1. Live & Dangerous – Thin Lizzy (1978)
Yes it’s number one: it’s top of the live album chart! This is an exciting live show featuring an enthralled audience (which I can assure you is in a sea of long hair and denim) is a superb concert. Yes, I know there are plenty of overdubs and re-recorded solos but this has great riffs, great tunes and superb solos. I saw Lizzy on this tour at Leeds University – what a gig! By the time this was recorded Lizzy were a hot rock/chart band appearing on TOTP regularly so the album contained plenty of top 20 hits as well as superb versions of excellent album tracks like “Emerald” and the beautiful and sublime “Still In love With You”. The only way to listen to this is LOUD.
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2. Strangers In The Night – UFO (1978)
Hello Chicago! It’s a close call between this and the Lizzy album for the top position. This is the great UFO at their best delivering strong songs, great riffs, superb melodies, great vocals and amazing guitar prowess. One of my all time favourite and most played tracks is this album's version of “Rock Bottom”. Michael Schenker’s guitar solos after the line, “where do we go from here” (3:35) are outstanding. Best played loud and great for cruising down the motorway. There’s not a weak track to be heard. My favourites include, “Love To Love”,”This Kids” and “Natural Thing”. The latter is the first track on the original album but is placed fifth on the remastered extended version. I saw UFO on numerous occasions including as the Saturday night headliners at Reading 1980: they never failed to give a superb concert.
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3. Live At Massey Hall – Neil Young (2008)
This is one hell of a beautiful album full of what was to become some of Young’s most memorable and personal songs. It’s just Young with either acoustic guitar or piano and an attentive audience who were hearing some of these songs for the first time too. The new songs from the yet-to-be-released “Harvest” are still in the raw state and are the better for it too. It would be interesting to speculate what would have happened to Neil Young’s career had this been released in 1970 or 1971.
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4. Live At Leeds – The Who (1970)
One of the first albums I purchased – and one of the best too! The original vinyl version had six outstanding hard rock tracks. The stretched out version of “My Generation” is excellent providing a good example of the “loud-soft” approach used by metal and prog bands. Superb ensemble playing makes this one of my all time favourite albums. The vinyl copy has an instruction to play loud on the disc’s label. There’s a plaque outside the student union building at Leeds University to commemorate this classic album. I revisited the student union building whilst accompanying my lads on university open days: the place, nay, canteen! seemed smaller than I originally remember.
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5. Barclay James Harvest Live – Barclay James Harvest (1974)
Although I keep telling everyone who’ll listen that I’m on this recording - I’m probably not as only a very small portion was used from the Liverpool stadium concert - mainly mellotron parts that had sounded off-key from the Drury Lane, London concert. This is a best of from the band’s Harvest years with superior versions of their best tracks and songs from the excellent, “Everyone Is Everybody Else (1974)”. It is BJH’s best album of beautiful symphonic rock with plenty of soaring guitar solos and mellotron. Surprisingly it doesn’t sound dated. Not surprisingly, it never seems to appear in many of the more trendy rock journalists’ “best-of” lists.
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6. The Jimi Hendrix Concerts/Live At Winterland – Jimi Hendrix (1982)
I’ve cheated a little in order to pick this selection. The album called “Winterland” was issued on CD only as an invitation to get buyers to purchase the new technology. A few years previously, the now almost impossible to obtain, “Jimi Hendrix Concerts” double vinyl album was released. This contains several of the songs from the Winterland concerts. Needless to say, the playing is exemplary. The “Concerts” version of “Stone Free” taken from the Royal Albert Hall gig in February 1969 is twelve minutes of grade A1 genius and my favourite Hendrix workout. The song takes off at 2:39 minutes when the guitar solo starts and gets better, going into the stratosphere after 4:21!
