Genesis are an English
rock band formed at
Charterhouse School,
Godalming
Godalming is a market town and civil parish in southwest Surrey, England, around southwest of central London. It is in the Borough of Waverley, at the confluence of the Rivers Wey and Ock. The civil parish covers and includes the settleme ...
,
Surrey
Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
, in 1967. The band's most commercially successful line-up consisted of keyboardist
Tony Banks, bassist/guitarist
Mike Rutherford and drummer/singer
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English singer, musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and lead singer of the rock band Genesis and also has a career as a solo performer. Between 1982 and ...
. The 1970s line-up, featuring singer
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and activist. He rose to fame as the original lead singer of the progressive rock band Genesis. After leaving Genesis in 1975, he launched ...
and guitarist
Steve Hackett, was among the pioneers of
progressive rock.
The group were formed by five Charterhouse pupils, including Banks, Rutherford, Gabriel, and
Anthony Phillips, and named by former Charterhouse pupil
Jonathan King, who arranged for them to record several singles and their debut album ''
From Genesis to Revelation'' in 1968. After splitting from King, the band began touring, signed with
Charisma Records and became a progressive rock band on ''
Trespass'' (1970). Following Phillips' departure, Genesis recruited Collins and Hackett and recorded ''
Nursery Cryme
''Nursery Cryme'' is the third studio album by the English rock band Genesis, released in November 1971 on Charisma Records. It was their first to feature drummer/vocalist Phil Collins and guitarist Steve Hackett. The album received a mixed respo ...
'' (1971). Their live shows began to feature Gabriel's theatrical costumes and performances. ''
Foxtrot'' (1972) was their first hit in the UK and ''
Selling England by the Pound'' (1973) reached number three there, featuring their first UK hit "
I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)". The
concept album ''
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway'' (1974) was promoted with a transatlantic tour and an elaborate stage show, before Gabriel left the group.
Collins took over as lead singer, and the group released ''
A Trick of the Tail'' and ''
Wind & Wuthering'' (both 1976) with continued success. Hackett left Genesis in 1977, reducing the band to Banks, Rutherford, and Collins. Their ninth studio album, ''
...And Then There Were Three...'' (1978), contained the band's first major hit "
Follow You Follow Me
"Follow You Follow Me" is a love song written and recorded by English rock band Genesis. It was released in March 1978 as the first single from their ninth studio album, '' ...And Then There Were Three...'' (1978). The music was composed by the ...
". Their next five albums – ''
Duke
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of Royal family, royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, t ...
'' (1980), ''
Abacab
''Abacab'' is the eleventh studio album by English rock band Genesis, released on 18 September 1981 by Charisma Records. After their 1980 tour in support of their previous album, ''Duke'' (1980), the band took a break before they reconvened in 1 ...
'' (1981), ''
Genesis
Genesis may refer to:
Bible
* Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of mankind
* Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Book o ...
'' (1983), ''
Invisible Touch'' (1986) and ''
We Can't Dance'' (1991) – were also successful. Collins left Genesis in 1996, and Banks and Rutherford replaced him with
Ray Wilson, who appeared on their final album ''
Calling All Stations'' (1997). The commercial failure of the album led to a group hiatus. Banks, Rutherford and Collins reunited for the
Turn It On Again Tour
Turn It On Again: The Tour was a 2007 concert tour of Europe and North America by the English rock band Genesis. The tour was notable for the return of drummer and vocalist Phil Collins, who had fronted the band during their most commercially s ...
in 2007, and again in 2021 for
The Last Domino? Tour
The Last Domino? Tour was a concert tour by English rock band Genesis, staged following the announcement of their reunion after a 13-year hiatus. It featured the core trio of keyboardist Tony Banks, drummer/singer Phil Collins, and bassist/gui ...
.
With between 100 million and 150 million albums sold worldwide, Genesis are one of the world's
best-selling music artists. Their
discography includes 15 studio and six live albums. They have won numerous
awards (including a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
for
Best Concept Music Video with "
Land of Confusion") and have inspired a number of
tribute bands recreating Genesis shows from various stages of the band's career. In 2010, Genesis were inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...
.
History
1967–1969: Formation, early demos, and ''From Genesis to Revelation''
The founding members of Genesis,
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and activist. He rose to fame as the original lead singer of the progressive rock band Genesis. After leaving Genesis in 1975, he launched ...
,
Tony Banks,
Anthony “Ant” Phillips,
Mike Rutherford, and drummer
Chris Stewart, met at
Charterhouse School, a
public school in
Godalming
Godalming is a market town and civil parish in southwest Surrey, England, around southwest of central London. It is in the Borough of Waverley, at the confluence of the Rivers Wey and Ock. The civil parish covers and includes the settleme ...
,
Surrey
Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
. Banks and Gabriel arrived at the school in September 1963, Rutherford in September 1964, and Phillips in April 1965. The five were members in either one of the school's two bands; Phillips and Rutherford were in
Anon
Anon may refer to:
People
* Anon Amornlerdsak (born 1997), a Thai footballer
* Anon Boonsukco (born 1978), a professional footballer from Thailand
* Anon Nampa, Thai human rights activist
* Anon Nanok (born 1983), a football Defender from Tha ...
with singer
Richard Macphail, bassist
Rivers Jobe, and drummer Rob Tyrrell while Gabriel, Banks, and Stewart made up
Garden Wall.
In January 1967, after both groups had split, Phillips and Rutherford continued to write together and proceeded to make a demo tape at a friend's home-made studio, inviting Banks, Gabriel, and Stewart to record with them in the process. The group recorded six songs: "Don't Want You Back", "Try a Little Sadness", "She's Beautiful", "That's Me", "Listen on Five", and "Patricia", an instrumental. When they wished to have them professionally recorded they sought Charterhouse alumnus
Jonathan King, who seemed a natural choice as their publisher and producer following the success of his 1965 UK top five single, "
Everyone's Gone to the Moon
"Everyone's Gone to the Moon" is the debut single by British singer-songwriter and record producer Jonathan King. It was released in 1965 while King was still an undergraduate at Cambridge University. All copies of this single, in all territori ...
". A friend of the group gave the tape to King, who was immediately enthusiastic. Under King's direction, the group, aged between 15 and 17, signed a one-year recording contract with
Decca Records.
From August to December 1967, the five recorded a selection of potential singles at Regent Sound Studios in
Denmark Street, London, where they attempted longer and more complex compositions, but King advised them to stick to more straightforward pop. In response Banks and Gabriel wrote "
The Silent Sun", a pastiche of the
Bee Gees, one of King's favourite bands, which was recorded with orchestral arrangements added by
Arthur Greenslade
Arthur Greenslade (4 May 1923 – 27 November 2003) was a British conductor and arranger for films and television, as well as for a number of performers. He was most musically active in the 1960s and 1970s.
Greenslade was born in Northfle ...
. The group exchanged various names for the band, including King's suggestion of "Gabriel's Angels", before taking King's suggestion of "Genesis", indicating the start of his production career. King chose "The Silent Sun" as their first single, with "That's Me" on the
B-side, released in February 1968. It achieved some airplay on
BBC Radio One and
Radio Caroline, but failed to sell. A second single, "A Winter's Tale" / "One-Eyed Hound", followed in May 1968, which also sold little. Three months later, Stewart left the group to continue with his studies. He was replaced by fellow Charterhouse pupil
John Silver.
King believed that the group would achieve greater success with an album. The result, ''
From Genesis to Revelation'', was produced at Regent Sound in ten days during their school's summer break in August 1968. King assembled the tracks as a
concept album, which he produced. Greenslade added further orchestral arrangements to the songs, but the band were not informed of this fact until the album was released. Phillips was upset about Greenslade's additions. When Decca found an American band already named Genesis, King refused to change his group's name. He reached a compromise by removing their name from the album cover, resulting in a minimalist design with the album title printed on a plain black background. When the album was released in March 1969, it became a commercial failure because many record shops filed it in the religious music section upon seeing the title. Banks recalled that "after a year or so", the album had "sold 649 copies". A third single, "Where the Sour Turns to Sweet" / "In Hiding", was released in June 1969. None of the releases was commercially successful. The lack of commercial success led to the band's split with King and Decca.
[King, Jonathan. ''In the Beginning'', '' From Genesis to Revelation'' (sleeve notes). 1993 release.] King continued to hold the rights to the album, which has seen numerous reissues. In 1974, it peaked on the US chart at No. 170.
After the album was recorded, the band went their separate ways for a year; Gabriel and Phillips stayed at Charterhouse to finish exams, Banks enrolled at
Sussex University
, mottoeng = Be Still and Know
, established =
, type = Public research university
, endowment = £14.4 million (2020)
, budget = £319.6 million (2019–20)
, chancellor = Sanjeev Bhaskar
, vice_chancellor = Sasha Roseneil
, ...
, and Rutherford studied at
Farnborough College of Technology. They regrouped in mid-1969 to discuss their future, for their offers in further education might result in the group splitting up. Phillips and Rutherford decided to make music their full-time career, for they were starting to write more complex music than their earlier songs with King. After Banks and Gabriel decided to follow suit, the four returned to Regent Sound in August 1969 and recorded four more demos with Silver: "Family" (later known as "Dusk"), "White Mountain", "Going Out to Get You", and "Pacidy". The tape was rejected by each record label that heard it. Silver then left the group to study leisure management in the United States. His replacement, drummer and carpenter
John Mayhew, was found when Mayhew looked for work and left his phone number "with people all over London".
