GiGinJapan Artwork of Japanese CDs (mostly) Paul McCartney & Wings / Wings Over Boston Steve Hopkins Master Tapes / 2CD / Non Label
Live at Boston Garden, Boston, MA, USA 22nd May 1976
Play sample :
The best audience album “BOSTON 1976: STEVE HOPKINS MASTER TAPES” produced from the 1976 US tour when Paul and Wings stood at the top of the world. Amazing sound image and clear sound quality that makes you forget that it was recorded in 1976. Therefore, it was also a famous sound source that produced many items, but the masterpiece “OVER BOSTON” that made this rare name sound source known to the world was a flashy equalizing that was at its peak around the time we entered the 21st century. had been applied. However, the equalizing technology of this era was compatible with sound sources with good sound quality from the beginning, such as this recording, and it seems that it was a finish that was well received by everyone at that time. Now, I miss the design of the 79-year tour Paul on the jacket.
After that, items such as the more natural-oriented Watch Tower board “RIDE IN THE SKY” were also popular, but the sound source that was the basis of the items released in this era was via VHS in the 1990s. It was presumed that it was a copy that had been transferred to the music, so there was a feeling that high-frequency noise was on top of it. This is because among traders in the 90’s, the technique of copying to VHS seeking more information than cassette dubbing was also a preferred method among sound sources. Although it is now worthless, there was also a mania who had Mike Millard copy the recording of Pink Floyd in 1975 in the same way in his later years.
Surprisingly, these two titles were touted in Boston in 1976 at Wings, and on the contrary, for nearly 20 years, there were no items with more than two titles.
Therefore, the version that Krw_co released in 2019 was literally the definitive transfer suitable for the new era. Above all, it was noted again that the recording person was Steve Hopkins at this time, and the unbelievable high-quality sound also made sense. In addition, Krw_co used the latest technology to transfer from his master, a sound source with a pedigree, in such a wonderful condition that it dismissed the past items. Excellent sound quality.
“BOSTON 1976: STEVE HOPKINS MASTER TAPES” was made into a CD based on such a best version. As I said at the time of the release at the time, the ultra quality that makes me smile when I listen to it shakes a bad soundboard. That’s why I said “This is another one for the family”, but the polar audience with such familiarity is sold out as a matter of course. It was also one of the best-selling Wings items released so far.
Then, of course, there were endless requests for a re-release, and there is no doubt that it would have been well received even if it was reissued as it was. However, this time, “GRAF ZEPPELIN” raised the name of the remaster at such a great opportunity!
“GRAF ZEPPELIN” originally had a reputation for overhauling vintage-era sound sources, but this time, such outstanding skills are fully demonstrated. What’s amazing is the upper feeling that you can understand just by listening. Even “BOSTON 1976: STEVE HOPKINS MASTER TAPES”, which seemed to have such high sound quality, sounds like a small and missing sound in front of this adjustment. Still, the perfection that is unrelated to the intrusive finish that changes the original image of the sound source. Rather, I would like those who have an existing board to compare it with this version.
It can be said that the meticulous overhaul brought out the charm of the sound source. After all, the sound image that was originally so close is even closer (!). Not only that, even though it was sounding firmly on the already-launched board, the bass line of the ball, which was not very grainy, can be heard clearly. For example, the difference is obvious if you compare it with Paul’s play, which concentrates on the bass and plays freely in the back of “Medicine Jar” sung by Jimmy. In front of this splendid finish, it seems as if even the already released board has been covered with a veil. That’s why I would like people who have existing boards to listen and compare.
In this way, the Ultra Audience Album of 1976 Wings, which was already recommended by beginners to maniacs, has been promoted to the point where it can be enjoyed by men and women of all ages. And this time as well, “Soily”, which was not played in the encore only on this day, is recorded as a bonus from Fort Worth on the first day of the tour, but as a result of “GRAF ZEPPELIN” adjusting without fail, the left channel Let’s make sure that the weak sound break is eliminated. “GRAF ZEPPELIN” The strongest audience album of ’76 Wings, which has evolved further with the overhaul of the soul … no complaints!
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REMASTERED BY GRAF ZEPPELIN
(remastered memo)
★ 2023 latest mastering decision board from S. Hopkins original master released for the first time among net traders by Krw_co in April 2019!
At this time, the only CDs from this original master are the previous edition of 2019 “BOSTON 1976: STEVE HOPKINS MASTER TAPES” and this edition. OVER BOSTON” (2CD) [No Label], “RIDE IN THE SKY” (2CD) [Watch Tower], etc.
Both titles have high-frequency noise around 16kHz, and it is unknown whether they were recorded from the original master.
Until the last board was released in 2019, there was only another source with bad sound among traders for the sound source of this Boston performance.
