|
Genesis (band)
Background information
Origin Godalming, Surrey, England
Genre(s) Progressive rock
Neo-progressive rock
Pop rock
Rock
Years active 1967 – present
Label(s) Virgin
Charisma
Atlantic
Atco
Decca
ABC
Associated
acts GTR
Mike + The Mechanics
Brand X
Stiltskin
Website www.genesis-music.com
Members
Phil Collins (vocals, drums)
Mike Rutherford (guitars, bass, vocals)
Tony Banks (keyboards, vocals)
Former members
Peter Gabriel (vocals, flute)
Steve Hackett (guitars)
Anthony Phillips (guitars)
John Mayhew (drums)
John Silver (drums)
Chris Stewart (drums)
Ray Wilson (vocals)
(audio)
Genesis are an English rock band formed in 1967. With approximately 150
million albums sold worldwide, Genesis are among the top 30 highest-selling
recording "artists" of all time.[1] In 1988 the band won a Grammy Award for
Best Concept Music Video. Genesis' members have included Peter Gabriel, Mike
Rutherford, Tony Banks, Steve Hackett and Phil Collins, all of whom have
achieved success as solo artists.
Genesis began as a 1960s pop band playing moody, simple guitar-driven
melodies. During the 1970s they evolved into a progressive rock band and
began to incorporate complex song structures and elaborate instrumentation,
while their concerts took on a more theatrical tone. This second phase was
characterised by lengthy performances such as the twenty-three minute
Supper's Ready and, in 1974, the concept album The Lamb Lies Down on
Broadway. The 1980s saw the band produce more accessible pop music based on
melodic hooks; this change of direction gave them their first number one
album in the United Kingdom, Duke, and their only number one single in the
United States, "Invisible Touch".
Genesis have changed personnel several times. Collins, previously the band's
drummer, replaced Gabriel as lead singer in 1975, and was replaced by former
Stiltskin singer Ray Wilson for the 1997 album Calling All Stations. Due to
the commercial failure of that album, the band announced an indefinite
hiatus. In October 2006, Collins, Rutherford and Banks reunited for a world
tour.[2]
History
1967–1969
The original Genesis line-up in 1967, with Anthony Phillips, Mike
Rutherford, Tony Banks, Peter Gabriel and Chris Stewart
The original Genesis line-up in 1967, with Anthony Phillips, Mike
Rutherford, Tony Banks, Peter Gabriel and Chris Stewart
The band's origin lies in the late 1960s when founding members Peter Gabriel
and Tony Banks were students at Charterhouse School in Godalming. Formed out
of school bands "the Garden Wall" and "the anon", the original line-up
consisted of Gabriel (vocals), Anthony Phillips (guitar), Banks (keyboards),
Rutherford (bass & guitar) and Chris Stewart (drums).[3]
Genesis recorded their first album in 1969, From Genesis to Revelation,
after being discovered by Jonathan King, a Charterhouse School alumnus. King
was a songwriter and record producer who had a hit single, "Everyone's Gone
to the Moon",, at the time. King named the band "Genesis", indicating the
beginning of his production career. King recalled that he had "named them
Genesis because I thought it was a good name... it suggested the beginning
of a new sound and a new feeling".[4]
Genesis Timeline[hide]
1967 Gabriel, Phillips, Rutherford, Banks, Stewart
1968 Gabriel, Phillips, Rutherford, Banks, Silver
1969 Gabriel, Phillips, Rutherford, Banks, Mayhew 1
1970 Gabriel, Hackett, Rutherford, Banks, Collins 2
1975 Hackett, Rutherford, Banks, Collins 3
1977 Rutherford, Banks, Collins 4
1997 Wilson, Rutherford, Banks 5
1999 Band on hiatus
2006 Rutherford, Banks, Collins 4
ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL
1 David Thomas
2 Mick Barnard
3Bill Bruford
4 Chester Thompson, Daryl Streumer
5 Nick D'Virgillio, Nir Zidhyaku, Ant Drennan
The album was released on Decca Records. During the sessions, Stewart left
and was replaced by John Silver. The band recorded a series of songs
influenced by the light pop style of the Bee Gees, one of King's favourite
bands, and The Beatles. King assembled the tracks as a concept album, and
added string arrangements during the production. Their first single, "The
Silent Sun" (sample (help·info)), was released in February 1968. The album
sold poorly but the band, on advice from King, decided to pursue a career in
music.[5] To this day, King claims responsibility for the band's success. He
introduced them to eventual label boss Tony Stratton Smith. King still holds
the rights to the songs on the From Genesis to Revelation album and has
re-released the album many times under a variety of names, including In the
Beginning, Where the Sour Turns to Sweet, Rock Roots: Genesis, ...And the
Word Was and, most recently, The Genesis of Genesis.
Silver was replaced by John Mayhew before the recording of Trespass.
