brainee

I highly doubt Collins had to "drag" anybody to lead Genesis in a pop direction in the 80s. I don't get the attitude of some fans that vilify a musician because they want to take their music in a different direction as they get older. Musical interests change over time. It happens to listeners, and you have to believe it happens to musicians as well. Besides, by the late 70s prog-rock seemed to have played itself out. And by the 80s, Genesis was far from the only big name in the sub-genre to change their styles. Yes, Moody Blues, members of ELP and King Crimson, Rush, and even Peter Gabriel went heavily in a pop direction. I'm sure we'll get into this later in the thread, but it wasn't like after the success of "Face Value" that Genesis flipped a switch and went pop. It had been building for a while with their last few releases. And looking at the progression of Peter Gabriel's solo career, I think it would've happened even if he stayed in the group.

And that's probably the extent of my agreement with Lemmy Since I find a lot to like throughout Genesis' career. Yeah, Phil Collins made some god-awful drippy love ballads. But he also crafted some excellent pop songs. And he always came across as a decent human person to me, and it's sad to hear he's having serious physical and psychological problems. Hopefully Rolling Stone is just playing up things to sell more magazines.

Chew

I thought it was standard practice for current and former Genesis members to take a decade or more to release new solo material?

cungar

Problem is they don't have many decades left

Hokeyboy

I gave Nursery Cryme a first-time listen last night. I enjoyed what I heard but it will take a few more listens to really get a feel for it.

Alvis

For Nursery Cryme, I will give my track by track impressions, or at least try.

The Musical Box is fantastic. The guitar and keyboards are outstanding. Gabriel's singing is passable, although I'm not really a fan of his voice during this time period.

While the entire song stands out, I particularly enjoy the the last three minutes where Steve Hackett really energizes the song with his guitar work.

For Absent Friends is Phil Collins' first lead vocal on a Genesis song. The song is pleasant enough, but short and ultimately forgettable.

The Return of the Giant Hogweed doesn't really capture my interest. Although I am sure that it is well-played, the lyrics are just out there. I've listened to it a few times and now and so far it hasn't grown on me. However, I am willing to give it another change when I listen to version on Genesis Live (1973).

Seven Stones is another song that doesn't really grab my attention when I listen to it.

Harold the Barrell is certainly an interesting title for a song, and the lyrics are quite unusual. In the end, it's not really something I would choose to listen to over and over.

Harlequin reminds very much of early Yes.

The Fountain of Salmacis has its moments, especially Steve Hackett's guitar playing. But in the end, it doesn't do much for me. However, I am hopeful that I will like the live version on Seconds Out.

I had hoped to like this album more than I do. However, the last couple of weeks are the first time I have ever listened to it, so I may need to give it time to grow on me. I like the Musical Box very much, but nothing else really sticks with me. I'll give it another chance in the future.

cungar

It's not on Seconds Out. It's on Three Sides Live.

Alvis

My bad.

kd5

My initiation to Genesis was via Nursery Cryme & Foxtrot, but mostly from the Live album ('73) which showcased songs from both. LOVED the songs from these 2 albums LIVE. I realize we haven't made it that far yet so I'll shut up about it, hope you'll be impressed with the progress being made. -kd5-

Falc04

Actually, I had no problem with finding a domestic release of The Lamb (probably later then you purchased it in England). What always bother me with it, was the poor transfer used (a ton of tape hiss throughout the recording). I remember purchasing it a few times, always trying to find an improved transfer. It wasn't until the 'Definite Edition Remaster' release, that we finally had a good transfer of the original recording.

Alvis

Foxtrot



Released October 6, 1972

1. Watcher of the Skies
2. Time Table
3. Get 'Em Out by Friday
4. Can-Utility and the Coastliners
5. Horizons
6. 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 (Co-Starring the Delicious Talents of Gabble Ratchet)
* VII. As Sure As Eggs Is Eggs (Aching Men's Feet)

Personnel

Peter Gabriel – lead vocals, flute, oboe, percussion.
Steve Hackett – electric and acoustic guitars.
Tony Banks – organ, acoustic and electric pianos, mellotron, acoustic guitar, backing vocals.
Mike Rutherford – bass guitar, bass pedals, cello, acoustic guitar, backing vocals.
Phil Collins – drums, percussion, backing vocals.

Production

Produced by David Hitchcock
Engineered by John Burns & Richard MacPhail
Artwork by Paul Whitehead.

The album was recorded and released in 1972 as the band's career quickly gained momentum. Foxtrot was also Genesis' first album to enter the UK Top 20, reaching #12 and paving the way for a long and successful chart career for the band. Still, it failed to reach the US charts, as their contemporaries, Yes, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Jethro Tull and Pink Floyd were more popular at the time. It was not the first Genesis album to chart worldwide: Trespass had reached #1 in Belgium in 1971, shortly followed by Nursery Cryme's #5 placing in Italy. Foxtrot also reached a notable #8 position in the Italian charts.

Both "Watcher of the Skies" and "Supper's Ready" rank among some of the band's most popular works, and became live favourites. "Watcher of the Skies" and "Get 'Em Out by Friday" appeared on 1973's Genesis Live, while the 23-minute-long "Supper's Ready" was omitted due to space considerations. Live versions of that track did appear on 1977's Seconds Out (with Phil Collins on vocals), as well as the 1998 box set Genesis Archive 1967-75.

