Those Were the Days [Box set]

Cream | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 23, 1997)
• Original Release Date: September 23, 1997
• Number of Discs: 4
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Polydor / Umgd
• ASIN: B000003TW3
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (50 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #93,733 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Cream was the first of three supergroups spawned by the Yardbirds' three stellar axmen (they preceded the original Jeff Beck Group by a year and Jimmy Page's Led Zeppelin by two). The trio of guitarist Eric Clapton, bassist Jack Bruce, and drummer extraordinaire (and band founder) Ginger Baker earned a reputation for fiery live performances rife with improvised blues-based jams (epitomized by Willie Dixon's "Spoonful") that could last half an hour. Two of this set's four discs are devoted to live Cream, showcasing prowess and interplay so powerful as to overshadow its occasional lapses into self-indulgence. Clapton admirers more familiar with his latter-day laid-back persona may be shocked at the incendiary musician showcased on these live cuts. Cream progressed over the course of its three and a half studio records (included here in their entirety). Electric blues evolution was their forte, but they also captured sounds that were moody and acoustic-tinged ("As You Said," "Passing the Time"), music-hall-influenced ("Mother's Lament," "Wrapping Paper"), and progressively poetic ("Deserted Cities of the Heart," "Pressed Rat and Warthog"). --Jerry McCulley

Product Description

Specially repackaged 2008 edition of this four CD box set consisting of 63 tracks that divide Cream's short but immensely influential career into two halves. The first two discs feature every studio track the group ever released, plus a handful of unreleased tracks, alternate takes and rarities. The other two discs are devoted to restored live material, which bring to life some of Cream's finest eclectic moments in concert such as Live At Winterland in San Francisco 1968. The power trio of guitarist Eric Clapton, bassist Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker were visionary with their distinctive sound, a unique collision of Blues, Jazz, Folk and Psychedelic Rock that not only defined the band's identity but captured the thrilling heady atmosphere of the late 1960s and set the ground work for rock bands that followed in the 1970s. This remarkably comprehensive collection comes complete with an extensive booklet, rare photographs and digitally remastered recordings. Universal. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

97 of 98 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Is the Mother Lode for Cream Fans, January 29, 2000

By 

Steve Vrana (Aurora, NE) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Those Were the Days (Audio CD)

Cream has the distinction of being the world's first supergroup. Comprised of Eric Clapton (guitar, vocals), Jack Bruce (bass, vocals), and Ginger Baker (drums) they would reshape the rock landscape over the course of four studio albums between December 1966 and January 1969 forging a hybrid of hard rock, heavy metal and the blues.

This 4-CD box set includes Cream's four studio albums in their entirety, plus most of the live material from Wheels of Fire, Live Cream, Vol. 1 and 2, and a handful of non-album singles and previously unreleased live songs.

Disc 1 contains Cream's first U.K. single "Wrapping Paper" and a previously unreleased version of "Lawdy Mama"--the version that originally appeared on Live Cream is on disc-2.

Disc-2 contains the non-album single "Anyone for Tennis," "The Coffee Song" (which previously only appeared on the U.K. reissue of Fresh Cream), five previously unissued demos (of which only "SWLABR" eventually made it onto an album), and a Falstaff beer commercial(!) to round out the disc.

The first two discs represent the studio material. Jack Bruce with lyricist Pete Brown wrote much of the band's original material, although Clapton did make some contributions, including "Strange Brew," Tales of Brave Ulysses" and "Badge," the latter with George Harrison who also provided rhythm guitar.

Discs 3 and 4 are all live recordings. The newly released material includes a 12-minute version of "N.S.U.," an extended 17-minute version of "Toad" and a performance of "Sunshine of Your Love" taken from the Glen Campbell Show in May 1968.

