The Second Coming - The Rolling Stones Discography (1968-1976)

Keeping up with my seemingly usual "one post per month" quota, here's yet another band discography for Strawberry Peppers: The Second Coming, focusing on The Rolling Stones. A criticism with the original discography of the David Bowie era of the Stones (1969-1976) was that it was incredibly unrealistic that he'd be given a lot of album space from the get-go. I mean, if you look at the early years of the Beatles, George Harrison didn't really emerge as a songwriter until 1965, save for "Don't Bother Me" on With the Beatles, so it left me wondering how to fix that up. Hopefully this revised discography will be more to your liking.

Before we begin, however, and for those of you who are wondering about David Bowie's solo discography:

• "Letter to Hermione" and "Janine" are both donated to the Rolling Stones, and "Conversation Piece" ends up in the middle of the second side of his 1969 eponymous album.
• 1984 is able to be released as he originally intended before came out with Diamond Dogs instead, per Albums Back from the Dead. I might change that up if expectations seem unrealistic, but one can dream, right?
• The Gouster comes out instead of Young Americans, and "Fame" and "Across the Universe" are released as a standalone single with John Lennon.
• The Man Who Sold the World, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, Aladdin Sane, Pin Ups and Station to Station are unaltered from OTL.

And now, the Rolling Stones discography, post-1967!

Who Killed Christopher Robin? (September 6, 1968)

Side A (22:22)

1. Sympathy for the Devil - 6:18 (Beggars Banquet)

2. No Expectations - 3:56 (Beggars Banquet)

3. Citadel - 2:50 (Their Satanic Majesties Request)

4. In Another Land - 3:15 (Their Satanic Majesties Request)

5. Parachute Woman - 2:20 (Beggars Banquet)

6. Jumpin' Jack Flash - 3:43 (GRRR!)

Side B (23:40)

7. Street Fighting Man - 3:16 (Beggars Banquet)

8. The Lantern - 4:24 (Their Satanic Majesties Request)

9. Stray Cat Blues - 4:38 (Beggars Banquet)

10. Factory Girl - 2:09 (Beggars Banquet)

11. 2000 Man - 3:07 (Their Satanic Majesties Request)

12. Jigsaw Puzzle - 6:06 (Beggars Banquet)

Originally, it was dubbed Lazarus of England, and I liked the original playlist fine, but one of my biggest regrets was excluding "Street Fighting Man", one of the band's most political songs. This revised playlist puts more emphasis on Beggars Banquet as I think it's likely that, following the aborted sessions for Their Satanic Majesties Request, the Stones start from scratch but salvage a few tracks (that is, those that weren't released as singles) for their comeback album. This is their last album to have any involvement from Brian Jones.

Let It Bleed (December 5, 1969)

Side A (19:57)

1. Gimme Shelter - 4:31

2. Janine - 3:25 (Space Oddity)

3. Honky Tonk Women - 3:02 (GRRR!)

4. Live with Me - 3:33

5. Let It Bleed - 5:26

Side B (21:23)

6. Midnight Rambler - 6:52

7. You Got the Silver - 2:51

8. Monkey Man - 4:12

9. You Can't Always Get What You Want - 7:28

One rule that I'm establishing for these albums is to eliminate cover songs as I believe they should've put more emphasis on originals like they did for Could You Walk on the Water? and Aftermath. However, covers could still happen as B-sides. In place of "Love in Vain" is David Bowie's "Janine", and "Honky Tonk Women" is the single version rather than the country version. One minute shorter than the official version, but still solid overall.

Sticky Fingers (November 27, 1970)

Side A (23:07)

1. Brown Sugar - 3:48

2. Sway - 3:50

3. Wild Horses - 5:42

4. Can't You Hear Me Knocking - 7:14

5. Letter to Hermione - 2:33 (Space Oddity)

Side B (23:02)

6. Bitch - 3:38

7. I Got the Blues - 3:54

8. Sister Morphine - 5:31

9. Dead Flowers - 4:03

10. Moonlight Mile - 5:56

Besides releasing the album earlier and replacing "You Gotta Move", nothing about Sticky Fingers has changed. A near-perfect album from start to finish.

Tropical Disease (December 17, 1971)

Side A (24:53)

1. All Down the Line - 3:49 (Exile on Main Street)

2. 100 Years Ago - 3:59 (Goats Head Soup)

3. Changes - 3:37 (Hunky Dory)

4. Let It Loose - 5:16 (Exile on Main Street)

5. Sweet Virginia - 4:27 (Exile on Main Street)

6. Tumbling Dice - 3:45 (Exile on Main Street)

Side B (23:56)

7. Life on Mars? - 3:43 (Hunky Dory)

8. Loving Cup - 4:25 (Exile on Main Street)

9. Sweet Black Angel - 2:54 (Exile on Main Street)

10. Queen Bitch - 3:18 (Hunky Dory)

11. Shine a Light - 4:14 (Exile on Main Street)

12. The Bewlay Brothers - 5:22 (Hunky Dory)

Tropical Disease was a working title for Exile on Main Street, and the track listing is based upon that by The Reconstructor, but with "Silver Train" and "Hide Your Love" held back for the next album (see below) and the removal of "Shake Your Hips" and "Stop Breaking Down". All of these changes were made to accommodate four David Bowie tracks.

Exile on Main Street (August 11, 1972)

Side A (22:46)

1. Rocks Off - 4:31

2. Rip This Joint - 2:22

3. Eight Line Poem - 2:55 (Hunky Dory)

4. Torn and Frayed - 4:17

5. Casino Boogie - 3:33

6. Quicksand - 5:08 (Hunky Dory)

Side B (24:26)

7. Happy - 3:04

8. Silver Train - 4:27 (Goats Head Soup)

9. Andy Warhol - 3:08 (Hunky Dory; edit)

10. Turd on the Run - 2:36

11. Hide Your Love - 4:12 (Goats Head Soup)

12. Velvet Goldmine - 3:10 (Re:Call 1)

13. Soul Survivor - 3:49

Again, I follow what The Reconstructor did with his single Exile on Main Street album, albeit by excluding the bonus tracks from the 2010 reissue as well as "Ventilator Blues" (a co-write with Mick Taylor), and even throwing in "Velvet Goldmine", one of David Bowie's most popular tracks despite not appearing on an album. Since it was recorded in 1971, I think it fits well.

Goats Head Soup (August 31, 1973)

Side A (26:43)

1. Dancing with Mr. D - 4:53

2. Tops - 3:45 (Tattoo You)

3. Song for Bob Dylan - 4:12 (Hunky Dory)

4. Coming Down Again - 5:54

5. Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker) - 3:26

6. Angie - 4:33

Side B (26:05)

7. Oh! You Pretty Things - 3:12 (Hunky Dory)

8. Winter - 5:30

9. Can You Hear the Music - 5:31

10. Kooks - 2:53 (Hunky Dory)

11. Star Star - 4:25

12. Waiting on a Friend - 4:34 (Tattoo You)

As Goats Head Soup was robbed of a few tracks, I filled the gaps with a couple of outtakes that were eventually included on Tattoo You along with the leftover tracks from Hunky Dory. The resulting album runs at six minutes longer than OTL, but still works pretty well.

Diamond Dogs (October 18, 1974)

Side A (14:49)

1. If You Can't Rock Me - 3:46 (It's Only Rock 'n Roll)

2. Diamond Dogs - 5:56 (Diamond Dogs)

3. It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It) - 5:07 (It's Only Rock 'n Roll)

Side B (15:44)

4. Till the Next Goodbye - 4:37 (It's Only Rock 'n Roll)

5. Time Waits for No One - 6:37 (It's Only Rock 'n Roll)

6. Rebel Rebel - 4:30 (Diamond Dogs)

Side C (13:08)

7. Luxury - 5:00 (It's Only Rock 'n Roll)

8. Rock 'n' Roll with Me - 3:57 (Diamond Dogs)

9. Dance Little Sister - 4:11 (It's Only Rock 'n Roll)

Side D (15:32)

10. If You Really Want to Be My Friend - 6:16 (It's Only Rock 'n Roll)

11. Short and Curlies - 2:43 (It's Only Rock 'n Roll)

12. Fingerprint File - 6:33 (It's Only Rock 'n Roll)

The official It's Only Rock 'n Roll is quite a lengthy album at 48 minutes, and even if we cut "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", a few songs are still pretty long, running at least five minutes. Including leftover tracks from Diamond Dogs that didn't make 1984, it causes the album to run at about an hour, which is why I made it a double album rather than a single. Depending on reaction, I may revert to leaving OTL's Diamond Dogs as is and replace the three tracks with holdovers from Hunky Dory (namely "Life on Mars", "The Bewlay Brothers" and "Velvet Goldmine") that I included on Tropical Disease and Exile on Main Street, and then replace those with a few 1971-1972 outtakes. Ideally, I'd like the 1971-1976 albums to have around two or three David Bowie tracks each. Speaking of which...

