"A Bootleg Top Twenty" - As compiled by the keeper of the TWR archive: Alan Hewitt.
Yes, I know… its sad to start compiling top twenties at my age! Hey, there you go… Seriously though, quite a few fans have asked for recommendations on this subject and so I thought I would finally give it some thought between other projects. Put any group of Genesis fans together and ask them to nominate their favourite bootlegs and you will get enough responses for a book (but that's an entirely different story!).
Once again, ask any group of fans for their favourite era or tour and the answers will be just as diverse and the same goes if you start to sub-divide recordings into "audience" recordings, "Sound board" or "Mix desk" recordings, the potential for debate is (and always has been) endless! Me being the awkward sod that I am, I don't favour one category over another. Over the past twenty four years since I first became aware of just what exactly bootlegs were, I have listened to so many of whichever category you choose to mention that I have had great difficulty narrowing it down to a mere one hundred much less twenty!
What we have here, then is a selection of the recordings - and just to confuse things even more I have included recordings from SOLO gigs too - which are the most frequent visitors to the TWR HQ CD player. The selection contains recordings from all three of the categories mentioned above and I rate them in my personal top twenty for a variety of reasons, quality, atmosphere; interesting set lists and perhaps most of all: nostalgia, you will soon realise that many of these recordings are of gigs which I was lucky enough to attend myself. Anyway, on with the "chart"!
#20: Genesis Watford Town Hall 28.6.72
There are an increasing number of recordings surfacing from the 1972 period. Sadly, if you are expecting soundboard or mixing desk recordings from this era, forget it! The band themselves did not start desk recording their gigs until late 1973 and so the best we can hope for is decent quality audience recordings from the earlier years. Fortunately in this recording we have the best of both worlds: a remarkably good quality recording and one which captures the atmosphere and excitement of the band at one of the most important parts of their career where they were on the cusp of becoming a major rock act here in the UK. Set wise, this recording also captures the band in transition, on the verge of leaving their early material behind, we have here rare glimpses of such classics as Stagnation and Twilight Alehouse alongside newer numbers such as Watcher Of The Skies, still being road-tested several months before they were finally recorded for the Foxtrot album. An extremely enjoyable recording.
Set List: Watcher Of The Skies/Stagnation/The Fountain Of Salmacis/Happy The Man/Twilight Alehouse/The Return Of The Giant Hogweed/The Knife.
Source: Audience Recording. 1CD.
Quality: Very Good.
#19: Peter Gabriel Manchester Apollo Theatre 27.9.77 (MUPPET 06)
Ahh, the memories! Nostalgia dictated that this recording be included in the top twenty. My first direct experience of any member of the band in the live context was with Peter's first solo tours in 1977. In all I was lucky enough to see five shows of his on both legs of the UK tour and had always hoped that eventually one of these would surface in decent quality. Well, thankfully , this gig has indeed emerged and I can relive those priceless memories! The early solo gigs by Peter were full of magic, mischief and mayhem as anyone who attended any of them will no doubt tell you. This recording, from the first of two nights at Manchester on the second leg of the UK tour has all of that and the atmosphere is heightened by the presence of an enthusiastic and vocal audience (yours truly included!) an excellent job has been done on cleaning this recording up by Jesper Moonen whose "MUPPET" series of Gabriel recordings is highly recommended.
Set List: Here Comes The Flood/Slowburn/Moribund The Burgermeister/Modern Love/Indigo/Humdrum/White Shadow/I Heard It Thru The Grapevine/Excuse Me/Waiting For The Big One/Solsbury Hill/Down The Dolce Vita/On The Air/All Day And All Of The Night/Here Comes The Flood/The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway.
Source: Audience Recording (1st Generation) 2CD.
Quality: Excellent.
#18: Phil Collins Manchester Apollo Theatre 12.2.85
Another trip down Memory Lane, this one. Phil's shows have always been full of excellent music and that inherent sense of humour that is part and parcel of his character and he was in fine form on this, the second gig of his massive No Jacket Required tour. With a fine sense of irony he referred to the performance of Against All Odds as a trip to "Brown Trousersville" as he was still nervous of playing this massive hit in front of his fans. He needn't have worried, it went down a storm like the rest of the set and it is captured here in an above average audience recording of what was another excellent gig.
