Why All the Reunions?

I might be in a bit of a bitter mood today but all those classic rock group reunions over the last few years really get to me.

Genesis, Cream and hundreds of other musicians are reforming their groups, often in their original lineups and what for?

I strongly doubt that fans are the reason, I don’t think any of those guys care much about us. Sorry but thats a fact.

Of course, many claim they want to revisit the old days, others openly admit the melting cash on their bank accou ts. But I think this is something else. I think it is a scream for help. Don’t forget about us they shout, let us live the dream for a bit longer.

Cheis Squire of Yes is the perfect example of that. He doesn’t even have a problem with replacing Jon Anderson with someone else when he suffers health problems. Only to carry the band forward even though the band means nothing these days Nymore.

I feel sorry for aged rock stars. The used to shape the world, now all they have is this last, final cry for help to get them feel alive. Nothing else. No groundbreaking records, only a shadow of what they were.

So lets answer their call and don’t forget about them. But lets also ignore their current music and focus on the good old days. The days they want to be remembered anyways.

Genesis – Calling All Stations

I have to admit it to you, out of all of the wonderful prog rock bands, Genesis are my favorite. There is something magical in their music, something that captivates me deeply.

I am one of those people who appreciate all of their records and periods in musical development. From “Nursery Cryme”, already mentioned on this blog to their pop tunes, clearly inspired more by Collins’ solo career than anything else I am a devout fan.

I am also one of the people who consider “calling all stations”, their only record with Ray Wilson on vocals as one of their finest.

The album was recorded in 1996, shortly after Phil Collins’ departure from the band. Mike Rutheford and Tony Banks decided to continue with the group without him, called in a former Stiltskin vocalist Ray Wilson to perform vocal duties as well as Nir Zidkyahu and Nick D’Virgilio to cover up the drums part.

It seems that the idea behind this album was to move Genesis back a bit closer to their classic prog rock days, with much darker sound however.

“Calling All Stations” features much longer songs compared to the height of their pop era, much darker sound (a change that could be attributed to Wilsons much lower voice than Collins’s or Gabriels) and completely new approach to record production for the band.

The album, released finally in 1997 sold extremely well in Europe. The States however didn’t seem to bother with the release and it was completely ignored at a time (the album was rereleased there in 2007 to much better reaction). Unfortunately, the tour following the albums release shared the same fate. After an enthusiastic response in Europe, North American leg of the tour had to be cancelled due to poor ticket sales.

Both of these seemed to be the main reasons for putting the band on hiatus indefinitely.

Ray Wilson, eager to continue with the band went on to develop a solo career. He still incorporates an extended set of Genesis classics into his live sets and recently recorded a Genesis Klassik album, a collaboration between his band and Berlin Philharmonic.

For Banks and Rutheford “Calling All Stations” became their last Genesis studio album so far and the only group activity since was a Collins reunion tour of 2007.

Genesis – Nursery Cryme

“Nursery Cryme” is Genesis’ third album, recorded between 1970 and 1971 in the famous Trident Studios in London, the exact same place the band used to record it’s predecessor, “Trespass”.

1970 brought two new members to the line up, Phil Collins and Steve Hackett, replacing John Mayhew on drums and Anthony Phillips on guitar respectively forming what would later be known as the classic line up, active until 1975’s “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” and Gabriels departure.

The new album also featured the bands shift from the folky feel of their music in favor of more aggressive sound. The change partially brought in by Hackett with his playing style, it is also partially contributed to Tony Banks, who used to play guitar parts on his electric piano through fuzz box guitar effect during the short period when there was no guitarist in line up.

The band also introduced new instruments to their set up out of which one, a mellotron MkII (purchased from their prog rock colleagues King Crimson) would play a major part in the making of Nursery Cryme.

The album introduced few elements that will become Genesis’ trademark for years to come. Long, epic songs based on fairy tale stories, Gabriel’s theatricals based on song themes and Hacketts long and passionate guitar solos.

The albums main composition is an epic song entitled “the Musical Box”, a story of death, reincarnation and lust set in Victorian England. The song, which opening part was written with Anthony Phillips still in the group, and who subsequently to his departure would never get credit for his work on it, has become an integral part of the bands live performances until Collins left the group in 1992. Although later in their career only the famous ending section, during which Gabriel in his days with the band would wear an old man mask and replay the main characters death on stage, would be incorporated in a medley of older songs.

The album features two more epic songs, neither of the same length or intensity as the Musical Box plus few shorter tunes, one being the very first Genesis song sung by Phil Collins, then a drummer, who in only few years to come would become the bands leader and vocalist.

“Nursery Cryme” unexpectedly reached no. 4 in Italy starting the band’s successful career in mainland Europe. In their homeland it finally reached #39 in 1974, 3 years after release and a digitally remastered version released in 1998 reached no.89 in British LP charts.

King Crimson – Islands

King Crimson are one of those bands who throughout their entire history never had much luck with steady line ups. The main reason probably was Robert Fripps constant need to change and explore new musical directions. However, the difficulty to work with the leader might have played it’s part in why musicians came and went.

No matter what theory is right, without those changes we wouldn’t have a number of now classic rock albums and Islands is one of them.

King Crimson’s Lizard and end of Gordon Haskell Era

Shortly after the release of Lizard Crimsons were in trouble. Singer Gordon Haskell left the group leaving the band in search for a new singer and bassist. To make things worse, Andy McCullough forced King Crimson to look for a new drummer as well.

One of the musicians auditioned for the band was Boz Burrell, a singer with unique voice, unfortunately with no bass skills. With a guidance of Rober Fripp this tiny flaw was quickly overcame and the band could now look into the future with a new singer and bassist. Ian Wallace joined on drums once again revitalizing the group.

On a side note, at the same time a Mogul Thrash bassist, John Wetton declined to join the group. Only a year later he would become a foundation of another, the most successful and to date the most revered of all King Crimson lineups.

Islands, The Last Album of The Bands Progressive Rock Era

1971 brought Islands, the last King Crimson release to prominently feature progressive rock elements in their music as in “Sailor’s Tale” or “The Letters”.

“Ladies of the Road” married a semi-blues arrangement with Beatles alike chorus while “Prelude: Song of the Gulls” is Crimsons first attempt to work with a a string quartet.

The album concludes with “Islands”, an epic 12 minutes long composition that could easily be recorded for their debut release.

Live Shows, Temporary Break Up and Aftermath

Islands, unlike it’s predecessor Lizard was followed by a tour, ended with Pete Sinfield, one of the original founding members leaving the group.

The remaining members followed shortly afterward dissatisfied with their compositions being rejected by the leader (later described by Fripp as a quality control of the music Crimson would be performing).

Couple of weeks after those events however Robert Fripp resurrected the band once more, this time with a new line up including John Wetton, Bill Bruford and David Cross creating what would later be known as the best and most revered Crimson lineup ever.