Customer Reviews

Take No Prisoners (2-CD Set)

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1 star:		(3)

 

 

Contrary to most of the critics (both casual and professional), I LOVE this album. Angry, visceral, and hopped-up on drugs, Lou Reed put together an intense, entertaining live album in 1978. Most of the songs turn into vicious monologues (Walk on the Wild Side), but other songs are absolutely beautiful (Coney Island Baby). DON'T expect straight-ahead reinterpretations of classics here. DO expect a uniquely cynical, venomous, and powerful performance by Reed with a great backing band, and excellent production qualities.

"Take No Prisoners" can be summed up in a simple statement, Lou Reed as a meth fueled Lenny Bruce. A must listen for pop culture junkies ,this record is the anti-Frampton Comes Alive. In this performance Lou vents his feelings on everything and shows the then punk genegation what punk is all about

...I personally think that Lou's great because he can be at his very worst and very best at the VERY SAME TIME. Take No Prisoners is a prime example. Yes, Lou sounds wasted and cranky and not very interested in playing actual songs. He can't sing and doesn't even try most of the time. That said, he also puts in one of the smartest and most powerful performances I've ever heard, moving from ripping the critics a new one to dropping into a stone cold groove and ripping the roof right off the house and making it look easy. His backing band is awesome, and the production is A plus. A glorious mess. Oh man, if they would just release a box set with the full versions of the shows these songs (or parts of songs) came from sometime, I'd NEVER take it out of my CD player.

"I do Lou Reed better than anyone," he says during Walk on the Wild Side. And then he proves it.

So many record execs begged him to not release this record, or at least tone down its content, that he seriously considered using that title: "But, Lou..." It is wickedly profane, outrageous and for God's sake, not to be taken seriously. In no way meant to be The Definitive Live album, or even purely a music album, it's a work that Reed himself is justifiably proud of as being the funniest rock and roll record ever made.

Lou Reed's Take No Prisoners does exactly that. It is an unabashed, uncensored Lou Reed at his prime. Whether or not the album is funny is up for debate, but it is essential listening for Lou Reed fans. Anyone just looking at the setlist would be amazed at all the great songs on hear; you're lucky to hear half of the song. Between Reed's talking and joking and the way he changes the lyrics of the songs, these songs are completely different than any other recording of the songs. Some of the songs manage to go through completely, suchas Satellite of Love, Pale Blue Eyes and Coney Island Baby, and all are great versions showing how good Lou is. The album, however, isn't just a music album. You really have to listen to it to understand and believe this album. I would not reccomend this album to casual Reed fans or the faint of heart. But if you are a big Lou Reed fan, like me, you should listen to this album.

"Take No Prisoners" can basically be summed up as Lou Reed doing standup comedy to the strains of his greatest hits. Yes, while his band vamps away at "Sweet Jane", "Walk on the Wild Side", and "Coney Island Baby" (among others), Reed proceeds to rip everyone in sight a new you-know-what. Attackees include critic Robert Christgau, the Bottom Line's management ("We get charged for the towels here!" Reed complains), and many, many more. On the plus side, the 18-minute "Wild Side" features Reed's incoherent but amusing explanation of how the song came to be written in the first place--and I'm proud to say I was at the show that produced this version!

Don't get me wrong: I LOVE this album. It is very well recorded, using the stereo binaural sound technique pioneered on "Street Hassle", and features one of the best bands Reed ever worked with onstage. That being said, however, it must be noted that "Take No Prisoners" isn't a fair representation of Reed's stage show from that era; just two months prior, at the same venue with the same band, Reed gave a series of sold-out performances that put this mess to shame (I was there, too!). And after "Metal Machine Music", who's complaining?

Well, let's clear it up right away... a 'musical' masterpiece this ain't... in fact it borders on spoken word in several (lengthy) places... HOWEVER; it IS an excellent snapshot of good 'ol screwed up Uncle Lou, Michael and the gang in pretty rare form at the Bottom Line club in NYC circa 1978. Sounding sorta burned out at times and railing against music critic hacks (and some members of the crowd) in between rocking performances of some of the greater pieces of his carreer; Lou proves that he is a seminal performer even on an "off" night in a 'perfect' sense. To get the full 3D live performance aspect, order this disc and "Perfect Night" and "VELVET UNDERGROUND LIVE 1993" - all are excellent in different fashions but TNP is probably the last of the three for a Lou newbie. Unpolished gem... ignore the whiners.

