Richie's Superman Intro Live
 

Hey

Is anybody else annoyed by the excessive distortion he uses live? On the record it's calm and fits the mood whereas live, it just doesn't. He plays two strings live aswell for the 'G' but on the record it's just a single note accompanied by the strings.

Dave

I've always thought the intro sounded rank live which is why I don't try to copy it when we play that track. It needs to be a soft, haunting tone and it is killed by the distortion he uses IMO.

Haunting. Great word Gav lol. That's what I meant. Yeah i've seen you play it live and prefer you playin it to Richie haha. Not to sound like a suck up, obviously :D

Dave

Richie's backing vocals live on that song are also too loud. I love the song, but it's just not as good as I thought it would be live.

I completely agree. On the album, the opening gives me chills. Like Gav said, it's 'haunting' and the opening sets the tone for a great song.

Live, though, it sounds messy and doesn't work.

Agreed on all counts. He plays the intro differently then on the record and the distortion kills it. The song hasn't really impressed me live.

I love the bit on the album version where the bass joins in the intro, it really does make the hairs on your neck stand on end and playing it live with the band it does the same thing. The whole song is brilliant and I hope he does go back to something a little softer on the ears by the time the <crosses fingers> 2011 UK stadium shows come around. :)

It obviously sounds different in YT vids to how it sounds live but the main thing lacking from the concert performances of the track for me is the heavy bass from the kit. The bass really drives the song IMO as the guitars throughout are pretty soft sounding in general.

I think the song is fantastic but they have yet to figure out how to play it to its full potential.

I like it because it differentiates itself from the record version. Bands should always sound as good live as they do on the record, but that doesn't mean it has to sound the same.

But it doesn't improve the sound - it makes it worse. That's the point everyone's trying to make. Why change something for the sake of changing it, especially if it's to the detriment of the feeling the song is trying to evoke?