Ticket 2 Ride

The 1970s was the decade of the live album. This was when live recordings were technically better, and before live recordings were perfected with overdubs.

Fifty years ago, there were some phenomenal live albums, many are classics, including a few overlooked albums that I will mention here.

In picking five, I am excluding several obvious choices, in order to mention some of those overlooked and influential recordings. Wings Over America, Frampton Comes Alive, Steal Your Face, The Song Remains the Same, Live Bullet, Viva! Roxy Music, Hard Rain, and Waylon Live are excused from the competition.

Greatest Stories Live, Harry Chapin –

Such a storyteller he was. Harry Chapin was a class act and is greatly missed. A live collection of his hits including W*O*L*D,” “Taxi,” and of course “Cats in the Cradle. These live versions have so much depth and feeling.

One More from the Road, Lynyrd Skynyrd –

The only live album featuring the classic band lineup. All of their early hits are here, plus a couple of covers. A top ten Billboard ranking and sales of over one million. The band built their career on stage, as the listener can plainly hear with this set. Who needs to overdub when they have this arsenal?

Live at Carnegie Hall, Renaissance –

Outstanding album. Progressive rock at its finest. Accompanied by an orchestra, which fills the space between the band’s instruments, this a feast for the ears. Songs include “Ocean Gypsy”, “Can You Understand”, ‘ Runnin’ Hard”, “Mother Russia” and “Ashes Are Falling.” The remastered version smooths some sound issues and brings toward the band instruments and Annie Haslam’s exquisite vocal range.

Blow Your Face Out, J. Geils Band –

This was the second of the band’s three live albums. J. Geils was always a band that was better than their records. About half of the songs here are covers, smoking soul and blues. This double album captures the band in their element, even big arenas were made to feel intimate by these guys as the distance between the audience and band disappeared.

All the World’s a Stage, Rush –

The album that showed non Rush fans what they were missing. Rush was standing on the precipice of fame and this album pushed them forward. Drawn from their first four studio albums, there were some long and dense songs. A pivotal step in the band’s journey.

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Bonus: And one that most people are not familiar with.

801 Live, 801

The band consisted of Roxy Music’s Phil Manzanera and former member Brian Eno, drummer Simon Phillips, Curved Air’s Francis Monkman, guitarist Lloyd Watson and bassist Bill MacCormick. The band only played together a handful of times.

Selections included solo material from Manzanera and Eno, and covers of a few rock classics. (covers of The Beatles’ “Tomorrow Never Knows” and The Kinks’ “You Really Got Me”).

Why is this album on my list? The music here is by some talented individuals on a break from their day jobs. The music is a mix of avant garde, art rock, experimental, glam and World Music. Manzanera would keep these musicians together for a studio album, with a variety of vocalists including Tim Finn and members of 10cc.