The tabletop’s ex-presenter Stabacab Stacey I believe said she saw ‘Geese’ as a direct sequel to Trespass which I totally see.
Ant’s guitar tones & tickling 12 strings sound great! Plus he really knew how to crescendo & climax a song.
The lack of lyrics shows Ant was already pursuing a career in composition & ‘library music’ but hadn’t lost his ambition for being a songwriter with tunes like ‘God if I saw her now & ‘Which way’.
P.S Phil Collins’ ‘Silver Song’ is the definitive version of the tune & it’s time Ant realises this & officially releases it as a 45 Record store day release!
I think it is possibly one of the very few possible recording links I can imagine in the future. My only doubt is that Mike does not seem very interested in “older” Genesis type material anymore. His Mike and the Mechanics work has been very different. I loved seeing them last year live but no sign of anything from that era.
I remember, back in the day, thinking God if I Saw Her Now was a very profoundly beautiful song. Now I recognize it for the story of a dumbass who loses two women who he doesn’t deserve. He’ll probably be alone the rest of his life.
There is a profound beauty and sadness that runs throughout this album. I have always loved this album from the moment I heard it way back around 1985 or so.
Sleepfall is so beautiful, that even the guitar solo of God If I Saw Her can’t compete, really.
A truly beautiful album, this!
It is as if we’re peeking into some alternative Genesis history, and I’m grateful for this ability to play a “what if” that actually happens.
This has always been a favourite of mine. I first started listening to Genesis around Invisible Touch and heard this album about a year later. I voted for Henry; Portraits From Tudor Times as it is an epic with great quiet bits and loud bits. I love the cover art. A true English classic and it features cannon fire !
It may not be the easiest album to pick out a particular track. There are lovely moments on every song and the album as a whole captures a beautiful atmosphere of an English late Summer into an early Autumn day. It is very understated and feels to me like an album that belongs to a period well before the actual release date of 1977. As a favourite track I finally went for “God if I saw her now” which is maybe a rather predictable choice as it features vocals from Phil Collins. He sings with such care and beauty and this combines so well with the female singer. Vivienne McAuliffe provides an almost ghost-like presence on the song. It looks like she had a fairly short musical career so it is lovely to think you will be talking about her so many years later.
Had this album since 1977 and still absolutely love it. I voted for “God if I saw her now “ probably because I listen to it most frequently but “Misty Battlements” from the Henry portrait is the most profoundly haunting, beautiful piece I’ve ever heard from Ant and Mike.
The whole album evokes special memories and, as with all of Ant’s work, deserves greater recognition.
I also went for Henry; Portraits from Tudor times. I first heard this album a few years ago when the remastered edition was released – it’s been on my ‘pastoral/summer playlist’ ever since alongside the likes of Selling England (which has its pastoral moments) and Mike Oldfield’s Hergest Ridge!
I recently bought a vinyl copy of Hergest Ridge in a charity shop. When I gave it a play I thought this is much more upbeat than I remembered. Only when I got to the end did I realise I’d been playing it at 45 rpm.
Yes, absolutely that pastoral feel. SEBTP is my all time favourite but there is definitely a Summery vibe to Geese & The Ghost as well. ( although for me Hergest Ridge always evokes the snowy Christmas of 1974 when it was released)
I also realised that the section of Henry I was referring to is actually “Death of a Knight” but it is a reprise of “Misty Battlements” hence my mistake 🙂
This album is just absolutely perfect. Every note, every chord are just seamless. Everytime I listen to it I enjoy it more. Picking a favorite track was hard; each track contributes to an incredible whole. Ultimately, it was Henry. The mood changes, the pacing, the cannons! Bang bang bang and down it…oh, wait – different album.
I have to admit, I have only listened to this once all the way through. I’m finally getting into Ant’s solo work.
I really thought God If I saw Her Now was a really nice track.
I’m definitely going to listen to this album more before the episode drops!
Pure hippy bliss!
