Genesis' second box set - 'Archive #2 - 1976-1992' - released November 6 2000

Comments by editor of The Path

In 1998, the first Genesis box set of rare and unheard material was released - and for many of us it was a great surprise and a huge relief. Four CD's, including an interesting written booklet, with music and facts unfamiliar to even the most die-hard Genesis fan. Two years later, the second box is avaliable - this time with material from Genesis' "second era", the post-Gabriel period with Phil Collins fronting the band. A lot more "difficult" era to cover, not only considering the actual span of 17 years (compared to Archive I's eight years), but maybe most important - an era of dramatically changing styles. The upcoming boxset will cover parts of Genesis' core "progressive", often Banks-dominated input from mid-seventies, through the band's attempts at pushing Phil Collins to stadium stardom during the eighties - in which they succeeded, to the last "classic trio" input in 1992. Even more challenging is it to cover this period on three CD's - not four in the first Archive set.

- Read Interview with Tony Banks, conducted by Sven Kardelke, November 3 2000.
- Complete reviews of the Archive #2 will follow soon...

Anyway, here's the track listing for the 'Genesis Archive #2 1976-92'. The 3 CD boxset contains the following tracks:

Disc I
On The Shoreline, Hearts On Fire, You Might Recall, Paperlate, Evidence of Autumn, Do The Neurotic, I'd Rather Be You, Naminanu, Inside & Out, Feeding The Fire, I Can't Dance 12", Submarine.

Disc II
Illegal Alien (LA Forum, 14.1.84), Dreaming While You Sleep (Earls Court London, November '92), It's Gonna Get Better (LA Forum, 14.1.84), Deep In The Motherlode (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London 5.5.80), Ripples (Lyceum Ballroom, London, 6.5.80), The Brazilian (Wembley Stadium, 4.7.87), Your Own Special Way (Sydney Entertainment Centre, December '86), Burning Rope (Hofheinz Pavilion, Houston, 22.10.78), Entangled (New Bingley Hall, Stafford, 10.7.76), Duke's Travels (Lyceum Ballroom, London, 7.5.80).

Disc III
Invisble Touch (12" version), Land Of Confusion (12" version), Tonight, Tonight, Tonight (12" version), No Reply At All (Savoy Theatre, NYC, 28.11.81), Man on The Corner (Savoy Theatre, NYC, 28.11.81), The Lady Lies (Lyceum Ballroom, London, 6.5.80), Open Door, The Day The Light Went Out, Vancouver, Pigeons, It's Yourself, Mama (work in progress).

By the way - Genesis has just launched their new official web site, at - http://genesis.m3w.com

Comments on the Archive II promo CD
Last Friday I was lucky enough to grab a handful of promo CD's through my kind contact in Virgin Norway in Oslo. I always feel a great excitement in the days in advance - and if I'm not wrong, I've had this feeling at least four times the last four years (1997: CAS, 1998: Archive I, 1999: Hits...), now finally with the last Archive promo. So, am I happy? Yes. Yes I am. Anyway, my first impression with the Archive II track list is even more evident on the promo. Where's the chronology - where's the order? Maybe both outlets are more to be considered as "collages" from the period, more than historical documents. If we choose to agree to an approach like that, I am sure many of us will enjoy the Archive #2.

First off on the promo is You Might Recall - which I remember vividly as one of the most catchy tunes Genesis ever wrote. I've known it well since it's release - on the "international" edition of Three Sides Live from 1982. I remember so well how much it grabbed my attention even while not listening to it. It's still there - on of the best left-overs in the band's history. It is especially nice to listen to again now after being remastered. The song, I mean. Next song is Evidence of Autumn, another left-over published on Three Sides Live - this time from the Duke sessions. A beautiful song written by Tony Banks, with a lot of stuff going on. For those of you not familiar with those two opening songs - look forward to the box!

Third song on the promo disc is Inside & Out, a left-over from the Wind & Wuthering sessions and released as one third pf of the Spot The Pigeon EP in 1978. Maybe this song is THE song that mark Genesis' transition from the "progressive" era to the new era best. It's quite interesting in terms of... everything, but we've heard it all before, haven't we? Quiet verses, two choruses and a final keyboard climax. I have never been too happy about this song, but I have to admit that a brushed up and remastered version easily pleases my ears. Track four on my promo CD takes the band in quite another direction. Genesis' 12" version of I Can't Dance is cool, but nothing more than a curiousity. Even with four CD's in this box, I can't see no reason to include it.

Illegal Alien is quite another song, dealing with potent immigration issues in 1984. Genesis tried to solve these problems by using humour on their Mama Tour. For me, this is Genesis' least interesting period ever, so I am not able to pay this live rendition justice. I can say one thing though - it's powerful compared to the next track, Deep in The Motherlode, which is included in the track list but not included on the CD. I look forward to hear it on the forthcoming box.

Now we're talking. Back to the Trick era with another live version of Ripples, probably familiar for many of us through the bootleg Musica from the 1980 theatre tour. It sounds good - very good! Ripples has never been among my favourites from A Trick of the Tail, but that says a lot more about the album than this song. Another giant leap, to a 1987 live version of The Brazilian - with all its programmed drums and stuff. But it works, indeed. In the summer of 1987 I had my first chance to see Genesis live (Gentofte, Copenhagen), and this song together with Los Endos, In The Cage and Second Home by The Sea, made the hugest impression on me.

Back to the seventies, and Entangled live. One of my all time favourites, but this live version is unfortunately not able to live up to its expectations. Again, probably because everything on A Trick of the Tail is so perfect. Obviously a difficult song to play live, with its quiet passages and carefully engineered soundscape at the end. Following Entangled is another wonderful left-over from Trick - It's Yourself. And similarly, from And The There Were Three, we get Vancouver. I know both songs quite well from different sources, but it I'm sure these songs are among the Archive's high-points for many of us. Obviously remastered and sounding great - these two songs are now in my top ten playlist from that period.

Oh my God - the "work in progress" version of Mama is so funny. And so boring. Where did the drums go?