THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW:
1996/1997 European Tour (1996)

*CD*
1996, Lava Records/Polymedia International Music Service, LV-62814

CAST:
The Usherette/Magenta: Sherry Hart
Brad Majors: David Schmittou
Janet Weiss: Ellen Hoffman
Riff-Raff: David Nehls
The Narrator: Hans B. Goetzfried
Columbia: Caroline Liadakis
Dr. Frank N. Furter: Bob Simon
Rocky Horror: David Velarde
Eddie/Dr. Scott: Ted Anderson
Phantoms: Stacy Chbosky, Lisa Bruno, William Lester, Todd Michael Thomas

MUSICIANS
Dave Brown: piano
Chris Parren: keyboards
Derek Griffiths: guitars
Clem Cattini: drums
Geoff Driscoll: tenor sax

MUSIC RECORDED 4 AND 5th JANUARY 1996 AT LIVINGSTONE STUDIOS, LONDON (Engineer: Bruce Davies)
LEAD VOCALS AND CHOIR VOCALS RECORDED, ALBUM MIXED AND EDITED 8th - 14th JANUARY 1996 AT CHARLOTTE ST. STUDIOS ,LONDON (Engineer: Matthew Faddy)
ORIGINAL MUSICAL ARRANGEMENTS: Richard Hartley
UPDATED ARRANGEMENTS (1996): Rocky Horror Band & Peter Moss
UPDATED CHOIR ARRANGEMENTS (1996): Peter Moss
MASTERED AT MAGIC MINDS MUSIC STUDIO, HANNOVER
ENGINEERED BY: Jan Nemec & Tobias Wolki
COVER ARTWORK: Stroetmann Agentur, Hannover
PHOTOS: Jorg Cordshagen

RUNNING TIME: 43:30

This is actually one of the best TRHS cast recordings that has been released in the past few years. The performances are quite good, the music is fantastic, and there's quite a bit of originality in the performing.

The recording opens with the show's spoken intro: "Glad you could come tonight!", and it also features something totally new to all TRHS recordings: an Overture. I'm assuming that this overture is played at the beginning of this production, although I'm not positive. Personally, being a big fan of musical theatre myself, I enjoy overtures in musicals, if they're presented in the right way, they can really give you a good, energetic feel for what you're about to see. (Like the fabulous Overture to Shock Treatment.) This 'Overture' is basically 'Sweet Transvestite' played on an organ, but it's something new, so it isn't all that bad. This recording features bits of dialogue in between the tracks, and at times it sounds reminiscent of the 1990 London Cast/The Whole Gory Story recording.

This album's biggest weakness is that is missing TOO MANY of the show's songs. Why is this recording so incomplete? It isn't even 45 minutes long, there is room for another 25 minutes worth of music here. One added track is: 'The Time Warp (Euromix '96).' It's becoming a tradition to feature re-mixes and extended versions of 'The Time Warp' on cast recordings. Both the 1992 Australian Cast and the 1995 New Zealand Cast feature similar remixes. This remix, however, is pretty good. Clocking in at eight and a half minutes, it features a lot of dialogue, and a few candid bits from the cast (probably goofs made during recording.) Although this is a good track, I'd rather the producers spend more time on recording a few more of the show's songs. One should NOT be allowed to release a TRHS recording and leave out 'Rose Tint My World'; it's an essential track.

This is a pretty good recording, and if this is how the 1996/1997 European Tour sounds live, I'm sure it's a really good show. Pick this one up if you can get it.

MISSING TRACKS: 'Charles Atlas Song,' 'Charles Atlas Song (reprise),' 'Once In A While,' 'Eddie's Teddy,' 'Planet Schmanet, Janet,' 'Rose Tint My World,' and 'Super Heroes'

*****AVAILABILITY*****
Currently in print and available on CD in Europe only. Try getting it from a dealer who can special order CD's from the UK. Footlight Records lists it in their mail-order catalog, but I cannot guarantee that they will definitely have it in stock. Also, since it is an import, prepare to pay a higher price for it.

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