FOR MUSICIANS, SPENDING time to craft a song, capture the right performance and produce a recording with just the right combination of effects and overdubs is an art unto itself. However, there are instances throughout rock history when an artist’s whole-hearted attempt to convey a feeling in the studio has paled in comparison to a good old-fashioned, off-the-cuff live performance. Here are just a few examples when a live version of a song outshines the original studio take.
Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain (with his 1959 Martin D-18E) during the taping of MTV Unplugged at Sony Studios in New York City, November 19, 1993
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1. LED ZEPPELIN “BLACK DOG” (HOW THE WEST WAS WON)