Tangerine Dream The Bootleg Box Set Vol 2

Here we go again with another 7CD box set, similar presentation to Vol 1 only in blue this time. And again an insert with some interesting sleevenotes. Though a huge fan of their mid to late 70's work, I have a particular penchant for the early 80's Franke/Froese/Schmoelling line-up and greeted the enticing list of concerts with high anticipation. But we start with their 1976 appearance at Nottingham Albert Hall, and I'm finding that words are failing me just as I want to somehow describe the importance of 'Part One'. There are a few highspots on this box set, but none higher than this. Amazingly, to me anyway, this is the first time I've heard this piece. I've a fair smattering of their live work knocking about on cassette, vinyl, DAT and CD - but this comes as a revelation. Sequenced from the start, it develops into a 33 minute tour-de-force of everything that Tangerine Dream stood for in those heady days of live electronic pulsations. The sequences are steady at first but develop in complexity, straddling 'Ricochet' and acting as an overt warm-up to their legendary US '77 tour - most notable there are unmistakable references to the themes and sequencing which would later appear on 'Monolight'.

The way the sequences rise and fall through the scales is pure genius. If there was just one concert I was offered the chance to go back in time and witness, this is it. If there was ever one piece which I wished the band had an official recording of, and would someday release, this is it (though the sound quality is not bad all things considered).

On to 'Part Two', and again the 'Monolight' references continue, with the opening and closing piano sections being previewed here (resplendent with a few bars of 'God Save the Queen')! A slow sequence then emerges, liberally anointed with mellotron refrains. Then the sequences take off again, and we're again presented with a totally fascinating meld of 'Ricochet Part Two' and 'Cherokee Lane'. At about the 18 minute mark EF picks up his guitar, and that starts to dominate proceedings - undoubtedly great if you're a fan of this. The final 13 minute section is yet another 'Encore'-esque presentation. Overall I'm totally knocked out by this concert (first 50 minutes anyway). It's hard to describe, but what I've always wanted to hear from a '77 bootleg I've actually found here on a '76 concert....

You see, the problem by-and-large with the '77 boots is that EF usually goes totally OTT spanking his plank. And who can blame him? It revs up the crowd, and must have made for an exciting event. But all that discordant screeching makes uncomfortable bootleg material IMO. So we come onto a double header of a concert at Washington Lisner Auditorium just 6 months later. First thing to say, what a hoot the radio clips which punctuate the track are. And as for the interview... I won't spoil the fun, but I had to stop the car 'cause I was laughing so much. One last thing about the intro's... we now all know the origins of the introductory words on 'Encore'!

As for the music there are so many fascinating aspects. It opens with a version of 'Cherokee Lane' which initially sounds very close to the original, but does then turn out to be a variation in a few ways - I think they chose right for 'Encore' but this is great to hear. Next my 2nd revelation of this set. Before hearing this, I'd presumed 'Monolight' was a melding of two perhaps three different sections. Yet here it is, the self same version on 'Encore' recorded "of the moment". F*ck, where these guys good or what?!! Next we have a gargantuan 27 minute slab called 'Monolith' which I suppose is to this set what 'Coldwater Canyon' is to 'Encore'. Some great bits, much plank spanking too.

On to CD2 which opens with a cracking 13 minute piece which is all I'd hoped for - different enough from 'Encore' to be totally fresh yet the genetics are still unmistakable. 'Rain in Spain' is no slouch either, but 'Octagon' goes the spanking route... Overall another great bootleg, gleaned from and FM recording so again the sound quality is more than listenable.

Now then, another first for me. I've not heard anything from their 'Cyclone' tour, nothing that is except for their 26th March 1978 appearance at the Liverpool Empire which was my first experience of the Dream live. I was completely blown away. To see and hear my heroes in the flesh. Brilliant lasers. 140dB at the back of the hall. What more could you want? Decent music? Well, it didn't seem to matter at the time, but this bootleg confirms the opinion a "friend of a friend" who was with my party, as he shook his head after the concert saying "what the hell was that?".

By the way I'm a fan of their 'Cyclone' album, the more organised and melodic approach achievable in the studio carried the day for me. But on the live stage? No. Compared the the magnificence of the previous years, and the genius which was still to come, this was not TD's best live period. Consign to novelty value.

We then skip a relatively lengthy 3 and a half years to their 1981 European tour. And what a difference! By now the legendary Franke/Froese/Schmoelling trio was well bedded in and ready to give fans the sort of quality sadly lacking from their '78 shows. The concert is from Newcastle City Hall 25th October and it's presented in fine style on a double CD of surprisingly good sound quality. CD1 is enjoyable enough, opening with a superb version of 'Logos Part 1' - the percussion is massive! 'Sobornorst (Edinburgh Castle)' is another intriguing piece, with punchy sequencing and stabby motifs - somehow though it doesn't gel for me and isn't a high spot. Similar sentiment goes for 'Digital Times Suite' - there's plenty of trademark sequencing, percussion and those stabby digital synth sounds - but some of this is grate rather than great, with the absence of strong melody being a crucial factor. However, 'Bondy Paradise' does have a strong theme some great Schmoelling soloing - and it's a foretaste to the awesome material to come.

CD2 opens with a "full monty" version of 'Mojave Plan' from 'White Eagle'. Similar to all the live versions of this track I've heard, there's little variation to the album version though the soloing is slightly different if you listen closely. The track which follows is in my opinion one of the very finest TD pieces never to see an official release. 'Thermal Inversion' is totally knockout in every department - the Schmoelling synth solos possibly the finest ever, and the sequencing! Boy what sequencing! Brilliant to begin with, and it improves throughout the track, punctuated with a dynamite drum section, to be an absolute definition of what TD stood for in the 80's. TOTALLY AWESOME!!

Then it runs into a snippet from 'Remote Viewing' leading onto possible the standout section from 'Force Majeure', rounding off with the anthemic section from the end of 'Logos Part 2'. I've followed EM for nearly 30 years now, reviewed regularly for nearly 15. Back-to-Back I'd class this as the best half an hour of melodic/sequenced music ever put together. Sacrilege that it's not been granted an official release with full dynamic sound quality, massive thanks to whoever recorded this concert and let us re-live the brilliance. But it doesn't finish there. We get a stonking live version of 'Kiew Mission', then to top it all an awesome live rendition of 'Choronzon', striking the perfect balance of referencing the original but developing new twists and turns. What a concert!!

Finally we get the Fassbinder Memorial concert, recorded in Frankfurt on June 11 1983. This recording has become much sought after, possibly bouyed by the rather nifty 10" clear vinyl bootleg which did the rounds, and possibly because it's another very clean recording. The only disappointment really is that it's simply a melding of the latter parts of 'Logos Part 1' and 'Poland Part 1'. Brilliant yes. Interesting to hear the variations, yes. Even more interesting to hear the odd bum note or two, yes. But at the end of the day we already have these on superior live recordings.