Tangerine Dream Live Paris 1981 (Bootmon 3)

Chapter 3 of the Bootmon Series brings us to Paris on TD's 1981 European Tour - 2nd Feb to be exact. Collectors view this recording of TD's 1981 live output as one of the best quality audience recordings available, and indeed it is a sparkling transcription - however, as with the previous Bootmon releases, there is a problem. During the transition from track 1 to 2, for about a minute, there is some extremely bad digital distortion. This is such a shame because it does disrupt proceedings considerably. Frustratingly the original Tangerine Tree Vol 14 from which this recording is sourced is not distorted. Unbelievable really that this managed to slip through the various stages of manufacture and end up on the final disc.

The Bootmon recordings have generated much comment from TD fans, the vast majority negative. When you consider the previous problems such as swapped discs and repeated tracks, and now this distortion problem, you can understand why. In terms of presentation I probably prefer the nifty colour covers on the Bootmons vs the rather eccentric packaging of the Bootleg Box Sets. And the discs themselves are beautiful full blown picture CDs. Less impressive are the sleevenotes which are exactly the same as Bootmons 1&2 - hardly imaginative! Without the problems this would have been a legitimate project (as were the Bootleg Boxes 1&2) which would serve well those fans without PCs / broadband who have neither the time nor volition to source the Tangerine Trees themselves. At the end of the day only one party can sort this out, that is Tangerine Dream themselves who apparently have the official live recordings and could short circuit all this nonsense by releasing them properly. 'Sohoman' and 'Soundmill Navigator' simply won't do, though 'Rockface' is certainly a nod in the right direction. Until then, kudos to the Tangerine Tree for making the most of what's available in private collections, though I'd suspect they'd rather not have been credited on this project.

Anyway, onto the music - and what music! It opens with 'Undulation', strange atmospherics weave a hypnotic collage for 3 minutes at which point some rapid fire sequencing appears. This merges beautifully into 'Calymba Caly' which, together with 'Thermal Inversion', is becoming quite a regular now. Like waiting for a bus really, years of anticipation for this brilliance to appear on CD and then 2 or 3 come along at the same time! First we get a version from Newcastle on the Bootleg Box Vol 2, then it appears on Bootmon 1 'Aachen'. The latter was only a couple of weeks prior to this concert so the tracks and format are almost identical. However the sound quality here is superior and to be honest this release renders 'Aachen' virtually obsolete - except that you need to buy it of course to get the 2nd Montreal disc... Anyway, I for one am fascinated every time I hear a new version of this sequence of tracks and Messrs Froese, Franke and especially Schmoelling were on totally scintillating form in Paris. This release has split 'Calymba Caly' into two sections, the uptempo 'Electro Part' which features those massive sequences and some amazing Schmoelling soloing, and the more deliberate 'Ancient Part' with the regimental but no less effective sequencing.

And then we go headlong into 'Thermal Inversion'. In previous reviews I've said it more than once, but just so you're in no doubt - THIS TRACK IS AWESOME!! The more you hear this track in increasingly superior sound quality the more it's credentials as possibly the most accomplished TD track of the 80's come to the fore. Mix massive percussives, scintillating sequencing and Schmoelling in full melodic flow and it's too much for words. Forgive me for 10 minutes while I just sit back and enjoy.…..

Wow, were back into a surprisingly jaunty piano interlude called 'Parisien Piano' which contains whiffs of familiar motifs here and there, especially 'Pergamon'. Then, heaven of heavens, we hear those sequential refrains from 'Force Majeure'. This piece is now 25 years old and still knocks most EM I hear into a cocked hat. Though not credited this then merges into the 'Logos Part 2' section which has been popularly titled 'The Price'. A fantastic closing section, only slightly marred by the fact there's a bit of jumpiness in this version - can confirm this was on the original Tangerine Tree master, and it doesn't detract too much from the magnificence. The stunned pause before the audience bursts into rapturous applause says it all. Pure wonderment.

Disc 2 opens with the majestic refrains of 'Silver Scale', the opening section of which appears on the soundtrack 'Wavelength' as 'Church Theme'. I know you were all dying to know that fact (to give you an idea of sound quality, this actually sounds a cleaner version!!). Anyway, this is more stunning brilliance, the sequence lines fly like blow darts through the ears and the synth leads are like razers, shredding all before them. At the 12 minute mark the sequencing becomes even more rampant. By now the audience were probably hitting themselves with pans in a cartoon-like gesture of submission. I feel another capital letter "awesome" coming on. 'Horns of Doom' segues in at the 18 minute mark. I'm going to throw up, or something. EM shouldn't be this good. AAAAWWWEEESSSOOOMMMMEEEEEE!!!

OK, OK. I'll try to control myself. 'Phase Change' is a brooding bridge section which gives a chance for the blood pressure to drop. TD then play the old 'Daimond Duster' / 'Daimond Diary' (sic) double whammy. Depth charge drums beat the front row into a pulp, then the sequences are unleashed again in trademark style from the 'Thief' soundtrack, with some wonderful variation in the shape of more improvised lead lines. The audience greets Edgar as he picks up his plank and spanks the audience into an even higher state of frenzy, for which health insurance must surely be mandatory. The sequences go into overdrive and blow a fuse, leaving Edgar in ecstatic isolation. Jaws clank on the floor. Audience riots....

...But not before a couple of tasty encores are served up. Not content with drumming through the Earth's crust, they roll out the nuclear detonators in the form of 'Choronzon'. Brilliant as ever, and note the acapella audience accompaniment at the start. Bada bada bam be bam. And Schmoelling's soloing? What can you say? The guy is God. Best version I've heard. Audience goes ape.

'Trap Feeling' is a fantastic close to the concert. A relatively short chill-out section, followed by the bombastic fusillade which is 'Scrap Yard' from 'Thief'. They must have been throwing buckets of cold water over the sequencer banks by now, as they were overheating and had to bring the piece to a premature close by the sounds of it.