Seven Great Live Recordings(Some With Videos)

Lonnie Donegan - Gambling Man




Man, Lonnie rocks hard!  Forget "My Old Man's A Dustman" and all that variety crap.  The single version of this (recorded live by Joe Meek), is one of the most exciting live performances i've ever heard on record. 

 Leo Ferre - Thank You Satan



Ferre is little known outside France, where he was one a well known singer/poet in the chansonier tradition(along with Brassens, Brel, & Vian).  This song of his, recorded live at The Alhambra in 1960. really beautiful - and i really like the clarinet(?) solos

Cramps - The Way I Walk



In 1978 whilst on tour, The Cramps played a show at The Napa State Mental Hospital for the inmates.  This is taken from that show.  The show is worth seeing in it's entirety, as its pretty incredible.  I wish i looked like Lux Interior, he's the coolest man ever here.  I love the bit where he says "somebody said you were all crazy, but you seem alright to me".  The video above is their cover version of Jack Scott's 1959 hit. 


Elvis Presley - Lawdy Miss Clawdy



This is from the 1968 Comeback Special.  I spend half of my life arguing that the sit down show is one of the greatest musical performances EVER.  This, in my opinion, is Elvis at his very best - backed by Scott Moore & D J Fontana from his original band.  At this point in his career, he's got a bit of a point to prove, but he's determined to not let it get in the way of him having some fun.  There's a real disregard Elvis has here to It all that is quite alluring.  Nothing can stop him tonight.  Here he sings and stamps his heart out to Lloyd Price's classic fifties r n' b hit.  It is unbelievably raw, sexy and exciting.  What Rock n' roll should be. 
Otis Redding - Satisfaction



It is great to hear a black r&b artist slay a song written by a white rock band trying to sound like they are black.  And this is as good as you're gonna get.  You will be genuinely surprised that he doesn't combust by the end.

Odetta - Gallows Pole



I'm hoping this is the live version i've got - but i can't listen to it at work.  Odetta makes something totally new out of that traditional song ole' Leadbelly made famous.  It's like soul music.  Which it undeniably is. 

Muddy Waters - Got My Mojo Workin'



I saw this on Dylan's No Direction Home movie, which even if you don't give a toss about Bob, is interesting for the footage of other artists (John Jacob Niles, Odetta, Gene Vincent, Pete La Farge.  This is from 1960 and Muddy certainly sounds like his Mojo is perfectly in order.  The reprise is particularly ace.

Nina Simone - Four Women



Nina Simone was generally quite hit and miss in the Studio, but when she got it together live she was transcendant.  This song was written by Nina herself, and it destroys me every time i hear it. 

The Who - A Quick One (While He's Away)



Live from The Rolling Stone's Rock N' Roll Circus, 1968.  I'm not a huge Who fan, but it's hard to deny it doesn't get much better than this.  It is long rumoured that The Rolling Stones pulled the Rock N' Roll Circus show from the telly because they'd been upstaged.  Keith Moon and Pete Townsend totally astound me here. 

Peter Brotzmann Trio - Live In Cheltenham



And yes, i was at this!  Free-Jazz Colossus Peter Brotzman at The Cheltenham Jazz Festival in 2008.  That night was most surreal.  I'd seen Hans Bennink an amazing set earlier that evening(who famously played with Brotzmann - but they weren't playing together - strange) at Pittville campus and then toddled down to the Everyman to catch Brotzmann play a 15 minute set at about 12.40am!  I had to sit through some astonishingly appalling jazz for this - but this was headcleansing to say the least.  I came out astonished.  The bassist and drummer were almost metal, which is a guilty pleasure.  This is only an excerpt, but i hope it loves up to it. 

Enough for now. Enjoy x