Elton John's Tour De Force of Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) was the culmination of months of planning and preparation, as well as some remarkable stamina from the singer, who would have surgery on his vocal cords just three weeks after the final show.
John's core band, most of whom were retained from recording of the Leather Jackets album, also included the Onward International Horns, three backing singers, and now two percussionists (with Ray Cooper returning to join Jody Linscott).
In June the following year, Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra was released showcasing music recorded on 14 December 1986, at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, which was the final show of the tour.
He was scheduled to do three concerts in Perth but, according to Gus Dudgeon, "on the third night, he was sitting in his dressing room and suddenly found he couldn't speak at all".
Dudgeon took the tapes back to Wisseloord Studios in the Netherlands for mixing with engineer Graham Dickson, who had also worked on Leather Jackets.