CHRIS ECKMAN - Radio Val 2022, Ljubljana, Slovenia - 2021

This is a very special radio broadcast, easily my favourite downloaded show this year.

The informative interview sections can be put in a different folder if you just wish to hear the music but it's well worth the effort to listen to the whole eighty-four minutes, at least for the first time.

Further information on Chris Eckman and his previous band, The Walkabouts can be found on the links at the bottom of the post.

Chris Eckman & Širom

Radia Val 202

Ljubljana, Slovenija.

15 March, 2021

(radio recording)

01. Grand Theft Auto (4:00) 'New West Motel 1993

02. Talk (edit, 2:03)

03. With What Mouth (D.Zajc) (4:45) 'The Last Side Of The Mountain' 2008

04. Katie Cruel (Ijudska) (6:49)  'Harney County' 2013

05. Talk (edit, 4:37)

06. America (4:23 )   Paul Simon cover

07. Then There´s the Rain (6:14) 'Drums And Wires' V/A 2020

08. Talk (edit, 5:03)

09. Northern Lights (6:18) 'Where The Spirit Rests' 2021

10. Cabin Fever (5:35) 'Where The Spirit Rests' 2021

11. Talk (edit, 2:23)

12. Requiem for the Old Skool Heavy (5:16) 'Harney County' 2013

13. Talk (edit, 1:20)

14. Simple Love (F.Milcinski Jezek) (3:52) 'My World Is Turned Upside Down' V/A 2019

15. The Same (D.Zajc) (3:59)   'The Last Side Of The Mountain' 2008

16. Talk (edit, 3:34)

17. Don´t Let Our Youth Go to Waste (8:10) Jonathan Richman cover

The original interview extends to 45 minutes but it wasn't a straightforward listen because of the continuous translations from English to Slovenian. With apologies to any Slovenian listeners, these have been edited out, bringing down the interview time from 45:17 to 19:00.

Running Time: 84:25

Music: 65:25

Interview talk: 19:00

Line-Up:

Chris Eckman
Balaz Celarec
Ziga Golob
Alastair McNeill
Bostjan Simon
Jana Beltran
Bostjan Nara
and Sirom:
Ana Kravanja
Samo Kutin
Iztok Koren
 

Rec-Mode: WAV 24bit-48kHZ > Editing Adobe Audition 2020 20bit/48kHz
Original Running time: 1:44:47

Music: 65:25

Talk:  45:17, edited to 19:00

16bit 44.1kHz WAV

LINK

www.val202.si

Radia Slovenija Val 202

Tavčarjeva ulica 17

1000 Ljubljana, Slowenien

https://www.chriseckman.net/

https://www.thewalkabouts.com/

https://chriseckman.bandcamp.com

Follow the above link to bandcamp where the album Chris was working on at this time "Where the Spirit Rests" is available, he performed two songs from that forthcoming album on this radio show. Many of the musicians listed below are name checked during this show.

Bandcamp say the following about "Where The Spirit Rests"

The fifth solo album from Chris Eckman (The Walkabouts, Dirtmusic, Distance, Light & Sky) is a deep dive into the vagaries of extraordinary times. 

Eckman’s luminous songwriting navigates loss, disorientation, redemption and the search for home. 

Recorded raw and direct with a small ensemble, the record is framed by expansive sonic textures: treated strings, analogue synth drones and ambient guitars. 

Where the Spirit Rests was co-produced with British electronic composer Alastair McNeill (Roísín Murphy, Yila) and includes an inspired cast of collaborators: pedal steel maverick Chuck Johnson, avant-garde violinist Catherine Graindorge, Dream Syndicate/Green on Red keyboardist Chris Cacavas, Seattle pedal steelist Jon Hyde (Karl Blau, Laura Viers) and Eckman's long time Ljubljana-based rhythm section of Žiga Golob (upright bass) and Blaž Celarec (drums).

