Apparently derived from an offer by a German friend to record a show for free, the original “Live in Munich” recordings were a concern to Misery Index as they felt they had not played particularly well that night. On hearing how tight they sounded, and with a little studio help, the decision was made to release what was captured on the night. By their very nature, it could be argued, live recordings may only have a limited appeal, and their content, generally, is familiar to devotees of the artist concerned. There are a number of live album releases that have become immortalised in the “classic live album” hall of fame, Thin Lizzy “Live and Dangerous”, Motorhead “No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith”, Peter Frampton “Frampton Comes Alive!” and The Who “Live at Leeds” amongst those that immediately spring to mind. There exists a parallel debate as to the authenticity of the live document, including the use of overdubs and other studio witchcraft. Whatever the context, the live album review may be approached not so much as “Is this a good quality album?” more as “Is this a good quality LIVE album?” So, is Misery Index “Live in Munich” a good quality LIVE album? For anyone who experiences its brief thirty five minute, the answer must certainly be “yes”. The production is crystal clear, particularly the percussion, giving the listener the opportunity to experience, to some extent, the live Misery Index sound. It may also be worth considering how music of this nature is inherently chaotic in the extreme, with many overlapping dynamics to contend with, and is notoriously difficult to capture on a live recording.
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