In the first four years of their existence (1988-1992), the Smashing Pumpkins weren't known for epic, powerful or dynamic live shows. Yes, they rocked hard and were good enough to open for Jane's Addiction, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, Nirvana and even Guns 'N' Roses, but lack of onstage chemistry and offstage problems almost spelled the end of the band before their breakthrough album Siamese Dream came out.
But from 1993 until 2000, as their songs became more memorable and well-known, so did their shows. Ask anyone who saw them in their hey day or bought the classic video/DVD Vieuphoria (1994), which was a must-have for any true Pumpkins fan.
Fast-forward to 2007, seven years after mastermind Billy Corgan broke up the band and you'll find this new version of the Pumpkins to be anything but a letdown; they are as tight as ever, even with three new members for this year's tour.
The Pumpkins returned to the Orpheum Theater in Boston for the first time in more than nine years and did an unprecedented three-night stand (October 13, 15, and 16th). I was lucky enough to attend the latter two shows, and this review will be based on the October 15 show, which in my opinion was the best of the three.
Things got off to a rapturous start when opening instrumental rockers Explosions In The Sky took the stage at around 7:30pm. Their loud-quiet-loud formula was reminiscent of Mogwai, and the half-hour or so set they played won over a good chunk of the audience. The people in front of me even gave the band a standing ovation once they finished around 8:05pm.
Afterward, while waiting in line for an SP shirt, it was apparent that many in the audience this night are in their 20s and 30s, with some older folks mixed in as well.
Two old high school friends - in their mid-20s now - ran into me and said they never saw the Pumpkins back in the day and were really excited about this night. And so it occurred to me that Corgan and company had a tough job to do: win over the old fans while attracting new ones. It was a packed house at the Orpheum, so whatever the mix of old and new fans was didn't really matter. They were all here and ready to rock.
At around 8:50 pm, original Pumpkins Corgan and Chamberlin took the stage behind their respective instruments (guitar, drums), while new members Lisa Harriton (keys/backup vocals), Jeff Schroeder (guitar/backup vocals) and Ginger Reyes (bass/backup vocals) took their places as well.
As a long-time Pumpkin fan myself, it was clear by the opening riffs of the first song that all in attendance were in for a special night. The show began with "Where Boys Fear To Tread," a simple, steady yet rather obscure hard rocker from the band's platinum double album masterpiece Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness that hadn't been performed live in almost ten years. Next was "Hummer," a long-time fan favorite from one of the most beloved albums of the 1990s, Siamese Dream. Good to the last note, it felt like 1993 all over again.
"Bring The Light," one of the highlights from the Pumpkins' new album Zeitgeist allowed Schroeder to show off his guitar chops and shred along with Corgan during the solo section. Its extended ending, complete with another guitar solo from Billy and Harriton's warm synths underneath made the song even better than the album version. In fact, I wish a version like this made the album instead of the chorus of Corgan voices that ends the studio recording.
Speaking of light, the triangle-based, multi-colored lights that shone above the band could have fooled you into thinking Pink Floyd was playing below. It was different, and very cool to watch as the night went on.
"Neverlost," another new one and "Lucky 13 (from the Internet-only Machina II album) got respectable applause, and then it was Harriton's turn in the spotlight, as she played a pretty and short piano intro to "Tonight, Tonight," one of the band's biggest hits and videos.
Later, Corgan took a minute to tell us he spent some time at Boston Common earlier in the day and ran into some SP fans from Quebec - fans that didn't get a chance to see SP "in the old days" but came to the show tonight.
The crowd initially booed when he said they were from Quebec, at which point the Chicago native shot back (pardon the pun) that unlike America, at least in Quebec he knows he is less likely to be vulnerable to gun violence. But the boos turned to cheers when Corgan thanked the fans for making the trek to tonight's show.
In perhaps the coolest moment of the show and a moment I'll never forget, Jimmy Chamberlin came out from behind his enormous drum kit and all alone with Corgan played tambourine while the crowd clapped along to a perfect rendition of the Adore favorite, "Perfect."
Like many fans of a great band, I live for the times when a band plays a song or two so rare that your friends (who weren't there) are envious of your luck and "I was there when they played..." moments. This was such a time.
