Genesis were one of the best progressive rock bands ever! They started in the late 60's when Peter Gabriel (vocals), Mike Rutherford (bass), Tony Banks (keyboards), and Anthony Phillips (guitar), met at the English private school they were all attending.

Genesis - From Genesis to Revelation (DCC Compact Classics) 1969

1. "Silent Sun" [mono version] (2:15)
2. "That's Me" (2:40)
3. "Where the Sour Turns to Sweet" (3:15)
4. "In the Beginning" (3:44)
5. "Fireside Song" (4:57)
6. "The Serpent" (3:57)
7. "Am I Very Wrong?" (3:30)
8. "In the Wilderness" (3:38)
9. "The Conqueror" (3:21)
10. "In Hiding" (2:37)
11. "One Day" (3:20)
12. "Window" (3:30)
13. "In Limbo" (3:29)
14. "Silent Sun" (2:12)
15. "A Place to Call My Own" (1:59)
16. "A Winter's Tale" (3:29)
17. "One-Eyed Hound" (2:35)

This is a re-release copy of the first Genesis album. After Genesis' success in the 80's this disc was re-released under several titles with dozens of covers. I searched for a long time for a copy of this on cd. One day when searching through a cd bin full of "promotional" cds that were being sold 2 for $5 I ran across this copy. ($2.50? Not a bad deal. I would have payed much more.) In anycase, the strange thing about this version is that it features Phil Collins very prominently on the cover, but he was not with the band at this time. The lineup here is Peter Gabriel on vocals, Mike Rutherford on bass, Tony Banks on keyboards, Anthony Phillips on guitar.

The music sounds NOTHING like the progressive band of the 70's nor the more pop oriented band of the 80's and 90's. There are a few songs that give hints of what would soon be. ("The Conqueror" and "The Serpent.")

Genesis - In the Beginning (London) 1974

SIDE ONE
1 Where The Sour Turns To Sweet
2 In The Beginning
3 Fireside Song
4 The Serpent
5 Am I Very Wrong
6 In The Wilderness
SIDE B
1 The Conqueror
2 In Hiding
3 One Day
4 Window
5 In Limbo
6 Silent Sun
7 A Place To Call My Own

Originally recorded in 1969 and released on the Decca label under the name "From Genesis to Revelation", the album was re-issued in 1974 on vinyl by the London label under the new name "In the Beginning" and featuring new cover artwork (pictured above). Includes insert with lyrics.

Genesis - Trespass (MCA) 1970

1. Looking for Someone (7:08)
2. White Mountain (6:46)
3. Visions of Angels (6:55)
4. Stagnation (8:51)
5. Dusk (4:15)
6. The Knife (8:58)

For the longest time I thought this WAS the first Genesis album. I became a big fan at the release of "Duke" in 1980. It was not until 1997 that I even began to search for anything older than "Trespass." In any case, this album is the first album where Genesis would begin to sound like a progressive rock band, rather than a 60's pop band. Album closer "The Knife" is a classic Genesis tune, and the best on the album. "Stagnation" also had hints of the greatness to come, but still is not up to the standards of what soon would be. Despite the fact that people think Genesis is Phil Collins' band, he was still not with Genesis, even for this second full length release.

Genesis - Nursery Cryme (Atlantic) 1971

1. The Musical Box (10:24)
2. For Absent Friends (1:43)
3. The Return of the Giant Hogweed (8:09)
4. Seven Stones (5:09)
5. Harold the Barrel (3:00)
6. Harlequin (2:53)
7. The Fountain of Salmacis (7:54)

OK, at this point Phil Collins and Steve Hackett join the band, but Peter Gabriel is still the band's ring leader and front man. The music on this disc is superb. The 10+ min. opening track, "The Musical Box" would be a concert favorite for years to come. It is still one of my favorite Genesis songs even to this day. The VERY short "For Absent Friends" is the first song to ever feature Phil Collins on vocals. Every song on this album is good and makes for a good listen from beginning to end, which is how I always listen to this progressive rock masterwork.

