Queen / Budokan 1976 3rd Night / 2CD

Queen / Budokan 1976 3rd Night / 2CD / Wardour
Budokan, Tokyo, Japan 1st April 1976

Play sample :

Click Image To Enlarge

A live album that will be the sequel to the “BUDOKAN 1975 1ST NIGHT (Wardour-503)” recorder collection, which is in the midst of a big hit, has already appeared. It is the birth of the world premiere master who permanently preserves the performance in Japan that was held with “A Night at the Opera”!
The performance of “April 1, 1976: Nippon Budokan” was imbued with this work. It is the best audience recording. The other day’s shocking work “BUDOKAN 1975 1ST NIGHT” was the record of the first visit to Japan, but the record of this work is the second visit to Japan that was realized as early as 1976. First, let’s look back on the position of the show from that schedule.

・ March 22: Nippon Budokan
・ March 23, “ELEGANCE IS AN ATTITUDE: NAGOYA 1976”
・ March 24: Himeji City Welfare Hall
・ March 26: Kyuden Gymnasium (2 performances)
・ March 29, “DEFINITIVE OSAKA 1976 (2 performances)”
・ March 31 “DEFINITIVE BUDOKAN 1976 2ND NIGHT”
・ April 1: Nippon Budokan ← ★ This work ★
・ April 2 “THE PROPHECY: SENDAI 1976”
・ April 4: Ryogoku Nihon University Auditorium
* Only representative works for each performance.

Above, all 11 performances. The scale has expanded due to the popularity of QUEEN, which burned up on its first visit to Japan. Three performances were also held at Nippon Budokan, and this work was recorded at the concert on the final day. Also, this day was known for its complicated recording situation. The masterpiece “INVITE YOU TO A NIGHT AT THE BUDOKAN” from the analog era was famous, but that traditional board is an incomplete excerpt. Moreover, some of the songs were taken the day before (March 31st), which was far from the full show experience.
However, what was excavated this time was an undisclosed recording containing a full show. Moreover, the person who worked on this work was the recorder of that “BUDOKAN 1975 1ST NIGHT”. The sound is genuine and superb. This week, “BUDOKAN 1975 2ND NIGHT (Wardour-504)” will be released at the same time, and “first visit to Japan x 2 + second x 1 (this work)” will be lined up from the same recorder collection. The story, the sound of this work is the most amazing. As expected, only the same venue and the same recording artist have something in common with the tone and feel of all three works, but this work goes one step further in terms of clearness and direct feeling. What’s more, it’s dense to the edge of the detail, and it doesn’t feel squishy.
Of course, since it was a cassette recording in the analog era, lack of tape changes etc. is destined, but that is complemented by the traditional work “INVITE YOU TO A NIGHT AT THE BUDOKAN”. We have realized a full live album that allows you to seamlessly experience the best show that has never had a definitive recording. What is the full set? Here, let’s organize it while comparing it with “INVITE YOU TO A NIGHT AT THE BUDOKAN”.

● INVITE YOU TO A NIGHT AT THE BUDOKAN
・ Disc 1: Bohemian Rhapsody (tape & rock part) / Flick Of The Wrist / Hangman / Brighton Rock / Son And Daughter
・ Disc 2: Father To Son / Keep Yourself Alive / Now I’m Here / See What A Fool I’ve Been / God Save The Queen

● Songs that you can now listen to in this work
・ Disc 1: Ogre Battle / Sweet Lady / White Queen / Bohemian Rhapsody / Killer Queen / The March Of The Black Queen / Bring Back That Leroy Brown / The Prophet’s Song / Stone Cold Crazy
・ Disc 2: Doing All Right (*) / Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon (*) / Liar / In The Lap Of The Gods … Revisited / Big Spender / Jailhouse Rock
* Note: The “*” mark is the song that was on another day (March 31) in “INVITE YOU TO A NIGHT AT THE BUDOKAN”.