The All Music Guide called Eckman “one of the most underrated U.S. songwriters, a man who can pack a short story into image-laden lyrics.” The new album is amongst his most personal and vivid. A place to which he has been headed all along.

released June 4, 2021

Produced by Alastair McNeill with Chris Eckman

Mixed & recorded by Alastair McNeill at Nature Scene, Ljubljana

LED ZEPPELIN - Early Daze: Live 1969 (Flac)

Where do you go next after a Robert Plant post? No surprise then!

This is an excellent compilation of Led Zeppelin live in 1969 by the esteemed Professor Stoned, who has taken mixing and remastering bootleg recordings to a new level.

"This is a glimpse of the raw power of early Zep, something that was never really captured properly apart from the very first BBC sessions. 

Thankfully, this material survives in decent quality, even if all of these tapes have obvious shortcomings. 

Still, I enjoy a good challenge, and I wanted to see how far I could take them to make them enjoyable for fans who do not feel like venturing too far into the bootleg jungle. There were more tracks I could have included, but it felt more important to put together a tight, listenable set of performances that still leaves plenty of room for the usual jamming excesses. 

I considered using the Texas Festival tape, but ultimately decided against it because the drum sound was not good enough, as well as the Stockholm tape, which runs only 22 minutes and simply did not seem like a strong enough performance to include. 

All tracks are officially unreleased, except for the last two, which appeared on the 2003 DVD, albeit with the ending of “HMMT” chopped off; that has been restored here." Enjoy! P.S. 04-2026

Led Zeppelin - Early Daze (Live '69) [Prof. Stoned 2026]

01. You Shook Me 7:52

02. I Can't Quit You Baby 5:40

Fillmore West, S.F. USA; 11 January 1969 (mono P.A. soundboard)

03. White Summer/ Black Mountain Side 9:40

Fillmore West, S.F. USA; 24 April 1969 (stereo stage recording)

04. Dazed 'n Confused 12:22

Fillmore West, S.F. USA; 11 January 1969 (mono P.A. soundboard)

05. Pat's Delight 10:41

Fillmore West, S.F. USA; 24 April 1969 (stereo stage recording)

06. As Long As I Have You (incl. elements of 'Fresh Garbage', 'Shake', 'Cat's Squirrel', 'No Money Down' & 'I'm A Man') 17:28

Fillmore West, S.F. USA; 27 April 1969 (stereo P.A. soundboard)

07. Communication Breakdown 2:38

08. How Many More Times 12:35

Gladsaxe Teen Club, Gladsaxe, DK; March 17, 1969 (mono TV soundboard)

All tracks Stereo

Total time: 1h19m0s

Recorded live at

Fillmore West, S.F. USA; 11 January 1969 (mono P.A. soundboard): Tr. 01-02,04

Gladsaxe Teen Club, Gladsaxe, DK; March 17, 1969 (mono TV soundboard): Tr. 07-08 

Fillmore West, S.F. USA; 24 April 1969 (stereo stage recording): Tr 03,05

Fillmore West, S.F. USA; 27 April 1969 (stereo P.A. soundboard): Tr. 06

 

Demix Rebalancing/Mastering: Prof Stoned

v1.0: 19-04-2026

Sources:

1969.01.11 Fillmore West, San Francisco, California (SBD Master Reel) 

[Brought to you by Jason Peterson Presence@royal-orleans.com]

Led Zeppelin DVD (2003)

1969.03.17 'The Scandinavian Sessions'

1969.04.24 Fillmore West,San Francisco,CA (Empress Valley)

1969.04.27 Fillmore West, San Francisco (SBD - Raw unaltered transfer) [dadgad]

LINK

ROBERT PLANT - Glastonbury Festival 1993 (Flac)

This post was influenced by the recent Uncut magazine publication, Uncut Greats: Robert Plant, after reading the following. 

"FOR one of the great live performers, surprisingly little of Robert Plant’s solo live output has been given an official release – and when we say little, we mean practically zip. What we do have – and that via digital outlets only – is his second ever concert with the Sensational Space Shifters from the Forum London in the summer of 2012. That probably gives a good indication of how excited he was to work with the group as it came out a couple of years before their studio album."