Red and Black Blues (April 13, 1976)

Side A (28:12)

1. Hot Stuff - 5:20 (Black and Blue)

2. Hand of Fate - 4:28 (Black and Blue)

3. Slave - 6:33 (Tattoo You)

4. Win - 4:44 (Young Americans)

5. Memory Motel - 7:07 (Black and Blue)

Side B (25:37)

6. Hey Negrita - 4:59 (Black and Blue)

7. Worried About You - 5:16 (Tattoo You)

8. Fascination - 5:45 (Young Americans)

9. Fool to Cry - 5:03 (Black and Blue)

10. Crazy Mama - 4:34 (Black and Blue)

The Rolling Stones' only album as a sextet, and their first with Ronnie Wood. "Cherry Oh Baby" and "Melody" have been left aside in favor of the later-released "Slave" and "Worried About You", along with a couple of leftovers from Young Americans.

What happens next?

With David Bowie's solo career in full swing, along with the release of Station to Station and his controversial persona the Thin White Duke, he had been planning for a while to depart the Rolling Stones, especially with the arrival of Ronnie Wood. But then, tragedy struck on May 19, 1976, when Keith Richards was involved in a car crash on the M1 under the influence of cocaine and LSD. He was pronounced dead on the scene. Rumors circulated that David Bowie had left because of Richards' death, but he and the surviving members of the Rolling Stones have denied this claim. However, Bill Wyman would leave the group due to his grief, and it would be years before he re-entered the spotlight.

Come 1977, David Bowie would put out his first post-Rolling Stones album Low, the first in what would be called the Berlin trilogy. Meanwhile, Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood would form a new group dubbed the Phoenixes, which also included Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin (who had broken up following Robert Plant's death from a car accident in 1975) and Terry Kath and Robert Lamm from Chicago (who had broken up due to a mix of burnout and creative differences in 1974). The Phoenixes would put out their first album in 1978, dubbed Rise from the Ashes.

The Second Coming - Traveling Wilburys Discography (1987-1991)

Another discography post for The Second Coming, this time focusing upon the Traveling Wilburys - George Harrison (Nelson), Jeff Lynne (Otis), Tom Petty (Charlie T.), Roy Orbison (Lefty) and Bob Dylan (Lucky). They made only two albums in their short run, which I find a bit of a shame since there was enough material between the five of them (Bob less so, admittedly) to put out two more albums. Naturally, one would stop right there, but I decided to go a step further and theorize what an album might look like had they joined a little earlier.

Volume 0: Trembling Wilburys (April 24, 1987)

Side A (19:08)

1. Jammin’ Me - 4:09 (Let Me Up (I’ve Had Enough)) [Charlie T and Lucky]

2. Band on the Hand - 4:34 (Band of the Hand) [Lucky and Charlie T]

3. Just for Today - 4:06 (Cloud Nine) [Nelson and Otis]

4. Calling America - 3:26 (Balance of Power) [Otis]

5. Got My Mind Made Up - 2:53 (Knocked Out Loaded) [Lucky and Charlie T]

Side B (19:55)

6. Coming Home - 3:59 (Class of ‘55: Memphis Rock & Roll Homecoming) [Lefty]

7. All Mixed Up - 3:42 (Let Me Up (I’ve Had Enough)) [Charlie T]

8. Death is Not the End - 5:10 (Down in the Groove) [Lucky]

9. I Don’t Want to Do It - 2:54 (Porky's Revenge; single version) [Nelson and Lucky]

10. Destination Unknown - 4:10 (Balance of Power) [Otis]

In general, I tried to compile material from around 1985 to 1987 featuring the quintet to see what I could come up. I believe the overall result is greater than the sum of its parts, but I can't really see it being ranked that highly among the Wilbury releases given that there's not a whole lot of collaboration between them; mostly Nelson, Charlie and Lucky while Otis and Lefty are there for the ride. The name for the album comes from the original name for the band, The Trembling Wilburys. I tried to replicate what was on the Heartbreakers' Let Me Up (I've Had Enough), but in hindsight, it looks pretty crap. Also, Roy's absent - complete heresy!

Volume 1: Handle with Care (October 25, 1988)

Side A (17:01)

1. Handle with Care - 3:19

2. Dirty World - 3:30

3. Rattled - 3:00

4. Last Night - 3:48

5. Not Alone Any More - 3:24

Side B (19:22)

6. Congratulations - 3:30

7. Heading for the Light - 3:37

8. Margarita - 3:15

9. Tweeter and the Monkey Man - 5:30

10. End of the Line - 3:30

An album in which nothing could possibly be changed; you're welcome. Ideally, one could simply call the albums Volume X, but I personally find it to be rather bland, and so I'll be giving each album their own individual titles. Handle with Care gets its title from the opening track.

Volume 2: Under the Red Sky (December 8, 1989)

Side A (18:19)

1. You Got It - 3:30 (Mystery Girl) [Lefty, Otis and Charlie T]

2. I Won’t Back Down - 2:56 (Full Moon Fever) [Charlie T, Otis and Nelson]

3. Lift Me Up - 3:36 (Armchair Theatre) [Otis and Nelson]

4. Cheer Down - 4:08 (Best of Dark Horse 1976-1989) [Nelson, Charlie T and Otis]

5. Under the Red Sky - 4:09 (Under the Red Sky) [Lucky and Nelson]

Side B (20:27)

6. Every Little Thing - 3:41 (Armchair Theatre) [Otis, Nelson and Oswald]

7. A Love So Beautiful - 3:33 (Mystery Girl) [Lefty, Otis and Nelson]

8. Like a Ship - 3:31 (Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1)

9. Maxine - 2:49 (Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1)

10. California Blue - 3:57 (Mystery Girl) [Lefty, Otis and Charlie T]

11. Zombie Zoo - 2:56 (Full Moon Fever) [Charlie T, Otis and Lefty]

For this album and one that's coming up, I've taken cues from both Albums That Never Were and Albums Back from the Dead in their respective takes at a third Wilburys album. Under the Red Sky is based upon the former by SonicLoveNoize, with some changes made to the track listing by giving Bob Dylan a couple of vocals and making it seem as if it's a tribute to Roy Orbison, hence he gets three vocal spots. I can easily see Under the Red Sky being their best album as all of the songs included go together extremely well, supported by the fact that Jeff Lynne was involved in all but one of them.

For those who are curious, Oswald Sidebury is Jim Horn, who collaborated with the members a bit, making him an honorary member.

Volume 3: Inside Out (October 29, 1990)

Side A (19:54)

1. She’s My Baby - 3:15

2. Inside Out - 3:35

3. If You Belonged to Me - 3:13

4. The Devil’s Been Busy - 3:18

5. 7 Deadly Sins - 3:17

6. Poor House - 3:16

Side B (16:16)

7. Where Were You Last Night? - 3:03

8. Cool Dry Place - 3:37

9. New Blue Moon - 3:20

10. You Took My Breath - 3:18

11. Wilbury Twist - 2:58

Once again, nothing's been changed from Volume 3 apart from the cover and title.

