Customer Reviews

Forever Changes: Live in Concert

5 star:		(54)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Bizarrely I only learned of the existence of this DVD about two weeks ago and when I did I immediately bumped it to the top of my Netflix queue. I received it two days later and almost immediately listened to it. Then, a couple of days later, Arthur Lee died. I was shocked. The two events took place so close to one another that in a bizarre way they seemed casually linked.

If one knows much about Arthur Lee's life it would have seemed highly unlikely that this would have been a good disc. Some of the high points include drug abuse, mental problems brought on by drugs abuse, and a six-year stint in prison on a firearms charge. It seemed highly unlikely that Lee nearing sixty would be anything other than a shell of the performer he had once been; it seemed more likely that the concert performance captured on the disc would be an embarrassment. But if you are a Love and FOREVER CHANGES fan like I am, giving it a listen was not an option: it was a necessity. Shockingly, Arthur Lee not only did not embarrass himself, he showed just what an extraordinary piece of music FOREVER CHANGES truly is. No, his voice isn't as good as ever. He strains a bit on the high notes, even the notes he sang on the original album recording; he strains even more on the bits sung originally by Bryan MacLean, who had a higher pitched voice. But it is perhaps 90% as good as it was when he was 22. Given his long history of self-abuse and misfortune that is pretty astonishing.

Many of the obituaries following Lee's death last week of leukemia (he was 61) commented on FOREVER CHANGES. Many noted that it almost always makes the top ten of lists of the Ten Best Albums ever. Some even nominated it as the best album ever. I won't go that far, but there is no question that it is one of the undisputed masterpieces of rock. Love had built quite a reputation for its hard driving, high-energy rock numbers. They played loud and they played fast. But FOREVER CHANGES was frequently quiet, often contemplative. The electric guitars had been replaced by acoustic ones. It was almost, though not quite, soft rock. Some said it sounded like elevator music if elevator music could somehow be transformed into high art. The lyrics were bizarre, strange, unearthly, with one non sequitur following another, the songs not really producing any single message, but being so open that anyone could create their own subtext. Despite their opaqueness, the lyrics were nonetheless unforgettable, as fascinating as those strange song titles: "Andmoreagain," "The Good Humor Man He Sees Everything Like This," and "Maybe the People Would Be the Times or Between Clark and Hillsdale." The lyrics were coupled with what was then and remain now music that is almost impossibly beautiful for rock and roll. And the beauty of the music is dramatically embellished by some of the finest arrangements in the history of rock. In addition to the musicians comprising Love, Lee brought in horns and a small string orchestra. The result was, as nearly everyone acknowledges, one of the great albums ever recorded. Most remarkably, it is an album that I have come to like more and more over the years. I have probably listened to it well over a hundred times and I unquestionably liked it more on the 101st listen than on the 11th.

But what about the concert captured on the DVD? It is pretty much a note for note reproduction of the studio album. There are some minor differences: a guitar solo here that wasn't on the original, a back up vocal that has been added. But all in all the differences are incredibly slight. As mentioned, Lee, though looking very much his age, nonetheless did a remarkable job. The audience clearly wants him to do well and he doesn't disappoint. You expect to cut him slack, but are thrilled that you don't have to. That a man who has had a life as hard as Lee's can still produce such lovely music is truly exhilarating.

Love, of course, no longer exists. The band sitting in is in fact Baby Lemonade. What personality they normally possess as a band (they did a very good album that I own called HIGH LIFE SUITE) is completely submerged in channeling the original album. The band is rounded out by first-rate horn and string sections. The result is something truly magical. Is it as good as the original album? No. Is it a good introduction to the album? I would guess that it is, though I do think that anyone wanting to possess an even moderately decent music collection is going to want a copy of the original. For me the joy was seeing Arthur Lee alive and well on stage.

Tonight came the news that Arthur Lee has left us.

I had the honor to present a double bill of the Zombies and Arthur Lee with Love in concert two years ago - the band seen on this DVD, with virtually the same playlist.

It isn't often that rock music can be described as being transcendantly beautiful but what you'll hear in this presentation and what we heard that night was just that. The audience was in a gentle state of rapture, in awe.

