Songs JW DOESN'T like!

[Mama's Boy]

Yes, the second half of the Mama album is a bit hit and miss. I don't know if they were still plowing the more experimental area that Abacab saw them embrace but they certainly had less material than usual. And didn't they have a couple of weeks at the start where no material was coming at all? I seem to remember Mike Rutherford saying that in one of the books about the band.

[John Wilkinson]

Hi matey

Chapter and Verse makes it quite clear that they struggled during the writing of this album. It does contain two of my least favourite songs

[Mama's Boy]

And what a great book that is - just don't drop it on your foot!

Now, see, I love Silver Rainbow. Very Beatlesy to my ears. Funnily enough, Phil head it for the first time in a while after he left the band and recommended it go on a box set (this must have been around the time of the second box set) to which Tony said something to the effect of "Yes, but it's already on an album!".

[Andrew Prince]

And what a great book that is - just don't drop it on your foot!

Okay so.... good Genesis related book recommendations? Is Alan Hewitt's book worth a read? I've picked it up countless times but I've always had another huge book to read at the time, so I put it down again. Right now I'm reading Steve Jobs.

Actually, is Mr. Hewitt on our Mama forum and if not, why not? JW?

[Mama's Boy]

I've read Alan's stuff on his website and I've seen his appearance on one of the Genesis DVDs and read posts of his on other forums. I don't think he's a good writer, to be honest, and I don't think he knows an awful lot about music.

I can recommend a few great reads: Genesis A Biography by Bowler and Dray, I Know What I Like by Armando Gallo and The Book of Genesis by Hugh Fielder. In addition to Chapter And Verse, they're my favourite books on the band.

[John Wilkinson]

I disagree.

I have three of Alan's books and enjoyed them all.

Opening The Musical Box
Genesis Revisited
Sketches Of Hackett

He has just finished a book detailing Genesis live shows since 1975 (PC era) which is at his publishers at this moment in time.

Each to their own I suppose

[Andrew Prince]

I have three of Alan's books and enjoyed them all.

Opening The Musical Box
Genesis Revisited
Sketches Of Hackett

Blimey, I didn't know he'd written THREE! I think I'm falling behind in my reading. Got to finish the Jobs biography first though.

[Mama's Boy]

I don't consider tired and over-used cliches to be an example of good writing and, when compared to the other books I mentioned (apart from Hugh's which is all comments from the band), Alan's style and approach doesn't stand up. Doubtless he's a fan - we're all fans - but being a fan doesn't make you a good writer; writing's a specific talent that Alan Hewitt doesn't have.

I forgot to mention A Live Guide 1969 to 1975 by Paul Russell which is an excellent account of the PG era shows.

[John Wilkinson]

Hmmmmmmmm (in Yoda speak)

A pattern forming here do I see

Ah well....

[Mama's Boy]

Well, I'm not lost to the dark side just yet - I mean, it's only Alan Hewitt's stuff that I don't rate; the other books are marvellous.

And, as you said yourself, to each their own. I was just explaining exactly why I don't care for him as a writer.