Description

This triple live album is actually a really good deal better than many of the substandard live albums released from the John McCoy archives. The first disc was recorded at the Rainbow Theatre in London, on 4th March 1981, and features the classic line-up with Bernie Torme on lead guitar. Only one song from the 12 has been previously released, and bar some slight straining from Mr Gillan, it's a cracking set, with a fiery 'Uncahin Your Brain' and powerful 'On The Rocks', the highlights. Over on disc two, and it's the band's headlining set at the Reading Festival on 29th August 1981. Naturally, I've had these tracks for years, half on the 1981 "Double Trouble" (do you see what they did there) release, and the rest on an old cassette. By this time, Janick Gers was in on lead guitar, and the difference is noticeable, with the unpredictable Torme badly missed. A lot of the material is repeated, but then it was only six months later. Finally, disc three sees the release of an April 1982 session for BBC Radio 1's "Friday Rock Show". No-one would have wept had the versions of 'No Laughing In Heaven' and 'Hadely Bop Bop' stayed locked away, but the versions of 'Vengeance' and 'Born To Kill' are, probably, the best Gers era performances I've ever heard. They're awesome! The album is finished off with five songs from a concert in Nottingham, recorded the night before the Rainbow show from disc one. The sound quality isn't so hot, but there's a fine version of 'If You Believe Me', with some great Torme guitar. For no discernible reason, it's come out in a cardboard slipcase, and the booklet, which they trail on the sleeve, turns out to be a rather skimpy selection of backstage passes and photos. There's no sleeve notes as such, but it's still a worthwhile buy, especially for the Rainbow show and the Friday Rock Show tunes. Track listing: Disc 1: Rainbow Theatre, London 4th of March 1981 1. Second Sight 2. Unchain Your Brain 3. Are You Sure 4. Bite The Bullet 5. No Easy Way 6. Trouble 7. If You Believe Me 8. Mutually Assured Destruction 9. On The Rocks 10. Future Shock 11. Vengeance 12. Smoke On The Water Disc 2: Reading Festival 29th of August 1981 1. Sleeping On The Job 2. Lucille 3. Second Sight 4. Unchain Your Brain 5. Hadely Bop Bop 6. No Laughing In Heaven 7. Bite The Bullet 8. No Easy Way 9. Trouble 10. Mutually Assured Destruction 11. On The Rocks 12. Vengeance Disc 3: Friday Rock Show April 1981 1. Smoke On The Water 2. New Orleans 3. Lucille No Laughing In Heaven 4. Hadely Bop Bop 5. Vengeance 6. Mutually Assured Destruction Nottingham 3rd of March 1981 7. Born To Kill Second Sight 8. Unchain Your Brain 9. Trouble 10. If You Believe Me 11. Lucille