ROLLING STONES – HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICKY (CD)

Description

Live at Western Australia Cricket Ground, Perth, Australia 24th February 1973 STEREO SBD
The classic album “PERTH 1973 SOUNDBOARD” is being re-released with a changed cover and title.

When discussing the Rolling Stones’ 1973 Winter Tour, the Perth concert, known for its stereo soundboard recording, is an indispensable part of the experience. In 1987, it was released on vinyl as “HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICKY.” Thanks to its direct sound image, characteristic of a PA output, and the fact that it was a stereo recording, it quickly established itself as a classic title. Due to its excellent sound quality, and the advantage of maintaining high fidelity despite being an LP transfer, it became one of the earliest Stones bootlegs to be released on CD.

After that, many CDs were released under the name “HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICKY.” The prestigious label Scorpio released it under the same title, as well as “EXILE’S AFTERNOON,” making it appear twice by the spring of 1991. About a year later, the OH BOY label released the definitive version coupled with the Sydney performance. At the time, it was typical of the era that the jacket labeled “First Show” and “Second Show,” even though the performances were on different days.

This OH BOY version became the standard, and DAC’s “HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICKY,” which was considered the definitive version for many years, is based on it. After that, the DAC version was the main one distributed for a long time, but about four years ago, “GRAF ZEPPELIN” started a thorough remastering of the OH BOY version. The result of that work was the release of “PERTH 1973: SOUNDBOARD” in 2022.

In the 2022 edition, Graf Zeppelin’s expertise is fully on display, and the clearer, more refined sound compared to previous editions has been highly praised. Furthermore, issues such as duplicate sounds resulting from changes in track order that occurred during the CD conversion process have been resolved. Even the smallest details that were not addressed in the DAC version have been corrected, resulting in a remarkably high level of perfection.

Thus, “PERTH 1973: SOUNDBOARD,” which has become established as the new definitive version, is now difficult to obtain. However, for a recording of this caliber, a re-release is only natural. In fact, its reappearance after a four-year hiatus feels rather long overdue.

Therefore, this reissue uses the same master as the 2022 version. The natural and easy-to-listen-to sound quality remains highly refined, once again showcasing the skill of “GRAF ZEPPELIN.” It truly deserves to be called the best definitive version currently available.

The performance lives up to its long-standing reputation. In addition to the high-energy performance centered around Mick, the relaxed atmosphere characteristic of an Australian concert is also conveyed, which is part of its charm. The spaciousness of the stereo recording, which sets it apart from typical PA soundboard recordings, brings out the charm of the performance in a more three-dimensional way. There is no doubt that this is one of the finest soundboard recordings of the Stones from the 70s, where the recording environment and the performance content are connected at a high level.
　
And for this re-release, the title has been changed from the previous “PERTH 1973: SOUNDBOARD” to “HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICKY,” and the artwork has also been revamped. This undisputed masterpiece and renowned stereo soundboard recording from the highly acclaimed ’73 Winter Tour returns in a return to its roots!

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REMASTERED BY GRAF ZEPPELIN
Remaster notes from the 2022 release (for reference only)
★Organizing related audio sources
a) OH BOY version… Released around 1990, original release. Left and right channels reversed. ★Main source for this release.
b) LIVE IN PERTH AUSTRALIA (Rockawhile)… Released around 1989, earlier than OH BOY. Left and right channels are OK. Mixed with the 26th recording.
Also not a copy of OH BOY, but the sound is slightly inferior. ★This time, a brief snippet of the Brown Sugar intro and the Honky intro are used.
c) EXLE AFTERNOON (Rockawhile)… Released in 1991, the PERTH part is (possibly) a copy of OH BOY + ’72 DALLAS rehearsal. Left and right channels reversed.
d) DAC… Probably a copy of a and b. A brief snippet of the Brown Sugar intro and the entire Honky are thought to be copied from b.
★Remastered based on the OH BOY version, which is currently considered the best.
This OH BOY version itself already has some hiss noise reduction applied, and
in quiet parts, even tape noises like “crackling” have
reverberation added to them, which is typical noise reduction on 90s CDs, but I judged this version to be the better one at the moment.
★The mastering process involved reversing the left and right channels of the OH BOY version, correcting the gaps between tracks, correcting pitch and phase, and patching any missing sections.
The missing parts are patched from LIVE IN PERTH AUSTRALIA (Rockawhile), specifically in two places: a brief moment in the intro of Brown Sugar and the intro of Honky.
★Also, regarding the section between “Bitch” and “Happy,” it seems that there was originally some mysterious duplication and fake editing, and there is duplication between songs even on the DAC version.
There are some duplicates this time as well, but they are slightly different from the DAC version.
★The order of “Rocks Off” and “Gimme” sounds better if they’re swapped, but the truth remains unknown unless an audio source is unearthed.
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(47:38)
01. Brown Sugar ★0:00-0:04 Patch from OH BOY version
02. Bitch
★Mysterious editing between songs
03. Rocks Off
★Mysterious editing between songs
04. Gimme Shelter
★Mysterious editing between songs
05. Happy
06. Tumbling Dice
07. Honky Tonk Women ★0:00-0:03 Patch from OH BOY version
08. All Down The Line
09. Midnight Rambler
10. Band Introductions / Happy Birthday Nicky
11. Little Queenie