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This section will cover, with time, the music that I listen, the books that I read and the movies that I watch.I will also include a Genesis history from what I know of about this great band that changed the world of music. If you have questions or comments, please email me!

Recent reviews!

LUCKY LUKE, LA BELLE PROVINCE, Released in 2004

Well, this character has been around for as long as I can remember. Although this new one isn't from the original authors, it was still an excellent read. A Lucky Luke in Quebec, there's an interesting idea. La Belle Province is a very stereotypical look at the province, but it's still very funny. Glimpses of Celine Dion, Gilles Vignault and Robert Charlebois combined with historical remarks makes it a must read. The way they're playing with words is also wonderful. The last few Lucky Luke that I read weren't up to the level of the classics, but this one is: even the art is reminiscent of Morris. If you read French, go ahead and read this: you won't regret it!!

MAIGRET CHEZ LE MINISTRE, GEORGE SIMENON, Released in 1956

This book is a quick read, like all other Simenon books. This time, the story revolves in political circles and the leaking of an important document. As usual, Maigret is very theral in his investigation and is always an interesting character. But, this time around, there's a bit less atmospheric details from the Paris of that era, which is half the fun with Simenon. Not a bad book, but not his best.

Books

THE REALITY DYSFUNCTION, PART 1:Emergence, PETER F. HAMILTON, Released in 1996

This is space opera on a grand scale! This is the 1st book of a series. In a future world, humans are now divided in 2 totally different groups: the Edenists, that have been genetically enhanced and the Adamists who are pioneers. The story revolves around the confrontation of those 2 groups and how they interact with each other. Once you've read through the first 50 pages, the technical aspects of the sci-fi is less evident and it makes for a very fluent, challenging and interesting read. Lots of great ideas here, but this is not a 3 hours read. Very enjoyable start to this series!

Music

ANGE, EMILE JACOTEY, Released in 1975

This album always has been my favorite from this band. As you might know, Ange is the most well-known and most successfull prog band coming from France. They have produced music for more than 30 years. They are still very productive! This album came at the time where prog was as it's heights! It's reminiscent of the theatrical aspects of Genesis. Nevertheless, the band has it's own style at that stage and you really feel the stories. The title of album is the main character of a couple of songs, and they're not disappointing. The lyrics are very well written and you can feel the emotion coming out of them. There's also a lot of mood changes throughout the album. Technically, they were already very strong and Christian Descamps's voice as already bloomed. Overall, an excellent album!

ERIC CLAPTON, ME AND MR JOHNSON, Released in 2004

For a 58 years old man, he still has it. Sure, this album doesn't contain any new songs. Instead, this is a tribute to the blues legend. Is this CD innovative?? No. Is this something that we've heard before?? Sure. But no one can play the guitar like Clapton, and this performance is as heartful as it is clinical! I'm sure that the purist would say that this album is pure nonense and that it doesn't reflect the original songs, and they might be right. Nonetheless, I'd recommend this album more than his previous effort, Reptile. 7.5 out 10.

THE FLOWER KINGS, ADAM AND EVE, Released in 2004

On the first listen, I was disapointed. How can one of my favorite bands put something like this? How can the modern answer to progressive rock do this to me?? I love everything that they've done. I gave it a few days and on the 2nd listen, it clicked, and big time. (This will happen often with prog, the first spin is required to digest the content! We're even warned in the booklet!) The disc opens up with a new 20 minutes epic, Love Supreme. This is the best thing they've wrote since Stardust, we are. When you listen to the piece, there's no way you feel that it's that long. There's plenty of interesting sounds, great lyrical ideas and some experimental sounds. This album is a return to their roots, more prog, less jazz and other influences. Overall, although I love all of them, their best album in years! The kings of symphonic rock are back!!! 4.5 out of 5

GENESIS, A TRICK OF THE TAIL, released in 1976

This album started the Phil Collins era for Genesis. At this stage, Phil had been with the band since Nursery Cryme (which will be reviewed later on!) but it was is first attempt to be the frontman! Sure, he had done More Fool Me on Selling England by the Pound, but the full time job was now up for grabs and he went for it! The results are one of the best Genesis albums ever. This CD is a big change from it's predecessor, The Lamb, but is wonderful nonetheless. The lyrics on this one are influenced by Tony Banks, especially on Mad Mad Moon, Entangled and Squonk. The first hint of a change of direction under Phil's direction comes under the title track, which is a 4 minutes piece traditionaly structured. Los Endos closes the album in a spectacular way, revisiting in an instrumental fashion the whole album. This song became a tour favorite until the last tour with Phil, which featured a very different Genesis at that stage. The mellotron is still heavily relied on while Hackett influence is fading.

Tour '76

This tour was the beginning of great things for the band. Bill Bruford joined for this tour, providing quite an interesting sound for the band! The standard set list was as follow:

Dance on a Volcano (The only time (with the exception of when they played the whole lamb) that they opened up a show with a new song

Lamb Stew (Combining the Lamb lies down on Broadway, Fly on a Windshield and Carpet Crawlers -- Fly's version is incredible with Bruford and Collins drumming like heck on this segment!)

