Your 10 favorite live albums
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Topic: Your 10 favorite live albums
Posted By: BaldJean
Subject: Your 10 favorite live albums
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 07:52
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I know some people don't like live albums, but I just love them. nowhere else can a band be free of the restriction to try to sound perfectly but simply let the music flow. what are your favorite ones? here are mine, counting backward from10 to 1. please try to give s short explanation why you include the albums too. 10) Frumpy: "Live" (1973). Inga Rumpf and company put on a great show; she definitely has the blackest voice of all white singers. an excellent introduction to this band which deserves more attention. 9) Kraan: "Live" (1975). a stunning classic with highlights like "Holiday am Marterhorn including Gipfelsturm", "Sarah's Ritt durch den Schwarzwald" or "Nam Nam". Helmut Hattler definitely is one of the best bass players in prog; something you can hear here. 8) Guru Guru: "Live" (1976). with a lot of previously unreleased tracks (some of which had been a live favorite already though), like "Medicine Man's Overdose", "Herzflimmern" or "Transylvanian Express", and great versions of "Moroso", "Der Elektrolurch" and "Ooga Booga". the album shows what a great live act Guru Guru must have been (I never saw them live myself). one can actually see Mani Neumeier hopping around in his wrestling suit when hearing him. it helps if you understand some German to get some of the jokes they make, like when Neumeier sings "Santa Fu, raus bist du" ("Santa Fu, you are out", that song was recorded at Santa Fu, a prison in Hamburg) in "Ooga Booga" and talks about the prisoners getting new uniforms after the concert that look like his wrestling suit. 7) Hawkwind: "Space Ritual" (1973). what can I say? a classic. Hawkwind re-released the album with uncut versions of "Time We Left" and "Brainstorm" (they had been shortened for the original release because they were too long). too bad this is not a DVD; Stacia would have been a nice addition  6) Gentle Giant: "Playing the Fool" (1977). Gentle Giant show that their complex compositions can be played live without sounding sterile; on the contrary, they make them sound really alive. highlights are the "Octopus Medley", "On Reflection" and "Funny Ways". 5) Steve Hillage: "Live Herald" (1978). this one originally came out as a 3-sides live, 1-side studio vinyl; unfortunately the studio material sounded bloodless compared to the live material (with the exception of "1988 Activator"). it was in my opinion a good decision of Virgin to release this as a single CD live album and add the studio material to the CD-version of "Open". at 69 minutes the album is still long enough. great versions of classic Hillage songs. 4) 801: "Live" (1976). Brian Eno, Phil Manzanera and friends play a collection of songs associated with former projects of them as well as some classic. one of the most interesting releases of that time; the beginning of punk can be felt in songs like "Third Uncle". unfortunately a single album only. 3) Magma: "Live / Hhai" (1975). featuring a 17-year old Didier Lockwood on violin who (almost) steals the show; just listen to his seven and a half minute solo in "Mekanik Zain". great version of "Köhntark". a friend of mine once commented: "sounds like a holiday in hell". 2) Gong: "Live au Bataclan" (1990). this album was recorded in 1973 and shows the "classic" band line-up (Daevid Allen, Gilly Smyth, Pierre Moerlen, Didier Malherbe, Steve Hillage, Mike Howlett, Tim Blake) in top form, performing some of their classics. don't get irritated by the strange titles on the album; you will recognize these classics quickly. 1) Van der Graaf Generator: "Vital" (1978). since I follow my usual policy of best lists (naming an artist twice or more in such a list is behaving like a fan boy/girl; pick your gender) I was torn between "Vital" and "Real Time". I settled for "Vital" because it adds new aspects to the songs; also because it includes some previously unreleased material. the general treatment of all songs was: give 'em a raw brushing up! Nic Potter's bass truly is a monster! again this list may change at any moment, depending on my mood, but "Vital", "Live au Bataclan" and "Live / Hhai" will always be in it -------------  A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Replies:
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 08:00
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Not sure if I can think of 10, but I'd definitely include
1) Genesis Live - more powerful versions of the originals and better production. Just a shame they couldn't fit Suppers Ready on
2) ELP Welcome Back - they make changes to some of the songs e.g. the addition of Epitaph to Tarkus, Aquatarkus, Take a Pebble. Better than some bands who just trot out duplicates of the originals
3) Be Bop Deluxe Live in the Air Age - again an improvement in sound and performance of the originals.
I'll try and think of some more.
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Posted By: mystic fred
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 08:54
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1. Deep Purple - Made in Japan. Great performances, classic live album showcases the band at the top of their game.
2. Led Zeppelin - The Song Remains the Same. Zeppelin's answer to all those poor bootlegs, stunning version of "No Quarter".
3. Argent - Encore. Overlooked double live masterpiece, one of my all time faves.
4. Genesis - Genesis Live . Definitive line up, an honest recording.
5. Hawkwind - Space Ritual. Legendary live performances, many live recordings exist but this is the best.
6. The Who - Live at Leeds. Classic show, raw and powerful.
7. Yes - Yessongs. Sprawling triple album set.
8. Pink Floyd - Pulse. Spacious sound and great performances.
9. Wishbone Ash - Almighty Blues. Great versions of old and new songs.
10. Peter Gabriel - Plays Live. Very entertaining album, includes non-album "I Go Swimming".
-------------  Prog Archives Tour Van 
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Posted By: febus
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 08:58
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Number uno: SOLAR MUSIC from GROBSCHNITT; This is all what prog is all about; melodic, weird, creative, great instrumentalists, long suites.....and sheer power!!!
Number dos: YESSONGS by YES
you get the best 3 studio YESalbums in one package, only better as the songs like CTTE feel more energized than the originals; and don't forget the LPs cover!!
Number tres: USA live or THE GREAT DECEIVER .........KING CRIMSON
just brutal creative energy; when i listen to LTIA part 2 on USA live, it buries all the other prog bands; such a power, but so unique
Number quattro: GURU GURU: 30 JAHREN LIVE; you have all different aspects of GURU GURU music, and to extension kRAUTROCK on 3 mad cds from psychedelic to jazzy to weird ( damo suzuki cd) to a more world beat; a long trip!!
Number cinqo: VIVA ROXY MUSIC: great songs, great athmosphere, fantastic PHIL MANZANERA on guitar
Number seis: GRIDES by SOFT MACHINE; the ''classic'' line up at their creative peak; weird unparralelled music.
Number siete: BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST LIVE: they were the best at creating the most beautiful melodies one can imagine; the gentle side of prog.
Number ocho: MAGMA live; oh! this is not a trip; it's an odyssey..to KOBAIA, i guess.
Powerful unique music, fantastic players, not a dull moment! the most original prog experience ; there is only one MAGMA
Number nueve: JANE AT HOME; by JANE always loved this album since 1976; very melodic, symphonic ,lightly hard rocking ,played with passion and energy, great songs. great german band.
Number diez: TANGERINE DREAM -OTTAWA-JUNE 2OTH 1986- Not just space as in the 70s, well more creative with the addition of HASLINGER! a wonderful journey.
