Genesis's Duke-35 years on!

[Leibowitz]

I consider Duke one of the last great progressive rock albums since the birth of the genre...Rush's Signals is up there too.

[Fracktured]

I was at work when I first heard "misunderstanding" and remember thinking it's the end of Genesis. The album has it's moments and isn't all terrible but I think Tony said they got half way through writing and recording the album when they thought they were repeating themselves and changed direction. Unfortunately in the wrong direction.

[mozo-pg]

I was at work when I first heard "misunderstanding" and remember thinking it's the end of Genesis.

I was in a rock club and first heard the song from a cover band around the time of its release. My friends called the album, Puke. I didn't listen to the album for three decades until I joined PE. I actually think that beyond the hits there is some really decent material on Duke.

[Stickleback]

But who's to blame them really.. I know I don't.... For any of the bands that stayed alive back then "the times they were a changing" and you only live once brotha... if you want to tap the market you have such a foothold in you have to remain relevant and for all our weeping and hope... Prog (as it became known) was not in the marketplace like it once was. You either go sell cars for a living or you get "current" and make it happen. Genesis is one of the rare bands that got to live in "both" musical worlds... ! And were at the "top"! of the musical kingdom in both... ! For me true prog only came once.

Yes, the times certainly were changing and I think Heathaze gives us a clue into the crossroads Genesis faced:

Beware the fisherman (the old Prog geezer)
Whose casting his line
into a dried up riverbed (the mostly dead 70s progressive scene)
Throw some bread to the ducks instead (appease the masses)
It's easier that way

Either way, they're great lyrics.

[Trane]

I actually think that beyond the hits there is some really decent material on Duke.

Indeed... Misunderstanding (not their worst track, given what was to come afterwards IMHO) , Turn It Off Again and Behind The Lines are not exactly representative of the rest of the album

[arabicadabra]

I thought - and still think - that Misunderstanding is a good song. I like the way the last 2 notes of the 5 note climb pull against the 6/8 feel. I also like the shift in the verses - the way the verse chords feel in contrast to the chorus is very clever to my ears. And for my money, the opening 4 songs are the cat's meow.....