November 2004 will go down in the books as the most expensive month for
fans of Genesis proper and related. Almost simultaneously, the various
camps in the Genesis universe released DVDs. They reach from Phil Collins’
live recording of the First
Final Farewell-Tour, Peter Gabriel’s video omnibus Play
and Steve Hackett’s tour documentary Once Above A Time to
a not quite official double DVD documentary entitled Inside Genesis
– A Critical Review 1970-1980. To all that, Virgin Records
added their costumary Christmas releases. This year, it’s The
Video Show, a compilation of Genesis promo videos and the only
CD box amongst the flood of releases meant to attract those looking for
just the right gift for a Genesis fan. We’re talking about the
3CD Platinum Collection box, of course. In North America, waiting
time is also over. Rhino has released both The Video Show and
Platinum Collection in mid-September 2005!
Even though some fans were disappointed
by the lack of new material, the Platinum Collection deserves a
closer look, not least because it is the first compilation of Genesis
songs to cover the band’s whole career. Genesis buffs will be delighted
to find that many of the older songs were carefully remixed so that they
appear in a whole new light. The reason why Genesis went to such lengths
with the songs is, of course, the upcoming release of the band’s
complete back catalogue on SACD in 5.1 surround mixes, their very first
album From Genesis To Revelation, however, excepted. To accomplish
the remixes, one has to separate the original multitrack recordings and
remix them completely. Many of these songs have been treated like that
already. The by-products of the 5.1 mixes, i.e. the all-new stereo mixes,
were used for this Genesis starter kit. The Platinum Collection
does not consist of newly recorded or restructured versions of the songs,
which is what many people would call a ‘remix’. There were
neither additions nor was anything left out. The songs were simply brushed
up using modern technology. The net result is a much more homogenous audio
tour through the history of Genesis than it was hitherto possible to have.
People who are familiar only with the more recent and better-known output
of our heroes will find it much easier to discover Genesis’ past.
That’s why the tracks are in an (almost correctly) anti-chronological
order, starting with more recent material and proceeding to older songs.
CD1 1997 – 1982
CD1 covers the last four studio releases.
There may not be a lot of material to choose from from those last 15 years,
in particular if you compare it to the output of their first 15 years.
But it certainly was the period in which the band were at their most popular
and successful. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that many of the
songs featured here also appeared on the 1999 Hits Collection.
On this CD, however, you will find almost nothing but complete album versions.
The disc opens with hits from the 1992
We Can’t Dance album. Not only fans of post-Collins Genesis
and Ray Wilson’s voice won’t find that too logical, but
it makes sense for people who are not yet familiar with the band: It is
familiar sounds that lead them into the world of Genesis. The following
songs make their appearance: No Son Of Mine (with an intro shortened
by two bars), I Can’t Dance, Jesus He Knows Me and
Hold On My Heart.
The next five songs take you back in
time, precisely to 1986, because they are all from Invisible Touch.
Again, the focus was on single releases. The live classic Domino
would have been a very welcome addition to many, but, well, these are
the songs: Invisible Touch, Tonight, Tonight, Tonight (shortened
single version), Land Of Confusion and In Too Deep.
The self-titled album from 1983 was
worthily represented by all tracks from side one of the album, i.e. the
single hits Mama and That’s All, the live classic
Home By The Sea and its other half, Second Home By The Sea.
Illegal Alien was not quite as successful a single, but it is included
here, too. We are pleased to note that it is a remixed version of the
song and that the backing vocals are much more differentiated.
The next song, Paperlate, was
never released on a regular album but only as a single / EP (in 1982).
It is a leftover from the 1981 Abacab sessions. This is a new mix
compared to Paperlate’s latest appearance on the Archive
2 box set. The brass is much stronger, the vocals were moved into
the foreground and some of the keyboard parts are more prominent than
before.
The title song of the first album the
band released with new singer Ray Wilson after Collins‘ departure
closes the first disc. Curiously enough, it was Calling all stations and
not the album’s most successful single Congo that was picked.
Apparently, even One Man’s Fool was shortlisted for this
box at one time. It seems that the band felt they did not need any other
tracks from that album, though.
CD2 1981 – 1975
The next disc takes us back to the days when
Phil Collins first became the new singer with the band. In those six years,
five albums were recorded.
Abacab (1981) was covered with
the singles Abacab and Keep It Dark. Both songs profit from
the remixing. The guiar sound on Abacab is enhanced as are Phil’s
inconspicuous percussion and some keyboard lines on Keep It Dark.
The album before that, Duke
(1981), is featured with four songs, of which only Behind The Lines
is included in the original mix. Turn It On Again has stronger
lead vocals and more powerful drums. A finely tuned set of echo effects
vastly adds atmosphere and sparkle to the band favorite Duchess.
Genesis‘ first U.S. hit Misunderstanding enjoys more prominence
in Phil’s voice and some drum reverb.
