The re-release by Legacy Records of her complete discography is nothing short of superb. Great to have the music cleaned up and so clear that one can gather a fresh appreciation of the visceral impact that Janis had throughout her short career. The original discs, which no doubt many of you have in some collection of LP’s, is re-presented as recorded. Additional tracks make up each disc, of which, none are throwaways. Rather than reviewing each disc, which afterall, if you are into Janis Lyn Joplin, you’ll pick up anyway, why not find out what other female artists have said about her life and work?

Stevie Nicks: "I knew a little bit of my destiny had changed, I would search to find that connection that I had seen between Janis and her audience. In a blink of an eye – she changed my life".

Chrissie Hynde: "Her performance was so in your face and electrifying that it really put you right there in the moment. There you were living your nice little life in the suburbs and suddenly there was this train wreck, and it was Janis".

Joan Jett: "When I first heard the primal scream in "Piece of my Heart", I was hooked. I couldn’t help but go to the mirror and pretend I was a wild woman like Janis, in a rock band".

Deborah Harry: "I once served a steak to Janis Joplin at Max’s Kansas City. She was quiet and very polite. She didn’t eat her steak but left a five dollar tip".

Suzi Quatro: "She’s a Hell’s Angels’ bike lady and she drugs and she smokes and she swears and she’s one of the boys… it was too much. She was the first girl to be one of the boys, but in doing so she let go of her… what made her strong as a woman, and she gave in to the image and she lived it offstage as well as on, and I think that’s kinda sad. I think that’s why she ended up dead".

(See first paragraph, again)

Janis had three tattoos. A tattoo of a bracelet wrapped around her left wrist. A small flower on the right heel. And a small heart tattooed over the left breast. Her music is tattooed in my subconscious mind. Often, for no reason, Mercedes Benz, or Me and Bobby McGee, or her distinct version of Summertime will pop into my head and out of my mouth. Her life force grew like a wildflower from Port Arthur, TX to the LA coroner’s office, without being planned. This new-boxed set is worth every dollar. Need to know anything more? Great music, outstanding presentation, and don’t do heroin!