Spot the Pigeon

Infobox Album
Name = Spot the Pigeon
Type = EP
Artist = Genesis


Released = May 1977
Recorded = September - October 1976
Genre = Pop rock/Progressive rock
Length = 13:22
Label = Charisma/Virgin (UK)
Atlantic (CAN)
Producer = David Hentschel
and Genesis
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:jq8zefwkhgf4 link]
Last album =
This album = "Spot the Pigeon"
(1977)
Next album ="3 X 3"
(1982)

"Spot the Pigeon" is an EP by the British progressive rock band Genesis, released in 1977. Its three songs were holdovers from the "Wind & Wuthering" sessions, which the band felt did not fit the feel of the album.

Upon its release, "Spot the Pigeon"'s lead song was the football-influenced "Match of the Day", and the EP managed to reach #14 in the UK singles charts. Although the EP market never took off in North America, their overseas distributor, Atlantic Records, released "Spot The Pigeon" in Canada.

This was Genesis' final studio release before guitarist Steve Hackett's departure later in 1977. Unhappy that he wasn't able to get more of his songs onto "Wind & Wuthering", Hackett was further aggravated when "Inside and Out" — which he felt was worthy of inclusion on the album — was relegated to this EP.

Although "Spot the Pigeon" saw a CD release, it has since been deleted. Two of its three tracks, "Pigeons" and "Inside And Out" appeared on the band's 2000 box set "", though — due to their personal dislike of the song — they saw fit to overlook "Match Of The Day"'s inclusion, making it a rarity for fans. However, the track had a new release on CD on May 15, 2007 when Genesis released the box set "Genesis 1976-1982" in the US, thus making the entire EP available for the first time on CD in the US. "Pigeons" and "Inside And Out" have been also released on , The tour edition.

A video for "Match of the Day" was made, with Phil Collins singing on the terraces of Queens Park Rangers F.C. This video is now believed to be lost. Phil himself does not even recall making a music video, but admits that his memory may be off. ["MATCH OF THE DAY....no video was done for this as far as I can recall....but I am weak and my limbs are frail.....etc. Etc. It was also not our finest hour looking back at it now !!! I wrote the embarrassing lyrics and the track featured an attempt to bring some of the hipper grooves of the day into Genesis, with very suspect results." Phil Collins, on his forum. November 2nd, 2004 http://www.philcollins.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=31]

Title

The title is a variation on the football-themed spot the ball (the cover resembles a spot the ball competition photo), replacing the word "ball" with "pigeon" so that the title links the themes of the first two songs.

There is supposed to be an actual pigeon in the cover photograph.

The title is also an obvious nod to "Stop The Pigeon," the theme song from the 1969 Hanna-Barbera cartoon "Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines".fact|date=May 2008

Track listing

All songs by Tony Banks/Phil Collins/Mike Rutherford, except where noted.

#"Match of the Day" – 3:24
#"Pigeons" – 3:12
#"Inside and Out" (Tony Banks/Phil Collins/Steve Hackett/Mike Rutherford) – 6:45

Personnel

*Tony Banks - keyboards
*Phil Collins - drums, percussion, vocals
*Mike Rutherford - guitars, bass
*Steve Hackett - guitars

References