However, during a show alongside the band Smile, Gabriel had offered the job
to Roger Taylor, later of Queen.[6] The band played occasional concerts
before securing a new recording contract with Charisma Records.[7] The band
built a following through live performances and became known for hypnotic
melodies that were often dark and haunting.
Trespass set the template for Genesis albums in the 1970s. The album
consists of lengthy, sometimes operatic, pieces and occasional short,
humorous numbers which resemble the style of such progressive rock acts as
King Crimson, Yes and Gentle Giant. Trespass includes traditional
progressive rock elements, such as elaborate arrangements and time signature
changes, which became key elements in subsequent albums. A significant
factor in their songwriting was that they would not write pentatonically, as
most bands of their time were doing. This decision was continued by the band
for years to come. Trespass features the nine-minute "The Knife", which
Gabriel, a believer in nonviolence having been influenced by a book on
Mahatma Gandhi, wrote. According to Gabriel, the song shows "how all violent
revolutions inevitably end up with a dictator in power".[8]
Due to ill health and recurring stage fright, Phillips left the band in
1970.[8] Phillips went on to record several medieval influenced albums and
his solo album The Geese and the Ghost contains solo vocal by Phil Collins.
The departure of Phillips traumatised Banks and Rutherford, as Phillips had
been a founding member and a primary force behind the band turning
professional. There were doubts over whether Genesis could continue without
him,[9] but the remaining members renewed their commitment to the band,
while deciding to release drummer John Mayhew.
Phil Collins joined Genesis on 4 August 1970 after impressing the band with
his drumming skills during an audition held at Gabriel's parents' house. The
band continued as a four-piece before playing a number of concerts with the
guitarist Mick Barnard. Because the members felt Barnard was not up to their
calibre of musicianship they sought a more suitable replacement for
Phillips.[9] Late in 1970 Steve Hackett, formerly of Quiet World, placed an
advertisement for a band in Melody Maker. Hackett attended a Genesis concert
and was impressed by the style of music they played. The band liked the tone
of the advertisement and, after a meeting at his parents' apartment, hired
Hackett.
1970–1975
Collins and Hackett made their studio debut in 1971 on Nursery Cryme. The
album features the epic "The Musical Box" and Collins' first lead vocal
performance in "For Absent Friends". Foxtrot was released in October 1972
and contains what has been described as "one of the group's most
accomplished works"[10], the 23-minute "Supper's Ready" (sample (info).
Songs such as the Arthur C. Clarke inspired "Watcher of the Skies"
solidified their reputation as songwriters and performers. Gabriel's
flamboyant and theatrical stage presence, which involved numerous costume
changes and surreal song introductions, made the band one of the most
popular live acts on the early 1970s UK rock scene.[11] Genesis Live,
recorded on the Foxtrot tour, followed in 1973.
Selling England by the Pound followed in November 1973 and was well received
by critics and fans.[12] According to one commentator, Gabriel was conscious
of over-using lyrics or references which might suggest a bias towards an
American audience. He was keen to avoid this and insisted that the album was
titled Selling England by the Pound, a reference to a Labour Party slogan at
the time.[13] The album contains "Firth of Fifth" (sample (info)) and "I
Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)"; these songs became part of Genesis'
repertoire in future live performances. During this period Hackett became
one of the first guitarists to use the "tapping" technique, normally
credited to Eddie Van Halen, as well as "sweep-picking", which was
popularised in the 1980s by Yngwie Malmsteen.[14] These techniques were
incorporated in the song "Dancing with the Moonlit Knight".
In 1974 Genesis undertook a more ambitious project with the double disc
concept album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (sample (info)) which was
released on 18 November. In contrast to the lengthy tracks featured on
earlier albums The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway comprises a collection of
shorter tracks, connected by a number of segues. The story describes the
spiritual journey of Rael, a Puerto Rican youth living in New York City, and
his quest to establish his freedom and identity.[15] During his adventure,
Rael encounters several bizarre characters including the Slippermen and The
Lamia, the latter being borrowed from Greek mythology. The album is set in
satirically twisted circumstances and accounts of its recording indicate
that it was rushed and that Gabriel did not have time to finish his lyrics.
Gabriel added narration in his traditional storytelling during live
performances. The band embarked on a world tour to promote the album, and,
since it was a concept album, performed it in its entirety. At one point
during the performance Gabriel appeared across the stage from a mannequin
double, apparently illustrating the split personality concept.
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway placed strain on intra-band relations,
particularly between Banks and Gabriel.[3] Gabriel alone focused on the
lyrics, while the other band members wrote the music without his input, the
exceptions being "Counting Out Time" and "The Carpet Crawlers". "The Light
Dies Down on Broadway" was co-authored by Banks and Rutherford.
