religion and Genesis, whats the conection

I think you are reading way too much into the religious aspect.  Mike Rutherford is probably the most religious, if you want to call it that, of them all as he is a born again Christian.  I read somewhere how the name Genesis came about and I forget exactly what it was that inspired it but it had to do with a new beginning.  Tony Banks has stated that choral music has been an inspiration to him but I think that's all it is, an inspiration,  Peter Gabriel's name correlation is just a mere coincidence.  I don't believe that there really is any real "religious" connotation to the band's name or music.  But that's just me, a New York born Jewish kid who has been deeply into prog music since the late 60's.  I am primarily a keyboard player and composer who has been inspired by many types of music and other composers but that doesn't put me into any specific category.

I'm sure a conspiration is involved. 

I like mere coincidences, it makes things much more interesting, I am very positive and a believer in pure chance, and not particularly in any religion but it still baffles me how much pure chance may turn out to be true or just a funny coincidence 

 

Slartibartfast wrote: The first two had heavy religious themes in the lyrics. Trespass had more moving ones than their first, but it had it's moments.

The first album was completely re-written under instruction from Jonathon King to fit the biblical concept he envisioned - the original versions of the songs did not have a religious theme, for example "The Serpent" was originally "She's Beautiful" and "In Hiding" was "Patricia".

The debut was based on the Bible but Genesis did not initially intend for this to be the case. It was rewritten as stated above by King. Trespass has Biblical overtones and part of Foxtrot but not that much. From my blog here:

Edited by AtomicCrimsonRush - December 18 2010 at 08:55

Negoba wrote: Supper's Ready is very grounded in Christian imagery, though I imagine some hard core Christians would find it blasphemous.

'The angel standing in the sun' as well as other images were lifted from the Book of Revelation, a.k.a. the Apocalypse. (If you google 'The angel standing in the Sun' you'll probably find a magnificent sun-drenched painting which J.M.W. Turner did on the same theme.)

What is the Book of Revelation? I have no doubt "some hardcore Christians" will take it as gospel truth, but it is actually one of the most hallucinatory parts of the Christian Bible... In my view, Gabriel made excellent use of it, as so many artists did before him! (Always assuming it was Gabriel who wrote the lyrics and came up with the theme.)

fuxi wrote: Negoba wrote: Supper's Ready is very grounded in Christian imagery, though I imagine some hard core Christians would find it blasphemous. 'The angel standing in the sun' as well as other images were lifted from the Book of Revelation, a.k.a. the Apocalypse. (If you google 'The angel standing in the Sun' you'll probably find a magnificent sun-drenched painting which J.M.W. Turner did on the same theme.) What is the Book of Revelation? I have no doubt "some hardcore Christians" will take it as gospel truth, but it is actually one of the most hallucinatory parts of the Christian Bible... In my view, Gabriel made excellent use of it, as so many artists did before him! (Always assuming it was Gabriel who wrote the lyrics and came up with the theme.)

From Revelation 19:

17And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great.”

19Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

Maybe this should be in the Obscure Prog Facts thread but, while still at Charterhouse, Banks, Gabriel and Rutherford created a concept album on the whole Bible in ten songs. It ended up in the dust bin.
I think their allusions to religion has more to do with tradition than to actual belief.

^^^

Dean wrote: AtomicCrimsonRush wrote: The debut was based on the Bible but Genesis did not initially intend for this to be the case. It was rewritten as stated above by King. Trespass has Biblical overtones and part of Foxtrot but not that much. From my blog here:   The album's songs were loosely based on the Bible. The album was recorded in August 1968, while band members were on school holidays, and the songs were overdubbed with strings and horns, much to the dismay of Genesis members. King took it upon himself to sequence all the songs together like a concept album, leaving no gaps and making the music flow seamlessly from track to track. The band members were aged 16 to 18, and did not consider themselves as proficient musicians, especially as they had very little studio experience. However the album had some good melodies and innovative instrumentation, with some inspired lyrics.   Lyrics to "The Serpent" (excerpt)    And God created man from dust With a soul inside his mould And God created womankind The vessel of satans hold Creator made the serpent wise Evil in his tempting eyes Man is wonderful, very wonderful Look at him Beware the future Lyrics to "She is Beautiful" (same excerpt)   You know your just an able sum To get more money For them you're just a product For me you're the one I love (Baby) Vanity arrived with fame How she loved to see her name She is beautiful, very beautiful Look at her, And she's a model   Perhaps it's just me that sees these lyrics as being more poignant and insightful.