| John Sebastian Live | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Live album by | ||||
| Released | September 1970 | |||
| Recorded | July 1970, Woodstock, New York[1] | |||
| Genre | Folk, rock | |||
| Length | 33:35 | |||
| Label | MGM | |||
| Producer | none credited | |||
| John Sebastian chronology | ||||
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John Sebastian Live is a recording of a July 1970 concert performance by American singer/songwriter John Sebastian, released in September of that year by MGM Records.
The album is noteworthy as it was only available for sale for about two months in 1970, making it a relative rarity in Sebastian's catalog. MGM, for whom Sebastian had recorded (via a distribution arrangement with Kama Sutra Records) as a member of the Lovin' Spoonful[2] during 1965-68, released the album after Sebastian had left MGM/Kama Sutra to sign with Warner Bros. Records' Reprise Records subsidiary as a solo artist. Contending that Sebastian still owed them an album according to the terms of his Lovin' Spoonful contract,[3][4] MGM released both Sebastian's debut solo album John B. Sebastian and John Sebastian Live during 1970 without authorization from Sebastian or his management. Warner Bros. Records sued MGM for copyright infringement following MGM's release of John B. Sebastian (which Warner/Reprise had already issued in January 1970),[5] ultimately resulting in MGM's pulling their releases of the two Sebastian albums from the market. John Sebastian Live has not been reissued by any record label since it was withdrawn by MGM in late 1970.
Despite its limited release, John Sebastian Live briefly placed on the U.S. Billboard Top LPs chart, peaking at #129.
- ^ "Unterberger, Richie, Liner Notes for John Sebastian's "Cheapo-Cheapo Productions Presents Real Live John Sebastian"". RichieUnterberger.com. Retrieved October 27, 2013.
- ^ Holzman, Jac and Gavan Daws (2000). Follow the Music - The Life and High Times of Elektra Records in the Great Years of American Pop Culture, FirstMedia, ISBN 0-9661221-1-9, p. 123-124.
- ^ "Unterberger, Richie, Liner Notes for John Sebastian's "John B. Sebastian"". RichieUnterberger.com. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
- ^ "James, Gary, Interview with John Sebastian of the Lovin' Spoonful". ClassicBands.com. Archived from the original on April 6, 2015. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
- ^ "WB Sues MGM for Bootlegging". Rolling Stone (55). Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc.: 14 April 2, 1970.