Una figura esile in mezzo al palco, veste un completo aderente completamente nero, il volto è coperto da un fondotinta bianco, il contorno degli occhi è sottolineato da una colorazione fluorescente, porta i capelli lunghi, neri, la testa rasata a formare un triangolo proprio sopra la fronte: il suo nome è Peter Gabriel.
Gabriel è molto probabilmente il più grande frontman della storia del rock fino ad oggi, nel vedere le rare immagini dei concerti dei Genesis si capisce la sua originalità, i costumi, le movenze, i dialoghi con il pubblico e la band, basti ricordare che fu il primo a buttarsi tra la folla durante un concerto, folla che puntualmente si scansò e lui si ruppe una caviglia. I Genesis sono sempre stati sinomimo di teatralità, di capacità di fondere la musica con le immagini, precursori della multidiamelità e di una forma concerto superiore alla semplice esecuzione dei brani in repertorio, del resto la loro musica, e i testi soprattutto, è l'ideale per ricostruire sul palco le storie raccontate nei brani, Gabriel poi è uno straordinario pozzo di idee, anche gli altri però amano assecondarlo e metterlo a proprio agio, lui propone e insieme fanno il possibile per trasformare la fantasia del cantante in realtà.
"Genesis Live", pubblicato nel 1973, racchiude in parte questa magia, senza il video infatti è difficile capire di cosa erano capaci questi ragazzi inglesi. L'album è pura perfezione targata Banks e compagni, l'esecuzione dei brani in scaletta è un'emozione notevole e dimostra come la dimensione live sia una prerogativa irrinunciabile per questo gruppo, Collins, Gabriel e gli altri sanno suonare, e lo dimostraranno sempre fino alla fine della loro carriera. Il difetto del disco è quello di non essere doppio, infatti la povera Charisma non ha i soldi per fare un secondo Lp, e allora non c'è spazio per "Supper's Ready", che con Gabriel era una totale immersione in un mondo magico, lui che usa le sue maschere, il fiore, la scatola rossa e poi il completo argentato per la fine con in mano un neon blu e lui che si colora di riflesso di una luce misteriosa e affascinante. Ma nonostante ciò la scelta è da manuale, l'apertura con il foxtrot di "Watcher Of The Skies", i problemi finanziari di "Get'em Out By Friday", brani tratti da "Foxtrot" e poi "The Return Of The Giant Hogweed", tutte sublimi. "The Musical Box" è pura poesia, un brano incredibile che Peter introduce nei concerti raccontando la storia del povero Henry che perde la testa grazie al colpo di una mazza da crocket usata dall'amica, e così non il suo spirito viene rinchiuso in un carillon, e gli viene negata la vita adulta con tutte le gioie sessuali annesse. Peter interpreta la fine del brano indossando la celebre maschera del vecchio Henry, che venuto fuori dal carillon grida "Touch Me, Touch Me, Touch Me, Now! Now! Now!..." per un finale da puro orgasmo sonoro retto in modo sublime dall'organo di Tony. Chiude "The Knife", se non avete questo disco siete dei pazzi, sono la migliore live band della storia, in qualsiasi formazione nessuno gli ha mai raggiunti, nell'era di Peter specialmente.
Elenco tracce e testi
01 Watcher of the Skies (08:34)
Watcher of the skies watcher of all,
his is a world alone no world is his own.
He whom life can no longer surprise,
raising his eyes beholds a planet unknown.
Creatures shaped this planet's soil,
now their reign has come to an end.
Has life again destroyed life,
do they play elsewhere, do they know
more than their childhood games?
Maybe the lizard's shed its tail,
this is the end of man's long union with Earth.
Judge not this race by empty remains.
Do you judge God by his creatures when they are dead?
For now, the lizard's shed it's tail,
this is the end of man's long union with Earth.
From life alone to life as one,
think not your journey's done.
For though your ship be sturdy,
no mercy has the sea.
Will you survive on the ocean of being?
Come ancient children hear what I say,
this is my parting council for you on your way.
Sadly now your thoughts turn to the stars.
Where we have gone you know you never can go.
Watcher of the skies watcher of all,
this is your fate alone, this fate is your own.
02 Get 'em Out by Friday (09:13)
JOHN PEBBLE OF STYX ENTERPRISES
"Get `em out by Friday!
You don`t get paid till the last one`s well on his way.
Get `em out by Friday!
It`s important that we keep to schedule, there must be no delay."
MARK HALL OF STYX ENTERPRISES (OTHERWISE KNOWN
AS "THE WINKLER")
"I represent a firm of gentlemen who recently purchased this
house and all the others in the road.
In the interest of humanity we`ve found a better place for you to
go-go-go-go-go."
MRS BARROW (a tenant)
"Oh no, this I can`t believe,
Oh Mary, they`re asking us to leave."
MR PEBBLE
"Get `em out by Friday!
I`ve told you before`s good many gone, if we let them stay.
And if it isn`t easy,
You can squeeze a little grease and our troubles will soon run away."
MRS BARROW
"After all this time they ask us to leave,
And I told them we could pay double the rent.
I don`t know why it seemed so funny,
Seeing ashow they`d take our money.
The winkler called again, he came here this morning,
With four houndred pounds and a photograph of the place that he has
found.
A block of flats with central heating.
I think we`re gonna find it hard."
MR PEBBLE
"Now we`ve got them!
I`ve always said that cash cash cash can do anything well.
Work can be rewarding
When a flash of intuition is a gift that helps you excel-sell-sell-sell."
MR HALL
"Here we are in Harlow New Town, did you recognice your
block across the square, over there,
Sadly since last time we spoke, we`ve found we`ve had to raise
the rent again, just a bit."
