First, Steve, for those who have never seen it (I used to have one): The Genesis 1978 "...And Then There Were Three" Atlantic Records promo item for the album's first single, "Follow You, Follow Me" (ironically enough, about a foot long)....a vinyl peel-off sticker with the single's name and Atlantic logo, all on a 6-toed foot!
As for the two Genesis eras....I loved 'em both (and, I've written about it a couple times....having seen Peter and Genesis in '74 in concert (and getting Peter's autograph after), and seeing "The Lamb" tour the following year. I also saw Genesis at Dodger Stadium somewhere around 1991.
I've tackled this topic many times online on various sites....there are usually two camps: "Genesis was a great '70s prog band and Phil ruined them in the '80s with all his pop songs!" vs. "Ooh, early Genesis....songs too long...I don't get 'em and I can sing along to their '80s stuff!"
My experience has loved both iterations, as it's akin (in my mind) to having a friend who suddenly adopts needlework after you and your friend have enjoyed racketball for several years. There's no musical analogy here...just the realization that if you like one band/artist, it sometimes makes sense to follow and grow with them (as opposed to abandoning your friend because of his new-found hobby)!
It also helps to realize (appreciating each's initial talent) they all (Tony, Mike, Peter) were teenage schoolboy songwriters (at Charterhouse School/Surrey, UK) who got together to, solely, write songs! Knowing that helped me transition with them from '70s proggy monsters to '80s MTV mainstays. A "good" song is a "good" song regardless of time duration, for my $!
As much as I adore "Firth of Fifth" and "Cinema Show" for their melodies, turns, and time signatures, I can easily love virtually all of their '80s, Phil-inspired, horn-driven pop songs! "No Reply"? The bass line and horn figures are nothing short of killer!
I'll stop here before my squatting on your site engenders a rental fee!! I/you/we could/should consider writing a two-era essay comparing/contrasting the two eras, perhaps inviting many of your commenters/readers here who have definite opinions on the two contribute....maybe a thread!!😱
Thanks, Jackie! And I admire your dedication to writing a daily essay on a song for your 'Stack! I tried that a few years ago on my old blog and I made it three months before having to skip a day, and then by five months it became 'song of the week' and by 9 months, song of the month! It was a great exercise in beating back my perfectionism. And the endurance benefits are long-lasting. But it did put strain on my marriage and my sleep!
Oh, it isn't daily. There are days when the radio station in my mind doesn't serve anything up, so I don't try to force it ... so far those have been quite few. You're right: a regular writing goal does help one let go of perfectionistic tendencies, which I sorely need to do. It's an ongoing struggle.
Good stuff, man! I'm old too, ha, so I also remember the days when no one had cell phones, no one could text, and all we had were rotary or cordless phones, and maybe, an answering machine. "No Reply at All" has been such a catchy, but good song to me, like some of the other Genesis songs. I don't know if I know any Genesis songs when Peter Gabriel was still with the group, but Genesis has been one of my favorites, as well as Phil Collins. With ghosting, it's interesting, how it happens, trying to understand why. There is this one FB friend I have, a former co-worker actually, who never responded to any texts, messages, I sent her, and it seemed to happen, just after I had posted a photo on FB of me having lunch with some other fellow co-workers and her boss, which I found out later, she disliked. Funny. I don't know if my post was the main reason this FB friend never replied to my texts, messages, but if it was, I just find it strange. Like I've been categorized into the "disliked boss friend group". ;) But of course, if I think about the why's, etc., it would probably be a waste of my time and drive me crazy. And I'm already crazy. ;)
Yeah- it’s so much easier to be driven crazy by people who partially Ghost us because we can usually still see them on social media. Harder to make a clean break and move on.
Particularly some of the restrictions whose devastating effects on mental health (not to mention the economy and human development in general) are still being felt!
Great post! I’ve been a Genesis fan forever - and all because of Duke. My favourite album of theirs - initially because of ‘Misunderstanding’, but later - and now - because of the seriously underrated ‘Heathaze’. A brilliant song I’d argue might just be their best. Or at least in the top three!
