Uriah Heep & Lucifers Friend / Osaka 2016 / 3CD

Uriah Heep & Lucifers Friend / Osaka 2016 / 3CD / Virtuoso

Translated Text:
Live At Zepp Namba, Osaka, Japan 14th January 2016

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Only British rock and stalwart URIAH HEEP of was done the other day, coupling of Japan led by John Lawton LUCIFER’S FRIEND. The best live album is also appeared early! Japan of URIAH HEEP but is the first time in five years, this time I is different from usual. And to Osaka performances whopping ’25 the first time since 年 1991, LUCIFER’S FRIEND of the coupling is finally realized, it desires of the first visit to Japan!
Such monument Japan tour, all three performances. Osaka once, it was Kawasaki twice. Of this work it has been recording, which “January 14, Osaka performance”. Recording artist is Mr. familiar “West strongest taper” anymore. Although it is master craftsman of being knows the West live space, especially this time of the site “Zepp Namba”, he of the garden of such things. At the venue, which again and again has been a masterpiece in mono also so far, it has spun off a masterpiece of like Jeff Beck and Michael Schenker & Graham Bonnet even recently.
Of course, also leakage not tremendous record in the example this time. Bass was stout in bold musical tone, yet sound contours exhilarating and clearly is the quality of the more would pass through if you say “It is a sound board recording”. So much of direct feeling, and I thought with …… would definite winner of was Roku~tsu from near the PA, in fact it seems’s a second floor recording. Master craftsman says, the sound of HR / HM band sneak bass a lot, especially the first floor in the unlikely Locle and the contour is blurred in this venue. Therefore, the tone is well-balanced, and it’s so became a recording with the straight reach the second floor. Of course, I supposed would sound also become distant as long as it is a second floor, but there is master craftsman. By making full use of the setting of equipment and microphone, the distance you’re finished to direct sound that does not feel (and I was asked also specific technique without believed to vary up to a sense of distance in the equipment, but a too maniac I did not understand at all in the story. of downright recording artist the world is deep …). Approach anyway, because the result of the sound’s a clear to tough preeminent as line recording, it is what I have proved dull arm of master craftsman.
Among the collection group of such masters, this work is exceptional shine, I hear even as though official work. Even more than the splendor of the musical tone, there is almost no cheers, applause. It is not of course none, as is applause honoring the band at strategic points There are also a realistic, forget the most presence of the audience during a performance. Just, in the balance, such as DEEP PURPLE official board of “MADE IN JAPAN”, you can immerse yourself in the world of only “band and myself.” “Strongest” where it was asked to Mr., “I though there is a little ingenuity,’m did not have people around,” but was smiling and, … whether there was a heck what ingenuity.
Monument performances of URIAH HEEP & LUCIFER’S FRIEND trapped in such a sound. In this work, the main to disk 1 · 2 URIAH HEEP, we have arranged LUCIFER’S FRIEND of the special guest on the disc 3. First, although it appeared to URIAH HEEP, this time “versus own nuclear 45th anniversary of” the biggest selling. Although the curtain is the very debut “Gypsy”, it ends Ya “Good evening, Osaka!” “Look At Yourself” begins with a cry of, at once the world’s historical name record spreads. Because unfortunately does not play the “Tears In My Eyes”, “What Should Be Done” does not have what the album whole reproduce, one after the other five songs in all seven songs in the order of songs in the album Road To The pay-out to go …. In Kawasaki performances after this sometimes “July Morning” has had to move to the second half of the show, this work is what’s the strongest live in “versus self-core” mood.
In addition, the playing with plenty of divergence the original mood (Mick box wow fully open!), Has also been a contemporary update. Of course, it does not have to arrange to forcibly contemporary. URIAH HEEP itself not only is active crunchy, it has continued to stand on every year without fail stage until now from those days. Just “continuing force Nari” I have great convincing performance full of playing power and reality to embody. Active sense of Mick, which celebrated its 68-year-old also Although it is great, Bernie Shaw singing voice is also impressive. Come to think of it, Barney is not a story of successive longest far from, among URIAH HEEP Fumino in about ’45, has continued to sing 30 years. Anymore, it’s the face of the band that does not push also pushed also.
In addition to such familiar members, this drum of Russell Gill Brook that raised a big stock in Japan. “Though it seems of Cozy Powell!” And it is’s the middle it is in large reputation, it should be it. Owner of the career that he had hit it with a BEDLAM as successor of Cozy. Powerful hitting sore, of course, is percussive style that will decorate a song with all your ideas, to the very reminiscent of Cozy. Only such because he’s a, it may be that there is no Rotoru feeling. The Anyway, please listen to “July Morning” the second half of the excitement of this work by all means. Like Umarekawari-buri such as “Mistreated” Cozy. He is a real talent.
Although it has become long and only “versus self-core”, the largest of Ri-sho of the last “Lady In Black”! John Lawton appeared in the middle of this song, it is to Barney and duet. I saw in your dreams “Lawton & URIAH HEEP” is revealing on the stage! Fantastic URIAH HEEP melody …… that is spelled out in that heroic voice. URIAH HEEP of Lawton era only had never come to Japan Tsuizo, Live in Japan the very deep feeling.

