Author Topic: Genesis Discography  (Read 54543 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Online Orbert

  • Recovering Musician
  • EZBoard Elder
  • *****
  • Posts: 19225
  • Gender: Male
  • In and around the lake
Genesis Discography
« on: October 24, 2012, 09:18:47 PM »
The history of Genesis is not as long or dramatic as that of Yes, nor does it feature nearly as many personnel changes.  But we do have to start somewhere, so without further ado:

From Genesis to Revelation (1969)



Tony Banks - Keyboards, Vocals
Peter Gabriel - Lead Vocal, Flute, Percussion
Anthony Phillips - Guitars, Vocals
Michael Rutherford - Bass, Guitar, Vocals
John Silver - Drums

----------

Where the Sour Turns to Sweet
In the Beginning
Fireside Song
The Serpent
Am I Very Wrong?
In the Wilderness
The Conqueror
In Hiding
One Day
Window
In Limbo
Silent Sun
A Place to Call My Own

----------

In 1966, Peter Gabriel and Tony Banks were 14 years old, students at The Charterhouse School in Godalming, England, and played in various bands with guys from school.  One such band was The Garden Wall, in which Peter sang, Tony played the piano, and Anthony Phillips played guitar.  The drummer and bassist were schoolmates named Chris Stewart and Rivers Job.  Rivers had played in a band called The Spoken Word with Peter, who played drums in that band.  Anthony had played guitar in another band with Rivers called The Anon, and Michael Rutherford was the other guitarist in that band.

The group of friends experimented with various combinations of instruments, and eventually, in 1967, they arrived at the relatively stable lineup of Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks, Anthony Phillips, Michael Rutherford, and Chris Stewart.  They called the band The New Anon.  15 years old and with stars in their eyes, they recorded a six-song demo tape which caught the attention of Jonathan King, who was himself an alumnus of The Charterhouse School, and currently a producer at Decca Records.

King took them under his wing and became their manager.  He convinced them that they had the talent to make a real record, but they would have to get a better drummer.  He also suggested the name Genesis for the band.  They recorded a single called "The Silent Sun" which did not do very well, and followed it with another single, "A Winter's Tale" which did not do any better.  The songs were simple, 60's folk-rock type songs.  They weren't bad; they just didn't have much to distinguish them.  Also, King did not actually have a lot of clout with Decca, so the singles did not receive much in the way of promotion.

Still convinced of the potential in the band, King told them to keep writing songs, with a grand concept in mind: The Bible.  By the time they had an album's worth of songs, and with a bit of arranging by Mr. King, and a little imagination, the first album by Genesis could actually be considered one of the earliest concept albums.  He called it From Genesis to Revelation.

Bearing the original cover shown above, it was released to record stores in England, who had no idea what to do with it, so most filed it under Religious recordings.

By the time the album was done, another drummer had been brought in, a session player named John Silver.  King also took it upon himself to add strings and horns to the songs, much to the band's chagrin.  But they were teenagers making their first record, he was their manager, and that's just how things were done in those days.  It was recorded during summer break in 1968, and released in spring 1969.  It did not sell very well.  Genesis considered abandoning their dreams of becoming recording stars and concentrating on their studies, but first decided to try one last thing: firing their manager and doing things on their own terms.  This turned out to be the best decision that they could possibly make.

To this date, Jonathan King retains all rights to this album, and he has re-licensed it and re-released it many, many times over the years, on countless labels.  Often, there are "bonus tracks" included, although sometimes these bonus tracks are just the original mono singles, but there were some unused tracks from the original recording sessions which also appear sometimes.

Genesis themselves never played any songs from this album once they began performing regularly.  This is probably because they did not legally own the songs.

----------

It's not a bad album at all.  It most definitely has the late 60's "mod" feel to it, similar to early Moody Blues.  It isn't really my cup of tea, but if you like this type of music, From Genesis to Revelation is about as good as it gets.

The lyrics are very sophisticated, especially considering how young the band was when they wrote them.  The creation of the earth and beginning of life on the the planet, the arrival of evil, the choices man must make, each of these topics is presented poetically, but shrouded in 60's psychadelic imagery.

