Free/UK 1971 & more

Original FREE, a miraculous band born from British rock. A hidden treasure recording that has not been known until now is now available. This work includes “Sheffield performance on February 26, 1971”. This is an exquisite audience recording. The traditional recording upgrade version “SANTA MONICA 1971” has been very popular, but this work was newly discovered in memory of Andy Fraser who passed away four years ago. Until then, the existence of Sheffield recordings had been whispered among core collectors, but they were never distributed to the general public. What kind of sound is it? It is a hidden treasure that maniacs all over the world have been looking for but have not been able to listen to. Such a master has appeared after more than 40 years. That fact alone is surprising, but even more surprising is the sound quality. This is absolutely amazing. Of course, it is just a vintage audience, but the recording and freshness do not seem to be from half a century ago. The guitar and vocals are right in front of you, and the bass, which tends to get spoiled or become explosive in vintage recordings, is beautifully captured. Although it is not so close that you can mistake it for a sound board, it does not lead to a sense of distance. Details such as the recording position are not left, but it feels like you are witnessing FREE from the front row. And a sense of stability. When the whole band reaches a highlight with fortissimo, there is a slight crack, but it is very small. Rather, the transparency of the suppressed scene that occupies most of the FREE stage is overwhelming, and you can delicately enjoy Paul Kossoff’s sobs and Paul Rodgers’ youthful roar. It’s hard to believe that such a wonderful sound has been hidden in the darkness of history for nearly half a century… In this work, such an amazing master has been further refined with meticulous mastering. As expected, it is a vintage recording, so the original sound that has become a hot topic on the internet has pitch and sound fluctuations here and there, and the cassette surface is also rough. In the beginning, there were several (momentary) interruptions in the recording. Of course, these are the truths of a valuable master, but in this work, we have treated every detail with the aim of perfecting it as a musical work. And the sound. Of course, since it is a valuable record, we do not try to increase the sound pressure recklessly, and maintain the original sound and freshness to the maximum. On top of that, I raised the bass, which was a little low, and adjusted the overall balance. We focused on reproducing the sound that the original FREE would have played at the scene. What flows from this work, refined as a live album, is a miracle of blues rock. Let’s organize the set here. ●FIRE AND WATER (4 songs)・All Right Now/Mr. Big・Songs that cannot be heard on FREE LIVE!: Don’t Say You Love Me/Heavy Load ●HIGHWAY (5 songs)・Ride On Pony/Be My Friend・Songs that cannot be heard on FREE LIVE!: The Stealer/The Highway Song/Soon I Will Be Gone ●Other (3 songs)・I’m A Mover “TONS OF SOBS”・Songs that cannot be heard on FREE LIVE!: My Brother Jake… …and it looks like this. The essence of the two great albums “FIRE AND WATER” and “HIGHWAY”, which perfected the original FREE style, is concentrated, and there are plenty of famous songs that cannot be heard on the traditional “FREE LIVE!”. Of course, this repertoire was also available on the definitive album “SANTA MONICA 1971” that I introduced the other day, but this work is full of a sense of realism that cannot be expected from a sound board. Although there are no up-and-coming chants, probably due to the times, the waves of applause are vivid, and above all, the sense of reality that “those four people are there” in front of you is overwhelming. You can enjoy a deep and original blues expression that is unparalleled even in the glorious British rock scene. Although such a Sheffield performance alone is enough to be a new masterpiece, this work includes two and four delicious bonus tracks. One is “Fire And Water” and “Woman” from “May 6, 1971 Perth Performance”, and the other is “Rock Me Baby” and “Crossroads” from “January 19, 1971 Florida Performance”. The former is a valuable record of the Australian tour that triggered the collapse of the original FREE, and the latter is a cover of B.B. King and Robert Johnson (or should I say Jimi Hendrix and CREAM?). Both are iconic recordings from 1971, and we have selected songs that do not overlap with the main Sheffield performance, allowing you to fully enjoy their repertoire at the time. The legendary FREE is celebrating their 50th anniversary this year. They played miraculous music that had both deep blues and youthful rock that belied the average age of 20 years old. A masterpiece of a live album that still allows you to witness the unparalleled blues rock scene. Live at City Hall, Sheffield, UK 26th February 1971 TRULY AMAZING SOUND (78:03) 01. Introduction 02. The Stealer 03. Ride On A Pony 04. Be My Friend 05. I’m A Mover 06. Don’t Say You Love Me 07. Heavy Load 08. The Highway Song 09. My Brother Jake 10. Soon I Will Be Gone 11. All Right Now 12. Mr. Big Bonus Tracks Live at Sabica Stadium, Perth, Australia 6th May 1971 13. Fire And Water 14. Woman Live at Pirates World, Dania, Florida, USA 19th January 1971 15. Rock Me Baby 16. Crossroads Paul Rodgers – Vocals Paul Kossoff – Guitar Simon Kirke – Drums Andy Fraser – Bass