The moonlit magic of the bass-heavy "1979" CD single b-side "Set The Ray To Jerry," a dark and dreamy, longing-for-love song that rarely gets played live was a great treat for die-hard Pumpkins fans. In fact, this being Halloween season, the Pumpkins gave this audience more rare treats on this night than anyone could've anticipated, along with plenty of tricks courtesy of that bright, colorful and triangle-shaped light show above the stage that complimented every song.
Speaking of "1979," Corgan performed it during a second encore with just a mic and an acoustic guitar, and realizing the audience was into every note and word, stopped playing to let them sing out the last chorus. Talk about striking a chord with an audience, Corgan not only realized he had done so, but made the most of it as well.
Just a few songs earlier, Corgan had thanked the fans for coming and dedicated "That's The Way (My Love Is)" to them, especially to those of us who came to this show instead of watching the Red Sox-Indians playoff game that night.
By the time Corgan finished "1979," the Pumpkins had given you more than your money's worth - 22 songs! With tracks like "Zero," "Bullet With Butterfly Wings," "Today," "Thirty-Three" and newer radio singles "Tarantula" and "That's The Way" already played and a few more to come, you begin to realize how strong the group and in particular Corgan's catalog of songs are after all these years. [Keep in mind that though the band played "Drown" and "Starla," they did not even play a single song from their first album Gish, which was one of SPIN's top 10 albums of 1991] I'd put them up there with any of the top alternative groups of the day or yesteryear.
The last of the Pumpkins' special treats came right after "1979," when they played another song from Machina II, "Let Me Give The World To You." Many in the Pumpkin fandom remain puzzled to this day as to why this track never made either Adore or Machina. It sounded like a hit then and sounds even better now, like a cross between "1979" and "Cherub Rock," the latter of which was the night's last and 24th song during a third encore.
From "Today" to "Starla" to "STRTJ" to "Let Me Give The World to You," it was almost like seeing one of your favorite Pumpkins mix CDs played live before your very eyes. It wasn't a dream, it was very real and of all the Pumpkins shows I've been to over the years, this one was the best, by far.
Set:
* Where Boys Fear to Tread
* Hummer
* Bring the Light
* Neverlost
* Lucky 13
* Tonight, Tonight
* Tarantula
* Starz
* Zero
* Starla
* Thirty-three
* Perfect
* To Sheila
* Set the Ray to Jerry
* Today
* Bullet with Butterfly Wings
* That's the Way (My Love Is)
* Superchrist
* Heavy Metal Machine
> On the Road Again [Canned Heat]
> I Love Rock 'n' Roll [Arrows]
Encore 1:
* Drown
* United States
Encore 2:
* 1979
* Let Me Give the World to You
Encore 3:
* Cherub Rock
Monday, October 29, 2007
Music Review: Down - Down III: Over The Under
Note: First published on Blogcritics Magazine's web site 10-02-07
Since the 2002 release of their second CD Down II, a lot has happened to the Southern supergroup of metal heavyweights known as Down. Frontman Phil Anselmo battled and overcame hard drug use, endured the loss of his ex-Pantera bandmate and beloved metal icon Dimebag Darrell (killed on stage in December 2004 while performing in post-Pantera band Damageplan), and, like his New Orleans-based bandmates, was displaced and suffered through Hurricane Katrina.
Overcoming these tragedies, guitarist Pepper Keenan (Corrosion of Conformity), vocalist Phil Anselmo (Pantera), bassist Rex Brown (Pantera), guitarist Kirk Windstein (Crowbar) and drummer Jimmy Bower (Eyehategod) reunited and embarked on a small, sold-out 21-show tour of Europe in the summer of 2006. The band demoed 18 new songs in New Orleans sometime thereafter and then recorded 15 tracks in Los Angeles in early 2007. Twelve of them made the cut.
On Down III: Over The Under, the third album in twelve years for this super side project, the band finds themselves kicking out their usual massive, heavy riff-based Southern metal - as opposed to the less nuanced and mostly power chord-based "nu metal" - but with more depth (musically/vocally) than ever before. Keeping with the times, the band even uses Pro Tools technology for the album.
Down's first two records were well-received within the metal community, and though there are no clear-cut hits to be found in this new batch of songs, the record as a whole is a consistent rocker with very little downtime. This should please Down fans young and old. Starting with 1995's debut record Nola (short for New Orleans, Louisiana) and on to the present, Down has taken pride in being considered the southern Black Sabbath of our time. But they also seem to take on other influences here as well, which, in my opinion, includes Thin Lizzy, Lynyrd Skynyrd and even Alice In Chains.