In August 1975, following the Lamb tour, Gabriel announced that he was
leaving the band.[16] He felt estranged from the other members, and his
marriage and birth of his first child added to his personal strain. In a
letter to fans, entitled Out, Angels Out, Gabriel explained his reasons,
"The vehicle we had built as a co-op to serve our songwriting became our
master and had cooped us up inside the success we had wanted. It affected
the attitudes and the spirit of the whole band. The music had not dried up
and I still respect the other musicians, but our roles had set in hard".[17]
Collins later remarked that the other members "were not stunned by Peter's
departure because we had known about it for quite a while. We're going to
carry on...this hasn't hit us suddenly, we've been talking about it for some
time, and I think there will be room for both Genesis and Peter on his own.
No - there were no musical differences."[18] Gabriel's first solo
album,Peter Gabriel 1977, features the hit single "Solsbury Hill", an
allegory on his departure from the band.
During their live performances, Genesis pioneered the use of lasers and
other light effects, most of which were built by Dutchman Theo Botschuijver.
A customised handheld unit was used to channel laser light, which allowed
Gabriel to sweep the audience with various light effects.
1976–1978
The group began to audition lead singers without a clear idea of the style
of vocalist they were looking for. However, they knew that they did not want
a voice too dissimilar to Gabriel's. Collins had provided backing vocals on
previous occasions, and was given the job of coaching prospective
replacements. In a later interview, he admitted he "really wanted to have a
crack at it...[b]ut I wasn't about to ask. I wanted someone to ask me".
"Initially the thought of being a lead singer, going out and shaking his bum
mortified me, but it was my first wife's idea, and after thinking about it,
I thought that it might work."[19] The band, somewhat reluctantly, decided
to give Collins a shot, and Phil was given the new lead singer spot for the
Trick of the Tail album. He was not named as the permanent lead singer right
away.
1976's A Trick of the Tail was well received by critics, and outsold all
previous albums combined. The album features a markedly clearer production
than earlier recordings, courtesy of new producer David Hentschel, who had
served as engineer on Nursery Cryme. An influential factor in the record's
success was that Collins sounded "more like Gabriel than Gabriel did".[20]
Despite the success of the album, the group remained concerned with their
live shows, which now lacked Gabriel's elaborate performances. While Collins
felt confident that he could handle live vocal duties, he required the
assistance of a second drummer while he sang. Bill Bruford, drummer for Yes
and King Crimson, offered his services,[21] and drummed on their 1976 tour.
The tour was captured on film, and released as Genesis: In Concert.
Later that year, Genesis recorded Wind & Wuthering, the first of two albums
recorded at the Relight Studios in Hilvarenbeek, the Netherlands.[3]
Released in December 1976, the album took its name from Emily Brontë's novel
Wuthering Heights, whose last lines—"how anyone could ever imagine unquiet
slumbers for the sleepers in that quiet earth"—inspired the titles of the
seventh and eighth tracks.[22] Wind & Wuthering features the songs "Blood on
the Rooftops" and "Afterglow", as well as the complex multi-part suite "One
for the Vine". The animated film B.C. Rock features sections of "Afterglow".
The band signed with new manager Tony Smith, who published all subsequent
Genesis songs through his company Hit & Run Music Publishing.
For the 1977 Genesis tour, the jazz fusion-trained Chester Thompson—a
veteran of Weather Report and Frank Zappa—took on live drumming duties.
Collins's approach to Genesis shows differed from the theatrical
performances of Gabriel, and his interpretations of older songs were lighter
and more subtle. At the 1982 Milton Keynes reunion show, Gabriel admitted to
Collins that he (Collins) sang the songs "better", though never "quite like"
him.[23]
1978–1979
Guitarist Steve Hackett had become increasingly disenchanted with the band
by the time of Wind & Wuthering's release.[16] The freedom he had
experienced during the recording of Voyage of the Acolyte led him to feel
confined within Genesis. Hackett felt that too few of his songs were being
used on Genesis albums, and sought for a quarter of Wind & Wuthering to be
given over to his material; a move described by Collins as "a dumb way to
work in a band context".[24] The other members attempted to placate him by
granting songwriting credits on the two instrumental tracks "Unquiet
Slumbers for the Sleepers..."/"...In That Quiet Earth" However, the
Hackett-composed "Blood on the Rooftops" was never performed live, while his
composition "Please Don't Touch" was rejected for inclusion on the LP; and
was replaced by the three-minute instrumental "Wot Gorilla?". Following the
release of the 1977 Spot the Pigeon E.P., Hackett left the band.
The Seconds Out live album was recorded during the 1977 tour, and was to be
Hackett's final release with Genesis. Rutherford took on guitar duties in
the studio, and during live performances alternated guitar and bass with the
session musician Daryl Stuermer. The group continued as a trio, a fact they
acknowledged in the title of the 1978 album ...And Then There Were Three....
