Six six six is no longer alone.

March 2, 2013 10:55 PM

Genesis, fronted by Peter Gabriel, live in 1973, presented in full 1080p high definition.

There are just a handful of film clips documenting the Peter Gabriel era of Genesis. The 60-minute film "'Genesis' In Concert" [1973]* was filmed over two days at Shepperton Studios. The film was distributed in 16mm format for showings at college campuses and industry functions. Though dodgy, low-quality bootlegs circulated for years, in the early 00's an original print was obtained by The Genesis Museum, digitized and released as a DVD to fan circulation (this transfer was even utilized by the band for official release). Now 10 years later than same print has been scanned at 2k on a Spirit Datacine and synced with a new soundtrack.

*(not to be confused with "Genesis In Concert" [1976]

posted by anazgnos (58 comments total)

This is wonderful. I'm a long time fan of the old Genesis. So thank you anazgnos.
posted by seawallrunner at 11:13 PM on March 2, 2013

Holy fucking fuck. I can't watch this right now, but YOU ARE MY GODDAMN HERO.
posted by Afroblanco at 11:13 PM on March 2, 2013

Wild!
posted by Drexen at 11:15 PM on March 2, 2013

Are you kidding me? Holy shit. I don't even like Genesis. That was better than Spinal Tap.
posted by phaedon at 11:21 PM on March 2, 2013 [5 favorites]

I can't even imagine that as Genesis, not based on my memory of listening to them on the radio with what I associated with an oldies station. When Phil Collins and Gabriel were in their mid 40s, not their late 20s/early 30s.
posted by mrzarquon at 11:25 PM on March 2, 2013

This is awesome. The inclusion of I Know What I Like in the setlist means this was a tour for Selling England By The Pound.

Can't wait to watch this! Thanks so much for posting!
posted by hippybear at 11:44 PM on March 2, 2013

I'm so torn about Phil Collins. Such an egotistical pop-sellout wanker, and yet such an amazing fucking drummer.
posted by bardic at 12:03 AM on March 3, 2013 [7 favorites]

When I met a movie restorer specialised in restoring music movies some ten years ago, he told me all the Genesis material was in a terrible state. I'm so happy with this material now emerging. This made my Sunday morning!
posted by charles kaapjes at 1:00 AM on March 3, 2013 [1 favorite]

This is amazing. I've always really liked Peter Gabriel, despite lyrics that strike me as being pretty much nonsense. (I don't listen to lyrics much anyway, so this works out pretty well.) And it's wild hearing such early, live pieces from him. Sadly, it seems that the lyrics are rather more the point with these, but it's still an amazing experience.

So young! So talented! Makeup six feet thick! What's not to like? :)
posted by Malor at 1:37 AM on March 3, 2013

I stumbled onto this a few week's ago, thought about posting it ... but it was a busy day, and then I forgot. So thanks for the reminder, anazgnos. And count me among those who was pretty certain that nothing like this existed. An pretty much entire show with Gabriel! Supper's Ready even!

What's next? Someone's going to discover some Lamb Lies Down on Broadway neg in their weird uncle's basement?
posted by philip-random at 1:38 AM on March 3, 2013 [1 favorite]

Just did a quick skim of that and what I saw and heard persuaded me I need to favourite it and watch in full later. I really liked Gabriel-era Genesis. They managed to capture the glorious silliness of Prog at its height while still producing some genuinely wonderful music. "Lamb" is still one of my top ten albums of all time and, given the woeful state of current music, is likely to remain so.
posted by Decani at 2:06 AM on March 3, 2013 [2 favorites]

Gabriel is such a weirdo, I love it!
posted by mannequito at 2:35 AM on March 3, 2013 [1 favorite]

Thank you!
posted by theredpen at 3:34 AM on March 3, 2013

When my friend Robert and I knock on each other's front doors we still do it using the rhythm of 'Watcher of the Skies.' This is awesome.
posted by mintcake! at 5:22 AM on March 3, 2013 [9 favorites]

When my friend Robert and I knock on each other's front doors we still do it using the rhythm of 'Watcher of the Skies.'

That is hardcore.
posted by goethean at 5:47 AM on March 3, 2013

wonderful stuff - they were legendary in their time where i lived - WLAV in grand rapids played supper's ready, all of it, on a regular basis

they were THAT popular here
posted by pyramid termite at 6:04 AM on March 3, 2013

Gabriel's lyrics are occasionally gibberish, but are rarely nonsense.
posted by tapesonthefloor at 6:26 AM on March 3, 2013 [3 favorites]

I didn't know that Genesis was anything more than the post-Gabriel, post-Hackett band until my uncle gave me 1974's "Genesis Live" on vinyl circa 1987.