Also quite impressive is how well the music flows.  There are brief musical interludes at the beginning or ending of many of the songs, but they're actually bridges between the songs.  The music is nearly unbroken across each side of the original LP, and the strings and horns, despite the band's objections, really do add a lot to the music, including adding to the overall cohesiveness of the album.

If you happen to find a copy, or one of its many re-releases, From Genesis to Revelation is well worth a listen.
« Last Edit: September 27, 2017, 04:30:40 PM by Orbert »

Offline Jaq

  • Posts: 4050
  • Gender: Male
  • Favorite song by Europe: Carrie.
Re: From Genesis to Revelation (1969)
« Reply #1 on: October 24, 2012, 09:27:24 PM »
Here is an odd little fact about my music listening history.

Genesis is the first band I'd call prog I ever got into. Picked up on them around the time Abacab came out, started working slowly backwards through their discography until, by the middle of the 80s, they were my favorite prog band, and my favorite of the classic 70s prog bands. I love Genesis to death, as my comments on the REST of the albums in this thread will attest.

I have never heard From Genesis To Revelation. Never once. Not a note. I heard Trespass during my early days of my Genesis fandom, but dismissed it because of the lack of Phil Collins and Steve Hackett-a position that changed earlier this year, I might add-but this one I never got around to. Probably because I was aware, due to my reading on the band, the story of the album and how Genesis as we knew them didn't really come into being until later. (For what it's worth, I pinpoint that moment now as being "The Knife".) I probably should get around to doing that someday, but now it's almost as if I'm using that as a calling card for my Genesis fandom.  :lol

Gotta say, if you thought I participated a lot in the Yes thread, oh, look out. I like Yes but I adore Genesis.  :biggrin:
The bones of beasts and the bones of kings become dust in the wake of the hymn.
Mighty kingdoms rise, but they all will fall, no more than a breath on the wind.

Offline rumborak

  • DT.net Veteran
  • ****
  • Posts: 26664
Re: From Genesis to Revelation (1969)
« Reply #2 on: October 24, 2012, 09:34:43 PM »
While I consider myself a pretty diehard Genesis fan, I've always bracketed out FGTR because I barely like it. Too 60s.
"I liked when Myung looked like a women's figure skating champion."

Offline The Letter M

  • Posts: 15494
  • Gender: Male
Re: From Genesis to Revelation (1969)
« Reply #3 on: October 24, 2012, 09:40:13 PM »
This album has come and gone...and come again for me. It's a good album, and you really get a sense of just how YOUNG these lads are, and it's amazing that they came up with what they did at the time! There was so much potential within them (especially a fledgling Peter, Tony and Mike).

I haven't given this album a spin in awhile, but with this thread, I may have to revisit each and every album you bring up here! Last I recall, I remember enjoying this album thoroughly, it's endearing, and Peter's voice is so young and pure and ready! There's also some great performances from Tony. Outside of those two, though, I don't recall anything else that great about the album, except for the concept-album idea.

I'll give this album a couple spins over the next few days and maybe I'll come back with more thoughts!

-Marc.
ATTENTION - HAKEN FANS! The HAKEN SURVIVOR 2023 has begun! You can check it out in the Polls/Survivors Forum!!!

Online Orbert

  • Recovering Musician
  • EZBoard Elder
  • *****
  • Posts: 19225
  • Gender: Male
  • In and around the lake
Re: From Genesis to Revelation (1969)
« Reply #4 on: October 24, 2012, 11:08:42 PM »
While I consider myself a pretty diehard Genesis fan, I've always bracketed out FGTR because I barely like it. Too 60s.

I have to say, I'm not a big fan of this album, either.  But I do have to admit that it's very good, in a 60's way.

It's weird; the first couple of Yes albums were also very firmly rooted in the 60's, but in a different way.  They were more mature, recorded by a band that had been gigging for a while, playing covers and playing originals, for money.  From Genesis to Revelation was recorded by high school kids between their junior and senior year.  But to me, that's just amazing, and even if I'd heard nothing else about the album, I'd have to check it out just for that reason.  I think of the garage bands I was playing in when I was in high school.  Could we have recorded anything approaching this quality?  Hell no.

