Live At The Isle Of Wight 1970

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Customer reviews

review by: againes18 date: 2008-10-09 rating:
Flawed but worth a few listens
Having heard Live Plus Five, I had a good idea of what to expect from this CD as the set list was similar having been recorded about a year later.
A mixed bag, and I agree with the negative and positive reviews of the album.
Yes, the vocals are strained at times and the harmonies a bit wobbly. Yes there are times when the mellotron goes wobbly (either that or the master tape is at fault. I think it's the mellotron though!)
The sound quality is alright but not pristine.
and yet. . . and yet. . .
Where this scores over the later live albums of the 1990's and 2002 is that this captures the Moodies at a time when they were at their creative peak and the songs were new and fresh (the oldest songs here were only 3 years old at the time). This means that the songs still feel fresh and as though the artists are actually meaning what they sing. The later recordings are pristine but somewhat colourless (and also contain some of the later MOR songs from their later albums). This recording also has Mike Pinder on and therefore includes some of his songs which the later albums lack.
So, on reflection, I would say if you are a starter or casual Moody Blues listener, avoid this album. However, if you really like the band and want another perspective of them its well worth the listen and getting hold of.

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review by: Pod Meister date: 2008-09-26 rating:
How was this MIXED??!!!
Don't get me wrong, I am a huge Moody Blues fan, and I have been way back to to 60s (I was even at the recording that spawned the "Caught Live +5" album at the RAH, and also the Christmas BBC recording included in the "To Our Childrens..." set [although this was at the Playhouse theatere, NOT the Paris as quoted]).

All that said, I have had a few bones to pick recently. Previously I have been in conversation with the team responsible for overseeing the remastering of the "In Search.." deluxe set, and also its cut down reissue (I notified Universal of two issues with the remasters - it even has a small SKIP on one track, and this was not put right in the subsequent cut down reissue).

On this CD, I want to know how much mixing for CD issue could have taken place on this pretty rough live recording. Mixing (or REmixing) involves the balancing of individual parts on a song track... and THIS CD is inherently MONO from its source tape (with a modicum of ambience added just to make you think it has a stereo feel). This is obviously how it was, else it would surely have been remixed to stereo (with some of the rougher bits hidden in the mix wherever possible). To say on the cover that mixing has taken place "at Logicalbox" is very misleading - preparing crossfades of tracks for mastering, YES; EQ and ambience added, YES... mixing NO!

It's a historical document and I acccept the CD on this basis ("Question" live is absolutely brilliant), although the mellotron is gut-turningly bad in many places, and especially so on "Tortoise and the Hair".

I have far worse things by other artists in my collection, and am glad to hear this CD, but whether it warrants a full price release when it is being issued as a DVD next year makes me go "kerrrrching" (ie the sound of cash(in) registers).

I'm glad that I got this CD through an Amazon third party seller for far less, it's not one I'll play right the way through very much. I shall return to "Caught Live +5" every time.

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review by: date: 2008-09-09 rating:
bad sound or different sound ?
the recording do not sound very well, the equipment? the recording?, also some songs as Justin says "I noticed that the band had started to fiddle around with songs and get away from the original recorded versions"... anyway the moodies are a great band and this is a must for every fan of them, it is really a shame that do not exist a very good recording of the original band, the seventh sojourn band, with all his strength live, the insert says there will be also a dvd edition of all this concert, we are waiting for...Thank you Justin

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review by: bruceja42 date: 2008-09-08 rating:
WELL I WAS THERE
38 years ago I saw the Moody Blues coming on as the sun was setting and creating a beautiful backdrop to the stage.

idiosyncrassy re sound quality / vocals from other reviewers may well be justified, but to me this album is a PIECE of MOODY BLUES HISTORY

A LIVE recording from 1970 as it WAS.
Maybe it will only be for the staunch Moodies fans BUT I for one am grateful it was released.


review by: date: 2008-08-28 rating:
Have you heard?
Like the Beatles, the guys in Moody Blues were popmusicians who turned into visionaries, thanks to their experientments with entheogenic drugs. Even writing a tribute to the illustrious (and reckless/irresponsible) Timothy Leary. And like the fab four they found their true environment in the studio, writing complex, yet catchy and engaging songs with intelligent, often spiritual lyrics.

But whereas Beatles never tried to recreate their works live, Justin Hayward & co. did their best. And as this recording from Isle of Wight demonstrates, they didn't really succeed in recreating their music on the stage (probably they should have had some extra musicians on board), and in truth none of the tracks sound as good as the studio versions.

The playing is sloppy in places, the vocals ragged. On the other hand there is a beautiful, optimistic, purple hazy atmosphere, and the songs, except the downright embarrasing "Minstrel's Song", have stood the test of time very well. Justin H.s are of course classics: "Tuesday Afternoon", "Night's In White Satin", but also his lesser known songs like "Never Had A Dream" and "Are You Siting Comfortably" are lustrious gems. Mike Pinder's "Melancholy Man" and "Have You Heard" sound moving and relevant. "Legend Of A Mind" of course a psychedelic classic.

The tapes have been mixed by Justin H. himself, which unfortunately hasn't been able to compensate for all defects of the masters.

For fans only - or for anyone interested in 'the hippy era' - but they will get an intersting historic document with definite glimpses of still artisticly relevant music. And an enjoyable hour of pleasant, high aiming music.

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