The reviewer concludes "a little more live action wouldn't go amiss."

Fortunately bootleg fans have plenty of shows to enjoy, this is one of my favourites from an earlier period. It's from a Westwood One pre-FM disc. The sound quality is superb. Some performers really take to the Glastonbury Festival and produce a memorable performance that is worth repeated listening many years after the event. This is one of those, from 1993 just after Robert Plant had released his "Fate of Nations" album.

The Uncut magazine reviewer says that the album,

"Is the point in Plant’s career where a creative restlessness first takes hold, the album on which he explores the light and shade his earlier solo work was missing, and where, paradoxically, by acknowledging certain elements of his Zeppelin past he truly began to step boldly out of the band’s considerable shadow. 

This Glastonbury show features three tracks from that album, Calling To You, 29 Palms" and Promised Land as well as five highly regarded singles, that placed in the magazine listing of Plant's Top 20 singles. 

Big Log #1, 29 Palms #2, Ship of Fools #5, In The Mood #7 and Little By Little #19, finishing the broadcast with an extended ten-minute version. Add in three Zeppelin classics to this triumphant show and it's a must have for your bootleg collection.

Robert Plant

Glastonbury Festival
Worthy Farm, Pilton, 

Somerset, England
25 June 1993

01. Intro
02. Calling To You 5:29

03. 29 Palms #2 5:01            
04. Tie Dye On The Highway 5:47
05. Going To California 4:10
06. Promised Land 8:02
07. What Is And What Should Never Be 6:21  
08. Ship Of Fools 6:33
09. Whole Lotta Love 7:13
10. In The Mood 9:37
11. Big Log 7:17                                 

12. Little By Little #19 10:07

Westwood 1 pre-fm source, excluding adverts and host comments.

LINK

Bootlegs of the Year 2015-2025

8th Edition including 2025

 

This document was first compiled in 2015 after I received numerous emails, enquiring as to where bootlegs #1-100 posted on site, could be found. (many of the links were lost in 2016, see Downloads box on top right-hand side panel). 

 

This latest edition (the eighth) includes 326 bootlegs, the best I have downloaded since 2015. The 192-page book will point you in the right direction, in finding the sites I have used and most importantly the web addresses where they can be located. 

Although it concentrates on the best bootlegs I have downloaded in the last eleven years, the same websites and addresses noted in the book, are where the majority of the bootlegs in the 100 Greatest listing originated from. The posts #1 to #100 were mostly made from downloads prior to 2015. 

 

I have re-edited the document. The New Order & Television/Tom Verlaine boots have been edited into more readable sections, the best have been featured and further information for the keenest fans of these bands has been included. I have dropped some bootlegs that have now been officially released, especially those that have much superior sound quality on their official releases, e.g. David Bowie - Jazz Festival, Montreux, 2002. 

 

To sum up, I have included the best bootlegs I have downloaded in the preceding years, 2015 to 2025. Having discarded numerous titles, these are the best from that time frame. 

I have not provided a sound quality rating as virtually all are of sufficient high quality to rate around 5 out of 5, some are worthy of 5+ like the best official releases.

As you can imagine, it took some time and effort to pull this all together. What to include and just as importantly what to leave out, has taken considerable thought and listening hours, enjoyable nonetheless. So if you are a fan of any of the artists featured, then I can confidently state that you will definitely enjoy the bootlegs that have been chosen.

 

If you would like a copy of this document, it's only £6 GBP via the donate button (see the top right-hand bar - above blog archive). You do not need a paypal account.

