Live at Max's Kansas City (Johnny Thunders album)

History

The album and "reunion" gigs came about after co-lead singer/co-lead guitarist Johnny Thunders had returned from England, where he had completed recording his first solo album, So Alone, for Real Music. His fellow ex-Heartbreakers Walter Lure and Billy Rath had participated in some of the sessions for the album, and all three happened to find themselves in New York at the same time, and decided to play some gigs "for old time's sake" and some "chump change" (per the LP's liner notes). With drummer Jerry Nolan reluctant to backtrace his steps after quitting the band over L.A.M.F.'s poor sound, the Thunders/Lure/Rath triumvirate recruited one Ty Styx to take over the drum seat for the shows, all of which were recorded.

Originally released on Max's Kansas City Records and in England on Beggars Banquet Records through a logo deal with Max's Kansas City, the album was successful enough to warrant a second live recording done at the same venue. The band, now fully reunited with the return of Jerry Nolan to the drum throne, accepted the invitation. By that time, however, the band were all struggling with their various addictions, with Thunders' own heroin habit escalating. The first two nights of the three-night stand resulted in very little if any usable material, but by the last night, the band were in rare form, with Thunders and Lure delivering their usual witty introductions between songs. After playing five songs, Thunders suddenly left the stage, claimng he had to "tune up" — never to return that evening.* Ironically, two songs earlier, the band had played their semi-autobiographical "Too Much Junkie Business". The five songs from the last night were mixed down and offered to Beggars Banquet, who refused them.

Several years later, these songs were remixed, along with the original album, in preparation for a long-awaited reissue of the original Live at Max's album with the "new" recordings appended to it. Walter Lure and Billy Rath participated in the mixing. Thunders was unable to participate due to other commitments, but was played the results, and gave them his full endorsement, requesting only that the 1979 recordings were released "just the way it is, including the talk." (liner notes, ibid) The reissue, however, would not be released until a few years after Thunders' death.

Track listing

All songs written by Walter Lure and Jerry Nolan, except as indicated.

Side one

1. (Intro)
2. "Milk Me" (Johnny Thunders)
3. Also known as "Chatterbox" and "Leave Me Alone"
4. "Chinese Rocks" (Dee Dee Ramone, Richard Hell)
5. "Get Off the Phone"
6. "London" (Thunders, Lure, Billy Rath)
7. "Take a Chance"
8. "One Track Mind"

Side two

1. "All By Myself"
2. "Let Go" (Thunders, Nolan)
3. "I Love You" (Thunders)
4. "Can't Keep My Eyes on You"
5. "I Wanna Be Loved" (Thunders)
6. "Do You Love Me" (Berry Gordy Jr.)

CD reissue bonus tracks

1. "All By Myself" (Lure, Nolan)
2. "Pirate Love" (Thunders)
3. "Too Much Junkie Business" (Lure, Thunders)
4. Lure acknowledged in the liner notes of the 2002 reissue of L.A.M.F. that he actually wrote the song himself but gave Thunders co-writing credit since it was basically his life story, too. Amusingly, Thunders would often introduce the song onstage by saying that Lure had written it with Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley.
5. "Don't Mess with Cupid" (Deanie Parker, Eddie Floyd, Steve Cropper)
6. "So Alone" (Thunders)

Personnel