Genesis: Nursery Cryme

Here's Genesis at their best and their worst. (Well, the worst of what I've heard, which doesn't include anything they released after 1982.)

I bought it for fiver from Fopp in spring 2002. The Genesis tribute band The Musical Box played Sheffield City Hall around then. To the scorn of several friends, I got my ticket on the morning of the show (the City Hall was less than half full) and had a very enjoyable evening. What struck me was that it wasn't Supper's Ready that was the highlight, as expected, but the encore, the eponymous Musical Box. It brings out the soul in Peter Gabriel's voice (or in that of his impersonator).

I've just found this great video. You can laugh at the look, but what about the song? If you're pressed for time, or just impatient, make sure you see at least the last two and a half minutes.

After this first track, there's nothing much worth listening to, and some of the pieces — Giant Hogweed, Harold the Barrel and Fountain of Salmacis — just make you wince. But there was no iTunes in 2002, so the only way to get the track I wanted was to get it with a brace of turkeys.

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