The album was a further move away from lengthy progressive epics, and
yielded their first American radio hit, "Follow You, Follow Me", whose
popularity lead to ...And Then There Were Three... being the band's first
U.S. Gold-certified album.
1980–1986
In 1979, Genesis came close to losing Collins when he moved to Vancouver,
Canada, in an attempt to save his first marriage. However, two months and
one divorce later, Collins returned to the UK, and immersed himself in the
recording of Duke. He later admitted that his marriage breakup accelerated
his growth as a songwriter, and Duke became the first Genesis album in which
he had equal songwriting weight with Banks and Rutherford. While And Then
There Were Three was a first effort by the band to write shorter and more
concise songs, Duke began the real transition from their 1970s sound, to the
1980s mega-hit pop era.[16] The use of a drum machine became a consistent
element on subsequent Genesis albums, as well as on Collins's solo releases.
The first Genesis song to feature a drum machine was the Duke track
"Duchess". The more commercial Duke was well received by the mainstream
media, and was the band's first UK number one album, while the tracks
"Misunderstanding" (sample (info)) and "Turn It On Again" became two of the
band's live stand-bys.
Duke was followed by the minimalist Abacab, which features a collaboration
with the Earth, Wind & Fire horn section on the track "No Reply at All".
Much of the album's rehearsals took place at The Farm, the band's
newly-built studio in Surrey, and the site where all four of Genesis's
subsequent albums were recorded. The album premiered a dramatically more
forceful drum sound. The effect was achieved through the use of gated
reverb, which uses a live—or artificially reverberated—sound relayed through
a noise gate set, which rapidly cuts off when a particular a volume
threshold is reached. This results in a powerful "live" sounding, yet
controlled, drum ambience. The distinctive sound was first developed by
Peter Gabriel, Collins, and their co-producer/engineer Hugh Padgham, when
Collins was recording the backing track for "Intruder", the first song on
Gabriel's 1980 solo album. The technique, in addition to Padgham's
production, had been apparent on Face Value (1981), Collins's debut solo
album. The "gated" drum sound would become an audio trademark of future
Genesis and Collins albums.[25]
In 1982, the band released the live double album Three Sides Live. The U.S.
version contains three sides of live material—hence the album's title—in
addition to a side of studio material. The studio material includes the song
"Paperlate", which again features an Earth, Wind and Fire horn section. In
the UK, the three songs on the "Paperlate" side of the album had previously
been released on the EP 3 X 3. This left more room on the UK version for
further live material, albeit it was taken from earlier tours. 1982 closed
with a once-off performance alongside Gabriel and Hackett at the Milton
Keynes Bowl, under the name Six of the Best. The concert was hastily put
together to help raise money for Gabriel's WOMAD project, which at the time
was suffering from considerable financial hardship.[26]
1983s eponymous Genesis album—sometimes referred to as "Shapes" because of
the geometric shapes featured on its cover, or alternatively, as the "Mama"
album—became their third consecutive number one album in the UK. The album
includes the radio friendly tracks "Mama" and "That's All", and
re-introduced the band's flair for lengthy pieces in "Home by the Sea". The
track "Just a Job to Do" was later used as the theme song for the 1985s ABC
detective drama The Insiders.
1986–1992
Genesis's highest-selling album, Invisible Touch, was released in 1986, at
the height of Collins's popularity as a solo artist. The album yielded five
U.S. Top 5 singles: "Throwing It All Away", "In Too Deep", "Tonight,
Tonight, Tonight", "Land of Confusion" (sample (info)) and "Invisible Touch"
(sample (info)). The title track reached #1 in the United States; the only
Genesis song to do so; however, it stalled at #15 in the UK. In 1987,
Genesis became the first band to sell out four consecutive nights at Wembley
Stadium.[28] Genesis were the first band to use Vari*Lite technology,[29]
and the Prism sound system, all of which are now standard features of arena
rock concerts.
Earlier that year, Collins viewed a spoof of himself on Spitting Image, a
satirical British television show which used puppets to lampoon politicians
and celebrities. He was impressed with the representation, and commissioned
the show's creators, Peter Fluck and Roger Law, to work on the video for the
"Land of Confusion" single. The video was formed as an ironic commentary on
the Cold War, and played on the perception that the coalition's leaders were
"trigger happy" with the nuclear "button". In addition to puppet
representations of Banks, Collins and Rutherford, the video showed Ronald
Reagan dressed as Superman. It was nominated for the MTV Video of the Year,
losing to Gabriel's "Sledgehammer".
"Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" was used in a Michelob commercial—as was
Collins's "In the Air Tonight"—while "In Too Deep" was featured in the film
Mona Lisa.[22] The instrumental "The Brazilian", appreared in the animated
movie When the Wind Blows, alongside a score written by Roger Waters. At the
1988 Prince's Trust concert held in the Royal Albert Hall, Collins and
Gabriel performed together for the first time since 1982. Collins was
drummer for the house band, while Gabriel performed his hit single
"Sledgehammer". It was to be the last time the two Genesis frontmen publicly
played together.
After a hiatus of five years, Genesis reconvened for the 1991 release of We
Can't Dance, which was to be Collins's last studio album with the group. The
album features the hit singles "Jesus He Knows Me", "I Can't Dance", "No Son
of Mine", "Hold on My Heart", "Tell Me Why" and "Never a Time" (a U.S.
release only), as well as lengthy pieces such as "Driving the Last Spike"
and "Fading Lights". The album which was produced by Nick Davis includes
"Since I Lost You", which Collins wrote in memory of Eric Clapton's son
Conor.
Collins left in March 1996, having served in Genesis for over 25 years. He
later admitted that he "felt it time to change direction in my musical life.
For me now, it will be music for movies, some jazz projects, and of course
my solo career. I wish the guys in Genesis all the very best in their
future. We remain the best of friends."[30]
1997–2000
Rutherford and Banks decided to continue as Genesis. However, they required
more than one new member, because the band had lost not only Collins, but
also the live musicians Daryl Stuermer and Chester Thompson. Stuermer was
approached, but was touring with Collins at the time; Thompson inquired
regarding the vacant drum stool, but after he was refused full-band
membership, he ended his 19-year association with the band. Eventually,
drumming duties were shared between Nir Zidkyahu, an Israeli session drummer
who had played with Hidden Persuaders, and Nick D'Virgilio, from the
progressive rock band Spock's Beard.[8] The difference in their playing
styles was marked; D'Virgilio played softer, more subtle rhythms in
comparison to Zidkyahu's bombastic technique.
Ex-Stiltskin singer Ray Wilson was appointed as the new lead singer of
Genesis. Other candidates had included Paul Carrack from Rutherford's Mike
and the Mechanics, Francis Dunnery (ex-It Bites) and ex-Marillion
vocalist—and two-time Banks collaborator—Fish.[31] Kevin Gilbert was offered
an audition just before his death in 1996.[32] According to producer Nick
Davis, the only other serious candidate was David Langdon, though he had
never sung with a band before; and hence Wilson was given the job. On the
band's criteria in the search for a singer, Banks noted: "We needed someone
who fits as many of the things you require as possible—being able to
improvise with the kind of music we write and also someone capable of
jumping in at the deep end and fronting a band." Wilson was immediately
incorporated into the songwriting process, being given "half-a-dozen" songs
to work on and ending up with three co-writing credits on the final
album.[33]
1997's Calling All Stations sold well in Europe, while the track "Congo"
(sample (info)) reached #29 in the UK. The album was not successful in
America, where it failed to reach the Billboard Top 50. During 1997 and
1998, Genesis toured across Europe; Banks, Rutherford, and Wilson were
joined live by Zidkyahu and the guitarist Anthony Drennan, who previously
worked with Paul Brady and The Corrs. However, a planned American tour was
cancelled due to the album's poor sales performance. Following the
truncation of the Calling All Stations tour, Genesis dismissed Wilson and
went on an extended hiatus, although the members remained in regular
contact. In an April 2007 interview, Wilson expressed his disgust at how his
dismissal was handled, saying "it was like death by silence."[34] He also
said he regretted his time spent with the band, feeling uncomfortable as a
self-described "working class" man with the wealthier likes of Banks and
Rutherford, and also revealed one of Phil Collins's assistants told him
Collins "wasn't happy that they had continued".
In 1999, the 1971–75 lineup of Banks, Collins, Gabriel, Hackett and
Rutherford recorded a new version of "The Carpet Crawlers" for the Turn It
On Again: The Hits compilation. In 2000, Collins, Banks, and Rutherford
performed an acoustic rendition of "I Can't Dance" at the Music Managers
Forum, in honor of their manager Tony Smith.[34] Most of the original
members were involved in compiling the two Archive boxed-sets.
2006–present
After much speculation regarding a reunion, Banks, Collins and Rutherford
announced Turn It On Again: The Tour on 7 November 2006; nearly 40 years
after the band first formed. The tour would take place during Summer 2007,
and play twelve countries across Europe, followed by a second leg in North
America. The trio had wanted to reunite as a five-piece with Gabriel and
Hackett for a live performance of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. While
Gabriel reportedly agreed in principle to perform, he was unable to commit
to a date. Collins later observed that "Peter is a little over-cautious
about going back to something which fundamentally is fun".[35] Hackett
agreed to participation, but without Peter joining in on the tour, Phil,
Tony and Mike thought that it would be more appropriate to bring back
Chester Thompson and Daryl Steurmer. Hackett, however still maintains good
relations with the rest of the band. A short note expressing his good wishes
for the reunion tour currently appears on his Web site.[36] In their stead,
both Stuermer and Thompson returned as backing musicians.
