Genesis - The Album by Album Thread

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by mark winstanley, Oct 15, 2018.

  1. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    Peter Gabriel leaves Genesis
    On Aug. 15, 1975, it was officially announced that Peter Gabriel had left Genesis. ... At the time, a record company spokesman issued a statement that Gabriel was leaving the band to concentrate on "other literary and experimental interests outside of music".

    [​IMG][​IMG]
    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]


     
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  2. abzach

    abzach Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sweden
    To me, as I stated above, it's the music. The lyrics are ok.
     
  3. Rick Robson

    Rick Robson

    Location:
    ️️
    It says that Collins enjoyed singing as much as drumming, nevertheless I read in another interview that he didn't want at all take the singing role in the band. His first wife deserved the credits for convincing him, with the sole condition that on their live renditions the drumming tasks should be shared with or taken by another drummer.
     
  4. mx20

    mx20 Enthusiast

    Location:
    Raleigh, NC
    You don't mean It's Yourself/Los Endos?
     
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  5. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    To some degree it is still probably a fair statement. One can enjoy singing without wanting to be a frontman. Also for Collins, I think it was the not wanting to get off the drum kit that was his real dilemma. Too many of Genesis' songs would have required too much of one person to sing and play those drums.
    In the end I think they reached a happy and successful compromise.
     
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  6. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    Easy reference guide

    Genesis - A History
    - Genesis - The Album by Album Thread

    From Genesis To Revelation 1969 - Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Liner notes Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 1 When The Sour Turns To Sweet Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    without strings Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 2 In The Beginning Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 3 The Fireside Song Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    without strings Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 4 The Serpent Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 5 Am I Very Wrong Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 6 In The Wilderness Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    rough mix Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 7 The Conqueror Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 8 In Hiding Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    without strings Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 9 One Day Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    without strings Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 10 The Window Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    alternate Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 11 In Limbo Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    alternate Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 12 Silent Sun Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    without strings Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 13 A Place to call my own Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    new mix Genesis - The Album by Album Thread

    Other Early Tracks
    Patricia (In Hiding demo) Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    A Winter's Tale (single) Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    A Winters Tale (alternate -with studio banter) Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    That's Me Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Image Blown Out Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Build Me A Mountain Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    On The Trail Of The One Eyed Hound Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Let Us Now Make Love Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Jackson Genesis - The Album by Album Thread

    Trespass 1970- Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    inside gatefold Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    sleeve Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 1 Looking For Someone Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    live at BBC Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 2 White Mountain Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    live in'76 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 3 Visions Of Angels Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 4 Stagnation Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Stagnation (BBC sessions) Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 5 Dusk Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    demo Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 6 The Knife Genesis - The Album by Album Thread

    Road To Nursery Cryme - Genesis - The Album by Album Thread

    Live in 1971 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread

    Nursery Cryme 1971 - Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 1 Musical Box Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    live at the bbc Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    F# or Manipulation Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    live Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    live 74 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 2 For Absent Friends Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 3 Return Of The Giant Hogweed Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 4 Seven Stones Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 5 Harold The Barrel Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    piano and guitar Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 6 Harlequin Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 7 Fountain Of Salmacis Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    live '78 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread

    Belgian Pop Shop live 1972 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Twilight Alehouse live '72 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread

    Peel Sessions
    Fountain of Salmacis Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Harlequin Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Return Of The Giant Hogweed Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Harold The Barrel Genesis - The Album by Album Thread

    Happy The Man Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    live in Rome Genesis - The Album by Album Thread

    Foxtrot 1972 - Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 1 Watcher Of The Skies Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    live Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    single Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    b-side Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 2 Time Table Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 3 Get Em Out By Friday Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 4 Can Utility and the Coastliners Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 5 Horizons Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 6 Supper's Ready Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Supper's Ready (live) Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Genesis - The Album by Album Thread

    live in 72 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread

    Genesis Live 1973 - Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 1 Watcher of the Skies Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 2 Get Em Out By Friday Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 3 Return Of the Giant Hogweed Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 4 Musical Box Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 5 The Knife Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Back In NYC Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Supper's Ready Genesis - The Album by Album Thread

    live in 73 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    live in 73 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Live at the Rainbow 1973 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread

