This is a Boxing Day tradition (a few days late this year) inspired by Led Zeppelin collectors that I hope people here have been enjoying. Here's my take on the best unofficial Queen recordings to emerge in 2012 (listed chronologically):
1) The Hague 12-8-74
For many years a tape from Queen's first show in their beloved Holland was rumoured to exist, and finally it emerged this year in the form of a CDR [ed. "CD"] distributed to all patrons at this year's Dutch Queen fan convention. It is a very good recording and performance, but unfortunately only one side of a 90 minute tape.
2) Yokohama 4-30-75 - source 2, "In Hama" (Tarantura)
This show was first heard on YouTube in 2010, but Tarantura released an alternate source this year. A day before the epic last night in Tokyo, this is a great show in its own right.
3) Tokyo 5-1-75 - source 6, "An Exceptional Legacy" (Wardour)
Plenty of sources exist from this very important show in the Queen canon, and while this one isn't the best of the bunch (that badge goes to Tarantura's "Young Nobles Of Rock," 2007) it is a worthy addition to the collection. The sound is clear and well balanced.
4) London 5-13-78 - upgrade
This show has been under-appreciated due to the average sounding recording that has made the rounds. The last show of the News Of The World tour is an excellent one, and Mercury delivers a particularly feisty version of White Man.
5) Toronto 12-3-78 - upgrade
In January this much-needed upgrade emerged from an old tape collection. It is about the same quality as most previous versions, but the higher quality copies all had 15 cuts in the tape. So this is now the longest and best-sounding version of the show available.
6) Oakland 12-16-78 - first gen
At long last, a confirmed and unaltered first gen tape of this wild show emerged in 2012. Few audiences on a 70s tape are as enthusiastic as this one, and the band turn in an excellent performance for them.
7) Zurich 11-23-80 - upgrade
The first show of the 1980 European tour has floated around for years, but a nearly excellent-sounding tape of the complete show came out this year. Mercury's voice isn't in as good shape as it'd be in a couple weeks, but it is still a great show with the first performance of Battle Theme from the Flash Gordon soundtrack.
8) Essen 11-29-80 - source 2, second gen
This source featuring the complete show has existed for years, but only a bad mp3 encoding made the rounds. The first ever (and lackluster) performance of The Hero is here, as well as an amusing moment after the first chorus of Tie Your Mother Down.
9) Tokyo 2-18-81 - source 2, "Finale" (Tarantura)
The last of the five Tokyo shows came out on the Tarantura label this year. It is an excellent recording of a great performance, with many rarities - Mercury hinting at The Millionaire Waltz before Play The Game, the longer Flash medley and Teo Torriatte as a third encore - one of the very few times (and the last time) post-1978 that Queen would play a song after We Are The Champions. The Tarantura recordings are always treated with compression, but this one still sounds excellent, unlike last year's releases of the 2-13-81 and 2-17-81 shows that are distorted as a result of their treatment.
10) Zurich 4-17-82 - source 2 master
This is one of the shortest Queen shows ever, and certainly not their best. But this audience tape is a very good-sounding alternate source and well worth a listen in comparison to the top notch shows from this month.
11/12) London 7-11/12-86 - audience recordings, "Wembley Stadium 1986" (Wardour)
Audience tapes of both Wembley shows came out on the Wardour label this year. The first night was an upgrade of an existing source, but the second night is a new and far superior source. Both are essential listening as comparisons to the official releases.
13) Frejus 7-30-86 - source 4
This is an excellent 1986 show, and this new audience source is by far the best of the four.
The Japanese DVD of the new documentary wasn't released until early this year. It contained some great extras, particularly the old Japanese TV footage from 1975. It's still the same footage of the press conference, picnic, and three songs from the last night of the first Japanese tour - but in broadcast quality for the first time.
2) New 1977/79 footage
At this year's UK and Czech fan conventions, unseen 1977 (Earls Court) and 1979 (Paris and Tokyo) footage was shown to the patrons. The Paris footage has apparently not aged well, but the Earls Court and Tokyo material looked like it was filmed yesterday.
