I have always been a fan of live albums. The improvisational element and energy of live recordings make them an intriguing listen. There is nothing better than hearing the true skills of musicians being put to the test on stage without the aide of the studio. Granted, loads of live albums over the years have been filled with edits and overdubs, but with the new era of vault releases (sometimes being exclusive to collector’s labels) the music fan for the most part is given a chance to hear undoctored and organic recordings.
Here is what I consider to be the best “live” archival releases of the year so far:
Deep Purple – Live In London 1974
This is a fantastic MK3 line-up gig from Deep Purple. Prior to 1974, there had been a handful of configurations of the band with the most influential and popular period arguably being the MK2 line-up from 1970 – 1973. However, in 1973, vocalist Ian Gillan and bassist Roger Glover left the band and were replaced by David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes. Due to this change, the musical direction of the band shifted to more of a bluesy, heavy oriented sound. Coverdale certainly was a skilled vocalist and handled the bulk of the vocals quite nicely.
The BBC recorded Deep Purple at The Gaumont State Kilburn Cinema on May 22, 1974. The show has been issued in the past in truncated forms, but was finally issued in all of its glory in 2007. The sound quality is fantastic, especially compared to some of the other vault releases of live material issued by Deep Purple during the past decade. Ritchie Blackmore is absolutely amazing during this show. His solo on “You Fool No One” is worth the price of admission alone.
Within a year, Blackmore would defect from the band he helped elevate to superstar status to embark on a new journey with Rainbow. But, his work with Deep Purple set the bar for many Hard Rock guitar players. Did anyone play a Strat better in 1974? While the MK2 line-up of Deep Purple is certainly worth the hype that it gets, Blackmore’s work on stage in 1974 with the band is as inspiring as it ever was.
“Live In London 1974” is a welcomed release for Deep Purple fans and for Ritchie Blackmore enthusiasts. If you are looking for a taste of Deep Purple’s live work, this is a nice starting point. If you are an established fan, this is a must-have.
*Available at most internet retailers.
The Doors – Live In Boston 1970
In 1969 and 1970, producer Paul Rothchild recorded a series of concerts by The Doors to create the band’s first official live album. Initially, two concerts and a rehearsal from The Aquarius Theatre in Hollywood were recorded in 1969 for the project, but after reviewing the tapes, Rothchild felt there wasn’t enough usable material from the Aquarius run and decided the band should record some additional shows. In the spring of 1970, concerts in Detroit, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York and Boston were recorded for the prospective live album. Ultimately, the live album was completed using material spanning all of the concerts recorded and titled “Absolutely Live.”
In 2000, former Doors manager and long-time fan Danny Sugarman created a collector’s label called Bright Midnight. Some of the initial promotional statements by Sugarman which highlighted some of the material planned for release referenced a couple of the “Absolutely Live” shows in particular, and the two 1970 “drunken over-the-top” Boston gigs were among them.
After the Detroit 1970 show and Aquarius material was issued by Bright Midnight in 2001-2002, there were rumblings of financial issues with the label as well as an ongoing battle with cancer by Sugarman. With Bright Midnight being in a holding pattern, some fans wondered if the legendary Boston shows would ever officially see the light of day.
In 2006, Bright Midnight got back on its feet with the release of the 1970 Philadelphia concert. Finally in 2007, the complete Boston gigs were issued. The Boston shows have always been a curiosity for many because Jim Morrison was completely trashed during the concerts. It wasn’t uncommon for Morrison to be under the influence on stage, but in Boston, he was loaded. Nevertheless, “Live In Boston 1970” is arguably the best official live Doors release issued so far by Bright Midnight.
Yes, Morrison is intoxicated and definitely loses focus off and on throughout the proceedings, but it isn’t as bad as one would expect. In fact, there is a strange sort of charm to the whole thing. The rest of the band is on fire. They make some mistakes and ocassionally lose their timing, but the energy from Manzarek, Densmore and Krieger is tremendous. Robby Krieger in particular is tearing it up that night. His tone and execution in Boston is as good as it gets.
