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From: spaf@gatech.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: Re: Gentle Giant (actually Genesis and Peter Gabriel)
Message-ID: <258@gatech.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 24-Jun-83 00:48:11 EDT
Article-I.D.: gatech.258
Posted: Fri Jun 24 00:48:11 1983
Date-Received: Mon, 27-Jun-83 22:15:09 EDT
Lines: 94

Where to begin?  I guess I should say that I agree with your
comments about Peter Gabriel -- a great talent producing
very interesting albums, although a mite avante-garde for some.
I've worn out at least one copy of his first solo album.

Early Genesis: "From Genesis to Revelation," "Trespass," "Nursery Crime,"
"Foxtrot," "Selling England by the Pound," and "The Lamb Lies Down
on Broadway" are all pre-Gabriel-departure.  Foxtrot is recommended
but Selling England by the Pound is probably the best of the
lot. The songs "Firth of Fifth" and "More Fool Me"
give one a hint of what the band will sound like after Gabriel
leaves; "Selling England by the Pound" is the last studio-type
album with Peter.  "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" is the
last album done with Genesis and Gabriel together, but the
album was done with the road-show and concerts in mind.
It was intended as a sort of rock opera.  It didn't play
well in some markets and was the additional friction needed to
cause Gabriel to leave and pursue his own version of the muse.

Point of disagreement with the article this is responding to:
Genesis since Gabriel left has not "gone downhill."  They have
taken some other musical directions that might not be to
the liking of some listeners.  In particular, some of the works
have become much more melancholy in tone, and they are more
often involved in tune rather than story.  Included in this
set of albums are: "Wind and Wuthering," "Trick of the Tale,"
"Then There Were Three" (refers to the departure of Steve Hackett),
"Duke," and "Abacab."  Wind and Wuthering is my favorite of these.
Trick of the Tale is really nice, and an audiophile version
has been released.  Then There were Three was the most
"commercial" of the lot, but contains a number of interesting
songs -- my favorites being "Snowbound" and "The Lady Lies."
You may remember the song "Follow You, Follow Me" from the radio.

Genesis is currently composed of Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford,
and Tony Banks.  Both of Phil Collins' solo albums have been
absolute killers: "Face Value" and "Hello, I must be Going."
I'd recommend both very strongly.  Phil has also contributed
to albums by a jazz group known as Brand X.  Mike Rutherford
has done two albums (that I am aware of): Smallcreep's Day and
Acting Very Strange.  Neither has been very successful nor very
interesting, although I like a few cuts on "Acting Very Strange" --
the best being "Halfway There."  I'm not aware of any albums
done by Tony Banks.

Steve Hackett has done a few "arty" albums which have some 
interesting ideas but which could use better production.  
"Spectral Mornings" and "Please Don't Touch" are the two that
I am most familiar with, although I have seen at least 2 others.
I like Spectral Mornings, but it is not one I'd especially
recommend to everyone.

Anthony Phillips was also a member of Genesis very early on
in the history of the group. He left after the "Trespass"
album.  I've seen a solo album (or two) by him, but I have
no idea what his music is like.  Anybody else know?

Judging by solo works, the true talent in the band belong(s/ed)
to Gabriel and Phil Collins.  Two very different styles and 
different talents and that explains why the band has two
effectively different bodies of work.
Collins also does some nice session work (I believe he is doing
the drums for Robert Plant's upcoming tour) and he is a talented
producer of other people's work.

More details on any of this are available if anyone wants --
just let me know.

Now for some almost unrelated trivia:  On the "Seconds Out"
live album and tour, Phil Collins was singing and couldn't
do all of the drum work as he could in the studio (overdubbed).
Therefore, Genesis took along a very talented drummer by
the name of Bill Bruford.  Bill formed a group around that
time that included Eddie Jobson (who had worked with
Roxy Music) and Alan Holdsworth.  Then Bruford left to
do more solo jazz work and he was replaced.  Then the
bassist (and vocalist) left when his old band reformed, and
the group disbanded.  For absolutely no prize whatsoever, name:
	1) The group that Bruford, Jobson, et. al. formed
	2) The name of the bassist in that group
	3) The band the bassist went back to.
	   (hint: Bruford used to be in that group, too)
	4) The name of the replacement drummer and the
	   group he and wife(?) Terry are now in.
	5) Where else has Alan Holdsworth appeared?

A Genesis fan and music freak,
-- 
"The soapbox of Gene Spafford"

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