Forever Changes was identified by the British Parliament a few years ago as being the Greatest Album of All Time, which of course it isn't as NO album is, but what this signified was the enduring power and emotional gravity of that classic recording.

To see and feel this monumental work live was deeply moving, just beyond words, and this DVD of the concert a bit earlier in the UK is crafted with such care and affection for the man, such reverence, that it deserves to be a staple of your collection.

I told Arthur that I was honored to meet him, and I meant it. He was a gentleman, a total professional, and as close to a genius as this art form has ever created.

We're all fortunate that this DVD records forever this artist's finest moment. An amazing performance and a gift to us all.

May you enjoy the peace you so richly deserve, Arthur. May your star shine on....

It was the cover which caused me to give this CD a second glance. After all, I already own the original recording of Forever Changes, and though the colors and psychedelic style are similar to the original album cover, something was strangely different. On closer examination I discovered the happy news that the recently freed Arthur Lee is back on track with a grand new project.
OK, so I bought the DVD first and after viewing it, gave it my highest recommendation. So why did I buy this too? The extras made me open my wallet and as it turns out, the extras are well worth the additional money.
This CD features Lee and his new band in England performing music from the legendary sixties Forever Changes album. Often this sort of project flops. Not here. Lee's new band has learned the music inside out and plays it with astounding authority. Fans of the original should have no reservations about getting this. From the first notes of Alone Again Or to the fading sounds of You Set the Scene you will be mesmerized at the quality of this CD. The performance is inspired from start to finish.
My favorite cuts are A House Is Not A Motel, featuring some blistering guitar by Mike Randle;The Red Telephone, which energizes both the listener and the crowd; ...Between Clark and Hilldale, again with some great guitar work; the timeless Live and Let Live; and finally a command performance of You Set the Scene.
What about those extras? Well, a couple of the songs here are different from the extras that come with the DVD. The band's rendition of Signed DC alone makes it worth the extra cash. This is Lee's best take on a song he originally wrote back in 1965 and has reworked twice. The guitar and harmonica work on this arrangement are stupendous. There are some other extras that you can view on your computer, I have not yet sampled those.
You might think that with all these superlatives there would be at least one negative. If there is, I have not found it.
With his return to the stage, Arthur Lee has set the scene once again. Forever Changes In Concert is a recording that should one day attain the legendary status of its namesake. Get this one soon, you won't be sorry.

I saw Arthur Lee and Love live twice in 2002 (once in San Francisco & once in LA) & despite the fact that Arthur was somewhat hoarse at one show & limping from a bathtub accident at the other, they were both outstanding, high-energy shows that left me very well-satisfied. The concert on this DVD was very different (though no less satisfying) than either of those shows - due to the addition of strings & horns, the fact that Arthur's voice was much stronger and purer, and that the band was much tighter and more in control.

In Dolby 5.1 surround (& yes, played LOUD), the sound quality is superb - crystal clear & very lush. As a matter of fact, except for the audience's very enthusiastic response, it sounds more like a fine studio recording than a live show. And while it's not a note for note replication of the classic Forever Changes album, it comes very, very close. Though "You Set The Scene" has always been my favorite song from the original album, I found "The Red Telephone" to be the most moving & spirited song on the DVD. It's remarkable that the tag lines - "They're locking him up today & throwing away the key, I wonder who it will be tomorrow, you or me?" are so chillingly resonant in light of the "Patriot" Act and the current anti-terrorist hysteria.

The visuals are fine - nothing flashy or especially innovative, just a document of the show done in a very straightforward way that complements the honesty of the music appropriately. As far as the bonus materials go, the extra tracks are mostly very good (though I found "7 & 7 is" to be a little too low energy, which is a shame for such a fierce, powerful song), the interview with Arthur (primarily about his youth & early days with the original Love lineup) provides some insights into a very unique & creative talent, & the tour documentary gives us a perspective from the other folks involved (the band, their manager, etc.). It would have been nice to have included some audience reaction too, but that's a very minor quibble.

