The Revelation Station

Down on The Farm, something is afoot! It’s Genesis and they’re working on their 11th studio album “Abacab”, named after a random sequence of musical bits and pieces. Recorded in May and June, before being released on 18th September 1981, Abacab marks a huge change of sound for the band. No longer truly “prog”, and featuring predominantly tracks jammed in the studio, the album utterly divided fans and even led to the band being boo-ed on tour.
Undoubtedly influenced by the runaway success of Phils’ “Face Value”, it also in a way saw the band returning to their roots, with shorter, poppier tracks and outside musicians used for the first time since their debut. It sets out the blueprint that Genesis will pursue for the rest of their Phill Collins era, and ultimately lead to their most successful phase.

Back in the future, Gary and Simon have arrived in London and have a very important date to keep. It’s a race across the city with the fate of the podcast at stake! Will they make it? Which track is Gary’s favourite? Will Simon surprise Gary with a shocking revelation? Do they (ahem) like it or not? Will the pub be saved? All these questions will be answered.

1979 was not a great year for Phil Collins. However, the breakdown of his marriage lead to a huge burst of creativity and ultimately brought us his classic first solo album “Face Value”. Similarly, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford recorded and released their first solo efforts.
This podcast is not, however, about those albums. Instead we have a listen to the tenth studio album, and the second recorded by the most famous and successful line up. Duke was released on 24th March 1980 and was their very first number 1 album in the UK!
The album saw a return to longer songs following And Then There Were Three’s dalliance with shorter tracks. It also contains what could be considered the first proper Genesis “Pop” song, which went on to become the 7th biggest single of 1980 in Canada!

In this bumper edition of The Revelation Station, the boys get embroiled in a mystery on their way to an important date and decide to while away the time by turning an ear to Gary’s first experience of Genesis’ music. Does it hold up after so long? Is it a royal success or a big pile of dookie? Can Simon accurately predict which songs Gary will hate? Just whodunnit? The answers to all these questions will be revealed…

Featuring guest stars:
Tea Lady: Kay MrsGary
Hercule Poirot: Richmond Leishi
And a cast of thousands!

Do you love us or hate us? Got something to share (about Genesis, not just random things)? You can let us know by emailing [email protected] or leave a comment below. If you really want to, you could join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/TheRevelationStation

Released on 31st March 1978, Genesis’ ninth studio album featured a streamlined sound and line up. Steve Hackett had departed the group in mid 1977, dissatisfied with the band dynamic, leaving the core trio of Tony Banks, Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford that would exist for a good 15 years and go on to huge international success.

It all starts here folks. Hated by some, loved by others the album featured their biggest hit to date in Follow You, Follow Me, a sign of things to come. Also notable for the inclusion of shorter songs, in an attempt to cram in more ideas. This is only one of three albums they ever released that has no long songs.

Returning back from winter break with an appropriately themed album, Gary and Simon find themselves caught between a rock and a dart place as they try to bring more business to the pub. Despite this they find time to discuss the merits of …And Then There Were Three… and spend an inordinate amount of time singing in this episode.

What do they think of the album? Is it a bullseye or a double one? Which of the two single releases do they prefer? Which one of the pair clearly misses Steve but refuses to admit it? And what cover version should you definitely definitely avoid at all costs? The answers to all this and more can be found right here in a bumper length episode of The Revelation Station podcast.

Greetings listeners! It’s been a great year for The Revelation Station, so I wanted to provide a little minisode by way of thanks. I hope you enjoy the treats herein (but if not at least it’s only 20 minutes long).

As mentioned in the show notes here are links to all of the tracks played:

Kill Bill In The Air Tonight by Bobbi Martini

Abacab/Faint by Ben Double M

Mama Will Rock You by Ben Liebrand

Please enjoy, and let me know what you thought by emailing [email protected] or joining the Facebook group Revelation Station podcast.

For their second (geddit?) release of 1977, Genesis unleashed their second (geddit) live album, Seconds Out. Recorded mostly at the Palais de Sport in Paris between 11th and 14th June 1977 (with The Cinema Show recorded at the same venue on 23rd June 1976), this double live set is widely regarded as one of “the best live albums ever™”, by Genesis fans at least, and was released to critical acclaim.

The album would be released in October 1977, by which time Steve Hackett had already departed the group for solo pastures, and in fact the remaining trio would have recorded their next release, more of that next time. Another chapter of the book of Genesis closed and a new era would begin in 1978.

