Genesis Live
Encyclopedia
Genesis Live is the first live album released by rock group Genesis
in 1973. It was the band's first top 10 hit in the UK reaching No.9 and remaining on the charts for 10 weeks.
, to release Genesis Live as a budget-priced title to mark time while the band recorded Selling England by the Pound
in mid-1973. (Contractual obligations to Charisma's North American distributor, Buddah Records
, may also have been a factor, as Charisma would move its distribution to Atlantic Records
shortly before Selling Englands release.)
The tracks on the album were recorded at De Montfort Hall
, Leicester
, England, on except for "Return of the Giant Hogweed", which was recorded at the Free Trade Hall
in Manchester, England on the previous day, when the band was touring in support of Foxtrot
. These recordings were originally made by the US radio show King Biscuit Flower Hour
, although they were never broadcast.
A remastered version was released on CD in 1994 by Virgin
in Europe and Atlantic
in the U.S. and Canada.
A live recording of "Supper's Ready" from the Foxtrot tour was never officially released, but a recording of the song from the following year's tour was released on 1998's 4-CD boxed set, Genesis Archive 1967-75
. However, Gabriel re-recorded some of his vocals before allowing release.
A handful of early radio promotional double-LP test pressings by Philips
/ Phonogram Int. B.V.
(actually PolyGram
at the time) were created which included a 23-minute version of "Supper's Ready
" from the Leicester show. This pressing's running order was 1-3-5-"Supper's Ready"-2-6 and included between-song patter by Gabriel. Whether this test pressing was intended to be released as the actual album is unknown. In any event, "Supper's Ready" was not included, even though a photograph taken during a live performance of "Supper's Ready" (with Gabriel donning the "Magog" mask) was used for the front cover.
, Phil Collins
, Peter Gabriel
, Steve Hackett
and Mike Rutherford
, except as noted.
in the USA were distributed by Buddah Records
.
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
in 1973. It was the band's first top 10 hit in the UK reaching No.9 and remaining on the charts for 10 weeks.
History
Genesis were persuaded by their label, Charisma RecordsCharisma Records
Charisma was a record label founded by former journalist Tony Stratton-Smith in 1969. Manager for The Nice, the Bonzo Dog Band and Van der Graaf Generator at the time, Stratton-Smith was unable to find a record company willing to release an album by one of his favourite groups so he founded his own...
, to release Genesis Live as a budget-priced title to mark time while the band recorded Selling England by the Pound
Selling England by the Pound
- Sound and live performance :The piano introduction to "Firth of Fifth" has not been included in a performance since 1974, in a Drury Lane Theatre concert, when Banks misplayed and Collins covered by starting the song from after the intro...
in mid-1973. (Contractual obligations to Charisma's North American distributor, Buddah Records
Buddah Records
Buddah Records was founded in 1967 in New York City. The label was born out of Kama Sutra Records, an MGM Records-distributed label, which remained a key imprint following Buddah's founding...
, may also have been a factor, as Charisma would move its distribution to Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
shortly before Selling Englands release.)
The tracks on the album were recorded at De Montfort Hall
De Montfort Hall
De Montfort Hall is a music and performance venue in Leicester, England. It is situated adjacent to Victoria Park and is named after Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester.-History:...
, Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
, England, on except for "Return of the Giant Hogweed", which was recorded at the Free Trade Hall
Free Trade Hall
The Free Trade Hall, Peter Street, Manchester, was a public hall constructed in 1853–6 on St Peter's Fields, the site of the Peterloo Massacre and is now a hotel. The hall was built to commemorate the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846. The architect was Edward Walters The hall subsequently was...
in Manchester, England on the previous day, when the band was touring in support of Foxtrot
Foxtrot (album)
Foxtrot is the fourth studio album by English progressive rock band Genesis and the second from the band line-up which included Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford, Phil Collins, and Steve Hackett.-History:...
. These recordings were originally made by the US radio show King Biscuit Flower Hour
King Biscuit Flower Hour
The King Biscuit Flower Hour was a syndicated radio show presented by the D.I.R. Radio Network that featured concert performances by various rock artists.-History:...
, although they were never broadcast.
A remastered version was released on CD in 1994 by Virgin
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
in Europe and Atlantic
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
in the U.S. and Canada.
A live recording of "Supper's Ready" from the Foxtrot tour was never officially released, but a recording of the song from the following year's tour was released on 1998's 4-CD boxed set, Genesis Archive 1967-75
Genesis Archive 1967-75
Genesis Archive 1967–75 is a 1998 boxed set by progressive rock band Genesis.This set features live recordings and rarities from the band's classic years when Peter Gabriel was lead singer. The first two of the four discs consist of a previously unreleased live recording of The Lamb Lies Down on...
. However, Gabriel re-recorded some of his vocals before allowing release.
A handful of early radio promotional double-LP test pressings by Philips
Philips Records
Philips Records is a record label that was founded by Dutch electronics company Philips. It was started by "Philips Phonographische Industrie" in 1950. Recordings were made with popular artists of various nationalities and also with classical artists from Germany, France and Holland. Philips also...
/ Phonogram Int. B.V.
Phonogram Records
Phonogram Records was started in 1962 as a joint venture between Philips Records and Deutsche Grammophon. In 1972, Phonogram was merged with Polydor Records into PolyGram....
(actually PolyGram
PolyGram
PolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...
at the time) were created which included a 23-minute version of "Supper's Ready
Supper's Ready
"Supper's Ready" is a song by the band Genesis. A recorded version appeared on their 1972 album Foxtrot, and the band performed the song regularly on stage for several years following this...
