Phil Butchers His Own Song

I've been feeling guilty for the last few months that I didn't buy tickets for the Genesis reunion tour. More than any other band, Genesis was the band I grew up hearing at home (thanks Dad!), and in many ways was the reason I became as big of a music fan as I am today. When the band announced that they'd be reuniting for a string of shows in Europe and the U.S. this year, I had every intention of going. Then two things hit me: (1) tickets are ridiculously expensive; and (2) the shows are in the fall, at a time when I have no idea where I'll be living. (New York? DC? Chicago? San Francisco?) So I reluctantly opted not to buy tickets for any of the shows.

Holy hell am I glad I didn't get a ticket. Here's a clip of the band performing "Turn It On Again" on the VH1 Rock Honors show that's airing tonight (I think).

Phil completely and utterly destroys this song. His vocals are lazy. It's like he's been singing adult contemporary crap for so long that he's completely forgotten how to sing in a way that isn't pandering to the listener. Seriously, take a listen to the original below. Granted, Phil was close to 30 years younger, but his vocals are so much more alive and urgent. Phil was still in the stage where he was trying to justify himself as a singer (let alone the replacement for Peter Gabriel), and he really threw himself into his performances. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way he lost this, and we're left with the bland, sputtering spectacle that he's giving us today. Sad.

"Turn It On Again" (from Duke) [BUY]