I have more , but they are the ones that came to mind first
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Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 09:00
I respect other people's opinions; however, I had to make a face at the mentioning of "Pulse". that's not a live album, in my opinion; what Pink Floyd actuially did here was putting their studio on stage  ------------- A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
mystic fred wrote:Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 10:07
1. Pink Floyd ~ Pulse ... it was recorded live with real live musicians, so  
2. Pink Floyd ~ Ummagumma (Disc 1)
3. Genesis ~ Live
4. Amon Düül II ~ Live in London
5. Hawkwind ~ Space Ritual
6. Ayers, Cale, Nico & Eno ~ June 1st 1972
7. 801~ Live
8. Peter Hammill ~ The Margin + (live)
9. Tangerine Dream ~ Ricochet
10. Porcupine Tree ~ Coma Divine
...honorary mentions: Yes ~ Yessongs, Rush ~ Different Stages, Savatage ~ Ghost In The Ruins, Pink Floyd ~ Is There Anybody Out There?, Pink Floyd ~ Delicate Sound Of Thunder, Pink Floyd ~ Live In Pompey (DVD), Dream Theatre ~ Live Scenes, Star One ~ Live on Earth, Pain of Salvation ~ 12:5, An Evening With John Petrucci and Jordan Rudess, Deep Purple ~ Made In Japan, PFM ~ Cook., PFM ~ A Celebration, Steve Hacket ~ Live In Japan & The Tokyo Tapes.
plus lots of other Pink Floyd live albums
 The archive lists the Mahavishnu Orchestra ~ The Lost Trident Sessions as a live album, which is news to me  ------------- What? |
Posted By: rodrigogc
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 10:24
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Mmm First sorry about my english , i am from argentina. Now my top ten : 1- Genesis - Live 2- Camel - A Live Record 3- Porcupine Tree - Coma Divine 4- Jimi Hendrix - Band Of Gypsis 5- King Crimson - Lament 6- Yes - YesSongs 7- Astor Piazolla - The Central Park Concert 8- Aquelarre - Corazones del Lado del Fuego 9- Jeff Beck and the Jan Hammer Group - Live 10- Led Zeppelin - How The West was Won That`s the albums that i now remember but must have much more that can be in the list. Bye |
Posted By: honganji
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 10:37
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1.Tenjosajiki / Shintokumaru
Greatest performance of play and heavy rock music. This is live recorded play (but edited because it must be put into LP record).
2.Anyone's Daughter / Piktors Verwandlungen
No applause and voice of audience included till the end of the performance. But absolutely live album. The best album by Anyone's Daughter.
3.Yes / Yessongs
Greatest triple LPs by Yes. This album shows us Yes is also an excellent band on live stage.
4.Bi Kyo Ran / Ran
Only 4 tracks. But no need to add others. This live shows the peak of 80s' Bi Kyo Ran. But soon the group stopped for approximately 10 years after this concert.
5.SBB / Karlstad Live
This is the best live album by SBB as far as I know. It inherits the heaviness of 1st album also appears the flavour of symphonic rock of later SBB (after Pamiec).
6.ELP / Pictures At An Exhibition
I like this album. There's no other explanation.
7.Heldon / Well And Alive In France Live In Nancy 1979
The sound quality is not good but the live performance is very excellent. I like such violent music. Sequence rhythm makes me feel good.
8.Flairck / Symphony For The Old World
This is not a typical progressive rock. However this is also a kind of progressive rock music. Really great technical acoustic ensemble! Exciting!!
 9.Anekdoten / Waking The Dead, Live In Japan 2005
The best album for me by Anekdoten. I prefer this groove rather than studio albums.
10.Magma / Magma Live
Passion and passion. Solid violin cuts the air of stage. Earthquaking drums heat the atmosphere. No need to say this is one of the greatest progressive rock live albums.
(in no order: numbers are ornaments)
I could not add Santana, Miles Davis, PFM, After Crying, King Crimson .....
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Posted By: coleio
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 10:52
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I don't like live stuff most of the time. But Exit stage Left by Rush is brilliant.  ------------- Eat heartily at breakfast, for tonight, we dine in Hell!! |
Posted By: erik neuteboom
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 11:22
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I prefer live albums above studio albums because in many cases the band plays live more powerful, the interplay is more interesting and I love the extensions and extra soli.
My 10 favorites are in no particurarly order:
1) Barclay JamesHarvest - Live : a Tron-maniac's wet dream
 and warm, very melodic compositions with wonderful work on guitar and keyboards.2) Yes - Yessongs : all their best compositions in great renditions with awesome contributions
3) Genesis - Live : unsurpassed blend of folk, rock and classical with PG his vocals as an extra dimension
4) Grobschnitt - Solar Music Live : best German prog album, from the symphonic sounding keyboards to the heavy guitar work, excellent drums and of course the mindlbowing titletrack
5) Le Orme - Live Orme : very rare but outstanding 2-CD with Le Orme at their pinnacle (Contrapunti tour)
6) ELP- Welcome Back .. a classic, I love the self-indulgent and sumptuous approach by Keith Emerson
7) Pink Floyd - At Pompeii : way better than Ummagumma, very compelling blend of symphonic and psychedelic with Gilmour and Wright peaking.
8) Uriah Heep - Live : I can play it everyday, especially July Morning, I love that Hammmond/wah wah guitar duo
9) Deep Purple - Made In Japan : another classic Heavy Prog album, unsurpassed guitar/vocals excertitions.
10) Rush - Exit Stage Left : Rush at their pinnacle, Xanadu live belongs to the best ever progrock compositions
By the way, thanks for mentioning Dutch progressive folk band Flairck, Honganji, I have seen this band many times in the Seventies and early Eighties, excellent musicians and exciting compositions. My favorite is Gevecht Met Een Engel.
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Posted By: Firefly
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 11:40
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I'm not crazy about live albums. But I liked Anekdoten's live double album, and I really, really like Mats/Morgan live. And that Magma Hhai live sure ain't bad! Oh, and Deep Purple Made in Japan.
But other than that I really have to think, since I'm shy of live records....
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Posted By: Tapfret
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 12:02
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This poll is easier.
1. Yessongs
2. Gentle Giant - Playing the Fool
3. Pain of Salvation - BE (live)
4. Magma - Live
5. Genesis - Archives (it counts, 2 of 4 cd's are Lamb live in its entirety, 3rd disk has Supper, Dance w/ tMK live)
6. Frank Zappa - Roxy and Elsewhere (most of FZ's albums contained at least portions of live recordings)
7. Brand X - Livestock
8. King Crimson - Heavy ConstruKction
9. Mats/Morgan Live
10. Genesis - Live ------------- https://www.last.fm/user/Tapfret" rel="nofollow">  https://bandcamp.com/tapfret" rel="nofollow - Bandcamp |
Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 12:05
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I have nothing against studio records; however, my preferred albums are live albums. sadly many so-called "live albums" are not live albums at all; an example is "Yessongs". only the drum tracks are the original live; the rest have been tampered with (source: Tibor Kneif, Sachlexikon der Rockmusik)
------------- A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Posted By: 1800iareyay
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 12:51
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1.Rush- Different Stages: Rush in Rio has more energy, but this is the better release for prog. For the first time, 2112 appears in its entirety live, and the third disc dating from the A Farewell to Kings tour is superb. 2. Frank Zappa- Zappa in New York: arguably his single best album, this captures his most cohesive lineup tearing through avant jazz improvisations and some of the funniest songs ever penned. Highlights are Titties and Beer, Zappa's view on the androgyny of glam rock in Punky's Whips, The Illinois Enema Bandit, Cruisin' For burgers, adn the masterful Black Page (both the epic drum solo and the swinging full band piece). 3. King Crimson- The Great Deceiver: the most progressive live album ever made, this box set made confuse you when you first get it. The setlists for each of the concerts is similar, yet one listen reveals that even though the set is virtually the same, each song sounds completely different from any other version you've heard. The level of improv skill is stunning, and each member shines. 4. Yes- Yessongs: A killer setlist that comprises all of the band's classics at that point, and new drummer Alan White proves himself more than capable of holding his own as he masterfully recreates Bill's immortal drum patterns. This crackles with an intenisty that studio albums only hint at. 5. Dream Theater- Score: DT, like Rush, always was a band that could make even their worst songs better on the stage. All of the good tracks from Octavarium appear, and the lesser AOR tracks get a oost from the energy of the band and the crowd. The incorporation of an orchestra on such DT classics as Six Degrees and Octavarium is superb, and this represents a great selection of the band's catalog (only complaint, no Change of Seasons or Train of Thought except for Vacant). I'll just list the rest 6. ELP- Welcome Back... 7. Porcupine Tree- Arriving Somewhere (DVD, but still live) 8. Deep Purple- Made in Japan 9. VDGG- Real Time 10. GG- Playing the Fool The Who's Live at Leeds trumps al of these, but it isn't prog in the slightest, so I left it off |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 13:01
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1. Welcome Back My Friends To The Show That Never Ends,Ladies and Gentlemen...Emerson,Lake and Palmer. Opens with a speedy live version of Hoedown and continues with a mega powerfull version of Toccata and a super elongated Tarkus (the added on section is bombast 'heaven') .The live version of Take A Pebble is admittedly tedious but there is so much good stuff on here that it doesn't matter!