"Three Suns and One Star" starts things off with their trademark Sabbath feel. "In The Thrall Of It All" and "Nothing In Return (Walk Away)" each find Anselmo singing at times like the late Alice In Chains frontman Layne Staley. And as with every album, Down takes a break from their usual Dropped-D flat tunings (on guitars/bass) to write a few even heavier songs in Dropped-B tuning, including "N.O.D.," the slow groove of "Mourn" and "Pillamyd," which sees Keenan layering down some C.O.C.-styled licks.
On "Never Try," the band shows off their bluesy side. Pitted half way through the CD, it adds a nice contrast and break from the norm. "On March of the Saints" is another standardly heavy rocker, but with even heavier emotion and Hurricane Katrina-related lyrics. Anselmo sings: "We have been through change/by the season of the storms...with all our lives at stake/from at rest to the present are sitting high among the elect/on march the saints."
The new album itself pretty much rocks from start to finish (with the lone exception of Track 9, an instrumental). Their style is mainly carefully crafted mid-tempo metal - some call it "stoner" metal - that can mix in flashy guitar solos, dual harmony-laden riffs and rhythmic change-ups at any given time. It all makes makes for high quality, never-boring hard rock or old-fashioned head-banging metal.
If you've listened to Down's previous albums (Nola, 1995 and Down II, 2002), you know that they never disappoint, never let you down (pun totally intended) and likely never will as long as they stay true to form. Simply put, Down III comes awfully close to (but not quite) being five-whole-stars-perfect and is one of the best hard rock/metal albums you'll listen to this year. It was released last Tuesday (9/25) through ILG/Warner Music Group. So go pick it up ASAP at the record store of your choice.
For more info on Down, go to their official page and myspace page.
Since the 2002 release of their second CD Down II, a lot has happened to the Southern supergroup of metal heavyweights known as Down. Frontman Phil Anselmo battled and overcame hard drug use, endured the loss of his ex-Pantera bandmate and beloved metal icon Dimebag Darrell (killed on stage in December 2004 while performing in post-Pantera band Damageplan), and, like his New Orleans-based bandmates, was displaced and suffered through Hurricane Katrina.
Overcoming these tragedies, guitarist Pepper Keenan (Corrosion of Conformity), vocalist Phil Anselmo (Pantera), bassist Rex Brown (Pantera), guitarist Kirk Windstein (Crowbar) and drummer Jimmy Bower (Eyehategod) reunited and embarked on a small, sold-out 21-show tour of Europe in the summer of 2006. The band demoed 18 new songs in New Orleans sometime thereafter and then recorded 15 tracks in Los Angeles in early 2007. Twelve of them made the cut.
On Down III: Over The Under, the third album in twelve years for this super side project, the band finds themselves kicking out their usual massive, heavy riff-based Southern metal - as opposed to the less nuanced and mostly power chord-based "nu metal" - but with more depth (musically/vocally) than ever before. Keeping with the times, the band even uses Pro Tools technology for the album.
Down's first two records were well-received within the metal community, and though there are no clear-cut hits to be found in this new batch of songs, the record as a whole is a consistent rocker with very little downtime. This should please Down fans young and old. Starting with 1995's debut record Nola (short for New Orleans, Louisiana) and on to the present, Down has taken pride in being considered the southern Black Sabbath of our time. But they also seem to take on other influences here as well, which, in my opinion, includes Thin Lizzy, Lynyrd Skynyrd and even Alice In Chains.
"Three Suns and One Star" starts things off with their trademark Sabbath feel. "In The Thrall Of It All" and "Nothing In Return (Walk Away)" each find Anselmo singing at times like the late Alice In Chains frontman Layne Staley. And as with every album, Down takes a break from their usual Dropped-D flat tunings (on guitars/bass) to write a few even heavier songs in Dropped-B tuning, including "N.O.D.," the slow groove of "Mourn" and "Pillamyd," which sees Keenan layering down some C.O.C.-styled licks.
On "Never Try," the band shows off their bluesy side. Pitted half way through the CD, it adds a nice contrast and break from the norm. "On March of the Saints" is another standardly heavy rocker, but with even heavier emotion and Hurricane Katrina-related lyrics. Anselmo sings: "We have been through change/by the season of the storms...with all our lives at stake/from at rest to the present are sitting high among the elect/on march the saints."