1969–1970: First gigs, signing with Charisma, and ''Trespass''
In late 1969, Genesis retreated to a cottage owned by Macphail's parents, in
Wotton, Surrey, to write, rehearse, and develop their stage performance. They took their work seriously, playing together for as much as eleven hours a day. Their first live gig as Genesis followed in September 1969 at a teenager's birthday. It was the start of a series of live shows in small venues across the UK, which included a radio performance broadcast on the
BBC's ''
Night Ride'' show, on 22 February 1970, and a spot at the Atomic Sunrise Festival held at the
Roundhouse in
Chalk Farm
Chalk Farm is a small urban district of north London, lying immediately north of Camden Town, in the London Borough of Camden.
History
Manor of Rugmere
Chalk Farm was originally known as the Manor of Rugmere, an estate that was mentioned ...
a month later. During this time the band met with various record labels regarding contract offers. Initial discussions with
Chris Blackwell of
Island and
Chris Wright of
Chrysalis were unsuccessful. In March 1970, during the band's six-week Tuesday night residency at
Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in
Soho, members of
Rare Bird, whom Genesis had previously supported live, recommended the band to producer and A&R man
John Anthony John Anthony may refer to:
*Sir John Anthony (provost) (1862–1935), Scottish businessman who served as provost of Govan, 1904–1908
*John Anthony (physician) (1585–1655), English physician
*John Gould Anthony (1804–1877), United States natu ...
of
Charisma Records. Anthony attended one of their shows and enjoyed them enough to convince his boss, label owner
Tony Stratton-Smith, to watch their next appearance. Stratton-Smith recalled, "Their potential was immediately apparent ... the material was good and their performance was good ... It was a long shot, because they needed time to find their strength ... but I was prepared to make that commitment". He agreed to a record and management deal within two weeks, paying Genesis an initial sum of £10 a week (equivalent to £ in ).
Genesis stayed at Wotton until April 1970, by which time they had enough new material for a second album. Recording for ''
Trespass'' began in June at
Trident Studios in London, with Anthony as producer and
David Hentschel hired as assistant engineer. The album included longer and more complex songs than their first, blending
folk and
progressive rock elements with various
time signature changes, as in the nine-minute song "
The Knife". ''Trespass'' is the first in a series of three Genesis album cover designs by
Paul Whitehead. He had completed the design before the band decided to include "The Knife" on the album. Feeling the cover no longer reflected the album's overall mood, the band persuaded Whitehead to slash a knife across the canvas and have the result photographed. Released in October 1970, ''Trespass'' reached No. 1 in
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...
in 1971 and No. 98 in the UK in 1984.
"The Knife" was released as a single in May 1971. ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its co ...
'' briefly mentioned the album with a negative view following its 1974 reissue: "It's spotty, poorly defined, at times innately boring". "Genesis seemed to be dying a death around our second album", Gabriel told
Mark Blake. "We couldn't get arrested. So I got a place at the
London School of Film Technique."
After ''Trespass'' was recorded, ill-health and developing
stage fright caused Phillips to leave Genesis. His last show with the band took place in
Haywards Heath
Haywards Heath is a town in West Sussex, England, south of London, north of Brighton, south of Gatwick Airport and northeast of the county town, Chichester. Nearby towns include Burgess Hill to the southwest, Horsham to the northwest, Crawl ...
on 18 July 1970. He felt the increased number of gigs affected the group's creativity, and that several songs he wrote were not recorded or performed live. He had contracted
bronchial pneumonia and became isolated from the rest of the band, feeling that it had too many songwriters in it. Banks, Gabriel, and Rutherford saw Phillips as an important member, being the most instrumental in encouraging them to turn professional. They regarded his exit as the greatest threat to the band and the most difficult to overcome. Gabriel and Rutherford decided the group should continue; Banks agreed on the condition that they find a new drummer that was of equal stature to the rest of the group. Mayhew was therefore fired, though Phillips later thought Mayhew's working-class background clashed with the rest of the band, which affected his confidence.
1970–1972: Collins and Hackett join and ''Nursery Cryme''
The search for a new guitarist and drummer began with advertisements placed in copies of ''
Melody Maker
''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. It was founded in 1926, largely as a magazine for dance band musicians, by Leicester-born ...
''. The invitation was spotted by drummer
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English singer, musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and lead singer of the rock band Genesis and also has a career as a solo performer. Between 1982 and ...
, formerly of
Flaming Youth Flaming Youth can refer to:
* ''Flaming Youth'' (novel), a 1923 novel by Samuel Hopkins Adams
* ''Flaming Youth'' (film), a 1923 film based on the novel starring Colleen Moore and Milton Sills
* Flaming Youth (band)
Flaming Youth were a Britis ...
, who already knew Stratton-Smith. He recalled, "My only knowledge of Genesis was through seeing the ads for their gigs. It seemed like they were constantly working. ... I thought 'At least I'm going to be working if I get the gig'."
Roger Taylor, subsequently of
Queen, turned down an invitation to audition. Collins went to the audition at Gabriel's parents' house in
Chobham, Surrey with his Flaming Youth bandmate, guitarist
Ronnie Caryl. As they arrived early, Collins took a swim in the pool and heard what the other drummers were playing. "They put on 'Trespass', and my initial impression of a very soft and round music, not edgy, with vocal harmonies and I came away thinking
Crosby, Stills and Nash". Gabriel and Rutherford noticed the confident way Collins approached and sat at his drum kit and knew he would be the right replacement. Banks said, "It was a combination of things. He could make it swing a little bit ... he could also tell good jokes and make us laugh ... And he could sing, which was an advantage because Mike and I were not very good at back-up vocals". In August 1970, Collins became the new drummer for Genesis. Caryl's audition was unsuccessful; Rutherford thought he was not the player the group were looking for.
After a short holiday, Genesis began to write and rehearse as a four-piece band in
Farnham, Surrey. The now empty guitar sections in their songs allowed Banks and Rutherford to expand their sound and play what Gabriel described as "interesting chords". As they had not found a new guitarist, Genesis resumed as a live act with Rutherford adding
bass pedals and Banks playing lead guitar lines on a
Pianet through a distorted
fuzz box amplifier in addition to his keyboard parts, something that he credits in helping him develop his technique. In November 1970, after a second audition with Caryl fell through, Dave Stopps, owner of
Friars club in
Aylesbury, suggested they use
Mick Barnard of The Farm, who joined the band for their gigs; which included Genesis's television debut on BBC's ''
Disco 2
''Disco 2'' is the second remix album by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on 12 September 1994 by Parlophone. It consists of remixes of songs from the duo's albums ''Behaviour (Pet Shop Boys album), Behaviour'' (1990) and ''Very ( ...
''. After two months of performances, the band found Barnard lacked in expertise and wished to try someone else. In December, Gabriel spotted a ''Melody Maker'' advert from
Steve Hackett, formerly of
Quiet World
Quiet World were an English pop rock band formed by The Heather Brothers John, Lee, and Neil Heather in 1969; to record their concept album ''The Road''. The group consisted of John (vocals, songwriting), Lea (vocals, songwriting), and Neil (song ...
, who wanted to join a band of "receptive musicians, determined to drive beyond existing stagnant music forms". Gabriel advised Hackett to become familiar with ''Trespass'' and attend their upcoming gig at the
Lyceum Theatre in London. Hackett auditioned with the group in a flat in
Earl's Court and formed an instant rapport with Rutherford through a common interest in
inverted chords. After Hackett joined in January 1971, Stratton-Smith organised a UK tour with Genesis opening for fellow Charisma acts
Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne, also called Holy Island, is a tidal island off the northeast coast of England, which constitutes the civil parish of Holy Island in Northumberland. Holy Island has a recorded history from the 6th century AD; it was an important ...
and
Van der Graaf Generator. Their first overseas dates took place in March with gigs in Belgium followed by their first of three consecutive appearances at the annual
Reading Festival on 26 June.
Rehearsals for the band's third album, ''
Nursery Cryme
''Nursery Cryme'' is the third studio album by the English rock band Genesis, released in November 1971 on Charisma Records. It was their first to feature drummer/vocalist Phil Collins and guitarist Steve Hackett. The album received a mixed respo ...
'', took place at
Luxford House near
Crowborough,
East Sussex, which Stratton-Smith had owned. Recording began at Trident Studios in August 1971 with Anthony and Hentschel reprising their respective roles as producer and assistant engineer. The band's sound evolved, with Hackett's more aggressive electric guitar work and Banks adding a
Mellotron
The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical musical instrument developed in Birmingham, England, in 1963. It is played by pressing its keys, each of which pushes a length of magnetic tape against a capstan, which pulls it across a playback head. A ...
previously owned by
King Crimson to his set of keyboards. The opening track, "
The Musical Box", originated when Phillips and Mayhew were in the group. The band developed the piece further including the addition of new guitar parts from Hackett. "The Musical Box" and "The Return of the Giant Hogweed" are the first recordings in which Hackett uses the
tapping technique. Hackett and Collins wrote "For Absent Friends", which was the first Genesis track with Collins on lead vocals. On the album's cover, Whitehead depicted a Victorian
manor house based on Gabriel's parents' home, and scenes and characters from the lyrics to "The Musical Box".
''Nursery Cryme'' was released in November 1971 and reached No. 39 in the UK in 1974. Though the group still had a minor cult following at home, they started to achieve commercial and critical success in mainland Europe, with the album reaching No. 4 in the Italian charts. From November 1971 to August 1972, Genesis toured to support the album, including further visits to Belgium and, for the first time, Italy, where they played to enthusiastic crowds. In January and March 1972 they recorded radio sessions for BBC's ''Sounds of the Seventies'' program, and later in the year performed at the Reading Festival to some critical acclaim. During the tour, Genesis recorded "Happy the Man", a non-album single, with "
Seven Stones" from ''Nursery Cryme'' on its B-side.
1972–1974: ''Foxtrot'' and ''Selling England by the Pound''
Following rehearsals in a dance school in
Shepherd's Bush
Shepherd's Bush is a district of West London, England, within the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham west of Charing Cross, and identified as a major metropolitan centre in the London Plan.
