Tag: Live

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Invisible Touch (1986) – Genesis

Phil Collins: ‘The mid-1980s was the biggest we ever got.’1

By the mid-1980s, there were longer gaps between Genesis albums. Phil Collins had launched his solo career at the start of the decade, and after their previous Genesis album, Mike Rutherford formed the hugely successful Mike + The Mechanics with vocalists Paul Carrack and Paul Young. Tony Banks, who had been releasing solo albums since 1979, remained the only member of the trio without significant chart success.

In 1985, Genesis reconvened at their studio, The Farm, with producer Hugh Padgham to begin work on a new album. The result was Invisible Touch, a bold, vibrant collection of songs released in 1986. Of the album’s eight tracks, five became major hit singles: “Tonight, Tonight, Tonight,” “Land of Confusion,” “In Too Deep,” “Throwing It All Away,” and the title track, “Invisible Touch.”

Invisible Touch

The lead single “Invisible Touch” is often viewed by die-hard progressive rock fans as a commercial betrayal – a far cry from Genesis’ roots. Yet the song, like all tracks on the album, was born from the band’s collaborative jam sessions. Engineer Paul Gomersall, who worked alongside Padgham, described their creative process:

‘Mike would come up with some sort of wacky drum loop. He’d bring his drum machine in, or Phil would, and they’d work around that. Mike is very experimental. I think he sees himself as more like a Brian Eno sort of person who makes interesting sounds and rhythms. Tony’s stuff was more chordal. Half the sound of Genesis is the chords that Tony comes up with.’2

“Invisible Touch” emerged when Mike played a guitar riff with an echo effect, prompting Phil to sing the now-iconic line, “She seems to have an invisible touch, yeah!” Phil penned the lyrics about being irresistibly drawn to someone mysterious and overpowering, even when it’s not good for you.

The song, like the rest of the album, features electronic drum sounds typical of ’80s pop. The rhythm was inspired by Sheila E.’s and Prince’s “The Glamorous Life” (1985). With Mike’s bassline, Tony’s keyboard solo, and a key change in the outro, “Invisible Touch” becomes a dynamic, infectious pop anthem.

Phil Collins: ‘Invisible Touch is my favourite Genesis song.’3

Live, the band always performed the song in a lower key to reduce strain on Phil’s voice. Still, he turned it into a crowd-pleasing singalong. Mike Rutherford also named it one of his live favourites, calling it ‘a wonderful song: upbeat, fun to play, always a strong moment in any gig.’4

Though a commercial triumph (Genesis’ only US No. 1 single), for some fans it marked a sellout. It even earned a mention in American Psycho, where Patrick Bateman dubs it the band’s ‘undisputed masterpiece.’

Tonight, Tonight, Tonight

Described by music journalist Chris Welch as the band’s ‘most memorable pop ballad,’5 “Tonight, Tonight, Tonight” features a haunting electronic motif and lyrics that are both abstract and direct.

The album version runs over nine minutes and showcases the band’s classic style. Originally titled “Monkey/Zulu,” the song grew from a jam session led by Tony Banks, who improvised the extended instrumental section, complete with strange, evocative effects. Phil’s stark lyrics, partly improvised, deal with drug addiction.

Mike Rutherford: ‘It’s more of the old-style Genesis in that it covers a lot of ground musically and has a fairly involved instrumental passage in the middle. We’ve done songs like this from the word go. The initial bit came from an improvised jam and the song and solo part in the middle were obvious from a longer section when Tony was just improvising sound over a rhythm being played by Phil and I and he just assembled a composed solo part.‘6

He added that Tony is ‘the most adventurous‘7 in terms of structure, always pushing the band to break from the traditional verse-chorus format.

Land of Confusion

Mike Rutherford wrote the lyrics for this rare political track, tackling international tensions. ‘It’s a political song about the mess we landed in. I’ve always shielded away from doing what I call a preachy song, a protest song, but it seemed to work. Maybe because the music was quite angry it made it work.’8

Musically, it was a group effort.

The Spitting Image Video

“Land of Confusion” became iconic thanks to its music video, featuring grotesque puppets from the British satirical TV show Spitting Image. Genesis, along with caricatures of politicians like Reagan, Thatcher, and Brezhnev, appeared in a surreal nightmare sequence.

The idea came when Genesis video director Jim Yukich saw Phil parodied on Spitting Image. On the show, puppet Phil performed a spoof love ballad called “Oh, You Must Be Leaving,” crying throughout.

In the video, Reagan is shown in bed with his wife and a monkey, a nod to his film Bedtime for Bonzo. The clip also features puppets of musicians like Bob Dylan, Tina Turner, and Michael Jackson. It won the band their only Grammy: Best Concept Music Video in 1987.

Tony Banks: ‘What other video can boast having all these stars, like Madonna and Prince?’9

In Too Deep

In 1985, Ray Cooper of Handmade Films (George Harrison’s company) asked Phil to write a song for Mona Lisa starring Bob Hoskins and Cathy Tyson. While touring in Australia, Phil composed the chorus of “In Too Deep.” But since Genesis were about to start working on a new album, he brought the idea to the band.

The result: a warm, elegant pop ballad. Phil’s tender vocals are complemented by Tony’s piano and Mike’s subtle guitar work. Cooper loved it, and the song became a hit in its own right.

Tony later noted the challenge of filming the video, which simply showed the band performing: ‘The most difficult videos for us in many ways were the ones that you didn’t really have anything do. So things like ‘so ‘In Too Deep’ I remember being a bit of a struggle because it’s just a love song. How do you do it? So we just did it with us, almost like a cabaret thing.’10

Anything She Does

Fast-paced and synth-heavy, this track features Tony Banks’ layered brass sounds and Phil’s punchy drums. The lyrics, about tabloid models, inspired the band to cast British comedian Benny Hill as Fred Scuttle in the video.

Phil called Hill himself. Though hesitant to reinforce his “dirty old man” image, Hill agreed if his character never actually got the girls. The video was set backstage at Wembley, with Hill as a doorman keeping out eager women. Phil cherished the signed photo he received afterward.

