MTV Unplugged, which is your favorite?

I am quite fond of the Crowded House one as well.

 

I think it was Jon Bon Jovi & Richie Sambora's "unplugged" appearance on an MTV awards show that inspired the creation of "Unplugged".

The first few shows hosted by Jules Shear were great. Usually there were two acts per episode. Highlights for me was a show with the Smithereens and Graham Parker. Another was with 10,000 Maniacs and Michael Penn.

Neil Young's first appearance, post-Freedom pre-Ragged Glory, was great. I never hear that one talked about, and it never seems to show up on official episode lists. But taped it and watched it many times.

R.E.M. '91, McCartney, and Nirvana were also highlights. I'd love to see R.E.M.'s two appearances on a legit dvd.

I missed the Nirvana appearance and was really disappointed because it sounded like it would be great. MTV seemed to bury it & the initial reviews were not super positive, as I recall. 'Course that all changed when Kurt died.

 

I liked the Bjork and Hall & Oates ones a lot.

 

Nirvana is my favorite. MTV seemed to run it endlessly the week Cobain died.

I listened to the KISS one last week and was surprised how good it was. Really wish there was a place they could re-run the entire series again, or work out the licensing and make them available for download. Can't see "MTV" bothering.

 

You mean the restraint she shows at 2:57 and 3:30?

Mariah Carey had done TV appearances before (I think her first was on the Arsenio Hall show, after her debut album), but she rarely performed live. She did not tour until after her third album came out. Wikipedia has this about her MTV Unplugged show, which was done after her second album:

"[After release of her second album] As they had done after the release of her debut, critics again questioned whether Carey would embark on a world tour in promotion for her material.[37] Although Carey explained that due to her stage fright, and the general strenuous nature of her songs, a tour sounded very daunting, speculation grew that Carey was a "studio worm", and that she wasn't capable of producing the perfect pitch and 5-octave vocal range for which she was known.[21][38] In hopes of putting any claims of her being a manufactured artist to rest, Carey and Walter Afanasieff decided to book an appearance on MTV Unplugged, a television program aired by MTV.[39]"

 

Voting for R.E.M. for the 2001 show, that followed the release of Reveal. I think it's terrific and provides a showcase for a lot of R.E.M. songs that are overlooked. My favorite unplugged show. Too bad they never released it on CD (legitimately).

 

I agree it was a good marketing move, but I would have loved some surprises and twists like an acoustic "Streets of Philadelphia" or some reworkings of songs like "One Step Up" or "Cover Me". I loved what Clapton did with the iconic "Layla" and it would have been fun to hear some reinterpretations of overplayed classics too.

 

10,000 Maniacs for me. Paul McCartney is a worthy 2nd.

 

I haven't listened to either of these in some time - they are going on in the home office shortly!

 

I really think Pearl Jam should be on this list.

 

where is the Cure? they were sublime.

yet Bryan Adams and Kiss get listed!!!

 

Boy, I sure do HATE that unplugged version of Layla. Remove the best part of the song (the extended instrumental coda), and reveal the rest as a weak song that falls apart without the blistering guitars and vocal.

But that's just me...

 

No, not just you. I thought it was interesting the first time I heard it but after constant airplay I was done with it.

 

Maná and Midnight Oil are my favorites.

 

Definitely!

 

That's a myth.

Bob small and Jim burns created unplugged. Jim and bob were at a Springsteen show at Madison square garden and he kept coming out for encore's. the final encore he came out by himself and did an acoustic song and everyone stayed and listened. Jim told bob this would make a great show.

MTV didn't believe in it and refused it multiple times, PBS also said no.

Judy McGrath had some money and had them shoot a pilot in the vh1 studio. I think it was sinead oconnor. They were outside trying to get people to come in and be in the audience, it ended up being people who worked for the production.

Judy McGrath loved it and got it on MTV. Joe Walsh was there breakthrough show, he played desperado and don Henley would not let them air it so they said why don't u do the show and play it. So he did. Jules shear didn't get along with him for some reason and that ended the host part

Joel gallen became executive producer and started the myth that he created the show and was inspired by Bon jovi at the vma's. it's not true however.

You can read the whole thing in the great book "I want my MTV" by rob tannenbaum and Craig marks.

 

Oddly enough this may have brought credit to her but as bob small put it it took unplugged's credit away and turned it into something for prima donnas.

Apparently she brought her own assistant, makeup girl, wardrobe girl, two lighting people, a director, and a girl who just made her tea.

What is interesting is that on the same night Mariah Carey filmed, pearl jam filmed at 1 am.

That must have been a good time to be in the audience for pearl jam.

 

Yes. Unbelievable.

 

Interesting, ToddH. I'd always heard the Bon Jovi story and took it as gospel.

 

I love "Perfect Cicrle" from the REM show, just beautiful.

 

Maxwell.

 

Pearl Jam (even though McCready looks like he desperately wants to plug in!) & The Black Crowes

 

I remember Satriani standing there watching SRV with his mouth gaping open in awe. It was a great performance.

 

Killer version of Black on there...

 

Didn't Paul Simon do an unplugged show? The Nirvana performance is in a class by itself, it might be better than any studio album they ever did and we are talking about great albums.