I can't believe the raw energy and excitement of this disc!
BENJAMIN MILER | Veneta, Oregon | 02/19/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"On the Road 1972 was recorded live before the band even had any albums out. This live disc really shows Camel at their most raw and aggressive. Two songs from Mirage appear here, "White Rider" and "Lady Fantasy", but I can tell these two are from '72 because Peter Bardens was using a VCS-3 while the studio versions from Mirage used a Minimoog (his VCS-3 was gone by the time Mirage came out). It also has a great version of "Six Ate" that would appear on their debut. The disc then closes with a totally killer jam called "God of Light" which is obviously Peter Bardens time to shine. I have a few complaints about this disc. One: the vocals often sound too much like Mick Jagger (which is a little odd, given the vocals never sounded like that on any of their studio albums) and Two: The CD could use a much better cover than this. Of course, given this recording dates before they recorded any albums, the sound quality and production is not the most professional. But I just love this disc because it shows the band just starting and you can tell how much these guys were enjoying themselves and all the fun and excitement they were generating that night. So if you like the more rocking side of Mirage, get this CD."