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POLL: Do you like live albums?

Discussion in 'Sensorium' started by Sticker, Dec 15, 2005.

  1. Sticker Gems: 9/31
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    [​IMG] Some great live albums have come out this year, Queens of the Stone Age, Wilco, The Mars Volta, but it got me thinking. Do you like live albums? Are they just cashing in on the holidays? Is there any point now when we have the dvd format?

    My all time top 5, in no particular order.
    1. MC5 - Kick out the Jams
    2. The Who - Live at Leeds
    3. The Ramones - Loco Live
    4. Cheap Trick - Live at Budokan
    5. Kiss - Alive II

    Poll Information
    This poll contains 1 question(s). 14 user(s) have voted.
    You may not view the results of this poll without voting.

    Poll Results: Do you like live albums? (14 votes.)

    Do you like live albums? (Choose 1)
    * Yes. - 79% (11)
    * No. - 21% (3)
     
    Sticker, Dec 15, 2005
    #1

  2. Undertaker Gems: 27/31
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    Live albums show how the artist plays before the crowd, without all those studio help/mix/etc. I more or less like live albums and some of my fav:

    -Metallica - S&M
    -Thin Lizzy - Live and dangerous
    -Iron Maiden - Live after death
    -Iced Earth- Alive in Athens
     
    Undertaker, Dec 15, 2005
    #2
  3. Death Rabbit

    Death Rabbit Straight, no chaser Adored Veteran Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    In general, I can't say that I am a fan of live albums. But it definitely depends on the artist. Some artists sound great live, others sound crappy. It also changes things if the lead singers sing in a different voice on stage than on the album (James Hetfield of Metallica and John Bon Jovi are two great examples) in order to save their voices. It just isn't the same experience.

    I guess I was most turned off by my first live album, which was Metallica's "Live Sh*t: Binge & Purge." Most of the songs sounded terrible compared to the album, so my first impression of live albums generally stuck after that. There are a few exceptions - like the Eagles "Hell Freezes Over" or Dave Matthew's "Live at Red Rocks," however. But in general I just prefer the studio albums.
     
    Death Rabbit, Dec 15, 2005
    #3
  4. Harbourboy

    Harbourboy Take thy form from off my door! Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Definitely depends on the artist and whether the live album offers anything more than just a similar sounding rendition of the original versions, but with crowd noise. Paul McCartney's "Tripping the Live Fantastic" is great.
     
    Harbourboy, Dec 15, 2005
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  5. Sydax Gems: 19/31
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    The only live album I really like is "Alchemy" by Dire Straits, Mark Knopfler never played the guitar like that in the studio albums; few months back, he came to Barcelona, and I went to the show, you know you'll hear much more than in the albums and he never let you down. I really enjoyed the show.
     
    Sydax, Dec 15, 2005
    #5
  6. T2Bruno

    T2Bruno The only source of knowledge is experience Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    There have been a lot of great live performances.

    Johnny Cash Live at San Quentin
    Johnny Cash Live at Fulsom Prison
    Eric Clapton Unplugged
    Garth Brooks Double Live Album
    Peter Frampton Live
    The Wall Live in Berlin

    Most early Jazz was recorded live -- Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Buddy Rich, Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespe ... this list could go on for a long time.
     
    T2Bruno, Dec 15, 2005
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  7. Susipaisti

    Susipaisti Maybe if I just sleep... Veteran

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    Mostly, I do like live albums. Save for the fact some of them are full of touch-ups and overdubs. But provided the live recording is just that, a real live recording, that's the true document of how the band *really* sounds.

    An example: Metallica's Live S***: Binge&Purge. Metallica sounded really tight and precise on their first five studio albums, but live - not so. Sloppy, all over the place. Really dropped my respect for that band.

    Bands that really play tightly together, that really gel, I respect greatly. Of course by "tight" I don't mean "wired tight." I mean accurate, competent, precise, but still having a vibe going and not sounding forced. Great live albums are just that. Pantera's Official Live: 101 Proof comes to mind, and Testament's new Live In London.
     