Of such Lawton of singing voice to burst is, of disk 3 LUCIFER’S FRIEND. He also is not was no longer become a 69-year-old, but if you say it of the great that beautiful voice! It met the remarkable rock of aging, imperceptibly but decline was also no longer care due to aging, he has also completely unnecessary such brain within the correction. In particular, when you listen in live album of just voice, heroic voice that was crazy twist fist remains heyday. Even in Kano song god Ronnie James Dio, to say that it is in the mid-60s began to lose the tension of the voice, what that singer, the flame of whether Will superhuman. Until it touches the raw voice of this as the name of singer and has taken also in ’45. Sooner, it what, if I was to Japan in URIAH HEEP era, we would have even obtained compare favorably popular with Ronnie and Graham Bonnet …. At all, it is unknown loss of Japan’s Western world.

In the first day of LUCIFER’S FRIEND first visit to Japan should be commemorated, Osaka performance of URIAH HEEP, which was realized for the first time in 25 years. It is a large masterpiece recordings that capture the whole picture. URIAH HEEP If you continued to love the course, to those who do not eye in fantastic style beauty is a 3 Disc that bliss is jammed. By all means, please enjoy to fully a monument live album master craftsman was over by the arm!

先日行われたばかりのブリティッシュ・ロックの重鎮URIAH HEEPと、ジョン・ロートン率いるLUCIFER’S FRIENDのカップリング来日。その極上ライヴ・アルバムが早くも登場です！　URIAH HEEPの来日は５年ぶりですが、今回はいつもとは違う。大阪公演はなんと1991年以来の25年ぶりですし、カップリングのLUCIFER’S FRIENDは遂に実現した、念願の初来日なのです！
そんな記念碑ジャパンツアーは、全３公演。大阪１回、川崎２回でした。本作が録音されたのは、そのうち「１月14日・大阪公演」。録音家は、もはやお馴染みの“西日本最強テーパー”氏です。西日本のライヴスペースを知り尽くしているという名匠ですが、特に今回の現場“Zeppなんば”は、彼の庭のようなもの。これまでも幾度も傑作をモノにしてきた会場で、最近でもジェフ・ベックやマイケル・シェンカー＆グラハム・ボネット等々の名作を世に送り出してきました。
もちろん、今回もその例に漏れない凄まじい録音。図太い楽音にどっしりとした低音、それでいて輪郭がクッキリと浮き立つサウンドは「サウンドボード録音ですよ」と言ったら通ってしまうほどのクオリティです。これほどのダイレクト感、さぞやPAの近くから録ったのだろう……と思いきや、実は２階席録音なのだそう。名匠曰く、HR/HMバンドのサウンドは低音の回り込みが多く、特にこの会場の１階で録ると輪郭がボヤけてしまうそう。そのため、楽音がバランス良く、しかも真っ直ぐに届く２階席での録音となったそうです。もちろん、２階席であればサウンドも遠くなってしまうはずなのですが、そこは名匠。機材・マイクのセッティングを駆使して、距離を感じさせないダイレクト・サウンドに仕上げているのです（機材で距離感まで変わるとは信じられずに具体的な手法も伺ったのですが、あまりにマニアックな話でまったく理解できませんでした。なんとも録音家の世界は深い……）。手法はともあれ、結果のサウンドがライン録音のように強靱でバツグンにクリアなのですから、それこそが名匠の腕の冴えを証明しているのです。
そんな名匠のコレクション群の中でも、本作はひときわ輝き、まるでオフィシャル作品のようにさえ聞こえる。楽音の素晴らしさもさることながら、歓声・拍手がほとんどない。もちろん皆無ではなく、要所でバンドを湛える拍手もリアルではありますが、演奏中はほとんど観客の存在を忘れるほど。ちょうど、DEEP PURPLEのオフィシャル盤「MADE IN JAPAN」のようなバランスで、“バンドと自分”だけの世界に没頭できるのです。“最強”氏に伺ったところ、「ちょっと工夫があってね、周りに人がいなかったんだよ」と微笑んでいましたが、一体どんな工夫があったというのか……。
そんなサウンドで捉えられたURIAH HEEP＆LUCIFER’S FRIENDの記念碑公演。本作では、ディスク１・２にメインのURIAH HEEP、ディスク３にスペシャル・ゲストのLUCIFER’S FRIENDを配しました。まず、登場するURIAH HEEPですが、今回は“対自核45周年”が最大の売り。開演こそデビュー作の「Gypsy」ですが、それが終わるや「コンバンワ、大阪！」の一声で「Look At Yourself」が始まり、一気に歴史的名盤の世界が広がる。残念ながら「Tears In My Eyes」「What Should Be Done」を演奏しないのでアルバム丸ごと再現でこそありませんが、全７曲中５曲をアルバム通りの曲順で次々と繰り出していく……。この後の川崎公演では「July Morning」がショウ後半へ移動してしまったこともあり、本作こそがもっとも「対自核」ムードの強いライヴなのです。
しかも、その演奏はオリジナルのムードをたっぷりと発散（ミック・ボックスのワウ全開！）しながら、現代的にアップデートもされている。もちろん、ムリヤリ現代風にアレンジしているわけではありません。URIAH HEEP自身が現役バリバリであるばかりか、当時から現在に至るまで毎年必ずステージに立ち続けてきた。まさに“継続は力なり”を体現する演奏力とリアリティに溢れるパフォーマンスの説得力が凄いのです。68歳を迎えたミックの現役感も凄いですが、バーニー・ショウの歌声も見事。考えてみれば、バーニーは歴代最長どころの話ではなく、約45年にURIAH HEEP史のうち、30年も歌い続けている。もはや、押しも押されもしないバンドの顔なのです。
そうしたお馴染みのメンバーに加え、今回の来日で大きく株を上げたのがドラムのラッセル・ギルブルック。“まるでコージー・パウエルのようだ！”と大評判になっている真っ最中なのですが、それもそのはず。彼はコージーの後任としてBEDLAMで叩いていたという経歴の持ち主。パワフルな叩きっぷりはもちろんのこと、アイディアを尽くして曲を彩っていくパーカッシヴなスタイルは、まさにコージーを彷彿とさせる。そんな彼だからこそ、ロートル感がないのかも知れません。とにもかくにも、本作の「July Morning」後半の盛り上がりをぜひとも聴いてください。まるでコージーの「Mistreated」のような生まれ変わりぶり。彼は、本物の逸材です。
「対自核」だけで長くなってしまいましたが、最大のききどころはラストの「Lady In Black」！　この曲の中盤にジョン・ロートンが現れ、バーニーとデュエットするのです。夢にまで見た“ロートン＆URIAH HEEP”がステージ上に現出する！　あのヒロイックな声で綴られる幻想的なURIAH HEEPメロディ……。ロートン時代のURIAH HEEPはついぞ来日することがなかっただけに、まさに感無量のライヴ・イン・ジャパンです。

