Live At The Star Club, Hamburg

Dude played for 25 mins barely coherent, stole half his set from little Richard, and then went home and slept with his cousin? Wack

Not bad for a pedo.

He's a piece of shit who, to this day, claims there was "no real rock and roll before him." what horse shit. Did you know he married his 13 year old cousin? He refused to shake hands with black people. Other musicians could play rockabilly loud and fast and werent racist pices of shit one trick ponies like this perverted loser. I'll just listen to them instead.

He may have been a horrible racist pedophilic suspected murderer, but damn he could perform. Rest in pieces of shit, Jerry.

The man is a deranged lunatic who probably killed one of his wives and wanted to kill Elvis but damn he can put on a show. It's not music I listen to often but this is insanely good.

Ah yes, the racist, pedophillic, incestual, music stealing piece of shit. That being said, for 1964 this is a fairly well recorded live album. That doesn't mean it's recorded well, just not bad for the time. I'm not quite sure why half the album is missing but I am also not complaining. The two songs he is credited as a songwriter on are the two weakest on the album and the others are about half as good as their originals. Live albums in general just do not have a place as an album that I MUST hear before I die. There are very few worth listening to and this just isn't one of them.

Is this proto-proto-punk? Chaotic, passionate, joyful, the dream of the post-war world. Another fantastic live album that captures what is best about live music.

This is 22 minutes of damn near perfection. Wow. How good is that version of "Money"??? That thing STOMPS. Holy shit. What a freaking set. If I were a greaseball teen in the 1950s Jerry Lee would have been my grindcore. Reeeeally wish he hadn't married his 13 year old cousin... Also, holy crap - he's still alive! That seems impossible. This record is impossible. I'm done.

Ok fine you got me this time, website. Yesterday, I rated A Hard Day's Night and claimed not a single rock album came close to them this early in the 60s. And here we have a bombastic live album that came out the very same summer. First of all, I wanted to note that the Spotify version is softer and doesn't even include all the songs, so stick to the Youtube playlist... even though the pause between songs is annoying. This was a time when rock n roll artists had just a couple well-known songs and then they would just do covers of other rock n roll stars. And when those ran out, they would seek out the R&B songs. The Beatles are also a victim of this, just look at Beatles for Sale which is mostly covers. But at this point, 1964, rock n roll is about over and rock has already begun evolving from dance-craze madness to taking inspiration from blues (Rolling Stones, Clapton), pop or folk tunes (Beatles, Beach Boys, Dylan), or raw garage style (Kinks). The classics have already been established by the rock n roll legends. And here we have Lewis, one of the former legends himself known for "Great Balls of Fire" and "Whole Lot of Shakin Going On," taking people's classics and spiraling them out of control. These songs are wild that go beyond any studio effort you see in classic rock n roll. They're fast-paced. The instruments are loud. The vocals screech are raw and screech with passion. You can hear the audience go wild in each song, and Lewis engages them between each song, encouraging them to get loud or dance. Even the way he talks to his band member, "play it right," is just hilarious and gets the audience excited for what's to come. Remember these are classic songs everyone knows, and Lewis is putting his crazy spin on them. Just take "Money That's What I Want" for instance. I love the twist he put on those last two minutes between his vocal sounds and the improved instrumentals. But all the songs have this insane wailing or grunts that carry the spirit of rock n roll. I've got to be honest, I didn't think I would ever give a live album 5 stars. But the weaknesses I typically face in live albums isn't here. There aren't any long tracks that make for unpleasant listening exercises (looking at you, Allman Brothers' At Filmore East). And the lofi sound works really well with Lewis's rawness. Meanwhile, it's full of classic hits and has energy and power that you couldn't possibly find in a studio album. Other albums like Frampton Comes Alive and Thin Lizzy's Live and Dangerous were full of fillers and suffered from lack of engagement. This is everything I'd want in a live album, and I'm happy to say it is so far my favorite.

