Reviews roundup – Eric Clapton vs. Rolling Stones vs. Kirt Debique vs. Status Quo
ERIC CLAPTON
Slowhand At 70 Live At The Royal Albert Hall
Eagle Vision
Eric Clapton became a septuagenarian this year, and celebrated the fact with a show at the Royal Albert Hall. No surprise then that it was recorded for posterity, and is now appearing as a, wait for it, DVD, Blu-ray, DVD+2CD set, DVD+3LP set and in a Deluxe Edition.
The main event is a bit lacklustre, as Clapton meanders through the same material he’s been playing live for years. So don’t be surprised when ‘Key To The Highway’, ‘I Shot The Sheriff’, ‘Tears In Heaven’, ‘Layla’ and ‘Wonderful Tonight’ make the requisite appearances.
However, if you are a Clapton fan, you really need to dig deep into your wallets and shell out for the Deluxe Edition. That has the DVD and double CD plus a bonus DVD which includes performances at the RAH from across the years including the Cream Farewell Tour from 1968, the Journeyman tour from 1990, a UN Benefit Concert performance with Zucchero from 2004, the Cream Reunion shows from 2005 and a Prince’s Trust Benefit performance from 2010 all packaged in a 12”x12” 60 page hardback photobook.
It’s pricy, but it’s the one for Clapton diehards. Confusingly, the press bumph says that the DVD / Blu-ray formats have an extra live track in ‘Little Queen Of Spades’. so you’ll want to check the small print before you buy.
THE ROLLING STONES
From The Vault Live At The Tokyo Dome 1990
Eagle Vision
The late eighties / early nineties were a tricky time for The Rolling Stones. I saw them a couple of times then, and they sounded tired and jaded. So I was a bit surprised when this show turned out to better than I thought it would be.
As the name suggests, this was filmed at the Tokyo Dome in February 1990, when they played ten shows at the venue, towards the end of the Steel Wheels tour. A rubbish album, but as this was, bizarrely, the first concerts ever in Japan by The Rolling Stones, they had no trouble filling the venue.
As with all the other releases in the series, the footage has been carefully restored and the audio comes with a new mix from Bob Clearmountain, which makes everything clearer than on the many bootlegs from this tour. It’s still not The Rolling Stones at the peak of their game, but you can get glimpses on classics like ‘Bitch’, ‘Tumbling Dice’ and ‘20,000 Light Years From Home’ that there was a revival of sorts lurking in their future. Even ‘Mixed Emotions’ from the then new album sounds vital. A surprisingly enjoyable performance.
KIRT DEBIQUE
Things Left Unsaid
Republic of Music
Hmm. Seems that Mr Debique is the owner of something called Brick Lane Records, who has come to making music later in life. And for some reason he has chosen the medium of downbeat eighties electronic pop to present his music to the world.
So not really my cup of tea, as my eighties were spent drinking and winching to a soundtrack of heavy metal rock and roll. But I’m still able to spot a good tune when one happens by, and he’s got a couple under his belt here. It’s a bit gothy in places, a bit Depeche Modey in others, and if the sound of plaintive, sad keyboards make you a trifle moist, then you might want to check this out.
STATUS QUO
5 Classic Albums
UMC
Eh? Really? This is an odd cove, considering the selection of albums. You’re getting “Piledriver”, “Hello!”, “Quo”, “On The Level”, and “Blue For You” in a dodgy wee slipcase. But considering that “Piledriver” is already out as a deluxe edition, and that “Hello!” and “Quo” are arriving as double discs next month, combined with another extensive best of in the shape of “Accept No Substitute”, and you have to wonder who this is aimed at.
For sure, you’re getting five great records for about £2.50 each, but they’re all vanilla editions, so you’re missing out on a pile of bonus tracks, including the ones on the reissue programme from about a decade ago. Now some people, me included, like things the way God intended, but I would imagine anyone in the Quo army who wants these records already has them.
For completists only, unless you’re looking to convert someone in the Christmas dip.
The Rocker - The Artist Formerly Known As Zeitgeist. TAFKAZ 
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