What to expect from +Live+..., now that Ed is back Options

[Bremang]

This "they can't do it they are old" crap is getting tired. The Rolling Stones are old, Live is not. Age is not an excuse for a mailed in performance when you are charging people to see a rock show.

Fish wants a 2 hour "blistering rock" show. Almost nobody Ed's age can do that. All this "I hope for Ed to rock" is beaten to death.

[FishOutaWater]

I was going to write a similar reply, but then I decided not to, but now I changed my mind again.

In the last year or two, I've seen Springsteen multiple times, Billy Joel, The Who, Pat Benatar, Melissa Ethridge, Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac, Huey Lewis and the News, Heart, Willie Nelson, Buddy Guy, Keb Mo, Blondie, and Joan Jett (and those are just some of the concerts that I saw, but I am just going off of recollection about the OLD guys). Just earlier today I watched the Sammy Hagar Rock Road trip show with John Mellencamp and they sounded great. Look at the Stones and U2, Kevin Martin with Candlebox, Pearl Jam, Chris Cornell, Bon Jovi, Iron Maiden, Dave Matthews, METALLICA FOR PETE'S SAKE!! I here McCartney shows are amazing. Jack White is only 6 years younger than Live and he is a maniac. I could go on and on and on. They are are older than Live.

So don't anybody give this stuff about Live being too old to make and perform great music. I am calling B.S. I don't think Ed's age should have anything to do with the quality off his voice or performance. I saw Springsteen out hustle and outperform Live at the age of 67 (and his band are similarly aged) for 4 straight hours on multiple different occasions this year.

So they can do it. If they can't do it, then that is on them! But not because they are too old. Problem is, they were performing 90 minute greatest hits sets 10 years ago. If I was them, I could do it. I want to see them do it.

This post has been edited by FishOutaWater: Mar 29 2017, 3:18 pm

[Bremang]

Fish if you think there's a chance that Ed can put on a blistering rock show for you then I hope he does. Vast majority of those bands you mentioned I would consider soft compared to 90's Live, so I think what rocks for you is something 40 year old Live can achieve.

[FishOutaWater]

Fish if you think there's a chance that Ed can put on a blistering rock show for you then I hope he does. Vast majority of those bands you mentioned I would consider soft compared to 90's Live, so I think what rocks for you is something 40 year old Live can achieve.

I do understand what you're saying. "Blistering" is definitely not the right word for what I am looking for. The only think blistering after a Live show is going to be Chad Taylor's frett fingers and Ed's feet (and maybe some other parts if they attempt to wear skinny jeans).

But I've seen many comments here about how Ed can't sing the songs well anymore because of his age. I just don't accept that. I don't think he is incapable in his forties of doing the classic Live songs justice. The tone and the high notes may not be identical to 20 years ago, but there is no reason for him not to be able to put on a really great performance of these songs. And they should be able to perform a really great 2+ hour set that changes from night to night and includes deeper tracks. They should be able to wow a crowd and please fans on a tour and keep them guessing about the setlist they are going to see.

As for the new music, I would like to see them get creative with an old school raw analog sound. Make it rock n roll instead a 40 track digitized, sterilized, polished gem. That might at least differentiate them.

[Voodoo Lady]

First...Oh my God yes, I love Sammy Hagar. He is 69 years old and his shows will still rock your face off. He's all over the stage and sounds great.

With that said, Fish, I 100% understand what you are expecting from Live and I want, hope, wish, and would love for it to happen, too. I DO think they are fully capable of doing everything you want and describe. A MJ 2.0 would be a sweet gift. A 2 hour diverse set list would be divine. A show worth the price of our tickets would be a nice thank you to the fans. They can pull it off and then some. I just feel like we are in for a 90 minute set list with mostly radio hits. A song or two stuck in here or there for us fans who go way back. As for the new music, I think there's a little more promise there.
It's just... I just don't know if they are hungry enough to pull it all off. I'm basing how I feel on their NYE show, (which was very good, but we I think we can all agree not spectacular) and frankly, how boring they've been since announcing the reunion, and I'm WORRIED. I'll make a more confident decision on how hungry they are when I see a festival clip and hear a new song, sure. --Can't wait until May! I truly hope they live up to your expectations and they just damn BRING it. They've got it in them, age is definitely not a factor. It's how bad they want this. Plain and simple.

