Kinks / Milwaukee 1983 / 2CDR

Kinks / Milwaukee 1983 / 2CDR / Uxbridge

Live at Milwaukee Auditorium, Milwaukee, WI, USA 13th April 1983

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Not only did he send three consecutive titles from “LOW BUDGET” to the top 20 in the US, but the single “Come Dancing” was a hit in the UK for the first time in a while. THE KINKS in 1983, which had a growing presence in Britain and the United States. The live album that conveys the scene is the first appearance.
“Milwaukee performance on April 13, 1983” is included in this work. This is a superb audience recording that vacuum-packed one act of “STATE OF CONFUSION TOUR”. This work is the first appearance master that is shaking the world enthusiast right now, but first of all, the position of the show. Let’s look back on the schedule at that time and check it.

・ March 17 + 18: North America # 1 (2 performances)
・ March 29-April 26: North America # 2 (14 performances) ← ★ Coco ★
・ May 4-June 11: North America # 3 (28 performances)
《June 10th release of “STATE OF CONFUSION”》
・ December 28-31: North America # 4 (4 performances)

This is THE KINKS in 1983. The legendary first visit to Japan was realized in 1982, but the following year only the North American tour. The Milwaukee performance of this work was the 7th performance of “North America # 2”, about two months before the release of “STATE OF CONFUSION”.
This work recorded at such a show is an audience recording that is exactly like drawing the “best” picture. Anyway, the close contact recording that the sense of distance is not round. If you listen carefully with headphones, you can find the audience-likeness in the core of the snare, but that is just the tone. There is no cloudiness in the details, and there is no blurring of the hall sound. The basic performances of the Daves brothers and Mick Avory are approaching in front of me, and Ian Gibbons’ keyboard also rolls one by one. As a matter of fact, there is almost no audience noise even between songs, and the vividness of the sometimes bubbling clapping reminds me that “it was an audience” … It’s a sound of that dimension.
It may be natural that such a super direct and tight feeling is also natural. As a matter of fact, this work is one of the “COVID-19 QUARANTINE RELEASE!” Series that is currently exciting all over the world. This is the finest master released in the series in order to withstand the restrictions on going out due to the new corona vortex that is currently eroding the world. Although not detailed, many of the recordings were released for the first time, and most of them were digitized from the Omoto Master. Moreover, they share a very tight personality, and it is said that they are probably the works of the same recorder. Our shop also introduces masterpieces of various bands including Chicago recording, but this work is a super-famous recording full of the tightest feeling even in such the latest and finest series.
What is drawn with such a superb sound is a full show centered on three albums that ran up the US charts. Speaking of THE KINKS in the 80’s, there are two official live works “ONE FOR THE ROAD” and “LIVE: THE ROAD”, but this work has a lot of repertoire that you can not listen to either. Let’s organize them while comparing them here.

● 60’s-early 70’s (7 songs)
・ 60s: David Watts / Till the End of the Day / All Day and All of the Night / You Really Got Me
・ Early 70’s: The Hard Way / Lola / Celluloid Heroes
● LOW BUDGET (5 songs)
・ Catch Me Now I’m Falling / A Gallon of Gas (★) / (Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman / Pressure / Low Budget
● GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT (5 songs)
・ Around the Dial / Destroyer / Yo-Yo (★) / Back to Front (★) / Art Lover
● STATE OF CONFUSION (4 songs)
・ Definite Maybe (★) / State of Confusion (★) / Come Dancing / Don’t Forget to Dance (★)
* Note: The “★” mark is a song that cannot be heard even if the official editions “ONE FOR THE ROAD” and “LIVE: THE ROAD” are combined.

… And it looks like this. For the famous songs up to the first half of the 70’s, only the number of “Korezo!” Is carefully selected, and you can enjoy plenty of 80’s-like shows with a thick selection of “LOW BUDGET”, “GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT” and “STATE OF CONFUSION”. Moreover, the performance is also wonderful. There was a legendary first visit to Japan the previous year, but the enthusiasm of this work is reminiscent of that legend. Ray’s energetic vocals are so powerful that Dave’s guitar and chorus and the band’s entire ensemble are undisputed. Moreover, it is full of dignity that draws the audience with a margin, rather than sprinting at the last minute. Of course, Mick Avory is still enrolled, and it is a live album that can be called a sequel to “ONE FOR THE ROAD”.
THE KINKS in 1983, which had a dignified show with more hits against “ONE FOR THE ROAD” that captured “LOW BUDGET TOUR”. It is a masterpiece of a live album where you can experience the full show on-site with the best sound. As the collectors have released, this is a modern masterpiece that will wash away the suffering and anxiety that erodes the world. Please enjoy it to your heart’s content.