Set List: I Don't Care Anymore/Only You & I Know/I Cannot Believe Its True/This Must Be Love/Against All Odds/Inside Out/Who Said I Would/If Leaving Me Is Easy/Sussudio/Behind The Lines/Don't Lose My Number/The West Side/One More Night/in the Air Tonight/Like China/You Can't Hurry Love/It Don't Matter To Me/Hand In Hand/Take Me Home/People Get Ready/It's Alright/And So To F…
Source: Audience Recording (Original Master) 2CD.
Quality: Excellent.
#17: Steve Hackett Teatro Sociale Trento 28.4.02
Steve Hackett has been no stranger to the pages of TWR and it is only right that he should feature in this article. Hackett fans have been extremely lucky, there is no shortage of excellent quality recordings from his almost thirty year solo career to choose from and this recording is definitely one of the best. Steve has divided his touring schedule increasingly regularly between rock and acoustic shows and this recording is one of the latter. These gigs were among the first that he gave with the trio comprising himself, brother John and keyboard player Roger King. Once again this is an audience recording recorded on DAT and re-mastered on Pro-Tools. As such, it is as close to an official release as you could wish for but still retaining the atmosphere including Steve's humorous riposte to some poor soul who forgot to switch their mobile 'phone off! A superb recording from what was evidently a great gig.
Set List: Horizons/Gnossienne #1/Bourree/Bacchus/Bay Of Kings/Syrinx/Imagining-Second Chance/Jacuzzi/Overnight Sleeper/the Barren Land/Black Light /Kim/Time Lapse At Milton Keynes/Chinese Jam/Hairless Heart/Mustard Seed/Cinema Paradiso/Gymnopedie #1/Jazz On A Summer's Night/Cavalcanti/Walking Away From Rainbows/Tales Of The Riverbank/Concert For Munich/The Journey/Skye Boat Song/By Paved Fountain/Carcassi/Blood On The Rooftops/Hands Of The Priestess/There Are Many Sides To the Night/Ace Of Wands.
Source: Audience Recording (1st Generation) 2CD.
Quality: Excellent.
#16: Genesis Southampton Gaumont Theatre Southampton 20.1.77 (I4detail04)
Oh if only they could invent a time machine! I would gladly test drive it but it would probably be perpetually stuck in 1976/77 as most of my favourite bands seemed to play their best gigs during the course of that year! Genesis were no exceptions and it is well known that the Wind & Wuthering album and tour are your editor's favourites. Imagine therefore how happy I was when this superb recording emerged from obscurity! Taken from a soundboard tape of the gig which had previously been circulated among that self-appointed and self-righteous group of "fans" who had appointed themselves the arbiters of what the rest of the fan base should or should not have the "right" to listen to. Some public spirited soul released this fantastic recording to the wider fan base and what a joy it is to have it in the collection, lovingly restored by the good people at I4detail! A complete sound board of one of the band's UK gigs from January 1977 complete with introductions and stories, usually the victim of "editing" from radio broadcasts and such. Here we can hear the hilarious story of "Myrtle The Mermaid" and many other choice items of Genesis humour along with a truly glorious performance from the band themselves who had clearly got over the nerves which are so evident on recordings of earlier gigs - superb stuff!
Set List: Squonk/One For The Vine/Robbery, Assault And Battery/Your Own Special Way/Firth Of Fifth/In That Quiet Earth-Afterglow/I Know What I Like/Eleventh Earl Of Mar/Carpet Crawlers/All In A Mouse's Night/Supper's Ready/Dance On A Volcano/Drum Duet/Los Endos/The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway/Musical Box (Closing Section).
Source: Soundboard Recording. 2CD.
Quality: Excellent.
#15: Peter Gabriel National Exhibition Centre Birmingham 1.7.87
Whoever said that audience recordings aren't up to scratch has obviously never heard this one! Without doubt, one of my favourite audience recordings and from another gig which I was fortunate to attend! The NEC is notorious for its bad acoustics but there is little evidence of this here, sound is clear and crisp and even more remarkable when you consider that it was apparently recorded from the South Stand, right at the back of the arena! The 1987 shows by Peter were excellent, full of drama and humour and all of that is captured here in this excellent recording.
