Various Artists:
Hunter S. Thompson - Where Were You When the Fun Stopped?

This beautifully packaged series is designed to sell in bookstores as well as record stores, hence the ISBN number instead of a catalogue number. Writers and artists were invited to make a personal selection. They could choose any style, any era and mix it as much as they wanted. Clive Barker stuck with show tunes. Gilbert Shelton (Honky Soul, Race Music, Hard Bop and Anachronic Jazz) made a suberb selection. The artist ones (e.g. Robert Crumb, Savage Pencil) are heavily illustrated. The writers add notes. Hunter S. Thompson's choice shows impeccable taste. It has "The Weight," of course, and a "Gonzo" CD label, but check out what else is on there. The best compilation album since Forrest Gump. Sleeve note? Sucinct but five star.
-- Peter Viney

Tracks

1. Ballad of Thunder Road - Robert Mitchum
2. I Smell A Rat - Howlin' Wolf
3. Spirit In The Sky - Norman Greenbaum
4. The Hula-Hula Boys - Warren Zevon
5. Maggie May - Rod Stewart
6. The Wild Side of Life / It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels - Hank Thompson feat. Kitty Wells & Tanya Tucker
7. Will The Circle Be Unbroken - Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
8. Mr Tambourine Man - Bob Dylan
9. Walk On The Wild Side - Lou Reed
10. If I Had A Boat - Lyle Lovett
11. Stars On The Water - Rodney Crowell
12. Carmelita - Flaco Jiminez feat. Dwight Yoakam
13. Why Don't We Get Drunk - Jimmy Buffett
14. American Pie - Don McClean
15. White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane
16. The Weight - The Band
17. Melissa - The Allman Brothers Band
18. Battle Hymn of the Republic - Herbie Mann

Various Artists - Hunter S. Thompson - Where Were You When the Fun Stopped? - 1999 - Songbook Series ISBN 1-8548-569-X