25 Acts Whose Best Album Is A Live One

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1) J. Geils Band-- "Full House Live"

― M. V. (M.V.), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 05:51 (nineteen years ago)

for me talking heads and the who come very very close

― j blount (papa la bas), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 05:54 (nineteen years ago)

Bob Dylan, Bootleg Series #4 "Live at Royal Albert Hall"

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 05:58 (nineteen years ago)

the eagles...wait no...hit me for saying that...i hate the eagles...how about Jeff Mangum Live at Jittery Joe's..I like that better than the NMH albums, or at least as much.

― Pop Ryan (Rebelwordsmith), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 06:17 (nineteen years ago)

hawkwind

― latebloomer aka 'the sun' (latebloomer), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 06:19 (nineteen years ago)

KISS
MC5

― mister the guanoman (mister the guanoman), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 06:21 (nineteen years ago)

Judas Priest - 'Unleashed in the East'

― M Carty (mj_c), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 06:23 (nineteen years ago)

thin lizzy
whitesnake
flipper

― dave q (listerine), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 06:40 (nineteen years ago)

grand funk
peter frampton

― chaki (chaki), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 07:31 (nineteen years ago)

James Brown
Sam Cooke

Motorhead, 'No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith'. Neck and neck with 'Ace of Spades' for their best album.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 07:38 (nineteen years ago)

allman bros
lynyrd skynyrd
presumably the grateful dead

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 07:40 (nineteen years ago)

Cheap Trick
Frank Zappa

― chaki (chaki), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 07:41 (nineteen years ago)

23. Fushitsusha

― Matt #2 (Matt #2), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 07:47 (nineteen years ago)

Peter Frampton, presumably.

Also, common received knowledge indicates Les Rallizes Denudes' studio albums are rubbishy. So, them.

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 07:49 (nineteen years ago)

There isn't one act whose best album is a live one, the closest being ELP (at least that work wasn't recorded in studio until years later, way after their momentum had left them)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 07:54 (nineteen years ago)

There isn't one act whose best album is a live one

Oh yes there is!

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 08:22 (nineteen years ago)

Doctor Feelgood - Stupidity.

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 08:42 (nineteen years ago)

http://f5c.yahoofs.com/shopping/3068009/simg_t_of01740rtqzw.jpg?rm_____DwyRFGZs2

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 09:28 (nineteen years ago)

Wings

― Revivalist (Revivalist), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 09:32 (nineteen years ago)

Robert Rental & The Normal, Live At West Runton Pavilion 6-3-79

― Oh No It's Dadaismus! (Dada), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 09:36 (nineteen years ago)

Flat Duo Jets s/t

― bendy (bendy), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 09:39 (nineteen years ago)

Oh yes there is!

No there isn't. There is no one single take that will ever be able to be perfect. A song will always work out better in the studio, given the possibilities for perfectionism that the studio gives.

The exception may be the early 60s and earlier, when most studio recordings were live recordings anyway. But back in those days, the PA's were so bad the sound of the audiences would usually be louder than the music. Thus, live recordings (with audiences) from back then are rarely good live recordings.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 09:59 (nineteen years ago)

Rarely. You said Never.

Is "James Brown Live at the Apollo" his best album?

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 10:01 (nineteen years ago)

pfft. why is perfectionism so important? I'll take live energy, mistakes, missed notes and all, over studio tweaking any day.

― mister the guanoman (mister the guanoman), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 10:02 (nineteen years ago)

A song will always work out better in the studio, given the possibilities for perfectionism that the studio gives

Bollocks. But what's the point in arguing?

― Oh No It's Dadaismus! (Dada), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 10:03 (nineteen years ago)

Geir Hongro:
"A song will always work out better in the studio, given the possibilities for perfectionism that the studio gives"

what if the point of the music isn't in it being perfect?

What if the studio recording is just the take that is most representative of the general idea within the amount of time available in the studio?

What if the studio actually hinders perfection because the amount of time to work on a song is finite whereas live the song evolves in its own space?