3) Budapest 7-27-86 - blu-ray, CD
For various reasons the complete video footage of the classic Budapest show couldn't be included on this year's blu-ray release, but luckily the complete show was released on CD.
vivaqueen · Member since
merci beaucoup for your work and information
Gregsynth · Member since
Oh come on! The Essen version of "The Hero" is fantastic! It's in the original key ;)
Hangman_96 · Member since
Thanks for this list, Bob!
[QUOTE] [b]The Real Wizard wrote:[/b]
3) Budapest 7-27-86 - blu-ray, CD
For various reasons the complete video footage of the classic Budapest show couldn't be included on this year's blu-ray release, but luckily the complete show was released on CD.
[/QUOTE]
Do you think the complete video footage is really lost, or is it just hidden somewhere?
I'd say ALMOST complete on CD. They've left us with a few cuts :-)
on my way up · Member since
Once again: fantastic list of the great things 2012 had to offer for us Queenfans:-)
Great stuff...
thefallenqueen · Member since
don't be afraid, the remaining Budpast tracks will be included in the extended bluray re-release next year... smells like QPL policy :-(
Hangman_96 · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]thefallenqueen wrote:[/b]
don't be afraid, the remaining Budpast tracks will be included in the extended bluray re-release next year... smells like QPL policy :-([/QUOTE]
Where was that mentioned?
earwig · Member since
"Where was that mentioned?"
I think he was being ironic ;-)
Hangman_96 · Member since
Ha, I see.
Ghostwithasmile is BACK! · Member since
The The Hague cd we' got at our convention was a pressed silver cd. A bootleg made by the fanclub with permission of QPL. 300 were made 250 for the first 250 ticket reservations and 50 vip packages.
Gaabiizz · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]Lostman wrote:[/b]
Thanks for this list, Bob!
[QUOTE] [b]The Real Wizard wrote:[/b]
3) Budapest 7-27-86 - blu-ray, CD
For various reasons the complete video footage of the classic Budapest show couldn't be included on this year's blu-ray release, but luckily the complete show was released on CD.
[/QUOTE]
Do you think the complete video footage is really lost, or is it just hidden somewhere?
I'd say ALMOST complete on CD. They've left us with a few cuts :-)[/QUOTE]
Even missing another release to Budapest, so be patient and good luck!
The Real Wizard · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]ghostwithasmile wrote:[/b]
The The Hague cd we' got at our convention was a pressed silver cd. A bootleg made by the fanclub with permission of QPL. 300 were made 250 for the first 250 ticket reservations and 50 vip packages.[/QUOTE]
Ah, so they're silvers... thanks for clarifying.
Interesting that QPL gave permission for this but won't release raw soundboard recordings for sale.
Ghostwithasmile is BACK! · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]The Real Wizard wrote:[/b]
[QUOTE] [b]ghostwithasmile wrote:[/b]
The The Hague cd we' got at our convention was a pressed silver cd. A bootleg made by the fanclub with permission of QPL. 300 were made 250 for the first 250 ticket reservations and 50 vip packages.[/QUOTE]
Ah, so they're silvers... thanks for clarifying.
Interesting that QPL gave permission for this but won't release raw soundboard recordings for sale.[/QUOTE]
Well you have to take a listnen to such a "dry soundboard" to know that it is below standard , even bootleg sound a lot better. And no (again) Sun City was NOT a dry soundboard recording...
5 shows were recorded and bootlegged recorded with semipro gear within the Super Bowl by a employer of the venue. Including the b/w video of this event...
Well after years finding a the Hague 74 bootleg anything can happen in 2013 I gues...
I got the Vippackage of the the hague bootleg and find it rather nice. Photo's can be seen on my FB
inu-liger · Member since
"And no (again) Sun City was NOT a dry soundboard recording... "
I have a hard time believing that o.O It sounds like a dry soundboard recording to my ears, it has so many details in the mix usually lost in most all audience recordings!
