Genesis: A Retrospective (1966-1997)

Genesis A Retrospective:1966-1997

Genesis circa 1973 – l to r: Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Phil Collins

Genesis circa 1986 – l to r: Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford

Genesis 1997 – l to r: Tony Banks, Ray Wilson, Mike Rutherford

Overview: In the history of rock and roll, there aren’t many bands who’ve enjoyed the kind of longevity as Genesis. They were celebrated as one of the premiere progressive-rock groups in their early incarnation with Peter Gabriel on vocals. They created classic albums such as Selling England by the Pound and The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. After Gabriel’s departure, drummer Phil Collins stepped up to the mike and the group soldiered on, reaching new commercial peaks and establishing themselves as a classic rock act in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s with the albums And Then There Were Three, Duke, and Abacab, promoted by songs like “Follow You, Follow Me,” “Turn It on Again,” “Misunderstanding,” “Abacab,” “No Reply at All,” and “Paperlate.” They went on to become one of the biggest bands in the world in the ‘80s and ‘90s with multi-platinum albums Genesis, Invisible Touch, and We Can’t Dance, fueled by top-ten hits “That’s All,” “Invisible Touch,” “Throwing It All Away,” “Tonight, Tonight, Tonight,” “Land of Confusion,” “In Too Deep,” “No Son of Mine,” “I Can’t Dance,” and “Hold on My Heart.” After Collins left in 1992, the group enlisted Ray Wilson as the lead singer and released one more album before calling it quits. Collins, Banks, and Rutherford reunited for tours in 2007 and 2021. Genesis have sold an estimated 100 to 150 million albums worldwide. The Players: Peter Gabriel (vocals: 1966-1975) Anthony Phillips (guitar: 1966-1970) Tony Banks (keyboards: 1966-1997, 2007, 2021) Mike Rutherford (guitar/bass: 1966-1997, 2007, 2021) Chris Stewart (drums: 1966-1968) John Silver (drums: 1968-1969) John Mayhew (drums: 1969-1970) Phil Collins (drums: 1970-1992, vocals: 1975-1992, 2007, 2021) Steve Hackett (guitar: 1970-1977) Ray Wilson (vocals: 1997) Nir Zidkayhu (drums: 1997) Links: www.Genesis-music.com (official site) Facebook Wikipedia Genesis et al: Top 100 Songs (includes solo work from Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel as well as Mike Rutherford’s group Mike + the Mechanics.

Awards:

Studio Albums:

Compilations: TA Turn It on Again – The Hits (covers 1973-1997, released 1999) PC Platinum Collection (covers 1970-1997, released 2004) TT Turn It on Again – The Hits (Tour Edition) (covers 1970-1997, released 2007) LD The Last Domino? (covers 1973-1991, released 2021) Under each album snapshot, songs featured on the anthologies are noted. If the song charted, the date of the song’s release or first chart appearance and its chart peaks are noted in parentheses. Click for codes to charts.

The Beginning: In 1965, 15-year-olds Peter Gabriel and Tony Banks formed the Garden Wall at Charterhouse School in Godalming, Surrey. Meanwhile, fellow students Michael Rutherford and Anthony Phillips were in a group called Anon. When the two groups merged, they formed New Anon and recorded a six-song demo of songs mostly written by Rutherford and Phillips. BE A fellow Charterhouse alum, producer Jonathan King, heard their tape and got them into the studio. Now rechristened Genesis – at King’s suggestion – they had their first formal recording sessions in December of 1967. They released their debut single, “The Silent Sun,” in February 1968 and a second single, “A Winter’s Tale,” followed. “At this time, their music was a form of lyrical folk-based progressive pop, built on lush melodies primarily carried on acoustic guitar and piano, with lyrics that tended toward the florid and trippy, in keeping with the tastes of the time – psychedelia was in vogue, and Genesis…showed an exceptional facility with poetic content as well as gorgeous melodies.” BE

From Genesis to Revelation (1969) Genesis

Tracks: Where the Sour Turns to Sweet In the Beginning Fireside Song The Serpent Am I Very Wrong? In the Wilderness The Conqueror In Hiding One Day Window In Limbo The Silent Sun * A Winter’s Tale * * on reissues

About the Album: “Every band has to start somewhere” JP and with Genesis’ “members barely past their 18th birthdays… [they were] still working out what they wanted to sound like.” AM As “produced by English impresario Jonathan King,” JP “they sound like the Bee Gees… (picture something similar to the…Odessa album)” AM “trying to be the Moody Blues.” AM Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart peaks, sales figures, awards, and information about individual songs.

Trespass (1970) Genesis

Tracks: Looking for Someone White Mountain Visions of Angels Stagnation Dusk The Knife PC, TT

About the Album: For their second album, Genesis were signed to a new label (Charisma). Trespass“showed the first signs of the band that Genesis would become – it was still more folk-based than most progressive rock of the period, and some of the songs couldn’t quite carry their length; and they had some way to go in terms of vocal and instrumental finesse. But it had reach if not grasp – most of the album was comprised of extended pieces, sung with dramatic, almost operatic intensity and highly involved arrangements and complex parts for all of the instruments. One number in particular, an extended conceptual piece called The Knife, stood out, and an excerpt from it was issued as a single.” BE Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart peaks, sales figures, awards, and information about individual songs.

Nursery Cryme (1971) Genesis

Tracks: The Musical Box PC For Absent Friends The Return of the Giant Hogweed Seven Stones Harold the Barrel Harlequin The Fountain of Salmacis

About the Album: After losing two members, Genesis brought in Phil Collins, a former child actor turned drummer. Guitarist Anthony Phillips, who suffered from crippling stage fright, was replaced by Steve Hackett. He was new enough to the band that he barely played on the Nursery Cryme album. Mike Rutherford wrote and played most of the guitar parts, including “The Musical Box,” the centerpiece of the album. The song, which originated during Phillips’ tenure and used some material he had composed, told a “Victorian-era story of children, murder, and ghostly apparitions.” BE Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart peaks, sales figures, awards, and information about individual songs.

Foxtrot (1972) Genesis

Tracks: Watcher of the Skies Time Table Get ‘Em Out by Friday Can-Utility and the Coastliners Horizon’s Supper’s Ready PC a. Lover’s Leap b. The Guaranteed Eternal Sanctuary Man c. Ikhnaton and Itsacon and Their Band of Merry Men d. How Dare I Be So Beautiful? e. Willow Farm f. Apocalypse in 9/8 g. As Sure As Eggs Is Eggs (Aching Men’s Feet)

About the Album: “Foxtrot, issued in the fall of 1972, was the flash point in Genesis’ history, and not just on commercial terms. The writing, especially on Supper’s Ready – another conceptual piece, this time taking up an entire side of the LP – was as sophisticated as anything in progressive rock, and the lyrics were complex, serious, and clever, a far cry from the usual overblown words attached to most prog rock.” BE Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart peaks, sales figures, awards, and information about individual songs.

Selling England by the Pound (1973) Genesis

Tracks: Dance with the Moonlight Knight LD I Know What I Like in Your Wardrobe TA, PC, TT, LD Firth of Fifth PC, LD More Fool Me The Battle of Epping Forest After the Ordeal The Cinema Show PC, LD Aisle of Plenty

About the Album: Selling England by the Pound “featured Gabriel’s strongest vocal performance and transcendent work by the rest of the band, especially Tony Banks’ keyboards, which took on a light yet fiercely lyrical profile.” BE “They were still a cult band in the United States…but thanks to a lot more FM radio play their music was getting heard beyond the ranks of the cultists, and finding new listeners.” BE Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart peaks, sales figures, awards, and information about individual songs.

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) Genesis

Tracks, Disc 1: Click on a song title for more details. The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway PC, LD Fly on a Windshield Broadway Melody of 1974 Cuckoo Cocoon In the Cage The Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging Back in N.Y.C. Hairless Heart Counting Out Time PC, TT The Carpet Crawlers PC, TT, LD The Chamber of 32 Doors Tracks – Disc 2: Lilywhite Lilith The Waiting Room Anyway The Supernatural Anaesthetist The Lamia Silent Sorrow in Empty Boats The Colony of Slippermen (The Arrival/A Visit to the Doktor/The Raven) Ravine The Light Lies Down on Broadway Riding the Scree In the Rapids It

About the Album: The double album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway “marked the culmination of the group’s early history. A concept album with a very involved story and a large cast of characters, its composition had been difficult, involving a story outlined and written (along with most of the lyrics) exclusively by Gabriel.” BE Division began to form in the band. Gabriel was dealing with personal problems, such as his marriage, and the group thought his costumes were distracting from the music. BE He announced his departure from the group in May 1975. Go to the DMDB page for more on this album including chart peaks, sales figures, awards, and information about individual songs.

