Someone has been kind enough to entrust me with a very rare Super 8 film of the girls which I will be having transferred. It will eventually be uploaded for everyone's enjoyment. It was shot during the last week of the band's existence with Laurie McCallister on bass. The owner, who obtained it in 1979 has not seen it since then. She recalls it being very good quality and possibly the very last show they performed at The Cow Palace. It will likely only be a few minutes of silent footage. Still, very excited.
Learned something that I didn't know today. On the Live in Japan album part of Joan's rhythm guitar on Neon Angels got accidentally scrubbed. Joan had already left Japan and producer Kent J Smythe played that guitar part.
Curious as to what everyone's preference is concerning the songs that appear on Live in Japan vs. their studio counterparts. It would be good if you could elaborate on why your choice is your preference. Queens of Noise. LIJ. Cherie's lead vocal and the raw, live energy. I don't care for the effect on the guitar @2:28 after the hand clapping on the studio version. California Paradise. LIJ by a huge margin. I don't like the studio version at all actually. It's clunky and plodding. Live this track explodes with ferocity and is a top favorite of mine. Wild Thing. No preference, don't hear much difference. Rock and Roll. I'll go with the studio version here. I really like the production on the debut. The mastering on the original vinyl as well as the Japanese 1st CD pressing are both stellar. So the studio version gets the nod here for having more air/space around the instruments Though I do think "Tokyo station..." sounds cooler. You Drive Me Wild. Studio. Same reasons as previous song. Neon Angels on the Road to Ruin. This is a tough one. I prefer the vocals and Lita's lead playing on LIJ. However the audience noise to me is a distraction here. The studio version has nuances to the overall sound that are lacking on the live recording. I also prefer the studio track with the backing vocals near the end. I'm calling this one a tie. Cherry Bomb. Studio. The LIJ version seems rushed to me. Expanding on the reasons previously stated concerning the debut's production/mastering the studio track has a very sweet low end "oomph" [sorry Jackie] that LIJ lacks. American Nights. Studio. This is, imo a perfectly crafted studio recording of an unjustly overlooked 70's anthem. That guitar effect on the studio version right after "all night you're my desire..." sends chills down my spine. The piano is essential imo. I do however enjoy Joan's banshee wails on LIJ and even more so on some of the bootlegs out there. Flaming schoolgirls studio/live outtakes; C'mon. LIJ/FS. Don't really care for the studio version at all. Again, like California Paradise [studio] it kinda plods along. On LIJ it sounds more organic and has a nice "winding down the artillery after an evening of destruction" feel about it. Perfectly executed encore! Blackmail. LIJ/FS. This one track on the studio album sounds different from the rest. There is a noticeable volume drop on the original US vinyl pressing as well as the 1st Japanese CD edition. Overall sound quality is inferior to the rest of the album. The live version is raunchier and better recorded. Is it Day or Night? Studio by a wide margin. This one is probably the best example of a track benefiting from the previously described studio elements that their debut possesses. Instrument nuances and air/space around them. Those "jagged edges" need to be clean and precise. I also less like the higher notes Lita plays in the latter half of the song live. One of my favorite Runaways songs, so I'm very picky here. Robert Fripp once stated that "music is the cup that holds the wine of silence". This is fully evidenced here. I Love Playing With Fire. Studio by a huge margin. My favorite Runaways song. Like American Nights it's perfectly crafted and without flaw. The hand claps are essential. Secrets. Don't have a preference here. I love the studio track for reasons related to production and mastering already stated. LIJ/FS version's live energy definitely lends itself to the overall presentation but doesn't make it better or worse imo. Tie.
anyone pick up the self titled or queens of noise LP reissues that just came out? Wondering how they turned out?
Several folks in our FB groups got theirs. Packaging looks nice. Both have repros of the original inserts. No info yet on SQ. I'm passing as I'm happy with my original promo LP debut and 1st Japanese twofer CD. Plus I've spent a fortune of Runaways boots recently! I will likely grab Live in Japan though.
Jackie gets her due on most of the Japan tracks. She is underappreciated. I love the Wild Thing video on Youtube.
OG 1976 wax. Can i count myself as a proper fan now? Bought all the 45 singles back in the 70's too, but they are long gone.
I'm very happy to see this band get some love here... truthfully, they don't seem to get enough credit for the work they did and the bands they inspired.
