Fun CD
kireviewer | Sunnyvale, Ca United States | 03/16/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"MASTER OF THE STRATOCASTER
This album was released in 1986 just as CD technology was taking off. At this time, a number of groups released similar live albums as double LP's and a single CD. They would be just under 74 minutes, because at the time that was the maximum lenghth of a CD (I'll explain why below).
The sound quality is pretty good, especially for a CD released in the mid eighties. Some of the mix is off, especially on the sax, but the dynamic range is very good. Many early CD's had poor sound quality, which is why there were vinyl snobs back then and why you see many "remastered" CD's today.
This is just a fun, hard rocking, blues tinged concert. Each track is played with energy and fire.
The only disappointment I have is that this is mostly a "greatest hits live" type CD. It is mostly his hits with very few surprises. And if you get any of Thorogood's live albums, we always plays the same six songs, with some other ones mixed in. I have never seen Thorogood live, so I don't know if his actual concerts are longer and more adventuresome.
Besides his own monster hits, Thorogood plays a number of blues classics and near classics.
Who Do You Love was written by Ellis McDaniels, also known as Bo Diddely. He was featured on those Nike commercials with Bo Jackson. Probably hundreds of groups have recorded this song. My favorites are a very manic one done by The Doors, and 25 minute jam done by Quicksilver.
Thorogood does two songs by slide guitar innovator Elmore James, who died in 1963. Madison Blues was also played by Fleetwood Mac. The Sky is Crying has been by a number of musicians, but probably the most popular is from Stevie Ray Vaughn.
Alley Oop was a hit in 1960 by the Hollywood Argyles.
Besides being a mean slide guitarist, Thorogood was also a minor league baseball player.
Why were early CD's only 74 minutes long maximum but now CD's can go to 80 minutes? The actual spec for the CD is 74 minutes. But, there was an allowed tolerance in the bump size and sample rate, to allow for manufacturing inaccuracies. But, it turns out that the manufacturing process was highly accurate. To get 80 minutes, they just used the lower end of the spec of the bit size and the maximum sample rate."
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1
