My 12 year foster son very recently said that he prefers to hear me playing live than to listening to the recordings that I make. It’s nice that he’s paying attention of course. And he’s not the first person to say that.

I put a lot of effort into the recordings, and work with a very talented fella when I do so. And I often receive very good feedback about the recordings too. But taste is taste.

And I know what he means. I too like a song stripped back to the bare bones, with the singer in the room, and with all the rawness, humanity and emotion that the live dynamic adds to the whole experience.

In fact, as much as I like listening to a polished and arranged recording, I think that for pretty much any song or any artist, live and unplugged is my Preference too.

What’s yours?