Queen / Kobe 1975 Alternate Master / 2CD

Queen / Kobe 1975 Alternate Master / 2CD / Wardour
Live at the International Hall, Kobe, Japan 23rd April 1975

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A major incident in April of 44 years ago that changed the history of Western music in Japan. QUEEN’s first visit to Japan. One masterpiece live album to experience the scene is born again.
Such a work is contained in “April 23, 1975: Kobe International Hall” performances. It is a long audience recording that can overlook the whole view. Speaking of their first visit to Japan, “TSUMAGOI 1975 (Wardour-335)” just got very popular the other day. First, let’s organize the collection according to the schedule.

・ April 19: Nippon Budokan
・ April 22 “NAGOYA 1975”
・ April 23 “DEFINITIVE KOBE 1975” & [this work] ・ April 25: Fukuoka City Kuden Memorial Gymnasium
・ April 28 “FATAL ATTRACTION (Okayama)”
・ April 29 “TSUMAGOI 1975”
・ April 30: Yokohama Culture Gymnasium
・ May 1 “AN EXCEPTIONAL LEGACY (Japan Budokan)”
※ Each performance only representative works.

The above is all 8 performances of fate. We store many of them in our shop, and the Kobe show has already been introduced in “DEFINITIVE KOBE 1975 (Wardour-311)”. However, this work is another recording of that completely. It is a recording that has been known to exist among core traders since ancient times, but it is a story within the group. The Press CD is, of course, a treasure tape that has generally not been widely distributed.
Its biggest point is the length. “DEFINITIVE KOBE 1975” was one of the best high-quality sounds on the first visit to Japan, but unfortunately the recording ended with “Liar” approaching the end. On the other hand, this work includes almost the entire view of the show from the opening “Procession” to the ending “God Save The Queen”. “In The Lap Of The Gods … Revisited” “Big Spender” “Modern Times Rock ‘n’ Roll” “Jailhouse Rock” “See What A Fool I’ve Been” “God” That I Did Not Listen In “DEFINITIVE KOBE 1975” You can also taste Save The Queen.
Of course, the tape change cut is inevitable to record only in the cassette age, but it is also compensated as much as possible with “DEFINITIVE KOBE 1975”. 30 seconds of “Procession” performance and the middle of “Stone Cold Crazy” are connected seamlessly. Although the first half of “See What A Fool I’ve Been” not found in “DEFINITIVE KOBE 1975” is still lacking, it is not a complete version, but you can experience the valuable first visit to Japan over 101 minutes and 13 seconds. is.
It has been called long and long, but of course the quality is also great. Although it is not possible to expect the clearness as the vertex record “DEFINITIVE KOBE 1975” as it is, it is not even the type that searches for performance beyond the noise if it is not (all) like roar or explosion. The air feel is warm and vintage, and the luster without distortion and noise is wonderful. Freddie’s voice that cuts through the inside is really lonely, and the Japanese MC of “Good evening! How are you” is clearly understood. A sense of stability that does not cause an overpeak while the guitar and the rhythm corps are also full of force. Although it is not the top, it is a well-known recording that can be fully immersed in performance.
Kobe’s one night depicted with such a sound is wonderful. You can enjoy the fresh performance only in the first visit to Japan in the whole volume, but after all the attention is “In The Lap Of The Gods … Revisited” which was not heard in “DEFINITIVE KOBE 1975”. Especially, it is the last of ‘Seek What A Fool I’ve Been’ and ‘God Save The Queen’. As mentioned earlier, “See What A Fool I’ve Been” is missing the first half, but recording resumes in the second half of the song. Once I came to the ending where the song was decided, I broke once and Fredy shouted, “We are coming to Japan and I am very happy!” It is unfamiliar to Japanese, yet it is a voice that can bite every word clearly. Freddie always told me thanks in Japanese MC, but I can not think of a voice with such a real feeling. And this work transcends the dimension of “I can hear MC”, and the sound with which the nuance of the voice can be felt vividly. It’s a live album where Freddie’s message is smooth and hearty, not to mention it.

And Freddie sings the last passage, and this work which receives a large circle of “God Save The Queen”. This final edition is the best part of the Kobe performance that I could not taste in “DEFINITIVE KOBE 1975”. The first visit to Japan to be passed down until today. The heat performance that the surprise, the impression and the thanks are packed in a lot. And MC. A great document album that lets you taste them in full scale.
Again, in sound quality, “DEFINITIVE KOBE 1975” is at the very top of the list. However, this work is the first coming-to-Japan album that shakes its heart in a dimension beyond such a mere top battle. The 44th spring since the first visit to Japan, and 2019 where QUEEN has been attracting attention as never before. That’s why now, please enjoy carefully with permanent preservation press 2CD.