    Selling England By The Pound 1973 - Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 1 Dancing With the Moonlit Knight Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Demo Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    live 73 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Live 78 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    isolated guitar and vocals Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 2 I Know What I Like In Your Wardrobe Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 3 Firth Of Fifth Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    isolated vocal and guitar Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    live canada Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 4 More Fool Me Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 5 Battle Of Epping Forest Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    instr. Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    live 74 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 6 After The Ordeal Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    fast version Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 6-7 Cinema Show/Aisle Of Plenty Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Full Album Genesis - The Album by Album Thread

    studio improv. 73 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread

    I Know What I Like In your Wardrobe (single) Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Twilight Alehouse (b-side) Genesis - The Album by Album Thread

    Live Montreal 74 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread

    Early rehearsal edit of Lamb Genesis - The Album by Album Thread

    The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway 1974 - Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 1 The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 2 & 3 Fly on a Windshield/Broadway Melody 74 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 4 Cuckoo Cocoon Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 5 In the Cage Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    mama tour Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 6 The Grand Parade Of Lifeless Packaging Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 7 Back In NYC Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 8 & 9 Hairless Heart/Counting Out time Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 10 The Carpet Crawlers Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 11 The Chamber of 32 Doors Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 12 Lillywhite Lillith Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    early version Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 13 The Waiting Room Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    evil jam Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    live in Liverpool Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    The Waiting Room (live trip) Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 14 Anyway Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 15 Here Comes The Supernatural Anaesthetist Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 16 The Lamia Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 17 Silent Sorrow In Empty Boats Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 18 The Colony Of Slippermen Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 19 Ravine Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 20 The Light Dies Down On Broadway Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 21 Riding The Scree Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 22 In The Rapids Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    track 23 It Genesis - The Album by Album Thread

    Live in 74 Providence Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    live in 74 Empire Pool Genesis - The Album by Album Thread - Genesis - The Album by Album Thread

    Whodunnit 3sides Genesis - The Album by Album Thread

    Live R.A.H. 1992 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
     
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  7. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    Easy misc. reference guide

    A brief introduction to genesis Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    after the debut Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    the road to nursery cryme Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    the threat of the giant hogweed WATCH: Did Genesis bizarrely predict Britain's Giant Hogweed nightmare 44 years ago? thanks @Giant Hogweed

    Who wrote what (more than likely) Genesis - The Album by Album Thread thanks @fRa
    The Foxtrot over story Genesis - The Album by Album Thread thanks @The_Windmill
    How the mellotron works Genesis - The Album by Album Thread thanks @Thievius
    Get em out by friday the comic book Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    King Canute and the tide Genesis - The Album by Album Thread thanks @The_Windmill
    Tony banks talks supper's ready Genesis - The Album by Album Thread thanks @Mirror Image
    Live - Gabriel's album cover story Genesis - The Album by Album Thread thanks @rednoise
    newspaper interview just prior to selling england Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    selling england info Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Moonlight Knight review Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Tony on FOF Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Lamia Lamia - Wikipedia Thanks @bob_32_116
    slubberdegullion (n.) Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Thanks @sheffandy

    Annotated Lamb bloovis.com - The Annotated Lamb Lies Down on Broadway thanks @Funky Meadows

    Cool links
    Genesis museum - The Genesis Museum thanks @peterpyser
    Genesis archive - The Genesis Archive thanks @peterpyser
    Genesis radio shows - The Complete Guide To Live Genesis Radio Shows thanks @misteranderson
    Genesis the movement - Genesis - The Movement thanks @abzach
    Genesis discography - ~A Genesis Discography thanks @abzach
    Table Top Genesis - Tabletop Genesis thanks @bob_32_116
    Album thread from 2007 (that I didn't find) - The River of Constant Change: The Genesis Album-by-Album Thread


    Some interesting stuff
    Genesis - The Album by Album Thread thanks @Giant Hogweed
    Banks Synths Genesis - The Album by Album Thread thanks @Parachute Woman

    Genesis A History Genesis - The Album by Album Thread thanks @The Zodiac

    Peter Gabriel Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Steve Hackett Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    John Mayhew Genesis - The Album by Album Thread thanks @Funky Meadows
    Phil Collins Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Tony Banks Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
    Mike Rutherford Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
     
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  8. BINGO!
     
