guitman Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 My mind is ruled by an internal clock. It's my curse. I've always been musically inclined, and it KILLS me when bands (90% of the time) play their tunes faster live than the studio version. Take, for example, IATTBYH off of the KT album. Could they play it any faster? I played in a blues band for a while (while in the navy)... and I know it's adrenaline which causes them to play faster. But, dammit -- I've got YHF and Being There memorized, and when I hear the live versions, it drives me crazy. These guys are professionals. Slow down fellas!!! I know you wanna get your post-gig drink on, but just play the song a little slower please.... off soap box> Quote Link to post Share on other sites
froggie Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 i see what you mean, but i actually prefer it. as for IATTBYH, i like it more live than on the album. mountain bed is another that seems slightyly faster on stage and it gives it a smoother flow i've heard a few artists play songs slower on stage (workingman's blues from dylan's latest comes to mind). ed kuepper does it quite a bit too Quote Link to post Share on other sites
guitman Posted January 13, 2007 Author Share Posted January 13, 2007 i see what you mean, but i actually prefer it. as for IATTBYH, i like it more live than on the album. mountain bed is another that seems slightyly faster on stage and it gives it a smoother flow i've heard a few artists play songs slower on stage (workingman's blues from dylan's latest comes to mind). ed kuepper does it quite a bit too I kinda feel that artists that play the studio versions slower on stage are doing it on purpose. In other words...they're kinda smart enough to know that it's a different experience for the listener if it's slowed down. Dylan (and The Band live stuff) is a great example. I'll back off my 90% claim...but I still think 75% is played too fast... ...unless it's lyp-synched, of course. Then it's "gots-to-be" perfect! Sags Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TCP Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 I dislike when bands play it exactly like the studio version.Keep playin' it fast, Wilco! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cryptique Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 I dislike when bands play it exactly like the studio version. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lazy Locomotive Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 I dislike when bands play it exactly like the studio version.Keep playin' it fast, Wilco! I hate it when I go to a show and the song is different. I personally like seeing how a song is played on the guitar, or what effects they use to achieve a sound. But I hate it more than anything when a song is played completely different. I mean, it must get boring playing the same songs night after night, but us the fans have payed good money for tickets. I don't want to hear a joke version of Monday, or Heavy Metal Drummer. And as much as I love Tweedy, I can't stomach his harmonica, long drawn out version of Sunken Treasure, which on Being There is beautiful, haunting, and one of my all time favorites. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hodie Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Hearing variations on songs I love is pretty much what I live for, so I'm going to come down firmly on the side of NOT copying the studio version for live shows. The tempo issue is not that important to me, but I do believe I've noticed that when they first started playing the current version of Spiders live, they played it faster than they do now. I liked faster. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beltmann Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Hearing variations on songs I love is pretty much what I live for, so I'm going to come down firmly on the side of NOT copying the studio version for live shows.Same here. It's precisely because I have the studio version memorized that I enjoy a fresher live version. If all Wilco aimed to do was offer a note-for-note replica of their CD, wouldn't that essentially make them a cover band? That would become stale fast, both for them and for us. The tempo issue is not that important to me, but I do believe I've noticed that when they first started playing the current version of Spiders live, they played it faster than they do now. I liked faster.I agree, but maybe the band got tired of wanting to collapse after playing "Spiders." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TakiSC Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 And as much as I love Tweedy, I can't stomach his harmonica, long drawn out version of Sunken Treasure, which on Being There is beautiful, haunting, and one of my all time favorites. I couldn't disagree with you more. Have you heard the version from the 10/19/01 show in Boston? That's the definitive recording for me... I can post it if anybody doesn't have it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Atticus Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 If all Wilco aimed to do was offer a note-for-note replica of their CD, wouldn't that essentially make them a cover band? That would become stale fast, both for them and for us. one of the things that always bothered me a bit about R.E.M. (the really early live shows I've heard had some changes and mayhem, but everything I've heard from late 80s to present sounds identical--with a few exceptions when Michael disdains having to sing the song and just rambles through) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
