And Then There Were Three...

 I saw them play most of W&W live and it was sensational. Admittedly the live sound was rawer and not so layered and 'produced' as the studio sound. So , for me , W&W holds a very important place in my personal GENESIS history. And isn't that the whole point? Different albums are associated with different stages of our respective lives ,they may invoke different memories whether more recent or in the past. We just don't listen to and analyse albums in a cold and clinical vacuum, do we? ATTW3 will have it's place in peoples personal histories which is part of the whole musical appreciation experience in my view. If for some, or many, it invokes sad or unpleasant memories because of what was happening to GENESIS and to prog. at the time then so be it. Many of us can still regard it as a good album for a wide variety of reasons and we do.

mrgd wrote: So , for me , W&W holds a very important place in my personal GENESIS history. And isn't that the whole point? Different albums are associated with different stages of our respective lives ,they may invoke different memories whether more recent or in the past. We just don't listen to and analyse albums in a cold and clinical vacuum, do we?

Right on Mr. GD!

I'd like to add that I've noticed, among my prog friends in real life and the prog heads here on the forum, that it's very common to exaggerate the use of the brain when listening to music, what I mean (so as to avoid any smart-a** remarks ) is to analyse, dissect, measure and think too much about the music, the complex timings, the fast guitar or keyboard playing, the complexity of a certain lyric or musical passage, etc. instead of just enjoying the music. I can do it at times, but for the most I just enjoy the shivers up and down my spine when listening to good music (ahhhh, Can Utility And The Coastliners, excellent!).

I feel it'd be a little like going to a gourmet Restaurant and while eating the meal, say something like: "The pH of this soup is off and I would have served it 20 degrees warmer, add 200 pmm of basil and 30 grs of potatoes less... this steak should have been prepared on a texturized iron surface, plus the  edges have been pyrolized, lacks more proteic texture and less papaine when treating the meat would have served it better... etc." There might be people like that too... but in this case I would think most people just eat, savour and enjoy, less brain involved, why not do the same with music more often?

Just a thought.

Mogens

Minkia wrote: Well, the way music affects the listener is purely subjective and '...and then there were three' is not exactly the most challenging, to listen to that is, of Genesis releases, is it? The band were already making more than a foray into maistream disposable pop tunes as epitomised by 'Follow you..'.

Subjective it is, as I consider FYFM not disposable at all, as commented further back in this same thread. Challenging, complex? Should it be challenging or complex to be good? Not for me, necessarily, but you are right in presenting the record as an entry point for those not too familiar with Prog, otherwise I don't much agree with anything you said, but that's fine, as we all know.

Mogens

chopper wrote: Blacksword wrote: tdreamer wrote: Isn't it quite strange that this album (ATTW3) sold better than any previous Genesis album. Maybe it was because Follow You Follow Me was a hit. IMO it is the last great record they done. I like it more than Duke and appart from two songs thought Abacab was dire. I can listen to Genesis post ATTW3 but IMO they lost the spark they had. My wife likes this album very much too and she doesn't like prog all that much. My personal opinion on ATTW3 is that it is a very deep and dark album that is ideal for winding down to. I always thought it was a very dark and moody album too. This is strange as I've heard it reffered to as a 'bright' album.. I find the whole package beautifully sad. It's selling power must have been 'Follow you Follow me' It was the bands first top 10 hit, so I guess it was the first Genesis album to really catch the attention of the masses. Mike Rutherford has often said that women never went to Genesis concerts until 'Follow you follow me' came out.      Well, FYFM is the only Genesis song my wife likes!

Blacksword wrote: I think you'll find many will disagree with you about 'WAW' Thats the first time I've heard that album reffered to as 'horrible'

Edited by Liquid Len - July 09 2006 at 16:54

    And Then There Were Three is my favourite Genesis album too. Surely Steve hacket's guitar playing is missed but Tony Banks keyboards on this album are brilliant. Even Phil's vocals are great (and he is not on my favourite vocalists list). This album is a MUST Have for any prog-rock fan and even any listener of good music.

i prefer foxtrot

I'd agree that 'Abacab' is definitely the worst of their original run, but for me THE worst album they ever did is 'Calling All Stations'. After all that hyped up 'return to prog' rubbish I'd heard about it, what I heard was an album even worse than the Collins era MOR/AOR.

I wouldn't say ATTWT was Genesis' best album, but for me it does have a lot going for it. I find it more cohesive than W & W, despite the fact that had some of their best instrumental work ever.

The last album from them I like, but it is not a masterpiece, though

    the run of the three!!!