2. Pictures At An Exhibition -ELP (again!) .Mussorgsky gets quite a ride..probably spinning in his grave..but nowhere near as fast as Carl Palmer.Crank it up LOUD!!!
3. Poland - Tangerine Dream .Powerfull,dark and impressive electronic music that bores a hole clean through your speakers and into the deep recesses of your brain.
4.Live In Marseilles - Gerard .As heavy a prog album I've ever heard .Japanese 3 peice band that throws in great Hammond Organ licks,energetic drumming that never stops and superb chunky bass playing.Shame its so short (40 minutes only)
5.Live In Budapest - Manfred Manns Earth Band .Great collection of songs performed to near perfection. A band I would love to have seen live (with Chris Thompson essential)
6.Exposed - Mike Oldfield .Rocked up version of Tubular Bells appeals to me although the truncated version of Incanatations maybe less so.Doesn't spoil the fun though.
7.Seconds Out - Genesis . Not as keen on Genesis live albums as I am of the studio albums. However this is very good and most importantly knits together Dance On A Volcano and Los Endos with a massively impressive drum duet from Messrs Collins and Thompson.
8.Forever Live - IQ .Among the many goodies here Includes nice 'clean' versions of Last Human Gateway (final section) and Widows Peak. Excellent well produced live album with not a hair out of place.
9.Ricochet - Tangerine Dream .Dark atmospheric music.The beginning of their best era(1975-1985) IMO.
10.Live In Iceland - Par Lindh Project . Recorded on the Veni Vidi Vici tour. Great energetic playing and featuring the wonderfull Magdelena Berg on violin and lead vocals .
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Posted By: andu
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 13:28
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Nothing really spectacular with my choices, but I hope that in time I will expand my palette: My two favourite prog live albums are Pink Floyd's Live at Pompeii and ELP's Welcome Back My friends..., who got me into prog. Great production, excellent, inspired performances, perfect intros into prog for newbies. Other favourites are Genesis' Live (I love the raw sound and tight playing), King Crimson's The Great Deceiver set (monstrous testimony of live prowess), YES' Yessongs (nothing really special about it, but excellent), PFM's Live in Japan (the only non-classic-era live album of a great classic band that I like)and Brand X's Timeline. One other album that I like a lot is Nektar's Sounds Like This, which I think can count as a live album (despite being labeled as "Studio Album"). Led Zeppelin were Gods on stage - I love all their live releases: The Song Remains The Same, BBC Sessions, How The West Was Won and the recent DVD. I'm also hoping some other great performances will get restored and put out for the fans. One other prog-related, let's say, great performances would be the Band of Gypsys. ------------- "PA's own GI Joe!" 
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Posted By: Dim
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 13:30
Ummm... Well, my ears hear a crowd as if it were live and improvised music as if it were live so...
IT'S LIVE
 Yessongs
seconds out
Warszawa
Those are pretty much the only live albums I can get into
------------- 
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Posted By: Nightfly
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 15:34
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In no particular order.........
1. Yes - Yessongs
2. The Who - Live at Leeds
3. Deep Purple - Made in Japan
4. UFO - Strangers in the Night
5, Rush - All the World's a Stage
6. Porcupine Tree - Coma Divine
7. Allman Brothers Band - The Fillmore Concerts
8. The Flower Kings - Alive on Planet Earth
9. Genesis - Seconds Out
10. Led Zeppelin - How the West was Won
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Posted By: Vibrationbaby
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 15:44
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Here are 10 of my favourites Klaus Schultze Live - Never expected to hear Crazy Arthur Brown on a Klaus Schultze album. Sense is absolutely captivating. Uriah Heep Live - Hey what can I say one of my first live albums. I also picked up the 2003 expanded edition. For some reason I love that rock`nroll medley at the end. Got drunk for the first time in my life at my friend`s house listening to this. Grobschnitt - Solar Music Live Wacked out tripping and groovin. If you`ve ever seen their live show with that weird guy with the horns, robe and skull at the end you`ll know what I mean, the guy on the cover. That guy. Saw them do this thing live in `78 when I was 16. Yessongs - Love the version of Perpetual Change especially Howe`s guitar solo and Bruford`s drum solo. It just keeps goin` like perpetual. Dean`s artwork decorated my room. Love the book that came with the original vinyl. Still have it. King Crimson -The Great Deciever !,000,000 times better than USA which I played the life and death out of before this gem finally came along. Love the improvs which were so improved from the bootlegs they were taken from. How much more tripped out can a title get than " A Voyage to the Center Of The Cosmos". Loved the book you got with the package. I don`t know how many hours I`ve spent with these four discs. Jane - Live At Home Jane at the top of their game in the mid `70s. Psychedelic. Moody. Omega - Elo `72 Poorly recorded live album which was their first real prog album after their psychedelic period. Pepita, the state owned record label in Hungary didn`t want to release it for political reasons. Beautiful mystical Hungarian lyrics which a friend translated for me. Pink Floyd - Pulse Perfection. ELP - Pictures At An Exhibition Hack, slice, dice, cull, mutilate. ELPs merciless disection of a Mussgorsky classic. Made me want to get into real classical music. The Mahavishnu Orchestra - Between Nothingness and Eternity Speed of light excursion into fusion. Mind blowing escape velocity talent. Wish Liard`s bass was louder. Guru Guru - Essen `70 Mindtripping relentless freaking out They actually prove that the early stuff from UFO & Hinten could actually be played in a recognizable manner live. There`s 11. ------------- |
Posted By: febus
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 17:04
You say!!!!!! YESSONGS is not a live album AT ALL!
C'MON !!!
 When was the last time you listened to it? Whatever overdubs they may have add, you cannot be taken seriously with affirmation like that!
THAT'S LIVE!! IT PLAYS LIVE !! IT SOUNDS LIVE!! IT SMELLS LIVE!!!
Don't read the book of some guy who thinks it's all fake, just listen to it and ..ENJOY it!!
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Posted By: ProgBagel
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 18:01
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These are like the only ones I listened to, but they are great.
Pain of Salvation's 12:5...best live album. Dream Theater - Live at Budokan and Scenes from New York...what a preformance Zappa in New York...I think that's what it was called. |
Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 18:42
"Yessongs" is an album that was overdubbed in the studio. so was Curved Air's Live album too, by the way. and those are just two examples. it is not I who says this; I cited my source. and Tibor Kneif is a man who knows what he is talking about. It is common practice for many bands to overdub certain live mistakes, but the question is justified how" live" such an overdubbed album really is. if you don't believe that Yes would ever do that, do a Google search ------------- A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Posted By: febus
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 18:59
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Sadly I don't think the pace of my life allows me so much free time to do google search about a rock ''historian'' theory on yessongs being overdubbed. there was and is some or a lot of overdubbing in some live recordings.
But i know you cannot say:: this is not al ive album AT ALL!!!!.....this is extreme!!!!!