[FishOutaWater]

I have always had the strong impression that Ed and Chad Taylor are true artists and they are proud of being in the elite club of rock bands that have made a mark, experienced the pinnacle, and can lay claim to being recognized as artists. They often talk about their history and experiences, their friends in the business, and relish the creative process and the work and creative process of other artists. They seem proud of that. So I really hope that what is driving them right now is not a desire (or need) for money and earning a living off of their band, but rather a need to be true to themselves and be artists who have to create music and perform it because that is the very nature of who they are. And fortunately, if you are a good artist, and you embrace and express it, the financial success just comes along with it without having to try. That is the part where many artists get tripped up. That point where they start chasing "it". They are "looking" for the next hit instead of letting the music come to them and express itself through them. The artists that concern themselves with making popular music, instead of making their own art and letting it just be great on its own, are the ones that lose their way. And my personal opinion is that is what happened with Birds of Pray and Songs From Black Mountain. Those albums were packaged products that came from a need to produce another hit, instead of emerging from an artist's studio. Just look at the title of "Birds of Pray" and the cover of Songs From Black Mountain. That screams "poser" that was just trying to hard. And we were told that Songs From Black Mountain was the next Throwing Copper. I hope that they have taken a BIG step WAY back and reevaluated. Now that they do not have a record label and they have their own studio and they have all the time in the world, there is no excuse other than them getting in their own way. i don't care how long it takes them, I hope they don't start settling on tracks they want to release unless and until they finally find that space where they are expressing their true art and it sounds natural and unforced.

The problem that gives us all pause is that we have seen over a decade of empty promises and broken dreams. So many "special" shows have turned out to be not so special. So many promises undelivered. 90 minute greatest hit setlists. Missed opportunities and missteps. Yet here we are, still hanging on and loving this band, hoping for that new beginning where we will see the promised land that we know Live is capable of, if they could just deliver. Like Charlie Brown with the football, we all hope that maybe this will be the time.

As for Sammy Hagar, if you love Sammy Hagar, you should watch his show on AXS TV called Rock n Roll Roadtrip. He goes around the country and meets up with different artists and they talk music and perform. It's pretty cool. I have always been more of a David Lee Roth person, although i saw VH perform with Hagar in 1985 or 1986. One of my best early concert experiences. It was my birthday and we snuck up to the front row.

This post has been edited by FishOutaWater: Mar 29 2017, 6:04 pm

[Voodoo Lady]

The problem that gives us all pause is that we have seen over a decade of empty promises and broken dreams. So many "special" shows have turned out to be not so special. So many promises undelivered. 90 minute greatest hit setlists. Missed opportunities and missteps. Yet here we are, still hanging on and loving this band, hoping for that new beginning where we will see the promised land that we know Live is capable of, if they could just deliver. Like Charlie Brown with the football, we all hope that maybe this will be the time.

Exactly!!!
One new song outta the reunion gate would have been smart, but obviously it was not the right time, so I wait. A tour this spring would have made my whole year. They want to do festivals instead? Okay, I'll wait for a proper tour. They want to be elusive and mysterious like Tool, when interaction and updates on social media IMO would be best (most painful part of waiting for me). But yep, hanging on and hoping, that's what we do!

As for Sammy Hagar, if you love Sammy Hagar, you should watch his show on AXS TV called Rock n Roll Roadtrip. He goes around the country and meets up with different artists and they talk music and perform. It's pretty cool. I have always been more of a David Lee Roth person, although i saw VH perform with Hagar in 1985 or 1986. One of my best early concert experiences. It was my birthday and we snuck up to the front row.

Back in the day, I liked both Van Halen and Van Hagar. Both were great shows. Just prefer Sammy
more, especially now! Love Rock n Roll Roadtrip. My favorite ep is an early one....jamming with Tommy Lee on Rock Candy.

[Wambangalang]

the problem isn't Ed's voice or age, it's his brain. His idea of a deep and moving song now is Just in Time and Bottle of Anything.

Sometimes people change...and he's the proof.

[Bremang]

They want to be elusive and mysterious like Tool, when interaction and updates on social media IMO would be best (most painful part of waiting for me).

facebook posts 5 times in 2 weeks, interviews, videos, added shows. they laid out their plan for the next two years to us. what is this mystery of which you speak?

[Voodoo Lady]

the problem isn't Ed's voice or age, it's his brain. His idea of a deep and moving song now is Just in Time and Bottle of Anything.

Sometimes people change...and he's the proof.

I have faith the old, rock n roll Ed is still in there. He just spent many years doing a Christian Contemporary passion project. Kind of like how Steven Tyler can make a country album, but we all know he can come back to killin' it with Aerosmith when he really wants. CCP just made the mistake of allowing Ed to throw CCM into Live and not keeping it separate. No way that's happening again. But again, how hungry they are is going to determine how hard their new stuff rocks.

[Voodoo Lady]

facebook posts 5 times in 2 weeks, interviews, videos, added shows. they laid out their plan for the next two years to us. what is this mystery of which you speak?

They could try posting "In the studio today working on a new song" and post a pic of their smiling mugs in the booth. They could try tweeting, "Answering five fans' questions right now, go!"

Maybe Nikki Sixx has just spoiled me, but I don't think so. --Solo Ed was better on his FB. I expect they are busy, but damn. It only takes 5 minutes.

[san_sao]

the problem isn't Ed's voice or age, it's his brain. His idea of a deep and moving song now is Just in Time and Bottle of Anything.

Sometimes people change...and he's the proof.

I think he's finding his way back. That's one of the reasons I'm really excited for new music. I want to see where he's at artistically.