Most of the Steve Miller Band material for this live set comes from a Pine Knob (Detroit) performance in late summer 1982. At the time, the band were on the run supporting their ‘Abracadabra’ album, which was doing the rounds at the time.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Steve Miller Band
ALBUM: Live!
LABEL: Capitol
SERIAL: ST-12263
YEAR: 1983
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
LINEUP: Steve Miller – vocals, guitar * John Massaro – guitar * Kenny Lee Lewis – guitar * Norton Buffalo – harmonica * Byron Allred – keyboards * Gerald Johnson – bass * Gary Mallaber – drums, percussion, keyboards
TRACK LISTING: 01 Gangster Of Love * 02 Rock ‘N Me * 03 Living In The U.S.A. * 04 Fly Like An Eagle * 05 Jungle Love * 06 The Joker * 07 Mercury Blues * 08 Take The Money And Run * 09 Abracadabra * 10 Jet Airliner
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Steve Miller Band Background
The recent 2016 Rock And Roll Hall of Fame inductees saw veteran Steve Miller thrown a gong. For a moment there, I thought he was going to throw it right back at them. All those HoF suits, and then walk right on out of there!
Watching his rant on YouTube reminded me of the time that I (along with many others) listened to his early 80’s material. Not quite in the vein of his superior 60’s and 70’s stuff.
But it was enough for me to piece together a few words about two of his albums during 1982 and 1983. The second of which is his 1983 live album.
The Songs
Most of the Steve Miller Band material for this live set comes from a Pine Knob (Detroit) performance in late summer 1982.
At the time, the band were on the run supporting their ‘Abracadabra’ album, which was doing the rounds at the time.
Thankfully, the songs here represent a greatest hits collection going back into time, and features many of Miller’s hits. Not just the recent stuff, such as ‘Abracadabra’. All of the regular chestnuts are here.
‘Rockin’ Me Baby’, ‘Fly Like An Eagle’, ‘Jungle Love’, ‘Jet Airliner’ included. And of course a Steve Miller live set wouldn’t be complete without ‘The Joker’ and ‘Take The Money And Run’. The latter sounding like the Eagles lite.
All of these songs are held close to their studio equivalents. Unfortunately there’s no extended dialog with the audience. Except when reference is made to Detroit, and the crowd goes ape.. lol!
In Summary
The album was released twice more in 1988 and 1993. It did make it to #125 in the Billboard charts at the time of its initial 1983 release.
So it would appear it wasn’t a commercial success; but then live albums rarely are, unless you were Peter Frampton. An OK live set, but nowhere near as classic as some of the live stuff from the late 70’s.
Steve Miller Band on Video
Abracadabra (Live Pine Knob Detroit Sept 1982)