Until then, the S Hopkins sound source had to copy existing titles, so there were surprisingly few releases.
★ Phase correction and volume adjustment are applied, and it is generally centered.
The volume balance problem at the beginning of Lady Madonna is also resolved!
★Bandwidth adjustment and volume processing are performed to achieve a powerful sound that is greatly different from the previous version!
The volume of “OVER BOSTON” (2CD) [No Label] is very loud in the already released board, and the sound is quite flashy and harsh, but when I listened to it, it was one of the best.
In this edition, while keeping in mind the “OVER BOSTON” edition, a “brighter” and “larger sound image” sound approach has been taken within the limit of not overdoing it.
★ There are 3 cuts between songs, but there is no compensation this time because the sound quality of the other source is bad and the difference in sound quality is drastic.
There is no problem since the cuts between songs are left as they are and there is no sense of incongruity.
★ The bonus Fort Worth performance is also newly mastered from upgraded material, digitized from the original master.
There is no sound break that was in the left channel.
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ポールとウイングスが世界の頂点に立った1976年アメリカ・ツアーから生み出された最高のオーディエンス・アルバム『BOSTON 1976: STEVE HOPKINS MASTER TAPES』。もはや76年の録音であることを忘れさせるほど驚異的な音像と澄み切った音質。それ故に多くのアイテムを生み出してきた名音源でもあった訳ですが、この稀代の名音源を世に知らしめた名作『OVER BOSTON』などは21世紀を迎えた頃に全盛を迎えていた派手なイコライジングが施されていた。ところが、この時代のイコライジング技術は本録音のような元から音質の良い音源とは相性が良く、当時であれば十分に万人受けする仕上がりであったように思えます。今となっては79年ツアーのポールをジャケ写にあしらってしまったデザインも懐かしい。
その後よりナチュラル志向なWatch Tower盤『RIDE IN THE SKY』のようなアイテムも好評を博していましたが、この時代にリリースされていたアイテムの元になった音源は1990年代にVHSを経由してトランスファーされたコピーだったと推測され、それ故に高周波ノイズが乗ってしまった感がありました。90年代のトレーダー間ではカセット・ダビング以上の情報量を求めてVHSにコピーするという技も音源派の間では好んで行われていた手法だったからです。今となっては価値が無くなったものの、マイク・ミラードの晩年に同様の手法で彼から75年ピンク・フロイドの録音をコピーしてもらったマニアもいたのです。
驚いたことにそれら二タイトルがもてはやされてきたのがウイングスの76年ボストンの状況であり、それどころか二タイトルを超えるアイテムが登場しないという状況が何と20年近くも続いていたのでした。
それ故にKrw_coが2019年になって公開してくれたバージョンは新時代に相応しい文字通りの決定版トランスファーでした。何よりこの時に録音者がスティーブ・ホプキンスであったことが改めて記され、その信じられないほどの高音質ぶりにも合点がいったというもの。おまけに過去のアイテムを軽く一蹴するほど見事な状態は彼のマスターという血統書付きの音源からKrw_coが最新技術を使ってトランスファーしてくれただけのことがあった。もう抜群の音の良さ。
そんなベスト・バージョンを元にCD化してみせたのが、かの『BOSTON 1976: STEVE HOPKINS MASTER TAPES』でした。当時のリリース時にも申し上げましたように、聞いていて思わず笑みがこぼれてしまうほどのウルトラ・クオリティは下手なサウンドボードを揺るがしてしまうほど。だからこそ「これはもう一家に一枚」まで申し上げた訳ですが、そんな親しみやすさの極地オーディエンスは当たり前のようにSold Out。これまでリリースされてきたウイングス・アイテムの中でも断トツのベストセラーとなった名盤中の名盤でもありました。
となれば再リリースのリクエストが絶えないのは当然でして、そのまま出し直したとしても好評を博すことになったのは間違いない。しかし今回はそんな絶好な機会に「GRAF ZEPPELIN」がリマスターの名乗りを上げてくれたのです！
元々ビンテージな年代の音源に対するオーバーホールのセンスに関しては定評のある「GRAF ZEPPELIN」でしたが、今回はそんな卓越した手腕がいかんなく発揮。何が凄いって、一聴して解るほどのアッパー感。あれほどまで高音質に思えた『BOSTON 1976: STEVE HOPKINS MASTER TAPES』ですら、今回のアジャストの前ではこじんまりとした抜けの悪い音に聞こえてしまう。それでいて音源本来のイメージを変えてしまうほど押しつけがましい仕上がりとは無縁な完成度。むしろ既発盤をお持ちの方こそ、今回のバージョンと比べていただきたい。
