Japan 1976

Sue

Well-Known Member
Hi I dare say this has been asked before but I couldn't find any threads. Is there a reasonable quality video of their 1976 concerts in Japan? I watched one last night and it was quite different to the 1974 concert I have on DVD. It was really hard to hear/see much detail on the youtube one I found. I would love to see a clearer copy.
Thanks
 
I presume most of the footage available to view isn't professionally sanctioned by whoever holds the rights to show these performances to the public at large. I'm guessing that's why you are viewing poor quality images. I'm not an expert on this but I'm guessing most of these things are poor transfers of VHS video material by simply pointing a digital camera at a TV set to acquire a digital transfer.
I would guess that the concerts you refer to ain't released through commercial DVD or whatever medium.
I stick to my Carpenters Gold DVD and make do with that as their isn't that much more commercially available.
Sorry can't be more help. But I would feel that to display Carpenters material online you must have the permission of whoever holds the rights to do so?, and I would suggest that whoever is hosting these videos ( no matter how noble or other their intentions ) , potentially don't have the rights to show them and are therefore potentially infringing copyright?.
I am not an expert on video hosting but I would suggest people would need to be the rights holders to show footage originally sanction for TV?. Anyone else wish to comment as I don't really know.
Nowerdays every performance you attend has hundreds of fans videotaping these onto their digital cameras and then hosting it on the internet which is copyright infringement I would suggest also.
I imagine in the modern age it would be a massive problem for whoever manages groups.
 
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Getting back to the main question . There is only the 1974 Budokan commercially released on both the ancient Laser Disc and DVD in Japan. This footage I would guess isn't available and hasn't been sanctioned for release perhaps ?. That's why you are watching grainy , poor quality transfers.
 
Considering that not much in terms of concert video has been officially released, what is out there is usually sourced from VHS, Betamax and occasionally broadcast dubs that feature foreign sub-titles.
I presume most of the footage available to view isn't professionally sanctioned by whoever holds the rights to show these performances to the public at large. I'm guessing that's why you are viewing poor quality images. I'm not an expert on this but I'm guessing most of these things are poor transfers of VHS video material by simply pointing a digital camera at a TV set to acquire a digital transfer.
I would guess that the concerts you refer to ain't released through commercial DVD or whatever medium.
I stick to my Carpenters Gold DVD and make do with that as their isn't that much more commercially available.
Actually there have been a number of concerts released on commercial DVD. I've got the 1971 BBC concert (Live In London (2010) ) that's been released on a number of DVD's. I've also bought a few other DVD's that have been released that have featured the Australian concert, a reissue of the Budokahn concert and a DVD of their November 1976 Holland concert (which appears to have been done by an amateur, and was made using a 2nd or 3rd generation VHS that had been converted from the PAL masters in 1984 to a SECAM VHS and then converted to NTSC VHS, as there was a title card right at the end of the video showing the original VHS copy had been made for a station in Africa to review for possible airing). It appears that the copyrights on these concerts have somehow lapsed and that is how they are getting released. (I know that in Europe recently the courts have ruled that copyrights can lapse on archival material if nothing is done with it).
 
. Actually there have been a number of concerts released on commercial DVD. I've got the 1971 BBC concert (Live In London (2010) ) that's been released on a number of DVD's. I've also bought a few other DVD's that have been released that have featured the Australian concert, a reissue of the Budokahn concert and a DVD of their November 1976 Holland concert.

Some of the Carpenters 'releases' are a little dodgy, (Australianism for 'not the real deal' - or is that an Australianism, too??). The 1971 UK concert that has come out in the UK or Europe is an unauthorised product, probably produced by someone who has got hold of a television station copy that was originally used for broadcast and then copied that. The so-called 1972 concert that, I think, is available in the UK and Europe is actually the 1974 Japanese Budokan concert with inaccurate information on the cover/ credits / title. 'Yesterday Once More' and a couple of the other songs that appear on it hadn't even been CREATED in 1972. As Richard seems to be so fastidious about details, I'm sure he would never allow a product with inaccurate information to be released. At least one of these DVDs ends abruptly, before the television station credits come up.

