Joe Ely had recorded three albums for MCA in the latter half of the seventies before recording this super-charged 1980 Live Shots set in London while on tour as the supporting act for the Clash.

The album kicks off with a rousing rendition of Fingernails and for nearly an hour Ely's crack band (including Lloyd Maines and Ponty Bone) charges through one electrifying number after another.

In addition to his own tunes Ely includes four songs by Butch Hancock and Jimmie Dale Gilmore, plus a cover of another Lubbock TX legend, Buddy Holly, with a high energy version of Not Fade Away.

The original vinyl album included a bonus live record, the 4 tracks from which are also included here. Live Shots features what is unarguably Joe's best band and is an excellent introduction to Ely's combination of western, honky-tonk and rockabilly. ~ Steve Vrana

• Fingernails 
• Midnight Shift 
• Honky Tonk Masquerade 
• Honky Tonkin' w/ Carlene Carter
• Long Snake Moan 
• I Had My Hopes Up High 
• She Never Spoke Spanish to Me 
• Johnny's Blues 
• Fools Fall in Love 
• Boxcars 
• Crazy Lemon
• Not Fade Away
• Treat Me Like a Saturday Night
• Wishin' for You