Genesis - Foxtrot (Atlantic) 1972 1. Watcher of the Skies (7:19) 2. Time Table (4:40) 3. Get 'Em Out by Friday (8:35) 4. Can-Utility and the Coastliners (5:43) 5. Horizons [instrumental] (1:38) 6. Supper's Ready: (22:58) ...i. Lover's Leap ...ii. The Guaranteed Eternal Sanctuary Man ...iii. Ikhnaton and Itsacon and Their Band of Merry Men ...iv. How Dare I Be So Beautiful? ...v. Willow Farm ...vi. Apocalypse in 9/8 ......(co-starring the Delicious Talents of Gabble Ratchet) ...vii. As Sure as Eggs is Eggs (Aching Mens' Feet)

(from L to R) Phil Collins, Steve Hackett, Tony Banks, Michael Rutherford & Peter Gabriel

This could have been the second record in a two record set with "Nursery Cyrme." Really, the sound and songwriting is very similar, but the songs themselves are as excellent, if not better, than anything on "Nursery Cryme." "Supper's Ready", the epic 22+ min. opus is an incredible song. Although the live version on "Seconds Out" sung by Phil Collins is my favorite version.

Genesis - Genesis Live (Atlantic) 1973 1. Watcher of the Skies (8:34) 2. Get 'Em Out by Friday (9:18) 3. The Return of the Giant Hogweed (8:18) 4. The Musical Box (10:59) 5. The Knife (9:47)

Peter Gabriel

A nice live package featuring the bizarre storytelling of Peter Gabriel. (His stories never matched the song's themes.) I suppose Genesis would have agreed with my reviews of the first few albums, as there is only one song off "Trespass," which is coincidentally my favorite from that album, and the rest of the disc highlights "Foxtrot" and "Nursery Cryme". There are no songs off the first album, which was another reason I had always thought "Trespass" was their first. In any case, a nice live album with some cool photos of the many costumes that Peter Gabriel wore during this era. The live versions of the songs are tight and well played proving that Genesis were as at home on the stage as they were in the studio.

Genesis - Selling England by the Pound (Atlantic) 1973 1. Dancing Out with the Moonlit Knight (8:02) 2. I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe) (4:03) 3. Firth of Fifth (9:36) 4. More Fool Me (3:10) 5. The Battle of Epping Forest (11:43) 6. After the Ordeal [instrumental] (4:07) 7. The Cinema Show/Aisle of Plenty" (12:40)

Tony Banks, Peter Gabriel, Mike Rutherford, Steve Hackett & Phil Collins

For years I did not own this album and I sort of ignored it. I'm not sure why as I was such a Genesis fanatic. Maybe it was because the two best songs would soon be featured on the incredible live album "Seconds Out." In any case, this is the second album to feature Phil Collins singing lead vocals on one track, which unfortunately is the least interesting track on the CD. "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)," my favorite track on the album, is even better in the live setting as is "Cinema Show." "The Battle of Epping Forest" is ok, but seems to me a bit long and drawn out. Perhaps it is because I already had so many favorites by the time I got this album, but this is one of my least listened to early Genesis discs. Just recently aquired the new, remastered version which has far better sonics than the original cd release. Brought some new life to this old classic for me.

Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (Atlantic) 1974

DISC ONE 1."The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" (4:55) 2."Fly on a Windshield" (2:47) 3."Broadway Melody of 1974" (1:58) 4."Cuckoo Cocoon" (2:14) 5."In the Cage" (8:15) 6."The Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging" (2:45) 7."Back in N.Y.C." (5:49) 8."Hairless Heart" [instrumental] (2:25) 9."Counting Out Time" (3:45) 10."The Carpet Crawlers" (5:16) 11."The Chamber of 32 Doors" (5:40) DISC TWO 1."Lilywhite Lilith" (2:40) 2."The Waiting Room" [instrumental] (5:28) 3."Anyway" (3:18) 4."The Supernatural Anaesthetist" (2:50) 5."The Lamia" (6:57) 6."Silent Sorrow in Empty Boats" [instrumental] (3:06) 7."The Colony of Slippermen" (8:14) ...a. The Arrival ...b. A Visit to the Doktor ...c. The Raven 8."Ravine" [instrumental] (2:05) 9."The Light Lies Down on Broadway" (3:32) 10."Riding the Scree" (3:56) 11."In the Rapids" (2:24) 12."IT" (4:58)

Peter Gabriel

Genesis-Genesis Archive 1967-75 (4-CD box set) 1998

Genesis - A Trick of the Tail (Atlantic) 1976

1. Dance on a Volcano (5:53)
2. Entangled (6:28)
3. Squonk (6:27)
4. Mad Man Moon (7:35)
5. Robbery, Assault & Battery (6:15)
6. Ripples... (8:03)
7. A Trick of the Tail (4:34)
8. Los Endos [instrumental] (5:46)

In 1975 Peter Gabriel announced his departure from Genesis. Many thought it would be the death of the European prog-rock band. Little did fans and critics know that the bands popularity would grow even more as they moved away from the progressive rock sound to a more mainstream sound. However, the band's 1976 release "A Trick of the Tail" hardly showed signs of steering this ship away from the band's classic sound. In fact, "A Trick of the Tail" is prime Genesis; progressive and infectiously melodic.