Don't expect flawless singing and flawless playing if you pick this title up, but the fantastic energy and intensity of that night makes for one remarkable release. If you want a standard and safe Doors gig, check out “Live In Philadelphia.” If you want to hear an invigorating show, “Live In Boston 1970” is the one.
*Easy to find, available at most internet retailers and at traditional music retail stores.
Allman Brothers Band – Boston Common 1971
This is a nice surprise. The Allman Brothers Band started issuing live material from their archives in 2002 with the release of “American University 12/13/70.” When the Allman Brothers announced that they would be opening the vaults for archival releases, they made it clear that they wanted Duane Allman’s work with the band to initially take priority. After the American University gig was issued, the following year another concert from the Duane Allman era was released. The third and fourth releases, however, were post-Duane Allman performances. So, it seemed as though that was it for Duane and the original line-up of The Allman Brothers Band.
Then, the 2007 release was announced, “Boston Common 1971.” Another show featuring slide guitar virtuoso Duane Allman was being showcased. There can never be enough live material with Duane Allman in the marketplace. Duane was one of the most inspirational Blues/Rock guitarists to ever play. One can get chills listening to his slide work. Also, the brilliant interplay between Duane Allman and Dickey Betts is one of the greatest collaborations in music. There was a magic about the instinctual communication between those two guitar masters on stage that was reminiscent of the musical interplay between Coltrane and Miles Davis or Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie.
The set-list is pretty typical from the era. There are not any surprises except for the sound quality. How did a show with such fantastic sound quality stay in the vaults for 35+ years? Anyone wanting a taste of the genius of Duane Allman does not need to look any further and any fan of The Allman Brothers Band should not be without this live show. Hopefully additional performances from the original line-up of The Allman Brothers Band will continue to be issued, but for now, this is another welcomed release that will get unlimited spins.
*Exclusive item found at hittinthenote.com
Elvis Presley – Viva Las Vegas (bonus disc)
Elvis' live gigs from Las Vegas in 1969 are among the finest in Rock N' Roll history. Bass player Jerry Scheff called it "Punk Rock Lounge Music." That is a pretty accurate description. Elvis' energy, passion and incredible vocals created a dynamic show. He also had one extraordinary band.
Prior to 1969, Elvis had spent a vast majority of the decade in Hollywood making B-level movies (which generated millions) and for the most part after 1962, recording D-level soundtrack recordings. There was an occasional non-soundtrack recording session that yielded something special (including the stunning Grammy award winning "How Great Thou Art" Gospel album). Other than two benefit concerts in 1961, Elvis' touring days had ended in the late 1950's.
Then in 1968, Elvis was back as a legitimate artistic force due to his legendary 68 Comeback Special on NBC. A few months later in early 1969, he recorded some of the finest studio recordings of his career in Memphis at Chip Moman's American Studios. The ground work was now laid for a return to the concert stage.
Elvis' manager, the notorious Colonel Tom Parker, booked a month of shows at Las Vegas' newest casino, The International (later to become the Las Vegas Hilton). Elvis was supposed to open the showroom, but Parker wanted it broken in prior to Elvis taking the stage, so Barbra Streisand did a run of shows to "work out the bugs" prior to Elvis' triumphant return.
A couple weeks into the engagement, RCA recorded 14 of the shows for a proposed live album which ultimately became "In Person at The International Hotel." Portions from only a few shows were used to construct the live album. Other than a handful of tracks from the 1969 Vegas run being added to a posthumous box set in the early 1980’s and one in the early 1990’s, the bulk of these stunning performances gathered dust in the vaults for 30+ years.
Finally in 2001, the first complete show from Elvis’ fantastic stint at The International Hotel was issued on BMG’s “Live In Las Vegas” box set (unfortunately in a terrible mix) with two more complete shows being issued on the BMG Elvis collector’s label, Follow That Dream (the finest collector’s label in existence by a mile), shortly thereafter.
