Paul McCartney & Wings / Manchester 1979 2nd Night / 2CD

Paul McCartney & Wings / Manchester 1979 2nd Night / 2CD / Non Label

Manchester Apollo, Manchester, UK 29th November 1979 PERFECT SOUND

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1979年のイギリス・ツアーは結果的にウイングス最後のライブ活動となってしまったことからマニアの間で高い人気を誇り、なおかつマルチトラック録音が流出したグラスゴーは『LAST FLIGHT: 2020 REMASTER』と言う決定版のリリースの記憶も新しい。その一方で本ツアーのオーディエンス録音となるとなかなか恵まれず、クイーンと同じカンボジア救済イベントの最終日に出演したハマースミス・オデオン一択と言う状態が現在まで続いています。
1979年という近代の割に音質の恵まれないオーディエンス録音ばかりが残されているのは、一重にウイングスの人気が絶頂にあったにもかかわらず、アルバム『BACK TO THE EGG』の原点回帰コンセプトに倣ってシアター・クラスの会場ばかりを廻ったことが仇となってしまったのです。当然チケットの入手は困難を極め、その弊害としてテーパーの良ポジ確保が困難を極めたどころか、ライブに参戦すらできないという状況にまで陥ってしまったという。
実際このツアーの音源自体はそれなりに豊富なのですが、音質面で問題のあるものが非常に多い。そうした中でもアナログ時代からおなじみウェンブリー・アリーナなどはこのツアーの中では上質な部類に入るものの、もう少し音が近ければ…という印象。またリバプールにおける一連の公演やレインボーのようなシアター・ギグになるとウイングス最後のツアー貴重度からアイテムこそアナログ時代からリリースされてきたものの、万人にはとても勧められないレベル。

そういう意味では都合二回行われたマンチェスター公演もまた音源こそ存在するものの、これまたオーディエンス録音は初日の厳しい音源しか存在しなかった。そこでは演奏が周りの手拍子に追いやられてしまうような状態だったのです。ところがこの夏、今まで音源の存在が確認されていなかったマンチェスター二日目のオーディエンス録音が突如動画サイト上に現れました。
これまで知られていなかった1979年ツアーの音源が登場したというだけでも世界中のマニアが色めきだった訳ですが、その音質が驚くほど良かった点もマニアを喜ばせるに十分なもの。同じマンチェスターでも前日とはまるで比較にならず。さすがに優等生録音だったハマースミス・オデオンの域には及ばないものの、音像近めで骨太な録音状態に加え、何より非常に鮮度の高い音質が魅力。
クリアーだが音像が遠かったウェンブリーと比べてもさらに近くて迫力のある音質を誇る1979年ツアーの未発表オーディエンス録音が今まで眠っていただなんて。

もっとも動画サイトで現れた際には一筋縄では行かず、曲順がめちゃくちゃにされた状態でアップロードされていました。そこで今回のリリースに際してマニアが曲順を当日の通りに直したバージョンにて提供してくれたのです。さらに本音源は全体を通してピッチの狂いやテープのヨレを持病としていました。せっかくの初登場音源で録音の素性もいいだけにこれはもったいない。そこでこうした問題を徹底的にアジャストすべく立ち上がってくれたのが「GRAF ZEPPELIN」。
彼によるピッチとヨレのアジャストは本領発揮とばかりに徹底されており、もはや元のバージョンと比較にならないほどの安定感へと生まれ変わりました。これだけでも限定プレスCDに相応しい仕上がりなのですが、そこに加えて「GRAF ZEPPELIN」が得意とするモノ化によって音源が抱えていた更なる問題も一掃。
今回の録音は元々モノラルなのですが、公開された際にいかにもアジマスのずれから生じるような不自然さがあり、なおかつ動画サイトで公開される際に生じたシュワシュワとした質感も若干ながら感じられた。そうしたリスニング上でストレスとなる状態を「GRAF ZEPPELIN」がモノ化することでこれまた一掃。最初に触れたように鮮度の良い録音ですので、これによってなおさらスッキリと聞き込める状態に進化。

