At this point, the band had already moved on and worked on what became their next album A Trick of The Tail. Peter Gabriel’s departure was old news for them, but now, they had to deal with the media. For them, Genesis could not exist without Gabriel and his visuals. In the eyes of the critics, he was the band, not just a member of the team. Naturally, the band felt upset by the obtiuary. In The Melody Maker, journalist Chris Welch ‘recalls a great British Band’.
The front page of Melody Maker from 23 August 1975
Several news papers reported about Peter Gabriel’s departure on 23 August 1975. The front page of Melody Maker said:
Genesis seek new singer
PETER GABRIEL has quit Genesis. And that’s official!
The Melody Maker last week front-paged the growing doubts about Gabriel’s future in the band. Reports, denied by the management of Genesis, indicated that Gabriel was unhappy with his role as a rock star and had already left the group.
And this week an official statement admitted the split in Genesis. “They are now looking for a new singer,” said the band’s management. “They have a few ideas but nobody has been fixed.”
“The group are currently writing material and rehearsing for their new album, and they will go into the studio shortly to record. The album will be released at Christmas and Genesis will go on the road in the New Year.”
It is understood that Gabriel will now concentrate on straight theatrical ventures.
Of course, the band was interviewed by the press after the news had come out. Phil Collins remarked that the rest of the band ‘…were not stunned by Peter’s departure because we had known about it for quite a while.’1 They had already decided to carry on without him and interestingly, the new singer was already in the group and was exactly the same member who had exclaimed the statement from the Melody Maker‘s article above. But that’s another story.
Title photo: Front page of Melody Maker 23 August 1975
On July 4, 1987, Genesis finished their gigantic Invisible Touch tour at Wembley Stadium. It was the fourth sold out night in a row at Wembley.
Invisible Touch
In 1986, Genesis released the album Invisible Touch. It became their most successful album, peaking at #1 in the U.K. and #3 in the U.S. It produced five hit singles: ‘Invisible Touch’, ‘Tonight Tonight Tonight’, ‘Land of Confusion’, ‘In Too Deep’ and ‘Throwing It All Away’. Songs like the title track, ‘Tonight, Tonight, Tonight’ and ‘Land Of Confusion’ with its famous spitting image video would dominate the radio and music TV stations and the international charts of 1986/1987. Genesis were everywhere and bigger than ever. So of course, the band went on a massive tour through North America, Australia, Japan and Europe before finishing in Britain with four sold-out nights at Wembley Stadium in front of 300,000 people.
Purchase Invisible Touch here on Amazon!*
The Invisible Touch tour
The tour began in the U.S. in September 1986 and included 112 dates and sold close to two million tickets. It ended in July 1987. In Australia and New Zealand, the five-man line-up was accompanied by a four-piece string section on ‘In Too Deep’ and ‘Your Own Special Way’. They had to invite the quartet because of local regulations that required them to employ local musicians.
At this time, the band was not only a hit-machine, but a working and brilliant live act. The Vari Lite light show was impressive as always. The band had much material to rely on, but chose mainly new songs from their hit album and the albums before.
The shows were always opened with ‘Mama’ (which sometimes lacked a bit of atmosphere in daylight) and ended with the ‘Turn It On Again’ hit medley that the band had established on the previous tour. The medley included ‘Everybody Needs Somebody to Love’, ‘Satisfaction’, ‘Twist and Shout’, ‘Pinball Wizard’, ‘All Day and All of the Night’ and ‘Karma Chameleon’.
Older songs in the set included ‘Los Endos’, ‘Home By The Sea’ (including it’s meanwhile standard ghost-story introduction) and another ‘In The Cage’ medley. When the tour began, they had played ‘In That Quiet Earth’ and the second half of the epic ‘Supper’s Ready’ after ‘In The Cage’. However, during the tour Phil had difficulties reaching the higher notes in ‘Supper’s Ready’, so by the middle of the tour they had gone back to the usual ending of ‘In That Quiet Earth’ and ‘Afterglow’.
New songs included ‘Domino’ (with another – soon to be famous – introduction by Phil), ‘Tonight, Tonight, Tonight’, ‘Throwing It All Away’, where the call-and-response singing developed throughout the tour, and ‘Invisible Touch’ itself.
