Customer Reviews

Take No Prisoners

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Every two or three years I go back and listen to my collection of Lou Reed albums repeatedly for a month or two. During such stints, I seldom listen to anything else. After his latest release (The Raven) I decided to revisit his substantial catalog in order to, for my own sake, place his current work in a broader artistic context. There has always been a tremendous thematic continuity in his work that I appreciate.

After listening to his recent releases and then to "Take No Prisoners," I was pretty shocked (in a good way, mind you) by how completely different Lou Reed was back in the late `70s. Bold, brash, arrogant, desperate-Lou Reed was all these traits in addition to being one of the greatest singer/songwriter/performers of the `70s. "Take No Prisoners" is an incredible album that features a version of Lou Reed that is just as edgy and abrasive as the crowd to which he plays. The band is tight, but often they are not given much of a chance to develop the tracks into coherent musical constructions, due to Reed's extensive monologues, which are occasionally compelling, sometimes banal, but often hilarious. When the band does find the room to break into the choruses of the songs, they charge into them with the strength and force of a runaway locomotive. This was a great band recorded on a very special night. The energy in the music is astounding.

Although the discs boast several classic Reed tracks that are all performed in a style that is somewhere between the Lou Reed we are normally used to hearing and something from the comedic repertoire of Lenny Bruce, for me the standout tracks are the versions of "Coney Island Baby" and the epic "Street Hassle" on Disc 2. Reed's singing on these tracks is stellar-he passionately captures the speech mannerisms of the downtrodden, the hustlers, and of the humanly expendable in these songs. He so convincingly becomes the characters in these songs that you feel as though you are down in the gutter with him, looking for that crumb of salvation that someone may have left behind.

The only issue I have with this recording is the poor remastering that was done for the CD release. An original LP vinyl copy will sound much better than this CD, which contains far too much tape hiss to be a genuine remaster. The poor sound quality of the CD prevents me from giving this a 5 star review.

If you have any deep interest in Lou Reed, buy "Take No Prisoners." Listening to this CD is like going to the circus, but not being able to enjoy it fully because all the clowns are just a little too dirty. It is like going to the zoo, only to walk by the Polar Bear exhibit to see that the animals have eaten the zookeepers. "Take No Prisoners" very well may be flawed in many people's eyes due to Reed's long orations, but it also brilliantly captures the punk aesthetic and a classic Lou Reed persona that we shall neither see nor hear ever again. This is essential equipment for living in a world that is clearly one big "Dirty Blvd."

I have read dozens of reviews of this album and dont really understand why so many (about half I'd say) are so damn critical of it! First, this is a LIVE album. If you were expecting exact renditions of his studio tracks, you are listening to the wrong musician. Lou NEVER performs songs live as they appear on his albums.

Secondly, I hear complaints about the crappy band behind him or Lou's tendency to completely ignore them. This criticism is WAY off the mark. This band (named The Everyman Band) was arguably the greatest band that ever played behind solo Lou. His live shows were jazz-inspired and his band was made up of jazz-influenced musicians. Listen to the band lie low, playing quietly behind a ranting Lou, and then suddenly explode as Lou hits the chorus. They dont stumble, they don't stutter...they know exactly when to play. Besides, this CD contains the best take of Street Hassle I have ever heard.

The remastering job is more of a "repackaging," so dont expect crystal clarity. You better hook up the old turntable for that to happen.

All in all, I gave this 4 outta 5. If you are looking for more of Lou's 1978 stint at the Bottom Line, there are a number of bootlegs out there that will satisfy your thirst: "Small Club in NYC" and "The Compilation Tapes" are the best among them.

I put off getting this album for years, due to the bad rap it's gotten as a collection of drunken, rambling monologues. It is way better than that. It does contain some rambling monologues, notably in Sweet Jane (which is about half rambling and half music) and Walk on the Wild Side. (In the latter, Lou says he got so tired of it that he couldn't play it anymore, but now he can, and then he talks for 17 minutes rather than sing a word of it.) The reviewer "x" described the album very well ("It is like going to the zoo, only to walk by the Polar Bear exhibit to see that the animals have eaten the zookeepers.") I can listen to the real songs more often than the rambling ones, but the real songs are indispensable. "Street Hassle" is absolutely incendiary, and I am very fond of the thundering, mumbled "Leave Me Alone" which bears no resemblance to the studio version. The band was absolutely on fire at this show. I've seen Lou three times, all in relatively recent years. What I wouldn't give to have seen him on this tour.... (Also, despite some complaints about the sound quality, it sounded fine to me, and I am pretty picky.)

