THE TOKYO TAPES

By far the most earth-shaking version of "Watcher of the Skies" I'd ever heard. Someone has told me Julian Colby did the mellotron/keybds.....I'd previously assumed it was Ian McDonald. WHOEVER it was did the ultimate copy-cat job, that's for sure. Real LOUD and thundering. I (unintentionally) annoyed my neighbors with this one when I had purchased this CD several years ago.

Wetton's authoritative voice adds a really deep dimension to this one, as well, and does the same favor for "In the Court...". The hypnotic "Shadow of the Hierophant" has a captivating essence too, but it's cut short by a lackluster drum solo by Chester (poor guy was getting old, you can really tell). But he was trying! When I heard this solo attempt, I was actually imagining a nurse standing by his side with a bottle of nitro tablets.

I never was thrilled by Steve's pseudo (empahasis: Pseudo-) -Jazz instrumental numbers so I can't pull myself to mention those forgettable tracks, whatever their titles were. Also I was disappointed by Steve's anemic sound on "Watcher..." - completely devoid of life. Those short solos could have benefited by those loud, neopsychedelic echo effects he used on the same song and that I'd enjoyed on a very early Genesis bootleg.

But I was still think was a very distinctive guitar player, when in his prime, and one of the very best without a doubt. In short, it was the keyboard guys (McDonald? Colby sometimes? or vice versa) and John Wetton who really made this album very enjoyable - particularly on the 'classic' remakes - and making the CD a worthy buy for those who really get into good music.