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Watcher Of The Skies (Genesis Tribute)

​A classic song  that featured on the bands album Foxtrot originally in 1972 and also featured on their 1973 Genesis Live album. On both occasions they featured as the 1st track on the album, we thought it would be appropriate to kick off with this one first ourselves.

 

Released on 28th January 2013

Words & Music By - Genesis.

Lee Lucas - Vocals & Artwork.


Graham Lavallin - Alesis Fusion synth & AMG vst for mellotrons; Arturia and EWQL vst synths, instruments & percussion plus Strat guitar thro' the Apogee Gio pedal interface to access the onboard GarageBand amps and FX pedals. Built around a midi drum file.

The single track available as a Free Digital Download only from Bandcamp.

To get your copy click on the Bandcamp Icon.

The Genesis Tribute Project

By Lee Lucas & Graham Lavallin

A collaborative project by Lee and Graham who are avid fans of early Genesis and Prog Rock music. All the songs are entirely free to download from Bandcamp and we would only expect them to be, as these are only our tribute version of the songs, and far from the real thing to which no one could never better on that score.

The Carpet Crawlers (Genesis Tribute)

​A classic song  that featured on the bands concept album Lamb Lies Down On Broadway in 1974. We decided to go more down the road of the 1999 version by omitting the last verse of the song.

 

Released on 13th February 2013

Words & Music By - Genesis.

Lee Lucas - Vocals (Lots of them) & Artwork

Graham Lavallin - Alesis Fusion synth & AMG vst for the Trons; Strat plus Boss ME-70 FX pedals & Apogee Gio pedal interface for guitars; EWQL vsts for all remaining instruments and percussion: EWQL 'Voices OF Passion' and background vocals.

The single track available as a Free Digital Download only from Bandcamp.

To get your copy click on the Bandcamp Icon.

Get Em Out By Friday (Genesis Tribute)

​Another classic from the 1972 album Foxtrot and also appeared on the 1973 Genesis Live album. One of my firm favourites of classic early Genesis songs this one and a must for the project.

 

Released on 15th March 2013

Words & Music By - Genesis.​

 

Lee Lucas - All Vocals & Artwork.​​

 

Graham Lavallin - Guitars plus an arrangement of a midi sequence authored by Simon Goodwin. Instrumentation: Fender Strat guitar through Apogee Gio pedal interface for onboard amps and FX pedals in GarageBand. Ovation Celebrity electro-acoustic guitar through Roland Sonic Cell interface and custom acoustic guitar patch. EWQL vst '72 Rickenbacker bass, drums and percussion, solo flute. AMG vst Hammond Rock Organ.

The single track available as a Free Digital Download only from Bandcamp.

To get your copy click on the Bandcamp Icon.

                  Genesis were one of the finest Prog Rock bands of the early 70's it's this early period of

the band knowingly the Peter Gabriel years we intend to cover in our tribute to them, and we intend to cover as many songs from the albums Trespass/Nursery Cryme/Foxtrot/Selling England By The Pound and Lamb Lies Down On Broadway.

This is one project I am dead pleased to be taking part in along with Graham taking care of the music side of things, and myself on the vocals. It's a pretty hard task to do for us both to try and get anywhere near the brilliance of the real thing, but we are both enjoying this project, and their songs are very much in our blood.

The Famous Charisma Label was the home of the famous bands records. Were not famous and never will be. We are just having a bit of fun in our old age, and putting a bit of youth back into our life.

Seven Stones (Genesis Tribute)

​The first release of many of the songs we intend to do from the bands 1971 classic album Nursery Cryme. Seven Stones is perhaps not considered as classic song from this album, but it's very much a great ballad of a song I love for the tones in Peter Gabriel's voice. Though I must confess I had no chance of emulating them on this one, and lost a lot of it's sweetness by giving it a more hard edge approach with my own vocal on this one.

 

Released on 3rd April 2013

Words & Music By - Genesis.​​

 

Lee Lucas - Vocals and Backing Vocals.​ Artwork.

 

Graham Lavallin - Guitars; backing vocals; arrangement around a midi sequence believed to be authored by Michael Vanni. 

The single track available as a Free Digital Download only from Bandcamp.

To get your copy click on the Bandcamp Icon.

Lee & Graham @ work.

The Knife (Genesis Tribute)

​Originally from the bands 2nd album Trespass released in 1970. It also appeared on the 1973 Live album and was used many times as on encore for the bands earlier shows. For our version we tend to take the live version being slightly faster, and give it our own more aggressive approach.​

 

Released on 21st April 2013

 

Words & Music By - Genesis.​​

 

Lee Lucas - All Vocals & Artwork..​

 

Graham Lavallin - Guitars and arrangement based around a midi sequence authored by Simon Goodwin. Fender Strat through Apogee Gio pedal board interface to access the onboard GarageBand amps and FX pedals for all electric guitars. Ovation Celebrity electro-acoustic through Roland Sonic Cell interface & custom guitar patches for acoustic guitars. AMG Hammond Rock Organ vst EWQL '72 Rickenbacker Bass; Drum kits and percussion; flute vsts
Arturia Moog Modular Taurus Pedals.

The single track available as a Free Digital Download only from Bandcamp.

To get your copy click on the Bandcamp Icon.

The Musical Box (Genesis Tribute)

​Originally from the bands 3rd album Nursery Cryme released in 1971. It also appeared on the 1973 Live album and this classic was played at many of their shows. It's very much my fave of songs from Nursery Cryme though the album is very much a solid album and I love them all in reality. Our approach here is perhaps more based on the studio album version.​

 

Released on 28th April 2013

 

Words & Music By - Genesis.​​

 

Lee Lucas - All Vocals & Artwork.​

 

Graham Lavallin - Guitars and arrangement based around a midi sequence authored by Simon Goodwin. Fender Strat guitar through Apogee Gio pedal board interface to access the onboard GarageBand amps & FX pedals for all electric guitars.Ovation Celebrity electro-acoustic guitar through Roland Sonic Cell interface and custom acoustic guitar patches for all acoustic guitars.AMG Hammond Rock Organ; Mellotron Choir vsts.EWQL '72 Rickenbacker bass, slapped electric bass, drum kits and percussion, mixed choirs and V.O.P. backing vocal layers vsts.Arturia Moog Modular Taurus Pedal vst.

The single track available as a Free Digital Download only from Bandcamp.

To get your copy click on the Bandcamp Icon.

I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe) (Genesis Tribute)

​A popular early Genesis song that was that popular they even charted a single. The rather bizarre lyrics tell a cynical story of a grounds man who seems to be having a grand time whilst mowing the grass.

 

Released on 18th June 2013

..​

Words & Music By - Genesis.​​

 

Lee Lucas ~ Lead & Backgound vocals - Spoken Word & Inspired Ideas. Artwork.


Graham Lavallin ~ Background Vocals - Spoken Word - Guitar and arrangement based around a midi sequence authored by Jim Kleban..​

Instrumentation: Fender Strat through an Apogee Gio pedal interface to access the onboard amps and FX pedals in GarageBand for guitar. AMG Hammond Rock Organ.AMG Arp Solina Strings. Roland Jupiter 50 Strings. Boldt Sitars; Oboes and Bassoons. EWQL '72 Rickenbacker Bass; Steinway Piano; Flute & Woodwinds; Drums and Percussions (lots of 'em); Voices Of Passion vocal layers. Atmospheres and FX.

The single track available as a Free Digital Download only from Bandcamp.

To get your copy click on the Bandcamp Icon.

