What Do You Consider To Be An Original Lineup?

[Drifter]

Drifter, I actually dont have the first 2 albums in my collection. My collection begins with "Nursery Cryme" and Collins was drummer at that time. I am ashamed to admit I haven't explored the first 2 albums, since I am a Genesis fan. Therefore, I cant say I dont like the original Genesis, since I am not familiar with the beginning.

You're not missing much with the first album. The second, Trespass, is where they start forming their signature sound but they aren't quite there yet. Nursery Cryme is when it first started coming together for them so you picked a good starting point. My own personal favorite of theirs is Selling England By the Pound.

 

[Fever]

Generally I consider the original lineup of a band to be the lineup that was there for the recording of their debut album.

Same here.

 

[aeroplane]

To contradict myself would be Genesis, which I consider the years with Phil Collins as lead singer the original or most successful line up. My first listening experience with Genesis was the album "And Then There Were Three". So I consider this the [original] Genesis. Actually I like Genesis when the band only had three members. Duke being my favorite album.

Of course with that logic, you potentially end up dismissing other people who might have recorded an album or two with a band before being replaced by someone far more popular.

Like Rod Evans who was the original Deep Purple singer on some albums before Ian Gillan or a fella like Paul Di'Anno who was the vocalist on two or three Iron Maiden albums before Bruce Dickinson joined.

And for the 80's metal crowd, you could also look at Neil Turbin who was the first singer of Anthrax on their debut album before anyone ever heard of Joey Belladona.

Then you have Juan Croucier (of Ratt) who was the bass player on Dokken's first album before Mick Brown, who has been the bass player on every album since then, came around.

 

[LG]

^^The name is self-explanatory.

Origin...the place from which it started or came from.

Original line-up = The very first incarnation of any band, numerous examples are already listed above. (For arguments sake only the line-ups that recorded and released material).

Genesis is at it's very best and most inventive in it's early years. Then they became a massive commercial success when Phil took center stage.

I love the Mk I, Mk II, Mk III etc., way of distinguishing bands over the years, like Deep Purple for instance.

Iron Maiden hit the stratosphere with Bruce Dickenson at the helm, so they would be my Mk II and favorite line-up among millions of other discerning fans.

 

[Vic2010]

Whoever was in the band when they recorded their first album is the original lineup (imo). But most bands have a "core" set of members while some other position in the band is a revolving door of constant change. An example would be Jethro Tull. There's a band that has had many line up changes. Some line ups were more popular than others and whatnot, but to me Jethro Tull is Ian Anderson. It doesn't matter who esle is in the band. Even Martin Barre could leave, and if Jethro, er Ian wants to keep it going he could find another guitarist and hit the road as Jethro Tull (and no one would care).

Then there's "the classic line up" vs "the original line up." In most cases the "classic" loine up is the one everyone cares about. You really gotta take them all on a case-by-case basis. Some bands are really just tribute bands (like whatever version of Thin Lizzy is touring today). Then there are these wierd, alternate univers type situations like Wishbone Ash (that contains one original member) and "Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash (that I think has 2 original members). The whole thing is insane (imo) but it's fun to talk about.