ProgPos Blog - Genesis Studio LP Tour

Well, I always like better the live songs when they add something to the song, making impovisations or new arrangements, otherwise, what's the point in having a live album if it's going to be played exactly the same way as the studio album. And often enough I like better the live versions. And I guess it is a point in favor of the artist to be able to make suitable changes to the songs (and make them right) when playing live, than having to play just as it was written on the studio album because otherwise it won't work. I still have to hear more Genesis Live albums to express my opinion on this point for Genesis in particular.

Atavachron wrote:  ^ yes and no--  you're correct that Genesis performances can be by-the-numbers as on Genesis Live (though Three Sides Live is rather good), but though I've never seen them, I suspect it would be quite enjoyable to witness the compositions, as written or not.  You simply aren't experiencing the magic on a recording.  That said, seeing Pink Floyd do the exact same show two nights in a row for the AMLoR tour was disappointing.  It depends on the band members, the times, the current musical direction of the band, the very mood of that particular evening.

Edited by Ivan_Melgar_M - April 19 2010 at 22:20

Atavachron wrote: true, though I have some recordings of Floyd in '75 touring WYWH and they had a rougher, more spontaneous approach than later..more like a rock band doing art than an art band doing, or trying to do, rock.

You know?

Edited by Ivan_Melgar_M - April 19 2010 at 22:52

Ivan_Melgar_M wrote: Atavachron wrote:  ^ yes and no--  you're correct that Genesis performances can be by-the-numbers as on Genesis Live (though Three Sides Live is rather good), but though I've never seen them, I suspect it would be quite enjoyable to witness the compositions, as written or not.  You simply aren't experiencing the magic on a recording.  That said, seeing Pink Floyd do the exact same show two nights in a row for the AMLoR tour was disappointing.  It depends on the band members, the times, the current musical direction of the band, the very mood of that particular evening. I believe there are bands that should improvise and as a fact do it great, I seen Wakeman and Tull several times and don't imagine a live show sounding as in an album. But a band like Genesis or Pink Floyd are different, they always sound almost exactly, and casually both are two bands that have a rich atmospheric sound. For me, the Three Sides Live performance of One for the Vine is disappointing, even when I like the In the Cage performance despite the differences, they made One for the Vine  too light, too 80's, clearly for a new fanbase and without any mystery that is one of the main characteristics of the band and the song in particular. Remember that even that version was too strong for the USA album and they released Three Sides Live for this country with a fourth studio side with songs as Paperlate, because the new fans only knew the band after Hackett left . But it's only my opinion. Iván

     I wouldn't agree Pink Floyd always sound exactly as in the album (nor Roger Waters Solo). Perhaps indeed many songs remain almost the same, for they are not good to be improvised upon, and perhaps they do not change the other songs as much as other artists might, but I have heard some songs I really like much better live from Pink Floyd. Specially, those songs that end with a guitar solo, Gilmour usually makes them a lot better (for my taste) live, he makes them longer (at least a bit) and more powerful... that's one of the reasons I don't really like the studio version from Comfortably Numb so much any longer, the solo ends all too soon (though the atmosphere is certainly better on the original recording). Waters made MAJOR changes to Set the Controls to the Heart of the Sun, and to Welcome to the Machine on the In the Flesh live album (though I wouldn't say I like those versions better, they are good anyway). And what about early Pink Floyd? just about any song they chose to play live (alas, they released too few of those) sounds so much better, longer, more powerful, and even more atmospheric.

It is interesting which sections of a song that band members feel they can take liberties with in concert and which ones they feel are so integral to the song's structure that they need to leave them "as is".  They usually make wise choices IMO but not always.

Edited by progpositivity - April 21 2010 at 14:58

The guitar solo from Comfortably Numb is very melodically uplifting - which creates an interesting sense of temporary 'relief' to the struggles depicted by the narrator in the song.  It paints an emotional "sound picture" of the protaganist's memories of an elusive " fleeting glimpse out of the corner of his eye" of something good and bigger than him and all of his problems.   Your emotional response speaks volumes about its effectiveness.  Truly one of rock music's "great guitar solos". 

Edited by progpositivity - April 22 2010 at 12:18

Guitar:
Steve Hackett - Firth of Fifth

Keyboard
Rick Wakeman-Awaken

Tempano - Selective Memory - Argos

Before I can righfully move on to the next Genesis stuio album in my 'mini-tour', I *owe* an update on my TRESPASS listening experience. 

I envy you a bit progpositively, for being in the position of trying to get into the early Genesis albums for the  first time. Oh, those days! Nursery Cryme was really a very important album back in those days. Now it has lost a lot of its magic after hearing zillions of other bands.

Edited by Rottenhat - April 24 2010 at 12:24