Fly On A Windshield/Broadway Melody 74 (Genesis Tribute)

​Our tribute to the the classic early Genesis years with a song originally found on the bands 1974 concept album "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" This is our 8th release in the project and the 2nd song we have covered so far from this classic album.

 

Released on 2nd July 2013

 

Words & Music By - Genesis.

​​

Lee Lucas ~ Vocals. Artwork


Graham Lavallin ~Guitars and arrangement based around a midi sequence authored by Ebert Zwart.

Instrumentation: Fender Strat guitar through Apogee Gio pedal board interface to access the onboard GarageBand amps and FX pedals for all electric guitars.Ovation Celebrity electro-acoustic guitar through Roland Sonic Cell interface and custom acoustic guitar patches for acoustic guitar.AMG Hammond Rock Organ; Mellotron strings.EWQL Fender 5 string bass; Harpsichord; Drums and percussion; V.O.P. layered background vocals/choir.Arturia Moog Modular Taurus Pedals.

The single track available as a Free Digital Download only from Bandcamp.

To get your copy click on the Bandcamp Icon.

Visions Of Angels (Genesis Tribute)

​Our second trip to the bands 1970 album Trespass with a classic melancholy ballad of a song that's always been a fave of mine more so than the hard hitting Knife to which we have previously released in this project...

 

Released on 10th July 2013

 

Words & Music By - Genesis.​​

 

Lee Lucas - Vocals - Harmonies - Artwork.

 

Graham Lavallin -Backing Vocals & Harmonies -  Fender Strat through Apogee Gio pedal interface to access the onboard GarageBand amps & FX pedals for all electric guitars. Ovation Celebrity electro-acoustic through Roland Sonic Cell interface & custom acoustic guitar patches for acoustic guitars. AMG Hammond Rock Organ; AMG mellotron strings vsts. EWQL Grand Stage Piano; Fender 5 string bass; Drum kits and percussions; V.O.P. backing vocal layers; solo flute vsts.

 

The single track available as a Free Digital Download only from Bandcamp.

To get your copy click on the Bandcamp Icon.

Cinema Show/Aisle Of Plenty (Genesis Tribute)

​Our second trip to the bands classic 1973 album Selling England By The Pound and our 10th release in The Genesis Project series

 

Released on 12th December 2013.

 

Words & Music By - Genesis.​​

 

Lee Lucas - Vocals - Harmonies - Artwork.

 

Graham Lavallin -Backing Vocals & Harmonies -  Fender Strat through Apogee Gio pedal board interface to access the GarageBand amps & FX pedals for all electric guitars. Ovation Celebrity electro-acoustic guitar through Roland Sonic Cell interface and custom acoustic guitar patches for acoustic guitars. EWQL drums and percussion, Fender 5 string bass, Solo flute, Bassoon, 'Voices Of Passion' layered vocals. Roland Jupiter synth leads. Arturia Moog Modular Taurus Pedals AMG mellotron strings and choir AMG Hammond rock organ

 

The single track available as a Free Digital Download only from Bandcamp.

To get your copy click on the Bandcamp Icon.

Graham's Studio Set Up

The meeting of the two took place on the 3rd of August 2013 at Graham's house in Cambridge. Lee had a great day at Graham's on his way to the Cambridge Rock Festival. The photo was taken on Lee's phone by his brother Martin a.k.a. The Celturian who also had a great time at the event.

 

Graham is not just a great musician but also an extremely great host and well kind and friendly gentleman who made us both feel completely welcome and at home. We had some fun too playing with his instruments and it was a great occasion to be able to meet up with each other.

The Meeting 

Harold The Barrel (Genesis Tribute)

​Our 11th release in the series is a song that very much tells the story of a man on the edge and on a ledge. Harold The Barrel was without doubt one of the bands great little songs and this is our 3rd visit to the bands classic 1971 album Nursery Cryme.

 

Released on 5th February 2014

 

Words & Music By - Genesis.​​

 

Lee Lucas - Vocals - Backing Vocals - Artwork.

 

Graham Lavallin - Fender Strat through Apogee Gio pedal board interface to access the GarageBand amps & FX pedals for all electric guitars.EWQL Drums and percussion; fretless bass; solo flute; pianos and vocal layers.Roland Jupiter 50 synth.

 

The single track available as a Free Digital Download only from Bandcamp.

To get your copy click on the Bandcamp Icon.

The Light Dies Down On Broadway (Genesis Tribute)

​Originally from the bands 1974 Classic Concept Story Album The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway. This is the 12th release in the Genesis Tribute by Lee & Graham and their 3rd visit to this classic album.

 

Released on 21st February 2014

 

Words & Music By - Genesis.

​​

Lee Lucas - Vocals & Artwork.

 

Graham Lavallin - Guitars and arrangement based around a midi sequence authored by Ebert Zwart. Instrumentation: Fender Strat guitar through Apogee Gio pedal board interface to access the onboard GarageBand amps & FX pedals for all electric guitars. AMG Hammond Rock Organ, EWQL '72 Rickenbacker bass; drums & percussion; VOP layered background vocals/choir; solo flute; orchestra celeste.

 

The single track available as a Free Digital Download only from Bandcamp.

To get your copy click on the Bandcamp Icon.

The band Genesis formed in 1967, though at that time they did not have the name or a name at all. It's line up back in those days consisted of Peter Gabriel (Vocals) Tony Banks (Keyboards) Anthony Phillips (Guitar) Mike Rutherford (Bass & Guitar) and Chris Stewart (Drums) The guys were all very much still at school in those days and it was originally formed by Tony Banks & Peter Gabriel who were the best of school friends at Charterhouse School.

 

Though the band was very inexperienced around the time, by the following year in 1968 they had put together a bunch of songs In the same year an old pupil of the school namely Jonathon King who had already had a hit record with "Everyone's Gone To The Moon" and was a producer himself, attended the school for a concert and whilst there was thrust a tape into his hands by a student of the band's songs, to which king himself listened too and decided to record them.

 

King had also gave the band their name of Genesis and in February 1968 he put out the bands first single on Decca Records entitled "The Silent Sun" though it never achieved any real status and hardly got heard, King himself thought it was very good and had a Bee Gees pop pastiche to it,  he had also done the string arrangements himself on the record. 

 

Though at this stage King had not lost faith with the bands material and with their collection of songs he decided to put them together in the order of a concept album to which he also entitled From Genesis To Revelation. It was during these recording sessions in August of the same year that Stewart was replaced by John Silver on Drums, and the band's debut album was put out on Decca Records in the following year in March 1969. Once again the album sold very little and it was at this stage King started to realise he may have made a big mistake with choice of name for both the band and the album, and it very much got thrown in the religious bin.

 

Personally myself I quite like the album and there are some really sweet tones in Peter Gabriel's voice on some of the tracks, though it was never in the same league as what was to follow and their change in musical direction, and the even the members of the band themselves wrote this one off.

 

The original vinyl album is very rare to get hold of, as not many copies were pressed and the biggest majority of them got thrown in the bin. I was well into Genesis by the late 70's and had all of their albums apart from that one, and in 1979 I came across a friend at work who had actually got it and I offered him £60 for it. He told me it was badly scratched and I asked him to bring it into work so I could see it for myself. He said I could have it for £20 but upon inspecting it myself I bypassed buying it as it would of ruined my £75 Stylus on my Turntable. I never did get to hear the album till it was later re-released on CD in the early 90's to which I brought.

Lee @ Work 

In The Beginning

A New Direction

A recording of me singing "The Light Dies Down On Broadway" on my phone. The recording is dry as it came off my phone, before putting it in Cubase to mix into the actual track.

