GiGinJapan Artwork of Japanese CDs (mostly) Led Zeppelin / Alexandra Palace 1972 2nd Night / 2CD / Non Label
Translated Text:
Live at Alexandra Palace, London, UK 23rd December 1972
If the plant had not caught a cold in the beginning of 1973 … It seems like the shout tension could have prolonged the life a little more. In 1972, the performance in Japan came to overstep in both his voice and the band, but in the UK tour that took place from the end of November, ZEP’s new live sound, which celebrates in 1973, It was a time when it reached completion at a stretch, and it can be said that it was the time when the last “youth” stayed in the voice of the plant than anything else. That is why, as long as the plant does not lose sunshine at the start of the continuing British tour even after the opening of the age … Although it is doubtful that “if” is a prohibited thing in history, the completeness of the sound at this time and the voice of the plant The footwork was forming an exquisite combination.
The tour, which was also the last live activity in 1972, had many remarkable performances, but among them the prestigious high-profile is Akusakura Alexandra Palace Tour. Both of the gigs that were held for two days are performing great performances, but this release will be realized on December 23 when the tour day was the second day.
Unlike the day before when a number of items have been created since the LP era, items have appeared in the CD era. If you are a long mania of career, you should have been disheartened by Alexandra Palace, who did not hear on LP another day. It is an audience recording of the tone quality drifting analog feeling which seems to be the 1972 years old. Good sound quality that you can hear enough on this day even though it does not correspond to the clearness and on sound image like the famous sound source of the day before you captured only the last part of the show on the previous day. It will be a big appeal that the voice of the plant will be captured as the show progresses.
In the past items that have been released so far were recorded from the Genie Fail cassette or even if it was recorded from the master, there were many that were equalized, but for this time I did not equalize it. Besides it is a vintage audience recording, it is a thorough adjustment of unstable pitch madness throughout the sound source. Since the performance content is pretty good day anyway, it is more like to enjoy viewing in a more natural and stable state.
Conversely, it may be said that the instability is wicked and it is a gig that has not been evaluated as much as the previous day. Anyway the performance is really wonderful this day too! First of all, please listen to Paige’s guitar playing in the second half of “Over The Hills And Far Away”. This is a high-tension play with a strong sense of “being knocked down”. The appearance of Paige who tried to listen to aggressive play in the United States in 1973 and 1975 was recorded in many sound sources but here it is very easy to call phrases with a lot of sounds with nature and fingers involved in the neck Feeling spinning out. That is the reason for reaching the summit on the European tour of 73 years. As “Since I’ve Been Loving You” as usual Paige is playing and knocking down, but Bonzo who strikes as well as pushing it down is intense again.
Of course it is “Dazed And Confused” if you say that these two will fight a fierce battle. First of all, Bonzo, which we will beat violently early behind the “San Francisco” part, is unique in this period. And, hard and heavy playing compensation from about 15 minutes past, it is no longer one of the two dancers. The highest thrilling rhythm and rebounding remuneration which had reached the peak in Europe in 1973 have already started.
Contrast with such a thrilling scene is “Stairway To Heaven”. As usual Paige started playing the intro, but the audience did not calm down, the plant which boiled the business to the noise made the audience quiet, and the performance has started again. Because of that, I felt the atmosphere as if it had gotten rotten a bit from his singing fullness. In this day I can hear the overwhelmingly sharp performance, is not it a rather unusual scene?
And when it comes to the live end stage, Paige and Bonzo ‘s runaway will not stop! Until autumn, it was interesting development that “Prior to release” “The Crunge” inserted in “Dazed And ~” was transplanted to the medley part of “Whole Lotta Love”, but from the place where it finished soon It’s too thrilling development that Bonzo strikes hard. The explosive performance added with Paige there is freely express, and after that, “I Can not Quit You” which will be familiar to 73 European years later, the Bonzo explosion drumming that surpasses that time is spectacular.
It is certain that 73 Europe is a famous legendary tour of mass production but it is already being played in a kind of unrestrained and free atmosphere while still listening to intense play comparable at that time It can be said that it is a big appeal of the last tour in 1972. Among them, Alexandra Palace on the second day was a shocking performance alongside the previous day. It is a wonderful day which the other members consistently showed up explosive play with a very light footwork on top of it though the plants were caught but they consistently heard a cheerful voice. This is absolutely nominated!
