Genesis' hardest rocking song
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Topic: Genesis' hardest rocking song
Posted By: Dorsalia
Subject: Genesis' hardest rocking song
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 10:04
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Genesis aren't a band normally known for riffs and hard rock, but some of their songs can get pretty heavy. The heavy sections in Dancing with the Moonlit Knight or The Musical Box, for example, with their pounding drums and bass and guitar parts, really make me think a little bit of heavy metal, and I don't know how Back in N.Y.C. rocks, because I don't know any other songs I can compare it to, but it sure as hell does. I find this aspect of their sound can get overlooked sometimes, but to me it's a part of the versatility that's made their legacy so long-lived. These are the Genesis songs that rock the most to me. Of course, as in the aforementioned cases, it's frequently only a part of the song that rocks and or that's "heavy". |
Replies:
Posted By: Dorsalia
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 10:07
| My vote goes to The Musical Box, by the way. Phil Collins' drums on that song rock my friggin socks off. |
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 10:10
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For once I'm going with an objective vote. At least vocal wise this has got to be 'Back in NYC'. The angriest most spiteful Gabriel performance ever. ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: progmatic
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 10:12
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From this list, Back In NYC is the only one that stands out as truly rocking from beginning through end. A favorite not on the list is Fly On A Windshield -- the power of the bass pedals etc. after Gabriel sings, ".. And I'm hovering like a fly, waiting for the windshield on the freeway," blows me away every time. One of my favorite all-time Genesis moments, along with the crescendo of "Firth of Fifth." ------------- PROGMATIC |
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 10:23
 This is probably my alltime favourite Genesis moment as well, and Phil is a monster when he rumbles away after that line of Peter's. I loooove that track.------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
progmatic wrote:Posted By: ole-the-first
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 10:30
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Why is 'Watcher of the Sky' omitted? It includes quite heavy sections. ------------- This night wounds time. |
Posted By: Dorsalia
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 11:01
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Yeah, Watcher of the Skies and Fly on a Windshield could be on the list, Lilywhite Lilith too, with it's rocking intro. Those were just the first songs I thought of, going through the albums in a chronological order and adding Supper's Ready as an afterthought. ------------- "Es ist übrigens unmöglich, eine Meinung zu haben, ohne dass es unerfreuliche Überschneidungen gibt. Die Grünen sind für den deutschen Wald, die NPD ebenfalls." |
Posted By: Dayvenkirq
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 11:13
| "The Knife" ... ain't no denying it. |
Posted By: Dorsalia
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 11:51
It's funny that arguably their most "pastoral" album contains one of their most rocking songs. ------------- "Es ist übrigens unmöglich, eine Meinung zu haben, ohne dass es unerfreuliche Überschneidungen gibt. Die Grünen sind für den deutschen Wald, die NPD ebenfalls." |
Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 12:05
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Watcher...came to my mind first From the list, Knife ------------- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/sQD8uhpWXCw" rel="nofollow - It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...Road Rage Edition |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 12:48
| I'm going for Hogweed because the ending is possibly the rockingest thing they've done. |
Posted By: bloodnarfer
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 12:49
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Back in NYC ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/ramza1316" rel="nofollow - www.last.fm/user/ramza1316 https://open.spotify.com/user/1211221845" rel="nofollow - https://open.spotify.com/user/1211221845 |
Posted By: Dayvenkirq
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 12:50
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Posted By: Horizons
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 12:59
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Hogweed for me. I'm not sure what to think about The Knife winning. ------------- Crushed like a rose in the riverflow. |
Posted By: ole-the-first
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 13:05
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While 'The Knife' and some other songs might be heavier, 'The Musical Box' is probably the closest song to hard rock as a genre. At least, some parts sound here as a real hard rock, nearly the same I can say about 'Dancing with the Moonlit Knight'. ------------- This night wounds time. |
Posted By: Andrea Cortese
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 13:06
| The Knife is a winner! Trespass rules! |
Posted By: Xonty
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 13:09
Obviously The Knife, so unexpected on an album like Trespass but still works so well  Possibly my all-time favourite album (Just followed by Get 'Em Out By Friday and Back In N.Y.C)
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Posted By: Andrea Cortese
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 13:12
| That is my fave too! Terrific record... so pastoral and mellow with a shocking finale. |
Posted By: Gandalff
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 13:46
Genesis and Hard Rock?
