This was fantastic Matt! I’ve never been a big fan of prog rock—I can manage it in small doses—and only ever really listened to Genesis in their poppier incarnation. The songs you’ve highlighted from this transitional release were great and I look forward to digging into the full album
Home run, Matt! And, I don't throw praise for Genesis around lightly! On any given day, The Beatles, Tull, and Genesis are my Top 3 all-time musical influences! Plus, I've seen Genesis twice with Gabriel (including once in '74 in Austin, TX--readers can search the FR&B site for Gabriel to find it...got his autograph, too! Also saw "The Lamb" tour in Houston, '75).
I've had the 2-era Genesis discussion online many times, and your last paragraph sums it all up beautifully. If one "grows up" loving a certain artist, IMO, you don't just stop loving them just because they're not regurgitating what they used to do...I've always likened it to having a best friend, and all of a sudden, they take up knitting or pottery or kite-flying....a hobby from out of left-field. YOU may not be particularly fond of doing it, or wanting to join them in their new-found joy, but I doubt you'd unfriend them so readily like many did to Genesis in the '80s!
I think one has to remember how/where they started: As Charterhouse schoolboys drawn together by their love of songwriting....Banks, Rutherford, and Gabriel. When Jonathan King discovered them, and shuffled them into the studio to record Bee Gees-like 3-minute balladry ("From Genesis to Revelation"), that was right proper songwriting (which they....and I, hated). Only when they applied their singular and collective songwriting talents into the stretched-out format from "Trespass" on, did they end up using those talents, really, for what they were intended.
Your "selling out" discourse was so smart, too, in that the '80s showed (forced) them to wrench their songwriting into what they could tell a greater audience was listening to (it's OK to sell records, detractors!)...and, again, had it been dreck, we'd be able to tell, and radio wouldn't have played them, sales would drop precipitously, and they'd fade into history. But, in the new, tighter format (with the Phenix horns, yet...who DID that?! You only do that if you're A) creative, and B) have a keen pop sense...solo Phil, anyway...don't remember if those same horns were ever on a Genesis album), they still were able to create riveting, hummable songs that, yes, sold, but also could be held up to any of the other '80s pop being created, and come out on top compared to most of them. Again, Matt....superb! Holler when you get to Tull!😉👍
Well, thanks for asking, Matt, but short of programming your BMOAT so specifically, I'd love to see where your Tull-finder might land if you put into play any of their '70s output, with the possible exclusion of "Too Old to Rock'n'Roll..."--not a fan--and 1979's "Stormwatch"--never really got familiar with it--(replace it, in the hopper, with 1969's "Stand Up" and 1972's compilation, "Living in the Past").
That'll give you a solid 10 albums from which to choose! Any of these ten, Matt, I'd love to offer my 2c, if you'd be so kind to include me for some "boots-on-the-ground" at-the-time POV...I'd be honored to be a part of what you do for any of the above!😁👍🎵
‘In the Air’: According to Collins, he offered it to Genesis and it was refused, as you suggest. But Banks claims it was never offered, and was not happy that Collins kept it back for his solo album. Banks says the band would have recorded it like a shot if they’d heard it.
Yes, sliding doors. A Genesis version of ‘Air’ could only be awesome.
One of the themes that came up in my research is that the three main band members have three different versions of every story. 🙃 thanks for reading Ian!
I always wished Brittney Spears would have sang her heart out to it, just because it would be like an admittance to what happened to her. I think if she had done it right, it could’ve saved her career and sanity.
"Turn it On Again" is not only my favorite from this album but one of my all-time favorite Genesis songs.
That makes two of us 🙌
This was fantastic Matt! I’ve never been a big fan of prog rock—I can manage it in small doses—and only ever really listened to Genesis in their poppier incarnation. The songs you’ve highlighted from this transitional release were great and I look forward to digging into the full album
Thanks Mark!
Home run, Matt! And, I don't throw praise for Genesis around lightly! On any given day, The Beatles, Tull, and Genesis are my Top 3 all-time musical influences! Plus, I've seen Genesis twice with Gabriel (including once in '74 in Austin, TX--readers can search the FR&B site for Gabriel to find it...got his autograph, too! Also saw "The Lamb" tour in Houston, '75).
I've had the 2-era Genesis discussion online many times, and your last paragraph sums it all up beautifully. If one "grows up" loving a certain artist, IMO, you don't just stop loving them just because they're not regurgitating what they used to do...I've always likened it to having a best friend, and all of a sudden, they take up knitting or pottery or kite-flying....a hobby from out of left-field. YOU may not be particularly fond of doing it, or wanting to join them in their new-found joy, but I doubt you'd unfriend them so readily like many did to Genesis in the '80s!
I think one has to remember how/where they started: As Charterhouse schoolboys drawn together by their love of songwriting....Banks, Rutherford, and Gabriel. When Jonathan King discovered them, and shuffled them into the studio to record Bee Gees-like 3-minute balladry ("From Genesis to Revelation"), that was right proper songwriting (which they....and I, hated). Only when they applied their singular and collective songwriting talents into the stretched-out format from "Trespass" on, did they end up using those talents, really, for what they were intended.
Your "selling out" discourse was so smart, too, in that the '80s showed (forced) them to wrench their songwriting into what they could tell a greater audience was listening to (it's OK to sell records, detractors!)...and, again, had it been dreck, we'd be able to tell, and radio wouldn't have played them, sales would drop precipitously, and they'd fade into history. But, in the new, tighter format (with the Phenix horns, yet...who DID that?! You only do that if you're A) creative, and B) have a keen pop sense...solo Phil, anyway...don't remember if those same horns were ever on a Genesis album), they still were able to create riveting, hummable songs that, yes, sold, but also could be held up to any of the other '80s pop being created, and come out on top compared to most of them. Again, Matt....superb! Holler when you get to Tull!😉👍
OMG what a comment -- thanks so much Brad! If I do one Tull album this year, what should it be?
Well, thanks for asking, Matt, but short of programming your BMOAT so specifically, I'd love to see where your Tull-finder might land if you put into play any of their '70s output, with the possible exclusion of "Too Old to Rock'n'Roll..."--not a fan--and 1979's "Stormwatch"--never really got familiar with it--(replace it, in the hopper, with 1969's "Stand Up" and 1972's compilation, "Living in the Past").
That'll give you a solid 10 albums from which to choose! Any of these ten, Matt, I'd love to offer my 2c, if you'd be so kind to include me for some "boots-on-the-ground" at-the-time POV...I'd be honored to be a part of what you do for any of the above!😁👍🎵
‘In the Air’: According to Collins, he offered it to Genesis and it was refused, as you suggest. But Banks claims it was never offered, and was not happy that Collins kept it back for his solo album. Banks says the band would have recorded it like a shot if they’d heard it.
Yes, sliding doors. A Genesis version of ‘Air’ could only be awesome.
One of the themes that came up in my research is that the three main band members have three different versions of every story. 🙃 thanks for reading Ian!
That’s what I’ve found too.
Good to see ‘Duke’ getting your attention, Matt. I’m working up to writing a piece about ‘Lamb’ to coincide with the SDE release in June.
Nice looking forward to that one when it’s done 👍
Land of Confusion video scared the shit out of me as a four year old
That would definitely be terrifying.
My favorite band. Always loved man of our times and Duchess.
Duchess is incredible 🤩
I always wished Brittney Spears would have sang her heart out to it, just because it would be like an admittance to what happened to her. I think if she had done it right, it could’ve saved her career and sanity.