Outside the prog world, there are determinant masterpieces that deserve recognition. Once on the forum, we were exchanging several points of view about our personal "all time favorite 10 albums" that changed and influenced the music world. This mid-seventies 2 CD set album definitely set most of the parameters to be followed later on regarding not only the live productions but by most of those days Rock & Roll performers (e.g. Ted Nugent, Peter Frampton). True, due the difficulties of recording a live album, the final cut ended up patched and fixed to give away a decent hi-fi sound definition and a great quality (those peculiar facts go from adding up the shouts and screams of the many crowds the band played for all over the five Detroit shows in 1975 and to polishing Paul Stanley's guitar and voice sound).

"Alive!" is the KISS album. After three failure albums, the band won the audience's respect and care with this 1975 production. The "KISS Army" was born, tons and tons of KISS paraphernalia hit the toy and music stores, "Rock and Roll all night" was adopted as the hymn by the masses, and a reborn, convincing band got back on track. For me, this is the ultimate live recording surrounding the 70's Rock 'n' Roll world that certainly remains consistent to present days.

What do you think?

ELP -Pictures At An Exhibition (1971).Prestine live recording.Audience going 'mad' while ELP make Mussorgsky rock!.This was as bold a musical statment as there has ever been. It also lays claim to be the first album to be played in it's entirety on radio.

whoops

Ah, now I see the "live" part...

For me it has to be Yessongs and Made in Japan by Deep Purple as well as Pictures at an Exhibition by ELP. KISS? Had friends who were actually members of the Kiss Army. Sorry this band has no talent, just the makeup gimmick.

Well you know I'm gonna say ELP.. but even tho Pictures is my second favorite live album... I think Welcome Back is my first.  Its the BSS tour... as I remember it, well a little faster than I remember it, but thats what gives it its character...

It was actually released 30 years ago yesterday.  I remember the release party at Manticore NY... I remember that picture of the live show on the back with the BSS lady backdrop... it was 3 albums... stuck in the letter E. L. & P... which of course didn't hold the albums in very well... (the only flaw in the concept).

Its a very special album to me.. cause I was there... I remember the setlist.. where I was when each song would start... I can pick out all the little changes, the improvs, the moments when Greg would switch from bass to lead guitar...Its a part of my life, a moment when all things were right with the world...

The beginning with Hoedown started off like a shotgun.  It must of been one of Carl's most hyper moments cause its the fastest Hoedown I've ever heard.  YOu can even hear Greg on the guitar solos trying to slow him down a bit... but he was really smoking.... Greg's guitar solo during Battlefield was excellent...as was the entire Karn Evil 9 suite...and his voice was at peak during the entire recording... its a little miracle all tied up in a 3-album set... (or 2-cds,hehe)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/Pebble/ELP/WBMFcover.jpg - http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/Pebble/ELP/WBMFcover.j pg

Too many to mention, really, so a masterpiece outside of prog for each decade since the 1960s;

1960s - Blue Cheer; Outside Inside.

1970s - Deep Purple; In Rock.

1980s - Metallica; Master of Puppets.

1990s - Radiohead; OK Computer.

2000s - Muse; Absolution.

Vibrationbaby wrote: KISS? Had friends who were actually members of the Kiss Army. Sorry this band has no talent, just the makeup gimmick.

I totally hear you Vibe, unarguably most of their work is pretty poor and irrelevant somehow at some point in history. But I think there must’ve been sometime when we rocked to the music of KISS (or still do whenever we listen to one of their songs on the radio, at some bar or when driving our cars) and where the impact upon society was irremediably hard. Yes, it is the make-up, the gimmicks, the paraphernalia, the incredible gadgets, the pyrotechnics and the blood coming out of Gene’s mouth that caught the audiences attention; the thing is I believe they made a severe change. Like James Lee said earlier, we grew up listening to this music; in my case KISS was one of the bands I used to listen and look up to due the contemporaneity, I don’t anymore but you will always remember the first impression. The point here (which I think I might have sidetracked from the beginning) is that “Alive!” was the LIVE ALBUM that set the parameters for the those days and upcoming bands to take off from. The consequent live releases by Peter Frampton and Ted Nugent were inspired on “Alive!”, Ted himself admits so for instance. This mid-seventies recording is important not because of its lyricism and excellent thematic, but for the changes it propitiated and the challenges it established.

