James Brown Live At The Apollo

65

Obligatory not sure that live albums should be on the list... Not a big James Brown fan anyway so that doesn't help. I bet it was fun to be there, but it's very dated now. Not sure he was a great role model either 2

The audience sounded like they were on a roller coaster. I was too short to ride, so I had to stand by and watch. Cool to watch, but I’d rather be on the coaster.

Sounds like he’s hurting

Given his performance style, this didn't really work that well for a live album. Not sure live albums really belong on this list

After yesterday's Smiths album, I was hoping for someone a bit less problematic than Morrissey today. Alas, here we are. At least he has a less annoying voice than Morrissey.

I like James Brown, but I prefer to listen to the music without a live crowd. The yelling and screaming of the crowd was too much of a distraction for me.

Great voice, but other than that it doesn't really do much for me.

2/4

It was okay

Not really my cup of tea. I would give it a 2, but let me think about it till the reating.

Pretty old style

Eh maybe if I knew who James brown is I'd care more

Given what an energetic performer James Brown is, I was kind of surprised by how boring this was. It's basically the same mid-tempo song over and over again, set against a background of belligerent audience heckling

Pretty uninteresting and I don’t like live albums

Sorry men 20 minuter är inte ett album

On parempiakin Brownin levyjä. ⭐️⭐️

This album is not my style at all, i didn't like most of the songs, some of them were good, but in general, i didn't like it.

het geschreeuw en gejuich op de achtergrond is ZO zo afleidend

There are a couple very brief interludes of interesting instrumentation - the vocals are horrific.

two stars for the song tears also come on a twenty minute song is way to much

Not my vibe

There are a lot of reasons I don’t like live albums. This one invoked all of them. Thank God James Brown just has a really good sound. Anything lesssr and this would’ve been a one.

2 Wow, the crowd sure was happy to be there

This is one of those records that garnered lots of accolades, but it doesn't resonate with me. The band is tight, but the songs are lacking from this era.

This could be good, I like James Brown's music. But the live aspect of the album makes it unbearable to listen to. Can people shut the fuck up and enjoy the music?

im sorry but honestly if i payed to hear this live, after the first song i would genuinely ask for my money back. tiene algunos elementos btw, pero no me gusto

I'm sure this was an awesome show to see in person. As with most live recording, this does nothing for me.

Ahhhhhh

I'm sure it was great if you were there - but not sure this recording does it justice. Does James Brown not have any good studio albums?

There’s a connection between the audience and the performer that must’ve been thrilling at the time. There certainly was an excitement to it and it’s an influential album, but it bored me to death. The consistent hyperdrive of the music wears on me. I prefer more restraint. Also his screams don’t charm me as they do for other people.

Not hitting like you'd think

No es mi tipo de música, supongo que es algo de su epoca

Selkeesti naisilla kostuu pikkarit, mutta omat Danish Guyt pysyy vielä jalassa.

not excited about live albums, James is a classic but this album is not.

i feel like i already heard this?

lovely instrumentals

Was really excited for the idea of this, thinking it would be a 4/5 but found it largely uninspiring in the end.

Had high hopes but was v disappointed:( Some nice moments but the soul did not touch my soul. And far too much screeching from both James and the audience which made for an unpleasant listening experience.

Enjoyed but also sad James brown makes me sad

Never had i listened to a James Brown album (or even song appart from i feel good i guess), and yeah i can see where people are coming from when saying that he's one of the most influencial artist ever. Pretty boring tho. Got hyped during the first song when the brasses came on during the anouncement, but that's pretty much it. I know its a recording from the early 60s, but damn, all i heard was the bassist, and sometime JB's voice coming from the left. Not my shit, -1 for being an asshole, +1 for basically being the first musician ever

His voice is so finely controlled but loose and expressive it’s insane. Vocal performance aside though, I wasn’t feeling this one. It’s probably a symptom of it being another live album but some tracks were quick & abrupt, while others ambled slowly to the finish. It never felt like the album found its footing to me, but I can totally see the appeal. A personal very strong two. STAND-OUT SONG: “Try Me” HONORABLE MENTION: “I’ll Go Crazy”

2 stars

I respect his talent, but this kind of music just doesn't suit me

I don't know why I listen to this, it is boring as per usually, all the screaming and improv are really not my cup of tea... 😐

Not really my thing

Black man YOLLERING!

Troppo chiasso

2 stars?? Idk this isnt really my vibe but I enjoyed it❤️

It was an alright listen. I do love this type of music, but wasn't overall a fan of this. I didn't hate it, but also didn't enjoy it as much as I do this type of music on average. It was fine, but I wouldn't come back to it. Probably 2.5-2.75?

Would be higher if it wasn't a live album

I like James Brown, but not this album.

Given the songs I know by James Brown, I didn't expect to be this bored. Especially the 11 minute one. Yowza. I also don't usually get anything out of a live album unless i'm a huge fan.

Meh There was too much faffing about on this for a 30 minute album The small upbeat sections of music would raise my hopes, only to be dashed as being an intro to another slow song I was disappointed by this

this one didn't really age well... not getting it

It's fine, it's short at least

Pretty cool, but not my tempo. I’m not a big live album person.

not my jam

Far too much screaming

I hope the tickets weren't expensive. At no point during this half-hour concert did I feel like I'd missed out because I wasn't there. At least the recording quality isn't dogshit.

Meg

Semmosta, kait ollut huippuhupia tuohon aikaan. Innokkaita ihmisiä ainakin yleisössä. Mutta ei tämä minua pistänyt himotuttaan.

Too screetchy

Seems like a transition period between crooner Brown and frenetic Brown. I say this based on no evidence.

I think the only live album I need to hear before I die is NOFX's I've Heard They Suck Live. This was fine, but it's a live album, I'm generally only a fan if I love the band

Nice album with rather thin feeling without being at the venue. I expected more just based on presumptions.

