GENESIS - Sum Of The Parts (documentary 2014)

  • The 2014 official film Genesis: Sum Of The Parts is on AXSTV this Saturday morning. Anyone seen this? Six members are involved: Peter, Steve, Ant, Mike, Tony and Phil.

    Yes, I personally didn't like it. It races through the albums in order, with the linking device of having the 5-piece all in a room together which at times I found a bit excruciating. I didn't feel it really achieved anything.

    Abandon all reason

  • Yes, I personally didn't like it. It races through the albums in order, with the linking device of having the 5-piece all in a room together which at times I found a bit excruciating. I didn't feel it really achieved anything.

    Thanks. I might check it out, but it does sound a bit commercially driven.

    • Official Post

    The 2014 official film Genesis: Sum Of The Parts is on AXSTV this Saturday morning. Anyone seen this? Six members are involved: Peter, Steve, Ant, Mike, Tony and Phil.

    a poor documentary in my opinion. Check out our review

    https://www.genesis-news.com/c…Info-and-review-s576.html

    cheers

    Christian


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  • Thanks. I might check it out, but it does sound a bit commercially driven.

    I'm not sure about commercially driven as such, it's just not very good, poorly put together and the "5-piece all together in the room" thing, which was used as the hook, really didn't work very well and was quite awkward.


    The_Genesis_Archive said they provided some material early on in pre-production when, interestingly, it was intended as a documentary solely about The Lamb as part of the ongoing occasional Classic Albums series. Then it morphed into a general documentary. I found this infuriating as I'd always thought The Lamb warranted a dedicated documentary. But instead of a decent documentary focused on the one album, which would easily provide rich material for an interesting film, we got a substandard unfocused one that didn't really satisfy anyone.


    Hackett made a statement on his website criticising it and (guys please correct me if I'm wrong) I think Collins publicly voiced disappointment too. I think after a preview Banks and Rutherford insisted on a re-edit but that didn't help.


    I know we're putting you off but do watch it and let us know what you think.

    Abandon all reason

  • I watched the film and enjoyed it very much, but as you said, they brushed over very important aspects of their career and only touched on each album, for the most part, in abbreviated form. The film covered their careers as solo artists as well, which was nice. The focus of the film tended to be on their popularity once the group became radio friendly, whereas I like their earlier compositions the best. I am a prog fan who doesn't care to have his favorite artists played on the radio. Commerciality ruined Genesis for me. But I do love classic rock (60s, 70s, 80s). It defined me in my youth. Tony even mentioned in the film that as a teen he lived for the next Beatles hit. I enjoyed seeing the early footage and was unaware that Jonathan King named the band Genesis, saying they were the genesis of his career as a manager. Overall, a pleasant show to watch on a Saturday morning.

  • I will continue to state that if I hadn't seen it I may not have become such a big fan. It could have been better but it's easier to say that now that I know so much more than I did at the time.

  • Hackett made a statement on his website criticising it and (guys please correct me if I'm wrong) I think Collins publicly voiced disappointment too. I think after a preview Banks and Rutherford insisted on a re-edit but that didn't help.

    Yes - Steve was so disappointed in it that he refused to sell it on his website. He did sell the "R-Kive" CD compilation, but not the documentary.


    I only saw it once. I was quite underwhelmed. I understood why Steve hated it so much - you would think that the 4-man era didn't meaningfully exist by watching it. 5-man, 3-man, no in-between.

    Stepping out the back way, hoping nobody sees...

  • The documentary completely ignores Ray Wilson's involvement as well as Hackett's solo career which has been Genesis shows for years by now. On top, half of it is a bunch of unimportant journalists talking. Worst Genesis documentary ever.

  • On top, half of it is a bunch of unimportant journalists talking.

    And, don't forget, Al Murray the Pub Landlord. I'm just glad they didn't throw in Genesis fan Jeremy sodding Clarkson, to give him his full name.


    When it was broadcast it wasn't long after I'd seen a BBC documentary about Kate Bush, which was dripping with celebs falling over each other to gush and hero-worship KB. I've nothing against her but surely an extraordinary band that's had several distinct phases from BeeGees pastiche to pastoral/folky/prog and hit singles, sold albums by the warehouse-full and led to diverse successful solo careers, could pull in a better set of contributors than the rickety bunch - and Al Murray - this thing managed. The contrast with the KB film was jarring.


    Perhaps everyone else was busy that day.

