Beethoven Was Deaf vs. Live At Earl's Court

Which is the better live album and why?

I'm going with...Beethoven. But I do like Live At Earl's Court.

My one main criticism of LAEC is that it's way too sterile, way too crisp. Beethoven is flawed too, but it's still pretty perfect.

Second Beethoven. 92, good year
 
You know why Live At Earl's Court sucks? Jesse Tobias.
 
The band on Beethoven was deaf was Morrissey's best band... and as lively as the audiences were for the Quarry tour (I should know, I was in the second row at Earl's Court that night :D ) it seems the audiences for those early tours (Kill Uncle / Your Arsenal) were the most mental.
 
Beethoven is a fantastic album, great year. I STILL CANT SPEAK FRENCH. I AM VERY LAZY.:lbf:
 
The band on Beethoven was deaf was Morrissey's best band... and as lively as the audiences were for the Quarry tour (I should know, I was in the second row at Earl's Court that night :D ) it seems the audiences for those early tours (Kill Uncle / Your Arsenal) were the most mental.

What are you saying about me???????
 
I much prefer Live At Earl's Court for its set-list. I think the live version of Last Night I Dreamt... is incredible.
 
I bought Beethoven Was Deaf before I even completed my Morrissey-solo catalog (as it was in September 1995) and possibly return to it the most of all the solo albums with the exceptions of Your Arsenal and Southpaw Grammar. The twin attack of Alain and Boz never sounded better - the Bob Clearmountain mix made the guitars sound amazing. The performances of You're The One For Me, Fatty, Certain People I Know, Sister I'm a Poet, Jack the Ripper, and I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday, in my mind, eclipse the studio versions.

Live at Earl's Court has a decent set list, but I find the sound quality overloud and oddly flat.

Introducing Morrissey would have made a fine live album, if only for Speedway alone. It never sounded more ferocious.
 
Live at Earl's Court has a decent set list, but I find the sound quality overloud and oddly flat.

Jamie, is this in regards to the mixing or the mastering? I know Jesse has a loud and edgy sound to his live playing, perhaps he was emphasized too much?
 
Jamie, is this in regards to the mixing or the mastering? I know Jesse has a loud and edgy sound to his live playing, perhaps he was emphasized too much?

The mastering. Everything was turned up to 11...and Morrissey's voice doesn't sound "natural".
 
Live At Earls Court is weird. The whole thing sounds like it's being recorded from behind a curtain & mixed like they took every track apart & sewed it back together again only not quite right. And the keyboard in You Know I Couldn't Last sounds pure hammer horror. It's also strangely edited, like the clips of Morrissey talking aren't in the right place.

I do quite like it as a curio but it's not a great live album.

I've always loved Beethoven Was Deaf. Worth the purchase price alone for the guitar in The Loop
 
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Between the two live album Beethoven Was Deaf is much better
However...there is an even better live album which predates both and has better tracks
*cough* RANK *cough*
 
Beethoven is a fantastic album, great year. I STILL CANT SPEAK FRENCH. I AM VERY LAZY.:lbf:
BWD is funnier than LAEC as well Introducing Morrissey is better played than Live in Dallas - however WPTMIM has the best DVD set list ever.
 
I was at the Paris show for "Beethoven was Deaf" so I guess I should tend to prefer this one but that isn't the case.

When the CD was released, I was disappointed to see that the set list was upside down and songs from another show included.

Then I noticed that the beautiful delay effect on Moz's voice during "Seasick" that I was so in awe of at the time had not been kept for the CD mix...

I have to say I've never been a fan of Gary Day & Spencer Cobrin as a rythm section and I truly think any Morrisey show should have some Smiths songs, so for all this reasons I like "Earl Court's" best. Even if "Beethoven" has songs that really stand out ("Jack the Ripper", "He knows I'd love to see him"), I think the other one is more balanced.
 
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