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geneyesontle View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 08 2013 at 09:23
An Amazing blog. I hope you do others like that. I love them.
Another triumph for one of my favorite reviewers.
Poseidon wants to Acquire the Taste of the Fragile Lamb
- Derek Adrian Gabriel Anderson, singer of the band Geneyesontle
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 08 2013 at 07:04
1986 Losing the Midas Touch....


Genesis Invisible Touch album cover

Genesis go pop!

Track listing:

1. Invisible Touch (3:27) 
2. Tonight, Tonight, Tonight (8:50) 
3. Land Of Confusion (4:44) 
4. In Too Deep (4:57) 
5. Anything She Does (4:06) 
6. Domino (10:41) 
part 1 - In The Glow Of The Night 
part 2 - The Last Domino 
7. Throwing It All Away (3:48) 
8. The Brazilian (5:04)

Total Time: 45:37




The Video:


The Singles:


1. Invisible Touch (3:26)
2. The Last Domino (6:15)


1. Throwing It All Away (3:41)
2. Do the Neurotic (5:21)


1. Land of Confusion (4:45)
2. Feeding the Fire (5:54)

Genesis In Too Deep  album cover

1. In Too Deep (4:59)
2. I'd Rather Be You (3:54)


1. Tonight, Tonight, Tonight - Edited Version
2. In The Glow Of The Night
3. Paperlate
4. Tonight, Tonight, Tonight - 12'' Remix

1. Tonight, Tonight Tonight Tonight
2. In The Glow Of The Night




My Review of Invisible Touch:



1 stars Throwing it all Away like an Invisible Crutch.

Here's how to appease record labels. Sell out and forget your solid prog roots and rebuild a new fan base of teeny bopping girly dancers. They succeeded. This sold like hot cakes and rocketed to number one. I own the vinyl and it cost me 50 cents at a second hand store; that's what it is worth too!

"Invisible Touch" is a damned album, a wretched album that ushered in a new Genesis sound that was only approved by those who were not enamoured with the prog Genesis with Gabriel in full voice.

Banks, Collins and Rutherford were now in charge and sold completely out to a mediocre crystalline 80s sound that was not even close to progressive. Domino was Ok as a ten minute romp into prog territory but it never measures up to the classic sound the band was famous for.

Gone are the musical interludes. Hyper lyrics and musicianship only to be replaced by that 80s synth radio friendly pop sound, and awful synthesized drums, and processed vocals.

The album sold huge amounts due to the singles 'Invisible Touch' and 'In Too Deep' showing a balladic Collins singing about love, love, love. In other words no different to other radio bands. The fans were becoming female as a result of course but all of the innovation and creativity was being sucked out of the group and becoming plastic and not a bit fantastic.

I like 'Land of Confusion' because the melody grew on me and I actually liked the film clip at the time. 'Invisible Touch' was a song that haunted the radio, and I remember it being sung on Young Talent Time, the 80s teenage talent show, by some unknown singer as teenyboppers screamed his name; sick. It was fun when I was a teen but nowadays it is so dated and better forgotten.

'Anything She Does' is notable for the film clip with hilarious funny man Benny Hill taking centre stage, as he visits Genesis in their dressing room, and continues to try and cater to their outlandish wishes, even showing some gorgeous groupies the way out, complete with speeded up action, and a dressing room full of weird oddballs. The band were certainly innovative in their MTV clips.

The song 'Throwing it All Away' was self prophetic as the band were throwing away everything that made them great. The clip to this was again innovative with the band filming themselves during rehearsals and it features some great backstage footage.

Overall though this is an atrocious album. Even the album cover is corny with a stupid design that the average person could emulate on a computer. "Abacab" was worse overall, but this is still a terrible album! I changed my rating to 1 star, as 2 stars is being too kind.




To be continued....


Edited by AtomicCrimsonRush - March 08 2013 at 07:28
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 21 2012 at 00:19
Originally posted by Catcher10 Catcher10 wrote:

Great stuff as always!!! Will need to re-read some of this during our Thanksgiving break later this week.
 
Cheers


Thanks you so much. i am going to do Invisible Touch soonOuchLOL
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 19 2012 at 10:57
Great stuff as always!!! Will need to re-read some of this during our Thanksgiving break later this week.
 
Cheers
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 19 2012 at 05:11
1983 - Genesis release a self titled studio album... their 12th.

Genesis’ twelfth studio album is referred to as the "Mama" album because it alleviates the confusion of just being called Genesis, and often is called the "Shapes" or "Yellow Shapes" album referring to the front cover. The shapes are the ones used in the Tupperware "Shape O Toy Ball." The album is called “Genesis” because all three band members composed every song on it together. "Mama" is a song about a man's obsession with a prostitute, and it became Genesis' biggest UK hit, reaching No.20 and later reaching No.4. 

Another single, "That's All", was the band’s first US Top 10 hit, "Illegal Alien" and "Taking It All Too Hard" were also released as singles and the album finally reached No.1 in the UK, and remained in the charts for 51 weeks. It hit No.9 in the US, and sold over four million copies. There were three progressive rock songs on side 1, from “Mama” to “Home by the Sea”. Side 2 featured five pop rock songs from “Illegal Alien” to “It's Gonna Get Better”.



Songs:


1. Mama (7:25)
2. That's All (4:23)
3. Home By The Sea (4:52)
4. Second Home By The Sea (6:20)
5. Illegal Alien (5:13)
6. Taking It All Too Hard (3:55)
7. Just A Job To Do (4:45)
8. Silver Rainbow (4:28)
9. It's Gonna Get Better (6:25)

Total Time: 47:46


Band members:

- Tony Banks / keyboards, backing vocals 

- Phil Collins / drums, percussion, lead vocals 
- Mike Rutherford / lead guitar, bass guitar, backing vocals


The singles:

1. Mama (5:18)
2. It's Gonna Get Better (5:00)

12" version

1. Mama (7:27)
2. It's Gonna Get Better (6:27)


Genesis Mama album cover

1. That's All
2. Taking It All Too Har

Genesis Thats All album cover


1. Illegal Alien
2. Turn It On Again


Genesis Illegal Alien album cover


1983 flexidisk:

Live Firth of Fifth (1981, New York) 

Genesis Firth Of Fifth album cover


Vinyl Front:

Vinyl Back:


Vinyl Inner sleeve:




CD Label:

CD front:

Genesis Genesis album cover

CD back:



Bootleg CDs:

The tour setlist:

Setlist

Dodo/Lurker*

Abacab*

That's All*

Mama*

Old Medley

Man On The Corner*

Illegal Alien

Home by the Sea/Second Home By the Sea*

Keep It Dark

It's Gonna Get Better

Follow You Follow Me*

In the Cage

The Cinema Show (closing section)/Riding the Scree (teaser)/The Cinema Show/...In That Quiet Earth/The Colony of Slippermen (c) The Raven

Afterglow

Drum Duet

Los Endos

Encore:

Misunderstanding

Turn It On Again (In the Midnight Hour, (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, Pinball Wizard)


Later, the VHS was released:

"The Mama Tour":

Genesis The Mama Tour album cover

The tracks:

1. Abacab 

2. That`s All
3. Mama
4. Illegal Alien
5. Home by the Sea
6. Second Home by the Sea
7. Keep It Dark
8. It`s Gonna Get Better
9. In the Cage / Cinema Show / Afterglow
10. Turn It On Again - Final Medley - (I Can`t Get No) Satisfaction

Total Time: 102 minutes 

The musicians:

- Tony Banks / keyboards, backing vocals
- Phil Collins / drums, vocals
- Mike Rutherford / guitar, bass, backing vocals
- Daryl Stuermer / guitar, bass
- Chester Thompson / drums


My Review:

** Moulded into mainstream commercialism sap.

Genesis release another pop ballad album with some detestable songs to coincide with the 'Invisible Crutch' and 'Abacrap' albums. On this offering you are looking down the barrel of syrupy pop excess where the musos are nothing more than session musicians and Collins annoys like nothing else particularly on the infectious and horrible Illegal Alien. The songs were designed to lock into your skull and force you to go out and buy the single to make the band rich and the management. This it did of course and the radio was saturated with Collins voice and it drove nails into the prog history; all but dumped only to be replaced by inane trash such as Taking It All Too Hard, Just A Job To Do, and It's Gonna Get Better.

'Illegal Alien' deserves a place as one of the most detestable Genesis tracks complete with a pathetic attempt at humour with Collins' racist Mexican accent and equally offensive lyrics. The filmclip is memorable for all the wrong reasons, as is the melody. It is so annoying but the melody will stick to you like stink on a skunk; you cannot wash it off but you will be dying to do so.


There is one redeeming moment in the form of 'Home By The Sea' that segues immediately into the powerful melodies of 'Second Home By The Sea' with some incredible dark tones and a wonderful structure. That's All is okay or perhaps I have been desensitised to it as it has permeated the radio waves as much as Invisible Touch forcing my brain to put up with the synth-soaked horn sound and electronic drums that spews 80s mediocrity. I don't mind Mama either, as it has some chilling atmospheres similar to In The Air Tonite, the best of Collin's solo career, but it doesn't save the album from yet another 2 star rating during this turbulent 80s era.

GENESIS 1983 MAMA BACKSTAGE PASS ASO PHIL COLLINS

The front cover, by the way, is a picture of a toy sold door to door from the Tupperware lady, shaped numbered blocks that toddlers poked into similar shaped holes in a ball. Perhaps this is ironic because Genesis were simply going by the numbers, poking music into moulded holes to appease the masses; they were no longer out of the box musically, they were being moulded and shaped into just another throwaway sound - and what a waste of talent!




Edited by AtomicCrimsonRush - March 13 2014 at 18:53
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 19 2012 at 04:08
1982 - Genesis release an album with One studio side and er.... Three Sides Live.
Now that Genesis had cemented their transformation into radio culture synth pop, they were ready to tour and they hit the world running with a massive tour and this was followed by the album "Three sides Live".
This was a bootleg cover.

Which was a nicer cover than the one that hit stores....


