Me And Sarah Jane - How To Differentiate A Genesis Love Song

A lot of people say Phil impacted Genesis by writing love songs that belonged on his album. While it is true some of the songs were brought by the trio to sessions, there is a special place for some of the more complex Genesis love songs. One song the exemplifies what I am trying to get at is Me and Sarah Jane. A song so complex, we are not quite sure who it applies to, however the message is universal. Here are some thoughts from fans about the meaning of the song:


"Me and Sarah Jane" is about a man who's so lonely that he fabricates a relationship with an imaginary woman. This woman is Sarah Jane. The narrator becomes obsessed with his fantasy until it ultimately leads to his suicide by drowning.


Okay, it's about a British SAS soldier's girlfriend who may or may not exist. The important thing is... Is that he's going through selection at Hereford and that is not something people normally talk about, but this is abstract enough to be an understanding of what gets him through selection... Boom...

I think this a direct connection from "Lonely Man on the Corner". These songs are connected.
Even down to the similar musical motif at the beginning of the song, Lonely Man and Sarah Jane are
almost identical.

Anyway, i believe the man was the lonely homeless person, and lived his life in his own reality and invented
an imaginary soulmate "Sarah Jane" .
I also thing they were trying to say that he was manic depressive possible in this lyric

"Searching for a clue.
Traces on the sand.
First I'm flying, going round round round,
Then I'm sliding going down down down,
Doesn't matter where I start I always end up
Falling through those same old crowded rooms"
Many schizophrenics and manics look for things that aren't really there
until they find something that was created in there own head.
Almost like, thinking too much.

It does make sense,
that he invented his soulmate so he could die happy.

This is the magic of Genesis. Lost in imagery, some of their love songs have so many layers, we as fans are not sure of the intent. We are allowed to use our own imagination to bring it all together.  I am sure Tony plays a big role in the complexity of the love songs. Afterglow was another great song influenced by Tony. Some feel this is a song about Post Apocalyptic love. Similar to Me and Sarah Jane, we can only go where the mind takes us. This is the greatness of a Genesis love song. It is an underappreciated aspect of the trio era.

Just Remember....Phil Owes Us Nothing

It was so great to see Phil play at the U.S. Open this past week. Shivers went down my spine as he played two songs from his personal catalog. It was a wonderful glimpse of the man that gave us so many years of music.

Phil's contributions to music are varied. From Genesis, solo projects, collaborations and a diverse catalog of music, Phil has given us a huge catalog of music to enjoy for generations. What comes with Phil's music is criticism due to his popularity. When he reappears, so do the critics.

Social Media can be cruel. Some mimicked his performance as they always do. However for the die hard fans of Genesis, we have to remember Phil owes us nothing. Each appearance is a gift. 

He labored through the songs. You can see the pain. However you can also see the perfectionist. Phil  struggled, but refused to let his fans down. This is the Phil Collins we know and love. Dedicated to always giving a great performance. Even when it came to his personal health, he always delivered.

Who knows what lies ahead. No matter Phil decides to do, we have to remind ourselves that anything is a gift, and Phil owes us nothing. We have concerts, and a wide music catalog to enjoy that leaves us feeling fortunate, that Phil always gave us his best!

 

The Genesis Documentaries

There have been many documentaries on Genesis. From their own incarnations, to VH1 and MTV, the band's history has been documented throughout the years. A@E also did a documentary on the band and it is personally my favorite. Which documentary is your favorite?

Tribute Bands - A Legacy For Future Generations

Tribute bands are not uncommon. However, Genesis Tribute bands are unique in that they painstakingly focus on one era, all eras, and the history of the band. The Musical Box is without the box the gold standard. True to form, they painstakingly recreate the era of early Genesis.

Fans however have many options. Bands all across the world are working to honor the sounds we simply know as Genesis. New interpretations of the music also can be found. Martin Levac brought a unique sound to Genesis's new music with some of his jazz reissues. Then there is Hydira's version of Entangled that is a fresh take on a Genesis classic. Philharmonic Orchestras and contemporary musicians have collaborated with Steve Hackett to reinvent some of the earlier songs of the group.

His most recent addition of Supper's Ready is a testament to his love of the original songs he helped create.

Tribute bands also help new generations discover the music. With Steve being the only member out on the road, future fans may rely on the tribute bands to discover the music. Future fans will be watching tribute shows for the first time and discovering the magic of all eras. They will run home and discover the originals on youtube and purchased concerts online. Tribute bands preserve the past, and provide future fans an open door to the music quite simply known as, Genesis.

