While rehearsal of the song took three days, "30 Seconds Over Tokyo", which clocks in at over six minutes, was recorded and mixed in a single night in October 1975 at Audio Recording in Cleveland. Another Rocket from the Tombs song, "Final Solution", was supposed to be the single's B-side; however, the song "Heart of Darkness" emerged from a jam session during the rehearsal for "30 Seconds", and the band members preferred the new composition. "Final Solution" would become their second single the following year. Ravenstine played his part on an
EML ElectroComp 200 synthesizer. Herman found Ravenstine's synthesizer playing underappreciated, calling his style different from other bands of the era that used synths in that it "pushed the energy level higher" rather than adding ambience to the mix. Ravenstine used the synthesizer to emulate the sound of
radial engines used in planes during World War II, as well as the
static-laden radio transmission at the end. He later became an airline pilot after leaving Pere Ubu in the 1980s. Herman played rhythm guitar filtered through a
Morley wah-wah pedal throughout.
Fender and
Peavey amplifiers were used by Wright and Laughner, who alternated between second electric guitar and a
Danelectro six-string bass guitar. All members perform during the
free improvisation sections, which Herman described as "every man for himself". A guitar amplifier borrowed from the studio was malfunctioning during the sessions, which resulted in an unusual "neat squishy
break-up". The song ends abruptly with a flurry of Ravenstine's emulated radio static, with Thomas' voice passed through a
high-pass filter to mimic a malfunctioning
aircraft radio. According to Krauss, engineer Bill Cavanaugh clashed with the band, especially Ravenstine, over their creative decisions, and tried putting Krauss's cymbals through a harmonizer, which he vetoed. The pressing plant to which the final mix was delivered worriedly called up the band by telephone, informing them that the pressed singles were compromised with excess noise; Cavanaugh compared one of these pressings to the master tape and found that it sounded identical. The original 1975 single release bore the note: "For more information write: Francis Ubu, c/o 3206 Prospect, #35, Cleveland, Ohio, 44115. Also available a limited edition of 200
pataphysical diagrams; send 75 cents for each". ==Critical reception ==