So what do I look for in a live album? I expect to see a performance so stellar that it makes you feel like your front row at the concert. I want something that builds on the original release and makes it sound better. I'm not looking for the pitch perfect sound or a guitarist that hits every note flawlessly. I'm looking for a performance that captured the energy and excitement of the band in a live setting and set them apart from other bands.
Without further ado, I give you MY Top 10 Favorite Live releases.
1. UFO - Strangers In The Night (1979)
Reveled by many as one of Michael Schenkers most stellar moments, UFO takes the success the band built with Lights Out and captured lightning in a bottle. Every track on here is tight, incredible and Michael's guitar work was at it's peak. It was later revealed that This Kids and Mother Mary were studio recordings with live audience taped over but regardless, other tracks such as Doctor Doctor, I'm a Loser, Lights Out, Rock Bottom and To Hot To Handles show a band in rare form. Many consider Strangers In The Night as one of THE best live albums of all time and it's hard to argue
Judas Priest and Rob Halford had released 5 albums up to recording Unleashed in the East and it was this album that started Judas Priest triumphant ascension to the top of the metal world. Talk about capturing the energy and excietment of a concert. Rob Halfords stellar vocals were the centerpiece of this release and not to be outdone the dual guitar attack of KK Downing and Glen Tipton really stood out on tracks like The Ripper, Exciter, Green Manalishi the unforgettable Diamonds & Rust. Judas Priest was just getting started to wreak havoc on the metal work and it all started in Tokyo.
With live Pink Floyd Albums such as Delicate Sound of Thunder and Pulse many PF fans are probably saying WTF? I chose David Gilmour's Live at Gdansk because it is far and away one of his best performances captured on CD. Gilmour's isn't the most technical guitarist on the face of the earth but I dare you to name one that plays with more emotion and passion. Every note of every songs sounds so heartfelt. Live at Gdansk is a sonically impressive album that not only featured David Gilmour, Pink Floyd keyboardist Richard Wright and many other well know members who played with Pink Floyd and David Gilmour but also the Polish Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra. David Gilmours passionate playing is matched by his stellar vocals who at 60 still sounds incredible. This release featured a real mix of old Pink Floyd, later era Pink Floyd and some solo material. Among the standout tracks were the psychedelic Astronomy Domine, Time, Comfortably Numb, High Hopes, A Great Day For Freedom, Wish You Were Here, Shine On You Crazy Diamonds. In my opinion many of the newer "Live" releases don't do justice to the originals but Live At Gdansk not only surpasses all expectations but blows them out of the water.
4. Rush A Show of Hands (1989)
I'll be honest, it's so hard to pick a Rush live album that wasn't deserving of a high finish. All three eras are well represented in All The Worlds A Stage, Exit...Stage Left, and A Show of Hands. What really won if for me was the fact that I saw Rush during this phase and in my opinion it was there most solid era. Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart got more sound out of a 3 man band than most bands could get with 5 or more players. Start to finish every track from the era that was Signals, Grace Under Pressure, Power Windows and Hold Your Fire are represented in fantastic and flawless performance. One of the rare cases where live might have been as good as the studio in terms of performance.
You have never experienced complete and utter mayhem until you've been to a Slayer show. The sheer energy, power and anger of thier live show is unparalleled and this CD did a fantastic job of capturing that energy. Listening to Hell Awaits, South of Heaven, Raining Blood, Jesus Saves just makes you want to start a mosh pit in the living room. Even their slower songs such as Dead Skin Mask and Expendable Youth show a viciousness that only Slayer could pull off. Slayer is probably in the top 5 of all the live concerts I've seen and this disc masterfully captured that intensity in every way, shape and form.
6. Lynyrd Skynyrd - One More The unmistakeable sounds of Southern Rock never sounded so good. Lynyrd Skynyrd early career featuring 4 wildly successful albums that forever entrenched them as a major player in the rock world. Their 3 guitar attack further established their live show as a force to be reckoned with and One More From The Road was their pedestal to show the world what a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert was about. Reeling through hit after hit with reckless abandon Skynyrd shreds it way to the finale which has become an icon in southern rock lore, Freebird. Make no mistake, Lynyrd Skynyrd career may have been cut short but they made an indelible mark that will never be forgotten.
7. Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Budapest Live (1984)
This will one that will have many scratching there head and saying "huh?". Manfred Mann has made a living out of taking other peoples songs and giving them his own little flair. Budapest Live captures Manfred Mann performing all the songs on one albums that he made popular. Spirits In The Night, For You, Davy's On The Road Again, Lies On Through The 80's, Blinded By The Light, Redemption Song, among others. There's even one original that he wrote (Transkei) and a tune that Bob Dylan wrote just for him (Mighty Quinn). A beautiful performance of a rare collection of songs by the master of remakes himself.
8. KISS - Alive 2 (1977)
Kiss Alive was hailed as a breakout album for the band who had released 3 albums up to that point but garnered very little airplay. Rock and Roll All Night changed all that for KISS and they never looked back ripping through successful albums such as Destroyer, Rock and Roll Over and Love Gun before taking a hiatus for the solo albums. Those 3 albums provided the impetus for many of the songs for Alive 2 and going back through the catalog to pull the best of from the 1st three albums. This was KISS in all there glory ripping thru songs line Detroit Rock City, CHristine Sixteen, Love Gun, I Stole Your Love and under appreciated Hard Luck Woman. KISS has always been known as a live band and this release captured them at thier peak.
9. Saxon - The Eagle Has Landed (1982)
I never understood why Saxon didn't appeal to more metal heads in the US. Wheels of Steel, Strong Arm of the Law, Denim & Leather and Crusader were all incredible albums in there own right and when it came time for the band to do a live album they pulled all the best songs from the 1st three listed. Biff Byford is a powerhouse live and every track is a toe tapper beginning to end. This release was #5 on the UK charts in 1982 and for good reason. It was an outstanding release that showcased Saxon at their best.
10a Uriah Heep - Uriah Heep Live
OK it's my list and I going to cheat. I'm including 2 releases at #10 because one is an EP. Now back to the list. Every talked about Deep Purple being the consumate live band and I'm sure in their hey day they were but in my opinion one band that took their music to a completely different level on stage was Uriah Heep. David Byron had a powerful voice and the band never got the credit they deserved outside of it's two "one hit wonders", Stealin and Easy Livin. This release was a fantastic showcase for some of their best material including the opening track Sunrise, Sweet Lorraine, Traveller In Time, Easy Livin, the hypnotizing Gypsy, Look At Yourself and on the remastered version is a live version of Stealin. In my opinion one this was one of the most overlooked live releases by a UK band. The energy and music is as good as any other band on this list.
10B - Riot - Live (EP)
In my opinion Riot were probably one of the most underappreciated metal bands to come out of the US in the 80's. Rhett Forrester had a unique and powerful voice and Mark Reale was a fantastic guitarist. The band really seemed to hit thier peak with Fire Down Under and Restless Breed and this EP was a teaser of what the band was capable of. Sadly this wasn't even the best of the material they had to choose from but it was still an incredible live EP that showed a glimpse of what this very talented band could do. The album was never released on a CD till it was re-issued as the bonus tracks on Restless Breed and even now I'm not sure if that is in print any longer.
