Posts by Blacksword

    If you'd asked me some years ago, I would have said No reply at all. The Earth Wind & Fire collaboration seemed unecessary to me, although in the scheme of Genesis pop I don't hate the song. But Banks pointed out that some of the Genesis trademarks were still there. He said the keyboard part was very similar in technique and feel to that on the Lamb Lies down on Broadway (the title track)


    Overall, I say either The Waiting Room is very untypical Genesis. There's a few from each era I guess; Whodunnit, Anything she wants, I can't Dance.

    Number 7 - Entangled.


    I just love the drifty dreamy nature of the music, created by that that wonderful 3/4 guitar part set against Tony Bank's etheral keyboards. That heavenly outro is classic mid period Genesis. There's likely to be a few from ATOTT in my top 10. It's a pretty special album for me.

    No son of mine is among their best singles IMO. They lyrics are very poignant and the music is powerful and memorable. It tops any of the sinlges off Invisible Touch, although I do have a soft spot for Land of Confusion... I just happen to prefer the cover by Disturbed.. ;)

    Oh yes, they're still touring and recording AFAIK. Dave Brock is about 75. I suspect they'll do what The Enid do, and pass the baton to the next generation, so they could potentially go on forever! =O8)

    Couldn't agree more! I find it quite poignant that their farewell to prog took place in the closing months of the decade. The song writing took place Sep- Dec '79 though the album was not released until March 1980. A new decade, with new trends and a new direction to follow as tracks like 'Misuderstanding' and 'Please don't ask' signpost. Incidentally, it's tracks such as these two that have stopped me listening to albums anymore. I'm a confirmed 'playlister' these days whose best friend is the 'shuffle' button.

    Heathaze with added Mellotron, eh? I know a lot of people on this forum slate the track but I actually like it and now it's being served with a helping of Mellotron sauce?...ooh, yes please!! Can you post a link?

    Here you go - hope the link works :-)

    Hawkind has been a favourite band of mine since my mid teens. They were the second band I ever saw live, and I'm tempted to blame them in part for my failing hearing! Their history fascinates me; a kind of musical Withnail & I, with Lemmy, LSD two large gins, two pints of cider and a Camberwell carrot thrown in for good measure.


    What they often lacked in musicanship they made up for with 'spirit' originality and their enormous influence over the punk scene, new wave and subsequent psychedelic space rock acts such as The Ozric Tentacles.


    Having released hunderds of albums, most of which are bootlegs, live albums, compilations and ramshackle unpredicatble collections of half arsed oddities, it's sometimes hard to seperate the offical releases from the enormity of guff they farted out over the ether. However, for me the highs come with the lows as part of unique package of chaos and musical terrorism.


    If we were to split their career into defined era's, my favourite era would be when poet Rob Calvert fronted the band, helping them ride out the new wave/punk era in style. The trio of albums; Astounding sounds,Quark, Strangeness and Charm & PXR5 is my favourite run, although best album overall is Warrior on the Edge of time ( te last album to feature Lemmy on bass). They had a partial return to form in the 80's with the albums Sonic Attack and Levitation.


    Any thoughts on this amazing, inspired and often awful band?

    I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss Duke. Listen to the 'Duke suite' stitched together as it was originally planned and it's prog rock's last grand 'hurrah'! The other songs are their solo stuff, 2 songs from each which clearly signposts where they're heading.

    As for Hackett's exit being more significant, you're probably right. His soaring guitar was certainly missed on Attw3. Rutherford stepped up to the mark but in his own words 'only just about managed it.' Apart from his solo on 'Burning Rope', what else is there? And Gabriel was basically a lyricist and personally I'd sacrifice lyrics any day for Hackett in full throttle (and that's saying something coming from a writer) Performance-wise is another matter though. Oh, to have been old enough to see Gabriel prancing around on stage in the early 70s! How I could curse my mum and dad for not getting it off sooner - lol

    Here's the 27 min 'Duke suite' as originally intended. Give it another go!


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    That suite does work pretty well. It's basically the hi-lights of the album lined up one after the other, although I have to say Man of our times, works better for me, after Guide Vocal than Turn it on Again, but then I guess it's not part of the Duke story board. It's pretty difficult to segue seamlessly from GV into TIOA as they such contrasting songs in terms of tempo and feel.


    Technicalities aside, Duke could have been one of their strongest albums with a bit of thoughtful track juxtaposition and editing, and the ommission of Misunderstanding and Please Don't Ask, but they were moving on, and if that's what they felt they needed to do, then so be it. Duke was their farewell to prog rock album IMO.


    BTW, have you heard the re-working of Heathhaze, with added Mellotron? Very nice.

    Nice choice. I always liked that song too. I'm surprised it wasn't a bigger hit than it was. The B side was pretty good too IIRC (The day the lights went out)?

    This is difficult, I could easily choose ten from the Gabriel era, and ten from the Trick to Duke era, but I guess, for my number 8 I'll go with..


    8 - Undertow from ATTWT.


    The lyrics always moved me with their musing on the precious nature of time, and not taking what you have for granted. The chorus, with it's big drums, bass synth and soaring keys is perfect Genesis from that period.

    Yes, I’m also pleased that The Little Prince got dropped. As for ‘mouse’s night’, I can take it all except for that ending where the music slows into ghastly pantomime:

    “Then comes this monster mouse, he's ten feet tall...

    No! no! a thousand times: no!

    "..with teeth and claws to match...It only took one blow!" ;(