Performing live also means being caught on tape. Luckily EELS has a steady flow of live releases, both on singles as on actual albums. Especially the 'official bootlegs' on the E Works label are noteworthy. But there is more. Here's a list of all known (semi) official releases on cd that carry EELS tracks performed live.
release date: 1996
label: Dreamworks
[The EELS' debut single was released in several formats. The 4 track cd-single featured one of the first of what would become many versions of My Beloved Monster]
03 My Beloved Monster (Live From Tennessee)
release date: January 1997
label: Westwood One
[A radioshow put on cd by US radiostation Westwoord One, featuring EELS live in the Whisky-A-Go-Go, Los Angeles in 1996. Comes with cue-sheet and radiocommercials inbetween tracks. Was broadcast the weekend of January 27, 1997]
Seg 4 Track 1 - If I Was Your Girlfriend
Seg 4 Track 2 - Fingertips Pt.III
Seg 4 Track 3 - Susan's House
Seg 4 Track 4 - My Beloved Monster
Seg 5 Track 1 - Mental
Seg 5 Track 2 - Beautiful Freak
Seg 5 Track 3 - Novacaine For The Soul (radio edit)
Seg 6 Track 1 - Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover
Seg 6 Track 2 - Not Ready Yet
release date: 1997
label: [-]
[Compilation radio sampler featuring Beautiful Freak as recorded at X96 studio on October 17, 1996]
03 Beautiful Freak
release date: 1997
label: [-]
[Compilation radio sampler featuring Novocaine For The Soul as recorded at Deep Ellum on December 20, 1996]
01 Novocaine For The Soul
release date: March, 1997
label: Rock Sound
[Free sampler with French magazine Rock Sound, issue 45, March 1997. This version of Mental was probably recorded on one of the French festival shows in November 1996]
01 Mental
release date: 1997
label: Dreamworks
[A few different versions of this single exist. Some have the LP version of Not Ready Yet as a bonus track, others a live version of Manchester Girl as recorded for the BBC in January of 1997]
03 Manchester Girl
release date: 1997
label: Vox Magazine
[Free sampler given away with the British magazine Vox]
01 My Beloved Monster (Live From Tennessee)
release date: May, 1997
label: Universal
[Promotional cd featuring live-tracks by bands performing on Pinkpop 1997. EELS is featured with a version of Susan's House as performed on November 16, 1996 in Amsterdam]
05 Susan's House
release date: 1997
label: Universal/Dreamworks
[Released only in Holland and in small portions in GErmany and Belgium, this 2cd version of the EELS' debut was released to promote the summer 1997 shows. Disc one is the regular album, while the second disc features the complete session as recorded for the BBC in January 1997]
01 Novocaine For The Soul (Live From Hell)
02 Manchester Girl
03 My Beloved Mad Monster Party
04 Flower
release date: August, 1997
label: Universal/Dreamworks
[This EP was released in France only and - as the Dutch 2cd version of Beautiful Freak - it features the complete BBC session from earlier in the year]
03 Novocaine For The Soul (Live From Hell)
04 Manchester Girl
05 My Beloved Mad Monster Party
06 Flower
release date: 1998
label: VaraGram
[Part of the 2 Meter Sessies cd series, featuring live-tracks by bands performing in the studio for the radio/tv show with the same name. EELS is featured with a version of Susan's House, performed on monday August 25, 1997 in The Netherlands. A weird choice as it's arguably the least interesting song of the amazing 6 track session performed that day]
04 Susan's House
release date: 2000
label: Liberation
[Compilation radio sampler featuring an acoustic version of Mr. E's Beautiful Blues, recorded in Australia, July 2000]
02 Mr. E's Beautiful Blues
release date: December 6, 2000
label: E Works
[Documenting the Eels Orchestra 2000 tour, recorded in Europa and the U.S. (E solo). Tracks recorded in Los Angeles, Glasgow, Dijon, Melbourne, Utrecht, Sydney and Paris. Was only available on Eelstheband.com, but is now deleted]
01 Feeling Good
02 Overture (Last Stop: This Town/ Beautiful Freak/ Rags To Rags/ Your Lucky Day In Hell/ My Descent Into Madness/ Novocaine For The Soul/ Flower)