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 got to Wembley, they had performed the set so often that it had become a true piece of fine art and musicianship. Interestingly, only two shows were scheduled at Wembley, but the demand for tickets was so high, that a third and then a record-breaking fourth night were added. Genesis ended in Guinness World Records until Michael Jackson sold out Wembley Stadiums on seven nights on his Bad World Tour one year later.
The Wembley shows were filmed and released as video and as DVD in 2003. Unfortunately the famous ‘In The Cage’ medley was left out of the release because on every night, the tapes had to be changed during that song.
Apart from that, the results and the performance are astonishing. The band truly ended the tour on a high note there. Looking back at the videos and listening to the songs and performances, we can say that Genesis were at their peak at this very point at Wembley Stadium. Afterwards, the fans had to wait four more years for a new Genesis record.
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).
On July 3, 1977, Genesis played the last show of their Wind And Wuthering tour and (unbeknown to them at that point) also the last show with lead guitarist Steve Hackett.
Wind And Wuthering
In December 1976, Genesis had released Wind and Wuthering, their second album since Peter Gabriel’s departure. The band had become a foursome the year before, drummer Phil Collins had taken over the vocal duties. He had proved that he could fill this role easily on the previous album A Trick of the Tail and the following tour in 1976.
By this point, keyboardist Tony Banks and guitarist/bassist Mike Rutherford were the main songwriters with Phil Collins being more of a player and arranger. Guitarist Steve Hackett felt that not enough of his material was used. He was frustrated about his role in the group and decided to leave Genesis after the 1977 tour.
The Wind & Wuthering tour
The band set out for a huge tour in 1977 that would lead them to South America for the first time and through Europe and the US. On drums, they were accompanied by American drummer Chester Thompson. It was his first tour with them and he would remain with the band as a live drummer until 2007 (with a short interruption in the 1990s).
Genesis reached a new peak in live performances and was voted ‘Best live group’ in 1977. This was captured in the double live album Seconds Out.
The last show
The last show of the tour (and also Steve Hackett’s last show as a member of Genesis) took place in the Olympiahalle, Munich, on July 3, 1977. They opened the set with ‘Squonk’ as they had done throughout most of the tour, then they played ‘One For The Vine’, a Banks composition from the new album. ‘Inside And Out’ from the recent EP Spot The Pigeon was added on some European dates and was also played in Munich. Among the highlights of the show were songs like ‘The Carpet Crawlers’, ‘I Know What I Like’ and ‘Supper’s Ready’, some of which had changed a lot since the days when Peter Gabriel sang them. Also, the band had started to play medleys on the tour before and continued to do so on the Wind & Wuthering tour. ‘Dance On A Volcano’ and ‘Los Endos’ were combined as well as ‘The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway’ and the closing section of ‘The Musical Box’. The band also played ‘Firth Of Fifth’ that night in which Steve plays the famous guitar solo. Neither the fans nor the band knew that they had witnessed him playing it live for the last time.
Steve leaves the band
Steve Hackett had been the first Genesis member to record a solo album. There, he included some of the music that was not used on Genesis albums. During the period as a four-piece-band, he wanted to have a certain percentage on each album for his own songs. The others disagreed; they were a democratic band. So he started recording solo albums and felt that his input on Genesis albums became less and less.
Also, when the band mixed the live album Seconds Out in July 1977, he could not stand listening to tracks like ‘I Know What I Like’ anymore after having played them for months at this point. Also, he felt that after playing shows with audiences of 20.000 people, there was nothing new to strive for. So one day he phoned Mike Rutherford and told him he wanted to leave. Mike knew that Steve had been unhappy in Genesis for some time, so he did not try to talk him out of it. Later that day or the following day, Phil Collins drove from West London to Trident Studios, where they mixed the live album. He passed Steve on the street and told him to jump into the car. Steve acted a bit oddly, said ‘Speak to Mike, he’ll explain’ and went off. When Phil arrived at the studio, Tony and Mike informed him that Steve had left the band.