"Squonk" and "Ripples" are epic tracks that immediately recall the greatness of anything the band had recorded in the past. The albums opening track "Dance on a Volcano" is slightly frantic, rhythmically challenging with tight rhythms and is perhaps one of the band's finest songs. However, the overall sound of the album is less layered and slightly softer sounding than the past few releases. While some may find this to be a bad thing, I find it to be refreshing. The album has some very delicate moments, such as in "Mad Man Moon", a title which doesn't really hint at the melodic nature of the song. Still the song has some very progressive moments as it weaves through various peaks and valleys with lush keyboards by Tony Banks. Actually Banks keyboards dominate much of this record, though the bass work of Mike Rutherford and the guitar work of Steve Hackett are round out the sound. The only song that really hints at what is to come in the not too distant future is "Robbery,  Assault & Battery". The song is immediately catchy, though at over six minutes long, the song is hardly radio pop. Despite the pop nature of the chorus, there are some very progressive moments throughout the song, especially at the midway point that features some gorgeous keyboard leads from Banks.

Of course the biggest change from past Genesis releases is that drummer Phil Collins will take over the reigns as the bands vocalist and frontman. It must have come as a shock to the band at how well someone they already had in their band filled the shoes of Gabriel. Collins vocals are simply outstanding, fitting the mood of each and every song.

Die-hard Peter Gabriel/Genesis fans may look at "A Trick of the Tail" with a bit of disdain. However, it truly is a fantastic album despite the absence of the band's former frontman, vocalist and lyricist.

Genesis - Wind & Wuthering (Atlantic) 1976

1. Eleventh Earl Of Mar (7:41)
2. One For The Vine (10:00)
3. Your Own Special Way (6:18)
4. Wot Gorilla? (3:19)
5. All In A Mouse's Night (6:37)
6. Blood On The Rooftops (5:27)
7. Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers... (2:23)
8. ...In That Quiet Earth (4:49)
9. Afterglow (4:12)

For Genesis' second record with Phil Collins behind the mic, the band pretty much continues with a sound that is not far the previous album, "Trick of the Tail". The overall sound is very melodic and fairly mellow. It's one of those albums that I have always enjoyed while kicking back and chilling late in the evening.

"Your Own Special Way" was the single from the album and became a minor hit, although this ballad-esque song is probably my least favorite on this stellar album. The first two songs are longer, epic style songs in the classic Genesis tradition. "Eleventh Earl of Mar" is a simply fantastic song with gorgeous melodies. "One in the Vine" is one of the best Genesis songs ever. The song builds from a simple piano ballad into a grand, melodic rock number. Steve Hackett's oddly titled "Blood on the Rooftops" is a melancholy, atmospheric, and beautifully flowing song that is beautifully sung by Collins. "Afterglow" is another phenomenal song and one of the few that continued to be played live long into the 80's. "Wind & Wuthering" would be the last album for guitarist Steve Hackett.

Many Genesis fans point to this as the last great Genesis record, citing that after Steve Hackett left the band were less progressive and more pop oriented. That indeed is the case, but I don't think it was a giant jump to pop rock so much as it was a progression.

Genesis - Spot the Pigeon EP (Virgin) 1977

1. Match of the Day (3:23)
2. Pigeons (3:10)
3. Inside and Out (6:42)

This is a very rare mini-CD EP recorded during the "Wind & Wuthering" sessions. These three songs were the last Genesis songs to be recorded with Steve Hackett on guitar.

I searched for along time for this one and finally won a copy on eBay for $8 (plus shipping). Not a bad deal, but definitely a lot of money for three songs. Still, it was worth it. I've bid on it several other times and been outbid by much more than this.

Genesis - Seconds Out (Atlantic) 1977

"Seconds Out" is a SUPERB live recording taken from the two different shows in Paris in 1976 and 1977. Of my Genesis collection, especially the older stuff, this one is played the most. Every song on this disc is enhanced by the live recording, even if overall it is a bit overproduced and lacks some of the grit of the older studio albums. Phil Collins, who took over the vocal duties, does a fine job on the Peter Gabriel material as well as his own. ("A Flower?") Chester Thompson, who will work with Genesis for years to come, played most of the drum tracks. Bill Bruford (Yes, King Crimson, A.B.H.W.) performed drums on "Cinema Show". Unfortunately this would be the last recording for Steve Hackett, as he left the band to pursue a solo career. Favorite tracks are the extended version of "I Know What I Like", and the superb rendition of "Supper's Ready".

