To each his own indeed but when I think Abacab, Trick and Wind definitely don't come to mind. The only song off that album that reminds me of older stuff is Me and Sarah Jane with that Banks romanticism stamped all over it. Dodo also have some of the heavier colorings of previous works. The rest? Nope....
Who wrote the lyrics to "Abacab"?
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Absolutely nothing on Abacab reminds me of 4-man era in any way at all. As mentioned, their approach was to avoid anything that sounded like their older stuff and they succeeded. But as I hinted, I suspected that in reference to that, Art was joking.
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A Google search shows that it's Mike Rutherford - is this correct?
Might be - Mike was experienced in writing absurd lyrics (Ripples). On the other hand it sounds like it's simply grown from Phil's improvised singing.
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Might be - Mike was experienced in writing absurd lyrics (Ripples).
What, do you not believe any of that stuff about the blue girls?!
QuoteOn the other hand it sounds like it's simply grown from Phil's improvised singing.
I'd bet this is probably the case.
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There's a phrase I haven't heard for a few decades!
I'm genuinely astonished anyone would think this. Oh hang on - you're being satirical...?!
Your first point sounds like Obi Wan Kenobi. And no, I’m not being satirical. I think you could put the song ABACAB into W&W and it would be a good fit. I never thought the whole album ABACAB would fit, just the actual song. I’ll now sit down and prepare to be mocked. 😜😜😜😂😂😂
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Your first point sounds like Obi Wan Kenobi. And no, I’m not being satirical. I think you could put the song ABACAB into W&W and it would be a good fit. I never thought the whole album ABACAB would fit, just the actual song. I’ll now sit down and prepare to be mocked. 😜😜😜😂😂😂
No I get you meant the song, and while I personally won't mock you for it I personally just don't see anything whatsoever about the song that would make it fit on W&W. But hey, different perceptions are one of the beauties of music.
EDIT: PS - As well as not seeing any Abacab/W&W similarity you've also lost me on the Kenobi comparison!
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What, do you not believe any of that stuff about the blue girls?!
Only the bit about it being a re-write of "School Girls"
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Only the bit about it being a re-write of "School Girls"
So it was originally "Schoolgirls come in every size"????
I read it was inspired by a John Crowe Ransom poem called Blue Girls which has the same theme of lost beauty.
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No I get you meant the song, and while I personally won't mock you for it I personally just don't see anything whatsoever about the song that would make it fit on W&W. But hey, different perceptions are one of the beauties of music.
EDIT: PS - As well as not seeing any Abacab/W&W similarity you've also lost me on the Kenobi comparison!
You said , “There's a phrase I haven't heard for a few decades!”
Obi wan in Star Wars Ep 4 said, “Obi-Wan Kenobi? Obi-Wan….Now there's a name I've not heard in a long, long time. A long time.“
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No I get you meant the song, and while I personally won't mock you for it I personally just don't see anything whatsoever about the song that would make it fit on W&W. But hey, different perceptions are one of the beauties of music.
EDIT: PS - As well as not seeing any Abacab/W&W similarity you've also lost me on the Kenobi comparison!
I’m sure if I took the song “Eleventh Earl of Mar” off W&W, and advocated putting it on there, someone would say, “nahhh. It’s too over the top for WW. Those flamboyant guitars and blaring keyboards. Bad fit!” Or if you never heard “Your Own Special Way,” you’d think it’s way too lovey-dovey pop bubble gum for WW. Strummy guitar tune aimed at chicks thirsty for ballads. You could argue, “Blood on the Rooftops doesn’t belong on WW. It’s too cynical and about contemporary issues of the 1970’s while the other songs are more historical. Bad fit.” You could argue “All in a Mouse’s Night” is too comical, too goofy, not dignified like the other songs.”
I dare say we could argue anything could be removed. The titular Abacab may have a bit of a crunchy synth sound, but it seems that Hackett liked it as his favorite post-Hackett song, so it has something Hacketty to it. I think it had an energy to it that would fit fine. But he’ll, what do I know!? 🤣 -
Abacab may have a bit of a crunchy synth sound, but it seems that Hackett liked it as his favorite post-Hackett song, so it has something Hacketty to it.
Hackett liking it doesn't necessarily make it Hacketty but that aside I'm sure I remember him saying Mama was his favourite trio song. I suppose he's allowed to change his mind.
Quotelovey-dovey
Do you speak of the pompatus of love, by any chance?
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I’m sure if I took the song “Eleventh Earl of Mar” off W&W, and advocated putting it on there, someone would say, “nahhh. It’s too over the top for WW. Those flamboyant guitars and blaring keyboards. Bad fit!” Or if you never heard “Your Own Special Way,” you’d think it’s way too lovey-dovey pop bubble gum for WW. Strummy guitar tune aimed at chicks thirsty for ballads. You could argue, “Blood on the Rooftops doesn’t belong on WW. It’s too cynical and about contemporary issues of the 1970’s while the other songs are more historical. Bad fit.” You could argue “All in a Mouse’s Night” is too comical, too goofy, not dignified like the other songs.”