The three remaining members then went on mixing Seconds Out and afterwards went into the studio to record their next album. They would remain a three-piece-band in the studio for the rest of their career and Steve Hackett would continue his career as a solo artist.
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.
On June 26, 1971, Genesis appeared at Reading Festival for the first time.
Peter Gabriel had broken his ankle
On their first appearance at Reading Festival, Genesis were low on the bill. Other artists that performed at the festival were Lindisfarne, Terry Reid, Renaissance and Sha Na Na. There were the usual problems that a festival and its visitors have to deal with: Rain, mud and an unscheduled police squad. For Genesis, the gig at Reading followed the incident at the Friars Club, where Peter Gabriel had broken his ankle.
On June 19th, Genesis had played at Friars in Aylesbury and during the encore of ‘The Knife’, Peter Gabriel had jumped into the crowd. Unfortunately, the audience parted when they saw him coming and he hit the floor, breaking his ankle. Following the incident, he played at least one show in a wheelchair at the art college in Lincoln. Tour manager, roadie, sound engineer and friend of the band Richard Macphail remembers: ‘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!’1Luckily, he did not and the band could play Reading Festival at June 26, 1971.
Reading Festival
The 11th National Jazz and Blues festival took place in Reading for the first time that year. Before, the event had taken place in Richmond, Windsor, Sunbury and Plumpton, but each time, the locals had complained, so the festival had to move on. The festival usually takes place in August, so admittedly it is a bit unclear to the author why the festival took place on 25, 26, and 27 June 1971. The ticket names the location as ‘Thames-side Arena, Richfield Avenue’ and the festival is titled ‘Reading Festival of folk and progressive music’. The ticket for Saturday, June 26, cost £1.50.
Over the next few years, the festival would become one of the leading British rock festivals. Not only the greatest bands of the age played there, but it was also the birthplace for future superstars. Organizer Harold Pendleton was allowed to stage the festival in Reading, because the local council wanted to celebrate the town’s 1000th anniversary and really believed it to be a jazz and blues festival, which it had originally been in the 1960s.
Genesis performed on Saturday
In 1971, Genesis was not the only act of Charisma Records that played at Reading Festival. As mentioned, Lindisfarne were there as well as Van der Graaf Generator, and Bell & Arc and Audience. Other notable acts that year were Arthur Brown, Rory Gallagher, Wishbone Ash, Medicine Head, Osibisa, Ian Matthews and Ralph McTell.
Due to their low billing, Genesis played midafternoon on the second day of the festival. Their performance was highlighted as one of the best of the event, and consequentially, they were invited back for the next two festivals.
During the summer of 1971, Genesis started to appear at outdoor rock festivals. Steve Hackett remembers that it used to rain for the first five years they played at festivals in England or Europe, always resulting in a mud bath. At Reading Festival, the power was fluctuating and the band could not get the organ in tune (and that meant that the Mellotron would be even worse to tune). They also tuned their twelve-string guitars in the dressing rooms and by the time they got on stage, they were already out of tune. Tuning a twelve-string guitar in front of an audience was almost impossible.
Not a festival band
Tony Banks thinks that Genesis were never a good festival group. It was difficult to build a dramatic atmosphere in daylight and most of the audiences did not really understand the long song with lots of chord changes. Also, the sound was mostly rubbish. Nevertheless, they builded a live following and got a reputation of being a good live band for festivals, but the best times were when they could play after dark at the end of a day with their own fans in the audience. However, at their first appearance at Reading, they already got some fans waving their Genesis flag during the gig.
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).
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Platts, Robin, Genesis. Behind the lines, 1967-2007. (Burlington, Ont., Canada: Collectors Guide Pub., 2007), p. 44. ↩︎
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).
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).
On 11 June 2007, Genesis started their ‘Turn It On Again’ reunion tour in Helsinki. It saw the return of Phil Collins on vocals.
Genesis announced their reunion in 2006
On 7 November 2006, Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins announced that they were reuniting as Genesis to play a series of shows in Europe in the summer of 2007 and in North America in autumn. Phil Collins had left Genesis in 1996. Although he had appeared with his former band members in the past, this was his official return. The reunion also included Genesis’ long-time live members Chester Thompson on drums and Daryl Stuermer on guitar. Both had not played with the band since 1992.
