In 1978, Eloy released the double Live(squeezed onto one CD), at a time when most progressive bands were either going commercial or altogether disbanding. Eloy however were at the peak of their popularity in their homeland of Germany and most of their albums from 1976 to 1982 would sell over 200,000 copies. Rightly considered the German Pink Floyd, the band was famous for elaborate stage shows featuring copious laser lights, dry ice machines and plentiful pyrotechnics. Unfortunately, the new CD remaster does not reproduce the photographs of the band's stage show that were on the original vinyl gatefold spread, but at least the album is finally back in print.
Live compiles some of the band's best loved compositions to date and very often, the live versions outshine their studio counterparts. Most of the classic Ocean album is represented here as well as choice cuts from Dawn, The Power and the Passion and the title track from Inside. Happily, the tacky narration from the studio version of "The Dance in Doubt and Fear" is gone and given mostly an instrumental treatment. However, there is some narration on other cuts, but I don't find it all that intrusive. The closing track, "Atlantis' Agony at June 5th-8498, 13 p.m. Gregorian Earthtime" (honest!) is extended to twenty plus minutes of spaced out bliss and leans towards the cosmic side of compatriots Ash Ra Tempel, Mythos and perhaps Tangerine Dream.
The only significant flaw of the album is that it feels a little too cut and paste. Each track fades with Frank Bornemann cheerfully exclaiming "danke schon!" so that the songs generally don't segue or flow very naturally. On the other hand, Live is not at all a bad place to introduce a novice to the music of Eloy. The sound quality is fine given the age of the master tapes and the fact that the band was having problems with their enormous lighting rig, causing buzzing noises (mostly inaudible here) in their PA. There is an essay in the CD booklet, but unfortunately the text is only in German. EMI Germany once again stupidly copy protect the CD so that it won't play in some disc players and recorders. Hey EMI Germany: Danke Schon!
Track Listing
- Poseidon's Creation (11:47)
- Incarnation of Logos (8:46)
- The Sun-Song (8:32)
- The Dance in Doubt and Fear (7:36)
- Mutiny (9:58)
- Gliding into Light and Knowledge (4:24)
- Inside (6:34)
- Atlantis' Agony at June 5th-8498, 13 P.M. Gregorian Earthtime (20:57)
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