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  9. spondres

    spondres Forum Resident

    Location:
    Germany
    No, they rehearsed IY/ITR (instrumental only) @Headley Grange in 1974.
     
  10. Rick Robson

    Rick Robson

    Location:
    ️️
    Right on, and of course it was too much for any musician, even though from that moment on he had to do both things on the studio recordings. Before he was convinced to take over the lead singing, the band went through exhaustive auditions looking for a new singer, thanks God none of them were approved :winkgrin:
     
  11. Victor/Victrola

    Victor/Victrola Makng shure its write

    Chester Thompson is an amazing talent!
     
  12. Rick Robson

    Rick Robson

    Location:
    ️️
    ^Yeah and Bill Bruford too!

    During their side project Brand X with Phil Collins, Bill suggested sitting in the drum seat while Collins sang on stage until Genesis found a permanent replacement. On their '76 tour supporting ATOTT Bill Bruford was their live drummer. He also played drums on "Cinema Show" during the "Seconds Out" Concert, except during its keyboard solo when Phil had the delight to return to the drum kit just to accompanying that excerpt.
     
  13. Ere

    Ere Senior Member

    Location:
    The Silver Spring
     
  14. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    A Trick of the Tail
    [​IMG]
    Studio album by
    Genesis
    Released
    13 February 1976
    Recorded October–November 1975
    Studio Trident Studios in London
    Genre
    Length 51:01
    Label Charisma, Atco
    Producer David Hentschel and Genesis
    Singles from A Trick of the Tail
    1. "Entangled"/"A Trick of the Tail"
      Released: 20 February 1976
    A Trick of the Tail is the seventh studio album by English progressive rock band Genesis. It was released in February 1976 on Charisma Records and was the first album to feature drummer Phil Collins as lead vocalist following the departure of Peter Gabriel. It was a critical and commercial success in the UK and U.S., reaching No. 3 and No. 31 respectively.

    Following Gabriel's decision to leave the band, the remaining members wanted to carry on and show they could still write and record successful material. The group wrote and rehearsed new songs during mid-1975, and listened to around 400 audition tapes for a replacement frontman. They entered Trident Studios in October with producer David Hentschel to record the album without a definitive idea of who was going to perform lead vocals. Eventually, Collins was persuaded to sing "Squonk", and the performance was so strong, he sang lead on the rest of album.

    Upon release, critics were impressed by the improved sound quality and the group's ability to survive the loss of Gabriel without sacrificing the quality of the music. The group went out on tour with Collins as frontman and Bill Bruford as an additional drummer, and the resulting performances in the US raised Genesis' profile there. The album has been reissued on CD several times, including a deluxe package with bonus tracks in 2007.

    Founding member and lead singer Peter Gabriel decided to leave Genesis in late 1974, midway through the tour for the album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.[1]The other members hoped he would reconsider, as they were still in debt and felt his departure could destroy the band's future, but ultimately accepted that he would leave.[2] The remaining members felt they still wanted to collaborate musically, and show journalists and critics they were primarily a song writing team that could still produce good music.[3] Keyboardist Tony Banks had been close to Gabriel personally, and did not want the band to split up on top of seeing less of one of his best friends.[4] He had written a number of songs for a possible solo project before deciding they should be used on the new Genesis album.[5]

    Following the end of the tour, guitarist Steve Hackett recorded a solo album, Voyage of the Acolyte with guitarist/bassist Mike Rutherford and drummer Phil Collins, feeling unsure that Genesis would survive.[6][3] He reconvened with the remaining group members in July 1975.[7] Banks and Rutherford were particularly keen to write and record new material so that critics and fans would accept Gabriel's departure.[4] The group began rehearsals in a basement studio in Acton, and quickly wrote material they were happy with, but had not yet found a replacement lead singer. They placed an anonymous advertisement in the music paper Melody Maker for "a singer for a Genesis-type group", which received around 400 replies. Some applicants sent photographs of themselves in costume and wearing masks, as Gabriel had done on stage. A few weeks into rehearsals, Melody Maker managed to find out about Gabriel leaving the band, and their story made the front page of the 16 August issue, where journalist Chris Welch declared Genesis dead. The group spoke to the music papers to deny they were splitting up and explaining they had an album finished and waiting to be recorded.[8][6]