The first proper gig was planned for 11 June 2007 in Helsinki. With no new album to promote, the band had enough time to go through their material and dust off the old songs. Having not played together for 15 years, rehearsals were a bit more difficult than they all had expected.
Rehearsals for the ‘Turn It On Again’ tour
Tony Banks (keyboards) and Mike Rutherford (guitars, bass) not only had to relearn the songs. They also had to change keys so that Phil Collins, whose voice had dropped over the years, could sing the songs.
He had some trouble relearning some of lyrics. But once he did, he struggled less with them than he had in the past. Songs like ‘Domino’ and ‘Home By The Sea’ with lyrics by Tony Banks were always a challenge for him to sing. (For example lines like ‘Sheets of double glazing’ or ‘Nylon sheets and blankets’). He also listened to live recordings from the past and realized that he had often added some little extras. On this tour he went back to singing the songs the way they were written.
He also had not played Genesis songs on drums for years. On his solo tours, he had done the drum duet with Chester Thompson and played on ‘In The Air Tonight’. But now he had to get himself back in shape and play things like ‘Second Home By The Sea’. Luckily enough, Chester Thompson and Daryl Stuermer were there to back them up and help them out. Daryl had to show them how to play their own songs because he knew and had learned them so well.
But the five of them had played for so long that even after a break of 15 years, the chemistry was still there. Also, they got along much better than ever before. Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford had become looser with age whereas Phil Collins had become a bit more serious. They could talk about things they never dared say to each other 15 years before.
The setlist
And what would Genesis play on this reunion tour? They had plenty of material to choose from. Of course, there some inevitable hits that the fans wanted to hear like ‘Follow You Follow Me’, ‘Invisible Touch’, ‘Mama’ and ‘I Can’t Dance’.
They also played their hit ‘Land Of Confusion’ a bit heavier than usual. It sounded more modern, which was a nod into the direction of the band Disturbed. They had done a metal cover version of the song.
A trip down memory lane on the Genesis reunion tour
Apart from the hits, they also played more ambitious songs from their later period like the already mentioned ‘Home By The Sea’ and ‘Domino’, two of Tony Banks’s favourites. As opener, they decided to do the instrumental intro of ‘Behind The Lines’ from Duke. They added a piece of ‘Duke’s End’ and called the show opener ‘Duke’s Intro’. It was a very strong and powerful opening for the reunion shows and would always make the crowd go wild.
Overall, Phil Collins played much more drums throughout the show than he had in the past. And for ‘I Know What I Like’ he looked at the tambourine dance from 1976 and after a bit of training, was able to do it also on this tour.
Also, they dug out ‘Ripples’ from A Trick Of The Tail (the first album with Phil Collins as lead vocalist from 1976), which they had not played for years. It was a real surprise in the setlist. The same goes for a bit of ‘Duke’s Travels’ that was incorporated into a medley. The setlist was a great mixture of material from all of their history. They played songs from almost every album since 1973. The last song of the set was the Lamb-classic ‘Carpet Crawlers’ from 1974. It was always a very emotional ending for the band and the audiences.
Behind the scenes
The stage set-up for the tour came from acclaimed stage designer Mark Fisher, the lighting design came from Patrick Woodroffe. Behind the band was a huge screen which created a different look and a different setting for each song.
Producer Nick Davis supervised the sound of the band. Also, the band decided to release sound board recordings of each show through an Encore Series.
The first concert in Helsinki
And finally the first gig was played in Helsinki on a warm summer night. The band played flawlessly, the screens showed the right visuals at the right time and the audiences were happy to see Genesis again.
Phil Collins later said that some people expected them to release a new album during this period. But for him, the tour was not only a Genesis reunion tour but also a Genesis farewell tour.
The tour went on until autumn 2007 when the band played North America. After that, it seemed that Genesis had closed the final chapter. When asked what they enjoyed most about the reunion tour, they all agreed that the greatest thing was to be back with old friends and laugh together.
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).
