In 1998, Harley embarked on his first acoustic tour "Stripped to the Bare Bones". Alongside Cockney Rebel violinist/guitarist Nick Pynn, the pair played over a hundred dates, including fifty-four concerts in the UK alone. Coinciding with the tour was the release of the new compilation album "More Than Somewhat – The Very Best of Steve Harley", which reached No. 82 in the UK. In September 1999, the live acoustic album "Stripped to the Bare Bones" was released, which had been recorded at The Jazz Café in London during March 1998. In 1999, the new compilation "The Cream of Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel" was released, which would later reach No. 21 on the UK Budget Albums Chart in 2006.