Well, if we talking about heavy riffs, where is e.g. Eleventh Earl Of Mar or Land Of Confusion? ------------- A Elbereth Gilthoniel silivren penna míriel o menel aglar elenath! Na-chaered palan-díriel o galadhremmin ennorath, Fanuilos, le linnathon nef aear, sí nef aearon! |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 14:12
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As far as a 7/8 can rock: Back in NYC. The Musical Box, The Knife and Hogweed have some heavy instrumental passages. ------------- 
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Posted By: Wanorak
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 14:18
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The Knife by far. It doesn't really fit with the Genesis "sound", making it a rare curio IMO. ------------- A GREAT YEAR FOR PROG!!! |
Posted By: tszirmay
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 14:42
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That final section on the Knife is perhaps among the top ten prog moments ever! The bass in particular is booming! ------------- I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth. |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 14:53
| The end section of Hogweed is bloody heavy...... |
Posted By: Progosopher
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 15:30
Overall, I would say The Knife, but there are parts of many of these other songs that rock just as much if not more.  ------------- The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty" |
Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 16:32
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The Knife ------------- Dig me...But don't...Bury me I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
Posted By: genbanks
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 17:48
| I think that Genesis has heavier moments after these songs in the list, like Down and out, Abacab, Mama or Calling all stations. But as someone said before, these tracks of the list, some of them have heavy sections. Apocalypse in 9/8 is one, Giant Hogweed (the ending), Musical box, and of course The Knife. In the cage, especially on the live versions sounds rough and heavy, mainly the central section. Volcano tool. I think the list is ok, maybe except Friday and Moonlit knight. I will vote for Musical Box. |
Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 18:07
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The Knife ------------- |
Posted By: Guitarnoize
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 19:32
| Down and Out |
Posted By: HackettFan
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 20:09
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1 Lillywhite Lilith
2 Back in NYC 3 The Knife 4 Return of the Giant Hogweed |
Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 20:24
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Watcher of the Sky has Phil Collins inventing blast beat, later taken futher by Black Metal.
The Knife is pretty awesome as well -------------  
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Posted By: proggman
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 20:32
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The Knife
------------- When he rides, my fears subside. For darkness turns once more to light. Through the skies, his white horse flies. To find a land beyond the night. |
Posted By: Chris S
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 20:39
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Los Endos must be one of the hardest rock songs of all and second home by the sea. The earlier material whilst heavy, still easier on the ear
------------- ...As I venture through the slipstream, between the viaducts in your dreams...[/COLOR] |
Posted By: infocat
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 23:21
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Knife rocks hardest. TMB rocks best! ------------- -- Frank Swarbrick Belief is not Truth. |
Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: February 09 2014 at 00:20
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"Supper's Ready" for the movement "Apocalypse in 9/8" gets my vote. |
Posted By: Bald_Jean
Date Posted: February 09 2014 at 03:50
| The Knife, but in the live version only.. if only studio albums count: Lilywhite Lilith |
Posted By: iamathousandapples
Date Posted: February 09 2014 at 11:33
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The Musical Box ending ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/thamazingbender" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: February 09 2014 at 13:02
| I guess "The Knife" is the obvious choice here, but also, more so on the live version. Genesis might not have rocked hard very often, but they usually added an edge to their songs live that usually makes me to prefer them. Both "Musical Box", and even more so "Dancing with the Moonlit Knight" are wonderful live, and I particularly love Collins drumming in such songs, which usually is too subdued in the studio versions. Songs such as "Return of the Giant Hogweed" and "Get 'em out by Fryday" may be kind of hard rocking too... but for me they are just annoying. Also, as far as harder songs is concerned, the album "And then there were Three" has it's good share of them (though the songs may be more keyboard heavy, in kind of an ELP way, instead of guitar heavy). |
Posted By: Moogtron III
Date Posted: February 09 2014 at 13:12
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The Knife as a whole. (As for sections, the ending of Hogweed wins)
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Posted By: Gandalff
Date Posted: February 09 2014 at 13:12
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So, where is Watcher of the Skies? ------------- A Elbereth Gilthoniel silivren penna míriel o menel aglar elenath! Na-chaered palan-díriel o galadhremmin ennorath, Fanuilos, le linnathon nef aear, sí nef aearon! |
Posted By: MFP
Date Posted: February 09 2014 at 14:45
| Hogweed closely followed by The Knife (both live versions). |
Posted By: ProgMetaller2112
Date Posted: February 09 2014 at 17:50
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I'd say The Musical Box ------------- “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.” ― George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four "Ignorance and Prejudice and Fear walk Hand in Hand"- Neil Peart |
Posted By: HackettFan
Date Posted: February 09 2014 at 20:43
I can't imagine why Lillywhite Lilith didn't make the list other than it was simply overlooked. |
Posted By: Metalmarsh89
Date Posted: February 09 2014 at 21:49
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I'd go with Dance on a Volcano. I'm surprised I'm one of the very few who think so. That one is balls to the wall for a Genesis song.