Volume 4: Runaways (September 27, 1991)

Side A (18:01)

1. Poor Little Girl - 4:33 (Best of Dark Horse 1976-1989) [Nelson and Otis]

2. Runaway - 2:31 (“She’s My Baby” single)

3. Walk Away - 3:37 (Rock On!) [Tobias, Charlie T and Otis]

4. September Song - 2:57 (Armchair Theatre) [Otis and Nelson]

5. Runnin’ Down a Dream - 4:23 (Full Moon Fever) [Charlie T, Otis and Tobias]

Side B (18:39)

6. Nobody’s Child - 3:29 (Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3)

7. Don’t Treat Me Like a Stranger - 3:05 (An American Treasure) [Charlie T and Otis]

8. Cockamamie Business - 5:15 (Best of Dark Horse 1976-1989) [Nelson and Otis]

9. Work It Out - 3:21 (Work It Out) [Oswald, Otis and Charlie T]

10. Blown Away - 3:29 (Armchair Theatre) [Otis, Charlie T and Tobias]

The final Wilburys album, and perhaps tragically, their most disappointing. With Lucky mostly a no-show, Tobias having committed suicide the year prior, and Lefty having already died in 1988, not to mention cover versions of "Runaway", "September Song" and "Nobody's Child", Nelson, Otis and Charlie each saw no reason to continue beyond Runaways. (The album cover depicting the 1895 Montparnasse derailment certainly reflects upon the content, despite including some of their best.) After that, they went back to their respective careers; Tom Petty carried on with Mudcrutch until his death in 2017, Jeff Lynne resumed his work with the Electric Light Orchestra, and George Harrison was in talks of a Beatles reunion with Jeff's involvement...

Another note; Tobias Wilbury is the pseudonym for Del Shannon on this album, and although not stated anywhere, Mike Campbell's is Montague Wilbury.

The Second Coming - The Beatles' 1972 Album and Solo Projects

Yep, I've pretty much decided upon a retcon for The Second Coming; the Beatles end up releasing an album for 1972 after all. That's the funny thing about stories, isn't it? Sometimes, they just don't go the way you want them to, and they end up taking a life of their own. So, here it is, the 1972 Beatles album that now is...

Ram (July 28, 1972)

Side A (20:38)

1. Back Off Boogaloo - 3:19 (Photograph: The Very Best of Ringo Starr)

2. Power to the People - 3:22 (Imagine; Take 7)

3. Give Ireland Back to the Irish - 3:44 (Wild Life)

4. Crippled Inside - 3:47 (Imagine)

5. That Would Be Something - 2:38 (McCartney)

6. Deep Blue - 3:47 (Living in the Material World)

Side B (20:05)

7. Too Many People - 4:10 (Ram)

8. Sunday Bloody Sunday - 5:00 (Some Time in New York City)

9. Miss O'Dell - 2:33 (Living in the Material World)

10. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey - 4:49 (Ram)

11. Happy Xmas (War is Over) - 3:33 (Gimme Some Truth: The Ultimate Mixes)

Fresh from the success of their Imagine album and the Concert for Bangladesh, the Beatles recorded a few tracks for a potential follow-up - "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey", "Back Off Boogaloo", "Crippled Inside" and "Miss O'Dell". However, John, Paul and George were at the crossroads; each of them had more than enough material to fill up two sides of an album, and even if they made a double album, some tracks were bound to be cut. And so, it was decided that they would each put out a solo album for next year, save for Ringo, who had released his own solo album earlier that same year, Sentimental Journey. The Beatles do end up recording a single for the Christmas market, John's "Happy Xmas (War is Over)", with George's "Miss O'Dell" as the B-side.

1972 began with a literal bang as thirteen people were killed in a massacre in Northern Ireland (a fourteenth died months later from his injuries), later to be known as Bloody Sunday. John and Paul, both of Irish descent themselves, got together with Ringo in New York to record four new songs under the Beatles' name - George was too busy with his solo album, so John and Paul both took turns on lead guitar. "Give Ireland Back to the Irish" was released as a single on February 25, the first to be written by Lennon/McCartney in two years, and it was banned by the BBC despite reaching #16 there.

The four songs recorded in New York - "Give Ireland...", "Sunday Bloody Sunday", "Power to the People" and "Too Many People" - helped to further build upon the next Beatles album, as did a 1970 solo recording by Paul, "That Would Be Something", and an outtake from the Imagine sessions, "Deep Blue". The resulting album was Ram, one of the most scattershot and inconsistent albums in the Beatles' discography to date, and their first to have no involvement from George Martin whatsoever. Critical reception was rather dismal by the band's standards, becoming their first album to not reach the top spot in either the United States for the United Kingdom. However, the first single, "Back Off Boogaloo", managed to chart in the Top 10 in both countries, but the second single, "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey", was only released in the United States, where it reached #1.

The Beatles would partake in one final recording session in October for "Live and Let Die", the theme song for the James Bond film of the same name, with George Martin back in the producer's chair. It was during this session that the band discussed where to go next for 1973...

Singles:

• "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" / "Miss O'Dell" - December 1, 1971
• "Give Ireland Back to the Irish" / "Sunday Bloody Sunday" - February 25, 1972
• "Back Off Boogaloo" / "Crippled Inside" - May 12, 1972
• "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" / "Deep Blue" - July 31, 1972
• "Live and Let Die" / "Power to the People" - June 1, 1973

Does Ram have any effect in the long run? For the most part, no. However, I can see said album being ranked by critics amongst the Beatles' lower reaches of their talents, although it will have its share of defenders, largely because of "Back Off Boogaloo" and "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" being the album's biggest songs, as well as "Too Many People" (which I've re-interpreted as being a jab against politicians) for sounding relevant today. But overall, Ram is an underdog that we root for, even though we know it won't succeed in the end.

And as a bonus, the solo albums by John, Paul, George and Ringo during the 1972-1975 period: (For those who are wondering, Sentimental Journey is released on March 26, 1971 with the inclusion of "Stormy Weather" on Side A as track five and the official version of "Good Night" to close off Side B.)

Paul McCartney - Wild Life (May 15, 1972)

Side A (23:59)

1. Oo You - 2:48 (McCartney)

2. Smile Away - 3:51 (Ram)

3. Ram On - 3:00 (Ram)

4. Oh Woman, Oh Why - 4:36 (Ram)

5. Man We Was Lonely - 2:56 (McCartney)

6. Wild Life - 6:48 (Wild Life)

Side B (24:02)

7. Heart of the Country/Can You Take Me Back - 2:48 (Ram/The White Album)

8. Monkberry Moon Delight - 5:21 (Ram)

9. Maxwell's Silver Hammer - 3:39 (Anthology 3)

10. Long Haired Lady - 5:54 (Ram)

11. Little Lamb Dragonfly - 6:20 (Red Rose Speedway)

Wild Life serves as TTL's equivalent to Paul's solo Ram from OTL; a forerunner in indie pop music. A good chunk of this album comes from OTL's Ram, along with the title track from Wild Life (I like to imagine a shortened version, eliminating the repeated lines and shorter instrumentals), a couple of holdovers from McCartney and two Beatles outtakes ("Can You Take Me Back" is unlisted, serving as an interlude, and "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" feels better off as a Paul solo song). "Little Lamb Dragonfly" was first started on back in 1970, and it works well as an album closer. Oh, and "Ram On" is now a single track, with the opening to "Big Barn Bed" removed at the end.

John Lennon - John Lennon and the Dirty Plastic Band (June 12, 1972)

Side A (20:48)

1. Mother - 5:34 (John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band)

2. It's So Hard - 2:29 (Imagine; Take 6)

3. Attica State - 2:54 (Some Time in New York City)

4. Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey - 2:24 (The White Album)

5. Isolation - 2:51 (John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band)

6. I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier - 4:36 (Imagine; Take 11)

Side B (21:35)

7. Bring on the Lucie (Freda Peeple) - 4:12 (Mind Games)

8. John Sinclair - 3:28 (Some Time in New York City)

9. Angela - 4:06 (Some Time in New York City)

10. Well Well Well - 5:59 (John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band)

11. How? - 3:47 (Imagine; Take 31)

12. Nutopian International Anthem - 0:03 (Mind Games)

Again, I compiled whatever leftover tracks I could from both Plastic Ono Band and Imagine, and even threw in a few non-Ireland tracks from Some Time in New York City as well as "Everybody's Got Something to Hide" to offset the heavier stuff. I've used alternate takes of the Imagine tracks featured to give the album more of a raw sound. I've also recently heard about Some Time having an ultimate mix this year, and if there are alternate versions present, I'll use those here. "Bring on the Lucie" was first started in late 1971, which is contemporary with when these songs would be recorded.

And who are the Dirty Plastic Band themselves? Besides John himself, they consist of Klaus Voormann on bass guitar, Jim Keltner on drums, Nicky Hopkins on piano, and Duane Allman (who survives his motorcycle accident in 1971) on guitar.

