My friend Phil e-mailed me at 6.0 am on Thursday. His neighbours had just complained that he was playing Live and Dangerous (by Thin Lizzy) too loud. ‘You can’t play Live and Dangerous too loud’ I replied. I guess it was Midnight in Austin, a great time to blast out Thin Lizzy.
I have been wondering how to blog about live albums for a few weeks so Phil’s email gave me the kick up the arse I needed to get started.
The heyday of the live album was the Seventies when every self-respecting band released one. The press, however, were a little cynical. They saw live albums as contract fillers utilised by bands when they wanted to change labels or re-negotiate a deal. Reviews were often derogatory to say the least.
I disagree; some of my favourite records are live albums. The Press also darkly hinted, even brazenly complained that some albums were heavily ‘doctored’ in the studio. Live and Dangerous was one of the most thus slandered. Listening to it today I must say that I don’t care. Checkout Baby drives me crazy………..it sounds nothing like the studio version. I saw Thin Lizzy twice. The first time on the Chinatown tour in 1981. That night they were lackadaisical, not bad but not good. Later I found out that Phil Lynott and Scott Gorham were heavily into dancing with Mr. Brownstone in that era of the band. I saw them again at the Reading Festival in 1983, one of their last ever appearances. They were dynamite that night, they sounded just like they do on Live and dangerous…………’nuff said!
My favourite live album is Bongo Fury by Zappa/Beefheart/Mothers.
Frank Zappa and Don Van Vliet aka Captain Beefheart were high school friends in Los Angeles. After school, Frank Zappa founded the Mothers of Invention. The Mothers were a musically virtuosic, anarchic band who lampooned American society and upset the establishment. Don Van Vliet formed his own group, Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band who played earthy blues music in the style of Howlin’ Wolf.
Zappa went on to produce Trout Mask Replica regarded by many as Beefheart’s masterpiece. Anyway, Bongo Fury was recorded at the Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin Texas in 1975. The album is unashamedly studio enhanced with some of the tracks only 50% recorded live. It doesn’t matter!! The album is awesome. A great Mothers line-up ably back Frank and the Captain. The guitar solos on Carolina Hard Core Ecstasy and the Muffin Man are truly awesome, The poems that constitute Sam with the showing scalp flat top and the Muffin Man are literary genius. I really, really love listening to this album. You should check it out…………..at 2.0 am as you are mellowing out after a great night. One of my biggest disappointments in life was finding out on my first visit to Austin that the Armadillo didn’t exist anymore( I didn’t stay disappointed for long, 6th street grabbed me and hugged me to its decadent bosom and I was hooked forever!!
My next favourite live album was recorded 200 miles away in Houston Texas. Live at the Old Quarter Houston was recorded by one of my all-time favourites Townes Van Zandt. Townes should have been as big, if not bigger than Bob Dylan. A self-destructive gene meant that he never got the recognition he deserved. Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris all covered Townes’ songs. Steve Earle proclaims his genius to anyone willing to listen. Live at the Old Quarter may as well be a bootleg. It’s recorded at a small venue in humid Houston. The air conditioning is not working so it’s uncomfortable to say the least. You hear every stage announcement, every note, every joke, every heart-breaking song. Seriously, this is a great album, please check it out sometime when you’re in the mood to hear one of the best singer-songwriters of all time.
Listening to Live at the Old Quarter again made me think of my own gig-going experiences. I saw Roger Walters play the Dark Side of the Moon and other Floyd stuff around 2005. Great show but it sounded just like the records. Ten years later I saw him perform The Wall, fantastic show but close your eyes and you may have just put the album on. I don’t like Arena a gigs anymore, give me a show in a small theatre or pub any day.
Earlier this year we saw Tom Russell. He played solo, just Tom and a Gibson J45. You got bum-notes, false starts and laughs. Towards the end Tom asked if anyone had any requests. There were many, he picked a few out at random and delighted the audience. A couple of weeks ago we saw Jaimee Harris and Mary Gauthier. Both mis-fretted the odd note, mis-started the odd song but it made it all the more real.
The next time you go to an enormo-gig, ask yourself how real it really was? Did you hear any bum-notes, false starts or plain spontaneity? My guess is not and if you agree then get yourself to a small gig and let your freak flag fly.