Domino

The album’s epic track, “Domino,” is split into two contrasting parts: “In the Glow of the Night” and “The Last Domino.” The first is slow and atmospheric; the second faster and rhythmically intense.

Tony Banks wrote the lyrics, capturing loneliness and despair during wartime.

Mike Rutherford: ‘His words are the reason why he’ll never write a hit single.’11

Phil Collins: ‘We were always a group of songwriters who would write 3-, 10- and 20-minute songs. We still write 10-minute songs, like ‘Domino’, but unfortunately, the three-minute songs have gotten better and become hits. I don’t feel we’ve bastardized the way we were, as we still work the same way. Diehard fans will say, ‘Rubbish. ‘The Carpet Crawlers, ‘I Know What I Like’ – that was progressive!’ But I don’t see that. We’d have killed for hit singles back in the early days!‘12

Mike added, ‘Looking back, people forget the show’s an hour and three quarters maybe and the costumes were probably 15 minutes of the whole thing. When we started having hit singles with MTV and videos, a hit single overshadowed the whole album and people started sort of saying ‘You stopped doing long songs.’ We never did, really, every album had a sort of 15-minute-long song on it till the very end. But they were album tracks, so they weren’t on television, they weren’t on the radio, but live they were a big part of the set.’13

Throwing It All Away

Built around a looping guitar riff by Mike, “Throwing It All Away” is another emotional song that plays to Phil’s strengths as a vocalist. Despite its melancholic lyrics, the song feels optimistic and breezy, another showcase of the trio’s songwriting synergy. Mike also penned the lyrics.

It became famous live for its audience call-and-response.

Drummer Chester Thompson called it his favourite to play live: ‘The crazy thing about that is that the full kit only comes in the last bit of the song, it’s mostly just hi-hat and bass drum and then you finally come in towards the end, but I just thought it was such a great feel, I loved playing that song.’14

The music video was composed of footage from the band’s 1986 tour, capturing Genesis in their prime.

The Brazilian

The final track on Invisible Touch is the instrumental “The Brazilian”, a piece filled with off-kilter electric percussion and eerie half-tone steps. It’s undeniably, as music journalist Chris Welch puts it, ‘the strangest and most demanding cut on the album.’ He describes it as ‘a re-affirmation of the band’s faith in its musical past, […] full of spacey sounds like a sea monster, breathing heavily and stomping up the beach.’15

Reception

Music journalist Chris Welch believes that Invisible Touch comes closest to being Genesis’s ‘ultimate album’.16 Biographers Dave Bowler and Bryan Dray agree, writing that it is ‘certainly it was their best album since ‘Wind And Wuthering’‘ and ‘one of the very best albums of the 1980s.’17 . Yet, fan reactions were not unanimously positive. Alan Hewitt, founder of the official Genesis fanzine The Waiting Room, famously remarked that Invisible Touch was ‘the first Genesis album he ever played once and then turned into a frisbee‘.18

Tony Banks, however, defends the album’s diversity and ambition: ‘On ‘Invisible Touch’, you’ve got the ‘Domino’ suite, which is 12 minutes long, and ‘Tonight, Tonight, Tonight’, which is about nine minutes. Both are identifiably Genesis, the sort of thing that no one else does. If you add, say ‘The Brazilian’, which again is like no other group, you’ve got at least 50% of the album. There are songs like ‘Invisible Touch’ and ‘Throwing It All Away’, but we’ve always done those. It’s just that we do them better now. With the songs, say off ‘The Lamb Lies Down’, maybe they’re lyrically more complex, but in terms of the songs themselves – ‘Carpet Crawlers’ or ‘Counting Out Time’ – they’re all attempts at the same kind of things. Even ‘From Genesis to Revelation’ was all short songs, all attempts at writing hit singles. And all failed.‘19

The multi-platinum success of Invisible Touch made it the band’s biggest commercial triumph, both critically and commercially. Tracks like “Invisible Touch,” “Land of Confusion,” and “Tonight, Tonight, Tonight” dominated international charts in 1986 and 1987. In the United States, where chart rankings also factored in radio airplay, even the non-single “Anything She Does” managed to chart. Meanwhile, MTV played the band’s videos in heavy rotation, giving Genesis an added boost in the age of music television.

Tony Banks reflected on this success with some nostalgia: ‘It’s great having hits. I was brought up in the era of hits, in the 60s the next Beatles song coming out was the sort of high point of my existence.’20

Interestingly, Peter Gabriel, who had left Genesis a decade earlier, found himself sharing the spotlight with his former band. “Invisible Touch” was famously knocked off the No. 1 spot by Gabriel’s own hit “Sledgehammer.” His 1986 album So became his most successful release. It was, without a doubt, a remarkable year for both Genesis and its former frontman.

The Invisible Touch Tour

Mike Rutherford looked back on that time, saying: ‘A lot of people came to see us in the 80s and 90s in America because of the hit singles, but I always knew the long songs would grab them. They were songs that were visually were impressive with the vari-lites. Those who came to see us because of the singles and the radio tracks went away with a different impression of us.‘21

The album’s success led to a massive world tour that saw Genesis perform in stadiums and arenas across Europe and North America. The tour also included several dates in Japan — only their second visit to the country — and, for the first time, shows in New Zealand and Australia. It all culminated in a record-breaking run of four consecutive nights at Wembley Stadium in London in 1987.

Phil Collins later recalled: ‘The Wembley shows were very special. It was still the old Wembley; it was football territory. Everything just seemed to peak at that point. I’ve been thinking about the set of the time with ‘Home By The Sea’, where the lights were coming down.’22

Those iconic Wembley concerts were filmed using Sony’s then-cutting-edge High Definition technology and released as a home video, a first for the band.

After wrapping up the tour in 1987, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford, and Tony Banks returned to their respective solo projects. The band wouldn’t reconvene until 1991 to record what would become their final studio album with Collins, We Can’t Dance.

But that’s another story.

