retroblog.net

I recently came across an old boot of Genesis performing live at Madison Square Garden during their 1986 Invisible Touch Tour. Listening to the recording takes me back to senior year in high school when I saw them in early 1987 at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill. It was one of the first “big arena” -type shows that I had been to at the time and so I was really taken aback with the what I saw that night. It was a fabulous show and this boot of the New York City show is a nice representation of that particular tour. The recording seems to be taken from a cassette of the soundboard. At various instances there are some “wow and flutter” effects which indicates stretching of the audio tape due to use. But even with the sonic imperfections, it’s still a fantastic document of the full show. The NYC gig was fairly early in the tour so “Follow You Follow Me” was still on the setlist and “In the Cage” was played toward the end of the show which they changed once they got into larger stadiums in 1987.

I had to laugh a bit when I heard those old Simmons drum sounds during “Home By the Sea”. Those Simmons drum kits definitely sound *dated* now and I can’t believe they actually played with those old trigger pads on stage. Those Simmons pads were like hard plastic so they were pretty brutal on the hands and arms when played for long periods of time. That’s the mid-80′s for ya. And if you’ve seen the Genesis 1987 Wembley video footage of them, you get the additional chuckle of seeing Mike Rutherford and Daryl Steurmer in “Miami Vice” garb. heh.

retroGrade : B+

The recording is worth seeking out especially if you’re fond of 80′s-era Genesis material like I am.

Live NYC 09-30-1986
artist: Genesis
Date: September 30, 1986
Venue: MSG, NYC
Sound quality: soundboard recording (cassette quality)

the live band:
Tony Banks: Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Mike Rutherford: Guitars, Basses, Backing Vocals
Phil Collins: Acoustic & Electronic Drums, Vocals
Chester Thompson: Acoustic & Electronic Drums
Daryl Steurmer: Guitars, Basses, Backing Vocals

Tracklist:
CD 1
Mama (8:39)
Abacab (10:52)
Land Of Confusion (5:13)
That’s All (6:31)
Domino (12:41)
In Too Deep (5:42)
The Brazilian (5:38)
Follow You Follow Me (5:14)
Chester Thompson Intro (1:04)
Tonight Tonight Tonight (9:11)

CD 2
Audience Participation Time (4:28)
Home By The Sea (12:06)
Throwing It All Away (7:34)
Daryl Steurmer Intro (1:11)
In The Cage (8:00)
…In That Quiet Earth (3:58)
Supper’s Ready (8:28)
Invisible Touch (5:08)
Drum Duet (4:59)
Los Endos (6:48)
Turn It On Again (11:02)
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To celebrate Mother’s Day, I thought I’d share some mom-related favorites of mine in this edition of the retroblog mix tape. I hope you all have a wonderful Mother’s Day weekend!

that’s all right mama (elvis cover) by Paul McCartney
Well mama she done told me, papa done told me too
son that gal you foolin’ with she ain’t no good for you
but that’s all right, that’s all right
that’s all right now mama, anyway you do..

look mama (megamamamix) by Howard Jones
Don’t try to stick your rules on me
I wasn’t born as a carbon copy, I came out of you
But don’t think that you own me
I have my respect for you

mother, father by Journey
She sits alone, an empty stare
A mother’s face she wears
Where did she go wrong,
the fight is gone, Lord help this broken home

holy mother by Eric Clapton
Oh I need your help this time
Get me through this lonely night
Tell me please which way to turn to find myself again

mama (live) by Genesis
Now I can’t keep you mama
But I know you’re always there
You listen, you teach me mama and I know inside you care

make me mommy by Ben Folds
You go to your room!
You make me Mommy!
You go to your room!
You make me Mommy!
You go to your room!
You make me Mommy!
You go to your room!
You make me Mommy!

and as always, the files are hosted on mediafire.
please feel free to leave me some feedback.

enjoy!

the year 2007 could have been labeled the “year of the dinosaurs” in some ways since there were so many “reunited” bands out on the road which included Genesis. and as with most big reunion tours, a companion CD has been released – Live Over Europe 2007. the live recording is excellent with a clear pristine mix and great performances captured from various shows of their european leg of their world tour. the big downer for me personally is the fact that Phil Collins isn’t able to sing the songs in their original key so at times the songs sound a bit strange to me. Some listeners may not notice but for long time fans, it’s pretty obvious (and jarring). and when you’re used to a song performed in the original key, the songs that are modulated lower tend to sound “less exciting” and “less energetic”. just listen to “Land of Confusion” and “Tonight, Tonight Tonight” and pretty much anyone can tell the songs just don’t “snap, crackle and pop” like they did back in the eighties. and it has nothing to do with the perfomance but simply because their performing them in a different key. don’t get me wrong, seeing this legendary group live in concert is a totally different experience all together. but when you’re just listening to a live recording, the listener gets to really focus in on the songs, and for me, the key changes simply make me want to pull out the original recordings.

Throwing It All Away (live clip on youtube)

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