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CD
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GOLF 015CD
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"Having officially disbanded in late 1967 following a hugely successful career in the UK, The Walker Brothers - non-related American natives to a man - were persuaded by management to undertake a short tour of Japan together in the opening month of 1968. 'Brother' Scott Walker (née Engel) had adopted the most prominent role in the trio by this juncture and was pursuing a solo career too, which was proving both successful and critically acclaimed. Having released his first solo album Scott a few months before - a record which climbed to No. 3 on the UK albums chart, beating by as many points the last WB album - he still came out of the trio penniless. Knowing that to make further solo works was going to cost dear, he agreed to a final (or so he believed at the time) fling with his fake brethren, Gary and John. The shows at the Osaka Festival hall between the 2nd and 4th, recorded for television transmission, were as riotous as any pop concert in 1960's Japan was ever going to be - still an ultra-conservative albeit democratic and modern Asian territory. The songs performed can be described best as a motley collection of numbers from the group's back catalogue, plus a single strike from Scott and a rag-bag selection of covers. That being said, the results prove to be a thoroughly enjoyable live run through of both the big hits and some of the finest cuts from the Brothers' four, often underrated, albums together. With performances of such lost classics as 'Living Above Your Head,' 'In My Room,' 'Everything Under The Sun' and Scott's marvellous 'Saturday's Child' alongside 'Make It Easy On Yourself' and 'The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore,' and while the flow may be a little disjointed, the editing for television somewhat unorthodox to western ears and the between song announcements - well, judge those for yourself - this rare recording will prove a must-have CD for fans of both Scott Walker and of the group with which he came to the world's attention."
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