Live versions of songs vs. studio versions?

Administrator Joined : 04 Jan 2007 Posts : 8193

I'm sitting here listening to Sad Wings of Destiny. Victim of Changes is just an awesome song, but I much prefer the live version of Unleashed in the East to the studio version.

Are there any live versions of songs that you prefer over the studio versions?
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The 1st one that comes to mind is Cheap Trick's I Want You To Want Me. Something about those Japanese girls screaming Cryin', cryin' cryin' make the studio version lame by comparrison.

Same wtih the Pat Traver's version of Boom Boom, Out Goes the Lights. You need that audience feedback, that call-and-response.

Administrator Joined : 04 Jan 2007 Posts : 8193

I'm not a big live album guy, but I do prefer the live versions of tracks from Raven's ROCK UNTIL YOU DROP and WIPED OUT albums on the LIVE AT THE INFERNO disc over their original studio versions, mainly because the production on those first two studio discs was pretty awful.
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"I've been following a super-hero with a brain the size of a walnut all across this crazy, mixed-up country... and what has it gotten me? A drinking problem, six gunshot wounds, and an artificial hip."

I almost always prefer the live versions, with a handful of exceptions.

Metal master Age : 42 Joined : 23 Feb 2007 Posts : 635

Everything on No Sleep til Hammersmith.

Heart of Metal Age : 33 Joined : 29 Mar 2007 Posts : 1138

Studio versions in 99% of all cases.

Most "live albums" are totally fake and you can clearly tell.
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Iron Maiden - Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Powerslave
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studio versions > live versions, unless the live versions get doctored in the studio.
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Kiss "Alive" the live versions smoke the studio versions, same with UFO " Strangers in the Night' Judas Priest " Unleased in the East' and AC/DC " If you Want Blood". It seems that after they have lived with these songs for awhile they truly come to life on stage. You could add Queen "Live Killers' , Thin Lizzy " Live and Dangerous" and of course Deep Purple "Made in Japan' it is hard for me to choose just a song because as a whole the live cuts sound and have more energy than the studio cuts.

Heart of Metal Age : 21 Joined : 20 Apr 2007 Posts : 1246

Heart of Metal Age : 29 Joined : 31 Aug 2007 Posts : 1850

I like both versions but Helloweens How Many Tears on I Want Out Live is awesome and maybe just a little more awesome because kiske sang it live.

As for other bands it really depends. If its a band that has a lot of orchestra things and they cant pull it off live then I rather their studio stuff. Right now im listening to Judas Priests '98 live meltdown now this is great even without Halford.

My least favorite live albums are Megadeths.
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Heart of Metal Age : 19 Joined : 12 Feb 2008 Posts : 1170

Heart of Metal Age : 39 Joined : 23 Jan 2007 Posts : 1797

For the most part, I prefer the studio versions - that said, there are some live versions that are much better i.e. everything on KISS - ALIVE! (as previously mentioned), everything on Unleased In The East, Sign of The Cross and The Clansman on Rock In Rio are far superior to the studio versions

Heart of Metal Age : 38 Joined : 12 Jul 2008 Posts : 1657

According to an interview with legendary producer Eddie Kramer, about 95% of Kiss Alive 1 was recorded in the studio. However, it's still FAR superior to any of the earlier versions.

Unleashed In The East is probably one of the best examples of this (as Ult mentioned), it is however worth noting that ALL of the vocal tracks were re-recorded in the studio along with most of the guitar solos.

Too many live "rock" albums are doctored in the studio later, I actually prefer to hear the mistakes intact as it more accurately represents the concert experience. I'm a big fan of board mixes and bootlegs for this very reason.

One of my favorite live albums is If You Want Blood, primarily for the songs "Riff Raff", "Bad Boy Boogie" and "Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be"...all of which SMOKE the studio versions.

Manny mentioned Made In Japan, which I can definitely see but I think I like both the studio and live versions about equally. They also completely ruin "The Mule" with the drum solo.
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Heart of Metal Age : 18 Joined : 04 Sep 2008 Posts : 1385

Quiet Riot always sounded better live to me.

Studio over live every time.
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I am a big fan of live albums b/c they seem to add a little more heaviness and umph to the songs and the crowd really gets into it. To answer the question:

Helloween: How Many Tears
Judas Priest: Green Manalishi; Victim of Changes; The Ripper; Genocide
W.A.S.P.: I Don't Need No Doctor
Anthrax: I Am The Law

Heart of Metal Age : 19 Joined : 28 Jan 2008 Posts : 1213

Anything on Live at Leeds by The Who is better than any studio take.
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Administrator Joined : 04 Jan 2007 Posts : 8193

Heart of Metal Age : 19 Joined : 12 Feb 2008 Posts : 1170

I usually like studio better unless the live performance is out of the ordinary.

I have heard these stories on how these albums were doctored up in the studio, Unleased in the East, Alive, Strangers in the Night,and Live and Dangerous.

Judas Priest have denied that their album has been fixed in the studio, so I am sure that means that it has been, Kiss guys have admitted that Alive and Alive II have a few studio fixes, as has Thin Lizzy's Scott Gorham. Phil Mogg of UFO claims he doesn't remember.

Even with the touch ups, I still think most live versions of the songs are superior.
If you listen to the entire Thin Lizzy's "Live and Dangerous' the energy on that album is amazing. It does take away a little bit of the illusion of 100% live aspect but not the enjoyment.