Incredibly Good!
Richard J. Atkinson | Queensbury, NY USA | 01/28/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I approached this CD with great trepidation, and really low expectations. Being a great fan of the classic Climax Blues Band lineup (Peter Haycock on guitar and vocals, Colin Cooper on sax, harmonica and vocals, Derek Holt on bass and vocals, and John Cuffley on drums), I wasn't too hopeful for the quality of a dug-out-of-the-vaults-after-24-years live recording. My misgivings were misplaced - - this is an excellent album.
The show was recorded for broadcast by Radio Clyde in June of 1982 at the Queen Margaret Union in Glasgow. The band, which had been supplemented at this point by keyboard player George Glover (who is still in the band to this day!), was touring in support of its 13th album, "Lucky For Some." In fact of the ten songs on this collection, three come from that album and another three come from the band's prior album, "Flying The Flag." A final 'time period' note: this tour was also the last for the Haycock/Cooper/Holt/Cuffley lineup; Derek Holt and John Cuffley were just months from leaving the band when this recording was made.
On to the main event: the musical quality. It's very good. This is not one of those "newly released old recording" albums that turns out to have been recorded by a bootlegger from the middle of the audience. The sound is crisp and clear, the vocals are excellent, the band is playing at its best, and the solos from Cooper and Haycock are excellent. Haycock, in particular, was at the top of his game. In his entire career it would be hard to find a better sample of his guitar work than the solo on the second track, "Cuttin' Up Rough." While much of this material will not be familiar except to hardcore fans, the 'new' songs will quickly become favorites.
For any Climax Blues Band fan, this should be an automatic 'buy' decision. Any fan of well-played blues/rock music should make that same decision. Highly recommended."
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1