I loved this album dearly. I was so disappointed to find out that when it was remastered that the original 4th side of the US album which were the studio tracks (and the reason for the title of the album) were replaced with the UK version of different live material. My favorite "You Might Recall" was removed and is not available on any other album. Also gone is Paperlate, Me And Virgil, Evidence Of Autumn and Open Door.

The live performances are incredible and bring a new dimension to each song, but I feel the fans lose out when a song is pretty much deleted from a band's catalog.

I hope that one day Genesis will release this classic album in its original intended form.

How was Genesis able to fill huge arenas and concert halls across the world in the 70s without the benefit of a hit single? It's because they were awesome in person and this collection is proof positive. They weren't content to just attempt to reproduce their album cuts, they wanted to improve them and let them grow on their own volition. The fact that most of the songs featured two of the best rock drummers in the world (Phil with Bill or Chester) made them instantly different from the recorded versions. I still consider Seconds Out a fine live record but this one is just as good, if not more dynamic with the remastering job. Turn it on, Abacab, Follow You and Misunderstanding got lots of airplay but in concert the band took them to new heights. Abacab sizzles with the two drummers kicking butt throughout. Dodo is like a whole different song. But the In the Cage mdeley is beyond belief. It transcends even Suppers Ready on Seconds Out. I've been listening to it since it came out on vinyl in 82 and it still sends chills up my spine. And Phil's emotional vocal on Afterflow justifies its repeat from that same album. The inclusion of the songs with Bill Bruford on drums make this a true must-have for any Genesis fan. The songs were their creations even though PG had departed and they were still very proud to perform them for their audience and the raw enthusiasm comes charging right through the speakers on every cut. I know there were studio songs on the original US version but they pale in comparison to these live gems. Get this before it's gone as it may be one of the most overlooked collections in the entire history of the band.

Genesis' 14th album Three Sides Live was released in June of 1982.

The album comprises of songs from the band's 1981 Abacab tour and one from 1980's Duke tour.

On this album, singer/drummer Phil collins, guitarist Mike Rutherford and keyboard player Tony Banks were augmented by guitarist/bass player Daryl Stuermer and the returning Chester Thompson on drums for the live material here. In fact, there were two versions of Three Sides Live released (one for the US, Canada and Germany which the previous review pertains to and the other for the UK, Japan, Europe which is in this review here).

The first disc kicks off with technically seven songs from the 1981 Abacab tour including a spirited "Turn it On Again" (which was played before the Dance on a Volcano/Los Endos medley at the end on the abacab tour itself), an excellent medley of "Dodo/Lurker" (which followed "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" on the 1981 tour's setlist) and an excellent reading of Abacab's title cut (the later live versions trumped this but played with more passion than the classic studio version).

The second side of the album begins with the tour's actual opening tracks "Behind the Lines" and "Duchess" which are performed with more fire than the studio version ("Duchess" was faded as the song segued into "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" during the performances on the Abacab tour). Next is another Abacab track "Me and Sarah Jane" which trumps the studio version. We close disc one with "Follow You Follow Me" which was actually recorded on the 1980 Duke Tour at the Lyceum Ballroom in London (it was not played on the 1981 tour). (The 1981 tracks were from Nassau Coliseum, The Savoy Club and Wembley Arena respectively).

Side three kicks off with a superb version of "Misunderstanding" (which trumps the studio version and when played live segued into "No Reply at All (not included on TSL). Next is the reason to own TSL which is "In the Cage" which is arguably the best live version with Phil on vocals then it segues into "The Cinema Show"/"Slippermen" medley with superb drumming by Collins and Thompson and Banks' keyboards on fire here. We close the third side with "Afterglow" which trumps the studio version and arguably the Seconds Out versions by a longshot.

Now the remainder of Europe and Japan (and excluding the US, Canada and Germany until the 1994 remastered version which is the one available the world over today) got a FOURTH live side containing three superb performanced from 1980, 1978 and 1976 respectively instead of the outtakes from Abacab and Duke that the US, Canada and Germany got. First is an awesome version of "One For the Vine" which was recorded in May of 1980 at the Lyceum in London and this version trumps the studio version by a longshot (shame that the CD tracking splits it as two tracks when it is really one long song). Next, we go back to Knebworth in 1978 for a stellar version of the Nursery Cryme classic "The Fountain of Salmacis" which is just as good, if not better, than the studio version and Daryl Stuermer's solo at the end could give Steve Hacket''s a run for the money plus Phil adding some tympani and gong at the end is a nice touch. Then we go back to 1976 for a medley of "It/Watcher of the Skies" with Bill Bruford on drums and Steve Hackett on guitar. It was superb although it was shorter than the live version eventually released on 1998's Genesis Archive 1967-75 box and then Phil goes to the kit to help segue It to the masterpiece Watcher of the Skies' finale which was an awesome way to close the UK version of this live album.

The UK version of Three Sides Live reached #2 and was not until November of 1994 that it got a Stateside release.

RECOMMENDED!

I stopped listening to Genesis for 16 years. Can you blame me? Phil Collins didn't do much for their memory. I picked this up again yesterday, and remembered everything I loved about them. There's never a song that just has one thing going on in it (perhaps Follow you, follow me - good but cheesy - that's why it made the radio!). Dodo has two melody motifs worthy of a 7 minute song, just great. Abacab, so wierd and poppy at the same time. Me and Sarah Jane wanders through about four or five different melodic areas that combine and reinforce each other in a majestic parading away at the end. This is the Genesis that I'd really liked, poppy but not commercial (is that possible, ask the Velvet Underground). There are a lot of complaints here about the neglect of the back catalogue, but if this was your favorite era of Genesis, this will make you very happy. The back catalogue is covered on Seconds Out, so you have an option. It's also a good introduction to Genesis for someone that isn't comfortable diving into paeans to Persian war gods.

I first heard Three Sides Live in the early 80's, when I had moved to the Chicago area, from new friends that I had made.

I can't tell how listening to this now brings back SO many good memories and fun times that I had back then. My friends, Tony and Betz had played this so many times, that I demanded that someone, anyone get this album for me for Christmas!! I did get it for Christmas, and it was one of my cherised possessions.

Tony died some years ago, but those memories are as strong as ever today.

If you like Genesis you will LOVE this, I promise! My fav is The Cage