BMG issued a compilation of some quality live Elvis performances from Las Vegas between the years of 1969 – 1972 in the late summer of 2007 titled “Viva Las Vegas.” Most fans could have cared less as these particular performances had been issued countless times on multiple compilations. However, BMG added a second bonus disc as a Wal-Mart exclusive that housed another complete show from 1969. One can never have too many concerts from Elvis’ unbelievable run of shows in Las Vegas from 1969.
Up until recently, live Elvis Presley archival material issued by BMG has had very questionable and controversial mixing associated with it. Most of it was done by Dennis Ferrante. He absolutely destroyed the 8/24/69 midnight show released on the “Live In Las Vegas” box set by mixing out the prominent keyboard track from the mix while increasing the volume levels of James Burton’s guitar. Later on the Follow That Dream collector’s label, he made up for it with solid mixes of Elvis’ 8/23/69 midnight performance found on “Elvis At The International” and Elvis’ 8/26/69 midnight performance found on “All Shook Up.”
The Wal-Mart exclusive bonus disc from “Viva Las Vegas” was fortunately mixed by the skilled Ray Bardani. However, the fantastic disc is not without some controversy. A lot of fans who have compared it to underground recordings of the 8/21/69 dinner and midnight performances believe this current release is a spliced composite of both shows. Producer Ernst Jorgensen has been quiet on all fronts, so nothing has been confirmed. Either way, this may be the best sounding live Elvis recording on the market. Personally, I am partial to the show found on the “All Shook Up” release as being the best live 1969 Elvis show available. But, if you are mildly interested in Elvis and want to hear why his reputation as a live performer is legendary, next time you are at Wal-Mart (how pathetic is it that one can only buy something of this magnitude at Wal-Mart?), pick this gem up for a taste of “Punk Rock Lounge Music.”
*Unfortunately, this one is a Wal-Mart exclusive. Either suck it up and go to a location or do it the simple way and order on-line.
Other fantastic archival "live" releases issued in 2007 so far:
Pearl Jam - Live At The Gorge 05/06
Muddy Waters/Johnny Winter/James Cotton - Breakin' It Up, Breakin' It Down
Aretha Franklin - Oh Me Oh My: Aretha Live In Philly, 1972
The Grateful Dead - Live At The Cow Palace: New Years Eve 1976
Can't wait for:
Jimi Hendrix - Live At Monterey (reissue)
Here is what I consider to be the best “live” archival releases of the year so far:
Deep Purple – Live In London 1974
This is a fantastic MK3 line-up gig from Deep Purple. Prior to 1974, there had been a handful of configurations of the band with the most influential and popular period arguably being the MK2 line-up from 1970 – 1973. However, in 1973, vocalist Ian Gillan and bassist Roger Glover left the band and were replaced by David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes. Due to this change, the musical direction of the band shifted to more of a bluesy, heavy oriented sound. Coverdale certainly was a skilled vocalist and handled the bulk of the vocals quite nicely.
The BBC recorded Deep Purple at The Gaumont State Kilburn Cinema on May 22, 1974. The show has been issued in the past in truncated forms, but was finally issued in all of its glory in 2007. The sound quality is fantastic, especially compared to some of the other vault releases of live material issued by Deep Purple during the past decade. Ritchie Blackmore is absolutely amazing during this show. His solo on “You Fool No One” is worth the price of admission alone.
Within a year, Blackmore would defect from the band he helped elevate to superstar status to embark on a new journey with Rainbow. But, his work with Deep Purple set the bar for many Hard Rock guitar players. Did anyone play a Strat better in 1974? While the MK2 line-up of Deep Purple is certainly worth the hype that it gets, Blackmore’s work on stage in 1974 with the band is as inspiring as it ever was.
“Live In London 1974” is a welcomed release for Deep Purple fans and for Ritchie Blackmore enthusiasts. If you are looking for a taste of Deep Purple’s live work, this is a nice starting point. If you are an established fan, this is a must-have.
*Available at most internet retailers.
