Live recordings from the period 1995-1997. Many fans consider this double CD set as the ultimate JA live release. CD 2 of this double CD set was recorded open air, -4 degrees, in Utrecht

Read Jan Akkerman's liner notes on this 2004 re-release

R&R to me is really R&B and everything thet swings, drinks and probably also...etc! The music papers are full of these stories. The funny thing is that someone like me doesn't quite fit in for the simple reason that I have alway had the notion that 99% of the industry geniuses have and IQ of 60. For your enjoyment I would like to give you some background to the recording of these two CD's.

The first CD was recorded in various Dutch theatres. It was an interesting period covering the last two years. With highlights from the last 20 years such as Skydance, Eruption etc.

The second CD concentrates on the Blues. Recorded during the night of 18th April 1997 with a temperature (to die for) of minus 4 degrees. Whilst going of stage I asked how everyone had coped with that temperature. Nico had totally confused his keyboards, Toni's fingers were dead, Manuel had +40 fever and my own hands were purple and blue with a little black at the edges. However when we listen to the playback (at the suggestion of Marian and Dave Randall who had flown over especially from England to update their websites and themselves) we nearly fell off our stools. You see that's R&R. The great thing about moments like these is that you can never plan them in advance. That's why I love to play like this and one can clearly hear this in the performance.

In theatres however it is possible that a slighly older punter finds it a bit too much and sticks his/her fingers in his/her ears. Some things just aren't covered by our contract so I cannot really comment on this. You see everytime I pick up a guitar (since I was about six years old) people immediately starts talking and saying you can't do this or that. This is the reason why I sometimes appear to be rebellious and aloof towards the public and the industry. I am just terrified that they will prevent me from playing the way I feel. The typical re4sponse is: well don't play theatres. However I am very glad i have done it because otherwise I may not have the oppurtunity to show this side of my band and that would have been a great shame.

Jan Akkerman