GiGinJapan Artwork of Japanese CDs (mostly) Guns N’ Roses / Tokyo Dome 1992 3rd Night / 3CD+1Bonus CDR / ZODIAC
Live at Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan 22nd February 1992 TRULY PERFECT SOUND(from Original Masters)*UPGRADE.plus Bonus CDR USE YOUR ILLUSION II: MOBILE FIDELITY CD”*
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In the rock world … No, GUNS N’ROSES in 1992 returned to Japan as a giant symbolizing the music scene. The original recording has been brushed up and appeared. Two titles will be released at the same time on the permanent storage press 3CD.
Of the two titles released at the same time this week, this work is the second one. This is the best audience recording of “February 22, 1992: Tokyo Dome Performance”. Since I visited Japan twice at “USE YOUR ILLUSION TOUR”, it is now a little confusing. Here, let’s take a bird’s-eye view of the entire two visits to Japan, together with the sister work “TOKYO DOME 1992 2ND NIGHT (Zodiac 426)”.
● 1992
・ February 19: Tokyo Dome
・ February 20 “TOKYO DOME 1992 2ND NIGHT”
・ February 22: Tokyo Dome ← ★ This work ★
● 1993
・ January 12-15: Tokyo Dome (3 performances)
This was the heyday of the performance in Japan in 1992/1993. The 1992 edition is famous for its TV broadcast pro shots and the official video “USE YOUR ILLUSION WORLD TOUR: 1992 IN TOKYO I & II”, but this work is also a superb audience recording recorded on the same “February 22nd”.
In fact, the sound is amazing. Like its sister work “2ND NIGHT”, it is a famous recording that was once excavated as “DISTORTION OF THE SENSES” on the Shades label, but in terms of pure audio, this work will be more popular. Of course, there is nothing like the sound quality of audience recordings, and it’s no wonder that “2ND NIGHT” is more liked. Experience the first appearance of “DISTORTION OF THE SENSES” Nogata may be wondering, “Is it so different?”, But this difference is the appropriate difference for digital mastering.
As I always talk about, digital technology is not magic, and not all recordings turn into good sound. There are recordings that can be cleared and recordings that cannot be cleared depending on the characteristics of the sound, even if you listen to it and keep it in your basket. And this work is preeminent for such suitability. This work is a type that is clear from the original sound, but (luckily) the power and luster increase sharply by mastering. The two guitars are vividly intertwined with delicate details, and the vocals are clear to each word of the lyrics. Each drum has a metallic luster, and the bass line does not become cloudy and the groove is blurred. At the Tokyo Dome in the 90’s, which was synonymous with recording crying, it was possible to make such a sound … The improvement of mastering technique and the compatibility of the original sound that seemed to anticipate it are causing a miracle.
The full show that can be said to be the on-site experience of “1992 IN TOKYO I & II” is drawn with such a brilliant sound. You may already be familiar with the set, but it is also a good opportunity, so let’s organize it according to “2ND NIGHT”.
● Fixed song
・ Appetite for Destruction: Nightrain / Mr. Brownstone / Welcome To The Jungle / Sweet Child O’Mine / Paradise City
・ GN’R Rise: Patience
・ Use Your Illusion I: Live And Let Die / Bad Obsession / Don’t Cry / Double Talkin’Jive / November Rain
・ Use Your Illusion II: Civil War / You Could Be Mine / So Fine / Knockin’On Heaven’s Door
・ Others: Attitude / Godfather Theme
● Daily songs
・ Appetite for Destruction: It’s So Easy / Rocket Queen
・ GN’R Rise: Move To The City
・ Use Your Illusion II: Pretty Tied Up / Estranged
… And it looks like this (each person’s solo time and cover songs played as an intro are omitted). It seems that there is no sense of rarity because it is an official work, but in fact, “Pretty Tied Up” is extremely rare. It will only be performed on this tour, and of course it will only be shown in Japan on this day. In other words, since Japan, it has only been performed once at the Oklahoma performance, and it is also a “not the last, but almost the last” performance.
