favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite

It's like, a sin, man, y'dig?That this music was never more widely appreciated, yet, in a strange way, I'm thankful it wasn't, for if it had been we would likely not be privy to it right now on this date in May 2010. It would have been locked away in a vault somewhere's in Hollywood. So, how's that Beatles Live workin' out fer ya?This is a dazzling example of just how perfectly free and unaffected this band was in those early days ~ when I was seventeen.Frank Sinatra hated bands like the Grateful Dead, because, by sheer volume, they were going to put his out of style. And not to begrudge Frank ~ he was great and all, but where are his 7,000 live recordings available?This is another Bear masterpiece from that era: Vocals left channel; Instruments right. A phenomenon indigenous to that time. It really works well in the smaller ballrooms and converted movie palaces.Cream Puff War is simply astounding.Come Back Baby is simply astounding.But the real killer on this presentation is the frenetic yet catatonic version of Silver Threads, a minor AM radio folk music hit in 1962 by the Springfields.All of us at that time were still listening to top 40 AM radio in the car; especially Jerry. Jerry was an avid AM radio listener. Bobby, too.This is an amazingly beautiful recording of this magnificent recording. Everyone all along the line doing their level best. How could you ask for more?Hats off to Augie Owsley a.k.a . Bear. He knew how to capture this band with minimal approach.He didn't need to place 24 mikes on the drums. He ran direct and panned left right vocals instruments. The separation is frank.Frank.