Sources

Banks, Tony; Collins, Phil; Gabriel, Peter; Hackett, Steve; Rutherford, Mike; Dodd, Philip (2007): Genesis. Chapter & verse. New York: Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin’s Griffin.

Barnett, Laura, ‘Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford: How we made Invisible Touch’, The Guardian (14 October 2014).

Bowler, Dave; Dray, Bryan (1992): Genesis. A biography. London: Sidgwick & Jackson.

CHESTER THOMPSON FULL INTERVIEW : HOW HE WENT FROM ZAPPA TO DRUMMING WITH GENESIS & PHIL COLLINS.

Genesis – Behind The Track (Land Of Confusion).

Hewitt, Alan, Opening the Musical Box – A Genesis Chronicle. (Firefly Publishing, 2000).

Holm-Hudson, Kevin (2008): Genesis and the lamb lies down on Broadway. Aldershot, England, Burlington, VT: Ashgate.

MIKE RUTHERFORD UNFILTERED: GENESIS GUITARIST/COMPOSER IN CONVERSATION.

PHIL COLLINS: HOW I GOT THE GENESIS AUDIENCES LAUGHING.

Platts, Robin (2007): Genesis. Behind the lines, 1967-2007. Burlington, Ont., Canada: Collectors Guide Pub.

Room, Adrian (1990): An A to Z of British life. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Rutherford, Mike, The Living Years: The First Genesis Memoir. (Macmillan, 2014).

Thompson, Dave (2005): Turn it on again. Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins & Genesis. San Francisco: Backbeat Books.

‘Tony Banks Interview from ‘Genesis Songbook DVD’.

TONY BANKS UNFILTERED: GENESIS KEYBOARD PLAYER & COMPOSER IN CONVERSATION . FULL.. 1 Hour 53 Mins.

Welch, Chris (2005): Genesis. The complete guide to their music. London: Omnibus Press.

  1. Collins 2007: 263. ↩︎
  2. in Platts 2007: 133. ↩︎
  3. Barnett, Laura, ‘Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford: How we made Invisible Touch’, The Guardian (14 October 2014). ↩︎
  4. Barnett, Laura, ‘Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford: How we made Invisible Touch’, The Guardian (14 October 2014). ↩︎
  5. Welch 2005: 68. ↩︎
  6. Bowler & Dray 1992: 202. ↩︎
  7. Ibid. ↩︎
  8. Genesis – Behind The Track (Land Of Confusion). ↩︎
  9. Tony Banks Interview from ‘Genesis Songbook DVD. ↩︎
  10. GENESIS ON THEIR 2007 LIVE TOUR – LOWERING THE KEY. COLLINS.BANKS.RUTHERFORD. BACK AT THE FARM .PT 3 (currently not available on YouTube.) ↩︎
  11. Rutherford 2014: p. 150. ↩︎
  12. Thompson 2005: 224. ↩︎
  13. MIKE RUTHERFORD UNFILTERED: GENESIS GUITARIST/COMPOSER IN CONVERSATION. ↩︎
  14. CHESTER THOMPSON FULL INTERVIEW : HOW HE WENT FROM ZAPPA TO DRUMMING WITH GENESIS & PHIL COLLINS. ↩︎
  15. Welch 2005: 70. ↩︎
  16. Welch 2005: 68. ↩︎
  17. Bowler & Dray 1992: 201; 205. ↩︎
  18. Thompson 2005: 225. ↩︎
  19. Platts 2007: 134. ↩︎
  20. TONY BANKS UNFILTERED: GENESIS KEYBOARD PLAYER & COMPOSER IN CONVERSATION . FULL.. 1 Hour 53 Mins. ↩︎
  21. MIKE RUTHERFORD UNFILTERED: GENESIS GUITARIST/COMPOSER IN CONVERSATION. ↩︎
  22. PHIL COLLINS: HOW I GOT THE GENESIS AUDIENCES LAUGHING. ↩︎
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Live Aid, July 13, 1985: Phil Collins Performs in Both London and Philadelphia

Live_Aid_at_JFK_Stadium,_Philadelphia,_PA

On July 13, 1985, Phil Collins made music history by doing something no one had ever done before (and likely hasn’t done since). He was the only performer to appear live at both Live Aid concerts, in London and Philadelphia, on the very same day.

Phil Collins: Everywhere at Once

By the mid-1980s, Phil Collins had become a global phenomenon. As both a solo artist and member of Genesis, he had racked up chart-topping albums, hit singles, and sold-out tours across the world. His third solo album, No Jacket Required, had taken 1985 by storm, dominating airwaves and topping the charts in multiple countries.

So it was only fitting that on July 13, 1985, a day described as “the greatest day in the history of pop music”, Phil Collins would also be everywhere — quite literally.

Making Rock History

Collins pulled off what seemed impossible: he performed live on global television from two different continents in a single day. And it was not for fame or headlines, it was for a cause. Live Aid, organized by Bob Geldof, aimed to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia. Like the Band Aid single “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” the year before, the event brought together some of the biggest names in music for one shared purpose.

While many artists participated, the day belonged to Phil Collins.

Live Aid: The Event

Live Aid was the natural successor to Band Aid. Geldof had rallied the stars once again, this time for two simultaneous mega-concerts, one at Wembley Stadium in London, the other at John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia. Almost every major pop and rock act of the 1980s took part.

Collins had previously played drums on the Band Aid single, but didn’t sing on it. His record label had advised him to hold off singing publicly, so as not to distract from the release of No Jacket Required and its upcoming tour. That changed with Live Aid.

July 13: A Day to Remember

Collins began his day at Wembley Stadium in London. In the early afternoon, under a blazing sun, he sat alone at the piano and performed “Against All Odds” and “In the Air Tonight”.

‘lt was blisteringly hot, the white stage. lt was so hot and l made a terrible mistake on ‘Against All Odds’ on the piano’, Phil later recalled. ‘l thought, ‘Oh God, what a good start for the day this is.”1

The bum note was heard not only by the 80,000 people at Wembley, but by over 1 billion viewers watching around the world.

