I used to see it as a sign of weakness. A band, locked in the studio, runs out of ideas or time or money, and ends up having to trawl the tapes for a half decent live track to flesh out the album. However, as I grow older, I find myself appreciating these tracks more than the rest of the studio album they sit on. Often, they are thrilling, raw, heart-felt and human, unshackled from the sanitisation of the studio. They are like a cuckoo interloper that grows to dominate the nest.
Johnny Cash rejuvenated his career with American Recordings in 1994. Two tracks were recorded in Johnny Depp’s club. My favourite is The Man Who Couldn’t Cry. His voice twinkles as he actively responds to the audience, picking the bones from his tale of woe. He put it at the end of the album because he knew he couldn’t follow it.
Anybody know any more?