Who would have thought that Arthur Lee could come back after more than 30 years, find the perfect band and treat his longtime fans to such an incredible recreation of his masterpiece? Forever Changes was one of the most beautiful, honest & creative works to come out of the psychedelic era and this DVD gives it fresh new life. A must-have for any fan & a great opportunity to discover a unique talent for those unfortunate enough to never have experienced Love before.

Arthur Lee seems to be blessed with nine lives and we all should be greatful for that. Every five or six years, Arthur has threatened a comeback, but it is enevitably derailed by Lee's extra cirricular activities, like use of controlled substances or brandishing weapons. The "Forever Changes" concert was performed earlier this year a couple of months after Arthur was released from prison on a weapons charge in a domestic dispute. The "new" Love that Arthur Lee performs with, is Baby Lemonade, an extremely competent pop group who performed as his backup in a 60 city tour of the United States. "Forever Changes" is an album released by Love 35 years ago and only reached the 200th position on the Billboard sales chart. Over the years the dazzling dark beauty of "Forever Changes" has found a wider audience and is agruably the best album produced in the sixties. Shortly after the release of "Forever Changes" the orignal members of Love called it quits, so no one has ever heard a live rendition of "Forever Changes" as Arthur Lee intended us to hear it.

I am alway reluctant to plunk down hard earned money for an import album, particularly if it is a "comeback" album. In Arthur Lee's case, his false starts have been numerous and since he has become old enough to join AARP, the propects for his triumphful return were getting bleak. The results of "Forever Changes the Concert" will suprise even the most skeptical of Love fans. Rumors of a renewed Arthur Lee, with fire in his belly and passion in his playing are true. Lee is understandbly reluctant to tamper with the forumla that made "Forever Changes" a success, so he plays it pretty close to the original arrangements on the album. His voice and guitar playing have both improved. He uses the falsetto register less often and his playing on the guitar driven "Red Telephone" and "Bummer In the Summer" is much more assured than in 1968. Lee actually makes a point of adding some blazing licks to these two songs which improve on the original rendition. The string and horn arrangement on songs are dazzling and the crowd actually bursts into applause at the beginning of the mariachi trumpet solo in "Alone Again Or." This is not a pale comeback album but the return of Arthur Lee, the dark price of psychedelica, and he holds the London audience under his charismatic sway. The crowd is clearly estatic and the bond between Lee and his audience the most suprising element of "Forever Changes, the Concert" Arthur Lee is back and somebody should get him in the studio because it's rumored that he has new material that is the equal of any of Love's latter day music. I'm enterally greatful that Arthur got to finally perform "Forever Changes" in concert. Maybe there is some justice in this crazy world.

Thank God Arthur Lee is FREE! And thank Arthur Lee for a truly outstanding concert. The Forever Changes Concert is carefully, deliberately, and flawlessly performed. Arthur's voice is as good as ever. The band and accompaniment are right there as well. The sound is very well mixed. Thankfully, the camera work is straight forward. British civility comes into play with a very cooperative audience for the taping. No obnoxious hooting and hollering during the songs. It should be played through a stereo or surround sound at high volume for maximum enjoyment, however. The bonus songs, one of which is hidden as an Easter Egg, are real treats. In a word, this DVD is fantastic. Here's a chance to see the great Arthur Lee, one of the best of the best, at his best. LOVE ya Arthur and thanks again.

Arthur Lee and the original lineups of Love generated three unique albums of music in the late sixties. I hesitate to use the word "Classic", because it's a word that's been overused in the rock idiom, and can mean almost anything. In contrast, what Arthur Lee, Bryan MacLean, Ken Forissi, John Echols, Michael Stuart and Snoopy Pfilster did was revolutionary.

This is a great dvd from start to finish. What's amazing is that every nuance of the original recording "Forever Changes" is present throughout the presentation, as if the order of the music is an exacting presentation of something more on the order of classical music. Which is great.

Lee gives a good, solid performance. It's interesting to see him once again, after all this time. His voice hasn't changed much, surprisingly. The band, Baby Lemonade, provides musicianship on this disc which is so much superior to previous "Live" Love recordings, which, even with MacLean, could be somewhat sloppy.

