Scorpions/Tokyo,Japan 1979 & more

The long-awaited release of the official high-quality soundboard sound source CD of the performance at Nakano Sun Plaza in Tokyo on June 5, 1979, from the world tour that the newly reborn SCORPIONS went on after the release of “LOVEDRIVE” with Matthias Japs, has been decided! Various titles of FM air check sound sources of this day have been released in the past, but the quality of this work, which sweeps them all away, is undoubtedly the best ever! After the first performance in Japan in 1978, SCORPIONS encountered an unprecedented crisis when virtuoso Uli Jon Roth, who built an era in the band, left the band. The band auditioned many guitarists, but could not find a player who was “this!” compared to Uli, so they decided to “provisionally hire” Matthias Japs from Hannover for the time being and produce a new album following “TAKEN BY FORCE”. Michael Schenker, who had left UFO, returned to his old band, SCORPIONS, in the middle of the production process, and Michael recorded guitar solos on the album’s title track “Lovedrive,” as well as “Another Piece Of Meat” and “Coast To Coast” (some say he also played on “Holyday” and “Loving You Sunday Morning”). With Michael, a former member of the band who was close to Klaus Meine and had excellent playing skills, Matthias’ “probationary employment” was cancelled. In February 1979, the band announced Michael’s return and a new album, “LOVEDRIVE.” They set off on a tour of Europe, including their native Germany. However, Michael, who was tired of touring with UFO at this time, was unable to adapt to the tour with SCORPIONS, and left the band again about a month into the tour, disappointing Rudolf, Klaus and others. Still, the band had to continue touring, so they quickly called back Matthias, who had been rejected at one point, and this time he joined as the official guitarist, and they made it through the UK tour in May. Thanks to Matthias’s performance, who fit in better than expected, the band regained momentum and embarked on their second Japan tour, consisting of five shows from June 3rd to 8th. The recordings included in this work are from the third show in Japan, the first day of a three-day live performance in Tokyo. The recordings from this day were broadcast on FM by Far East Broadcasting, and air check recordings have long been known as a standard. The recordings that appear this time are based on the master before the broadcast, and the sound quality, with almost no deterioration over time, was undeniably excellent at the material stage. However, the original master gave the impression that the treble was a little too high, so this was alleviated in the remaster, and sound quality correction was performed to enhance the ease of listening and the quality of the stereo separated material. This official mix, based on the premise of “listening to music,” and the live sound that captures each player’s performance with outstanding clarity, make this album the ’79 version of “TOKYO TAPES”! The opening, which features three classic songs from the Uri era, “Pictured Life,” “Backstage Queen,” and “We’ll Burn The Sky,” is a great listen. Matthias’ guitar at the time is a step behind Uri’s, but the team play woven by the entire band, centered around Rudolf’s guitar, creates a very cohesive band sound. The new songs from “LOVEDRIVE,” which are featured in four consecutive songs from “Loving You Sunday Morning” to “Always Somewhere,” give the impression of a new SCORPIONS image leading up to the ’80s, and Matthias’ playing fits in well here. Klaus’s voice was hard before his voice and singing changed to a milder tone, and his singing on “We’ll Burn The Sky”, “Lovedrive” and “Another Piece Of Meat” is overwhelming. The highlight of this recording is the medley of “Life’s Like A River” and “Fly To The Rainbow” in the second half. The former has a Japanese title of “Life is Like a River” and is one of the most popular songs on the 3rd album “IN TRANCE”. However, this tour is the only one where a decent live take remains, even though it is a melodic number that represents the early SCORPIONS. The flow from the heavy sound to “Fly To The Rainbow” is also excellent, and this will pique the interest of even fans who are only interested in the Uri era. The recording time of the main part is about 53 minutes, which is just over half of the actual live performance, and unfortunately it is not a complete recording, but it covers the classic songs from the Uri era, including the new songs, and there is almost no sense of inadequacy. Right up to the last song, “Can’t Get Enough,” the listener can listen to SCORPIONS’ performance with sufficient density and concentration (the complete version of the day can be heard on the audience recording “DAYS OF DRIVE.” If you are interested in SCORPIONS in ’79, this work is also recommended). As a nice bonus, this work includes another line sound source of “Lovedrive” performed on the same day, which was produced for the B-side of the single, as well as three songs recorded on the first “Monsters Of Rock” on August 16, 1980, “Loving You Sunday Morning,” “The Zoo,” and “Another Piece Of Meat,” all of which are additionally recorded as soundboard sound sources. Although “Lovedrive” was performed on the same day, the texture and mix are very different from the sound source recorded in the main part, making it a rare take that is very interesting to compare. The three songs on “Monsters Of Rock” have hardly been seen recently, so fans who have not heard them will be happy. Of course, all the tracks have been remastered to the latest version, and compared to the previous similar takes, the listening experience and ease of listening have been greatly improved. After Matthias joined the band, the ’79 tour was a full-scale tour not only in Europe but also in the United States, so there are excellent soundboard recordings from the Reading Festival in August and the Chicago performance in November. However, line sources of this quality are limited in the history of SCORPIONS collector’s items, and these days it can be summed up as “rare!”. This work, which contains the passionate performance of a young band and a transitional set list including rare songs with the best sound quality, is almost at a level that could be officially released as it is! The “LOVEDRIVE” and “ANIMAL MAGNETISM” tours immediately after Matthias joined the band are honestly a modest period in the band’s history, but this work should be an important one that will throw a stone into that image. The CD, which presents the entire work with valuable soundboard recordings for about 75 minutes including bonuses, is a luxurious gem that fans cannot afford to miss! Live at Nakano Sunplaza, Tokyo, Japan 5th June 1979 STEREO SBD 1. Intro. 2. Pictured Life 3. Backstage Queen 4. We’ll Burn The Sky 5. Loving You Sunday Morning 6. Lovedrive 7. Is There Anybody There 8. Always Somewhere 9. Life’s Like A River 10. Fly To The Rainbow 11. Another Piece Of Meat 12. Can’t Get Enough Love 13. drive (Single Live Version) Monsters Of Rock Festival, Castle Donington, UK 16th August 1980 14. Loving You Sunday Morning 15. The Zoo 16. Another Piece Of Meat STEREO SOUNDBOARD RECORDING Klaus Meine – Vocals Rudolf Schenker – Rhythm Guitars Matthias Jabs – Lead Guitars Francis Buchholz – Bass Herman Rarebell – Drums