Genesis Three Sides Live album cover


The back cover

Personnel:
Genesis 
Tony Banks – keyboards, background vocals
Phil Collins – lead vocals, drums, percussion
Mike Rutherford – bass, guitar, background vocals
Additional personnel
Daryl Stuermer – guitar, bass
Chester Thompson – drums, percussion
It/Watcher of the Skies:
Tony Banks – keyboards
Phil Collins – vocals, drums
Steve Hackett – guitar
Mike Rutherford – bass, guitar
Additional personnel
Bill Bruford – drums 


Upon its mid-1982 release, “Three Sides Live” hit No.2 in the UK and No.10 in the US.

The three live sides focusses on “Duke” and “Abacab” tracks overall. The third side contains the centrepiece of their last few tours, which is the "Cage" medley, that begins with "In the Cage" (“The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway”), then an instrumental which combined phrases from "The Cinema Show" with melodies from “Wind & Wuthering” and “The Lamb”, including ‘Riding the Scree’, and ‘The Colony of Slippermen’), concluding with ‘Afterglow’.

‘Paperlate’, from the “3 X 3” EP, became a Top 10 UK hit and a minimal US success. According to Tony Banks on the 2007 CD and DVD reissue of Abacab, ‘You Might Recall’ was going to be released on “Abacab”, but Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegün suggested that the band leave the track off in favour of "Who Dunnit?" 

The songs:
1. Turn It On Again (5:15) 
2. Dodo / Lurker (7:18) 
3. Abacab (8:46) 
4. Behind The Lines (5:25) 
5. Duchess (6:38) 
6. Me And Sarah Jane (6:02) 
7. Follow You, Follow Me (4:58) 
8. Misunderstanding (4:05) 
9. In The Cage / Cinema Show / Slippermen (11:52) 
10. Afterglow (5:13) 
11. One For The Vine (11:05) 
12. Fountain Of Slamacis (8:37) 
13. It / Watcher Of The Skies (7:22)

The North American edition and some European editions of Three Sides Live had originally featured a side four containing 'Paperlate', 'You Might Recall', 'Me and Virgil', 'Evidence of Autumn' and 'Open Door'. The album was re-issued identically only on CD worldwide with the live performances in 1994.



The re-issue:

CD Atlantic records (1982)
2CD Vertigo 810006-2 : re-issue of the original 2LP with studio tracks from 1981* and 1979** on side 4
CD 1 :
1. Turn It On Again (5:23) 
2. Dodo / Lurker (7:20) 
3. Abacab (8:43) 
4. Behind The Lines (5:24) 
5. Duchess (6:38) 
6. Me And Sarah Jane (5:52) 
7. Follow You, Follow Me (4:44) 

CD 2 :
1. Misunderstanding (4:05) 
2. In The Cage / Cinema Show / Slippermen (11:52) 
3. Afterglow (5:02) 
4. Paperlate (3:14) *
5. You might recall (5:27) *
6. Me and Virgil (6:17)*
7. Evidence of Autumn (4:57)**
8. Open Door (4:04)**



The actual vinyl track list was as follows on double album release:

Side one
"Turn It On Again" – 5:16
Nassau Coliseum, Long Island NY 29Nov1981
"Dodo (including Lurker)" – 7:19
National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham 23Dec1981
"Abacab" – 8:47
National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham 23Dec1981

Side two
"Behind the Lines" – 5:26
Nassau Coliseum, Long Island NY 29Nov1981
"Duchess" – 6:43
Nassau Coliseum, Long Island NY 29Nov1981
"Me & Sarah Jane" (Banks) – 5:59
National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham 23Dec1981
"Follow You Follow Me" – 4:58
Lyceum Ballrooms, London 06May1980

Side three
"Misunderstanding" (Collins) – 4:06
Savoy Theatre, New York NY 28Nov1981
"In the Cage (Medley – The Cinema Show/Slippermen)"[3] (Banks/Collins/Peter Gabriel/Steve Hackett/Rutherford) – 11:53
National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham 23Dec1981
"Afterglow" (Banks) – 5:14
National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham 23Dec1981

Side four
"One for the Vine" (Banks) – 11:04
Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London 05May1980
"The Fountain of Salmacis" (Banks/Collins/Gabriel/Hackett/Rutherford) – 8:37
Knebworth, Hertfordshire, England Jun1978, but see below
"It/Watcher of the Skies" (Banks/Collins/Gabriel/Hackett/Rutherford) – 7:22
Apollo Theatre, Glasgow, Scotland 08Jul1976 

Vinyl brown look:





The CD label
Alternative versions:







Bootlegs:









The Songbook available:


A DVD is available:





The setlist:

"Behind the Lines"
"Duchess"
"Misunderstanding"
"Dodo/Lurker"
"Abacab"
"No Reply At All"
"Who Dunnit?"
"In the Cage (Medley – Cinema Show – Slippermen)
"Afterglow"
"Me and Sarah Jane" (filmed at the Savoy)
"Man on the Corner" (filmed at the Savoy)
"Turn It On Again"

Audio-only 5.1 full-length versions on DVD release:
"Behind the Lines"
"Duchess"
"Me & Sarah Jane"
"Man on the Corner"
"One for the Vine"
"Fountain of Salmacis"
"Follow You, Follow Me"

DVD BOOTLEG:



My Review: 
** This live album rarely troubles my hi fi system. It is the least of all Genesis live albums with only a few moments that lift it to a superior level. All of these moments are classic Genesis tracks and of course they are masterfully played as usual; namely 'In The Cage / Cinema Show / Slippermen medley' that runs for a glorious 11:52 and shows what the band are still capable of. 'Afterglow' is as good as ever along with seminal 'Turn It On Again' and 'Misunderstanding'. The tracks from "Duke" are excellent such as 'Behind the Lines' and 'Duchess', though I prefer the studio releases.

