PART THREE: "A Trawl through the archives" - A Look at some of the more interesting recordings from The Lamb… tour.

Ironically enough, for such an adventurous album and tour, no official visual record of The Lamb… tour exists. Well… unless you count the rumoured footage that one or more band members are reputedly sitting on in their own archives, that is! Fortunately for fans however, there IS an unofficial visual document of the tour. Compiled by long time Genesis fan Chris West over a period of some NINE months, the resulting 76 minute DVD gathers together all of the known privately filmed clips from Lamb… gigs plus the only officially acknowledged professional footage from the famous Shrine Auditorium gig. Chris has organised this footage in its proper sequential order with a synchronised live soundtrack. As a work of reconstruction, this is a particularly impressive effort and it does manage to give a glimpse of the drama and theatricality of the shows themselves.

The Lamb Live Down On Broadway (DVD Compilation By Chris West). Track Listing: The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway/Fly On A Windshield/Broadway Melody Of 1974/Cuckoo Cocoon/In The Cage/The Grand Parade Of Lifeless Packaging/Back In NYC/Hairless Heart/Counting Out Time/The Carpet Crawlers/Lilywhite Lilith/The Waiting Room/Anyway/Here Comes The Supernatural Anaesthetist/The Lamia/The Colony Of Slippermen: The Arrival-A Visit To The Doktor-The Raven-The Light Dies Down On Broadway/Riding The Scree/In The Rapids/The Musical Box/Watcher Of The Skies. 1 DVD. Sources: Various private Super 8mm films and Pro shot footage.

Whilst there is a comparative dearth of visual footage from The Lamb… tour, the same cannot be said of the audio side of things where a multitude of recordings exists to titilate even the most diehard Lamb… fan. I have selected a few of the choicest morsels here from an extremely extensive list.

Genesis : Hedley Grange Spring 1974 Tape 17/The Demo Mix Down On Broadway

As the titles suggest, these two recordings are comprised of material from the band's recording sessions for The Lamb… album, the former from their sojourn at Hedley Grange and the latter from their later stints at Island Studios. Both recordings are above average quality, in fact the latter is sourced directly from one of the band's own tape reels from the recording sessions, hence its title. Both make for fascinating listening and give many real insights into just how experimental in nature this project was for the band. Ideas were given freer rein and some of the "jams" which are contained here show a band far more at ease experimenting than would otherwise be suspected - excellent stuff!

Track Listing (Hedley Grange): Here Comes The Supernatural Anaesthetist (Takes 1 and 2)/In the Cage (Instrumental Solo Takes 1to 5)/Evil Jam 1/ Evil Jam 2/ Evil Jam (Long Version)/Flute Solo/Flute And Guitar Solo/A Visit To The Doktor/Here Comes The Supernatural Anaesthetist (Jam)/Here Comes The Supernatural Anaesthetist (Takes 3 to 5)/The Colony Of Slippermen (Flute Instrumental)/In the Rapids/It/The Light Dies Down On Broadway/Here Comes The Supernatural Anaesthetist (Take 6). 2 CD set. Source: Original Studio session tape reel. Quality: Excellent.

Track Listing (Island Studios) : The Lamb… (Alternate Mix 1 and 2)/Fly On A Windshield (Takes 1 and 2)/Cuckoo Cocoon (Rehearsal Mixes 1-4)/In The Cage (Alternate Mix and Instrumental Take)/The Grand Parade Of Lifeless Packaging (Alternate Mixes 1-3)/Back in NYC (Alternate Mix Demo 1-2/Different Ending Demo 2-3)/Counting Out Time (Incomplete demo)/The Carpet Crawlers (Alternate Mix 1-2)/Lilywhite Lilith (Alternate Mix)/The Waiting Room (Sound Effects Only Demo/Alternate Mixes 1-2)/Anyway (Alternate Mixes 1-2)/Here Comes The Supernatural Anaesthetist (Demo mix with Phil on vocals/Instrumental Takes 1-4)/The Lamia (Alternate Mixes 1-2)/The Colony Of Slippermen (Instrumental Takes 1-4)/The Light Dies Down On Broadway (Alternate Vocal Mix)/Riding The Scree (Alternate Mix)/In The Rapids (Demo Takes 1-4/Rehearsal Take 1)/It (Rehearsal Takes 1-2). 2 CD Set. Source: Studio Recording Reels. Quality: Excellent.