そんなロートンの歌声が炸裂するのが、ディスク３のLUCIFER’S FRIEND。彼ももはや69歳になったわけですが、その美声の素晴らしいことと言ったら！　高齢化の著しいロック界にあって、いつの間にか加齢による衰えも気にしなくなっていましたが、彼にはそんな脳内補正もまったく不要。特に音声だけのライヴアルバムで聴くと、コブシを効かせまくったヒロイック・ヴォイスは全盛期のまま。かの歌神ロニー・ジェイムズ・ディオでさえ、60台半ばには声の張りを失っていったというのに、なんというシンガー、なんという超人なのでしょうか。これほどの名シンガーの生声に触れるまで、45年もかかってしまったとは。もっと早く、それこそ、もしURIAH HEEP時代に来日していたら、ロニーやグラハム・ボネットにさえ引けを取らない人気を得られただろうに……。まったく、日本の洋楽界の知られざる損失です。

記念すべきLUCIFER’S FRIEND初来日の初日にして、25年ぶりに実現したURIAH HEEPの大阪公演。その全貌を捉えた大傑作録音です。URIAH HEEPを愛し続けた方はもちろん、ファンタジックな様式美に目のない方には、無上の喜びが詰まった３枚組です。ぜひ、名匠が腕によりをかけた記念碑ライヴアルバムを存分にご堪能ください！

URIAH HEEP

Disc 1 (46:40)
1. Intro 2. Gypsy 3. Look At Yourself 4. I Wanna Be Free 5. July Morning 6. Shadows Of Grief
7. Love Machine 8. The Law 9. The Outsider

Disc 2 (55:58)
1. Sunrise 2. Stealin’ 3. The Magician’s Birthday 4. One Minute 5. Can’t Take That Away
6. Bird Of Prey 7. Easy Livin’
Encore:
8. Lady In Black (with John Lawton) 9. Outro. (Land Of Hope And Glory)

Mick Box – lead guitars, backing vocals Phil Lanzon – keyboards, backing and lead vocals
Bernie Shaw – lead vocals Russell Gilbrook – drums, percussion Davey Rimmer – bass

Disc 3(66:55)

LUCIFER’S FRIEND

(66:55)
1. Wake Up Call 2. Pray 3. Fire And Rain 4. In The Time Of Job 5. Keep Goin’ 6. Hey Driver
7. Riding High 8. Moonshine Rider 9. Did You Ever 10. Burning Ships 11. Member Introduction
12. Ride The Sky 13. Rock ‘n’ Roll Singer / High Flying Lady – Goodbye
14. When You’re Gone

John Lawton – vocal Peter Hesslein – guitar Dieter Horns – bass
Jogi Wichmann – keyboards Stephan Eggert – drums

Virtuoso 262/263/264