Sam's Rock Blog: Genesis: The Peter Gabriel Years

If you're like most people my age (mid-thirties) forget what you think you know about the band called Genesis. In the early 70s, long before Invisible Touch and the balding Phil Collins took center stage, Genesis was a completely different band. With Peter Gabriel as front man and main lyricist, Genesis' first years were typified by theatrics, extended musical interludes, and often inscrutable words to match.

No major hits (at least not in the US) came from Genesis in the early 70s, but the band increasingly gained notoriety for their stage show, in particular on the Lamb Lies Down on Broadway tour in 1975. This would prove to be the last tour with Gabriel, as he decided to leave the band, afraid that he was becoming a prisoner of his own stage persona doomed to repeat eye-catching theatrics whether or not it suited him. I'll cover both Peter Gabriel's solo career as well as spend time exploring the Lamb album in its entirety but for now let's look at some solid-gold material from the first couple of Genesis albums.

Watcher of the Skies - From the album Foxtrot, this has to be my favorite song from this part of the band's history. Allegedly culled from Arthur C. Clarke sci-fi, this song was often an opener for the band's live show. Listen to the first 1:30 or so to hear some of the best Mellotron work anywhere. 1972.

Dancing with the Moonlit Knight - A line from this song gave its corresponding album's title Selling England by the Pound. Like several other songs, this one explores modern themes through the lens of English folklore and fantasy. Do a little search on the "Green Stamps" craze in England and the line "Knights of the Green Shield Stamp and shout" takes on a whole new meaning. Basically, it's a song about materialism and perhaps how mystery and wonder are lost along the way. 1973.

Supper's Ready - I will freely admit that this is a tough song to appreciate at first, not only because it's almost 25 minutes long, but also because I don't love each of its many disparate parts. The second half is my favorite where we are treated to a long jam in 9/8 time which transitions to a beautiful and uplifting ending. If you look at concert footage of this song, I think Gabriel goes through half a dozen costume changes to act out the various players in this operatic piece. If the first two songs listed above pique your interest, try this song out for a challenging, but very satisfying experience. 1972.