Graham With His Prize Box Sets

Not so long after the release of the bands album From Genesis To Revelation in March 1969. The band's drummer John Silver quit after the albums disappointing sales and the band being left without a record label. In August in the same year the band recruited John Mayhew on drums and started to get around playing live gigs around in various towns and clubs.

 

It was during this period and the fact that the band was continuously writing new material to perform with, that they got noticed by Tony Stratton Smith the founder of Charisma Records and it's famous record label. Tony was very much a man who knew that the music scene was changing and was looking for some new talent.

 

By then Genesis were changing with the new material they was performing and it's style leaning much more towards a melancholy feel. Peter Gabriel had also taken up the flute to add to the repertoire. The band got signed up to Charisma Records and with their new contract went onto record their 2nd album Trespass.

 

Trespass was released October 1970 and the material upon it the band had already written and performed during the early 70's, thou most of the tracks had different titles around that time. Although the album was not an instant success especially in England it faired very well in other parts of Europe, such as Belgium and Italy in particular and under the new management of Tony Stratton Smith he very much focused sending the band out all over Europe to play bigger venues' to which was to deal the band with another blow.

 

Guitarist Anthony Phillips was very much considered the bands strongest musician at this point of the bands career, and the fear of success was starting to get to him, and he quickly developed stage fright and became very ill. That much that he decided to quit the band right after the recording sessions for the album Trespass and around the time of the album's release . It was also around this time that the band were writing even more material with Anthony such as "The Musical Box" and "The Fountain Of Salmacis" which would appear on the bands next album.

 

With Anthony now gone and the pressure from the record for another album the band was ready to call it a day and knock it on the head. But the main 3 original members Peter, Tony and Mike decided they should try and stick with it, though they never had much faith in John Mayhew's drum skills, so they decided to sack him and audition for a new drummer and guitarist.

Stagnation (Genesis Tribute)

​Stagnation is our 13th release in the Genesis Tribute Project between myself and Graham Lavallin. It was originally on the bands 1970 album Trespass and is my favourite track from that album.

 

Released on 28th March 2014

 

Words & Music By - Genesis.​​

 

Lee Lucas - Vocals & Artwork.

 

Graham Lavallin - Guitars and arrangement based around a midi sequence authored by Simon Goodwin and Gabor Karenyi.  Instrumentation: Vintage Les Paul through Apogee Gio pedal board interface to access the onboard GarageBand amps & FX pedals for all electric guitars. Ovation Celebrity electro-acoustic guitar through Roland Sonic Cell interface and custom acoustic guitar patches for acoustic guitars. EWQL '72 Rickenbacker and Fretless Bass; drums & percussion; SteinwayD Piano; Indian Shehnai Oboe; Solo Flute; VOP layered backing vocals. Arturia ARP 2600 Theramin Vox AMG Rock, Jazz and Hammond (with rotary spin)Organs AMG Mellotron Strings.

 

The single track available as a Free Digital Download only from Bandcamp.

To get your copy click on the Bandcamp Icon.

Dancing With The Moonlit Knight (Genesis Tribute)

​"Dancing With The Moonlit Knight" is the opening track from the bands 1973 superb album Selling England By The Pound. In reality one could perhaps call it the title track of the album..

 

Released on 4th April 2014

 

Words & Music By - Genesis.​​

 

Lee Lucas - Vocals & Artwork.

 

Graham Lavallin - Guitars and arrangement based around a midi sequence authored by Dieko van Schagen.nstrumentation: Fender Strat & Vintage Les Paul through Apogee Gio pedal interface to access the onboard GarageBand amps and FX pedals & also through a Boss ME70 pedal board for all electric guitars. Ovation Celebrity electro-acoustic guitar through Roland Sonic Cell interface and custom acoustic guitar patches for all acoustic guitars. EWQL '72 Rickenbacker bass; drums and percussion; hapsichord; SteinwayD piano; mixed choirs & VOP layered backing vocals. AMG Hammond Rock Organ. All recorded and mixed in GarageBand.

 

The single track available as a Free Digital Download only from Bandcamp.

To get your copy click on the Bandcamp Icon.

Can Utility & The Coastliners (Genesis Tribute)

​Our 15th tribute song in the series sees us return to the bands classic 1972 album Foxtrot with one it's finest songs "Can Utility & The Coastliners" Very much a big fave of mine and Graham's this one.

 

Released on 18th May 2014

 

Words & Music By - Genesis.

​​

Lee Lucas - Vocals & Artwork.

 

Graham Lavallin - Guitars and arrangement based around a midi sequence authored by Simon Goodwin. Instrumentation: Fender Strat through Apogee Gio pedal board interface to access the onboard GarageBand amps and FX pedals for all electric guitars.Ovation Celebrity electro-acoustic guitar through Roland Sonic Cell interface and custom acoustic guitar patches for acoustic guitars.AMG Hammond Rock Organ.AMG Mellotron Strings, Mellotron Flutes & Tron Choirs.EWQL Solo Flute, Clarinet, '72 Rickenbacker Bass, Drum kits and percussions and V.O.P. backing vocal layers.

 

The single track available as a Free Digital Download only from Bandcamp.

To get your copy click on the Bandcamp Icon.

The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (Genesis Tribute)

​The title track from the bands super 1974 concept album The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway. The 16th release in the Genesis Tribute Project by Lee Lucas & Graham Lavallin.

 

Released on 13th June 2014

 

Words & Music By - Genesis.

​​

Lee Lucas - Vocals & Artwork.

 

Graham Lavallin - Guitars and arrangement based around a midi sequence authored by Gabor Karenyi

Instrumentation: Fender Strat through Apogee Gio pedal board interface to access the onboard GarageBand amps and FX pedals for all electric guitars. Ovation Celebrity electro-acoustic guitar through Roland Sonic Cell interface and custom acoustic guitar patches for acoustic guitars. EWQL Steinway D Piano, Fender 5 String Bass, Orchestra Bass Section, Drums & Percussion, Voices of Passion layered background vocals. AMG Mellotron Strings & Classic Rhodes. Arturia Moog Modular Taurus Pedals. All recorded and mixed in GarageBand.

 

The single track available as a Free Digital Download only from Bandcamp.

To get your copy click on the Bandcamp Icon.

A New Line Up

The remaining members decided to audition for a drummer and Phil Collins passed with flying colours and for a short period played live as a 4 piece, whilst they was looking for a guitarist. It was not long after that first of all the band temporarily recruited Mick Barnard who also played with them on the live shows between November 1970 to early January of the following year. The band very much decided that Mick was not the guitarist they was really after and recruited Steve Hackett and he played his first concert with the band on the 14th January 1971.

 

With the new line up now fully established they went into the studio to record their 3rd album Nursery Cryme. The album was a much stronger album with its  material but it still had their familiar mixture of hard edge and melancholy songs and Collins even contributed lead vocals to "For Absent Friends" and many harmonies and backing vocals for the band, and was proving a well worthy member of the band.

 

Although the album Nursery Cryme was one of the bands stronger albums with its material, and the band were experimenting with more sounds and even purchased its first Mellotron from the band King Crimson to add father scope and dimension. The album was not once again widely received very well in England but became a surprising hit in Italy where it peaked at number 4 in the album charts. The band were proving to be far more successful in other parts of Europe than their own home and the Italians loved them.

 

During the following year in 1972 the band went on to do their most controversial and 4th album Foxtrot and Peter Gabriel was adding theatrics to the bands repertoire which played a big part in getting the band more noticed on their own soil for a change. The 23 minute track "Suppers Ready" from the album was becoming their most popular song and a massive favourite of fans, even still today.

