Two new CDs may be of interest to Baby Boomers. They are both 2-disc live recordings. The first is a bit of a time capsule. The second is a more recent recording capturing one of rock’s great singer/songwriter/producers running through bravura versions of his greatest hits.

The Who Live at the Fillmore East 1968 was supposed to be released back in the day as the band’s follow-up to The Who Sell Out and before their massive breakout LP, Tommy. Recorded during a two-night stand at NYC’s Fillmore (the shows were the first by a British act at that venue), the tapes sat on the shelf for years due to audio problems. The first couple of songs were not satisfactorily recorded on either night. But thanks to modern technology, the surviving tapes were cleaned up and we now have the shows just in time for their 50^th anniversary.

This is still the raw, energetic Who before superstardom overtook them. You get two Eddie Cochran covers (the perennial Who concert fave “Summertime Blues” and the much less heard “C’mon Everybody"). You also get two songs from The Who Sell Out as well as an extended version of their first “mini-opera” “A Quick One.”

The second disc captures a tremendous 30-minute version of “My Generation” that concludes with the guitar smashing and drum kit destruction that was the band’s calling card back in the day.

The other new release is from Jeff Lynne, Wembley or Bust, featuring his newly constituted group Jeff Lynne’s ELO. For various reasons, Lynne does not use the full Electric Light Orchestra name. Just as well, as Lynne is the only original member present. But as he was the composer, lead singer, arranger and producer for all of the band’s albums, we doubt you’ll notice the difference.

If you had heard that ELO was not as big in their native England as in the States, don’t believe it. This 2-disc set was recorded in June of 2017 at sold-out shows in London’s Wembley Stadium. You’ll hear tens of thousands of Brits applauding and singing along as Lynne and his cohorts roar through a set that includes ELO’s very first song “10538 Overture” right up to a selection from ELO’s comeback album Alone in the Universe. Lynne also manages to squeeze in one of the tunes he wrote and recorded with the Traveling Wilburys (“Handle With Care”) and yes, he does perform the title track from Xanadu, the movie that ended Olivia Newton John’s acting career. Too bad it was such a cheesy movie because the title song is a pretty good little rocker.

One minor quibble: each of the tracks on the CDs fade out at the end rather than flowing one into another as they would at the live show.

However, as an added bonus, the set does include a Blu-Ray disc of the live show and on video, the concert is presented without fade outs.

If you are fan of either band or both bands, these two releases come highly recommended!

55 years ago this month, 25₵ would have bought you a lot of live entertainment!

How many Beatles song titles can you find in this picture?

Or How a Black Man from South Africa Was Screwed Out of Several Million Dollars

“A-wimowack, a-wimoweh A-wimowack, a-wimoweh…”

Everybody knows that hook from the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” The song was a staple of the folk music circuit of the late 50’s and early 60’s. In 1962, it went to #1 in the U.S. when the Tokens recorded a more rock-oriented version. Robert John took it to #3 in 1972 and the British ensemble Tight Fit had a #1 hit in the UK in 1982. It was featured in the Disney movie The Lion King and even played a prominent part in an episode of the popular sitcom Friends.

Few know who really wrote the song or the long journey it made to become the classic we know today.

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

There has been so much written about this album since its first release 50 years ago. And now, so much more being written about it, thanks to the 50^th Anniversary Deluxe Re-Issue. There’s little we could add. You either still own this album, owned it back in the day or know many, many people who own it.

So instead of posting an appreciation of it, here are 5 things you might not know about Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts club Band:

Stories Behind Classic Rock Songs

At the height of her career, Joni Mitchell took a trip to Paris with a small group that included the head of her record label, David Geffen. She wrote “Free Man in Paris” about the music mogul shortly after their return.

For his part, Geffen always claimed the lyrics made him sound more unhappy with the music business than he really was.

It is with great sadness that we report that Paul Revere, leader of the classic rock band Paul Revere and the Raiders has passed away at 76 after what was reportedly a long battle with cancer.

The Raiders were among the most popular bands in America during the mid-to-late 1960's with an impressive string of hits that included "Kicks," "Hungry," "Steppin' Out," and many more.

Cat Stevens announced this week that he will begin a six-city tour of North America this December. The singer/songwriter said he will be touring under that name rather than the name Yusef Islam that he has used in the years since he converted to Islam. Stevens also assured his fans that the concert will be filled with the songs that made him a pop music superstar in the 70’s.

It marks Stevens’ first U.S. tour in 38 years. Prior to the tour, he is also releasing a new albums of blues tunes, Tell ‘Em I’m Gone (due out Oct. 27^th).