Cover federe end musikken.

Kind of interested to listen to this...I thought it would be funky. Maybe the funk phase came later. This just felt like a not very interesting live recording of some soul-type music. Didn't love it.

1. intro - 0 2. crazy - 2 3. try - 3 4. bridge - 0 5. think - 1 6. bridge - 0 7. mind - 2 8. bridge - 0 9. lozt - 2 10. pleaze - 1 11. night - 1

Quite ni e but didnt add any wasnt feling th emoment

not for me but not bad

Had this album before on my own list. Was decent. I liked Think. 2.5

No me gustó

Best Track - "I'll Go Crazy"

did not care for this at all. it was mostly just background music. the screaming fans were SO annoying. 4/10

Album 163. James Brown Live At The Apollo (https://open.spotify.com/album/0B6BbyElOe4bwziJrunOTe?si=sfV8FwgRTEu5woyGoe74MA) — James Brown (1963) Not bad, it has energy 2/5 Liked: — Try Me

Listened in the car. Man Dimery must love live albums as this is the 5th one I've had since starting in January. It's a shame because I really don't like live albums at all for the most part. Live shows have a big visual aspect which is lost in an audio only format. They can never truly capture the crowd energy and they end up leaving a "well, you had to be there" feeling with me. This one is no exception. It sounds like an amazing show, but I just found myself zoning out while he interacted with a crowd I'm not in and can't see and barely hear. Hope there aren't many more live records on this list.

Look I fell asleep while first listening to this but my impressions were it was pretty piss weak in terms of blues music, I mean you’re going up against Elvis, Nina Simone and I guess the start of the Beatles and the best you can do is a little screaming, the same filler ostinatos heard when they first put pianos in the logging camps and a brass section blaring over everything? Mostly I just feel like the lyrics are both repetitive and derivative. Also his mic keeps cutting out. That being said he is a compelling singer. These are just not very interesting songs. They just kinda read like a disconnected collection of things to say to ones love. This album has merit but it’s not concentrated enough to listen to. 2/5

Not very exciting, 4/10

eeeeeeeemm. Curioso.

me encanta que está re cortico, el flow es suave pero igual me ha parecido como bien, al final estuvo aburrido pero no fue como supper maluco de escuchar

live album

Звучить добре, але я не буду це переслуховувати, це 2,5

Me gustó bastante

I liked "I'll go crazy"

The (far too) frequent additions of live albums to this list had me invent the concept of "dead" albums. How has a black metal band not done this?? Put a field recording mic in a grave and release that shit. The atmosphere would probably be less grating. Unless you could hear stuff wiggling around or whatnot. Not good. Anyway, we get an obnoxious crowd for another full-length release rather than the thankfully silent corpses. I'm telling you, Euronymous is punching air right now that this wasn't Mayhem's follow-up to Dead's suicide. Introductions are done by Fats Gonder. Where has the nickname "Fats" gone? It would seem that it is no longer "en vogue" and has gone the way of the 10 cent trolley ticket. Even our most corpulent celebrities are too cowardly to rock the name Fats these days. Just own the girth. Wear a Mumu and one of those plushy hats. Life becomes an easier slog once you do. Just another sign society has crumbled to where it is no longer recognizable as a positive structure. Surprisingly, the old days understood short attention spans when it came to music. We only had to endure 31 minutes of shrieking women alongside what was a energetically performed, albeit sort of boring set from Mr. Way More Popular Than I Thought He Was, James Brown. A fun game I like to play when I'm bored (see above) is to go back and try to figure out which famous people had undiagnosed ADHD in the 60's/70's. 2.5 HIGHLIGHTS: This had to be one of the sweatier shows that year.

Unfortunately this was everything I hate about Live albums. Sure, James Brown does a great job of working the crowd, but... listening to a load of people just screaming in a call-and-response style is not particularly pleasant. The music was great, and James' voice is fantastic and extremely soulful (if a little shouty). Would have been a 4 if it weren't a Live version. 2 because my ears hurt from the excessive screaming.

I generally enjoyed the music but the amount of screaming from the crowd completely ruined it. 3 lowered to a 2 because of the screaming

The main focus of this live album seems to be James Brown's vocal vamping, which for a lesser singer would just be screaming. Brown manages to stay on pitch and keep his emotional focus, even though he really is screaming. It's impressive. Beyond that though... I just wasn't impressed. Nothing else memorable. I'm glad some of the rest of y'all enjoyed it so much. Not for me.

No le di mucha atención, no me cerro 5/10

Quel dommage que le seul album de JB soit Live... Tout est gâché par les hurlements stridents, insupportables et incessants du public. Les titres en eux-mêmes mériteraient 4 ou 5 étoiles.

Was okay. Mostly covers of things i think? idk, i wasn't the biggest fan.

This album is not bad exactly, but it isn't interesting either.

11 songs in 31 minutes? James Brown really is the hardest working man in show business. Fats Gonder is going to be my new alter ego. I like James Brown in general, but this is not my favorite album. I picture him doing James Brown stuff during the bridges and feel like this album is missing a visual medium. Five two minute songs, a 3 minute song and a six minute song crowded around an 11 minute song. The audience participation is hilarious.

Just not my thing for some reason

1.5 stars Maybe this was something worth listening to at the time. But I would never listen to this again. Live music with low sound quality, songs that have not stood the test of time, and screams from the audience for every wail he makes that don’t translate in the modern era. It’s a historical document that does not provide for an interesting listen.

