When Genesis reached the height of its popularity in the mid-’80s, it coincided with its two best-known frontmen both enjoying huge success as solo artists. Phil Collins was Genesis’ lead singer when both he and the band were releasing one hit after another. When the group was in its infancy in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, it would have been nearly impossible to imagine Genesis, or its first lead singer, Peter Gabriel, as worldwide pop phenomena. But Gabriel, just like Collins, became a prolific hitmaker.
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Especially in the U.S., Genesis’ early material is still far less well-known than the ‘80s and ‘90s output from the band and from Gabriel and Collins. None of Genesis’ first four albums have gone gold, and their first platinum album, Duke, was released five years after Gabriel left the band to pursue his solo career in 1975. The albums Genesis made with Peter Gabriel bear little resemblance to their later work, and especially to the albums they made after Duke. For Gabriel’s and Collins’ fans who aren’t familiar with their earlier work, hearing them together as part of early-’70s Genesis can be a shock.
Though listening to early Genesis for the first time may require some patience, it’s worth the investment in time to give their recordings a proper listen. These five tracks from Gabriel’s time in the band are a great, bite-sized way to start that exploration.
1. “Stagnation”
Genesis made two albums before Collins joined as their drummer, and the second one, Trespass (1970), is what the band considers to be their first proper album. “Stagnation” is a great track to sample from that album, as it reflects the folky influence of their first lead guitarist, Anthony Phillips, but it’s also an early example of Gabriel’s unique vocal stylings.
Even more so than in his solo work, Gabriel had a flair for the dramatic here, as evidenced in the section that begins just before the six-minute mark, when he screams out of nowhere, Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, said I wanna sit down! Tony Banks’ keyboard solos are also a key part of Genesis’ earlier albums, and the one on “Stagnation” is one of his most thrilling.
2. “The Musical Box”
One year after Trespass was released, Genesis put out Nursery Cryme, which was their first album with Collins on drums and Steve Hackett on lead guitar. This album also ushered in the era where Gabriel brought his theatrics to Genesis’ live shows, dressing up in bizarre costumes and makeup that helped to tell the songs’ stories.
In the clip below from Genesis’ performance of the song on The Midnight Special, you can see a young Collins behind the kit (and hear his familiar voice on backing vocals). You can also watch Hackett employ tapping techniques a few years before Edward Van Halen had music fans thinking it was the coolest thing to ever happen on a fretboard.
[RELATED: Peter Gabriel in Attendance, Celebrates Genesis’ Final Show]
3. “Watcher of the Skies”
When Phish’s Trey Anastasio inducted Genesis into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, this was the song his band played at the ceremony. If you’re going to salute this version of Genesis, it’s the perfect choice (because the audience would be certain to get antsy during the 23-minute opus that is “Supper’s Ready”).
“Watcher of the Skies” has everything you’d want and expect from early Genesis: a strange but compelling story, a dramatic musical score, and virtuosic performances from each of the group’s members. For a band that created many distinctive intros and outros for their songs, the ones on “Watcher of the Skies” rank as among their most memorable.
4. “The Cinema Show”
Many diehard Genesis fans cite Selling England by the Pound as their favorite of the band’s albums—and it’s Hackett’s favorite, too. On an album full of elaborate and beautiful compositions, “The Cinema Show” is a standout among standouts.
Progressive rock bands are sometimes criticized for songs that go on for too long with too much noodling, but there’s nothing about this track’s nearly 11 minutes that is wasted or self-indulgent. It gradually builds from its acoustic guitar intro to a climactic conclusion. Along the way, listeners get to enjoy some of Banks’ most inspired soloing.
5. “Carpet Crawlers”
Gabriel’s swan song with Genesis was the 1974 double album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, and its surreal concept and equally odd soundscape, littered with strange noises and tones, probably makes it the toughest entry point for listeners unfamiliar with early Genesis. “Carpet Crawlers,” however, stands out as the most accessible song not only on the album but also possibly from the entire ‘70s portion of their discography. This hypnotic tune is about a group of people ascending a seemingly endless spiral staircase, ostensibly in search of Heaven or a higher power. Like “The Cinema Show,” its build-up is gradual and sneaky, mirroring the climb of the song’s subjects.
When Genesis was recording “Carpet Crawlers,” Gabriel’s departure was not a given, and even when he did leave, it was assumed that Collins’ singing would still be limited to backing vocals with only the occasional lead vocal. It was only because the remaining band members could not find a suitable replacement that Collins added full-time lead singer to his role as drummer. In retrospect, though, “Carpet Crawlers” does come across as a passing of the vocal baton to Collins. He provides backing vocals for much of the song, and in the outro, Collins answers every one of Gabriel’s “got to get in” lines with “got to get in to get out.”
Genesis re-made “Carpet Crawlers” for their 1999 compilation, Turn It on Again: The Hits, reuniting Gabriel, Hackett, and Collins—who had all left the group by then—with Banks and Mike Rutherford. On this version, Collins takes over the lead vocals for the second verse.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
