On Stage – THE VENTURES****

Wipe Out/Journey To The Stars/Slaughter On Tenth Avenue/Caravan/Pedal Pusher/Apache 65/Bumble Bee/ Driving Guitars/Walk Don’t Run-Perfidia-Lullaby Of The Leaves (Medley)/Yellow Jacket

On Stage was the first live album release by the instrumental group The Ventures. Recorded in the States, London, and also Japan where they were enormously popular. (US:27)

"Matters kick off (after what sounds like a cod-Japanese introduction) with a version of Wipe Out that makes the Surfaris' original sound like a Galaxie 500 warming up. Never has a drum solo sounded so exciting. The Ventures then storm through their hits (plus the most amped-up versions of Caravan and Apache I've ever heard) with such panache and abandon that one could almost forgive them for the rather unconvincing audience noise in the background (which sounds like a cheap tape loop in a wind tunnel)."

"The recording here really gives Mel Taylor's drumming the attention it deserves. So many of their greatest songs are on here and hearing Journey To The Stars intro gives me goose bumps. If you've tried other Ventures albums and couldn't see what all the fuss is about, give this a shot before you give up."

"An explosive live album. It has The Ventures live in Japan, England and America. Even the guys who come on stage and announce the band are fun to hear. Get this album."

"Explosive live recordings from Japan, England, and the US, with a hot greatest-hits medley and a wild Driving Guitars being among the highlights."

"Take it from me, this Ventures On Stage album is totally a musician's goldmine."

"OK, The Ventures give a solid performance on the three different soils, but that damn whistling sound in the Japanese audience rather ruined it for me."