    Abandon all reason

  • I watched the DVD quite recently. They were all in a room together but more often than not Steve was just out of shot which seemed a bit rude of the film makers and a little awkward to watch . Also it seemed like part of the point of the film was to examine the success not only of Genesis but the members individual careers. Their success as solo artists probably consists of bigger and more successful careers than any band has produced in history. Including ( at least rivalling the Beatles) Steve mentioned somewhat awkwardly his need to make a solo album . No mention of what it was. All the others had their albums discussed and shown , but nothing about Steve. He has made more albums than the rest of them both exploring different styles and keeping the flag flying for his era of Genesis regularly selling out big concert halls with his Revisited stuff. They showed Tony Banks solo stuff and he has been the least successful out of all them , at least commercially. I'm sure they could have put in a couple of minutes about Steve's own output which is bigger than the rest of them. It didn't feel right. They could've also mentioned at least in passing Ant Phillips career . Having said that, despite it was somewhat lacking, as a fan it was worth watching for what was included .

    Always interesting to hear the perspective of both band members and other fans.

  • Didn’t they entirely skip over one of the Genesis albums and not even mention it? Maybe Wind & Wuthering? It’s been a while since I watched it so correct me if I’m wrong.


    Personally I didn’t think it was that bad. I don’t understand all the fans who complain about Steve not getting equal treatment all the time. It’s not like he’s still part of the group. They didn’t cover Anthony Phillips’ solo career either. Neither of them have had mega hits like Phil and Peter.


    The documentary had footage I had never seen, such as the live video with Ant.

  • Didn’t they entirely skip over one of the Genesis albums and not even mention it? Maybe Wind & Wuthering? It’s been a while since I watched it so correct me if I’m wrong.


    Personally I didn’t think it was that bad. I don’t understand all the fans who complain about Steve not getting equal treatment all the time. It’s not like he’s still part of the group. They didn’t cover Anthony Phillips’ solo career either. Neither of them have had mega hits like Phil and Peter.


    The documentary had footage I had never seen, such as the live video with Ant.

    Yes I think W&W was omitted from history.


    I'm not sure if people are complaining about Hackett not getting equal treatment, I'd certainly agree that wouldn't be warranted in a documentary about their whole career. But as I recall, his solo work didn't even get mentioned. I think it and Phillips's warrant some attention regardless of lacking hits.


    Part of the problem was the insistence on trying to go through the whole canon, album by album. It then immediately becomes jarring when they drop entire albums as they did with W&W and CAS.

    Abandon all reason

  • He has made more albums than the rest of them both exploring different styles

    Quality trumps quantity every time. I understand how Hackett and his fans might have felt short-changed but let's face it, at the point when Genesis weren't sure if they would be able to carry on having lost their singer, frontman and major writer (along with Tony) Steve saved himself and made a solo record. From that point on, it was clear where his priorities lay so let's not raise the guy up above the others as though he's the saviour of the band's so-called progressive era. He's just milking his time in the band to the point of embarrassment.

  • Hats off to Ant and Steve for NOT going commercial, and I'm sure this is why their solo careers were not mentioned in the film, even though the two of them have generated tons more music than all the other past and present members of Genesis combined. The "hits" Peter, Phil and Mike had were radio friendly and generated big bucks. The level of fame each member acquired seemed to be what the focus was on in the film. Diehard prog fans appreciate it when prog artists stay true to form. Shame the others turned a blind eye (or ear) to their early fans.

  • Hats off to Ant and Steve for NOT going commercial, and I'm sure this is why their solo careers were not mentioned in the film, even though the two of them have generated tons more music than all the other past and present members of Genesis combined. The "hits" Peter, Phil and Mike had were radio friendly and generated big bucks. The level of fame each member acquired seemed to be what the focus was on in the film. Diehard prog fans appreciate it when prog artists stay true to form. Shame the others turned a blind eye (or ear) to their early fans.

    But Steve did go commercial with GTR and didn't he have a minor hit with one of the songs from Defector? The one that was used for that fishing programme in England, for which he would have received payment. Don't you think that's commercial? Selling your songs to tv companies to use them how they wish?


    Look, the fact is, as soon as a musician starts making records, they're in the game and they're as commercial as anyone else.


    With respect, I can't stand the lofty preaching from so called die-hard prog fans who scream sell-out the moment they hear a song on the radio. The greatest band to have ever existed is The Beatles. And they were all over the radio like beans on toast back in the day.

  • I guess I'm saying that I don't like much of what turned Phil, Peter and Mike into radio darlings. There's no lofty preaching from this prog fan either, just my opinion. Everybody has one.

  • I guess I'm saying that I don't like much of what turned Phil, Peter and Mike into radio darlings. There's no lofty preaching from this prog fan either, just my opinion. Everybody has one.

    Well, no, not everyone has an opinion.


    You clearly do and it's one that I disagree with. And you can call it however you want, but when you start singing the praises of artists who have never had a hit single versus those who have, as though the former have a greater level of integrity - which is exactly what you're saying - then what else is there to call it but "lofty preaching"?