Donnie Iris - Live

Review by Melih Ozan Dokuz

Album Review: Live by Donnie Iris (1981) Donnie Iris’ Live isn’t just another rock album—it’s a snapshot of raw energy and polished musicianship captured in real time. Released in 1981 under MCA Records, this gem blends punchy rock riffs with pop sensibilities that feel like they’re straight outta Pittsburgh. With Mark Avsec pulling double duty as both producer and keyboardist, the album has a tight yet spontaneous vibe that makes it stand out from its studio counterparts. Let’s dive into the tracks for a sec. You can’t talk about Live without mentioning “Ah! Leah!”—a track so infectious, it practically begs you to sing along. It opens with a guitar riff sharp enough to cut glass, courtesy of Marty Lee, who also adds backing vocals that give the song extra oomph. The chorus is simple but unforgettable; I mean, who hasn’t belted out “Ah, Leah!” at least once? The live version amps up the original studio recording, with Kevin Valentine’s drumming driving the crowd wild. This one sticks with you because it’s equal parts catchy and cathartic. Then there’s “Shock Treatment,” which showcases the band's chemistry. Albritton McClain lays down some seriously groovy basslines while Donnie Iris delivers his signature raspy vocals like he’s channeling every ounce of emotion into each word. The interplay between the instruments feels almost conversational, like everyone’s feeding off each other’s energy. And honestly, hearing the crowd cheer during certain moments? That’s what live albums are all about—capturing those little sparks of magic you only get when people come together over great music. What makes Live worth revisiting isn’t just the songs themselves—it’s how well they translate to a live setting. Sure, the genre might be labeled as rock/pop, but this album doesn’t fit neatly into any box. Carl Maduri’s executive production ensures everything sounds crisp, even if it’s slightly rough around the edges in the best possible way. Looking back on Live, it’s kinda wild to think this came out over four decades ago. Yet here we are, still talking about it. Maybe that’s because good music never really goes out of style—or maybe it’s because Ah! Leah herself became an accidental icon. Either way, if you haven’t spun this record lately, do yourself a favor and hit play. Who knows? You might find yourself shouting “Ah, Leah!” louder than ever before. (And hey, if anyone knows where Leah ended up, let me know—I’ve got questions.)

Artist: Donnie Iris
Album: Live

1981

Rating: 4.43

Review
About Album
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Tracks
Video
Images
Catalog Numbers
Labels
Listen online
Formats
Companies
Credits
Notes
About Artist
Interesting fact
Comments
Related albums

Download

Filename: donnie-iris-live.zip

MP3 size: 31.8 mb
FLAC size: 232.8 mb

Download

Tracks

Track	Duration	Preview
Intro	5:00
Agnes	4:39
I Can't Hear You	3:37
Shock Treatment	4:47
Ah! Leah!	4:43
The Rapper	3:36

Video

Donnie Iris - Live At The Paradise (Full Album) 1981

Images

Catalog Numbers

L33-1720

Labels

MCA Records

Listen online

ascolta in linea
ouvir online
escuchar en línea
lytte på nettet
écouter en ligne
online luisteren
kuunnella verkossa
lyssna på nätet
online anhören

Formats

Vinyl
12"
33 ⅓ RPM
EP
Promo

Companies

Role	Company
Record Company	Carousel Records
Recorded At	The Paradise, Boston
Produced For	Belkin-Maduri Organization

Credits

Role	Credit
Bass	Albritton McClain
Drums	Kevin Valentine
Executive-Producer	Carl Maduri
Guitar	Marty Lee
Backing Vocals	Marty Lee
Keyboards	Mark Avsec
Lead Vocals	Donnie Iris
Producer	Mark Avsec

Notes

Recorded the day after April Fool's Day 1981 at "The Paradise," Boston, MA.
Bio sheet and critics' blurbs on 8.5 x11 sheet.
All songwriter credits as per liner notes and/or label.

About Donnie Iris

Born just outside of Pittsburgh in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, he was part of ("The Rapper" - 1970) before his biggest success in the early 1980s as a solo artist with his band .

Real Name

Dominic Ierace

Name Vars

D. Iris
Don Iris
Donnie
Donny Iris
Iris
The Amazing Donnie Iris

Aliases

Dominic Ierace

Interesting fact about Album

Did you know that Donnie Iris's *Live* album from 1981 is like a time capsule of pure rock energy? It’s packed with killer tracks like "Ah! Leah!" and "Shock Treatment," but what makes it special is the teamwork. Mark Avsec, who played keyboards, also produced the whole thing. Albritton McClain laid down the bass grooves, while Kevin Valentine kept the beat alive on drums. And let’s not forget Marty Lee, who handled both guitar and backing vocals. The album even kicks off with an electrifying intro. All of this went down under MCA Records in the US. Pretty cool how everyone came together to create something that still rocks decades later, right?

Comments

mniikolowa

2025-03-13

Donnie Iris rocks the 'Burgh !

larissapguerra

2025-03-13

Ey..... Great sound...... ?

108ananthu

2025-03-13

Badass. Νever too late to discover gems like this. I listened to funky music when i was 16.huge impact, still one of my favorites. Never get tired of it. But i was never aware of donnie" s private stuff

faculadmvinhedo

2025-03-12

I was at this show. Donnie and the band were excellent! Besides doing The Rapper, they also played Play that Funky Music, because he said he was in that band also.