 

Included in the main body of the text of the document are details of the 326 bootlegs downloaded, and where to find them by the following artists:                 

 

11 years - 184 different artists

RYAN ADAMS
THE AFGHAN WHIGS
ARCADE FIRE (3)
ARCTIC MONKEYS

ASWAD

THE AVALANCHES
BEASTIE BOYS (2)
BEATLES
BECK (2)

CAPTAIN BEEFHEART & HIS MAGIC BAND

BELLE & SEBASTIAN
BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE (3)

BJORK
BLACK KEYS

BLONDIE

THE BLUE NILE

BLUR

JOE BONAMASSA (4)
DAVID BOWIE (5)
BROADCAST (3)

BUCKINGHAM NICKS

BYRDS
CALEXICO (3)
CALEXICO / IRON & WINE
CAN
JOHNNY CASH
CAT POWER (3)

NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS (5)

THE CHURCH
THE CLASH (2)
COCTEAU TWINS (2)
LEONARD COHEN (2)
LLOYD COLE / THE COMMOTIONS (2)
RY COODER
ELVIS COSTELLO & THE ATTRACTIONS (3)
CRAMPS 

CRANBERRIES
CREAM 

THE CURE (5)

DEAD CAN DANCE (2)

DELTA 5

DEPECHE MODE
DEREK & THE DOMINOS
DEXYS MIDNIGHT RUNNERS
DJ DANGERMOUSE
BOB DYLAN (5)
EAGLES
STEVE EARLE & THE DUKES (2)
ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN (2)

ELECTRAFIXION

EURYTHMICS
EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL

THE FALL
ALI FARKA TOURE & RY COODER
FEEDER

FELT

THE FLAMING LIPS
FLEET FOXES
FLEETWOOD MAC (5)
FONTAINES DC

RORY GALLAGHER (3)
GANG OF FOUR (2)

GENESIS (2)
BETH GIBBONS & RUSTIN MAN
RHIANNON GIDDENS
DAVID GILMOUR (2)
GRATEFUL DEAD (2)

GUNS 'N' ROSES
PJ HARVEY (2)
INXS
JANE'S ADDICTION
JIMI HENDRIX (3)
 JOHN HIATT & THE FAMILY DOGS

THE JAM
JAPAN (2)
THE JESUS & MARY CHAIN (2)
RICKIE LEE JONES
JONI MITCHELL (2)
THE KILLS
KRAFTWERK (5)
LAMBCHOP (2)
LED ZEPPELIN (7)

THE LEMONHEADS

LENNY KRAVITZ
LINTON KWESI JOHNSON (2)
LONE JUSTICE
MANIC STREET PREACHERS
BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS (5)
LAURA MARLING
MASSIVE ATTACK
CURTIS MAYFIELD (2)
MAZZY STAR (2)
JOHN MELLENCAMP
MISTY IN ROOTS (2)
JONI MITCHELL (3)
MOGWAI 

THE NATIONAL (3)

NEW BOHEMIANS (WITH EDIE BRICKELL)
NEW ORDER (6)
STEVIE NICKS

NINE INCH NAILS
NIRVANA (2)

GARY NUMAN

OASIS

SINEAD O'CONNOR

THE OFFSPRING
ORBITAL

O.M.D.

OUTCASTS
PAVEMENT

PEARL JAM (4)

PENTANGLE
LEE PERRY & V/A
TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS (6)
PIL (2)
PINK FLOYD 

PIXIES (2)
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS

ROBERT PLANT (4)
POGUES
THE POLICE (3)

IGGY POP

PRIMAL SCREAM (2)
QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE (2)
RADIOHEAD (6)
BONNIE RAITT

LOU REED
REM (4)
DAVID RODIGAN'S REGGAE SHOW: PRINCE BUSTER
ROLLING STONES (2)

ROXY MUSIC (2)

RUSH

SADE
SANTANA

SCIENTIST

SEBADOH

THE SHINS (2)

SIMPLE MINDS (2)
SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES

THE SLITS
SMASHING PUMPKINS
ELLIOTT SMITH
PATTI SMITH (4)
SONIC YOUTH (2)
SPARKLEHORSE
SPARKS

SPECIALS
SPIRITUALIZED (2)
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
STEELY DAN

