Genesis

[Mirror Image]

Can't link it at the moment, but the Land of Confusion music video was great.

Yes, those Spitting Image puppets were cool and different. Back in the 80s and early 90s, rock bands' videos played an integral part of their success.

[Bogey]

Inspired by these posts:

What's your preferred "worst song by Genesis"? (Why am I thinking it should be from And Then There Were Three . . . ? Or should it be from Calling All Stations . . . an album to which I haven't yet listened?)

In the topic header, though, I am leaving open the possibility of other lines of discourse . . . .

Missing Caliing All Stations, but thought this was an interesting review....do not agree with all of it, but interesting:

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/platipus143/genesis__from_best_to_worst

[snyprrr]

I always felt that Phil Collins, in his '80s 'divorcing his wife' hits, it seems that not only is he singing about the same breakup over and over, but the same INCIDENT over and over.

I can't stand this stuff, except when I'm heartbroken, then all I can hear is Phill singing Misunderstanding.

I was waiting in the rain... for hours!!

There's Something Going On!

That's All!

Take...A...Look...At...Me...Now!!


...aaAAHhhh...

[TheGSMoeller]

http://www.youtube.com/v/8NHi4_rhj5chttp://www.youtube.com/v/AFDNZ24eo8s

http://www.youtube.com/v/1pkVLqSaahk&feature=related


Top two are covers of the song, bottom one is official video.

[Karl Henning]

I always felt that Phil Collins, in his '80s 'divorcing his wife' hits, it seems that not only is he singing about the same breakup over and over, but the same INCIDENT over and over.

I can't stand this stuff, except when I'm heartbroken, then all I can hear is Phill singing Misunderstanding.

I was waiting in the rain... for hours!!

There's Something Going On!

That's All!

Take...A...Look...At...Me...Now!!


...aaAAHhhh...

Have you ever thought, snypsss, that maybe it's because you want to hear the divorce? . . .

[Karl Henning]

Missing Caliing All Stations, but thought this was an interesting review....do not agree with all of it, but interesting:

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/platipus143/genesis__from_best_to_worst

Most interesting, thanks for this, Bill.  A couple of initial take-aways . . . .

Globally, I am struck by how solidly within-the-box the thinking is (in effect, any album with Peter Gabriel is of necessity better than any album without; then, any album with Steve Hackett is of necessity better than any album without . . . . to be sure, the sui generis inaugural album is tucked in near the bottom).

Curiously, there is the striking remark about The Lamb, "the band's songwriting was at its peak."  That evaluation appears to be at variance with the Gabriel-über-alles criterion . . . as The Lamb is famous for the band's strain.  Apart from (for instance) the melody in "Carpet Crawlers" which Gabriel is proud to have written, the vast expanse of the album is mostly the musical work of Banks-Rutherford-Hackett-Collins.  So if the writer has such high regard for their work, why do both the quartet albums get shunted down the list?

In principle, I'd agree that Trespass is "underrated." But rank it second?

Curious remarks on Selling England, supposedly "definitely the weakest from the era," but his only criticisms are "sort of uneven and inconsistent."  I mean, I certainly disagree, but I am happy to entertain an argument.

I think the idea of Trick of the Tail being "a [...] cousin of Selling England by the Pound" intriguing, setting aside his avowed disaste for the latter.

For Duke: "This one is great."  Then all the albums better than it (nos. 1 through are super-great, right?  We seem to have a guy who set to a list, but didn't have steam to think things through.

Footnote: Pity that the fellow's spelling and punctuation are (* ahem *) inconsistent.

[Mirror Image]

Early in my development as a guitarist, I admired Steve Hackett, Steve Howe, Robert Fripp, David Gilmour, and Alex Lifeson. For me, these guys are the greatest progressive rock guitarists. I still admire them 21 years later. Since this is a Genesis thread, I would like to talk about Steve Hackett. One of the great things about Hackett besides his obvious curiosity in exploring a wide range of music was his willingness to push the guitar forward. He is, however, often overlooked and neglected in regards to some of the guitar techniques he introduced to listeners. One of the most striking was finger tapping (made famous by Eddie Van Halen), but Hackett did it in '71! Also, Hackett used volume swells to create ghostly effects. Hackett was, as was Howe, quite known to play several different guitars in one piece. Hackett would switch from acoustic guitar to electric guitar in the same song. What impresses me still to this day was how much Hackett listened to the other band members and followed them and found a way to fit his style into the heavily dominant keyboard work of Tony Banks. He's still around today recording progressive rock and maturing as a musician.

