Product Details

• Actors: Casey Kasem, Elvis Presley, The Yardbirds, Jimi Hendrix, Ike & Tina Turner
• Format: Box set, Color, Compilation, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 5
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Standing Room Only
• DVD Release Date: April 27, 2004
• Run Time: 217 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0001I54NO
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #31,498 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #13 in	Movies & TV > Music Video & Concerts > Artists > Turner, Tina
  #22 in	Movies & TV > Music Video & Concerts > Artists > Hendrix, Jimi
  #35 in	Movies & TV > Boxed Sets > Music Video & Concerts

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Calling it a "goldmine" is a stretch, but there are certainly some gems to be found among the five discs contained in host Casey Kasem's celebration of the popular-music explosion of the 1960s (the five programs themselves were compiled in 1987). There isn't a whole lot of music--each disc has less than a dozen full clips (The San Francisco Sound has just six), the longest clocks in at under 50 minutes, and there's no bonus material. Nor is the quality uniformly high, in terms of both performance (all too frequently lip-synced) and audiovisual elements. Still, there is a greatness here, including fascinating (and often rare, as advertised) live performances by Traffic and the Kinks, both on The British Invasion; Jimi Hendrix, the Doors, and the Who (The Sixties); Van Morrison (The San Francisco Sound), and others. The Soul Years is the best of the lot, with fantastic clips of James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and Otis Redding, while at the other end of the spectrum is Elvis: The Echo Will Never Die, which adds little of interest to the Presley legacy. As for Kasem, well, he's always been a bit on the square, smarmy side, but while he often fails to mention the date or origin of a particular clip, he does supply some context, social, musical, and political. In the end, Casey Kasem's Rock n' Roll Goldmine Boxed Set is unlikely to change the world. But at its price, it's a pretty good buy. --Sam Graham

Product Description

Casey Kasem set the standard for radio countdowns with his weekly American Top 40 show. Now, Casey reaches into the archives to bring you rare and exciting performances from the 60s' greatest musicians. CONTENTS: (1) The Sixties: In the late-sixties, after the British Invasion, music began to evolve into a heavier sound. With a blues-inspired, guitar-driven sound and trippy lyrics, this new hard rock seared its way to the top of the charts. Features full song performances of White Rabbit (Jefferson Airplane), People Are Strange (The Doors), My Generation (The Who), Sunshine of Your Love (Cream), Itchycoo Park (Small Faces), Magic Carpet Ride (Steppenwolf), Summertime Blues (Blue Cheer), On The Road Again (Canned Heat), Purple Haze (Jimi Hendrix), Try (Janis Joplin).(2) The Soul Years: In the mid-sixties, a smoother style of Rhythm & Blues emerged to take the music world by storm. From the catchy tunes of Motown, to the gritty sounds of Stax, Soul music became the sound of the times. Includes full song performances of I Feel Good (James Brown), Try A Little Tenderness (Otis Redding), Respect (Aretha Franklin), My Girl (The Temptations), Stand By Me (Ben E. King), Fingertips (Stevie Wonder), River Deep Mountain High (Ike &Tina Turner), Hold On I'm Coming (Sam & Dave), When A Man Loves A Woman (Percy Sledge).(3) The San Francisco Sound: In the "Summer of Love," when Haight-Asbury was the center of the hippie universe, musicians began exploring the boundaries of rock and roll with free-form, blues-inspired song structures that reflected the social and political upheaval of the times. This psychedelic sound became the soundtrack for an unforgettable era. Features full song performances of Domino (Van Morrison), Ball & Chain (Janis Joplin w' Big Brother), Truckin' (Grateful Dead), Jingo (Santana), Living in the USA (Steve Miller), Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die (Country Joe and the Fish). (4) The British Invasion: In the mid 1960s a wave of British rock groups crossed the Atlantic to rule the charts in America. Ranging from hard rock to bouncy pop, with catchy melodies and ringing guitars, the British Invasion changed the sound of rock and roll forever. Includes full song performances of Delta Lady (Joe Cocker), You Really Got Me (The Kinks), He Ain't Heavy (The Hollies), Heart Full of Soul (The Yardbirds), How Do You Do It? (Gerry and the Pacemakers), World Without Love (Peter and Gordon), Mighty Quinn (Manfred Mann), Salty Dog (Procol Harum), Wild Thing (Troggs), 40,000 Headmen (Traffic).(5) Elvis: The Echo Will Never Die:This memorable and compelling program tells you the real story behind the legend: from Elvis's early days at Sun Records through serving his country in the U.S. Army, from the Vegas years to his final, tragic end at Graceland. It examines his record-breaking career, from his 33 feature films, to the history-making television specials, to his incredible 114 top forty songs. Featuring interviews with special guests Tom Jones, B.B. King, Sammy Davis, Jr., Ursula Andress, David Marsh, and more, this program pays homage to the greatest legend in American music and uncovers the many reasons for Elvis' enduring appeal.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing quality sound and picture., May 15, 2004

By A Customer

This is a disappointing set as a lot of the film clips are poor quality. There are some good ones,like a color film clip where the Who perform live,but the many poor quality ones spoil it.
For example,there is a poor live performance by Cream which has terrible sound and poor picture quality. There is a James Brown clip(filmed in B&W)where he is obviously miming on his own. Compare this to the Ed Sullivan DVDs where James Brown performs live with a huge band backing him and you can see that this is a very average collection of DVDs. I would recommend either the Ed Sullivan,Music Scene or Hullabaloo Music DVDs as they are much better quality than this mediocre set.

26 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars What a Rip Off !!!!, May 19, 2004

By	T. Robinson (United Kingdom) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

40 or so minutes per disk of footage mainly taken from German TV. Experimental camera techniques have not dated well. Content is widely available elsewhere at much better value for your money, compilation probably put together by an accountant.

12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars When Music Meant Something, May 21, 2004

By A Customer

These videos really took me back to a time when music was intertwined with politics and social change. Although some of the footage is black and white, I had never seen Blue Cheer or Steppenwolf in their prime. A few clips are fuzzy, but they appear to be really old; Stevie Wonder looks like he's twelve or so. Most enjoyed the Who live; Otis Redding's last appearance (also live) before his death; a very handsome Ray Davies; Percy Sledge singing When A Man Loves A Woman; and a terrific Ike and Tina. Altogether, a valuable archival product. Casey's really a pretty sympatico presenter.