 Anyway, i am going to listen to it now!!.......and try to
 enjoy it!! No offense
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Posted By: mattmacneil
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 19:14
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GEnesis - Live ELP - Welcome Back My Friends Amon duul II - Live in London Gentle Giant - Playing the Fool ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/mattmacneil/?chartstyle=red"> 
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Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 19:24
just to make it clear to you: the theory is NOT that "Yessongs" was recorded in the studio. but the tapes have been tampered with; little mistakes were "corrected" with overdubs. I did not say it is not a live album at all, I just question the practice of overdubbing on live albums. and this is by no means just a theory, overdubbing is common practice for live albums. on "Yesshows" the overdubbing is quite obvious, by the way; it is an open secret that album was overdubbed. with "Yessongs" this is less known. a live album without overdubbing is "Real Time" by Van der Graaf Generator; it is explicitly stated in the liner notes that there were no overdubs at all. and Peter Hammill is very serious about things like that. also I can attest to it, since I was at that concert, and a fantastic concert it was, though by no means a perfect gig. but I don't go to a concert with the expectation of a "perfect gig". musicians are human beings, after all, so they are prone to make mistakes. Yes are by far not the only ones who do it. it is not that I want to point a finger to them, I just wanted to point out that what is sold as "live" album often is not the real McCoy. of course hitting a wrong note is a bit embarrassing; however, if a live album is meant to be a document of a concert it feels a bit like cheating ------------- A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 19:26
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I really don't mind if a few fluffs and bum notes were corrected later in the studio, and if (with the technology available at the time) that meant over-dubs then fine - I can live with that. A lot of the 'live' albums people have selected in this thread were not single-show recordings, but were pieced together from various shows on a tour - do these also count as not being really live? If the producer goes overboard with overdubbing and leaves nothing of the original recording then it probably should not be called a live album, but since live albums are generally purchased by trufans I cannot see any of them complaining
.There are a number of unofficial recordings of the Yes 1972 CTTE tour - it would be interesting to compare them with the official release ust to see how much difference there really is. ------------- What? |
Posted By: sircosick
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 19:57
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IMO the masters of live albums are definitely King Crimson with their fantastic improvs and performance quality. Any of their live discs is worthy enough to give a listen, including bootlegs..... Specifically speaking, another good ones are Camel - A Live Record, Jethro Tull - Bursting Out, Frank Zappa - Broadway the Hardway / Make a Jazz Noise Here / Best Band you've Ever Heard in your Life / Roxy & Elsewhere.......... Among many others. ------------- The best you can is good enough... |
Posted By: Hyperborea
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 21:25
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In the main....nearly all prog bands were set up for live performances...most hated the studio setting. How come so many have live albums? It is the pinnacle of any band to perform live on stage, and release an albums worth of material....for me studio albums are a waste......gimme live anytime...raw and real talent will shine through.
Welcome back
Pictures
Encore
Ricochet
Poland
Royal Albert Hall
Space Ritual
Works Live
Live Tapes
Pulse
That's about all i can think off at this late time. ------------- As i race o'er this beautiful sphere, Like a dog who is chasing his..... |
Posted By: Zargus
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 21:31
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Well after looking trough my CD collection this is what i came up with and dont get mad caus its far from 100% prog, and im probobly missing out some great stuff and there is lots of great live albums i still need to get..
1. The Who - Live at Leeds
2. Motörhead - No sleep til Hammersmith
3. Hawkwind - Space ritual
4. Tangerine Dream - Ricochet
5. Soft Machine - Grides
6. ELP - Welcome back my friends........
7. Rick Wakeman - Journey to the centre of the earth
8. Yes - Yessongs
9. Genesis - Seconds out
10. Neil Young - Rust never sleeps
------------- 
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Posted By: sircosick
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 21:33
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^^ About that good point, I consider this: Studio albums = proves composition's quality. Live albums = proves musicianship's skills and sometimes creativity. I love both release incarnations, though  ------------- The best you can is good enough... |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 21:42
since it is not on there...I assume you don't have it. Get the only album (other than the James Brown album. 'Live at the Apollo') that may rank in the same class as Live at Leads in the ranks of greatest live albums ever.  buy it... and you'll thank me hahahha. ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: memowakeman
Date Posted: August 18 2007 at 00:17
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In no order and these are the ones i remember now and listen often:
1. Peter Gabriel - Secret World ( i fell in love with this album ,video and Peter Gabriel after this stunning performance)
2. DFA - Work in Progress (the last live album i discovered and amazed me, superb concert!)
3. Porcupine Tree - Coma Divine (probaly this is my favorite, PTs space era and my favorite songs are played here, i own the 2 CD album which is even better than the single)
4. Pink Floyd - PULSE ( well without Waters but it would be a dream to see these songs together live)
5. Anekdoten - Waking the Dead ( one of my favorite bands, magnific songs and better performances)
6. Tangerine Dream - Ricochet ( 2 songs, but it is an old love, the first TD album that caught my whole attention, simply great)
7. Camel - A Live Record ( excelent first album with great songs choices, and the second album with The Snow Goose provokes goosebumps on me)
8. Renaissance - Live at the Carnegie Hall ( Superb album with Annie in vocals, Ashes are burning is a masterpiece here)
9. Magma - Live Hhai (weird, but it makes me addicted)
10. Rush - Exit...Stage Left (i didnt like Rush until i listen to these album, and mostly because of YYZ, Jacobs Ladder and Xanadu`s performances)
11. Shakti with John Mclaughlin -s/t ( all is bliss, all is bliss)
well there are 11, but who cares... ------------- Follow me on twitter @memowakeman |
Posted By: markosherrera
Date Posted: August 18 2007 at 00:29
| Other is Jean Luc Ponty Live |
Posted By: M. B. Zapelini
Date Posted: August 18 2007 at 13:49
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Prog releases, in no particular reason:
Gong - Live Etc.
Steve Hillage - Live Herald
Focus - At the Rainbow
Traffic - Welcome to the Canteen
Yes - Yesshows (I always have liked it best than Yessongs)
Genesis - Seconds Out
Kansas - Two for the Show
Rush - Exit Stage Left
King Crimson - The Great Deceiver
Van Der Graaf - Vital
Non-prog
The Who - Live at Leeds
The Rolling Stones - Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out
Wishbone Ash - Live Dates
Neil Young - Live at Massey Hall 1971
The Band - Rock of Ages
Bob Dylan - Live 1966
Slade - Alive!
Deep Purple - Made in Japan
The Allman Brothers Band - At Fillmore East
Grateful Dead - Live/Dead
------------- "He's a man of the past and one of the present" PETER HAMMILL |
Posted By: Rocktopus
Date Posted: August 18 2007 at 20:19
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I've been getting more interested in live album lately, but I'm generally uninterested in livealbums with just solid versions of albumtracks. My favorites of the few I got. Magma: Live/Hhai Can: BBC Sessions Miles Davis: Dark Magus Magma: Live 74 Loundres One Shot: Vendredi 13 Damonji: Improg Area: Are(A)zione Pure f**king Space: Live at Centerspace Tangerine Dream: Ricochet Eric Dolphy. Last Date Love everything live from the 70's Ive heard by Magma & Can. (still haven't bought any Gong live, but will) ------------- Over land and under ashes In the sunlight, see - it flashes Find a fly and eat his eye But don't believe in me Don't believe in me Don't believe in me |
Posted By: 1800iareyay
Date Posted: August 18 2007 at 20:26
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Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: August 18 2007 at 20:38
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I followed his advice, and got it... I won't say it's become my favourite too, but it's undoubtedly a masterpiece of rock. As to my own personal Top 10 of live albums, this time I'll have to mention some of my favourites in no particular order... Too lazy to try to draw up a real list tonight!  - USA, "The Night Watch" and "Absent Lovers" - KC (I intend to get "The Great Deceiver" ASAP) - "Welcome Back My Friends..." - ELP - "Live at Pompeii" - Pink Floyd - "Exit.... Stage Left" and "Different Stages" - Rush - "Made in Japan" - Deep Purple - "On Stage" - Rainbow - "The Song Remains the Same" - Led Zeppelin - "Live at Carnegie Hall" - Renaissance - "On Your Feet or on Your Knees" and "ET Live" - Blue Oyster Cult - "Bursting Out" - Jethro Tull |
Posted By: 1800iareyay
Date Posted: August 18 2007 at 20:53
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Get the Great Deceiver from Fripp's web site, DGM, Raff. It is WAY less expensive than the price on amazon, and it takes less time to get to you. Hang on, you started the KC fan central and you haven't even got their finest live hour? For shame madam
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Posted By: micky
Date Posted: August 18 2007 at 20:55
she is a bad girl...------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: febus
Date Posted: August 19 2007 at 14:30
And what are you going to do about that?