Peace, Will

Why, yes, this is terrible musically. And yes, it's a ripoff. Pity anyone expecting something like the Hunter/Wagner live albums. The only song on the whole album that stands up as music is "Satellite of Love," just for the sheer bitterness of Lou's vocal (not inappropriate for the song) and his hair-raising stun-guitar chords after a dramatic pause following the song's last chorus.

But music's not the point of this album. And while many consider it a comedy album or a middle finger to his record company, I think there's more to it. The point of "Take No Prisoners" was to kill the nasty, speed-crazed '70s Rock 'n' Roll Animal character. The bulk of the audience for the decadent '70s Lou were voyeurs. They were waiting for him to OD on stage, not write another "I'll Be Your Mirror." Although Lou let his guard down at times (mostly on "Coney Island Baby") most of his post-"Transformer" work in the '70s was all about the mean, heartless, too-cool-for-you Lou Reed--the amoral guy who took hard drugs, icily chronicled death and decay, and reveled in sexual decadence. Lou tried to kill him previously with "Metal Machine Music," but that album had the effect of fueling the myth, rather than shattering it.

Lou murdered him for good on this album by revealing him as a buffoon--a total joke. The hidden message that I'm not sure Lou understood at the time in his conscious mind, but somehow did subconsciously: "This guy isn't cool, kids. He's not even really me. It's an act that got out of hand. Don't you get it? Why are you buying this?"

Thing is, while the album is funny at times, it's mostly staggeringly boring, like listening to a long-winded drunk telling bad stories at a party. The Rock 'n' Roll Animal became a boring braggart junkie/drunk. It was time to make him go away so the real Lou (the guy we knew from the VU) could come back. Boring the audience of voyeurs to death was the answer. And this album did that. Only the real Lou Reed fans (i.e., VU fans who never gave up hope) stuck around after this.

Look at his albums after "Take No Prisoners": First, "The Bells," with its nakedly confessional, hard-to-take lyrics about families, love, and loss. Next, "Growing Up In Public," where he confronts his own mortality, addictions, and decides that love (with a woman!) is his salvation. Neither album was a a total success, but at least he was trying. Then came the album where he got it right: "The Blue Mask," where he figured out how to mix his personal, confessional songs with more disturbing character studies that weren't conveyed as autobiographical (usually).

I don't think he would have made the step without first shattering the audience's expectations of who they *thought* Lou Reed was on "Take No Prisoners." Does that mean you should buy it at inflated import prices? No. It's a historical document--a museum piece--at best.

While ex-Velvet Undergroud mastermind John Cale was spilling his drunk soul and Guts on a smaller stage, a drunker VU mastermind Lou Reed found new ways to dump on his loyal fans. This is Reed at his absolute worst - musically this is a live non-show - Lou never gives his great band a chance. As a live comedy document this is unforgettable corny fun. It must be a comedy record. It HAS to be. It certainly isn't music. I can't imagine how the backing band felt - they probably felt "just play". And they do, quite well. Lou would rather heckle the audience. Constantly.

And it IS funny. Reed's quips and barbs are the equal of any 'Hee-Haw' episode. It's a live laff riot. I loved it when Lou Reed (being drunk and all) slurred and mentioned Groucho Marx. I didn't think he would but BAMM! classics speak for themselves.

The cheap jokes here are are funny. But you wanna good one? That same year Johnny Rotten & the Sex Pistols were launching a punk revolution, inspiring countless bands to express anger/helplessnes/isolation. Very much Velvet Underground material. I just wish Lou Reed was there to see it. I guess he was already booked, playing a drunk burn-out. He performed that role exceptionally well. Betcha he doesn't listen to this blasted diary much.

i just bought that album and oh god ! it's so marvellous ! never heard more beautiful things before (except others lou's records)