The new album itself pretty much rocks from start to finish (with the lone exception of Track 9, an instrumental). Their style is mainly carefully crafted mid-tempo metal - some call it "stoner" metal - that can mix in flashy guitar solos, dual harmony-laden riffs and rhythmic change-ups at any given time. It all makes makes for high quality, never-boring hard rock or old-fashioned head-banging metal.
If you've listened to Down's previous albums (Nola, 1995 and Down II, 2002), you know that they never disappoint, never let you down (pun totally intended) and likely never will as long as they stay true to form. Simply put, Down III comes awfully close to (but not quite) being five-whole-stars-perfect and is one of the best hard rock/metal albums you'll listen to this year. It was released last Tuesday (9/25) through ILG/Warner Music Group. So go pick it up ASAP at the record store of your choice.
For more info on Down, go to their official page and myspace page.
Music Review: Megadeth - That One Night: Live In Buenos Aires
Note: First published on Blogcritics 9-06-07
If you're in a great band, if you've built up a loyal fan base AND have had some degree of success over the years, there's a good chance that you will put out a live record some day. And if your band has sold over 70 million records worldwide in a span of 20 years, as Dave Mustaine's band Megadeth has, the time has finally come for that definitive live album.
Hardcore Megadeth fans know the band has released a couple live compilations and a fan club-only unplugged album in the past, but That One Night is their first official single show release. It captures a rejuvenated Dave Mustaine and his mates arguably at their absolute peak here, in terms of both performance and energy.
Recorded October 9, 2005 at Obras Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the concert features more than 100 minutes of non-stop, career-spanning (through 2004's The System Has Failed CD) thrash and speed metal over two discs. The DVD release of this show came out this past spring. It was recently certified Gold, and was as highly regarded as this newly released audio version should and likely will be.
But listening to either of the two CDs, listeners can easily use their imaginations to picture the electricity inside Obras Stadium that October night. The 25,000-strong fans in attendance really brought out the best in Megadeth.
Though Megadeth has gone through many lineup changes over the years, the group that Mustaine put together for the 2005 tour was the most fiery and fiercest in recent memory. It featured the Drover brothers - Shawn on drums and Glen on guitar - and James MacDonough (Iced Earth) on bass. The lone original member and main songwriter Dave Mustaine has likely never sounded better and kicked out more consistent, skull-crushing metal jams and gems than on this night. However, some may be left begging for more, as this 21-song set (like its DVD companion) is allegedly missing some tracks that were played that night, including "Sweating Bullets." Nonetheless, any worries of getting ripped off or not getting your money's worth will go away within minutes of pressing play on your CD player.
From show opener "Blackmail The Universe" to live staples like "Skin Of My Teeth" - both on disc one - and "Peace Sells" (disc two), the band showcases their influential brand of thrash and speed metal to the delight of the masses. The audience not only knows the lyrics to Megadeth's most beloved songs — they sing the opening chords of classics like "Symphony of Destruction" and an extended version of "Trust" — they also make their own vocals where there are none in order to sing along to the guitar riffs and solos on tracks such as "She Wolf."
Dave Mustaine even sings parts of songs like "Trust" in Spanish and allows the audience to sing an extra chorus. Taken together, it may not be the greatest heavy metal concert of all time, but it should certainly be high on anybody's list, as it is the most interactive and truly inspired metal concert put to tape in recent memory (at least according to these ears).
Dave Mustaine has a special bond with the Argentinian people that goes back several years. In the CD jacket, he recounts how fans there rode in taxis driving 100 mph just to hand him gifts in the van he was riding in; others who knew where the band spent their time in the country spelled out M-E-G-A-D-E-T-H "in the rocks of the [Sheraton] hotel landscaping."
But perhaps the most moving of all Mustaine's recollections is when he tells of the first time Megadeth ever played in Buenos Aires. Outside the gates of the show, he met a very sick young boy who suffered from a rare and fatal accelerated aging condition. The boy let Mustaine know how much he loved him and his music and Mustaine let him know the affection was mutual.
So if you had any doubts as to how powerful heavy music can be and what it can mean to people around the world, especially Megadeth's, those doubts should be gone by now. This band played their hearts out for those tens of thousands of fans and recorded a nearly flawless set that Megadeth fans all over the globe will enjoy for years to come.
