After existing as a rumor among hopeful Robert Plant fans for years, Nine Lives was finally released in 2006. This beautiful boxed set features all of Robert’s solo albums as well as the Honeydrippers EP, a 60 page book, and a DVD.
Each of the discs has been remastered, and bonus tracks added. The remastering process is the most exciting on the earlier discs, Pictures at Eleven, Principle of Moments, and Shaken ‘n’ Stirred. The original CD transfers were not as bright as they should have been, and the remastering process for Nine Lives has greatly improved their clarity, bringing out the subtle nuances.
The DVD included with the package is worth the price on its own. It contains an hour-long documentary of Robert Plant discussing his career album by album. His commentary is counterpointed with remarks by the late Ahmet Ertegun (founder of Atlantic Records), Tori Amos, Phil Collins, Lenny Kravitz, John McEnroe, and others.
The interesting aspect of the documentary is seeing how Robert has influenced some high profile musicians. Tori Amos went so far as to say that watching Robert work had affected the way that she approached her own work. Lenny Kravitz tells of how Robert gave him some advice on his approach to playing live which Lenny heeded. Throughout it all, the respect and admiration of his peers is clear. Robert also analyzes his own work, offering insight into what he was thinking and feeling at the time it was recorded.
The liner notes included with Nine Lives can’t really be called a “booklet”. This 60-page, perfect-bound publication measures almost 6×10 inches. Beautifully designed by Richard Evans, the book contains a selection of photos from many photographers including Frank Melfi, Ebet Roberts, Richard Evans and more. Along with the pictures is a historical overview written by Ed Vulliamy. Vulliamy also examines each album individually, offering commentary from Robert as well as other writers from the time period.
Nine Lives is a journey of discovery. If you are a long-time fan, having this set will reaffirm what you already know: Robert has produced a fine body of work and shows no sign of stopping. Having his entire collection in one nice package is convenient, and it encourages discovering his music all over again with the remastering process.
If you are a new fan of Robert Plant and haven’t yet explored all of his albums, this is a must-have for you. Here you discover the wide range of solo music he has produced and why he’s still on top of his game after nearly 30 years as a solo artist.
Pictures at Eleven (originally released 1982)
Far Post (from the White Nights soundtrack), Like I’ve Never Been Gone (Live)
The Principle of Moments (originally released 1983)
In the Mood (Live), Thru’ With the Two Step (Live), Lively Up Yourself (Live), Turnaround (previously unreleased)
Honeydrippers Volume One (originally released 1984)
Rockin’ At Midnight (Live). Shaken ‘n’ Stirred (released 1985), Little By Little (Remix, Long Version)
Now and Zen (originally released 1988)
Billy’s Revenge (Live), Ship of Fools (Live), Tall Cool One (Live)
Manic Nirvana (originally released 1990)
Oompah Watery Bint, One Love, Don’t Look Back
Fate of Nations (originally 1993)
Colours of a Shade, Great Spirit (Acoustic Mix), Rollercoaster (Demo), 8:05, Dark Moon (Acoustic)
Dreamland (originally released 2002)
Dirt in a Hole, Last Time I Saw Her (Remix)
Mighty Rearranger (originally released 2005)
Red White and Blue, All The Money in the World, Shine It All Around (Girls Remix), Tin Pan Valley (Girls Remix), The Enchanter (Unkle Reconstruction)
Many of these tracks appeared as either bonus tracks on non-U.S. releases, or as singles and B-sides. Some of the live tracks (Tall Cool One, Ship of Fools) have never been commercially released and this is a great opportunity to hear them live and professionally mastered. Ship of Fools, for example, is a smooth aural adventure that clocks in at ten minutes. If you’ve never seen Plant perform live, or just want to recapture the excitement of the show, these live tracks fill the bill.
Songs like Colours of a Shade and Dirt in a Hole are amazing songs that deserve more attention on their own and were originally released only on the non-US versions.
Over the years, Robert has put out a lot of Remix versions, but many of them are now hard to find. Nine Lives carries a few of those, including three of the best from Mighty Rearranger. Shine It All Around was used in 2005 to open up the shows, and the Unkle Reconstruction for Enchanter has been played on various radio stations around the world.
The DVD included in the package contains 20 commercial videos that were made for the various albums. Videos are: Burning Down One Side, Big Log, In the Mood, Rockin’ at Midnight, Sea of Love, Little by Little, Pink and Black, Heaven Knows, Tall Cool One, Ship of Fools, Hurting Kind, Nirvana, Tie Dye on the Highway, 29 Palms, Calling to You, If I Were a Carpenter, I Believe, Morning Dew, Darkness Darkness, and Shine it All Around. The Morning Dew and Darkness Darkness videos are rarely shown on TV, but they did appear on a couple of CD singles released with Dreamland.
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