AC/DC / Turin 1984 / 2CDR

AC/DC / Turin 1984 / 2CDR / Shades

Stadio Comunale, Turin, Italy 7th September 1984

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[Phil Rudd leaves in April → Simon Wright joins] 《“FLICK OF THE SWITCH” released on August 19th》
・October 11th – December 16th: North America (52 performances)
●1984
・August 11th – September 12th: Europe (10 performances) ←★Here★
●1985
・January 15th + 19th: South America (2 performances)

This is AC/DC from 1983 to 1985. The performance locations are clearly divided each year, and in 1984 they toured Europe leading “MONSTERS OF ROCK” which evolved into a festival tour. However, not all performances were under the name “MONSTERS OF ROCK”. The Turin performance of this work was the 8th performance of the “European” leg, but it was a regular performance with only MOTLEY CRUE at the opening.
This work, which is a vacuum-packed version of such a show, is a much-talked-about master that was released only recently. Anyway, the core is turned on and it blows furiously. When played back, the real on-site feeling seems to be an audience recording, but when Angus strums the guitar as if to push through it, it becomes “Huh?”. It’s too thick and close together. All of a sudden, a soundboard-grade guitar is played.
Still, I was able to hear the applause of the guitar, so I thought it must be a guest record… and then the band joined in. The drums have a wonderfully separate feel, and the drums don’t feel sparse at all, right down to the sound of the snare. And the vocals are clear and clear, down to every single word of the lyrics… Not only is it very vivid, but the entire ensemble is depicted with a perfect balance. It’s common to hear audience recordings where some instruments are strangely turned on, but it’s hard to believe that all the notes of all instruments are turned on and in order. When it started, I was convinced that I was in the audience, but after the first song, I started to get confused and thought, “Is this an FM broadcast?”
The key to such a thick sound is (of course) the skill of the recording artist, but it seems that the environment was even more important. The “Stadio Comunale” (currently Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino), which was the location of this film, is an open venue with a capacity of 28,000 people. There are no ceilings or walls to reflect sound, so the sound from the PA is probably picked up directly.
The full show of the precious “FLICK OF THE SWITCH Tour” is depicted with such a thick sound. Let’s organize the set here.

●80s (7 songs)
・Conqueror: Guns For Hire (★) / Flick Of The Switch (★)
・Others: Shoot To Thrill／Back In Black／Rock And Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution／Hells Bells／For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)
●70s (7 songs)
・Rock spirit: Bad Boy Boogie/Whole Lotta Rosie/Let There Be Rock
・Others: Sin City/T.N.T./The Jack/Highway To Hell
*Note: Songs marked with “★” are limited to this tour only.

…and it looks like this. Among the many well-known songs on the album, the two that really catch my attention are “Guns For Hire” and “Flick Of The Switch.” Both are limited songs that were only played on this tour. Also, “Bad Boy Boogie” is surprisingly valuable. Although it is a number that can be said to be a semi-standard now, it was sealed for about 15 years after this tour. The version played by Simon Wright tends to be a blind spot in the collection.
“FLICK OF THE SWITCH”, which is the third album in a similar vein to “BACK IN BLACK” and “FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCK,” did not perform well on the charts, perhaps because it lacked freshness. As a result, the title song and “Guns For Hire” failed to become standard, but the songs themselves were right in the middle of AC/DC. This work is a new masterpiece that allows you to enjoy a fresh full show of such delicious hidden masterpieces with the best and thickest sound of FM broadcast quality. Please, everyone, don’t miss it.

★A very thick audience recording of “September 7, 1984 Turin Performance”. Perhaps because it is an open stadium with no ceiling or walls to reflect sound, the core with zero reverberation is extremely thick, extremely tight, and direct. The balance of the entire ensemble is superb, and the sense of separation is tremendous, giving it a superb sound that is like an FM broadcast. The precious “Guns For Hire” and “Flick Of The Switch” are also new masterpieces where you can enjoy a fresh full show.

