English rockers Queen released their first full double live album entitled Live Killers in July of 1979.

Live Killers was Queen's first double live album and by that time their sixth attempt of properly recording the band's live show as they had recorded and filmed shows at The Rainbow Theater in London in November of 1974 on the Sheer Heart Attack Tour, the infamous Hammersmith Odeon shows Christmas Eve 1975 from the A Night At the Opera period, Hyde Park in London in September of 1976 which was pre-release of A Day at the Races, Earl's Court in London in June of 1977 at conclusion of the A Day at the Races Tour and The Houston Summit in Houston Texas in December of 1977 on their News Of the World Tour. Apparently, only one has been officially released which was the Rainbow on VHS in late 1992 in the UK although Earls Court and Houston 1977 deserve legitimate release.

The Live Killers album was recorded from January to March of 1979 in Europe on the European leg of the band's Jazz tour and was produced by the four Queen members. Singer Freddie Mercury, guitarist Brian May, bass player John Deacon and drummer Roger Taylor proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that Queen were a superior live band to studio. I prefer this album plus Queen Rock Montreal which was recorded at The Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in November of 1981 and Queen On Fire at the Bowl recorded in June of 1982 over Live at Wembley Stadium as Live Killers, Queen Rock Montreal and Queen On Fire at the Bowl all saw a younger and hungrier Queen.

The Live Killers album had a rocked up version of "We Will Rock You" to kick the album off which was released as a single here in the US but stiffed. Other highlights of this album include "Let Me Entertain You", "Spread Your Wings", "Now I'm Here", "Brighton Rock" (including Brian's famed guitar solo spot and also a tympani solo from Roger plus a improv from Roger, Brian and John), "Don't Stop Me Now", "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Love of My Life" (a Top 20 single in the UK) and the closing "We Will Rock You"/"We Are the Champions" medley.

The other tracks are the medley of "Death On Two Legs"/"Killer Queen"/"Bicycle Race"/"I'm in Love With My Car"/"Get Down Make Love"/"You're My Best Friend" (all tracks are indexed separately on the CD), the unplugged "Dreamers Ball", "'39", "Keep Yourself Alive" (with excellent jamming intro), a rocking "Don't Stop Me Now", a spirited "Tie Your Mother Down" and "Sheer Heart Attack" all rock superior than its studio counterparts.

The Live Killers album peaked at #16 in the US and eventually went Double Platinum in US sales with ease as Queen were huge here in the United States of America when this album first emerged.

I first received this CD in May of 1992 and what a purchase. If you want the best of live Queen, look no further.

In 1991, Hollywood Records released the first remastered version of this album on CD but then in 2001 the album was digitally remastered again by Peter Mew at Abbey Road Studios in London with longtime Queen and Brian May associate Justin Shirley Smith overseeing the remastering. The 2001 Japanese remaster was then released in 2003 on Parlophone/EMI in all countries except the US and Canada (which Queen are with Hollywood Records owned by Universal) and the sonic quality on the EMI remaster of Live Killers easily decimates the original flat EMI CD from the 1980s, the US/Canadian Hollywood Remaster from 1991 and the 1993 UK EMI remaster.

This album is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Side One

1. We Will Rock You

2. Let Me Entertain You

3. Death on Two Legs (Dedicated to...)

4. Killer Queen

5. Bicycle Race

6. I'm in Love with My Car

7. Get Down, Make Love

8. You're My Best Friend

Side Two

9. Now I'm Here

10. Dreamer's Ball

11. Love of My Life

12. '39

13. Keep Yourself Alive

Side Three

14. Don't Stop Me Now

15. Spread Your Wings

16. Brighton Rock

Side Four

17. Bohemian Rhapsody

18. Tie Your Mother Down

19. Sheer Heart Attack

20. We Will Rock You

21. We Are the Champions

22. God Save the Queen

Awesome! This is one of my alltime favorite live recordings along with KISS Alive! KISS Alive! II, Peter Brampton Comes Alive, Aero Smith, W.A.S.P: Raw, Iron Maiden Live After Death

Queen performs their special magic but the recording quality is simply poor. The miking is miserable with many vocals distant and weak sounding. Ruins a thoroughly memorable performance for the CD listener.