GiGinJapan Artwork of Japanese CDs (mostly) Elvis Costello & The Attraction / Santa Monica 1978 Jon Wizardo Master Cassette Tape / 2CDR / Uxbridge
Live At Orpheum Theatre Boston MA USA 4th November 1977.
Play sample :
The release of the sound source recorded by John Wizard, who once led the Wizardo label, is becoming the mainstream of this year’s vintage sound source excavation, but this time it was uploaded by Elvis Costello & Attractions in 1978. In this year, they toured the United States to solidify their popularity, and it was a strong impression that many live performances were broadcast on the radio as a promotion. At the end of the day, it’s time to give El Mocambo a fulfilling impression of the live sound source, such as Washington.
However, I’m really lucky that John recorded a very rare set list day. The live performance in 1978 was mainly composed of the first two songs recorded by Costello, and by traveling all over the United States with that composition, it gained great popularity in the first half alone. So Costello will gradually start releasing new songs from his third album “ARMED FOR CES” from his second US tour this year. It was Santa Monica, who recorded John, who played a new song for the album at once.
In the first place, it is a development unique to this time that “Pump It Up” will be shown as early as the second song of the live, but “Big Tears” which was the coupling when the song was released as a single was released. A series of new songs that have just been released. “Living In Paradise” is the first song from “ARMED FORCES” that was unveiled on the wave. It’s a song that has already been tried on stage since the previous year, but it’s time to come here and pay attention to the fact that it is being shown in the arrangement of the same album. On the other hand, compared to the same song that was heard on Hollywood’s official “LIVE AT HOLYWOOD HIGH” a week later, it was a more innocent performance.
What surprised me even more was “Busy Bodies”. This is a live premiere. After all, while the arrangement of “ARMED FORCES” was completed, it was still a very careful performance. The live performance of this song is rare, and it can only be said that John was lucky to catch the extremely valuable premiere.
And another new song “Goon Squad” is also a repertoire that started to be played gradually from April, and you can see how the arrangement has been solidified again. It is a valuable one-day document that has been upgraded to a very diverse set list by boldly introducing new songs before release in this way, and it is also that they are playing politely without running too much throughout. Impressive.
However, John at that time was obsessed with recording new wave artists regardless of whether he was in the United Kingdom or the United States, and he should not have been aware that he had recorded a rare gig of Costello. On the contrary, there was no evidence that this sound source was released from VICKY VINYL, which was the supply destination at that time, and it remained in storage for more than 40 years.
However, the sound source that saw the light of the day did not feel deteriorated, and the freshness was outstanding like John’s recordings that had been released so far. The unique sound image that makes you feel the depth is also attractive. Sure, it’s not the kind of audience recording that is described as a “sound board,” but it’s still really easy to hear, so why wasn’t it released in 1978? A level that makes you want to bend your neck. Above all, it is a bliss to enjoy an extremely rare set list day (the pattern that the finale is “You Belong To Me” is also rare!) With this sound quality, even in a year that is blessed with sound sources for both sound board and audience recording. Please enjoy the innocent performance of the songs recorded in “ARMED FORCES” later with outstanding sound quality.
かつてWizardoレーベルを率いたジョン・ウィザードが録音していた音源の公開は今年のビンテージ音源発掘のメインストリームになりつつありますが、今回アップロードされたのは1978年のエルヴィス・コステロ＆アトラクションズ。この年の彼らはアメリカをツアーしまくって人気を確固たるものとし、プロモーションを兼ねて多くのライブがラジオで放送された印象が強い年。挙句の果てにはオフィシャルでもエル・モカンボにワシントンといった具合でライブ音源の充実した印象を与える時期かと。
ところが本当にラッキーなことに、ジョンが録音してくれたのは正にレアなセットリストの一日。基本78年のライブはコステロ最初の二枚の収録曲がメインであり、その構成でアメリカをくまなく回ることで上半期だけでも大きな人気を獲得できたほど。そこでコステロはサードアルバム「ARMED FORCES」に収められる新曲をこの年二度目のアメリカ・ツアーから徐々に投入し始めます。そうした中で一気に同アルバム用の新曲を演奏してみせたのがジョンの録音してくれた今回のサンタモニカでした。
そもそもライブの二曲目で早くも「Pump It Up」を披露してしまうのがこの時期ならではの展開ですが、同曲がシングルで出された際のカップリングだった「Big Tears」など、リリースされて間もない新曲を連発。その波に乗って最初に披露された「ARMED FORCES」収録曲が「Living In Paradise」。既に前年からステージで試されていた曲ですが、ここに来ていよいよ同アルバムのアレンジで披露されている点に注目。一方で一週間後のハリウッドのオフィシャル「LIVE AT HOLYWOOD HIGH」で聞かれた同曲と比べるとより初々しい演奏ぶり。
それ以上に驚かされたのが「Busy Bodies」。こちらはなんとライブ初演。やはり「ARMED FORCES」のアレンジが完成しつつ、それでいて非常に慎重な演奏ぶり。本曲はライブ演奏自体が希少であり、そうした中でジョンが極めて貴重な初演を捉えてくれたのはラッキーだったとしか言いようがありません。
そしてもう一つの新曲「Goon Squad」も4月から徐々に演奏され始めたレパートリーで、これまたアレンジが固まってきた様子が解ります。このようにリリース前の新曲が大胆に投入されたことで非常にバラエティに富んだセットリストへとバージョンアップした貴重な一日のドキュメントであり、全体を通して突っ走り過ぎず丁寧に演奏しているのも印象的。
もっとも当時のジョンはイギリス、アメリカ問わずニューウェーブなアーティストを録ることにご執心で、コステロのレアなギグを録ったという意識はまるでなかったはず。それどころか、この音源が当時の供給先であったVICKY VINYLからリリースされた形跡はなく何と40年以上お蔵入りしたままだったのです。
しかし今回日の目を見た音源は劣化感がまるでなく、これまで公開されてきたジョンの録音と同じように鮮度は抜群。奥行きを感じさせる独特の音像も魅力的。確かに「まるでサウンドボード」と形容される類のオーディエンス録音ではありませんが、それでも実に聞きやすい音質であり、何故78年当時にリリースされなかったのか？と首をかしげてしまいたくなるレベル。何よりサウンドボード、オーディエンス録音の両方で音源に恵まれている一年の中でも、極めてレアなセットリストの一日（フィナーレが「You Belong To Me」というパターンもレア！）をこの音質で愉しめる至福。後に「ARMED FORCES」に収録される楽曲の初々しい演奏ぶりを聞き心地抜群の音質でお楽しみください。
(62:41)
1. Mystery Dance
2. Pump It Up
3. Lip Service
4. Big Tears
5. Living In Paradise
6. Busy Bodies
7. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes
8. Allison
9. Goon Squad
10. This Year’s Girl
11. No Action
12. (I Don’t Want To Go To) Chelsea
13. Party Girl
14. Lipstick Vogue
15. Watching the Detectives
16. You Belong to Me
Elvis Costello – vocals, guitar
Steve Nieve – keyboards
Bruce Thomas – bass
Pete Thomas – drums
Uxbridge 1444