George Harrison - Through Many Years (September 29, 1972)

Side A (19:37)

1. Window Window - 1:53 (All Things Must Pass 50th Anniversary)

2. My Sweet Lord - 4:38 (All Things Must Pass)

3. Going Down to Golders Green - 2:24 (All Things Must Pass 50th Anniversary)

4. I Dig Love - 4:55 (All Things Must Pass)

5. Cosmic Empire - 2:12 (All Things Must Pass 50th Anniversary)

6. I Live for You - 3:35 (All Things Must Pass)

Side B (19:24)

7. You - 3:41 (Extra Texture [Read All About It])

8. If Not for You - 3:29 (All Things Must Pass)

9. Try Some, Buy Some - 4:08 (Living in the Material World)

10. The Day the World Gets 'Round - 2:53 (Living in the Material World)

11. Om Hare Om (Gopala Krishna) - 5:13 (All Things Must Pass 50th Anniversary)

Not only have I included the All Things Must Pass tracks that didn't feature on previous Beatles albums, I even included some outtakes which I imagine would've sounded more complete. Why George never considered re-recording them for an album, I'll never understand. "You" and "Try Some, Buy Some" were both written around 1971 for Ronnie Spector to sing, but her recording of the former has yet to be released.

Paul McCartney - Red Rose Speedway (April 30, 1973)

Side A (21:55)

1. Night Out - 2:16 (Red Rose Speedway)

2. My Love - 4:07 (Red Rose Speedway)

3. Bluebird - 3:23 (Band on the Run)

4. When the Night - 3:38 (Red Rose Speedway)

5. Love is Strange - 4:50 (Wild Life)

6. Mama's Little Girl - 3:41 (Wild Life)

Side B (23:17)

7. Mamunia - 4:51 (Band on the Run)

8. Little Woman Love - 2:11 (Wild Life)

9. Single Pigeon - 1:52 (Red Rose Speedway)

10. Country Dreamer - 3:09 (Red Rose Speedway)

11. Hold Me Tight/Lazy Dynamite/Hands of Love/Power Cut - 11:14 (Red Rose Speedway)

Like Wild Life above, I compiled this album by using tracks from 1972 that Paul was working on, as well as a few tracks from OTL's Wild Life that didn't make TTL's Wild Life. In addition, "Bluebird" is believed to have been written as early as 1970 or 1971, being first performed live in the latter year during a live interview, and I think it and "Mamunia" both fit pretty well. As a side note, Paul should've considered going for a solo career in the 1970s; who knows how much differently his reputation may have fared had he not tried doing things by himself?

George Harrison - Give Me Love (June 10, 1974)

Side A (21:05)

1. Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth) - 3:36 (Living in the Material World)

2. Mother Divine - 2:45 (All Things Must Pass 50th Anniversary)

3. The Light That Has Lighted the World - 3:31 (Living in the Material World)

4. Let It Be Me - 2:56 (Early Takes Volume 1)

5. Who Can See It - 3:52 (Living in the Material World)

6. Māya Love - 4:24 (Dark Horse)

Side B (21:50)

7. The Lord Loves the One (That Loves the Lord) - 4:34 (Living in the Material World)

8. See Yourself - 2:51 (Thirty-Three & ⅓)

9. Far East Man - 5:52 (Dark Horse)

10. Is It "He" (Jai Sri Krishna) - 4:50 (Dark Horse)

11. That is All - 3:43 (Living in the Material World)

One of two solo albums released during the Beatles' Mind Games-Between the Lines period, Give Me Love compiles the leftover tracks from both Living in the Material World and Dark Horse that didn't feature on any Beatles albums. A couple of more outtakes were also included to fill up Side A, even though "Let It Be Me" was recorded in 1983, the song was written back in 1955, so hopefully I'm not messing up any time frames here. "See Yourself" was first written back in 1967.

Ringo Starr - Loser's Lounge (November 25, 1975)

Side A (18:37)

1. Beaucoups of Blues - 2:33 (Beaucoups of Blues)

2. Sunshine Life for Me (Sail Away Raymond) - 2:45 (Ringo)

3. Fastest Growing Heartache in the West - 2:34 (Beaucoups of Blues)

4. Husbands and Wives - 3:34 (Goodnight Vienna)

5. Call Me - 4:07 (Goodnight Vienna)

6. Down and Out - 3:04 (Ringo)

Side B (18:41)

7. All by Myself - 3:21 (Goodnight Vienna)

8. Cryin' - 3:18 (Ringo's Rotogravure)

9. Wine, Women and Loud Happy Songs - 2:18 (Beaucoups of Blues)

10. No No Song - 2:33 (Goodnight Vienna)

11. Coochy Coochy - 4:48 (Beaucoups of Blues)

12. Loser's Lounge - 2:23 (Beaucoups of Blues)

A rather unique entry in this section; the actual Beaucoups of Blues album consisted of songs written in Nashville and donated to Ringo to sing. Not only have I included some tracks from said album, I've also included some other country songs that Ringo recorded for both his 1973 album and Goodnight Vienna, as well as "Cryin'" from Rotogravure, even though it was recorded a year later, but it fits pretty well. I just like to add a little variation to the album.

I've also just realized that most of these albums are eleven tracks long, with Side A having six tracks and Side B five. I swear that this was completely unintentional on my part.

The Second Coming - Queen Discography (1986-2011)

Another expanded discography post from me; this time, it's Queen post-1985. Yeah, if you couldn't tell, I'd decided to give the band back their old name because... well, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. However, they could still be called Smile for their first album, and then they rename themselves Queen in 1973 when John Deacon comes on board, replacing Tim Staffell. The self titled albums are still respectively called Don't Forget to Smile and The Kingdom of Rhye, and the 1974-1980 albums retain their original names from OTL. You can read about that period of Queen's discography here, as well as Hot Space (originally Fun in Space) and Radio Ga Ga.

Now that I've gotten those retcons out of the way, here's the next seven Queen albums! (And yes, that would have also applied to the original version of Strawberry Peppers.)

Highlander: Songs from The Movie and More (June 3, 1986)

Side A (21:54)

1. A Kind of Magic - 4:24

2. Princes of the Universe - 3:33

3. One Year of Love - 4:27

4. Gimme the Prize (Kurgan's Theme) - 4:33

5. Who Wants to Live Forever - 4:57 (Greatest Hits II version)

Side B (21:37)

6. The Great Pretender - 3:26 (Greatest Hits III)

7. Strange Frontier - 4:16 (Strange Frontier)

8. Friends Will Be Friends - 4:06

9. Don't Lose Your Head - 4:38

10. One Vision - 5:11

There's never really been an official soundtrack to Highlander, and so I decided to re-arrange A Kind of Magic based upon that little "what if". Side A is comprised of tracks featured in the film, while Side B is the non-film tracks, not dissimilar to the Beatles' A Hard Day's Night and Help! from two decades earlier. Another similarity to the latter is including a cover of "The Great Pretender"; even though Freddie Mercury's cover was released in 1987, I think this is okay as the song was originally recorded by the Platters in 1955, so hopefully I'm not skewing any timeframes here. "Strange Frontier" comes from Roger Taylor's solo album of the same name.

Track 12 (May 22, 1989)

Side A (21:58)

1. Made in Heaven - 5:25 (Made in Heaven)

2. Too Much Love Will Kill You - 4:28 (Back to the Light)

3. Scandal - 4:42

4. My Life Has Been Saved - 3:16 (Made in Heaven; 1989 B-side version)

5. Breakthru - 4:07

Side B (23:35)

6. Heaven for Everyone - 4:54 (Shove It; Roger Taylor lead vocal version)

7. Chinese Torture (Link) - 1:46

8. I Want It All - 4:30 (Queen Rocks version)

9. Man on the Prowl - 3:28 (The Works)

10. The Invisible Man - 3:55

11. The Miracle - 5:02

Now this is where the Queen story diverges further from OTL; as Freddie Mercury does not catch HIV/AIDS in 1987 (but he still does much later on), John Deacon leaves the band following the Miracle Tour, as I believe was his intention before learning of Freddie's disease, which was why he stayed with Queen until 1997. "Too Much Love Will Kill You" was intended for The Miracle in OTL, but because of legal disputes with songwriting credits, it remained unreleased for several years. I prefer Brian May's version as you feel more of a connection to his struggles following his divorce from Christine in 1988. Likewise, I've included Roger Taylor's vocal on "Heaven for Everyone", with also features Freddie on backing vocals. (And for those wondering, The Cross does not become a thing in TTL.)

