The Musical Box (band)
Encyclopedia
The Musical Box is a prominent Genesis
tribute band.
, Quebec
in 1993 to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the 1973 album Selling England by the Pound
. The original band was a seven-piece, and incorporated visual effects and costumes that were in the original Genesis shows of the 1970s.
With the addition of Denis Gagné as the new lead singer in 1995, the band reformed as a five-piece (mirroring the seventies-era Genesis) and put more emphasis on an accurate stage show, from the lights, costumes and in-between song banter of a classic Genesis concert. Gagné immersed himself in the role of Peter Gabriel
, learning to play flute and shaving a bald spot in the front of his hairline to better emulate Gabriel's early-70s appearance. From 1993 to 2000 The Musical Box focused on the Nursery Cryme
, Foxtrot and Selling England by the Pound
shows.
In 2000 The Musical Box purchased the rights from Peter Gabriel
and Genesis to re-create The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
. Genesis helped The Musical Box greatly with this show staging by giving them copies of the 1,200 original slides. They also had access to the original slide operators who helped them put them back (more or less) into the correct order. In addition the band was granted full access to the original album master tapes so they could correctly reproduce the sound live on stage, even though Genesis themselves did not do this. The band's decision to exactly reproduce the sound of the original studio albums in a live environment caused some controversy especially within the Genesis hard-core fan community.
Since 2001 The Musical Box has grown in popularity, and has performed large sold-out shows in Canada
, the USA, Europe
and South America
.
The band announced another world tour on 12 July 2007. This covered several countries in Europe and a number of midwestern and eastern US cities. The European leg of the tour was a selection of shows based on the Foxtrot and Selling England By The Pound tours, with both the white and black shows on the England Tour. It was reported to be the last time that Foxtrot based shows will be performed in Europe. The North American leg of the tour did not consist of any Foxtrot shows, but rather one Selling England "White Show" and one Selling England "Black Show" in most cities. The black and white shows feature the same setlist but very different set designs.
Denis Gagné appeared in the 2010 film Soupernatural, and also sang on the soundtrack.
. Keyboardist David Myers will not be part of the band this time around. They will tour eastern Canada and the United States from October to December 2011, and then tour Western Europe in February 2012.
joined the band in London
, England
at the Royal Albert Hall
, playing on a special encore of "Firth of Fifth
". Drummer Phil Collins
watched the Lamb show in Geneva
in 2005, and joined the band onstage to play drums during the encore of "The Musical Box". He watched the entire show and told reporters afterwards that "they played it better than we did." Peter Gabriel
, meanwhile, has taken his children to a show so "they could see what their father used to do."
When Genesis told the world about their plans to reunite, the Musical Box came up numerous times during their press conferences.
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
tribute band.
Covering the Peter Gabriel era of Genesis
Taking their name from the 1971 track of the same name, The Musical Box formed in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
in 1993 to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the 1973 album Selling England by the Pound
Selling England by the Pound
- Sound and live performance :The piano introduction to "Firth of Fifth" has not been included in a performance since 1974, in a Drury Lane Theatre concert, when Banks misplayed and Collins covered by starting the song from after the intro...
. The original band was a seven-piece, and incorporated visual effects and costumes that were in the original Genesis shows of the 1970s.
With the addition of Denis Gagné as the new lead singer in 1995, the band reformed as a five-piece (mirroring the seventies-era Genesis) and put more emphasis on an accurate stage show, from the lights, costumes and in-between song banter of a classic Genesis concert. Gagné immersed himself in the role of Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
, learning to play flute and shaving a bald spot in the front of his hairline to better emulate Gabriel's early-70s appearance. From 1993 to 2000 The Musical Box focused on the Nursery Cryme
Nursery Cryme
Nursery Cryme is the third studio album by Genesis and was recorded and released in 1971. It is also the first album to feature the classic five-piece line-up of Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford, Phil Collins and Steve Hackett; the latter two replacing John Mayhew and Anthony Phillips, on...
