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Thread: FEATURED CD - Mike Rutherford : Smallcreep's Day

  1. #51
    Member bill g's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ProgMusician View Post
    I loved (and still do) the production/sound of this album. Things were changing in music when this came out...but this album clearly intends to remain in the symphonic camp, and of the Genesis family. Being a kid from the south it just amazed me that recordings could sound like this. I had a couple of synths,... but I had no idea how these guys made their productions sound this way (and was captivated). This has the bag of Genesis (Hentschel) sound tricks, but cleaner. And if you love bass synth (Taurus type)... it's like a tutorial. The album hails from a very special time in my life... and albums like this were like a passport (pun?) into a world I wanted to live in permanently (and I went there often).

    It's also partly a concept album (with an interesting premise). And I very much enjoy the vocalist. It's kinda like Michael McDonald doing prog... and I think it's a fun alternative to the tried and true same old, same old. I also find the music to be adventure-ish.

    You could make a fairly strong correlation between this album and Renaissance's Azure D'or (same producer). Rich (and updated for the time) symphonic synth use superimposed on a classic band/sound that, while classic,... was headed into a new era. I regret that it faded so quickly afterwards. I truly miss going into the "vinyl" record store and discovering gems like this... seemingly imported from the 4 corners of the world and beyond. Gem / Passport - yeah man!

    I have been listening to the album as I write (hence my wistfulness perhaps). One more comment that I would make is that many of the lyrics are lonely... just as a washed up factory worker might feel. Someone who never even knew what it was he was helping to make. Love that premise. Incidentally, though understated... I think the cover is very artful. Splattering the photo negatives with developer solution to get that effect was brilliant !


    Nice post

  2. #52
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    Quote Originally Posted by bill g View Post


    Nice post
    Thanks bill g !

    Appreciated. I knew when I saw the album featured I would have to chime in. I let it brew and percolate for a few days before writing
    Genuine prog album from back in the day! - *free download* : masquepremiere.bandcamp.com

  3. #53
    Insect Overlord Progatron's Avatar
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    Imagine my surprise at finding a few new copies of this sitting on a shelf today for $16.99 apiece! I bought one, despite being suspicious of the legitimacy.

    The inner and outer sleeves are the same (Virgin/Charisma 1989 pressing) but the case is a more modern, lightweight jewel case with a clear spine (never saw those in 1989) and the printing on the disc itself seems suspect to me. I can only draw the conclusion that it is a bootleg copy of some sort but as long as the sound is okay and it plays properly, I'll just consider it a part of my collection - no big deal, it's not a major album for me anyway.

    If anyone here has the original CD, I'd appreciate seeing a photo of the actual disc just to clarify what I already know.
    Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.

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  4. #54
    Studmuffin Scott Bails's Avatar
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    Just listened to this earlier this week, after not hearing it for a long time. It's better than I thought, and fits well with Duke and ATTWT.
    Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally

  5. #55
    Jazzbo manqué Mister Triscuits's Avatar
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    Prompted by this thread, I wanted to give the album another chance, so I picked up a cheap vinyl copy on eBay. Unfortunately, the poor schnook who sold it to me got his packages switched and I received a ZZ Top LP meant for someone else! The seller realized his error and has me and the ZZ Top guy sending each other the right records (and reimbursed the postage).

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mister Triscuits View Post
    Prompted by this thread, I wanted to give the album another chance, so I picked up a cheap vinyl copy on eBay. Unfortunately, the poor schnook who sold it to me got his packages switched and I received a ZZ Top LP meant for someone else! The seller realized his error and has me and the ZZ Top guy sending each other the right records (and reimbursed the postage).
    ZZ Top and Mike Rutherford..., yes, easy to see how someone could confuse those two...

    I once bought an LP called "The Golden Hour of Donovan" which was a compilation of songs from his early albums prior to Sunshine Superman. Got it home and opened it to find it was not Donovan but Lonnie Donegan! I had no problem getting them to swap it for the correct one. I think I still have it among my pile of vinyl.