    Susipaisti, Dec 15, 2005
    #7
  8. BOC

    BOC Let the wild run free Veteran

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    Yes, I like live albums, even if they are not realy live since they are always processed in the studio. The only real live albums that you can get are the bootlegs but the sound in the vast majority of them is horrible.

    As for my top 5:

    Accept - Staying a life
    Blue Oyster Cult - Some enchanted evening
    Iron Maiden - Live after death
    Motorhead - No sleep 'til Hammersmith
    Judas Priest - Unleashed in the east

    [ December 15, 2005, 22:30: Message edited by: BOC ]
     
    BOC, Dec 15, 2005
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  9. kuemper Gems: 31/31
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    I like the old live albums, when the bands sounded pretty much like they did on the studio tracks.

    KISS - Alive!
    Peter Frampton - Frampton Comes Alive
    Johnny Cash - Live at Fulsom Prison

    The ones within the last 10-15 years just don't have that je ne sais que that is part of a live album.
     
    kuemper, Dec 15, 2005
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  10. JSBB Gems: 31/31
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    Pretty much my entire music collection is live albums - of a sort. My music collection is mostly opera and they normally just record during a regular performance - even when they record without a live audience they normally would still record it in the opera hall so there is no real difference.
     
    JSBB, Dec 15, 2005
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  11. Mesmero

    Mesmero How'd an old elf get the blues?

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    I generally like live albums. A good live album just adds something extra to the songs.

    There are even a few songs which just sound so much better live, you should just forget the studio version ever existed. Child in Time, for example; the studio version isn't bad, but the live version from Made in Japan is just brilliant, and blows the studio version away (in my humble opinion, of course).

    Made in Japan is definately one of my favorite live albums. Irish Tour, by Rory Gallagher also ranks pretty high. But there is so much I still need to hear; my collection of live albums by the giants of blues is pretty slim.
     
    Mesmero, Dec 15, 2005
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  12. Saber

    Saber A revolution without dancing is not worth having! Veteran

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    I don't like live albums, because they dont' capture the realness (wc) of the band. Either see them in concert or listen to their regular CD, I think.
     
    Saber, Dec 15, 2005
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  13. DarkStrider

    DarkStrider I've seen the future and it has seen me Distinguished Member

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    Like JSBB I have a big opera collection which is mainly "live" from a opera houses, but live albums these days are missing atmosphere which you can only get by being in the pit at the gig.
     
    DarkStrider, Dec 16, 2005
    #13
  14. Disciple of The Watch

    Disciple of The Watch Preparing The Coming of The New Order Veteran

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    Yeah, depends on which...

    1. Pantera - Official Live 101 Proof
    2. Mayhem - Mediolanum Capta Est
    3. Marduk - Live In Germania
    4. Megadeth - Rude Awakening
    5. Cannibal Corpse - Live Cannibalism :evil:

    Enough said!
     
    Disciple of The Watch, Dec 16, 2005
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  15. Dice

    Dice ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran

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    I think there should have been a "sometimes" option in the poll. It really depends on the artist. If you are sitting outside around a fire with stars, beer, and hard liquor, then live sounds best. It makes you feel like you are at an outdoor concert.
     
    Dice, Dec 16, 2005
    #15
  16. Ziad

    Ziad I speak in rebuses Veteran

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    It does vary a lot. I tend not to like Live albums, since most are just a rehash of old things. I love some of David Bowie's stuff, which when sung live seems to completely lose its appeal. Take Outside: the album's mood relies so much on Eno and Bowie playing around with sound editing that it just does not sound anywhere as good live.

    On the other hand, Nirvana's best album by a long shot was the Unplugged. Leonard Cohen's Live stuff tends to be quite good. And Keith Jarrett's piano solos are all live improvisation, and are absolutely stunning.
     
    Ziad, Dec 17, 2005
    #16
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