 

The album itself was their first to break into the top 20 UK albums chart and peaked at number 12. Whilst in Italy and Belgium it hit the number 1 spot in both countries. Gabriel had started dressing up in rather strange costumes, and even presented himself in a red dress with a fox's head to a rather shocked and bemused audience in Dublin.

 

The albums material proved to be a lot stronger though in reality I personally feel both Nursery Cryme & Foxtrot could of quite easily have passed as a double album. with mood and feel about both of those albums, and they certainly gave them their own distinctive style in the world of progressive rock. It was very much a style that the band was never gonna repeat again.

White Mountain (Genesis Tribute)

​The story about a wolf named Fang who fights for his kingdom for the right of being the leader of the pack. The original song can be found the bands great 1970 album Trespass and his our 17th release our tribute series and final song from this album in the series as it's drawing to a close.

 

Released on 29th August 2014

 

Words & Music By - Genesis.

​​

Lee Lucas - Vocals & Artwork.

 

Graham Lavallin - Guitars and arrangement based around a midi sequence authored by Simon Goodwin
Instrumentation: Fender Strat through Apogee Gio pedal interface to access the onboard GarageBand amps and FX pedals
Ovation Celebrity electro-acoustic guitar through Roland Sonic Cell interface and custom acoustic guitar patches for all acoustic guitars.
EWQL '72 Rickenbacker Bass; drums and percussion; solo flute and piccolo; clarinet; solo cello; cello section; mixed choir; VOP layered backing vocals.AMG Hammond Rock Organ AMG Mellotron Strings

 

The single track available as a Free Digital Download only from Bandcamp.

To get your copy click on the Bandcamp Icon.

The Fountain Of Salmacis (Genesis Tribute)

A tale of a fountain that is capable of merging bodies together and bonding them with love. The original song was release on the bands 1971 album Nursery Cryme and is our 18th tribute in the series of songs done for our Genesis Tribute Project.

 

Released on 3rd October 2014

 

Words & Music By - Genesis.

​​

Lee Lucas - Vocals & Artwork.

 

Graham Lavallin - Guitars and arrangement based around a midi sequence authored by Simon Goodwin.

Instrumentation: Fender Strat through Apogee Gio pedal interface to access the onboard GarageBand amps & FX pedals & also through Boss ME70 pedal board for all electric guitars. Ovation Celebrity electro-acoustic guitar through Roland Sonic Cell interface and custom acoustic guitar patches for acoustic guitars.EWQL '72 Rickenbacker bass; drums and percussion; mixed choirs and VOP layered background vocals; solo flute.
AMG Hammond Rock Organ. AMG Mellotron Strings. AMG ARP Solina Strings.

 

The single track available as a Free Digital Download only from Bandcamp.

To get your copy click on the Bandcamp Icon.

In The Cage (Genesis Tribute)

Our 19th release in the series and a final return to the bands 1974 classic album Lamb Lies Down On Broadway. "In The Cage is very much my personal favourite track from the album, though I must say I love them all and they all work very well together in making up the concept story. It's a very powerful song that has a lot of aggression and some rather tasty keyboard solos amongst it's path.

 

Released on 29th December 2014

 

Words & Music By - Genesis.

​​

Lee Lucas - Vocals & Artwork.

 

Graham Lavallin - Guitars & arrangement based around a midi sequence authored by Jim Kleban & Ebert Zwart.

Instrumentation: Fender Strat guitar through Apogee Gio pedal board interface to access the onboard GarageBand amps & FX pedals for all electric guitars. AMG Mellotron strings; Mellotron Choir; Hammond Rock Organ. EWQL Fender 5 String Bass; VOP layered background vocals; drums & percussion. Arturia Moog Modular Taurus Pedals & V2 The Moog Solo. All recorded & mixed in GarageBand.

 

The single track available as a Free Digital Download only from Bandcamp.

To get your copy click on the Bandcamp Icon.

The Bands Albums

Trespass, 23rd October 1970. Track 1. Looking For Someone. Track 2. White Mountain. Track 3. Visions Of Angels. Track 4. Stagnation. Track 5. Dusk. Track 6. The Knife.

 

Peter Gabriel. Vocals - Flute - Bass Drum - Tamboutine - Accordian (on track 1)

 

Tony Banks. Organ - Acousatic & Electric Piano's - Mellotron (on tracks 2,3,4) - Acoustic Guitar - Backing vocals.

 

Mike Rutherford. Bass Guitar - Acoustic & Classical Guitars - Cello (on track 2) - Backing Vocals.

 

Anthony Phillips. Electric & Acoustic Guitars - Dulcimer - Backing Vocals.

 

John Mayhew. Drums - Percussion - Backing Vocals.

Nursery Chryme. 12th November 1971. Track 1. The Musical Box. Track 2. For Absent Friends. Track 3. The Returns Of The Giant Hogweed. Track 4. Seven Stones. Track 5. Harold The Barrel. Track 6. Harlequin. Track 7 The Fountain Of Salmacis.

 

Peter Gabriel. Vocals - Flute - Bass Drum - Tamboutine - Additional Backing Vocals (on track 2)

 

Tony Banks. Organ - Acousatic & Electric Piano's - Mellotron - 12 String Acoustic Guitar - Backing vocals.

 

Mike Rutherford. Bass Guitar - Bass Pedals - 12 String Acoustic Guitar - Backing Vocals.

 

Steve Hackett. Electric & 12 String Acoustic Guitars - Backing Vocals.

 

Phil Collins. Drums - Percussion - Backing Vocals - Lead Vocals (on track 2).

Foxtrot. 6th October 1972. Track 1. Watcher Of The Skies. Track 2. Tome Table. Track 3. Get 'em Out By Friday. Track 4. Can-Utilitty And The Coastliners. Track 5. Horizons. Track 6. Suppers 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).

 

Peter Gabriel. Vocals - Flute - Bass Drum - Tamboutine - Oboe.

 

Tony Banks. Organ - Acousatic & Electric Piano's - Mellotron - 12 String Acoustic Guitar - Backing vocals.

 

Mike Rutherford. Bass Guitar - Bass Pedals - 12 String Acoustic Guitar - Cello - Backing Vocals.

 

Steve Hackett. Electric & Acoustic Guitars - 12 String Acoustic Guitars.

 

Phil Collins. Drums - Percussion - Backing Vocals.

Selling England By The Pound. 12th October 1973. Track 1. Dancing With The Moonlit Knight. Track 2. I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe). Track 3. Firth of Fifth Track 4. More Fool Me. Track 5. The Battle of Epping Forest. Track 6. After the Ordeal. Track 7 The Cinema Show. Track 8. Aisle of Plenty.

 

Peter Gabriel. Vocals - Flute - Oboe - Bass Drum - Percussion - Tamboutine - Additional Backing Vocals (on track 4)

 

Tony Banks. Organ - Acousatic & Electric Piano's - Mellotron - Synthesizers - 12 String Acoustic Guitar.

 

Mike Rutherford. Bass Guitar - Bass Pedals - 12 String Acoustic Guitar - Electric Sitar.

 

Steve Hackett. Electric & Nylon Guitars.

 

Phil Collins. Drums - Percussion - Backing Vocals - Lead Vocals (on track 4).

