Free Live at the BBC

[Peter]

Free "Live at the BBC" is supposed to be released today I believe. Anyone know if this material has been previously released on the box set or as alternate tracks on reissues of the orginal albums? Thanks.

[jazzbo]

I received my copy from cduniverse in the mail last week.

Yes, SOME of it has appeared on the reissues as bonus tracks. BUT not more than a third or less. The rest has not appeared on commercial cds (some have apparently appeared on boots). Some have not appeared as releases before at all.

Very good stuff. A few items are "airchecks" and the sound is rougher, but nothing sonically cringing to those with accepting ears. Some really nice performances.

[Aggie87]

All I know from Free is "All Right Now", which got overplayed to death. Are they worth checking out, or are they more a proto-Bad Company?

[Peter]

Very much worth checking out. Statrt with Tons of Sobs. Their first and best. If you like that get Fire and Water (with All Right Now).

[jazzbo]

Very much more than a proto Bad Co. . . I've really no interest in Bad Co. but Free was a very cool band.

They did soulful rock. They could do these slow grooves so well, which I know are hard to master. Their weakest link was probably their best asset in other ways, Paul Kossoff, a wonderful blues colorist of a guitarist, playing expressive and lean lines. He was a Hendrix nut and an addictive personality who lost his way. Andy Fraser the bassist was a superb melodic player. When they lost some original members they lost a lot in my opinion, and it's a shame they didn't last as an original band longer.

I agree, Tons of Sobs, then Fire and Water. . . their two most solid works. (Although "Free" has my favorite cover!) Get the others if you like those a ton.

Edited November 7, 2006 by jazzbo

[mesfen]

Excellent cd. there is another live Free cd; i think it is called Free Live. This cd has been expanded by 30+ min. Another must buy. if you can acquire online try to get their 1970 Isle of Wight show. One hot show.

[felser]

Very much more than a proto Bad Co. . . I've really no interest in Bad Co. but Free was a very cool band.

They did soulful rock. They could do these slow grooves so well, which I know are hard to master. Their weakest link was probably their best asset in other ways, Paul Kossoff, a wonderful blues colorist of a guitarist, playing expressive and lean lines. He was a Hendrix nut and an addictive personality who lost his way. Andy Fraser the bassist was a superb melodic player. When they lost some original members they lost a lot in my opinion, and it's a shame they didn't last as an original band longer.

I agree, Tons of Sobs, then Fire and Water. . . their two most solid works. (Although "Free" has my favorite cover!) Get the others if you like those a ton.

Agreeing with what is expressed here - neither "All Right Now" nor Bad Company begin to indicate the majesty of the best of Free's music. I'm not as sold on 'Tons of Sobs' as the others, but do agree with 'Fire and Water'. Polygram Chronicles put out 'Molten Gold' a very good 2CD set of their best several years ago, and that literally contains most of what they recorded. You can get that for less than $20.