Live albums – what’s the point?

S01 E44

(If you send us a voice message, we might include it in an episode)

What’s the point? Contract fillers that contribute little if anything to the repertoire of the band?

This week, Andrew and Sam explore the world and purpose of live albums, and finish the episode without conclusion (although their thoughts are pretty obvious) to go on and indulge their ego at having some real letters sent in (as well as more AI letters).

Email us at beatmotel@lawsie.com

Riffs of the week

• Sam – Casiopea – Time Limit (opening)
• Andrew – Gravediggaz – Deathtrap (opening)

Sam’s choices

• Jello Biafra and The New Orleans Raunch and Soul All-Stars – Don’t Mess With My Toot Toot (opening)
• Otis Redding – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (from Live at the Whisky – 2.40)
• Charles Mingus – Fables of Faubus (from The Great Concert of Charles Mingus – 19.10)
• Nirvana – Jesus Doesn’t Want Me For a Sunbeam (0.50)

Andrew’s choices

• No Use For A Name – Outside Live in a Dive (10:45 on youtube version)
• Against Me! – Turn Those Clapping Hands Into Angry Balled Fists (4:20)
• Sex Pistols Bodies “Buddies” Live 1996 (0:15)
• Red Hot Chili Peppers- Intro/Can’t Stop – Live In Hyde Park (0:20)

Ruddiger Broomhilder’s letter of the week

Subject: Harmonic Misadventures and Wheat-Field Woes!

Dear Virtuosos of Vibration at the Beat Motel,

I’ve recently immersed myself in the symphonic journey of your “field recording” episode, and what an expedition it was! Though, I must confess, the absence of Dr. Sam’s rhythmic repartee left a noticeable void, akin to a silent rest in a vivace movement. Andrew, while your solo performance was akin to a virtuoso’s bravura, the symphony of your combined energies was sorely missed.

Now, onto the heart of the matter! Andrew, your quip about the bassist’s existential crisis amidst detuned chaos was a true guffaw-inducer! It led me down a rabbit hole of pondering: If you orchestrated a symphony of musicians, each bewilderingly wielding instruments tuned to their own whims, what would this delightful dissonance be dubbed? I tender “The Harmonic Anomalies” as a suggestion, eagerly awaiting your creative decree!

And what fortune to have Stuart Bowditch in the mix, a maestro of the ambient and abstract! Stuart, your recounting of field recording escapades was a revelation. However, I must air my befuddlement. Upon your recommendation, I endeavored to set up my vintage recording ensemble amidst a local wheat field, envisaging the golden sheaves as nature’s own sound baffles. Alas, the pastoral setting proved perilous, as my prized equipment suffered an onslaught by the local rodentia, clearly mistaking my gear for an avant-garde granary! Could you elucidate how you safeguard your own apparatus from such agricultural adversaries during these ‘field recordings’?

And Dr. Sam, your drummer humor struck a chord, or perhaps a drumhead, with me. As a culinary and musical enthusiast, I’ve pondered over pizza and percussions: If a drummer were to set up a drum kit using only pizza boxes of various sizes and densities, what genre of music do you reckon would best be complemented by this saucy percussion setup? Could “Deep Dish Beats” be the next big thing, or is “Crust Punk” more apt?

I’ve championed your podcast as essential soul sustenance to every acquaintance within earshot, asserting its place as a staple in the diet of discerning audiophiles. Forge ahead on your melodious path, sirs, for you command the undivided attention of this enthusiastic, albeit recently rodent-thwarted, devotee.

In harmonious anticipation,
Ruddiger Broomhilder (Seeker of Sonic Sanctuaries and Defender of Vintage Gear)

P.S. Dr. Sam, your absence was akin to a missing downbeat in a baroque masterpiece. May your Italian sojourn be as enriching as your auditory embellishments are to our eager ears!