I think when bands put out official live albums they were often patched up in the studio. That's why I think it's great when reissues contain unreleased live material which is of a decent soundboard tape. Sometimes warts n' all is great.Flex wrote: ↑21 Mar 2023, 7:08pmI think a lot of the live albums mentioned have at least some overdubbing. This one maybe moreso. I guess a question is whether a live album needs to be totally unsweetened in the studio to rate highly.Marky Dread wrote: ↑21 Mar 2023, 6:47pmIt's great but Johhny overdubbed it in the studio.Flex wrote: ↑21 Mar 2023, 9:16amEverything mentioned except Kiss so far is exceptional. I've been trying to think of truly "contender for the throne" type punk live albums, this one comes to mind:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... _cover.jpg
Greatest (Favorite) Live Album
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Re: Greatest (Favorite) Live Album
Forces have been looting
My humanity
Curfews have been curbing
The end of liberty
We're the flowers in the dustbin...
No fuchsias for you.
"Without the common people you're nothing"
Nos Sumus Una Familia
Re: Greatest (Favorite) Live Album
That's not what "What's Happening" taught me.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑21 Mar 2023, 7:32pmIn the golden era of the bootleg—the 70s—that was a big reason why bands didn't like bootlegs. It was less the idea of lost money, but being exposed as less than perfect, as studio records appeared to show.revbob wrote: ↑21 Mar 2023, 7:23pmSo many things can and probably do go wrong during a live show its probably hard for most musicians to let that go on record.Flex wrote: ↑21 Mar 2023, 7:08pmI think a lot of the live albums mentioned have at least some overdubbing. This one maybe moreso. I guess a question is whether a live album needs to be totally unsweetened in the studio to rate highly.Marky Dread wrote: ↑21 Mar 2023, 6:47pmIt's great but Johhny overdubbed it in the studio.Flex wrote: ↑21 Mar 2023, 9:16amEverything mentioned except Kiss so far is exceptional. I've been trying to think of truly "contender for the throne" type punk live albums, this one comes to mind:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... _cover.jpg
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Re: Greatest (Favorite) Live Album
Bingo. That itch is always there to mend a bum note. Then it turns into a perfection exercise. Give me bootlegs any day of the week.revbob wrote: ↑21 Mar 2023, 7:23pmSo many things can and probably do go wrong during a live show its probably hard for most musicians to let that go on record.Flex wrote: ↑21 Mar 2023, 7:08pmI think a lot of the live albums mentioned have at least some overdubbing. This one maybe moreso. I guess a question is whether a live album needs to be totally unsweetened in the studio to rate highly.Marky Dread wrote: ↑21 Mar 2023, 6:47pmIt's great but Johhny overdubbed it in the studio.Flex wrote: ↑21 Mar 2023, 9:16amEverything mentioned except Kiss so far is exceptional. I've been trying to think of truly "contender for the throne" type punk live albums, this one comes to mind:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... _cover.jpg
There's a tiny, tiny hopeful part of me that says you guys are running a Kaufmanesque long con on the board
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Re: Greatest (Favorite) Live Album
Agreed a zillion percent. If you want perfection, get the studio album. Live isn't supposed to be perfect.
"I used to bullseye womp rats in my T-16 back in Whittier, they're not much bigger than two meters.'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
Re: Greatest (Favorite) Live Album
For me a soundboard or radio broadcast bootleg is the best way to hear what a band was really like live, as you said, warts & all is the real show.Marky Dread wrote: ↑21 Mar 2023, 7:58pmI think when bands put out official live albums they were often patched up in the studio. That's why I think it's great when reissues contain unreleased live material which is of a decent soundboard tape. Sometimes warts n' all is great.Flex wrote: ↑21 Mar 2023, 7:08pmI think a lot of the live albums mentioned have at least some overdubbing. This one maybe moreso. I guess a question is whether a live album needs to be totally unsweetened in the studio to rate highly.Marky Dread wrote: ↑21 Mar 2023, 6:47pmIt's great but Johhny overdubbed it in the studio.Flex wrote: ↑21 Mar 2023, 9:16amEverything mentioned except Kiss so far is exceptional. I've been trying to think of truly "contender for the throne" type punk live albums, this one comes to mind:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... _cover.jpg
God, what a mess, on the ladder of success
Where you take one step and miss the whole first rung
Where you take one step and miss the whole first rung
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Re: Greatest (Favorite) Live Album
I have always been of the opinion that studio albums are where one should strive for "perfection" and live albums are for fun and maybe even some improvisation being shared with a lot of people all at once. But every band/act is different. What the Allman Brothers did was play gigs at one place for a week, record them all and then choose the best performances for the album. I'm not sure about overdubs on that but I don't think there were very many, the reissue of that had all the gigs and they all sound very similar in terms of how many instruments were played etc..
I bought the cassette of Stop Making Sense when it came out and it just bored the shit out of me. I never totally got into the Heads after the first or second album, they just ended up kinda boring me to death.
I haven't listened to Cheap Trick Budokan in years, might have to give that one another go. Deep Purple Made In Japan is pretty cool too. I also think the Beatles Get Back rooftop is pretty frigging awesome. Not sure if that entire thing can be called a live album but them up on that roof was about the coolest thing ever, and they sounded incredible.