If you're in a great band, if you've built up a loyal fan base AND have had some degree of success over the years, there's a good chance that you will put out a live record some day. And if your band has sold over 70 million records worldwide in a span of 20 years, as Dave Mustaine's band Megadeth has, the time has finally come for that definitive live album.
Hardcore Megadeth fans know the band has released a couple live compilations and a fan club-only unplugged album in the past, but That One Night is their first official single show release. It captures a rejuvenated Dave Mustaine and his mates arguably at their absolute peak here, in terms of both performance and energy.
Recorded October 9, 2005 at Obras Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the concert features more than 100 minutes of non-stop, career-spanning (through 2004's The System Has Failed CD) thrash and speed metal over two discs. The DVD release of this show came out this past spring. It was recently certified Gold, and was as highly regarded as this newly released audio version should and likely will be.
But listening to either of the two CDs, listeners can easily use their imaginations to picture the electricity inside Obras Stadium that October night. The 25,000-strong fans in attendance really brought out the best in Megadeth.
Though Megadeth has gone through many lineup changes over the years, the group that Mustaine put together for the 2005 tour was the most fiery and fiercest in recent memory. It featured the Drover brothers - Shawn on drums and Glen on guitar - and James MacDonough (Iced Earth) on bass. The lone original member and main songwriter Dave Mustaine has likely never sounded better and kicked out more consistent, skull-crushing metal jams and gems than on this night. However, some may be left begging for more, as this 21-song set (like its DVD companion) is allegedly missing some tracks that were played that night, including "Sweating Bullets." Nonetheless, any worries of getting ripped off or not getting your money's worth will go away within minutes of pressing play on your CD player.
From show opener "Blackmail The Universe" to live staples like "Skin Of My Teeth" - both on disc one - and "Peace Sells" (disc two), the band showcases their influential brand of thrash and speed metal to the delight of the masses. The audience not only knows the lyrics to Megadeth's most beloved songs — they sing the opening chords of classics like "Symphony of Destruction" and an extended version of "Trust" — they also make their own vocals where there are none in order to sing along to the guitar riffs and solos on tracks such as "She Wolf."
Dave Mustaine even sings parts of songs like "Trust" in Spanish and allows the audience to sing an extra chorus. Taken together, it may not be the greatest heavy metal concert of all time, but it should certainly be high on anybody's list, as it is the most interactive and truly inspired metal concert put to tape in recent memory (at least according to these ears).
Dave Mustaine has a special bond with the Argentinian people that goes back several years. In the CD jacket, he recounts how fans there rode in taxis driving 100 mph just to hand him gifts in the van he was riding in; others who knew where the band spent their time in the country spelled out M-E-G-A-D-E-T-H "in the rocks of the [Sheraton] hotel landscaping."
But perhaps the most moving of all Mustaine's recollections is when he tells of the first time Megadeth ever played in Buenos Aires. Outside the gates of the show, he met a very sick young boy who suffered from a rare and fatal accelerated aging condition. The boy let Mustaine know how much he loved him and his music and Mustaine let him know the affection was mutual.
So if you had any doubts as to how powerful heavy music can be and what it can mean to people around the world, especially Megadeth's, those doubts should be gone by now. This band played their hearts out for those tens of thousands of fans and recorded a nearly flawless set that Megadeth fans all over the globe will enjoy for years to come.
DVD Review: Baseball's Most Unbreakable Feats
Note: First published on Blogcritics 9-18-07
In this DVD, Baseball's Most Unbreakable Feats, current major leaguers, Hall of Famers, baseball historians and managers assess 10 so-called unbreakable records and the likelihood (or lack thereof) that the names associated with them will hold up over time. With Roger Clemens as narrator and opinions expressed by everyone from Lou Brock and Dave Winfield to present day players and managers like Tom Glavine, Craig Biggio and Terry Francona, it is a fun film to watch. All 90 minutes of it. The statistical breakdowns of the records and what it would take to break them again are informative, and even the background music - symphonic, rockin' or electronic - sets the mood well.
As for the records, they include: Nolan Ryan's 5,714 K's, Bob Gibson's 1.12 ERA, Ted Williams's .406 AVG, Joe DiMaggio's 56 game hit streak, Eric Gagne's 84 consecutive saves, Rickey Henderson's 1406 career SB's and 130 SB's in one season, Cal Ripken's 2632 consecutive games played, plus a few more.
