Author:Mario Giammetti
A very nicely produced and well researched sequel to the author’s earlier work covering the Peter Gabriel years, this lengthy book comes on top quality paper with lots of contemporary full colour photographs. Based on numerous extensive interviews with and quotes from the key players in the story, Giammetti takes us through the band’s activities right up to the reunion tour in the late 2000s, and examines in depth the recording of each album, including a song by song breakdown, as well as the subsequent touring that accompanied each release. Of course, this era is by no means everyone’s favourite period of the band’s career as they moved away from their traditional long prog oriented pieces towards shorter songs, often with a poppier edge to them. However, even most of the later records do at least contain a couple of nods back to that earlier time, and for me those songs are vastly preferable to the more radio friendly efforts. Let’s not forget either that the two albums that immediately followed Gabriel’s departure, A Trick of the Tail and Wind and Wuthering, were both very good indeed, especially when you remember they appeared within only six months of each other. Listening again to the albums covered here, there’s still plenty for the old school fan to enjoy on albums such as Duke, Genesis and, to a lesser extent, Invisible Touch, but the overall impact is often lost in the chart friendly tunes that tended to dominate and dilute those albums. This book is probably as close to a definitive look at the Collins/post Gabriel era of the band as we’re going to get, and it’s certainly well worth seeking out, even if you’re not a particular fan of those years, as it does offer some interesting new perspectives and insights into what the band were aiming for. An enjoyable read for sure – why not ask Santa to bring you a copy!
Length of Read:Medium
Might appeal to people who enjoyed…
The albums of this era of the band’s history.
One thing you’ve learned
Astonishingly, this is now the author’s fifteenth Genesis related book, and you get the feeling that by now he may know more about the band than they do themselves!
Was much content recycled? Is there an interesting back story to the later phase?
It’a an interesting read, and gives some insight into how and why they went for a different approach musically.