The Duke Suite - Genesis (Episode 400)
Added 2024-08-17 17:27:57 +0000 UTCI either forgot that this episode was blocked or I never realized it. So, I'm happy to make this episode available again. I hope you enjoy!
Comments
OMG! This is great synchronicity. I was at the Proms last night witnessing an amazing reconstruction of the premiere of Beethoven's 9th, and now I witness an amazing reconstruction of Duke. I liked the pieces on the album, but only now can I hear what this piece (the Duke Suite) sounds like. It is fantastic - it's a follow up to Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, although some of it is in demo mode (Guide Vocal). To hear afresh music that you've known for so many years is a wonderful gift.
Adie
2024-08-22 22:18:56 +0000 UTCI love the "segways", this is what you lose together with vinyl. I remember buying this album in my teens, around '88, it was still available in a "small geek's section" . But it was a seamless progression from one theme to the next, I miss that very much. Even on CD you can hear the cut. Love U, Doug, amazing job!!!
Salvador Montoro Goethe
2024-08-21 18:42:43 +0000 UTCThe Duke Suite, I think, is the strongest musical statement by post-Gabriel Genesis. The story is cryptic, and kind of sad, really, and there is some violence, there, in the Guide Vocal lyrics. I really like the suite, on an emotional level more than a narrative one, though : it really takes you from point A to point B, and even though it ends full circle musically, something profound has changed somehow. I've always been a fan of both full prog and pop prog Genesis. I mean, I really think Invisible Touch is a great album! And as it was already mentioned in a comment above, there's always some proggy sophistication in the music, somewhere!
Éric Gagnon
2024-08-18 20:55:13 +0000 UTCQuite interesting to hear the "suite" in its entirety, and as a stand alone track. Having owned the album from release I got used to the tracks which follow on that. I think I still prefer the album's flow, but remember seeing the Duke tour (first time I saw the band) and having the suite as a large part of the set. Of course Phil's drum sound is getting "bigger", Mike playing more guitar- inc plenty of guitar synthesiser, and Tony was trying new, slighly more raw keyboard sounds, which he furthered in Abacab the next album, which actually came pretty soon after Duke. An interesting and prolifically creative period for the band as they all recorded solo albums around that time when Phil's marriage was dissolving. Mike did "Smallcreep's Day"*, which is similar sounding to Duke (Abba's studio), and really worth a listen/analysis, Tony released "A Curious Feeling" which is also pretty stand up even after all these years. Phil of course released "Face Value" which was an enormous success across the Globe. Around the same time he was working (drums and production) with John Martyn on his album "Grace & Danger, which is also a divorce record, so Phil and John no doubt wallowed I'm misery a fair bit! *Mike hates Smallcreep and won't play it live, despite fans liking it a lot.
Ralph Darvill
2024-08-18 11:54:30 +0000 UTCDoug, I like your findings in the meaning of "Turn it on again". FYI how they used the song in some of their concerts: the "Turn it on" chorus was used to set the band in perspective to rocK history. While they were playing it, they merged it into a medley, playing tribute snippets to "The Who" (Pinball Wizard), "Stones" (Satisfaction), "Doors" (Hello, I love you) and many more. You can imagine how the "crowd cried for more" during the concert. I think this underlines your interpretation of the song.
Bernie
2024-08-18 10:48:54 +0000 UTCYou can't go wrong with Duke. There's always prog in Genesis: look for the long tracks, there's always at least one.
Christine (language gentlemen, please!) Philp
2024-08-18 07:14:25 +0000 UTCAllegedly, Duke's End also includes a slowed-down version of "Turn It On Again" - I can kinda hear it, but I would love Doug to really show how that works out. Cheers!
MikeCarr
2024-08-18 01:19:13 +0000 UTCGenesis never really abandoned Prog. All their albums had long songs, even their pop hits had complicated structures.
Matt Colville
2024-08-17 20:44:59 +0000 UTCWow. I thought I was crazy. I KNEW you reviewed this at some time and I could never find it. Now I see why. Genesis is my favorite band and this album is suprb. Thanks for reposting. Now I don't have to test my sanity now!
Andrew Marsh
2024-08-17 19:50:27 +0000 UTCYeah!! One of my favorite albums of all time. A word about Behind The Lines: Collins was divorced in 1980, not long before this album was released. So I think the lyric "It's written in the book" means something like "We're meant to be together, I just know it." Which would leave Duke feeling totally disillusioned during and after the breakup. The last line in Guide Vocal "take what's yours and be damned". Very angry & bitter words.
Ford H. Cotton III
2024-08-17 19:39:00 +0000 UTCThanks Doug. Tony Banks said more than once that Duke is one of his favourite Albums. In there "Last Domino" they finally paid tribute to it. I thought (back then) that they were coming back to their own after the "Then they were tree" album. Good choice!
Bernie
2024-08-17 19:32:37 +0000 UTCJust outstanding music from incredibly talented musicians! I love this album.
Alienrick
2024-08-17 18:59:27 +0000 UTCThanks Doug - I searched for this some time ago and realized it was blocked. Should have said something!
Gary Thobaben
2024-08-17 18:48:05 +0000 UTCThe suite was played live in the Lyceum Theater concert (and it made it to the recent BBC broadcast release). On YT here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5tt-TboWaQ
kali
2024-08-17 18:45:58 +0000 UTCSaw the Duke tour in San Francisco. It was my first concert that utilized electronic drumming live. New at the time. At the time I was disappointed that I missed the Gabriel years. This album helped usher in a new Genesis era.
Sid Levy
2024-08-17 18:26:46 +0000 UTCGenesis is one of my favo bands of all time.
Marica Wieman
2024-08-17 18:22:02 +0000 UTCWatched this first time round and loved it. Yes, the "transition" album. Not sure why it disappeared, seemingly, but real glad to see it back again! See you have 400k on Youtube now, Doug? Shame they are being such wakners with keep blocking you.
Adrian Goodrich
2024-08-17 18:11:04 +0000 UTCFabulous - some of the best music they did. The transition from Behind the Lines to Duchess is powerful, Mike’s bass is amazing… I could wax poetic for a long time. First heard when I was a prog-snob … this was a massive instant hit for me and helped me accept and love their later style. I love it still, 3 decades on
Matt Leppard
2024-08-17 17:53:49 +0000 UTCLove me some Genesis.
Richard Gibbins
2024-08-17 17:29:45 +0000 UTCYay!
Richard Gibbins
2024-08-17 17:29:17 +0000 UTC
