MIKE RUTHERFORD - SMALLCREEP'S DAY 1980 - URBANASPIRINES + Compression & The Living Years (live)

 Interesting piece from Kostas over at Urbanaspirines this morning about Mike Rutherford and his solo album Smallcreep's Day. Member of Genesis  and guitarist extraordinaire Mike co-wrote lots of Genesis numbers that I liked back in the day ("Follow You Follow Me", "Land of Confusion") and with Mike and The Mechanics wrote the award winning favourite of mine in that it reminds me of my Dad ' The Living Years' he produced this solo album based upon the strange oddity of a unique book in the school of Mervyn Peake, 'Smallcreeps Day' by Peter Currell Brown, a most extraordinary one off and personal favourite when I was student. Got to be worth checking out and as ever Kostas tells us more . . . . . . . . 

Mike Rutherford - Smallcreep's Day 1980 - Urbanaspirines

'Compression' outtake . . . . . 

The Living Years - live - Mike & The Mechanics 

Featuring the wonderful voice and keyboard skills of Paul 'How Long' Carrack

Every generation Blames the one before And all of their frustrations Come beating on your door I know that I'm a prisoner To all my Father held so dear I know that I'm a hostage To all his hopes and fears I just wish I could have told him in the living years Crumpled bits of paper Filled with imperfect thoughts Stilted conversations I'm afraid that's all we've got You say you just don't see it He says it's perfect sense You just can't get agreement In this present tense We all talk a different language Talkin' in defense Say it loud, say it clear You can listen as well as you hear It's too late when we die To admit we don't see eye to eye So we open up a quarrel Between the present and the past We only sacrifice the future It's the bitterness that lasts So Don't yield to the fortunes You sometimes see as fate It may have a new perspective On a different date And if you don't give up, and don't give in You may just be ok. Say it loud, say it clear You can listen as well as you hear It's too late when we die To admit we don't see eye to eye I wasn't there that morning When my Father passed away I didn't get to tell him All the things I had to say I think I caught his spirit Later that same year I'm sure I heard his echo In my baby's new born tears I just wish I could have told him in the living years Say it loud, say it clear You can listen as well as you hear It's too late when we die To admit we don't see eye to eye Say it loud, say it clear Say it loud Don't give up Don't give in And don't know what you can do next

Mike Rutherford