Customer Reviews

Live: The Way We Walk Volume Two: The Longs

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When it comes to the rock band, Genesis - I think this band is often unfarily criticized for going "commercial". Yes, the band did move into more of a pop-music direction in the 1980s, but I think they added a breath of fresh air to the pop music and paritcularly 80s landscape. As a result, Genesis picked up a lot of new fans - many of whom probably went on to appreciate many of their earlier works. The album, "The Way We Walk - Volume 2: The Longs" presents a collection of 6 "longer" live tracks of over 6 minutes long.

When I look at Genesis as band, I see four distinct phases the band has gone through. Phase 1 is the Peter Gabriel Era. This spans from 1969 ("From Genesis to Revelation") to 1974 ("The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway"). It was during Phase 1 that Peter Gabriel was the lead vocalist and Genesis could easily be categorized as a progressive Rock band. Phase 2 is the Early Phil Collins Era spanning from 1976 ("A Trick of the Tail") to 1982 ("Three Sides Live"). In this era, Phil Collins took over as lead singer. The band was still very much a progressive rock band, but as the progressive rock landscape would change - so would Genesis. This might indirectly have led to Phase 3 which is the Late Phil Collins Era from 1983 ("Genesis") to 1993 ("The Way We Walk Volume 2: The Longs"). This is the commercial/pop era that I referred to earlier. At this point, there would be a lot less progressive rock flavor to Genesis' music. The fourth phase, Phase 4 is the Ray Wilson Era. This was when Ray Wilson took over as lead vocalist for Phil Collins. There would only be one album in this era - 1997's "Calling All Stations" and it seemed like Genesis tried to recapture some of their progressive rock roots - but 90s style. "Calling All Stations" would do poor commercially and Ray Wilson would take the fall and be asked to leave the band.

In Phase 3, Genesis would grow more and more successful commercially with each album release. Some of this probably would do to the fact that Phil Collins' solo career was also taking off. The last studio album that Phil Collins would do with Genesis was "We Can't Dance". It was a huge commercial success and resulted in a hugely successful World Tour. Naturally, the band decided to capitalize on the success of that World Tour by releasing a live album and video. Genesis had done live albums before ("Three Sides Live", "Seconds Out", "Genesis Live"). On each live album, the focus of the live material would on the studio releases that had not been done live up until that point. Genesis had not done a live release for Phase 3, thus "The Way We Walk" would have a focus on this material. For this live release, Genesis would employ a unique formula - they would release the material in a two volume set called "The Way We Walk". Volume 1 would focus on the shorter (normal) length songs. Volume 2 would focus on Genesis' trademark longer songs. This review focuses on Volume 2.

Normally when there is a live release, I prefer the album to be a live recording from a single concert performance. I prefer it to be delivered in the order in which the songs were actually delivered. By having things from a single night and in order - I feel there is continuity and the magic of the concert is captured perfectly. Since Genesis took this unique approach to the way they were presenting this live material, this was going to be very hard to do. However, the material was strong enough to overcome this. Yes, I still would have preferred a two volume CD that contained a night from the 1992 "We Can't Dance" Tour in its entirety, but I do like the unique two volume approach. I find it very convienient to listen to either the "short" songs or "long" songs (depending on my mood)".

Four of the six songs come from Phase 3. The first song is a 19+ minute medley of songs from Phases 1 and 2 called "Old Medley". A unique thing about "Old Medley" is that it features a medley within a medley - namely "I Know What I Like" also has a mini medley of "That's All", "Illegal Alien", and "Follow You Follow Me". This medley will help the new Genesis fan appreciate the older material. The band does a terrific job delivering emotional performances of the newer classics - "Domino" (from "Invisible Touch") and "Driving the Last Spike" (from "We Can't Dance"). There is a terrific version of "Home By the Sea" which includes "Second Home By the Sea". (I always prefer listening to "Home By the Sea" and Second Home By the Sea" together - so this works). "Fading Lights", a song from "We Can't Dance" is also included. I think this isn't the strongest Genesis tune, but the band does a nice instrumental which gives the song a boost. Finally there is a terrific "Drum Duet" featuring Phil Collins and Chester Thompson in a double drum "solo" performance. Because of the copyright date listed for "Drum Duet" (1989), I wonder if this was actually recorded on the "We Can't Dance" tour or if this was when it was written?

The liner notes are weak. There are no lyrics and nothing to provide insight into the Tour - or when and where these songs were recorded. The production credits are pretty light as well. There are some decent photos from the Tour included. There may be some "old-time" fans who don't like the newer material by Genesis, but these longer performances still show that Genesis hasn't completely morphed into a pop band. These performances will appeal to the old Genesis fan as well as the newer fan.

