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John Miles: In Concert
 featuring: John Miles, Ollie Marland, Bob Feit, James Ralston, and Jack Bruno

producer: Michael Au

56 minutes (E) 1993
Wienerworld DVD Region 0 retail

RATING: 7/10
 reviewed by Ian Shutter
Still best known for his 1976 hit single Music ("Music is my first love/ and it will be my last� Music of the future/ and music of the past"), John Miles remains a minor league rock star despite generating some quality material. This TV concert was recorded for Germany's premier music show Ohne Filter - Musik Pur (trans: "without filter, sheer unadulterated music"), a European clone of the BBC's Old Grey Whistle Test that, unlike it's British equivalent, is still on-air after 20 years, and it showcases Miles' full-flavoured brand of pop jazz influenced, sinuous bluesy style rock.
   Not one for the silly costumes or big hair of stadium rock, Miles' unpretentious performance rivals the likes of Gary Moore as virtuoso singer and songwriter, and he may be regarded, along with several other middling rockers of his generation, as a poor man's Eric Clapton. With great keyboard tunes between standard guitar solos, this is an enjoyable hour's viewing, though it's odd how song title captions popup on screen halfway through tracks. The 10 songs featured here are: Can't Get Through, Body of My Brunette (my instant favourite), Chains and Wild Horses, One More Day, It's Not Over Yet, Everything's Okay, Oh How the Years Go By, Magic, It's Such a Mystery (the second best track here, I think), What Goes Around, and the Pale Spanish Moon encore.
   The DVD is presented in full-screen 4:3 ratio, with Dolby digital 5.1 surround, or PCM stereo options in English or German. The four languages in the subtitles menu do not include English to help follow the lyrics. Disc extras: text biography, filmed interview with TV producer Michael Au, an A-Z listing of impressive range of the bands and guest artists that have played Ohne Filter TV shows, and 'sound check' featurette that's really just an advert for a brand of audio cables used by engineers.
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