Wheels of Fire [Japan] [Remaster]

Rating

Album: Wheels of Fire [Japan] [Remaster]
#	Song Title		Time
	Disc 1
1)	White Room	More Info...	5:03
2)	Sitting On Top Of The World	More Info...	5:01
3)	Passing The Time	More Info...	4:37
4)	As You Said	More Info...	4:23
5)	Pressed Rat And Warthog	More Info...	3:18
6)	Politician	More Info...	4:17
7)	Those Were The Days	More Info...	2:57
8)	Born Under A Bad Sign	More Info...	3:14
9)	Deserted Cities Of The Heart	More Info...	3:38
2)	Sitting On Top of the World	More Info...	0:05
3)	Passing the Time	More Info...	0:04
4)	As You Said	More Info...	0:04
5)	Pressed Rat and Warthog	More Info...	0:03
6)	Politician	More Info...	0:04
7)	Those Were the Days	More Info...	0:03
8)	Born Under a Bad Sign	More Info...	0:03
9)	Deserted Cities of the Heart	More Info...	0:03

Album: Wheels of Fire [Japan] [Remaster]
#	Song Title		Time
	Disc 1
1)	White Room	More Info...	5:03
2)	Sitting On Top Of The World	More Info...	5:01
3)	Passing The Time	More Info...	4:37
4)	As You Said	More Info...	4:23
5)	Pressed Rat And Warthog	More Info...	3:18
6)	Politician	More Info...	4:17
7)	Those Were The Days	More Info...	2:57
8)	Born Under A Bad Sign	More Info...	3:14
9)	Deserted Cities Of The Heart	More Info...	3:38
2)	Sitting On Top of the World	More Info...	0:05
3)	Passing the Time	More Info...	0:04
4)	As You Said	More Info...	0:04
5)	Pressed Rat and Warthog	More Info...	0:03
6)	Politician	More Info...	0:04
7)	Those Were the Days	More Info...	0:03
8)	Born Under a Bad Sign	More Info...	0:03
9)	Deserted Cities of the Heart	More Info...	0:03

Tracks

1. White Room

2. Sitting On Top Of The...

3. Passing The Time

4. As You Said

5. Pressed Rat And Warthog

6. Politician

7. Those Were The Days

8. Born Under A Bad Sign

9. Deserted Cities Of...

10. Crossroads

11. Spoonful

12. Traintime

13. Toad

Performer Notes

Cream: Jack Bruce (vocals, guitar, cello, recorder, harmonica, bass, calliope); Eric Clapton (vocals, guitar); Ginger Baker (vocals, glockenspiel, marimba, drums, tympani, tubular bells).
Additional personnel: Felix Pappalardi (viola, organ pedals, trumpet, tonette, Swiss hand bells, tambourine).
Engineers: Adrian Barber, Bill Halverson, Tom Dowd.
Recorded at IBC Studios, London, England in July-August of 1967; Atlantic Studios, New York, New York from September 1967 to June 1968; The Fillmore West, San Francisco, California on March 7, 1968; Winterland, San Francisco, California on March 8-10, 1968.
Originally released as a 2-LP set, half live, half studio recordings.
Personnel: Eric Clapton (vocals, guitar); Jack Bruce (vocals, acoustic guitar, cello, harmonica, recorder, calliope); Ginger Baker (vocals, marimba, glockenspiel, drums, hi-hat, tambourine, timpani, tubular bells); Felix Pappalardi (viola, trumpet, organ).
Audio Remixer: Adrian Barber.
Recording information: Atlantic Studios, New York, NY; Atlantic Studios, NY; Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA; IBC Studios, London, England; Winterland, San Francisco, CA.
Arranger: Robert Stigwood.
When Cream released WHEELS OF FIRE, they had established themselves as the premier blues-rock band due to the success of their first two albums and the extraordinary chemistry between the band's members. As a result of this synergy, Cream also enjoyed a fiery live reputation. This double album represents both sides of Cream's musical personality. The first record is a studio job, where the band mixes originals with covers of Howlin' Wolf ("Sitting on Top of the World") and Albert King ("Born Under a Bad Sign"). The songs written by the band all contain unique touches. "As You Said" finds Jack Bruce swapping his bass for a cello, "Pressed Rat and Warthog" sounds like an English folk tale courtesy of Ginger Baker's clipped recitation and the inclusion of baroque horns, and the classic "White Room" overflows with waves of Eric Clapton's wah-wah-drenched guitar.
The second record was recorded over a four-day span at San Francisco's Winterland and Fillmore West. Extended versions of "Toad" and Willie Dixon's "Spoonful" demonstrate the band's intricate interplay, but most impressive is a blistering reading of Robert Johnson's "Crossroads," in which all three members seem to be soloing simultaneously in a jaw-dropping display of fury and bravado.

Professional Reviews

Musician (12/92, p.100) - "...Cream is the greatest power trio in rock history...These recordings remain the pinnacle of all three careers [Clapton, Bruce & Baker]...Finally remastered in a way that lets you hear why..."