I really do appreciate y'all's input on this. I was half drunk when I started it, and I don't mean to imply that live recording is the be-all, end-all of recording. I've just noticed that there are quite a few folks who discount live records altogether. Not just here but a lot of folks I've talked to. Maybe it's because there is a lot of schlock out there that passes for live recordings, or a certain expectation about them? It actually took me a while to develop an ear for "bootleg" tapes, too, so I understand that. Also, I don't mean that a band should perform exactly as on record.
In a studio setting, I do like to get the band to track everything as live as they can; I don't mean that overdubs are bad, or adding this or that are meritless, but all hail the band that can knock it out in one take.
Take The Limes, for example. You may like them, or not. I've done them both live and in the studio (well, Doug Easley tracked them in the studio, point is, I was there for the session). In the studio, everything was live, and they were able to knock shit out maybe a couple of times until they found a keeper. They'll probably go back and do some individual overdubs, maybe some extra vocals, whatever, but I think you
can get a live recording to sound as good as a studio, if you do it right.
This track was live at a gig, but I feel like I've got enough on multi-track to go back and add if I want, but, I knd of like it as it is; no compressors, effects, tracks doubled, whatever. There are fuck-ups in the song by the musicians, but, that's where I think, "it is what it is", and wouldn't change it.
Of course, sometimes, there's just no way to get it live, too, and I understand that. We got a good, multi-track recording of the Cheater Slicks last year, but somebody knocked over a guitar mic after the fourth song, and there's just no way to recover without it sounding drastically different. Another example would be Psychedelic Horseshit; there was just so much going on at that show, it would be difficult to reproduce everything that was going on.
Anyway, sorry for the rant, but I really do appreciate y'all's thoughts on thew matter.
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