The Doors – Live In Boston 1970
In 1969 and 1970, producer Paul Rothchild recorded a series of concerts by The Doors to create the band’s first official live album. Initially, two concerts and a rehearsal from The Aquarius Theatre in Hollywood were recorded in 1969 for the project, but after reviewing the tapes, Rothchild felt there wasn’t enough usable material from the Aquarius run and decided the band should record some additional shows. In the spring of 1970, concerts in Detroit, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York and Boston were recorded for the prospective live album. Ultimately, the live album was completed using material spanning all of the concerts recorded and titled “Absolutely Live.”
In 2000, former Doors manager and long-time fan Danny Sugarman created a collector’s label called Bright Midnight. Some of the initial promotional statements by Sugarman which highlighted some of the material planned for release referenced a couple of the “Absolutely Live” shows in particular, and the two 1970 “drunken over-the-top” Boston gigs were among them.
After the Detroit 1970 show and Aquarius material was issued by Bright Midnight in 2001-2002, there were rumblings of financial issues with the label as well as an ongoing battle with cancer by Sugarman. With Bright Midnight being in a holding pattern, some fans wondered if the legendary Boston shows would ever officially see the light of day.
In 2006, Bright Midnight got back on its feet with the release of the 1970 Philadelphia concert. Finally in 2007, the complete Boston gigs were issued. The Boston shows have always been a curiosity for many because Jim Morrison was completely trashed during the concerts. It wasn’t uncommon for Morrison to be under the influence on stage, but in Boston, he was loaded. Nevertheless, “Live In Boston 1970” is arguably the best official live Doors release issued so far by Bright Midnight.
Yes, Morrison is intoxicated and definitely loses focus off and on throughout the proceedings, but it isn’t as bad as one would expect. In fact, there is a strange sort of charm to the whole thing. The rest of the band is on fire. They make some mistakes and ocassionally lose their timing, but the energy from Manzarek, Densmore and Krieger is tremendous. Robby Krieger in particular is tearing it up that night. His tone and execution in Boston is as good as it gets.
Don't expect flawless singing and flawless playing if you pick this title up, but the fantastic energy and intensity of that night makes for one remarkable release. If you want a standard and safe Doors gig, check out “Live In Philadelphia.” If you want to hear an invigorating show, “Live In Boston 1970” is the one.
*Easy to find, available at most internet retailers and at traditional music retail stores.
Allman Brothers Band – Boston Common 1971
This is a nice surprise. The Allman Brothers Band started issuing live material from their archives in 2002 with the release of “American University 12/13/70.” When the Allman Brothers announced that they would be opening the vaults for archival releases, they made it clear that they wanted Duane Allman’s work with the band to initially take priority. After the American University gig was issued, the following year another concert from the Duane Allman era was released. The third and fourth releases, however, were post-Duane Allman performances. So, it seemed as though that was it for Duane and the original line-up of The Allman Brothers Band.
Then, the 2007 release was announced, “Boston Common 1971.” Another show featuring slide guitar virtuoso Duane Allman was being showcased. There can never be enough live material with Duane Allman in the marketplace. Duane was one of the most inspirational Blues/Rock guitarists to ever play. One can get chills listening to his slide work. Also, the brilliant interplay between Duane Allman and Dickey Betts is one of the greatest collaborations in music. There was a magic about the instinctual communication between those two guitar masters on stage that was reminiscent of the musical interplay between Coltrane and Miles Davis or Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie.
The set-list is pretty typical from the era. There are not any surprises except for the sound quality. How did a show with such fantastic sound quality stay in the vaults for 35+ years? Anyone wanting a taste of the genius of Duane Allman does not need to look any further and any fan of The Allman Brothers Band should not be without this live show. Hopefully additional performances from the original line-up of The Allman Brothers Band will continue to be issued, but for now, this is another welcomed release that will get unlimited spins.
*Exclusive item found at hittinthenote.com
Elvis Presley – Viva Las Vegas (bonus disc)
Elvis' live gigs from Las Vegas in 1969 are among the finest in Rock N' Roll history. Bass player Jerry Scheff called it "Punk Rock Lounge Music." That is a pretty accurate description. Elvis' energy, passion and incredible vocals created a dynamic show. He also had one extraordinary band.