…… And it looks like this. In “A NIGHT AT THE OPERA Tour”, “Father To Son”, which was only in Sendai and Nippon Budokan, and the unreleased song “Hangman”, which was the last live performance, are extremely rare. I heard these two songs in “INVITE YOU TO A NIGHT AT THE BUDOKAN”, but the real thrill of history is different in the flow of full show.
Freddie’s throat is more wonderful than a precious song. It is also known that Freddie was in poor physical condition when he came to Japan in 1976, but that was only the first half of the schedule. After hitting the bottom in Fukuoka, he recovered, and at the Nippon Budokan when he came back, he was in great shape. Moreover, it seems that Freddie himself is pleased with the growing voice because he suffered once. Improvisation, explosive tension, and sharpness … he deserves to be called “a great performance in Japan again”. The uninterrupted tension can be comfortably immersed because it is a full live album.
Although “BUDOKAN 1975 1ST NIGHT” was a shock, it was actually a three-shot series that was released for the first time in the world. Among them, this work boasts outstanding quality in terms of sound / performance, and is a special new masterpiece in the history of QUEEN’s visit to Japan. The top board of “Budokan 3rd day” that was finally born. Please enjoy it to your heart’s content with the permanent storage press 2CD.

★ The best audience recording of the “April 1, 1976: Nippon Budokan” performance. Until now, the show was only incomplete or had bad sound, but this work is the first definitive recording since it was released for the first time in the world. The clarity and closeness are great, and the density is plentiful to the edges of the details. Although it is the same recorder collection as “BUDOKAN 1975 1ST NIGHT” and “2ND NIGHT” for the first time in Japan, this work is one step higher in terms of sound. It’s a direct sound that doesn’t feel squishy. The precious “Father To Son” and the unreleased song “Hangman” are also delicious, and you can experience the best full show with Freddie in great condition.

★ High-quality sound of the day (point here) ・ This is the first complete recording board! !!

大ヒット真っ最中の『BUDOKAN 1975 1ST NIGHT（Wardour-503）』録音者コレクションから続編となるライヴアルバムが早くも登場。『オペラ座の夜』を引っさげて行われた来日公演を永久保存する全世界初公開マスターの誕生です！
そんな本作に吹き込まれているのは「1976年４月１日：日本武道館」公演。その極上オーディエンス録音です。先日の衝撃作『BUDOKAN 1975 1ST NIGHT』は初来日の記録でしたが、本作に記録されているのは翌1976年に早くも実現した二度目の来日。まずは、そのスケジュールからショウのポジションを振り返ってみましょう。

・３月22日：日本武道館
・３月23日『ELEGANCE IS AN ATTITUDE: NAGOYA 1976』
・３月24日：姫路市厚生会館
・３月26日：九電体育館（２公演）
・３月29日『DEFINITIVE OSAKA 1976（２公演）』
・３月31日『DEFINITIVE BUDOKAN 1976 2ND NIGHT』
・４月１日：日本武道館　←★本作★
・４月２日『THE PROPHECY: SENDAI 1976』
・４月４日：両国日大講堂
※各公演とも代表作のみ。

以上、全11公演。初来日で燃え上がったQUEEN人気によって規模も拡大。日本武道館でも３公演が実施され、本作が記録されたのはその最終日にあたるコンサートでした。また、この日は複雑な録音事情でも知られてきました。アナログ時代からの名作『INVITE YOU TO A NIGHT AT THE BUDOKAN』が有名でしたが、あの伝統盤はあくまでも不完全な抜粋。しかも、一部の曲が前日（３月31日）のテイクであり、フルショウ体験とはほど遠かったのです。
ところが、今回発掘されたのはフルショウを収めた未公開録音が発掘された。しかも本作を手掛けたのは、あの『BUDOKAN 1975 1ST NIGHT』の録音家。サウンドが正真正銘の極上級なのです。今週は『BUDOKAN 1975 2ND NIGHT（Wardour-504）』も同時リリースとなり、同録音家コレクションから「初来日×２本＋二度目×１本（本作）」が勢揃いとなるわけですが、ぶっちゃけた話、本作の音が一番凄い。さすがに同会場・同録音家だけに、三作とも音色・感触的には通じるものがあるのですが、クリアさやダイレクト感では本作が一歩上を行く。しかも、ディテールの端の端まで密度たっぷりでスカスカ感がまるでないのです。
もちろん、アナログ時代のカセット録音ですからテープチェンジ等の欠けは宿命ですが、そこは伝統作『INVITE YOU TO A NIGHT AT THE BUDOKAN』で補完。これまで決定的な録音が存在しなかったショウをシームレスに極上体験できるフル・ライヴアルバムを実現しました。そのフルセットとはいかなるものか。ここで『INVITE YOU TO A NIGHT AT THE BUDOKAN』と比較しながら整理しておきましょう。

