Album Notes

SUMMER SALE ON NOW!

*While recorded days before Christmas, this is not a Christmas album by any stretch.*

“I loved this album but my tape died years ago.”

“This makes my day. I haven’t seen Jake perform in years, but he was amazing and that recording helped to bring back the live experience.”

“I have it, but no way to listen to it! Your monologue about grunge fashion was hilarious, and the recordings were great too.”

“It was a fantastic recording, full of swagger and cigar smoke.”

“Yes! Mine’s been at my (actually stolen off a buddy) desk … for over a year waiting for a free moment to make my own CD copy of it. An official re-release would be awesome!

“I would love to get my hands on a copy!”

On December 23rd, 1994, Big Rude Jake and his then band, The Gentlemen Players, played to a sold-out audience at Toronto's famous Lee's Palace. That night, their stellar performance was captured in a live recording and released on cassette tape in a limited run. It was sold off the stage at concerts across Canada over the next few years, becoming a favourite among diehard fans who will fondly remember Jake's discourses on Grunge fashion, censorship and sweet tender love. Who can forget the hilarious Reindeer Rant, improvised in a fit of pique during an encore?

The sound quality is remarkable. The songs are classic nineties Big Rude Jake, a period when the band was especially rowdy and exhilarating. It's the only Big Rude Jake album to date with any covers -- The recording includes 6 BRJ originals plus an inspired rendition of Cab Calloway's "Minnie the Moocher", complete with impassioned audience participation and an extended version of "What's the Use of Getting Sober". Compare early versions of "Yellow Jacket" and "A Wolf Surrenders to Fate" to later incarnations on Live Faust Die Jung... Blue Pariah hadn't been recorded yet, so the Bootleg has the first recorded tracks of some of those tunes as well...

We know. Your cassettes wore out or were 'borrowed' years ago, and there's been no way to replace them. If you still have an old tape, you may not have a functioning tape player. The wait is finally over!

Due to popular demand, fans can finally get their hands on a new version of this celebrated performance! Bawdy, rowdy and charming as ever, relive the memories, or find out what you missed!

Big Rude Jake, vocals, bandleader
Michael Johnson, trumpet
James Stager, trombone
Mark Caruana, guitar
Hal Greer, double bass
Kevin Venney, drums