The Who/CA,USA 1971 Master Analogue Tape Upgrade Edition

Released by a legendary label, "Closer to Queen Mary" is a classic recording of The Who's 1971 US tour, which has been repeatedly reissued and even spawned numerous copies. As with previous audience recordings, Dub Taylor of the same label used his usual setup of a Sennheiser shotgun microphone on a woofer. The recording's distinctly distant sound image is perhaps a defining feature. This is no surprise, as Dub, who normally doesn't do drugs, took some cocaine from a friend who accompanied him to the show (it was America in 1971, after all), and it's now been revealed that he was so high he literally lost track of the microphone. While this is only a TMOQ recording, it certainly ranks among the top audience recordings from The Who's 1971 tour. This is perhaps why it has spawned numerous reissues and copies since its release in early 1972. The aforementioned "CLOSER TO QUEEN MARY" was released based on this dub mono audience recording, but in order to fit on one LP, only the first half of the live performance was included. However, the dub recording was fully recorded throughout. In the late 1990s, a full-length version of this dub recording was unearthed, and the nostalgic Killing Floor "CLOSER TO QUEEN MARY" was released with a design that resembled the old TMOQ stamp cover. For enthusiasts, finally hearing the complete version of the nostalgic TMOQ recording was a huge impact. However, after the Killing Floor release, the actual recording was never released. In fact, it fell into obscurity, and perhaps no other recording has been more eagerly awaited by enthusiasts than this one. Meanwhile, an overseas enthusiast has offered up the master dub recording for "CLOSER TO..."! The Killing Floor version, released during the cassette trade era, sounds noticeably rougher and thinner than this new version. It's likely based on a trade version that had been dubbed two or three times onto cassette. This new version, recorded directly from the dub master, offers a completely different depth and clarity. This is the kind of quality only a master could achieve. The Killing Floor version, which boasts a long history and has been beloved by enthusiasts, including its packaging, has finally reached the point where it's time to retire. The crowd was rowdy from the very start of the show, and Roger couldn't hide his confusion at the sight of such a loud crowd. Pete, fed up with the situation, finally shouted at the audience, "Shut up, everyone, standing, sitting, and lying down! This is what a rock concert is all about!" This Pete scream scene opens the official "MAXIMUM R&B" box set, but it was dropped from the TMOQ LP, even including scratch noises. This scene was another one of the incidents that made "CLOSER TO QUEEN MARY" a masterpiece. Ironically, the Who's performance only heightened rather than simmered. The Pete-led improvisation of "Bargain" and the long, high-energy rendition of "Baby Don't You Do It," which made its comeback on this tour for the first time since the 1960s, are also impressive. And the highlight is "Magic Bus." This Long Beach performance, just before the San Francisco show, is currently included on the Super Deluxe Edition of the official "WHO'S NEXT" album, but the performance is so explosive it's practically irrelevant. Pete's repeated, bizarre cries are especially incredible! Indeed... it's a shame this spectacular performance wasn't included on the LP. The high energy of this day is sure to be overwhelming, and the master recording has finally been upgraded! Master Analogue Tape Upgrade Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, CA, USA 10th December 1971 TRULY AMAZING/PERFECT SOUND(from Original Masters) Disc:1 (64:33) 1. I Can't Explain 2. Substitute 3. Summertime Blues 4. My Wife 5. Baba O'Riley 6. Bargain 7. Behind Blue Eyes 8. Won't Get Fooled Again 9. Baby Don't You Do It Disc:2 (59:48) 1. Magic Bus 2. Overture 3. Amazing Journey 4. Sparks 5. Pinball Wizard 6. See Me, Feel Me 7. My Generation 8. Naked Eye