As bootlegs go, the quality of this one is marginal, but at least it has not been mastered from an old vinyl bootleg. When I first got into collecting Magma tapes this was the show that everyone seemed to have, and most of the copies in circulation were about the same quality as the one used to make this set. However as time passes, the tapes wear out and I got fresh copies of this show in the late eighties, these were a couple of generations better quality. So although the (presumably) Japanese folks who made this disc could have found slightly better source material, they could hardly have found a better concert to immortalise.
This show (along with many of the concerts from late 73 / early 74) was astonishing. The musicianship is superb, the songs played are all Magma's greatest works, and possession of this recording is absolutely vital to most Zeuhl fans! So why is it a bootleg? And even more annoying, why is it a limited edition of only 300 copies? I suspect it is a bootleg because AKT have not given any indication whether or not they will release it themselves and someone could not wait to have this memento metallised.
It is a common bootleg marketing ploy to state that the disc is a limited edition. Many of Zappa's live shows were bootlegged in editions of only 50 copies... Then they get reissued and recycled interminably, often with new titles and new covers in order to fleece the punters. The FZ bootleggers have released at least 500 different titles and don't intend to stop. So you could reasonably expect to see this one released again and again, but the way to stop this criminal situation is for AKT to beat the bootleggers. The planned release of 'Douai 1974' on AKT should be more than adequate compensation for the woefully inadequate supplies of 'Brussels '74'.
My first impression of this recording from the Université Libre on 14-2-74 was of too much hiss and a muffled bass. After a few minutes you can get used to these problems, but this shortcoming could easily be resolved by an AKT release or a digital remix. Beginning with a weak recording of the hallelujah version of 'Köhntarkösz' (23:10), it continues with 'Sowiloï' segued into 'Om Zanka' (13:17). The exuberant drum solo 'Chorus Zebëhn' (24:20) closes zünd 1, but amongst the tape hiss, the drums sound a little fuzzy. The second disc also has a high level of white noise covering Klaus' opening announcement about the history of the people of Ork Central, the song of these people is: 'Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh' (33:50). Christian's numbing drums and the subterranean growl of Top's bass are like distant thunder. This is certainly a consummate early '74 version, but I would be even more elated to have a record or video of the winter 1973 band when Stella enhanced Magma concerts with her lustrous vocals. The master tape used for the 'Theusz Hamtaahk' (24:08) seems an inferior one to that used for the rest of the album. Finally, Klaus announces that the Kobaïan name of the last piece means goodbye, so with a final chorus section of hallelujahs we have, 'Gamma Anterïa'.
Coming soon on the Spiral label (according to current rumours) is another (Japanese?) Magma bootleg: Magma 'De Futura 1975'. Informed sources suggest that the material used could come from 1977 and 1972 tapes and that 'Morrison in the storm' could be included.