Under the right circumstances I love a band more than tracks. Some of my favorite stuff of the Oaks or Stamps of the late sixties and early seventies are their live stuff. They often beat the studio versions hands down. Many of the Cathedrals stuff from their live performances the same. A band has something to do with it of course.

By the same token, tell the Cathedrals they were not entertaining or inspirational when they sang Champion Of Love. Tell the same to the Gaiither Vocal Band doing Let Freedom Ring. These are just two examples of not only moving performances without tracks, but songs that needed tracks. Sure, it would be cool to have had live instruments of all the instruments on these recordings, but that isn’t feasible with the possible exception of doing a video recording perhaps.

With that said, I would prefer both. The Cathedrals had it about right. I do miss the band with Gold City, but they are still entertaining. I do often feel it was silly that Gaither had such a good band in the video shoots, but only used them for window dressing a lot of the time. So, although a band adds and is desirable, a group CAN do well without them. Maybe not as well at times, but it can be done.

The big problem, though….there is no piano in Rock Band!!!!