Search - Steve Hackett :: Tokyo Tape

Some really good stuff

kireviewer | Sunnyvale, Ca United States | 07/18/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is Genesis's answer to Ring Starr's All-Starr Band. To support his Genesis Revisted CD, Steve Hackett pulled together this group for a mini tour. It features Ian McDonald, one of the founders of King Crimson and Foriegner (talk about different muscial styles), Chester Thompson, who was played with nearly everyone, including Zappa, Weather Report and Genesis, John Wetton from the 70's King Crimson, UK and Asia and Julian Colbeck, originally from the bad pop group Charlie, but who also played on some Hackett albums and one version of Yes.This double CD has about one CD's worth of five star material and some less successful material. It starts out with another unnecessary version of the tedious "Watcher of the Skies" and then goes to a mediocre Hackett solo number. But next there is a fantastic version of "Firth of Fifth" that starts out slowly but then breaks into a new and interesting instrumental interlude. There's a few more mediocre Hackett solo numbers and a horrible Wetton solo song. There is a fair version of "In the Court of the Crimson King". Wetton does an acoustic version of the Asia hit "Heat of the Moment". It is the best version I have heard of any Asia song, but it still isn't that good.After "Heat of the Moment", the live material really takes off. It is mostly Hackett material, but there are two Genesis tunes and a great "I Talk to the Wind". The addition of McDonald on sax and flute is amazing. He adds new dimensions to these songs and sounds as if he has been playing these songs all his life. His genius shines through and makes you regret he wasted all of those years with Foriegner. The CD ends with two unnecessary, uninspired Hackett studio cuts.There are three versions of this CD. There is a European one (which I picked up in Scotland) that has the least amount of features. The Japanese version advertises three extra tracks but it really only has one, a truncated version of Los Endos. The other two "extra" tracks are the studio tracks and are available on all versions. The US version is an enhanced CD that includes video you can play on your computer. There is also a VHS tape and laser disc, but no DVD.If you like what McDonald does here, or the first two King Crimson albums, you will want to check out the album McDonald and Giles, which sounds like a lost Crimson album."