STING (2)
THE STRANGLERS 
THE STROKES (2)
JOE STRUMMER & THE MESCALEROS
SUICIDE
DAVID SYLVIAN & ROBERT FRIPP
TALKING HEADS
TEARDROP EXPLODES (2)
TELEVISION (5)
THIN LIZZY
GEORGE THOROGOOD & THE DESTROYERS (2)
TINARIWEN      
TRIFFIDS

UNDERWORLD (2)
VARIOUS ARTISTS (4)
LAURA VEIRS
TOM VERLAINE (3)
THE VERVE (2)
WAH! HEAT
TOM WAITS (2)

THE WATERBOYS (2)

JACK WHITE
THE WHO
LUCINDA WILLIAMS (2)
X
THE YARDBIRDS

YOUNG MARBLE GIANTS (2)
NEIL YOUNG/CRAZY HORSE/PROMISE OF THE REAL (11)  

The PDF document comprises:

• 192 pages A4
• Word count 101,855
• 325 bootleg images

Full details have been included for each bootleg such as:

• Venue
• Date of performance
• Type of recording - soundboard, FM, from the audience, etc.
• Lineage
• Running time
• Website address
• Complete track listings
• Track timings
• Informative comments about each bootleg
• Index

If you would like a copy of this document, it's only £6 GBP via the donate button, you do not require a paypal account.

An audio sampler is available on a preceding post: Bootleg Promo. The selected tracks are from bootlegs that never made the cut for the final document, but they will give you an idea of the sound quality I look for.

page samples above

 

A big thanks to all who have commented on this post and all others. I'm not always able to reply thanks to the unreliable commenting system. You are appreciated.

 

Happy New Year and let's hope we are all still here in 2027!

 

AGNES OBEL - Studio 104, Maison de la Radio & de la Musique, Paris. 2026 (Flac)

At the weekend I was reading the review of Neil Young’s new release ‘Second Song’ - album of the month with a 9 star rating in the latest issue of Mojo Magazine. I decided to see if there were any live recordings on the Dimeadozen torrent site. 

None from this year so far, a name stood out while looking through the most current posts on Dime, Agnes Obel, not a first name you come across much nowadays, at least in the UK.

Getting back to the job in hand I looked further back and found many shows from 2025 but before venturing down that particular path I decided to listen to the live official release from the tour, which was released earlier this year ‘As Time Explodes’. The Chrome Hearts seem to have inspired Neil, the new songs have impressed me more than his previous work with the Promise Of The Real.

After listening to the live album I went back for a further browse of the November magazine and came across a review of an artist I’d never heard before Agnes Obel! These words caught my eye.

“If Obel’s records through the years have contained traces of Kate Bush, Anohni, the folkier side of PJ Harvey and the orchestral end of Bjork, both the title track (The Meaning Of Flowers) and ‘Gemini’ share the same territory as Tales Of Us - era Goldfrapp even if these productions are more starkly rendered.

By this time I was sold and began falling through another listening wormhole, leading me back to the torrent site to download this live radio broadcast, the quality is stunning as is the music. The instrumentation at times is reminiscent of Tom Waits (see the last two songs). If you like the above mentioned artists you will enjoy this.

Agnès Obel

Studio 104, Maison de la Radio & de la Musique, 

Paris
Recording & broadcast: 17 September 2026

Lineage: FM (France Inter) > CDWAV > FLAC > you
Total time: 54 minutes

Setlist:
01 intro Matthieu Conquet, applause
02 Laymelli*
03 talk, Agnès Obel
04 Run Cried the Crawling
05 talk MC, Agnès Obel
06 Faustian Deal*
07 Gemini*
08 talk MC, Agnès Obel
09 Never Been*
10 Blood So Red*
11 talk MC, Agnès Obel, band intro
12 Stretch Your Eyes
13 The Curse
14 interview & outro

Recorded and edited by svp, for you. 
Matthieu Conquet's comments, at the end of the songs, have not been removed.
* new songs from her new album, The Meaning of Flowers, out today 18 September, 2026

LINK

REVIEW
Agnes Obel in concert at Studio 104 of Radio France

As Agnes Obel rolls out her new studio album, The Meaning of Flowers, the Danish-born artist was in Paris on Thursday, September 17, 2026, for an intimate, exclusive show at Radio France’s Studio 104. Over roughly 50 minutes, Obel treated us to a beautiful musical journey into her latest work, while also revisiting three older tracks. We were there, here’s what went down.

