20 Live Pieces Released in the 1970s

I don't think 2nd or 3rd Impression are better on the live versions. 3rd Impression might be better as Palmer plays much better on that compared to the studio version where he seems to go off the rails slightly. Emerson had a hard time teaching him what was needed and I think it needed to be played live to truly flesh out what was great about the track. The Cal Jam version is even better and that was ELP truly at their very peak. IMO

Very little is mentioned about the Second Impression of KE9; I don't think I have the musical vocabulary to do it justice but the piano trio work is breathtaking - all three on top of their game and it sounded great on the live version (I guess the predominant use of piano makes the overall sound less 'muddy').

Logan wrote: ^ Those first three albums you mention I had not heard before, at least in full, and I can't say that I listened to them all as completely as perhaps I should. Only 14 or so were well known to me at any time and other than my top ten I had not listened to the albums (the others from PA's list) in full that I knew for many years. I had heard the GG, but not for almost 20 years. I may not be the biggest fan of ELP, but I loved listening to that version of KE9. It's not a record I had heard before, but that is the one that most stood out to me. Tarkus would have been my other choice, but KE9 got my interest more-so. Were I to try both now for a second listen then I might well feel differently. Yessongs I was a bit slapdash with, and ended up just going with a Yes song that has been one of my very favourite Yes tracks. Fragile was a very important album to me in my youth and I adored Heart of the Sunrise except for the wonky bits. As for Genesis, yeah not the wonderful piano, which is a highlight of the studio album for me. Not sure why I went with that. I don't like that version much or the album much generally. Cinema Show is my favourite Genesis track outside of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (the Lamb is the only Genesis album I ever have really deeply cared about). After quickly going through the album again on youtube (scanning/ scrubbing), my choice is still the one that seems most listenable to me from that album despite preferring the studio version, and I like the energy it starts with with Collins vocals. I prefer Gabriel-era Genesis, and I prefer Genesis Live to this despite missing out on most of my favourite Genesis songs. Collins' era Genesis is often too slick for me, AORish, although I love music off A Trick of the Tail Wind and Wuthering. As for Gentle Giant, I came very close to going with Funny Ways but ended up finding this So Sincere version more interesting at the time. And "So Sincere" has been one of my very favrite songs by Gentle Giant (I like its quirkiness). Those Octupus excerpts have been another standout for me. The album does not connect with me now as much as it used to. Side-note (tangential): When I joined PA I was huge on GG, and I still love the first three albums especially, but very rarely have listened to GG in many years. PFM and Magma took over from My GG obsession back then, and of those Magma is the one that I still really big on. And I discovered VdGG at the same time as GG and used to say that I prefer my GG without the VD, but it's VdGG that I have kept returning to -- has had more staying power for me/ means more to me. But Three Friends and Acquiring the Taste are wondrous and I could very happily play those right now. :)

Edited by richardh - April 09 2025 at 22:04

Logan wrote: Lewian wrote: What a great showcase for 70s prog this is - there are many albums here that I'd choose over every studio album of these bands. I'll add votes for two things that I hadn't heard before and that are both very strong, that is the Area and Geinoh Yamashirogumi.  I have two votes left and I'll be a bit nostalgic here, voting for two albums that at some point in my youth, maybe half a year each, were my favourite albums, namely Riocochet and Solar Music. I love the Kraan Live album, but for me you haven't picked the best track there, same Playing the Fool and BJH, whereas the Grobschnitt one is well selected, as are many others, Gong, Hawkwind, Camel in particular (not so obvious this one), how splendid! I'm super glad you found music not that only were you keen on, but discovered new music to appreciate. Your post really put a smile on my face. Thank you. That Area is a very good album, and really happy you liked Osorezan live. I got to appreciate some music here, or appreciate music here more, that I did not know or at least did not know well as I had not heard it many years from the bottom ten (some of those were already 70s live favourite albums of mine).   Vive le lives!

Edited by Lewian - April 09 2025 at 12:10

^ Those first three albums you mention I had not heard before, at least in full, and I can't say that I listened to them all as completely as perhaps I should. Only 14 or so were well known to me at any time and other than my top ten I had not listened to the albums (the others from PA's list) in full that I knew for many years. I had heard the GG, but not for almost 20 years.

