Aug 152009
Live albums…one of the rock industry’s key stopgap measures for bands lacking inspiration…one of rock band’s key moves toward quickly exhausting a contractual obligation. What rock nerd hasn’t bought a live album? What rock nerd spends much time spinning that live album within weeks of each purchase? They often came packaged in gatefold album sleeves back in the day, which had their use.
I was informed by our anonymous contributor that all tracks were burned from scratchy vinyl.
For this mix, I SUMMON (relatively) young Townsman Oats and his main man, Townsman alexmagic.
The rest of you are also encouraged to share your virtual gatefold experiences.
By the way, the band on the first cut here has just released an expanded, two CD version of the original single disc vinyl that this song comes from. I’m hoping that it makes a more coherent presentation of the band than the original.
I recognized all of these except the last one. What is it, some kind of krautrock thing?
And why is there no track 6 or 7?
Same goes for me, Steve. It crossed my mind that maybe the last track was the Residents but then I thought that seemed a real longshot. Or perhaps Throbbing Gristle–but again, same problem.
And thanks for confirming that I wasn’t the only one missing tracks 6 and 7.
I couldn’t sort out Track 4. At the risk of sounding stupid, I’d guess James Blood Ulmer, but I don’t know. the Throbbing Gristle guess for trak 8 also occurred to me.
I saw Reed at the Tower in ’78 or so. He did an entire horrible set, stiff, repeatedly switching guitars mid-song because of some perceived problem, just awful. He got the requisite encore and came back and did Walk on the Wild Side and Street Hassle, and both were great, as if he had just decided it was time to open the show. Weird.
Costello’s set on the Armed Forces Tour was similarly out of whack. During the set the fussy nature of the arrangements and Naive’s expanding array of late 70’s polyphonic synth sounds sucked the life out of the performance. Encore, they plowed through six or seven numbers with a renewed zeal that completely belied redeemed the show.
I’m on vacation this week, barely checking in. That last track, I believe, is Throbbing Gristle. The reason there are “missing” tracks is because I edited this batch down from my initial compilation. I wanted to keep things concise. Hope all is well. A quick glance at the chatter made me think that was the case!
What is track 4?????????
It’s killing me!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry, I never posted my track list. Here goes:
1. Mott the Hoople, “Sweet Angeline”
2. Pere Ubu, “My Dark Ages” (from 360 Degrees of Simulated Sound, or whatever that first live lp is called)
3. Roxy Music, “If There Is Something”
4. James Blood Ulmer, “Love Dancing” (from the live album – sorry, forgot the name – that has a mostly white cover with red and blue lines drawn around Ulmer’s face; it’s my favorite of his handful of live albums that came out shortly after Odessey)
5. Lou Reed, “Street Hassle” (from the fascinating Take No Prisoners)
6 (ie, “Track 8”). Throbbing Gristle, “Don’t Do As You’re Told, Do As You Think” (from Heathen Earth)