I use to own this one 8-track before upgrading to vinyl. Didn't take me too long to once again upgrade to CD once it became available. So far, I have purchased this album FOUR times in my life!

Genesis - ...And Then There Were Three (Atlantic) 1978

1.   Down And Out (5:24)
2.   Undertow (4:45)
3.   Ballad Of Big (4:48)
4.   Snowbound (4:28)
5.   Burning Rope (7:09)
6.   Deep In The Motherlode (5:12)
7.   Many Too Many (3:30)
8.   Scenes From A Nights Dream (3:29)
9.   Say It's Alright Joe (4:19)
10. The Lady Lies (6:04)
11. Follow You, Follow Me (3:59)

After the departures of Steve Hackett and Peter Gabriel only Phil Collins, Tony Banks, and Mike Rutheford were...hence the title ". . . And The There Were Three...". The music continues to move towards a more pop direction, and away from the progressive rock they were known for. The progressive tendencies are still present here, but they are more low key than in the past. Still, songs like "Undertow" are still very melodic and feature those sweeping, lush keyboards of Tony Banks. Same holds true for the seven minute epic "Burning Rope", which contains some superb lead guitar from Mike Rutherford. The songs still have that avant-garde, almost classical, instrumentation. However, with the exception of "Burning Rope" and "The Lady Lies", the songs are all five minutes long or shorter, the arrangements are less progressive in nature and the extended musical passages are mostly absent.

 "Follow You, Follow Me" is arguably the most commercial of the songs here, was the first single from the album and was a hit gaining the band radio airplay. The single was Genesis' first to reach the American Top 40 charts (#23) and UK Top 10 (#7). A lot of Genesis fans see this success of this song as the catalyst for Genesis' sound in the future. That may very well be true. Despite this album being released in 1978, the song sounds as if it could have been recorded in the early 80's.

The song "Scenes From a Night's Dream", a fairly upbeat, catchy song, is the first Genesis song whose lyrics were written entirely by Phil Collins. The song is about the adventures of a comic character named Little Nemo. Following this album, Collins would become more and more involved in writing lyrics for Genesis.

Regardless of the shift in style, "....And The There Were Three..." is still a superb album and one of my favorite Genesis discs. This was actually the first Genesis album I ever bought, (on 8-track no less) although I had been listening to them for years as a neighbor friend was a huge fan of the band and would constantly play them for me.

Genesis - The Story of Genesis (Charisma) 1978

SIDE ONE 1. The Knife 2. The Musical Box 3. Watcher Of The Skies SIDE TWO 4. Supper's Ready    i. Lover's Leap    ii. The Guaranteed Eternal Sanctuary Man    iii. Ikhnaton and Itsacon and Their Band of Merry Men    iv. How Dare I Be So Beautiful?    v. Willow Farm    vi. Apocalypse in 9/8    vii. As Sure as Eggs is Eggs (Aching Men's Feet) 5. I Know What I Like SIDE THREE 6. The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway 7. Dance On A Volcano 8. Squonk 9. Ripples SIDE FOUR 10. Eleventh Earl Of Mar 11. Your Own Special Way 12. Burning Rope 13. Follow You Follow Me

Steve Hackett, Peter Gabriel, Mike Rutheford, Tony Banks & Phil Collins.

Japanese vinyl compilation chronicling the 1970's era of Genesis. This release is outstanding. The 2-LP set is housed in an extra-thick gatefold cover and includes a Japanese/English lyric sheet and an 8-page booklet. The album comes with the traditional OBI sash wrapped around the cover.

The vinyl sounds fantastic. According to one website, "Toshiba pioneered top quality red vinyl pressings using their trademark ‘Ever-Clean’ process this utilised a special ingredient intended to prevent the build-up of static electricity on the vinyl. Japanese pressings are synonymous with quality..." You simply cannot get this warm, full-bodied, rich sound from a digital recording, and especially from an MP3 download. While any collection of a cherished band's works will not include every favorite song, "The Story of Genesis" has a great selection of the band's classic catalog, including the nearly 23-minute "Supper's Ready".

