Faker Holic: YMO World Tour Live is a double live album by Yellow Magic Orchestra, released in 1991, that captures the raw energy of their 1979 Trans Atlantic Tour. Often called the "Director’s Cut" of their previous live release, Public Pressure, this album is famous for restoring the original jazz-inflected guitar solos of guest musician Kazumi Watanabe, which were famously mixed out of earlier releases due to contract disputes. Why It’s a Essential Listen
The album is split into two discs, each covering a different leg of their global rise: Disc 1: London & Paris (1979) Recorded during the Transatlantic Tour. Includes hits like "Castalia," "Rydeen," and "Technopolis." Showcases the band's raw, early international sound. Disc 2: Los Angeles (1980) Recorded at the Chaplin Memorial Stage (A&M Studios). faker holic ymo world tour live rar
brings the raw, chaotic energy of the 1979 tour to the forefront. Most importantly, it restores the guitar parts of guest musician Kazumi Watanabe. This addition is transformative. While YMO was known for being a "computer band," live in 1979, they were a fusion of synthesizer precision and rock-and-roll urgency. Watanabe’s guitar provides a jagged, organic contrast to Hideki Matsutake’s programmed micro-composer sequences and Sakamoto’s synth melodies. Faker Holic: YMO World Tour Live is a
Official Remasters: Sony Music Japan has periodically re-released these recordings with updated sonics. A 2-hour live recording of the concert, featuring
"Kang Tong Boy": A standout live favorite featuring guest artist Akiko Yano on lead vocals and keyboards.
The album is primarily valued by fans for restoring Kazumi Watanabe's guitar parts. On YMO's first official live album, Public Pressure (1980), Watanabe's contributions were notoriously removed and overdubbed with keyboards due to contractual disputes between his label and Alfa Records. Faker Holic allows listeners to hear the original "band-like" energy of the 1979 tour, which featured more jazz-fusion and rock influences than the group's later studio work. Album Structure & Locations