The best live albums of all time, according to Slash
Slash is one of the most prolific guitarists in the world. He twisted the simple three-chord structure of many rock songs to create something fascinating and complex. Tracks like ‘Estranged’, ‘November Rain’ and ‘Coma’ are put together like operas, with a narrative running through them and different key changes and variations in tonality throughout.
He has a tremendous songwriting ability that oozes with energy, regardless of how much the riff, lick and solo might have been put through a studio. He also loves touring and performing live, which likely contributes to his work’s feelings of grit and freedom.
Throughout his career, he has never taken much of a break from writing and touring, whether this was with Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver or his solo show. Something about the art of playing live, the crowd’s roar and the energy he gets from his fellow musicians stays with him and continues to follow him wherever he goes.
“It’s something that is just sort of in my lifeblood,” he said, “And a lot of it has to do with the fact that I just love playing, and any kind of vehicle that helps me be able to achieve that, to be able to play all the time… And the thing about touring is that, for me, it is really the best place for me to learn how to play guitar.”
Slash doesn’t just enjoy playing live but enjoys listening to live music, too. He’s a musician who is constantly trying to learn and is always open to working with new people in the interest of bettering himself, so he enjoys listening to various artists in the interest of improving the way he can both play and record music.
Live records tend to divide opinion a lot of time; many people believe they sound like a poor version of a studio album, whereas others like to feel transported to the venue floor. Realistically, it’s a bit of both. Live albums in which the songs are played with nothing extra added aren’t worth much time. On the other hand, live LPs in which the crowd can be heard singing along provide something different from a studio album.
As a lover of music and gigging, Slash is naturally on the side that favours the live album, so much so that he crafted a list of what he believes to be the best ever recorded. So, what are they?
Slash’s favourite live albums of all time:
- Cheap Trick At Budokan – Cheap Trick
- Strangers In The Night – UFO
- Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! – The Rolling Stones
- If You Want Blood You’ve Got It – ACDC
- Live Bootleg – Aerosmith
- Live At Leeds – The Who
- Double Live Gonzo! – Ted Nugent
- The Song Remains The Same – Led Zeppelin
- Irish Tour – Rory Gallagher
- Live Killers – Queen