Back to the Light (February 14, 1992)

Side A (22:12)

1. It's a Beautiful Day - 3:58 (Made in Heaven; single version)

2. Back to the Light - 4:59 (Back to the Light)

3. Headlong - 4:38 (Innuendo)

4. New Dark Ages - 4:58 (Blue Rock)

5. Don't Try So Hard - 3:39 (Innuendo)

Side B (21:29)

6. Ride the Wild Wind - 4:42 (Innuendo)

7. Driven by You - 4:11 (Back to the Light)

8. You Don't Fool Me - 5:24 (Made in Heaven)

9. Bijou - 3:36 (Innuendo)

10. Final Destination - 3:36 (Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know)

Bonus track for CD releases

11. A Winter's Tale - 3:49 (Made in Heaven)

Back to the Light is the first album since The Kingdom of Rhye to feature only three songwriters, as well as one of several to feature at least two vocal spots each from Brian and Roger (usually one or the other, but not both at the same time) and the only album to have David Grosman on bass guitar. With the appearance of "Bohemian Rhapsody" in Wayne's World, this inspires Queen to go on a huge tour in North America, as well as make an appearance on Saturday Night Live. However, by the end of tour, Freddie catches AIDS, but because enough research done on the disease, a treatment's been given to Freddie so that he doesn't die. Because of that, Queen goes on hiatus for a few years while they look for a new bassist, and to allow Freddie to recover.

The Second Coming (November 7, 1997)

1. Innuendo - 6:31 (Innuendo)

2. I'm Going Slightly Mad - 4:22 (Innuendo)

3. Surrender - 3:36 (Electric Fire)

4. I Can't Live with You - 4:47 (Queen Rocks)

5. Another World - 4:05 (Another World)

6. Let Me Live - 4:45 (Made in Heaven)

7. Stealin' - 4:01 (The Miracle)

8. These are the Days of Our Lives - 4:15 (Innuendo)

9. Heart of Fire - 4:13 (Now)

10. My Love is Dangerous - 3:42 (Mr. Bad Guy)

11. No One but You (Only the Good Die Young) - 4:11 (Queen Rocks)

Total length: 48:28

As evidenced by the title, this album marks a big comeback for Queen; it's their first album to feature Paul Rodgers as their new bassist (and fourth vocalist) and Cozy Powell as their second drummer, usually when Roger is brought in on guitar to fill up the sound for live performances. (In addition, Cozy survives his 1998 car crash.) Several songs were inspired by Freddie Mercury's recovery from initially catching AIDS, but he still lives with the disease for the rest of his life. The closing track, "No One but You", is dedicated to those who died young either from accidents or by living reckless lifestyles.

Put Out the Fire (February 4, 2000)

1. Party/Khashoggi's Ship - 5:11 (The Miracle)

2. Deep Blue - 2:33 (Electric)

3. I Go Crazy - 3:42 (The Works)

4. Your Kind of Lover - 3:32 (Mr. Bad Guy)

5. Mother Love - 4:08 (Made in Heaven; earlier fade out)

6. Believe in Yourself - 5:00 (Electric Fire)

7. Put Out the Fire - 3:19 (Hot Space)

8. Delilah - 3:35 (Innuendo)

9. Drifters - 4:19 (Electric)

10. Wilderness - 4:52 (Another World)

11. Living on My Own - 3:23 (Mr. Bad Guy)

12. The Show Must Go On - 4:35 (Innuendo)

Total length: 48:09

In OTL, "Put Out the Fire" was written as a reaction to John Lennon's murder in 1980, but because that doesn't happen, the song has been repurposed as a reaction to the Kargil War in 1999 between India and Pakistan, becoming an anti-war anthem for the new millennium. There was very little solo recording activity by Brian and Roger in OTL in the 2000s, which means an eight-year gap between albums. I like to imagine that there was an album coming out in 2004 expanding upon the themes of "Put Out the Fire", but coming up with fictional songs is pretty damn difficult to do, even more so than fictional albums. I'll let your imaginations fill the gaps from there.

The Cosmos Rocks (September 12, 2008)

1. Cosmos Rockin’ - 4:10

2. Time to Shine - 4:23

3. Self Made Man - 4:46 (Innuendo outtake; unreleased)

4. Dog with a Bone - 4:38 (The Miracle outtake; unreleased)

5. Warboys - 3:18

6. We Believe - 6:08

7. I Was Born to Love You - 4:49 (Made in Heaven)

8. Lost Opportunity - 3:53 (Innuendo)

9. C-lebrity - 3:38

10. Through the Night - 4:54

11. Hang on in There - 3:46 (The Miracle)

12. She Blows Hot and Cold - 4:36 (The Solo Collection; ft. Brian May)

Total length: 52:59

The reason I brought Paul Rodgers into Queen earlier was so that fans would be more likely to accept him if he was gradually integrated into their performances. For TTL's equivalent to The Cosmos Rocks, he has more vocal spots, but not as much as Freddie. Speaking of whom, for this album and the next, I dug deeper into the archives and repurposed some late 1980s/early 1990s outtakes to give Freddie more of a presence, assuming that Queen went back to some older songs and reworked them (pretty much like they did with Made in Heaven in OTL). It did save me the struggle of having to come up with fictitious songs in the first place.

Never Boring (January 14, 2011)

1. Face It Alone - 4:52 (The Miracle outtake; unreleased)

2. Voodoo - 4:27 (The Cosmos Rocks)

3. Still Burnin’ - 4:04 (The Cosmos Rocks)

4. The Unblinking Eye - 4:54 (Fun on Earth)

5. I Guess We’re Falling Out - 2:32 (The Miracle outtake; unreleased)

6. Say It’s Not True - 4:00 (The Cosmos Rocks)

7. Machines (Or “Back to Humans”) - 5:10 (The Works)

8. Call Me - 2:59 (The Cosmos Rocks)

9. Love Me Like There’s No Tomorrow - 3:46 (Mr. Bad Guy)

10. Hijack My Heart - 4:13 (The Miracle)

11. I Loved a Butterfly (w/ Kerry Ellis) - 3:18 (Acoustic by Candlelight; edit)

12. Was It All Worth It - 5:45 (The Miracle)

Total length: 50:00

The final album with Freddie Mercury (who would've been 65 that year had he lived in OTL) as the lead vocalist of Queen, as well as the last time that he would tour with them. With increasing health problems, Freddie would go into an early retirement, although he would briefly reunite with Queen for a performance at the Super Bowl in the late 2010s, with viewing figures surpassing that of their iconic Live Aid performance. For TTL, "I Loved a Butterfly" ("Some Things That Glitter" from The Cosmos Rocks) is a duet between Freddie and Kerry Ellis, very much a 2010s equivalent to "Under Pressure". Queen still carries on without Freddie (still alive at 75, living a private life in England), even bringing in Adam Lambert as their new vocalist, now going under Queen + Adam Lambert, and continues to tour to this day.

And so, I've finished up Queen's discography for Strawberry Peppers: The Second Coming! It's quite the journey if I do say so myself.

Revisiting "Hot as Sun" - The Fourteenth Beatles Album

A couple of years ago, I wrote up a side post discussing how I thought the next Beatles album might have gone had the band found a way to stay together to record a true follow-up to Abbey Road. Naturally, this sparked a lot of interesting discussion, and for a while, I was pretty happy with my playlist, but as time went by, I went through several revisions with the track listing, adding songs and removing others, until I decided upon one that I felt that I was happy with.

But before I can show you the track listing, I want you to imagine the following scenario:

It's 1969, and the Beatles have recently formed Apple Corps, but things haven't been going so well for the biggest band in the world. Miraculously, they came up with an agreement as to how Apple should be managed, and therefore they never run into Allen Klein. The Get Back album is released in May 1969 as originally intended, and four months later, they come out with their masterwork Abbey Road. But even still, the band is still at a crossroad with their future; John Lennon is tired of being confined to the Beatles, George Harrison is tired with his songwriting contributions being left aside, and Paul McCartney is tired with no one agreeing to anything he suggests. Ringo Starr, of course, is happy to go along with whatever the majority wants.