A Trick of the Tail (1976) Genesis

Tracks: Dance on a Volcano Entangled Squonk Mad Man Moon Robbery, Assault and Battery Ripples PC A Trick of the Tail PC, TT Los Endos PC

About the Album: After auditioning potential replacements for Gabriel, Genesis ended up turning inward to drummer Phil Collins as their new lead singer. They returned to the studio in October 1975 to work on what became A Trick of the Tail. It wasn’t a huge departure from earlier albums, but they did make more of an effort to make the music more accessible. Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart peaks, sales figures, awards, and information about individual songs.

Wind and Wuthering (1976) Genesis

Tracks: Eleventh Earl of Mar One for the Vine Your Own Special Way PC, TT Wot Gorilla? All in a Mouse’s Night Blood on the Rooftops Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers… …In That Quiet Earth PC Afterglow PC, TT, LD

About the Album: Another album followed by year’s end. “Like its predecessor, the album fit into a progressive rock mode, but even the extended pieces…had a lighter texture and tone to much of its length and was typical of most art rock of the time.” BE The single, “Your Own Special Way,” gave the band their first taste of chart success in the U.S. Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart peaks, sales figures, awards, and information about individual songs.

And Then There Were Three… (1978) Genesis

Tracks: Down and Out Undertow PC Ballad of Big Snowbound Burning Rope Deep in the Motherlode Many Too Many PC, TT Scenes from a Night’s Dream Say It’s Alright Joe The Lady Lies Follow You, Follow Me TA, PC, TT, LD

About the Album: On the eve of the band’s release of live album Seconds Out, Steve Hackett announced his departure from the band. Genesis used Daryl Stuermer in concert, but Rutherford stepped up to cover guitar parts in the studio. The trio “released the appropriately titled And Then There Were Three, which abandoned any efforts at progressive rock in favor of a softer pop sound.” BE The album gave them their first full-fledged taste of success in America with a gold album and a top-40 single in “Follow You, Follow Me.” Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart peaks, sales figures, awards, and information about individual songs.

Duke (1980) Genesis

Tracks: Behind the Lines PC Duchess PC, TT, LD Guide Vocal Man of Our Times Misunderstanding TA, PC, TT Heathaze Turn It on Again TA, PC, TT, LD Alone Tonight Cul-de-Sac Please Don’t Ask Duke’s Travels Duke’s End LD

About the Album: Previous album And Then There Were Three was Genesis’ first album featuring only Tony Banks, Phil Collins, and Mike Rutherford. The trio would helm the band’s most commercially successful years through the ‘80s and ‘90s. The band’s previous five albums reached the top 10 in the UK; Duke marked their first trip to #1. The singles “Misunderstanding” and “Turn It on Again” became staples at classic rock radio; the former was a #1 hit in Canada. Go to the DMDB page for more on this album including chart peaks, sales figures, awards, and information about individual songs.

Abacab (1981) Genesis

Tracks: Abacab TA, PC, TT, LD No Reply at All TT Me and Sarah Jane Keep It Dark PC, TT Dodo/Lurker Who Dunnit? Man on the Corner TT Like It or Not Another Record

About the Album: Phil Collins released his first solo album, Face Value, in the early part of the year and Genesis came back with Abacab at the end of the year. It was a “stripped-down pop/rock album that even had the three core members interacting musically with the Earth, Wind & Fire horn section. Like its predecessor, it topped the charts in England and easily made the Top Ten in the United States.” BE Phil Collins also released his first solo album, Face Value, that year. Another concert album, Three Sides Live, followed. Go to the DMDB page for more on this album including chart peaks, sales figures, awards, and information about individual songs.

Genesis (1983) Genesis

Tracks: Mama TA, PC, TT, LD That’s All TA, PC, TT, LD Home by the Sea PC, LD Second Home by the Sea PC, LD Illegal Alien PC, TT Taking It All Too Hard Just a Job to Do Silver Rainbow It’s Gonna Get Better

About the Album: Phil Collins released another solo album in 1982 (Hello, I Must Be Going) and reached the top 10 with a cover of “You Can’t Hurry Love.” That set the stage for even more commercial success for Genesis. Their self-titled 1983 release gave the band their first top-10 hit with “That’s All.” The album became the second platinum seller for the band. Go to the DMDB page for more on this album including chart peaks, sales figures, awards, and information about individual songs.