Right here, right now, Gary and Simon discuss the album in a most appropriate setting. Do they agree with the fan consensus about the album’s greatness? Does Gary learn to love Suppers Ready? What do they think of Phil covering Peter? All this and more can be found in this episode.

Are you enjoying the podcast? Do you love that scamp Gary? Annoyed by Simon constantly getting things wrong? Write to us and tell us at our email address [email protected]. All feedback is welcome, if you’re really tragic…I mean…interested, you could join our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/groups/TheRevelationStation/

1977 was an important year for Genesis. They had released their first two albums with Phil Collins the year before and were rapidly becoming one of the biggest live acts on the planet.

No new album was released this year, but instead an EP of unused tracks from the Wind & Wuthering sessions was released on 20th May, and the double live album Seconds Out would emerge in October. Sadly, Steve Hackett wouldn’t see out the year as guitarist with the band, leaving this EP of three songs as his parting shot.

In the right now, Gary and Simon muse over the merits of the EP whilst completing a favour for a friend. What do they think of the songs herein? Is it a worthy final tribute to Steve? Should any of these been on Wind & Wuthering? Or should 50 tonnes of it be dumped on the Foreign Office Roof? Find out the answers to all these questions and more in this special episode.

Do you enjoy what we’re doing? Hate what we’re doing? You can tell us by emailing [email protected]. All comments and suggestions are welcomed. Heck, if you really, like us you could join the Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/TheRevelationStation/

In 1976 Phil Collins is the singer in Genesis and they release their brand new album, A Trick of the…hang on, wait a minute! They released another album in 1976? Does Peter Gabriel know about this?

So….released as an early Christmas present, their second album of 1976 arrived on December 17th. Their 8th overall, it firmly cemented Phil Collins as the lead singer and featured classics that would become staples of the live set for many years to come.

However, as was not happy in the Genesis camp, and Steve Hackett was counting out time before he left, frustrated that his songwriting efforts were being side-lined *cough* AllInAMouse’sNight *cough*, he made the decision to leave the band in mid-1977.

In this episode! Gary and Simon find themselves in a salty situation, but use the time to discuss the second chapter in the “Phil Ruins Genesis” story (Spoiler: Phil doesn’t ruin Genesis, don’t be ridiculous). Do they enjoy the album? Which song makes it into Simon’s “Top 500” tracks list? How exactly does one eat a juicy raw rat? All these answers and more can be found in this episode!

Like what we’re doing? Hate what we’re doing? You can tell us by emailing [email protected]. All comments and suggestions are welcomed. Heck, if you really, like us you could join the Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/TheRevelationStation/

On October 1st 2018, Steve Hackett began his Genesis Revisited with Band and Orchestra tour in Nottingham.

Here are the thoughts of two fools who went to see that show. Recorded live, respectively, on a Tram; in a branch of Starbucks and in Simon's car. The sound quality is variable in places and topics of discussion include: Coffee, Trams, Vodka and what Steve might get up to on his visit to Nottingham.

NOTE: May contain some swears!

You lucky things! A new episode to follow on Friday! Woo-hoo!

Greetings! Due to real life the next episode has been delayed, so in the meantime please enjoy this minisode. It features a conversation cut from the A Trick Of The Tail episode and some outtakes. The music used is called "Prodigy", I found it on the internet in about 2005 so I have no idea who it's by. If it's by you, or you know who it is by, drop me an email and I'll give a credit.

Got anything you want to share with us? Stories or opinions on upcoming albums, or how you got into the band in the first place? Love us? Hate us? All feedback is welcome, just send it to [email protected] or leave a comment below.

Look out for the next episode coming soon!

In 1975 Peter Gabriel quit Genesis just as they were about to hit the big time! Or, pay off some debts at least. He retired to his vegetable patch and, eventually, on to a successful solo career. But his involvement in the Genesis story was over for the most part. Which leaves the group without a singer...

Enter Phil, reluctantly at first, but with increasing confidence he takes on the mantle of front man and wins over literally everybody ever (note: maybe not everybody). After sifting through hundreds of demo tapes, the band finally settle on Phil and get down to recording their breakthrough album, A Trick Of The Tail. Released on 13th February 1976 to critical and commercial success, the album and subsequent tour raised the band's profile in the USA which ultimately led to the sell out tours of later years.

Back in the present day, Simon is taking Gary to get his casts removed and they decide to fill the hours waiting with a discussion about this seminal album. Do the boys take to Phil as lead vocalist? Is everything the band do from now on rubbish? What is the connection to Russ Abbot? Which classic does Gary hate this time? All this, and maybe more, is answered in this episode, featuring a surprise appearance from a popular comedian.