― Pop Ryan (Rebelwordsmith), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 10:28 (nineteen years ago)

Take it from me, there's no point in arguing

― Oh No It's Dadaismus! (Dada), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 10:32 (nineteen years ago)

good point.

― Pop Ryan (Rebelwordsmith), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 10:33 (nineteen years ago)

maybe jackson browne
maybe kingston trio
maybe limeliters
maybe tom lehrer

definitely not thin lizzy, flipper, talking heads, lynyrd skynyrd

maybe not mc5 or sam cooke or james brown.

― xhuxk (xheddy), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 10:47 (nineteen years ago)

maybe not mc5...

really? I'd go so far as to say that their only good album is the live one.

― mister the guanoman (mister the guanoman), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 10:52 (nineteen years ago)

Also, definitely: U2. (Under a Blood Red Sky, which might even be a live EP, depending on how you're defining the terms.)

― xhuxk (xheddy), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 10:54 (nineteen years ago)

I ranked Kick Out The Jams behind Back in the USA and Babes in Arms in my heavy metal book, probably thanks to its free jazz baloney. Not sure how I'd rank them now, but it'd be close. If it's their best album, it's sure not best by a huge margin.

― xhuxk (xheddy), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 10:57 (nineteen years ago)

"Kick Out The Jams" is dull in places. "High Time" might be even their best album!

― Oh No It's Dadaismus! (Dada), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 10:59 (nineteen years ago)

"Kick Out The Jams" is dull in places. "High Time" might even be their best album!

― Oh No It's Dadaismus! (Dada), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 10:59 (nineteen years ago)

First post was too piratical

― Oh No It's Dadaismus! (Dada), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 11:01 (nineteen years ago)

i'd go w/ the MC5 call. like the albums, but man, they lack the punch that live one has.
i'm sometimes of the mind that VU:1969's better than some album stuff.

― edde (edde), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 11:09 (nineteen years ago)

ac/dc - 'if you want blood we've got it'

also, 'live at leeds' on a given day

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 11:13 (nineteen years ago)

a case could maybe also be made (though not necessarily by me, not yet anyway) for this year's (probably) best live album, which just came out this week i think, and which is by kenny chesney.

i'm also thinking louis prima might be a possibility, as hilarious as he seems to have been on stage, though i'm not sure which live album would be the one to pick. (i presume he made several.)

― xhuxk (xheddy), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 11:14 (nineteen years ago)

xhuxk: "I ranked Kick Out The Jams behind Back in the USA and Babes in Arms in my heavy metal book"

I would never even consider MC5 a metal band. They were pure punk rock to me same way that Iggy was.

But I would say that their live album was surely the best in my opinion.

― Pop Ryan (Rebelwordsmith), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 11:16 (nineteen years ago)

'back in the USA' is a thoroughly dismal and dreadful record. I bought it after hearing 'kick out...', but it was a huge disappointment - entirely anaemic and uninteresting, and had none of the physical impact and freewheeling energy of the live album.

'high time' and 'babes in arms' I 've only ever heard once, a long time ago, and have had no desire to do so again. maybe I should reappraise. maybe.

― mister the guanoman (mister the guanoman), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 11:16 (nineteen years ago)

There's an MC5 thread somewhere for all this.

Tom Lehrer

― Oh No It's Dadaismus! (Dada), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 11:19 (nineteen years ago)

i know, im (we're) rambling off topic, but at least i(we) got over the "studio perfection" thing.

― Pop Ryan (Rebelwordsmith), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 11:21 (nineteen years ago)

i already nominated lehrer, dadaismus! but i'm not positive an evening wasted with tom lehrer (which may well have the best name of any live album ever) is better than that was the year that was.

― xhuxk (xheddy), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 11:22 (nineteen years ago)

And Pop Ryan, just a hunch: I bet MC5 are not the only band in my heavy metal book that you would not consider a metal band.

― xhuxk (xheddy), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 11:23 (nineteen years ago)

xhuxk: you are probably correct. that classification thing is always sketchy anyway. hey, wait are you just trying to get me to buy your book?

and...how about "an evening wasted with Jim lehrer"...i've been up all night writing...i need sleep.