The Cinema Show (The last time that the whole song would be played in concert!)

Robbery, Assault and Battery (The only tour this song was played)

White Mountain (This is one highlight of the tour for me: they dusted off this old number from Trespass with great results!

Firth of Fifth (Interesting instrumental section, different than usual with Bruford and Collins on drums at the same time!)

Entangled (The only tour this song was played. I was surprised with the results of this song in concert: the mellotron solo at the end doesn't come out as emotionnaly than the studio version. One of the rare songs that shouldn't have been played in a show...)

Squonk

Supper's Ready (The Genesis classic, really good with Bruford behind the drum kit. He adds some percussions to the mix, which suits well with me!! They only played this song when Phil got comfortable behind the mic, which took about 10 shows!)

I know what I like (A short version compared to what was to come in later tours)

Los Endos (The only time that they closed a show (before the encores) with a new song)

It/Watcher of the skies (A great medley to end the show, the instrumental part of Watchers is fabulous, with both Bruford and Collins on drums! They've never played that medley again.)

I've always loved this tour. The addition of Bruford made a very powerfull line-up. The set list remained the same throughout the tour, only with the addition of Supper's Ready 10 shows into the tour. For a first, Phil's performance is good, although he hasn't totally matured yet, voice wise! There's a few good shows available in great quality from this tour that proves the point! This is the band at his best, before hitting prime time!!

GENESIS, WIND AND WUTHERING, Released in 1976.

This was the 2nd album in 1976 for Genesis. This one proved to be the last album with Steve Hackett. His influence, in the writting process, wasn't has he wished. Other than Wot Gorilla and Blood on the Rooftops, his presence is limited. The lyrics of Tony Banks are still omnipresent (One for the vine, All in a Mouse's Night and Eleventh Earl of Mar) while Phil's commercial habilities were slowly coming out (Your own Special Way and Afterglow). This is a very tight album with Phil's voice gaining with confidence! Sadly, the use of the mellotron was slowly exiting the bands sound, although we're still treated with heavy keyboards on the album. I've always loved All in a Mouse's Night and Unquiet Slumbers, 2 very original numbers. Overall, a darker album than it's predecessor but one that has marked Genesis history. 9 out 10.

Tour 1977.

This tour started January 1st 1977.This was the first show for new live drummer, Chester Thompson. This was also the last tour of Steve Hackett, who left the band in July 1977, in Zurich. The setlist was typically as follow:

Squonk

One for the Vine (Way stronger version live, with 2 passages full of double druming: Great!>

Robbery, Assault and Battery (Last tour for this song!)

Carpet Crawlers

Firth of Fifth

In that Quiet earth/Afterglow (The only time that this song was fully played>

I know what I like (The first time this song features double drumming. It's also the first inclusion of the bridge section of Stagnation, from Trespass)

Eleventh Earl of Mar

Supper's Ready (Inferior than the version from the previous tour: Bill Bruford's percussions were great!

Dance on a Volcano/Drum Duet/Los Endos (The first apparition of what would become the famous closing medley for their shows>.

The Lamb lies Down on Broadway/The Musical Box (Closing section)

This tour had some wonderful stuff going for it. Too bad that they cut the Lilywhite Lilith/The waiting room/Wot Gorilla medley from their setlist after the 1st show. Although a recording of it exists, the quality is rather poor. The band is getting tighter and Phil's voice is gaining in confidence! They were also slowly gaining in popularity, although they were far from mainstream yet. Overall, another great tour (of course, I'm buyest!> Too bad Steve had to go though as his guitar sound was enjoyed all over the world for the last time with the band.

GODSPEED YOU BLACK EMPEROR, LIFT YOUR SKINNY FISTS LIKE ANTENNAS TO HEAVEN, Released in 2000

Categorized as post-rock, this band is a new discovery for me. (And they're from Montreal!!). This album contains 90 minutes of music, totalling 4 songs. I'll steal a couple of lines on Amazon, as I'm unsure how to describe it. The band "combines the drums and guitar of typical rock-band instrumentation with horns and strings to create music built around drones and slowly evolving melodic figures. It rises and falls from delicate introductory passages to unabashed grand climaxes". There you go, exactly what I wanted to say!! This is instrumental music at it's best!!! 10 out 10. Astounding!

PENDRAGON,ACCOUSTICALLY CHALLENGED, Released in 2002.

A prog band in an acoustic setting?? This could be interesting, I remembered telling myself. The music is stripped down to 2 instruments: guitar and keyboard. It sounds well rehearsed and the virtuosity shines through every song! This can be considered a greatest hits, although one needs to hear the original songs to really appreciate the work that was done! 9 out of 10.

THE OSCAR PETERSEN TRIO, NIGHT TRAIN, Released in 1962

Other than Diana Krall, my first real foray into pure jazz. And what a great entry. You feel the band playing through the stereo: only 3 instruments, bass, drums and the wonderful piano of Oscar Peterson. I don't know where I've been hiding, but this is a gem!! He plays in an incredible way and the music resonates with passion and emotion!! Great intensity for someone who is said to be a jazz legend. 9.5 out 10