Am I the only person on this forum that doesn't mind 80s Genesis?

[Koreabruce]

I doubt I'll ever change my opinion that Calling All Stations sucks, though.

Sadly, I have to agree. A tiny part of me is, I think, still in denial though. Maybe that's why I pull this out once a year to see if there is something... ANYTHING... that I may have missed or that will somehow suddenly leap out as if to say, "Ta-da! Here I am! I was here all long, but you just didn't get me until now!"

Nope. Not gonna happen.

[Progatron]

You cite the three long tracks from IT and WCD, but to be honest, I don't buy it that there "better" than the rest of the shorter tracks. They're just drawn-out to needlessly-extended lengths... (especially those WCD 10-mins thingies)

I also cited "The Brazilian", which is in the four minute range.

I can't really see how "Domino" or "Driving The Last Spike" are drawn-out. They each go through several sections, a compositional approach they took as far back as "Stagnation" (no, purists, I am not suggesting those songs sound anything alike). Perhaps "Tonight x3" or "Fading Lights" could be viewed that way, with their instrumental sections, but again that was a staple of many of their classic songs back in the 70s.

[Gruno]

Not even The Lamb? (Seems strange for a Kevin Gilbert-fan )

Yeah, I get that reaction quite a lot from others.

It's the case of "I like the cover version better than the original"

Even though I was a fan of Kevin Gilbert, I turned down the invite to attend his Lamb performance at Progfest. I don't regret that decision. Through the years I could barely listen to the recording from that night and basically filed it away.

Fast forward to 2014… as I was going through Kevin's archived work, I listened to the Lamb performance and felt that was great for his fans to have. So, in working on that release, I warmed up to it a bit. It also helped to listen to the bloody recording a few dozen times while I was producing the artwork for the packaging. I think what I like about it is Kevin's voice and the recording being just over an hour long, as opposed to how Genesis released their original version.

I have heard Genesis' version and I have also seen live moments of The Musical Box's recreation of The Lamb, but it still falls very flat and unappealing to me.

I enjoy Genesis' "The Carpet Crawlers 1999" over the original, also.

[mozo-pg]

I guess I'm the only one. I don't really like anything after some of the songs on Duke. I like lots of pop music, but not Genesis' pop music.

[Jubal]

I have all three of the Genesis studio box sets. While I don't often reach for the red one, I still listen to some of those albums (or digital tracks on my playlists). I consider Phil to be one of the absolute best musicians of the last 50 years. He was a fantastic drummer and singer. He also wrote a lot of hits, and granted, he had his share of stinkers. Calling All Stations is my least fave of the latter days. The issue was not Ray Wilson's vocals, but rather the songwriting in general.

I have to laugh at all the "Phil Collins ruined Genesis" comments though. If Phil had not stepped up and done his thing, Genesis' last album would probably have been The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway.
While I don't favor their hit years material, I don't fault them for going in that direction. Musicians have to eat too.

[iguana]

here is an interesting apologist opinion on IT – i do have to say that some of it makes perfect sense:

[Progatron]

^^^^ Not spending a nanosecond of my time on that clown. Sorry!

[Trane]

I consider Phil to be one of the absolute best musicians of the last 50 years. He was a fantastic drummer and singer.

I'd even go as far as to say that he was the best musician Genesis ever had in his ranks...

but AFA his singing is concerned ... naaaahhhh!!!...

He was doing a Gabe better than Peter did, but he never managed to do a credible PhilC

[zombywoof]

^^^^ Not spending a nanosecond of my time on that clown. Sorry!

How did I know exactly who you were talking about before I even opened the thread?

[Yodelgoat]

THe guy is long winded. I had to stop after 4 minutes... Just what are his credentials for doing this? He obviously has no idea what an event horizon actually is, so its not a degree in physics. Its also not a degree in English either - he was speaking her majesties English - right?

[Digital_Man]

^^^^ Not spending a nanosecond of my time on that clown. Sorry!

Oh yeah, I strongly dislike that guy too. He thinks prog can only be stuff from 69-77 and it absolutely has to be English. He must be the biggest prog snob on youtube.

