Sunday, May 16, 2010

Top Live Albums

(PLEASE NOTE THIS WAS WRITTEN BEFORE THE SUDDEN DEATH OF RONNIE JAMES DIO)


I was on the train and I'm rocking out to The Guns of Brixton by the
Clash and made me think about live albums. So here are some of my
favorites.

"I heard they suck live" - NOFX

The answer to that statement is no, they don't suck live and of the
albums I'm listing they are the only band I actually saw live. Six or
seven times. But the album has a lot of their classics from their
earlier albums (punk in drublic, longest line, ribbed). They really
enjoy their live show and it shows on the album, there is crowd
interaction. Its fun just like a NOFX show but without all the 13 year
olds.

"Black Sabbath Live at the Hammerstein Odeon" - Black Sabbath

This live album features the Ronnie James Dio led Sabbath and what is
really cool they play most of the songs from the Dio years but play
Ozzy era songs like "Iron Man" which is totally different when Dio
sings it. Honestly there are words you couldn't understand when Ozzy
sings it that are now perfectly clear.

"Live at Shea Stadium" - The Clash

I'll be the first to admit it that I bought this on ITunes because it
was a concert recorded at Shea stadium. But it is so much more than
that. The Clash were so great and tight live, they played some
favorites "London calling" and "Rock the Cassbah". It was 1982 and the
Clash were the only things rocking Shea Stadium that summer.

Other great live albums:
Unplugged in New York - Nirvana
Live at Folsom Prison - Johnny Cash
Under Great White Northern Lights - The White Stripes
Unplugged - Eric Claypton

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

#89

#89
Immagrant Song
Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin has mad a lot of really good music but for my money nothing is better than Immagrant Song. Seriously name one other serious song about vikings. You can't.

When the song begins you can imagine viking long-boats approaching an unsuspecting coastal village on a moon less night. And then from out of no where they attack. Just thinking about the song makes my blood boil.

Then you hear the war cry. Robert Plant may have looked like a efeminant flower child but he was every bit the viking warrior he sang about.