Axel Rudi Pell has had four solo albums so a live album was long over due. As a result, during two shows on February 4th & 5th of 1995, they were recorded so a live album could be released. They were recorded in Markthalle, Hamburg and Zeche, Bochum. There were three songs from the Markthalle show and five from Zeche. The band was of course Axel Rudi Pell on guitar, Jeff Scott Soto on vocals, Jorg Michael on drums, Volker Krawczak on bass and Julie Greaux on keyboards. It was the same band that recorded the previous album ‘Between the Walls’ for which they were now touring for that album, and it is a great, solid band.

1994 was an extremely busy year for Jeff Scott Soto and by the looks of it, 1995 was not going to be any different as we have 3 releases for this year and this being the first. For this album, Jeff felt the biggest fault was it was too short and he would’ve liked to have included a few more of the older tracks. With that being said, if that is the only fault, then we are in for a real treat. The show captures how much Jeff enjoyed working with Axel and it shows in his performance and everyone’s performance for that matter. The album came out around May 22, 1995 and is a great time capsule of a great period of Axel Rudi Pell.

The show kicks off with some riffing by Axel and then they go straight in to “Talk of The Guns” off their most recent album ‘Between the Walls’. Here is the song is sped up even faster and a lot heavier. It seems faster than speed metal here. The drums are pounding and relentless and Pell’s solo is pure Axel. Jeff does a great job keeping up with that pace and not losing his breath, but it was close.

Jeff speaks to the crowd to remind them they are recording a live album and then the band goes in the song “Nasty Reputation” from the album of the same name. Jeff didn’t sing on that album so really cool to get this classic Pell track with Soto on vocals. He screams a lot of it and the song shows there are no overdubs (which it says on the back of the album cover). It is a warts and all show as Jeff isn’t always hitting the perfect note and the backing vocals are a little, but that is why we like live shows untouched.

Then we get a 14+ minute cover of Deep Purple’s “Mistreated” and this is where we get to see both Jeff and Axel really shine. Jeff gets to do a pretty good Coverdale imitation and one of his best vocal performances of the night while Axel shows what a great guitarist he is as there are a ton of stellar moments. From the opening solo which goes on for a couple minutes, to that classic Blackmore riff, to yet another solo which sees Axel really restrain himself and not try to showboat too much, but sometimes I’d like to see him showboat and really let loose. At about the 10 minute mark, Jorg goes nuts on the drums playing to Axel as he lays down another solo. A really killer live track.

“Warrior” is up next and back to the 80’s we go with a whole Dokken vibe. The song is off ‘Between the Walls’ and shows that they aren’t just a metal band. Then we get a song from the debut Pell album ‘Wild Obsession’ with “Snake Eyes”. A slower track, but I don’t know if it is a ballad. It has a great groove with a little sexiness thrown in. Jeff really does great on this one as it wasn’t one he originally sang. It sound great with him on vocals and I love any time I can get a new Soto track. It has an 80’s swagger influenced by Motley Crue and Bon Jovi. A highlight of it is the Pell solo. Really tasteful and fits the song nicely. The little crowd sing-a-long at the end was a really nice touch. A great track.

A favorite track of mine is “Casbah” and we get 11 minutes of it with a little “Eternal Prisoner” thrown in for good measure. Julie’s keyboards open the track before it slaps you upside the head with its Metallica heaviness. Jeff joins in with a verse and the band all come crashing in and the song gets really going. It has a really cool swagger to it thanks to that killer groove. The adding of some lines of “Eternal Prisoner” in the middle after a long drawn out note by Pell adds a totally new cool vibe to it. Then back to the “Casbah” and with the crowd singing along at times , it is a special moment of the night. This is why this is one of my favorite Axel tracks.

Another track from the debut album is “Call Her Princess”. I believe this is a cover song of a Steeler track which Axel was in before solo. He wrote it, so I guess not a full on cover. It opens with a pleasant guitar solo by Axel, then it rips into the track. During this 10 minute trek of a song, we get a guitar & keyboard battle between Axel and Julie and it is a highlight of the song and the album. But Axel won as his fingers flew faster than hers…but it is his band so you have to let him win, right!! They play off each other quite well and gives a new dimension to the band. Cool stuff.

How many live albums give you a brand new song? Not too many I imagine, but this one gives us a new one and its introduction is as a live track written specifically for the tour. It is “Fire on the Mountain” by both Pell & Soto and was the encore of the show. I originally thought we were getting a Marshall Tucker Band track, but nope. A Rainbow styles track thanks to Blackmore’s huge influence on Axel. A great way to end the show.

This is a great little live set with my biggest complaint being it should’ve been a whole show. They did pick out some great tracks to showcase here, but I’d like to have heard all of it to see Jeff sing more of the older songs that he didn’t originally sing would’ve also been a major plus. Regardless, it is a great live set that is completely untouched and it is what they got at the show. Jeff does a great job live and keeps you engaged and Axel is a fine guitar player, but I wish he would completely let loose at times. Overall, My Score is a 4.0 out of 5.0 Stars and if you like Axel, this is a great first live disc from him. If you like Jeff, it is also a must.

