How cool is it to say that you were actually at a live concert recording? I can say it three times… Well… two albums and a song.
I saw Townes Van Zandt and can be heard on his Live at McCabe’s, recorded on Feb. 10, 1995. This is a tough one to listen to, as he was definitely, fully enveloped by his demons at this show, and it would be the last time I would see him live or alive. There are some stand outs worth having and some songs that are almost too painful to listen to… but for better or worse I was there.
I saw Jars of Clay play a live set at Sundance in 1999 and their great song “Flood” made it onto a fantastic, must-have compilation CD called Where Music Meets Film. Sadly, although good for you, this CD can be picked up for less than a quarter on Amazon! The disc includes Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt, who most frustratingly, the bouncer would not let me into see because I was not on the list. I did wind up becoming friends with him by the end of our stay, which is how I got into Jars of Clay… but seeing Lovett and Hiatt in a small room would have been a dream. Perhaps even more sadly, the CD does not have the wonderful Peter Himmelman on it. I got to see him play in a makeshift Starbucks upstairs from one of the theatres and had a chance to speak with both him and Guy Pearce, who happened to be standing next to me. I also met Michael Stipe, who had no time to talk to me… and the wonderful MC Gainey, who not only did, but also invited us to the Happy, Texas party! As you can imagine, I miss Sundance and really, really need to get back.
And then there was this little recording… October 13, 1982. The Clash open for The Who at Shea Stadium!
The Clash - Live at Shea
I have to say, at least on this night, The Clash blew The Who off stage… Maybe it was an off night for Pete, Roger, John and Kenny Jones, but The Clash was on fire.
I have blogged about this one before, just not on My Tunes: The Albums Project, and not in this year-long adventure, so it counts… so there!
And I can quote myself: ”This is pretty awesome on its own, as it is the first official live Clash CD to ever be issued… and the tapes were lost until Joe Strummer happen to find them during a move. The reviews are spectacular, and all say how the concert shows the band at its absolute height, strange in the fact that there was so much inner turmoil and backstage antics going on at the time… but hey, that’s Rock ‘n Roll and perhaps angst and drama actually work for rock bands…”
“It does not work on the set of comedies and sit coms, for all you bone headed directors out there…”
“Less than a year after this historic show, in 1983, The Clash would lose Mick Jones. Well, they wouldn’t lose him… he’d leave… And in 1986 the band would break up for good. The world would in fact lose Strummer in 2002 at only 50 years old. Sad. That man had a lot of music left… a lot.”
So I am a part of Rock n’ Roll history. That seems appropriate.
“I remember driving out to the stadium with my friends and to be honest, we were mostly there to see The Who. Don’t get me wrong, Combat Rock was in my record collection and I loved it… but as you know from my previous blogging, I was not as sophisticated a music aficionado as I am now. But that all changed once The Clash hit the stage.”
What was odd was David Johansen opening for both of them. He was good, but that is just odd.
Here is a great little taste that makes me wish I was a lot more adventurous in my youth. There were so many more shows I could have gone to… so much more rock I could have and should have listened to.
But I was there for this gem… this live concert piece of perfection. Just feel the energy… feel the true power of Rock music!
“London Calling”, “Tommy Gun”, “Rock The Casbah”, “Train In Vain”, “Spanish Bombs”, “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” and “I Fought The Law”… Looking at just part of the set… Are you kidding me?
Joe may be gone… Shea may be gone… but this is proof that Rock n’ Roll is here to stay…
So to my friends, young and old, go see as much live music as you can.
Rock and move, you’ll understand.
Music and concerts will shape who you are
They’ll stick in your dreams, and shine like the stars
Oh the memories they make, the pleasure and bliss
We receive so much love from these musical gifts
As the lights go down and the band hits the stage
Your eyes and ears and soul engage
Music transports us and sets us on fire
So open your hearts and crank it up higher
A note, a chord, a song’s all we need
It’s our air, our breath, our drink and our feed
Let it play on, let it play through the night
For we become music and music is life
Saw Clash and Who during this tour at the Coliseum in LA. It was October 30. I know this because the next night was Halloween when Lucia went into labor with our first son, Nick who was born on All Saints Day, 1982.
Love your comments… Love that you have seen so many great shows! Now take me to Barecelona with you!!!