Essential Live Albums

[liebzz]

Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band - Live Bullet

So clearly these guys were a big deal…in Michigan. Actually, this is one of those albums that was on nearly every best live albums lists that I looked at to start planning this journey. This one I see much more of a reason for that hype. I also have no background in Bob Seger, so it becomes more of an exercise in learning about the songs and getting a feel for the performance. There’s a ton of great performances on this one: Nutbush City Limits, Travelin’ Man, Turn the Page, the Bo Diddley Medley, Ramblin Gamblin’ Man, Heavy Music, Kathmandu, Get Out of Denver, and Let It Rock/ Little Queenie all have an insane amount of energy to them and the band is quite solid. It reminds me of if Jerry Lee Lewis or Chuck Berry took on southern rock.

The Essential Performance: Get Out of Denver

Up Next: Wings - Wings Over America

[oasisfan35]

Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band - Live Bullet

So clearly these guys were a big deal…in Michigan. Actually, this is one of those albums that was on nearly every best live albums lists that I looked at to start planning this journey. This one I see much more of a reason for that hype. I also have no background in Bob Seger, so it becomes more of an exercise in learning about the songs and getting a feel for the performance. There’s a ton of great performances on this one: Nutbush City Limits, Travelin’ Man, Turn the Page, the Bo Diddley Medley, Ramblin Gamblin’ Man, Heavy Music, Kathmandu, Get Out of Denver, and Let It Rock/ Little Queenie all have an insane amount of energy to them and the band is quite solid. It reminds me of if Jerry Lee Lewis or Chuck Berry took on southern rock.

The Essential Performance: Get Out of Denver

Up Next: Wings - Wings Over America

I was listening to this Jason Isbell and Friends release over the weekend and not gonna lie, hearing them go in to Mainstreet was pretty great.

[wease]

Honestly, I like Nine Tonight better than Live Bullet. It has more of the hits on it including one of my favorite songs of all time, Hollywood Nights.

[wease]

Seger would be an interesting deep dive project.

[liebzz]

Wings - Wings Over America

Our first post- Beatles taste of McCartney is his time with Wings. This performance, juxtaposed with Lennon’s live album, to me signals the natural performer in McCartney that Lennon was not. I think we got a sense of that in the Get Back documentary. McCartney and Wings are excellent live - they really push their songs to great places. The opening medley, Let Me Roll It, Maybe I’m Amazed, the acoustic Beatles songs, Live and Let Die, Let ‘em In, and then the run from Beware My Love to Letting Go, Band on the Run, Hi Hi Hi, and Soily to finish is awesome. I have enjoyed this one since the McCartney journey last year.

The Essential Performance: Beware My Love

Up Next: Elton John - Here and There

[Monkey_Driven]

Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band - Live Bullet

So clearly these guys were a big deal…in Michigan. Actually, this is one of those albums that was on nearly every best live albums lists that I looked at to start planning this journey. This one I see much more of a reason for that hype. I also have no background in Bob Seger, so it becomes more of an exercise in learning about the songs and getting a feel for the performance. There’s a ton of great performances on this one: Nutbush City Limits, Travelin’ Man, Turn the Page, the Bo Diddley Medley, Ramblin Gamblin’ Man, Heavy Music, Kathmandu, Get Out of Denver, and Let It Rock/ Little Queenie all have an insane amount of energy to them and the band is quite solid. It reminds me of if Jerry Lee Lewis or Chuck Berry took on southern rock.

The Essential Performance: Get Out of Denver

Up Next: Wings - Wings Over America

Such a great performance of Turn the Page

[wease]

Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band - Live Bullet

So clearly these guys were a big deal…in Michigan. Actually, this is one of those albums that was on nearly every best live albums lists that I looked at to start planning this journey. This one I see much more of a reason for that hype. I also have no background in Bob Seger, so it becomes more of an exercise in learning about the songs and getting a feel for the performance. There’s a ton of great performances on this one: Nutbush City Limits, Travelin’ Man, Turn the Page, the Bo Diddley Medley, Ramblin Gamblin’ Man, Heavy Music, Kathmandu, Get Out of Denver, and Let It Rock/ Little Queenie all have an insane amount of energy to them and the band is quite solid. It reminds me of if Jerry Lee Lewis or Chuck Berry took on southern rock.