    Recording began in Trident Studios in October 1975 with producer David Hentschel. Hentschel had served as tape op and then engineer on earlier Genesis albums and Collins had become a fan of his album Startling Music, a re-recording of Ringo Starr's album Ringo on an ARP 2500 synthesizer.[10] Collins thought the group could carry on as an instrumental act, but other group members felt that it would be boring without vocals.[6] The group had still not decided on a replacement singer, so they decided to start recording backing tracks and audition singers as they went.[10]

    Some songs such as "Ripples..." were written with the intention that Collins could sing them, similar to "More Fool Me" on Selling England by the Pound, but he did not want to take over as a permanent replacement, opting instead to teach potential lead singers the songs.[11] The group still wanted a regular frontman for live performances, as they thought Collins would not be able to handle all the material, and it would be problematic trying to sing Gabriel's vocal parts while drumming on tour.[12] One of the auditionees, Mick Stickland, was invited into the studio to sing, but the backing tracks were in a key outside of his natural range and the band decided not to work with him.[13][14] Having failed to produce a suitable vocalist, Collins reluctantly went in the studio to sing "Squonk". His performance was well received by the band, and they decided that he should be their new lead singer.[14] Hentschel stayed on as co-producer for future Genesis albums up to 1980's Duke.[15]

    The opening track, "Dance on a Volcano" was the first song written for the album. Rutherford felt in contrast to the material on The Lamb..., it was easy to write, and was intended to show how Genesis would move forward.[6] "Entangled" was mostly written by Hackett, with help from Banks. Rutherford recalled that Hackett "started writing verses which were very airy-fairy and then he came down with a bang".[14] "Squonk" is based on the North American tale of the Squonk which, when captured, dissolves in a pool of tears.[16] The song combines a main theme written by Rutherford against a middle section written by Banks, and was designed to sound like Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir".[6][4]

    "Robbery, Assault and Battery" was mostly written by Banks, in an attempt to replicate the humour in some of Gabriel's lyrics. Collins sang the song in character, inspired by his earlier role as the Artful Dodger in Oliver! before he became a professional musician.[17] "Ripples..." was a combination of a 12-string guitar piece composed by Rutherford and a piano-led middle section written by Banks.[4] The title track was written by Banks, and based on William Golding's The Inheritors, depicting an alien visiting Earth.[17]

    The closing song, "Los Endos", was written by the whole band. Collins came up with the basic rhythmic structure, inspired by his work in side project Brand X and "Promise of a Fisherman" by Santana, wanting to take the looser playing style into Genesis.[18] Banks and Hackett wrote the main themes, including reprises of "Dance on a Volcano" and "Squonk," and Collins sung a few lines from "Supper's Ready" (on the 1972 album Foxtrot) on the fade out. The opening piece was recorded for a completely different song, "It's Yourself", which was later released as a B-side.[19] The track became a live favourite, and continued to be played through to the 2007 Turn It On Again tour.[20] In 2014, Hackett added the song to the playlist of his extended Genesis Revisited II tour.[21]

    A Trick of the Tail had a positive reception from music critics, who were impressed that the group could not only survive the loss of Gabriel but still deliver a good album.[28] The sound quality had improved from previous albums as a result of Hentschel's production skills.[29] The album reached No. 3 in the UK, remaining on the charts for 39 weeks, and No. 31 in the U.S.[30] It was certified Gold in the UK by the British Phonographic Industry in June[31] and in the US by the RIAA in March 1990.[32] The album remained in the UK charts for 39 weeks and recouped a significant amount of $400,000 worth of debt they had accumulated by the time Gabriel left.[33]

    For the first time in their career, Genesis filmed promotional videos for their songs. The first to be filmed was the title track, which features the band playing to the song together around a piano, including composite shots of a miniature Collins hopping around on a piano and a guitar.[13] The group also produced promotional films of "Ripples..." and "Robbery, Assault and Battery".[34]