It paid to act fast to secure one of the invitations Radio France was giving away to attend this exclusive concert by Agnes Obel. When tickets went on sale last Thursday, September 10, the seats were snapped up in just a few minutes. It must be said that Agnes Obel is one of the leading lights to come out of the  de la scène néoclassique et de la pop de chambre. 

For 16 years now, this Danish-born artist based in Berlin has captivated us with a delicate, melancholic, and cinematic universe. After already releasing four studio albums, Agnes Obel returns this Friday, September 18, 2026, with a brand-new fifth record. Titled "The Meaning of Flowers", the album extends the artist's singular world, unveiling twelve tracks, including the striking single "Laymelli". With this new opus, nourished by the experience of motherhood, the singer and musician offers a fresh journey, at the crossroads of classical, chamber pop, and experimentation.

As the artist readies her new European Autumn tour, Agnes Obel was in the French capital on September 17, 2026 for a public concert that was broadcast live on France Inter. It was an opportunity to hear a handful of new songs performed live, in an exclusive preview. We were lucky enough to be at the show, and here’s our take.

For 50 minutes, in the intimate, pared-down setting of the Studio 104 de Radio France, Agnes Obel cast a spell with her new material. For this exclusive show, she chose to perform no fewer than five new songs. She opens with the beautiful single "Laymelli," standing at her keyboards, Agnes Obel wastes no time charming the audience with her deliberately altered voice, achieved through digital processing. Just as she did on the track "Familiar," the artist unveils a deep, resonant male voice, which at the end of the song leads to a haunting, yet captivating, duet with herself.

Agnes Obel then sits at the grand piano to perform the beautiful Run Cried The Crawling, from the album Aventine, before moving on to a set of new numbers, including Faustian Deal, Gemini and Never Been. These pieces are brighter, drifting away from the darker moods of her earlier work.

By nature very reserved and preferring studio recordings to the stage, Agnes Obel nevertheless made a point of addressing the audience and listeners, not forgetting to introduce her fellow musicians, already part of the last tour. On Thursday evening, we were delighted to see on stage the talented German cellist Marie-Claire Schlameus, who layered loops and also accompanied Agnes with her magnetic voice. The Danish artist was also surrounded by Japanese keyboardist Hinako Omori and Swiss drummer and percussionist Julian Sartorius, who impressed us with the finesse of his playing.

Agnes Obel kept her set flowing by delivering the sublime track "Blood So Red", a standout from this new album. To close this particularly intimate performance in style, the Danish artist chose to take us back in time with two of her signature pieces, "Stretch Your Eyes" (2016) and "The Curse" (2013). A tad short for our taste—we would have loved to stretch this beautiful, suspended moment a few minutes longer in her company. We’ll have to wait for her next tour and this stop at the Olympia in Paris in autumn 2027. 

Written, published and photos by Caroline de Sortiraparis 
September 18, 2026 

PJ HARVEY - Peel Sessions Vol. 2 (Flac)

The official Peel Sessions 1991-2004 release twenty years ago, was a welcome issue but could have been a bit more substantial. 

This post is my idea of a more comprehensive look at PJ Harvey's work broadcast on the BBC Radio 1 John Peel show. If you have the official release, look on this as a companion to that 2006 issue.

The first track 'Rid of Me' does not appear as a session track in Ken Garner's Peel sessions book nor does Peel's 60th birthday bash but both are included here as they are inextricably linked with the show that the sessions were broadcast on. 

The Improv Theatre show has raw and very impressive versions of PJ's early work.