And more than that is the on-site feeling unique to the audience. As a matter of fact, this work has mysteriously few voices of close-up guests, but the spectacle of (super-giant) cheers like a tsunami is amazing. I don’t know the detailed recording position, but the thick core is struck in front of me, and the big cheers approach from my back. In response to every move of the accelerator, it wriggles from side to side with a sense of stereo. A spectacle because it’s a great recording that clears each and every one of the distant cheers … It’s a super-dynamic album that makes your skin feel awkward because of its size.
In contrast to the sister work “2ND NIGHT” where you can enjoy a rare show with the best sound, this work is a real album where you can experience the “field” of the traditional official work. Although GUNS N’ROSES is still extremely popular, the power of its heyday, which was driving the times by force, is different. A sister work in which the amount of heat only in that era blows out from the speaker. Please enjoy it thoroughly with the permanent storage press CD!
★ The best audience recording of “February 22, 1992: Tokyo Dome performance”. A refurbished original master of the Shades label’s masterpiece “DISTORTION OF THE SENSES”, the two guitars are vividly intertwined with delicate details, and the vocals are clear to each word of the lyrics. Each drum also shines with metallic luster. It is an unbelievable dynamic sound of the 90’s Tokyo Dome, which was synonymous with recording crying. It is a super-real album that you can experience on-site in the official video “1992 IN TOKYO I & II” with a tremendous cheering spectacle that draws a delicate yet huge scale feeling.
ロック界の……いえ、音楽シーンを象徴する超大物となって日本に戻ってきた1992年のGUNS N’ ROSES。そのオリジナル録音がブラッシュ・アップして登場。永久保存プレス３CDで２タイトル同時リリース決定です。
今週同時リリースとなる２タイトルのうち、本作はその第２弾。「1992年２月22日：東京ドーム公演」の極上オーディエンス録音です。“USE YOUR ILLUSION TOUR”での来日は二度あったため、現在ではやや混乱しやすい。ここでは姉妹作『TOKYO DOME 1992 2ND NIGHT（Zodiac 426）』とも併せ、二度の来日全体から俯瞰してみましょう。
●1992年
・２月19日：東京ドーム
・２月20日『TOKYO DOME 1992 2ND NIGHT』
・２月22日：東京ドーム ←★本作★
●1993年
・１月12日-15日：東京ドーム（３公演）
これが一大全盛期だった1992年／1993年の来日公演。1992年編はTV放送プロショットや公式映像『USE YOUR ILLUSION WORLD TOUR: 1992 IN TOKYO I & II』が有名ですが、本作も同じ“２月22日”で記録された極上オーディエンス録音なのです。
実際、そのサウンドは驚異的。姉妹作『2ND NIGHT』と同じように、かつてShadesレーベルの『DISTORTION OF THE SENSES』として発掘された名録音なのですが、純オーディオ的に言えば本作に軍配が上がる。もちろん、オーディエンス録音の音質ほど好みの分かれるものはありませんし、『2ND NIGHT』の方が気に入られたとしても何の不思議もない。初登場盤『DISTORTION OF THE SENSES』をご体験野方なら「そんなに違ったっけ？」と思われるかも知れませんが、この違いはデジタル・マスタリングへの適正の差でしょう。