その緻密なオーバーホールは音源の魅力を出し切ったと言えるでしょう。何と言っても、元々あれだけ近かった音像がさらに近くなっている（！）。それだけではありません、既発盤ではしっかり鳴っていたのにもかかわらず、それでいて粒立ちがイマイチだったボールのベースラインがくっきり聞こえてくる。例えばジミーが歌う「Medicine Jar」のバックでベースに専心して縦横無尽に弾きまくるポールのプレイで聞き比べれば、その差は一目瞭然。この見事な仕上がりを前にすると、既発盤ですらベールを被ってしまったかのよう。だからこそ既発盤をお持ちの方こそ聞き比べていただきたいのです。
こうなると、ただでさえ初心者からマニアまで胸を張って推せた76年ウイングスのウルトラ・オーディエンス・アルバムが老若男女レベルで楽しめるほどにまで昇格。そして今回も、この日に限ってアンコールで演奏されなかった「Soily」をツアー初日のフォート・ワースからボーナス収録していますが、ここに関しても「GRAF ZEPPELIN」が抜かりなくアジャストした結果、左チャンネルの微弱な音切れが解消されるという念の入れよう。「GRAF ZEPPELIN」入魂のオーバーホールによってさらに進化を遂げた76年ウイングス最強のオーディエンス・アルバム…文句なし！
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REMASTERED BY GRAF ZEPPELIN
（リマスター・メモ）
★2019年4月､Krw_coによりネット・トレーダー間に初放流されたS.ホプキンス・オリジナル・マスターからの2023年最新マスタリング決定盤！
現時点でもこのオリジナルマスターからのCD化は2019年前回盤「BOSTON 1976: STEVE HOPKINS MASTER TAPES」と今回盤のみ｡それまでのS.ホプキンス音源収録の既発盤は､’00年代序盤に出た｢OVER BOSTON｣(2CD)[No Label]、｢RIDE IN THE SKY｣(2CD)[Watch Tower]などが代表盤｡
両タイトルとも16kHz付近に高周波ノイズがのっており､オリジナル・マスターからの収録かどうかは不明｡
当ボストン公演の音源は､2019年に前回盤が出るまでトレーダー間には音の悪い別ソースしかなく､
それまではSホプキンス音源は既発タイトルをコピーするしかなかったため､意外とリリースも少なかった｡
★位相修正と音量調整を施し､概ねセンター定位になっています｡
Lady Madonna序盤の音量バランス問題も解消！
★帯域調整と音量処理を行い､前回盤とは大きく異なるド迫力サウンドを実現！
既発盤では｢OVER BOSTON｣(2CD)[No Label]の音量が非常に大きく､かなり派手でキツメ目なサウンドですが､一聴する分にはベストに部類する音であった｡
今回盤ではその｢OVER BOSTON｣盤を念頭におきつつ､しかしやり過ぎない程度のギリギリの範囲で､｢明るめ｣かつ｢音像大きめ｣なサウンドアプローチがなされています｡
★曲間カットが3箇所ありますが､別ソースは音が悪く音質差が激しいため今回も補填なし｡
曲間カット部はそのままで元々違和感がないので無問題である｡
★ボーナスのフォートワース公演も､オリジナルマスターからデジタル化された、アップグレード素材から新規にマスタリング｡
左チャンネルにあった音切れがありません｡
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Disc 1 (67:52)
01. Intro
02. Venus And Mars
03. Rock Show
04. Jet
05. Let Me Roll It
06. Spirits Of Ancient Egypt
07. Medicine Jar
08. Maybe I’m Amazed
09. Call Me Back Again
10. Lady Madonna
11. The Long And Winding Road
12. Live And Let Die
13. Picasso’s Last Words
14. Richard Cory
15. Bluebird
16. I’ve Just Seen A Face
17. Blackbird
18. Yesterday
Disc 2 (67:17)
01. MC
02. You Gave Me The Answer
03. Magneto And Titanium Man
04. My Love
05. Listen To What The Man Said
06. Let ‘Em In
07. Time To Hide
08. Silly Love Songs
09. Beware My Love
10. Letting Go
11. Band On The Run
12. Hi Hi Hi
Bonus Track
Tarrant County Convention Hall, Fort Worth, TX, USA 3rd May 1976
13. Soily ★The source is the same as the previous edition, but this time it is from the original master, so there is no sound break on the left ch.
13. Soily ★前回盤とは同ソースですが今回はオリジナルマスターからで左chの音切れがない
Paul McCartney – vocals, bass guitar, guitar, piano
Linda McCartney – vocals, keyboards
Denny Laine – vocals, guitar, bass, piano
Jimmy McCulloch – vocals, guitar, bass
Joe English – vocals, drums, percussion
Tony Dorsey – trombone, percussion
Howie Casey – saxophone, percussion
Steve Howard – trumpet, flugelhorn, percussion
Thaddeus Richard – saxophone, clarinet, flute, percussion
Non Label