MRS BARROW
"Oh no, this I can`t believe
Oh Mary, and we agreed to leave."
.....
18/9/2012 TV FLASH ON ALL DIAL-A-PROGRAM SERVICES
This is an announcement from Genetic Control:
"It is my sad duty to inform you of a 4ft restriction
on humanoid height."
EXTRACT FROM CONVERSATION OF JOE ORDINARY IN LOCAL
PUBORAMA
"I hear the directors of Genetic Control have been buying all the
properties that have recently been sold, taking risks oh so bold.
It is said now that people will be shorter in height, they can fit
twice as many in the same building site
(they say it`s alright),
Beginning with the tenants of the town of Harlow,
In the interest of humanity they`ve been told they must go,
Told they must go-go-go-go."
SIR JOHN DE PEBBLE OF UNITED BLACKSPRINGS INTERNATIONAL
"I think they`ve reached a new deal
A dozen properties - we`ll buy at five and sell at thirty-four,
Some are still inhabited,
It`s time to send the winkler to see them, he`ll have to work
some more."
MEMO FROM SATIN PETER OF ROCK DEVELOPMENTS LTD
Land in your hand you`ll be happy on earth
Then invest in the Church for your heaven.
03 The Return of the Giant Hogweed (08:14)
Turn and run
Nothing can stop them
Around every river and canal their
Power is growing
Stamp them out
We must destroy them
They infiltrate each city with their thick dark warning odour
They are invincible
They seem immune to all our herbicidal battering
Long ago in the Russian hills
A Victorian explorer found the regal Hogweed by a marsh
He captured it and brought it home
Botanical creature stirs, seeking revenge
Royal beast did not forget
He came home to London
And made a present of the Hogweed to the Royal Gardens at Kew
Waste no time
They are approaching
Hurry now, we must protect ourselves and find some shelter
Strike by night
They are defenceless
They all need the sun to photosensitize their venom
Still they're invincible
Still they're immune to all our herbicidal battering
Fashionable country gentlemen had some cultivated wild gardens
In which they innocently planted the Giant Hogweed throughout the land
Botanical creature stirs, seeking revenge
Royal beast did not forget
Soon they escaped, spreading their seed
Preparing for an onslaught
Threatening the human race
Mighty Hogweed is avenged
Human bodies soon will know anger
Kill them with your Hogweed hairs
04 The Musical Box (10:55)
Play me "Old King Cole"
that I may join with you,
all your hearts now seem so far from me
it hardly seems to matter now.
And the nurse will tell you lies
of a Kingdom beyond the skies.
But I'm lost within this half-world,
it hardly seems to matter now.
Play me my song,
here it comes again.
Play me my song,
here it comes again.
Just a little bit,
just a little bit more time,
time left to live out my life.
Play me my song,
here it comes again.
Play me my song,
here it comes again.
Old King Cole was a merry old soul,
and a merry old soul was he.
So he called for his pipe,
and he called for his bowl,
and he called for his fiddlers three.
And the clock, tick tock,
on the mantlepiece,
and I want,
and I feel,
and I know,
and I touch the wall.
She's a lady, she's got time.
Brush back you hair, and let me get to know your face.
She's a lady, she's mine.
Brush back you hair, and let me get to know your flesh.
I've been waiting here so long
and all this time has passed me by.
It doesn't seem to matter now.
You stand there with your fixed expression
casting doubt on all I have to say.
Why don't you touch me, touch me?
Why don't you touch me, touch me?
Touch me now, now now, now, now ...
The musical box:
While Henry Hamilton-Smythe minor (8) was playing croquet with Cynthia Jane De Blaise-William (9), sweet smiling Cynthia
raised her mallet high and gracefully removed Henry's head. Two weeks later, in Henry's nursery, she discovered his treasured
musical box. Eagerly she opened it and as "Old King Cole" began to play, a small spirit-figure appeared. Henry had returned -
but not for long, for as he stood in the room his body began ageing rapidly, leaving a child's mind inside. A lifetime's desires
surged through him. Unfortunately the attempt to persuade Cynthia Jane to fulfill his romantic desire led his nurse to the
nursery to investigate the noise. Instinctively she hurled the musical box at the bearded child, destroying both.
05 The Knife (09:47)
For Those that Trespass against us
Tell me my life is about to begin
Tell me that I am a hero,
Promise me all of your violent dreams
Light up your body with anger.
Now, in this ugly world
it is time to destroy all this evil.
Now, when I give the word
get ready to fight for your freedom
Now -
Stand up and fight, for you know we are right
We must strike at the lies
That have spread like disease through our minds.
Soon we'll have power, every soldier will rest
And we'll spread out our kindness
To all who our love now deserve.
Some of you are going to die -
Martyrs of course to the freedom that I shall provide.
I'll give you the names of those you must kill,
All must die with their children.
Carry their heads to the palace of old,
Hang them high, let the blood flow.
Now, in this ugly world
break all the chains around us,
Now, the crusade has begun
give us a land fit for heroes,
Now -
Stand up and fight, for you know we are right
We must strike at the lies
That have spread like disease through our minds.
Soon we'll have power, every soldier will rest
And we'll spread out our kindness
To all who our love now deserve.
Some of you are going to die -
Martyrs of course to the freedom that I shall provide.
We are only wanting freedom
We are only wanting freedom
We are only wanting freedom
We are only wanting freedom ("Freedom, freedom, freedom, freedom...")
We are only wanting freedom ("Things are getting out of control here today")
We are only wanting freedom ("OK men - fire over their heads!")
We are only wanting freedom
--- WE HAVE WON ---
Some of you are going to die,
Martyrs of course to the freedom that I shall provide.
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