I don't think I ever listened to this before but know all the songs. It defines ass kicking. I scored it a 5 but automatic 1 point deduction for liking 13 year olds. What a creep. 

nonce 0/10

pretty sure this dude was a flagrant racist. remembering a story about him refusing to shake jimi hendrix’s hand. totally checks, because he stole his entire bit from Black people. i am not stunned. meh

The best part of the album is when the crowd is chanting “Jerry Jerry Jerry” and I get to pretend it was recorded at a taping of The Jerry Springer Show

Uhhhh don't think I can really do death of the author on this one, sorry

Can't overlook the fact that this dude was all kinds of fucked up

Today's album is by Jerry Lee Lewis, a rock and roll pioneer from way back in the 50's in the time of Elvis. Before we delve into this album review, here is a hilarious story about Jerry: So he's in a bar, driving liquor into himself after he unsuccessfully tried to get his dad out of jail for drunk driving. Elvis calls him up and tells him to come over. Jerry grabs a bottle of champagne, gets into his brand new Lincoln Continental, drives to Elvis's place drunk as fuck, and slams into the gates of Graceland. Elvis watches on closed circuit TV as Jerry finishes his bottle of champagne, and tries to throw the empty out the window but the window was up so he ends up covering himself in broken glass. Elvis's security guard was apparently also his cousin, so he calls up to Elvis after all this horseshit goes down, and Elvis tells him to call the police. The police come and arrest Jerry Lee and put him in jail with his dad. Now, onto the album review. It is well documented that Jerry Lee may not have been the nicest human being, having married his 13 year old cousin, shot his bass player while drunkenly shooting at a door on his birthday, and being a huge racist, but we are here to listen to the music. This album is phenomenal! Jerry enters the performance hall, seemingly strung out on pills, and puts on a non stop white knuckle performance! He played the shit out of that piano, so much so that they probably needed to re-tune it afterwards. Jerry's belted lyrics, and fast paced playing style were amazing, and this was some of the earliest signs of what was to come with future rock bands of the 60's and 70's. Overall, just a pleasure to listen to! His performance was so captivating! Easy music to swing to. Imagine being there, that would have been crazy!! I will 100% listen again!! Oddly, Spotify only has 8 of the 13 songs on this record. I did, however, find a full album playlist on YouTube. Do yourself a favor, and listen to the full album as intended. It's all gold!! Favourite songs: Hound Dog, "Good Golly, Miss Molly", Great Balls of Fire, "Long, Tall Sally", Matchbox, Mean Woman Blues, Money (That's What I Want), Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On, High School Confidential, What'd I Say (Parts 1&2), Lewis' Boogie Least favorite songs: Your Cheating Heart 5/5

Just incredible. Absolutely essential rock and roll and genuinely an album to hear before you die. A brilliant record that captures this electrifying live concert. Absolute thrill.

Wish I was there, glad I wasn’t a tween girl there.

Was prepared to dislike this, since Jerry Lee Lewis was a creep who married his 13-year-old cousin and abused seemingly every woman he ever met. But damn this actually really, really rocks. After just a couple of songs I'm thinking this has to be one of the best live recordings of all time (I originally said "best live rock-'n'-roll recordings" but you know what, I don't think it needs that qualifier). It feels like you're right there, and the energy is off the charts. The piano is obviously insane - Lewis famously would just *pound* on the keys with every part of his body - but I'm incredibly impressed by the guitar, bass, and drums as well. Also, this recording! It's just ridiculous how clear everything is, for a nearly 60-year-old live recording. Warning: the versions on Apple Music/Spotify only have 8 tracks and are 22 minutes, which is not the full album. Listened to the version that's on Youtube instead, which is not as good because the songs aren't seamless the way they'd be on the album.

Imagine living in the 60s and showing up to Club Hamburg and seeing this man jam out on the piano and and sing his heart out. Not to mention he has such a commanding voice that the band is a mere suggestion behind him. This was exceptional. I feel transported. I have a new appreciation for him as an artist and for all of his songs. For gosh sakes I even want to dance! And I hate dancing! It’s a shame that nowadays at concerts you’re expected to pack into an open field like sardines, jump up and down until you inevitably crush someone’s lungs with your dirty Air Force Ones, and yell nonsensical words set to a shitty electronic beat. Don’t know why but Travis Scott’s Astroworld performance comes to mind. Specifically the Houston, Texas one. Getting back to this album: it is cohesive. It flows perfectly. There’s a true performance aspect to it. Overall, it was just fun. A fantastic 22 minutes, made even more impressive when considering it was done live. Ya know what I’m gonna send it, I loved everything about this album. 5 stars!