And Then There Were Three songs that were included from Genesis‘
slightly less beloved 1978 album. Many Too Many sounds well-rounded
in its new guise. It took the new mix to show just how groovy Collins‘
drumming and percussion work is on the band’s commercial breakthrough
Follow You Follow Me. The third remixed track from And Then
There Were Three is Tony Banks‘ Undertow with a noticably
softer string section.
We go back another two years to find lead guitarist Steve Hackett still
with Genesis. Three songs were selected from Wind And Wuthering.
The live classic ... In That Quiet Earth has the complete drum
roll intro and leads into that other live classic, Afterglow.
The album’s only single, Your Own Special Way was included
in its original album version, while ... In That Quiet Earth
and Afterglow were remixed to have stronger drums and more prominent
guitar work.
The final three songs on CD2 were originally released on A Trick
Of The Tail in 1976. Even though the title song was released as
a single, it is largely unknown. The remix sets off lead and backing
vocals as well as some guitar parts. For Ripples the balance
of frequencies to volume was corrected. Collins‘ drums were enhanced,
too. The CD closes with the obvious perfect song. Los Endos was
changed almost imperceptibly. Dance On A Volcano, always a big
classic live, may be seen as a glaring omission.
CD3 1974 – 1970
The third disc is undoubtedly that
part of the collection that people were looking forward to most. It
features classics from the band’s early days when Peter Gabriel
was the singer. Genesis recorded six albums with him. The somewhat immature
first album, From Genesis To Revelation from 1969, was excluded
from the present collection.
Only three songs from the concept double album The Lamb Lies Down
On Broadway (1974) can be found in this set. The title song has
the complete intro, stronger drums and improved stereo sound. Counting
Out Time, at the time a not so successful single, is included with
a shortened intro but it’s not the single version. Marvellous
drum sound, stronger backing vocals and a slightly longer vocal ending
make up for it, though. The version of Carpet Crawlers included
here is some 15 seconds shorter than on the album, but the drums come
out better and Gabriel’s voice sounds much warmer. It is a pity,
though, that cult classic In the cage did not make it onto this collection.
Not only fans rate 1973’s Selling England By The Pound
highly. It should not take wonder that three great songs from the album
made the collection. The new mix of Firth Of Fifth delights us
with its exquisitely clear sound. You can even hear the pedals of the
grand piano. The drums do not sound dry anymore, but they are still
very powerful throughout the song. Hackett’s guitar is so much
more brilliant and Rutherford’s picking technique really begins
to shine. The Cinema Show pleases with a more airy sound probably
caused by the minuscule reverb effect on the drum tracks. I Know
What I Like was cut just a little bit, but with this remix the vocals
are enjoyably distinct.
When Genesis released Foxtrot in 1972 it became their international
breakthrough. The album is honored with the inclusion of Supper’s
Ready in this collection. Regrettably, however, it is the original,
un-remixed version that was used. Many people will also miss the album’s
opening song Watcher Of The Skies that was scheduled to be included
in the collection.
We are then treated to the core of Nursery Cryme (1971), which
was the first album with newcomers Phil Collins on drums and Steve Hackett
on guitar. The musical box is an opus of more than ten minutes‘
length. The new mix brings out the bass sound and the dynamic leaps
of the song while it also corrects volume problems of the original version.
The collections follows the concept of Genesis‘ 1970 release
Trespass and of the early live shows: Go out with a bang, or,
in this case, with their first big classic The Knife.
On this song, it’s still founding member Anthony Phillips plucking
the strings and short-time member John Mayhew on the drums. Both their
efforts come out very nicely in the new mix. Compared to the original
version, this mix has (sometimes drastically) different vocal effects,
less muddy drums and some interesting stereo tricks in the instrumental
parts.
The Platinum Collection is not just another 3CD compilation.
It is the only release so far to include all eras of the band’s
history and provide a decent general view of the three decades of this
unique band for newcomers. It is regrettable that some classics had
to be left out (had they really?) because not all songs fully represent
the variety of music on the album they come from. With 15 albums under
their belt, the band should have gone for a 4CD box with the appropriate
layout. The 20 page booklet is another missed opportunity. It only includes
brief texts by Hugh Fielder, fotos of the album covers but no single
image of the band. Surely there would have been a way to tell the history
of the band in a more interesting way. We applaud the fact that most
of the older tracks were used in the remixed versions made by Genesis’
mixer-in-residence Nick Davis. Still it may be asked why some of the
songs did not get a thorough overhaul. There would have been space for
the odd single mix to please collectors of rarities, particularly since
this collection has such a strong focus on single releases. Be that
as it may, a price of around EUR 20 is quite attractive. The Genesis
fan community will hopefully grow strongly this Christmas.
written by: Steffen Gerlach
translated by: Martin Klinkhardt
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