I'm surprised that these 'products' are sold on such sites as Amazon. I'm sure that the copyright holders could sue the pants off whoever is producing this stuff and maybe the site, too, if they wanted to, unless there is some sort of loophole. I remember seeing an interview with Donna Summer where she mentioned a CD called 'Shout It Out', which is supposedly her before her recording contract days. It has terrible audio quality and has been sold in vast quantities. On this interview, Donna says that the vocalist on it isn't even her and that her legal team blocks the release in one place, then it springs up again somewhere else, then they block it there and it springs up somewhere else. She suggested she had given up on it. I imagine that the case might be the same with the Carpenters' illegally-released DVDs.

There is a third DVD that I imagine may not be authorised by Richard, so may use television station transfers instead of the original masters and that's the Japanese live compilation which includes sections of the 1974 Holland concert, the 1974 Belgian concert and the 1972 Australian concert. This release does not have Carpenters' Japanese record company named on it, as far as I remember, which is a pretty good sign that it is probably a 'bootleg'.

I believe that the only authorised releases are 'Gold', which has also been called 'Yesterday Once More' and 'Only Yesterday', 'Interpretations', 'Close to You - Remembering The Carpenters', 'Live at the Budokan', released two or three times in Japan only, and the recent 'Christmas Memories', released on that pledge system, only in the USA. Everything else that we see has sub-standard audio and visual quality, in terms of what you could be seeing if it was an official release with proper mastering from the original recordings. It's good to see this stuff, if it's not going to be released officially, but the artist/s, songwriters, publishers and record company get no royalties whereas whoever is illegally producing it gets the whole stash.
 
Hi I dare say this has been asked before but I couldn't find any threads. Is there a reasonable quality video of their 1976 concerts in Japan? I watched one last night and it was quite different to the 1974 concert I have on DVD. It was really hard to hear/see much detail on the youtube one I found. I would love to see a clearer copy.
Thanks

The Japan concerts were pretty similar (and near identical in parts) to the UK and Europe concerts from that year and there is plenty of top quality footage of those on YouTube...or am I missing something here?



 
Thanks for the replies. The concert I watched was on youtube, where there seems to be lots of poor quality ones. I bought the Japan 1974 concert recently from the Japan website and I love it. Think I need to get the Carpenters Gold by the sound of it.
 
Thanks for the replies. The concert I watched was on youtube, where there seems to be lots of poor quality ones. I bought the Japan 1974 concert recently from the Japan website and I love it. Think I need to get the Carpenters Gold by the sound of it.

If I may add Sue if you look on the auction site there are lots of sellers who list Carpenters Gold three disc edition , you get 55 songs on three discs. One of these discs actually is the full gold DVD disc I think I paid £3 for it with free Uk postage.

It's called Carpenters Gold Anniversary Edition has two cds and one DVD.
 
Some of the Carpenters 'releases' are a little dodgy, (Australianism for 'not the real deal' - or is that an Australianism, too??). The 1971 UK concert that has come out in the UK or Europe is an unauthorised product, probably produced by someone who has got hold of a television station copy that was originally used for broadcast and then copied that. The so-called 1972 concert that, I think, is available in the UK and Europe is actually the 1974 Japanese Budokan concert with inaccurate information on the cover/ credits / title. 'Yesterday Once More' and a couple of the other songs that appear on it hadn't even been CREATED in 1972. As Richard seems to be so fastidious about details, I'm sure he would never allow a product with inaccurate information to be released. At least one of these DVDs ends abruptly, before the television station credits come up.

I've seen those around, and with the Live In London DVD, its from a Japanese tape, as it contains Japanese titles for the songs and lyrics. But that could make sense, when you think that the BBC is well known for "junking", or erasing, the majority of its masters that were made prior to 1975.

I'm surprised that these 'products' are sold on such sites as Amazon. I'm sure that the copyright holders could sue the pants off whoever is producing this stuff and maybe the site, too, if they wanted to, unless there is some sort of loophole. I remember seeing an interview with Donna Summer where she mentioned a CD called 'Shout It Out', which is supposedly her before her recording contract days. It has terrible audio quality and has been sold in vast quantities. On this interview, Donna says that the vocalist on it isn't even her and that her legal team blocks the release in one place, then it springs up again somewhere else, then they block it there and it springs up somewhere else. She suggested she had given up on it. I imagine that the case might be the same with the Carpenters' illegally-released DVDs.

