Customer Reviews

Woodstock 1

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is the original Woodstock [triple LP] album, released back in 1970. It is a classic which - in comparison to the 4 CD box set of 1994 - comes across better. There is material here not on the box set. CSN&Y's "Wooden Ships" and Sly & the Family Stone's "Higher." However, where this set beats the box is in the audio mix. This 1970 mix is far superior to that of 1994. It is clearer and more defined. Be warned, however, some tracks are edited [for reasons of vinyl space] these include cuts by both Santana and Ten Years After. But if you want a classic record of the festival this is a minor fault. [If you are a Woodhead you will already have both this and the box and other releases like WOODSTOCK DIARY, RAVI SHANKAR AT THE WOODSTOCK FESTIVAL, JANIS JOPLIN: LIVE AT WOODSTOCK & JIMI HENDRIX: LIVE AT WOODSTOCK.]

Back in 1970, there was no anticipated album release like the first Woodstock 3-LP set released on the Cotillion Records label. Everybody who was there (or wished they were there) finally got a chance to relive the experience in their homes with the release of the soundtrack album. At least they thought they were reliving the experience. As we all remember, the package came in an elaborate three-panel gatefold sleeve with that RED distorted photograph of the stage and the vast crowd. Those huge towers sure made it look like a city. Unfortunately, the rest of the liner photos were blurry, and the package was quite lame. As far as the music was concerned, the producers gave us quite a generous helping.... three records worth!! Things begin with John B. Sebastian doing "I Had a Dream" and Canned Heat doing "Going Up The Country." I always enjoyed listening to the stage announcements, and each side had a few, which gave the album a true-to-life documentary approach. Unfortunately, not everything on the album was exactly like that. Other tracks on the album are poorly edited (The Who's See Me Feel Me, and Jimi's SSB/Instrumental solo) Others suffer from layers of overdubs (Ten Years After-I'm Going Home; Arlo Guthrie-Coming Into L.A.) Producer Eric Blackstead was right when he wrote that the technical flaws are like scars in fine leather. This is still an amazing album. Sly Stone's I Want To take you Higher medley is Woodstock at its height of its legendary glory. Country Joe's FISH cheer is a hilarious protest bit. Santana put on an amazing performance with Soul Sacrafice. Jimi proved his guitar was the the best of them all. Despite the flaws, this is still the ultimate (and first) Woodstock audio collection.

I have to agree with the earlier reveiwer in that this set is the "real" Woodstock recording. While it's nice to have the extra cuts on the box set, the superior sound quality and all of the stage announcements make this the ultimate experience. It wasn't just about the music, man.

First of all I must admit that I love the Woodstock Music & Art Fair, commonly known as The Woodstock Festival and I have traced its history since a long time

The former vinyl release of this double CD was my first approach to the famous event and since then, that it has become a real obsession to get everything about it (full performances, different releases and memorabilia)

I actually love this set, BUT it just give you a very small part of the 210 plus songs performed at Woodstock. Also it's presented in the wrong order, it's uncomplete and edited. Nevertheless I still recommended it as an starting point.

You won't find here other artists that actually performed at the event such as: Ravi Shankar (there's a deleted CD containing the full performance); Sweetwater (1 track on a deleted CD); Incredible String Band (just some seconds on a DVD); Keef Hartley (unavailable performance info.); Quill; Mountain (see Woodstock 25 ann., and Woodstock two); Bert Sommer (1 track on DVD); The Band (see Woodstock 25 ann., and Woodstock two); Blood Sweat and Tears; Tim Hardin (only "If I were a Carpenter" was available later); Grateful Dead; Melanie (see Woodstock 25 ann., and Woodstock two); Credence Clearwater Revival (see Woodstock 25 ann.); and Janis Joplin (see Woodstock 25 ann.).

Let me intoduce to you some remarks of the set:

1. John Sebastián - I Had a Dream
Third artist to appear or at least forced to. He was just hanging around. His full set is on "Faithful Virtue" CD on Rhino Recs. (long deleted). This track is actually live.

2. Canned Heat - Going Up the Country
They performed on Saturday. Their full performance of 5 songs is not available (just parts on video). This is a studio version, but they actually performed the number live (see Lost Performances VHS).

3. Richie Havens - Freedom
The very first artist to appear (or the only one who was ready to jump onto the stage). He performed 8 - 9 songs. It's edited the guitar tuning was the prelude to another song.

4. Country Joe and the Fish - Rock and Soul Music
Oh boy!. This is sunday evening, just after the big storm. There is another song on the CD "The Life and Times of Country Joe & the Fish" (available at Amazon.com).

5. Arlo Guthrie - Coming into Los Angeles
Studio version. On film (DVD. VHS), you can see a small part of the live performance of this number. He played just before day - one headliner Joan Baez.

6. Sha Na Na - At the Hop
This is MONDAY morning around 7 o'clock. How they put Sha Na Na on the show? They performed 8 - 9 songs.

7. "Fish" Cheer I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin-To-Die-Rag
Day one, second artist. Forced to jump onto the stage (lots of delays on bringing the bands to the site). This is the last of his 5 songs solo performance.

