Mark, I can't express a real opinion on Genesis as I only ever really
heard the stuff that got radio play like Watcher and Lamb (need to
explore them myself), the Moodies on the other hand, well my faves, in
order, are:
1. To Our Children's Children's Children
2. In Search Of The Lost Chord
3. Seventh Sojourn
4. Days Of Future Passed
5. On The Threshhold Of A Dream
6. A Question Of Balance
7. Every Good Boy Deserves Favour
They've all benefited greatly from Justin Hayward's songwriting and
vocal talent, Mike Pinder's Tron brilliance and what in hindsight
appears to have been creative leadership, and Tony Clarke's production.
All have some great songs on them, though the last three are marred by
some really BAAAD ones, too.
On the down side, numbers 4, 2, 5, and 1 all have Graeme Edge's
horrendously bad poetry being read by Mike Pinder as either openers or
closers (or both in a couple of cases). Cool to embarrassing when I was
a kid, now just sad. Then there's Ray Thomas...in spite of writing one
of their biggest hits (Legend Of A Mind) and a couple of other decent
songs, his presence after ISOTLC is, like Graeme's poetry, pretty much
embarrassing.
When Pinder walked away from the band during the recording of Octave,
the creative soul of the band seemed to have left with him, and, with
the exception of a couple of songs that Hayward would manage to squeeze
out over the ensuing decades, the band became a more or less an oldies
act overnight. At least that's my take on it - your mileage may vary.
johnb
1407
Mark Pring wrote:
>
> I have been wondering recently if I should perhaps
> give the Moody Blues and Genesis a second chance.
> Quite a lot of my favourite music now was music that I
> didn't like that much when I first heard it. I haven't
> listened to either band for over 30 years except for
> one or 2 tracks.
>
> What one album of each group would list members
> recommend that I listen to, to be converted?
>
> Mark
>
> Ps If the Carpetcrawlers is one of Genesis's greatest
> tracks forget them.
>
>
>
>