How Long Is A Piece Of String? cover
(click on cover image
for larger version)

How Long Is A Piece Of String?
(bootleg CD)

Doberman 178/179/180
(Released January 1999)

CD1:

  1. The New Symphony Sid (5:20)
  2. Jackie Wilson Said (3:37)
  3. Satisfied (4:28)
  4. Moondance / My Funny Valentine (8:02)
  5. In The Afternoon (7:34)
  6. Raincheck (5:27)
  7. Cleaning Windows (4:07)
  8. Vanlose Stairway / Trans Euro Train (4:52)
  9. How Long Has This Been Going On? (4:14)
  10. Tupelo Honey / Why Must I Always Explain? (6:47)
  11. For Mr Thomas (4:37)
    Total time: (59:30)


CD2:
  1. See Me Through / Soldier Of Fortune / Thank You Fallentinme Be Mi Celf Agin / Burning Ground (17:20)
  2. Cyprus Avenue (7:54)
  3. Fire In The Belly (5:36)
  4. Summertime In England (6:30)
  5. Send In The Clowns (5:04)
  6. Rough God Goes Riding (4:59)
  7. Crazy Jane On God (4:25)
  8. Enlightenment (2:09)
  9. Whenever God Shines His Light (4:12)
  10. Real Real Gone (3:40)
  11. Help Me (4:02)
  12. A Change Is Gonna Come (4:40)
    Total time: (71:10)


CD3:
  1. Just Like A Woman (5:00)
  2. Wonderful Remark (3:34)
  3. Centerpiece (5:16)
  4. Who Can I Turn To? (4:03)
  5. That's Life (4:08)
  6. Sometimes We Cry (4:59)
  7. Ain't That Loving You Baby (4:00)
  8. Tell Me Something (4:00)
  9. Don't Worry About A Thing / Kansas City (5:38)
  10. Call Me Up In Dreamland (4:17)
  11. The Healing Game (6:12)
  12. These Dreams Of You (3:37)
  13. Lonely Avenue (8:23)
  14. It's A Man's, Man's, Man's World (8:48)
    Total time: (72:35)


Liner notes

Recording information:
All tracks on disc one and tracks 1-2 on disc two were recorded at The Whitla Hall in Belfast on November 21, 1998.
Disc two tracks 3-5 were recorded at The Whitla Hall in Belfast on November 20, 1998.
Disc two tracks 6-9 were recorded at The Barbican in York on November 6, 1998.
Disc two tracks 10-12 and disc three tracks 1-2 were recorded at The Barbican in York on November 7, 1998.
Disc three tracks 3-8 were recorded at The Pavillion in Bournmouth on November 13, 1998.
Disc three track 9 was recorded at The Pavillion in Bournmouth on November 14, 1998.
Disc three tracks 10-11 were recorded at The Hippodrome in Bristol on November 27, 1998.
Disc three tracks 12-14 were recored at The Hippodrome in Bristol on November 28, 1998

Musician credits:
Van Morrison: lead vocals and harmonica
Pee Wee Ellis: baritone, soprano, tenor saxophones, flute, lead and backing vocals
Johnny Scott: guitar, lead and backing vocals
Nicky Scott: bass, backing vocals
Matt Holland: trumpet, flugelhorn, backing vocals
John Savanah: keyboards, lead and backing vocals
Liam Bradley: percussion, lead and backing vocals. Drums on tracks recorded in York
Geoff Dunn: drums and percussion, except songs recorded in York
Ralph Salmins: drums and percussion on tracks recorded in Bournmouth and Bristol

Guest musicians:
Chris Barber: trombone on tracks 3-4 on Disc One
Jim Hunter: guitar and vocals on tracks 13-14 on Disk Three

Notes and a review from Niall Connors:
A 3CD set from Doberman Records that gathers together virtually every song performed by Van (excepting the Skiffle Sessions material obviously!) during the UK "weekend tour" in November 1998. The release features the complete performance from Belfast November 21, 1998 (a very strong contender for best of the year!!!) plus highlights from the other 7 shows, taken from the usual high quality digital audience recordings.

Packaging is the style Doberman has employed on its other recent 3-disc Van boots, for example, Follow The A40. The How Long cover features two small photos of Van from the 1998 North of Ireland/England tour, both with hand on microphone, one pensively waiting for his cue (it would seem) and one fully engaged in singing.

While I have a number of boots and tapes from Van's 1998 shows, none of which I regret having bought or traded for, How Long takes the prize as the most comprehensive document as to how and what Van chose to sing in 1998. Although taken from 8 separate shows, there is a nice sense of unity to the 3-disc set, and the sound, again, despite the disparate locations, is excellent; (the Pavillion tracks in the middle section of disc three from Nov. 11 and 12, 1998, may slip a bit -- but even these tracks are better than a lot of other boots' quality.)

The Whitla tracks, which cover the entire Nov. 21 non-Skiffle set and a few tracks from the Nov. 20 show, are tremendous. The horns on WMIAE sound as if PWE were in my living room, and the 17+ minute See Me Through/Soldier/Agin/Burning Ground is my favorite to date. The Cypress Avenue that follows must have been quite special to those in attendance who live in Belfast. The York tracks are also excellent, and it was a nice touch that the compilers closed with "Lonely Avenue" and "It's A Man's Man's World" at the end of disc three.

While a lot of these shows are available on the tape-trading circuit, for me this boot is a keeper, and is well worth the 35 pounds/quid/euros!

Part of the van-the-man.info unofficial website