    Even after the album had been completed, Collins was unhappy about leaving the drumkit to sing lead, and the band were unsure he would be comfortable as frontman on tour.[6] The group decided to try anyway, and needed someone to drum while Collins was singing. Collins insisted on choosing the touring drummer himself, selecting Bill Bruford, who he had already worked with in Brand X. Collins continued to drum during instrumental sections.[28]

    The new line-up rehearsed in Dallas for a North American tour, starting in London, Ontario. Collins was nervous about what to say to the audience between songs, so Rutherford and Hackett helped with some announcements. Unlike Gabriel's theatrical approach, Collins developed a humorous rapport with the audience, and it was immediately successful.[35] Audiences were happy to hear Collins to sing old material such as "Supper's Ready" in concert as he had been recruited as frontman from within the group. The resulting tour raised Genesis' profile in the U.S., where they had been relatively unknown while Gabriel was in the band.[36]

    • Genesis – production
    • David Hentschel – production, engineering
    • Nick "Haddock" Bradford – engineering
    • Tex and Jeff – equipment
    • Neal, John and Terry – liquid sustenance
    • Hipgnosis – sleeve design
    • Colin Elgie – sleeve design
    • Special thanks to Tony Smith, Alex Sim and Regis
    • Recorded at Trident Studios, London[16]
    Side one
    1. "Dance on a Volcano" Mike Rutherford, Tony Banks, Steve Hackett, Phil Collins 5:53
    2. "Entangled" Hackett, Banks 6:28
    3. "Squonk" Rutherford, Banks 6:27
    4. "Mad Man Moon" Banks 7:35
    Side two
    1. "Robbery, Assault and Battery" Banks, Collins 6:15
    2. "Ripples..." Rutherford, Banks 8:03
    3. "A Trick of the Tail" Banks 4:34
    4. "Los Endos" Collins, Hackett, Rutherford, Banks 5:46[16]
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    This is a very solid album from a band that was stuck in no-mans land unsure of who should sing and how this new edited version of the band should function. Thankfully they settled on Phil to do the singing in the studio and live. Bill Bruford was able to fill the stool on this tour, and later Chester Thompson took on that role and became a permanent resident in the Genesis touring band. Just the fact that it took these guys to fill Collins' shoes shows just how good of a drummer Collins was/is.
    Although this is a solid album, and contains some real highlights from the band, they were (in my opinion) trying to make songs to make it feel like Gabriel hadn't left. Although Robbery Assault and Battery is a decent enough song, I think the only reason it exists is to be the obligatory semi-comedic tune that gives the feeling that nothing had changed. Although humour had always, and would always play a part in the band, I personally feel that when the band grew confident that there was no need to pretend Gabriel was still there, they would be much more successful from an album perspective. In some ways unfortunately, this meant also incorporating a change that would upset the old fan base with a feeling that the band had sold out. Collins for decades would be maligned as the man who changed Genesis sound and style, but in reality he had very little to do with that, as it was only later that he even wrote many songs at all.
    Anyway, as I say, I like this album, but to me, it does have a couple of so so tracks and is carried really by 2 or 3 great tracks, with a couple of tracks just holding their ground.

    So
    What do you think of this album?
    When did you first hear it?
    Has your opinion about it changed over the years?

    Please tell us anything and everything about your feelings towards this album, and tomorrow we'll Dance on The Volcano.

    Cheers,
    Mark
     
  15. Victor/Victrola

    Victor/Victrola Makng shure its write

    What do you think of this album?
    Brilliant. I wasn't too fond of Mad Man Moon at first, but now I love it. I'm still warming up to Robbery, but the rest of the album is as good as it gets.

    When did you first hear it?
    My entry point to Genesis was Duke and when a friend of mine discovered I liked that album, he turned me on to this one, so that had to be, what 1980?

    Has your opinion about it changed over the years?
    Other than liking Moon more now than once upon a time, no. It remains my favorite Genesis album with Phil at the mic.

    One of the great things about Trick is how it sounds. The sonic improvement over anything they issued previously is immense. I'm not sure if that's a result from the success of The Lamb (so they had more money to spend in the studio) or if the other members took more time and care in the sound of the record after Peter left. Even Peter's first few solo records have that cold and impersonal sound found on Lamb. But Trick is warm and big and deep. I have several copies of it and I think my favorite is the Japanese pressing on vinyl. Mike's bass pedals really stand out.