And don't forget, other than the drummer, this is the same band that recorded Trespass a year later.


So it's gonna be the same deal here.  I'll listen to each album at least a couple times through, then come on here and blab about them, and see what others have to say.  I like Genesis almost as much as I like Yes.  I just wish there was more of it.

Offline SomeoneLikeHim

  • The flame is gone
  • Posts: 1603
  • Gender: Male
  • The fire remains
Re: From Genesis to Revelation (1969)
« Reply #5 on: October 25, 2012, 12:27:23 AM »
Yeah, Genesis is one of my favorite bands, but this is easily my least listened to album of theirs. So I really don't have that much to say at the moment but I look forward to future discussions!
"We can walk our road together, if our goals are all the same
We can run alone and free, if we pursue a different aim"

Offline Zydar

  • Creep With Tonality
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 19210
  • Gender: Male
Re: From Genesis to Revelation (1969)
« Reply #6 on: October 25, 2012, 12:28:39 AM »
Yeah, Genesis is one of my favorite bands, but this is easily my least listened to album of theirs. So I really don't have that much to say at the moment but I look forward to future discussions!

I agree with this. I've barely listened to this one, although I remember In The Wilderness being a favourite.

I will check out this album tonight and give it an honest listen. I love 60s music so I can't see why I shouldn't like this one.

Great idea btw for doing this thread like you did with Yes :tup
« Last Edit: October 25, 2012, 12:46:57 AM by Zydar »
Zydar is my new hero.  I just laughed so hard I nearly shat.

Offline DebraKadabra

  • Witch Goddess of Lankershim Boulevard
  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 8470
  • Gender: Female
  • Can I be as my god am?
Re: From Genesis to Revelation (1969)
« Reply #7 on: October 25, 2012, 02:34:23 AM »
I love Gabriel's Genesis, but the only song I'm familiar with on FGTR is Where the Sour Turns to Sweet--like that one a fair bit, though.

Offline Nel

  • Humorless Bore
  • Posts: 2450
  • Gender: Male
Re: From Genesis to Revelation (1969)
« Reply #8 on: October 25, 2012, 12:09:16 PM »
I've only ever listened to the debut once, but I remember liking a few songs from it, actually. Still, never was into that kind of musical style, and never really went back to it.
Hire me. I'm talentless but malleable.

Offline TheSoylentMan

  • Posts: 185
  • Nothing ever happens on Mars
Re: From Genesis to Revelation (1969)
« Reply #9 on: October 25, 2012, 12:53:21 PM »
I've never heard it either. For some reason I didn't think Peter was involved in it, probably because I've seen the 1970-75 boxed set marketed as the "Peter Gabriel era". I'm a bit more interested in hearing it now.

I don't know the Genesis catalog as well as I should. I own almost all of it, but mostly on vinyl which I don't get to spin too often with 2 little kids at home.

Still, this should be a fun read. I really enjoyed the Yes thread as I am a huge Yes fan.

Offline The Letter M

  • Posts: 15494
  • Gender: Male
Re: From Genesis to Revelation (1969)
« Reply #10 on: October 25, 2012, 12:57:08 PM »
A question for Orbert:
Will you be including the key Live albums as we go along with this:
Live, Seconds Out, Three Sides Live, The Way We Walk, and Live Over Europe

Also, compilations? At least the one including "The Carpet Crawlers 1999". And what about videos?

-Marc.
ATTENTION - HAKEN FANS! The HAKEN SURVIVOR 2023 has begun! You can check it out in the Polls/Survivors Forum!!!

Online Orbert

  • Recovering Musician
  • EZBoard Elder
  • *****
  • Posts: 19225
  • Gender: Male
  • In and around the lake
Re: From Genesis to Revelation (1969)
« Reply #11 on: October 25, 2012, 01:12:41 PM »
I'll be including Genesis Live, Seconds Out, and Three Sides Live (both versions).  I've played each of those many, many times.

