George Harrison’s twelfth solo album, Live In Japan, was released in the United Kingdom on Monday 13 July 1992. Credited to George Harrison with Eric Clapton and Band, it was the last album to be released during Harrison’s lifetime. The North American release followed the next day, on 14 July 1992.
| Date | Monday 13 July 1992 (UK) |
| Album | Live In Japan |
| Artist | George Harrison with Eric Clapton and Band |
| Label | Dark Horse Records |
| Format | Double album |
| UK chart | Did not chart |
| US chart | Number 126 (Billboard 200) |
| Japan chart | Number 15 (Oricon) |
The album
Live In Japan was recorded during George Harrison’s 1991 Japanese tour — his first concert tour since the Dark Horse Tour of North America in 1974. The tour ran from 1 to 17 December 1991 and comprised 12 concerts across Japan, all performed with Eric Clapton and his band.
The album was a double live record, capturing Harrison performing his solo catalogue alongside Beatles classics. It was the follow-up to Cloud Nine (1987), Harrison’s most commercially successful solo album, which had produced the worldwide hit ‘Got My Mind Set On You’. Live In Japan proved to be the last album Harrison would release in his lifetime; he died on 29 November 2001.
The 1991 Japan tour
George Harrison’s decision to tour Japan in December 1991 came after years of reluctance to perform live. His 1974 Dark Horse Tour of North America had been poorly received — Harrison was suffering from laryngitis throughout, and the shows were criticised for their heavy emphasis on his then-girlfriend Olivia Arias and the Hare Krishna movement. The experience left him disinclined to tour for nearly two decades.
The Japan tour was made possible in large part by his friendship with Eric Clapton, who agreed to perform alongside him and whose band provided the musical backbone of the shows. Clapton had married Pattie Boyd — Harrison’s former wife — in 1979, and the two men had maintained a close friendship despite the complicated personal history. Harrison later said that having Clapton beside him gave him the confidence to return to the stage.
Eric Clapton and Band
The band for the 1991 Japan tour comprised Eric Clapton (guitar), Andy Fairweather Low (guitar), Chuck Leavell (keyboards), Ray Cooper (percussion), Nathan East (bass), Steve Ferrone (drums), and backing vocalists Katie Kissoon and Tessa Niles. The ensemble was one of the most accomplished live bands assembled for any Harrison project.
The setlist
The Live In Japan album featured a mix of Harrison’s solo work and Beatles songs, including ‘I Want To Tell You’, ‘Old Brown Shoe’, ‘Taxman’, ‘Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)’, ‘If I Needed Someone’, ‘Something’, ‘What Is Life’, ‘Dark Horse’, ‘Piggies’, ‘Got My Mind Set On You’, ‘Cloud Nine’, ‘Here Comes The Sun’, ‘My Sweet Lord’, ‘All Those Years Ago’, ‘Cheer Down’, ‘Devil’s Radio’, ‘Isn’t It A Pity’, ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’, and ‘Roll Over Beethoven’.
George Harrison’s solo career
By 1992, George Harrison had released twelve solo albums spanning more than two decades. His debut, Wonderwall Music, had appeared in 1968; his masterpiece, the triple album All Things Must Pass, in 1970. The Concert for Bangladesh (1971) had been a landmark in the history of benefit concerts. Cloud Nine (1987) had marked a commercial comeback after a difficult period in the early 1980s.
Live In Japan was Harrison’s final statement as a recording artist released in his lifetime. After his death in November 2001, the posthumous album Brainwashed — completed by his son Dhani and Jeff Lynne — was released in November 2002.
Japan
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Frequently Asked Questions
- When was Live In Japan released in the UK?
- Live In Japan was released in the United Kingdom on 13 July 1992. The North American release followed on 14 July 1992.
- Was Live In Japan George Harrison’s last album?
- Yes. Live In Japan was the last album released during George Harrison’s lifetime. He died on 29 November 2001. The posthumous album Brainwashed was released in November 2002.
- Why did George Harrison tour Japan in 1991?
- It was Harrison’s first concert tour since the Dark Horse Tour of 1974. His friendship with Eric Clapton, who agreed to perform alongside him, gave Harrison the confidence to return to the stage after nearly two decades away.
- Did Live In Japan chart in the UK?
- No. Live In Japan did not chart in the UK. It peaked at number 126 on the US Billboard 200 and reached number 15 on the Japanese Oricon chart.
- Who was in the band for the 1991 Japan tour?
- The band comprised Eric Clapton, Andy Fairweather Low, Chuck Leavell, Ray Cooper, Nathan East, Steve Ferrone, and backing vocalists Katie Kissoon and Tessa Niles.
- What Beatles songs did George Harrison perform in Japan in 1991?
- Harrison performed several Beatles songs on the 1991 Japan tour, including ‘Taxman’, ‘Something’, ‘Here Comes The Sun’, ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’, ‘If I Needed Someone’, ‘Old Brown Shoe’, ‘I Want To Tell You’, ‘Piggies’, and ‘Roll Over Beethoven’.
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