Although primarily residential in character, i ...
, Genesis recorded ''
Foxtrot'' at
Island Studios in August and September 1972. During the early sessions, disagreements between Charisma and Anthony contributed to the end of his association with Genesis. After two replacement engineers were tried out, the band settled on
John Burns and a new producer,
Dave Hitchcock.
The album features the 23-minute track "
Supper's Ready
"Supper's Ready" is a song by the progressive rock band Genesis, recorded for their 1972 studio album '' Foxtrot''. At 23 minutes in length, it is the band's longest recorded song and almost takes up the entire second side of the vinyl. Frontman ...
", a suite of various musical segments. The track included an opening acoustic piece, a Gabriel-penned song called "Willow Farm", and a piece derived from a jam by Banks, Rutherford and Collins called "Apocalypse in 9/8". Other songs were the
science-fiction-themed "
Watcher of the Skies" and the property-development-themed "
Get 'Em Out by Friday
"Get 'Em Out by Friday" is a rock epic on the 1972 album ''Foxtrot'' by British progressive rock band Genesis, lasting eight and a half minutes. It also appears on their 1973 live album. The lyrics were written by lead singer Peter Gabriel.
Ove ...
". ''Foxtrot'' was released in October 1972 and reached No. 12 in the UK. It fared even better in Italy, where it went to No. 1. ''Foxtrot'' was well received by critics.
Chris Welch of ''Melody Maker'' thought ''Foxtrot'' was "a milestone in the group's career", "an important point of development in British group music", and that Genesis had reached "a creative peak".
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, occ ...
thought ''Foxtrot'' marked the first time "Genesis attacked like a rock band, playing with a visceral power".
The ''Foxtrot'' tour covered Europe and North America from September 1972 to August 1973. Gabriel surprised the other members of the band at the
National Stadium in
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 ...
on 28 September 1972 by wearing a costume on stage, following a suggestion by Charisma booking agent
Paul Conroy. He went off stage during an instrumental section in "The Musical Box" and reappeared in his wife's red dress and a fox's head. The incident resulted in front cover reports in the music press, allowing the band to double their performance fee. In December 1972 Stratton-Smith organised the band's first gigs in the US, with a show at
Brandeis University in
Waltham, Massachusetts, and one at
Philharmonic Hall in New York City with openers
String Driven Thing
String Driven Thing are a Scottish folk rock band, formed in Glasgow in 1967 and led by married couple Chris and Pauline Adams, with the electric violin of Graham Smith.
History Formation
String Driven Thing formed in Glasgow in 1967 as a three ...
, in aid of the
United Cerebral Palsy Fund. They were well received despite the band complaining of technical issues. Gabriel's costumes expanded in the following months to include
fluorescent face paint and a cape fitted with bat wings for "Watcher of the Skies", several guises throughout "Supper's Ready" and a mask of an old man for "The Musical Box". An album of recordings from the following UK leg, initially recorded for the American radio program ''
King Biscuit Flower Hour'', was released as ''
Genesis Live
''Genesis Live'' is the first live album from the English rock band Genesis, released on 20 July 1973 on Charisma Records. Initially recorded for radio broadcast on the American rock program ''King Biscuit Flower Hour'', the album is formed fro ...
'' in July 1973. It reached No. 9 in the UK and No. 105 in the US.
In the summer of 1973, Genesis resigned their contracts with Charisma. Stratton-Smith said they got "a much improved deal" despite them being able to get a better one with a bigger label, but the group were loyal and trusted the label with their careers. With a new contract and thus a green-light for a new album, Genesis recorded ''
Selling England by the Pound'' at Island Studios in August 1973, the second Genesis album that Burns co-produced. Much of it was written at Una Billings School of Dance and
Chessington. Gabriel contributed lyrics based on the idea of commercialism and the decline of English culture and the rise in American influences. Its title refers to a
UK Labour Party slogan to make it clear to music critics who may have thought Genesis were beginning to "sell out" to the US. "
Firth of Fifth" features an extended electric guitar solo from Hackett. The album's cover is a modified version of a painting named ''The Dream'' by Betty Swanwick who added a lawn mower to tie the image to the lyrics of "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)".
''Selling England by the Pound'' was released in October 1973 to a positive critical reception, though slightly more muted than ''Foxtrot''. The album reached No. 3 in the UK and No. 70 in the US. By this time, Genesis had made little effort to organise their finances and were £150,000 in debt (equivalent to £ in ).. They hired promoter
Tony Smith as their new manager to improve their fortunes and published the band's subsequent music through his company,
Hit & Run Music Publishing. The ''Selling England by the Pound'' tour visited Europe and North America between September 1973 and May 1974. Their six shows in three days at
The Roxy
Roxy, Roxey, and Roxie may refer to:
People
* Roxy (given name), including a list of people and characters with the name
Places in the United States
* Roxie, Mississippi, a town
* Roxie, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
Music
* Roxy M ...
in Los Angeles were well received by audiences and critics. The success of the tour earned the group the "Top Stage Band" title by readers of ''
NME''. At its conclusion, Macphail resigned as their tour manager as he wished to pursue other interests. "
I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)" was released as a UK single with "Twilight Alehouse", a non-album track recorded in 1972; it reached No. 21 following its release in February 1974. Its success led to an offer for Genesis to appear on BBC's national show ''
Top of the Pops''; the group thought this would not suit their image, and they declined the offer.
1974–1975: ''The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway'' and Gabriel's departure
In June 1974, Genesis started work on their
double
A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another.
Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to:
Film and television
* Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character
* Th ...
concept album ''
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway''. This marked a point at which Gabriel's relationship with the rest of the group became increasingly strained, which contributed to his departure. The album was written at
Headley Grange
Headley Grange is a former workhouse in Headley, Hampshire, England. It is a Grade II listed historic building. It is best known for its use as a recording and rehearsal venue in the 1960s and 1970s, by acts including Led Zeppelin, Genesis a ...
in
East Hampshire, where upon their arrival the building had been left in a very poor state by the previous band, with rat infestations and excrement on the floor. Gabriel objected to Rutherford's idea of an album based on ''
The Little Prince'' by
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, thinking the idea was "too twee". He proposed to the band a less fantastical and more complicated story involving Rael, a
Puerto Rican youth living in New York City who embarks on a spiritual quest to establish his freedom and identity while meeting several bizarre characters on the way. Gabriel wrote the story with influences from ''
West Side Story'', "a kind of punk" twist to ''
Pilgrim's Progress'', author
Carl Jung, and the film ''
El Topo'' by
Alejandro Jodorowsky. Most of the album's lyrics were written by Gabriel, leaving much of its music to the rest of the group. His absence from a considerable amount of writing sessions due to difficulties with his wife's first birth was something about which Rutherford and Banks "were horribly unsupportive". Gabriel also left the group when director
William Friedkin asked him to write a screenplay, but returned after the project was shelved. In August 1974, production moved to Glaspant Manor in
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire ( cy, Sir Gaerfyrddin; or informally ') is a county in the south-west of Wales. The three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford. Carmarthen is the county town and administrative centre. The county is known ...
,
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
with Burns as co-producer, operating Island Studios' mobile equipment. Further work and mixing took place at Island, where
Brian Eno contributed synthesizers and effects that the album's sleeve credits as "Enossification". When Gabriel asked Eno how the band could repay him, Eno said he needed a drummer for his track "
Mother Whale Eyeless". Collins said, "I got sent upstairs as payment". Gabriel was pleased with Eno's work but Banks was less enthusiastic.
''The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway'' was released in November 1974 and reached No. 10 in the UK and No. 41 in the US.
[ "Counting Out Time" and " The Carpet Crawlers" were released as singles in 1974 and 1975, respectively. Its sleeve is the first of four Genesis albums designed by Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell of Hipgnosis. From November 1974 to May 1975, Genesis completed 102 dates across North America and Europe as part of ''The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway'' tour. Their set included ''The Lamb...'' performed in its entirety with an encore, a decision that was not supported by the entire band considering most of the audience were not yet familiar with the large amount of new material.][Neer, Dan (1985). ''Mike on Mike'' nterview LP Atlantic Recording Corporation.] The stage show involved new, more elaborate costumes worn by Gabriel, three backdrop screens that displayed 1,450 slides from eight projectors, and a laser lighting display. Music critics often focused their reviews on Gabriel's theatrics and took the band's musical performance as secondary, which irritated the rest of the band.
During their stay in Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U ...
during the tour, Gabriel told the band he would leave at its conclusion. He wrote a statement regarding his departure to the English press that was published in August 1975 titled "Out, Angels Out", explaining he had become disillusioned with the music industry and wanted to spend extended time with his family. Banks later stated, "Pete was also getting too big for the group. He was being portrayed as if he was 'the man' and it really wasn't like that. It was a very difficult thing to accommodate. So it was actually a bit of a relief."
1975–1977: Collins becomes frontman, ''A Trick of the Tail'', ''Wind & Wuthering'', and Hackett's departure
Following the ''Lamb'' tour, Hackett recorded his first solo album ''Voyage of the Acolyte
''Voyage of the Acolyte'' is the first studio album by English guitarist, songwriter, and singer Steve Hackett, released in October 1975 on Charisma Records as his only album recorded and released while he was a member of Genesis. Hackett reco ...