Set List: Floating Dogs Intro/San Jacinto/Red Rain/Games Without Frontiers/ Family Snapshot/Intruder/Shock The Monkey/No Self Control/Mercy Street/This Is The Picture/Big Time/Don't Give Up/Solsbury Hill/lay Your Hands On Me/ Sledgehammer/Here Comes The Flood/In Your Eyes/Biko.
Source: Audience Recording (Original Master) 2CD.
Quality: Excellent.
#14: Genesis Montreal University Sports Arena 21.4.74 (FAde 004 CD 1/2)
An extremely famous bootleg this one. Originally released in edited form under the title "L'Ange Gabriel" this was, and remains one of the most popular recordings in the Genesis bootleg canon. Here, at last is the complete recording from the CHUM Radio broadcast. Genesis were a happening band during this period and this tour remains a favourite with fans and many band members and on this recording we can hear the band firing on all cylinders. Once again, there is humour and drama in equal measures all preserved for posterity in this remarkable recording presented by the good people of the Fan Approved Definitive Edition (FAde) group - excellent stuff once again!
Set List: Watcher of The Skies/Dancing With The Moonlit Knight/The Cinema Show/I Know What I Like/Firth Of Fifth/The Musical Box/Horizons/The Battle Of Epping Forest/Supper's Ready.
Source: FM Radio broadcast. 2CD.
Quality: Excellent.
#13: Phil Collins G_Mex Manchester 29.11.94
By 1994, Phil had reached the apogee of his success and popularity, the massive 1994-95 Both Sides tour brought another fantastic show together from Phil and his ever-expanding band. Both Sides was by no means my favourite album by Phil but in the live context it became a much better proposition and this recording, taken from a soundboard tape of the show, demonstrates exactly why these shows were so popular.
Set List: Drum Duet/I Don't Care Anymore/Don't Lose My Number/I Cannot Believe Its True/Can't Turn Back The Years/Survivors/Another Day In Paradise/I Wish It Would Rain Down/One More Night/A Groovy Kind Of Love/We Wait And We Wonder/Separate Lives/Both Sides/In the Air Tonight/Hang In Long Enough/ Find A Way To My Heart/It Don't Matter To Me/Easy Lover/I Missed Again/ Behind The Lines/Something Happened On The Way To Heaven/Knockin' On Heaven's Door/Two Hearts/Sussudio/Get Ready/My Girl/Take Me Home.
Source: Soundboard Recording. 2CD.
Quality: Excellent.
#12: Mike & The Mechanics: Newcastle City Hall 18.3.89
Mike's first UK outing with The Mechanics back in 1989 was a great success. Riding high on the back of the success of both The Living Years album and single, the band turned in polished performances throughout the tour and none more so than at this gig in Newcastle which I have vivid memories of. The band were on fire, pity the same cannot be said for the audience who were unusually reserved for a Geordie crowd - apart from one guy who restored my faith by periodically calling out for Working In Line from Mike's first solo album: Smallcreep's Day. An excellent audience recording brings this show fully to life and is another firm favourite of mine.
Set List: Nobody's Perfect/Seeing Is Believing/Silent Running/Don't/Nobody Knows/ Hanging By A Thread/Why Me/Taken In/Beautiful Day/Black And Blue/Par Avion/ A Call To Arms/Living Years/I Get The Feeling/Take The Reins/All I Need Is A Miracle/Poor Boy Down.
Source: Audience Recording (Original Master) 2 Cassettes.
Quality: Excellent.
#11: Steve Hackett Mick Jagger Centre Dartford 4.3.04
Of much more recent vintage, this one . I have been extremely lucky to have had the chance to catch more Hackett shows than most fans over the last three or so years but seldom have I ever experienced a show such as this one, the opening night of the 2004 UK tour. Many fans, myself included expected this show to fundamentally be a continuation of the 2003 To Watch The Storms show. Well, we were all WRONG! Steve completely re-vamped the set to include several seldom heard classics and two debuts in the live set including the awesome Blood On The Rooftops which I freely admit reduced me to tears - ask Steve's mum about that if you see her! This marvellous gig is here in an excellent audience recording to be enjoyed by Hackett fans everywhere.