Now THAT's a live album. Even if you don't like his music, that's a concert that you would feel like you got your money's worth. Tons of energy, tight playing, and did I mention the energy? Way to blow the roof off the joint, Jerry.

DAMN. So that’s what rock and roll is all about. Ridiculous in all the good ways.

That's a lot of music for 22 minutes. Reminds me of Henry Rollins talking about the sonic assault of a Ramones show.

This guy must have blisters on his fingers. He is a madman on the piano. I loved every minute of this 22 minute live show. I have a real soft spot for this kind of bluesy jazzy show, and I wish I could go back in time and see this in person. In the meantime, while we wait for the delorean to be built, this album does the job. Anyone else looking for some retro live bluesy vibes: check out BB King's Live at Cook County Jail, one of my favs.

Man, when not fucking his cousin, killing his wife or defrauding the good ol' American taxpayer, Jerry Lee sure could play piano eh? They'd make him president nowadays

Listenable, not sure if I would listen again

This kind of early 60s rock and roll just doesn't do anything for me really. I appreciate the cultural significance but I wouldn't ever seek out listening to it.

nice hearing jerry Live, Short album! All the hits.

Early rock n roll woogy boogey

Holy shit this is incredible! How have I never heard of this before?!? I thought I knew something but I guess I don't and it's delightful to be proven wrong.

This is a short performance, but perhaps one of the few times I will prefer a live album to a studio album. It is a particularly electric performance heightened by the feel of the room. It’s the perfect type of music for a live album as well, very little processing and a lot of room to ham it up and wail.

There is something poetic about Jerry Lee Lewis letting it rip in 1964 at same club where the Beatles cut their chops. This is one of the best pure rock and roll live albums ever. It is hard to believe that this did not make the rounds among punk bands in the 70s. Simply awesome.

Surprisingly, this is the best live album I've ever heard. Although Jerry Lee is a disgusting human being, this show was fun and exciting for the entire 22 minutes. I felt like I was in the room with him. Best Songs: Money Worst Songs: NA

First Listen. Holy Crap! I am not worthy! I feel like I've just been hit over the head with a sledgehammer. The most intense, chaotic, fastest, relentless and best live performance I ever heard, live or recorded. This is punk ten years before punk was. Every song is great. It sounds like Jerry is jumping on his piano for the entire concert. His band, The Nashville Teens, are just intense with a wicked pace and some searing guitar solos. The album is 13 songs with his songs "Whole Lotta Shakin", Money", "Great Balls if Fire" mixed with some covers "Long Tall Sally", "Hound Dog." Incredible!

Jerry Lee Lewis is an excellent showman and musician. Jerry Lee Lewis is also a pedophile.

I haven't had this much fun since I got snowed in at the Elks Convention! Exuberance and exultation! Jerry Lee Lewis makes the piano sound like his own unique instrument. I loved hearing him perform live and hearing all these amazing classics with his own twist. This is one time where I think being live made it all the more spectacular, and I appreciate him even more than I did before. It was a sad discovery that the Apple Music version of this cut out 5 great songs out of 13, but I'm happy to have found the whole album elsewhere. It was well worth finding. Infectious joy! Love this lots!

This track list is basically a “best of” compilation for early rock and roll.

I'm surprised to see Jerry Lee Lewis on a list that emphasizes singer-songwriters. I suppose that in Jerry Lee's mind, he wrote everything he played, even though he can legitimately claim authorship to maybe a song and a half over his entire career. The covers are good, the piano is solid, but really hard to get past his personal issues.

