Pros: Page, Freed's and Gorman's playing, Robinson's vocals
Cons: no Crowes material, some songs drawn out
The Bottom Line: Live at the Greek is one of the better live albums that's been released in recent years. If you like Zeppelin and the Crowes, pick it up.
MattA75's Full Review: Live at the Greek by Jimmy Page/The Black Crowes
In some ways, the pairing was perfect. They complimented each other so well one had to wonder whether the rock and roll Gods had come together and said "you two shall play together and all shall be right in the rock world." On the one side, you had the band called "The Greatest Rock and Roll Rock and Roll Band in the World," The Black Crowes. They played with swagger, they did things their own way. On the other side, you had Jimmy Page, a living guitar legend, the man who helped make Led Zeppelin the unforgettable rock institution that they are. Both were on respective downsides.
The Crowes had once been a multi-platinum act, but thanks to drugs, in-band fighting, and a much less commercial sound, their record sales had dipped down to 325,000 for their 1999 disc, By Your Side (the most recent release at the time of this pairing). They still were a relative strong live draw, playing theatres mostly.
Page had just come off yet another bit of bad blood with his old Zeppelin singer, Robert Plant. The split this time looked to be permanent. Page now had all the time in the world on his hands, and nothing to do with it.
In October of 1999, a mere six concert dates were announced: together, Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes. The shows from the legendary Greek Theatre in Los Angeles were recorded to make up this live album. And it's obvious from the very first listen that the dynamic between Page and the Crowes is there, and there in spades. Yeah, this album is good, really good. It's success as an internet only album led directly to the Crowes and Page touring throughout the summer and fall of 2000 on a joint venture with The Who, and to the album's release commercially into record stores.
Zeppelin fans will be happy because of the simple inclusion of classics such as Whole Lotta Love and Heartbreaker. And to be sure, Page shows off some nice chops on these songs. However, those songs especially are too drawn out. No, instead what garners the listener's attention is the Zeppelin album tracks that have the cobwebs taken off of them, not to mention the blues covers that Page and the Crowes perform.
Over the course of the 20 tracks that appear on the two discs, the listener is given an education in great bluesy rock and roll. The main drawback is the lack of Black Crowes material (while songs like Remedy and Hard to Handle were played, it's more a song like Wiser Time that I'd kill to hear with Jimmy Page being part of the jam), as their record company at the time, Columbia, would not allow anything to be used.
But there are plenty of highlights regardless. First on my list is the wonderful Your Time Is Gonna Come, a track from Zeppelin's first album that fits this combination beautifully. Keyboardist Eddie Harsch lays down a great spin on the John Paul Jones originated organ solo, and that's followed by about 4 minutes of anthemic rock and roll that was meant to be sung along to.
I also like the restrained Hey Hey What Can I Do, a song that just makes you want to get up and shake your money maker. Speaking of shaking your money maker, that song (Shake Your Money Maker) is on here as well, and it's a brilliant bluesy romp. Singer Chris Robinson sounds eerily like Robert Plant throughout the disc, but it's on the previously mentioned Hey Hey that the comparison just becomes downright spine tingling.
Besides Jimmy Page, Crowes lead guitarist Audley Freed plays some blistering leads of his own, most notably on Shapes of Things to Come. Interestingly, Page and Freed then play a little game of oneupmans-ship on the following track, Sloppy Drunk. Both of them wail away on their guitars, as if to say "ok, I have this, what do YOU got?"
Lastly, I feel I must mention drummer Steve Gorman. He is a stud on this album, a monster. He pounds on the skins so hard you're gonna think you're listening to the second coming of Bonzo himself. If Page and Plant ever do get back together, they should look into getting Gorman on the skins.
All in all, Live At The Greek is just a simple blues based rock and roll performance album, and a damn fine one. Despite a lack of Crowes songs, not to mention a lack of a couple of Zeppelin songs they added for their full tour (Misty Mountain Hop namely), the discs flow pretty well, with a couple of long jams notwithstanding. Ultimately, only the Black Crowes could have played with this much swagger with Jimmy Page and made it work so damn well.
Since this disc, Jimmy Page has pretty much been out of action. He hurt his back on the last leg of the tour with the Crowes, forcing the cancellation of the last 10-15 gigs. Meanwhile, the Black Crowes released Lions last year and toured through October promoting it. In January, it was announced that they were going on "hiatus," and that Steve Gorman had left the band. More recently, it has been announced that a live Black Crowes album (two discs) will be released this August, culled from the band's last two performances last year in Boston.
Rock s greatest guitarist and the Black Crowes recently united for a U.S. tour performing the best songs from the legendary Led Zeppelin. Live At The ...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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