'' as he felt unsure that Genesis would survive following Gabriel's departure. He reconvened with the remaining group members in London in July 1975. Collins' idea of continuing as an instrumental group was quickly rejected by the group as they thought it would become boring. Rehearsals for '' A Trick of the Tail'' took place in Acton where material was quickly written and with little effort; most of "Dance on a Volcano" and "Squonk" was put together in the first three days. Recording began in October 1975 at Trident Studios with Hentschel as producer. As a replacement singer had not been found, the band decided to record the album without vocals and audition singers as they went. They placed an anonymous advertisement in ''Melody Maker'' for "a singer for a Genesis-type group", which received around 400 replies. Collins proceeded to teach selected applicants the songs; Witches Brew frontman and flautist Mick Strickland was invited into the studio to sing, but the backing tracks were in a key outside of his natural range, and the band decided not to work with him. Having failed to find a suitable vocalist, Collins went into the studio and attempted to sing "Squonk". His performance was well received by the band, and they decided that he should be their new lead vocalist. Collins then sang on the remaining tracks.
''A Trick of the Tail'' was released in February 1976 and was a commercial and critical success for the band. The album reached No. 3 in the UK and No. 31 in the US.[ The title track was released as a single, though it did not chart. In June, the album was certified Gold by the ]British Phonographic Institute
British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with th ...
for selling over 100,000 copies which helped the band clear the £400,000 of debt (equivalent to £ in ) they owed when Gabriel left. For the first time in their career Genesis filmed promotional videos for their songs, including "A Trick of the Tail" and "Robbery, Assault and Battery". Before the upcoming tour, Collins sought a drummer he felt comfortable with while singing; he chose Bill Bruford who offered to do the job. From March to July 1976, Genesis performed across North America and Europe with the ''A Trick of the Tail'' tour, to enthusiastic crowds. Collins adopted a more humorous rapport with the audience, unlike Gabriel's theatrical approach, which was successful. The shows in Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated pop ...
and Stafford
Stafford () is a market town and the county town of Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It lies about north of Wolverhampton, south of Stoke-on-Trent and northwest of Birmingham. The town had a population of 70,145 in t ...
were filmed for their concert film '' Genesis: In Concert'', released in cinemas in February 1977 as a double bill with '' White Rock''.
In September 1976, Genesis relocated to Relight Studios at Hilvarenbeek in the Netherlands with Hentschel to record '' Wind & Wuthering''. It was put together in a short amount of time and a considerable amount of material was written beforehand, of which the most suitable songs were picked for development. Rutherford spoke of the band's conscious effort to distance themselves from songs inspired by fantasy, something that their past albums "were full of". The band spent roughly six weeks writing the album with a basic form of each track put down in twelve days. Additional recording and production work was done at Trident Studios that October.[ Hackett, having already released a solo album, enjoyed the greater amount of control over the recording process that working within a group could not provide. He felt his songs, including "Please Don't Touch" (which he later released on his second album '']Please Don't Touch!
''Please Don't Touch!'' is the second studio album by English guitarist and songwriter Steve Hackett. It was released in April 1978 on Charisma Records, and it is his first album released after leaving the progressive rock band Genesis in 1977. ...
'') were rejected from the final track order in favour of material that Banks, in particular, had put forward. Collins spoke of the situation, "We just wanted to use what we agreed was the strongest material, irrespective of who wrote it". ''Wind & Wuthering'' was released in December 1976 and reached No. 6 in the UK and No. 26 in the US. Rutherford's track, "Your Own Special Way", became its sole single and went to No. 43 in the UK. Its B-side is "It's Yourself", originally intended for ''A Trick of the Tail''.
Prior to the 1977 tour, Bruford declined an offer to return as second drummer, leaving Collins searching for a replacement. He heard American drummer Chester Thompson, of Frank Zappa's band and Weather Report, play a drum passage on " More Trouble Every Day" from Zappa's live album '' Roxy & Elsewhere''. Collins said, "It floored me completely ... I had never met him. I rang him up and said, 'Hi Chester, I've heard your stuff, would you like to play with Genesis?' ... He didn't even audition!" Genesis toured ''Wind & Wuthering'' from January to July 1977 across Europe, North America, and for the first time, Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
. The stage show cost £400,000 (equivalent to £ in ). which featured a new PA system, lasers and smoke, and lighting supplied from two rows of Boeing 747 aircraft landing lights. Touring began on 1 January with three sold-out shows at the Rainbow Theatre
The Rainbow Theatre, originally known as the Finsbury Park Astoria, is a Grade II*-listed building in Finsbury Park, London. The theatre was built in 1930 as a cinema. It later became a music venue. Today, the building is used by the Universa ...
in London, where 80,000 applications were made for the 8,000 available tickets. They returned to London for three nights at Earls Court, then the largest arena in Britain, supported by Richie Havens
Richard Pierce Havens (January 21, 1941 – April 22, 2013) was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. His music encompassed elements of folk, soul (both of which he frequently covered), and rhythm and blues. He had a rhythmic guitar style ...
.[ The band's growing popularity in North America led to television appearances and concerts organised in larger venues than previous tours, including ]Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...
in New York City.[ Their Brazilian dates were attended by over 150,000 people and a proposed 100,000-person gig was cancelled over rioting fears. An armed bodyguard accompanied each member throughout their stay.
In May 1977 Genesis released '']Spot the Pigeon
''Spot the Pigeon'' is the first EP by English progressive rock band Genesis, released on 20 May 1977. Its three songs were originally written for the group's eighth studio album ''Wind & Wuthering'' (1976), but were not included in the final tr ...
'', an extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. of three tracks left off ''Wind & Wuthering''. It peaked at No. 14 on the UK singles chart. It was the final Genesis release before Hackett left the group. He had been writing more material on his own and found it increasingly difficult to contribute more of his ideas within a group context. He wished to embark on a solo career and "take the risk in order to find out just how good I was on my own". News of Hackett's departure coincided with the band's double live album '' Seconds Out'', recorded in Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. ...
on the ''A Trick of the Tail'' and ''Wind & Wuthering'' tours and released in October 1977. It reached No. 4 in the UK and No. 47 in the US.
1977–1980: ''...And Then There Were Three...'' and ''Duke''
By the time ''Seconds Out'' was released, Banks, Rutherford, and Collins had already recorded '' ...And Then There Were Three...'', the first Genesis album recorded as a trio, in September 1977 at Relight Studios with Hentschel as producer. It was then mixed at Trident Studios in London. In order to put across a greater number of musical ideas, the album is a collection of shorter songs. Most of its eleven songs were written individually; Banks contributed four, Rutherford three, Collins one, and the remaining three were written collectively. Their new material signalled a change in the band's sound with songs becoming more pop-oriented, including the group-written track "Follow You Follow Me
"Follow You Follow Me" is a love song written and recorded by English rock band Genesis. It was released in March 1978 as the first single from their ninth studio album, '' ...And Then There Were Three...'' (1978). The music was composed by the ...
". Collins recalled it was the only song on the album written from scratch during rehearsals. Rutherford felt comfortable taking on lead guitar duties in addition to his usual rhythm and bass roles, although the band had considered auditioning replacement guitarists or using a session guitarist on the album. Collins later saw the album as "a very vocal, solid album" that lacked more rhythmic tracks like "Los Endos" or songs from ''Wind & Wuthering'', as coming up with ideas on the drums while living in his flat in Ealing with his family was difficult.
''...And Then There Were Three...'' was released in March 1978. It received some mixed reviews from critics at the time owing to the album only containing short songs, which excited new fans but disillusioned those who had been used to the band's previous work. Chris Welch wrote a positive review in ''Melody Maker'', citing a "remarkably powerful" album. It was a commercial success and peaked at No. 3 in the UK[ and No. 14 in the US.][ "Follow You Follow Me" was released as its lead single and reached No. 7 in the UK and No. 23 in the US, their highest-charting single in both countries since their formation.][ Its success introduced the band to a new audience, including a larger female interest, helped by its music video airing on ''Top of the Pops''. Its success caused some fans to accuse the group of selling out to more commercial music. A follow-up single, "]Many Too Many
"Many Too Many" is a love song recorded by English rock band Genesis.Jon Young. "The Genesis Autodiscography". ''Trouser Press''. March 1982 issue
Background
It was released as a single from the album '' ...And Then There Were Three...'' in 197 ...
", was less successful, for it had already appeared on the album.
In the search for a new touring guitarist, Rutherford tried out Pat Thrall and Elliot Randall, followed by Alphonso Johnson of Weather Report, but he was primarily a bassist and could not play Hackett's lead guitar parts comfortably. Johnson then suggested American guitarist Daryl Stuermer of Jean-Luc Ponty's jazz fusion
Jazz fusion (also known as fusion and progressive jazz) is a music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and jazz improvisation, improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric guitars, ...
group, who was more comfortable with various guitar styles. During Stuermer's rehearsal in New York City, Rutherford was satisfied with his performance after they played through "Down and Out" and "Squonk". When Stuermer was chosen, he familiarised himself with a list of 26 songs he was asked to learn by going through five per day. The ''...And Then There Were Three...'' tour ran from March to December 1978 and visited North America, Europe, and for the first time, Japan. It cost an estimated £2 million to stage (equivalent to £ in ). which included the sound system, light and laser displays, and additional effects from six computer-controlled mirrors, all of which took eight hours to set up and five to dismantle. One of their shows featured a guest appearance from Gabriel, who sang "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)". In June, Genesis headlined the year's Knebworth Festival, their only UK show that year.
In December 1978, Genesis began a period of inactivity as Collins's marriage was at risk of collapse after touring had made him frequently absent from his wife and children. Following a meeting with Banks, Rutherford and Smith, Collins went to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, to try and rebuild the family. He explained: "I was never going to leave the band. It was just that if I was going to be living in Vancouver then we'd have had to organise ourselves differently."[ Banks and Rutherford decided to put Genesis on an extended break and make their respective debut solo albums, '']A Curious Feeling
''A Curious Feeling'' is the debut solo album from English keyboardist Tony Banks. It was recorded at ABBA's Polar Music Studios during a brief hiatus for Banks's main group Genesis and released in 1979 on Charisma Records. It is one of onl ...
