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Are there any artists you who's best album is a live album the way you see it? Who are they?

Entre_Perpetuo

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Entre_Perpetuo

Entre_Perpetuo

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What artists, if any, do you think produced their best work as a live album rather than a studio album? On the flip side, if you're someone who almost solely prefers live albums in the first place, are there any notable exceptions where you'd place a particular studio album at the top?

 

I think I've yet to hear another KISS album that beats Alive!

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IbanezJem

IbanezJem

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Can anyone explain what it is about live albums that everyone loves? I`m not a fan. For many reasons I don`t attend concerts and haven`t for many years, and live albums just sound like worse versions of studio excellence to me, with added annoying crowds. I`m not trying to be provocative, I`d just like to know what I`m missing :huh:
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goose

goose

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Can anyone explain what it is about live albums that everyone loves? I`m not a fan. For many reasons I don`t attend concerts and haven`t for many years, and live albums just sound like worse versions of studio excellence to me, with added annoying crowds. I`m not trying to be provocative, I`d just like to know what I`m missing :huh:

I get what you're saying, and it's why I never really liked Exit Stage Left, for example. For me, live albums work when they add energy to songs that feel stiff or soulless, or perhaps feel over-produced in their studio versions. McCartney, Frampton and Queen fit that bill from my perspective.
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J2112YYZ

J2112YYZ

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Can anyone explain what it is about live albums that everyone loves? I`m not a fan. For many reasons I don`t attend concerts and haven`t for many years, and live albums just sound like worse versions of studio excellence to me, with added annoying crowds. I`m not trying to be provocative, I`d just like to know what I`m missing :huh:

 

The appeal of the live album has certainly diminished over the last few decades. We can easily go to YouTube and see many live performances whenever we like. Older bands like Rush, Maiden and AC/DC come out with a live album/video after every tour since they don't release new material as often. So, the live album market has been oversaturated for a while and what made it special in the past isn't as strong as it used to be.

 

Live albums did once have a mystique to them back before the internet killed all that for musicians. Live albums were able to capture a band or artist at a certain point in their careers, a lot of the time they were recorded when they were peak of popularity or playing prowess. It forever serves as a documentation of a certain time period for that artist. If you weren't alive or were too young to go see it, the live album allows us to go back and hear what the artist sounded like during that particular time.

 

Of course, if live performances don't appeal to you in anyway, none of what I said will change your mind. I hate crowds too but I put up with it to see a band live because the live music experience is like no other and it's tough for a lot of things to beat actually being there. The live album is the next best thing if you can't make it to a show or just don't like going to them. Sometimes, and I have experienced this numerous times, a live performance of a song is better than the studio. Live, a song can have a stronger energy and a little more umph to it. You don't hear it on All The World's A Stage or the version of Xanadu from Exit Stage Left? That's too bad.

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blueschica

blueschica

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Deep Purple's Made In Japan is awesome! I don't know if I would say "best", like better than Machine Head, but at least equal to it. It's really good.

 

I am enjoying seeing some of the suggestions here just because I usually am with IbanezJem. It seemed like in the 70's, some live albums were a cash grab and not that good. (Led Zeppelin The Song Remains The Same, I'm looking at you. :P) So it's fun to see some good ones!

 

But I might be changing my mind, I do remember some great ones! So confused late at night! :lol:

 

Allman Brothers- Live At The Fillmore East I would say is their top, along with Eat A Peach. Both pretty much equal and really excellent.

Lynyrd Skynyrd- One More From The Road is about their top, along with Street Survivors or maybe a bit better than it.

 

The Who's Live At Leeds is awesome but Who's Next is one of my favorite all time albums (Geddy and I agree, hahaha) and I don't know if Leeds is quite as good as Next just because they are different eras of The Who, but it's really good.

 

I agree with Entre and LABT, Kiss Alive and UFO Strangers in the Night are definitely their best works.