The Lamb… tour itself is very much a story of the good, the bad and the downright awful as far as live recordings are concerned. Fortunately, there are enough of the former around to keep any fan of this tour happy and you shall pardon me if I restrict myself to examining some of these here.

Genesis: Palace Theatre Providence Rhode Island USA 8th December 1974

First up is this above average recording from mid way through the first leg of the band's US tour. Taken from a first generation audience recording and greatly cleaned up by the people at the Hogweed Remasters Group, this recording brings us a complete performance of the story of Rael including both encores, the only sop to the band's previous catalogue in the shape of The Musical Box and Watcher Of The Skies. An extremely enjoyable listening experience this one, highly recommended.

Track Listing: Complete Lamb… album plus Musical Box/Watcher Of The Skies. 2 CD Set (Catalogue Number: Hogweed Remasters Series HW14). Quality: Very Good.

Genesis: "The Boston Lamb" Music Hall Boston MA USA 9th December 1974

A relatively late addition to the trading pool, this recording is an absolute MUST if you are a Lamb… fan. Without doubt this is one of the finest audience recordings I have ever heard (and I have heard a LOT of them over the years, I can tell you). Like its predecessor, this recording documents an entire show capturing every nuance of the performance in excellent sound quality. Even the packaging by the legendary "Digital Brothers" is superb and shows what can be done if a little effort is applied. If you only have one Lamb.. live recording in your collection, make sure it is this one!

Track Listing: Complete Lamb… plus The Musical Box . 2 CD Set. Quality: Excellent.

Genesis: "The Lamb Lives" West Palm Beach Arena FL USA 10th January 1975

There is still some confusion over the exact location of this gig. Received wisdom has it located at the above venue on the above date. Information in the TWR archives however, places this recording at the Lakeland Arena on 11th January 1975. Either way, this recording is another excellent slice of Lamb… Then again it should be, the source is reputed to be a copy of Mike Rutherford's very own desk recording of the gig! By now, the band were well versed in the "Story of Rael" and this recording shows us a band with fire in their bellies. An excellent offering and another essential item in any Lamb… collection.

Track Listing: Complete Lamb… plus encore: Musical Box. 2 CD Set . Source: Mix Desk Tapes. Quality: Very Good.

Genesis: Shrine Auditorium Los Angeles CA 24th January 1975

Perhaps one of the most famous of Genesis bootlegs, released on countless editions under increasingly bizarre titles! Taken from the broadcast of the highlights of the gig by the King Biscuit Flower Hour radio show, this is an excellent edited Lamb… "sampler" almost and another vital addition.

Track Listing: Watcher Of The Skies/Lilywhite Lilith/The Waiting Room/Anyway/It/The Musical Box. 1CD. Source: FM Radio broadcast. Quality: Excellent.

Genesis: "The Digital Brothers In Amsterdam. Carre Theatre Amsterdam 24th February 1975

The first decent recording generally available of a gig from the band's European tour for the album. Another audience recording spruced up by The Digital Brothers who worked similar magic on the Boston 74 recording. The atmosphere of the gig is fully captured here and there are some very entertaining moments. Performance wise, the band have got the bit between their teeth here and give an excellent rendition of the album for an enthusiastic crowd.

Track Listing: Complete Lamb… plus The Musical Box. 2 CD Set. Source: Audience recording (re-mastered on Pro Tools). Quality: Good/Very Good.

Genesis: Turin Palasport Parco Rufino 24th March 1975

I said that The Lamb… tour was full of examples of the good, the bad and the ugly didn't I? Well, here is an example of the latter. Without doubt, an appallingly bad recording of what sounded like a cracking gig! Not one to figure highly on anyone's list unless you are a Lamb… completist.