Since then, Gabriel-era genesis has been one of my favorite bands, and I daily catch myself humming phrases from Nursery Cryme, Foxtrot and Selling England by the Pound.

This video looks beautiful, thank you.
posted by Radiophonic Oddity at 6:42 AM on March 3, 2013

bardic: "I'm so torn about Phil Collins. Such an egotistical pop-sellout wanker, and yet such an amazing fucking drummer."

I couldn't agree more -- every time I see that guy (OR Tony Banks) I think about how much incredible talent they have completely squandered.

Peter Gabriel is my #1 very best and longest celebrity crush.
posted by theredpen at 7:12 AM on March 3, 2013

I can't even imagine that as Genesis, not based on my memory of listening to them on the radio with what I associated with an oldies station. When Phil Collins and Gabriel were in their mid 40s, not their late 20s/early 30s.

Gabriel was born in 1950, so what you are watching are a group of musicians in their early twenties--essentially college-aged. Looking forward to watching this!
posted by jokeefe at 7:29 AM on March 3, 2013

`1
posted by jokeefe at 7:37 AM on March 3, 2013 [3 favorites]

....and I'm just going to leave that comment because seriously? that was my cat chiming in. I'm not sure how he managed, just by strolling across the keyboard, to both comment and post, but obviously he had something to say and was going to say it.
posted by jokeefe at 7:39 AM on March 3, 2013 [15 favorites]

Selling England By The Meow
posted by mintcake! at 7:46 AM on March 3, 2013 [4 favorites]

Peter Gabriel: the Sassiest Girl in America.
posted by pxe2000 at 8:01 AM on March 3, 2013

I saw the video was an hour long and I thought "Huh, about five songs then." Then I scrolled down and it was five songs. Never change, prog.
posted by ersatz at 8:25 AM on March 3, 2013 [4 favorites]

cat-utility and the mouseliners
posted by pyramid termite at 9:27 AM on March 3, 2013

Since there appear to be no voices for the defense in our fortnightly re-litigation of Phil Collins's 80s career, I will say that given a choice between two minor levels of hell, I think I'd prefer being trapped in a small room for all eternity listening to Invisible Touch than to The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.

But man, those early Genesis shows look awesome.
posted by mubba at 9:34 AM on March 3, 2013 [1 favorite]

Nice to see vintage Genesis with Peter Gabriel as the mad wizard. This is wonderful music from the time when the music was allowed to go anywhere it wanted to. We don't have this anymore, and prog rock is gone forever. This great footage brings some of it back, so thanks for a great post.
posted by Seekerofsplendor at 10:14 AM on March 3, 2013

Wow, this is a treasure. Music needs more art school pretentiousness these days.
posted by octothorpe at 10:30 AM on March 3, 2013

Well, now I'm even more impressed with The Musical Box's remountings of these tours that they have done over the years. Yeah, they got all the sets and costumes right, but they also got each band member's mannerisms down right.

Also, Prog is not dead. Just give bands like Phideaux a gander.
posted by KingEdRa at 10:44 AM on March 3, 2013 [1 favorite]

WLAV in grand rapids played supper's ready, all of it, on a regular basis

Because it gave the DJ 20 minutes to head out to the car for a smoke and time to swallow a breath mint before he had to go back.
posted by three blind mice at 11:19 AM on March 3, 2013

Oh man this is a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Selling England by the Pound has been one of my favorite albums since middle school and even though I might go years between listenings, it still holds up. Amazing.
posted by mygothlaundry at 11:43 AM on March 3, 2013

He's in a Floyd Hole!
posted by mrzarquon at 11:43 AM on March 3, 2013

I will say that given a choice between two minor levels of hell, I think I'd prefer being trapped in a small room for all eternity listening to Invisible Touch than to The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.

I didn't realize Patrick Bateman was a MeFite
posted by philip-random at 11:43 AM on March 3, 2013 [3 favorites]

The sceptical should advance to about 47 minutes ("A flower?"). There is a degree of performance from Gabriel that is simply not seen today. Then go back and watch the whole thing.
posted by epo at 11:47 AM on March 3, 2013 [2 favorites]

Also, Prog is not dead. Just give bands like Phideaux yt a gander.