He was then joined by his friend Sting for a duet of “Long Long Way to Go”, a track from No Jacket Required (Sting had sung backing vocals on the original), followed by a performance of “Every Breath You Take”.

From London to Philadelphia

Collins left Wembley, jumped on a Concorde, and flew across the Atlantic to perform at the Philadelphia show just a few hours later. He recreated his solo set and also played drums for both Eric Clapton and the reunited Led Zeppelin.

He arrived at JFK Stadium at around 7:00 p.m., asked Eric Clapton what they’d be playing, and by 7:30 p.m., he was onstage with him. Somewhere in between, he even found time to visit Robert Plant’s trailer for a quick chat before their Led Zeppelin set.

It was a whirlwind. But it perfectly captured the tireless energy of Phil Collins in the 1980s.

The Legacy

By 1985, Collins was already a global star. But performing at both Live Aid concerts catapulted him even further, cementing his status as a worldwide icon and consummate showman. His double appearance was not only a technical and logistical feat, but a powerful symbol of the unity and urgency behind Live Aid’s mission.

Live Aid: In Hindsight

While Live Aid is remembered for its good intentions, it’s also seen — in retrospect — as a bit of a cliché: wealthy Western musicians trying to “save” Africa with rock music. The lyrics of Do They Know It’s Christmas? have been criticized for their colonial tone and stereotypes. Still, the event did raise enormous funds and global awareness for the crisis in Ethiopia.

Phil Collins didn’t just participate in the day, he helped define the moment. His double appearance remains one of the most talked-about achievements of Live Aid, and one of the most iconic performances in rock history.

Title photo: Live Aid at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA. Source: Wikimedia Commons, own work. Author: Squelle. / CC-BY-SA-2.5 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0).

  1. Phil Collins – A Life Less Ordinary (Documentary – 2002) ↩︎
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The End of the Invisible Touch Tour – Wembley, July 4, 1987

On July 4, 1987, Genesis wrapped up their massive Invisible Touch tour with the fourth consecutive sold-out show at Wembley Stadium. It marked the end of a historic run for the band and a high point in their live career.

Invisible Touch: The Album

Released in 1986, Invisible Touch became Genesis’ most commercially successful album, reaching #1 in the UK and #3 in the US. It produced five major hit singles: ‘Invisible Touch’, ‘Tonight Tonight Tonight’, ‘Land of Confusion’, ‘In Too Deep’ and ‘Throwing It All Away’. Tracks like the title song, the moody Tonight, Tonight, Tonight, and Land of Confusion with its iconic Spitting Image video dominated radio, MTV, and the charts throughout 1986 and 1987. Genesis had never been more visible – or more popular.

Naturally, the band embarked on a massive world tour, playing across North America, Australia, Japan, Europe, and finally closing with four sold-out nights at Wembley, playing to nearly 300,000 people.

The Invisible Touch Tour

The tour kicked off in September 1986 in the US and included 112 shows, selling close to two million tickets. The band was joined, as usual, by drummer Chester Thompson and guitarist/bassist Daryl Stuermer.

In Australia and New Zealand, Genesis added a local four-piece string section for In Too Deep and Your Own Special Way, due to union regulations requiring them to employ local musicians.

By this point, Genesis weren’t just a hit-making machine, they were a finely-tuned live band, backed by a state-of-the-art Vari-Lite lighting system and a tight, polished setlist. While they had a vast catalogue to choose from, the shows leaned heavily on songs from Invisible Touch and recent albums.

The Setlist and Show Highlights

Every show opened with Mama, though its eerie atmosphere did not always translate well in daylight stadium settings. The closer was the now-iconic Turn It On Again medley, which featured a whirlwind of rock classics: Everybody Needs Somebody to Love, Satisfaction, Twist and Shout, Pinball Wizard, All Day and All of the Night and Karma Chameleon.

Older fan favorites included: Los Endos, Home By The Sea (with its now-standard ghost-story intro) and the In The Cage medley.

At the beginning of the tour, the In the Cage medley included In That Quiet Earth and the second half of Supper’s Ready. But as the tour progressed, Phil Collins began having trouble hitting some of the higher notes in Supper’s Ready, and the band eventually returned to the familiar In That Quiet Earth / Afterglow ending.

New material from Invisible Touch featured heavily, with standout performances of: Domino (with Phil’s now-legendary audience interaction), Tonight, Tonight, Tonight, Throwing It All Away (where the crowd singalong grew with each night) and Invisible Touch.

Live at Wembley Stadium

‘Nearly 300,000 people at Wembley. OK, there might have been a few repeats in there, but I thought at the time, and I still think now, that moment was the peak of our career’1 – Tony Banks.

By the time Genesis arrived at Wembley, the band had performed the set so often it had become a masterclass in musicianship and stagecraft. Initially, only two nights at Wembley were planned, but due to overwhelming demand, two more were added, making Genesis the first band to play four sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium. They entered the Guinness Book of Records, a record later broken by Michael Jackson during his Bad tour in 1988.

The Wembley concerts were filmed and later released on VHS and DVD (2003). Unfortunately, the epic In the Cage medley did not make it into the final release, (allegedly) due to bad luck with tape changes during that very song on each night.

Even so, the performance captured at Wembley is phenomenal, showcasing Genesis at their live peak. With Invisible Touch, the band had reached global superstardom and Wembley was the victory lap.

After this triumph, fans would have to wait four more years for the next Genesis studio album.

Title photo: Genesis Nancy 1987. Phil Collins, Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford, Daryl Stuermer, Chester Thompson. Genesis en concert à Nancy le 14 juin 1987 au stade Marcel-Picot de Nancy-Tomblaine Source: Wikimedia Commons, Fredamas / CC-BY-SA-2.5 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0).

  1. in Banks, Tony; Collins, Phil; Gabriel, Peter; Hackett, Steve; Rutherford, Mike; Dodd, Philip, Genesis. Chapter & verse. (New York: Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin’s Griffin, 2007), p. 287. ↩︎
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Steve Hackett’s Last Show with Genesis

On July 3, 1977, Genesis played the final show of their Wind & Wuthering tour, unaware that it would also be Steve Hackett’s last performance with the band.