The tabletop’s ex-presenter Stabacab Stacey I believe said she saw ‘Geese’ as a direct sequel to Trespass which I totally see.
Ant’s guitar tones & tickling 12 strings sound great! Plus he really knew how to crescendo & climax a song.
The lack of lyrics shows Ant was already pursuing a career in composition & ‘library music’ but hadn’t lost his ambition for being a songwriter with tunes like ‘God if I saw her now & ‘Which way’.
P.S Phil Collins’ ‘Silver Song’ is the definitive version of the tune & it’s time Ant realises this & officially releases it as a 45 Record store day release!
Question- is there a chance that Anthony and Mike would ever make a recording again?
I think it is possibly one of the very few possible recording links I can imagine in the future. My only doubt is that Mike does not seem very interested in “older” Genesis type material anymore. His Mike and the Mechanics work has been very different. I loved seeing them last year live but no sign of anything from that era.
I remember, back in the day, thinking God if I Saw Her Now was a very profoundly beautiful song. Now I recognize it for the story of a dumbass who loses two women who he doesn’t deserve. He’ll probably be alone the rest of his life.
LOL the lyrics have always been against the music here, weren’t they.
There is a profound beauty and sadness that runs throughout this album. I have always loved this album from the moment I heard it way back around 1985 or so.
Sleepfall is so beautiful, that even the guitar solo of God If I Saw Her can’t compete, really.
A truly beautiful album, this!
It is as if we’re peeking into some alternative Genesis history, and I’m grateful for this ability to play a “what if” that actually happens.
This has always been a favourite of mine. I first started listening to Genesis around Invisible Touch and heard this album about a year later. I voted for Henry; Portraits From Tudor Times as it is an epic with great quiet bits and loud bits. I love the cover art. A true English classic and it features cannon fire !
It may not be the easiest album to pick out a particular track. There are lovely moments on every song and the album as a whole captures a beautiful atmosphere of an English late Summer into an early Autumn day. It is very understated and feels to me like an album that belongs to a period well before the actual release date of 1977. As a favourite track I finally went for “God if I saw her now” which is maybe a rather predictable choice as it features vocals from Phil Collins. He sings with such care and beauty and this combines so well with the female singer. Vivienne McAuliffe provides an almost ghost-like presence on the song. It looks like she had a fairly short musical career so it is lovely to think you will be talking about her so many years later.
Had this album since 1977 and still absolutely love it. I voted for “God if I saw her now “ probably because I listen to it most frequently but “Misty Battlements” from the Henry portrait is the most profoundly haunting, beautiful piece I’ve ever heard from Ant and Mike.
The whole album evokes special memories and, as with all of Ant’s work, deserves greater recognition.
I also went for Henry; Portraits from Tudor times. I first heard this album a few years ago when the remastered edition was released – it’s been on my ‘pastoral/summer playlist’ ever since alongside the likes of Selling England (which has its pastoral moments) and Mike Oldfield’s Hergest Ridge!
I recently bought a vinyl copy of Hergest Ridge in a charity shop. When I gave it a play I thought this is much more upbeat than I remembered. Only when I got to the end did I realise I’d been playing it at 45 rpm.
Wow, the second half of part 2 must have sounded insane! I’ll give it a go…
Yes, absolutely that pastoral feel. SEBTP is my all time favourite but there is definitely a Summery vibe to Geese & The Ghost as well. ( although for me Hergest Ridge always evokes the snowy Christmas of 1974 when it was released)
I also realised that the section of Henry I was referring to is actually “Death of a Knight” but it is a reprise of “Misty Battlements” hence my mistake 🙂
This album is just absolutely perfect. Every note, every chord are just seamless. Everytime I listen to it I enjoy it more. Picking a favorite track was hard; each track contributes to an incredible whole. Ultimately, it was Henry. The mood changes, the pacing, the cannons! Bang bang bang and down it…oh, wait – different album.
“God If I Saw Her Now”