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[jake shields]

Just got my copy today and having listened to it I must say its the best since - well since Disconnected. It may be a bit naive to say it but it seems to me if the band are enjoying themselves then the music is better and this sounds like it was a real party evening. The line-up was the trio - JHP, Zappi and Amaury - and they really rock out and get some ear-filling wall of sound textures. BTW the sound quality is really excellent. I know this release is somewhat under the radar - but you'll kick yourself if you miss it.

[jake shields]

bump!

[Nick M]

I know I really should know the answer to this and have probably received numerous emails on the subject already- but how does one get hold of a copy?

[Nick M]

Doh!

Just seen Steve P's post about this in the Forum. As you were.

[Andrew]

I managed to get hold of a copy though Amazon .co.uk of all places. It popped up first in a list of 'recommendations for you' when I logged on last month to do some Winter Solstice shopping. "I'm having that," I thought and promptly clicked it.

It finally arrived today (05/01/08). I've listened to it once. It's an intense, enthusiastic performance and fantastically well recorded. For a long time my favourite live album has been the Neil Young/ Crazy Horse guitar noise rock epic 'Weld' but I suspect that's about to move down to number 2

[Nick M]

I still haven't heard it (hangs head in shame).

However- couldn't resist the "favourite live album" line. Some of mine:

'Space Ritual'- Hawkwind
'Canterbury Fayre 2001"- Hawkwind
'Kick Out The Jams'- MC5
'The Land of Ukko and Rauni'- Faust
'All That Glitters Is a Mare's Nest'- Cardiacs
'Floating Anarchy '77'- Planet Gong
'No Sleep Till Hammersmith'- Motorhead
'Live in Greenwich Village'- Albert Ayler

Balls-out rock, mutant prog, space punk, jazz improv, and, er, Faustmusik ;-)

But one thing all these have in common is a vivid sense that, yep, this is live. Immediacy, rawness, vitality. The essential qualities for a great live album.

[Andy Wilson]

Which made me wonder - why do live albums count differently in rock music than in Jazz? I mean, I would happily buy as many live Sun Ra or Coltrane albums as I can find on the grounds that they will be essentially different, wheereas with most rock music there isn't a great call for endless live albums . Arguably, Slade didn't really need even a 'Slade Alive #2' - one would have done ;-) More accurately, this goes for most but not all rock groups. You could easily draw up two parallel lists of rock groups for whom it's worth hearing each live album (Zappa) and those for whom it isn't.... I don't mean literally that one album would do it - maybe there are two or three live albums by some groups that are worth hearing because they represent different phases of the band or something. But there are few rock groups where it would be worth trying to hear every gig they ever played. I don't think that it's to do with 'quality' as such, but maybe to do with who does, or doesn't improvise.

Live at the Village Vanguard - Coltrane
Slade Alive - Slade
Two T's for a Lovely T - Cecil Taylor
The Land of Ukko and Rauni - Faust
Sunrise in Different Dimensions - Sun Ra
You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore - Zappa
Live at The Golden Circle - Ornette Coleman
Olatunji - Coltrane
Live in Europe - Coltrane

[jake shields]

I think if a bands music involves improvisation of any type then multiple versions of even the same song would be worth hearing - e.g. Grateful Dead - not my faves by any means, King Crimson and a real fave of mine Johnny Winter - I would say And Live and Captured Live are both essential rock/blues live albums - whereas One For the Road by Lynyrd Skynyrd is completely dispensable - I saw Skynyrd live 3 times but was shocked that they played all their solos even the little guitar fills identically each time - just like off the record - I remember talking about this at high school - "Just like the record" was the highest possible praise for a live act - but when that live album came out I started to see Skynyrd as a kid of Vegas review instead of a rock band - pity I really liked them.
Some others - not necessarilly with improv.
Free Live - Free - awesome
Sabotage - John Cale at his zaniest
Crisis - Ornette Coleman - just brilliant
Psychic TV live at Thee Berlin Wall - vols 1 and 2 - the best PTV ever recorded.
Edgar Winters White Trash - Roadwork
In the Land of Ukko and Rani - Faust - very very good stuff
Rock n Roll Animal - Lou Reed

[Andy Wilson]

Disc 1

1. Sex
2. Asshole (Aka A Bit Of A Pain)
3. We Are Not Here...
4. ... And This Is Not Music
5. Salauds Salads
6. Fast Head (Aka The Sad Skin Head)
7. Our Soul To Your Ears
8. Ist Rund Schoen
9. Le Chat Et Le Tigre

Disc 2

1. Impro Krakow I
2. Impro Krakow II
3. Rainy Day Sunshine Girl
4. Schempal Buddha