A whole freaking bunch of classic rock performance videos

July 29, 2009 8:55 PM

My Beat Clubhas a whole ton of classic rock perfomance videos, mostly from old German TV shows Musikladen and Beat Club. Among the videos on offer are Small Faces' Tin Soldier, Chuck Berry's School Days, Ike & Tina Turner's River Deep, Mountain High, The Who's My Generation, Country Joe McDonald's I Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die Rag, The Everly Brothers' All I Have to Do is Dream, The Ramones' Sheena is a Punk Rocker, Mungo Jerry's In the Summertime, T. Rex's 20th Century Boy, New York Dolls' Looking for a Kiss, The Byrds' So You Want to Be a Rock n' Roll Star, Thin Lizzy's Whiskey in the Jar, Slade's We'll Bring the House Down, The Jimi Hendrix Experience's Purple Haze and so much, much more!
posted by Kattullus (30 comments total)

Tip of the hat to tellurian for linking to it first in a comment and for being cool with me posting it.

Oh, and: Via that same language log comment.
posted by Kattullus at 8:58 PM on July 29

Oh, and I should mention that some of the videos are lip synced, but it's always identified in the description whether it's played live or not.
posted by Kattullus at 9:03 PM on July 29

Damn that's a good Ramones performance. Live rock'n'roll on your TV - so much better than when bands have to mime their performances - Top of the Pops and Countdown - I'm looking at you.
posted by awfurby at 9:05 PM on July 29

In Every Dream Home a Heartache Roxy Music did an excellent performance on MusikLaden circa 1973, although someone should have advised Brian Eno against wearing such an unflattering chicken costume.
posted by grounded at 9:18 PM on July 29

Unfortunately, the Purple Haze clip I went straight to won't load properly... I just get the first few tantalizing seconds (sound quality is very good) and then it goes out. But I know they sounded great, cause, damn, those guys were on fire then.

The video caption is pretty funny, though:

But also the music of the song is famous. Today, the extended dominant guitar chord of the track is also known as “The Hendrix chord”. With this technique Hendrix helped to establish the use of chords in popular music.

Indeed! Why, until Hendrix it was all just melody and rhythm!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:22 PM on July 29 [1 favorite]

From the Thin Lizzy blurb:

The double lead guitar harmony of tracks like "The Boys Are Back In Town" were a draft for forthcoming bands like Iron Maiden and Def Leppard.

Thin Lizzy are fucking essential but God No, not for the likes of ... (names I dare not mention in the same text block

And man, is Marc Bolan bloated in that T-Rex clip!?

Thanks for the history, however sobering.
posted by philip-random at 9:26 PM on July 29

grounded: someone should have advised Brian Eno against wearing such an unflattering chicken costume.

I like it when performers dress like they're trying to provoke the audience.

flapjax at midnite: Unfortunately, the Purple Haze clip I went straight to won't load properly

Are you having problems with all the videos or just that one? It loads fine for me (Firefox 3/Windows XP). It's pretty stellar, so you're missing out. There's also Hey Joe.

Indeed! Why, until Hendrix it was all just melody and rhythm!

Yeah, some of those caption texts are pretty hilarious. I like weird claims about pop music. One I like to bring out is "the more Mike Mills sings on an R.E.M. album the better it is." I don't actually believe it but it sounds vaguely plausible enough to fly by.
posted by Kattullus at 9:35 PM on July 29

Like it or not, the guys from Maiden have said that they were going for a heavier twin-lead sound inspired by Thin Lizzy. I happen to like it.
posted by stargell at 9:40 PM on July 29

Thin Lizzy are fucking essential but God No, not for the likes of ... (names I dare not mention in the same text block

Maiden's twin guitar attack eats Thin Lizzy's for their Satanic lunch.
posted by Item at 9:46 PM on July 29

Metafilter: someone should have advised Brian Eno against wearing such an unflattering chicken costume.

Metafilter: I don't actually believe it but it sounds vaguely plausible enough to fly by.
posted by vibrotronica at 9:59 PM on July 29

Kattulus, I think it's on my end. I've had really spotty internet connection lately, it's driving me nuts, too. Certain times of day are worse than others. Actually, nighttime is OK, weekdays are iffy. I dunno, my ISP is cranking me down during the day or something, I swear...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 10:04 PM on July 29

If you can get the videos to work, flapjax, here's a clip of Kraftwerk back when they were basically Neu! (Florian Schneider, Michael Rother and Klaus Dinger).