This is one music dvd that was well worth waiting for. "Forever Changes" is an album that I've probably listened to thousands of times, and this dvd more than does the original recording justice.

Back in the late 60's, music was at the center of the so-called cultural revolution. Competition from Hendrix, Dylan, Jefferson Airplane, Beach Boys (hey, how about Moby Grape?), let alone the Beatles or the Stones, and so many other singers/songwriters/groups made it difficult for bands like LOVE to surface with airplay. But the original "Forever Changes" got airplay alright (on the "new" FM stations), from San Francisco to New York. Why? Because this is probably THE album that stands as the anthem for flowerpower, love fests, hippiedom, and all other things held sacred during this rite of passage era. From despair ("And when you've given all you had, And everything still turns out bad...And all your secrets are your own.") to potential change ("And for anyone who thinks that life is just a game, Do you like the part you're playing?"), LOVE's Forever Changes covered a lot of ground and influenced the movement greatly. And then, LOVE, along with the movement, disappeared.

I was living in the L.A. area during the 80's when I read that Arthur Lee & LOVE, along with the Bryan MacLean Band, were to perform at one of the "houses". I had to see them, but why were they playing separately? Come to find out that Lee had gotten way too involved with various forms of "mindbenders". When I talked to him before the performance, he could hardly focus, let alone stand. Later, he did the unthinkable. While MacLean was playing "Alone Again Or", Lee went to the stage and threw his drink into MacLean's face. MacLean looked at the audience and said, "I'm sorry that happened. I truly once loved this man." I felt sick to my stomach and left shortly after.

Fast forward 20 years later, and Arthur is back to living and thriving. Lee talks about some of the up's and down's of his life, and then centers in on the makings of his "Forever Changes" in concert, recorded on DVD. The performance is absolutely magnificent. From the very first notes of "Alone Again Or" to the climactic ending of "You Set The Scene", Lee and his new group of accomplished musicians are magical. From the many close-ups, it appears Lee weathered his storms rather well; his intensity and stage presence are perfect for all lyrics/music played, from guitar to violin. Each album gem is replicated as if it were the original studio performance, except better...if that's possible. Arthur's voice sounds as melodious and sweet as back then; when Arthur sings, people listen. How could they not? This is history, philosophy, and LOVE repeating itself.


FOOTNOTE: If you never heard of this group, I feel truly sorry for you...but now is your chance. If ancient groups like Pink Floyd, Moody Blues, Procol Harum, Incredible String Band struck your chords; if today you enjoy the likes of Wilco, Modest Mouse, Arcade Fire, Augie March, maybe some Radiohead and Ween, then "LOVE: The Forever Changes Concert" will only add to your love of sublime, wondrous rock & roll.

I was born in the year 1967 and hence a little too young to experience the Summer Of Love and the music that blossomed during that era. Fast forward to 1988 and I had 'discovered' most of the classics from the 60s including Sgt Pepper, Pet Sounds, Surrealistic Pillow, Are You Experienced, etc. I was on the lookout for rare albums and it was during this time that I stumbled upon writeups for groups such as The Incredible String Band and LOVE. Curious, I found and purchased the Da Capo LP and ordered FOREVER CHANGES. The former whetted my appetite for the latter and when I finally got it, I was hooked by the 2nd listen. I was undergoing my own personal search for 'meaning' then and could totally relate to the content of the music - "that I could be in love with almost everyone", "and I'm wrapped in my armor but my things are material" and "this is the time that I am living".

Since then, FOREVER CHANGES became my fave album of all time (Sgt Pepper was sonically and musically perfect but lacking that extra bit of depth while Pet Sounds had Sloop John B which I felt did not belong in an album of such personal beauty). Since then, I started collecting LOVE albums when they appeared on CD {among my faves are a Japanese press of Forever Changes (b4 the Rhino remasters) with transcribed English song lyrics, the LOVE STORY 1966 to 1972 double CD compilation and the Bryan Maclean solo albums}.

