Bob Marley & The Wailers: Live! - 1975

Some live albums are more than just live albums, aren't they? They are game-changers. This one certainly falls into that category. 

Yes, Catch A Fire had caught the ear of the music media, as had its follow-up, Burnin', and Bob Marley & The Wailers had impressed on The Old Grey Whistle Test, but, in many ways, it was this now iconic live release that really broke the band big, paving the way for the mainstream-conquering victory of Exodus in 1977. It was with this album that I properly got into Bob Marley. It was that important.

Helped by the single release of the now definitive version of No Woman No Cry the album captures The Wailers at their most confidently loose. There is a proper "live" atmosphere, exemplified by the wonderful moment the crowd noise swells at the organ intro to No Woman No Cry and the unbridled enthusiasm for the lively opener, Trenchtown Rock.. I was captivated when I heard the single and the extended, full cut of No Woman that you get on the album is simply superb. It turns a somewhat throwaway album track from Natty Dread into a copper-bottomed, timeless anthem.

The original album had only seven songs, three of the first four being roosty, militant ones in Burnin' And Lootin', Them Belly Full (But We Hungry) and the suitably upbeat Lively Up Yourself. There is also I Shot The Sheriff (known for the Eric Clapton cover of it) and the rousing Get Up, Stand Up. At the time, I had the single and the album, and I loved the skanking 'b' side, Kinky Reggae, with its band intro section. 

The album has now been released in deluxe form, featuring the full sets from the two nights at London's Lyceum from which the recordings came and including tracks such as Rebel Music (3 O' Clock Roadblock), the marvellous Stir It Up, Natty Dread and Slave Driver. This is probably the best way to get the full experience, but I will always have affection for the original album. One listen to No Woman No Cry and it is October 1975 again and I'm listening to it in my friend Tony's bedroom. We loved it. We still do. 

I have to say that the second night's show has the band loosening up even more and there is just something slightly better about that night's performances, sacrilegious as that might sound. Listening to different running order on the deluxe edition is a bit strange, though, Lively Up Yourself, at the end of the original side one, is actually an end of show number from night two, hence the noisy crowd reaction. 

Deluxe Edition

I agree with others who have commented on various media on the remastering of this edition, in comparison to other releases of Live!, to a certain extent. There certainly are differences. Personally, I don’t mind it, however, it is quite a subtle remaster, to my uneducated, sonically insensitive ears anyway. The bass is not thumping, it is melodic and understated. Yes, I know it is reggae and the bass should be powerful, and it still is but in a less wall-shaking way. There is also a raw, unpolished feel to the sound that sounds extremely authentic, heightening the feeling that you are there, for me. I agree that the existing remaster of Live! in its original album format is far more resonant and powerful and is the “go-to” remaster. However, in order to get the two full concerts and the few new, different tracks I can live with its lesser amount of “punch”.

SET 1

Trenchtown Rock
Burnin' And Lootin'
Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)
Rebel Music (3 O'Clock Roadblock)
Stir It Up
No Woman No Cry
Natty Dread
Kinky Reggae
I Shot The Sheriff
Get Up, Stand Up  
                                 
SET 2

Trenchtown Rock
Slave Driver
Burnin' And Lootin'
Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)
Rebel Music (3 O'Clock Roadblock)
No Woman No Cry
Kinky Reggae
Natty Dread
Stir It Up
Lively Up Yourself
I Shot The Sheriff
Get Up, Stand Up

Where it has its additional attractions for me, having lived with the original since 1975 is in that it gives you two sets, from consecutive nights at London’s Lyceum. Stir It Up, Rebel Music and Natty Dread are added to the material we already had from the original album and on the second gig we get Natty Dread and Slave Driver. Lively Up Yourself is also considerably extended compared to the one on the original Live!, by about three minutes. For those reasons, and others, I am more than happy to include it in my collection. Natty Dread is just superb. Hearing Marley and The I-Threes grooving it up on Stir It Up is just life-affirming.

The audience from the night that the original recording was taken from would seem to have been slightly more enthusiastic, given that the spine-tingling roar that accompanied the beginning of No Woman No Cry doesn’t happen on the next night. Marley’s vocal is looser, though, more relaxed. Well, it sounds it to me anyway, and as I knew the first night’s rendition note and nuance perfect it is really interesting and enjoyable to hear it done slightly differently (albeit in tiny places). The band introductions on Kinky Reggae are slightly different too, expectedly so.

So, personally, I do not have any sound problems with this and have thoroughly enjoyed hearing more cuts from these classic two nights in London back in July 1975.

Secondary, 4 of 10

 

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