Selling England By The Pound - Genesis

This is the fifth studio album by Genesis released in 1973 at a time when they full embraced their progressive, art-rock status. The band line up is what I consider to be the 'dream-team' in terms of which musicians could help define and perfect the early 'Genesis' sound. Quirky, flambouyant Peter Gabriel is on vocals. He'd only last one more album before leaving to pursue a solo career. Although primarily the singer he also shares the vocals with Phil Collins, who also drums. Mike Rutherford and Steve Hackett handle the guitars whilst Tony Banks has the keyboards under control. An eight track album, this contains four epic tracks, the longest being nearly ...  Read the complete review

A rising force in progressive rock, Genesis’ increasing international popularity seems to have caused something of a nationalistic crisis for Peter Gabriel and his band of talented, experimental musicians. Taking their album title from a contemporary slogan of the Labour party, Genesis’ focus here is largely, consciously on auld Blighty, a year before Gabriel penned the lyrics to the band’s New York-set concept album ‘The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway’ and gave in to the US audience after all. ‘Selling England By the Pound’ is perhaps Genesis’ technical and creative peak, as well as their most commercially successful album of their early seventies output under ...  Read the complete review

Genesis always had a way of doing things differently. In mid-1973 they had just released Genesis Live succesfully at home and gone on their first small American tour. Many commentators felt they were now ready to "crack" America. So what did they decide to do? Well, they bring out a semi-conceptual album lamenting the decay and loss of "Englishness" (whatever that is) and so riddled with English references that to Americans it must seem like a foreign language. After all what American is going to understand lines about Fine Fair, green shield stamps or Wimpy (remember any of them?). Even the title was the Labour party slogan of the time. ...  Read the complete review

I remember when this album came out in the mid seventies. I bought my CD version from the VIRGIN megastore in Oxford Street London during the 1990’s while CD’s still had novelty value, mine cost £9.99. This was the definitive edition remaster. It remastered and Abbey Rd. ***ABOUT GENESIS*** 3 of the 5 members went to Charterhouse school in Goldalming Surrey and started to produce pop music in the early 1960’s forming Anon (Rutherford) and The garden Wall (Gabriel, Banks). In 1967 obtained their 1st publishing contract. In 1969 Genesis to Revelation released. Shortly after the release of a Lamb Lies Down in Broadway in 1975 Peter Gabriel leaves the ...  Read the complete review

Due to Genesis' popularity with American audiences, and trying to avoid the critics' comments about them only being interested in slanting their records towards America, they decided to give their next album an English theme, and chose the title Selling England By the Pound (which was the Labour party's manifesto at the time). References to Englishness are heard throughout - Green Shields stamps and supermarket Fine Fare (remember that). Although not a concept album, it does have a theme which is about English folk culture and the country's Americanisation. The album cover was partly painted by Betty Swanwick. Peter was impressed with a ...  Read the complete review