Interesting post, several points I might agree with, some other I clearly don't but it's not my place to reply. This one I found interesting though, I can only speak for myself but I don't give a you know what whether the band cringe at my personal taste, assessment and appreciation of their music. It applies to Genesis and well as to any other artist and I don't think anybody should care or it should be a factor in the appreciation or dislike of their music. Yes band members seem generally to think that Relayer is one of their best albums, they are entitled to this opinion of course, I and a myriad of other fans disagree profoundly and we are equally entitled to an opinion. An artist releases an album, promotes it, often stating that it is their best to date, it doesn't mean I have to agree. As many artists would tell you, once it's out there, it doesn't belong to them anymore, the audience will make it or break it and time will put in context. I will agree with you that it is always difficult to surmise somebody's true intentions and I for one, don't think that Genesis sat down to write a song thinking, let's cash in! Some of the stuff they were writing simply sounded like a good idea for those times, that's all, just like a mullet seemed an acceptable thing back then. That's why we have old pics or old albums, we look or listen back and think; Yeahhh....Not so great, perhaps. I don't think it is correct to over-idealize their 70s period either, much as I love it, the muse thing is a bit too much for me, again, they were in tune with those times but it can generally be accepted that during the 70s an artist enjoyed a bit more freedom and independence. They wrote, recorded and released SEBTP without even seeing an executive around but they consulted with Ahmet Ertegun of Atlantic records over what tracks to include on Abacab and I don't think it was for ''artistic' reasons, whatever might be understood under that term, They sold out? Not necessarily, it would have been ludicrous to release something like the Lamb in 81 but commercial concerns were probably on their mind, particularly with their singer suddenly becoming a household name and why not? To go back to the poll thread main theme though, it shouldn't come as any surprise though if Genesis fans tend to favor their older albums, the general audience might be fond of songs like Invisible Touch and never heard The Cinema Show for instance but in a Genesis fans forum things are different.