'' and ''Smallcreep's Day
''Smallcreep's Day'' is Peter Currell Brown's only novel and was first published by Victor Gollancz Ltd in 1965. The story is a surreal satire on modern industrial life. The novel was written while the author worked at R A Lister and Company in ...
'', at Polar Studios in Stockholm
Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately
1 m ...
, Sweden
Sweden, ; fi, Ruotsi; fit, Ruotti; se, Ruoŧŧa; smj, Svierik; sje, Sverji; sju, Sverje; sma, Sveerje or ; yi, שוועדן, Shvedn; rmu, Svedikko; rmf, Sveittiko. formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic cou ...
.[ In April 1979, Collins returned to the UK after his attempt to save his marriage failed. With time to spare before working on a new Genesis album, Collins performed with Brand X, played the drums on former bandmate Peter Gabriel's third album, and started writing his own first solo album, '' Face Value'', at his home in Shalford, Surrey.][
In 1979, Banks and Rutherford moved into Collins's home in Shalford to write and rehearse material for '']Duke
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of Royal family, royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, t ...
''. The three found the writing process easier and less complicated than ''And Then There Were Three''. Rutherford reasoned that this was the case because they were "getting back to the basic stage of ideas being worked on jointly".[ Banks put it down to their break in activity, resulting in "good ideas ... which hasn't happened for some time".][ ''Duke'' continued the band's transition into writing shorter songs. Each member contributed two songs for the group to develop: Banks put forward "Heathaze" and "Cul-de-Sac", Rutherford used "Man of Our Times" and "Alone Tonight", and Collins had "]Misunderstanding
Misunderstanding may refer to:
* A mistaken or incorrect understanding
Understanding is a psychological process related to an abstract or physical object, such as a person, situation, or message whereby one is able to use concepts to model tha ...
" and "Please Don't Ask". All three wrote the remaining five tracks, including " Duchess", the first Genesis song to feature a drum machine, specifically a Roland CR-78 imported from Japan. In its original form, the album was to contain a 30-minute track based on a fictional character named Albert, but the idea was cancelled to avoid comparisons to "Supper's Ready" from ''Foxtrot''. In November, the band recorded ''Duke'' at Polar Studios with Hentschel reprising his role as producer, and included a cover from French illustrator Lionel Koechlin, featuring the character Albert.
Released in March 1980, ''Duke'' was the band's biggest commercial success at the time of release, spending two weeks at No. 1 in the UK and peaking at No. 11 in the US. The album spawned three singles; " Turn It On Again" went to No. 8 in the UK, "Misunderstanding" reached No. 14 in the US,[ and " Duchess" peaked at No. 46 in the UK.][ ''Duke'' was supported with a UK and North American tour from April to June 1980, which began with a 40-date tour of the UK for which all 106,000 tickets were sold within hours of going on sale.
]
1980–1985: ''Abacab'' and ''Genesis''
In November 1980, Genesis bought Fisher Lane Farm
Fisher Lane Farm is the main recording studio of the English progressive rock band Genesis. The studio is located in Chiddingfold, Surrey, England. Mike Rutherford, Tony Banks and Phil Collins have also recorded there as solo artists, or w ...
, a farmhouse with an adjoining cowshed near Chiddingfold, Surrey, as their new rehearsal and recording facility. The building was remodelled into a studio in four months before recording for ''Abacab
''Abacab'' is the eleventh studio album by English rock band Genesis, released on 18 September 1981 by Charisma Records. After their 1980 tour in support of their previous album, ''Duke'' (1980), the band took a break before they reconvened in 1 ...
'' began in March 1981. The new environment had a productive effect on the writing process as the band wrote enough for a double album, but they discarded one hour's worth of songs that sounded too similar to their past albums. Banks said the band made an effort to keep melodies as simple as possible, which signalled further changes in their direction. The shift was underlined in its production when Hentschel, their producer and engineer since 1975, was replaced by Hugh Padgham after Collins liked his production on ''Face Value'' and Gabriel's third solo album. Production duties were solely credited to the band for the first time with Padgham as their engineer. The album is formed of group written material with an individual song from each member. " No Reply at All" features the Phenix Horns, the horn section of American band Earth, Wind & Fire.
''Abacab'' was released in September 1981 and reached No. 1 in the UK and No. 7 in the US.[ Three singles from the album entered the top forty in both countries; "]Abacab
''Abacab'' is the eleventh studio album by English rock band Genesis, released on 18 September 1981 by Charisma Records. After their 1980 tour in support of their previous album, ''Duke'' (1980), the band took a break before they reconvened in 1 ...
" reached No. 9 in the UK and No. 26 in the US, "No Reply at All" reached No. 29 in the US,[ and "]Keep It Dark
"Keep It Dark" is a song by British band Genesis, released on 23 October 1981 in the UK as the second single from ''Abacab''. It reached number 33 in the UK Singles Chart.
Song information
A light rock song, it describes a man who has been t ...
", a European-only single, went to No. 33 in the UK.[ ''Abacab'' was supported with a tour of Europe and North America from September to December 1981, ending with shows at Wembley Arena and the NEC Birmingham. The tour marked the band's first use of the Vari-Lite, a computer-controlled intelligent lighting system. Following a demonstration at The Farm, the band and Smith showed an immediate interest in the technology and became shareholders of the company. In May 1982, three tracks recorded during the ''Abacab'' sessions – "]Paperlate
"Paperlate" is a song from the second of two EPs by the British rock group Genesis. The EP, titled ''3×3'' (for it featured three tracks and the band comprised three musicians), peaked at No. 10 on the UK Singles Chart in mid-1982. The success ...
", "You Might Recall", and "Me and Virgil" – were released as an EP in Europe, ''3×3
''3×3'' is the second extended play by the English rock band Genesis, released in May 1982 on Charisma Records. Its three songs were originally written and recorded for their eleventh studio album '' Abacab'' (1981), but they were not included ...
'', which peaked at No. 10 in the UK.[ Its cover is a homage to the '' Twist and Shout'' EP by the Beatles, with sleeve notes written by that group's former publicist Tony Barrow.
In June 1982, Genesis released the double live album '']Three Sides Live
''Three Sides Live'' is the third live album by the English rock band Genesis, released as a double album on 4 June 1982 on Charisma Records in the United Kingdom. It was released by Atlantic Records in the United States. After touring in suppo ...
'' in two different versions. The North American edition contains three sides of live recordings with the fourth comprising the ''3×3'' tracks and two from the ''Duke'' sessions. The European release contains a fourth side of extra live tracks. The album coincided with the home video release of the ''Three Sides Live'' concert film recorded in 1981. A tour of North America and Europe followed that ran from August to September 1982, featuring guest appearances from Bill Bruford and the Phenix Horns. On 2 October, Genesis headlined a one-off concert with Gabriel at the Milton Keynes Bowl
The National Bowl (originally the Milton Keynes Bowl) is an entertainment venue located in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. The site was a former clay pit (for brick-making), filled in and raised to form an amphitheatre using sub-soil ex ...
under the name Six of the Best. The concert was organised to raise money for Gabriel's World of Music, Arts and Dance project that was, by that point, in considerable debt. Hackett, who flew in from abroad, arrived in time to perform the last two songs.
Work on the twelfth Genesis album, ''Genesis
Genesis may refer to:
Bible
* Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of mankind
* Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Book o ...
'', began in March 1983 with Padgham returning as engineer. It was the first album written, recorded, and mixed at the remodelled studio at the Farm. Banks remembered the band were scarce for new musical ideas that "felt at times as though we were stretching the material as far as we could". " Mama" concerns a man's obsession with a prostitute at a Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
n brothel. It originated from a beat Rutherford came up with on a LinnDrum machine that was fed through his guitar amplifier and an echo gate. Collins' laugh on the track originated from " The Message" by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Released in October 1983, ''Genesis'' went to No. 1 in the UK and peaked at No. 9 in the US,[ where it reached Platinum by December that year and went on to sell over four million copies.][ Three tracks were released as singles; "Mama" reached No. 4 in the UK, their highest-charting UK single to date, and " That's All" reached No. 6 in the US.][ The Mama Tour ran from late 1983 through to 1984, covering North America and five UK shows in ]Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the We ...
. The latter shows were filmed and released as '' Genesis Live – The Mama Tour''.
In February 1984, Genesis took a break in activity to allow each member to continue with their solo careers. Rutherford formed his group Mike + The Mechanics
Mike and the Mechanics (stylised as Mike + The Mechanics) is an English rock supergroup formed in Dover in 1985 by Mike Rutherford, initially as a side project during a hiatus period for his earlier group Genesis. The band is known for hit singl ...
, Banks worked on his solo album '' Soundtracks'', and Collins released '' No Jacket Required'', which achieved worldwide success and increased his popularity as a result. The music press took note that Collins' success as a solo artist made him more popular than Genesis.[ Before the release of ''No Jacket Required'', Collins insisted that he would not leave the band. "The next one to leave the band will finish it", Collins told ''Rolling Stone'' magazine in May 1985. "I feel happier with what we're doing now, because I feel it's closer to me. I won't be the one." He added, "Poor old Genesis does get in the way sometimes. I still won't leave the group, but I imagine it will end by mutual consent."] In June, Collins spoke of the band's intention to start work on a new album that year, ending rumours to a false announcement that aired on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...
suggesting Genesis had split.
1985–1996: ''Invisible Touch'', ''We Can't Dance'', and Collins's departure
Genesis reconvened at The Farm in October 1985 to start work on '' Invisible Touch'', which lasted for six months. They continued their method of songwriting used on ''Genesis'' by developing material from group improvisations. Banks remembered the time as a strong period creatively for the band, with ideas "flowing out of us". " Invisible Touch" was developed in such a way, when the group were working on "The Last Domino", the second part of " Domino". During the session, Rutherford began to play an improvised guitar riff to which Collins replied with an off-the-cuff lyric – "She seems to have an invisible touch" – which became the song's chorus hook.
