Published on Feb 10, 1998
This is all Eric E5S16’s fault…
We got chatting via e-mail not long ago about older albums and
their availablility on CD. Somehow, the topic got onto ’60s
stalwarts Steppenwolf. I don’t know what happened next, but
something got lodged in my brain, and this evening, I found myself
marching down the aisles of the Pierce Archives (next showing for
Titanic: 15 minutes) and grabbing for a slab of Steppenwolf
vinyl.
And after listening to their 1970 live effort
Live Steppenwolf, their success just has to be a case of
being in the right place at the right time. These live versions not
only pale in comparison to their studio versions, but they also
prove that John Kay and crew really – gasp! – weren’t that talented
to begin with.
It’s not that I hate Steppenwolf. I spent my later years in high
school grooving to the first two Steppenwolf albums, blasting them
from the speakers of my ’75 Mustang II (you know, the one with the
sunroof you had to hand-crank – further proof I was uncool). Their
studio work may have taken on a few wrinkles over the years, and if
one more person mis-uses “Born To Be Wild,” I’m going to vomit. But
all in all, their early studio stuff wasn’t that bad.
So what happened on
Live Steppenwolf? First, I’ve always said that the live
album is the most difficult thing for an artist to perfect. There
are always so many variables, not to mention the inevitable
comparison to the studio cousins of the songs, that it almost
always disappoints in some ways. Add on to this Kay’s pontificating
from the stage about the governmant’s crackdown on marijuana and
the Vietnam War (why not, this was 1970), and as long as you have a
Lava Lite and some incense, you’re ready for flashback city curled
up next to the hookah. (I have one, but for some reason, it
dispenses iced tea. Gotta read the manual next time I install
something.)
What’s more frustrating are the actual performances, combined
with Gabriel Mekler’s production work. I happen to like “Hey, Lawdy
Mama,” and the version here especially rocks – but to abruptly
segue into “Magic Carpet Ride”? The splice isn’t a natural one – I
can hear it. Why not let one of the better songs finish naturally?
While we’re on a rant, will somebody explain why the fuck every
blues-based song done by a rock band has the line “I’ve got a bird
that whistles, and I have birds that sing?” It wasn’t cool when Led
Zeppelin did it on “You Shook Me,” and it isn’t cool when Kay
croons it during “Corrina, Corrina”… stop it, goddamnit, STOP
IT!!!
It would be something if the live versions of the hits lived up
to their studio counterparts – alas, they don’t. For some, like
“Magic Carpet Ride,” it’s almost impossible to recapture that
feeling, the original having relied on studio tricks to get some of
the effects. Even some of the lesser-known ones, like “Draft
Resister” and “Monster,” suffer.
But there are a couple of redeeming performances here. Besides
“Hey, Lawdy Mama,” I happened to like “Power Play,” and “Don’t Step
On The Grass, Sam” wasn’t too far off from the original. “The
Pusher” is always kind of fun to listen to as well.
Live Steppenwolf is definitely a relic from the past – and
to the casual listener, might be one best left resting in peace. If
you grew up with this music, you might want to give it a spin or
two… but remember what momma said about playing with
wolves…