Great Live Performers Who Have No Outstanding Live Album

It can be a band or a solo artist.

Eric Clapton comes to mind, by the way. As much as I love him as a musician, I don't think he has any outstanding live album. That includes Cream!

Derek and the Dominos' In Concert sounds pretty cool, but not cool enough to be put in the same sentence with Allman Brothers Band's At Fillmore East or Grateful Dead's Live/Dead, to name a few.

 

I keep hearing how great Buffalo Springfield were live, but unfortunately no good recording seems to exist (of the original 60s version).

 

I don't think The Police did a live album, but would they ever have been considered as 'Great Live Performers?'.. I never saw them.

 

With Clapton, personally I think Just One Night is a fantastic live album.... for me it is probably the peak of his solo career.

 

AFAIK , Gerry Rafferty never had a live album, was he great live? anyone ever see him in concert?

 

I never saw Black Sabbath live, but they were considered a great live band by many.
The original line up of the band never had a proper live album, with Live At Last being essentially a decent quality bootleg of sorts.

 

The original lineup reunited and tecorded a live album called Reunion. It’s good.

 

Radiohead

 

I was meaning more in their prime years.
Live Evil is pretty good too, but obviously not the original line up.

 

Van Halen with DLR.

 

So far Radiohead.

 

Squeeze is one of the tightest live bands I’ve seen, and they sell CDs or downloads of that night’s show after most of their concerts, but as far as I’m aware they’ve never actually put out a true live album.

St. Vincent is a friggin incredible performer, but no live album yet aside from a live DVD from the deluxe version of Strange Mercy— wouldn’t be shocked if we get one from the current “Daddy’s Home” tour though.

 

Yo La Tengo

 

Survivor

 

The record collector in me would love a series of Radiohead live albums. They do have a good amount of professionally recorded, high quality full shows on their YouTube page, though. So I can stream a lot of live Radiohead whenever I want. Including my favorite show of theirs (Bonnaroo 06). I like the YouTube release model because I can sit and watch the show if I want to, or I can just let the audio stream while I work or drive.

 

I am not particularly a big fan of Bon Jovi, although i did see them in the UK in 1985 when they were on the bill at The Donington Monsters of Rock Festival, and they were excellent on that day..Can't recall them putting out an 'Outstanding Live Album.'

 

They did release one in the early 90's after the band had split up. I like it!

 

'A Round And A Bout' was their official live album in 1990: A Round and a Bout - Wikipedia

 

Prince released a live video from 1985, but never seemed interested in releasing live albums.

 

Alice Cooper, though the bonus disc that came with the CD issue of Billion Dollar Babies would suffice. They didn't release any live albums from the 69-74 era, and Alice Cooper Live from the solo era isn't very good.

 

The Clash comes to mind. From Here To Eternity is fine, but but being a patchwork of performances from throughout their career, I don't think it captures the intensity of a seeing a hot band on a great night. I don't have the Shea release, but I was there at one of the shows and I wouldn't say a huge stadium is the optimal Clash venue. I gotta get the CD, though. Love the band.

 

I like George Michaels's Killer/Papa Was A Rolling Stone medley that was on Five Live. I also like his take on the Queen songs. He never released a true live album, which I bet would be great.

 

Elvis Costello & the Attractions.

 

Any fan of Radiohead knows there is no real need for a live album (I Might be Wrong is still amazing!), there are a hundred of existing soundboard bootlegs from all eras, some of which were actually meant to be released, per example 2006 Bonnaroo desk mix, 1997 Hammerstein ballroom, 2000 Berlin mixed by Godrich, etc...

Heck just go here and enjoy! : Radiohead Public Library

 

Concert: The Cure Live is too short to do justice to the fantastic live band that was The Cure in their early (and best imo) years.