Care to elaborate? Speaking just for myself, back when I didn't know any better I purchased a few bootlegs (on vinyl and CD). Since the advent of the internet that's no longer necessary, many sites offer them for free. One site in particular even offered up "liberated" shows. Concert recordings that were previously only available via illegal bootlegs that fans uploaded for free so everyone could hear them without having to fork over a single penny. For me, live recordings are a way of delving deeper into a band or artist. Sometimes the recordings are studio outtakes that were never meant to be heard by the general public, sometimes they're live recordings. While some still like to support bootleggers, I think it's very cool that these recordings have been made available for free these days. In some cases (like that of the Grateful Dead), they were never sold for profit, the whole idea (endorsed by no less an authority than the band themselves) was to share them for free.

I think all one needs to do is look at the music that influenced Led Zeppelin and look back on the interviews with them about what albums populate their record collections. I think there's a wide and very diverse range of music there that is also encompassed by their fans. Well, the majority of them anyway. Some folks knock rap music yet Page was musically adventurous enough to work with Puff Daddy. Others put Plant down for working with Alison Krauss yet the music they created for Raising Sand is at the very heart at what made Led Zeppelin tick. Plant also used R.E.M.'s Life's Rich Pagent as the house music when I saw him on the Now and Zen tour. Zeppelin painted from a very rich and deep musical palette, it's only natural that their fans tastes reflect that. There's not a damn thing embarrassing about that.

The first unauthorized live recordings I ever heard were by Led Zeppelin. I think the first one was Europe '75 or something like that. All I remember is that Kashmir figured prominently on it. The other was Live On Blueberry Hill. The first "authorized" unofficial live recording I ever heard was a Grateful Dead show from Merriweather Post Pavillion from the early to mid-80s that was taped on a boombox. Sounded crystal clear to me.

I'm not sure what there is to be embarrassed about in liking Counting Crows, especially their August and Everything After record.

If I'm not mistaken there's a scene in the Imagine documentary where Lennon invites an obsessed fan in for breakfast.

I love Raising Sand and can't wait for the next Plant/Krauss project. I have been a huge fan of what's come to be known as "Americana" since I first heard Gram Parsons, Waylon Jennings, Emmylou Harris, John Prine, etc. back in the 70s. There's plenty of that kind of music still being made by artists such as Ryan Adams, Tift Merritt, Frog Holler, the Gourds, Kasey Chambers, Kathleen Edwards, the Old 97s and many, many others but it tends to fall well outside the mainstream. If you like that type of music I strongly suggest checking out the No Depression website. The magazine folded last year but has transformed into a bi-annual "bookazine". The website is very timely and stays on top of all of the latest releases and live shows. I also agree about Mojo but I think Rolling Stone still has some good articles on occasion. Funny thing about Rolling Stone, it seems to be everyone's favorite whipping boy until they heap praise on their favorite artist/group then suddenly they are deemed worthy.

I'm not sure what a book devoted to 1,000 recordings one person recommends hearing before you die has do with your statement. The book includes jazz, rock, folk, blues, reggae, world music, opera, classical, bluegrass, R & B, soul, etc. It's not just devoted to one type of music or a specific time period. Maybe you're thinking of another book.

I don't hear anything original or unique in Sheryl Crow's sound. I don't hate her, I just don't see why such a fuss has been made over her. Someone like Lucinda Williams is much more deserving of the same accolades that have been directed towards Sheryl Crow.

During the same time period that the Eagles reunited for the big money grab (aka The Hell Freezes Over tour) Page and Plant also reunited for the Unledded tour. They could have also charged an outrageous amount of money for tickets but chose not to, mostly because of what they saw as ticket gouging on the part of the Eagles. I've never been much of an Eagles fan but that really rubbed me the wrong way. Then again, who knew they would eventually suck Walmart's dick, especially after being so vocal about corporate greed. In the end, it's always going to be folks like Page and Plant that get my money, not those in it just to make a buck off of their fans like the Eagles.

There's not a damn thing the matter with liking Counting Crows, August and Everything After is one of the best debuts I've ever heard. Now, their remake of Joni's Big Yellow Taxi, that's something to be embarrassed about. As for my own collection, there's nothing in there I'm the least bit ashamed of except for maybe a 45 of the Bee Gee's Jive Talkin'. I'm pretty sure it was Clapton's Willie and the Hand Jive I went looking for and just got the two confused.

Not to be a smartass but ZZ Top all lived in the same house?

I have Jugula on vinyl but have never felt like paying the outrageous prices for the import on CD. I've always want to own some more Roy Harper stuff so thanks for the advice on the other releases.

It's still out there but just like always (even in the 60s and 70s) you have to look for it. That's always been a huge part of what makes being a music fan so exciting for me, the hunt and discovery of new music that moves me. Time magazine's year end top ten lists don't reflect my tastes either but it doesn't mean that all the creativity and talent are gone. Try searching out some radio stations online and/or checking out year end top ten lists from actual music publications like Mojo, Uncut, Q, Relix, Paste, etc. There's also a world of music to be discovered through satellite radio. It just depends on how much you love music and are willing to seek out new artists. Some tend to sit around hoping for the next Led Zeppelin, Hendrix, Beatles, Dylan, etc. then there are others that are proactive who actually take matters into their own hands by actively looking for music that means something to them.