Genesis - Duke (Atlantic) 1980 1.   Behind The Lines (5:43) 2.   Duchess (6:25) 3.   Guide Vocal (1:21) 4.   Man Of Our Times (5:34) 5.   Misunderstanding (3:13) 6.   Heathaze (4:57) 7.   Turn It On Again (3:46) 8.   Alone Tonight (3:54) 9.   Cul-De-Sac (5:06) 10. Please Don't Ask (4:00) 11. Duke's Travels (8:39) 12. Duke's End [instrumental] (3:08)

Genesis 1980

...and Genesis explodes in popularity. The year was 1980 and I was absolutely hooked on Genesis. I stood in line for hours to get tickets to the show in my area for this tour only to find out it was already sold out! Ugh!

I LOVE this album! Yes, Genesis had now completely abandoned the arty, progressive, 70's rock sound that they were once known for. However, it was a new decade and with it Genesis had a new sound. The very definition of "progressive" is that a band progresses. As such, "Duke" represents a different chapter in the Genesis saga. They were know as much know for their singles and radio hits as they were for anything else. The minimalist album cover is a tell-tale story of the music itself.

The single "Misunderstanding", a song written entirely by Phil Collins, was a huge success and about as catchy a pop song as Genesis had yet recorded. Coupled together with the relative success of "Turn It On Again" and "Duchess", "Duke" was a monster of a record in 1980. Despite the singles, there is still much for the progressive rock fan to enjoy about "Duke". "Man of Our Times" is a hooky, melodic song with some standout drum work from Collins. "Heathaze" may very well be the best song of the album. It is an overlooked classic in the Genesis catalog.

Side two of the original LP started off with "Turn It On Again", another pop song and another big hit for the band. In stark comparison, "Alone Tonight" is a Mike Rutherford composed ballad with nice guitar-work, some ethereal keyboards and topped off with Collins' emotive vocals. "Duke's Travels" coupled with "Duke's End" finishes off the album with nearly 12 minutes of gorgeous music. "Duke's Travels" is over eight minutes long itself and is mostly an instrumental that allows the band to strut their stuff a bit. The song builds as it progresses until around the 6:10 mark when Phil Collin's breaks in with some vocals to cap off the song. "I am the one who guided you this far, all you know and all you feel..." It's a simply fantastic song and perhaps the closest to their progressive rock roots as they would ever come again. The song gives way to album closer "Duke's End", which is really part of the same just the ending to "Duke's Travels".

"Duke" was originally meant to include a 30-minute long suite featuring songs in the order of "Behind The Lines, Duchess, Guide Vocal, Turn It On Again, Duke's Travels" and "Duke's End". Together they were to be an epic, concept about a fictional character named Albert. Ultimately the songs were broken up  for whatever reason the band deemed. However, Genesis did perform the suite in that order live on the "Duke Tour" in 1980. (Yes, the tour I missed!)

No, "Duke" is not the pure prog-rock of the 70's, but it's still an incredible album in the Genesis catalog. It's the perfect combination of the Genesis 80's pop rock sound and their 70's prog-rock tendencies. I even like the simplistic cover art.

Genesis -  Live At The Theater Royal 
Drury Lane, London May 4 1980 

SIDE ONE
1. Dancing With The Moonlit Knight/The Carpet Crawlers
2. Behind The Lines

3. Duchess
4. Guide Vocal

5. Squonk
6. Turn It On Again
7. Ripples
8. In The Cage/The Colony Of Slippermen/Afterglow
9. Follow You, Follow Me
10. I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)
11. The Knife

When Genesis were touring for "Duke" in 1980 I was in high school and was a huge fan of the band and this album. I stood in line for hours to get tickets to see the band at the Spectrum in Philadelphia the summer of 1980. The show sold out so quickly that even though there were only a handful of people in line in front of us, by the time we got to the ticket window the show was sold out. I was so very disappointed and never did get to see Genesis in concert. 

"Live At The Theater Royal" is a bootleg vinyl from the end of the "Duke" tour. The two record set does not include the full set-list, but is a spectacular listen nonetheless and captures the band in their prime on that incredible tour. The sound quality is superb, as much of the the shows from the UK were professionally recorded. As a matter of fact, "One for the Vine" from the official UK release "3 Sides Live" came from these recordings. On this particular vinyl release, from the information I have gathered, "Afterglow" was actually taken from the official release "Seconds Out" and inserted into the "In The Cage" medley. 