常々お話ししているようにデジタル技術は魔法ではなく、どんな録音でも良い音に化けるわけではありません。一聴して籠もっていても鳴りの特性によってはクリア化できる録音と不可能な録音がある。そして、本作はそんな適正がバツグン。本作は原音からクリアでありつつ、（幸運にも）マスタリングによってパワーと艶がググッと増すタイプ。２本のギターが繊細なディテールのまま鮮やかに絡み合い、ヴォーカルは歌詞の１語１語までくっきり。ドラムも１発１発が金属光沢に輝き、ベースのラインが曇りもせずにグルーヴを滲ませる。録音家泣かせの代名詞であった90年代の東京ドームで、まさかこれほどのサウンドが可能だとは……。マスタリング技術の向上と、それを見越していたような原音の好相性ぶりが奇跡を起こしているのです。
そんな輝きのサウンドで描かれるのは『1992 IN TOKYO I & II』の現場体験とも言うべきフルショウ。セットはすでにお馴染みとも思いますが、良い機会でもありますので『2ND NIGHT』に準じて整理してみましょう。
●固定曲
・アペタイト・フォー・ディストラクション：Nightrain／Mr. Brownstone／Welcome To The Jungle／Sweet Child O’ Mine／Paradise City
・GN’Rライズ：Patience
・ユーズ・ユア・イリュージョンＩ：Live And Let Die／Bad Obsession／Don’t Cry／Double Talkin’ Jive／November Rain
・ユーズ・ユア・イリュージョンII：Civil War／You Could Be Mine／So Fine／Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
・その他：Attitude／Godfather Theme
●日替わり曲
・アペタイト・フォー・ディストラクション：It’s So Easy／Rocket Queen
・GN’Rライズ：Move To The City
・ユーズ・ユア・イリュージョンII：Pretty Tied Up／Estranged
……と、このようになっています（各人のソロ・タイムやイントロ的に演奏されるカバー曲などは省略しています）。公式作になっているだけにレア感はないようにも思ってしまいますが、実は激レアなのが「Pretty Tied Up」。このツアーでしか演奏されず、もちろん日本披露はこの日だけ。もっと言えば、日本以降にはオクラホマ公演で一度演奏されただけであり、「最後ではないけどほぼ最後」なパフォーマンスでもあるのです。
そして、それ以上なのがオーディエンスならではの現場感。実のところ、本作は不思議なほどに間近客の声が少ないのですが、津波のような（超巨）大歓声のスペクタクルが凄いのです。詳しい録音ポジションは分からないのですが、極太な芯が目の前から叩きつけられ、大歓声が背中から迫ってくる立体感。それがアクセルの一挙手一投足に反応してステレオ感いっぱいに左右に蠢きまくる。遠くの歓声１粒１粒までクリアな名録音だからこそのスペクタクル……そのあまりの大きさに肌が粟立つ超ダイナミック・アルバムなのです。
レアなショウを極上サウンドで楽しめる姉妹作『2ND NIGHT』に対し、本作は伝統の公式作の“現場”を極上体験できるリアル・アルバムです。今なお絶大な人気を誇るGUNS N’ ROSESではありますが、やはり時代を力ずくで突き動かしていた全盛期パワーはケタ違い。あの時代だけの熱量がスピーカーから吹き出す姉妹作。どうぞ、永久保存プレスCDで徹底的に味わい尽くしてください！
★「1992年２月22日：東京ドーム公演」の極上オーディエンス録音。Shadesレーベルの名作『DISTORTION OF THE SENSES』のオリジナル・マスターを磨き直した銘品で、２本のギターが繊細なディテールのまま鮮やかに絡み合い、ヴォーカルは歌詞の１語１語までくっきり。ドラムも１発１発が金属光沢に輝く。録音家泣かせの代名詞であった90年代の東京ドームとは信じられないダイナミック・サウンドです。さらに繊細でありながら超巨大なスケール感を描く歓声スペクタクルが凄まじく、公式映像『1992 IN TOKYO I & II』現場体験できる超リアル・アルバムです。
Disc 1 (74:33)
1. Intro.
2. Nightrain
3. Mr. Brownstone
4. Live And Let Die
5. It’s So Easy
6. Bad Obsession
7. Attitude
8. Pretty Tied Up
9. Welcome To The Jungle
10. Don’t Cry
11. Double Talkin’ Jive
12. Civil War
13. Wild Horses
14. Patience
Disc 2 (45:24)
1. You Could Be Mine
2. Piano Solo
3. November Rain
4. Drum Solo
5. Guitar Solo
6. Godfather Theme
7. Sail Away Sweet Sister
8. Bad Time
9. Sweet Child O’ Mine
Disc 3 (60:10)
1. So Fine
2. Rocket Queen
3. Move To The City
4. Only Women Bleed
5. Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
6. Estranged
7. Mother.
8. Paradise City
———————————————————-
Guns N’ Roses / Use Your Illusion II : Mobile Fidelity CD / 1CDR
Taken From The Original US Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab 24 KT Gold CD(UDCD 712)
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A gold CD reprint series of “Mobile Fidelity” that attracted a lot of attention. The latest bullet is the gift release decision.