The Essential Performance: Get Out of Denver

Up Next: Wings - Wings Over America

Such a great performance of Turn the Page

The one everybody knows, for sure. I don’t think I’ve ever even heard the studio version.

[liebzz]

Elton John - Here and There

It seemed fitting to follow Wings with this extended release since it is the final performance for John Lennon, who guests on three songs at the tail end of this version. Before we get there, we of course have Elton John, whom I have always found incredibly frustrating because when he turns up the heat, I really enjoy his music, but for some reason just really dislike most of his ballads. It’s like Jeckyl and Hyde with me on this - and that feeling is definitely captured here as I enjoyed the hell out of the run on the “Here” side of Bad Side of the Moon, Burn Down the Mission, Honky Cat, and Crocodile Rock, and then twiddled my thumbs waiting for Candle in the Wind and Your Song (the version on the “There” side actually hit me more effectively). I was bummed they seemed to have botched Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting, which is amongst the songs of his I enjoy most. It’s the 70s, Elton, overdubbing would have been okay.

On the “There” side, I think I enjoyed this a lot more. Funeral For a Friend building into Love Lies Bleeding is really exceptional. Rocket Man, Take Me to the Pilot, and Bennie and the Jets is a nice little cascade of hits. Grey Seal was really good and I think overtook the hit parade a bit. And then next in the highlight reel are the John Lennon/Beatles songs. Having lost a bet that Whatever Gets You Through the Night would be a hit song, John Lennon pays his dues by joining Elton John on stage for that song, and two songs pointed explained as written by McCartney - the Elton dominated Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds, and the legit and powerful duet between them on I Saw Her Standing There. The set closes with a downright killer The Bitch Is Back. Still feeling frustrated, but at least knowing I liked what I did more than I expected to.

The Essential Performance: I Saw Her Standing There

Up Next: The Allman Brothers Band - Wipe the Windows, Check the Oil, Dollar Gas

[i got bugs]

Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band - Live Bullet

So clearly these guys were a big deal…in Michigan. Actually, this is one of those albums that was on nearly every best live albums lists that I looked at to start planning this journey. This one I see much more of a reason for that hype. I also have no background in Bob Seger, so it becomes more of an exercise in learning about the songs and getting a feel for the performance. There’s a ton of great performances on this one: Nutbush City Limits, Travelin’ Man, Turn the Page, the Bo Diddley Medley, Ramblin Gamblin’ Man, Heavy Music, Kathmandu, Get Out of Denver, and Let It Rock/ Little Queenie all have an insane amount of energy to them and the band is quite solid. It reminds me of if Jerry Lee Lewis or Chuck Berry took on southern rock.

The Essential Performance: Get Out of Denver

Up Next: Wings - Wings Over America

Such a great performance of Turn the Page

The one everybody knows, for sure. I don’t think I’ve ever even heard the studio version.

Just recently heard it on YouTube

[wease]

Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band - Live Bullet

So clearly these guys were a big deal…in Michigan. Actually, this is one of those albums that was on nearly every best live albums lists that I looked at to start planning this journey. This one I see much more of a reason for that hype. I also have no background in Bob Seger, so it becomes more of an exercise in learning about the songs and getting a feel for the performance. There’s a ton of great performances on this one: Nutbush City Limits, Travelin’ Man, Turn the Page, the Bo Diddley Medley, Ramblin Gamblin’ Man, Heavy Music, Kathmandu, Get Out of Denver, and Let It Rock/ Little Queenie all have an insane amount of energy to them and the band is quite solid. It reminds me of if Jerry Lee Lewis or Chuck Berry took on southern rock.

The Essential Performance: Get Out of Denver

Up Next: Wings - Wings Over America

Such a great performance of Turn the Page

The one everybody knows, for sure. I don’t think I’ve ever even heard the studio version.

Just recently heard it on YouTube

How did it compare?

