3 of the Greatest Live Albums of the 1970s

[westen44]

https://americansongwriter.com/3-of-the-greatest-live-albums-of-the-1970s/

At Fillmore East was my favorite live album of the 1970s.  The Last Waltz by the Band was also a masterpiece.  The only thing good I have to say about the Grateful Dead is that long ago I worked with a beautiful girl who was a Deadhead.  I don't understand why anyone would like the Grateful Dead, though.  But I'm sure not going to argue that with someone like the pretty girl in my office. 

As for the comment that an argument could be made that the Allman Brothers Band was the finest group of musicians in the 1970s, I would say yes.  IMO, yes. 

I'm not as big of a fan of the Band as the Allman Brothers, but their music was legendary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dDbnwQlCek

[Basvarken]

For me that would be:

1. Live & Dangerous - Thin Lizzy
2. Strangers In The Night - UFO
3. Mother's Finest Live - Mother's Finest

[4stringer77]

Frampton comes alive, Kiss Alive and Made in Japan could all be up there too.

[Alanko]

For me...

- Live at Leeds
- The Song Remains the Same
- Ummagumma

[morrow]

I've read that many "live" albums had many overdubs. Both the Last Waltz and Europe 72 are said to have extensive fixes.
Always loved Waiting for Columbus , by Little Feat. Great live band.

[westen44]

My favorite overall would be Live at Winterland by Jimi Hendrix.  But that would be a 60s album, not a 70s as the article specifies. 

But a very close second would be Hendrix in the West.  That one might could be included with 70s live albums since half was recorded in 69 and half in 70. 

[Ken]

I'd have to throw in Uriah Heep Live.  Gary Thain's bass playing on that is just incredible.

[doombass]

I don't care much regarding overdubs or not so here goes:

1. Live The 1971 Tour - Grand Funk Railroad
2. Unleashed In The East - Judas Priest
3. It's Alive - The Ramones

[gearHed289]

Live at Leeds
ALIVE!
Frampton Comes Alive
All the World's a Stage
Unleashed in the East
Tokyo Tapes
Live and Dangerous
Strangers in the Night

[TBird1958]

 WTF

SLADE ALIVE!

Uriah Heep Live

Made in Japan

[uwe]

Uhum, let's separate the men from the boys ...



Can we please use the term "live album" for releases that did not have UFOs flying around in the studio or heroin addicted rock stars stumbling along the mixing console looking for a place to plug in their instrument for overdubs? Thank you. That kinda whittles it down to the one album you all know.

Undoctored. Unsanitized. Unbowed. Unbelievable. Unparalleled. When the 50th Anniversary remixer Richard Digby Smith did a first trial remix where he "gently eradicated some of the most overt non-music related noises from the recording, much less than you would normally do with a live release" and sent that to the record company, the Purple management wrote him back that he should not dare to remove or ameliorate a single sonic signal originally captured that evening to "or Purple fans will hang us!". 

[gearHed289]

You make a strong case and I won't argue with you.    I never knew MIJ was untouched.

[uwe]

As untouched as a virgin coming home late from Sunday school, Tom! 

Needless to say, some inhabitants of flood-prone territories to the north-west of Germany will now scoff: "The only reason Uwe's silly Purple didn't need to patch up harmony vocals and harmony guitar on that thing was that they didn't have either, so any mistake by Ian, Ritchie or Jon is a solo!" 

But the real truth is: Purple didn't give a damn. Strange as it sounds today with a band relying as much on its live prowess as DP, in 1972 when they first toured Japan all band members thought that live albums were a cop-out for bands with dried out creativity. But the Japanese record company demanded a live recording, so DP relented under the condition that it would only be released in Japan. Three nights were recorded with two four-track reel-to-reel machines cobbled together and the whole thing mixed upon return to England. Blackmore, Lord and Gillan never even bothered to listen to it, only Paice and Glover said that the recordings were surprisingly good and exciting. So the album was released in Japan only under the title "Live In Japan" and all of the sudden all these vinyl imports cropped up in London and sold like hotcakes. EMI and the Purple management caught wind of this and then just in time for Christmas a European and US version of the live album remonikered tongue in cheek Made in Japan (back then not a quality stamp) was rush-released. And the rest is, of course, history.

[uwe]

I really liked the Rare Earth In Concert double album. It has been kind of forgotten, but it was huge at the time.

[patman]

I just bought a copy of "Band of Gypsies" by Jimi Hendrix, and enjoyed it immensely.  Billy Cox was awesome, in keeping it all glued together. Monster bass tone.