 

Good thing I am not a rock writer as the only 3 words I can think of are really good and excellent :lol: but you will get what I mean if you have ever heard these albums! :ebert:

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zepphead

zepphead

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Rory Gallagher - Irish Tour '74

 

Cheap Trick - At Budokan

 

Peter Frampton - Frampton Comes Alive

 

Grateful Dead - 100's of them!!!!

 

 

Lots of fine live albums have been listed above from bands like UFO, Purple, Lizzy, Who etc. ..... Super albums but they have made greater studio albums IMO.

Edited by zepphead
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Nova Carmina

Nova Carmina

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I love live albums -- and while I can't explain the appeal any more precisely than I could tell you why I like red more than green or burgers more than steak -- there's something about about having that moment frozen in time. One of the reasons I have so many bootlegs of my favorite bands is the thrill I get from the specificity of knowing that Rush was in this place, on this date, and played this music. It makes the whole thing more "real" somehow, like a coin or cup from ancient Assyria that you know a real person once used. There's a relatability studio albums don't necessarily have.

 

While it's less true for Rush, hearing LZ or Deep Purple or Pink Floyd live, I love the different choices, the stretched out solos (but! even as a musical maximalist, twenty minutes of "Moby Dick" is too much . . .), the different "feel" of the music.

 

For my list (great question, by the way; nicely done Entre), in addition to Alive!, Live at Budokan, Strangers in the Night, and several other above, I'd add:

 

Triumph -- Stages

Motorhead -- No Sleep Til Hammersmith

Iron Maiden -- Live After Death (yeah, that's right . . . )

Johnny Cash -- Live at Folsom and San Quentin

AC/DC -- If You Want Blood . . .

Depeche Mode -- 101

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goose

goose

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Eagles Live (1980) has always been my favorite Eagles album. Great versions of most of their best songs, with just enough between song banter.

 

Two bands I've never enjoyed live material from are Van Halen and Led Zeppelin. Just too sloppy.

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Entre_Perpetuo

Entre_Perpetuo

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I think I've yet to hear another KISS album that beats Alive!

It's probably their best studio album.

 

 

:lol:

 

:scared:

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driventotheedge

driventotheedge

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Deep Purple's Made In Japan is awesome! I don't know if I would say "best", like better than Machine Head, but at least equal to it. It's really good.

 

I am enjoying seeing some of the suggestions here just because I usually am with IbanezJem. It seemed like in the 70's, some live albums were a cash grab and not that good. (Led Zeppelin The Song Remains The Same, I'm looking at you. :P) So it's fun to see some good ones!

 

But I might be changing my mind, I do remember some great ones! So confused late at night! :lol:

 

Allman Brothers- Live At The Fillmore East I would say is their top, along with Eat A Peach. Both pretty much equal and really excellent.

Lynyrd Skynyrd- One More From The Road is about their top, along with Street Survivors or maybe a bit better than it.

 

The Who's Live At Leeds is awesome but Who's Next is one of my favorite all time albums (Geddy and I agree, hahaha) and I don't know if Leeds is quite as good as Next just because they are different eras of The Who, but it's really good.

 

I agree with Entre and LABT, Kiss Alive and UFO Strangers in the Night are definitely their best works.

 

Good thing I am not a rock writer as the only 3 words I can think of are really good and excellent :lol: but you will get what I mean if you have ever heard these albums! :ebert:

Great post and you named a number of my favorites as did LABT with the UFO. \

By the way, I saw the REAL Skynyrd in October of '76 in Seattle and One More From the Road was recorded on that tour so that album takes me back every time I listen to it.

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driventotheedge

driventotheedge

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Eagles Live (1980) has always been my favorite Eagles album. Great versions of most of their best songs, with just enough between song banter.

 

Two bands I've never enjoyed live material from are Van Halen and Led Zeppelin. Just too sloppy.

Agree on all accounts. I saw Zep in '77 and they were good but not great. They were better in the 2nd half of the show. Don't know if it was cuz Page's drugs kicked in or wore off.

I love the Eagles studio stuff but that live album is underappreciated.

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