GiGinJapan Artwork of Japanese CDs (mostly) Kinks / Hollywood Palladium 1981 Mike Millard First Generation Tapes / 2CDR / Uxbridge
Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, CA, USA 19th August 1981
Play sample :
This week’s JEMS release of the Mirrored Master is the Kinks in 1981. Speaking of them in this era, it was a time when they were enjoying the peak of popularity in the United States, which started with the big hit of the album “LOW BUDGET”. In 1981, an American tour was carried out from August to coincide with the release of the album “GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT” which was also a big hit.
The arena was the norm for this tour as well, and I was able to get the status of a big group and visit the LA Forum on August 14th (I hope Millard also recorded it!). However, there were some theater gigs built in early on the tour, as well as the leeway of the champion who won the United States.
The Hollywood Palladium on the 19th was where Millard participated in that precious schedule. Yes, he caught the precious theater gig performed by the Kinks at the height of their popularity at the venue, also known as Keith Richards’ live venue.
However, since it is a small venue, Millard avoided the floor where it would be difficult to record because it was messed up, and he dared to record from the balcony. In that respect, the sound image has a slight sense of distance compared to “LOS ANGELES 1978 MIKE MILLARD SECOND GENERATION TAPES”, which was released on the press CD.
However, it is only from the category of mirrored recording, and it is the highest level without complaint as an audience recording in 1981.
The intense excitement unique to theater gigs that was realized at the height of popularity in the United States is captured perfectly. Still, there were no spectators around, and it was wise to judge Millard from the balcony.
What’s amazing about the 1981 Kinks heard in mirrored quality is the reaction to the songs included in “LOW BUDGET” rather than the classic repertoire of the 1960s, and to the new album “GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT” just before the release. It’s terrible.
For example, even if “Tired Waiting For You” was medleyed in “Where Have All The Good Times Gone” at the beginning of the live, the reaction of the Hollywood audience was surprisingly pale, and rather “Catch Me Now I’m Falling” was performed. As soon as the venue was a terrible call and response storm. Not only the previous “LOW BUDGET” but also the live album “ONE FOR THE ROAD”, which also won the gold disc in the United States, has a great effect.
Regarding the previous new album, the release date is said to be August 15th on the wiki, but as Ray Davies said on this day “It will be released in about 10 days”, it is written on Discogs etc. It seems that August 26th is the actual release date.
For that reason, the audience’s reaction to the songs recorded on the album, which would have already become heavy rotation on the radio, was tremendous, and even “Yo-Yo” and “Destroyer”, which is one of the Kinks representative songs of the 1980s, got excited. Under these circumstances, the inclusion of the 1960s minor classic “Come On Now” sung by Dave Davies at the end of the live may be called a surprising song selection in a good sense.
Of course, it gets a lot of excitement in deadly classics such as “Lola” and “You Really Got Me”, but the classic repertoire is put together in the middle of the live, and the final stage is a theater gig full of active feeling that is attacking with recent works at that time. A valuable record by Millard. This is the 1981 Kinks!
今週のJEMSによるミラード・マスター公開は1981年のキンクス。この時代の彼らと言うとアルバム「LOW BUDGET」の大ヒットから始まったアメリカで人気絶頂を謳歌していた時期。81年は同じように大ヒットとなったアルバム「GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT」のリリースに合わせて8月からアメリカ・ツアーが敢行されました。
このツアーもアリーナが当たり前、すっかりビッグ・グループのステイタスを獲得して8月14日にはLAフォーラムに見参（こちらもミラードが録音してくれているといいですね！）するなどしていたのですが、そこはアメリカを制した王者の余裕とばかり、ツアー序盤でいくつかのシアター・ギグが組み込まれていたのです。
その貴重な日程の中でミラードが参戦したのが19日のハリウッド・パラディアム。そう、キース・リチャーズのライブ会場としても知られている会場で人気絶頂期のキンクスが行った貴重なシアター・ギグを捉えてくれました。
とはいえ小会場ですのでミラードはもみくちゃにされて録音に難儀するであろうフロアーを回避、敢えてバルコニーから録音したとのこと。その点プレスCDでのリリースが実現した「LOS ANGELES 1978 MIKE MILLARD SECOND GENERATION TAPES」と比べて音像はわずかに距離感がある。
とはいっても、あくまでミラード録音の範疇からであって、1981年のオーディエンス録音としては文句なしに極上レベル。
アメリカでの人気絶頂期に実現したシアター・ギグならではの激アツな盛り上がりがバッチリ捉えられている。それでいて周囲に騒ぐような観客はおらず、なるほどバルコニーから録音したミラードの判断は賢明でした。
ミラード・クオリティで聞く81年のキンクスは何が凄いって、60年代のクラシック・レパートリーよりも「LOW BUDGET」収録曲、さらにはリリース直前だったニューアルバム「GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT」に対する反応の凄まじさ。
例えばライブ序盤、「Where Have All The Good Times Gone」に「Tired Waiting For You」がメドレーされてもハリウッドの観客の反応は意外なほど淡白で、むしろ「Catch Me Now I’m Falling」が演奏されるやいなや、会場がもの凄いコール・アンド・レスポンスの嵐。先の「LOW BUDGET」だけでなく、これまたアメリカでゴールド・ディスクに輝いたライブアルバム「ONE FOR THE ROAD」の効果も絶大。
先のニューアルバムに関して、ウィキにおいて発売日が8月15日とされていますが、レイ・デイヴィスがこの日「あと10日くらいでリリースされるよ」と語り掛けているように、Discogsなどに表記された8月26日が実際の発売日なようです。
それだけに既にラジオにてヘビロテとなっていたであろう同アルバム収録曲に対する観客の反応は凄まじいものがあり、「Yo-Yo」や80年代キンクス代表曲の一つとなる「Destroyer」でも盛り上がりまくる。こうした中でライブ終盤にデイヴ・デイヴィスが歌う60年代のマイナー・クラシック「Come On Now」が組み込まれているのはイイ意味で意外な選曲と呼べるのではないでしょうか。
もちろん「Lola」や「You Really Got Me」といった必殺のクラシックでは大いに盛り上がるのですが、あくまで定番レパートリーをライブの中盤にまとめ、終盤はひたすら当時の近作で攻めまくる現役感に溢れたシアター・ギグのミラードによる貴重な記録。これが1981年のキンクスだ！
Disc 1 (49:58)
1. Intro
2. Around The Dial
3. The Hard Way
4. Where Have All The Good Times Gone
5. Bird Dog (Everly Brothers cover)
6. Catch Me Now I’m Falling
7. Yo-Yo
8. LA Blues / Lola
9. Too Serious (Dave Davies solo song)
10. Back To Front
11. Misfits
12. Band Introductions
13. You Really Got Me
Disc 2 (38:46)
1. A Gallon Of Gas
2. Celluloid Heroes
3. All Day And All Of The Night
4. Give the People What They Want
5. Come On Now
6. Low Budget
7. Twist And Shout
8. Destroyer
9. Pressure
Ray Davies – vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica
Dave Davies – lead guitar, vocals
Mick Avory – drums, percussion
Jim Rodford – bass, backing vocals
Ian Gibbons – keyboards, piano, backing vocals
Uxbridge 1570