Peace!

Land

Manic Street Preachers - The Holy Bible

It's really a shame that this band only ever made one really good record, because that record is one of the greatest accomplishments in the history of music.  Never has music been so extreme, in any situation, ever.  Even the most extreme bands of the punk movement would rant about how "they f**kin' owe us a living!", the most hardcore metal bands would scream about "ripping people's flesh off" and the like.  Lyrically, The Holy Bible is miles ahed of any lyrical statement ever made in terms of sheer fury, anger, misery, power and seriousness.  The Holy Bible's lyrics are not for the weak of heart, and anyone who is depressed or angry will NOT be helped by this thing.  The band's lyricist Richie James had always shown signs of being a little mentally unstable, but with The Holy Bible he threw it right in the faces of the world.  It's hardly surprising that he disappeared (and is presumed to have killed himself) shortly after the release of this record.  Every song on here makes a profound statement.  I was about to launch into a lengthy rant about the greatness of this album, but really it has to be heard (and read) to be believed.

Yes - Yessongs. The definite live album of a band at their peak.

Jethro Tull - Bursting Out. Too late and too planned. They should have released a live album around 1971 - 1973 when they ruled.

Gentle Giant - Playing the Fool. A very good live performance.

Genesis - Seconds Out. Absolutely fantastic live album from 1976 and 1977 during the Hackett years. They should have also released a live album during the Selling England by the Pound tour. I've heard a live bootleg from Montreal during that tour with Gabriel that is awesome!

Somehow I missed the LIVE connection. Can't have been paying attention.

In that case;

Glastonbury Fayre, and the two Greasy Truckers albums contain some cosmic fayre, curteosy of Camel, Gong, Hawkwind, Henry Cow, Pink Fairies...

Ah.

Non-prog.

Motorhead's No Sleep 'til Hammersmith is the best metal live album period.

AC/DC's If You Want Blood You've Got It is also testimony to why AC/DC are the best hard rock outfit - I never liked Kiss; all that make up and fireworks seemed a ruse to distract attention away from how diabolical the music was (especially the singing) - but that might be just me.

But the best live recordings I've ever heard are prog (of course!), and were broadcast on the radio, so should be available through BBC transcripts, or by hassling Radio 6 for long enough;

Muse at Glastonbury 2004

Twelfth Night at Reading Festival 1983

Marillion at Reading Festival 1983

Radiohead at Glastonbury 1997

Marillion live at Hammersmith Odeon 14th Devember 1984 - the best live recording I've ever heard of any band.

James Lee wrote: Hmm, I always wrote them off as an Oasis type band; I'll give them a another chance.

Well their other albums could certainly fit under that description.  I would only suggest checking out The Holy Bible, but I strongly suggest doing so.

Exit.....stage left and Yessongs. Both essential. I also like the new Live Krim DVD Eyes wide open as well as the Yes Symphonic DVD.

As for non prog someone said OK Computer. I would add Tools Aenema and Mellon Collie and the infinite sadness in there somewhere. Pearl Jam's Ten? Dave Matthews Crash is really very good. Nirvana is culturally very groundbreaking but not musically at all.

I also like Phish but that's getting a little too specific because any of their albums are groudbreaking.

Jethro Tull - Bursting Out. Too late and too planned. They should have released a live album around 1971 - 1973 when they ruled.

Diff'rent strokes, as they say, but plainly enough Tull the late '70s band in the late '70s was a much more accomplished engine than Tull the early '70s band. Barriemore Barlow or Clive Bunker? No comparison, Barlow all the way. John Glascock and Dave Pegg were/are Tull's best bassists. Tull from '75-'79 (minus Too Old To Rock) is a band at its peak.

