I'm glad Tom (tabalt11) mentioned: "the insinuation here being if they never played the original studio cut, that's why they'd never attempt it on stage."
Do these critics realize that audiences never cease in demanding to hear the Ventures play their big hits from the past? The band is simply obliged to play these nostalgic tunes, even to the next generation of fans.
Venue management: "You're not gonna leave this place until you've played [this or that] tune"
Mel, to audience: "We wanna leave, so we’re gonna play it!"
It is a fact that our boys always perform a few tracks from their latest album(s) when touring.
There are a number of studio song titles played live over the years but have (sadly) never been published by the record companies. There are also many studio titles played even better when performed live! Of course, a huge benefit is to be gained from playing the same tunes over and over again on stage and that is that they get better and better all the time to the point of perfection to the last note and drumbeat!
Nokie is a strong consistent player and I love his signature Country-R & R picking and Gerry is a such a pleasant adventurous player, he never tires me, because he almost always plays the same titles a little (or a lot!) different from the last time. You'll never catch me taking part in a discussion about who is the better player of the two. They are both unique, and have both contributed in no small way to the longevity of The Ventures on stage and off-. I say to the critics: The Ventures have proved their worth a long time ago, leave them alone.
-Paul