Ironically enough the live album follows hot on the heels of their appalling "Abacab" album, but the band managed to salvage the best tracks from that release and they are way better live, much more punchier and interesting overall. 'Follow You Follow Me' is a crowd pleaser and is okay on a live set. The other pop songs in the first half I could have done without.

The fourth side on my version is not live but a bunch of throwaway studio material that I listened to a couple of times before getting bored. I noted the newer CD version features a total concert and is far superior for that reason. Unfortunately, this is not the version I am reviewing so I will stick to 2 stars for the excellent live material.



Edited by AtomicCrimsonRush - March 13 2014 at 18:50
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 19 2012 at 00:03
Genesis move into mainstream pop in 1981
The next album is "Abacab"



The 11th studio album reached No.1 in the UK, where it remained in the charts for 27 weeks. Mike Rutherford came up with the idea of throwing out any songs that sounded like what they had done before as they were becoming "a caricature of ourselves." This decision was fraught with mixed reactions as the prog side of the band was discarded to make way for synth pop mainstream commercialism. While this alienated prog fans and older fans of the group, it welcomed in a newer fanbase that was of the female persuasion. The new radio friendly sound with songs about love and romance appealed to girls in particular and thus the newer Genesis was born. 


Atlantic Records SD 19313 Stereo album by Genesis Released September 14, 1981 Recorded May - June 1981 at The Farm, Surrey Length 47:10 


Side One 
"Abacab" (Lyrics: Rutherford) – 6:56 
"No Reply at All" (Lyrics: Collins) – 4:40
"Me and Sarah Jane" (Tony Banks) – 6:00
"Keep It Dark" (Lyrics: Banks) – 4:32

Side Two
"Dodo/Lurker" (Lyrics: Banks) – 7:30
"Who Dunnit?" (Lyrics: Collins) – 3:23
"Man on the Corner" (Phil Collins) – 4:27
"Like It or Not" (Mike Rutherford) – 4:57
"Another Record" (Lyrics: Collins) – 4:29



The songs:

"No Reply At All" features the Earth, Wind and Fire horn section. 
The album takes its name from an early arrangement of the "Abacab" track.  Rutherford referred to them "as 'section a', 'section b', and 'section c' and at different times, they were in different order. We'd start with 'section a' and then have 'section c'... and at one point in time, it spelled Abacab. On the final version, it's not that at all, it's like 'Accaabbaac'."


Working Titles of the songs for the originally planned double album Abacab:


  1. Abacab 06:56
  2. Jangley (You Might Recall) 05:36 (Cut from album, but released as part of the 3 X 3 EP, and original American release of "Three Sides Live")
  3. Nationwide (No Reply At All) 04:47
  4. German I & II (Dodo/Lurker) 07:28
  5. Sub (Submarine) 04:21 (Cut from album, released as a B-Side to "Man on the Corner", Instrumental Track)
  6. Vocal 3/4 (Naminanu) 03:55 (Cut from album, released as a B-Side to "Keep It Dark", Instrumental Track. The song also was created from improvising in the studio.)
  7. Chunky (Me & Virgil) 06:24 (Cut from album, but released as part of the 3 X 3 EP, and original American release of "Three Sides Live")
  8. Odd (Keep It Dark) 04:36
  9. Spike (Me & Sarah Jane) 06:02
  10. Westside (Another Record) 04:42
  11. Weirdsynth (Who Dunnit?) 03:41
  12. Lonely Man (Man On The Corner) 04:30
  13. Don (Like It Or Not) 05:00
  14. Paperlate 3:39 (Cut from album, but released as part of the 3 X 3 EP, and original American release of "Three Sides Live")





Line Up:

- Tony Banks / keyboards, backing vocals 
- Phil Collins / drums, percussion, lead vocals 
- Mike Rutherford / lead guitar, bass guitar, backing vocals

The single:


alternate cover

Genesis Man On The Corner  album cover

another single...

1. No reply at all (4:09)
2. Naminanu (3:50)

Genesis No reply at all album cover

another single...

1. Abacab
2. Another Record

Genesis Abacab album cover

another single...

1. Keep it dark
2. Naminau
3. Abacab

Genesis Keep it dark album cover



The songs that didn't make it to the album were released on an EP:

1. Paperlate
2. You Might Recall
3. Me and Virgil

Genesis 3 X 3 album cover

The picture disk version...

Genesis Paperlate picture 7 album cover


and Flexipop magazine released a different Genesis song:

Genesis The Lady Lies  album cover




One of the greatest thing about this poppier "Abacab" album, that does not have prog elements, is the innovation of the randomly changing covers. Besides the above main design, you may have ended up with this....


Or this...



Which became the Gold Standard Collection....


Or maybe even this...

Cover4

Which was used on the official program...


The album advertisement had no primary colours at all except shades of pink!
Abacab Album advert ps


Here's a review written at the time....

