801 LIVE

I save 5-star ratings for favorite all-time albums; otherwise, I'd award it to this classic. I only wish I had picked up the re-release CD with extra tracks. These guys were firing on all cylinders; I hate to say it, but there MUST have been some studio tweaking and/or re- recording done on this, because it just sounds too good to have been done live. Many of the familiar tunes are played at a faster tempo than the studio versions, and I dare say that some of the covers rival or even surpass the originals. I much prefer this version of "Rongwrong" to the one on Quiet Sun's "Mainstream". The Beatles cover "T.N.K." got a lot of airplay in the 70's, and I heard many people say that they preferred it over the original. I also remember some magazine (Rolling Stone?) stating that it was the best- sounding live rock album ever made at that time. With all the great musicians aboard and all the great songs, you cannot go wrong buying this album.