Description
Four years ago, the huge amount of studio recordings that Art Collins, who was the vice president of Rolling Stones Records, received on the side of his job were leaked, but of course he also had copies of live recordings. The proof of this is the highly popular “TEMPE 1981: RUFF MIXES,” which is now on sale, but he also had a stereo soundboard of a live performance in 1981… and this was a very famous day. “Hampton” is such a classic that Stones enthusiasts can tell which live performance it was without even having to mention the year or date, but the reason it has become so popular among enthusiasts is because the live broadcast on the day was realized. It was not only on TV, but also on FM so that even homes that could not receive TV audio in stereo at the time could enjoy the audio in stereo. As a result, the sound quality of the single LP “GRAND FINALE” recorded on FM and the SODD-made “HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEITH” was superior, but the three-disc LP “TWENTY FLIGHT ROCK” and the VGP version of the same name, which were based on long-time TV audio recordings such as the state after the performance, were more popular. However, the standard sound board that has been popular with enthusiasts seemed to have finished its role when the official release was realized 10 years ago. Collins also owned such a Hampton sound source. Unlike the previous Tempe, this is a valuable sound source that has not been available on the Internet, let alone among traders, and was exclusively obtained for this release. The cassette he owned had a disclaimer “LIVE BROADCAST”. Naturally, it contained the sound of the live broadcast version broadcast on TV and FM, but when it was played, the content was a commotion. As enthusiasts know, TV broadcasts show the scenes from the dressing room and backstage, and FM broadcasts include announcements. However, neither of these are included in Collins’ tape, and the recording is made before the opening song “A Train” plays. Furthermore, when the song starts, the live broadcast team checks the volume balance, and even the familiar Bill Graham, who was the opening announcer, checks the microphone. I think that even from this alone you can understand the nature of this sound source, but what he owned was an audio tape that recorded a live broadcast that did not go through TV or FM! Of course, the unique balance that was noticeable in the first and second half of the live performance in Hampton, where “Ronnie starts playing and Keith is pushed away,” is the same. And yet, the scene where Chuck Berry’s “School Days” is played at the venue after the show is longer than the TV version. And above all, the sound quality is outstandingly natural and superb. Four years ago, the good sound quality of all the studio sound sources owned by Collins was a hot topic among enthusiasts, and that high quality is still alive and well this time. The super clear and natural sound quality is overwhelming, blowing away not only TV broadcasts but even FM broadcasts, which were praised by enthusiasts for their high sound quality. It’s at a level where it could be released as an official live album as it is, and finally, a super high-quality live broadcast version of Hampton has appeared that makes even “GRAND FINALE” unnecessary. The official Hampton caused a big stir when it was released 10 years ago, but after more than 10 years have passed since that excitement, the finish is refined and different from the broadcast at that time…it even seems to be a flashy sound processing. Thanks to this, the Hampton owned by Collins this time sounds extremely natural and fresh, which is ironic. If you release Hampton in such a natural state, you can only have a feeling that it will become a material for fan remixes and demixes (laughs). However, since Collins only owned two cassettes, there were some cuts. To compensate for that, the official sound was adjusted and patched, but “GRAF ZEPPELIN” thoroughly worked on the work. It is in such an excellent condition that even he said, “There was almost nothing else to do.” Thus, the live broadcast version of Hampton, which was thought to have been officially swept away at one time, has unexpectedly been reinstated in 2024. There are no replacements that were made there, and even the broadcast noise that comes in as soon as Keith and Ronnie start singing “Jumping Jack Flash” should be nostalgic for enthusiasts. The original was the best stereo soundboard recording, but this time it is the height of clearness and naturalness. Hampton now? No, this is Hampton in its raw form! Remastered data transferred from the original cassette at 96kHz-32bit. With a very wide range of natural sound, you can enjoy a flat sound that is very different from the gingin sound of the official CD. There are no particular instruments that stand out, and the sound is very well balanced, so EQ processing is kept to a minimum. There were three missing parts, so the official audio was EQ-corrected to bring it closer to the texture of the main sound source this time, and careful compensation was made. Because the original mixing balance and tone are different, there are some changes at the joints, but if you listen normally, you can enjoy it without any discomfort. Unlike past videos, the intro (A Train) at the beginning seems to have been recorded firmly in this version, with the audience microphones at the live venue and the actual sound on stage. In other words, there is no overlapping sound from the dressing room (backstage) like in videos and some CDs. The two cuts are probably due to some channels being turned off, but the audience microphone sounds positioned on the left and right seem to be on, so it doesn’t seem like a tape cut. The SE after the Star Spangled Banner at the end is also about 10 seconds longer than the VGP version. Live at Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA, USA 18th December 1981 STEREO SBD(from Original Masters) Taken from the original cassette tapes belonged to Art Collins Disc 1 (77:29) 01. Take The A Train 02. Under My Thumb 03. When The Whip Comes Down 04. Let’s Spend The Night Together 05. Shattered 06. Neighbors 07. Black Limousine 08. Just My Imagination 09. Twenty Flight Rock 10. Going To A Go Go 11. Let Me Go 12. Time Is On My Side 13. Beast Of Burden 14. Waiting On A Friend 15. Let It Bleed Disc 2 (69:56) 01. You Can’t Always Get What You Want 02. Band Introductions 03. Little T & A 04. Tumbling Dice 05. She’s So Cold 06. Hang Fire 07. Miss You 08. Honky Tonk Women 09. Brown Sugar 10. Start Me Up 11. Jumping Jack Flash 12. Satisfaction 13. The Star Spangled Banner STEREO SOUNDBOARD RECORDING
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