Genesis (the band) and Peter Gabriel

What do they believe? What do you think? Talk about religion as it exists today.

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DCHindley
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Genesis (the band) and Peter Gabriel

Post by DCHindley »

Back in my Senior year in college, 77-78, I had shared a dorm room briefly with a man who derived spiritual inspiration from the songs of the band Genesis, and also considered Peter Gabriel to be a "prophet of God". He was always playing cuts from "The Lamb Lays down on Broadway".

I remember hearing LLDOB in late 1974 when I was still an avid Jesus Person, and only remembered it because we called Jesus "the Lamb of God" and folks had speculated that the song was also referencing this idea in some way. Personally, I did not see it being a strong connection, and did not consider Genesis to be anything other than a "head" band, and my head wasn't into that then. I lost track of Gabriel after his departure from Genesis.

Don't get me wrong, I have plenty of respect for "head' music. After the departure of Gabriel, Genesis did pretty well as a "head" band, producing very interesting stuff under Phil Collins, especially the band's TV videos. After Gabriel left Genesis, my 'head" music interests turned towards Pink Floyd, although I think I only own one, maybe two, of their albums. I don't own any Genesis albums at all (I don't think).

Of the Vinyl records I have, most are Southern/Country Rock bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Outlaws, Pure Prairie League and Charlie Daniels. I wouldn't use the term "religious experience" to describe the effect those type bands have had on me.

There are also multiple copies of "hard' rock bands like Led Zepplin, Cream, Eric Clapton, geez, even Humble Pie.

If anything came even close to a religious experience, it was my response to the music of Jethro Tull, which I would call "hard Folk" music, especially songs like Aqualung, Cross-Eyed Mary and Locomotive Breath. It amazes me that some lovers of "hard" rock bristle at the idea that Jethro Tull should even be called a "hard" rock band. Idiots! This was 1969 for god's sake, even Cream was finding it's footing in the world of amplified guitar rock. Yeah, sure, a lot of their stuff are ballads and sound a bit like the music you might hear at a "Renaissance fair", but If "hard" is taken to refer to amplified guitar sound, distortion and all, Jetro Tull took this to the extreme in the Folk genre.

Same folks probably also think that the Outlaws were Lynyrd Skynyrd wannabes. Double Idiots!! Nobody could say that if they had ever listened all the way through one of the several 10-20 minute renditions of the Outlaws' "Green Grass and High Tides Forever".

Is there anyone other than my former roommate (he read Ram Dass' book "Be Here Now" like fundamentalists read the bible) who felt religious inspiration from the songs or stage presence of Genesis or Peter Gebriel?

Jess curios. DCH
John2
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Re: Genesis (the band) and Peter Gabriel

Post by John2 »

Not me, but I've done some Genesis research. They are one of those bands that I first heard as a kid in the '80's (like Yes) and didn't know that they had a 60's and 70's incarnation until I got older. One thing I've learned in my later years is that I don't care for "prog rock" in general (it's just too thought out and I prefer things to be looser and more spontaneous), and while I like the idea of early Genesis, musically it is no exception for me.

I've used this reviewer's site in recent years as a springboard for learning about Genesis and other classic rock bands I overlooked when I was younger, and even though I don't share his taste in music, he's an interesting reviewer and a Peter Gabriel fan.

http://starling.rinet.ru/music/genesis.htm
You know in spite of all you gained, you still have to stand out in the pouring rain.
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DCHindley
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Re: Genesis (the band) and Peter Gabriel

Post by DCHindley »

John2,

Out our way, we used the term "progressive rock" for any concept song longer than say 3 minutes. That was how one knew it wasn't "pop". This was when our local FM radio station (WMMS 101.7, Cleveland, Ohio, USA) was the ONLY one in our state, and maybe the entire USA, that played entire album sides at a time. No yanking the listeners one way or the other arbitrarily. You could compare the good and the bad of that band on that record. I guess it was really the station that was "progressive" for bucking the pop trend. We had an AM station (WIXY 1260, also Cleveland) for top 40 pop.

Perhaps it was because of my shyness, and being awkwardly tall (6'0", pretty tall in the 60s & 70s), that I was mainly an introvert, and thinking way too much. I have since broken free of that shy mindset (1980s, accepting a job that I knew would require me to personally interview people to verify details in insurance policy applications), but I am obviously still thinking too much.

You mention the Kinks before - now that was an "action" band. You didn't have to attend a concert to feel what they were saying. Absolutely love "Destroyer". Lola describes me spot-on here: "You're up, you're down, I can't work you out, You get a good thing goin' then you blow yourself out."

DCH
The author of the [i]Gospel according to Tull[/i], in the album jacket of LP [i]Aqualung[/i], wrote:In the beginning Man created God;
And in the image of Man created he him.

2 And Man gave unto God a multitude of names,
that he might be Lord over all the earth when it was suited to Man.

3 And on the seven millionth day Man rested
and did lean heavily on his God and saw that it was good.

4 And Man formed Aqualung of the dust of the ground,
and a host of others likened unto his kind.

5 And these lesser men Man did cast into the void. And some were burned;
and some were put apart from their kind.

6 And Man became the God that he had created
and with his miracles did rule over all the earth.

7 But as these things did come to pass,
the Spirit that did cause Man to create his God
lived on within all men: even within Aqualung.

8 And Man saw it not.

9 But for Christ’s sake he’d better start looking.
Amen
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arnoldo
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Re: Genesis (the band) and Peter Gabriel

Post by arnoldo »

John2
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Re: Genesis (the band) and Peter Gabriel

Post by John2 »

DCH,

Of all the "prog rock" bands I've heard, I do like Jethro Tull (at least from 1968 to 1972). I could use a little less flute, but I like the album Stand Up a lot, for example, and the singles Living in the Past and Teacher are cool. Now I feel like a little Tull.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq5zTznlSJI
You know in spite of all you gained, you still have to stand out in the pouring rain.
John2
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Re: Genesis (the band) and Peter Gabriel

Post by John2 »

BTW, I think it's an interesting tidbit that Tony Iommi, the Black Sabbath guitarist, was briefly in Jethro Tull (and is seen here miming with them at the Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus in 1968):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXInbfGwhNQ

http://bravewords.com/news/ian-anderson ... that-point
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Re: Genesis (the band) and Peter Gabriel

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DCHindley
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Re: Genesis (the band) and Peter Gabriel

Post by DCHindley »

John2 wrote:BTW, I think it's an interesting tidbit that Tony Iommi, the Black Sabbath guitarist, was briefly in Jethro Tull (and is seen here miming with them at the Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus in 1968):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXInbfGwhNQ

http://bravewords.com/news/ian-anderson ... that-point
There was something about that on the VH1 cable channel here. I guess they have Ian Anderson sort of saying "Well, he could play well with what he had available (stubby fingers from industrial accident), and understood where I wanted the band to go musically, but his fingers couldn't play some of the chords that make our distinct". While Iommi went on to other things, he apparently left on good terms, as he later made a stand-in appearance in a video where they were just lip synching for a photo op.

Come to think of it, that is probably the second link above.

Interesting, what?

DCH
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