James Brown has such a recognizable voice, not a huge fan but I can appreciate his music 2.5

2/5

Artiste connu uniquement par le tube 'Get on up', moyennement apprécié. Cet album est plus vieux, plutôt blues. Les parties rapides sont assez entrainantes (+1), et les morceaux sont en général plutôt courts, ce qui permet d'éviter de lasser. Malheureusement les 2 exceptions sont à 6 et 10 mn, et là l'ennui vient vite : "Lost Someone" est interminable et musicalement sans intérêt (terriblement répétitif et lent) ... mais le public semble apprécier. Pas de seconde écoute pour moi. =>2/5

no me gusta cuando son grabaciones de concierto tampoco me llamo la atención

Dobar lajv, ali sam možda očekivala malo više. Nisam prije slušala. 2/5, 3/10

Bit too much audience noise for my taste, but I can see that being a draw for some people.

To be honest, I never really got into James brown because his vocal style never really appealed to me. That said, I thought this was a decent live album. The musical instrumentation stood out the most for me.

In terms of importance and historical interest, this album is amazing. It's very rare to see interaction with audiences feel so real, where the push and oull of stage presence to an audience is palpable, and this record really shows it. As Robert Christgau noted in his review of the album, it estaished "Brown as an r&b superstar and a sales force to be reckoned with, it's a time capsule, living testament of a chitlin circuit now defunct." In this way, the album is important to listen to, and should be listened to for years to come. In regards to the music though? I'm not a fan. The soul and funk that came to define James Brown's work isn't fully developed yet, and while his stage presence and mannerism are immaculate, there are only so many times I can hear him scream, get excited, only for him to switch into crooning mode. It's not terrible, but the songs are not for me, and despite it being a live album there still feels like control is needed, like Brown isn't fully committing style wise (unlike a similar album released around the same period). Overall, it's an historically important album, but not a good album.

I didn’t care for this live show. Not sure how it made this list. Surely there are better James Brown albums than this?

Not his best work

Somehow, this record makes James Brown seem kind of "generic and boring"! What in the world!

James Bram, no doubt, is a talented musician and entertainer, and the musicians on this album are all great. That said I just don't see myself ever putting this album on again. I didn't mind listening to it but it's not something I would probably go back to. Two stars.

Rhythm section merchant. I understand why people would like this but I overdosed

A live album isn’t a best of album, it a best of live performance. Another case of not wanting to put a best of compilation so you give em a live album since they don’t actually have a BEST album.

I had a hard time getting into this one. Couldn’t keep my attention.

Big fan of James Brown and understand the historical relevance of the album. Huge detractors to rate it higher is the length and song selection for the album version; it’s just a sampler of the impact of his live show.

Cocaine is a hell of a drug.

-live sounds are kinda cool -feels more about the collective album rather than any individual tracks -not something I like very much but I appreciate the experience of it

Slightly aged. And his screaming/vocals are not always my favour. And - as always - I rate it down just because it is a live album. But I like the cover artwork. 1,5

Meh…too much screaming

Not my vibe

Live album noooo

Das Geschrei im Hintergrund hat genervt

Ужасно тяжело слушать это в 2026 году. Разве что только для академического интереса

too much screaming for me

I didnt like it live, his oww's really started to irritate. I suspect I might have quite enjoyed it if it had been an ordinary album

I'm not sure why this live album was included. James Brown has many quality albums that could be on this list instead.

The music is fine, and if this was a studio album it might have been better, it takes something special to make a good live album & this wasn't it

Didn't quite feel what the audience seemed to be experiencing.

like James Brown but this is meh 2.5/5

Eh not my fav

Zeker niet slecht, zou het niet snel nog eens luisteren.

James Brown has two sides: his early career delivered timeless R&B/soul classics full of raw energy, while his later years, marred by drug addiction, often felt like a diminished, self-parodying version of his former self. In the early 1960s he was best known for explosive hit singles. This is the only James Brown album I’ve really listened to, and it didn’t impress me much.

Fun if formulaic song structures, talented musicians and back up singers and then James and his scrotum squeeze voice. Yeah, I don't think anyone needs to hear this before they die, I certainly didn't.

Groovy, but no. 2

Too much for me

JB had some set of pipes but this lost shouldn't have live albums sorry

Can't deny the talent, just not my thing at all.

3/10 Barely held my attention and that stereo split is terrible.

Nice

Trochu lepšie, ako jeho klasika z 80. rokov, ale nebaví ma...

I enjoyed the listen

Sorry but this genre of music is really not for me.

Don’t really get the fuss on this one versus so many other of his live performances, and points off as usual for a live album anyway

If you're going to beat your wife with a pipe you need to be at least as interesting onstage as Jerry Lee Lewis. I know this was groundbreaking at the time but I'm not sure what this has to offer in 2026.

Traditional jazz vibes, funky, and lively vocals. Not my style but very fun.

2,4/5

21 minutes long. A bad recording that is 90% weighted to one speaker/headphone. Definitely not required listening by any metric. 2/5

I don’t get what makes this a classic, other than it’s James Brown. It’s not even a greatest hits set list.

60s ist auf jeden Fall eine der Musikjahrzehnte in die ich super gern reinhör, nur leider war James Brown nie richtig mein Fall. Durch das Live Album habe ich auf jeden Fall ein bisschen mehr Zugang gefunden, allerdings habe ich ein paar der Tracks als sehr repitativ empfunden während andere die Crowd wieder aufgemischt haben. Ich wär auf jeden Fall gern dabei gewesen, weil der Vibe bestimmt super gewesen wäre. Im Alltag werde ich es glaub ich nicht nochmal hören.

Bin ich leider nicht reingekommen.

I was surprised at how NOT tight the band was!

Me han gustado mas otros albumes de Jazz

I wasn’t a fan of the live version.

sounds fun, but wouldn’t listen to again

..

Not for me. A little James brown goes a long way

All in all, not terrible. However, I wouldn’t have lost any sleep knowing I might not of heard it prior to my demise.

