Review of Guitar Legends: The Ultimate Anthology

Introduction

Fresh from having just seen the incredibly infectious `School of Rock`, this disc seemed to be quite a timely arrival. Boasting that it was the `Ultimate Anthology` my expectations for some `good rocking` were high. Compilations are always a curious thing, and especially those that boast of being `the best ever` or `ultimate` anything. Licencing tracks is never simple, and with filmed performances, even more complex. So they inevitably result in compromised goods. And this appears to be exactly that. It`s certainly not without merit - there are some great moments here which may well be enough for ardent fans of individual acts, but collectively this is little more than diverting. The track-listing also varies from the outside of the box to the inside - and Hendrix fans beware. Despite the track indicated on the outer wrap, he doesn`t appear.

It actually kicks off rather well with a live Granada TV performance by Free from 1970 which makes up for it`s `early days of colour video` appearance with a pretty mesmerising performance. The sound is a little dry as it comes straight from the desk, and the band look like they`re going through the motions until Paul Kossof sets the song alight with a solo that does with a very few notes what most fail to achieve with many.

This is followed by a recently recorded song by Wishbone Ash and it`s here that things start to feel awkward. There`s a nice extended solo - but it`s not from Ash original Andy Powell who`s clearly outshone by the new boy. He does join in on one of those delicious sounding solos where two guitars play in parallel 5 notes apart, (ala Thin Lizzy), but there`s something faintly contrived about the whole affair.

Robin Trower is next , from a 1990 concert, grimacing and gurning like a psychedelic Herman Munster, looking slightly comical as he plays his usual funky homage to Hendrix. Not a pretty sight!

Next up is what some fans may well consider to be a hidden gem. 1970 TV footage from Belgium showing Deep Purple guitarist Blackmore at his self indulgent height, battling away on a most untypical semi-acoustic that was soon to be abandoned for his trademark Strat.
What`s special about this footage is it could conceivably be evidence of the actual birth of the `diddly diddly` style playing that has been a staple of heavy rock ever since. Impressive if it wasn`t so damned Spinal-Tappish!

Next is Irish bluesman Rory Gallagher live in Belgium circa 1970. Strange home movie style footage captures this haunting rendition of a blues classic - and some damn fine slide guitar. Things feel like they`re really hotting up.





Soft Machine, filmed in 1977, show jazz-rock guitarist John Etheridge in fine form - if you like that sort of thing. We see some impressive musicianship here, which was just as well but because judging by this footage, they had as much chance of making it on their looks alone as Steely Dan.

Focus are next, and this really is a curio from 1972. Playing their classic `Hocus Pocus` this doesn`t really represent guitarist Jan Ackerman`s finest Hour (for that, hear `Eruption` on the album `Moving Waves`) but we do bear witness to some of the most incredible yodelling ever heard in the Rock Genre.

Next we get some footage of Cream bass player Jack Bruce that is truly awful. Out of key, out of tune and out of luck this is just plain sad. This appears to be a replacement track for the outer sleeve advertised `Purple Haze` which makes it`s inclusion seem all the more cruel.

Next up is Steve Howe from Yes playing a solo acoustic piece. He comes across like a court jester and his performance appears to be a good indication of why TV appearances and the use of speed don`t mix. Or maybe he really is just mad as a hatter.

Steve Hackett, who I saw playing with Peter Gabriel period Genesis in 1974 (before they turned into lazy, smug AOR rockers under Phil Collins guidance. Hey - It`s just an opinion!), does an impressive turn here with a track called `Clocks`. This is a nice arrangement with a fairly unique guitar sound, played with precision and control.

Uriah Heep, with an audience steadfastly refusing to emerge from the early seventies, offer up a fairly accomplished live performance - but it`s difficult to keep a straight face. There`s something about aging rockers in spandex, singing about witches and demons, that makes it difficult to take seriously. So I won`t. Sorry.

Finally we get Black Sabbath - but without Ozzy. Which is like seeing the Smiths without Morrissey. You get the feeling Tony Iommi is just going through the motions.

And then it`s over. And the weird thing is that I quite like the idea of doing it all again. And if that`s confusing for you - imagine what it feels like for me!

Video

The visuals here are from such a wide variety of sources that it`s impossible to give clear guidance. It`s all standard 4:3, and there`s nothing here to alarm those who understand what they`re buying - a bunch of archive recordings.

Audio

The DTS audio is fair here in most cases, and exceptional on occasion (Wishbone Ash, Uriah Heep), and the Dolby Digital Tracks are perfectly good too. The variance in source recording though is unavoidable on compilations like these.

Features

Well, you can play all - or pick your track order. And that`s about it. But to be fair, on a compilation of this type, what else would you be looking for?

Conclusion

A mixed bag that doesn`t quite live up to the claim of being the `Ultimate Anthology` of Guitar legends. But there`s some good stuff on here - including some rare TV appearances that I certainly haven`t seen before.
The disparity between the track-listing on the outer box and the inner is plain sloppy at best, and misleading at worst. Audio is reasonable throughout, but it`s a disparate and incohesive collection where quality of both performance and recording varies throughout. Worth seeking out for the Free, Deep Purple, Rory Gallagher, and Focus tracks if you`re a completist but there`s little else to recommend it.