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LIZARD |
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LIZARD |
Titles: 1 - Riding On A Train 2 - Travelling Band 3 - Don't You Know 4 - Run Away 5 - The Boys Are On The Road 6 - One Of These Days 7 - Dreams 8 - Route 66 9 - Southern Man 10 - Doin' (It Again) 11 - Redneck Rock & Roll Band 12 - Gimme Some Lovin' 13 - My Fears Are Gone 14 - Josephine 15 - Running With The Horses 16 - Ordinary Southern Man 17 - Lonesome Guitar |
Personnel: Georg
Bayer - lead vocals |
Funny thing.. as soon as Georg Bayer proudly announce that he’s back in his Lizard, are issued his October 2004 farewell tour cd and dvd. Time goes fast in Southern Rock. For this last tour, the audience was in a tent and let’s the show go on ! As soon as begin the first song’s piano intro, the nice “Riding on a Train” with two heavy guitars, we can see that there are two drummers. Helmuth Kipp ‘ll stay during all the show but Georg Bayer introduce ourselves Wolfgang Rosner, the second drummer. So we can understand that all the band for Georg and his guests. At the beginning, it’s hard for Georg and it’s difficult to sing, but it won’t stay long : as soon as comes the fourth song, we can enjoy all the music, and we can see that he’s still alive and well, grabbing his mike ant the eyes looking far away. Georg wants to give the best he can, and the band is behind him. “Don’t You Know” begins with the organ, and on “Run Away” we can enjoy the two guitars, as on “The Boys are back on the Road” just before a full of feeling “One of these Days”. At this moment of the DVD, before living the stage, Georg introduces his substitute, Stephan Kossman (ex-Flatman) who begins with a long version of “Dreams”. It will be his only apparition, because Georg leaves the stage and let it to his “best friend” Bruce Brookshire, Doc Holliday leader, that can speak to the audience in german (“Nobody helped me in music business except Georg Bayer…”), and then begins a great “Road 66” with the band at his best. Unfortunately, the engine recorder people get problems at this moment, and unfortunately the two guitar solos can’t be heard. Bruce Brookshire and Klaus Brosowski guitars are saved, but it’s really not tolerable such a problem at this level. After introducing the two drummers, Bruce Brookshire sings with the audience ; it’s pity that the recording problems spoilt this moment. Then Bruce Brookshire talks a lot about Lizard musicians : “They are the best I ever played with, they are at the same level that my musicians in America”, and sings his classical songs from “Rides Again” : “Southern Man” and “Doin’ (it again)”. “Redneck Rock n’ Roll Band” offers him the occasion to talk about Georg “…that knows more about music than me…”, and everyone in the audience call his name. He must have enjoyed this special moment, Georg. Unfortunately, at this moment the cameramen became as bad as the sound men : we are unable to watch the guitars solos at the moment they are played. That’s really pity when we know there are six different cameras ! Bruce Brookshire introduce the new guest, Wolfman Volker Kunschner on organ, who begins to play “Gimme Some Loving”, and we still guess who is behind the recording machine : now we can only hear the organ, no more Bruce vocals and no more other instruments. And that lasts…Wolfman Volker Kunschner plays a long time, joking and playin with his instrument, just like Steve Walsh did in Kansas.. Bruce Brookshire tries to play with the audience, men vs. women (“Ladies rule the World”) but we are now far away from music and close to vulgarity. It’s really disappointing to see such good musicians do such a mess ! It’s time for Georg return ! This come-back is soft at the beginning : “I’ve had so much happiness with you”. And he is touched, sure to live his last musical emotions. And the band begins “My Fears are Gone” ; Klaus Brosowski on organ and Ralf Mende on bass show us how gifted they are, just before the drummers superb double solo. The other musicians can drink a beer during this time. Everybody’s back for “Josephine” from “Borderline” era, with Bruce Brookshire on vocals. Achim Bosch is on bass and Ralph Mende takes the fourth guitar, he can play the guitar on stage with Lizard. Back to the classics with “Running with the Horses” and a great guitars moment, spoiled by the usual recording problems. Then Bruce Brookshire come back for the last two songs : a great “Ordinary Southern Man” and a crazy “Lonesome Guitar” (what a great song !), with the three-guitar solos. No bonus song, even not “Bring Me some Water”, no extra, the show, only the show, a very very good one at a musical point of view, but the recording problems are disappointing; Without the sound errors, without the image errors and without Bruce Brookshire triviality at some moments, we could have had an extraordinary document with the best German Southern band. Everything was present to get an unforgettable souvenir, that’s why we just can regret those little technical problems. We just get a very good testimony of this evening, where many great musicians gave the best they could, in a very good and moving ambiance, for Georg departure. We can get the intense emotional atmosphere on this DVD, and it’s nice to discover Lizard or Doc Holliday with such a good product. We also can get a CD of this evening. It has the same name, but the titles are not the same, DVD songs between 7 and 11 are not on the CD and “Gimme Dome Loving” is at the end of the show (Why ?). If we can get the intense quality of the musicians and of this evening, we also get the technical problems on some songs. It’s disappointing, but now Georg is back in the band, and we just can wait the new studio CD. Yves Philippot |
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LIZARD
LONELY ARE THE BRAVE PHOENIX RECORDS |
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Titles
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Travelling
band / Bring me some water / Lonely are the brave / Run away / No tomorrow
/ Tell me / Don't you know / Don't waste your life / Leaving / Down the
line / Coming home / Arrival
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Musicians
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Georg
Bayer : vocals
Volker Dörfler : guitar Christoph Berner : guitar Ralf Mende : bass Klaus Brosowski : keyboards Helmut Kipp : drums |
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With the release of the last Dox Holliday's album, here comes an other great moment of joy and satisfaction, I'm talking about the Lizard's last album. This is certainly the best release to this day for the german band, even if the previous album were great. While listening to thier last release, I have the feeling they reached the higher step to be considered a major band. The sound is also great andperfect, just as the songwritng. Listen to the great "Travelling band" and its guitar riff by CHristoph Berner or you can also have a listen to "Bring me some water" (written by Bernie Marsden and Micky Moody, ex Whitesnake) and you know what I mean. Lizard, today is a great band, a major band ! There are still great songs on this album, such as "Lonely are the brave" and its slide guitar part, "Tell me" (the one I like the most) and the great "Coming home" and its southern guitars. For sure, Lizard has got to a higher level, has got a new dimension. Hats off to Georg Bayer and his buddies. John Molet |
