Four fifths of the classic Genesis Lamb Lies Down On Broadway line-up reunited in London last night at Dolby HQ in Soho for a playback of the new Atmos mix of the album from the 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition, which is released on September 26 through Rhino Music.
Tony Banks, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett and Mike Rutherford were all in attendance, with only drummer Phil Collins absent, recuperating from knee surgery at his home in Switzerland.
The quartet got their first look at the new box set and signed items before entering the Atmos playback studio in front of a specially invited audience to partake in a Q+A with Guardian music writer Alex Petridis, who had interviewed the band and written the sleeve notes in the hardback book that is included in the new box set.
Looking back largely favourably on their 1974 album, Peter Gabriel joked that he had “no idea’ what it was about while there was good-natured ribbing between Gabriel and Banks over the length of the latter’s keyboard solos.
Banks and Gabriel oversaw Bob Mackenzie’s new Atmos mix at the latter’s Real World Studios down near Bath.
“Bob did a brilliant job bringing it into ATMOS and it was good to be back in the mixing chairs with Tony,” Gabriel recalled. “It brought back many good memories of being in a band. We were still wearing our ‘More Me’ T-shirts, however, we have both matured enough to (very) occasionally ask for ‘Less Me’ – would never have happened 50 years ago.”
“Great to have a chance to work with my old friend on something from our youth, and relive some of the moments we had when recording these pieces,” Banks added. “Still sounds fresh to me!”
The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition includes the original album mix, remastered at Abbey Road Studios by Miles Showell from the 1974 analogue tapes while a Blu-ray audio disc includes the remastered 96kHz/24-bit high-resolution audio and Dolby ATMOS mixes of the studio album.
Plus the full live show The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway Live At The Shrine Auditorium from January 24, 1975, including the encore tracks, is released in its entirety for the very first time. It is remastered and includes two encore tracks Watcher Of The Skies and The Musical Box. There are also three never-before-released demos from the legendary Headley Grange Session, included as part of a digital download card with the full audio from the set
There is also a 60-page coffee table-style book with new liner notes, images from Armando Gallo, Richard Haines and other noted photographers, and a replica 1975 tour programme, ticket and poster.
Pre-order The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition.