Analysis: Supper's Ready
(Rainbow Theatre '73 vs. Live Box Set '08) series
Supper's Ready: Lover's Leap (Part 1)
This is the first installment of a NON-commercial, educational video series - assembled with the (direct informational insight) assistance of Genesis engineer & producing guru - Nick Davis...and guitarist Steve Hackett.
It details the superlative non-linear restoration of the famous 1973 Rainbow Theatre's concert version of "Supper's Ready" - and its upgrade to 5.1 Surround Sound by Nick Davis and Genesis - at their home recording studio of the Farm, in Surrey, in 2007. Peter Gabriel re-tracked vocal portions of Lover's Leap, Iknaton/Itsacon & Guaranteed Eternal Sanctuary Man. (Nick used the several vocal "pick-up" samples from Peter Gabriel - cut at his Real World Studios, in Box, England, in 1997...meant for Archive 1. But, the fully-enhanced restoration of the Rainbow Theatre's Supper's Ready was not destined to be released until after 2007). These special vocal inserts are only present on the first 3 sections of the Extra's Disk (2008 Live Box set). These are the restorations covered in this series....as well as the 5.1 Surround Sound upgrade (with info gleaned directly from Nick Davis, himself - via e-mail). This opening section harks backs to the band's folky roots, featuring a gentle arpeggiated guitar backing (with Hackett, Banks and Rutherford all playing 12-string guitars), soft electric piano (Hohner pianet), bass pedals,cello and flute, and a section with folky three part vocal harmonies (which omit the third note of the chord). The only percussion used is triangle, cymbals & bells. Lyrically it mingles imagery of a man returning home after a long time to be greeted by his lover, and mention of supernatural imagery ("six saintly shrouded men"), which Gabriel claims relate to a genuine supernatural experience which occurred with himself, his wife Jill and producer John Anthony. According to Gabriel, during a late-night conversation, his wife began speaking with a completely different voice. Gabriel held up a makeshift cross out of a candlestick and another household item, and Jill reacted violently. Jill was eventually calmed down and taken to bed, but neither Peter nor John Anthony slept that night. On another occasion, also late at night, Gabriel looked out of the window of his wife's parents' house to see what he perceived to be an entirely different lawn, across which seven shrouded men were walking. Gabriel recounted that these experiences led him to contemplate notions of good, evil, and the supernatural, and eventually inspired the lyrics to "Supper's Ready." In the program given out at Genesis concerts at the time, "Lover's Leap" was explained as: "In which two lovers are lost in each other's eyes, and found again transformed in the bodies of another male and female." Many thanks to Mr. Davis, Mr. Hackett., Mr. Jorge Monteiro and Misters. David Raphael and Jim Buntinx (conceptual artists) and Wikipedia for making this informative video series possible. All featured vids have now been re-edited with supportive non-linear audio music clips - to offer increased discernment of the superbly engineered 5.1 Surround upgrade and restoration! Enjoy!"" |
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Supper's Ready: Guaranteed Eternal Sanctuary Man (Part 2)
(A new, re-edited version of this previously posted work - all clips enhanced for better listening discernment!)
*Headphones or ear buds - recommended to hear Gabriel, more clearly...Italian sub-titles have been added at the request of the Genesis Fan Club in Italy ! Grazie! This section sees Banks (who composed the chord progression whilst still at University) switching to Hammond organ, Hackett playing electric guitar and Collins entering on drums. When performing the song live, Gabriel would don a "crown of thorns" headpiece at this point. The piece segués into the next with a Lover's Leap reprise. The program describes this section as follows: "The lovers come across a town dominated by two characters; one a benevolent farmer and the other the head of a highly disciplined scientific religion. The latter likes to be known as "The Guaranteed Eternal Sanctuary Man" and claims to contain a secret new ingredient capable of fighting fire. This is a falsehood, an untruth, a whopper and a taradiddle, or to put it in clearer terms; a lie." This NON-commercial, educational video offers a side-by-side comparison of the Peter Gabriel re-tracked vocals of the "Guaranteed Eternal Sanctuary Man"..and further elucidates upon why he had no choice but to do so (for the Live Box Set Extras Disk). Genesis' Engineer/Editor Guru Nick Davis flew in Peter's Real World Studio 1997 pick-ups into the marred sections of the now famous 1973 Rainbow Theatre concert - to bring it up to snuff. He utilized ProTools DAW (non-linear digital editing) to accomplish this - as compared to the Archive 1 disk - which was done using the internal memory of a linear Sony 3348 digital tape machine and his own musician's knowledge/rhythm. An amazing feat for the partial phrase replacement! This video also goes over the importance of good singing/breathing technique for all you rock vocalists out there, too |
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Supper's Ready: Ikhnaton & Itsacon ..and their Band of Merry Men (Part 3)
Part 3 of this NON-commercial, educational video - assembled with the (direct informational insight) assistance of Genesis engineer & producing guru - Nick Davis...and guitarist Steve Hackett.