UP NEXT: TAKARA – TASTE OF HEAVEN (1995)

THE JEFF SCOTT SOTO SERIES:

1. Panther – ‘Panther’ (1986) – recorded in 1984
2. Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force – ‘Rising Force’ (1984)
3. Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force – ‘Marching Out’ (1985)
4. Kuni – ‘Lookin’ For Action’ (1988)
5. Kryst the Conqueror – ‘Deliver Us From Evil’ (1989) / ‘Soldiers of Light: The Complete Recordings (2019)
6. Eyes – ‘Eyes’ (1990)
7. Eyes – “Nobody Said It Was Easy” (1990) – 7″ Single – Bonus Edition
8. Talisman – ‘Talisman’ (1990)
9. Talisman – “I’ll Be Waiting” (1990) – 7″ Single – Bonus Edition
10. Skrapp Mettle – ‘Sensitive’ (1991)
11. Axel Rudi Pell – ‘Eternal Prisoner’ (1992)
12. Bakteria – ‘Deficate! Suffocate! Mutilate! Masturbate!’ (1992 / 2009)
13. Eyes – ‘Windows of the Soul’ (1993)
14. Talisman – ‘Genesis’ (1993)
15. Axel Rudi Pell – ‘The Ballads’ (1993)
16. Biker Mice From Mars – ‘Biker Mice From Mars (Soundtrack)’ (1993)
17. Takara – ‘Eternal Faith’ (1993)
18. Talisman – ‘5 Out Of 5 (Live in Japan)’ (1994)
19. Talisman – ‘Humanimal’ (1994)
20. Axel Rudi Pell – ‘Between the Walls’ (1994)
21. Gary Schutt – ‘Sentimetal’ (1994)
22. Jeff Scott Soto – ‘Love Parade’ (1994)
23. Axel Rudi Pell – ‘Made in Germany (Live)’ (1995)
24. Takara – ‘Taste of Heaven’ (1995)
25. Talisman – ‘Life’ (1995)
26. Axel Rudi Pell – ‘Black Moon Pyramid’ (1996)
27. Human Clay – ‘Human Clay’ (1996)
28. Talisman – ‘Best of’ (1996)
29. Axel Rudi Pell – ‘Magic’ (1997)
30. Human Clay – ‘U4IA’ (1997)
31. Boogie Knights – ‘Welcome to the Jungle Boogie’ (1997)
32. Talisman – ‘Truth’ (1998)
33. Takara – ‘Blind in Paradise’ (1998)
34. Talisman – ‘Live at Sweden Rock Festival’ (2001)
35. ‘Rock Star (Soundtrack)’ – Various Artists (2001)
36. Jeff Scott Soto – ‘Prism’ (2002)
37. Jeff Scott Soto – ‘Holding On E.P.’ (2002) – Bonus Edition
38. Humanimal – ‘Humanimal’ (2002)
39. Jeff Scott Soto – ‘JSS Live at the Gods 2002’ (2003)
40. Talisman – ‘Cats & Dogs’ (2003)
41. Jeff Scott Soto – ‘Lost in the Translation’ (2004)
42. Jeff Scott Soto – ‘Live at the Queen Convention 2003’ (2004)
43. Talisman – ‘Five Men Live’ (2005)
44. Soul Sirkus – ‘World Play’ (2005)
45. Jeff Scott Soto – ‘Believe in Me E.P.’ (2006) – Bonus Edition
46. Jeff Scott Soto – ‘Essential Ballads’ (2006)
47. Talisman – ‘7’ (2006)
48. Journey – ‘Live from Atlanta (Bootleg)’ (2006)
49. Jeff Scott Soto – ‘B-Sides’ (2006)
50. Redlist – ‘Ignorance’ (2007)
51. Jeff Scott Soto – ‘Beautiful Mess’ (2009)
52. Jeff Scott Soto – “21st Century” / “Gin & Tonic Sky” CD Single (2009) – Bonus Edition
53. Jeff Scott Soto – ‘One Night in Madrid’ (2009)
54. Trans-Siberian Orchestra – ‘Night Castle’ (2009)
55. W.E.T. – ‘W.E.T.’ (2009)
56. Jeff Scott Soto – ‘Live at Firefest 2008’ (2010)
57. Jeff Scott Soto – ‘Damage Control’ (2012)
58. W.E.T. – ‘Rise’ (2013)
59. W.E.T. – ‘One Live in Stockholm’ (2014)
60. SOTO – ‘Inside the Vertigo’ (2015)
61. SOTO – ‘Divak’ (2016)
62. Jeff Scott Soto – ‘Retribution’ (2017)
63. Sons of Apollo – ‘Psychotic Symphony’ (2017)
64. W.E.T. – ‘Earthrage’ (2018)
65. SOTO – ‘Origami’ (2019)
66. Sons of Apollo – ‘Live With the Plovdiv Psychotic Symphony’ (2019)
67. Jeff Scott Soto – ‘Wide Away (In My Dreamland)’ (2020)
68. Jeff Scott Soto – ‘Live and Loud in Milan 2019’ (2020)
69. Sons of Apollo – ‘MMXX’ (2020)
70. SOTO – ‘Revision’ (2020)
71. W.E.T. – ‘Retransmission’ (2021)
72. Jeff Scott Soto – ‘The Duets Collection, Vol. 1’ (2021)
73. Jeff Scott Soto / Jason Bieler – Live In Concert (2022) – Bonus Edition