AC/DC's If You Want Blood You've Got It is also testimony to why AC/DC are the best hard rock outfit - I never liked Kiss; all that make up and fireworks seemed a ruse to distract attention away from how diabolical the music was (especially the singing)

Ditto. The true evil in KISS' music was just what a bunch of lousy players (in more ways than one) they are. At least with AC/DC you got the real thing, a much better singer(s), and better guitar playing.

Useful_Idiot wrote: James Lee wrote: Hmm, I always wrote them off as an Oasis type band; I'll give them a another chance. Well their other albums could certainly fit under that description.  I would only suggest checking out The Holy Bible, but I strongly suggest doing so.

Interesting phrase "Wrote them off as an Oasis type band...".

On the basis of their music alone, I don't think Oasis can be considered "writeoffable", as they have produced much classic (if strongly derivative) rock

The Manics OTOH have found a more unique and interesting style - although perhaps a little inconsistent in terms of songwriting quality. That said, when the Manics produce something good, it's extremely good!

Certif1ed wrote: Somehow I missed the LIVE connection. Can't have been paying attention. Ah. Non-prog.

Thank you very much!  That's the importance (about the LIVE connection obviously) I've been trying to underline from the very beginning of this thread!

dropForge wrote: The true evil in KISS' music was just what a bunch of lousy players (in more ways than one) they are.

That, we all are aware of. The importance of "Alive!" in the years to come regarding live recordings (of ANY GENRE) is what I've been trying to point out here!

landberkdoten wrote: Certif1ed wrote: Somehow I missed the LIVE connection. Can't have been paying attention. Ah. Non-prog. Thank you very much!  That's the importance (about the LIVE connection obviously) I've been trying to underline from the very beginning of this thread!

Ohhhhhhhhhh, ok!  Well in that case...

Hawkwind's Space Ritual is possibly the best prog live album ever, and unquestionably ranks up there with the best all around.  I've been listening to it a ton over the last two months or so, and it continually blows me away.  The way they're able to combine the 60s psychadelia spirit with the proto-metal thing that bands like Black Sabbath had going on around that time is quite frankly stunning.  Plus, Bob Calvert (RIP) was a brilliant poet, and not a bad singer either.

However, my all-time number 1 live album is Led Zeppelin's How the West Was Won.  They did a great job picking out the material that would go on this record, and an even better job remastering it.  The quality is fantastic, and it really shows Led Zeppelin blowing the brains out of the entire crowd with some of the best rock 'n roll performances you'll ever hear.  It also hilights the guitar godlyness of Jimmy Page.

Certif1ed wrote: Useful_Idiot wrote: James Lee wrote: Hmm, I always wrote them off as an Oasis type band; I'll give them a another chance. Well their other albums could certainly fit under that description.  I would only suggest checking out The Holy Bible, but I strongly suggest doing so. Interesting phrase "Wrote them off as an Oasis type band...". On the basis of their music alone, I don't think Oasis can be considered "writeoffable", as they have produced much classic (if strongly derivative) rock The Manics OTOH have found a more unique and interesting style - although perhaps a little inconsistent in terms of songwriting quality. That said, when the Manics produce something good, it's extremely good!

Yep- the "Holy Bible" stuff does sound quite interesting- aggresive and smart. The sort of direction I wished Suede had taken after their first album. Thanks for the info!

Oh yeah, never did have a taste for Oasis myself but I didn't mean "write off" to take a jab at the band specifically- just referring to all the rip-off artists that came out afterwards trying to sound like them. I never say anything bad about the brothers- for one thing, you never know when they might be listening, and at least one of them packs a mean punch

I understand the point of this topic, but I can't imagine Landberk (whose musical taste is very close to mine) listening to a Kiss album.  

Kiss

Marcelo wrote: I understand the point of this topic, but I can't imagine Landberk (whose musical taste is very close to mine) listening to a Kiss album.

I haven't done that in a while!  At least since I was like 10 or 12 years old... (the vinyl should be around somewhere though... ) It's all about life stages, and I think I successfully surpassed my KISS one

Vibrationbaby wrote: Kiss

I know, I know!!!     I was into KISS, I admit it! Not anymore... (but it's hard not to mentally sing a song of them when it's playing on the radio though! and after all those years!  )