  7. #57
    Quote Originally Posted by bob_32_116 View Post
    I once bought an LP called "The Golden Hour of Donovan" which was a compilation of songs from his early albums prior to Sunshine Superman. Got it home and opened it to find it was not Donovan but Lonnie Donegan!
    I believe there are 20 or 24 tracks on that Donovan comp, and considering how difficult it is to track down those earliest records of him now, this is probably the closest (or easiest) you'll get to having that material on vinyl. It's excellent; his vintage, faux-Dylan'esque antic was actually rather refreshing and memorable.

    I've got another one in the same series with The Lovin' Spoonful (Golden Hour...), and it's the finest comp I've had by them. Sound isn't always the best, but the selection of songs is stellar.
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
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  8. #58
    Jazzbo manqué Mister Triscuits's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scrotum Scissor View Post
    I believe there are 20 or 24 tracks on that Donovan comp, and considering how difficult it is to track down those earliest records of him now, this is probably the closest (or easiest) you'll get to having that material on vinyl. It's excellent; his vintage, faux-Dylan'esque antic was actually rather refreshing and memorable.

    I've got another one in the same series with The Lovin' Spoonful (Golden Hour...), and it's the finest comp I've had by them. Sound isn't always the best, but the selection of songs is stellar.
    I had two volumes of "Golden Hour" by the Kinks. The first volume, with all the early hits, was dynamite. The second one was less stellar but still not too shabby. You get a lot of Kinks songs on a 60-minute LP.

  9. #59
    Member Paulrus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bob_32_116 View Post
    ZZ Top and Mike Rutherford..., yes, easy to see how someone could confuse those two...

    I once bought an LP called "The Golden Hour of Donovan" which was a compilation of songs from his early albums prior to Sunshine Superman. Got it home and opened it to find it was not Donovan but Lonnie Donegan! I had no problem getting them to swap it for the correct one. I think I still have it among my pile of vinyl.
    Back in high school I was gifted a 1978 Yes bootleg 2-album set by someone who thought he was getting an Elvis Costello bootleg. Some pot-head stuffed the wrong albums into the sleeve -- I win!
    I'm holding out for the Wilson-mixed 5.1 super-duper walletbuster special anniversary extra adjectives edition.

  10. #60
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    Quote Originally Posted by Progatron View Post
    Imagine my surprise at finding a few new copies of this sitting on a shelf today for $16.99 apiece! I bought one, despite being suspicious of the legitimacy.

    The inner and outer sleeves are the same (Virgin/Charisma 1989 pressing) but the case is a more modern, lightweight jewel case with a clear spine (never saw those in 1989) and the printing on the disc itself seems suspect to me. I can only draw the conclusion that it is a bootleg copy of some sort but as long as the sound is okay and it plays properly, I'll just consider it a part of my collection - no big deal, it's not a major album for me anyway.

    If anyone here has the original CD, I'd appreciate seeing a photo of the actual disc just to clarify what I already know.
    I can all but guarantee that these are bootlegs as it hasn't been in print in ages. Good thing the pirates are alive and well!
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  11. #61
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    Quote Originally Posted by Progatron View Post
    "Compression", and it's the best track from the sessions IMO. Based on some music originally rehearsed during the Selling England sessions.

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    Been awhile since this thread was visited. I caught a tune off of Morow internet radio. After doing a search I saw an announcement that Mike was to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the album with a remix and remaster to be completed in around Feb. 2020. Did that happen? I can’t find any evidence. There is an unofficial 2018 remaster on YouTube.


  13. #63
    Marklar Jimmy Giant's Avatar
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    I'm not sure, but I'm all over it when it hits. I've loved that album since it came out.
    My first exposure to Simon Phillips.
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  15. #65
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    I always liked this album. All of the 1st solo albums by the Genesis guys are very good (fav is A Curious Feeling) . I don't know why but I haven't listened to this one in ages.

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    Love this album, for some strange reason I didn't get it back in the day but when I did years later it really hit the spot. Would love to get a new version with better sound.