I bought the cassette of Stop Making Sense when it came out and it just bored the shit out of me. I never totally got into the Heads after the first or second album, they just ended up kinda boring me to death.
I haven't listened to Cheap Trick Budokan in years, might have to give that one another go. Deep Purple Made In Japan is pretty cool too. I also think the Beatles Get Back rooftop is pretty frigging awesome. Not sure if that entire thing can be called a live album but them up on that roof was about the coolest thing ever, and they sounded incredible.
From what I see there's still a little hope
That's if we don't hang from too much rope
That's if we don't hang from too much rope
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Re: Greatest (Favorite) Live Album
Fire & Skill, the Jam live box that came out several years ago was fantastic. It sounds raw and powerful and not far off from bootleg quality (and I mean that in the best sense). Disc 4, which is from just before they put out Sound Affects, is my favorite. They sound dangerous.
"They don't think it be like it is, but it do." - Oscar Gamble
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Re: Greatest (Favorite) Live Album
I agree on the Get Back concert. Much has been written about how the band was falling apart, but in that moment they sounded tight. Makes you wonder what a Beatles tour would have been like?weller259 wrote: ↑21 Mar 2023, 8:23pmI have always been of the opinion that studio albums are where one should strive for "perfection" and live albums are for fun and maybe even some improvisation being shared with a lot of people all at once. But every band/act is different. What the Allman Brothers did was play gigs at one place for a week, record them all and then choose the best performances for the album. I'm not sure about overdubs on that but I don't think there were very many, the reissue of that had all the gigs and they all sound very similar in terms of how many instruments were played etc..
I bought the cassette of Stop Making Sense when it came out and it just bored the shit out of me. I never totally got into the Heads after the first or second album, they just ended up kinda boring me to death.
I haven't listened to Cheap Trick Budokan in years, might have to give that one another go. Deep Purple Made In Japan is pretty cool too. I also think the Beatles Get Back rooftop is pretty frigging awesome. Not sure if that entire thing can be called a live album but them up on that roof was about the coolest thing ever, and they sounded incredible.
"They don't think it be like it is, but it do." - Oscar Gamble
Re: Greatest (Favorite) Live Album
The only time I cared about the Doobie Brothers.revbob wrote: ↑21 Mar 2023, 8:03pmThat's not what "What's Happening" taught me.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑21 Mar 2023, 7:32pmIn the golden era of the bootleg—the 70s—that was a big reason why bands didn't like bootlegs. It was less the idea of lost money, but being exposed as less than perfect, as studio records appeared to show.revbob wrote: ↑21 Mar 2023, 7:23pmSo many things can and probably do go wrong during a live show its probably hard for most musicians to let that go on record.
Got a Rake? Sure!
IMCT: Inane Middle-Class Twats - Dr. M
" *sigh* it's right when they throw the penis pump out the window." -Hoy
IMCT: Inane Middle-Class Twats - Dr. M
" *sigh* it's right when they throw the penis pump out the window." -Hoy
Re: Greatest (Favorite) Live Album
They were Taking it to the Streets!JennyB wrote: ↑22 Mar 2023, 12:47pmThe only time I cared about the Doobie Brothers.revbob wrote: ↑21 Mar 2023, 8:03pmThat's not what "What's Happening" taught me.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑21 Mar 2023, 7:32pmIn the golden era of the bootleg—the 70s—that was a big reason why bands didn't like bootlegs. It was less the idea of lost money, but being exposed as less than perfect, as studio records appeared to show.
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Re: Greatest (Favorite) Live Album
Mostly George grousing enough to make others think it wasn't worth it.
"I used to bullseye womp rats in my T-16 back in Whittier, they're not much bigger than two meters.'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
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Re: Greatest (Favorite) Live Album
Yeah that's a good listen. Though it contained nothing really new. One of the gigs I forget which one now but the stereo is reversed.WestwayKid wrote: ↑22 Mar 2023, 9:51amFire & Skill, the Jam live box that came out several years ago was fantastic. It sounds raw and powerful and not far off from bootleg quality (and I mean that in the best sense). Disc 4, which is from just before they put out Sound Affects, is my favorite. They sound dangerous.
Forces have been looting
My humanity
Curfews have been curbing
The end of liberty
We're the flowers in the dustbin...
No fuchsias for you.
"Without the common people you're nothing"
Nos Sumus Una Familia
Re: Greatest (Favorite) Live Album
The live archive releases of the last six or seven years have fortunately made Bruce's problematic Live 75/85 irrelevant. Roxy 78 has always been my favorite from his vital Darkness tour for the immediacy of the audience/club environment when he was in the middle of an arena tour. Other fans will cite the Passaic, Atlanta, or Winterland shows as having better or more elaborate performances, but for me, the frenetic energy of the audience puts this one on the top for me.
In terms of what makes a live album essential, this one greatly improves on the studio versions in nearly every way, in some cases dramatically rearranges the studio versions (see the guitar orgasm of a 10 minute "Prove It All Night"), and provides a lot of unique songs/covers he never did in the studio.
Look, you have to establish context for these things. And I maintain that unless you appreciate the Fall of Constantinople, the Great Fire of London, and Mickey Mantle's fatalist alcoholism, live Freddy makes no sense. If you want to half-ass it, fine, go call Simon Schama to do the appendix.
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Re: Greatest (Favorite) Live Album
Hawkwind Space Ritual