Live In Japan - Dbl LP or Single LP + Why Not Released outside of Japan

[Lover Of Great Music]

i have just been briefly reading about this album on Wikipedia and listening to it via Youtube. The Wikipedia site indicates this was a double album yet the salbum On Youtube does not include the Medley after Yesterday Once More which segues into Hurting Each Other. So was this album originally just released in Japan as a double album with a later CD re-issue reduced to a cut down version. Also does anyone know if this album ever likely to see a release outside of Japan.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

It’s a 2 LP set.
It was recorded in Japan why would it be released in the US. It’s a Japanese release and manufactured by King Record company in Japan.
Here are images of the LPs.
Images for Carpenters - Live In Japan

This may also help you
Live In Japan

It was released on a double CD set.

Carpenters - Live In Japan

 

[newvillefan]

Also does anyone know if this album ever likely to see a release outside of Japan.

Unlikely, as Richard is not a great fan of live albums. It’s the reason the Live At The Palladium album hasn’t seen an international release.

 

[Lover Of Great Music]

It’s a 2 LP set.
It was recorded in Japan why would it be released in the US. It’s a Japanese release and manufactured by King Record company in Japan.
Here are images of the LPs.
Images for Carpenters - Live In Japan

This may also help you
Live In Japan

It was released on a double CD set.

Carpenters - Live In Japan

Thanks for the info. I can now see that the YouTube thing was inaccurate in saying it was the complete album as the whole of the second disc appears to be missing.

However I feel your first comment "it was recorded in Japan why would it be released in the US" was somewhat bizarre. I have many albums where the artist recorded "live" in the US - Beatles, Elvis, Sinatra, Beach Boys, yet their albums were released worldwide. But hey ho. From what Ive heard of the YouTube bits, it sounds great with Karen's voice sounding superb as ever so I reckon it would have made a good worldwide release.

 

[John Tkacik]

There are 2 separate YouTube videos for the entire 2LP: Live at Budokan 1974(full album) "not" and Live in Japan (full album) "not". Each video is 1/2 of the concert..

 

[Lover Of Great Music]

Received a copy of the Jap dbl CD yesterday. Listened last night - even on stage, Karen's voice is simply superb. Great to have this in my collection.

 

[no1kandrfan]

I found the brand new double LP in 1977 at a record store in Honolulu, don't recall seeing it for sale in California.

 

[Actorman]

Yes, newvillefan is correct. Basically, Richard does not like live recordings and won't authorize the US release of the two live albums. Other than the live "Bacharach Medley" from the Reader's Digest collection, Richard has never included a live recording on a compilation (unless I'm forgetting one).

He has stated in interviews that despite their extensive touring he considered the Carpenters at their core to be a "recording act" not a live act. I imaging this is due to Richard's perfectionism. There are a lot of things you can't control (or fix later) in a live recording whereas Richard can control every note in the studio. And of course, their signature sound of stacked, overdubbed harmony parts can't be replicated in a live setting.

I imagine the UK and Japan live albums must have been some sort of contractual requirement that Richard has just had to accept because regardless of his opinion of them, they have never really been out of print. Luckily, they are really easy for fans to get on import (albeit a little pricey).

 

[tomswift2002]

“From This Moment On” (Palladium) was included on the ‘From The Top/Essential Collection’ CD’s. It was actually released before the studio version.

“Sometimes” (Japan) was on the Best Of Vol.1 collection.

 

[Mark-T]

A live version of "Sometimes"?

 

[tomswift2002]

Sometimes

 

[Mark-T]

Oh yeah, I forgot!