Live albums have tended to show both the best and worst sides of the Fall over the years. Personally, I reckon that both Totale's Turns and In A Hole are contenders for their best ever album, whilst Seminal Live may be a contender for worst. There seems to a conspicuous gap in official live releases from 84-86 which is a shame as I remember them being on top form at some of the TNSG gigs.

I'm going with the Reykjavik CD myself for the wonderfully unbalanced 2 drummer/1 guitar stripped down sound, sadly never really caught in the studio.
Yeah, Head Grocer, it's a real shame not to have any Saving Grace gigs - surely there must be some in the archives? I can't believe it's a question of quality, given what HAS been released!
:huh:

I voted for Totales, it being the one I play most and the one with the best between-song banter (at least among those I've heard, which is about half of the albums listed). After this period MES didn't seem to interact with the audience as much; it sounds more "punk" than any other Fall release. It also has two or three songs that weren't recorded in the studio (as far as I know). In general, I just find it pretty fun to listen to. I play In a Hole less, I think, because of its sheer length, though it is excellent.

Seminal Live is a more lively, enjoyable record than the rather bleak if okay Nottingham 92, while Live 77 is just unlistenable recording-wise — without qualification the worst-sounding commercial release of any kind I have ever heard. I'd heard it was terrible before I got it and still couldn't believe how distorted-beyond-recognition it was when I did hear it. A real shame since it's such an early recording.

...while making up my mind about worst FALL album (so hard, so hard!), i'd like to send my vote for this poll but i've not found LIVE AT THE WITCH TRIALS, sorry...
...joking apart, i remember i've been listening to THE LEGENDARY CHAOS TAPE cassette dozens times when it was released... then i made a present of it and now i miss it so much!
some months ago i tried to order the cd from voiceprit but they answered me it was out of stock.

a big sick sigh
marco

totale's turns

Totales Turns for me too. It's a weird album - I mean the sound quality is pretty appaling all the way through, but the strength of the performance just shines through. I actually prefer several of the live versions on this album to their studio counterparts, especially 'No Xmas for J. Quays'. Rockin' record!

Had to vote Totale's aswell, with In A Hole & Austerbananaboots coming in 2nd. I chose TT because it feels more like an LP - an event in its own right - rather than an archival document. And it has funny ad libs.

nothing in the history of music can beat that organ solo.

Had to be Totale's Turns as it one of my three favourite Fall albums anyway.

not officially released but "at the channel, boston, 1988" is bloody good.

That was indeed a great show at the late and lamented Channel - I saw fantastic gigs there in the 80s.

I taped that May 12, 1988 WFNX broadcast on a Sony boombox using a TDK SA tape, and burned it onto CDR years ago. I think my source is probably what's doing the rounds.

HOWEVER, if someone somewhere has an FM master > CD that doesn't have L.A. cut at the end, and that may have been recorded using better equipment than I had at the time (FM > VHS/Beta or FM > reel perhaps?), I'd be eager to get a copy.

Stefan

suprisingly enough, the copy i d/l off soulseek has l.a. cutting off after 4 mins and 9 secs. good quality bootleg though.

Voted for Chaos tape mainly because it was the first live Fall thing I ever owned, though there's a few that are on equal footing, Totale's turns, live in America and the Aussie one, even have a soft spot for 27 points! :D

:ohdear:
oh dear..... I've just realised that I missed out "A Part Of America Therein", and it's one of my favourites as well! Hmmm... I must have had one too many beers before posting this poll. Sorry everybody (particularly APOAT fans)

Totale's, but for some reason I've never really thought of that as a live album per se. The front room version of New Puritan is brilliant, That Man sounds like a third rate cover which makes it a seventh rate original. The cover design is an absolute classic.

Have voted for Rejkavik but only because I didn't see the listing for the legendary Chaos tape until after I had voted !

Agree with that bit, but I prefer Peel Puritan and always enjoy That Man. That cover art is probably the reason we're having to pay fifteen quid a ticket 25 years later.

Voted for Totales on nostagia front, but Chaos would be there if we could pick 2..

Touch Sensitive would be better as a one or two disc CD. But it's still got to be either TT or Chaos, and I vote TT. But I'll change me mind tomorrow.

I already have (well actually I forgot to vote last time) - I say '77. That Totale's is too darn popular. And it's overproduced - I bet some of it's in stereo.

