Genesis – The Sky We Fly (Private Masters PM041/042)

The Sky We Fly (Private Masters PM041/042)

Budokan, Tokyo, Japan – March 13th, 1987

Disc 1 (73:32):  Mama, Abacab, Domino 1&2, That’s All, The Brazilian, In The Cage (incl…In That Quiet Earth), Afterglow, Land Of Confusion, Tonight Tonight Tonight

Disc 2 (51:51):  Throwing It All Away, Home By The Sea, Second Home By The Sea, Invisible Touch, drum duet, Los Endos, Turn In On Again

This release was originally announced for release in Beatleg Magazine in 1999 to be the November 28th, 1978 show on a new label called Reel Master.  Several years later the project changed its name to Private Masters and instead they chose to release the March 13th, 1987 audience recording.  (The 1978 show was eventually released on Izakaya (Highland HL429/430) several years after).  The front cover says The Sky Will Fly, but both the spine and the actual discs read The Sky We Fly, so that is the proper title and the front cover is a mistake.  It was taped in the middle of the Budokan producing a well balanced and detailed recording.  An older release of this show can be found on the ultra rare and obscure Throwing It All Away (Big Time Records GEV 21).   This has a great live sound with particular emphasis upon a deep, rich drum sound that makes “Second Home By The Sea” and the drum duet sound fantastic.  

Despite Genesis’ popularity in Japan, they didn’t play there much during their career.  Their first visit was on the …And Then There Were Three tour in 1978.  The Invisible Touch dates were only their second visit.  They played six total shows in Japan in 1987 beginning with four in Tokyo starting on March 13th.  By this time in the tour “Land Of Confusion” was played later in the set, “Follow You, Follow Me” was dropped and the older medley was played earlier.  Furthermore, “Afterglow” is the final piece played in the old medley instead of “Apocalypse In 9/8.”

All bands, when they visit Japan, will throw in an “arigato” and “konichiwa” to find a point of contact with the audience.  But Collins follows Genesis’ long-standing practice of not just saying a few words and phrases in the native tongue, but speak all of the introductions.  And Phil’s performance is quite impressive, delivering the long introductions including the “other world” shtick before “Home By The Sea” in what sounds like passable Japanese. 

The encore “Turn It On Again” contains a twelve minute long medley of oldies.  Phil tell them how they are happy to be back “in our home town Tokyo” before introducing “Everybody Needs Somebody To Love” as something “in the immortal words of Jake and Elwood Blues.  And Mr. Solomon Burke.”  The other numbers include “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” “Twist And Shout,” “Reach Out,” “You Lost That Loving Feeling,” “Pinball Wizard” (with Collins singing “from Tokyo down to Brighton”) and “In The Midnight Hour.”  Given that The Sky We Fly is a rare silver pressing from Genesis’ commercial peak and is a great recording, it is a great addition to the collection.