Live Alive is a magnificent double-length showcase for Stevie Ray Vaughan's guitar playing, featuring a number of extended jams on a selection of most of the best material from Vaughan's first three albums, plus covers of "Willie the Wimp," "I'm Leaving You (Commit a Crime)," and Stevie Wonder's "Superstition." The album may not be exceptionally tight or concise, but then again, that's not the point. The renditions here sound less polished than the studio versions, with Vaughan's guitar tone bitingly down and dirty and his playing spontaneous and passionate. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
Stuart Sullivan (Assistant Engineer), Stuart Sullivan (Assistant), Stevie Ray Vaughan (Liner Notes), Allen Abrahamson (Assistant Engineer), Gary Olazabal (Mixing), Gary Olazabal (Engineer), Stevie Ray Vaughan (Performer), Laura Levine (Photography), Stephen J. Mendell (Assistant Engineer), Double Trouble (Producer), David Richards (Engineer), Malcolm Harper (Assistant Engineer), Mason Harlow (Assistant Engineer), Tommy Shannon (Drums), Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble (Performer), Jimmie Vaughan (6-String Bass), Ron Cote (Engineer), Steve Van Arden (Mixing Assistant), Chris Layton (Drums), Dave McNair (Assistant), Jimmie Vaughan (Organ (Hammond)), Gordon Garrison (Assistant Engineer), Barry Spillman (Assistant Engineer), Tommy Shannon (Guitar (Bass)), Stevie Ray Vaughan (Guitar), Dale Allen (Photography), Barry Spillman (Assistant), Craig Robinson (Assistant Engineer), Steve Van Arden (Assistant Engineer), Stephen J. Mendell (Assistant), Gordon Garrison (Assistant), Malcolm Harper (Assistant), Kalifornia Kurt Kinzel (Engineer), Dave McNair (Assistant Engineer), Stevie Ray Vaughan (Producer), Christopher Austopchuk (Art Direction), Reese Wynans (Keyboards), Chris Layton (Photography), James Geddes (Assistant Engineer), Joe Gastwirt (Preparation), Jimmie Vaughan (Guitar), Double Trouble (Liner Notes), Tommy Shannon (Bass), Tommy Shannon (Photography), Randy Bachman (Photography), Stevie Ray Vaughan (Vocals), Mason Harlow (Assistant), Christopher Austopchuk (Cover Design), James Geddes (Assistant), Allen Abrahamson (Assistant), Andrew Long (Photography), Craig Robinson (Assistant), Steve Van Arden (Assistant)
The 1985 Montreux performance was much better received than the 1982 visit, during which some of the crowd booed Vaughan's hard blues sound. The song selection for Live Alive displays many of SRV's biggest influences: Jimi Hendrix ("Voodoo Child (Slight Return)"), Stevie Wonder ("Superstition"), Howlin' Wolf ("Commit a Crime"), and Buddy Guy ("Mary Had a Little Lamb").
Stevie Ray Vaughan's older brother, Jimmie Vaughan (guitar, bass), appeared as a special guest on July 17, 1986 and is featured on "Willie the Wimp," "Love Struck Baby," "Look at Little Sister" and "Change It."
