It looks like we're FINALLY going to get the complete Rainbow show & all the related outtakes & alternate overdubs from the USA & Germany editions. I say looks like, because I can't yet find a description. Oddly, the mp3 is already out, Amazon.USA shows a release date of 5/22 for the cd, & Amazon UK shows it as an "import" even though Floating World is a UK label that will be out in 1-2 months.

A brief history:
In my opinion this is the best live Spirit album ever, & the best post original band Spirit album ever. There were 3 slightly different editions: the USA "Spirit Live" on First American (my favorite of the 3), A UK release called "Live" on Illegal with a slightly different track list & slightly different overdubs, & a German release called "Spirit Live in Germany" on a label i don't remember that added a couple tracks from Rockpalast & subtracted a couple others. All 3 albums had slightly different track listings; in a rare occurrence the USA vinyl had the best sound quality. One of the previous Floating World sets said in the liner notes that the 3 different LP's all had different performances, but I don't hear that; I just hear slightly different overdubs & mastering.

In 2000, a UK indie label released a cd called "Live At The Rainbow" which included the complete UK album & 2/3 of the USA. it is long out of print & sells for a fortune (today's price on Amazon US is $41 Used/ $75 New.

Floating World is currently the label the California estate has been using, so the new release is not a bootleg. For years there have been rumors of a release of the complete shows without overdubs. I don't know if that's what this is, or a complete version with some unreleased tracks, or a combination of the 2. Either way I'm buying it if it ever comes out; though the 3 different release dates seem odd. Also, for casual fans, keep in mind that Floating World tends to hit the overstock bins within a year of release, which drops the price 25% or so.

This edition has 30 tracks, the oop Live At The Rainbow had 15.



Disc: 1
1. Rainbow Jam Electro Jam
2. Mr. Skin
3. Natures Way
4. Like A Rolling Stone
5. Hollywood Dream
6. Animal Zoo
7. 1984
8. Hey Joe
9. Looking Down
10. Love Charged
11. All The Same
12. I Got A Line On You
Disc: 2
1. All Along The Watchtower
2. Downer
3. Turn To The Right
4. Rainbow Jam Electro Jam Return
5. Stone Free
6. Wild Thing
7. Rock and Roll Planet
8. Natures Way
9. Animal Zoo
10. Looking Down
11. 1984
12. All The Same
13. I Got A Line On You
14. These Are Words
15. Hollywood Dream

Amazon USA CD
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007CCJ09G/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK CD
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007CCJ09G/?tag=imwan-21

Amazon US MP3
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0084IYDXK/?tag=imwan-20

No 'Fresh Garbage' Geff, was that not part of their set list in those days? Its my favorite Spirit song.
They sure do a few Hendrix tracks it seems.

Yeah, from when RC played with Jimi. I think California tended to idolize Hendrix.

Some of these songs were also written in that period (late 70's) & are great songs (Hollywood Dream, These Are Words, Looking Down).

I'll buy it either way (unless it's a straight combination of the Rainbow cd & R&R Planet cd), but & sure wish we knew exactly what this is!

I'm definitely inarrested but I'm afraid I probably have this as either a bootleg or a combination of other releases...need more info., and the time to digest it all, look through what I have etc.

It looks like what we're getting is the long promised no overdubbed version, + the USA LP on cd as a bonus. I'm in.

"Recorded in 1978 at London’s now defunct Rainbow Theatre, this 2 CD set features SPIRIT in power trio mode with a line up of RANDY CALIFORNIA, ED CASSIDY, and on bass LARRY ‘FUZZY’ KNIGHT.

Painstakingly assembled by keeper of the flame MICK SKIDMORE from the original live tapes, ‘Live at the Rainbow’ features on disc one the entire actual show. This includes SPIRIT classics such as ‘Natures Way’, ‘Animal Zoo’, and ‘I Got a Line on You’.

Disc 2 is the thirty-five minutes on encores followed by the U.S version of LIVE SPIRIT.

This package comes with rare photographs and liner notes by MICK SKIDMORE, who also produced, mastered, and edited this storming set.

Tracks:
Disc 1:
Rainbow Jam Electro Jam, Mr. Skin, Natures Way, Like A Rolling Stone, Hollywood Dream, Animal Zoo, 1984, Hey Joe, Looking Down, Love Charged, All The Same, I Got A Line On You.

Disc 2:
All Along The Watchtower, Downer, Turn To The Right, Rainbow Jam Electro Jam Return, Stone Free, Wild Thing, Rock and Roll Planet, Natures Way, Animal Zoo, Looking Down, 1984, All The Same, I Got A Line On You, These Are Words, Hollywood Dream."

http://www.floatingworldrecords.co.uk/a ... a-rainbow/

Thanks Geff, I'm in too!

Got it today.

It's exactly what I thought it was: the complete original Rainbow show without overdubs (taken from a sound board cassette), & on my computer the sound is more than acceptable.