On 22 May 1975, Genesis played the last show of their ambitious “The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway” tour. It was also their last gig with Peter Gabriel as lead singer.
“The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway”
In 1974, Genesis went into the studio to record the album “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway*”. It was a double concept album, based on a complex story by lead singer Peter Gabriel about a Puerto Rican boy named Rael. Rael lives in New York City and is sucked into a netherworld, where he encounters strange characters on his adventures.
The story and the American setting were a break from their earlier tales of British myth and fantasy. Previous to the album, the band had toured North America and were trying to become successful in the United States. It was also (after the failed attempt on their first record) their first real “concept album”, a trademark for many progressive rock bands.
There were tensions going on inside the band, when they wrote the ambitious album. Peter Gabriel wrote the lyrics and the story separately, while his bandmates wrote all the music. Only the lyrics for one song, “The Light Dies Down On Broadway”, were written not by Gabriel, but by Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford. Most of the music came from jam sessions by the trio Tony Banks (keyboards), Mike Rutherford (bass and guitars) and Phil Collins (drums). Lead guitarist Steve Hackett did not contribute much to the music.
Tensions within the group
There were two main reasons for the split between Gabriel and the rest of the band that overshadowed the making of the album: For one, William Friedkin, director of “The Exorcist*” was interested in working together with Peter Gabriel on a film script. Peter Gabriel was interested and even thought about leaving the band for this project, but Friedkin backed away when he realized that.
The other reason was that Peter’s wife Jill was pregnant with their first child Anna. She was was born in July ’74 and there were some complications in the aftermath. Gabriel started to alienate from the band during that time. He was the first one to have a child and see that there were other opportunities and possibilites in life besides being in a rock band. His inner conflict is also reflected in the story of “The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway”, for example in the lyrics of “In The Cage”: “Get me out of this cage!”
Up to this day, the album divides fans and critics. Upon its release, “The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway” received decidedly mixed reviews and was a commercial failure. Ticket sales did not go as well as planned and they had to cancel several shows. Nowadays it is looked upon in a hazy retrospective because it is Gabriel’s last work with the group.
The “Lamb” tour
Peter Gabriel was frustrated by the failure in terms of success and sales, especially because it was his story. For the tour, the band decided to play the entire album live, often to an audience who had never heard it because the tour began before the album was released.
Having become famous for his use of masks and costumes, Peter Gabriel wanted to use visual aspects to underline the story of the album. This time he overused them. Again, he wore costumes, the most famous being the “Slippermen” outfit, which covered him from head to toe and did not allow him to get the microphone close enough to his mouth, so his vocals could not be heard clearly. The band did not like this exaggeration and felt that the costumes and the performance had become the focus of the show to the disadvantage of the music.
The spectacular stage show also brought along some problems. There were slides at the back of the stage and they never were in the right order or stopped and did not move on. One night, a dummy of Peter Gabriel, which used to mirror him during one of the songs, was replaced by a naked roadie. And once when there had to be a small explosion for one song, the production manager caused a big explosion, so loud that the band stopped playing in the middle of the song. He poked his head round the curtain and said “Sorry!” to which Phil Collins shouted back: “You’re fired!”
Peter Gabriel decides to leave Genesis
During the course of the tour, Peter Gabriel decided to leave. It was no surprise to manager Tony Smith and the rest of the band. Smith only wanted Gabriel to finish the tour and announce the news afterwards.
Peter Gabriel played his last gig with Genesis at St Etienne in France in May 1975. It was a strange last gig, because St Etienne was meant to be the penultimate date of the tour, but the final date was cancelled just the day before. And so, Gabriel’s time with Genesis was over. He had founded the band in 1967 with Tony Banks, Anthony Phillips and Mike Rutherford. When it was announced publicly, the fans were greatly shocked. Many doubted if Genesis could survive without him but we know they did and so did he.
Photo: Peter Gabriel in 1975. Photographer unknown. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: Peter_Gabriel,_April_1975.jpg. Unknown author / CC0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0).
On 6 June 1997, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford of Genesis announce the band’s new lead singer after Phil Collins’ departure: 28 year old Ray Wilson.