Following its release in June 1986, the album spent three weeks at No. 1 in the UK and reached No. 3 in the US,[ and became the best-selling Genesis album with seven million copies sold. The album's five singles – "Invisible Touch", " Throwing It All Away", " Land of Confusion", " In Too Deep", and " Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" – entered the top five on the US singles chart between 1986 and 1987][ with "Invisible Touch" topping the chart for one week. Genesis became the first group and foreign act to achieve this feat, equalling the five singles record set by Michael Jackson, ]Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreog ...
, and Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
. Genesis commissioned the creators of the satirical British television show '' Spitting Image'', Peter Fluck and Roger Law, to make puppets of them in the style of the show for the video of "Land of Confusion".
The Invisible Touch Tour was the band's largest world tour in its history, which included 112 dates from September 1986 to July 1987. Genesis received some criticism in their decision to have Michelob beer as a sponsor. The tour concluded with four consecutive sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium in London. The shows were released in 1988 as '' The Invisible Touch Tour''. When the tour ended, Genesis took a five-year break while each member committed to their solo projects. They performed twice during this time; on 14 May 1988, they performed a 20-minute set at the Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden. This was followed by a set at a charity gig at the 1990 Knebworth Festival on 30 June, headlined by Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...
.
In 1991 Genesis recorded their fourteenth album, '' We Can't Dance'', from March to September with their new engineer and co-producer, Nick Davis. The band took advantage of the increased capacity the CD offered and released over 71 minutes of new music across 12 tracks. Collins wrote the lyrics to "Since I Lost You" for his friend Eric Clapton following the death of Clapton's four-year-old son Conor. Following the release of ''We Can't Dance'' in November 1991, the album went to No. 1 in the UK for one week and No. 4 in the US,[ where it went on to sell over 4 million copies.][
The album spawned several hit singles; " No Son of Mine" went to No. 6 in the UK and "]I Can't Dance
"I Can't Dance" is the fourth track from English rock band Genesis's fourteenth studio album, '' We Can't Dance'' (1991), and was released in December 1991 as the second single from the album. The lyrics were written by drummer Phil Collins an ...
" reached No. 7 in the UK and the US.[ In 1993, ''We Can't Dance'' was nominated for a Brit Award for Best British Album.
The ''We Can't Dance'' tour visited North America and Europe from May to November 1992 with each concert attended by an average of 56,000 people. The tour spawned two live albums; '' The Way We Walk, Volume One: The Shorts'' reached No. 3 in the UK and '' The Way We Walk, Volume Two: The Longs'' went to No. 1 in the UK.][ A live home video, also titled '']The Way We Walk
''The Way We Walk – Live in Concert'' is a 1993 live video from the ''We Can't Dance'' tour by Genesis. The footage was videotaped on 8 November 1992 at Earls Court in London, and first released on VHS in March 1993 as ''Genesis Live – The W ...
'', documented one of the band's six consecutive shows at Earl's Court during November 1992. Following the tour, the band took a break in activity. Banks, Rutherford, and Collins performed at Cowdray Castle
Cowdray House consists of the ruins of one of England's great Tudor houses, architecturally comparable to many of the great palaces and country houses of that time. It is situated in the Parish of Easebourne, just east of Midhurst, West Sussex ...
, Midhurst in September 1993 for a money-raising event with Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...
touring guitarist Tim Renwick and drummer Gary Wallis and Queen drummer Roger Taylor. Rutherford also played bass on Pink Floyd's set at the same concert.
In March 1996, Collins announced his departure from Genesis. In a statement, he said, "Having been in Genesis for 25 years, I felt it time to change direction in my musical life. For me now, it will be music for movies, some jazz projects, and of course my solo career. I wish the guys in Genesis all the very best in their future. We remain the best of friends."
1996–2006: Wilson as frontman, ''Calling All Stations'', and hiatus
Shortly after Banks and Rutherford decided to continue Genesis in 1996, they went to The Farm to start writing '' Calling All Stations''. Rutherford initially found the sessions difficult as he saw Collins as "the guy in the middle" who made Banks and himself work better. Their best ideas developed in this period were put forward while they auditioned new singers, including Francis Dunnery and Nick Van Eede
Nick Van Eede (born Nicholas Eede, 14 June 1958) is an English musician, producer and songwriter. He is best known for singing and writing the 1986 No. 1 power ballad, "(I Just) Died in Your Arms" for his band Cutting Crew, which saw internati ...
. The two main contenders, David Longdon
David Longdon (17 June 1965 – 20 November 2021) was a British multi-instrumentalist and singer, who was best known as the lead vocalist and co-songwriter of the progressive rock band Big Big Train. Besides singing, Longdon played flute, key ...
(later of Big Big Train) and Scottish singer Ray Wilson of Stiltskin, auditioned throughout 1996, which involved singing along to Genesis tracks with the lead vocals removed. Wilson was announced as the new Genesis singer in June 1997. Though much of the album was already written by the time he joined, Banks was pleased with his contributions to the album, which included writing the lyrics to "Small Talk" and riffs on " Not About Us" and "There Must Be Some Other Way". Banks and Rutherford opted for two drummers on ''Calling All Stations'' – Israeli session musician Nir Zidkyahu and Nick D'Virgilio of Spock's Beard.
''Calling All Stations'' was released in September 1997. It was a success in Europe, where it reached No. 2 in the UK,[ but the album only reached No. 54 in the US, their lowest charting album there since ''Selling England by the Pound''.][ A single from the album, "]Congo
Congo or The Congo may refer to either of two countries that border the Congo River in central Africa:
* Democratic Republic of the Congo, the larger country to the southeast, capital Kinshasa, formerly known as Zaire, sometimes referred to a ...
" reached the top 30 in the UK[ and Genesis completed a European tour from January to May 1998, adding Zidkyahu on drums and Irish guitarist Anthony Drennan. A North American tour was planned but was cancelled following its poor commercial response and lack of ticket sales, which led to Banks and Rutherford announcing in 2000 that the group would no longer be recording and touring.
In 1998, Banks, Collins, Gabriel, Hackett, Phillips, Rutherford, and Silver gathered for a photo session and dinner to celebrate the release of the four-disc box set, '' Genesis Archive 1967–75''. The set features "Supper's Ready" and "It" with new overdubs by Gabriel and Hackett. In 1999, Banks, Collins, Rutherford, Hackett, and Gabriel released a new version of " The Carpet Crawlers" for the compilation album '' Turn It On Again: The Hits''. On 21 September 2000, Collins, Banks, Rutherford reunited at the ]Music Managers Forum
The Music Managers Forum (MMF) is the world's largest professional membership organisation representing music managers. At present the MMF membership stands at over 950 managers based in the UK with global businesses and a wider network of 2700 ma ...
, in honour of their manager Tony Smith. Gabriel attended the ceremony but chose not to perform. Genesis briefly performed at Gabriel's wedding in 2002. In 2004, Genesis released '' Platinum Collection'', a three-disc compilation album covering the band's career that reached No. 21 in the UK.[
]
2006–2020: Turn It On Again Tour, BBC documentary, and reunion speculations
In a press conference held in London in November 2006, Banks, Rutherford, and Collins announced their reunion for the Turn It On Again Tour
Turn It On Again: The Tour was a 2007 concert tour of Europe and North America by the English rock band Genesis. The tour was notable for the return of drummer and vocalist Phil Collins, who had fronted the band during their most commercially s ...
, their first with Collins in fourteen years. They revealed the initial plan of touring ''The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway'' with Gabriel and Hackett. The five met in Glasgow in November 2004 to discuss the idea further, but it never developed further as Gabriel was unable to commit due to other projects. Instead, Banks, Rutherford and Collins decided to proceed with Chester Thompson and Daryl Stuermer returning on drums and guitar, respectively. In March 2007, a press conference was held in New York City to announce the North American leg.
The Turn It On Again Tour featured a stage designed by architect Mark Fisher with a lighting display by Patrick Woodroffe, included a 55-metre long LED backdrop formed of 9 million LED lights. The European leg saw close to 400,000 tickets sold in 40 minutes for shows in Germany and the Netherlands. The European leg ended with a free concert on 14 July at the Circus Maximus
The Circus Maximus ( Latin for "largest circus"; Italian: ''Circo Massimo'') is an ancient Roman chariot-racing stadium and mass entertainment venue in Rome, Italy. In the valley between the Aventine and Palatine hills, it was the first and ...
in Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus ( legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
in front of around half a million people. This was filmed, and released on DVD the following year as ''When in Rome 2007
''When in Rome 2007'' is a live DVD by British rock band Genesis recorded at Circus Maximus, Rome, Italy, on 14 July 2007, during the Turn It On Again Tour. The concert was directed by David Mallet. The collection was released on 26 May 2008 i ...
''. A live album formed of recordings from various European dates was released in 2007 as ''Live over Europe 2007
''Live over Europe 2007'' is the sixth live album by British band Genesis. It was recorded during the Turn It On Again: The Tour of 2007. It was released in North America by Atlantic Records on 20 November 2007, and in Europe by Virgin Recor ...
''. On 7 July, the band played at the Live Earth concert in London at Wembley Stadium.
The band's autobiography ''Genesis Chapter & Verse'' was published in 2007 as a full colour 359 page hardback book. The writing credits were Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, and Mike Rutherford, edited by Philip Dodd.
In 2007, the band's studio albums from ''Trespass'' to ''Calling All Stations'' were digitally remastered by Nick Davis across three box sets: '' Genesis 1970–1975'', ''Genesis 1976–1982
''Genesis 1976–1982'' is a box set of five studio albums by Genesis. It was released on 2 April 2007 in Europe & Japan by Virgin/EMI and on 15 May 2007 in North America by Atlantic/Rhino. The 6-CD/6-DVD box set includes newly remixed versio ...