44年前の４月に起きた、日本の洋楽史を変えた大事件。QUEEN初来日。その現場を体験する傑作ライヴアルバムがまた１本誕生です。
そんな本作に収められているのは「1975年４月23日：神戸国際会館」公演。その全景を俯瞰できる長尺オーディエンス録音です。彼らの初来日と言えば、先日も『TSUMAGOI 1975（Wardour-335）』が大好評を賜ったばかり。まずは、その日程でコレクションを整理してみましょう。

・４月19日：日本武道館
・４月22日『NAGOYA 1975』
・４月23日『DEFINITIVE KOBE 1975』＆【本作】
・４月25日：福岡市九電記念体育館
・４月28日『FATAL ATTRACTION（岡山）』
・４月29日『TSUMAGOI 1975』
・４月30日：横浜文化体育館
・５月１日『AN EXCEPTIONAL LEGACY（日本武道館）』
※各公演とも代表作のみ。

以上が運命の全８公演。当店ではその多くをアーカイヴしており、神戸公演もすでに『DEFINITIVE KOBE 1975（Wardour-311）』でご紹介済み。しかし、本作はそれとはまったくの別録音です。古くからコアなトレーダー間で存在が知られてきた録音ですが、それはあくまで仲間内の話。プレスCDはもちろんのこと、一般にはこれまで広まってこなかった秘宝テープなのです。
その最大のポイントは、長さ。『DEFINITIVE KOBE 1975』は初来日でも屈指のハイクオリティ・サウンドではありましたが、残念ながら終盤に差し掛かった「Liar」で録音が終了。それに対し、本作はオープニングの「Procession」からエンディングの「God Save The Queen」までほぼショウの全景を収録。『DEFINITIVE KOBE 1975』では聴けなかった「In The Lap Of The Gods…Revisited」「Big Spender」「Modern Times Rock ‘n’ Roll」「Jailhouse Rock」「See What A Fool I’ve Been」「God Save The Queen」もたっぷり味わえるのです。
もちろん、カセット時代の録音だけにテープチェンジのカットは避けがたいのですが、それも『DEFINITIVE KOBE 1975』で可能な限り「See What A Fool I’ve Been」前半部は欠けたままなので厳密には完全版ではないものの、101分13秒にわたって貴重な初来日の現場を体験できるのです。
長い長いと連呼してしまいましたが、もちろんクオリティも素晴らしい。さすがに頂点記録である『DEFINITIVE KOBE 1975』ほどのクリアさは望めないものの、轟音・爆音の類でも（まったく）なければ、ノイズの向こうに演奏を探すタイプでも（決して）ない。空気感はウォームでヴィンテージでありつつ、歪みやノイズのない艶やかさが素晴らしく、その中を突っ切るフレディの声は実に逞しく、「こんばんは！　いかがですか」の日本語語MCもはっきりと分かる。ギターやリズム隊も迫力たっぷりになりつつ、オーバーピークを起こさない安定感。頂点ではないとは言え、十二分に演奏に浸りきれる銘品録音なのです。
そんなサウンドで描かれる神戸の一夜こそが素晴らしい。全編で初来日ならではのフレッシュな熱演が楽しめますが、やはり注目は『DEFINITIVE KOBE 1975』では聴けなかった「In The Lap Of The Gods…Revisited」以降。特に心動かされるの「See What A Fool I’ve Been」「God Save The Queen」にかけてのラスト。先述の通り「See What A Fool I’ve Been」は前半が欠けているものの、曲の後半で録音が再開。曲の決めとなるエンディングまで来たところで一度ブレイクし、おもむろにフレディが「私たちは、日本に来て、とても幸せです！」と叫ぶ。まだ日本語にも不慣れでありながら、一語一語をハッキリと噛みしめるな肉声。フレディはいつでも日本語MCで感謝を伝えてくれましたが、これほど実感のこもった声はちょっと思いつかない。そして本作は「MCを聴き取れる」という次元を超え、その声のニュアンスも鮮やかに感じ取れるサウンド。耳を澄ますまでもなく、フレディのメッセージがすんなりと胸を付くライヴアルバムなのです。

そしてフレディが最後の一節を歌い、「God Save The Queen」の大団円を迎える本作。この最終盤こそ、『DEFINITIVE KOBE 1975』でも味わえなかった神戸公演の醍醐味なのです。現在まで語り継がれる初来日の歓待。その驚きと感動と感謝がぱんぱんに詰まった熱演。そして、MC。それらをフル・スケールで味わえる素晴らしきドキュメント・アルバムです。
繰り返しになりますが、サウンドクオリティでは『DEFINITIVE KOBE 1975』こそが頂点なのは揺るぎません。しかし、本作はそうした単なる頂点争いを超えた次元で胸を揺さぶる初来日アルバムなのです。初来日から44回目の春を迎え、かつてないほどQUEENが注目されている2019年。そんな今だからこそ、永久保存プレス２CDでじっくりとご堪能ください。

Disc 1(64:56)
1. Procession 2. Now I’m Here 3. Ogre Battle 4. Father To Son 5. White Queen
6. Flick Of The Wrist 7. Doing All Right 8. In The Lap Of The Gods 9. Killer Queen
10. The March Of The Black Queen 11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown 12. Son And Daughter
13. Guitar Solo 14. Band Introductions 15. Keep Yourself Alive 16. Seven Seas Of Rhye

Disc 2(36:17)
1. Stone Cold Crazy 2. Liar 3. In The Lap Of The Gods…Revisited
4. Big Spender 5. Modern Times Rock ‘n’ Roll 6. Jailhouse Rock
7. See What A Fool I’ve Been 「私たちは、日本に来て、とても幸せです！」 8. God Save The Queen

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