“Turn it on Again” is another great track. My favorite part is the intro. This one wasn’t a big pop hit, at least in the States, but it broke Genesis into the new wave FM radio format for the first time.
Sorry for completely unrelated link but, I have to link the tour de force of the CP-70 while I can. Played by one Johannes Schmoelling This is technically a bootleg so it should be allowed, it does have a truncated legit version - beautiful! (skip to 43:36)
Nice interview with Darryl Steumer posted today in Rolling Stone. There's some good G history in it that I hadn't read before - Guitarist Daryl Stuermer Interview: Career With Genesis, Phil Collins – Rolling Stone
Been revisiting the Genesis albums I already owned and knew, as well as exploring the older ones I wasn't familiar with. Quite surprised at what tracks and albums are proving to be my favourites. I've tried to like the Gabriel-era, but until Lamb Lies Down On Broadway it just isn't my thing. A Trick Of The Tail has been the 70s album which I've enjoyed the most; I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it sounds terrific and the musicianship is astonishing at times. Of course, being a child of the 80s, I still love Invisible Touch. It's the one I know best.
“Rutherford had originally written the song’s riff on bass pedals, using an echo for every other note as it was too tiring to play. But when it came to recording the song, at Stockholm’s Polar Studios in the winter of ’79, he wanted to do it properly. Rutherford sat on the studio floor, thumping the pedal with his fist: “And when I got tired, Phil took over.” ” From The Story Behind The Song: Turn It On Again by Genesis
Heathaze They're really good at writing these kind of slow songs. There's this peaceful sadness to the song; there's not a lot that happens but definitely a lot of emotion here. Phil sings really well, a great performance. I like the song, but it's not one that stays with me. Maybe it's just because I haven't been listening to it for close to 40 years. I'm at, like, 2 years. It doesn't stand out, though, and there are a lot of songs in their catalog that have a similar feel. It's this deep melancholy. They do it so well, but Heathaze doesn't separate itself from the rest. It's a good song on its own, but listening within the context of the album it just passes by me. It's an emotion rather than a really great song that I want to hear again and again, if that makes any sense. Turn It On Again I love this song. This was the one that really made me sit up and take notice of Genesis. The beat is so deceptive and as soon as I heard them injecting all these additional beats into a pop song...that's perfect for me. This is one of those songs that helped me really put into words how love prog-pop. There's nothing wrong with a catchy song with a good melody, but then you combine it with some REALLY intelligent music...love it. Great lyrics too. I wish I would heard this back when I was a kid because it would've pointed me in Genesis' direction a lot sooner. Glad I'm here now, though. Turn It On Again is my most-played Genesis song, according to iTunes. I'm not sure if it's my favorite or not, but I certainly love listening to it. Best song on the album, absolutely.
Continuing my Catch Up The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway almost sounds like a different band. The best summation of the change is the titles which transport us from pastoral England to midtown Manhattan, and the music morphs accordingly. It is often frenetic, dark, electric and intense - as are the lyrics. The story is indecipherable be listening, though reading the album cover prose one can almoat follow it - at least enough to discern it is still a surreal incomprehensible dream. It really stands apart from the rest of their catalog as a challenging work to be taken on its own terms as a whole - leas enjoyable to dip into, but no less rewarding once one commits to it. The DVD presentation is wonderful with a steady stream of visuals including the slides, stage shot, and even video of some segments. It is the only way I experience this album since I got it. Most powerful song on the disc to me is the lead off title track - which was my introduction to the band as - pre Duke - it was the only one of their songs in regular rotation on Philly AOR FM radio.
I remember seeing Genesis ‘perform’ TIOA on Top Of The Pops (probably mimed??)....Tony Banks was wearing a W&W tour jacket. A great song indeed!!!!
Since this annoying Duke thing apparently seems to go on forever, I'm gonna jump back in, I'm sure some are going to be just as annoyed about that as I am about Duke dragging on - anyhow, here's first some catching up, sorry to spoil the Duke party. Duchess - a rather beautiful melody but just as boring as the previous track (see my post about that from last week), they try but there's just no real Genesis magic. Guide Vocal - an attempt to go back to the old prog idea of having a short track in between - but it just fails. Man of Our Times - this as just about as boring as it gets and would have been the worst track on the album if it wasn't for the hit songs later on. Misunderstanding - starts of rather nice but then it just turns into a boring and misplaced pop song. Heathaze - this is actually rather nice, although not as nice as the ballads on the previous album.
Turn It On Again - this is about as bad as it gets, a complete sell out - if I don't count some songs on their debut album, this is IMO easily their worst track up to this point - in live shows it's ever worse - only Illegal Alien is worse in their entire catalogue, but this comes close - to me, this crap has nothing to do with Genesis - the only good thing about it is that it serves as an example of that hit songs often are the worst tracks an the album when it comes to album band music. No thanks!
So, just to help you passing the time waiting for the Duke chat to end, here is a glorious live rendition of the Turn It On Again 'That Damn Medley'. Enjoy it in its full glory, don't miss a second of it!
Alone Tonight We start with a gentle guitar that has a chorus effect on it and Phil comes in with his vocal. Around the one minute mark Tony's keys come in and then we roll into the chorus section with a lead in from the drums. At the end of the chorus we get a key change, and then an other key change that leads us back into the chorus. This isn't a favourite song, but it is a very good song of its sort. I wonder how many folks that hated latter day Genesis thought this was a Phil song, even though its a Mike song
Turn It On- was also a big hit in Canada, It must have been in the top 10 here as you'd hear it on the radio pretty much every day.
Not sure about Alone Tonight. It isn’t dreadful by any stretch of the imagination and I like the verses, but it does have the feel of a solo Phil song. Coming after TIOA doesn’t really do it many favours either.
Alone Tonight - another track that actually is rather nice, although, yet again, not as strong as the ballads on the previous album - this is an example of my previous idea about Anthony Philips rejoining the band, I still think it's a interesting idea, his guitar playing would have been nice here instead of the anonymous playing of Rutherford.
Alone Tonight, though not a favorite of mine or even a great song (imo), does contain the emotional highlight of this album: the key-change, "it's not enough!" section in the middle. Not Mike's finest song, but Phil really adds some weight to it. Would've worked well on stage, too .
Alone Tonight fits in with the concept well - another song based on loneliness and alienation. The verses sound like something from ATTW3, but the chorus opens up into this big wave of sound that swallows the listener, just as the subject wallows in his despair. He's lonely, but he really takes no action to do anything about it. He's just alone again tonight. Even though he asks for help, he's still alone again tonight (tonight, tonight, tonight)...another reference to 'tonight'.
The last 12-strings, before committing completely to the new decade"s sound. Maybe not by chance, it is well buried under a flanging or phasing effect that I absolutely didn't remember or pay attention to before. Not surprisingly because it was one of my most skipped tracks of the record. Curious, as others have already noted, the verse somewhat sounds old, while the chorus seems to look forward.
Alone Tonight - very pleasant, though clearly not ground breaking. Nicely melodic and the lyric works with theme of album. Instantly recognizable as Rutherford as it is very guitar based and reminiscent of Your Own Special Way, but more varied in dynamics and chord changes.