Track Listing: Complete Lamb… plus The Musical Box/Watcher Of The Skies. 2 CD Set. Source: Audience recording. Quality: Poor.

Genesis: "Deutschland Tournee" Jahrhunderthalle Frankfurt 3rd April 1975

A much better audience recording of another excellent gig. The sound is very good for such a large hall and such a noisy crowd who are obviously more familiar with the album than some of the audiences at previous gigs mentioned here but I suppose they should be really, they had longer to get used to the album than the poor souls in the USA did! Either way, another nice recording and well worth a listen.

Track Listing: Complete Lamb… 2 CD Set. Source: Audience recording. Quality: Good.

Genesis: "German Melody Of 1975" Westfalenhalle 3 Dortmund 7th April 1975

A second helping of German Lamb… and another enjoyable recording. There is still something about a decent audience recording which to my ears is much more enjoyable than one from a sanitised radio broadcast or mix desk. This one is another very enjoyable gig with a band in fine form and an audience wholeheartedly behind them.

Track Listing: Complete Lamb… plus The Musical Box. 2 CD Set. Source: Audience Recording. Quality: Good.

Genesis: "Awed Man Out" / "The Audience At Empire Pool"/ "Perfect Vintage".

Empire Pool Wembley Middlesex 15th April 1975

I have lumped together a combination of three different boots of the same gig here. Between them, they offer several different perspectives of this extremely well known Genesis gig from both a radio and audience perspective.

Track Listing (Awed Man Out): Watcher Of The Skies/Cuckoo Cocoon/Back In NYC/Hairless Heart/Counting Out Time/The Carpet Crawlers/Lilywhite Lilith/The Waiting Room/Anyway/Silent Sorrow In Empty Boats/The Colony Of Slippermen/Ravine/The Light Dies Down On Broadway/Riding The Scree/In The Cage/It. 1CD. Source: FM Radio Broadcast. Quality: Excellent.

Track Listing (The Audience At…): Complete Lamb… plus The Musical Box/Watcher Of The Skies. 2 CD Set. Source: Audience recording. Quality: Very Good.

Track Listing (Perfect Vintage): Watcher Of The Skies/Cuckoo Cocoon/In The Cage/The Grand Parade Of Lifeless Packaging/Back In NYC/Hairless Heart/Counting Out Time/Carpet Crawlers/The Waiting Room/The Supernatural Anaesthetist/Anyway/Silent Sorrow In Empty Boats/The Colony Of Slippermen/Ravine/The Light Dies Down On Broadway/Riding The Scree/Back In NYC. 1 CD Source: FM Radio Broadcast(?). Quality: Excellent.

Genesis: Manchester Palace Theatre 27th April 1975

By the time the band reached the UK at the middle of April, they were on top form. The show was beginning to gel both musically and with the audiences and that is evident throughout this excellent audience recording of the first of the band's two nights in Manchester. No surprises, but then again there was little room for it in a show such as this. Nonetheless, a nice recording worthy of a listen.

Track Listing: Complete Lamb… plus The Musical Box. 2CD Set. Source: Audience recording. Quality: Very Good.

Genesis: "Awed Man Out" Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre 2nd May 1975

Another famous bootleg. The vinyl edition of this recording was one of the most sought after in its day. Times have moved on since then, and the most recent edition; the FAde release, combines several different sources to bring the best possible sound to the recording. The FAde edition possibly combines elements from the gig on 2nd May and 1st May bringing us the rare treat of The Knife as an additional encore.

Track Listing: Complete Lamb… plus Musical Box and The Knife. 2 CD Set. Source: Audience recording(s). Quality: Good/Very Good.

That wraps up our look at some of the commonly available bootlegs from this particular tour. As usual, there are many more which are not so commonly available, details of these are available on Simon Funnell's excellent web site: www.genesis-movement.org.