FIRST AMERICAN TOUR
1 CDR
| Label: | Breakdown |
| Country: | Japan |
| Released: | January 2008 |
| Recorded: | Live At Exposition Hall, Portland, Maine
USA April 28th. 1974 BBC session October 1977 |
| Sound: | VG+ live audience recording (US date), BBC session are in excellent stereo, best quality so far. |
| Comments: | A 'new' better source of the
Maine, USA 1974 concert. Previously released by 'Breakdown' label
on CDR ('Early Battle) in November 2006. This BBC
session is still un-released officially, but well known on various bootlegs. But, this time it's the BEST
sound so fare of this session available on bootleg. It's taken from "Concert Vault" web
page of live recordings. The first days this session was made available on this page, it's included 'I Go Crazy', which actually is b-side only of 1984 single 'Radio Ga Ga'. The track was removed from the web when this was pointed out to the editor of the page. The bootlegger hasn't knowledge of this, so the track is included as a BBC session, which of course is a fake. But, nevermind all in all this is a ok bootleg to get if you want the best recording of this two recording dates.. |
| Roots: | Portland concert is from a 'new' tape source, which newly has been spread around, The BBC session from 77 comes from 'Wolfgang's Vault' homepage. |
| Time: |
Front cover
| Intro:
Procession (tape) Father To Son Ogre Battle Son And Daughter See What a Fool I've Been Liar Keep Yourself Alive Modern Times Rock'n Roll Big Spender Bama Lama Bama Lou (Exposition Hall, Portland, Maine USA April 28th. 1974) It's Late Spread Your Wings My Melancholy Blues We Will Rock You (Fast & slow version,) I Go Crazy (b-side only of '84 single "Radio Ga Ga". Not a BBC session track) (Recorded At Maida Vale Studio, London UK October 28th 1977) |
Taken
from Wolfgang's Vault
This stunning audio recording made at Maida Vale Studios on October 28,
1977 (and broadcast on BBC Radio 1 two weeks later), has become one of the
most bootlegged Queen recordings ever. The idea to capture the band live
in a state-of-the-art broadcast recording studio was indeed a smart one,
since Queen’s success came from a combination of high-end, tech-driven
guitar wizardry and passionate musical performances.
Recorded right as their popular News of the World album was being
released, Queen during this time sounded as if Led Zeppelin had run smack
dab into Ziggy-era David Bowie while he was shopping for mascara in the
mall. The Zep influence is most apparent on the opening track, “It's
Late,” whose dreamy center is a direct rip-off of the Zeppelin interlude
in the center of “Whole Lotta Love.” Of course, Freddie Mercury’s
over-the-top showmanship was certainly influenced by the thin white duke,
but Queen was certainly an amazing band in its own right.
Queen wrote strong, melodramatic rock ’n’ roll songs; just take a
listen to “Spread Your Wings.” The familiar anathematic version of
“We Will Rock You” is followed by a fast, full band rock ’n’ roll
version. The band closes with “I Go Crazy,” their hard rock original,
not the classic James Brown R&B hit from the early ‘60s. It’s a
story about a guy who is frustrated when his groupie girlfriend runs off
with a myriad of rock stars. You’ve got to hand it to any band that
rocks the chorus, “I ain’t gonna see the Rolling Stones no more; I
ain’t gonna see Queen, no more.”
Tragically, most people know that Queen’s amazing career essentially
came to an end when Freddie Mercury became the first public rock star to
die of AIDS. The band did re-group with guitarist Brian May and
ex-Free/Bad Company vocalist Paul Rodgers as more of a tribute act, and
they have had a successful run as a touring group since 2004.
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