The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway. 18th November 1974. Track 1. The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. Track 2. Fly on a Windshield. Track 3. Broadway Melody of 1974. Track 4.Cuckoo Cocoon. Track 5. TIn the Cage. Track 6. The Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging. Track 7. Back in N.Y.C. Track 8. Hairless Heart. Track 9. Counting Out Time. Track 10. The Carpet Crawlers. Track 11. The Chamber of 32 Doors. Track 12. Lilywhite Lilith. Track 13. The Waiting Room. Track 14. Anyway. Track 15. The Supernatural Anaesthetist. Track 16. The Lamia. Track 17. Silent Sorrow in Empty Boats. Track 18. The Colony of Slippermen (The Arrival - A Visit to the Doktor - The Raven). Track 19. Ravine. Track 20. The Light Dies Down on Broadway. Track 21.Riding the Scree. Track 22. In the Rapids. Track 23. It.

 

Peter Gabriel. Vocals - Flute - Oboe - Tamboutine - Plus (experiments with foreign sounds).

 

Tony Banks. Hammond T-102 Organ - RMI 368x Electra Piano. - Elka Rhapsody Synthesizer - Mellotron M400 - ARP 2600 ARP Pro Soloist Synthesizers - Acoustic Piano.

 

Mike Rutherford. Bass Guitar - Bass Pedals - 12 String Guitar.

 

Steve Hackett. Electric Acoustic & Classical Guitars.

 

Phil Collins. Drums - Percussion - Vibraphone - Backing Vocals.

A New Fresher Approach

In September of 1972 and a month before the release of their successful album Foxtrot, the band set out on a yearlong tour to promote the album. Though the album was a success in England and a massive success in Italy to the Americans Genesis were hardly even heard of and not one of their albums had ever broke into their album charts. It was during their North American tour in 1973 that the bands first ever live album was released entitled Genesis Live and was released in July 1973. It was the first time the band had ever broke into the American charts and reached a chart position of 105.

 

It was also during this year and the many concerts they played and in their tour of America that the American radio show King Biscuit had recorded them live for one of their radio shows, though it was never broadcasted. The original live album that was put out was intended at first to be a double album. But as the band was also in the studio in between shows working on their next album Selling England By The Pound, and it was decided by the record company Charisma to put the live album out as a single album, and also sold at a budget price to make way for their latest album.

 

During the summer of 1973 both Rutherford and Collins, helped their former old band member Anthony Phillips out with his solo album he was working on at the time entitled The Geese And The Ghost. Collins even contributed lead vocals to the album, though the album never materialised until much later and was finally released in 1977.

 

Meanwhile the bands 5th studio album Selling England By The Pound was released in October 1973. There is no doubt that the band had changed their style a bit, and the whole album has a certain atmosphere feel about it all. It became a very popular album in England and hit the number 3 spot in the UK charts, and even managed to break into the top 100 in American charts peaking at 70. The album was that successful they even later on in the following year released "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)" as a single and it was the first ever single that they ever had charted in the England reaching number 21.

 

There was no doubt that this slight change the band had made to their music was a very good thing and did not deviate to much at all from what they was doing in the first place, which was Progressive Rock Music. For me personally out of all the five albums that Gabriel was on that we are covering here in our tribute series. I find it totally hard to pick an ultimate favourite album out of the 5. But if I had too, it would be this one without a doubt. Though I do feel that "More Fool Me" to which Collins sang does let the album down slightly, and is really the only track that is out of place, and one I felt should of been left off the album and stuck on a B side of a single as it's far too weak in relation to the rest of the material.

 

There is also no doubt that the fact that Banks had become more involved in working with synthesizers that it gave this album a more fresher and newer approach to the band. Topped up along with Hackett's new finger tapping techniques, that he was very much part of creating in the guitar world, contributed to making such a great album. All the band had to do now was keep up the good work, and they certainly did on their following release of a rather bizarre story concept album.

 

All Good Things Must Come To An End

The bands 6th studio album The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway was released in November 1974. It was the first time the band had ever stepped into the world of making a concept album as many other Prog Rock Bands were venturing into around this time. It was around this time that the band were at logger heads with each other, especially Gabriel and Banks who were very much the best of school mates when they first started out and put the band together.

 

Gabriel had very much decided to write a most bizarre story of a Puerto Rican juvenile delinquent kid by the name of Rael, who basically goes on a weird trip and in schizophrenic state on drugs  out of his head around the streets of New York. The fact that Gabriel wanted to write all the lyrics and put the story into context for the album, did not go down to well with the rest of the bands members.

 

It was also around this time that Gabriel had been approached by the film director, producer and writer William Friedkin as an ideas man, after Friedkin had read the rather bizarre story Gabriel had wrote and had printed on the back of the bands live album. Though Gabriel was up for the idea, the rest of the band was not willing to give him the time to just go swanning off and taking time out.

 

 Even though Gabriel did go off to work with Friedkin despite the opposition from his band mates, he very much decided to quit the band and walked out, but soon found it very much all came to nothing, and Friedkin decided to work with Tangerine Dream to score his next film. So Gabriel returned back to the band.

 

To make matters even worse his first child was being born and had complications during birth, which meant he had to be making constant trips back and forth to the hospital. With all that was going on around this time, it's a wonder the album got made at all.

 

With the album complete the band decided to take it on a world tour before the albums release, and a set of 102 shows performing the whole double album in its entirety was about to kick off in America first on the 29th of October 1974 but it got put back until the 12h of November due to Hackett injuring his hand. Gabriel also announced that after the tour he was going to quit the band, to which many did not believe he would really do so, but he did in fact do just that.

 

The album itself reached number 10 in the UK charts in England and even managed to nearly get into the top 40 of the American charts and was just outside seated at number 41. It even fared well in Canada and reached a number 15 slot. But the Italians as ever were the most devoted fans of this line up of Genesis and they just could not get enough of them and Peter Gabriel for that matter.

 

There was no doubt in my mind that this was the strongest line up the band ever had, even though the next two albums that followed it Trick Of The Tail and Wind And Wuthering were both great albums, and continued in the same vein of progressive rock. But for me both of those albums were only that good because they still had a strong force with Hackett contributing to it. Once he decided to quit, so had progressive rock regarding anything Genesis ever did afterwards.

 

I must admit the first time I ever heard the album The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway was in 1976 to which a friend of mine gave me the actual Cassette of the album, to which he had brought himself from a record shop. I instantly disliked it, and refused to play it, even though I loved all of their earlier albums. There was something just entirely strange about the whole thing to me around that time.

 

Being a fan I still very much continued to buy every Genesis album they put out, right down to the last one with Ray Wilson on vocals. But all of those albums after Wind And Wuthering I soon got bored to death of after a month or so of playing them. Basically they was churning out pop songs and they obviously became far more successful by doing so. It was not until the mid 80's that I was getting well pissed off with what Genesis were putting out, and with every album they did do, I was just hoping they would once again return to doing progressive rock again. So I decided to actually buy The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway on vinyl and give it another try. This time around it was definitely speaking to me, and that much that I regard as the best ever concept album ever made, even though it's story line is way bizarre.

 

But for me it's that bizarreness of not really wanting to know what the story is about  that makes it work the best I personally think. For example in reality and for a real concept story I could of quite of easily gave the best concept album ever made to Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds. But the trouble is with story albums and knowing the story so well, you can only put the album on a very few times years later on down the line. I could never tire of hearing the Lamb even today, and that's why I personally give it the best concept album ever made. It's a very solid album and no doubt one of the bands finest.

Charisma Label’s Family Picture 1970

An old picture taken from the New Musical Express magazine showing three of the best bands signed to Charisma Label Records during the 70’s: Genesis, Van Der Graaf Generator, Rare Bird, Jackson Heights and Audience. The picture was taken before a concert featuring the four bands at London’s Royal Festival Hall on the 1st of June 1970.

