Genesis Appreciation/Discussion

[PlaysLikeMyung]

Meh. I'm not a Collins-era fan at all. Almost all pop doesn't appeal to me for some reason.

DUKE.

DUKE.


LISTEN TO DUKE.

Have before. It's okay.

Listen to it again with an open mind. Some beautiful compositions on that record, and you shouldn't be missing out on it just because its not a Gabriel led album.

If you can get past the fact that half the songs are Phils depressive 'omg i was just divorced' songs, then it's a fantastic record

[Orbert]

Two of the twelve tracks hardly equals half the songs.  "Misunderstanding" is depressing, plus it got overplayed on the radio, but I actually like "Please Don't Ask".  Anyone who's been through a divorce or just a bad breakup would be able to relate to it.  (I've actually been through neither, but I find the perspective of the protagonist to be realistic and kinda cool.)

[ZBomber]

Two of the twelve tracks hardly equals half the songs.  "Misunderstanding" is depressing, plus it got overplayed on the radio, but I actually like "Please Don't Ask".  Anyone who's been through a divorce or just a bad breakup would be able to relate to it.  (I've actually been through neither, but I find the perspective of the protagonist to be realistic and kinda cool.)

Personally, I love the depressing atmosphere of the record. Sad music is typically my favorite type of music, because even when I can't directly relate to the subject matter, I can atleast appreciate where that person is coming from.

[Orbert]

Duke, the story, is a sad story.  A story of loss and alienation.  Add to that a couple of depressing songs from Phil, one from Mike and another from Tony, and it's a pretty downbeat album altogether.  Even "Man of Our Times" and "Cul-De-Sac" are downers, aren't they?

Incredibly, I've never actually thought about that before.  It's one of my favorite Genesis albums if not the favorite, and I guess I've always thought of it as upbeat because of the fanfare in C that opens the album, and its reprise at the end.

[Quadrochosis]

Holy shit, that just blew my mind, it is a sad album isn't it?

[Orbert]

Yeah, that was a bit of a shocker.  Been listening to it for 30 years (it was the first CD I bought) and never thought about how sad it all is.

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

Meh. I'm not a Collins-era fan at all. Almost all pop doesn't appeal to me for some reason.

DUKE.

DUKE.


LISTEN TO DUKE.

Have before. It's okay.

Listen to it again with an open mind. Some beautiful compositions on that record, and you shouldn't be missing out on it just because its not a Gabriel led album.

I did listen to it with an open mind. As I said, it's okay. Which means 3 out of 5 for me.

BTW, I do love A Trick Of The Tail and Wind and Wuthering.

[PlaysLikeMyung]

The Duke suite is fantastic. And anyone who says that Collins era Genesis is all pop needs to listen to this record.

And I know I've said this so many times already, but Turn It On Again is one of the best short songs ever written

[rumborak]

It was always a bummer that Collins' default lyrics were about cheesy breakup topics. There's way too many of them on Genesis and his solo albums.

rumborak

[rumborak]

BTW, I don't know how many people have listened to those, but his early solo albums are very cool, and edgy. Face Value is a great album, and Hello I Must Be Going too.
I love this tune: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v31b8em5_VM

rumborak

[Orbert]

True.  Phil's first two solo albums were great.  I picked up No Jacket Required as well, and could already feel things starting to turn, so I stopped with the solo Phil.

[ZBomber]

I still haven't listened to Phil's solo albums/ I really wanna check them out but theres just so much music out there that it always gets pushed to the back. 

[tri.ad]

Just chiming in to say that Fading Lights is an amazing song and definitely one of their best album closers. I really, really love Tony Banks's long keyboard solos (not just in this song).

[The Letter M]

Just chiming in to say that Fading Lights is an amazing song and definitely one of their best album closers. I really, really love Tony Banks's long keyboard solos (not just in this song).

LOVE this song, and the live version on The Way We Walk is even better! Just Tony, Mike and Phil jamming away at their last long-form song, and I agree, Tony's solo on this song is amazing, one of his best during the band's last decade together.

-Marc.

[ddtonfire]

I love all of Phil Collins's solo albums. They're pop, but pop written by very capable musicians and have an awesome sound.

[toro]

If you Don't like We Can't Dance we are NOT A MATCH.

[ytserush]

True.  Phil's first two solo albums were great.  I picked up No Jacket Required as well, and could already feel things starting to turn, so I stopped with the solo Phil.

