brusko

a live from 5, definitely. but, I say, with 3 CDs they could have included all the pieces played those nights, including COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN, THANK YOU, TANGERINE—I mean, there was space for them. I don’t know, maybe the performances or the audio quality weren’t up to par. One track from the first album might be a bit too few, even if it’s not a greatest hits collection, but a live recording, and in the end, it doesn’t matter so much which tracks are there, but how they are performed. BRON YR AUR STOMP here is absolutely amazing, much better than the original. Page is in a true state of grace, and Bonzo is a storm, a hurricane, something devastating. As a guitarist, I feel compelled to say that this is a live performance that cannot be missed by anyone who plays the six-string. Jimi Page may not have been the most skilled or technically proficient guitarist, but I think he was the most versatile, and here he proves it—electric guitar, acoustic guitar, double neck, hard rock, rock’n’roll, blues, folk—he plays it all and always with great command of the instrument. A truly complete guitarist, as well as a brilliant composer and excellent arranger. Ultimately, these three CDs are truly a small encyclopedia of rock. If it had been released in the '70s... what a devastating impact it would have had.

Yes, but voting again just to try to lower the average is really childish! How old are you, daduzza? Why don't you go watch cartoons?

I think I've expressed myself clearly enough, but apparently... let me clarify one last time, then I'm done because I've had enough. I said that if he has the guts, he should go take a shift in the factory; I'm not taking it back, this is referring to the present, not the past. If he worked there in the past, I don’t know, but now he’s doing completely different things, so at most he had the guts in the past, not now. Clear now? No, because I can't be any clearer; in fact, I had a 7-year-old read the sentence and he understood it, so I don't know what else to do. He is NOW in the world of music and in his lyrics he criticizes the same world he NOW belongs to. Apart from the generalized social criticism typical of rappers, who are never satisfied with anything, the world is shit, the system is shit, I mean, it’s all shit, (I would really like to know if he does anything to improve the world besides complaining. I’m not saying he has to solve the problems he sings about, but at least in his lyrics, he could propose some solutions instead of just whining) but this is part of the typical rap, hip-hop, and related genres script. What I can’t stand is that he spits in the same plate he eats from; he’s not better than Ramazzotti, Pausini, Zucchero, etc. It reminds me of when Eminem parodied Britney Spears in a video, as if he were better, but he was part of the very same damn business. The record labels will let him express himself in those terms as long as he sells records, but when the toy breaks, I want to see if anyone will produce him with those lyrics. The sad thing is that a lot of kids get fooled and think this guy is better than the others because he hates and denigrates everyone. He obviously has the credit for representing a certain existential malaise, but for him, it’s just business; he’s exploiting your problems to make his own life better. I’m not the fool for criticizing him, but all those who buy his records play his game. He’ll do it as long as it suits him, and then goodbye and thanks to everyone. He’s not the smartest of all, but evidently, he’s smarter than quite a few people. Now if you want, keep listening to him, after all, I don’t care; I don’t even know you. I’ll try to make certain things clear to my nephew; as for the rest, well, long live Life and long live Women. The world is not a garbage.

I think you have some issues, Francis. First, you attack the Doors, then after 2 years, you say you did it on purpose, a provocation, an experiment! Sorry for my curiosity, but do you do drugs? No offense, I'm serious.

He is a very skilled guitarist and musician; I saw him live and was impressed. It's a shame he only makes catchy tunes, but it's not his fault. In Italy, blues-rock is fine for gigs, but if you want to sell records, mmm... it's quite a risk. Unfortunately, the record labels are in control. Live, he conveys much more than on record, also because he’s freer to play.
Unfortunately, this is the situation in Italy. Even LE VIBRAZIONI admitted to being much more rock and rough than what comes across on their records, but that they are "forced" to conform to lighter territories. Only the big names can afford a certain freedom during production, but they are few and far between. If you consider that the only true great Italian rock band has been Litfiba and that they took quite some time to gain a wide audience, you realize how hard it is to break away from the cliché of the catchy beach tune. It can be done, but at one's own risk, and if it goes badly, it’s tough to find someone else to produce you. Artists should have more courage, but in these times... perhaps they were just born in the wrong country, and maybe if Eric Clapton had been born in Italy, he would now be playing in some small pub, in front of thirty people. This is the reality.

I'm printing this one!

I give a fixed 5 to the first 4 of the airship, even though my favorite is II. Here lies the most beautiful piece by Led Zeppelin after Stairway to Heaven, that is, Since I've Been Lovin' You, the most beautiful blues ballad ever composed. A little gem is also Tangerine, Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp I prefer in the live version of How the West Was Won; here it's nice, but a bit underwhelming. Immigrant Song is a classic of hard rock. Out on the Tiles is wonderfully driving. The rest is at excellent levels.

My tastes lean towards a rougher and more essential rock, but honestly, this is a 5 out of 10, even though I don't think it's the highest peak reached by the band, nor the greatest masterpiece in rock history; after all, ELECTRIC LADYLAND by JIMI HENDRIX is on much higher levels. Let's say there are 5s and 5s: 5s that are excellent albums or important albums, and 5s indicating absolute masterpieces; this is a 5 of the first category. The greatness of this album lies in the perfect way the tracks follow and fit into each other. Regarding Money, a small critique: doesn't the bass line seem a bit too similar to that of How Many More Times by Led Zeppelin?

I’m not surprised; there are a lot of people in the world who grew up on bread and MTV, unfortunately.

I completely disagree with the review. I want to point out right away that I too prefer Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple; my favorite band is AC/DC. But personal tastes are one thing, and being blind or trying to be alternative at all costs is another. The Beatles didn't have any influence on music? Are we crazy? The reviewer mentioned other names, but all those cited had one common point in their musical tastes: the Beatles. I'm not saying this; the same artists mentioned in various interviews have declared their love for the Beatles. It is well-known that they weren't technical monsters, but the impact they had on the music that followed was absolute. Moreover, they composed so many melodies that have endured over the years, more than any other band, singer, or musician in general. Sure, a COME TOGETHER performed by Aerosmith might please me more than the original, but the fact remains that it was the Beatles who wrote it. Their greatness was exactly that, the extraordinary creative fertility, and it doesn't matter if the arrangements proposed by later groups are of a higher level. In the beginning, all those cited groups, before becoming famous, played Beatles covers; this alone is enough to dismantle the heap of nonsense said in the review.