The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway is an ambitious two-record concept album released in 1974 by British progressive rock band Genesis. It was the last album by the group on which original lead singer Peter Gabriel performed.

Related Topics:
Two-record - Concept album - 1974 - British - Progressive rock - Genesis - Peter Gabriel

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The album tells the surreal and dreamlike story of a Puerto Rican juvenile delinquent named Rael living in New York City, who ventures into an underground realm filled with bizarre creatures and nightmarish dangers in order to rescue his brother John. The individual songs make satirical allusions to everything from mythology to the sexual revolution to advertising and consumerism. The title track, as well as "Carpet Crawlers" and "In the Cage", were still live favourites for the band during the 1990s.

Related Topics:
Surreal - Dream - Puerto Rican - New York City - Mythology - Sexual revolution - Advertising - Consumerism - 1990s

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Most of the music on the album was written by band members Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Steve Hackett, and Mike Rutherford, without Gabriel's participation. Gabriel insisted on writing the story and all the lyrics himself, which caused friction. Gabriel's absenteeism from the album's writing and rehearsal sessions due to personal problems ? his wife was having difficulties with her first pregnancy ? added to the strain.

Related Topics:
Music - Album - Tony Banks - Phil Collins - Steve Hackett - Mike Rutherford

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The Lamb was released to mixed reviews, and reached #10 in the UK, while nearly cracking the U.S. Top 40 (at # 41), eventually going Gold. The band went on a world tour upon its release, performing the album in its entirety at more than 140 dates. As the tour wound to a close, Gabriel announced he was leaving Genesis.

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In 1974, while in pre-production for "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway", Gabriel was contacted by filmmaker William Friedkin ? who was enjoying great success with The Exorcist ? about a possible film based on the album. Gabriel worked on some early script drafts, but nothing came of the project.

Related Topics:
1974 - Film - William Friedkin - The Exorcist

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In 1994 Kevin Gilbert and his band Giraffe performed the entire album at Progfest '94, celebrating The Lamb's 20th anniversary.

Related Topics:
1994 - Kevin Gilbert

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In 2003 work began on a 5.1 surround sound remix of the album for either DVD-Audio or SACD release sometime in 2005.

Related Topics:
2003 - 5.1 surround sound - DVD-Audio - SACD - 2005

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In 2004 and 2005, the entire Lamb was performed by another band called The Musical Box during their worldwide tour, celebrating The Lamb's 30th anniversary.

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