Honestly, disappointing. James Browne is known as this great, energetic coked-up live act. I've seen clips and performances where Brown is electric. So why is this album so moot? So uneventful? So inconsequential? So tame? For such a powerful live performer, this didn't seem to capture it at all. And I like live albums and live audiences, but it was just kinda half an hour of basic James Brown and live audience calling back.

he sure was a thing

This was not as fun as I was hoping. Don't think the audience noises helped

This isn’t good. Live recordings (with rare exceptions) aren’t albums.

My right ear enjoyed listening to the vocals, my left ear thought the instruments were good. I'm not sure what the thought process was choosing this over a studio album. I'm also not sure how to feel about James Brown as a person, but separating the artist I thought the performance was pretty good; the audio quality was not. 2.5 rounded down

I was enjoying this album more than I thought I would until I got to Lost Someone and then it started to lose me. Typically I have a hard time with live albums, especially ones that are these old. I normally just don't think they sound that good. There are exceptions to this, of course, but I typically avoid live albums for this reason and I refuse to listen to anyone tell me to do otherwise. Unless it's br*tish list man I guess. The first half of this was fun. James Brown really is a great singer. I've heard some call him the American Freddie Mercury. But by the end of the album, the live recording limitations really started to be a sore spot for me. Typically with these album of the day reviews, I try not to dig into production so much, especially on albums I know are old (i always know when they're old. the year is right under the artist). It's never a good sign when I'm waiting for the album to end because I'm more excited for what's queued up after. And the tricky thing is, I like the songs on this one. In a better recording environment I probably would've just been jamming along and dancing around. Sorry James.

Didn't like his voice or his screaming.

Schade, aber das war nicht so meins.

kind of boring

It's really not my type but some of the rhythms were good.

not my style of music at all unfortunately

Hurts my soul to give a James Brown record this low of a rating. But it’s not indicative to the fire he was about to set a few years later and change everything. Classic James Brown energy, but the funk isn’t there yet.

Ok, not really a fan.

Standouts Too much screaming, should check out the studio versions

# 599 : Live at the Apollo I want to like it, but it's so hard to enjoy a live album. I could listen to it but it's not real good. Nothing really leapt out at me, but one or two things sounded ok. If you have to listen to this, look out for: I'll Go Crazy

4.5/10

As with most live albums, too much talking to and playing with the crowd, which is interesting while live but not after its recorded. James Brown has a great voice, and the songs are pretty good, just not as fun live. Best song: I'll Go Crazy

mix surpreendentemente boa álbum surpreendentemente chato 4/10

I wanted to enjoy this album. I wanted to like James Brown. But I hate to say it, I really didn't. I hate live albums, especially when you can hear the screaming in the background. Sorry, but not for me. Not an album I enjoyed.

Listening to this, you can tell what a great performer James Brown was. His energy, charisma, and voice are all off the charts. His band is great too. Somehow though, this album still falls flat, and it's because of the songs. The beginning of the album is full of what feels like snippets of songs, with each one ending before Brown can really get to work on them. Then comes "Lost Someone," which Brown sings the hell out of, but which drags on much too slowly. The medley that follows it is the best part of the album, the energy really comes through on that one. By that point though it just can't save the album. This was probably a great show, but in recorded form it ends up sounding surprisingly thin and slight.

Imagine going to see James Brown live and him not playing papas got a brand new bag. I realise he hadn’t released it yet but still, what’s the point? It’s like going to see Houmous & Chutney and them not playing Len & Ken’s Chickpea Rhythm! 1.9 11/11 Nighttrain

Don’t want to be harsh on a legend, but I can’t get into this collection of ad-libs and screams.

“If he thought you were doing something wrong, he’d throw up five fingers, or ten fingers, and that’s what he would dock your salary.” Clyde Stubblefield There are more important things, James! 2.5 This is interesting, it just isn’t very good. Here is a nice, crisp account of female fans shrieking their hearts out while Brown’s band plays tidily and efficiently. James Brown’s singing is sporadically brilliant but largely sounds like the squawking of an indignant old lady. The main issue though is simply the songs. I understand they’re hits - Fats the hype man explains this at the start - and that they are, here, about as well performed as they could be. The songs just aren’t very good. 2/5

James Brown is solid but live albums are not

Early, too early. JB’s magnetism and control of the crowd is on full display. This is a glimpse of the father of funk he would later become. Lost Someone is a 10 min window into his artistic brilliance. Not much more you can expect from a live recording from 1962. Still, only 2 stars because everything up until Lost Someone is not worth listening to.

It seems that some people, distinguished music writers, value this album to death. I really don't understand. Musically nothing is happening. I'm listening to James Brown shouting in a mic for 31 minutes. Nothing is exciting. Even worse: in the intro we hear painfully false notes. The saxes in 'Try me'... oh boy. Yes, the charm of a live album, but it's a pain to the ears. Low point is 'Lost someone'. It's eleven minutes of call and response, except that nothing's happening. Not my cup of tea.

Felt as though you had to be there and then this would have been a 5. I just didn't get the atmosphere through this live album

I felt this album has more “yaaaoww” from both the audience and Mr Brown than actual music. There was a 10min long rendition of “yaaaoowww”. Now while I am a fan of the occasional “yaaaoww” I would have liked the album to have packed more of a musical “yaaaoww”. The live nature didn’t add to the music. However the occasional songs were enjoyable

Not a fan of live albums, and this just doesn't scratch the itch required when I want to listen to James Brown… Hopefully he has a few better selections on the list. ⭐️⭐️

Boring live album. At least it was short. 2/5

It's alright, he has a really good energy and I enjoyed his voice but it's not my type of music. 2/5 stars.

De muziek was wel oke, maar de hoeveelheid gillende meiden was erg storend.