Speaking of “Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab (MFSL)”, a manufacturer specializing in analog masters, it is a trusted brand that audiophiles around the world have tremendously supported. With all his passion, the master of sound digitized a number of great masterpieces from master tapes. Among such series, the 24K gold CD “UDCD 712” released in 1997 is included in this work. Yes, it is the second “USE YOUR ILLUSION II” released at the same time by the revolutionary GUNS N’ROSES.
Such MFSL borrowed an original master tape from a record company from 1987, and digitized a number of masterpieces one by one. We have released the “Ultradisc” series, which transfers the sound of the master tape to a CD. Currently, we are also expanding into the fields of SACD and LP, but it is also a point that this work was made into a CD in the first half of the 90’s. The master of magnetic tape is vulnerable to deterioration over time, and the more time passes, the more the sound at the time of recording is lost. In some cases, the tape may be distorted or stuck, but even if it is stored precisely, it cannot prevent the magnetism from disappearing. Nowadays, LPs that record in a physical groove sound better than the master tape itself … and so on. In that respect as well, the “Ultradisc” series was a great achievement. It started in the 1980s, when CDs were in widespread use, and left the sound of master tapes digitally earlier than the advent of new technology CDs that claimed high sound quality.
The MF contained the master sound drawn in this way in a 24-karat gold CD. Gold-plated coatings with a purity of 99% or higher are usually more reflective than CD metal thin films and can reduce errors. The aim was also important, but what is now considered to be even more important is preservation. Polycarbonate on CD is water retentive and corrodes (that is, rusts) the metal thin film (aluminum) inside. When you hold an old CD over the light, you may see small spots that are lumpy, but it is said that it is a corroded hole, which is one of the causes of reading errors. Gold, on the other hand, is the most stable metal and does not rust in nature. Of course, since it is a coating, there are limits, but it has a storage capacity that is incomparable to ordinary CDs. [“USE YOUR ILLUSION II” where you can feel the subtleties even if various musical instruments overlap] Then, it is this work “USE YOUR ILLUSION II” that conveys the master sound as of “6 years after recording”. This week we are also introducing the MFSL version of “USE YOUR ILLUSION I”, but these two works are clearly a two-disc set. If the original release is simultaneous, MFSL will be released simultaneously in October 1997 with serial numbers. It seems that the digitization work was done at the same time, and the characteristics and finish of the sound are very similar in the sister work.
Compared to the later remastered CD, the sound pressure is low and it feels sober when you listen to it, but the more you listen to it with headphones, the more you are drawn into the richness of the sound, and you realize that the expressiveness is superior. Unlike the remastered CD, it doesn’t have the ruggedness of raising the highlights, but this work has finer and more unevenness. No matter how sharp the attack of each note rises, you can feel the vibe of the moment when the pick plays the strings, and the disappearing moment does not “erase” by narrowing down the volume, but the vibration of the strings “settles down”. I can see that it goes.
Moreover, even if such sounds overlap, they will not be mixed. As a matter of fact, the sound is more gorgeous and the sound effects are overdubbed more than “APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION”, so at first I thought that it wouldn’t feel so real. In a sense, it was as expected, but what was unexpected was that even if it was covered with a thick sound effect, the band sound that penetrated from it was super real. On the contrary, the more you search with headphones, the more subtle you can feel, and you can feel the taste of the master sound. Of course, because it’s rock, you can enjoy it without worrying about such things. However, when you face it microscopically, you can dig deeper … It is “USE YOUR ILLUSION II” that boasts such an infinite bosom.
The master sound of a masterpiece that could be retained until the present day because it is a gold CD by “Mobile Fidelity”. Even if I try to get the actual product now, it is difficult because it was originally produced in a limited number. A gift release for as many people as possible to experience the beautiful sound. Please enjoy yourself.