Ugh. I make effort to separate musicians from their music and personal life. But I really can't with Jerry Lee. When you marry your 13 year old cousin while you're still married, You've hit the big WTF trifecta of incest, pedophilia and bigamy. He was married 7 times with 2 of them dying under suspicious circumstances. Ugh. I'd rather listen to Ray Charles, Little Richard or Otis Spann for my boogie boogie piano.

Album review 012 Live at the Star Club, Hamburg by Jerry Lee Lewis (1964) Rating 1/5 When the 1001 Album Generator dealt me this album, my first thoughts were about separating art from the artist. Is it ok to listen to Morrissey since he outed himself as a racist/fascist, or Phil Spector’s work despite the domestic abuse and murder conviction, or Michael Jackson after he morphed from the abused to the abuser??? With his history of domestic abuse, incest, paedophillia, racism, two dead wives and the associated murder “allegations”, etc, etc… it’s pretty clear in my conscience: No matter how good the performance might be, F*ck Jerry Lee Lewis and Live at the Hamburg. 1/5.

Fuck Jerry Lee Lewis.

Mega paedo. If I didn't know anything about him, this would be a 2, but I do.

Today I learned that Jerry Lee Lewis was a nonce. Fuck him.

So, with a little of reading, it turns out that Ol' Jerry was an incestuous, paedophilic, (allegedly) wife murdering, racist. He could perform, no doubt, but bloody hell! There are dodgy tickets on the list and he might have just taken top spot.

I'm sure this was exciting to see in person. On record I'm less impressed. These performances are mush-mouthed and overly loose. I'm glad I don't like this, because JLL was also an awful person. Hearing people cheer his name between numbers makes my teeth hurt. Nothing leaves a bad taste in my mouth quite like hearing a racist co-opt songs (and a fucking genre) created by Black people. Or hearing a pedophile and abuser sing about love and attraction, for that matter. Man, fuck this guy. Highlights: not having to justify enjoying this album

Jerry Lee Lewis, accompanied by the Nashville Teens ... are we talking about his backing band or his 13-year-old cousin who he married?

In 1956, Jerry moved in with his cousin Jay's family and started raping Jay's twelve year old daughter. Jerry and Jay thus began a successful career on stages around the country where no-one had the sense or decency to boo them out of town.