That concert they did in Manchester what was broadcast on Radio 1 - with Paranoia Man and War and I can't remember now what else. Around 1993, I think. I've got a tape direct from the radio. Well, anyway, if that was released it would be high up in my list.

Is Live at Notttingham any cop? Should spend my money on food and nappies but it's in the local shop and I don't know if I can resist...

I've always loved this one, although when I think about it there's nothing too exceptional on it. It's got pretty much all me faves from Extricate/Shiftwork/Code Selfish - none of them are radically different from the album versions, but there's a few amusing ad-libs from MES. At the end of (I think) 'Pittsville Direkt' he mutters something about 'trying to get away from the support act who Craig the guitarist wants to join', 'Free Range' reminds him of James and he finishes 'Immortality' with the words 'I'm already fed up with this - it sounds like Italian disco'...
From this last comment, I've always supposed that 'Italiano' (on Oxymoron) was a 'Code Selfish' outtake... anyone know if that's true? And was there a rumour (in Record Collector or Record Mirror or something like that) that 'Italiano' and 'White Lines' aren't The Fall at all?

It's a fiver from Voiceprint so don't pay too much.

Unless it's a genuinely local shop. Tubbs?

Live 1977- good banter-WILL YOU STOP FUCKING SPITTING YOU STUPID BASTARD!!! - so who said that?
Does John the Postman sing Louie Louie with them at the end?

That's my fave bit too! Must be Friel or Bramah - Karl would surely just have hit them.

The Postman is indeed involved. That's 3 Postman Louie's I've got totalling 33 minutes, it makes me feel so f***ing fortunate

Your review took me back to reassess this undervalued gem, I think your right, it stil sounds immediate & relevant, sound is good, it's a great period of creativity from the band, so... Totale is still tops, but it's knocked chaos off the number 2 slot (the hiss annoys me too much; I'm either getting delicate or tinitus!).
How good is it being into a band with such a body of work which consatntly evolves with us? We should feel smug!

ive just bought the live 77 from Fopp records in bristol
for a fiver
and it is indeed unlistenable
but doesnt mark sound like he's really going for it
much more livelier than nowadays

Could there be a slight case for regarding Hip Priest and Kamerads as a partially live album? There are after all five live tracks on it.

Am I the only person who really likes "Live 77", actually prefers it to "Totales Turns"?

Fall IN A Hole wins out overall, just for having the best Backdrop on it.

i saw the reykjavik cd a few months ago, didn't buy it (WHY NOT!!??) & when i went back it had gone

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

sometimes i do not understand my decisions......

How can you possibly "Oswald Defense Lawyer". Oh, cuz it totally sucks.

I'd go for Legendary Chaos Tape.

Me too - hated it until I developed the science of remote listening. 'Ere, where's "Short Circuit"? There were other people on it? :o

I think "live 77" is a great cd. How on earth the mixing desk that produced that recording didnt blow up is beyond me though! :huh:

There was a mixing desk? :o

well maybe not! :mellow:

I would not order from Voiceprint, I re-ordered "Fall In A Hole" wasn't in stock and "Listening In" at the beginning of March. When I E-mailed after a week I was told "Listening In" was in the post and I'd have it in a couple of days- I've never seen it-I stopped the money! and ordered "Fall In A Hole" through Action. I got my order over Easter within 5 days.
Don't order from "Voiceprint" and where the Hell is the place your supposed to make pay-outs to, it sounds iffy, sounds like a off-shore bank account!
Ordering from Voiceprint is not a happy experience :grrr:
I bought the Nottingham 92 CD at a gig for £5.99 & it's O.K. :applaud:
All's well that ends well (that doesn't sound right?) :confused: [Not the CD]

I've never had any problems with Voiceprint - I know there were complaints on Fallnet about slow delivery, but I've always found them reasonably prompt. Sometimes they're out of stock, in which case they don't take the money. I wouldn't worry too much about the payee details, I guess like many shoestring distributors they farm out the billing technicalities to more expert hands.

Your "Listening in" experience sounds unusually bad, though if they hadn't charged you I suspect someone was making up the "in the post" bit (hmm... sounds oddly familiar...). It looks like some people have good experiences, others bad... but I wouldn't be too put off. At least they don't up the price in mid-order, which pisses me off, even when it's only 29p (and why 29p? - :confused: ).

I bumped this solely so I could vote for TT, like everyone else. :rolleyes: I agree though, if the 5 live tracks on "Hip Priest & Kamerads" could qualify it for a live release, it's the best...