The B List: 10 Best Archival Releases of ’08

9. Frank Zappa – Joe’s Menage

Release Date – 09/26/2008
Highlights – The Illinois Enema Bandit and Norma Jean Bell’s sax work
The Skinny – The Zappa Family Trust shares a disc full of unreleased music recorded at William and Mary College on November 1, 1975.
Where You Can Sample This Disc – Ask Gail Zappa

8. moe. – Dr. Stan’s Prescription: Volume 1

Release Date – 09/02/2008
Highlights – Interstellar Overdrive, Recreation Chemistry, Farmer Ben
The Skinny – moe. archivist Dr. Stan Lobitz kicks off his series of archival releases with a tasty recording of a show from the moe. cruise featuring a killer filler from 1995.
Where You Can Sample This DiscAmazon

7. The Clash – Live at Shea Stadium

Release Date – 10/07/2008
Highlights – Train In Vain and Police On My Back
The Skinny – We feel bad for The Who after they had to come on after The Clash dropped this powerful energetic set during the peak of popularity at Shea Stadium in 1982. If you’re looking for punk Clash look elsewhere, but if you want to see why they were considered the greatest band in the world at this point this near-perfect release is for you.
Where You Can Sample This DiscThe Clash Online

6. Grateful Dead – Winterland 1973: The Complete Recordings

Release Date – 04/01/2008
Highlights – Dark Star, Weather Report Suite and Eyes > China Doll
The Skinny – After releasing a ton of partials, Rhino drops a bomb by releasing every single note recorded at Winterland during the band’s historic three-night stand in November 1973.
Where You Can Sample This DiscA Winterland Video Scrapbook

5. Neil Young – Sugar Mountain: Live at Canterbury House 1968

Release Date – 12/02/2008
Highlights – The Loner, Sugar Mountain, Mr. Soul
The Skinny – This stellar release gives us a taste of Young’s music before he found fame.
Where You Can Sample This DiscNPR

4. Phish – At The Roxy

Release Date – 11/18/2008
Highlights – 2/20/1993 Set II, Funky Bitch (w/ Jimmy Herring), Good Times Bad Times > Paul and Silas > Pig In A Pen
The Skinny – At The Roxy features lovingly remastered recordings of Phish’s epic three-night stand from February 19-21, 1993.
Where You Can Sample This DiscHidden Track

3. David Bowie – Live In Santa Monica ’72

Release Date – 07/22/2008
Highlights – Life On Mars?, Space Oddity, Waiting For The Man
The Skinny – After years circulating as a bootleg, David Bowie finally released the master copy of this show from his first US tour.
Where You Can Sample This DiscLast.fm

2. The Byrds – Live at the Royal Albert Hall

Release Date – 05/27/2008
Highlights – You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere, Baby, What Do You Want Me To Do?, Eight Miles High and Chesnut Mare
The Skinny – Founding Byrds member/guitarist/singer Roger McGuinn brought a new version of The Byrds to England in 1971 where this stellar set was recorded and sat in McGuinn’s basement until recently.
Where You Can Sample This DiscAmazon

1. Ween – Cat’s Cradle: 1992

Release Date – 11/11/2008
Highlights – Don’t Get 2 Close (2 My Fantasy), Big Jilm and Pork Roll, Egg and Cheese
The Skinny – The first official recording from the days when Dean and Gene toured the country accompanied by a DAT machine was well worth the wait.
Where You Can Sample This DiscCat’s Cradle minisite

Honorable Mention: Mooney Suzuki – CBGB Masters, The Doors – Matrix ’67, Michael Franti and Spearhead – Power to the Peaceful 2005, Grateful Dead – Road Trips Fall ’79 Complete Shows,

What did we miss and how does your list compare? Let us know by leaving a comment below…

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9 Responses

  1. Not sure if this counts – but if you haven’t heard the new Bob Dylan Bootleg series release – it’ll really turn you on to some gems from Dylans 80’s on period. I can’t stop listening to it.

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