CLASSIC ROCK LEGENDS (DVD)

After losing much of their pop audience with "Hero and Heroine" (1974) and the lion's share of their prog audience 2 albums later, Strawbs met a demise not atypical of other groups of that vintage, ceasing to exist in 1979. Though they reformed 4 years later and have been more or less a going concern since then, their work in the 1980s and 1990s was sporadic, and jerry-rigged for compatibility with leader Dave Cousins' full time and very successful career in radio. With a faithful following in Canada, they issued 2 albums there on Virgin, "Don't Say Goodbye" in 1987 and "Ringing Down the Years" in 1991. Both were padded with reworkings of previously written tunes, as Dave Cousins wrote very little new material during those years. So, when this video based on a television appearance was initially released in the early 1990s as "Greatest Hits Live", it was met enthusiastically, any live Strawbs being deemed far better than none at all.

Now that we have other videos available including at least one from their prog peak, "Classic Rock Legends" has been somewhat downgraded by the public. After all, this isn't really any of the "classic " lineups, even if Tony Hooper is back home. The keyboardist Chris Parren wouldn't make the top 5 of Strawbs keys men, and, though Hooper and Richard Hudson are both capable singers, Cousins has chosen to sing lead on all tracks. As to the material, it is heavily weighted on their "Bursting at the Seams" album, the one that yielded their only big hit singles in the UK, and completely eschews their best selling UK album "Grave New World" while barely glancing backwards from there.

Luckily, Brian Willoughby is a superb sensitive lead guitarist and Hooper does harmonize very well with Cousins. The group is playing to its strengths by not trying to rock out as later 1970s versions did, so there is an understated clarity in the production which allows modern versions of "Grace Darling", "The Hangman and the Papist" and "The River/Down by the Sea" to sparkle. The tribute to Sandy Denny, "Ringing Down the Years" is particularly stirring, and "Hero and Heroine" is a well chosen and even better played encore. Surprisingly, Cousins turns in an enthusiastic vocal performance of "Part of the Union" which, although their biggest hit, was written and originally sung by John Ford, who is not in this lineup.

When you consider all the obstacles faced by this group for most of their career, particularly at the time of this show, this is actually an admirable performance that is at worst, absolutely professional and, at best, timelessly triumphant. 3.5 stars rounded up.