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Posted By: Dim
Date Posted: August 19 2007 at 14:36
Ok, Yes played live, they took the recordings to the studio and buffed out some bad stuff, c'mon, there are no acoustics on and you and I, the quintisential Yes acoustic song. -------------
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Posted By: The T
Date Posted: August 19 2007 at 14:40
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12:5 PAIN OF SALVATION...
Enough said from this live-album-detractor that it's me...
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Posted By: Evandro Martini
Date Posted: August 20 2007 at 00:02
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Yesshows (I prefer it than Yessongs) Welcome Back My Friends (extended versions, and so well extended!) Pictures at an exhibition (amazing classical butchery) Out of the blue (love this recent album by Rick Wakeman, it encompases some of his best work and features a 15 minutes version of Journey much better than the orginal) A Live Record (Camel with a great set-list. The new version with bonus tracks is even better, with songs from Rain Dances and The White Rider) Live at the Rainbow (Focus sounds better live, IMO. Hocus Pocus is a killer!) Epitaph (I have always preferred the early King Crimson, and this album shows why. The band is really united and Lake's voice is unbeliavable) Live in Europe (TransAtlantic are a great live band. In Duel With The Devil musicianship is unsurpassable) Genesis Archives part 1 (Supper's Ready, Th Lamb, need I say more?) Live at Pompeii (a great DVD, with both astonishing music and images) ------------- "You’ll never make any money playing music that people can’t sing.” Keith Emerson's father |
Posted By: Evandro Martini
Date Posted: August 20 2007 at 00:06
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About Yes doing overdubs, they did, but not many. I have listened to several bootlegs from their shows, and the sound is really like on the live albums. Anyone interested in hearing Yes bootlegs, private message me. The only one that probably suffered from excess of overdubs is Keys to Ascension, but I've got no bootleg of this one. Anyway, a friend of mine listened to one, and says it is really overdubbed, because the band hadn't been plaing these songs for a long time, so theit performances were full of flaws. ------------- "You’ll never make any money playing music that people can’t sing.” Keith Emerson's father |
Posted By: pero
Date Posted: August 20 2007 at 02:49
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Prog live albums:
1. King Crimson - Earthbond . Even with pure sound you can hear the energy and perfection of the band. Boz-Mel Colins-Walace-Frip is fantastic for live performances
2. Pink Floyd - Pompeii . The DVD gives you new dimension of Floyds music and taste of brilliance without any special effects.
3. Mahavishnu orchestra - From nothigness to eternity. Glimpse of jazz/ rock perfection
4. Yes - Symhonic DVD. Like old wine
5. Zappa - Roxy and elsewhere.
6. Deep purple - Made in Japan . This is not prog but pure rock album.
7. ELP - Welcome back
8. VDGG - Vital
9. Gentle giant - Giant on the box. Masters at work
10. Focus - Live at rainbow
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Posted By: Mandrakeroot
Date Posted: August 20 2007 at 04:25
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Another two thread focused in live albums (and not related with this!!!) are these (both by my friend Ely78): forum_posts.asp?TID=41035 - Prog live album appreciation thread forum_posts.asp?TID=41028 - The RPI (and related) live reviews special Well... This is the time of my list: 1) PFM "Live In USA [AKA Cook]": I didn't review this album. But I think that little live album are at this level. 2) DEEP PURPLE: "Made In Japan": Another album that I didn't review. In my opinion a perfect live. 3) RAINBOW: "On Stage": see "Made In Japan" 4) AMAZING BLONDEL: "A Foreign Field That Is Forever England": One of the more exciting and involving live. 5) KEVIN AYERS/ JOHN CALE/ ENO/ NICO: "June 1, 1974": Great songs for great party. 6) IRON BUTTERFLY: "Live": Because this live is a magical live album. Other words are wasteds 7) AL DI MEOLA, JOHN MCLAUGHLIN, PACO DE LUCIA: "Friday Night In San Francisco": Great, Great, Great. Only 5 songs but... Torrids!!! 8) ANDREA PARODI & AL DI MEOLA: "Midsummer Night In Sardinia-Armentos": A Great voice and a gret guitar for one of the more exciting live of all time. This live is simply amazing. 9) BIGLIETTO PER L'INFERNO: "Live 1974": Bootleg sound quality for this immense live album. But extremely good. 10) JOHN LENNON AND THE PLASTIC ONO BAND: "Sweet Toronto (DVD)": Not in PA... But very Prog live album. In my opinion is more than a document. ------------- 
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Posted By: micky
Date Posted: August 20 2007 at 08:52
same here.. ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: el böthy
Date Posted: August 20 2007 at 19:52
Jean, you are being to nice, tell it as it is. Pulse is not only the studio played live, its the sutdio played live by three Pink Floyd musicians and a thousand extras. Where is the less is more feeling that characterized Floyd? mmm? ... I guess it left with Waters... as for me... I don´t think I can name 10 or 5 even. It´s not that I havent heard live albums, its just that I cant think of many that I would rank that highly... witht the exception of Deep Purple´s Made in Japan and Led Zeppelin´s How the west was won. Now, once I get my hands on Yessongs, any Zappa live work and maybe some Crimson (I only have USA, which I dont feel is that spectacular anyways) I might change my opinion on live albums... ------------- "You want me to play what, Robert?" 
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: August 20 2007 at 20:47
*walking were Angels fear to tread Darq leaps to the defence of the Floyd*
How much does it really matter how many live musicians were on stage and how much live on stage technology was used to create the real live experience? Yes, it's done to recreate the studio sound on stage, and not many bands can afford to do that - Floyd don't need to do it, they do it because they can and because they want too - David Gilmour does it because that's what he likes to hear - a two hour moment of (near) perfection. Surely that's better than dozens of after the event studio overdubs.
And you cannot let Roger Waters off the hook - using extra live musicians started during The Wall when he was still with the Floyd, (listen to the Is There Anybody Out There live album). And just look at the entourage he takes on stage with him for a solo tour...
When was this magical less is more Floydian characteristic? I've seen them on every major tour since 1972 and can honestly say that I cannot recall a such time (and don't say Live in Pompeii because there is no audience present during the recording and does not qualify as a live album).
People seem to be impossible to please, there will be one group of people deriding Live albums for being not like the studio; another that whinges on about them not being improvised enough; another bemoaning overdubbing and another decrying fluffed notes and poor performances. Take them for what they are - a record of a moment in time (or a tour souvenir if you happened to have been in the audience at the time). ------------- What? |
Posted By: andu
Date Posted: August 20 2007 at 21:06
Dean, did you just say an album is live only when the performance is assisted by an audience?  I ask as that phrase is not very clear. If so, I could never agree on that. Maybe you wanted to say that Live At Pompeii does not qualify as a "live album" because it's more of a film with music in it? I would agree on this tagging issue, but no-one can deny that hour of perfect "less is more" live performance from the Floyd which you get by summing up "Echoes", "Careful...", "Saucerful...", "One of these days", "Set the controls..." and "Nobs" (59 minutes and 9 seconds, actually  )
------------- "PA's own GI Joe!"
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: August 20 2007 at 21:21
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Yes, that is what I am saying. For me a live album has to be recorded in front of an audience. The Pompeii 'concert' is not a linear recording that took 59'9" to play and record - I believe that each song was staged and filmed seperately, also because there was no audience and it was a film they could have done several re-takes (I'm not saying they did, I wasn't there, but they could have). I *love* the Pompeii video/DVD and would like to own a CD of the soundtrack too. Some of the tracks are better than the original studio takes (One Of These Days especially).
When Neurosis record a studio album they record most of the instruments live in the studio and then do over dubs of vocals and a few extra instruments. By the 'pompeii' definition that would make it a Live album, but it is not, it is a studio album.
It's a fine line and probably an argument in semantics. ------------- What? |
Posted By: Mategra
Date Posted: August 21 2007 at 04:28
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TOYAH - Toyah, Toyah, Toyah! and
TOYAH - Warrior Rock are the two live albums that I most frequently return to.