Wind & Wuthering and Growing Tensions

Released in December 1976, Wind & Wuthering was Genesis’s second album following Peter Gabriel’s departure. With Phil Collins now stepping confidently into the role of lead vocalist, the band had successfully reinvented itself as a four-piece. Collins had already proven he could carry the frontman role with A Trick of the Tail and the subsequent 1976 tour.

By this point, songwriting duties were largely shared between Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford, while Phil focused more on arrangements and performance. Steve Hackett, however, was growing increasingly frustrated. He felt that his musical ideas were often overlooked, and after the 1977 tour, he made the decision to leave Genesis.

The Wind & Wuthering Tour

The 1977 tour was one of Genesis’s biggest yet, taking them across Europe, the US, and for the first time, South America. They were joined by American drummer Chester Thompson, who would become a fixture in the live lineup for decades.

That year, the band reached new heights in live performance and was even voted “Best Live Group” in 1977. Much of that era’s power was captured on the double live album Seconds Out.

The Final Show: July 3, 1977, Munich

Genesis closed out the tour with a concert at Munich’s Olympiahalle. They opened with Squonk, followed by One for the Vine, a Tony Banks epic from the new album. The rare track Inside and Out from the Spot the Pigeon EP was also included, having appeared on select European dates.

Highlights of the show included The Carpet Crawlers, I Know What I Like, and Supper’s Ready, songs that had evolved significantly since Gabriel’s departure. The band had also begun experimenting with medleys, a trend that continued on this tour: Dance on a Volcano merged seamlessly into Los Endos, while The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway was paired with the climactic ending of The Musical Box.

And of course, Firth of Fifth made the setlist, featuring Hackett’s iconic guitar solo. None of the fans, or even the band members, knew it would be the last time they’d see Steve Hackett perform it live with Genesis.

Steve Hackett’s Departure

Steve had already released a solo album by this point, showcasing ideas that had not made it onto Genesis records. During the four-piece era, he had pushed for a guaranteed portion of writing credits on each album, a request the others declined, committed as they were to being a fully democratic group.

In July 1977, while mixing Seconds Out, Hackett found himself exhausted by the constant repetition of songs like I Know What I Like. After months on the road and in front of crowds of 20,000 people, he began to feel creatively stifled. The challenge was gone.

So one day, he picked up the phone and called Mike Rutherford to say he was leaving. Mike, aware of Steve’s growing dissatisfaction, did not try to change his mind.

Shortly afterward, Phil Collins happened to drive past Steve near Trident Studios, where they were mixing the album. Phil invited him into the car, but Steve acted strangely, saying only, “Talk to Mike, he’ll explain,” before walking away. When Phil arrived at the studio, Mike and Tony told him Steve had officially left the band.

The Band Carries On

Genesis continued mixing Seconds Out as a trio, then returned to the studio to begin work on their next album. From this point forward, Genesis would remain a three-piece studio band, while Steve Hackett would embark on a successful solo career.

Title photo: Genesis Steve Hackett. Source: Wikimedia Commons, Jean-Luc / CC-BY-SA-2.5 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0). Originally posted to Flickr as Genesis.

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Genesis at Reading Festival 1971

Reading Festival Line Up 1973

Peter Gabriel performs with a broken ankle – and Genesis gain new fans

On 26 June 1971, Genesis performed at the Reading Festival for the very first time. Back then, they were still low on the bill, sharing the lineup with artists such as Lindisfarne, Terry Reid, Renaissance and Sha Na Na. Like many festivals, it came with its share of challenges: rain, mud, and even an unexpected police squad, but Genesis had a unique complication of their own: Peter Gabriel had recently broken his ankle.

The accident at Friars Club

Just a week earlier, on 19 June, Genesis had played a show at Friars in Aylesbury. During the encore of The Knife, Gabriel, always the theatrical frontman, leapt off the stage into the crowd. Unfortunately, the audience parted rather than caught him. He hit the floor hard and fractured his ankle.

Despite the injury, the band pressed on. Gabriel famously performed at least one subsequent gig in a wheelchair at an art college in Lincoln. Richard Macphail, Genesis’s tour manager and longtime friend, recalled the chaos:

‘And it scared the pants of me, because the stage was like a traditional theatre stage that sloped towards the audience. He was wildly cavorting in this wheelchair on this stage. I thought he was going to fall off the stage and break his neck!’1

Thankfully, he did not and just a few days later, Genesis took the stage at Reading.

Reading Festival in 1971

The 11th National Jazz and Blues Festival was held in Reading for the first time in 1971. The festival had previously moved between locations including Richmond, Windsor, Sunbury, and Plumpton due to local complaints. That year, it finally found a home in Reading, taking place at the Thames-side Arena on Richfield Avenue, over 25–27 June.

The event was rebranded as the Reading Festival of Folk and Progressive Music, with a ticket for Saturday, 26 June, priced at just £1.50. Although Reading Festival is typically held in August today, it’s unclear why it took place in June that year, perhaps due to the town’s 1000th anniversary celebrations, which had helped organizer Harold Pendleton gain approval from the local council.

Sharing the stage with Charisma labelmates

Genesis were not the only Charisma Records act at Reading in 1971. Lindisfarne, Van der Graaf Generator, Bell & Arc, and Audience also performed, alongside other notable names like Arthur Brown, Rory Gallagher, Wishbone Ash, Osibisa, and Ralph McTell.

Genesis played mid-afternoon on the festival’s second day. Despite their relatively low billing, their set was highlighted as one of the standout performances of the weekend. The impact was strong enough that they were invited back in the following two years.

A new era: Genesis and the festival circuit

That summer marked the beginning of Genesis’s appearances at outdoor rock festivals. Steve Hackett later recalled that it rained nearly every time they played an outdoor show in England or Europe, turning every venue into a mud bath.

