Peter Gabriel tells Rolling Stone that he’s not going to get onstage with his former bandmates when Genesis are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 15.
That’s sad news for longtime fans who were hoping to hear the flower-wearing Gabriel belt out “The Musical Box” or “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” with his old band.
That’s even sadder news for longtime fans who got sick of Phil Collins’ obnoxious frontman role over the years, as he turned an occasionally bloated prog-rock band into a slick pop-music machine.
It’s not that I have a problem with Collins-era Genesis — I actually like some of the albums that came out of the period, which were way more consistent than the ones the band made when Gabriel was fronting them. But the dozen or so interchangeable ballads Genesis recorded in the late ’80s are more like Collins’ blah solo material than band songs.
Gabriel tells Rolling Stone, “I learned at our last reunion [in 1982] that you can’t just get up there. You have to rehearse.”
He also says he’s not even sure he’ll show up at the induction ceremony in New York in March because he’s going to be busy prepping his new tour (Gabriel has a new covers album coming out this year).
So you may want to prepare for the worst, like “Illegal Alien” or that awful “Turn It on Again” medley where Colliins would slap on a pair of sunglasses and run through Blues Brothers-approved oldies.
Or you can check out this totally awesome TV performance of Genesis back when they had hair. —Michael Gallucci
This article appears in Jan 20-26, 2010.
Gallucci if you don’t like Genesis why do you write anything about them?
The story of Gabriel’s prog music and Collins’ pop music is old and, most of all, untrue.
I can give you more precise informations, if you wish…
Gallucci, you’re such an idiot.
I’ve LOVED Genesis for 25 years and I understand what Gallucci is getting at. You folks need to re-read his short article. He’s says he likes genesis, but the saccharin sweet pop crap is not as good as the Gabriel era which is what everyone wants to hear.
Have you ever heard a Genesis tribute band in Cleveland? Not only do they play a majority of the 70-75 stuff, but they frequently make fun of the post 85 stuff, starting a song like Invisible Touch and then saying “Psych” and going into a Lamb song.
I LOVE them, but I hate what they became.