Greatest Live Rock Artists

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 11721

Maybe not, but I think the Allmans have more quality live material that is widey praised.

Gray · **Joined:** Sun Jul 10, 2011 4:49 pm **Posts:** 3789

Sampson wrote:

Criteria: consistancy at maintaining that high performance level over time

Doesn't this apply to what I said?

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 11721

Yes it does. They've been just as consistent as the Dead, imo. Even after they lost the one-of-a-kind Duane Allman, they continued to be a killer live band, and still are to this day, which is amazing.
The Dead toured on a ridiculous level, but I agree that the Allmans have more quality material.

Gray · **Joined:** Sun Jul 10, 2011 4:49 pm **Posts:** 3789

When I look at the criteria, The Allmans aren't sure to be greater than the Dead though. The "impact of live performances on their own career" criterion will probably help the Dead more than any other artist. Live albums are pretty much all anyone cares about except maybe American Beauty and Workingman's Dead.

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 11721

It's kinda the same with the Allmans though. You'll definitely hear more praise for Fillmore East and some other live albums than their studio ones.

But yeah, The Dead could take it.

I'm still saying KISS is laughably low here. They're probably the only band that competes with the Dead in 'impact of live shows on artist's career'.

Shine On · **Joined:** Thu Aug 11, 2011 6:43 am **Posts:** 25

Zeppelin score better than Queen on the criteria but I admit that Queen performed better live than Zeppelin, and Floyd is a top 20.

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 11721

KISS are the only band on this list whose whole career is defined by their live shows.
Other bands have acclaimed studio albums that help them out, but it seems to me that no other band had live concerts affect their career like KISS.

Brett Alan · **Joined:** Thu Oct 07, 2010 2:17 pm **Posts:** 2854

Negative Creep wrote:

KISS are the only band on this list whose whole career is defined by their live shows.
Other bands have acclaimed studio albums that help them out, but it seems to me that no other band had live concerts affect their career like KISS.

The Grateful Dead. Their studio recordings may be somewhat more acclaimed than Kiss', but they rarely acheived the commercial success of Kiss'. The Dead actually grew their stature significantly during a period in the early-to-mid-80s when they weren't even making studio records. They were filling football stadiums without (up to that time) ever having even one top forty hit single.

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 11721

Yeah The Dead are the only ones that really compete with them there.
When 90-95% percent of an artist's success comes from their live shows, I think that warrants a high place.

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 11721

From Sampson on the first page:

Quote:

In the old rankings, where influence was equal to reputation, the Rolling Stones, who invented and popularized the entire current touring method that every major artist since has used, or Fats Domino, who completely shattered racial barriers for audiences, which were two of the most influential aspects ever in rock history, got elevated past their overall reputations (which were still very high) to get them their "controversial" placements and those placements were entirely justified by that specific criteria

.

Never knew that about the Stones. I wish Sampson was still here so he could elaborate on that (and I know he could).
Damn I miss him, easily my favorite poster ever.

Brian · **Joined:** Wed Oct 06, 2010 1:52 pm **Posts:** 2341

Shortly after Sampson took over this list, he did provide some info about some of the placements. Here's what he said about The Stones' live influence:

"As for influence on the evolution of the live show, they basically invented the corporate rock tour. That might not be something that the average music fan knows about or cares about but it is absolutely vital to credit properly and you can't overstate its importance. They took the tours out of the hand of individual shady promoters from town to town and made it into big business, with Mick as the genius marketing CEO, something that all artists forever after have taken advantage of."

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 11721

I knew there had to be a legit reason for their placement.
That's the thing with Sampson - he can back up everything he says.

SanTropez · **Posted:** Mon Aug 29, 2011 7:40 pm

Just for shits and giggles:

ClashWho · **Joined:** Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:45 pm **Posts:** 19227

For fans of live rock music, I highly recommend picking up the DVD of The Concert For New York City. It's an incredible bill and it's astounding how far beyond everyone The Who was that night. It's like... take a great concert where The Who was on fire, and then set that on fire. That's how amazing they were. It was amazing even for them. It's like watching Michael Jordan having the best game of his career. The sound is superb, too. Entwistle's bass and Townshend's guitar were both recorded exceptionally well. I've never heard better. The stars were in alignment for The Who that night.

Iceberg23 · **Joined:** Wed Oct 05, 2011 2:06 pm **Posts:** 15

I'm assuming Pearl Jam is so low because of their relative short number of years in existence compared to every band ahead of them has been playing since the 80's and in most cases 60's & 70's..This also hurts them from an influence stand point, no doubt.

*Just some perspective, Pearl Jam has sold as many bootlegs as the Allman's live at the Fillmore and the Who Live at Leeds COMBINED....and that's just been the last 10 years, when album sales have plummeted.

*they were chosen to close out the Spectrum in Philly, one of the best sounding and most famous concert venues in the US.

Greatest Live Rock Artists

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