The band and long-time producer, Nick Davis, are due to re-release their
back catalogue in three batches over the course of 2007, each comprising a
third of the band's albums (from Trespass to Calling All Stations) in a
boxset-style release. Each will comprise a double-disc set containing a
multi-channel hybrid Super Audio CD, as well as a DVD-Video with DTS 96/24,
and Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks. The DVD will include extras such as promo
videos and new interviews in which the band discuss the period surrounding
each album release. The Hybrid SACDs will be standard CDs for the U.S. and
Canada, and are to be issued as box sets, starting with Genesis 1976-1982 on
May 15.
On 12 May 2007, the band were honourees at the second annual VH1 Rock Honors,
along with Ozzy Osbourne, Heart and ZZ Top. The setlist was, 'Turn It On
Again', 'No Son of Mine' and 'Los Endos' the performance aired on VH-1 in
the US on 24 May 2007.[37] On 11 June. 2007 Genesis officially kicked off
their 2007 Turn It On Again World Tour in Helsinki, Finland. The band will
perform over 50 shows in 2007 as they make stops in several countries
including Denmark, Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Great Britain, the
United States and Canada. The German show was broadcast live to several
cinemas across the UK and Europe. On 7 July 2007, Genesis are due to
participate at Live Earth, a series of concerts to promote action to
confront global climate change at the new Wembley Stadium in London, along
with other artists including Madonna, Duran Duran and Red Hot Chili
Peppers.[38]
Inspiration And Influences
Genesis has taken influence from a wide range of music, ranging from
classical music to mainstream rock and jazz. Banks drew influence from Alan
Price of The Animals, whom he regarded as "[t]he first person who made me
aware of the organ in a rock context".[39] Other organists cited included
Procol Harum's Matthew Fisher, and Keith Emerson of The Nice and later
Emerson, Lake and Palmer. Classical influences include Rachmaninov, Ravel,
Mahler, and Shostakovich. Many of their contemporaries and immediate
predecessors, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Simon and Garfunkel,
have affected the band's music. Collins has cited Buddy Rich and the jazz
outfit The Mahavishnu Orchestra, while Gabriel's early career with Genesis
took influence from Nina Simone and King Crimson.[40] Musical arrangements
on the band's first album From Genesis to Revelation drew on the works of
The Moody Blues, Family, and the Bee Gees—Jonathan King was a self-professed
admirer of their music. Though Gabriel and David Bowie similarly relied on
on-stage theatrical performances, neither claimed to be influenced by the
other.[41]
As a group that influenced the growth of the progressive rock genre, Genesis
has been cited by a number of progressive rock groups, including Dream
Theater, Camel and Kansas. Several Genesis tribute bands, including
Re-Genesis, The Musical Box, and In the Cage, routinely perform material
from the Peter Gabriel era.
Collins became the first artist to cover a Genesis song—"Behind the
Lines"—which he included as the third track on Face Value. Other former
members subsequently performed the band's material live during their solo
shows—Gabriel played "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" and "Back in NYC",
while Hackett has performed "In That Quiet Earth", "Los Endos",
"Horizons",[22] "Firth of Fifth" and "Blood on the Rooftops", among others.
Hackett has performed "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)" on his own
solo tours, and on a 1986 tour with his short lived supergroup GTR.
Rutherford has performed "I Can't Dance" during his tours with the
Mechanics. Collins also later formed The Phil Collins Big Band, which played
jazz arrangements of Genesis songs, which were "That's All", "Invisible
Touch", "Hold On My Heart" and "Los Endos" (renamed "The Los Endos Suite"),
during its 1998 world tour. Ray Wilson has covered the most Genesis songs
during his solo concerts. His two solo live albums, Live and Life and
Acoustic, feature the Genesis songs "The Carpet Crawlers", "Follow You
Follow Me", "I Can't Dance", "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway", "No Son of
Mine", "Shipwrecked", and "Mama". He has interpreted two songs from the solo
careers of his two predecessors—"In the Air Tonight" (Collins) and "Biko"
(Gabriel).
Jeff Buckley reworked "Back In NYC" for the posthumously released 1998
Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk. The Swedish death metal band In Flames
covered "Land of Confusion" on Trigger, as did Disturbed on their 2005 album
Ten Thousand Fists. Disco-pop band Alcazar, also from Sweden, has covered
parts of "Land of Confusion" on their song "This is the World we Live In".
Dream Theater covered Turn It On Again as part of their song "The Big
Medley". In 2007 Simon Collins recorded his own version of "Keep it Dark" as
a tribute to the 40th anniversary of his father's band.