Cathi Wheatley ps


Paul Colbert ps

The CD remaster features double disc with 5.1 surround DVD and some visual content. 
Disk 2 includes the following video tracks:
  1. Band interview about this album (2006).
  2. Promotional videos: "Abacab", "No Reply At All", "Keep It Dark" and "Man On The Corner".
  3. World Tour program from 1981 tour (15 page gallery).



My review: (proving that not everything Genesis touched was gold)

Insufferable 80s kitsch on "Abacab"''. so Whodunnit?

Genesis kills off their prog roots officially and without fanfare with this pungent release. I'd like to say that there is at least one decent track that saves this from the expensive CD coaster category. I'd like to, but I cant. This is simply the worst album of Genesis with nothing much to recommend. It is as good as ELP's abysmal 'Love Beach', also a sell out in its own right. Phil Collins croons with his trademark ballad and occasionally sounds okay such as on melody driven 'Abacab', the Banks-penned 'Me and Sarah Jane' (surely the best track if any) or 'No Reply at All'.


Occasionally, there is a spark of genius such as on the intro to the weird 'Another Record', with swathes of synths and piano, but it doesn't last. Soon the whispered Collins balladeering returns, and the crystalline antiseptic cheesy synths. The melody on the title track is okay for example but is ruined by those awful machinations of cymbal heavy drums and silly harmonies. The album stinks for many reasons, not the least being its girly dancey beats that perhaps blasted inside many teenybopper's bedrooms, and you can imagine them singing along and grooving in their pleated skirts and boofed out permed hair. This is genuine throwaway pop, designed to get girls dancing on their beds while dreaming of a date with Collins, as they plastered on strawberry scented lip gloss. Perhaps it typifies the 80s throwaway culture, like a disassembled Rubik's Cube, and that new synth soaked sound that dripped like honey out of every amplifier in every bedroom. The stylus crackled on the record player and the synths competed with every crackle absolutely dominating over all guitars, and bass is given a minor role; Rutherford virtually has disappeared on 'Abacab'.



Check out that horned synth solo in 'Abacab'; a real waste of talent with a 4/4 beat that never deviates. 'Keep It Dark' has a cool riff but is destroyed with the overall structure that is repeated. It is incredible coming from a band that used time sig changes so readily in the past; none of that seems to matter here. Reggae rhythms dominates, bright and friendly retro synth, and some awful Earth Wind and Fire rip off sounds. Disco meets 80s kitsch throughout and it is not a pretty sight. Even the album cover looks like Picasso vomited on it.

'Man on the Corner' is a ballad sounding like a Collins solo album with those derivative effects on the vocals, melodic synth, awful handclaps and Latin inspired rhythms. It sounds like something you could create on a cheap synth rather than a virtuoso band.

'Me and Sarah Jane' is one that grabs you, written by Banks featuring a time sig change! Interestingly, despite the more proggy touches, it is still as sugary as the rest thanks to some romantically focused lyrics; no signs of any Hogweeds or Slippermen here!

'Dodo / Lurker' is once again okay but ruined with little variation and too much emphasis on chiming synths. It begins really well but soon inundates with that annoying egomaniac humour of Collins; 'Meanwhile lurking by a stone in the mud, Two eyes looked to see what I was and Then something spoke and this is what It said to me........' This is followed by silly retro synth solos, that are just there to fill in space rather than impress.

The track 'Whodunnit' can only be described as that closing line in Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Facts in the Case of M Valdemar'; 'a nearly liquid mass of loathsome, of detestable putrescence'. The lyrics are 'Was it you or was it me? Or was it he or she? Was it A or was it B? Or was it X or Z?' It repeats ad nauseum 'I didn't, I, I didn't do it.... Oh but we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know, we know.' Repeat another 500 times. How could Genesis and management think people would actually like this?

I could go on, but I am running out of words to describe 'appalling'. There is not a shred of symphonic prog on this and if it contains any style of prog it surely must be hidden under layers of dull 4/4 time sigs, monstrous thick 80s synths and syrupy radio friendliness. 1 star is too generous for this saccharine trash. Perhaps the lyrics of 'Like it Or Not' sum up my feelings on this album; 'Ooh, like it or not, You have done it this time, And like it or not, I've had enough.'



Edited by AtomicCrimsonRush - March 13 2014 at 18:38
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 18 2012 at 23:50
Just a diversion to show on this thread some Genesis vinyl - among other prog albums....


Here's some of my vinyl collection




Then we have a look at a 5 DVD Prog Rock box set featuring legends of prog critical reviews, also look at Pink Floyd's The Wall, Pulse and Genesis Video Show DVDs. 



Edited by AtomicCrimsonRush - November 18 2012 at 23:53
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 27 2012 at 16:13
^^^ Aw thanks everyone. That makes me feel like it was worth it. I use the Genesis Chapter and Verse book, and Prog Magazine interviews for a lot of the details and other sources but Wikipedia misses so much really. Thanks again my friends.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 27 2012 at 15:30
Nice to see that you came back to continue this great documentary work, congratulations! (for me you can as well stop here at Duke LOL ) 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 27 2012 at 14:17
Really great work. I really don't know how you found all these little details of the radio positions for each song, incredibly impressive. This is far more detailed then even Wikipedia is (from what I gather). Everything you wrote seems correct, even the very beginning. How I discovered Genesis was the single Invisible Touch always being played on the radio. Even if that song isn't very good at all (in fact my least favorite from Invisible Touch) Genesis still is on the radio today. And that's saying something. My dad had plenty of their albums, and my journey began. My favorite band by far.

