Like everything on cable I'm sure they'll show it many more times. Not to mention it's well worth the investment on DVD. It's going for a whopping $12.99 through Amazon and is worth it for the bonus features alone (which includes Neil and his bandmates being interviewed while tooling around Nashville in a chaufeurred Cadillac).

For years Bob Geldof said he would never make footage of the Live Aid concerts commercially available. When he finally did the surviving members of Led Zeppelin would not allow them to include footage of their performance. The DVD version is what VH1 Classic shows every time they air Live Aid.

I'm proud to say I still haven't downloaded any music (illegally or otherwise) even though the technology to do so is right here at my fingertips. Not that I think anything is inherently the matter with it except it is making the use of a compressed format (mp3s) an acceptable norm and there is usually no artwork (though I know that isn't always the case). I imagine fully accepting digital downloads will be like accepting compact discs for me. I never bought any CDs until vinyl was no longer available at any of my local record stores back in the late 80s. Once CDs are gone for good I will have no fucking choice but to go the digital download route.

Thanks for posting. I used to be against the use of songs in commercials but have come to accept it as a means of exposure (especially for many lesser known artists) since they don't seem to stand a snowball's chance in hell of receiving any commercial radio airplay these days. That doesn't mean it doesn't suck that it's come to this because as the article so eloquently states, it does. Thankfully we have things like progressive radio stations (as few and far between as they are, they are out there), internet radio and satellite radio where new artists still stand a chance at airplay. I also think how a song is used in a commercial can be effective, just so long as I don't forever associate the tune with a certain product I believe it works. One prime example would be Volkswagen's use of Nick Drake's Pink Moon which caused sales of his records to go through the roof. They have also used tunes by Richard Buckner and Wilco (among many others) without compromising the integrity of the artist. Then, we still have stalwarts such as Neil Young and R.E.M. who flatout refuse to allow their songs to be used in commercials. Sadly they seem to be about the only ones left who haven't given in. Another aspect of marketing that's addressed in the article is artists going through Best Buy and Walmart to offer up "exclusive" deals on new releases. Even supposedly anti-corporate artists such as the Eagles and Springsteen have given into this method of exposing their music to the widest audience possible by going head to head with corporations they used to so openly despise. That's just how hard it is to sell music as we rapidly approach 2009, something which I find beyond sad and fucked up.

I've been loving it too. As much as I like the stage banter I'm glad it's sequenced as separate tracks so you can always go straight to the music if your heart desires.

Johnny and Edgar were among those artists (like Three Dog Night, Steppenwolf, Alice Cooper, ZZ Top, Grand Funk Railroad, the Grateful Dead, etc.) that I heard when I first started getting into music in the early 70s, usually on 8-track. I also have very many fond memories of Don Kirshner's Rock Concert and can remember the Edgar Winter Group's performance of Frankenstein as if it was yesterday because the song was so long they had to break to go to a commercial. Of course it was right during the breakdown so it was particularly disappointing. When they returned we didn't get the rest of the song, the show was over. You'd think a clip like that would easily be found on YouTube but I've been unable to locate it. Edgar's site does have a couple of clips from Don Kirshner's Rock Concert but neither of them are of Frankenstein.

For all the Neil Young fans here I'm surprised there hasn't been more talk about the supposedly imminent release of the first volume of his archives, there's an outstanding write up about them here. In the meantime he's released three albums that will also appear as part of the first volume of the archives, a Fillmore East concert with Crazy Horse (the best of the lot so far), a Massey Hall solo show and the latest, Sugar Mountain: Live at Canterbury House 1968. Not essential Neil by any means but a damn good snapshot of him early on his solo career following the demise of Buffalo Springfield. For those interested here's a review of his recent MSG show which isn't too favorable in regards to the new tunes he's been debuting in concert lately.

I'm a huge Johnny Winter fan and have been since I first heard Johnny Winter And Live back in the 70s but I've never seen him in concert. Back in 2006 he passed through the area twice but both times I fell ill and had to miss him (and loss over $70 in tickets on of them). He's back in the area this spring so I hope to finally see him then. Anyone seen this yet? Nice review of it here.

