Rainbow/Tokyo,Japan 1980 Truly Perfect Sound

I have to talk about some details from now on. However, what I want to say is quite simple. As the title suggests, “If you’re looking for Budokan in 1980, this is it!” With that in mind, let me explain in detail why this is the first choice… First of all, do you know about the legendary Kinney LP “SOLITARY TRAVELER”? This is an analog bootleg containing the finest audience recording of “May 12, 1980 Budokan”, which is lauded as “one of the best performances” in RAINBOW’s history. This work is a reprint of the original master cassette that produced the famous masterpiece. Of course, it is neither an LP nor a copy of a CD released on the same day. The actual original cassette that directly breathes in the atmosphere of the scene. This is RAINBOW ‘80’s major live album that directly digitizes it! Speaking of “May 12, 1980 at Budokan,” it was the final day of the Budokan performance in Japan with the strongest lineup, including Graham Bonnet. Although it is now, let’s review the entire schedule of 1980. ・May 8th: Nippon Budokan ・May 9th: Nippon Budokan 《2 days off》 ・May 12th: Nippon Budokan [this work] ・May 13th: Osaka Festival Hall ・May 14th: Osaka Festival Hall – May 15th: Osaka Festival Hall As you can see, in 1980 RAINBOW performed live for three days each at Budokan and Osaka Festival Hall. This performance in Japan features star players called “the strongest RAINBOW”, and all of them, including Ritchie Blackmore, are in great condition. All six performances are full of great performances, but the four-day consecutive performance from “May 12th Budokan” to “May 15th Osaka Festival Hall” with an off period in between is considered by some enthusiasts as the “miraculous four.” It is also called “Made in Japan” (due to the same venue as DEEP PURPLE’s first visit to Japan), and it is even said that “If we had made a live album in these four days, it would have been RAINBOW’s “MADE IN JAPAN.” Among them, the final day of Budokan, where this work was recorded, is a famous performance that has been honored with the “best of the best”. Kinney’s LP “SOLITARY TRAVELER” is the one who played a key role in the performance, which is widely known for its great performance and has been handed down for many years. This recording is a famous record that clearly conveys the famous performances with outstanding sound, even though the entire schedule of the performances in Japan has been discovered. This work is a CD version of the original cassette master using the latest digital technology. In fact, I was very impressed even from the opening of this work, “Pomp and Dang.” It is clear and ideally recorded from treble to bass, and the bass sound that spreads through the Budokan venue is also wonderful. I don’t know how many times, dozens, or hundreds of times I’ve listened to this recording, but its freshness is something I’ve never heard before. The derivative version of the same recording “INNOCENT VICTIMS COMPLETE” was also quite good, but the freshness of the original cassette is different. The rawness of the on-site sound, the sound full of the texture of analog recording… Good job, good job, this is what has sealed the atmosphere of the work site for 35 years. Moreover, because he is the Oomoto master, the place name MC of “Tokyo!!”, which was erased in some previous releases, such as “ON TOUR 1980 – ALL NIGHT LONG”, is also perfect. Mastering was done carefully, including noise removal, but we did not destroy the original sound with equalization, and carefully reproduced the analog feel of the original cassette itself. Furthermore, there is another special in this work that is different from the previous ones. The last parts of “Catch The Rainbow” and “Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll”, which were missing in the previous “SOLITARY TRAVELLER” and its derivative titles, are supplemented with the Miracle Man recording of the same live, making it a complete version of the show. I finished it. In the first place, the missing recording of “SOLITARY TRAVELLER” is about 15 seconds after the end of “Catch The Rainbow” and 1 minute 45 seconds of the last of “Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll”. Most of it is the cheering part, but it was painful that the last fine performance of “Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll” was dropped for about 7 seconds. Although it is at most 7 seconds worth of musical notes, because it is missing, it warps to “Kill The King” with Shirikiri Tombo’s “huh?”. It felt very strange, and before I knew it, it was the second encore. This drawback was the same not only for derivative discs from “SOLITARY TRAVELLER” but also for the previously released “GIGANTIC EXPLOSION” etc. that used that part for compensation. However, in this work, in addition to those 7 seconds, the subsequent 1 minute and 30 seconds of waiting for the encore and the gaps after “Catch The Rainbow” are well reproduced, allowing you to listen to the show as being completely connected. Since it was a 1980 tour where even the show structure was perfectly constructed, the difference in this seamless mood was really big, and even a natural flow was added to the traditional Daimyo recording. A legendary performance revived in its original sound and complete form. On the first day of the Japan tour, “May 8th”, I was hampered by the equipment (keyboard settings, PA balance, etc.), but from the second day, “May 9th”, I started to show my true potential, and on the third day. In this work, the tension remains high, and the level of perfection of the performance has also improved. I don’t know if they were excited about Japan’s reaction, or because they had a day off, or if they got fired up on the last day in Tokyo, but they also played “Blues” and “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow,” which they didn’t have in the previous two days. Both Graham and Richie were on a roll from beginning to end. I can’t complain about any song or moment. RAINBOW went into high gear on the last day of Budokan, and with that momentum, they entered the Osaka Festival Hall for three days, and ran through the “miraculous four days.” It was the start of the “miraculous four days” that was even said to be “RAINBOW’s MADE IN JAPAN.” There were a lot of detailed discussions about what had already been released, what was missing, the number of songs, etc. However, as I wrote at the beginning, what I would like to say is, “If you’re looking for Budokan in 1980, this is the place to go!” Even with a rainbow-colored history full of turbulence, we will deliver to you this weekend a famous record that will become a winning candidate if you hold the “top recording competition”! Live at Budokan, Tokyo, Japan 12th May 1980 TRULY PERFECT SOUND(from Original Masters) Disc 1 (39:30) 1. Land Of Hope And Glory 2. Countdown Intro. 3. Eyes Of The World 4. Love’s No Friend 5. Since You Been Gone 6. Over The Rainbow 7. Man On The Silver Mountain 8. Catch The Rainbow Disc 2 (57:54) 1. Keyboard Solo 2. Lost In Hollywood 3. Guitar Solo 4. Beethoven 9th 5. Keyboard Solo 6 . Drums Solo feat. 1812 Overture 7. Guitar Solo 8. Lazy 9. All Night Long 10. Blues 11. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow 12. Member Introduction 13. Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll 14. Kill The King 15. Long Live Rock ‘N’ Roll(reprise) 16. Over The Rainbow Ritchie Blackmore – Guitar Graham Bonnet – Vocal Roger Glover – Bass Don Airey – Keyboard Cozy Powell – Drums