SECONDS OUT

Alongside 'The song remains the same' by Led Zeppelin and 'Genesis live' 'Seconds Out' is one of the best live albums ever recorded. This album says a poingnant farewell to many of the Gabriel classics, in most cases very respecfully. Recorded in Paris, 1977, this was to be the last time Steve Hackett appeared on a Genesis recording, and represented a fine departure for him. The album is wonderfully produced, allowing the complexity of Phil, Chester, and Bills drumming to come through as well as the thunderous Taurus pedals which shook the arena to its foundations. Getting the low points out of the way first, I would say that 'Robbery assault and battery' needn't have been on the album. 'Ripples' or 'In that quiet earth' would have been far more fitting! The rendition of 'Suppers Ready' cried out for Gabriel to come back!! SR wastes a whole side of the album IMO. But hi-lights are the fantastic 'Firth of Fifth' which has some of the best drumming I have ever heard on a prog album, live or otherwise. The same can be said for the brilliant version of 'Cinema Show' and the classic 'Los Endos'. 'Seconds Out' demonstrates all of Genesis's live strengths, and perhaps marked the end of them being a 'true' prog band, not that I have a problem with the two albums that followed. Live albums were big in the 70's, and were important marketing tools for rock bands setting out to prove that they were hard working musicians on tour and not spineless miming pop acts. 'Seconds Out' more than proves the worth of this classic band. No Genesis fan should be without this, nor should any lover of well perfomed, well produced live music.