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As much as I love UP, I have to confess, I struggle to play the album from start to finish - I find that so many tracks are just too long, un-necessarily so in many places. I think there's an even better album struggling to get out. the radio/single edits of "Growing Up", "More than This" and "The Barry Williams Show", are, for me, more accessible and enjoyable than their longer album originals. I guess there's more spontaneity in the music. I also recall that the original version of "No Way Out" as demoed on the first FMC video had a shorter intro. I also remember the version of "Growing Up" in that first FMC video being quite different to the album version, and sounding so much better! An album needs some longer songs, but for me personally, almost every track on Up is a bit too long. This isn't intended to sound negative, but it's a conclusion that has taken me several years to fully realise, having rediscovered my love of Peter's earlier albums recently, having not played them in a while. Does anybody else have the same view?

Interesting point of view. I think the songs of UP are not too long because every album of Peter is a personal and artistic evolution. For my personal opinion,an album is the fruit of an intimate and profound choise,not only artistic. . . With this vision I do not create "the problem" of a song too long or not. There's a difference between the original tracks and version for videos or promo etc. . . I alwas prefer the original songs,because reflected the original intention of the Artist (in this case of Peter) I hope to be clear,always full of rispect of Your different opinion.

I share the same view about "UP", Alex. But "UP" is actually a "Long Player" - a "LP", so if long versions are on it, that`s o.k. - recently I had my headphones on doing sth. else than "active" music-listening and it was just right. But the short edits/versions are ALSO needed and just focusing on "UP" the existing short versions are just FINE and these are the versions, that I love to hear and play : - "More Than This" radio/short edit is great - the sudden break up and the following silence in the middle of the song - this is a good "short edit". - "Barry Williams Show" radio/short and I believe also video edit - just right! wonderfull. - "Growing UP" - well this "short edit" is different, because it is A NEW MIX of the song; - also fine! - "The Drop" - don`t think we need a short edit of this one . - "Sky Blue" : the album version is already the "short" version, if you like - compared to the extented live versions from the "Growing UP"-concerts. - "I Grieve" : cannot think of a "short" version for this one - this track is like a "2 songs in 1" - but you can cut off the "Grieve"/1st part of the song by fading it, before the "Life carries on"/up-beat-section part" starts, then you have a "short"-edit, which would also sound very nice - no doubt. - "Darkness" : a short version probably only in a mix - "Signal to Noise" had a shorter version ( check it out on youtube.com : "peter gabriel vh1"), when it was 1st (?) performed in 1996 for the "VH 1-honours", without the apocalyptical string and drum end-section. The `96- version also includes the original vocals of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - the same vocals used for "UP". This short version : also great. - "My Head sounds like that" : a shorter "mix" probably as short edit. - Finally - I Know this one, Alex, is the one you like to have a shorter edit : "No Way Out" - a shorter edit possible by "cutting" the beginning and probably a bit of the end. No Way Out (Don`t Leave) and greetings to Dolce Vita :-]

I think "Sky Blue" is not only the best track on UP, but also one of the few that is the perfect length as it is! I agree with "I Grieve" - there's no way you could shorten it without losing the impact. I'm not such a fan of the final version of "Signal" - it's epic and dramatic, but I find it stops and starts too much and drags on. I much preferred the shorter, more unusual early version of the song, as performed at the 1996 VH1 Honours concert.

Up songs like Darkness, No Way Out, I Grieve, and More Than This are great, but I would not listen to the album end to end unless I was riding for a while. Here is an interesting and short instrumental of Darkness which you should find enjoyable: http://www.genesismuseum.com/DarkerStarreprise.mp3 some vocals to this would be awesome!

I have to admit to hardly ever listening to any PG album all the way through (apart from when they were new - remember thos days!!?). In particular, I think that the sound of Up is just too heavy and dense for playing all the way through. I think PG should go for a less-is-more approach more often - is there any better example than the piano & vocal version of Here Comes The Flood? I used to obsess about the perfect running order for PG compilations, but I got over that and now I just have my favourite 50% of each album (plus non-album tracks) on my player and have it on shuffle - imperfect, but sometimes surprisingly good.

Beef . . . the "less-is-more approach" would have been good especially for the "U S"-album ! Although Peter put so much work on it and created another MASTERPIECE with it, a version of some songs like "the pre-production"-version of "Come Talk to Me" (Peter on keys, accompanied by Lanois and Rhodes on guitars) is also needed as an alternative version of "US" on audio-cd, because on this one you got Peter`s voice dominating the song. Another GREAT example is Peter´s performance of "That Voice again" last year (Albert Hall - peace one day)- after listening only once to THIS piano + vocal version - I´m sure anyone`s opinion and view of "best track on the SO-album" will change.

Climber, I agree totally - I remember a short clip of this demo version of Come Talk To Me appearing on the "All About Us" VHS. I'm not sure why PG is so reticent about releasing examples of work in progress? Clips of half a song are just annoying. It's a shame when great songs are tarnished by the production values of the time.I guess there's no answer, except that I think that a more unobtrusive production approach will generally age better. I've always really liked Hear That Voice as a song, but it's too busy, with all that clattering percussion. can the Albert Hall version be found anywhere? Other musicians - (Billy Bragg, Neil Diamond) have release a demo version of their recent albums alongside the commercial version. PG must have at least 100 demos for every released track.

Very nice instrumental version of Darkness,thanks Dougdp I love "Sky Blue", both the original version of the "UP" that the live version of fantastic " Growing Up" !! Cimber,beautiful new avatar!!

What people call "demos" can be sometimes the BEST version, just like it is with this "Come Talk to Me"-version ! (youtube.com : search for "come talk to me rehearse") (and search for "that voice again albert hall") check it out/listen to it (must be the same version like on "All about US") Dolce Vita - I was looking for something new after the oscars - the pic has appeared here "accidently" - but now it is there - (Peter . . . "Phoenix from a flame" . . .) Receive and transmit!(Noise)