There will never be another Jerry Lee

## Live at the Star Club, Hamburg: The Incandescent Heart of Rock 'n' Roll - An In-Depth Review Jerry Lee Lewis's **"Live at the Star Club, Hamburg"** (recorded April 5, 1964, released summer 1964) isn’t merely an album; it’s a volcanic eruption captured on tape. Often hailed as the **greatest live rock 'n' roll album ever made**, it documents The Killer at his most ferociously transcendent, backed by the shellshocked Nashville Teens. Here’s a breakdown of its anatomy, impact, and legacy: ### 1. Lyrics: Vehicles for Pure Catharsis Lewis largely leans on **covers and past hits** ("Great Balls of Fire," "Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On," "Good Golly Miss Molly," "Hound Dog," Hank Williams’ "Your Cheatin’ Heart"). Their brilliance lies *not* in poetic innovation but in: - **Ritualistic Reinvention**: Familiar lyrics become incantations for chaos. "Mean Woman Blues" opens the set at breakneck speed, its jealousy transformed into a violent declaration . - **Emotional Raw Material**: Simple phrases ("You shake my nerves!," "Shake, baby, shake!") are delivery devices for Lewis’s barely contained rage, lust, and defiance. In "Your Cheatin’ Heart," he dissects heartbreak with a guttural snarl, warping country melancholy into rock fury . - **Audience Communion**: Chants, whoops, and Lewis’s self-mythologizing interjections ("Play it right, boy!") blur the line between song and primal spectacle . ### 2. Music: The Sound of Possession This is where the album achieves mythic status: - **Piano as Weapon**: Lewis attacks the keys with "a tack hammer" , generating percussive, almost distorted tones. His playing is **technically dazzling yet violently physical** – boogie-woogie meets demolition derby . - **Relentless Tempo & Energy**: Songs start fast and accelerate. The Nashville Teens scramble to keep up, creating a thrilling, chaotic tension. Compared to this, "thrash metal sounds tame, the Stooges sound constrained... the Sex Pistols sound like wimps" . - **Vocal Fury**: Lewis’s voice is a hoarse, gospel-drenched roar – equal parts preacher, bluesman, and madman. It’s ravaged yet utterly commanding, cutting through the din . - **Band Dynamics**: The Nashville Teens provide a sturdy, driving foundation, but this is Lewis’s show. Their struggle to match his manic pace adds to the album’s combustible energy . ### 3. Production: Capturing Lightning in a Bottle Producer Siggi Loch used a minimalist setup: - **Strengths**: Close-miked instruments + a single stereo audience mic create startling immediacy and raw power. The piano dominates the mix, rightly placing Lewis’s performance center-stage. The crowd noise is palpable, placing you *in* the sweaty, raucous Star-Club . - **Weaknesses**: Fidelity is **lo-fi and unbalanced** by modern standards. Bass and guitar can be buried under the piano onslaught, and sonic imperfections exist (e.g., the original omission of "Down the Line" due to a glitch) . However, these flaws often *enhance* the album’s gritty, dangerous authenticity – "it’s a crime scene," not a polished exhibit . ### 4. Themes: Fury, Redemption, and the Essence of Rock - **Personal Catharsis**: Recorded during Lewis’s "wilderness years" (post-scandal over marrying his 13-year-old cousin, career collapse, alcoholism), the performance channels his rage, desperation, and defiance into pure, unadulterated rock ‘n’ roll. It’s an act of artistic survival . - **Defiance Against Obsolescence**: With the British Invasion (Beatles, Stones) dominating, Lewis uses the Beatles’ old Hamburg stomping ground to deliver a scorching rebuke: "THIS is rock ‘n’ roll" . - **The Primal Spirit of Rock**: The album embodies rock’s core elements – **untamed energy, sexual charge, rebellion, and visceral connection** – stripped of all pretense or commercial calculation . ### 5. Influence: The Unmatched Benchmark - **Genre-Defining**: It set the **template for live rock energy**. Critics unanimously hail it as the purest, hardest rock record ever made . - **Artist Inspiration**: Cited as a primal influence by punk, hard rock, and garage rock artists. Its ferocity shames later generations (Iggy Pop, The Stooges, The Sex Pistols are frequent comparatives found lacking) . - **Critical Acclaim**: Routinely tops "Greatest Live Album" lists (Rolling Stone, NME, The Telegraph, Mojo) . ### Pros vs. Cons: The Essential Balance | **Aspect** | **Pros** | **Cons** | |-------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | **Performance** | Unmatched energy, intensity & raw skill; Lewis at his most demonically possessed; Band's frantic struggle adds tension; Captures rock's primal essence perfectly. | Nashville Teens occasionally sound overwhelmed; Relentless pace offers little dynamic respite. | | **Sound & Production** | Raw, immediate sound places listener in the room; Perfectly captures chaotic atmosphere; Piano's dominant mix highlights the core instrument. | Lo-fi fidelity; Uneven mix (bass/guitar often buried); Sonic imperfections/distortion; Original album missing songs later restored. | | **Historical Impact** | Definitive document of live rock energy; Immense influence across genres; Cultural artifact capturing Lewis' defiance & rock's spirit. | Long unavailable in the US, limiting initial impact; Tied to Lewis' deeply problematic personal history. | | **Themes & Lyrics** | Lyrics transformed into vehicles for cathartic emotion; Pure, unmediated rebellion & energy; Transcends its era. | Reliance on covers; Lyrical depth secondary to delivery; Ethical quandary of separating art from artist (Lewis' scandal). | ### Conclusion: The Unvarnished Truth **"Live at the Star Club, Hamburg"** is not a comfortable listen. It’s raw, chaotic, technically imperfect, and inextricably linked to Jerry Lee Lewis’s deeply flawed humanity. Yet, it remains **the most electrifying, essential document of live rock 'n' roll ever committed to tape**. It achieves something almost alchemical: transforming personal turmoil, technical limitations, and primal musicality into an **unassailable monument of pure energy**. Its influence is immeasurable, its power undimmed. Forget "great balls of fire" – this is the sound of a supernova. > **Verdict**: The greatest live rock album ever made. Not an argument – a fact. Turn it up loud and feel your nerves shaken.

