Disco de Status Quo: “Live”

"Frampton Comes Alive," "KISS Alive," "Thin Lizzy - Live and Dangerous..." Famous Live albums most assuredly, with multi-plantinum sales to support lofty claims of representing the pinnacle of recorded live rock. Two albums, however, rarely receive the truly deserved accolades of being the "best" in live hard rock recordings which they indeed represent: UFO's "strangers In The Night" and this beautiful gem, Status Quo's mid-70's magnum opus merely entitled "LIVE." Recorded in front of an unbelievably rowdy crowd in Glasgow, Scotland, this testament to the power of good-time 12-bar hard rock-boogie still sounds as fresh and timeless as it originally did over twenty years ago. From the very beginning carnival barker announcement "Is there anybody out there who wants to Rock?" to the showstopping penultimate 16 plus minute rendition of "Roadhouse Blues," a rendition that puts every other attempt along with the original Doors-version completely to shame, Status Quo take no prisoners in a rousing, toe-tapping guitar festival. When guitarist and lead vocalist Rossi implores the audience to "behave themselves" and to stop causing the balcony to sway due to the foot-stompin' sing-along crowd, you can FEEL the electricity of crowd/band right in your own four walls. Do yourself a favor: place this magnificent example of live rock'n'roll in your shopping cart and begin to anxiously count the days until your favorite postal employee delivers unto you a live concert you'll never forget.

This is how I will always remember Quo, no matter how many more lame albums they release. If you grew up in the USA, you probably missed out on this boogie explosion machine - but man, did they rock in concert. Fortunately for you, there is the 'Live' album which captured Status Quo in their full glory at the peak of their 'live' carreer. The first four songs just bring the house down before they slow it down a bit during 'Most of the Time'. But then they dish out their more than 10 minute gem '4500 times' which is even better than the version on 'Hello' (forget the poor re-take they put on their 'Rock 'til you Drop' CD in the nineties). And then it's full force head down rock'n'roll until the last note on 'Roadhouse Blues'. There are a couple of other live CDs from Status Quo ('Live at the NEC' or 'Live Alive Quo') but they don't even come close to this night at the Apollo in Glasgow. A true time capsule and a must buy for all you rockers out there !

This is the definite cd of Status Quo. It contains there best songs in awesome live versions. It's a much better buy than any "best of" collection. My personally favourite tracks are Bye Bye Johnny, Caroline, Big Fat Mama, Roll Over Lay Down and Backwater/Just Take Me. But there is really no filler. All songs are magnificent stuff. If you feel depressed, just listen to this album and the good times will return immediately.

What was it about the 70s live albums? DP's Made in Japan, Lizzy's Live & Dangerous, UFO's Strangers in the Night? These group really knew how to put on a show. NOTHING comes remotely close these days except the bands of that era that are still around. And heading the charge is Quo!

Quo in the 70s were simply awesome - the Apollo Theatre in Glasgow's Renfield Street was the ultimate rock venue. And Quo knew how to make it rock. The balcony moving was legendary. Rossi's comments on the album about this spectacle are great! I used to go there regularly - it was a flea pit, it was falling apart and finally it was demolished but Quo could not have picked a better venue for their Live Album. The atmosphere just oozes from this masterpiece of uber-boogie.

OK, its full of mistakes, its live after all! But the mistakes just add to the atmosphere. One critic said at the time regarding the sound quality, "it may have been played in Glasgow, but it sounds like it was recorded over the phone in Edinburgh!" This is a raw, take-no-prisoners, full-on, tele 'n' marshall driven blitzkreig of 12 bar hedonism.

This Album shows just how awesome this British institution were in the 70s. Quo maybe got a bit softer in the 80s although they still hammer it out to this day. Back then however, this was a band with a mission. A mission whose core message was simply FUN. Anyone who can sit still through this sort of stuff has must be completely inorganic.

Buy it, crank it up, get the denim on, hook those thumbs into your belt loops and get boogie-ing! You know you want to!

PS Only 5 stars becaue there is no 100 star option!