Tag: 1970s hard rock

Live Hard Rock & Heavy Metal Albums From The 1970s

Is there a difference between hard rock and heavy metal?

Yes but I suspect that each of us would draw the dividing line somewhere different.

Wikipedia defines hard rock as:

“Hard rock (or heavy rock) is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock. It is typified by a heavy use of aggressive vocals, distorted electric guitars, bass guitar, drums, and often accompanied with pianos and keyboards.”

Wikipedia defines heavy metal as:

“Heavy metal (or simply metal) is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and the United States. With roots in blues rock and psychedelic rock, the bands that created heavy metal developed a thick, massive sound, characterized by highly amplified distortion, extended guitar solos, emphatic beats, and overall loudness. Heavy metal lyrics and performance styles are often associated with masculinity, aggression, and machismo.”

As far as I’m concerned this category ranges from excellent to unbearable with plenty of ordinary rock and metal that’s acceptable but not special. It can be too heavy and too loud and the category includes bands that I think are disgusting. Mind you, I like blues rock and even singer songwriters so what do I know?

Heavy Metal And Hard Rock Live Albums Recorded In The 1970s

AC/DC Live From The Atlantic Studios 1977
AC/DC San Francisco ’77
AC/DC If You Want Blood You’ve Got It 1978
AC/DC Paradise Theatre Boston 1978 (Zip City)
AC/DC Problem Child Live 1978
AC/DC Let There Be Rock The Movie – Live in Paris 1979
Aerosmith Up In Smoke 1973 1978
Aerosmith Live Bootleg 1978
Aerosmith Baying At The Moon 1978
Aerosmith Classics Live
Bad Company Live in Albuquerque 1976
The Baker Gurvitz Army Live In Derby 75
Baker Gurvitz Army Live In London 75
Baker Gurvitz Army Live In Milan 1976
Baker Gurvitz Army Live Live Live
Beck Bogert & Appice Live 1973
Black Sabbath Past Lives 1970 1973 1975
Black Sabbath Live At Last 1973
Blue Oyster Cult On Your Feet Or On Your Knees 1974
Blue Oyster Cult Some Enchanted Evening 1978
Budgie The BBC Recordings 1972 to 1982
Budgie Radio Sessions 1974 & 1978
Budgie Heavier Than Air 1972 to 1981
Cactus Ot N Sweaty 1972
The David Johansen Group The David Johansen Group Live 1978
Deep Purple BBC Sessions 1968–1970
Deep Purple Live In Stockholm 1970
Deep Purple Scandinavian Nights Live in Stockholm 1970
Deep Purple Long Beach 1971
Deep Purple Live In Denmark 1972
Deep Purple Made In Japan 1972
Deep Purple Live In Japan 1972
Deep Purple California Jamming 1974
Deep Purple Live In London 1974
Deep Purple Made In Europe 1975
Deep Purple Live In Paris 1975
Deep Purple This Time Around 1975
Deep Purple On The Wings Of A Russian Foxbat 1976
Rory Gallagher Stage Struck 1979
Gillan Live At The BBC 1979 1980
Grand Funk Railroad Live Album 1970
Grand Funk Railroad Live The 1971 Tour
Grand Funk Railroad Caught In The Act 1975
Sammy Hagar All Night Long Loud & Clear 1978
Hawkwind Space Ritual Alive 1972
Hawkwind Greasy Truckers Party 1972
Hawkwind BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert 1972
Hawkwind At The BBC 1972
Iggy And The Stooges Live at The Whiskey A Go-Go 1973
Iggy And The Stooges Open Up and Bleed 1973
Iggy And The Stooges Metallic KO / Metallic 2X KO 1973 1974
Iggy Pop TV Eye Live 1977
Iggy Pop Roadkill Rising The Bootleg Collection 1977–2009
James Gang Live In Concert 1971
Judas Priest Unleashed In The East 1979
Kiss Alive 1975
Kiss Alive 2 1977
Led Zeppelin BBC Sessions 1969 & 1971
Led Zeppelin How The West Was Won 1972
Led Zeppelin The Song Remains The Same 1973
Motorhead What’s Words Worth? 1978
Motorhead BBC Live & In-Session 1978 to 1986
Mott The Hoople Fairfield Hall Live 1970
Mott The Hoople Original Mixed Up Kids 1970 1971
Mott The Hoople Live 1973 & 1974
Mountain Live The Road Goes Ever On 1969 1972
Nazareth BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert 1973
Nazareth Malice In Wonderland 1979
Ted Nugent Double Live Gonzo 1976 & 1977
Ted Nugent Live at Hammersmith ’79
Rainbow On Stage 1976
Rainbow Live In Germany 1976
Rainbow Live In Dusseldorf 1976
Rainbow Live In Nurnberg 1976
Rainbow Live In Cologne 1977
Rainbow Live In Munich 1977
Rainbow Denver 1979
Lou Reed Rock N Roll Animal 1973
Rush ABC 1974
Rush All The World’s A Stage 1976
Rush Different Stages 1978 & 1997
Scorpions Tokyo Tapes 1978
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band Live At The BBC 1972 1973
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band Live 1975
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band British Tour 76
Slade Alive! 1971
Slade Alive Volume 2 1976 & 1977
Steppenwolf Steppenwolf Live 1970
The Stooges Have Some Fun: Live at Ungano’s 1970
The Stooges You Don’t Want My Name You Want My Action 1971
Streetwalkers Live 1977
Thin Lizzy Live At The BBC 1971 to 1983
Thin Lizzy Live At The BBC (Super Deluxe) 1971 to 1983
Thin Lizzy The Peel Sessions
Thin Lizzy UK Tour 75
Thin Lizzy Live And Dangerous 1977
Thin Lizzy Still Dangerous 1977
Thin Lizzy The Boys Are Back in Town Live in Australia 1978
Toe Fat BBC Sessions 1969 1970
Trapeze Live Way Back To The Bone 1972
Trapeze Live At The Boat Club 1975
Pat Travers Band Live Go For What You Know 1979
Twisted Sister Club Daze Volume II: Live in the Bars 1979
UFO Live 1971
UFO On Air At The BBC 1974 – 1985
UFO The Official Bootleg Box Set 1975 to 1985
UFO Live Throughout the Years 1976 1982 1998
UFO On With The Action 1976
UFO Strangers In The Night 1978
UFO Live In Texas 1979
Uriah Heep Live 1973
The Who Live At Leeds 1970
The Who Live At Hull 1970
The Who Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970
Frank Zappa Shut Up ‘n Play Yer Guitar 1972 to 1980