CARDIACS - All that Glitters is a Mare's Nest
JETHRO TULL - Bursting Out
SAVAGE ROSE - Are You Ready
IONA - Heaven's Bright Sun
KING CRIMSON - Absent Lovers
GENTLE GIANT - Playing the Fool
GENESIS - The Way We Walk vol 2 - The Longs
ISILDURS BANE - MIND vol 2
Honorary mentions: VDGG - Real Time; GENESIS - Live, Seconds Out, Three Sides Live; JETHRO TULL - Living with the Past; AMON DÜÜL II - Live in Tokyo, Live in London; KING CRIMSON - Heavy ConstruKction, Ladies of the Road; PETER GABRIEL - Plays Live; CARDIACS - Live; STEVE HACKETT - Tokyo Tapes; JANE SIBERRY - Child; RENAISSANCE - Live at Carnegie Hall, Live at the Royal Albert Hall, In the Land of the Rising Sun; VAN DER GRAAF - Vital; PETER HAMMILL - The Margin; THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS - Severe Tire Damage
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Posted By: oliverstoned
Date Posted: August 21 2007 at 04:45
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Traffic/On the road (best Traffic album)
Sweet smoke/ Live 74' Agitation free/Last Agitation free/ At the cliffs |
Posted By: Abstrakt
Date Posted: August 21 2007 at 04:49
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Deep Purple - Made in Japan, Live in Stockholm 1970
Black Sabbath - Live at Last
Gong - Live etc.
Led Zeppelin - How the West was Won, BBC Sessions
Gentle Giant - Giant on the Box
Zappa - Roxy & Elsewhere
Yes - Symphonic DVD
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Posted By: unforgivable74
Date Posted: August 21 2007 at 05:01
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1. Genesis - Seconds Out (The album that got me into pre 80's Genesis) 2. Marillion - Anorak in the UK (All fantastic but worth it just for 'Between You and Me' - it rocks harder than a rocky thing from planet granite!) 3. Steve Hillage - Live Herald (Guitar solo's that are interesting - that key change in the middle of the 'Hurdy Gurdy Man' solo gets me every time!) 4. Pink Floyd - Ummagumma Disc 1 (Proof that the Floyd once went out on their own and the four of them were an excellent live band.) 5. Roy Harper - Flashes From The Archives Of Oblivion (Flashes of genius and beauty.) 6. Gong - Floating Anarchy (I prefer this to 'Live Etc.' because I like the album tracks for the radio gnome trilogy in their studio form). 7. Pink Floyd - Is There Anybody Out There? I waited 20 years for Roger to release these live tapes - i even bought a crappy bootleg. It was well worth waiting for.) 8. Thin Lizzy - Live And Dangerous (Maybe not prog but 9000% rock!) 9. Talk Talk - Live In London 1986 (I just wish this live album was recorded after 'Spirit Of Eden' but it is still amazing.) 10. David Bowie - Stage (The live 'Low' and 'Heroes' instrumentals are superb). ------------- Laughs as I clean my teeth, laughs as I rub at my eyes. |
Posted By: Ely78
Date Posted: August 21 2007 at 05:35
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My list isn't a very good list because I don't listening more Prog live. Bit I love the Prog live albums and for these reason this is a list based in the moment that I wrote this list.
1) BILL BRUFORD'S EARTHWORKS: "Footloose And Fancy Free"
2) DEEP PURPLE: "Made In Japan"
3) PFM & PAGANI: "Piazza Del Campo"
4) PFM: "Live in USA"
5) ANDREA PARODI & AL DI MEOLA: "Midsummer Night In Sardinia- Armentos"
6) ANGRA: "Holy Live"
7) BLIND GUARDIAN: "Tokyo Tales"
8) VENEGONI & CO:: "Live... Somewhere In The Seventies"
9) KANSAS: "Two For The Show"
10) BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST: "A Concert For People (Berlin)" ------------- When the love becomes poetry, distant from the eyes (Quando l'Amore Diventa poesia/ Lontano Dagli occhi [Aphrodite's Child) |
Posted By: Zargus
Date Posted: August 21 2007 at 07:19
Speaking about studio overdubs on live albums, we got a classic one right there. -------------
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Posted By: Rolling Ronnie
Date Posted: August 21 2007 at 07:51
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In no particular order FZ - The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life The 'Big Band' tour that self-destructed half-way through. Simply sensational. Gentle Giant - Playing The Fool How DO they play that stuff live!! Planet Gong - Floating Anarchy Live Not really Gong, but Daevid Allen with Here & Now, but it's exceptional. Supertramp - Paris All the favorites Santana - Lotus Bought it as a triple LP donkeys years ago. World class musicians playing complex rhythms without missing a beat Peter Gabriel - Secret World Get the DVD!! David Rhodes and Tony Levin are just having a ball here. Genesis - Live That first note of 'Watcher of the Skies' takes me right back Jethro Tull - Bursting Out Saw them at Hammersmith Odean on the Bursting Out tour. My favorite line-up and my favorite songs. Caravan - & The New Symphonia Classics and some cracking new pieces written especially for the concert with Simon Jeffes and Martyn Ford. Procul Harem - Live with The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra Whaling Stories, A Salty Dog and In Held Twas I - what more could one ask for That'll do for now |
Posted By: Yukorin
Date Posted: August 21 2007 at 08:36
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Roy Harper 'Flashes From The Archives Of Oblivion'
Throbbing Gristle 'Rafters'
Heldon 'Alive and Well '79'
Motorhead 'No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith'
John Coltrane 'Live! At The Village Vanguard'
Cabaret Voltaire 'Live At The YMCA'
Stockhausen 'Sternklang'
Magma 'BBC Londres '74'
Can 'Peel Sessions'
Miles Davis 'Dark Magus'
------------- 
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Posted By: dedokras
Date Posted: August 21 2007 at 12:30
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No particular order:
Yes - Yessongs (basically 3 classic albums in 1 package, and they are performed with more energy, due to Alan White I believe)
Jethro Tull - Live: Bursting Out (once again I seem to like these live performances more than the originals, it was also the album that got me into Jethro)
Jethro Tull - Live in Phoenix' 70 (it was part of some anniversary collection, but it could count because it is the complete show; very energetic early concert)
Led Zep - The Song Remains The Same (brilliant renditions of the Houses of the Holy stuff, Stairway is excellent too; only minor let down for me is that I would have some of the missing songs from the MSG concers, such as Misty Mountain Hop, Over the Hills..., The Ocean, etc. rather than the loooong Dazed and Confused and Moby Dick, but... guess it's just me)
Led Zep - How The West Was Won (brilliant setlist and perfect performance, only a couple of songs are the same as on the Song Remains, so this record could be considered the perfect addition to the former)
Marillion - Curtain Calls (didn't like La Gazza Ladra very much and Real to Reel was too short, this one, however, has three excellent concerts from the band's prime and while it could have done without Misplaced Childhood twice, over all is a fine document of what Marillion once was and will never be again)
Madness - Madstock (I know, It's not prog, but is pure fun and is an almost complete collection of the band's essential songs played in front of a 40 thousand fanatic crowd)
Pantera - Official Live 101 Proof (nowhere near prog, but it defines what a metal concert should be: tight and energetic, 100% pure aggression plus impecable playing)
And now for something completely different: I haven't included 2 of my favourite bands Genesis and Pink Floyd since I really believe that their best performances were not issued officially: any concert from the Animals tour would have been much better than Is There Anybody Out There (as good as it is), Pulse and Delicate... (missing the creative genius of the band and not very inspired efforts); re Genesis - it is true that most of the Selling England setlist was included in the Archives I box set (excellent stuff btw), but it is a shame cenerpieces of the tour such as Cinema Show and Epping Forest are missing (while it is understandable that Watcher of the Skies and Musical Box were omitted because they were on Genesis Live). Same for Genesis live - very good but it is rather short for me, it could have easily been a double lp with Supper, Salmacis and Can Utility.
But... could it be that too many bootlegs have spoilt me?
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Posted By: pero
Date Posted: August 22 2007 at 03:38
Yes indead. Live at Pompeii is fantastic expirience, and it's more live than live albums with audience. Playing music with such intensity without audience is like playing football on empty stadium.