That's just like the CD's Radio Years, Only Yesterday: Deluxe & Please Mr. Postman.

There is a third DVD that I imagine may not be authorised by Richard, so may use television station transfers instead of the original masters and that's the Japanese live compilation which includes sections of the 1974 Holland concert, the 1974 Belgian concert and the 1972 Australian concert. This release does not have Carpenters' Japanese record company named on it, as far as I remember, which is a pretty good sign that it is probably a 'bootleg'.

I believe that the only authorised releases are 'Gold', which has also been called 'Yesterday Once More' and 'Only Yesterday', 'Interpretations', 'Close to You - Remembering The Carpenters', 'Live at the Budokan', released two or three times in Japan only, and the recent 'Christmas Memories', released on that pledge system, only in the USA. Everything else that we see has sub-standard audio and visual quality, in terms of what you could be seeing if it was an official release with proper mastering from the original recordings. It's good to see this stuff, if it's not going to be released officially, but the artist/s, songwriters, publishers and record company get no royalties whereas whoever is illegally producing it gets the whole stash.

Live At Budokan is not an authorized release. The authorized releases are Yesterday Once More/Only Yesterday/Gold, Interpretations, Close To You: remembering the Carpenters, Christmas Memories, This is Your Life, & The 5th Dimension Travelling Sunshine Show. However, and this may be why Budokan has not had an official US release, aside from the fact that the video has burnt in Japanese sub-titles, but I've heard that the Japanese copyright length in the 90's was only ten years. But besides turning up on a couple of DVD's now, the audio from Live At Budokan has even been released on CD a few times.
 
I've seen those around, and with the Live In London DVD, its from a Japanese tape, as it contains Japanese titles for the songs and lyrics. But that could make sense, when you think that the BBC is well known for "junking", or erasing, the majority of its masters that were made prior to 1975.

A few years ago, BBC TV had a "Carpenters Night", where they broadcast the 1971 special (as well as the "New London Theatre" show). The quality was absolutely immaculate (and no Japanese on screen). Same for "New London Theatre". So, it's safe to say that the master tapes of these shows survive in the BBC archives. The "Live In London" DVD is a bootleg, sourced as you say, from a Japanese tape of the show.

Live At Budokan is not an authorized release. The authorized releases are Yesterday Once More/Only Yesterday/Gold, Interpretations, Close To You: remembering the Carpenters, Christmas Memories, This is Your Life, & The 5th Dimension Travelling Sunshine Show. However, and this may be why Budokan has not had an official US release, aside from the fact that the video has burnt in Japanese sub-titles, but I've heard that the Japanese copyright length in the 90's was only ten years. But besides turning up on a couple of DVD's now, the audio from Live At Budokan has even been released on CD a few times.

Wrong. "Live At The Budokan" is most definitely an authorized release! I have both the original VHS from the 1990's (it was also available on laserdisc at the time), and the original DVD, and they are both on the A&M label. It was re-released in March 2017 by Universal Music (the owner of A&M), which still holds the copyright. This video concert has never been released outside of Japan (the same as with the "Live In Japan" album). Either the record company didn't think that a worldwide release would be profitable, or they may only own the rights in Japan, or possibly Richard Carpenter wouldn't approve it.

The CDs that exist of the "Live At Budokan" audio are all unauthorized bootlegs.
 
[Moderator: added strikeout to erroneous info above to avoid future confusion.]
 
Wrong. "Live At The Budokan" is most definitely an authorized release! I have both the original VHS from the 1990's (it was also available on laserdisc at the time), and the original DVD, and they are both on the A&M label. It was re-released in March 2017 by Universal Music (the owner of A&M), which still holds the copyright.
I used to have a promo video for 'Live at the Budokan' showing Richard talking about the release of the video / laserdisc , (1990s). At the time, I bought both the video and the laser disc. I think I later sold the video. I also have a DVD, (official release). I'm not sure when I got that, now - maybe at the same time, maybe later. From memory, the original TV screening of the concert was called 'Lovesounds'. I have a very poor copy of the show, taped from the TV at the time, complete with Japanese adverts. The original screening included an interview with Karen and Richard, which was not included on the official video / laser disc / DVD.
 