That's followed by my favorite version of the 3 original LP's, the USA Live Spirit First American complete edition.

The booklet also confirms several suspicions I've long held:

1. The Live At the Rainbow booklet states that the American LP was taken from a Miami Florida show. I've never believed that. The 3 LP's sound too similar. This booklet states that all 3 albums are from the same show, with the differences being track selection (each of the 3 had at least 1 song not on the other 2 & each was missing something from the others) & the American LP being more overdubbed than the other 2.

2. The German LP included 1 track from the Rockpalast show on the same tour.

Also, two things I didn't know:

1. Most of the reason for all the overdubs was that RC was using 2 different guitar amps at the same time, one for general playing & distortion & one for an echoplex. Only the echoplex made it to the multi track tapes (apparently a roadie forgot to turn on a mic), so RC had to overdub ALL his guitar parts. He also "sweetened" it quite a bit at the same time.

2. Another thing I didn't know: 2 of the best songs which were also exclusive to these releases at the time: Rock & Roll Planet & These Are Words are actually studio recordings with added applause. R&RP, TAD, Looking Down & Hollywood Dream are imo RC's last great songs.

I've already heard enough to say if you're a Spirit fan, ................. BUY THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Along with the out of print companion piece Live At The Rainbow It's by far THE most essential of all the Spirit vault releases.

I'd also like to know how Blowitoughtahere prices so low. I paid $16.99 a little over a week ago which was already heavily discounted. They've got it at $13.05 which makes it a no brainer (but also explains why my business is dieing). I love bioh as a consumer; I often can't get stuff at wholesale as cheap as they sell & their cs is great. On the other hand as a retailer who is unable to compete with their pricing I despise them.
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The complete show sound quality is more than fine for what it is: a soundboard cassette tape.

Sound quality comparison on the original LP:

Part of why I was so excited to see this is because I have a memory that my original 70's LP was one of the best sounding live albums I've ever heard when I first bought it.

While today it's not a bad sounding album by any means, either my memory is a bit off, or else the several hundred plays of the original LP have worn it a bit!

When I first got today's edition, I tossed it on my computer & it sounded bright/compressed. I was a bit concerned, though I also know my pc stereo isn't the most accurate going, so I did a comparison of the 4 versions I have available to me on my main system:

1. The original USA LP played on a Thorens TD180/Blue Point standard combo

2. A 96/24 Needle drop of the original UK LP that was played on a Rega RP1/Grado Prestige Green for the transfer & listened to through an Oppo 95

3. The Live At The Rainbow CD through a Tascam P-10/PS Audio SL3

4. The new Two Sides Of A Rainbow CD through a Tascam P-10/PS Audio SL3

In general the UK LP had the best soundstaging, but also had a distractingly phasey sound on the top end (also, the bass solo on Looking Down seemed to come from the right channel only on this, while in all 3 other versions it was centered)

The US LP probably did the least amount "wrong", but each other version reproduced some part of the music better.

The original Rainbow cd tended to have better sound on the instruments, but was a bit trebly on the vocals, & the new version did the vocals better but instruments were a bit muffled compared to the original cd. Oddly, while it was subjectively quieter in volume than the original cd, it did tend to sound compressed & lost definition in loud parts.

Makes ya wonder what was used for the source material on each!

I did 3 comparisons, each came out differently (1 is best, 4 is worst):

Nature's Way (American version except for the UK LP)
1. New CD
2. Rainbow CD
3. USA LP
4. UK LP 96/24

Rock & Roll Planet (Not on the UK LP)
1. USA LP
2. Rainbow CD
3. New CD

Looking Down (UK on Rainbow & UK LP; USA on New CD & USA LP)
1. USA LP
2. New CD
3. Rainbow CD
4. UK LP 96/24

Finally did a peak level comparison on EAC between Rock & Roll Planet USA on the 2 cd's.
The older cd shows a peak of 96%, while the new cd shows 98.8%.

Interesting that the cd that is subjectively louder is actually slightly quieter!

Cool comments Geff.

I got my copy last week. Listened to only the 1st CD so far. For all the apologizing about sound quality in the booklet, I think it sounds fine, no complaints from me. After reading the booklet I was afraid it would be a very crappy sounding unmixed board feed but it actually sounds pretty good to my ears.

Like you, I paid about $17 for my copy (4get where I got it from). $13 is an unbelievable price - this is 2 CDs after all - although actually you have to factor in their shipping charges, which I think is about $2? Even at $15 this is a steal.

Now if only they would drop the price of the RUSH sector boxes to $13. I'd like to get them even though I don't "need" them, but can't justify spending $40 a set. If they ever drop to like $25 I'll probably bite though.

I added a sound quality comparison to the original post above.

Yogi Berra could not have said it better.

On second thought maybe he could. He would never use a word like "subjectively". He would just say "the louder CD is actually quieter" and leave it at that for us to scratch our heads.