WE CAN'T DANCE

By the time ''We Can't Dance'' hit the shelves in 1991, Genesis was already one of the biggest and best bands in the whole world. Phil Collins was one of britain's biggest stars, accumulating # 1 hits and grammys everywhere he went and Mike Rutherford was enjoying some solid success with his Mike and The Mechanics albums (their song The Living Years reached #1 on the Billboard Charts in 88).

So, the three men got together again in the studio to compose songs for their next album. But the big question in those days was: How would it sound? The answer: An excellent blend of prog, rock and pop songs all together, combined in one beautiful white package.

Now what impresses me the most about Genesis is that they were one of the most diverse and talented bands ever. For this record, they composed 70 minutes of music and by that stage, they were not thinking about writting for only one specific audience or genre. They were throwing objects on the wall to see what would stick.

So, for the true Genesis fan, who loves, respects and enjoys everything that these guys have put out, what's not to like in here? I have heard comments like:

-Oh, but it's too long or Maybe if they had trimmed down or condensed the record.... - A lot of stuff could have been in ''But...Seriously (1989)'' - We Can't Dance or Never a Time could have been Mike and The Mechanics tracks.

Why are you still complaining? There's something here for everybody, everyone. Just enjoy the ride. Nobody talked about trimming ''The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway'' or ''The White Album'' by the Beatles. Ok, I'm gonna give you a solution: Why don't you make you own ''We Can't Dance'' album?!. Go to nearest store and buy a CD-R and burn it with only the songs that you like. Now what do you think of that? So, shall we continue?

The sound is massive, emotional and the drums play a big role. They were back but with a different sound from Invisible Touch. The ticking of the clocks at the start of the album has something mystical, perhaps also a something of a countdown. As the drama builds around their warm new sound Genesis seem mature, calm and determined. Determined to take us on a ride of what they had learned throughout the years as succesfull musicans and artists and embrace the world.

''We Can't Dance was released late in 1991 and became the most successful Genesis album so far. It topped the German album charts in 1991 and 1992 for 24 weeks and sold more than three million times in Germany alone. Sales numbers in the tens of millions, a stadium tour, lots of hit singles and entertainingly funny promo videos ? yes, Genesis were a big marketing machine in the early 90s sponsored by Volkswagen. Behind the façade of a couple of musicians out of reach who had found the key to making it very big there is a varied album that was to become their last studio record with Phil Collins.''

Who wouldn't have wanted to be in a band like that? Anyone?