Genre: rock
Rating: **** (4 stars)
Title:  Live
Company: MCA
Catalog: MCA2-8009
Year: 1977
Country/State: Holland
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: gatefold sleeve; double LP
Available: 1
Catalog ID: 6330
Price: $9.00

As a high school and college kid in the mid-to-late 1970s, I was in my prime record buying phase and I acquired more than my share of double album, concert sets. Surrounded by the likes of Fleetwood mac, Peter Frampton, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Led Zeppelin, Bob Seger, etc., etc., I'll tell you that Golden Earring's "Live" stands as a personal favorite in the double LP, live marketing niche. It stands as an album I've literally listened to hundreds of times over the years and every time I listen to it I hear something that impresses me even more (the last time around it was Rims Gerritsen's bass work on 'Mad Love's Comin'). So in the interests of full disclosure I'll tell you that if you were looking for something fancy, then this wasn't the place to turn since these ten extended tracks made no attempt to sweeten up the band's in-concert sound. The ten tracks included occasionally flat vocals (though Barry Hay's instantly recognizable voice seldom sounded as good), and various other minor missteps, but that merely added to the collection's power. What you got was the band's classic mid-1970s line-up showcasing lead guitarist Eelco Gelling (still fairly new to the band), bassist Gerritsen, singer Hay, guitarist George Kooymans, and drummer Cesar Zuiderwijk relentlessly working their way though a mixture of hits and a couple of lesser known numbers ('Fightin' Windmills'). And that's always been one of the things I've loved about Golden Earring - maybe it's just their Dutch DNA, but these guys simply didn't demonstrate any of the BS, or pretense that plagued so many UK and US rockers. Looking for a needless, never-ending drum solo ? Not here. Looking for 30 minutes of flat scat singing ? Not here. Looking for a walk on appearance by a 50 piece orchestra ? Not here. This was five guys with very little post-production clean up and with the exception of the epic and seemingly endless 'Radar Love', very few needless notes. Curiously the abbreviated liner notes didn't give you any details as to when, or where the set was records (all is said was "in Europe"), though Hay's between-song patter mentioned the concert was being recorded for Radio Canadian radio. I'm sure someone out there has the actually recording information ...

- 'Candy's Gone Bad' has always struck me as being one of the band's most ominous rockers and this time out the performance showcased Gelling's blazing lead guitar. Yeah, Hay's vocal wasn't perfect, but again, their decision not to fix everything in post-production added a nice edge to the collection. rating: **** stars
- Largely unknown to American audiences, 'She Flies On Strange Wings' was a nice nod to their early-1970s catalog (as I recall the song was originally featured on their "Seven Tears" LP). Musically it started out as a nice dreamy rocker with one of Gelling's prettiest solos and then exploded into a full-ahead rocker with one of Hay's most Frenetic vocals. rating: **** stars
- One of their biggest commercial hits, if anything the live version of 'Mad Love's Comin'' managed to up the studio versions sense of urgency. Incorporating one of rock's best guitar riffs certainly didn't hurt with the combination of Gelling and Kooymans' double lead guitar literally sizzling throughout. One of those rare songs that actually managed to sound better in an extended, live setting. Don't forget what I said about Gerritsen's bass work ... rating: **** stars
- I guess you could excuse them for turning their signature tune into a mini-epic ... In this case 'Radar Love' clocked in at a full 12 minutes, though judicious editing could have cut it down to about seven minutes without any loss. Still, I'll admit a fondness for the funky Gelling and Kooymans guitar showdown and it was a blast to hear the audience singing the refrain. My goodness these guys could play some guitar !!! rating: **** stars
- The album's first disappointment, to my ears 'Just Like Vince Taylor' simply wasn't a very good song. Yeah I can appreciate their tribute to the English singer (one of rock's sadder acid casualties), but musically this was a pretty pedestrian slice of boogie. I didn't like it on 1973's "Moontan" and didn't like the extended concert version any better. rating: ** stars
- The studio version off this 1969 "Eight Miles High" LP was better since was shorter and far tighter than this 10 minute rendition, but those comments are not intended to take anything away from this performance. Once again Gelling and Kooymans were fantastic and hearing it live must have been a major blast. Roger McGuinn would have been proud !!! rating: **** stars
- Another track originally found on 1973's "Moontan", 'Vanilla Queen' was one of the band's rare steps into progressive territory ... well, progressive in a Golden Earring sense of the word. Always loved the mid-song guitar solo ... After that brief segment the song shifted gears back into win lead guitar hard rock territory, sporting one of their catchiest riffs. I've always been surprised someone didn't come along and nab the riff for their own use. rating: **** stars
- Golden Earring doing a country tune ... yeah, that would seem to be an acquired taste, but the addition of Gelling to the line up gave the live version a much tougher rock edge. Still not one of my band favorites, but I can at least sit through it. rating: *** stars
- According to Hays stage patter, 'Fightin' Windmills' was written for another Dutch band, though he didn't mention which one. The song originally appeared on "Mad Love" and while it wasn't bad, to my ears the studio version sounded like it was patched together from a series of song fragments, though the fuzz guitar backing was pretty cool. The live version was quite a bit better - far tougher and more focused, though clocking in at eight minutes it would have benefited from a bit of editing. rating *** stars
- One of their less distinctive compositions, maybe because it was the closer, 'Con Man' struck me as ending the album on a disappointing note. rating ** stars

If I had a complaint it would stem from the fact four of the ten selections were off of their "Moontan" LP which was okay, but ignored vast swaths of their earlier recording catalog. One of those bands I wish I'd had the opportunity to hear in a concert setting ... Guess this documentary is about as close as I'll get.

"Live" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Candy's Gone Bad (George Kooymans - Barry Hay) - 5:00
2.) She Flies On Strange Wings (George Kooymans) - 7:13
3.) Mad Love's Comin' (George Kooymans - Barry Hay) - 9:45

(side 2)
1.) Radar Love (George Kooymans - Barry Hay) - 12:00
2.) Just Like Vince Taylor (George Kooymans - Barry Hay) - 7:00

(side 3)
1.) Eight Miles High (Jim McGuinn - David Crosby - Gene Clark) - 10:00
2.) Vanilla Queen (George Kooymans - Barry Hay) - 12:40

(side 4)
1.) To the Hilt (George Kooymans - Barry Hay) - 6:40
2.) Fightin' Windmills (George Kooymans - Barry Hay) - 8:00
3.) Con Man (George Kooymans - Barry Hay) - 10:00