This box set is so comprehensive as to make owning any other Cream albums unnecessary and (except for those on a tight budget) the purchase to make rather than the skimpy (by comparison) 20-track The Very Best of Cream. The sound quality is superb, the 48-page booklet is informative, and the music will blow you away! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The "Cream" Rises To The Top!!!, March 8, 2005

By 

J. Harmon "bassman" (LA-USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Those Were the Days (Audio CD)

This is the real deal. If you want to hear one of the greatest bands of all time, in their entirety, get this box set. Every official release is on this set. You get Fresh Cream, Disraeli Gears, Wheels of Fire, Goodbye, The "Wrapping Paper" and "Anyone For Tennis" singles, an outtake from the Fresh Cream sessions, and several demos from the "Lost" sessions. And to top it all off, you get the "Falstaff Beer" song. Disc 1 and 2 are the studio sides, while 3 and 4 are devoted to the live recordings. These are perhaps the greatest live stuff ever recorded by a rock band. Some of these jams make Jimi look tame!!

I recommend this box set for anyone who wants to emmerse themselves in the orgy that is Cream. I recommend it to a new fan, but if this set is too much for the casual fan, there is the 20-track "The Very Best of Cream", which is much more affordable($16 compared to $53!!). But if you are a huge and obssessed fan like me, you won't mind spending $53 hard earned dollars on this. If something ever happened to my copy of this, I wouldn't hesitate for a second to get another copy. Get this as soon as you can, and please, for my sake(and a whole lot of others), don't let great music like this be overshadowed by s**t that is produced today!!!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Gallons of Cream, August 15, 2002

By 

the dirty mac "boot64" (Nutopian Global Institute) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Those Were the Days (Audio CD)

It would be hard to identify another band that accomplished as much in as little time as Cream did. This 4 CD box set does perfect justice to them because it contains almost everything of value that they ever recorded. Disc 1 has the complete albums FRESH CREAM (1966) and DISRAELI GEARS (1967) plus the non-LP single "Wrapping Paper" and one demo track. Disc 2 contains all of the studio tracks from WHEELS OF FIRE (1968) and GOODBYE (1969) plus the non-LP single "Anyone for Tennis" and a slew of rare or previously unreleased tracks.

Anyone with an interest in this set is probably aware of the band's history and biggest songs. It might be best to call attention to the oddities or curiosities contained hererin. Their debut album FRESH CREAM has most of their least heralded music. Its best songs tend to be covers of American blues classics like "Spoonful," "Rollin' and Tumblin'," and "Cat's Squirrel." Their cover of Robert Johnson's "From Four Until Late" is a bit of a shock, because in retrospect it sounds more like a track from one of Eric Clapton's 1970s albums. "I Feel Free," written by Jack Bruce with guest lyricist Pete Brown, is probably the best of that album's original songs. (Belinda Carlisle did a fantastic cover version of that song in 1987.)

Cream achieved their biggest commercial and critical successes with DISRAELI GEARS and WHEELS OF FIRE, both of which formed the core of their repertoire. A favorite of mine is "Pressed Rat and Wart Hog," on which Ginger Baker achieves heights of surrealism that Syd Barrett would envy. Of the three studio tracks from GOODBYE, "Badge" is by far the best. George Harrison co-wrote the song and played rhythm guitar to pay Clapton back for playing lead guitar on the Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." Of the rare or previously unreleased tracks, "The Coffee Song" is the most fun. "Lawdy Mama" is an interesting early incarnation of "Strange Brew." Don't forget the Falstaff Beer Commercial!

Discs 3 and 4 are live concert performances from 1968, mostly at venues in the San Francisco bay area -- Winterland, Fillmore West, and the Oakland Coliseum Arena. Two are previously unreleased. The rest are culled from WHEELS OF FIRE, GOODBYE and LIVE CREAM Volumes 1 & 2. Here is where the band's jazz influence comes to the fore. The musicianship is always first-rate and at times the interplay among Clapton, Bruce and Baker is something to behold. But casual customers beware: Some of these tracks run in excess of 10 minutes -- like the 17 minute performance of "Toad," which is dominated by a 13 minute drum solo by Baker. Clearly, we're talking serious fans only. Newcomers should start with the more concise live tracks, particularly "Crossroads" (of course), "Tales of Brave Ulysses," "Sleepy Time Time," and the vastly underrated "Deserted Cities of the Heart." The final live track is a performance of "Sunshine of Your Love" from the old Glen Campbell Show! That alone says all you need to know about the depth and breadth of Cream's impact.