Live Rock Music in the 60s

Subject: Live Rock Music in the 60s
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 28 Sep 05 - 11:20 AM

The recent Dylan programmes, and the old debate surrounding Dylan plugging in and going electric, started me thinking about "the sound" of live rock music in the 60s. I remember that me and my mates were never happy with sound we heard at live performances and always wondered why bands couldn't achieve a sound similar to that which we heard on our record machines. Indeed, it wasn't until I heard Santana in the early 70s that I realised that bands were able to achieve a "record quality" sound. Now - back to Dylan, are there any bootlegs - taped from the audience - of Dylan at his infamous early electric gigs; for example, Newport or Manchester, which would allow us an idea of just what the audience could - or couldn't - hear.

Subject: RE: Live Rock Music in the 60s
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Sep 05 - 04:26 AM

If there are, the Dylan Pool will have them and I'm sure one of the poolers will share them with you. Google for it.

Subject: RE: Live Rock Music in the 60s
From: GUEST,Whistle Stop
Date: 29 Sep 05 - 10:35 AM

Such bootlegs exist, but they aren't likely to give you a good feel for what the audience heard. The available technology (particularly that for clandestine, portable recording machines) wasn't able to achieve that. It's better now, but it still often does not give an accurate representation of what the audience is hearing.

As a long-time performing musician (going back to the 70's, not the 60's), one thing that always amazes me when I see performance clips from back then -- no monitors! Part of the inadequacy of the sound systems of the time had to do with what was being transmitted to the audience, but a big part of the problem was that the performers simply could not hear themselves very well.

Also, much of the time the only things being sent through the PA speakers were the vocals, and whatever "bleed" came through the vocal mics from the drums and amplifiers on stage. It really was very primitive by today's standards.

Subject: RE: Live Rock Music in the 60s
From: woodsie
Date: 29 Sep 05 - 12:22 PM

Well when I went to the Roundhouse, Hyde Park, Parliament Hill Fields etc. the sound was fantastic. That's from 1968 on. All I can say is you must have seen bands with crap PAs. The above events were sound engineered by the great Charlie Watkins (WEM)!!!

Subject: RE: Live Rock Music in the 60s
From: M.Ted
Date: 29 Sep 05 - 03:23 PM

There were a lot of bands with crap PAs back in those days--mostly because there weren't any good off the shelf PAs, and partly because, even if there had been, they would have been too expensive--When I was in high school and college it was pretty standard for garage bands to build their own PA speaker columns, and not uncommon for the PA amp to be built from a kit by someone in the band and their brother--

Of course, that home made stuff evolved very quickly into the massive custom engineered sound systems that were everywhere by the end of the 60's--many of which didn't sound much better than the garage stuff--

I just was reading about John Fogarty, who apparently developed his singing style because, early on, his band worked without a PA--