Invisible Touch (1986) Genesis

Tracks: Invisible Touch TA, PC, TT, LD Tonight, Tonight, Tonight TA, PC, TT, LD Land of Confusion TA, PC, TT, LD In Too Deep TA, PC, TT, LD Anything She Does In the Glow of the Night (Domino, Part 1) LD The Last Domino (Domino, Part 2) LD Throwing It All Away TA, PC, TT, LD The Brazilian

About the Album: Phil Collins roared back with another solo album, No Jacket Required, in 1985 and became one of the biggest sensations in pop music with #1 hits “One More Night” and “Sussudio.” Meanwhile, Mike Rutherford helmed the side project Mike + the Mechanics in 1985 and landed two top-10 hits with “Silent Running” and “All I Need Is a Miracle.” It all set the stage for Genesis’ greatest success yet. Invisible Touch gave the band five top-5 hits in the U.S., including the #1 title cut. The band had “a string of sold-out arena shows that cast the group in the same league as concert stalwarts like the Rolling Stones and the Grateful Dead.” BE Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart peaks, sales figures, awards, and information about individual songs.

We Can’t Dance (1991) Genesis

Tracks: No Son of Mine TA, PC, TT, LD Jesus He Knows Me TA, PC, TT, LD Driving the Last Spike I Can’t Dance TA, PC, TT, LD Never a Time Dreaming While You Sleep Tell Me Why TT Living Forever Hold on My Heart TA, PC, TT, LD Way of the World Since I Lost You Fading Lights PC

About the Album: In the seven years before the next Genesis album, the members continued with side projects. Phil Collins hit #1 again with two songs from the Buster soundtrack and released another hugely successful solo album, But Seriously, in 1989. It featured four more top-10 hits, including the #1 hit “Another Day in Paradise.” Mike + the Mechanics also released the top of the charts with the title cut from their 1988 Living Years album. When the band reconvened, they once again churned out multiple hits from a mega-platinum album. It was, however, another ending for Genesis as it was Collins’ last studio effort with the group. Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart peaks, sales figures, awards, and information about individual songs.

Calling All Stations (1997) Genesis

Tracks: Calling All Stations PC Congo TA, TT Shipwrecked Alien Afternoon Not about Us If That’s What You Need The Dividing Line Uncertain Weather Small Talk There Must Be Some Other Way One Man’s Fool

About the Album: Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford enlisted Ray Wilson as the new singer for one more studio effort. Calling All Stations “recalled their art rock roots in some respects” BE but “neither the critics nor the fans warmed to the album – it sold relatively poorly…the accompanying tour was equally unsuccessful.” BE Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart peaks, sales figures, awards, and information about individual songs.

Turn It on Again – The Hits Genesis

Released: October 26, 1999 Recorded: 1973-1997 Peak: 65 US, 4 UK, 28 CN, 98 AU Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, -- UK, 4.5 world (includes US and UK) Genre: progressive rock/classic rock Rating: 4.189 out of 5.00 (average of 6 ratings)

