Posts by Witchwood

  • Genesis album covers

    Quote from Backdrifter

    What about the live albums. Here, I think they pretty much abandoned any attempt to be creative in any way as they are uniformly dull and unimaginative. In that sense, for me the best of a boring bunch is 3SL. Sure it's pretty uninteresting but its starkness kind of makes a statement about where they were at that time. I really liked the approach of having just one big fuzzy pic. It was a pleasing contrast to the previous live album with its predictable montage/scrapbook style that was ploddingly typical of 70s double live rock albums.

    Genesis had a spectacular stage and light show and the album covers reflected that.

    Unimaginative?

    Perhaps.

    Dull?

    Absolutely not.

    I recall walking into a record store in the late 70s and seeing a display island of about a dozen or so albums and my focus lured like a magnet to that image with the cyan blue curtain in the background and that bizarre character standing behind a bass drum in the middle of the stage with that red headpiece and glowing eyes..

    Personally, I love that cover.

  • Artist's name OR title on cover

    Rolling Stones - Beggar's Banquet

    (Just the name of the band in the midst of graffiti. I don't believe the album title is scrawled on the wall anywhere)


    David Bowie - Heathen

    (Just the album title but no artist name, though it's quite obvious from the image)

  • Recent Purchases

    On order, waiting to receive

    Gary Brooker - Lead Me To Water

    (I had this album back when I collected cassettes and had sort of forgotten about it. Then I was listening to a Clapton album the other day which features Brooker and I was reminded of this album which I haven't listened to in 20+ years. It not only includes guest appearances by Clapton, but Phil Collins and George Harrison.)

  • Recent Purchases

    Just ordered the Banks Vaults box set.

    (I had three of the seven "rock" albums but I wanted the full set and it seemed half of them weren't available on disc for some time, so I'm quite looking forward to getting this)

  • Which five bands?

    Since then it's been a lot of...


    The James Gang (+ Joe Walsh solo)

    The Eagles

    Van Morrison

    Pink Floyd (+ David Gilmour solo)

    Genesis (+ AP, PC and Brand X)

  • Strings of Light - new album out in Oct 2019

    Quote from NedFlanders123

    Do love Ant but TBH I would prefer an album in the style of Slow Dance or perhaps more akin to his WATE or Sides material. Love Ant's guitar albums but struggle to listen to a whole album of 6-12 string tunes. Just me folks. Prefer the band or multi instrumental material.

    I fully appreciate what you're saying.


    Even though, for example, I am quite fond of Field Day, it's an album I have to be in the right mood for, whereas most of the other albums - the band albums, the Missing Links, the PP&Ps - I can randomly pull out and play without having to weigh whether or not I'm in the right mood to enjoy it.


    Speaking of struggling with albums...

    When the discussion turns to Slow Dance, I feel like I'm watching others through a pane of glass.

    It seems everyone who is into Ant's music loves Slow Dance and I just don't experience that same level of euphoria that others seem to get with that album.

    I don't hate it or dislike it - it's just far from being one my favourites.

  • Do you think CAS is the worst Genesis album?

    I like every Genesis album. I think each one has its merits.

    Having said that, FGTR is easily my least favourite of the bunch.

    CAS, WCD and IT would be grouped in the next category — couple of notches above.

    But I couldn’t give you a consistent answer if asked which of those three I like the best or the least.

    It really varies on my mood and my tendency to rate albums higher when I happen to be listening to them.

  • RIP Thread!!

    As a fan of the Neville Brothers, I was sorry to hear of the passing of Art Neville this week.

    Art was one of the primary vocalists in the Nevilles so it's a great loss to a group that also featured Aaron Neville.

    Prior to teaming up with his brothers, Art was in The Meters, a band he had also founded.

  • Recent Purchases

    Quote from FeelItComing

    I saw him play Our Shangri-La. It isn't often I can say that! My favourite track from that album is The Trawlerman's Song.

    It seems mellower than the others I have with not as many of those winding guitar solos that I love, but it makes up for that with some very beautiful melodies.

  • Recent Purchases

    Just picked up Santana's latest, Africa Speaks.


    Quote from FeelItComing

    There is some great stuff on Shangri-La, make sure you tell us what you think.

    Of the four I now have, I would say this one is my second favourite.

    Love the opening track, "5:15 a.m." and "Our Shangri-La."

  • Yes

    Quote from Progatron

    It was the Molson Amphitheatre (now called the Budweiser Stage) at Ontario Place actually, you may be confusing it with Kingswood which is at Canada's Wonderland. ...

    That makes sense, because I remember being out in the cool air, walking and chatting with the friend I was with afterwards and heading to get onto the TTC, whereas if it was at the Kingswood, I would have driven there.

  • Yes

    Quote from Progatron

    ...

    The last time I saw them live was in 2002. An absolutely amazing, transcendent concert where they played Awaken, Revealing Science, etc. - and that wasn't even their golden age...

    I don't begrudge the guys for going out there and earning their living. More power to them, and if people go and enjoy the show - great! I just can't do it anymore personally. ... In the end, it's only a band name, it's not the end of the world and I am not one of those people who thinks they are "ruining a legacy" or any such nonsense. It's just that, to me, some bands have members that are irreplaceable.


    That was the last time I saw them as well (perhaps you were at the same show, Kingswood in Toronto). I recall Chris milking every bit of that bass solo in the middle of Heart of the Sunrise, and I loved it. Every thing Rick Wakeman added seemed magical. I have very fond memories of that show.


    I also totally agree with your latter point.

    Whenever I've read comments suggesting certain bands or musicians shouldn't tour or record anymore because it's ruining their legacy, I think, what a load of baloney.

    Great albums like Close To The Edge don't depreciate or rest on a band's legacy, they are valued on their own merits.

  • What are you listening to right now?

    Quote from genesis1964


    Mark Knopfler - Toulouse 2019 (Official Live Release)

    I was looking at these the other day. I'm just slowly starting to acquire his studio albums (I just ordered another one the other day) and to me it makes more sense that I pick up his studio albums first - though this certainly piqued my interest.

    I was thinking of seeing him on this tour but the nearest show to me (a 7-hour drive away) is sold out of decent tickets so I might get a recording from that show instead.

  • Undertow & From the Undertow

    Would Undertow have been improved if it opened with the first 40 seconds or the first two minutes of FTU?

    Perhaps.

    I'd have to hear how it blends together.


    But I love the song as it is, all 4½ minutes of it, and I've never felt it was missing anything.