Search - Genesis :: Genesis Archive, Vol. 1: 1967-1975

I am in heaven

Guy Campeau | Stoneham, Québec Canada | 02/19/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This 4 cd pack give us "The lamb lies down on Broadway" Live with a impressive sound quality. I prefer this version than the original.

The third cd contains real classic in Live version like "Dancing with the Moonlit Knight", "Firth of Fifth" and "Supper's Ready" and some others plus other studio cuts.

The fourth cd is for die hard fan, and contains early demos in the 1966-1970 period. Again, "The lamb.." is simply amazing."

Genesis gives the fans a box set FIT FOR A KING!

Terrence J. Reardon | Lake Worth (a west Palm Beach suburb), FL | 04/13/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Genesis released its first box set called Genesis Archive 1967-75 in June of 1998.

This four CD box focused on the band's Peter Gabriel led era. Also, this set is not your average box set of famous songs interspersed with a few unreleased nuggets. Genesis decided to give their fans a 4-CD set which had nothing but previously unreleased material.

Discs one and two contains a priceless live recording of the band performing their 1974 double album The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway in January 1975 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. It's a superb performance of this Genesis classic. Admittedly, this concert recording has been doctored somewhat but am not complaining. Lead singer Peter Gabriel had to re-do all of his vocals as the microphone would not come out on certain tracks so some of the songs features a 45 year old Gabriel singing on many of the tracks (his voice got better as he got older IMHO) and guitarist Steve Hackett re-recorded some of his guitar parts as he had a hand injury during these original shows. Lastly, the final track called "It" was remixed with a new vocal track from Gabriel because the original concert tape ran out during the final song. Standouts in the first two discs include The Lamb's title track, "In the Cage", "Back in NYC", "The Chamber of 32 Doors", "The Waiting Room", "The Lamia", "In the Colony of Slippermen", "In the Rapids" and "It". The other tracks were superior to the studio counterpart and proved Genesis were not just a band to witness live but hear live as well.

Disc 3 continues with more unreleased live tracks, this time recorded at The Rainbow Theater in London in October of 1973. These tracks include "Dancing With the Moonlit Knight", including the highly sought-after live version of the band's 25-minute opus "Supper's Ready" with Gabriel on vocals. Plus, a recording of "Stagnation" recorded on the BBC in 1971 with the Tony Banks on keyboards/Phil Collins on drums and occasional lead vocals/Peter Gabriel on vocals/Steve Hackett on guitar/Mike Rutherford on bass and 12-string guitar lineup. Then we're treated to some great rare A and B sides, including the rare single "Happy the Man" (since released on the 2007 Turn it On Again 2-CD set) and a different version of "Watcher Of The Skies" (a totally different recording from the longer album version), and lastly the thrilling "Twilight Alehouse" which was left off of Nursery Cryme.

Finally, Disc 4 is consisted of the band's earliest recordings from 1967 to 1970 when original guitarist Anthony Phillips was with the band. Recordings include vintage BBC material and previously unreleased songs plus different versions of tracks that appeared on the band's 1969 debut From Genesis to Revelation (including rough mixes of In the Wilderness. These are fabulous songs, all of them. Standouts include the BBC version of the Trespass track "Dusk", the previously unheard "Shepherd" (featuring a rare co-lead vocal from keyboard player Tony Banks), "Hey!" and "Try A Little Sadness"

Genesis Archives Vol. 1 1967-75 is a MUST-OWN collection for anyone who digs early Genesis with Peter Gabriel as leader and those who are die-hard Genesis fans.

RECOMMENDED!"

Fine compilation of material from the "progressive" Peter Ga

Jeffrey J.Park | Massachusetts, USA | 05/09/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Released in 1998, this wonderful box set brings together a live performance of The Lamb Lies down on Broadway recorded at the Shrine Auditorium (Jan 24, 1975) with live performances of material from Selling England by the Pound (1973), Foxtrot (1972) and Trespass (1970), various singles, outtakes, early material dating back to 1967 and other rarities. This box set came out at a time when I had not purchased a new Genesis release in well over 15 years, so having all of this great material in one place was quite a thrill.



I was pleased with the electrifying live performance of the Lamb, in spite of Peter's overdubs (which are noticeable at points; particularly on the re-recorded closing track It). One other distinctive feature of the Lamb was Steve's guitar parts, some of which he dubbed in as part of this reissue - they are clear as a bell and passionate. One of the real treats however, was the single edit of Watcher of the Skies. It was new to me and has a very psychedelic sound to it - it is very, very different from the original (from Foxtrot). Although I enjoyed the song selection, I was disappointed that The Silver Song did not make it onto the compilation (Anthony Phillips did release it on his 2008 reissue of The Geese and the Ghost however). While of historical interest to me as a fan of early Genesis, I can't imagine that most folks will like the very early material; most of which was written while the guys were 16 or 17. I do however, find it very charming and Peter's voice was distinctive even at that early stage.



The sound quality of the live material is fantastic. The packaging of the box set is nice and although the 80 page booklet is loaded with informational tidbits and photos, (based on what I have read elsewhere) it is a little frail and does not stand up too well to repeated handling - the pages apparently separate from the spine. My understanding is that Atlantic has corrected this problem, although I avoided the issue entirely by handling the booklet with great care and not cracking the booklet spine.



All in all, this is a fine compilation of material from the "progressive" Peter Gabriel years and would make a welcome addition to the prog rock/Genesis collection."