TOMORROW ON OUTQ PART 1: GREAT GIFTS (i.e. box sets)

What's a cooler gift than a box set? I'm a huge fan of the format, and so are lots of other music fans. So I thought that tomorrow, I'd talk about some recently released box sets that I think are pretty cool.

First off is Roy Orbison's The Soul Of Rock and Roll. This is sort of the classic, career-spanning box set, including hits, album tracks and lots of rare stuff. Fans won't feel ripped off by it, but it's also a good starting point for people just getting into Roy (although starting off a new fan of any artist with a box set can be overwhelming - The Essential Roy Orbison might be a better jump on point). It has a nice booklet with comments from Roy's fellow legends.

Then, there's Hank Williams' The Unreleased Recordings. This box set is made up of long-lost recordings of Hank's radio show from the early '50s: he used to do a 15 minute show at 7:15 am, while people were making breakfast, milking cows, etc. The show was sponsored by Mother's Best flour, which he often plugs. This box set includes some of Hank's classics, as well as his covers of other hits of the day. It may not be the best intro, but on the other hand, it's not like it is for super fans only. Personally, my starting point to Hank was 40 Greatest Hits, but that's hard to find, Gold is proably a better choice.

Cheap Trick 's 2 CD/2 DVD Budokan! is the opposite of a career

spanning box set: it is dedicated to a pivotal moment in the band's career: namely April of 1978 when they played Japan. They didn't really realize how huge they were there until they took the stage. But this was the moment that their career changed; the original live album, Cheap Trick at Budokan was the record that made them stars in the U.S. (and helped kick off the trend of live albums).

Finally, the deluxe reissue of R.E.M.'s full-length debut, Murmur. There's really no reason to remaster the sound on such a lo-fi classic, but the reason to pick this up (even if you have the original

- and who doesn't?) is the bonus second disc with a live performance from Toronto from July 9, 1983.

If you've got a music fan in your life, chances are they may not evne have these yet, they are all fairly recent releases, and they'll brighten anyone's day.

THIS WEEK ON OUTQ: GREAT LIVE PERFORMANCES

This week I'll be talking about great live performances that fall into two categories: one - performances that have been released before and two - performances that haven't.

In the previously released category is U2's Under A Blood Red Sky, a classic EP that introduced the band's live power to America. Then there's Johnny Cash's At Folsom Prison, one of his two concert sets recorded in front of a captive audience. And Roy Orbison's A Black And White Night Live, the TV special that re-introduced him to the public, and which featured Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, Bonnie Raitt, and Elvis Costello among others in the backing band.

Some of Otis Redding's Live In Paris and London was released on Live In Europe, but this contains full concerts. You can't beat the power of Otis in 1967. The Clash's Live At Shea Stadium is a classic (if you've seen the live video for "Should I Stay Or Should I Go," it's from that show), and I've already raved about Tori Amos Live At Montreaux 1991-1992.