Album cover art
Genesis's album covers incorporate complex and intricate art intended to
reflect the themes explored in the song lyrics. Their first album, From
Genesis to Revelation, used a plain black sleeve with Genesis written in a
green gothic typeface on the top left. The cover of this album has changed
with its numerous re-releases. Genesis's three subsequent album covers were
developed by the popular Charisma Records graphic artist Paul Whitehead, who
had developed the Charisma "Mad Hatter" logo. The Foxtrot sleeve is popular
among Genesis fans; the front image depicts a feminine figure in a red dress
with the head of a fox. Whitehead has said in an interview that Jimi
Hendrix's "Foxy Lady" was an inspiration for the character.[42] After
Whitehead moved to Los Angeles, Genesis signed with the reputed Hipgnosis,
whose artists had created high profile album covers for Pink Floyd's Dark
Side of the Moon and Led Zeppelin's Houses of the Holy. Hipgnosis's first
Genesis album cover was for The Lamb, which for the first time in Genesis's
history featured a male model. The model, credited simply as "Omar" on the
album sleeve, portrayed the The Lamb's protagonist "Rael".
Through the 1970s, various Hipgnosis artists—among whom Colin Elgie
contributed heavily—designed all Genesis studio albums. The Trick of the
Tail cover is representative of many of the characters in the album,
including the robber from "Robbery, Assault and Battery", the beast from the
title track, and a metaphoric image of old age reminiscing youth from the
song "Ripples". Beginning with Duke, Genesis albums have featured
caricatures designed by Bill Smith Studios. The bands highest-selling album
Invisible Touch, features the artwork of Assorted Images, which had
previously designed sleeves for Duran Duran and Culture Club. The We Can't
Dance cover art features the work of Felicity Bowers, and is reminiscent of
Wind & Wuthering, now presented in hazy watercolour. The Calling All
Stations and the compilation Turn It On Again: The Hits sleeves were
designed by Wherefore Art?.
Criticism
Genesis' progressive rock roots set them apart from contemporaries Led
Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. An article in Q Magazine describes a 1977 Ray
Lowry cartoon which depicted an arena of "either asleep, moribund, [or]
comatose" fans watching a live Genesis performance, with the band's name
emblazoned on a banner above the stage reading "GENESNOOZE".[43] Much of the
criticism surrounding the band in the 1970s centered on progressive rock in
general, which many dismissed as intellectual and pretentious. Gabriel's
theatrics were unpalatable to a mainstream rock audience, as well as to many
Genesis fans.[44] This was exemplified during live performances of Gabriel's
last Genesis album, The Lamb, during which he appeared on stage as various
characters in the album lyrics. The elaborate storyline for The Lamb proved
difficult to understand and accept, and caused friction within the band.[3]
Collins later recalled that "he'd be in a Slipperman costume trying to get a
mike anywhere near his throat, and be out of breath - all twisted up.
Towards the end I felt the singing wasn't really being heard; the songs
weren't really being heard".[9] Criticism of Genesis has crossed into
literature and popular culture; Nick Hornby's High Fidelity puts the band in
a list of five bands who should be shot.[45]
Genesis's transition from lengthy, complex songs to more compact, radio
friendly material was not welcomed by some critics; one particular review of
...And Then There Were Three... read: "[i]n short, this contemptible opus is
but the palest shadow of the group's earlier accomplishments. Not only is
the damage irreversible, it's been widely endorsed: ...And Then There Were
Three... is Genesis's first U.S. gold record".[46] Collins himself has often
been blamed for Genesis's transformation, in part as he plays much the same
type of music as a solo artist. "I don't feel we've bastardised the way we
were", Collins remarked in an interview with Music Express: "on a generous
day I'll blame me for the change, but I just think it is us growing up,
listening to different things".[47]
References
1. ^ "Phil Collins". atlanticrecords.com. Retrieved on 15 March 2007.
2. ^ "Rockers Genesis plan reunion tour". bbc.co.uk, 18 October 2006.
Retrieved on 15 March 2007.
3. ^ a b c d Welch, Chris (1995). The Complete Guide to the Music of
Genesis. London: Omnibus Press.
4. ^ Tracy, John. "And The Word Was ... GENESIS" genesis-path.net. Retrieved
on 15 March 2007.
5. ^ King, Jonathan. "In the Beginning". From Genesis to Revelation (sleeve
notes). 1993 release
6. ^ Cargill Erin, Cargill Pieter. "1975-03-XX - Circus - Review of Queen's
Sheer Heart Attack". queenarchives.com. Retrieved on 23 March 2007.
7. ^ Cromelin, Richard. "Genesis: Short on Hair, Long on Gimmicks". Rolling
Stone, 28 March 1974.
8. ^ a b c Ostrich Michael. "Genesis Frequently Asked Questions List Version
2.6". ProgScape Entertainment, 21 December 1998. Retrieved on 23 March 2007.
