Classic Rock Bottom


This week's VOTW is (kind of) only one video, but it's a 23+ min. video.

"Suppers Ready" appears on the album "Foxtrot" from 1972 by Genesis and is probably the most important track for me personally on any album the last 3 years, since I didn't really notice the song until 2012.

From Wikipedia: "Nearly 23 minutes in length, the song is divided into seven sections. A number of musical and lyrical themes do re-appear throughout. The melody of the verse in section I reappears as a flute melody between sections II and III. The melody of the chorus in section I reappears with new lyrics in the coda to section VI. And the song that comprises the majority of section II reappears briefly in instrumental form at the beginning of section VI, and then returns to form the body of section VII, with new lyrics.One commentator regarded the structure of "Supper's Ready" as a variation of sonata form—a musicological analysis by Nors Josephson proposes that "section VII may be viewed as a Lisztian, symphonic apotheosis" of the "cyclical fanfares that originated in section II. On the other hand, the individual components of "Supper's Ready" are much closer to traditional rock songs than they are to classical pieces, even if they contain elements of both.As with many progressive rock suites, the song undergoes multiple changes in time signature, key signature, Leitmotif, instrumentation, and mood."


The music was mainly composed by Tony Banks (a VERY important member of Genesis, if you ask me) and the lyrics by Peter Gabriel.


In an interview, Peter Gabriel summed up "Supper's Ready" as "a personal journey which ends up walking through scenes from Revelation in the Bible....I'll leave it at that."

I might have heard it before, but I really noticed this track on Steve Hackett's "Genesis Revisited 2"-album from 2012.

Since that version of the song is still my favorite version, I'll leave you to decide, which version to listen to. My suggestion is to look at Genesis performing the song, and listen to Hackett's version (Mikael Åkerfeldt on vocals among others), since I do tend to be a bit annoyed by Gabriels live-performances with Genesis, and the 2012-version is soooo much better produced.

Is this the best ever Prog-song? I believe it is!!

GENESIS - SUPPERS READY

STEVE HACKETT (GENESIS REVISITED II) - SUPPERS READY

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First off, I only had time to listen and watch the first video, so I can't make a comparison at this time.  Second, I've always considered myself a "pop" Genesis fan as opposed to a "prog" Genesis fan.  But truth be told, I've never invested any time at all into the latter.

Those things being said, I doubt this is the greatest prog song of all time.  I've not heard every prog song, so there is that. But I have heard current prog songs that I like better than this (my first thought is The Neal Morse Band's newest album).  It's not terrible in the least.  I totally enjoyed Collins' backing vocals at the beginning.  I also liked the keyboard work about 2/3's into the song.  Even Collins' drumming was enjoyable.  But Peter Gabriel was/is one weird dude.  The character antics of one Gene Simmons (his demon persona in the early days) have absolutely nothing on Mr. Gabriel. I've always thought that with his solo stuff that I've heard, he had a quite soothing voice.  But he's just weird.

So, if I get a chance, I'll check out the second version.  It's probably not a proper video, so I can just listen to it.  I'll give the song a sideways thumb and the video gets a sideways thumb as well for it's period production.

First off (), thanks for listening and making comments.

Second, I don't think, I would have liked THIS version of Suppers Ready (1974), if it was the first time, I heard it.

I was immediately a fan of the song from "Genesis Revisited 2" (which I more than once have pointed out is a very strong album), and even though the song is 23 min. long, I listened to it twice a day for weeks.

When I then decided to hear the original version, I was not impressed at all, mainly because of the production and the weirdness of Gabriel, but eventually it grew on me, and "Foxtrot" is definitely my favorite Genesis-album. But still, I prefer the GR2-version.

This (1974) version sounds like a live-version, and it's one of the worst versions of the song I've heard, but I like the video of the "original" band playing the song.

Oh, and why I think this is the best Prog-song ever? I still loooove the song after repeated listenings the last 3½ years, and try to write "best Prog-song ever" and check out the lists. Quite a few people around the world tend to agree with me, but you're right, of course I haven't heard all prog-songs ever made, but I haven't heard every SONG ever made, and still I believe, that Bohemian Rhapsody is the greatest song ever made, but that's just me, I guess. 

Gabriel has that "I'm 5 years old and just cut my own hair" look...  The sound quality on the video is an issue, but you're right about watching the band perform this live, it makes up for it.  When the camera pulls back from Gabriel his pre-flower makeup looks very disturbing, but not so much close up...  Its the RedBox helmet that I cant figure out...  Boxed Lunch maybe?  This would have been very cool to see live.

Hackets redo is certainly better in quality and production, but I went back and sampled spots on my copy of Foxtrot which has the new stereo mixes, and they are solid!  But you've convinced me to put the Genesis Revisited disc on my wish list...

Fun post!!

Greatest Prog tune ever?  Maybe not this one for me, but its a topic I don't have a definitive answer for...  Must think about that!  Certainly Rush would be part of that conversation for me, 2112, Xanadu, The Fountain of Lamneth?  hmmm....

BACK on your wish list, you mean, right?!

You're right about 2112 being among the very best.

I just know, that if I need 25 minutes to go fast while not being bored, then a good idea for me is to put on this track (the GR2-one).

Steve Hackett blowing Eddie Van Halen out of the water  7 years before Eruption came out. Its not just fantastic technique the tapping at the end is just superbly blended with the song. Legend.

I agree. Hackett is an underestimated guitarist. And again, I must mention "Genesis Revisited 2", because he has only improved by age.

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