But, the audience on Pompei theatre was full of goasts of past.
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Posted By: andu
Date Posted: August 22 2007 at 05:57
------------- "PA's own GI Joe!"
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Posted By: ian picken
Date Posted: August 22 2007 at 07:25
Rush, Exit Stage Left. Yes, Yessongs. Porcupine Tree, Rockpalast. Pallas, Blinding Darkness. Genesis, Seconds Out. Dream Theater, Livetime. Supertramp Paris. All brilliant. 
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Posted By: Jim Garten
Date Posted: August 22 2007 at 08:43
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No particular order...
Jethro Tull - Bursting Out (the classic lineup in top form, full of Anderson's ascerbic wit on between song banter. Uriah Heep - Live (rough sound quality, but Heep on storming form - just skip the rock'n'roll medley) Steve Hillage - Live Herald (as Jean says, better without the studio side, but the rest of the album showcases not only Hillages guitar work, but also the superb band he had with him in those days) Porcupine Tree - Coma Divine (very tight high quality set from a band on the up; get the double CD version if possible) Genesis - Live & Archives Vol 1 (the great early Genesis double live album that never was; great playing, great band interplay, enthusiastic audience - the consumate prog-rock live album) Yes - Yessongs (a little marred by sound quality, but a good snapshot of one of prog's true greats on top of their game in 1972) King Crimson - Earthbound (raw & visceral - an often forgotten classic with a rare outing for the full version of 'Groon') Allman Brothers - Filmore East (get the expanded luxury version; little to be said that hasn't been said before - an absolute classic blues rock album) Deep Purple - Made In Japan (faultless - DP Mk II at the peak of their powers) Rush - All The Worlds A Stage (Rush as young hungry rockers taking their first steps into prog-rock "we'd like to do for you side 1 from our latest album" - raw and worthy) Also - My tuppence worth on the subject of overdubs; of course you want the most honest live recording possible from your favorite band, but do you really want to hear them fluffing lines & solos? Virtually every live album ever released has had some kind of after recording tampering; Zappa's a famous example in that he mixes & matches performances from different shows (sometimes several times in one song), and either corrects, substitutes or removes whole sections... ...doesn't mean to say I love Broadway The Hard Way, or any other of his live albums any less. ------------- 
Jon Lord 1941 - 2012 |
Posted By: dwill123
Date Posted: August 22 2007 at 08:47
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Welcome to the Canteen - Traffic
Rock of Ages - The Band Band of Gypsys - Band of Gypsys Between Nothingness and Eternity - Mahavishnu Orchestra Live - Genesis 8:30 - Weather Report Cirkus - King Crimson Welcome Back My Friends to the Show That Never Ends - Emerson, Lake & Palmer Live Around the World - Miles Davis (contains a track from Miles' very last performance ever) Babylon by Bus - Bob Marley & The Wailers Sacred Fire - Santana Live in L.A. - Rippingtons |
Posted By: progadicto
Date Posted: August 22 2007 at 22:37
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Most (maybe all!) of my favourite live albums was mentioned in previous posts, so I pick some of them to make my list. From BaldJean list: HAWKWIND / SPACE RITUAL a classic! Maybe the best psych rock album live ever!From Febus list: GROBSCHNITT / SOLAR MUSIC Powerfull, raw, epical... it contains everything you want to hear in a prog live album...
From Dargdean list: AYERS, CALE, NICO & ENO / JUNE 1st 1972 A very weird masterpiece!
From Dargdean list: PORCUPINE TREE / COMA DIVINE An amazing journey thru the psych stuff made by PT... Great sound, long compositions, Wilson guitars and vocals sounds amazing... a great album!
From Rodrigogc list: JEFF BECK AND THE JAN HAMMER GROUP / LIVE No comments... Simply a live masterpice totally underrated...
From Honganji list: ANEKDOTEN / WAKING THE DEAD (LIVE IN JAPAN 2005) Awsome sound! Every song makes me feel goosebumps!
From Erik N. list: YES / YESSONGS Yes is my favourite band and this album is the probe of the real skills of the band. An album that sounds better year after year...
From Richardh list: TANGERINE DREAM / POLAND Just amazing! It will be hard to find best athmospheres in any other space rock album...
From Memowakeman list: DFA /WORK IN PROGRESS Another album that makes me feel in other planet... Its hard to believe that these guys are playing live!
From Rolling Ronnie list: SUPERTRAMP / PARIS MAybe an emotional choice but the albums sounds great and it has teh perfect mixture between som art rock and poppish and nice songs...
Special mention: FULANO / VIVO! ------------- ... E N E L B U N K E R... |
Posted By: BroSpence
Date Posted: August 23 2007 at 20:53
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2. Humble Pie - Rockin' the Fillmore (incredible! Humble with Marriott and Frampton in top shape rocking not just the Fillmore!) 1. Jimi Hendrix - Live at Woodstock (I always go back to this amazing performance. 2 discs and not a bad note on either one. ) 6. Birth Control - Live (Krautrockers turn volume and jams up to 11) 8. Neil Young - Live Rust (Personally I find it much better than Rust Never Sleeps. Good mix of RNS songs and classic Young songs that feedback like no other) 7. Miles Davis - Live at the Fillmore West (Jazz giant has a killer backing band and several nights of great performances. Jack DeJohnette grooves, Davis messes around). 4. Allman Brothers Band - Live at the Fillmore East (Duane makes his guitar sing along with a band that played tight together and knew how to treat the blues). 10. Jim Hall - Live! (Possibly the greatest Jazz guitarist playing almost alone and as beautifully as ever. Hall has one of the best tones a player could ask for). 9. Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention - Fillmore East June 1971 (complete ridiculousness that never gets old or uninteresting). 5. The Byrds - Untitled (a double album 1/2 live half studio. Both halves are great. Clarence White is a forgotten hero of the Guitar). 3. Led Zeppelin - BBC Sessions (I prefer many of these sessions to any of the studio recordings. The band sounds full and raw. Plant wails, Page fuzzes, Bonham explodes all while JPJ keeps it steady and grooving). |
Posted By: Jim Garten
Date Posted: August 24 2007 at 08:14
Excellent choice - reminds me, I forgot to mention 'How the West Was Won'; to my mind, knocks spots off 'The Song Remains The Same'; includes a full on workout of 'Since I Been Lovin You', on which JPJ plays the dirtiest sounding Hammond you'll ever hear -------------
Jon Lord 1941 - 2012 |
Posted By: gliss bliss
Date Posted: December 20 2007 at 19:36
You've not heard Gong Est Mort or Gong Live Etc yet, some of Hillage's finest moments with that other prog rock keyboard wizard Click Switch Doctor Aka Hi T Moonweed Aka Tim Blake ------------- Lets go to church and be good looking. |
Posted By: Philéas
Date Posted: December 20 2007 at 19:51
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Favourites in no order (most of these are unprog, sorry): Jimi Hendrix - Live at Woodstock The Who - Live at Leeds Indian Summer - Hidden Arithmetic (one live recording and one radio session. This isn't the Prog band, btw) Myrbein - Live Östersund 1979 (never properly released, except as mp3's on the band's website) Jimi Hendrix - Band of Gypsys Badger - One Live Badger I'm not that interested in live albums generally. |
Posted By: Teh_Slippermenz
Date Posted: December 20 2007 at 20:43
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1. Plays Live - Peter Gabriel (Awesome one that I picked up from my library last night) 2. Yessongs - Yes 3. Genesis Live - Genesis |
Posted By: Soul Dreamer
Date Posted: December 20 2007 at 20:52
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Prog:
- Yes - Yessongs
- Yes - Symphonic Live (DVD)
- Genesis - Seconds Out
- Hawkwind - Space Ritual
- Tangerine Dream - Ricochet
- Rush - Rush in Rio (DVD)
- Dream Theater - Score (DVD)
- Pendragon - And Now Everybody To The Stage (DVD)
- Porcupine Tree - Arriving Somewhere... (DVD)
- Renaissance - Live at the Carnegie Hall
edit: forgot Ange - Tome VI...soooooo good!
