Bust-outs (AKA band plays old song live for first time)

[AndreyHenkin]

With the recent inclusion of "Alexander The Great" in Iron Maiden's setlists, which represented a 37-year gap between its studio release and first live performance, I was thinking about other such feats. I was at the show when the Grateful Dead" busted out "Unbroken Chain", but that is paltry in comparison at only 21 years.

I have compiled a list, generated from longest touring bands. One caveat is that the tune has to be a band original, not a cover. Another is that the band at the relevant point had to be made up substantially of original members.

Am I missing any? Not sure this would work in jazz contexts (unless Pat Martino played tunes from Baiyina in the new millennium?)

GAP    BAND-SONG    STUDIO RECORDING-LIVE DEBUT
56    Rolling Stones - “Out of Time”    (1966 - 2022)
41    Def Leppard - “Comin' Under Fire”    (1983 - 2024)
37    Iron Maiden - “Alexander The Great”    (1986 - 2023)
37    Judas Priest - “Take These Chains”     (1982 - 2019)
36    Phish - “And So To Bed” (1985 - 2021)
34    Aerosmith - “You See Me Crying”     (1975 - 2009)
33    Rush - “Losing It”    (1982 - 2015)
30    U2 - “Red Hill Mining Town” (1987 - 2017)
28    Bob Dylan - “Oxford Town” (1962 - 1990)
28    Metallica - “Escape” (1984 - 2012)
27    Red Hot Chili Peppers - “Sikamikanico”    (1992 - 2019)
21    Grateful Dead - “Unbroken Chain”    (1974 - 1995)
19    The Cure - “Burn”     (1994 - 2013)

 

 

Edited November 15 by AndreyHenkin