I think I may have the two The Way We Walk releases somewhere, but if I do, I think I've played them maybe once each.  Once they became "Genesis Starring Phil Collins", they kinda lost me.  I continued to buy all their studio albums, as they always threw the old proggers a bone or two, but I didn't feel the need to experience them in a live setting.  Phil is a very charismatic front man, and not my style at all.  Still, if I can get my hands on them and give them proper listens, I'll include them.

I have the first two DVD-A boxes, and may include a word or two about them.  I hadn't really thought about that.  Compilations tend to slip my mind, since I tend not to buy them.  If I like a band, I already have all of their albums, but Amazon accidentally had all three boxes for sale one time for the price of a regular CD and I snatched the first two.  I didn't grab the third one because I wasn't that interested anyway, but realized that I might as well grab it, since it's such a great deal.  By time I'd logged back into Amazon.com a few hours later, they'd fixed the price error.

I remember seeing a video for "The Carpet Crawlers 1999" and thought it was pretty bad.  I didn't even realize that it was part of some compilation.  Let me guess, it was included as the one track which might get completists to buy what is otherwise a collection of songs they already have?
« Last Edit: December 23, 2019, 04:12:55 PM by Orbert »

Online Orbert

  • Recovering Musician
  • EZBoard Elder
  • *****
  • Posts: 19225
  • Gender: Male
  • In and around the lake
Re: From Genesis to Revelation (1969)
« Reply #12 on: October 25, 2012, 01:21:38 PM »
I've never heard it either. For some reason I didn't think Peter was involved in it, probably because I've seen the 1970-75 boxed set marketed as the "Peter Gabriel era". I'm a bit more interested in hearing it now.

Every fan of Peter Gabriel and/or early Genesis should at least listen to it a few times.  The material from the first album never gets included in any compilations because Jonathan King alone owns all rights to it, and it's really his one claim to fame, his golden goose.  He's probably afraid that if the better or more well-known tracks from it make it into a compilation, people will have no reason to keep buying his repackagings of it.  But yeah, Peter was a founding member.  His mark is all over the first album.

I don't know the Genesis catalog as well as I should. I own almost all of it, but mostly on vinyl which I don't get to spin too often with 2 little kids at home.

I feel your pain.  My kids are older now, my youngest is in high school, but I'm not sure if music listening time will ever return to BC levels.  If it does, it will be after the kids are out on their own.

Still, this should be a fun read. I really enjoyed the Yes thread as I am a huge Yes fan.

Thanks!

Offline Jaq

  • Posts: 4050
  • Gender: Male
  • Favorite song by Europe: Carrie.
Re: From Genesis to Revelation (1969)
« Reply #13 on: October 25, 2012, 01:26:22 PM »
The Carpet Crawlers re-recording was, indeed, intended to get people to buy something they already owned all of, and it didn't work with me, because it really sucked compared to both the original and the live version on Seconds Out.

Thanks to Spotify, I finally, finally, listened to From Genesis To Revelation, and I agree; it's an amazingly impressive achievement for a band of school kids. It's basically rooted in British folk rock and psychedelia, with only the barest hints of what was to come-I love the piano intro to Fireside Song, because even at that early age, Tony Banks was Tony Banks; his playing is just so identifiable to me. And it's downright amazing how mature as a singer Peter Gabriel already was. It still remains an oddity to me because they never worked this sort of music again after this, but for the standards of the time it's a very competent album, and by the standard of a band of kids putting out music, it's pretty amazing.
The bones of beasts and the bones of kings become dust in the wake of the hymn.
Mighty kingdoms rise, but they all will fall, no more than a breath on the wind.

Online Orbert

  • Recovering Musician
  • EZBoard Elder
  • *****
  • Posts: 19225
  • Gender: Male
  • In and around the lake
Re: From Genesis to Revelation (1969)
« Reply #14 on: October 25, 2012, 01:58:54 PM »
The band themselves have nothing bad to say about either the album or their former manager Mr. King.  He gave them their start, gave them their name, and for that they are grateful.  He helped them cut not one, but two singles, and even after they didn't go anywhere, he got them studio time to record an album.  Okay, so he was also completely exploiting them; any monies from any of that early material goes directly to him and Genesis never see a penny of it, but that wasn't exactly an unusual arrangement in 1969.  They chalk it up as a positive experience, one which gave them the confidence to actually dump him and do things their own way.  But first, they had to get back and start their senior year of high school.