[liebzz]

The Allman Brothers Band - Wipe the Windows, Check the Oil, Dollar Gas

This live albums covers the years directly after Duane Allman’s passing - ‘72-‘75. Every version of every song here is actually pretty damn stellar. I think because it covers so much timeline ground, it can seem a little disjointed, at least not like At Fillmore East, where even though they are recorded on different nights, there’s a momentum that builds in that release that is absent here despite how good these versions are. That said, Dickey Betts is pretty damn amazing to listen to.

The Essential Performance: Can’t Lose What You Never Had

Next Up: Lynyrd Skynyrd - One More From the Road

[wease]

Oh man. I can’t wait to hear what you think about that one. If there’s one album that shaped young Wease’s musical identity as a teen, that would be it. I really hope you’re doing the deluxe version as it contains all the songs played during the 3-show stand that was recorded and is tracked like the actual set lists were.

[liebzz]

I started the deluxe version on the way home. Obviously got quite a bit to go. Spoiler: Simple Man was massive!

I deliberately paired this with the Allmans release. Some of this is ordered in a particular way to ride wavelengths. Doesn’t get more southern rock than this.

[wease]

I may listen to this on the way to work this morning. For the 7365th time

[liebzz]

I am listening to this on Spotify. I think it appears to be 2 shows…at least there’s 2 intros and 2 sets of similar sets.

Edit: internet research helps - a mix from the 3 nights July 7, 8, & 9 from Fox Theater in Atlanta (hey I have heard of that place ).

[wease]

I am listening to this on Spotify. I think it appears to be 2 shows…at least there’s 2 intros and 2 sets of similar sets.

Edit: internet research helps - a mix from the 3 nights July 7, 8, & 9 from Fox Theater in Atlanta (hey I have heard of that place ).

They added some of the tracks that didn’t make the original album as bonus tracks on the deluxe.

[liebzz]

Lynyrd Skynyrd - One More From the Road

I have obviously always sort of known his bands biggest hits - who doesn’t? - and knew their reputation during the original lineup years as a great live band. Some unconscious part of me though refused to engage them as a band, mostly because they dissed Neil Young (really they responded to Neil’s diss, but hey, grudges aren’t logical). I mean, I can’t really deny Sweet Home Alabama is about as southern rock as it gets, but I am not talking about reasonableness here - but I always kept them at arms length for that.

I was wrong. This live album truly is a master class in southern rock. Even though it all seems like a build up to a moment in the end, the journey to Free Bird is a worthy one. Simple Man, as I noted in a prior post, is awesome. Whisky Rock-a-Roller is great fun. Tuesday’s Gone, Gimme Three Steps (the 2nd one), Call Me the Breeze (especially the 2nd one), and T is for Texas are all highlights. Crossroads (especially the 1st one) is the definitive Crossroads for me now (sorry Cream). But all that washes away in an instant once they break into Free Bird. The first one I liked better, but the first half of the song is really nice, and then once they hit the instrumental breakdown, it’s on. Suffice it to say that once they hit the harmonized guitar solo they’re in god mode and I am not sure much can top it. Absolutely one of the best moments of this live album journey so far.

The Essential Performance: Free Bird

Up Next: Iggy and the Stooges - Metallic K.O.

[wease]

That’s also the album from which the track containing the word “cunt” was originally issued. He says it as a throwaway line after a verse in the version of Three Steps from the album. Played on the radio for YEARS with no one the wiser.

[liebzz]

Ha. Didn’t even notice unless it has since been edited out. Nevertheless, that was one of the definitive listens. Great stuff. Sometimes you just need folks going apeshit on guitar.

[liebzz]

Iggy and the Stooges - Metallic K.O.

I do wish the recording quality was much better on this. I mean, there’s raw rock music and then there’s this, a punk rock precursor or maybe among the earlier expressions of what would soon explode, though channeled through some semblance of other rock music I can’t quite put my finger on. Iggy is sort of a menace here and it seems the band is working just to keep up with his antics, and in moments it’s enjoyable and others sort of a bridge too far - but that’s the point after all.

The Essential Performance: Louie Louie

Up Next: Rush - All the World’s a Stage