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7. Colosseum Live – Colosseum (1971)
One of the “hip” albums with which to be seen walking around school. One of the most played albums in my collection especially the stunning live version of “Lost Angeles”. This is jazz-rock, with the emphasis on rock, at its best. The playing is superb as is the interplay between the musicians but it may take some time to get used to Chris Farlowe’s vocal style. Every track is superb and the musicians’ playing is outstanding throughout: Dave Clemson’s guitar solos in “Skelington” is extraordinary and all of Jon Hiseman’s drumming is exemplary. The band fell apart just after this was released which is a pity. They reformed in the mid 90s and delivered a superb DVD of their reunion performance.
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8. Live Dates - Wishbone Ash (1975)
In my view one of music's greatest thrills is to hear the twin-lead guitars of Wishbone Ash in full flight! I played the grooves off this when it was released. It is one of my all time favourites comprising songs from the first four Wishbone Ash albums. My favourites include, "The King Will Come" and "Warrior". The original fourth side of the album comprising “Lady Whiskey” and “Phoenix” are superb versions of the studio tracks. I’d seen the Ash live a few times at Liverpool Stadium including on the tour that included these recordings. A couple of my colleagues used this as their base album when they formed a band and wanted to play like Wishbone Ash – so much so that one lad had a Flying V!
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9. Filmore East – Allman Brothers Band (1971)
Superlative playing and telepathic jamming, this critically acclaimed third album launched The Allman Brothers Band into rock’s premier league in the USA but barely made a ripple in the UK. This takes blues and boogie to places no one had been (but were soon to copy!). The interplay between Duane Allman and Dickey Betts on slide guitar and lead guitar and Greg Allman on keyboards as well as the stunning rhythm section keeping the jams together is something to behold. There are certain tracks that transcend your expectations of what constitutes blues music: “In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed” is one such track. The “Legacy Series” CD version of this concert includes the live tracks that originally appeared on the Allman Brothers follow-up album, “Eat A Peach” ensuring that there is now a 33 minute track and a 22 minute track back-to-back! Music by which to cruise along the freeway!
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10. BBC Sessions – Led Zeppelin (1997)
I had a few tape recordings of the BBC’s Zeppelin concerts but this CD, re-mastered by Jimmy Page, brings together their studio and “In concert” performances from 1969 to 1971 where the mighty Zepp went from being a progressive blues band into the world’s greatest hard rock band. This album has wonderful, passionate performances of songs from the first four albums. I could make a very strong case for this to be the best Led Zeppelin album!
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11. Free Live! - Free (1970)
A much loved single album with an envelope opening as its cover. A blues rock classic issued after Free had hit the big time with “All Right Now”. It’s a greatest hits selection from their first four albums with, in my opinion, superior versions of “Mr Big”, “Fire & Water” and “The Hunter” amongst others. Some of the quieter songs are beautiful such as “I’m a Mover” and “Be My Friend”. The extended CD version adds further great songs.
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12. On Your Feet or On Your Knees – Blue Oyster Cult (1975)
Dark and Heavy! This is a magnificent piece of intelligent, heavy rock. This was the album that gave me a first insight into the world of the Cult: it doesn’t start with the opening number (that comes second!) but it rocks and is so heavy! Thanks to Max Bell’s great NME review, I purchased this after hearing one or two tracks on the radio. The first side of vinyl (“Subhuman/Harvester/Hot Rails”) is one of the most regularly played sides in my collection. The version of “(Then Came The) Last Days Of May” has one of the most beautiful guitar solos ever! (I’m not exaggerating). It’s even got an old Yardbirds b-side (I Ain’t Got You) re-named as “Maserati GT”. This monumental concert falls into the “Play loud” category.
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13. Seconds Out – Genesis (1977)
Pure class! Recorded after Peter Gabriel had left it’s possibly the best thing Phil Collins has put his name to after he’d put himself forward as vocalist for the band. The re-mastered CD brings out the exemplary playing of the band. The versions of “Supper’s Ready” and “Cinema Show” are superior to their studio counterparts. There’s a superb extended version of “I Know What I Like” and the beautifully performed quieter songs of “Carpet Crawler” and “Squonk” start this superb set.
