Marty Rotten's Rock Book of Lists part II
Today I'm focusing on live albums. Good live albums give a snapshot of a time and place and give the sense of what a group or performer can do live and onstage. The problem with a lot of live albums is that they're usually thrown hurredly together to satisfy a contractual obligation, or to cover for a lack of new material (such as with the Rolling Stones or the Grateful Dead) or are postumous recordings showcasing a dead artist's most embarassing moments in order to make a quick buck from his or her name. I like these because they flow well, have a minimum of overdubbing and have had them for a long time. (well most of them anyway).
Here we go
Rolling Stones-Get Your Ya Yas Out
Ramones-It's Alive
Rasputina-A Radical Recital
Bob Dylan-Bootleg Series Part 5: The Rolling Thunder Revue
Bob Dylan and the Band-Before the Flood
Bob Dylan-Bootleg Series Part 6: The Royal Albert Hall 1966
Hawkwind-Space Ritual
Hawkwind-Chronicle of the Black Sword
Beatles-Live at the Star Club in Hamburg Germany 1962 (released in 1977, the year of the Clash and the Sex Pistols, and here's the Beatles, 15 years earlier, playing punk rock!)
(this has also been repackaged under numerous different titles)
Beatles-Live at the Hollywood Bowl (at the height of Beatlemania)
Jimi Hendrix-Band of Gypsies
Lou Reed-Live!
Lou Reed-Rock and Roll Animal
Velvet Underground-1969
Rolling Stones-Got Live if You Want It
The Who-Live at Leeds
David Bowie-Stage
David Bowie-Ziggy Stardust Soundtrack
Bob Dylan-Real Live
Frank Zappa and the Mothers-Just Another Band From L.A.
Frank Zappa and the Mothers-Live at the Fillmore 1971
Bob Marley and the Wailers-Live!
Bob Marley and the Wailers-Babylon by Bus
Gong-Floating Anarchy 1977
Sweet-Strung Up (two record set, one record is live and the other is a "greatest hits" collection.)
T. Rex-Born to Boogie Soundtrack (especially for the bonus disc with the Wembley concert complete)
Mott the Hoople-Live (autographed by Ian Hunter!)
Ian Hunter-Live
Bob Dylan-Bootleg Series Vol.6 Live at Carnegie Hall 1964
John Lennon and Plastic Ono Band-Live Peace in Toronto
John Lennon-Live in New York
Leonard Cohen-Live Songs
Janis Joplin with Big Brother and the Holding Company-Live at the Fillmore
Jefferson Airplane-Bless its Pointed Little Head
Jefferson Airplane-Sixty Seconds Over Winterland
Traffic-On the Road
Kraftwerk-Minimum Maximum
Dame Darcy-Horse Hospital (yes, I LOVE Dame Darcy!)
Graham Parker and the Rumour-Live at Marble Arch (rare and of dubious legality. This was a promo album that's well worth looking for)
Yardbirds-Five Live Yardbirds (beginning of their careers, with Eric Clapton)
Yardbirds-Live Yardbirds (at the end of their career, with Jimmy Page)
Elvis Costello-Live at El Mocambo (also worth finding, the Live at Hollywood High e.p. three songs but worth it for Watching the Detectives alone)
Various Artists-Live Stiffs (featuring Nick Lowe, Wreckless Eric and the late great Ian Dury)
Various Artists-Decline of Western Civilization (forget the two sequels, the first one is the only one worth bothering with, featuring Black Flag, X, Circle Jerks, Germs, Fear, Catholic Discipline and Alice Bag Band, excellent cross section of the early 80s L.A. punk scene)
Todd Rundger-Back to the Bars
Joe Cocker-Mad Dogs and Englishmen
Neil Young-Live Rust
Here we go
Rolling Stones-Get Your Ya Yas Out
Ramones-It's Alive
Rasputina-A Radical Recital
Bob Dylan-Bootleg Series Part 5: The Rolling Thunder Revue
Bob Dylan and the Band-Before the Flood
Bob Dylan-Bootleg Series Part 6: The Royal Albert Hall 1966
Hawkwind-Space Ritual
Hawkwind-Chronicle of the Black Sword
Beatles-Live at the Star Club in Hamburg Germany 1962 (released in 1977, the year of the Clash and the Sex Pistols, and here's the Beatles, 15 years earlier, playing punk rock!)
(this has also been repackaged under numerous different titles)
Beatles-Live at the Hollywood Bowl (at the height of Beatlemania)
Jimi Hendrix-Band of Gypsies
Lou Reed-Live!
Lou Reed-Rock and Roll Animal
Velvet Underground-1969
Rolling Stones-Got Live if You Want It
The Who-Live at Leeds
David Bowie-Stage
David Bowie-Ziggy Stardust Soundtrack
Bob Dylan-Real Live
Frank Zappa and the Mothers-Just Another Band From L.A.
Frank Zappa and the Mothers-Live at the Fillmore 1971
Bob Marley and the Wailers-Live!
Bob Marley and the Wailers-Babylon by Bus
Gong-Floating Anarchy 1977
Sweet-Strung Up (two record set, one record is live and the other is a "greatest hits" collection.)
T. Rex-Born to Boogie Soundtrack (especially for the bonus disc with the Wembley concert complete)
Mott the Hoople-Live (autographed by Ian Hunter!)
Ian Hunter-Live
Bob Dylan-Bootleg Series Vol.6 Live at Carnegie Hall 1964
John Lennon and Plastic Ono Band-Live Peace in Toronto
John Lennon-Live in New York
Leonard Cohen-Live Songs
Janis Joplin with Big Brother and the Holding Company-Live at the Fillmore
Jefferson Airplane-Bless its Pointed Little Head
Jefferson Airplane-Sixty Seconds Over Winterland
Traffic-On the Road
Kraftwerk-Minimum Maximum
Dame Darcy-Horse Hospital (yes, I LOVE Dame Darcy!)
Graham Parker and the Rumour-Live at Marble Arch (rare and of dubious legality. This was a promo album that's well worth looking for)
Yardbirds-Five Live Yardbirds (beginning of their careers, with Eric Clapton)
Yardbirds-Live Yardbirds (at the end of their career, with Jimmy Page)
Elvis Costello-Live at El Mocambo (also worth finding, the Live at Hollywood High e.p. three songs but worth it for Watching the Detectives alone)
Various Artists-Live Stiffs (featuring Nick Lowe, Wreckless Eric and the late great Ian Dury)
Various Artists-Decline of Western Civilization (forget the two sequels, the first one is the only one worth bothering with, featuring Black Flag, X, Circle Jerks, Germs, Fear, Catholic Discipline and Alice Bag Band, excellent cross section of the early 80s L.A. punk scene)
Todd Rundger-Back to the Bars
Joe Cocker-Mad Dogs and Englishmen
Neil Young-Live Rust