Completely forgettable - nothing stood out. 31 minutes including a 2 minute intro and almost 11 minutes of Lost Someone which just ambles along with crowd screams in the background. He was a great showman and has an incredible voice but I don't think this album showcases his best songs.

Now this list needs to stop giving me albums from the 50s and 60s because none of them hold up well today. And it sucks that these albums will probably all get given lower rating just because they are so overdone and I’ve heard it all before. Now this isn’t a knock on James brown I think he’s a fantastic singer and there’s nothing I don’t like about his music but it just isn’t anything special. Solid bluesy funk soul music that I’ve heard 1 million times. My favourite song was Medley: Please Please Please which was a good example of his talent. Damn I hate to say that it’s solid 5.7/10 2.6/5

Que sea un directo no me esta dejando disfrutarlo se esucha mas a las fans que otra cosa y me saca de la cancion con los gritos. Como cantante esta guay, los coros estan guays la instrumentacion esta guay, pero le falta algo, lo disfruto mas cuando las canciones son relajaditas. Se nota que al tio le gusta el publico

Not for me

Bored by it.

I'm sure it was great if you were there - but not sure this recording does it justice. Does James Brown not have any good studio albums?

Starts strong and has a lot of energy. The mood swings wildly between songs but they are vowen together nicely. Also the opening is fantastic. I want to like this album but it's hard. The big, big negative is that it gets a loud a little bit to often, both from James and screams from the audience, but I understand that it's a bit of the charm with a live recording. It gets a bit jarring for me when the song has a nice groove and it gets "interrupted" every 10-20 seconds. I guess I feel like there is a disconnect between the energy in the songs and the audience in most parts. Also some songs can feel like they get a little bit repetitive in text and sound. I feel like there is a soundmix/alternate recording of this set that is fantastic. I got annoyed listening to this. Haven't really listened to James Brown before but I'm a fan. Might give it another try at some other time in another setting, but I don't think I would play this again "for fun". I would rather seek out some other live album or one of his studio ones and give them a try. No particular song from this album would go into my playlists though.

I prefer the more bluesy numbers on this record because the "tender" songs came off as annoying (Try me, I Don't Mind, Lost someone ). I loved the instrumental bridges, they flowed so well. The guitar took a back seat which was odd, and didn't work. Lost someone dragged on way to long. Overrall this album had some pretty good highs and low lows. https://share.google/images/KXeYC7C6ybqWeeJkN

Made coffee while listening, it was easy listening but couldn't pick up anything. I'll give it a 2 but a very nice two.

It’s fine I think it would be better live but. Yeah not for me

I was really stoked when I drew this album. Love the funky trumpets, and eclectic jazzy feel, songs to clap along with, etc. But the live format didn’t really do it for me. Too much distracting background noise and screaming.

Oh to be a successful artist and be able to throw up a 28 minute, 6-7 song set. Obviously a very talented performer and I like some of his studio work but this did little to nothing for me. Don’t just say ow say OWWW was hilarious.

With very few exceptions, I don't like live albums. This is not one of those exceptions. I don't need to hear ladies screaming high pitched through my headphones. The music itself is good. If this were a normal recording, I'd probably give it a 3/5, but I'm docking it a point for being live.

69/100 pretty fun to listen to, love the instrumental bridges and the intro very much, you can feel the atmosphere in the theatre, one of the most influential live performances of all time but musically isnt anything crazy

Jag tycker det har potential men jag måste lyssna på det mer för att faktiskt tycka om den.

Jag har med några undantag svårt för Live-inspelningar. Dessutom är jag inte ett jättefan av James Brown. Men bandet är tight!

An extraordinary entertainer. Live album, not so much.

Live album 2.5

a ver no es mi estilo supongo que es entretenido pero off no lo voy a volver a escuchar 2/5

1963. Yeah, not for me. It's like an event in history has been recorded for prosperity. I've heard it now, I don't need to again. Couple of tracks were OK. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ nope ★★☆☆☆(3/10)

I originally grabbed this album a while back and got rid of it. I like James Brown but in concert... meh. If you want to hear James Brown, grab Star Time and listen to all of it. You'll thank yourself in the end. 2/5 stars because it's James Brown. Other than that, it's a live album and I hate them for the most part.

*Fun album. *Only 30 mins. *Listened as background music while reading - that worked great. *Amazing music, but probably wouldn’t return to this album. RATING - 6.5/10

This felt meh. I don't love live albums being on here, and this was too quick to really get into. Good at time though 4/10

Screamin' James Brown.

kinda ild that they're just giving the playlist at the top of the show! I guess they didn't have setlist.fm back in 1963 lol. His part in Rocky IV still my favorite James Brown moment. This is fine. I feel like the 70s and 90s were really the good times for amazing live albums, and a 30 minute live show just ain't it for me, boss. Still love the old school feel of soul and r&b but it really isn't my bag, baby, so I'm going to say good listen. Probably one of the 700 or so albums on this list that could charitably be characterized as albums I'll listen to once before I die. Begging for half points here, so this gets a...

More muted than I thought it would be. Somehow the live atmosphere didn’t come through for me.

After listening to Tim Buckley go funk yesterday, today it's time to explore the genre's origins with James Brown's "Live at the Apollo Theater". Admittedly, I haven't listened to James Brown much beyond his hits. But I did see a couple of videos of his coked-up concerts from the 70s, and as energetic and raw as his performance here is, it's still a much tamer version of him than the one I'm familiar with. The crowd losing their minds tells you everything you need to know about how good he was live. The vocals are superb, as you'd expect. It's not only his voice (which is, of course, one of a kind) and control that make it so, it's also how he handles those slower, more restrained sections. However, aside from the vocals and his performance, which I had expected to be good before going into this, I really didn't connect with the album at all. The songs sounded a bit samey, the lyrics aren't particularly compelling, and I was left with the feeling that I've heard something similar countless times before. And all the screaming and noises from the crowd were a bit annoying. 2.5/5

Live music shouldn't be in this list but at least the crowd seemed to like it.