This album is an excellent snapshot of Lou's post-Street Hassle live show. Lou and the band don't even pretend to try to pull off "perfect" versions of these songs - instead they attack them and by doing so showed 1978 audiences that you didn't have to play like the Sex Pistols or the Ramones to have an attitude. My biggest complaint about this album is that the edited-down versions of songs like "Waiting for the Man" and "Walk on the Wild Side" have STILL not been restored to full-length for CD release. This has to be the fourth or fifth time this album has been put out without addressing this issue. If the Who can extend the "Live at Leeds" album, why can't TNP at least be issued with full takes?

I had the great pleasure of attending one of the Bottom Line shows in 1978. Having seen Lou in 1976, he seemed a lot more "with it" in 78. Albeit entirely wasted-- he had to be led to his mike, helped with his guitar, and forgot half the lyrics. But the backup band, the pot smoke, the Quaaludes, and Lou's everpresent leatherjacketed a-hole-ness made this a classic. In those days, audience members routinely shouted "You Suck!" at Lou, just to get him to rise up-- and he does, in this show.

I think it was booze and coke. Lou doesn't admit much though. You have to like this album because it is a candid slice of the punk era in a (then) dark part of NYC.

While most live albums are what you would expect from a concert, Lou grabs the emotions and philosophies of the day and puts it out there. I wish I had been there. The band is great. Lou steps out and gives a show that is honest to himself and the songs. His songs are powerful to begin with, but he puts all this energy and emotion behind the songs, they rachet way up there. Possibly the best live album ever. Certainly the most honest live album. He allows his audience, and us, to see what is truly behind his song writing.

I'm appalled at the number of people who think Lou Reed -- or ANYbody -- could cultivate and maintain this high-energy, high-speed stream-of-consciousness comedic rant'n'ramble merely under the effects of alcohol.

. . . alcohol?!?

SPEED, people, speed! Methedrine. Injected, not snorted. It's a matter of record, no pun intended. (Reed may deny certain elements of his past, but not his years as a speed addict.) While there may have been a drink or six in his system, the main fuel was methedrine (as with the original Lenny Bruce himself). If you want to criticize the album for being drug-influenced, at least GET IT RIGHT.

As long as I'm correcting the record, I'll also mention that -- comedy aside -- this album contains a musically magnificent version of "Berlin". I was never wild about the full-length song in the first place, but this version just smokes! And if you hated "Leave Me Alone" on Street Hassle (it's okay, I hate that whole album), you might still like the version here, tightened up and given a memorable melodic riff.

But it's "Satellite of Love" which single-handedly justifies this album's existence. No comedy, no storytelling. Just an inspired reworking of an already-beautiful tune, jazzy ornaments on a new melody that is both boisterous and wistful. And then there's THAT GUITAR . . . .

If you're reading this review, you've already taken a ganders at the track listing. You probably think "wow, what a great set! My favorite VU and Lou Reed songs performed live!" This is all well and good, unless you plan on actually listening to the tracks. if you wanna do that, check out one of Lou's other 3,000 live albums instead. If you love Lou and want to take a double shot of Lou's attitude, have a few laughs, and hear him talk about whatever was on his mind, then you may enjoy this. I do. This is what the Velvet Underground would've sounded like if it was fronted by Larry David; at times it sounds like a Charles Bukowski performance, or a lecture delivered by Hunter Thompson at a University. Both these guys drew crowds who sometimes cared less about their writing and more about being around their infamous personalities and to hear their drunken ramblings. This album is like that; the music often takes a backseat to Lou's personality, and drunken ramblings. That being said, the music is still top notch, and if you're still interested in this live document after reading all the reviews, then by all means get it. Just know what you're getting yourself into.

An interesting album - part music and part comedy. Personally, I prefer the band that recorded Rock 'n' Roll Animal and Lou Reed Live, but there is some great music here. The interesting part that has been barely touched on by any other reviewers is that this album was recorded with two dummy heads mixed together. The idea behind dummy head or binaural recording is that if played back over headphones, a reasonable replica of a sound field can be heard. But they don't sound good over speakers (this also applied to Street Hassle and The Bells - look for the SBS symbol). Unfortunately, two dummy heads mixed together ruined the potentially startling effects that a single head would have produced. The very first bit with Lou talking and blowing smoke in your ear is quite unnerving.

If you want a live Lou Reed musical experience buy Rock-n-Animal. If you want Lou want an edgy Lou Reed as he performed in the late 1970's buy this album. The monologues with a musical back drop are awesome This album is brilliant.