03 Oh What A Beautiful Morning
04 Abortion In The Sky
05 It's A Motherfucker
06 Fucker
07 Ant Farm
08 Climbing To The Moon
09 Grace Kelly Blues
10 Daisies Of The Galaxy
11 Flyswatter
12 Vice President Fruitley
13 Hot And Cold
14 Mr. E's Beautiful Blues
15 Not Ready Yet
16 Susan's House
17 Something Is Sacred
release date: January 2001
label: Westwood One
[A radioshow put on cd by US radiostation Westwoord One, featuring EELS live at the Universal Amphitheatre, Universal City, CA on December 14, 1996. Comes with cue-sheet and radio commercials inbetween tracks. This show was broadcast the weekend of January 27/28, 2001 and unfortunately the first song of the performed set (If I Was Your Girfriend) is missing from the cd]
Seg 5 Track 1 - Fingertips Pt.III
Seg 5 Track 2 - Susan's House
Seg 5 Track 3 - Novacaine For The Soul
Seg 6 Track 1 - Rags To Rags
Seg 6 Track 2 - Everything's Gonna Be Cool This Christmas
release date: August, 2001
label: Dino Music
[A compilation featuring 'the best' live performances from the Dutch radioshow Denk Aan Henk. Included is the song Manchester Girl, as performed during a 3 song session in the afternoon of August 20, 1997 in Hilversum, Holland. The host of the show actually called the song Manchester City in the live broadcast]
09 Manchester Girl
release date: 2001
label: Universal
[Part of the ongoing 2 Meter Sessies cd series, featuring live-tracks by bands performing in the studio for the radio/tv show with the same name. EELS was already featured on the 'Volume 7' edition, but was also included on this 'best of' 2cd compilation. This one features a version of Novocaine For The Soul, performed on monday August 25, 1997 in The Netherlands]
32 Novocaine For The Soul
release date: July 7, 2002
label: E Works
[Documenting the 1998 Electro-Shock Blues tour. Recorded in November 1998 somewhere in the UK on the support tour for Pulp. Only available on the internet on Eelstheband.com and Cdbaby.com and now out of print]
01 Cancer For The Cure
02 Fingertips Pt.III
03 Going To Your Funeral (Pt.1)
04 Efil's God
05 Souljacker Pt.1
06 My Beloved Monster
07 Novocaine For The Soul
08 Not Ready Yet
09 Last Stop: This Town
10 Everything's Gonna Be Cool This Christmas
11 Flower
12 Dead Of Winter
13 Electro-Shock Blues
14 The Medication Is Wearing Off
15 Climbing To The Moon (and a little bit extra...)
release date: May 10, 2005
label: E Works
[Recorded during the 2003 KCRW session, it's a strange choice for the 3rd official live cd as this show is widely available as a bootleg and can also be found (including video) online on the KCRW website. The cd was only sold during the 2005 EELS With Strings tour]
01 I'm A Loser
02 Packing Blankets
03 Saturday Morning
04 Lone Wolf
05 Numbered Days
06 Last Stop: This Town
07 Rock Hard Times
08 Sixteen Tons
09 Grace Kelly Blues
10 My Beloved Monster
release date: May 15, 2005
label: Vagrant
[The first single from the highly acclaimed album Blinking Lights And Other Revelations, has a 13 minute live version of Love Of The Loveless on it. This version was recorded in Copenhagen, Denmark on September 4, 2003 during the EELS' Tour Of Duty]
03 Love Of The Loveless
release date: February 21, 2006
label: Vagrant
[Released both on cd and on dvd, this registration of the June 30, 2005 gig in New York is the 4th official live-release by EELS. This time the release is not as limited as the other live-albums, although it's hard to come by in some countries]
01 Blinking Lights (For Me)
02 Bride Of Theme From Blinking Lights
03 Bus Stop Boxer
04 Dirty Girl
05 Trouble With Dreams
06 The Only Thing I Care About
07 My Beloved Monster
08 Pretty Ballerina
09 It's A Motherfucker
10 Flyswatter
11 Novocaine For The Soul
12 Girl From The North Country
13 Railroad Man
14 I Like Birds
15 If You See Natalie
16 Poor Side Of Town
17 Spunky
18 I'm Going To Stop Pretending That I Didn't Break Your Heart
19 Suicide Life
20 Losing Streak
21 Hey Man (Now You're Really Living)
22 Things The Grandchildren Should Know