Tracks: (1) Turn It on Again (2) Invisible Touch (3) Mama (4) Land of Confusion (5) I Can’t Dance (6) Follow You Follow Me (7) Hold on My Heart (8) Abacab (9) I Know What I Like in Your Wardrobe (10) No Son of Mine (11) Tonight, Tonight, Tonight (12) In Too Deep (13) Congo (14) Jesus He Knows Me (15) That’s All (16) Misunderstanding (17) Throwing It All Away (18) The Carpet Crawlers 1999 Tracks (The Tour Edition) – Disc 1: (1) Turn It on Again (2) No Son of Mine (3) I Can’t Dance (4) Hold on My Heart (5) Jesus He Knows Me (6) Tell My Why (7) Invisible Touch (8) Land of Confusion (9) Tonight, Tonight, Tonight (10) In Too Deep (11) Throwing It All Away (12) Mama (13) That’s All (14) Illegal Alien (15) Abacab (16) No Reply at All (17) The Carpet Crawlers 1999 Tracks (The Tour Edition) – Disc 2: (1) Paperlate (2) Keep It Dark (3) Man on the Corner (4) Duchess (5) Misunderstanding (6) Follow You, Follow Me (7) Many Too Many (8) Your Own Special Way (9) Afterglow (10) Pigeons (11) Inside and Out (12) A Trick of the Tail (13) Counting Out Time (14) I Know What I Like in Your Wardrobe (15) Happy the Man (16) The Knife (17) Congo About Turn It on Again – The Hits: Banks, Collins, Gabriel, Hacket, and Rutherford reunited to record a new version of “The Carpet Crawlers” for this album. Otherwise, everything is previously released. The single disc 1999 release missed some songs, such as “Paperlate,” “No Reply at All,” and “Man on the Corner” and barely acknowledged the Peter Gabriel era. The double-disc tour edition of the album in 2007 largely corrected those problems although the Gabriel years are still under-represented. Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums: Happy the Man (5/12/72, --) TT Inside and Out (from Spot the Pigeon EP, 5/20/77) TT Pigeons (from Spot the Pigeon EP, 5/20/77) TT Paperlate (5/15/82, 32 US, 31 CB, 2 AR, 10 UK, 25 CN, 73 AU) PC, TT

Platinum Collection Genesis

Released: November 29, 2004 Recorded: 1970-1997 Peak: 100 US, 21 UK Sales (in millions): -- Genre: progressive rock/classic rock Rating: 3.540 out of 5.00 (average of 9 ratings)

Tracks, Disc 1: (1) No Son of Mine (2) I Can’t Dance (3) Jesus He Knows Me (4) Hold on My Heart (5) Invisible Touch (6) Throwing It All Away (7) Tonight, Tonight, Tonight (8) Land of Confusion (9) In Too Deep (10) Mama (11) That’s All (12) Home by the Sea (13) Second Home by the Sea (14) Illegal Alien (15) Paperlate (16) Calling All Stations Tracks, Disc 2: (1) Abacab (2) Keep It Dark (3) Turn It on Again (4) Behind the Lines (5) Duchess (6) Misunderstanding (7) Many Too Many (8) Follow You Follow Me (9) Undertow (10) In That Quiet Earth (11) Afterglow (12) Your Own Special Way (13) A Trick of the Tail (14) Ripples (15) Los Endos Tracks, Disc 3: (1) The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (2) Counting Out Time (3) The Carpet Crawlers (4) Firth of Fifth (5) The Cinema Show (6) I Know What I Like in Your Wardrobe (7) Supper’s Ready (8) The Musical Box (9) The Knife About Platinum Collection: This three-disc set goes deep into the Genesis catalog, covering much more of the Gabriel era (a full disc’s worth) and a fair amount of album cuts. Astonishingly, it omits “No Reply at All” but there are no other glaring oversights. The reverse chronogical order means that the different phases of Genesis are not mixed together, which is more jarring on Turn It on Again – The Hits.

The Last Domino? Genesis

Released: September 17, 2021 Recorded: 1973-1991 Peak: -- US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): -- Genre: progressive rock/classic rock

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks, Disc 1: (1) Duke’s End (2) Turn It on Again (3) Mama (4) Land of Confusion (5) Home by the Sea (6) Second Home by the Sea (7) Fading Lights (8) The Cinema Show (9) Afterglow (10) Hold on My Heart (11) Jesus He Knows Me (12) That’s All (13) The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (14) In Too Deep Tracks, Disc 2: (1) Follow You, Follow Me (2) Duchess (3) No Son of Mine (4) Firth of Fifth (5) I Know What I Like in Your Wardrobe (6) In the Glow of the Night/The Last Domino (7) Throwing It All Away (8) Tonight, Tonight, Tonight (9) Invisible Touch (10) I Can’t Dance (11) Dancing with the Moonlit Knight (12) The Carpet Crawlers (13) Abacab About The Last Domino?: This is a completely unnecessary cash-grab compilation designed to accompany Genesis’ tour of the same name.

Resources/References: BE AllMusic.com band biography by Bruce Eder AM AllMusic.com individual album reviews JP Jon Pareles, Blender magazine. (10/07), pp.118-9. Related DMDB Links: First posted 3/3/2010; last updated 9/16/2025.