Live...In the Raw in Bloomington, MN

Music critics have always pointed out the similarities between theatrical rockers
Kiss
and
W.A.S.P.
--
Blackie Lawless
' and
Gene Simmons
' blood spewing, makeup and costumes, high-decibel
rock
, and so on. (
Ace Frehley
even produced
's first demo!)
used the live album format for their big commercial breakthrough, 1975's classic
Alive!
, and
hoped the same would happen for them with 1987's
Live...In the Raw
. While it didn't work out that way, it served as a worthwhile document of the band' s live show -- but the biggest problem is that
concerts always relied mainly on visuals. Still, the band offers heavy versions of such fan favorites as
"L.O.V.E. Machine,"
"Wild Child,"
"I Wanna Be Somebody,"
"Blind in Texas,"
"I Don't Need No Doctor,"
"Sleeping (In the Fire)."
Also included is a live version of a previously unreleased original,
"Harder Faster,"
as well as the
soundtrack
-only studio cut
"Scream Until You Like It"
(from
Ghoulies II
). ~ Greg Prato