8. Joan Baez - Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man
9. Joe Hill
Two songs of her 5 songs set.

10. Crosby Stills Nash (&Young) - Suite: Judy Blue Eyes
11. Crosby Stills Nash (&Young) - Sea of Madness
12. Crosby Stills Nash (&Young) - Wooden Ships
Part of the almost 10 song performed. "Wooden.." is the studio track. Also included on vinyl was "Long Time Comin'" on studio version.

13. The Who - We're Not Gonna Take It
Day two. The Who performed for over one hour. Parts of their performance are available elsewhere but complete set is only on bootlegs. This IS NOT "We are not gonna take it".

14. With a Little Help from My Friends
Day three. 3 of the 5 songs performed are available.

1. Santana - Soul Sacrifice
Day two. Slightly edited. Greg Rollie said at the begginning of this number "We got another tune for you...", a small tune up, then the claps, then the music...superb. This highly recommended Santana set is available on the double CD re issue of the first album (available at Amazon.com)

2. Ten Years After - I'm Going Home
Day three in the night. Edited number (a notorious part is withdrawn in the middle). Part of a 4 numbers set.

3. Jefferson Airplane - Volunteers
Early in the morning (around 7 AM) of day three. They were scheduled to go on Saturday night.

4. Sly and the Family Stone - Medley: Dance to the Music/Music Lover/I Want to Take You Higher
Over 50 minutes of live performance reduced to this edited portion. The complete number was "Everyday People - Dance to the Music - I want to take higher" lasting 11 minutes.

5. John Sebastian - Rainbows All Over Your Blues
Ooops we go back to day one. By the way that acoustic guitar is Tim Hardin's.

6. Paul Butterfield Blues Band - Love March
This is Monday morning around 5 - 6 AM. They performed 5 - 6 numbers.

7. Jimi Hendrix - Star Spangled Banner/Purple Haze and Instrumental Solo
The best covered artist from the event. Get the official CD "Live at Woodstock" for the most complete performance. BUT there are two numbers absolutely lost "(Call me) Mastermind" and "Gipsy Woman" both with Larry Lee on vocals.

I was in the seventh grade when my brother brought this album home from college. I listened to it until the grooves ran out, and some thirty odd years later I still listen to it...in awe.

Without question the best:
1. Santana
2. Joe Cocker
3. Sly and Family Stone
4. Richie Havens
5. Jimi Hendrix
6. Ten Years After
7. Balance of the set

I'm not sure if it was the event, the mass of people or realizing in the seventh grade that something like this could happen that hit me like a ton of bricks. Frankly, this is some of the finest live music that has been recorded at one of the greatest gatherings to ever take place.

I keep listening to this cd version & wondering why it seems different to me than the original 3 disc vinyl from the seventies. Where is the studio version of CSN&Y's "Woodstock" that opens the film!? Was that on the vinyl? I loved the Wavy Gravy stuff about, "People we got the Times, we got the times ..." and Max Yasgur, "I'M A FARMER!" But wasn't there a long, "far-out", announcement from John Sebastian about a baby being born at the site? And him going-on, hippy-dippy, about how that baby was gonna be "far-out!" That's been cut from the DVD too. Why, I wonder ... the dialogue was such an important signature of the event. Did the producers decide, 30 years later, that some of that drug/high dialouge was really just embarrasing or what? I wonder. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

Was lucky to have been in a group of 8 people who ended up at Woodstock pretty much by accident- no, really. Two of our friends had heard about the concert, and "dared" us to be carried along on this mysterious adventure. We got there before the fences were all up, the guys helped to construct the stage and towers, resulting in our free admission and right to squat within 100 feet of the stage for the 6 days we were there!
The film, and therefore the soundtrack album, pretty much featured the best of the music and performances, while totally omitting others that I think should have been shown. Crosby Stills and Nash performing together publicly for the first time, Santana's awesome performance (which, by the way, not only was mostly during a thunderstorm but was much longer than scheduled), Jimi Hendrix giving the performance of his life- beginning while most of us were still sleeping!- and the first exposure for most of us to Sha Na Na, which we first thought was a goof, but ended up loving....so many wonderful bands playing their hearts out for us in that indescribably awful weather. My friends and I still wonder why Joan Baez and her blathering, maundering speech about her husband was included both in the movie and album.
If you weren't there, you probably don't have any idea that Janis Joplin WAS, and even though she was so drunk/wasted she had trouble standing, she gave it a try.
Bad weather, long lines for Porta-Johns too nasty to use, food and beverage in short supply, stoned people in various degrees of nudity... It was the best time I ever had in my life!
Listen to the album, watch the film every chance you get.And LEARN from it! It was supposed to be such a horrible, tumultuous time, but how much more simple, kind, nice, happy, and lucky life in America was back then!
I guess I'm saying that the Woodstock album and film are a time machine, one I wish everyone would make use of.
Shelly

I use to open up the cover of this live album when I was 13,looking at the pictures,and imagine I was there while playing this fantastic record.You can never go back again,but it was a special time.Its a classic,and must have for your record collection." and its OneTwoThree,What are we fighting for.."Seems like were back again.

The CD was for a friend and they were thrilled with it. It was new and in great condition eventhough it was not in a sealed pastic wrap (which I was disappointed). I got it sooner than I expected which was really nice. They did a great job in wrapping it for mailing. I would recommend them. Thanks Willie

I loved the music but after buying the CD for a high price I found the music was available for less money on other Woodstock CD's. Also the other Woodstock CD's were studio versions which I prefer.