10 Pics Remembering Genesis, The Band That Gave Us Peter Gabriel And Phil Collins
They have a hold on our heart
Published 11 months ago in Wow
Though known for their iconic progressive rock and pop sounds, Genesis, the high-school band that could, has a bigger claim to fame than its legendary hits like "Turn It On Again" and "Hold on My Heart." Throughout its decades-spanning run, the band primed two of rock's most iconic figures for primetime, Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel.
From the band's early days to their final tour, here are 10 pics remembering Genesis.
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Genesis’ Genesis
The genesis of Genesis can be traced back to Charterhouse School in Surrey, England, where Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks, Ant Phillips, Mike Rutherford, and Chris Stewart, despite being in different bands, all came together to compose the group. As teens, they signed with Decca Records and recorded their first album, From Genesis to Revelation.
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Back To The Drawing Board
A commercial flop, the band regrouped in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, and after a few lineup changes, began working on honing their craft, practicing up to 11 hours a day. After playing a few local gigs — ones ranging from a birthday party to BBC’s Night Ride — the group signed with Charisma records. They recorded their second album, Trespass, which despite charting in Belgium, landed mixed reviews from critics.
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Phil Collins
After facing yet another round of shakeups — including the departure of Ant Phillips — Genesis began the hunt for a new guitarist and drummer. Percussionist Phil Collins saw an ad and decided to audition, making the decision easy for the other band members. "It was a combination of things,” Banks recalled of their decision to go with Collins. “He could make it swing a little bit ... he could also tell good jokes and make us laugh ... And he could sing, which was an advantage because Mike and I were not very good at back-up vocals"
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Peter Gabriel’s Departure
With Collins — and Steve Hackett — as a part of their roster, Genesis continued to garner popularity around Europe. But as their career began heating up, founding member Gabriel decided to go his own way, leaving the band in 1975.“As an artist, I need to absorb a wide variety of experiences,” he wrote of his decision. “It is difficult to respond to intuition and impulse within the long-term planning that the band needed. I felt I should look at/learn about/develop myself, my creative bits and pieces and pick up on a lot of work going on outside music.”
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80's Pop Turn
Gabriel wasn’t the only one in need of some soul-searching. In the early 1980s, Genesis began experimenting with their sound, shifting from progressive rock to pop. Playing with a more pop-inspired sound on their albums “And Then There Were Three” and “Duke,” the band embraced a more mainstream approach with their album "Abacab". The group’s first entry into the Billboard Hot 200’s top 10, the band wowed critics and fans, serving as one of their most iconic works.
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Final Tour
Roughly 15 years later, the band got back together yet again for their final tour, The Last Domino? Tour. Starting in September 2021, the tour ended in their home country, the band hitting the stage in London’s O2 arena. Though not onstage, Gabriel was in the audience, cheering on his former band.
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