It was re-released in March 2017 by Universal Music (the owner of A&M), which still holds the copyright.

I didn't know that. Does the 2017 re-release still have all those irritating subtitles throughout? I remember reading they were "locked in" to the video master.
 
That's correct. The only "master" of that concert comes from the Nippon TV network's videotape with the subtitles burned in. I have the LaserDisc from which I made my own DVD-R.
 
A few years ago, BBC TV had a "Carpenters Night", where they broadcast the 1971 special (as well as the "New London Theatre" show). The quality was absolutely immaculate (and no Japanese on screen). Same for "New London Theatre". So, it's safe to say that the master tapes of these shows survive in the BBC archives. The "Live In London" DVD is a bootleg, sourced as you say, from a Japanese tape of the show.



Wrong. "Live At The Budokan" is most definitely an authorized release! I have both the original VHS from the 1990's (it was also available on laserdisc at the time), and the original DVD, and they are both on the A&M label. It was re-released in March 2017 by Universal Music (the owner of A&M), which still holds the copyright. This video concert has never been released outside of Japan (the same as with the "Live In Japan" album). Either the record company didn't think that a worldwide release would be profitable, or they may only own the rights in Japan, or possibly Richard Carpenter wouldn't approve it.

The CDs that exist of the "Live At Budokan" audio are all unauthorized bootlegs.
No. I emailed Richard years ago (through the website) asking about the concert, as he had nothing on there about it and his response was that it was an unauthorized release.
 
The Japanese "Live at the Budokan" video / laser disc / DVD was an authorised release. Richard himself promoted it and was involved in the production. The European / UK release of "Live at the Budokan", called something like "Live in Japan 1972", (it's even got the wrong year in the title), is unauthorised. Maybe that's what you mean.
 
The LIVE AT BUDOKAN LaserDisc - and other releases in Japan - are authorized for sale in Japan. Richard's comments are even on the package.

Budokan3.jpg

If Richard called it unauthorized, he was probably referring to it ONLY being authorized for sale in Japan.
 
Did anyone buy the recent reissue DVD from Japan of Live at Budokan? It's was only for a limited time. I have the original official DVD I bought a few years ago for a pretty penny. I wondered if this official reissue was the exact to the original?
 
It would be good if these concerts could be bundled in any future anniversary boxed set ie, the album that the particular tour was promoting along with interviews and any other unreleased footage. Would certainly save all the confusion as to what is legitimate and such!.
I guess though that they would have to remaster these concerts to enable the resolution to be enhanced and also to make them widescreen if there are ways to do this?.
Would be far more interesting to those of us ( probably all of us here? ), who have multiple versions of the same material?.
 
Did anyone buy the recent reissue DVD from Japan of Live at Budokan? It's was only for a limited time. I have the original official DVD I bought a few years ago for a pretty penny. I wondered if this official reissue was the exact to the original?

Yes, I purchased it and posted photos in this thread:

Universal To Reissue Carpenters DVD's

I don't have the original DVD to compare it to, but it did come with the poster of Karen and Richard in their kimonos which I posted in another thread.

I admit that I haven't watched it all the way through yet, but from what I've seen it does look pretty good for standard definition video which was all they had back then.
 
I bought the authorised DVD from Japan recently. I assumed it was the same as the original but having never seen the original, I don't know. I was hoping it wouldn't have the subtitles such a shame but still I think it was an amazing concert.
 
Yes, I purchased it and posted photos in this thread:

Universal To Reissue Carpenters DVD's

I don't have the original DVD to compare it to, but it did come with the poster of Karen and Richard in their kimonos which I posted in another thread.

I admit that I haven't watched it all the way through yet, but from what I've seen it does look pretty good for standard definition video which was all they had back then.
Did the DVD include the opening with the Japanese reporter interviewing some of the Japanese fans and the opening sound check before the concert started and also did it include subtitles?
 
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