'Genesis - Sit, Look and Listen.' by Richard Green from Music Scene.
Note - I think this is from a publication called "MUSIC SCENE" and will date from 1973 sometime between Foxtrot and Selling England By The Pound.
In these days, when so-called weanyboppers are gradually becoming more and more vociferous and bands are striving to create uproar among their audiences, it comes as something of a restful and pleasing change to find that Genesis require, demand even, concentration from the masses.
A mark of the audiences' willingness to conform to the band's wish may be found in the best-selling 'Foxtrot' album which was given a healthy shot in the arm by the recently-completed tour with Lindisfarne and Rab Noakes. Such is Genesis' current popularity that a headlining British tour is being set up for February, by which time it is hoped to have another album ready. That tour will follow visits to America and the Continent and preceed a lengthier U.S. trek, plus concerts in Australia and Japan.
Over a 'lunch' of Newcastle Brown Ale in a Soho pub near the offices of Charisma Records (Genesis' label), drummer/vocalist/percussionist Phil Collins talked to me about the band's workings, attitudes and plans. "We are to an extent a bit stylised, as some of the lyrics are pure fantasy," he admitted. "It didn't start off like that, though. Someone comes in with the idea for a song or an arrangement and we work on it. Tony Banks (organ) is very good on chord changes, Pete Gabriel (lead vocals, flute and front man) is on the melody side, and I'm on the rhythm side.
"I change my music at much as possible on stage apart from the breaks I do to bring everyone in. We're not like Humble Pie who will change if the audience are up and bopping, because our audiences don't get up and bop until we've finished, they come to listen to a particular piece of music."
Pete Gabriel has something of a reputation for his energetic stage act and because he partially shaves his head and wears garish make-up. "Pete's act is outrage," Phil agreed. "The make-up is a development. He's been doing it ever since I've been in the band. It's definitely schizophrenic, he's just the opposite off stage."
Phil, it should be pointed out, joined Genesis something like two-and-a-half years ago from Flaming Youth when the bassist and drummer left. Genesis had originally been formed at Charterhouse by Tony Banks, Peter Gabriel, Michael Rutherford and Anthony Phillips in 1966.
On the theme of the band's audiences, Phil continued: "We started with audiences of fourteen upwards, now we've got a good college following, but not at universities until recently, which is pretty odd . . . they tend to be very blas.
"On the Charisma tour the advantages outweighed the disadvantages; The advantages were playing to full audiences, and a nice atmosphere among the bands; the disadvantages were going on first with people still coming in, and we demand attention."
To follow 'Foxtrot', Genesis realise they have to do something totally different. "We were hurried on the last one so we want to take as much time as possible with the next," Phil said. "I love playing in front of people on the road, but the band as a whole would prefer to cut down, which is what is happening now."
