Rebooted...Again
Originally posted June 14, 2016 & August 6, 2022
Ginger Baker/No Material
Live Munich 1987
Theaterfabrik, Unterföhring, Munich, Germany March 25, 1987 Soundboard @320
Out of Print
No Material consisted of Ginger Baker (drums), Nicky Skopelitis and Sonny Sharrock (guitars), Peter Brötzmann (sax), and Jan Kazda (bass). The band existed for less than a week in 1987. In the liner notes for the 1989 release of Ginger Baker's No Material album, Steve Lake closes by saying "I'm glad that No Material came together to nail down their non-repertoire in March 1987 and glad that their efforts are now preserved for posterity to puzzle over. May the archivists now go and look for the Munich gig." Well, 20-plus years later, here is the Munich gig: the first show ever performed by this semi-legendary band. As expected, the performance is absolutely fantastic. Unfortunately, the recording is not. The biggest issue is the sound. While it's generally clear, the sound is thin and the high end (especially any cymbal work) sounds terrible. It sounds as if the CD was mastered from a compressed MP3 file. Then there's the way it's programmed. The brief interview excerpts follow the first two tracks, totally derailing the momentum of the show. The Sharrock bit is nice, if a bit out of place, but the Skopelitis excerpt adds absolutely nothing. Time must have been a factor because "Piece 3" fades out and back in somewhat clumsily. "Piece 5" is basically solo Sharrock, riffing on his own "Blind Willie" before fading out just shy of the two-minute mark. It's a confusing way to end the album since there was clearly more music. Fans will want to hear this for sure, but they're likely to be somewhat disappointed. ~Sean Westergaard - Allmusic.com
Not as bad as reviewed but definitely for those with a taste for the 'avante garde".
Disc 6: 601. Sunshine of Your Love 602. N.S.U. 603. nothing 24 seconds 604. Stepping Out 605. Traintime 606. Toad
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Bogue Civic Auditorium San Jose, CA May 25, 1968 Tarantura TCD Cream-4-1
Disc 7: 701. Tales Of Brave Ulysses 702. Sunshine Of Your Love 703. I'm So Glad 704. Sitting On Top Of The World 705. Stepping Out 706. Traintime 707. Toad
The Band: Eric Clapton guitar, vocals Jack Bruce bass, vocals Ginger Baker drums
Thanks to the original source, original poster and/or original torrent!
www.geetarz.org Visitor Comments: "This show in Detroit has turned up on a number of titles including the dodgy Creamset on Gold Standard. It's a very good show rightly regarded by Cream fans as one of the best of the late '67 tour of the US. For its vintage, the recording is very good and you can really hear why Cream had such an impact as a live act. On Sweet Wine and Rollin' and Tumbin' Ginger and Jack really lock together allowing Eric free rein to shine: and shine he does. Highly recommended. - DR"
Cream - Alameda County Coliseum Arena Oakland, California October 4, 1968
Soundboard @320
Jack Bruce - R.I.P. ~ 14 May 1943 – 25 October 2014
Set List: White Room (5:59)
Politician (5:09)
Crossroads (4:00)
Sunshine Of Your Love (5:10)
Spoonful (16:58)
Deserted Cities Of The Heart (4:42)
Passing The Time/Toad (10:32)
I'm So Glad (7:06)