A Retro-Review: Genesis
In 1999, Genesis released the album "Turn It On Again" which was a greatest hits collection. To that point, there weren't any official greatest hits albums by Genesis. There were, of course, some collections that were out there. Two that come to mind are "Genesis:Rock Theatre" and "Turn it On Again" which was a 'best of' from 81-83 and was a German import. The first one focused on the Peter Gabriel era Genesis and the second focusing on the more 'pop' oriented Phil Collins era Genesis.
(I would note that the 1991 German import "Turn It On Again" did contain one of the better recordings of Phil Collins singing Firth of Fifth live which was also the B side to the single That's All.)
So in 1999, the first official greatest hits emerges.
But it doesn't seem like a real greatest hits for a band whose career began in 1968.
That has to do with the notable absence of Peter Gabriel era songs. There is only one on there - I Know What I Like. And the Ray Wilson era Genesis is represented by one song as well - Congo. As Ray Wilson only had one album with Genesis and Peter Gabriel was a founding member with six studio albums, it was certainly short shrift. The two non-Phil Collins songs seemed thrown in the mix as a nod to the pieces of the Genesis story that weren't quite as well remembered (not so, but it felt that way).
It could be that at that point, Genesis was also releasing two box set collections (Archives 1 and 2) that focused exclusively on Gabriel's era and the Collins era respectively, and the "Turn It On Again" album didn't have the need to include Gabriel or Wilson (it is hard to say that there was much of a Wilson era with him only being on one album. It shouldn't be ignored, though).
And in listening to the Genesis Archives volume 2, one finds the box set to be a bit...lacking. Granted, it is a fan's dream. One whole CD to B sides and unreleased tracks, one whole CD to live cuts that were not found on other live albums, and one CD that seemed to be something of a 'catch all' with live cuts, remixes, and studio B sides (as well as a long working cut of the song Mama). But the case itself seems to have a spot for a fourth disk, which could well have been "Turn It On Again." If that particular album had dropped the Gabriel and Wilson track, it would have fit right in with the larger Archive and would have rounded out the collection quite nicely.
But as only fans spring for box sets, the idea of releasing a smaller packaged greatest hits probably made more sense. Hence the two nods to Gabriel and Wilson, I would imagine.
The album itself is a good summary of the Collins era work with the obvious absence of any work done prior to 81. There is nothing from the early Collins era on this album at all, which is disappointing. Otherwise the choices are rather predictable. The short remixes of both Abacab and Tonight, Tonight, Tonight seem out of place, but only if you already knew the songs. If you had only heard them on the radio, you wouldn't notice that they had been cut down to more radio-play-friendly times.
I should point out that in 2007 when Genesis went on what is likely their last tour, they re-released "Turn It On Again" as a 'tour' edition 2-CD set. The first CD contains almost the same collection of songs as the original 1999 release, though in a different order and with the song Congo being dropped for Tell Me Why (a bit surprisingly) and adding Illegal Alien and No Reply at All. The second CD does dip back into the 70's and includes a few more Gabriel era songs, but not what one might call hits. It does also include some early Collins era recordings and a nod to the oft-overlooked "Spot the Pigeon" EP by including Inside and Out.
Sticking to the original 1999 recording: The recordings themselves are good, and it is always nice to have a go to album that contains a collection of hits (in pre-ipod days) to pop into the CD player as you go down the road.
There is, of course, one last song on the album that is worth the price of the entire CD.
The Carpet Crawlers is a song from the Gabriel epic "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway." Performed originally in 1974 on the studio album, it was performed live by all three of the Genesis front men (to hear Gabriel's live version, one either needs the Archive #1 or a bootleg copy of a Gabriel era Genesis concert. To hear Phil Collins version, one need only go to the "Second's Out" live album. To hear Ray Wilson, one has to buy the imported version of "Genesis Live in Poland"). The version encountered on "Turn It On Again" is profound. The music is restructured, there is a depth and richness to the tone and sound absent from the original. And Peter Gabriel returning to the front man post with Phil Collins on back up and percussion is astounding.
When that particular song ends, you feel as if you have been listening to a song from somewhere else. It almost doesn't fit. It is almost too good.
And that's where the real blessing and curse of The Carpet Crawlers 1999 comes in. In that one song you hear just how good Genesis was and is. The brilliance of the writing, the re-imagined music, and the powerful vocal dynamics are what every Genesis fan knows existed. The curse is hearing the track and knowing that this is what they could have gone on to become. They still had the musical magic to create something wonderful.
I find it interesting to reflect that in the last two tours (92 and 07), Genesis had some of the best visual shows one could hope from the band. Ironically, it is the visual that caused so many creative differences between Gabriel and the band. I can only imagine if they had been able to utilize the amazing technological sets they had in 92 and 07 with the songs and artistic vision of the Gabriel era band that a 1999 tour with the original lineup would have been out of this world.
But the closest we will come to hearing that alternate reality is the last track of the last collection of studio work by Genesis. What magic could have been? Well, we can only wonder. What we can do is enjoy the collection of what did take place.
