GENESIS - BBC Broadcasts - details, BBC archive info and evaluation

Quote from WinstonWolf

Great write up and it's nice to see what we're getting in context with what there is available.

To one point:

I'm certain the answer comes down to the budget for the project and the desired price point. Even though it's far from complete, five discs is still a lot of content. I'm sure the record company also sees $60 as a tipping point. That price and volume of content will appeal to a wider array of buyers. I'm sure they're correct to believe that if they had pushed the price up to $100 and included 8 or 10 discs the sales would have seen a sharp drop.

I don't think it would have made a big difference. If anything, more of the bigger fans would be willing to buy a complete set. What they've come up with is neither here nor there, half way between a one or two disk collection of highlights and the full set. Yes, it's 100% consistent with their past approach, and it's not surprising in the least, but it is a bit of a shame. Christian's nice post showing what available and what's included put it in nice context for me.

Regarding physical releases versus streaming: There are some artists of whom I am a life-long fan and that’s Genesis and Pink Floyd, including most solo careers. Since I have been a fan for 31 years I’m pretty sure I will want to listen to this music for some more decades. A streaming service will always be a temporary tool to access music. Albums and maybe even entire artist discographies may appear and disappear arbitrarily. For that reason I always buy physical releases, because then I will definitely have it in my collection for future listening. However, everytime I buy a CD I immediately put it in my computer to produce MP3s of it. My computer is my jukebox and my CD shelf is my archive.

When it comes to this BBC box set, I will have to look through my collection of Genesis bootlegs on CD. If I have most of the material in reasonably good quality I might skip this box set.

Of course there are alternatives to buying physical releases. Tony's A Chord Too Far box set is ridiculously overpriced, but luckily the few box-only tracks were available on Youtube which made it possible to download them and file them into my digital archive.

I chose my nickname a long time ago on a former forum, more than 15 years ago. I like the song “Anything Now” and by that time I wanted the band to release anything now. However, looking at this release I would rather prefer something substantial now.

agree with many of the previous comments about how these shows have been issued. Think most fans would prefer to hear the full show, even if this means a few duplicate numbers and the odd bum note. Afterall most of us have had these shows for numerous years and can be found on YT anyway...does seem like a possible missed opportunity

While it is easy to be critical (and I have been), it is nice to have some new official recordings from the band. Genesis have always been light on interactions with fans and I don't think they have ever given much regard to what we want (their prerogative of course). Big anniversaries over the next few years would be an appropriate time to open fans' wallets!

Glad to note that someone remembered Ray Wilson!

Feelings of guilt or just a reporting?

Thanks! The article reveals a lot of details I never knew. I am happy they do release this set, but it's sad there's so much missing.

I'm reposting this from one of the other boards as I think this is a more appropriate place for these comments.

My initial reaction to the whole thing is a little disappointed .Brief snippets, bits and pieces. The few Peel session songs are interesting but I was really hoping for the complete Knebworth '78 show as well as the complete lyceum show. I didn't know that the BBC broadcast any of the'98 shows and more of that would've been good. There's loads 87 stuff which I have and I doubt the 92 Knebworth stuff would much different from TWWW CDs. The completest in me says "get it"but I can get a fair bit of that stuff elsewhere.

Quote from thefarmer

I'm reposting this from one of the other boards as I think this is a more appropriate place for these comments.

My initial reaction to the whole thing is a little disappointed .Brief snippets, bits and pieces. The few Peel session songs are interesting but I was really hoping for the complete Knebworth '78 show as well as the complete lyceum show. I didn't know that the BBC broadcast any of the'98 shows and more of that would've been good. There's loads 87 stuff which I have and I doubt the 92 Knebworth stuff would much different from TWWW CDs. The completest in me says "get it"but I can get a fair bit of that stuff elsewhere.

A shame they didn't include the Cage medley from 1987.

The 87 BBC ecording is from 4th July only, the Wembley DVD is a combination of all four Wembley shows (if I remember correctly).

All in all I have a very familiar feeling. It could have done better and it could be more complete.

will buy it nevertheless

Although the original 'knebworth 78' broadcast wasn't complete and began with 'Squonk' which obviously came later in the show.....It still had that special kind of magic for me and remains my favourite concert recording of the band, I'm a little disappointed that 'Ripples' and 'The Lady Lies' have not been included as those versions are my personal favourites. The 'Wembley 1987' stuff I recorded myself at the time from the original broadcast and still sounds amazing for the year, so not fussed about that or the 'Knebworth 92' but I suppose calling it a 'BBC' collection, they have had to include at least some of these things that were broadcast. Would just be a buy to be completest really. Not exited about it at all. At least Archive 2 had some things on it that we never heard before - example being 'Burning Rope' from 'Houston 78'. Ahh well, at least it's SOMETHING!!

So, just a week from now. Just hope the sound quality is good enough and the booklet will have some nice & new content.

Did somebody NOT preorder it? If so, why?

I'll buy only if its available to download.

Quote from last-domino

So, just a week from now. Just hope the sound quality is good enough and the booklet will have some nice & new content.

Did somebody NOT preorder it? If so, why?

I just don't want it. I'm not that much of a completist.

Quote from last-domino

So, just a week from now. Just hope the sound quality is good enough and the booklet will have some nice & new content.

Did somebody NOT preorder it? If so, why?

Why? Because it's really disappointing that it's so incomplete. Once again an archive release from the band that you would think was impossible to get wrong but here we are again with something less than it should have been. I guess we'll never know if it was the band's decision to limit it to so few discs or maybe that was dictated by the record company if they deemed that demand wasn't sufficiently large for a more comprehensive package. To me it falls between two stools - too much for the casual fan and not enough for the more committed. So many interesting tracks not used like the Night Ride Stagnation with the completely different ending or the Sounds of the Seventies work-in-progress Musical Box. Maybe better to have released it in smaller and more complete chunks rather than one box set. As it stands it's a real let down for me and I won't be buying.

Quote from serpent

Why? Because it's really disappointing that it's so incomplete. Once again an archive release from the band that you would think was impossible to get wrong but here we are again with something less than it should have been. I guess we'll never know if it was the band's decision to limit it to so few discs or maybe that was dictated by the record company if they deemed that demand wasn't sufficiently large for a more comprehensive package. To me it falls between two stools - too much for the casual fan and not enough for the more committed. So many interesting tracks not used like the Night Ride Stagnation with the completely different ending or the Sounds of the Seventies work-in-progress Musical Box. Maybe better to have released it in smaller and more complete chunks rather than one box set. As it stands it's a real let down for me and I won't be buying.

I've bought it, but I am with your sentiments completely. There was much more to offer from the BBC reels, and of course there are many more Genesis bootlegs crying out for official release. When fans are already buying the official releases of some really poor sounding early Pink Floyd shows, I think Genesis must know they can do more with the jewels in their closet. There is still time though.

I haven't ordered it, but purely from apathy. I probably will.

Quote from Backdrifter

I haven't ordered it, but purely from apathy. I probably will.

Welcome to my world.

I have requested it as a birthday present. I agree it could be more and will accept and appreciate what I get anyway. That's the way it's been for many a release from this band. Life is too short for me to get caught up in what could have been.

As expected, BBC Broadcasts is not streaming services.