Larry Norman-Solo Performance
Live in Crete, Nebraska USA 4/25/84

cassette>sforge>flac>you fan, you!

When considering the next Larry Norman project for this community, I went through a number of tapes. I have a collection of performances that go back to 1972, so there's a bit to choose from!

This one appealed to me on a couple of different levels; it's a very strong audience recording, especially for 1984. There wasn't a bunch of tape hiss or noise (with one exception, which I'll get to in an moment) and the performance itself was vintage Larry for this time frame.

He also spends almost 40 minutes towards the end just on the need to become a christian, which you can either skip past or listen to what is really a unique and passionate presentation.

(This isn't like one of the practically incoherent rambles I heard a couple of times in the 90's, when he could go on for 20-30 minutes about tomatoes and stuff, and watch people walk out because it didn't seem to go anywhere.)

When you consider this entire show fills up two discs nearly completely, it's one of the longer ones I have. I also like the set list and routines..yes, he did a number of these a lot, but hearing those stories again after not hearing them for many years brought me some smiles while putting this together.

There is some things to be aware of:
1) occasionally, and this would happen generally at the start of a tape or side of a tape, whoever made this for me had some odd issues with their recorder. There is a sound,almost human-like, at a low level that I believe is probably the sound of the tape motor. It doesn't last very long, and 98% of the show doesn't have it, but it's there. It's probably most noticeable at the start of track 22, which is the long "preaching" bit. I've cut as much as I could when there was silence and this sound popped up, but it's there.

2) The Tune. Well, we have 9 minutes of it. Too bad there was about 13! This really made me mad listening to it, because either my memory is actually worse than I think it is (which would be very bad) or I didn't listen to this section when I first recieved tape not long after it was recorded.

Essentially, and I think intentionally, the taper made sure the reciepents would not get the whole song intact. During an early section the volume is turned down but I was able to raise the volume back up (bringing some hiss with it) to restore it. However, after about the 9 minutes mark the volume was taken again back down so far there is practically nothing to pull. Any attempt to bring it up just brought more noise than walking by a jet waiting to take off. And noise reduction after the fact just didn't work to any degree. So I had to cut that part out.

It sounds stupid now, and it was stupid then, but I remember tape traders doing that, especially with LN or rare tapes-finding some way of "marking" them so you had it, but inferior and only they had the "best" version. If I had caught it then I certainly would have pursued it..but I've long forgot where I obtained it....so of all songs, "The Tune" (and this was a "holy grail" kind of song back then to get in full form) is partially gone.

However, it was still worth putting together on the basis of the rest of the show. I trust you will enjoy it, and do let me know what you think after you've heard it.

Finally, while listening to Larry on the "Sheila Walsh Gospel Hour" set, (and I'd love to post it if someone can tell me whether any video from the set shows up on either "30 Years" or the other dvd project-I don't own either one) I discovered some songs were tacked on for me without any identifying where/when recorded. I found one performance of "Diamonds/One Way" to be very good so I've included that as a bonus track to cram cd 2. My guess is circa 1984, btw.

Ok, enough rambling. Here's the setlist:

CD One
01. introduction (e.t. in the heavens)
02. ufo
03. leave the past behind
04. (talk) you & the universe; regrets
05. i hope i'll see you in heaven
06. (talk) on being bullied; music as escape
07. (talk) where rock music came from
08. swing low, sweet chariot
09. (talk) sunday school illustrations
10. moses
11. song for a small circle of friends
(gap w/tape flip well after song is over)
12. watch what you're doing
13. (talk) on backwards masking, t.v. preachers
14. if God is my father
15. why can't you be good

tt 77:03

CD Two
16. (talk) on the calcutta mission
17. why don't you look into Jesus
18. the outlaw
19. i wish we'd all been ready (gap with tape flip)
20. a note from Mr. God
21. the tune (mostly, ahem!)
22. (talk) coming to Jesus
23. i am a servant

bonus:
24. diamonds/one way

tt 78:57