After living with the CD version of the album for so long, I was over the moon when I heard that the FOREVER CHANGES tour would be released on DVD. As this was the first time that I was experiencing LOVE 'live', I was terribly excited and was not disappointed when I watched it. Following the album sequence, the performances were tight and rarely strayed from the original arrangements. Arthur is in fine voice 95% of the time and the band rocks. It is also in the DVD that you can experience the beauty of the string and horn arrangements to the fullest. Faults are minor and easily overlooked (the audio transitions between tracks were sometimes too sudden, some audio distortion can be heard during the documentary footage when the band was rehearsing). Otherwise, this is the perfect companion to the perfect album of all time!

In answer to one of the reviewers, here's more info on the Easter Egg which is actually the performance of Singing Cowboy. It can be found on the Bonus Tracks section. I discovered that the bonus tracks have a different order than what is listed if you access them by titles ('titles' are one division above 'chapters')

7 And 7 Is (title 10)
Always See Your Face (title 11)
Orange Skies (title 12)
She Comes In Colours (title 13)
Listen To My Song (title 14)
Singing Cowboy (title 15)

To access Singing Cowboy, just go to any of the bonus tracks and press the forward button to advance by title till you reach title 15!

I have listened to many albums that I consider works of art but FOREVER CHANGES tops them all. It encapsulates life's highs and lows and is the epitome of concept albums (it doesn't veer towards self-indulgence like most of its peers). To appreciate it fully, some background knowledge of The Times (circa 1967-68) and The Scene (L.A., California) are needed. It also helps if you are high (or down) on Life, and questioning the meaning of it all!

***WARNING: DO NOT MAKE THE MISTAKE I DID. THIS IS NOT A DVD. IT IS A CD. IF YOU WANT THE DVD, SELECT "LOVE: THE FOREVER CHANGES CONCERT".***


Back in the late 60's, music was at the center of the so-called cultural revolution. Competition from the Beatles and the Stones, let alone from Jefferson Airplane, Beach Boys (hey, how about Moby Grape?) and so many other singer/songwriters/groups made it difficult for bands like LOVE to surface with airplay. But the original "Forever Changes" got airplay alright, from San Francisco to New York. Why? Because it probably is THE album that stands as the anthem for flowerpower, love fests, hippiedom, and all other things held sacred during this rite of passage era. From despair ("And when you've given all you had, And everything still turns out bad...And all your secrets are your own.") to potential change ("And for anyone who thinks that life is just a game, do you like the part you're playing?"), LOVE's Forever Changes covered a lot of ground and influenced the movement greatly. And then LOVE, along with the movement, disappeared.

I was living in the L.A. area during the 80's when I read that Arthur Lee & LOVE, along with the Bryan MacLean Band were performing at one of the "houses". I had to see them, but why were they playing separate? Come to find out that Lee had gotten way too involved with various forms of "mindbenders". When I talked to him before the performance, he could hardly focus, let alone stand. Later, he did the unthinkable. While MacLean was playing "Alone Again Or", Lee went to the stage and threw his drink into MacLean's face. MacLean looked at the audience and said, "I'm sorry that happened. I truly once loved this man." I felt sick to my stomach and left shortly after.

Fast forward 20 years later, and Arthur is back to living and thriving. Lee talks about some up's and down's in life, and then centers in on the makings of his "Forever Changes" in concert and put on DVD. The performance is magnificent. From the very first notes of "Alone Again Or" to the climactic ending of "You Set the Scene", Lee and his new group of musicians are magical. From the many close-ups, it appears Lee weathered his storms rather well; his intensity and stage presence are perfect for all lyrics/music played, from guitar to violin. Each album gem is replicated as if it were the original studio performance, except better...if that's possible. Arthur's voice sounds as melodious as back then; when Arthur sings, people listen. How could you not? This is history, philosophy, and LOVE repeating itself.


Footnote: If you never heard of this group, I am truly sorry for you...but now is your chance. If you enjoy the likes of Wilco, Modest Mouse, Arcade Fire, Augie March, maybe some Radiohead and Ween, then "LOVE Forever Changes" will only add to your love of sublime, wondrous rock & roll.