I don't love live albums. Somehow the shriek of ecstatic fans just make me all the more aware that I have missed out on yet another musical opportunity. It grates on my nerves and takes away from any shreds of enjoyment that I may have derived from the music itself - with two exceptions only:
Jimi Hendrix Live at Monterey and
Morrissey live at Earles Court.
Those two have enough charisma and talent to shine through the fans noisome pestilence, to take me out of my pathetic disappointment and back into the songs. The fact that they sound even better live is a rarity in the few live recordings I have given any time to and as such, justify what I would otherwise class as a waste of time. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with the live music experience itself, just the recordings.
I think live music is absolutely a spectrum of wonderfuls - and endless possibilities for amazing polaroid like moments to relive for years to come. The thing I love the most about it is the fact that people gather together , traveling great distances sometimes to leave their differences at the door - their race, religion, postcodes, likes, dislikes... They willingly share a room with a bunch of strangers and their sweat to bond over their common appreciation for a band or artist. Then they share hours in this haze of enjoyment and music and lights and they each have their own unique experience - so all at once, in this room/hall/stadium there are hundreds/thousands of universes just registering their own little nuances and moments whilst enjoying the same beats and sounds simultaneously, and yet taking something different away from it all at once. It's incredible. Perhaps they don't all think as deeply on it as I do - but no live show is ever going to be exactly the same, regardless of the set list. And the chances of the crowd on any one particular night, ever managing to meet all under the same roof again are unlikely to say the least. Music unites the people. I'm sure I've said it before. It brings us together, we just don't always realise it. It's our glue.
Yes, I'm the wide eyed freak gazing around hopelessly looking narcotized but buzzing purely off the romantic notion of being IN the moment. Ugh.
I think the idea of recording these moments is futile and the wonderment of the original and precious minutes during and between songs can never be translated through any other medium than the present. It's just an inappropriate and poor second option to experience it recycled in time. It's not just because I feel I've missed out, it's in respect to the music. We all know we can't have the same euphoria that the moment and the music grants to the fan in the crowd - so why try? We should just make more of an effort to not miss out. We all know what happens when we try to relive Woodstock (= colossal failure).
So in the spirit of live music and my opposition to live recordings here is my list of the top 5 artists I would happily gnaw off my arm to see live but for a myriad of possible reasons, have not yet done so:
1.
Kate Bush - she's amazing. She's fearless in her music and her art and the craft of self expression. I'm in awe of her.
2.
Sonic Youth - blow my mind continually, via recordings. I can only imagine their energy live. Plus the bragging rights would give way to street cred I've only ever dreamed about.
3.
David Bowie - because I love him. For the music.
4.
Tom Waits - the man is intense and irrevocably intriguing. and a musical genius. And he growls like an unearthly mystical creature of the night.
5.
Jimi Hendrix - the obsession never fades. He was my first real music infatuation and he opened up my mind, musically.
Special mentions go to the following:
Weezer - because I know I could sing along with the best of them and I'm certain at a Weezer show I could make at least 5 new friends.
Joni Mitchell - because no one can write a song like she can.
Morrissey - needs no explanation.
Stevie Wonder - the man is Love and so is his music.
Oh Mercy because I only just discovered them and am subsequently in love with. Can't stop playing the album
Priveliged Woes
I could gladly go on but I'd like to make it clear that there isn't' any music that I love, which I wouldn't want to see live. Or music which I don't love that I wouldn't be open to seeing if money and time were no factor. Although I would never EVER go to see Empire of The Sun live, even though I rather like the album Walking On A Dream. Because Luke Steele is just... well, he's an absolute toss.
Disclaimer: All lists are subject to change with varying hormonal levels, general moodiness, new cd purchases and the such, as I feel it is certainly my right to do so, and as author of this journal entry, I of course get to make the rules. I'd also like to mention that I would have loved to have added Mr Michael Jackson (may he rest in peace) but did not want to desecrate his memory by jumping on the ever popular and rather heavy posthumous bandwagon.
Sonic Youth
