Beware of the live versions
Candace Scott | Lake Arrowhead, CA, USA | 12/24/2003
(2 out of 5 stars)
"I always hate it when Greatest Hits packages include live versions of standard songs. We know and love the original songs, not versions filtered through primitive recording devices and muddled up with audience screams and applause. Cocharane's greatest song, "Twenty Flight Rock" is presented here in a live format and it's grossly inferior to the original release.Eddie Cochrane is one of the most underrated and influential rockers of the 50's, but his brilliance is eclipsed in this set. Had he lived, he easily would have taken his place with Buddy Holly, Little Richard and Chuck Berry as icons of that era. Considering his tantalizingly brief career, he contributed a number of classics to the rock repertoire. My favorite is the sensational "Twenty Flight Rock," the song that quite literally first attracted John Lennon to Paul McCartney in 1957. (Check out Paul's great cover version of this song on his Russian album). "Summertime Blues" is another outstanding song which is as vibrant as it was when first released 45 years ago.Cochrane is sadly under-appreciated today, but this album will only give you a slight hint of his talent and foresight. He wrote his own songs, played a pretty mean guitar and was a pioneer of rock, but the sound quality and selection here is supect. Also, it's a completely incomplete look at Cochrane's music. If you just want a sampling, this will do, but look elsewhere to listen to his whole repertoire with remastered tapes."
Interesting but not Cochrans's best Recordings!
Morten Vindberg | Denmark | 02/27/2005
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Note that most of these recordings are alternate versions; in most cases inferior compared to the more well-known versions.
The sound qualtity is uneven and most of the tracks are demos or rehearsals.
There are some great instrumentals such as "Guybo", "Meet Mr Tweedy" "Song of New Orleans" (3rd/4th Man Theme) and "Chicken Shot Blues""
Track Listings (28) - Disc #1