Anyway, I've always felt that Genesis in the 80's and beyond were just throwing a bone to the older fans by including some proggish and some prog tracks on those later albums. I actually enjoy all of Genesis albums to one degree or another but it always seemed to me that their including prog stuff in the later years was a bit calculated in order not to lose too many fans. How else could you explain "Domino(both parts) or "The Brazilian" appearing on the same album as "in too deep" or "throwing it all away" or the title track to Abacab or Dodo appearing along side "No reply at all" etc. I don't dislike the pop stuff. It's fun music but I think it's safe to say it's a far cry from the PG days. One good thing about the pop stuff is that it exposed them to a larger audience that might not have discovered the earlier stuff and thus prog if it weren't for that bigger exposure.

[Progatron]

it always seemed to me that their including prog stuff in the later years was a bit calculated in order not to lose too many fans. How else could you explain "Domino(both parts) or "The Brazilian" appearing on the same album as "in too deep" or "throwing it all away" or the title track to Abacab or Dodo appearing along side "No reply at all" etc.

I suppose the same way you could find "I Know What I Like" on the same album as "The Cinema Show", or "Harold The Barrel" on the same album as "The Musical Box". Those tracks were quirkier and less commercial than the ones you mention, but then it was a different time. They always had a lighter, more 'fun' side to them among the heavier, dramatic pieces. I don't think Tony Banks would have made any full album of "In Too Deep"s, he was busy writing the kind of stuff he always did write anyway, and those songs were naturally finding their way onto the albums. I'm not so sure that it was calculated. Not to mention, Mike & Phil were both getting a lot of the commercial stuff out of their systems on their solo/Mechanics albums at the time, and didn't necessarily need to fill the band albums with it.

[Digital_Man]

Sadly, I have to agree. A tiny part of me is, I think, still in denial though. Maybe that's why I pull this out once a year to see if there is something... ANYTHING... that I may have missed or that will somehow suddenly leap out as if to say, "Ta-da! Here I am! I was here all long, but you just didn't get me until now!"

Nope. Not gonna happen.

I actually like it. Maybe someone should start a thread "Am I the only one who likes Calling All stations" but then you could also substitute that with "From Genesis to Revelation." Those two seem to be the most polarizing albums in their discography because they aren't what you expect. At least Genesis made a subtle and gradual shift to the pop stuff with the other albums. CAS didn't even have Phil on it so people didn't know what to make of it. I think it's actually probably their least overtly pop sounding album since ATTWT. There are no overly poppy songs on it and only one got any airplay if I'm not mistaken("Congo"). The way some of the tracks fade out is kind of lame but I like the dark and somber quality of much of it. With the exception of the first few albums after PG left it's probably the closest they came to sounding like neo prog. Maybe that's why so many dislike it.

[Digital_Man]

I suppose the same way you could find "I Know What I Like" on the same album as "The Cinema Show", or "Harold The Barrel" on the same album as "The Musical Box". Those tracks were quirkier and less commercial than the ones you mention, but then it was a different time. They always had a lighter, more 'fun' side to them among the heavier, dramatic pieces. I don't think Tony Banks would have made any full album of "In Too Deep"s, he was busy writing the kind of stuff he always did write anyway, and those songs were naturally finding their way onto the albums. I'm not so sure that it was calculated. Not to mention, Mike & Phil were both getting a lot of the commercial stuff out of their systems on their solo/Mechanics albums at the time, and didn't necessarily need to fill the band albums with it.

I guess but the later(ie 80's)stuff seemed more overtly poppy in contrast to the proggier stuff(at least to me).

[Scott Bails]

Add me to the club that enjoys 80s & 90s Genesis. I got on-board the train with ABACAB, got Duke because I really liked "Turn it on Again," and became a fan.

I didn't work my way back, however, until after Invisible Touch, and even then, I did so very carefully. I wasn't interested in that crazy Peter Gabriel stuff. But I absolutely loved Trick of the Tail and Wind & Wuthering. It wasn't until I played Seconds Out to death that I dared explore the pre-Phil stuff, and discovered the magic therein.

