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More thoughts on OtR...

...This is sort of a follow up on my previous post.  Sorry it's so long.

I have taken some time to read the comments to my reaction to the "new" OtR.
I am even more convinced now that those who believe GDBD contains the best
music, have never witnessed Linford playing the bass.  Yes, some of you may
be shocked, but the piano wasn't always part of the show.  Furthermore, Ric
might as well have been gone by GDBD since he had no writing contributions
on the CD except for his own instrumental.  Even his musical input on the
songs were negligible.

Also, one cannot compare the listening experience of the recorded songs on
both TWHF and Patience to how those songs came across live.  Unfortunately,
the recordings weren't able to capture the live energy of the band.  Eve is
perhaps the best attempt to do so.  For those of you who remember OtR
closing shows with rocking versions of "If I'm drowning" and "Sea and Sky,"
you know exactly what I mean.  Perhaps the show back in '92 or '93 at
Seasongood Pavilion in Eden Park, where the stage was lit by nothing but
candles, best epitomizes what OtR was, as the original lineup.  Later,
"Daddy Untwisted" live was nothing short of kickass.  Chris, remember the
Newport show?  For those who share some of these memories, you can
understand why I and others just felt a little empty after the Moonlight
show.  And for those of you who did not experience hearing the early stuff
live,  I don't expect you to understand my crticism of the recent work.  I
only wish you could have been there.

In my opinion, a mark of a great band is one that can take recorded material
and not just play it back live, but to energize it and give it life beyond
what you can experience at home on CD.  The Moonlight show did not achieve
this for me.  The sedate crowd said it all.  I would have been just as happy
with my friends listening to post Patience OtR at home on my stereo.  At
least then there would have been drums, and the drinks free as well.

Monk, on the other hand.....


Casey