Set List: Valley Of The Kings/Mechanical Bride/Circus Of Becoming/Frozen Statues/Slogans/Serpentine Song/Ace Of Wands/Hammer In The Sand/Acoustic Set/ Horizons/Imagining/Second Chance/Blood On The Rooftops/Fly On A Windshield/ Please Don't Touch/Firth Of Fifth/A Night In Toytown/Darktown/Brand New/Air Conditioned Nightmare/Clocks/Spectral Mornings/Myopia Medley/Los Endos.
Source: Audience Recording (1st Generation). 2CD.
Quality: Excellent.
#10: Peter Gabriel Rosemont Horizon Chicago 10.7.93 (MUPPET 05)
It might seem a bit silly to include this recording when Peter's Secret World Live album effectively covers the same tour. However, as we all know, until recently; Peter's live efforts were seldom as "live" as they would seem. He is a little too fond of tweaking live recordings after the event for my liking and for that reason, none of his officially released live albums (prior to the 2003/04 official bootleg series, that is) have ever really satisfied me. Which is where a recording such as this comes in. Thanks once again to Jesper Moonen's "MUPPET" project we have a beautiful recording from yet another memorable show on Peter's extensive 1993/94 Secret World tour. Taken from yet another previously "hidden" recording, this is a wonderful document from yet another marvellous tour.
Set List: Come Talk To Me/Steam/Games Without Frontiers/Across The River/Slow Marimbas/Shakin The Tree/Blood Of Eden/San Jacinto/Shock The Monkey/ Washing Of The Water/Solsbury Hill/Digging In The Dirt/Sledgehammer/Secret World/In Your Eyes/Biko.
Source: Soundboard Recording. 2CD.
Quality: Excellent.
#9: Genesis Wilhelm Koch Stadion Hamburg 10.9.82
Another severe attack of nostalgia here, I'm afraid. This gig is ingrained on my memory for so many reasons - not all of them related to the gig itself either! This was my first trip overseas to see a gig and what a gig to choose! From the moment we were given the tickets on the coach and realised that King Crimson were special guests, to the moment the band left the stage, this was a special event. With a set which show cased many Genesis classics alongside material from the still new Abacab album, this was effectively a Genesis "Greatest hits" show and what a show it was! Sadly, no soundboard recordings from this tour are in general circulation, but this above average audience recording does it for me every time!
Set List: Dance On A Volcano/Behind The Lines/Follow You Follow Me/Dodo-Lurker/Abacab/Supper's Ready/Misunderstanding/In The Cage-Medley/Afterglow/ Turn It On Again/Drum Duet/Los Endos/The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway/It-Watcher of The Skies.
Source: Audience Recording (1st Generation) 2CD.
Quality: Very Good.
#8: Steve Hackett Carnglaze Caverns Liskeard 8.4.05
This one gives a new definition to the phrase "Rock Gig"! Yes, the trio performed this one inside a slate quarry! What a beautiful and unusual setting for a show and yes, Steve and the guys trotted out all the usual cliches. I particularly loved the cavern's manager daring anyone to try and get a signal on their mobile 'phone before the gig! Yes, another trip down Nostalgia Alley for yours truly. Most of the gigs from this tour were sound recorded by the band themselves although none of those recordings have surfaced, thankfully a member of the audience had the foresight to make this excellent recording which once again brings back so many happy memories of another night on the merch stand! Listen out in particular for a snippet of a 1977 Genesis classic nestling among one of the maestro's medleys!
