Posts by Micklemus

Like the politics thread, this is one I should avoid. But like a moth to the flame....

I absolutely can't stand Oasis. I tried so hard to like them when everybody else did and I bought Definitely Maybe too, but I couldn't get it over the line. Eyewateringly derivative music and hellishly ear-torturing production. They just took obvious influences from the past, added distortion, excessive compression and a Manc twang, then declared themselves a musical revolution. Odious individuals too, although Noel has softened half a notch in middle age.

I don't know whether to say credit to them for spotting an opportunity to replenish their coffers and some, or shame on the public for not growing cajones and saying no to being ripped off.

Some good banter on here though. Thank you Backdrifter for starting the thread and credit to IWishItWouldRainDown for mentioning Joe Elliott, who in turn mentioned Bruce Dickinson. UP THE IRONS! A truly outstanding British band (built from a love of Genesis too, surprisingly) and a band who commercialised their brand without taking the p1ss out of their fans.

I shall now run for cover!

Blimey I didn't know he'd gone. Great voice, although part of me still wishes they'd stuck with David Prowse for Darth Vader's lines.

"Embrace the Daaark Side, alroit my lovuuuurrrsss"

Brilliant. Wish I still lived down there.

It's an OK pop song with a brilliant video but for me this song marks the Genesis divide, along with certain others like I Can't Dance, Invisible Touch, In Too Deep etc. The band became my life partner because I was transfixed by their depth and creativity; their ability to take you on a journey and absorb you in their music. There are a hundred thousand pop songs that anyone can pick up and put down whenever they like, but Genesis for me was all about breaking the mould, not making it.

So I'll give this a 10 for being a well composed, tight pop song (and one with a satirical message to boot) and 14 if you include the video, but if I score it in terms of how much I like it as a Genesis piece it's 4. Just not my cup of tea in that sense.

Me and Sarah Jane

Looking forward to seeing what's on offer. It needs to be more than previous releases with fancy new packaging though.

Quote from Backdrifter

Back in the 1960s The Frost Report did a sketch based on pedestrians behaving like bad drivers (I think it ended with a people pile-up). In the same way that cars tailgating is annoying, I don't get it when I'm walking along and someone is right behind me by mere inches. When it becomes apparent they're going to stick there I stop and stand aside so they pass. Why isn't it annoying to them to walk so closely behind someone?

Ah the personal space invaders. Ban them too. 👍👍

Quote from foxfeeder

Yeah, or the "P" driver who drives in the fast lane of a 2 lane road, with cars queuing behind and nowt in slow lane. Happened to me 2 days ago, had to pass on nearside.

Variation on yours: about 25 years ago, passed a jaguar on a single lane road going fairly slow towards Nantwich, pulled up at lights with 2 lanes. He blows me away from lights then resumes his previous speed, meaning I have to pass him again. He didn't get the chance to do it again, but if there had been another set of lights, I was going to straddle the lanes!

Could almost have been a Midlands version of Duel, without a tanker truck!

I feel your pain.

You have triggered a motorway related thought now, in addition to the usual frustration with people who think the middle lane is for people who want to do a middle-ish speed (for a B road). It’s those absolute nutsacks who overtake you, return to your lane and then slow down. What the absolute F is all that about?!

People who stop on yellow gridded junctions because they couldn't wait for the next green traffic light and then screw up the traffic flow from the other direction; they need to be put in stocks and blasted with rotten veg and cow dung.

Quote from Backdrifter

I'm getting a slight sense of Across The Universe.

I couldn’t place it until you mentioned it. That’s the one. 👍

It's been a long time since I listened to this and now I'm annoyed with myself for forgetting about it.

A lovely song and Richie's voice is incredible. Steve has a nasty habit of adding too much and overcomplicating his music. When it's pared back and has more room to breathe, like here, the results can be really special. Spectral Mornings, despite being centred on the electric guitar, would be another example. Just holding and building a certain mood instead of throwing 15 conflicting moods at a single track.

There's something Beatles-esque in one of the chord changes too.

I love the simplicity, I love the voice, I love the structure; a great track. Is it perfect, the sort of song I'd never tire of listening to? Perhaps not, but I think it's a special little number and I'm giving it 15 anyway.

I confess I hadn't heard this before, and I was pleasantly surprised. I love the 12 string sound, it takes me back to Trespass and folky/hippy stuff that I like. Performed by someone else in the mainstream, I think it it could have had wider appeal. I like Ant's voice on this too.

What? Very sad news. Met him once and he was a lovely chap. He was a vital cog in the machine in those early years and a loyal supporter of the band throughout.

Enjoy the next journey Richard, it'll be far better than this one.

Really pleased to hear Phil is in good form. Very best wishes to him, and thank you Christian for the update.

Exactly the same as Dr. John.

This part of the album is rather melancholic and feels padded in places, including here. I would obviously listen to it if listening to the whole album, but I have my own "filleted" version of The Lamb where I removed the bits I could manage without and this one ended up on the cutting room floor. It's not awful, it's not magnificent either, it's most definitely an inbetweener.

Yes but I doubt I have anything of interest to you. I've a pretty large collection of Genesis boots but most of them can be found on Genesis Movement, very few Collins, Gabriel, Hackett and Mechanics and some other bits and bobs. However I won't be much help when it comes to Collins shows as I only have a few versions of Perkins Palace plus less than a handful of other Collins gigs.

Blimey, you've done your homework!

My money is on Glasgow, but only because:

1. It/Watcher of the Skies (Three Sides Live) is definitely Glasgow.

2. The band wouldn't have gone trotting around multiple venues (e.g. Paris as well) with a multitrack mobile recording unit. Too expensive.

3. The sound/acoustics on SO Cinema Show is very similar to It/Watcher of The Skies.

4. Given the tax rules applicable at the time, it follows that the band would have attributed the recording to Paris when perhaps this was a bit of a pork pie.

Not for me I'm afraid. My main beef is that although I realise the keyboard is Tony's instrument of choice, I invariably get disappointed when tracks become awash with them; particularly when, as here, the track just plods along.

Keyboards filling every nook and cranny and demanding too much attention, I don't like it. Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk and even Depeche Mode frequently used synths exclusively, but in each of those cases they often worked with a comparatively sparse, ambient vibe, whereas Tony tends to make it busy, overcomplicated and compensatory for lack of guitar. He sometimes uses keys to echo the vocal line as well. It's too much.

I can't get behind this one at all. I would go for Tony's classical work every time, where he had a palette more suited to his complex ideas.

Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese.

It's got good moments and I prefer the second half but for me it hasn't aged well. Phil puts a classic 80s Phil imprint onto something intended to be a bit deeper and perhaps more progressive, but it doesn't quite work. I liked it a lot at the time but now my toes curl when I listen to it. It's miles better than Another Day In Paradise though.

Contrast with when Peter went a bit deeper around that time, e.g. In Your Eyes or Secret World, which were either side of this album. Those tracks are timeless, really special, but Colours is not in the same league. I would put Hand in Hand (another where Phil was going beyond the regular "Phil space") many leagues above this one. It's brilliant and I never tire of listening to it.

9 for Colours though. Good moments do not make a great track.