The George Lite Zone

There’s nothing like a top music list to stir up a bit of controversy. In this case I stumbled on this list of the Top 25 Live Albums on IGN.COM

Gaping omissions for me are Hawkwind’s - Space Ritual, Motörhead’s - No Sleep Till Hammersmith and Thin Lizzie’s - Live and Dangerous.

If anyones got any other great live album suggestions that you think should have made the grade, feel free to post them.

TOP 25 Live Albums

1. 801 - Live (EG, 1976)
2. U2 - Under A Blood Red Sky (Island, 1983)
3. Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison (Columbia, 1968)
4. Neil Young - Live Rust (Reprise, 1979)
5. Boogie Down Productions - Live Hardcore Worldwide (Jive, 1991)
6. Nirvana - MTV Unplugged In New York (DGC, 1994)
7. The Talking Heads - The Name Of This Band Is The Talking Heads (Sire, 1982)
8. The Who - Live At Leeds (MCA, 1970)
9. James Brown - Live At The Apollo (Polydor, 1963)
10. Jane’s Addiction - Jane’s Addiction (Triple X, 1987)
11. [TIE] Peter Gabriel - Plays Live (Geffen, 1983) and Genesis - Seconds Out (Atlantic, 1977)
12. The Quintet (Charlie Parker, Dizzie Gillespie, Charles Mingus, Bud Powell, Max Roach) - Jazz At Massey Hall (Debut Records, 1953)
13. The Rolling Stones - Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! The Rolling Stones In Concert (ABKCO, 1970)
14. The Band - The Last Waltz (Warner Bros, 1978)
15. Cheap Trick - At Budokan (Epic, 1979)
16. Kraftwerk - Minimum-Maximum (Astralwerks, 2005)
17. Blue Oyster Cult - Extraterrestrial Live (Columbia, 1982)
18. Rush - Exit Stage Left (Mercury, 1981)
19. Bob Marley & The Wailers - Live! (Tuff Gong, 1975)
20. Iron Maiden - Live After Death (Capitol, 1986)
21. Sting - Bring On The Night (A&M, 1986)
22. The Roots - The Roots Come Alive (MCA, 1999)
23. KISS - Alive (Casablanca, 1975)
24. The Grateful Dead - Live/Dead (Warner Bros., 1969)
25. Peter Frampton - Frampton Comes Alive (A&M Records, 1976)

Honorable Mentions

Isaac Hayes - Live at the Sahara Tahoe
Cypress Hill - Live at The Fillmore
Donny Hathaway - Live
Marillion - The Thieving Magpie
Rage Against The Machine - Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium
Gov’t Mule - The Deepest End
Stevie Ray Vaughan - Live Alive
Miles Davis - Live - Evil
Marillion - Real To Reel
Miles Davis - Live @ The Plugged Nickel
Al di Meola, John McLaughlin, & Paco de Lucia - Friday Night In San Francisco
Supertramp - Paris
Live Phish - 11/30/94
Pink Floyd - Ummagumma
Ween - Live @ Stubbs
Grateful Dead - Reckoning
Neil Young - Live at Massey Hall 1971
Matisyahu - Live at Stubbs
DMB - Live at Red Rocks
Bob Dylan -Bob Dylan Live 1966, “The Royal Albert Hall Concert”
Wilco - Kicking Television
John Cale - Sabotage
BB King - Live at the Regal
Dave Matthews Band - The Central Park Concert
Ozzy Osbourne - The Randy Rhoads Tribute
Yes - Yessongs
Stevie Ray Vaughn - Live at Carnegie Hall
Van Morrison - Too Late to Stop Us Now
Jimi Hendrix - Live at Fillmore East
The Allman Brothers - Live at Fillmore East
Led Zeppelin - The Song Remains the Same
The Clash - Live: From Here to Eternity
Johnny Cash - Live at San Quentin
Angra - Rebrith World Tour: Live in Sao Paulo
Iron Maiden - Death On the Road
Metallica - Binge and Purge
Pink Floyd - Pulse
Otis Eedding - Live at the Monterey Pop Festival
Frank Sinatra - At The Sands
Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr. - Summit: In Concert
Woodstock
Wattstax
Derek and the Dominoes - Live at the Filmore
The Band - Rock of Ages
Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense
Muddy Waters - Newport
Violent Femmes - Viva Wisconsin
Sam Cooke - Live in Harlem
Duke Ellington - Newport
Wes Montgomery - Smokin’ at the Half Note
Oscar Peterson Trio - Stratford Shakespeare Festival
Bill Evans - Sunday at the Village Vanguard

Another grunge list, this time culled from the pages of Q magazine.

