In 1981 I was fortunate to host a Free-Form Radio Show. The heinous word PLAYLIST had not disintegrated the integrity of the station. One of the most fascinating aspects of the six-hour program were the schism of opinions regarding the same band. A Fleetwood Mac blues purist would call every week and explain if Peter Green is not playing on the song it should be called Fleetwood Not. The weekly screeching from a Rolling Stones fan contained contempt for the entire planet if Brian Jones were not in the line-up (mind-numbing that the genius of Mick Taylor did not exist in their record collection). It brings us to the timeless treasures afforded us by Caravan. Live On The Continent is such a gem that my hope to all the Caravan fans that have heard the album and are on the fence if it warrants a purchase, those that have secured a copy, and folks that are reading reviews and message board postings will consider the following. If you are faithful to a specific period of the band for instance Caravan 1968- Blind Dog At St. Dunstans 1976 or a specific musician i.e. Richard Sinclair, you will judge Live On The Continent against itself and not be part of the often political arena of comparison and contentiousness. The festivities begin with the opening two tracks from the 1973 release For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night, (Memory Lain, Hugh and Headloss). The foolproof pairing of the first two selections solidifies from the starting gate the cohesion of the musicians. Fast-Forward a couple of decades and we arrive in 1995 from The Battle Of The Hastings the band offers us It's A Sad, Sad Affair. In a blink of an eye we return to 1973 for The Dog, The Dog, He's At It Again. Caravan then performs four consecutive tracks from The Battle Of The Hastings and as the first of two CD's hit the finale notes it is blatantly obvious that Pye Hastings voice is still superlative and his guitar leads and fills are commandeering the audience. CD #2 has the calendar read April of 1971 as something for the Caravan time capsule Nine Feet Underground (from In The Land Of Grey And Pink) goes right for the jugular. Eighteen minutes of one of the finest tunes ever penned in or out of the Canterbury Scene. There is often a tune that is the sleeper number of the night. A track that should have gotten more credit over the years and the heavy-weight title belongs this evening to the next, Behind You from the 1977 effort Better By Far. There is a certain energy, possessive in nature. The Battle Of The Hastings makes a return as the senses are pleased with It's Not Real. In 1974 Caravan released Caravan & The New Symphonia. The live rendition of For Richard (recorded October 28, 1973) became almost mythical in stature. As the tempo is put in high gear the results in 1997 should not disappoint even the most contrarian of individuals. In The Land Of Grey And Pink gives us the next selection. It happens to be the opening track, but almost the closing here Golf Girl. The placement is perfection. 1970 is the final destination this evening. The second album's title track If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You is peerless. All good things have a conclusion but a few additional spins of the CD's cure what ails us. The fidelity throughout will please you sonically as the players do as well. I would be remiss if I did not give a plug for Jasper Smit for his work behind the scenes on Live On The Continent as well as a long time archivist of the band's history. Please visit his Caravan fan website and give a large thanks. http://www.cocacamp.nl/ From my continent to yours, nothing but health and safety during these troubled times. All the best.
Craig Fenton (01.02.2021)

BUYERS REVIEWS

Ik vind back on the tracks te gek en ik geniet regelmatig in auto van. Ik vind de auto dé plaats om muziek te luisteren. Ik ben er heel blij mee.
Ton Engels, Venlo, NL

Was kann ich über dieses Live-album sagen? Einfach phantastisch!! Es ist ein wunderbares Erlebnis, dieses Album zu hören. Grossartige Musik, grossartige Musiker!
Ákos Balogh, Debrecen, Ungarn/Hungary

Thank you for the great CDs, they arrived all o.k. and I haven't stopped playing them! A great CD that new and old fans should definitely add to their collection. Thanks again.
David Penny, UK

I've now listened to 'Back on the Tracks' a number of times and think it's a brilliant album full of new raw energy along with sublime subtle moments. It has a quality not found on other live Caravan Albums (as good as they are). I get the impression the Band was enjoying the gig, treating it perhaps as a new challenge, It will certainly be in my CD player often. Thanks for making it happen
Geof O'Keefe, San Miguel CA, USA

What a great recording! I have been listening to this regularly since I received it. The variations in For Richard (my favourite piece by the band) are incredible. And Liar has become a new favourite of mine. This recording is well worth the price. The recording quality is outstanding.See you all in the Netherlands in the fall of 2006 for another great concert!
Lee Zwaal, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Recieved the BOTT CD...Thanks...it has been in my player since it arrived yesterday.
Al Stann, Milford Ohio, USA

......have not listened to it all yet but what I have heard is certainly up to the normal high Caravan standard. A lot of old favourites on there plus some tracks that do not seem to be on other live collections. Immaculate playing especially from Geoffrey Richardson. A welcome addition to my caravan cd collection.
Terry Taylor, London, UK