Genesis "Turn It On Again: The Hits" is a great 'last' studio compilation. It is also a great introduction to the band and, I would certainly hope, the Gabriel and Wilson songs included would point the listener (if they aren't already fans) to the long and rich catalogue that is the band Genesis.
(I would note that the 1991 German import "Turn It On Again" did contain one of the better recordings of Phil Collins singing Firth of Fifth live which was also the B side to the single That's All.)
So in 1999, the first official greatest hits emerges.
But it doesn't seem like a real greatest hits for a band whose career began in 1968.
That has to do with the notable absence of Peter Gabriel era songs. There is only one on there - I Know What I Like. And the Ray Wilson era Genesis is represented by one song as well - Congo. As Ray Wilson only had one album with Genesis and Peter Gabriel was a founding member with six studio albums, it was certainly short shrift. The two non-Phil Collins songs seemed thrown in the mix as a nod to the pieces of the Genesis story that weren't quite as well remembered (not so, but it felt that way).
It could be that at that point, Genesis was also releasing two box set collections (Archives 1 and 2) that focused exclusively on Gabriel's era and the Collins era respectively, and the "Turn It On Again" album didn't have the need to include Gabriel or Wilson (it is hard to say that there was much of a Wilson era with him only being on one album. It shouldn't be ignored, though).
And in listening to the Genesis Archives volume 2, one finds the box set to be a bit...lacking. Granted, it is a fan's dream. One whole CD to B sides and unreleased tracks, one whole CD to live cuts that were not found on other live albums, and one CD that seemed to be something of a 'catch all' with live cuts, remixes, and studio B sides (as well as a long working cut of the song Mama). But the case itself seems to have a spot for a fourth disk, which could well have been "Turn It On Again." If that particular album had dropped the Gabriel and Wilson track, it would have fit right in with the larger Archive and would have rounded out the collection quite nicely.
But as only fans spring for box sets, the idea of releasing a smaller packaged greatest hits probably made more sense. Hence the two nods to Gabriel and Wilson, I would imagine.
The album itself is a good summary of the Collins era work with the obvious absence of any work done prior to 81. There is nothing from the early Collins era on this album at all, which is disappointing. Otherwise the choices are rather predictable. The short remixes of both Abacab and Tonight, Tonight, Tonight seem out of place, but only if you already knew the songs. If you had only heard them on the radio, you wouldn't notice that they had been cut down to more radio-play-friendly times.
I should point out that in 2007 when Genesis went on what is likely their last tour, they re-released "Turn It On Again" as a 'tour' edition 2-CD set. The first CD contains almost the same collection of songs as the original 1999 release, though in a different order and with the song Congo being dropped for Tell Me Why (a bit surprisingly) and adding Illegal Alien and No Reply at All. The second CD does dip back into the 70's and includes a few more Gabriel era songs, but not what one might call hits. It does also include some early Collins era recordings and a nod to the oft-overlooked "Spot the Pigeon" EP by including Inside and Out.
Sticking to the original 1999 recording: The recordings themselves are good, and it is always nice to have a go to album that contains a collection of hits (in pre-ipod days) to pop into the CD player as you go down the road.
There is, of course, one last song on the album that is worth the price of the entire CD.
The Carpet Crawlers is a song from the Gabriel epic "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway." Performed originally in 1974 on the studio album, it was performed live by all three of the Genesis front men (to hear Gabriel's live version, one either needs the Archive #1 or a bootleg copy of a Gabriel era Genesis concert. To hear Phil Collins version, one need only go to the "Second's Out" live album. To hear Ray Wilson, one has to buy the imported version of "Genesis Live in Poland"). The version encountered on "Turn It On Again" is profound. The music is restructured, there is a depth and richness to the tone and sound absent from the original. And Peter Gabriel returning to the front man post with Phil Collins on back up and percussion is astounding.
When that particular song ends, you feel as if you have been listening to a song from somewhere else. It almost doesn't fit. It is almost too good.
And that's where the real blessing and curse of The Carpet Crawlers 1999 comes in. In that one song you hear just how good Genesis was and is. The brilliance of the writing, the re-imagined music, and the powerful vocal dynamics are what every Genesis fan knows existed. The curse is hearing the track and knowing that this is what they could have gone on to become. They still had the musical magic to create something wonderful.
I find it interesting to reflect that in the last two tours (92 and 07), Genesis had some of the best visual shows one could hope from the band. Ironically, it is the visual that caused so many creative differences between Gabriel and the band. I can only imagine if they had been able to utilize the amazing technological sets they had in 92 and 07 with the songs and artistic vision of the Gabriel era band that a 1999 tour with the original lineup would have been out of this world.
But the closest we will come to hearing that alternate reality is the last track of the last collection of studio work by Genesis. What magic could have been? Well, we can only wonder. What we can do is enjoy the collection of what did take place.
Genesis "Turn It On Again: The Hits" is a great 'last' studio compilation. It is also a great introduction to the band and, I would certainly hope, the Gabriel and Wilson songs included would point the listener (if they aren't already fans) to the long and rich catalogue that is the band Genesis.
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