15 Grunge Classics

Babes in Toyland
Fontanelle
Further listening - Spanking Machine

Tha Afghan Wings
Gentlemen
Further listening - Black Love

Smashing Pumpkins
Gish
Further listening - Siamese Dream

Hole
Live Through This
Further listening - Celebrity Skin

Stone Temple Pilots
Core
Further listening - Purple

The Breeders
Last Splash
Further listening - Pod

The Jesus Lizard
Goat
Further listening - Goat

Soundgarden
Superunknown
Further listening - Badmotorfinger

Screaming Trees
Sweet Oblivion
Further listening - Mark Lanegan, Whiskey for the Holy Ghost

Pearl Jam
Ten
Further listening - Vs

Mother Love Bone
Apple
Further listening - Malfunkshun - Return to Olympus

Mudhoney
Superfuzz Bigmuff
Further listening - Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge

Alice in Chains
Dirt
Further listening - Jar of Flies

Temple of the Dog
Temple of the Dog
Further listening - Shame by Brad

Nirvana
Nevermind
Further listening - Bleach

Q Classic Nirvana and the Story of Grunge

36 Essential Grunge Classics

CLASSIC GRUNGE

1/ Dinosaur Jr - Freek Scene
Available - Bug

2/ Nirvana Smells Like Teen Spirit
Available - Nevermind

3/ Smashing Pumpkins - Today
Available - Siamese Dream

4/ Screaming Trees - Nearly Lost You
Available - Sweet Oblivion

5/ The Jesus Lizard - Puss
Available - Liar

6/ L7 - Pretend We’re Dead
Available - Bricks Are Heavy

7/ Soundgarden - Jesus Christ Pose
Available - Badmotorfinger

8/ Afghan Wings - I’m Her Slave
Available - Congrgation

9/ Hole - Miss World
Available - Live Through This

10/ Superchunk - Slack motherfucker
Available - Superchunk

11/ Babes in Toyland - Catatonic
Available - To Mother

12/ Pearl Jam - Even Flow
Available - Ten

13/ Teenage Fanclub - Everything Flows
Available - A Catholic Education

14/ Modhoney - Touch Me I’m Sick
Available - Superfuzz Bigmuff

THE ROCK ROOTS OF GRUNGE

15/ Flipper - Ever
Available - Generic

16/ Melvins - Heaviness of the Load
Available - Gluey Porch Treatments

17/ Butthole Surfers - Sweet Loaf
Available - Locust Abortion Technician

18/ Green River - This Town
Available - Dry as a Bone

19/ Pixies - Debaser
Available - Doolittle

20/ Big Black - Kerosene
Available - Atomizer

21/ Sonic Youth - Tenage Riot
Available - Daydream Nation

22/ The Replacements - Favourite Thing
Available - Let It Be

23/ Husker Du - The Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill
Available - New Day Rising

POP GRUNGE

24/ Foo fighters - This Is A Call
Available - Foo Fighters

25/ Buffalo Tom - Velvet Roof
Available - Let Me Come Over

26/ The Breeders - Canonball
Available - Last Splash

27/ Sugar - A Good Idea
Available - Copper Blue

ART GRUNGE

28/ Slint - Good Morning Captain
Available - Spiderland

29/ The Flaming Lips - Turn It On
Available - Transmissions From The Satelite Heart

30/ Pavement - Summer Babe
Available - Slanted And Enchanted

31/ Royal Trux - The Flag
Available - Cats & Dogs

32/ Sebadoh - Gimme Indie Rock
Available - Gimme Indie Rock EP

NEW GRUNGE

33/ Queens Of The Stone Age - The Lost Art Of Kepping A Secret
Available - R

34/ Auf Der Maur - Real A Lie
Available - Auf Der Maur

35/ Nine Black Alps - Shot Down
Available - Everything Is

36/ The Distillers - Drain The Blood
Available - Coral Fang

This list was taken from Peter Irvine’s Scotland Is The Place website. Peter writes Scotland The Best, probably the best guide to the country. When I get around to visiting them I’ll add some posts to this blog with pictures and comments.

Roslin Glen - Edinburgh

Spiritual, historical, enchanting (and now very famous because of Dan Brown’s ‘The Da Vinci Code’), with the chapel, a ruined castle and woodland walks along the River Esk.

From Edinburgh follow the A701 from Mayfield or Newington (or bypass, turn off at Penicuik, A720 then fork left on A701 to Roslin). There is some parking at the chapel, 500 metres from the corner of Main Street and Manse Road, or you can follow the B7003 to Rosewell (also marked Rosslynlee Hospital) and 1 kilometre from the village the main car park is to the left.

Yellowcraigs - East Lothian

Perfect for a windy beach walk in the New Year is Edinburgh’s nearest decent beach.

Follow the A1 or the bypass, then A198 coast road. Turn left the other side of Dirleton for 2 kilometres then park and walk 100 metres across the links to fairly clean strand and sea.

Gullane Bents, a sweep of beach, is nearby and can be reached from the village main street. It connects westwards with Aberlady Reserve.

Mugdock Country Park - Glasgow

One of Glasgow’s nearest and easiest escapes. The park which includes Mugdock Woods and two castles is north west of Milngavie.

The regular train from Queen Street station takes 20 minutes. Follow the route of the West Highland Way for 4 kilometres across Drumclog Moor to the south edge of the park.