With that poor Invisible touch (the song) still out and about, perhaps more people will look into the band and discover the whole world of prog.

Thanks Atomic! Smile Clap
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 27 2012 at 13:43
Very nice work.  A pleasure to learn.

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 14 2012 at 07:29
Originally posted by The Bearded Bard The Bearded Bard wrote:

Great blog you have here, Scott! Reading it put me in a Genesis mood. Listening to A Trick of the Tail now. Next up: Wind and Wuthering. Nice!


Hey thanks so much


Its a labour of love and I had not returned to this for a year but it was worth it

Cheers
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 13 2012 at 08:22
Great blog you have here, Scott! Reading it put me in a Genesis mood. Listening to A Trick of the Tail now. Next up: Wind and Wuthering. Nice!
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 13 2012 at 06:01
Genesis Turn It On Again in The 80s


After an extensive and successful 1979 tour Genesis returned to the studio in 1980 to record their next album. As the 1980s dawned the band decided to generate short radio friendly songs in order to capitalise on the success of "Follow You, Follow Me." The next single was quickly produced and was also a huge success for the group, to gain interest in the upcoming album.   





There were three singles from the new album that made an impact on the charts.

Turn It On Again

Genesis Turn it on again album cover

Tracks

1. Turn it on again (3:52)
2. Behind the lines (Part 2) (3:28)

Germany:

Entered the charts on 5-May-1980

Reached Position #66

Spent 4 weeks in the charts

Holland:

Reached Position #38 in 1980

Italy:

Reached Position #1 on 10-May-1980

UK:

Reached Position #8 on 5-Apr-1980

US:

Reached Position #58 on 4-Oct-1980


Duchess

Genesis Duchess/Open Door album cover


Tracks

1. Duchess (6:26)
2. Open Door (4:08)

Total Time: 10:34

UK:

Reached Position #46 in Jun-1980


Misunderstanding


Genesis Misunderstanding album cover

Tracks

1. Misunderstanding (3:12)
2. Evidence of Autumn (4:58)

Total Time: 8:10

UK:

Reached Position #42 in Sept-1980

US:

Reached Position #14 on 16-Aug-1980

The album that the three singles were lifted was called "Duke". It reached #1 in the UK charts and stayed there unmoved for two straight weeks. The next 4 albums also peak at number one. "Duke" was one of the biggest successes for the group and still remains a fan favourite, and even with some progressive moments such as the end of side 2 and the quirky time signatures on some of the tracks such as Turn It On Again. 

Genesis Duke album cover

Tracks:

1. Behind The Lines (5:43) 
2. Duchess (6:25) 
3. Guide Vocal (1:21) 
4. Man Of Our Times (5:34) 
5. Misunderstanding (3:13) 
6. Heathaze (4:57) 
7. Turn It On Again (3:46) 
8. Alone Tonight (3:54) 
9. Cul-De-Sac (5:06) 
10. Please Don't Ask (4:00) 
11. Duke's Travels (8:39) 
12. Duke's End (3:08)

Total Time: 55:46


UK:

Entered the UK charts on 5-Apr-1980

Reached Position #1 on 5-Apr-1980

Spent 2 weeks at #1 position.

Spent 30 weeks in the charts.

Genesis' first UK #1 album

US:

Entered the US charts on 26-Apr-1980

Reached Position #11 in Jun-1980

Spent 31 weeks in the charts.

Sales of almost 1 million albums.

Certified Gold by the RIAA

Achieved Platinum Status 


Original Vinyl back cover:





The Vinyl Gatefold




CD Back Cover:






The concert to follow the album is a much celebrated part of Genesis history and has been captured since on DVD.






There is a DVD available on the making of the album:




And there are many bootlegs of the 1980 tour.








Setlist:

01 - Deep In The Motherlode
02 - Dancing With The Moonlit Knight (Intro)
03 - Carpet Crawlers
04 - Squonk
05 - One For The Vine
06 - Behind The Lines
07 - Duchess
08 - Guide Vocal
09 - Turn It On Again
10 - Duke's Travels
11 - Duke's End
12 - Say It's Alright Joe
13 - The Lady Lies
14 - Ripples
15 - In The Cage And Slippermen
16 - Afterglow
17 - Follow You Follow Me
18 - Dance On Volcano
19 - Drum Duet
20 - Los Endos
21 - I Know What I Like
22 - The Knife


Setlist:

01 - Deep in the motherlode (5:09)
02 - Dancing with the moonlit knight (intro) (1:49)
03 - Squonk (6:34)
04 - One for the vine (12:30)
05 - Behind the lines (8:02)
06 - Duchess (6:34)
07 - Guide vocal (1:26)
08 - Turn it on again (5:00)
09 - Duke's travels (7:24)
10 - Duke's end (1:59)
11 - The lady lies (9:08)
12 - Introduction (1:44)
13 - Ripples (10:10)
14 - Misunderstanding (5:09)
15 - In the cage The colony of slippermen (8:30)
16 - Afterglow (4:40)
17 - Follow you, follow me (4:16)
18 - Dance on a volcano Drum duet (6:00)
19 - Los endos (5:59)
20 - I know what I like (in your wardrobe) (14:32)