It's hard to say an entire year is bad when it's just three hundred and sixty five days marked off as a way to measure time. Every year brings some good and bad so it just depends on how you look at it. This past year wasn't the best for me but rather than focus on that I feel it's better to concentrate on the positive things that happened, like all of the great music I saw and listened to in 2008 and the people I shared those times with. There were also lots of new friendships made. Better to weigh on the positive things than the negative or there will never be any moving forward. Therefore I tend to look at 2009 as a new beginning rather than considering all that's happened in the last year to be some sort of end to everything.

I'm curious as to when Sheryl Crow became a "legend". She may be famous and has sold millions of records but to my ears there's not a more generic voice on the planet (not to even mention what she did to D'yer M'ker). On the subject of outstanding female vocalists I'm surprised no one has mentioned Aretha Franklin, Emmylou Harris or Joni Mitchell. They're only just the tip of the iceberg as I can think of tons more such as Kasey Chambers, Loretta Lynn, Caitlin Cary, Maria McKee, Tift Merritt, Kathleen Edwards, Natalie Merchant, etc. As for the Carpenters, like Three Dog Night, they were one of the groups that were there when I first started getting into music in the early 70s but I can't say I've ever thought much of them beyond that. That's not to take away from their legendary status, which they definitely desevered but they were never much my cup of tea. One of the better received tribute records out there is this one which includes contributions from everyone from Sonic Youth to Shonen Knife:

Maybe that was your experience but it wasn't mine. "Coolness" (or a lack thereof) didn't even play in to it, I just liked what I heard. I listened to all the artists I did back then without bias whether it be ZZ Top, Sabbath, Zeppelin, Skynyrd, Janis, the Grateful Dead, the Beatles, Hendrix, Dylan, Steppenwolf or even Three Dog Night.

Concert tickets didn't go sky high until the Eagles thought themselves worthy of $100 tickets when they reunited for the Hell Freezes Over tour. Their rationale was, this may be the last time you have a chance to see us so we're going to charge you an arm and a leg. Well, they stayed together but their ticket prices didn't go down (though in all fairness lawn seats for their shows were $50). Meanwhile others noticed they could do the same thing and started charging outrageous prices and they've stuck ever since. Apparently Henley got the idea from a Barbara Streisand "farewell" concert in Vegas where she was charging $100 a ticket that also came with some sort of fancy supper for part of her final send off.

I'm pretty sure the lineup is: Weir, Kreutzmann, Lesh and Hart with Warren Haynes on guitar and Jeff Chimenti from Ratdog on keys. I saw The Jerry Garcia Band twice after Garcia died. Both times it took two guitarists to fill in for him. The first show was particularly moving since it was not long after Garcia had passed away and the two original backup singers were deluged with flowers. It was also a pleasure to see Melvin Seals in action.

I'm not positive but I think Hendrix is on record as having the most records released after his death (though I'm sure they will be releasing Grateful Dead concerts from the vault long after we are all gone). One thing I'd love to get my hands on is The Winterland Concerts. I recall having this on vinyl at my college radio station back in the 80s but to the best of my knowledge it's never been released on CD.

Very cool to see a mention of Monkey Island here, sort of an overlooked classic (and one I really, really need to pick up on CD). For those interested, I highly recommend Peter Wolf's Sleepless record which he released several years ago. It's well worth it, particularly the guest appearances from Mick and Keith (though those are only a few of many highlights from that album).

I think it's a shame as well, that's why I'm afraid to buy some of it, particularly the latest round of Ryan Adams vinyl reissues on Lost Highway. I have most of them but am still missing a few such as Heartbreaker, Gold, Demolition and Love Is Hell (which I'm not sure has been released on vinyl anyway).

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, the first time I heard Three Dog Night was on 8-track which was pretty much the same experience I had with countless other bands I was hearing for the first time way back then (early to mid-70s). I was far from embarrassed about liking them, simply because I liked the music and wasn't at all concerned with image. All I knew was that 8-track tape. Years later I would learn they were primarily known as a vocal group which really weren't all that "cool" back then. None of that matters now though, I'm still not embarrassed by my fandom. Not so many years ago I recall them being the subject of an episode of Behind the Music on VH1, too bad they fit the mold for that series all too well.

Can't say I've heard of the company but I am aware of some newer vinyl pressings that are downright shitty. It seems some are out there to capitalize on the renewed popularity of vinyl by treating it as a novelty item and others actually take the time and effort to produce a very worthwhile product. I've heard of pressings of Ryan Adams albums on Lost Highway Records that were supposedly high grade 180 gram vinyl (and maybe they were) but the craftsmanship was severely lacking, as in the center hole being completely off-center. I've also read of flimsy packaging and no care being taken with vinyl records shipped through the mail. Perhaps you'd be better off trying to locate an original copy of Tommy that's at least in halfway decent shape?