I liked Get Your Ya-Yas Out. But Got Live If You Want It–also by the Stones–blew dogs.
The Italian band PFM (Premiata Forneria Marconi) has a CD called “il Best” that is, truly, the best songs and the best they have been recorded in their long career. PFM has been a favorite of mine for years. I am often asked if I can understand their lyrics. No, I don’t speak Italian but then I can’t understand Phil Collins either unless I have the lyrics right in front of me where I can watch them as he … uhh … sings? … (diction, Phil! Diction!)
Back when I was a mere youth - ok, a college student - there was a TV show called “In Concert” and then it became “Don Kirsherner’s Rock Concert”. This would have been about 1973 when it showed here in Yewstun. There were 2 bands that I just plain old missed on in my predictions about their careers. PFM was a regular visitor for a while. These guys were great! Every member turned in virtuoso performaces every time. Talent just overflowed and oozed all over the stage whenever they were playing. They gave exciting performances! Yes and Jethro Tull were hot acts then and these guys could easily have shared a stage with either of them and come away on top. They were Great! These guys are going to sweep America and be stars! … well … has anyone ever heard of them? Well, not you, Giovanni. I know you’ve heard of them. I mean anyone outside of Italy.
The other band was just a cheap imitation power trio. Oh they were painful to listen to. The guitar player played every cheap lick in the books. The bass player screamed when he sang. The drummer just hit anything in front of him. Every song sounded the same and every song was just godawful mindnumbingly dull. I remember thinking - even saying aloud- that this was a band that was going to wash up dead on the shore some day soon. Who in their right mind would ever want to see or hear Rush?
well … They got better …
I think that the worst live album I have heard is Chicago’s Live at Carnagie Hall. There’s no excuse for releasing a performance like that and especially one recorded like that.
Mike in Yewstun
(no, the other one)
I have a few problems with the CD Nine Inch Nails Live: And All That Could Have Been. There are some weird high pitched staticy artifacts on the vocals in some parts. Not that it isn’t an excellent release, but it could’ve been better.
However, the 5.1 audio on the DVD of the same title is absolutely astounding! Yes, it was mixed in a studio, and yes it’s material taken from at least five shows on their tour, but damn it’s amazing. Trent Reznor produced the audio and visuals on the DVD (not the audio on the CD, however) and the multiple cameras and multiple venues are blended together seamlessly. A friend of mine didn’t even notice that Reznor’s guitar changed color five or six times in a single song, although the lead guitarist’s Disapearing Mohawk is pretty easy to catch.
From the looks of the responses to this thread, it doesn’t look as if the DVD is something most of you would enjoy, but at least check it out for the reverb…the crowd noise…oh my! Just thinking about the surround mix makes me wish I had a DVD player and a fancy reciever.
askol
quarx, I agree, although I liked It’s Allright because it was simple enough for me play it on the guitar.
My nominee for best is a release by a band I don’t ordinarily have much use for: E.L.O.'s The Night the Light Went On in Long Beach. Recorded in 1974, before they became a big success in the States, it’s a really high-energy set by a band not generally thought of as a primo live act.
Honorable mention should go to Graham Parker’s Live at the Marble Arch semi-bootleg.
I have to admit that Frampton Comes Alive came to mind first, not as my favorite though and yes, I do own a vinal copy.
The other big one that comes to mind is that Lynyrd Skynyrd one with the endless version of Free Bird but like that J Geils one, it doesn’t stand up to the test of time.
My votes are:
Roxy Music, Heart Still Beating (Frejus, France) (1982)
Marianne Faithfull, Blazing Away (1990)
Peter Grabriel, Secret World Live (1994)
(yikes all English!?)
Depeche Mode, 101 (1989)
Seconds Out by Genesis is incredible.
Different Stages by Rush is mind boggling.
Bursting out by Jethro Tull is pretty good too.
Journey sounded really good on their live record, but I hated listening to Steve Perry talk to the audience. He didn’t connect well.
Rush got better? Did I miss something?
Has nobody mentioned Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison? That’s insane.
I agree that Get yer Ya Yas Out was a great album. I wore that record out, matter of fact. The Rolling Stones have released many, many other live albums, all of which are terrible in their own special way, but that one was a great one.
Anyone remember Mott the Hoople Live? That one was a good one. And all the James Brown Live at the Apollo albums were great.
I’m sorry but Barenaked Ladies and Billy Idol wouldn’t know decent music if it walked right up and buggered 'em up the wazoo.
I absolutely hated the live Styx. The music was mostly good, but the little talk that they have to do at the beginning of each song was annoying…