 

Back row, left to right: Graham Field (Rare Bird), John Anthony (producer), Tony Banks (Genesis), Anthony Phillips (Genesis), Mike Rutherford (Genesis), Glen Colson (Charisma Label), Howard Werth (Audience), Keith Gemmell (Audience), Trevor Williams (Audience), Peter Hammill (VDGG), Mark Ashton (Rare Bird), Lee Jackson (Jackson Heights).
Front row, left to right:Hugh Banton (VDGG), Steve Gould (Rare Bird) , David Kaffinetti (Rare Bird), ? , Peter Gabriel (Genesis), Nic Potter (VDGG), Guy Evans (VDGG), Charlie Harcourt (Jackson Heights), ?.

Please note this is not all of the bands album discography, and are the only 5 albums we will be covering in our tribute project to them. We also will not be doing every song from all of these 5 albums either, but will be taking on the most popular and more renowned songs regarded by the fans.

Peter Gabriel

Peter Gabriel was born in Chobham, Surrey, England on 13th February 1950. He is an English singer-songwriter, musician and humanitarian activist who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock band Genesis.

 

In 1963 he went to Charterhouse School and it was during this period that he first got into to playing drums with various bands he was in around the time. He was also taught piano at an earlier age by his mother.

 

Later on in 1967 that he got together with his fellow school friends namely Tony Banks. Mike Rutherford. Anthony Phillips and Chris Stewart to put together a band and they started to write and play their own material, to which was picked up by a former and older pupil of the school namely Jonathon King who gave them the name of Genesis.

Besides his voice and flute Peter played various percussion in the band Genesis and even added an Oboe to his repertoire of instruments though he will always confess he was not that much of a player of either the flute or Oboe. But he did however play flute for Cat Stevens on his 1970 album Mona Bone Jakon.

 

Upon the stage with the band he soon found a way to entertain the audience, especially whilst the other band members were tuning up their instruments in between the songs they played in the set. This very much developed his story telling side to which he would tell the most strange bizarre stories, many of which also ended up in his ability to write lyrics for many of the band's songs. He also was the very man who made the band far more successful during his period with them, by introducing theatrics into their music and starting to wear strange costumes to which many of their European audience adored him for.

He even shocked his own band mates by his antics of wearing strange costumes, to which he would hide from them and not even tell them he was going to wear them, till he appeared on the stage whilst the other members were playing the intro's. But they soon changed their minds when the press got hold of it and it started making some noise and attracting attention.

When Gabriel quit Genesis in 1975 he stunned his fans and even stunned me. There was no doubt he contributed a massive part to that band and to be honest not even I thought they would be able to continue without him. The fact that Phil Collins decided to step forward and step into Gabriel's shoes, I felt was the best way to be able to continue, rather than bring in another singer who never really would be able to do the same thing in making it work.

 

I have seen it with so many bands in past Black Sabbath and Marillion are classic examples. I must confess that when Genesis released Trick Of The Tale in the following year of 1976 as a four piece band, it still very much worked, and the material was very much still solid and all well good. I really could not praise Collins enough.It was a huge task to take onboard and he flew through it with flying colours.

 

Peter went on to have a very successful solo career and picked up many awards along the way. He is still very much an artist I adore and still follow till this day, though I do not think any of his material is as good as what he done with early Genesis, and is far from the world of progressive rock music. He is very much my very ultimate favourite of all singers I have ever heard and has an amazing vocal range in his voice.

Tony Banks

Tony Banks was born in East Hoathly, Sussex England on the 27th March 1950. Has a child he received classical training on the piano and also taught himself guitar. He attended Charterhouse School in 1963 and got together with his friend Peter Gabriel to play in band or two namely The Garden Wall and Anon before they formed what was to become Genesis later on. Although being a multi instrumentalist he is very much more renowned as the keyboard player for Genesis and for contributing to most of the bands compositions.

Though Banks had a solo career outside of Genesis he was the least successful solo artist in the group. Much of which was surprising, especially as it was he who contributed the most to the bands music. But in all honesty although Banks may very well feel that he contributed to most of the bands compositions, he was certainly unable to make them work on his own, and you can see that just by listening to his solo albums.

 

For me personally the other members of the band contributed far more than what Banks would of suggested, and what he himself was trying to take credit for. Just the bass lines and drums played a major factor in the time signatures of the band's music, and  even their guitarist Steve Hackett contributed far more to the band's music, than what they ever give him credit for. Has an whole unit and band Genesis very much worked very well together, which is why all the compositions are very much credited to them all. 

 

There is no doubt Banks certainly made a name for himself as a keyboard player in the world of progressive rock and he was a very clever one too. He even pioneered various triggering effects to which he would experiment with and put into his skills. For me personally his best solo album was his first one entitled Curious Feelings. In parts of it you can very much hear it has the same atmosphere as the bands album Wind And Wuthering. Though it lacks the power big style in relation to it and is more carved around the more sublime track Afterglow from that album.

Banks was the much more the shy member of the band and liked to keep out of the limelight and the press. In Genesis there is no doubt he is a work horse and drives a lot of the band's sound from his keyboards. Personally I don't think his solo album have made that much of an impact on myself even though I have brought them all in hoping something really good was going to materialise out of them. I cannot stand the way he can talk in interviews about the bands earlier music and he can drag a lot of it down. Why I will never know, because for me it's thousand times more advanced and complex in realtion to what he ever done on his solo albums or with Genesis later on.

Mike Rutherford

Mike Rutherford was born in Portsmouth England on 2nd October 1950. Having moved at an early age to Godalming in Surry and just as the others attended Charterhouse School and played with a few bands the Anon being one along with Anthony Phillips and both later met up with Gabriel and Banks to form Genesis. Rutherford started to play guitar at the early age of 8, although he was mainly known as the bass player for Genesis, he also very much contributed rhythm guitar to the band and created quite a bit of its rhythmical style.

Rutherford also contributed quite a bit towards the band's music with his riffs and he also contributed towards the lyrical content of the band's songs as well. Later on he took Hackett's place on lead guitar after he had decided to leave the band after their 1977 album Wind And Wuthering.

Rutherford also as quite a successful solo career, although his own solo material did not make that much of an impact with his first 2 albums, but he also put together another band which was to become Mike + The Mechanics or (Mike and the Mechanics) which became very successful and even picked up an Ivor Novello Award for their hit single "The Living Years".  

 

I must admit myself that Rutherford is the only band member out all 5 of the best line up that made up the band Genesis that, I have never followed or brought anything of his apart from a single by Mike + The Mechanics which was "Looking Back Over My Shoulder" though I must admit I did also like "The Living Years".  I shall have to venture into it soon and take a good listen, because I maybe missing out on something rather good here.

Phil Collins

Phil Collins was born in Chiswick, London on the 30th January 1950. Collins was given his first set of drums for Christmas at the early age of 5. Although it was very much a toy kit his uncle later on made him one when he showed more keen interest in them and playing them to music on the TV back in his early days.

 

Though he was soon thrust into drama school and got his first role at a young age as the Artful Dodger in the London stage production of Oliver. He was also an extra in the Beatles film A hard Day's Night in 1964 and later on was offered more role to play in film such as Calamity The Cow in 1967 followed by Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in 1968 though his part in it was cut from the film.

Despite his early acting career and what little roles he got. Collins soon went back towards his musical interests and soon found his way around on the drums and landing a record deal with the band Hickory which later changed its name to the Flaming Youth and in 1970 played percussion for George Harrison on the song "Art Of Dying". In the same year he joined Genesis having seen an ad in the Melody Maker advertising for a drummer to which he passed the audition in flying colours.

