Search - Alabama State Troupers :: Live for a Moment

Shoddy Reissue of Blue-Eyed R&B Classic

Ron Frankl | Hendersonville, NC | 01/14/2006

(1 out of 5 stars)

"In 1972 Elektra Records released Road Show, a two-record live album credited to a group called The Alabama State Troopers. A poor man's version of Mad Dogs and Englishmen, the dozen-strong lineup featured veterans of the best recording studios and gospel choirs in the American southeast. Instead of Joe Cocker, The Alabama State Troopers were built around the singing, arranging and songwriting of Don Nix, a white Memphis soul musician who came of age playing with the best of the Memphis soul scene. The Troopers' music drew heavily on the gospel-tinged r & b of Delaney and Bonnie and Leon Russell, among many others. Nix included the best songs from his two solo recordings, and a handful of well-chosen covers. An added attraction was the presence of blues legend Furry Lewis, a first-generation musician whose music reminded his audiences that not all blues are of the 12-bar Delta variety.



Sadly, Road Show did not find a large audience. The Alabama State Troopers soon split up, and Lewis passed away a few years later. Road Show was quickly deleted, and was never reissued on CD.



Live For A Moment is a very poor and abbreviated version of Road Show. Half of the music found on the original two-LP set is missing, and what remains is frequently mislabeled. The booklet includes a particularly shoddy and inaccuarate essay. Finally, the audio quality is abysmal. Whoever is responsible for this mess should be ashamed.



Road Show in its original and unabridged form deserves to be finally issued on CD. It still sounds terrific, almost 35 years after it was recorded. Live For the Moment, however, is an insult and should be avoided.

"

Not unfair

A. P. Hampers | Grand Rapids, Michigan | 10/31/2009

(1 out of 5 stars)

"The first reviewer was 'not' unfair. This company didn't want to shell out the cash for a 2nd disc...and in my opinion, if you can't do it right, don't do it at all.

He's right, as a full 2 LP set, this concert has meaning. To release only half is inexcusable."

Sounds Good to Me

Alternate Lifestyle | Long Beach, CA | 03/01/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The other reviewer gave this a one star unfairly. I don't know what the lp sounded like, but I'm just glad they put this out.....otherwise I'd have nothing. Don Nix, FurryLewis, Jeanie & Marlin Greene....plus other Muscle Shoals people.....How could it be bad???



Great group......Great sounds!!!!!"