Genesis (mark 2) – Nursery Cryme (1971)

After 2 fairly uninspiring albums the guitarist Anthony Phillips left after recording their second album ‘Trespass’.   The remaining members; Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford recruited new guitarist Steve Hackett and drummer Phil Collins – this five becoming in the eyes of their most ardent fans – the classic Genesis line-up.  So, not exactly a debut, but as this was where the Genesis story really got going I am counting it as one. 

In some ways Genesis almost created ‘prog-rock’, extended pieces of music, or songs with varying time signatures and melodies, incorporating heavy rock, folk and classical.  (I loved it and still do)   So, the album that started it all – begins with The Musical Box – a macabre Victorian take on a nursery rhyme – actually I have never understood it – not that that matters in the slightest, like most Genesis fans I know the words by heart, with Gabriel singing both sinister softly and almost shouting at times…a great start.  The album also includes classic songs such as ‘The Fountain Of Salmacis’ (don’t ask – the boys were obsessed by Ancient Classics and Torah and threw in strange references that went way above our heads…we didn’t care – this was Genesis.  My favourite tracks are ‘Return of The Giant Hogweed’ – live Peter sung this actually dressed as a Hogweed, and ‘Seven Stones’. The band were incredible live, and at this time you could see them at University Student Unions for 2 and 6 (12,5 new pence in today’s money).  But then this was annus mirabilis 1971.  The band made three more albums before Peter left and 2 more before Hackett also departed.  But Genesis (mark 3) went on to huge global success as basically a three piece.  I still prefer the classic sound of Steve, Phil, Tony, Mike and Peter thoughB