Then in 1991, George's friend Eric Clapton offered himself and his band to Harrison for a twelve date tour of Japan, from which this live recording was made. It was Harrison's last hurrah live performance, and both performance and recording are outstanding.
The band that Clapton had was the creme de la creme: Eric Clapton – lead guitar, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals; Andy Fairweather Low – rhythm guitar, backing vocals; Nathan East – bass, backing vocals; Chuck Leavell – piano, Hammond organ, keyboards; Greg Phillinganes – keyboards, backing vocal; Steve Ferrone – drums; Ray Cooper – percussion, drums; Katie Kissoon – background vocals; Tessa Niles – background vocals.
The set list was exemplary. Nine Beatles songs: I Want to Tell You; Old Brown Shoe; Taxman; If I Needed Someone; Something; Piggies; Here Comes the Sun; While My Guitar Gently Weeps; Roll Over Beethoven. Ten Harrison solo songs, sort of a greatest hits: Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth); What Is Life; Dark Horse; Got My Mind Set on You; Cloud 9; My Sweet Lord; All Those Years Ago; Cheer Down; Devil's Radio; Isn't It a Pity. The entire show in the order it was performed. Six songs from the tour are not here. Two songs that Harrison performed the first two nights and then were dropped from the set list, and four songs performed by Clapton in the middle of the set.
Harrison plays quite a few leads, often on slide guitar. The band is stellar, and well rehearsed. They never miss a beat. Harrison is in good voice, and of course the Japanese audience is in awe.
It's a really fine record. It is both a best-of compilation and a hot live set. It's the second best record he ever made, and it doesn't come with a weak jam record. It went almost unnoticed on release. It made it to #15 in Japan, #125 in the U.S., and didn't even chart in the U.K. Available in CD, vinyl and streaming formats. Lots of people have never heard it. Don't be one of them.
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