Foreigner/Kanagawa,Japan 1988

FOREIGNER was heading towards the end of its golden era in 1988, when their single “Say You Will” became a huge hit, reaching No. 6 in the United States. A masterpiece original recording that conveys the performance in Japan is now available. This work was recorded at the “September 13, 1988: Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium” performance. This is a masterpiece audience recording that records the whole story. Normally, I would check the position based on the schedule for coming to Japan, but in this work, the timing just before the suspension of activities is also important. Let’s take a look back at the overall picture of 1988.・May 14: Appearance at ATLANTIC Records 40th anniversary event ・July 9-16: Europe (3 performances) ・September 6: Osaka Castle Hall ・September 8: Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium ・September 9 : Shizuoka Civic Cultural Association・September 12th: Nippon Budokan・September 13th: Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium　←★This work・September 14th: Nippon Budokan　←※FM broadcast・September 23rd: Sydney performance This is 1988 FOREIGNER. “INSIDE INFORMATION” was released in December 1987, but the tour started more than half a year later. Moreover, it was a very short tour consisting of 3 performances in Europe + 6 performances in Japan + 1 performance in Sydney. After that, Lou Gramm left the group after a hiatus. Despite its commercial success, the golden age had come to an end. Under such circumstances, Yokohama Park is the third to last performance of this work. This tour is famous for its Nippon Budokan FM broadcast, but this work was also the day before that. This work, which records such a show, is a full live album that is longer than the Nippon Budokan sound board. A sound board that is longer than the FM broadcast has been discovered at Budokan, but it is still long enough to fit on one CD, perhaps because it is incomplete. In contrast, this work allows you to fully enjoy the full show, which lasts about 90 minutes. And more than length is the sound. This is also exquisite. The freshness is outstanding because it is made directly into CD from the original cassette given by the recording artist himself, but that is not all. The powerful core approaches zero distance and turns on furiously. Although there is a sense of space in the extension of the snare and vocals, this is only at the timbre level, and the details are not clouded at all, and the atmosphere is crystal clear. The guitar in particular is intense, and everything from the roaring attack sound of the riff to the long vibrato vibe is super clear. It really feels like Mick Jones is playing right in front of you. The show drawn with such a sound is a full show that also dazzles with the valuable “INSIDE INFORMATION” number. Let’s summarize it while comparing it with the Nippon Budokan sound board. 70’s numbers (8 songs)・FOREIGNER: Feels Like The First Time/Long, Long Way from Home/Cold As Ice・DOUBLE VISION: Double Vision/Blue Morning, Blue Day/Hot Blooded・HEAD GAMES: Head Games/Dirty White Boy 80’s Numbers (8 songs)・4: Waiting For A Girl Like You/Urgent/Jukebox Hero・AGENT PROVOCATEUR: That Was Yesterday/I Want To Know What Love Is・INSIDE INFORMATION: Can’t Wait (★)/Say You Will/Heart Turns To Stone *Note: Songs marked with a ★ were not available on the Nippon Budokan soundboard. …and it looks like this. The set, which includes 2-3 songs evenly selected from all 6 albums, is a perfect summary. Among them, the one that catches your ear is definitely the number 3 “INSIDE INFORMATION” songs. All of them are incredibly valuable. The hit single “Say You Will” has recently been played at Osho, but Lou sang it only in 1987, and “Heart Turns To Stone” was only played on this tour. Still, I was able to listen to these two songs on the Nippon Budokan sound board, but “Can’t Wait”, which cannot be heard there, is the best. This is an extremely rare song, as recordings other than Budokan are rare, so the fact that this song was performed is almost unknown to the world. You can experience such a full show with wonderful sound. A “true best song selection show” that also includes the “INSIDE INFORMATION” number that was never sung even after Lou Gramm returned. A full experience of the ultra-rare “INSIDE INFORMATION TOUR” that will leave enthusiasts all over the world stunned. Live at Yokohama Bunka Taiikukan, Yokohama, Japan 13th September 1988 TRULY PERFECT SOUND(from Original Masters) Disc 1 (44:04) 1. Introduction 2. Feels Like The First Time 3. Double Vision 4. Blue Morning, Blue Day 5. Long, Long Way From Home 6. Can’t Wait 7. Cold As Ice 8. Head Games 9. Say You Will 10. Waiting For A Girl Like You Disc 2 (45:31) 1. That Was Yesterday 2. Heart Turns To Stone 3. I Want To Know What Love Is 4. Urgent 5. Juke Box Hero 6. Dirty White Boy 7. Hot Blooded Lou Gramm – lead vocals Mick Jones – guitar Rick Wills – bass Dennis Elliott – drums