Album Club - Week 119: 12.11.2013: Anthony Phillips - The Geese and the Ghost

[Album Club]

Dave (synsei) has chosen this week's album for us to listen to, comment and vote on. Thanks Dave!
Please enter into the discussion if you wish to vote, and listen to the entire album before commenting.


Anthony Phillips - The Geese and the Ghost (1977)







Wiki: The Geese and the Ghost is the debut solo album from former Genesis guitarist Anthony Phillips. It was originally intended as a duet between Phillips and former band mate Mike Rutherford, but Rutherford's difficulty in devoting time to the project ultimately mandated that he be dropped from co-billing with Phillips to guest musician status. The album was released in 1977 on Passport Records in the US and Hit & Run Music in the UK.

In 1969, just prior to an extensive tour for Genesis, Phillips and bassist Mike Rutherford wrote a good deal of music, committing the material to tape to preserve a record of the work. Among the tracks was a piece entitled "D Instrumental", a song that would eventually become the album's title track. Following his departure from Genesis in 1970, Phillips wrote many of the songs that would ultimately constitute the rest of the album. Phillips at this time became more interested in his musical studies and work on the material was put aside until 1973 when he re-connected with Rutherford to work on small projects including a prospective single release, "Silver Song"/"Only Your Love", that included Genesis drummer Phil Collins on vocals. This material convinced Genesis label Charisma Records to front the money for initial work on an album to begin.

Always intending the album project to be a collaboration with Rutherford, Phillips found it difficult to schedule time when the two could work together, as Rutherford's Genesis schedule was proving hectic during the recording of their double album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. In 1974, an injury to Phillips' Genesis successor, Steve Hackett, provided the opening Phillips and Rutherford needed and a great deal of work on the album was recorded in October of that year. While Rutherford rejoined Genesis, Phillips continued work on the album until another break allowed them to continue work on the album in the summer of 1975.
With the album in a nearly-finished state in 1976, Charisma Records ultimately decided against releasing it, leaving Phillips without the financing to complete recording. After meetings with Virgin, Phillips put the material aside and concentrated on his burgeoning career in library music and other projects. In October 1976, however, word came that US record label Passport Records was interested in releasing the album. This gave Phillips the impetus he needed to complete The Geese and the Ghost. Still unable to find a UK distributor, Phillips and Genesis manager Tony Smith created the "Hit & Run" label to secure a UK release for the album.

[John]

I istened to the album I am going to give it a 7.
I am actualy one of those people that is not really the greatest Genesis fan and the music will appeal to fans of that band so I am suprised I score so high I think mainly it has a sense of flow throughout. Its a album I could listen to occasionally
Listening to it I cannot help reflecting it came out around the wrong time, this would of been the height of punk and music like this would be considered self indulgent at best
Thanks for sharing Dave

[Bazil]

Considering my love of the early Genesis I am totally ignorant of this album, although I have never followed any of the solo efforts, Peter Gabriel included.
Looking forward to this and hoping its something I will really enjoy

[Bazil]

Dave (synsei) has chosen this week's album for us to listen to, comment and vote on. Thanks Dave!
Please enter into the discussion if you wish to vote, and listen to the entire album before commenting.

I had ordered a vinyl copy after 3 tracks .
Sublime ,spellbinding, sumptuous , entrancing , enchanting or in a nutshell bloody marvellous.
Just one problem Dave couldn't find the eleven button , only 10/10.

[synsei]

It is rather beautiful isn't it, so 'Genesis' and yet not so. My best mate, who abhors Genesis, says it's a Genesis album without the annoying bits, I wonder who he means?

[Tim]

I struggled with this TBH and I'm pretty sure I heard it back around when it was released, as I remember the cover, but that's all I can remember so it didn't impact then and its not hit the spot now I'm afraid. I like the YouTube full album thing though, good thinking by the poster and a great way to hear stuff if you don't have a streaming service.

What really had me running for the hills was Phil Collins when his voice popped up - he doesn't do it for me anymore. I'm a big Gabriel era Genesis fan and like Trick of the Tail too, but going back to that period for 'new' discoveries isn't something that does it for me.

Thanks for sharing though, but only a 5/10 from me in recognition of some good musicianship - its too long and doesn't have enough variation for my tastes.

[Audioman]

I would describe this as Genesis Lite. It's obvious the influence Philips had on the softer bits of Genesis' music long after his departure. You don't get many of the other elements that add variation to the music so like Tim I found it overlong and lacking enough variation. 6/10 as it has great musicianship. Some tracks sound like they could have been Wind and Wuthering out takes.

[high.spirits]

As I’m not a Genesis fan, I was unsure of this album especially having listened to the Marillion - Script for a Jester's Tear a few weeks ago.
However my hopes were raised listening to the first 2 tracks but then Henry Portraits from Tudor Times went on and on - too long for me.
God If I Saw Her Now was ok, but then The Geese And The Ghost really turned me off.
Collection was good, not so plinky plonky as The Geese And The Ghost track.
I listened to the whole album and they are obviously very good musicians but it did not stir me in ways other music does. Not my sort of music – sorry, 5/10.

[Audio Al]

Dave

Sorry its not for me

I can hear the Genesis connection but it sounds like half the band did not turn up

Very little going on / laid back

I gave it a go

I voted 4 out of 10

[Bazil]

Dave

Sorry its not for me

I can hear the Genesis connection but it sounds like half the band did not turn up

(

Spot on there Al