When it was announced in March of 1996 that Phil Collins would leave Genesis after 25 years, the public was impatient to know who would become the next lead singer of the band. Genesis had survived the loss of their first singer Peter Gabriel in 1975. And when Phil Collins left the band in 1996, the two remaining members Tony Banks (keyboards) and Mike Rutherford (guitars) decided to survive a singer’s loss once more. The two founding members of Genesis started to write and record new songs and tried to find a new singer. Music media suggested several vocalists, until on June 6th 1997, the band announced that Ray Wilson would be their new lead singer.
Ray Wilson
Ray was born in Dumfries, Scotland, on 8 September 1968. He had previously been in a band called Guaranteed Pure and was frontman for the band Stiltskin. Their biggest hit was the song ‘Inside’, used in a Levi’s commercial in 1994. The song had reached no. 1 of the charts. Ray was not an unknown singer when he joined Genesis, but theirs and Stiltskin’s music was worlds apart. His fans and Genesis fans were both surprised and suspicious.
Ray remembers on the Songbook DVD: ‘I was in my little studio writing songs. It was ten in the morning, I was making a coffee, and Tony Smith, the manager of Genesis, was on the phone: ‘Would you like to come and audition to replace Phil Collins?”
In the years before, Phil Collins’ solo success had created an image of ‘Phil Collins and Genesis’, as if Genesis was the band behind him. Filling out this role and changing this public image, would be very difficult.
Calling All Stations
Ray, Mike and Tony went into the band’s studio ‘The Farm’ in Surrey and recorded the new album Calling All Stations*. Most of the songs were already written by Tony and Mike, but Ray was able to add some of his ideas. The album was very dark and melancholic. Phil Collins’ influence on Genesis music, his energy and cheerfulness combined with Mike’s and Tony’s music, was missing. The Genesis chemistry only worked fully when all three of them worked and wrote together.
Ray’s expressive voice worked with the melodramatic music. He did a remarkable job on the album and the following tour. His voice and style was a bit closer to Peter Gabriel’s, but the music on Calling All Stations seemed to be closer to its predecessor We Can’t Dance*. Like We Can’t Dance, Calling All Stations was produced by Nick Davis.
Three singles were released from the sombre, dark record: ‘Congo’, ‘Shipwrecked’ and ‘Not About Us’. Ray co-wrote the last song as well as the songs ‘Small Talk’ and ‘There Must Be Some Other Way’. The drums on the album were played by Israeli session drummer Nir Zidkyahu and Nick D’Virgilio from American prog band Spock’s Beard.
The critics were not too kind. NMW wrote that ‘the world doesn’t care enough about Genesis to make the effort’ to buy the album and ‘like the rest of the population, they’ve forgotten why they were once any good.’ Q wrote that the album consists of ‘just darkness, confusion, individual isolation’ and described it as ‘one-paced and one-dimensional.’
Live on tour 1998
On tour, Ray proved that he could sing songs from all the eras. The setlist covered hits like ‘Invisible Touch’, ‘No Son Of Mine’ or ‘Follow You Follow Me’ (in a lovely acoustic version), younger epics like ‘Home By The Sea’ and Gabriel-era songs like ‘Carpet Crawlers’ and ‘The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway’. The new material worked well between these songs and some tracks, like the title track, were even better live. Ray, Mike and Tony were accompanied by drummer Nir Zidkyahu and guitarist Anthony Drennan, who filled the roles of Chester Thompson and Daryl Stuermer.
The album was not as successful as the ones before
But unfortunately the album was not a big commercial success when compared to the albums before. It reached no. 2 in British charts, but only no. 54 in America. Also, ticket sales were not as high was they used to be and the tour had to be minimized in terms of production and venues. The American leg of the tour had to be cancelled completely. So after the 1998 tour, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford decided to put Genesis to rest.
It was not to be the end of Genesis. But back in 1998 it looked like it. Unfortunately, Ray Wilson, who had been thrown into this situation, was even made responsible by some fans and critics. This is simply not fair. Ray has a unique voice and delivered the songs – his own and Peter’s and Phil’s – in a special way.
After the end of Genesis, Ray took some time to recover and has since started a solo career. He releases solo albums and still plays some Genesis and Genesis-related songs during his live shows.
