Deryk Barker <DBarker@his-phoenix-multics.arpa> (11/15/84)
Surely no "live" album is really live? They're all touched up in the studio later, duff vocals and playing overdubbed etc. Check on the credits and you'll invariably find "rerecording facility..." or some such. The only exceptions of which I am aware are Dire Straits "Alchemy" and The Who's new (final) live LP. On Mike Nesmith's "Live at the Palais" recorded in Australia he discusses this on the sleeve notes and admits to only two places where he felt he could not let the original stand; one where he sang a quarter-tone flat and one where "my thumb mutinied against my fingers consequently playing something totally unauthorised by me". A little more of the Nesmith-type honesty would not go amiss with many other "artists".
Carl Moore (VLD/VMB) <cmoore@BRL-VLD.ARPA> (11/15/84)
If you saw Beatles 1965 concert film (Shea Stadium in NYC, in August of that year), you may notice that Act Naturally was done but that the studio version is dubbed into the film! It's annoying, because hearing a live version gives more insight into the song.
Bob Soron <Mly.G.Pogo%MIT-OZ@MIT-MC.ARPA> (11/16/84)
I've been fascinated by live albums for years, perhaps because so few musicians I like ever make it to Boston. The nadir, however, was the 1976 duet of "Good Hearted Woman" by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. The cut was recorded live, true; but Willie was nowhere near the concert hall -- all of his vocal work was done in the studio, and then applause was dubbed in over his dubs to make it sound like the audience was applauding him. Would've been easier for him to be at the damn concert... ...Bob -------
stein@druny.UUCP (SteinDW) (11/19/84)
It seems to me that all direct to disc albums are "truly" live. Ofcourse, few artists are willing to try this method of recording because they can not redo a mistake but several have been made. Don Stein druny!stein
Ron Natalie <ron@BRL-TGR.ARPA> (11/26/84)
It's probably not the problem of making mistakes. Any musician worth his salt can probably do 20 minutes of music straight through. They can always do another take (problem is you have to start the side over). The problem is convenience. Direct-to-disk died when magnetic tape was born. For the same reason I use a power tool rather than hand tools. The little added care I can get from the hand tool isn't worth the inconvenience. -Ron