Offline TheSoylentMan

  • Posts: 185
  • Nothing ever happens on Mars
Re: From Genesis to Revelation (1969)
« Reply #15 on: October 26, 2012, 08:33:49 AM »
Thanks for the explanation. I see you are a fellow Chicagoan, cool. Any chance you were at PG's show at United Center a few weeks ago? (Not to derail the thread topic).

Offline Sketchy

  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 2250
  • Gender: Male
  • More tea is required.
Re: From Genesis to Revelation (1969)
« Reply #16 on: October 26, 2012, 08:54:20 AM »
Gotta admit, I really like this album. I don't love it as much as anything from Trespass to And Then There Were Three, but I do really like it. It has charm.

That said, I prefer the version of Where The Sour Turns To Sweet that doesn't have the damn strings and horns overdubs. They cut out the most striking bit of piano.
This is as exciting as superluminal neutrinos. The sexy thing is that this actually exists :D

Online Orbert

  • Recovering Musician
  • EZBoard Elder
  • *****
  • Posts: 19225
  • Gender: Male
  • In and around the lake
Re: From Genesis to Revelation (1969)
« Reply #17 on: October 26, 2012, 09:22:40 AM »
I see you are a fellow Chicagoan, cool. Any chance you were at PG's show at United Center a few weeks ago? (Not to derail the thread topic).

No, I don't do many concerts these days, not for bands and artists.  Too broke from raising kids in the Chicago suburbs.  Closest I get is junior high orchestra concerts, for which every parent should receive combat pay.

I prefer the version of Where The Sour Turns To Sweet that doesn't have the damn strings and horns overdubs. They cut out the most striking bit of piano.

I didn't even realize that it's different.  I usually just listen to the 13 original tracks because I'm obnoxious that way.  I think I've picked up a few alternate or single versions over the years, in some of the endless repackagings, but probably never listened to them.

Online Orbert

  • Recovering Musician
  • EZBoard Elder
  • *****
  • Posts: 19225
  • Gender: Male
  • In and around the lake
Genesis: Trespass (1970)
« Reply #18 on: October 26, 2012, 10:27:51 PM »
Genesis: Trespass (1970)



Tony Banks – Keyboards, Guitar, Backing Vocals
Peter Gabriel – Lead Vocals, Flute, Accordion, Percussion
John Mayhew – Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals
Anthony Phillips – Guitars, Dulcimer, Backing Vocals
Mike Rutherford – Bass, Guitars, Cello, Backing Vocals

----------

Looking for Someone
White Mountain
Visions of Angels
Stagnation
Dusk
The Knife

----------

The second Genesis album, Trespass, is a quantum leap forward from their debut.  Where the first album had a dozen three-minute pop songs, here we have six progressive songs averaging seven minutes apiece and topping out at nine.  While many fans consider the main Genesis sequence to begin with the next album, Nursery Cryme, there's no question that the classic Genesis sound was fully formed as of this album.

The album opens with Peter's voice, a capella.  He is joined by the keyboards, bass, and guitar, one at a time.  Finally the drums kick in, providing contrast, which seems to be the name of the game here.  Quiet, contemplative sections are juxtaposed with louder, uptempo parts.  Each song on this album goes through several changes of mood.  There aren't a lot of instrumental fireworks here, but this is definitely progressive music.  In the course of a single album, Genesis had somehow kept the essence of their sound and completely redefined it at the same time.

The overall mood is rather pastoral and contemplative, but with moments of anger and frustration.  Four of the six pieces run the gamut from acoustic guitars and piano to full band instrumentals with electric guitars and Hammond organ, and each builds up to a big ending.  The fifth song, "Dusk", is the mellowest, with only incidental percussion; it is also the shortest song on the album.  The closing opus, "The Knife", turns things inside out, starting and ending at full speed, with a quiet section in the middle.  It is the longest song on the album.