Setlist:

01 Deep In The Motherload
02 Dancing With The Moonlit Knight
03 Squonk
04 One For The Vine
05 The Story Of Albert
06 Behind The Line
07 Duchess-Guide Vocal
08 Turn It On Again
09 Duke's Travels
10 The Lady Lies
11 Ripples
12 Misunderstanding
13 In The Cage
14 Afterglow
15 Dance On A Volcano
16 Drum Duet
17 Los Endos
18 Back In NYC
19 I Know What I Like





The Tour booklets:



GENESIS 1980 DUKE U.S. TOUR CONCERT PROGRAM BOOK



My Review:

3 stars Well, this Genesis album is dividing the respective critics who give it 1 to 5 stars and obviously cannot agree as to whether this is a masterpiece or a master-mess. I sit pretty comfortably in the middle. It is not all that bad, but nowhere near a masterpeice.

"Duke" is the first Genesis album that I owned and as such has a place in nostalgic terms for me as a vinyl treasure. The packaging is unforgettable with that iconic figure looking at the window. I absolutely love 4 of the tracks, but, as is the case in the 80s, Genesis was losing their prog power. But having said that, suffice it to say, 'Turn it on Again' definitely was progressive and hit the top 10 charts at that! The unusual meter in the pre chorus, dropping a full phrase and intonation, is outstanding and showed Genesis were still maintaining the inventive edge of the 70s days. Phil Collins is better on this album than subsequent albums when he turned to power ballads. He is wonderful on Behind The Lines and the brilliant Duchess. I always loved that war cry in the chorus "and everyone cried for more", having seen it first on the promo clip on TV.

pic name

The others on side one are rather forgettable. It is on side 2 that the genuine prog touch returns on the classic Duke's Travels, an 8:39 blitz of awesome instrumentation. There are many mediocre moments on the album so I could never rate this any more than 3 stars. However, there is nothing wrong with the aforementioned tracks, and really Turn it on Again and Duchess are quintessential to the 80s Genesis repertoire.

pic name

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Phil Collins, during the recording of "Duke" took an extended leave of absence of the band desperately attempting to save his first marriage to Andrea. He write many of the songs on his own during this time, and although only a couple made it on the "Duke" album, the rest made up the majority of his solo album "Face Value" in 1981. "In The Air Tonight" was the darkest song he had written about the failed marriage and it reached #2 in UK, and #1 in many countries. The album reached #1 in UK and Canada, and #7 in US.  





Edited by AtomicCrimsonRush - March 13 2014 at 18:33
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 13 2012 at 05:02
And Then There Were Three...



By 1978 Genesis had become a three piece with remaining members Phil Collins at the helm on lead vocals and drums, along with keyboard wizard Tony Banks and the ever reliable Mike Rutherford on bass. After a tour it was time to go back to the studios to record the next album, along with some session musicians, Darryl Stuermer and Chester Thompson, and it was appropriately titled "And Then There Were Three". 

Genesis And Then There Were Three...  album cover

The tracks on the album:

1. Down And Out (5:24) 
2. Undertow (4:45) 
3. Ballad Of Big (4:48) 
4. Snowbound (4:28) 
5. Burning Rope (7:09) 
6. Deep In The Motherlode (5:12) 
7. Many Too Many (3:30) 
8. Scenes From A Nights Dream (3:29) 
9. Say It's Alright Joe (4:19) 
10. The Lady Lies (6:04) 
11. Follow You, Follow Me (3:59)

Total Time: 53:07




The band began to move away dramatically from the progressive rock that defined them, and although this may have displeased prog fan it certainly gained new ones, including a saturated female audience and the power ballad emerged that rocketed up the charts, "Follow Me, Follow Me".

Genesis Follow You Follow Me album cover


Tracks:

1. Follow You Follow Me
2. Ballad Of Big


The single "Follow You, Follow Me" was claimed to have been written in 5 minutes by Rutherford. Collins did not expect it to be a hit single but nevertheless it was one of the biggest hits for the group sparking their new AOR direction. It peaked on the American top 40 at #23, and hit #7 on the UK Top 10. 

Germany:

Entered Charts on 17-Apr-1978

Reached Position #8

Spent 28 weeks in the charts

Spent 5 weeks in the Top 10.

Holland:

Reached Position #17 in 1978 


The followup single was "Many Too Many".


Tracks:


1. Many Too Many (3:30)
2. The Day The Light Went Out (3:12)
3. Vancouver (3:01)

Total Time: 9:43

The single peaked at only #43 on the UK charts, but it garnered interest in the album which was becoming a bigger success even without Hackett. It was also the last song that would use the Mellotron further signifying the breakaway from complex prog musicianship.

Germany:

Entered the charts on 28-Aug-1978

Reached Position #43

Spent 6 weeks in the charts. 



The album And Then There Were Three was a success on the charts, reaching a surprising #3 in the UK charts obviously attributed to the singles that were making airplay. It remained inthe charts for 32 weeks. It also reached #14 in the US charts, and became the first Gold album, and subsequently Platinum. 

