What Genesis tracks were completely unnecessary?

[Phil]

I want to know what (in your opinion) are the most unnecessary genesis tracks: i know some may regard 'After the Ordeal' as not needed on 'selling england by the pound' and perhaps 'seven stones' should've been replaced by 'happy the man' but let me know, im interested, people have different opinions! Thanks! GENESIS ARE THE BEST!!!!!!

[Phil]

the last 2 tracks id never heard of but the 2 tracks i wouldn't agree with r IT and invisable touch IT is a classic and Invisable touch is a nice little track although too poppy

[Adam Lawrence]

I don't share the view that later albums are a waist of space. It is obvious to me that Genesis matured in to a band that could produce very polished pop/rock songs with a unique edge, born out of their progressive roots. Songs like Driving the Last Spike and Jesus He Knows Me are simply GREAT songs and are worthy of great praise.

I would even agree that Calling All Stations is a very good album. Try listening to the album and concentrate on the music rather than the vocals. You realise this is very Genesis, just with different vocals. Congo is a great song, and the drumming on The Dividing Line is as good as anything Phil turned out.

Any fan who misses the progressive, experimental edge of later albums only have to look to the works of Peter Gabriel to fill that creative void. Pete is SO cool. The Growing Up DVD is simply pure class.

Alternatly, look at Yes. The Ladder and Key Studio are great albums.

[Tom Eiselberg]

This is too easy if we choose from Genesis albums/eras we don't like. So sticking to the albums I like a lot and imagining some bizarre situation in which one track had to be axed from each I'd go:
Looking For Someone
Harold The Barrel
Time Table
Battle Of Epping Forest
It
Robbery, Assault and Battery
Wot Gorilla
Ballad Of Big
Alone Tonight
After that it would be the one track from each album I'd keep!

[Leon Alvarado]

No way on that list my friend. First, I wouldn't ax any of those songs, I would only go to the albums with the more mixed styles of music on them. For me it would all start with "WHO DUNNIT?" from ABACAB. I just can't see that song as anything more than a joke on us and on themselves. I got to see it live and all I could think was that I wished they'd play something else. As far as your list goes, "Looking for Someone" has some of Peter's best vocals on it. "Harold the Barrel" is pure Brit and darkly fun without being something like "Who Dunnit?" "Time Table" is also pure Genesis and once again, some of Peter's best vocals. "Battle of Epping Forest" is a great epic. Maybe not as good as "Supper's Ready" but in the same genre. Despite Steve Hackett being upset by Peter Gabriel's lengthy lyrics, the song is very interesting and very Genesis. "It", I can't even speculate as to why so many people seem to complain about this song, it is short, creatively unique and sounds great even live! All I can think is that perhaps one or more of the members of Genesis complained about it and so the fans follow. There are a lot of songs that some of the band members aren't so keen on that I think are brilliant. "Robbery, Assault and Battery" what a great song that is! The drumming on the instrumental part alone is worth keeping it. It is also one of the highlights of "Seconds Out". "Wot Gorilla" is an instrumental masterpiece from a masterpiece album. "Alone Tonight" is a bit of things to come, I'll give you that one but the rest are just fantastic songs that I would never do part with. If I had to take a song of each album I would say "F@#&..em, all songs or nothing". Anyway, that's my opinion.

[Old Father Thames]

Agree 100% with Leon! How could you even suggest such craziness Tom??? I won't get too crazy because I understand everyone has their own opinions but two things really stand out here. Battle Of Epping Forest?? Before More Fool Me???? Wot Gorilla?? Before Your Own Special Way???? AAAH!! I gotta go!

[Tom Eiselberg]

Leon, OFT relax guys, it's only a "what if..." I'd no sooner wish to axe Looking for Someone than I would my own arm! Just making the point that slagging off the Genesis eras I don't like is too, too easy. Shooting fish in a barrel. Hold on My Heart - thwack! Paperlate - thwack! I Can't Dance - thwack! In Too Deep - Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Damnation I'm running out of arrows and I've still got most of Abacab to go.

I like Wot Gorilla, but it could have been Please Don't Touch (which I prefer) and then Steve might have stayed a little longer...who knows? It was a fairly spontaneous list, but looking at it now I can't think of any I'd change. "It" for me is just the least fantastic of all the fantastic songs on the Lamb. I used to find Chamber of 32 Doors hard going, but it's been one of my favourites lately.

I note no one lept to defend Balld Of Big!

[Leon Alvarado]

OK, I motion to defend "Ballad of Big" corny lyrics and all. There is something about that album that I like very much.

[Old Father Thames]

Tom,I wasn't that serious. Yes,I am serious in my statements but unfortunately you can't get any sort of sarcastic tone in a typed message,lol. I understand perfectly what you are saying and you are right that it's TOO easy to pummel the ones you don't like. But that is what the question asked so therefore
I WILL pummel the ones I don't like!!!! I almost jumped on you again for that Chamber of 32 Doors statement but you quickly corrected yourself! LOL No worries my friend.I'm totally relaxed!

[Tom Eiselberg]

Hey we need an international sarcasm code that all nations will understand! Italics? Bold? Bold italics? Bold italics underlined?

Holiday greetings to you. I'm sulking because Santa didn't bring me the boxset I asked for. Time to break out the credit card from its "only in case of emergency" glass case. I'm off to Amazon.

[Laura/JaneCool]

Who Dunnit.

[HENRY]

Come to think of it, "Epping Forest" could have been left back in the studio. They should have come up with something better, but I guess they were desperate for material so they had to use it. ;-)

[Old Father Thames]

???????? Sacrilege!!!!!!!!