The U.S. Vs. John Lennon is a must for those that may not have seen it. VH1 tends to show it from time to time.

On VH1 Classic earlier this evening:

I know exactly what you're saying but this expanded edition of All Things Must Pass on CD doesn't sound bad at all:

Kind of like this?

I was gifted with the first volume in the Kissology series a few Christmases ago. I was a fan back in the day but really have no interest in them these days. However, watching that on occasion is always a nice trip down memory lane. I just don't care that much about seeing any of the other volumes in the series since my interest had waned considerably by the time they got around to releasing the solo records. One of my first ever concerts was Kiss at Dorton Arena in Raleigh on the Rock n' Roll Over tour in 1978. I've never had the desire to see any of the many "reunion" tours or to upgrade my Kiss vinyl collection (which ends at Gold & Platinum) to CD (except for maybe Alive!) but that is one concert that will always stand out in my memory. Yeah, the arguments may be dead on about their lack of musicianship but as a teenager I wasn't paying any attention to that, I was in awe over just how kick ass their live show was.

I don't own any Three Dog Night on tape, vinyl or CD but like many of the bands I was first turned onto as a kid, I heard them on 8-track. In this case, a friend's Craig Powerplay 8-track player. Speaking of Out In the Country, a few short years ago R.E.M. recorded a cover of that tune with bassist Mike Mills handling the lead vocal duties. For those interested, it can be found as a B-side to one of the singles released for Bad Day:

Thanks, William Shatner also suffers from it (due to a special effects explosion on the set of Star Trek). He speaks about his treatment and research into tinnitus .

So, what musical gifts awaited you under the tree today?

The club I went to where the tinnitus kicked in is always way too loud. Knowing that, that's where I should have been more responsible for protecting my own hearing. As hard as it is to do, I can't really blame the club. "Loud" goes with rock n' roll and bands have always seen how hard they can push the threshold.

It's been my experience that the CD, which was originally touted as "indestructible" is much more delicate than vinyl. Yes, they may hold up better as far as wear but they also scratch much more easily. With proper care vinyl can last a lifetime. As far as fidelity, great strides have been made as far as CDs go (just ask one of their biggest opponents, Neil Young). Personally, when in the comfort of my own home I do enjoy spinning my old records but CDs are the only way to go when traveling (unless you've got the hookup like Lawrence Welk above).

I was gifted with an iPod shuffle for my birthday several months ago. I never have figured out how to use it. Now I doubt I will ever use it at all.

There's no way to determine the "Top Five Albums of All Time", that's why I just named five of my favorites. Otherwise, I agree. Threads like this are pretty much pointless since it's all a matter of opinion anyway. You could name the best selling albums of all time but that doesn't necessarily mean any of them are great. Again, what's "best" all boils down to individual opinion.

If Madonna got inducted then Britney's a shue in. Same vapid pop fluff without even a hint of "rock n' roll" in sight.

It's painfully obvious now but I began to suffer from hearing loss beginning with my first concert (and/or cranking up the stereo all those many times over the years). Every time I left a show and my ears rang it meant some damage had been done. It accumulated over the years to the point where, when I attended that loud club show recently it reached a threshold and caused a ringing that may never go away. In the meantime I'm following my ear doctor's suggestions. I have another hearing test scheduled in just a few more weeks. Hopefully the results will be even better then. Thanks to everyone for your advice and well wishes. I will definitely be wearing earplugs from now on.

Abba have no doubt been influential but record sales don't figure into the criteria for induction into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame. I still don't believe Madonna belongs in there. I understand why Wenner and company chose her but that doesn't mean I agree with it. Back in 2006 when I visited the Hall in Cleveland they had one of Britney's stage costumes on display as one of the exhibits so you can pretty much count on her being inducted once she's eligible. I'm sure some will argue that she belongs in there too (for many of the same reasons as Madonna) but I also don't agree with it.