That was pretty much my experience. Living through that I have revised my opinion of Genesis beginning with the Invisible years, but have not changed my opinion about Phil after those first few albums.

I do have a soft spot for his Big Band album and might like his Motown album should I be in a position to hear it one day.

[Orbert]

A Hot Night in Paris is a kickass album!  

Probably my favorite after the first two solo albums.

[tri.ad]

Regarding Phil's solo albums, I enjoy the stuff that sounds a bit like Genesis and also the rockier songs. Not a fan of the Motown stuff, though.

Also, ...But Seriously has some pretty underrated tunes imo.

[carl320]

Bump

I was just thinking about this a few days ago.  What would the seminal album by Genesis be?  Everyone talks about Close to the Edge being Yes' landmark album.  I would guess Foxtrot would be Genesis', just because of Supper's Ready.

[Zydar]

I would say Selling England By The Pound - it has Firth Of Fifth, The Cinema Show, and their first charting single I Know What I Like.

[Quadrochosis]

I'd agree with Zydar, although my personal favorite Genesis album is The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway

[King Postwhore]

Zy, ever hear the version of I Know What I Like by GTR?

[Zydar]

Zy, ever hear the version of I Know What I Like by GTR?

No I haven't. Is it good?

[King Postwhore]

Zy, ever hear the version of I Know What I Like by GTR?

No I haven't. Is it good?

Not bad.

Here's a link for samples of that live CD.

https://www.amazon.com/King-Biscuit-Flower-Hour-Presents/dp/B000005EJ2

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

I'd say Foxtrot for sure. Selling England I guess too, but it's by far my least favourite PG era album.

[Nekov]

My personal favorite is Selling England by the Pound but I have heard a lot of people saying The Lamb... is their best. Foxtrot is also a great album. I think those would be the top 3. Just put them in the order you prefer

[Frosthawk]

Foxtrot probably edges out as my favorite, then Nursery Cryme, then Selling England, then probably Wind & Wuthering. There's at least SOMETHING I like on each album though. I have been a fan of this band for as long as I can remember - when I was 6/7, their Live at Wembley Stadium concert was my favorite thing ever.

[JayOctavarium]

So... someone wanna recommend me a couple Genesis albums? At least one Peter Gabriel led album and one Phil Collins led album... finally breaking down to check them out but I dont know where to start...

[Zydar]

Peter Gabriel era: Selling England By The Pound, Foxtrot
Phil Collins era: Duke, A Trick Of The Tail

You won't regret it.

[JayOctavarium]

Peter Gabriel era: Selling England By The Pound, Foxtrot
Phil Collins era: Duke, A Trick Of The Tail

You won't regret it.

Awesome! I'll check them out!

It's funny.. I have been wanting to expand my horizons with some of the older prog bands out there (Genesis, King Crimson, Yes...)... the biggest problem was unlike the other two... I know nothing of Genesis's material. I'll report back when I can

[Eldomm]

Gabriel: Foxtrot
Collins: Duke

[Phoenix87x]

So... someone wanna recommend me a couple Genesis albums? At least one Peter Gabriel led album and one Phil Collins led album... finally breaking down to check them out but I dont know where to start...

Peter Gabriel- Foxtrot  (but give it 2-3 listens for it all to sink in. There's a lot to digest)
Collins- A trick of the tail (this is the album that got me into genesis)

   I never thought I would have liked Genesis, but they have since become one of my favorite bands.

[tedesco23]

I know there's a lot of love for Duke here, but to my ears, there's a major shift in sound when Hackett leaves the band after Wind & Wuthering. Duke was the first post-Gabriel album I had picked up, and it really soured me on the post-Gabriel era until I picked up Trick of the Tail, which (IMO) just blows Duke out of the water.

So, my recommendations would be:

Gabriel: Foxtrot, Selling England by the Pound
post-Gabriel: Trick of the Tail, Wind & Wuthering

And *make sure* you get the 2008 remasters. They sound amazing.

[Orbert]

There's no question that the structure of things changed when they lost Hackett.  Instead of keyboards and guitars on an equal footing in both the writing and playing, we suddenly had the keyboardist doing the majority of the writing, and a bass player who could play some guitar and could also write some songs.  And Phil Collins, who stepped up his writing contributions as well.

But Duke has a lot of great music IMO.  Rutherford always did play guitar in the band, and he has some great moments.  Mostly colorful little licks and fills, but very tasty.  They became more of a keyboard-driven band for sure, but that doesn't bother me nearly as much as the fact that they just needed more variety in the writing itself.