So what is your Led Zeppelin IV?

I was talking to some friends the other day down at the local indie record store about the new Foo Fighters.  I think the Foos have recorded some good tracks over the years but for the life of me I don't see how they are mega huge with the media and the fans.  They are good, not great, just a good working rock band.  There used to be so many acts that fit the bill and now...well the journeymen have become the stars.

Don't read this as a rant about the Foo Fighters, that's not my intention, what I am getting increasingly less optimistic about is the future of Rock music.  I think it may be dead, or at the very least in a coma.  There are so few acts over the past decade that get me excited in the rock arena.  I'm not talking indie rock or any of those sub genre's, I'm talking good old fashioned turn it up loud and enjoy rock music.  I know what I am talking about...I went to high school in the 70's!

You have 4 albums to me to get my attention and keep it.  You get 4 shots because Led Zep made IV and that is the standard bearer for the time it takes to make a classic (well they made 4 by that point but that's another story).  Springsteen made Born To Run and Darkness on the Edge of Town by the 4th lp.  That's more than enough chances to find your way.

I guess it is just that the newer acts are so...generic.  There really is nothing special about the Foo Fighters.  I want the next Jailbreak or Straight Shooter, The River or Every Picture Tells a Story, Rust Never Sleeps or Moondance.  No matter the genre of rock these were classics.  Americana is trendy and hip...listen to Workingman's Dead because it has been done before and done better.

I want records that are good from beginning to end.  All Killer...No Filler!  They exist, but with striking lack of frequency in my opinion.  The only thing that comes to mind of late was the Gaslight Anthem's American Slang.  Loved it last summer, still do.  I have heard lots of great music over the past couple of years, it's just that none of it can really be classified as rock music.  And deep down inside I am really a classic rock kind of guy.  Even now all these years along it still sounds good. 

I want more...

Warren Haynes - Rivers Gonna Rise

Here's a track off of Warren Haynes soon to be released album "Man In Motion". This one is Rivers Gonna Rise. It's got that Warren sound but with a more funky, soulful twist. The record is great by the way and a break from Gov't Mule is a good thing in my opinion. More on the album to follow.

Buddy Guy & Junior Wells - Newport 1968

This is a smokin' set I found over at Arizona Jones.  It was recorded at the Newport Folk Festival on July 28, 1968 and the sound is simply fantastic.  A must download.  Grab it here.

Buddy Guy & Junior Wells Blues Band
Newport Folk Festival
Newport, Rhode Island
July 28th, 1968
Soundboard

1. Intro
2. One Room Country Shack
3. Checkin' On My Baby
4. Somebody Hoodooed The Hoodoo Man Intro
5. Somebody Hoodooed The Hoodoo Man
6. Messin' With The Kid
7. You Gotta Help Me Intro
8. You Gotta Help Me
9. Crowd/Talk
10. Stormy Monday/I Feel Good

Buddy Guy - Guitar, Vocals
Junior Wells - Vocals, Harmonica
A.C. Reed - Sax
Jack Myers- Bass
Fred Below - Drums

Runtime - 39 Minutes 4 Seconds

Bruce Springsten The River Tour 1980-81

There are only 3 or 4 known soundboards from The River Tour as far as I know. I have two of them and while both are good, one is amazing. First up is the great performance/OK sound show from November 5, 1980 in Tempe, Az.

The second is the legendary NYE show from the Nassau Coliseum. Just download it...

I don't know the source and there are some problems with cut songs and fades on this one but the sound is absolutely fucking amazing. It is the 12-31-80 show and it is two discs so it is incomplete but well worth the download for the sound quality. You can grab it here.

Bruce Springsteen 1975

Big time, long time Bruce fan here so I figured I would post up some of  my favorite ROIO's from the Boss.  I'm going to try to hit a bunch of years/tours one at a time and give you all my idea of the cream of the crop.  So here goes nothing with 1975.

The Main Point 2-5-75

Part 1   Part 2

The Bottom Line  8-15-75
This is the complete broadcast.

Get it here.

And last but not least one of the most amazing boots I have ever heard...
Bruce Springsteen
and the E Street Band
December 31, 1975
Tower Theatre
Philadelphia (Upper Darby), PA

Uber Series: Vol 33

Generous/Mysterious Uber --> CDR --> EAC --> FLAC Frontend

At first blush, this tape might seem a bit ho hum as a complete
soundboard recording of the 12/31/75 show has been in circulation
for years (as are other nights from the same stand). But make no
mistake, you have never heard this before.

The previously circulating soundboard (generally attributed to be
sourced from the late, great Ed Sciaky) was recorded live to
two-track, likely on cassette or perhaps reel, and it sounds a lot
like other '75 board sources. But it turns out a multi-track
recording was also made on 12/31/75, and in early 1976 those
multi-tracks were mixed down to stereo for consideration of a live
album that never happened.

These nine songs are taken directly from the 1976 production reels
of those mixes and offer what is arguably the finest live recording
of the era. Undoubtedly, the official Hammersmith release sounds
great, but it was mixed in 2005, not 1976. If you thought
Springsteen was in your living room on the WGOE session, the entire
E Street Band is there this time.

Track Listing
1. Night
2. 10th Avenue Freezeout (slow)
3. Spirit in the Night
4. Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?
5. It's My Life
6. Pretty Flamingo
7. It's Hard to be a Saint in the City
8. Mountain of Love
9. Jungleland

 Grab this classic here.

Hope you enjoy these shows.  More to come in the near future.