, Foxtrot and Selling England by the Pound
Selling England by the Pound
- Sound and live performance :The piano introduction to "Firth of Fifth" has not been included in a performance since 1974, in a Drury Lane Theatre concert, when Banks misplayed and Collins covered by starting the song from after the intro...
shows.
In 2000 The Musical Box purchased the rights from Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
and Genesis to re-create The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
The Lamb Lies down on Broadway
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway is a double concept album recorded and released in 1974 by the British rock band Genesis. It was their sixth studio album and the last album by the group to feature the involvement of lead singer Peter Gabriel.-Premise:...
. Genesis helped The Musical Box greatly with this show staging by giving them copies of the 1,200 original slides. They also had access to the original slide operators who helped them put them back (more or less) into the correct order. In addition the band was granted full access to the original album master tapes so they could correctly reproduce the sound live on stage, even though Genesis themselves did not do this. The band's decision to exactly reproduce the sound of the original studio albums in a live environment caused some controversy especially within the Genesis hard-core fan community.
Since 2001 The Musical Box has grown in popularity, and has performed large sold-out shows in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the USA, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
.
The band announced another world tour on 12 July 2007. This covered several countries in Europe and a number of midwestern and eastern US cities. The European leg of the tour was a selection of shows based on the Foxtrot and Selling England By The Pound tours, with both the white and black shows on the England Tour. It was reported to be the last time that Foxtrot based shows will be performed in Europe. The North American leg of the tour did not consist of any Foxtrot shows, but rather one Selling England "White Show" and one Selling England "Black Show" in most cities. The black and white shows feature the same setlist but very different set designs.
Covering the Collins-Banks-Hackett-Rutherford era of Genesis
In Summer 2008, the band announced its "Trick of the Tail" tour, based upon the tours first performed in 1976, was happening. The role of Phil Collins was played by Denis Gagné (as a singer) as well as Marc Laflamme (as a drummer). Gregg Bendian (who played the role of Collins on their recent tours) played the part of Bill Bruford on drums. The rest of the band remained the same. According to the band's website, the band worked with Genesis and others involved in the original 1976 production to recreate the show as much as possible. The band started the tour in Europe on the 27th of September 2008, playing a total of 27 shows. This was the first time that they have performed music from after the Peter Gabriel era. There were some rumours about the band performing other tours from the Phil Collins era, but apparently the band never had any intentions of going further in that direction.Denis Gagné appeared in the 2010 film Soupernatural, and also sang on the soundtrack.
Future of the band
The Musical Box took a break in 2010. In late 2011 and early 2012, the band will conduct another tour re-creating The Lamb Lies Down On BroadwayThe Lamb Lies down on Broadway
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway is a double concept album recorded and released in 1974 by the British rock band Genesis. It was their sixth studio album and the last album by the group to feature the involvement of lead singer Peter Gabriel.-Premise:...
. Keyboardist David Myers will not be part of the band this time around. They will tour eastern Canada and the United States from October to December 2011, and then tour Western Europe in February 2012.
Setlists
- For the Foxtrot shows they played songs from the albums 'Nursery Cryme' and 'Foxtrot': "Watcher Of The Skies", "Can-Utility and the Coast-Liners", "The Musical Box", "Get 'em Out By Friday", "Supper's Ready" and "The Return Of The Giant Hogweed", with two encores: "The Knife" and "The Fountain Of Salmacis".
- The Selling England setlist comprised six eighths of the titular album ("After the Ordeal" and "Aisle of Plenty" were not performed), and a selection of live favourites: "Watcher of the Skies", "The Musical Box", "Supper's Ready" and "The Knife". "Horizons" and "The Return of the Giant Hogweed" were sometimes played instead of "More Fool Me" and "The Knife" respectively.
- The Lamb shows comprised the entirety of the 1974 album, plus "The Musical Box" and "Watcher of the Skies" or "The Knife".