At Reading, technical issues added to the frustration. Power fluctuations made it nearly impossible to keep instruments in tune. The organ was already difficult to manage, and the Mellotron, notorious for its fragility, was even worse. Their twelve-string guitars, tuned backstage, were often already out of tune by the time they hit the stage and tuning a twelve-string in front of a festival crowd was nearly impossible.

Not made for festivals?

Looking back, Tony Banks admitted that Genesis were not ideally suited for the festival scene in those early years. The broad daylight made it difficult to create a dramatic atmosphere, the audiences did not always appreciate the complex song structures, and sound quality was often poor.

Still, the band slowly built a reputation as a strong live act and festivals helped them reach new fans. The real magic, though, happened after dark, when they could perform for their own audiences in a controlled setting.

But even at this early stage, they were beginning to leave an impression. At Reading 1971, some fans in the crowd already waved Genesis flags, signaling that the band’s dedicated following was starting to take shape.

Photo: Reading Festival Line Up 1973. Reading-festivaalin vuoden 1973 esiintyjälista Source: Wikimedia Commons, National Jazz, Blues and Rock Festival. / CC-BY-SA-2.5 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0).

  1. Platts, Robin, Genesis. Behind the lines, 1967-2007. (Burlington, Ont., Canada: Collectors Guide Pub., 2007), p. 44. ↩︎
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Genesis’ First Gig Abroad: Belgium, March 7, 1971

Genesis played their first-ever overseas concert on March 7, 1971, at La Ferme in Woluwe St. Lambert, Belgium. This landmark performance marked a significant step in the band’s journey, as they ventured beyond the UK for the first time.

Trespass Had Charted in Belgium

At the start of 1971, Genesis had yet to achieve major success in their home country. However, things were different on the continent: their second album, Trespass, had reached number one in Belgium. Encouraged by this unexpected success, the band – now featuring new members Phil Collins on drums and Steve Hackett on guitar – headed to Belgium for their first international show.

A Rough Journey Across the Channel

The band crossed the English Channel on an overnight ferry, but sleep was out of the question. Unable to afford cabins, they spent the night sitting on deck – while Phil, suffering from seasickness, spent most of it throwing up. Running on little more than beer and sandwiches, they arrived in Belgium the next morning, drove straight to the venue, and played.

The Setlist: A Mix of Old and New

The setlist featured songs from Trespass, live favorites, and two brand-new tracks. As was typical for Genesis at the time, the performance started with acoustic material before building up to heavier numbers. Fortunately, a recording of this historic gig exists, allowing us to hear most of the show (though some parts are missing). It also contains the only known live recording of the rare song “The Light”, which features early elements that would later evolve into The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway’s “Lilywhite Lilith.”

Opening with a New Song

The show began with the band’s latest composition, “Happy The Man” – introduced by Peter Gabriel as a song about a man who “eats his fingernails, probably.” Built around a Mike Rutherford riff, the song had a laid-back, folk-rock feel, reminiscent of Lindisfarne. It was an attempt at a radio-friendly single, and in this live version, it was performed at a slightly slower tempo.

Next came “Stagnation” from Trespass – which Gabriel jokingly described as being about “people with bad breath.” This live rendition, enhanced by Phil Collins’ drumming, had a swing that was missing from the studio version.

The Only Recorded Performance of “The Light”

After a few minutes of Peter’s humorous attempts to introduce the band, they launched into “The Light” – a rarity in Genesis’ catalog. The song’s opening bass riff would later be repurposed for “Lilywhite Lilith”, and Steve Hackett’s guitar parts would also find their way into that track. “The Light” then developed into a full-fledged progressive rock piece, featuring an extended instrumental jam between Tony Banks and Hackett. Eventually, the song returned to a section that closely resembled the later Lamb Lies Down classic. Compared to other Genesis compositions from this era, “The Light” stands out as a unique and intriguing experiment.

A Blend of Familiar and Unfinished Material

Next, the band slowed things down with “Twilight Alehouse”, a live staple at the time. The dramatic organ-driven climax showcased Tony Banks’ signature style. Then came another brand-new song: “The Musical Box”, which Peter introduced in both English and French. This early version was slightly different from the one that would appear on Nursery Cryme later that year. There was extra instrumental material before the “And the clock” section, which was repeated twice. Tony’s keyboard solo was extended, while Steve Hackett’s was shorter – unsurprising, as he had only been with the band for two months. Even the song’s now-iconic climax had subtle differences in Gabriel’s vocal delivery.

The band then launched into the Trespass classic “The Knife”, which Peter introduced in French. Tony’s organ led the charge, Mike Rutherford’s bass provided the driving force, and Steve Hackett – though still getting to grips with the song’s solos – delivered a strong performance by the end. Unfortunately, Peter’s flute section in the middle is missing from the recording. The audience, however, responded with enthusiasm, applauding loudly.

For the encore, Genesis performed “Going Out to Get You”, an early track that Peter described as “a very old number about passion.” Tony Banks dominated the piece, and Steve Hackett was barely audible – at times, it even seemed as if he wasn’t playing at all.

A Glimpse Into Genesis’ Creative Process

Listening to this rare recording is fascinating – not just because it includes unreleased songs, but also because it captures the band in the midst of developing their material, both musically and lyrically. Most notably, it features the only known live performance of “The Light”, making it an essential piece of Genesis history.

An Exhausting but Pivotal Moment

The concert was a success and a crucial milestone for Genesis. After the show, the exhausted band made their way back to the UK on the ferry, with Phil Collins limping home, nearly collapsing from sheer fatigue. Despite the rough journey, this first step into the international spotlight marked the beginning of Genesis’ rise as one of progressive rock’s most important bands.

Photo: FOH PA mixing desk and associated gear for Genesis at a concert in the Liverpool Empire, 1970s, precise year unknown. Source: Wikimedia Commons, Rodhullandemu / CC-BY-SA-2.5 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0).

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Peter Gabriel’s First Solo Gig

Peter Gabriel’s first performance as a solo artist took place at the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, New Jersey, on either March 2, 3, or 5, 1977.