------------- Want to play mafia? Visit http://www.mafiathesyndicate.com" rel="nofollow - here . |
Posted By: Chris S
Date Posted: February 10 2014 at 03:47
I agree, this and Los Endos are linked.....absolute balls to the wall!! ------------- ...As I venture through the slipstream, between the viaducts in your dreams...[/COLOR] |
Posted By: uduwudu
Date Posted: February 12 2014 at 02:59
| Not mentioned but Driving The Last Spike is a decent rocker... Of these the Apocalypse is the most unique, I think I'll vote for Supper for that part. |
Posted By: Neo-Romantic
Date Posted: February 12 2014 at 13:24
| I would've said either Broadway Melody of 1974 or Anyway. |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: February 12 2014 at 13:55
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The Knife I read some years ago this came about because Mike Rutherford was a fan of The Nice. He played Rondo to Tony Banks who liked it and so set about creating something with the same intensity and excitement. So it was Banks tribute to Keith Emerson of a sort. (Banks didn't like ELP however) Another thing to add - I like the drums on the original studio version much more than the live version. Also confiscate that bloody whistle
 |
Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: February 12 2014 at 14:27
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Abacab title track, Land of Confudion are also heavy -------------
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Posted By: sleeper
Date Posted: February 12 2014 at 14:28
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You'd have to say The Knife for the whole song but the end of The Musical Box out rocks everything else.
------------- Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005 
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Posted By: Rubicon
Date Posted: March 22 2014 at 10:35
What about Fly On A Windshield. That is a rocking track. 
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Posted By: StDavis
Date Posted: March 22 2014 at 11:14
| Definitely Back in NYC!!! :) |
Posted By: Roland113
Date Posted: March 22 2014 at 23:14
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I know it's unpopular, but the title track on Calling All Stations is a hell of a rocker too. Second choice would be Dance on a Volcano . . . no vote. ------------- -------someone please tell him to delete this line, he looks like a noob------- I don't have an unnatural obsession with Disney Princesses, I have a fourteen year old daughter and coping mechanisms. |
Posted By: Svetonio
Date Posted: March 23 2014 at 02:11
| Back in NYC |
Posted By: LittleBig
Date Posted: May 09 2016 at 03:30
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The Musical Box when I listened to NC for the very first time, back in '95 if I remember right, I was blown away.  To this day, one of my favorite Genesis songs.
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Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: May 09 2016 at 03:42
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Anyway, is also having a quite heavy expolsion of climax in the bridge, pounding, -------------
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Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: May 09 2016 at 03:58
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from this list, The Knife But instead of Volcano, Squonk rocks much harder, IMHO - almost metalish riff. |
Posted By: b_olariu
Date Posted: May 09 2016 at 06:03
| Dance on a Volcano |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: May 09 2016 at 17:49
Agreed. Half the others on the list are nowhere near "hard rocking". In fact, it's funny to say "hard rocking" and Genesis in the same sentence. ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: DeadSouls
Date Posted: May 09 2016 at 21:37
| "Knife" and "Giant Hogweed". |
Posted By: The.Crimson.King
Date Posted: May 10 2016 at 17:53
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Went with The Knife...especially that shortened 4 minute version they were doing on the '80 tour... ------------- https://wytchcrypt.wixsite.com/mutiny-in-jonestown" rel="nofollow - Mutiny in Jonestown : Progressive Rock Since 1987 |
Posted By: PROGMAN
Date Posted: May 10 2016 at 21:41
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The Knife in my opinion,
Hogweed close second, to me ROTGH is kind of like a follow up to the Knife ------------- CYMRU AM BYTH 
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Posted By: HackettFan
Date Posted: May 10 2016 at 22:53
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Lilywhite Lilith ------------- A curse upon the heads of those who seek their fortunes in a lie. The truth is always waiting when there's nothing left to try. - Colin Henson, Jade Warrior (Now) |
Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: May 11 2016 at 10:45
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The fact that The Knife is in the lead here is curious. It's ever so much a zippy prog masterpiece with little evidence of being a hard rocker. Back in NYC stands out here, aptly telegraphing a code of conduct for the raucous Punk movement two years hence. ------------- "It just has none of the qualities of your work that I find interesting. Abandon [?] it." - Eno |
Posted By: Frenetic Zetetic
Date Posted: April 01 2018 at 15:45
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Moonlit Knight ------------- "I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021 |
Posted By: Squonk19
Date Posted: April 01 2018 at 16:15
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The Knife rocks! ------------- “Living in their pools, they soon forget about the sea.” |
Posted By: BaldFriede
Date Posted: April 01 2018 at 16:19
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"The Knife", but in the live version. The studio version is lame. -------------  BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |
Posted By: Squonk19
Date Posted: April 01 2018 at 16:23
^ Agreed!  ------------- “Living in their pools, they soon forget about the sea.” |
Posted By: The Doctor
Date Posted: April 01 2018 at 16:25
I'd have chosen "Throwing It All Away" but that wasn't an option.  ------------- I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you? |
Posted By: ProgMetaller2112
Date Posted: April 01 2018 at 18:39
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The Knife ------------- “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.” ― George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four "Ignorance and Prejudice and Fear walk Hand in Hand"- Neil Peart |
Posted By: Mortte
Date Posted: April 01 2018 at 23:04
| In the Cage. |