Eagles – Hell Freezes Over
Continuing the MTV theme the Eagles also had a special show in the MTV Unplugged series. The biggest event happening for the band is indicated by the title. This was them getting back together after years apart. They reunited for the show after the suggestion it was unlikely they would ever do so again, "when hell freezes over" was the answer given by Don Henley to a question about when that might happen.
Their 1994 show led to a huge-selling album and became the second live album to hit number one in the 1990s. The Eagles already had a strong acoustic base to their music so the unplugged format wasn’t a huge issue after some arrangements were adjusted and reworked. Like Clapton with “Layla,” their version of “Hotel California” and its famous electric guitar solo still came across very well in this style.
Nirvana – MTV Unplugged In New York
You can see the impact that MTV Unplugged had as yet another album from the series topped the Billboard 200. Surprisingly their grunge style wasn’t an issue for an unplugged set, although Nirvana did bend the rules slightly with some amplification and guitar effects in use. The approach worked very well and the new style seemed even more poignant by the time it was released in November 1994. That was just a few months after Kurt Cobain's death in April that year.
The band also took a slightly different turn with their set list, opting for covers and deep cuts more so than well-known hits. Nirvana's MTV Unplugged in New York was another huge seller and one of the biggest from the TV series. Amongst many other plaudits and recognition, the band also picked up a Grammy for Best Alternative Album in 1996.
Pink Floyd – Pulse
We are on to another huge band here with the third live album from Pink Floyd, Pulse. Recorded on their Division Bell tour in 1994 it captured many of their great songs along with an electric atmosphere at their shows. Videos and DVDs later accompanied the record to show the amazing performance emor visually. I should also give mention to the flashing small red light on the spine of some formats, it pulsed away for some time on my shelves.
Pulse topped the Billboard 200 in June 1995. It’s another album that went straight in at number one on release. Over three million copies were sold worldwide. Perhaps that might seem low to some readers, but it was the band's third live album at that point.
Continued on next page...