Japan:

Reached Gold Album Status.

First Album chart entry in Japan.


UK:

Entered the UK charts on 15-Apr-1978

Reached Position #3 on 22-Apr-1978

Spent 32 weeks in the charts

US:

Entered the US charts on 15-Apr-1978

Reached Position #14 in May-1978

Spent 31 weeks in the charts.

Certified Gold by the RIAA Genesis' first US Gold Album

Achieved Platinum Status 




And Then There Were Three..., was followed up by more AOR style albums, Duke, Abacab, Genesis, Invisible Touch and We Can't Dance, and the band sold millions of albums during this new era. Sadly the prog roots were abandoned but this did not deter a massive fanbase with many jumping onboard who had never heard of "Supper's Ready" and completely oblivious of the 70s albums. The shows were sold out on the tours and the band even made promo videos to promote their new style. 


My Review:

Genesis And Then There Were Three...  album cover



3 stars Three Gold Stars for the threesome that still have the prog edge!

And Then There Were Three is one of the last decent Genesis albums before the onslaught of 80s syrupy ballads and teenybopper sounds that the band generated as nothing more than session musicians. At least here as a threesome the band proved they are still able to create innovative wondrous prog such as the alarmingly proggish Burning Rope. This is one of the last prog pieces from Genesis before they turned to commercial 80s kitsch-tack. Banks is wonderful on this album and Collins can still create dark atmospheres. To hear a sound such as the one on Burning Rope fills me with sadness after hearing their 80s albums. I know I am perhaps wishing for a Genesis like the beast of the 70s when Gabriel was mon capitaine, but at least the band performed like virtuoso musos rather than session hacks. Collins did not have to resort to love ballads either, at least not focus purely on this style as he had so much more to offer. But he was swallowed up on the power ballad bandwagon and I guess once you are on it, it is virtually impossible to get off. The smell of success was burning in the nostrils of all 80s bands especially metal rockers who opted for the love ballad in order to squeeze out a few thousand dollars out of the industry. Innovative music was the victim of all this in favour of straight 4 on the floor time sigs and soaring melodies, soaring guitars and soaring concert tickets. Genesis fell into this hole as we all know but this album is a true surprise containing enough prog to satiate the average progger.


Thankfully on this 1978 album the band are in fine form. I was quite amazed that the album holds onto progressive sounds as I had only heard to this point the 80s trilogy of mediocre albums from Abacab to Invisible Touch, so wasn't expecting much. Down and Out features some quirky time sigs with Collins brilliant on drums. The way the time sig keeps breaking into fractured dissonance is astounding. Banks is a revelation on keyboards. It begins the album brilliantly and signifies that Genesis are still as progressive as ever. Undertow is a prime example of how great Genesis can sound. Collins has that melancholy tone but it does not come across as saccharine or slushy. The guitar work is accomplished even though Hackett is definitely missed. Banks has some gorgeous organ phrases that encompass a serene symphonic atmosphere.

Other highlights are the Banks keyboard serenity on Many Too Many and we hear him shine on Deep in the Motherlode and Down and Out in particular. In essence this is Banks' album in terms of musicianship and it serves up a strong symphonic soundscape. Collins does some fine vocal work on Down and Out and the broken time sig in the middle is a solid progressive touch, reminiscent of Turn Me On Again in some ways.


Genesis - ...And Then There Were Three... (1978) [W.German Target CD]

The Lady Lies is a terrific song with a full blown keyboard solo. The time sigs diverge and there are enough mood shifts to keep the interest of its 6 minute duration. Scenes From A Night's Dream is a melodic track with magical lyrics about dreams, giant nymphs, dragons breathing fire, and prescient goblins; nightmares brought on by having food at bedtime. Follow You Follow Me is of course the big single on the album and it is certainly one of the better ballads of Collins with an infectious hook and some sing-along chorus lines. Overall the album delivers on many levels and still maintains a progressive edge that is definitely lost as the 70s draw to a close and create a new unimproved 80s Genesis.




Edited by AtomicCrimsonRush - July 13 2012 at 05:12
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 06 2011 at 19:40
Well, after 27 years I heard of them I still love them. To me genesis was one of the band that made the most beautiful ( Melodies) prog rock ever.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 18 2011 at 18:48
Originally posted by cjrutty cjrutty wrote:

Very nicely done. Wind & Wuthering is certainly one of my favorite Genesis albums.

For some further discussion of Steve Hackett's music, especially since leaving Genesis, along with the solo career of Anthony Phillips, check out the 2-part "Branches of Genesis" episode of The Irrelevant Rock & Roll & Music Show, which I co-hosted.





Chris




Thanks Catcher10 for the comments!

also thanks cjrutty, for the info on Hackett and Genesis. This was a welcome surprise to me. I liked the format of that show. Taking it as a look back to the Genesis years it works very well.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 18 2011 at 18:46
Originally posted by Slartibartfast Slartibartfast wrote:

Genesis The Best... album cover
This was what hooked me on the band, my brother had it.  The albums seem like non identical twins.


Wow! I had never owned that one but its kind of cool that the best 2 albums are on one release at least. 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 18 2011 at 18:07
Genesis The Best... album cover
This was what hooked me on the band, my brother had it.  The albums seem like non identical twins.
Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...

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