "Just A Closer Walk With Thee", "How High The Water", and "Wanted Man" (a song written by Dylan specifically for Cash) were also attempted, and all were rejected. There was little enthusiasm for any of these tracks, but one duet of Dylan's, "Girl From The North Country" (which originally appeared on The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan), was ultimately sequenced as the album's opener.

Reloaded - 29/May/2015 - download link in comments. 

Purchase: MP3's (all Amazon DRM free) - Bob Dylan and of course Johnny Cash