The Album and the Tour

His debut album, Peter Gabriel, had been released in February 1977 and featured the hit single “Solsbury Hill.” Just like the album, the tour carried the motto: Expect the Unexpected. Gabriel assembled a band of top studio musicians and old friends to bring his new music to life.

Photo of Tony Levin during his visit to Caracas (Venezuela), playing bass for Peter Gabriel.

One of those musicians was Tony Levin on bass. Having already worked with artists like Paul Simon, Levin joined Gabriel for this tour and has been with him ever since. In fact, he remains the only musician from that first album who still plays with Gabriel today.

The rest of the lineup for the first gig and the initial leg of the tour included Allan Schwartzberg on drums, Larry Fast on synthesizers, Steve Hunter on guitars, Jimmy Maelen on percussion, and Phil Aaberg on keyboards.

A somewhat surprising addition to the tour was Robert Fripp, who had played on the album and joined as a live guitarist under the alias “Dusty Rhodes.” Fripp, known for his distaste for the traditional rock-tour experience, often positioned himself behind the amplifiers or even offstage. He preferred to be introduced as “the completely unknown Dusty Rhodes.”

When Was the First Show?

The exact date of Gabriel’s first solo performance remains uncertain, with sources citing March 2, 3, or 5. Regardless of the precise date, the opening of the show was both deliberate and striking. Gabriel took the stage alone, performing “Here Comes the Flood” with only his voice, piano, and Fripp’s guitar. It was a bold statement – shedding the elaborate masks and costumes of his Genesis days and presenting himself simply as a musician, dressed in jogging clothes.

The full band joined in for the second song, “On the Air,” with its driving synths instantly energizing the crowd. “Moribund the Burgermeister,” which some saw as a callback to his Genesis style, felt a bit rigid in its live rendition. But “Solsbury Hill,” his first solo hit, resonated with the audience, particularly with American fans who had discovered him through the song. Live, the tracks sounded less orchestrated than on the album – leaner, punchier, and more aggressive.

Surprising Cover Songs and a Relaxed Band

Alongside his solo material, Gabriel included a few unexpected cover songs in the set. Marvin Gaye’s “Ain’t That Peculiar” paid tribute to his love of soul music, while The Kinks’ “All Day and All of the Night” was performed with a raw, heavy edge. The mostly American backing band was not only professional but also visibly enjoying themselves – especially during the R&B cover. The atmosphere on stage was relaxed and playful, something that even well-established bands sometimes struggle to achieve live. Gabriel himself seemed to revel in the experience.

The Fans’ Expectations

For the encore, Gabriel returned to the stage in Rael’s signature leather jacket, jeans, and T-shirt to perform “Back in N.Y.C.” from The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. He was well aware that fans expected both his solo material and some Genesis songs. Throughout the show, some attendees had expressed disappointment at the minimal staging and the exclusive focus on his solo work. However, when he launched into “Back in N.Y.C.,” the audience erupted, leaving them wanting more.

And they got it. Peter Gabriel went on to become a hugely successful solo artist with a unique and ever-evolving career. Looking back today, his time with Genesis is merely a footnote in a career that firmly established him as one of the most distinctive voices in music history.

Photo: Peter Gabriel, Chateau Neuf, Oslo, Norway. Description=Peter Gabriel at Chateau Neuf in Oslo, Norway on August 31st 1978 |Source=http://www.helgeoveras.com/gabriel.shtml |Date=August 31st 1978 |Author=Helge Øverås (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0).

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The ‘Turn It On Again’ Reunion Tour

On 11 June 2007, Genesis kicked off their long-awaited ‘Turn It On Again’ reunion tour in Helsinki, marking the official return of Phil Collins as lead vocalist.

The Reunion Announcement

On 7 November 2006, Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins held a press conference to announce that Genesis would reunite for a European summer tour in 2007, followed by a North American leg in the autumn. It was the first time Collins had officially rejoined the band since leaving in 1996, despite a few brief appearances over the years.

Joining them on stage were longtime touring members Chester Thompson (drums) and Daryl Stuermer (guitar/bass), both of whom had not performed with Genesis since the We Can’t Dance Tour in 1992.

Rehearsing After 15 Years

The band’s first full show was scheduled for 11 June in Helsinki. With no new album to promote, Genesis had the freedom to revisit their extensive back catalogue. But rehearsing after a 15-year hiatus came with unexpected challenges.

Tony and Mike not only had to relearn many of the songs, they also had to transpose them to accommodate Phil’s deeper vocal range. Phil, in turn, had to reacquaint himself with lyrics, particularly those written by Tony Banks, which he had always found tricky. Songs like “Domino” and “Home By The Sea” with lines such as “Sheets of double glazing” or “Nylon sheets and blankets” had always tested his memory.

Listening back to past live performances, Phil noticed how often he had deviated from the original songs. For this tour, he made a conscious effort to stick to the original versions.

On top of that, he had to get back into Genesis drumming shape. While he had continued to play on solo tours, most notably during “In the Air Tonight”, tackling complex pieces like “Second Home By The Sea” required serious effort. Thankfully, Chester and Daryl were there to support the process, with Daryl even helping Tony and Mike remember their own parts.

Despite the time apart, the old chemistry was still intact. In fact, the dynamic between the three had improved. Tony and Mike had mellowed with age, while Phil had grown more serious. This allowed them to communicate more openly, discussing things they wouldn’t have dared bring up 15 years earlier.

The Setlist

Genesis had a vast library of music to choose from and the setlist reflected that. Fan favourites like “Follow You Follow Me”, “Invisible Touch”, “Mama”, and “I Can’t Dance” were all included.

One highlight was a heavier version of “Land of Confusion”, clearly influenced by Disturbed’s popular metal cover. It gave the song a modern edge and fresh energy.

The band also included more intricate tracks from the later years, such as “Domino” and “Home By The Sea”, two of Tony Banks’s personal favourites. They opened the show with a medley titled “Duke’s Intro”, combining the instrumental from “Behind the Lines” with a section of “Duke’s End”. It made for a powerful, dramatic opening that set the tone for the entire night.