You can get these albums from Amazon.com – Amazon.co.uk

The All Time Best Hard Rock And Heavy Metal Live Albums

I don’t have a readers poll to find the best hard, heavy rock albums from this decade but I do have a poll to find the all time best live albums that is a great guide.

Please vote in the poll to find the best hard rock and heavy metal live albums.

What Are The TEN Best Hard Rock Or Heavy Metal Live Albums Ever? (Click on the links to go to the reviews)

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

Because there are so many great hard rock and heavy metal live albums I have split the poll into two and you may find some of your favourites in the second division. Albums will be promoted when they get enough votes.

Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.

You can get these albums from Amazon.com – Amazon.co.uk
The Live Hard Rock & Heavy Metal Albums By Decade – 1960s – 1970s – 1980s – 1990s – 2000s – 2010s

The Who Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970

Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970 is The Who recorded on on 29 August 1970, six months after the classic Live At Leeds album  and Live At Hull were made.

It was released in 1996, shortly after Live At Leeds had been extended the first time. At that stage Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival was the only legal way to get a prime time recording of The Who performing Tommy.

Since Live At Leeds was further extended by adding in Tommy, this album has become redundant for anyone except The Who completests or people with a particular affection for the 1970 Isle Of Wight Festival.

Unless you want to see the 1970 version of The Who perform live since this has the option of a DVD.

The Who Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970

The Who Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970 Continue reading The Who Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970

Ted Nugent Double Live Gonzo 1976 & 1977

Double Live Gonzo is the first live album by Ted Nugent recorded in 1976 and 1977 and released in 1978.

Ted Nugent had been lead guitarist for the The Amboy Dukes before becoming the star attraction in that group and then going solo.

His first studio albums – Ted Nugent, Free For All and Cat Scratch Fever – were popular with heavy metal fans.

Ted Nugent Double Live Gonzo

Ted Nugent Double Live Gonzo Continue reading Ted Nugent Double Live Gonzo 1976 & 1977

Rush All The World’s A Stage 1976

All the World’s A Stage is the first live album by Canadian heavy progressive rock band Rush from 1976 concerts promoting their 2112 studio album. It was recorded at Massey Hall in Toronto, Canada.