Tampa, Florida, 17 May 1992. Genesis leave the stage at the fourth show of their gigantic We Can’t Dance tour after just two songs. They leave behind an almost rioting audience. The band had to cancel the show after ‘Land Of Confusion’ and ‘No Son Of Mine’ due to Phil Collins’ throat problems. Luckily enough, this was just a one-time affair. The We Can’t Dance tour became one of their biggest productions in terms of stage setup and venues.
Let’s take a look back at the massive production of the We Can’t Dance tour.
We Can’t Dance
We Can’t Dance*, the band’s fourteenth studio album, was released in 1991. It was another monumental blockbuster and a huge success all over the world. Despite being in the business for almost 25 years, Genesis still reached top of the charts. In terms of sales, We Can’t Dance was one of their most successful albums. It produced four hit singles: ‘No Son Of Mine’, ‘I Can’t Dance’, ‘Hold On My Heart’ and ‘Jesus He Knows Me.’ All of them were accompanied by elaborate music videos. Especially ‘I Can’t Dance’ and ‘Jesus He Knows Me’ stand out for their high production and sense of humour.
Massive venues and Jumbotrone video screens on the We Can’t Dance tour
Of course, this blockbuster of an album had to be followed by a massive tour. Over 60 concerts were planned for North America and Europe in 1992. The band decided to play stadiums, although they were not too happy to play bigger venues. But the idea of playing three months of stadiums instead of ten months of arenas appealed to them. They did not want to be on tour for too long.
Therefore, the stage set up reached another level on this tour. With new technology available, three Sony Jumbotron video screens were put behind the stage so that everyone in the stadium, right to the back, could witness the action onstage. The band rehearsed in the Goodyear blimp hanger in Houston. It was one of only a few spaces that was large enough to accomodate the new stage set-up.
The setlist
Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks were of course accompanied by their long-time live members Chester Thompson and Daryl Stuermer. The band rehearsed for a few weeks. The setlist included mainly material from the new album. They added a few tracks from its predecessors Invisible Touch* and Genesis* and the inevitable ‘Turn It On Again’ as an encore. A 20-minute medley was played that included the band’s most prominent material from the 1970’s. It was different to the ‘In The Cage’-medley they had played for 15 years and a welcoming change.
Leaving the stage in Tampa, Florida
They started the tour on 8 May 1992 in Texas. On the fourth night of the tour in Tampa, Phil Collins’ voice gave up. When necessary, he had supported his voice with various medical methods on tour. And he knew that a stadium full of fans could sing the songs word by word and help him out. But on that night he could not continue. The band left the stage after just two songs, ‘Land Of Confusion’ and ‘No Son Of Mine.’
But his voice worked for the rest of the tour. They ended the first leg of the tour with a huge open-air show in Knebworth Park in August that was broadcasted on Premiere. In the autumn of 1992, the band continued their tour and played various cities in their home country. Throughout the 80’s, the had not played that many shows in Great Britain. On this leg of the tour they made up for that. The concerts at Earl’s Court in London were filmed for video and later DVD release: The Way We Walk Live in Concert.
The tour also produced a double live album, Live – The Way We Walk (The Long And The Shorts). It was split into The Shorts* and The Longs instead of splitting an entire show in its middle. Some fans did not like this approach, but at this point in Genesis history, it was a wise decision. Many listeners knew them for their single hits. Other fans just liked their long and epic songs. In later releases of the double live album, the songs were put into the right order.
The tour turned out to be Genesis last with Phil Collins until 2007. It was also the last tour for drummer Chester Thompson and guitarist/bassist Daryl Stuermer until 2007. By the end of 1992, none of them knew. Also, the fans did not know that they had witnessed Genesis for the last time in this incarnation (if they even to to see the 1992 tour). But as we know, the band got together again 15 years later. But that is another story.
Title photo: Genesis Live- Land Of Confusion. Photo taken during the performance by Genesis of “Land of Confusion” in Knebworth, England (August 2nd, 1992). Source: Wikimedia Commons, Manny Hernandez/ CC-BY-SA-2.5 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0).
