The Dick Cavett Show - Rock Icons

The DICK CAVETT SHOW: ROCK ICONS DVD set is a must have especially for Janis Joplin fans because DVD #2 has her on three shows, along with Raquel Welch, Gloria Swanson, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. among others.DVD #1 has the legendary show that was taped the day after Woodstock, which is why Joni Mitchell didn't perform at Woodstock because she didn't want to miss this taping, and also features Jefferson Airplane, Stephen Stills, and David Crosby. It's interesting to watch because at the time no one really knew what a huge and legendary event Woodstock was and would become, and how it would put some performers on the map (like Santana). Cavett does discuss it briefly with the guests who did perform at the festival and you can tell by the look on their faces, and how they described the scene, that they had just experienced something big. Poor Joni, she must have been kicking herself for missing it!Also on DVD #1 are shows that feature David Bowie and Sly And The Family Stone (on separate episodes). The Sly interview is interesting to watch and he becomes a little combative when the other guests come on because he felt like he was being ignored.DVD #2 features Janis Joplin on three different episodes. These are great and you really get to see how intelligent Joplin was. At one point, Cavett asks her who her favorite singer is and Janis says that she really likes Tina Turner from "The Ike & Tina Turner Band" and Cavett was like, "Who?" Too funny! Also interesting was to see Joplin interacting with acting legends Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Gloria Swanson (both on different episodes) -- Janis was right at home and, although decked out in bracelets, feathers and beads and things, she never seemed out of place or uncomfortable.DVD #3 has Steve Wonder on one episode with Allan Delon, Tex Ritter, and the "Bride Of Frakenstein" herself, the wonderful Elsa Lanchester. But the stand out for me was the other two episodes -- one featuring George Harrison and Ravi Shankar, and the other that featured Paul Simon. Ex-Beatle and soft-spoken Harrison performs with Gary Wright & WonderWheel, and then joins Cavett to talk a little about his days with the Beatles and why they broke-up (although this is just bare-bones) and his current project at the time, which was a benefit concert for Bangladesh. He makes some cracks about John Lennon and Yoko Ono, all in good fun, and had the audience laughing. Shankar performs and then joins the panel and discusses the influence of Indian music to pop and rock at the time.The final episode on DVD #3 features Paul Simon, who performs and plays a sample of a song he was currently working on, but the stand out for me comes in the next segment. Cavett wrote his first book  Cavett  and becomes a guest on his own show! He gets interviewed by three authors Barbara Howar, Jerzy Kosinski, and writer of  A Clockwork Orange , Anthony Burgess, and it's interesting to hear Dick's take on things.As with their other releases, "Shout! Factory" does a wonderful job with this set! Picture quality is pretty good and there's "play all" or "episode" selection, and Cavett does present day introductions to each episode. Also included is a booklet with liner notes by the DVD's producer Robert S. Bader, a written introduction by Cavett, and episode information including airdate, guest list, and synopsis.If all that weren't enough to get you to buy there's two special features:*** BONUS FEATURES ***33:09-minute -- Bob Whitey (Produce, Director of "Curb Your Enthusiasm") Interviews Dick CavettPresent day interview (2005).14:38-minute -- Dick Meets The Rolling StonesBehind-the-scenes footage of The Stones 1972 concert at Madison Square Garden in NYC. Cavett gets to spend time with the band and interviews them. Too bad this wasn't longer.Anyway, this set is definitely worth it. Not only does it feature some great rock acts, it's a historical document, and what's not to love about Cavett! Another great DVD set is  The Dick Cavett Show - Hollywood Greats , which is a must have if you enjoy seeing Hollywood's Golden Age stars. Although not in their prime, they're just as fascinating to watch, which is why their legendary names have endured.

I have spent a lot of time and quite a few bucks hunting down video performances of my fav musical performers from their time of peak creativity..the period covered in these dvds. I should have got this one first.Here you get Stevie Wonder before he made his superb 70's records..just great!I'll touch on Paul Simon since other reviewers have covered the other artists in detail. I play the same style as Paul on guitar and was absolutely dazzled to find a full solo unaccompanied performance of American Tune which shows his chord fingering completely for both the verses and the bridge. Fabulous!Paul plays his work in progress Still Crazy after all these Years, for which he has yet to create the bridge ("4 in the morning, crapped out, yawning...") and again the camera stays on him & the guitar so you can see how it's played.Jesse Dixon and his group back up Paul later. This is the same Jesse Dixon who shows up on Gaither Gospel video DVDs.Joni Mitchell was at or near her peak of her first phase and plays unaccompanied as well, one song on guitar and two on piano. She's in superb form and makes some interesting melody choices for her songs...different from those recorded but just as good. The guitar song is Chelsea Morning which provided the Clintons a name for their daughter.She does 'For Free' on the piano. It is so pure it makes one cry.Then 'Willie' which she says was written for "My man" aka Graham Nash. Nash is not there but Crosby & Stills are. They are just back from Woodstock with mud still on Stills jeans.I suspect Nash stayed off camera to give his sweetie Joni her time in the national spotlight uninterrupted by requests for CSN songs.She finishes with 'Fiddle & the Drum' sung acapella. A not so subtle (for her) antiwar ballad.Previous reviewers have touched on most of what I would have to say about the other performers.I would have paid well over $100 for all this great stuff. Truly wonderful.Cavett has many annoying habits. He tends to interrupt a guests flow of thought with banal 'witticisms' and is a pretty lousy listener.Give him credit, though: The Airplane ends the show with Somebody To Love and then launches into an endless instrumental jam. Cavett lets it go on through several commercial breaks while the audience dances,and doesn't even speak over the music.Another great plus was the interview with Elsa Lanchester the widow of Charles Laughton. She is quite the raconteur and even Cavetts interruptions don't knock her stories of her late husband off base. She is best known for portraying the Bride of Frankenstein in the 30's movie.She & Laughton had a successful marriage for over 30 years, despite him being gay.Buy this one before it goes out of print and the price skyrockets.

These shows are an interesting snapshot of time. The musical performances are mostly good, but there aren't enough of them. Cavett again proves himself to be an awkward, almost inept interviewer. Strangely, he is the weak link on almost every episode. His monologues are terrible, and the questions he asks his guests are often ridiculous, to the point of being embarrassing. The most fascinating bits of dialogue come between the guests themselves—one example being Janis Joplin and Raquel Welch caught in conversation, with Cavett being merely a bystander. Another excellent discussion comes when the tables are turned and Anthony Burgess questions Cavett about his autobiography. Burgess proves to be much more insightful and articulate than Cavett.But, for the rock history alone, this set is worth watching.

the "commercial" breaks are annoying but this lets you know why Cavett was such a good interviewer.

感覚良し。見た目良し。買って良かった。とても気に入りました。

Arrived in a timely manner. Good quality audio and video for a used item, A lot of great footage! Thanks Better World Books! Bill Partridge

サイモン・ファンの私はまだファン暦が浅いです。当時のサイモンの曲が4曲聴けて大変満足でした！サイモン＆ガーファンクルが解散後、ソロ活動が始まってライブが終わった頃の映像でした。来日ライブへ行かれた方には、きっと懐かしく、ファン暦の浅い私の様なファンには大変貴重な映像でした！！

Love cavett