ZZ Top - Live Nationwide 1980

I did not realise until checking out some background for this recording that ZZ Top originally formed in 1969.

The band holds the distinction of being among the few rock bands still composed of its original recording members, (and for nearly 40 years until September 2006, the same manager producer, and image maker, Bill Ham).

I suppose it is yet another 'how old do you feel' moment, as at the time of this concert, the band had already released seven albums including a 'best of' good thing they still look pretty much the same!

This is ZZ Top live at The Capitol Theater, Passaic, New Jersey, USA on the 30th August 1980.

Source: Soundboard recording.

Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3 @192kbps.

Genre: Rock, Blues Rock, distinct and oh so ZZ Top!

Set: Seems to short for full set, includes all final songs.

Set List:

1. I Thank You
2. Waiting For The Bus
3. Jesus Left Chicago
4. I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide
5. Low Down In The Street
6. A Fool For Your Stockings
7. Cheap Sunglasses
8. Arrested For Driving While Blind
9. She Loves My Automobile
10. Hi-Fi Mama
11. Dust My Broom
12. Jailhouse Rock
13. Tush

Links: Official Site HERE.

Comments: This is yet another concert that was originally circulated on The Swingin' Pig Records, this copy on CD (TSP-CD134), I am not sure if this was a lift from a vinyl original, or straight to CD.

In order to ensure we cover bands from A-Z on the Beehive, it was only a matter of time before ZZ Top showed up, at least they are one fine band and this particular concert may well not, be in every fans collection.

Download link in comments below - or just click on the picture above.

Purchase: MP3's - ZZ Top

Squeeze - Live In Oxford, UK, 1981

This is Squeeze back in 1981, and to make you feel as old as I do, this concert was performed a couple of years after 'Cool For Cats' was released, and almost a year after Jools Holland left the band, you know the score 'oh how time flies'.

This includes some of the best Squeeze songs from their early years, and goes to show just how good a live act they have always been.

This concert was performed at the Oxford Polytechnic on the 15th May 1981.

Source: BBC radio FM broadcast.

Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3 @320kbps.

Genre: New Wave, 'Indie' pop & rock.

Set: Almost the complete set recorded by the BBC (two songs missing).

Set List:

1. Take Me I'm Yours
2. Another Nail In My Heart
3. Separate Beds
4. Slightly Drunk
5. Out Of Touch
6. I Think I'm Go Go
7. Is That Love
8. Heaven
9. Pulling Mussels (From The Shell)
10. Yap Yap
11. Cool For Cats
12. Up The Junction
13. Messed Around
14. Goodbye Girl

('To Many Teardrops', and 'I've returned' and 'Slap And Tickle' are missing from the original BBC recording, otherwise it is the full concert recording).

Links: Official Site HERE. Informative Wikipedia HERE.

Comments: Back in the 1970's & 80's the BBC use to record live (pop/rock) concerts for broadcast predominately on Radio One, and also press the recordings as live transcription discs (12inch vinyl albums), that were sold on under copyright to other radio stations to broadcast.

In my younger days, and sadly unaware of the historical value of these recordings, I visited the BBC department who looked after these items (for my then employer), and the person I was dealing with offered to lend me any of the recordings I chose for the weekend, if I wanted to hear them at home.

It is with hind site one of those personal 'if only' moments in life, still at least they continue to surface as bootlegs, and I bet there are a good number of these discs sitting in ex BBC staff's record collections.

Replacement download link in comments below - or just click on the picture above (11th January 2010).

Purchase: MP3's - Squeeze

The Rolling Stones - You Can't Do That Baby - 1972

The Rolling Stones American Tour of 1972, often referred to as the S.T.P. Tour (for Stones Touring Party), was a much publicized and much written about concert tour of the United States and Canada in June and July 1972.

According to the Wikipedia entry for this tour: 'the tour followed the release of the group's album Exile on Main St. a few weeks earlier on 12th May.

But this was far more than a rock band's typical promotional tour following the release of a new recording.

Rather, it became a major pop cultural event of the time. It came at the height of the Stones' reputation as "The Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band in the World."

At the same time, singer Mick Jagger was by now a glamorous celebrity who had moved into the jet set of high society. These aspects were all intertwined, and so the tour attracted much attention from observers of both high culture and low culture'.

This particular bootleg, is a compilation of four shows, over two nights, when the band played an early and late performance, on the 24th June 1972, at the Tarrant County Convention Center, Fort Worth, Texas, and on the 25th June 1972, at the Hofheinz Pavilion, Houston, Texas.

