Second Genesis 2007 remasters (1983-1998 box): A Visible Touch

Obviously,the SACD + PAL DVD edition of 1982-1998 has been released,but what is the present situation with the SACD + NTSC DVD edition? As of this point,neither Acoustic Sounds,Music Direct,Amazon.com or CD Universe have actually supplied it to anyone.

 

I understand Nick Davis saying that these are replacing the original mixes...

Did George Lucas ever make the same statement about the "altered" versions of "Star Wars"? I don't remember, but somehow I doubt that the original mixes are gone for good.

Maybe I'm being overly optimistic....

 

I'd love to see that quote from Phil. I believe you that you read it, I'd just like to see what he had to say!

The thing with Wilson-era Genesis was this...I think Calling All Stations turned out wonderfully considering that it was Mike and Tony left to their own devices (long songs and self indulgence) with no Phil there to keep them in check. Ray got there late after most of the songs had already been written. Mike has said that he is confident that a 2nd album with Ray would have been great but that it would've been reinventing Genesis and that was an uphill climb that he just didn't feel like doing. I guess I can't blame them but still, Ray did a very admirable job for what little time he was in Genesis.

Truthfully, you could put together almost a 2nd Wilson-era album just out of the B-sides. Try listening to a compilation in this order:

1. Sign Your Life Away
2. Papa He Said
3. Anything Now
4. Banjo Man
5. 7/8
6. Run Out of Time
7. Phret
8. Nowhere Else to Turn

That in and of itself is a pretty good album.

The other aspect to that whole thing was the '98 tour. It doesn't get near enough run I don't think. That was a great tour with a great setlist, and the choice of stagehands was great. Nir Zidkyahu and Anthony Drennan are both excellent musicians and made the tour that much more awesome. Ray's handling of the older songs was great, especially "The Lamb" and "No Son of Mine". I'd rather listen to Ray singing those songs over Phil any day of the week.

Admittedly, I'm very partial to Calling All Stations because it's the first Genesis album I ever bought and it made me go back and explore the whole catalog and become a die-hard collector. But beyond that, from a musical standpoint, I think it was easily the best album since Abacab, possibly since Duke.

Guilty admission: I lost sleep the night before the release dates of the Shipwrecked and Not About Us CD singles because it was more new music (B-sides) from that lineup. I bought all 6 of the European CD singles new for ridiculous import prices from MusicBoulevard.com because I wanted the new music that bad.

 

I thought CAS was a great album and still do; easily up there with anything from Abacab onwards.

I bumped into Ray and his brother Steve one night in an Edinburgh pub a few years back (three or four or so). Used to see Steve play regularly in town with Guaranteed Pure and kind of know him from a distance, we know each other by sight, and he's always good value for a chat if I see him. Nice guy, good musicians and Ray solo plays a blinder. Well worth a trip to see him if you get the chance.

 

If he comes to the US, or the next time I go to Europe (whichever comes first), I have always told myself I'd make it a point to see him. I've heard some of his more recent live recordings and his voice is as good as ever.

The album he did after Genesis with the band Cut (which had his brother and Nir Zidkyahu) is fantastic. Great rock 'n' roll album. I still listen to it regularly to this day. Too bad it was never released in the US. Actually, I think it was only released in Germany. I know the single "Another Day" got some airplay over there.

 

I just spoke to Acoustic Sounds, they said they expect to have their NTSC box sets in by Wednesday or Thursday next week.

 

By now I have listened to all albums of this set on multi-channel SACD layers.

All I can say is that the 5.1 versions (even of the older albums) are really cool to listen to!! Really like them! It is something completely new/different. 5.1 mixes are also quite well done, as far as my taste goes.

Man, if they just hadn't this overly bright top end (almost painful sometimes)...
I think I am going to rip the stereo/multichannel SACDs, fix the EQes and burn them as 24bit/96kHz stereo/5.1 custom DVD-A's. The fifth disk with Extra Tracks can be also spread over first four discs as bonus tracks at the end of the corresponding album.

So my customized set is going to be four great Genesis stereo/multichannel DVD-A albums .

 

Sounds like a great how-to article if you ask me. . .. . .

 

yes, i would luv to know how one would do this.

 

This would still do nothing to correct the compression and mix issues, and you would still hear the compression and the reverb problems, etc. EQ is really just a small part of what is wrong with the remixes. If all you are doing is adjusting the EQ, you might as well just turn the treble nob down when you play it (if your stereo has a treble nob). IMHO, it's not worth the trouble to make custom DVD-A's if all you are going to do is futz around with the EQ.

 

November 20 can't get here fast enough. I can't wait for this set...

 

Domestic box is now listed on BestBuy.com for pre-order, $99.99.

Hope it goes down to $50 like the last one, or I'll pass.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8591641&st=genesis&lp=2&type=product&cp=1&id=1766851

 

Wow, these are worse than the first batch.

 

No they're not.

 

In what way are they equal or better?

 

You started this, so in what way are they worse? To me, the sound quality is the same.

 

I don't have the first box to compare to, but the SACD multichannel 5.1 versions are amazing (with the exception of the first disk "Genesis" maybe, which is so-so in multichannel).
+ If you attenuate the red book CD layer by -4dB + do "restore light clipping" & fix some obviosly "screwed" tracks with very bright EQes (like "Anything She Does", "Home By The Sea" being worst examples) as described here, you get a solid, "powerful" sound. It is not to replace the original mixes, but it would also be unfair to say that this whole box is bad, IMO. It is just different. I am keeping mine.

 

Um, with all due respect, you started it by saying, "no they're not." That's a perfectly legitimate point of view and your are entitled to it. All I am asking is, are they equal to or better than the first box? Furthermore, you, again respectfully, don't reply to a question with a question. I have the first box and am waiting on the second. While I heard the samples and think it appears to be equally as bad as the first box, I am withholding full judgement until I receive mine. From your reply, I gather they are the equal to you. Whether that is equally good or uequally bad is unclear, but you have been consistently excited about these remixes/remasters so I imagine it's "equally good." More power to you. Just please refrain from the accusatory language that I "started this" like I am picking a fight. All I asked was a question.

 

I apologize. I mistook you for RemarkablyInsincere.

To answer your question, I've only heard lossless FLAC rips of the stereo mixes as I'm waiting for the North American version since it's cheaper. The remixes to me are on par sound quality wise with the first box. They're loud and aggressive so one doesn't really sound better or worse than the other. If you hated the first box, you'll probably hate this one. If you loved the first box, you'll love this.

 

Me too!!

 

That seems like a fair assessment.

 

IMHO they would be worse just by virtue of the fact that you're listening to Invisible Touch and what not as opposed to the "still teetering on the edge of being somewhat barely cool" albums from the first box.

 

Ha - if I were a massive Peter Gabriel partisan I'd agree with you. But that just reeks of sheer snootiness.

 

Hmmm. . .that actually took a little longer than I thought.

Why are you in this thread then?

 

Like for the first set the rarities SACD seems to sound a little less annoying or is that just me.

I am just listening to "Invisible touch". Not my favourite Genesis album anyway except for "Domino" and "The Brazilian".
All I can say is painful

I'm listening to SACD in stereo-modus only.

Achim