I dare say we could argue anything could be removed. The titular Abacab may have a bit of a crunchy synth sound, but it seems that Hackett liked it as his favorite post-Hackett song, so it has something Hacketty to it. I think it had an energy to it that would fit fine. But he’ll, what do I know!? 🤣Abacab doesn’t remind me much of W&W BUT Eleventh Earl was the song that immediately came to my mind as well as the song most like it... if that makes sense. In terms of it being Hacketty... a lot of Mike’s guitar playing in Genesis demonstrates inspiration from hackett, especially early on. I don’t personally hear much Hacketty going on w/ Abacab but I respect that you do.
Hackett has mentioned that he could’ve added slide guitar and that would’ve been very interesting. There’s lots of Genesis tribute bands out there but are there any that try to explore what an 80s 5 or 4 man genesis would sound like? I would love to hear someone try a Hackett slide guitar arrangement of Abacab.
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There’s lots of Genesis tribute bands out there but are there any that try to explore what an 80s 5 or 4 man genesis would sound like? I would love to hear someone try a Hackett slide guitar arrangement of Abacab.
This touches on a broader version of this question I've occasionally wondered. I'm not interested in tribute bands but might be intrigued if I knew of one that did interesting different interpretations instead of faithful straight recreations. Does anyone know of any?
EDIT - if you do, best answer in the tribute bands forum and tag me in.
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Abacab doesn’t remind me much of W&W BUT Eleventh Earl was the song that immediately came to my mind as well as the song most like it... if that makes sense. In terms of it being Hacketty... a lot of Mike’s guitar playing in Genesis demonstrates inspiration from hackett, especially early on. I don’t personally hear much Hacketty going on w/ Abacab but I respect that you do.
Hackett has mentioned that he could’ve added slide guitar and that would’ve been very interesting. There’s lots of Genesis tribute bands out there but are there any that try to explore what an 80s 5 or 4 man genesis would sound like? I would love to hear someone try a Hackett slide guitar arrangement of Abacab.
Or imagine Steve Howe gigging on that song abs doing his pedal steel! 😜🤓
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Or imagine Steve Howe gigging on that song abs doing his pedal steel! 😜🤓
Just listen to Inside and Out. If that isn't Hackett channeling Howe in his solo, I don't know what is....
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Just listen to Inside and Out. If that isn't Hackett channeling Howe in his solo, I don't know what is....
The only other thing I could think of is Hackett’s rerecording of “When the Heart Rules the Mind” from a few years back
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One thing I haven't seen mentioned here is the title Abacab was derived from the song's form at one point in its development. As in part A, part B, and part C being played in the order A-B-A-C-A-B. From a title like that, I would say they weren't exactly telling any kind of story with the lyrics...
Just as an aside - Abacab's final song structure as on the record did not end up being as such.
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This touches on a broader version of this question I've occasionally wondered. I'm not interested in tribute bands but might be intrigued if I knew of one that did interesting different interpretations instead of faithful straight recreations. Does anyone know of any?
EDIT - if you do, best answer in the tribute bands forum and tag me in.
I've often wondered the same thing. I've seen 4 Genesis tributes bands: The Musical Box; Trespass; Dance on a Volcano/Turn It On Again (Martin Levac's band that did the Three Sides Live Tour; the band changed its name at some point); and The Genesis Show. The one that comes closest to "different interpretations" is The Genesis Show, but that's mainly because the lead singer neither looks nor sounds like Phil Collins. In terms of the music they play it's basically a recreation. Levac is so close in looks and sound to Collins that it's almost creepy, and anyway he switched to doing Collins' solo music over ten years ago. TMB is right on in being a faithful recreation. I saw Trespass 10 years ago and don't even know if they still perform or not. All of which is a long-winded way of saying I haven't found anyone yet who is willing to take a walk on the wild side in terms of creative reinterpretations of the music.
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I haven't found anyone yet who is willing to take a walk on the wild side in terms of creative reinterpretations of the music.
You've nailed exactly what I'm wondering about. I don't like Mad Man Moon but if I heard there was a band who did an industrial grime version of it, or an electro-trance take on Heathaze, or compressed all of Supper's Ready into an eardrum-shredding 4-minute blast of extreme noise dark metal, I'd love to hear it.
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I've often wondered the same thing. I've seen 4 Genesis tributes bands: The Musical Box; Trespass; Dance on a Volcano/Turn It On Again (Martin Levac's band that did the Three Sides Live Tour; the band changed its name at some point); and The Genesis Show. The one that comes closest to "different interpretations" is The Genesis Show, but that's mainly because the lead singer neither looks nor sounds like Phil Collins. In terms of the music they play it's basically a recreation. Levac is so close in looks and sound to Collins that it's almost creepy, and anyway he switched to doing Collins' solo music over ten years ago. TMB is right on in being a faithful recreation. I saw Trespass 10 years ago and don't even know if they still perform or not. All of which is a long-winded way of saying I haven't found anyone yet who is willing to take a walk on the wild side in terms of creative reinterpretations of the music.
Having been in 2 of the bands that you cite :), I can tell you that the main reason is that people don't want to hear personal "takes" on Genesis music in a tribute band. They want to hear note-for-note recreation as any of these shows are nostalgia experiences for 99% of the people in the audience. And yes, Martin Levac is incredibly talented and eerily similar to Phil Collins.