For starters, the consensus among everyone in the DVD (and fans as well) is that no one will ever get close to Cal Ripken Jr.'s 2632 consecutive games streak, for sure. Miguel Tejada, the closest to his record these days, is mentioned as the most likely candidate to catch up to Ripken. However, on June 22, just under two weeks before this DVD was released (July 3), his own streak of 1152 consecutive games played ended as he sat out of the game due to a wrist injury. Tejada's streak is the fifth longest in MLB history but still more than nine seasons worth of games shy of Ripken's record, which spanned three presidential administrations (1982-1998). Thus, Ripken's record is not just the most unbreakable record in baseball, but arguably in all of sports.
A record that is arguably just as unbreakable as Ripken's streak is Cy Young's 511 wins. As some players pointed out (i.e. Barry Zito), starting pitchers aren't allowed to pitch as frequently as they did in Young's era (late 1800's-to-early 1900's) and likely never will again, both for health and competitive reasons. Still, Greg Maddux did manage to break one of Young's records, having recorded at least 15 wins in 17 consecutive seasons through 2004. (In a side note, Clemens made a minor error in saying Maddux "just" broke Young's consecutive wins record, which happened three years ago; Young's mark was previously at least 15 wins in 15 consecutive seasons.)
When it comes to a couple records, some players are of the "never say never" mindset. And regarding Ted Williams's legendary .406 AVG in 1941, Kevin Millar nominates Ichiro Suzuki to challenge it in the future. A couple of peers mentioned Albert Pujols and Twins catcher (and former batting champ) Joe Mauer as well, but most see Ted's .406 AVG as unsurpassable. Also cool is interview footage of the late Teddy Ballgame. Indeed, footage of him, Pedro with the Red Sox and other heroes of the past makes this DVD high on nostalgia.
One record that I see as possibly vulnerable is Pete Rose's 4256 career hits. Reigning AL MVP Justin Morneau thinks so as well. However, older guys like Francona and Bobby Cox do not. Still, with more and more players playing into their 40s these days, it may not be a question of if his record can be approached but when. According to the film, through age 32, Rose had 2152 hits, while Derek Jeter had 2150 hits at the same age (through the 2006 season). However, Rose played all or parts of 24 seasons to get 4,000+ hits. Jeter, now at age 33, has played at least 12 seasons and is fast approaching 2350 hits. Therefore, if Jeter stays healthy, consistent and wants to play for about ten more seasons, even as a DH, he will give Rose's record a run for his money.
I'm not going to spoil it for you and tell you how 160 players, managers and coaches ranked the top 10 "unbreakable feats," but it is interesting to note what records did not make the DVD at all: Hank Aaron's all-time RBI record (2297) or the formerly sacred all-time HR records - single or career-spanning. Barry Bonds broke the latter two, but not without the help of performance enhancers, some of which (the cream and clear) he admitted in sworn testimony to using for a short time earlier in this decade. Still, many fans expect a few of today's power hitters to eclipse whatever HR number Bonds ends up with, especially A-Rod, and even Albert Pujols. And at age 32, A-Rod already has over 500 HRs and nearly 1500 RBIs!
Overall, this DVD is highly recommended and a must-have for baseball fans that appreciate the fact that baseball is not only a team game but a game of statistics and historic accomplishments. Even if you are familiar with some of these records, you, like the players in this film will likely be awestruck of them and appreciative of what it took for the likes of Nolan Ryan, Rickey Henderson and Cal Ripken to attain their mammoth records. Even the bonus material, which evaluates more unbeatable records, such as back-to-back no-hitters (by Johnny Vander Meer, 1938 ) and two grand slams in one inning (by Cardinal Fernando Tatis in 1999 off Dodger Chan Ho Park, both times) is worth watching.
To watch a two-minute trailer of it, click here.
In this DVD, Baseball's Most Unbreakable Feats, current major leaguers, Hall of Famers, baseball historians and managers assess 10 so-called unbreakable records and the likelihood (or lack thereof) that the names associated with them will hold up over time. With Roger Clemens as narrator and opinions expressed by everyone from Lou Brock and Dave Winfield to present day players and managers like Tom Glavine, Craig Biggio and Terry Francona, it is a fun film to watch. All 90 minutes of it. The statistical breakdowns of the records and what it would take to break them again are informative, and even the background music - symphonic, rockin' or electronic - sets the mood well.
