Rewiring Genesis
A Tribute to The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway ProgRock Records

by Franco Wissa
Staff Writer

Comments: In 1965 a small band called Garden Wall was formed by a 15 year old Peter Gabriel (vocals) and Tony Banks (keyboards) while both were students at Charterhouse School in Surrey England. At the same time another band called Anon was forming by Michael Rutherford (bass/guitar) and Anthony Phillips (drums). Soon after the two bands pooled becoming the New Anon, this time with new drummer Christopher Stewart on board, the team dug deep into their talents and soon after a six string demo was released that found its way to producer Jonathan King. Mostly a mix of folk and pop heavy with intricate piano, lush layered vocals and acoustic guitars, (picture a mix of The Beatles, The Moody Blues with the heavy harmonies of very early Bee Gees.) In March of 1969 the band changed their name to Genesis to Revelation (shortly after shortening it to Genesis,) the band released their first CD, the aptly titled Genesis to Revelation. However with a major influx of a harder edge sound looming (Hedrix, The Who, Cream,) this luminous release went pretty much unnoticed. With little more to go on, and their label with little use for this type of music, the band broke up, and all the band members went their own way. However, noticing that they had something good on their hands, Banks, Gabriel and Phillips came together again, and in set in again to write and record music and in 1970 their second album Trespass was released. It was a dramatic change from the pop sound of their first demo, this time with layers of complex, theatrical musicianship. But unhappy with the performance of original drummer John Stewart, the band brought on board former child actor Phil Collins, (who would go onto become the band's driving force, principal songwriter, lead vocalist, and would carry the band into superstardom in the 1980s.) Shortly after the release of Trespass, Phillips would quit to be replaced to Steve Hackett (who is undoubtedly one of the finest guitarists of all time,) and throughout the 1970s Genesis would go on release a sensational body of work including, 1971's Nursery Cryme 1972's Foxtrot, 1973's Selling England By The Pound, 1975's Trick of the Tail, 1977's Wind and Wuthering and 1978's And Then There Were Three. In the 1980s the band would develop a more commercial radio friendly appeal, (1980's Duke, 1981's Abacab, and 1986's Invisible Touch.) But it was the music as heard on 1974's The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway that would be Genesis's crowning achievement. It is a brilliant, sensational album with unreal talent exuding from all the band members.

Here Nick D'Virgilio takes on what is probably the biggest enterprise of his career by playing note for note the entire Lamb Lies Down on Broadway -- all 23 tracks, and keeping the sound tight, but at the same time allowing his almost deeper voice to carry the tracks. Almost chosen by Genesis to fill the drummer chair for their 1997 Calling All Stations release, (that while having sold well in Europe, failed to make much notice in America) but be that as it may, NVG (as he is sometimes known) takes command of his attempt to give an apt tribute to what is a must have collection of any prog rock fan.

So little to find fault with, D'Virgilio work is spot on. Perhaps not for the casual fan of Genesis, as this is a long album, with many of the tracks more than 8-minutes long. But for those fans of one of the great prog rock releases of all time, this is a must listen to event. From the beautiful "Cuckoo Cocoon," the striking guitars of "Fly on a Windshield," the drum heavy, almost hard rocking "Back in NYC," the simple, "The Carpet Crawlers, that features a hypnotic, mesmerizing soft piano underscore, the spirited, "Lilywhite Lillith," the almost bluesy "Anyway," to the short, but vigorous with a guitars done in harmony is the though provoking "Here Comes the Supernatural Anaesthetist." Listen as well to the soft," The Lamia," the synthesizer winds of the barely two minute long "Ravine," and the keyboard work on "Riding The Scree," is incredible, and of course the classic, ageless title track "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway."

What a fantastic CD, for it s true to the vibe and feel of Genesis as they were heard some 30 years ago. While on the original recording it was the synthesizers and keyboards of the talented Tony Banks that made such sounds, a read of the insert shows that during the recordings the musicians used were unaware that they were playing a tribute CD, much less one as complex as A Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, and were only told to play the sheet music in front of them. So the horns, clarinets, violas, flutes, cellos, violins, accordion and strings were played are real, giving Rewiring Genesis an almost big band feel. And in doing so, breathes new life into a timeless tour de force in the prog rock world.

Band lineup:
Nick D'Virgilio - lead vocals, drums, percussion
Kat Bowser - background vocals
Carolyn Martin - background vocals
Mike Lush - background vocals
Dave Martin - bass, guitars
Jeff Taylor - keyboards, accordion
Don Carr - sitar, guitars, banjo
Steve Patrick - trumpet
Jeff Bailey - trumpet
John Hinchey - trombone
Prentiss Hobbes- trombone
Leigh Levin - clarinet
Sam Levine - clarinet, flute
David Angel - violin
Pam Sixfin - violin
David Davidson - violin
Kristin Wilkinson - viola
Anthony Lamarchina - cello
John Hinchey - horn and string arrangements

Track Listing:
Disc 1 -

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
Fly on a Windshield
Broadway Memory of 1974
Cuckoo Cocoon
In The Cage
The Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging
Back in NYC
Hairless Heart
Counting Out Time
The Carpet Crawlers
The Chamber of 32 Doors

Disc 2

Lilywhite Lillith
The Waiting Room
Anyway
Here Comes the Supernatural Anaesthetist
The Lamia
Silent Sorrow in Empty Boats
The Colony of Supermen - The Arrival/A Visit To The Doktor/Raven
The Ravine
The Light Dies Down on Broadway
Riding the Scree
In The Rapids
It

Hardrock Haven rating: 9/10