Each song feels like an exploration, a meditation on a thought or idea.  The drums always wait to come in, usually not until a pensive mood has been established, though on the closer, "The Knife", they come in shortly after the keyboards have set the rhythm, and on "Dusk" not at all.  Throughout the album, Peter Gabriel's poetry is backed by a tapestry of patterns and textures provided by the guitars and keyboards, delicately interwoven into what would become Genesis' trademark sound for the next several albums.  The instrumental sections provide contrast and a chance for the musicans to flex their chops.  Peter's flute, another Genesis trademark, makes an occassional appearance, and Mike Rutherford's cello makes its first appearance here as well.

The cover art is by Paul Whitehead, who started it before the album closer, "The Knife", had been recorded.  Upon hearing it and its driving tone and violent message, he felt that his painting no longer reflected the overall mood of the album, so he literally slashed the canvas with a knife.  The final version of the cover art is below.




The first two Genesis albums are rather like the first two Yes albums.  They get considerably less attention than the others, because the classic lineup was not yet complete.  In the case of Yes, it was Steve Howe's arrival on The Yes Album and Rick Wakeman's on Fragile.  With Genesis, it was the arrival of both Phil Collins and Steve Hackett on Nursery Cryme.  Both bands really took off starting with their third albums, and people tend to overlook the first two.

Frankly, that's a damned shame.  This album is actually very close in sound and overall quality to Nursery Cryme and Foxtrot, and overall, Trespass is a fine album.  John Mayhew does a decent job on the drums here.  Sadly, John was but the latest in a string of temporary drummers for Genesis.

The real overlooked gem is Anthony "Ant" Phillips here on guitar.  Ant set the mold for the guitar sound in Genesis; you can hear how similar his style is to Steve Hackett's, but Ant came first.  Steve emulated Ant, and Ant's quiet, distorted lead lines here sound pretty much like what Steve did on the next several Genesis albums, and even what Mike would continue to do after Steve's departure.  Unfortunately, once Genesis began to gain popularity and started playing more and larger gigs, Ant developed crippling stage fright and could not play live at all.  He left the band, and Genesis asked John to leave as well.  They were once again uncertain as to the future of the band.  Mike and Tony both played guitar, so there was the possibility of continuing as a trio, though it seemed more likely that they should find a drummer and continue as a quartet.  I'm sure the task of finding both a drummer and guitarist seemed rather daunting at the time, but that is what they ended up doing, all while writing music for what would become their next album.  But we'll cover that in the next installment.
« Last Edit: July 08, 2015, 04:38:20 PM by Orbert »

Offline LieLowTheWantedMan

  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 7783
  • Gender: Male
Re: Genesis: Trespass (1970)
« Reply #19 on: October 26, 2012, 10:46:35 PM »
I love this album. Stagnation is one of their best songs IMO.

Offline Nel

  • Humorless Bore
  • Posts: 2450
  • Gender: Male
Re: Genesis: Trespass (1970)
« Reply #20 on: October 26, 2012, 11:47:34 PM »
"Looking for someone! ...I guess I'm doing that." I love this album. White Mountain is one of my favorite Genesis songs.
Hire me. I'm talentless but malleable.

Offline Zydar

  • Creep With Tonality
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 19210
  • Gender: Male
Re: Genesis: Trespass (1970)
« Reply #21 on: October 27, 2012, 01:58:41 AM »
This is a really fine album. Many of the songs are great, but my two favourites are The Knife and White Mountain.
Zydar is my new hero.  I just laughed so hard I nearly shat.

Offline DebraKadabra

  • Witch Goddess of Lankershim Boulevard
  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 8470
  • Gender: Female
  • Can I be as my god am?
Re: Genesis: Trespass (1970)
« Reply #22 on: October 27, 2012, 02:54:14 AM »
I'm not as familiar with Trespass as I should be. :blush

Offline Lolzeez

  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 4865
  • Gender: Male
Re: Genesis: Trespass (1970)
« Reply #23 on: October 27, 2012, 04:27:09 AM »
Love this album. My third fav album from my fav band. Looking For Someone is a top 5 song.