PJ Harvey - Peel Sessions Vol. 2 (1992-2004) 

01. Rid Of Me
02. Claudine My Inflatable One
03. The Garden
04. Catherine
05. A Perfect Day Elise
06. Electric Light
07. Somebody's Down, Somebody's Name
08. Nickel Under The Foot
09. The Letter 
10. Cat On The Wall 
11. Shame
12. Horses In My Dreams
13. Fountain

t1 from 1992-05-02 John Peel show BBC Radio 1 (guest appearance)
t2 from 1993-03-02 Maida Vale Studio, London, BBC Radio 1 Peel Session
t3-6 from  f1998-09-23 Maida Vale Studio 4 BBC Radio 1 Session Lamacq/Peel
t7-8 from 2000-11-10 - Maida Vale Studio 4 BBC Radio 1 Peel Session London 
t9-11 from 2004-05-20 - Peel Acres, BBC Radio 1 Peel Session, Suffolk  
t12-13 from 2004-12-16 - BBC Maida Vale Studio 3, Keeping it Peel, John Peel Tribute, London 

Lineage: FM? > CDR Trade > EAC > Soundforge8 > CDWave 1.96.1 > FLAC5

Track selections from an original upload 'On The Radio' by newrose to the Dimeadozen tracker - August 2008

LINK 1

PJ Harvey Live at the Improv Theatre, London

John Peel’s 60th Birthday Bash

1 April 1999

01. Dry
02. Man Size
03. Legs
04. Angelene
05. C'mon Billy
06. Rid Of Me
07. Teclo
08. Send His Love To Me
09. 50 ft Queenie
10. Oh My Lover

FM Recording - Also from newrose's original post mentioned above.

LINK 2

MASSIVE ATTACK - BBC Maida Vale, London - 2006 (Flac)

Massive Attack 

BBC Maida Vale Studios, London. 
15th May 2006

Notes: 

This 7 track session was recorded for the Dermot O'Leary Show on BBC Radio 2, as part of promoting the new Best Of album "Collected". 

It was recorded on May 15th, but was not broadcast until the 27th that same month. Together with the interview segment, the radio show only broadcast the first 4 tracks that were recorded that day, with Future Proof, Black Melt and Safe From Harm never been broadcast or heard of outside the Maida Vale studio. A previous bootleg of this show only contained the first 4 tracks until now... 

The primary source for this recording is from an official (and very rare!) CD-R promo produced by Virgin Records, which fills in the gap of the 3 missing tracks recorded in Maida Vale studios that day. It is also an upgrade in quality from the previous bootleg as it is ripped directly from a CD source and not an FM one as before. The only throwback from the previous bootleg is the interview segment. 

Tracklist:

01. Unfinished Sympathy (4:59) 
02. Inertia Creeps (5:26)
03. Teardrop (5:28)
04. Live With Me (4:50)
05. (Interview With 3D)* (11:06)
06. Future Proof (6:00)
07. Black Melt (5:46)
08. Safe From Harm (8:41)

Sources: 

1. CD Rip (Taper: Richard)  
2. FM Recording * (Taper: leex100) 

Lineage: 

1. Promo CD-R > Windows Media Player > WAV > Trader's Little Helper > FLAC (Level 8)     
2. FM Tuner > CoolEdit > FLAC (Level 4)

LINK

DAVID BOWIE - Leon Suites (Flac)

Part 1: original notes

David Bowie - The Leon Suites
(1. Outside Outtakes) (BOWSTAT018)

Suite 1: I Am With Name (22:09)
Suite 2: Leon Takes Us Outside (21:29)
Suite 3: Enemy Is Fragile (27:37)

Total time: 71:14

These demos were recorded and rejected by the record company in 1994. The Leon Suites eventually turned into the 1. Outside album released in 1995.

Parts of the 3 suites have been available on earlier bootleg releases, but all of them have been sourced from low bit rate MP3s.

This is the first release of the complete Leon Suit in a lossless version.

The source of this recording is a CDR provided by Adam Bedstroke. A lot of thanks goes out to him for letting these demos be shared amongst fans.