― Pop Ryan (Rebelwordsmith), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 11:25 (nineteen years ago)

or benzedrine.

― Pop Ryan (Rebelwordsmith), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 11:29 (nineteen years ago)

i already nominated lehrer, dadaismus!

I just assumed no-one else would nominate Tom Lehrer, so didn't bother checking!

― Oh No It's Dadaismus! (Dada), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 11:39 (nineteen years ago)

Ani DiFranco

― vingt regards (vignt_regards), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 11:53 (nineteen years ago)

Let me be the first to nominate Tom Lehrer!

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 12:05 (nineteen years ago)

Thin White Rope - The One That Got Away

― StanM (StanM), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 12:12 (nineteen years ago)

Ramones - It's Alive

(who needs technical perfection, this is the ultimate punk rock party!)

― StanM (StanM), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 12:15 (nineteen years ago)

Also, definitely: U2. (Under a Blood Red Sky, which might even be a live EP, depending on how you're defining the terms.)

Somewhat tangential to the thread: the live version of "Bad" on the "Wide Awake In America" might be the best thing they ever released.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 12:24 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.cdquest.com/images/album_art/sorted/0612/8510/0612851002920.jpg

― a naked Kraken annoying Times Square tourists with an acoustic guitar (nickalici, Tuesday, 19 September 2006 12:26 (nineteen years ago)

Johnny Cash: Live at Folsom Prison / San Quentin

Neil Young: Rust Never Sleeps

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 12:29 (nineteen years ago)

what if the point of the music isn't in it being perfect?

I always should.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 12:53 (nineteen years ago)

what if the point of the music isn't in it being perfect?

It always should.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 12:53 (nineteen years ago)

Live Skull - Don't Get Any On You
Amon Düül II - Live In London
The Pirates - Don't München It

Before all the Yeti and Positraction defenders come charging in, I'll qualify those as being in the "arguably" category.

― Edward III (edward iii), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 12:57 (nineteen years ago)

not rust never sleeps

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 12:58 (nineteen years ago)

What? No Tom Lehrer?

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 13:01 (nineteen years ago)

there might be a case for spiritualized.

― Space Gourmand (Haberdager), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 13:02 (nineteen years ago)

yes absolutely rust never sleeps

vingt regards OTM too

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 13:03 (nineteen years ago)

Possibly Magma, "Live/Hhai" ... arguable again

― Oh No It's Dadaismus! (Dada), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 13:04 (nineteen years ago)

... and maybe Henry Cow... but I haven't heard that album in years

― Oh No It's Dadaismus! (Dada), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 13:05 (nineteen years ago)

i can't imagine a world where rust never sleeps trumps tonight's the night and after the goldrush

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 13:12 (nineteen years ago)

Years ago, I would have said Humble Pie, for Rockin At The Fillmore, but Town And Country has revealed itself to be a superior album over the years.

Son Seals "Live And Burning"

― Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 13:16 (nineteen years ago)

Frampton, Hawkwind, Talking Heads ("The Name of This Band Is...") seconded. And I'll throw in Santana's Lotus. And Sam Rivers and lots more jazzmen besides, probably.

― M. Agony Von Bontee (M. Agony Von Bontee), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 13:19 (nineteen years ago)

Hi, it's Tom. Any messages for me while I was out?

― Tom Lehrer (M. Agony Von Bontee), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 13:25 (nineteen years ago)

does it count if a band never had a proper studio album? if so:
screamers, target video

if it included "eva braun" it would be perfect

― andrew m. (andrewmorgan), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 13:30 (nineteen years ago)

Wings
-- Revivalist (revivalis...), September 19th, 2006.

O. T. M. !

― pisces (piscesx), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 13:40 (nineteen years ago)

"High Time" might even be their best album!
I would possibly agree.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 13:44 (nineteen years ago)

I'll second Cheap Trick at Budokan (wasn't it the album that broke them too?) and add Neil Diamond's Hot August Night

― Jacobo Rock (jacobo rock), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 14:18 (nineteen years ago)

Busted - "A Ticket for Everyone"

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 14:22 (nineteen years ago)

Yes FLIPPER. Not that double album thing, Blow'n Chunks is the one.