With John wanting to pursue a solo career following a live performance in Toronto, it's eventually decided that the Beatles take on solo projects for the new decade, but they still agree to recording one final album, the sessions of which take place between November 1969 and February 1970 with Phil Spector as co-producer. During that time, the group also recorded "Another Day" and "Cold Turkey" for a standalone single, later released on 20 July 1970, and John and George plan out solo albums with Phil as producer. The resultant Beatles album, Hot as Sun, is released under Apple Records on 8 May 1970, marking the beginning of a new era for the band...

The Beatles - Hot as Sun

Released: 8 May 1970

Recorded: 10 November 1969 - 25 February 1970

Producer: The Beatles and Phil Spector

Side A

It Don't Come Easy

Every Night

Gimme Some Truth

I Me Mine

That Would Be Something

Jealous Guy

Isn't It a Pity

Side B

Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)

Teddy Boy

All Things Must Pass

Junk

Oh My Love

Let It Down

Maybe I'm Amazed

Track listing details

1. It Don't Come Easy (Starr, Photograph: The Very Best of Ringo Starr, 2007) - For the first time in Beatles history, Ringo Starr leads off an album (Yellow Submarine is excluded, of course) with a track that perfectly describes the band's current situation; he even title drops "Come Together" during the chorus. The opening cymbals that fade in make for a killer start to Hot as Sun, as well as part of the first single released alongside the album. Ringo began writing this track in late 1968 after completing "Don't Pass Me By", and George appears on slide guitar, even helping to co-wrote and produce this track.

2. Every Night (McCartney, McCartney, 2011 remaster) - Paul follows up on Ringo's quasi-philosophical opener with an equally reflective track recalling the current situation the Beatles are in. At the same time, however, they convey some optimism for the future. This track was demoed during the Get Back sessions in January 1969 and even had John playing slide guitar during a run through.

3. Gimme Some Truth (Lennon, Imagine, 2018 Ultimate mix) - Following Ringo's up-tempo number and Paul's piece expressing a more hopeful future, John counters with an angry protest number calling out the hypocrisy of the Nixon administration in its lyrics. John started this in January 1969 during the Get Back sessions and even received help from Paul with the chorus. George shines through with one of his best ever guitar solos for a Beatles track.

4. I Me Mine (Harrison, Let It Be... Naked, 2013 remaster) - As a response to John's criticism of government hypocrisy, George chimes in with this waltz number lamenting humankind's self-centeredness. Written for, and eventually included on, Let It Be, this is well-known for being the final track the Beatles ever recorded in the studio while still together. "I Me Mine" is the only authentic Beatles song on Hot as Sun, as well as the only time Paul appears on another band member's song. In addition, the album kicks off with an opening statement from each Beatle.

5. That Would Be Something (McCartney, McCartney, 2011 remaster) - Paul chimes in again with a silly little number recorded entirely by himself. George was said to have called this track a fine piece of work. Even though it was recorded while the Beatles were disintegrating, this serves as a nice little bit of tension relief.

6. Jealous Guy (Lennon, Imagine, 2018 Ultimate mix) - Originally written in India and demoed as "Child of Nature" with hopes of including it on The White Album, John eventually rewrote this as a confessional piece addressing his feelings about his failure as a lover. The track was briefly revisited in January 1969 but it too was left to the side.

7. Isn't It a Pity (Harrison, All Things Must Pass: 50th Anniversary, 2021) - Dating all the way back to 1966, George closes off the first side of Hot as Sun with a seven-minute epic that recalls "Hey Jude" two years earlier. Auditioned for Revolver, Sgt. Pepper, The White Album and Get Back, the other Beatles finally relent and let George include "Pity" on one of their albums. Ringo plays the drums, and the track is released alongside "It Don't Come Easy" as a double A-side, the first single in which neither side is by John or Paul. Obviously, I've used the first version, although the second version can work just as well if you want to keep the running time for Side A under 25 minutes.

8. Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) (Lennon, Gimme Some Truth, 2020 Ultimate Mix) - Following the oldest track on the album is the youngest, written and recorded on 27 January 1970. The second single for Hot as Sun recalls "All You Need is Love" and features George on guitar, getting the second side off to a galloping start. An unwritten rule according to George Martin is to start both sides of a Beatles album off strong.

9. Teddy Boy (McCartney, McCartney, 2011 remaster) - Setting the tone for the rest of the second side's acoustic vibe is another story song that Paul wrote during the Beatles' trip to India and eventually revisited in January 1969 for Get Back. John was apparently not a fan of this number, and he would likely have opted out of it like he did with "Maxwell's Silver Hammer".

10. All Things Must Pass (Harrison, All Things Must Pass: 50th Anniversary, 2021) - George's best song on the album reflects upon how things will get better after a bad period in our lives. Written in late 1968 and tried out for Get Back, but it was left aside and never properly completed. Ringo provides the drums for the greatest Beatles track that never was; the fact that it was left aside is borderline criminal.

11. Junk (McCartney, McCartney, 2011 remaster) - Another track from the Esher demoes that didn't make either The White Album or Abbey Road. A beautiful little acoustic number from Paul.

12. Oh My Love (Lennon, Imagine, 2018 Ultimate mix) - This track begins with the "okay; yes, thank you" dialogue from "Look at Me", linking it with "Junk". The fourth consecutive ballad of the second side is also John's final track of the album, being written in late 1968 prior to the Get Back sessions. George appears on guitar.

13. Let It Down (Harrison, All Things Must Pass: 50th Anniversary, 2021) - George gets four songs on the album, with his last song for Hot as Sun breaking the ballad streak with this erotic love song. Like "All Things Must Pass", "Let It Down" was written in late 1968 and auditioned for Get Back but once again rejected. Out of the Beatles, George is perhaps the most prominent, appearing in not just his own songs, but three of John's as well as "It Don't Come Easy", for a total of eight.

14. Maybe I'm Amazed (McCartney, McCartney, 2011 remaster) - Closing out the fourteenth Beatles album is quite possibly the greatest song Paul has ever written, ending things on a hopeful, optimistic note. The song was written in 1969 just as the Beatles were beginning to splinter, and George spoke very positively about it too. It, along with "Instant Karma", is part of the second single off of the album. Between the members, Paul has five songs, John and George have four songs each, and Ringo has "It Don't Come Easy".

Overall, Hot as Sun runs at about 48 minutes, one minute longer than Abbey Road, and it could possibly hold up as their greatest album alongside it and Sgt. Pepper. It's a portrait of the Beatles regarding where they're at in the new decade, and pushes outward in so many different directions, yet still manages to remain a cohesive unit. John and George each go for Spector's production with their songs while Paul's are a lot more lo-fi by comparison, and Ringo is right down the middle. It rests between The White Album in its stark contrasts and Abbey Road in sheer majesty. I think what would make it even better is if there was more collaboration between the members on the songs, much like on "I Me Mine". Just imagine John adding some slide guitar to "Every Night", Paul's backing vocals on "Gimme Some Truth" and both he and John singing harmony on the solo demo version of "All Things Must Pass".

So where could the Beatles go next? For this scenario, they still pursue solo projects, but the Beatles as a band take a hiatus for 1970-1972. George Harrison releases his eponymous debut album (with "Hear Me Lord" closing out side A, "I Dig Love" on side B, "Art of Dying" closing out side C, and the entirety of the Apple Jam excluding "I Remember Jeep" taking up side D) in November 1970, and a couple of weeks later, John puts out Plastic Ono Band. In May 1971, Paul releases his solo debut Ram and later in December, puts out his first album with Wings, Wild Life. That September, John puts out Imagine (with "Baby Please Don't Go", "Power to the People" and "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" to fill the gaps) and come 1972, we get the releases of George and friends' The Concert for Bangladesh, John and Yoko's Some Time in New York City, Ringo's "Back Off Boogaloo" and a few stray singles from Paul and Wings.

Come late 1972, when the Beatles have gotten to say what they wanted to put down on record, they reunite in New York due to John's immigration problems to discuss the possibility of another album. Will they be able to pull it off and gel like they did in the 60s? That's for us fans to speculate with this little mind game...

The Second Coming - Genesis Discography + Peter and Phil Solo (1976-1992)

It's been a while since I last posted here, hasn't it? As I'm sure most of you are aware, I had decided to give Strawberry Peppers a reboot which I've subtitled The Second Coming, and I even outlined what I had in mind for a number of artists I listed. Among them was Genesis, a group in which I never really intended to write about at first. The idea of Kim Beacon joining them seemed like a nice idea, but in hindsight, it was pretty much plagued with issues which I've already covered. Instead, for The Second Coming, I decided to go with the question of, "What if Peter Gabriel had stayed on?" I think it's a far more realistic, plausible scenario.

