Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The definitive Deep Purple collection! Highly recommended!!!, 24 Nov 2002
It is not uncommon for many rock groups with a long career to release boxsets after being around for quite a while, but boxsets have often been disappointing and a waste of hard-earned cash. Why? Most boxsets tend to be highly priced, with CDs containing all the songs that an ardent fan would already have in his/her collection. However, this is DEFINITELY NOT the case for this Deep Purple boxset. Listen Learn Read On is a little piece of treasure in its own right. Unlike most boxsets that tend to compile a 'greatest hits' package, this 6-CD collection goes through every aspect of Deep Purple's career in the 1970s, from its pre-existing days (looking into the previous works of individual band members prior to joining the band), and through its evolement from MK1 to MK4. This collection not only contains rare, previously unreleased tracks but also hard-to-find live performances. Accompanying the 6 CDs is a book that serves as an excellent companion to this boxset. From lead vocalist Rod Evans to Ian Gillan to David Coverdale, from guitarist Ritchie Blackmore to Tommy Bolin, from bassist Nick Simper to Roger Glover to Glenn Hughes, and of course not forgetting our favourite organist Jon Lord and drummer Ian Paice, this accompanying book leaves nothing out and can arguably be described as one of the best Deep Purple autobiography ever written. Listen, learn, read on... as this boxset's title aptly described, is exactly what one should do. Buy this boxset! Trust me... you will never regret!
|
|
|
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Listen Learn Read On......., 15 Nov 2002
Hmm, where to start? With a group as longlived as Deep Purple throughout their many incarnations that is a difficult one to answer and so to the only point of criticism of this box set... it takes 11 tracks to get to Deep Purple themselves!
That said, the pre-purple tracks by Zephyr. Trapeze and The Government are reasonably good. The others are only of historic interest and the whole idea of pre-purple careers would probably be better done on the "Deep Purple and Family" style of package.Whilst most of the of the 74 tracks (42) are new to cd, previously unissued or a 24 bit remaster, let us not fool ourselves here... they are pretty much available somewhere. This is where the package scores, by gathering them together in one set. We would probably all choose different tracks, clamour for more of the legendary outtakes from various sessions and put it all together in a different way (yet still end up with a similar set with the essence of Purple).
As a set that introduces Purple to a new audience and refreshes the ears of the older audience with real rock music you could not get much better. I think that it knocks spots of the earlier Shades of Deep Purple set and I would have given it 5 stars if it were not for the opening 10 tracks!
|
|
|
9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Don't read this for a review of the music, 3 Jul 2003
After months of deliberation, I eventually decided that, "Yes, I am anally retentive", and "Yes, I am going to buy this box set".
The problem, unfortunatley, was not the music - and others have adequately commented on this in other reviews on this site. The problem is that this box set lacks (and seriously lacks) the focus that it should have.
It seems to me that this is neither an essential collection of hard to find tracks, or a comprehensive retrospective. It's a mix of both. And that, from this collectors point of view, is not acceptable,
In my sad little "I must own 20 versions of the same track" little world, about a quarter of the songs in this box set were essential. (See disks 2 & 3). The rest are all fillers, and are all songs that are easily available on other commercial releases (or that are relatively irrelevant to this release; see tracks 1 - 10 of disk 1).
I would have been so much happier with one double CD set that comprehensively covered the BBC sessions (perhaps with an accompanying booklet that gave some specific insight into these sessions) and perhaps another single CD that covered the 'scraps' (Hallelujah, Bird has flown Mk II etc.).
I read some time ago that one of the major contributors to this set considered the original 'Deep Purple Anthology' album to be a cynical release, as it included a number of collectable songs onto a 'best of'. I consider this set to be a similar release. It's just bigger.
So I give this 2 stars for the concept. The music I have to give 5 stars. It is, after all Deep Purple.
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
~ Deep Purple
~ Camel
![Deep Purple - Around The World - Live [DVD]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51njshvUd3L._SL500_SS90_.jpg)
DVD ~ Deep Purple
![The Visitor [Digi-Pack Limited Edition]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51W92FpEIIL._SL500_SS90_.jpg)
~ UFO
~ Atomic Rooster
With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is). 
Amazon Home