Soon after completing work on
Watcher of the Skies,
Steve Hackett conceived of a series of concerts involving many of the musicians from the
Genesis project, to be recorded for a special live release. This two-disc set from a December 1996 performance in Tokyo is the end result. The band personnel look like potential candidates for a Prog Rockers: Where Are They Now? TV special, with
Hackett joined by
John Wetton (formerly of
Asia),
Ian McDonald (
King Crimson), and
Chester Thompson and
Julian Colbeck (touring alum of
Genesis and
Yes, respectively). The set list includes many
Genesis songs, as well as several taken from
Hackett's solo archive. Most of the songs differ considerably from their studio versions, either through vastly altered arrangements or extended instrumental sections.
Wetton does a fine job on lead vocals, the one exception being his solo acoustic reworking of the
Asia mega-hit "Heat of the Moment"; the new version with updated lyrics sounds embarrassingly frail. This is a minor misstep, however.
Tokyo Tapes is easily the definitive
Steve Hackett live collection available to date, and it's a welcome addition to any fan's collection. ~ Steve McMullen