Mellotronists

This is very disappointing! I thought that these guys 
(especially Mike Pinder) would have higher morals than 
this. To advertise on their website that this is a "Live" 
recording when it apparantly is no better than a poor 
Brittany Spiers lip synch concert sort of puts it all in 
perspective. 

I will be sending my signed copy back to Mr. Pinder... We 
all deserve an apology.... Mike should have addded to your 
note: "Sorry that I ripped you off..."

-----Original Message-----
From: MAinPsych@... [mailto:MAinPsych@...] 
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2004 9:16 PM
To: Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Mellotronists] Moody Blues Lost Performance - A 
Review (??)

Greetings all.
  
I received my DVD copy of the "Moody Blues - The Lost 
Performance-Live in Paris '70" earlier today.  Thought I 
would go home after work, sit down and enjoy a pleasant 
musical and visual experience, take a few notes, and share 
my thoughts and observations in posting a review.  I did 
not expect to have to write the following, especially 
being such a huge, Classic-7 Moodies' fan:
  
For all you bottom-line people, in short, save your money. 
 Live, my ass.  If anyone was expecting a warts-and-all, 
bona fide live performance, you will be TERRIBLY 
disappointed.  All backing tracks are the studio tracks. 
 Hayward's tunes appear to feature live vocals, but John's 
and (thankfully) Ray's tunes are also the studio tracks, 
incuding vocals.  And all in 5.1 Surround Sound!
  
THERE'S NOT A MARK II IN SIGHT!!!  Mike is seated behind a 
Hammond C3, unattached to a Leslie or any other 
amplification.  What's funny is that you can see him 
adjusting drawbars during and between songs, as if that's 
making a difference (?!).  What's also funny (and 
pathetic) is Ray, the incomparable master of intonation, 
playing flute in unison with the prerecorded track in "Are 
You Sitting Comfortably".  Either be prepared to split 
your sides laughing or have a barf bag handy.
  
I can't believe that Mike could sanction such a piece of 
garbage such as this, such a rip-off.  You would be much 
better off finding a copy of the bootleg live performance 
from Dutch TV.  Not high-quality video, but DEFINITELY 
live.  Or hearing the live Tokyo concert from '72-'73, 
which is so much better than the "Caught Live + 5" CD.
  
Cancel your Amazon pre-orders if you can.
  
The only thing good was the note Mike wrote, "Take care of 
Bertha 134".
  
Frank Samagaio
San Diego CA
MkII #134 / M400 #908
author, The Mellotron Book