そしてシアター・クラスの会場ならではの牧歌的な雰囲気が伝わってくるのも魅力。そうした中でライブを行いたかったのが79年のポールの狙いであり、実際ここでのウイングスは終始くつろいだ雰囲気で演奏を心から楽しんでいる様子が伝わってくるのがいい。その点ではサウンドボードのグラスゴー以上にこのツアーらしさが感じられるかと。
ライブ本編を締めくくる「Mull Of Kintyre」の大合唱がこれほどまで牧歌的に捉えられているのも79年ツアー音源の中でも随一では。それでいて前日の録音のように演奏が奥に追いやられてしまう事は（まったく！）ない。確かに動画サイト上に現れた時から聞きやすさを感じさせてくれた音源ではありましたが、それをマニアが正確な曲順に組み直した上で「GRAF ZEPPELIN」の緻密なレストアという二段階アジャストが見事に功を奏しました。
みんな大好きウイングスのラストツアーからマニア狂喜の初登場音源が実に聞きやすい形に整理されて文句なしのリリース。このツアーでしか味わえない最高のセットリストと演奏をじっくりとお楽しみください！
The 1979 UK tour ended up being Wings’ last live performance, making it highly popular among enthusiasts, and the Glasgow tour, where the multi-track recording was leaked, was decided to be called “LAST FLIGHT: 2020 REMASTER”. The memory of the release of the edition is also fresh. On the other hand, it was difficult to record the audience for this tour, and to this day, the only choice was the Hammersmith Odeon, which appeared on the last day of the same Cambodian relief event as Queen.
The reason why only audience recordings with poor sound quality remain in the modern era of 1979 is that even though Wings was at the peak of its popularity, they did not follow the concept of returning to the roots of the album “BACK TO THE EGG”. The fact that I only went to theater class venues became my enemy. Naturally, it was extremely difficult to obtain tickets, and as a result, not only was it extremely difficult to secure a good taper position, but he was even unable to attend live performances.
In fact, the sound sources of this tour themselves are quite rich, but there are many that have problems in terms of sound quality. Among these, Wembley Arena, which has been familiar since the analog era, is among the high quality on this tour, but I feel that the sound should be a little closer. Also, when it comes to theater gigs like the series of performances in Liverpool and Rainbow, items have been released since the analog era due to the importance of Wings’ last tour, but they are at a level that is not recommended to everyone.

In that sense, although the sound source also exists for the Manchester performance that was held twice, the audience recording only had the harsh sound source of the first day. There, the performance was relegated to the clapping of the people around them. However, this summer, an audience recording from the second day of Manchester, whose existence had not been confirmed until now, suddenly appeared on a video site.
Enthusiasts all over the world were excited just because the previously unknown sound source of the 1979 tour appeared, but the fact that the sound quality was surprisingly good was also enough to please enthusiasts. Even in Manchester, there was no comparison to the day before. Although it does not reach the level of Hammersmith Odeon, which was an honors recording, it is not only close to the sound image but also has a solid recording condition, and above all, the very fresh sound quality is attractive.
Although it was clear, the unreleased audience recording of the 1979 tour, which boasts a closer and more powerful sound quality than Wembley, where the sound image was far away, had been hidden until now.

However, when it appeared on a video site, things didn’t go smoothly, and the order of the songs was messed up. Therefore, for this release, the mania provided a version with the song order corrected as it was on the day. Furthermore, this sound source suffered from pitch errors and tape twists throughout. This is a waste as it is the first sound source and the recording quality is good. Therefore, “GRAF ZEPPELIN” was launched to thoroughly adjust these problems.
His pitch and twist adjustments have been thoroughly done, showing his true potential, and have been reborn with a sense of stability that can no longer be compared to the original version. This alone is a finish suitable for a limited press CD, but in addition to that, the further problems that the sound source had were wiped out by the monoization that “GRAF ZEPPELIN” is good at.
This recording was originally monaural, but when it was released, there was an unnaturalness that seemed to be caused by the azimuth shift, and there was also a slight sense of a squishy texture that appeared when it was released on a video site. . “GRAF ZEPPELIN” turns this stress-inducing situation into an object and eliminates it once again. As mentioned at the beginning, it is a fresh recording, so this has evolved into a state where it can be listened to even more clearly.

Another appeal is that you can feel the idyllic atmosphere that is unique to the Theater Class venue. It was Paul’s aim in 1979 to perform live in such a situation, and it is good to see that Wings here really enjoys playing in a relaxed atmosphere from beginning to end. In that respect, I think this tour feels more like the soundboard’s Glasgow.
The large chorus of “Mull Of Kintyre” that concludes the main part of the live performance is captured in such an idyllic way that it is the best among the 1979 tour sound sources. Yet, unlike the recording from the previous day, the performance is not pushed to the back (at all!). It was certainly a sound source that made me feel easy to listen to from the moment it appeared on the video site, but the mania reassembled it in the correct song order and then performed a two-step adjustment: a detailed restoration of “GRAF ZEPPELIN”. It worked wonderfully.
The first sound source of mania’s excitement from the last tour of Wings, which everyone loves, has been arranged in an easy-to-listen format and is a perfect release. Please enjoy the best set list and performances that can only be experienced on this tour!
Disc 1 (49:17)
01. Introduction
02. Got To Get You Into My Life
03. Getting Closer
04. Every Night
05. Again And Again And Again
06. I’ve Had Enough
07. No Words
08. Cook Of The House
09. Old Siam, Sir
10. Maybe I’m Amazed
11. The Fool On The Hill
12. Let It be
13. Hot As Sun
14. Spin It On

Disc 2 (45:01)
01. MC
02. Twenty Flight Rock
03. Go Now
04. Arrow Through Me
05. Wonderful Christmastime
06. Coming Up
07. Goodnight Tonight
08. Yesterday
09. Mull Of Kintyre
10. Band On The Run