Brian Eno & The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway

Whilst reading a biography of Brian Eno (On Some Faraway Beach by David Sheppard) I was surprised to discover that Eno had collaborated with Genesis during the recording of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (namely adding vocal F/X on Gabriel's voice during The Grand Parade Of Lifeless Packaging and the shimmering production behind Silent Sorrow In Empty Boats). It's said that Tony Banks wasn't keen on his inclusion however and argued against him receiving a credit.

 

This finally ties up in my own mind the ambivalent album credit of 'Enossification' which I had hitherto simply dismissed as Gabriel being Gabriel.

 

More well known is the fact that Phil Collins went on to collaborate regularly with Eno on his solo albums Taking Tiger Mountain By Strategy and Another Green World and even credits Brian with encouraging him to start making his own solo albums.

Edited by sigod - February 19 2010 at 10:48

If the memory serves me right Phil's contribution on Taking Tiger Mountain By Strategy was a thank you gesture from Genesis for Brian's contribution on The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway.

Wikipedia:
"For guest drummer Phil Collins, Eno called in a favor from Collins' group Genesis. After Eno had aided with production on Genesis' album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Genesis front man Peter Gabriel asked how they could repay Eno. Eno looked at Phil Collins stating that he needed a drummer. Collins played drums on Mother Whale Eyeless as repayment."


Edited by Rune2000 - February 19 2010 at 08:44

I take your point Dean.

Edited by sigod - February 19 2010 at 09:06

I don't regard Banks as a jerk, just what he is, namely an extremely talented and shy man brought up in the English public (for that, read private fee paying) school system and probably tainted by the whole experience, as many others have been.

As for Phil, for some people he can never do enough and that topic has probably been done to death on the forum. I like him though

Collins has probably collaborated with as many people as Eno himself!

Despite being a lifelong Genesis fan, I cant help feeling that 'we' fans will only ever know half the story, surrounding any internal conflicts, Hacketts departure, and how Banks really felt about Eno's contribution to teh Lamb. Publically, the band have always been tight lipped, and as diplomatic as well groomed politicians, when it comes to Hackett, and any internal rumblings of discontent.

When I first heard the Lamb, I read through the sleeve notes, suspecting someone had been 'assisting' Genesis from the control room. I didn't know much about Eno at the time, but I know he had something to do with 'electronic music' If Banks had an issue with Eno, it was probably down to an adversity to working with anyone outside the band; a kind of bloody minded 'we can do it ourselves' kind of attitude, which I dont think is altogether unhealthy. ELP shared the same attitiude, and seldom (if ever?) had other musicians working alongside them on stage.

The Lamb is a flawed album in terms of its production. John Burns didn't do a great job imo, and yet it remains in my top 3 Genesis albums, purely because of the atmopshere of the whole work. There are stand out tracks, of course, but much of the albums magic, is in the little interludes and short pieces that bridge the 'key' songs, and the short instrumental pieces like 'Hairless Heart' 'Silent Sorrow..' 'Fly on a Windshield' The albums, often overlooked gem, is 'Chamber of 32 Doors' which I feel to be Gabriels finest, and most emotional performance with the band.

 @ Andy - I'm sure Eno's mercurial practices would have infuriated poor old Mr B but nevertheless, one wonders what Invisible Touch might have sounded like as a result of such a meeting of minds.

I haven't rushfan4. I should check it out as I'm always keen to hear other artists takes on classic material, especially The Lamb.

It could still happen. I'd certainly buy it!

I always assummed that Eno had a much greater involvement on this album than is suggested. That not being the case its understandable that Banks didn't want him to receive a credit.

Snow Dog wrote: Its good to read what Eno actually did on Lamb. A 30 year old mystery solved for me, as it wasn't clear on the album sleeve how much his contribution was. I had always suspected it was slight though. I though his contribution was to The Waiting Room actually. I was wrong.

Edited by sigod - February 22 2010 at 06:16