Description
Taken from the original U.S. 8 Track Tape(RSO TP-2-8800) *Mint/Sealed Copy
[A rare and vintage 8-track cartridge tape reissue]
　Eric Clapton is currently performing, and to commemorate this, we are reissuing rare items from his time with Derek and the Dominos, which was one of the peaks of his career! This is the first time in a long time that we have done a “vintage reissue project” that was well received in our store before.
　This time, we obtained a very rare and excellent condition US-made 8-track cartridge tape (unopened!) of their live masterpiece “In Concert” released in 1973, and made it into a CD. This 8-track cartridge tape was a very rare format that was only released at the time (Japanese karaoke sets and listening systems for trucks at the time were also in this format, and both the equipment and software were sold). At the time, it was developed as a system for listening in cars, where a cassette called a cartridge was inserted into the car stereo’s socket and the tape started to play. However, since it was a structure unique to this format, it was divided into four programs, and it was a rare format in which the parts were divided and recorded separately within the song (each part fades out and in). In this work, there are parts in the songs Let It Rain and Blues Power / Have You Ever Loved a Woman that fade out and in (Let It Rain is divided right during the drum solo, so it doesn’t feel strange). It
　was a very rare medium, and when you listen to it, you think, “Huh?”, but despite the unusual medium, the sound quality is not to be underestimated. The specifications of 8-track tapes are that the tape itself is wider than cassette tapes, and therefore the allowance for recording audio information is wider, so some titles are recorded with surprisingly high sound quality. This seems to be one of them, and although it is analog, it has outstanding high sound quality (you won’t understand this unless you listen to it).
　Particularly notable are the end of the drum solo at 4:56 in Let It Rain on Disc 2-1 and the moment when the group returns from the drum solo at 5:12. In the former, you can hear Clapton say “Yeah!” in the background of the drum solo. In the latter, you can hear Clapton say “Hey, yo!” at the moment the performance resumes. These are things that have never been heard on any high-quality format (MFSL, etc.). As expected from an 8-track!
　Moreover, this cartridge is unopened and has not deteriorated at all over the years. The tape holder (the sponge that supports the tape from the back) is in excellent condition, so the tape runs extremely stable, and the “sound bleeding from other tracks in silent parts” that was common in tape media at the time is quite small, making this an incredibly high-quality product. As symbolized by this point, you can experience unprecedented high quality sound. When I say high quality sound, I mean analog-like high quality sound with the depth and warmth that only analog can provide, which is completely different from that of CD. I hope you will enjoy the analog-like warm sound that brings back memories of that era, as one of the topics of conversation that shows you that such a medium existed.
[The editing and sound is different from that of the record and CD, which makes it even more interesting!]
　8-track cartridges were popular at the time as a unique format with high sound quality, but due to their bulkiness, difficulty to handle, and high software prices, they were replaced by cassette tape car stereos over time and were destined to disappear in a short time. However, as it was a rare format unique to that time, there are still enthusiasts who collect them today. The reason for this is the high sound quality (and the unique editing may also be interesting). For this release, the songs have been digitized as they are recorded on the 8-track cartridge tape. As mentioned above, the original media was edited to fade out and fade in depending on the length of the songs due to its structure, so of course they have been made into CDs as they are. What’s interesting is the order of the songs, which should be Disc:1-1.4.5.Disc:2-1.Disc:1-2., Disc:2-4.5.Disc:1-3. Disc:1-2.3., but as you can see, this media is recorded in a completely different order. This is probably due to the characteristics of the 8-track cartridge tape. Very unique.
　This is the only live album that Clapton released as Derek and the Dominos, and it is a collection of the best takes from a total of four shows at the Fillmore East in New York on October 23rd and 24th, 1970. In past reviews of this album, some have noted that the absence of Duane Allman, who participated in the studio version, made the performance feel somewhat redundant in some parts. However, this is clearly wrong! If you look for the points that the reviewers pointed out, it would be only Tell the Truth. However, this is also just the band itself enjoying the swamp rock groove at a leisurely pace, and there is no way that they are just playing redundantly. In other songs, Clapton’s amazing guitar playing explodes, worthy of being called the peak of his career. The middle solo in Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad can be said to be a historic masterpiece. Also, Presence of the Lord, which was played simply as a formality during the Blind Faith era, is played here with both sadness and power, as if conveying Clapton’s firm will. This is an album from his prime that any Clapton fan should definitely listen to.
　This album was released at the time when Clapton had retired from the music scene due to heroin addiction. However, with the help of his friend Pete Townshend, the “Rainbow Concert” was held at the Rainbow Theatre in London on January 13, 1973. In order to maintain his name value, the newly established RSO (Robert Stigwood Organization) planned to release several works by Clapton, an artist of the label. It was only released in the 8-track cartridge format in the United States. Truck drivers must have been driving long distances on the highways of the vast continent while playing this album at full volume. This is such a rare and vintage 8-track cartridge. We hope you will take this opportunity to enjoy the famous live performance of the Dominos era with the warm, analog-like sound of that era.
★Comment from a Clapton collector: “A truly unique and astonishing work. A must-listen.”
Disc:1 (45:20) Track 1 – 2
1. Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad
2. Presence of the Lord
3. Roll It Over
4. Got to Get Better in a Little While
5. Let It Rain (Part1)
Disc:2 (45:24) Track 3 – 4
1. Let It Rain (Part2)
2. Blues Power / Have You Ever Loved a Woman (Part1)
3. Blues Power / Have You Ever Loved a Woman (Part2)
4. Tell the Truth
5. Bottle of Red Wine
Eric Clapton – Guitar / Vocals
Bobby Whitlock – Keyboards / Vocals
Carl Radle – Bass
Jim Gordon – Drums
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(Remaster Memo)
* Unopened tape used.
* Extremely high quality sound.
* The tape holder (the sponge that supports the tape from the back) is in excellent condition, so the running is extremely stable.
* There is very little sound bleeding from other tracks in the silent parts.
