Procol Harum - The Best of Musikladen Live

Rating:
Summary: 4 Stars for uniqueness alone
Review: First let me say I'm a dyed-in-the-wool 'Procol Harumian'. I saw them in person in 1970, close to the time this video was made. (Of course no Robin Trower on this Musicladen video :(

Still and all, despite the fact that this set of works was shot in a TV studio with no audience, it is one of the few extant examples of what Procol was like back then. For that alone 4 stars suffice.

There is something lost, of course, in playing in a quiet TV studio for a bunch of cameramen and soundmen! I would have rather seen them in front of a real audience in a large venue like San Antonio was in July 1970 when I saw the real Procol Harum that existed in toto. That was before the ineffable Robin Trower left.

This video has alot of 2nd album songs, interestingly enough. But also "Simple Sister" from the Broken Barricades album 5. And the inevitable "A Salty Dog". The band itself sounds a bit thin but Gary Brooker's vocals are amazingly truthful to the records. He sounds just like Gary Brooker! And it is neat to see the late Barrie Wilson.

So all told, while not the greatest video, it is better, much better than NO video. And it really does take me down Memory Lane.

Rating:
Summary: 4 Stars for uniqueness alone
Review: First let me say I'm a dyed-in-the-wool 'Procol Harumian'. I saw them in person in 1970, close to the time this video was made. (Of course no Robin Trower on this Musicladen video :(

Still and all, despite the fact that this set of works was shot in a TV studio with no audience, it is one of the few extant examples of what Procol was like back then. For that alone 4 stars suffice.

There is something lost, of course, in playing in a quiet TV studio for a bunch of cameramen and soundmen! I would have rather seen them in front of a real audience in a large venue like San Antonio was in July 1970 when I saw the real Procol Harum that existed in toto. That was before the ineffable Robin Trower left.

This video has alot of 2nd album songs, interestingly enough. But also "Simple Sister" from the Broken Barricades album 5. And the inevitable "A Salty Dog". The band itself sounds a bit thin but Gary Brooker's vocals are amazingly truthful to the records. He sounds just like Gary Brooker! And it is neat to see the late Barrie Wilson.

So all told, while not the greatest video, it is better, much better than NO video. And it really does take me down Memory Lane.

Rating:
Summary: IT BRINGS PROCOL HARUM INTO FOCUS CRYSTAL CLEAR
Review: I have been a fan for over 30yrs and seen procol live 7 times from atlantic city(1969) to redhill, england(1997). This 50 minute video's picture and sound is so focused that it feels like the band is playing live in your home. Most of the close ups are of gary brooker and b.j. wilson. What a treat to finally see bj's masterful drumming. There are shots of all the members of the 1973 band. Of course, Matthew Fisher and Robin Trower are missed, but the set is comparable to the original recordings..I don't think true procol fans will be disappointed..On the contrary, what a pleasure to finally confirm with our eyes what we've heard for so many years.

Rating:
Summary: Procol Harum - The Best of Musikladen Live
Review: I've been a Procol Harum fan since the 60's but have never had the chance to see them live. This DVD makes up for that. The performance is top notch with the same band that recorded the live concert with the Edmonton Symphony. The band is very relaxed and the intimate setting of the sound stage allows one to see the equipment and performances very well. The last two songs are from a later date and feature guitarist Mick Grabham who was in the band when Grand Hotel was recorded. Check out the Les Paul sunburst guitar that he's playing. The Les Paul "bursts" have become the holy grail of collectible vintage guitars. The sound quality is very good. My only complaint is the somewhat cheesy psychedelic video effects that are added sporadically. I'd much rather just see plain footage of the band. This is minor though, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this DVD to any Procol Harum lover.

Rating:
Summary: "5" because there wasn't a higher number available
Review: In all honesty, I cannot be anything but obsequious when discussing Procol Harum (and I can't even say that about the Rolling Stones, who I spent more than a quarter of my life trying to..."replicate.") And although this DVD displays Procol Harum with its weakest lineup (unfortunately, their most commercially successful lineup, though), that with David Ball pulling the most incredibly tortured faces while playing "wee-wee-diddly-SQUEECH" on his Gibson SG - still: Procol Harum merely breaking wind is better than 99&44/100th of anything else available. OK, that being said, when my wife bought me a DVD player for my birthday, this was also the first DVD she bought - but it IS kind of funny when she asks me, "hey, isn't that the group that did 'Whiter Shade Of Pale?'" And I also do not appreciate the truncated performance of "Simple Sister," played without either the dramatic "buildup" part that precedes the guitar solo, or the solo, itself. Thank Heaven, however, the final two segments showcase the group in its most prolific form, that with guitarist-extraordinare Mick Grabham. The song "Drunk Again" is kind of like, "UHhhhhhhhhhhhhhh," a la The Beatles' "Magical Mystery Tour" or the Stones' "Satanic Majesties," but the performance of "Grand Hotel" is nothing but SUBLIME: during that little "orchestral" part between the two Rachmaninoff-esque "rapidly accelerating tempo" parts, Procol's late, great drummer, BJ Wilson plays the part on a mandolin. I guess Gary Brooker WASN'T exaggerating when he credited BJ with performance of "22 Mandolins!" in the liner notes to "Grand Hotel" after all, huh?

Rating:
Summary: A Must-Have For All Procol Fans
Review: It's a very pleasant fact that for we rock n' roll geezers that much video footage from "back in the day" is being put into DVD format--just by benefit of this move nearly every dvd will be an improvement over earlier videos. As a Procol Harum fan of 30+ years I was quite pleased with this DVD. The sound and picture are not quite top-notch when compared to something recorded recently with digital technology (see for example the recent Moody Blues "Live at the Albert Hall" dvd), but it is still very good. As for the content, close to 90% is the 1971-vintage, "Live With the Edmonton Symphony" line-up with Dave Ball on guitar and Allan Cartwright on bass performing a variety of Procol classics from 1968-1971 ("Shine On Brightly" thru "Broken Barricades"). To round things off, the band ca. 1974 (minus Ball, plus Grabham) performs "Grand Hotel" and "Drunk Again." The musicianship is tight throughout. It's good to know that there is quality footage in existence of this great and sadly underrated (and near-forgotten if you listen to any "Classic Rock" station) band from its prime and that its available to fans.

Rating:
Summary: Stand Up and Cheer
Review: That's what I would have done if I saw this concert in person. Sadly, I was never able to see PH in concert, but this DVD gives some solace, thanks to the folks who had the intelligence to release this show. Now I can show people why 'Power Failure' is awesome, not just have them listen to it. BJ's drumming is immaculate. All songs are amazing, thank you Gary Brooker! Thank you Procol Harum, all of you!