9. ^ a b c Young, John. "Genesis Look at Themselves". Trouser Press
Magazine, March 1982. Retrieved on 23 March 2007.
10. ^ Welch (1995), p. 21
11. ^ "Some New York Times Reviews '72-'74". genesis-path.net. Retrieved on
23 March 2007.
12. ^ Malamut, Bruce. "Selling England by the Pound". Crawdaddy, March 1974.
Retrieved on 23 March 2007.
13. ^ Bowler, Dray. "Genesis: A Biography". London: Sidwick & Jackson, 1992
14. ^ Alspach, Steve. "Interview with Steve Hackett". Music Street Journal,
2002. Retrieved on 23 March 2007.
15. ^ Welch, Chris. "Genesis: The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway ". Melody
Maker, 23 November. 1974.
16. ^ a b c Mankowitz, Gered. "Help!". Mojo Magazine, April 2007.
17. ^ "Gabriel, Peter. "Out, Angels Out - an investigation" genesis-path.net,
August 1975. Retrieved on 23 March 2007.
18. ^ Welch, Chris. "Peter Gabriel Quits Genesis". Melody Maker, 23 August
1975.
19. ^ "Genesis Archive #2". Gelring Limited. Atlantic Recording Corporation,
2000.
20. ^ "Phil Collins". Golden Slumbers, 2005. Retrieved on 23 March 2007.
21. ^ "An interview with Bill Bruford". World of Genesis.com. Retrieved on
23 March 2007.
22. ^ a b c McMahan, p. 371
23. ^ Genesis. Inside Genesis 1975–1980. "Classic Rock Legends", 2004
24. ^ "Wind & Wuthering 1977 - Genesis Remember". g2online.co.uk. Retrieved
on 23 March 2007.
25. ^ Flans, Robyn. "Classic Tracks: Phil Collins's In the Air Tonight".
Mix, 1 May 2005. Retrieved on 25 March 2007.
26. ^ "The 1982 Reunion Show Program Book".genesis-path.net. Retrieved on 23
March 2007.
27. ^ Turner, Frederick. "Assorted pieces of insight into Genesis from
assorted sources. Genesis: A Biography, 1992. Retrieved on 23 March 2007.
28. ^ "The Waiting Room Online". The Waiting Room, 2005. Retrieved on 23
March 2007.
29. ^ "About Vari-Lite". vari-lite.com. Retrieved on 23 March 2007.
30. ^ Darling, Linda; Silberstein, Scott. "Phil Quits Genesis!".
Entertainment Wire, 28 March 1996. Retrieved on 23 March 2007.
31. ^ Popke, Michael. "Ray Wilson: 'I find George Bush quite frightening and
capable of scary things'". SeaOfTranquility.org, 24 October 2004. Retrieved
on 25 March 2007.
32. ^ Sine, Richard. "All Rocked Out". Metro, 1–7 August, 1996. Retrieved on
23 March 2007.
33. ^ Heatley, Michael. "Dotmusic Talent: GENESIS" (retrieved from the
Internet Archive). Dotmusic, 1997. Retrieved on 30 April 2007.
34. ^ a b "Rocker Ray's life begins after Genesis Scotsman.com Retrieved on
19 May 2007
35. ^ "Press conference, 7th November 2006, Mayfair hotel, London". genesis-news.com.
Retrieved on 23 March 2007.
36. ^ "Steve Hackett's website". stevehackett.com. Retrieved on 23 March
2007.
37. ^ http://www.genesis-news.com/live-2007-blog/2007/05/13/genesis-in-las-vegas-last-night-vh-1-rock-honors
38. ^ "Genesis to participate in Live Earth". Liveearth.org. Retrieved on 25
March 2007.
39. ^ "Genesis's Banks — A Current Account". Beat Instrumental, April 1976.
Retrieved on 23 March 2007.
40. ^ "The Genesis File". Melody Maker, 16 December 1972. Retrieved on March
25, 2007.
41. ^ "Cartoons, Costumes, and the Myths of Genesis". Circus, December 1974.
Retrieved on 23 March 2007.
42. ^ Christopulos, Jim. "Paul Whitehead interview".
vandergraafgenerator.co.uk. Retrieved on 23 March 2007.
43. ^ Maconie, Stuart. ""Genesis: The Loathed and Loved"". Q Magazine,
December 1994. Retrieved on 23 March 2007.
44. ^ Welch (1995), p. 37
45. ^ Warner Cummins, Michael. "High Fidelity". michaelvox.com. Retrieved on
25 March 2007.
46. ^ Bloom, Michael. "And Then There Were Three". Rolling Stone, 10 August
1978. Retrieved on 23 March 2007.
47. ^ "Phil Collins Interviews". Music Express, 1990. Retrieved on 23 March
2007.
read the
copyright
|