'' and ''Genesis 1983–1998
''Genesis 1983–1998'' is a box set of four studio albums by Genesis. It was released on 1 October 2007 in Europe & Japan by Virgin/EMI and on 20 November 2007 North America by Atlantic/Rhino. The 5-CD/5-DVD box set includes newly remixed ver ...
''. Each album is presented as a two-disc set containing a CD/ Super Audio CD of a new stereo mix and a DVD with a 5.1 surround sound
5.1 surround sound ("five-point one") is the common name for surround sound audio systems. 5.1 is the most commonly used layout in home theatres. It uses five full bandwidth channels and one low-frequency effects channel (the "point one"). Dolb ...
mix and bonus features including previously unreleased live performances, interviews, and concert programs.[ Two more box sets followed in 2009, '']Genesis Live 1973–2007
''Genesis Live 1973–2007'' is a box set by Genesis which includes all of their live albums except ''Live over Europe 2007.'' ''Genesis Live'' and its bonus tracks, ''Seconds Out'', and ''Live at the Rainbow 1973'' all include bonus DVDs whi ...
'', which collected all of the band's live albums, and '' Genesis Movie Box 1981–2007'', which compiled all of the band's live home video releases.
After 2011, Genesis members expressed mixed opinions about a reunion. Collins retired from the music industry as an active musician that year in favour of family commitments, and has stated he can no longer play the drums due to medical issues. Hackett has said "I would say it's possible, but highly improbable. I've always been open to it. I'm not the guy who says no."[ Gabriel addressed the possibility of a reunion: "I never say never. It really didn't happen last time. I think there's a small chance, but I don't think it's very high." In 2014, Collins reiterated, "Have people thought it through? It's not as if you're going to get Peter as the singer, me as the drummer. I can't play any more, so it's never going to happen", adding it would not be likely for Gabriel to perform songs on which Collins originally sang lead vocals.
In 2014, Gabriel, Banks, Rutherford, Collins and Hackett reunited for '' Genesis: Together and Apart'', a BBC documentary about the band's history and the various solo albums the members have released. Although he participated in the documentary and promoted it, Hackett was critical following its broadcast, saying that it was biased and did not give him editorial involvement, adding that it ignored his solo work despite his speaking at length about it.] The documentary also did not cover Ray Wilson's time in Genesis. Hackett remains cynical about a Genesis reunion, saying: "Look at the documentary and you'll get an idea of the priorities that come across."
In 2015, Collins announced an end to his retirement, and speculated a reunion with Banks and Rutherford would be possible, a view that Banks endorsed. In 2017, Rutherford said he was also amenable to a reunion tour if Collins was interested. Hackett said he would like a reunion of Genesis's 1971–1975 line-up, but stressed it was very unlikely, adding "I won't say any more because I don't want to raise expectations." Collins published his autobiography in 2016, and stated in the introduction that he retired from Genesis in 2007.
2020–present: The Last Domino? Tour
On 23 January 2020, Collins, Banks and Rutherford were spotted together at a basketball game in New York City's Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...
, sparking rumours about a possible Genesis reunion. On 4 March, the trio announced their reformation and The Last Domino? Tour
The Last Domino? Tour was a concert tour by English rock band Genesis, staged following the announcement of their reunion after a 13-year hiatus. It featured the core trio of keyboardist Tony Banks, drummer/singer Phil Collins, and bassist/gui ...
on Zoe Ball's BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 15 million weekly listeners. Since launching in 1967, the station broadcasts a wide range of content ...
show. The tour was originally planned for seventeen dates across the UK and Ireland between November and December of the same year, with longtime touring guitarist/bassist Daryl Stuermer and Collins's son Nic on drums. Their usual touring drummer, Chester Thompson, was not invited, and said he had not spoken to Collins in ten years. The tour was rescheduled twice due to the subsequent COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...
and lockdown, firstly from April 2021 and then from September 2021. Collins asserted that the tour would be his last with Genesis due to his health issues, and said there were no plans for the band to record new music, but added: "Never say never". A North American leg was later added for November 2021, following the UK leg. The tour was supported with the release of a greatest hits set '' The Last Domino? – The Hits''.
The tour began on 20 September 2021. On 8 October, with four dates remaining, the UK leg was postponed due to a positive test for COVID-19 in the band. The dates were rescheduled for March 2022, ending with three shows in London on 24–26 March. Genesis performed their final concert of The Last Domino? Tour on 26 March in London. Gabriel was in attendance, but did not join the band on stage.
In September 2022, Genesis announced that they had sold a portion of their music rights to Concord for an estimated £270 million. The deal includes publishing copyrights and streaming income from their post-1978 output, and solo albums by Banks, Rutherford, and Collins.
Musical style
Genesis identify first and foremost as songwriters. Though styles changed dramatically over the group's career, they were always built on musical contrasts and the willingness to experiment.
Members of the original line-up were exposed to classical and church music as well as rock artists of the 1960s, particularly the Beatles. Gabriel's vocal style was influenced by Otis Redding and other Stax artists. Some of Genesis's music was inspired by blues according to Hackett, who says that the sonic innovation of the electric guitar in the early 1970s came straight from this. In their early years, Genesis' music combined elements of the pop, folk, and psychedelic
Psychedelics are a subclass of hallucinogenic drugs whose primary effect is to trigger non-ordinary states of consciousness (known as psychedelic experiences or "trips").Pollan, Michael (2018). ''How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of ...
genres. Several songs developed during Phillips' time in the band originated on 12-string guitars, often with unconventional tunings. By the 1970s, the group began to include fantasy and surreal elements in their lyrics, such as "The Musical Box". ''Nursery Cryme'' marks the first time electric instruments were used more extensively. ''A Trick of the Tail'' marked a return to the band's roots with acoustic passages and songs inspired by fantasy.
Early lyrics drew from psychedelia, fantasy, mythological figures, and fairytale themes. Gabriel emerged as one of the band's main lyricists who often incorporated puns and double entendre
A double entendre (plural double entendres) is a figure of speech or a particular way of wording that is devised to have a double meaning, of which one is typically obvious, whereas the other often conveys a message that would be too socially a ...
s in his lines and track titles and addressed various themes including social commentary. ''Selling England by the Pound'' contains references to English culture of the time including "Aisle of Plenty", where four British supermarket chains are referenced to reflect the album's theme of commercialism. Literary sources are used as inspiration for many Genesis tracks; " The Cinema Show" is based on T. S. Eliot
Thomas Stearns Eliot (26 September 18884 January 1965) was a poet, essayist, publisher, playwright, literary critic and editor.Bush, Ronald. "T. S. Eliot's Life and Career", in John A Garraty and Mark C. Carnes (eds), ''American National Biogr ...
's poem '' The Waste Land'', and Arthur C. Clarke
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke (16 December 191719 March 2008) was an English science-fiction writer, science writer, futurist, inventor, undersea explorer, and television series host.
He co-wrote the screenplay for the 1968 film '' 2001: A Spac ...
's novel '' Childhood's End'' inspired the lyrics to " Watcher of the Skies".
By the time the group had slimmed down to the trio of Banks, Rutherford and Collins, they had decided to change lyrical styles, dealing more with everyday matters which connected with female fans. Collins' songs, in particular, were personal in nature. However, the group still featured humour in songs such as "Illegal Alien", and dealt with serious themes such as politics on "Land of Confusion" and commercialisation on "I Can't Dance".
Banks has said that a common way of developing songs throughout the band's career was for Collins to play the rhythm, Rutherford to set up a groove and riffs, and for him to add the harmonies and melodies on top. He cites the "Apocalypse in 9/8" section of "Supper's Ready", "The Cinema Show" and "Domino" as examples of this, and says the restrictions it gave him allowed the group to produce straightforward pop songs such as "Invisible Touch" and "Land of Confusion" in later years.
Banks has used a number of keyboards during Genesis' career, continually trying out new models, though he has used the piano regularly throughout the group's lifetime. In the 1970s he frequently used the Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs generated s ...
, Hohner Pianet, Mellotron
The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical musical instrument developed in Birmingham, England, in 1963. It is played by pressing its keys, each of which pushes a length of magnetic tape against a capstan, which pulls it across a playback head. A ...
, RMI Electronic Piano and ARP Pro Soloist. In the 1980s, he used the Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 and Prophet 10, the ARP Quadra and various Korg synthesizers. For the Turn It On Again tour in 2007, his main keyboard was a Korg OASYS. As both a guitarist and bassist, Rutherford regularly swapped between the two roles, and his trademark instrument with Genesis, particularly through the 1970s, was a double-neck guitar. In the 1980s and beyond, he favoured the Eric Clapton Stratocaster.
Legacy
Genesis have been estimated to have sold between 100 and 150 million albums worldwide. Their total certified album sales include 21.5 million in the US, 7.2 million in the UK, 5.6 million in Germany, and 3.4 million in France. Genesis have been awarded eleven Gold and four Multi-Platinum albums in the UK,[ while in the US they have seven Gold, two Platinum, and four Multi-Platinum albums.]
In March 2010, Genesis were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...
by Phish
Phish is an American rock band formed in Burlington, Vermont, in 1983. The band is known for musical improvisation, extended jams, blending of genres, and a dedicated fan base. The band consists of guitarist Trey Anastasio, bassist Mike Gordon ...
guitarist Trey Anastasio. The band's awards include a Silver Clef Award for outstanding contributions to British music at its second annual ceremony in 1977. In 1988, the band received one of the only two Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
issued for the short-lived Best Concept Music Video category for " Land of Confusion". In September 2012, a Lifetime Achievement Award was given to the band at the inaugural Progressive Music Awards. In 2004, '' Q'' ranked Genesis as the seventeenth-biggest band in a list compiled based on album sales, time spent on the UK charts, and largest audience for a headlining show. Genesis were honoured at the second VH1 Rock Honors in May 2007, which featured Banks, Rutherford and Collins. In 2008, the band received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Mojo Awards.
