Amazing live bands that are disappointing on record...

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  • Matt_McGMatt_McG Frets: 321
    It's been a long time, but I saw Anthrax about 5 times in the late 80s (I think the last time I saw them was '90 or '91).

    I didn't particularly like their albums, even at the time -- I was already moving away from metal -- but they were a brilliant live act, and always had fantastic support acts (Living Colour, King's X, etc.).


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  • Matt_McGMatt_McG Frets: 321
    Speaking of which, King's X were completely amazing live. 
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  • I’ll get shot down in flames for this one... but AC/DC
    Unbelievable live - not so in the studio 
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  • RandallFlaggRandallFlagg Frets: 13929
    edited January 2018
    Prince. Amazing live performer but a lot of his albums sound like the songs really needed a workout and honing with a live band before recording. I have read that Prince would often record quickly and impulsively playing many of the parts himself, if not all himself. That leaves some of the albums sounding a little undercooked in my opinion.


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  • Strat54Strat54 Frets: 2331
    I always think that a lot of the artists and bands who gigged and gigged for years before getting a record deal are never so great in the studio. Gary Clark Jr has already been mentioned and he is dreadful in the studio but amazing live. Like two different people. Its like they can't perform without an audience to bounce off.
     To be honest quite a lot of the bands I like are much better live or rather I enjoy them live more. In fact I'm a fan of live albums for this reason. Stevie Ray Vaughan's recorded output left a lot to be desired but live he was amazing. Modern blues player like Schofield, Trucks, Laurence Jones, KWS are much better live. I often think artists should gig the new material and then go straight in to record it. 
    I'm more a fan of Joe Bonamassa live (but not at £100) than his polished records. I might blame Kevin Shirley for that, every instrument on every album sounds the damn same In fact Bonamassa sounds better on his Instagram videos than his records. Then again so does Greg Koch. 
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  • FuengiFuengi Frets: 2849
    Although I adore both their albums, Money are less than complementary of their own studio efforts compared to their live work.

    Here's why.


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  • VibetronicVibetronic Frets: 1036
    Korn; never really liked their albums apart from the odd song, and actually thought they were a bit crap. Saw them at Download and they absolutely kicked arse; tight, heavy, loads of energy and really got the crowd going. I was really surprised, but they were the best band there by a mile in my opinion!
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  • Built To Spill 
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  • horsehorse Frets: 1563
    edited January 2018
    Matt_McG said:
    Speaking of which, King's X were completely amazing live. 
    They weren't too shabby in the studio either though were they, at least on the albums that had decent budgets?
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  • John Mayer. Never actually been to a gig, but his studio albums are so dull in comparison to the Live at the Nokia Theatre DVD. What a stonker.
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  • Strat54Strat54 Frets: 2331
    John Mayer. Never actually been to a gig, but his studio albums are so dull in comparison to the Live at the Nokia Theatre DVD. What a stonker.
    Yeah, he's much better live although I stopped seeing him when he stated playing arena's. First time I saw him there were only 150 people there. One of the best live mixes I've heard was his last gig at Manchester Uni.
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  • RobDaviesRobDavies Frets: 3062
    I find a lot of the modern thrash bands are truly good fun live, but totally one dimensional on record.

    My lad likes Municipal Waste, Iron Reagan, Lost Society, Shrapnel and the like - I've seen most of these bands with him in the last couple of years and they're great live.  Really good entertainment but apart from the odd track that appears on a 'shuffle' playlist, I find them all really dull to listen to at home - same tempo's, no dynamics....etc
    Say what you like about what the eighties thrash bands did, and they might not be as technically proficient as these newer bands, but they could write entire albums that would keep the listener engaged throughout. 

    Either that, or I'm getting old.  
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  • martinwmartinw Frets: 2149
    tFB Trader
    I’ll get shot down in flames for this one... but AC/DC
    Unbelievable live - not so in the studio 


    I was going to get defensive about this, but I think you're largely right. The exceptions being the more loosely produced albums, like Stiff Upper Lip and Flick of the Switch.

    BiB is awesome of course, courtesy of Mr Lange.

    I like their studio albums, but really they are (or were) a live act.

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  • BloodEagleBloodEagle Frets: 5320
    RobDavies said:
    I find a lot of the modern thrash bands are truly good fun live, but totally one dimensional on record.

    My lad likes Municipal Waste, Iron Reagan, Lost Society, Shrapnel and the like - I've seen most of these bands with him in the last couple of years and they're great live.  Really good entertainment but apart from the odd track that appears on a 'shuffle' playlist, I find them all really dull to listen to at home - same tempo's, no dynamics....etc
    Say what you like about what the eighties thrash bands did, and they might not be as technically proficient as these newer bands, but they could write entire albums that would keep the listener engaged throughout. 

    Either that, or I'm getting old.  
    I’d agree with you on that to a certain extent, apart from Power Trip and a couple of other exceptions a lot of the modern thrash albums can be pretty dull. Compare them to the likes of S.O.D or Slayer and there’s a big difference, 
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  • TTBZTTBZ Frets: 2873
    Most of the good bands I saw at 2000 trees festival last year were disappointing when I got home and listened to their albums.
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  • RobDaviesRobDavies Frets: 3062
    RobDavies said:
    I find a lot of the modern thrash bands are truly good fun live, but totally one dimensional on record.

    My lad likes Municipal Waste, Iron Reagan, Lost Society, Shrapnel and the like - I've seen most of these bands with him in the last couple of years and they're great live.  Really good entertainment but apart from the odd track that appears on a 'shuffle' playlist, I find them all really dull to listen to at home - same tempo's, no dynamics....etc
    Say what you like about what the eighties thrash bands did, and they might not be as technically proficient as these newer bands, but they could write entire albums that would keep the listener engaged throughout. 

    Either that, or I'm getting old.  
    I’d agree with you on that to a certain extent, apart from Power Trip and a couple of other exceptions a lot of the modern thrash albums can be pretty dull. Compare them to the likes of S.O.D or Slayer and there’s a big difference, 
    Power Trip are the exception - can't wait to see them next week. Albeit for only half an hour.  :p
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  • dindudedindude Frets: 8534
    All the modern blues players. Philip Sayce, Matt Scofield etc, even our friend Joe B - have a fire fire in their belly live, but mostly unlistenable dullness when transferred to record.
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  • prowlaprowla Frets: 4896
    Gassage said:
    Crowded House
    Squeeze
    You're having a giraffe - Crowded House are brilliant on record - Temple Of Low Men is a real hi-fi demo and Together Alone is utterly brilliant. Tim Finn's Before and After is another really good one to sit down and listen to.

    I've also got a CD of the Wembley concert I went to; they produced it on the fly - you ordered it on the way in and picked it up on the way out.

    Nick Seymour is one of the best bass players out there, too.
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  • prowlaprowla Frets: 4896
    Strife were a band in the 70s - great live, but the album was lame.

    Machine Head and Lamb Of God were live experiences which didn't do so well on album.
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  • p90foolp90fool Frets: 31368
    Ted Nugent's studio albums were always amazingly flat in the 70s, but I think that's true of a lot of B-listers from that decade, leading to a great era for live albums. 

    I saw an unknown band at a a festival in Germany in the early 80s called The Waterboys, who were fantastic despite not playing music I'd normally go for, and when they broke through a few months later I was pretty disappointed with their records. 
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