Description
This is the definitive 55th-anniversary edition that fully resurrects the legendary “Hakone Aphrodite (Day 2: August 7, 1971)”—a pivotal moment in the history of Western music in Japan—by consolidating every existing recording. Anchored by “RECORDER 2″—the only stereo source and the one with the best sound quality—this release actively incorporates “RECORDER 1” (sourced from a mint-condition copy of the legendary *PEACE RECORD* LP played on a laser turntable) and “RECORDER 4” (refined with 2026-standard precision). It is the latest 2026 edition of a complete live album that allows you to experience the entire event, from the opening notes to the closing remarks, including tracks like “A Saucerful of Secrets” and “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun.” The 1971 Hakone Aphrodite festival stands as a monumental legend in the history of Western music in Japan. Now, the complete live album that fully revives that legendary night by gathering all extant recordings has evolved to even greater heights. It is set for release as a 2-CD set commemorating the 55th anniversary. Naturally, this release features the legendary audience recording of “Hakone Aphrodite: August 7, 1971.” While long believed to be from the first day (August 6), recent research has confirmed that this recording captures the entirety of that legendary second night (August 7). Although the “Holy Grail” release of the same show, *LIVE: PEACE RECORD*, is being released simultaneously, this title serves as its counterpart: the definitive, full-show version. Let us begin by explaining its origins. Hakone 55th Anniversary: The Definitive, Comprehensive Live Album. There are actually five different audience recordings of the second day of Hakone Aphrodite. However, none of them captures the full scope of the show on its own. Some have long runtimes, others boast superior sound quality, and some contain rare segments—each has its own strengths and weaknesses. We have previously presented complete live albums that reconstruct this legendary night by cherry-picking the best elements from all these recordings. This release is the latest 2026 version, commemorating the 55th anniversary of the actual performance. Naturally, as this is a new release, it incorporates significant upgrades. As you may have already guessed, this edition benefits from the discovery of a mint-condition copy of the “Holy Grail” LP *PEACE RECORD*—a source we previously highlighted in the simultaneously released *LIVE: PEACE RECORD*. The latest master (designated “RECORDER 1”), created by transferring this miraculous disc using a state-of-the-art laser turntable, has been generously utilized to fill gaps in the recording. This source material—which was unavailable at the time of the previous 50th-anniversary edition—elevates the completeness of this definitive version to a whole new level. Moreover, this release offers more than just an updated “RECORDER 1” section. To provide full context, let us briefly review the five audience recordings captured on the day of the concert. RECORDER 1 (Mono recording: approx. 46 min): Used for patching gaps. This is the mono recording from the legendary, ultra-rare LP *PEACE RECORD* (which was never even sold in retail stores). It is a valuable, classic recording that—prior to the emergence of RECORDER 5 (described later)—was the only source to capture “Cymbaline.” This release utilizes a new master significantly upgraded through the combination of a mint-condition LP and a laser turntable. RECORDER 2 (Stereo recording: approx. 62 min): The primary source forming the backbone of this release. It is the most famous stereo recording and boasts the best sound quality to this day. It is familiar to our customers from previous releases such as *APHRODITE* (Sirene 160) and *APHRODITE 1971* (Sigma 133). RECORDER 3 (Mono recording: approx. 31 min): Not used. A mono recording that excels in neither duration nor sound quality. While valuable, it is rendered unnecessary as other sources cover the material more effectively. RECORDER 4 (Mono recording: approx. 55 min): Used for patching gaps. An excellent recording unearthed in 2015 as a master reel. It provided the first-ever complete, uncut recordings of “A Saucerful of Secrets” and “Echoes.” For this release, the audio has been remastered from the original source material, featuring a top-tier version of “Echoes” with its pitch fluctuations thoroughly corrected. “RECORDER 5” (mono; approx. 