Genesis were targets for criticism throughout the 1970s from those who disliked progressive rock. Influential BBC DJ John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...
championed the band in their early years and they performed three sessions for him between 1970 and 1972, but he "grew disillusioned with their later excesses". Some regarded the group as overtly middle-class, paying particular attention to the founder members' private education, and claimed rock music was being taken away from the working class, whom they regarded as its core audience. Likening his background to that of the punk artist Joe Strummer, who had become a "people's hero" musician, Gabriel stated in 2013, "To this day, we've never outgrown the snotty rich-kid thing ... we were always very straight about where we came from, and we were middle-class, not aristocratic." Gabriel's theatrics were unpalatable to some of the mainstream rock audience, resulting in a cult following rather than that of a mainstream rock band.
At their commercial peak in the 1980s, the music of Genesis faced the accusation of being "flabbergastingly insignificant" by leading American music critic Robert Hilburn, and it has been described as "barely distinguishable" from Collins's solo work. According to ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its co ...
''s Erik Hedegaard, Collins in particular was blamed by those who accused the band of selling out. Retrospectively, '' The New Rolling Stone Album Guide'' critic J. D. Considine documented how the band had been "largely ignored" by the music press and public in their earliest years, before being "derided as middlebrow throwbacks still in thrall to the pomposities of art rock" in the late 1970s and then dismissed as " easy-listening lightweights" in the 1980s. He argued this was unfair, as the band had made their "share of mediocre albums" but no bad ones. Critics, though, disagree about which albums were mediocre; Considine cites ''Selling England by the Pound'' as one of the band's three worst (those meriting 2 stars out of 5), while the AllMusic Guide picks it as one of their three best.
Journalists have reported that fans preferring one era of the band strongly dislike others. Rock author Colin McGuire has described the arguments from fans of the Gabriel era as "they sold out and became too corporate when Collins stepped into the spotlight", while fans of the Collins era argue "the Gabriel years were boring and hard to stomach". He concluded both eras of the band should be judged on their own merits. The band themselves have been aware of these divides; press interviews for ''Abacab'' explicitly stated that fans of ''Foxtrot'' might not like the album, but should keep an open mind. Ultimate Classic Rock stated, "There are few groups in the classic-rock canon with a more divisive discography than Genesis ... there's no arguing that they helped create the template for prog-rock and made some of the genre's most essential albums", but continued "the Genesis sound gradually grew less and less progressive, until the band became a straight-up pop act. Good luck finding anybody out there who's equally enamored of both sides of the band's story." On their legacy, ''Q'' reviewer Andy Fyfe wrote in 2007 that "little of the band's output has aged well" and "transcends in the way real classics do", stating they would "remain perennial whipping boys for decades to come".[Andy Fyfe. "Proggy Style". ''Q''. May 2007. Issue 250. p. 136.] However, ''The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally.
It was f ...
'' chief rock music critic Neil McCormick
Neil McCormick (born 31 March 1961) is a British music journalist, author and broadcaster. He has been Chief Music Critic for '' The Daily Telegraph'' since 1996, and presented a music interview show for Vintage TV in the UK, Neil McCormick's Ne ...
has said that Genesis were "a daring and groundbreaking band (certainly in their early career)", described Collins as "an outstanding drummer" and stated that "after Gabriel left, he stepped up to prove himself a charismatic frontman with a very distinctive vocal character".
Influence
Genesis have been cited as a principal influence on the neo-progressive rock subgenre that emerged in the 1980s, featuring bands including Marillion
Marillion are a British rock music, rock band, formed in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, in 1979. They emerged from the post-punk music scene in Britain and existed as a bridge between the styles of punk rock and classic progressive rock, becomin ...
and Pallas. Steve Hackett's work in Genesis influenced guitarists such as Brian May of Queen, Alex Lifeson of Rush
Rush(es) may refer to:
Places
United States
* Rush, Colorado
* Rush, Kentucky
* Rush, New York
* Rush City, Minnesota
* Rush Creek (Kishwaukee River tributary), Illinois
* Rush Creek (Marin County, California), a stream
* Rush Creek (Mono Cou ...
, and Eddie Van Halen of Van Halen. Iron Maiden founder Steve Harris Steve Harris may refer to:
* Steve Harris (musician) (born 1956), founder member and bassist of the band Iron Maiden
* Steve Harris (actor) (born 1965), American film and TV actor
* Steve Harris (basketball) (1963–2016), American basketball playe ...
cites Gabriel-era Genesis as one of his main influences, describing "Supper's Ready" (along with Jethro Tull's song "Thick as a Brick") as one of his two favourite pieces of music of all time in an interview with ''Prog
Prog may refer to:
Music
* Progressive music
** Progressive music (disambiguation)
** Progressive rock, a subgenre of rock music also known as “prog”
*** Progressive rock (radio format)
* Prog (magazine), a magazine dedicated to progressive ...
''. Genesis were also an influence on post-punk
Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-r ...
artists such as Simple Minds
Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band formed in Glasgow in 1977. They have released a string of hit singles, becoming best known internationally for "Don't You (Forget About Me)" (1985), which topped the '' Billboard'' Hot 100 in the United St ...
and Will Sergeant, guitarist of Echo & the Bunnymen, as well as the electronic new wave band The Human League. Trey Anastasio of Phish
Phish is an American rock band formed in Burlington, Vermont, in 1983. The band is known for musical improvisation, extended jams, blending of genres, and a dedicated fan base. The band consists of guitarist Trey Anastasio, bassist Mike Gordon ...
said "It's impossible to overstate what impact this band and musical philosophy had on me as a young musician. I'm forever in their debt." Mostly Autumn "fuse the music of Genesis and Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...
with Celtic themes" in their sound. The alternative rock
Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...
band Elbow acknowledge Genesis as an influence, such as on their breakthrough song " Newborn".
There are a number of Genesis tribute bands, including ReGenesis who focus on the group's 1970s music. The most successful act is the Canadian-French band The Musical Box, who have been officially endorsed by the band and had Hackett and Collins perform as guests with them. Gabriel took his children to see the Musical Box so "they could see what their father did back then", while Hackett said "They not only manage to sound, but look virtually identical".
Band members
;Current members
* Tony Banks – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals (1967–2000, 2006–2007, 2020–present)
* Mike Rutherford – bass, guitar, bass pedals, backing vocals (1967–2000, 2006–2007, 2020–present)
*Phil Collins
Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English singer, musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and lead singer of the rock band Genesis and also has a career as a solo performer. Between 1982 and ...
– lead and backing vocals, drums, percussion (1970–1996, 2000, 2006–2007, 2020–present)
;Former members
*Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and activist. He rose to fame as the original lead singer of the progressive rock band Genesis. After leaving Genesis in 1975, he launched ...
– lead vocals, flute, oboe, percussion (1967–1975)
* Anthony Phillips – guitar, backing vocals (1967–1970)
* Chris Stewart – drums, percussion (1967–1968)
* John Silver – drums, percussion (1968–1969)
* John Mayhew – drums, percussion, backing vocals (1969–1970; died 2009)
* Mick Barnard – guitar (1970–1971)
* Steve Hackett – guitar (1971–1977)
* Ray Wilson – lead vocals (1996–2000)
;Former touring musicians
* Ronnie Caryl – guitar (one gig in 1971)
* Bill Bruford – drums, percussion (1976)
* Chester Thompson – drums, percussion (1976–1992, 2006–2007)
* Daryl Stuermer – guitar, bass, backing vocals (1978–1992, 2006–2007, 2020–present)
* Nir Zidkyahu – drums, percussion (1997–1998)
* Anthony Drennan – electric and acoustic guitars, bass, backing vocals (1997–1998)
*Nic Collins – drums, percussion (2020–2022)
* Daniel Pearce – backing vocals (2020–2022)
*Patrick Smyth – backing vocals (2020–2022)
Discography
;Studio albums
* '' From Genesis to Revelation'' (1969)
* '' Trespass'' (1970)
* ''Nursery Cryme
''Nursery Cryme'' is the third studio album by the English rock band Genesis, released in November 1971 on Charisma Records. It was their first to feature drummer/vocalist Phil Collins and guitarist Steve Hackett. The album received a mixed respo ...
'' (1971)
* '' Foxtrot'' (1972)
* '' Selling England by the Pound'' (1973)
* '' The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway'' (1974)
* '' A Trick of the Tail'' (1976)
* '' Wind & Wuthering'' (1976)
* '' ...And Then There Were Three...'' (1978)
* ''Duke
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of Royal family, royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, t ...
'' (1980)
* ''Abacab
''Abacab'' is the eleventh studio album by English rock band Genesis, released on 18 September 1981 by Charisma Records. After their 1980 tour in support of their previous album, ''Duke'' (1980), the band took a break before they reconvened in 1 ...
'' (1981)
* ''Genesis
Genesis may refer to:
Bible
* Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of mankind
* Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Book o ...
'' (1983)
* '' Invisible Touch'' (1986)
* '' We Can't Dance'' (1991)
* '' Calling All Stations'' (1997)
References
Citations
General sources
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Further reading
*
* Banks, Tony; Collins, Phil; Gabriel, Peter; Hackett, Steve; and Rutherford, Mike; edited by Dodd, Philip (2007). ''Genesis Chapter & Verse'', Weidenfeld & Nicolson. .
External links
*
*
*
Genesis
at Discogs
Discogs (short for discographies) is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. While the site was originally created with a goal of becoming the la ...
*
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