Peter Gabriel / The Roxy 1978 1st Night (Early Show ): Mike Millard Master Tapes / 2CDR

The legendary club “The Roxy”, which is also known for the many masterpieces of the absolute master Mike Millard. A new masterpiece has been added to the collection.
“September 30, 1978 Roxy Performance (Early Show)” is imbued in this work. It is a superb audience recording that vacuum-packed one act of “SCRATCH Tour”. Speaking of “1978 Roxy / Gabriel / Millard”, some of you may remember the masterpiece “ROXY 1978 1ST NIGHT (Amity 640)”, but this work is actually a completely different concert on the same day and at the same venue. In our shop, similar titles such as “THE ROXY 1977 2ND NIGHT (Amity 660)” and GENESIS’ “THE ROXY 1980 (Amity 621)” tend to be confused. This time, let’s narrow down to “Roxy performance” and organize the sound source.

● 1977 (Gabriel)
・April 8
・April 9: Early ← * FM broadcast?
・ April 9: Late ← *Amity 659
・April 10: Early ← * FM broadcast?
・ April 10: Late ← *Amity 660
● 1978 (Gabriel)
・September 30: Early ← This work
・September 30: Late ← *Amity 640
・October 1: Early/Late
● 1980 (GENESIS)
・ May 25 ← *Amity 621

This is Peter Gabriel/GENESIS’s “Live at Roxy” from 1977 to 1980. Two performances a day were frequently held, and 10 performances were concentrated in 6 days. This work and “ROXY 1978 1ST NIGHT (Amity 640)” were early shows and late shows with two performances per day.
The sound of this work is quite close to the sister work “Amity 640”, as it was a Millard work on the same day and at the same venue. However, they are not exactly the same. In “The Roxy”, it seems that if you buy both tickets for two performances a day, you will be given a seat near the stage at the late show, but the difference is also reflected in the sound. Late Show’s “Amity 640” feels like it’s right next to the stage, and the sound comes in without a time lag. Especially the performance team was intense and sharp sharp sound. On the other hand, this work was recorded in a slightly lowered position, but it is not far. The direct feeling is kept as it is, and the whole ensemble is well-balanced because it is a little away. Especially when it comes to vocals, this work is more vivid than the late show “Amity 640” where the hall sound was wrapped around.
If I were to express this feeling in another way, I would say “the usual mirrored recording”. While “Amity 640” had a strange power with a close-up enthusiasm and wild balance, this work is a masterpiece live album with excellent completeness as a music work.
And not only the sound but also the content of the show is a full set similar to “Amity 640”. Let’s sort it out by comparing.

● SCRATCH (8 songs)
・On The Air / Perspective / Indigo (★) / White Shadow / D.I.Y. / Mother Of Violence / Flotsam And Jetsam / Animal Magic
● Others (10 songs)
・CAR: Moribund The Burgermeister/Waiting For The Big One/Slowburn/Solsbury Hill/Modern Love/Here Comes The Flood
・Other: Me And My Teddy Bear (★) / On Presuming To Be Modern / I Don’t Remember / The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
* Note: “★” marks are songs that could not be heard on the same day Late Show “ROXY 1978 1ST NIGHT (Amity 640)”.

… and it looks like this. A style that dropped 4 songs “Humdrum”, “A Wonderful Day In A One-Way World”, “Home Sweet Home” and “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” and included 2 songs “Me And My Teddy Bear” and “Indigo”. Although the number of songs has decreased, now you can listen to all songs other than “Exposure” from “SCRATCH” together with sister works. And more than that is “Me And My Teddy Bear” at the start of the performance. It’s Rosemary Clooney’s hit song, but rather than a well-crafted cover, it’s the same improvisationally sung with only an electric piano in the background. However, this is a big hit. The audience laughs, which adds to the club’s intimate and intimate feel.
“This is why “The Roxy” is special.” This work is Millard’s new masterpiece that allows you to experience a club gig that is different from any other venue. Those who have experienced the sister work “ROXY 1978 1ST NIGHT (Amity 640)” will have already made up their minds, and if you have not experienced it, please try this work first. You will surely want to listen to the sister work with the feeling of a closed room that feels like bare skin. The latest bullet of the individualistic collection that is not just the finest. Please enjoy it to the fullest.

★ The best audience recording of “September 30, 1978 Roxy Performance (Early Show)”. An inscription created from the master cassette of the absolute master Mike Millard, a sister work of the late show masterpiece “ROXY 1978 1ST NIGHT (Amity 640)” on the same day and at a different concert. The sound is more balanced than “Amity 640”, and you can also enjoy “Me And My Teddy Bear” and “Indigo” that you could not hear there. It is a new masterpiece that I would like you to experience as a set with the sister work.

