Just a question.... Options

[promiseIma Livefan]

For those who believed that The Turn should not have been considered a Live album, should the current lineup- which consists of a second drummer and a new guitarist that both plays lead and contributes to the writing process- also not be considered Live? I am just interested in others' views on this. Granted all four original members are together again, but with the new cast it feels more like Live 2.0. Maybe they could rename themselves Living

This post has been edited by promiseIma Livefan: Jul 2 2018, 10:35 am

[Bob]

I'm curious: For hardcore fans of other bands, what do they do differently that Live doesn't do? Let's use the Counting Crows as an example, since they've been around almost as long as Live has, and they're currently touring together. What about Pearl Jam? Candlebox? I'd love examples just for reference.

I guess I don't know what I'm missing. I am seeing PJ this summer for the first time ever (though I've been a "fan" since Ten, but haven't liked anything after Vitalogy), and I have seen Candlebox perform many times and can say that they play their asses off and really try to be present with the audience, which I think is part of what bothers me about present-day Live.

I'm afraid I'm not familiar with other bands on the minutiae of their inner workings, so I can't answer this, but I'm very curious.

I too wonder if "The Turn" would have been a Gracious Few album, if we'd even be having this conversation. They released an album and toured together for awhile and no one on this board thought anything negative of it. Was that simply because it wasn't "Live" that they got a pass? Does a name matter that much to some? I too am in the camp of believing The Turn was the Best Live album we've gotten in a long time.

As far as Gracey goes being being the plexiglass, that was happening even when Live was playing on larger stages; that wasn't just an intimate thing. I think Ed was being petty on that one. They all use in-ear monitors. Ed could have kept them in the entire time and been none the wiser to how loud the drums were, or had the drums lowered in his mix if it was really a problem. If you have a dedicated sound engineer on the mix, you can tweak it to your liking instantly. That's also what soundcheck is for. If you're concerned about not being able to hear the crowd, you aim a mic out there. There are solutions to these issues. Thankfully, at least for now, those days are gone.

My biggest issue with the plexiglass days was that you couldn't hear it when CG was using his lighter sticks on songs like LC. The mix never increased his mics, so you couldn't hear much.

I don't mind Zak on guitar because he's adding a missing layer to the rhythm that Ed (or Railton or Adam; take your pick) used to add to really thicken the sound. He's also a damn good player. He's also had years to perfect his playing since he was with Ed on the road for months playing all of TC every night.

Regarding Robin on drums, I'd be fine with him being up there (mmm... less angry, maybe) if he was using more of a percussion-based setup instead of a full drumset that happens to have timbales on it. He doesn't need to be playing along with Gracey all the time. That's what drives me crazy, because it's always a smidge off and sounds like a nasty echo, and, let's face it, he's no Gracey.

[Voodoo Lady]

I'm curious: For hardcore fans of other bands, what do they do differently that Live doesn't do? Let's use the Counting Crows as an example, since they've been around almost as long as Live has, and they're currently touring together. What about Pearl Jam? Candlebox? I'd love examples just for reference.

I guess I don't know what I'm missing. I am seeing PJ this summer for the first time ever (though I've been a "fan" since Ten, but haven't liked anything after Vitalogy), and I have seen Candlebox perform many times and can say that they play their asses off and really try to be present with the audience, which I think is part of what bothers me about present-day Live.

I'm afraid I'm not familiar with other bands on the minutiae of their inner workings, so I can't answer this, but I'm very curious.