Fun with some fierce intensity--you feel as if Lewis earned his "Killer" nickname honestly. What a great show that must have been. I created an Amazon playlist of all the songs in the order played in case that's of interest (I saw that the Amazon version of the album was missing a few songs so went down a rabbit hole to get them all). Here's the playlist: https://music.amazon.com/user-playlists/48a70b6c1a2c4595b603bb91140bf8cfsune?ref=dm_sh_5950-9e7c-52a8-2071-e663f

Jerry Lee Lewis might’ve been a deeply polarising figure with questionable character, morals and behaviour, but this is still an incredible live performance full of fire, rage and energy. It’s balls to the wall rock’n’roll that hits hard all the way and leaves you breathless.

A wild burst of energy that gave me an admiration for this genre which I otherwise would not have listened to. I went down a YouTube rabbit hole watching this guy's old performances the night I found this album

fucking PRESENCE fav track: long tall sally

Whatever you may think of Jerry Lee Lewis, there’s no denying that he was the central pioneer of rock piano. The recording *Live at the Star Club, Hamburg* features his most important songs in a context that was typical for the time (i.e., just under half an hour). From today’s perspective, there’s plenty to criticize here, but in my opinion, culture must always be understood within the context of its own time. That said, while I do believe these songs are worth knowing, I don’t consider Lewis to be among the very top tier of the most influential artists, and rock piano ultimately always remained a niche genre. So it falls somewhere between a “legendary album” and “nice to know.”

It's rock&roll operating at 150%. The energy is so contagious that I actually felt like jumping around in my room while visiting. Pair that with a lot of charisma and some really catchy tunes and you've got an awesome vibe all around.

Big ol’ separation of art and artist for this one. If I was in the audience, I would be going nuts.

It’s like this guy has the energy of a 14 year old.

Honestly a great live album.

Unfortunately a pretty good record. What would have made it better though is if someone came on stage and beat him to death with a hammer.

I wish I had anywhere near this much energy!

I listened to this album three times in a row. My feet never stopped tapping.

Ignoring the fact Jerry Lee Lewis was an Incestious Pedophile. This is an outstanding live rock n roll album, one of the very best. I normally moan that albums are too long, this is one of the very few albums Iv got to say is just too short. It only has 8 songs, which is 1 number less than the unfortunate women who were married to Jerry Lee Lewis. And is only 22 mins long, 22 was the age Jerry Lee Lewis was when he bigamously married his 13 year old first cousin. 4 stars

This is possibly the most chaotic thing I've ever listened to. It's very early rock n' roll which is already a little chaotic, and this live album is just fast-paced piano and clashing drums and Jerry Lee Lewis yelling a lot. It does kind of work though, it would have definitely been fun to be there. This is also recorded like 6 years after Lewis fell out of the spotlight after marrying his teenage cousin, so there's a lot to unpack with this one. I'm rating this given the context of its time (though really hard to believe that The Velvet Underground & Nico came out only 3 years after this, this feels ancient compared to that) and it being a live recording. (Note: the Spotify version only includes 8 of the 13 tracks, full version available on Youtube). Favorite song: Money (That's All I Want) Others: Great Balls of Fire, Hound Dog, Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On

High octane pure rock and roll from a Jerry Lee Lewis at the top of his game. His vocals and piano playing truly are exceptional on this recording, so much that you almost pity the piano for being put through this kind of relentless treatment.

Vote is for the album, not the guy. Not all original either, but I enjoyed it. Should probably give it fewer stars for the first two points...