Prior to 1969, Elvis had spent a vast majority of the decade in Hollywood making B-level movies (which generated millions) and for the most part after 1962, recording D-level soundtrack recordings. There was an occasional non-soundtrack recording session that yielded something special (including the stunning Grammy award winning "How Great Thou Art" Gospel album). Other than two benefit concerts in 1961, Elvis' touring days had ended in the late 1950's.
Then in 1968, Elvis was back as a legitimate artistic force due to his legendary 68 Comeback Special on NBC. A few months later in early 1969, he recorded some of the finest studio recordings of his career in Memphis at Chip Moman's American Studios. The ground work was now laid for a return to the concert stage.
Elvis' manager, the notorious Colonel Tom Parker, booked a month of shows at Las Vegas' newest casino, The International (later to become the Las Vegas Hilton). Elvis was supposed to open the showroom, but Parker wanted it broken in prior to Elvis taking the stage, so Barbra Streisand did a run of shows to "work out the bugs" prior to Elvis' triumphant return.
A couple weeks into the engagement, RCA recorded 14 of the shows for a proposed live album which ultimately became "In Person at The International Hotel." Portions from only a few shows were used to construct the live album. Other than a handful of tracks from the 1969 Vegas run being added to a posthumous box set in the early 1980’s and one in the early 1990’s, the bulk of these stunning performances gathered dust in the vaults for 30+ years.
Finally in 2001, the first complete show from Elvis’ fantastic stint at The International Hotel was issued on BMG’s “Live In Las Vegas” box set (unfortunately in a terrible mix) with two more complete shows being issued on the BMG Elvis collector’s label, Follow That Dream (the finest collector’s label in existence by a mile), shortly thereafter.
BMG issued a compilation of some quality live Elvis performances from Las Vegas between the years of 1969 – 1972 in the late summer of 2007 titled “Viva Las Vegas.” Most fans could have cared less as these particular performances had been issued countless times on multiple compilations. However, BMG added a second bonus disc as a Wal-Mart exclusive that housed another complete show from 1969. One can never have too many concerts from Elvis’ unbelievable run of shows in Las Vegas from 1969.
Up until recently, live Elvis Presley archival material issued by BMG has had very questionable and controversial mixing associated with it. Most of it was done by Dennis Ferrante. He absolutely destroyed the 8/24/69 midnight show released on the “Live In Las Vegas” box set by mixing out the prominent keyboard track from the mix while increasing the volume levels of James Burton’s guitar. Later on the Follow That Dream collector’s label, he made up for it with solid mixes of Elvis’ 8/23/69 midnight performance found on “Elvis At The International” and Elvis’ 8/26/69 midnight performance found on “All Shook Up.”
The Wal-Mart exclusive bonus disc from “Viva Las Vegas” was fortunately mixed by the skilled Ray Bardani. However, the fantastic disc is not without some controversy. A lot of fans who have compared it to underground recordings of the 8/21/69 dinner and midnight performances believe this current release is a spliced composite of both shows. Producer Ernst Jorgensen has been quiet on all fronts, so nothing has been confirmed. Either way, this may be the best sounding live Elvis recording on the market. Personally, I am partial to the show found on the “All Shook Up” release as being the best live 1969 Elvis show available. But, if you are mildly interested in Elvis and want to hear why his reputation as a live performer is legendary, next time you are at Wal-Mart (how pathetic is it that one can only buy something of this magnitude at Wal-Mart?), pick this gem up for a taste of “Punk Rock Lounge Music.”
*Unfortunately, this one is a Wal-Mart exclusive. Either suck it up and go to a location or do it the simple way and order on-line.
Other fantastic archival "live" releases issued in 2007 so far:
Pearl Jam - Live At The Gorge 05/06
Muddy Waters/Johnny Winter/James Cotton - Breakin' It Up, Breakin' It Down
Aretha Franklin - Oh Me Oh My: Aretha Live In Philly, 1972
The Grateful Dead - Live At The Cow Palace: New Years Eve 1976
Can't wait for:
Jimi Hendrix - Live At Monterey (reissue)
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