Live at Max's Kansas City (Johnny Thunders album)
| Live at Max's Kansas City | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
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| Live album by The Heartbreakers | ||||
| Released | 1979 (original LP) | |||
| Recorded | 1978 (original LP) 1979 (CD bonus tracks) |
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| Genre | Punk rock | |||
| Length |
34:44 (LP) 57:57 (CD) |
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| Label |
Max's Kansas City (LP) Beggars Banquet (LP) ROIR (CD) |
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| Producer |
Peter Crowley The Heartbreakers |
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| The Heartbreakers chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |
  link
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| Trouser Press | (Very favorable) link |
| Robert Christgau | (A-) link |
Live at Max's Kansas City is a live album by The Heartbreakers. Recorded at a series of Autumn 1978 "reunion"/"farewell" shows at the famous Max's Kansas City nightclub, the album's performance — loud, sloppy, and laden with bawdy introductions and/or lyric changes to many of the familiar songs from their only studio album, L.A.M.F. — further cemented the band's live reputation.
The album and "reunion" gigs came about after co-lead singer/co-lead guitarist Johnny Thunders had returned from England, where he had completed recording his first solo album, So Alone, for Real Music. His fellow ex-Heartbreakers Walter Lure and Billy Rath had participated in some of the sessions for the album, and all three happened to find themselves in New York at the same time, and decided to play some gigs "for old time's sake" and some "chump change" (per the LP's liner notes). With drummer Jerry Nolan reluctant to backtrace his steps after quitting the band over L.A.M.F.'s poor sound, the Thunders/Lure/Rath triumvirate recruited one Ty Styx to take over the drum seat for the shows, all of which were recorded.
Originally released on Max's Kansas City Records and in England on Beggars Banquet Records through a logo deal with Max's Kansas City, the album was successful enough to warrant a second live recording done at the same venue. The band, now fully reunited with the return of Jerry Nolan to the drum throne, accepted the invitation. By that time, however, the band were all struggling with their various addictions, with Thunders' own heroin habit escalating. The first two nights of the three-night stand resulted in very little if any usable material, but by the last night, the band were in rare form, with Thunders and Lure delivering their usual witty introductions between songs. After playing five songs, Thunders suddenly left the stage, claimng he had to "tune up" — never to return that evening.* Ironically, two songs earlier, the band had played their semi-autobiographical "Too Much Junkie Business". The five songs from the last night were mixed down and offered to Beggars Banquet, who refused them.
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Wikipedia