Scorpions Album: “Tokyo Tapes”

...if you are more into the hard rock thing as opposed to the power ballad '80s type thing. There ARE some great ballads, as with all Scorpions CDs, but when it comes to hard rock, this is cream of the crop (as are "Strangers In the Night" by UFO and "One For The Road" by the Kinks, both of which also include lovely ballads...).

Indeed, if you must have "Polar Nights", (and it IS a great Uli song), purchase "Taken By Force" (remaster) and ALSO get a good version of "Suspender Love" (studio). While "Virgin Killer" is their greatest studio CD, by far, "Taken By Force" is good, especially with "Polar Nights" to round out "Tokyo Tapes".

'Nuff said, "Tokyo Tapes" is the ultimate Scorpions CD, with great performances from every member of the band, AND ALSO one of the greatest audiences ever captured on CD. They loved the Scorpions, and so will you, once you listen to this CD a few times, and perhaps if they tour again, who knows? WAKE UP CALL: The Scorpions should tour with Rudolph, Mattias, AND Uli on guitars, and have UFO open with 2 hours of their finest, featuring, of course, Michael Schenker. THAT would be 4+ hours of the greatest hard rock ever. "Steamrock fever, in Tokyo Bay!" Dig it, it's great!!! (Then buy "Virgin Killer" it's a must). Please read other Scorpions reviews for the history and personnel of the band, and for song-by-song analyses. I generally either like a CD in its entirety, or I don't. "Tokyo Tapes" and "Virgin Killer" are CDs I can always listen to beginning to end and love every song.

I originally bought this as a two cd set back in the late 80's. For 2001 the entire performance is on a single cd and has been remastered for improved sound. This classic live performance by The Scorpions includes all their hits from their RCA years such as "Speedy's Coming", "Pictured Life", "Steamrock Fever", "In Trance",etc. plus a song from their "Lonesome Crow" album. Also, you get their renditions of "Hound Dog", "Long Tall Sally" and a Japanese song called "Kojo No Tsuki". The group sounds identical to their studio work and both vocalist Klause Meine and guitarist Ulrich Roth sound fantastic. Roth's guitar playing is especially impressive with the unique sound he creates. The only song missing from the original "Tokyo Tapes" is "Polar Nights" which is available on the "Taken By Force" remastered cd as a bonus track. This live cd ranks right up their with UFO's "Stranger's In The Night" and Pat Traver's "Live... Go For What You Know" cd's. Highly recommended.

The Scorpions blast out their talent in this concert. The last concert of the Uli-era (sadly, but true) has been recorded in this CD and the result is... I just cannot rate it. Live songs as "All Night Long", "Dark Lady" and "Fly To The Rainbow" seem to blow up your brain. You can only listen to this record (and the others like Fly To The Rainbow, In Trance, Virgin Killer and Taken By Force) and lament what the Scorps turned out to be after Uli left the band. I consider this and Queen's "Live Killers" the two best live albums ever.

I walked into Mother's Records in Winnipeg in late 1978 ready to buy Kiss Alive II, but hesitated when I heard a new, different live album playing through the store speakers. This was the first time I had ever heard of Scorpions, let alone their music, and I was quickly absorbed by the album. Suffice to say I left the store with `Tokyo Tapes' rather than the album I had come to purchase.

Scorpions had yet to reach star status internationally, but in Japan, the second largest musical market in the world, the band were already legitimate superstars. Following the release of `Taken By Force', it was only natural that Scorpions would tour Japan. The response of the fans, plus the sheer energy coming off the stage, prompted the group to record two sessions at Budokhan (only days after Cheap Trick's recordings), and those recordings became `Tokyo Tapes'.

If you don't have any early Scorpions, this could serve as a worthy introduction. They hit all the high points of their first four albums (excluding `Lonesome Crow'), as well as throwing in a few covers (unneccesary, in my opinion), and winning the crowd even more with their rendition of the Japanese folk song, "Kojo No Tsuki". Even though the sound quality is at times muddled, what shines through is the musicianship. Klaus Meine is on his game, the rythym section thunders, Rudolf Schenker shows adept ability, but it's Uli Jon Roth's virtuoso, and at times otherworldly playing that is the highlight here. His performance alone is worth the price of the album - check out the playing on "Robot Man" and "We'll Burn The Sky" and you'll see what I mean. This is the last Scorpions album of any sort that Roth plays on, and his departure and subsequent addition of Mattias Jabs clearly defines the transition between the "old" Scorpions sound and "new", cleaner Scorpions sound.

I bought this album upon its release. Just so happened it was being played in a import record store as I walked in, I didnt shop that day I just stood and listened. I was in shock from the guitar sounds that Roth was putting out, it made me think of a guitar being absolutely drained of everthing that it had. Even today I describe it as mythical !

What a live album ! Filled with songs from their 3 albums before done live with driving power Tokyo Tapes is one of the greatest guitar driven recordings ever ! Personaly I dont believe that the Scorps ever did anything even close to it. I use to blow people away with this album and still do. I lost my copy and only recently replaced it and with a little magic I even put my favorite song " Polar Nights " on it twice I love it that much........ Before that I told a collector friend of mine about this album and he found a copy in mint condition and is absloutely amazed with it , he thought that he had heard everything rock,he still thanks me for it. Thats the power of Tokyo Tapes !!!!

I still laugh when thinking back upon when Rock Me Like a Hurricane came out really bringing The Scorpions to light , people going nuts over them and then I pull out Toyko Tapes and shock would set in lol.

Now I will admit when I first replaced my album with the cd I was so upset with the song ( Polar Nights ) being left off that I threw the cd away. Bad Mistake bad Mistake ! Its just that Polar Nights is so killer. Well Ive remedied that times 2. The song We'll Burn The Sky allways has and even now gives me cold chills. Im not sure what happened with Roth, but to me that man is a guitar god and Ive never heard anyone like him. Just check out the beginning of the Song Speedys Coming another favorite of mine it makes me think of some mythical beast coming to life..... Anyway in my opinion Toyko Tapes defines what the Scorp's were all about and if you can find any live album by anyone with the power of Tokyo Tapes, well let me know. Also you can remedy the absence of the great POLAR NIGHTS by getting a copy of Taken By Force which remastered has it on it, and just add it in on your media player you may end up like me and throw it in more than once.

The over all power of this album is such that once a month my bud and me both collectors get together for 6 to 8 hours and just rock out playing some of the best of both of our giant rock collections and before the night is over for some reason Tokyo Tapes allways ends up re-arranging all the decorations on the rock room walls. It has to be played cranked !!!!!