It was all downhill for the band after this album. After the tour during which it was recorded, Phil Collins would leave the band, they would record the infamous "Calling All Stations" and not too long after that, they split for good. But the "Longs" installment of this 2-volume set of live material was a glimpse into the greatness of Genesis.

The premise is pretty basic: six songs exceeding the 6-minute mark (in fact, five of them go over the 10-minute mark), showing off some of the band's most ellaborate work, to balance off volume one, which focused more on the singles and short songs. Starting off the album, standing tall at almost 20 minutes of duration, is a medley of reaaaaaaaly old Genesis, where 1975's "Dance on a Volcano", 1974's "Lamb Lies Down on Broadway", 1971's "Musical Box" and 1973's "Firth of Fifth" and "I Know What I Like" all are brought back to life, if at least for minutes at a time each... reviving the spirit of one of the world's best progressive rock bands ever.

Following the opening track come two tracks from their "We Can Dance" production, along with the "Domino" bundle (from their "Invisible Touch" album) and the "Home By the Sea" bundle (from their self-titled 1983 album). Taking it all home is their classic Drum Duet, featuring Phil alongside Chester Thompson, delivering a massive drum discharge that will electrify you.

If you ask me, this last glimpse at their great work is a good as it gets... I am thankful I had an opportunity of catching them during this tour, back in Knebworth, in 1992. They don't do them like this any more. ;)

People-

This CD is definitely worth buying!

First, the all-time best part of it was "The Old Medley". It was great having "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway", "Dance On A Volcano", "The Musical Box", "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)", "Follow You, Follow Me", "Fifth Of Firth", and one or two others in one track. I love the old stuff.

This also has new stuff. I like the old stuff better though. Don't get me wrong, I love all Genesis (except maybe the "Calling All Stations" album), I just like the music from the Peter Gabriel era better. This also has songs from the "Invisible Touch", "Genesis", and "We Can't Dance" (of course) albums.

If you are looking for live stuff from this performance, I strongly suggest you to get "Genesis - Live: The Way We Walk Volume I (The Shorts)". That has more newer stuff. I happen to like this one better because of "The Old Medley".

Although this is a great CD, you still have no idea of what is happening on stage. I suggest the video of this called "Genesis - The Way We Walk In Concert" to all of you Genesis fans. You cannot possibly capture the feeling of the performance by listening to an audio compact disc. You definitely need to see it to feel it.

This is a great CD!

- Adam

This album is the second best live Genesis album and should be gotten in leu of the albums most of its songs are on, Invisible Touch, Genesis, We Cant Dance. Clearly The Longs captures the best material from that whole period, the creative Prog Rockers and not the pop garbage. The only drawback is the weak Old Medley, the songs that the band touch on from the Gabrial era are much better handled by Gabrial singing then Phil but the rest of the albums great especially the drum duet which closes the album.

This is a very good live material released by Genesis, mixing their old school prog rock with their long compositions of the pop era albums. The result?? AWESOME SHOW!! The first track are a medley ("Old Medley") with their old songs, like the incredible "Dance on the Volcano", the wonderful "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway", the beautiful and powerful "The Musical Box", the excelent "Firth Of Fith", the great "I Know What I Like(In Your Wardrobe)", all of them well executed and proving that Genesis didn't forgot their past; the medley ends up with a little bit of the great pop tunes like the good and catchy "That's All" and the touching "Follow You Follow Me". Very exciting first track, excelent set of songs!! Then we have one of their last long compositions, the awesome "Driving the Last Spike", from their last album with Phil Collins. But wait, we still have the outstanding "Domino", one of their best long compositions of the pop era! Once again they turn into their last work with Collins, with the beautiful "Fading Lights"! To finish the night in great style, the awesome and exciting tunes "Home By The Sea" and "Second Home By The Sea". In the end, we still have an amazing "Drum Duet" with Phil Collins to end the night! A little advice: buy this album! In my opinion, is one of the very best live shows that Genesis released, along with Seconds Out!

If one goes looking for faults with "TWWW2" one will find them. Phil Collins' vocals are nasal and flat through most of the album. The Old Medley has ups and downs (ups: the "Firth of Fifth" instrumental with powerful drums and great guitar playing by Daryl Stuermer {very different from Steve Hackett but nevertheless fantastic} and a crescendo of pounding from Chester Thompson on "Dance on a Volcano"; downs: almost everything else, including the song selection. All of these songs were already released live on Seconds Out and, except for the "ups" already mentioned, this rendition adds nothing to that 1977 release.). And somebody should have strapped explosives to the drum machine rather than let it play at such high volume on "Fading Lights."

