Clive Nolan of Pendragon has called it “the album that made me want to be in a rock band,” and Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters said it was “one of his drum bibles.” Now hear what the members of Tabletop Genesis have to say about the band’s 1977 double live album, Seconds Out. Plus, Tabletop Tom explains why he thinks a certain Spot the Pigeon track is for the birds.
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Really enjoying the podcasts but would have liked to hear more thoughts on “Seconds Out” A track by track critique of “Seconds Out” would have been great. So much i would have liked to have heard comparing old to live versions, Chesters drumming to Phils in studio, and unpack revisions like “Cinema Show” and new like the drum duet into “Los Endos”. Please discuss The Lamb on a future cast, but don’t abbreviate just because it’s a double album. We want to hear your thoughts!
Thanks, Robert – we’re thinking of making The Lamb a two-part episode, so we can give each side its due.
I love this series of podcasts, but this episode confused me. I thought I must have blanked out and missed most of the Seconds Out conversation – checking back, you only talked for 24 minutes on this entire double album!
Please do another podcast including a track-by-track discussion, etc. – disappointed it wasn’t included.
Looking forward to more albums…keep up the great work!
Thanks, Paul – I’ll share your post with the group, perhaps we can revisit S.O. again and tackle it more in-depth.
Also surprised that people so disliked the lyrics of Inside and Out. My feeling is that they misunderstood the lyrics.
It’s not about someone who actually did anything wrong, but someone who was falsely accused. To me that makes it quite a sad song, as well as being a social message.
Hey Paul – I think we agree that it wasn’t about the man committing a crime, but merely being accused of something he didn’t do. It’s an interesting topic for a song, it just seemed like an anomaly at the time for the band to cover such a serious subject when it really hadn’t before – maybe that’s why it was a B-side, it didn’t fit in with anything else on W&W. Live, it did seem awkward when Phil introduced it and starts off talking about a man going out with a woman with large knockers (funny), but then she says he raped me (not funny). Kind of tough to cheer/applaud after that – kind of a buzzkill. The lyrics didn’t grab me, and I found this bit a tad awkward, singing-wise: “But it seems they didn’t go straight there, ‘cos on the porch, she told him, “put your hand here.”
Maybe not as bad as “and into the breadbin,” but close. 😉
Haha, yes, the breadbin!
I do agree that Phil’s intro to I&O is far more questionable than the song lyrics themselves, which as you say don’t fit the vibe of W&W. Phil never was very good at intros, whether with Genesis or solo.
Two Hackett-related comments and the W&W Tour.
First, apparently Steve was considering quitting before the tour and was talked out of it by his then girlfriend, Kim Poor.
Secondly, the last concert he performed with Genesis was on 3rd July 1977 in Munich but things could’ve been very different. In 1977, the UK was celebrating the Queen’s Silver Jubilee with all sorts of events including various street parties being held. Also at this time, Phil Collins moved house to a leafy suburb where one such party was being set up by the residents.
At this time, despite the releases of Your Own Special Way and Spot The Pigeon, neither Phil nor Genesis had embedded themselves into the nation’s psyche so although some of the local teenagers had a reasonably good idea who Phil Collins was, their parents didn’t really have a clue.
A few weeks before the party was due to take place, one of the party organisers went round the neighbourhood collecting contributions and she knocked on Phil’s door. When he answered, she explained who she was, that she was going round collecting money and would he like to make a contribution.
Phil was more than happy to oblige and gave her some money. Then he had a thought. “What are you doing for music?” he asked.
“What do you mean?” the woman replied.
“If you like,” Phil replied, “I could get the lads together and we could perform a set for you.”
“No, it’s alright,” the woman replied. “We’re getting a disco.” :-O
As Homer Simpson might say. Doh!
History doesn’t record if Phil was able to attend the street party after that.
That’s a great story, and quite a big “d’oh!” I wonder if years later her friends were talking about how much they loved Genesis, and she said, “Oh, that’s the bloke who wanted to play at our party and I said no thanks!” And they all just stared daggers at her. :-O Tom
Great story! Steve told you that?
In fact, I heard on a radio program a few months from the son of the woman who spurned Phil’s offer. I think the subject was lost opportunities.
Was listening to The White Album, when it downed on me how much Pigeons is influenced by “Martha My Dear”:
“when you and me, were meant to be, with each other”, sings Paul, and you can mesh things perfectly with Phil’s singing the verse. Mike’s repetitive riff is performed by violins on Marth..
What do you think?
Thought the same thought whilst listening to White Album tonight (six years after your initial post, I know!). Phil is a big Beatles fan, after all.
Thanks for your lively podcasts. You’ve contributed to my renewed of appreciation of this great band. I’m a little older (55 now–gasp!) than the Tabletop Genesis crew. I actually bought a Spot the Pigeon 7″ way back in 1978. At the time I was excited to have anything Genesis-related, but in general I agree with your criticisms of that EP. It wasn’t Genesis’ finest offering. Another EP I bought that same year was the import 7″ of “Many Too Many.” The B-side featured two non-album tracks: “The Day the Light Went Out” and “Vancouver.” I haven’t heard these in years, but I recall liking both much more than anything on “Spot the Pigeon.” Are you familiar with them? If memory serves, “The Day the Lights Went Out” had more of a Wind and Wuthering sound while “Vancouver” was quiet and pretty à la “For Absent Friends,” but with lyrics thematically reminiscent of the Beatles’ “She’s Leaving Home.” Keep up the good work!
Thanks, Mike. (Tom here). We covered TDTLWO and Vancouver in our And Then There Were Three podcast. (http://tabletopgenesis.com/tabletop-genesis-episode-12-and-then-there-were-three/). Personally, I’ve never liked the former – felt too rushed, and Phil’s very high singing didn’t do anything for me. As far as Vancouver, I did enjoy it, though some of the phrasing seemed odd, and I felt the feel of the final verse was a little too upbeat (maracas) for the content of the lyric. But having just finished Phil’s book, I’d like to give it another listen. Thanks for listening!