Prog rock legands Genesis have reformed (without Peter Gabriel & Steve Hackett) and are set to tour in 2007. The multi-platinum selling rock band split in 1997, two years after Phil Collins left and was replaced unsuccesfully by Ray Wilson (Stiltskin)
Tickets have gone on sale, and the band are to do two UK shows in July next year, one at Twickenham Stadium and one at Ol Trafford.
The band survived the punk storm in the 70's by 'stripping down their sound' and went on to 'sell out' in the 80's churning out a string of turgid radio friendly hits. Anyone who remembers their musical mastery and creative songwriting in the golden age of prog rock, will remembered how adored they were by their armies of fans. I'm a big fan and this is big news to me!! I am dissapointed they wont be joined by Gabriel & Hackett, but this is better than nothing. Then I saw the ticket prices..
I guess Phil Collins has to pay his lawyers after his latest divorce..
I was lucky enough to see a long-time favourite early this year - Van Der Graaf Generator, reformed for tour and new album. Now THAT was prog rock (with a decent handful of strong tabs thrown in for good measure!). Genesis always sounded stiff and sterilised in comparison. For more modern prog, it's gotta be Dream Theater, Transatlantic and Spock's Beard for me. Aw,Cheers, thanks! I'll 'ave some o'that!
Originally posted by Lost World: Prog rock legands Genesis have reformed (without Peter Gabriel & Steve Hackett) and are set to tour in 2007. The multi-platinum selling rock band split in 1997, two years after Phil Collins left and was replaced unsuccesfully by Ray Wilson (Stiltskin)
Tickets have gone on sale, and the band are to do two UK shows in July next year, one at Twickenham Stadium and one at Ol Trafford.
The band survived the punk storm in the 70's by 'stripping down their sound' and went on to 'sell out' in the 80's churning out a string of turgid radio friendly hits. Anyone who remembers their musical mastery and creative songwriting in the golden age of prog rock, will remembered how adored they were by their armies of fans. I'm a big fan and this is big news to me!! I am dissapointed they wont be joined by Gabriel & Hackett, but this is better than nothing. Then I saw the ticket prices..
I guess Phil Collins has to pay his lawyers after his latest divorce..
Ah yes, the Pink Floyd quote. Now, Pink Floyd they "bent my head" to quote Noel Gallagher commenting on Paul Weller's Stanley Road album when they were all round place for tea yesterday
Originally posted by oake: I used to like Genesis, right up to 'And Then There Were Three' (yes, even with Phil Collins singing!).
Even 'Duke' had some decent moments.
But what on earth were they thinking when they recorded 'Abacab'?
For me, everything from Trespass to Duke inclusive was brilliant. Abacab did represent a creative nosedive, without a doubt. Invisible Touch was a decisive kick in the nuts for all real Genesis fans.
Phil Collins is often cited as the reason the band sold out, but it should be remembered that it was NOT his band. He was not a founder member, it was Tony Banks who was in the driving seat, and was the catalyst in pushing Steve Hackett out in '77. Banks is a brilliant musician, and one of my favourite rock composers of the 70's, but he is an ego maniac! It really is the quiet ones you've got to look out for...
Tension Span
Van Der Graff Generator are superb! Real prog as you say. I didn't get to see them in London last year, but I have the 'Present' album which was a brilliant comeback. We cant accuse them of selling out!
Genesis have not reformed at all , there is no Peter Gabriel. After Peter left Genesis sounded like a Chris De Burgh tribute band. Selling England by The Pound and The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway are masterpieces while Trick of The Tail is dire !
Originally posted by queenstomper: Oh dear, well Invisible Touch is one of my favourite albums. Go on, you can all poke me sharp sticks now.
It was their biggest selling album. It bought a lot of new fans to the band, but for longstanding fans it was a disgrace and may as well have been another Phil Collins solo album. It's all down to personal taste, and what you look for in music. If you like simplicity and love songs that follow familiar themes and structures, you're not likely to to enjoy any progressive rock.