Bowie Station production 2016

Part 2: updated notes:

Goody Speed/Pitch-adjusted Edition

Some quotes compiled and edited from comments gathered at bowiestation.com, with thanks to paperdragon:

I talked to one of the musicians who is on this and got a more complete story. First, these aren't outtakes at all, and second, they weren't initially intended to be a Bowie album.

The idea was to form a sort of supergroup behind Bowie and Eno, and record an album as a one-off project for that group. This is essentially that album.

So what we have here is a fully-realized concept album for a group that never came into existence.

It was then presented to the record company, who as we all know rejected it as "uncommercial." After that, Bowie used parts of it as the basis for an entirely new project, which became 1. Outside.  So, had this been released, 1. Outside would have never happened.

So, rather than this being outtakes from Outside, it's actually more true that Outside was based on outtakes from The Leon Suites, an album in it's own right.

There were five suites recorded for Leon. Two were deleted, with three receiving a final mix then being presented to the record company for release.

It's possible that some of the outtakes came from the two other suites, which themselves became outtakes.

And that's only talking about the Leon project.

When the record company passed on Leon, Bowie took parts of it and used them as the basis for 1. Outside. That project has it's own outtakes.

The confusion comes in because people fail to realize that we're talking about two separate projects, Leon and the later Outside. They tend to lump the outtakes from both together and call them all outtakes from Outside. Even this was called Outside outtakes, when in reality it's a finished album which, if released, would have meant that Outside would never have happened. 

nickfa asked:

"Do you happen to also know who is playing on this album?

i imagine it's the musicians on 1st Outside but maybe some others?"

David Bowie, Brian Eno, Reeves Gabrels, Mike Garson, Erdal Kizil ay & Sterling Campbell are the ones who got the writing credits for this so-called "Leon" tape which was recorded at Mountain Studio, Switzerland.  

Also these sessions were always known as Outside; the name Leon was a name given to just one tape which was part of the Nathan Adler series.  

Other tracks recorded in Switzerland were

"The Hearts Filthy Lesson"

"A Small Plot of Land"     

The other tracks on 1. Outside were recorded in New York, where Carlos Alomar was added to the line up.

From all previous stuff I have read, two or three complete cd's were rejected by several record companies, as Bowie did not have a record contract at this time.  Most of the info about these so-called "Leon" tapes comes from the musicians, but accounts vary. 

These were not 'early' sessions. These were sessions to make this album, as 1. Outside was not yet thought of.  Outside only happened because this album was rejected, leading Bowie to use bits and pieces as a foundation for a new project - Outside.

As far as what was rejected - this, the 3-suite version, was intended for release as a finished album. They also discussed releasing the 5-suite version as a double album. 

Goody's additional notes:

Pitch of the source was approx. 54 cents sharp.  The DC Offset of the tracks was slightly off and has also been corrected.  Edits performed in Audition. 

Text updated for this edition: February 23, 2016.

Part 3: further notes from the basement67:

In March 1994 at Mountain Studios, Montreux, Switzerland, recording began and hours' worth of formless but thrilling jams and improvisations were captured on tape. 

The 'Leon Tapes' were summed up by Reeves Gabrels as 'a three hour improvised opus', and are undeniably intense, difficult listening (He's really selling this to you!) Garson goes on to say 'if you listen to the tapes, then you can also hear that pyschologically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, everyone is giving phenomenal contributions."

The author Alexander Larman of the new book, 'Lazarus: The Second Coming of David Bowie' states that had 'Leon' or whatever it would eventually end up being called, been released in even lightly edited form in early 1995, it would undoubtedly have been the most intense and uncomprising album of Bowie's career." 

This is definitely not one for casual Bowie fans.

Which is what the record companies thought of it, as being commercially disastrous.

Bowie and co. would have to compromise and write songs that would impose a narrative structure or risk alienating his dwindling fan base.

The musicians would reconvene at the Hit Factory studio in New York, at the beginning of January 1995  to work on the formless improvised recordings, to turn them into listenable, disciplined songs that would eventually see release on the album 'Outside.'

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