Set List: Classical Jazz/The Pool Of Memory, The Pool Of Forgetfulness/Black Light/Tales Of The Riverbank/Segovia Tribute/Brand New-The Barren Land/Skye Boat Song/Horizons/Jacuzzi/Overnight Sleeper/Bacchus/Firth Of Fifth/Whole Tone Jam-The Red Flower Of Taichi Blooms Everywhere-Hands Of The Priestess/After The Ordeal/Hairless Heart/M3/Imagining/Second Chance/Jazz On A Summer's Night/Next Time Around/Kim/Idylle-Aubade-Meditation/The Journey/Ace Of Wands/Walking Away From Rainbows/Gnossienne #1.
Source: Audience Recording (1st Generation). 2CD.
Quality: Very Good.
#7: Genesis Music Hall Boston 9.12.74
This might surprise a few of you! Yes, it’s a Lamb… recording. I was a little skeptical about this one when I heard it had surfaced, mainly because most recordings from this tour in the hands of "ordinary" fans such as myself, were not that great. This recording really breaks the mould. Re-mastered by those marvellous people; The Digital Brothers direct from the original master tapes, this is a truly glorious recording which showcases this tour as it should be heard. If you only have one Lamb… recording in your collections, make sure it is THIS one!
Set List: Entire Lamb… album plus Musical Box.
Source: Audience Recording (1st Generation from Original Master tapes). 2CD.
Quality: Excellent.
#6: Genesis Halle Tony Garnier Lyon 20.2.98
Another surprise for some of you. Personally, I rate the Calling All Stations tour as one of the best I ever saw the band perform and I had the privilege of seeing twelve gigs on that tour including this one which also happened to be my birthday - what a way to celebrate! The band were by this stage of the tour, firing on all cylinders and this was an entirely different band to the one which I had seen at the warm-up gig a few weeks' earlier at Bray Film Studios. Packing in material from the band's hefty back catalogue as well as a healthy dose of the new album itself; this was a brilliant show and captured here in another excellent audience recording.
Set List: No Son of Mine/Land Of Confusion/The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway/Calling All Stations/Carpet Crawlers/There Must Be Some Other Way/ Domino/Firth Of Fifth/Congo/Home By The Sea/Second Home By The Sea/Dancing With The Moonlit Knight/Follow You Follow Me/Lover's Leap/Mama/The Dividing Line/Invisible Touch/Turn it On Again/Throwing It All Away/I Can't Dance.
Source: Audience Recording (1st Generation from Master Tapes). 2CD.
Quality: Very Good.
#5: Peter Gabriel Giants Stadium Meadowlands East Rutherford New Jersey 15.6.86
An exercise in how to cram as much drama and excitement into a mere hour. This superb recording documents one of Peter's stunning performances as part of the Amnesty International "Conspiracy Of Hope" tour in 1986. It is acknowledged that at many of these gigs, Peter effectively stole the show from the rest of the artists on the bill and this performance is no exception. Peter's set is well chosen and he delivers it with real gusto especially on Family Snapshot and a truly electrifying performance of Biko which really came into its own on this tour. Fortunately, this show is documented by both this excellent radio broadcast and equally enjoyable TV broadcast too.
Set List: Red Rain/Shock The Monkey/Family Snapshot/Sledgehammer/San Jacinto/Biko.
Source: FM Radio broadcast. 1CD.
Quality: Excellent.
#4: Steve Hackett Manchester Apollo Theatre 24.10.78 (SHRP 12)
1978 was a vintage year for gigs as far as I am concerned. Peter Gabriel and Genesis continued their upward momentum on separate tours, and for fans still recovering from the shock of Steve Hackett's departure from the ranks of Genesis, he was soon in action in his own right. There have been several recordings available from this tour of varying quality but until quite recently this gig had eluded my collection. I am delighted that it is now in the archive. As my first Hackett "experience" this gig has a fond place in my affections and to finally have a recording in extremely enjoyable quality is a pleasure indeed. Taken from a second generation audience tape and given the works by the people at the Steve Hackett Remastering Group, I can relive that first gig all over again. Here is the might, the majesty and the mania of the first Steve Hackett solo tour for all to enjoy.