In addition, I'll also be listing Peter's solo albums alongside those he worked on with Genesis for TTL, as well as a few albums by Phil Collins following his departure following A Trick of the Tail. For the most part, Phil's solo career from the 1980s and 1990s (Hello, I Must Be Going!, No Jacket Required, ...But Seriously, Both Sides and Dance into the Light) has been left more or less intact, with some changes to Face Value which I'll explain later on. I've also left the solo careers of Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford alone as I figure that they would still want to pursue side projects outside of Genesis. Steve Hackett's solo discography is left completely alone altogether for he still leaves Genesis in 1977.

So, I know what you'll like to hear (but probably not in your wardrobe), so let's get right on it!

A Trick of the Tail (February 2, 1976)

Side A (26:27)

1. Dance on a Volcano - 5:55

2. Entangled - 6:27

3. Squonk - 6:29

4. Mad Man Moon - 7:36

Side B (24:35)

5. Robbery, Assault and Battery - 6:16

6. Ripples… - 8:06

7. A Trick of the Tail - 4:35

8. Here Comes the Flood - 5:38 (Car)

The track listing up until the final track remains unchanged from OTL. "Here Comes the Flood" was originally demoed by Peter Gabriel in 1975. The latter half of the decade is generally considered the transitional period for Genesis, going from a quintet (The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway) to a trio (And Then There Were Three) within a few short years. This will also apply to this scenario, albeit a bit more quickly with Phil Collins' departure as drummer. Bill Bruford takes over on drums whenever Genesis plays live, like he did in OTL. Chester Thompson becomes drummer for the Phil Collins band.

Wind & Wuthering (December 17, 1976)

Side A (26:21)

1. Eleventh Earl of Mar -  7:45

2. One for the Vine - 10:00

3. Your Own Special Way - 6:19

4. Flotsam and Jetsam - 2:17 (Scratch)

Side B (27:06)

5. Moribund the Burgermeister - 4:20 (Car)

6. Inside and Out - 6:45 (Spot the Pigeon)

7. Slowburn - 4:36 (Car)

8. Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers in That Quiet Earth - 11:25

"Flotsam and Jetsam" was originally demoed in the spring of 1976, prior to the recording sessions for Peter Gabriel's first eponymous album. "Unquiet Slumbers..." also includes "Afterglow" at the end. This is Genesis' only full length album as a quartet.

Spot the Pigeon (May 20, 1977)

Side A (6:37)

1. Humdrum - 3:25 (Car)

2. Pigeons - 3:12 (Spot the Pigeon)

Side B (6:39)

3. All in a Mouse's Night - 6:39 (Wind & Wuthering)

Genesis' only extended play for this scenario, as well as their final release with Steve Hackett as lead guitarist. He is later replaced by Robert Fripp for live performances (who also played with Peter for his first three solo albums) until 1981.

And Then There Were Three (March 31, 1978)

Side A (27:12)

1. On the Air - 5:30 (Scratch)

2. Undertow - 4:47

3. White Shadow - 5:14 (Scratch)

4. Snowbound - 4:31

5. Burning Rope - 7:10

Side B (26:48)

6. Deep in the Motherlode - 5:16

7. Many Too Many - 3:32

8. Indigo - 3:30 (Scratch)

9. Say It's Alright Joe - 4:21

10. The Lady Lies - 6:08

11. Follow You Follow Me - 4:01

Genesis' first album as a trio; all three official members have been a part of the band since its formation in 1967. There are cases in which Phil Collins contributed to the songwriting, but for some of them like "Follow You Follow Me", I simply pretended that those parts were done by Peter Gabriel instead.

Peter Gabriel 1 (Peter Gabriel; January 19, 1979)

Side Car (23:39)

1. Solsbury Hill - 4:21

2. Modern Love - 3:38

3. Excuse Me - 3:20

4. Waiting for the Big One - 7:15

5. Down the Dolce Vita - 5:05

Side Scratch (24:58)

6. D.I.Y. - 2:37

7. Mother of Violence - 3:10

8. A Wonderful Day in a One-Way World - 3:33

9. Animal Magic - 3:26

10. Exposure - 4:12

11. Perspective - 3:23

12. Home Sweet Home - 4:37

A straightforward compilation of leftover tracks from Peter Gabriel's first two solo albums, with each side labeling which album they came from. I picture Peter putting his solo album out around the same time that Tony Banks (A Curious Feeling) and Mike Rutherford (Smallcreep's Day) each put out solo projects away from Genesis. Hey, Phil Collins had a solo career alongside Genesis; I don't see why Peter couldn't go the same direction.

Phil Collins (Phil Collins; March 16, 1979)

Side A (20:05)

1. Down and Out - 5:28 (And Then There Were Three)

2. Match of the Day - 3:24 (Spot the Pigeon)

3. Ballad of Big - 4:51 (And Then There Were Three)

4. Vancouver - 3:01 (Genesis 1976-1982)

5. Wot Gorilla? - 3:21 (Wind & Wuthering)

Side B (20:59)

6. Blood on the Rooftops - 5:28 (Wind & Wuthering)

7. Scenes from a Night's Dream - 3:30 (And Then There Were Three)

8. It's Yourself - 6:15 (Genesis 1976-1982)

9. Los Endos - 5:46 (A Trick of the Tail)

Phil Collins' first solo album in TTL. This is a compilation of the tracks he wrote for Genesis during the 1975-1978 period. It does feel a bit short compared to his later releases at just 41 minutes, but I think it's a nice little collection of songs there.

Duke (March 28, 1980)

Side A (28:04)

1. The Duke Suite - 28:04

Side B (27:40)

2. Man of Our Times - 5:35

3. No Self Control - 3:55 (Melt)

4. Heathaze - 5:00

5. Alone Tonight - 3:54

6. Cul-de-sac - 5:02

7. Lead a Normal Life - 4:14 (Melt)

Yes, "The Duke Suite" is made one whole track as was the original intention, with the remaining tracks taking up the second side (but of course, "Duchess" and "Turn It On Again" could still be singles). This version of Duke was probably the easiest of the albums to put together alongside A Trick of the Tail.

Face Value (Phil Collins; February 13, 1981)

Side A (24:05)

1. In the Air Tonight - 5:34

2. This Must Be Love - 3:55

3. Misunderstanding - 3:11 (Duke)

4. The Roof is Leaking - 3:16

5. Droned - 2:49

6. Hand in Hand - 5:20

Side B (22:30)

7. I Missed Again - 3:41

8. You Know What I Mean - 2:33

9. Thunder and Lightning - 4:12

10. I'm Not Moving - 2:33

11. If Leaving Me is Easy - 4:54

12. Please Don’t Ask - 4:00 (Duke)

13. Over the Rainbow - 0:37

As Phil didn't contribute to "Behind the Lines" in TTL, nor did John Lennon die in 1980, "Misunderstanding" and "Please Don't Ask" are brought in to fill the gaps. I think they blend in quite well with the rest of the Face Value tracks. Try it out!

Abacab (September 18, 1981)

Side A (17:06)

1. Abacab - 6:58

2. Games Without Frontiers - 4:06 (Melt)

3. Me and Sarah Jane - 6:02

Side B (16:01)

4. Naminanu/Dodo/Lurker/Submarine - 16:01 (Genesis 1976-1982/Abacab)

Side C (19:53)

5. Paperlate - 3:20 (3x3)

6. You Might Recall - 5:30 (3x3)

7. Wallflower - 6:30 (Security)

8. Keep It Dark - 4:33

Side D (17:08)

9. Like It or Not - 4:58

10. Another Record - 4:38

11. Biko - 7:32 (Melt)

Genesis' second double album, as was the original plan given the quantity of material recorded during that period. This was probably the most difficult album to put together, but for now, I'm happy with the album as is. "Wallflower" started off as an instrumental demo in 1979 before official recording began in the spring of 1981, which is contemporary with the Abacab sessions. David Rhodes takes over on guitar for live performances. He's another Peter Gabriel collaborator, having been a part of his studio and live performances since 1980.

