While The Scorpions were still slowly trudging their way up in Europe, they were already a recognised force in Japan, and “Virgin Killer” was the first album to be gilded in the land of the rising sun. So it was high time for the first trip to the Far East. Four months after the release of TAKEN BY FORCE, the group arrived in Tokyo in 1978. Four concerts were scheduled, one each in Osaka and Nagoya and two in Tokyo’s Nakano Sun Plaza. These two shows were recorded for the live double album TOKYO TAPES, which was also intended as a farewell gift for the departing Uli Jon Roth. TOKYO TAPES impressively documents what has always distinguished The Scorpions: Their rousing and electrifying live presence, immense joy in playing, an intimacy with their audience that produces goosebumps, and of course musical and technical brilliance. In Tokyo, the classic line-up with the two outstanding guitarists Rudolf Schenker and Uli Jon Roth and the charismatic front man Klaus Meine was in the form of their lives. They played with the songs, changed them as they pleased, involved the audience and took the freedom to improvise. A good example is “Fly To The Rainbow”. The band changes the song as they play, and Uli Jon Roth amuses himself to the best of his ability with his effects board. He let’s the guitar roar, scream, wail and sing and then sets off on a solo that must be one of the best solos in rock history. TOKYO TAPES is a terrific live album that captures the band’s energy and joy of playing almost perfectly. It offers those who are not so familiar with the early years of The Scorpions an excellent opportunity to rediscover the great music they wrote before they became worldwide superstars. TOKYO TAPES was remastered in 2015 and is now released as a 180g gatefold 2LP, pressed on yellow vinyl.