Free / Tokyo, Japan 1971 2 Days Complete

FREE’s legendary first visit to Japan in 1971, just before the band’s collapse, is here. This vacuum-packed, storytelling album captures a historic moment in Japanese Western music history. This release features two performances: an audience recording set featuring the April 30, 1971 performance at Kanda Kyoritsu Auditorium on Disc 1 and the May 1, 1971 performance at Sankei Hall on Disc 2. While their first visit to Japan preceded those of Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, it also marked the beginning of FREE’s collapse. To reminisce about 1971, let’s first take a look back at their activities at the time. January 8-31, 1971: North America #1 (12 shows) ←※SANTA MONICA 1971 February 6-March 2: UK (8 shows) ←※SHEFFIELD 1971 (April 16: Single “My Brother Jake” released) April 19: London show *April 30 + May 1: Japan (2 shows) ←★COCO★ May 6-9: Australia (4 shows) May 22 + 30: North America #2 (2 shows) (“FREE LIVE!” released June 4) This definitive set lets you experience all two shows of their first visit to Japan. This is FREE in 1971. They reached their peak in 1970 with the back-to-back releases of the classic albums “FIRE AND WATER” and “HIGHWAY,” but conflicts between members surfaced the following year, 1971, and they quickly chose to disband. Their legendary first visit to Japan took place at the end of April, during the countdown to their demise. Although it wasn’t a Japan tour, it consisted of only two performances in Tokyo. This release is the definitive compilation that lets you enjoy both shows at once. Both recordings are well-known classics, boasting a fresh yet rich vintage feel. However, their personalities are quite different. The opening performance recording (Disc 1) from Kanda Kyoritsu Auditorium is overwhelmingly powerful, with a powerful core that seems to be right before your eyes. It absorbs even the slightly thicker sounds, while the powerful performance and vocals create a dynamic sound. The Sankei Hall recording (Disc 2) is breathtakingly clear and crystal clear. The separation is also excellent, with a vibrant core that penetrates the clear air, and even the finest details are clearly discerned. While not as intimate as Disc 1, it’s a colorful sound that allows you to appreciate even the most minute details without any sense of distance. Such sound captures the two performances of their first visit to Japan. To begin with, they also have a set that changes every day, but in fact, the Kanda Kyoritsu Auditorium recording (DISC 1) on the first day is missing four songs at the end (the Sankei Hall recording [DISC 2] is the complete recording). It’s a shame that the daily song “Crossroads” wasn’t included, but the order of the common songs is also very different, creating a completely different image. To clarify the situation, let’s summarize the sets for both days here. Both nights (8 songs): Fire and Water: Fire and Water / All Right Now / Heavy Load; Highway: The Stealer / Be My Friend / The Highway Song; Others: I’m A Mover / My Brother Jake. Sankei Hall (Disc 2) only: Mr. Big / Ride On A Pony / Soon I Will Be Gone / The Hunter. Songs not included in the Kanda Kyoritsu Auditorium recording (Disc 1): Soon I Will Be Gone / Mr. Big / Ride On Pony / Crossroads. This miraculous documentary brings the legendary recording back to life with actual sound. Even more impressive than the set itself is the atmosphere. Despite being two consecutive nights, the atmospheres are completely different, which is fascinating. The Kanda Kyoritsu Auditorium recording (Disc 1) is so quiet, it almost feels like a rehearsal, with only the thick sounds of the performance and vocals thundering through the silent venue. The fifth track, “All Right Now,” was a hit, and the crowd erupted, but it didn’t feel like a frenzy. Rather, they erupted in metronomic, precise clapping, creating a sense of orderly unity. There was a sense of tension that couldn’t be explained simply by the fact that it was their first time meeting FREE, evoking a time in the early days when rock bands visiting Japan were rare. However, the recording from the following day at Sankei Hall (DISC 2) is completely different. The excitement was palpable from the opening scene, erupting with enthusiasm for the greatest rock band of the era. The unusual circumstances onstage may have played a part. After all, this was also the night of the incident. They were scheduled to perform at “Rock Carnival #4,” but time was running out, and their performance didn’t arrive until 3:30 a.m. Furthermore, they had trouble with the crew rushing to set up the band that followed. During the third encore, the guitar wouldn’t work, and they smashed the speakers and caused a horrific scene. And symbolizing this tense atmosphere was the legendary MC by Goro Ito announcing the start of the show. It was so incredible, let me briefly summarize it: “We apologize for keeping you all waiting for so long. Before FREE’s performance begins, I have a request. It is extremely dangerous to stand up before speaking up, so we will stop raising and lowering the curtain after that. We appreciate your patience. We had some trouble with the speakers, so the curtain opening was a little late. We apologize for that. After FREE’s performance, the Naruke Group will be performing. We hope you enjoy that. FREE gave us a wild and exciting performance yesterday at Kanda Kyoritsu Auditorium. “I’m Free, I need Free, I want Free,” he said. “I’d like to introduce them to you right away: THE FREE!!” PINK FLOYD first came to Japan in early August 1971, followed by LED ZEPPELIN at the end of September of the same year. FREE arrived more than three months earlier. This is a live album that allows you to witness the first performance at Kanda Kyoritsu Auditorium, where British rock met Japan, and the following night at Sankei Hall, which was also a night of controversy. A true cultural heritage, this two-disc set features legendary audience recordings from the April 30, 1971 Kanda Kyoritsu Auditorium performance and the May 1, 1971 Sankei Hall performance. The Kanda Kyoritsu Auditorium recording (Disc 1) is a bold, dynamic recording, while the Sankei Hall recording (Disc 2) is a brilliant, clear recording. The Sankei Hall recording, in particular, includes the full set plus Goro Ito’s legendary MC performance. Experience the rich atmosphere of the dawn of Western rock music. Kanda Kyoritsu Kodo, Tokyo, Japan 30th April 1971 TRULY AMAZING SOUND Sankei Hall, Tokyo, Japan 1st May 1971 TRULY AMAZING SOUND Disc 1(41:02) Live at Kanda Kyoritsu Kodo, Tokyo, Japan 30th April 1971 1. Fire And Water 2. The Stealer 3. I’m A Mover 4. Be My Friend 5. All Right Now 6. Heavy Load 7. The Highway Song 8. My Brother Jake Disc 2(65:38) Live at Sankei Hall, Tokyo, Japan 1st May 1971 01. Introduction It is also rare for that time that the recording starts before the buzzer sounds to start the show. The concert started much later than the scheduled time of midnight (starting at just after 3:30am!!) with the legendary MC by Ito Goro: “We’re sorry to have kept you waiting for so long. Before FREE’s performance begins, we have a request to make. It is very dangerous to stand up before we speak up, so we will stop raising and lowering the curtain after that, so please bear with us. We had some trouble with the speakers, so the curtain was opened a little late. We apologize for that. After FREE’s performance, the Naruke Group will be performing, so please look forward to it. FREE gave us a very wild and exciting performance yesterday at Kanda Kyoritsu Auditorium. We’d like to introduce you to I’m FREE, I need Free, I want Free, but let me introduce you to THE FREE!!” 02. Fire And Water 03. Ride On A Pony 04. I’m A Mover 05. Be My Friend 06. The Stealer 07. Heavy Load 08. The Highway Song 09. My Brother Jake 10. Soon I Will Be Gone 11. All Right Now 12. Mr. Big 13. The Hunter Paul Rodgers – Vocals Paul Kossoff – GuitarSimon Kirke – Drums Andy Fraser – Bass