12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sammy's Pawnshop; The People's Pawnshop, July 29, 2003
Sam Kinison was, and always will be, a comedic genius. He traveled where others feared. He said things that made everybody laugh and cringe at the same time. You would be laughing one minute and then thinking "what is wrong with me??" the next. That's the kind of effect he had on you, no doubt about it. And many of his fans will tell you the same thing. Sam Kinison's "Live from Hell" is a comedy gold and a classic to love.
Now, they have issued a re-mastered version of the album, which sounds a lot better than the older one. And, now the tracks are separated instead of the entire act being on one track (as the first edition was). This is a major plus, because sometimes you just need a quick fix and don't have time to listen to the entire album, and it's annoying to forward through the entire disk until you get to the bit you want to hear. Still, it's always best to hear the album in its complete entirety.
Sam talks about it all. From Pee-Wee Herman to Joan Rivers; from the Space Race to the first Gulf War; from pawnshops to the smart bomb; and there's so much more. His material was edgy, controversial, and risky. This is why we loved the man so much. He was clearly original, as there will never be an equal.
My favorite bits are "I missed the Joan River's Show," "Sammy's Pawnshop," "J.F.K.," "100 hour war," "Sam's Tirade," "the homeless," and "Cable TV." They're all good and hilarious, but those are the ones that stick out the most to me.
Sam Kinison was, and still is, a genius when it came to comedy. He dished it out like nobody else could. "Live from Hell" is Sam at his best. If you are a fan and have not checked out the album yet, get your hands on a copy as soon as you can. This album is bound to stay in your stereo for weeks.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Almost 3 Stars, but..., October 5, 2000
This review is from: Live From Hell (Audio CD)
Sam returns to his roots in a Texas comedy club in this posthumous release. Shedding some of the trappings as the 'King of the Comedy Outlaws' he tries to get in touch with his earlier comedy performances but never finds himself completely. Sure, there are some great moments including reflections on Desert Storm, Smart Bombs and the Gay Terminator but his material strays once in a while and isn't as funny as it could be. Granted, the last segment leaves me in tears from laughter (though I won't go into details on the topic for the sake of good form). While normally I would score this with three stars, this final release deserves recognition as Sam Kinison's swan song. The final words heard on the recording serve as a reminder, a fading fan crying out, "Sam, Where are you! " I wonder sometimes where he is myself. If you consider the laughter he brought to millions you can only hope that it outweighs some of the kharma incurred by his chosen subject matter. In the meantime, go ahead and purchase this CD. I think it's worth the expense.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Kinison: always irreverant, always hilarious!, January 16, 2005
This was Kinison's final comic album prior to his untimely death in 1992. I'm guessing that he recorded this performance shortly before his death, as it contains many references to events of the early 1990s, most notably the Gulf War. In the opening piece, Kinison talks about how he was vilified for missing an appearance on the Joan Rivers show, and he compares himself to other entertainers whose sins have clearly exceeded his own (eg, Pee Wee Herman). This is funny stuff, although some of the references are quite a bit dated, especially the ongoing belittling of the Russians/Kurds. And as usual, Kinison can get pretty gross at times, but unlike many comedians before and since, his material is always more funny than it is raunchy. This album may not be quite as good as Kinison's earlier releases, yet it is still a must-have for his fans, as it is a small piece of the hilarity which remains from a comic genius who was taken from us much too soon.
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