Raspberries: Live On Sunset Strip hits stores on July 31 and represents the first release by the original members (Eric Carmen, Dave Smalley, Wally Bryson, Jim Bonfanti) since 1973's classic LP "Side 3". The release also represents the first live release ever by the band.
Raspberries formed in Cleveland and hit their stride in the early 1970's with a string of hits including "Go All The Way", "I Wanna Be With You," "Let's Pretend," & "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)." To many they are considered to be the "grandfathers of Power Pop" and have been referenced as inspirations by artists ranging from Bruce Springsteen to Axl Rose.
This release comes in two different offerings from Rykodisc. ( http://www.rykodisc.com ) There is a single CD that features 13 songs, including the hits listed above and a deluxe edition that includes a second 8 song CD and also a DVD featuring 5 performances from the concert, recorded in October, 2005 by renowned engineer Mark Linnett.
Also available is a super-deluxe edition from the band themselves ( http://www.raspberriesonline.com) that features all 21 songs in DVD format as well as several extras only available from this website.
For those unfamiliar with Raspberries sound, the Raspberries Online site has several samples of their music as well as links to You Tube videos of decades old performances. Also of note, during the time between releases lead vocalist Eric Carmen enjoyed a successful solo career, scoring such hits as "All By Myself," "Boats Against The Current," "Make Me Lose Control," & "Hungry Eyes" from the movie "Dirty Dancing."
Lead guitarist Wally Bryson was a member of the band "Fotomaker" for a time as well as "Tatoo" and both Smalley and Bonfanfi recently released CD's, Smalley as a solo artist and Bonfanti as a member of the band "Boxer."
For those like me, who never got to see Raspberries live, this CD and DVD set is a long awaited reward. I'd suggest making certain you order yours today!
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