First hint that Genesis might turn into a pop band

The first hint that Genesis might turn into a Pop band? The seeds were there right from the outset as Genesis would still have gone in a more accessible direction if Gabriel had stayed longer, albeit one that embraced world music. Like Gabriel anticipated before them, Collins, Rutherford and Banks realised that Prog's shelf life was over circa 1976 and that to reach a larger audience, they needed to go in a more accessible direction as their previous audience had largely dispersed. It seems clear that Hackett didn't necessarily share this view. (Genesis were still heavily in debt up to the Lamb Lies Down album and Phil Collins even considered just singing in the band by offering the drum gig to Bob Henrit of Argent, who declined) It's telling that when Jazz Rock was potentially the next big lucrative thing, Phil promptly joined Brand X then departed as soon as the cash registers refused to ring loudly enough. Similarly, he's embraced pretty much every extant contemporary style that's been in vogue from Motown, R'n'B, romantic ballads, to Big Band and even became an incredibly unconvincing actor for a while. Phil bashing has become wearyingly de rigueur over the last few years and although online petitions to dissuade him from returning to the music industry are of course crassly inappropriate, they're not entirely without a sliver of merit.

Genesis WERE a pop band with Silent Sun. They chose more musically ambitious paths thereafter.
I Know What I Like - great Pop song with Gabriel.
Trick Of The Tail - great Pop song with Collins.
They always had 'Pop' in them. Fortunately, they knew how to balance it out and impress, and that goes for We Can't Dance too !!
Though Invisible Touch hasn't aged well AT ALL.

HackettFan wrote: Robbery, Assault and Battery

respectfully disgree

this is a mini-rock opera in the tradition of Harold The Barrel, Get Them out By Friday, Epping Forest tradition... and All In A Mouse's Night in W&W.

Follow You Follow Me. Steve Hackett had left and the left hand of Tony Banks ceased to be active.

Sean Trane wrote: HackettFan wrote: Robbery, Assault and Battery respectfully disgree this is a mini-rock opera in the tradition of Harold The Barrel, Get Them out By Friday, Epping Forest tradition... and All In A Mouse's Night in W&W.

Genesis' turn to commercial success follows the same trajectory as Phil's rise as one of the biggest hit making pop stars of recent times. I still believe Banks can do it all but prefers prog and classical music---Rutherford is a mixed bag but Mike and Mechanics smell like pop music to me. At this point a Hackett/Banks collaboration would be my dream come true. Then again GTR with Howe and Hackett was my dream come true with clearly mixed results! LOL

I said Afterglow, but I actually believe the answer's more complex, and the process was maybe more gradual.  They needed a concert staple that would attract women, so they did "Follow You Follow Me".  Attw3 , Duke and Abacab all had great proggy tunes but a good measure of pop, as if just to show they enjoyed the male fans bringing girlfriends along to their concerts.... But the self-titled album in '83 was the first clear sign, I think, of their commitment to being a pop band. (Not that there's anything wrong with that! )


Edited by CapnBearbossa - September 11 2017 at 10:23

Good choices. Although one might argue that Genesis started-out as a sort of pop band, I'll go with "Silent Sun" off From Genesis to Revelation -- I like the song, and find the album quite charming incidentally.

twosteves wrote: Genesis' turn to commercial success follows the same trajectory as Phil's rise as one of the biggest hit making pop stars of recent times. I still believe Banks can do it all but prefers prog and classical music---Rutherford is a mixed bag but Mike and Mechanics smell like pop music to me. At this point a Hackett/Banks collaboration would be my dream come true. Then again GTR with Howe and Hackett was my dream come true with clearly mixed results! LOL

Oh yes, it would be great if Hackett and Banks teamed up to do another Genesis Revisited tour, and then a new studio album. Much better than a Genesis reunios of the 80's line-up. But then again, as I understand it, it's exactly those two that have the biggest grudge, and so the least likely reunion to happen.

They never did entirely.