Queen Queen/Tokyo,Japan 1976 Original LP Invite you to a Night at the Budokan Edition

Queen returned to Japan in 1976 with the historic masterpiece “A Night at the Opera.” This legendary analog bootleg, which has been passed down from performance to performance, is being reissued in the highest quality ever. The legendary album is “INVITE YOU TO A NIGHT AT THE BUDOKAN,” a superb audience recording of the April 1, 1976, Nippon Budokan concert. This vinyl record was truly legendary. In 1976, unlike today’s era when recordings were scattered immediately after a show, an official live album was a distant dream. Yet, it emerged early, delivering a stunning sound that showcased the live Queen. Not only a memorable memory for concertgoers, but also, in response to its ever-growing popularity, it has been released on CD numerous times, continuing to convey the essence of “A NIGHT AT THE OPERA TOUR.” It truly is a legendary live album. This release is the pinnacle of this legendary album’s history. Unfortunately, the original master recording of this recording has never been found. Its pinnacle is the original release, “Marc Records TQ-76059.” An overseas Queen researcher successfully unearthed a near-mint copy and digitized it in a high-end environment specialized in analog transcription. This week, a similarly miraculous vinyl transcription, “THE ROYAL AMERICAN TOUR 1975,” will be released simultaneously, also by the same researcher. The quality is truly superb. The lustrous sound, with virtually no needle cracks even when listening with headphones, the stability with no noticeable rotation irregularities, and the original freshness that can only be preserved on vinyl… Even though it was 42 years ago and the manufacturing process for bootleg LPs is not particularly sophisticated, it is incredibly fresh and beautiful. Of course, even more impressive than the precision of the transcription is the recording itself. In fact, this masterpiece does not capture the entire show. It is actually an excerpt of approximately one hour, and some tracks are taken from the previous show, “March 31st.” First, let’s check the show’s position on the schedule at that time. March 22nd: Nippon Budokan March 23rd: Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium March 24th: Himeji City Welfare Hall March 26th: Kyuden Gymnasium (2 performances) March 29th: Osaka Welfare Pension Hall (2 performances) March 31st: Nippon Budokan [This work (part)] April 1st: Nippon Budokan [This work (most)] April 2nd: Miyagi Prefectural Sports Center April 4th: Ryogoku Nihon University Auditorium Queen had already achieved a global break, but their popularity in Japan, which was the precursor to this, was still enormous. This was their second time, and it was a spectacular schedule including three performances at Nippon Budokan. This work was organized from two consecutive performances at Nippon Budokan. Of the 13 tracks, four were set on March 31st (“Seven Seas of Rhye”), “Father to Son,” “Doing All Right,” and “Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon”), and the remaining were set on April 1st. While the editing is very ’70s-esque, the finished product is anything but. It’s very skillfully assembled, with almost no discernible recording discrepancy. Both have a wonderfully clear, airy feel, and are very on-point. While not the type that could be mistaken for a soundboard, the venue acoustics create a sense of scale without clouding or obscuring the details. While the distribution is clear enough to make one think, “Maybe the main recording is more direct,” the quality and unity of the musical work are sufficient. A show portrayed with such quality… this is truly worthy of its legendary name. Freddie’s return to Japan in 1976 was also known for his poor health, which worsened as the tour progressed. However, his nadir was said to be Fukuoka, and he gradually recovered from Osaka. They were back to their best at the Nippon Budokan, and their performance of “April 1st,” the album’s main attraction, was particularly enthusiastic. Their vocals were powerful, their improvisations unfurled. Their Japanese MCs, such as “We’re so happy to be back in Tokyo,” and “Thank you, very much!”, popped up throughout, showing just how enthusiastic they were. The other three members, drawn in by Freddie, also got into the groove, delivering crisp guitar riffs on “Brighton Rock” and crisp beats on “Seven Seas of Rhye.” “Hangman” and “Father To Son” are emblematic of their strong performance. Both are early classics rarely performed on the “A NIGHT AT THE OPERA TOUR” and have remained largely unheard since. Both are performed here. While this album isn’t a full recording, it does offer a superb sound for these iconic tracks. That alone makes it a valuable live album. While a full recording of “April 1st” is now widely known, it’s a separate recording. The quality is simply unparalleled. Including the precious “Hangman” and “Father To Son,” this is the “legendary sound” that has long been passed down from the band’s second tour of Japan. It’s the “storyteller’s sound” that continues to convey the charm of live Queen. This album is a cultural heritage that permanently preserves these historic recordings in the highest quality ever recorded. Taken from the original LP “Invite You To A Night At The Budokan” (Marc Records TQ-76059) Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan 1st April 1976 (59:20) 1. Bohemian Rhapsody (tape & rock part) 2. Flick Of The Wrist 3. Hangman 4. Brighton Rock incl. Guitar Solo 5. Son And Daughter (reprise) 6. Seven Seas Of Rhye * 7. Father To Son 8. Doing All Right * 9. Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon *　 10. Keep Yourself Alive 11. Now I’m Here 12. See What A Fool I’ve Been 13. God Save The Queen * Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan 31st March 1976