It's funny, I find "Heathaze" the most Gabriel-esque of all the songs. But that's a good thing, as I love PG's albums, probably more than Phil's. I can imagine Peter singing lead on this!
I agree with you on Peter Gabriel-era Genesis- it just doesn't do much for me. I'm left-handed too, and when I played, there was a stand that would let you keep the hi-hat pedal under your left foot, but the cymbals themselves to your right. I would've loved to have had that, but it was prohibitively expensive.
I never heard about that stand! I used to play my right-handed friends' sets and just play open style, which is what a lot of lefties did. Switching the feet wasn't as hard for me, but playing hi-hat with my right was not natural for me.
“Do you like Phil Collins? I've been a big Genesis fan ever since the release of their 1980 album, Duke. Before that, I really didn't understand any of their work. Too artsy, too intellectual” 😂 -Patrick Bateman, American Psycho (all the Genesis/ Peter Gabriel jokes!!!)
OMG -- I inadvertently was channeling Patrick Bateman when writing this! Even the topic of ghosting was Bateman-esque! But I have to say I had those feelings before Brett Easton Ellis.
First, Steve, for those who have never seen it (I used to have one): The Genesis 1978 "...And Then There Were Three" Atlantic Records promo item for the album's first single, "Follow You, Follow Me" (ironically enough, about a foot long)....a vinyl peel-off sticker with the single's name and Atlantic logo, all on a 6-toed foot!
It looks like this. As photos don't/can't reproduce on these comments, here's the Google search. It should be in the upper left-hand corner. You'll have to tilt the screen (or move your head) to see the 6 toes, as the backing paper is the same shiny white as the sticker! https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=564034831&q=follow+you,+follow+me+atlantic+promotional+footprint+sticker&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjow8nTrZ6BAxXMk2oFHcc_CW0Q0pQJegQIDhAB&biw=1366&bih=651&dpr=1
As for the two Genesis eras....I loved 'em both (and, I've written about it a couple times....having seen Peter and Genesis in '74 in concert (and getting Peter's autograph after), and seeing "The Lamb" tour the following year. I also saw Genesis at Dodger Stadium somewhere around 1991.
I've tackled this topic many times online on various sites....there are usually two camps: "Genesis was a great '70s prog band and Phil ruined them in the '80s with all his pop songs!" vs. "Ooh, early Genesis....songs too long...I don't get 'em and I can sing along to their '80s stuff!"
My experience has loved both iterations, as it's akin (in my mind) to having a friend who suddenly adopts needlework after you and your friend have enjoyed racketball for several years. There's no musical analogy here...just the realization that if you like one band/artist, it sometimes makes sense to follow and grow with them (as opposed to abandoning your friend because of his new-found hobby)!
It also helps to realize (appreciating each's initial talent) they all (Tony, Mike, Peter) were teenage schoolboy songwriters (at Charterhouse School/Surrey, UK) who got together to, solely, write songs! Knowing that helped me transition with them from '70s proggy monsters to '80s MTV mainstays. A "good" song is a "good" song regardless of time duration, for my $!
As much as I adore "Firth of Fifth" and "Cinema Show" for their melodies, turns, and time signatures, I can easily love virtually all of their '80s, Phil-inspired, horn-driven pop songs! "No Reply"? The bass line and horn figures are nothing short of killer!
I'll stop here before my squatting on your site engenders a rental fee!! I/you/we could/should consider writing a two-era essay comparing/contrasting the two eras, perhaps inviting many of your commenters/readers here who have definite opinions on the two contribute....maybe a thread!!😱
N/R
Ugh! No reply at all is now permanently embedded in my ear 👂
I have done my job!
"IIIII can't dance, IIIIII can't sing ..."
Fellow lefty fistbump!
