CAUGHT LIVE

I bought this with great anticipation- BJH in their prime! I was tad disappointed. The sound quality is beyond abysmal, so muffled it sounds like someone's holding a pillow over your ear while you are listening. Granted, BJH doesn't have the cash of, say, Zeppelin, to restore damaged tapes to a pristine digital glory, but it is frustrating, especially since the visuals are excellent, and the window into the lives of band members makes for fascinating viewing. Part one is a documentary-style film featuring the band members talking, following them on a tour and showing soundchecks and post-gig nightclubbing (the lads didn't seem to be enthusiastic partiers, if that footage is evidence!). Disappointingly, some performances are fragments or played over scenes of crew sleeping on the tour bus. I'd love to have watched Lees playing "Suicide". The band looks good, especially Mel Pritchard's cocky swagger while drumming and John Lees' stoic presence. Les Holroyd's taste in satiny robes is as excellent as always. Part two features some performances of songs (many duplicates of the first section) from a London concert, but unfortunately the sound is even worse. Overall, I'd say this is an essential for BJH fans, but not for anyone else due to the poor audio. Three stars for the visuals, one for the audio!