# Musicians that are better on record than live (and vice versa). **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 26, 2009, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-that-are-better-on-record-than-live-and-vice-versa/483118 "2009-01-26T20:28:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-that-are-better-on-record-than-live-and-vice-versa/483118/21 "2009-01-27T07:38:16Z")
Hawkwind, Chrome, X/The Knitters (even though they’re kinda phoning it in nowadays), and the Damo Suzuki Network are all much better live. mum is great on CD, but put on one of the most boring live sets I’ve ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-that-are-better-on-record-than-live-and-vice-versa/483118/22 "2009-01-27T08:32:42Z")
Counting Crows. They are nothing short of horrible live. Nothing short of horrible. ---
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-that-are-better-on-record-than-live-and-vice-versa/483118/23 "2009-01-27T12:15:13Z")
Genesis is just awesome live. Even songs of theirs that I don’t like are good to listen to live. ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-that-are-better-on-record-than-live-and-vice-versa/483118/24 "2009-01-27T12:22:42Z")
From what I’ve seen on Youtube and DVDs the Beach Boys were horrible live. Although I saw Brian Wilson in concert last year and he was surprisingly great. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-that-are-better-on-record-than-live-and-vice-versa/483118/25 "2009-01-27T17:18:22Z")
Aerosmith’s studio version of _Train Kept a Rollin’_ is boring as shit, but the live versions are amazing. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-that-are-better-on-record-than-live-and-vice-versa/483118/26 "2009-01-27T17:53:40Z")
Gomez is great on the radio, crap in person. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-that-are-better-on-record-than-live-and-vice-versa/483118/27 "2009-01-27T18:09:48Z")
Lindsey Buckingham is amazing live, studio I can take or leave. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-that-are-better-on-record-than-live-and-vice-versa/483118/28 "2009-01-27T18:24:54Z")
> [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > Lindsey Buckingham is amazing live, studio I can take or leave. He’s amazing in the studio, too - just applying a different toolset (production skills) vs. live (playing skills). Deeply talented guy. ---
**Author:** ![There\_Goes\_a\_Tenner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@There\_Goes\_a\_Tenner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/There_Goes_a_Tenner)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-that-are-better-on-record-than-live-and-vice-versa/483118/29 "2009-01-27T18:32:32Z")
Tori Amos is an amazing live performer, while her last few studio albums tend to be dull. I enjoyed listening to her last album, American Doll Posse, until I was able to download songs from her last tour off of ITunes. Once I started listening to the live songs, I can’t listen to the album anymore, its just too controlled and slick. There are certain albums I have no problem listening too (Boys for Pele, The Choirgirl Hotel) but the rest I have to hear live. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-that-are-better-on-record-than-live-and-vice-versa/483118/30 "2009-01-27T18:35:10Z")
While I love **ZZ Top** ’s recorded music with regards to the quality of songwriting and skill as musicians, seeing them live just brings a whole new element of cool to the experience. If no one wants you to leave the stage so the Stones can come on, your performance is _waaay_ beyond badass. They’re not just from Texas, they are Texas. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-that-are-better-on-record-than-live-and-vice-versa/483118/31 "2009-01-27T18:40:36Z")
Bob Dylan. I’ve been to 3 of his concerts over the past 20 years or so, each worse than the one before. He doesn’t give a crap about his performance, he doesn’t engage with the audience at all, he doesn’t acknowledge his backup, he makes no attempt to sing clearly at all. As talented a writer as he is and as much as I enjoy his CDs, I honestly have no desire to see him again. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-that-are-better-on-record-than-live-and-vice-versa/483118/32 "2009-01-27T18:46:21Z")
I heard that while the Barenaked Ladies are great on album, their concerts are absolutely godly. Though that may have more to do with the banter they do in between songs than the music itself. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-that-are-better-on-record-than-live-and-vice-versa/483118/33 "2009-01-27T20:03:18Z")
**The Pixies** are fantastic in the studio, but I’ve seen them twice live and they are crap, junior-high-talent-show bad. I’m amazed that their live performances didn’t destroy all of the indie-rock credibility and fame that they had. ---
**Author:** ![Momofgirls](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/momofgirls/32/21798_2.png) [@Momofgirls](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Momofgirls)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-that-are-better-on-record-than-live-and-vice-versa/483118/34 "2009-01-27T21:16:50Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, while they’re damn good on CD, there’s something about the energy they create during a live show that simply can not be captured on a studio or even a live recording. Not even a DVD of a concert does it justice, he is simply one of the most incredible live performers I have ever seen. Talk about someone who can work a crowd. I saw them last summer with Steve Winwood opening. One of the best concerts I’ve ever been to. Steve got back on stage later so they could all sing “Gimme Some Lovin’” together. The entire audience was on its feet going crazy. It just rocked the entire venue. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-that-are-better-on-record-than-live-and-vice-versa/483118/35 "2009-01-27T22:09:54Z")
> [@Momofgirls](#): > > I saw them last summer with Steve Winwood opening. One of the best concerts I’ve ever been to. Steve got back on stage later so they could all sing “Gimme Some Lovin’” together. The entire audience was on its feet going crazy. It just rocked the entire venue. If that happened to be the Summerfest concert, I was there as well and it was my, I believe, 7th TPATHB concert. Funny thing is, I got dragged to the first one kicking and screaming. I didn’t like Tom Petty in much the way some people don’t like Bob Dylan. I walked out absolutely amazed, and now I never miss him if he’s in Milwaukee (or even Chicago or St Paul). ---
**Author:** ![Momofgirls](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/momofgirls/32/21798_2.png) [@Momofgirls](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Momofgirls)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-that-are-better-on-record-than-live-and-vice-versa/483118/36 "2009-01-27T22:14:42Z")
No, this concert was in Virginia (Nissan Pavilion); I don’t think it was Summerfest, anyway. If he comes back around, I will definitely be getting tickets again. I’ve liked TP since I was in high school (79-83), but that was the first time I saw him live. I was completely blown away by his performance. I got a couple pictures of the concert [here](http://cookingmom.livejournal.com/8849.html) (not the greatest, but you can get the idea). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-that-are-better-on-record-than-live-and-vice-versa/483118/37 "2009-01-27T22:58:17Z")
Sonata Arctica and Rhapsody (now Rhapsody OF FIRE !) were both notorious for being absolutely horrendous on stage. Sonata’s gotten better though, last time I saw them I didn’t have an urge to strangle the guitarist with the singer’s voice box. Iron Maiden is far better live - these days I barely listen to their non-live albums anymore. Seeing them on-stage was just… ROOOOAR ! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-that-are-better-on-record-than-live-and-vice-versa/483118/38 "2009-01-27T23:01:02Z")
I thought Led Zepplin blew chunks live. Too high to perform well. ---
**Author:** ![Mojo\_Pin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mojo\_Pin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo_Pin)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-that-are-better-on-record-than-live-and-vice-versa/483118/39 "2009-01-27T23:58:44Z")
Dream Theater is one band that sucks live. Labrie squawks and falls way flat, not to mention how rigid everyone is on stage. That said, in the studio they are (contrary to popular opinion :p) fucking awesome. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-that-are-better-on-record-than-live-and-vice-versa/483118.md?page=1)