" from the Leicester show. This pressing's running order was 1-3-5-"Supper's Ready"-2-6 and included between-song patter by Gabriel. Whether this test pressing was intended to be released as the actual album is unknown. In any event, "Supper's Ready" was not included, even though a photograph taken during a live performance of "Supper's Ready" (with Gabriel donning the "Magog" mask) was used for the front cover.
Track listing
All songs by Tony BanksTony Banks (musician)
This article is about the musician. For other people named Tony Banks, see Tony BanksAnthony George "Tony" Banks is a British composer, and multi-instrumentalist, who performs as a keyboardist and a guitarist...
, Phil Collins
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
, Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
, Steve Hackett
Steve Hackett
Stephen Richard Hackett is a British singer-songwriter and guitarist. He gained prominence as a member of the British progressive rock group Genesis, which he joined in 1970 and left in 1977 to pursue a solo career...
and Mike Rutherford
Mike Rutherford
Michael John Cleote Crawford Rutherford is an English musician. He is a founding member of Genesis, initially as a bassist and backup vocalist. In later incarnations of Genesis, he assumed the role of lead guitarist. He is one of only two constant members in Genesis . He also fronts Mike + The...
, except as noted.
Side one
- "Watcher of the SkiesWatcher of the SkiesWatcher of the Skies is the first track on Genesis' 1972 album Foxtrot. The title is borrowed from John Keats' 1817 poem "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer":Then felt I like some watcher of the skiesWhen a new planet swims into his ken;...
" – 8:34 - "Get 'Em Out by FridayGet 'Em Out by Friday"Get 'Em Out by Friday" is a rock epic on the 1972 album Foxtrot by British progressive rock band Genesis, lasting eight and a half minutes. It also appears on their 1973 live album.-Overview:...
" – 9:14 - "The Return of the Giant Hogweed" – 8:14
Side two
- "The Musical Box" – 10:56
- "The KnifeThe Knife (song)The Knife is a song by progressive rock band Genesis from their second album Trespass from 1970. It was performed live often in the band's early days and has appeared sporadically in the band's setlists all the way up through 1982...
(Banks, Gabriel, Phillips, Rutherford)" – 9:47
Personnel
- Peter GabrielPeter GabrielPeter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
– vocals, fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, tambourineTambourineThe tambourine or marine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zils". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though some variants may not have a head at all.... - Steve HackettSteve HackettStephen Richard Hackett is a British singer-songwriter and guitarist. He gained prominence as a member of the British progressive rock group Genesis, which he joined in 1970 and left in 1977 to pursue a solo career...
– lead guitar - Tony BanksTony Banks (musician)This article is about the musician. For other people named Tony Banks, see Tony BanksAnthony George "Tony" Banks is a British composer, and multi-instrumentalist, who performs as a keyboardist and a guitarist...
– Hammond organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, MellotronMellotronThe Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music...
, HohnerHohnerHohner Musikinstrumente GmbH & Co. KG is a company specialising in the manufacture of musical instruments. Founded in 1857 by Matthias Hohner , Hohner is identified especially with harmonicas and accordions. The Hohner company has invented and produced many different styles, and most of the...
pianetPianetthumb|Hohner Pianet TThe Pianet was a series of electric pianos built by the Hohner company of Trossingen, West Germany from the 1960s to the 1970s. The designer of the early Pianet models was Ernst Zacharias, basing the mechanism closely on a 1920s design by Lloyd Loar...
, 12-string guitar, backing vocals - Mike RutherfordMike RutherfordMichael John Cleote Crawford Rutherford is an English musician. He is a founding member of Genesis, initially as a bassist and backup vocalist. In later incarnations of Genesis, he assumed the role of lead guitarist. He is one of only two constant members in Genesis . He also fronts Mike + The...
– bass, bass pedalsBass pedalsBass pedals are an electronic musical instrument with foot-operated pedal keyboard with a range of one or more octaves. The earliest bass pedals from the 1970s consisted of a pedalboard and analog synthesizer tone generation circuitry packaged together as a unit...
, 12-string guitar, backing vocals - Phil CollinsPhil CollinsPhilip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
– drums, backing vocals
Release history
All releases of Genesis Live on Charisma RecordsCharisma Records
Charisma was a record label founded by former journalist Tony Stratton-Smith in 1969. Manager for The Nice, the Bonzo Dog Band and Van der Graaf Generator at the time, Stratton-Smith was unable to find a record company willing to release an album by one of his favourite groups so he founded his own...
in the USA were distributed by Buddah Records
Buddah Records
Buddah Records was founded in 1967 in New York City. The label was born out of Kama Sutra Records, an MGM Records-distributed label, which remained a key imprint following Buddah's founding...
.
U.S. LP releases
- CharismaCharisma RecordsCharisma was a record label founded by former journalist Tony Stratton-Smith in 1969. Manager for The Nice, the Bonzo Dog Band and Van der Graaf Generator at the time, Stratton-Smith was unable to find a record company willing to release an album by one of his favourite groups so he founded his own...
CAS-1666 (1973): 1st issue with large "Mad Hatter" label. - CharismaCharisma RecordsCharisma was a record label founded by former journalist Tony Stratton-Smith in 1969. Manager for The Nice, the Bonzo Dog Band and Van der Graaf Generator at the time, Stratton-Smith was unable to find a record company willing to release an album by one of his favourite groups so he founded his own...
CAS-1666 (1973): 2nd issue with "pink scroll" label. - CharismaCharisma RecordsCharisma was a record label founded by former journalist Tony Stratton-Smith in 1969. Manager for The Nice, the Bonzo Dog Band and Van der Graaf Generator at the time, Stratton-Smith was unable to find a record company willing to release an album by one of his favourite groups so he founded his own...
CAS-1666 (1974): 3rd issue with small "Mad Hatter" label. - AtlanticAtlantic RecordsAtlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
81855-1 (1982): Reissue.