100 minutes) serves as the supplementary source. It is a stunning, definitive recording—the longest one available—that offered the first-ever uncut listen to “A Saucerful of Secrets.” It is also a rare recording that captures uncut versions of “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun” and “Cymbaline,” as well as the post-show announcement by a well-known DJ. Allocation of sources utilizing upgraded masters: The backbone of this release is “RECORDER 2,” the only stereo source among the five and the one boasting the highest audio quality; this remains unchanged from previous editions. However, the allocation of supplementary sources used to fill the gaps has undergone a major shift. While the previous 50th-anniversary edition heavily featured “RECORDER 5,” that decision was driven by the fact that it was a newly unearthed, longest-running recording—a choice made to ensure as many people as possible could experience its striking debut. Yet, time has passed, and that initial impact has become the stuff of legend. Consequently, we re-evaluated all the source recordings on an equal footing. This process led us to select “RECORDER 1” and “RECORDER 4,” both of which have undergone significant upgrades for this release. “RECORDER 1” utilizes the aforementioned “Holy Grail” mint-condition LP master. While its remarkable qualities are detailed in the liner notes for the simultaneously released *LIVE: PEACE RECORD*, “RECORDER 4” has also been upgraded here. We returned to the original unearthed source material and remastered it using modern, state-of-the-art precision. Most notably, “Echoes”—which suffered from significant pitch instability on past releases—has finally undergone thorough correction. By actively featuring these two refined sources, we were able to minimize the use of “RECORDER 5.” In short, the pursuit of superior-quality new masters resulted in an allocation strategy that is the exact opposite of the previous edition. Production and finishing were handled by “GRAF ZEPPELIN,” a master of vintage archival releases. For “RECORDER 2,” the team deliberately avoided hiss reduction, opting instead for a mastering approach that prioritizes tonal balance. Gaps were filled using other sources based on a specific priority order: RECORDER 1 > RECORDER 4 > RECORDER 5 (with RECORDER 3 effectively treated as zero priority). The result is a definitive edition that captures the entire Hakone concert experience, from the pre-show music to the closing announcement. While the simultaneously released *LIVE: PEACE RECORD* focuses solely on polishing the tracks found on the legendary “Holy Grail” LP, this release presents the full show as it happened, including songs not on that LP, such as “A Saucerful of Secrets” and “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun.” It documents the entire legendary night: from the pre-show atmosphere featuring Buffy Sainte-Marie’s “The Circle Game,” through the first half anchored by “Atom Heart Mother,” “Careful with that Axe, Eugene,” and “Echoes,” and the second half featuring “A Saucerful of Secrets,” “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun,” and “Cymbaline,” right up to the closing announcement by a famous DJ. This is the latest version of the complete live album, recreating the second day of the legendary Hakone Aphrodite festival—a story told for over half a century—by gathering the best elements from all existing recordings. It incorporates the “Holy Grail” LP source (which has been significantly upgraded) to create a new definitive edition worthy of the 55th-anniversary celebration. This is the latest version containing every track! The entire program has been reassembled from scratch. Stereo “RECORDER 2” serves as the primary source, with gaps filled using “RECORDER 1,” “RECORDER 4,” and “RECORDER 5” in that order of priority. While all available sources were considered for patching, “RECORDER 5” was used sparingly—only when necessary—due to its lossy audio format; this approach is the exact opposite of previous releases. The “Echoes” track from “RECORDER 4,” which suffered from significant pitch instability on earlier releases, has undergone thorough pitch correction for the first time here. “RECORDER 3” was ultimately left unused due to its recording duration and audio quality ranking. “RECORDER 2” was mastered with a focus on balance, deliberately avoiding hiss reduction processing. DEFINITIVE & NEW EDITION: UPGRADE!!! Disc 1 (66:00) 1. The Circle Game (Buffy Sainte-Marie) 2. Soundcheck / Announcement ★From 3:09: Rec4 3. Atom Heart Mother ★0:00-0:04: Rec4 4. Soundcheck 5. Green Is The Colour ★1:30-2:01: Rec4 6. Careful With That Axe, Eugene ★1:31-2:01: Rec1 7. Soundcheck ★From 2:36: Rec4 8. Echoes ★18:59-21:08: Rec4 / From 21:08: Rec1 Disc 2 (44:04) 1. Soundcheck ★0:00-0:06: Rec1 / 0:06-1:28: Rec5 / From 1:28: Rec4 2. Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun ★0:00-13:25: Rec4 / From 13:25: Rec5 3. A Saucerful Of Secrets ★0:00-18:49: Rec5 / From 18:49 (Encore wait?): Rec1 4. Soundcheck ★Entirely Rec5 5. Cymbaline ★0:00-0:02: Rec5 / 0:02-7:09: Rec1 / 7:09-7:25: Rec5 / From 7:25: Rec1 / From 7:38 (Show end) 6. Closing Announce ★Track added ★0:00-0:08: Rec1 / From 0:08: Rec5
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