Now back to Genesis...

[Mirror Image]

I love all of Genesis' early recordings from Trespass to Lamb Lies Down On Broadway to Wind & Wuthering. For me, you just can't beat this period in the band's history.

[snyprrr]

brrrrrrr (shiver) The Dreaded 'Genesis' Thread Returns!

... but, yea, Hackett's cool.

[Mirror Image]

brrrrrrr (shiver) The Dreaded 'Genesis' Thread Returns!

... but, yea, Hackett's cool.

What progressive rock groups do you like, snyprrr?

[Karl Henning]

Love the range of sounds that Hackett could coax out of his guitar.

[Mirror Image]

Love the range of sounds that Hackett could coax out of his guitar.

Yeah, he was such a master of color. Back in the early 70s, there weren't many effects pedals, so it's amazing he found alternative and creative ways around this.

Now listening:

[asin]B000002J2B[/asin]

Speaking of Hackett's diverse creative palette, according to the liner notes, he plays the following instruments on Wind & Wuthering: electric guitar, nylon classical guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar, kalimba, and auto-harp.

[Karl Henning]

It's an album I need to be in just the right humor for, but there are few albums so gloriously powerful in their entirety as The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.

[snyprrr]

What progressive rock groups do you like, snyprrr?

That question literally made me squirm, haha! I really can't take music where the whole band has to play the exact same 16th note run (Zappa, DiMeola). SOME King Crimson is getting close to what I will tolerate, but mostly,... hmm,... and this includes RUSH,... most prog rock just didn't do what I needed it to. A 'Classically' (Avant) inspired,... perhaps a Reich+Xenakis type, 2 drummer, 2 bassist, 2 guitar thing would be up my alley, but I don't think...

Wait, here's my problem: the 'pop' guys tried to go 'Classical',... but the Classical guys haven't really gone... METAL!! I think a lot of us on here agree that that is what needs to happen. A totally written out, awesome, Classical METAL (and I don't mean Malmsteen or King Diamond),... something a few notches up from Tool,... and, without the satanism! Pure.

I have yet to hear an electric guitar piece that truly satisfies (check the 'Guitarists Unite' Thread in the Performer Page).

[snyprrr]

Actually, 'Naked City' wasn't too bad, but the screaming 'yo boy ruined it.

[Karl Henning]

That question literally made me squirm, haha! I really can't take music where the whole band has to play the exact same 16th note run (Zappa, DiMeola).

Do you find orchestral unisons squirm-inducing, too?

I'm a composer, you know, and I want to know how to push your buttons, bwa-ha-ha-ha-hah! . . . .

[jwinter]

I am currently slowly working my way through the Genesis back-catalog -- I just pulled up Wind & Wuthering on my ipod (prompted by Mirror Image's post), and am listening as I type.  I first encountered Genesis through the later Phil Collins period (Abacab and Genesis were the only two albums I had back in the day), and quite enjoyed them, but the 90's stuff didn't really appeal, and I didn't come back to them for quite a while. 

I've long enjoyed Peter Gabriel's solo stuff, and eventually curiosity got the better of me and I started to explore.  I still haven't filled in all of the early albums; greatly enjoyed When the Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.  What, in your expert opinions, is the best PG-era album?

[Karl Henning]

Tough question, and chances are there will be someone to favor each of them.  By a narrow margin, I'd call Selling England by the Pound my favorite. That instrumental middle to "Firth of Fifth" where Hackett brilliantly echoes Gabriel's earlier flute solo, chills every time.

[Karl Henning]

Mm, crickets : )

[Mirror Image]

Tough question, and chances are there will be someone to favor each of them.  By a narrow margin, I'd call Selling England by the Pound my favorite. That instrumental middle to "Firth of Fifth" where Hackett brilliantly echoes Gabriel's earlier flute solo, chills every time.

+1

Dancing with the Moonlit Knight, The Battle of Epping Forest, Firth of Fifth, and The Cinema Show are favorites from that album. The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway has always been a favorite of mine. In truth, I like all of their progressive albums. A Trick of the Tail and Wind & Wuthering are my favorites from the Collins years.

It's interesting to note Tony Banks was very dissatisfied with The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway whereas Peter Gabriel has said it's his favorite album he did with Genesis.