    Los Endos is one of the best things they ever did.
     
  16. onlyconnect

    onlyconnect The prose and the passion

    Location:
    Winchester, UK
    Trick is a good album. It's an enigma. It is very Genesis-like. So the question is: does this show that Gabriel was less critical to the band than many of us thought at the time? Or does it show that Gabriel's influence remains strong in absentia, in effect that the remaining band members did a great job of pretending he was still there?

    If you consider it in shades of light, it seems to be that Genesis got progressively lighter after Gabriel left, while Gabriel's output got progressively darker. Even Trick is lighter than anything that precedes it.

    There is lots of lovely work on this album though, quite apart from the fascination of the band's general direction. Phil Collins' voice is at its most fragile which I find lends the album a delicate, ethereal mood.

    Probably my favourite of the post-Gabriel work rivalled only by Duke.

    Tim
     
  17. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    I think the change in the bands sound later has very little to do with Gabriel and more to do with the changing face of music, particularly the death of prog as a commercially viable form of music. If Gabriel was somehow a major reason for the bands prog sound, one would expect his solo work to show some sign of that, and in no way does it. If anything Gabriel moved into alt/rock/new wave and then pop, so that scenario seems unlikely.
    I do however think the first couple of Gabriel-free Genesis albums do seem to feel like they were Gabriel hangovers. Having said that though, it is just as likely they would have done these anyhow, as the main writing core hadn't changed, so logically the song styles wouldn't change that much either.
     
  18. HiredGoon

    HiredGoon Forum Resident

    A Trick Of The Tail

    A great album. Not that keen on Squonk so much (a bit turgid IMHO) and Robbery (meh) but the rest are top-shelf Genesis songs.

    --Geoff
     
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  19. Eleventh Earl of Mar

    Eleventh Earl of Mar Somehow got them all this far.

    Location:
    New York
    A handful of things to say before getting into the tracks themselves.

    This absolutely is a great sounding album - it's easily their best recorded record to this point, David Hentschel nailed it, but wouldn't pull that off again IMO unfortunately.

    This is the only record that Genesis put out where Tony got a writing credit on every song

    It has one of their most well thought out sleeve designs that reference thematics of the songs and create imagery that is suitably English, I even have it on a shirt.

    Entangled has one of the all time best uses of Mellotron choirs ever.

    On the topic of It's Yourself - it was very likely changed multiple times from it's first incarnations however my favorite is the edition where the fadeout seems to go straight into Mad Man Moon, potentially making it either track 3 or track 7 with the former song being the closer at some point.

     
  20. Tristero

    Tristero In possession of the future tense

    Location:
    MI
    Nice, I kind of wish that they had included this one. You can also hear how this song might have worked as an extension of "In the Rapids" as was mentioned previously.
     
    mark winstanley likes this.
  21. mx20

    mx20 Enthusiast

    Location:
    Raleigh, NC
    I do wish It's Yourself had made the cut.... It's a wonderful little song. I do love the album we did get, of course, although I've never cared for Mad Man Moon very much; some of the worst lyrics in the Genesis catalogue, IMO, that make it difficult for me to sit through the song.

    Lyrically, the band did suffer on this album & the next, IMO.

    But the enthusiasm on this studio album clearly comes across! A great effort!
     
    mark winstanley likes this.
  22. Jazzicalit

    Jazzicalit In the Tradition

    Location:
    Italy
    Side 1 is wonderful: the aggressive Dance On A Volcano (I love Phil's irregular rhythms and offbeats), the calm and bitterly ironic Entangled, the fanciful and sad Squonk and Mad Man Moon (the latter, to me, is one of the highest points touched by the band, both for lyrics and orchestral structure). Side 2 is imho a bit lower : I've never loved Robbery and the title track that much, but Ripples (a dream) and Los Endos (full of mysterious and hidden links and references to previous works) are two more masterpieces in this must-have record.

    P.S.: Phil's singing is amazing, needless to say...
     
