Love's Live Set

[BallroomDays67]

Do you recall any cover songs that were performed live, but never recorded in the studio? Did you ever perform any unreleased Arthur Lee songs, or ones that were recorded by other artists? Were there any discussions about adding any of those to your setlist? Was "Feathered Fish" ever considered?

[MichaelStuart-Ware]

I don't recall ever playing a song onstage that the group hadn't previously recorded. After recording Da Capo in Fall of '66, the seven-member lineup went on a series of short weekend gigs in southern and central California and Nevada. At that time the set list was comprised of material taken approximately two-thirds from Da Capo and perhaps one-third from the group's first album.

After Forever Changes was recorded, I don't remember playing "Revelation" onstage anymore, so I guess we replaced it with a few songs off the new album. But I can't remember what those tunes might have been, in that I don't recall ever playing songs from Forever Changes onstage ever. I guess it was assumed that they wouldn't go because... no strings or horns.

So maybe we just eliminated "Revelation" and replaced it with nothing. Because 45 minutes is kind of a long time for a set to last. Let's go ahead and cut it to 30 and see what happens. Heck, no promoter would have complained and you know, risk getting the glare (or worse) from Arthur. Seriously. He could kick your ass if need be.

Kind of seems like "Feathered Fish" was just a song Arthur gave to The Sons Of Adam after Randy (the Sons leader and lead guitarist) turned down 7 & 7 Is. Love never played Fish onstage when I was with the group, anyway.

[BallroomDays67]

The story about what he did to the guy in front of the Laurel Canyon Country Store certainly illustrated that it wasn't a good idea to mess with Arthur.

You wrote about one performance of "Revelation" right around the time that "Forever Changes" was released, but it was apparently intended as an opportunity for Arthur and Johnny to made fun of Canned Heat's "head bob." It was at the Blue Law in Torrance. Could that have been the last live performance of that song? If so, it's kind of a funny end for it as a live piece.

[MichaelStuart-Ware]

Yeah, it was the Blue Law. I never cared for the "adding an element of humor to the set" thing. Especially mean spirited humor.

Let the guy bob his head. It doesn't hurt us.

[BallroomDays67]

Is it true that Love performed "Smokestack Lightning" and "Gloria" early on, Johnny? Do you recall any other unreleased cover songs being performed prior to Michael joining Love? If so, how were they chosen?

[Johnny Echols]

Is it true that Love performed "Smokestack Lightning" and "Gloria" early on, Johnny? Do you recall any other unreleased cover songs that were performed prior to Michael joining Love? If so, how were they chosen?

When we were at the Brave New World, the group did a bunch of "cover" songs. We played many of the songs that were popular at the time. One of the most embarrassing moments I ever had on stage, was when several members of the Byrd's came to see us, and Arthur had us play "Tambourine Man. For years afterward, David Crosby would kid me about it. I still cringe, when I remember that night. JE.

[silentseason]

Would anyone know what a standard set list would be for the band from late '65 through the summer '68 period? I would guess that it would evolve and change from time to time so perhaps a set listing by album issue date from this period would be a better way to term it.
For Johnny and/or Michael.

[MichaelStuart-Ware]

In late-'65, I was still with the Sons of Adam, but from time-to-time I would catch a set the group played at Bido Lito's or when the two bands played together in San Francisco at The Fillmore. At that point, of course Love was only playing music from what would be on the first album. When Don Conka was on drums, they played the John Lee Hooker jam, as well, but I don't remember the group playing that tune with Snoop, at all...but maybe I just missed it.

After I joined up and we recorded Da Capo (in the Fall of '66), the band continued to play some of the tunes from the first album onstage, like "My Flash On You", "My Little Red Book", "Signed D.C.", and "Softly To Me" and then added some of the tunes from Da Capo, like "7&7 Is", "Stephanie Knows Who," "Orange Skies", "She Comes In Colors," and "John Lee Hooker" ("Revelation", which took up quite a bit of the set.)

After we completed "Forever Changes" (in September of '67) we really didn't play that many live gigs on stage, but when we did I don't ever remember playing any of the songs off FC. Maybe Arthur just figured without the strings and horns, that material wouldn't make it live onstage. So, to the best of my recollection, we just mainly stuck to the aforementioned tunes off the first two albums.

[hardrockcafe]

Are there any live soundboard recordings of Love from the 60s?

[The Freedom Man]

Yes there are, only not circulating. There still must be recordings somewhere on people's atticks, or other storage places.Johnny said he has seen a lot of people who were recording a show.
Pitty that the Americans always store stuff and forget about what they have!Well, not all of them offcourse, but lots.