Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble’s “Live Alive” is technically a compilation album, consisting of material recorded at four concerts between 1985 and 1986 and originally released as a double album. What could be better than 70-plus minutes of SRV in his natural habitat: The stage?
From the opening wah-wah shuffle of “Say What” to excellent renditions of “Willie The Wimp” and “Change It”; featuring cover versions of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” and Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)”, Live Alive quickly became one of the most popular live blues records of the 1980s.
The Texas-based trio of Stevie Ray, Tommy Shannon and Chris Layton are joined for the majority of the record by Reese Wynans on keyboards. Stevie’s big brother, Jimmie features on several numbers, including “Love Struck Baby” and “Look At Little Sister”.
It’s rumoured that a great deal of the record was overdubbed later in the studio. Whether or not this is true, Stevie’s fiery signature tone is captured beautifully on what would be his only official live album.