●1983年
《４月フィル・ラッド離脱→サイモン・ライト加入》
《８月19日『FLICK OF THE SWITCH』発売》
・10月11日ー12月16日：北米（52公演）
●1984年
・８月11日ー９月12日：欧州（10公演）←★ココ★
●1985年
・１月15日＋19日：南米（２公演）

これが1983年ー1985年のAC/DC。各年で公演地がハッキリと分かれており、1984年はフェスツアーへと進化した“MONSTERS OF ROCK”を率いてヨーロッパを巡りました。ただし、全公演が「MONSTERS OF ROCK」名義だったわけでもありません。本作のトリノ公演は「欧州」レッグ８公演目でありつつ、オープニングにMOTLEY CRUEだけを連れた通常公演でした。
そんなショウを真空パックした本作はごく最近になって公開された話題のマスター。とにかく芯がオンで猛烈にぶっとい。再生するとリアルな現場感がいかにもオーディエンス録音らしいのですが、それを掻き分けるようにアンガスがギターをかき鳴らすと「あれ？」となる。あまりに極太でド密着。いきなりサウンドボード級のギターがブチかまされるのです。
それでも、そのギターに歓喜する喝采も吸い込んでいるので客録だろう……と思っているところへバンドも合流。見事なセパレート感に、スネアの鳴りに至るまでスカスカ感皆無のドラム。それに歌詞の一語一語までくっきりハッキリなヴォーカル……。あまりにも鮮やかな上に、アンサンブル全体がものの見事に整ったバランスで描かれる。一部の楽器が妙にオンなオーディエンス録音というのはよくありますが、全楽器の全ノートがオンで整っているとは。始まった頃にはオーディエンスと確信していたのに、１曲目の歌入り以降は「これ、FM放送？」と頭が混乱してくるのです。
そんな極太サウンドの要は（もちろん）録音家の腕にあるのでしょうが、さらに環境も大きかったようです。本作の現場となった“スタディオ・コムナーレ（現：スタディオ・オリンピコ・グランデ・トリノ）”は、湯悪２万8000人収容のオープン会場。音を反射する天井も壁もないため、ＰＡの出音をダイレクトに拾っているのでしょう。
そんな極太サウンドで描かれるのは、貴重な“FLICK OF THE SWITCH Tour”のフルショウ。ここでそのセットも整理しておきましょう。

●80年代（７曲）
・征服者：Guns For Hire（★）／Flick Of The Switch（★）
・その他：Shoot To Thrill／Back In Black／Rock And Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution／Hells Bells／For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)
●70年代（７曲）
・ロック魂：Bad Boy Boogie／Whole Lotta Rosie／Let There Be Rock
・その他：Sin City／T.N.T.／The Jack／Highway To Hell
※注：「★」印は、このツアーだけの限定曲。

……と、このようになっています。現在までお馴染みな代表曲がズラリと並びつつ、思いっきり耳を惹くのが「Guns For Hire」「Flick Of The Switch」の２曲。どちらもこのツアーでしか演奏していない限定曲です。また、意外と貴重なのが「Bad Boy Boogie」。現在では準定番とも言えるナンバーですが、このツアー後は約15年封印。サイモン・ライトが叩くバージョンはコレクションの盲点になりがちなのです。
『BACK IN BLACK』『FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCK』にも通じる路線の３作目で新鮮味に欠けたのか、チャート的にはやや伸び悩んだ『FLICK OF THE SWITCH』。結果としてタイトル曲や「Guns For Hire」は定番化を逃したわけですが、曲そのものはAC/DCの正道ド真ん中でもありました。本作は、そんな美味しい隠れ名曲も新鮮なフルショウをFM放送級の極上・極太サウンドで楽しめる新名盤。どうぞ、どなた様もお見逃しなく。

★「1984年９月７日トリノ公演」の極太オーディエンス録音。音を反射する天井も壁もないオープン・スタジアムのせいか、反響ゼロの芯は極太で超タイト＆ダイレクト。アンサンブル全体のバランスも見事ですし、セパレート感も絶大で、まるでFM放送のような極上サウンドです。貴重な「Guns For Hire」「Flick Of The Switch」も新鮮なフルショウを楽しめる新名盤です。

Disc 1(45:40)
1. Guns For Hire
2. Shoot To Thrill
3. Sin City
4. Back In Black
5. Rock And Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution
6. Bad Boy Boogie
7. T.N.T.

Disc 2(41:03)
1. The Jack
2. Flick Of The Switch
3. Hells Bells
4. Highway To Hell
5. Whole Lotta Rosie
6. Let There Be Rock
7. For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)

Angus Young – Lead Guitar
Malcom Young – Rhythm Guitar
Brian Johnson – Vocals
Cliff Williams – Bass
Simon Wright – Drums

 

 

Shades 1855