Hi!, let's go with more "albums forgotten recontructed". This time with another work from Genesis, the original line-up of the unreleased double LP from "Abacab". This is the final part of the 1980-82 trilogy: "Duke" , "Abacab" and "Three Sides Live". Perhaps, one of the best moments of the second leg of this band that began in 1976, after Peter Gabriel left the band. Okay, let's go with a quick story about the album of the month.
In June 1980, Genesis ended their “Duke” World Tour, after a short break, in November they purchased Fisher Lane Farm, a farm near Chiddingfold, Surrey, as their new recording studio. But they didn't start recording until March 1981, because the place had to be renovated.
Genesis registered Abacab in 14 weeks, working between 12 and 14 hours each day, with Hugh Padgham as the new engineer, chosen after their work on "Face Value", replacing producer and engineer David Hentschel, who had worked with them since 1975. The new environment had a productive effect on the writing process, the band had written enough material for a double album, in June Padgham edited a copy with the following content:
Side A: (19:49)
1.The Abacab Suite. (Parts I to IV) (*) I.Dodo-Lurker. II.Submarine. III.Naminanu. IV.Abacab.
Side B: (18:28)
1.Paperlate.(3:37) / 2.No Reply At All.(4:17) / 3.Me and Sarah Jane.(6:02) / 4.Keep It Dark.(4:31)
Side C:(19:51)
1.Man On The Corner.(4:26) / 2.Who Dunnit?.(3:23) / 3.You Might Recall.(7:03) (*) (full length version) / 4.Me and Virgil (edit).(4:57) (*)
Side D:(19:10)
1.Like It Or Not.(6:41) (*) (full length version) / 2.Another Record.(5:55) (*) (full length version) / 3.The Abacab Jam.(6:33) (*)
(*) Unreleased or alternate version. All songs written by Genesis, except: “Me and Sarah Jane” by Tony Banks; “Man on the corner” by Phil Collins and “Like it or not” by Mike Rutherford.
The result was not bad, but the band cut almost an hour of material because they sounded too similar to their previous albums. They wanted a less elaborate and natural sound, almost as if it had been recorded in concert. So this first edition of the album was scrapped and reworked again, but as a single LP. Eliminating some songs like: "Paperlate", "You Might Recall" and "Me & Virgil", that were included in the second EP of Genesis, "3 × 3" and the North American edition of his third live album "Three Sides Live " bit.ly/gS-ab ,released in 1982. In addition, the suite that opened the original album was undone, leaving the song" Abacab "as the start of the new version, moving" Dodo "/" Lurker "to the B side." Submarine " and " Naminanu " they became the B-sides of the singles: "No Reply at All" and "Keep It Dark.". Others were filed as: "The Abacab Jam", leaving the full version better and assigning the short version to the single, while "I like it or not" or "Another album" were edited.
Tony Banks – keyboards / Phil Collins – drums, vocals / Mike Rutherford – guitars, bass guitars / EWF Horns – horns on "No Reply at All" / Thomas "Tom Tom 84" Washington - horn arrangement on "No Reply at All".
Genesis – producers / Hugh Padgham – engineer / Bill Smith – album cover Unlike previous Genesis albums, the cover was not going to have any lettering, just the four sheets that were made. / Chris Peyton – sleeve adaptation (for The Redroom) / Carol Willis – project co-ordination / Tony Smith – manager.
Abacab was the eleventh studio album by English rock band Genesis, released on 18 September 1981 by Charisma Records.The álbum received a mostly positive reception from critics and was a commercial success for the band, reaching No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 7 on the US Billboard 200. Genesis released four singles:
1.- "Abacab" / "Another Record". Released: 14 August 1981 “Abacab” had three versions: 7:02 (LP version) / 4:10 (UK single edit) / 3:59 (US single edit)
2.- “No Reply At All” / "Naminanu / Dodo". Released only US. 9 September 1981 “No Reply at all” had two versions: “4:40 (LP version) / 4:00 (US promo single edit). 18 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100
3.- “Keep It Dark”/ "Naminanu".Released only UK. 23 October 1981 It reached number 33 in the UK Singles Chart.
4.- “Man On The Corner” / "Submarine".Released: 5 March 1982. “Man On The Corner” had four versions: 4:27 (LP version) / 3:56 (Special-mix) / 3:40 (U.S. single remix/edit) / 3:53 (U.K. single remix/edit) It peaked at No. 41 on the UK Singles Chart[1] and No. 40 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
Abacab received a mostly positive reception from critics and was a commercial success for the band, reaching No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 7 on the US Billboard 200 and .was certified double platinum in 1988 by the Recording Industry Association of America for two million copies sold in the US.
Abacab bonus disc: (41:06)
1.-Abacab (Single Edit).(4:10) / 2.Another Record (Single Edit).(4:22) / 3.No Reply At All (Single Edit).(4:00) / 4.Naminanu-Dodo (Alternate Mix).(4:11) / 5.Keep It Dark (Single Edit)(4:10) / 6.Naminanu (Alternate Mix)).(2:29) / 7.Man On The Corner (Special Mix).(3:36) / 8.Submarine (Remix).(5:05) / 9. Abacab (12 Inch Version). (9:00)
Ok!.., that´s all!. Enjoy it. Don´t forget, see you soon with more and better. Meanwhile be good and take care.