There is, however, much to love here, and a lot to get the spine tingling. Drum machine aside, "Fading Lights" is an amazing solo from Tony Banks, with Phil's drums providing just the right emphasis and counterpoints. "Domino" is filled with tremendous power, a vast improvement over the studio version (even with Phil's refusal to shut up at the end and let the song end on a musical note). Best of all, however, is "Home by the Sea." Words cannot describe the way this version makes the goosebumps rise. In so many ways this song is better than anything the band did in the 70s; it has an excellent balance between keyboards and guitar, with Phil and Chester using their drum kits to stunning effect. This song alone makes this CD worth every penny!

A final comment about the drum duet. The drum duet always worked best when it led into something, most particularly "Los Endos" (see the video from the Invisible Touch tour, or listen the embryonic duet after "Dance on a Volcano" on Seconds Out). There is absolutely nothing more exhilarating then the final cymbal crash, a hearbeat's pause, then "da-da-da-DAA" from Daryl and Tony. The duet itself is interesting and occassionally exciting. Now, of course, there is a certain appropriateness to its appearance and position on the CD. It is, after all, the last song on a Phil Collins-era Genesis CD; how appropriate that it features him behind the drum-kit.

What the hell is going on in the old medley...It start great with "Dance on a volcano" it is amazing in the "Firth of Fifth" extract and it finish with..."Follow you follow me and That's all" which totally ruins the whole medley. A real deception here. Next you have the best of Invisible touch (Domino), the best of We can't dance (Driving the last spike and Fading light) and the best of the "Genesis" album, which is Home by the sea-Seond home by the sea. Conclusion, not enought space for old stuff, and the only place it had is ruined by extracts of some songs that should have been on "The shorts"

If you're checking out this album, you most likely are a longtime fan. But, if you are casual fan who wants learn more about the band and songs from the older days, then this is the cd for you. I have been a fan since I was in high school in the 80's. The older Peter Gabriel era songs of the group didn't attract me until I heard the newer live versions with Phil Collins. Then I was able to understand the older works much better. Some of the older cds can sound muffled and dated but you can really get into them once you hear the later live versions and then they both become classics if you like the Genesis sound. I think Phil has a better voice for melody and is a stronger singer but Peter has the great desperation and soulfullness in his voice. SO I love all the Genesis stuff. This CD is great because it was recorded in Sony Digital and sounds like you're right there and makes the old and new songs sound so great and the whole band is at the top of it's form and are awesome. TO the old fans I say, a great live CD for the older and longer songs with great production and to the newer fans I say if you want to get deeper into the melodies and like the pop stuff but want to go a little more than that but with the same flavor than this CD is for you. I saw this tour and it sounds just like it did when I was there. I recently ordered a second copy because my old one was getting scratched up from taking it all around. It is that good if you like the longer songs and the sound is great.

Seriously, buy The Way We Walk video, which captures the full We Can't Dance show in it's correct sequence (or wait for the DVD version, which is supposed to be released in late 2001). This CD, along with it's brother Vol 1: The Shorts, is, quite frankly, a ... job which gives the full appearance of being designed to separate fans from their cash. Why end the thing with a drum duet?? Interestingly, this was supposed to be a limited edition release (according to an insert included with Vol 1), but I have to wonder why they didn't just release a double CD in the first place, sequenced appropriately

Highlights are Domino, Home/Second Home By The Sea, and Driving the Last Spike, the first 2 in particular which are dramatically more exciting than the studio versions. The live Fading Lights doesn't really add much, however, and Rutherford's guitar outro is even blander than the studio release

The "Old Medley" is just disappointing - as others have mentioned, it seems like the band is just going through the motions - the version of Musical Box presented here might as well have been phoned in. Fans of old Genesis should go with Seconds Out, which features eminently superior versions of the old classics, played by a band which meant it

The longs album is a much better idea, to me, than the shorts one. Not that I don't also love 'Invisible Touch,' etc., but those songs I feel are much better appreciated in the studio. These particular songs are better appreciated in a live context. "Fading Lights" and "Home By the Sea" are highlights, as well as parts of the 'Old Medley.'

Actually, some parts of the 'Medley' are strangly boring, exemplified by my friend's comment during Musical Box: "hey, didn't this song used to rock?" Some other parts are very enjoyable, though, especially Firth of Fifth.

Definitely not by any means essential, but still 70+ minutes of music performed by the last true version of a great band.