A few years ago I saw the Mighty Houserockers. As they prepared to play the second set, someone shouted from the audience ‘ play Hendrix’. Guitarist Les Wilson looked up, turned to the band and said, yeah let’s play Hendrix. What followed was one of the best hours of my life. Obviously, I will never see Jimi but Les Wilson was so good that, close your eyes and you could have been at Monterey.
My next choice goes to Rory Gallagher Live in Europe. A native of County Donegal from where my wife’s mother hails from, Rory is one of the best blues guitarists you will ever hear. His live shows were legendary and he was loved and worshipped by his peers. A complicated, introverted man, Rory succumbed to alcohol and died too young.
Now I go somewhat off piste. My favourite band for many years was Jethro Tull. Tull are the band that critics love to hate. Front man Ian Anderson is well educated and plays the flute, why wouldn’t you hate his band?? The fact is that they are brilliant musicians and have released a sackload of fantastic albums. In 1978 they released Bursting Out, a double live album. I had seen Tull a few times by then and so therefore could appreciate that Bursting Out accurately reproduced the live experience. When I listen to the album today I am still blown away by the quality of the musicianship and the songs. You definitely will never accuse Tull of just reproducing their records at shows.
I have now seen Jethro Tull around twenty times and own more than thirty albums. I can honestly say that Bursting Out represents the pinnacle of their career.
So, where next? How about a franchise album; Nirvana – Unplugged in New York. This show was recorded in November 1993 and was the subject of much acrimony between Kurt Cobain, MTV and even his bandmates. Kurt died in April 1994 and thus this album serves as a window as to how he was feeling at the time. The raw emotion in Kurt’s voice coupled with the stripped down arrangements of the songs make for a harrowing yet joyous celebration of his life. Most people will say that Nevermind is the classic Nirvana album but if you want to know how Kurt Cobain really felt then listen to Live in New York. RIP Kurt
There are a good few Unplugged albums around. Some are pretty damn good others mediocre to say the least. One of the good ones is by Bob Dylan. Now I love Bob Dylan but I struggle with his live output. Still, I make no excuse for pulling out Blood on the tracks, John Wesley Harding or Highway 61 revisited and bypassing his live albums.
Next up is one I own thanks to my friend Mark who brought me a copy over from Texas. Joe Ely – Live at Antones is a shit-kicking album that you just want to put on again when it finishes. Joe came to prominence as co-founder of the Flatlanders with Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock. Clash frontman Joe Strummer loved Joe Ely both as a friend an as a musician. You can hear Joe Ely’s influence on Strummers post Clash band The Mescaleros. This is one artist who I would love to see live. Happily, I have been to Antones, twice. We saw Steve Earle do a solo show there in the nineties when he was in the middle of his Crack phase. A great show.
If you can get hold of Live at Antones grab it with both hands and enjoy one of the best party albums ever.
Another must own live album is Stupidity by Doctor Feelgood. This album was recorded by the best line up of the legendary Canvey Island pub rockers. Lee Brilleaux, Wilko Johnson, John B Sparks and the Big Figure. This was the first live album to debut at number one in the UK charts when it was released in 1976. It really is a feelgood album and was the zenith of the bands career. Doctor Feelgood still tour today though with none of the original line up.
If you have time, watch this 15 minute clip of the original band live in 1975. You’ll understand what the fuss was about.
My last pick is Live in London by Leonard Cohen. If you don’t own this album go out and buy it immediately!!! Leonard Cohen had virtually retired from music and was living the life of a Buddhist Monk at the Mt. Baldy Zen Center in Los Angeles. He returned home to find that his then manager had embezzled all of his money. This forced Leonard back on the road so he could recover some cash. The tour was a triumph, his backing band are absolutely magnificent and the songs speak for themselves. His warm personality and humility shine through and you feel uplifted as soon as the needle hits the vinyl. We saw Leonard Cohen on his world tour and it was the most spiritual thing I have ever experienced. By then Cohen was in his late Seventies but still managed a three hour set with no break. A Wizard, a true star.
I could go on for an age more. I haven’t mentioned SAHB live or No Sleep ‘til Hammersmith by Motorhead, both great albums. I’m sure some of you will have your own favourites. Next time you are foraging in a record shop or surfing Spotify, don’t flip past the live albums. Check some out, rich rewards are to be had.
I’ll leave the last word to Frank Zappa