Did Phil Collins Help Genesis Be Introduced To Future Generations?

Genesis fans, we are getting older. The base is shrinking a bit, yet their seems to be an interest in the music from the generation that follows us. It is probably to early to tell, but one has to ask, will the music be reborn after the founder members have passed away?

An interesting historical footnote. For years, 78 records were collectable and very expensive to collect. Today, you can't even give away 78 records collections. Why?  Once the artists were forgotten by a new generation, the value of 78s dropped significantly.  If history gives us any clues to an artists resiliency, it has shown us that very few artists have stood the test of time. Many popular artists from generations past have been archived, somewhat permanently. A few, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Elvis Presley, nd bands like the Beatles seem to cross the generational barrier. Their music is listened to be a new generation. Their audio collections are still valued and cherished be a new generation of fans.

There are many ingredients to an artist's success to cross generations. A band or single artist has to have a catalog that speaks to future generations. Both musically and culturally, their has to be a catch. Frank Sinatra for example has a catalog this is very rich, however some of the attraction is the cultural background of being an Italian American during a time when America was, and continues to be fascinated by Italian American Contributions to music. Also the connections to stories of the Mob help keep the interests levels high. Will Genesis have something that sticks long after the members have passed?

The key to Genesis being remembered will most likely be Phil Collins. Progressive music lovers will surely hate to hear this, however his song catalog is consistently being covered by new artists. This is the commonality of artists that cross generations. Peter Gabriel and Mike Rutherford will also have smaller contributions to generations of music, however Phil far exceeds their appeal to reinvent their songs. Phil also crossed over to many genres of music during his career, which allows for multiple hooks for future generations to find and enjoy. He always included Genesis in his journey, which is another key factor. For example, when Phil did his big band projects, he included a mix of Genesis and solo songs that appealed to big band enthusiasts. By accident, he expanded the base through multiple projects for people to discover Phil Collins, and Genesis.

It is not just In The Air Tonight that gets recognition. Many of Phil's songs have been recognized by newer artists. Hellyeah released a new version of I Don't Care Anymore and there is an admiration from metal bands and hip hop artists with Phil that has benefitted Genesis. Land of Confusion was also honored with a remix by Disturbed and many hip hop remixes from artists such as Brass Knuckles and Christian Clay.

Will Genesis be a presence 25, 50, or 100 years from now? Most likely they will and new people will find the cherished catalog of music. To quote a Genesis song from their past, "The path is clear
Though no eyes can see The course laid down long before." Genesis will surely cross into future generations.

The Emotional Side Of Genesis

For long time fans, Genesis can evoke emotions from moments in time. For some, "that song" can remind them of a special time in their life. For others, Genesis provided comfort and support during difficult times.  An old song from the Gabriel era can remind us of the progressive years. A post-Gabriel song can also provide the same feeling. Whatever the reason may be, Genesis provided music for fans to find solace and comfort whenever they hear a song.

Live music has the same effect. The concerts would combine those special moments in medleys. Often times, the medleys would take us on a time travel. Long sets such as Home By The Sea can inspire a memory. There are so many moments in their song catalog. Which one is your song?

The Other Band That Wanted To Be Genesis

Back in the 1970s, there was another band that wanted to be Genesis. Not the band we know as Genesis, but a rock band none the less. Two brothers choose the name Genesis for their band only to learn that one had already existed. In fact, they learned during the Collins era by searching in a record store, and one brother said to the other, "I never knew we had an album out."

You might think this was a band that lived under a rock. At the point Collins took over, Genesis was well known. You might even assume a band like this was not very well known. In fact,this band would fill arenas as large as Genesis did so in the 1980s along side the rapid growth of Genesis.

Eventually the boys choose a name for their band that would stick. First they chose Mammoth and then finally settled for Van Halen. Named after the famous duo of Alex and Eddie Van Halen. While just a footnote in music history, it does provide for a fun fact for fans of both bands.

What The "Progs" Are Missing About Genesis Post Gabriel

What are "Progs" or fans of progressive rock?  Progressive music is  defined as a rock music subgenre that originated in the United Kingdom with further developments in Germany, Italy, and France, throughout the mid-to-late 1960s and 1970s. For some Genesis Fans, their is only one genre of Progressive music and that is the Gabriel years.

Many groups defined this era including Genesis. Most groups however faded into obscurity. Genesis however remained relevant much to the disdain of people fond of progressive music. Many loathe the Phil Collins era as being "POP", and refuse to listen to the albums post Gabriel. This in itself is short sighted. They will post forever that Phil killed Genesis and never give the new music a chance. To each it's own when it comes to their choice of music.

The problem with their thinking is that Genesis, while changing always stayed true to their progressive roots through clever incarnations. Sure there were pop songs, however each album consistently stayed true to a progressive format with many of the songs. In a sense, the "POP" music introduced new generations to progressive music. This led to an interest into learning about the Gabriel era. POP kept the Gabriel era from falling in obscurity.

Dukes Suite, Say It's Alright Joe, Squonk, Domino, Mama, Dodo and Home By The Sea, are examples of songs with complexities that brought new audiences to consider the older music. Plus, the live shows were creative and stayed loyal to providing audiences with a concert that introduced them to all eras of Genesis.

Progs will never give Invisible Touch, Misunderstanding, or Illegal Alien a chance. Of course this makes sense. However, they dismiss the other great songs the were the gatekeepers to future generations loving Genesis. It is this generation that embraces the old and new. It is this generation that truly appreciates that Genesis had multiple albums after Pete left the band.

Mama Was "That Song" What Was Yours?

We all have a time when it happened. That one song that made us realize, "whoa." My time was back in 1983. I was 16 at the time. Musically, my brother grew up with the Lamb. He loved early Genesis. I was sad that he moved away from NY. When home one weekend, he told me he had a friend that had connections at Atlantic Records, and he said Genesis was trying something new. You know, the shapes album, Genesis-Genesis etc....

I bought the album and fell in love with Mama. would see them play it live in Syracuse NY. The slow amber of stage lighting introducing the song with a pulse. Goosebumps for me. That song, would lead to further exploration of the band. From old to new, each album had "that song", that I fell in love with. However, all things have a beginning, and Mama started it all.

Mama was dark and haunting. It explored the darkest side of humanity. Phil's "heh heh heeh" was awesome to me at the time. Tony's keyboards were dark. When needed, his chords carried the lyrics to their darkest depths. Then came the drum intro in the middle. Whoa. Combine that with the MTV video and I fell in love with Genesis.

Each album had "that" song. Call it a hook or whatever you want. No matter what direction the group went, they always seemed to have that one song that encouraged listeners to want to learn more. It leads one to ask another Genesis fan, "what was your song?"

Happy Birthday To The Most Intriguing Member Of Genesis

Happy Birthday Peter Gabriel. To celebrate his birthday, let's see if you know Peter Gabriel beyond Genesis. He is not only a "Prog God", Pete has many other facets of his life that are truly intriguing. Without a doubt, Pete is the most fascinating and diverse member of Genesis.

Political Roots:  His great-great-great-uncle, Sir Thomas Gabriel, 1st Baronet, served as Lord Mayor of London from 1866 to 1877

Connection to Royalty (kinda): Gabriel's first wife Jill was the daughter of the Queen of England's private secretary. They met when he was 15 and she was 16, and got married in 1971.

How Genesis Formed: Gabriel, along with Tony Banks and a drummer named Chris Stewart, formed a band called Garden Wall while at Charterhouse Public school in 1965. At the same time, Mike Rutherford and Anthony Phillips were in another band called Anon. Later, the two bands amalgamated into the first incarnation of Genesis.

Fun Genesis Fact: Peter was credited for inventing "stagediving" He performed a "stagedive" during the song "the knife". Once he even broke his leg, but crawled back on the stage and finished the concert.

His first four albums released in England and first three in America were titled "Peter Gabriel." The first 3 are sometimes referred to as "car," "melt," and "scratch," based on the album covers.

Careful what you wish for Atlantic Records: Gabriel's US label, Atlantic, dropped him after his third album because they thought it would be a commercial flop. They tried to buy him back two years later after the album did well.

His solo album "SO" might have been a acronym for "Sellout" It was his most popular release.

Political Activist Here are some highlights: Too many to mention, here are a few highlights. Pete has always been an advocate for Great Britain to remove itself from Northern Ireland. In 1992, he joined many leftist individuals that recognized the 20th Anniversary of Bloody Sunday. In 2014, Pete joined the advocacy of a two state solution in Palestine.

Pete had a connection to Jesus Christ himself, literally: He composed the music for Martin Scorsese's movie The Last Temptation Of Christ. The soundtrack won a Grammy for best New Age performance.

Olympian: Gabriel performed John Lennon's "Imagine" at the opening ceremonies of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Italy.

Human Rights: He has participated in several human rights benefit concerts, including Amnesty International's Human Rights Now! tour in 1988, and co-founded the WITNESS human rights organisation in 1992

Nobel Recognition: In recognition of his many years of human rights activism, he received the Man of Peace award from the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates

And Then There Were Three.....

Speculation is running high. Fans of Genesis are starting to be hopeful for a reunion. For many fans, they long for the 5 piece reunion of the early Genesis era. For 40 years, fans have been clamoring for the reunion that would include Peter Gabriel and Steve Hackett. The closest they ever got was the WOMAD concert. Steve was there for the encores which was the only time the big 5 appeared on stage together after Pete and Steve left the band. Since WOMAD, some fans have increasingly believed in a conspiracy theory that Phil, Mike and Tony are to blame for the lack of reunion of the original lineup from the early 70s.

Conspiracy theories aside, Phil, Mike and Tony will most likely decide on a reunion soon. Logically, the big 3 represent 45 years of Genesis and deserve to decide which lineup will return to the stage. Peter and Steve were in the band roughly 7 years a piece and have little say in the matter.

Financially, Phil, Mike and Tony will fill the larger arenas because they represent the largest part of the music catalog. The same is true for the fan base. The largest part of the fan base is from 1976-1991. The classic lineup from 1970 - 1975 while popular, they would not attract as many fans.

Some fans think that everyone in the band is open to a reunion. The problem is that a reunion is simply is not that easy. Peter has always been resistant to a reunion. Steve is willing to participate in a classic lineup, however the possibility of him playing Invisible Touch one day most likely will not happen. Phil is injured and may have limited percussion capabilities, which means he would have to be out front and sing. Getting them to agree to a set and lineup with 2 lead singers would be extremely difficult and unlikely to make any sense.

From a friendship stand point. Phil, Mike and Tony have been there for each other for 40 years. Priorities changed over time. Once Duke came out, they would work on solo projects and then reunite. Familiar patterns of solo projects and Genesis reunions seem to go hand in hand. With Mike and The Mechanics recently touring, Tony working on repackaging his solo work and Phil possibly releasing new music and touring in 2016. It most likely means that they will reunite in 2017.

Some  fans unfortunately have unrealistic expectations of a reunion. They will bash and blame Phil for a future reunion. Hey, they should have listened to the message sent to fans back in 1978. When the band came out with And Then There Were Three as part of their catalog, the message was clear. Only three remained and that's how it will be.

Genesis And Bowie - Roots Run Deep

This week marks the passing of David Bowie. While musically, Bowie and Genesis may seem miles apart, they did travel similar paths. The earliest footage of both artists were archived at the Atomic Sunrise Festival in 1970. They both shared the stage is this event. (What will it take to get the private owner of the footage to release the tapes btw)

Peter Gabriel and David Bowie shared a theatrical approach to music. Early in their careers, they were both known for their make-up and theatrical interpretations live in concert. Both artists scaled down and eventually stopped performing theatrically in the mid 70s. The music and stage presentations would continue to thrive and be less dependent on their theatrical presence.

In the 80s, as Genesis grew in popularity, along with Bowie, there music would achieve musical success. Bowie managed to avoid the "pop" criticism that Genesis would forever be knows as a trio. However, he did cross over to mainstream music. Both artists gave the fans a new and refreshed look at their music.

Sadly, David Bowie's passing is also a reminder of for Genesis fans how precious time is for all of us. Just 3 days before his passing, he released his final album. Bowie, during his 18 month battle with cancer courageously gave his fans one more album to enjoy. Hopefully, Genesis will find inspiration to do the same, and give their fans one more album. It is not about having one more album, it is about adding to a catalog of music that changes over time. It is still Bowie, and what Genesis needs to understand that not matter what direction an album goes, it is still Genesis . Lessons learned?
Time will tell.

Maybe a brief quote from a Bowie song is all the inspiration the band needs.....

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
(turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
Don't want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
(turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can't trace time

New Look For Positively Genesis and New Forum

I have updated the blog with a new design that is easier on the eyes. Also, I am archiving radio and TV interviews. You can find the links on the right hand side of archived material. Just scroll down closer to the bottom and you will find the interviews in chronological order. Really fun to watch. Her is the earliest archive I found back in 1972.

I will be working on adding more interviews from radio and tv and will be updating the blog frequently. Happy New Year Genesis fans. Like us on FB if you get a chance.