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Jesus Christ Superstar - 1970 (2CD, 90 min, UK)


******
Disc 1:
 1.  Overture
 2.  Heaven on Their Minds
 3.  Whats the Buzz / Strange Thing Mystifying
 4.  Everything's Alright
 5.  This Jesus Must Die
 6.  Hosanna
 7.  Simon Zealotes / Poor Jerusalem
 8.  Pilate's Dream
 9.  The Temple
10.  Everything's Alright-2
11.  I don't Know How to Love Him
12.  Damned for All Times / Blood Money

Disc 2:
 1.  The Last Supper
 2.  Gethsemane
 3.  The Arrest
 4.  Peter's Denial
 5.  Pilate and Christ
 6.  King Herod's Song
 7.  Judas' Death
 8.  Trial Before Pilate / 39 Lashes
 9.  Superstar
10.  Crusifixion
11.  John 19:41
(Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lybretto by Tim Rice)

The main performancers:
Ian Gillan          - 1-st lead (Christ's) vocals
Henry McCulloch     - guitars
Bruce Rowland       - drums
Alan Spenner        - bass
Andrew Lloyd Webber - keyboards
The London's Symphonic Orchestra
Yvonne Elliman      - vocals
Mike D'Abo          - vocals
Murray Head         - vocals
Tim Rice            - vocals
and the others

The Russian Version's line-up:
Vjatczeslav Ptytsyn - (an excellent) lybretto (was killed a few years ago)
Michael Seryshev    - 1-st lead (Christ's) vocals
Y. Tikhomirov       - guitars
Z. Kazjansky        - keyboards
A. Kadin            - bass
S. Susanin          - drums
S. Minaev           - 2-nd lead (Judas') vocals
and the others

The Russian Version's line-up:

Vjatczeslav Ptytsyn - (an excellent) lybretto (killed a few years ago)
Michael Seryshev    - 1-st lead (Christ's) vocals
Yu. Tikhomirov      - guitars
Z. Kazjansky        - keyboards
A. Kadin            - bass
S. Susanin          - drums
S. Minaev           - 2-nd lead (Judas') vocals
and the others

Jesus Christ Superstar is one of the most important works of progressive rock yet, sadly, the most underrated. However, this is the only rock work that is performed up to now by a great number of various musicians in many countries all over the world with absolutely invariable success. In addition, this is the very first true progressive rock opera, that still remains unsurpassed in its category (or maybe the modern band Ayreon, these more or less decent followers of the unique style of "Superstar", sounds better to you?). And this is the first rock opera ever (or maybe you take into account the mediocrity of "Hair", or The Who's "Tommy" only with Daltrey?). No, it's not a coincidence, that this work is dedicated to such an important person for all Christians as Jesus Christ (even in spite of the fact that his nature here is not quite the Christ of the Bible) and time has proved it to be out the only rock opera to become classics for the future, because it has already been classic for 30 years since the release...

All right, maybe this is a very short article for a detailed review, but I even don't want to enumerate the songs to show you such wonderful elements of Prog contained there. Sometimes a few lines comprise more information than some ample, but empty, review. Just look, how many "only's" are here, apart from "first" and "ever". Put this excellent album into your CD-player, please, and just listen to it, how many prog elements are here among the overall beauty... And Happy Christmas! content

VM. 25.12.1998


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