First Japan Tour, March 1972
In late March 1972, the Bee Gees toured Japan for the first time. They played to a capacity audience for four consecutive nights: March 23 (Shibuya Kokaido Hall), 24 (Budokan), and 25-26 (Osaka Festival Hall). A number of singles and EPs that featured photographs from this first tour were released during the following months that led up to the second tour in September 1973.
Massachusettes (EP)
They came out in the following order:
1. Massachusetts: EP released August 1972（Cover pic from Budokan）
2. Run To Me: Single released September 1972 （Cover pic from Budokan）
3. My World: EP released October 1972 （Cover pic from Budokan）
4. Sea Of Smiling Faces: Single released December 1972 （Cover pics from Budokan and Shibuya）
5. Alive: Single released February 1973．(Cover pics from the press conference)
6. Run To Me: EP released February 1973 (Cover pic from Shibuya)
7. Saw A New Morning: EP released August 1973 (Cover pic from Shibuya and Budokan)
8. Same as above (flipside)
≪Cover pics: Thanks to Yamachan≫
The pictures either from Shibuya Kokaido Hall (March 23, 1972) or Budokan (March 24, 1972) are featured on these single and EP covers. With Robin it’s the easiest to tell from which one of the concerts each picture is from, because he had grey suits on on 23rd and black on 24th. Barry had a different shirt on each night. It’s a bit hard with Maurice, who wore black suits and a white shirt for both dates, until you realize he had different ties. (Whew!)
The “Alive” single features pictures from the press conference that took place on March 22, 1972.
The set list for the 1972 Japan Tour was as follows:
New York Mining Disaster 1941
To Love Somebody
And The Sun Will Shine
On Time
Jingle Jangle
In The Morning
World
I Can’t See Nobody
Words
How Can You Mend A Broken Heart
My World
I Started A Joke
Melody Fair
I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You
First Of May
Massachusetts
Lonely Days
Spicks And Specks <Encore>
It was one of the rare occasions when “Melody Fair” was played. When the curtains rose to the intro of “New York Mining Disaster 1941,” the three brothers stood in front of the orchestra with their backs to the audience. As they turned around and started to sing, the lights (coordinated by their father Hugh Gibb who was travelling with them at that time as their lighting director) shone on Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. We still remember the thrill of it (don’t we?) as though it happened……well, not yesterday, but maybe…twenty years ago. Hard to believe it’s almost 40 years. But we can still relive the excitement at times when we hear those firsts notes of “New York Mining Disaster 1941.”
