GiGinJapan Artwork of Japanese CDs (mostly) Neil Young & Crazy Horse / Definitive Budokan 1976 2nd Night / 2CD / Zion
Live at Budokan, Tokyo, Japan 11th March 1976
Play sample :
On the other hand, on the second day of the Budokan, which was also the last day of Neil Young & Crazy Horse’s first visit to Japan, multiple sound sources were confirmed, and in the late 1990s, stereo recording “HURRICANE OVER JUDO ARENA”, monaural recording Items such as “SHINE AT BUDOKAN” were released, but after that, “ARENA OF GOLD”, which was stereo and had a similar sound image, reigned as the definitive version. However, recently, the sound source excavated as a further stereo audience recording was released on CD-R due to the regrettable cut that temporarily stopped recording in the middle of “Like A Hurricane”, but the sound quality “BUDOKAN 1976 2ND NIGHT”, which was actually very wonderful, appeared and surprised maniacs all over the world.
However, this time, a new cassette master of audience recording that was different from them was provided by Taper himself. This time it is a monaural recording, but it seems that it has been carefully stored until now, and the freshness is really wonderful. Still, the sound image is close, and the ease of listening is comparable to the stereo audience group mentioned above. However, the fact that there are no noisy customers in the vicinity, or that such sounds are not picked up, is also an advantage unique to monaural.
Furthermore, since it was recorded in an extremely natural state, there is no hard equalization feeling like “ARENA OF GOLD”, which was the top of the stereo sound source, and it is an analog that contains even the air feeling like the Budokan in 1976. The chic taste also makes you feel comfortable listening like monaural. So if you turn up the volume from the speakers, you can enjoy plenty of Neil’s performances as well as the air of the day because of the natural sound quality.
And speaking of the final day of the Budokan, it is the only legendary day in Japan to this day with “Cowgirl In The Sand”. “Cowgirl In~” was finally adopted in “ODEON BUDOKAN” released as part of the “NEIL YOUNG ARCHIVES VOL.2” box two years ago, and was officially released with the highest sound quality of multi-track recording… I was overjoyed for a short while, and there was an impossible abbreviated edit.
As mentioned in “DEFINITIVE BUDOKAN 1976 1ST NIGHT”, which will be released at the same time this time, “Drive Back” adopted from the 10th take was edited with a shortened guitar solo, but this “Cowgirl In The Sand” editing is even more gruesome. Far from the guitar solo, the second song starting with “Hello, ruby in the dust~” was cut entirely, resulting in the performance being shortened by nearly two minutes. The release was ruined by such editing.
Ironically, such tricks did not reduce the value of the audience recording, but if it was “Cowgirl In~” that was shown in Japan, it would be even more so. In addition, the performance time of the same song on this day was short in the first place, and it is too bad that the song part was cut short when it came there. Listening to the audience recordings like this, “Down By The River” was played every day for the first time in Japan. The charm of audience recording is that it captures the surprise in the hall.
In this way, the main point tends to be concentrated on “Cowgirl In The Sand”, but after all, “every night is a great performance” Neil & Horse’s first performance in Japan. The performance is wonderful as usual on this day. As a glimpse from the sound source of the previous day, more Americans rushed compared to the previous schedule, and the relaxed atmosphere combined with the fact that it was the last day of the tour was transmitted because of the high-quality audience recording. . Furthermore, it is also rare that Neil showed off “Let It Shine”, which has very few live performances, by playing it.
A masterpiece in such a happy atmosphere is that the members of Crazy Horse are talking a lot. Among them, drummer Ralph Molina seems to be enjoying his stay in Japan from the bottom of his heart, such as imitating the barking of a dog. Members of Neil and Crazy Horse who actually returned to Japan praised the splendor of Japan, demonstrating that they were able to perform comfortably on stage in a foreign country for the first time. Above all, excerpt recording from the second half of the patchwork & live (the first half is edited from Hammersmith Odeon as the title), so realistic that it is incomparable to “ODEON BUDOKAN”, which was the last day of the first visit to Japan. A first-time audience who can enjoy enthusiastic performances and excitement. Really great performance and sound quality.