release date: February 21, 2006
label: SONY BMG
[As you can see, both the cd and the dvd have a different tracklisting. The dvd also includes documentaries, video's and outtakes]
01 Going To Your Funeral Pt.2
02 Dust Of Ages
03 In The Yard, Behind The Church
04 Bride Of Theme From Blinking Lights
05 A Magic World
06 Son Of A Bitch
07 Blinking Lights (For Me)
08 Dirty Girl
09 My Beloved Monster
10 The Only Thing I Care About
11 Bus Stop Boxer
12 Pretty Ballerina
13 I Like Birds
14 Girl From The North Country
15 Railroad Man
16 Trouble With Dreams
17 If You See Natalie
18 I'm Going To Stop Pretending That I Didn't Break Your Heart
19 Dead Of Winter
20 Flyswatter
21 Novocaine For The Soul
22 Losing Streak
23 The Stars Shine In The Sky Tonight
24 Souljacker Pt.2
25 Hey Man (Now You're Really Living)
26 Things The Grandchildren Should Know
27 Dog Faced Boy
28 Mr. E's Beautiful Blues
release date: January 15, 2008
label: Geffen
[Two cd's and a dvd full of rarities, b-sides and live tracks. The EELS fans were in for a real treat back in the early days of 2008! The recording date of the actual songs us mostly unknown. The dvd was recorded live at Lollapalooza 2006]
cd 1:
01 Novocaine For The Soul (Live from Hell)
03 My Beloved Monster (Live from Tennessee)
06 Manchester Girl (Live at the BBC)
07 Flower (Live at the BBC)
08 My Beloved Mad Monster Party (Live atn the BBC)
15 If I Was Your Girlfriend (Live)
18 Hospital Food (Live at the BBC)
19 Open the Door (Live at the BBC)
23 The Dark End of the Street (Live) (previously unreleased)
24 The Cheater's Guide to Your Heart (Live) (previously unreleased)
cd 2:
15 I Like Birds (Live) (previously unreleased)
21 I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (Live at Town Hall)
22 Mr. E's Beautiful Blues (Live at Town Hall)
24 I Put A Spell On You (Live) (previously unreleased)
dvd:
01 Saturday Morning
02 Eyes Down
03 My Beloved Monster
04 A Magic World
05 Not Ready Yet
06 Souljacker Pt.I
release date: February 14, 2008
label: E Works
[Another nice release in the E Works series of live-cd's that are sold during EELS shows. This time a lovely registration of the second show 'Live And In Person!' show at the London Astoria, as performed on June 27, 2006]
cd:
01 Old Shit/New Shit
02 Rock Show
03 Crazy Love (Crazy Music)
04 Eyes Down
05 Jesus Gonna Be Here
06 My Beloved Monster
07 A Magic World
08 Not Ready Yet
09 Dog Faced Boy
10 Souljacker Pt.I
11 I Put A Spell On You
12 That's Life
13 I Like Birds
14 Mr. E's Beautiful Blues
dvd:
01 The Shit
02 Old Shit/New Shit
03 The Other Shoe
04 Rock Show
05 Crazy Love (Crazy Music)
06 Eyes Down
07 Jesus Gonna Be Here
08 Mother Mary
09 The Sound Of Fear
10 My Beloved Monster
11 A Magic World
12 Agony
13 Last Stop: This Town
14 Not Ready Yet
15 Dog Faced Boy
16 Souljacker Pt.I
17 I Put A Spell On You
18 That's Life
19 Cancer For The Cure
20 I Like Birds
21 Mr. E's Beautiful Blues
release date: October 21, 2008
label: Vagrant
[Part of the beautiful Blinking Lights And Other Revelations box set. A live recording from October 13, 2005 at the Manchester Apollo, the last show from the second leg of the 2005 European tour]
side 1:
01 Fresh Feeling
02 Packing Blankets
03 Bride Of Theme From Blinking Lights
04 A Magic World
05 Son Of A Bitch
06 Ant Farm
07 Jeannie's Diary
08 My Beloved Monster
09 It's A Motherfucker
10 Taking A Bath In Rust
side 2:
11 Trouble With Dreams
12 I'm Going To Stop Pretending That I Didn't Break Your Heart
13 Dead Of Winter
14 Flyswatter
15 Novocaine For The Soul
16 Losing Streak
17 Climbing To The Moon
release date: August 25, 2009
label: MySpace/E Works Records
[A lovely mini live album, originally recorded as a session for online music community MySpace. Only out on vinyl]
side 1:
01 In My Dreams
02 Tremendous Dynamite
03 That Look You Give That Guy
side 2:
04 My Beloved Monster
05 The Longing
06 Girl From The North Country
For a far more detailed guide to these releases and insight on the various versions 'out there', please visit our friends at: EELS The Discography.
