Band Jam question

[AceVader]

Which is the best quality recording of this? I dont have all the boots for sure. The Band Jam is really neat to me. I grew up on Tribute, which of course didnt have it. I didnt know until 4 or 5 years ago that there was this whole intrumental jam, so of course it was totally new Randy material for me. It's still really awesome to hear it, I love it. I think the Milwaukee is my favorite, with all the guitar and keyboard improv, but the quality isnt so great (better than most I have heard but still not so great)

So Im just wondering, what's the best quality one floating around out there? Is there one I've missed?

[matt21]

I think the best is from Feb. 9th, 1982 in Kalamazoo, MI. Other from that the one from Milwaukee I believe on Jan. 22 is a good sounding one as well

[Axeman1956]

Cardiff U.K is the best!

[DMRX]

I think the best is from Feb. 9th, 1982 in Kalamazoo, MI. Other from that the one from Milwaukee I believe on Jan. 22 is a good sounding one as well

I would have to Agree,as for years ago(before the internet) I ordered Kalamazoo through a mail order because it was listed as one of the best sounding on the guys list.And it is Very good & in Stereo,which on the Diary Tour was Awsome because Randy & their Soundguy added alot of Effects on the board & during that Randys Guitar is harmonized & pans back & forth in stereo its Awsome!!
So until recently I never really listened to too many other Diary shows because I though that was Best,but Boy was I wrong!!!!!
Im not sure if its Milwaulkee or Indianapolis but I was listening to one a few weeks ago & Tommys performance made the Kalamazoo performance sound well....bad.
I can see why he said Randy wouldnt have liked Tribute as he had many better Board recordings.I'll look to find it and post a link.

[AceVader]

I'm listening to Kalamazoo right now. This is a cool one for sure. It's really interesting listening to the later Diary shows how much was added (keyboards, echoes to Randy's sound, etc) and how much more Randy seemed to improvise. I actually think his playing was getting better as time went on, he was developing even more speed and creativity IMO. I love these '82 shows.

[TheMrAxeman]

I'm listening to Kalamazoo right now. This is a cool one for sure. It's really interesting listening to the later Diary shows how much was added (keyboards, echoes to Randy's sound, etc) and how much more Randy seemed to improvise. I actually think his playing was getting better as time went on, he was developing even more speed and creativity IMO. I love these '82 shows.

I think his peak was in 81, playing wise, but he was getting tired of playing the same songs over and over. only over the mountain was added to the diary tour. They were already playing believer and flying high again in 81. I think he improvised to change things up in a way.

[Tito]

i agree with that axeman!you could really tell on some shows he felt bored and in others he was on fire just improvising all over!!!! im surprised ozzy was able to know when to come back in singing after randy had changed the fills solos etc LOL!!!!!

[DMRX]

I agree Randy Was on the Ball in the Summer of 81,but you gotta remember that the band w/Rudy,Tommy & Lindsey were on tour for 4-5 months straight at that time & Randy was Very experienced w/the set & the Band (like any after being on tour for a number of weeks) was Very Tight & rehearsed by that point. I just dont think its really fair to say that was his peak though.On the Diary Tour that Stage was a Hell of an Obstical the Drums were 15 feet above the stage Randy was ten or more feet from his amps & the sound of Arenas can be Horrible for any band thats Heavy & has Busy music (lots of drum fills & guitar fills) & the sound in turn effected Randys Confidence which in turn effected his performance.But he was ON FIRE Still!!!
They were constantly trying new stuff w/Don & the soundguy was adding alot of Effects on Randys guitar on the board,& I really Love the stereo delays & Harmonizer on his Solo!!
I guess it would be best to Judge by a "B-Show" (w/o the Castle) to be fair as Randy & the Band had ALWAYS played better in that setting! Ive played some Huge Venues & it is Night & Day from smaller venues.I would hit my Drum & Literally a second or second & 1/2 mabey even Two seconds later the drums would echo back rom the wall a Thousand feet away,it really takes getting used to. Its too bad The Beaumont show (soundcheck footage) doesnt surface as it was like a month before Randy passed & it was a B-show.
Does anyone know if & what shows (bootlegs) exsist from the Diary tour that were B-shows??

[xk319]

My one dream is to hear the band jam pro-recorded pro-mixed. With Randy, not with Brad Gillis as on the Speak of the Devil dvd. That dvd only has me envisioning what it was like with Randy there. I firmly believe I will never hear a pro version with Randy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48rQ0fddskE oh for this to have been with Randy.

[Axeman1956]

Gillis is an awesome guitarist, but he does to much whammy bar, and too much bending. Imagin if this was Randy! It would be much faster, and technical... otherwise jaw dropping. Wish I could see Randy play the jam just once.

[Cryptic Night]

Gillis is an awesome guitarist, but he does to much whammy bar, and too much bending. Imagin if this was Randy! It would be much faster, and technical... otherwise jaw dropping. Wish I could see Randy play the jam just once.

Part of the reason he was using it so much was because he didn't have much time to learn Randy's songs. Not to mention the fact that he simply wasn't Randy, so you really couldn't expect him to play like Randy.

[Axeman1956]

I Know that, but he does go over the limit with a whammy bar...

[El Cochino]

I'm surprised no one has posted this.... This guy recorded the Band Jam himself, drum, bass & Guitar are all him. It's the closest we'll ever get to hearing a studio recording of this.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xi0RRQNUUWU

[Cryptic Night]

He only had like 2 weeks to learn the songs, or something like that (May have been shorter)

I agree, he went overboard with the dives and everything, but I can understand why. He wasn't the greatest improviser, with the exception of the rhythm parts he barely seemed to know what he was doing most of the time, and coupled with those reasons there's also the amount of pressure he had trying to fill Randy's shoes.