 

Collins soon found his feet and sat in very well with Genesis. He is without doubt one of the best drummers in the world and was voted for a good few years as the number one drummer in the Melody maker polls. Not only was he a great drummer, but he also came with a voice, one that backed up Genesis very well and he even contributed to singing lead on a couple of those earlier Genesis songs. The guy was a working machine and did not turn anything down and became a session player on many artists albums s well during his time with Genesis.

When Peter Gabriel departed his ways from Genesis in 1975. Collins soon stepped into his shoes, and even though the other band members thought he was not the man for the job at the time, he soon proved them wrong and sat into the spot with ease.

 

There was no doubt in my mind that he made Genesis far more successful than they ever was, but in the end the music paid a price and the change in style that was to come from the albums "And Then There Was Three" and onwards were instantly likable and soon wore off in no time at all and gathered dust after so many plays for my liking.

 

Progressive Rock was nowhere to be seen in their music, and it had very much died, and there was no doubt in my mind that Genesis were one of the greatest Prog Rock bands in the world.before they changed to amore basic pop style.

Phil Collins went on to not only carry on his career with Genesis successfully, but also became a very successful solo artist, in fact way bigger than every member in the band Genesis. Not only did he pursue a solo career, he even formed another great band namely Brand X and even rose back to fame as an actor in the film Buster. The guy worked himself to death practically and became one of the most famous pop stars in the world.

 

I must admit I brought every one of his solo albums and they all was instantly likable, but just as he did the same thing with the new pop style Genesis he very much changed them into, they soon gathered dust and became totally boring. Even live on stage doing his solo material I found Collins one of the most boring people and performers ever.

Steve Hackett

Steve Hackett was born in Pimlico London on the 12th February 1950. In his early days childhood days he took up playing the flute and the harmonica and later found interest in the guitar by the time he was 12 years old. He is very much a self taught musicians without any musical lessons.

 

He first started out playing for two bands Canterbury Glass and Sarabande both of whom had rock and progressive rock to their styles. In 1970 his first recording work came with a band his younger brother John was playing flute in, which was Quiet World. Hackett joined them for a quick spell and the album The Road was released, to which afterwards Hackett left for other music styles which resulted in placing an ad in the Melody Maker.

 

Hackett's ad sparked an interest with Peter Gabriel as Anthony Phillips had left the band and Genesis were seeking a new guitarist. Hackett had very little stage appearance when he joined the band, but soon found his feet and his place in the band contributing a lot to the bands new material and album Nursery Cryme at that time of joining.

When Hackett joined Genesis he was the most advanced musician in the band and his skills and technique was very much on a higher level. Not only did his guitar skills contribute greatly to the band, but also his writing skills contributed to the writing of the bands material was a lot more greater than what the other members had given him credit for.

 

Although even Hackett modestly denies that he never really contributed that much in the way of writing, and it was mainly left to the others to do it. I personally feel his contributions was just as much as what Banks put into the writing.

 

Hackett was also the first member of the band to make a solo album. His 1975 album Voyage Of The Acolyte was an instant success and smash in the world of progressive rock, to which he wrote in his own personal time whilst still with the band. He even roped in Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins to contribute on it, though he got heavily slated by Tony Banks for taking time off to do so behind his back, and for not contributing his writing skills to the bands material instead.

 

In 1978 after recording the album Wind And Wuthering. Hackett decided to quit the band for musical differences and to pursue his own solo career. The band were not prepared to give him the time to make his own solo albums, and I pretty much feel that some of the material upon the album Wind And Wuthering was going in the wrong direction for his musical style and taste.

 

I must confess myself even though I like most of the material on Wind And Wuthering it does have its weaknesses in the way of the pop song "You Have Your Own Special Way" You could see the band was getting ready to change its direction with this approach.

As a solo artist Steve Hackett as got a very steady career. It may not be as successful as the likes of Collins and Gabriel's or even to what Genesis went on to do after he left, but he get's by comfortably and can still make a living from doing so, and does not remotely have to change the style of music he loves the best to do so either as the others did.

 

For me personally Hackett is the only and only member of the band who stuck by his guns, and done what he wanted to do. For me he is Genesis, where as the other 4 members sound entirely nothing what Genesis were all about in the first place. Which was progressive rock. The very reason why I brought and loved them in the first place.

 

For me the others really turned their back on it, and wanted the limelight far too much, they even turned their backs on their loyal fans back in those days as far as I am concerned. There is only one real Genesis and it takes all 5 of its members to make it up, not just 3.

 

Today Steve Hackett is still my Genesis, and I totally love and adore him for what he has done. To me he is the best out of them all, and I have every one of his albums, and can still very much enjoy them today, just as much as I enjoy the five albums the band done in their heyday.

Graham @ Work.

This guy was part of the modelling to design the Famous Charisma Label. Genesis played a part in making it famous.

Firth Of Fifth (Genesis Tribute)

Our tribute version of the bands classic song "Firth Of Fifth" originally from their 1973 classic album Selling England By The Pound. This is our 20th release in the tribute series and we hope you enjoy.

 

Released on 20th February 2015

 

Words & Music By - Genesis.

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Lee Lucas - Vocals & Artwork.

 

Graham Lavallin - Guitars and arrangement based around a midi sequence authored by Jim Kleban & Mike LeVoi.

Instrumentation: Fender Strat & Vintage Les Paul Guitars through Apogee Gio pedal interface to access the onboard GarageBand amps and FX pedals. Ovation Celebrity electro-acoustic guitar through Roland Sonic Cell interface and custom acoustic guitar patches for all acoustic guitars. EWQL '72 Rickenbacker bass; drums and percussion; Steinway D piano; synth leads; solo flute. Arturia Moog Modular Moog Solo, AMG Hammond Rock Organ. AMG Mellotron strings. All recorded & mixed in GarageBand.

 

The single track available as a Free Digital Download only from Bandcamp.

To get your copy click on the Bandcamp Icon.

The Return Of The Giant Hogweed (Genesis Tribute)

A Genesis classic song that tells a horror Sci-fi story about giant plants invading the earth and going on a rampage. Very much along the same lines of the classic Sci-Fi film The Day Of The Triffids. The original song can be found on the bands 1971 album Nursery Crymes and their Genesis Live album from 1973.

 

Released on 7th March 2015

 

Words & Music By - Genesis.

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Lee Lucas - Vocals & Artwork.

 

Graham Lavallin - Guitars and arrangement based around a midi sequence authored by Simon Goodwin.

Instrumentation: Fender Strat & Vintage Les Paul Guitars through Apogee Gio pedal interface to access the onboard GarageBand amps and FX pedals. Ovation Celebrity electro-acoustic guitar through Roland Sonic Cell interface and custom acoustic guitar patches for all acoustic guitars. EWQL '72 Rickenbacker bass; drums and percussions; Steinway D piano; synth leads; solo flute. AMG Hammond Rock Organ
AMG Mellotron strings. All recorded & mixed in GarageBand.

 

The single track available as a Free Digital Download only from Bandcamp.

To get your copy click on the Bandcamp Icon.

Graham is very much the mastermind behind our Genesis tribute project, and without him working on the music for me to be able to sing, it would be impossible for me to do such a project. It was the very fact that I myself seen him post an instrumental version of "Watcher Of The Skies" on his cloud that sparked the whole thing off, and myself getting in touch with him telling him I wanted to sing on it as a collaboration.

