The greatest rock theater production of the 20th century!
This is the greatest rock theater work of the 20th century!
I’ve seen every rock theater production I could from The Who’s Tommy, David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust, Alice Cooper, and many others—but this stands apart. The two masterpieces of rock theater I loved most profoundly were this work and The Kinks’ Preservation musical.
However, at the time, these works were considered too difficult for rock fans, and as a result, these bands would start to create more commercial works. But Phil Collins of Genesis has stated that this work contains his finest performance within Genesis. You can hear elements of polyrhythm and influences from jazz and world music.
GENESIS The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (50th Anniversary Edition) Rhino／Warner（2025）
I felt that Peter Gabriel used mime movements better than David Bowie. It was original and unique. He wasn’t trying to do mime properly like David Bowie would during his Ziggy Stardust tour. Genesis was touring the United States a lot at this time, and I went to see many of their concerts. The ones I attended in 1973 and 74 included the following: Felt Forum, NYC on November 22, 1973; Capital Theatre, Passaic NJ, on March 1, 1974; Academy of Music NYC on May 4, 1974, and Academy of Music in NYC on December 6, 1974. I took my camera to the March 1 concert in New Jersey and the December 6 concert at the Academy of Music. No one stopped me from taking photos in those days. I took a photography class at school and had great shots of their concerts. Peter Gabriel flew up in the air like Peter Pan at the end of “Supper’s Ready.”
During the The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway show, I sat in the front row; Peter Gabriel came down to the front of the stage during one of the songs “Anyway,” and stared straight into my camera.
Peter Gabriel was a huge influence on my life and career. He would tell stories using very simple mime techniques that he picked up from watching performers, such as Marcel Marceau and Lindsay Kemp. Unlike David Bowie or Kate Bush, Gabriel never took lessons from Lindsay Kemp. He took from what he saw and liked. In the song “Watcher of the Skies,” he would either stand very still or make sudden, agitated movements. He knew how to use rhythm very well. This wasn’t dance, but something entirely different. It reminded me of movements in silent film classics such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari or Nosferatu. He made these movements with great concentration. I often watched him from the center of the front row in the theater. I was deeply affected by his lyrics and his movements like nothing else. This influence remained strong deep inside me for years.
