Real to Reel, Vol. 2

Tesla | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 25, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Tesla Electric Co
• ASIN: B000UNMTXS
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,645 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The second installment in Tesla's Real to Reel collection features the venerable quintet covering classic songs by the likes of Alice Cooper ("Is It My Body?"), Bachman-Turner Overdrive ("Not Fragile"), and ZZ Top ("Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers"), to the same satisfying results heard on the first RtR. While some of the tracks (Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Saturday Night Special," Black Sabbath's "War Pigs") may feel unnecessary, Telsa triumphs with attitude, accuracy, and an enthusiasm for an unpretentious and bygone era of rock & roll. The most successful stabs come in the form of Monstrose's "Make It Last," Mott the Hoople's "All the Young Dudes," and Bad Company's "Shooting Star," each having hints of faithfulness to the original while bearing Tesla's unique sonic stamp. (Witness Peter Frampton's "Do You Feel like We Do?," which bears a Santana-esque vibe.) In the end, Real to Reel 2 and its predecessor stand as great primers for no frills rock & roll. --Jedd Beaudoin

Product Description

Tesla first tested out some of their favorite rock classics with their fans in the summer of 2006 during the Electric Summer Jam tour (the first tour with guitarist Dave Rude, who replaced original guitarist Tommy Skeoch). While UFO’s Rock Bottom went down like a storm to a standing, cheering, grandstand crowd of 10,000 in Milwaukee, Black Sabbath’s War Pigs engaged 6,000 people in Lansing, Michigan so much that they refused to leave during a torrential rainstorm which lasted throughout the entire two-hour show. After getting such a positive reaction from their fans, the band knew making REAL TO REEL was a logical next step for them. Real To Reel is a collection of songs that inspired us back in the day when we first heard them in the ‘70s, says singer Jeff Keith. We originally had a large list of songs in mind for the record, and we had a lot of fun picking out the ones that ultimately made it onto the album. Making music is all about feeding off of your inspirations and putting your own touches to it. We feel we’ve accomplished this to the highest extent.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Guitar heaven!, September 28, 2007

By 

grego (Enumclaw, Wa USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Real to Reel, Vol. 2 (Audio CD)

Thank-you Tesla for making this great CD available to those of us who couldn't make it to a show during the summer of 2007. I thought Reel 1 was good but this one's even better. That oh-so-satisfying heavy guitar crunch that showed up on Reel 1's "Walk Away," "Day of the Eagle," and "Rock Bottom" shows up again on Reel 2's "Not Fragile," Saturday Night Special," and "War Pigs."

In the same way that Reel 1's "I've Got a Feeling" actually sounded BETTER than the Beatles original, Reel 2's "I Want to Take You Higher" sounds BETTER than Sly's original. If you love the classic Gibson/Marshall guitar tone, then this is your CD. It contains some of the best guitar sounds I've ever heard, and effectively pays tribute to pioneers like Ronnie Montrose, Joe Walsh, Robin Trower, Gary Rossington, Keith Richards, Tony Iommi and Joe Perry.

Reel 1 and Reel 2 are so fun to listen to, that I'm prepared to plunk my money down on volume 3 if the boys are so inclined. In fact, Tesla is going to HAVE to create Reel 3, if only to pay tribute to the Who, Cream and Jimi Hendrix. Oh, I just remembered another song from Reel 1 that is superior to the original: "Hand Me Down World" by the Guess Who. Great stuff. Buy it!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tesla Rocks the Classics, October 9, 2007

By 

J. Lupton "Get me the hell out of Dundalk!" (Just south of Oblivion) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Real to Reel, Vol. 2 (Audio CD)

Tesla does it again in outstanding fashion. I appreciate the fact that they picked many less obvious songs and made them all their own. Case in point: Montrose's "Make It Last" and BTO's "Not Fragile" both excellent versions that make you appreciate the originals and the tesla-fied versions - they both rock. This cd contains two other gems Frampton's "Do You Feel Like We Do" and Sabbath's "War Pigs". I've never heard anybody cover Frampton's song (and you thought the live version was the final word!) 12 minutes of electric guitar bliss. "War Pigs" contains a wicked guitar break a la Hendrix (in this case..f'in Frank Hannon very underrated guitarist). I've heard many tribute cds and only a select few can make you forget the original version and seek out a newer version. This cd is easily one of the best cover song cds I've ever heard. P.S. Heard them cover "Rock Bottom" and "Do You Feel Like We Do" in '92 and Tesla rocked the house with smokin' versions of both songs. This rocks...BUY IT and support a band that plays out and is not played out.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Complete the Set with Real to Reel 2, November 8, 2007

By 

Richard Thompson "Music Fanatic" (El Paso, Texas) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Real to Reel, Vol. 2 (Audio CD)

I thoroughly enjoyed Real to Reel 1 by Tesla. Had some great covers, both known and unknown. I couldn't wait to get my hands on Real to Reel 2. I don't think it is as good as the first one due to song selection only, but it does contain MY favorite Black Sabbath song: War Pigs. And they do a good job on it. I would honestly give this 4 stars, but I am trying to compensate for "Apetit's" 1 star review (completely Un-appropriate) from Monkeyville USA. What an IDIOT this guy is.

Anyway, if you liked version one you should like version 2. Plus, it gives you the chance to mix and match your personal favorites and burn to one disc.