もしプラントが1973年初頭に風邪をこじらせていなければ…もう少しシャウトの張りが延命できていたように思えてなりません。1972年の来日公演は彼の声とバンドの両方で過度期に突入したZEPでしたが、11月末から行われたイギリス・ツアーにおいては1973年に頂点を迎えるZEPの新たなライブ・サウンドが一気に完成の域へと達した時期であり、何よりもプラントの声に最後の「若さ」が宿っていた時期だったと言えるでしょう。だからこそ、年が明けてからも継続したイギリス・ツアーの開始時にプラントが調子を崩さなければ…歴史に「もし」が禁物なのは重々承知ではあるものの、この時期のサウンドの完成度とプラントの声のフットワークは絶妙なコンビネーションを形成しつつあったのです。
1972年最後のライブ活動でもあった同ツアーは名演も数多く残されていたものですが、中でも名演の誉れ高きはツアーの千秋楽アレクサンドラ・パレス。二日間行われたギグはどちらも素晴らしい演奏が披露されているのですが、今回のリリースが実現するのは二日目でツアー最終日となった12月23日。
LPの時代からいくつものアイテムが生み出されてきた前日と違い、こちらはCD時代になってアイテムが登場しています。キャリアの長いマニアであれば、LPでは聴かれなかったアレクサンドラ・パレス別の日の演奏に狂喜したはず。いかにも1972年当時らしいアナログ感の漂う音質のオーディエンス録音です。前日のショー終盤部分だけを捉えた前日の有名音源のようなクリアネスとオンな音像には及ばないものの、この日も十分に聴き込める良好な音質。ショーが進むにつれてプラントの声が大きく捉えられてゆくのも大きな魅力でしょう。
現在までにリリースされてきた過去のアイテムはジェネ落ちカセットからの収録であったり、あるいはマスターからの収録であったとしてもイコライズが施されてしまったものが多かったのですが、今回に関しては一切のイコライズを施していません。それにビンテージなオーディエンス録音には付きものである、音源全体を通して不安定なピッチの狂いを徹底的にアジャスト。何しろ演奏内容が抜群にいい日ですので、なおさらナチュラルかつ安定した状態での鑑賞を楽しみたいというもの。
逆に言うとその不安定さが災いし、前日ほどの評価が得られていないギグだと言えるかもしれません。とにかくこの日も演奏は本当に素晴らしい！まずは「Over The Hills And Far Away」後半におけるペイジのギター・プレイを聞いてみてください。これこそ「弾き倒している」感が強いハイテンション・プレイ。73年と75年のアメリカでもアグレッシブなプレイを聞かそうとしたペイジの姿は多くの音源に記録されていたものですが、ここでは自然と指がネックに絡んで音数の多いフレーズをいとも簡単に紡ぎ出している感じ。それが73年のヨーロッパ・ツアーで頂点を迎える訳です。「Since I’ve Been Loving You」でも相変わらずペイジが弾き倒しているのですが、それを押し倒さんばかりに叩きまくるボンゾがまた強烈。
この二人が壮絶なバトルを繰り広げると言えばもちろん「Dazed And Confused」。まず「San Francisco」パートの後ろで早くも激しく叩いてみせるボンゾがこの時期ならでは。そして15分を過ぎたあたりからのハードでヘビーなプレイの応酬、もはや二人の独壇場。これまた73年ヨーロッパで頂点を迎えた、最高にスリリングなリズムと弾きまくりの応酬が既に始まっていたのです。
そんなスリリングな場面とは対照的なのが「Stairway To Heaven」。いつものようにペイジがイントロを弾き始めても観客が静まらず、騒がしさに業を煮やしたプラントが観客を静かにさせようとしてから、再び演奏が始まっています。そのせいか、彼の歌いっぷりからはちょっと腐ってしまったかのような雰囲気が感じられました。圧倒的に鋭い演奏が聞けるこの日の中で、むしろ珍しい場面ではないでしょうか。
そしてライブ終盤になるとペイジとボンゾの暴走が止まらない！秋までは「Dazed And～」に挿入されていたリリース前の「The Crunge」が「Whole Lotta Love」のメドレー・パートに移植されたというのも面白い展開ですが、しかもそれがあっけなく終わったところからボンゾが激しく叩くという、あまりにスリリングな展開。そこにペイジも加わった爆裂演奏は緩急自在で、以降73ヨーロッパまでおなじみの展開となる「I Can’t Quit You」でもその時を凌がんばかりなボンゾの爆裂ドラミングが壮絶。
確かに73ヨーロッパが名演量産な伝説のツアーであることは間違いないのですが、既にその時に匹敵する激しいプレイを聞かせつつ、それでいてある種の奔放さや自由な雰囲気の中でプレイされているのが72年最後のツアーの大きな魅力と言えるでしょう。そんな中でも前日と並んで衝撃的な演奏が繰り広げられたのが二日目のアレクサンドラ・パレス。何といってもプラントが嗄れつつも元気な声を一貫して聞かせてくれ、その上で他のメンバーが爆裂プレイを実に軽いフットワークで披露してみせた素晴らしい一日です。これは絶対に名演！
Disc 1 (55:01)
1. Intro 2. Rock And Roll 3. Over The Hills And Far Away 4. Black Dog 5. Misty Mountain Hop
6. Since I’ve Been Loving You 7. Dancing Days 8. Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp 9. The Song Remains The Same
10. The Rain Song
Disc 2 (75:04)
1. Dazed And Confused 2. Stairway To Heaven 3. Whole Lotta Love (incl. The Crunge, Everybody Needs Somebody To Love, Boogie Chillun, Let’s Have A Party, Heartbreak Hotel, I Can’t Quit You Baby, Going Down Slow, The Shape I’m In)
4. Heartbreaker (incl. Bouree, Mama’s Little Baby Loves Shortening Bread)
