What is the deal with Abacab?

[ben_at_work]

It was released in 1981 almost immediately after "Duke" and it benefitted from a new producer, Hugh Padgham, who gave the band a more eighties sound and though the songs seem fairly generic, there are still great bits throughout: the extended jam in the middle of the title track and the horns by some group called Earth, Wind and Fire on "No Reply at All" are just two examples. The songs reflect dark emotions and are about people who feel lost or who are in conflict, but the production and sound are gleaming and upbeat (even if the titles aren't: "No Reply at All," "Keep it Dark," Who Dunnit?" "Like it or Not"). Mike Rutherford's bass is obscured somewhat in the mix but otherwise the band sounds tight and is once again propelled by Collins' truly amazing drumming. Even at its most despairing (like the song "Dodo," about extinction), Abacab musically is poppy and lighthearted. Abacab was the second album released by Genesis after the loss of band member Peter Gabriel.

My favorite track is "Man on the Corner," which is the only song solely credited to Collins, a moving ballad with a pretty synthesized melody plus a riveting drum machine in the background.

Hey! Lets hear it for Abacab!!!

[Frau_Blucher]

Oops. I thought we were all gonna rag on Abacab66. The bastard really does have it coming, what with the young wife and smarmy smile and all. But nevermind. Carry on.

[phillyidol]

Ben I totally agree. I love the album and in its day, it was one of my favorites. If you remember, right after that album the band was HUGE. That album brings back alot of great memories of me with my first car, first girlfriend...etc

[abacab66]

[quote]Originally posted by ben_at_work
[br]
Hey! Lets hear it for Abacab!!!
[/quote]
Well thank you, thank you very much.
(sorry, couldn't resist)
This album was my introduction to Genesis and I immediately loved it. I even got to see them tour (Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, original US Open site) and I was amazed at the sounds I heard coming from that stage. What shocked me was when they were playing these strange songs which I later discovered to be from their large back catalogue. Thus began my journey into the land of Genesis and Prog rock. I was originally teased by some "older" Genesis fans about my love of this great album, thus the nickname[:I]. I was later admitted entrance into the "club" after buying all of their older material and really loving it.
Abacab to me is a major transitional album for a band that didn't want to die a slow death trying to keep its Prog rock roots from the 70's as did some other noteworthy bands. This album, as well as the previous one(Duke), have Phil Collins stamped all over it. As a fan of Phil it's much easier for me to swallow the change of sound that the band took. For the die hard Prog heads, it was next to impossible. All I can say is, "Oh well." Other than the album Invisible Touch, which still had a couple redeemable songs on it, Genesis continued to make very good music. I'm glad I was along for the end of the ride.
Last word on the band is there is going to be a reunion tour beginning sometime next year but still without Gabriel or Hackett.

*correction* - Abacab is the 5th album after Gabriel's departure and the 3rd after Hackett's.

[phillyidol]

Buddy Hacket was in Genesis?

[coop41]

[quote]Originally posted by ben_at_work
[br]It was released in 1981 almost immediately after "Duke" and it benefitted from a new producer, Hugh Padgham, who gave the band a more eighties sound and though the songs seem fairly generic, there are still great bits throughout: the extended jam in the middle of the title track and the horns by some group called Earth, Wind and Fire on "No Reply at All" are just two examples. The songs reflect dark emotions and are about people who feel lost or who are in conflict, but the production and sound are gleaming and upbeat (even if the titles aren't: "No Reply at All," "Keep it Dark," Who Dunnit?" "Like it or Not"). Mike Rutherford's bass is obscured somewhat in the mix but otherwise the band sounds tight and is once again propelled by Collins' truly amazing drumming. Even at its most despairing (like the song "Dodo," about extinction), Abacab musically is poppy and lighthearted. Abacab was the second album released by Genesis after the loss of band member Peter Gabriel.

My favorite track is "Man on the Corner," which is the only song solely credited to Collins, a moving ballad with a pretty synthesized melody plus a riveting drum machine in the background.

Hey! Lets hear it for Abacab!!!
[/quote]



Uhhh, I'm not falling for it, this is a direct quote from page 134 of American Psycho, probably my favorite book, by Bret Easton Ellis!!! Do I win a prize Ben?????????

[ben_at_work]

[quote][i]Originally posted by coop41[/i]
<br>[quote]Originally posted by ben_at_work
[br]It was released in 1981 almost immediately after "Duke" and it benefitted from a new producer, Hugh Padgham, who gave the band a more eighties sound and though the songs seem fairly generic, there are still great bits throughout: the extended jam in the middle of the title track and the horns by some group called Earth, Wind and Fire on "No Reply at All" are just two examples. The songs reflect dark emotions and are about people who feel lost or who are in conflict, but the production and sound are gleaming and upbeat (even if the titles aren't: "No Reply at All," "Keep it Dark," Who Dunnit?" "Like it or Not"). Mike Rutherford's bass is obscured somewhat in the mix but otherwise the band sounds tight and is once again propelled by Collins' truly amazing drumming. Even at its most despairing (like the song "Dodo," about extinction), Abacab musically is poppy and lighthearted. Abacab was the second album released by Genesis after the loss of band member Peter Gabriel.

My favorite track is "Man on the Corner," which is the only song solely credited to Collins, a moving ballad with a pretty synthesized melody plus a riveting drum machine in the background.

Hey! Lets hear it for Abacab!!!
[/quote]



Uhhh, I'm not falling for it, this is a direct quote from page 134 of American Psycho, probably my favorite book, by Bret Easton Ellis!!! Do I win a prize Ben?????????
[/quote]

BINGO!!!
I'm reading the book right now and after reading that page I was inspired to post it. They are my feelings on the album as well.
Sweet!

[coop41]

It's a Killer Book! [:o)] Way better than the movie!

[coop41]

Also, I bet I haven't read that book in 10 years and as soon as I saw that I thought to myself.....that sounds like American Psycho and had to go get it off the book shelf!

[hutter]

I liked the album. Never could get into the Peter Gabriel years. Loved Gabriel's solo work, though.

<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h197/troylowe/flag_gif.gif" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>

[DonGately]

I love Bret Easton Ellis' work. He's one of the only authors of which I've read all the published novels, and I think his work gets better with each release.

There are some "American Psycho" cameos, including Patrick Bateman, in his latest book, "Lunar Park". There's also good BEE forum here: http://www.notanexit.net/forum/index.php.

[phillyidol]

In the american psycho movie, didn't he talk about huey lewis and the news and not genesis?

[fortyfives]

Abacab was Genesis' last really good album. Duke wasn't bad either.

[coop41]

[quote][i]Originally posted by DonGately[/i]
<br>I love Bret Easton Ellis' work. He's one of the only authors of which I've read all the published novels, and I think his work gets better with each release.

There are some "American Psycho" cameos, including Patrick Bateman, in his latest book, "Lunar Park". There's also good BEE forum here: http://www.notanexit.net/forum/index.php.


[/quote]


....and I know what book (*) your name comes from as well!!!!



Philly, he talks about a lot of CD's in the book, yes Huey Lewis was one of them!





*- Infinite Jest

[DonGately]

You found me out! [:)]*



* [Lengthy but humorous explanation of the history of message board screen names along with several examples of screen names that have direct or indirect literary allusions as well as stories about revealing or disguising the sources of screen names omitted].

Followed by a footnote about wheelchair assassins.