Best Live Album Ever

["Citywatch Ltd" <email@citywatch.prestel.co.uk>]

>For years I have been harbouring the suspicion that rock's greatest 
>live moment was a studio
>composite, and am very happy that it is not. It is interesting that
>that sort of improvisatory jam is almost unknown among live acts
>today.

I couldn't agree more.  I remember about 3 or 4 years ago a magazine 
in England called VOX did a review of the 100 best live albums ever.  
Of course, Live at Leeds was in there (there was no order of merit) 
and the review, which I don't actually have, went something along the 
lines of:

Recorded on Valentine's Day 1970 by a student under the stage at 
Leeds University.  This is how to do it.  No overdubs* and no 
remixing, this album includes everything including microphones being 
dropped, pops, whistles and feedback.  Every rock band playing music 
today should be force fed this album in order that they are made 
aware that it is possible to produce pure adrenalin on stage with 
just four people and no pyrothechnics and other gimmicks. 

(* Not strictly true - see Magic Bus (backwards bit))

I don't know if the reviewer was a fan of the ooo, but I like to 
think that he wasn't and that he was just blown away by it.  The 
first time I ever really heard LAL properly, I had been out for a few 
drinks with some mates.  We got back to the flat, had a few 'smokes' 
and put it on the turntable, up LOUD, and at the end of side 1, we 
all just looked at each other going "What the fuck was THAT?!?! -- 
Get side 2 on!!".  Amazing.  Defining moment. etc. etc.

=========================
Citywatch Ltd
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Fax: +44 171 403 7022
Web: www.citywatch.co.uk