一方、ニール・ヤング＆クレイジー・ホース初来日公演の最終日でもあった武道館二日目は複数の音源が確認されており、1990年代後半にはステレオ録音の「HURRICANE OVER JUDO ARENA」、モノラル録音の「SHINE AT BUDOKAN」といったアイテムがリリースされていましたが、その後ステレオで音像も近い「ARENA OF GOLD」が決定版に君臨していました。ところが最近になって更なるステレオ・オーディエンス録音として発掘された音源は「Like A Hurricane」の途中で録音が一旦止まってしまう痛恨のカットがあったせいでCD-Rでのリリースとなりながらも、音質的には非常に素晴らしかった「BUDOKAN 1976 2ND NIGHT」が登場して世界中のマニアを驚かせました。
ところが今回、それらとはまた違った新たなオーディエンス録音のカセット・マスターがテーパー自身から提供されたのです。今回はモノラル録音なのですが、今まで大切に保管されていたらしく鮮度が実に素晴らしい。それでいて音像も近く、先に挙げたステレオ・オーディエンス群にも匹敵する聞きやすさ。それでいて周囲に騒がしい客がいない、あるいはそうした音を拾っていない、といった点もモノラルならではのアドバンテージかと。
さらには極めてナチュラルな状態で収録されていますので、ステレオ音源のトップであった「ARENA OF GOLD」のような硬質なイコライズ感もなく、まさに1976年の武道館らしい空気感までも封じ込めてくれたアナログチックな味わいがまたモノラルらしい聞き心地を感じさせてくれます。ということでスピーカーからボリュームをアップすればニール達の演奏はもちろん、当日の空気もナチュラルな音質だからこそたっぷりと味わえるもの。
そして武道館最終日といえば現在に至るまで日本で唯一「Cowgirl In The Sand」が伝説の一日でもある。それが一昨年「NEIL YOUNG ARCHIVES VOL.2」ボックスの一部としてリリースされた「ODEON BUDOKAN」の中で遂に「Cowgirl In～」が採用され、マルチトラック録音の最高音質でオフィシャル・リリースされた…と狂喜したのも束の間、そこではありえないような短縮編集が施されてしまっていた。
今回同時リリースとなる「DEFINITIVE BUDOKAN 1976 1ST NIGHT」で触れたように、10日のテイクから採用された「Drive Back」はギターソロが短くされた編集が施されていた訳ですが、この「Cowgirl In The Sand」の編集ときたら、さらにえげつない。そこではギターソロどころか「Hello, ruby in the dust～」から始まる二番の歌が丸々カットされており、結果として二分近くも演奏が短くなってしまったという。せっかくのリリースもそうした編集によって台無しに。
皮肉なことに、そうした小細工によってオーディエンス録音の価値が下がらなかった訳ですが、それが日本で披露された「Cowgirl In～」ともなればなおさら。おまけにこの日の同曲はそもそも演奏時間が短めであり、そこにきて歌パートが短くカットされてしまったというのは残念過ぎる。こうしてオーディエンス録音で聞くと、連日「Down By The River」が演奏されていた初来日公演、この日もまた…と誰もが思い浮かべていた中でニールが「Cowgirl In～」を演奏し出した時の場内の驚きを捉えているのもオーディエンス録音ならではの魅力。
このように一番のポイントが「Cowgirl In The Sand」に集中してしまいがち訳ですが、何しろ「毎晩が名演」なニール＆ホース初来日公演。この日も当たり前のように演奏が素晴らしい。前日の音源から垣間見られたように、それまでの日程と比べてアメリカ人が多く駆けつけており、そこに加えてツアー最終日ということが合わさったリラックスした雰囲気も高音質なオーディエンス録音ゆえに伝わってくる。さらにはライブ演奏自体が極めて少ない「Let It Shine」をニールが弾き語りで披露してくれたのもレア。
そうしたゴキゲンな雰囲気の中でも傑作なのはクレイジー・ホースのメンバーがよく喋っていること。中でもドラムのラルフ・モリーナは犬の鳴き声を真似しておどけるなど、日本滞在を心から楽しんでいるかのよう。実際に帰国したニールやクレイジー・ホースのメンバーが口々に日本の素晴らしさを称えており、初めて訪れた異国のステージを気持ちよくこなせたことが実証されています。何よりつぎはぎ＆ライブ後半部分からの抜粋収録（前半部分はタイトル通りハマースミス・オデオンからの編集）でちっとも楽しめなかった「ODEON BUDOKAN」とは比べ物にならないほどリアルに初来日公演の最終日の熱演と盛り上がりが楽しめる初登場オーディエンス。本当に演奏も音質も素晴らしいです。
Disc 1 (36:19)
1. Intro
2. Tell Me Why
3. Mellow My Mind
4. After the Gold Rush
5. Too Far Gone
6. Only Love Can Break Your Heart
7. Let It Shine
8. A Man Needs a Maid
9. No One Seems to Know
10. Heart of Gold
Disc 2 (60:47)
1. Country Home
2. Don’t Cry No Tears
3. Cowgirl in the Sand★
4. Lotta Love
5. Like a Hurricane
6. The Losing End
7. Drive Back
8. Southern Man
9. Cortez the Killer
10. Cinnamon Girl
Neil Young – Vocals, Guitar
Frank Sampedro – Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
Billy Talbot – Bass, Vocals
Ralph Molina – Drums, Vocals
ZION-227
