Customer Reviews

Live

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you don't like this album, then you certainly don't like this band. How could you negatively review this?? This is THE ONLY document of Iron Butterfly live in concert (I also have a great video distributed by Rhino featuring the lip- synch of "In-A-Gadda" and two tunes live from the Beat Club: "Easy Rider" and "Butterfly Bleu"- HIGHLY RECOMMENDED). The only reason that I am rating this one 4 out of 5 is the fact that the whole show was obviously not included. I doubt that any other live Butterfly will ever see the light of day, but if so, I'll be the first to buy it, regardless of sound quality. There are mistakes here, and the band isn't as tight as on the records. But this is the psychedelic era, and this is to be expected. These are great, energetic, and awesome improvisations based on the studio versions of each song. Erik's guitar solos wail. I think they're better here than in the studio. You can and will hear the late, great Erik Keith Brann at his best on "Iron Butterfly Live", if you have the guts to go out and pick it up. Forget buying anything else until you've heard this one.

This album has an undeserved reputation for being one of the worst rock albums ever recorded. However nothing could be further from the truth. There's NOTHING wrong with this album at all. In fact, it's probably the only Iron Butterfly album where the organ isn't under-recorded. Most of the songs on the album are actually better than the studio versions. Filled with Fear for example has the most psychedelic guitar solo you'll ever want to hear. Regretably, however, the drum solo on In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida goes on a bit too long

For some unexplainable reason(s), I've never been able to much get into this live album. To anyone who's often taken a look at my reviews, I usually love live lp's. Oh, 'Live' isn't terrible,it just isn't 'great' either, as most other fans have noted that it's one of the best live albums from that era. Only two cuts here I even liked were "Soul Experience" and "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida". Too bad this disc didn't have "The Iron Butterfly Theme". Now, THAT might've made a huge difference. I guess we'll never know.

A great deal of negative comments regarding the quality of previous CD releases can be found throughout the Internet, however, after making a few purchases of this album in recent years and also dissatisfied with the results, I took one final chance and purchased this Japanese import. I'm glad I did. We finally have a very well balanced sound between the 4 main instruments (guitar, bass, drums & keyboards). There's a fullness & richness to the music that has never existed before. Even Lee's Bass lines are more prominent than ever before. A welcomed addition to my collection. Highly reccomended.

Not that it's a bad album but I just don't see the point of that release.It mostly consists on performing In a gadda da vida live and it sort of fails, they should have exploited the solo parts, bring 'em to a higher or at least different level of energy or creativity instead of tryin to reproduce the original version...the studio version is far better.As for the rest of the tracks, .like I said not bad but not highly exciting.Go for the classic Ina gadda da vida or Metamorphosis.

Iron Butterfly was a great band. this takes tracks from their first 3 albums. (all of the concert from that tour is on the cd, except some shows had 2 different tracks played instead of others on that tour. The Iron Butterfly Theme and Flowers & Beads)

As for this show. The only bad things is some feedback during In The Time Of Our Lives and Some woman singing during the drum solo in In A Gadda Da Vida.

The good? Solid musicianship, great solos. Vocals tight and perfect. and a good setlist. The only tune i would have loved was Belda Beast from the Ball album. Otherwise it is a good representation of their songs. The poppier You Can't Win, The heavier Time of our lives, filled with fear & are you happy. The lighter sounds of Soul Experience & the total psychadelic, acid trip of Vida.

For fans of the group it isnt ALL you can find (some stuff is available on bootleg, even some REAL good sounding radio broadcast stuff) But it is a good live album as a whole.

For the non fans, it isnt a good way to introduce yourself to the band (Light & Heavy best of is better) but if you are a live rock concert buff, it ranks up there.

Iron Butterfly's "Live" is the best live album of all time, besides Styx and REO Speedwagon's "Arch Allies" double-CD. No Iron Butterfly song has ever sounded better live than "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida," which has got to be their best tune. BUY THIS CD AS SOON AAS YOU CAN!!

If I was going to buy only one Iron Butterfly album, it would be this one. The original vinyl release of this album was, for many years, the only Iron Butterfly album I owned. I recently bought it on cd, and it sounds a good as ever. I now own most of their albums on vinyl, and recently bought In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida and Light & Heavy: Best of, but this is still, in my opinion, their best recording.

Most of my favorite Iron Butterfly songs are on this album and I like these live versions better than the studio recordings. They have more energy and emotion than the originals.

Someone complained about a "problem" with feedback on 'In The Time of Our Lives'. I think I heard a little feedback toward the end, but throughout this song, and the whole album, I hear some great guitar effects, which is part of why I like it better than the studio recordings. As far as the audience noises, that is usually expected in a live setting, and for me, doesn't distract from the music. Also, when I go to a live concert, or purchase a live album, I don't expect an exact reproduction of the original recordings. In fact, I want something different.

The psychedelic effects and clanking "heavy metal" sounds from Erik Brann's guitar and the dramatic vocals of Doug Ingle at the organ, along with Lee Dorman on bass and vocals and Ron Bushy on drums, add up to a great experience. As a previous reviewer said, I don't know how you can like Iron Butterfly, if you don't like this album.

I've always considered the live version of 'In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida', superior to the original. It's not only longer, it's better, at least to my ears, and has one of the best drum solos ever.

I must also say, the album cover is one of my favorites. If you're a fan of Iron Butterfly, I recommend this album. The only thing that would make it better, would be if it was longer. Many live recordings released prior to the advent of cds, have been reissued with "bonus" tracks. It would be nice for them to do the same with this album, even if performances from other concerts were to be added.

As one of the founding fathers of today's heavy metal rock music, Iron Butterfly has them power, drive, and sound that made them unique in the world of rock music. This live album serves as a testament to that fact. Eventhough the recordings of live concerts from the late 1960's through the mid 1980's was primative at best (by today's standards), this live recording of Iron Butterfly captures most of the groups best music durring their prime as a chart-topping group of that era. This is a "must-have" for all Iron Butterfly fans.

... And to my mind one of the twenty golden rock live recordings ever done in any age .
Just for In a gadda da vida (with one the best drum beats ever made) -though in another order of ideas, Ginger Baker is the winner obvioulsy search for Politician with Cream and Do what you like with Blind Faith- the CD is a jewel , but if you add In the time of our lives , and Soul Experince you will obtain the minim facets of that outstanding band .
Iron forever !