Felt more like a cool historic artifact than a good listening experience to me. Love the cover art. Rating: 2.5

あまりジェームス・ブラウンは聴かないけれど、彼の出世作となったこのニューヨーク・ハーレムでのライブ・アルバムは、やはり重要作なんだろうか？ I don’t really listen to James Brown much, but this live album recorded in Harlem, New York—his breakout work—seems like an important one, doesn’t it?

I didn’t feel it really. Prefer the funkier stuff this was a bit old and not very musical. More a peacock strutting his stuff.

For some reason, apple music doesn’t have the longest track that makes up about a third of the album ,but honestly it’s no great loss because its a slog to get through. I’m not sure what makes this live album worth noting, but I have to say, although i’m sure james brown was a very charismatic performer and the vocals are vocalling here, I didn’t find this album all that engaging. Hadn’t heard any of the tracks before, and they all seem pretty generic. All in all 2/5

That was a quick one! James Brown is great but I wouldn't listen to this live album again.

I like some James Brown here and there, but he gets old after a whole album. Also, it kinda defends itself as a live album, but not enough.

A short and sweet record. I enjoyed most of the performances from the band and James Brown, too. I think this record suffers from too much filler, and it being a live recording is to blame. The background noise, the audience, and the short set make it harder for me to rate higher. Favourite Track(s): Medley Least Favourite Track(s): Think

cant say this was a strong live album that caught me, when I usually enjoy live albums

2.5 - Meh

It’s what you’d expect.

It was fine. Didn’t know James Brown did more Motown before his big hits, this was showed me more of his Influence, esp seeing how early on he was Doing music. Won’t listen again but didn’t regret it.

Was ok. Listened a few times. Wouldn't particularly listen again.

Nix für mich

Great singer, not a huge fan of this live music, better ways to experience James Brown.

Eh. A lotta Ramblin for me. Probably more fun to watch than to just hear. 2.5

I did not use a private session for this one. I can understand the appeal of seeing him live as he was quite the performer, something was lost going to an audio only format. I expected more soul and horns, but got some fifties crooner, which wasn't bad.

4/10 Very underwhelming jazz record. Most of the music felt droning with occasional lyrics or the fangirls yelling. Not much to get out of it unfortunately for James Brown. I’m sure he’s talented, but this was not the album to showcase it.

Pros: great voice, swagger, and soulful music Cons: domestic violence, poor treatment of those around him, drug use. Hard to give a good rating based on how much of a piece of trash he was.

OK, nothing overly special. 2.5/5

I don't know about this one. It's certainly an powerful live performance and it makes sense that it's included over any of Brown's studio recordings, but something about it just doesn't resonate with me. It really does feel like a relic of a bygone era.

eh

eh

I love james brown's music, but this is tricky , the band are racing through the tunes as if they went to leave early, the ballads are boring and it's another live album . 2

Too much screaming from future grandmothers and great grandmothers to really enjoy the album. Plus, it’s only a half an hour long. Unless James Brown’s set was a part of an all day show at the Apollo, I would have felt that I wasn’t getting value for my money.

★★½

I know he’s the Godfather of Soul and this is a great example of this but it’s just not an album I’d choose to listen to.

First album! It was okay, I listened once while at work. I enjoyed reading the Apple Music listening notes to understand the importance of this album. 2 stars ⭐⭐

I enjoyed this fine, but not a tenth as much as the audience apparently did. It's James Brown, I got what I expected.

Not a big James Brown fan, let alone live haha

If this wasn't a live version with screaming girls I would rate this so much higher but as it is not great ruins several songs.

Mest ropase tyckt ja

Not as fiery and rambunctious as you'd expect from a James Brown live album. Although usually ranked as one of the best live albums of all time, I don't find too much variety on here. Brown is going through the slower, soul hits well enough, though there is nothing on here that knocks me off my feet. Best Tracks: - Medley - Lost Someone Worst Tracks: - Night Train Rating: 3.5/10

Eher nicht meins

Soul is a bit boring. This is ok.

Какие-то кричалки и церковные проповеди

My very first introduction to james brown

What do I even say. Jaut not my type I suppose.

Heard various James Brown songs before but never an album. Quite fun but at the same time nothing special 2/5

Zzzzzzzz 4/10

I’m sure it’s sacrilege or whatever but I’ve never been a huge James Brown fan - once you’ve heard one funky bop you’ve heard ‘em all, I reckon. No doubt he was a force of nature as a performer though, so including a live album of his seemed like a smart move. I’m still not a huge fan though; musically it just doesn’t do much for me. Plus the sequencing is all over the place (one song dragged out over 10 minutes, then 8 crammed into 6 minutes?! Madness!) The energy from the stage and the audience is good, but it didn’t move me the way that, say, Sam Cooke’s live album from this era did. 2.5 stars

You can tell the crowd loved it. High energy performance, he did great, but the music sucks

I dojnt like this stuff but its listenable, albeit not enjoyable

It’s so hard to judge old music because I really have no understanding of the context. This album was enjoyable, and I get why James Brown was famous 60 years ago, but I got a little bored at some points - there’s no reason “Lost Someone” needed to be 11 minutes long on the album. If it’s live, no problem, but it’s just too repetitive to listen to in isolation. That being said, I wish there was generally more time on this album, as long as there was enough unique content to fill it.

I like James Brown but I don't get how this is as highly rated as it is

James Brown is great and I would have loved to have seen him live in his heyday … But this album isn’t great.

I enjoyed the horns and the swing style of a good portion of the tunes. I like Brown’s later work better though. These songs just did not do it for me. 4/10

**An ok album. Too much screaming for me, but understand that it’s James Brown style.

May be a classic in due to historical context, but I don't find it all that amazing to listen to. It is still OK though.