The title of the album may be a nod to the Mellotron Mark II used by Banks at the time, which included foxtrot as one of the preset rhythms in its tapeset. The 'fox on the rocks' (a phrase itself reminiscent of the works of Dr. Seuss) is mentioned in the lyrics of the "Willow Farm" section of "Supper's Ready", and is featured in the album artwork. This figure in a red dress with a fox's head became one of Gabriel's earliest stage costumes.

Book-ended by "Watcher of the Skies" and the 23-minute "Supper's Ready", Foxtrot's sound shares much with Nursery Cryme while demonstrating a marked improvement in terms of songwriting, musicianship, and overall production. Rutherford made more prominent use of his bass pedals, for example adding great slabs of bass to the middle section of "Can-Utility and the Coastliners", and using them all over "Supper's Ready". Banks' mellotron introduction to "Watcher of the Skies" is one of the most celebrated uses of the instrument in rock music - so much so that the manufacturers of the mellotron, Streetly Electronics, now supply the "Watcher Mix" sound as a mellotron tape set.

"Can-Utility and the Coastliners" is based on the legend of King Canute, who supposedly ordered the seas to retreat to mock the sycophancy of his followers. An early, longer version of the song found its way into pre-album live sets; known as "Bye Bye Johnny", it featured an extended instrumental section in which the haunting Mellotron string sound dominated. However this particular version never made it to the recording stage.

"Horizons" starts with the central idea of the prelude from Bach's first cello suite and then develops its own piece, baroque style. The song accomplishes the function of a prelude.

cdollaz

Foxtrot, along with Lamb, are my favorite Gabriel-era releases.

The Antipodean

Foxtrot is the first time I got into "classic" Genesis and early Peter Gabriel. An absolute favorite of mine no matter how much my wife mocks me when I put it on. "Supper's Ready" is just a stunning suite I'd like to play for anyone who says prog rock was always lame.

cungar

Supper's Ready is about the only 22 minute piece of music I can listen to all the way through. The opening line "Walking across the sitting room, I turn the television off. Sitting beside you I look into your eyes" always gives me the chills. I love the Willow Farm part for its charming English humor and Apocolypse in 9/8 is probably one of the best thing the band ever did.

I actually saw the band do Supper's Ready with Phil Collins singing at the LA Forum in 1982 and it was one of the my most unforgettable concert moments ever. I also love Watcher of the Skies and Time Tables but to me Supper's Ready is the core of this album.

Supermallet

This is the band's first masterpiece. Right from the opening, you can tell that the band has gained a confidence they lacked before. Also, their production, for the first time, is crystal clear and rock solid. Not a single note out of place as the band runs through a stunning set of tunes. "Watcher of the Skies" and "Supper's Ready" tend to get the most exposure, but there's not a bad song on the album. "Time Table" is evocative, "Get 'Em Out By Friday" by turns sad and hilarious, and "Can-Utility And The Coastliners" is downright thrilling (no matter what a certain sourpuss member of the forum might say about Gabriel-era Genesis being boring).

Of course, "Supper's Ready" is phenomenal, an epic track that ebbs and flows. Essentially made up of smaller songs stitched together, the cumulative effect is awesome, and by the time the song ends, you feel as if you've been changed by it. A classic track that is in many ways the pinnacle of the band's work.

I cannot recommend this album enough. Sheer brilliance through and through.

cungar

I'm pretty sure all the early Genesis releases sounded like murky, sludgy messes until they were remastered in the 90's and 00's. I remember listening to these albums and they sounded like I was lsitening under water. I purchased the '70-'75 boxed set and the DVD-Audio and CD mixes are fantastic. Like they were recorded recently.

Supermallet

I'll have to pull out my original issue copy of Foxtrot on vinyl and see how it sounds.

cungar

The one with the Famous Charisma label?

Supermallet

Yes sir. I have original issue releases of Nursery Cryme through The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (excluding Genesis Live).

brainee

Do any of you Genesis aficionado's have a link to a definitive Gabriel-era live performance of "Supper's Ready"? Reading the wiki link for the song, their stage performance sounds fantastic. But so far, browsing about on youtube has given me muddled results. There are lots of hits - but some are edited, one is a tv show with lots of dated video effects, and another inexplicably dubs the studio track over the live audio.

I agree that this is easily their best album yet. No weak tracks, and the side 2 epic is not just one of the best things Genesis has ever done but one of the greatest prog-rock songs period. Despite the bizarre lyrics, "Supper's Ready" has real emotional power. The ending, where the "Lover's Leap" chorus returns at the end of "Apocalypse" leading to the big finale, never fails to choke me up a little.

cungar

Don't know if this is definitive but it's pretty darn great

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Alvis

I really can't add anything that Suprmallet hasn't covered in his review. This is a great album. I feel like I pick up something new each time I listen to Supper's Ready.

Falc04

I also caught them on that tour, at Forest Hills on Long Island. Great show, which of course was hightlighted by the band performing Supper's Ready. Certainly one of the top 10 concerts I have ever seen.

cungar

I remember the girl I was with thinking I was a geek for knowing every word to a 22 minute song and the incedible Phil Collins/Chester Thompson drum duets. This was right before Phil stopped being cool.

Falc04

I was on break from college with a couple of buddies, and will never forget the chill I got when Phil started singing 'Walking across the sitting room'. I was a bit more of a Genesis fan then my buds, and I remember turning to them and yelling "they're going to play Supper's Ready!" Seeing as this was the ABACAB tour, it was totally an unexpected delight.

cungar

Yeah you're probably right. He was cool to prog rock nerds like myself.