Shane’s Rock Challenge: The Angels – 1987 – Liveline

Shane’s Rock Challenge: The Angels – 1987 – Liveline
By Shane Pinnegar
10/10

Folks talk in hushed tones of the hallowed nature of live albums like Lizzy’s Live & Dangerous, Maiden’s Live After Death, UFO’s Strangers In The Night and so on – albums that were more than just live documents, but were career-defining statements, putting all that had gone before into perspective and standing as a monument to the bands greatness.

Liveline captures The Angels at their intense best, with a track listing second to none and electricity running through every song.

Originally released in 1987 on vinyl and cassette, Liveline went to #2 on the Australian albums chart. Issued on CD in ‘87, and remastered in ‘98, each time Live Line had bonus tracks added, eventually swelling the track list from the original 24 tracks to the current 34 tracks, which, incidentally, covers several different line-ups. Thankfully I have both the original vinyl and the remastered CD.

With its iconic cover depicting rock solid guitarist Rick Brewster ‘s impassive face coloured in red and black, with just the merest hint of a smirk on his face, and singer Doc Neeson reflected in his dark sunglasses, Liveline was the definitive live statement from the band – one that works best in unison with the 1983 Live St Narara DVD.

Between these two documents, The Angels are caught at the absolute height of their powers – all the sweat and frizzon of an Angels show, the none-tighter rhythm section and the dramatic antics of Neeson included – caught and crammed into the grooves of this excellent record.

Category: Shane's Rock Challenge