Thought this would be better. Good moments but I wanted the James Browne we see in Rocky strutting around singing I Feel Good.

It was fine but I'm not going to listen to it again

The screaming is fun but a bit much. When i went to see Red Hot Chili Peppers at hyde park in...05?06? something like that - James Brown was booed off the stage.

Meh, was expecting so much more from this. The screaming ladies save it from a 1 star

Not enough energy for me

p63. 1963. 2 stars. Not a fan of live albums, especially ones that have overdubbed applause. Good sound, but didn't hit the sweet spot for me.

Way too much filler and enthusiasm for me

Il y a des disques, des monuments, des piliers, des trucs qui figurent en gras dans toutes les encyclopédies du rock, de la soul, de la musique populaire, de la vie, de l'univers et du reste. Le "Live At The Apollo" de James Brown, est de cette trempe-là. Un disque tellement légendaire que le simple fait de le posséder dans sa discothèque semble vous conférer un brevet de bon goût, une sorte de certification "connaisseur" à accrocher au-dessus de la cheminée. Le livre "1001 Albums" le place là, en bonne position, et qui suis-je pour contester l'Histoire ? Personne. Juste un type qui, après une énième écoute, se dit que l'Histoire, parfois, c'est un peu chiant. Voilà, c'est dit. J'entends déjà les puristes : "Comment ça, chiant ? C'est l'énergie brute ! La naissance de la soul ! Le Godfather en pleine possession de ses moyens !". Oui, oui, je sais tout ça. J'ai lu les mêmes bouquins que vous. Je l'ai même vendu quand je bossais au magasin, en le recommandant chaudement comme un "indispensable". Mais l'honnêteté, merde ! C'est le but de ce blog. Et en toute honnêteté, ce disque est une épreuve. Je vais être clair : je ne remets pas en cause James Brown. Le bonhomme est un génie absolu, un titan dont l'ombre plane encore sur tout ce qui bouge, du funk au hip-hop en passant par le rock le plus basique. Prince, Michael Jackson, Public Enemy... tous lui doivent quelque chose. Son influence est aussi indiscutable que la connerie humaine. Mais ce disque... ce "Live At The Apollo" de 1962... est-ce vraiment le meilleur moyen de s'en rendre compte ? J'en doute fortement. Pour moi, cet album est le parfait exemple du "il fallait y être". J'imagine sans peine la folie furieuse dans la salle ce soir-là, à Harlem. La sueur, les cris, la transe. Brown qui se donne comme un damné, le groupe qui envoie la purée avec une cohésion de régiment prussien sous amphétamines. On l'entend, cette ferveur. On la sent presque physiquement. Le problème, c'est qu'une fois transposée sur une galette de vinyle (ou un CD, ne soyons pas sectaires), cette énergie brute se transforme en un brouhaha parfois difficilement audible. Ça braille, ça crie, ça souffle dans les cuivres, la foule hurle à s'en péter les cordes vocales. La prise de son est... disons, "authentique". Pour être moins poli, c'est un bordel sans nom. On a l'impression d'écouter le concert depuis les toilettes, avec la porte entrouverte. Les medleys s'enchaînent à une vitesse folle, les morceaux sont à peine esquissés avant de passer au suivant. On ne savoure rien. On subit une décharge électrique de 30 minutes qui, au lieu de vous réanimer, vous laisse juste avec un mal de crâne et l'envie de mettre un truc un peu plus... carré. Et c'est là que le problème. Moi, du haut de mes 55 balais, ce que j'aime chez James Brown, c'est la précision chirurgicale de sa machine funk. C'est le groove implacable des J.B.'s des années 70, ces rythmiques tellement parfaites qu'on pourrait régler une horloge atomique dessus. C'est "Sex Machine", "The Payback", "Funky Drummer". Des titres où chaque coup de caisse claire, chaque note de basse, chaque riff de guitare est à sa place, au millimètre près. Le chaos organisé. Ici, dans l'Apollo, on n'en est pas encore là. On est dans le R&B survitaminé, dans la performance pure, dans le show. Et le show, ça se regarde. Ça ne s'écoute pas forcément en boucle dans son salon. C'est un document, un témoignage historique inestimable, je veux bien le concéder. C'est la photo d'un artiste en train de devenir une légende. Mais un album que je vais me repasser pour le simple plaisir de la musique ? Non. Quand un client entrait dans la boutique et me demandait LE disque de James Brown, je lui tendais une compile de ses années Polydor. Le Star Time, par exemple. Là, tu as tout : la sueur ET le son. L'énergie ET les chansons. Le "Live At The Apollo", c'était pour le puriste, le collectionneur, le mec qui voulait se la toucher en disant "moi, j'ai les racines du truc". Grand bien lui fasse. Alors oui, c'est dans le livre. Et il doit y être, pour l'Histoire. Pour comprendre d'où vient cette force de la nature. Mais ce projet, c'est "1001 albums à écouter avant de mourir", pas "1001 cours d'histoire à ingurgiter". Et pour moi, ce live est un cours magistral un peu trop poussiéreux. Je reconnais l'importance du professeur, mais j'avoue avoir regardé ma montre plus d'une fois pendant la leçon. Pour le document, pour l'énergie palpable et pour ce que ça représente, je lui accorde un 2/5. Mais si vous voulez vraiment savoir pourquoi James Brown est Dieu, allez plutôt chercher du côté de ses forfaits studio des années 70. Là, vous entendrez non seulement un homme crier, mais aussi une machine groover. Et la différence est de taille.