This is a different sounding group than the one that appears on the second live album Exit Stage Left.

Rush All The World’s A Stage

Rush All The World's A Stage

Continue reading Rush All The World’s A Stage 1976

Thin Lizzy Live And Dangerous 1977

Live and Dangerous is the famous first live album by Thin Lizzy. It was recorded on the 1976 tour promoting the Johnny the Fox and and the 1977 tour for Bad Reputation.

The album has a great rough, tough live sound but it’s well known that it was extensively touched up in the studio although the exact amount has been disputed by the band and the producer, Tony Visconti.

In 2011 it was remastered and two bonus tracks were added – Opium Trail and Bad Reputation.

Thin Lizzy Live And Dangerous

Thin Lizzy Live And Dangerous Continue reading Thin Lizzy Live And Dangerous 1977

The Who Young Vic Theatre London 1971

The Who concert at the Young Vic Theatre on the 26th April 1971 was recorded and released as a bonus on the deluxe edition of Who’s Next.

The Who Young Vic Theatre London 1971

The Who Young Vic Theatre London 1971

This is the set list. Continue reading The Who Young Vic Theatre London 1971

Blue Oyster Cult On Your Feet Or On Your Knees 1974

On Your Feet Or On Your Knees is the first live album by Blue Oyster Cult, recorded at various concerts in 1974 promoting the Secret Treaties studio album.It was released in 1975.

Blue Oyster Cult’s speciality is melodic, guitar-based hard rock with sci-fi and occult or evil themes. The titles are often worse than the songs and may mislead you.

I’m wary of groups that lean towards the occult like Black Sabbath but BOC had some good tunes that kept bringing me back.To help you to decide if the songs are appropriate for you, I’ve linked to the lyrics

Blue Oyster Cult On Your Feet Or On Your Knees Review

Blue Oyster Cult On Your Feet Or On Your Knees Continue reading Blue Oyster Cult On Your Feet Or On Your Knees 1974

Kiss Alive 1975

Kiss Alive is one of the most famous and successful live albums ever. It was recorded and released in 1975 and captured the rawness of Kiss live in concert.

Kiss were a notorious live act with the theatrics and the costumes adding to the atmosphere created by their powerful, driving, forceful music.

Unfortunately this sound wasn’t properly captured on the first three studio albums – Kiss, Hotter Than Hell and Dressed to Kill.

It was on Kiss Alive!

Kiss Alive

Kiss Alive Continue reading Kiss Alive 1975

Led Zeppelin The Song Remains The Same 1973

The Song Remains The Same was the first Led Zeppelin live album issued from 1973 concerts at the Madison Square Garden, New York which promoted the House Of The Holy studio album.

It was released in 1976 as the soundtrack to the concert film of the same name.

Led Zeppelin are known for their great live performances and they’ve become one of the most heavily bootlegged artists in the world.

It was re-issued in 2007 with a much better sound and with extra songs included. This makes it much more comparable with the other big Zeppelin live album, How The West Was Won.

Led Zeppelin The Song Remains The Same

Led Zeppelin The Song Remains The Same Continue reading Led Zeppelin The Song Remains The Same 1973

Deep Purple Made In Europe 1975

Made In Europe is a souvenir of the 1975 tour Deep Purple made with Ritchie Blackmore to promote their Stormbringer album.

Shortly afterwards Blackmore left the group and Tommy Bolin joined.

Although there are only two personnel changes (vocalist Ian Glover and Roger Glover out, David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes in), this is a very different band than the one that recorded Made In Japan.

Deep Purple Made In Europe Overall rating – 21/30

Deep Purple Made In Europe 1975
Continue reading Deep Purple Made In Europe 1975

Deep Purple Made In Japan 1972

Made In Japan is one of the best and most famous hard rock live albums that captured mark 2 Deep Purple at their peak, promoting the outstanding Machine Head album.

Purple have gone on to release plenty of live albums, some that date before this 1972 concert and some after but this is the one to hear first.

Just the look of the cover makes me quiver with excitement. I loved this as a teenager and have continued to love it for over thirty years.

Deep Purple Made In Japan

Deep Purple Made In Japan – Overall Rating 28/30

Average Amazon Customer Rating – %%AVERAGERATING%% Stars Continue reading Deep Purple Made In Japan 1972