Nothing more rock n roll than marrying your 13 year old cousin at the age of 22

Seems like what they have up on Spotify doesn't have all the tracks from the original album which is kinda disappointing. Its funny cause I'm reading a book about krautrock right now and there's a whole chapter about the Hamburg red light district scene from this era and the Star Club in particular. Didn't realize such an iconic live album came from their efforts to put out records. I was pretty into all the big Sun Records artists back in high school. Even had a Sun Records t-shirt. Probably liked Jerry Lee the most of all for his unique phrasing and sheer energy. He never seemed to be able to really break out much beyond his initial success like Elvis or Johnny Cash but he really seemed to embody the real spirit of rock and roll more to me. And that is very much in evidence on this recording. Kinda like that it is very simply recorded and retains a sort of rawness that sounds very honest and accurate to the live experience.

There's no doubt that this performance is full of energy and that the crowd was having a great time. Nobody could bring it on with a piano like Jerry Lee could and this album captures that energy. For me, the album tends to wear out by the time it gets to the end because I prefer more variety, however, the fun level pumps this album all the way through and is effective in demonstrating for the listener, the amount of energy present in a Jerry Lee concert.

His backing band was The Nashville Teenagers. Surprised that he didn’t marry them.

There were alot of very talented paedophiles in the 50s that's for sure. Either 1 or 5 - so 3 as an average.

kurz und knackig

I was enjoying it until I read all about the creepy stuff, and I thought, well there are some black people doing this or even better without all of that.

Reading these reviews talking all about how he’s a bad guy but if it weren’t for him we wouldn’t have that iconic Top Gun scene so gotta slide this a 3

On the plus side, these songs are rock and roll standards played with skill and energy. On the negative, the man stole his act from little richard and was a paedo and a horrible person

3.5★. A boisterous 22-minutes. Feels longer than it is, which I say as a good thing (mostly). A little samey (like all early, loud rock-and-roll) but rather fun and energetic.

1. This is a two-gear, headlong exhibition of a style that was his: this rush cannot be mistaken for anyone else, regardless of whose songs he’s covering. He rocked fast and uniquely. 2. The Didjits: “ Then we went over to Jerry's house Everybody did a little bit of acid We watched him kill one of his wives We didn't care because we were so high”

classic, original live rock, piano, bad boy rocker

This is fine, I guess.

It was fine. Ya know, it’s funny. I didn’t know anything about this artist, but as soon as I started listening, I got some bad vibes. And then I read his wiki and it was confirmed that he was a weirdo. And I have a feeling that like Elvis, he as a white man profited off the creation of black people.

A live album of cover versions is hardly a great demonstration of an artist. Not bad, just pointless

I'm glad this album was short, because I didn't love it. Crazy though there was a time you could release the "greatest album of rock and roll" and not have written any of the songs yourself.

This was fine but it was 22 minutes so not sure what’s going on spotify. Great energy but just gonna go 2 stars since it could’ve been much better.

The energy on this is wild and it is just a non-stop rock and roll rip roar. However this does kind of come at the expense of the songs, as all of the solos are just vamping on the blues chords - there’s nothing actually inventive or interesting going on and it gets very repetitive very fast.

Only 13? What a letdown

Can we separate art from the artist? Jerry is another example of a horrible person that did a lot of unforgivable things. This album is full of energy, but he ripped his whole schtick off more deserving musicians. Gotta give a 1/5, bad artist outweighs the art this round.

Did you know Jerry's cousin played in his band for every track on this record? Search "Jerry Lee Lewis Cousin 13" to learn more

"Brown was only 14 years old when their son was born" Another one for that niche genre of great live album from a scumbag. Maybe the scumbaggery outweighs the quality in this case.

Didn’t float my boat. Regarded as a great concert, but I’ve been to better gigs than that. Bit of wrong’un too wasn’t he!

he did what

Jerry Lee Lewis manages to answer the question: What if Little Richard was white and married his 13 year old cousin? A question which really didn't need asking.

rest in pieces asshole

Ah yes, the racist, pedophillic, incestual, music stealing piece of shit. And this is a live album to boot. Go listen to Little Richard Is Back (And There's a Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On!) (1964) instead for an album you must hear before you die. 1⭐️