By car to Milngavie by the A81 the park is 5 kilometres north and well sign posted. There are five car parks. The main one includes the Craigend Visitor Centre (open from 9am to 9pm), the Stables Tearoom (open 10am to 5pm every day), discovery room and theatre.

Many trails are marked out and further afield rambles. This is a godsend between Glasgow and the Highland hills.

Plodda Falls- Near Tomich near Drumnadrochit

Take the A831 from Loch Ness to Cannich (20 kilometres), and then 7 kilometres to Tomich, a further 5 kilometres up mainly woodland track leads to a car park. Walking 200 metres down through woods of Scots Pine and ancient Douglas firs leads to one of the most enchanting woodland sites in Britain, including a Victorian iron bridge over the brink of the 150 metre fall into the churning river below.

The dawn chorus here must be amazing. In winter it freezes into a winter wonderland (ice climbers from Inverness take advantage). There is a good hotel in the village.

Landmark Centre - Carrbridge

A purpose-built tourist centre with audiovisual displays and a great deal of shopping, it’s great for kids who can mess about in the woods on slides, in a ‘maze’ and the large adventure playground, Microworld or (especially squealy) the Wildwater Coaster.

The tower may be too much for Granny but there are fine forest views. Open all year round, seven days till 5pm in winter.

The following foodstuffs all have health giving properties atributed to them. Eat them all and you’ll probably live forever. Now time for a cup of tea I think.

Beans
Sidekicks:All beans … pinto, garbanzo (chickpeas), lentills, green beans, sugar snap peas and green peas
Reccomended:at least 4 1/2 cup servings per week

Blueberries
Sidekicks:Purple grapes, Cranberries, Loganberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Currants, Blackberries, Cherries and all other varities of fresh, frozen or dried berries
Reccomended:1 to 2 cups daily

Broccoli
Sidekicks :Brussells Sprouts, Cabbage, Kale, Turnips, Cauliflower, Spring Greens, Bok Choy, Watercress, Rocket, Swiss Chard
Reccomended:1/2 to 1 cup daily

Oats
Super Sidekicks:Wheatgerm & Ground Flaxseed
Sidekicks: brown rice, barley, wheat, buckwheat, Rye, Millet, Bulgar Wheat. Amaranth, Quinoa, Kamut, Yellow Corn, Wild Rice, Spelt, Couscous
Reccomended:5 to 7 servings per day

Oranges
Sidekicks :Lemons, White & Pink Grapefruit, Kumquats, Tangerines, Limes
Reccomended:1 serving per day

Pumpkin
Sidekicks:carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, orange bell peppers
Reccomended:1/2 cup most days

Wild Salmon
Sidekicks:halibut, tinned tuna, sardines, herring, trout, sea bass, oysters, clams
Reccomended :2 - 4 times per week

Soy
Sidekicks:Forms of soy: tofu, soya milk, soy nuts, edamame, tempeh, miso
Reccomended:15g of soy protein per day divide total soy intake into 2 seperate meals or snacks

Spinach
Sidekicks :Kale, Spring Greens, Swiss Chard,Bok Choy, Romaine Lettuce, Bell Peppers
Reccomended:1 cup steamed or 2 raw most days

Tea
Sidekicks:none
Reccomended:1 or more per day

Tomatoes
Sidekicks:Watermelon, Pink |Grapefruit, Japanese Persimmons, Papaya, Guava
Reccomended: 1 serving of processed tomatoes or sidekicks per day, multiple per week of fresh tomatoes

Turkey
Sidekicks:Skinless chicken breast
Reccomended :3 - 4 servings a week (max 4oz per serving)

Walnuts
Sidekicks:Almonds, Pistachios, Sesame Seeds, Peanuts, Pumpkin & Sunflower Seeds, Macadamia Nuts, Pecans, Hazelnuts, Cashews
Reccomended: 1oz 5x a week

Yogurt
Sidekicks:kefir
Reccomended:2 cups a day

ESSENTIAL The Classics

Nirvana - Nevermind
Pearl Jam - Ten

SUPERIOR The Albums That Built Their Genre

Soundarden - Badmotorfinger
Temple Of The Dog - Temple Of The Dog
Mother Love Bone - Apple
Alice In Chains - Facelift

GOOD Worth Exploring

Dinosaur Jr - Bug
Stone Temple Pilots - Core
Screaming Trees - Uncle Anesthesia

AVOID

Silverchair - Frogstomp

A STARTER

Singles Original Sound Track

THE REST

Green River - Rehab Doll / Dry As A Bone
Malfunshun - Return To Olympus
Tad - 8 Way Santa
Smashing Pumpkins - Gish
L7 - Bricks Are Heavy
Hole - Pretty On The Inside
Mudhoney - Superfuzzbigmuff

1) Badmotorfinger - Soundgarden
2) Temple of the Dog - Temple of the Dog
3) Alice in Chains - Dirt
4) Stone Temple Pilots - Core
5) Pearl Jam - 10
6) Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
7) Nirvana - Nevermind