Thanks, Jackie! And I admire your dedication to writing a daily essay on a song for your 'Stack! I tried that a few years ago on my old blog and I made it three months before having to skip a day, and then by five months it became 'song of the week' and by 9 months, song of the month! It was a great exercise in beating back my perfectionism. And the endurance benefits are long-lasting. But it did put strain on my marriage and my sleep!
I know you can do better than I did!😎
Oh, it isn't daily. There are days when the radio station in my mind doesn't serve anything up, so I don't try to force it ... so far those have been quite few. You're right: a regular writing goal does help one let go of perfectionistic tendencies, which I sorely need to do. It's an ongoing struggle.
Good stuff, man! I'm old too, ha, so I also remember the days when no one had cell phones, no one could text, and all we had were rotary or cordless phones, and maybe, an answering machine. "No Reply at All" has been such a catchy, but good song to me, like some of the other Genesis songs. I don't know if I know any Genesis songs when Peter Gabriel was still with the group, but Genesis has been one of my favorites, as well as Phil Collins. With ghosting, it's interesting, how it happens, trying to understand why. There is this one FB friend I have, a former co-worker actually, who never responded to any texts, messages, I sent her, and it seemed to happen, just after I had posted a photo on FB of me having lunch with some other fellow co-workers and her boss, which I found out later, she disliked. Funny. I don't know if my post was the main reason this FB friend never replied to my texts, messages, but if it was, I just find it strange. Like I've been categorized into the "disliked boss friend group". ;) But of course, if I think about the why's, etc., it would probably be a waste of my time and drive me crazy. And I'm already crazy. ;)
Yeah- it’s so much easier to be driven crazy by people who partially Ghost us because we can usually still see them on social media. Harder to make a clean break and move on.
Great piece. I also prefer Phil’s Genesis but purely because I am more familiar with the material.
Spot on what you say about verbal communication. Lockdown certainly made this (and so many other things) worse.
Thanks, Andres! Yeah, I suppose the pandemic did in 3 years what the smartphone took 15 to accomplish. And to a wider populace!
Particularly some of the restrictions whose devastating effects on mental health (not to mention the economy and human development in general) are still being felt!
Staaahhhhp! How long will this song stay in my head? omg.
I was going to not respond -- but wasn't sure the "No Reply at All" joke would be clear.
I did listen to invisible touch this morning
Excellent. That's what weekend mornings are for. Also, It's a seriously underrated album for a multi-platinum seller!
Great post! I’ve been a Genesis fan forever - and all because of Duke. My favourite album of theirs - initially because of ‘Misunderstanding’, but later - and now - because of the seriously underrated ‘Heathaze’. A brilliant song I’d argue might just be their best. Or at least in the top three!
It's funny, I find "Heathaze" the most Gabriel-esque of all the songs. But that's a good thing, as I love PG's albums, probably more than Phil's. I can imagine Peter singing lead on this!
I agree with you on Peter Gabriel-era Genesis- it just doesn't do much for me. I'm left-handed too, and when I played, there was a stand that would let you keep the hi-hat pedal under your left foot, but the cymbals themselves to your right. I would've loved to have had that, but it was prohibitively expensive.
I never heard about that stand! I used to play my right-handed friends' sets and just play open style, which is what a lot of lefties did. Switching the feet wasn't as hard for me, but playing hi-hat with my right was not natural for me.
“Do you like Phil Collins? I've been a big Genesis fan ever since the release of their 1980 album, Duke. Before that, I really didn't understand any of their work. Too artsy, too intellectual” 😂 -Patrick Bateman, American Psycho (all the Genesis/ Peter Gabriel jokes!!!)
Ha! Nicely referenced. :)
😂🌼🦇👴
OMG -- I inadvertently was channeling Patrick Bateman when writing this! Even the topic of ghosting was Bateman-esque! But I have to say I had those feelings before Brett Easton Ellis.
The Lamb...Lies Down...on Broadway!
But, did you see the concert? Me...Houston....1975.
But what does it all mean??? 😀 Of course, if I need to know, I’m listening to it all wrong...
Rrrrrrrrael Imperial Aerosol king!!!!!!