This is the last section in which the more mature Gabriel's special vocal inserts are present (on the first 3 sections of the Extra's Disk - 2008 Live Box set). This section is much more dynamic than the previous two, with lively drums, a strong elegiac lead electric guitar solo from Hackett, and a lot of interplay between this guitar and the organ (including a section with fast organ and guitar arpeggios, Hackett employing the "tapping" style of playing). The lyrics refer to a battle of some sort, presumably involving Ikhnaton. The program spells "Itsacon" as "Its-a-con". It describes this section as follows: "Who the lovers see clad in greys and purples, awaiting to be summoned out of the ground. At the G.E.S.M's command they put forth from the bowels of the earth, to attack all those without an up-to-date "Eternal Life Licence", which were obtainable at the head office of the G.E.S.M.'s religion." Many thanks to Mr. Davis, Mr. Hackett., Mr. Jorge Monteiro and Mr. David Raphael (conceptual artist) and Wikipedia for making this informative video possible. |
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Supper's Ready: How Dare I Be So Beautiful / Willow Farm intro (Part 4)
For the most avid early-Genesis fans, only! (Italian subtitles)
This is the continuation of a NON-commercial, educational video - assembled with the (direct informational insight) assistance of Genesis engineer & producing guru - Nick Davis...and guitarist Steve Hackett. This is a slow and gentle section, the only instrumentation being treated acoustic piano chords, each chord being faded-in on the recording, thus losing the piano's characteristic attack and sounding more like an organ (it was done on Hammond organ live). The title is a catchphrase used by the band's early music-business contact, Jonathan King. The lyrics deal with the aftermath of the preceding battle, and referring to the Greek myth of Narcissus, who turned into a flower. The program describes this section as follows: "In which our intrepid heroes invesitigate the aftermath of the battle and discover a solitary figure, obsessed by his own image. They witness an unusual transmutation, and are pulled into their own reflections in the water." Many thanks to Mr. Davis, Mr. Hackett., Mr. Armando Gallo and Mr. David Raphael (conceptual artist) for making this informative video possible. |
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Supper's Ready: Willow Farm (Part 5) Photo Copyright: Armando Gallo
A Flower? Part Five of the NON-commercial, educational video - assembled with the (direct informational insight) assistance of Genesis engineer & producing guru - Nick Davis...and guitarist Steve Hackett. Live in concert, this section provided what is perhaps one of Gabriel's most iconic moments - the lyrics commence with the question "A Flower?", which would see Gabriel appear in his "flower mask" (by Gabriel's own admission, partly inspired by the BBC children's programme The Flower Pot Men.) Musically, this section is somewhat bizarre, featuring amongst other things: vaudeville-style sections, theMellotron Mark II's "combined brass" tape set, sped-up vocals, and musique concrète noises of trains and explosions. Lyrically, it has a Python-esque quality, dealing with elements of the absurd in the English psyche, "there's Winston Churchill, dressed in drag, he used to be a British flag, plastic bag, what a drag!" and numerous elements of word play, boarding schools, agricultural depravity and social conformity. At this point there is a reflective interlude, not definitely belonging to either "Willow Farm" or the following "Apocalypse In 9/8", with bass pedal, electric guitar, organ and mellotron drones, followed by another melody on acoustic guitars, flute and Hammond organ. The program describes this section as follows: "Climbing out of the pool, they are once again in a different existence. They're right in the middle of a myriad of bright colours, filled with all manner of objects, plants, animals and humans. Life flows freely and everything is mindlessly busy. At random, a whistle blows and every single thing is instantly changed into another." "Willow Farm" was originally a stand-alone song, with music and lyrics by Gabriel. At one point, while "Supper's Ready" was being written and assembled, Banks or Gabriel had the idea of including "Willow Farm" in the middle of it. Banks commented that this jarring, fast-paced piece prevented "Supper's Ready" from seeming too much like a repeat of their earlier epic "Stagnation". Many thanks to Mr. Davis, Mr. Hackett., Mr. Armando Gallo and Mr. Jim Buntinx (conceptual artist) and Wikipedia for making this informative video possible. |
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Supper's Ready: Apocalypse in 9/8
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Supper's Ready: As Sure As Eggs is Eggs (Aching Men's Feet) Part 7
"As Sure As Eggs Is Eggs" is a folklore variation of the logical tautology that "X = X"
"Apocalypse" segues into this part via a slower section which reprises the lyrics from "Lover's Leap" in combination with the chord progression from "The Guaranteed Eternal Sanctuary Man", backed by a pressed snare drum roll and tubular bells. As this reaches a peak, during live shows, a flash charge would be fired and Gabriel would discard his Magog costume to reveal himself in shining white apparel which glowed when exposed to black light. During one gig, he infamously attempted flying on a kirby wire, and was nearly strangled.[citation needed] From this point to the end, drums, deep bass pedals and mellotron brass are present, Gabriel singing Blakean lyrics which reference The New Jerusalem (The Crystal City of God that is established after the death of the AntiChrist) and the Second Coming of Christ with reference to the biblical Revelation 19:17: I saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the sky, Come! Be gathered together to the great supper of God. (According to some interpretations, this passage of Scripture refers to the bodies of the wicked dead left-over after the forces of the AntiChrist are supernaturally destroyed, after which the birds are called to feast on the flesh of the wicked. Hence, the song's bizarre title: Supper's Ready.) After completing the lyrics in this section, Gabriel would then pick up and raise an active blacklight tube, holding it near himself, upraised with both hands, as though it were a sword. Gabriel would be the only one lit onstage at this point and would actually appear to be glowing from the combination of blacklight, his reflective white costume and fluorescent makeup. Gabriel considered this effect to be a theatrical way of symbolizing the victory of good/light over evil/darkness. (This "glowing" also reflects a spiritual transformation, changing from a fleshly body to a spiritual one, also referenced in the preceding lyrics, "Can't you feel our souls ignite.."). Then, the piece fades out on overdubbing cascading lead electric guitar parts from Hackett. On the original recording this section is in the key of A, but because of Gabriel's inability to properly re-create the same vocal performance onstage from either hoarseness or tiredness, the band regularly had to change the key to G. The program describes this section as follows: Above all else an egg is an egg 'And did those feet ............' making ends meet. Jerusalem = place of peace Many thanks to Mr. Davis, Mr. Hackett., Mr. Armando Gallo, Mr. Robert Ellis and Misters. David Raphael and Jim Buntinx (conceptual artists) and Wikepedia for making this informative video series possible. |
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