John Norum / Osaka 1997 Dat Master / 1CDR / Shades
Banana Hall, Osaka, Japan 19th June 1997
Click image to enlarge
Hidden name singer: John Norum in 1997 who made his first solo visit to Japan with Reef Sundin. Introducing the original DAT master that allows you to experience the scene in the best possible way.
The performance of “June 19, 1997: Osaka Banana Hall” was imbued with this work. It is the best audience recording. Speaking of his first solo visit to Japan, the official live album “FACE IT LIVE ’97” is also left, but this work is a completely different performance. Moreover, it is a decisive board where you can enjoy a longer full show. First, let’s look back on the schedule at that time and confirm the relationship with the official work.
・ June 19: Osaka Banana Hall ← ★ This work ★
・ June 20: Nagoya Bottom Line
・ June 21: Club Citta Kawasaki ← * Official
Above, all 3 performances. The official live album “FACE IT LIVE ’97” was recorded in Kawasaki on the final day, but the Osaka performance of this work was on the first day. It was the first stage 11 years after the legendary EUROPE first came to Japan.
This work, which is a vacuum-packed memorial site, is truly the finest product. It’s hard to say “soundboard grade!” Just because there are genuine official works, but I want to mistake the thick core and the fine details for the soundboard. At the very least, the vividness and immersiveness of the playing sound and singing voice does not draw a step against the official work, as well as the audience-likeness other than the tone. On top of that, it is a super-superb recording that exudes a realistic experience of “being in the field”.
In terms of sound, it is thin to the official work, but in terms of content, it definitely transcends. To explain its meaning, let’s organize the set while comparing it with “FACE IT LIVE ’97”.
● Face the Truth (5 songs)
・ Face The Truth / Night Buzz / Good Man Shining / Opium Trial / In Your Eyes
● Worlds Away (5 songs)
・ Make A Move / Where The Grass Is Green / Manic Distortion (★) / C.Y.R./From Outside In
● Others (6 songs)
・ Solo: Blind / Let Me Love You / Resurrection Time
・ Others: Wishing Well / Heart Of Stone / Scream Of Anger
* Note: The “★” mark is a song that could not be heard on the official live album “FACE IT LIVE ’97”.
… And it looks like this. The style is based on the latest work “WORLDS AWAY” and the daimyo board “FACE THE TRUTH” at that time, and is studded with “TOTAL CONTROL” and EUROPE numbers. Among them, “Manic Distortion”, which could not be heard in the official work, is also shown. In the heavy “WORLDS AWAY” song, the song that rushes cheerfully and slowly exudes the melody is easy for Japanese people to get used to. You can enjoy a performance that you can’t understand why it wasn’t recorded in “FACE IT LIVE ’97” with a close-fitting sound.
And the performance of spelling such a set is wonderful. Anyway, John’s guitar is sharp. The sound is a little heavy, but it’s fundamentally different from the dull 90’s guitarists. The edge of the riff is very sharp and comfortable with the spa spa, and the obli and solo lines are flowing without stagnation. The machine gun picking inherited from the master Gary Moore is also poured with a waterfall-like momentum while each shot is neatly arranged.
Furthermore, the singing voice of Reef Sundin is exquisite again. The mild voice quality and soulful singing ability reminiscent of Eric Martin was said to “fit better with Noram’s songs than Michael Schenker”, but the compatibility is fully open in this work as well. In particular, the masterpieces of “FACE THE TRUTH” make me hear the feat that it doesn’t look like Glenn Hughes, but it doesn’t feel strange. .. In the solo album after that, it was treated like a guest of several songs, but if he was set as an equal main singer, there may have been a future different from the reunion of EUROPE … You can enjoy the good compatibility of.
Goran Edman, Glenn Hughes, and Reef Sundin. John Norum’s solo activity, which was related to famous singers. In particular, Sundin, who showed good compatibility in the absence of his own original songs, was a talented talent. In this work, you can experience the best full show with him. A new masterpiece that transcends the number of songs and the sense of the scene while approaching the official masterpiece “FACE IT LIVE ’97”. Utopia of European melodious hard rock. Please fully enjoy this work.
★ The best audience recording of the “June 19, 1997: Osaka Banana Hall” performance. It’s a separate performance from the official “FACE IT LIVE ’97”, and it doesn’t look like an audience other than the tone, and the extra-thickness of the core and the fineness of the details do not draw a step against the official work. On top of that, add a realistic experience of “being in the field”. You can fully experience the “essence of Noram style HR” revived by Reef Sundin’s singing voice, including “Manic Distortion” that could not be heard in the official work.
(78:50)
1. Intro
2. Face the Truth
3. Night Buzz
4. Make a Move
5. Good Man Shining
6. Wishing Well
7. Where the Grass Is Green
8. Manic Distortion(★)
9. Resurrection Time
10. Opium Trial
11. In Your Eyes
12. Blind
13. C.Y.R.
14. Guitar Solo
15. Heart of Stone
16. From Outside In
17. Let Me Love You
18. Scream of Anger
John Norum – Guitars, vocals
Leif Sundin – Lead vocals, guitars
Anders Fastader – Bass, keyboards, backing vocals
Henrik Hilden – Drums
Shades 1573