これが1977年ー1980年に行われたピーター・ガブリエル／GENESISの“ライヴ・アット・ロキシー”。１日２公演が頻繁に行われ、６日間で10公演も集中していました。本作と『ROXY 1978 1ST NIGHT（Amity 640）』は１日２公演のアーリー・ショウとレイト・ショウだったわけです。
そんな本作のサウンドは、同日・同会場のミラード作品だけあって姉妹作『Amity 640』にかなり近い。ただし、まったく同じというわけでもありません。“The Roxy”では、１日２公演のチケットを両方買うとレイト・ショウでステージに近い席にしてくれたそうですが、その違いがサウンドにも反映されている。レイト・ショウの『Amity 640』はいかにもステージ直近という感じで、出音がタイムラグなしに飛び込んでくる。特に演奏陣は強烈で立ち上がりも鋭いシャープ・サウンドでした。それに対して本作は少し下がったポジションで録音されていたわけですが、かと言って遠くはない。ダイレクト感はそのままに、ちょっと離れたからこそアンサンブル全体の均整が取れている。特にヴォーカルに至ってはホール鳴りが回り込んでいたレイト・ショウ『Amity 640』よりも本作の方が鮮やかなくらいなのです。
この感覚を別の表現にするなら「いつも通りのミラード録音」と言えば良いでしょうか。『Amity 640』が間近席の熱狂とワイルドなバランスで異形の迫力を醸していたのに対し、本作は音楽作品としての完成度に優れた名作然としたライヴアルバムなのです。
そして、サウンドだけでなくショウ内容も『Amity 640』とは似て非なるフルセット。早速、比較しながら整理してみましょう。

●SCRATCH（８曲）
・On The Air／Perspective／Indigo（★）／White Shadow／D.I.Y.／Mother Of Violence／Flotsam And Jetsam／Animal Magic
●その他（10曲）
・CAR：Moribund The Burgermeister／Waiting For The Big One／Slowburn／Solsbury Hill／Modern Love／Here Comes The Flood
・その他：Me And My Teddy Bear（★）／On Presuming To Be Modern／I Don’t Remember／The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
※注：「★」印は同日レイト・ショウの『ROXY 1978 1ST NIGHT（Amity 640）』で聴けなかった曲。

……と、このようになっています。４曲「Humdrum」「A Wonderful Day In A One-Way World」「Home Sweet Home」「A Whiter Shade Of Pale」を落とし、２曲「Me And My Teddy Bear」「Indigo」を盛り込んだスタイル。曲数的には少なくなっているものの、これで姉妹作を併せて『SCRATCH』から「Exposure」以外の全曲が聴けるようになったわけです。そして、それ以上なのが開演時の「Me And My Teddy Bear」。ローズマリー・クルーニーのヒット曲ですが、しっかりと練り込んだカバーと言うよりは、エレピだけをバックに即興的に歌った同じ。しかし、これが大ウケ。観客も笑い出し、それがクラブのアットホームな親密感をグイッと引き上げているのです。
これだから“The Roxy”は特別。本作は、他のどの会場とも異なるクラブ・ギグを極上体験できるミラードの新名盤なのです。姉妹作『ROXY 1978 1ST NIGHT（Amity 640）』を体験された方ならすでに心を決められているでしょうし、もし未経験の方ならぜひ本作からお試しください。素肌感覚の密室感に、きっと姉妹作も聴きたくなることしょう。単に極上なだけではない、個性派コレクションの最新弾。どうぞ、存分に味わい尽くしてください。

★「1978年９月30日ロキシー公演（アーリーショウ）」の極上オーディエンス録音。絶対名手マイク・ミラードのマスター・カセットから起こされた銘品で、レイト・ショウの大傑作『ROXY 1978 1ST NIGHT（Amity 640）』と同日・別コンサートの姉妹作。『Amity 640』よりも均整の取れたサウンドが素晴らしく、そこでは聴けなかった「Me And My Teddy Bear」「Indigo」も楽しめる。ぜひ姉妹作とセットで体験して頂きたい新名盤です。

Disc 1 (37:50)
1. Me And My Teddy Bear
2. On Presuming To Be Modern
3. On The Air
4. Moribund The Burgermeister
5. Perspective
6. Indigo
7. White Shadow
8. D.I.Y.
9. Waiting For The Big One

Disc 2 (44:03)
1. Band Introductions
2. Mother Of Violence
3. Slowburn
4. Flotsam And Jetsam
5. I Don’t Remember
6. Solsbury Hill
7. Modern Love
8. The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
9. Animal Magic
10. Here Comes The Flood

Peter Gabriel – Vocals
Timmy Capello – Saxophone, Keyboards
Larry Fast – Synthesizers
Tony Levin – Bass, Chapman Stick, Backing Vocals
Sid McGinnes – Guitar, Backing Vocals
Jerry Morrata – Drums