TITLE - SUPPER'S READY | MORE THAN 50 YEARS OF GENESIS
WRITTEN BY - PETE CHRISP
PUBLISHED BY - SONA BOOKS
PUBLICATION DATE - AVAILABLE NOW
Pete Chrisp’s “Supper’s Ready - More Than 50 Years of Genesis” offers a fun and concise history of the “posh rock” band, from early years in search of a record deal to their stadium-filling heyday, through reunions and beyond to the present day with the “Last Domino” tour.
Chrisp admits in his introduction that it’s difficult to
find a fan of all eras of Genesis - infamously, the post-Peter Gabriel years,
when Phil Collins took over the microphone, tend to have a different kind of
admirer than that of the early years. As a fan myself, I find much to like from
all of their albums.
The book is unofficial yet it still has a wealth of archive
photos and memorabilia such as concert tickets, gig posters, promo ads and tour
programmes. The photos especially are excellent, though I don’t think there are
any unseen shots. Chrisp charts the Genesis timeline concisely and clearly,
admittedly without any shocking revelations, but it is well-researched, taking
in the band members’ solo careers too. Chrisp expands on each studio album later
in the book.
At the back of the book is a detailed discography of their
studio, live and compilation albums, and an interesting list of Genesis’ albums
from worst to best - sorry, “Calling All Stations” fans! (Their last studio
album from 1997…hard to believe). There are also short biographies of everyone
who’s ever been in Genesis; more than you’d think, culminating with Phil’s son,
Nick, on drums.
A short but packed read, with a chapter or so devoted to
each phase/album, it is large format and looks like an annual that is unusually
good value for money - this book is much more than the sum of its parts. Sadly,
a couple of mistakes have crept in, most likely printing errors, in the
discography - the first track on the band’s first album “From Genesis To Revelation”
is entitled “Where the Sour Turns to Sweet” not “Where the Sweet Turns to Sour”
as stated in the book, and the tracklisting for “Wind & Wuthering”’s first
side repeats the first side tracklisting of “A Trick of the Tail” from the
previous page.
Pete Chrisp writes well and knowledgeably, with humour
(there are several laugh-out-loud moments in his analysis of the studio albums)
and welcome candour about the band’s less successful moments. Overall,
“Supper’s Ready” is an enjoyable and accessible read that delivers a brisk
overview of Genesis’ career, and is recommended. Long term Genesis-heads will
know every fact and photo in these pages and probably deem it inessential;
however, the book is colourful, attractive, and very well put together (errors aside)
and should please a casual fan or someone just discovering the band.