Before 1978, the subject matter covered in Gensis songs ranged from Sci-Fi, Greek mythology and the book of Revelations - among other things - and Phil Collins once noted that you would never see a girl at a Genesis concert. That all changed when they had a hit with 'Follow You Follow Me' (a straightforawrd love song) Prog Rock had a nerdy quirkiness about it, which only seemed to attract males. It's always been about good musicianship, which fused different styles, used odd time signatures, and dramatic shifts of mood. Most people dont want that, because you have to actually listen to it to understand and enjoy it. It's not the sort of music you do the housework to, and you certainly cant dance to it!!
Originally posted by aladdinsane57: Genesis have not reformed at all , there is no Peter Gabriel. After Peter left Genesis sounded like a Chris De Burgh tribute band. Selling England by The Pound and The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway are masterpieces while Trick of The Tail is dire !
Trick is brilliant IMO..
When you consider the pressure they were under at the time, following Gabriels departure, to come up with an album that good was quite an achievement. It has weak moments, but all their albums do, but you cant fault 'Dance on a Volcano' 'Mad man Moon' and 'Los Endos'
For me, everything from Trespass to Duke inclusive was brilliant. Abacab did represent a creative nosedive, without a doubt. Invisible Touch was a decisive kick in the nuts for all real Genesis fans.
Phil Collins is often cited as the reason the band sold out, but it should be remembered that it was NOT his band. He was not a founder member, it was Tony Banks who was in the driving seat, and was the catalyst in pushing Steve Hackett out in '77. Banks is a brilliant musician, and one of my favourite rock composers of the 70's, but he is an ego maniac! It really is the quiet ones you've got to look out for...
Couldn't agree more about Tony Banks - for me, his imaginative chord progressions and overblown arrangements represented much of the appeal.
It all just seemed to disappear from Abacab onwards, and I thought Invisible Touch was totally bland and uninteresting. I haven't really bothered listening to anything much since.
When you consider the pressure they were under at the time, following Gabriel's departure, to come up with an album that good was quite an achievement. It has weak moments, but all their albums do, but you cant fault 'Dance on a Volcano' 'Mad man Moon' and 'Los Endos'
Agreed. I'd even add 'Ripples' to the list - a 'pretty' song on the surface, but full of nice musical touches.
For me, everything from Trespass to Duke inclusive was brilliant. Abacab did represent a creative nosedive, without a doubt. Invisible Touch was a decisive kick in the nuts for all real Genesis fans.
Phil Collins is often cited as the reason the band sold out, but it should be remembered that it was NOT his band. He was not a founder member, it was Tony Banks who was in the driving seat, and was the catalyst in pushing Steve Hackett out in '77. Banks is a brilliant musician, and one of my favourite rock composers of the 70's, but he is an ego maniac! It really is the quiet ones you've got to look out for...
Couldn't agree more about Tony Banks - for me, his imaginative chord progressions and overblown arrangements represented much of the appeal.
It all just seemed to disappear from Abacab onwards, and I thought Invisible Touch was totally bland and uninteresting. I haven't really bothered listening to anything much since.
I think it wasn't just the approach to song writing that changed for the worse, it was the choice of sounds that Banks & Co used after 'And then there were three' Banks stopped using the Mellotron which had been key to the Genesis sound, and Rutherford stopped using his stadium shaking Taurus bass pedals after Duke. This Mellotron was prominant in most symphonic prog at the time, but Banks used it to wonderful effect. From Abacab onward the emphasis was on bland sounding 80's synths and samplers; Banks liked the 'Emulater' and this dominates Invisible Touch. Gone also was the signature Phil Collins drum sound. He swapped his Gretsch jazz kits for synth drums and the whole thing went Jan Hammer T1ts up!!
If anything the 'We cant Dance' album was marginally better than 'Invisible Touch' Collins went back to using acoustic drums, and there were at least two songs which captured some of the old Genesis spirit; in emotion if not complexity.