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14. Live – Robin Trower (1976)
Recorded for a Swedish Radio show, this was a live-in-the-studio high quality, superb recording of Trower’s greatest hits. I recall that my brother won this in a competition from Liverpool’s Radio City. The album contains Trower’s power trio performing storming versions of seven superb tracks culled from Trower’s first three classic albums. James Dewar must be one of rock’s most under-rated vocalists. The opener, “To Rolling Stoned” is the perfection of blues rock.
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15. Live From Nowhere in Particular – Joe Bonamassa (2008)
I thought I could not get excited about any album again - until I heard this superb collection. Bonamassa was/is the world’s best kept secret in 2008 as he delivers top performances and astounding riffs playing in a rock oriented blues-rock style (as opposed to a bluesy blues-rock style) with a tone that is inspirational! Even his cover version selections are amongst my favourites: Tull, Zeppelin, Yes, Ten Years After & ZZ Top get covered. It’s a good game to try to identify where Bonamassa got some of his licks and nuances from! "India/Mountain Time" is superb as is the seventeen minute, “Django/ Just Got Paid” (incorporating bits of Dazed & Confused). I played this and the equally exciting Royal Albert Hall concert almost continually on Spotify in the early part of 2011. Superb – made me go and play Gallagher’s “Irish Tour” too.
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16. Woodstock – various
I saw the film at the local “flea-pit” whilst in the fourth form with what seemed to be many of my year group from school where we all sang along to Country Joe! I thought that our generation could change the world but it soon fell flat on its face with rampant inflation, civil wars too close to home and three day weeks.
It’s a long film with some tedious parts. Mike Wadleigh’s three hour epic scores with some superb split screen effects and memorable songs. The building of the stage on the expansive countryside with tractors pulling wood and other equipment while Crosby, Stills & Nash’s “Long Time Comin’” and Canned Heat’s “ Goin’ Up The Country” are playing is superbly evocative that something special is about to take place. It’s probably the single event that got me into the wider spectrum of music: certainly listening to so many new artists at a single sitting – cynics would say it’s all hippy mumbo! Hendrix’s version of “Star Spangled Banner” has never been bettered; Joe Cocker does the worst imaginary guitar solo imaginable but delivers a stupendous version of “With A little Help from My Friends”, The Who, Santana and Ten Years After rock the place. Between the music there are numerous vox-pops with locals being interviewed about how happy they are to invite the youth of America to their land, the stage announcements concerning the “brown acid” and how to stop the rain!: the innocence of the festival goers make the film somewhat of a period piece nowadays. I always skip the tracks/footage by Richie Havens (mostly), Joan Baez, and Sly and the Family Stone but will watch County Joe and the Fish’s hymn for a generation, Arlo Guthrie’s wit and John Sebastian being completely out of it! The director’s cut version of the DVD has some excellent Jefferson Airplane and Canned Heat footage too. I probably play or watch the DVD/video at least once a year and have done since the mid seventies. Peace n’ love! |
17. The Great Deceiver – King Crimson (1992)
The third incarnation of the mighty Crim is probably the most literate and technically gifted combo I‘ve ever had the pleasure to have heard. The Bill Bruford and John Wetton drums and bass playing is stunning throughout. On top of that there’s the interplay between the guitar of Robert Fripp and David Cross on electric violin. This was originally issued in 1992 as 4-CD and very expensive box set even though the concerts were from 1973 and 1974. Recently the album has been re-issued as two 2-CD sets at a much lower price. It mainly comprises material from the “Lark’s Tongues In Aspic” and “Starless and Bible Black” albums recorded at different venues. It’s definitely not to everyone’s taste (which is probably the understatement of the decade!). The intensity and ferocity of the playing on these recordings is awesome. The change of tone between loud and quiet passages within songs is breathtaking. This line up also appeared on the “USA” live album and “The Night Watch” all containing many of the songs on this album. Both of the aforementioned albums are excellent too. The highlight and a contender for the most complex rock song ever written is “Fracture”. Stunningly played but requires your full attention to appreciate. Definitely falls into the category of music to empty rooms! - you have been warned!