― everything (everything), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 16:16 (nineteen years ago)

Compulsive Gamblers.

― disappointing goth fest line-up (orion), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 16:24 (nineteen years ago)

The inevitable next thread is 25 Acts Whose Best Album Is A Live One AND Whose Worst Album Is a Live One

― Oh No It's Dadaismus! (Dada), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 16:27 (nineteen years ago)

Wait, 25 acts made this album?
http://homepage.mac.com/john_kruper/artwork/phish/a_live_one_(disc_2).jpg

― cosmo vitelli (cosmo vitelli), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 16:32 (nineteen years ago)

And this too?

http://www.alliedchemical.com/blackops/discos/media/loudon1.gif

― everything (everything), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 16:39 (nineteen years ago)

Van Morrison - It's Too Late To Stop Now. I might just be confusing this as my favorite Van Morrison though.

― jim wentworth (wench), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 16:40 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.progreviews.com/reviews/images/Mag-Live.jpg

I guess it's debatable, but there is no debating the amount of seratonin produced inside of me while this was playing

― Dominique (dleone), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 16:43 (nineteen years ago)

Is that a differnt live Magma album to the one I mentioned upthread?

― Oh No It's Dadaismus! (Dada), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 16:45 (nineteen years ago)

nope

― Dominique (dleone), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 16:46 (nineteen years ago)

Confusing, isn't it?

― Oh No It's Dadaismus! (Dada), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 16:47 (nineteen years ago)

I would agree with Johnny Cash, though I'd pick "At Folsom Prison".

― o. nate (onate), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 16:55 (nineteen years ago)

Also Albert Ayler In Greenwich Village, though maybe jazz musicians should be excluded because otherwise they'll be all over the list.

― o. nate (onate), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 16:57 (nineteen years ago)

Jerry Lee Lewis

― Dr. Gene Scott (shinybeast), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 16:58 (nineteen years ago)

Yes FLIPPER. Not that double album thing, Blow'n Chunks is the one.
-- everything (everything196...), September 19th, 2006.

Still not better than Album Generic Flipper

― Edward III (edward iii), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 17:11 (nineteen years ago)

I promise I'm not trying to bait Geir, but I seriously think this is Genesis' best album:

http://tralfaz-archives.com/coverart/G/genesis_front.jpg

― a naked Kraken annoying Times Square tourists with an acoustic guitar (nickalici, Tuesday, 19 September 2006 17:19 (nineteen years ago)

Iron Maiden-Live after Death

Also possibly Deep Purple, Made in Japan, but I think In Rock wins that sweepstakes.

― Bill Magill (Bill Magill), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 17:23 (nineteen years ago)

Chaki, which Zappa do you mean? (If it's Roxy & Elsewhere or YCDTOSA vol 2, I'd almost agree.)

― Danny Aioli (Rock Hardy), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 17:28 (nineteen years ago)

(Solo) Eric Clapton - Unplugged

― musically (musically), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 17:33 (nineteen years ago)

hawkwind
uhh fennesz (live in japan) (does anybody like him)

― Lazy Comet (plsmith), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 17:33 (nineteen years ago)

Roxy & Elsewhere may not be his best, but it's my favorite.

― a naked Kraken annoying Times Square tourists with an acoustic guitar (nickalici, Tuesday, 19 September 2006 17:33 (nineteen years ago)

obviously Grateful Dead. and Man too.
also, no Beasts Of Bourbon studio album sounds as thuggish as "From the belly of the Beasts".

― Marco Damiani (Marco D.), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 17:51 (nineteen years ago)

http://home.att.net/~chuckayoub/Led_Zeppelin_The_Song_Remains_The_Same.jpg

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 17:57 (nineteen years ago)

tell me one perfect song that doesn't suck

also:
Television - The Blow-Up

― autovac (autovac), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 18:00 (nineteen years ago)

Chaki, which Zappa do you mean? (If it's Roxy & Elsewhere or YCDTOSA vol 2, I'd almost agree.)

yes ROXY is the one i was thinking of. that is my personal fave.

