QueenZone discussion #1183447

Taken from the readme file Band   : Queen Venue : Ahoy Hall, Rotterdam, The Netherlands Date    : 30. January 1979 Lineage : Source 1 : AUD > master tape > WAV > CD(x) > WAV > Cool Edit Pro (hiss reduction, speed correction, equalisation) > WAV (*) Source 2 : AUD > ? > CD(x) > WAV > remastering (click removal, equalisation) > WAV (**) Tracklist : Disc 1  1. We Will Rock You (fast) (* / **)  2. Let Me Entertain You (* / **)  3. Somebody To Love (*)  4. Fat Bottomed Girls (*)  5. Death On Two Legs (*)  6. Killer Queen (*)  7. Bicycle Race (*)  8. I'm In Love With My Car (*)  9. Get Down, Make Love (* / **) 10. You're My Best Friend (*) Disc 2  1. Now I'm Here (* / **)  2. Don't Stop Me Now (*)  3. Spread Your Wings (*)  4. Dreamers Ball (* / **)  5. Love Of My Life (*)  6. '39 (*)  7. It's Late (*)  8. Brighton Rock (cut) (*)   Length : 85:34 What the f* ? Somebody dares to boo when they here that "This next song comes from "News Of The World" ? :-) A very nice gig again, like all the gigs from Ahoy, but unfortunately a pretty bad quality (again like all the gigs from Ahoy). The beginning of Spread Your Legs is musically very interesting, the same goes for all Brian's work today. Two different sources appeared during the years, the first one in only "good +" quality and usually distributed with 2 last tracks (Champions and GSTQ) from a different concert, probably from the 80's. The second source comes from a master, but still is incomplete and I would rate it as "Very Good / very good -". The "alternate master" has many strange problems. For example for some strange reason the taper though it's a good idea to tell us where it was recorded DURING WWRY fast. There are also many small cuts (all of them are a few seconds long), and a couple of "microcuts" long only a couple of miliseconds ! The recording is full of hiss and disc 1 runs terribly fast (disc 2 runs "almost" correct). Also the length of the recording (cca 83 minutes) is strange - if he used a 90 min tape which ran too fast, where is the rest ? Or did the taper transfer his master tape not carefully enough ? Or was it simply damaged during the years ? Hard to say. Well since I consider myself a "perfectionist" (or a madman, as some would say) I thought this concert definitely needs a 2-source mix. For most of the concert I've used the master copy, with the hiss carefully removed and restoring the original tape speed. I have also filled the gaps with the common source (including the speech during WWRY). I have kept all the cuts shorter then 1 second simply because the common source is in such a bad shape that I couldn't find the correct segments. But for now it's probably the best representation of this gig.

on my way up wrote: Thanks. I've been in contact with the person who taped this show(the one from the mastertape). He sent me the cassette(and told me it's his master). The cassette sounds identical(with the hiss) to the version you used for this upload, Peter. At first I thought it was a different source from about the same length because the taper told me he had never distributed his tape. When I received it(actually a bit earlier because I spoke about it with Harry, who had a good experience with the fellow) I found out it wasn't true because he had been in contact with Harry previously(that's when the transfer we can enjoy here was done). I must say that was pretty disappointing! I sent him an email with my observations but he never replied... Anyway, this is brilliant stuff. Check out Bob's comments on his site. Especially this version of 'It's late' is great, with the best solo I've ever heard from Brian. The confidence and precision with which he played that evening are one of a kind. I also adore his guitar work in Spread your wings and his solo in Killer Queen and Death on two legs and.... :-) The Dutch always made sure they gave the band a great night, with their typical enthusiastic behaviour. A pity there are no great recordings for the seventies Rotterdam gigs:-(

pittrek wrote:

  on my way up wrote:       Thanks. I've been in contact with the person who taped this show(the one from the mastertape). He sent me the cassette(and told me it's his master). The cassette sounds identical(with the hiss) to the version you used for this upload, Peter. At first I thought it was a different source from about the same length because the taper told me he had never distributed his tape. When I received it(actually a bit earlier because I spoke about it with Harry, who had a good experience with the fellow) I found out it wasn't true because he had been in contact with Harry previously(that's when the transfer we can enjoy here was done). I must say that was pretty disappointing! I sent him an email with my observations but he never replied... Anyway, this is brilliant stuff. Check out Bob's comments on his site. Especially this version of 'It's late' is great, with the best solo I've ever heard from Brian. The confidence and precision with which he played that evening are one of a kind. I also adore his guitar work in Spread your wings and his solo in Killer Queen and Death on two legs and.... :-)       The Dutch always made sure they gave the band a great night, with their typical enthusiastic behaviour. A pity there are no great recordings for the seventies Rotterdam gigs:-(      

So it's you who brought it to public ? Thanks a lot :-)  Well it looks like there are more strange things about the alternate master, maybe the taper could post his oppinion ? If not, it of course doesn't matter, we can be VERY glad that we have at least this ! So huge thanks to the taper + Raf, and a small request - could some "Dutchman" find the time and translate the review from QueenLive ?

Harry_queenbootlegs wrote: You did again a very well job, Mister Pittrek! :-) Thanks for this one. I was actually very surprised when I heard a story that the taper of the Rotterdam master shared his tape again and saying he never shared it before! I lost contact with him a few years ago, but it is strange as he was always very trustable to me and he looked very precise in the things he did. Off topic: The taper was also the one who shared the Houston 1977 video copy when it was (I'm quite sure about it) no where else available yet for the ''public'' traders..it was big time news. Short after, other versions came around (such as versions without the lines in the screen) as the first one had the lines in the screen.

ruth.olivier wrote: Nice share !! I'm very happy with that, thanks a lot dear Pittrek ! Regards, Olivier, Belgium.

Harry_queenbootlegs wrote: Yes, Mister Pittrek. I'm talking about the original ''green'' version, the first one. I got it from the taper too (I first got Houston and then later he said he also had an audience master tape of Rotterdam 1979). He told me that he recorded the whole Rottedam show, but he lost his second cassette tape. He said that Queen played ''If You Can't Beat Them'' on the second night (a bit late in the set), but I'm of course not sure if that's true. So the Rotterdam taper shared Houston in 2004 on a VHS video tape and he said he had it already for a couple of years at his home!

Harry_queenbootlegs wrote: He said that Queen played ''If You Can't Beat Them'' on the second night (a bit late in the set), but I'm of course not sure if that's true.

Hi darkorian, Indeed, this one is missing. Good find. It is on my HD and I will add this one to version 8 which will be shared later this year. Thanks for letting me know (also in the private message). darkorian1 wrote: Hi Bokkepoot!! I think this concert (30-01-1979) is not on your database v7..., is it? Thanks...