Offline Jaq

  • Posts: 4050
  • Gender: Male
  • Favorite song by Europe: Carrie.
Re: Genesis: Trespass (1970)
« Reply #24 on: October 27, 2012, 08:20:09 AM »
In my younger days, I dismissed Trespass because it lacked Hackett and Collins, and I went no further back into the band's discography than Nursery Cryme when I went on a mad Genesis binge when I got my first job.

My younger self did some stupid things.  :lol

Trespass is a quantum leap forward for Genesis over the debut, the album where their sound started to take shape. It's not quite there yet-a lot of the album is far more acoustic and, for lack of a better term, pastoral than the band would later be (though both aspects existed in their sound even through the early Collins led days) and Gabriel's lyrics hadn't quite reached the surreal heights that were coming, but the foundation is there. And I simply can't praise The Knife enough; I'd had some contact with it via Genesis Live, but it didn't really connect with my younger self for some reason. Hearing it earlier this year, as the last song on a Genesis 3 CD set I own, made me revisit Trespass, and while the rest of the album fared much better, The Knife was a complete and total revelation. Genesis arguably never got quite this heavy again-sections of songs on Nursery Cryme rival it, but this song rocks from one end to the other. I like the story Peter Gabriel told, of how the band was playing concerts and they really lacked a rocker to get the crowd going, like the Nice had. So in honor of the Nice, they went out and wrote The Knife.  :lol The Knife is awesome and is now firmly in my Genesis top ten.

Don't be like younger Jaq. If you've been giving Trespass a miss because it doesn't have Hackett and Collins, rectify that right now. A very good album.
The bones of beasts and the bones of kings become dust in the wake of the hymn.
Mighty kingdoms rise, but they all will fall, no more than a breath on the wind.

Offline carl320

  • The Knight of Cups
  • EZBoard Elder
  • *****
  • Posts: 1655
  • Gender: Male
Re: Genesis: Trespass (1970)
« Reply #25 on: October 27, 2012, 08:54:34 AM »
I'm not as familiar with Trespass as I should be. :blush
In high school my buddies and I built a Van Der Graaf generator.  You know, to get girls.

Offline Sketchy

  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 2250
  • Gender: Male
  • More tea is required.
Re: Genesis: Trespass (1970)
« Reply #26 on: October 27, 2012, 09:06:06 AM »
It's an awesome album, but, uh, isn't there cello on Foxtrot too? I'm pretty sure it's credited on there.

I particularly like the organ parts played on this album, some of them among my favourite of Tony Banks's organ parts, and that guitar solo on The Knife is so good, but my favourite bit is the 12 string stuff on White Mountain. I love that song so damn much.
This is as exciting as superluminal neutrinos. The sexy thing is that this actually exists :D

Offline Lolzeez

  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 4865
  • Gender: Male
Re: Genesis: Trespass (1970)
« Reply #27 on: October 27, 2012, 09:43:00 AM »
Btw my Genesis Top 5 albums

1.Nurcery Cryme
2.Selling England
3.Trespass
4.The Lamb
5.Foxtrot

Online Orbert

  • Recovering Musician
  • EZBoard Elder
  • *****
  • Posts: 19225
  • Gender: Male
  • In and around the lake
Re: Genesis: Trespass (1970)
« Reply #28 on: October 27, 2012, 10:16:18 AM »
It's an awesome album, but, uh, isn't there cello on Foxtrot too? I'm pretty sure it's credited on there.

You are correct!  I don't think I've ever heard it on Foxtrot.  It must either be in with all the textured stuff, or I thought it was either guitar or synth.

Offline ColdFireYYZ

  • Posts: 1167
  • Gender: Male
Re: Genesis: Trespass (1970)
« Reply #29 on: October 27, 2012, 11:05:39 AM »
Trespass is a great album. I really like Anthony Phillips' playing on this album. Has anyone heard any of his solo stuff?

