Do you prefer live albums?

Rob1

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I'm an acoustic fan myself.

Amy Lee for example...pffft.
Vocals through the roof with little backup.

No need for a band.
 

MrMan

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I have a lot of thoughts on this.

First, I grew up in 70s and live albums were a big thing then. A lot of bands made their mark through live albums (BOC, Ted Nugent, Frampton, Cheap Trick). Live songs would routinely be played on the radio. Two things noteworthy about those 70s albums:

1. Difference between the studio and live production wasn't that great. In fact, it wasn't unusual for a live version to sound better than a studio version.
2. Live version could often be markedly different from studio version. Bands would often stretch them out or play extended instrumental sections or call-and-response with the audience.

Thus I was a huge live album fan from my youth and would scoop up any live album by a band I liked. Then around 2005 or so I was looking through my collection and realized most live albums from 1985 forward was the just the band playing the songs as they appeared on the studio album and not sounding as good. Rarely did the live version deviate or improve upon the studio version. This is partly because studio production techniques simply couldn't be replicated live.

But it was also a reflection that bands had become less adventurous and audiences expected to hear songs they knew and how they knew them. Yeah, jam bands would still stretch things out but if you attended a concert by just about any mainstream rock band in the last 30 years they basically did a greatest hits show with the songs played exactly how they're heard on the studio version. THe last live album I can think of that really swapped things up was Alice In Chains Unplugged, where playing acoustically changed the overall experience of the songs. Of course Layne was practically unconscious and doesn't deliver a powerful vocal performance but it's still good.
 

MrMan

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I would like to think if he were given an ultimatum to clean up or get out it might have gone different for him.

Maybe not.

But after hearing Steve Harris say Dickenson was the singer they always wanted I wonder if the replacement was inevitable?

Anyway, I somehow forgot to mention Strangers in the Night by UFO.

The versions of Mother Mary and Rock Bottom on that double album are far better than studio.

Most 70s bands of any worth had really good or even great live albums.
Dianno wouldn't have responded positively to such a demand. He's on record saying he didn't get into rock and roll to have a schedule and have to get up early in the morning. When the band started touring internationally and had obligations and commitments he really wasn't up to it because he really was a punk.

I do think he fit the band well and the band has suffered for not having anyone with more "street" in their attitude and approach. IMO Maiden got much too slick and shiny by the mid-80s.
 

Romulus

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I usually prefer live albums if well done. Even on you tube if same song is performed live and it comes across well that for me will always be more interesting and enjoyable rather then a studio produced album. The live feeling has verve and organic quality that a studio album will miss however there are numerous studio albums I like for qualities not achieved in a live album. The unexpected success of the Deep Purple album 'Made In Japan' sort of opened the gates for other Rock artist to have live albums. Even Neil Diamond's 'Hot Night in August' live album has a special feel especially when played on vinyl...
 

ROXYKHALISS

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Deep Purple, recorded during their first tour of Japan in August 1972. It was originally released in December 1972, with a US release in April 1973, and became a commercial and critical success. There were no overdubs on the album.[14] Showbox jiofi.local.html tplinkloginLord claimed once in a magazine interview that a line from "Strange Kind of Woman" had to be redubbed from a different show after Gillan had tripped over his microphone cable, but no direct evidence of this was found when the multitrack tapes were examined.[16] According to Lord, the total budget for the recording was only $3,000
 
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