ZZ TOP – NEW JERSEY 1980 FM BROADCAST (2 CD-R)

Description

The Capitol Theater, Passaic, NJ, USA 4th May 1980 STEREO SBD
★Super high-quality stereo soundboard!

　ZZ Top, who opened the door to their golden age with the massive hit “DEGUELLO” in 1980, now have a superb master recording to complete their three-part soundboard collection.

　This release contains a stereo soundboard recording of the “Paseik concert on May 4, 1980.”
Speaking of the ‘DEGUELLO’ era, our new masterpieces, ‘KANSAS CITY 1980 SOUNDBOARD (Shades 2604)’ and ‘TOLEDO 1980 SOUNDBOARD (Shades 2212)’, are still fresh in our memories. This work is a masterpiece that is said to be on par with those two previous works. The key point here is that although it is called a “trilogy,” the shows were held at different times, and therefore the content differs accordingly. To explain this, let’s first take an overview of their activities at the time and confirm the relationship between each of them.

● July 29, 1979 : Performed with ALBERTA JAM
(November release of ‘DEGUELLO’)
November 20 – December 31: North America #1a (24 shows) ● January 4 – April 15,
1980 : North America #1b (46 shows) ← *KANSAS CITY 1980 April 19 – 25: Europe (5 shows) ← *ROCKPALAST 1980 May 1 – 30: North America #2 (31 shows) ← ★HERE ★ July 5 – September 24: North America #3 (17 shows) ← *TOLEDO 1980 October 29 – December 31: North America #4a (16 shows) ● January 2 – 22, 1981 : North America #4b (5 shows) (Production of ‘EL LOCO’)

[Legendary Joe Maloney’s treasured master tapes have been newly discovered]
　This is the overall picture of the “EXPECT NO QUARTER Tour” accompanying “DEGUELLO”. The Passaic performance featured in this release was the third concert of the “North America #2” leg of the tour. “KANSAS CITY 1980”, “TOLEDO 1980”, and this release are all American performances, but the legs are spread out. This trilogy allows you to follow three US tours, “North America #1, North America #2 (this release), and North America #3,” on soundboard (a tetralogy including the European pro-shot version, “ROCKPALAST 1980 [Shades 1376],” is also an option).

　The sound of this album is a wild, broadcast-style mix, making it a “discovered official-quality” recording. It’s a masterpiece digitized directly from masters secretly held by legendary collector Joe Maloney, and it’s a recording of an FM broadcast by New York radio station “WNEW-FM”. Unlike “KANSAS CITY 1980” and “TOLEDO 1980,” which were directly connected to the mixing console, this album features loud cheers between songs, and the instruments and vocals have subtle effects that give it a sense of scale.
However, the raw, unedited nature of the performance itself is striking. Billy Gibbons’ gritty guitar attack and Dusty Hill’s rumbling bass retain their raw power even after being mixed for broadcast. Above all, the master’s pristine condition is superb. As expected from analog tapes carefully preserved by Joe Maloney, there are no signs of wear or rough overdubbing. Including the DJ’s commentary, you can experience the atmosphere of the era as if you were receiving the radio waves directly from that time.

[A trilogy of soundboard recordings that capture the evolution of the tour]
　These unearthed FM sound recordings depict a full show that is similar to, yet different from, ‘KANSAS CITY 1980’ and ‘TOLEDO 1980′. Let’s organize the setlist while comparing them.

● Elegy for Massacre (9 songs)
– I Thank You / I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide / Manic Mechanic / Lowdown In The Street / A Fool for Your Stockings / Cheap Sunglasses / She Loves My Automobile (★) / Hi Fi Mama (★) / Dust My Broom
● Others (11 songs)
– Torres Ombres: Waitin’ for the Bus / Jesus Just Left Chicago / Precious and Grace (★) / Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers / La Grange
– Fandango!: Heard It on the X / Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings / Tush
– Others: El Diablo (★) / Arrested for Driving While Blind / Jailhouse Rock (★★)
*Note: Songs marked with “★” were not included in the masterpiece ‘TOLEDO 1980 SOUNDBOARD’. In particular, “★★” is a song that wasn’t even on ‘KANSAS CITY 1980 SOUNDBOARD’.

…And that’s how it is. The generous inclusion of 9 out of the 10 tracks from “DEGUELLO” is the same as “KANSAS CITY 1980,” but the contents of the set are subtly different. “She Loves My Automobile” and “Hi Fi Mama” are tracks that weren’t heard on “TOLEDO 1980,” and the same goes for “Precious and Grace” and “El Diablo.” It’s also the most varied set of the three soundboard releases.

　And above all, there’s “Jailhouse Rock.” It’s a cover of an Elvis Presley song, but it’s a repertoire unique to this album, not found on “KANSAS CITY 1980” or “TOLEDO 1980.” It’s especially enjoyable to hear how this Texas trio interprets the King of Rock and Roll’s signature song, especially in the wild mix of the FM broadcast.

　This album is the interim installment in the “EXPECT NO QUARTER Tour” soundboard trilogy, following “KANSAS CITY 1980” and “TOLEDO 1980.” Unlike its two sister albums, which boast a raw, unadulterated feel from being directly connected to the mixing board, this is a rediscovered official-quality masterpiece that shines with the scale and master clarity unique to FM broadcasting. Please enjoy it to the fullest.

★FM broadcast soundboard of the “May 4, 1980 Passaik concert”. A masterpiece digitized from the legendary collector Joe Maloney’s treasured analog master, with exceptional master quality, making it an officially-quality unearthed recording. A masterpiece that forms a soundboard trilogy together with “KANSAS CITY 1980 SBD” and “TOLEDO 1980 SBD”, and a full live album that also includes “Jailhouse Rock”, which was not present in the other two releases.

Disc:1 (53:43)
1. Intro
2. I Thank You
3. Waitin’ For The Bus
4. Jesus Just Left Chicago
5. Precious and Grace
6. I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide
7. Manic Mechanic
8. Lowdown In The Street
9. Heard It On The X
10. A Fool for Your Stockings
11. Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings
12. El Diablo
13. Cheap Sunglasses
14. Arrested For Driving While Blind

Disc:2 (31:37)
1. Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers
2. La Grange
3. WNEW DJ Talk
4. She Loves My Automobile
5. Hi Fi Mama
6. Dust My Broom
7. Jailhouse Rock
8. Tush
9. WNEW Outro

Billy Gibbons – Guitar & Vocal
Dusty Hill – Bass & Vocal
Frank Beard – Drums