●INVITE YOU TO A NIGHT AT THE BUDOKANでも聴けた曲
・ディスク１：Bohemian Rhapsody (tape & rock part)／Flick Of The Wrist／Hangman／Brighton Rock／Son And Daughter
・ディスク２：Father To Son／Keep Yourself Alive／Now I’m Here／See What A Fool I’ve Been／God Save The Queen

●本作で聴けるようになった曲
・ディスク１：Ogre Battle／Sweet Lady／White Queen／Bohemian Rhapsody／Killer Queen／The March Of The Black Queen／Bring Back That Leroy Brown／The Prophet’s Song／Stone Cold Crazy
・ディスク２：Doing All Right（＊）／Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon（＊）／Liar／In The Lap Of The Gods…Revisited／Big Spender／Jailhouse Rock
※注：「＊」印は『INVITE YOU TO A NIGHT AT THE BUDOKAN』で別日（３月31日）だった曲。

……と、このようになっています。“A NIGHT AT THE OPERA Tour”では仙台と日本武道館だけだった「Father To Son」や、最後の生演奏となった未発表曲「Hangman」が激レア。この２曲は『INVITE YOU TO A NIGHT AT THE BUDOKAN』でも聴けたわけですが、やはりフルショウの流れの中だとヒストリカルな醍醐味がケタ違いです。
貴重曲以上にフルの素晴らしさを実感できるのがフレディのノド。1976年の来日はフレディが体調不良だった事でも知られているのですが、それはあくまで前半日程の話。福岡で底を打った後は回復していき、帰ってきた日本武道館ではむしろ絶好調なくらいなのです。しかも、一度は不調に苦しんだからこそ、伸びる声にフレディ自身が喜んでいるかのよう。どこまで出るのか噛みしめるようにインプロヴィゼーション、爆テンションな切れの良さ……まさに「再来日の大名演」と呼ぶに相応しい。その途切れないテンションは、フル・ライヴアルバムだからこそ気持ちよく浸りきれるのです。
『BUDOKAN 1975 1ST NIGHT』だけでも衝撃だったのに、実は三連発だった全世界初公開録音シリーズ。その中でもサウンド面／演奏面でズバ抜けたクオリティを誇り、QUEEN来日史でも格別の新名盤となるのが本作です。遂に誕生した「武道館３日目」の頂上盤。どうぞ、永久保存プレス２CDで心ゆくまで味わい尽くしてください。

★「1976年４月１日：日本武道館」公演の極上オーディエンス録音。これまで不完全か音が悪い物しかなかったショウですが、本作は世界初公開にして初めての決定盤録音。クリアさも間近感も絶大で、ディテールの端の端まで密度たっぷり。初来日の『BUDOKAN 1975 1ST NIGHT』『同2ND NIGHT』と同じ録音家コレクションながら、サウンド面では本作が一歩上。スカスカ感もまるでないダイレクト・サウンドです。貴重な「Father To Son」や未発表曲「Hangman」も美味しく、絶好調フレディも素晴らしいフルショウを極上体験できます。

★この日の高音質（ここポイント）・完全収録盤は初！！

Disc 1 (60:17)
1. Introduction
2. Bohemian Rhapsody (tape & rock part)
3. Ogre Battle
4. Sweet Lady
5. White Queen
6. Flick Of The Wrist
7. Hangman
8. Bohemian Rhapsody
9. Killer Queen
10. The March Of The Black Queen
11. Bohemian Rhapsody (reprise)
12. Bring Back That Leroy Brown
13. Brighton Rock
14. Son And Daughter
15. Band Introductions
16. The Prophet’s Song
17. Stone Cold Crazy

Disc 2 (52:03)
1. Father To Son
2. Doing All Right
3. Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon
4. Keep Yourself Alive
5. Liar
6. In The Lap Of The Gods…Revisited
7. Now I’m Here
8. Big Spender
9. Jailhouse Rock
10. See What A Fool I’ve Been
11. God Save The Queen

Wardour-505