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18. Irish Tour 74 – Rory Gallagher (1975)
19. Lotus – Santana (1975)
After hearing a few tracks on the Alan Freeman Rock show and reading the Melody Maker’s enthusiastic review, I had to have this collection (originally a triple album set sold on Japanese import at an extortionate price. My version was a Dutch import but still expensive). It’s the first Santana band at its zenith with superb soloing and percussion playing. It was worth the price just for astounding versions of, “Toussaint L’Overture” and “Incident at Neshabur”. One of the finest imaginary guitar workouts!
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20. Ummagumma – Pink Floyd (1969)
The live album of this two-album set is the most played album in my collection. It’s also one of the earliest I bought and probably one of the most avant-garde ones too. I used to listen to it in a darkened room with only the red light of the amplifier visible and with the volume turned up listening to this ground breaking space rock! The live versions of “Saucerful of Secrets” and “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun” are much better than their studio originals. In my view, many German rock bands, certainly the space-rock inclined ones, of the early 70s were highly influenced by this one album. The studio album does contain some pretentious indulgencies but “Granchester Meadows” is a beautiful song and does have the impressive “ducks landing on water” crossing the speaker channels too!
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21. The Song Remains The Same – Led Zeppelin (1976)
This is the soundtrack to the film that covered various degrees of pretentiousness. That said: I love it! Highlights are the half hour version of “Dazed & Confused” where Page really out-progs most progressive rock band and the superb “No Quarter” (one of my top 5 live tracks!) with spine tingling electric piano and guitar solos. The last refrain of “They choose the path where no-one goooooooooooes” is wonderful and uplifting. The latter song was mentioned by my best man in his speech at my wedding for I pointed this out to him as it was being played at a London revue bar! The re-mastered, re-issued version shortens the piano and guitar solos by two minutes to allow for further songs to be added to the CD. Sacrilege!
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22. Live At The Royal Albert Hall – Joe Bonamassa (2009)
When you can sell out the Royal Albert Hall then you know you’ve arrived. This is a superb concert that was released on both CD and DVD. To play at this venue was Bonamassa’s ultimate dream: a fact he elucidates during the DVD and the pleasurable feeling he gets at achieving his goal is conveyed as the concert progresses. This was issued only a year after Bonamassa’s earlier live album (#15), but contains only a few duplicate tracks with more from the contemporary “John Henry” album.
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23. At Budokan – Cheap Trick (1979)
Aaawlllllright Tokyo!!! This is a strong contender for the title of “best live pop-rock album of all time”. Guaranteed to get you humming the songs. The original, single album has forty one minutes of great rocking songs with hooks and riffs to die for. It has since been re-issued as a full concert. My favourite track and longest song, “Need Your Love“starts to hit the high spots after 4:12 minutes. Also contains the classics “Surrender” and “I want You To Want Me”. Another one to be played LOUD!
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24. Exit Stage Left – Rush (1981)
The perfect, sophisticated prog-metal live album, “Exit” features the best songs from Rush’s late seventies progressive rock era. It’s possibly their most defining album ending their most creative period. “Red Barchetta”, “YYZ”, “Xanadu” and “La Villa Strangiato” are stand-out tracks – definitely one for PIG (playing imaginary guitar!).
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25. Ricochet – Tangerine Dream (1975)
The third of three Tang’s classic albums on the Virgin label. After breaking into the UK market by way of a distribution deal with Richard Branson’s newly formed Virgin label in 1973 and finding success with “Phaedra” and “Rubycon” after being championed by John Peel, “Ricochet” is a live recording and, in my view their strongest album (and I’ve got more than a few others!). This is classified as “Progressive Electronica” from Germany and is heavily influenced by the live sides of Pink Floyd’s “Ummagumma”. This album moves through a number of moods and even Virgin’s advertisement in the rock press for the album notes that some of the solos are like “Wishbone Ash in full flight”. Praise indeed!
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