Match! June 01, 2021

Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948)[1] is an American singer, songwriter, and actor whose career spans over 50 years. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props, including pyrotechnics, guillotines, electric chairs, fake blood, reptiles, baby dolls, and dueling swords, Cooper is considered by music journalists and peers to be "The Godfather of Shock Rock"…

Predominantly known from his contributions to Japan and their follow-up Rain Tree Crow, as well as the many-sided rock band Porcupine Tree, RICHARD BARBIERI indeed is a big player in prog terms…

Given the disappointing sales of the previous two All-Starr Band live albums, Ringo's star wasn't bright enough to get this release out on a major label or even a conventional label. As a stopgap, it was available only in Blockbuster Music stores for a brief time – at the rock-bottom bargain price of 5.99 dollars – and further volumes were not forthcoming. A shame, actually, for this was the best of the three All-Starr albums up to that point, representing what was probably Ringo's finest all-around group of the 1990s.

There's no doubting the quality of blues that Wolf Records has been releasing over the last two decades; what this collection shows is its breadth. From the Delta stylings of Son House, with a superb take on "My Black Mama," to the easier, West Coast feel of Charles Brown, the raw Chicago pump of Muddy Waters on "Hoochie Coochie Man," and even as far as British blues, in the person of Dana Gillespie, the label has indeed covered the waterfront. In addition to the big names, they've also showcased some lesser-known (but equally talented) performers like John Primer and Larry Garner who deserve a wider hearing, certainly on the basis of the tracks included here. Louisiana guitar whiz Garner might be from a younger generation, but the roots of his blues still run deep. Still, it's impossible to deny the power of the old masters - or even mistresses, as Memphis Minnie is superbly featured on "Hold Me Blues"…