Posts by thewatcher

  • Genesis, Genesis Album

    Quote from rkive

    I understand, because in Italy Genesis' fans don't like IT. :)

    Not to be particularly antagonistic here, but I bet lots of Italian Genesis fans do like IT.


    Personally I prefer Genesis, both sides. I find the first side mind blowing in just how strong it is. I find the second half to be endlessly interesting, like the real back alleys of the band's music. I took a while to warm to it, but just like with Abacab, you can almost discover something new each time you listen. I even like Taking It All Too Hard, largely because of Phil's vocal performance, but also because it has a wistful vibe that's somehow in harmony with It's Gonna Get Better (which is much, much better) and in stark contrast to Just A Job To Do.


    I dunno, I feel like as halves go, it's up there for the band purely exploring new corners.

  • RIP Thread!!

    Rip. I wasn't that familiar with his work but know he was very influential in the 80s. The Blade Runner soundtrack was quite iconic and added hugely to the atmosphere of the film.

  • Genesis, Genesis Album

    Quote from Backdrifter

    That's very like the trajectory of Nobody's Perfect. Excellent fragmented intro and first verse with really nice minor-sounding build and a sort of ominous, slightly tense feel - then bursts into a bright sunny playschool swingy-armed chorus, and all the air goes out of the song.

    Gah! That's even worse. Don't know why they shied away from building on the good bit. You start thinking "ooh this might have teeth!" and the dentures fall out. It's like a switch and bait.

  • sad albums

    Wow, thanks for all of that, none of which I knew. Really interesting. The Melvoins sound like a very talented family, what a tragedy for them that their brother died.

  • Genesis, Genesis Album

    I've just given it a spin. It was Par Avion I was thinking of, I quite like that tune.


    A call to arms... It might be another 20 years before dust it off. Starts strongly with a mildly threatening verse and good bass line, then dissolves in formless MOR for the chorus.

  • Genesis, Genesis Album

    Quote from OneForTheVine

    The only studio leftover was “A Call To Arms”, which Mike subsequently used on the first Mike & the Mechanics album. Details here (look in the “Background and recording” section) :


    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wik…he_Mechanics_(1985_album)


    There were no studio b-sides; however, there was a lovely live version of “Firth Of Fifth” on the 12” single for “That’s All”.

    Thanks. I remember liking that song although I haven't heard it in 20 years. Didn't know it was a Genesis leftover.


    I know they were all busy with solo projects but it seems a little odd to have exactly the amount of songs needed for the album recorded. I always imagined they'd have a couple extra then leave out the weakest couple and figure out sequencing the remainder. I'm trying to imagine if they finished recording the last track for Genesis and knew "there, it's done".

  • sad albums

    Adore by the Smashing Pumpkins. Billy's wife had left him, his mother had died and on the tour for the previous album Mellon Collie, their drummer Jimmy and their touring keyboard player (something Melvoin) overdosed in a hotel leading to the death of Melvoin and Jimmy (Billy's closest friend and ally in the group) being fired.


    Result? Heartache and beauty, and a massive change of direction for what was, at the time, a very very big band. It led to them being a rather smaller band.

  • Genesis, Genesis Album

    Quote from Backdrifter

    "We Are Genesis" is an amusing idea as a bit of retrospective chewing-over but oh my word if they'd actually done that at the time.... (shudders)

    1983: We Are Genesis is released.


    1984: Genesis (1967-83) were an early purveyor of prog rock who defied the odds, surviving the loss of key personnel and punk rock. Resilient to the end, they found arena level success on the back of front man Phil's solo smash single In The Air of The Night before wrapping up with their final, disappointingly titled album, We Are Genesis. Ironic of course, as shortly after it's release, they were no longer Genesis. Their quirkiness and adaptability shall be missed. Their lamentable inability to name the capstone on their modest career with any sort of nous will not.

  • GENESIS - Anatomy of the Last Domino - setlist analysis

    Quote from Squonk_Watcher

    It's been done on every tour since its release, and for the final tour, it would have been nice to have those 10+ minutes devoted to something that hasn't been performed in decades, such as Abacab, One for the Vine, Squonk, White Mountain, or Burning Rope.

    If we're doing this 'they could have played one of these songs instead of that song' thing, I'll repeat my own tired old argument that they could have played them all by mixing it up from night to night. Yes they were never that band, it's their decision etc. I was stunned by the show I saw even though there were no setlist changes. But. But but but... It would have been nice to indulge the depth and breadth of their catalogue by swapping out like for like songs here and there.

  • Nothing from Abacab again

    You have reminded me that there was a post by Christian I believe toward the end of the European leg where he says "it seems they'll play <spoiler> in the US". I avoided the spoiler thinking they were swapping a song out for Abacab, as it's still heard on the radio here with some regularity. I avoided all the US setlists until I saw them.


    Oh well.


    It was still a brilliant, mind altering experience I'll have with me to the day I die.


    I wasn't able to find the spoiler after the gig - I assume it was misunderstanding for those shows they swapped it in for Duchess?

  • Do you have an earworm today? What is it?

    Into the Surf:


    This was stuck in my brain for weeks when I first heard it, and it subsequently fell out. It's been there again this week. It's got that indefinable thing that scratches me just where it itches. I'm not sure why it makes me sadder than almost any other song I can think of. It feels to me like an aural version of desperately trying to grab something that's just out of reach

  • What's Your Weather Like?

    Weather has done the New England thing of taking an eternity for winter to end, then spring blows through with blue skies and golden sunshine (all along the way) with temperatures of 13 feels like 1 thanks to the wind which has been blowing for weeks, and now tomorrow it's going to be 28c and we need to dust down the AC units.

  • The Rock Orchestra performs Genesis - Delaware, USA

    Quote from OneForTheVine

    In "Abacab", Phil uses maracas live during the "It's an illusion - it's a game..." part of the song. Of course, in the studio, this section has a repeated "di-di-di-di" part. I always preferred the studio version here.

    This is one of those "little bits you notice" things. I'm the same, preferring the studio vocal bit that goes behind the main vocal. The maracas weren't quite an adequate replacement.