A. Thanks for the link. I'm currently enjoying Phideaux this fine pre-Spring morn ...

B. This is most effective evidence as to why Prog is dead ... as a musical force. Because it's not progressive. It's an aping (rather astute) of a forty year old sound. Yes-Genesis-King-Crimson-etc were not aping anyone (even themselves) when they were defining this sound. They were just going for it, stretching their craft and imaginations to no end, riding on the temper of the moment, being artistically free. But then something happened. Because by around 1976 (post King Crimson shutdown, post Gabriel leaving Genesis, post Rick Wakeman leaving then returning to Yes) stuff just wasn't progressing anymore. progressive had become Prog (a definable sound with requisite audience expectations). If you wanted music that was going to rearrange your brain chemicals, it wasn't going to come from that corner anymore. Sad but true. I still love the old sound ... but like old photographs, I only pull it out every now and then. Now being one of those thens ...
posted by philip-random at 11:59 AM on March 3, 2013 [1 favorite]

I get why Collins is a pop sellout, but why "egotistical" or "wanker"? What's the argument for either of those things? (Maybe I mean, why is he so much *more* egotistical or wankery than your run of the mill pop star (say Geddy Lee or Don Henley, to stay in that era) that he gets called out on it?)
posted by rodii at 12:51 PM on March 3, 2013

i don't know about egotistical - but he certainly gets "wanker" for "you can't hurry love"
posted by pyramid termite at 12:53 PM on March 3, 2013

This is most effective evidence as to why Prog is dead ... as a musical force.

i certainly hear what you're saying - but then, what genre is alive these days? - maybe some of the electronic dance music still has something new to it, but just about everything else i hear these days has some pretty obvious "forty year old sound" qualities to it - that doesn't make it bad, but it just might make it "dead"

phideaux seem rather subdued ... kind of a cross between renaissance and caravan
posted by pyramid termite at 1:06 PM on March 3, 2013

I get why Collins is a pop sellout, but why "egotistical" or "wanker"?

There's a 1980 Genesis concert floating around on Youtube, which would've been pretty much their last tour before they became more pop band than prog. Indeed, they already had Turn It On Again and Follow You Follow Me on their set list, so the pop is very much already showing its face. Anyway, the band is amazing here, working through the back catalog and some of the current big deal epic stuff with serious chops and power. But holy shit is Phil Collins annoying with all his between songs banter, serious nails on a chalkboard stuff. Like visiting friends for dinner and the meal is great, the conversation very cool indeed, except the younger brother's has had too much to drink and he won't shut up with his bullshit banter that has nothing to do with anything except hearing the sound of his own voice.

Is that ego or wank? Either way, f***ing annoying. And, with Mr. Collins coming pop solo success, it would only become more so.
posted by philip-random at 1:12 PM on March 3, 2013

Do you like Phil Collins? Been a big genesis fan, ever since the release of their 1980 album, Duke. Before that I didn't really understand any of their work, it was too artsy, too intellectual...it was on Duke where uh, Phil Collins presence became more apparent...I think Invisible Touch is the group's undisputed masterpiece, its an epic meditation on intangibility at the same time it deepens and enriches the meaning of the preceding 3 albums...Christy, take off the robe...
posted by Muddler at 1:17 PM on March 3, 2013 [1 favorite]

but then, what genre is alive these days?

Whatever's new, I guess, and thus fresh. And I suppose that's the point. When I discovered prog as a young teen, it still had that shocking sense of wonder and invention to it, which is why this footage of Genesis in 73 is such an amazing artifact ... because it's all there, the real stuff. I get the same thing from Yessongs, which was Yes live in 1972, and also something like Jethro Tull's performance from the Isle of White. Blistering.
posted by philip-random at 1:20 PM on March 3, 2013 [1 favorite]

Do you like Phil Collins? Been a big genesis fan, ever since the release of their 1980 album, Duke.

I had no particular problem with him until after Duke (though I'm no fan of Misunderstanding). But immediately after Duke, he released Face Value (and even that had some great moments) ... but the success of it just seemed to bring something out of him that I didn't need nor want. And anyway, my tastes were changing big time in 1980. Going in, I'd have listed Genesis as my favorite band. Going out, it would've been the Clash.
posted by philip-random at 1:23 PM on March 3, 2013

I think some music that blatantly tries to emulate a forty-year-old sound definitely has some... juice? Is it obvious what I mean by that? A kind of life despite itself. The most obvious example (though in a quite different genre) is Gabriel Roth and his Daptone label, which is an out-and-out recreation of the early 1970s, but still seems alive to me.

Something quite different, which I also think has some juice is Motorpsycho who are, again, mining the early seventies for their insane riffing.

Originally, these bands sounded like guitar-bass-organ-drums because that was what they had. If the record label would advance them the money, they could stretch to mellotron (or in Pink Floyd's case they spent the money on a VCS3). Now, you can literally do anything, and instructional videos will teach you how to play anything. Modern synths (especially virtual ones) come with so many presets that sound so amazing, why would anyone write their own sounds? And genre references are like presets in that way.

