The Official Genesis Thread

[Freebase Dali]

Boobs, I'm still waiting for you to let me know what the poll is about so I can make it.

[Screen13]

Foxtrot, following up on my choice for Meddle in the Pink Floyd thread (Good set of songs on the first side, defining moment on the second), although I do have to say that while it could have been all about "Supper's Ready," - the first section being very beautiful and the last part very effective with complete cleverness in between - Peter's Fox in a Dress costume for the tour is clearly the perfect topping of the era.

Selling England by the Pound comes in for a very close Second...or even a tie.
Nursery Crime is Third while The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway is forth.

But enough about Peter...for now.

Time for a little respect for the Collins era even beyond A Trick of the Tail and Wind and Wuthering which were fine albums, but in a way lacking in something special even if there was great playing through it all. As I state, just a little, but that goes quite a long way thanks to the quality of the early 80's music that had it's own style and innovation. I'm certainly no fan of ...And Then There Were Three and it's crap overplayed hit, though, but his Drumming is killer and there were certainly some good moments with a few Early 80's albums which certainly did not kill Prog (It had a small group of bands reviving it by then...one band called Marillion) and proved that there was a band finally finding it's own voice again, and while it went Pop, it was for a while very good Pop.

Favorite Collins era album - Abacab. Damn, with Face Value, the best ever Collins solo album, '81/2 were his best post-Gabriel years (and yes I can add in his production for Frida too as the Drum Stomp on 1983's "Something's Going On" still kicks). "No Reply At All" is a crowning Pop moment for the Early 80's Genesis (thanks especially to Earth Wind and Fire's solid Horn Section), "Dodo/Lurker" was it's Epic work with Tony contributing some excellent Keyboard work, the title track being sharp, and "Keep It Dark" winding up Side One on a fine note. After Dodo, things went South ("Who Dunnit?" anyone?), but everything up to and including Side Two's opener seriously deserves another hearing.

"Mama" is also another solid moment. After that...well...let's just say that I would like to say the records after 1983 are not worth mentioning, but "Mama" and it's killer Demonic laugh are a worthy way to end the better part of their Pop years. Thankfully the Post-Phil Calling All Stations is almost forgotten enough for me to skip it, but Invisible Touch still is certainly the pain giver with it's MOR Standards, and although "Land of Confusion" has a nice video, the song remains one of those annoying tracks that make you scream "We get the point already!" at the radio. Still there's fine 80-83 tracks like "Paperlate," "Turn It On Again" and Phil's "Thru These Walls" to forget about the crap and whatever Phil Collins did after his second solo which went into over-played MOR Territory.

OK, back to the wonders of the Gabriel years!

I'm also a big fan of Steve Hackett's playing. I still have to get some of his solo work, but no matter what, he is a great Guitarist.

[Raust]

Genesis is pretty sweet I perfer the Peter Gabriel catolague over Phil's. The lyrics are more out there and there sound is more progressive.

[Captain Ron]

the best genesis song is "build me a mountain" unfortunately not available on youtube

[TheNiceGuy]

My second favourite Prog band behind Pink Floyd is Genesis. I don't mind their Pop era but Calling All Stations is a horrid attempt at trying to return to Prog. Parts of their 80's work wasn't that great but compared to there swansong they look a lot better.

On a lighter note their early albums especially Selling England are pretty spectacular! Definitely a band you should have a look at if you have any interest at all in Prog.

[theimperialwarcult]

All these awesome prog thread are popping up everywhere. I'm stoked!

[sidewinder]

I agree Trick of the Tail is a great album, as is Wind & Wuthering. I've yet to hear ...And Then There Were Three, but I have heard Duke and Abacab. Both have a few good songs ("Misunderstanding" is excellent, "No Reply at All" is pretty good), but overall I really don't enjoy those two albums. Beyond that I've only heard the singles from the rest of the 80s and early 90s.

My favorite Genesis...the stretch on The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway from "Hairless Heart" to "Anyway"... Unbelievably great songs in there, they nearly all give me chills. Those are my most played tracks by these guys. Too bad that only makes 7 of the 22 tracks on that album. The rest are good but no match for those 7.

[Anteater]

About time this thread popped up! Although I'm in the minority here, my personal favorite Genesis album is most definitely Trespass. Very striking yet underrated transitional work that sounds unlike anything else they'd ever do.

[Neapolitan]

Originally Posted by boo boo

Amazingly, this band doesn't have a thread. What gives?

There's a divide among the Genesis fanbase. The proggies prefer the Gabriel stuff, those more keen to pop music prefer the late Phil era, those who like an appropriate mix of pop and prog prefer the early Phil era and nobody gives a **** about that Ray Wilson ***h*le.

I can't believe that neither. but hey thanx

Hey I don't mind Ray, he has his place in Genesis history, it just unfutunately came at the end where Tony and Mike were tired of touring and really didn't want to start all over. Hypothetically speaking, they should had gotten Fish for lead singer, that would of pulled in a lot of Prog fans in from both band's fan bases, and if they put an Prog album out like Nursery Cryme they would had hit pay dirt - I'm just dreaming. I was a little put out when Chester ask to be a full memeber in the band at the time of Station to Station came out, but Tony and Mike said no. I thought he paid his dues.

I don't care for Trey or Phish so I wasn't motivated to playt those vids tonight tonight oh but if you want to know the best tribute band of Genesis imo it is The Musical Box from Canada - to some just like the real thing to others better then the real thing. I found these interesting, maybe you won't maybe you will, but it's all this behind the scenes stuff for a tribure band (it's like a hobby gone out of control,) they really did their best to reproduce the experience of seeing Genesis live in the 1970's.

[boo boo]

I've heard that Gabriel once took his kids to see The Musical Box and told them that "this is what daddy used to do".