OOO Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Chalk up another vote for wanting songs played differently live. I can understand not wanting to hear every song completely differently because the new versions might suck (i.e. Bob Dylan with some of his older songs), but theres not much point to seeing a band live if they play it just like the record. Also, both versions of sunken treasure are beautiful....AND haunting. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WaronWar Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 I love it when a band does not play the same verison on the record twice. It is almost like they are playing with no emotion because they are just going note for note. In addition, while I love Pink Floyd, I am not a huge fan of them live because David Gilmour always plays the same notes (which are amazing on record), but boring after hearing them live. What I always love about Nels Cline's playing is that he always improvises on his solos. For example, he never plays the same verison at the coda of Muzzle of Bees or when he plays "Ashes of American Flags" or any other song. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
markosis Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 I think this discussion has diverged into two different things, for me: tempo of the songs live and live variations of the studio versions. I love when bands and artists change songs up live. What good artist doesn't do that? Adding different instruments and textures to a song is always welcome as long as it works. But I can't stand when songs get sped up. ESPECIALLY "I'm The Man Who Loves You." That song had such a cool laid back groove on the record and the live version (at least recently) is all jumpy and nervous-sounding. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WaronWar Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 I think this discussion has diverged into two different things, for me: tempo of the songs live and live variations of the studio versions. I love when bands and artists change songs up live. What good artist doesn't do that? Adding different instruments and textures to a song is always welcome as long as it works. But I can't stand when songs get sped up. ESPECIALLY "I'm The Man Who Loves You." That song had such a cool laid back groove on the record and the live version (at least recently) is all jumpy and nervous-sounding. But the guitar solo is still amazing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pickleboiler Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Wilco mostly plays the songs at the tempo they want. Your example is only one song. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gabepride Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 One of the things I love most about Wilco is that every time I see them (once or twice a year), their songs have slightly different arrangements. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
So Long Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 What's so great about bands playing live is the ability for the tempo to increase depending on the momentum of the moment. It's awesome, and I really think it adds so much to the music. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
j4lackey Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 What I really like about Wilco is every time I see them live... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TCP Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 If you want to hear the song exactly like the record, stay home and listen to the record. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SarahC Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 i was just about to say what halcyon said. part of seeing a show is that the music (all aspects included) is different than the record, at least i think. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
froggie Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 takiSC, i wouldnt mind hearing that Sunken treasure from 19/10/01 mentioned above... i also think it sounded best on those late 2001 shows EDIT: there doesnt seem to be a show there on that day according to wilcobase! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
guitman Posted January 14, 2007 Author Share Posted January 14, 2007 My original point was that I can't stand songs that are always sped up. I love variation -- different instruments, arrangements, etc. Just the tempo... Rarely are songs played too slow. It's usually the other way around. [Exception: Ryan Adams nearly brought all of his songs to a standstill at Lollapalooza.] Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lost highway Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 The revamped, building ho-down version of sunken treasure they were doing in 2006 was so much more awesome to me then the trad. BT version. At least in the live sense. As a matter of fact, you got an mp3 of that one froggie? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cryptique Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 I hate it when I go to a show and the song is different. I personally like seeing how a song is played on the guitar, or what effects they use to achieve a sound. But I hate it more than anything when a song is played completely different. Why even go to a concert if the songs are going to be the same as they are on the album? These days I would probably just walk out of a show if it was a note-perfect reproduction of the album tracks. The artist may as well just stand on stage with a boombox and play CDs into a microphone ... it's basically the same thing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
froggie Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 sunken treasure 2006... all my disks are in 'storage'... should have some versions somewhere but they're buried in boxes...i'm sure someone else can post one > Rarely are songs played too slow. It's usually the other way around. there were some on the AM tour that were done pretty slowly compared to their album version Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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