People used to sound new because they were trying to sound like the records they liked, and failing dismally. Now it's easy enough to achieve a sound you like that we've ended up with a music industry that's essentially very finely tuned karaoke.

Oh, and I've found that if I listen to a Genesis album just for the wanting-to-listen-to-some-Genesis, it seems to be A Trick of the Tail. Odd.
posted by Grangousier at 1:24 PM on March 3, 2013 [3 favorites]

It's stuff like this that makes me say why the hell am I paying for Netflix streaming?
posted by JanetLand at 2:53 PM on March 3, 2013

Okay, so the closing section to The Musical Box is one of my favorite pieces of Genesis music of all time, and the performance of it presented in the film here is spine-tingingly good.

Awesome, thanks for posting!
posted by hippybear at 4:15 PM on March 3, 2013

I don't know how anyone calls the 80s Collins an egotistical wanker with a straight face, after viewing Genesis circa '73, but there you go.

FWIW, this show popped up on dangerousminds recently, featuring Gabriel in much better form all the way around, IMO. The wanking much more tastefully restrained.
posted by 2N2222 at 4:23 PM on March 3, 2013

There's a 1980 Genesis concert floating around on Youtube...

...which is also six different kinds of awesome.
posted by anazgnos at 5:53 PM on March 3, 2013

About an hour ago I should've gone to sleep. Thanks for this!
posted by safetyfork at 9:46 PM on March 3, 2013

I'm pretty sure that's Bill Bruford on drums in the 1976 "Genesis in Concert" video. This post and the subsequent links are amazing.
posted by mitten of doom at 10:48 PM on March 3, 2013

Yup. Bill Bruford drummed on the 1976 Trick of the Tail tour, which gave us moments like this.

By 1977, Chester Thompson had taken over the gig.
posted by philip-random at 11:56 PM on March 3, 2013

I don't know how anyone calls the 80s Collins an egotistical wanker with a straight face, after viewing Genesis circa '73

Yeah, I saw Genesis on this 73 tour (December 8, Pease Auditorium, Ypsilanti MI), and it was overwhelmingly good, and Gabriel's larger than life shtick was a big part of what made it good. But I was 20 rows back (and 17 years old). Seeing him in close up hamming it up in 25 pounds of makeup is a lot more offputting. Some things are meant to be viewed from a distance (and when young).
posted by rodii at 5:04 AM on March 4, 2013

I think Brits and Americans must have different uses for the word "wanker'. In Britain it is a generalized expression of disdain.

Peter Gabriel was a showman and, as with mime, such theatricality either works for you, or it doesn't. I fail to see how you can call him egotistical either, beyond the show-offishness on stage that theatrical people necessarily must have. Whereas by his behaviour then and subsequently, Collins is, in my view, egotistical (completely full of himself) and, therefore, a wanker. Good drummer though.
posted by epo at 5:23 AM on March 4, 2013 [1 favorite]

Again (and I say this as a fan of Gabriel and a non-fan of Collins), what behavior specifically tells you that Collins is egotistical and Gabriel isn't? Besides the fact that you like one and dislike the other, so that makes one's behavior "theatrical" and the other's "full of himself." I admit I haven't really followed Collins' career, so maybe he's done some dumb things, but what musician that suddenly became mega-famous hasn't?
posted by rodii at 5:37 AM on March 4, 2013

(And yes, we Americans know what "wanker" means.)
posted by rodii at 5:37 AM on March 4, 2013

Collins is, in my view, egotistical (completely full of himself) and, therefore, a wanker.

I don't really know where that comes from. I don't like any of his solo career, I think he has likely horrible personal taste, and I don't find his Duke-tour lead-in stories all that funny, but none of that equates to "egotistical" or "wanker" for me. Whenever I happen across an interview with him I almost always find him likeable and reasonably self-aware. Maybe it was different in the 80s when he was more inescapable as a pop presence but nowadays, it's easy to just cut the tacky Phil stuff out of the picture and maintain a general feeling of good will towards Phil Collins.
posted by anazgnos at 11:41 AM on March 4, 2013 [3 favorites]

Just got around to watching this, having never seen extended footage of the band from this era. Thanks a lot for posting it, anazgnos! Must have been a pretty staggering live experience.
posted by Songdog at 7:35 PM on March 5, 2013

Wow, this is pretty cool. Gabriel is both brilliant and hilarious! Banks on guitar for one song? This makes me regret not seeing The Musical Box when I had the chance...
posted by ovvl at 6:01 PM on March 6, 2013