The dates for these recordings seem to be in question. Some Genesis fan sites I have found state that some of these songs are actually from the 5th rather than the 4th. 

Genesis - Abacab (Atlantic) 1981

1. Abacab (7:02)
2. No Reply at All (4:41)
3. Me and Sarah Jane (6:00)
4. Keep it Dark (4:34)
5. Dodo/Lurker (7:30)
6. Who Dunnit? (3:22)
7. Man on the Corner (4:27)
8. Like it or Not (4:58)
9. Another Record (4:30)

Genesis starts to employ extremely simple song structures and pop melodies. Of course, this album was huge success for them and when it came out I couldn't stop playing it. I still think it is a good disc but I must admit that there are certain songs that get on my nerves, like "Who Dunnit." (Repetitious to the point of pulling my hair out. I don't car who did it!) Thank God for the skip button! "No Reply at All" was a HUGE hit for Genesis and featured the horn section from Earth, Wind & Fire. (Who coincidentally also played on Phil Collins first solo album around this same time.) In any case "Another Record" is a very cool album closer and "Abacab," while being overplayed on the radio at the time, is a very cool song. Also take note how with each album since Peter Gabriel left, the length of the songs have continued to be shorter.

I own two versions of of "Three Sides Live" on CD, as well as a U.S. pressing on vinyl. The U.S. vinyl release really did have three sides of live music on the original LP. The fourth side was composed of studio tracks. Of those studio tacks, "Paperlate" was a hit for the band. However, the standout track is most certainly "You Might Recall", a catchy, melodic and semi-progressive song that received a lot of radio airplay at the time. Europe already had all these studio tracks available on a separate release, so some UK pressings of "3 Sides Live" contained an additional side of live music! This is the version I tend to play the most. The majority of "Three Sides Live" was recorded at Nassau Coliseum, Long Island NY, November 29, 1981. 

Before "Three Sides Live" I was pretty much obsessed with Genesis. After it's release and the subsequent eponymous album, my interest wained severely, pretty much ending my obsession with the band for years to come. I still continued to follow the band and eventually even purchased all their pop records from the late 80's on. However, with Phil Collins becoming the focus of the band and the music become more and more pop based and less progressive, they just were not the same band. I've said in other reviews that live albums tend to be the end of an era for a band and "Three Sides Live" is no exception to this rule.

Genesis (Atlantic) 1983

1."Mama" (6:46)
2."That's All" (4:22)
3."Home By the Sea" (4:46)
4."Second Home By the Sea" [instrumental] (6:22)
5."Illegal Alien" (5:12)
6."Taking It All Too Hard" (3:54)
7."Just a Job to Do" (4:44)
8."Silver Rainbow" (4:27)
9."It's Gonna Get Better" (5:00)

When this CD first came out in '83, I was highly disappointed. I mean, I had been a Genesis fan for years at this point and ever since Phil Collins took over as frontman, the band had began to move more and more into pop rock. Despite loving "Duke" and "Abacab", this was the last straw for me, at least at the time. Pop dance songs and sappy ballads abound! I totally lost interest with this one, although it was mega hit for Genesis. "Illegal Alien" was a top ten hit but is a rather silly song with Phil Collins singing in a rather fake Latino accent. "Mama," one of the albums better tracks, also was a hit as was "Home by the Sea" and "Taking it All Too Hard." Perhaps I have gotten older and softer over the years, or maybe I've just grown to appreciate 1980's pop rock, but I appreciate this one much more now than I did twenty years ago. Still, it will never be a favorite from the Genesis catalog in my opinion, even if I do enjoy giving it a spin from time to time.

Genesis - Invisible Touch (Atlantic) 1986

1. "Invisible Touch" (3:26)
2. "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" (8:49)
3. "Land of Confusion" (4:45)
4. "In Too Deep" (4:59)
5. "Anything She Does" (4:06)
6. "Domino": (10:42)
1. In the Glow of the Night
2. The Last Domino
7. "Throwing It All Away" (4:41)
8. "The Brazilian" [instrumental] (4:49)

