Rolling Stones/Netherlands 05.30.1976 Upgrade

The Rolling Stones' 1976 Hague concert, held twice, had always been limited to the first day since the analog era, but 15 years ago, the second day's audience recording was suddenly unearthed. While the first day was a stereo recording, this one was a mono recording, but the surprisingly good sound quality, including the large, close-up sound image, delighted enthusiasts. The previously unseen '76 recording alone was enough to excite enthusiasts, and the excellent sound quality led to the emergence of many items. These include the non-label "HAGUE 1976," SODD's "SUNDAY IN THE PARK," and DAC's "FAKE AND SHAVED," and many enthusiasts likely own one of these. However, when the sound source first appeared, these items were released in a competitive fashion, resulting in each release having some issues. This is especially true for the 1976 vintage audience. The most noticeable issue was the misalignment of stereo positioning, which tends to occur when vintage mono audio recordings like this are released over time. The problem of a significant right-side shift in what should have been a mono recording was ignored in almost all of these items. (The DAC version wasn't as bad, with Disc 1 only slightly to the right.) This recording, while mono, had a distinct, well-defined sound even when listened to on headphones, making it even more pronounced. Yet, since the heated release battle in 2011, the items have remained untouched to this day. It would be a shame to let the second day of The Hague 76, which boasts such easy listening, remain like this. Therefore, GRAF ZEPPELIN, a master of mono audio restoration, carefully adjusted the problem. For the reasons mentioned above, the difference is obvious when listening with headphones, and this version is clearly easier to hear. Of course, it's common practice to supplement cuts like "Honky Tonk Women" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want" with other audio sources. This same cut issue was also present on "Midnight Rambler" and "Street Fighting Man," and only the DAC version had it repaired. However, the cuts were subtle, occurring between riffs. Therefore, the DAC version compensated for this by copying and pasting from a different part of the riff rather than filling in the gaps with a different source—a fake process. It's true that this approach provides a smoother listening experience, and this same pattern was followed for this release of "GRAF ZEPPELIN." Not only that, but the uneven volume in the first half of the live performance, which had been overlooked in previous releases, along with the sound bias, has been thoroughly adjusted this time, resulting in undoubtedly the most listenable performance ever. The performance was truly excellent on this day. Compared to the Earl's Court performances held consecutive nights up until a few days prior, the cohesion and power of the performance were clearly improved. Listening to "Hey Negrita" in particular, the funky, thick groove that truly embodies 1976 is truly a delight to hear. This recording should be reevaluated as a sound source that captures the band's impressive scale-up ahead of the crucial days in Paris on this tour. While still retaining the monophonic solidity, it also has a fresh, clear sound that is a major attraction. Originally, when this recording first appeared, it should have been released with the aforementioned issues resolved. Here's why GRAF ZEPPELIN has now decided to reconsider this recording. This is the final version of the second day of the 76th The Hague performance! The phase, which was significantly biased to the right on the previous version, has been corrected, and several missing sections have been filled in. The supplementary sound source is the same as the previous release, so it has a noisy texture, but that can't be helped at the moment. Zuiderparkstadion, The Hague, Netherlands 30th May 1976 TRULY PERFECT SOUND UPGRADE!!! Disc 1 (51:46) 01. Honky Tonk Women ★1:23-3:03 supplemented 02. If You Can't Rock Me / Get Off Of My Cloud 03. Hand Of Fate 04. Hey Negrita 05. Ain't Too Proud To Beg 06. Fool To Cry 07. Hot Stuff 08. Star Star 09. You Gotta Move ★3:17 onwards supplemented 10. You Can't Always Get What You Want ★0:00-0:22 / 1:37-1:41 / 9:18 onwards supplemented Disc 2 (43:21) 01. Band Introduction ★0:00-0:21 Filled in 02. Happy 03. Tumbling Dice 04. Nothing From Nothing 05. Outa Space 06. Midnight Rambler ★Around 10:55 Fake processing similar to DAC 07. It's Only Rock'n Roll ★Cut-in 08. Brown Sugar 09. Jumping Jack Flash 10. Street Fighting Man ★Around 2:39 Fake processing similar to DAC The DAC version compensated for this by copying and pasting a riff from another part of the album, which is more natural and easier to listen to than filling in with a separate sound source. It's certainly true that this method provides a smoother listening experience, and this pattern has been followed for this release of "GRAF ZEPPELIN." Not only that, but the uneven volume in the first half of the live performance, which was often overlooked in previous releases, has also been thoroughly adjusted this time, resulting in undoubtedly the most listenable album ever. Mick Jagger - Vocals Keith Richards - Guitar, Vocals Ron Wood - Guitar Bill Wyman - Bass Charlie Watts - Drums Ian Stewart - Piano Billy Preston - Keyboards, Vocals Ollie E. Brown - Percussion, Drums, Vocal