Live music is something more than a simply part of my life. It’s part of my being. Yes, it’s true, I don’t really go to many shows as of late, but listening to live music in the comfort of my home has become an institution for learning and appreciating an extension of recorded music. This is why some of my favorite records are either recorded live in concert or live in the studio with little to no overdubs. There is something that happens as a group playing live that can never be reproduced in a studio with overdubbing parts separately.

1. Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense
2. Bad Brains’ Live
3. Erykah Badu’s Live – Regardless of Erykah’s sick emotional and moving capabilities, Charles “Poogie” Bell, Jr’s performance on this record is worth it alone. He’s slick as shit.
4. U2′s Rattle & Hum – As overdubbed as you can get, it’s still tremendous music. The intro to “All Along The Watchtower” still makes me cringe when I hear it. It’s just so overdubbed!
5. Underworld’s Everything Everything – Wow, an electronic outfit you could honestly call a band. And they tour. Wild!
6. Johnny Cash’s At Folsom Prison
7. Fela Kuti’s Live! – There’s something about Nigerian funk that speaks to me. And this show is no exception. Fela was spot on.
8. Frank Zappa’s You Can’t Do That On Stage Anymore Vol 2 – Helsinki’s greatest treat from 1974. Napoleon Murphy Brock, Chester Thompson (and his gorilla), George Duke & Ruth Underwood were at their finest that night.
9. Cheap Trick’s Live at Budokan – “This next one…”
10. Miles Davis’ Live at the Fillmore East – This is one dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty piece of music history.

What’s you Top 10 Favorite Live albums?