『LOW BUDGET』から3作連続で全米トップ20に送り込んだだけでなく、シングル『Come Dancing』が久々の全英ヒット。英米で存在感を高めていた1983年のTHE KINKS。その現場を伝えるライヴアルバムが初登場です。
そんな本作に収められているのは「1983年4月13日ミルウォーキー公演」。“STATE OF CONFUSION TOUR”の一幕を真空パックした極上オーディエンス録音です。本作は、今まさに世界のマニアを震撼させている初登場マスターなのですが、まずはショウのポジション。当時のスケジュールを振り返って確かめてみましょう。

・3月17日+18日:北米#1(2公演)
・3月29日-4月26日:北米#2(14公演)←★ココ★
・5月4日-6月11日:北米#3(28公演)
《6月10日『STATE OF CONFUSION』発売》
・12月28日-31日:北米#4(4公演)

これが1983年のTHE KINKS。1982年には伝説の初来日も実現したわけですが、翌年には北米ツアーのみ。本作のミルウォーキー公演は『STATE OF CONFUSION』発売の約2ヶ月前となる「北米#2」の7公演目にあたるコンサートでした。
そんなショウで記録された本作は、まさに「極上」を画に描いたようなオーディエンス録音。とにかく距離感が丸でないド密着録音。ヘッドフォンで耳を澄ませるとスネアの芯にオーディエンスっぽさを探し出せはしますが、それもあくまで音色止まり。ディテールに曇りは感じられませんし、ホール鳴りのボケもまったくない。基礎となるデイヴス兄弟とミック・エイヴォリーの演奏がグイグイと目の前に迫り、イアン・ギボンズのキーボードも1音1音がよく転がる。実のところ曲間でさえオーディエンス・ノイズがほとんどなく、ときおり沸き立つ手拍子の生々しさに「そういえばオーディエンスだった」と思い出す……そんな次元のサウンドなのです。
それほどの超ダイレクト&タイト感も当然なのかも知れません。実のところ、本作は今世界中を沸かせている“COVID-19 QUARANTINE RELEASE!”シリーズの1本なのです。これは、現在世界を蝕んでいる新型コロナ渦による外出規制を耐え抜くべく、シリーズで公開されている極上マスター。詳しくは語られていないものの、初公開の録音が多く、ほとんどが大元マスターからのデジタル化。しかも、超タイトな個性が共通しており、恐らくは同じ録音家の作品だろうと言われています。当店でもシカゴ録音を初めとしてさまざまなバンドの傑作をご紹介していますが、本作はそんな最新・極上シリーズでも極めつけのタイト感に満ちた超・名録音なのです。
そんな超絶級のサウンドで描かれるのは、全米チャートを駆け上がったアルバム3作を軸としたフルショウ。80年代のTHE KINKSと言えば2つの公式ライヴ作『ONE FOR THE ROAD』『LIVE: THE ROAD』もありますが、本作はそのどちらでも聴けないレパートリーもたっぷり。ここでは比較しながら整理してみましょう。

●60年代-70年代前半(7曲)
・60年代:David Watts/Till the End of the Day/All Day and All of the Night/You Really Got Me
・70年代前半:The Hard Way/Lola/Celluloid Heroes
●LOW BUDGET(5曲)
・Catch Me Now I’m Falling/A Gallon of Gas(★)/(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman/Pressure/Low Budget
●GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT(5曲)
・Around the Dial/Destroyer/Yo-Yo(★)/Back to Front(★)/Art Lover
●STATE OF CONFUSION(4曲)
・Definite Maybe(★)/State of Confusion(★)/Come Dancing/Don’t Forget to Dance(★)
※注:「★」印は公式盤『ONE FOR THE ROAD』『LIVE: THE ROAD』を合わせても聴けない曲。

……と、このようになっています。70年代前半までの名曲は「コレぞ!」のナンバーのみを厳選し、『LOW BUDGET』『GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT』『STATE OF CONFUSION』を厚くセレクトした80年代らしいショウがたっぷりと楽しめる。しかも、演奏ぶりも素晴らしい。この前年には伝説の初来日もあったわけですが、本作の熱演ぶりはその伝説を彷彿とさせる。レイのエネルギッシュなヴォーカルが凄い迫力で、デイヴのギター&コーラスもバンド全体のアンサンブルも文句の付けようがない。しかも、ギリギリの全力疾走と言うよりは、余裕で観客を引き込むような貫禄に満ちている。もちろん、まだミック・エイヴォリーが在籍しており、まったくもって『ONE FOR THE ROAD』の続編と呼ぶに相応しいライヴアルバムなのです。
“LOW BUDGET TOUR”を捉えた『ONE FOR THE ROAD』に対し、さらにヒットを重ねて堂々たるショウを繰り広げていた1983年のTHE KINKS。そのフルショウを極上サウンドで現場体験できるライヴアルバムの大傑作です。公開してくれたコレクターの思惑通り、世界を蝕む苦しみも不安も洗い流してくれる現代の大名盤。どうぞ、存分にお楽しみください。

Disc 1(47:02)
1. Intro
2. Around the Dial
3. Definite Maybe
4. State of Confusion
5. The Hard Way
6. Catch Me Now I’m Falling
7. Destroyer
8. Yo-Yo
9. MC
10. Come Dancing
11. Don’t Forget to Dance
12. Lola (tease)
13. Lola

Disc 2(48:46)
1. David Watts
2. Back to Front
3. A Gallon of Gas
4. (Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman
5. Art Lover
6. Till the End of the Day
7. All Day and All of the Night
8. Pressure
9. Low Budget
10. Celluloid Heroes
11. You Really Got Me

Ray Davies – vocals, guitar
Dave Davies – guitar, vocals
Mick Avory – drums
Jim Rodford – bass
Ian Gibbons – keyboards

Uxbridge 1256

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