Offline The Letter M

  • Posts: 15494
  • Gender: Male
Re: Genesis: Trespass (1970)
« Reply #30 on: October 27, 2012, 11:11:50 AM »
Trespass is amazing, and for me, is where the classic Genesis sound begins. It's one of the biggest leaps any band has taken after their debut, more so than Rush-Fly By Night, or WDADU-IAW. It's with this album that we hear what it is they will truly become on the next three albums, and we get glimpses of their greatness to come. The album opens with a capella Gabriel, much like on SEBTP, and the opening track is a strong one. With the average song length now doubled, you can tell this band was meant for long-form songs, and from here on out, til The Lamb, each album had at least 2 songs that were over 6-7 minutes in length!

Great album, great performances, and pretty much every song is well crafted. They really matured by the time they got this under their belt! It's a shame they didn't do just ONE more album with Anthony Phillips...

...but at least we'd get Steve Hackett in exchange!

-Marc.
ATTENTION - HAKEN FANS! The HAKEN SURVIVOR 2023 has begun! You can check it out in the Polls/Survivors Forum!!!

Online Orbert

  • Recovering Musician
  • EZBoard Elder
  • *****
  • Posts: 19225
  • Gender: Male
  • In and around the lake
Re: Genesis: Trespass (1970)
« Reply #31 on: October 27, 2012, 12:09:50 PM »
I really like Anthony Phillips' playing on this album. Has anyone heard any of his solo stuff?

I went on an Anthony Phillips binge a while back and tried to collect all of his Private Parts & Pieces releases, but stopped when I got to VIII and realized that there were still a bunch to go.  I also have some of his "regular" solo albums, like The Geese and the Goat and Tarka.  It's all really good stuff.  For me, though, it falls into the "background prog" area.  Most prog demands my attention and you really have to actively listen to it to appreciate it.  Ant's stuff is mostly pretty mellow, and since there's a ton of it (I stopped when I got to 16 albums), I usually just put it on as background music while I surf the web or something.  I couldn't quote you a single song or melody from any of it.

Offline ColdFireYYZ

  • Posts: 1167
  • Gender: Male
Re: Genesis: Trespass (1970)
« Reply #32 on: October 27, 2012, 12:41:07 PM »
I really like Anthony Phillips' playing on this album. Has anyone heard any of his solo stuff?

I went on an Anthony Phillips binge a while back and tried to collect all of his Private Parts & Pieces releases, but stopped when I got to VIII and realized that there were still a bunch to go.  I also have some of his "regular" solo albums, like The Geese and the Goat and Tarka.  It's all really good stuff.  For me, though, it falls into the "background prog" area.  Most prog demands my attention and you really have to actively listen to it to appreciate it.  Ant's stuff is mostly pretty mellow, and since there's a ton of it (I stopped when I got to 16 albums), I usually just put it on as background music while I surf the web or something.  I couldn't quote you a single song or melody from any of it.
Thanks for the response. I like mellow prog but I think I'll hold off on buying anything.

Offline SomeoneLikeHim

  • The flame is gone
  • Posts: 1603
  • Gender: Male
  • The fire remains
Re: Genesis: Trespass (1970)
« Reply #33 on: October 27, 2012, 03:10:26 PM »
This is where it gets interesting. I really like this album, even if the following four are on a completely different level. I do however think "The Knife" is a bit overrated. It's good,  but it just never really clicked with me on the "Genesis masterpiece" level for some reason. My song ranking:

1. Stagnation
2. Looking for Someone
3. The Knife
4. White Mountain
5. Dusk
6. Visions of Angels
"We can walk our road together, if our goals are all the same
We can run alone and free, if we pursue a different aim"

Offline Mladen

  • Posts: 15203
  • Gender: Male
Re: Genesis: Trespass (1970)
« Reply #34 on: October 28, 2012, 10:14:48 AM »
Ooh, so we're doing this now? Great idea, Orbert, I can't wait to sink into this gorgeous music again and learn some new stuff - for example, I had no idea about the origin of the knife on the album cover.  :tup

Haven't listened to Trespass in a while - this is the first time I gave it a spin in a couple of years. I think this is a fine record, and it certainly marked the beginning of their classic sound. The band realized what they wanted to do, but didn't yet quite manage to do it right. It doesn't move me like their later albums, although The Knife and White mountain are highly enjoyable and very interesting songs.

And man, I honestly didn't know Hackett didn't play on this album.  :facepalm: