Various Artists - Woodstock 1999

Should Epic Records be blamed or thanked for splitting this massive collection into separate segments for the tie-die set and the moshing crowd? Isn't Woodstock about merging musical styles into one love fest? Well, here we have the red disc, which offers a relentless attack from metal- and punk-influenced bands such as Offspring, Lit, and Limp Bizkit. The opening track is a huge, roaring version of Korn's "Blind," and the disc closes with warnings about the fire that ended the festival, as the Red Hot Chili Peppers burst into Jimi Hendrix's "Fire." Rage Against the Machine's "Bulls on Parade," Buckcherry's AC/DC-influenced "Lit Up," Megadeth's "A Secret Place," and Live's soaring "I Alone" are notable moments, while Sevendust and Godsmack merely sound like early '90s retreads. Metallica's "Creeping Death" shows why they succeed where others fail, and Bush's "Everything Zen" should feel out of place here, but doesn't. The blue disc serves up a kinder, gentler beat with Dave Matthews opening up with "Tripping Billies," followed by the somewhat tired sounds of the Brian Setzer Orchestra. Things get a little perkier with Jewel's surprisingly powerful "Down So Long." Everclear shakes up the audience with their muscular and catchy brand of alt rock. Elvis Costello makes "Alison" sound new and heartfelt, G. Love & Special Sauce remind us how refreshing it was when "Cold Beverage" was first served, and the Chemical Brothers bring their electronic sound to life on "Block Rockin' Beat." Roots' undulant "Adrenaline" has a bite, and Boston's Guster prove that the hype about this acoustic-based outfit's live shows is true. Perfunctory performances by Sheryl Crow, Rusted Root, and Bruce Hornsby fill in the gaps. --Lorry Fleming Amazon.com

Woodstock was supposed to be for Peace

Where did we go wrong in thirty years? We went from seeing a massive youth movement rally for peace, to having a youth so apathetic and angry and violent. Rapings, fires, smashing and destruction ..at woodstock? Are you kidding me?

I could go on, calling the youth of the 90's, or at least the youth in attendance at woodstock 99, apathetic, selfish and irresponsible, but you want know what the truth is? It's the promoters fault. If you want to have a festival that is about peace and love, don't hire a bunch of violent heavy metal bands to play there. I know the whole game; "just because it's heavy doesn't mean it's bad"; "Freedom of expression"; "Just because it sounds heavy and angry doesn't make it negative"; "It's art". Well I understand to a degree. I'm a big fan of certain heavy bands with good intentions such as Nirvana. But mainly I say bullocks. Bands like Metallica and Limp Biscuit and Korn, those bands are for smashing things up and getting your frustrations out; they're not the kind of bands you hire to play at a peace festival. Not unless your idea of peace is smashing a beer-can over your head and throwing the girl next to you down into the mud and raping her.

Point blank, the promoters sold Woodstock out.

As for the record, what can I say. If you enjoy the idea of having the legacy of really important historical events being completely sold out and tarnished then it's the record for you. For everybody else, I recommend any of the records from the original 1969 Woodstock festival.

They used to say "Make Love Not War". In 1969 they made love. In 1999, they made war. Next time let's make it love.

Peace and love to my brothers and sisters all across the world. March 2, 2006

A Testament To How Bad Music Actually Got In The Late 90s

I would like to preface this review with the comment that I do not and will never own this compilation. "Woodstock 99", that ironic and ultimately tragic attempt to cash in on a counter-culture brand (think John Lennon in a Nike ad), sent out the 90's in a literal blaze of anger, rape and profiteering. Apparently, Altimar 99 didn't have the same ring to it...

This tracklist particularly captures the enduring $200+ ticket, $4 water, "show us your breasts on pay-per-view" spirit of Woodstock 99. "Stop Being Greedy" indeed, DMX.

Where else will you find musical icons like Korn, Offspring, Lit, Creed, Sevendust, Kid Rock and Godsmack? (Artists that managed to raise rock music to the "dead" status where it remained until about 2002). There's no point in dwelling in the absolute lack of musical ability shared by these now-forgotten "stars" (when is the new Everlast album expected? how about Our Lady Peace?).

I can only hope that legitimate artists like Elvis Costello (or, worse still, politically conscious artists like Rage Against The Machine) who participated in this nauseating event feel, at the very least, shame and regret.

What did one fan have to say about Limp Bizkit's set?

" [I] saw women being pulled into the pit and having their clothes removed and being assaulted and raped by men in the crowd.

"They were pushed in against their will and really raped, from my vantage point, it looked like initially there was a struggle, and after that there were other people holding them down. It seemed like most of the crowd around was cheering them on."

Don't buy this CD. Not ironically, not as a cautionary example. If they hold a "Woodstock 09", don't go. Just read this tracklist, remember the late 90s and shudder (or weep). What a disgrace. NEVER AGAIN. February 6, 2006

sex,drugs,rock&roll.........at a price

woodstock is about peace ... not rape and death . the first woodstock is thought to have been the biggest peace demistration of all time that helped bring a end to the war in 'nam , and it was this disgrace that changed that !
"woodstock" 1999 was all about money (if i remember , bottled water was $7.00 U.S.)
there was many reported and comfermed rapes
and then there was the fires......this is not what woodstock was about !!!!
if you like live music and the bands listed , go ahead and buy this cd ... but you can always buy other live cd's now can't you.
please don't give the money machine any more of your cash ... they'll wast it on more B.S. that will disgrace U.S. history . January 30, 2006

disc one rlz!

well....woodstock is consider as one of the biggest music festival ever beside rock in rio which also hold hundreds thousand of crowd and i think woodstock are famous for the rock show
so the disc one is fill up with that
the second disc (which is worth buying) i never like it, it has band like chemical brother,jewel and stuff like that
the only crap thing on disc one is DMX,its a stupid rap just like 50 cents, put a simple music beat and mumbling something unclear, well let's forget about that.metallica put strong performance with creeping death(they still had alot of energy), korn songs is really fit as an opening track "are you ready!!" RHCP creed and bush are ALL GOOD alternative band(creed is a bit boring), limp bizkit(i dont like this band and i dont care with this band) , megadeth the only heavy metal band beside metallica also having great performance with a secret place(actually they had a bunch of heavy songs but they didnt play it at woodstock)
i had no command on buckcherry September 13, 2003

i got a secret for you

Woodstock is a pretty much big festival and it was obvious that Megadeth made it big with its "a secret place" song...Megadeth rules the world... July 16, 2001

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