SECONDS OUT

With life style changes in the latter part of the 1970's - study at University, part time work, new friends - the time I had available for music was becoming limited. When I moved out of home I had no stereo system so it was only when I returned home could I play my old stuff and, occasionally, add some new stuff.

Seconds Out was an example of some new stuff.

The title is clever and continues the word play found in their music. Seconds Out is the second (official) live release but also means that there are no second rate songs.

The track listing for the double album is very strong and focuses on tracks from Foxtrot (Supper's Ready), Selling England by the Pound (Firth of Fifth, I Know What I like and Cinema Show), and A Trick of a Tale (Squonk, Robbery Assault and Battery, Dance on a Volcano/Los Endos). There also two tracks from the Lamb and the ending from the Musical Box. Only Afterglow is from the most recent studio release (Wind and Wuthering). It would have been good to have included a few more from W+W.

Over 80% of reviewers give Second Outs a four star rating or higher which is an accurate reflection of this album.

As we expect the standard of playing and the production is exceptionally high. If there is a fault it is that the tracks are too close to the studio release. Of course Gabriel's flute lines are replaced and there is an extended version of I Know What I Like that includes a reference to Stagnation from Trespass and a rather long interlude with Phil on Tamborine. I now know from YouTube this is Phil playing up to the audience with his short dance routine.

Seconds Out gives Collins renditions of the songs from the Gabriel period (we would need to wait for the Archive - Volume 1: 1967-1975 to hear Gabriel's versions).

Technically Seconds Out is superior to Genesis Live but to me Genesis Live is more dynamic. Perhaps this is due to the loss of intimacy with the audience as Genesis progresses from playing small halls to large stadiums.

4.6 stars

Over the next few years I would do post graduate studies, marry, get a mortgage, have children. Music takes a back seat over this period. I add a few vinyl through to about 1980 but do not add to my Genesis/Music collection until the late 1990's - almost 20 years later when I start building a 400+ CD collection.