I'll be honest, I've never been a huge James Brown fan.. I respect the fact that he was one of the last people to see Apollo Creed alive, and has some undeniably good songs. None of those tracks were on this album however. This album is exactly the James Brown I think of when his name is mentioned. Not the cool, soulful, and dare I say it semi-coherent artist that showed up to make "The Boss" and "Living in America".. No, instead you get this screeching lunatic that looks more like a Madame Tussauds waxwork of someone's Auntie, than an RnB star. A guy who comes crashing onto tracks with near incomprehensible vocals. At some points it genuinely feels like bad scat music.. at other points he just sounds like an actual spastic. (Listen to him shout "All Aboard" at the start of Night Train and tell me I'm wrong). Going back to the point about scat music, the irony is that had this actually have been scat I'd have probably enjoyed it more, because after several minutes of incoherent jivey squawking, accompanied by the wet pantie brigade in the front row drowning out any remaining chance of a decent listening experience, I couldn't help but think the sound of heavy, wet shit getting carelessly slopped against a concrete wall would have provided a comparatively blissful release from the relentless rectal pebble-dashing this album was for me. 2 stars overall, only because I know I'm in the minority when it comes to James Brown, so there's a chance it's a me problem more than anything else (it's not.) That and the fact the album was probably hampered by the incessant crowd noise.. which again is technically JB's fault for being such a provocative wailing godauntie of soul. Throw the damn towel, I'm done.

boring, but wasnt shit i suppose

I hate a live album, especially from way back. At least newer live albums benefit from better sound. I wasn't there. I couldn't see James's glistening sweaty brow, or whether he was wearing a magnificent robe, or whether he was sacking one of his musicians for bending a note.

James Brown: Åpner munnen Publikum: ÆÆÆÆÆÆÆÆ Det er i hvertfall et livealbum med skikkelig live stemning, og jeg tviler ikke på at det var en fantastisk kul konsert å være på. Han synger jo vanvittig bra, og det er kule rytmer. Men jeg synes ofte det er vanskelig å like live-album, får mye mindre dybde i musikken hvis det gir mening. Og skjønner virkelig ikke hvorfor Lost Someone tenkte å fylle halve albumet, den er ikke spesielt bra

Still haven’t had a live album in this project that has been worth the time. This period of James Brown just isn’t as iconic as his later 60s/early 70s output.

Inte min stil, icke live-vesionen kanske är nice att ha på där hemma

Some of the girls in this audience need to chill out before they hurt themselves. Tight instrumentals but none of the songs are particularly memorable.

I typically love funky stuff but I didn't love the live aspect of this album. James Brown isn't really my favorite either.

Pretty good. Im not a huge funk guy, but I can appreciate the greats

Don't care for the album

None of the hits 😢

I wasn't really feeling the heat. It was an OK listen but even as short as it was, I was ready for it to be over. 2.5/5

I can appreciate it, but its not my thing

This was disappointing. Yes, a lot of energy, but the songs are pretty weak and the backing band seems to rely on just a couple of riffs too often.

Lots of energy (and screeching) from The Apollo. Live albums seem to have an easier time making the 1001 list and this one’s a good example. I think this album does a good job capturing the 1963 event which is likely why it made the list. And James didn’t change his sound much over the years. The time in prison slowed his career, kinda never heard from him once he went in. He’s better in small doses, I give Live At The Apollo (2.5*s)

James Brown is fine but this album is very underwhelming. It sounds a bit tinny and the live format really takes away from the production value. Even with the screaming fans, this setlist does little to capture his energy and it just doesn't work. Why are there so many live albums on this list anyway? Meh 1.75.

Another live one from the list. I don't think these should count since they are really compilations of hits. Maybe there should be a list of 1001 live shows you should have been at. As for JB, does get down a bit here but hadn't really busted it out yet. The Apollo is a famous joint but I bet better shows have passed through. Really confused as to why this album made Christgau's top albums of the 70s when the concert/album release was in the 62/63. Screaming girls, alright back up band, and a few owws from the GF of soul put this one at 1.63.

While I'm only familiar with a handful of his hits, James Brown is an icon of stage presence and performance showmanship. Unfortunately a lot of that doesn't translate through on an album, especially this selection from his early career. Overall it wasn't 30 minutes wasted, but I'm scratching my head as to why I needed to hear this before I die. I think my time would have been better spent watching some performances of James Brown on Youtube. This albums really seems like a "you had to be there". 1.86 stars

Not my jam

Okay.

Do you like short songs? If so then this is the album for you! The songs have a nice beat, and rhythm to them. I also think that his voice is okay, but I really don't like it. The instruments are good too. I don't like how it sounds old though. So that is why I recommend that you do not listen to this album.

I like the beat of the songs in the album, but there aren't many actual lyrics. Overall I don't like this album much but I would recommend for people who like older style songs.

Never loved live records. This one desk capture the larger than life experience, but forms come close to a great album per se for me

Lots of screaming & squealing.

Not my thang

I like a few songs but not enough to sit through a live album. Still not a bad listen.

I know a few James Brown songs, but I’ve never listened to any of his full albums. When I saw this album on the list, it piqued my interest quite a bit. However, most of the live albums on this list have been pretty underwhelming to me, and I don’t think I’m familiar with any of these songs, so this album might be a bit of a coin flip. Well, this was incredibly underwhelming. I’ll give James Brown credit, he certainly knows how to work a crowd, and this album does evoke that visual of him dancing around, and singing into his microphone wile sweat pours down his face, but musically, this album was pretty boring and forgettable. James Brown and The Apollo are both legends, but their reputations far outshine the end result of this album. “Lost Someone” was shockingly the best song on the album, and the thing that makes it stand out is Brown’s crowd work. For an album with so many musicians, the music was pretty hollow, and I felt like there was no energy to the sound. And with that many instruments, the music still managed to sound pretty flat and empty. The crowd work was the best part of this album, but other than that, there’s not much to hear on this one.

Mehh

goofy ah

This was really good, can't say I understand the low scores