Phil played more drums than he had on previous tours, and for “I Know What I Like”, he even brought back the iconic tambourine dance from 1976, something he had to rehearse again after years off.

Two surprises in the setlist were “Ripples”, from 1976’s A Trick of the Tail (Phil’s first album as lead vocalist), and a fragment of “Duke’s Travels”, which was folded into a medley. In fact, the set covered nearly every album from 1973 onwards. Each show ended on a high note with the emotional “Carpet Crawlers”, a beloved classic from The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.

Behind the Scenes

Stage design for the tour was handled by the legendary Mark Fisher, while Patrick Woodroffe created a stunning lighting design. A massive screen behind the band displayed visuals tailored to each song, giving every track a unique atmosphere.

Nick Davis oversaw the live sound, and the band partnered with the Encore Series to offer high-quality soundboard recordings of every show, making each concert available to fans.

Opening Night in Helsinki

The tour kicked off in Helsinki on a warm summer night. The band delivered a flawless performance, the visuals hit every cue, and fans were thrilled to see Genesis live once again.

Phil would later reflect that while many had hoped for a new Genesis album, the ‘Turn It On Again’ tour felt more like a farewell than a comeback. The band continued through North America in the autumn before bringing the curtain down.

Looking back, all involved agreed: the best part of the tour wasn’t just the music, it was the joy of being back with old friends and laughing together again.

Photo: Genesis, ofwel: Phil Collins, Michael Rutherford, Tony Banks, Chester Thompson en Daryl Stuermer.}} |Source=Maikel Koek, via Wikiportrait |Date= |Author=Maikel Koek |Permission={{Wikiportrait|2008041010026495}} (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0).

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Archive I 1967 – 1975 (1998) – Genesis

In June 1998, Genesis released their first of two ‘Archive’ box sets: Archive 1967 – 1975 covers the era with Peter Gabriel as lead vocalist.

The plans to release ‘Archive’ box sets dated back to 1994

After the release of their last studio album Calling All Stations* in 1997, Genesis began putting together unreleased material from their history. The idea dated back to 1994. Originally there were plans to release three box sets. The first would have featured the Gabriel years, the second the period from the mid 1970’s to the early 80’s and the last the period from the mid 80’s to the early 90’s.

But over the years, there were delays and plans were changed. The recordings were released on two box sets, the first one being Archive 1967-75* , released in 1998, the second one being Genesis Archive 2 1976-1992*, released in 2000, which covers the era with Phil Collins on lead vocals. Both sets feature unreleased live performances, studio tracks and demo songs.

A complete live performance of The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway

Archive 1967 – 1975 is a box set that includes four discs. The mixing was done by Genesis producer Nick Davis. The first two discs feature a complete live performance of Genesis’ magnum opus The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway*. When the band toured the concept album in 1974/75, they played the whole double album. After this tour, Peter Gabriel left the band. The live performance in the box set is from The Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles. Unfortunately, most of Peter Gabriel’s stories about the adventures of Rael between the songs were left out.

Peter Gabriel re-recorded his vocals at Real World Studios in 1995

Also, it is not a completely live recording. Peter Gabriel and former lead guitarist Steve Hackett re-recorded some of their parts in 1995. You can hear the difference in Gabriel’s voice if you compare the studio versions from 1974 to the live version on Archive I. Gabriel recorded his vocals at his Real World Studios. Also, the last song ‘It’, fades out because the tape machine at the Shrine ran out halfway through the song.

The live performance in general sounds more powerful than the studio version and the crowd seems to be enthusiastic. Apart from that, the songs are almost identical to the studio versions. The only exception is ‘The Waiting Room (Evil Jam)’, which was an instrumental with lots of space for improvisation that was therefore played differently every night. Apart from that, especially the title track, ‘Fly On A Windshield’ and ‘Carpet Crawlers’ stand out.

A live performance of ‘Supper’s Ready’ from 1973

Disc 3 includes live performances from the Rainbow Theatre in London, recorded on the Selling England By the Pound* tour in 1973. We finally get to hear songs like ‘Dancing With The Moonlight Knight’ and ‘Supper’s Ready’ live with Peter on vocals on an official release. Here, the stories are included. It also features a 1971 BBC recording of ‘Stagnation’ and b-sides and studio tracks from that era like ‘Twilight Alehouse’ and ‘Happy The Man.’

The last disc is the most interesting one, at least for the fans. It features songs from the band’s earliest period, still with Anthony Phillips on guitar. There are BBC sessions and many demo songs. You can hear the band becoming Genesis on this disc. Some of the tracks are real gems, from the early version of ‘Dusk’ to the appealing ‘Hey!’. There is an atmosphere in these early recordings that went missing after Ant Phillips left the band.

Apart from the four discs, there is a 82-page booklet which contains the band’s history and interviews with band members and associates.

So Archive 1967 – 1975 is a quite interesting box set. We finally get to hear official live versions of Gabriel-era songs sung by him. The only official live release with him had been Live* from 1973, which only covers songs from Trespass*, Nursery Cryme* and Foxtrot*. The inclusion of b-sides and unreleased studio tracks like ‘Twilight Alehouse’ make this box set special. Some would argue that disc 4 is only for the hardcore fans, but it also is the most surprising and most interesting of the four discs. Unfortunately some rare tracks and demos that are known to exist did not make it onto the box set. But all in all, Archive 1967-75 is an extraordinary release. Fans seemed to agree with that: It reached no. 35 in the UK charts in 1998.

The band met at Heathrow Airport to promote the release

To promote the release of Archive I, Genesis members past and present reunited for a photo shoot (and a following dinner) at Heathrow Airport in May 1998. There were Tony Banks, Peter Gabriel, Anthony Phillips, former drummer John Silver, Phil Collins, Steve Hackett and Mike Rutherford. The band’s first drummer Chris Stewart only made it to the dinner. Trespass-era drummer John Mayhew did not attend the event.

Genesis’ next ‘Archive’ release would be in 2000. It would be entitled Archive II 1976 – 1992 and feature the period with Phil Collins as lead vocalist.

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