I may not be the biggest fan of ELP, but I loved listening to that version of KE9. It's not a record I had heard before, but that is the one that most stood out to me. Tarkus would have been my other choice, but KE9 got my interest more-so. Were I to try both now for a second listen then I might well feel differently.

Yessongs I was a bit slapdash with, and ended up just going with a Yes song that has been one of my very favourite Yes tracks. Fragile was a very important album to me in my youth and I adored Heart of the Sunrise except for the wonky bits.

As for Genesis, yeah not the wonderful piano, which is a highlight of the studio album for me. Not sure why I went with that. I don't like that version much or the album much generally. Cinema Show is my favourite Genesis track outside of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (the Lamb is the only Genesis album I ever have really deeply cared about). After quickly going through the album again on youtube (scanning/ scrubbing), my choice is still the one that seems most listenable to me from that album despite preferring the studio version, and I like the energy it starts with with Collins vocals. I prefer Gabriel-era Genesis, and I prefer Genesis Live to this despite missing out on most of my favourite Genesis songs. Collins' era Genesis is often too slick for me, AORish, although I love music off A Trick of the Tail Wind and Wuthering.

As for Gentle Giant, I came very close to going with Funny Ways but ended up finding this So Sincere version more interesting at the time. And "So Sincere" has been one of my very favrite songs by Gentle Giant (I like its quirkiness). Those Octupus excerpts have been another standout for me. The album does not connect with me now as much as it used to.

Side-note (tangential): When I joined PA I was huge on GG, and I still love the first three albums especially, but very rarely have listened to GG in many years. PFM and Magma took over from My GG obsession back then, and of those Magma is the one that I still really big on. And I discovered VdGG at the same time as GG and used to say that I prefer my GG without the VD, but it's VdGG that I have kept returning to -- has had more staying power for me/ means more to me. But Three Friends and Acquiring the Taste are wondrous and I could very happily play those right now. :)

Jazz isn't dead, it just smells funny.

Lewian wrote: What a great showcase for 70s prog this is - there are many albums here that I'd choose over every studio album of these bands. I'll add votes for two things that I hadn't heard before and that are both very strong, that is the Area and Geinoh Yamashirogumi.  I have two votes left and I'll be a bit nostalgic here, voting for two albums that at some point in my youth, maybe half a year each, were my favourite albums, namely Riocochet and Solar Music. I love the Kraan Live album, but for me you haven't picked the best track there, same Playing the Fool and BJH, whereas the Grobschnitt one is well selected, as are many others, Gong, Hawkwind, Camel in particular (not so obvious this one), how splendid!

I'm super glad you found music not that only were you keen on, but discovered new music to appreciate. Your post really put a smile on my face. Thank you.
That Area is a very good album, and really happy you liked Osorezan live. I got to appreciate some music here, or appreciate music here more, that I did not know or at least did not know well as I had not heard it many years from the bottom ten (some of those were already 70s live favourite albums of mine).   Vive le lives!

What a great showcase for 70s prog this is - there are many albums here that I'd choose over every studio album of these bands.

Edited by Lewian - April 08 2025 at 14:50

Jared wrote: Logan wrote: ^ You can vote for as many as you like (multiple choice). And I just noticed that I asked the wrong question for the poll, that should have been "pieces" not albums. I lost the topic when I first tried to post it and chose the wrong cached question. Trying to be too clever for your own good Greg... you need to try harder to appeal to PA's lowest common denominator... ie me!!

"Trying" is the operative word.

And Jared, I might fancifully say that you're the greatest common divisor. :D The greatest common factor in this is that I commonly make mistakes as it does get overly complicated and I do often lose my posts/ topics. I should simplify. And I wish I could think of some more creative topics that don't involve polls. Easy to get stuck in certain ruts. :) I think I need some more hobbies.

^ You can vote for as many as you like (multiple choice). And I just noticed that I asked the wrong question for the poll, that should have been "pieces" not albums. I lost the topic when I first tried to post it and chose the wrong cached question.

Edited by Logan - April 08 2025 at 09:58