The history of a rock band
The Way We Walk – Live in Concert, originally released in 1993 and reissued on DVD in 2001, offers fans an intimate and electrifying glimpse into the band’s We Can’t Dance tour. Filmed over three nights at London’s Earls Court in November 1992, this concert video is a vibrant showcase of Genesis’s remarkable musicianship and theatrical flair.
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On October 2, 1982, the legendary ‘Six Of The Best’ reunion show with Peter Gabriel and Genesis took place at Milton Keynes.
Continue reading “Six Of The Best”
On 11 June 2007, Genesis started their ‘Turn It On Again’ reunion tour in Helsinki. It saw the return of Phil Collins on vocals.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 March 28, 1980, Genesis released Duke, an album that marked a return to their roots as a band that thrived on jamming and improvisation. After years of bringing in individually written songs, the trio rediscovered the creative spark of working together. The result? One of their most celebrated albums—featuring the instant classic “Turn It On Again.”
By the end of their grueling 1978 world tour, Phil Collins’ personal life was in turmoil. His marriage had fallen apart due to the relentless touring schedule, and in a last attempt to save it, he took a break from Genesis. While Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford used the time to release their first solo albums, Phil moved to Canada to try and rebuild his family life.
But it wasn’t meant to be. When his efforts failed, Phil returned to England, alone in his home in Surrey, and turned to music as an outlet – something he had never done quite like this before. For the first time, he began writing songs on his own, setting the stage for his future solo success.
In 1979, Genesis regrouped at Phil’s home to start work on their next album. To Tony and Mike’s surprise, Phil had become a songwriter in his own right. While each member brought in individual ideas, the real magic happened when they began jamming again – something they hadn’t done since Peter Gabriel left the band. The result was a fresh, modern sound that still had the unmistakable Genesis touch.
Fans got their first taste of the new album in early March 1980, when Turn It On Again was released as a single. From the very start, it was clear this was a defining Genesis track.
Built around a complex 13/8 time signature, the song somehow felt effortlessly catchy -listeners didn’t even notice the odd rhythm until they tried to clap or tap their feet along with it. The song became a staple of Genesis’ live shows, appearing on every tour since its release. From 1983 onward, it was transformed into a high-energy rock medley, featuring snippets of classic cover songs.
Turn It On Again wasn’t just a hit; it became synonymous with Genesis. The band later named a greatest hits collection after it (Turn It On Again: The Hits) and even titled their 2007 reunion tour Turn It On Again – The Tour.
On an album filled with outstanding tracks, this driving, offbeat number had a special place. It reached #8 on the UK charts, earning Genesis a live performance on Top of the Pops – a rare treat for the band at the time.
The album itself, Duke, was released in late March 1980 and became Genesis’ first-ever UK #1 album.
Its artwork introduced the world to Albert, the faceless character on the cover, and the music inside told a loose narrative about fame, fortune, and downfall. The album opened with Behind The Lines, a grand, euphoric track that quickly shifted into a soulful, anthemic song – a bold statement from a band entering the new decade.
Together, Phil, Tony, and Mike proved once again that they were the core of Genesis, the same trio behind some of their greatest musical moments: the ‘Apocalypse of 9/8’-climax of “Supper’s Ready,” the instrumental finale of “The Cinema Show,” and large portions of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.
Despite the collaborative approach, each band member contributed individual songs to Duke. Among them was Misunderstanding, one of the first songs Phil ever wrote entirely by himself for Genesis.
Unlike their usual intricate arrangements, Misunderstanding was a straightforward, heartfelt pop song, with simple yet effective lyrics and a laid-back groove. Surprisingly (or maybe not), it became a bigger hit in the U.S. than in the UK, reaching the Top 20 and offering an early glimpse of Phil’s future success as a solo artist.
Duke remains a favorite among Genesis fans, and Tony Banks often cites it as one of his personal top Genesis albums. He especially highlights “Duchess”, a song that blends Genesis’ progressive roots with their evolving pop sensibilities.
As the first Genesis song to feature a drum machine, Duchess set the stage for much of their later work. The song’s story about an artist’s rise and fall even mirrors the band’s own journey – a theme that made it particularly special for Tony. Despite its deceptive simplicity, he considers it to be as emotionally powerful as “Supper’s Ready.”
With Duke, Genesis proved they could balance artistic ambition with mainstream appeal. It marked a transition – a bridge between their progressive past and the radio-friendly sound that would define their 1980s success.
More than 40 years later, it remains one of their most important albums.
🎧 What’s your favorite track from Duke? Let us know in the comments!