Gisteren de CD in goede orde ontvangen, waarvoor mijn dank. Kwaliteit lijkt oké. Ik heb hem nog niet helemaal gehoord, doch wat ik gehoord heb, is prima.
Piet van't Zelfde, Utrecht, NL

Ik heb BOTT in goede staat ontvangen. Hij staat nu te spelen, en dat is behoorlijk genieten. Een verrijking voor mijn Caravan verzameling..., bedankt!
Paul Calissendorff, Purmerend, NL

......fantastisch, zeker het wachten waard. Natuurlijk niets nieuws qua titels, maar vooral sfeer van live, fijne kwaliteit. Ik moet toegeven dat een willekeurig album van Caravan dat ik nog niet heb eigenlijk altijd wel hogelijk gewaardeerd wordt, maar deze combinatie van nummers is ook erg fijn. Temeer daar ik weliswaar veel MP3 speel (op mijn werk staat mijn hele CD colectie op de harddisk) maar altijd hele albums. Verder is Caravan nou typisch 1 van die bands waar ik bijna alles van heb en wil hebben. Simpel.
Rob van der Valk, Capelle a/d IJssel, NL

Congratulations on the stunning looking CD! just picked it up from the post office. The band sounds absolutely superb! I have such great memories of seeing Caravan when I used to live in the UK. I was even at the gig referred to in the reissued cd of If I Could It All Over Again, when they played Ewell Tech headlining over Black Sabbath (and at the Fairfield Halls show that was also released a while back). They were wonderful live and this CD sounds as good as I remember them.
Martyn Samuels, Johannesburg, South Africa

De kwaliteit is fantastisch net als het artwork, achterkant hoesje is geniaal, prachtig gedaan. Het Tivoli concert roept weer prachtige herinneringen op aan het concert in Wupppertal, dat heeft toch een goede indruk achter gelaten. Het Caravan gevoel wordt nog onderhouden door de aanschaf van de DVD Live in the USA. Ben behoorlijk gecharmeerd door het gitaarwerk van Doug Boyle een geweldige aanwinst voor de groep, zonder de andere leden tekort te doen natuurlijk.
Harm Dragt, Enschede, NL

Het was het wachten meer dan waard. Geweldig om deze collectors-item in mijn bezit te hebben!
John Vis, Leimuiden, NL

Just a line to say that the CD arrived safely yesterday. Thank you. Very professionally presented and the quality of the recording is very good indeed. I an very impressed and it was worth all the hassle! I appreciate it.
Nick Brown, Chesham Bucks, UK

The music is excellent and the sound quality extraordinary. A lot of thanks for reissuing this concert.
Jose Miguel Fos, Altura Castellon, Spain

Have listened to it and you have done an awesome job - the recording quality is excellent. Listening to 'Nine Feet Underground' again was a highlight for me as I never get tired of this song. I grew up in Kent about 20 mins drive from Canterbury and saw Caravan many times in the 1970's and it is just great to hear all these songs again.
Simon Vinson, Melbourne, Australia

I have now had chance to listen to the BOTT CD's and I think they are great; it is really nice to have a good quality recording of a full concert.
Colin Coomer, Pontefract, Uk

Yesterday morning I have received the caravan's cd. The concert is a great perfomance of the band! It's a must! Thank you for all.
Pietro Petralia, Agata Li Battiati, Italy

De CD klonk hier van middag op m'n kantoor heel goed.
Willem Krieger, Haarlem, NL

BOTT was het wachten zeker waard en ik ben zeer tevreden.
Gerd Manders, Uden, NL

My copy of BOTT arrived last Friday. Thanks a lot for getting it to me so quickly. I'm very pleased with it, it's great to hear such a good and well-recorded live album and definitely worth the wait. Thanks again.
Adrian Pardoe, Shrewsbury, UK

(...) Nog even wat details over de cd "Back on the tracks". Ten eerste proef ik een geweldige sfeer op deze cd. Alle nummers worden voortreffelijk gespeeld. Ik krijg koude rillingen van het geweldige gitaarspel van Doug Boyle. Hij maakt daardoor nummers als Nine feet underground en For Richard, welke overbekend zijn, toch weer heel anders. Ook de percussion van Simon Bentall geven de nummers een leuke wending.Memory Lain, Hugh/Headloss doen het ook nog altijd goed en met The dog, The dog, He`s at it again wordt gelukkig weer wat aandacht aan de mooie LP "For girls who grow plump in the night" gegeven. En met mijn favoriete nummer "Cold as ice" is de cd helemaal top. Al moest ik nog een jaar wachten, hij is het helemaal waard. TOP.
Albert van Boerum, Dokkum, NL

(...) recieved the cd yesterday and i love it. there is a certain rawness to their harmonies on the live work that seems to be blended out of the studio releases. and the jams are oh so nice...old songs are still fresh.
Steve Neff, Evansville Ind, USA