Set List: Land Of A Thousand Autumns/Please Don't Touch/Racing In A/Ace Of Wands/Carry On Up The Vicarage/Hands Of The Priestess/Icarus Ascending/ Narnia/Acoustic Set (comprising; Black Light-Blood On The Rooftops-Horizons)/ Kim/The Optigon/A Tower Struck Down/Spectral Mornings/Star Of Sirius/Shadow Of The Hierophant/Clocks - The Angel Of Mons/I Know What I Like.
Source: Audience Recording (2nd Generation) 2CD.
Quality: Very Good.
#3: Genesis Knebworth Park Stevenage 24.6.78
Here is where I came in. My first direct experience of the live phenomenon that is Genesis took place at this gig. My memories of that gig are as clear as day (apart from the hangover induced by my introduction to the noble festival art of cider drinking!). This was a magnificent gig even by the exacting standards that the band always set themselves and with it being their only UK gig, the band really pulled out all the stops. Sadly, little visual footage from this tour survives but thankfully this wonderful recording taken from the un-mixed Pre-FM broadcast tape reels of the BBC's "Rock Hour" show is now in circulation. The complete recording sadly no longer exists but nonetheless, what we have here is more than enough to whet the appetite of new fans and revive the memories of old farts such as myself who were actually at the gig.
Set List: Squonk/Burning Rope/Ripples/The Fountain Of Salmacis/One For The Vine/Deep In The Motherlode/The Lady Lies/Afterglow/Follow You Follow Me/ Dance On A Volcano/Los Endos/I Know What I Like.
Source: Pre-FM broadcast tape reels. 2CD.
Quality: Excellent.
#2: Peter Gabriel Apollo Theatre Glasgow 12.9.83 (MUPPET02)
Yet another wonderful recording given the MUPPET treatment by Jesper Moonen. The 1983 tour was possibly Peter's finest hour to many fans and nowhere is that more evident than in this stunning recording. Once again, this recording goes to show that for atmosphere and drama an audience recording sometimes can have the edge over their cleaner and crisper radio/soundboard brothers and sisters. The UK tour was a huge success and the audience at the Apollo in Glasgow certainly did not disappoint. Both band and audience are feeding off each other throughout this gig and the atmosphere generated is captured faithfully in this remarkable recording.
Set List: Rhythm Of The Heat/I Have The Touch/Not One Of Us/The Family And The Fishing Net/Shock The Monkey/Family Snapshot/Intruder/Games Without Frontiers/Humdrum/D I Y/Lay Your Hands On Me/Solsbury Hill/I Don't Remember/San Jacinto/On The Air/Biko/Here Comes The Flood/Kiss Of Life.
Source: Audience Recording. 2CD.
Quality: Excellent.
#1: Genesis Lyceum Ballrooms London 7.5.80 (POT 01)
Well, really there had to be only one candidate for the top slot. This gig is, along with a handful of others, among the most famous bootlegs from any era of the band's story. Originally circulated under the title "Musica" but minus the between-song stories which were edited for radio broadcast, this has been a consistent visitor to my CD player and before that my tape deck for over TWENTY years! The "new" version; "As Good As Gold" takes the simple bootleg to the realms of art as far as I am concerned. The amount of detective work which must have gone in to locating the missing between -song stories and cleaning the entire thing up to the glistening gem which we now have, is absolutely incredible. This is simply the most perfect bootleg I have ever heard and I doubt very much if anything else will come close to it for attention to detail and quality.
Set List: Deep In The Motherlode/Dancing With The Moonlit Knight/Carpet Crawlers/Squonk/One For The Vine/Behind The Lines/Duchess/Guide Vocal/ Turn It On Again/Duke's Travels/Duke's End/Say It's Alright, Joe/The Lady Lies/ Ripples/ In The Cage-Medley-Afterglow/Follow You Follow Me/Dance On A Volcano/Drum Duet/Los Endos/I Know What I Like.
Source: Pre-FM broadcast reels. 2CD.
Quality: Excellent.
There you have it, the TWR "Top Twenty" bootlegs. It only goes to show the dedication that fans have applied to this material over the years not only in recent years where the new tools of the recording trade have brought many a recording back from the dead but also to those unselfish fans who not only recorded many of these gigs in the first place, but also ensured that they are available to one and all and not merely to a so-called "select" few - here's to you, guys!