Non-Prog
- Wishbone Ash - Live Dates
- Neil Young - Live Rust
- Bruce Springsteen - Live 1975-1985
- Deep Purple - Made in Japan
- Metallica - S&M
- Allman brothers Band - Live at Fillmore East
- Coldplay - Live 2003 ------------- To be the one who seeks so I may find .. (Metallica) |
Posted By: gliss bliss
Date Posted: December 20 2007 at 20:58
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"Planet Gong - Floating Anarchy Live Not really Gong, but Daevid Allen with Here & Now, but it's exceptional." What about Gilli Smyth and Steve Hillage they were on that record too, I know Steffi Sharpstrings is credited as guitarist, but this was recorded on the same show as Gong Est Mort. For contractual reasons Hillage was uncredited on both these records because he was contracted to Virgin records which forbade him to appear on any other recordings. ------------- Lets go to church and be good looking. |
Posted By: limeyrob
Date Posted: December 22 2007 at 06:32
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Haven't really got that many live albums as I prefer studio versions
The exceptions are Yessongs, Tournado and Richochet which are brilliant
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Posted By: Forgotten Son
Date Posted: December 22 2007 at 09:15
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Marillion - Popular Music
Fish - Sunsets on Empire: Live in Poland 1997 Pink Floyd - PULSE Pendragon - Live in Krakow '96 Dire Straits - Alchemy Live Led Zeppelin - How the West Was Won Satellite - Evening Dreams Grey Lady Down - The Time Of Our Lives Steve Hackett - The Tokyo Tapes Deep Purple - Made in Japan |
Posted By: A B Negative
Date Posted: December 23 2007 at 10:22
It's a bit too Zen for me - if a band records an album and there's nobody there to hear it, is it a live album? If the audience claps with one hand I'm going to get really confused! My favourites at the moment: Hawkwind - Space Ritual Hawkwind - The 1999 Party Gong - Est Mort Planet Gong - Live Floating Anarchy 1977 King Crimson - Earthbound King Crimson - The Night Watch Tangerine Dream - Ricochet Tangerine Dream - Logos Magma - Trilogie au Trianon Opeth - The Roundhouse Tapes ------------- "The disgusting stink of a too-loud electric guitar.... Now, that's my idea of a good time." |
Posted By: Nightfly
Date Posted: December 23 2007 at 13:36
Agreed; How the West Was Won is far better than The Song Remains the Same although that is much improved on the remastered version and the adition of the extra, shorter tracks seems to help the flow and offset some of the meanderings of the more bloated tracks and is a much better album as a consequence.
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Posted By: Ely78
Date Posted: December 26 2007 at 17:19
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See this for my RPI (and related) top list:
http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=41028&KW= - The RPI (and related) live reviews special ------------- When the love becomes poetry, distant from the eyes (Quando l'Amore Diventa poesia/ Lontano Dagli occhi [Aphrodite's Child) |
Posted By: ProgBagel
Date Posted: December 26 2007 at 17:38
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Pain of Salvation - 12.5
I think that is all I have. I don't care that much for live albums. |
Posted By: khammer99
Date Posted: December 26 2007 at 19:57
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The reason I don't like life albums is they are generally poorly produced. Stuff, like the singer fades in and out, drums and bass overpower, etc. I'm not saying a want it polished, just have a better production process... 1) Kiss - Alive - Recorded in Detroit. Great show 2) Rush - All the Worlds a Stage - Good quality sound from a live album. 3) Humble Pie - King Biscuit Flower Hour (recorded in San Fransisco) - Just great 4) Peter Frampton - Frampton Comes Alive - Alright, alright, I know it's lame! But I got right up front! 5) Led Zep - The Song Remains the Same - Seeing my hero's live... ------------- Genius is always allowed some leeway, once the hammer has been pried from its hands and the blood has been cleaned up. - Terry Pratchett |
Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: December 26 2007 at 21:06
oh, but I know "Live etc." by heart; it was the first live album by Gong I had. and I really love the wacky version of "Radio Gnome" "...Lllllllladies and Gentlemen, I would like to introduce to you the only gnome who wears habitually a 1912 bathing costume. the formidable biceps and the x-mas cake ice-cream cone of Bloomdidoo Bad de Grasse, who will now let forth a few happy ditties...". but there is one thing I do definitely NOT like about "Gong Live Etc.", and that is the way at least 2 songs have been tampered with, "You Can't Kill Me" and "Zero the Hero". both had parts of the solos cut out of them. it so happens that both songs were taken from the Bataclan concert that the "Live au Bataclan" album was recorded at; I recognized them immediately. you can, however, imagine my surprise when in the middle of the solos in the 2 named songs they suddenly started playing something else than I was used to; these parts which I expected appeared a few bars later. so on the "Live Etc." album these bars before the ones I expected had been cut out. ------------- A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Posted By: ten years after
Date Posted: December 26 2007 at 21:37
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1. Woodstock. More than just the music this is a documentary of the event.
2. Yessongs.
3. ELP - Pictures at an Exhibition
4. Colosseum - Reunion concerts 1994
5. Who - Live at Leeds. 6=. Pink Floyd - Ummagumma
6= Cream - Wheels of Fire
8. MC5 - Kick out the Jams
9. Curved Air - Live
10. Neil Young - Live Rust
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Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: December 27 2007 at 01:02
 10 Jean? That's a lot!
I'm not sureI have ten faves -- I'll have to step beyond the bounds of prog, to be sure....
 Let's see. As they occur to me: The Band -- The Last Waltz (vintage 70s farewell concert movie, featuring band & guests Neil Young, Dylan, Neil Diamond, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, etc! Rock royalty retrospective, plus The Band ROCK!)
King Crimson -- USA (fave track "Asbury Park" lethal!)
Who -- Live at Leeds (raw rock power!)
Tubes -- What do You Want from Live (must have been some show!)
PFM - Cook (Italian masters conquer the US -- tastefully)
Gentle Giant -- Giant On the Box (if I might slip a DVD in here... Amazing multi-musicianship -- see for yourself!)
Neil Young -- Heart of Gold (another DVD, dir, Jonathan Demme. Simply beautiful)
Talking Heads -- Stop Making Sense (great high-energy album, great movie, also dir. J. Demme)
Yes -- Yessongs (c'mon, it's got three LPs!)
Brand X -- Livestock (yes, they could do it all live!)
 Guess I could do a few more. Hackett's DVD Once Above a Time is very tasty....Genesis -- Second's Out... Bowie -- Stage... TD -- Encore.... ------------- "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy. |
Posted By: heyitsthatguy
Date Posted: December 27 2007 at 01:15
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1. dredg- Live at the Fillmore- ok its the only one I own but its pretty damn good not owned: Score- cuz I was there. Yeah. ------------- 
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Posted By: nightlamp
Date Posted: December 27 2007 at 17:45
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Official: Pink Floyd - At Pompeii King Crimson - The Great Deceiver Jethro Tull - Bursting Out Frank Zappa - You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 2 (Helsinki 1973) Rush - Exit...Stage Left Miles Davis - Black Beauty Ozric Tentacles - Live at the Pongmaster's Ball Deep Purple - Made in Japan Kraan - Live Circle (Corea/Braxton/Holland/Altschul) - The Paris Concert Bootleg: King Crimson - Live in Mainz 1974 Gong - Oslo 1974 Pink Floyd - The Massed Gadgets of Auximenies (Royal Festival Hall 1969) Guru Guru - Essen 1970 Sleep - Live NYC 1994 Steve Hillage - Rockpalast, Germany 1977 Can - Horrortrip in the Paperhouse (Köln 1973) |
Posted By: Deus_Nova
Date Posted: December 27 2007 at 22:04
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Dream Theater - Score
Porcupine Tree - Arriving Somewhere...
Opeth - Lamentations (DVD)
Rush - A Show Of Hands
Toto - Live in Amsterdam
Pink Floyd - Pulse ------------- 
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