Best Live Albums - (sparked by Maiden/Megadeth controversy)

[maestro_al]

Not sure if anyone has been keeping up with the controversy, but it seems like most Megadeth fans are really disappointed with their latest CD, Rude Awakenings. It seems like the production is really really bad, and this of course adds insult to their lacklustre efforts in "Risk" and "The World needs a Hero".

In addition, the new Rock in Rio CD from Iron Maiden has received fan complaints about Bruce Dickinson recording overdubs to improve the quality of his performance - so much so that Steve Harris had to post a message to their website claiming that it's just rumors!

By the way, I have not listened to either of these new live albums, but it is sad that their own fans seem to be losing faith - particularly with Megadeth. Not sure what happened with this band who were once great.

In any case, which are your favorite live albums? Mine are "Iron Maiden - Live After Death" and "Ozzy Osbourne - Tribute".

 

[powermetalmaniac]

I would definitly have to say that the best live album I have ever heard is the 3-disc Iced Earth Alive In Athens set. It has the best sound quality of any live album I have ever heard. As well as having a ton of quality Iced Earth songs since it is a 3-disc set.

 

[claymanx]

I'd have to agree with powermetalmaniac....Iced Earth's 3-cd set is absolutely killer simply because it has 3 cds worth of quality material...but stratovarius's visions of Europe ain't bad either. There is a really cool track called holy solos which is entertaining, funny, and impressive....also, the live symphony X is good, but I do not own that one.....just heard it.

P.S. I'd just like to say that powermetalmaniac is a gaylord focker....we're friends so I can say this.

 

[zinescene]

OK, call me old but my favorites are

UFO-Strangers In The Night
Saxon-The Eagle Has Landed
KISS-Alive 2
Warlord-...And The Cannons Of Destruction have Begun
Riot-Live

Runners Up would include
KISS-Alive I
Slayer-(the double live CD)
Iron Maiden-Live After Death
Ozzy-Tribute
Black Sabbath-Live At last


I've heard the new live Megadeth to on an online preview and all I can say is I hope it's just my internet connection because the production did suck. I've also heard the new live Ministry and that's not bad.

 

[James]

U.F.O. - "Strangers in the Night" is my all time favorite; Schenker is GOD

Thin Lizzy - "Live and Dangerous" ranks right up there, as well; Brian Robertson and Scott Gorham ripping it up (and the video where Gary Moore replaced Robertson really shreds)

Glenn Hughes - "Burning Japan Live"; Glenn peeling some paint, plus an excellent backing band

Gillan - "Live at the BBC" Volumes I and II; Bernie Torme'-era, this band was tight

Deep Purple - "Live at the California Jam"; Burn-era DP is my personal favorite period for the band

I just picked up the Iced Earth live CD yesterday; I haven't made it all the way through, but so far it sounds excellent!

 

[necronine]

Iced Earth- LIve IN AThens!!!!
No doubt about it. Its the best.

I really enjoy Dream Theater's "Once IN A LIve Time" and
Wasp's "Double live Assasins" too.

 

[IOfTheStorm]

Queensryche-Operation Livecrime
Rush-Exit Stage Left

Originaly posted by zinescene:"OK, call me old but my favorites are
UFO-Strangers In The Night
Saxon-The Eagle Has Landed
KISS-Alive 2
Warlord-...And The Cannons Of Destruction have Begun"
Riot-Live "

"...And the Cannons Of Destruction have Begun" is not a live album

 

[Everonn]

I'm not much for live albums, but the ones I'll actually listen to from time to time are...
Black Sabbath - Live Evil
Queensryche - Operation: Livecrime
Dream Theater - Live Scenes from New York

ummm....that's all I can think of right now. I just picked up Symphony X's live release..perhaps I'll be able to add that to my list soon. I also have about a half dozen live CDs that I never care to listen to. You'd think I'd stop buying them.

- Chris

 

[zinescene]

See, that's what happens when you get old, the mind is the first thing to go. I could have sworn it was a live release but I have it on album and it's been ages since I listened to it.