I guess I'm making it more painful, huh?
posted by Kattullus at 10:08 PM on July 29

yes, Kattulus, you are. And it's odd, cause I'm usually the S guy in an S&M thing. You're sending me into new directions here...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 10:20 PM on July 29

Yeah, the linked Hendrix is a 10.
posted by Wolof at 10:38 PM on July 29

The guitars in the Dolls clip are disappointingly quiet, especially considering the Orange stack I see behind Johnny, but it was still awesome, thanks!

Also, I am quite disturbed by the use of comic sans.
posted by atmosphere at 11:42 PM on July 29

Shooting location: Germany

My location: Germany

You can not watch this video in the country where you reside now



*exasperated sigh*
posted by chillmost at 12:35 AM on July 30

Smash your guitar Pete!
posted by marxchivist at 3:40 AM on July 30

Something for the girl with ev-'ry-thing...
posted by pxe2000 at 4:20 AM on July 30

Wow, the Dead look so young in this clip and manage to finish the song in only four minutes.
posted by octothorpe at 4:29 AM on July 30

Love that Sparks clip pxe2000. Back in the 70s, Russell Mael was an object of fascination as a rockstar with the self-discipline to actually have short hair. But those Byrds -- the Byrds or some strange Byrds cover band?
posted by Faze at 4:33 AM on July 30

I love how completely and utterly unpredictable Dr. Hook is live. There's a few videos there, but just watch Cover of the Rolling Stone for a fine example of this. The ending of it is especially great.

The It's a Beautiful Day video was great as well. They really got those Orange stacks to wail.

Maiden's twin guitar attack eats Thin Lizzy's for their Satanic lunch.

As much as I love Thin Lizzy, I have to agree with this.
posted by NoMich at 5:51 AM on July 30

Dang, this does not work very well for me either. Does it list a recording date for any of the videos?
I will try again later. Ah, sweet shades of my misspent youth, Thin Lizzy at the Riviera "77 (Chicago)
posted by readery at 6:01 AM on July 30

thanks Kattullus - being of classic vintage myself, this is a collection I appreciate ... and this gem made my morning: Muddy Waters - Honeybee

A few more I enjoyed.
Jeff Beck
Canned Heat
John Mayall
10 Years After
Tah Mahal
posted by madamjujujive at 6:09 AM on July 30

Able to watch now. This site is a treasure trove. Thanks so much for this post, Kattullus.

And with views for most clips averaging in the hundreds, this must be a really new site, no? Great discovery.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:23 AM on July 30

Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show's performance on Musikladen is the stuff of legends.

Here's Cover of the Rolling Stone, the set's final song. But the entire thing is hilarious and highly enjoyable (yuck yuck).

Will Scheff of Okkervil River on the performance:
There’s all these famous stories of drunken tomfoolery with rock bands, but the thing that’s special about this Dr. Hook concert is that they’re laughing and enjoying themselves. And it reminds me that rock and roll—and more broadly than that, song and folk music in general—is a jubilant, communal celebration of what’s grimy and great about life. I think that that’s what we’re trying to go for in our live shows. Make people remember that they’re seeing a real thing, one time only, in front of them.
posted by pokermonk at 7:53 AM on July 30

After growing up with memories of the original Woodstock version of Country Joe's "Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die Rag", the version they do here seems almost lounge-lizardy in contrast. Really needs a "GIMME AN F!!!!...." boost.

That said, what a goldmine and thanks a bunch for the links!
posted by Mike D at 7:57 AM on July 30

Awesome!
posted by ericthegardener at 8:53 AM on July 30

Damn that's a good Ramones performance.


Damn you're so right, awfurby. Wowsers.

(Funny to be still melting as a matron...nice feeling actually).

Fantastic post.
posted by Jody Tresidder at 12:16 PM on July 30

Here's a great, acoustic version of For Your Love performed by Humble Pie.
posted by Kattullus at 8:07 PM on July 30

Unreal! I actually live in Germany right now, and I can't watch the clips. Verdammt!
posted by Betty Tyranny at 5:07 AM on July 31