"Invisible Touch." was a huge hit for Genesis selling millions and millions of copies. Genesis sold out arenas world wide for years with this one. "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" was a monster hit. "Land of Confusion" seems to still be an FM rock radio staple twenty years last. Also, "Domino" is considered a classic from this era of Genesis as well. This album also received critical acclaim worldwide with reviewers stating it is "one the most innovative albums of the 80's." Despite these facts, "Invisible Touch" has never been on the same level for me as the band's 70's releases. Frankly, some of this album is just down right sappy and is chock full of schlock and radio balladry. But hey, who doesn't like a bit of tear-jerking sappiness once in a while. It makes for a great late night with the wife, right? Indeed. The rest is 80's pop rock with only the slightest hint of the progressive rock greatness of Genesis' past. While I can enjoy a good 'ol sing along pop rock song as much as the rest of the world, I know that Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks are capable of so much better than this. Of course it's easy to blame Phil Collins for the direction that Genesis took in the 80's, as he was the band's front man and was the man in the limelight thanks in part to his own successful solo albums. However, keyboardist Tony Banks is apparently responsible for much of the compositions. "Invisible Touch" is a landmark 1980's pop rock album. For some it is probably one of the greatest albums ever released. For this Genesis fan, I can appreciate and enjoy it but it isn't one of my favorite albums either.

Genesis - We Can't Dance (Atlantic) 1991

1. "No Son of Mine" (6:38)
2. "Jesus He Knows Me" (4:15)
3. "Driving the Last Spike" (10:08)
4. "I Can't Dance" (4:00)
5. "Never a Time" (3:50)
6. "Dreaming While You Sleep" (7:15)
7. "Tell Me Why" (4:57)
8. "Living Forever" (5:40)
9. "Hold on My Heart" (4:37)
10. "Way of the World" (5:37)
11. "Since I Lost You" (4:09)
12. "Fading Lights" (10:16)

Genesis have always been a guilty pleasure of mine. I love their progressive rock material from the 1970's, but I equally like the Collins-era stuff like "Duke", "Abacab" and their self titled album. I am not exactly sure why I hated this album so much when it was released, other than it sounds more like Phil Collins solo material than it does Genesis. There are a few decent cuts like the epic "Fading Lights" and the semi-hit "Jesus He Knows Me", a song about TV preacher scandals. "No Son of Mine", a song that deals with very deep and personal troubles in a father/son relationship, is a good track as well. "No Son of Mine" was a big hit for the band. I'm actually pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this album as much as I did. Perhaps I have matured in my tastes over the years, either that or I am just getting old.

Genesis - The Way We Walk Volume One: The Shorts (Atlantic) 1992

1."Land of Confusion" (5:16)
2."No Son of Mine" (7:05)
3."Jesus He Knows Me" (5:23)
4."Throwing It All Away" (6:01)
5."I Can't Dance" (6:55)
6."Mama" (6:50)
7."Hold on My Heart" (5:40)
8."That's All" (4:59)
9."In Too Deep" (5:36)
10."Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" (3:35)
11."Invisible Touch" (5:41)

I found a copy of this REAL CHEAP at a pawn shop many years after it was released, so I decided to pick it up just as a companion to "The Longs" that I did buy new. Sad really how this great band was reduced to crappy pop songs. Surprisingly, in the live setting, some of these songs are bearable. The musicianship is superb as is the production, especially for a live recording.

Genesis - The Way We Walk Volume Two: The Longs (Atlantic) 1993 1."Old Medley: Dance on a Volcano/Lamb Lies Down on Broadway/Musical .....Box/Firth of Fifth/I Know What I Like" (19:32) 2."Driving the Last Spike" (10:17) 3."Domino: 1. In the Glow of the Night/2. The Last Domino" (11:21) 4."Fading Lights" (10:55) 5."Home by the Sea/Second Home by the Sea" (12:14) 6."Drum Duet" [instrumental] (6:06)

Phil Collins

Long songs are what Genesis is (was) all about, and even the newer songs on this disc are quite good. Of course my favorite song is the medley which also includes bits and pieces from "That's All", "Your Own Special Way" and "Follow You, Follow Me." Once again, stellar musicianship and a great recording make this one worth listening to. The drum duet by longtime touring drummer Chester Thompson and Phil Collins is interesting the first few listens but grows old. I'm sure it would have been very cool to see live though.

