Sloppy seconds - crappest performances on record

[bobbydj]

Ok - I tried searching for some views on this topic but couldn't come up with much. So indulge me please!

I was wondering if anyone cared to bring to mind some examples of criminally untight, badly pitched, out of tune, off-whack, grottily played recordings. I wanted to get some sort of a yard-stick for what 'we' deem shitty in the context of a performance. Simply - what bad performances can you cite?

Note - these performances don't have to be absolutely bad. Some playing/singing/performing actually ends up as 'characterful' and, or, interesting - even though from a technical POV they're strictly shite. So by all means point to stuff that's 'bad,' but which you love. Cheers.

GO!!

[JGriffin]

Out of tune--the chorused guitar break on David Bowie's "Young Americans" is nasty. In fact, the new Bowie hits CD has a flanged drum break dropped into the mix in its place. Stands out like a neon thumb, considering the entire rest of the CD sounds like the original mixes of everything.

[supafuzz]

duane allman's slide on "layla" way sour

bobby keys sax on "whatever gets you thru the night" too sharp

the background vocal goes horribly out of key at one point on the original "last kiss"

that's all i can think of right now

[Greenlander]

Drums, Bass and most all of the vocals on "Tonight's The Night" by Neil Young.

But it's amazing.

[inverseroom]

Replacements' "Hootenanny," basically the whole album. Again, in a good way--though I don't think that phase of their career has aged as well as "Let it Be" thru "Please to Meet Me."

[Everybody's X]

well I'll probably get fried for this but the guitar solo Jimmy page does between living lovin maid and whatever the name of it is where he just does this weedly weedly shit for 30 seconds by himself is the sloppiest piece of shit ever commited to tape.

[bobbydj]

Ok - I've got one. And maybe this is just me - but what's Bill Ward doing on the fills in Symptoms of the Universe? I dunno if it's just plain ol' country 'n' garden over-drumming or what. I'm just glad I wasn't Iommi or Geezer 'cos I wouldn't've fancied playing to those sausage rolls. I love WW's playing elsewhere - but on SU it just does my head in.

[antilog]

duane allman's slide on "layla" way sour

bobby keys sax on "whatever gets you thru the night" too sharp

the background vocal goes horribly out of key at one point on the original "last kiss"

that's all i can think of right now

sour how? not perfect?

[antilog]

last thing that I heard from a band I normally like that was terrible was the Gimme Shelter movie. horrible sound, sloppy uninspired hackish playing.

i wish i had never seen that movie...

[joeysimms]

I'll have to listen to Symtom of the Universe again for that..

The one that immediately comes to mind is the middle break of Shattered where it's obvious (once you hear it) the drums fucked up but they used the take anyway. Keith and Ronnie overdubbed some tom-tom stuff and then you hear the Charlie drum fader slide back up right at the end.

The other is obscure, but worth it: "Give Me Love", the flipside to Rosie and the Originals' "Angel baby" 45.. It's like the band left, and they let the janitor fuck around and track the flip. it's out-of-time, out-of-tune, and completely bizarre. Supposedly, that's what the Beatles were going for on
"You Know My Name.."

Then there's the Shaggs..

[JGriffin]

duane allman's slide on "layla" way sour

sour how? not perfect?

No, I'm sure he means sour as in completely out of tune. That stuff on the instrumental ride-out is horrid--every note is really flat.

[antilog]

wow

i think it's beautiful, it's just surprising to hear someone stating the exact opposite...

[jpschust]

well two things come quickly to mind

moe.'s warts and all volume 2, sounds totally out of phase (was just a simple live matrix mix)

steve kimock band's east meets west, live album recorded with only a pair of r0de mics in a stere config, sounds like ass

jj cale's live album, hard to listen to jj through the terrible recording quality and his somewhat poor performance vocally

oh and don't forget bob dylan's self portrait... that thing is horrible

[bobbydj]

I think it's flat too. Or sharp. Seems like some layers are sharp, and some flat. Leaving an over all impression of...shat?!?

[honkyjonk]

I was going to say out of tune and sloppiness reigns on all sorts of things on Neil Youngs Tonights the Night, but somebody else beat me to it.

I think it is a fucking incredible album though. It's by far by favorite N.Y. on record and one of my faves all time. All the out of tune singing just makes me smile and want to hear it again, and really crank it. Imagine this album without the mistakes. What a terrible thought!!!