Steve Hoffman's Greatest Hits

If you were able to compile a 79- minute compact disc of your favorite cuts from the album Steve Hoffman has mastered/remastered, which ones would you choose? Only one rule: one cut from each artist allowed ONLY, you can't use, say two Bob Dylan songs from Highway 61. All clear? Ok. GO!

 

I'll lead off with Inertia by the Hustlers from Surf Legends and Rumors. That monster bass makes for a great start!!!

 

I would put in "That Would Be Something" from McCartney. The sound Steve was able to achieve with a homemade 4-track recording is incredible! Since Paul recorded directly to the Studer 4-track(plugged directly into the machine), the sound is as pure as can be.

 

My favorite Steve stuff?

"Journey To The Center Of The Mind"/The Amboy Dukes
"I Live For The Sun"/The Sunrays
"Boss"/The Rumblers
"Baby Blue"/Badfinger
"The Shape I'm In"/The Band
"God Only Knows"/The Beach Boys
"In My Room"/The Beach Boys
"Jump In The Line"/Belafonte
"Just What I Needed"/The Cars
"Georgia On My Mind"/Ray Charles
"Peggy Sue"/Buddy Holly
"(Were Gonna) Rock Around The Clock"/Bill Haley & His Comets
"Susie Q"/Dale Hawkins
"Stardust"/Nat King Cole
"Lush Life"/John Coltrane
"Deserted Cities Of The Heart"/Cream
"I Heard It Through The Grapevine"/Creedence
"Have Mercy"/Don Covay
"What Am I Living For"/Chuck Willis
"We Can Work It Out"/Stevie Wonder
"If I Were A Bell"/Miles Davis Quintet
"Break On Through"/The Doors
"Like A Rolling Stone"/Bob Dylan
"Hotel California"/The Eagles
"All Through The Night"/Ella Fitzgerald
"Love And Happiness"/Al Green
"Crazy On You"/Heart
"Tiny Dancer"/Elton John
"Baby Please"/Dave Mason
Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo"/Johnny Winter
"Every Night"/Paul McCartney
"Beware My Love" Paul McCartney & Wings
"Fly Like An Eagle"/Steve Miller Band
"California"/Joni Mitchell
"In Dreams"/Roy Orbison
"Good Luck Charm"/Elvis
"Fever"/Elvis
"Baker Street"/Gerry Rafferty
"Muskrat Love"/Willis Alan Ramsey
"Living In The USA"/Linda Ronstadt
"A Song For You"/Leon Russell
"Rock And Roll Never Forgets"/Bob Seger
"Oh My My"/Ringo Starr
"You Really Got Me"/Van Halen
"Come On"/Chuck Berry
"Bargain"/The Who
"Magic Bus"/The Who
"Dedicated To The One I Love"/The Mamas & Papas
"Listen To Her Heart"/Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
"Radar Love"/Golden Earring
"How Do You Do It"/Gerry & The Pacemakers
"Just A Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody"/Louis Prima
"Gold"/John Stewart
"Stratosphere Boogie"/Jimmy Bryant and Speedy West

There are hundreds more, but I'll stop here.

 

Ahhh, Susie Q without the Chess brother's extra added stairwell echo from that MCA RAB comp - I LIKE that one a LOT!!!

 

I agree with your entire list, but I want to comment on this song in particular, as I was playing Steve's version just yesterday. The whole song sounds good, and like many of the other songson your list John, it has some sonic revelation that I've never heard before.

I'm guessing that Steve focused on the drums for this mix (and I fully expect I'll be wrong just because I assumed that) because for me, they really came alive in a way that I've never heard before. At some point in that song, everything really broke loose and I found myself blown to the back of my living room by Steve.

Steve, you knucklehead!

 

GREAT list, Indy Mike; However, you cheated because you used TWO Beach Boys songs! Oh well.

 

Ah, but they are from different CDs/albums...

Oh wait, I just re-read your post - one from each ARTIST... Ok.

Well, in that case, he cheated on other artists too...

[edited]