“Live at the Star Club, Hamburg” by Jerry Lee Lewis (1964) Jerry Lee Lewis is a rock and roll icon. But here we have a record that is, in a word, horrible. This museum display is evidence of everything that’s wrong with albums made from live recordings. I’m sure the concert (qua concert) was great, but this record (qua record) is organized crime. It’s a fecal fossil. If this is your first exposure to Jerry Lee Lewis, please don’t listen to it. Please, please do not listen to this album. In an attempt to capture lightning in a bottle, it ends up with a few fireflies in a leaky butterfly net. Comparing these live recordings with the studio originals reveals the poor quality: none of the classic Sun Records lead vocal reverb, and a very bad mix with too little guitar and virtually no bass, tinny drums, sloppy pitch control, extremely limited tonal and dynamic range on the piano and (ironically and fatally) virtually NO audience interaction. It’s a blasphemous denial of Jerry Lee Lewis’ genius as a recording artist and as a musician. Also, the tracks on this album scramble the order of the songs from the original concert (and the Spotify abridgment gives only eight of the album’s thirteen songs), thus denying Jerry Lee Lewis’ chosen set arrangement. It slaughters his artistic integrity. Lamentable. Jerry Lee (age 85), I hope you read this, and I join you in shaking a fist and raising a finger at Smash/Mercury. 1/5

Short and sweet. If and when time travel has been invented and becomes affordable, this performance will be high on my bucket list. It sounds like Jerry is pushing his voice and his piano to their physical limits, and his three bandmates aren't far off. Other bands later used this to theatrical effect. Not only is this the OG performance; it also feels more genuine than the artificially summoned anger from much of the later rock, metal and punk movements.

How can you NOT get jumping for a Jerry Lee Lewis show? Total high energy from the master of boogie woogie piano.

Ett jävla tjat om vilka som inte kom med i VM-truppen och vilka skivor som kom på den här listan. Den här är så given, lagets stjärna. Nummer 10. Vilken skev story. Vilket helvetes drag. Verk och person osv. Är det inte det här som är rock n roll? Extasen som får hederliga medborgare att skandera en kusinknullares namn? Det där pianot förtjänade minst sagt en cigg efter den kvällen.

It does not sound like a comeback, a nostalgia exercise, or a professional live set. It sounds like a man trying to rip the roof off the room because restraint would be a personal insult. This is not Jerry Lee Lewis at his most refined, but probably Jerry Lee Lewis at his most unstoppable. It’s savage and towering.

Album so good you start wondering if there were altruistic reasons he married 13 year old cousin. There wasn't, he really was in love with and later abused his 13 year old cousin. Also the album is missing like half of it on Spotify for some reason. Doesn't matter. None of that affects my enjoyment. This is fucking rock and fucking roll. There's no way you listened to this without tapping your feet at least once. This nost definitely influenced punk, to just go out and fucking rock, go crazy, have ENERGY. He's a monster on piano, the band can barely even keep up. I'd be getting up and running to this if I wasn't so high and also at midnight. Shit is just straight up, pure awesome in an album

Jerry Lee Lewis's gift and curse was that he was an eternal teenager - frenetic, brash, horny, uninhibited, narcissistic, invincible until he wasn't. At age 28 and in semi-exile on account of what's euphemistically referred to in his Wikipedia entry as his "turbulent personal life," he played this ferocious set at one of the Beatles' old haunts in Hamburg. And I mean "haunts" in both senses; Lewis sounds here like he's trying to exorcise demons - of the changing trends that were passing him by, of his own broken career, of his own bent self. And what he conjures is a vision of the rock-and-roller as schoolyard bully. His "Money (That's What I Want)" shoves the Mop-Tops' version to the ground and takes its lunch money, while his "Hound Dog" goes toe-to-toe under the bleachers with Elvis's version and comes away with at least a split decision (one imagines Lewis, seething at the piano at how nobody ever canceled *that* fucker). And of course the material he made famous sparkles - "Great Balls of Fire" is wild and uneven and raw like it should be. By the time he staggers into an exhausted, wobbly version of "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" he's given everything he physically has to the stage. If you've ever wondered why rock and roll was such a force - why it led to the youth of the world convulsing in a spasm of thrown chairs, thrown panties, thrown voices - start here.

Amazing album, but the version they have on Spotify is crap. It contains half the songs in the wrong order.