Live and Wasted - Johnny Thunders

The name Johnny Thunders went hand in hand with screeching leads and loud volume (after all, his pre-Johnny Thunders nom de plume was "Johnny Volume"). But the seemingly always-wasted rocker had a soft side as well, as heard on Live and Wasted, which collects 14 acoustic (or unplugged) tracks. Recorded in 1990 (shortly before his death), this is as bare bones as you can get -- just Thunders' voice and guitar, with a saxophone joining in from time to time. If you're expecting a finely executed set of acoustic tunes, then this isn't for you -- Thunders made a career out of sloppy playing and slurred vocals, both of which are prominently displayed throughout. But longtime fans are well aware that this was precisely what made him so endearing in the first place. Highlights include renditions of such Thunders classics as "You Can't Put Your Arms Round a Memory," "So Alone," and a cover of the Rolling Stones' "As Tears Go By." With so many Thunders live albums on the market, it's rare when something is markedly different, and Live and Wasted definitely sticks out from the rest of the pack. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide