Genesis and the World of Zelda

Encouraging your children to love Genesis has some benefits you may not realize. Unbeknownst to most fans, there are connections to the games our children play.





For example, my sons and I were making breakfast one morning, listening to Foxtrot when we discovered a section of a song that sounded like it came straight out of The Legend of Zelda. My kids said, "Hey Dad, this song sounds super familiar!", intrigued by this I said, "Tell me more..."



To my surprise, this song had a sample from "The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past" which came out in 1991. The song is from Can Utility and the Coastliners. Check out the video to the left and you be the judge. This sampling sounds very familiar. This sample is from an instrumental break at 3:50 in the Genesis song. The amazing part is that the whole song continues this way.




The early mythology of Genesis makes a great fit for a game like Zelda which is based in a fantasy world called Hyrule. This is a great tribute to Genesis, as the music reflects their own imagery and imagination during the progressive years.

We could not help but ask, are there more examples from Genesis that might have inspired the music of Zelda? Delving further, we found an interesting sample in Zelda that is very similar to a scetion of Supper's Ready. Listen closely to Midinas Lament from "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess". The intro sounds like a section two minutes in of Supper's Ready. 

What other samples might be out there? We will continue our search in the world of Nintendo for additional samplings. If you find any samples in video games go ahead and let us know in the comment section below.

Anything She Does and the Musical Box

Songs like "Anything She Does" may get dismissed by some who can not cross over to the modern era of Genesis. However, take a minute to listen to the song and you will learn it has a close connection to "The Musical Box." Lyrically, the story is very similar. "The Musical Box" from the Victorian era was a center of fantasy.  The pinup posters of  models replaces the musical box in the modern era. Men all across America would fantasize about the women in the poster. Both obsessions past and 20th century would lead some men to a path of pornographic obsession as they get older. This is the dark side of both songs which is cleverly weaved throughout the lyrics.

"The Musical Box" is a bit more complex, as it explores themes of nursery rhymes, aristocracy and the mixed messages of being pure during this time in history. The dark side of purity is the obsessions that can be created by controlling one's feelings of arousal. People were subjugated to hide their sexual desires, and show restraint. Ironically, the Queen, Prince Albert and the ruling class did not practice what they preached. This paradox was part of story - it truly is an incredible song from this era. 

Now, fast forward to "Anything She Does." It was written during the Reagan/Thatcher years. People were told to "Just s\Say No" to their inhibitions by leaders. Unfortunately, the human mind does not work that way. During the 70s and 80s, men were obsessed with the pinup poster, a modern day replacement for the musical box. It was naive to think what was supposed to be just a poster of a model would not become a symbol for fantasy. 

As men get older, they long to have a relationship with the item that was objectified in their youth. Whether a musical box, or a poster of a model, men can get lost in their fantasies. "Anything She Does" is another clever take on this obsession; do not let the video fool you. The choice of Benny Hill in the video was a clever, as his humor on his TV show reflected the themes of both songs. This is the genius of "Anything She Does" and worth a second look if you passed this over in your Genesis music catalog. 

Rethinking Invisible Touch.

The "Invisible Touch" album is a very clever album. It came out at a time when the band's popularity reached it's peak. Unfortunately, the critics panned the album due to "Phil Burnout" and never gave the album a chance. They called it, "The Phil Collins Solo Album." Phil was everywhere during this part of his career. Therefore, this album must be an extension of his work, not Genesis. 33 years later, nothing can be further from the truth.  

"Invisible Touch" has all the makings of a Genesis album.The songs are deeper than originally credited. The band touched upon themes that were dark and original. Cleverly, disguised as pop, some songs pay homage to the past. Other songs explore modern issues such as addiction and self destruction. "Land of Confusion" infused a brave critique of modern governments. Even the love songs were darker than people realized. "In Too Deep" is more complex than people realize; it is more about the complexities of love than love itself. 

The track "Domino" was a great prog song that would become a staple for future concerts. A song about actions and unintended consequences, it reflects not only our past, but our present. One person can impact the next in line and the next in line....

Prog haters of the 3-man era, take a step back, and give the newer albums like "Invisible Touch" a chance. There are no more distractions, just the music. Rediscover the complexities of "Invisible Touch." You might discover what I did; this is truly a great album. 

What if Anthony Philips Stayed In Genesis?

What a great question for Genesis fans to ponder. Imagine if Steve Hackett's contributions never existed and the band had Phillips instead of Hackett.  Consider an alternative universe and what Phillips might have brought to the band. It is a fun question to ponder and provides  a break from the prog debates and Collins/Gabriel discussions. 

Anthony Philips was strong lyricist and composer in his own rights. He influenced the early days of Genesis as credited by Mike Rutherford in his book. After all,  the Musical Box intro was a creation of Phillips. He was an extremely talented guitarist. His work is evident in Trespass. Trespass, provides the transition from their first album to longer songs and deeper tracks of music. We know he brought a creative edge to the music

One question is how strong would have the future albums have been up until Gabriel's departure been if Philips stayed with the band?  Another question, would Phillips have left around the same time of Hackett, or would the timeline have been altered. After all, Phillips was a charter member. Could Phillips have altered the Collins era of Genesis? Steve's estrangement is well documented and he never felt like he truly fit in at times. Maybe Phillips would have been willing to compromise a bit on the creativity front.

Suggesting "No Hackett Required" would be most difficult to imagine. Hackett provided unique signature moments during the Gabriel era. Some would argue this might have changed the success of later albums after Trespass. After all, he has many iconic moments on future albums and live in concert. Hackett along side Banks knew how to navigate the time signatures in live productions to allow for costume changes and Gabriel's transitions during theatrical moments. We never will know how Phillips would have been during this critical time of Genesis. 

For Genesis fans, we can only wonder. There were collaborations with former band members that give us a hint of what future albums may have looked like. For example, The Silver Song gives us a hint of what post Gabriel might look like. A great collaboration with Rutherford and Collins. There was a prog-folk like feel that Phillip brought to early Genesis songs, and it is evident in this song.  

Would Genesis have gone a different path with Phillips staying with the band? It leads to so many additional questions. What about the Lamb? Would the band have made it to the Collins era with the success they achieved. What would have happened to Steve? So many questions can be added to this discussion. What are your thoughts? 

Dreaming While You Sleep

The songs on later studio albums of Genesis sometimes get lost in the discussion of what qualifies to be a great song in the overall Genesis catalog. One of the lost songs that deserves more recognition is Dreaming While You Sleep.

Dreaming While You Sleep is reminiscent of songs like Say It's Alright Joe. A song that has surreal scenarios that take us into a world we may never travel. Yet, we feel what the main character is going through thanks to clever musical time signatures and lyrics.

Dreaming While You Sleep is deceptive in nature. The song has many layers. It allows us in the world of the hit and run driver's mind. First the remorse of hitting someone. Then the visit to the hospital, and the hope that the victim will come out of her coma. And finally, the haunting guilt that the driver feels about leaving the scene of an accident. Certainly, the haunting will never go away, and will imprison the driver for the rest of his life.

There is a feel to this song musically that is uniquely Genesis. Highs and lows are felt throughout the song. Tony, Mike and Phil each contribute to the song with their individual talents. The keyboards are haunting at time. Phil's vocals connects the song emotionally. Mike does some magic with the guitars throughout the song that provides a backdrop for changes in the song. The drums are intense at times, while the background is guided by a synthesized drum pattern that is perfect for the song. You can even hear in the beginning what sounds like a screeching tire, which is replicated by either Mike or Tony. Subtle time changes and you have what is a very dark, surreal song.

Dreaming While You Sleep is deserving of the recognition of a great Genesis song. It is the song that takes the listener to a great place both musically and the lyrics. It is also a great live song. Phil's range of emotions, as with songs in the past, brings the song to life and connects the audience to the studio version.

A Night at the Stanley Theater - "That Jacket" - And Peter Gabriel

By Lenny Giardino and Tim Flihan


Often times, Genesis Fans speak of the spiritual experience of the band. Whether the music, or a chance encounter with a band member, it resonates for a lifetime. One of the best things about Positively Genesis is the people we meet, and the stories we hear to validate how important the band is in music history. Every now and then, a story comes to our Facebook Page or Blog that deserves to be shared with a larger audience.

The Musical Box, Tony Banks and The Preservation Of Genesis

Genesis fans know the gold standard for tribute bands is The Musical Box. Original members of the band have credited them for their tireless efforts to recreate the magic of the early era of Genesis. Originally, The Musical Box focused on their earliest albums, Nursery Cryme, Foxtrot and Selling England by the Pound. Once they found success, they decided to work on a reproduction of the Lamb Lies Down on Broadway tour. A special connection was made in preparation of the tour, as Tony Banks would open of the Farm to the band members so they can learn first hand the subtleties of playing Genesis live for the Lamb. Tony would allow them access to the original 24 track recording of the Lamb, and allow the band to take apart sections that they deemed too difficult to learn. Imagine having the "Maestro" teach each member of the Musical Box the Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. What an experience for the band. Genesis would support their efforts and also give them access to the 1200 slides that were original to the Lamb tour. By providing access to the band's history, The Musical Box provided new fans the opportunity to travel back in to time. This preservation of history can only be appreciated by experiencing the music, along with the theatrics of Peter Gabriel during this time period.  

Tony Banks and Steve Hackett have worked tirelessly to preserve the history of Genesis. Phil, Mike and Peter have also supported the efforts of The Musical Box. Their productions provide new fans the best incite to into the early history of Genesis. Accolades from all the members have been shared at one point about their shows. In a sense, it is the "Broadway" version of Beatlemania. A preservation of the band we love. The Musical Box's success indirectly encouraged other musicians to preserve all eras of Genesis. Thanks to The Musical Box, the preservation of the history of Genesis is in good hands for future generations to learn and enjoy, as did the original fans.