As I understand these are the best recordings of each performance, the set list being broadly consistent for each gig.

Source: Soundboard (remastered).

Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3 @192kbps.

Genre: Rock, Pop, Come on It's The Stones!

Set: Full set material, compiled from two venues over two days.

Set List:

Introduction - Houston 2nd Show.
Brown Sugar - Houston 2nd Show.
Bitch - Fort Worth 2nd Show.
Gimme Shelter - Fort Worth 1st Show.
Dead Flowers - Fort Worth 1st Show.
Happy - Fort Worth 1st Show.
Tumbling Dice - Houston 1st Show.
Love in Vain - Houston 1st Show.
Sweet Virginia - Fort Worth 1st Show.
You Can't Always Get What You Want - Houston 1st Show.
All Down The Line - Houston 2nd Show.
Midnight Rambler - Houston 2nd Show.
Band Introductions - Fort Worth 2nd Show.
Bye Bye Johnny - Houston 1st Show.
Rip This Joint - Fort Worth 2nd Show.
Jumpin' Jack Flash - Houston 1st Show.
Street Fighting Man - Houston 2nd Show.

Band Line Up:

Mick Jagger - vocals, harmonica
Keith Richards - guitars, vocals
Mick Taylor - guitars
Bill Wyman - bass guitar
Charlie Watts - drums

Additional musicians

Ian Stewart - only as a road manager, not on stage.
Nicky Hopkins - piano
Bobby Keys - saxophone
Jim Price - horns

Links: Official Site HERE.

Comments: No live album was released from this tour, although one was planned as far as having a front and back cover designed and studio touch-ups being made on several recorded tracks.

Eventually, the album was shelved due to contractual disputes with Allen Klein.

Back to Wikipedia: Fans of the band divide the tour in three parts: the first part (Vancouver Canada, to Long Beach) features an under-rehearsed Stones, and the performances were still a bit rough. The second part (Los Angeles to Montreal, Canada) features some of the best shows of the tour, with highly energized performances with the band melding as a well oiled machine. Many fans of the tour feel that the remaining part of the tour is somewhat marred inconsistent performances as a consequence of an exhausted band.

Based on that review it's good to know these recordings are from the best period of their 1972 tour.

SCROLL DOWN IN COMMENTS BELOW FOR REPLACEMENT LINK FOR PART ONE (PART TWO AS BEFORE).

Purchase: MP3's - The Rolling Stones

Marillion - Lufthansa Air Terminal 1983

This is Marillion back in 1983, the year they released their debut album 'Script for a Jester's Tear' (recorded at Marquee Studios, London, December 1982 - February 1983) and released in March 2003.

Throughout 1983 the band toured across the UK, Europe, and the USA, predominately as the headline act and selling out mainstream venues ( they opened for Rush at the Radio City Music Hall, New York for 5 nights).

Having built a credible London audience at the legendary Marquee Club prior to achieving notable success, the band chose to perform two secret gigs at the venue in 1983 (the previous year the club was their key London venue).

On May 12th 1983 they appeared as 'Skyline Drifters' at the venue, and for this particular concert at the Marquee Club London, on Sunday 30th, October, 1983, they sold out under the name 'Lufthansa Air Terminal', clearly their fans back then new what was going on.

Source: Original soundboard to audio cassette to MP3

Sound Quality: Good stereo (some 'tape hiss' between songs, this does not detract) mp3 @192kbps.

Genre: Progressive rock, Neo-progressive rock, Art rock

Set: Full Set.

Set List:

1. Garden Party
2. Punch And Judy
3. Script For A Jesters Tear
4. Emerald Lies
5. He Knows You Know
6. Assassin
7. She Chameleon
8. Jigsaw
9. Incubus
10. Forgotten Sons
11. Market Square Heroes
12. Margaret
13. The Web






Band Line Up:

Fish: Vocals
Mark Kelly: Keyboards
Pete Trewavas: Bass Guitar
Steve Rothery: Lead Guitar
Ian Mosley: Drums

Links: Official Site HERE.






Comments: The officially released album 'Early Stages' includes the band live at The Marquee, on the 30th December 1982 (CD 2 & 3).

As far as I understand, Marillion played eight gigs at the venue between early 1982 and 1983.

The other concerts at the Marquee are 'around' in various degrees of quality, I will be happy to try and source them if any Marillion fans are interested, otherwise enjoy this 'secret' gig in all it's glory.

Replacement download link in comments below (8th February 2012).

Purchase: MP3's and support the artists - Marillion