As for the records, they include: Nolan Ryan's 5,714 K's, Bob Gibson's 1.12 ERA, Ted Williams's .406 AVG, Joe DiMaggio's 56 game hit streak, Eric Gagne's 84 consecutive saves, Rickey Henderson's 1406 career SB's and 130 SB's in one season, Cal Ripken's 2632 consecutive games played, plus a few more.
For starters, the consensus among everyone in the DVD (and fans as well) is that no one will ever get close to Cal Ripken Jr.'s 2632 consecutive games streak, for sure. Miguel Tejada, the closest to his record these days, is mentioned as the most likely candidate to catch up to Ripken. However, on June 22, just under two weeks before this DVD was released (July 3), his own streak of 1152 consecutive games played ended as he sat out of the game due to a wrist injury. Tejada's streak is the fifth longest in MLB history but still more than nine seasons worth of games shy of Ripken's record, which spanned three presidential administrations (1982-1998). Thus, Ripken's record is not just the most unbreakable record in baseball, but arguably in all of sports.
A record that is arguably just as unbreakable as Ripken's streak is Cy Young's 511 wins. As some players pointed out (i.e. Barry Zito), starting pitchers aren't allowed to pitch as frequently as they did in Young's era (late 1800's-to-early 1900's) and likely never will again, both for health and competitive reasons. Still, Greg Maddux did manage to break one of Young's records, having recorded at least 15 wins in 17 consecutive seasons through 2004. (In a side note, Clemens made a minor error in saying Maddux "just" broke Young's consecutive wins record, which happened three years ago; Young's mark was previously at least 15 wins in 15 consecutive seasons.)
When it comes to a couple records, some players are of the "never say never" mindset. And regarding Ted Williams's legendary .406 AVG in 1941, Kevin Millar nominates Ichiro Suzuki to challenge it in the future. A couple of peers mentioned Albert Pujols and Twins catcher (and former batting champ) Joe Mauer as well, but most see Ted's .406 AVG as unsurpassable. Also cool is interview footage of the late Teddy Ballgame. Indeed, footage of him, Pedro with the Red Sox and other heroes of the past makes this DVD high on nostalgia.
One record that I see as possibly vulnerable is Pete Rose's 4256 career hits. Reigning AL MVP Justin Morneau thinks so as well. However, older guys like Francona and Bobby Cox do not. Still, with more and more players playing into their 40s these days, it may not be a question of if his record can be approached but when. According to the film, through age 32, Rose had 2152 hits, while Derek Jeter had 2150 hits at the same age (through the 2006 season). However, Rose played all or parts of 24 seasons to get 4,000+ hits. Jeter, now at age 33, has played at least 12 seasons and is fast approaching 2350 hits. Therefore, if Jeter stays healthy, consistent and wants to play for about ten more seasons, even as a DH, he will give Rose's record a run for his money.
I'm not going to spoil it for you and tell you how 160 players, managers and coaches ranked the top 10 "unbreakable feats," but it is interesting to note what records did not make the DVD at all: Hank Aaron's all-time RBI record (2297) or the formerly sacred all-time HR records - single or career-spanning. Barry Bonds broke the latter two, but not without the help of performance enhancers, some of which (the cream and clear) he admitted in sworn testimony to using for a short time earlier in this decade. Still, many fans expect a few of today's power hitters to eclipse whatever HR number Bonds ends up with, especially A-Rod, and even Albert Pujols. And at age 32, A-Rod already has over 500 HRs and nearly 1500 RBIs!
Overall, this DVD is highly recommended and a must-have for baseball fans that appreciate the fact that baseball is not only a team game but a game of statistics and historic accomplishments. Even if you are familiar with some of these records, you, like the players in this film will likely be awestruck of them and appreciative of what it took for the likes of Nolan Ryan, Rickey Henderson and Cal Ripken to attain their mammoth records. Even the bonus material, which evaluates more unbeatable records, such as back-to-back no-hitters (by Johnny Vander Meer, 1938 ) and two grand slams in one inning (by Cardinal Fernando Tatis in 1999 off Dodger Chan Ho Park, both times) is worth watching.
To watch a two-minute trailer of it, click here.
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