[dpt3]

I like CAS a lot as well. It's not a perfect album, but it's got a definite mood to it that I enjoy from time to time.

[JJ88]

CAS is their weakest album without a doubt IMHO. Just too many things went wrong.

[klothos]

im glad i started this thread -- its turned into a confessional of sorts and removes the taboo....i share so many opinions on here and its turned into a great read...thanks guys

[JKL2000]

I'm pretty stunned that there are people who like 80s Genesis but don't like Gabriel-era Genesis. I can't help but think of it as someone liking hamburgers but not liking a good steak. Just sayin'. I guess it's elitist, and I don't say it to knock 80s Genesis. I like a lot of 80s Genesis. Maybe a better example is that to me it's like liking post-Roger Waters Floyd, but not liking Wish You Were Here, Meddle, etc. But I'm sure there are those people to.

I guess it has to do with when you get into a band, however I got into Genesis in 1981 but Foxtrot is my favorite Genesis album.

[Digital_Man]

Many of us worked our way backwards sooner or later. If we didn't we might not have explored prog enough to eventually even be on here.

Anyway, I think some people not liking PG era Genesis probably has something to do with them just not liking PG's voice. I think a lot of people don't like Yes mainly because of Jon's voice and the same thing with RUSH and VDGG.

[Facelift]

here is an interesting apologist opinion on IT – i do have to say that some of it makes perfect sense:

Nobody could ever accuse him of not looking like a prog fan.

[interbellum]

Yeah, I get that reaction quite a lot from others.

It's the case of "I like the cover version better than the original"

Even though I was a fan of Kevin Gilbert, I turned down the invite to attend his Lamb performance at Progfest. I don't regret that decision. Through the years I could barely listen to the recording from that night and basically filed it away.

Fast forward to 2014… as I was going through Kevin's archived work, I listened to the Lamb performance and felt that was great for his fans to have. So, in working on that release, I warmed up to it a bit. It also helped to listen to the bloody recording a few dozen times while I was producing the artwork for the packaging. I think what I like about it is Kevin's voice and the recording being just over an hour long, as opposed to how Genesis released their original version.

I have heard Genesis' version and I have also seen live moments of The Musical Box's recreation of The Lamb, but it still falls very flat and unappealing to me.

I enjoy Genesis' "The Carpet Crawlers 1999" over the original, also.

Thanks for your view on this.
Mentioning The Musical Box reminds me of my own view: I think they did a good job, but for me Gilbert WAS Rael, while the MB-singer played him.
I played The Lamb last week since a long time again. The 5.1 mix makes it an adventure that keeps puzzling me in a pleasant way, although I agree it's a bit too long.

[Facelift]

I've actually been going through that guy's Youtube reviews and he's quickly become a favorite.

Love his reviews. Doesn't even matter if I happen agree - they're fun, informed, self-effacing and he appears to be totally honest. I'm entertained.

And if you watch them in reverse order, you can observe his hair slowly re-growing.

[JKL2000]

How did I know exactly who you were talking about before I even opened the thread?

Lemme guess: it's like 10 minutes long?

[JKL2000]

Oh yeah, I strongly dislike that guy too. He thinks prog can only be stuff from 69-77 and it absolutely has to be English. He must be the biggest prog snob on youtube.

Anyway, I've always felt that Genesis in the 80's and beyond were just throwing a bone to the older fans by including some proggish and some prog tracks on those later albums. I actually enjoy all of Genesis albums to one degree or another but it always seemed to me that their including prog stuff in the later years was a bit calculated in order not to lose too many fans. How else could you explain "Domino(both parts) or "The Brazilian" appearing on the same album as "in too deep" or "throwing it all away" or the title track to Abacab or Dodo appearing along side "No reply at all" etc. I don't dislike the pop stuff. It's fun music but I think it's safe to say it's a far cry from the PG days. One good thing about the pop stuff is that it exposed them to a larger audience that might not have discovered the earlier stuff and thus prog if it weren't for that bigger exposure.

If I was going to devote time to making selfies of me reviewing albums (which I'm not), I wouldn't be reviewing things I didn't like.

As the Church Lady would say to him, "We like ourselves, don't we?"