  23. The_Windmill

    The_Windmill Forum Resident

    Location:
    Italy
    Somewhere Hackett says that they were happy times, and the sessions happening in the good season helped.
    The album was a reaction to the complications of the previous one, that pretty much nobody enjoyed making and recording.
    It should be the best selling Genesis album to date.

    When I got to it, I had already consumed everything from Gabriel era (except the singles - not a big loss though...) and IIRC most of the pop era too.

    It had a strange taste.
    That feeling that many haven that Trick was the follow up of Selling, was not what I felt. I perceived a huge leap from there, in a new direction.
    Sound was more aggressive, drums more prominent, a synesthetic orange-ish tint came from it (pre-Selling Genesis sounded green-blue to me - I have always found the covers color palettes to match the sound up until Wind).
    Phil singing was not a big deal, it worked. It was the rest of the music that was jumping ahead and sounding like it came from a different place.
    Also the shared credits were gone and replaced with solo or sub-team songs.
    This happened before, we've seen, but the difference here is that the whole composing process was up to the people involved, while before shared credits meant jams or ideas put together and finalized as a group mostly.

    The title track was somewhat strange, not what I would expect from Genesis (knowing that it was an old Banks song from university actually makes sense), while Robbery is supposed to be a highlight (even deserving its place in Seconds Out) but it actually never convinced me completely.
    On the other hand, the new level of sourness and melancholy in Entangled and Ripples was welcome and capturing (even though I would have a different opinion in the second one if it didn't had the instrumental section).
    Squonk was "hard", again a different territory and Los Endos was a kind of fusion that didn't belong to the Genesis I had come to like, but being a nice piece in itself nevertheless.
    Mad Man Moon, in retrospect, paves the way to the trademarked Banks piano driven songs but it was a slow burner and yet it seemed a little stranger.

    So wrapping up, I think that what I missed most from the previous Genesis incarnation was the sense of integration beetween member's contributions. Writing and arrangement here is more fragmented, parcellized, rarely a band's effort, and it shows.

    Which is not to say I dislike the album, even though I strongly prefer the following one.
    There was even a period in time in which I considered this Collins-lead prog short era as my favourite ever.

    BTW, I've always rejected the distinction between Pete's era and Phil's era, preferring the 5-piece, 4-piece and 3-piece distinction instead.

    -

    Chapeau.
    Despite Tony having different tastes and disliking many Steve's contributions, when the two blend together something really peculiar comes out.
    Too bad they didn't do it more often.

    Ok, my old sources back then told me it was an original story and I actually thought it was very inventive for Mike's standards. Oh well...

    I think it's more of a matter of being consistent with the brand than of trying to simulate Peter.
    Despite all the praise received here, the eventual sales and the place it has among critics now, The Lamb was not a welcome album. As Phil put it: you think is a classic now but back then they hated it. It was also the first album not to outsell the previous one. And clearly a one-of-a-kind once-in-a-lifetime detour that wasn't leading anywhere, too far from the output the band had been associated with.
    So I think they did a step back and looked at what was present in the previous albums, making sure to provide the same ingredients of the classic formula: some fantasy/mythology, literary sources (here, Carlos Castaneda), some brit humor, some soaring romantic melancholy, some complex rhythms, and so on.
    At the same time, there's plenty of new elements here.

    And it worked. Trick is possibly the most immediate and accessible prog album they did (not in my opinion but based on its reception and overall sales).
     
  24. bob_32_116

    bob_32_116 Forum Flaneur

    Location:
    Perth Australia
    Aha, we are up to Trick.

    Time for me to have my riposte on all those people who said that The Lamb had a poor closing track. (Rubs hands.)
     
    mark winstanley likes this.
  25. The_Windmill

    The_Windmill Forum Resident

    Location:
    Italy
    I guess it's a combination of different production, a change in mixing style and very possibly updated recording gear in the studio they used.

    At least as a bonus on the first CD reissue. It wasn't that difficult, guys...

    @mark winstanley I'd suggest to dedicate a slot to It's Yourself too, even if it's not on the album nor it came out as a single.
     
    mark winstanley likes this.

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