― chaki (chaki), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 20:55 (nineteen years ago)

One of these years, the Roxy DVD will come out and I will be so happy.

― Danny Aioli (Rock Hardy), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 21:19 (nineteen years ago)

Coltrane! (The first Village Vanguard album.) The Who! (Live at Leeds.) Dog Faced Hermans! (Bump & Swing.) MC Hellshit & DJ Carhouse! (Live!)

― Douglas (Douglas), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 21:20 (nineteen years ago)

Built to Spill?

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 21:40 (nineteen years ago)

i can't imagine a world where rust never sleeps trumps tonight's the night and after the goldrush
-- Charlie Howard (charlieflie...), September 19th, 2006.

and 'on the beach' and 'everybody knows this is nowhere'...

― 6335 (6335), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 22:03 (nineteen years ago)

Bauhaus - Press the Eject and Give Me the Tape

― Stephen Bush (Stephen B.), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 01:11 (nineteen years ago)

i can't imagine a world where rust never sleeps trumps tonight's the night and after the goldrush

you can't imagine a world where an artist transcends himself (especially lyrically)?

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 01:17 (nineteen years ago)

and 'everybody knows this is nowhere' isn't even that good an album

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 01:19 (nineteen years ago)

Pasty Cline - Live at the Opry

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

― poortheatre (poortheatre), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 03:31 (nineteen years ago)

I saw Sonic Youth a few weeks ago and Thurston Moore said something along the lines of "there's nothing worse than a perfect rock band." He was really onto something.

― billstevejim (billstevejim), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 03:34 (nineteen years ago)

Big Brother & the Holding Company/Janis Joplin Cheap Thrills

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 09:25 (nineteen years ago)

i guess i can understand rust never sleeps being some people's favourite neil young, but i think it's far from the definitive pick.

i agree with 6335 about the other records as well.

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 10:29 (nineteen years ago)

Dog Faced Hermans! (Bump & Swing.)

Not better than Hum of Life, at least. I listen to a lot of Dog Faced Hermans and almost never put this on.

― Edward III (edward iii), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 11:54 (nineteen years ago)

fIREHOSE - Live Totem Pole EP

― chaki (chaki), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 15:48 (nineteen years ago)

Allmans

― O'Connor (OConnorScribe), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 16:51 (nineteen years ago)

"Big Brother & the Holding Company/Janis Joplin Cheap Thrills"

That's not actually a full live album. "Summertime" and some other songs were done in the studio.

― Orgy of Pragmatism (Charles McCain), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 17:03 (nineteen years ago)

Having said that, may I nominate Jefferson Airplane (For "Bless It's Pointed Little Head")?

― Orgy of Pragmatism (Charles McCain), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 17:04 (nineteen years ago)

AC/DC - though not "If You Want Blood"(mentioned above) but "Live at the Atlantic Studios". Should be in a top 10 of live albums, ever.

― EZ Snappin (EZSnappin), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 18:18 (nineteen years ago)

dead, hawkwind, allmans, cheap trick, santana, (maybe) television OTM

neil, mc5 (high time is the right answer!), bts NOTM

― mango selassie (teenagequiet), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 18:24 (nineteen years ago)

Swans - Swans are Dead
The Velvet Underground - Bootleg Series Vol. 1: The Quine Tapes

― J.H. Malerman (xada_hgla), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 19:21 (nineteen years ago)

Townes Van Zandt - Live At The Old Quarter

― hank (hank s), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 19:24 (nineteen years ago)

the make-up is definately a live act. Destination love: Live at Cold Rice is probably my fav

― marbles (marbles), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 19:38 (nineteen years ago)

definitely allan sherman, "my son, the folk singer"

maybe nirvana, "mtv unplugged in new york"

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 21 September 2006 04:33 (nineteen years ago)

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