    Sent from my SM-T290 using Tapatalk

  17. #67
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    Quote Originally Posted by Firth View Post
    Been awhile since this thread was visited. I caught a tune off of Morow internet radio. After doing a search I saw an announcement that Mike was to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the album with a remix and remaster to be completed in around Feb. 2020. Did that happen? I can’t find any evidence. There is an unofficial 2018 remaster on YouTube.

    I think it was a April 1 joke (at least that's also one of the hits you get). Mike responds briefly on this in this 2019-interview: https://www.genesis-news.com/c-Inter...2019-s714.html

  18. #68
    The song At the end of the day from this album was used as the closing music for a Dutch progshow on the radio I think.

  19. #69
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rarebird View Post
    The song At the end of the day from this album was used as the closing music for a Dutch progshow on the radio I think.
    Yes indeed. Wim van Putten used it for his weekly LP-show (https://www.wikipe.wiki/wiki/nl/Smallcreep%27s_Day).
    He also used two tracks from Eddie Jobson's Theme Of Secrets for a while.

  20. #70
    Quote Originally Posted by interbellum View Post
    Yes indeed. Wim van Putten used it for his weekly LP-show (https://www.wikipe.wiki/wiki/nl/Smallcreep%27s_Day).
    He also used two tracks from Eddie Jobson's Theme Of Secrets for a while.
    I used to listen to that show and I think I taped it. Still have some cassette-tapes with live-recordings they broadcasted.

  21. #71
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steve983 View Post
    Love this album, for some strange reason I didn't get it back in the day but when I did years later it really hit the spot. Would love to get a new version with better sound.

    Sent from my SM-T290 using Tapatalk
    Put me down for that wish list item; I have a CD burn from the vinyl when I sold it and it is very poor quality sound. A great album!

  22. #72
    Member since March 2004 mozo-pg's Avatar
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    Missed this thread the first time. I really need to play this again. Vastly superior to Acting Very Strange. I do recall nice melodies and know I had a positive opinion on the album. The orginal review as stupid.
    What can this strange device be? When I touch it, it brings forth a sound (2112)

  23. #73
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    Quote Originally Posted by interbellum View Post
    I think it was a April 1 joke (at least that's also one of the hits you get). Mike responds briefly on this in this 2019-interview: https://www.genesis-news.com/c-Inter...2019-s714.html
    Yes, Dammit.

    Mike Rutherford: Re-recording of "Smallcreep's Day"

    Special Edition 2020 to celebrate its 40th anniversary
    [This news was posted on April 1st and is - as some of you noticed - an April fool's trick!]
    At the end of this week the new Mike + The Mechanics album Out Of The Blue will come out. It contains three new tracks and eight rerecordings of old Mechanics classics.
    It looks like Mike enjoyed the rerecordings. He has now decided to create a new version of his debut album Smallcreep's Day, to celebrate its 40th anniversary with a special edition release in February 2020. The recording sessions for this new version will take place this fall. Mike says about the project: "I really enjoyed to rerecord several Mechanics tracks and that went really well. As you can hear, the new versions are better than the old ones. So I thought it would be a great idea to revisit my first solo album and record a new version in a fresh and modern sound." This won't happen without help: "I have asked Daryl Stuermer to find out what I played back then and perhaps I will need him for the recordings as well". Big question is: Will Noel McCalla be available on vocals for the project? "Never say never!", says Mike. More info will follow when we have it.

  24. #74
    Last edited by Progbear; 06-07-2021 at 08:35 PM.
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  25. #75
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    Quote Originally Posted by Progbear View Post
    Finally heard this one! Sounds like Rutherford’s last-ditch effort to get all the folky 12-string stuff out of his system as Genesis were ready to leave that in the past. Like the folky end of early Genesis mixed with perhaps a touch of AOR (anyone else think Noel McCalla sounds a lot like Toto’s Bobby Kimball?).
    I never made the McCalla/Kimball connection, but you're right! Wrt the music, I guess there was enough prog in their veins for both Rutherford and Banks to keep mining it for their 1979 solo albums. Although given his rapid disdain for prog, I was a bit surprised to see Rutherford actually go there on this one.
    I'm holding out for the Wilson-mixed 5.1 super-duper walletbuster special anniversary extra adjectives edition.

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