I've been a hardcore Motley Crue fan since 1983. I know in comparison to Live, you can say that Motley is a much "bigger band", but I compare them to Live in a lot of ways because they've had periods of suckage with bad albums and times where they hated each other and broke up, etc. They were approached in 2004 by a promoter to get it together and reunite for the fans, because the fans really wanted it. In fact, the whole thing was made into a documentary for VH1. Upon reuniting, in 2005, they released Red, White, and Crue, a greatest hits album with two new songs and a cover. The two new songs were really, really good in comparison to where they had left off. They had help writing the music too, from Nikki's future Sixx AM buddies. They also did videos for the songs and had them out before they kicked off their reunion tour. The tour!! OMG! It was amazing. They toured by themselves in 2005 "Red White and Crue-Better Live Than Dead" tour. I saw them in Dallas at a mid-sized venue. They played 20 songs in addition to guitar, bass, and drum solos. I didn't think the show was ever going to end. They absolutely blew the roof off the joint. Of course they played their greatest hits, but they also played stuff that only hardcore fans would know (like "Glitter"). Later, in subsequent tours, they would use social media to ask the fans in the cities they were in/night of what song they wanted to hear and they would switch it up. As a member of the fan club, you could get upgraded tickets.--I never could afford a meet and greet, which sucked, but I was able to get VIP tickets which included special parking, early entrance, floor seats, and goodies like a blanket, water bottle, and tote bag. As a fan, I just always felt really appreciated. They went on to do other things after 2005... Saints of Los Angeles Album in 2008, other tours, etc. and they are retired now. But they've made me proud to be a fan.

I'm also a hardcore fan of Tesla. They'll go out on the road with other big names like Def Leppard but then they will do a tour by themselves in smaller venues for their fans. I saw them last March here. Great show based on their 30th anniversary, so they showed a lot of old pictures on screens behind them and used a lot of other visuals along with their songs. Jeff Keith's voice is shot (he sounds better in person than YouTube vids, I can attest), but I don't mind. I just appreciate them being together. They also do a lot of touching base with the fans with social media and I dunno, I just feel the love from them. I don't get that feeling from Live although I absolutely love them and they are probably my favorite band. I'm sorry... you don't have to agree with me as I know I am a more feel-y, emotional person than most. But if Live had done a headlining tour and some new music shortly after their reunion, things wouldn't be so disappointing.

[Bob]

They also do a lot of touching base with the fans with social media and I dunno, I just feel the love from them. I don't get that feeling from Live although I absolutely love them and they are probably my favorite band. I'm sorry... you don't have to agree with me as I know I am a more feel-y, emotional person than most. But if Live had done a headlining tour and some new music shortly after their reunion, things wouldn't be so disappointing.

I completely agree with everything you've said. Short of a few social media posts with pics from the show and where they're going next, plus super bland interviews that are softball questions about where Live is at these days, they don't interact with fans, but then again, they never really have, that I can remember.

The biggest thing I keep going back to is the passion in their music, both in the studio and on the stage. It's in their name, for goodness sake. I just wanted to see if there were examples of other bands that really take fans to heart when they're doing what they're doing. After all, it's the fans that got them there in the first place.

I also miss their fan club. That couldn't have cost much to keep going, but it was another way to interact with the fans and give them something a little extra. I loved the Holiday Gifts and have almost all of them, but eventually it was reduced to a PDF and then nothing. I wish those Holiday Gifts would make a return, but even if they did, part of me thinks they'd be thrown together, so they'd be kinda worthless.

[Heather]

I completely agree with everything you've said. Short of a few social media posts with pics from the show and where they're going next, plus super bland interviews that are softball questions about where Live is at these days, they don't interact with fans, but then again, they never really have, that I can remember.

The biggest thing I keep going back to is the passion in their music, both in the studio and on the stage. It's in their name, for goodness sake. I just wanted to see if there were examples of other bands that really take fans to heart when they're doing what they're doing. After all, it's the fans that got them there in the first place.

I also miss their fan club. That couldn't have cost much to keep going, but it was another way to interact with the fans and give them something a little extra. I loved the Holiday Gifts and have almost all of them, but eventually it was reduced to a PDF and then nothing. I wish those Holiday Gifts would make a return, but even if they did, part of me thinks they'd be thrown together, so they'd be kinda worthless.

If nothing else a fan club would be nice for buying vip tickets or chances for meet and greets. In this day and age what band doesn't have that? I guess only bands that don't headline in their own country. Can't imagine there are many other bands like that.