 

That one single collaboration lead into a project that produced 22 classic songs done over a space of 2 years and a few months more. I very much think many people on the cloud got to know who Genesis were by the end of the series, and the feedback, response and support as been really great for us both in this project. We have in many ways introduced early Genesis to brand new ears, and many loving what they are actually hearing. In some case enough for them to go out and buy the original albums themselves.

 

Genesis music is very complex, technical and far from anything easy to play at all, and there is no way any of us in reality could play their music with everything you are hearing in these songs. What Graham as done to be able to make this project work, is work very closely with midi files, to which he has had to get as close as he can to the original sound with the instrumentation, to make it work.

 

Though besides doing that, he does in fact play most of the guitar parts himself, and in some of the songs put's in his own interpretation too. Over the two years I have worked with him on this project he has had to do a load of work. Because if there is something I hear in it that is not right. I simply tell him to correct it and get it as near as possible, so I can sing it. Some of the midi files in this series are also broken in places and Graham has had to fill in the gaps the best he can with his own playing in parts. So his work in this project is a damn site harder than whatever I have had to do in it myself.

 

Besides doing this Genesis project. Graham has also done a lot of his own material and produced 4 albums over the years he has spent on the cloud. He is a very talented musician that not only plays guitar but also plays keyboards, and knows how to churn out really great music.

 

You can find more of Grahams great work on Soundcloud here:https://soundcloud.com/lavallin  and also on Bandcamp here: https://lavallin.bandcamp.com/

The difference between myself and Graham us some 89 miles between his house and mine. We both work in our respective homes in our own self made studios, and are very much closely in contact with one another throughout the work progress in this project. Graham simply handles the music side of things at his end, and I handle the vocal side of things at my end.

Graham as  well tasty set up at home and amongst his armoury here he had the Korg Kronos and Roland Jupiter 50 which are very tasty tools to have. He also has a Fender Strat and an Ovation Acoustic guitar besides his MAC Workstation to which he uses Garage Band.

Suppers Ready (Genesis Tribute)

Our version of the ultimate Genesis classic song from their 1972 classic album Foxtrot. "Suppers Ready" is our 22nd and final song in our Genesis Tribute Series. We perhaps could not of chosen a better time to release our last supper so to speak being Easter Sunday today, and we hope you enjoy the 22 minute epic.

 

Released on 5th April 2015

 

Words & Music By - Genesis.

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Lee Lucas - Vocals & Artwork.

 

Graham Lavallin - Guitars and arrangement based around a midi sequence authored by Phil Richards and the SR Project; Backing Vox.


Instrumentation: Fender Strat & Vintage Les Paul guitars through Apogee Gio pedal board interface to access the onboard GarageBand amps and FX pedals and also through a Boss ME70 pedal board for all electric guitars. Ovation Celebrity electro-acoustic guitar through Roland Sonic Cell interface and custom acoustic guitar patches for all acoustic guitars. EWQL '72 Rickenbacker bass; drums and percussion; Grand Piano; mixed choirs; VOP layered backing vocals; solo flute. AMG Hammond Rock Organ; Classic Rhodes; AMG Mellotron Strings Arturia Moog Modular Taurus Pedals. All recorded & mixed in GarageBand.

 

The single track available as a Free Digital Download only from Bandcamp.

To get your copy click on the Bandcamp Icon.

An advert promoting various Charisma albums from the Melody Maker back on the 18th December 1971.

Lee @ Work.

My work in the project is quite a simple one, as I do not have to write any lyrics and I do not have to play any of the music, as the music side is very much tailor made for me by Graham. My task is simply to sing these songs, and being a long time fan of early Genesis singing along to their records over the years, it was not that hard for me to adapt some of those expressions that Peter Gabriel himself had put into them.

 

Though I will say that now I am well in my middle 50's singing these songs in the way I could of done many moons ago, is certainly a much harder task to get anywhere near the highs that come in a lot of these Genesis songs. What I could reach years ago, I simply cannot today, so I find myself doing a lot more takes on these particular songs, than I would do with the many other songs I do on the cloud.

 

The other challenge too is very much the lyrics, because in reality I barely know any of their songs all the way through lyric wise, and 90% of them I never had a clue as to what they was about or saying at all. So those days of me singing to them in my youth was only really certain parts that stood out, rather than sing the song all the way through.

 

The very first time I got to sing any of their songs all the way through was in January 2013 when I noticed Graham had posted an instrumental version of "Watcher Of The Skies" That is what sparked off this whole project in the first place.

 

I can actually imagine going back in my youth to a free & easy in a pub to which I did go to on occasions and sing a few songs, long before we had Karaoke where the lyrics came on a screen. But thinking of asking the band if they knew say "The Musical Box" so I could sing it. I would be pretty sure that the chap from the band would of said something like "Oh yeah sure, come back in a few years time when we've learned how to play it (LOL)

 

So there is quite a few songs in this series that have presented me with a real challenge, not only to sing them, but to get all those lyrics out in one go, as this band certainly do not write your average run of the mill sort of song at all, and the lyrics sometimes can be just as complex as the music, and fitting them into certain parts can be a mouthful without having time to breath with the many words they can cram into one space sort of thing. Though knowing the expressions does help and that's where I do have perhaps an advantage.

 

For me the most important thing of any good song is the music, and not the lyrics at all. The lyrics only make a song work when they are expressed right and they very much make up another musical melody line in reality which will make the song work. So good words are not a necessity at all, but good lyrics do make it look more professional I will give it that.

 

Having sung these songs now and learned the lyrics that are contained in them. I could in fact say that most of the words they wrote are in fact dribble, and not that good at all. But their songs do not need good lyrics for them to work at all, as the music and vocal melody line is strong enough for them to work in the way they do to make up the song. Expression and progression is the real key to Genesis songs, and that is what makes their music so great and stand out so well.

 

The only tool I need to do my job is my Microphone and Cubase to which I record my part and mix in my vocals for the final mix. Though there are a few occasions where I have not had the chance to use my Mic at all, and have had to use my phone to record my vocals with on a good few of these songs in the series. Though I do intend when I get time to redo some of these songs in the series, to try and get them better, cause many I can honestly cringe at cause I could not reach some of the notes at all, and really should of spent more time with them to devise another way of going about it instead.

Genesis Together And Apart 2014

In 2014 all five members of the band reunited for the first time in 40 years. Though they did not reunite to put the old band together at all, but to make another documentary film for Television which was screened on BBC2 in October 2014.

 

A good 6 months before the documentary was due to be screened I had read several articles about this reunion and was eagerly looking forward to it. Though even before it was screened Steve Hackett had tried to discourage people from watching the program, as it was a biased account of the band.

 

Having watched the documentary myself I could not agree enough with Hackett's statement, because to be honest it was as if they pushed him entirely out of the conversation, and his part in the band was not important at all. Yet at time Hackett was touring with his own band performing all the early Genesis classics and saying far more about the bands earlier music than whatever the other members was that's for sure.  

 

I was truly disappointed by the documentary myself, and once again it was more to do with bands later success in the pop world, rather than the Prog Rock side of their music at all. The more I see Tony Banks speak about the bands earlier music, the more and more I have actually got to hate the guy.

 

For someone who had the weakest and most unsuccessful solo career out of the five guys, you would of thought he would of praised it a lot more, and had something better to say about it. No doubt in my mind his best keyboard work ever was put into that earlier material the band done, more than anything they done afterwards as a 3 piece, or even on his solo albums.

 

The best documentary I have of the band was made in 1990 and entitled Genesis A History. I felt that was immensely an enjoyable one to watch and even brought it. I would not buy this latest one at all, it's just totally dreadful and says nothing at all to me.

The band back in their heyday performing their ultimate classic Suppers Ready.

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