Peter Gabriel 2 (Peter Gabriel; September 6, 1982)

Side Melt (25:47)

1. Intruder - 4:54

2. Start - 1:21

3. I Don't Remember - 4:42

4. Family Snapshot - 4:28

5. And Through the Wire - 5:00

6. Not One of Us - 5:22

Side Security (26:39)

7. San Jacinto - 6:21

8. I Have the Touch - 4:30

9. Shock the Monkey - 5:28

10. Lay Your Hands on Me - 6:03

11. Kiss of Life - 4:17

Again, I take the leftover tracks from the third and fourth eponymous solo albums of Peter Gabriel and make a single album out of them. This comes out around the time of The Fugitive (Tony Banks) and Acting Very Strange (Mike Rutherford), during a brief hiatus for Genesis.

Shapes (October 3, 1983)

Side A (23:37)

1. The Rhythm of the Heat - 5:15 (Security)

2. Home by the Sea - 11:14

3. The Family and the Fishing Net - 7:08 (Security)

Side B (22:33)

4. Walk Through the Fire - 4:03 (Flotsam and Jetsam)

5. Taking It All Too Hard - 3:58

6. Just a Job to Do - 4:47

7. Silver Rainbow - 4:31

8. It’s Gonna Get Better - 5:14

"Walk Through the Fire" was included on the soundtrack for Against All Odds, which also featured "Making a Big Mistake" by Mike Rutherford" and the title track by Phil Collins. I've done away with "Illegal Alien" altogether as I just can't see Peter Gabriel agreeing to it. Plus, we already had enough Mike-penned tracks on the second side as it is. I considered swapping "The Family and the Fishing Net" and "It's Gonna Get Better" around so that each songwriter has at least one spot per side, but that put both sides out of balance in terms of length, so I'll leave it as is for now.

Peter Gabriel 3 (Peter Gabriel; May 19, 1986)

Side A (22:47)

1. Don’t Break This Rhythm - 6:09 (Flotsam and Jetsam)

2. Sledgehammer - 5:12 (So)

3. Don't Give Up (feat. Kate Bush) - 6:33 (So)

4. That Voice Again - 4:53 (So)

Side B (22:25)

5. Mercy Street - 6:22 (So)

6. Big Time - 4:28 (So)

7. This is the Picture (Excellent Birds) (feat. Laurie Anderson) - 4:25 (So)

8. No More Apartheid (w/ L. Shankar) - 7:10 (Sun City)

Bonus track for CD and cassette releases

9. Curtains - 3:29 (Flotsam and Jetsam)

I took out three tracks from So for the next Genesis album (more on that in a bit) and I replaced them with other songs from the same time period. "Don't Break This Rhythm" was originally released as a B-side to "Sledgehammer", "Curtains" was the B-side to "Big Time", and "No More Apartheid" was originally included as a part of Sun City by Artists United Against Apartheid. I originally had "Curtains" in between "Big Time" and "This is the Picture", but I moved it to a bonus track due to time constraints. However, it does maintain that original spot for remastered releases.

Red Rain (June 6, 1986)

Side A (21:08)

1. Red Rain - 5:39 (So)

2. Domino - 10:44 (Invisible Touch)

3. Land of Confusion - 4:45 (Invisible Touch)

Side B (21:41)

4. Anything She Does - 4:09 (Invisible Touch)

5. We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37) - 3:22 (So)

6. Throwing It All Away - 3:53 (Invisible Touch)

7. In Your Eyes - 5:27 (So)

8. The Brazilian - 4:50 (Invisible Touch)

Now here's an interesting story: Red Rain started off as part of the question, "what if Peter Gabriel returned to Genesis in the mid-1980s?" Admittedly, that idea was pretty silly, and the album would've been about 57 minutes long including Phil Collins' contributions, but it was partially what sparked this whole subplot to begin with. I wanted to include "Sledgehammer" as it was a pretty big hit at the time, but at the same time, I wanted to give Peter a big solo hit, and so I ended up including "We Do What We're Told" instead. Red Rain might end up losing a big hit, but it still has "Throwing It All Away" and "Land of Confusion" to make up for that. And who can forget the ten-minute epic "Domino"?

Invisible Touch (Phil Collins; December 5, 1986)

Side A (23:38)

1. Invisible Touch - 3:29 (Invisible Touch)

2. Tonight, Tonight, Tonight - 8:53 (Invisible Touch)

3. Me and Virgil - 6:18 (3x3)

4. In Too Deep - 4:58 (Invisible Touch)

Side B (23:40)

5. Mama - 6:52 (Genesis)

6. No Reply at All - 4:33 (Abacab)

7. Who Dunnit? - 3:22 (Abacab)

8. Man on the Corner - 4:28 (Abacab)

9. That's All - 4:25 (Genesis)

The second "new" Phil Collins solo album, this compiles all of the Genesis songs that he wrote the lyrics to from 1981 to 1986. Given that well over half of the album features tracks that were released as singles in the 1980s, I could see this being Phil's biggest album of the 1980s, possibly even bigger than Face Value! Given that he didn't release an album in between 1985 with No Jacket Required and 1989 with ...But Seriously, I think it's only right to fill in that gap so that it looks as though he's usually releasing an album every one to three years until 1996.

Secret World (October 28, 1991)

Side A (15:13)

1. Love to Be Loved - 5:18 (Us)

2. Never a Time - 3:52 (We Can’t Dance)

3. Steam - 6:03 (Us)

Side B (16:31)

4. Dreaming While You Sleep - 7:21 (We Can’t Dance)

5. Washing of the Water - 3:52 (Us)

6. Digging in the Dirt - 5:18 (Us)

Side C (16:42)

7. Living Forever - 5:42 (We Can’t Dance)

8. Kiss That Frog - 5:20 (Us)

9. Way of the World - 5:40 (We Can’t Dance)

Side D (17:19)

10. Secret World - 7:03 (Us)

11. Fading Lights - 10:16 (We Can’t Dance)

Genesis' third double album for the vinyl format; on CD releases, it's a single disc running at almost 66 minutes. Phil Collins took up a whopping seven songwriting slots on We Can't Dance, and so it took some thinking to see where Peter Gabriel's tracks from Us would fit. I knew I had to cut out "Blood of Eden" and "Come Talk to Me", both tracks sung with Sinéad O'Connor as I doubt that Genesis would allow guest vocalists to take up half the song, although I could see them being released as a non-album single in September 1992. I also ended up losing "Only Us" and "Fourteen Black Paintings", but they will not go unused; I see them showing up on a future Genesis album. Again, the result is surprisingly better than the sum of its parts.

I Can't Dance (Phil Collins; March 27, 1992)

Side A (25:18)

1. No Son of Mine - 6:41

2. Jesus He Knows Me - 4:23

3. Driving the Last Spike - 10:10

4. I Can't Dance - 4:04

Side B (23:44)

5. You’ve Been in Love (That Little Bit Too Long) - 4:49 (But Seriously)

6. Tell Me Why - 5:00

7. That’s How I Feel - 5:05 (But Seriously)

8. Hold on My Heart - 4:40

9. Since I Lost You - 4:10

The last of the "new" Phil Collins solo albums. All seven of his songwriting contributions to We Can't Dance could be an entire album on their own, but I thought it came up a bit short. That was why I pulled two ...But Seriously-era B-sides onto the album - "You've Been in Love" and "That's How I Feel" - to fill that void, pushing the album to a respectable 49 minutes.

What happens next?

This is a pressing question that I'm sure a lot of you may be wondering. What will become of Genesis after 1992? Obviously, Tony and Mike continue with their solo endeavors, and Peter continues to tease a follow up to his third eponymous album that will likely never come out until he's long dead, and Phil's and Steve's trajectories won't change at all.

Well, I do see Genesis putting out two more albums, both comprising of material from Calling All Stations, Peter Gabriel's Up, as well as additional recorded material by both parties from the late-90s/early-00s. The 1997 album, Calling All Stations, is their first with Nir Zidkyahu as their new drummer for both studio and live performances, bringing in some fresh blood for the band, and the tour doesn't get cut short in America like it did in OTL. Their follow up in 2002 is called I/O (short for Input, Output, a working title for Peter Gabriel's planned solo album, whenever it comes out), and as of 2021, it's their last album of original material to date.

In addition to that, they've reunited with Steve Hackett and Phil Collins for their Turn It On Again Tour for 2006 and 2007, and since 2015, there have been rumors of Genesis recording a new album, but things have not been confirmed as of yet. But as Phil says, "Never say never."