Genesis - Genesis Archive #2 1976-1992 (Atlantic) 2000

DISC TWO
1. "Illegal Alien" [live; LA Forum 14 Jan 84] (5:31)
2. "Dreaming While You Sleep" [live; Earls Court Nov 92] (7:48)
3. "It's Gonna Get Better" [live; LA Forum 14 Jan 84] (7:32)
4. "Deep in the Motherlode" [live; Drury Lane 5 May 80] (5:55)
5. "Ripples" [live; Lyceum London 6 May 80] (9:54)
6. "The Brazilian" [instrumental, live; Wembley Arena 4 July 87] (5:17)
7. "Your Own Special Way" [live; Sydney Dec 86] (6:51)
8. "Burning Rope" [live; Houston 22 Oct 78] (7:29)
9. "Entangled" [live; Bingley Hall, Staffordshire 10 July 76] (6:57)
10. "Duke's Travels" [live; Lyceum London 7 May 80] (9:32)

Part 1 of the Genesis box set was the Peter Gabriel years and is one of the finest box sets ever released. Part 2 of the Genesis Archive box set is the Phil Collins years. I had been wanting this set as soon as it was announced, but I was actually a bit nervous about spending a lot of money on it. It's not that I thought the Collins years didn't have enough quality material to fill a box, but 1976-1992 contains tracks from both my favorite and my least favorite eras of Genesis. It was albums like "Wind & Wuthering", "And then There Were Three...", "Duke" and "Abacab" that initially got me into Genesis back in the early 80's, so it goes without saying that this is my favorite era of Genesis. However, after "Three Sides Live" the band started to lose it's appeal to me with each release as they went more and more into a pop direction. I suppose it could be argued that 'Abacab' and 'Duke' were more pop than the band's early years. However, there was still something unique about Genesis then. Anyhow, the box set is actually better than I had anticipated.

Disc one contains a boatload of unreleased tracks and b-sides. Even the remixed version of "I Can't Dance" seems to fit within the tracks recorded from the "Wind & Wuthering", "Duke" and "Abacab" sessions. Most of this material had not seen release on cd yet, making this disc the most essential disc of the three to me. Of the albums I just mentioned I can't get enough of it. Even the later b-side material from "Genesis" through "Invisible Touch" on this disc sound good and flow together will with the rest of the material. Of course, these were not hits either, so this may be why.

Disc two features a bunch of live tracks that have not appeared on any Genesis live album before. The incredible "And Then There Were Three" album finally gets to see the light of day in a live setting. I never could understand why Genesis and Genesis fans didn't give this album much more respect. The only song that was ever recorded live was "Follow You, Follow Me" on "Three Sides Live." As I stated already, this is one of my favorite Genesis discs and is actually the very first Genesis album I had ever heard. "Duke's Travels/Duke's End" is another highlight for me. "Ripples" from "Trick of the Tail" is also quite nice to hear live. Heck, the whole disc is quite good. One small irritant is that they included the annoying "Illegal Alien" making my skip button a necessity.

Genesis - Calling All Stations (Atlantic) 1997

1. Calling All Stations (5:43)
2. Congo (4:50)
3. Shipwrecked (4:22)
4. Alien Afternoon (7:50)
5. Not About Us (4:37)
6. If That's What You Need (5:12)
7. The Dividing Line (7:44)
8. Uncertain Weather (5:28)
9. Small Talk (5:01)
10. There Must Some Other Way (7:53)
11. One Man's Fool (8:45)

And then there were two? Tony Banks and Mike Rutheford forge ahead enlisting the services of vocalist Ray Wilson (ex-Stiltskin) and new drummer, Nir Z (who?). With Mr. Viva Las Vegas, crushed red velvet, Phil Collins out of the way, I had high hopes that Banks and Rutheford would pull out of the dance/pop rut and would return to their classic prog-rock roots. Well, lets just say that didn't happen. Instead, the band recorded and album that I would describe as melodic rock though there are still touches of that 80's pop sound mixed in. "Congo" is an example of that pop sound. The song could easily have been a hit for the band, and while it was released as a single and received minor attention on the video stations, it quickly disappeared. Sort of a shame really, as it's a good song. "Alien Afternoon" seems to be an attempt to return to the bands more progressive side. It would have been cool if they had explored this side a bit more on this record instead of trying to waffle between their obviously more popular pop sound and their classic progressive sound.  "Shipwrecked" is a nice and melodious ballad that might have been a hit had Collins been singing on it. New vocalist Ray WIlson is a good singer, sounding a bit closer to former vocalist Peter Gabriel than Phil Collins. Without that recognizable voice, however, Genesis just don't quite sound like Genesis. Frankly, if someone had played this album for me without me knowing who it was, I don't know that I would have even guessed immediately it was a Genesis album. Still, not the terrible album most people make it out to be. Perhaps if it had been released as The Banks/Rutheford Project, or something like that, people would have been more eager to accept it.

Related Collections:
Anthony Phillips | Phil Collins | Peter Gabriel