JOhn

 

[Salamurhaaja]

There are no good live albums, they are a scheme to make money when the band has no time to record a 'real' album since they are on tour

 

[maestro_al]

Yeah but then we would never appreciate the musicians who have since died. Imagine if the only stuff available of Randy Rhoads were his studio albums (Blizzard and Diary). I probably wouldn't appreciate him as much had I not heard him playing on Tribute. And listen to Jimi Hendrix play Red House live - there is no studio release that comes close.

Also, a lot of bands add something fresh to their live renditions. Look at Rainbow - Ritchie Blackmore live was SO much better than in the studio especially when he used the whole orchestra on stage. It was so innovative for the time.

Otherwise, it is true, if you are buying a live CD and the only difference between that and the studio effort is the crowd clapping and cheering then it is a waste.

 

[zinescene]

I think Kiss Alive 1 was a real land mark album that got them a lot of exposure. Same could be said of Cheap Trick live at Budokan or Frampton Comes Alive. Hardly anyone had heard of Peter Frampton till his live album and I still hear that on the radio a lot.

I do think that few album are truly "live" though. You know that some touch up's are done in studio to cover a blown mic or bad amp or a bad vocals.

John

 

[Jax]

Although most of these have been mentioned, I'll have to go with (in no particular order):

Symphony X - Live on the Edge of Forever
Fates Warning - Still Life
Iced Earth - Alive in Athens
Queensrÿche - Operation Livecrime

 

[Redelijk]

Maiden's new Rock In Rio discs are AWESOME. I already had a bootleg of of the show that I loved but now that's it's been properly mixed and all, I can't get it out of my cd player.
I absolutely love the multimedia tracks on the cd's. Especially the one on cd2.

 

[LucioArgento]

Iron Maiden lost the plot years ago. Their live stuff is good because (a) they have enough of a back catalog of songs that were good, and (b) Adrian Smith and Bruce Dickinson came back to put matters right.

Now they just need to get rid of the worlds second worst guitar player of all time, Janick Gers. I think he must have been taught by Yngwie who took the #1 spot.

I pretend Iron Maiden split up after Live After Death.

MOTHER RUSSIA WAS JUST A BAD DREAM...MOTHER RUSSIA WAS JUST A BAD DREAM....

 

[zinescene]

I can't believe that no one has mentioned this, being from Michigan I can't even believe I forgot it.

TED NUGENT---DOUBLE LIVE GONZO

Along the retro live CD's

Led Zeppelin-The SOng Remains The Same
Supertramp-Paris
Foghat-Live
Kansas-Two For The Show
Rush-All The Worlds A Stage
Rush-A Show of Hands

and finally last but definately not least...

The Allman Brothers Band-Special collectors edition recorded during a Live Acoustic set for the IRSA Foundation Los Angeles 6/11/92. Un-f--king believable version of Midnight Rider, Melissa, Midnight blues and more.

 

[alexofbodom]

Blind Guardian-Tokyo Tales
Iced Earth-Alive in Athens
Iron Maiden-Live After Death
Stratovarius-Visions of Europe
Gamma Ray-Alive 95
Dream Theater-Scenes from New York
Children of Bodom-Tokyo Warhearts

 

[Creeps]

Very rarely will you ever f ind a live album that didn't have studio overdubs... that's just a fact.

The only 1 I can think of is Biohazard's No Holds Barred and that frankly sucked.

The new Maiden is great. I'm gald to see that they put a lot of the newer material on the discs instead of re-creating Live After Death. This is coming from someone who does not have the doulble live Donnington, Real Live One or Real Dead One either. And dammit, I lost my Maiden Japan tape .

My favorite live discs;

#1 LIVE AFTER DEATH... accept no substitute

2. Priest Live
3. Kiss Alive II
4. Kiss Alive
5. Alice Cooper's Brutally Live DVD - they need to put this out as a double CD set ASAP.
6. World Wide Live (Scorions)
7. Tribute (Ozzy)
8. Judas Priest Metal Meltdown
9. WASP Live in The Raw
10. Halford Live Insurrection
11. Laaz Rockit - Taste Of Rebellion
12. Corrosion of Conformity - Live Volume
13. Manowar Hell on Stage Live (3 disc)