- The A Trick of the Tail shows comprised the following numbers: "Dance on A Volcano," the Lamb Medley "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway/Fly on a Windshield/Carpet Crawlers," "The Cinema Show," "Robbery, Assault and Battery," "White Mountain," "Firth of Fifth," "Entangled/Squonk," "Supper's Ready," "I Know What I Like (in Your Wardrobe)" and "Los Endos" with an encore of "It/Watcher of the Skies." "The Cinema Show" featured extensive double drumming from Collins and Bruford as did "Supper's Ready," and "Los Endos." "Watcher of the Skies" was a short instrumental version merging the beginning and ending sections of the song.
Support from members of Genesis
Genesis has supported The Musical Box in many ways. In 2002 their former guitarist Steve HackettSteve Hackett
Stephen Richard Hackett is a British singer-songwriter and guitarist. He gained prominence as a member of the British progressive rock group Genesis, which he joined in 1970 and left in 1977 to pursue a solo career...
joined the band in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
, playing on a special encore of "Firth of Fifth
Firth of Fifth
"Firth of Fifth" is a progressive rock song by progressive rock band Genesis, from their 1973 album Selling England by the Pound. The title is a pun on the estuary of the River Forth in Scotland, commonly known as the Firth of Forth....
". Drummer Phil Collins
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
watched the Lamb show in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
in 2005, and joined the band onstage to play drums during the encore of "The Musical Box". He watched the entire show and told reporters afterwards that "they played it better than we did." Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
, meanwhile, has taken his children to a show so "they could see what their father used to do."
When Genesis told the world about their plans to reunite, the Musical Box came up numerous times during their press conferences.
Current band members (2009-2010)
- Denis Gagné ("Phil CollinsPhil CollinsPhilip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
" as vocalist): Lead Vocals, Tambourine, Percussion [in 2011, as Peter Gabriel in "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" tour] - François Gagnon ("Steve HackettSteve HackettStephen Richard Hackett is a British singer-songwriter and guitarist. He gained prominence as a member of the British progressive rock group Genesis, which he joined in 1970 and left in 1977 to pursue a solo career...
"): 6-string electric and acoustic guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, 12-string guitar - Sébastien Lamothe ("Mike RutherfordMike RutherfordMichael John Cleote Crawford Rutherford is an English musician. He is a founding member of Genesis, initially as a bassist and backup vocalist. In later incarnations of Genesis, he assumed the role of lead guitarist. He is one of only two constant members in Genesis . He also fronts Mike + The...
"): bassBass (instrument)Bass describes musical instruments that produce tones in the low-pitched range. They belong to different families of instruments and can cover a wide range of musical roles...
, bass pedalsBass pedalsBass pedals are an electronic musical instrument with foot-operated pedal keyboard with a range of one or more octaves. The earliest bass pedals from the 1970s consisted of a pedalboard and analog synthesizer tone generation circuitry packaged together as a unit...
, 12-string guitar, vocals - Gregg Bendian ("Bill BrufordBill BrufordWilliam Scott "Bill" Bruford is an English drummer, percussionist, composer, producer, and record label owner. He was the original drummer for the progressive rock group Yes, from 1968-1972. Bruford has performed for numerous popular acts since the early 1970s, including a stint as touring...
"): drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration... - David Myers ("Tony BanksTony Banks (musician)This article is about the musician. For other people named Tony Banks, see Tony BanksAnthony George "Tony" Banks is a British composer, and multi-instrumentalist, who performs as a keyboardist and a guitarist...
"): keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, 12-string guitar, vocals - Marc Laflamme ("Phil CollinsPhil CollinsPhilip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
" as drummer): Drums, Percussion
Previous members
- Denis Gagné (as "Peter Gabriel"; in 2009-2010 Denis played Phil Collins)
- Gregg Bendian (as "Phil Collins"; in 2009-2010 Gregg played Bill Bruford)
- François Richard ("Tony Banks")
- Guillaume Courteau ("Phil Collins")
- Denis Champoux ("Steve Hackett")
- Éric Savard ("Tony Banks")
- Christian Hebert ("Steve Hackett")
- Martin Levac ("Phil Collins")
- Pierre Veilleux ("Tony Banks/mellotron")
- Marc Léveillé ("Peter Gabriel")
- André Lépine ("Tony Banks")